Course 10: Human Error Prevention

This course will provide insights into current knowledge of human error and how it can be reduced. The course will provide hands-on experience of practical error reduction techniques, using real-life case studies. You will also gain an understanding of the underlying causes of human error and how to reduce its occurrence by changing the culture of the organization and changing the design of the processes. Workshops are used throughout the course to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate human error analysis applications.

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$1,100.00 USD (per student) Online

$1,100.00 USD (per student) in USA

$1.495.00 USD (per student) in Dubai, UAE

This course can also be taught (either as-is or customized) at your site. Please contact PII for details about having our training provided at your site.

Human error is widely acknowledged as the major cause of quality, production, and safety risks in many industries. Although it is unlikely that human error will ever be completely prevented, there is growing recognition that many human performance problems stem from a failure within organizations to develop an effective policy for managing human reliability.

Human errors begin during the research and design stage, and continue into the manufacturing, construction, and installation phases, and finally through the design of management systems associated with operations and maintenance. Such management systems include: management and training policies, procedural development, and standard operating procedure development.

Recommended prerequisites: None. However, this course is an excellent supplement to several other courses, particularly Course 4: Incident Investigation/RCA Leadership and Course 8: PHA Leadership and Course 7: MOC & PSSR. All the issues covered in these three courses depend heavily on understanding how and why humans make mistakes.

What You Will Learn:

  • Why focus on human reliability
  • What is YOUR company doing to reduce or eliminate human error
  • Why human error is a factor in all accidents
  • Why humans make mistakes (the 10 major categories of human factors will be reviewed)
  • What can the worker do to eliminate the causes of human error
  • What the company can do to control human errors
  • What is the lower limits of control of human error
  • What can be done to engineer out most human errors, especially once the lower limits of human error rates have been achieved
  • An overview of how companies analyze and identify human error and the conditions and situations that cause them
  • Improvements in II/RCA from consideration of human factors and from understanding human error root causes
  • An overview of how to observe other workers in a structured fashion, grade their safety performance, identify human errors they make, and coach them on right and wrong habits (behavior)

Take Home:

  • Comprehensive course notebook containing:
    • Checklists and worksheets for several human error analysis techniques
    • Industry examples
  • Certificate of Completion
  • 1.3 CEUs & 1.3 COCs (2-day version) or 0.7 CEUs & 0.7 COCs (1-day)

Typical Course Candidates:

  • Managers – Operations, Safety, and Executive
  • Production Supervisors
  • Training Managers
  • Engineers – Process, Safety, and Mechanical
  • PSM Coordinators and Managers
  • PHA (hazard review) Leaders and Incident Investigators
  • NOTE: This class is typically taught to non-workers. See Course 14 (1-day version) that is primarily for workers. Course 14 is also a good option if the goal is only to learn the basics of Human Error Prevention

(NOTE: Various video-based Case Studies, not shown below, are used throughout the course to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate human error analysis applications.)

Day 1 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Introduction to Human Error

  • Learning objectives and goals of human error prevention
  • What is human error and human error analysis?

Understanding Human Error:

  • Errors and their relationship to loss events
  • Which is most important: Management system deficiencies or personal behavior?
  • Types of human error
  • Workshop: Classifying Human Errors
  • Modeling human behavior (an example of a simple model that works is used throughout the course)
  • Elements associated with understanding and controlling human error

Workshop: Relating Human Error to Human Factor Influences

Statistical Lower Limit of Human Error Rate and Quantitative Importance of Each Human Factor

  • Error rates under various job/task design/settings
  • Dependent (common cause) error rates
  • Quantitative importance of each human factor
  • Workshop – Demonstrate a couple of human error probability estimates

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies and Videos throughout)

  • Management leadership/Culture
  • Fitness for Duty
  • Knowledge and Skills
  • Task design versus Human Capability
  • Procedures and other written reference documents (emphasis on rules for reducing human errors by content accuracy and format/presentation clarity)
  • Tools and Equipment (making these fit for humans)
  • Human-System Interface (introduction to error proofing)

Day 2 (8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies and Videos throughout) – continued

