Accident In China Research Articles

Patterns and transitions of posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth in trauma-exposed youth: A latent transition analysis.

The present study examined the transition patterns in latent classes of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic growth among a sample of youth 4-13months after an explosion accident in China. Latent profile analyses identified consistent three classes (Resilient, Growing, and High-Symptom) at both waves. Latent transition analysis found most Resilient individuals remained stable while most Growing and High-symptom individuals transferred. Logistic regression predicting transition pathways suggests younger individuals, males, and those who lack social support are prone to experience reduced post-traumatic growth, whereas individuals with higher trauma exposure are prone to develop PTSD. Our study provides empirical evidence supporting qualitative transitions in PTSD and post-traumatic growth levels from a person-centred perspective. This adds to the current knowledge on the heterogeneity of post-traumatic responses of human beings and offers valuable guidance for post-traumatic interventions among youths.

The effects of social media usage on vicarious traumatization and the mediation role of recommendation systems usage and peer communication in China after the aircraft flight accident

ABSTRACT Background: Previous research has indicated that continuous exposure to disaster-related information through social media can lead to vicarious trauma. However, scholars have recognized the need for further in-depth research into the underlying mechanisms influencing this relationship. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact mechanism of social media usage on vicarious traumatization in users and analyze the roles of recommendation systems and peer communication. Methods: This study was conducted with college students in China, focusing on the context of the MU5735 aircraft flight accident in China in which 123 passengers and 9 crew members died. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to test the data and model. Results: This study obtained valid responses from 1317 participants. The study findings revealed a significant positive correlation between social media usage(β = 0.180，P < .001), recommendation systems usage (β = 0.172, P < .001), peer communication (β = 0.303, P < .001), and the development of vicarious traumatization. Recommendation systems usage (specific indirect effect = 0.063, P < .001) and peer communication (specific indirect effect = 0.138, P < .001) mediated the relationship between social media use and vicarious trauma. Additionally, the impact of peer communication on vicarious trauma was found to be higher compared to the effects of continuous social media use and recommendation system use. Conclusion: The study found that the use of social media to obtain information about accidents, the frequent pushing of accident information by recommender systems, and the frequent discussion of accidents among peers during unexpected accidents contribute to vicarious traumatization. The study suggests that users’ reduced retrieval of accident information via social media, as well as reduced peer-to-peer discussions about accidents, and social media platforms’ adjustment of recommender system algorithm rules to reduce accident information pushes, may help reduce the likelihood of users experiencing vicarious traumatization.

The hybrid systems method integrating STAMP and HFACS for the causal analysis of the road traffic accident

The role of traditional analysis methods in improving complex socio-technical system safety has reached a ceiling, and thus systems theory has been utilised to support the investigations and countermeasures for road traffic accidents. As two widely applied systems accident analysis models, STAMP (systems theoretic accident model and process) and HFACS (human factors analysis and classification system) have their own advantages in accident analysis and safety improvement. Therefore, this study develops a new hybrid systems method integrating STAMP and HFACS for road traffic accident (SH-RTA), which can adopt HFACS to enhance the identification and analysis ability of STAMP for human factors and employ control concepts and elements of STAMP to cement the characteristic of HFACS. To illustrate the applicability of the hybrid method, a case study of ‘9·22’ major road traffic accident in China is thoroughly analysed. Finally, preventive countermeasures and suggestions are presented. Practitioner Summary: This paper proposes a new hybrid systems method integrating STAMP and HFACS for road traffic accident. The new method reveals dysfunctional interactions within the parallel level and across levels, and identifies additional human and organisational factors. The recommendations for preventing road traffic accident are provided from higher levels of system.

Knowledge Graph Construction to Facilitate Indoor Fire Emergency Evacuation

Indoor fire is a sudden and frequent disaster that severely threatens the safety of indoor people worldwide. Indoor fire emergency evacuation is crucial to reducing losses involving various objects and complex relations. However, traditional studies only rely on numerical simulation, which cannot provide adequate support for decision-making in indoor fire scenarios. The knowledge graph is a knowledge base that can fully utilize massive heterogeneous data to form a sound knowledge system; however, it has not been effectively applied in the fire emergency domain. This study is a preliminary attempt to construct a knowledge graph for indoor fire emergency evacuation. We constructed the indoor fire domain ontology and proposed a four-tuple knowledge representation model. A knowledge graph was constructed with 1852 nodes and 2364 relations from 25 indoor fire events. The proposed method was tested for the case study of Henan Pingdingshan ‘5.25’ Fire Accident in China. Results show that the proposed knowledge representation model and the corresponding knowledge graph can represent complicated indoor fire events and support indoor fire emergency evacuation.

