All organisations involve people in some way.  One issue that this brings is that all people make mistakes, forget things, get distracted, break rules and generally fail.  Human Factors helps us understand how people fail, the potential consequences of failure and how the associated risks can be reduced.

The design of modern control rooms has benefited a great deal from ergonomics and resulted in working environment, furniture and human-machine interfaces that are more consistent with the needs of the people who work in them.  However, focusing on these factors can lead designers to assume that using the latest technology and following the most up to date standards will result in a successful control room.  This overlooks the fact that a control room is only a component in a complex system where people and equipment come together to control that system. 
This paper explores the fact that any project developing a new or upgraded control room can have a significant impact on a wide range of human factors.  It considers the role of the operator, taking into account the reality of what actually happens in the control room.  It identifies how these activities can cause harm, both to the health and safety of the operator; and through the failure to control major hazards and process risks.  It describes a number of techniques that can provide some structure and assistance in carrying out these assessments.  Also, it suggests a number of areas where specific attention is required to control the risks of control room operations.

What is wrong with training systems?

Companies have invested a great deal of time and effort into training over the years, and it is not the intention here to say that this has all been wasted.  However, unless training is closely linked to a competence system the chance are that the fundamental requirements of the business may not be met because the training provided may not be what is required and/or the cost of that training may be greater than the benefit achieved.

There are a lot of issues that relate to staffing levels and how individuals work as teams.  However, it can be difficult to discuss them as abstract ideas. 

Using an analogy based on 'tug of war,' a number of staffing and teamwork scenarios are discussed. Can bigger teams always achieve more than smaller ones?  Does everyone have to be hands on?  How do technical and engineering solutions fit in?

One of the challenges facing companies, particularly those dealing with major hazards, is deciding whether they have enough people to operate safely? This is a difficult question to answer and is rarely purely about the number of people.  Put simply, having a small number of competent people who can work well together is usually better than having more, less competent people.

I think everyone is familiar with procedures, but do we really know what they are?  Dictionary definitions vary, but they typically suggest a procedure is:

• A manner of proceeding; a way of performing or effecting something.
• A series of steps taken to accomplish an end.
• A set of established forms or methods for conducting the affairs of an organised body such as a business, club, or government.

Interestingly none of the definitions refer to written documents. However, in practice it is generally accepted that a procedure is written in a way that describes a task method.

Although people often want to eliminate risk, this is simply not possible.  Instead it is important we understand the risk we undertake, put sensible controls in place and then make a conscious decision about whether we are happy to accept the risks that remain.  This is what we call risk management.

Much of Andy's experience has been within the oil, gas and chemical industries.  The major accident hazards that these handle pose particular challenges to managing risks because whilst when accidents do occur they can be catastrophic, they only occur infrequently.

Andy's expertise with addressing the risks of major accident hazards include

Qualitative assessment

• Quantified assessment
• Safety reports and cases
• Emergency planning
• Human factors
• Fault and event trees
• Bow tie analysis
• Plant design evaluation

• Incident analysis
• Policies

Although he hasn't followed a traditional path to health and safety, it has been an element in much of Andy's work.  In fact he has developed a website to specifically describe his approach to health and safety.  You can access it at www.simplesensiblesafety.co.uk

Andy's specific health and safety expertise includes:

• Risk assessment
• Risk managementManagement systems
• Policies and procedures
• Audit and review
• Legal compliance
• Ergonomics
• Permit to work systems
• Incident analysis

Andy has passed the National General Certificate from the National Examining Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)