Hyeon-Kyo Lim

Development of a Comprehensive Model for Human Error Prevention in Industrial Fields

A lot of models have been developed for prevention of human errors. Nevertheless most of them failed to attract attention of industry which has been looking for an integrative model that can show practical countermeasures as well as causal factors of human errors. This research aimed to develop a comprehensive model that can mainly be applied to industrial fields. Therefore, in the model, it was tried to explain sequences of an operators information process that might cause human errors on one hand, and life cycle stages of facilities involved when human errors occur on the other hand. This model was validated by using a typical accident case. With the comprehensive model presented in this research, one could follow up the sequence of human errors caused by operators, and errors made at the design stage which might cause accidents could be tracked. As a consequence, it is expected that much attention would be paid to preventing human errors in industrial fields since safety personnel can easily find out cause of human errors throughout life cycle stages of man-machine facilities if utilizing the suggested model.

Research Trends of International Guides for Human Error Prevention in Nuclear Power Plants

Objective: The aim of this study was to comprehend major concepts and flows that penetrate international guides or standards for developing a quantitative possibility measure of human errors that can be committed or omitted in nuclear power plants. Background: For a few past decades, lots of researchers have studied the effect of stress and/or fatigue which can result in human errors. Thus, this study was carried out on the assumption that much of them were summarized as an international guidelines or manuals, if any, for human error prevention. Method: A literal survey was conducted with materials and documentation published by international organizations related with safety and standardization, such as ISO, OSHA, NIOSH, NASA, and so on with special reference to human error prevention through management of work stress and fatigue as major Performance Shaping Factors. Results: International guides or management manuals on stress or fatigue management for human error prevention hardly were found, and most researches seemed to concentrate on one of them individually. Conclusion: There was few vestige of research that studied both concurrently. However, it was verified that not a few researches have been tried to develop quantitative measures to estimate probability or job characteristics for human error prevention and/or performance downgrading. Application: The results of this study would help to develop a causal model of human errors due to work stress and fatigue that can result in unexpected accidents in nuclear power plant.

Prevention and Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Automobile-related Industries

Automobile-related industries have been a few of leading ones among domestic industries reporting high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). In this paper, major ergonomic aspects of automobile-related works were reviewed with reference to WMSDs. According to the result, high repeatability of works with as short as 1 minute or less, awkward postures required, excessive forces, and vibrations due to power tools were drawn out as major physical factors. To eliminate or mitigate those factors - at least in automobile-related industries - ergonomic approach has tried for more than a decade. With all, however, ergonomists still seem to confront with several problems to be solved such as development of appropriate assessment tools, enhancement of work improvement activities, system establishment for continuous prevention and management of WMSDs. As lots of previous researches declared, it was concluded that ergonomic approach would collaborate with other approaches such as ndustrial medicine considering physical factors as well as psychosocial factors, and that the necessity of an integrated Occupational Safety and Health Management System(OHSMS) was mentioned.