The Ergonomist Nov-Dec 2016

THE

No. 556 | Nov-Dec 2016

Ergonomist Bringing human factors to life

ergonomics.org.uk

TIME TRAVELLING Improving experience by connecting experts 6

THE TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

SETTING STANDARDS Helping organisations become humancentred 8

INTUITIVE INTERACTIONS Using gestures to control technology

Cover__The Ergonomist 1

How Network Rail is changing with the times

30

13/10/2016 12:11

Boost your recruitment JHTWHPNU ^P[O V\Y ZWLJPHS VќLY [V ÄUK [OL ILZ[ JHUKPKH[LZ )VVR H YLJY\P[TLU[ HK]LY[PZLTLU[ in The Ergonomist HUK ^L ^PSS PUJS\KL H KPNP[HS HK]LY[PZLTLU[ VU www.ergonomics.org.uk/jobs/ for no extra charge For more information please contact Emma Phillips on 020 7880 7556 or email emma.phillips@redactive.co.uk

“We had a good response from this website and filled our vacancy by advertising here.The calibre of applicants was good relevant.” and very relevant.

RICA

Ergonomics.org.uk receives an average of...

11,000 monthly users

85,000 4mins 53seconds page views

session duration

Place your job here to be seen by the widest pool of potential candidates

IFC__The Ergonomist 2

13/10/2016 15:58

No. 556 | November - December 2016 / 3

Contents The magazine of The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors

14

NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS 6/ Transport Improving travellers’ experiences with the help of the Transport Systems Catapult

27/ Book reviews The first new books for 2017 are making an appearance

10/ Perspectives Thoughts and comment on news and issues

28/ Journal extracts Research into human activity from exercise to firefighting

12/ A day in the life Personal experiences of an expert witness

30/ Technology Using human gestures to control technology

APPLIED ERGONOMICS AND HUMAN FACTORS

CIEHF NEWS

6

14/ Aviation How natural human reactions might jeopardise safety

30

ergonomics.org.uk

Contents__The Ergonomist 3

32/ Member Q&A A Jamaican PhD student talks about her experiences 33/ Education How CIEHF is helping career changers

17/ Healthcare Using human factors to assist safe movement of patients

The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors Elms Court, Elms Grove Loughborough, LE11 1RG 07736 893350 www.ergonomics.org.uk

26/ Manufacturing Workplaces need not change to maintain success

RESEARCH MATTERS

8/ Standards How ISO27500 helps organisations become human-centred

18/ Transport How Network Rail is changing with the times

22/ Australian perspective A view of human factors over a hugely varied landscape

34/ Events Learn, meet others and be inspired at local and national events

22 EDITORIAL Editor: Tina Worthy 07736 893350 editor@ergonomics.org.uk

ADVERTISING Ben Nelmes 020 7880 6244 ben.nelmes@redactive.co.uk

Senior lead designer: Carrie Bremner Senior picture editor: Claire Echavarry

PRODUCTION Aysha Miah-Edwards 020 7880 6241 aysha.miah@redactive.co.uk

PUBLISHERS Redactive Publishing Ltd 17 Britton Street London, EC1M 5TP 020 7880 6200 www.redactive.co.uk

©2016 The Ergonomist is the bimonthly magazine of The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors. The views expressed in The Ergonomist are not necessarily the views of the Institute. Publication does not imply endorsement. Publication of advertisements in The Ergonomist is not an endorsement of the advertiser or of the products and services.

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:32

4 / Advertisements

8 - 9 December 2016 | IET London: Savoy Place

SEMINAR & WORKSHOP

SIL 2016

THE 11TH INTERACTIVE EVENT ON PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS AT ACHIEVING SAFETY INTEGRITY LEVELS Update your understanding of IEC 61508, IEC 61511 and other standards pertaining to safety-related systems. Event highlights include: An interactive session giving you the chance to contribute to Edition 3 of IEC 61508 Case studies including Eurotunnel and autonomous car safety standards An introduction to the new IET Code of Practice for Competence of Safety-Related Systems Practitioners

New guidance on SIL Determination from the Energy Institute Software Proven-in-Use - New Requirements in IEC TS 61508-3-1 Emerging issues and challenges in safety systems for nuclear new build Our programme of expert speakers includes representatives from Atkins, the Environment Agency, Eurotunnel, Hitachi Information Control Systems Europe Ltd, Horiba Mira Ltd and Siemens.

See the full programme and book your place at www.theiet.org/sil Supported by

Media Partners

#IETsafety The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No. 211014) and Scotland (No. SC038698).

MEDICAL DEVICES USABILITY CONSULTANT VACANCY Cambridge Design Partnership are proud to help our global Healthcare clients to develop new products that improve treatment outcomes and patients’ lives.

We are looking for an experienced medical devices usability consultant to join the team. The role offers a fantastic opportunity to work alongside CDP’s cross disciplinary medical devices innovation team and the successful applicant will have an essential role in the growth and evolution of our usability services at this exciting time.

With our purpose-built user research & prototyping facilities, we offer an exciting and challenging working environment alongside considerable opportunities for personal development a competitive salary & benefits.

We need someone who can demonstrate experience of: Applying human factors methodologies to safety critical products, ideally with experience of regulated healthcare products however experience in similar industries is also appropriate; Designing, implementing, moderating and reporting formative and validation studies with lay and professional end users, using internal and external resources; and Translating research into regulatory documentation

We need someone who has: A 1st or 2:1 degree in Product Design, Engineering, Human Factors, Psychology or related field; Excellent presentation and communication skills Commercial awareness and willingness and ability to travel nationwide and overseas (essential) Experience of any the following would be an advantage: User and stakeholder needs research and the translation of this research into input requirements and/or human-centred device concepts; Interaction and/or experience design of physical objects, screenbased interfaces, systems & services

If you feel you have the skills and personal qualities to succeed in this role or for further information please contact recruitment@cambridge-design.co.uk

+44(0)1223 264428 recruitment@cambridge-design.co.uk www.cambridge-design.co.uk

Cambridge Design resized HPH.indd 1

30/09/2016 12:27

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Display__The Ergonomist 4

13/10/2016 14:15

Editorial / 5

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Finding opportunity in changing times T

here have been many major developments in the UK over recent months which present both challenges and opportunities to our members and our discipline.

Whilst nobody knows at this time what Brexit means in practice, it is clear that there are implications for research funding and collaboration with EU partners. A number of important human factors and ergonomics research programmes may be in jeopardy, or may not now include UK-based researchers and establishments. The CIEHF will look to lobby the government through its membership of CaSE, the Campaign for Science and Engineering, and the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, to maintain funding for important human factorsrelated research across all sectors.

The government’s decision to go ahead with Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear power plant for a generation, should however, provide good opportunities for ergonomists and human factors specialists for some time. The plant has a projected lifetime of 60 years and an estimated construction cost of £18 billion. This makes it one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects and the integration of human factors and ergonomics principles throughout the design, construction and operation of the plant is paramount.

According to Construction Enquirer, 25,000 job opportunities will be created over the lifetime of the project. I expect to see over the coming years many articles and papers on how CIEHF members have contributed to the safe and efficient design and operation of this facility.

FROM THE EDITOR

Extending our horizons Welcome to the first issue of our bright, extended and relaunched magazine, redesigned and published by our new membership communications partner, Redactive Media Group. The majority of the content is provided by our members, who gather and edit information for us, report on their latest work or give their views and opinions.

In this issue we feature news of the launch of a standard, BS ISO 27500 The Human-centred Organisation, which incorporates ergonomics and human factors knowledge and techniques to help businesses become human-centred organisations and act in

ergonomics.org.uk

Editorial__The Ergonomist 5

socially responsible ways.

Two articles feature news and opinion from the transport sector. Dr Donough Wilson argues technology must be used more to help eradicate issues that bring about the human ‘fight-or-flight’ response in pilots during emergency situations if aviation is to remain an ‘ultra-safe’ method of travel.

Michelle Nolan-McSweeney looks at the challenges facing a company the size, scale and complexity of Network Rail in transforming itself into a better performing organisation.

In healthcare, Oxford University researcher Antonia Burt describes a

Dr Ian Randle CIEHF President ian.randle@hu-tech.co.uk @IanRandleHuTech

Brexit has implications for human factors research funding

simple human factors method that allows analysis of the complex issue of patient transfer from one environment to another.

On a more personal note, you can read about a day in the life of an expert witness and the views of a human factors specialist working in Australia’s defence industry.

With journal extracts, news, event details and more, we hope you enjoy reading this issue.

If you would like to contribute to this magazine or have ideas for future content that showcases the societywide applications and benefits of ergonomics and human factors, please contact me.

Tina Worthy editor@ergonomics.org.uk @ciehf

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:34

6 / News and current affairs | Transport

Is transport truly human focused?

The Transport Systems Catapult (TSC) is the UK’s centre for innovation and technology development with the primary aim of supporting UK industry, jobs and growth in the transport sector. Jamie Chan-Pensley is a Principal Technologist at the TSC and explains here how the organisation brings experts and businesses together to improve the transport user experience.

As the requirements for transport providers evolve with new technologies, understanding and improving the experience of those using transport is becoming an increasingly important area.

According to the Transport Systems Catapult’s recent Traveller Needs and UK Capability Study, which included the travel experiences of 10,000 transport users in the UK, 75% of travellers currently experience ‘pain points’ along their journeys, pointing to a historic lack of focus on this area.

This has reinforced the importance of understanding user needs and wants when improving the transport network, and bought into focus human factors and human-centred design as important areas within the industry.

In an effort to address these issues, the TSC’s current strategy includes the development of the Intelligent Mobility Centre for Human-Centric Design (IM CHCD). The centre combines capabilities, expertise, processes, products and services which collectively could not be realised and maintained by any one organisation alone, and includes areas such as smart ticketing and driverless cars.

We are able to do this because

we develop collaborations between organisations across the UK, helping build stronger links between transport stakeholders across academia, industry and public organisations. The TSC is an independent and impartial body, ideally positioned to co-ordinate the joint effort of multiple organisations in this way. We are already helping to ensure that the transport solutions CENTRE FOR HUMAN-CENTRIC DESIGN

SME TRANSPORT TECH

of the future are human-centred by maintaining usability, quality, consistency and safety.

