What is the role of human factors in understanding safety incidents?

Human factors are essential for comprehending safety incidents, as they focus on the ways in which individuals engage with systems, tools, processes, and their environments. This interdisciplinary field draws from psychology, engineering, and design, providing a well-rounded perspective on human behaviour across different situations. By examining how people interact with their surroundings, we can uncover important insights that explain the occurrence of safety incidents. These insights are vital for pinpointing root causes, which often extend beyond mere individual actions to encompass broader systemic issues within organisations and processes.

Work Safety Hub helps organisations turn human factors insights into practical changes that reduce disruption and improve work. Instead of treating incidents as “human error”, we analyse task design, cognitive load, work-as-done versus work-as-imagined, and system conditions to build capacity. Our Human Factors & HOP consulting blends Safety Differently, Resilience Engineering and operational coaching so leaders see where controls actually help people succeed. People are the solution; error is normal; management response matters. If you need clarity on where to start, Book a 15-minute Safety Triage to prioritise the few moves that will make safety work—beyond paperwork.

A solid understanding of human factors allows for the creation of targeted solutions that not only bolster safety but also enhance efficiency and overall system performance. This comprehensive approach ensures that interventions are thoughtfully crafted to accommodate human capabilities and limitations, ultimately contributing to a safer and more effective work environment.

*Pro Tip: Focus on Systems, Not Blame: Use human factors to uncover systemic issues rather than fault individual actions.

What Are Human Factors?

Human factors refer to the psychological, physical, and social aspects of human performance that influence behaviour and decision-making in a given context. They include:

Cognitive Factors:
- Attention, memory, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.
Physical Factors:
- Fatigue, ergonomics, physical abilities, and limitations.
Social and Organisational Factors:
- Communication, teamwork, leadership, workload, and workplace culture.

The Role of Human Factors in Safety Incident Analysis

Understanding Human Behaviour
- Human factors help explain why individuals act the way they do during an incident.
- Examples:
  - Decision-making under stress.
  - Reliance on mental shortcuts (heuristics) in complex situations.
Identifying Systemic Issues
- By examining how systems support or hinder human performance, human factors reveal design or organisational shortcomings.
- Example:
  - Poorly designed controls on machinery contribute to operator errors.
Analysing Human Error
- Errors are often symptoms of deeper systemic problems, not individual failures.
- Types of human errors include:
  - Slips and lapses: Forgetting a step or accidentally pressing the wrong button.
  - Mistakes: Misjudgments or incorrect decisions due to incomplete information.
  - Violations: Deviations from standard procedures, often driven by unclear policies or operational pressures.
Addressing Environmental and Organisational Influences
- Environmental conditions (e.g., lighting, noise, temperature) and organisational factors (e.g., workload, culture) significantly impact performance.
- Example:
  - Fatigue caused by excessive overtime contributes to reduced concentration.
Designing Effective Interventions
- Understanding human factors allows for targeted improvements, such as:
  - Simplifying processes or interfaces.
  - Enhancing training programs to align with real-world conditions.
  - Improving communication and teamwork practices.

Human factors only creates value when learning is built into daily operations. We facilitate Learning Teams to surface how work really gets done, map performance-shaping factors, and co-design small, testable changes with the people who do the work. This speeds up problem solving across silos and strengthens psychological safety and voice. Our Incident & Operational Learning program equips supervisors to run better debriefs without blame, turning near misses into resilient practices. Make safety work, beyond paperwork. People are the solution.

*Pro Tip: Improve Usability: Simplify tools, processes, and interfaces to align with real-world user needs.

How to Incorporate Human Factors into Incident Analysis

Collect Detailed Information
- Investigate human performance factors during the incident, including actions, decisions, and environmental influences.
- Use tools like task analysis, human error analysis, or structured interviews.
Focus on "Work as Done"
- Explore how tasks are performed in real life versus how they were intended in procedures or training.
Involve Workers
- Engage the people involved in the incident to understand their perspectives, challenges, and reasoning.
Use Analytical Tools
- Techniques like the Swiss Cheese Model, HEART (Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique), or bow-tie analysis help connect human factors with systemic issues.
Address Systemic Issues
- Identify opportunities to redesign systems, processes, or environments to better support human performance.

Benefits of Addressing Human Factors in Safety

Improved Error Prevention: Understanding why errors occur leads to more effective interventions.
Enhanced System Design: Better tools and processes reduce risks and improve usability.
Stronger Safety Culture: A focus on systemic factors fosters trust and collaboration.
Proactive Risk Management: Insights from human factors help anticipate and mitigate potential issues.

*Caution: Avoid Oversimplifying Errors: Treat human error as a starting point for analysis, not the root cause. Dig deeper into the systemic factors contributing to the incident.

Understanding human factors should change decisions at the pointy end of risk. Our Critical Risk Review focuses leaders on the few controls that must not fail, testing their usability under real conditions—fatigue, time pressure, conflicting goals. We pair this with Executive Safety Coaching so management response reinforces learning, not fear. The outcome: fewer surprises, faster recovery, and credible leadership. If your investigations keep finding “procedures not followed,” it’s a system signal, not a people problem. Error is normal; management response matters. Book a 15-minute Safety Triage to target the next practical step.

