The Basics Human Factors and Ergonomics

Andy Brazier 30 minutes

Tel: 01492 879813 Mob: 07984 284642 andy.brazier@gmail.com www.andybrazier.co.uk

Ergonomics and Human Factors

What are they? Same thing or different? Why are they important?

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

The job must fit the person and should not compromise human capabilities and limitations.
From the Ergonomics Society website at www.ergonomics.org.uk

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

Physical demands - musculoskeletal disorders Psychological demands - stress Social conditions - job satisfaction Human error - cause of major accidents.

HSG48 Reducing error and influencing behaviour

Human Factors
What 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)? 5

There is a large overlap

Ergonomics
Human capabilities Hardware design Work stations User interfaces Working environment Manual handling Personal safety, health and well being

Human factors
Whole 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 with
Understanding the causes of human failures Preventing human failures.

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)

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

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 with
Physical 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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