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Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 15512

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Myrto Konstantinidou

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Guest Editor

Systems Reliability and Industrial Safety Laboratory, Institute for Nuclear and Radiological Sciences, Energy, Technology and Safety, National Center for Scientific Research “DEMOKRITOS”, 15310 Athens, Greece
Interests: human reliability; quantitative risk assessment; hazard identification; risk management; accident analysis; process safety; oil and gas industry; offshore installations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Michalis Christou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Directorate on Strategy, Work Programme and Resources, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
Interests: risk assessment; crisis management; critical systems; organizational factors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of human and organizational factors is extremely important for improving the safety of complex socio-technical systems. Unlike technical subsystems, for which the chance of failure can be calculated, the reason why human error can occur cannot be studied only through the analysis of statistical distributions, as humans and equipment may compose a single joint cognitive system. The human factor is undeniably a critical element in risk assessment since it denotes the human contribution to risk. On the other hand, organizational factors have been gaining ground in recent years due to their important influence on effective risk management, accident prevention and emergency responses.

All of the above are undeniably critical, and the fact that they are rarely included in safety analysis can hinder accurate processes for assessing the safety of complex systems and infrastructures.

In the notion of complex systems, all systems that include human–machine interactions are included (e.g., the control rooms of industrial or power plants, tunnels or ships). In a complex system, the interaction between human operators and technical systems is considered perpetual. It is the combined availability, reliability and efficiency of such systems that determine their performance and, consequently, their safety.

This Special Issue on “Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems” aims to explore and bring out recent developments, new methods, tools and/or application examples (case studies) regarding human and organizational factors in different sectors such as (but not limited to):

The chemical industry;
The processing industry, including oil and gas as well as offshore installations;
The nuclear industry;
Manufacturing;
Road transport;
Rail transport;
Aviation;
Maritime transport;
Accident analysis;
Emergency responses;
Risk management;
Critical situations.

High-quality contributions addressing related theoretical and practical aspects are therefore welcomed.

Dr. Myrto Konstantinidou
Dr. Michalis Christou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

human reliability
process industry
manufacturing
nuclear industry
transport
accidents
emergency response
risk management
risk assessment
safety analysis

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Human Performance to Enhance Safety: A Case Study in an Automotive Plant

by Maria Chiara Leva, Micaela Demichela, Carlos Albarrán Morillo, Franco Modaffari and Lorenzo Comberti

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11097; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411097 - 16 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1279

Abstract

Human factors play a relevant role in the dynamic work environments of the manufacturing sector in terms of production efficiency, safety, and sustainable performance. This is particularly relevant in assembly lines where humans are widely employed alongside automated and robotic agents. In this situation, operators’ ability to adapt to different levels of task complexity and variability in each workstation has a strong impact on the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the overall production process. This paper presents an application of a theoretical and empirical method used to assess the matching of different workers to various workstations based on a quantified comparison between the workload associated with the tasks and the human capability of the workers that can rotate among them. The approach allowed for the development of an algorithm designed to operationalise indicators for workload and task complexity requirements, considering the skills and capabilities of individual operators. This led to the creation of human performance (HP) indices. The HP indices were utilized to ensure a good match between requirements and capabilities, aiming to minimise the probability of human error and injuries. The developed and customised model demonstrated encouraging results in the specific case studies where it was applied but also offers a generalizable approach that can extend to other contexts and situations where job rotations can benefit from effectively matching operators to suitable task requirements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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17 pages, 6337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Analysis and Evaluation of Nuclear Security Radiation Events in Spent Fuel Reprocessing Plants

by Cuiyue Wei, Shoulong Xu, Shuliang Zou, Fang Zhao, Zhiwei Qin, Hanfeng Dong and Zhixiong Hou

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010781 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2680

