Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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By Asst.Prof.Dr.Wikanda Sridech
5. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Human Factors and Safety Management Systems
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
• “Working environment” can be divided into 3 main sections.
• Physical environments have their own specific features or factors that
may impact human performance.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Noise
• Noise at the workplace can distract, disturb communication (if not make
it totally impossible), and camouflage warning sounds.
• Noise can cause stress, with all its negative effects on the human being.
• The brain can filter out much of the background noise. But this activity
leads to a reduction in concentration.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Noise
• Typical Noise Zones
• In aircraft maintenance we can expect noise levels from 85 dB to 90 dB on the
apron and 70dB to 75 dB in the hangar.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Noise
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
FUMES
• Some substances produce fumes in certain circumstances (e.g. overheated grease or
oils, smoldering insulation).
• You are only ”aware” of unpleasant fumes. They often smell nasty, and may irritate the
eyes. “You have to get the job done as soon as possible.”
• Besides the health aspects, fumes lead to performance limitations.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
ILLUMINATION
• Inappropriate or insufficient lighting can lead to mistakes in
work tasks or can increase the time required to do the work.
• Natural light is best for recognizing colors.
• The ratings for artificial light are: good for candescent light,
average for florescent tubes and poor for mercury vapor
lamps.
• When the focus is on light efficiency, the rating changes
completely. The mercury vapor lamps do best.
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Ref: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/43-204.pdf
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE
• Environmental conditions can affect physical performance.
• Extreme environmental conditions may also be fatiguing, both physically and mentally.
eg. in the cold, gloves can be worn, but obviously the gloves themselves may interfere
with fine motor skills.
• We cannot change the weather - so work must be adjusted to suit the conditions.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE
The graph shows the connection between performance and climatic factors. Other
factors include: wind, sunlight and precipitation.
Optimum
18-25 Celsius
25-85%
Relative
Humidity
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*Ref: ICAO Doc 9824-Human Factors Guidelines for Aircraft Maintenance Manual, P. 3-E-2
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
MOTION AND VIBRATION
• Vibrations and motions reduce performance and lead Vibration
to fatigue and distraction.
• Vibrations in maintenance system mainly from the use
Movement
of tools, such as rivet guns or grinding and polishing
machines.
Fatigue
• Vibration between 0.5 Hz to 20 Hz is most problematic,
as the human body absorbs most of the vibratory
energy in this range.
Distraction
It can take a long time for feeling to return to the hands. In the meantime,
precise work, such as making fine adjustments, is virtually impossible.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
• Going near a running engine will not harm you as long as you
take the usual safety precautions.
• Ultra-Sonic Waves
• ULTRA−SONIC WAVES are above our hearing range (>20 kHz).
These sonic waves can damage nerve canals.
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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
CONFINED SPACES
• Working in any confined space, especially with
limited means of entry or exit (e.g. fuel tanks) needs
to be managed carefully.
• Good illumination and ventilation within the confined
space will reduce any feelings of discomfort.
• In addition, appropriate safety equipment, such as
breathing apparatus or lines must be used when
required.
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6. TASKS
Human Factors and Safety Management Systems
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TASKS
• Planning, organizing, and good communication helps tasks to be
completed on time, to standards, and on price. But also reduces
workload and physiological stress on individuals.
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TASKS
• personnel;
• equipment/spares;
• Do I/we have the skills and proficiency necessary to complete the task?
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TASKS
• Planning
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TASKS
• Planning
MPD
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TASKS
• Physical Tasks
Missing a break in an effort to get a job done within a certain time frame can be
counterproductive, as fatigue diminishes motor skills, perception,
awareness and standards.
As a consequence, work may slow and mistakes may occur that need to be rectified.
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TASKS
• Repetitive Tasks
Repetitive tasks in aircraft maintenance engineering typically refer
to tasks that are performed several times during a shift, or a number of
times during a short time period, e.g. LOPA (Layout of passenger
accommodation) check on an aircraft during daily inspections.