Lessons learned in confined space entry management after a gas poisoning accident in China

AbstractOn April 21, 2021, four workers died because of gas poisoning while attempting to maintain an agitator in a reactor at Heilongjiang Kailunda Technology Co., Anda, Heilongjiang Province, China. The event was characterized as a major incident occurring within a confined space. This article analyzes the incident by comparing China's and the US's safety regulations and standards regarding entry into confined spaces. The article concludes with the lessons learned and puts forward suggestions for the prevention of such incidents and for safety improvements in China.

Method Construction and Evaluation: A More Comprehensive and Reliable Classification of Coal Mine Gas Explosion Causes

Coal is an important fossil fuel energy that occupies a high position in the energy use of China and even the world. However, gas explosions are still the deadliest coal mine accident in China, which has long plagued the safety of energy mining. Only through accident cause analysis can we know the exact cause of the accident so as to make targeted policies, safety trainings, etc. However, the lack of detailed accident cause classification in current coal mine gas explosion accidents affects the comprehensiveness and accuracy of energy mining safety strategies. Therefore, in this study, a classification method for coal mine gas explosion accident causes based on the sixth edition 24Model and the three-element classification of gas explosions was proposed. Then, the consistency and validity of the newly established classification system were evaluated based on the three indicators, i.e., observer consistency, content validity, and criterion validity, and the performance of the classification system was verified. The results showed that the classification method exhibits good consistency and validity, and, compared with other classification methods, it can significantly improve the comprehensiveness of accident cause analysis results so as to obtain a more scientific energy mining safety strategy. In addition, the process used in this study to construct the classification and evaluate the performance of the classification is transferable, and it can provide a reference for the construction and evaluation of accident cause classifications in other fields.

Safety Risk Estimation of Construction Project Based on Energy Transfer Model and System Dynamics: A Case Study of Collapse Accident in China.

Analyzing and understanding the occurrence and evolution mechanisms of construction accidents are important for construction safety management. This study proposed a hybrid approach of integrating the energy transfer model (ETM) and system dynamics (SD) theory to delineate the entire evolution stage of the construction accident. Specifically, the Fengcheng Power Plant construction platform collapse accident (FPCA) was taken as a practical case study. First, the ETM is applied to demonstrate the evolving nature of the accident. Then, the network of the accident-causing factors is constructed using the SD theory to analyze the dynamic change characteristics. The results indicate that the accident was caused by risk factors with complex interactions at the management level. An energy constraint failure occurred when the transfer of dangerous energy transpired at the physical entity level, inducing the event. The proposed approach can provide a useful reference for safety risk estimation and management in future major construction projects.

Embedment of Steel Spiral Cases in Concrete: Lessons from a Structural Deformation Accident in China

A spiral case structure (SCS) plays a significant role in the safe and reliable operation of a hydroelectric power plant (HPP). In an HPP with 700 MW class turbine in China, a structural deformation accident happened in the construction period causing severe loss. Based on in-situ measured data, this study focuses on two major differences of this SCS that might cause the accident: (a) the construction condition, and (b) the shape of steel spiral case (SSC). The accident is reproduced in numerical study, and the simulation results agree reasonably well with in-situ measured data. The results show that the construction condition is a main factor causing the accident, but it is not the only cause of the raising deformation. The findings reveal that the post-accident stresses of steel structures are still at a relatively low level, and it would not be a major concern. The study also shows that the SSC with non-circle sections tends to have larger deformation under internal water pressure, and the deformation of the stay ring needs more attention in the construction period. The major limitation of this study is that this study merely focuses on the construction period. If such SCSs were to be used in a wider range, a follow-up study focusing on the operation period should be considered.

