ABSTRACT
What are the causes of human error, mistakes, undesirable human performance, and human failure? Why does such error remain, excessive and virtually uncontrolled, as an unwanted attribute of many engineered products, systems and services? There are five general approaches to human error identification, evaluation, cause analysis, fault determination, and the search for adequate remedies. Each has its own bias or perspective that determines outcome. There are five general concepts that have evolved, that serve to enhance or limit the effectiveness of the design techniques and methods that could prevent or correct human error, safeguard against it or control its consequences, and help to communicate any residual risk of injury, damage, or loss. Understanding these concepts is a predicate to any successful attempt to minimize undesirable human performance failures.
