[SystemSafety] Children as a causal factor in major accidents

[Chris Hills]

I am not sure the children were a factor.   

 

I think (from memory) it was 1st Class Ladies (and their maids and children) first. You can’t jam Ladies (wives of Lords etc) and ladies into boats without proper social decorum.  Besides at that point it was still only a precaution as they *knew* the ship was unsinkable and help would arrive shortly anyway.  So these were sent out filled almost as for a River Cruise on a nice day as they knew there was no real danger.   IT probably only dawned on the majority of the crew and passengers that there was a real danger and the ship would sink sometime after the partly full boats were launched. 

 

Women and Children first does not seem to have resulted in partly full lifeboats in other cases where ships have sunk? Does anyone have any other data on this? 

 

Having seen the behaviour of a growing number of adults I am not sure there is any difference in the way children and many adults now behave.  And I am not just referring to the Darwin Awards. Which is rather sad (I blame the teachers etc.)   So differentiators start to come down to physical size.

 

As for 

1) Can anyone suggest a major accident where the presence or behaviour of children have been a causal factor?

I suggested: My Wedding J 

 

Regards

   Chris Hills

  

 

From: systemsafety-bounces at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de [mailto:systemsafety-bounces at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de] On Behalf Of Matthew Squair
Sent: 02 October 2014 13:14
To: DREW Rae
Cc: systemsafety at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de
Subject: Re: [SystemSafety] Children as a causal factor in major accidents

 

Perhaps the Titanic is an example, the policy of 'women and children first' resulted in lifeboats being lowered only partly full.

 

Matthew Squair

 

MIEAust, CPEng

Mob: +61 488770655

Email; Mattsquair at gmail.com

Web: http://criticaluncertainties.com

 

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