Improvement Work Research Articles

Engineering Properties of Controlled Low-Strength Material Made with Residual Soil and Class F Fly Ash

This paper aims to employ combination of residual soil and Class F fly ash in developing a controlled low-strength material (CLSM), primarily used as backfilling material. In the mixture, surplus soil and concrete sand was blended well together with a given proportion of 6:4 by volume. Three levels of binder content (i.e. 80-, 100-and 130 kg/m3) and different percentages fly ash (i.e., 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45%) substituting to Portland cement were previously chosen for mix design. Several major engineering properties of the CLSM such as fresh density, flowability, setting time, water bleeding, unconfined compressive strength, and elastic modulus were investigated via a laboratory study. Testing results indicate that most of the proposed CLSM mixtures satisfy the requirements of excavatability as the 28-days compressive strength ranges from 0.3 to 1.4 MPa. In addition, increase in FA substituting to OPC resulted in workability improvement, setting time extension as well as compressive strength and elastic modulus reduction.

0243 Screening and Disability Prevention for Musculoskeletal Disorders of High-Tech Industry Workers in Taiwan

ObjectivesIn Taiwan, 40–60% of the working population is affected by musculoskelet al disorders (MSD). MSD may lead to reduced productivity, decreased work ability, and even disability. The aim of this...

Program Manajemen Stres Kerja di Perusahaan: sebuah Petunjuk untuk Menerapkannya

Job stress is an iceberg phenomen. A great number of unreported cases and there is no aplicativeprogram in Indonesia cause increase of job stress risk and its negative impact to productivity andcompany image. More complex job demand without appropriate work capacity and inharmonicrelationship in the work place could be the main sources of job stress. This paper is focused on jobstress management program guidance that applicable at company and physiologic stress responseand also in depth theoretical point of job stress management within psycho-physiology aspect. Theaim of this written paper is to increase awareness and understanding of the application of stressmanagement programs among occupational physician, industrial community and industrialpractices. Stress management programs in company not only post about the improvement ofworking conditions also focuses on an individual orientation. On aspects of working conditions, theimprovement should be referring to standard of occupational health and safety (OHS) -management program, while aspect of individual coping skills can be done with the training ofproblem focus technique. Several studies have shown that the program creates respond to the limbicsystem of brain which is integrated with the function of cortex frontals. In addition, it could createrespond to changes body’s homeostasis due to changes in the response of the limbic system to theHPA (hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenal) axis and SAM (symphato - Adreno - medullary) - axis.The effectiveness of the program can be measured by the subjective and objective parameters.

12-Mo Intervention of Physical Exercise Improved Work Ability, Especially in Subjects with Low Baseline Work Ability

Objectives: This study’s objective was to assess the effects of a 12-month physical exercise intervention on work ability (WAI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in healthy working adults. Methods: The study group had 371 participants, of which 338 (212 women and 126 men) were allocated in the exercise group and 33 (17 women and 16 men) in the control group. The exercise group underwent a 12-month exercise program followed by a 12-month follow-up. WAI and CRF were evaluated at baseline, and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 study months, in both exercise and control groups. The exercise group was divided into subgroups according to baseline WAI classifications (poor/moderate, good, excellent). Results: During the 12-month exercise intervention, the exercise group increased their leisure-time physical activity by 71% (p = 0.016) and improved the mean WAI by 3% and CRF by 7% (p < 0.0001, in both), while WAI and CRF decreased in the control group (ANCOVA using age, sex and BMI as covariates, for WAI, p = 0.013 and for CRF, p = 0.008). The changes in WAI and CRF between the exercise group and control group were significantly different during the intervention (baseline vs. 12-months, p = 0.028 and p = 0.007) and after the follow-up (p = 0.001 and p = 0.040), respectively. A light positive correlation between the changes in WAI and in CRF (r = 0.19, p < 0.01) existed. WAI improvement was the highest (13%, p < 0.0001) in the subgroup having poor/moderate WAI at baseline (ANCOVA, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The improvement of WAI associated with CRF. These results suggest that a physical exercise intervention may improve work ability.