Energy supply and influencing factors of mountain marathon runners from Baiyin marathon accident in China

High temperature impacts the performance of marathon athletes, and hypothermia harms athletes. Twenty-one runners died, and eight were injured in the China Baiyin marathon on May 22, 2021. It’s a typical human life test. The energy equations are combined with the maximum energy supply of Chinese male athletes to study this accident. We analyze the human body’s route slope, travel speed, and heat dissipation under low temperatures in this marathon. The study shows that the large slope and long-distance of CP2 to CP3 section and the low temperature during the competition are the main reasons for the accident. The method of quantifying the slope and temperature and calculating the percentage of athletes’ physical consumption proposed in this paper can evaluate the route design of field marathons. We suggest that the physical energy consumption ratio of 90%, i.e. 315 cal/min/kg, should be taken as the maximum energy supply for Chinese male marathon runners. Dangerous risk zones for wind speed and temperature on dangerous path sections are also formulated for athletes to make their assessments. This paper’s theories and methods can effectively help design the marathon route and determine the race time.

A new accident causation theory based on systems thinking and its systemic accident analysis method of work systems

Major accidents such as the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in the USA, the Bhopal Disaster in India, the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, and the Tianjin Port fire and explosion accident in China, have occurred all over the world. Safety scientists are always trying to understand why these accidents happened and how to prevent these accidents. Accident models and theories form the basis for many safety research fields and practices. However, there is no universally accepted model with useful elements relating to understanding accident causation, although many accident causation models exist. A new accident causation theory named the Interaction Theory of Hazard-Target System (ITHTS) is proposed based on Systems-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) and Risk Management Framework (RMF), which not only incorporates human, organisational and technological characteristics in the same framework, but also considers the sociological factors such as legislative, regulatory, and cultural factors. On the other hand, a new systemic accident analysis method of work systems (SAAMWS) is proposed based on ITHTS and STAMP because ITHTS cannot be applied directly in accident analysis. We choose Tianjin Port fire and explosion accident as a case study to demonstrate the explanatory power of Interaction Theory of Hazard-target System and the feasibility of the new accident analysis method. Further research needs to be done to assess the reliability and validity of this new systemic accident analysis method.

Two-sided matching model for assigning volunteer teams to relief tasks in the absence of sufficient information

In the wake of a large-scale disaster, volunteer teams provide invaluable assistance. There is a pressing need to design a suitable model to solve the problem of volunteer team dispatching. This paper proposes a novel approach from the perspective of two-sided matching, which could stimulate the enthusiasm of volunteers. However, it is almost impossible to use one or more fixed indicators to evaluate each volunteer team or rescue task. Even if the indicators can be determined, the values of some indicators are difficult to obtain. Therefore, the proposed approach uses the available information to recommend potential matching targets and revises some key targets based on the subjective preferences of participants. It effectively avoids the bias in decision-making caused by the unavailability of sufficient information and improves the satisfaction of bilateral participants. Furthermore, it can effectively solve the two-sided matching problem when the preference order is unknown. The proposed approach is illustrated with a simulation case that focuses on an explosion accident in China. The rationality and effectiveness of the approach is validated through comparisons and analyses of the experimental results.

Numerical simulation of gas explosion suppression by ultrasonic water mist based on the Cloud, Fog, and Edge Computing

With the introduction of the concepts of “Internet Plus”, “Industry 4.0” and “Made in China 2025”, the development of the Internet and industry has begun to influence each other, and the development of the Internet industry has more and more significant effects on industry progress. The coal mine gas explosion accident in China has seriously threatened the life safety of miners, not only restricting the development of mine production, but also bringing a heavy burden to coal enterprises. Therefore, monitoring the concentration of CH4 and finding suppression materials are of great significance for preventing disasters. This paper is based on the Cloud, Fog, and Edge Computing to monitor the CH4 concentration that can cause gas explosions and uses a self-designed experimental device to verify the suppression effect of water mist on gas explosion.

