Human Factors

Ever wondered why senior police officers or social workers make serious errors of judgement, why pilots fly into mountains or surgeons remove the wrong kidney?

It is not that any of these people lack the knowledge or skill to do their jobs. It is not that they set out to 'get it wrong'. Rather that they have the same potential vulnerabilities as the rest of us. 'To err is human' - Understanding the potential for making errors is an important step along the road to developing strategies to prevent those very human errors from becoming catastrophes.

We specialise in enhancing awareness of ‘Human Factors’. Human Factors refer to environmental, organisational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics which influence behaviour at work in a way which can effect performance, morale and health and safety. A simple way to view human factors is to think about three aspects: the job, the individual and the organisation.

For many years professionals have received high levels of technical skill training associated with their profession. However research in a number of industrial sectors indicates that up to 80% of accident causes can be attributed to a breakdown in human interaction. Human error cannot be eliminated; it is an essential facet of the human condition.

Professionals will always try to avoid making errors. Unfortunately even the most highly trained and motivated professionals and teams will make mistakes. However with suitable understanding of human factors and appropriate training teams can trap or mitigate the consequences of any such errors.