Erik Hollnagel's Contributions to Safety Management

Erik Hollnagel has made significant contributions to safety management by emphasizing that safety is an active, proactive process rather than just preventing accidents. He introduced the concept of Safety-I and Safety-II: the first focuses on avoiding errors, while the latter emphasizes ensuring that everyday work tasks succeed under varying conditions. Hollnagel advocates for understanding how work functions successfully most of the time, highlighting the importance of resilience—organizational ability to adapt and respond to challenges. His work encourages organizations to focus not only on preventing errors but also on enhancing overall system performance and adaptability to improve safety outcomes.