The common definition for “accidents” within Safety is: an unplanned event that resulted in injury or ill health of people, or damage to property, plant, materials, or the environment, or a loss of business opportunity. Therefore, from this definition we could say that yes, there are such things as “accidents”, yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause.
However, the term “accident” also leaves a connotation of no responsibility and no accountability. Leaving us in a quagmire in which our lives and business are not guided by common sense, responsibility for actions, and accountability, but more toward fate.
A better definition for “accidents” within Safety is: an unplanned and unpreventable incident caused by natural phenomenon that results in injury or ill health of people…
The short answer to the question is yes there are accidents, but those accidents do not happen often and are usually catastrophic and devastating i.e., tornados, floods, etc.
When we discuss accidents we must change our terminology and call them incidents, an incident has a cause and is not a “phenomenon” or caused by magic forces beyond our control. Words mean things and the words we use carry great power, with great power comes great responsibility (and more accountability). Yes that is corny but it is true in real life as it is in the movies.
Next post: Do you get it?
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