SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Human Factors Training and Dirty Dozen Posters

How did it all begin? Today, I want to discuss with you just how Human Factors training and the Dirty Dozen posters came to be.

My father, Gordon Dupont, is known as the founder of the Dirty Dozen and the following is how it all began.

What Is Complacency in Human Factors?

What is complacency? - It’s the self-satisfaction accompanied by a loss of awareness of the dangers.

Two very experienced AMT’s (one with 22 years and the other with 33 years experience) missed 140 cracks during a 100-hourly inspection. This resulted in one fatality and 95 people experiencing a very close call when 18 ft of fuselage went missing during a flight.

The whole world screamed, how could this possibly happen? How could these 2 men miss that many cracks?

What Are the Elements of Distraction Regarding Human Factors?

Whether you are a pilot or an aviation maintenance engineer, there are many tasks that require focused attention to detail. It doesn't require a human factors training company to tell you that disastrous results may occur when workers are unable to maintain focus on their tasks.

Aviation safety managers must recognize how important a role distraction plays in their aviation safety management systems, particularly:

• Accident investigations;
• Safety training;
• Accident prevention strategies; and
• Safety promotion activities.

#3 of the Dirty Dozen Is “Lack of Knowledge”

So, just what is a Lack of Knowledge?

Any competent human factors instructor will tell you that "lack of knowledge" is when you lack the knowledge to complete a task correctly. Many new employees have what we call a “Lack of Knowledge” or lack of experience.

Let’s face it, in these times of ever-changing technology, we are sometimes faced with a task, without having all of the required information to correctly complete the task.

To counteract this, the aircraft companies attempt to provide the correct amount of detail in their manuals or work cards (without boring you into complacency).

#1 of the Human Factors' Dirty Dozen Is Lack of Communication

So, just what is a Lack of Communication? In the simplest terms, it is a failure to ensure the “mental pictures” match.

For example, I have a mental picture of what I hope to convey to you. If you have the same mental picture at the end of our conversation then proper communication has occurred.

Many times in Aviation and in other areas of our lives we have conversations with each other and we both assume that we understood each other 100%,