Improve Worker Safety Research Articles

Smart Wearables for the Detection of Occupational Physical Fatigue: A Literature Review.

Today’s world is changing dramatically due to the influence of various factors. Whether due to the rapid development of technological tools, advances in telecommunication methods, global economic and social events, or other reasons, almost everything is changing. As a result, the concepts of a “job” or work have changed as well, with new work shifts being introduced and the office no longer being the only place where work is done. In addition, our non-stop active society has increased the stress and pressure at work, causing fatigue to spread worldwide and becoming a global problem. Moreover, it is medically proven that persistent fatigue is a cause of serious diseases and health problems. Therefore, monitoring and detecting fatigue in the workplace is essential to improve worker safety in the long term. In this paper, we provide an overview of the use of smart wearable devices to monitor and detect occupational physical fatigue. In addition, we present and discuss the challenges that hinder this field and highlight what can be done to advance the use of smart wearables in workplace fatigue detection.

Pre-flight experiments for the unmanned aerial monitoring system (UAMS) radioactive detection under its limitations

Over the past few years, drones have become a popular tool for a variety of applications related to nuclear activities, including outdoor and indoor surveys, and dose mapping. Drones have been employed by the industry in terms of improving worker safety, saving time, and reducing costs. In this study, an unmanned aerial monitoring system (UAMS) was designed and fabricated under its limitation to detect radioactive hotspots. The final goal is to map environmental radioactivity and extract radioactive concentration points; therefore, preliminary experiments were performed to reach a robust detection system and also to study effective flight altitudes that UAMS is able to detect anomalies. UAMS consisted of a detection system including a two-inch sodium iodine crystal, a data-acquisition system, and a mini-computer that all were installed under a drone body. One Cs-137 and two Co-60 sources were used for the initial monitoring of UAMS. The results showed that the system is able to detect the sources in the height range of 80 cm to 3 meters.

APPLICATION OF SAFETY PERFORMANCE BASED ON JOB INVOLVEMENT, PERSONALITY, AND LEARNING ORGANIZATION ON THE CHILD OF PT. ASDP INDONESIA FERRY SURABAYA

Psychological empowerment is useful in improving performance, individuals become more effective, increasing productivity, motivation to work more. Thus, psychological empowerment provides many benefits to every individual who wants to change his life for the better which of course must be supported by the safety performance, so that there are no obstacles in improving performance and productivity. psychological empowerment can have an influence on individuals, organizations, and society. The results in this studyfound that psychological empowerment dimensions of meaning, self-determination, and impact have an influence on physical and mental health, and have a major influence on job satisfaction. Therefore, to overcome the impact caused by the powerlessness of employees, it is necessary to involve the safety performance in empowering its employees. In the development of Psychological Empowerment there is a gap, namely Psychological Safety is a form of employee behavior consisting of work safety components. Forms of work safety behavior, such as using work safety equipment and actively participating in work safety program activities in the organization. Neal and Griffin also added that the concept of safety performance is employee behavior in the workplace related to organizational safety. Psychological Safety is also defined as a form of employee safety behavior at work which includes compliance and participation. Compliance is defined as employee safety behavior at work and maintaining safety at work, participation is described as employee voluntary behavior to develop the organization's work safety. It can be concluded that Psychological Safety is a form of employee behavior at work which includes the prevention of work accidents by means of employee behavior that complies with established safety rules and procedures and voluntarily participates in improving work safety in the company.

Analisis Resiko dan Program Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja (K3) Pada Pabrik Sagu CV Makmur Timika

This study aims to determine the application of work safety (K3) at CV Makmur Timika. The data collection methods are interviews and observations while the analytical tools use the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) method. Based on the results of research on the application of K3 at CV Makmur Timika, it shows that the production process from the forest to the sago factory has potential hazards such as mechanical hazards, ergonomic hazards, chemical and microbiological hazards, and other occupational diseases that can be harmful to workers. Researchers suggest to the management of CV Makmur Timika to continue to improve work safety and health by making efforts to control various potential hazards in every job, especially in the forest and factory work processes such as using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while working, obeying work procedures and being careful be careful when working

From Pharma to Farm Can CRISPR Feed the World?

