Analyzing Safety Management Failure Paths in Coal Mines via the 24Model Accident Causation Framework and fsQCA

This study investigated safety management performance in small- and medium-sized private coal mining enterprises (SMPCMEs) through an integrated application of the 24Model accident causation theory and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Analyzing 40 sudden incidents (2013–2023), we examined six key factors—organizational, individual, and external dimensions—to identify nonlinear risk pathways. Results revealed four critical failure types—Internally Balanced (cultural–behavioral–environmental collapse), Safety Culture–Deficient (institutional hollowing), Cultural–External Environment (policy-implementation paradox), and External Environment–Integrated (technological-regulatory failure)—that collectively explained 83% of performance variance. Tailored strategies, including IoT-based real-time monitoring and AI-driven inspections, are proposed to transition from fragmented interventions to systemic governance. These findings provide actionable insights for enhancing safety resilience in high-risk mining sectors.