  • Task Environment
  • Communication (control of errors from miscommunication; verbal and signals)
  • Management systems for prediction and control
    • PHA
    • II/RCA
    • MOC
    • MoOC

Workshop – Split into small teams and use a human factors checklist to review various process areas and control rooms

Error-Proofing Methods – NEW Course section

  • Error Recovery and Error-Proofing methods
  • Application and expected values of Specific Error-Proofing methods
  • Review Common Error Proofing methods (review Blue Book)

Techniques for Predicting and Analyzing Human Error

  • Checklist Analysis: For situational and for management system related errors
  • Workplace walk-through analysis
  • Guideword-based analysis (HAZOP, Job Hazard Analysis, etc.)
  • Quantitative Human Reliability Analysis

Demonstration: Using 2 Guide-Word Analysis of procedure

Behavior/Habits

  • What controls human behavior (T-H-O theory and analysis)
  • Implementation strategies for controlling undesired behaviors
  • Workshops: STAR (Specific Task Action Reporting)

Management, Leadership, and Culture

  • How leadership shapes the control of human error control
  • Getting Near Misses Reported
  • Delegation of risk control roles

Workshop: Planning Your Path Forward

OPTIONS:

  • 1-Day version (Course 14) – In this course, the workers (hourly workers such as operators, technicians, lab personnel, etc.) learn the basics of what causes humans (i.e., often themselves) to be more likely to make mistakes and what they can do to prevent errors. It also briefly reviews the role that management actions play in preventing human error. The student leaves with checklists and practice in identifying error-likely situations in the workplace. NOTE: This course is best in 3-day format with JSA and STAR as modules comprising 1.5 of the 3 days. For the basics on human error prevention only, 1 to 1.5 days is sufficient. Click on the following link to see Course 14.
  • 3-Day version (non-Workers) – This is the same as the 2-day version (i.e., Course 10) but with additional workshops built in to the schedule. Click here for an example of a Human Error Prevention 3-Day Schedule
  • 4.5-Day version (non-Workers) – This is the same as the 2-day version (i.e., Course 10) but with even more workshops built in to the schedule. Click here for an example of a Human Error Prevention 4.5-Day Schedule

Human Error Prevention 3-Day Schedule
(NOTE: Various video-based Case Studies, not shown below, are used throughout the course to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate human error analysis applications.)

Day 1 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Introduction to Human Error
● Learning objectives and goals of human error prevention
● What is human error and human error analysis?

Understanding Human Error:
● Errors and their relationship to loss events
● Which is most important: Management system deficiencies or personal behavior?
● Types of human error
● Workshop: Classifying Human Errors
● Modeling human behavior (an example of a simple model that works is used throughout the course)
● Elements associated with understanding and controlling human error
● Workshop: Relating Human Error to Human Factor Influences

Statistical Lower Limit of Human Error Rate and Quantitative Importance of Each Human Factors
● Error rates under various job/task design/settings
● Dependent (common cause) error rates
● Quantitative importance of each human factor
● Workshop – Demonstrate a couple of human error probability estimates using factors at your site

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies and Videos throughout)
● Management leadership/Culture
● Fitness for Duty
● Knowledge and Skills

Day 2 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies and Videos throughout) – continued
● Task design versus Human Capability
● Procedures and other written reference documents (emphasis on rules for reducing human errors by content accuracy and format/presentation clarity)
● Workshop – Split into small teams and walk down an operating procedure in the field to measure (1) the accuracy of the step content and (2) clarity, versus procedure writing/format rules
● Tools and Equipment (making these fit for humans)
● Human-System Interface (introduction to error proofing)
● Task Environment
● Communication (control of errors from miscommunication; verbal and signals)

Error-Proofing Methods – NEW Course section
● Error Recovery and Error-Proofing methods
● Application and expected values of Specific Error-Proofing methods
● Review Common Error Proofing methods (review Blue Book)

Day 3 (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)

● Workshop – Split into small teams and use a human factors checklist to review various process areas and control rooms
● Management systems for prediction and control
o PHA
o II/RCA
o MOC
o MoOC
● Recap: Human Factors Under Management Control

