What do we mean when we say 'human error'? Do you mean as a cause, event, or harm?

And does error language more broadly mask more underpinning human variability, and increase the risk of blame?

Sources:

1. Hollnagel, E. (2007). Human error: Trick or treat. Handbook of applied cognition, 219-238.

2. Read, G. J., Shorrock, S., Walker, G. H., & Salmon, P. M. (2021). State of science: evolving perspectives on ‘human error’. Ergonomics, 64(9), 1091-1114.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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How should we plan, design and integrate human performance into our risk control and barrier systems?

This episode draws on four sources:

1. Mantom, M., Johnson, M., Pitblado, R., Cowley, C., & Krishna, K. (2017). Standardisation of Bow Tie Methodology and Terminology via a CCPS/EI Book. In Chem. E., SYMPOSIUM SERIES (No. 162).
2. Human Factors in Barrier Management: white paper (2016). Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors.
3. McLeod, R. W. (2017). Human factors in barrier management: Hard truths and challenges. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 110, 31-42.
4. Government of Western Australia Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (n.d.). Human factors: Integrating human factors into bowtie analyses of major accident events

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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How can we motivate--or even design for--more desirable, safer decisions on health, safety and life, and disincentivise riskier decisions?

This episodes explores Gerald Wilde's four tactics of motivating safer behaviour, from his book 'Target Risk 3'.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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What factors predict the use of higher-order risk controls? This study unpacks the predictors via use of HECA (High-Energy Control Assessment).

Source: Oguz Erkal, E. D., Hallowell, M. R., Ghriss, A., & Bhandari, S. (2024). Predicting serious injury and fatality exposure using machine learning in construction projects. Journal of construction engineering and management, 150(3), 04023169.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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Today we're diving into the CSRA's Safety Clutter Classification model and process of decluttering.

Source is: Decluttering Safety report, from the Construction Safety Research Alliance, 2025.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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How does safety clutter--the accumulation of safety artefacts that don't contribute to operational safety--distract attention and resources from more pressing matters?

Can clutter, with best intentions, even contribute to elevated risk?

Today's paper is: Rae, A. J., Provan, D. J., Weber, D. E., & Dekker, S. W. (2018). Safety clutter: the accumulation and persistence of ‘safety’ work that does not contribute to operational safety. Policy and practice in health and safety, 16(2), 194-211.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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This quickisode jumps into the Walk-Through Talk-Through technique, used to collaborate with workers and learn about the challenges and error traps with tasks, and how to improve.

Source: Human Performance Oil & Gas. HPOG.org

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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What if the paperwork that management come to rely on, rather than providing assurance of safe work methods, is more a ritual, disconnected from real work, or how people create safety in the field?

What if, in some cases, this paperwork creates a false sense of safety and indeed, masquerades as a false butt covering exercise?

Today's source is: Borys, D. (2009). Exploring risk-awareness as a cultural approach to safety: Exposing the gap between work as imagined and work as actually performed. Safety Science Monitor, 13(2), 1-11.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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How do the models of how we think about work reveal and conceal features of the work?

Today we explore varieties of human work: work-as-imagined, work-as-prescribed, work-as-disclosed, and work-as-done.

Source: Shorrock, S. (2016, December 5). The varieties of human work. Humanistic Systems.  https://humanisticsystems.com/2016/12/05/the-varieties-of-human-work/

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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Imagine following a workplace fatality, that the weakest types of controls are implemented - administrative.

This episode unpacks some findings from the Brady review of Qld mining fatalities and what lessons we can apply from weak controls and repeat deaths.

Source: Brady, S. (2019). Review of all fatal accidents in Queensland mines and quarries from 2000 to 2019. Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

More research at SafetyInsights.Org

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