AHFE Open AccessSafety Management and Human Factors
Editors: Pedro Arezes, Anne Garcia
Topics: Safety Management and Human Factors
Publication Date: 2024
ISBN: 978-1-964867-27-4
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005295
Articles
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Transportation Safety Management Systems: The Aviation Safety II Case study
The aviation industry, renowned for its stringent safety standards, is increasingly embracing the Safety II approach, which focuses on understanding why operations succeed under varying conditions. This paper explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in augmenting the Safety II approach in aviation. Traditional safety models, predominantly reactive, emphasize preventing what goes wrong (Safety I). In contrast, Safety II is proactive, aiming to enhance what goes right, thereby increasing overall system resilience.This research begins by delineating the core principles of Safety II and its relevance to aviation safety. It underscores the limitations of human cognitive capabilities in comprehending complex, dynamic aviation environments and the potential for AI to overcome these challenges. The paper then systematically examines how AI technologies, can be leveraged to advance the Safety II approach in aviation.A key focus is integrating AI in analyzing vast quantities of operational data (e.g., flight data, maintenance records, and crew reports) to identify patterns indicative of safe and risky operational practices. The paper discusses AI's role in developing predictive models to forecast potential safety issues, enabling preemptive action.Further, the paper delves into the use of AI in enhancing real-time decision-making. AI algorithms can provide pilots and air traffic controllers with advanced decision support, offering insights drawn from a confluence of data sources that human operators might overlook. This capability is crucial in complex, rapidly evolving situations where timely and informed decisions are paramount for safety.Another significant aspect explored is the training and simulation domain. AI-driven simulations enable more realistic, adaptive training scenarios that can prepare aviation personnel for a broader range of operational contingencies, aligning with the Safety II paradigm of enhancing capacity to succeed under variable conditions.The paper also addresses the challenges and ethical considerations in implementing AI in aviation safety. Issues such as data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and the need for robust, fail-safe AI systems are critically analyzed. The potential for AI-induced overreliance and skill degradation among aviation professionals is also discussed, emphasizing the need for balanced human-AI interaction.In conclusion, this paper posits that AI, with its superior data processing and pattern recognition capabilities, is pivotal in realizing the full potential of the Safety II approach in aviation. It highlights the transformative impact AI can have on enhancing aviation safety by identifying and mitigating risks and reinforcing successful practices and decision-making processes.
Dimitrios Ziakkas, Konstantinos Pechlivanis
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Human Factors Safety Management Issues in Marine and Pipeline Accident Investigations
Implementing a safety management system (SMS) in commercial maritime or pipeline operations is a proactive way to identify, assess, and mitigate safety risks prior to getting underway or commencing operations. An effective SMS is tailored to a specific company or vessel through standard procedures or processes to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, and to proactively identify and mitigate emergent safety issues.Examination of an organization’s SMS that was in place prior to an accident is an integral part of the transportation accident investigation process for marine and pipeline modes. Human factors and human performance are critical inputs to an effective SMS. Processes to mitigate risk and prevent human error are often captured in a company’s SMS. When casualties do occur, the SMS provides a critical insight from which to begin gathering and analyzing evidence.Accident investigation results, including the probable cause, contributing factors, and safety recommendations, can prove useful for continuous improvement of the organization and throughout the industry. In addition, lessons learned may have larger implications across transportation modes and impact the public at large.
Derek Johnston, Anne Garcia, Sara Lyons
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The role of human factors in transport accident investigation
In the immediate aftermath of major transport accidents, there are often calls for blame and accusations of ‘human error’. From the perspective of human factors and ergonomics (HF/E), though, any such errors are the starting point – not the conclusion – of a safety investigation into the deeper, sociotechnical system factors that created the context for the accident to occur. This paper aims to challenge both investigators and HF/E practitioners regarding both the integration and boundaries of HF/E in transport accident investigations. The systems model aligns with the approaches taken by the major transport accident investigation bodies around the world. But there remain barriers in integrating HF/E within investigations, not least around the validity and usability of causal analysis methods. Similarly, although techniques for interviewing witnesses are well served in the literature, there is a gap in the HF/E knowledge base concerning guidance for collecting and analysing evidence relating to human factors in a safety investigation, due to the variable nature of human performance. Such variability can also be at the heart of many positive outcomes aside from accidents and incidents which, whilst seemingly contrary to the very approach of investigating accidents, can also be integrated into a safety investigation. This paper concludes by considering how the HF/E perspective applies to the ultimate output of safety investigations in the form of recommendations.
