IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reensy/v150y2016icp22-34.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of activity theory to analysis of human-related accidents: Method and case studies

Author

Listed:
  • Yoon, Young Sik
  • Ham, Dong-Han
  • Yoon, Wan Chul

Abstract

This study proposes a new approach to human-related accident analysis based on activity theory. Most of the existing methods seem to be insufficient for comprehensive analysis of human activity-related contextual aspects of accidents when investigating the causes of human errors. Additionally, they identify causal factors and their interrelationships with a weak theoretical basis. We argue that activity theory offers useful concepts and insights to supplement existing methods. The proposed approach gives holistic contextual backgrounds for understanding and diagnosing human-related accidents. It also helps identify and organise causal factors in a consistent, systematic way. Two case studies in Korean nuclear power plants are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method. Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) was also applied to the case studies. The results of using HFACS were then compared with those of using the proposed method. These case studies showed that the proposed approach could produce a meaningful set of human activity-related contextual factors, which cannot easily be obtained by using existing methods. It can be especially effective when analysts think it is important to diagnose accident situations with human activity-related contextual factors derived from a theoretically sound model and to identify accident-related contextual factors systematically.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoon, Young Sik & Ham, Dong-Han & Yoon, Wan Chul, 2016. "Application of activity theory to analysis of human-related accidents: Method and case studies," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 22-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:150:y:2016:i:c:p:22-34
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2016.01.013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832016000223
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ress.2016.01.013?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rajagopal, 2014. "The Human Factors," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Architecting Enterprise, chapter 9, pages 225-249, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. Herrera, I.A. & Woltjer, R., 2010. "Comparing a multi-linear (STEP) and systemic (FRAM) method for accident analysis," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 95(12), pages 1269-1275.
    3. Gregory Z Bedny & Steven R Harris, 2013. "Safety and reliability analysis methods based on systemic-structural activity theory," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 227(5), pages 549-556, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wu, Chao & Huang, Lang, 2019. "A new accident causation model based on information flow and its application in Tianjin Port fire and explosion accident," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 73-85.
    2. Kim, Yochan & Park, Jinkyun & Jung, Wondea, 2017. "A classification scheme of erroneous behaviors for human error probability estimations based on simulator data," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1-13.
    3. Liu, Jintao & Schmid, Felix & Zheng, Wei & Zhu, Jiebei, 2019. "Understanding railway operational accidents using network theory," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 218-231.
    4. Ham, Dong-Han & Park, Jinkyun, 2020. "Use of a big data analysis technique for extracting HRA data from event investigation reports based on the Safety-II concept," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    5. Zhou, Jian-Lan & Tu, Ren-Fang & Xiao, Hai, 2022. "Large-scale group decision-making to facilitate inter-rater reliability of human-factors analysis for the railway system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    6. Guirong Zhang & Wei Feng & Yu Lei, 2022. "Human Factor Analysis (HFA) Based on a Complex Network and Its Application in Gas Explosion Accidents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Chen, Yuanjiang & Feng, Wei & Jiang, Zhiqiang & Duan, Lingling & Cheng, Shuangyi, 2021. "An accident causation model based on safety information cognition and its application," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Praetorius, Gesa & Hollnagel, Erik & Dahlman, Joakim, 2015. "Modelling Vessel Traffic Service to understand resilience in everyday operations," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 10-21.
    2. Rahman, Shaikh Moksadur, 2020. "Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Evidence from Bangladesh," Asian Business Review, Asian Business Consortium, vol. 10(2), pages 99-108.
    3. Wang Kai, 2019. "Towards a Taxonomy of Idea Generation Techniques," Foundations of Management, Sciendo, vol. 11(1), pages 65-80, January.
    4. Bridgelall, Raj & Stubbing, Edward, 2021. "Forecasting the effects of autonomous vehicles on land use," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    5. Bevilacqua, Maurizio & Ciarapica, Filippo Emanuele, 2018. "Human factor risk management in the process industry: A case study," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 149-159.
    6. Naveena Prakasam & Louisa Huxtable-Thomas, 2021. "Reddit: Affordances as an Enabler for Shifting Loyalties," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 723-751, June.
    7. Colin Jerolmack & Alexandra K. Murphy, 2019. "The Ethical Dilemmas and Social Scientific Trade-offs of Masking in Ethnography," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 48(4), pages 801-827, November.
    8. Valeriy Makarov & Albert Bakhtizin, 2014. "The Estimation Of The Regions’ Efficiency Of The Russian Federation Including The Intellectual Capital, The Characteristics Of Readiness For Innovation, Level Of Well-Being, And Quality Of Life," Economy of region, Centre for Economic Security, Institute of Economics of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, vol. 1(4), pages 9-30.
    9. Zhao, Jing & Knoop, Victor L. & Wang, Meng, 2020. "Two-dimensional vehicular movement modelling at intersections based on optimal control," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 1-22.
    10. Kristine Edgar Danielyan & Samvel Grigoriy Chailyan, 2019. "Delineation of Effectors Impact on The Human Brain Derived Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Synthetase-1 Activity," Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, Biomedical Research Network+, LLC, vol. 24(1), pages 17918-17926, December.
    11. Chuan Wang & Yupeng Liu & Wen Hou & Chao Yu & Guorong Wang & Yuyan Zheng, 2021. "Reliability and availability modeling of Subsea Autonomous High Integrity Pressure Protection System with partial stroke test by Dynamic Bayesian," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 235(2), pages 268-281, April.
    12. Mohammad AL-Zoubi, 2018. "The Role of Technology, Organization, and Environment Factors in Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Success in Jordan," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(8), pages 48-65, August.
    13. Damgaard, Mette Trier & Nielsen, Helena Skyt, 2018. "Nudging in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 313-342.
    14. Nicole D. Sintov & P. Wesley Schultz, 2017. "Adjustable Green Defaults Can Help Make Smart Homes More Sustainable," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, April.
    15. Hwang, ShinYoung & Kim Seongcheol, 2017. "What triggers the use of mIM service provider’s sequel O2O service extensions?," 14th ITS Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, Kyoto 2017: Mapping ICT into Transformation for the Next Information Society 168494, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    16. Sana Sadiq & Khadija Anasse & Najib Slimani, 2022. "The impact of mobile phones on high school students: connecting the research dots," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 30(1), pages 252-270, April.
    17. Maude Hasbi & Antoine Dubus, 2019. "Determinants of Mobile Broadband Use in Developing Economies: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers hal-02264651, HAL.
    18. Jascha-Alexander Koch & Michael Siering, 2019. "The recipe of successful crowdfunding campaigns," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 29(4), pages 661-679, December.
    19. Martins, José & Costa, Catarina & Oliveira, Tiago & Gonçalves, Ramiro & Branco, Frederico, 2019. "How smartphone advertising influences consumers' purchase intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 378-387.
    20. Retina Rimal & Chris Papadopoulos, 2016. "The mental health of sexually trafficked female survivors in Nepal," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(5), pages 487-495, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:150:y:2016:i:c:p:22-34. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/reliability-engineering-and-system-safety .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.