

This includes the 6% who work evening shifts and 4% who work night shifts. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 16% of wage and salary employees follow shift work schedules. Shift work can include evening, night, and early morning shifts, as well as fixed or rotating schedules. When centralising control (eg to a central control room) communications often suffer and operators can lose their previous (hands-on) overview of the real plant.The term shift work refers to any work schedule that falls outside the hours of 7 am and 6 pm. Human factors aspects of remote operation in process plantsĬontract research report 432/2002.This paper describes a site-wide initiative to improve shift handover communication on a UK oil refinery.Ī one-page illustration of the key aspects in communications from a sender to receiver. Safe communication at shift handover - setting and implementing standards.This methodology aims to characterise the type and quality of shift handover activities and influence the improvement of current practice. Improving communication at shift handover.This report reviews theoretical work and published incidents, draws conclusions regarding the current state of knowledge and highlights implications for best practice. Effective shift handover - a literature review OTO 96 003.HSE Books 1999, I2452 8 (see page 38 - 'Effective Shift Communication') Reducing error and influencing behaviour (HSG48).Extract from inspectors human factors toolkit - Safety critical communications.More information on safety critical communicationsĪlthough several of these documents are about the specific communication issue of achieving an accurate, safe shift handover, many of the principles are relevant to other types of safety-critical communications. involving the end-users when implementing any changes to existing communication methods at shift handover.designing support equipment, such as logs and computer displays, with consideration of the operators needs.given as much time and resource as necessary.based on an analysis of the information needs of incoming staff.done using both verbal and written communication.two-way, with both participants taking joint responsibility.plan for maintenance work to be completed within one shift if possible.emphasise the importance of shift handover.To ensure safe handover, organisations should: The Cullen Report concluded that one of the many factors that contributed to the Piper Alpha disaster was failure of information transmission at shift handover. In the 1983 Sellafield Beach Incident, highly radioactive waste liquor was accidentally discharged to sea, due to a failure of communication between shifts. Many accidents have occurred because of failure of communication at shift handover, the majority of these involved planned maintenance work. Cross-checking of information by in-coming personnel as they assume responsibility for the task.Handover where out-going and in-coming personnel communicate to exchange task-relevant information and.A period of preparation by out-going personnel.Effective handover consists of three elements: The goal of handover is the accurate reliable communication of task-relevant information across shift changes or between teams thereby ensuring continuity of safe and effective working. This can occur at shift changeover, between shift and day workers, or between different functions of an organisation within a shift eg operations and maintenance.

Lighting, thermal comfort, noise and vibrationĮffective communication is important in all organisations when a task and its associated responsibilities are handed over to another person or work team.Overview - Safety critical communications.
