Human error identification and risk prioritization in LPG unloading operations

Abstract

Objectives. Errors due to human activities in any operation are analyzed using human reliability analysis in which the principal step is to identify potential human errors followed by quantification and analysis of the error. This work intends to apply a methodology for identifying human errors and to prioritize the risk associated with them in a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) unloading operation. Methods. The methodology uses hierarchical task analysis which provides the basic framework, along with a systematic human error reduction and prediction approach which aids in identification and categorization of the errors associated with each task with the help of predefined error taxonomy. Also, in order to quantify the risk associated with each identified error, fuzzy failure mode and effect analysis has been adopted. To rank and prioritize the risk associated with each identified error where the individual constituent components are non-commensurable in nature, the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje method has been incorporated. Results and conclusions. Applicability of the methodology presented will help comprehend the severity of risk corresponding to each error at different levels, and the ranking mechanism thus developed in this work aids to prioritize the action to minimize the likelihood of errors.