Physical and mechanical properties of foamed Portland cement composite containing crumb rubber from worn tires

The management of worn tires is a concern in industrialized countries. The application of crumb rubber as lightweight aggregate in cement based materials is a green alternative for reusing this material. High replacements of natural sand by crumb rubber were studied and an air-entraining agent was employed to ensure a cellular structure in the cement-based composite. The obtained results from tests in fresh state reveal an improvement in workability. The tests conducted on hardened composite show promise for constructive applications where thermal and acoustic properties are required. The minimum requirement of mechanical strength for masonry units was achieved, since compressive strengths varied between 1 and 10MPa. Finally, potential applications as a construction material have been highlighted.

Development of Constitutive Equation and Processing Maps for IN706 Alloy

The hot deformation behavior of IN706 has been investigated by means of hot compression tests in the temperature range of 900–1150 °C and strain rate range of 0.001–1 s−1. The constitutive equation was developed on the basis of experimental data. Power dissipation efficiency (η) and instability parameter (ξ) maps were evaluated using the principles of the dynamic material model. Furthermore, the EBSD microstructure analysis was performed for validation, revealing that η was closely associated with the mechanism of dynamic recrystallization (DRX). Microstructure transition map was composed of contour plots of η, ξ, and DRX. The DRX domain zones and instable zones were identified in the processing map and were classified based on η. In a view of microstructure refinement and workability improvement, the optimum processing should be selected in the temperature range of 970–1025 °C and the strain rate range of 0.08–0.01 s−1.

Short- and long-term changes in perceived work ability after interdisciplinary rehabilitation of chronic musculoskeletal disorders: prospective cohort study among 854 rehabilitants

Objective: To investigate the changes in rehabilitants’ perceived work ability after rehabilitation for chronic musculoskeletal disorders with respect to the baseline characteristics. Design: Prospective cohort study based on register and repeated survey data. Setting: Public sector employees in ten towns and five hospital districts. Subjects: A total of 854 employees who participated in the rehabilitation programme owing to common chronic musculoskeletal disorders between 1997 and 2009. Interventions: Interdisciplinary, biopsychosocial, inpatient rehabilitation programme targeting people of working age with common chronic musculoskeletal disorders. The programme was executed in different rehabilitation centres across the country and funded by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Main measures: Differences in perceived work ability level before and after rehabilitation. Data were derived from repeated surveys on average 2.1 years before rehabilitation, and 1.5 years (short-term follow-up) and 6.0 years (long-term follow-up) after rehabilitation. Results: Before the rehabilitation, perceived work ability was 7.13 (SD 1.84) among the rehabilitants and 7.27 (SD 1.72) in the matched reference population. Among rehabilitants, this figure decreased by 0.82 (95% confidence interval −0.98 to −0.67) in the short-term and by 1.26 (95% confidence interval −1.45 to −1.07) in the long-term follow-up. Only slight differences in steepness of this deterioration were observed between subgroups, created based on the participants’ baseline characteristics. Conclusions: Perceived work ability of participants, in an interdisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation programme for common musculoskeletal disorders, deteriorated regardless of any studied pretreatment characteristics. The improvement of work ability may be an unrealistic goal for participants in this type of rehabilitation.

Effects of work-related stress on work ability index among refinery workers.

Introduction:Work-related stress is one of the basic problems in industrial also top 10 work-related health problems and it is increasingly implicated in the development a number of problems such as cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal diseases, early retirement to employees. On the other hand, early retirement to employees from the workplace has increased on the problems of today's industries. Hereof, improving work ability is one of the most effective ways to enhance the ability and preventing disability and early retirement. The aim of This study is determine the relationship between job stress score and work ability index (WAI) at the refinery workers.Materials and Methods:This is a cross-sectional study in which 171 workers from a refinery in isfahan in 2012 who were working in different occupational groups participated. Based on appropriate assignment sampling, 33 office workers, 69 operational workers, and 69 maintenance workers, respectively, were invited to participate in this study. Two questionnaires including work related-stress and WAI were filled in. Finally, the information was analyzed using the SPSS-20 and statistic tests namely, analysis of covariance Kruskal-Wallis test. Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and t-test.Results:Data analysis revealed that 86% and 14% of participants had moderate and severe stress respectively. Average score of stress and standard deviation was 158.7 ± 17.3 that was in extreme stress range. Average score and standard deviation of WAI questionnaire were 37.18 and 3.86 respectively. That placed in a good range. Pearson correlation coefficient showed that WAI score had significant reversed relationship with a score of stress.Conclusion:According to the results, mean stress score among refinery worker was high and one fator that affect work abiity was high stress, hence training on communication skills and safe working environment in order to decreses stress, enhance the work ability of workers.

