Introduction to human factors
Three definitions
Human factors, human performance and safety, each as ICAO puts it.
ICAOHuman factors is concerned with the application of what we know about human beings, their abilities, characteristics and limitations, to the design of equipment they use, environments in which they function and jobs they perform.
The equipment they use The environments they function in The jobs they perform
ICAOThe human part of system performanceHuman performance refers to how people perform their tasks. HP represents the human contribution to system performance.
ICAO Annex 19Not zero risk: an acceptable levelThe state in which risks associated with aviation activities, related to, or in direct support of the operation of aircraft, are reduced and controlled to an acceptable level.
The Swiss cheese model
On latent safety issues. James Reason’s model, as ICAO’s Safety Management Manual, Doc 9859, draws it.
In the system well before any damaging outcome, and they may lie dormant for a long time.
Created by people far removed in time and space from the event: poor equipment or procedural design, conflicting organisational goals, management decisions, a lack of safety culture.
Actions or inactions, including errors and violations, with an immediate adverse effect.
Mostly at the front line: pilots, air traffic controllers, engineers.
The local rationality principle
Why people do what they do. It comes back in HUM 002, under situational awareness.
Dekker, 2006People are doing reasonable things given their point of view and focus of attention; their knowledge of the situation; their objectives and the objectives of the larger organization they work for.