Probing Human Error as Causal Factor in Incidents with Major Accident Potential

Existing literature suggests that human error is directly linked to the majority of industrial incidents and accidents. The increasing use of computers and software in safety-critical systems makes systems more integrated and dependent and this can increase the risk if barrier integrity is reduced. This paper demonstrates how the Human Factors Assessment and Classification System (HFACS) can be applied to analyze incidents with major accident potential. One report from a Norwegian offshore Oil & Gas incident with major accident potential was analyzed to classify the causal factors for the purpose of making a relative comparison of these factors. The results revealed that failures on the organizational level were the most prevailing, representing almost three-quarters of all causal factors, while unsafe acts represented fourteen percent. Thus, organizational factors appear essential in risk management and failures on the organizational level require more attention to mitigate risks in the future.