Healthcare professionals face an increasing threat of litigation from parties whom they have never met in their daily medical practice and who look nothing like the traditional patient. The so-called 'non-patient' may take many forms"for example, a person who is injured or killed by a mentally-ill, physically-disabled or diseased patient; a wrongfully-accused parent in a child neglect/abuse case; or a local authority which is put to the expense of caring for a negligently-treated patient. This book explores the legal principles and conundrums which arise when determining a healthcare professional's liability in negligence towards a wide variety of non-patients. The topic is assuming increasing legal importance and relevance, given the potential for many non-patient claims to give rise to class actions litigation, and in light of the legislative and human rights interventions, and the frequent appellate judicial consideration, which non-patient claims have attracted in recent times. The aim of the book is to have utility for both legal and medical professionals; for academics and students of comparative medical negligence and tort law; and for law reformers who may be interested in adopting certain features of statutory models elsewhere which pertain to some non-patient claims, such as those based upon 'Good Samaritan' conduct. Important parallels or counterpoints from other common law jurisdictions, in which courts and commentators have grappled with the legal complexities of non-patient claims, are also discussed and critically analyzed.

What are the financial and psychological costs of risky behavior in business to the individuals concerned and their organizations? Risky Business provides a perspective on addictive behaviors such as gambling, drug taking and even addiction to work; criminal behaviors such as theft and corruption; and behaviors such as aggression and violence. The authors then look at their implications to employee and organizational health within the context of the workplace environment; an environment that is often synonymous with psychological demands, stress, long hours, overwork and shortages of staff or other essential resources. An essential guide for occupational psychologists, human resource specialists, risk managers and for researchers in this field.

Despite ubiquitous powerful technologies such as networked computers, global positioning systems, and cell phones; human failures in decision-making and performance continue to have disastrous consequences. Electronic Performance Support: Using Digital Technology to Enhance Human Ability, reminds everyone involved in education, training, human performance engineering, and related fields of the enormous importance of this area. Ironically, the more complex technology becomes, the more performance support may be needed, and that's why the extraordinary expertise shared in this book is especially valuable. The authors emphasize the psychological aspects of performance support, the fundamental limitations of human memory, perception, cognition, conation, and psychomotor skills and how they can be reduced through electronic performance support, as one of the most important pursuits of this century. Readers will find the material presented extremely useful because of its generic basis - which underlines much of the contemporary use of electronic technology for supporting people who are engaged in problem-solving activities. At the same time, the book gives examples of the application of electronic performance support in a number of specific domains. Possible future developments for electronic performance support are also discussed. The technological challenges we face today, both globally and locally, are more urgent than most people seem willing to acknowledge, and there is no time to waste putting the ideas expressed in this book into action.

This study explores the reasons behind the different responses of the legal systems of Europe, Japan and the USA in coping with BSE, one of the major food safety crises in recent years. Making reference to the most recent advances on risk perception that cognitive and social sciences, such as legal anthropology and sociology of law, have experimented with, Risk Perception, Culture, and Legal Change examines the role that culture plays in moulding the process of legal change. Attention is focused on the regulative frameworks implemented to guarantee the safety of the food chain against the BSE menace and on the liability responses sketched to compensate the victims of mad cow disease, showing how both these elements have been influenced by the cultural context within which they are situated.

One of the most significant and yet largely overlooked factors influencing performance and workplace problem solving in many large organizations is that of national culture. Managers, and the organizations for which they work, need to be able to understand the influence of cultural values and beliefs on performance in order to identify appropriate solutions; strategies appropriate in one part of the world may be ineffective or even counter-productive in another. Bryan Hopkins' ground breaking book relates the concept of cultural dimensions, as developed by writers such as Hofstede and Trompenaars, to the performance engineering approaches of Gilbert and Mager and Pipe, to show how strategies for solving workplace performance problems need to consider the cultural composition of the workforce. It then provides a practical structure for problem solving within the context of an international, multi-cultural environment. This is a book for both managers working in an international setting or for those in national organizations who are dealing with the challenge of culturally diverse workforces. It's also a book for governments seeking to understand the potential implications of national culture on civilian or even military interventions.

