Human Error in Maintenance – A Design Perspective

Abstract

Emphasis on the elimination or reduction of human error in maintenance and its consequences is a relatively recent phenomenon. Human error in maintenance can result in maintenance error that may potentially degrade the performance of technical systems and possibly give rise to extremely serious safety and economic consequences. Much of the initial focus in addressing human error has been placed upon the role of the system operator through personnel training, through the adoption of procedures and practices and through regulation. More recently, there has been a growing awareness of the impact that system design can have on human error in maintenance. This chapter examines how potential human error in maintenance can be systematically analyzed to develop specific design strategies that can be used to reduce the occurrence of human error in maintenance and to mitigate its consequences. The content of the chapter is based upon the author’s extensive experience of developing and applying such analysis and design strategies in the aerospace industry where the principles and methodology discussed have been employed in the design of civil and military aircraft. However, the principles and methodology are generic and can be applied to other technical systems where the potential for human error is present in maintenance activities.