Human reliability analysis

Human error probabilities can also be estimated using methodologies and techniques originally developed in the nuclear industry. A number of different models are available (Swain, Comparative Evaluation of Methods for Human Reliability Analysis, GRS Project RS 688, 1988). This estimation process should be done with great care, as many factors can affect the reliability of the estimates. Methodologies using expert opinion to obtain failure rate and probability estimates have also been used where there is sparse or inappropriate data. 

Swain A. and H. Guttman 1983. Handbook of human reliability analysis with emphasis on nuclear power plant applications (NUREG/CR-1278), Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC. 

Swain, A. D., and H. E. Guttmann (1983). Handbook of Human Reliability Analysis With Emphasis on Nuclear Power Plant Applications. NUREG/ CR-1278. Washington, DC United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

The PRA procedures guide, NUREG/ CR-23(X), partitions human reliability analysis (HRA) into four phases (Figure 4.5-1). The familiarization phase, evaluates a sequence of events to identify human actions that directly affect critical process components. From plant visits and review, this part of HRA identifies plant-specific factors that affect human performance such as good or bad procedures used in the. sequence under consideration. The familiarization phase notes items overlooked during systems evaluation. 

Bell, B. J. and A. D. Swain, Procedure for Conducting a Human- Reliability Analysis for Nuclear Power Plants, SNL, May 1983,... 

J. R. Fragola, 1988, Human Reliability Analysis A Systems Engii ith Nuclear Power Plant Applications, Wiley New York, NY. 

Luckas, W. J. et al., A Human Reliability Analysis for the ATWS Accident Sequence at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, BNL Technical Report A3272, May 1986. 

Swain, A. D., 1989, Comparative Evaluation of Methods for Human Reliability Analysis, GRS-71, Gesellschaft fur Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, Garchin Koln, Germany. 

For some applications, for example, human reliability analysis, a situation needs to be rated on a numerical scale. In these cases, values such as those shown in the left-hand column of Table 3.1 can be generated by comparing the situation being evaluated with the descriptions in the second, third, and subsequent columns which represent other PIFs relevant to the situation being assessed. These represent the worst, average, and best conditions that are likely to occur in chemical plants in general and correspond to ratings of 1,5, and 9 on the numerical scale in the left hand colunrm of Table 3.1. Obviously,... 

The objective of consequence analysis is to evaluate the safety (or quality) consequences to the system of any human errors that may occur. Consequence Analysis obviously impacts on the overall risk assessment within which the human reliability analysis is embedded. In order to address this issue, it is necessary to consider the nature of the consequences of human error in more detail. 

Assume that the system described below exists in a process unit recently purchased by your company. As the manager, the safety of this unit is now your responsibility. You are concerned because your process hazard analysis team identified the potential for an operator error to result in a rupture of the propane condenser. You have commissioned a human reliability analysis (HRA) to estimate the likelihood of the condenser rupturing as the result of such an error and to identify ways to reduce the expected frequency of such ruptures... 

Banks, W., Wells, J. E. (1992). A Probabilistic Risk Assessment Using Human Reliability Analysis Methods. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis, Human Factors, and Human Reliability in Process Safety. New York American Institute of Chemical Engineers, CCPS. 

Hollnagel, E. (1993). Human Reliability Analysis, Context and Control. San Diego, CA Academic Press. 

Kantowitz, B. H., Fujita, Y. (1990). Cognitive Theory, Identifiabihty and Human Reliability Analysis. Journal of Reliability Engineering and System Safety 29,317-328. 

Logic Diagram Methods (Fault Tree Analysis, Event Tree Analysis, Cause-Consequence Analysis, Human Reliability Analysis, Success and Failure Trees, etc,)... 

Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) or Human Error Analysis - A reliability analysis that estimates the potential for human errors to occur due to the work environment, human-machine interfaces, and required operational tasks. 

HRA Human Reliability Analysis (or Human Error Analysis)... 

Human Reliability Analysis—method by which the probability of a person successfully performing a task is estimated. 

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