Introdução: O acidente ocorrido em Santa Maria/RS encontra-se dentre os mais propalados pela mídia inclusive com repercussão internacional. A investigação criminal, levada a cabo pela delegacia de polícia e também a feita pelos técnicos do conselho regional de engenharia, resultou em um conhecimento dos fatos imediatos, ou seja, um olhar da relação causa e efeito, nitidamente estabelecida sem buscar as razões de origem das causas. Em outros termos, aqui buscamos contextualiza o evento acidentário dentro dos fatores culturais, políticos, regulatórios e econômicos. Ao não colocar luzes sob tais aspectos correlacionados, o retorno da experiência, o aprendizado e a própria gestão de riscos, ficaram circunscritos à esfera proximal do acidente. Questões sobre o uso e comercialização de materiais pirotécnicos, o emprego de materiais de revestimentos em boates e clubes noturnos, a promoção de eventos com grande afluxo de pessoas para locais fechados, não são aprofundados nos referidos relatórios. Também não se discutiu, de forma ampla, questões sobre a atuação de órgãos públicos na concessão de funcionamento de boates, sobre o papel dos especialistas em prevenção de risco, sobre o papel dos agentes públicos em grandes desastres e acidentes ampliados, especialmente os relacionados ao acidente químico que neste caso matou, em minutos, duzentos e quarenta e dois jovens, todos levados a óbitos pela ação do gás cianídrico. Objetivos: Em face destas e de outras lacunas, este trabalho propõe um encaminhamento para enfrentamento das referidas questões. A proposta pode ser facilmente percebida, como multidisciplinar e seria difícil o desenvolvimento de um diagnóstico único sem prejuízo do aprendizado. O objetivo é justamente constatar e apresentar o contingente de influências que estavam em jogo no sistema da gestão da boate. Tal constatação significa abrir caminhos para o estudo aprofundado das dimensões sociais e técnicas presentes naquele momento e que foram reveladas pela tragédia. 9 Materiais e Métodos: Para atingir este objetivo, para além da relação imediata de causa e efeito utilizamos como modelo descritivo e analítico os Mapas Verticais, AcciMap, proposto pelo engenheiro Jeans Rasmussen, com enfoque qualitativo. Esta forma de estudo força a identificação das influências de alto escalão político de governo indo do topo para a base dos acontecimentos, passando pela gestão estadual e municipal incluindo a gestão da empresa. Os materiais foram capturados dentre os disponíveis na mídia e produzidos por órgãos públicos, principalmente o relatório da polícia civil e do conselho de engenharia. Resultados: Os mapas verticais revelaram as interações e a perda de controle sistêmico das instituições. Fica visível a distribuição dos atores e das influências que atuam de modo a levar o sistema de forma lenta, mas vigorosamente para a zona de instabilidade. As concepções idealizadas, os documentos regulatórios e as políticas públicas desviam-se por força de interações não controladas do princípio da segurança, sem que o sistema consiga detectar as rápidas mudanças. As instituições são pressionadas por uma rotina que deixa de lado aspectos de gerenciamento de risco e de outro lado pela inconsistência dos poderes públicos coercitivos. Considerações finais: Mesmo o estudo de caso único, pela força do modelo dos mapas verticais, amplia a compreensão de fenômenos sociais, organizacionais e políticos. Ao buscar relações entre atores e entre acontecimentos, o estudo codifica uma estrutura singular que, entretanto, dialoga em teoria com diversos casos. Se de um lado os dados obtidos na investigação, em si mesmo, não são idênticos a outros casos, de outro lado ao interrogar e analisar os documentos emerge características importantes para a comparação teórica e metodológica impulsionando assim a compreensão deste e de outros eventos acidentários. Duas outras contribuições são particularmente relevantes. A primeira, teórica e acadêmica, se propõe a trazer para o debate a aplicação dos mapas verticais no estudo de acidentes, principalmente os multifacetados com inúmeros atores. Outra contribuição é dada pela visualização de inúmeros subsistemas decorrentes da análise vertical onde cada subsistema poderá ser estudado separadamente pondo em evidência novos caminhos de enfrentamento da problemática acidentária. / Introduction: The accident in Santa Maria / RS is one of the most publicized by the media having international repercussions. The criminal investigation conducted by the police and also by the technicians of the Regional Engineering Board, resulted in an understanding of immediate facts, i.e., the causes and effects which clearly established without seeking for the roots of the problem. In other words, here we seek to contextualize the accident within the cultural, political, regulatory and economic aspects. If we did not analyze the correlated aspects, the feedback, learning and risk management itself would be restricted to the accident proximal sphere. Questions about the use and sale of fireworks, the use of lining materials in clubs and nightclubs, the organization of events with large amounts of people indoors, are not detailed in the reports. It was also not broadly discussed questions about the role of governmental agencies in providing operating licenses for nightclubs, the role of risk prevention experts and the role of public officials in major disasters and major accidents, especially those related to chemical substances, that, in this case, killed two hundred forty two young people in a few minutes, all of whom died due to the action of the cyanide gas. Objectives: In face of these and other shortcomings, this paper proposes a method of coping with these issues. This proposal may be easily perceived as multidisciplinary since it would be difficult to develop a single disciplinary study without putting in jeopardy the opportunity of learning from the tragic accident. The focus is to find and present the contingent of influences that were at stake in the club management system. These findings may path the way for deeper studies of the social sphere and techniques which were present at that time and that were revealed by the tragedy. 