Errors
An action or omission of action yielding an unintended result.
Most accidents are thought to be caused by what is referred to as human error, yet most accidents are actually due to design errors rather than errors of human operation. An understanding of the causes of errors suggests specific design strategies that can greatly reduce their frequency and severity. There are two basic types of errors: slips and mistakes.1
Slips are sometimes referred to as errors of action or errors of execution, and occur when an action is not what was intended. For example, a slip occurs when a person dials a frequently dialed phone number when intending to dial a different number. Slips are the result of automatic, unconscious processes, and frequently ...
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