VALIDATION OF MINIMUM READING TIME REQUIREMENTS FOR RAILWAY SIGNAL READING

摘要

Human Engineering Limited was commissioned to validate and extend the concept of the Minimum Reading Time for railway signals, a vital measure in rail safety, specifying how much time is required by drivers to read and respond to signals. This work involved an assessment of the behaviours that comprise the signal reading task via Cognitive Task Analysis, and an examination of the hazards that are associated with this task via survey and performance modelling. For some hazards, it was found that additional time could be added to the signal reading process as a form of mitigation. For other hazards, the analysis showed that additional time alone could not help drivers, and alternative means of mitigation were required. The results were used to provide a tool for use in the rail industry that is supported both by human factors theory and evidence from experience.