This ambitious book by one of the most original and provocative thinkers in science studies offers a sophisticated new understanding of the nature of scientific, mathematical, and engineering practice and the production of scientific knowledge.
Andrew Pickering offers a new approach to the unpredictable nature of change in science, taking into account the extraordinary number of factors--social, technological, conceptual, and natural--that interact to affect the creation of scientific knowledge. In his view, machines, instruments, facts, theories, conceptual and mathematical structures, disciplined practices, and human beings are in constantly shifting relationships with one another--"mangled" together in unforeseeable ways that are shaped by the contingencies of culture, time, and place.
Situating material as well as human agency in their larger cultural context, Pickering uses case studies to show how this picture of the open, changeable nature of science advances a richer understanding of scientific work both past and present. Pickering examines in detail the building of the bubble chamber in particle physics, the search for the quark, the construction of the quarternion system in mathematics, and the introduction of computer-controlled machine tools in industry. He uses these examples to address the most basic elements of scientific practice--the development of experimental apparatus, the production of facts, the development of theory, and the interrelation of machines and social organization.

Hailed on first publication as a compendium of foundational principles and cutting-edge research, The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook has become the gold standard reference in this field. Derived from select chapters of this groundbreaking resource, Human-Computer Interaction: Design Issues, Solutions, and Applications focuses on HCI from a privacy, security, and trust perspective. Under the aegis of Andrew Sears and Julie Jacko, expert practitioners address the myriad issues involved when designing the interactions between users and computing technologies. As expected in a book that begins by pondering "Why we should think before doing," you get an interdisciplinary resource that explores the relationship between people and technology.

Handbook of Human Factors for Automated, Connected, and Intelligent Vehicles Subject Guide: Ergonomics & Human Factors Automobile crashes are the seventh leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in over 1.25 million deaths yearly. Automated, connected, and intelligent vehicles have the potential to reduce crashes significantly, while also reducing congestion, carbon emissions, and increasing accessibility. However, the transition could take decades. This new handbook serves a diverse community of stakeholders, including human factors researchers, transportation engineers, regulatory agencies, automobile manufacturers, fleet operators, driving instructors, vulnerable road users, and special populations. It provides information about the human driver, other road users, and human-automation interaction in a single, integrated compendium in order to ensure that automated, connected, and intelligent vehicles reach their full potential. Features Addresses four major transportation challenges-crashes, congestion, carbon emissions, and accessibility-from a human factors perspective Discusses the role of the human operator relevant to the design, regulation, and evaluation of automated, connected, and intelligent vehicles Offers a broad treatment of the critical issues and technological advances for the designing of transportation systems with the driver in mind Presents an understanding of the human factors issues that are central to the public acceptance of these automated, connected, and intelligent vehicles Leverages lessons from other domains in understanding human interactions with automation Sets the stage for future research by defining the space of unexplored questions

Taking an application-oriented approach, these exercises encourage students to apply rigorous analyses to collected data, and provide results through formal professional reports. The book contains nearly three dozen exercises covering workplace environment, work analysis, information processing, physiological issues, and systems evaluations. Some are pencil and paper exercises, some are stopwatch studies, some require special laboratory equipment, and others are field exercises. The book gives technical background on each topic and provides equipment needs, experimental design, and data sheets, as well as guidance on analysis and detailed instructions on report writing.

This book builds on the authors' previous title Understanding and Managing Risk Attitude but this time looks exclusively at the challenges of understanding and managing those attitudes adopted by groups of people when faced with making decisions that they perceive as risky and important. The book makes the link between risk management and decision-making explicit, building on existing work from the economic and risk psychology schools but taking a pragmatic, practitioner-focused approach that is relevant to all decision-making groups in any situation. The insights in Managing Group Risk Attitude are derived from the authors' own applied research. Details of the research methods and findings are included in the book in support of a practical model and steps to manage risk attitude using applied emotional literacy. Ruth Murray-Webster and David Hillson have written a practical book for all decision-makers, supported by actual research by practitioners and underpinned by the seminal research of leading academics.