From Pharma to Farm Can CRISPR Feed the World?

APLIKASI ERGONOMI BERDASARKAN DATA ANTROPOMETRI PEKERJA PADA DESAIN ALAT KERJA

A review of the application of ergonomics to design work tools based on worker anthropometric data is carried out to provide information on its use in the production process, especially in micro, small and medium business. This is done because most people in Indonesia still use simple tools with unnatural work postures. Unnatural work postures such as bending, squatting, twisting, exposure to the sun, etc. Unnatural work postures cause musculoskeletal complaints and fatigue which have an impact on decreasing work efficiency. Of course, this causes a decrease in productivity and quality of life for workers. From the results of a review of several studies and literature, satisfactory results were found regarding the application of ergonomics in designing work tools according to worker anthropometric data. Application of anthropometric data for the design or redesign of a work tool based on the flow of 1) determining the body that is important in the design or redesign, 2) determining the user population, 3) calculating the percentile value for each predetermined body dimension, and 4) application to the design of the tool. Ergonomics application based on information related to human factors (strengths, weaknesses, or limitations) in designing work tools that are more effective, safe, comfortable, healthy, and efficient. An ergonomic work tool can be used effectively, comfortably, safely, healthily, efficiently, and sustainably. Ergonomics application as an alternative in overcoming the problem of musculoskeletal complaints and fatigue due to unnatural work postures. Ergonomics applications improve work safety and worker health so that work productivity increases.

ESG Management with Artificial Intelligence : Improving Human Health and Worker Safety

코로나 19 확산의 장기화로 인공지능을 비롯한 디지털 기술로의 전환이 가속화되는 가운데 신기술이 근로자의 안전과 인류의 건강을 향상할 수 있는 4차 산업혁명 시대로 빠르게 나아가고 있다. 이와 동시에 팬데믹 기간동안 지속가능성과 ESG는 기업 경영에서 핵심요소로 급부상했다는 점을 고려했을 때, 비즈니스의 관점에서 디지털과 인공지능 기술을 사용해서 사회적 가치를 달성하는 중요성을 이해할 필요가 있다. 본 논문은 ESG의 요소 중 S(사회)에 초점을 맞추고 여러 사회문제 가운데 근로자의 안전과 인류의 건강 증진이라는 비즈니스 목표와 사회적 가치를 결합한 두 가지 사례를 발굴했다. 인공지능 기술을 활용한 의미 있는 사회적 가치를 달성하는 것을 목표로 한 두 기업의 사례를 통해 미래의 경영인과 비즈니스 연구자들은 인공지능 기술을 접목해서 생산성을 높이고 성공적인 ESG 경영을 실현하는 방법을 이해하는 데 도움이 될 것이다.The transition to digital and artificial intelligence technologies have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are quickly moving into the era of the 4th industrial revolution where new technologies can improve human health and worker safety for the better. Sustainability and ESG have emerged as key business philosophy that guides corporate management during pandemic and it is imperative that business understands the importance of achieving higher social value using digital and artificial technologies. This article focuses on the social aspect among the elements of ESG management and introduce two managerial cases which combine business goals and social values, particularly, improving worker safety (i.e., Intenseeye) and human health (i.e., Videa Health). A careful examination of the two companies which have adopted the goal of achieving meaningful social values using artificial intelligence technology can help future managers and business researchers understand how they can incorporate AI technologies to be more productive and successful when implementing ESG management.

