Human factors in mining

There is a growing awareness among mining professionals that the human factor plays a significant role in safety and productivity. Since the 1960's, the science of human factors, or ergonomics, has been making inroads into the mining industry, and a considerable amount of research has documented human-factor-related mining problems and solutions. This report is directed toward summarizing the application of human factors to improving safety, productivity, and the general physical and psychological working conditions of miners and toward familiarizing the readers with the role of human factors in the mining industry and the benefits that can accrue by systematically applying available human factors principles and data.