Human factors research: HSE perspective

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Human factors research HSE perspective

• Dr Deborah Lucas
• Head of Human Factors,
• Hazardous Installations Directorate
• UK Health Safety Executive
• AGGRI seminar October 2002

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Research for HSE

• Key role in improving understanding of HS risks
  and controls
• Understanding how people behave how
  organisations respond to risks
• Support our enforcement activity
• Input into regulations, standards and guidance

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Sources of funding

• From grant in aid from government
• 2001/02 20.5 million
• Research covers complete spectrum of HSEs
  regulatory responsibilities
• Nuclear safety research 80 funded by licensees

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Why addressHuman Factors?

• 50-80 of accidents cite human failures as a
  significant cause
• Challenger, TMI, Herald of Free Enterprise,
  Bhopal, Chernobyl, Kegworth, Mexico City, Piper
  Alpha, Flixborough, Esso Longford, Texaco, BOC,
  BP Grangemouth, Conoco, Southall, Ladbroke Grove,
  Clapham

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Why tackle human factors?

• Reduce accidents and potential for accidents
• Save costs, improve quality productivity
• Part of good health, safety and environment
  management system
• Better job satisfaction for staff
• Lower turnover, less absenteeism

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What are human factors?

• The job
• task, workload, working environment, procedures,
  displays and controls
• The individual
• competence, skills, personality, attitudes, risk
  perception
• The organisation
• leadership, resources, work pattern, planning,
  communication, culture

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Dysfunctional culture
Unclear procedures
Poor interface design
Interaction between people, their organisation,
and physical and psychological factors in their
work
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HSE sponsored rail researchSome examples

• Crowd control (RMC)
• Ergonomics of VDUs for signalling trains (RMC)
• Fatigue Index (DERA)
• Fatigue risk assessment (WS Atkins)
• Use of occupational level crossings (AEAT)
• All available as contract research reports

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Jointly funded projects with rail industry

• CIRAS - confidential reporting system
• 2-4 hour increase in accident rate (Railtrack,
  HSE, BR)
• CORE-DATA - database of human error probabilities
• (research reports available for last two)

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Work for HSE internal use - policy development,
rail inquiries

• Mapping of HF in group standards
• HF inclusion within the RSPG series
• Knowledge of HF by HMRI inspectors
• Review of SPAD research
• Human reliability assessment
• Interpretation of Fatigue Index tool
• (Consultants, HSL, HSE)

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Other HSE funded research relevant to rail
industry

• Safety climate tool
• Shift handover
• Multi-skilling good practice
• Behavioural safety
• Emergency preparedness
• HF in design
• Self managed teams
• (www.hse.gov.uk/research/index.htm)

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Issues

• Research tended to be local initiatives by
  individual inspectors
• Research not always clearly evaluated for
  application to industry
• Popular dissemination of findings sporadic
• No clear underpinning strategy

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HSEs new research structure

• Reorganisation of HSEs research into programmes
• Major hazards programme
• Rail, nuclear, offshore, onshore
• Dedicated research co-ordinator for each block
• Developing strategies/priorities in each block

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Future predicted spend to 2007 - Major Hazards
Programme
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HF in the major hazard research programme

• Some probable topics
• HF in inspection maintenance
• Risk perception
• Competence, training supervision
• Workload issues
• Aspects of ergonomic design
• Culture and organisational style
• Focus on major hazard risks not LTIs or
  occupational health

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Some general themes for HF..

• Increasing awareness of need and benefits
• Disseminating results in helpful ways
• Providing tools and techniques for industry to
  use
• Developing principles and capturing good practice
• Overcoming barriers involving industry

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For rail sector..

• Joint funding of initial project with Railway
  Safety
• Working toward joint funding of research on cab
  design
• Keen to cover all safety critical workers - not
  just drivers
• Looking to capture publish best practice in
  HF for rail sector

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Future rail bids from 2003
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Examples of SMS topics

• Human factors in RSPG
• Reliance on protective devices
• HF best practice
• Assessment of safety culture
• Railway crime
• Predicted less than 500,000

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Top 10 human factors issues for rail

• Building HF into new designs
• Signalling and human sensory and cognitive
  limitations
• Warnings and reminders
• Risks from fatigue
• Performance decrements in tasks needing sustained
  attention/vigilance

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Top 10 rail HF issues contd

• People resources (numbers and experience)
• Platform-train interface
• Competence assurance
• Working with both new and old systems
• Health and safety culture

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For researchers only...

• HSE research contracted through competitive
  tender, some through call off contract, or to
  HSL
• HSE has a general list of contractors
• Individual specialists in HSE chose 3/4 potential
  names
• Unsolicited proposals very, very rarely get
  funded
• Blue skies research is for research councils
  not for HSE to fund