Coaching for workers with chronic illness: Evaluating an intervention.

Working with chronic illness may present challenges for individuals-for instance, managing symptoms at work, attaining accommodations, and career planning while considering health limitations. These challenges may be stressful and lead to strains. We tested a 12-week, 6-session, phone-based coaching intervention designed to help workers manage these challenges and reduce strains. Using theories of stress and resources, we proposed that coaching would help boost workers' internal resources and would lead to improved work ability perceptions, exhaustion and disengagement burnout, job self-efficacy, core self-evaluations, resilience, mental resources, and job satisfaction, and that these beneficial effects would be stable 12 weeks after coaching ended. Fifty-nine full-time workers with chronic illnesses were randomly assigned to either a coaching group or a waitlisted control group. Participants completed online surveys at enrollment, at the start of coaching, after coaching ended, and 12 weeks postcoaching. Compared with the control group, the coaching group showed significantly improved work ability perceptions, exhaustion burnout, core self-evaluations, and resilience-yet no significant improvements were found for job self-efficacy, disengagement burnout, or job satisfaction. Indirect effects of coaching on work ability, exhaustion and disengagement burnout, and job satisfaction were observed through job self-efficacy, core self-evaluations, resilience, and mental resources. Results indicated that the positive effects of coaching were stable 12 weeks after coaching ended. Results suggest that this coaching intervention was helpful in improving the personal well-being of individuals navigating challenges associated with working and managing chronic illness.

Reduced sick leave in multiple sclerosis after one year of natalizumab treatment. A prospective ad hoc analysis of the TYNERGY trial

Background: In a retrospective study, we have previously shown that work ability was improved after the initiation of natalizumab treatment in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In another prospective trial (TYNERGY) the effect on MS-related fatigue was evaluated after 12 months of treatment with natalizumab. A comprehensive Capacity for Work Questionnaire (CWQ) was used to collect data regarding number of working hours and sickness absence. The predefined intention-to-treat analysis regarding work ability did not, however, show significant results. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to assess the amount of sick leave in RRMS before and after one year of natalizumab treatment and correlate it to fatigue and walking ability. Methods: This is a post-hoc analysis of the complete data from the CWQ used in the TYNERGY trial. Results: MS patients receiving sickness benefit before start of treatment reduced their sickness benefit by an absolute change of 33% after one year of natalizumab treatment. Younger age and improvement of walking ability correlated significantly with reduction of sick leave. Conclusions: This ad-hoc analysis of prospectively collected data supported our previous retrospective study and thus indicates a positive relationship between natalizumab treatment and improvement in work ability.

A controlled cohort study of sickness absence and disability pension in colorectal cancer survivors

Purpose. To investigate long-term development of sickness absence and disability pension among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors compared to matched cancer-free controls, and to assess to what degree socio-demographic and disease characteristics influence these outcomes. Patients and methods. In a register-based cohort study with data from the Cancer Registry of Norway and longitudinal data from other national registries, 740 patients with CRC diagnosed 1992–1996 at the age 45–54 years were observed up to 14 years post-diagnosis. Also 740 matched controls were observed over the same time period. Results. During the first year after diagnosis, 85% of the CRC survivors were on sick-leave at some point, compared to 19% of the controls. Among survivors with localized cancer, 21% were on sick-leave 12 months after diagnosis, versus 33% with regional, and 52% with distant cancer. Survivors with rectum cancer were more likely than colon cancer survivors to be on sick-leave the first year after diagnosis (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.61–3.98). CRC survivors were at higher risk for disability pension (DP) than controls, depending on extent of disease. Hazard ratios for DP were 1.67 (95% CI 1.13–2.46) for survivors with localized cancer, 3.12 (95% CI 2.06–4.72) for regional, and 10.13 (95% CI 4.17–24.62) for distant cancer, respectively. In survivors, distant cancer, low level of education, not having children < 18 years in the household, pre-diagnostic sick-leave and not being employed at diagnosis were associated with increased likelihood for DP. Conclusion. A considerable proportion of CRC survivors, for years after diagnosis, will experience reduced work ability compared to controls. Rehabilitation and workplace adjustment to reduce sickness absence and improve work ability should be a long-term concern.

