Published Online: January 05, 2006
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Purpose: To identify major technological and human factors of occupational accidents in one of the main oil companies in Iran. Design/Methodology/Approach: The sample of this research was 600 respondents selected by a stratified random method from three sub companies in Ahvaz, Iran. The primary data for analysis were generated through a structured questionnaire. This questionnaire consisted of 137 items, covering all human and technological aspects of occupational accidents. The data were analyzed using the principal component method of factor analysis and the varimax orthogonal. Three major factors, one technological factor and two human factors were extracted. The technological factor was named inadequacy of technological aspects consisting of 40 items with 16.25 percent of the variance. The first human factor was called improper execution of organizational processes, which consisted of 71 items with 21.99 percent of variance. The second human factor called incorrect implementation of management methods consisting of 16 items with 9.96 percent of variance. Findings: Variables of each one of the three obtained major factors i.e. Improper Execution of Organizational Processes, Inadequacy of Technological Aspects, and Incorrect Implementation of Management Methods provides solutions to deal with the accidents. Research Limitations: Other oil company of the same country would have included in this study Managerial Implications: The losses due to the industrial accidents are phenomenal and call for immediate attention of the scientists, engineers, doctors, psychologists, social thinkers, industrialists, managers, etc. to address the situation for the salvation of human sufferings. Originality/Value: The causes of industrial accidents in Oil Industries, and to suggest proper measures and recommendations for the prevention of accidents have made this paper original.
Keywords
Accident Involvement, Causes of Industrial Accidents, Occupational Accidents, Human Factors, Technological Factors.