The Blame Machine. Why Human Error Causes Accidents
Buy a book... In Association with Amazon.co.uk
Author(s): R. B. Whittingham
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0750655100
Format: softback
271pp
Price: £29.95
Review Date: 03 February 2004
Review: This book takes case studies of non-trivial systematic errors and demonstrates how and why they have occurred, and what could have been done to reduce both the likelihood of them occurring and the severity of their consequences. The first half of the book classifies the different types of errors that can occur and suggests methods of estimating their frequency so that potential errors can be avoided. The second part features the errors that have occurred in real case studies: organizational and management errors (Flixborough, Herald of Free Enterprise, railway privatisation); design errors (BP Grangemouth explosion, Estonia ferry sinking, Abbeystead explosion); maintenance errors (Royal Flight engine failure, Hatfield and Potters Bar rail crashes); active errors in railway operation; active errors in aviation; violations (Chernobyl, Mulhouse A320 crash); incidence response errors (Swissair flight SR111, Channel tunnel fire).