ABSTRACT
Manning refers to the staffing levels used in plant process control rooms (i.e., the number of operators working together at any one time). The level of manning used is of critical importance to process control performance and overall system safety. In recent times, an increase in the levels of automation, teamworking, and multiskilling has led to a general reduction in the manning levels used, and there are concerns that this could adversely impact process control team performance and system safety through increases in operator workload and its associated consequences (Brabazon and Conlin, 2001).
