Which of the following sets correctly lists the three types of human error?

Which of the following sets correctly lists the three types of human error?

• A. Omission, Commission, and Negligence
• B. Omission, Commission, and Latent
• C. Omission, Commission, and Extraneous
• D. Omission, Commission, and Error

Answer: (C)

Errors can be understood by what the person did or didn’t do: an omission is missing a required action, a commission is taking a wrong or inappropriate action, and an extraneous action is unnecessary or unrelated to the task. This three-part framing captures missing steps, incorrect actions, and superfluous actions—the common ways humans can slip in practice. For example, not giving a needed medication is an omission; giving the wrong drug or dose is a commission; adding extra, useless steps or performing an action that isn’t needed is extraneous. Other terms you might hear, like latent or negligence, refer to broader ideas beyond this simple three-category classification, so they don’t fit the same question framework as neatly.

Errors can be understood by what the person did or didn’t do: an omission is missing a required action, a commission is taking a wrong or inappropriate action, and an extraneous action is unnecessary or unrelated to the task. This three-part framing captures missing steps, incorrect actions, and superfluous actions—the common ways humans can slip in practice. For example, not giving a needed medication is an omission; giving the wrong drug or dose is a commission; adding extra, useless steps or performing an action that isn’t needed is extraneous. Other terms you might hear, like latent or negligence, refer to broader ideas beyond this simple three-category classification, so they don’t fit the same question framework as neatly.