Effects of requested, forced and denied shift schedule change on work ability and health of nurses in Europe -Results from the European NEXT-Study

BackgroundPrevious cross-sectional findings from the European Nurses Early Exit Study (NEXT) show that nurses who were dissatisfied with their work schedule tended to consider leaving the nursing profession. Mediating factors in this decision process may be caused by self-perceived poor work ability and/or health. The aim of this paper is to investigate changes in work ability and general health among nurses in relation to requested, forced and denied change of shift schedule.MethodsLongitudinal data from the NEXT Study was used. In total 11,102 nurses from Belgium, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, France and Italy completed both the ‘basic questionnaire’ (t1) and the ’12 month follow-up questionnaire’ (t2). To examine the time-effect (repeated measures) and the group-effect of five defined groups of nurses on the Work Ability Index (WAI) and general health (SF36), an adjusted 2-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed.ResultsThe nurses who wanted to, but could not change their shifts during the 12 month follow-up had the lowest initial and follow-up scores for WAI (t1: 37.6, t2: 36.6, p <0.001), lowest general health (t1: 63.9, t2: 59.2, p <0.001) and showed the highest decrease in both outcomes. Shift pattern change in line with the nurses’ wishes was associated with improved work ability and to a lesser comparatively low extent with increased decline in health scores. A forced change of shift against the nurses’ will was significantly associated with a deteriorating work ability and health.ConclusionsThe findings would suggest that nurses’ desire to change their shift patterns may be an indicator for perceived low work ability and/or low health. The results also indicate that fulfilling nurses’ wishes with respect to their shift work pattern may improve their personal resources such as work ability and – to somewhat lesser extent – health. Disregarding nurses’ preferences, however, bears the risk for further resource deterioration. The findings imply that shift schedule organization may constitute a valuable preventive tool to promote nurses’ work ability and – to lesser extent – their perceived health, not least in aging nursing work forces.

An Innovative Admixture to Enhance the Fresh Properties of Slag Pastes

This study reports a new type compound admixture YP developed for slag cement activated by water glass. The effect of the compound admixture on properties of slag pastes, including mini slump, setting time and heat of hydration was examined. It is found that the slump of slag paste was increased from 60 mm to 120 mm by using the admixture. Furthermore, the initial and final setting times of paste with the admixture were 96 min and 132 min, while it only took 18 min and 23 min to achieve initial setting and final setting for the paste without using the admixture. In addition, the results also indicate that the initial peak was delayed for nearly 7 hours and the heat flow of hydration was reduced from 5864 μw/g to 461μw/g, when the admixture was added. It can be concluded that the new admixture is capable of imparting a significant improvement of workability of alkali-activated slag cement with a suitable setting behavior.

비긴장강연선과 철근이 혼용된 보의 설계방안

A new precast concrete (PC) beam and column connection system using non-prestressed wire strands was recently developed. The system is composed of one unit of two-storied PC-column and PC-beams with U-shaped ends. The connection part of the column and beams is reinforced by deformed bars and non-prestressed wire strands in combination for the improvement of workability. Structural performance of this system was verified by several experimental studies. The purpose of this study is developing a design concept of the beam reinforced by deformed bars and non-prestressed wire strands in combination, in terms of the cross-sectional analysis, based on the preceded experiment. A minimum and maximum reinforcement ratio and the calculation formula for the strength of flexural member reinforced by reinforcements having different yield strengths are derived based on KBC2009. Under consideration existing research results for the application of high strength reinforcement bars, the design yield strength of the non-prestressed wire strand is suggested. An example for the cross section design, satisfying the serviceability requirements, demonstrates the applicability of the design concept developed in the study.

Demands, resources, and work ability: A cross-national examination of health care workers

Understanding work ability, with the goal of promoting it, is important for individuals as well as organizations. It is especially important to study work ability in health care workers, who face many work-related challenges that may threaten work ability. We studied various job demands, job resources, and interactions of demands and resources relating to work ability using the Job Demands–Resources model as a framework. Acute care health care workers from six nations (US, Australia, UK, Brazil, Croatia, and Poland) completed a survey. Role demands related to work ability in the Australia sample only, and supervisor support related to work ability in the Australia sample only. Yet, high levels of supervisor support significantly moderated (buffered) negative relationships between physical demands and work ability in the US sample, along with negative relationships between role demands and work ability in both the Croatia and UK samples. Skill discretion related to work ability in every nation sample, and therefore appears to be particularly important to work ability perceptions. In addition, skill discretion moderated (buffered) a negative relationship between role demands and work ability in the Australia sample. We therefore recommend that interventions to help preserve or improve work ability target this important job resource.

