Human Factors Analysis and Classification System

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) identifies the human causes of an accident and provides a tool to assist in the investigation process and target training and prevention efforts.^[1] It was developed by Dr Scott Shappell and Dr Doug Wiegmann, Civil Aviation Medical Institute and University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign, USA, respectively, in response to a trend that showed some form of human error was a primary causal factor in 80% of all flight accidents in the Navy and Marine Corps.^[1]

HFACS is based in the "Swiss Cheese" model of human error ^[2] which looks at four levels of human failure, including unsafe acts, preconditions for unsafe acts, unsafe supervision, and organizational influences.^[1]. It is a comprehensive human error framework, that folded Reason's ideas into the applied setting, defining 19 causal categories within four levels of human failure.^[3]

See also

• Accident classification
• Crew Resource Management
• National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System

</ref>==References==

1. "The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS)," Approach, July - August 2004. Accessed July 12, 2007.
2. Reason, J.[1990]Human Error.Cambridge University Press
3. HFACS Analisys of Military and Civilian Aviation Accidents: A North American Comparison.ISASI,2004