Human Factors Engineering

More Human Factors nightmares (NH3 to LPG Tank)

Last August I posted an incident where a 3rd party carrier unloading his/her NH3 truck to an LPG storage tank (SAFTENG Membership content).  The contents of the LPG tank had to be burned/flared off which took around 60 hours.  There were no injuries in that incident, but the consequences of such an error could be catastrophic.  And unfortunately,…...

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Human Factors and Process Valves

The topic of human factors (HF) is often times misunderstood and sadly sometimes not even a thought during a Process Design/Engineering Review or a Process Hazards Analysis.  Now I know some of you will scream… “we are not a refinery” so there is no need for us to go to this level in our efforts…...

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Understanding Human Error (Parts 1-5)

One of the best books in my career is the first edition of “Field Guide to Human Error Investigations” (pdf) by Dr. Sidney Dekker (Ph.D. in Cognitive Systems Engineering); which then became “The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error” (2nd Edition).  Those of you in the Process Safety arena have some baseline knowledge of “Human…...

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How can we learn from human error? (Ivan Pupulidy, PhD TEDTalk)

A lot of vital information is packed into a 10-minute presentation!  Dr. Pupulidy is a professor at the University of Alabama’s (UAB) Master of Engineering with a concentration in Advanced Safety and Engineering Management program.  Which by the way I am proud to say is a “Partner in Safety” with SAFTENG; in fact, they use…...

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“Human Factors” matter in Process Safety… and @ crosswalks!

As we know “human factors” are specifically called in the OSHA’s PSM standard and EPA’s Risk Management Plan and even more specifically they are part of our Process Hazards Analysis (PHA).  However, many do not understand what “human factors” are all about, so I thought I would share another picture I captured in my travels to…...

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Human Factors Assessment of Safety Critical Tasks

The methodology is used to identify and assess critical tasks. Its implementation involves five (5) phases.  Identify Critical Tasks Performed Analyze each Critical Task to the Appropriate Level of Detail Qualitatively Assess Risks Associated with Critical Tasks Identify Risk Control Strategies Incorporate the Results of Applying the Methodology into the Safety Case… Membership Required You...

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Latent failures set up the active failures that lead to consequences

Since the 1980s, Active and Latent failures have been a major part of Human Factors Engineering, we have all done it at some point in our careers… an accident happens, and we go straight to the obvious ACTIVE FAILURES and point to those as the sole cause of the incident; until one day a more…...

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Dr. James Reason’s 12 Principles of Error Management

Dr. Reason is recognized as a world-leading expert on human error, with a distinguished career spanning industry, healthcare, and academia. He is a graduate of the University of Manchester and held the position of Professor of Psychology from 1977 to 2001.  Professor Reason is probably best known for his “Swiss Cheese” Accident Causation Model which…...

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2016 Video of the Week #33 (Human Behaviors during an emergency evac… just unreal!)

As safety professionals, we are asked to perform human miracles on a weekly basis… when someone gets hurt on the job, it is our role, and far too often our role alone, to somehow make sure that not only does the injured worker not “do that unsafe act again” but to also ensure that no…...

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