Handling human error

Human-machine systems have become more and more risky and tightly coupled. Component failures can result in unacceptable disasters that not only affect workers and plants, but also neighbours and the environment. System Reliability Analysis has made noticeable progress in assessing technical component reliability, but the introduction of Human Reliability Analysis is more of difficult task. This chapter attempts to define human error that should not be necessarily attributed to incompetence, but is considered as a product of conflicts between the human and the physical or the social artefact. An overview of studies on human error commission, detection and recovery is presented from which lessons are drawn and guidelines are provided for the design of operator support.