Efficiency–thoroughness trade-off principle
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The efficiency–thoroughness trade-off principle (or ETTO principle) is the principle that there is a trade-off between efficiency or effectiveness on one hand, and thoroughness (such as safety assurance and human reliability) on the other.[1] In accordance with this principle, demands for productivity tend to reduce thoroughness while demands for safety reduce efficiency.[2][3]
The ETTO principle was formulated by safety researcher Erik Hollnagel in 2009.[1]
In safety
[edit]The principle has been applied to analysis of behaviour and choices made regarding safety and risk. There are competing activities requiring time, which is a limited resource. In order to make time available for desirable activities, less time can be spent on preparation and planning, which affects safety. Most of the time the trade-off ends well, and the preferred or profitable activity proceeds without undesirable incident, which is why these trade-offs are so prevalent. Eventually luck may run out and something goes wrong. In hindsight it is often obvious when and where such trade-offs were made, and the consequences may be clearly linked to causes, but the trade-off seemed like a good idea at the time, and for as long as things kept going right.[4] The principle of requiring "reasonably practicable" precautions in occupational health and safety recognises that such trade-offs must exist to allow economic activity to proceed, and puts the onus on the employer to assess the risk and take those precautions.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Hollnagel, Erik (2009). The ETTO principle: efficiency-thoroughness trade-off: why things that go right sometimes go wrong. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. ISBN 0-7546-7678-1.
- ^ "The ETTO Principle: Efficiency-Thoroughness Trade-Off–Why Things That Go Right Sometimes Go Wrong–by Erik Hollnagel". Risk Analysis. 30: 153–159. 2010. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6924.2009.01333.x.
- ^ Hollnagel, E. (2017). "The ETTO Principle - Efficiency-Thoroughness Trade-Off" (PDF). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ Lock, Gareth (23 April 2022). "Being Efficient? Being Thorough? Which One Did You Choose?". www.thehumandiver.com. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ Republic of South Africa (1993). No. 85 of 1993: Occupational Health and Safety Act as amended by. Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act, No. 181 Of 1993 (PDF). Pretoria: Government Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
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