Tripod Beta
Tripod Beta is a structured method for incident analysis that was developed in the 1990s at the universities of Leiden and Manchester on behalf of Shell International. The aim was to find explanations for how and why undesirable events occur as a result of human error and what contribution organisations make to this. Although Tripod Beta is mainly used in incident situations, the method is flexible and is also suitable for process disruptions or other undesirable events, for example.
Tripod Beta links barrier thinking with human behaviour
The method combines the barrier thinking of the Swiss Cheese Model with models of human behaviour.
The Swiss Cheese Model assumes that incidents occur when barriers, i.e. protective measures, are missing or fail.
However, barriers do not fail ‘by themselves’, but are rendered ineffective by human action or omission.
Almost all incidents occur in the effort to do a good job. Employees come to work to do their jobs and go home unharmed – not to make mistakes. People usually act in a way that makes sense to them at that moment.
Tripod Beta therefore does not examine the mistake, but rather the context that made the mistake more likely, and thus fits very well with the New View Safety philosophy.
Tripod Beta explores the context in three steps
1. What happened?
First, the chain of events is presented using so-called ‘trios’. This presentation creates transparency about the sequence of events.
2. How did it happen?
In the second step, the effective, missing, failing or inadequate barriers are added. This reveals where the protective measures failed.
3. Why did it happen?
The third step, the so-called ‘Tripod Causation Path’, is about determining the context of human action and, in particular, how the organisation created it, e.g. through management decisions, structures and priorities.
The Causation Path clarifies:
- Why did the action seem reasonable or normal from the person’s point of view?
- What conditions in the working environment made this action more likely?
- How did the organisation create, promote or insufficiently control these conditions?
The result of a Tripod Beta analysis
is a clear, visual representation of the event.
Following the analysis, short-term measures strengthen the protective measures.
Long-term measures change the conditions under which decisions are made.
Tripod Beta is an expert tool
The application of Tripod Beta requires methodological understanding and experience in the analysis of complex work environments.
Therefore, it is recommended to either use external specialists or to train internal specialists to become certified ‘Tripod Beta Practitioners’.
The qualification takes place in several stages and combines theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Explainer videos
Good to know
The Tripod Foundation regularly maintains and updates the Tripod Beta method and has a network of accredited experts and trainers who offer courses on a regular basis.
Tripod Lite was recently developed: a simpler version of Tripod Beta, designed specifically for investigating simple incidents and near misses. The method does not require any special software, requires minimal training, includes all the specifications necessary for effective use, and can be used across the entire industry.
Source: Tripod-Foundation, Energy Institute
Thank you! Photo by Arun Sharma on Unsplash
More Articles:
The Vicious Cycle of Blame
The blame cycle describes a destructive dynamic in companies where employees are held responsible for mistakes.
Turning Bad News into Strong Safety Culture: 10 Principles for Effective Reporting Systems
Why Bad News Strengthens Safety Culture: 10 Principles for Successful Reporting Systems That Expose Risks and Build Trust.