Heavy Equipment Operators Research Articles

Impact of Emission Control Systems for Heavy Equipment and Power Plants on Global Warming

The article outlines the study on emission control systems from various diesel engines. The study was carried out for the heavy equipment and power plants operations to meet the environmental regulations. The purpose of this paper is to examine various emission control systems, how it operate at low emission level and their malfunctions. As the world strive for global warming regulations, there is a need to consider various emission control systems operating at low emission level to minimize the problems of the environment hazards. Internal combustion engines are characterized for producing exhaust emissions, mainly used in industries, transportation, power production and machinery. CAT Caterpillar ET 2019C Diagnostic Electronic Tool was used on heavy equipment and Perkins EST 2018A v1.0 Diagnostic Tool used on the power generating plants to detect various faults on emission control systems. Most of the emission produce were from the defective emission control systems thus fuel injection pump, fuel injectors, induction and exhaust manifolds design, positive crankcase ventilating systems, turbocharger and catalytic convertors. The Study was conducted in Mali-Tombouctou Region within UN Mission area and to examine various types of heavy equipment and different capacity of power plants emission control systems, under Ghana Engineer Company serving and providing engineer support for the Mission. The study recommend that the replacement of component or system used for repair be genuine service part to maintain the quality for emission control systems. All emission control system parts must be scheduled for regular inspections. Any part that fails under operation need to be replaced or repaired to reduce emission. Owners and operators normally don’t comply with and report emission issues. The study adds to the existing knowledge of emission control in our environment to reduce associated environmental health issues and global warning.

Keyword identification framework for speech communication on construction sites

Worksite communication is a key to boosting teamwork and improving worker performance on the construction worksite. Communication among workers on the construction site mostly consists of speech communication. However, construction sites are typically noisy due to construction tasks like drilling and operation of heavy equipment. Meanwhile, workers on construction sites typically represent a range of different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds and have different speaking accents. This can make it difficult for the listener to understand the speaker clearly, leading to miscommunication and errors in decision making on the construction site. Technological advancements in recent years can be leveraged to mitigate this problem. In this paper, a keyword identification framework is developed for speech communication on the construction site. For this framework, 12 hours of raw audio data containing 18 crane signalman speech commands (referred to as “keywords”) are collected. The crane signalman uses specific keywords to communicate with the crane operator and guide the crane operator in the crane operations. The 2-second audio clips (this being the approximate duration of each keyword) are extracted from the raw audio dataset, and construction site noise is added. Moreover, mel-frequency cepstral coefficients are extracted from the waveform audio dataset. The extracted mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, in turn, are used to train the 1-dimensional convolutional neural network. After training, the model is found to achieve a training accuracy of 97.3%, a validation accuracy of 96.1%, and a testing accuracy of 93.8%. The model is further deployed for real-time identification of keywords in speech, with the model achieving an accuracy of 95.3%. In light of these findings, it can be concluded that the developed framework is suitable for real-time application in noisy construction sites for identifying specific keywords in speech.

Examining the Impact of Rotated Neck and Trunk Postures on Vertical Seat-to-Head Vibration Transmissibility and Self-Reported Discomfort

Adopting non-neutral sitting postures while exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV) can put heavy equipment operators at an increased risk for lower back pain and may cause damage to the spinal tissue. A laboratory experiment involving 11 participants (5 females, 6 males) completing four 45-min test sessions incorporating different seated conditions (vibration versus no vibration, and rotation versus no rotation) was used to assess seat-to-head transmissibility (STHT) and self-reported discomfort while in four rotated neck and trunk postures. The vibration exposure profile was a constant vertical sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 3 Hz and 0.7 m/s2 acceleration. Vibration measured at the head was greater than at the seat under all conditions, with a statistically significant effect of time (F1,10 = 101.73, p < 0.001, Eta2 = 0.910) and posture (F3,8 = 5.64, p = 0.023, Eta2 = 0.679). Mean self-reported discomfort ratings revealed increased participant discomfort in rotated neck and trunk positions in both vibration and non-vibration conditions. Increasing time also had a significant (F(1,10) = 15.53, p = 0.003) impact on higher rates of participant discomfort. Overall, it was found that increasing the degree of rotated neck and trunk position from neutral amplified the STHT and self-reported discomfort.

Large-Scale Earthwork Progress Digitalization Practices Using Series of 3D Models Generated from UAS Images

Since the Fourth Industrial Revolution, existing manpower-centric manufacture has been shifting towards technology and data-centric production in all areas of society. The construction sector is also facing a new paradigm called smart construction with a clear purpose of improving productivity and securing safety by applying site management using information and communications technology (ICT). This study aims to develop a framework for earthwork process digitalization based on images acquired by using the unmanned aerial system (UAS). The entire framework includes precise UAS data acquisition, cut-and-fill volume estimation, cross-section drawing, and geo-fencing generation. To this end, homogeneous time-series drone image data were obtained from active road construction sites under earthwork. The developed system was able to generate precise 3D topographical models and estimate cut-and-fill volume changes. In addition, the proposed framework generated cross-sectional views of each area of interest throughout the construction stages and finally created geo-fencing to assist the safe operation of heavy equipment. We expect that the proposed framework can contribute to smart construction areas by automating the process of digitizing earthwork progress.

ANALISIS PENERAPAN KOMPETENSI KARYAWAN DALAM MENGATASI TINGKAT KECELAKAAN KERJA (Studi Kasus Pada Operator Unit Alat Berat Pt. Kaltim Diamond Coal Site Loa Gagak)

This study aims to analyze and determine the implementation of employee competence in overcoming the level of accidents at heavy equipment operator PT Kaltim Diamond Coal. Competence (X) is used as the dependent variable while Work Accident (Y) is the dependent variable. Primary data were obtained through data available at PT Kaltim Diamond Coal. The results showed that employee competence increases employee awareness to be able to work safely, so as to reduce the level of potential hazards that occur at work. Knowledge enables employees to be able to recognize each work tool and also improves employee analysis skills, skills enable an employee to carry out each unit worked, and attitudes increase employee commitment to work so that they are able to act according to correct work procedures, so as to avoid potential work accidents. PT Kaltim Diamond Coal should improve the competence of each employee with the aim of increasing the ability of employees to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with work procedures, so as to avoid any dangerous actions that can lead to work accidents.

Relationships between Height, Mass, Body Mass Index, and Trunk Muscle Activation during Seated Whole-Body Vibration Exposure

Operators of heavy equipment are often exposed to high levels of whole-body vibration (WBV), which has been associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. Although anthropometric factors are known to impact vibration dose and risk of low back pain, studies have yet to investigate the influence of anthropometric factors on muscle activation during WBV exposure. This study quantified the relationships between muscle activation, vibration frequency, body mass, body mass index (BMI), and height both pre- and post-fatigue. Muscle activation of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), lumbar erector spinae (LE) and thoracic erector spinae (TE) were quantified using surface electromyography. Results indicate increased activation with increased mass, BMI, and frequency for the LE, TE, and IO, which may be a result of increased activation to stabilize the spine. Decreased muscle activation with increased height was seen in the TE, IO, and pre-fatigue EO, which could indicate higher risk for low back injury since height is associated with increased forces on the spine. This may contribute to the association between increased low back pain incidence and increased height. Results suggest that ISO 2631-1 health guidance should incorporate anthropometric factors, as these may influence muscle activation and back injury risk.

Interactive mobile equipment safety task-training in surface mining

Improving the quality of equipment training for the Heavy Equipment Operators (HEO) is a critical task in improving safety and eliminating equipment-related injuries in mining. One of major responsibilities for the HEOs is proper machine inspection. Traditional miner safety training includes the use of hardcopy documents and video instructions. However, modern mobile and computer technology offers tremendous potential to improve the training process. In this study, we apply a 360-degree camera, open-source platform WordPress™, and the software Unity3D in order to create materials and tools for the HEOs safety training to help trainees better understand the pre-shift safety machine inspection. The computer-based safety task training developed in this research is tested and implemented at a surface mine in the southern United States.

RANCANG BANGUN SAFETY DEVICE COOLING DOWN AUTOMATIC PADA UNIT HEAVY EQUIPMENT DOZER D3K CATERPILLAR BERBASIS MICROCONTROLLER

The occurrence of problems regarding operating procedures that are not suitable for heavy equipment in the field is one of the causes of component life which is not maximally achieved. Therefore it is necessary to have an innovation to make it easier to monitor and operate heavy equipment, especially when there is a shift in work shift for heavy equipment operators. Operator experience in several mining activities, many operators shut down the engine suddenly so that the impact on the engine can cause over heating which results in excessive wear and will have an impact on engine performance. And therefore the purpose of design a microcontroller-based cooling down safety device is a tool that functions to turn off the engine when the engine is low idle with time settings according to the standard operating procedure of each machine. For machines that have been operated under load, the engine must be low idle / cooling down for a while, so that the heat on the engine surface is cool enough, so that hot components can be properly lubricated. By design a cooling down engine safety device, it is hoped that it can assist in the monitoring and operation of heavy equipment. From the results of field testing, the relay that controls the unit's electricity functions properly and the cooling down safety device has a precise timing.

Biosignals in Human Factors Research for Heavy Equipment Operators: A Review of Available Methods and Their Feasibility in Laboratory and Ambulatory Studies

Heavy equipment operation is a responsible and difficult task causing mental workload on a human operator and exposing the operator to a range of harmful factors. Human factors and ergonomics in heavy equipment design have traditionally been focused on anthropometry and questionnaires. More advanced techniques involving biosignal measurements were not applied to heavy equipment, mainly due to the diversity of real working conditions that were hard to reproduce in a laboratory environment and that prevented ambulatory studies. Recent advances in wearable biosensors and real-time simulators produce the capability of using biosignals for improving the ergonomics of heavy equipment operation. The present paper reviews the use of biosignals in human factors and the ergonomics of heavy machines by focusing on stress detection for the last ten years. The aim of the paper is analyzing the previous implemented algorithms to find a set of biosignals and methods of stress identification that could be suitable for identifying stress in heavy equipment operators both in laboratory and ambulatory studies. The conclusion emphasizes successful stress identification methods and a combination of the algorithms from different studies that facilitate the use of heavy equipment operator's applications. Also, feasible methods and directions for future research are considered.

Meta-Analysis the Effects of Stretching and Whole Body Vibration Exercise in Reducing Low Back Pain among Heavy Equipment Operator Workers

Background: Low back pain is pain due to disc pressure on the nerves that come out through the gap between the vertebrae. Heavy equipment operators have a high risk of developing LBP due to prolonged sitting and vibrations from the machine. This will result in injury and also stiffness in the joints and spine. This study aims to analyze the effect of stretching and whole-body vibration exercise on reducing low back pain in heavy equipment operators/workers. Subjects and Method : This is a meta-analytical study and a systematic review. The articles used were obtained from several electronic databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer Link, Clinical key and ProQuest. The articles used in this study are articles that have been published from 2011-2021. The keywords used in the search were “stretching and low back pain”, “stretching and whole body vibration exercise”, “stretching and low back pain, “stretching or whole body vibration exercise or low back pain”, “stretching or whole body vibration exercise". The article under study is a full text article with a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design, a measure of the relationship used with Mean SD. Articles were collected using the PRISMA diagram, and analyzed using the Review Manager 5.4 . application. Results: Stretching (SMD -0.47; 95% CI=-0.96 to 0.02; p=0.06) and Whole Body Vibration Exercise (SMD -0.37; 95% CI= -0.72 to -0.02; p=0.04) has an effect on reducing Low Back Pain. Conclusion: Stretching exercises and Whole Body Vibration can reduce and decrease lower back pain after getting the intervention. Keywords: Stretching, Low Back Pain, Whole Body Vibration Exercise Correspondence: Melinda Febianca Gaurinindi. Masters Program in Public Health. Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: melindafebiancaa@gmail.com Mobile: 08996063587. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health (2021), 06(04): 426-437 https://doi.org/10.26911/jepublichealth.2021.06.04.04

