Due　to　the　rapid　development　of　scientific　technology,　human　influence　is　considered　as　a　dominant　factor　that　affects　the　occurrence　of　various　accidents,　while　the　promotion　of　human　reliability　is　useful　for　the　reduction　of　human　errors.　In　order　to　uncover　the　research　characteristics　and　development　trends　in　the　human　reliability　research　domain,　a　bibliometric　analysis　of　scientific　documents　was　carried　out　via　the　Web　of　Science　Core　Collection　database.　In　general,　a　total　of　1463　documents　on　human　reliability　were　indexed　between　1984　and　2018,　covering　3287　authors,　533　journals,　71　countries,　and　1364　institutions.　The　studies　related　to　human　reliability　have　a　significant　increase　from　the　earliest　4　in　1984　to　137　articles　in　2018.　The　USA,　UK,　and　China　made　the　three　most　contributions　to　the　literature　associated　with　human　reliability　research.　In　terms　of　the　major　sources　of　human　reliability　publications,　Reliability　Engineering　&　System　Safety,　Safety　Science,　Microelectronics　and　Reliability,　Applied　Ergonomics,　and　Ergonomics　were　the　five　most　active　journals　in　this　domain.　Park,　Jung,　Kirwan,　Seong,　and　Zhang　greatly　devoted　to　human　reliability　publications.　According　to　the　frequency　of　keywords,　the　hottest　topics　in　human　reliability　domain　focus　on　human　reliability　analysis,　human　error,　model,　ergonomics,　human　reliability　assessment,　patient　safety,　and　nuclear　power　plant,　etc.　The　primary　themes　in　human　reliability　research　concentrate　on　the　human　reliability　analysis　methods,　system　reliability　analysis,　human　error　identification,　and　human　performance　in　human-machine　system,　etc.　Future　research　should　emphasize　human　factor　experimentation,　cognitive　model,　the　development　of　human　reliability　analysis　methods,　and　human　reliability　analysis　in　information　technology.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd