3 April 2008

Course Description

The course contributes to the Safety Management Systems Certificate Program by focusing on and presenting in greater depth the human error aspects of accident prevention. As stated by Transport Canada

"It is now generally accepted that most accidents result from human error. It would be easy to conclude that these human errors indicate carelessness or incompetence on the job but that would not be accurate. Investigators are finding that the human is only the last link in a chain that leads to an accident. We will not prevent accidents by changing people; we will only prevent accidents when we address the underlying causal factors.

In the 1990's the term ‘organizational accident' was coined because most of the links in an accident chain are under the control of the organization. Since the greatest threats to aviation safety originate in organizational issues, making the system even safer will require action by the organization."

Safety managers need information, tools, and procedures to understand what causes Human Errors wherever they may occur in the organizational accident chain, how they can be predicted, and what can be done to reduce or manage them.  Interventions must be data driven and within the context of overall risk management.

There is a great adage in aviation safety that speaks volumes: “If you think safety is expensive, just try the cost of an accident!”   As we evolve and develop the concept of Safety Management Systems (SMS) throughout the aviation industry, the one constant that remains a global challenge is human error. Currently, research indicates that more than 80% of aviation related accidents and incidents are caused human error; moreover the number does not seem to be going down. One of the objectives of implementing SMS is to identify and control the hazards to our operation, many resulting from these human errors. The goal of this ‘business-like approach’ to safety, i.e. an SMS, is that hazards will be not only identified but mitigated to an acceptable level of risk. Not only is this the ‘right’ thing to do, it cannot help but enhance the financial “bottom line.” 

To help you achieve the goal of “managing” human error, SCSI has developed HEAP, a practical, case-study-based human factors course that focuses specifically on human error and how to effectively recognize it and mitigate its negative consequences to an acceptable level of risk, all within the construct of an SMS.  Ultimately we want to reduce the risk of an accident but, on a daily basis, there are negative consequences of human error that don’t always result in a major hull loss.  For example the delayed “push back” due to incomplete maintenance procedures, damaged landing gear due to a hard landing due to an un-stabilized approach, or a known but unreported hazard that results in very expensive damage to an aircraft, or worse still, injury to one of our personnel.  We need to effectively reduce these negative consequences stemming from human error and their costly impact on operations

This course is designed to be interactive and hands-on.  It is case study based with lots of examples and cases to illustrate the topics covered.  In essence, HEAP is a practical human factors course in the Safety Management System that will teach you how to identify, investigate and mitigate human error so as to enhance your organization’s safety by reducing losses caused by human error.

Who Should Attend

This practical, hands-on, case-study-style workshop is designed for Safety Professionals, Managers and Regulators who are in the process of implementing an SMS or oversee SMS implementation by operators, as well as any who anticipate implementing an SMS in the near future who:

• Analyze human error safety data in their organization and provide advice/guidance to the Management Team, and/or
• Are involved in operations, dispatch, maintenance, air traffic control, aerodrome management, regulator, military, etc., and/or
• Participate in or support occurrence/incident investigations with a focus on human error.
• Seek ways to reduce organizational financial losses caused by human error.

• Are charged with developing and implementing aviation safety programs in their organizations who wish to prevent or mitigate human error and its consequences.

• Are assigned to build, implement, revise, and manage company aviation safety programs.  Attendees will be provided with the knowledge to address and implement human factors program elements into a comprehensive safety management program. 

Aviation managers, pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance engineers, accident investigators, civil aviation authorities, training, operational, non-technical, and quality control personnel will also find this course of high value.

 How You Will Benefit

Those individuals who take this course will:

• Develop both a theoretical and a solid, practical understanding of human error

• Be able to take the theory of human performance and error and apply it to the daily workplace.  While the ultimate goal is accident prevention, the day-to-day work is recognizing and mitigating the risks of hazards and errors and this is one of the principle benefits of this course

• Learn how to develop, implement and utilize an occurrence reporting system that facilitates a ‘learning culture’

• Learn how to develop, implement and utilize a hazard reporting system that is proactive and fosters a ‘reporting culture’

• Develop an understanding of the practical, day to day ways you can incorporate human factors into an overall risk management program and Risk Management techniques in an operational environment to enhance the operational effectiveness of the organization and reduce human error related losses.

• Learn about human error and the "organizational accident chain" presented in the Safety Management Systems context.

• Learn how to prioritize human errors in the context of other hazards faced by using the Risk Management approach to risk reduction.

This course is accepted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals for Continuance of Certification credit.  This course counts for the Certificate in Safety Management Systems granted by SCSI.  SCSI will award 3.6 CEUs to each participant who successfully completes this course.

Please Note: This course is a practical workshop in analyzing and compensating for human error.  Participants should have some background in the basic theories and principles of human factors prior to attending.  A good source of this knowledge is the SCSI Human and Organizational Factors in Safety Management Systems (HOFSMS) course; or other courses that emphasize human threat and error management and organizational change.

Course Topics

• Human Performance and Human Error

• Organizational Error

• Error Classification Systems

  • HFACS

  • SHEL

  • Threat and Error Management

• Occurrence Reporting

• Hazard Reporting

• Risk Management of the Hazards caused by Human Error

• Decision Making

• Communication Strategies

• Video Case Studies

• Workshop Case Studies

Course Schedule

Course Administration

Taught at the DoubleTree Hotel on the waterfront in San Pedro in Southern California, the HEAP Course consists of 4.5 days (36 hours) of instruction.  Students receive lecture outlines, additional reference material and a Certificate of Completion.  Classes begin daily at 0800 and end at noon on Friday.

Course Schedule, Location and Tuition

• Course Tuition
• See Course Schedule
• Contact SCSI Directly for Information