Assistive Technology for the Elderly addresses the intricacies involved in the design and development of assisted technologies for the elderly, covering smart systems such as magnifying book contents, speaking electronic devices, alarms for doors and windows, smart alert bands, panic buttons, medication dispensers and reminders, Wander Gard, physiological parameters monitoring systems and smart home monitoring systems. This book is aimed at those who are responsible for designing assistive technology intended to be used by the elderly. It lays out the technology that is already available and covers user needs and state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies.

Presenting the Proceedings of the Ergonomics Society's annual conference, the series embraces the wide range of topics covered by ergonomics. Individual papers provide insight into current practice, present new research findings and form an invaluable reference source. A wide range of topics are covered in these proceedings, including Ergonomics, Human Factors and User-Centred Design. It also features related disciplines such as Psychology, Engineering and Physiology. Particular emphasis is given to the utility of these disciplines in improving health, safety, efficiency and productivity. The 2007 Annual Conference features "Human factors at the heart of systems engineering". As well as being of interest to mainstream ergonomists and human factors specialists, Contemporary Ergonomics will appeal to all those who are concerned with the interaction of people with their working and leisure environment including designers, manufacturing and production engineers, health and safety specialists, occupational, applied and industrial psychologists and applied physiologists.

This book reviews current health risk communication strategies, and examines and assesses the technical and psycho-sociological tools available to support risk communication plans. It brings together approaches to risk communication from a number of countries and describes the techniques, including drama, storytelling and scenarios that are used to identify and prioritise key communication issues, and to identify policy responses. The book also provides a review of the methods and tools available for risk assessment, risk communication and priority setting, which are relevant not only to practitioners but to health planning more generally, and to many other areas of public health and policy. The discussion of these techniques is supported by case studies, and is concluded by a chapter reflecting on the conceptual and research issues that still need to be addressed. It also proposes new directions for risk communication that key into the public imagination with the aim of gaining their trust and confidence in the risk messages. Communicating Health Risks to the Public: A Global Perspective brings together a wide variety of perspectives on risk communication, from the perspectives of health, anthropology, psychology, and media. It should be of interest not only to those involved in risk assessment or communication but to anyone interested in the role of science and the media in the political process.

People spend increasing amounts of time and effort interacting with complex hardware and software products. Some of the products we interact with are easy to learn and easy to remember. Some are even a pleasure to use. Others are hard to learn, hard to use, and frustrate us at every turn. But it is not just the user that pays the cost in such cases. Poor usability also imposes significant costs on product producers. Companies that make hard-to-use products incur higher support costs, spend more on rework, and have less satisfied customers. These outcomes can be avoided by applying the techniques of usability engineering and user-centred design (UCD) during product development. This book shows how usability and UCD practitioners do this by studying users' needs and abilities, designing the product accordingly, and verifying the design through additional testing with users. Despite the positive return on investment for usability engineering activities, many organizations view usability engineering as a non-critical part of the product development process. This book seeks to change this by relating a number of cases where usability engineering contributed significantly to the solution of a business problem. Evidence is drawn from experiences within a range of private and public sector organizations showing how usability work can best be organized and executed within a business environment. The organizational factors that facilitate or impede the application of usability engineering are also discussed. The book clearly explains the barriers to be overcome as well as highlighting the factors promoting success. A wide range of applications are covered, including web-based e-commerce, medical devices and software, process control management systems, financial services applications, consumer desktop applications and interactive voice response systems. Usability Success Stories provides a valuable guide for business managers and technical staff as well as for practitioners within the field itself.

There are numerous psychological studies of pilots and piloting, but little has been done in the way of sociological examination. Commercial aviation is one of the world's biggest industries, yet there are few studies of pilots as social beings and of their place of work, the flight-deck. Developing a sociological understanding of the front-line staff and of the pilots' working environment is an important step to developing a more detailed understanding of this increasingly important sector. This book performs such a function and also adds to our understanding of pilots in general, from those who work for flag carriers to those who fly for regional or corporate jet operators. The readership includes the general public, industry legislators, regulators, managements, employees, trainers, journalists academics and students of (general) sociology, psychology, organisation theory and business management.

