The human factor analysis is a human error framework initially established and tested in the US military to investigate and analyze the causes of human accidents in aviation. For this reason, this model’s active and latent failure addresses errors made by humans at all levels of a system as well as organizational factors and the condition of aircrew. This study assesses the utility of human factors analysis framework as a classification, and error analysis tool of all levels in the system. Human factor analysis was specifically used in records of commercial aviation accidents preserved by the NTSB. After using this tool to accidents that took place from January, 1990 to December, 1996, it proved that human factors analysis tool accommodated all underlying human factors associated with examined commercial accidents. Additionally, the classification of human factors analysis highlights various important safety issues needed in a research intervention. It is, therefore, a viable tool used in civil aviation field.

Humans are erroneous in nature; therefore, it is not surprising that human error is implicated in various occupational accidents, especially those that occur in military and civil aviation, which accounts for up to 80% of all human commercial accidents. Accidents in the US Marine and Navy aviation caused by mechanical failure and human errors have decreased in the past forty years. This shows that interventions meant to reduce occurrence and effects of human error have been effective. The current way of analyzing and investigating human error in aviation accidents remains the data of today’s incident and accident. However, many accidents reported in the systems are not based on theoretical structure of human error. In fact, most of these systems are used and intended for front-line operators and engineers who are limited to human factors that cause errors. Therefore, these systems are useful in identifying mechanical and engineering failures, but narrow scoped and ineffective, where there exists human error. When addressed, the variables and terms are normally not specific and archival databases are organized poorly. As a result, these systems are not applicable to traditional human errors and difficult to identify intervention strategies.

Levels of Human Factors Analysis

The human factors analysis model of human error considers four levels of both latent and active failures. These levels include unsafe acts, preconditions for unsafe acts, unsafe supervision and organizational influences. This comprehensive framework of human error is applicable in various settings of human failures. These settings have various categories of human errors that result in accidents.

1. Unsafe Acts

This level is categorized into errors and violations. Errors entail unintentional behaviors while violations entail willful disregard of rules and regulations. Errors are subdivided into skill-based, decision and perpetual errors. Violations, on the other hand, are subdivided into exceptional and routine violations.

a) Errors

In skilled based errors, errors occur in task highly practiced basing on a procedure, proficiency and training, routine execution of the operator, and unsafe situation such as negative habit, failure to prioritize attention and checklist error. Decision errors occur, when actions and behaviors of operators progress as planned, but the plan is inadequate to accomplish the result intended for the unsafe situation. These errors include inappropriate procedures, exceeded ability and rule based error. Perpetual errors are those that occur when the sensory input of an operator is degraded and the decisions made are based on faulty information.

b) Violations

Exceptional violations are violations resulting from departure from the governing authority, which is not usual to individuals and disregarded by the management. Routine violations are habitual actions by the operator, which are accepted by people in power.

2. Preconditions for Unsafe Acts

This level is categorized into three factors, namely personnel factors, environmental factors and operators’ condition. These three categories are further divided into other small categories that describe the specific causes of factors that result in unsafe acts of an operator.

a) Environmental Factors

Environmental factors are divided into physical and technological environment. In physical environment, they include ambient environment that entails toxins, heat, lighting and vibration. There also include operational setting such as terrain, weather and altitude. Technological environment includes factors that entail various designs and automation issues as well as equipment control and designs, checklist layouts, display characteristics, automation and task factors.

b) Condition of Operators

In condition of operators, there are factors that affect the performance of the operator. They include adverse physiological condition, physical or mental limitation and adverse mental condition. Adverse mental conditions include mental factors that affect the performance of an operator. These factors include motivation, stress, depression and mental fatigue.

Adverse physiological conditions include physiological or medical state that affects operator’s performance. Such conditions include physical fatigue, hypoxia and medical illness. In mental and physical limitation, the operator has factors that affect mental or physical capabilities that can help one handle a situation wisely. This, therefore, affects the performance of the operator. These limitations include insufficient time reaction, visual limitations and hearing limitations.

c) Personnel Factors

Personnel factors are divided into personal readiness and crew resource management. Crew resource management includes factors such as coordination, teamwork issues, communication and planning. Personal readiness entails off-duty activities needed for the best performance of the workers so that they can adhere to crew requirements and off-duty tasks. Such factors include alcohol restrictions and punctuality at work.