11 Materials and Methods: In order to achieve this goal, we went far beyond the immediate relationship of cause and effect; we used a descriptive and analytical model of Vertical Maps, AcciMap proposed by the engineer Jeans Rasmussen with a qualitative approach. In this kind of study it is imperative to identify high political level influences, analyzing the events from top to bottom, and also going through state and municipal management data including the nightclub management itself. The data was collected from available media, from governmental agencies, particularly the civil police report and the Engineering Board report. Results: The vertical maps revealed the interaction and the systemic institution loss of control. The distribution of actors and influences that act in order to bring the system slowly but forcefully to the zone of instability is visible. The idealized conceptions, regulatory documents and public policies deviated due to uncontrolled interactions from security principles, without the system being able to detect these rapid changes. Institutions are pressed by a routine that on one hand leaves out risk management aspects and on the other hand by the inconsistency of coercive governmental supervision. Final thoughts: Even a single case study, due to the strength of the vertical maps, can expand the understanding of the social, organizational and political phenomena. By seeking relationships between actors and between events, the study encodes a unique structure which in theory is related to several cases. On the one hand the data obtained in the investigation itself, is not identical to other cases, on the other hand as we examine and analyze the documents important features for theoretical and methodological comparison emerge, thus increasing understanding of this and other accidents. Two other contributions are particularly relevant. The first one is the theoretical and academic contribution; it has as objective to debate the implementation of vertical maps in the study of accidents, especially the multifaceted ones with numerous actors. Another one is given by the display of numerous subsystems, which result from the vertical analysis, where each subsystem can be studied separately highlighting new ways of coping with major accidents.

Introdução: O acidente ocorrido em Santa Maria/RS encontra-se dentre os mais propalados pela mídia inclusive com repercussão internacional. A investigação criminal, levada a cabo pela delegacia de polícia e também a feita pelos técnicos do conselho regional de engenharia, resultou em um conhecimento dos fatos imediatos, ou seja, um olhar da relação causa e efeito, nitidamente estabelecida sem buscar as razões de origem das causas. Em outros termos, aqui buscamos contextualiza o evento acidentário dentro dos fatores culturais, políticos, regulatórios e econômicos. Ao não colocar luzes sob tais aspectos correlacionados, o retorno da experiência, o aprendizado e a própria gestão de riscos, ficaram circunscritos à esfera proximal do acidente. Questões sobre o uso e comercialização de materiais pirotécnicos, o emprego de materiais de revestimentos em boates e clubes noturnos, a promoção de eventos com grande afluxo de pessoas para locais fechados, não são aprofundados nos referidos relatórios. Também não se discutiu, de forma ampla, questões sobre a atuação de órgãos públicos na concessão de funcionamento de boates, sobre o papel dos especialistas em prevenção de risco, sobre o papel dos agentes públicos em grandes desastres e acidentes ampliados, especialmente os relacionados ao acidente químico que neste caso matou, em minutos, duzentos e quarenta e dois jovens, todos levados a óbitos pela ação do gás cianídrico. Objetivos: Em face destas e de outras lacunas, este trabalho propõe um encaminhamento para enfrentamento das referidas questões. A proposta pode ser facilmente percebida, como multidisciplinar e seria difícil o desenvolvimento de um diagnóstico único sem prejuízo do aprendizado. O objetivo é justamente constatar e apresentar o contingente de influências que estavam em jogo no sistema da gestão da boate. Tal constatação significa abrir caminhos para o estudo aprofundado das dimensões sociais e técnicas presentes naquele momento e que foram reveladas pela tragédia. 