Task analysis, safety performance

An example of procedures found by performing a job task analysis would be rework procedures. Occasionally, out of specification product is produced which can be reworked in the process. This subcategoiy of normal operations phase procedures may require special consideration. While rework can be a straightforward operation, it could have safety consequences if done improperly. 

At this point, a task analysis is performed. A "task" is defined as an activity oi performance (hat the operator sees as a unit either because of its performance character]stic.s or becau.se that activity is required as whole to achieve some part of the system goal. Only the tasks that are relevant lo the system safety are considered. A task analysis involves decomposition of each task into individual units of behavior. Unusually, this analy.sis tabulates information about each specific human aciiun. The format of such a table is not rigid - any style that allows easy retrieval ot the information can be used. The format reflects the level of detail and the type of task analysis performed. The analysis yields... 

The human factors literature is rich in task analysis techniques for situations and jobs requiring rule-based behavior (e.g., Kirwan and Ainsworth 1992). Some of these techniques can also be used for the analysis of cognitive tasks where weU-practiced work methods must be adapted to task variations and new circumstances. This can be achieved provided that task analysis goes beyond the recommended work methods and explores task variations that can cause failures of human performance. Hierarchical task analysis (Shepherd 1989), for instance, can be used to describe how operators set goals and plan their activities in terms of work methods, antecedent conditions, and expected feedback. When the analysis is expanded to cover not only normal situations but also task variations or changes in circumstances, it would be possible to record possible ways in which humans may fail and how they could recover from errors. Table 2 shows an analysis of a process control task where operators start up an oil refinery furnace. This is a safety-critical task because many safety systems are on manual mode, radio communications between control room and on-site personnel are intensive, side effects are not visible (e.g., accumulation of fuel in the fire box), and errors can lead to furnace explosions. 

Postdevelopment Analyzing well-defined tasks performed by an operational system provides a detailed description of task procedures and resource requirements that can be used to improve task performance and the system design. For example, Rogers et al. (2001) were able to reveal many sources of errors and design recommendations from their task analysis of a consumer blood glucose meter. Suri (2000) used task and user analyses of an existing defibrillator to identify errors and safety concerns, and as a basis for a new design. 

A safety analyst / HF specialist performs a task analysis interview sessions in real time by filling the interview template or the tabular task ... 

Today, various mathematics and probability concepts are being used to study various types of safety-related problems. For example, probability distributions are used to represent times to human error in performing various types of time-continuous tasks in the area of safety [3-7]. In addition, the Markov method is used to conduct human performance reliability analysis in regard to engineering systems safety [7-9]. 

Industrial or occupational safety and health professionals have been involved for some time now in the analysis of tasks that must be performed in the workplace and the human interface that must occur in order to accomplish a given task. In actuality, the modern methods of task analysis and job analysis were initially developed as a result of the somewhat historic time and motion studies conducted in the early twentieth cenmry. These techniques were later enhanced further during the U.S. Department of Labor s efforts in occupational analysis conducted in 1930. These... 

The job safety analysis (JSA) [also referred to as the job hazard analysis (JHA)], which is a more simplified form of task analysis, has been a longstanding tool for task and function analysis. JSA has been available and utilized in general industry for many years by the industrial safety community. However, many practitioners do not understand or are simply unfamiliar with the connection between the JSA and the system safety tasks of hazard identification and analysis. It has even been suggested by some in the profession that the JSA itself is a type of oversimplified system safety analysis and, if performed earlier in the job development phase, could be used as the basis of a preliminary hazard analysis for a specific task or set of tasks. However, because JSA is often (if improperly) used to analyze a function only after it has been implemented, much of the data is not factored into the system safety process. The primary purpose of the JSA is to uncover inherent or potential hazards that may be encountered in the work environment. This basic definition is not unlike that previously discussed regarding the various system safety analyses. The primary difference between the two is subtle but important and is found in the end-use purpose of the JSA. Once the job or task is completed, the JSA is usually used as an effective tool for training and orienting the new employee into the work environment. The JSA presents a verbal picture of a specific job. 

A job safety analysis may be part of other forms of task analysis common to industrial engineering practice. Engineers often consider work flow, motion economy, time associated with each job task, eye and hand or foot movements. Their goal is to find more efficient ways of completing operations. A side effect of job safety analysis is helping to find less hazardous ways of completing work and helping to improve operational performance. 

