Human Reliability Assessment Using the Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART)

Setting the Scene

Image of PeopleAchieving high reliability is the ultimate aim of safety management. The quantification of equipment failure rates is a well established part of this process but this knowledge represents only a portion of the complete picture. To understand, and therefore minimise, the risk associated with industrial processes it is essential to understand the human reliability component. Identifying likely sources of human error, quantifying the likelihood of error and implementing measures to prevent, detect and recover are of crucial importance in managing safety and achieving high reliability; a number of human reliability assessment techniques are available for this purpose.

In this training programme one of the most accessible techniques, the Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART), which has been in use for over 20 years, will be explained. HEART is an easily used form of human reliability assessment which is used in a wide range of industries such as chemical, oil, gas, nuclear, transport, defence and medicine and which gives insight into potential sources of error.

The course will cover:

• Basics of Human Behaviour and Errors;
• The Impact of Human Error;
• Performance Influencing Factors;
• Human Error Identification;
• Generic Task Types;
• Error Producing Conditions;
• Human Performance and Quantified Risk Assessmen