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Human Factors are the application of what we know about people that can influence human performance. They include a range of elements, such as abilities, characteristics, and limitations, that contribute to actions and decisions.
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) requires parties in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) to eliminate public (safety) risks or, where it is not reasonably practicable to do so, minimise them.
Consideration of Human Factors principles can optimise our contribution to safety and help mitigate risks and improve performance.
Human performance directly contributes to the outcomes of events and impacts safety risk. Human performance will vary as a person adapts to meet the demands of their work environment, influencing their risk assessment and decision-making.
Human Factors that influence human performance are an integral part of safety management, and are critical in understanding, identifying and mitigating safety risks.
A systematic approach, integrating Human Factors principles, is integral to strengthened and effective Safety Management Systems (SMS) and activities.
The NHVR SMS model provides a framework for this, built around four components that focus on Policy, Risk, Assurance, and Promotion. A systematic approach to managing the impact of Human Factors utilising the four components of an SMS ensures that these principles are integrated into all aspects of our risk-based regulatory operations.
For more information, please see our Human Factors Policy (PDF, 202KB), which outlines the NHVR's commitment to promoting the importance of Human Factors principles in line with its Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy and Regulatory Intervention Strategy.