Environmental impact and recovery of the Bohai Sea following the 2011 oil spill

The 2011 spill at platforms B and C of the Penglai 19-3 oil field in the Bohai Sea has been the worst oil spill accident in China. To assess long-term effects, a comprehensive monitoring program of chemical and biological variables (within a 2.2 km radius of the spill site) was conducted five years after the spill. Comparison of nutrient, Chl-a and oil concentrations in seawater, TOC, PAHs, heavy metals concentrations within the sediments, and the abundance and biomass of macrobenthic organisms to values obtained before and after the oil spill in previous studies indicate habitat recovery has occurred within the Bohai Sea following the episodic oil release. Observed elevated oil concentration in the water column and higher concentrations of two heavy metals, five PAHs, TOC, TOC/TN and lower values of δ13C, together with a reduction in macrobenthic biomass in near-field samples, suggest the influence of contaminants from chronic releases of oil and operational waste discharges within the vicinity of the oil platforms.

Explosion Characteristics and Influential Factors of Coal dust/sodium Chlorate Mixture on Basis of an Explosion Accident in China

ABSTRACT In the paper, explosion characteristics of coal dust in the presence of strong oxidant were studied using a 20-L spherical vessel, and the influential factors, including air relative humidity, ambient temperature and combustible gas of hybrid explosion were investigated. Results showed that sodium chlorate dust could increase the explosion severity of coal dust to some extent, while the power of hybrid explosion was weakened for the increasing content of its decomposition product. The explosibility of blend samples both presented a trend of increasing at low air relative humidity and then deceasing at high air relative humidity. The explosion severities of blend samples were strengthened for the increasing ambient temperature in a certain range. CH4 had a promotion effect on the explosion performance of Blend A, and P max and (dP/dt)max values of Blend A dust explosion, respectively, increased by 56.1% and 200% with the addition of CH4. While the explosion severity of Blend B was promoted for adding a small amount of CH4, but suppressed for a high CH4 content. The experimental results have guiding significance for the risk assessment of coexistence of coal dust and hazardous chemicals, especially in confined space.

Examining the Intergovernmental and Interorganizational Network of Responding to Major Accidents for Improving the Emergency Management System in China

Since the SARS crisis in 2003, institutionalized emergency management systems have been established in each government level for improving inter-organizational collaboration in China. Major accidents require participation of public organizations affiliated with multiple government levels, and the lack of collaboration and coordination among the involved organizations within the critical time constraints during the response process is an existing problem. In this research, a case study of examining the intergovernmental and cross-sectoral collaboration for responding to a well-known oil pipeline explosion accident in China by a complex network method is conducted. The aim is to obtain managerial insights in improving the existing emergency management system in a centralized political-administrative context, such as China. A mixed method of data collection is applied to identify the participating organizations and to determine the interaction spanning organizational boundaries in both hierarchical and horizontal dimensions. An emergency response network is built and visualized for representing intergovernmental and interorganizational collaboration during the response process of the major accident by social network analysis (SNA) tools. The SNA indicators are used to measure quantitatively the network structure at the levels of the whole network, subnetwork, and node. The obstacles of achieving intergovernmental collaboration are found, and managerial suggestions for improving the existing emergency management system are provided. This research indicates that the Chinese government should pay attention to establishing and sustaining partnerships with private and nonprofit organizations and conduct a blend of hierarchical, market, and network principles in fostering collaboration for addressing major accidents. The public organizations in the local government level are shown to be more active than other participators in coordinating their response operations, and their capability should be emphasized for improvement. Additionally, the interactive relationships among specific emergency function groups and between the affected communities and organizations performing emergency command and coordination function should be strengthened.

An Interactive Model among Potential Human Risk Factors: 331 Cases of Coal Mine Roof Accidents in China.

In order to explore optimal strategies for managing potential human risk factors, this paper developed an interactive model among potential human risk factors based on the development processes of accidents. This model was divided into four stages, i.e., risk latency stage, risk accumulation stage, risk explosion stage and risk residue stage. Based on this model, this paper analyzed risk management procedures and relevant personal’s responsibility in each stage, and then probed into the interactive mechanism among human risk factors in three aspects, i.e., knowledge, information and communication. The validity and feasibility of the model was validated by analyzing a coal mine roof accident in China. In addition, the contribution of different functional levels’ personnel in risk evolution was discussed. It showed that this model can effectively reveal the interactive mechanism of potential human risk factors, and can thus give significant insights into the development of risk management theories and practices. It also proves that the contribution of different functional levels’ personnel in the model is different. This can further help practitioners design enhanced Behavioral-Based Safety (BBS) intervention approaches which can have a more sustainable and persistent impact on corporate personnel’s safety behavior. Specific recommendations and suggestions are provided fundamentally for future BBS practices in the coal mine industry.

