Human factors in construction
The construction industry is complex, delivering a wide range of projects from the domestic, through commercial, residential and very large infrastructure at the other end of the scale. In the UK, construction is worth over £100bn and employs over 2.4 million people. The transient nature of projects, as well as the peripatetic workforce involved in construction activities, increases risk to safety, efficiency and performance.
Human factors is relevant throughout the whole lifecycle of a construction project, from conception, design, construction and commissioning through to operation and maintenance. Not forgetting the demolition, decommissioning and dismantling of assets too.
Human factors considers the whole ‘system’ involved in construction work. This includes an understanding of human performance, looking at how people behave and why, as well as the many other contributory factors (such as environmental, workplace, job, task, organisational) at play in any workplace.
A better understanding of human factors through design, whether designing for a permanent asset, or considering methods of work for those involved in construction activities, can help to reduce or even eliminate health and safety risks.
Delivering construction work relies a lot on people working together to achieve the project outcome, so a greater appreciation of how people can perform at their best will help enhance the performance and efficiency of construction projects. Effective communication, sharing of information, teamwork and learning can be underpinned by a thorough understanding of human factors.
Pathway overview
This Pathway is designed to equip professionals in the construction industry with essential knowledge and skills in human factors. It's been developed by experts in human factors and construction who have a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by the sector.
Key topics
- Introduction to human factors: Begin your journey at Level 1 by gaining a solid understanding of human factors principles and their significance in construction activities.
- Cognitive ergonomics: Delve into the intricacies of human cognition. Understand how mental processes, decision-making, and attention affect safety and performance.
- Physical ergonomics: Learn how to optimise the layout of workspaces and the selection of equipment to minimise physical strain, reduce errors and enhance comfort for employees.
- Fatigue management: Gain insights into the effects of fatigue on workers and the role of work schedules, rest and sleep in maintaining fitness and performance.
- Human error and error management: Understand the psychology of human error and learn practical strategies for error reduction and management.
- Safety culture and organisational factors: Analyse the impact of organisational culture, leadership and management practices on construction safety. Learn how to cultivate a strong safety culture.
- Teamwork and communication: Discover the importance of effective teamwork and communication in ensuring site safety. Explore strategies for fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Case studies and best practices: Examine real-world case studies from the construction industry and learn from both successful practices and unfortunate incidents.
Benefits
- Enhanced safety: Implementing human factors principles can significantly reduce accidents and incidents, making construction safer for workers.
- Improved efficiency: Optimising tasks and workflow can lead to increased efficiency, reduced delays and improved performance.
- Reduced costs: By minimising human error and fatigue-related incidents, construction companies can reduce costs associated with accidents and disruptions.
- Competitive advantage: By equipping your teams with cutting-edge knowledge and skills, position your organisation as a leader in theconstruction sector.
- Compliance: Applying human factors can reduce the potential for penalties due to delays and reduce the risk of legal issues.
Questions you might have
Who is this Pathway for?
For individuals - this Pathway is open entry, so you don't need any prior qualifications, although it does help to be working in a construction environment. It's designed for safety managers, engineers and maintenance personnel looking to enhance their skills and contribute to safer and more efficient development of infrastructure.
For organisations - this Pathway is for any organisation involved in the construction industry looking to improve capability, enhance human performance and increase employee safety and wellbing.
How do I access the Pathway?
If you're an individual, simply pay the fee for Level 1 and enrol now! If you don't have an account with us already, you'll be asked to register so that you can seemlessly go through to the Pathway. Your account will then give you direct access whenever you need it and will hold a record of your achievements!
Level 2 and 3 will be available to purchase soon.
How long will it take me to complete Level 1?
If you're working at the same time, it all depends on how much time you can give - it could take up to 6 months. There are 9 units in Level 1 of the Pathway, each with a number of topics which add up to 54 topics in total. Each topic has content for you to read and watch, and activities to test your learning, and there is a quiz at the end of each unit and a final quiz at the end of the Level. Some activities are more involved than others so the topic could take from 2 hours to a day to complete. However you need to schedule your time, the content is written in bitesize chunks allowing you to stop and start easily.
How do I keep track of my learning?
Once you enrol, you'll get access to an online 'workbook' where you'll write up the activities associated with each topic of the Pathway. You can use it to keep notes and you can add photos and illustrations as a record of your learning. It will all be saved automatically in your account, together with your progress through the Pathway. This will enable you to look back over your notes and keep good track of how far you've come.
Ready to go?
If you're an organisation and you want to purchase more than 1 enrolment, please contact us.