Citation

Singleton WT. J. Occup. Accid. 1984; 6(1-3): 107-115.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Singleton, W.T., 1984. Application of human error analysis to occupational accident research. Journal of Occupational Accidents, 6: 107-115.Currently there is increased interest in behavioural approaches to safety as distinct from the engineering approach which relies on physical separation of the person from the hazard. The objective of behavioural approaches is to reduce the probability of human error. This requires an understanding of the aetiology of human error and its role in accidents. The relative importance of environmental, informational, attitudinal and social factors needs to be assessed by the analysis of accidents in terms of the origins of the human errors.The situation will be illustrated by the two extremes of errors; those which lead to damage only to the person making the mistake, as in agriculture, and those which in very rare instances might lead to damage to large numbers of people as in the process industries. The former can be a post-hoc accident analysis study but the latter is necessarily an anticipatory hazard and critical incident study.