Supporting the human life-raft in confronting the juggernaut of technology: Jens Rasmussen, 1961-1986

Exploring Goal Conflicts and How They Are Managed in a Biomedical Laboratory Using Rasmussen’s Model of Boundaries

Introduction:

Occupational health and safety management systems are widely used as a systematic approach to managing occupational health and safety. However, sometimes they are restrictive and underspecified to deal with dynamic workplace demands. Rasmussen used a model of boundaries to conceptualize this dynamic model of safety, where the space of possibilities lay within 3 boundaries and workers used various means to stay within the boundaries to remain both productive and safe at work.

Methods:

This study applied the Rasmussen model of boundaries to understand the factors that formed the boundaries, the gradients, and countergradients in a biomedical laboratory.

Results:

The most central goal was to be the first to publish, and this formed the boundary to scientific output failure; the boundary to unacceptable workload and boundary to functionally acceptable performance were the other 2 boundaries in line with the Rasmussen model. The workers had developed methods (mental risk assessment, teamwork, and experience and familiarity) of working, which ensured they remained productive and safe. This can be described as resilient performance, where resilience is not something that a system has but something it does to adjust their performance when faced with expected or unexpected changes.

Discussion and Conclusion:

A customized portfolio of rule-based non negotiable instructions and a risk assessment–based approach would be best suited for a biomedical laboratory. The workers have learned resilient performance on their own and unknowingly are already practicing this. It is now time to formally incorporate such practices into the safety systems of biomedical laboratories.

Implementation of a novel taxonomy based on cognitive work analysis in the assessment of safety performance

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine how the developed taxonomy of cognitive work analysis (CWA) can be applied in combination with statistical analysis regarding different sociotechnical categories.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study applied a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Workers (n = 120) and managers (n = 85) in the chemical industry were asked in a questionnaire how different occupational safety and health (OSH) measures were being implemented. The exploration of the qualitative CWA taxonomy consisted of an analysis of the following topics: (a) work domain; (b) control task; (c) strategies; (d) social organization and cooperation; (e) worker competencies.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The following hypotheses were supported - activities of the management had positive impacts on the aggregated variables: near-accident investigation and instructions (H₁); OSH training (H₂); operations, technical processes and safe use of chemicals (H₃); use of personal protective equipment (H₄); measuring, follow-up and prevention of major accidents (H₅). The CWA taxonomy was applied in mixed methods when testing H₁-H₅. A special approach is to analyze the work demands of complex sociotechnical systems with the taxonomy of CWA. In problem-solving, the CWA taxonomy should seek to capitalize on the strengths and minimize the limitations of safety performance.