Abstract

Spent fuel reprocessing is of great significance to the nuclear fuel cycle and the sustainable development of nuclear energy. At the same time, nuclear security radiation incidents in the spent fuel reprocessing plant are also related to national personal and property safety, which play a pivotal role. In this paper, the spent fuel reprocessing plant is divided into four plant areas: the main process area, the three-waste area, the auxiliary equipment area, and the pre-plant area, which are further subdivided into 12 evaluation units. The expert scoring method is used to score and evaluate the possibility of eight basic nuclear accident types in each area, namely radioactive dispersal device, computer nuclear security, destruction of nuclear facilities, transportation nuclear security, internal threat, potential threat, illegal transfer, and theft. According to the professional titles, length of service, education and other qualifications of experts, different weights are assigned to the experts. The scoring results are applied to the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) of nuclear security events as the probability of basic events, so as to obtain the risk of each basic event. At the same time, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and probability–mathematical statistics method are used to evaluate each evaluation unit to determine the risk of each evaluation unit and the plant area. There results show that the main process area has the highest risk degree, while the pre-plant area has the lowest risk degree, and there is a 1.5-fold relationship. This research provides theoretical and technical support for the safety management and operation of spent fuel reprocessing plants. The analysis results of this paper can be used as a reference for the proportion of nuclear security protection improvements in each plant area, so as to achieve an efficient safety protection effect. The research method in this paper can be also applicable to other similar places by providing as input the corresponding probability of occurrence to obtain the index of its risk degree, so as to reasonably allocate funds and manpower and reduce risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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18 pages, 3651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Assessment of Insider Threats Based on IHFACS-BN

by Min Zeng, Chuanzhou Dian and Yaoyao Wei

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010491 - 28 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2134

Abstract

Insider threats, as one of the pressing challenges that threaten an organization’s information assets, usually result in considerable losses to the business. It is necessary to explore the key human factors that enterprise information security management should focus on preventing to reduce the probability of insider threats effectively. This paper first puts forward the improved Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (IHFACS) based on actual enterprise management. Then, the enterprise internal threat risk assessment model is constructed using the Bayesian network, expert evaluation, and fuzzy set theory. Forty-three classic insider threat cases from China, the United States, and Israel during 2009–2021 are selected as samples. Then, reasoning and sensitivity analysis recognizes the top 10 most critical human factors of the accident and the most likely causal chain of unsafe acts. The result shows that the most unsafe behavior was not assessing employees’ familiarity with the company’s internal security policies. In addition, improving the organizational impact of information security can effectively reduce internal threats and promote the sustainable development of enterprises. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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24 pages, 9250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Road Tunnels Operation: Effectiveness of Emergency Teams as a Risk Mitigation Measure

by Fabio Borghetti, Alessio Frassoldati, Marco Derudi, Igino Lai and Cristian Trinchini

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15491; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315491 - 22 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1428

Abstract

Managing a major event in a road tunnel requires more resources than an open-air event. In the case of fire, the confined environment of road tunnels can represent a critical situation for both users and rescuers. The safety level of a tunnel can be estimated by using dedicated risk models that consider, on the one hand, the traffic (type, quantity and distribution) of a tunnel and, on the other hand, the structural and plant safety measures. According to the European Directive, road tunnel managers can adopt additional safety measures aimed at increasing the level of safety for users exposed to the consequences of an accidental event. One of these measures is the rapid intervention of emergency teams located in the proximity of the tunnel. These teams use pick-up and scooter vehicles properly equipped to cope with a fire event and have detailed knowledge of the specific tunnel system. A further advantage of the emergency teams is the possibility of supporting the evacuation of tunnel users by providing indications on emergency exits, bypasses and safe places considering the evolution of the specific event. In this perspective, the present research contributes to the evaluation of the emergency teams’ effectiveness. Thus, the emergency team was included as a safety measure within a risk analysis model for road tunnels developed by the authors in previous works. After an analysis of the technical and scientific literature, we focused on 15 interventions carried out on some highway tunnels in Italy between the year 2019 and the year 2021. The intervention times of the teams were analyzed using data provided by Strada dei Parchi S.p.A., a company that manages 14 highway tunnels in Italy. These 14 tunnels range in length from 589 m to 10,121 m and are subject to the European Directive. The observed intervention times of the emergency teams range between 2 min and 10 min with an average value of 5.9 min. Such a short intervention time is possible because emergency teams are in the proximity of the different tunnels. Because of the short intervention time and the training of the personnel, all the fires were properly managed by the teams. Furthermore, considering the results of the scientific literature and the data presented in this work, it was possible to estimate and validate an effectiveness value (higher than 90%) of the emergency teams to be used within the risk analysis model developed by the authors and which can also be used in other risk analysis models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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13 pages, 1899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Factors in the Model of Urban Fire Spread in Madrid (Spain) Focused on the Poor Population

by Alexis Cantizano, Raquel Caro, Mercedes Fernández and Pablo Ayala

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4486; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084486 - 9 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1731

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the great potential advantages of bringing human and organizational factors (HOF) into the planning for building fire safety in deprived neighbourhoods (whose populations suffer from a lack of safety culture). Physics-based models were used to analyse fire-spread behaviour in a block of the district of Tetuán, located in the centre of Madrid (Spain), in which a high number of substandard dwellings presented a greater fire risk. GIS tools were used to model the real geometry of the buildings. The numerical models introduced more realistic fire load data related to the characteristics of the population living in these dwellings, which is also a parameter that directly affects the probability of ignition, defined as a Poisson distribution. Generally, the results show that vertical fire spread becomes faster for all buildings, which also contributes to increasing the number of affected rooms. The introduction of HOF in these numerical models can help citizens to better understand fire risk in their own dwellings, raising their risk awareness and subsequently improving their resilience to possible fire accidents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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16 pages, 5129 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Dynamic Evolution Law of Coal Mine Workers’ Behavior Risk Based on Game Theory

by Jifeng Lu, Weihua Liu, Kai Yu and Lujie Zhou

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4015; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074015 - 29 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1626

Abstract

In the safety production system of coal mining enterprises, the income of workers affects the evolution of group behavior and then affects risky behaviors. Due to the nonlinearity and chaos of group behavior, its evolution is long and complex. This study investigated the dynamic evolution process of coal miners’ group behavior to explore the law of group safety behavior and effectively promoted the safety of group behavior. First, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the influencing factors of coal mine workers’ group safety behavior. Then, based on the results of the questionnaire, the coefficients of the influencing factors were obtained, and the game model was established. Finally, the game income was simulated and analyzed. The results showed that the income of workers was positively correlated with the safety of group behavior. Safety performance could effectively improve the level of group safety behavior. The safety management system of coal mining enterprises was further improved and expanded and was applied. The statistical analysis of the violations showed that the results of this study could be used to influence the risky group behavior of coal mine workers and improve the level of coal mine safety production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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19 pages, 3185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Vision Zero” Concept as a Tool for the Effective Occupational Safety Management System Formation in JSC “SUEK-Kuzbass”

by Victoria Smirniakova, Valerii Smirniakov, Yana Almosova and Alena Kargopolova

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6335; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116335 - 3 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3488

Abstract

At present, in Russia, as in many countries, the issues of reducing industrial injuries, as well as increasing the effectiveness of measures taken by employers in the field of industrial safety and introducing a culture of safe work, are widely discussed. The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that Russia is a participant in the Vision Zero campaign, founded by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). The article discusses the history of the emergence and development of the Vision Zero strategy from the corporate to the international level, provides the goals and objectives of the concept of “zero injuries”, studies the indicators of its implementation, and analyzes injuries at coal enterprises of the Russian Federation. As a result, a methodology for solving the tasks in the form of a list of necessary measures and target indicators of their achievement was proposed based on the example of one of the largest coal companies—JSC “SUEK-Kuzbass”. Based on the results of studies, the main conclusion has been formulated—the “Vision Zero” concept is an effective tool to promote an effective occupational safety management system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human and Organizational Factors in Complex Systems)

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