Human factors analysis of coal mine gas accidents based on improved HFACS model

Abstract Gas accidents represent a crucial domain of coal mine safety research, as they result in substantial property damage, environmental pollution, and even loss of life compared to other types of accidents. Particularly, human factors play a significant role in the majority of mining accidents. The objective of this paper is to enhance the quality of coal mine safety management, minimize the occurrence of adverse human factors in gas accidents, and analyze the factors influencing coal mine gas accidents using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). To commence, this paper has devised a human factor influence index system based on the enhanced HFACS for coal mine gas accidents. Subsequently, the Decision‐making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method has been employed to quantitatively delineate the causal relationships among these factors. Lastly, this paper utilized the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) comprehensive evaluation method to evaluate the importance of factors influencing coal mine gas accidents. The research findings indicate that through the utilization of the DEMATEL methodology for centrality and causal relationship calculations, the centrality and causality values associated with poor organizational management emerge as the foremost among all factors. This underscores the pivotal role that poor organizational management plays in the human factors influencing coal mine gas accidents. Furthermore, a meticulous examination using TOPSIS identified the top five indicators of influence capability: cognitive errors > habitual violations > operational management > management process > resource management. The analysis of human factors in coal mine gas accidents can provide enhanced theoretical support for the management of production safety in coal mines, as well as the prevention of gas accidents.