The concepts for Human Performance Improvement (HPI) have been advocated for use in safety programs for a number of years. Human performance is defined as “a series of behaviors carried out to accomplish specific task objectives.” HPI emphasizes principles and activities designed to reduce the potential for human error. Many of these have been used in some form in many safety programs. But it is the underlying research and structure that differentiates an HPI approach from traditional safety.
HPI increases safety process effectiveness if its core principles are taken to heart. When combined with concepts of risk and an improved understanding of job requirements, an organization can improve its potential to reach stated safety goals and objectives.