In ICAO Advisory Circular 227, the definition of human factors is: Human factors is the science of people, including people in their work and living environments, their relationships with equipment, procedures, and the surrounding environment, and their relationships with other people.
Characteristics of Human Factors:
①Direct or Indirect Influence of Human Activity: Human factors are inextricably linked to human activity. Whether it is the design of the tool, the operation of the equipment, or the writing of the program, can not be separated from human participation. People as part of the system, its behavior and decision-making will directly or indirectly affect the operation of the system.
Human capabilities, deficiencies, and needs: Human factors take into account human capabilities, limitations, and human needs. During the design process, it is important to ensure that the performance, operation, and maintenance of the product or system are within the range of human capabilities, and also that human needs are met as much as possible.
②Systemic: Human factors do not focus solely on a single link or a single piece of equipment, but emphasize the entire system or process. For example, when designing an aviation system, human factors will involve multiple segments such as pilots, flight attendants, ground crew, etc., as well as their interactions and collaborations.
Causes of Human Factors:
1. Bad Behavior:
This includes operational errors, violation of procedures, carelessness, and incorrect judgment. These bad behaviors can lead to accidents or incidents
. For example, if a pilot does not properly check the systems of an airplane before takeoff, it may lead to serious problems with the airplane during flight.
2. Incorrect operation:
This includes incorrect operating steps, incorrect order of operation, and improper operation methods. Incorrect operation may lead to serious consequences, such as medical accidents, industrial accidents and so on.
3. Unreasonable design:
If a product or system is not reasonably designed, it may make it difficult for people to use it correctly and may even lead to accidents or injuries. For example, some medical devices may cause inconvenience or safety hazards during use if they are not reasonably designed.
4. Management failure:
This includes lack of effective training, poor supervision, and irrational allocation of resources. Management failures may affect the operation of the entire system, leading to accidents or incidents. For example, if workers in a factory are not adequately trained, this may lead to errors in their operations which may lead to industrial accidents.
5. Psychosocial factors:
This includes work stress, fatigue, mood swings and so on. These factors may affect people's performance at work, leading to accidents or incidents. For example, chronic job stress may cause pilots to make mistakes during flight.