A System Safety Revolution: Drawing Parallels Between Formula 1 and Human Factors
In the heart-pounding world of Formula 1, the phrase “life on the limit” once carried a chilling connotation. Formula 1’s early years were fraught with danger, prompting a paradigm shift from accepting risks to drivers, stewards and the crowds, to embracing system changes and safety enhancements.
Safety culture? What’s the point?
“Safety culture” is something that many will have heard of. But what is safety culture? Is it important for actual safety outcomes – or is it an entirely academic matter, with no relation to how things work in your organisation? Does having a positive culture make any difference in the real world?
Unlocking success: From errors in documentation to Human Performance innovation
If you have more document errors than you want, read our blog to find out how you can unlock success, reduce errors and apply learning in real time.
Best practices for writing SOPs (Part 1)
In any organisation, SOPs play an integral role in optimising operational efficiency and minimising human error. Here are our recommendations for best practice.
Communication, Technology and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR)
There was a big refereeing error in the match between Tottenham and Liverpool and Liverpool at the weekend (1st October). A Liverpool goal was ruled out for offside by the on-field refereeing team. In the English Premier League, there is a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system which allows on-field decisions to be scrutinised by a group of officials with access to video technology.
Top 5 takeaways from doing HTAs
Having participated as a facilitator in our in-house Human Factors Safety Critical Task Analysis (SCTA) course, as well as taking part in various SCTA workshops for around two years, I thought I would share my top 5 takeaways from doing and teaching HTAs.
Human Error: Errordinary to the Extraordinary!
The same psychological mechanisms that underly errors in our ordinary, everyday life are also at play in the most extraordinary events that we see in the headlines. The positive message is that we can understand these mechanisms and do something about it.
What makes human factors critical task reviews (HFCTR) flourish or stall?
The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations, governing UK process plants, requires the use of Human Reliability Analysis techniques such as Human Factors Critical Task Review (HFCTR) for COMAH critical tasks. The process of HFCTR involves a task analysis, human failure analysis and Performance Influencing Factors (PIF) analysis of a safety critical task.
Beyond human error: Non-destructive testing (NDT) and ultrasonic testing (UT)
UT thickness scanning is a technique which is used extensively in the Oil and Gas (O&G) Industry to examine the condition of pressurised piping and equipment. Done well, the information it provides can assist in the management of Plant Safety; done badly, the information could provide a false impression of the integrity and safety of the Plant.
The need for human factors awareness training in the oil and gas industry
I recently transitioned from my role as an Inspection Engineer in the Oil and Gas (O&G) Industry, after completing an MSc in Human Factors at Derby University to train as a Human Factors Consultant with Human Reliability Associates.
