Assignment: 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.

Additional information on the incident, including a video summary, can be found at the following link: http://www.csb.gov/little-general-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 72-76 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 CSB's 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.