Mathematical Modeling of Vibration Dampers of Vibration-Insulated Structures

Vibration dampers are installed on the machine foundations in order to reduce the vibration level. Such technological solutions are most expedient in the case of a harmonic load with a low instability of the vibration frequency. Unfortunately, dampers do not provide such a large reduction in the dynamic effect on the base, as vibration isolation, but in some cases their efficiency turns out to be quite sufficient with a relatively simple implementation and low manufacturing cost. The use of dynamic vibration dampers gives a great effect when an increased vibration of foundations occurs during the operation of equipment in metallurgical production, for example, when processing materials by pressure, reconstructing enterprises and replacing heavy equipment. During the operation of heavy forging equipment and manipulators for various purposes, the foundations of these devices can be considered as a rigid body. The model soil on which this foundation is installed can be considered a homogeneous elastic isotropic half-space. When calculating with such mathematical models, one can use solutions of the corresponding dynamic contact problems. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of damping foundation vibrations using different foundation models, including the model of an elastic, homogeneous half-space and a system of semi-infinite rods, the modulus of elasticity of which increases with depth according to the quadratic law, shows a fairly close agreement.

Considering the Costs of Signing an NDA

With her heavy-equipment operator certification in hand, Fiona is a new hire on a construction crew; the only woman in a family-owned organization aside from the HR manager, the sister of the company president and vice-president. Soon after her hire, the president of the company began a pattern of sexually targeting Fiona. She went to great lengths to avoid her boss, but the harassment and assaults continued. After one incident, Fiona reported the abuse to the company VP who offered her a financial settlement in exchange for her silence. Fiona thought speaking out would put an end to the strain the abuse had caused, but other dilemmas had just begun. The case allows students to examine the competing interests Fiona faces in deciding whether to accept a financial settlement from her employer, that would greatly help her family, but at the cost of signing a non-disclosure agreement.

Rancangan Saluran Tebuka pada Sistem Penyaliran Tambang di PT Hasnur Riung Sinergi Jobsite PT Bhumi Rantau Energi, Kabupaten Tapin, Provinsi Kalimantan Selatan

PT Hasnur Riung Sinergi conducts coal mining using the open pit method, so that mining activities are directly related to outside. The problem is condition of the trench that unable to drain run off, so that makes overflows and inundates the roads and other mining areas. The research aims to design a trench that able to drain the planned run off and calculate the cost of making a trench. The method used is to calculate run off flow to determine the dimensions of the trench, then calculate the productivity of the machine to determine the cost of fuel requirements and the wages of the heavy equipment operator in making the trench. Based on the analysis of rainfall data obtained rainfall intensity of 53.58 mm/hour. There are 7 catchment areas that produce different amounts of run off. Design of a trapezoidal trench for each DTH, the trench on DTH 1, DTH 2, DTH 3, DTH 4 will be made in the pit and useful for flowing run off into the pit leading to the sump, while the trench on DTH 5, DTH 6, DTH 7 will be made outside the pit and useful for flowing run off that is outside the pit to the settling pond. The trench manufacturing work requires 2 PC200 komatsu backhoe machines with excavation time of 11 days. The cost to purchase fuel is Rp.27.846.000 and the cost to pay the operator is Rp.2.970.000. The total cost required for the work of making trenches is Rp.30.456.000. The design was made as a reference for companies in making trenches in the mining area to control run off so as not to interfere with mining activities.

Whole-body vibration exposure of heavy earthmoving machinery operators in surface coal mines: a comparative assessment of transport and non-transport earthmoving equipment operators

Purpose. Two groups of heavy earthmoving equipment operators, transport equipment (dumper) operators and non-transport equipment (drill and shovel) operators, in coal mines are assessed comparatively for their vibration magnitude and possible health consequences. Methods. Whole-body vibration exposure measurements were recorded according to Standard No. ISO 2631-1. Measurements were carried out at the operator–seat interface with a tri-axial seat pad accelerometer using a vibration analyser, followed by a questionnaire survey. The binary logistic regression model was used to comparatively assess the two groups of operators. Results. The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of lower back pain is 4.06 times greater (95% confidence interval [1.36, 12.08]) in transport equipment operators compared to non-transport operators. The daily vibration dose value of the transport equipment operators was 2.92 times greater than their counterparts (95% confidence interval [0.94, 9.09]). However, non-transport equipment operators belonging to the high driving experience category presented a value 5.26 times higher than the transport equipment operators. Conclusion. Transport equipment operators are more vulnerable to vibration hazards than their counterparts, as is evident from the vibration magnitude as well as from the symptoms of lower back pain.

