Hazard Perception Research Articles

Development and Evaluation of a Virtual Environment to Assess Cycling Hazard Perception Skills.

Safe cycling requires situational awareness to identify and perceive hazards in the environment to react to and avoid dangerous situations. Concurrently, tending to external distractions leads to a failure to identify hazards or to respond appropriately in a time-constrained manner. Hazard perception training can enhance the ability to identify and react to potential dangers while cycling. Although cycling on the road in the presence of driving cars provides an excellent opportunity to develop and evaluate hazard perception skills, there are obvious ethical and practical risks, requiring extensive resources to facilitate safety, particularly when involving children. Therefore, we developed a Cycling and Hazard Perception virtual reality (VR) simulator (CHP-VR simulator) to create a safe environment where hazard perception can be evaluated and/or trained in a real-time setting. The player interacts in the virtual environment through a stationary bike, where sensors on the bike transfer the player’s position and actions (speed and road positioning) into the virtual environment. A VR headset provides a real-world experience for the player, and a procedural content generation (PCG) algorithm enables the generation of playable artifacts. Pilot data using experienced adult cyclists was collected to develop and evaluate the VR simulator through measuring gaze behavior, both in VR and in situ. A comparable scene (cycling past a parked bus) in VR and in situ was used. In this scenario, cyclists fixated 20% longer at the bus in VR compared to in situ. However, limited agreement identified that the mean differences fell within 95% confidence intervals. The observed differences were likely attributed to a lower number of concurrently appearing elements (i.e., cars) in the VR environment compared with in situ. Future work will explore feasibility testing in young children by increasing assets and incorporating a game scoring system to direct attention to overt and covert hazards.

Safe driving and road-crossing tasks: A particular case of successful transfer of learning

The current study examines whether crucial safe driving skills are associated with safe road-crossing skills as pedestrians. The main research question was whether skills that are acquired from the point of view of a driver are associated with the skills of pedestrians in different platforms or settings. Furthermore, the study examines whether task performance on one platform (driving) primes an operator for task performance on another (road-crossing as a pedestrian) or vice versa. Sixty people took part in this study and completed a demographic questionnaire, a Driving Behavior Questionnaire, a Pedestrian Behavior Scale and two computerized tests – a Hazard Perception Test for Drivers and a Hazard Perception Test for Pedestrians.We found that the better the participants detect hazards on the road as drivers, the better they detect hazards as pedestrians as well, and that most of the participants’ self-reported values regarding their driving and their road-crossing as pedestrians are correlated. The study revealed an association between years of seniority in driving and the number of driving hours per week, and some behavioral variables as pedestrians – meaning that exposure to the road as a driver may be related to safer behavior as a pedestrian.

Learner drivers (and their parent-supervisors) benefit from an online hazard perception course incorporating evidence-based training strategies and extensive crash footage

We previously found that a six-session online hazard perception training course, which incorporates evidence-based learning strategies and footage of over a hundred real crashes, improved hazard perception skill and reduced risk-taking intentions in novice drivers who had passed their on-road driving test within the previous three years. However, one issue with targeting crash-prevention training at individuals who are already driving unsupervised is that drivers are at their highest crash risk immediately after they pass their on-road driving test. That is, the training may arrive too late to protect drivers while they are at their most vulnerable. It is also possible that it may prove difficult to persuade drivers to complete an unsupervised training course if they are already licensed to drive independently. Given that learner drivers cannot drive unsupervised, and that they are typically supervised by a parent, one potential strategy is to target the training at learners and to ask their parents to provide one-on-one mentoring throughout the course. We therefore recruited learner driver/parent-supervisor dyads to participate in a randomized control study, with the objective of examining the effects of the hazard perception training course on aspects of driving behaviour associated with crash risk (as measured using validated computer-based tests). Outcome measures included two hazard perception skill assessments (a response time hazard perception test and a verbal response hazard prediction test), and three tests assessing aspects of risk-taking propensity in driving (speed choice, following distance, and gap acceptance). Learners who completed the course (N = 26) significantly improved their scores on both hazard perception skill measures, and also chose safer following distances, compared with a waitlist control group (N = 23). However, the training did not significantly reduce learners’ speed choice or gap acceptance propensity. The hazard perception skill of parent-supervisors, who observed the course but did not complete it, also improved on both hazard perception measures, relative to controls. Additionally, both learners and their parent-supervisors reported a range of positive effects on the learners’ real-world driving performance. These results suggest that this type of hazard perception training could be beneficial if deployed during the learner phase of driver licensing.

