Human reliability: A key to improved quality in manufacturing

For one to learn, one must make mistakes. Human error can be defined on the basis of the definition of quality. Because quality is influenced by human actions, the so-called performance shaping factors have an important influence on the human error probability. Different methods have been developed to predict human error probability. One of the most established and detailed methods is THERP (technique for human error rate prediction), which was originally developed for application in the nuclear power industry. Here this method is applied to a simple example of manufacturing. Further experimental research in the area of commission will be reported, where methods of error prediction were also applied. In both cases, measures of improving human reliability can be derived.