Existing Human factors Risks in Eastern Africa Aviation Operation: Focus on skill Risks and Aeromedical factors. A Cross-sectional Study.

Florence Nassimbwa; Charles K. Twesigye; Santa M.  Asio

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v3i9.235

Authors

Florence Nassimbwa Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.
Charles K. Twesigye Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.
Santa M. Asio Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v3i9.235

Keywords:

Aeromedical factors, Eastern Africa, Human factors, Human Performance and Limitations, Skills

Abstract

Background:

Aviation safety in the Africa region has continued to be a concern for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the industry as a whole. ICAO’s 2012 accident statistics show that Africa had an accident rate of 5.3 per one million departures with 3% of the worldwide traffic distribution. A study set out to examine the existing human factors risks in the region’s aviation operation with a particular focus on skill and aeromedical risks exist in the Eastern African region.

Methodology:

A cross-sectional study research design was used with quantitative methods of data collection applied; perceptual information was collected by the use of a survey.

Results:

Four categories of variables investigated skills required for the job and had a positive moderately strong correlation with values between 0.4-0.6 and were statistically significant with p ˂0.05. Another four had a weak positive correlation which is less than 0.4. Eleven out of fifteen categories of the aeromedical variables had a positive moderately strong correlation with values between 0.4-0.6. Four had a weak positive correlation which was less than 0.4. Results did show current skill-related risks in public safety, operations monitoring, quality control, troubleshooting, design and telecommunications, and public safety. Most of the above skills had a direct correlation with each other.

Conclusions:

Aeromedical factors affecting performance included fitness and health, stress, time pressure, and deadlines, sleep-related issues, fatigue, cigarette smoking, alcohol, pain, and nervousness.

Recommendations:

There is a need for redefining human factors risks in Eastern Africa and incorporating them in the curriculum at all levels to ensure that individuals are capable of functioning effectively and safely in a range of situations and environments continuous as well as aeromedical assessment should be designed to fully capture the existing skill related and aeromedical risks in the region and improve the region’s safety record.

Author Biographies

Florence Nassimbwa, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.

Florence Nassimbwa (MSc. Molecular Biology) is a Biologist (Lecturer) and an instructor (FOO) at DAS Aviation School, Entebbe and a PhD candidate in Biological sciences at Kyambogo University. I have knowledge and experience in Biological sciences and in Aviation Human Performance and Limitations (Human Factors).

Charles K. Twesigye, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.

Dr. Charles K.Twesigye is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty, Kyambogo University. Dr. Twesigye is the Coordinator of Doctorate Programmes in Biological Sciences and his research interests focus on Biodiversity Conservation in the Albertine Rift and Human Factors concerned with the application of what we know about people, their abilities, characteristics, and limitations to the design of equipment they use, environments in which they function, and jobs they perform.

Santa M. Asio, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kyambogo University, P.O Box 1, Kampala.

Dr. Asio Santa Maria is a Senior Lecturer and currently an Ag. Head of Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences. She was previously the Coordinator of Master of Science in Public Health Programme and A Representative of Library at the Department of Biological Sciences. Her research Interests are focused on Health e.g. Environmental Health and many other Health Related Researched such as Occupational Health and Safety and Food Safety.