Human Factors

Complacency/Motivation/Desensitization to Hazard: Complacency refers to a lack of vigilance or alertness, while desensitization refers to becoming accustomed to a hazard to the point of not perceiving it as a danger. Motivation can also play a role, as individuals who are not motivated to take safety precautions may be more likely to engage in unsafe behavior.

Drugs/Alcohol Influence: The use of drugs and alcohol can impair judgment and decision-making abilities, making it more difficult for individuals to perceive and respond to hazards appropriately.

Familiarity with Task: When individuals become too familiar with a task, they may become complacent or overconfident, leading to a decreased focus on safety. This can be especially true for tasks that are performed frequently or that have become routine.

Fatigue: Fatigue can impair cognitive and physical abilities, making it more difficult for individuals to perform tasks safely and respond to hazards appropriately. Fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors, including lack of sleep, physical exertion, and mental stress.

Situational Awareness: Situational awareness refers to an individual's ability to perceive and understand their environment and the potential risks and hazards present. Situational awareness can be impaired by a variety of factors, including distractions, stress, and lack of training.

Time/Productivity Pressures: Time and productivity pressures can lead individuals to take shortcuts or engage in unsafe behavior in order to meet deadlines or quotas. These pressures can be caused by a variety of factors, including organizational culture, management expectations, and financial incentives.

Peer Pressure/Supervisory Example: The influence of peers and supervisors can impact an individual's behavior and decision-making, including their willingness to engage in unsafe behavior. This can be especially true in environments where there is a strong emphasis on productivity or where the culture is highly competitive.

Physical Capabilities: Physical capabilities, such as strength and mobility, can impact an individual's ability to perform certain tasks safely. For example, if an individual is not strong enough to lift a heavy object, they may be more likely to engage in unsafe behavior, such as attempting to lift the object anyway or using improper lifting techniques.

Mental Capabilities: Mental capabilities, such as attention and memory, can impact an individual's ability to perform tasks safely and make appropriate decisions. For example, if an individual is distracted or has poor memory, they may be more likely to forget important safety procedures or to overlook hazards.

Physical Stress: Physical stress, such as exposure to extreme temperatures or physical exertion, can impair cognitive and physical abilities, leading to an increased risk of accidents and incidents. Physical stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including the nature of the task, the environment, and individual factors such as age and health.

Mental Stress: Mental stress, such as work-related stress or personal issues, can impair cognitive abilities, leading to an increased risk of accidents and incidents. Mental stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including organizational culture, job demands, and personal issues.

Confidence Level: Confidence level refers to an individual's belief in their abilities, which can impact their willingness to take appropriate safety precautions. For example, if an individual is overconfident in their abilities, they may be more likely to engage in unsafe behaviour or to overlook potential hazards.

Secondary Level: This refers to factors that may not directly impact safety but can have an indirect influence, such as job security or career advancement. For example, if an individual is worried about losing their job, they may prioritize productivity over safety.

Personal Issues: Personal issues, such as family problems or financial difficulties, can impact an individual's ability to focus on safety and make appropriate decisions.

Distraction/Pre-Occupation: Distractions and pre-occupations, such as personal issues or competing priorities, can impair an individual's ability to focus on safety and respond to hazards appropriately.

Experience/Knowledge/Skill for Task: An individual's level of experience, knowledge, and skill for a particular task can impact their ability to perform the task safely and respond to hazards appropriately. Lack of experience, knowledge, or skill can lead to mistakes and accidents.

Competency: Competency refers to an individual's ability to perform a task safely and effectively. Lack of competency can lead to mistakes and accidents.

Behavioural Beliefs (Gains – Risks): Behavioural beliefs refer to an individual's perceptions of the gains and risks associated with a particular behaviour. If an individual perceives that the gains of engaging in unsafe behaviour outweigh the risks, they may be more likely to engage in that behaviour.

Personality/Attitude: An individual's personality and attitude can impact their willingness to take appropriate safety precautions and respond to hazards appropriately. For example, individuals who are risk-takers or who have a negative attitude towards safety may be more likely to engage in unsafe behaviour.

Poor Communications: Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and mistakes, increasing the risk of accidents and incidents.

Poor Shift Patterns & Overtime Working: Shift patterns and overtime working can impact an individual's ability to focus on safety and respond to hazards appropriately. For example, working long hours or irregular shifts can lead to fatigue and impair cognitive and physical abilities.

Passive Tolerance of Violations: Passive tolerance refers to the acceptance of unsafe behaviour or violations of safety rules and procedures without taking appropriate corrective action.

Perceived License to Bend Rules: If individuals perceive that there is a license to bend or break safety rules and procedures, they may be more likely to engage in unsafe behaviour.

Change of Routine: Changes to routine can lead to confusion and mistakes, increasing the risk of accidents and incidents.

Reliance on Undocumented Knowledge: If individuals rely on undocumented or informal knowledge instead of formal procedures and protocols, they may be more likely to engage in unsafe behaviour and make mistakes.

Other Human Factor: This category includes any other human factors that may impact safety, such as individual differences in perception, decision-making, and behaviour.