An IoT-Aware Smart System Exploiting the Electromagnetic Behavior of UHF-RFID Tags to Improve Worker Safety in Outdoor Environments

Recently, different solutions leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have been adopted to avoid accidents in agricultural working environments. As an example, heavy vehicles, e.g., tractors or excavators, have been upgraded with remote controls. Nonetheless, the community continues to encourage discussions on safety issues. In this framework, a localization system installed on remote-controlled farm machines (RCFM) can help in preventing fatal accidents and reduce collision risks. This paper presents an innovative system that exploits passive UHF-RFID technology supported by commercial BLE Beacons for monitoring and preventing accidents that may occur when ground-workers in RCFM collaborate in outdoor agricultural working areas. To this aim, a modular architecture is proposed to locate workers, obstacles and machines and guarantees the security of RCFM movements by using specific notifications for ground-workers prompt interventions. Its main characteristics are presented with its main positioning features based on passive UHF-RFID technology. An experimental campaign discusses its performance and determines the best configuration of the UHF-RFID tags installed on workers and obstacles. Finally, system validation demonstrates the reliability of the main components and the usefulness of the proposed architecture for worker safety.

Exposure to the immunomodulatory chemical triclosan differentially impacts immune cell populations in the skin of haired (BALB/c) and hairless (SKH1) mice

Workers across every occupational sector have the potential to be exposed to a wide variety of chemicals, and the skin is a primary route of exposure. Furthermore, exposure to certain chemicals has been linked to inflammatory and allergic diseases. Thus, understanding the immune responses to chemical exposures on the skin and the potential for inflammation and sensitization is needed to improve worker safety and health. Responses in the skin microenvironment impact the potential for sensitization; these responses may include proinflammatory cytokines, inflammasome activation, barrier integrity, skin microbiota, and the presence of immune cells. Selection of specific mouse strains to evaluate skin effects, such as haired (BALB/c) or hairless (SKH1) mice, varies dependent on experimental design and needs of a study. However, dermal chemical exposure may impact reactions in the skin differently depending on the strain of mouse. Additionally, there is a need for established methods to evaluate immune responses in the skin. In this study, exposure to the immunomodulatory chemical triclosan was evaluated in two mouse models using immunophenotyping by flow cytometry and gene expression analysis. BALB/c mice exposed to triclosan (2%) had a higher number and frequency of neutrophils and lower number and frequency of dendritic cells in the skin compared to controls. Although these changes were not observed in SKH1 mice, SKH1 mice exposed to triclosan had a higher number and frequency of type 2 innate lymphoid cells in the skin. Taken together, these results demonstrate that exposure to an immunomodulatory chemical, triclosan, differentially impacts immune cell populations in the skin of haired and hairless mice. Additionally, the flow cytometry panel reported in this manuscript, in combination with gene expression analysis, may be useful in future studies to better evaluate the effect of chemical exposures on the skin immune response. These findings may be important to consider during strain selection, experimental design, and result interpretation of chemical exposures on the skin.

Analysis of Falls from Height Variables in Occupational Accidents.

Fall-from-height accidents are linked to severe and fatal consequences for impacted workers. A better understanding of the related variables is necessary to improve worker safety. This study analyzed all fall-from-height occupational accidents recorded in Spain from 2009 to 2019, selected significant variables, and evaluated the influence concerning the seriousness of the falls from height. Based on a total of 290,583 fall-from-height accidents, the study shows that a male inexperienced worker in a small company working in a non-habitual workplace is more likely to suffer fatal consequences once the accident happens. An improved knowledge of fall-from-height accidents will improve safety conditions. The workers should be trained and informed about their specific risk depending on the variables analyzed. Safety training should consider more risky profiles. Results from the current study can help identify suitable fall prevention and risk mitigation actions in safety programs for companies.

Analysis of the Results from In Situ Testing of a Sensor In-Stalled on a Powered Roof Support, Developed by KOMAG, Measuring the Tip to Face Distance

Mining in underground plants is associated with high risk. Improving work safety and increasing the productivity of longwall systems in the mining industry is a problem considering many criteria. Safety aspects concern both the crew and the machinery. The KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology designed and manufactured a geometry monitoring system based on inclinometers that meet the requirements of the ATEX directive. Monitoring of the roof support geometry is used for the prevention of loss of roof stability: roof fall or/and cave-in. The system was tested on a real object in real conditions.

