Human Factors Engineering (HFE)

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Human Factors Engineering (HFE)

Human Factors Engineering (HFE) is the application of human factors knowledge to the design and construction of equipment, products, work systems, management systems and tasks. The objective is to provide equipment and systems that reduce the potential for human error, increase system availability, lower lifecycle costs, improve safety and enhance overall system performance.

Human Factors Engineering as a discipline is about how to best iIntegrate human factors requirements into design.
There are two main objectives to addressing HFE in the design of plant and equipment:

To protect the comfort, health, safety and well-being of personnel;
To minimise the risk of design-induced human performance issues, which may lead to major incidents, other adverse events, and reliability issues.

“Good work design optimises work health and safety, human performance, job satisfaction, and business success” (Safe Work Australia, 2015)

The following tools are widely used in HFE, particularly in the oil, gas and chemical industries:

Critical Task Analysis (CTA)
Human Error assessment
Valve Criticality Analysis (VCA)
3D modeling
Workload assessment
Training Needs Analysis
Alarm system review.

For more information on HFE, you may read the following literature:

Human Factors Engineering in projects. IOGP Report 454, International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP, 2011). This report gives a cost-effective and balanced approach to applying HFE on oil & gas projects. The report outlines how HFE is applied throughout the project lifecycle; provides examples of issues arising from a failure to address HFE; and describes typical HFE activities with guidance applicable to other industries too.
Human factors integration – Implementation in the onshore and offshore industries. Research Report 001 (HSE, 2002). This document provides guidance for the integration of human factors principles into the onshore and offshore system design process. It also provides a checklist of questions that address whether the approach to system design and development adopts best practice in human factors.
Work places and work environment. Office for Nuclear Regulation, (ONR, 2014). NS-TAST-GD-062 (Rev2). This Technical Assessment Guide is intended to support ONR inspectors (particularly Human Factors Specialist Inspectors) in assessing a nuclear licencee’s arrangements. It includes a framework for assessing workspace design and the links between workplace design/environmental factors on human performance.
Human Factors Integration. Office for Nuclear Regulation, (ONR, 2014). NS-TAST-GD-058 (Rev2). This Technical Assessment Guide is intended to support ONR inspectors (particularly Human Factors Specialist Inspectors) in assessing a nuclear licencee’s arrangements. It provides advice on assessing Human Factors Integration (HFI) methods, the human factors integration plan and the capability of those persons undertaking these HFI activities.
Human Factors Integration – General Requirements. Transport for NSW have published a suite of standards on human factors integration (New South Wales Government, Australia). This particular standard (T MU HF 00001 ST, 2014) outlines the general requirements for application by engineering organisations intending to provide services and assets to Transport for NSW. It outlines a human factors integration process and provides requirements on topics such as anthropometric data, controls and displays, alarms and alerts, workspace design and task design.