INCIDENTS – Increased Safety and Sustainability in the Transport of Dangerous Goods

This project has taken a critical perspective on current routines and systems for reporting incidents and accidents. In particular, we have focused on minor incidents that occur in daily operations and could have led to more serious outcomes. While major accidents are typically well-documented and investigated, smaller-scale events often go unreported and unnoticed – despite their learning potential.

We have explored how terms such as incident and accident are defined and used in both literature and practice. In this project, an accident has been defined as an unintentional and unexpected event that causes serious harm or damage, while an incident refers to an unintended event that does not lead to harm, but could have. Regardless of severity, there is always something to be learned – provided that the event is captured and made visible.

Methods and material

The project has contributed new insights through both empirical and theoretical work. Using the CHAIN model (Lindberg, 2010), we have analyzed the full process from the moment an incident occurs, through reporting and analysis, to dissemination of lessons learned and implementation of preventive measures.

Image: Lindberg, A.K., Hansson, S.O., & Rollenhagen, C. (2010). Learning from accidents – what more do we need to know?. Safety Science, 48(6), pp. 714-721.

Our empirical material has included interviews with Dangerous Goods Safety Advisers and an examination of how Sweden’s Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) handles accident reports. We have also built on previously collected, but not yet analyzed, data and complemented this with new interviews and workshops involving both private actors and public authorities.

Through this approach, we have produced guidance and recommendations tailored to various target groups – from local safety officers to national regulators. Special attention has been paid to structural barriers to reporting, such as unclear definitions, underreporting, normalization of incidents, and blame cultures.

Key findings

One of our main findings is that large amounts of knowledge and valuable experience remain localized and unshared. The current system for reporting, analysis, and follow-up does not sufficiently support systematic learning. Particularly in the case of minor incidents, learning tends to remain informal and individual – with little organizational or cross-sectoral dissemination.

Our analysis has shown that every link in the learning chain must function properly for learning to occur. If incidents are not reported, no further steps can be taken. Even when reports are submitted, insufficient follow-up or lack of dissemination may hinder broader learning. Strengthening each step – from reporting to implementation – is therefore critical.

The project has contributed to the growing research field of learning from incidents (LFI), with a specific focus on the underexplored area of dangerous goods transport.

Impact and relevance

The findings from INCIDENTS are highly relevant to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers alike. Improved incident reporting has the potential to support more proactive and preventative work within the transport sector. By learning from small-scale events, organizations can identify risks before they lead to serious accidents.

This project supports the goals of Sweden’s Transport Area of Advance and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3.6 (reducing traffic-related injuries) and SDG 3.9 (reducing harm from hazardous chemicals).

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The project builds on a long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration between informatics and law researchers. Together, we have examined how information systems and legal frameworks interact in highly regulated sociotechnical environments. Our experience shows that ontological, epistemological, and methodological assumptions must be continually negotiated throughout the research process. This ongoing dialogue has enriched the research quality and demonstrated the positive interplay between informatics and law as academic fields (Knackstedt, 2013). Each discipline has contributed unique perspectives and approaches, and their combination has enabled a more comprehensive understanding of the systemic conditions required for meaningful learning from incidents.

Image: Knackstedt, R., Eggert, M., Heddier, M., Chasin, F., and Becker, J. (2013). “The relationship of IS and Law -The perspective of and implications for IS research,” European Conference on Information Systems, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Incidents - Presentations and outreach

2023.10.20     Seminar at Dangerous Goods Safety Advisers’ Professional Association, SFGS
2024.04.23     Northern Lead Day
2024.04.26     Dangerous Goods Conference 2024
2024.11.28     Seminar at SAFER
2025.05.19     Poster presentation All researchers’ day AoA/SFO Transport
2025.11.06     Seminar at Dangerous Goods Safety Advisers’ Professional Association, SFGS