Midterm: Human Error Detection and Prevention

Name: Abhiram Sridhara, UCID: as2488, Course:TQM

Introduction:
Human errors are incorrect performance of human actions. It has been
a primary cause or contributing factor in disasters and accidents. It can
be caused manually or through robots, machines and other devices. It
is mainly due to either negligence or lack of knowledge. Humans
should have the knowledge or should be trained before they are being
employed to do a job or a task. These human errors can create and
lead to several problems and complications. Errors are inevitable in
real life. It is ones duty to detect, rectify and take preventive measures
so that it wont re-occur in the future. Human error is widely
acknowledged as the major cause of quality, production and safety
risks in many industries. This assignment explains the underlying
reasons why humans make mistakes and how one can prevent these
mistakes. Although it is unlikely that human error will ever be
completely prevented. It is always important to detect the error and
find out a remedy before resulting in a huge loss.

1. Parallax Error:
Detection: A Site Engineer or say merely a student miscalculates the
dimensions due to parallax while taking readings which will result in
improper work consuming lot of resources such as time, money and
labor.

Prevention: To avoid this error the Site Engineer should be well

aware about the job in hand and should tally the readings with actual
data in hand. Appropriate measurement tool must be selected while
taking the readings. The measurement tool must be well calibrated and
should be handled with care

2. Quality defect occurring due to lack of planning for

unexpected issues:
Detection: While working at a manufacturing plant we faced issues to
carry out the CED (Cathodic Electro Deposition) Process on our
Automotive Load Bodies in order to make them corrosion resistant. This
CED process involves immersing the entire metal body which is
electrically grounded into the series liquefied chemical tanks which
contain positively charged ions due to the direct current passed
through them so that a thin layer of chemical is deposited on the metal
surface. The quality defect which we observed was that few sections
of the automotive load body were not coated with the CED paint due to
formation of air bubbles when the body was immersed inside the
liquefied chemical tanks.

Prevention: The solution for this problem was to change the position
by varying the angle of inclination for automotive Load bodies while
immersing them inside the liquefied chemical tanks and the other
solution was to make small holes on the sections which were not
coated due to formation of air bubbles.
3. Error occurring due to lack of knowledge:
Detection: While designing PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) using
software tools like Eagle for making wireless communication possible
between the transmitter (Remote Controller) and receiver installed on
a land rover which will facilitate the forward, backward, left and right
motion of the mobile platform i.e. roverbot if the Electronic Engineer
selects electronic components such as capacitor, resistors, inductors,
transistors of wrong value/rating then it will result in undesired
outcome and many times the circuit will not function and signals will
not be transmitted wirelessly.
Prevention: The only way to avoid this error is that the designer
should be a domain expert and should be well versed with the
characteristics of active or passive elements being used in the

electronic circuit. He should simulate the circuit to check the

functionality of various electronic circuits involved and then he should
go ahead with the implementation.
4. Error in interpreting mathematical data:
Detection: Mechanical Engineer or Draftsmen working on Solid works
creates something which is not feasible as he was not able to interpret
the key design parameters as required in the machine part.
Prevention: As a design engineer he should be well acquainted with
three dimensional view of the part which will help him in analyzing and
implementing the appropriate design parameters of the component.
5. Nave Error:
Detection: Many a times we observe at work place that a person can
do a work in 5 days but the same work can be done by some other guy
in 2 days utilizing the same resources as required by the guy doing the
task in 5 days so we can say that the efficiency of work is affected
significantly. It depends upon the experience, technical acumen,
dedication and practice of the individual performing the task.
Prevention: To prevent this issue we should assign the work to a
proper skillful person so that efficiency of work is ensured. We need to
have a proper screening process which will help us in identifying the
candidate with conducive skill sets, knowledge and interest level.
Selection process should include technical, behavioral and social
rounds for filtering the candidates.
6. Memory based lapse forgetting the steps involved in a job:
Detection: It is necessary to follow step by step procedure to get the
desired result so if we forget/skip a step then we wont be able to
complete the process successfully. Example: While assembling a
motorbike we need to follow the sequence of assembling the
components if we miss to place a part (Component) then we have to
start the procedure from the beginning itself.
Prevention: In order to prevent this error we need to make a
documentation of the key steps involved in assembling process with
detailed procedure and graphical representation as required. One must
strictly abide by the Standard operating procedure which is drafted by
professionals in instruction manual.