Environmental Health Risk Perception: Adaptation of a Population-Based Questionnaire from Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Environmental risk assessments and interventions to mitigate environmental risks are essential to protect public health. While the objective measurement of environmental hazards is important, it is also critical to address the subjective perception of health risks. A population’s perception of environmental health hazards is a powerful driving force for action and engagement in safety and health behaviors and can also inform the development of effective and more sustainable environmental health policies. To date, no instruments are available to assess risk perception of environmental health hazards in South America even though there are many concerning issues in the region, including mining. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to adapt and validate an environmental health risk perception questionnaire in a Chilean population affected by mining activity among other risks frequently reported in Latin American countries and included the collection of information on trust on public information sources. METHODS: We adapted an Australian risk perception questionnaire for validation in an adult population from a Chilean mining community. This adaptation included two blinded translations (direct, inverse), a pre-test study (n = 20) and a review by environmental health experts. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) was used to identify factors within major domains of interest. The Bartlett test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and the Cronbach α test were used to assess the instrument’s validity and reliability. The instrument was pilot tested in 205 adults from a mining community in Chañaral. RESULTS: The final adapted questionnaire proved to be a good instrument to measure risk perception in a community chronically exposed to mining waste. For community risks, four factors explained 59.4% of the variance. “Global Issues” (30.2%) included air pollution, contamination of mining, ozone layer depletion and vector diseases. For personal risks, the first two components explained 59.5% of the variance, the main factor (36.7%) was “unhealthy behaviors within the household”. For trust in information, the first factor (36.2%) included as main sources “Media and authorities”. The Cronbach α ranged between 0.68 and 0.75; and the KMO test between 0.7 to 0.79 for community and personal risks and trust. CONCLUSIONS: The final questionnaire is a simple, reliable and useful instrument that can assist in evaluating environmental health risk perceptions in Latin American countries.

Videogame road scenes to measure hazard perception on experienced drivers

Experienced drivers develop the hazard perception skills with the driving practice. Hazard perception can be estimated using various methodologies such as photos, videos, simulators, or driving tests. Videogames increasingly are offering more realistic environments, and they are less expensive than simulators. Therefore, the study aimed to analyze the hazard perception of experienced drivers using road scenes from videogames. This perception was compared to the objective one provided by iRAP. As a result, experienced drivers underestimate the real danger in the most dangerous places, and overestimate them in the least dangerous sites. Given the trend between these two perceptions, it calibrated a linear regression equation. Also, the differences between the types of drivers' licenses were found in the sample. The results may help to propose specific training plans for these drivers to adjust their hazard perception with the actual one.

Correspondence of Beach User Perception, Lifesaving Strategies and Rip Currents: Implications for Beach Management

Rip currents at beaches are a public health hazard, with the potential to have serious socio-economic impacts on coastal communities globally, particularly those that depend on tourists. The potential for drowning or rescue depends on a combination of physical and social factors, and this is the first study to examine the relationship amongst the presence and location of rips, beach user intentions and behavior, and the hazard level identified by the lifeguards. Results of a survey administered in the summer of 2019 at Cavendish Beach and Brackley Beaches along the north shore of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, suggests that beach user intention and perception of the rip current hazard may not accurately reflect their actions. Despite being aware of beach hazards, most beach users and in particular the tourists to the area, did not observe beach warnings. Their activity on the beach also appears to be influenced by the design of the beach access and the presence of other beach users. Respondents who could not recall the hazard level defined by beach flags and signs on the boardwalk tended to sit further away from the access point and lifeguards. Most of the respondents were tourists who were at a higher risk of needing rescue or drowning caused by rip currents due to their lack of rip knowledge and familiarity with those beaches. It is argued that the potential for drownings and rescues can be mitigated through changes in the design of the beach access and the distribution of lifeguard resources, but further research into the correspondence of beach user perception, lifesaving strategies and rip currents is required.

A comparison of cybersickness symptoms across 360-degree hazard perception and hazard prediction tests for drivers

Hazard perception assessment may benefit from VR-presentation by removing field-of-view restrictions imposed by single-screen tests. One concern is whether VR-induced ‘cybersickness’ will offset any benefits. Self-reported cybersickness ratings were recorded from 77 participants viewing two variants of a 360-degree hazard test: hazard perception and hazard prediction. The latter was hypothesised to be particularly susceptible as clips abruptly cut to a probe question at hazard onset. Such sudden occlusions are thought to increase cybersickness. Overall cybersickness levels were low, with only four participants excluded for above-threshold sickness ratings. The remaining participants showed unexpectedly lower symptoms for the hazard prediction test and rated this test format as more comfortable and engaging. These findings mitigate concerns over the use of 360-degree videos in formative hazard assessments, even when clips involve sudden occlusions. Nonetheless, removal of any participants due to cybersickness raises problems for using VR for formal assessments of hazard perception skill.

The Lasting Legacy of Hazard and Choice Perception in Flood Plain Management by Robert Kates

This Classics Revisited/From the Archives paper summarizes the 1962 publication of Robert Kates regarding perceptions of the flooding hazard in LaFollette, Tennessee, and five other cities that were used for comparison. The influence of this work on improvements in flood hazards since 1962 are discussed, as well as suggestions as to how this work will continue to influence flood hazard management and mitigation.

Understanding the mechanism behind young drivers’ distracted driving behaviour based on S-O-R theory

Young drivers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents. The study aims to explore mechanisms behind distracted driving behaviour, traffic safety environment, driving responsibility, and hazard perception. A conceptual model is proposed based on Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory. The self-reported data from 367 drivers are used to estimate and modify the model based on exploratory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and bias-corrected bootstrap method. The regression relationships and the mediators have been identified. The traffic safety environment including the traffic enforcement and the driving condition isn’t related to the distracted driving behaviour. The traffic enforcement is associated the driving responsibility, the relationships between the driving responsibility, the hazard perception and the driving condition are significant, and the relationships between the distracted driving behaviour, the driving responsibility and the hazard perception are noteworthy. A positive traffic safety environment is beneficial to the safety of young drivers. The sense of driving responsibility and the self-cognition of hazard perception need attention for the early intervention of young drivers’ distracted driving behaviours.

From Stationary to Remote: Employee Risks at Pandemic Migration of Workplaces

The first lockdown due to COVID-19 in the year 2020 created a particular scenario that forced a change to telework among diverse professions and social groups. This article presents the results of research carried out among samples of Polish, Lithuanian and Spanish remote workers concerning working conditions in organizations and at home, and the potential impact of some professional hazards from home-based telework. On the contrary to earlier published papers on pandemic-induced telework that focused on how the limitations at home of first-time remote workers impacted on their well-being and work–family balance, our research contributes to a more recent endeavor that focuses the analysis on the work design perspective. The results of the survey indicate that employees felt more stressed and in conflict at their remote workstations when they had to telework during the lockdown, and that this negative output was significantly related to the deterioration of some working dimensions like space, quality and design but not to the perception of professional hazards from home-based telework. According to our research, the forced situation seemed not to be a favorable factor for implementing changes in light of the insufficient technical and organizational preparation of employers as well as the employees’ mental preparation. It should be necessary to update sequentially the results of the epidemic-induced telework and conduct research for various stages of the pandemic and the subsequent economic recovery. This could help popularize remote work as one of the tools of the labor market in the future and as a tool for treating labor resources as an element of sustainable development.

Chemical hazard and healthcare workers; findings from a tertiary health institution in south-western Nigeria

Background: Improvement in diagnostic and therapeutic services has further increased the hazards in healthcare facilities, particularly the chemical hazard. Therefore, the need for more focus on chemical hazard exposure among healthcare workers. This study aimed to assess the perception of healthcare workers about chemical hazards associated with their job and the pattern of adopted preventive measures.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed. One hundred and seven healthcare workers were enrolled in the study. The sample size was proportionally allocated to various departments that provide care directly to patients. Data on workers’ perceptions about chemical hazard exposure and utilization of preventive measures were obtained using self-administered questionnaire.Results: Majority of the respondents had high level of awareness (86.0%) and knowledge (81.3%) of chemical hazards. About one-fifth, 24 (22.4%), had experienced inadvertent exposure to chemical hazards. Gender, knowledge, and perception of chemical hazards had statistically significant associations with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Females are more likely to use PPE than male (odds ratio=5.1, p=0.008) and respondents with good perception of chemical hazard exposure are more likely to use PPE relative to respondents with poor perception (odds ratio=11.8, p=0.018). Standard operating procedures were available to less than half of the respondents, 52 (48.6%).Conclusions: There is a need for continuous strengthening of available safety measures to further reduce incidences of inadvertent chemical hazard exposure. The hospital management should ensure availability of standard operating procedures at all service locations.

Monitoring Public Perception of Health Risks in Brazil and Italy: Cross-Cultural Research on the Risk Perception of Choking in Children.

