At the colloquium of the Department of Physics on Friday 27.3.2026, Research Professor Anna-Maria Teperi from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health tell us on the human factors in safety.
The goal of the colloquium is to bring together experts and researchers from various fields and create a multi-voiced discussion on how technology and human factors can work together to build a safer society.
Everyone interested in the topic is warmly welcome!
Abstract
Human Factors (HF) offer a powerful lens for understanding and improving how people, technologies and complex systems interact. In this presentation, I will discuss a two decade development path of HF practices across safety critical domains—from aviation and nuclear power to maritime operations, railways and, most recently, civil infrastructure. The focus is on how human centred approaches can strengthen safety management, support everyday work, and foster organisational learning.
Drawing on empirical cases and long-term collaboration with operators and authorities, the presentation highlights how the HF Tool™ has evolved as a practical, positively oriented method for analysing work, identifying systemic strengths and weaknesses, and supporting competence development. The tool has helped organisations shift from “human error” thinking toward systemic, proactive safety practices that enable people to succeed in challenging operational conditions.
Finally, the talk introduces the Horizon Europe SARAH project, which represents the latest step in applying HF insights to emerging technological ecosystems. SARAH integrates human centred design with digital twins, innovative sensing, unmanned aerial systems and augmented reality to transform how Europe inspects, maintains and repairs critical civil infrastructure. By supporting the full workflow—from identification and assessment to inspection and reporting—the project enhances decision making, skill development and occupational safety and health.
Together, these experiences illustrate how human centred thinking and practical HF tools can help organisations anticipate, cope, adapt and learn—and how new technologies, when thoughtfully designed, can further strengthen human resilience and system safety.
The safety technology programme
Engineering for safety and risk management is the focus of JYU’s new Master of Technology programme. The new master’s degree programme in technology will start in the Faculty of Mathematics and Science in 2026. The safety technology programme is unique and cannot be studied anywhere else. The graduates from these new programmes can develop safety practices for enterprises, lead the development of a culture of safety and also influence societal decision making in terms of safety, risk management and security of supply.
