Going beyond ‘human error’

Phys.org  April 30, 2018
Failures in highly technological environments, such as military aircraft, can be investigated using known tools like Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). However, because of some limitations, HFACS does not always highlight the deeper causal factors that contribute to such failures. Researchers at the Naval Safety Center in Virginia applied the Bayes’ theorem probability formula to an HFACS dataset, to examine data from 95 severe incidents to pinpoint external influences behind human error. They found sensory misperception (spatial disorientation), mental awareness (cognition, attention), and the technological environment (e.g., design of cockpit displays and controls) to be potential influences on performance-based errors. Their work has the potential to reveal ways in which HFACS or similar incident analysis tools can be used in other complex systems, such as health care, oil and gas, transportation, and maritime operations… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE