Human Factors Railway Safety

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Human Factors Railway Safety

• Dr Ann Mills
• Principal, Human Factors

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Contents

• Railway Safetys and HF teams role
• Railway Safetys Research Programme
• Future Human Factors Research
• Recently completed research

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Railway Safety
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• A not-for profit company
• Established 31 December 2000
• Formed from Railtracks Safety and Standards
  Directorate
• As independent as is possible under current
  framework

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The UK rail industry
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Rolling stock companies
TOCS
Railtrack
Contractors
Freight Operators
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Ladbroke Grove
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Human Factors Teams roles
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• Human Factors input into relevant standards
• Specialist support to Formal Inquiries
• Representation of RS in Europe
• Educating and informing the industry
• Research Programme

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Railway Safety Research Programme
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Objectives
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• To deliver research that identifies achievable
  ways of improving safety on the railway both from
  a regulatory perspective and in terms of the
  wider expectations of society

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Stakeholders
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Key Human Factors Hazards
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• Signals Passed at Danger
• Communication errors
• Driver behaviour
• Slips, trips and falls
• Maintenance errors
• Behaviour of the public and passengers
• Trespass and vandalism
• Driver and user behaviour at level crossings
• Passenger behaviour in emergencies and in stations

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What Research?
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• Research is structured into 7 main areas
• Human Performance
• Public Behaviour
• Operations
• Management

• Engineering
• Train protection and control
• Policy and risk

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Research Themes
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Management Safety Culture Competence Safety
Management Systems Supply Chain Management
Human Performance Human Factors SPAD Reduction
and Mitigation Occupational Health
Train Protection and Control Train Protection and
Control
Public Behaviour Trespass Vandalism Personal
Safety and Security Station Safety Suicide Level
Crossings
Operations Safety Critical Communications Track
Safety and Possession Management Operations Abnorm
al and Degraded Working, Contingency Planning
Policy and Risk Safety Decision Making Risk
Assessment and Data Analysis Engaging
Stakeholders in Safety
Engineering Vehicle Track Interaction Infrastructu
re Integrity Accident Survivability / Vehicle
Integrity / Fire
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Examples of future human factors research
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Research projects
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• Common factors in SPADs
• Signal Sighting strategies for managing
  conflicting requirements
• Role of the driver manager
• Driver cohort comparison
• Driver visual strategies
• Driver error
• The future role of the train driver
• Driver route knowledge

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Research projects
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• Common factors in SPADs
• Signal Sighting strategies for managing
  conflicting requirements
• Role of the driver manager
• Driver cohort comparison
• Driver visual strategies
• Driver error
• The future role of the train driver
• Driver route knowledge

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Research projects
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• Common factors in SPADs
• Signal Sighting strategies for managing
  conflicting requirements
• Role of the driver manager
• Driver cohort comparison
• Driver visual strategies
• Driver error
• The future role of the train driver
• Driver route knowledge

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Research examples continued
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• User Information requirements
• Driver-Signaller communications
• Communications risk
• Fatigue and shiftwork
• Sleep Apnoea
• Safety Critical Rule Compliance
• Team working in the rail industry

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Research examples continued
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• User Information requirements
• Driver-Signaller communications
• Communications risk
• Fatigue and shiftwork
• Sleep Apnoea
• Safety Critical Rule Compliance
• Team working in the rail industry

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Research examples continued
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• User Information requirements
• Driver-Signaller communications
• Communications risk
• Fatigue and shiftwork
• Sleep Apnoea
• Safety Critical Rule Compliance
• Team working in the rail industry

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Recently completed research
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Completed research
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• Effectiveness study of the Driver Reminders
  Appliance
• Driver vigilance devices
• Eye movement study
• Trackside safety study
• Visual and mental acuity study
• Fatigue position paper
• Driver training needs analysis
• Evaluation of a driver training programme

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Questions?Want to know more?

• www.railwaysafety.org.uk