Human Factors & Ergonomics (HFE) Hub

Craig Fletcher and Sharon Todd explore the world of designing HFE into projects including some recent work on the use of VR to reduce suicide on the rail network.Craig has 25 years experience in the area of ergonomics and human factors, both in Australia and the UK. He is experienced in conducting human factors assessments for a broad range of industry and application. Craig is focussed on delivering practical solutions to human factors problems and is experienced in managing a wide range of human factors projects.This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

Karen Lange-Morales, David Caple and Andrew S. Imada discusses the work of the IEA and their new publication "Giving your business the Humans Factors Edge  - Making it Happen"  to improve productivity, quality of products and the wellbeing of employees.The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) is a non-profit international federation of ergonomics and human factors societies from around the world. This document was developed as part of the Science, Technology and Practice Standing Committee (2021-2024)Karen Lange-Morales is associate professor at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She has worked as a consultant in ergonomics and design in public and private sectors including farming, oil, manufacturing, education, banking, and food areas, among others.David Caple has led an independent health, safety and ergonomics practitioner company since 1985. He has conducted Work Health and Safety research and practice projects in Australia and internationally for Governments, industry groups, companies and unions. He was an Adjunct Professor at Latrobe University in the Ergonomics and Health and Safety programs for the last 20 years. David was the 16th President of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) 2006-2009 and represented the IEA at conferences and meetings in 30 countries.Andrew S. Imada is a macroergonomics consultant specializing in human and organisational change. He works with people and organisations to change their cultures, respond to scalability demands, and implement disruptive technologies. He helps them meet these challenges by balancing organisational, safety, quality, and human needs.AcknowledgmentsWe are grateful for the invaluable support received from Nancy Black, Rosemary Seva, Nancy Larson, Glenn Azevedo in reading and providing feedback on the document, as well as Yushi Fujita and the IEA standards committee. We also appreciate the feedback on the structure received from Andrew Thatcher, Klaus Zink, Pascale Carayon, Ole Broberg, and Gabriel Garcia-Acosta. Finally, we highlight the valuable support of Dixie Imada in achieving a "more readable" document, Sharon Herbstreit for her support in the feedback process, Senana Brugger for her pertinent formal appreciations and Lukas Garcia-Lange for his advice on the use of AI.This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

In this enlightening discussion, Donna Duffy, a seasoned Human Factors Engineering Specialist with over 25 years in the field, shares her journey from psychology to the forefront of human factors in defense and aviation. She delves into cognitive modeling for interface design and the significance of human-machine teaming, particularly for autonomous systems. Donna highlights her role in the MQ-28 Ghost Bat project and the importance of ergonomics for operators. She also discusses innovative VR solutions for maintenance checks and the challenges of rapid prototyping while advocating for user safety.

Sharon Todd chats to Professor Robyn Clay-Williams about Emergency Department design for underserved cohorts. Robyn leads a research program at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, in the field of human factors in healthcare. Over a career spanning nearly 45 years in aviation and healthcare, Robyn has worked extensively to develop and evaluate systems to make them fit for purpose and easier to use. Robyn provides expert advice to policymakers, clinicians, researchers and consumers across Australia and globally, and has made international contributions, including invited lectures, to universities in the US, Europe and South America. Currently Robyn is leading a team to develop new models of care to improve Emergency Department performance, and patient experience and outcomes for five vulnerable patient cohorts: older adults, ethnic minorities, people living with disability, people living with mental illness, and Indigenous Australians. Her 2019 TEDx talk on human factors is available on the global TED.com platform. Prior to her academic career, Robyn was a Royal Australian Air Force test pilot.This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

Sharon Todd is chatting to Sam Gerges about his ergonomics programs to minimise injuries and reduce injury costs in Vehicle Manufacturing.Sam is a qualified physiotherapist, egonomics and occupational health and safety specialist with over 15 years experience working in Australia, Japan and America. Experienced across many industries including manufacturing, oil and gas, forestry, retail and logistics, Sam possesses expert, practical knowledge of ergonomics and human factors, part, process and ewuipment and plant design, hazard identification, risk analysis, control implementation, compliance and auditing.The Current HFESA Victorian Committee Chairperson and Director of Absolute Care Group, Sam's goal is to progress the knowledge of ergonomics in safety and health professionals and partner with organisations to prevent development of musculoskeletal  injuries in their workplsve while progressing their safety maturity journey. This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

Heather Kahle talks with Sharon Todd about her work, her manual handling projects and the tools that she uses. As a Human Factors consultant and previous president of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists, Heather helps companies apply human organizational performance/human factors and ergonomics principles and methods. In 30 years with WorkSafeBC, she applies experience with investigations, MSI prevention, and error mitigation across many diverse industries.Heather's  journey into the world of Human Factors (HF) and System Safety began in the picturesque town of Lund, Sweden, where she earned my MSc from Lund University.Three Decades at WorkSafeBCFor three decades, Heather had the privilege of working at WorkSafeBC, where her role spanned across various pivotal functions:   - Educator and Mentor: I educated investigators, applied scientific methods, and mentored officers in conducting complex and serious industrial investigations.   -HFE Expertise: Provided human factors and ergonomics (HFE) expertise to multidisciplinary teams across engineering, investigations, education, and prevention field services.   - Developer and Deliverer: Developed and delivered courses, webinars, and workshops to enhance understanding and application of methodologies such asAppreciative Inquiry, Cognitive Interviewing, Fatigue Risk Management, and Human-Machine Interface to prevent struck-by incidents.   - Risk Project Leader: Led and supported risk-based projects applying systems methodologies to review performance, understand vertical risk integration, and develop effective preventative measures.   - Tool Creator: Developed tools to assess organizational readiness, compliance, and performance.   - Regulatory Advisor: Advised on regulation development relating to safety-critical work and systems theory, including Incident Command systems.   - Risk Analyst: Reviewed risk factors related to musculoskeletal injuries, error traps, and communication factors across a wide range of industries.   - Author: Authored technical reports, bulletins, risk assessment materials, and safety issues reviews, making complex information accessible to wide audiences.   - Standard Contributor: Participated in CSA Standards Z1005 - Incident Investigation and Prevention Program, Z1516 – Fatigue Risk Management for First Responders, and the CSA Express Document; Human and OrganizationalThis podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

