85398 - Safety and Human Factors

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to identify key theories in applied human factors and to illustrate assessment methods and tools.

Course contents

This teaching program offers an advanced theoretical and empirical perspective on the role of human factors across various workplaces and industries. The topics explored include:

1.Analysis and prevention of accidents

2.Safety Barriers

3.Human errors and performance in high-risk organizations

4.Assessment and training of non-technical skills

5.Situation awareness and decision making

6. Communication failures

7.Teamwork and leadership: implications for safety management

Each module is structured to include theoretical elements, tool presentations, and group activities designed around the topics discussed, offering a practical context to the learned concepts.

Readings/Bibliography

Papers for the preparation of the written exam are the following.

FOR THE CLOSED QUESTIONS (MANDATORY READINGS)

1.Dodoo, J. E., & Al-Samarraie, H. (2019). Factors leading to unsafe behavior in the twenty first century workplace: a review. Management Review Quarterly, 69(4), 391-414.

2.Hofmann, D. A., Burke, M. J., & Zohar, D. (2017). 100 years of occupational safety research: From basic protections and work analysis to a multilevel view of workplace safety and risk. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 375.

3.Aburumman, M., Newnam, S., & Fildes, B. (2019). Evaluating the effectiveness of workplace interventions in improving safety culture: A systematic review. Safety science, 115, 376-392.

4.Larouzee, J., & Le Coze, J. C. (2020). Good and bad reasons: The Swiss cheese model and its critics. Safety science, 126, 104660.

5.HSE UK. Reducing errors and influencing behaviours. You can download a copy of the handbook here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg48.htm.

6.Hollnagel, E. (2008). Risk+ barriers= safety?. Safety science, 46(2), 221-229.

FOR THE OPEN QUESTIONS - SELECT TWO PAPERS AT YOUR CHOICE!

1.La Bara, L. M. A., Meloni, L., Giusino, D., & Pietrantoni, L. (2021). Assessment methods of usability and cognitive workload of rehabilitative exoskeletons: a systematic review. Applied Sciences, 11(15), 7146.

2.Guglielmi, D., Paolucci, A., Cozzani, V., Mariani, M. G., Pietrantoni, L., & Fraboni, F. (2022). Integrating human barriers in human reliability analysis: A new model for the energy sector. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5), 2797.

3.Puchades, V. M., Fassina, F., Fraboni, F., De Angelis, M., Prati, G., de Waard, D., & Pietrantoni, L. (2018). The role of perceived competence and risk perception in cycling near misses. Safety science, 105, 167-177.

4.De Angelis, M., Fraboni, F., Puchades, V. M., Prati, G., & Pietrantoni, L. (2020). Use of smartphone and crash risk among cyclists. Journal of Transportation Safety & Security, 12(1), 178-193.

5.Fraboni et al. (2023). Occupational Safety in Homecare Organizations: The Design and Implementation of a Train-the-Trainer Program, Home Health Care Services Quarterly, in press.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods are:

A) Lectures where the lecturer gives a review of the literature, shows conceptual issues and empirical findings and opens up for questions and comments. The slides presented during the lectures will be made available on the virtual platform after the lectures.

B) Student-active teaching methods: flipped classroom, in-class activities to be performed in pairs or in small groups, role-play and case work. Flipped classroom is the process of moving lecture content from face-to-face class time to before class by assigning it as homework. This allows for more interactive forms of learning to take place during class. This approach supports instructors playing their most important role of guiding their students to deeper thinking and higher levels of application.

Ethical code. All students are expected to follow the ethical code of the University of Bologna. In addition, students are expected to treat each other, themselves and the course instructor and teaching assistant with respect and courtesy, including respecting diversity of all types.

Assessment methods

The final assessment incorporates multiple evaluation methods.

1.Written Exam: This consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, with each question offering four options (one correct answer, three incorrect). Short open questions may be included regarding additional papers.

The questions are based solely on the prescribed reading material, not on lecture slides. Students are responsible for sourcing the full text of the papers and chapters listed.

The written exam, which lasts for 45 minutes, is scheduled approximately at the end of the semester.

This contributes up to 22 out of 30 points to the final grade.

2. Active Participation: This is evaluated using various behavioural indicators such as asking questions, taking notes, abstaining from unrelated tasks, leveraging prior knowledge and personal experiences, and engaging in both in-class and flipped class group activities. Attendance also contributes to this assessment.

This component contributes up to 4 out of 30 points to the final grade.

3. Assignment: The assignment is a way to evaluate the knowledge and skills learned in the class, encompassing writing, presenting, and researching relevant scientific documents.

Assignments must be submitted via the virtual platform (virtuale.unibo.it) and will require individual work at home in preparation for the following class, which may also include an oral presentation.

The assignment can earn full points if it aligns completely with the instructions, has a clear structure, offers original insights, is well-argued, uses correct English, adheres to academic writing conventions, and references are according to APA standards.

Instructions will be given by prof. Marco de Angelis

The assignment contributes up to 4 out of 30 points to the final grade.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Pietrantoni

See the website of Marco De Angelis