casa - human factors and non-tech skills update

CASA - Human Factors and Non-Tech Skills Update

Gareth McGraw – Human Factors Advisor

Human factors is the multi-disciplinary science that appliesknowledge about the capabilities and limitations of humanperformance to all aspects of the design, operation, and

maintenance of products and systems.

Richard Batt, ATSB, 2008

• Perception• Memory• Learning and motivation• Human information processing• Fatigue• Ergonomics• Personality – interpersonal relations• Communications• Human–technology interaction• Error and Violation• Anthropometrics• Culture – national, organisational, professional

Human factors covers many areas:

Human Error

An action or inaction with an unintended consequence

Unsafe Acts

(After Reason, 1991)

Basic ErrorTypes

Human Errors

Errors

Slips

Lapses

Mistakes

Errors where the correctplan is incorrectly carried

out

Errors where you do not carry out /take an intended action

Errors where you do not make the right plan

What is the Goalof Human Factors within an aviation

system?

The goal of human factors is to reduce and mitigate human error by producing an optimal relationship between humans and the characteristics of the workplace within which they operate.

The goal of human factors training is to improve sa fety in an organisation by;

1. Improving the humans knowledge of

� their performance characteristics

� the characteristics of the workplace within which t hey operate; and

� How these characteristics can influence the perform ance of personnel, including the risk of human error

2. Developing skills and techniques for personnel to r educe both the likelihood and consequence of human error in the work environment.

What is the Goalof HF Training?

The chance or likelihood that an error will occur during a task, given;

� The attributes/experience of the personnel who will carry it out,

� The environmental conditions (physical and organisational) in which it must be carried out,

� The underlying task complexity or demands; and� The resources required to safely complete the

task compared with those available.

What is Error Potential ?

Human Factors and the Regulator

June 2011 introduced two Civil Aviation Orders (CAO) requiring Human Factors training.

� CAO 82.3, 2.1(c) and 82.5, 2.1(c) require that Low and High Capacity Regular Public Transport (RPT) organisations have;

“A program, approved by CASA, to train and assess personnel in human factors and non-technical skills with the aim of minimising human error.”

CAO 82.3 & 82.5, HF training requirements

� human factors or HF means the minimisation of human error and its consequences by optimising the relationships within systems between people, activities and equipment.

� non-technical skills means specific human competencies, including critical decision making, team communication, situational awareness and workload management, which may minimise human error in aviation.


HF/NTS project run in three phases:1. Initial program assessment (desktop audit)

completed prior to June 2011, to evaluate program structure and implementation plan,

2. Ongoing support during later half of 2011to provide advice (particularly to smaller operators); and

3. Capability assessment from Feb 2012 to assess post implementation effectiveness/compliance of HF/NTS programs against submitted documents.


The challenge is to ensure that training solutions are appropriate.

NTS Courseware development

There are three generally accepted phases to Non-Technical Skills training. These phases are listed below and form a logical sequence for effective development of NTS.

� Awareness should introduce the basic Human Factors concepts and provide a common 'language' and frame of reference for knowledge and skill development,

� Development of knowledge should focus on Human Factors knowledge relevant to specific practical applications and skilled performance; and

� Skills are tools and techniques focused on treating or mitigating areas of increased error potential or severe consequence. They are initially developed through practise and feedback, followed with reinforcement at a later stage through recurrent training and assessment.

� A NTS program must follow these logical steps in order and include whichever levels are appropriate for the safety criticality of the employment category to be trained,

� ICAO lists the requirement for Flight Crew to receive training up to and including Skills level. This is the same for Safety Critical Ops and Dispatch personnel,

� While ICAO only give a requirement for cabin crew to receive up to knowledge level, there is a very good safety case for cabin personnel to at least match the requirement for ops and dispatch and be trained to the level of the skills phase,

� Any organisation not wishing to do so must present a logical and reasonable, risk based argument to not follow this guidance.


“ . . .assertive cabin crew are not onlypreferable, but necessary in carrying out a successful evacuation. Assertive behaviour isalso useful following the evacuation, in controlling the passengers outside untilemergency services arrive”

Martin, J. (1999, November-December). Lessons. Flight Safety Australia 3 (6), 41.


“..65% of [our] surveyed crewmembers said that they would prefer to learn in a hands-on environment. The reason is that flight attendants cannot replicate what they do everyday in a lecture”

Jessica Reece, supervisor, in-flight development, SkyWest Airlines. Advanced Qualification, AEORSAFETYWORLD, (July-August 2011) Pg. 40


“there needs to be a great deal of interaction, practice, and introspection. The best methods for this type of training would include experiential exercises, practicing communication skills, role playing, small group and team building exercises and discussion (especially between cabin and cockpit personnel)”

Krivonos P.D. (2005) COMMUNICATION IN AIRCRAFT CABIN SAFETY: LESSONS LEARNED AND LESSONS REQUIRED. 22nd Annual International Cabin Safety Symposium Universal City, California


SMS Processes

Assessing HF & NTS- Simulator?- Line Checks?- LOSA?- Across types/operations- Feedback loop

Communication Pathways

� Human factors knowledge can be difficult to translate into an effective “program” to minimise human error in an organisation

� To be effective a high level of understanding of the application of Human Factors during training and system design is required

� Personnel often cannot see the relevance or validity of HF for their workplace

� Training can (incorrectly) be seen as a ‘box ticking’ exercise to meet the regulators requirements.

Human Factors Roadblocks

Conclusion

� Human Factors contains a broad field of knowledge that can be difficult to apply in an operation context

� Organisations can often find it difficult to translate the theory into applications that can positively impact safety.

Conclusion

� Operators must identify how to effectively apply error management strategies to their operations

� This will include HF considerations for system design (including HMI and operating procedures) and development of training to enable skills that ensure personnel can use the system to its full potential.

QUESTIONS ?

casa - human factors and non-tech skills update

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