Learning from Accidents

Review of previous edition:
"Trevor Kletz's book makes an invaluable contribution to the systematic, professional and scientific approach to accident investigation". The Chemical Engineer
Fully revised and updated, the third edition of Learning from Accidents provides more information on accident investigation, including coverage of accidents involving liquefied gases, building collapse and other incidents that have occurred because faults were invisible (e.g. underground pipelines).
By analysing accidents that have occurred Trevor Kletz shows how we can learn and thus be better able to prevent accidents happening again. Looking at a wide range of incidents, covering the process industries, nuclear industry and transportation, he analyses each accident in a practical and non-theoretical fashion and summarises each with a chain of events showing the prevention and mitigation which could have occurred at every stage.
At all times Learning from Accidents, 3rd Edition emphasises cause and prevention rather than human interest or cleaning up the mess. Anyone involved in accident investigation and reporting of whatever sort and all those who work in industry, whether in design, operations or loss prevention will find this book full of invaluable guidance and advice.

Trevor Kletz

Introduction; Chapter 1 Two simple incidents; Chapter 2 Protective system failure; Chapter 3 Poor procedures and poor management; Chapter 4 A gas leak and explosion - The hazards of insularity; Chapter 5 A liquid leak and fire and the hazards of amateurism; Chapter 6 A tank explosion - The hazards of optional extras; Chapter 7 Another tank explosion - The hazards of modification and ignorance; Chapter 8 Flixborough; Chapter 9 Seveso; Chapter 10 Bhopal; Chapter 11 Three Mile Island; Chapter 12 Chernobyl; Chapter 13 Aberfan; Chapter 14 Missing recommendations; Chapter 15 Three weeks in a works; Chapter 16 Pipe failures; Chapter 17 Piper Alpha, Brian Appleton; Chapter 18 The King's Cross underground railway station fire; Chapter 19 Clapham Junction - Every sort of human error; Chapter 20 Herald of Free Enterprise; Chapter 21 Some aviation accidents; Chapter 22 Invisible hazards; Chapter 23 Signals passed at danger; Chapter 24 Longford: the hazards of following fashions; Chapter 25 The Gresford Colliery explosion; Chapter 26 Green intention, red result; Chapter 27 Looking beyond violations; Chapter 28 Keeping an open mind; Chapter 29 Secondhand software: the Therac story; Chapter 30 Conclusions;