When we search for causes of accidents, we often assume a binary: either mechanical failure, or human error, were to blame, and we must pick between them. But labelling an accident as caused by human error doesn’t teach us anything. It makes no effort to understand what caused people to make the decisions they did....
The post <a href="https://engineeringmatters.reby.media/2025/02/20/317-human-factors-human-error-and-safety-by-design/">#317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design</a> first appeared on <a href="https://engineeringmatters.reby.media">Engineering Matters</a>.

When we search for causes of accidents, we often assume a binary: either mechanical failure, or human error, were to blame, and we must pick between them. But labelling an accident as caused by human error doesn’t teach us anything. It makes no effort to understand what caused people to make the decisions they did.... The post #317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design first appeared on Engineering Matters.

When we search for causes of accidents, we often assume a binary: either mechanical failure, or human error, were to blame, and we must pick between them. But labelling an accident as caused by human error doesn’t teach us anything. It makes no effort to understand what caused people to make the decisions they did....
The post <a href="https://engineeringmatters.reby.media/2025/02/20/317-human-factors-human-error-and-safety-by-design/" rel="noopener noreferrer">#317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design</a> first appeared on <a href="https://engineeringmatters.reby.media" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Matters</a>.

#317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design

Five times winner of the Publisher Podcast Awards, including Best Technology Podcast, Engineering Matters celebrates the work of engineers who use ingenuity, practicality, science, theory and determination to build a better world. In the UK alone 5.7million people work in engineering related enterprises from manufacturing and agriculture to construction and transportation. Their work ensures that the country has sustainable power supplies, better connectivity between cities, increasing efficiency in production processes; advanced manufacturing methods; and is embracing the digital transformations that include virtual modelling of our environment, and development of intelligent machines.    Our episodes will examine the vital work of engineers using a mix of interviews, analysis and site visits.

Business

Science

Technology

Earth Sciences

Five times winner of the Publisher Podcast Awards, including Best Technology Podcast, Engineering Matters celebrates the work of engineers who use ingenuity, practicality, science, theory and determination to build a better world. In the UK alone 5.7million people work in engineering related enterprises from manufacturing and agriculture to construction and transportation. Their work ensures that the country has sustainable power supplies, better connectivity between cities, increasing efficiency in production processes; advanced manufacturing methods; and is embracing the digital transformations that include virtual modelling of our environment, and development of intelligent machines. Our episodes will examine the vital work of engineers using a mix of interviews, analysis and site visits.

Share #317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design

Sign up to save your podcasts

#317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design

#317 Human Factors, Human Error, and Safety by Design

More shows like Engineering Matters

More or Less

No Such Thing As A Fish

The Naked Scientists Podcast

BBC Inside Science

Science Weekly

Curious Cases

The Life Scientific

Science In Action

CrowdScience

Physics World Weekly Podcast

Sliced Bread

Elis James and John Robins

The world, the universe and us

The Rest Is Entertainment

In The News This Week (the Have I Got News For You podcast)