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Investigation of Grain Elevator Explosions (1981) / Chapter Skim
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Technical Investigations - Procedures, Requirements, and Results
Pages 6-8

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From page 6...
... As will be noted later in this report, it is critical to avoid the adversary posture when interviewing witnesses for the obvious reason that willingness to expose every possible clue -- especially by those most knowledgeable, i.e., those involved in the accident itself -- will be restrained by possible or imagined punitive action. The second phase should be the analyses of personal injuries, grain-handling hardware, elevator operations, combustion products, ignition sources, explosion debris, testimony of witnesses, and other evidence gathered in the first phase.
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From page 7...
... The team conducting the investigation should be composed of trained professionals whose training consists of formal education, professional specialization, and on-site experience. The team's competences should include the following specialities: Phenomena of dust explosions Mechanics of blast damage Mechanics of grain elevator operation Interviewing of witnesses Electrical engineering Safety regulations and codes Systems analysis At least one and preferably all team members should be capable photographers.
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From page 8...
... Any permanent federal agency that is given the authority to investigate grain elevator explosions for cause must be completely autonomous, as is the National Transportation Safety Board. Rule-making agencies that can take punitive action are primarily interested in discovering violations of codes and regulations.
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Key Terms

  • elevator explosions
  • news media
  • interview witnesses
  • causative factors
  • punitive action

  • resolve causative
  • engineering safety
  • conduct public
  • adversary relation
  • elevator operation

  • elevator operations
  • explosion disappears
  • investigate grain
  • explosion investigations
  • dust explosions

  • interviewing witnesses
  • witnesses electrical
  • transportation safety
  • adversary posture
  • adversary procedures

  • imagined punitive
  • explosion debris
  • findings rarely
  • numerous federal
  • careful observations

  • permanent federal
  • industry representatives
  • discovering violations
  • rarely reach
  • able photographers


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