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Scenarios of human errors and their quantification in multi-residue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables

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Abstract

A total of 54 scenarios of human errors in multi-residue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables are mapped in a routine monitoring laboratory. The likelihood and severity of the errors and the ability of components of the laboratory quality system to prevent/block human errors, as well as the effectiveness of the quality system as a whole, are evaluated using expert judgments. It is shown that human errors in sampling are prevented less by the quality system than other steps of the analysis. Training and supervision are found as the quality system components having the highest priorities. Effectiveness of the quality system obtained a good score value of 71 % (in comparison with an ideal system preventing human errors with 100 % effectiveness). Variability of the score values resulting from changes of the expert judgments is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC Project 2012-021-1-500). The authors would like to thank Dr. Stephen L.R. Ellison (Laboratory of Government Chemist Ltd, UK) and Dr. Aleš Fajgelj (International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria), the project team members, for useful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Physical Laboratory of Israel (INPL), Danciger “A” Bldg, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel

    Ilya Kuselman

  2. Laboratory for Pesticide Residue Analysis, Plant Protection and Inspection Services (PPIS), P.O.Box 78, 50250, Bet Dagan, Israel

    Paulina Goldshlag

  3. Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), 91 Strada delle Cacce, 10135, Turin, Italy

    Francesca Pennecchi

Authors
  1. Ilya Kuselman
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  2. Paulina Goldshlag
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  3. Francesca Pennecchi
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Correspondence to Ilya Kuselman.

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Kuselman, I., Goldshlag, P. & Pennecchi, F. Scenarios of human errors and their quantification in multi-residue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables. Accred Qual Assur 19, 361–369 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-014-1071-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-014-1071-6

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