What best describes indirect causes?

• A. They are the most obvious causes
• B. They are unrelated to the event
• C. They are not immediately connected to the incident but contributed
• D. They always are personnel negligence

Answer: (C)

Indirect causes are the conditions that set the stage for an incident. They aren’t the immediate trigger, but they contribute to it by creating vulnerabilities or opportunities for the direct cause to occur. These factors are often systemic or organizational—things like gaps in training, inadequate maintenance, flawed procedures, or a safety culture that tolerates risk. They may not be obvious in the moment, yet they influence what happens.

That’s why this description fits best: they are not immediately connected to the incident but contributed. The other options describe more direct triggers, claim no connection, or wrongly imply negligence by individuals in all cases.