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Posted By Andy Brazier Human factors has a reasonably high profile across the major hazard industries. I was wondering how it is perceived in other industries. For example: 1. How well is the term understood? It is more than traditional ergonomics, which has been mostly applied to the physical aspects of people at work. Also, it is not the same as behavioural safety, which tends to focus on individual behaviours whereas HF focuses on systems. 2. What are lesser-hazard industries doing about human factors, if anything? Thanks Andy http://www.andybrazier.co.uk
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Brief responses to your questions:
Human Factors' is neither understood nor generally recognised outside the high hazard sectors.
It probably doesn't matter greatly whether 'human factors' or 'ergonomics' (physical, cognitive and organisational, as defined by the International ergonomics Association) is the term used as long as the issues are understood and addressed.
The root problems about widespread disregard for ergonomics, in my view, are:
a. the pre-occupation of safety professionals with legal compliance rather than broader questions of how they create value by supporting quality, productivity and fair discrimination at work
b. the lack of scientific education on the part of managers, and of the HR profession, who influence policy decisions about safety management.
c. lack of interest amongst ergonomists in the cultures of the organsiations who pay for what they offer.
In some ways, the UK is average amongst developed countries in these respects. Sweden, Germany and Japan, as well as parts of the USA, indicate significant economic advantages of investing systematically in ergonomics in several areas of work, including safety management.
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Posted By Andy Brazier
Kieran. Thanks for your reply. Can you, or anyone expand on the third point about ergonomists failing to understand the culture of organisations.
Andy
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Andy
Simplest thing is to compare the website's of The Ergonomics Society with that of its German counterpart.
The GfA indicates its far greater cultural awareness in a host of ways, in particular by including part of the site in a foreign language (English).
If you want the bigger picture, with further explanation, read 'Organizational Culture and Leadership. A Dynamic View', E Schein, Jossey-Bass or give me a call on 020 8654 0808
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Andy
Please do recognise that nobody has suggested that ergonomists fail to understand culture of organisations. I simply referrred to 'lack of interest' amongst ergonomists in the cultures of organisations.
Apart from John Reason's publications, and my own much more modest efforts, there's little indication that British ergonomists understand culture of organisations very much or show much interest in it.
In fairness, most ergonomists can and do read reasonably accurately most of the time, as far as I know.
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