Safety Behaviour : Right Approach To Address Human Error/Failure

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Chapter:Behavioral Safety 

Safety Behaviour : Right Approach To Address Human Error/Failure

Human failure can occur in various forms, often leading to unintended consequences in tasks and processes. Understanding aids in improving performance and reducing mistakes in both professional and personal contexts.  

1. Error:

Errors are unintentional actions that lead to undesirable outcomes. These can be categorized based on the underlying cognitive process that led to the failure.

• Skill-Based Errors : These are failures that occur due to lapses in routine tasks or autornatjc actions, often resulting from distractions or lack of attention. Skill-based errors include:
• Slips : These happen when a person intends to perform one action but inadvertently performs another. typically due to a lapse in concentration. For example, pressing the wrong button on a machine. 
• Memory Lapse : This occurs when a person forgets an important piece of information or task  detail, such as forgetting to turn off an oven after cooking.

• Mistakes: Mistakes arise from incorrect judgments or decisions. often due to a misapplication of rules or insufficient knowledge. There are two primary types:
• Rule-Based Mistakes :  These occur when someone applies a rule incorrectly or in an inappropriate situation. For instance, using a standard operating procedure that doesn%t fit the unique circumstances of a particular situation,
• Knowledge-Based Mistakes : These happen when a person lacks the necessary knowledge or understanding to solve a problem. It often occurs in new or unfamiliar situations where the individual does not have a pre-established solution or procedure to follow.

2. Violation:

Violations are intentional actions that disregard established rules or procedures. typically resulting in an error or undesirable outcome. Violations can be divided into several types, based on the circumstances and the individual's intent.

• Routine Violation : These violations are habitual and occur when someone regularly disregards established procedures or rules. They often arise from a perceived need to save time or simplify tasks but can lead to unsafe practices or inefficiencies.
• Situation Violation : These occur in response to specific circumstances where an individual decides that breaking a rule is justified by the situation. For example, someone might bypass safety procedures during an emergency, believing that it will lead to a quicker resolution.
• Exceptional Violation : These are rare, one-off violations that typically arise under extreme or unforeseen condition . In such case , the violation is not part of a person's regualr behaviour but is driven by external pressure or a specific emenrgency.