Work Systems and Safety
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| MMME4045 | Mechanical, Materials & Manufacturing Engineering | 4 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- MMME4045
- School
- Mechanical, Materials & Manufacturing Engineering
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
This modules aims to give an understanding of systems approaches to the design and analysis of effective and safe work, primarily in the context of industrial systems but also in relation to major projects, public and social systems and digital systems. It is vital that students learn that technical, human, organizational and economic factors must be addressed when understanding the operation and potential failure in existing systems, and in developing requirements, implementation and evaluation approaches for social and socio-technical systems, and for systems of systems. Particular attention will be paid to distributed (in time and space) systems and ones with elements of automated processes (all of which will have to interact with human and organizational elements at some point and time). The potential causes of accidents and of human error are explained, and an introduction given to methods of reporting and investigating accidents and techniques for analysing accidents and systems reliability which will lead to the design of safer organisations and work systems. Topics covered include: risk and risk perception; risk assessment and management; accident models and accident causation; causes of human error; epidemiology, accident reporting and analysis; accident prevention; human reliability assessment; safety climate and culture; safety systems management.
Target Students
MSc Human Factors, MSc Human Computer Interaction students, MSc Industrial Engineering and Operations Management BEng, MEng, BSc students in Department of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering; other MEng; BSc Engineering Faculty students;
Classes
- Two 2-hour lectures each week for 12 weeks
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: Work Analysis
- 30% Coursework 2: Safety Analysis
- 40% Coursework 3: Essay 3000 words
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The module aims to provide to students a background in modern approaches to understanding work systems and safety science (which also shares a systems approach). Students will gain knowledge of a range of theories and techniques which can be applied in the real world to improve not only the safety and productivity of work, but also to improve its quality, a critical emerging issue asnew forms of 21st century work and production evolve (as evidenced by the Government’s Taylor Report of 2017). These skills are in wide demand in industry and further support design, management and evaluation activities within it in equipment, machinery and digital system procurement.Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, students will be able to:
L01 Critically select and apply human-centred techniques for systems analysis
and assessment of performance and safety issues within a work system
L04 Identify and discuss organizational and social systems design priorities
for work systems design including hours of work, satisfaction, motivation,
safety culture and team design
LO2 Evaluate, contribute to and manage organisational policies for work enhancement
and safety management
L03 Demonstrate a rounded, critical appreciation of the need for safety science and
systems ergonomics and develop informed views on social issues such as risk aversion,
blame culture, “good work” and emerging forms of 21st century work
LO5 Evaluate approaches to implementing and evaluating systems changes including
participatory processes