Exploring Human Factors

Person Job (task, environment and equipment) Organisation &

management
SKILL PHYSICAL STATE SKILL PHYSICAL STATE EQUIPMENT & WORKSPACE DESIGN TOP LEVEL MANAGEMENT
Competence Personal health & hygiene, fitness, Competence Personal health & hygiene, fitness, System Design Safety policy
Previous training balanced diet Previous training balanced diet Usability Budgeting
Experience PHYSICAL CAPABILITY Experience PHYSICAL CAPABILITY Human-system interface Resource allocation
Currency Strength, stamina, stress, fatigue, Currency Strength, stamina, stress, fatigue, Human-human, human machine, human- Leadership philosophy
Leadership pain/discomfort, hunger, thirst, Leadership pain/discomfort, hunger, thirst, computer PERSONNEL
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES temperature extremes, vibration, CULTURAL DIFFERENCES temperature extremes, vibration, Anthropometry Selection and check of competence
Religion, national tradition, dress, movement constriction, lack of physical Religion, national tradition, dress, movement constriction, lack of physical Body Size Education and training
language exercise, disruption of circadian rhythm language exercise, disruption of circadian rhythm Body strength & stamina Leadership and supervision
MOTIVATION PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE MOTIVATION PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE Limits of strength and endurance Motivation
Work environment Task speed, task load, threat of Work environment Task speed, task load, threat of Workplace design Modification of attitudes
Temperature, humidity, air quality, lighting, failure/loss of job, monotonous, degrading Temperature, humidity, air quality, lighting, failure/loss of job, monotonous, degrading User capabilities and limitations Development of social climate
noise, vibration, cleanliness or meaningless work, long uneventful noise, vibration, cleanliness or meaningless work, long uneventful Stresses and Hazards OPERATIONAL
Working hours vigilance periods, conflicts of motives Working hours vigilance periods, conflicts of motives Wind, whole body motion, motion induced Inspection methods
Continuous operations, watchkeeping about job performance, reinforcement Continuous operations, watchkeeping about job performance, reinforcement fatigue, vibration, noise, darkness/dazzle, Maintenance methods and procedures
Habitability absent or negative, sensory deprivation, Habitability absent or negative, sensory deprivation, temperature, sleep loss Operations procedures
Adequate tools & equipment distractions (noise, glare, movement, Adequate tools & equipment distractions (noise, glare, movement, Vision and Lighting System documentation
Manning levels flicker, colour), inconsistent cues Manning levels flicker, colour), inconsistent cues Human vision, visual displays and lighting Manning and watch systems
Organization structure PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPABILITY Organization structure PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPABILITY design TECHNICAL
Authority, responsibility, communication Perception, motor requirements (speed, Authority, responsibility, communication Perception, motor requirements (speed, Auditory Information Reliability and availability
Actions by others strength precision), control-display Actions by others strength precision), control-display Transfer of information to human operators System performance
Reward relationships, anticipatory requirements, Reward relationships, anticipatory requirements, using their hearing Instrumentation
Recognition interpretation, decision-making, Recognition interpretation, decision-making, Voice Communication Monitoring
Benefits information load, narrowness of task, Benefits information load, narrowness of task, Characteristics of speech and hearing Automation
Job description frequency & repetitiveness, task criticality, Job description frequency & repetitiveness, task criticality, Face-to-face and electronically assisted speech Man-machine interface
Instructions long/short-term memory; calculation Instructions long/short-term memory; calculation communication Work place conditions
Procedures requirements, feedback (knowledge of Procedures requirements, feedback (knowledge of Controls SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Continuation Training results), dynamic v step-by-step results, Continuation Training results), dynamic v step-by-step results, Optimum size, shape, operating dynamics and Management
KNOWLEDGE team structure & communication, man- KNOWLEDGE team structure & communication, man- spacing Organisation
Education & training machine interface Education & training machine interface Maintainability Routines
Accessibility Inspection and auditing
Tools & equipment Feedback
Handbooks, Procedures Learning
Emergency planning and training
Health
Environment
Safety at work

Photo credits: Bridge - ABS. Others - jalens - joachim affeldt

uman Factors, or The Human Factor, are
H terms which are often misinterpreted
and are used as a covers for the Human
Element or even Human Error. A simple
definition of Human Factors is: the body
of scientific knowledge about people
and how they interact with their
environment, especially when working.
Applying human factors to the design and
operation of a ship or its systems means
taking account of human capabilities,
skills, limitations and needs. Human Factors
should not be confused with the term
Human Resources which is a closely related
activity that addresses the supply of
suitably qualified and experienced staff.
When considering the operation or design
of any ship and its systems both of these
domains should be considered - Human
Resources for the selection and preparation
of staff able to do the required work and
Human Factors to account for the use of
people as a component of the system.
Both domains contain a number of
sub-domains:
Human Factors (Fitting the job to the person): • System Safety - The human contribution maintain and sustain a system and provide how they - together with the environment
• Human Factors Engineering - The
to risk when the system is functioning in a
normal or abnormal manner.
optimum quality and quantity of the crews
to man the ship.
in which the organisation and person are
operating - impact on the behaviour of
comprehensive integration of human
people.This diagram attempts to show the
characteristics into the definition, design Human Resources (Fitting the person to the job): • Training - The instruction or the education, various factors that can influence the inter-
development, and evaluation of a system and on-the-job or part-task or full-mission
to optimise Human-Machine performance
• Manpower - the number of personnel training required to provide personnel action between a human and any system
required, and potentially available, to aboard ship, ie: The Human Element!
under specified conditions. operate, maintain, sustain and provide with their essential job skills, knowledge,
training for a system. values and attitudes.
• Health Hazards - The identification, A practical example of how to apply
assessment and the removal or reduction
of short or long-term hazards to health
• Personnel - The cognitive (trainability A simple way to view human factors is to
consider three main aspects: the person,the
human factors to the design and
operation of a Ship Control Centre can be
and mental aptitude) and physical (fitness
occurring as a result of normal operation levels, physical size, gender) capabilities job (task, environment and equipment), and downloaded from www.he-alert.org/
of a system. required to be able to train for, operate, the organisation and management, and filemanager/root/site_assets/
standalone_articles_not_linked_to_a_bulleti
n/HE00130.pdf