Authority structure and industrial accidents

Sicco van As
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Sicco van As: Groningen University

No 01A23, Research Report from University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management)

Abstract: This paper deals with the influence of organizational characteristics on safety. Accidents are actually caused by individual mistakes. However the underlying causes of accidents are often organizational. The general hypothesis is that the authority structure is a main cause of accident-proneness within organizations. On one side, the most obvious model for a safe organization would be the ideal-typical bureaucracy. On the other side, potential problems are little flexibility and control is based on (lacking) knowledge. I discern hierarchy as a separate element of bureaucracy, and distinguish different aspects of authority. The analysis shows several significant correlations, and the distinction between control and management seems to be of interest for safety.

Date: 2001
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