Should construction workers work harder to improve their health?

Should construction workers work harder to improve their health?

Transcribe and Tally: jugaad in action

Subject area Human resource development/management and change management, leadership, entrepreneurial development and indigenous innovation. Study level/applicability The case is suitable for final year undergraduate human resource development/management, change management, indigenous innovation, or specialist HRM Master's program (strategic HRM/HRD) students. Case overview The case study highlights the challenges of managing change and growth in India's dynamic business process outsourcing sector. The choice of a small organisation brings to the fore the impact of the strategic decisions owners of capital place on managers as they address issues of sustained growth to support short-term expectations of shareholders. The case highlights India's indigenous approach to frugal innovation or jugaad (finding a creative and improvised work around); how a group of managers consistently reinvented the business model and human resource management practices to stay afloat and meet shareholder expectations. Expected learning outcomes Depending on the teaching programme and the emphasis of this case in the class, one or more of the following learning outcomes (LO) can be achieved from this case study. These LO have been developed using Bloom's taxonomy and they progressively move from simple to complex LO. Following the case analysis, students should be able to: discuss the key challenges faced by Transcribe and Tally (T&amp;T); identify and analyse the various influences of internal and external factors on training provision; understand the importance of an external network of service provision and identify the key training and organisational capabilities; analyse the dynamic interactions between the various factors and training provision; analyse the relationship between T&amp;T's competitive strategy and its strategic choices (make versus buy) towards investing in training; evaluate the role of training in developing organisational capabilities; and strategize a way forward for Roy Thakur. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Development of Continuous-Type Mixer for Improvement of Workability and Quality of Polymer Cement Mortar

This study aimed to develop a section repair system for concrete structures through the application of polymer cement mortar and improvement of the continuous-type mixer.

The Effects of Rolling Process on the Microstructure and Properties of Columnar-Grained Cu-12 Wt%Al Alloys

Cu-12 wt.%Al (Cu-12Al) alloy fabricated by continuous unidirectional solidification (CUS) process has high elasticity, high strength, high conductivity, high plasticity and other good comprehensive properties, which has a potential to develop into a high-performance elastic material as the alternative to beryllium bronze. Especially, the room temperature tensile elongation of the columnar-grained structure (CGS) Cu-12Al alloy with high &lt;001&gt;β orientation along the axial direction exceeded 20%, which is six times more than that of the ordinary polycrystalline structure (OPS) Cu-12Al alloy (ε=2-4%) fabricated by traditional casting. The CGS Cu-12Al alloy shows lower flow stress and work-hardening rate during plastic deformation, which determines a dramatic improvement of workability comparing with the OPS alloy. In the present paper, both the effects of the rolling process and its parameters on the microstructure and properties of the CGS Cu-12Al alloy sheets were investigated. The results showed that the CGS sheets (σb=310 MPa, ε=19%) have the maximum reduction of 80% and remain columnar-grained structure after the first rolling pass at 700. After deformation the tensile strength was 401 MPa and the tensile elongation approached to 14%. Then, the hot rolled sheets were rolled again through the second pass at 325 and 700, respectively. The maximum reduction of CGS sheets at 325 warm rolling was 20%, the sheets remain columnar-grained structure and β1'α1' martensitic phase transformation occured; The second pass hot-rolling at 700 showed that the maximum reduction exceeded 60%, and the recrystallization occured in the sheets. After two passes of hot-rolling (total deformation was 92%), although the recrystallization occured, the CGS sheets remained columnar-grained structure (CGS) high tensile elongation (8.3%), which is two times more than that of the as-cast OPS sheets, and is five times as much as the OPS sheets with the same total deformation.

Subanalysis of the noninterventional study LOTOS: Improved work ability status in psoriasis patients treated with adalimumab during routine clinical care

Subanalysis of the noninterventional study LOTOS: Improved work ability status in psoriasis patients treated with adalimumab during routine clinical care