MAP-01-011 HFI Technical Guide - Human Factors Integration ...

MAP-01-011 – HFI Technical Guide (STGP 11)HFI Technical Issuesstay closed up in the same position while performing repetitive movements mayresult in strain injury. Proximity to sensor or weapons operation may exposepersonnel to radiation, noise, shock and laser risks. The air quality within vesselsmay decrease over time and cause breathing difficulties. Operations underconditions of physical and psychological stress when combined with cumulativefatigue may adversely affect the health of the crew. Shift cycles and rest periodsneed to be considered when designing the equipment to ensure that performancecan be maintained over worst-case mission scenarios. Health hazard analysis isrequired as part of JSP 430 ‘MOD Ship Safety Management’ [Ref 5].The range of health hazards that should be considered during equipment designis as follows:1. Acoustic – Hearing loss from exposure to continuous or intermittent noise,e.g. in machinery rooms, prolonged wearing of headsets.2. Biological – Infections from microorganisms, their toxins and enzymes,e.g. in galleys.3. Chemical – Inhalation, ingestion or direct contact with toxic substances,e.g. hydraulic fluid.4. Oxygen deficiency – Reduced performance or asphyxiation, e.g. poorlyventilated compartments.5. Radiation – Radiation from ionising and non-ionising sources, e.g.proximity to high-powered radar equipment.6. Shock – Shock arising from equipment operation or ship motion, e.g.electric, extreme movements.7. Temperature extremes and humidity – Extremes leading to reductions inperformance or more serious effects on health, e.g. excessive heatgenerated by proximity to operating equipment.8. Trauma – Physical trauma resulting from direct impact to the body ormusculo-skeletal trauma due to the need to lift excessive weights orcontinuously operate equipment, e.g. repetitive strain injury associated withusing input devices for computer-based or other equipment.9. Vibration – Vibration arising from the contact of mechanically oscillatingsurfaces with the body, e.g. the effect of the platform motion envelope indifferent compartments.10. Visual – Loss or serious impairment of sight due to exposure to high levelsof light energy, e.g. lasers, eyesight problems from prolonged use of visualdisplay units.Health hazards appear in many facets of the workplace, as well as recreationalareas. A major concern is to ensure that the design of workplaces andrecreational areas is aimed at minimising the incidence of events that degradehealth. The remit of the platform project is to identify the hazards inherent ineach area and initiate design policies and audit procedures to maximise crewhealth. Some specific subjects of concern are:Nov 2006 Page 17-4 Issue 4