ABSTRACT
A human error problem is an organizational problem. Not because it creates problems for the organization. It is organizational because a human error problem is created, in large part, by the organization in which people work. With rewards constant and tangible, departures from the routine may become routine across an entire operation or organization. While people inside organizations adjust their behavior to accommodate other system pressures, safety threats vary underneath, setting them up for problems sometime down the line. A major engine behind routine divergence from written guidance is the need to pursue multiple goals simultaneously. Multiple goals mean goal conflicts. Different images of work can exist side-by-side in an organization. Organizations with a 'strong safety culture' could be more resilient against drifting into failure. People sometimes make a distinction between safety culture and safety climate. A safety culture is a culture that allows the boss to hear bad news.
