ABSTRACT
Much of the literature on human error does not make it clear that people make errors for different reasons and that people need to take different actions to prevent or reduce the different sorts of error. The obvious solution is to improve the training and/or instructions but before doing so people should first see if they can simplify the task or remove opportunities for error by changing the design or method of working. Many accidents have occurred because operators, maintenance workers or supervisors did not carry out procedures that they considered troublesome or unnecessary. To prevent such accidents people need to convince people that the procedures are necessary as people do not live in a society in which people can expect people to obey uncritically. Accidents also occur because managers ignore a rule in order to maintain output.