An Integrated Plastic Contamination Monitoring System for Cotton Module Feeders

Plastic contamination in US lint bales has increased with the adoption of new cotton harvesters that form cylindrical or round modules on the machine. It is of significant interest to the US cotton industry to reduce this contamination to preserve grower profitability and the reputation of the US as a reliable source of clean cotton fiber. The objective of this work is to describe the design and operation of a system for use on cotton gin module feeders that provides monitoring of plastic accumulation on the dispersing cylinders and video data to help document the module wrap condition and unloading/unwrapping procedures that may have caused the potential contamination event on the dispersing cylinders. In 2020, an integrated plastic contamination monitoring system was installed on module feeders at two commercial cotton gins in Texas. The system is comprised of sub-systems that provide images of plastic accumulation on the dispersing cylinders, a log of the processing sequence for round modules, video data of the unloading/unwrapping process for each module and a software program that integrates the data from the two sub-systems. The system was developed to operate on one computer, store the data in a common location, and simplify the process of extracting module specific data for a given event when plastic accumulates on the module feeder dispersing cylinders. The data provided by the system can be useful to manufacturers in comparing performance among module wrap products as well as to gin managers in training gin employees on module handling procedures to mitigate plastic contamination and improve worker safety.

Guest Editorial Introduction to the JSTQE Special Issue on Photonics for Industry 4.0

The papers in this special issue focus on photonics for the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 (I4.0). Industry 4.0 is understood, in general terms, as any systematic work or labor to do business, trade, undertaking, manufacture, services, handicraft etc., in a particular field. As consequence, many SO could be considered inside I4.0 in which Smart Factories is just an example. Improved productivity and outputs, enhanced customization for flexible manufacturing, improved worker safety and security, remote access, access to data across the supply chain for better decision making, remote and predictive maintenance, are being or will be provided by operational SO of I4.0. The later, in general terms, will offer significant opportunities in every value chain and benefits for the manufacturing/business/service sectors and, ultimately, for the consumer.

Research on Contract Coordination in the Manufacturing Supply Chain Given China’s Work Safety Constraints

With supply chain management’s increasing importance in work safety, this paper establishes the leading enterprise with core enterprises as work safety units. These guide the small and medium-sized enterprises within the supply chain to focus on improving work safety according to the leading position of the supply chain’s core enterprises. Therefore, the Stackelberg game model is applied to build and explain supply chain node-enterprises’ optimal centralized and decentralized operational decisions. This research was conducted in the context of enterprise work safety constraints’ influence on the manufacturing supply chain’s equilibrium results. It also reveals the necessity in supply chain node enterprises’ contract coordination design by comparing the two decision models’ equilibrium results. Ultimately, the manufacturing supply chain’s overall profit and work safety can reach a level that includes centralized decisions through revenue- and cost-sharing contracts. Furthermore, profits to the supply chain’s node enterprises also improve, and a Pareto optimality is achieved. An enlightened management demonstrates the importance of core enterprises’ leading position in the supply chain, and the supply chain node enterprises’ levels of work safety, product demand, and total profit can be promoted through revenue- and cost-sharing contracts.

Effects of a snack on performance and errors during a simulated 16-h night shift: A randomized, crossover-controlled, pilot study.

BackgroundNight shift workers might not eat due to their busy schedules during the night shift. However, food may not only satisfy hunger, but also affect performance and errors. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of a snack on performance and errors during 2-day, 16-h, simulated night shifts.MethodsA randomized, repeated-measure, crossover study was performed to investigate subjective and cognitive performance in 15 healthy female adults (mean age, 21.7 years) after they consumed a snack (352 kcal) during a simulated night shift (16:00 to 09:00) from October to November 2018. The participants were kept awake from waking up in the morning to the next day at 09:00. Subjects were tested for performance on the Uchida-Kraepelin test, as well as for subjective feeling, body temperature, psychomotor vigilance test, and heart rate variability, before and after they consumed the snack. One day before the experiment, all participants wore an actigraphy monitoring device to determine their sleep state.ResultsThere was no difference between having (Snack condition) and not having (Skipping condition) the snack in sleep states the day before the experiment. On the day of the experiment, between 16:00 and 09:00, subjective sleepiness, fatigue, and body temperature were not different between the two conditions. Subjects maintained performance on the Uchida-Kraepelin test and showed a significant improvement in false starts on the psychomotor vigilance test, the primary outcome measure, in the Snack condition compared with the Skipping condition. The Snack condition was also associated with decreased high-frequency power, a decreased low-frequency power/high-frequency power ratio, and increased heart rate in the vagally mediated heart rate variability indices, which may reflect a higher ability to modulate cognitive and behavioral processes.ConclusionsThese results suggest that providing a snack to shift workers during night shifts might improve work safety and efficiency.