Techniques for Predicting and Analyzing Human Error
● Checklist Analysis: For situational and for management system related errors
● Guideword-based analysis (HAZOP, Job Hazard Analysis, etc.)
● Quantitative Human Reliability Analysis
● Demonstration: Using 2 Guide-Word Analysis of procedure

Behavior/Habits
● What controls human behavior (T-H-O theory and analysis)
● Implementation strategies for controlling undesired behaviors
● Workshops: STAR (Specific Task Action Reporting)

Management, Leadership, and Culture
● How leadership shapes the control of human error control
● Getting Near Misses Reported
● Delegation of risk control roles

Workshop: Planning Your Path Forward

Human Error Prevention 4.5-Day Schedule
(NOTE: Various video-based Case Studies, not shown below, are used throughout the course to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate human error analysis applications.)

Day 1 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Introduction to Human Error
● Learning objectives and goals of human error prevention
● What is human error and human error analysis?

Understanding Human Error:
● Errors and their relationship to loss events
● Which is most important: Management system deficiencies or personal behavior?
● Types of human error
● Workshop: Classifying Human Errors
● Modeling human behavior (an example of a simple model that works is used throughout the course)
● Elements associated with understanding and controlling human error
● Workshop: Relating Human Error to Human Factor Influences

Statistical Lower Limit of Human Error Rate and Quantitative Importance of Each Human Factors
● Error rates under various job/task design/settings
● Dependent (common cause) error rates
● Quantitative importance of each human factor
● Workshop – Demonstrate a couple of human error probability estimates using factors at Your site
● Workshop – Demonstrate how consideration of human errors is nearly completely missing from SIL verification and design and how to fix this issue (since IEC, ANSI/ISA did not fix it)

Day 2 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies and Videos throughout)
● Management leadership/Culture
● Fitness for Duty
● Knowledge and Skills
● Task design versus Human Capability
● Procedures and other written reference documents (emphasis on rules for reducing human errors by content accuracy and format/presentation clarity)
● Workshop – Split into small teams and walk down an operating procedure in the field to measure (1) the accuracy of the step content and (2) clarity, versus procedure writing/format rules
● Tools and Equipment (making these fit for humans)

Day 3 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Common Human Error Prevention Techniques (Case Studies throughout) – continued
● Human-System Interface (introduction to error proofing) – continued
● Task Environment
● Communication (control of errors from miscommunication; verbal and signals)
● Workshop – Split into small teams and use a human factors checklist to review various process areas and control rooms (we normally do a short version of this in a 2- or 3-day class)
● Management systems for prediction and control
o PHA
o II/RCA
o MOC
o MoOC
● Recap: Human Factors Under Management Control

Error-Proofing Methods – NEW Course section
● Error Recovery and Error-Proofing methods
● Application and expected values of Specific Error-Proofing methods
● Workshop – Applying Common Error Proofing methods (review Blue Book)

Day 4 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Techniques for Predicting and Analyzing Human Error
● Checklist Analysis: For situational and for management system related errors
● Guideword-based analysis (HAZOP, Job Hazard Analysis, etc.)
● Quantitative Human Reliability Analysis
● Workshop: Deciding Which Human Error Analysis Techniques to Use
● Workshop: Split into small teams and perform a PHA of startup or shutdown procedure to demonstrate how to find human-initiated process safety accidents scenarios that can occur in these non-routine modes of operations; using 2 Guide-Word Analysis of procedure at IBN SINA

Day 5 (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)

Behavior/Habits
● What controls human behavior (T-H-O theory and analysis)
● Implementation strategies for controlling undesired behaviors
● Workshops: STAR (Specific Task Action Reporting)

Management, Leadership, and Culture
● How leadership shapes the control of human error control
● Getting Near Misses Reported
● Delegation of risk control roles

Workshop: Planning Your Path Forward

Bill BridgesBill Bridges will be the instructor for this course. He has taught this course many times over the past 10 years. To find out more about this course or to check into having this course taught at your site, contact Mr. Bridges at 1.865.675.3458 or by e-mail at wbridges@p-i-i-i.com.