The final key component of any safety performance program is the follow-up. Followup should be based on the trends and differences identified in the analysis. It can include developing new policies and procedures, modifying existing policies and procedures, or changing the physical characteristics of the workplace or job task. 

Implementing a safety performance system starts with defining the job-performance objectives for the position to be analyzed. This will require a thorough and accurate analysis of the job. The most common task analysis method for analyzing jobs requires a decomposition of job tasks into simpler subtasks, component tasks, or steps (Kaufman, Thiagarajan, and Sivasailam 1997, 189). The safety field is familiar with this process, as it is a common approach to conducting safety-related analyses such as job safety analyses or procedure analyses. Selection of the job tasks to analyze... 

Task analysis should be performed for the safety actions, to assess the demands that will be placed on the operators in terms of decision making and... 

Once the task analysis has been performed and ergonomic problems have been observed, a determination is made as to how to eliminate the hazards. One method to achieve this goal is by examining how the work area is laid out and redesigning the workplace to eliminate the problems. Knowledge of workstations will help the safety professional in this process. 

The human success case is built upon the evidence provided by CTA activities undertaken during both the requirements specification and realisation phases of systems development. CTA is a general term applied to the process that identifies and examines task performed by humans, or groups of humans, as they interact with systems. Task Analysis (TA) is a method supported by a number of specific techniques to collect and organize information to build a detailed picture of the system from the human perspective (for comprehensive coverage of TA techniques see Kirwan Ainsworth 1992). CTA can be used to focus various TA techniques on specific safety issues rather then examining the system as a whole. 

A job safety assessment or analysis should be performed at the start of any task or operation. The designated competent or authorized person should evaluate the task or operation to identify potential hazards and determine the necessary controls. This assessment should focus on actual worksite conditions or procedures that differ from or were not anticipated in the related project or phase hazard analysis. In addition, the authorized person should ensure that each employee involved in the task or operation is aware of the hazards related to the task or operation and of the measures or procedures that workers and visitors must use to protect themselves. Note The job safety assessment is not intended to be a formal, documented analysis, but instead is more of a quick check of actual site conditions and a review of planned procedures and precautions. A more detailed explanation of job safety analysis is provided in Chapter 12. 

This step is completed by trained observers who are, in most cases, fellow workers. These observers are not intent upon finding fault or blaming workers for their safety behaviors, but to document the rate at which workers perform tasks in a safe manner or in an at-risk fashion. The observations usually take 10 to 15 minutes. The data sheets developed by the steering committee should be the guide and specify the expected behaviors. These observations are strictly conducted under the conditions that no names are used and no blame is placed. These observations are best when peer-to-peer observations are performed and feedback can be given immediately. Observation data is entered into a database for analysis and problem solving. This approach builds a sense of ownership in this type of safety program. 

Task Analysis An expansion of the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) method of identifying hazards associated with a given job or task. Differs from the JSA in its level of specific detail and consideration of the human interface in all aspects of the job performance. 

The safety system should be dedicated to the task of performing its safety functions. Where it is necessary and justified for non-safety functions to be part of the safety system, an analysis should be performed to determine whether the whole system should be classified as a safety system, and the safety function should uot be... 

Not all tasks require procedures also, different tasks require different kinds of procedures in terms of detail and format. The first key issue faced by procedure designers is the identification of those work tasks that require procedural aid. Organizations should have a formal process in place for identifying those safety-aitical tasks that require procedures. Approaches presented in the literature (e.g., Embrey, 1989 Marsden, 1996) advocate task analysis, such as hierarchical task analysis (HTA) (Stanton, 2006), followed by error analysis to identify the likelihood of operators failing a task and the level of criticality associated with failing to perform the task successfully. 

Carrillo-Castrillo, J.A., Rubio-Romero, J.C., Guadix, J. Onieva, L. 2014. Risk assessment of maintenance operations the analysis of performing task and accident mechanism. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion (in press). 

Safety tests and analysis The overall objective of the IFR safety analysis task is to develop understanding of the phenomenology which controls the safety performance of the IFR metallic fuel, to provide the experimental data to validate the unique safety features of the IFR, and to fiilly characterize the safety features associated with the BFR concept. Primary activities were ... 

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