excuse me, may i weigh your bag for the tsa job analysis? · pdf fileexcuse me, may i weigh...

Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO)

66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1578

Phone: 703.549.3611 | Fax: 703.549.9661 | www.humrro.org

Excuse Me, May I Weigh Your Bag

for the TSA Job Analysis?

Presented at: International Personnel Assessment

Council (IPAC)

Columbus, OH

July 2013

Presenters : David Hamill, TSA

Deborah Whetzel, HumRRO

Todd Baker, HPS

Deborah Gebhardt, HPS

History and Context of

TSA Officer Job Analysis

David Hamill, Molly Belling, Micah

Montanari, & Bonnie Farago

TSA

Introduction

3

As a result of September 11, 2001 attacks, TSA

engaged in ambitious hiring project

Used job analysis information to develop selection measures

Processed over 1.8 million applications

Tested 340,000 applicants

Hired 50,000 Transportation Security Screeners (TSS) (now

Transportation Security Officers [TSO])

Conducted detailed job analysis of screener jobs (Gebhardt,

Baker, Curry, McCallum, 2004)

Introduction

4

Since 2004, changes to equipment and security

needs have resulted in changes in cognitive,

physical and psychological demands of jobs.

Expanded career ladder to include Master TSO

(MTSO) and Expert TSO (ETSO). New jobs created:

- Behavior Detection Officer (BDO)

- Security Training Instructor (STI)

- Coordination Center Officer (CCO)

Introduction

5

Jobs included in this study:

Transportation Security Officer

(TSO)

Lead Transportation Security

Officer (LTSO)

Supervisory Transportation

Security Officer (STSO)

Behavior Detection Officer (BDO)*

Security Training Instructor (STI)*

Coordination Center Officer

(CCO)*

*Includes MTSO and ETSO

Introduction

6

Major Activities in this Study

Development of Master Task List

Officer Job Analysis Survey and Results

Ergonomic Data Collection and Results

Development of Medical and Psychological Guidelines

Recommendations for Selection and Promotion

Assessments

Job Analysis for

Transportation Security

Officers

Deborah Whetzel, Rebecca Erk, Matthew

Fleisher & Tina Chang

HumRRO

Task List Development

8

Reviewed job materials and used information to

create preliminary task list using these sources:

Job Analysis Tools (JAT)

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Previous job analyses

- Transportation Security Screener (Gebhardt, Baker,

Curry, McCallum, 2004)

- BDO (American Institutes for Research, 2010)

- STI (Transportation Security Administration, 2011)


9

Organized preliminary task list into categories:

Physical-movement (e.g., lift/carry and push/pull)

Cognitive processing (e.g., reading, writing, and comprehension)

Sensory tasks (e.g., communication, hearing, and vision)


10

Conducted job site visits at 14 airports:Airport Code Airport State CAT Site Visit Date

ABE Lehigh Valley International Airport PA II March 30, 2011

PHL Philadelphia International Airport PA X March 31-April 1, 2011

MSN Dane County Regional Airport WI II April 6, 2011

ORD O’Hare International Airport IL X April 7-8, 2011

MDW Chicago Midway Airport IL I April 12-13, 2011

PVD T F Green State Airport RI I April 20, 2011

PBI West Palm Beach International Airport FL I May 3, 2011

MIA Miami International Airport FL X May 4-5, 2011

SEA Seattle-Tacoma International Airport WA X May 16-17, 2011

SJC San Jose International Airport CA I May 18-19, 2011

MOD Modesto City County Airport CA IV May 20, 2011

ASE Aspen Pitkin County Airport CO III May 23, 2011

DEN Denver International Airport CO X May 24-25, 2011

BOS Logan International Airport MA X May 24-25, 2011


11

Site visits entailed:

Conducting interviews where incumbents

- Described their jobs

- Described the physical, cognitive, and sensory aspects of

their job tasks

- Reviewed the preliminary task list for their job at each site

visit (including edits that others at prior site visit locations

made to the task list)

- Determined whether the task statements were accurate

and clear

Collecting ergonomic data for

- Baggage weights

- Passenger flow

- Work site dimensions

Officer Job Analysis Survey

12

Constructed Officer Job Analysis Survey

- Section 1: Introduction and description of project

- Section 2: Instructions

- Section 3: Demographic background questions

- Section 4: Task list with three rating scales

- Section 5: Supplemental questions (ergonomic and working

conditions)

