We have all heard the term before, but what exactly did OSHA and EPA really mean when they stated that “human factors” must be part of a Process Hazards Analysis (PHA)? In the USA, we can look to OSHA’s PSM Compliance Directive, CPL 02-045, to get an idea of what we should consider “human factors” when doing our PHA(s).
Such factors may include a review of operator/process and operator/equipment interface, the number of tasks operators must perform and the frequency, the evaluation of extended or unusual work schedules, the clarity and simplicity of control displays, automatic instrumentation versus manual procedures, operator feedback, clarity of signs and codes, etc.)
But this is really just scratching the surface of what “human factors” is really about. For more on this topic and an excellent (and FREE) video…