Monotonous activities
กิจกรรมจำเจ
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TASKS
• Visual Inspection
Visual inspection can be described as the process of using the eye, alone or in
conjunction with various aids to examine and evaluate the condition of systems or
components of an aircraft.
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TASKS
• Visual Inspection
• A further aspect of visual inspections is assessment. Training, experience and common
sense are important here. Those topics are also called ”situation awareness”.
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TASKS
• Complex Systems
• When dealing with complex systems the aircraft technician must be familiar with
the purpose of the system at least.
• Configuration and function are usually quite difficult to understand completely.
• In order to maintain such systems you need a specific training. Here it is important
to observe a balance of detailed technical knowledge and analytic proceeding during
trouble shooting.
• Complex Systems
Example
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7. COMMUNICATION
Human Factors and Safety Management Systems
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COMMUNICATION
• Definitions of Communication
• Skill of passing information from on person to another.
• Transfer of information from one place to another.
• The dynamic and irreversible process by which we make contact and
interpret messages within a given situation or context.
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COMMUNICATION
Communication is the exchange of information
between two or more persons. Among the many
ways that humans communicate:
• Writing and Reading;
• Speaking and Listening;
• Facial Expressions;
• Leg, Arm, Eye, and Head movements; and
Body posture.
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COMMUNICATION
• Communication errors can take the form of
messages sent but not received (A) or
messages received but not sent (C).
• Effective communication is represented by
area B.
A model of communication
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COMMUNICATION
Oral Communication
Each verbal Communication process has three areas where you can
actively make improvements:
• Speaking (transmitting)
• Listening (receiving)
• Feedback (give and receive)
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COMMUNICATION
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COMMUNICATION
Receiving Feedback
• Clarify the facts. Ask, if anything remains
unclear.
• Listen to the end before you answer. Don’t
start preparing your answer before the other
person has finished speaking.
• Check if there is anything in the answers you
can learn from.
• Thanks the person who gives you feedback.
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COMMUNICATION
Giving Feedback
• Be precise. If you are vague you might not
be understood.
• Speak for yourself only, do not generalize.
• Be constructive. Try to make suggestions.
• Show respect.
• Check on your motivation. Do you intend to
help or to hurt?
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COMMUNICATION
Written communication
• In your work area the written word is as important as the spoken word.
• Job-cards, work plans, instructions for work procedures and log book entries are some
examples for a communication that’s based on writing and reading.
• When writing a message you should observe the following:
The text has to...
• be readable
• include all necessary information
• be formulated clearly
• be easily understandable
• be free of emotions (at least in business matters).
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COMMUNICATION
Communication within Teams Communication between Teams
• before starting a task - to find out what This usually occurs at shift handover.
to do; The information conveyed will include:
• during a task - to discuss work in • tasks that have been completed;
progress, ask colleagues questions, • tasks in progress, their status, any
confirm actions or intentions, or to problems encountered, etc.;
ensure that others are informed of the
maintenance state at any particular • tasks to be carried out;
time; • general company and technical
• at the end of a task - to report its information.
completion and highlight any problems.
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COMMUNICATION
Shift Handover
• Shift handover errors can be particularly hazardous, as shown
by a 1991 accident involving a the Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft
at Eagle Lake, Texas that resulted in 14 fatalities.
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COMMUNICATION
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COMMUNICATION
• Communication Problems
There are two main ways in which communication can cause problems.
