Events and Causal Factors Chart Project
Read the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigation report of the 2007 propane explosion at the Little General Store in Ghent, WV. The final report can be read/downloaded at the following link: https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/20/csbfinalreportlittlegeneral.pdf?13741
Additional information on the incident, including a video summary, can be found at the following link: http://www.csb.gov/littlegeneral-store-propane-explosion/
Complete the assignment as detailed below.
Part I: From the information in the report, create a chart listing events and causal factors for the incident in Microsoft Word, Open Office, or a similar word processing software. If you choose to use a program other than Microsoft Word, be sure to save and submit the document as a Microsoft Word document (i.e., .doc, .docx). The objective of this project is to provide you with an opportunity to use this important and very practical analytical tool. The chart does not have to be infinitely detailed, but the key sequence of events should be charted as should the key conditions surrounding the events. Keep in mind that the purpose of an events and causal factors chart is to aid in identifying which conditions could be causal factors.
Use the charting procedures on pages 726 of your textbook to help you with this assignment. In addition, refer to the example events and causal factors (ECF) chart in the Unit IV Lesson for an example of this type of chart.
Part II: On a separate page, discuss the potential causal factors that are revealed in the analysis. How do these causal factors compare to the causal factors found in the CSBs investigation report? Do you think more analysis is needed? This part of the assignment should be a minimum of one page in length.
Upload Parts I and II as a single document. For Part II of the assignment, you should use academic sources to support your thoughts. Any outside sources used, including the sources mentioned in the assignment, must be cited using APA format and must be included on a references page.
Useful hints: In Microsoft Word, you can use parentheses for events (events), square brackets for conditions [conditions], and brackets for the accident {accident}; you may also use a similar convention, such as color-coded text or the shapes that are available within Microsoft Word. Whatever convention you use, be sure you provide some kind of key.
Events and Causal Factors Chart Project – Unit 4
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
Events and Causal Factors Chart Project – Unit 4
Part I
KEY
Part II
The propane explosion happened in 2007 at the Little General Store in West Virginia. The incident left at least four people dead and six others injured (Urbina, 2007). The events and causal factors chart developed above shows both causes and events that led to the indecent. The event and causal factors chart was developed based on the CSB’s investigation report. Based on the report, the causes of the problem can be traced back to the time of the initial placement of the tank. At the very beginning, the Ferrellgas inspection and audit program failed to identify the tank location as a problem (CSB, 2008). As a result, the propane tank stayed against the building for more than 10 years.
The second problem is that the Appalachian Heating did not formally train the junior technician. The technician had worked for one and half a month only and was left to work alone at the time of the incident. This was a serious problem because the technician has no required experience to work under no supervision (Urbina, 2007). The third cause is associated with the emergency responders. They were also not trained about what to do in cases of propane releases. Therefore, these three areas led to the problem. The problems identified in this analysis are similar to those captured in the CSB’s report (CSB, 2008). No further investigation is required because “the team interviewed employees of the companies involved, emergency responders, and officials from the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal” (CSB, 2008). Therefore, the CSB’s investigation report is comprehensive enough to inform almost everything of importance regarding the event.
References
CSB. (2008). U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board: Investigation report, Little General Store – Propane Explosion. https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/20/csbfinalreportlittlegeneral.pdf?13741
Urbina. (2007). 4 Killed in Gas Explosion Near West Virginia Resort. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/us/31blast.html