To that end, the CHCD is aiming to set the standard for human-centred design in the transport sector. It will comprise members from across UK, including special interest groups, academia, transport companies, technology companies and small and medium-sized enterprises. It will ensure that appropriate standards, certification and guidance are adhered or referred to and, where necessary, developed.

Connecting experts to the transport industry

ACADEMIA

SIG

The CHCD aims to help increase the visibility of human factors and human-centred design throughout the transport industry by linking UK-based companies to UK experts.

One of the key mechanisms by which this will be done is through the development of a UK capability matrix. This provides a breakdown of the expertise, knowledge, resources

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

News - Transport catapult__The Ergonomist 6

13/10/2016 11:34

Transport / 7

75%

of travellers currently experience ‘pain points’ along their journeys Linking UK capabilities

and capacity of organisations, to help the industry understand what the UK has to offer. It has the potential to strengthen bids, proposals, projects and solutions through collaboration, which will benefit UK industry.

There is significant opportunity for human factors practitioners to help companies truly understand their problem spaces, highlight traveller needs and establish people-related requirements. This is where the CHCD will enable its members to link into opportunities to help provide a solution or highlight the touch points and areas where innovation is possible or needed.

IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES

Unlocking opportunities The TSC is currently working on a series of technology strategic roadmaps which point the way to a smarter, greener and more efficient transport system. Through research in the Traveller Needs and UK Capability Study (which underpins these roadmaps) we identified that two of the six key areas in which the

ergonomics.org.uk

News - Transport catapult__The Ergonomist 7

UK should focus efforts are travel behaviour and human-machine interaction design. These are two critical skills areas in which the UK has world class capability that should be supported and developed in order to create a better transport system for the travelling public.

Additionally, this is an opportunity for the human factors community to input into the direction of the work in this sector, along with defining thought leadership pieces and developing market intelligence and insights.

The TSC has a strong link to Innovate UK and, as a result, is in an excellent position to support Innovate UK funding competitions.

These are often focused competitions around particular development areas or problems, whereby there is investment for businesses to develop new products, processes and services with commercial potential to improve national productivity. This means that there will be greater opportunity for some excellent innovative collaborations to occur.

In addition to the capability matrix, the TSC is also developing a toolkit by bringing together the best techniques and approaches from academia, applied research and practitioners. This will help the industry to stay informed of the latest techniques and approaches to ensure that the best results are achieved and will build understanding of resources and equipment that could be made available.

For example, we have some excellent driving simulators across the UK, varying in fidelity. The TSC has developed a strong Augmented and Virtual Reality (VR) capability, which includes an omni-directional 360-degree treadmill, linked to the latest VR technologies, to help provide an engaging, multi-modal travel experience. This enabled the TSC to collaborate with the Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB) to develop a VR tool to simulate the experience of visually impaired travellers with a focus on wayfinding.

So what next?

We would be keen to work with all organisations (academic and commercial) with experience in human factors and human-centred design related fields to explore opportunities to build this unique UK asset. We would initially like to establish a steering committee for the UK CHCD and welcome nominations for contributors and members, with a kick-off session scheduled for November. Please contact chcd@ ts.catapult.org.uk for more details. •

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:34

8 / News and current affairs | Standards

How to become a human-centred organisation CIEHF Chief Executive, Stephen Barraclough, talks to Tom Stewart, a past President of the CIEHF and Deputy Chair of the Council for Work and Health, about the importance of workplace wellbeing and the introduction of a new ISO standard to enable organisations to become more ‘human-centred’.

Could you tell us about the new standard?

The new standard, BS ISO 27500 The Human-centred Organisation – Rationale and General Principles, was introduced in March 2016 by the British Standards Institute (BSI).

An earlier ergonomics and human factors standard, first published in 1999, on taking a human-centred approach to design and development has resulted in systems and products that are more usable.

The new standard applies similar principles to the whole organisation.

It is aimed at executive board members and explains the value and beliefs that make an organisation human-centred, the business and operational benefits that this may bring, and the policies they need to put in place to achieve this.

What was the reason for developing this new standard and what had gone before?

Even in the early days of computer technology and equipment, we recognised the need for guidance in order to enable safe, comfortable and productive use of this emerging

technology. As we all know, the pace of technological development in recent years has been rapid and has, in fact, overtaken the standards development process. Having seen the business benefits of making ergonomics and human-centred design mainstream, we recognised the need for a new standard aimed at making the whole of an organisation human-centred.

Why is a human-centred approach so important?

In today’s society human-centred design is embedded into everything we use, and everywhere we go – from medical devices to crowd control without many people even noticing.

So, what does it actually mean? Well, to take a human-centred approach to design is to follow a four step approach.

First, clearly identify and understand the target users. Second, use ergonomics and human factors best practice to create an initial design. Then test that design with people who represent the target users. Use feedback from the testing to improve the design and repeat the

cycle until the final design meets the requirements.

When applied to the whole organisation, the key is to understand what matters to people and creating the processes and structures which optimise wellbeing and performance.

This approach is particularly effective when it comes to managing health, safety and wellbeing.

Increasingly, organisations all around the world are recognising the benefits of taking a human-centred approach to management in adding real value and enhancing overall performance.

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

News ISO27500__The Ergonomist 8

13/10/2016 11:35

Standards / 9

m ISO 27500 is different. It presents the rationale and general principles of human-centeredness in a concise form for board members

SEVEN HUMAN-CENTRED PRINCIPLES

Seven principles According to BS ISO 27500, there are seven principles that characterise an organisation as human-centred:

1

Focus on uniqueness The first principle encourages businesses to capitalise on the individual differences employees bring rather than seeing them as a problem. By acknowledging that employees differ in their abilities and needs, employers can channel this information and benefit from it.

Make usability and accessibility objectives The second principle is to make usability and accessibility strategic business objectives. Using international standards and best practice, a humancentred organisation ensures that products, systems and services are accessible and importantly, usable by both employees and customers.

Adopt a total systems approach This principle ensures that the organisation recognises that its people are part of a wider system made up of many elements. It follows a socio-technical approach to both the design and implementation of new systems.

Prioritise wellbeing This pro-active principle has been set to ensure health, safety and wellbeing are business priorities, enabling the organisation to protect individuals from health, safety and wellbeing risks.

Value employees Valuing employees and creating a meaningful workplace are important elements of the standard.

The criteria are targeted at encouraging a shared organisational ‘vision’ and promoting employee recognition.

Be open and trustworthy This principle has been developed to encourage open and effective communication – including potentially difficult decisions – to ensure timely and sympathetic notifications are shared.

Be responsible The final principle encourages organisations to act in responsible ways; behaving ethically and instilling pride and confidence in its employees, customers and community.

2 What are the key elements of the new standard?

The standard itself describes the values and beliefs that make an organisation human-centred. It incorporates a wealth of ergonomics and human factors knowledge and techniques to set criteria that will help businesses capitalise on the growing human-centred trend. It is based on seven core principles.

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

What are the key benefits to an organisation taking this human-centred approach?

Human wellbeing is now widely recognised as an important economic measure to complement traditional measures of business output and therefore, success. At the heart of every company is the people it employs and business owners must take their social responsibility seriously.

There are clear benefits to businesses of all shapes and sizes to adopting BS ISO 27500. The standard sets out to improve workforce effectiveness by unifying the organisation towards a common goal. This approach will give workers

ergonomics.org.uk

News ISO27500__The Ergonomist 9

greater confidence and trust in the organisation they are employed by and are likely to feel more motivated in the job they do – all of which helps to reduce staff turnover and build a stronger workforce.

What is the likely impact on the responsibility of health and safety professionals?

One of the core principles of the standard is to ensure health, safety and wellbeing are business priorities.

This should be a proactive approach that goes beyond the minimum required by legislation, ensuring that the organisation takes the necessary steps to protect individuals from health, safety and wellbeing risks.

Health and safety professionals, who are often used to working across boundaries, could be best placed to encourage co-operative action and to take the lead.

Where can you get a copy of the standard?

Go to the BSI online shop, where you can buy a copy in PDF download or hard copy format. • Visit: http://bit.ly/2d28KEe

3

4 5 6 7

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:36

10 / News and current affairs | Perspectives

155

passengers and crew managed to evacuate the plane using the escape chutes

How human behaviour triumphed over potential catastrophe during the emergency landing of Flight 1549.

Losing thrust in both engines but still managing to land an aeroplane full of people on a narrow strip of water would be a pretty dramatic scenario.

But that’s exactly what happened on 15 January 2009. US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320, was forced to make an emergency landing just after take-off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

The Captain, Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, aided by First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, safely glided the plane onto the Hudson River after the failure of both engines following a series of bird strikes. All 155 passengers and crew managed to evacuate the plane using the escape chutes as it slowly sank into the river.

Injuries were minimal considering the severity of the impact, which ripped open a hole in the underside of the plane and twisted the fuselage.

The film ‘Sully’, adapted from Sullenberger’s memoir, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters and released on 9 September 2016, depicts the events of that day and the 18-month investigation that followed. Although Sullenburger was an advisor on the film, accident investigators were depicted more like prosecutors looking for an excuse to blame Sullenberger for the accident.

According to reports, Malcolm Brenner, a US National Transportation Safety Board specialist in human behaviour who was among the investigators who interviewed Sullenberger the day after the ditching, said he recalls being impressed with both pilots and how well they worked together in the middle of a crisis.

The decision-making of the flight

k Main: Passengers stand on the wings of a U.S. Airways plane as a ferry pulls up to it after it landed in the Hudson River in New York, January 15, 2009. Above: Captain, Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger.

Above right: The film ‘Sully’, released on 9 September 2016

crew, the performance of the cabin crew and the immediate response by the emergency services were all credited in the safe outcome of the incident in the report that followed.

Part of the investigation process was intended to find all possible failures that contributed to the crash.

The investigation board made safety recommendations to the government, industry, labour unions and aircraft makers in an attempt to prevent future accidents. Thirty-five safety recommendations were made as a result of the investigation.

