Which of the following is considered a direct cause of an incident?

A direct cause of an incident refers to an immediate action or event that directly contributes to an accident or mishap occurring. Worker actions are considered direct causes because they involve the choices and behaviors of individuals on the job site that can lead to unsafe situations. For example, if a worker fails to follow safety protocols or operates machinery improperly, these actions can directly result in an incident.

In contrast, management decisions, equipment failure, and workplace policies, while they can significantly influence safety, are generally categorized as contributing factors or underlying causes. For instance, management decisions might set the tone for safety culture but do not directly cause an accident without the influence of individual worker actions. Similarly, equipment failure can create hazardous conditions, but it is often the actions or inactions of workers that lead to an incident. Workplace policies, while important for establishing safe practices, depend on worker actions for enforcement and compliance, and thus do not constitute direct causes in the same way that individual behaviors do.