Human Factors Design for Diversity within an EMESRT Control Framework

The outcome of earlier project C28034 was the identification of 14 credible failures modes with respect to worker diversity associated with operation and maintenance of surface coal mining equipment. The objectives of this project were to build upon the previous report to provide additional information and real work examples, that is, “work as done” as opposed to “work as imagined by equipment designers” to assist in the OEM engagement process.

Specifically, this project provides:

• A control framework structure populated with required operating states and credible failure modes drawn from existing Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) Design Philosophies and other previous relevant work.
• A detailed case study of how human factors task analysis may be used within a EMESRT control framework focussing on the Credible Failure Modes (CFMs) highlighted by EMESRT Design Philosophies and identifying opportunities for both improving equipment design and highlighting mining company organisational business inputs that support or mitigate identified CFMs.

The human factors task analysis undertaken on a Caterpillar D10 bulldozer complements the populated EMESRT Control Framework. The analysis focussed on Credible Failure Modes associated with maintenance tasks and highlighted instances where high consequence injury potential were evident, and where management of residual risks associated with the tasks needed to be targeted. The analysis informed the case study which in conjunction with the populated EMESRT Control Framework provides strong supporting evidence of the challenges current equipment design imposes on equipment maintainers. This information will strengthen EMESRT engagement with OEM designers to understand the opportunities for improvements in equipment design to reduce injury risks and barriers to work diversity.