Mark Young
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
AI-enhanced Ergonomics: Revolutionizing Industrial Safety through real-time Posture analysis and PPE detection
Despite the continuous advancements in technology and safety regulations, professional accidents in the industry remain a persistent challenge. In the Industry 5.0 era, Artificial Intelligence and cutting-edge Computer Vision techniques are expected to have a transformative impact on industrial environments. In this context, Deep Learning applications can exhibit significant potential in both the primary detection of safety issues and the quick reaction in accidental scenarios. The system proposed in this publication uses tracking algorithms to identify human safety vulnerabilities and early detect people falling or requesting help. Specifically, the first component employs a Transfer Learning technique with YOLOv7 to efficiently determine and detect whether human Personal Protective Equipment is worn correctly. Additionally, the system utilizes YOLOv7 key points detection model to assess the human posture in real time, allowing machines to detect people falling or requesting help. The work concludes presenting experiments that scrutinize the algorithm's detection performance, under varied positions, evaluating the impact of GPUs and cameras and operator’s distance to camera in a pilot aerospace experimental facility.
Rafael Luque, José Ramón Vilanova, Gonzalo Diaz, Eduardo Ferrera
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Is there a future for Safety Management Systems?
The concept of Safety Management Systems (SMS) to control the risks of operational activities has already been introduced in high-risk industries some decades ago. Nevertheless, this SMS is often criticized as burdensome and complex. The introduction of the legal obligation to develop a SMS may also have introduced a misunderstanding in terms of how to do it. Through its requirement to formalise all main activities, the SMS is perceived as bureaucratic and as a vehicle for pure compliance, often detached from an organisation’s core and operational activities, and it is questioned whether it can deliver the safe performance that was hoped for.Moreover, the complexity of the socio-technical system in most of the high-risk industries has increased significantly in recent decades and continues to do so, making the overall performance of the system less predictable and less transparent for the human operator. In addition, because of climate change and other global challenges, surprises of different kinds have become part of our expectations, which requires from safety-critical systems that they be able to adapt to an uncertain and potentially fast changing environment. All of this has led to questioning the traditional way of managing safety and to alternatives being sought, resulting in a multitude of often conflicting opinions and models. The idea, however, that the performance of a (socio-technical) system should be approached in its entirety, seems to be endorsed by a large part of the safety management community. This requires acknowledging (human) variability as well as considering the complex and emergent phenomena that result from system interactions, to complement more traditional safety approaches. Against this background of very distinct and possibly contradicting approaches that have dominated the discussions on safety management over the last decades, and with SMS as a clear artifact of a more traditional approach, the relevance of SMS as a viable concept can be questioned as well as whether more traditional and newer approaches can ever be reconciled or coexist in harmony. To answer the existential question whether the concept of SMS can effectively contribute to the new perspective(s) on safety management, and with the aim of understanding better how to build resilience and adaptability into the railway system, this paper builds on the logic of the Extended Safety Fractal (Accou and Reniers, 2020) to re-think the traditional building blocks of an SMS from the perspective of controlling (human) performance variability. This requires that influences on/from human and organisational factors are explicitly identified as elements of the safety strategy to follow. Furthermore, this will require from organisations and its leaders as well as regulators to develop the capability to perceive, understand and pro-actively manage the tensions between (changing) demands for stability and flexibility, for which solutions should then be consequently implemented through both formal and informal cultural enablers.
