A systems approach to mining safety: an application of the Swiss Cheese Model

Achieving zero harm in the mining industry is still a big challenge worldwide. A potential major step towards remedying the situation is a good understanding of the processes that lead to accidents in the industry. The Swiss Cheese Model has had a significant impact on the understanding of the causes of accidents in high-risk industries. In this paper, an accident analysis framework based on the Swiss Cheese Model is developed and tested against a previous mining disaster. The developed framework has the potential to enhance the understanding of the factors that contribute to accidents in the mining sector.