Human factors are environmental, organisational and job factors

Introducing the key topics

Human factors are environmental, organisational and job factors as well as human and individual characteristics which influence behaviour at work and can affect health and safety.
We have taken a topic-focused approach to human factors. Each of the topics below link to a topic-specific page where you can download briefing sheets, extracts from an inspectors toolkit and other useful resources.
These are not in priority order but they do reflect key topics for industry currently. The topics have proven to be the key issues based on research, consultation with industry and intermediaries, and inspection experience.

• Managing human failures
  • Human Factors in Risk assessment
  • Incident investigation
• Procedures
• Training and competence
• Staffing
  • Staffing levels
  • Workload
  • Supervision
  • Contractors
• Organisational change
• Safety critical communications
  • Shift handover
  • PTW (permit to work)
• Human factors in design
  • Control rooms
  • Human computer interfaces (HCI)
  • Alarm management
  • Lighting, thermal comfort, noise and vibration
• Fatigue and shiftwork
• Organisational culture
  • Behavioural safety
  • Learning organisations
• Maintenance, inspection and testing
  • Maintenance error
  • Intelligent customers