Sharon Todd chats to Dr Puji Silva a mechanical and medical engineer about his work and research into litigation injury data. Puji primarily works in ergonomic risk assessments and litigation matters related to permanent injury in both workplace and public liability cases, applying his expertise in biomechanics, human factors, and safety design principles to improve workplace outcomes and legal evaluations.Dr. Pujitha Silva is a mechanical and medical engineer with extensive experience in human biomechanics, ergonomics, and injury prevention. His career spans over 15 years across industries such as healthcare, bulk material systems handling, wearable technology applications in sports and rehabilitation, and biomedical device development, where he has applied ergonomic principles and human factors research to optimize workplace safety and system performance. He is also a litigation consultant, researcher, and certified organizational coach, with a deep interest in the intersection of ergonomics, injury data analysis, and workplace safety strategies. Dr. Silva is currently an Ergonomics Consultant where he specializes in:Ergonomic risk assessments & workplace safety solutions to mitigate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and prevent injuries.Expert litigation reports for workplace injuries (manual handling, slips/trips/falls, and system failures).Implementation of Work Health and Safety (WHS) compliance strategies in Victoria and NSW.Developing human-centered design solutions to enhance safety in industrial and commercial environments.Data-driven research on injury trends, including a landmark 40-year analysis of litigation injury cases, presented at the HFESA 2024 National Conference.The pursuit of a Bachelor’s in Medical Engineering was the start of Puji’s journey into understanding how the human body works and how it can be studied using engineering principles borrowed from various disciplines, differently from traditional medical approaches. This curiosity led him to the study of biomechanics, particularly focusing on the interactions of soft and hard tissues, their degeneration, and injury mechanisms. His early research included intervertebral disc mechanics and non-invasive This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

Dr Vanessa Huron discusses the use of drones in various environments and the human factors aspects of drone use. Dr Vanessa Huron holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Diploma in Innovation Management and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of New South Wales.Vanessa's research focuses on human factors and safety, accessibility management, and educational design and delivery applied across several domains, includingPsychosocial hazards and work re-designSafety and risk managementEducational design, delivery, and digital technologiesVanessa is an Associate of the Disability Innovation Institute, which seeks to support disability research and foster collaboration at UNSW.This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...

In this engaging conversation, Professor Sidney Dekker, a safety scientist and author, shares his insights on organizational safety and the concept of a 'restorative just culture.' He delves into the detrimental effects of blame in the workplace and advocates for a shift towards understanding systemic errors. Sidney emphasizes the importance of making leaders servant stewards who prioritize frontline workers’ needs and outlines practical steps for fostering a culture of learning and compassion. His vision includes addressing post-COVID occupational violence with innovative, empathetic approaches.

The HFESA president Kath Jones is chatting to Ari Antonovsky about his work on Human factors and 'Human Dependability.'Dr Antonovsky was originally trained as a Materials Engineer.  Through his role as a Reliability Engineer in the resource industry in Australia, Indonesia and NZ, he became involved in working directly with maintenence and operations crews.  His interest in human factors and the organiastional aspects of maintenance lead to PhD research at Curtin University, sponsored by Woodside Energy Ltd.  This project examined the quantitative influence of specific human factors on the reliability of maintenance tasks.His recent UWA research projects, funded by the Royal Australian Navy, examined the human factors requirements in operations, maintenance and training for the Future Submarine, and the human factors that influence maintenance effectiveness on a surface vessel.Dr Antonovsky is currently project leader for revision of an international standard (IEC 62508), which  provides guidance on the human aspects of workplace dependability.This podcast is brought to you by the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society of Australia. If you like this podcast please make us your favourite on your podcast app. If you want to find out more about Human Factors and Ergonomics or if you have a question about this podcast please go to the HFESA website ergonomics.org.au and make your request via our contact page. DISCLAIMER Please find our full disclaimer at: www.ergonomics.org.au/term-conditions/This content is for informational purposes only, does not constitute advice and should not be considered as a replacement for professional judgment in clinical, research, academic, or other expert fields. Views expressed by speakers and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the view of HFESA. HFESA makes no guarantees and accepts no liability in connection with the accuracy and currency of this content and does not endorse any specific service, publication or entity mentioned. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, duplication, modification, or exploitation of this podcast content is strictly prohibited. You are  prohibited from recording, copying, or storing content for commercial purposes, using automated processes to extract or collect content, creating derivative works from the content, or using content for artifici...