The mayor of New York City at the time, Michael Bloomberg, presented the Keys to the City to the crew of Flight 1549. According to the NYC mayor’s website, he also gave Sullenberger a replacement copy of a library book lost on the flight, Just Culture: Balancing Safety and Accountability, by Sidney Dekker, a human factors and systems safety expert. •

IMAGES: REUTERS/SHUTTERSTOCK/WARNERS BROS

Plane sailing

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

News stories__The Ergonomist 10

13/10/2016 14:10

Perspectives / 11

The impact of security on usability We’ve all felt frustrated by the seemingly never-ending need to password-protect virtually everything we do online and every device we want to access. But what if those security measures were a matter of life or death?

That might sound a little dramatic but an interesting point it raised about medical devices and data security on the medical device industry blog Device Talk.

Whilst medical device manufacturers strive to develop products with sufficient integrity to ensure the security of the confidential data they transmit, sometimes this can mean that the device becomes cumbersome or difficult to use. In a healthcare setting, delays in acquiring data could have serious consequences for patient care. (See http://bit.ly/2cKZzrc).

This highlights the need for medical device manufacturers to ensure security measures in their devices are assessed for their impact on usability, taking into account how, where, by whom and in what circumstances the device will be used. •

ergonomics.org.uk

News stories__The Ergonomist 11

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S PERSPECTIVE

Sector focus

M

embers sometimes ask how together we can make the CIEHF a more influential, more widely respected, more visible force in work and society.

We do some remarkable things already, and look to punch above our weight.

But the question is something I put a good deal of thought into.

Strategically, we look to either partner with other bodies with similar interests where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (and we are starting to do this through organisation of joint events) or, in cases where we really want our brand, values and expertise to stand head and shoulders apart, then we act in our own right. But sometimes when we do this, and with the inevitability of the time taken up by the responsibilities that members already undertake in their own careers, we miss the boat, sometimes due to timing issues or sometimes by not being able to identify the right member at the right time.

It is clear that most effective would be to influence key leaders in each of the major sectors that the public recognise from news and politics: defence, healthcare, transport, energy and manufacturing. I think that the CIEHF would benefit tremendously from having individual members, each with recognised human factors expertise in these sectors who could lead, organise and galvanise working groups (member task groups, not Committees) who can deliver on projects, produce material and inspire

interest from others in a co-ordinated approach. The output of these groups can provide great opportunities for our PR partner, McOnie, to exploit, and also could provide content for this rejuvenated magazine.

In healthcare we currently have four individuals, rather than one, who aim to do this. Our new Manufacturing Sector Group was launched at our Human Factors in Manufacturing event in October thanks to the enthusiasm of Sarah Fletcher from Cranfield University.

I think these roles provide a tangible way in which to support the work of the CIEHF, and represent highprofile, influential, attractive roles for members. These should not be forever, and although we currently do not operate fixed terms for these roles, something like a three year term sounds about the right kind of time in which to make a real impression, and then step back, allowing the opportunity to fall to new blood.

I see these roles too providing a route to our Presidency, playing a wider part in the governance of the CIEHF. So, if you have respected expertise in the defence, energy or transport sectors, and you believe that you could put some time into leading one of these groups and helping us create a stronger, even more visible CIEHF that can make more of a difference, then please get in touch.

Steve Barraclough Chief Executive of the CIEHF s.barraclough@ergonomics.org.uk

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 14:11

12 / News and current affairs | A day in the life

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

AN EXPERT WITNESS Increasing interest in medical device design On 3 February 2016 the US Food and Drug Administration issued the final version of the guidance document, Applying Human Factors and Usability Engineering to Medical Devices.

Aligned with this is the International standard IEC 623661: 2015 ‘Medical devices - Part 1: Application of usability engineering to medical devices’. These documents help medical device developers follow appropriate human factors processes to maximise the likelihood that using medical devices will be safe and effective for the intended users, whoever they may be.

Responding to the increasing interest from members in this sector, the CIEHF organised a day of workshops on 23 September 2016, facilitated by Paula Wood from PA Consulting, Robin Ellis from RED Design Ergonomics, Greg Thay from Thay Medical and Jamie MacKrill from Dyson School of Engineering Design.

Activities focused on heuristic reviews of devices such as epi-pens and inhalers, with participants considering the issues found, how users make errors, and mitigations that could be put in place to ensure the safe and effective use of the device.

Personas and scenarios were introduced with further activities that focused on the potential uses of Google Glass.

Investigations were carried out into the type and depth of information that might be useful to those in a healthcare setting, such as surgeons, nurses and elderly patients.

Participants created low fidelity displays that might be useful to these different groups, through the use of wireframes.

Feedback from participants was very positive and further workshops are now being considered. •

John Ridd, Managing Partner of JRP Ergonomics, specialising in work and workplace design in relation to musculoskeletal disorders.

I

have worked as an ergonomics consultant for about 25 years, and over this time I have become increasingly involved in expert witness work. My experience and expertise is in musculoskeletal disorders, and so I am usually asked to give an ergonomics opinion in relation to the work activities of someone who has suffered some form of musculoskeletal injury. This normally relates to the back or limbs.

A day might involve a site visit to where the work was carried out or the accident happened. For me, this is one of the most interesting and enjoyable parts of the job, in that I regularly visit and observe environments and work activities that in some cases I would never even have realised existed and would certainly never had had the opportunity to explore were it not for being an expert witness. In the course of offering opinion in some 500 cases over the years, I have observed a wide range of activities which have necessitated visiting bank vaults, airports (airside and landside), restaurants (front of house and kitchens), abattoirs, farms, ships (from tugs

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

A day in the life__The Ergonomist 12

13/10/2016 14:11

IMAGES: ALAMY/GETTY IMAGES

A day in the life / 13

to high end yachts), building sites, hospitals, veterinary surgeries, retail outlets, jewellery manufacturers, refrigerated warehouses (at -25°C!), vehicle production lines (from high quality cars to trucks), and many more, even including the humble office. They all have fascinating aspects, and seemingly all would benefit from greater ergonomics input, regardless of the matters of the particular case under investigation at the time.

Then the work starts in preparing the ergonomics report, which might take a week to complete. This involves a forensic analysis of the work based on the case documents, relevant scientific research, regulations and guidance documents, culminating in an opinion as to whether, on the balance of probability, the work activity could be associated with the particular injury sustained.

Once the report is submitted I often have meetings with solictors and barristers in chambers to discuss the issues and gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the respective arguments, and therefore judging whether to take the matter to court or not.

Relatively infrequently, but sufficiently to keep me on my toes, I may need to attend court to give evidence and be cross-examined. Some consider this aspect to be exciting, others may be frightened by it, and some consider it an opportunity to take centre stage. If you have done a professional job and provided sincerely held opinions which are supported by the scientific evidence, then you can do little more, and your evidence should not be found wanting. One of the reasons I enjoy this work is that I know I have to make sustainable arguments which are usually going to be challenged, and it is that likelihood of intellectual jousting that demands a rigorously researched report in the first place.

Trials normally last from one to three days, but occasionally can be as long as several weeks, as the evidence of the various witnesses, both lay and expert (medical and technical), is tested in the witness box.

Occasionally the expert will identify an entirely plausible mechanism by which the claimant has become injured but this is not allowed in evidence because the solicitor had not identified this possibility in the ‘Particulars of Claim’. This is the lot of the ergonomist in all aspects of ergonomics and human factors, often first contacted at a stage when we can offer little more than a sticking plaster.

But I am pleased to say that in expert witness work some solicitors are now asking for advice at an early stage, although it is often only at the site inspection stage that the importance of these matters become evident.

Over the years expert witness work has gradually taken up more

There are currently relatively few ergonomists involved in this work, and those that are, are not getting any younger ergonomics.org.uk

A day in the life__The Ergonomist 13

k I have observed a wide range of activities which have necessitated visiting abattoirs, ships (from tugs to high end yachts), and vehicle production lines (from high quality cars to trucks), and many more

of my time, and this is for a number of reasons. Firstly, you begin to get known by solicitors and if you acquitted yourself well last time then they tend to come back for assistance on a further case. Secondly, because of the 2013 Jackson Reforms to the civil justice system there is more pressure on those involved to meet tight deadlines.

Thirdly, there are currently relatively few ergonomists involved in this work, and those that are, are not getting any younger. This is something that the CIEHF could help turn around, by investigating the delivery of training or support that will mean that ergonomics involvement in these cases can continue to make a significant difference to the outcome. If ergonomists are unable to do this then the technical input into these cases will likely come from engineers, physiotherapists and occupational health specialists. Whilst these professionals are eminently capable in their respective disciplines, many of the personal injury cases cannot be properly evaluated, nor suitable opinion offered, without experienced ergonomics knowledge. •

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 14:11

14 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Aviation

A caveman in the cockpit?

Why the real cockpit design challenges are those of human frailty – as much as human factors.

D

espite all other advances in flight safety, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control (LoC) continue to be the primary causes of loss of life in commercial aviation worldwide. But irrespective of other known underlying factors, I believe that the predominant causal issue is rooted in an ancient relict survival mechanism inherited from our primitive hunter-gatherer caveman ancestors, and over which no pilot has any control. The key, is linking that to other known aviation human factors; let’s look at one.

Humans evolved to be the moving element in a fixed and static environment. Whilst flying in clear skies, with a perfect, unrestricted view of the earth’s horizon all around the aircraft, there

are no contradictions to that evolved physiology.

The pilot and aircraft are clearly the moving elements in a fixed environment. However, in cloud, in extreme turbulence and heavy rain, when there are no physical fixed references of the outside world – the pilot is now the static, fixed element in a moving environment, and that environment may be moving quite violently in any of three dimensions. That is an alien environment for a human to work in.

Of course, with regular flight practice pilots cope, and unless there is a negative stressor of some form, flights progress without incident – as do the overwhelming majority of flights every day. Problems arise though, when negative stress arousal triggers the relict ‘fight or flight’ response – still present in every human alive today. When suddenly alarmed by an unexpected danger or event, catecholamine

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Applied HF - Avi__The Ergonomist 14

13/10/2016 11:39

IMAGES: ISTOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK

Aviation / 15

ergonomics.org.uk

Applied HF - Avi__The Ergonomist 15

hormones (which include adrenaline) flood into the bloodstream. When that happens to a pilot, progression to a disastrous outcome can be a very real possibility.

