Shiftwork and team options for hazardous operations regarding the potential for human error: A system dynamic model

Date

2017-08

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Abstract

Under facility availability and scheduling constraints, two off-normal scheduling options have been utilized to meet manufacturing schedule demands. Shiftwork has been prevalent in production environments since the industrial revolution. Research has shown the negative effects on human performance that working night shift can have due to circadian effects and sleep disruption; however, shiftwork remains a widely-used option out of necessity. An emerging option not widely researched is the concept of adding multiple teams in the same facility. Working in teams requires interaction and communication. Performance shaping factors (PSFs) present in individual shiftwork operations are also present in team operations, but working in teams adds another set of PSFs. Furthermore, multiple teams in the same facility have the potential for added noise and distraction. This research uses system dynamic modeling to explore different shiftwork and team scheduling options on the potential for human error in teams. A systematic literature review of human error in shiftwork and teams was performed. A quantitative meta-analysis was then conducted to find the effect of working night shift on the potential for human error. Using the data obtained from the systematic literature reviews and meta-analysis, system dynamic models (SDM) were developed and tested to evaluate the effect of different shift and team scheduling options on the potential for three different types of team error. Results of the meta-analysis on shiftwork and human error showed a significant “medium” effect of working night shift on human performance. The systematic literature review on teams resulted in a
lengthy qualitative synthesis of studies looking at team performance in several focus areas: 1) organizational structure and leadership; 2) member behavior and characteristics; 3) coordination and communication; 4) situational awareness and vigilance; 5) team size; 6) cognition; and 7) automation.
Results of the SDMs developed and tested for predicting team error in shiftwork and team scenarios indicated that when looking at team and shiftwork variables alone, shift type has the largest influence on team error. Night shift work has a larger potential for error than day shift work regardless of shift hours and other team parameters. More research is needed, however, on the effect of shift type, shift hours, team size, and number of teams on team error to increase the validity of the model. This research provides a valuable tool for making decisions about shiftwork and team scheduling with regards to the lowest potential for catastrophic human error. This research will help managers focus on the areas where barrier implementation might be most beneficial. The project has application to any high consequence operation involving humans with the need for additional shifts or teams to meet schedule demands.


Embargo status: Restricted until 09/2022. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.

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Keywords

Shiftwork, Teams, Error

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