• Lack of communication:
• forgets to pass on pertinent information to a colleague
• written message is not forwarded properly
• Poor of communication:
• does not make it clear consequently receives inappropriate information
• written report in barely legible handwriting
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COMMUNICATION
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COMMUNICATION
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COMMUNICATION
• Work Logging and Recording
• Integrated Maintenance Information System (IMIS)
• Improve maintenance capability
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COMMUNICATION
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COMMUNICATION
• Dissemination of Information
Poor dissemination of information was judged to have been a contributory
factor to the Eastern Airlines Flight 855 accident in 1983. The NTSB accident report
stated: 7204 [master chip detector installation procedures, including the fitment of
O-ring seals]
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
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COMMUNICATION
• Dissemination of Information
“On May 17, 1983, Eastern Air Lines issued a revised work card 7204 [master chip
detector installation procedures, including the fitment of O-ring seals].… the material
was posted and all mechanics were expected to comply with the guidance. However,
there was no supervisory follow-up to insure that mechanics and foremen were
incorporating the training material into the work requirements… Use of binders and
bulletin boards is not an effective means of controlling the dissemination of
important work procedures, especially when there is no accountability system in place
to enable supervisors to ensure that all mechanics had seen the applicable training and
procedural information.”
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8. Human Error
Human Factors and Safety Management Systems
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Human Error
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Human Error
• Humans we make mistakes. No matter how we try, that will never
change!
• However, as aviation maintenance personnel you must take the proper
steps to minimize error.
• It is a matter of safety! It is also a matter of pride in your work and a
matter of cost control for your company.
• To minimize error, it is necessary to understand error.
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Human Error
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Human Error
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Human Error
• SLIP: An error in EXECUTING the steps of a task
• Example: The mechanic knows how to install a pump, but turns the wrench too hard and breaks a fitting.
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Human Error
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Human Error
• Skill-, Rule- and Knowledge-Based Behaviors
and Associated Errors
Wrong part 8%
Omission 56%
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#Ref.: ICAO Human Factors Circular 12 -Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance Digest
Human Error
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Human Error
• Reason’s Model of Accident Causation: “Swiss Cheese” model
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Human Error
• Reason’s Model of Accident Causation: “Swiss Cheese” model
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Human Error
• A concept of accident causation
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Avoiding and Managing Errors
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Avoiding and Managing Errors
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Avoiding and Managing Errors
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Avoiding and Managing Errors
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The Dirty Dozen
• Developed by Transport Canada (Gordon Dupont) in the early
1990’s
• List of 12 contributing factors to error
• Poster for each of the 12 factors
• Shows the contributing factor using a cartoon format
• Suggests ways of preventing the factor from contributing to error
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The Dirty Dozen
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Lack of Communication
• Caption says "I guess day shift can finish
screwing on the panel." Lack of communication
is depicted as the worker is going to leave the
panel of an aircraft unfinished without
communicating this to the next worker in any
written or verbal form, assuming that the next
worker knows which part of the aircraft is left
unfinished.
• Use logbooks to communicate, to remove doubt.
• Discuss work to be done and what has been
completed to the one taking over from you.
• Never assume anything, always check. 70
Complacency
• Caption says "I've looked back there 1,000 times and
never found anything wrong." Complacency is depicted
whereby a maintenance personnel has finished signing an
inspection sheet whilst telling himself that he has checked
at the aircraft part a thousand times without ever finding
anything wrong; This is despite the fact that a component
of the aircraft has a spoilt cable. Hence, by performing a
routine task over and over again, overconfidence due to
increasing proficiency could lead to complacency setting in
and errors in judgment can appear.
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Distraction
• Caption says "Hey, Your wife is on the phone."
Distraction is depicted as the personnel is informed of
an urgent call from his wife, hence taking him away
from focusing on his job which could potentially lead
to errors later as his concentration has been affected.
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Lack of Teamwork
• Caption says "I thought you wanted him to turn left
right here!" Lack of teamwork in which two marshallers
are trying to guide an aircraft in opposite directions
shows a fundamental lack of cooperation and
communication which are essential in performing
certain difficult tasks especially when more people are
involved.
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Fatigue
• Caption says "I'm glad this double shift is over." Fatigue is
depicted with a maintenance personnel blissfully unaware
that he is reaching the end of the horizontal stabilizer as he
has become fatigued after working a double shift.
