Causality – Details, episodes & analysis

On Friday the 19th of July, 2024 millions of CrowdStrike Falcon Agents the world over would lead to a Windows system crash on business machines throwing parts of the world into chaos. We look into exactly what caused it and how complacency and a lack of understanding amplified the effect of this wholly preventable incident.
With John Chidgey.

About Causality (TV):

• Introducing Causality TV
• Causality TV Episode 1: CrowdStrike (Video Release)

Formal Report:

• Falcon Content Update Preliminary Post Incident Report
• Channel File 291 Incident Root Cause Analysis (PDF)

News Releases and Articles:

• CrowdStrike releases root cause analysis of the global Microsoft breakdown
• CrowdStrike Senior Executive Adam Meyers faces CyberSecurity Committee
• CrowdStrike exec apologises before US Congress for software glitch behind July global outage | Reuters
• 1 In 10 Orgs Dumping Their Security Vendors After CrowdStrike Outage

General Information:

• CrowdStrike
• 2024 CrowdStrike incident
• What is CrowdStrike?
• Falcon Content Update Remediation and Guidance Hub
• Antivirus XML Configuration File for CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor
• Named Pipes
• Pipes (Interprocess Communications)
• Wildcard character

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r', Steven Bridle and Kellen Frodelius-Fujimoto.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, Shane O'Neill, Jared Roman, Katharina Will, Chad Juehring and Ian Gallagher.

In 2017 during an Odoriser decontamination procedure in West Virginia, two people were killed when it unexpectedly exploded. Barely a month later, a similar procedure at the same site led to a second explosion, killing someone else. We examine how poor hazard analysis and legal interference led to yet another fatality...right in front of the eyes of the investigators on site.
With John Chidgey.

Formal Report:

• Midland Resource Recovery Explosion
• Midland Resource Recovery Factual Update (PDF)
• Improving Reaction Hazard Management (PDF)

News Releases and Articles:

• Chemical Tank Explosion in Barbour County Kills Two Employees Plus One Severely Injured
• One Dead After Another Explosion at Midland Resource Recovery
• Midland Resources Recovery Explosion Kills 2, Injures 1
• McDonald Volunteer Fire Chief Laid To Rest After W.Va. Explosion
• Widow Blames Natural Gas Odorization Company for Husband’s Death
• CSB releases final report on explosions at Midland Resource Recovery Facility
• Midland Resource Recovery Explosion 2017
• Second Fatal Explosion at Midland Resources Recovery

General Information:

• About Midland Resource Recovery
• The Growing Importance of Mercaptans
• Sodium Hypochlorite (PDF)
• Principles of Natural Gas Odorization (PDF)
• Attorney-Work Product Privilege

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r', Steven Bridle and Kellen Frodelius-Fujimoto.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, Shane O'Neill, Lesley, Jared Roman, Katharina Will, Chad Juehring and Ian Gallagher.

In 1977, a commuter train from the Blue Mountains, destined for Sydney central station would derail just before Granville Station, causing a bridge to collapse and crush many aboard. It remains Australia's worst ever rail disaster that was predicted by 11 engineering department heads just a year earlier. We look at how management decisions led to a completely avoidable disaster.
With John Chidgey.

This show is Podcasting 2.0 Enhanced

Links of Interest:

• Granville rail disaster
• The Day of the Roses
• Public Transport Commission of NSW
• Granville Train Disaster (Archive.org)
• Turnouts
• CityRail
• Australia’s worst rail disaster
• The Granville Train Disaster Association
• Revisiting the Granville Train Disaster of 1977: Barry Gobbe
• Remembering the Day of the Roses
• Wheel was covered up (Archive.org)
• 45 years since Granville Train Disaster
• Granville Train Disaster Memorial Garden
• The rail disaster that changed Australia
• Mixed response as NSW Government apologises for Australia’s worst train disaster
• Granville Railway Disaster
• Granville train disaster: victims speak out

Formal Investigation Extracts:

• Formal Investigation State Records Authority
• Report on the formal investigation
• Formal Investigation extract: Research Data
• Research Data Australia Search

Informal Investigations:

• Permanent Way Institution Granville Search
• Granville: The Untold Story
• The Granville Train Disaster
• The Granville Disaster

Video:

• Granville Train Disaster Documentary (Video)

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Kevin Koch, Shane O'Neill, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor, Jared, Bill, Joel Maher and Katharina Will.

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
• ANFO
• Ammonium Nitrate
• How an unscheduled port visit led to disaster
• Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast
• Government Amends Ammonium Nitrate Rules
• FBI probe shows amount of chemicals in Beirut blast was a fraction of original shipment
• Beirut Whistleblower Returns to Work
• Ideal Gas Law
• Gases, Liquids and Solids (PDF)

Reports into the incident:

• Human Rights Watch (PDF)
• The Beirut Port Explosion, Forensic Architecture

Video and Images:

• Video of Explosion 1 (Twitter)
• Video of Explosion 2 (Twitter)
• Video of Wilsons Cloud Ring (Twitter)

Documentary:

• Beirut Blast: The Story Of Warehouse 12 (2021)
• Beirut Blast: The Story of Warehouse 12 (2021) - IMDb

Ammonium Nitrate Information:

• Storage requirements for security sensitive ammonium nitrate (SSAN) | Resources Safety & Health Queensland
• Orica Mining Services, Report for Kooragang Island Uprate PHA MOD1 Report (PDF)
• Ammonium Nitrate Advisory USEPA (PDF)
• Orica ANFO MSDS (PDF)

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Kevin Koch, Shane O'Neill, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor, Jared, Bill, Joel Maher and Katharina Will.

