Investigation of the Occupational Hygiene Errors in the Tasks of Overhead Crane Operator Using Standardized Plant Analysis Risk-human Reliability Analysis Technique in One Steel Industry

Human error plays a significant role in the occurrence of industrial accidents. Displacement and unloading operations are operations in which the occurrence of human error may lead to plenty of human and financial losses. The present study aimed to investigate the possibility of human error occurrence in overhead crane operators in a Steel Company in Hormozgan, Iran.

This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted using the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk-Human Reliability Analysis (SPAR-H) technique. In this study, the job tasks of overhead crane operators were firstly analyzed using the hierarchical task analysis (HTA) technique. Subsequently, the probability of human error in job tasks was assessed using the SPAR-H technique.
(Ethic code: IR.ACECR.JDM.REC.1399.005)

Generally, five main tasks and 16 sub-tasks have been analyzed in this study. The highest probability of error was related to the three sub-tasks of longitudinal motion, transverse motion, and high and low motion (0.3975). The lowest probability of error was under the duty of recording shift reports, transmitting information orally, and writing (0.05). The results of this study clearly showed the effect of interdependence on increasing the probability of error occurrence.

Based on the results of the present study, some preventive measures were proposed to reduce the possibility of human error, including identifying and controlling job stressors, correcting the ergonomic status of crane cabins, preparing work instructions, as well as training and monitoring their proper implementation.