Causality

Causality

Chain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented.

Episodes

44: Beirut Warehouse 12

February 11, 2022 • 36 min
In Beirut in August of 2020, an explosion at the Port of Beirut destroyed a huge part of the city. We look into how an oxidising agent, improperly handled can become an explosive and attempt to comprehend how something so dangerous was ignored repeatedly by key people, despite many warnings of an imminent disaster.
With John Chidgey.

This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

Links of Interest:

  • 2020 Beirut Explosion
  • Condensation Cloud
  • Prill
  • A...
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    43: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory

    November 10, 2021 • 31 min
    In 1911 in Manhattan, New York, a clothing factory went up in flames just before closing time. We look at how faulty equipment, poor design and a fear of theft contributed to a wholly preventable incident that had such terrible consequences, but would trigger reforms that still impact the United States, a century later.
    With John Chidgey.

    This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

    Links of Interest:

  • Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
  • Brown Bu...
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    42: Royal Canberra Hospital

    September 17, 2021 • 50 min
    The original Royal Canberra Hospital was flagged to be demolished in 1997 to make way for the new National Museum. A demolition via implosion was selected, but the implosion resulted in an explosion instead, and debris showered the huge crowd of onlookers with fatal consequences.
    With John Chidgey.

    This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

    Report into the Incident:

  • Inquest Into The Death of Katie Bender (PDF)

    • Video Footage of the Demoliti...

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    41: Florida International University

    July 9, 2021 • 43 min
    The university wanted a bridge for its students over a busy roadway that would appear intriguing from afar. Instead it collapsed before it was even finished. We look into how design errors, poor peer review and denial led to a collapse that claimed six peoples lives.
    With John Chidgey.

    This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

    Report into the Incidents:

  • NTSB Final Report (PDF)

    • Design Criteria and Bid:

  • FIU Pedestrian Bridge Design Criteria...
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    40: Ocean Ranger

    May 25, 2021 • 46 min
    The largest semi-submersible Offshore Drilling Rig of its day, sank in a storm in 1982 whilst two smaller nearby rigs survived with minimal damage. We dive into how not closing a portlight cover, triggered a series of events that cost 84 people their lives.
    With John Chidgey.

    This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

    Report into the Incidents:

  • Official Report

    • Links of Potential Interest:

  • Ocean Ranger
  • Hydrodynamic Model Studies of the Ocean...
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    39: Therac-25

    March 23, 2021 • 59 min
    The successor to the Therac-6 and Therac-20 RadioTherapy machines would integrate the powerful DEC PDP-11 mini-computer to control all of the Therac-25s functions, including the safety interlocks, for the first time. In two years the 11 machines in service would overdose six people across two countries, killing three of them before they figured out why.
    With John Chidgey.

    This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

    Reports into the Incident...

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    38: Thunder River Rapids

    January 24, 2021 • 40 min
    A popular family-friendly ride at DreamWorld would claim the lives of four people in 2016. In nearly thirty years of operation the ride had several similar but non-fatal incidents with blame placed on the operator every time, when a three thousand dollar modification could have prevented a horrific incident.
    With John Chidgey.

    Investigation Report:

  • DreamWorld (PDF)

    • Links of Potential Interest:

  • River Rapids Ride
  • Thunder River Rapids Ri...
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    37: Variola Birmingham

    November 27, 2020 • 41 min
    In 1978 on the cusp of the eradication of SmallPox a Medical Photographer became infected and would ultimately die from the Variola virus. We look at how admiration, promotion and delegation led to a wholly avoidable outcome.
    With John Chidgey.

    Investigation Report:

  • The Shooter Report (PDF)

    • Medical Analyses:

  • CDC Analysis of the R0 of SmallPox (PDF)

    • Links of Potential Interest:

  • SmallPox
  • History of Smallpox
  • Biosafety Level 4
  • A Bioweapon E...
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    36: Big Dig

    September 16, 2020 • 31 min
    A series of concrete ceiling tiles in a tunnel portal collapsed on a moving car killing the passenger in downtown Boston in 2006. The selection of the epoxy used in the ceiling tile anchors was unusual and a failure to heed the warning signs were at odds on a huge project under pressure to deliver when already twice over time and five times over budget.
    With John Chidgey.

    Investigation Report:

  • NTSB Report (PDF)

    • Technical Links:

  • Epoxy
  • ...
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    35: San Bruno

    July 27, 2020 • 49 min
    A modification made in 1956 to a pipeline built in the 1940s would ultimately fail costing 8 people their lives in 2010. We look at what went wrong with PG&Es gas pipeline in San Bruno, California.
    With John Chidgey.