The Experience and Management of Fatigue: A Study of Mine Haulage Operators

Fatigue in mining operations is a serious issue and a significant contributor to incidents and accidents. While mine operators are using or introducing new technology to monitor operator fatigue, there is little work that focuses on the subjective experience of fatigue and the use of fatigue monitoring technology. To investigate this issue, eight focus groups with a total of 44 operators of heavy haulage equipment working for two mining companies in the Mountain West of the USA participated in 1-h focus groups. The topic of the focus groups was the experience of operator fatigue and issues surrounding fatigue at the workplace. The results of the content analyses suggest that operators are well aware of the signs of fatigue, and that they understand the severity of these signs as well. In addition, they are aware of the effect of fatigue on driving performance and are using a wide range of methods to manage fatigue. Finally, based on participants’ assessment, current fatigue monitoring systems lack face validity and reliability and are perceived as not being effective. The results of this study emphasize the importance of a socio-technical systems perspective in the context of miner health and safety management. Only such a comprehensive perspective can result in improvements that are sustainable.

Rancang Bangun Alat Simulasi Wiper Otomatis Berbasis Microcontroller Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Wiper Electrical System Alat Berat

A wiper is a device used to clean rainwater and particles from glass that can block the vision of heavy equipment operators during rainy weather. To clean rainwater from the glass, the operator must activate the wiper switch. When the operator is focused on work often the operator forgets to turn on the windshield wipers or turns off the windshield wipers, it can disturb the operator's concentration especially on the machine when working. Automatic wipers are devices that detect rainwater with the help of a raindrop sensor FC 37 to activate the wiper motor without the need to activate the switch. With this automatic wiper the operator can comfortably work when the weather is rainy. The purpose of making a microcontroller arduino ino R3 based automatic wiper simulation tool is as a learning media for wiper electrical system applications on heavy equipment. The results obtained from simulation testing based on the standard operating procedures that have been made and successfully work well without problems.

Does Exposure to Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) During Dam Construction Increase Mesothelioma Risk?

ABSTRACT The Calaveras Dam Replacement Project, a major construction project completed in 2019, involved hundreds of workers using heavy earth-moving equipment and mining operations, including blasting, drilling, rock crushing, and other operations designed to move millions of cubic yards of earth. Much of the material was composed of serpentinite, blueschist, and other rocks that contain chrysotile and a variety of amphibole minerals, including glaucophane, winchite, actinolite, tremolite, and other asbestos-related amphiboles. This article explores the unique characteristics of the blueschist that required extensive protective measures to be undertaken by the contractor to protect workers and surrounding sensitive receptors. This article will provide an overall summary of the dimensional characteristics of the airborne blueschist elongate mineral particles encountered during construction activities to compare and contrast current understanding of cleavage fragments versus asbestiform mineral fibers.

Analysis of Historical Worker Exposures to Respirable Dust from Talc Mining and Milling Operations in Vermont.