As part of the autonomous ‘fight or flight’ response, the mind’s ability to process information, to think, to extract and factor data from a variety of flight instruments, ceases; logical thought not being required when fighting to the death or running for one’s life.

So if a ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered at a critical point, a pilot can almost instantly revert to instinctive actions, which, if incorrect, can rapidly escalate to bewilderment, and ultimately to complete paralysis. I believe that immediately preceding a fatal LoC or CFIT, there is a serious conflict between the technical and cognitive requirements of the flight, and the deficiencies of a catecholamine-degraded pilot’s mental capability.

I have long argued that the design of flightdecks do not take any of that into account.

Flightdeck and flight instrumentation design philosophies tend to assume that the pilot is always capable of lucid thought. But when certain events conspire, that assumption could be wrong and that is why I propose totally new design strategies to specifically eradicate the ‘fight or flight’ issue. There is a myth which persists in aviation, that the pilot is necessary to take control should the technology go wrong. Yet, in the overwhelming majority of commercial aviation CFIT and LoC accidents, it wasn’t the technology that made the mistake, it was the pilot. That fact points to a radical new solution and with technologies currently emerging, it is a logical one. The solution is a more effective division of roles between the human and the machine, with the aircraft becoming a co-partner in the control and decision-making processes, with an interest – albeit artificial – in its own survival and the safe outcome of the flight.

The aircraft doesn’t get frightened, tired, or make mistakes, so it can process and factor data and information with 100% accuracy, and present it to the pilots, as it is needed, without requiring any mental modelling or cognitive manipulation, and in a form which cannot be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Commercial flight is a sequential ‘narrative’ based process, so the aircraft can monitor pilot performance and compliance against flight plan for each distinct phase, and identify any human error at an early point, and long before it becomes a critical, fatal factor.

Flightdeck and flight instrumentation design philosophies tend to assume that the pilot is always capable of lucid thought The big question is how to do it? Remarkably, the technology to drive that level of human/ machine interaction is emerging now, and I predict that the Internet-of-Things (IoT) will play a major role, with aircraft-wide cyberphysical networks exchanging information and monitoring performance through a totally independent, Intuitive Predictive Reactive Selective (IPRS) database-driven control system. ‘Smart’ embedded sensors and technologies throughout the aircraft interconnecting every system and sub-system with the IPRS – and external sources where needed – will keep the aircraft exactly on track and on the correct safe trajectory.

Human frailty cannot be countered by knowledge or training alone. Technology needs to be applied to address the issues – and IoT cyber-physical systems will make that possible.

We must design flightdecks which prevent even the most adverse weather conditions escalating to where a pilot reverts to being a caveman in the cockpit – otherwise CFIT and LoC will persist, and hundreds more people will needlessly lose their lives in commercial air disasters every year. • Dr Donough Wilson, Innovation Lead, VIVID/futureVision, design and innovation consultants

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:40

16 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | CIEHF event

Human Factors in

High Hazard Industries 6 December 2016 | London Doing more with less During a time when industry-wide efficiencies and cost-effective strategies are essential in ensuring that a business can continue to operate successfully, establishing the business case for human factors has never been more important.

organised by the CIEHF and the Energy Institute, and will demonstrate how human factors can be successfully applied to gain a competitive edge in the oil, gas, chemical and process industries.

Developing and maintaining a comprehensive human factors approach to safety performance is crucial to any business looking to uphold its competitive edge during challenging economic times. But how is this achieved?

This joint event featuring a programme of talks is

If you attend this conference you will learn and share ideas about:

The event also offers you the opportunity to:

● How companies can take advantage of the opportunities that these challenges present.

● Make new contacts across the highhazard sectors.

● How the sector can effectively utilise the next technological break-through. ● What other systems are in place across the hazardous industry sector that can drive change. ● How the sector can do things measurably differently and so establish the business case for human factors.

Dr Ian Randle, CIEHF’s President and Director of Hu-Tech Human Factors consultancy, will start the conference proceedings by discussing how human factors can make a real contribution in reducing operating costs.

● Add to your CPD record.

● Question the experts on the challenges you face surrounding human factors.

The programme offers the ideal opportunity, not just for professionals from the high-hazard industries, but for anyone who is interested in understanding more about human factors interventions in complex situations to learn from experts who have first-hand experience in reducing risk, improving efficiency, and driving-up safety performance standards.

Time will be specifically set aside for case studies and discussion focusing on the steps needed to drive change and build new business opportunities.

For more details and to book, go to www.energyinst.org/events/view/4798 The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

CIEHF event - High hazzard__The Ergonomist 16

13/10/2016 11:41

Healthcare / 17

Improving patient recovery Researcher Antonia Burt describes how a simple human factors method can be used to understand and describe the complexities of moving hospital patients from one area to another.

IMAGE: ISTOCK

A

patient has spent some time in intensive care but they have now recovered enough to be moved to a ward where they continue to be cared for. A dedicated team is assigned to monitor or ‘follow up’ the patient to aid their move.

However, the differences in the two environments could put the patient at risk if their condition deteriorates.

There are differences between the intensive care unit (ICU) and the ward in the amount of workspace available around the patient; the technology, tools and equipment available; and the number of competing tasks for staff, as well as the culture and management style.

The lack of continuous monitoring of

ergonomics.org.uk

Applied HF - Health__The Ergonomist 17

these ‘complex patients’ once they are on the ward, means it can be a challenge to bring together all the information needed to identify the early signs of decline.

A research project was carried out by researchers from Oxford University to design a device to assimilate and display patient information. The aim was to help staff identify, prioritise (through the use of a risk score) and get timely care to patients in order to improve patient outcomes, increase patient safety and reduce costs associated with delayed intervention.

Hierarchical task analysis (HTA) was one of the human factors methods chosen to assist in designing the user interface of the device, the means by which the device can display information and the person using it can interact with it. HTA is quick and simple to use and is ideal for

visualising and understanding the details of tasks as well as any variability.

The researchers observed nurses at three hospitals as they followed up patients discharged from intensive care.

The nurses then took part in semistructured interviews.

The researchers identified five main subtasks: 1) Organise day, 2) Prioritise patients, 3) Visit patient, 4) Review patient list to see which patient is next, 5) Update patient database.

HTAs were drawn up to provide a visual representation of the variability in follow up tasks. The tasks that showed the most variability included: b The method of prioritising post ICU patients b The number of competing tasks b The method of recording vital signs (digitally or hand-written) b The number of first day post-ICU patients seen b The use of significance indicators (yellow stars) on electronic records The design requirements for the device based on the findings of the research included: b To allow flexibility in ranking according to different criteria b To be able to easily switch between available displays b To show a patient’s risk score without the need for calculations by staff b To display the number of days a patient is post-ICU b To allow customisation of the significance indicator icon Many more design requirements were identified using other human factors tools during this project.

Hierarchical task analysis is a useful tool in a case such as this where complex tasks are carried out over multiple sites by multiple people. The method highlighted both the inter-site and intra-site differences between the three hospitals. It allowed task variability to be identified and transformed into design requirements. • Antonia Burt is a Human Factors Research Assistant at Oxford University based in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Her main focus is on designing user-centric computer interfaces.

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:41

18 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Transport

With passenger numbers expected to double in the next 25 years, Michelle Nolan-McSweeney explains the journey Network Rail is taking to ensure the delivery of structured, continuous improvement in safety and performance.

The transformation journey

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Applied HF - Rail network__The Ergonomist 18

13/10/2016 11:42

Transport / 19

IMAGES: NETWORK RAIL

B

ritain’s railways are currently the safest they have ever been. The progress of the last decade has been built on a shared commitment by industry leaders, managers, workers, trade unions, government and regulators to improve risk management. However, it is acknowledged that there is still room for improvement from a position where performance, in terms of safety, and operationally, still falls short of Network Rail’s ambitions. This is particularly true of workforce safety, and is the reason why transformation is not a choice, it is a necessity.

Network Rail is a large, complicated rail engineering organisation sitting within a complex industrial landscape which includes UK, European and devolved government bodies, regulators, train and freight operators, suppliers, trade unions, trade associations, and safety and passenger bodies. Given the geographical and functional breadth of its operations, the success or otherwise, of Network Rail to deliver structured, continuous improvement in safety and performance, depends on its ability to manage its socio and technical interactions effectively, both internally, and across the wider rail industry.

Passenger numbers are expected to double in the next 25 years, increasing demand on an already ageing infrastructure. This will also increase the need for technological transformation whilst still meeting the multiple objectives of safety, production and performance.

Transforming a company the size and scale of Network Rail is a huge undertaking, and the plan to make the changes can be captured under what the Chief Executive Officer has referred to as “the 5Cs”: b Customer focused; getting closer to train operator and freight operator customers, relentlessly focusing on giving them the quality of services they need. b Cost competitive; being cost conscious and finding innovative and new ways of working. b Commercial; no longer depending on tax payers to fund all the railway investments, and seeking private capital. b Culture; becoming an organisation that has a high performance culture, where people work collaboratively, strive for continuous improvement, where diversity and inclusion are at the core of behaviours, and where everyone feels able to perform at the limit of their own potential. b Capacity; addressing passenger (and freight) growth through increased capacity and connectivity.

Whilst the organisation’s safety leadership has strengthened and broadened to meet demand and balance conflicting goals in a complex and dynamic industry, Network Rail’s staff constantly have to make decisions requiring a continuous dialogue about how the system works, make trade-offs, and adapt to quickly changing situations as they arise.

There is little research on how an organisation that

ergonomics.org.uk

Applied HF - Rail network__The Ergonomist 19

faces an array of challenges in a complex and changing rail industry is able to develop a socio-technical system framework or model that can be applied in practice, particularly one that can complement established processes. It is essential that gaps are explored between ‘work as imagined’ in the formal rules and regulations, and ‘work as done’ in practice, to help promote and ensure the resilience of the system.

