The 7 Deadly Sins of SCTA Implementation: Common pitfalls that mean Human Factors programmes stall
After decades of supporting organisations with Safety Critical Task Analysis (SCTA), we’ve noticed a pattern: even with great training, implementation often stalls. Why does this happen?
We explore the “7 Deadly Sins of SCTA Implementation” – common organisational barriers that prevent SCTA programs from delivering their full value.
The Parable of the Ant: Context Shapes Behaviour
“Context shapes behaviour” – This fundamental principle in human performance is brilliantly illustrated through the Parable of the Ant. This blog traces this powerful metaphor from Herbert Simon’s original insight to modern human factors applications.
The Power of Story in Safety Critical Task Analysis
At first glance, the idea of storytelling in Safety Critical Task Analysis might raise eyebrows. Aren’t we dealing with potential major accident hazards, detailed risk assessments, and objective control measures? Why would something as subjective and emotional as “storytelling” have any place in this context?
Beyond the Basic HSE PIF list: Reflections on types of Performance Influencing Factors
We often rely on standard HSE checklists for identifying Performance Influencing Factors, but there’s so much more to consider.
HSE Human Factors Delivery Guide for COMAH sites: What’s new?
The HSE released a new Human Factors Delivery Guide for COMAH sites in December 2023. However, there was no briefing note or presentation to accompany it to tell us what was different and what was the same.
A year on, I’m writing that blog to attempt to fill that gap.
Checking, checks, second checks, double checks and independent checks
In this deep dive, we explore the critical role of checking in detecting and correcting errors, especially in safety-critical industries.
Human Factors for Biological Containment Labs
Biological containment labs handle some of the most dangerous pathogens, yet human error remains a critical risk factor in their operations.
Human Factors GATEWAY Approach: Leveraging SCTA Outputs to Identify HF Issues in Related Tasks
This blog introduces the Human Factors GATEWAY (Generic Audit Tool Exercise to Widen and Accelerate Yield) approach. This extends Safety Critical Task Analysis (SCTA) insights from one task to similar critical tasks across multiple sites or work areas.
Near Miss Management: Formative ideas for a book chapter
I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to contribute a chapter in a book about Near Miss Management. I’ll mainly be discussing the application of Human Factors Safety Critical Task Analysis (SCTA) for investigating near misses for Process Safety related concerns.
I wanted to share these early ideas and request feedback from you, the reader.
SYSTEMS Critical Task Analysis (SCTA): A Case Study for Quality Improvement (QI)
This is our latest blog post on SYSTEMS Critical Task Analysis (SCTA) and how it can enhance Quality Improvement (QI). With over 15 years in human factors across diverse sectors, I’ve seen firsthand how SCTA can elevate human performance in complex environments.
