Human error predisposing factors

Despite the above assurance that the process outlined in not significantly different, in principle, to that already adopted in many organisations it will undoubtedly require more time and more systematic approaches to be used routinely. This, in itself, may be a barrier to adopting such an approach however, the fact that it is fundamentally cmcial to routinely identify human error predisposing factors (particularly those which are common and therefore likely to represent latent failures) can be seen clearly by revisiting some of the examples of human error potential given in Chapters 3-8. 

Identifying the predisposing factors is therefore not only important to imderstanding human error but it is also crucial in identifying and targeting... 

Each of the above examples relate to operational activities rather than maintenance tasks. The reason for this is, quite simply, operational tasks have received more human factors/ergonomics attention than maintenance despite the fact that there is just as much potential for human error in maintenance and maintenance errors can also predispose accidents. 

Also of benefit in this area is a greater and more systematic consideration of both human error and the factors which predispose human error potential during accident/incident investi tion. This is discussed extensively in Chapter 9. 

The Potential Human Error Audit is but one example of many possible approaches which could be developed. The approach chosen should provide a systematic means of identifying the potential human error in existing operations, the ability to classify the error type, the ability to identify the predisposing factors (and, where appropriate, collate these into latent failures) and the ability to link error type to the best route to solution. If this is so, then the actual means by which these are achieved is less important. 

As mentioned above in relation to the pre-emptive approaches to human error management, the additional analysis required is not fundamentally different from that which is often already undertaken. All that is necessary is a framework which ensures that the factors which predispose human error are investigated systematically and comprehensively. Once again, the process is more important than the procedure. 

Central to the need for a better understanding of human error is the need to be more sophisticated in terms of a realisation that most errors are predisposed and that any attempts at human error mitigation which does not address the predisposing factors will fail. 

Detailedconsiderationof humanerrorinaccidentinvestigation, inparticular the systematic identification of the factors which predispose human error potential - the cradal element in ensuring that improvements made in the event of an accident/incident are sustained. 

Although not primarily written for human factors specialists, there is within the text a considerable body of real examples of human error which has, or is likely to, predispose accidents and a number of techniques and approaches which are probably not widely known outside of the mining human factors fraternity. It... 

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