AVI321(Finals Reviewer)

Human Factors in Maintenance

Background:
● 1980s – Crew Resource Management
● 1990s – Human Factor Maintenance has developed into the maintenance resource management
(MRM) program.
● Advisory Circular AC 120-72
● People assume that human factors in maintenance refers to the actions of mechanics, MRM program
admits major areas where maintenance error can occur.

Major areas are:

● Equipment design and manufacture

● Manufactures’ documentation and procedure writing
● Airline procedures and work areas
● Mechanic training and performance

Basic Definitions:

● Ergonomics (Human Factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of the
interaction among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory
principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well—being and overall system
performance.

● Ergonomics (or ‘human factors’ as it is referred to in North America) is a branch of science that aims to
learn about human abilities and limitations, and then apply this learning to improve people’s interaction
with products, systems and environments.

The focus of human factors is on how people interact with tasks, with equipment/technologies, and with the
environment, in order to understand and evaluate these interactions. The goals of human factors are to
optimize human and system efficiency and effectiveness, safety, health, comfort, and quality of life.

Human attributes:

Before HF usually referred to physical characteristics of people, such as size, strength, physical dexterity, and
visual acuity. Other attributes that affect a system’s performance and the human’s ability to use or maintain the
system and these are:

● Lack of knowledge or understanding of how the system works can lead to improper use or to
inadequate troubleshooting or improper maintenance.
 ● Human forgetfulness or even a person’s attitude can affect how well the system works, or how that
person interfaces with the system.

● People who interface with the system can have an effect on how well the system performs through their
ability or lack of ability.

Dirty Dozen - The Dirty Dozen refers to twelve of the most common human error preconditions, or conditions
that can act as precursors, to accidents or incidents.

1. Lack of communication 7. Pressure

2. Distraction 8. Lack of awareness
3. Lack of resources 9. Lack of knowledge
4. Stress 10. Fatigue
5. Complacency 11. Lack of assertiveness
6. Lack of teamwork 12. Norms

Human Factors and System Engineering:

● Human beings – the user, operator, or mechanic, as well as all others who interface with the system –
must be considered as elements of the system.
● These elements and interfaces must be addressed during the design stage of the system.
● Human requirements and interactions must be known or anticipated at all levels of the system.
● Includes not just the equipment but also the manuals and the training program for that equipment.
● Feedback will be necessary for system improvement as well as the manufacturer’s procedures,
training, and design efforts.
● Lessons learned will be used to develop new systems or modification of existing ones.
● The human being is an element of the system. When all the elements are working properly, the system
will work properly.

Goals of the system vs Goals of the user:

● Elwyn Edwards states that the effectiveness of a system is measured by the extent to which the system
goals are achieved.

● A system that is user friendly, system not only has to perform some function efficiently, but it has to
perform that function in the manner that the system user wants it performed.

● A system that achieves the design goals of a collection of mechanical and electrical parts may
represent engineering perfection, but if the device cannot be used by people for some human purpose,
it is just a collection of mechanical and electrical parts; just another “contraption.”
Designing for the human interface - Humans cannot be redesigned during the optimization process for the
improvement of the total system operation. To work efficiently, designers of the systems must adhere to
several basic rules,
● First, Design of the system must be compatible with human abilities, capabilities, needs and
strengths.

● Second, design systems around human failings, and deficiencies so as to avoid possible human
error.

● Third, designers must provide the users, operations, and mechanics-as well as other human
elements involved with sufficient education and training on the system to resolve any human
factors – related problems that could arise from improper understanding of the design.

Human Factors Design Guidelines:

1. Design the system to be compatible with human abilities, capabilities, needs and strengths.

2. Design the system to compensate for human failings and deficiencies to avoid human errors.

3. Provide the human elements of the system with sufficient education and training to resolve any human
factors-related problems that could not be alleviated by application of the first two rules above.

Human Factors Responsibilities:

1. Aircraft and Component design:

● Task for designing maintainability, this means that design of equipment that can be worked on
for service, inspection, adjustment, and removal/installation (R/I) effort.

● Sufficient workspace to do the work required and that there is also enough space to use the
tools and test equipment.

● Design efforts should also take into account the number and skills of the workers required for a
given task to be completed with reasonable staffing requirements.

2. Maintenance product design:

● Ground support equipment, special tools and test equipment, and various forms of
documentation must be designed with the mechanics’ capabilities and limitations in mind, and
these products must be made available to the mechanics.

● Documentation, whether written by the manufacturer, the regulators, or the airline, must be
clear, understandable, and accurate (i.e., technically correct) for the mechanic to effectively
utilize the information.

3. Maintenance program applications:

● Maintenance program developed by the MSG process.

● When an airline receives the aircraft and its initial maintenance program, that program is usually
tailored to the specific airline operation.

● Adjustment of tasks and task intervals must also include human factors considerations. That is,
the adjustment of the program must be in line with the human capabilities and requirements
 concerning work schedules, endurance, and skill makeup of the work crew to avoid overwork,
fatigue, etc.

Summary:

The manufacturers of airframes, engines and installed equipment are doing their part to reduce the
chances of human error in maintenance, but they require inputs from airline operations and third-party
maintenance organizations. Research from the academic community (behavior scientist, etc. ) is also
necessary to advance the state of the art. Meanwhile, the airline operators and other maintenance facilities are
responsible for the actions of their mechanics and the materials with which they work. In human factors, as well
as in safety, the work force at all levels must be constantly aware of problems and be ready to effect solutions.
Human factors are a way of life.