9 Materiais e Métodos: Para atingir este objetivo, para além da relação imediata de causa e efeito utilizamos como modelo descritivo e analítico os Mapas Verticais, AcciMap, proposto pelo engenheiro Jeans Rasmussen, com enfoque qualitativo. Esta forma de estudo força a identificação das influências de alto escalão político de governo indo do topo para a base dos acontecimentos, passando pela gestão estadual e municipal incluindo a gestão da empresa. Os materiais foram capturados dentre os disponíveis na mídia e produzidos por órgãos públicos, principalmente o relatório da polícia civil e do conselho de engenharia. Resultados: Os mapas verticais revelaram as interações e a perda de controle sistêmico das instituições. Fica visível a distribuição dos atores e das influências que atuam de modo a levar o sistema de forma lenta, mas vigorosamente para a zona de instabilidade. As concepções idealizadas, os documentos regulatórios e as políticas públicas desviam-se por força de interações não controladas do princípio da segurança, sem que o sistema consiga detectar as rápidas mudanças. As instituições são pressionadas por uma rotina que deixa de lado aspectos de gerenciamento de risco e de outro lado pela inconsistência dos poderes públicos coercitivos. Considerações finais: Mesmo o estudo de caso único, pela força do modelo dos mapas verticais, amplia a compreensão de fenômenos sociais, organizacionais e políticos. Ao buscar relações entre atores e entre acontecimentos, o estudo codifica uma estrutura singular que, entretanto, dialoga em teoria com diversos casos. Se de um lado os dados obtidos na investigação, em si mesmo, não são idênticos a outros casos, de outro lado ao interrogar e analisar os documentos emerge características importantes para a comparação teórica e metodológica impulsionando assim a compreensão deste e de outros eventos acidentários. Duas outras contribuições são particularmente relevantes. A primeira, teórica e acadêmica, se propõe a trazer para o debate a aplicação dos mapas verticais no estudo de acidentes, principalmente os multifacetados com inúmeros atores. Outra contribuição é dada pela visualização de inúmeros subsistemas decorrentes da análise vertical onde cada subsistema poderá ser estudado separadamente pondo em evidência novos caminhos de enfrentamento da problemática acidentária. / Introduction: The accident in Santa Maria / RS is one of the most publicized by the media having international repercussions. The criminal investigation conducted by the police and also by the technicians of the Regional Engineering Board, resulted in an understanding of immediate facts, i.e., the causes and effects which clearly established without seeking for the roots of the problem. In other words, here we seek to contextualize the accident within the cultural, political, regulatory and economic aspects. If we did not analyze the correlated aspects, the feedback, learning and risk management itself would be restricted to the accident proximal sphere. Questions about the use and sale of fireworks, the use of lining materials in clubs and nightclubs, the organization of events with large amounts of people indoors, are not detailed in the reports. It was also not broadly discussed questions about the role of governmental agencies in providing operating licenses for nightclubs, the role of risk prevention experts and the role of public officials in major disasters and major accidents, especially those related to chemical substances, that, in this case, killed two hundred forty two young people in a few minutes, all of whom died due to the action of the cyanide gas. Objectives: In face of these and other shortcomings, this paper proposes a method of coping with these issues. This proposal may be easily perceived as multidisciplinary since it would be difficult to develop a single disciplinary study without putting in jeopardy the opportunity of learning from the tragic accident. The focus is to find and present the contingent of influences that were at stake in the club management system. These findings may path the way for deeper studies of the social sphere and techniques which were present at that time and that were revealed by the tragedy. 11 Materials and Methods: In order to achieve this goal, we went far beyond the immediate relationship of cause and effect; we used a descriptive and analytical model of Vertical Maps, AcciMap proposed by the engineer Jeans Rasmussen with a qualitative approach. In this kind of study it is imperative to identify high political level influences, analyzing the events from top to bottom, and also going through state and municipal management data including the nightclub management itself. The data was collected from available media, from governmental agencies, particularly the civil police report and the Engineering Board report. Results: The vertical maps revealed the interaction and the systemic institution loss of control. The distribution of actors and influences that act in order to bring the system slowly but forcefully to the zone of instability is visible. The idealized conceptions, regulatory documents and public policies deviated due to uncontrolled interactions from security principles, without the system being able to detect these rapid changes. Institutions are pressed by a routine that on one hand leaves out risk management aspects and on the other hand by the inconsistency of coercive governmental supervision. Final thoughts: Even a single case study, due to the strength of the vertical maps, can expand the understanding of the social, organizational and political phenomena. By seeking relationships between actors and between events, the study encodes a unique structure which in theory is related to several cases. On the one hand the data obtained in the investigation itself, is not identical to other cases, on the other hand as we examine and analyze the documents important features for theoretical and methodological comparison emerge, thus increasing understanding of this and other accidents. Two other contributions are particularly relevant. The first one is the theoretical and academic contribution; it has as objective to debate the implementation of vertical maps in the study of accidents, especially the multifaceted ones with numerous actors. Another one is given by the display of numerous subsystems, which result from the vertical analysis, where each subsystem can be studied separately highlighting new ways of coping with major accidents.