Comparative Analysis of Disaster Prevention in Korea and China: Based on Cases of Accidents in Marine Vessels

The purpose of this research is to identify problems of and suggest some plans for improving the disaster prevention methods of marine vessel accidents between Korea and China. For accomplishing the research goal, we conducted comparative analysis of two cases respectively in each country. The one is Sewol ferry accident in South Korea, 2014 and the other is Eastern Star ferry accident in China, 2015. First, the disaster management systems of two countries such as Korea and China, were analyzed from two aspects of theory and legal system. After that, this research put forward three common problems existed in the disaster prevention stage. The next, some suggestions for improvement are put forward from three aspects of government department, shipping company, and crews.

The significance of changes in platelet concentration during the early phase after severe burn injury in a Chinese mass casualty

BackgroundChanges in platelet concentration are common in severe burn patients. Platelets play a key role in the course of disease. This study aims to explore the significance of platelet concentration during the course of the disease in victims of a mass burn casualty.MethodsA total of 180 patients were involved in the “8.2” Kunshan explosion accident in China. The examined data included age, gender, total burn area (% TBSA), third-degree burn area (% TBSA), and platelet concentration within the first 5 days after the burn injury. The patients were divided into two groups according to four indicators (resuscitation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, septic shock). We collected several types of data for the patients and divided the patients into a complication group and non-complication group according to the diagnostic criteria. We analyzed the platelet concentration of the two groups using t tests to determine whether significant differences were present. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsThe group with successful resuscitation had higher platelet concentration than the failure group on day 3 and day 5. The patients who suffered from acute kidney injury (AKI) and septic shock had a lower platelet concentration than non-sufferers on day 3 and day 5.ConclusionsThe platelet concentration of burn patients can dynamically reflect the pathophysiological changes of the body. It can be used as an early objective indicator of prognosis in mass burn casualty cases.

Safety justification of train movement dynamic processes using evidence theory and reference models

The efficient solution to justify train movement safety is to analyze train movement situations via train operation knowledge and knowledge-based inference tools. In this paper, train operation knowledge is represented as train movement models and conditions, collectively called rule-based train movement reference models. The Dempster–Shafer (D–S) evidence theory is employed to infer the model and condition under which a train is running. Consequently, aberrant models and conditions, potentially endangering train operation safety, are identified in advance so that emergency measures can be taken to prevent train operation accidents. The mass function is defined as the approximation level of the train operation time interval within one block section of a railway line to that obtained from various reference models. The D–S theory is also applied to train movement dynamic processes to gradually identify train operation situations, using the combined section and process mass functions. The proposed inference approach using evidence theory and reference models (ETRM) qualitatively and quantitatively judges the rationalities of train operation control logic and variation tendencies. A case study to prevent the occurrence of the 7/23 railway accident in China demonstrates the validity of the proposed inference approach using ETRM. The analysis and inference centering on train movement situations can meanwhile diagnose the operation status of train onboard and ground control systems.

Journalism and mnemonic practices in Chinese social media: Remembering catastrophic events on Weibo

This study examines how collective memories of a public event, along with various journalistic practices, take shape in social media as the event develops. By analyzing messages posted during the first 8 days after a 23 July 2011 high-speed train collision accident in China on Weibo, a leading Chinese micro-blogging platform, this study finds three types of mnemonic practices on this platform: online commemoration, memory accumulation, and the first draft of history. The extensive media coverage, nonstop updates, and blurred lines between reporting and archiving produce firsthand accounts and fragmented narratives for collective memory. Weibo allows the use of language from which journalists and media-affiliated groups reap greatest benefit. Journalism draws on mnemonic practices to organize collective pondering over crises and current power structures in a shrinking space of online expression. Within the rapidly changing landscape of Chinese social media, this memory pattern developed earlier gradually loses its political meaning, although it persists in subsequent events. Theoretical implications of this study for the impact of digital media on collective memory are also discussed.