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A system dynamics analysis of the Westray mine disaster
Author(s) -
Cooke David L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
system dynamics review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.491
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1099-1727
pISSN - 0883-7066
DOI - 10.1002/sdr.268
Subject(s) - system dynamics , nova scotia , causal loop diagram , risk analysis (engineering) , root (linguistics) , root cause , computer science , root cause analysis , mental model , operations research , process management , engineering , forensic engineering , business , operations management , geography , psychology , artificial intelligence , archaeology , linguistics , philosophy , cognitive science
Abstract This article describes a system dynamics analysis of the 1992 Westray mine disaster in Nova Scotia, Canada. It examines the causal structure of the Westray system, including relationships that could have led to conditions that caused the fatal explosion at the mine. The value of simulation is its ability to capture a “mental model” of the safety system, which can stimulate discussion among safety experts as to the systemic causes of a disaster. By taking into account feedback loops and non‐linear relationships, which is not possible with conventional root‐cause analysis, a dynamic model of the system provides insights into the complex web of causes that can lead to disaster and valuable lessons for organizational learning. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.