Digital Ergonomics to eliminate climbability at Sydney Metro Southwest Stations
Tracks
Room 3
| Tuesday, December 1, 2026 |
| 10:05 AM - 10:25 AM |
| Concurrent Room 2 |
Overview
Anna Hoff
Speaker
Ms Anna Hoff
ARUP
Digital Ergonomics to eliminate climbability at Sydney Metro Southwest Stations
Abstract
Sydney Metro Southwest is a driverless metro upgrade converting parts of Sydney’s 130 year old heavy rail network to modern metro standards. The project includes the upgrade of 11 existing stations on the Bankstown Line. As a fully automated service, enhanced safety and security measures are required, including treatments to reduce climbability and prevent corridor intrusion.
Trespass and climbability in rail environments are often viewed as security or compliance problems, yet they fundamentally arise from human–environment interaction. Factors such as posture, reach, balance, problem solving behaviour and real world creativity shape how people engage with infrastructure. In dense urban settings such as along the Sydney Metro Southwest alignment, barriers, screens, balustrades and architectural features can unintentionally combine to create viable climbing routes, even when each component meets dimensional standards. Achieving “The Perfect Fit” therefore requires going beyond compliance to understand how diverse users physically interact with their surroundings.
This work aimed to develop and apply a human centred methodology to identify and reduce climbability risk across Sydney Metro Southwest stations and rail corridors, supporting safer and more resilient infrastructure.
Digital ergonomic human modelling approach was applied using functional anthropometry and avatar based 3D motion analysis. Larger, more capable body types were modelled to test worst case climbing feasibility across realistic multi step sequences, examining reach, posture, balance and centre of gravity. 3D visualisations supported effective collaboration between human factors specialists, designers and engineers.
The modelling results revealed how compliant designs unintentionally enabled climbing and demonstrated that targeted geometric changes—such as increased vertical spacing, altered barrier profiles and angled screen tops—could substantially reduce or eliminate climbability.
The implications of this work demonstrates how human factors methods deliver behaviour informed safety outcomes that extend beyond minimum compliance.
Trespass and climbability in rail environments are often viewed as security or compliance problems, yet they fundamentally arise from human–environment interaction. Factors such as posture, reach, balance, problem solving behaviour and real world creativity shape how people engage with infrastructure. In dense urban settings such as along the Sydney Metro Southwest alignment, barriers, screens, balustrades and architectural features can unintentionally combine to create viable climbing routes, even when each component meets dimensional standards. Achieving “The Perfect Fit” therefore requires going beyond compliance to understand how diverse users physically interact with their surroundings.
This work aimed to develop and apply a human centred methodology to identify and reduce climbability risk across Sydney Metro Southwest stations and rail corridors, supporting safer and more resilient infrastructure.
Digital ergonomic human modelling approach was applied using functional anthropometry and avatar based 3D motion analysis. Larger, more capable body types were modelled to test worst case climbing feasibility across realistic multi step sequences, examining reach, posture, balance and centre of gravity. 3D visualisations supported effective collaboration between human factors specialists, designers and engineers.
The modelling results revealed how compliant designs unintentionally enabled climbing and demonstrated that targeted geometric changes—such as increased vertical spacing, altered barrier profiles and angled screen tops—could substantially reduce or eliminate climbability.
The implications of this work demonstrates how human factors methods deliver behaviour informed safety outcomes that extend beyond minimum compliance.
Biography
Anna Hoff is a psychologist and human factors specialist with more than 10 years’ experience applying principles of human behaviour across a wide range of safety‑critical industries. Her work spans complex operational environments including submarines, aviation, rail, maritime and road transport, where she has supported improvements in safety, performance and operational efficiency.
Anna’s experience ranges from conducting large‑scale accident and incident investigations through to providing human factors input into the design of new complex rail systems. This breadth of practice has given her a strong appreciation of how people, technology and organisations interact in complex systems.
Known for her ability to see the “big picture”, Anna brings a systems‑thinking approach to her work, connecting human performance considerations from strategy and design through to operations and day‑one readiness. She is passionate about practical, evidence‑based human factors solutions that make complex systems safer and more effective in real‑world use.
