Root cause Quote by Nancy G. Leveson
““identifying only operator error or sabotage as the root cause of the accident ignores most of the opportunities for the prevention of similar accidents in the future.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Engineering a Safer World by Nancy G. Leveson, 2011
Limiting analysis to operator error or sabotage overlooks broader systemic factors that could prevent future accidents.
In simple terms: Focusing only on human error misses larger safety issues.
Key Takeaway
Broaden investigations to include system design and processes.
Themes
safety
systems thinking
accountability
Mood
analytical
cautious
Type
technical
pragmatic
When to use this quote
- industrial safety
- software development
- aviation
- healthcare
Key Concepts
root cause analysis
human factors
Questions to Reflect On
- What systemic factors could have contributed to the accident?
- How can organizations shift from blame to prevention?
A Different Perspective
Systemic changes are often harder to implement than blaming individuals.
