According to the section review, the causes of incidents can be classified by three factors: direct causes, indirect causes, and what?

• A. Root causes
• B. Primary causes
• C. Secondary causes
• D. Contributory causes

Answer: (A)

In incident analysis, causes are often viewed in three levels: the direct cause is the immediate event that triggers the incident, the indirect causes are underlying conditions or circumstances that made the direct cause possible, and the root cause is the fundamental, systemic reason behind why those conditions existed in the first place. The root cause points to what, if changed, would prevent recurrence, not just fix the symptom of the incident. Techniques like the 5 Whys or fishbone diagrams help investigators peel back layers to reach that underlying reason, whether it’s a gap in training, a flawed procedure, poor safety culture, or equipment design issues. So the third category is root causes, which is why it’s the best fit for completing the triad. Other terms describe different aspects or levels of contributing factors but don’t consistently identify the deepest underlying driver the way root causes do.