PreAccident Investigation Podcast PAPod 576 - From Continuous Improvement to Continuous Capacity: 10 Operational Indicators You Need
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Dec 13, 2025 The discussion pivots from continuous improvement to the crucial concept of continuous capacity in high-risk operations. Ten key operational indicators are introduced, blending system capacities like error tolerance and detectability with human capacities such as frontline insight and psychological safety. The importance of measuring exposure to energy risks and the robustness of safeguards are emphasized. Practical examples illuminate how monitoring these indicators can enhance resilience and improve safety across organizations.
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Design For Error Tolerance
- Design systems with error tolerance and recoverability to provide operational margin.
- Small built-in margins (like Gmail's recall) let workers recover from mistakes before harm occurs.
Detect Variance Early
- Improve detectability of deviations and create feedback loops that alert teams.
- Audit detectability systems so deviations trigger meaningful responses, not just data collection.
Plan For Recovery Capacity
- Plan and audit recovery capacity through pre-mortems and tabletop exercises.
- Ensure recovery plans exist and are practiced so rescuability is realistic when incidents occur.