Talc is mined and milled throughout the world for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. Although prior studies have evaluated workplace exposures or health effects from talc operations, the primary emphasis of these investigations has been on certain mineral contaminants (e.g. crystalline silica and asbestos) rather than talc itself. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate historical worker exposures to respirable dust (as a measure of talc exposures) in the Vermont talc mines and mills, which involved a relatively pure form of talc (i.e. no asbestos and <0.25% or <1% crystalline silica). Respirable dust sampling data collected for workers in the Vermont mines and mills, which have not been previously published, were obtained from both mining company records and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspections. Because of differences in sampling design, the company and MSHA data were analyzed and reported separately. Overall, nearly 700 respirable dust samples collected for 44 job categories at 7 site locations over an approximate 30-year period were analyzed. Average respirable dust concentrations were found to exceed occupational exposure limits (OELs) in the United States and other countries for several job categories and site locations. Regardless of data source, the highest observed exposures were for mining jobs involving the operation of heavy equipment to break up, move, or load raw ore from the mines and milling or shipping jobs involving the crushing of raw ore, cleaning and drying of processed talc, and bagging and packaging of the final talc product. When analyzing the company data, the arithmetic mean respirable dust concentration was 2.73 mg m-3 for Muckerman at Hammondsville Mine, 3.18 mg m-3 for dosco operator at Ludlow mines, 1.35 mg m-3 for crusher operator at Gassetts Mill, 2.4 mg m-3 for palletizer at West Windsor Mill, and 2.68 mg m-3 for bagging operator at Columbia Shipping Center. When analyzing the MSHA data, the arithmetic mean respirable dust concentration was 3.5 mg m-3 for kiln/dryer operator at Hammondsville Mine, 1.27 mg m-3 for driller at Ludlow mines, 3.69 mg m-3 for ball mill operator at Columbia mill, 3.02 mg m-3 for flotation operator at West Windsor Mill, and 3.24 mg m-3 for bagging operator at Columbia Shipping Center. Worker exposures were found to decline over time for many, but not all, jobs. Our findings highlight potential high-risk jobs that might benefit from additional exposure control strategies at current or future talc manufacturing sites. The respirable dust measurements summarized here may also be used to reconstruct historical worker exposures at the Vermont sites or aid in subsequent epidemiology studies of this cohort focused on malignant or non-malignant respiratory disease.

An interactive simulation-based game of a manufacturing process in heavy industry

The modernization of industrial manufacturing processes has been driven by sophisticated equipment aimed at very large scale productions. For workers, this often has meant learning new and highly specific skills on-the-job, as they adapt to the new machinery. Additionally, the knowledge of most industrial pipelines is scattered among the many workers involved. Current training methods only partly solve the problem, as they tend to be time-intensive, expensive, still potentially hazardous and focused on specific tasks. In this regard, interactive simulation-based games have attracted much attention, and are being considered as a useful tool for improving operational task training and education through operations close to real-world experience. In this work, we present a simulation-based game of steel plates stamping for the heavy industry, describing the main components of the learning environment and the several game resources. An UX evaluation with 13 heavy equipment operators in their actual industrial environment was performed. Moreover, the results show that simulation based methods can be used to provide a global understanding of the entire production pipeline for all employees, instead of a focused effort on just ground-level workers or management staff, contributing to create a motivational working environment and, therefore, making learning much more entertaining.

Investigation of the relationship between occupational cognitive failures and work-related accidents in heavy equipment operators of Shahid Rajaee port complex.

INTRODUCTION:Occupational accidents have many undesirable and irreparable effects on labor forces, assets, environment, and credibility of organizations. Human errors are one of the most important causes of occupational accidents. Human errors have different causes, but in all cases, human cognitive abilities and limitations play important roles; in this research, the relationship between occupational cognitive failures and work-related accidents in heavy equipment operators of Shahid Rajaee Port Complex has been investigated.METHODS:This research was done through the field method. A sample of 332 people was selected by a stratified sampling method among all heavy equipment operators. The data gathering tool contained a 30-item occupational cognitive failure questionnaire. Furthermore, regression analysis method was used to test the hypotheses.RESULTS:The results of this study showed that cognitive failures of occupational accidents on direct work-related accidents in heavy equipment operators of Shahid Rajaee Port complex have a direct effect (P < 0.00). Further more, variables that modify the research are age, work experience, working hours, educational level, type of occupation, and marital status of the operators.CONCLUSION:Regarding the direct relation between cognitive occupational failures and occupational accidents, one can predictive this result that the occupational cognitive failure questionnaire can be used as a predictive tool in accidents of Shahid Rajaee Port Complex.