A comparison of HRA method: Applied on the Volkerak sluice complex in the Netherlands
Translated title
A comparison of HRA method
Author
Hogenboom, Ilse
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2018
Abstract
Rijkswaterstaat, den udøvende myndighed under Infrastrukturområdet i Holland, har ansvar for at udvikle og vedligeholde vejnet, vandnet og vandsystemer. Målet er at skabe procedurer, der øger sikkerheden for både operatører og brugere og samtidig mindsker risikoen for menneskelige fejl. Det kræver samspil mellem mennesker og teknik. Internt udviklede Rijkswaterstaat OPSCHEP-modellen, baseret på HRA-metoden THERP, til at vurdere operatørers pålidelighed ved stormflodsbarrierer. Modellen fungerede godt til barrierer, men gav for konservative resultater for andre anlæg. Derfor blev der søgt en alternativ Human Reliability Analysis (HRA)-metode, der også kan bruges på andre objekter. Denne undersøgelse anvender HRA-metoder på Volkerak-sluicekomplekset i Holland, et af Europas største, som har stor økonomisk betydning. Problemformuleringen er: Hvilken HRA-metode er mest egnet til en opgave, som en operatør udfører på Volkerak-komplekset? Tre metoder blev vurderet: THERP, SPAR-H og CREAM. Før de kunne bruges, blev der lavet en opgaveanalyse, der beskrev de trin og handlinger, operatørerne følger, når skibe passerer slusen fra syd mod nord. For hver handling estimerer metoderne sandsynligheden for en fejl, her defineret som en betydelig forsinkelse i skibenes passage. Hver metode inddrager også faktorer, der kan påvirke operatørens præstation. De beregnede sandsynligheder blev sammenlignet med eksperters vurderinger. På baggrund af denne sammenligning og en samlet metodevurdering blev den mest egnede HRA-metode udpeget. Resultatet viste, at CREAM var mest hensigtsmæssig til Volkerak-sluicekomplekset, fordi den er let at anvende og giver indsigt, der rækker ud over blot en fejlsandsynlighed. Sammenligningen med eksperterne understøttede også, at CREAM er et godt valg.
Rijkswaterstaat, the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, develops and maintains the road network, the water network, and water systems. Its procedures aim to keep operators and users safe and to reduce the chance of human error, which requires a balance between people and technology. Within the agency, the OPSCHEP model was created to assess human reliability for operating storm surge barriers, based on the THERP Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) method. While effective for storm surge barriers, OPSCHEP produced overly conservative results when applied to other assets. This prompted a search for an alternative HRA method suitable for wider use. This study applies HRA methods to the Volkerak sluice complex in the Netherlands, one of the largest in Europe and economically important. The research question is: Which HRA method is most suitable for an operator task at the Volkerak complex? Three methods were examined: THERP, SPAR-H, and CREAM. Before using them, a task analysis mapped the steps and actions operators take when vessels move through the sluice from south to north. For each action, the methods estimate the probability of an error, defined here as a significant delay in vessel passage. Each method also accounts for factors that influence operator performance. The estimated probabilities were compared with expert judgments. Based on this comparison and an overall review of the methods, the study identified the most suitable HRA method. The findings show that CREAM is the best fit for the Volkerak sluice complex: it is straightforward to apply and provides insights beyond a single error probability. The comparison with experts also supported CREAM as a good choice.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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