| (Houston, TX---) ABS has released the first Guidance Notes
on Ergonomic Design of Navigation Bridges, a notable new addition
to its suite of practical guides that address the role of human
factors within marine safety.
“We recognize that the vast majority of shipping accidents
involving collisions and groundings stem from activities on the
navigation bridge,” says ABS Manager of Safety Assessment
& Human Factors Denise McCafferty. “When bridge activities
rely on interfaces that are awkward for the mariner, human errors
relating to judgment and vessel control can occur.”
The new Guidance Notes build upon ABS’ pioneering
work from its 1998 Guidance Notes on the Application of Ergonomics
to Marine Systems. This latest addition provides practical
criteria for the effective ergonomic design and layout of interfaces
located within the navigational bridge area. The criteria includes
general ergonomic design guidance for navigational bridges, specific
bridge design guidance, incorporating information from international
sources such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and
a process to identify individual vessel bridge requirements to guide
the application of ergonomic design principles.
In an effort to reduce the potential for human error, the criteria
is aimed at providing designers and engineers with practical guidance
and work processes to use from the concept stage for effective integration
of ergonomics and engineering.
Effective ergonomic design and layout integrates personnel with
systems and their interfaces. For instance, human-system interfaces
include: controls, displays, alarms, video-display units, computer
workstations, labels, and overall workspace arrangement. McCafferty
stresses that without consideration of personnel during design,
interfaces may not meet the needs and expectations of personnel
and human errors may result.
“The positive reception we have had from industry to our
human factors engineering (HFE) work can be attributed to the manner
in which we have developed industry-specific, internationally applicable,
ergonomic principles and criteria,” says McCafferty. “By
targeting guidance to the specific area of a vessel where mariners
exert the greatest influence over operations and safety, the potential
for reducing human error is magnified.”
The ABS Safety Assessment & Human Factors Group considers the
release of this document part of an holistic approach it is taking
toward human interactions at the design stage of a vessel or offshore
installation. “Our goal is to use HFE to significantly improve
personnel performance and safety while reducing the potential for
human error,” says McCafferty.
Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification
society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and
the marine environment through the development and verification
of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance
of marine-related facilities.
Editor’s Note: The ABS Guidance Notes
on Ergonomic Design of Navigation Bridges is available for
free download from the ABS website in the RULES AND GUIDES section
at:. http://www.eagle.org/rules/downloads.html,
publication # 119
Interview Opportunity: Denise McCafferty, Manager
of ABS’ Safety Assessment & Human Factors Group is internationally
recognized for her work in the field of human factors engineering
(HFE) and anthropometrics, or the study of human measurement and
the physical sizes and shapes of humans and the differences between
different ethnic populations. To request an interview regarding
the latest information, issues and concerns in the area of ergonomics
as it applies to the marine and/or offshore industry, please contact:
Susan V. Gonzalez, Manager of Corporate Communications, ABS at 1
281 877-5853 or sgonzalez@eagle.org.
For more information, contact:
Susan Gonzalez,
ABS
1-281-877-5853
or sgonzalez@eagle.org
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