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Lack of Resources
• Caption says "We have nil stock of left skids so I guess this will have to
do." Lack of resources is depicted with a maintenance personnel standing
in front of a helicopter with two different components; a float on the left
and a skid on the right; obviously one of the essential parts is insufficient
and he has fixed a totally different part on and still wants the helicopter to
continue to fly. Hence, there are times when there a lack of resources, a
decision must be made not to fly for safety’s sake.
• Know all available parts sources and arrange for pooling or loaning.
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Lack of Assertiveness
• Caption says "Listen, I own the aircraft and I say it's not a
bad leak!" Lack of assertiveness is shown with the
maintenance personnel being badgered by the owner of the
aircraft and not asserting himself and backing down by
telling him that the plane is indeed suffering from a bad oil
leak. Hence by allowing himself to be intimidated and not
speaking up, it could potentially lead to an accident.
• If it's not critical, record it in the journey log book and only
sign for what is serviceable.
• Ask others if they can see any problem with the work done
by checking periodically to ensure correct work procedures.
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Norms
• Caption says "Never mind the Maintenance Manual. Its
quicker the way we do it here." Norms are depicted
with a forklift used to install a jet engine demonstrating
how this procedure was conducted at this maintenance
facility, that even though it is a flawed manner has
become a norm as the majority performs in this way.
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SUMMARY
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9. Hazard in the Workplace
Human Factors and Safety Management Systems
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Hazard in the Workplace
Recognizing and Avoiding Hazards
• Potential Hazards in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
• very bright lights (e.g. from welding);
• very loud sounds (Hangar, Apron, Power Plant Testcell);
• confined or enclosed areas (Fuel Tank);
• working at significant heights (Docks, Platforms, ’Cherry Picker’);
• harmful substances (liquids, fumes, etc.);
• excessive temperature (i.e. too cold or too hot);
• Taxiing and towing of aircrafts
• Propeller and Jet-wash
Chapter 5 “Physical Environment” 84
Hazard in the Workplace
Recognizing and Avoiding Hazards
These points are at the top of the accident statistics
at maintenance companies.
• The head tossed against the engine cowling...
• Tripping of a platform, ladder or dock...
• Various cuts in the hand palm (e.g. working
with sheet metal)...
• Hydraulic fluid irritates the eyes…
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Hazard in the Workplace
Responsibilities
Safety at work is the responsibility of two parties namely the employer and the
employee.
• The Employer
• The employer must recognize potential hazards. If possible, he must remove
them or limit them.
• In addition, he must inform the employees about them though suitable
instructions or notices, and provide the necessary aid and protection.
• The employee
• The employee must report hazards when he sees them, take note of safety
information and make use of the safety measures provided.
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Hazard in the Workplace
Warning Signs
To be effective warnings signs must:
• clearly identify the hazard(s);
• describe the danger (i.e. electric shock, radiation, etc);
• inform employees what to do or not to do.
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Hazard in the Workplace
Dealing with Emergencies
The basic actions in an emergency are to:
1) Stay calm and assess the situation 3) Assess all casualties to the best of ones
• Observe what has happened; abilities (especially if one is a qualified
• Look for dangers to oneself and others; first aider)
• Never put oneself at risk. 4) Call for help
2) Make the area safe • Call for local emergency equipment
• Protect any casualties from further (e.g. fire extinguisher);
danger; • Call for emergency services
• Remove the danger if it is safe to do so; (ambulance or fire brigade, etc.).
• Be aware of ones own limitations (e.g. 5) Provide assistance as far as one feels
do not fight a fire unless it is practical to competent to.
do so). 89
Hazard in the Workplace
Risk Assessment
How to assess the risks in your workplace just follow the five steps:
• Identify the hazards
• Decide who might be harmed and how
• Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution
• Record your findings and implement them
• Review your assessment and update if necessary
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Summary
• There are special physical hazards surrounding us all in the aviation world.
Most of these hazards are outside the experience of most people.
• Bringing them to attention and outlining their risks and protective
measures greatly reduces the probability of accidents.
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