One of the most relevant public health issues among pediatric injuries concerns foreign body (FB) aspiration. The risk perception of choking hazards (CH) and risk perception, in general, are complex multifactorial problems that play a significant role in defining protective behavior. Risk prevention policies should take this aspect into account. A lack of scientific knowledge of FB injury risk perception may be evidenced in Brazil and other newly developed countries. This study aims to characterize the differences and peculiarities in risk perception of CH between Italian and Brazilian populations. The risk perception among adults in Italy and Brazil between September and October 2017 was investigated in a survey. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis was carried out to identify the latent components characterizing the risk perception in Italian and Brazilian population samples. The most relevant dimension characterizing risk perception is the “Professional–educational status and the related perception of Risk” (13% of factorial inertia). The Italians identify batteries and magnets as the most dangerous choking risks (20% of responses). On the other hand, Brazilian people, mainly manual laborers (22%) with secondary or primary education (94%), perceive coins as the most dangerous items (30% of responses, p < 0.001). Socio-economic issues characterize the subjective risk perception of Italian and Brazilian survey respondents. In this framework, data-driven prevention strategies could be helpful to tailor intervention strategies to the cultural context to which they are addressed.

City dwellers' perception of environmental hazards and risks in Dhaka city

This paper examines the social perceptions against the existing overall environmental hazards and pollutions of different residential areas of Dhaka Metropolitan area. The empirical data have been collected through a semi-structured questionnaire from 180 households. The findings reveal that more than 60% of people in residential areas are at high risk for environmental hazards due to the vast population density and unplanned high-rise buildings. Furthermore, on average, more than 53% of respondents have uttered various pollutions emphatically air, dust and noise pollution which are now common environmental phenomena of residential areas for unruly behaviors of dwellers and mismanagement of respective authorities. Moreover, the lack of open space is a burning question for the city dwellers, which causes a ventilation crisis through accelerating indoor pollution claimed by 95% of slum dwellers. After all, slum dwellers are more deprived of overall urban facilities, and abiding in unhygienic conditions made them more prone to fire hazards and severe health disorders. So, the study suggests that policymakers and city corporation authorities should be more concerned and taken proper initiatives to eradicate multifaceted issues to fabricate a sustainable environment for city dwellers.&#x0D; J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 47(1): 47-65, June 2021

Tourism Hazard Mitigation in Mount Rinjani National Park, West Nusa Tenggara

Mountaineering tourism in Mount Rinjani National Park has various potential natural hazards and requires improved mitigation to ensure tourism security and sustainability. The purpose of this research is to identify the perceptions of tourism actors on the tourism hazards, inventory the types of tourism hazards that occur and mitigate the hazards that have been carried out, and develop tourism hazard mitigation. The methods used in this research are interviews, field observations, and literature studies. Public perceptions of the mountaineering tourism hazard are included in the good category, which means people already know and understand the type and risk of hazard tourism. The types of tourism hazards that have occurred are earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, fires, ravines, slippery ravines, cold temperatures, fog, wildlife, and plant hazard. The mitigation that has been carried out consists of mitigation before the hazard event and after the hazard event. Mitigation efforts are divided into regulations, facilities and infrastructure, education, and awareness programs. It is necessary to improve mitigation through addition and improvement of climbing procedures and hazard management procedures, improvement of hiking hazard maps, improvement quality of facilities to minimize damage, making secure infrastructure as a means of warning, security, and emergency response, and socialization/education-related hazard mitigation and how to deal with it.

Strengthening public engagement on environmental hazards: insights from cross-disciplinary air pollution research

ABSTRACT Studying air pollution provides an opportunity to explore public opinion about the environment from a health perspective, and examine how the often-siloed fields of health, environmental, and science communication might inform each other to generate a more holistic understanding of these issues. This raises an important question for social scientists: what is the best way to understand public perception of hazards that rest at the intersection of health, the environment, and science? In this study, we examine the extent to which risk perceptions and environmental values predict individual-level protective behaviours and civic action surrounding air pollution in Portland, Oregon. We find that risk perceptions significantly predict individual-level protective behaviour, civic action, and engagement preferences to varying degrees. We also find that the inclusion of environmental values offers additional explanatory power. Results demonstrate that combining approaches from health, environmental, and science communication offers a more holistic understanding of public perception of and engagement with environmental risks.

