What Is the Place of Human and Organisational Factors in Safety?: An Introduction

Abstract

It has been largely accepted, in academia as well as in business, that the main vulnerabilities in industrial safety come from human and organisational factors. Despite this consensus, it is still difficult for human and organisational factors (HOF or OHF) to become a priority within companies. There are many reasons for this: HOF are only included on the agenda in exceptional circumstances; the often-marginal position of bodies in charge of HOF, which in addition, is still a fairly heterogenous field of knowledge. Thus, the main question that seems to be raised is that of the place that should be held by HOF, with two main options: either overtly affirming their specific nature or being unobtrusively present in various ways in daily activities. In turn, this leads us to ask ourselves about the relationship between the ordinary and the exceptional within companies.