Bart Accou, Fabrizio Carpinelli
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Feasibility of Integrating Electromyography and Computer Vision for Occupational Safety during Tractor Ingress and Egress
Entering and exiting a tractor requires strength, muscle coordination, and behaviors that can prevent injuries Research indicates between 15-20% of tractor-related injuries occur during ingress and egress (entry and exit, respectively) (Douphrate et al., 2009). Most agricultural producers know it is important to maintain three points of contact, to face toward the cab when climbing in and out, to have clean steps, and to wear anti-slip shoes to ensure safe ingress/egress. However, these steps are not always taken by producers in the field. Efforts are needed to improve safety of ingress and egress behaviors including learning more about human performance and capabilities. This paper will describe the application of a custom computer vision system to assess behaviors for tractor ingress and egress along with the physical performance. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating EMG and computer vision data to study biomechanics and behavior to assess tractor ingress and egress safety. Two participants had EMG sensors placed bilaterally. They completed a grip strength test using a hand dynamometer and then climbed into and out of the tractor. The extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) muscle activation on both sides demonstrated the highest activation as a percentage of the maximum activation. When climbing down, the participants’ shoulders retracted, causing the ECRL to have more activation than the ingress movements. However, during ingress the participants received more visual information by looking at their hands and rails, which could contribute to why the strategy they use is completely different. During egress the participant was observed to focus on their legs and the visual cues they received were in the form of looking down at their feet. The value of these different visual stimuli is vastly different and require further research to see how they contribute to overall movement strategies. This could lead participants to either leaning toward the cab or away from the cab and requiring different muscle activation in their upper body. It is anticipated that during egress the leg muscles could be more active than the arm muscles with even more activation during ingress due to working against gravity to climb into the cab. The computer vision algorithm was able categorize safety risk levels during the trials. The use of EMG combined with computer vision has the potential to describe movement patterns and behaviors that could impact ingress and egress safety. Further refinement and synchronization of these systems are needed to use this method for developing and testing targeted fall prevention interventions and to create user-centered ingress and egress design solutions.
Bethany Lowndes, Ana Laura Pineda Gutierrez, Santosh Pitla, Salem Rumuri, Joseph Siu, Aaron Yoder
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
"Stop investigating events": Combining in-depth and HOF driven analysis of work, as performed in the reality of day-to-day operations
In high-risk industries, a lot of time and effort is invested in reporting and investigating accidents, incidents, and other types of events, to finally result – very often – in a collection of little useful information vis-à-vis explicit safety- and/or risk management. This leaves the loop of continuous improvement of the organisation of safety open, and similar events to happen again. With such an approach, the future of the safety management system (SMS) seems compromised.There are several reasons for this. The scope of the investigations is often limited to the immediate causes and operational decision-making close to the adverse occurrence, insufficiently addressing essential elements of safety management. The investment in event investigation is often too dependent of the consequences (damages), with its corollary of attributing responsibilities and judging errors, instead of analysing deficient barriers “before or after” the variability of performance. Reporting is not encouraged enough, and what is considered relevant to report is not taken from an operators’ view, the difficulties they experience in day-to-day activities, or the residual risks managed. More education, training and methods are needed to better understand the real practice of a SMS, particularly when it is about integrating the influences of/on human and organisational factors and creating an environment that fosters the development of a positive safety culture. The key question is: how are these events made possible in our current SMS practice and how to improve it? Therefore, instead of limiting the analysis of these occurrences to understanding what happened, and investigating only the event, investigators should explore the composite elements of the SMS that is -often by law or recognised standards- expected to control the risks related to these operational activities. They can do that by linking the findings close to operations that explain the occurrence (being the elements investigators are first confronted with) with the relevant set of control and implementation processes that influenced the chain of events and form part of the SMS. When doing this in a supportive and structured way, it guides investigators through the different operational, tactical, and strategical levels that together form a socio-technical system. The proposed method also supports to go beyond one SMS, taking all stakeholders’ contributions into account when needed, even at the level of regulatory authorities.Building on the SAfety FRactal ANalysis (SAFRAN) method (Accou and Carpinelli, 2022), and describing our didactical attempts to disseminate it, this paper explores how to combine in-depth and HOF driven analysis of work, as performed in the reality of day-to-day operations, with an understanding of the organisational settings in which this work takes place, taking also into account the SMS as reference. This, in turn, is expected to result in recommendations that, rather than focusing on technical and operational aspects, address the capability of responsible organisations to manage safety critical variability, leading them towards closing the loop of continuous improvement and, at the end, towards a more sustainable, safe and resilient performance.