As part of my PhD, I am undertaking research and evaluation of the rail engineering socio-technical system, the outcome of which can feed into the 5Cs programme. I particularly want to see the system from the perspectives of the people who are part of it. Twenty three senior Network Rail executives, managers and key decisionmakers in the rail industry are being interviewed to develop a picture of the complexity of the rail industry from a range of perspectives.

In principle, socio-technical systems theory is quite simple. There are work or technical systems - work processes, task definitions, equipment and information flow - and there are social systems - the ‘people’ systems or culture that surround the work environment. The technical system and the social system are interdependent - each impacts on the other. It should then seem obvious that each should be designed along with the other. However, from the early analysis of the interview responses of a number of Executives / Senior Managers, these two systems appear to have been designed independently. Engineers have designed the flow of work, the use of assets, and defined how equipment will be used, maintained etc. The organisation of people, the structure, the systems of motivation, are designed by others who appear to have little appreciation for the demands of the work system.

The stated ambitions of Network Rail were reinforced by a number of interview participants, that is, a need for a matrix management structure and devolved route businesses operating within a national framework with empowered leaders able to focus more precisely on the needs of customers and take decisions faster, and innovate more effectively to achieve a more autonomous business. The Government-commissioned Nicola Shaw review (considering the long term shape and financing of Network Rail), which reported in March 2016, raised similar concerns to many of those interviewed regarding the highly complex nature of the industry.

3

Transforming a company the size and scale of Network Rail is a huge undertaking

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:42

20 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Transport

Socio-technical systems theory could be used to investigate the actual rail engineering operating environment n

A socio-technical systems approach may help Network Rail to better understand the interconnections between human actions, decisions and technological factors. Making this a practical reality will require the organisation to continue to set and be clear on the strategic direction, to build and sustain relationships by understanding the interpersonal domains (team working, leadership, communication), and to deliver results within clearly defined operational parameters (a matrix structure, more autonomy, better planning).

It is anticipated that the findings from the interviews, in conjunction with the results from the investigation of the Business Critical Rules programme, will lead to a description of the rail engineering socio-technical system, and some simple ‘guiding principles’ based around a systems-thinking approach to transformation. The aim is to assist Network Rail in making the changing landscape seem less complex, rather than more so, particularly for its frontline staff. •

Network Rail is also seeking to produce a simplified set of ‘Business Critical Rules’

Network Rail is also seeking to produce a simplified set of ‘Business Critical Rules’ that focus on managing key risks and clarifying accountabilities and responsibilities, whilst also reducing the vast number of industry and company standards. Socio-technical systems theory could be used by practitioners as a framework to investigate the actual rail engineering operating environment. The aim is to identify where there may be process, people or technology issues, and how the different levels of management, influencers and other sources of complexity across the sector impact on decision-making.

An investigation of the Business Critical Rules programme has highlighted ‘change fatigue’, that is, too many initiatives impacting the same people over and over again, and ‘cultural challenges’, for example, the culture and ways of working have deep roots in past practices, and can act as barriers to successful implementation of change. It is clear from the interviews that transformation programmes need to be cascaded consistently and implemented on the frontline with a clear vision and purpose, reinforced by training and communications that prepare people, technically and behaviourally, for change.

Michelle Nolan-McSweeney is the Head of Training Strategy for Network Rail and part-time Human Factors PhD researcher at the University of Nottingham. Email: michelle.nolan-mcsweeney@networkrail.co.uk Acknowledgements The author would like to give special thanks to Dr Brendan Ryan of the University of Nottingham for his valuable support to the PhD research, and to Network Rail for their continued support and encouragement to undertake this research programme.

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Applied HF - Rail network__The Ergonomist 20

13/10/2016 11:43

CIEHF event / 21

2017

Ergonomics & Human Factors 25-27 April 2017 | Daventry Be inspired

‘Ergonomics & Human Factors’ is the annual international conference of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors. It brings together academics and practitioners from all sectors to exchange ideas and information on the latest research, developments and applications in ergonomics and human factors.

The submission deadline has now passed and we have received a large number of submissions including papers, posters and workshops across a range of major sectors. Look out for the provisional programme around the middle of November when we will also start to take bookings. Save the dates of 25 to 27 of April 2017 in your diary now. you’ll have played your part in it just by being there.

You won’t find a more inspiring environment than this. You’ll learn something new, have useful discussions and make valuable connections that will give you ideas, provide collaborations and further your enthusiasm for your work.

You’ll leave knowing that our discipline has more significance, influence and impact than ever and

To ensure everyone can benefit from the great career opportunities that the conference affords, we have kept our prices as low as we can. CIEHF members pay less than £100 for a day’s attendance with their members’ discount and early bird savings.

Go to the event website for further information.

What delegates said last year “Three days of high quality presentations, interesting conversations, and new connections.

What more to wish for?”

“This is a very valuable overview of contemporary research in the field of ergonomics in a friendly and approachable setting.”

“The conference was absolutely first class, fast paced, full of fantastic speakers.”

www.ehf2017.org.uk ergonomics.org.uk

CIEHF event - EH__The Ergonomist 21

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:44

22 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Australian perspective

l An Australian Army Hawkei protected mobility vehicle, one of the Army’s new generation of combat vehicles

There was a real problem with acquisition systems providing usable equipment to dismounted soldiers in a timely manner in the mid-2000s on. Negative articles about poor equipment would regularly hit the press.

The protracted and bureaucratic procurement processes that are appropriate for buying a battleship were not providing good outcomes for soldier equipment. Body armour was cumbersome and individual projects were typically poorly articulated so that integration of soldiers’ equipment was rarely achieved. It was to help address this problem that the Human Systems Integration Team was formed and then combined with the end user and procurement engineer community through the newly formed Diggerworks organisation (‘Digger’ is slang for an Australian soldier).

In contrast to the more traditional procurement model, we buy small amounts often and continuously iterate design of equipment so that it improves and is more reactive to the changing environment and threats that our service personnel experience. Equipment is developed, trialed and deployed within months rather than years.

User-centred design is now embedded at the start rather than as an afterthought, which is not to say that we don’t occasionally encounter the age old human factors problem of being brought in too late, but things are much better than they were. One key aspect of our remit is to run science-based user equipment trials that yield valid data so that decisions can be made with confidence. This is important as anyone can set up and run an equipment trial, but if they have no scientific training then the outcomes are often questionable.

Our Army units are spread out across Australia from Adelaide in the south, up to Darwin and Townsville in the tropical north of the country, and we are regularly jumping on planes from our base in Melbourne. Recent trial locations have been Mission Beach to evaluate a new vehicle, the jungle warfare training centre to conduct psychophysical experiments related to camouflage perception using night vision goggles, and Woomera, a large desert area in which we have frequently conducted work investigating counter-IED (improvised explosive device) technologies. With the exception of a bird-eating spider crawling up my leg in the jungle when it was pitch black, most of these environments have proven to be more fun than Salisbury Plain in January.

Research and practice linked daily The links between research and practice can at times be difficult to establish. A variety of reasons have been proposed but most self-evident is that these are typically undertaken by different groups of people with different objectives. We have the luxury of working at both ends of the spectrum simultaneously, the challenge for us is more how we balance up shorter term requirements with the longer term research work that also needs to be done. 3

IMAGES: © COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 2015

Adaptive acquisition

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Applied HF - Australia__The Ergonomist 22

13/10/2016 11:45

Australian perspective / 23

A human factors perspective from Australia Alistair Furnell, team lead at Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group, talks about the application of our discipline to his sector, and gives a wider view of the challenges and opportunities facing the human factors community there.

ergonomics.org.uk

Applied HF - Australia__The Ergonomist 23

Pass the dem T

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:46

24 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Australian perspective

Army engineers sweep for ‘mines’ in Cultana training area, South Australia l

A growing discipline

This was a particular issue when Australia was more heavily involved in warfighting operations as requests for urgent support came in thick and fast. Despite this, we have succeeded in conducting an anthropometric survey of both the Army and the Navy and developed methods for the characterisation of clothing and equipment on the soldier. These were both areas where we previously had no data to guide decisions. This work has now moved more into complex body shape analysis methods and work to increase the fidelity of digital human models in reflecting military vehicle occupants. Moving into the future our focus is on increased standardisation of testing methodologies for soldier systems and the associated architectures that would support that. Often these efforts mean partnering with universities, but we continue to have regular interaction with the end users as that grounds our research in terms of impact for them. This ultimate focus is what makes it easier for us to bridge that gap between research and practice that is so often debated.

Great research is going on here relevant to human factors

There is quite an active human factors community in Australia. There are many who work in rail, air safety, oil and gas, plus a small number of consultancies. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (HFESA) is the local equivalent of CIEHF and holds an annual conference covering most aspects of the discipline. State branches form the backbone of the society and represent a means to exchange information with human factors professionals in different sectors. We held our own open evening at DST Melbourne a couple of years ago, which was well attended. Human factors in defence is not quite so visible here as it is in the UK, so this was a good opportunity to show people what we do. More widely our discipline as a whole is not hugely well known, although I am not sure this is any worse than it was in the UK. I think generally this is getting better, through efforts of our professional societies.

I cannot speak for my colleagues in other sectors but the regulatory environment is probably slightly less prescriptive than in Europe; there are still no published Australian standards on Human Factors Integration, for example. We find that UK and US standards can be adapted to meet our requirements but often that is being driven from within the science community, whereas overseas it would be an accepted part of the procurement function that would happen regardless of our involvement.

One of our naval procurements has just hired an HSI Manager, so that’s a positive step and hopefully represents the start of an upsurge in demand for this expertise that

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Applied HF - Australia__The Ergonomist 24

13/10/2016 11:47

Australian perspective / 25

m Australian Army soldiers ‘secure’ an objective supported by Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles

can then be met by external providers.

For a long time occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation was tabled at a state level, meaning that a particular work practice one side of a state border would be illegal, but acceptable on the other side. Though it did not especially affect defence, being a federal agency, this was nonetheless a source of much puzzlement.

Fortunately these have now been harmonised into the OHS Act which operates at a country level and which, in many instances, references ISO Standards that we would all be familiar with. The OHS field in Australia is particularly strong and many human factors specialists end up gravitating towards it and certainly it is reflected strongly in those university courses that do exist here.