OHC Pilot Tested Survey at three airports (BWI, DCA,

and PHL)

- Created two versions for several titles

• Used 1/3 overlapping tasks to test for equivalence

• Included instructions so respondents would know they are not

seeing all job tasks


Online survey administration Survey was available online for 1 to 1.5 months

All Officers who had been in their current position for 6 months

Computed correlation among overlapping tasks on Versions A and B

(.90 Importance, .90 Frequency, and .94 Time Spent)

Combined Versions A and B for all future analyses

13


14

Data Cleaning Process—respondents were removed

from analyses for following reasons:

1. Over-reporting of importance: 85% or more ratings of 5 out of 5

2. Illogical responses: 10% or more illogical responses (Importance was

Not Relevant and Frequency and Time Spent greater than 0)

3. Marker tasks: Rating tasks designated as not important a priori (e.g.,

lift and carry tables, chairs, and/or stanchions to reset the passenger

checkpoint area) as 5 (Extremely Important)

4. Flat/repetitive responding: 60% or more of the same 10 Importance

ratings in a row

5. Minutes to complete survey: 25 minutes or less for BDO, TSO and

STI or 20 minutes or less for CCO, LSTO and STSO

6. Resulted in removal of 4.1% (CCO), 4.4% (TSO), 5.2% (LTSO), 5.8%

(STSO), 6.1% (STI), and 7.3% (BDO)

Job Analysis Survey

15

Response Rates by Job Title

Completed OJAS Surveys (Usable data only)

Position Title TSO LTSO STSO BDO STI CCO

CAT X 2,292 397 415 433 103 82

CAT I 1,878 386 347 298 118 143

CAT II 884 174 207 126 57 51

CAT III 381 99 121 1 8 12

CAT IV 192 98 78 0 4 0

TOTAL 5,627 1,154 1,168 858 290 288

% of

Population 36.5% 16% 13.7% 15.4% 6.9% 7.5%


16

Identified Essential Tasks

A task was considered essential if the z-score of Importance +

Frequency rating was 0.0 or higher OR the Importance rating

alone was 4.0 or higher

Additional Importance indicator was designed to include tasks

performed infrequently, but considered very important to effective

job performance, for example Respond to security breaches by

declaring a breach (e.g., activate electronic alarm) to stop

screening procedures


17

Analyzed

Supplemental

QuestionsProvided input for

ergonomic and

working condition

parameters

%

When lifting baggage in

passenger checkpoint, what

percentage of time do you carry

baggage a distance of:

Less than 10 feet

10-25 feet

26-50 feet

51-75 feet

76-100 feet

More than 100 feet

Total= 100%

What percentage of time are

you on your feet continuously

without a break (include

standing and walking) during an

average shift?

Less than 1 hour

1-2 hours

3-4 hours

5-6 hours

More than 7 hours

Total= 100%

What percentage of the time do

you work in the following

temperatures?

90 degrees and higher

70-89 degrees

50-69 degrees

33-49 degrees

32 degrees and lower

Total= 100%

Ergonomic Data Collection

and Results

Todd Baker, Deborah Gebhardt,

Erica Volpe, & Kathryn St. Ville

Human Performance Systems, Inc.

Ergonomic Data Collection

19

To define the physical demands of the jobs,

ergonomic parameter data were collected:

Items Locations

Weights, sizes, and types of baggage PAX, BAG

Baggage screening rates PAX, BAG

Distance walked (# of steps in specified time) PAX, BAG

Frequency of passenger throughput for WTMD & AIT PAX

Frequency of Walk-Through Metal Detector (WTMD) alarm PAX

Frequency of Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) anomalies PAX

Dimensions of areas, tables and belts PAX, BAG

Colors exhibited on x-ray monitor PAX

Colors exhibited on Explosive Detection System (EDS) monitor BAG

Acoustic (noise) measurement area PAX, BAG

PAX = Passenger Checkpoint; BAG = Checked Baggage

Ergonomic Data Results

20

Weighed 987 passenger carry-on (PAX) bags Weights varied by airport category

Average weight was 15.96 pounds (SD=9.27) [0.76 pounds

more than weight in 2004]

