Human and organisational factors
Much of the petroleum and allied industries' improved safety performance over the last twenty years has been achieved by enhanced engineering design and equipment, and latterly through safety management systems. However, there is less scope for further improvement in those areas as safety performance is reaching a plateau.
Human factors (what is human factors?) is attracting increasing interest as it offers the possibility for delivering the next step change in improved safety performance. Many of the key human factors issues are of particular relevance to petroleum and allied industry operations.
EI HOF Blog The Energy Institute human and organisational factors blog - a space for human factors and Hearts and Minds shared learning |
Human and Organisational Factors Committee (HOFCOM)
The Energy Institute's Human and Organisational Factors Committee was established in 2001 by the Safety Management Group as the UK focal point for human and organisational factors affecting the energy and allied industries. The committee aims to help industry to understand and apply human and organisational factors to its operations by: engaging the industry and its stakeholders; supporting the industry by commissioning studies, providing information and sharing knowledge. Whilst several kindred organisations are actively working in this area in the UK, Europe and globally, the committee offers a unique forum for all sectors of the industry and its stakeholders.
For a more in-depth introduction to human factors and the EI's work in this area, see the Energy World magazine article, Driving down incidents, published in May 2010.
If you would like more information on the EI's Human and Organisational Factors Committee, or are an employee of one of the EI's Technical Partner companies and are interested in becoming a member of the group, please contact Stuart King e: sking@energyinst.org
Training Human Factors Incident & Accident Investigation and Analysis |
Resources - guidance and practical tools
The committee's strategy is focused on producing resources of use to the industry. Pertinent project resources are listed in the navigation menu on the left-hand side of the page, or click here to see full project listings.
Recently completed projects:
Human factors awareness: web-based training course
This free to access web-based course aims to build awareness of human and organisational factors issues amongst those working in industry and who are responsible for people and/or safety, including senior managers, managers, supervisors, and operators. Spanning 11 modules covering the HSE key topics, it introduces pertinent human factors issues, provides case studies, common problems and solutions. It also tests users' learning with a series of short assessment questions.
Human factors briefing notes - second edition
To improve industry's understanding of key human factors issues, the EI has produced the Human factors briefing notes resource pack. The briefing notes provide a definition and introduction to pertinent human factors issues, a checklist to gauge whether your company has a problem with that issue, case studies, guidance for managers and further reading lists.
Top ten human factors issues - updated for 2011
The Top ten webpages support the HSE's human factors key topics. The webpages provide listings of relevant introductory resources, practical tools and advanced resources for the ten most pertinent human factors issues facing industry.
The Hearts and Minds programme The Hearts and Minds programme was developed by Shell and is based on research with leading universities. The programme uses a range of tools and techniques to help the organisation involve all staff in managing SHE as an integral part of their business. A state-of-the-art Toolkit is now available to those outside the Shell Group, thanks to a publishing agreement between the Energy Institute and Shell. |
Guidance on human factors safety critical task analysis
Although there are benefits in encouraging deeper analysis of safety critical tasks (SCTs), there has been a lack of available information to help those without a human factors background. Guidance on human factors safety critical task analysis helps to fill this gap, providing a 7-step process for conducting safety critical task analysis, and methodologies for effectively addressing human factors aspects of SCTs.
Workforce involvement (WFI): WFI poster pack and campaign note
To support safety managers and leaders, the EI has developed a series of posters to inform and encourage colleagues to contribute to WFI initiatives. The posters can be used in a variety of ways as part of a planned WFI campaign – an effective and well thought out campaign should help build the foundations for long term WFI and can produce a range of benefits that reach beyond mitigating health and safety issues.
Human factors consultants listed on Member Consultant database
One benefit of EI membership is registration of capabilities on the EI Member Consultant list. This facility has been extended to include the categories 'human factors', 'human reliability' and 'ergonomics', so that consultants offering a service to the energy industry can be readily identified.
The Member Consultant list is maintained by the EI Library and Information Service who should be contacted by those wishing to register their capabilities.
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