    Investigation and Reports:

  • NTSB Report (PDF)
  • Independent Review Panel Report on San Bruno Pipeline Explosion

    • Technical Links:

  • Material Fatigue
  • GIS (Geographic Information System)
  • Pup
  • API 5L X42 Steel Pipe Specification i...
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    34: Aberfan

    May 8, 2020 • 39 min
    One Friday morning in 1966 in a small town in Wales a mining spoils waste tip let go with a river of liquified rubble destroying buildings and a school. Killing 144 people, mostly children in their classrooms. The mechanics of how this happened are simple. The ignorance and economics of why this happened boggles the mind.
    With John Chidgey.

    Related episodes:

  • Causality Premium Giveaway
  • Causality Episode 20: Stava Dam

    • Investigation and ...

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    33: 737 MAX

    January 31, 2020 • 69 min
    With two crashes in five months of the new 737 4th Generation a design flaw seemed likely. We look at how Boeings focus on cost-avoidance, grandfathering and bending probabilities during design would ultimately cost 346 people their lives.
    With John Chidgey.

    Related episodes:

  • Causality Episode 10: The Comet
  • Causality Episode 14: Concorde

    • Investigation and Reports:

  • FAA Finds New Safety Risk in Boeing 737 Max
  • KNKT JT610 Final Report
  • NTSB ...
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    32: Walkerton

    December 7, 2019 • 37 min
    In 2000 the small township of Walkerton Ontario witnessed the largest outbreak of E.Coli infections in Canada's history. The water utility claimed the town water was safe, but it wasn't and many people paid with their lives.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • Walkerton Ontario
  • Toronto Ontario
  • Walkerton E. coli Outbreak
  • Death On Tap: The Poisoning Of Walkerton
  • The Walkerton Inquiry Report
  • Heavy Rainfall and Waterborne ...
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    31: Black Energy

    October 4, 2019 • 26 min
    The evening before Christmas Eve in 2015 saw a widespread blackout of the power grid across the Ukraine. We look at how a cyber-attack on electric utility companies in Europe, changed how cyber-security is regarded in control systems, forever.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • December 2015 Ukraine Power Grid Cyber-attack
  • Analysis of the Cyber Attack on the Ukrainian Power Grid [PDF]
  • Ukraine Report: When The Lights Went O...
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    30: Tim Maia

    July 5, 2019 • 25 min
    As part of Rio's preparations for the Olympics in 2016 a cycling pathway was built adjacent to a narrow, congested roadway along a picturesque shoreline. When a section collapsed only months before the opening ceremony killing two people, the world looked on with growing concerns about the imminent Olympics.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • Deaths on Collapsed Rio de Janeiro Bike Path Deal Safety Blow to Olympic Ho...
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    29: Flight 1549

    June 5, 2019 • 27 min
    In 2009 an AirBus A320 departing LaGuardia Airport in New York suffered a dual engine failure due to a bird strike during takeoff. In a highly improbable event an equally highly improbable landing in the Hudson River shocked and amazed the world. We look at what went right on Flight 1549.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • US Airways Flight 1549
  • The Miracle On The Hudson
  • NTSB Official Report (PDF)
  • 49 CFR 830.2 Definitions
  • CF...
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    28: Hotel New World

    May 10, 2019 • 28 min
    In 1986 an unremarkable building in Singapore collapsed killing dozens of people. We look at how the supervision of the construction and the design itself resulted in a structure that was at best critically stable, and ultimately one that could only ever fail.
    With John Chidgey.

    Prior Episode References:

  • Causality Episode 5: Maccabiah
  • Causality Episode 15: Sampoong Department Store

    • Links of potential interest:

  • Hotel New World Collapse
  • ...
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    27: Gare De Lyon

    April 5, 2019 • 31 min
    On the 27th of June, 1988 in central Paris a runaway train collided with a stationary train in Gare De Lyon station, claiming 56 lives and injuring 60 more. Whilst the court found the driver guilty and sent him to jail, was he solely to blame? We look at how poor design decisions made Gare De Lyon inevitable.
    With John Chidgey.

    Prior Episode References:

  • Causality Episode 6: Amagasaki

    • Links of potential interest:

  • Gare de Lyon Rail Acc...
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    26: Bhopal

    February 8, 2019 • 38 min
    In December, 1984 in the city of Bhopal in central India, a Union Carbide Pesticide plant would fail and release tonnes of toxic gas into the city, killing thousands of people. It was the worst industrial disaster in human history. We follow the threads and trace back the root causes behind the incident at Bhopal.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • Bhopal
  • Carbaryl
  • Methyl isocyanate
  • Bhopal Chronology [PDF]
  • LABOR REPORT ON BHO...
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    25: Deepwater Horizon

    January 9, 2019 • 51 min
    In 2010 an Oil Drilling Rig suffered a catastrophic well blowout, killing 11 people, destroying the rig and leading to the worst maritime oil spill in history. It all happened a few hours after the well was declared safe and ready for handover. We look at the human and financial factors that led to the incident at Macondo.
    With John Chidgey.

    Links of potential interest:

  • Deepwater Drilling
  • Semi-submersible Platform
  • Macondo Prospect
  • Macon...
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