- 16.2% of baggage in PAX weighed 25 pounds or more

0

5

10

15

20

X I II III IV

Mean

PA

X W

eig

ht

in lb

Airport Category

0

5

10

15

20

25

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

Perc

en

t o

f B

ag

s

Baggage Weight in Pounds


21

Weighed 997 checked bags (BAG) Weights varied by airport category

Average weight was 35.9 pounds (SD=13.65) [3.5 pounds

less than weight in 2004]

- 15.5% of baggage in BAG weighed 50 pounds or more

- 2.2% of baggage in BAG weighed 70 pounds or more

- TSOs lifted bags without assistance 73.4% of the time

0

10

20

30

40

X I II III IV

Mean

BA

G W

eig

ht

in l

b

Airport Category

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0-9

10-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70-79

80-89

90-99

Perc

en

t o

f T

ota

l B

ag

s

Baggage Weight in Pounds

70-pound lift requirement

TSOs lift 70-pound baggage items 9.5% of the time in

the BAG area

Vollestad (1997) found no decline in repeated muscle

contractions when muscles contracted at 45% of their

maximum capacity– TSO lift an average of 35.9 pounds up to 10 times/hour

– To continue repeated lifting without fatigue the amount lifted should be

40-50% of maximum capacity

– To sustain the average weight for the BAG area (35.9 pounds), the

maximum weight a person should be capable of lifting is 79.8 pounds

Therefore, a 70-pound lift requirement is needed.

Vollestad, N.K. (1997). Measurement of human muscle fatigue. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 74, 219-227

22

70-pound lift requirement

Torque is produced on the back when TSOs lift baggage of

various sizes and weights.

50-70 pound bags are lifted 18.9% of the time

71-100+ pound bags are lifted 9.5% of the time

Torque on back for 50-pound and 70-pound suitcases– 64.17 ft-lb for 70-pound medium suitcase (typically 11 inches wide; 11/12*70=64.17)

– 62.50 ft-lb for 50-pound extra large suitcase (typically 15 inches wide; 15/12*50=62.50)

Torque for lifting 70-pound medium suitcase is similar to lifting

a 50-pound extra large suitcase

Therefore, a 70-pound lift requirement is needed due to

repeated lifting, torque on back, and it occurs approximately

10% of the time

23


24

Carry-on baggage

screening rate at PAX

areas was an average of

1.32 bags per minute Greatest mean number

of bags moved occurred

at Cat I (2.05 per minute)

and Cat X (1.16 per

minute)

Lowest screening rate

was at Cat IV (.45 per

minute)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

XBOS

XDEN

XMIA

XORD

XPHL

XSEA

IMDW

IPVD

IIMSN

IIIASE

IVMOD

# B

ag

s S

cre

en

ed

per

Min

ute

Airport and Category


25

Baggage handled at

BAG areas was an

average of .90 bags

per minute Greatest mean number

of bags handled

occurred at Cat X (.81

per minute) and Cat I

(1.19 per minute)

Lowest mean number of

bags handled was at Cat

IV (.31 per minute)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

XBOS

XDEN

XMIA

XORD

XPHL

XSEA

IMDW

IPBI

IPVD

IIABE

IIMSN

IIIASE

IVMOD

# B

ag

s H

an

dle

d p

er

Min

ute

Airport and Category


26

Pedometers were worn by 88

Officers (TSO, LTSO, STSO,

BDO, and STI personnel) BDO had highest step counts

per minute

Step counts in BAG areas were

lower than in PAX areas

STSO had lower step counts

than average across TSO and

LTSO due to sedentary nature of

administrative duties

STI step counts were low

because STI was observing OJT

during data collection

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

TSO(PAX)

TSO(BAG)

LTSO(PAX)

LTSO(BAG)

STSO(PAX)

BDO STI

Mean

Ste

p C

ou

nts

per

Min

ute

Job Title and Certification


27

Number of passengers

screened by WTMD Highest mean screening rates

through the WTMD were at CAT

I and X airports (137.84 per hour

across all airports)

0

50

100

150

200

250

X I II III IV

# o

f In

div

idu

als

Scre

en

ed

by W

TM

D p

er

Ho

ur

Airport Category


28

Number of passengers

screened by AIT* Highest AIT screening rate was at

CAT X airports** (average 89

passengers per hour)

May account for lower number

screened through WTMD at CAT X

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

X I

# o

f In

div

idu

als

Scre

en

ed

by A

IT p

er

Ho

ur

Airport Category

*ATR was not observed at site locations

**AIT only observed at CAT X and CAT I


29

What does this mean? TSOs have physically demanding jobs

- TSOs in passenger checkpoints lift baggage that weighs an

average of 16 pounds, 16.2% weighing 25 pounds or more.

