Patrick G. Dempsey

What's in a name? Using terms from definitions to examine the fundamental foundation of human factors and ergonomics science

A collection of words extracted from definitions of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) were analysed to examine the foundational basis of the field. The collected terms provide a descriptive taxonomy supporting the belief that HF/E is a multidisciplinary endeavour that involves the design and engineering of systems for human use. The importance of an inclusive definition with respect to communicating work to others is discussed, including the need for a single name capable of capturing the essence of this dynamic and human-centred field.

Fall from equipment injuries in U.S. mining: identification of specific research areas for future investigation.

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to evaluate the circumstances leading to fall from equipment injuries in the mining industry. METHOD The 2006 and 2007 Mine Safety and Health Administration annual injury databases were utilized for this study whereby the injury narrative, nature of injury, body part injured, mine type, age at injury, and days lost were evaluated for each injury. RESULTS The majority of injuries occurred at surface mining facilities (approximately 60%) with fractures and sprains/strains being the most common injuries occurring to the major joints of the body. Nearly 50% of injuries occurred during ingress/egress, predominantely during egress, and approximately 25% of injuries occurred during maintenance tasks. The majority of injuries occurred in relation to large trucks, wheel loaders, dozers, and conveyors/belts. The severity of injury was independent of age and the median days lost was seven days; however, there was a large range in severity. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY From the data obtained in this study, several different research areas have been identified for future work, which include balance and stability control when descending ladders and equipment design for maintenance tasks.

An analysis of injury claims from low-seam coal mines

INTRODUCTION The restricted workspace present in low-seam coal mines forces workers to adopt awkward working postures (kneeling and stooping), which place high physical demands on the knee and lower back. METHOD This article provides an analysis of injury claims for eight mining companies operating low-seam coal mines during calendar years 1996-2008. All cost data were normalized using data on the cost of medical care (MPI) as provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. RESULTS Results of the analysis indicate that the knee was the body part that led in terms of claim cost (

Patterns in Mining Haul Truck Accidents

4.2 million), followed by injuries to the lower back (

On the Description and Definition of Human Factors/Ergonomics

2.7 million). While the average cost per injury for these body parts was

Using Multiple Complementary Methods to Develop Ergonomics Audits for Mining Operations

13,100 and

Analysis of Fatalities During Maintenance and Repair Operations in the U.S. Mining Sector

14,400, respectively (close to the average cost of an injury overall), the high frequency of these injuries resulted in their preeminence in terms of cost. Analysis of data from individual mining companies suggest that knee and lower back injuries were a consistent problem across companies, as these injuries were each among the top five most costly part of body for seven out of eight companies studied. APPLICATION/IMPACT: Results of this investigation suggest that efforts to reduce the frequency of knee and low back injuries in low-seam mines have the potential to create substantial cost savings.

Development of ergonomics audits for bagging, haul truck and maintenance and repair operations in mining

To help develop ergonomics audit programs for mining, one source of data on both work tasks and their failures is accident reports. These are available in most industries and are often used in human factors engineering, but typically to justify and evaluate interventions rather than to provide task details and failure mechanisms. Because fatal accidents in particular contain considerable detail resulting from thorough follow-up investigations, they are thus a useful starting point for analysis. A set of 40 detailed fatal accident reports for mining haul truck accidents were analyzed to develop repeating patterns of accidents. This paper examines the accident patterns found from the initial sample, the refined pattern analysis developed from a subsequent larger sample, and the task analyses used later to help develop valid audit programs.

Slip potential for commonly used inclined grated metal walkways

This work examines the terms most frequently used to describe our field, which has variously been named Ergonomics, Human Factors, Human Factors Engineering, and Engineering Psychology. A large number of definitions were collected, including those assembled in an earlier technical report by Licht, Polzella, and Boff (1990). First, the definitions were stripped of connector words. Second, the prefix root terms that had the same meaning were combined and third, the words were tabulated and sorted to reveal the content terms most frequently employed. These data may be used to develop core, concise definitions or longer more expository descriptions of the field. The list of terms could also be used as a starting point for the development of definitions oriented for different target audiences (e.g., lay persons vs. other engineering/science experts) as a method of disseminating information concerning what we do.

Inter-Rater Reliability of Video-Based Ergonomic Job Analysis for Maintenance Work in Mineral Processing and Coal Preparation Plants

Although ergonomics audits are commonly used by consultants, the scientific literature on reliable and valid audits is sparse. This paper describes a multi-faceted methodological approach to developing ergonomics audits for three types of mining operations. The approach was derived from a validated audit (Ergonomics Assessment Program (ERNAP)) for aircraft maintenance operations. While there were contextual, regulatory, and intended end user differences, the general approach to establishing content validity through task analysis and workplace observations, surveillance data, and accepted practices and regulations proved to be effective, albeit with modifications. Analysis of fatality reports and desire for integration with existing mining safety approaches were two areas where the current approach differed from ERNAP.