The human factors analysis and classification system

Running head : HFACS

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System

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The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System

Air crash investigations can now be watched from some channels like National Geographic Channel . And the shows feature the possible reasons for the aircraft accident . And sometimes , accident happened due to some technical errors , others from human errors . According to Shappell and Wiegmann (2000 , in 1996 , 70-80 of aircraft accidents are associated to human errors . However , the accidents reporting systems were usually

not structured to determine the human errors that may have been involved in the accident . And so , some studies have been conducted in to give frameworks and guides to focus on the human errors

James Reason is one of the pioneers in the development of the investigation on aviation accidents . He discovered four levels of failures that focus on human errors , it is also known as the Swiss cheese ' model . The four levels are unsafe acts , preconditions for unsafe acts , unsafe supervisions , and organizational influences . These levels of failure are associated to one anther . Unsafe acts are the errors that the air crew committed while preconditions for unsafe acts are the factors that may have cause the crew to commit such acts . In addition , unsafe supervisions are the mistakes that higher authority may have done in for the crew to be involved in such errors Furthermore , organizational influences are the factors within the organization that cause the crew to commit mistakes

Reason 's theory regarding the human errors in aircraft accidents is such a great contribution in to have better understanding from the accidents that have happened as well as to help the aircrew to know their mistakes and avoid future accidents . However , his theory provides little information regarding its application in a real-world setting That is why it is recommended to extend his work and give more specific application of his theory in a real-world setting

And that is the focus of Scott Shappell and Douglas Wiegmann report The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System - HFACS . Their report wanted to give more standards on how Reason 's theory can be applied in a real-world setting . Shappell and Wiegmann (2000 ) developed HFACS through the data that they acquired from U .S . Naval Safety Center The data contained 300 Naval aviation accidents . And with the help of other data from U .S . Army Safety Center , U .S . Air Force Safety Center National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration , Shappell and Wiegmann completed their report

This accidents analysis was first developed in the military , and is proven to be useful . Nowadays , this practice has also been applied in the commercial aviation . This structure is currently being utilized to improve the investigation in aircraft accidents regarding the human factors that may have caused accidents . The structure presented is specific enough in to identify each human error properly this may be a reason why it is applicable not only in...