Karin Laumann

Suggested improvements to the definitions of Standardized Plant Analysis of Risk-Human Reliability Analysis (SPAR-H) performance shaping factors, their levels and multipliers and the nominal tasks

This paper discusses the definitions and content of eight performance shaping factors (PSFs) used in Standardized Plant Analysis of Risk-Human Reliability Analysis (SPAR-H) and their levels and multipliers. Definitions of nominal tasks are also discussed. The discussion is based on a review of literature on PSFs, interviews with consultants who have carried out SPAR-H analysis in the petroleum industry and an evaluation of human reliability analysis reports based on SPAR-H analysis. We concluded that SPAR-H definitions and descriptions of the PSFs are unclear and overlap too much, making it difficult for the analyst to choose between them and select the appropriate level. This reduces inter-rater reliability and thus the consistency of SPAR-H analyses. New definitions of the PSFs, levels and multipliers are suggested with the aim to develop more specific definitions of the PSFs in order to increase the inter-rater reliability of SPAR-H. Another aim was to construct more varied and more nuanced levels and multipliers to improve the capacity of SPAR-H analysis to capture the degree of difficulty faced by operators in different scenarios. We also suggest that only one of two nominal SPAR-H tasks should be retained owing to the difficulty in distinguishing between them.

The role of exercise during adolescence on adult happiness and mood

The main research question for this paper was: Does exercise during adolescence predict happiness and positive moods in adult life? Data was collected through an online questionnaire (N = 438). The questionnaire included a measure of happiness (The Subjective Happiness Scale), moods (The Profile of Mood States) and questions on current exercise and exercise during adolescence. Exercise during adolescence was a significant predictor for positive moods, even when controlling for current exercise. There is also a connection between exercise during adolescence and happiness, although it appears to be that exercise during adolescence predicts exercise in adult life, which in turn has a connection to happiness. Exercise was not a significant predictor of negative moods in adulthood.

Effects of trust in high-risk organizations during technological changes

The aim of this study was to explore a drilling crew’s acceptance of and safety concerns about implementation of a new automated drilling technology at a Norwegian offshore oil- and gas-producing installation. In this study, 23 interviews were conducted with personnel on a single offshore oil and gas installation who were all involved with the implementation process or the application of the technology itself. Observations of the drilling crew’s operation on the installation were also made. For data analyses, grounded theory was used. The conclusions were that the change process was successful in the sense that the operators accepted the new technology. However, it could be questioned whether the operators had too much trust in the safety aspects of the change process. High trust was found to cause a low-risk perception and a non-questioning attitude, which is not in accordance with the theory of a high reliability organization which the petroleum industry is expected to practice.

A Literature Study to Explore Empirically: What Is the Scientific Discipline of Human Factors and What Makes It Distinct from Other Related Fields

The aim of this paper is to investigate which topics are studied within human factors, what are the “levels” studied (individuals, work group, organizations, societies), and which methods are used. The questions were answered by investigating 183 papers published in the Human Factors journal for 2015 and 2016. The results showed that more than five papers included the topics; car driving, physical workload, human-automation interaction, design and usability, human machine interface (displays, controls and alarms), mental workload, cognition, team work, training/simulations, and anthropometry. The topics that seem to be unique for human factors are all the topics that are about human-computer/technology interactions and the topic of design and usability. Experiments are the main method used in human factors and almost all of the studies are at the individual level.

Sustaining safety across organizational boundaries: a qualitative study exploring how interorganizational complexity is managed on a petroleum-producing installation

A qualitative study was undertaken to explore how interorganizational complexity is managed on a petroleum-producing installation. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed by means of thematic analysis. Long-term organizational relations, management’s role in the field and worker involvement appear to facilitate high-quality work relations which, along with similar safety practices and philosophies across companies, appear to foster commitment to mutual operational goals and contribute to an open environment in which employees were inclined to report errors and problems. Still, due to the vast number of companies involved and the vast amount of information, coordinating work processes among companies was regarded as a constant challenge. Moreover, variations in experience among sharp-end workers from sub-contractor companies in periods of high activity and marked fluctuations were identified as a challenge. The quality of interorganizational work relations appears to have important implications for safety performance in this context, indicating that high-quality work relations across collaborating companies constitute an important component for achieving and sustaining safety. As research addressing relational factors in safety research to date has been sparse, more research is needed to further explore the safety functions of high-quality work relations. Theoretically, the current study contributes to extend the high-reliability organizations framework by highlighting the role of high-quality work relations as an element for achieving mindfulness.

The influence of interorganizational factors on offshore incidents in the Norwegian petroleum industry: challenges and future directions

Abstract In the petroleum industry, incident investigations are an important means to understand and learn from undesired events. Whereas investigations in the petroleum industry typically focus on technical, human and organizational factors, there is a growing tendency towards outsourcing and more complex forms of organizations. Processes occurring at the interfaces between companies represent important influences that should be considered when investigating incidents. The current study aimed to gain a better understanding of the influence of interorganizational factors on offshore incidents on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Twenty-two investigation reports were analysed to identify interorganizational factors that contribute to incidents. Factors at the interorganizational level contribute to both occupational incidents and major near accidents. Four themes were identified: Ambiguities in roles and responsibilities between personnel from different companies, inadequate processes to ensure sufficient competence across interfaces, inadequate quality control routines across organizational interfaces and communication breakdowns between companies. The identified factors reflect underlying systemic deficiencies at the interorganizational level that contribute to obscure operational processes and at the same time reduce the effectiveness of existing safety barriers. Broadening the scope and incorporating factors at the interorganizational level when investigating undesired events is important in order to sufficiently learn from incidents.

Looking for Additional Data Sources for HRA: Microworlds and Beyond

Human error is attributed as the cause of 50–90% of all accidents and incidents. One of the method-types that try to estimate or predict human error is human reliability analysis (HRA). This paper explores how microworlds - graphically rich and complex rule governed virtual worlds that users immersed themselves in – can be used in HRA. The main focus is research microworlds, but also microworlds made for recreational purposes (i.e. video games) are discussed.