Experimental Study on Effect of Regulation by Operation Procedures on Resilient Performance

Abstract

Tightening regulation of operators’ performance by adding new operation procedures has been one of the typical countermeasures for enhancing the safety of complex industrial systems. However, some recent studies have pointed out that detailed procedures can hinder operators’ resilient performance in response to unexpected situations, which in turn can lead to the increase of safety risks. The purpose of this study is to experimentally examine the effects of regulations by operation procedures on resilient performance. An experimental task simulating fire-fighting command and control was used to compare the performance of two participant groups: “a reference group” provided with the goals to be achieved and action rules as a reference, and “a rule group” with the goals and action rules as a procedure to be followed. The results showed that the rule group demonstrated less resilient performances and had lower outcomes than the reference group in experimental scenarios involving situations in which goal-rules and action-rules were in conflict. The interview results also suggested the superiority of the reference group in terms of attentive monitoring of situations that do not fit the procedures.