Human Factors and Procedure Analysis

This course provides practical knowledge to develop and implement programs that reduce risk related to human factors in process safety, in particular, those related to errors in design or operation. It emphasizes identifying human errors and integrating human reliability considerations into existing Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. Participants will learn systematic methods to analyze human error, including software tools, surveys, and Task Analysis techniques.

Human error is a significant contributor to process safety incidents. Understanding the interaction between people, procedures, equipment, and the work environment allows organizations to design safer systems, reduce operational risk, and improve overall reliability. By considering human factors during PHAs and operational reviews, organizations can prevent errors before they lead to incidents.

The human factors and procedure analysis course explores human factors engineering in four key areas: people, procedures, equipment, and the work environment. Topics include task overload, fatigue, alarm management, procedural clarity, control system usability, workspace layout, communication, and supervisory and organizational considerations. Participants will learn to incorporate human factors into PHA sessions, identify potential error causes, and develop mitigations. Guidance on using checklists, HAZOP of procedures, and scenario-based assessments is provided to ensure human factors are fully integrated into safety analysis.