Integrating Human Factors (HF) into a Process Safety Management System (PSMS)

Abstract

Human factors and process safety management (PSM) have become key factors in preventing exposure to both hazardous materials and major accidents. Therefore, comprehensive process safety management is required to address all aspects of human factors. Currently, there are several‐process safety management models all of which have some weaknesses with respect to the control of human factors inherent in the process industry. Moreover, there is as yet no universally accepted process safety management model that treats process safety management as an integral part of the management system. Therefore, a need has arisen to integrate human factors and the existing frameworks and models into a single integrated management system to ensure a holistic approach of control and a continuous learning system. This article identifies the missing human factors in the current system and describes an integrated process safety management system (IPSMS) model drawn from screening all existing PSM frameworks, while integrating the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). The model, which adopts the PLAN, DO, CHECK, and ACT framework, also outlines an implementation strategy. We conclude that IPSMS provides both a theoretical and a practical framework with which to manage, measure and analyse process safety management systems. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Process Saf Prog 37:67–85, 2018

A systematic approach to public health – Novel application of the human factors analysis and classification system to public health and COVID-19

“…The HFACS framework has been applied in retrospective incident analysis across numerous high-risk, high-reliability industries including aviation ( Li et al, 2008 , Li and Harris, 2013 , Wiegmann and Shappell, 2003 ; Zhou at al., 2018), maritime ( Chauvin et al, 2013 , Griggs, 2012 , Yıldırım et al, 2019 ), rail ( Baysari et al, 2008 , Madigan et al, 2016 , Reinach and Viale, 2006 ), mining ( Lenné et al, 2012 , Patterson and Shappell, 2010 ), oil and gas (Gholam Abbas et al, 2018; Theophilus et al, 2017 ), process safety management ( Theophilus et al, 2018 ), natural disaster management ( Brooks et al, 2018 ), and construction ( Sun et al, 2011 , Xia et al, 2018 , Ye et al, 2018 ). More recently, HFACS has been applied in the context of tertiary healthcare service delivery in hospitals ( Diller et al, 2014 ), surgery operating rooms ( Cohen et al, 2018a , Cohen et al, 2018b ; ElBardissi et al, 2007 , Thiels et al, 2015 ), pre-hospital emergency medical services ( Hughes et al, 2013 ), anaesthesiology incidents ( Neuhaus et al, 2018 ), trauma care ( Cohen et al, 2018a , Cohen et al, 2018b ), and in patient safety studies ( Hoffman et al, 2013 ).…”

"Accidents in the Chemical Industry: An Analysis of the Hfacs-Pefe Model to Examine the Role of Human Factors "

“…[Zhang, 2012], (George and Renjith, 2022). An integrated process safety management system (IPSMS) model was established by Theophilus through incorporating Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) framework into the process safety management (PSM) system [Theophilus, 2018]. In the IPSMS model, human factors were underlined.…”

Process safety management in China: Progress and performance over the last 10 years and future development

“…[8][9][10] An abundance of process failure modes has caused many devastating chemical incidents, and in-depth explorations have shown that indirect causes of the consequences are human factors and weaknesses of management systems. 11 This was evident for the Macondo well blowout, as it was determined that the largest number of errors that led to the incident resulted from poor management and leadership. 12 A lack of safety training (TNG), incomplete risk management principles, failures to report unsafe conditions, and poor physical or mental states of workers affect human behavior, increase the likelihood of incidents.…”

“…However, analyses of these incidents concluded that management problems existed 8‐10 . An abundance of process failure modes has caused many devastating chemical incidents, and in‐depth explorations have shown that indirect causes of the consequences are human factors and weaknesses of management systems 11 . This was evident for the Macondo well blowout, as it was determined that the largest number of errors that led to the incident resulted from poor management and leadership 12 .…”