3. Unsafe Supervision

This level of human factors analysis is categorized into four factors. They include supervisory violation, inadequate supervision, inappropriate plan operation, and failure to correct known problems.

a) Inadequate supervision

Inadequate supervision leads to unsafe and inefficient performance of tasks. The supervisor has the responsibility of providing staff with opportunities that lead to success. He or she must provide training, incentives, guidance and good leadership that will ensure that tasks are performed efficiently and safely. It will also ensure that staff provide quality services that satisfy customers.

b) Inappropriate plan operations

Inappropriate plan operations are those operations that are different and accepted in urgent situations. However, they are not suitable for normal operations such as crew pairing, risk management and operational tempo. These operations lead to failure if used in normal operations that need comprehensive plans.

c) Failure to correct known problems

Failure to correct mistakes and problems at hand also leads to unsafe supervision. In these instances, the supervisor identifies a problem and allows it to continue happening. The supervisor in this situation fails to initiate corrective actions and safety hazard and fails to report unsafe tendencies. Consequently, it leads to unsafe supervision of firm, which leads to distribution of unsafe products and services.

d) Supervisory violation

In supervisory violation, the supervisor willfully disregards the existing rules and regulations. Such instances occur when the supervisor authorizes unnecessary hazards, enforces other rules and regulations, and allows inadequate documentation. This risks the company as well as the health of consumers.

4. Organizational Influences

This level is divided into three categories, namely, resource management, operational process, and organizational climate.

a) Resource Management

This refers to decision making at the organizational level. The decisions are normally associated with the maintenance and allocation of organizational assets such as equipment, human resources and budget and monetary resources.

b) Operational Process

These are organizational rules and decisions that govern daily activities in an organization. These activities include oversight, operations and procedures.

c) Organizational Climate

This describes the working atmosphere of workers in an organization such as culture, structure and policies. They determine the productivity and behavior of the workers at workplace. Conducive environment increases productivity and delivery of quality services that satisfy the needs of customers.

Importance of Each Stage of Human Factors Analysis

According to records, human error has become a primary contributor of over 70% commercial accidents in airplanes. Human error has been, therefore, a major concern in flight operations and maintenance, and proper management practices are being improved to increase safety. Pilots, engineers and mechanics are applying the latest knowledge concerning human performance to help improve efficiency and safety in daily transportation operations. The term human factor is growing popular in the aviation industry as it has been realized human error has been the main cause of aviation accidents.

Accidents caused by human error have even exceeded those caused by mechanical failure and it has rose concern about human factors, which is used to mean crew resource management. Human factors mainly entail gathering data concerning human limitations, abilities and other important characteristics that are important during performance. This information is then applied to machines, tools, environments, tasks and jobs to produce, comfortable, effective and safe human use. Aviation uses human factors to understand the ways human can be integrated efficiently and safely with technology. The understanding is then put in form of policies, procedures, design and training to improve human performance.

Humans still have the responsibility to ensure safety and success of aviation even when technology is improved. They, therefore, need to be flexible, efficient, dedicated and knowledgeable when making judgments. Industry, on the other hand, needs to major in investing in systems, equipments and training with lasting implications. Technology changes every day and predicting human interaction with the technology is important as it provides experience and institution that guides in making decisions during performance.

The human factors analysis, which has been in use since 1960s, has helped mechanics and pilots in their performance. The human factors have the level that considers elements such as psychology, cognitive, physiology, visual perception and human performance. These are preconditions that can lead to unsafe acts during transportation. They help experts in transportation field apply this knowledge to design process and support products that can improve human performance to the best of their capabilities, at the same time compensating for natural limitations.

Improving human performance by applying human factors can reduce rate of commercial aviation accidents. This is because it focuses on designing and developing procedures for maintenance technicians, the supervisors and the flight crews. The human factors analysis also improves reliability, comfort, usability and maintainability. Additionally, these factors also help in examining operational safety, developing tools and methods that help operators manage human mistakes. However, safety experts, engineers and training mechanics, pilots and crews need to work closely towards their responsibilities so as to integrate these human factors properly into design of all airplanes.

Human factors analysis also ensures that safety supervision is carried out by supervisors. This reduces supervision violation that results in faulty information that can increase aviation accidents. The analysis ensures that adequate supervision is carried out properly to identify problems, and they are dealt with on time. It also ensures that the supervisor fulfills the responsibility of providing staff with opportunities that lead to success and that she or he provides training, incentives, guidance and good leadership that will ensure that tasks are performed efficiently and safely.

Human errors have become a major contributor of commercial accidents in aviation industry. They exceed those accidents caused by mechanical failures, and this has raised many concerns on how to reduce these errors. Humans make errors in nature and the solution is to improve their performance to reduce these accidents. This will ensure that airplanes and other means of transportation are operated safely and offer efficient operations. Continuous enhancement of designs and training of the flight crews is also important in human performance. Use of the human factors analysis considers these factors to address human performance, reliability, usability and maintainability. It is also important to apply latest human factor knowledge to increase flight safety and efficiency.

About author

 Monica is the author and she is working on response essay now. She always dreamed of working in this position, working with texts and new information. After all, her credo in life is to develop daily in different fields and be an interesting person. She is fluent in three languages and holds a Masters Degree in Philology and Translator, and is also trying to master new fields in order to be knowledgeable in everything.