Facility Management and Human Factors

Introduction

Human factor is a scientific methodology that assesses and evaluates

human interactions in relation to other components of a workplace system.
Psychological and Physiological principles are applied when designing the
products, processes, and systems. Human factors convey what people are
being asked to do (the Work), who is doing it (the People) and where they
are working (the Organization).

The Work

The tasks should be designed after considering the strengths and weaknesses
of people. The work should be matched with the person’s capability, or else
the employee may be overwhelmed with the work. Physical match involves
the structure of the workplace and work environment. Mental match includes
the individual’s perception of the tasks and risks. A mismatch will increase
the chance for human error. Some factors that negatively affect work are:

● Ergonomics of equipment and instruments

● Constant disturbances and interruptions
● Unclear instructions
● Poorly maintained equipment
● Workload
● Unpleasant working conditions.

The People
People have different attitudes, perceptions, experiences, expertise, and
personalities. These qualities may positively or negatively impact work.
Some factors that negatively affect people are:

● Low skill and competence levels

● Tired staff
● Bored or disheartened staff
● Individual medical problems.

The Organization

An important organizational factor is the work culture, which denotes what is

accepted and what is not accepted by the organization. How work is planned
and organized is another key factor. These are often not under the control of
the people who are doing the work. Although many accidents are blamed on
the actions or omissions of people involved in the work, it ignores
fundamental failures within the design, management, and decision-making
functions of the Organization. Factors that negatively impact an organization
are:

● Poor work planning which leads to high work pressure

● Lack of safety systems and barriers
● Inadequate responses to previous incidents
● Management based on one-way communications
● Deficient co-ordination and responsibilities
● Poor management of health and safety
● Poor health and safety culture.
Facility managers take steps to protect the people who use the facility while
supporting organizational effectiveness and minimizing risks and hazards

Importance of human factors in FM

With the right facility management that supports organizational

effectiveness, risks and liabilities can be reduced to a large extent. Tasks that
are well designed keeping in mind the individual skills and capabilities of
workers, and working environments that leave little to no room for error can
help in creating a more efficient and effective workforce. An astute facility
management will make it easier for the people to do the right thing and
harder to do the wrong thing, thus creating a positive impact for all
stakeholders.

How TOFM manages the human factors

The approaches we take at TOFM to address the Human factors enable us to

create a safe working environment. Our highly trained staff can spot hazards,
and assess the risks.We design solutions and take action to prevent accidents
and injuries.Our Quality Auditing Team regularly inspects and scores the
facilities that we look after. Consistent monitoring from our Head Office
encourages the relentless attention to detail that you expect from your FM
partner. By choosing TOFM you can improve employee safety, reduce
workplace risks, and create better and safer conditions.
At TOFM we realize that humans are bound to make errors, which is why we
reduce the scope of mistakes around them. Our process and procedures are
transparent and pertain to international standards.We comply with ISO
45001 and all current statutory regulations.Our custom-designed software
and reporting tools enable seamless communication channels and put us on
top of the game.By implementing quality control practices and through
continuous improvement, we are constantly moving forward and delivering
our best.