How accident causation theory can facilitate smart safety management: An application of the 24Model

Abstract

Smart safety management (SSM) in organizations is an inevitable trend in a more intelligent era. However, the adoption of safety science theory lags behind the application of intelligent technology in SSM, posing several challenges (functional dispersion, low-quality data, and lack of versatility). Thus, the accident causation theory (ACT) is adopted to address the existing problem. This study develops a conceptual framework for SSM using the 24Model, a popular ACT in China. The main work conducted in this study is summarized as follows: (a) the description of 24Model and its characteristics, as well as an analysis of its feasibility and applicability in SSM; (b) a detailed presentation of the functions, operation principle, and control paths of unsafe acts in the 24Model-based SSM framework; and (c) a discussion of the framework’s advantages, limitations in this research, and suggestions for future research. Research shows that the SSM framework based on the ACT can integrate the functions of the current SSM, establish management sustainability, enhance data quality, and ensure the versatility of the industry, which are the key factors that facilitate SSM. This study can offer a theoretical and practical basis for safety management in the intelligent era and provide implications for the application of the ACT.