Fabrizio Carpinelli, Bart Accou
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Reliability and Safety Embedded Design Thinking and Frugal Engineering-based Approach in Assistive Product System Engineering
Product system engineering, the mainstay in providing utility, is an integral part of system engineering, where reliability and safety remain indispensable considerations, which is more pronounced in the present case of an assistive product system of the wheelchair extended with the sit-to-stand feature, closely bound with the users. Product system engineering involves designing and developing sit-to-stand wheelchairs that meet user-specific requirements and goals [25]. It defines the requirement and objective of the assistive product that consists of conceptual design, feasibility assessment, detailed design, and safety and reliability compliance with quality assurance [13]. System reliability and safety are critical aspects of assistive mobility products engineering, including sit-to-stand wheelchairs, these products are essential to protect the well-being and independence of the users from being addressed by risk assessment analysis, safety standards regulation, and durability of the material with testing and validation. Due to affordability issues, the wheelchair could not be made available to a large proportion of the wanting population in emerging economies, that is, in developing countries, and a type of assistive mobility device (wheelchair) is the quintessence and archetype in this article, and with a proposed cost-efficient design and therefore affordable. This research evaluates design feasibility, reliability, and safety for an assistive mobility device in keeping with affordability engineering, that is ‘frugal innovation and engineering’ precepts in tandem with the ‘design thinking’ paradigm. The development of a ‘sit-to-stand’ wheelchair, an assistive mobility variant is selected for objectification, as there is a need to engineer this category, as gathered from various reports [2,3], since this permits to access the ‘height’, such as racks, independently by disabled people and this also circumvents the postural confinement of constant sitting that creates a physiological condition causing restricted blood flow in the body resulting in cardiovascular diseases, sores and ulcer due to unrelieved pressure exerted by body weight, [25,26] etc. So, ‘Sit-to-Stand’ is an indispensable feature in a wheelchair, and researchers attempt solutions scantily [13-15] as elaborated in literature, which, however, do not address affordability. The shortcomings of the extant designs are analysed, and this article conceives a new mechanism and design that reduces the effort required as well as cost, for including this functionality in a wheelchair. The required effort force and system reliability are intersected in the design and operation of systems, mainly when human operators are involved. Reducing excessive effort forces, considering ergonomic factors, and ensuring that effort-related tasks do not compromise system reliability [21] are essential considerations in assistive product design and maintenance. These factors collectively contribute to the overall effectiveness and dependability of a product system engineering [7]. This feature also empowers people and aids in performing jobs in workplaces, in an unassisted manner that helps to support the livelihood of a wheelchair-bound person and thence restores self-esteem as well as relieves a disabled from social stigma. Furthermore, a substantial cost reduction for the feature in the proposed solution is highly beneficial for users from emerging economies, which has high potential in terms of improvement in healthcare.
Tushar Tiwari, Vikas Kumar Sharma, Pranab Kumar Dan
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Protecting the First Responders: Improving FR situational awareness through multi-modal interfaces leveraging the ubiquitous personal smartphone
First responders (FRs) in disaster scenarios often lack access to real-time, context-specific information, which is crucial for maintaining situational awareness. To address this issue, we introduce PathoVIEW, an innovative interface ecosystem built around a smartphone app, that leverages the ubiquitous availability of such devices for everyone and especially the localization feature for delivering context-aware alerts. PathoVIEW provides vital and relevant information local to the First Responder in a vast disaster scenario. It also includes the use of audible feedback and other technologies that could be coupled with the phone over Bluetooth such as smartwatches or a vest with vibration motors for warning the FR about situations in their proximity. The system's feedback mechanisms are designed to be adaptive, responding to the FRs' roles, their distance from potential hazards, and the nature and severity of the threats. Thus, providing a novel way to deliver information specific to the situation and location of the FR. PathoVIEW relies on a centralized common information exchange platform that addresses the challenges of sharing data across different agencies, which can be restricted by various regulations and the diversity of tools in use. By leveraging FIWARE Smart Data Models, PathoVIEW is able to function independently of the Incident Management Systems (IMS) that organizations may employ, promoting compatibility and ease of integration. In addition to active stakeholder involvement in the design and development process to ensure a relevant solution, the system was evaluated in large-scale simulated exercises in four European countries. The FR used and interacted with PathoVIEW in close conjunction with their current systems and processes. The feedback from the FR indicated that PathoVIEW was beneficial for enhancing communication, coordination, and situational awareness. The ease of use and the seamless integration in their existing context-of-use validated the user acceptance and the FR expressed a high interest in utilising the PathoVIEW system in actual disaster response situations.
