What are Human Factors?

We understand that operator performance is a blend of technical competence and human factors. We offer a range of bespoke training packages and consultancy solutions to help maximise your performance.

 We are an industry leading supplier of both Human Factors training and consultancy services. With our experienced core and associated consultants, we are able to provide the best solutions to a wide range of Human Factors related issues. Having worked across numerous countries and within a range of high-hazard industries from Oil & Gas to Aviation, we have encountered countless problems and seen first-hand the benefits of successful Human Factors implementation. Whether this be the introduction of appropriate procedures, Safety Critical Task Analysis or Toolbox Talk coaching, the varied skillset across our experienced consultants has proven beneficial.

Following industry guidance and recognised best practice we aim to promote the awareness and inclusion of Human Factors across all disciplines. A recognised definition of Human Factors is the bridging discipline between Psychology and Engineering. Giving the ability to assess technical problems from different viewpoints – often by putting the workers and entire organisation in focus. When looking at Human Factors the discipline is often divided into the three Ps – People, Process and Plant.

Putting the focus on People involves understanding the six Non-Technical Skills (NTS) (Stress Management, Communication, Situation Awareness, Decision Making, Leadership & Teamwork) and the effect of these on safe and effective performance. For too long the focal point across high-hazard industries has been on technical skills, however we emphasise that both sets of skills complement each other and go hand in hand to reduce errors. These NTS can be further divided into three other categories: Cognitive skills, Social skills and Personal Resource Management. PFC lead the way in regards to both the facilitation and observation of these skills. Thanks to our in-house simulator and experience with external simulators we are able to gather real time data which can be directly applied to the development of training courses.

Understanding how Human Factors interact with an organisations Processes can ensure these are designed to best support the workforce and identify any areas with error potential prior to this being realised. The application of tools such as Workload Assessments, SCTA and Incident Investigation has been proven to aid organisations in ensuring safe and effective performance which considers its workforce.

Using traditional Plant ergonomics ensures that a workplace is best designed for those interacting within it. Elements such as design, heat and light are proven to have a significant impact on the workforce and as such should be evaluated for optimal working conditions.

Why Are Human Factors Important?

We know that the people factor is vital for efficiency, productivity and profitability. Better understanding the Human Factor in combination with technical competence is vital for successful performance in the workplace.

We know from our experience that human factor problems can result in many negative outcomes including:

• Injury or harm to workers
• Loss of earnings
• Errors
• Poor productivity
• Competency & compliance issues
• Poor team work
• Low morale
• Incidents
• Reputation damage

Within PFC we have the knowledge, experience and skill to cover all areas of Human Factors regardless of project or industry and aim to provide the best solution for any problem faced by an organisation.

Get in contact to see what support we can offer.