Challenges and opportunities Particular challenges exist for human factors in Australia, notwithstanding the geographical separation of our main cities, one of which is that there is a paucity of bona fide human factors courses. In many cases what is offered is a module as part of an OHS or occupational psychology course. Certainly I am not aware of any broad spectrum degree course covering the various sub disciplines that make up an holistic approach to human factors. That has a knock on effect on the availability of graduates to join organisations such as my own and is probably also why a good portion of people I meet, both in academia and industry, are also ex-pats who saw the opportunities here.

However, there is some great research going on here that is relevant to human factors; university level education is a major market here and the country punches well above its

ergonomics.org.uk

Applied HF - Australia__The Ergonomist 25

weight in the associated research as a consequence.

I monitor the local job market to see who is hiring and in what sector. I take this as a sort of unofficial measure of the health of the discipline although, like all employment indicators, it is subject to many factors like the state of the economy or rapid growth/decline in key sectors.

Anecdotally this has probably plateaued over the last couple of years, although it is noteworthy that roles in user experience (UX) have been the major growth area, by several orders of magnitude. To some extent more traditional human factors personnel have been supplying this area, but it has grown far greater besides and exceeds our sphere of influence.

This might be controversial but from what I have observed, UX is just rebadged human factors; we’ve been doing this for years but it’s been successfully rebranded and driven by demand from a rapidly expanding user interface development industry. HFESA has a sub section known as the Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group, who are the most populous and active part of the society and certainly that would indicate that this aspect of human factors will be a major part of its future as a discipline.

Likewise autonomous systems, traditionally the preserve of a few carefully controlled human factors sectors and first addressed by us through methods like Fitt’s List, are already an increasingly common technology deployed across all sorts of areas. The lesson from UX is that we as a discipline will need to respond to the opportunities, or someone else will.

A tale of two societies Even though we contribute to HFESA, many of us continue to be members of the CIEHF. Perhaps this is a nostalgia for the (c)old days, or is it the regular articles in The Ergonomist, or maybe we simply like the ring of ‘Chartered Ergonomist’. What I can say from the other side of the globe is that our perception is that the CIEHF looks like an extremely vibrant and diverse community and their annual Ergonomics & Human Factors Conference is certainly one that we all look to attend if we are in that part of the world.

Human factors is still one of the most interesting jobs you can do, regardless of what country you end up in.

If the thought of filling out a trial risk assessment with a section entitled ‘Animal Attack’ doesn’t faze you then maybe Australia is for you. • Alistair Furnell, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia. Alistair previously worked at QinetiQ Centre for Human Sciences and BAE Advanced Technology Centre before moving to Australia and the government’s Defence Science and Technology Group in 2008, where he now leads a team of seven. The Defence Science and Technology Group is part of Australia’s Department of Defence. It is the second largest public-funded R&D organisation in Australia.

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:48

26 / Applied ergonomics and human factors | Manufacturing

Hades or Heaven?

We often picture twenty-first century workplaces as glasswalled, light-filled, open-plan spaces. Stephen Brown discovers just the opposite but finds a happy band of highlyskilled professionals rightly proud of their rare abilities.

m The messy business of dismantling a bell mould l The foundry floor with the vast drying oven in the background

illegal migrants trapped into modernday slavery? Well, no, actually. The employees were local and have worked for Taylor’s all their lives, for 30, 40 and even 50 years or more. One noticeable exception is a young apprentice, only in post for a year but already the proud holder of an industry award.

Rather than Hades, we seemed to be in something more like heaven as far as happiness and fulfilment were concerned. But what about health and safety, with all that hot metal, dirt, noise, sharp edges and opportunities for slips, trips and falls? Well, the factory is regularly inspected and fully compliant with health and safety requirements. So no issues there either.

Despite the obvious physical challenges of the environment, the overriding sense was of a remarkably humane workplace. The absence of an obviously corporate physical environment is testament to the degree of autonomy employees enjoy.

This was evidenced most clearly in the wood shop with its plethora of personal memorabilia, adornments, games, tools, notes and materials.

Most of the work is still carried out manually, including making and breaking up bell moulds (using a mixture of clay, old bricks and horse manure!), casting and assembling bell frames, building head stocks and

tuning bells. One small concession to the 21st century is the use of a computer to help identify how far the notes in an untuned bell deviate from the target, but decisions about how much metal to remove and where to take it from are still the province of the bell tuner.

So what can we learn from all this? A successful human-centred workplace does not have to be moderate and tidy. Exuberance and fun work as well (including the coins glued to the floor to teach unsuspecting apprentices the importance of not bending over in potentially dangerous workplaces) and hard graft in difficult conditions can be rewarding when we feel in control and can exercise skills we are proud of. A textbook ergonomics case study? Not quite, but the longevity of the workforce and the success of the business speak for themselves.

Taylor’s Bell Foundry is the largest in the world and has been casting bells since the 1780s. I think we can learn a lot from their approach. • Stephen Brown is Emeritus Professor of Learning Technologies at De Montfort University and a Visiting Fellow at the University of London, Centre for Distance Education.

PHOTOS COPYRIGHT STEPHEN BROWN, COURTESY OF JOHN TAYLOR’S

A

s ergonomists we are accustomed to associating safe, healthy and happy workplaces with factors such as clean design, effective task lighting, smoothly dovetailed work flows, and efficient, tidy, clean workstation layouts. Over the years I have lost count of the number of classes I have taught the principles of task analysis, workstation and user experience design. Imagine my surprise therefore when visiting John Taylor and Co., the Loughborough Bell Foundry, on a recent CIEHF Regional Group trip, to be confronted with working conditions that looked more like an overegged dramatic recreation of a Victorian satanic mill than a real live 21st century workplace.

Where were the ergonomically designed chairs for posture control?

The sophisticated environmental management systems? The shiny workstations, hot desks, water coolers and all the other paraphernalia of modern industrial life? Could we have stumbled across a sweatshop of

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Manufacturing__The Ergonomist 26

13/10/2016 11:51

Research matters | Book reviews / 27

Book reviews

A brief look at upcoming titles with Guy Walker n

rgonomics is fun! That’s what I’ve just told my undergraduate class of 2016. They stared back at me in silence, jaws visibly slackening, and exuded the unmistakable look of youthful scepticism. And I have to say, they do all look frighteningly (depressingly) young these days. Fortunately, what sustains my own youthful vigour and enthusiasm, and I am sure yours too, is the fact we really are part of a fast moving discipline. There are all manner of new, sometimes weird and wonderful theories, methods, and domains of ergonomic application going on. The question is how to keep up? The answer is to read some books. But then, I would say that. I’m the book reviews editor for the scientific journal Ergonomics. Every issue we publish one or two book reviews provided

by CIEHF members. In these reviews we find out, in the space of roughly 1500 words, whether the latest ergonomics title, from the most specialist of research monologues to the most general of student textbooks is, basically, any good.

Out here in the real-world it is, of course, the year 2016 and new students are getting settled in to the start of a new year. In the rarefied orbit of international ergonomics publishing (or perhaps marketing) readers

E

might be surprised to learn it is actually 2017.

In other words, the first of next year’s books are already beginning to filter into the review process and early inspection copies are becoming available. These new 2017 titles currently include Resilient Health Care edited by, among others, Professor Erik Hollnagel. This book promises to break new ground “by looking more closely at the dependencies between the sharp and blunt ends of the health care system” and the very evident differences between ‘work-as-imagined’ and ‘work-as-done’. As similes go, the “sharp-end of health care” sounds potentially painful, but the use of resilience engineering concepts should go a long way to making your stay more comfortable.

On the subject of comfort, we also have two brand new and important 2017 volumes on ergonomics in design: Ergonomic Workplace Design for Health Wellness and Productivity edited by Alan Hedge, and Ergonomics in Design Methods and Techniques edited by Marcelo Soares.

These focus very much on methods and practice.

These two substantial volumes look like they would appeal strongly to undergraduates as well as professionals, “providing a review of the state of the art in current ergonomics in design methods and techniques” and a summary “of design principles for practitioners”.

All told, 2017 is shaping up well in terms of capturing the fast pace of ergonomic developments - and it’s still only 2016. The underpinning ergonomic ideas are shaping up well but also how to implement them “in ways to produce better design”.

In future articles we will highlight some of these key emerging texts and present snapshots of the expert reviews we have received. For now, though, it seems well evident, given the buoyancy of the publishing market, that ergonomics really is fun. The authors certainly seem to be enjoying their subjects, and I am sure our book reviewers will too. •

Guy Walker is an Associate Professor in the School of the Built Environment at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

ergonomics.org.uk

Book reviews__The Ergonomist 27

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:53

28 / Research matters | Journal extracts

JourNAL EXTrACTS The CIEHF’s membership package incorporates instant online access to all issues of seven leading journals, including those highlighted here. l

Swimming to success Great Britain won their first medal of the Olympic Games in Rio as Adam Peaty took gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke with a world record. Peaty is the first British man to win an Olympic swimming gold medal since Adrian Moorhouse, who won the same event in Seoul in 1988. There has also been gold medal success in breaststroke for GB at the Paralympics, with Ellie Simmonds overhauling Chinese swimmer Lingling Song during the breaststroke length of the women’s 200m individual medley to win the race by more than three seconds.

So how do you become a good breaststroke swimmer? How hard is it to get the technique right? According to a study by Portuguese and Norwegian researchers, it’s all in the timing between the movements of your arms and of your legs, not necessarily the position of your limbs in the water. The study compared muscle coordination of the upper and lower limb muscles between beginners and elite breaststroke swimmers and found that interlimb coordination is likely to be the key determinant of breaststroke performance. •

1

Can high intensity interval training help overweight people take exercise?

The government recommended guidelines are 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week.

However, only about 1 in 5 of us reportedly achieves these guideline amounts, mostly because of lack of time. But there might be an answer in the form of short bursts of highintensity interval training or HIIT which take less time but seems to have improved health benefitas.

BBC 2’s ‘Trust Me I’m A Doctor’ recently reported on a study carried out with the help of researchers from the University of Nottingham who have been looking at the benefits of HIIT. They took volunteers aged 40 to 60 who had sedentary jobs and lifestyles through various exercise regimes to test out the theory. This led to some surprising results. Smaller, targeted exercise regimes seemed to give better results than whole body workouts (see http://bbc. in/2c3tQSp) Many academic studies have also shown that use of interval-based training programmes can lead to improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Could it help those that find it physically difficult to exercise due to their weight?