Christian Knecht, Ravi Kanth Kosuru
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Prevention and risk analysis of Hydrogen refueling station – case study
Hydrogen technology is advancing as a promising solution for a clean energy system and environment. The potential of hydrogen as a clean and promising energy source highlights its advantages in the energy lifecycle, production, storage, transportation, and various applications. National policies and strategies prioritize advancing hydrogen utilization, aiming to drive towards a carbon-neutral society. Among its many applications, hydrogen-powered mobility, particularly through fuel cell electric vehicles generating only water and warm air, stands out. However, there remains an insufficiency in infrastructure and the production of eco-friendly green hydrogen. Recent years have seen the installation of numerous refuelling stations, not limited to the Czech Republic. However, ensuring safety and mitigating potential risks associated with hydrogen applications, for example with hydrogen refuelling stations, is of paramount importance. Especially in the process of introduction and implementation of new technologies, and with hydrogen which is viewed as an explosive gas, steadily increasing societal acceptance is crucial. This necessitates thorough process safety and risk management implementation before installation, aiming to prevent leakage, possible explosions, or major accidents. Considering that absolute safety doesn’t exist, the acceptable risk level aligns with the economic advancement of society, and the greatest source of risks is the human factor (that is people), effective utilization of hydrogen technologies can only be ensured if its manufacturers, users, or even the entire society, are aware of the majority of risks associated with hydrogen as an efficient energy carrier of the future. To ensure a safer environment and acceptance of hydrogen technologies, continuous improvements in safety measures and risk management strategies should be implemented, evolving alongside the advancement and integration of hydrogen–based systems in our energy landscape. This proactive approach will contribute significantly to the safe, efficient, and sustainable utilization of hydrogen technology in the years to come. This study aimed to conduct a quantitative risk assessment of a hydrogen refuelling station, covering its entire lifecycle from production, storage, and distribution, to usage. Focusing on potential hazards associated with hydrogen and scenarios posing environmental risks, the assessment emphasized the critical role of production technology, hydrogen storage, pipelines, and filling stations in ensuring safety. A thorough evaluation of a specific scenario involving continuous hydrogen leakage, dispersion and potential ignition leading to fire or explosion revealed that the risk level at the station is socially acceptable. While safety measures were adequately evaluated, additional precautions such as detachable couplings, detection sensors, or emergency shutdown systems are essential for comprehensive risk management and broader societal acceptance.
Ales Bernatik, Vojtech Jankuj, Juraj Sinay
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Occupational health and safety risk management with help of ARIS software: Case Study
It is the responsibility of every company to support and ensure a safe and healthy workplace. To achieve this goal, companies require software that can assist in managing their occupational health and safety (OH&S) systems. Recognizing that procuring specialized software may not be cost-effective for all companies, this article proposes an alternative approach. We suggest configuring the basic functionality of Software AG's ARIS software, commonly used for Enterprise Architecture management, to meet the necessary requirements for OH&S management. This approach aims to provide an affordable solution for companies seeking to enhance workplace safety without the need for dedicated OH&S software.
Taivo Kangilaski, Jaanus Kaugerand
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Use of smartphones in construction projects: Proposal for a worker monitoring system to avoid safety risks
Smartphones can play a significant role in enhancing safety at construction sites. They can contributes to safety in Communication and Emergency Response, access to safety Information, navigation and Location Services, or wearables technologies. Although smartphones can greatly contribute to safety, it's important to establish and enforce policies regarding their use to ensure that they do not become distractions that compromise safety on the construction site. In the current research, a safety system to monitor smartphone use by construction workers has been developed. The system detects the use of smartphone through an Inertial Measurement Unit, to track the motion and orientation of workers, providing valuable data for safety monitoring. The system was shown to be easy to configure and highly robust and reliable.
