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Research carried out by Cardiff University on the causes of maritime fatigue was instrumental in increasing understanding of contributing factors such as long working hours, and the inadequacy of current reporting systems. Because 90% of goods are transported by sea, fatigue influences at the individual and community level, as well as resulting in significant financial penalties for companies when accidents occur. Cardiff research has led to significant changes across industry and government in (a) personal awareness/management, such as improved safety training and (b) new international legislation and company policy aimed at reducing fatigue and improving health and safety at sea.
Flight safety has been a major focus in the past sixteen years at the Civil Safety and Security Unit (CSSU), affiliated with the University of Leicester's School of Management. The knowledge created has had three impacts. First, the development of a tailored fatigue-risk management system (FRMS) now in operation in a night-freight airline. FRMS provides for the development and validation of rosters that optimise crews' economic and safety performance, saving lives and money. Until this research no UK-registered night-freight airline had operated a FRMS. Second, the research underpins the evidence-base for the British Air Line Pilots' Association (BALPA) in its lobbying of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Third, the research is supporting the Society for the Welfare of Indian Pilots (SWIP) in its campaign for safe flight-time limitations (FTLs).
Government funded research into the design of high-speed marine craft from a human factors perspective has achieved significant international impact for organisations and personnel including the UK MOD, US Department of Defense, Canadian, Dutch, and Australian Defence Forces, US Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI). The research was instrumental in the launch of a marine consultancy and a commercial training organisation; the latter delivering research led training courses worldwide. Moreover, the research contributed to improved working conditions for military and RNLI personnel through changes in work practices, equipment design and procurement and the revising of an international whole-body vibration standard.
The Operator Functional State (OFS) describes the psychological capacity of an operator to deliver safe and effective performance. Expertise in OFS theory and methodology was developed at LJMU via studies of driving behaviour and aviation control. When the European Space Agency wished to prioritise issues surrounding OFS in the context of space exploration, they recruited an expert from LJMU. The resulting discussion led to the identification of key issues to maintain operational skill and reduce accident likelihood during long duration space missions. The expertise developed at LJMU has influenced the European programme for space exploration over the coming decade.
80% of all government policies are delivered through large-scale projects and programmes. In the private and the public sector alike they are key to innovation, change, and growth. However, they often go wrong. The research has impacted on the performance of a number of projects by changing the way projects are planned, managed, and assured. The impact is the result of the research programme of the BT Centre for Major Programme Management (BTC), a research centre of the Saïd Business School. The research has had an impact on a wide range of management and policy issues in the UK and internationally. This case study highlights three examples. The first is impact on the UK government's assessment of projects through work with the National Audit Office (NAO). The second is innovation of professional services at McKinsey & Company. The third is impact on the largest infrastructure investment in the developed world - the California High Speed Rail project.
Research at Portsmouth has had a major impact on risk reduction, improved service life and reduced inspection/maintenance costs of safety critical and expensive fan and compressor components in military and civil aero-engines, as demonstrated particularly by the Liftfan Blisk manufactured by Rolls-Royce.
The research outcomes have also impacted on the specification of design stress levels by Rolls-Royce and MOD for aerofoils susceptible to FOD, enabling damage size inspection limits to be established at higher and more economic levels. The research has also provided increased confidence in the application of weld-repair of FOD and of surface treatment using Laser Shock Peening against FOD.