Human Factors, Operations and Human Performance Teams

Flying Safety, June, 2001 by Clark Davenport, Don White

During these days of "more with less"--increased taskings and deployments, accompanied by fewer resources--how can we keep our most critical link in the operations chain-people--performing effectively and safely?

How about a "one-size-fits-all-off-the-shelf" CD ROM disk with all the answers? No such luck! Why? Each unit, each wing, each deployment has its different challenges to overcome. Yes, there are some similarities, but also distinct differences. A CE squadron has different challenges than a fighter squadron or a maintenance squadron. Therefore, we need a tool that addresses the individual requirements of each wing/squadron/unit, as well as the basic stuff.

There is a new USAF concept to help address and provide support for human factors and performance challenges, the "Human Performance Team" (HPT). The HPT concept provides wings with resources to help with sustained operations and human performance. Unlike a generic, HHQ-developed program, HPTs target specific challenge areas within the wing. Since they belong to your wing, they're familiar with the challenges you face and can tailor interventions and mitigation strategies to fit your situation.

Who comprises an HPT? First, you might have the makings of an HPT in your wing now. Who are your human factors (HF) experts? How about your flight surgeons? They receive HF training and are smart about industrial safety and health issues (occupational safety and health). If you have a physiological training unit, the physiologists and physiological technicians have extensive training m human factors and performance. (If you don't have an aerospace physiologist and physiology technician now, the USAF will appoint you one.) You've got flight and ground safety officers. They're up on safety issues and ways to ID and categorize operational threats. Your life support officer (wing or squadron) is a critical source of information regarding the use/misuse of equipment and the problems related to life support equipment, i.e., thermal stress complaints with COMBAT EDGE. Finally, if you have an aviation psychologist on base, then you have another human effectiveness resource available to provide assistance with psycho logical and organizational issues.

What can an HPT do for your wing? Here are some examples: HPTs helped train security forces personnel on the proper use of night vision devices and on human performance issues regarding shift scheduling and "clean living" issues (smoking, nutrition, hydration, all those things flyers hear incessantly). As a result, the SFs reported fewer problems transitioning to night vision devices and shift changes. HPTs worked with maintenance squadrons to help them work shift scheduling as a result of fuel-spill problems resulting from fatigue-related inattention during the night shift. The HPT assisted the maintenance supervisors by helping them assess rest facilities and schedules, and by providing tactics on how to employ schedules that provided maximum rest and recovery between shifts. As a result, the number of fuel spills decreased significantly. Additionally, HPTs helped aviators cope and work around the thermal stress issues attributed to flight gear in hot environments.

What about assessing the risks and applicability of operational "work-arounds" required so you can perform your mission? The combined safety and HF experience of HPT members can give you a good, objective look at the suggested work-around and possible alternatives if a work-around is needed. For instance, you're flying NVG missions but you're using "Christmas tree" lights for NVG-compatible instrument illumination. Your pilots notice the lights don't illuminate the instruments adequately and the light strings fall off in flight. Your flight safety officer, life support officer, aerospace physiologist and flight surgeon can provide you with the tools necessary to develop an appropriate solution. Finally, HPTs are portable assets to assist you on deployments by providing additional help with health and performance risk assessments and mitigation strategies.

Overall, HPTs provide you with a broad spectrum of services, from briefings to actively developing interventions and enhancements in both the aviation and ground operations. The bottom line is this: HPTs are another tool in your bag you can use to help keep your units functioning at their peak effectiveness. Make use of them!