In incident causation models, what are immediate causes?

Immediate causes in incident causation models refer to the unsafe conditions or unsafe practices that are present at the time of the incident. These are the direct factors that can lead to an accident or injury occurring. In practical terms, immediate causes may include things like equipment malfunction, failure to follow safety protocols, lack of personal protective equipment, or any other factors that create an unsafe situation right before the incident happens.

Understanding immediate causes is crucial for effective incident investigation and prevention strategies, as addressing these factors can help mitigate the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future. By focusing on the specific conditions or actions that leads directly to an incident, organizations can implement targeted interventions to improve safety.

Long-term systemic issues often point to underlying processes or cultures that create a broader context for safety failures, but they do not directly cause an incident at the moment it occurs. Root causes, while also significant, typically refer to deeper factors that may require more extensive changes to prevent future incidents, rather than the immediate triggers of an event. External environmental factors may influence safety but are not classified as immediate causes since they do not directly relate to unsafe conditions or practices right before an incident.