- TSOs in checked baggage locations lift baggage that weighs an

average of 36 pounds, 15.5% weighing 50 pounds or more.

- BDOs walk further than TSOs (2,319 feet in 30 minutes)

- TSOs and LTSOs in passenger checkpoints walk farther (1,602

and 1,755 feet in 30 minutes, respectively) than those in check

baggage locations (1,099 and 952 feet in 30 minutes,

respectively).

TSOs have cognitively demanding jobs- TSOs screen an average of 1.3 bags per minute in passenger

checkpoints and 1 bag per minute in checked baggage locations.

- TSOs screen an average of 138 passengers per hour through the

WTMD.

- TSOs screen an average of 89 passengers per hour through the

AIT.


30

During a typical day (an 8-hour shift), a TSO:

Walks 2.47 miles at PAX areas.

Walks 1.67 miles at BAG areas.

Lifts at least 106 bags totaling at least 1,690 pounds at PAX

areas.

Lifts at least 72 bags totaling at least 2,585 pounds at BAG

areas.

Screens 207 passengers through the WTMD.

Screens 134 passengers through the AIT.

(results account for assignment rotation)

Development of Medical and

Psychological Guidelines

Deborah Gebhardt, Todd Baker,

Erica Volpe, & Kathryn St Ville

Human Performance Systems, Inc.

Medical and Psychological Guidelines

32

Medical requirements listed in ATSA

49 U.S.C. § 44935(f) listed visual color

perception, aural acuity, physical coordination

and motor skills


33

Body systems addressed

Auditory

Cardiovascular

Endocrine

Gastrointestinal

Genitourinary

Integumentary

Musculoskeletal

Neurological

Psychological

Visual

Other conditions (e.g., anemia, cancer)

Information Used to Establish Guidelines

34

Ergonomic Data Weights, sizes, and types of baggage

Distances walked

Frequency of passenger throughput (Walk-Through

Metal Detector [WTMD] and Advanced Imaging

Technology [AIT])

Frequency of WTMD alarms

Dimensions of areas, tables, and belts for lifting

Colors exhibited on x-ray monitor and Explosive

Detection System

Acoustic (noise) measurement area

Job Analysis Data Essential tasks

Frequency of task performance

Medical and Psychological Data Used

35

Human Performance Systems Medical Database Contains information on over 250 medical and psychological

diseases and conditions

Contains thousands of tasks across public safety, blue collar,

and white collar jobs

Identifies highest level of severity of a disease/condition an

individual can have and perform a task

Allows for linkage of new job tasks to tasks in database

Medical Specialists Ratings of Essential Tasks Used medical disease/condition specific scales (e.g., diabetes

mellitus) to identify the highest level of severity allowable for

performing tasks

Used information from medical literature

Used medical information from societies (e.g., American College of

Obstetrics & Gynecology)


36

Process to identify guidelines

- Generated a medical master essential task list

Consolidated job analysis results for physicians

- Essential tasks by job

- Ergonomic and environmental information

Master

ID#TSO LTSO STSO BDO CCO STI

LIFT/CARRY

1, 2,

22

Lift and carry passenger checkpoint baggage (e.g., baggage, trays with

passenger belongings, strollers) [15-70 lb] to and from x-ray belt to Explosive

Trace Detection (ETD) search table.

E E E NE NE E

6 Lift and carry checked baggage weighing 15-100 lbs. (e.g., suitcases, duffle

bags) to or from the floor, Explosive Detection System (EDS) conveyor belt,

rollers, and/or search table.

E E E E

7 Lift and carry oversized checked baggage (e.g., ski bags, golf bags, boxes,

suitcases) [30-100+ lb] to and from the floor, EDS conveyor belt, rollers, or

search table.

E E NE NE


37

Process (continued)

- Matched essential tasks to Human Performance Systems, Inc.

