Analysis of the Causes and Configuration Paths of Explosion Accidents in Chemical Companies Based on the REASON Model

Chao Wang, Bo Lu () and Ruyi Shi
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Chao Wang: School of Public Policy & Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Bo Lu: School of Public Policy & Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Ruyi Shi: School of Public Policy & Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-18

Abstract: Explosion accidents, representing one of the most severe accident types within the chemical industry, pose substantial threats to personnel safety, economic losses, and environmental pollution, among other consequences. This paper constructs a research framework based on the REASON theory, utilizing accident investigation reports of 30 typical chemical enterprise explosion accidents in China from 2013–2022 as research samples. The fsQCA method is employed to deeply explore the influencing factors and causal configuration pathways of chemical explosion accidents from a configurational perspective. The study findings indicate that the occurrence of explosions in chemical enterprises is the result of the coupled effects of multiple factors, with five complex accident causation configurations, which can be summarized into the following three categories: organizational management deficiencies, supervision deficiencies, and behavior–risk linkages. Organizational management and safety supervision have a direct and significant impact on the occurrence of explosions in chemical enterprises and are key factors in the accidents. The research conclusions contribute to a rational understanding of the complex causes of explosions in chemical enterprises and provide practical guidance for the prevention and control of such accidents.

Keywords: chemical companies; explosion accidents; REASON model; cause of accident; configuration analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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