Written by Dan MacLeod, one of the most experienced practitioners in the field, The Ergonomics Kit for General Industry, Second Edition contains everything you need to set up or improve your workplace ergonomics process. MacLeod describes the financial benefits of workplace ergonomics and ways to think about these tools that make good business sense. He uses case studies that illustrate positive bottom-line results and the actions that led to these results. Down to earth and practical, the information in this book is rooted in what has actually succeeded on the workplace floor. See what's new in the Second Edition: -Additional material on the actual process of solving problems -Success stories illustrate how the process works under various circumstances and organizational cultures to improve workplace conditions and maximize employee well being and productivity -Emphasizes simple, low tech, and low cost approaches -Guidance on how to create change and implement new processes -Electronic copies of forms and worksheets, PowerPoint presentation, and guide for conducting basic training sessions available on the Internet The book provides practical guidance on the process of identifying good, low cost improvements. It describes best practices from major corporations on setting up committees, establishing priorities, and developing written plans and also covers controversial issues such as job rotation and back belts. The kit includes a multitude of forms: worksheets, checklists, planning guides, employee feedback forms, and a program audit, as well as training handouts, train-the-trainer background, and basic PowerPoint presentations. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, the authordelineates how to set up an effective and successful ergonomics program.

Safety suffers from the variety of methods and models that are used to assess human performance. For example, operation is concerned primarily with human error, while design deals with aligning the system to workload or situational awareness, and the gap between the two disassociates safety assessment from design. As a result, system design creates constraints for the operator working at the sharp-end, which will inevitably lead to human error. Accidents and incidents across all industries have demonstrated the safety significance of this gap. Cognition and Safety provides an integrated view of cognitive human issues to better enhance safety. It combines operational with design-related concepts of cognitive performance to provide an approach for safely managing cognitive issues throughout the lifecycle of a system, from operational to senior management levels. The book will be of direct interest to operational managers, designers, training specialists, safety managers and operational staff dealing with human factors and safety issues; scientists in the area of safety, ergonomics and human factors; regulators dealing with safety and human factors, and practitioners in the field of human reliability.

Occupational Ergonomics: Principles of Work Design focuses on the fundamentals in ergonomics design and evaluation. Divided into two parts, Part I covers the background for the discipline and profession of ergonomics and offers an international perspective on ergonomics. Part II describes the foundations of ergonomics knowledge, including fundamentals of ergonomics, fundamentals of work analysis, and cognitive issues. The authors discuss ergonomics of system design and outline the principles of certification in professional ergonomics. Methods for evaluation of physical workload due to posture (RULA and OWAS), as well as computer-aided human models and other software-based tools for ergonomic analysis and design are reviewed.

Improvements in health care and quality of life in recent years have led to a marked aging of the world's population, especially in well-developed regions. In the near future, this problem will spread to developing countries. The growing need to promote the health and function of aging workers not only presents new challenges, but also provides exciting new opportunities.
The chapters in this book examine methods for diagnosing and evaluating work ability/employability in response to the changing capacity of employment. They set out the issues addressed by occupational health professionals to improve the work ability of elderly employees, and discuss measures to promote their employment. The book derives from a Conference on Aging and Work, held in Japan in September 2001. It will be of particular interest to professionals and students in the fields of occupational health, ergonomics, mechanical engineering, work physiology and industrial psychology.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203218558

This is the sixth edited volume of refereed contributions, from an international group of researchers and specialists. Volumes five and six comprise the edited proceedings of the Third International Conference on Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, organized by Cranfield College of Aeronautics, Edinburgh, Scotland, October 2000. The applications areas include aerospace and other transportation, medicine, human-computer interaction, process control, and training technology. Topics addressed include: the design of control and display systems; human perception, error, reliability, information processing, and performance modelling; mental workload; stress; automation; situation awareness; skill acquisition and retention; techniques for evaluating human-machine systems and the physiological correlates of performance. Both volumes will be useful to applied and occupational psychologists, instructors, instructional developers, equipment and systems designers, researchers, government regulatory personnel, human resource managers and selection specialists; also to senior pilots, air traffic control and aviation and ground transportation operations management.

