Checklists as a Workplace Safety Method

Limits on Operator Hours for Safety

A manager at a distribution center is reviewing incident reports to improve workplace safety. Which of the following incidents presents a problem that a human factors psychologist would be best suited to address?

A manufacturing plant installs a new piece of assembly equipment. The control panel features a dense array of small, identically shaped buttons for different functions, including 'Start Cycle' and 'Emergency Stop', which are placed next to each other. An experienced employee, during a routine operation, accidentally presses the 'Emergency Stop' button instead of 'Start Cycle', causing an abrupt halt that results in a minor injury to a nearby colleague. From a human factors psychology perspective, what is the most likely primary cause of this safety incident?