Human factors play a crucial role in understanding safety incidents by exploring the dynamic interactions between individuals, systems, and their environments. This comprehensive approach not only brings attention to the importance of individual actions and decisions but also highlights how systemic and environmental factors can significantly influence outcomes. By examining human behaviour, organisations can gain insights into the underlying motivations and influences that contribute to incidents, such as cognitive biases, environmental distractions, or gaps in training. By identifying systemic issues such as inefficient workflows, poor communication channels, or organisational pressures, organisations can target key areas for enhancement.

Factors in the environment, including lighting, noise levels, and workspace design, are also pivotal in shaping human performance and decision-making processes. By taking these aspects into account, organisations can create targeted interventions that not only improve safety but also cultivate an environment where individuals can excel. This thorough analysis empowers organisations to implement effective safety measures, training programs, and process improvements that address the root causes of incidents, ultimately contributing to a stronger safety culture and decreasing the likelihood of future occurrences.

FAQ: Understanding Human Factors in Safety Incident Analysis

1. What are human factors in the context of workplace safety?

Human factors encompass the psychological, physical, and social influences that affect how people perform tasks. They explain how workers interact with systems, tools, processes, and their environment.
These include:

Cognitive factors: attention, decision-making, problem-solving.
Physical factors: fatigue, ergonomics, physical capabilities.
Social and organisational factors: communication, teamwork, workload, leadership, and culture.

Understanding these factors helps identify why incidents occur — beyond simply blaming individuals.

2. Why are human factors important in incident investigation?

Human factors help reveal the underlying systemic and organisational causes of incidents. Rather than focusing solely on “human error,” they examine how systems and environments shape behaviour.
By analysing these elements, investigators can uncover:

Gaps in process design.
Poor communication channels.
Inadequate training or supervision.
Environmental conditions that reduce performance.

This ensures corrective actions address root causes, not symptoms.

3. What types of human errors commonly occur in workplaces?

Human error can take several forms:

Slips and lapses: Unintentional actions, such as skipping a step or pressing the wrong button.
Mistakes: Incorrect decisions or judgements based on incomplete or misleading information.
Violations: Deliberate deviations from procedures, often caused by unclear policies or operational pressures.

Each type reflects different system weaknesses and requires targeted interventions.

4. How do human factors relate to systems thinking?

Human factors promote a systems-based approach—looking at the interaction between people, processes, technology, and environment.
This aligns with principles in ISO 45001:2018 and Safe Work Australia’s model WHS Regulations, which emphasise designing safe systems of work and considering human limitations during risk assessment.

Pro Tip: Focus on systems, not blame. Investigate how workplace design, communication, or workload contributed to the event.

5. What tools can be used to analyse human factors in incidents?

Investigators can apply several structured methods, such as:

Swiss Cheese Model: Visualises how multiple system weaknesses align to cause an incident.
HEART (Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique): Quantifies likelihood of human error.
Bow-Tie Analysis: Connects causes, controls, and consequences of risk events.
Task Analysis and Structured Interviews: Capture how “work as done” differs from “work as imagined.”

6. How can human factors be incorporated into incident investigations?

A practical integration approach includes:

Collect detailed information: Examine decisions, actions, tools, and environmental conditions.
Engage workers: Understand their perspectives and reasoning during the event.
Compare ‘work as done’ vs ‘work as intended’: Identify mismatches between procedures and reality.
Use analytical tools: Apply structured human error models.
Address systemic causes: Recommend design or organisational changes, not just retraining.

7. What are the benefits of addressing human factors in safety management?

Improved error prevention: Identifies why errors occur and how to prevent recurrence.
Enhanced system design: Optimises tools and interfaces for human use.
Stronger safety culture: Builds trust by moving away from blame.
Proactive risk management: Anticipates and mitigates risks before incidents occur.

Pro Tip: Simplify tools, processes, and interfaces to match how people actually work.

8. How do environmental and organisational factors affect performance?

Conditions such as poor lighting, high noise levels, extreme temperatures, and excessive workload can significantly impair concentration and decision-making.
Organisational pressures—like unrealistic deadlines or unclear leadership—further heighten risk.

Effective control measures under the WHS Regulations should therefore include both physical and psychosocial hazard management.

9. What role does leadership play in managing human factors?

Leaders shape culture, workload expectations, and communication norms. When management fosters psychological safety and open reporting, employees are more likely to raise concerns before they escalate.
This supports compliance with due diligence obligations under the WHS Act 2011 (Cth) and improves continuous improvement outcomes.

10. How does understanding human factors support ISO 45001 alignment?

Human factors analysis contributes to several ISO 45001 requirements:

Clause 6.1.2.1: Identifying hazards, including human and organisational factors.
Clause 8.1.2: Managing change and ensuring safe system design.
Clause 10.2: Investigating incidents to identify systemic causes.

Integrating human factors ensures your organisation’s safety management system is robust, adaptive, and aligned with international best practice.