A Little Mistake Can Have Major Consequences Approaching Human Error In Today’s Workplace


The margin for human error is a constant one. How could there not be?

We’re a complex species, due in no small part to our incredible capacity for abstract thought and ambition. This can easily backfire, however, and leave us spending more time cleaning up a mess than moving forward. This extends to day-to-day life and this extends to massive corporations spanning the length of the world. Human error investigations are a necessary branch to provide a security net for the inevitable. Without them things could be much, much worse.

What happens when there’s a human error that costs you and your business millions of dollars?

The Definition Of Human Error

Human error is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a small mistake — sometimes a huge one — that can have dire consequences for the company’s bottom line or the health of the consumer. Human error is thought to be responsible for up to 90% of workplace accidents today. According to studies by the Health And Safety Executive (or HSE), there are three types of active human error found in businesses and establishments. You have slips and lapses, mistakes, and active violations.

Major Contributions To Small Mistakes

What causes human error to crop up so consistently, warranting managers to reach out to human error investigations to clean things up? A recent study reached out to employees first for their thoughts on the matter. Up to 50% of employees say they’re less productive at work because of chronic stress, with another 45% stating they never left a workplace meeting knowing what they’re meant to do next. The number one complaint, even now, is a lack of communication on behalf of the employers. Human error reduction tools are designed to mitigate this as much as possible.

Business Prevention Tactics For Human Error

While it’s impossible to completely erase the margin for human error, it can certainly be reduced. Nearly 45% of manufacturers today report there’s significant room for improvement regarding accident prevention in their organization, for example. Many of these issues up and down the ladder aren’t unknown, but either ignored or viewed in a damaging light. More than 80% of employees report employers expect far too much work from far too people. This is an issue with many causes and, as a result, needs many tactics to overcome.

The Cost Of Constant Mistakes In The Workplace

Simply put? Cognitive load errors and attention failures cost a lot in the long run. Nearly 25% of unplanned downtime in manufacturing is caused by human error alone. Human error is also responsible for over 80% of problems in the Drug And Device Manufacturing Industry. A single accident misfiling paperwork or providing the wrong medication can result in thousands, sometimes millions, of dollars in personal injury lawsuits and productivity. It can also put people’s livelihood in danger, such as having their information stolen or health put at risk.

Preventing Errors With GMP Training And Courses

Human error investigations are a necessary part of today’s workforce. That doesn’t mean they’re the only resource out there. Human error prevention tools are designed to get to the root cause of the problem (or problems) in the workplace, whether it’s a lack of communication or not enough workers to split the load. A hopeful study found 50% of the employees responding stating they became more productive and motivated after their bosses shared important data. Little by little, this can be changed.

Don’t wait for things to go wrong. Look into human error investigations to set a positive domino effect for the rest of the new year.