Application of the BowTie Method in Accident Analysis: Case of Kaziwiziwi Coal Mine

A BowTie is a diagram illustrating proactive and reactive risk management at any working environment. This case study applied the bowtie method to provide a simple visual analysis of the hazards that caused fatal accidents at Kaziwiziwi coal mine on 2nd November 2012 and 15th November 2019. Two coal miners were killed on the spot and others injured due to failure of a bucket hoisting system and hanging rock fall. The authors demonstrated that the bowtie method is an effective visualization tool that can be used to analyze the hazard, top event, threats, consequences, barriers and escalation factors of mining accidents; and therefore give an overview of everything not wanted around a certain hazard. Mining companies in Malawi will apply this new knowledge to proactively conduct situational audits of unwanted scenarios, and identify barriers to prevent accidents from happening so far as is reasonably practicable. In addition, the Department of Mines will find this bowtie visualization tool useful when carrying out accident analyses in the future which in turn will promote safety awareness and policy development in the mining industry, and suggest ways on how to keep the normal but hazardous aspects from turning into something unwanted.