(HPS) Medical Database for initial identification of level of

severity of diseases/ conditions that effect job performance

Conducted meetings with medical specialists (e.g., cardiologists, orthopedists, neurologists, psychologists)

- Medical specialists reviewed job analysis and

medical/psychological information

- Medical specialists further identified the level of severity of

diseases/conditions that effect job performance

TSA Task HPS Database Tasks

Lift and carry oversized checked baggage (e.g., ski bags, golf bags, boxes, suitcases) [30-100+ lb] to and from the floor, EDS conveyor belt, rollers, or search table.

● Lift and carry objects weighing 30-50 lb.● Lift and carry objects weighting 60-80 lb.● With assistance, lift and carry items

weighing >80 lb (e.g., large tires, brake drum) 20-50 feet.


38

Example of a medical scale

Written for medical personnel

Disease/condition specific (e.g., supraventricular arrhythmia)

Define medical diseases/conditions in terms of function,

symptoms, and treatment

Include parameters that define severity level

- Hemoglobin A1C for diabetes (<8%)

- A-V block less than .30 seconds for heart block/bradycardia


39

0 = No disease

I = Asymptomatic hyperglycemia controlled with diet and exercise; with

fasting blood glucose in the range of 90 to 130 milligrams per deciliter

and hemoglobin A1-C (HbB-A1C) less than or equal to 8%

II = Diabetes, asymptomatic and requiring oral medication (e.g.,

hypoglycemic) with fasting blood sugar less than or equal to 130 ml/dl or

hemoglobin A1-C less than or equal to 8%, and no history of documented

hypoglycemia

III = Diabetes, asymptomatic and requiring insulin (with or without oral

medication) for control with hemoglobin A1-C less than or equal to 8

IV = Diabetes, currently asymptomatic and requiring medication for control;

A1C equal to or less than 8% with history of hypoglycemia, history of severe

hyperglycemia (e.g., 400 ml/dl), ketoacidosis, and/or hyperosmolar coma

There are two more levels to the scale that address additional factors and symptoms.

Diabetes Mellitus


40

Example of Medical Guideline for Police Officers

Ventricular Arrhythmia

Police Officer

A

Mast Police Officer

A

Sergeant

A

Lieutenant

A

Captain

A

Chief & Deputy

B

A B

Accept with history or presence of low or higher grade ventricular ectopy (couplets, R-on-T, or multiform) without a clinical history or objective evidence of heart disease.

Evaluate (e.g., stress test, Holter monitor, echocardiogram) if there is a history or presence of heart disease with lower grade arrhythmias for severity of arrhythmia and underlying disease; OR with history or presence of non-sustained asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia on resting ECG without syncope, and without clinical history or objective evidence of heart disease.

Disqualify with history or presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on resting ECG with underlying heart disease, central nervous system symptoms, angina, or hemodynamic compromise; OR syncope with ventricular arrhythmia; OR presence of sustained ventricular tachycardia.

Disqualify with presence of implantable cardiac defibrillation (AICD).

Accept with history or presence of low or higher grade ventricular ectopy (couplets, R-on-T, or multiform) without a clinical history or objective evidence of heart disease.

Accept with a history or presence of heart disease with lower grade arrhythmias (e.g., PVCs, triplets, couplets, bigeminy); OR with history or presence of non-sustained asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia on resting ECG without syncope, and without clinical history or objective evidence of heart disease.

Evaluate with history or presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on resting ECG with underlying heart disease, central nervous system symptoms, angina, or hemodynamic compromise, but without syncope. An implantable cardiac defibrillation (AICD) may be present and needs to be evaluated for circumstances of implantation and history of discharges/firings.

Disqualify with presence of sustained ventricular tachycardia or syncope with ventricular arrhythmias.

Conclusions

Summary

42

Contributions of this study:

Large scale job analysis identified comprehensive list of

essential tasks and relevant competencies for all jobs within

TSO job series

Essential tasks, working conditions, physical, and cognitive

requirements were identified

Medical and psychological guidelines were identified and

defined

This study provides the foundation for:

This study provides the foundation for TSA to develop

selection measures that conform to legal and professional

standards, including the Uniform Guidelines on Employee

Selection Procedures (EEOC, 1978) and the Principles for

the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures

(SIOP, 2003).

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