Principles of accident prevention

An accident can be defined as an unplanned event or happening. That is, an accident is something unexpected, not predictable, foreseen or intended. An extension of this theme is that an accident is an outcome of an event that is not desired. Accidents do not just "happen" they are caused. An unsafe act and / or unsafe condition cause the accident event; resulting in interruption to work activities, damage to property or injury to a person.

Every accident has one or more identifiable causes. The employer is responsible for ensuring a safe system of work is in place and therefore must take action to prevent accidents from occurring or recurring.

For some, this concept still causes difficulty. The term "accident" suggests that an event occurred itself, with some degree of chance and it implies no blame or responsibility. Some people associate or equate an accident with injury or damage, when on many occasions accidents do not result in injury or damage. These events are often termed "near misses".

Determining where, why and how accidents occur is fundamental to understanding the causation and implementing preventive measures. Once the circumstances and causes have been identified, effective measures can be taken to prevent similar occurrences.