Pro-active safety management: Application and evaluation within a rail context

Pro-active safety management is becoming increasingly popular as a means of preventing workplace accidents and near accidents. This study applied the REVIEW method developed by Reason (1993) within an Australian public rail authority. REVIEW helps identify latent failures that pose a threat to system safety. The purpose of this study was firstly to; evaluate the value and practicality of REVIEW for use by safety professionals; and secondly, to more clearly identify the nature of management deficiencies and fallible decisions specified in Reason's (1992) model. REVIEW was found to be useful, especially from a participative safety management perspective, and for targeting safety areas that need current attention. Factor analysis revealed three distinct factors; Policy and Decision Making, Workplace Culture and Operating Conditions. These factors imply that the most effective way to minimise workplace accidents is to direct remediation strategies at the most global features of the system.