Human Factors Analysis

HUMAN FACTORS ANALYSIS IN INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

BACKGROUND

Worldclass Human Reliability

In recent years, safety leaders in high-risk industries have recognized a disproportionate trend of human contribution and causes in incident and accident investigations. In fact, it has been documented that human error is responsible for 70%-90% of identified failures, directly attributable to a breakdown in human reliability and performance. A learning organization must study this with a focus on the system of operations and how human error is produced and transmitted within it. From this we can design resiliency and barriers to recognize and respond to human error before it creates an unsafe situation. The investigation of mistakes and violations by individuals are just the beginning of an effective analysis; they are the window we must look through to find the antecedents and hidden influences that create a pathway for error to become an incident.

Other high performing global industries including military and commercial aviation, space exploration, transportation, nuclear power, oil & natural gas have studied the effect of human factors on incidents and accidents for decades and developed strategies for analysis and intervention leading to exceptional safety performance. We should learn from their lessons and best practices.

An effective investigation is the most proactive tool available for identifying the precursors leading to incidents. Human Factors Analysis has two foundational components: competent, well-trained investigators and a classification system designed to capture human causes and provide for organizational cross-feed of information in order to develop preemptive intervention strategies.

“We believe that the majority of our Process Safety incidents are initiated by human error.”

Director, Global Process Safety

70-90% of all incidents and accidents involve human factors. By exposing and analyzing human factors in incident investigations, organizations can make corrective action to prevent reoccurrence and improve operational efficiency and safety.

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