A new approach to analyzing human-related accidents by combined use of HFACS and activity theory-based method

Abstract

This study proposes a new method for modelling and analysing human-related accidents. It integrates Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), which addresses most of the socio-technical system levels and offers a comprehensive failure taxonomy for analysing human errors, and activity theory (AT)-based approach, which provides an effective way for considering various contextual factors systematically in accident investigation. By combining them, the proposed method makes it more efficient to use the concepts and principles of AT. Additionally, it can help analysts use HFACS taxonomy more coherently to identify meaningful causal factors with a sound theoretical basis of human activities. Therefore, the proposed method can be effectively used to mitigate the limitations of traditional approaches to accident analysis, such as over-relying on a causality model and sticking to a root cause, by making analysts look at an accident from a range of perspectives. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method, we conducted a case study in nuclear power plants. Through the case study, we could confirm that it would be a useful method for modelling and analysing human-related accidents, enabling analysts to identify a plausible set of causal factors efficiently in a methodical consideration of contextual backgrounds surrounding human activities.