Human Factors Handbook for Process Plant Operations
Improving Process Safety and System Performance
1. Edition April 2022
480 Pages, Hardcover
Handbook/Reference Book
Further versions
Human Factors Handbook for Process Plant Operations
Provides clear and simple instructions for integrating Human Factors principles and practices in the design of processes and work tasks
Human Factors, the science of interaction between humans and other elements of a system, draws from disciplines such as psychology, ergonomics, anthropometrics, and physiology to understand how and why people behave and perform as they do--and how best to support them in performing tasks. The goals of the Human Factors approach are to improve human reliability, minimize the risk from human error, and optimize the working environment, human wellbeing, and overall system performance.
Human Factors Handbook for Process Plant Operations guides supervisors, managers, and engineers on incorporating Human Factors principles and practices into plant maintenance and operations. With thorough and accessible coverage of all Human Factors topics of relevance to process industries, this easy-to-use handbook uses real-world anecdotes and case studies to demonstrate effective training and learning, task planning, communications, emergency response, risk and error management, and more. Throughout the text, the authors offer valuable insights into why people make mistakes while providing advice on how to help workers perform their process operational tasks successfully.
* Explains all essential Human Factors concepts and knowledge with clear descriptions and illustrative examples
* Offers actionable advice and models of good practice that can be applied to design, process operations, start-ups and shut-downs, and maintenance
* Addresses job aids, equipment design, competence, task support, non-technical skills, working with contractors, and managing change
* Discusses how lack of Human Factors considerations during the engineering design phase can adversely affect safety and performance
* Describes how to use indicators to both recognize and learn from human error and performance issues
Written by highly experienced operating and maintenance personnel, Human Factors Handbook for Process Plant Operations is an indispensable resource for everyone involved with defining, planning, training, and managing process operations, maintenance, and emergency response in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, petroleum, and refining industries.
The missions of both the CCPS and EI include developing and disseminating knowledge, skills and good practices to protect people, the environment, and property by bringing the best knowledge and practices to industry, academia, governments and the public around the world through collective wisdom, tools, training and expertise. The CCPS, an industrial technology alliance of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), has been at the forefront of documenting and sharing important process safety risk assessment methodologies for more than 35 years and has published over 100 books in its process safety guidelines and process safety concept book series. The EI's Technical Work Program addresses the depth and breadth of the energy sector from fuels and fuels distribution to health and safety, sustainability and the environment. The EI program provides cost-effective, value-adding knowledge on key current and future international issues affecting those in the energy sector.
Glossary xxi
Acronyms xxv
Acknowledgements xxvii
Foreword xxix
Part 1: Concepts, principles, and foundational knowledge 1
1 Introduction 3
1.1 What is "Human Factors"? 3
1.2 Purpose of this handbook 4
1.3 Why Human Factors? 8
1.4 The structure of this handbook 10
2 Human performance and error 12
2.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 12
2.2 An example of successful human performance 12
2.3 An example of unsuccessful human performance 14
2.4 Key learning points from this Chapter 18
3 Options for supporting human performance 19
3.1 Learning objective of this Chapter 19
3.2 Types of human performance 19
3.3 Types of human performance, errors and mistakes 21
3.4 Selecting options for supporting human performance 30
3.5 Key learning points from this Chapter 34
4 Supporting human capabilities 35
4.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 35
4.2 Attention 35
4.3 Vigilance 36
4.4 Memory 37
4.5 Cognitive capacity 38
4.6 Cognitive heuristics/biases 39
Part 2: Procedures and job aids 43
5 Human performance and job aids 45
5.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 45
5.2 An example of a major accident 45
5.3 The role of job aids in supporting human performance 46
5.4 Approach to developing effective job aids 48
5.5 Key learning from this Chapter 51
6 Selecting a type of job aid 53
6.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 53
6.2 Stage 1: Determining the need for a job aid 53
6.3 Stage 2: Selecting the type of job aid 62
6.4 Electronic job aids 67
6.5 Key learning from this Chapter 68
7 Developing content of a job aid 69
7.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 69
7.2 Outputs from task analysis 69
7.3 Outputs from Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis 72
7.4 User involvement 73
7.5 Validation of job aids 75
7.6 Keeping job aids up to date 75
7.7 Key learning from this Chapter 76
8 Format and design of job aids 77
8.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 77
8.2 Structure and layout 77
8.3 Navigation 82
8.4 Instructional Language 84
8.5 Pictorial information 88
8.6 Icons 89
8.7 Key learning from this Chapter 91
Part 3: Equipment 93
9 Human Factors in equipment design 95
9.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 95
9.2 Definitions 95
9.3 Major accident example 96
9.4 Error traps 99
9.5 How might poor equipment Human Factors cause error? 100
9.6 Example of poor equipment Human Factors 103
9.7 Supporting human performance by good equipment design 105 9.8 Mitigating poor design 113
9.9 Key learning from this Chapter 115
