http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/14/texting_fines/

I’d be surprised if the fatality figures were deaths associated with texting (rather than simply pedestrian deaths), but it’s interesting how this authority is addressing the issue.

Obviously anywhere we mix vehicles and pedestrians we create a hazard, but how about process plant? As we introduce more sources of distraction (including text and other ‘smart’ communications devices) do we make it clear to our employees when it is and isn’t appropriate to access them.

No, they put a commercial at the start of the mandatory safety video!


United Airlines welcome & flight safety video 2012

For 60 seconds you have to watch President and CEO of United Airlines, Jeff Smisek, telling you about how United are adding bin space, WiFi and other enhancements to their aircraft. How they are improving IT systems, and you get to watch a plane being painted. Not very riveting at the best of times.

I always watch the safety briefing, no matter how many times I fly. Aircraft differ, and I want the best shot at getting out quickly and appropriately if I have to. However, after watching Mr. Smisek for the third time in 24 hours, the safety video was getting to be more than a chore. Few enough passengers actually watch the safety videos, as you can see from this report into the ditching in the Hudson river (the section on evacuation and emergency response starts on p.36).

25 passengers (17 percent) reported watching most of the preflight safety demonstration, and an additional 19 passengers (13 percent) reported watching some of the demonstration.

The safety message is important and should remain special. I’ve been on a plane where takeoff was delayed by 10 minutes because the video wouldn’t play correctly at one screen and quite right too. However, we don’t need any more disincentive to spend the few minutes taking in a vital safety message. So my message to Mr. Smisek is

Please shut up and let us watch the video.

And for the rest of us who might by specifying, commissioning or scripting safety induction videos, please keep them on topic as well. Safety, Health, Environment and nothing else.

ATSB Transport Safety Report

A Jetstar Airbus A320 on approach to Singapore had to abort a landing as the Captain was dealing with a text message on his mobile phone. While leaving your mobile switched on is an easy error, I find the attention that the Captain gave the device during a safety critical segment of the flight somewhat fascinating. Even using a communications protocol specifically designed to get the Captain’s attention, the First Officer struggled to get through to him and had to abort the landing with a go around.

Divided attention and inappropriate fixation are powerful things!

I’ve long had an interest in wearable computing and finally Google looks like they’re close to something that people might actually want to wear.

Google unveils Project Glass augmented reality eyewear

I wonder what the consequences are of people wandering around wearing this technology and how it might change our world? If they can get them out at the price quoted for the first generation then the technology could become completely ubiquitous. It seems to me that the benefits of the technology are so great that once the price and wearability barrier is broken; there are already enough applications almost ready to go from the mobile computing world that these will gain a market pretty fast.

There’s already a lot of interest in the health and safety implications of MP3 player usage for cyclists and pedestrians, particularly in terms of isolation from audible cues. Distractions in the visual modality will, I’m sure, attract similar levels of debate. And goodness knows what use drivers will make of them. At the very least it will expose how difficult it will be for legislation to keep up with technology. There are still jurisdictions debating the issue of whether to ban cell phones in cars, wait till these arrive. Maybe you could only wear them in Google’s self driving car.

Looks like an easy port into safety eyewear if you must insist on a process industry angle. Hands free diagrams, procedures, and checklists might be just around the corner.

Every Day I Write the Book

In that piece I asked the obvious question “We now have iPads in cockpits of airlines that you or I may fly. All very interesting stuff, and you have to smile at the obvious question of whether they have to be switched off for takeoff and landing and if not, why not?”

Well it seems like the FAA have been asking the same question, and even better for the frequent travelers among us, may be prepared to do something about it.

Time to review FFA policy on gadgets

Hopefully frustration of turning off the reader will now be a thing of the past.