Human Factors & Risk Perception Discussion Event With Joe Cook, Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist from the UK

Notice:  This event now requires registration

TITLE:  Human Factors and Risk Perception/Risk-taking Behavior

SPEAKER: Joe Cook, Chartered Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist, Tata Steel Europe, UK

VENUE: Ergosquad, SpaceCo Business Solutions, Inc., 2107 Elliott Ave, Suite 306 (in the building that hosts Cost Plus World Market), Seattle, WA, 98121

DATE: Tuesday, July 18^th, 5:30 PM (Free Beverages and Snacks)

The British Health and Safety Executive require Human Factors practices to be implemented as a part of the “Control of Major Accident Hazards” (COMAH) regulations. As a Top-tier COMAH regulated site, Tata Steel Strip Products (UK) are working to embed best practice with regard to Human Factors in order to be compliant, but also because it is seen to be able to deliver positive results in terms of Health and Safety as a whole.  The main focus for Tata at this point is to ensure that their employees who are responsible for controlling major hazards are as reliable as they need to be in order to keep the plant operating safely. To do this, Tata incorporates Human Failure analysis into their major risk assessment process, and further tie in with competence and training elements. At present, Tata is well on with their Human Failure Analysis programme, and the competence assurance process is closely tied to their major on site risks.  Although it has made good progress in the Process Safety sphere, there are potential opportunities for Human Factors methods to further improve our safety performance in other areas.

In addition to sharing recently completed work on a pilot risk perception study as well as Human Failure Analysis/competence assurance methods, Joe would be particularly interested to hear from anybody who has any experience in any of the following areas.

• Understanding Risk Perception/Risk Taking behaviors, and using this understanding to alter training or working methods for certain individuals or groups.
• Integration of Human Factors at early stages in design as currently we struggle to get our designers to consider it early and fully enough.
• Understanding and designing for violations. Especially if any companies are/have implemented positive methods of managing procedural violations to prevent them re-occurring.
• Overhead Gantry crane drivers, (or any crane driver really) maximum working times, best practices to keep concentration/performance levels high.
• Using Human Factors/psychology methods to alter people’s typical ways of working – particularly with hand tools.