USING HUMAN CENTRERED SYSTEMS DESIGN AS A MEANS OF WORKING TOWARDS ZERO OCCURRENCES WITHIN THE SOUTH AFRICAN RAILWAY SECTOR

Regardless of how technologically primitive or advanced systems within the railway sector are, humans remain a central and integral element affecting the functioning of train related operations. This is particularly the case... [ view full abstract ]

Regardless of how technologically primitive or advanced systems within the railway sector are, humans remain a central and integral element affecting the functioning of train related operations. This is particularly the case in work systems in which safety critical grades operate, where consistent and reliable human inputs are essential for optimal system performance. In line with the central tenet of human factors/ ergonomics, optimal and effective systems are those that are designed to fit the capabilities and limitations of the humans that will be using them. Systems that are designed without due consideration of the human operator, and all the human factors relevant issues, have been found to be error prone and are often plagued by system failure.

Preliminary findings of a review of past occurrences and incidents that have transpired within the railway sector indicate that approximately 70% of reported occurrences can be attributed to human factors related deficiencies. This implies that the system failures that manifest as occurrences emanate from a mismatch between the systems elements, with the human element being a dominant driver in this regard. This paper will, using examples from past occurrences, highlight how many existing railway systems are not human centred and are thus the cause of the sometimes fatal railway occurrences that have transpired.