This is the fifth edited volume of refereed contributions, from an international group of researchers and specialists. Volumes Five and Six comprise the edited proceedings of the third international conference on Engineering Psychology Cognitive Ergonomics, organized by Cranfield College of Aeronautics, Edinburgh, Scotland in October 2000. Volume Five concentrates on applications in the areas of transportation, medical ergonomics and training. Topics addressed include: the design of control and display systems; human perception, error, reliability, information processing, and performance modelling; mental workload; stress; automation; situation awareness; skill acquisition and retention; techniques for evaluating human-machine systems and the physiological correlates of performance. Both volumes will be useful to applied and occupational psychologists, instructors, instructional developers, equipment and system designers, researchers, government regulatory personnel, human resource managers and selection specialists; also to senior pilots, air traffic control and aviation and ground transportation operations management.

In The Human Factor, Kim Vicente coined the term 'Human-tech' to describe a more encompassing and ambitious approach to the study of Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) than is now evident in any of its participating disciplines, such as human factors, human-computer interaction, cognitive science and engineering, industrial design, informatics or applied psychology. Observing that the way forward is 'not by widgets alone,' Vicente's Human-tech approach addresses every level-physical, psychological, team, organizational, and political-at which technology impacts quality of life, identifies a human or societal need, and then tailors technology to what we know about human nature at that level. The Human Factor was written for a broad audience, in part to educate general readers beyond the HTI community about the need to think seriously about the tremendous impact that poorly designed technology can have, ranging from user frustration to the tragic loss of human life. The articles collected in this book provide much of the technical material behind the work that was presented in The Human Factor, and the commentaries by Alex Kirlik situate these articles in their broader historical, scientific and ethical context. This collection of articles and commentaries forms a set of recommendations for how HTI research ought to broaden both its perspective and its practical, even ethical, aspirations to meet the increasingly complicated challenges of designing technology to support human work, to improve quality of life, and to design the way will live with technology. As the first book both to integrate the theory and research underlying Human-tech, and to clearly delineate the scientific challenges and ethical responsibilities that await those who either design technology for human use, or design technology that influences or even structures the working or daily lives of others, Human-tech: Ethical and Scientific Foundations will appeal to the broad range of students and scholars in all of the HTI disciplines.

Although cognitive engineering has gained widespread acceptance as one of the most promising approaches to addressing and preventing difficulties with human-machine coordination and collaboration, it still meets with considerable skepticism and resistance in some of the industries that could benefit from its insights and recommendations. The challenge for cognitive engineers is to better understand the reasons underlying these reservations and to overcome them by demonstrating and communicating more effectively their concepts, approaches, and proposed solutions. To contribute to this goal, the current volume presents concrete examples of cognitive engineering research and design. It is an attempt to complement the already existing excellent literature on cognitive engineering in domains other than aviation and to introduce professionals and students in a variety of domains to this rather young discipline.
The editors of this book, and the authors whose work is included, subscribe to the need to evaluate work in context. Accepting new paradigms for the study of humans working in complex environments, they view the human as an asset--indeed a necessity--in human-machine systems and they accept and take advantage of variations in human behavior. In addition, they recognize that much or most error is the result of mismatches between human capabilities and the demands placed on those humans by the machines which they use in the environments in which they are placed. As a whole, this volume illustrates how far we've come in understanding the cognitive bases of human work in complex human-machine systems.

This book is the third in the series and describes some of the most recent advances and examines emerging problems in engineering psychology and cognitive ergonomics. It bridges the gap between the academic theoreticians, who are developing models of human performance, and practitioners in the industrial sector, responsible for the design, development and testing of new equipment and working practices.

This book is the fourth in the series and describes some of the most recent advances and examines emerging problems in engineering psychology and cognitive ergonomics. It bridges the gap between the academic theoreticians, who are developing models of human performance, and practitioners in the industrial sector, responsible for the design, development and testing of new equipment and working practices.