Human Factors

1. Human Factors Why do we make mistakes at work? What is the mistake in this picture and why do you think it happend?

2. It is important for employees and workers to understand why humans make mistakes. • If we understand why we make mistakes we can then figure out ways to prevent them from happening. • Employers are starting to understand that spending money on preventing mistakes (training) instead of dealing with mistakes will save money in the long run. • The transportation industry has come up with a training system called “Human Factors”, also referred to as the “Dirty Dozen”. • All twelve factors are categorized by lack of or abundance of. (To Little/To Much)

3. Potential Mistake Safety nets Mistake happened

4. 1. Communication • There are a couple of communication issues. One is the failure of workers to exchange important information such as safety issues. Other issues are the failure to communicate how to do a specific job, which can create mistakes.

5. 2. Complacency • Complacency is when someone becomes overconfident and starts to lose awareness of dangers or steps involved with a procedure.

6. 3. Knowledge • If you lack training and experience, you are not likely to get good results. You cannot expect to be good at driving just by reading the proper references and looking at pictures. Practice and training are essential.

7. 4. Distraction • Noise, temperature, lighting, and co-workers and many other factors can be distracting. Ensure that you do not allow outside distractions to take your attention off the task at hand.

8. 5. Teamwork • The more people working together the more difficult teamwork becomes to maintain. It is important to watch out for other employees and for other employees to watch out for you. Teamwork will make work easier, safer and faster if done correctly.

9. 6. Fatigue • When you are tired or stressed, you will not be able to pay full attention to the task at hand. Visually do repetitive tasks can contribute to fatigue. If you find you are getting tired or losing concentration, you may need to take a short break or change tasks for a short time.

10. 7. Resources • Resources include items such as manuals, tools, lighting, benches and any other thing that aids you in your task. Attempting to get good results with poor resources is difficult, if not impossible. Ensure you have all the tools you require for a specific job before starting a task.

11. 8. Pressure • Pushing too hard and trying to work to fast can produce as many bad results as complacency. Work at a steady and comfortable pace, within reason. It is better to produce good steady results than a huge amount of poor results.

12. 9. Assertiveness • Assertiveness is the ability to speak up or bring forward problems or issues. If you see an unsafe condition you must bring it up to your boss or supervisor. Failing to do so is considered lack of assertiveness and can lead to people getting hurt or a job being done incorrectly.

13. 10. Stress • Stress is a humans mental response to being overworked or overwhelmed with duties or tasks. Stress is created mentally by yourself and can only be managed by yourself.

14. 11. Awareness • Being unaware of new types of unsafe dangers or how to perform a task can lead to injuries or poor workmanship. It is important to be trained, and aware of what you are looking for and where to find it.

15. 12. Norms • Norms is short for normal. It is “the way things are always done” and can turn into complacency and mistakes. Typically norms are unwritten and are agreed upon by the majority of workers. A norm becomes less and less controlled over time and will eventually turn into negative norms.

16. The Dirty Dozen Lack of:Abundance of: Communication Pressure Resources Stress Assertiveness Norms Awareness Fatigue Teamwork Distraction Knowledge Complacency