Simulation of Operators' Response in Emergencies

For the simulation of the accidental course of events in industrial process plants, a model is needed of operators' response to the cues presented by the system. A model is proposed, based on the simplifications which can be made when restricting attention to the operator functions having significants for a probabilistic risk analysis, and to only skill and rule based performance, i.e., to responses in the early phase of an accident. The model is based on Brunswik's lens model, a model of the normal task repertoire, and on a taxonomy of human errors. To bring the model in perspective, a review of the state of the art of cognitive models of human behaviour is included. Review Project for Joint Research Center Ispra Contract No. 2529-84-11 ED ISP DK INIS descriptors: ACCIDENTS, COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION, CONTROL ROOMS, ERRORS, MAN-MACHINE SYSTEMS, REACTOR OPERATORS, RELIABILITY, RISK ASSESSMENT, TAXONOMY