<p>I ulykkessammenheng går to av de vanligste undersøkelsesmetodene ut på henholdsvis å kartlegge det juridiske ansvaret for ulykken og å klarlegge årsaksforholdene. I media får vi stort sett bare høre om førstnevnte i form av oppslag om at ulykken skyldes menneskelig svikt. Årsaksforholdene tar gjerne lengre tid å kartlegge og har heller ikke elementer av helt eller syndebukk i seg, og er således mindre interessante å skrive om. I forebyggende sammenheng er det likevel gjerne her det er mest å hente. I erkjennelsen av at mennesket er og blir feilbarlig, bør man nettopp gripe tak i disse bakenforliggende årsakene, gjerne kalt latente feil, som også kan medvirke til å avverge at et tilløp får lov å utvikle seg til en ulykke. I denne oppgaven blir det gjort rede for bakenforliggende årsaker til en alvorlig samferdselsulykke på Vestlandet i 1999, nemlig hurtigbåten MS Sleipners forlis. Det blir også vist hvordan ulykken kunne vært unngått, eller i det minste at skadeomfanget kunne vært vesentlig redusert, dersom det hadde vært større fokus på å avdekke slike latente forhold. For å få offentligheten til å forstå viktigheten av slik årsakskartlegging, og ikke minst at ansvarlige instanser følger opp funnene i ettertid, er det viktig at media griper fatt i problemstillingen og setter den på dagsorden.</p> / <p>Two of the most common forms of investigations after accidents are the search for the judicial aspects of guilt on the one hand and the investigation to find the causes of the accident on the other hand. Media mainly tell us the result of the first one, namely that “the cause of the accident was human error”. Usually it takes more time to establish an understanding of the underlying causes. This investigation does not point out a hero, neither a scapegoat. Therefore the real causes are less interesting to the media. Still, when it comes to accident prevention, this is where one should make an effort. By recognizing the fact that humans are eligible to fail, it is here one should try to take preventive measures. By recognizing these latent conditions one may succeed to avoid potentially dangerous situations from developing to serious accidents. In this paper the underlying causes related to a serious accident that struck public transportation in Western Norway will be presented. The accident is the shipwreck of the high speed craft MS Sleipner in 1999. It will also be shown how this accident could have been prevented, or at least how the extent of the damage could have been substantially reduced, if only latent conditions had been paid a little more attention to. To make the general public understand the importance of uncovering such latent conditions, not to say make sure that they who are responsible take action to remove these conditions, it is vital that the media put these questions on the agenda.</p>

I ulykkessammenheng går to av de vanligste undersøkelsesmetodene ut på henholdsvis å kartlegge det juridiske ansvaret for ulykken og å klarlegge årsaksforholdene. I media får vi stort sett bare høre om førstnevnte i form av oppslag om at ulykken skyldes menneskelig svikt. Årsaksforholdene tar gjerne lengre tid å kartlegge og har heller ikke elementer av helt eller syndebukk i seg, og er således mindre interessante å skrive om. I forebyggende sammenheng er det likevel gjerne her det er mest å hente. I erkjennelsen av at mennesket er og blir feilbarlig, bør man nettopp gripe tak i disse bakenforliggende årsakene, gjerne kalt latente feil, som også kan medvirke til å avverge at et tilløp får lov å utvikle seg til en ulykke. I denne oppgaven blir det gjort rede for bakenforliggende årsaker til en alvorlig samferdselsulykke på Vestlandet i 1999, nemlig hurtigbåten MS Sleipners forlis. Det blir også vist hvordan ulykken kunne vært unngått, eller i det minste at skadeomfanget kunne vært vesentlig redusert, dersom det hadde vært større fokus på å avdekke slike latente forhold. For å få offentligheten til å forstå viktigheten av slik årsakskartlegging, og ikke minst at ansvarlige instanser følger opp funnene i ettertid, er det viktig at media griper fatt i problemstillingen og setter den på dagsorden. / Two of the most common forms of investigations after accidents are the search for the judicial aspects of guilt on the one hand and the investigation to find the causes of the accident on the other hand. Media mainly tell us the result of the first one, namely that “the cause of the accident was human error”. Usually it takes more time to establish an understanding of the underlying causes. This investigation does not point out a hero, neither a scapegoat. Therefore the real causes are less interesting to the media. Still, when it comes to accident prevention, this is where one should make an effort. By recognizing the fact that humans are eligible to fail, it is here one should try to take preventive measures. By recognizing these latent conditions one may succeed to avoid potentially dangerous situations from developing to serious accidents. In this paper the underlying causes related to a serious accident that struck public transportation in Western Norway will be presented. The accident is the shipwreck of the high speed craft MS Sleipner in 1999. It will also be shown how this accident could have been prevented, or at least how the extent of the damage could have been substantially reduced, if only latent conditions had been paid a little more attention to. To make the general public understand the importance of uncovering such latent conditions, not to say make sure that they who are responsible take action to remove these conditions, it is vital that the media put these questions on the agenda.

