Page 60 - IGC BOOK

Designing tasks, equipment and workstations to suit the user can reduce human error, accidents
and ill health. Failure to observe ergonomic principles can have serious consequences for
individuals and for the whole organisation. Effective use of ergonomics will make work safer,
healthier and more productive

Workload - increased workloads, uncertain demands and deadlines to match individuals directly
or such demands are influenced externally from the organisation.

Environment - environmental conditions at workplace including noise, lighting, ventilations,
temperature, humidity, dust and space around the machinery how it can have impact on the
performance of workers and how well they can be controlled. E.g Worker may have to stain his
eyes a lot when operating a machinery in an area where there is a low lux level. Hence, it
increases the chance of stress as well as may lead to accident. Workers tend to find their own
way working which may unsafe to reduce the fatigue when operating the machinery, they also
may endanger themselves by accessing to the dangerous parts of the machinery due to poor
visibility or low lighting.

Display and Controls - poorly designed display and controls can increases the likelihood of
human errors. E.g. the location of emergency stop button which is difficult to access or out of
operators view during an emergency may worsen the situation.

Procedures - the availability of operating procedures, including its operability and quality in
terms of reducing the risk. Non-availability of written procedures or the procedures which are
superseded, complex procedures, or certain procedures which cannot be adopted by the
workers due impracticality. To be effective in operability of such procedures must be precise
and concise with suitable multiple-language options.

Individual Factors

People bring to their job with their individual skills,
experience, knowledge, personal attitudes, habits and
personality. Individual characteristics influence
behaviour in complex and significant ways. Their
effects on task performance may be negative and
may not always be mitigated by job design. Some
characteristics, such as personality, are fixed and
cannot be changed.
Others, such as skills and attitudes, may be changed
or enhanced. For instance, if a worker has a poor
attitude of carrying out welding task by positioning
the acetylene cylinders in a horizontally, then
obviously, the worker needs to change their attitude,
which can be achieved through various ways.

ENSIGN| Unit IG1 – Element 3 – Managing Risks – Understanding People and Processes 15