Basics hf +_ergonomics

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The BasicsHuman Factors and Ergonomics

Andy Brazier

30 minutes

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Ergonomics and Human Factors

What are they?

Same thing or different?

Why are they important?

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Ergonomics

The application of scientific information concerning humans to the design of objects, systems and environment for human use.

The interaction of technology and people

Basic anatomy, physiology and psychology

Objective to achieve:The most productive use of human capabilities

Maintenance of human health and well-being

From the Ergonomics Society website at www.ergonomics.org.uk

The job must ‘fit the person’ and should not compromise human capabilities and limitations.

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Physical demands - musculoskeletal disorders

Psychological demands - stress

Social conditions - job satisfaction

Human error - cause of major accidents.

Human Factors

“Environmental, organisational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics which influence behaviour at work in a way which can

affect health and safety”

HSG48 Reducing error and influencing behaviour

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Human FactorsWhat are people being asked to do(the task and its characteristics)?

Who is doing it (the individual and their competence)?

Where are they working (the organisation and its attributes)?

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There is a large overlap

ErgonomicsHuman capabilities

Hardware design

Work stations

User interfaces

Working environment

Manual handling

Personal safety, health and well being

Human factorsWhole system

Organisation

Culture

Tasks

Errors

Procedures

Training and competence

Major hazard

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Why important?

Up to 80% of accident causes can be attributed to human factors

All major accidents involve a number of human failures

Human factors is concerned withUnderstanding the causes of human failures

Preventing human failures.

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Management of Health & Safety at Work

Regulations (MHSWR, 1992)

“Every employer shall make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate, having regard to the nature of his activities and the size of his undertaking, for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventative and protective measures” (Regulation 4)

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Robens Report, 1972

“Promotion of health and safety at work is an essential function of good management … Good intentions at the board level are useless if managers further down the chain and closer to what happens on the shop floor remain preoccupied exclusively with production problems”

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Industrial Accident Prevention

“Underlying accident causes are faults of management and supervision plus the unwise methods and procedures that management and supervision fail to correct…”

Heinrich (1931)

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Behavioural safety

Tends to be more concerned withPhysical activities

Personal safety accidents

Failures of people at the sharp end

The premise is that people are free to choose the actions they make

Human factors is based on the principle that people are ‘set up’ to fail

Management and organisational root causes.

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