The role of situation awareness in accidents of large-scale technological systems

In the last two decades, several serious accidents at large-scale technological systems that have had grave consequences, such as that at Bhopal, have primarily been attributed to human error. However, further investigations have revealed that humans are not the primary cause of these accidents, but have inherited the problems and difficulties of working with complex systems created by engineers. The operators have to comprehend malfunctions in real time, respond quickly, and make rapid decisions to return operational units to normal conditions, but under these circumstances, the mental workload of operators rises sharply, and a mental workload that is too high increases the rate of error. Therefore, cognivitive human features such as situation awareness (SA)—one of the most important prerequisite for decision-making—should be considered and analyzed appropriately. This paper applys the SA Error Taxonomy methodology to analyze the role of SA in three different accidents: (1) A runaway chemical reaction at Institute, West Virginia killing two employees, injuring eight people, and requiring the evacuation of more than 40,000 residents adjacent to the facility, (2) The ignition of a vapor cloud at Bellwood, Illinois that killed one person, injured two employees, and caused significant business interruption, and (3) An explosion at Ontario, California injuring four workers and caused extensive damage to the facility. In addition, the paper presents certain requirements for cognitive operator support system development and operator training under abnormal situations to promote operators’ SA in the process industry.     

Impact of training programs on decision-making and situation awareness of trainee watch officers

This paper examines the impact of training programs on the ability of trainee watch officers to make decisions in collision avoidance situations.It draws on previous studies which have shown that experts are able to manage complex situations in an acceptable way. However, observations of students on simulators have revealed that many of them are unable to manage such situations or even to recall their main features. It is therefore necessary to identify new training tools that will give trainees the capacity to assess a situation quickly and accurately, and to perform satisfactory actions. These would be in addition to formal regulations.Exercises were designed to evaluate the impact of such tools on the decision-making process of trainees. The impact of the type of navigation experienced by trainees during their on-the-job training was also evaluated.Results showed that decision-making exercises did tend to improve the trainees’ capacity to analyse a complex situation; however, they did not have a clear impact on the manoeuvre performed. On the contrary, there was an obvious difference between the trainees who experienced complex avoidance situations during their on-the-job training period and those who did not.At a time where ship-owners are looking to reduce the length of the “on-the-job” training period, these results point to its vital importance.     

沈阳市室内空气污染现状与控制对策

论述了由室内装修引起的室内空气污染问题,并通过对沈阳市部分居室和办公场所的监测数据进行统计分析;在有限指标内反映沈阳市室内空气污染的现状,并提出控制对策。     

A guide for assessing control room operator performance using speed and accuracy,perceived workload,situation awareness,and eye tracking

In the petrochemical industry, control room operators must address safety-critical alarms and other tasks using complex interfaces. This study developed a guide for assessing human performance using standard human factors measurement tools, and tested the sensitivity of those tools with two interface designs (i.e., gray and black) at three levels of workload (i.e., easy, medium, and difficult). The guide measures human performance through speed and accuracy, perceived workload using two standard instruments (i.e., NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Subjective Workload Assessment Technique (SWAT)), situation awareness through the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT), and gaze through eye tracking coordinates. Twelve engineering student participants completed one simulation session at each of the three workload levels using one of two interface designs. Workload was manipulated through the number of simulated events (failures) in each session. Overall, the speed and accuracy measures, workload ratings, and eye tracking showed sensitivity to differences in workload level, and situation awareness showed sensitivity to the interaction between workload level and interface type. None of the tools were sensitive to interface type alone. Accuracy was highest under easy workload. Time per failure decreased at higher workload levels. Perceived workload ratings from the SWAT increased as workload increased, but workload ratings from the NASA-TLX were not different across workload levels. When workload increased, situation awareness remained steady for the gray interface but decreased sharply for the black interface, illustrating an interaction effect. Finally, the percentage of time spent looking at different areas of the screen during steady-state periods differed among workload levels. The tools in this guide can be used in the petrochemical industry to make design decisions for control room interfaces when workload levels are a concern.     

跨世纪时期的世界矿产资源形势和我国的对策

本文研究分析了世界资源、尤其是矿产资源的供需形势,以及全球资源紧张与危机的状况和发展趋势。结合我国资源状况和国情,从经济、社会长期发展战略角度,论述了客观分析、参与研究国际及我国社会基础资源问题的重要性、紧迫性,并提出建立我国资源供需持续、稳定、协调发展的方略对策。     

铜川市空气质量变化及重度污染的气象条件

利用2014年铜川市空气质量指数(AQI)、常规气象资料和NECP/NCAR再分析资料,分析2014年铜川市AQI与首要污染物的时间分布,并探讨典型重污染时段的气象条件。结果表明:夏季AQI小于全年均值,首要污染物以臭氧为主,秋冬AQI较高,首要污染物以PM为主。2月的环流条件不利于污染物的扩散,500 hpa位势高度与AQI的变2.5化存在一定相关性,高空条件是2月持续污染的一个重要原因。春节和元宵节期间AQI均达到重度污染等级,对此间出现的连续性空气重度污染的气象条件分析得出,在高空稳定的平直纬向西风,配合地面的弱低压这一天气形势下,相对稳定的大气层结和持续较强逆温使得污染物难以扩散进而堆积,是持续数日重度污染的重要原因。     

关于职工情境意识的研究综述

对情境意识的定义、活动机制、测量方法及强化方法等进行了述评。分析了关于情境意识研究的问题及趋势。     

新疆克州"十五"期间生态环境质量评价研究

区域生态环境状况对区域经济发展起重要支撑作用,本文采用遥感和地理信息系统的技术手段,利用2000年与2006年ETM影像及CBERS影像,结合《生态环境状况评价技术规范》中的技术方法,对克州"十五"前后生态环境状况进行了综合评价.研究认为,克州总体生态环境状况处于一般和较差水平,"十五"期间克州生态环境状况总体上虽无明显变化,但各生态环境状况评价指数基本上均呈现下降趋势.     

我国城市垃圾处理现状与分析

城市垃圾已经成为我国面临的严重问题。本文对我国垃圾处理的现状进行了介绍,通过对其进行分析,提出了几点建议。     

中国静脉产业园区发展模式与案例研究

本研究对静脉产业园区概念进行解析,梳理了我国静脉产业园的建设概况.从园区建设内容与流程、园区建设布局形式、园区投资建设主体、园区运营管理模式等4大要素研究了静脉产业因区的发展模式.最后以苏州和呼和浩特两地的静脉产业园区建设为例,介绍了综合类静脉产业园区的发展典范.