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Presentation
Considering Trends Among Industrial Accidents: A Preliminary Meta Analysis of HFACS Causal Factors Across Industries
53rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (2009)
  • Katherine A. Berry
  • Paris F. Strongfellow
  • Scott A. Shappell, Clemson University
Abstract
This study investigated human error across a variety of industry types utilizing the Human Factors Classification and Analysis System [Human Factors Analysis and Classification System] (HFACS). One of the goals of the present study was to determine any similarities or disparities across industry type in regards to HFACS causal categories. Seven data sources represented five different industry types were collected and analyzed for percentage of cases associated with a causal factor at each HFACS causal category. Skill-based errors were found to dominate the unsafe acts tier regardless of industry type. Different statistical methods for determining population differences yielded conflicting results. Significant differences were found among certain data source pairings when the traditional two-proportion z-test was applied; however, the differences were found to be non-significant when the false discovery rate method was applied.
Keywords
  • Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS),
  • human error,
  • industrial accidents,
  • safety
Disciplines
Publication Date
October, 2009
Location
San Antonio, TX
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/154193120905302007
Comments
This paper appears on pages 1574-1578 of the Proceedings.
Citation Information
Katherine A. Berry, Paris F. Strongfellow and Scott A. Shappell. "Considering Trends Among Industrial Accidents: A Preliminary Meta Analysis of HFACS Causal Factors Across Industries" 53rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (2009)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/scott-shappell/28/