Human Factors and Ergonomics in Practice

Steven Shorrock is a chartered ergonomist and human factors specialist, and a chartered psychologist, with a background in internal and external consultancy in human factors and safety management in several industries, government, and as a researcher and educator in academia. He holds a BSc in applied psychology, an MSc (Eng) in work design and ergonomics, and a PhD in human factors in air traffic control. Steven is currently a safety and human factors specialist and European safety culture program leader at EUROCONTROL where he works in countries throughout Europe, and an adjunct senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales, School of Aviation, Sydney, Australia.Claire Williams is a chartered ergonomist and human factors specialist (C.ErgHF) providing advice and training in risk management to a wide range of industrial and government organizations. She holds a BSc in biological sciences, an MSc in ergonomics, and a PhD in ergonomics expertise. She is a senior human factors/ergonomics consultant at Human Applications and a visiting research fellow in human factors and behavior change at Derby University, Derby, United Kingdom.

• Introduction. Nature of the HF/E Profession Today. Ergonomics and Ergonomists’: Lessons for HF/E Practice from the Past and Present. The Nitty-Gritty of Human Factors. Human Factors and the Ethics of Explaining Failure. Human Factors and Ergonomics in the Media. HF/E Practitioner Roles. HF/E Practitioner Contexts. Integrating Research into Practice in HF/E. The Challenges of Practice-Oriented Research. HF/E Methods in Practice: The Right Tool for the Right Job. Becoming an HF/E Practitioner. HF/E Practice in Aviation: Assisting Human Performance in Aviation Operations. HF/E Practice in the Rail Industry: The Right Way, the Wrong Way and the Railway. HF/E Practice in the Oil & Gas Industry: Capital Projects and Human Capital. Human Factors in Healthcare. Challenges and Opportunities. HF/E Practice in the Nuclear Industry: Helping to Deliver Safety in a High-Hazard Industry. HF/E Practice in Military Aviation: On Time and on Target. HF/E in the Construction and Demolition Industry. HF/E Practice in Manufacturing: Integration in the Engineering Design Processes. HF/E Practice in user Experience: Demonstrating Value in a Fast-Growing Field. HF/E Practice for Consumer Product Design: Differentiating Products by Better Design. HF/E Practice in Web Engineering and Operations. HF/E Practice in Inclusive Design: making Accessibility Mainstream. HF/E Practice in Agriculture: The Challenges of Variety and Complexity. Selling ‘Ergonomic’ Products: Different Approaches for Different Applications. Human and Organisational Factors in Regulation: Views from a Former Regulator. Communicating with Decision Makers: Getting the Board on Board. Engaging Participants in Human Factors and Ergonomics. Writing as an HF/E Practitioner. Public and Social Media Engagement for HF/E Practitioners: Outreach, Research and Networking. Afterword.

"For those who are already working in human factors and ergonomics this book is of major significance. Not only does it synthesise the diverse aspects of this complex issue, it genuinely adds new knowledge in conceptualising and mapping the human factors terrain in a way that provides insight and adds practical value. For those unfamiliar with the territory who may be both enticed and somewhat confused by the vocabulary, this book provides an accessible and balanced account of the subject, shining a bright light on a subject that is much misunderstood. Thirty-one chapters, authored by a tour de force of experts, provide the reader with a set of books within a book; in particular, as it explores human factors and ergonomics across different domains. For anyone who is interested in using their human factors qualifications in the healthcare domain, the book is worth buying simply for the chapter on human factors and ergonomics in healthcare by Ken Catchpole and Shelly Jeffcott.—Dr Suzette Woodward, NHS Litigation Authority, UK"I'll admit I'm slightly biased, as I wrote the Foreword. However, I agreed to write the Foreword because I believe this book fills a unique space. It's an insight into the real, and often messy and challenging world of human factors/ergonomics in practice. It's doesn't just contain small tantalising snippets from the real world, it contains thorough reviews and insight that each industry can learn from. Every industry is on a journey to be better and safer at what it does, each one is at a different stage of that journey and this book has been a great help to me in understanding "how we're doing" and what we could be doing next. An eye opener."—Martin Bromiley OBE, Airline Captain and Chair of Clinical Human Factors Group, UK"I liked this book. It fits well with much of my experience and earlier work for IEA on university EHF courses and on professional EHF competencies - I was chair of the IEA executive committee for ergonomics education and professional certification. It also contains some very useful insights that I can use for my undergraduate and postgraduate courses (example: comments about professional aspects of EHF, definitions and history of EFH). The chapters on specific industries will also be very useful introductions for some of my EHF research students. I would definitely use the book as a prescribed text for my 128.804 course: Ergonomics professional practice."— Stephen Legg, Massey University, New Zealand"The editor’s note the book focuses on the practise of HF/E as a craft (as distinct from the science/engineering sides), and there is much useful discussion on how HF/E practitioners can best organise themselves to be effective, personally and collectively.I’ve always found HF/E practitioners to be an unusually reflective bunch who always provide useful and sometimes profound insights into the nature of work. This book simply reinforces that experience."—SafeGuard, January/February Issue 2018