title: Latent error detection: A golden two hours for detection.
abstract: Undetected error in safety critical contexts generates a latent condition that can contribute to a future safety failure. The detection of latent errors post-task completion is observed in naval air engineers using a diary to record work-related latent error detection (LED) events. A systems view is combined with multi-process theories to explore sociotechnical factors associated with LED. Perception of cues in different environments facilitates successful LED, for which the deliberate review of past tasks within two hours of the error occurring and whilst remaining in the same or similar sociotechnical environment to that which the error occurred appears most effective. Identified ergonomic interventions offer potential mitigation for latent errors; particularly in simple everyday habitual tasks. It is thought safety critical organisations should look to engineer further resilience through the application of LED techniques that engage with system cues across the entire sociotechnical environment, rather than relying on consistent human performance.
authors.affiliation: Transportation Research Group, Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering and Science Unit, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, Southampton University, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. Electronic address: j.saward@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Justin R E
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Saward
authors.affiliation: Transportation Research Group, Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering and Science Unit, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, Southampton University, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. Electronic address: n.stanton@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Neville A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft / Q000592:standards*; D003463:Cues; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008283:Maintenance / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009326:Naval Medicine; D010465:Perception; D011786:Quality Control; D017751:Safety Management; D013598:Systems Theory; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aircraft maintenance; Human performance variability; Latent error detection; System cues