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Human Factors

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) definition is "Human factors refer to environmental, organisational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics, which influence behaviour at work in a way which can affect health and safety". A simple way to view human factors is to think about three aspects: the job, the individual and the organisation and how they impact on people’s health and safety-related behaviour. This definition includes three interrelated aspects that must be considered: the job, the individual and the organisation.

In other words, human factors are concerned with:

  • what people are being asked to do (the task and its characteristics)
  • who is doing it (the individual and their competence)
  • where they are working (the organisation and its attributes),

all of which are influenced by the wider societal concern, both local and national.

We all make decisions and take actions at work that make sense to us at that specific time and in that particular circumstance. Our decisions and actions will depend on our knowledge, our skills, our experience, the information available to us, the focus of our attention and our goals at that time. We all make errors, and break rules no matter how well trained, experienced and motivated we are to do something right. Whilst human error can directly cause an accident, people tend not to make an error deliberately.  Human error is normal and predictable. Which is why it must be addressed when drafting a risk assessment, designing laboratory experiments, after an incident has occurred, when designing and/or adapting a workspace including offices.

 

 

Risk assessments

 A risk assessment is a legal requirement under Section 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Supervisors must ensure that they proactively identify workplace hazards, including the risks posed by human factors, and implement control measures to protect employees, visitors, and contractors from harm.  

It is quite wrong to believe that telling people to take more care is the answer. While it is reasonable to expect people to pay attention and take care whilst at work, study or undertaking teaching and/or research, relying on this is not enough to control the risk.  

We imagine people do not make mistakes, follow procedures and are working in ideal conditions.  Thinking ahead about human factor risks and planning to mitigate them is more effective than waiting for problems to occur and then trying to fix them after the event.  We can learn from past incidents and use them to tailor a risk assessment.

 

Plan Do Check Act

Human factors interventions will not be effective if they consider these aspects in isolation. The scope of what we mean by human factors includes organisational systems and is considerably broader than traditional views of human factors/ergonomics. Human factors can, and should, be included within a good safety management system and so can be examined in a similar way to any other risk control system. The Plan-Do-Check-Act management cycle is just as applicable to human factors issues as to other areas.

® Plan ® Do ® Check ® Act ®

Plan

·         identify key problem areas or issues for human factors in your workplace (talk to staff and their representatives, look at accident and near miss reports, look at risk assessments); prioritise these issues.

·         allocate resources.

·         identify expertise.

·         develop possible solutions or action plans (consider people, their tasks, the work environment and organisational attributes).  

·         encourage staff and other people with a stake in the changes to participate in planning and solution development.

Do

·         raise awareness of the issues and gain acceptance for the changes. implement solutions.

·         involve staff and their representatives.

·         communicate about the actions and successes.

Check

·         evaluate the effectiveness of actions by asking for the opinions of staff and their representatives.

·         check relevant data sources.

·         observe relevant activities.

Act

·         if the situation is not satisfactory then identify possible reasons.

·         identify alternative steps.

·         encourage participation to solve the situation.

 

Guidance

HSD have produced guidance on – Considerations when drafting risk assessments – although this mainly focuses on laboratory tasks, the advice can be used when drafting all risk assessments.

For example.

Fatigue results in slower reactions, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness, decreased awareness, lack of attention, underestimation of risk and reduced coordination. Fatigue can lead to errors, accidents, ill-health and injury.

Things that could be considered in your risk assessment that may help to manage this:

  • Have you considered working time limitations and task variations?
  • Has the need for regular short breaks to stay hydrated been included?
  • How is the need for a restful sleep schedule before commencing work monitored?
  • Have eating balanced meals to maintain steady energy levels been considered?

 

Further Information

Primary Legislation

  • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Key Health & Safety Contacts

For Advice and Assistance at Queen Mary, contact the H&S Manager / Advisor for your Faculty / PS  or the subject lead at http://www.hsd.qmul.ac.uk/contact-us/

All H&S staff can be contacted via the help desk at hs-helpdesk@qmul.ac.uk

 

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