A study carried out by researchers from the University of North Carolina, USA, evaluated two interval training programmes to see the effects on cardiorespiratory fitness, lipids and body composition in overweight women.

The study demonstrated that 10 minutes of high-intensity work, of either one or two minute intervals, is effective for improving exercise tolerance, peak power output and fat mass in overweight women. So perhaps this could be the route to better health and fitness for this group. •

2

Smaller, targeted exercise regimes seemed to give better results

Muscle coordination during breaststroke swimming:

Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic

Comparison between elite swimmers and beginners. J Vaz,

risk factors in overweight/obese women. A Smith-Ryan,

B Olstad, J Cabri, P-L Kjendlie, P Pezarat-Correia & F Hug.

E Trexler, H Wingfield, & M Blue. Journal of Sports Sciences,

Journal of Sports Sciences, Vol 34, Issue 20, 2016

Vol 34, Issue 21, 2016

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Journal extracts__The Ergonomist 28

13/10/2016 11:53

Journal extracts / 29

How body armour can affect the risk of injury

miniature video cameras, heart rate monitors and GPS units to record their actions and location.

The firefighters were exposed to high physiological workloads (heart rates of up to 180bpm) and walked considerable distances at the fires.

The firefighter instrumentation collected robust and original data.

Additionally, two of the most significant barriers, those of gaining acceptance and being usable by workers in the field without scientific backup, were overcome. This was an unparalleled opportunity to begin to explore the decision-making processes during rural fires.

Results from this study have been used in presentations to firefighters and non-operational fire personnel to understand the pressures firefighters are under and how others complete the firefighting tasks. This may influence training and equipment design and lead to a safer future for firefighters. •

As if a soldier’s life isn’t difficult enough, wearing necessary body armour may increase the risk of harm from certain activities.

Musculoskeletal injuries are a significant concern for military organisations, and unsurprisingly perhaps, carrying heavy loads has been identified as a potential risk factor.

Soldiers are often required to wear heavy body armour whilst performing diverse manual handling tasks such as carrying, lifting, pushing and pulling within the various military occupations.

However, quantifying injury risk requires an understanding of the frequency, duration and magnitude of exposure to the risk factors for injury. An Australian study investigated the effects of body armour on trunk and hip movement during military manual handling tasks. The aim was to first determine how body armour load could affect trunk and hip movement (kinematics) during the performance of two common military tasks and, second, to determine if the design of body armour influences the kinematic response.

Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to capture the data, which revealed that wearing body armour increased trunk flexion and reduced trunk rotation during the tasks. The movement however, appeared to be independent of the four different body armour designs used in this study.

While fundamental for protection, wearing body armour may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries but further study may help to develop designs that optimise both. •

Measuring wildland firefighter performance

G Lenton, B Aisbett, D Neesham-Smith, A Carvajal & K

with wearable technology. R Parker, A Vitalis,

Netto (2015). The effects of military body armour on trunk

R Walker, D Riley, H Pearce. Applied

and hip kinematics during performance of manual handling

Ergonomics, Vol 59, Part A, 2017, pp34–44

tasks. Ergonomics, 59 (6), pp806-812.

4

Understanding the demands on firefighters battling wildfires On 1st May 2016, a wildfire began southwest of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada and made headlines worldwide. By 3rd May it had swept through the community destroying 2400 homes and buildings and forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in Albertan history. The fire spread across a million and a half acres before it was declared under control on 5 July 2016, a full two months after it began.

By its very nature, rural firefighting is a physically demanding and hazardous occupation. In an examination of over 300 natural disaster occupational deaths from 1992 to 2006 the greatest number of fatalities were to firefighters tackling wildfires.

Substantial research has been carried out in laboratories where urban fire conditions have been simulated but little is known about the physical demands on those dealing with wildfires.

But an observational study has been conducted by researchers in New Zealand to explore the use of new technologies at wildfires. The research was carried out with two firefighters at real fires wearing microphones,

IMAGE: ALAMY

3

ergonomics.org.uk

Journal extracts__The Ergonomist 29

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 11:54

30 / Research matters | Technology

Tap Swipe Pinch

I

in Malvern was the location for E A Johnson’s invention of what we now call capacitive touch, a mechanism that uses electrical conductivity and which many smartphones still use today. He described the technology in “Touch Displays: A Programmed Man-Machine Interface” published in Ergonomics Vol 10, Issue 2 in 1967.

Air traffic controllers in the UK adopted this technology and used it until the late 1990s.

In the 1970s, resistive touch technology emerged which enabled interpretation of pressure on a screen. This allowed a stylus to be used as in input device and paved the way for further development of touchscreens into early consumer products such as the Apple Newton and the Palm Pilot, both of which appeared in the 1990s. IBM released a device called Simon, which featured a notepad, calendar and a touchscreen that allowed users to dial telephone numbers. These were some of the first examples of PDAs or ‘personal digital assistants’.

The high demand for this type of device convinced companies to continue to develop the technology to make it more usable and more useful.

In the 1980s an optical system was developed that recognised gestural interaction. Multi-touch human computer interaction followed and studies of this technology were published in the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in the

IMAGES: ISTOCK/ALAMY/PR PRINT

n just a single generation, the way we interact with technology has changed beyond what we could have imagined. Touchscreens now provide the interface for mobile devices, point of sale and in-car navigation systems.

The technology behind touchscreens started to emerge in the 1940s, but it took more than 20 years for the first finger-driven touchscreen to be developed to a stage where it was usable. The Royal Radar Establishment

Tina Worthy explains how using human gestures has transformed our interactions with technology

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Article Touch screens__The Ergonomist 30

13/10/2016 14:12

Technology / 31

1990 APPLE NEWTON

1990 PALM PILOT

2002 WINDOWS XP TABLET

2007 APPLE IPHONE

2015 APPLE IPAD PRO

ergonomics.org.uk

Article Touch screens__The Ergonomist 31

early 2000s by Alan Hedge, professor of human factors and ergonomics at Cornell University.

In 2002, Microsoft introduced the Windows XP Tablet and in 2007, Apple’s iPhone was launched, the first mass market device to use only a touchscreen. With this came the need to use the now-familiar human gestures of tapping, swiping and pinching. But as a designer how do you decide which gestures to use? Certain criteria need to be met if gestures are to be acceptable and memorable rather than frustrating for people. At the very least, gestures required have to: b be easy to replicate to elicit the same response from the device every time they are used. b make sense and be intuitive for people to perform with a connection between the gesture and what it means. b allow for variation in people such as size of their fingers, and the amount of pressure they use in interacting with the screen.

Clearly, tapping, swiping and scrolling are intuitive as evidenced by the ability of toddlers to pick up and understand these actions on a touchscreen incredibly quickly, even though they have limited life experiences to draw on and match to the actions.

Using a pinching action to zoom into or out of documents or photos, is one of the most common gestures on touchscreen devices today but it only emerged after much research with many gestural variations. In the physical world, if you want to ‘zoom in’ on a photograph, the instinctive response is to move the photo closer to your face. So the gesture and the intuitive action are different. In this case, the feature had to be taught through use of a device, but because it’s a simple and easy gesture, it’s easily learned and remembered.

Of course, use of touchscreens in this way is not always possible for people and there are standards and guidelines to ensure that devices are designed to be accessible for the largest range of users, and in the widest range of environments. The BBC’s Global Experience Language, for example, is a framework of guidelines and principles that enable its digital platform designers to create consistent and appropriate user experiences across all their services. (See www.bbc.co.uk/gel) But a blog on the website UX Matters raises questions about the validity of some standards and their relationship to how people actually

Tapping, swiping and scrolling are intuitive as evidenced by the ability of toddlers to pick up and understand these actions on a touchscreen incredibly quickly

use devices. For example, the author cites standard ISO 9241-9 that recommends a button size equal to the breadth of the distal finger joint of a 95th percentile male, but many people only touch mobile device screens with their thumbs, so how does that help? (See Common Misconceptions About Touch, bit.ly/1Mu3D8w) Concerns are starting to emerge about the musculoskeletal effects of repetitive use of touchscreens and research is being carried out to understand the potential risks. One study looked at ‘palm rejection’ technology in touchscreens to understand better the effects on productivity and comfort when resting the palm on a touchscreen (and so reducing shoulder muscle load) without it affecting the person’s intended actions. This was published in Ergonomics Vol 56, Issue 12 in 2013.

So, where do we go from here? Interactions are already becoming multi-modal, that is, combining touch with non-contact gestures, or with voice input. But designing non-contact or air gestures are a challenge. It’s very difficult to translate your learned two dimensional actions, such as swiping a touchscreen or using a mouse on a flat surface into the three dimensional space between you and a device. Where is your starting point for example? How precise do your movements need to be? How does the device distinguish between gestures that are meant for interaction and those that are accidental such as moving your hands when talking?

There is much potential here for human factors specialists to bring their knowledge of people’s characteristics and limitations and work with designers to bring about a future where digital interactions are more intuitive, effective and above all, enjoyable. •

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 14:12

32 / CIEHF news | Member Q&A

Q&A

MEMBEr proFILE

CIEHF member Jo Fowler interviews Carolyn Graham, an international PhD student, originally from Jamaica.

She is currently studying at the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) with the Nippon Foundation at the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University. l What made you decide to do a PhD? It seems the only logical step really. I had done two Masters and was stuck at a desk doing unstimulating work in a government office and decided I would make a push for it. I’m a mature student relative to most other PhD students, so it is perhaps more about selfactualisation than a career path.

What is your PhD about and how did you decide what to do?

My PhD is about workers’ participation in occupational health and safety management. I’m interested in the sociological and socio-legal aspects of workplace design, for example, issues of trust and mechanisms for worker empowerment, including regulations, and the sociological facilitators and barriers to these. My PhD is specific to the maritime industry as that’s where my working experience lies, with maritime administration and seafarers’ welfare issues. I had seen and read about workplace abuses that seafarers experienced and wondered about their empowerment and protection, so when a new convention to protect seafarers’ employment and working conditions was adopted, I was excited to see how much this piece of regulation would contribute to their welfare. However, it has to be operationalised first, so that is what I’m looking at, the envisioned role of the convention and what is happening in reality.