7. Heating pipe exposed:

Detection: The above picture is taken in my house, which clearly

illustrates the negligence in maintaining the house and neglecting the
safety of the tenants living in it. This can be seen visually by our naked
eye. During winter, when the heaters are widely used at high
temperature, the opening as shown in the figure can cause serious
burns and other damages, like burnt electrical wires, the carpet etc.
This issue has been raised several times by many tenants living in this
house prior to me but the action hasn't been taken. If something gets
burnt and catches fire, the consequences faced by the tenants as well
as the people staying close by is far by out of reach giving everyone
sleepless nights.
Prevention: There should be a proper inspection of the work which
has been done when manufacturing or doing the electrical works in a
house or any other works in manufacturing units. The small issues like
these look to be small, if ignored, they are capable of doing some big
and real damages which cant be expected. Lack of commitment of
work by the worker who have done this and the inspection which has
been done by the inspection inspector. There should be a proper and
dedicated team and workers involved and dedication to the work for
the safety of the users is to be given the top priority.
8. Error arising due to fatigue and burden of work:
Detection: Worker in a manufacturing unit is sometimes given an
extension even though he had been working from past 10 hours then

due to the stress, tiredness he wont be able to perform to the best of

his abilities and he wont be able to give attention to minute details as
his frame of mind wont be willing to work thus deteriorating the
quality of job or work being performed by that individual.
Prevention: In order to prevent this we should allocate proper work
hours and sufficient leisure time to break the monotonous work routine
of the employees which will keep them mentally fresh and rejuvenated.
9. Iron Box Error:

Detection: Human error is a common factor especially at home. Iron

Box is used almost in all the houses almost every day for ironing the
clothes. The common mistake people do while using iron box is they
keep it faced on the cloth or table by keeping the iron box on and go to
do other work at home and hence forget to off it which results in
burning off the clothes and also might end up with severe problems.
People need to be very careful when handling iron box.
Prevention: The most important thing is that they need to attention
when using iron box. Should always remember not to keep it face down
an iron box should possess such a thing that when by mistake anyone
keeps it face down on an ON mode the iron box should automatically
go to off and the heat should start reducing.
10. Refrigerator not closed:

Detection: In our day to day life there are many products we use and
one of them is a refrigerator. Leaving the door open of the refrigerator
makes the refrigerator consumes more electricity and more
importantly not preserve food. Sometimes this situation is left not
noticed unless human detection occurs.
Prevention: The easy solution for this error is to have sensor that is
attached to the door light detector which beeps when the door is open
for more than 5 minutes. This is the easy solution but going beyond
just this is having an inbuilt WIFI system into the refrigerator that helps
one know that the door is open on a mobile device or the mainframe
that is built in new generation homes.
The Refrigerator can also be given in data as to what all is in the
refrigerator by sharing the picture of the tray and relaying it to the
user, again which is all connected via WIFI.
11. Coding Error:
Detection: A normal code doesnt work if it has bugs in it. Once we
compile, we get to know the errors.

Prevention: Make sure you use all commands correctly. Write the
code accurately.
12. Switchboard and electric connection circuit errors:

Detection: When
a switch or an
electric circuit in
general are
connected wrongly,
then switches
doesnt work
properly. Lets say
if you switch ON it
may not switch ON,
it may give a shock
even. If you switch
OFF, it doesnt
switch OFF etc.
Prevention: In the case, the prevention is ought to be taken, not just
because of this being held with electricity after all but eventually
quality in such highly sensitive area have to be much taken care off. It
is evident that the company has payed least of their attention to the
severity this matter that can result in electric shock and also paralysis.

Social Networking:

Grade your own Assignment: I give myself an A or 20/20 as I

have correctly mentioned the human errors and their detection and
prevention.