analyzing the causes and safety barriers of accidents in gas pipeline excavation and piping operations using tripod beta and bowtie methods: a case study of struck by accidents

Background: investigating and identifying the causes of accidents is important in learning to prevent similar accidents. this study aimed to investigate the causes of struck by in gas pipeline excavation and piping operations using tripod beta and bowtie methods.materials and methods: this study is a case analysis study conducted in 2023 in iran. it was conducted on a case basis, on struck by incidents. in the first phase of the study, the data related to the accidents of gas pipeline excavation and piping were collected from all over the country. struck by incidents were selected as important incidents based on the severity and repetition. in the next phase, the data related to struck by incidents were analyzed using the bowtie and tripod beta methods.results: this study collected 19 incidents related to excavation and piping operations of iran gas pipelines. out of these 19 incidents, 8 were related to the struck by. analysis of accidents using the tripod beta method shows that basic risk factors are mainly classified into organizational factors (31.03%), work procedures (14.94 %), and tools and equipment (11.5%). the escalation factors identified by the bowtie method were supervision, hse systems, competence assessment, contractor management, risk management, training, work permitting, and compliance with rules and guidelines.conclusion: struck by is one of the most common accidents in gas pipeline excavation and piping operations. based on the results obtained, to increase productivity and efficiency in practice and prevent similar accidents, there should be more focus on supervision, hse system, competency assessment, contractor management, risk management, training, work permit system, and compliance with rules and guidelines.