¿Cómo puede la ingeniería de factores humanos mejorar el rendimiento de QHSE?

Considering the main goal of human factors engineering is people’s performance, the other things can come naturally. The Maslow’s pyramid (hierarchy of needs) is very useful in this case for as an example. First, the first basic needs, then later the higher-level the complex needs. QHSE is commonly based on legal requirements, not on how to behave or act. In my opinion if you match legal requirements with the well-being of people you can maximize the people´s performance.

Human Factors Engineering (HFE) significantly enhances QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment) performance across various fronts. It reduces human errors, accidents, injuries, and illnesses while enhancing productivity, efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction. Moreover, HFE minimizes environmental impacts and costs. Additionally, it fosters a positive safety culture and a proactive risk management approach. By applying HFE principles and methods, systems and processes become user-friendly, reliable, resilient, and adaptable, contributing to overall organizational success and sustainability.

En un sistema de gestión QHSE, la ingeniería de factores humano (HFE) podemos relacionarlas con las Normas ISO a fin de obtener amplios beneficios. Por ejemplo: - Para calidad ISO 9001, encontramos 7.1.4 Ambiente para la operación de los procesos, donde la nota nos brinda un input de los factores a considerar: sociales, físicos y psicológicos; los cuales intervienen en la HFE, mejorando la calidad y productividad. - Para ambiente ISO 14001, podemos relacionarla con 6.1.2 aspectos ambientales, por ejemplo: en la generación de residuos, promoviendo la cultura de las 3R (Reducir, Reutilizar y Reciclar) en el puesto de trabajo. - Para SST ISO 45001, la HFE a través 5.1 fortalecer la cultura en seguridad y el liderazgo visible y participativo.

Reduced Human Error: HFE principles help design tasks, tools, and work environments that reduce the likelihood of human error, which can lead to safety incidents or quality issues. Enhanced Safety: By considering human capabilities and limitations, HFE designs can improve safety by ensuring that tasks and environments are intuitive, easy to use, and reduce the risk of accidents. Improved Quality: HFE can contribute to improved product quality by designing processes and equipment that are more efficient, error-resistant, and ergonomic, reducing defects and waste. Increased Efficiency: Optimized workspaces and tools improve workflow efficiency, reducing the time needed to complete tasks and enhancing productivity.

La Ingeniería de Factores Humanos (HFE) puede mejorar significativamente el rendimiento de QHSE (Calidad, Salud, Seguridad y Medio Ambiente) de varias maneras: Reducción de Errores Humanos: Al diseñar sistemas y procesos que se adapten mejor a las capacidades y limitaciones humanas, se minimizan los errores operativos. Mejora de la Seguridad: HFE ayuda a identificar y mitigar riesgos potenciales, reduciendo la probabilidad de accidentes y lesiones. Aumento de la Productividad: Al optimizar la interacción entre los trabajadores y sus herramientas, se mejora la eficiencia y la productividad.

Human Factors Engineering (HFE) draws on diverse principles and methods to optimize interactions between humans and system elements. User-centered design engages end-users in the design process, while task analysis breaks tasks into manageable steps. Ergonomics focuses on designing physical and environmental aspects, while human reliability analysis evaluates error likelihood. Human factors integration fosters collaboration among stakeholders throughout the system lifecycle. These principles and methods are vital for comprehensively understanding and optimizing human-system interactions, ensuring efficiency, effectiveness, and safety in various domains.

Task Analysis: Identifying and understanding tasks to determine the physical, cognitive, and environmental demands placed on workers. Human Performance and Limitations: Considering human capabilities, such as strength, vision, hearing, and cognition, to design tasks and environments that match these capabilities. User-Centered Design: Involving end-users in the design process to ensure that tools, equipment, and processes meet their needs and are intuitive to use. Workplace Design: Optimizing physical workspaces, layout, lighting, and noise levels to create a comfortable and safe environment.

The principles of HFE revolve around understanding human behavior and using this knowledge to design systems and processes. Methods such as task analysis, workload assessment, and usability testing are integral to this. For example, by conducting a task analysis, a company can redesign a complex control panel on machinery to be more intuitive, reducing the likelihood of operator error and enhancing safety.

Principios de HFE Compatibilidad Humano-Sistema: Diseñar sistemas que se adapten a las capacidades y limitaciones humanas. Reducción de Errores: Minimizar la probabilidad de errores humanos mediante el diseño de interfaces y procesos intuitivos. Mejora de la Seguridad: Identificar y mitigar riesgos potenciales para mejorar la seguridad del sistema. Aumento de la Eficiencia: Optimizar la interacción entre humanos y sistemas para mejorar la productividad y eficiencia. Satisfacción del Usuario: Diseñar sistemas que sean fáciles de usar y que mejoren la satisfacción del usuario.

Here’s how it can help: 1- Designing User-Friendly Systems: HFE ensures that systems, equipment, and processes are designed within the capabilities and limitations of the user(s), with focus on reducing the likelihood of errors and accidents (to enhance safety and productivity). 2- Training and Education: Using cognitive ergonomics, for example, HFE can inform the development of effective training programs that enhance employee understanding and adherence to safety protocols. It could also be used to develop procedures to be used in training sessions. 3- Error Prevention: HFE identifies potential sources of human error and implements measures to mitigate these risks (i.e., by designing out the PIFs at an early stage in the design).

Another often overlooked qualitative benefit resulting directly from the incorporation of HFE is the mental engagement facilitated between the worker and their work environment. Performing tasks in a manner and using equipment designed to more closely match the individual needs of the worker allow for a deeper sense of satisfaction by the worker when performing the task by triggering the mesolimbic system of the brain and the subsequent reward response which establishes and reinforces the desire to repeat the task later on. HFE is just one more way of helping employees (especially those with generational specific drivers) feel as though their specific needs are being addressed by their employer.

Aplicaciones de HFE Fabricación: Diseño de Líneas de Montaje: Optimización del diseño para reducir la fatiga y los errores, mejorando la productividad y la calidad. Ergonomía de Máquinas: Adaptación de las máquinas a las capacidades humanas para reducir lesiones y aumentar la eficiencia. Atención Médica: Diseño de Equipos Médicos: Mejora de la usabilidad y seguridad de los equipos médicos para reducir errores médicos. Flujos de Trabajo en Hospitales: Optimización de los procesos para mejorar la eficiencia y la seguridad del paciente. Aviación: Cabinas de Pilotos: Diseño de cabinas que faciliten la operación segura y eficiente de la aeronave.

Applying HFE in QHSE can take many forms. Take, for example, the process of safety drills. Applying HFE allows these drills to closely mimic real-life scenarios, ensuring that employees are better prepared for emergencies. Another application is in the design of personal protective equipment; by tailoring designs to fit diverse body types comfortably, compliance rates increase, directly improving safety outcomes.

Human Factors Engineering (HFE) holds immense potential across diverse industries. In manufacturing, it optimizes assembly line and machine design, boosting productivity and quality while minimizing fatigue and errors. Healthcare benefits from HFE through improved medical device and information system design, enhancing patient safety by reducing errors. Aviation sees reduced pilot workload and enhanced safety with cockpit interface improvements. Transportation benefits from HFE by enhancing vehicle interfaces and navigation systems, improving road safety. In energy, HFE optimizes nuclear power plant and renewable energy system design, reducing errors and environmental impacts.