“Locked down outside”: Perception of hazard and health resources in COVID-19 epidemic context among homeless people

While social inequality is widely recognised as being a risk factor for COVID-19 infection or serious forms of the disease, many questions still remain concerning the perception of hazard and protective measures by the most vulnerable populations.This mixed-methods study aimed (1) to describe the self-perceived health and protective measures linked to COVID-19 of homeless people in one of the largest and poorest cities in France, and (2) to assess which skills and resources they used to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative survey addressed these questions among a sample of 995 homeless people living either on the streets, in homeless shelters or in squats/slums, whereas the qualitative survey was constructed from 14 homeless interviewees. Both data collections were carried out between June and July 2020.Results showed that COVID-19 infection was clearly perceived by homeless people as a risk, but the experience of being homeless placed this risk among several others. Different practices of protection were observed according to the type of living place. Lockdown of the general population severely impacted the survival systems of the populations furthest from housing, with alarming rates of people without access to water or food. 77% of homeless participants reported that they encountered significant financial difficulties. All interviewees were particularly attentive to their health, with awareness and even a familiarity with the risks of infectious diseases long before the pandemic.Using a capability framework, our study showed a predominant lack of external health-related resources for homeless people, while internal health-related resources were more developed than expected. None of the places and lifestyles studied was favourable to health: collective shelters due to a greater restriction of people's choices, slums and street life due to a greater lack of basic resources.

Assessment of Detection of Potential Dog-Bite Risks in the Home Using a Real-Time Hazard Perception Test

ABSTRACT Dog bites are a serious public health concern internationally and children are often at particular risk of them. Because bites to children often occur during apparently benign interactions with a parent present, the need for dog-bite prevention approaches to address adults’ awareness of, and supervision of, child–dog interactions has been highlighted. The aim of this study was to evaluate a hazard perception test of potential dog-bite hazards within a home setting. Six hazards were incorporated in a 2-minute 41-second video, which was embedded into a web-based interface that enabled respondents to identify hazards by clicking the mouse button or tapping the screen of a tablet computer as the video played. The 268 volunteer respondents also completed a short questionnaire. These respondents were predominantly female and appeared more likely to have undertaken higher education and have greater experience with dogs than the general population. Almost one-third (31.8%) of respondents identified all six hazards, and a further quarter (24.5%) missed only one; a quarter (25.2%) identified 3 or fewer; and 43.8% identified 4 or fewer hazards. No one scored zero, and 5.5% and 6.9% identified 1 and 2 hazards, respectively. A range of factors was associated with the identification of specific hazards. Participants with professional or long-term experience with dogs and those with higher educational attainment were more likely to detect some hazards. Older respondents were less likely to identify several of the hazards, and those living with children were less likely to identify cuddling a dog as a hazard. We find that hazard perception testing could be a useful tool for the assessment of knowledge regarding dog-bite risk situations and potentially an educational tool for increasing knowledge and changing practices around dogs.

Hazard perception of novice drivers in mountain roads: a case study in Ecuador

Novice drivers are more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than experienced drivers. Detecting danger is one of the skills that these drivers must acquire with age and experience. This can reduce this probability, especially on mountain roads. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyze the hazard perception of novice drivers on mountain roads. Thirty-seven drivers participated in the experiment, who watched videos of road sites. After each video, they had to answer a survey about the hazards they observed on the site. Based on this survey, the hazard perception was estimated, which was compared with the actual hazard, calculated by iRAP. As expected, drivers do not recognize hazards properly, especially in the most dangerous places. Nosignificant differences were found among sex, age, and type of driver's license. However, relationships were found among hazard perception, the actual hazard, and the error between them, so four linear equations were calibrated. This research will help public and private institutions related to road safety optimize resources in driver training by: a) including the hazard detection of danger in the curriculum, or b) offering a complementary course to those who have already obtained their license.

Investigating the Reproducibility of Hazard Perception among the Elderly for Safety Colors in Japanese Industrial Standards using Test-Retest Method

Investigating the Reproducibility of Hazard Perception among the Elderly for Safety Colors in Japanese Industrial Standards using Test-Retest Method

Occupational Health Hazards: Employer, Employee, and Labour Union Concerns.

This review paper examines the extent of employer, worker, and labour union concerns to occupational health hazard exposure, as a function of previously reported and investigated complaints. Consequently, an online literature search was conducted, encompassing publicly available reports resulting from investigations, regulatory inspection, and enforcement activities conducted by relevant government structures from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of the three countries’ government structures, the United States’ exposure investigative activities conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health returned literature search results aligned to the study design, in the form of health hazard evaluation reports reposited on its online database. The main initiators of investigated exposure cases were employers, workers, and unions at 86% of the analysed health hazard evaluation reports conducted between 2000 and 2020. In the synthesised literature, concerns to exposure from chemical and physical hazards were substantiated by occupational hygiene measurement outcomes confirming excessive exposures above regulated health and safety standards in general. Recommendations to abate the confirmed excessive exposures were made in all cases, highlighting the scientific value of occupational hygiene measurements as a basis for exposure control, informing risk and hazard perception. Conclusively, all stakeholders at the workplace should have adequate risk perception to trigger abatement measures.