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What we should know about errors

We can learn from errors green tick

The best people can sometimes make the worst mistakes green tick

Errors are predictable green tick

Once a person becomes skilled at their job, they are more likely to be affected by absent mindedness green tick

Highly trained staff make errors but can respond quickly green tick

Changing the system to prevent errors from happening will have a more lasting impact than blaming a person green tick

What contributes to errors occurring?

Human factors
Fatigue/stress
Distraction
Forgetfulness
Tunnel vision / focus
New learner
Fear
Information overload
Missing or incorrect information

Organisational factors
Workload
Limited training
Staffing mix
Experience
Skill level
A culture of not following the rules eg turning off the alarms without checking what is happening

 
Last updated: 3 September, 2010
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