Can cognitive science improve the training of industrial process operators?

The work tasks of industrial process operators can have far reaching implic ations for both the safety of personnel and protection of the environment. The training of these operators to be competent in their work tasks, theref ore, attains a high level of importance. The control of industrial processe s often requires operators to undertake complex dynamic tasks. Cognitive sc ience is attempting to explain the cognitive processes that underlie the be havior of operators when carrying out these tasks. This paper will investig ate the current theories concerning these cognitive processes and will disc uss their implications toward the training of industrial process operators. (C) 1999 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd.