Evacuation Commands for Optimal Passenger Management April 2006
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ATSB RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS REPORT Aviation Safety Research Grant – B2004/0239 Final Evacuation Commands for Optimal Passenger Management Lauren J Thomas Human Factors Group, School of Engineering, Cranfield University Sophie O’Ferrall Virgin Blue Airlines Antoinette Caird-Daley Human Factors Group, School of Engineering, Cranfield University April 2006 ATSB RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS REPORT AVIATION SAFETY RESEARCH GRANT B2004/0239 Evacuation Commands for Optimal Passenger Management Lauren J. Thomas Human Factors Group, School of Engineering, Cranfield University Sophie O’Ferrall Virgin Blue Airlines Antoinette Caird-Daley Human Factors Group, School of Engineering, Cranfield University April 2006 Published by: Australian Transport Safety Bureau Postal address: PO Box 967, Civic Square ACT 2608 Office location: 15 Mort Street, Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory Telephone: 1800 621 372; from overseas + 61 2 6274 6590 Facsimile: 02 6274 6474; from overseas + 61 2 6274 6474 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.atsb.gov.au Aviation Safety Research Grants Program This report arose from work funded through a grant under the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s Aviation Safety Research Grants Program. The ATSB is an operationally independent bureau within the Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services. The program funds a number of one-off research projects selected on a competitive basis. The program aims to encourage researchers from a broad range of related disciplines to consider or to progress their own ideas in aviation safety research. The work reported and the views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Australian Government or the ATSB. However, the ATSB publishes and disseminates the grant reports in the interests of information exchange and as part of the overall safety aim of the grants program. © Cranfield University and Virgin Blue Airlines 2006 This publication may be reproduced free of charge for research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation. This is subject to it being reproduced and referenced accurately, and not being used in a misleading context. The title, authors and sponsorship details must be acknowledged accordingly. For any other use of the material please apply for written permission from the copyright holders. CONTENTS Document retrieval information............................................................................ v Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ vi Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ vii Executive summary..............................................................................................viii 1 Introduction..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Factors influencing evacuation outcomes............................................. 1 1.3 Configurational factors ......................................................................... 2 1.4 Environmental factors........................................................................... 3 1.5 Bio-behavioural factors......................................................................... 4 1.6 Procedural factors ................................................................................. 5 1.7 Cabin crew and passenger interface...................................................... 6 2 Methodology .................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Phase I – Best practice forum ............................................................... 7 2.2 Phase II – Evacuation trials................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Test facilities....................................................................... 8 2.2.2 Experimental design............................................................ 9 2.2.3 Participants........................................................................ 12 2.2.4 Procedure .......................................................................... 13 3 Results ............................................................................................................ 19 3.1 Phase I – Best practice forum ............................................................. 19 3.1.1 Background....................................................................... 19 3.1.2 Passenger attention to the pre-flight safety briefing ......... 19 3.1.3 Policies and procedures relating to the Type III exit ........ 20 3.1.4 Passenger profiling and able-bodied passengers............... 20 3.1.5 Evacuation commands ...................................................... 20 3.1.6 Conclusions....................................................................... 24 3.2 Phase II – Evacuation trials................................................................. 25 3.2.1 Completed trials ................................................................ 25 3.2.2 Sample details ................................................................... 25 3.2.3 Data preparation................................................................ 25 iii 3.2.4 Expectations of cabin crew commands............................. 26 3.2.5 Effect of crew instructions and briefing type.................... 31 3.2.6 Effect of dual-lane flow commands and visibility ............ 38 4 Discussion....................................................................................................... 43 5 References...................................................................................................... 47 Appendix A: Phase I questionnaire..................................................................... 49 Appendix B: Cabin simulator layouts................................................................. 57 Appendix C: Copy of recruiting advert and letter ............................................ 58 Appendix D: Volunteer information sheet ......................................................... 60 Appendix E: Medical questionnaire and consent form ..................................... 62 Appendix F: Background information questionnaire ....................................... 64 Appendix G: Participant briefing ....................................................................... 68 Appendix H: Seating plan .................................................................................... 71 Appendix I: Safety card used in Boeing 737 trials............................................. 72 Appendix J: LCES safety card (upper deck) ..................................................... 74 Appendix K: Post-evacuation questionnaire...................................................... 75 Appendix L: Trial photographs........................................................................... 80 iv DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL INFORMATION Report No. Date No. of pages ISBN B2004/0239 April 2006 94 1 921092 42 4 Title of report Evacuation commands for optimal passenger management Authors Thomas, Lauren J; O’Ferrall, Sophie; Caird-Daley, Antoinette Organisation that prepared this document Cranfield University Funded by Australian Transport Safety Bureau PO Box 967, Civic Square ACT 2608 Australia www.atsb.gov.au Acknowledgements Cranfield University (text), Lauren Thomas (images) Abstract This report describes a two-phase research program undertaken by Cranfield University in collaboration with Virgin Blue Airlines. Phase I involved a best practice forum, initiated via the Asia Pacific Cabin Safety Working Group of the Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators, to investigate current practice in managing passengers in emergency situations. The forum was followed up with a questionnaire survey of, and discussions with, various operators. The results showed that operators used a variety of commands to manage passengers in emergency situations, and that while some operators provided stringent procedures, others accepted that cabin crew may need to adapt commands and procedures to deal with the situation at hand. The results from Phase I were used to design an experiment conducted as Phase II of the research. This second study was conducted at Cranfield University in the UK; it involved 159 members of the public taking part in a series of experimental evacuation trials. Participants first completed a questionnaire detailing the commands that they thought would be effective in managing passengers in emergency situations. The results provided an insight into passenger expectations of commands and emergency instructions. The same participants then took part in a session of four evacuation trials using the Boeing 737 simulator and Large Cabin Evacuation Simulator, both located at Cranfield University in the UK. In the Boeing 737 simulator, the independent variables were an active or a passive safety briefing, and the level of situation specific instruction provided by the cabin crew. In the Large Cabin Evacuation Simulator, the independent variables were the visibility of the cabin crew and the use of dual-lane commands. Analysis was undertaken of time-coded evacuation footage and post-evacuation questionnaires. The results showed that an active safety briefing had significant advantages over a passive safety briefing, and that