In order to enhance safety and prevent the recurrence of major accidents it is necessary to understand why they occur. This understanding is gained by utilising accident causation theory to explain why a certain combination of events, conditions and actions led to a given outcome: the process of accident analysis. At present, the systems approach to accident analysis is arguably the dominant research paradigm. Based on the concepts of systems theory, it views accidents as the result of unexpected and uncontrolled relationships between a system s components. Various researchers claim that use of the systems approach, via systemic accident analysis, provides a deeper understanding of accidents when compared with traditional theories. However, the systems approach and its analysis techniques are yet to be widely adopted by the practitioner community and, therefore, a research-practice gap exists. The implication of such a gap is that practitioners may be applying outdated accident causation theory and, consequently, producing ineffective safety recommendations. The aim of this thesis was to develop the current understanding of the systemic accident analysis research-practice gap by providing a description of the gap, considering its extent and examining issues associated with bridging it. Four studies were conducted to achieve this aim. The first study involved an evaluation of the systemic accident analysis literature and techniques, in order to understand how their characteristics could influence the research-practice gap. The findings of the study revealed that the systems approach is not presented in a consistent or clear manner within the research literature and that this may hinder its acceptance by practitioners. In addition, a number of issues were identified (e.g. model validation, analyst bias and limited usage guidance) which may influence the use of systemic analysis methods within industry. The examination of how the analysis activities of practitioners may contribute to the gap motivated Study 2. This study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 42 safety professionals and various factors, which affect the awareness, adoption and usage of the systems approach and its analysis methods, were highlighted. The combined findings of Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that the systemic accident analysis research-practice gap is multifaceted in nature. Study 3 investigated the extent of the gap by considering whether the most widely used analysis technique (the Swiss Cheese Model) can provide a systems approach to accident analysis. The analysis of a major rail accident was performed with a model based on the Swiss Cheese Model and two systemic analysis methods. The outputs and usage of the three analysis tools were compared and indicate that the Swiss Cheese Model does provide a means of conducting systemic accident analysis. Therefore, the extent of the research-practice gap may not be as considerable as some proponents of the systems approach suggest. The final study aimed to gain an insight into the application of a systemic accident analysis method by practitioners, in order to understand whether it meets their needs. Six trainee accident investigators took part in an accident investigation simulation and subsequently analysed the data collected during the exercise with the Systems Theoretic Accident Modelling and Processes model. The outputs of the participants analyses were studied along with the evaluation feedback they provided via a questionnaire and focus group. The main findings of the study indicate that the analysis technique does not currently meet the usability or graphical output requirements of practitioners and, unless these issues are addressed, will struggle to gain acceptance within industry. When considering the research findings as a whole a number of issues are highlighted. Firstly, given the benefits of adopting the systems approach, efforts to bridge the systemic accident analysis research-practice gap should be made. However, the systemic analysis methods may not be best suited to analyse every type of accident and, therefore, should be considered as one part of an investigator s analysis toolkit . Adapting the systemic analysis methods to meet the needs of practitioners and communicating the systems approach more effectively represent two options for bridging the gap. However, due to the multidimensional nature of the gap and the wide variety of individuals, organisations and industries that perform accident analysis, it seems likely that tailored solutions will be required. Furthermore, due to the differing needs of the research and practice communities, efforts to bridge the gap should focus on collaboration between the two communities rather than attempting to close the gap entirely.