Analyzing the Dynamics of Work Accidents in Manufacturing to Understand “Reasonably Foreseeable Behaviors”

This paper introduces a structured analysis of the leading causes of occupational accidents that occurred in the Italian manufacturing industry in the last decades. The aim of this research was to understand the human factors and the common causes of unsafe behaviors that may have determined the investi- gated accidents. The European Directive 2006/2/EC defines the essential health and safety requirements for the design of machinery for its intended purpose or for a purpose which can reasonably be foreseen. In this context, the present research supports the design of modern manufacturing systems, with the aim to investi- gate and understand workers’ reasonably foreseeable behaviors and to provide directions for prevention strategies. The results show the leading causes of such events as, for example, the adop- tion of an improper procedure or worker misplacement. The findings of this research will help practitioners and researchers understand the human behav- iors and the limits of the machinery, including the intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuses thereof.