Title: Preventing major accidents - changing business as usual

Authors: Ingrid Årstad; Terje Aven

Addresses: Petroleum Safety Authority Norway, P.O. Box 599, 4003 Stavanger, Norway ' University of Stavanger, P.O. Box 8600 Forus, N-4036 Stavanger, Norway

Abstract: In this article, we examine the recommendation to change business as usual in the aftermath of the deepwater horizon disaster. We address the risks associated with risk management practices and their improvement and propose a framework for questioning the foundations of risk management practices, to clarify in which direction business as usual needs to change. This framework helps identify eventual blind zones in risk management practices and vicious cycles that may prevent their improvement. It is intended to provide a structured approach for ensuring that the risk management repertoire reflects current knowledge about major accidents.

Keywords: major accidents; management; complex systems; framing issues; risk management; accident prevention; socio-technical systems; complexity vs. complicatedness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2020.108504

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2020 Vol.10 No.2/3, pp.241 - 257

Received: 15 Jan 2019
Accepted: 01 Jun 2019
Published online: 15 Jul 2020 *

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