Overview
This unit will provide students with an advanced understanding of human factors investigation methods and models and the contemporary human factors, organisational and safety culture tenets which underpin effective accident prevention and investigation. This will include analysis and investigation of the role of the human in modern socio-technical systems and systems failures, human factors engineering and methods for investigating and analysing safety culture and its influence on the causation of accidents.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Appraise the role that human factors has in accident causation.
- Critique and apply contemporary human factors investigation tools and techniques.
- Evaluate the contribution that organisational factors and safety culture have on accident causation.
- Recognise the shortcomings in applications of the "blame" and "no-blame" cultures and their impact on investigation.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 20% | ||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.munn@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Introduction to the unit.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
No tutorial
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors and accident causation.
This week we will recognise that events can be analysed and interpreted in different contexts. Everything may not be as it seems or as simple as it seems.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors and accident causation.
Sociotechnical systems: the relationships between people, machines and systems in society.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors and accident causation.
Barriers to accidents: Tripod.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors and accident causation.
Systems Life Cycle and Design of Socio-technical systems.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors investigation methods and tools.
Introduction to the WorkSafeBC Model of HF Investigation.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Practical Activites Due: Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors investigation methods and tools.
Applying the WorkSafeBC model to an accident.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors investigation methods and tools.
HF Investigative tools for pursuing your lines of inquiry.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors investigation methods and tools.
Introduction to the HFACS investigative tool.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Human factors investigation methods and tools.
HFACS - looking at nanocodes.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Annotated Mindmap and Bibliography Due: Week 10 Monday (17 May 2021) 10:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded lecture: Bringing it all together.
Safety Culture as a HF factor.
Chapter
Readings provided on the Moodle site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: On demand
Module/Topic
Independent study
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Discussion
Students will complete a variety of practical activities as directed in Moodle during the first 5 weeks of class. The tasks will allow you to practice the concepts covered in the lectures. Complete a minimum of four of the following tasks/ activities.
1. Context of a simple task: Map the context of a simple task and identify the multiple perspectives that can inform the 'contextual reality' of the scenario.
2. System map: Identify a common socio-technical system and identify / mindmap the components of the system.
3. Tripod analysis:
· Describe a simple accident scenario
· Choose a system
· Apply Tripod to analyse the accident.
4. System Life Cycle:
· Describe a system
· Illustrate the system life cycle
· Explain where failures might occur.
5. Worksafe BC model.
Further instructions will be provided in Moodle
Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Two weeks following submission
For each assessment item:
1. Applies key concepts with accuracy and relevance
2. Demonstrates logical analysis and argument
3. Shows good writing with accurate language and grammar.
4. Includes a reference list and uses Harvard style for referencing for information, data, tables or images sourced.
A marking rubric will be provided in Moodle.
- Appraise the role that human factors has in accident causation.
- Critique and apply contemporary human factors investigation tools and techniques.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Written Assessment
For this task you will be required to review the literature and complete an annotated Mindmap and Bibliography based around a case study of your choice.
Your annotated mindmap should draw on the evidence derived from your literature review and include the following:
- What happened (describe circumstances)
- Why it happened (discuss findings)
- Nature of system and system parts
- Design failures and system life cycle
- Issues and findings related to people, workplaces & management
- Human factors investigation tools recommended to investigate the issues
Your mindmap should also include formal in text referencing.
You will then complete four annotated bibliographies from the literature used to construct your mindmap.
Further details about this task will be provided in Moodle.
Week 10 Monday (17 May 2021) 10:00 am AEST
Two weeks following submission.
1. Description of the circumstances of what happened.
2. Discussion of your findings of why it happened.
3. Identification and description of the nature of the system and system parts.
4. Identification and description of the design failures and system life cycle issues.
5. Identification and description of the issues and findings related to people, workplaces and management.
6. Identification and description of the human factors investigation tools that you recommend to investigate the lines of inquiry identified from your accident analysis.
A marking rubric will be provided in Moodle.
- Appraise the role that human factors has in accident causation.
- Critique and apply contemporary human factors investigation tools and techniques.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Written Assessment
You will re-use the same scenario from Assessment 2 but apply a new HF Investigative tool (such as HFACS). There will be three investigative options available to complete this assignment. Your report will also include an evaluation of the contribution that organisational factors and safety culture have on accident causation with.
Further information will be provided in Moodle.
Review/Exam Week Friday (11 June 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Two weeks following submission
1. Applies investigative techniques not used for assessment 2.
2. Description of the role of organisational factors in accident causation.
3. Description of the role of safety culture factors in accident causation.
- Evaluate the contribution that organisational factors and safety culture have on accident causation.
- Recognise the shortcomings in applications of the "blame" and "no-blame" cultures and their impact on investigation.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
