Background Awareness of human factors (HF) as a key safety factor has increased in recent decades. Several methods and tools have been designed to better master HF at workplaces, but the focus of them has, however, remained at human-machine and human-system interfaces. Yet, the latest safety research stresses the organisational and systemic view, to improve the capability of organisations to be proactive, and to act and react in undesired safety critical events.

Description of problem In technical, predominantly male domains in particular, competence in handling HF at workplaces may be weak. HF is not included in technical profession training, despite the fact that these professions often manage safety at workplaces. HF issues may be considered too challenging to raise. As safety is not only promoted through technical solutions and norms, competence in HF would add value to safety work. Practical HF tools should be used and modified in order to better handle this field at workplaces.

Results This presentation describes the modification of an HF tool for different professional fields. Originally, an HF tool was designed for Finnish Air Traffic Management, to support the skills of operative personnel and management to analyse the individual-, group-, work- and organisational success and weakness factors behind operative incidents. The HF tool was next modified and tested by an education department, a rescue and firefighting department and an energy production organisation of a city organisation. The latest implementations have been made in the nuclear industry and in the maritime, for operational event and safety culture analysis. Development processes and outputs of the HF tool modifications are summarised and evaluated.

Conclusions Concrete HF models and tools are needed, in order to be able to more effectively learn and analyse the human contribution to safety. Both the successes and weaknesses of HF must be included in these models. Validation of the HF tool is to be continued, and user-friendly applications of the tool are being designed.