Workplace and organizational accident causation factors in the manufacturing industry

Labor inspectors investigate accidents to identify possible accident causes, initiate prosecution, and plan future accident prevention. The Method of Investigation for Labor Inspectors (MILI) was designed to help them to identify workplace and organizational factors in addition to immediate factors and legal breaches. The present study analyzes the impact of workplace (work design and provision of unsafe equipment) and organizational factors (training and employee involvement) on accident causation and validates MILI on real accident cases. Accident data from the manufacturing sector are analyzed with LISREL structural equation modeling. Results confirm the relationship between work design and training as well as between provision of unsafe equipment and employee involvement. The present study provides evidence that MILI is a structured accident investigation method allowing multiple accident causation factors to be revealed and that it could help all interested parts (not only labor inspectors, but companies as well) to thoroughly investigate occupational accidents. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.