Which pair of terms does Dr. James Reason use to categorize human failure?

Which pair of terms does Dr. James Reason use to categorize human failure?

• A. primary and secondary
• B. acute and chronic
• C. active and latent
• D. internal and external

Answer: (C)

Reason's approach to human failure centers on two intertwined categories: active errors and latent conditions. Active errors are the mistakes or unsafe actions made at the point of care—things a frontline worker does or fails to do in the moment. These are the visible errors that can directly lead to harm. Latent conditions are the underlying, slower-building problems in the system—design flaws, weak defenses, poor training, or flawed organizational policies—that can lie dormant for a long time and only cause harm when they coincide with an active error. The idea is that accidents happen not just because people slip, but because latent weaknesses in the system align with human errors, a concept often illustrated by the Swiss cheese model. So, the pair active and latent is the one Reason uses to categorize human failure. The other terms don’t map to his framework of how errors arise within systems.

Reason's approach to human failure centers on two intertwined categories: active errors and latent conditions. Active errors are the mistakes or unsafe actions made at the point of care—things a frontline worker does or fails to do in the moment. These are the visible errors that can directly lead to harm. Latent conditions are the underlying, slower-building problems in the system—design flaws, weak defenses, poor training, or flawed organizational policies—that can lie dormant for a long time and only cause harm when they coincide with an active error. The idea is that accidents happen not just because people slip, but because latent weaknesses in the system align with human errors, a concept often illustrated by the Swiss cheese model. So, the pair active and latent is the one Reason uses to categorize human failure. The other terms don’t map to his framework of how errors arise within systems.