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Risk perception and precautionary
Standardisation, Glasgow, Defence Standard 00-25 (Part 8)/Issue 1, 1989, 35 pp, 26 refs. This part of this Defence Standard presents guidelines on the important factors concerning the design of auditory Signals and displays, and the selection of suitable characteristics for association with specific meanings. 22.1.7 (118789)
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Criteria for a recommended standard: Occupational exposure to hand-arm vibration. The Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, DHHS (NIOSH) Pub No 89-106, 1989, 127 pp, 209 refs. This document examines the occupational health problems associated with the use of vibrating tools (including both hand-held vibrating tools and stationary tools that transmit vibration through a workpiece), and it provides criteria for reducing the risk of developing vibration-induced health problems. The major health problem associated with the use of vibrating tools are signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular and peripheral neural disorders of the fingers and hands. These signs and symptoms include numbness, pain, and blanching of the fingers. This composite of vibration-induced signs and symptoms is referred to as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), sometimes called Raynaud's phenomenon of occupational origin, or vibration white finger disease. In the United States, an estimated 1"45 million workers use vibrating tools. The prevalence of HAVS in a worker population that has used vibrating tools ranges from 6% to 100%, with an average of about 50%. The development of HAVS depends on many factors, including the level of acceleration (vibration energy) produced by the tool, the length of time the tool is used each day, the cumulative number of months or years the worker has used the tool, and the ergonomics of tool use. The tools most commonly associated with HAVS are powered hammers, chisels, chainsaws, sanders, grinders, riveters, breakers, drills, compactors, sharpeners and shapers. The prevalence and severity of HAVS usually increase as the acceleration level and duration of use increase. HAVS is a chronic progressive disorder with a latency period that may vary from a few months to several years. The early stages of HAVS are usually reversible if further exposure to vibration is reduced or eliminated; but treatment is usually ineffective for the advanced stages of HAVS, and the disorder may progress to loss of effective hand function and necrosis of
the fingers. Prevention is therefore critical. Adherence to the exposure controls recommended in this document should prevent or greatly reduce the potential for vibrationexposed workers to develop HAVS.
H uman characteristics 22.1.8 (118080) Martin, E.G., and Wogalter, M.S. Risk perception and precautionary intent for common consumer products. In Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, Ca1, Vol 2, 1989, pp 931-935, 10 refs. This study examined whether accident scenario analysis reduces accident frequency mis~estimations and leads to heightened precautionary intent for products. Subjects generated or were provided with accident scenarios and then made estimates. Other subjects made estimates at either a quick or slower pace without analysis. These and an additional group of subjects then rated precautionary intent for the products. Subjects gave ratings for confidence in their estimations and reported whether they had injury experience related to the products. No differences were found among group correlations with actual frequencies. The hurried subjects reported lower precautionary intent ratings than other groups. Subjects with injury experience reported higher precautionary intent than subjects without such experience. No relationship was found between precautionary intent and frequency estimates. Personal knowledge of accidents rather than general knowledge of accidents or frequencies may be a better predictor of consumers' intended behaviour. 22.1.9 (118086)
Hoc, J.M., and Samurcay, R. An ergonomic approach to knowledge representation. In: Proc 2nd European Meeting on Cognitive Science Approaches to Process Control, Siena, Italy, 2 4 - 2 7 Oct 1989. Organised by the Commission of the European Communities - JRC, Ispra and the University of Siena, Italy, 1989, pp 115-128, 10 refs. The mutual contribution of an ergonomics (interview and simulation) and a technical (process supervision theory) approach to knowledge representation is examined. Initial validation of a causal model for diagnosis in the supervision of a continuous process with long response latencies (a blast furnace) is described. The model is designed to specify an
operational language for operatorcomputer and operator-operator communication during diagnosis. Discussion centres on the main feature of this model: the availability of schematic representations of either the state of the process used in planning or evolution in this process. 22.1.10(118656) Lejoly, S., De Keyser, V., and
Housiaux, A. The nature of expertise in complex environments: A field study in an electric power plant. In: Proc 2nd European Meeting on Cognitive Science Approaches to Process Control, Siena, Italy, 2 4 - 2 7 Oct 1989. Organised by the Commission of the European Communities - JRC, Ispra and the University of Siena, Italy, 1989, pp 2 9 - 3 6 , 8 refs. In considering cognitive modelling as a means of understanding and improving operator behaviour and interactions with complex controlled processes, it is shown that only a 'strong' cognitive model is desirable. A 'strong' cognitive model reproduces with maximum accuracy a large range of behaviours, in relation to the complete task, even when the situation becomes unusual and complex. Observations in an electric power plant, and several laboratory researches, show how insufficient are the after task verbalisations for elaborating a strong cognitive model Information gathering and action during problem solving must be observed to test the model. 22.1.11 (118114) Gopher, D., Olin, M., Badihi, Y,
Cohen, G., Donchin, Y., Bieski, M., and Corer, S. The nature and causes of human errors in a medical intensive care unit. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, Cal, Vol 2, 1989, pp 956-960, 4 refs. The article presents the main outcomes and conclusions of a two-year research effort directed to study the causes of human errors in a Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In the course of the study, doctors and nurses recorded errors in treatment routines that were committed during their daffy work. Over a period of 4 months the authors collected 554 errors, which were independently judged for their criticality. In addition, 46 observations over 24-h-periods were conducted of all activities at a patient bed. A total of 8178 activities were recorded over the 46 observations. The authors also performed a detailed human factors analysis of the patient bed as a work-
