Associations between errors and contributing factors in aircraft maintenance

Abstract

Verbatim from NASA NTRS. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

In recent years cognitive error models have provided insights into the unsafe acts that lead to many accidents in safety-critical environments. Most models of accident causation are based on the notion that human errors occur in the context of contributing factors. However, there is a lack of published information on possible links between specific errors and contributing factors. A total of 619 safety occurrences involving aircraft maintenance were reported using a self-completed questionnaire. Of these occurrences, 96% were related to the actions of maintenance personnel. The types of errors that were involved, and the contributing factors associated with those actions, were determined. Each type of error was associated with a particular set of contributing factors and with specific occurrence outcomes. Among the associations were links between memory lapses and fatigue and between rule violations and time pressure. Potential applications of this research include assisting with the design of accident prevention strategies, the estimation of human error probabilities, and the monitoring of organizational safety performance.

Authors

• Hobbs, Alan Australian Transport Safety Bureau
• Williamson, Ann

Keywords

• Professional Competence
• Occupational Health/statistics & numerical data
• Aircraft/statistics & numerical data
• Maintenance/standards
• Questionnaires
• Transportation
• Human
• Work/psychology
• Australia
• Safety Management
• Accident Prevention