María Del Carmen Rey Merchán, Antonio López Arquillos, Juan Antonio Fernández Madrigal, Jesús Manuel Gómez De Gabriel
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Work interruptions and nearby-falls in geriatric nurses: attention failure as a mediator and job tenure as moderator
In industrial countries, caring for the elderly in geriatric nursing homes is rapidly growing. Caregivers face intensive demands and often suffer from high workloads and frequent work interruptions. Not only in patients but also in geriatric nurses, slips, trips, and falls (STF) are frequent. We expect work interruptions to increase attentional failure, and attentional failure to increase the risk of STF (hypothesis 1). Moreover, we expect caregiver’s job tenure to moderate the indirect effect of work interruptions via attention failure on STF. The indirect mediation path should to be stronger in caregivers with less job tenure compared to caregivers who are rather tenured (hypothesis 2). With increasing job experience task regulation in many tasks has become automatic and less resource consuming and therefore more experienced caregivers attention capacity is less likely to be overcharged by work interruptions. Purpose: The current study tests a mediation model with attentional failure as a mediator between work interruptions and STF and job tenure as a potential moderator of such mediation. The sample comprised 45 geriatric nurses. Methods: All measures were self-report. Interruptions of work were assessed by a shortened version of the Instrument for Stress- Oriented Task Analysis (Semmer et al., 1995). Attention failure at work was assessed with the subscale of attention failure from the Workplace Cognitive Failure Scale (Wallace & Chen, 2005) in the German-validated translation). STFs at work were assessed with a scale from Elfering et al. (2013). Job tenure was assessed with a single item. The moderated mediation model was based on OLS regression analyses. The mediation tests were done using the PROCESS SPSS macro tool (Hayes, 2018). Results: The test of the mediation model showed significant path coefficients for the path between task interruptions and attention failure and the path between attention failure and STF. Variance explanation in the prediction of attentional failure (33% variance explanation, p = 002) and prediction of STF (27% variance explained, p = .003) was satisfactory. Moreover, the strength of the indirect path (path a * path b) was significant for the mean of job tenure (B = 0.10, SE = .06, CI = 0.02 to 0.21), but higher with low job tenure and smaller with high job tenure. The indirect path for those participants with low job tenure was stronger (PR 16% or 1 year of job tenure: B = 0.16, SE = .09, CI = 0.04 to 0.32). For those participants with the highest job tenure (PR 84% or 5 years of job tenure), the indirect path was smaller and not significant anymore (B = 0.04, SE = .07, CI = -0.04 to 0.18). Hence, the strength of mediation did depend on job tenure, but the test of moderation failed to reach statistical significance, although the interaction of job tenure * task interruptions explained 4% of the variation in attentional failure (p = .085). In sum, the mediation model (hypothesis 1) was confirmed while the moderated mediation (hypothesis 2) was rejected but data showed a tendency that pointed in the expected direction. Conclusions: The study needs replication in a larger sample and preliminary evidence should be consolidated by use of a longitudinal and/or experimental design. The preliminary evidence suggests that interruptions should be targeted not only in the prevention of work stress and efforts to increase patient safety but also in the prevention of STF in geriatric nurses. Training should address nurses, managers, and residents on how to reduce interruptions and how to cope with task interruptions.
Achim Elfering, Tobias Zimmermann
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Progress towards the prediction of adaptation in the safety of UK air traffic control
Safety is stated as the primary objective for organisations charged with managing systems, services, infrastructure and manufacturing across a range of industrial domains where there is a risk of harm or of accidents that could affect the users of those services or products. Therefore, the control of risk is a fundamental objective for ensuring safe system performance. A key source of risk in such systems is change and the importance of assessing the risks from change is part of a comprehensive framework for safety management.The traditional approach to risk assessment has focused on engineering design, component reliability and apparent human behaviour and its limitations. This has served the safety industries well; however, in the last 20 years, new theories, ideas, and disciplines of safety have emerged to address the evolving nature of risk.As many systems have become safer, by existing metrics based on accidents and failure rates, yet also become more complex and intractable, the challenge for safety management has become one of explaining how accidents are successfully avoided and how organisations maintain safety over extended periods of time despite operations appearing to be inherently risky. Termed a fourth age of safety or the ‘adaptive age’ of safety, there is now increasing recognition of adaptation as being at the heart of safety management.The adaptive age of safety identifies the key role of people in complex sociotechnical systems and that through their interactions and work, the people in the system together create a shared meaning of what safe work is. It recognises that, because of their capacity to adapt, people are an asset not a weakness and that in complex sociotechnical systems ‘people create safety’.In the adaptive age, one of the core research challenges is the evolution of the risk assessment to support the needs of identifying both risks resulting from adaptation, and any potential unintended consequences, alongside assessing risks to the adaptive capability that is necessary and recognised as being a core component for the production of safety in complex sociotechnical systems.The question this paper addresses is whether pre-existing, safety-reinforcing adaptations can be uncovered, and how risks from future adaptation (e.g., as a result of a change) and impacts to existing adaptive capacity can be predicted, prior to implementation of a change. Thus, whether risk assessment practices can be supported with approaches that explicitly address adaptation.This paper presents the results of a programme of work to develop an approach to exploring adaptation in a predictive manner and adds to the literature on HF methods development. The described approach focuses on the people at the heart of safety production by unlocking the experiences, strategies and skills of subject matter experts through a directed, semi-structured interview that is inspired by, and builds upon, existing HF techniques. The approach achieves a number of goals for prospective hazard identification, and we believe could be readily integrated into safety management processes in use in industry whilst retaining flexibility and avoiding disproportionate changes to existing hazard analysis processes.
