14 Safety and Human Behavior TI 2111 Work

14. Safety and Human Behavior TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics

Definitions n n What is human error? q An inappropriate or undesirable human decision or behavior that reduces or has the potential for reducing effectiveness, safety, or human performance Classification scheme for human error q Discrete (Swain and Guttman, 1983) n n n Omission—failure to do something Commission—perform an act incorrectly Sequence—perform an act in the wrong order Timing—failure to perform the act in the allotted time period Unintentional—accidental performance of an act (knew it was wrong) Confusion—uncertain of what/which act to perform TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics

Accidents n How is an accident defined? q q n n An unanticipated event which damages the system and/or individual or affects the accomplishment of the system mission or individual task; It can but not necessarily result in an injury Factors contributing to accidents q q q Analysis of accidents q q Nature of the injury (death, amputation, laceration, etc. ) Part of the body affected Type of accident (struck by, caught between, etc. ) Source of injury (tools, body movement, etc. ) q q q Trait theories (later) such as accident proneness Age (younger and over 60 more) Immediate environment (noise, temperature, light, workspace) Equipment (controls, displays, compatibility, visibility, guarding) Work (pacing, physical workload, mental workload, motor skills, etc. ) Worker (skill, experience, training, etc. ) Management (policies, safety, productivity requirements, incentives) Psychosocial (morale, climate, union, communication) TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics

Accidents n Strategies for reducing accidents q Critical incident technique—involves the description of observed unsafe acts or near-miss accidents n q There are more critical incidents than accidents, therefore, a database can be developed and enough data collected to reflect patterns of behavior and events that can be useful in developing preventive measures Alter behavior methods—checklists, training, feedback, reinforcement strategies (rewards), incentive programs TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics

Accidents n Theories for describing/explaining accident occurrence 1. 2. 3. 4. Accident proneness—some people more prone to have accident due to chance Accident liability—some people more prone to have accident due to situation Job demands vs. worker capability—accident liability increases as job demands exceed worker capabilities Psychosocial—deals with the organizations practices and procedures TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics

Factors Contributing to Accidents q Personnel n n q n n n Workload (mental/physical) Work-rest cycles Shift Pacing Procedures Arousal, fatigue Equipment and tools n n n Control/displays Electrical hazards Mechanical hazards Thermal hazards Pressure hazards Physical Environment n Trait theories (later) such as accident proneness Age Experience Gender n n Job n q q n n n q Illumination Noise Temperature Vibration Humidity Radiation Fire hazards Airborne pollutants Social/Psychological Environment n n n Management practices Social norms Morale Training Incentives TI 2111 Work System Design and Ergonomics