Applied Ergonomics
February1991
59
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Criteria for a recommended standard: Occupational exposure to hand-arm vibration. The Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, DHHS (NIOSH) Pub No 89-106, 1989, 127 pp, 209 refs. This document examines the occupational health problems associated with the use of vibrating tools (including both hand-held vibrating tools and stationary tools that transmit vibration through a workpiece), and it provides criteria for reducing the risk of developing vibration-induced health problems. The major health problem associated with the use of vibrating tools are signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular and peripheral neural disorders of the fingers and hands. These signs and symptoms include numbness, pain, and blanching of the fingers. This composite of vibration-induced signs and symptoms is referred to as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), sometimes called Raynaud's phenomenon of occupational origin, or vibration white finger disease. In the United States, an estimated 1"45 million workers use vibrating tools. The prevalence of HAVS in a worker population that has used vibrating tools ranges from 6% to 100%, with an average of about 50%. The development of HAVS depends on many factors, including the level of acceleration (vibration energy) produced by the tool, the length of time the tool is used each day, the cumulative number of months or years the worker has used the tool, and the ergonomics of tool use. The tools most commonly associated with HAVS are powered hammers, chisels, chainsaws, sanders, grinders, riveters, breakers, drills, compactors, sharpeners and shapers. The prevalence and severity of HAVS usually increase as the acceleration level and duration of use increase. HAVS is a chronic progressive disorder with a latency period that may vary from a few months to several years. The early stages of HAVS are usually reversible if further exposure to vibration is reduced or eliminated; but treatment is usually ineffective for the advanced stages of HAVS, and the disorder may progress to loss of effective hand function and necrosis of
the fingers. Prevention is therefore critical. Adherence to the exposure controls recommended in this document should prevent or greatly reduce the potential for vibrationexposed workers to develop HAVS.
H uman characteristics 22.1.8 (118080) Martin, E.G., and Wogalter, M.S. Risk perception and precautionary intent for common consumer products. In Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, Ca1, Vol 2, 1989, pp 931-935, 10 refs. This study examined whether accident scenario analysis reduces accident frequency mis~estimations and leads to heightened precautionary intent for products. Subjects generated or were provided with accident scenarios and then made estimates. Other subjects made estimates at either a quick or slower pace without analysis. These and an additional group of subjects then rated precautionary intent for the products. Subjects gave ratings for confidence in their estimations and reported whether they had injury experience related to the products. No differences were found among group correlations with actual frequencies. The hurried subjects reported lower precautionary intent ratings than other groups. Subjects with injury experience reported higher precautionary intent than subjects without such experience. No relationship was found between precautionary intent and frequency estimates. Personal knowledge of accidents rather than general knowledge of accidents or frequencies may be a better predictor of consumers' intended behaviour. 22.1.9 (118086)
Hoc, J.M., and Samurcay, R. An ergonomic approach to knowledge representation. In: Proc 2nd European Meeting on Cognitive Science Approaches to Process Control, Siena, Italy, 2 4 - 2 7 Oct 1989. Organised by the Commission of the European Communities - JRC, Ispra and the University of Siena, Italy, 1989, pp 115-128, 10 refs. The mutual contribution of an ergonomics (interview and simulation) and a technical (process supervision theory) approach to knowledge representation is examined. Initial validation of a causal model for diagnosis in the supervision of a continuous process with long response latencies (a blast furnace) is described. The model is designed to specify an
operational language for operatorcomputer and operator-operator communication during diagnosis. Discussion centres on the main feature of this model: the availability of schematic representations of either the state of the process used in planning or evolution in this process. 22.1.10(118656) Lejoly, S., De Keyser, V., and
Housiaux, A. The nature of expertise in complex environments: A field study in an electric power plant. In: Proc 2nd European Meeting on Cognitive Science Approaches to Process Control, Siena, Italy, 2 4 - 2 7 Oct 1989. Organised by the Commission of the European Communities - JRC, Ispra and the University of Siena, Italy, 1989, pp 2 9 - 3 6 , 8 refs. In considering cognitive modelling as a means of understanding and improving operator behaviour and interactions with complex controlled processes, it is shown that only a 'strong' cognitive model is desirable. A 'strong' cognitive model reproduces with maximum accuracy a large range of behaviours, in relation to the complete task, even when the situation becomes unusual and complex. Observations in an electric power plant, and several laboratory researches, show how insufficient are the after task verbalisations for elaborating a strong cognitive model Information gathering and action during problem solving must be observed to test the model. 22.1.11 (118114) Gopher, D., Olin, M., Badihi, Y,
Cohen, G., Donchin, Y., Bieski, M., and Corer, S. The nature and causes of human errors in a medical intensive care unit. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, Cal, Vol 2, 1989, pp 956-960, 4 refs. The article presents the main outcomes and conclusions of a two-year research effort directed to study the causes of human errors in a Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In the course of the study, doctors and nurses recorded errors in treatment routines that were committed during their daffy work. Over a period of 4 months the authors collected 554 errors, which were independently judged for their criticality. In addition, 46 observations over 24-h-periods were conducted of all activities at a patient bed. A total of 8178 activities were recorded over the 46 observations. The authors also performed a detailed human factors analysis of the patient bed as a work-
Applied Ergonomics
February1991
59