Craig Foster, Katie Plant, Rich McIlroy
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Role of Human Factors in Fall from Height Fatalities in the UK Construction Industry
Globally, fall from heights remains incessant in the construction industry with recent statistics revealing that about 65% of fatalities are directly linked to fall from height in the UK construction industry. Moreover, the problem is exacerbated by the persistent and reoccurring nature of falls from height in the construction industry. Yet, research about the contemporary roles of human factors vis-à-vis falls from height across high-risk industries is scarce. Aim: The study aims to provide a robust analysis regarding the role of human factors in fatalities caused by falls from height in the UK construction industry. Research question: What is the relationship between human factors and persistent falls from height incidents in the construction industry? Method: Mixed research methods (Qual-Quan) concept and phenomenological research strategy were adopted for a better understanding of the research variables. The study relied on HSE archived data and data obtained through a response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) UK for 10 years data on fall accidents in the UK construction industry. Also, a semi-structured interview was conducted with professionals in high-risk industries for better insight into the study. Result: The initial findings of the research show a range of human contributory factors such as workers fatigue, mental slips, hastiness, organisational pressures, etc are responsible for persistent falls among workers. Conclusion: The study findings reveal that 75% of falls from height cases in the UK construction industry are caused by human factors and it further underscores the significant role human factors play in falls from height incidents. Other findings from the study suggest that the use of bespoke and modernised airbag PPE by construction workers has the potential to significantly mitigate the effects of falls from height. The study is part of an ongoing PhD research that seeks to develop a conceptual framework aimed at managing dysfunctional safety practices among workers in the UK’s high-risk industries.
Oluwafemi Olatoye, Andrew Oyen Arewa, David Tann
Open Access
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Conference Proceedings
Prospective Gains in Safety and Cost Management; Using the HFACS to Proactively Address Organization Influences that Cause Human Error
Created from the original work of James Reason’s Swiss Cheese accident causation model featuring human error and latent organizational influences, the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) has become a proven model for analysing human error in aviation accidents. HFACS classifies human error into four levels of organizational influence that can set the stage for unsafe acts to occur. In modern terms of Safety Management Systems (SMS) proactivity, however, the HFACS is still utilized largely as a reactive accident investigation tool, focused on analysis of historical events to form ideas about system deficiencies and negative trends. This study emphasizes that human error on the bottom portion of the HFACS model often carries a substantial monetary and human cost to the organization, even when an aircraft is not involved in a classified accident. Here, the researchers sought a more proactive and systematic way of pre-identifying latent negative organizational influences causing the costliest human errors and finding mitigating solutions by tapping into front line perspectives. This project began with the development of a strategic aviation leadership course for a commercial aviation organization, “Airline X,” with the intent of gathering qualitative data to systematically address HFACS organizational influences that could lead to costly human error accidents and incidents. Researchers proposed top-down, proactive mitigations based on an extensive thematic analysis of front-line perspectives on various safety threats and other organizational deficiencies. After a year of collecting data from over 1,100 individuals during the leadership course through the Airline X pilot group, the qualitative data was compiled and analysed from the responses to two short surveys; one was given early in the course after guided discussions, and the other at the end of the course. The qualitative methodology enabled categorization of the pilots’ answers into common themes. Ten sub-themes were established, all related to organizational influences, then prioritized, and superimposed on the HFACS. During the study, sub-themes related to ramp safety literally manifested themselves in the form of two costly ramp incidents that resulted in revenue loss, as both aircraft were temporarily removed from service for repair. In a display of prescient, timely feedback from the pilot group and supporting accident data showing the direct cost of a potentially failed ramp policy (organizational influences) as evidence, the researchers recommended a continuous cycle of ‘Bottom up (reactive), Top down (proactive)’ Human Factors Safety Management Systems (HFSMS) feedback to senior and middle management to enhance the company’s existing SMS.
