The managerial dilemma between the prescribed task and the real activity of operators: some trends for research on human factors

Whatever the level in an organization, the management needs safety indicators to assist decision making on safety. As an indicator, PSA through PHRA takes account of the human reality in a limited way. In spite of the limitations of PSAs as a tool in assisting the processing of safety problems, three possible channels for development and progress are suggested: `internal' improvement of PSAs, by enhancing data and human-behaviour models; extension of the classical applications of PSAs for the purpose of reflection and speculation, and for querying the potential influence of a certain number of factors concerning human behavior; the extension of PSAs themselves, by developing organizational indicators, particularly `safety climate' indicators.