Human error: A myth eclipsing real causes

Abstract

For years, professionals involved in the investigation of industrial accidents have identified “human error” as a common cause of many major process safety incidents. However, incorrect actions by workers that lead or contribute to disaster are associated with factors related to cultural, engineering, situational, psychological, procedural, and organizational aspects, and tend to remain in the background. The aeronautical industry has developed exhaustive research into causal factors and methodologies to address risks associated with “human error.” Pilots work in complex environments and are routinely exposed to high stress that can induce pilot error which may result in a threat to flight safety. As in the Oil and Gas industry, catastrophic accidents are infrequent, but are highly visible and often involve massive loss of life. The environment to which operators and managers of process plants can be exposed and that of aircraft crew can be similar. This article describes these similarities and explores causal factors to find commonalities and possible root causes. The ǁ Center for Chemical Process Safety Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS) approach has provided a more comprehensive framework to examine aspects that influence behaviors of individuals that work in hazardous environments. The paper evaluates typical factors associated to “human error” with possible causes related to the RBPS elements. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 37: 145–149, 2018