- Published: October 2025
- REF/ISBN: 978 1 78725 501 2
- Edition: 1st
Overview:
Although human factors and error-producing conditions may be considered during project-level risk assessments and for the most hazardous tasks (e.g. as part of fulfilling COMAH-related regulatory requirements, see frequently asked questions below), they are often ignored in the more 'everyday' task-based risk assessments conducted as part of work planning – including job safety analysis, permit to work, etc. - despite the fact that error-producing conditions can be identified and managed at these stages.
Unfortunately, the lack of consideration of human factors at the work planning stage has resulted in tragic incidents and fatalities, such as a fatal steam release when contractors performed maintenance on the wrong part of a plant.
This guide is intended for non-human factors specialists, particularly those responsible for risk assessment processes and those who conduct task-based risk assessments, including supervisors, frontline workers, and managers. It provides useful tools and techniques to ensure that human factors are considered during work planning, and are performed before, during, and after work. These can be built into the existing risk assessment and work planning processes your organisation is already using.
The guide includes:
− Step-by-step instructions for performing modified risk assessments that consider not only hazards but also error-producing conditions.
− Tools and techniques that supervisors and frontline workers can use to consider human factors during pre-job briefings, during the job, and post-job briefings, as well as tools and techniques to improve hazard awareness.
− Guidance for leadership on how to implement these tools and techniques into the organisation.