Mark Miller, Michelle Hight
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The integration of human factors into a shipping company's Safety Management System (SMS) in the context of safety culture evolution.
Today any discussion on a shipping company's Safety Management System (SMS) typically involves legal compliance, promoting safety and its connection to the safety culture. Adhering to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code enhances safety culture. Despite functional SMS, human factors is the weak point that heavily influence safety. This paper explores integrating human factors into SMS effectively, transitioning from reactive framework solely focusing on failures and human errors (SAFETY-I) to a proactive one that manages system performance (SAFETY-II). It suggests proactive techniques, including incorporating Non-Technical Skills (NTS) in all shipboard activities, to prevent incidents. Safety initiatives like Behavioral-Based Safety (BBS) and Competency Based Assessments are discussed, aligning with industry guidelines from influencers like ICS and OCIMF. The aim is to evolve a shipping company's safety culture from reactive to proactive and resilient. The paper highlights the integration of human factors into shipping companies' SMS for advancing safety culture. Transitioning from reactive to proactive safety approaches requires addressing human performance over human error. Incorporating human factors into training ensures crew possess necessary skills, fostering competence and confidence. Effective communication strategies considering human factors reduce misunderstandings and errors. Encouraging open communication and reporting enhances overall safety. Managing workload and stress prevents crew from exceeding limits, reducing fatigue and stress-related risks. Recognizing human limitations and biases improves decision-making processes, leading to better safety outcomes. Employing human-centred design in equipment, procedures, and organizational structures fosters a resilient and safety-conscious maritime industry.
Georgios Lykos, Nikolaos Ventikos, Alexandros Michelis, Alexandros Koimtzoglou
Open Access
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Human Factors implication in innovative strategies for containership fires prevention and management
Maritime transport historically represented the centre of global trade with about 90% of the goods’ volumes and values worldwide. Nowadays, containerships are built with the same basic design principles as the older smaller container ships, without accounting for possible consequences that could impact safety. In this perspective, cargo fire represents one of the most important threats for ships. On one hand, fire causes large losses of humans and/or cargoes, on the other hand fire is impacting coastal zone and marine protected areas causing unvaluable damages to the flora and fauna. Often, seafarers underestimate the dangerousness of the situation. This because, sometimes people are not always well trained and some confusion on the correct procedures to be adopted might lead to in a catastrophic situation. In this perspective, the European Union funded a research project based on innovative strategies for containership fires prevention and management. the European research goal is to prevent, detect, manage and response to fire accidents on board of containerships paving special attention to seafarer Safety Culture (SC) to better understand how seaman people perceive safety onboard and the company’s approach to safety management. Human Factors (HF) and Safety experts will closely work by setting a SC assessment framework which allows actors to identify, describe and structure their SC using a four-stage model of cognition. In particular, step 1 focuses on theoretical framework development. Step 2 focuses in identifying the overt parts of a safety system before focussing on the hidden layers of the system. In step 3 the hidden layers of the safety system will be scrutinised using exploratory systems constellations. Finally, step 4 encompassed the replication in other use cases. Furthermore, the research activity will develop a Digital Solution (DS) that will increase the overall situational awareness of accountable people to promptly react during fire accidents avoiding cascade effects. A novel training for seamen on fire management, based on the results of the project, will be executed to increase the readiness of first responders. Hence, the research activity proposes a truly new generation of digital fire management solutions to increase the safety and the SC of seafarers. The impact of the proposed solution will be initially evaluated by performing validation activities in simulated environment by utilising ad-hoc facilities in Italy and France respectively at Italian Maritime Academy Technologies (IMAT) centre and École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM) centre. Afterwards, demonstration activities will be executed in a real environment where the HF and safety will closely work on the field with the involved actors to gather as much results as possible. Finally, in order to provide evidences of HF and safety results, the research activity selected five scenarios in different European countries: Genova port (Italy), Brest port (France), Valencia port (Spain), Bremen port (Germany) and Gdynia port (Poland).
Vittorio Sangermano, Mario Ciaburri, Raffaella Russo, Daniele Palma Esposito
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