Human factor dimensions in industrial maintenance management: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2010–2025)

Introduction This study explores the scientific development of human factor dimensions in industrial maintenance management. As organizations transition toward predictive, digital, and human-centered maintenance systems, human factors such as error, reliability, ergonomics, safety culture, competencies, and human–technology interaction have become central to maintenance performance and industrial safety. Methods A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis were conducted using 355 documents indexed in Scopus and Web of Science between 2010 and 2025. Data processing, performance analysis, and thematic analysis were carried out in R 4.6.0 within RStudio 2026.04.0 using bibliometrix 5.3.0; VOSviewer 1.6.20 was used only for co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and reference co-citation visualizations. A directed qualitative content synthesis complemented the quantitative mapping by examining research streams, mechanisms, gaps, and future priorities. Results Findings reveal a rapidly expanding field, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.69%, particularly after 2019. China, India, and Canada lead scientific production. Co-citation analysis confirms Reason’s human error model as the dominant theoretical reference, while keyword analysis identifies “maintenance”, “human factors”, and “human error” as the conceptual core. Industry 4.0, predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence, and Industry 5.0 emerge as key growth areas. Structured content synthesis identified four interdependent streams: human error and reliability; organizational, ergonomic, and competency factors; workforce planning and optimization; and human-technology interaction in Industry 4.0/5.0. Discussion The results show a transition from retrospective human error analysis toward prospective approaches integrating emerging technologies with human capabilities. The field remains fragmented in terms of authorship and geographically uneven, with Latin America and much of Africa underrepresented. This review positions human-centered maintenance management as an emerging socio-technical field linking human reliability, digital transformation, ergonomics, organizational safety, and workforce development.