An integrated method for improving risk analysis using human factors methods and virtual reality [Elektronische Ressource] / von: Waleed Salem

An Integrated Method for Improving Risk Analysis Using Human Factors Methods and Virtual Reality Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doktoringenieurin oder Doktoringenieur (Dr.-Ing.) angenommen durch die Fakultät für Informatik der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg von: M. Sc. Waleed Salem geb. am: 02.09.1974 in: Ramtha Gutachterinnen/Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Andreas Nürnberger Prof. Dr. Tom Kontogiannis Prof. Dr. Teodor Winkler Ort und Datum des Promotionskolloquiums: Magdeburg, 19.05.2009 I II Abstract...... Increasing accident rates and system losses in different industrial sectors endanger safety, threaten economic growth and cause pollution damages. A major cause for these accidents and losses in the chemical process industry is the human error which contributes with a range of 60-90% in the development of these accidents. Conventional safety and risk analysis methods focus mainly on describing technological malfunctions and lack a systematic consideration of the human impact, i.e., the human error, on the process under consideration. These methods lack also a systematic utilisation of existing supporting and enabling technologies, e.g. virtual reality. In this thesis, an integrated method for improving risk analysis is introduced. This method is developed by utilising human factors knowledge for a better inclusion of human impact in the risk analysis.