Workplace safety starts with two things. What people do. And what the workplace is like.
These are called unsafe acts and unsafe conditions. Both raise the chance of an incident. Both are fixable. This guide explains how. It is full of simple examples. It also shows how to reduce human error using HEART. And how this links to a stronger safety culture.
What are unsafe acts?
An unsafe act is something a person does that increases risk.
Examples are easy to spot.
- Skipping a safety check.
- Removing a guard on a machine.
- Using a tool the wrong way.
- Carrying a load without help.
- Not wearing the correct PPE.
Unsafe acts often happen for a reason. People may be rushed. Or tired. Or they may not know the right method. Fixing unsafe acts needs more than rules. It needs understanding why people behave that way.
Identifying Error Producing Conditions (EPCs)
The heart of the HEART technique is the concept of Error Producing Conditions (EPCs). These are factors that increase the likelihood of a person making a mistake.
Instead of just saying, “the worker forgot to close the valve,” HEART asks: “What made the worker forget?” The answer will be an EPC.
Examples of common EPCs include:
- Unfamiliarity: The task is new or rarely performed.
- Shortage of Time: Pressure to complete the job quickly.
- Low Signal-to-Noise Ratio: Distractions or a poor working environment (noise, poor lighting).
- Ambiguous Standards: Procedures are unclear or confusing.
- Poor Feedback: The person cannot easily tell if they have performed the step correctly.
In health and safety, EPCs are often called Performance Influencing Factors (PIFs). By forcing a team to consider which EPCs are present, HEART automatically suggests how reliability can be improved and, therefore, how risk can be minimised. This is the essence of human factors risk assessment.
HEART and Behaviour Based Safety (behaviour based safety)
A successful behaviour based safety (behavioral safety) programme, often known as bbs in safety, works by observing and influencing employee actions to improve the overall H&S culture. HEART and behaviour based safety work together perfectly.
When a safety behaviour observation reveals an unsafe act, a traditional approach might stop there. HEART helps you take the next, more important step.
| Behaviour Based Safety (BBS) asks: | HEART and human error assessment asks: |
|---|---|
|
What did the worker do wrong (unsafe act)? |
What condition made the worker do that (unsafe condition)? |
HEART moves your bbs observation from being a blame-focused activity to a systemic improvement tool. For example, if safety surveys show a recurring problem with people skipping a step (unsafe act), HEART helps you identify the EPC. Is it a shortage of time or an unnecessarily complicated procedure? By removing that unsafe condition, you make the safe behaviour the easy behaviour.
This shift in focus to the conditions surrounding the job helps build a true safety work culture where workers feel comfortable reporting issues without fear of punishment.
Moving from Assessment to human error reduction
The most practical benefit of the HEART methodology for beginners is the list of suggestions it generates to reduce the occurrence of errors. By understanding the EPCs, you can implement targeted error reduction measures.
Here are a few simple strategies to influence behaviour and reduce error:
- Fix the Job: If unfamiliarity is an EPC, improve training. If the task is complex, break it down and use clear, simple procedures and checklists.
- Design for Success: If distraction is a problem, remove unnecessary interruptions or provide a quiet space for critical tasks. If the unsafe act unsafe condition near miss rate is high, consider better layout and intuitive controls for equipment.
- Improve Supervision: Effective supervision can help with EPCs like low morale or conflicting objectives (e.g., pressure to choose production over safety). They can also ensure independent checking of critical tasks is carried out.
By taking a system-based approach, you treat human error as a symptom of a weak system, not a cause. This is the core of effective human factors assessment and the path to a truly proactive safety environment.
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About the author
Director – Sustainable solutions at Consultivo
Madhabi Guha specialises in the domains of ESG, Social Compliance, Business and Human Rights, Development Projects and focuses on supporting go-to-market teams along with customer and partner relationships. Madhabi has been working in the sustainability & business excellence advisory business for over 14 years.
Madhabi has been developing individuals, teams, and organisations in the areas of leadership, excellence and Human Factors in the field of sustainability, people and community.
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