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 Building
• Shirtwaist
• Court Transcript of the Criminal Trial
• The Triangle Fire of 1911
• Sweatshop Tragedy
• Brown Building (PDF)
• Sweatshop Definition
• Machinery Needed for Garment Manufacturing
• Different Types of Sewing Line Layout
• World Tallest Building Passive Fire Prevention
• Early 19th Century Firefighting

Cornell University’s Excellent Resource on the Incident:

• The Triangle Factory Fire
• The Triangle Factory Fire: Report Summaries
• The Triangle Factory Fire: Timeline

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Shane O'Neill, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor, Jared, Bill and Joel Maher.

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 Demolition:

• Canberra Hospital Implosion 1997 - YouTube
• Royal Canberra Hospital Implosion - TEN News 13 July 1997 - YouTube

Video of Interest:

• Miami Resort | Building Demolition | BlowDown

Links of Interest:

• Royal Canberra Hospital
• Building Implosion
• Royal Canberra Hospital Implosion
• Royal Canberra Hospital Implosion Images
• Project Coordination
• The 1996 Australian Federal Election
• Successful ACT WorkSafe prosecutions

Explosives Used In Demolition:

• Shaped Charge
• RIOGEL TRONER HE
• What is Powergel explosive?
• C-4 Explosive

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Shane O'Neill, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor, Jared and Bill.

With thanks to Infamous Sphere for the topic suggestion.

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 Rev 0 (PDF)
• FIU Pedestrian Bridge Design Criteria Rev 1 (PDF)
• MCM / FIGG Proposal (PDF)

Civil Structural References:

• Truss
• Truss Bridges
• Steel Bridge Design
• What is Post-tensioning?
• Prestressed, Pretensioned and Post-Tensioned Concrete
• Engineer of Record Definition
• Non-Destructive Concrete Evaluation & testing

Companies Involved:

• Louis Berger is now part of WSP
• WSP Global
• FIGG Engineering
• FIGG Bridge Engineers

Links of Potential Interest:

• Florida bridge collapse has some hard lessons
• Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse
• University-City Prosperity Project
• Meet the prominent Miami firm behind the collapsed FIU bridge
• Miami Bridge Failure Part 3: The Peer Review
• FHWA proposes 10-year debarment for FIGG Bridge Engineers
• Louis Berger only firm refusing to settle FIU bridge collapse
• Bankrupt construction company that built FIU bridge reaches deal to pay victims $42M
• Lessons learnt 3 years since Florida tragedy
• FHWA proposes 10-year debarment for FIGG Bridge Engineers
• Judge Rejects FIGG’s Motion to Halt 10-Year Debarment

Riverside Expressway:

• Glimmer of hope?
• Riverside Expressway

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Shane O'Neill, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor and Bill.

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 Ranger Marine Disaster
• The Loss of the Ocean Ranger
• Royal Commission Called (Video)
• Ocean Ranger report blames equipment and training (Video)
• Hypothermia Table
• History of offshore drilling units
• Glossary of nautical terms
• Roustabout
• Davit
• 25 years later (Archive.org)

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Chip Salzenberg.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor, Shane O'Neill and Bill.

With thanks to Gregory Hess for the topic suggestion.

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 Incidents:

• An Investigation of the Therac-25 Accidents
• ‎Medical Devices: The Therac-25
• The Therac-25: 30 Years Later
• A Usage-Model Based Approach to Test Therac-25
• Good Computing: A Virtue Approach To Computer Ethics: Chapter 6

Links of Potential Interest:

• Therac-25
• The PDP-11 Assembly Language
• PDP-11
• Digital Equipment Corporation
• Programmed Data Processor
• Rad (unit)
• Order of Magnitude
• Myelitis
• Collimator
• Fatal Dose: Radiation Deaths linked to AECL Computer Errors
• Reactor Accidents: The Human Fallout
• An Overview on Radiotherapy: From Its History to Its Current Applications in Dermatology
• In MedTech History: Mammography
• The programmer behind the THERAC-25 Fiasco was never found
• AMA: My professor investigated the Therac-25 incident
• How history, principles and standards led to the safety PLC

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producers: 'r' and Chip Salzenberg.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor and Shane O'Neill.

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 Ride
• Dreamworld operator Ardent Leisure Fined $3.6M for Thunder River Rapids Ride Deaths
• Class Action Over Dreamworld Deaths
• Shutdown Impacts Dreamworld’s Plans For New Rollercoaster
• Dreamworld Chief Resigns After Damning Evidence At Inquest
• Dreamworld Pays $1.8M In Termination Payouts
• Dreamworld’s Missing Accountability
• Dreamworld Accident Spurs Queensland Safety Crackdown

Support Causality on Patreon

Episode Gold Producer: 'r'.
Episode Silver Producers: Mitch Biegler, John Whitlow, Kevin Koch, Oliver Steele, Lesley Law Chan, Hafthor and Shane O'Neill.