2026 AIChE Spring Meeting & 22nd GCPS Short Courses

Human error is widely acknowledged as the major cause of quality, production, and safety risks in many industries. This course explains the underlying reasons why humans make mistakes and how you can prevent these mistakes with engineering solutions and with administrative solutions. Although it is unlikely that human error will ever be completely prevented, there is growing recognition that many human performance problems stem from a failure within organizations to develop an effective policy for managing human reliability. 

The course will provide hands-on experience of practical error reduction techniques, using real-life case studies. You will also gain an understanding of the underlying causes of human error and how to reduce its occurrence by changing the culture of the organization and changing the design of the processes. Workshops are used throughout the course to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate human error analysis applications. 

What You Will Learn:

• Why human error is a factor in all accidents
• Why humans make mistakes
• The lower bounds possible when reducing baseline human error rates and when reducing dependent human error probability
• Proven error prevention techniques – engineering features or options to reduce or
• compensate for human error and administrative ways to reduce human error probability
• How to analyze & identify human errors and the conditions and situations that cause them 

Take Home:

• Comprehensive course notebook containing
  • Checklists and worksheets for several human error analysis techniques 
  • Industry examples 
• Certificate of Completion
• 0.8 CEUs & 0.8 COCs 

Typical Course Candidates

• Managers - Operations, Safety, and Executive; and Production Supervisors 
• Training Managers
• Engineers - Process, Safety, and Mechanical
• PSM Coordinators and Managers
• PHA (hazard review) Leaders and Incident Investigators 

Course Outline 

Day 1 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) 

Introduction to Human Error 

• Learning objectives and goals of human error prevention
• What is human error and human error analysis? 
• Understanding Human Error: 
• Errors and their relationship to loss events
• Which is most important: Management system deficiencies or personal behavior? 
• Types of human error
• Workshop: Classifying Human Errors
• Modeling human behavior (an example of a simple model that works is used throughout the course)
• Elements associated with understanding and controlling human error
• Workshop: Relating Human Error to Human Factor Influences

HUMAN FACTORS and How to Optimize These

• Information Presentation Rules (procedures, trainers, communication, signs, etc.)
• Process/Operation/Workplace Design Rules
• Other General Rules
• Exercises

Overview of Techniques for Predicting and Analyzing Human Error 

• Checklist Analysis: For situational and for management system related errors
• Guideword-based analysis (HAZOP, Job Hazard Analysis, etc.)
• Quantitative Human Reliability Analysis
• Workshop: Using Simple Technique for Predicting and Analyzing Human Errors

Behavior/Habits

• What controls human behavior (T-H-O theory and analysis)
• Implementation strategies for controlling undesired behaviors

Introduction

Hazardous Area Classification (HAC), also known as Electrical Area Classification (EAC), is a foundational aspect of process safety aimed at minimizing the risk of fire or explosion due to the presence of flammable or combustible materials.  Proper HAC implementation ensures that electrical and mechanical equipment are appropriately located and protected based on potential release scenarios. 

This training course is designed to provide participants with a robust, hands-on understanding of HAC principles and methodologies, while showcasing BakerRisk’s deep expertise in this area.  Participants will build confidence in developing and interpreting HAC drawings through practical exercises and leave equipped to enhance site safety, support compliance, and reduce operational risk. ​​​

The primary learning objective of this course is as follows:

• Participants will learn about minimizing uncontrolled ignition of flammable or combustible material in air by electrical equipment or hot surfaces—the fundamentals of Hazardous Area Classification (HAC), also known as Electrical Area Classification (EAC)—through an interactive workshop.

Key Topics Covered: 

• Understand the science behind HAC and its role in preventing ignition events
  • Review of fire/explosion triangle (flammables) and pentagon (dusts)
  • Overview of Class I, II, and III materials and their properties
  • Objectives and requirements of HAC
  • Dissecting example HAC drawings
• Comparison of HAC standards – NFPA, IEC, and API HAC methodologies​​​​​
  • Acceptance around the world
  • Zone versus division approaches and global code acceptance
  • Methodology comparison for identifying release sources and classifying areas
  • 3D modeling of release scenarios for complex facilities
  • Examples of applying the methodologies to physical systems
• Mitigation strategies: protection techniques and design consideration with HAC
  • High-level overview of protection techniques and their applications
  • Understanding and controlling potential leak points
• Learn how to apply national and international HAC standards including NFPA 497/IEC 60079-10-1 during a hands-on workshop
  • Discussions on how to conduct an HAC study, start to finish
  • Identifying release sources within a facility
  • Determining HAC parameters and extent distances around release sources
  • Maintaining proper HAC documentation through MOC program
  • HAC implementation in facility design (e.g. analyzer buildings, control rooms, electrical MCCs, shelter-in-place buildings)
• Interactive, instructor-led HAC study - implementing HAC recommendations

Who Should Attend:

This course is ideal for:

• Process Safety Engineers
• Electrical and Instrumentation Engineers
• Facility Design Professionals 

The objectives of this short course it to provide participants with an overview of the RAGAGEP review requirements, why RAGAGEP reviews are important, how to identify applicable RAGAGEP for your facility, industry pitfalls, revalidation requirements, how to manage changes in RAGAGEP, and finally, useful tips and tools on how to conduct and document a RAGAGEP review.  The instructor will use “real life” case studies and exercises to reinforce the training.

Course materials will consist of a Training Course Binder with printed slide materials as well as printed activity materials, useful references, and other materials, which can be used for future reference. The course materials will be provided for the participants by the instructor at the time of the course.

Who Should Attend?

• Facility Managers
• EHS Managers/Representatives
• Chemical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical Engineers
• Process Safety Managers/Coordinators
• PHA Facilitators
• Inspection and Maintenance Personnel

Proposed Course Agenda