How did you get funding?

I was funded by the same group, under a different name, that funded my Masters in Maritime Affairs, the Japanese

Nippon Foundation. It’s specific to SIRC, which is located at Cardiff University, so that’s where I study.

What skills are useful for your PhD? Persistence and determination are the two that come to mind first. You can learn all the technical skills such as research methods, literature reviews and writing but you have to really want this. It tests your psychological strength, especially if your home is overseas.

What areas of your PhD are you finding challenging?

The most challenging one is access to participants. I’m interviewing professionals in the area who are very busy and physically remote, as seafarers are a mobile workforce and they don’t always come ashore. With limited funding, I have to do a lot of travelling to recruit participants so that adds some anxiety. I have to modify what I’m doing to ensure resources are sufficient.

The writing is also challenging in that I have so much information and I’m trying to find that thread to hold everything together. But with the help of supervisors and much rewriting, it slowly comes.

What do you hope to do when you finish your PhD? I want to work in academia, some teaching, research and of course, writing.

Have you got any tips or advice for PhD students starting their PhD? Have a good idea of what you want to do and read as much as you can, even before applying. If you do a follow up from a Masters you’re off the block already. Choose a topic where your participants are easy to access. Importantly, speak to people who are at different stages of their PhDs to get a feel of the idiosyncrasies of the process so you’re prepared for it.

Most importantly, have a healthy outlet such as sports or something creative especially if you are new to the country or the area. A supportive social network is also important, as is knowing yourself and your strengths and weaknesses so you can maximise the former and not succumb to the latter. • Carolyn Graham has a BA in Literature, a Masters in Social Psychology and a Masters in Maritime Affairs.

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

Member QandA__The Ergonomist 32

13/10/2016 12:02

Education / 33

COURSES

Making the move into a rewarding career The CIEHF's accredited courses are a great starting point on the road to a career in ergonomics and human factors.

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

T

he CIEHF is receiving an increasing number of enquiries from those wanting more information about how to make the move into a career in ergonomics and human factors from another discipline.

Often, their interest has been piqued by a chance meeting with someone working in the field or they have had a taste of study through workshops, a day’s course or a single module within another degree such as engineering or design.

In recognition of this growing wave of interest, the CIEHF’s careers day, held in November each year, is currently evolving so as to make more provision for this group of career changers. This year for example, several members have stepped forward to offer, through one-to-one conversations, their thoughts and advice on how someone can find the right route and start to move into this incredibly

ergonomics.org.uk

Membership news - courses__The Ergonomist 33

rewarding career, from any starting point.

One of the CIEHF’s activities is to accredit degree courses and training courses, both of which can provide a great entry point. We assess these courses against a set of competency criteria to ensure that students and delegates receive appropriate education and skills.

The details for all these courses are published on our website and you can rest assured that if you undertake one of these listed courses, you’ll be receiving quality teaching of up-to-date course materials from qualified professionals.

Our current list of accredited ergonomics and human factors Master’s degree courses includes those with an emphasis on patient safety, transport, human-computer-interaction, inclusive design and organisational behaviour.

Graduates from any of these courses automatically qualify for Graduate Membership of the CIEHF (so we call them ‘Qualifying Courses’).

Our list of accredited or ‘recognised’ training courses is becoming more diverse to recognise and encompass the wide range of interests of prospective delegates. The list includes introductory courses which range in length from 6 hours to 5 days, with two options for a full year’s postgraduate study.

More specific courses look to train those interested in display screen equipment assessment or manual

handling assessment. Sector-specific courses cover high-hazard industries and a growing number cover aspects of healthcare, recognising the increasing demand for human factors awareness training by healthcare providers both inside the NHS and those in private practice.

If you’re looking for a route into one of the most exciting, engaging and often enlightening careers you can find, check out our lists of accredited courses on our website and contact the providers today.

Make the move - you won’t regret it! •

k Look for the logo - our list of accredited or ‘recognised’ training courses are becoming more diverse

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 12:03

34 / CIEHF news | Events

SCOTLAND

Series of talks given during packed evening for Scottish Regional Group The third event in 2016 of the CIEHF’s Scottish Regional Group took place at The Keil Centre in Edinburgh on Thursday 1st September. The event attracted 15 attendees from a variety of industries and from as far afield as Texas.

After the welcome and introductions, Ron McLeod gave an overview of his role as a CIEHF Council Member and informed the group of the up and coming changes to The Ergonomist.

Although everyone could have spent longer on the discussion this provoked, we had to move on to get the most from the presentations of the evening.

The first talk was called ‘Measuring success. How do you know you’re heading in the right direction?’ by Allie Moors who presented a tool developed for the rail industry to proactively assess resilience to SPADs (signals passed

at danger).

The second talk was given

by Joanne Crawford, Head of Ergonomics & Human Factors at the Institute of Occupational Medicine, and was called ‘Knowledge Transfer in Occupational Safety and Health – can we bottle experience from practitioners?’ Both presentations were well received and generated significant discussion and food for thought.

Elaine Skilling, Principal Consultant Ergonomist at The Keil Centre then gave a short overview of the outcomes of the recent inaugural meeting regarding CIEHF plans to produce a white paper on human factors integration in healthcare.

The event closed at 19.45, a little later than scheduled as everyone took advantage of having time to chat with their peers. The next event will take place in December and details will be available soon.

regional news CENTRAL MIDLANDS

Consultancy focus for Central Midlands Regional Group event On the evening of 20th July, Nick Taylor, Principal Consultant with Hu-Tech, a CIEHF Registered Consultancy, gave a presentation to the Central Midlands Regional Group. He discussed the characteristics and abilities necessary and commensurate with being a top class consultant.

Significantly, Nick gave an illustration of his professional history and skill set that led to his current position.

The event attracted an audience who had not just interest in the breadth of Nick’s experience and talent, but also the initiative and attributes aspiring earlycareer professionals would need to adopt should they enter consultancy. The event also allowed time for discussion and networking for attendees.

CIEHF events at a glance For more details of all CIEHF events, see our new website at events.ergonomics.org.uk EVENT

WHEN

WHERE

MORE DETAILS

Ergonomics & Human Factors Careers Day

Wed 2 Nov 2016

Northampton

events.ergonomics.org.uk/event/ehf-careers-day

Council Meeting

Thu 3 Nov 2016

Birmingham

ergonomics.org.uk/about-us/governance

Human Factors in Aviation Safety

Tue-Wed 7-8 Nov 2016

East Midlands Airport

This issue p35 and hf-aviation.org.uk

Human Factors in High Hazard Industries

Tue 6 Dec 2016

London

This issue p16 and energyinst.org/events/view/4798

Ergonomics & Human Factors 2017

Tue-Thu 25-27 Apr 2017

Daventry

This issue p21 and ehf2017.org.uk

The Ergonomist | Nov-Dec 2016

CIEHF events regional news__The Ergonomist 34

13/10/2016 12:04

CIEHF events / 35

Human Factors in

Aviation Safety 7-8 November 2016 | East Midlands Airport Investigating, discussing and solving human factors challenges in aviation safety Varied programme ● Explore issues concerning pilot wellbeing, rapid decompression events, airline safety culture, emotional support for Air Traffic Controllers and proactive safety in ground handling. ● Hear from 30 speakers in high-profile organisations including EUROCONTROL, BAE Systems, NATS, LSE, the French Air Force Research Center and DSTL.

Poster sessions and panel discussions

Great value booking options

● There will be a session that includes almost 20 posters on topics such as distributed crewing, air bridge operations and automation in air traffic control.

● Our Gold Package booking option is available to CIEHF members for less than £250 for both days and a night’s accommodation, including all meals.

Price excludes VAT.

● You can contribute to panel discussions during the day and take advantage of networking opportunities at the drinks reception and conference dinner in the evening.

● For further information, including the complete programme and associated abstracts, together with booking options, please visit the event website at www.hf-aviation.org.uk.

Last year’s event was described by one attendee as “one of the best conferences I’ve been to in a number of years.”

Emotional resilience and confidence in Air Traffic Controllers Emotional resilience and confidence are recognised as increasingly important employee attributes. They are critical to adapting to fast changing environments, increasing demands, pressure and workload.

Analysis from NATS indicates that the mind-set of the trainee, whether due to a lack of confidence or due to the effects of issues external to the workplace, contributes to 40% of trainee failures. The cost to the business of losing a trainee at any stage of training, or of a controller

being unable to perform their duties due to confidence knocks (for example after recovery from an incident, or returning from long-term absence) is significant.

Learn about a programme developed by NATS that helps trainees and controllers develop resilience by providing them with a set of tools and strategies to optimise performance under pressure and fulfil training and operational potential.

Improving safety during Air Bridge operations Aircraft Passenger Boarding Bridges (or Air Bridges) provide a quick and easy passenger route between aircraft and terminal. However, they can result in costly delays and expenditure due to collisions with aircraft and between Bridges.

Under these circumstances, operator or maintenance error is usually deemed the likely culprit and this is associated with staff competence, possibly, to the exclusion of other human factors, such as control sensitivity, view from the working position, communications with ground handlers, changing airline embarkation routines and excessive time pressure, etc.

A human factors tool will be presented that helps to identify issues that may be easily overlooked, to highlight protection methods that are ineffective, and to focus upon the key areas where time and money will yield improved results.

COMMERCIAL | MILITARY | REGULATORY

www.hf-aviation.org.uk Sponsored by

ergonomics.org.uk

CIEHF event - aviation__The Ergonomist 35

Supported by

Nov-Dec 2016 | The Ergonomist

13/10/2016 12:05

PRODUCT DESIGN WINNER KOEHL ANTEO® ALU CHAIR WITH REVOLUTIONARY AIR SEAT

SALES@KOEHL.CO.UK | 01322 551082

WWW.KOEHLUK.COM OBC__The Ergonomist 36 Koehl FP.indd 1

12:07 13/10/2016 09:55