Part 4: Operational competence 117
10 Human performance and operational competency 119
10.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 119
10.2 What is competency? 119
10.3 Competency Management 120
10.4 An example of effective Process Safety Competency Management 123
10.5 An example of gaps in operational competency 124
10.6 Competency influencing factors 126
10.7 Key learning points from this Chapter 127
11 Determining operational competency requirements 129
11.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 129
11.2 Identify and define safety critical competency: overview 129
11.3 Step 1: Identify safety critical tasks 130
11.4 Step 2: Identify required competency 133
11.5 Step 3: Define performance standards 135
11.6 Key learning points from this Chapter 140
12 Identifying learning requirements 141
12.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 141
12.2 Competency gap analysis 141
12.3 Training Needs Analysis 142
12.4 Key learning points from this Chapter 146
13 Operational competency development 147
13.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 147
13.2 Good practice in learning 147
13.3 Key learning points from this Chapter 154
14 Operational competency assessment 155
14.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 155
14.2 Reasons for competency assessment 155
14.3 How to conduct assessment of competency 155
14.4 Reassessment 161
14.5 Managing competency gaps 162
14.6 Competency and learning records 164
14.7 Key learning points from this Chapter 165
Part 5: Task support 167
15 Fatigue and staffing levels 169
15.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 169
15.2 A fatigue-related accident 169
15.3 Managing fatigue risk 174
15.4 Key learning from this Chapter 184
16 Task planning and error assessment 185
16.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 185
16.2 Incident example 185
16.3 Human Factors and task planning 186
16.4 Error assessment within task planning 187
16.5 Key learning from this Chapter 193
17 Error management in task planning, preparation and control 195
17.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 195
17.2 Overview 195
17.3 Preventing optimism bias in task planning: scheduling 196
17.4 Assigning safety critical tasks 200
17.5 Distractions and interruptions 202
17.6 Long and low demand tasks 206
17.7 The Human Factors of control of work packages 209
17.8 Team briefings 211
17.9 Human Factors of system isolation 212
17.10 Human Factors of managing interlocks and automatic trips . 218 17.11 Key learning from this Chapter 223
18 Capturing, challenging and correcting operational error 225
18.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 225
18.2 Failing to spot, challenge, and recover from errors 225
18.3 Why might we fail to capture, challenge, and correct errors? 227
18.4 Coaching people to recognize risk of making errors 229
18.5 Error Management Training 231
18.6 Enabling challenge of task performance 235
18.7 Key learning from this Chapter 243
19 Communicating information and instructions 245
19.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 245
19.2 Incident example 245
19.3 Causes of poor communication 246
19.4 Human Factors of communications 247
19.5 Avoiding communication overload 250
19.6 Human Factors in shift handover 253
19.7 Key learning from this Chapter 258
Part 6: Non-technical skills 259
20 Situation awareness and agile thinking 261
20.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 261
20.2 What are situation awareness and agile thinking? 261
20.3 Accidents from poor situation awareness and rigid thinking. 264
20.4 Causes of poor situation awareness and rigid thinking 265
20.5 Key learning from this Chapter 269
21 Fostering situation awareness and agile thinking 271
21.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 271
21.2 Training in situation awareness skills 271
21.3 Practical situation awareness tools and tactics 277
21.4 Recognizing loss of situation awareness 283
21.5 Fostering agile decision-making 285
21.6 Key learning from this Chapter 290
22 Human Factors in emergencies 291
22.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 291
22.2 An example accident 291
22.3 Supporting human performance in emergencies 295
22.4 Non-technical skills for emergency response 298
22.5 Key learning from this Chapter 314
Part 7: Working with contractors and managing change 315
23 Working with contractors 317
23.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 317
23.2 An accident involving contractors 317
23.3 Human Factors tactics for supporting contractors 320
23.4 Key learning from this Chapter 323
24 Human Factors of operational level change 325
24.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 325
24.2 What do we mean by operational level change? 325
24.3 Operational level change and major accidents 326
24.4 Recognizing operational level changes that impact human performance 327
24.5 Managing Human Factors of changes 330
24.6 Key learning from this Chapter 333
Part 8: Recognizing and learning from performance 335
25 Indicators of human performance 337
25.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 337
25.2 What are performance indicators? 337
25.3 Identifying human performance indicators 339
25.4 Examples of human performance indicators 340
25.5 Sharing and acting on human performance indicators 349
25.6 Key learning from this Chapter 350
26 Learning from error and human performance 351
26.1 Learning objectives of this Chapter 351
26.2 The importance of understanding error 352
26.3 Examples of poor learning 354
26.4 Learning in high performing teams 356
26.5 Human Factors of investigating process 357
26.6 Selecting preventative Human Factors actions 372
26.7 Learning 375
26.8 Key learning from this Chapter 378
27 References 379
Index 453
Appendices
A Human error concepts 391
B Major accident case studies 401
C Human Factors Competency Matrix 415
D Competency performance standards 429
E Learning methods and performance 435
F Situation awareness and behavioral markers 441
G Human Factors change checklist 447