Construction 4.0: Industry 4.0 enabling technologies applied to improve workplace safety in construction

Industry 4.0, the new production paradigm, has been arousing the interest of researchers around the world, due to its potential for improvements for companies, however little has been studied of its potential in the construction industry. This paper aims to identify which enabling technologies of Industry 4.0 can be applied to improve job security in civil construction. The methodology adopted was literature review, followed by field study / research with interviews with specialists, to identify the possibility of improving work safety in civil construction, through the technologies of Industry 4.0. The results of this research showed that the main technologies listed were: (1st) 3D printing and drone, (2nd) Augmented Reality and Wearable sensors, (3rd) safety vest, (4th) Virtual Reality, (5th) Bionic exoskeleton, (6th) Building Information Modeling (BIM), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), helmet with sensors and smart helmets, (7th) Internet of Things (IoT) and finally, (8th) concrete mixer truck. The theoretical and practical contribution of this work is given by the presentation of technologies from Industry 4.0 that can maximize work safety in the construction industry, mitigating accidents at work, thus collaborating for the management of technology and innovation.

Artificial intelligence in materials handling : How machine learning tools boost warehouse safety, productivity and cost-effectiveness

This paper explores the growing potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to bring about improvements in safety, which in turn can boost cost-effectiveness, productivity and operational efficiencies in a warehouse setting. While there is significant evidence in the literature on the impact AI is having in other areas of the supply chain, the authors believe the specific use of AI and ML in the warehouse has been underexplored. Companies that embrace machine-learning technologies and tools as a way to reduce incidents in their warehouses are improving worker safety, increasing productivity, and potentially yielding a competitive advantage for their businesses. This paper’s main purpose is to demonstrate, through a use-case approach, the clear benefits of these technologies and to promote further exploration of the potential of AI to drive improvements in the safety of materials handling in warehouse settings.

A taxonomy of surface mining slip, trip, and fall hazards as a guide to research and practice

Slips, trips, and falls (STFs) are the second leading cause of non-fatal injuries and can lead to fatal incidents in the mining industry. Hazard identification is an essential first step in remediating STF hazards and creating a safer work environment. Previous research has identified industry-specific risk factors for STFs, evaluated exposures to those risk factors, and developed taxonomies of the hazards for the construction and farming sectors. In comparison, ErgoMine–a mobile device application-based ergonomics audit tool–is the only systematic evaluation tool that covers STF hazards in the mining industry. However, ErgoMine was not specifically developed to address STF hazards. This paper describes the development of a taxonomy that helps identify STF hazards at surface mining sites and provides recommendations to address these hazards to inform future evaluation tools. The objective was to develop a taxonomy that was self-explanatory, observable, repeatable, and solution oriented. In addition to current regulations, standards and guidelines were used to develop the taxonomy to ensure the focus was beyond basic compliance. A detailed description of how the STF hazard taxonomy was created for walkways, stairways, and fixed ladders is provided, along with two specific applications of its use. The STF hazard taxonomy can be used to develop tools like checklists and ergonomics audits to identify and remediate slip, trip, and fall hazards at surface mining facilities, thereby improving worker safety.

Severity of occupational agricultural accidents in Spain, 2013–2018

The objective of this paper is to understand the causes of work accidents in Spain in the agricultural sector, and to propose possible plans and actions to improve the sector’s accident rates in the future. The paper analyses the complete pool of accidents in Spain from 2013 to 2018. Fourteen variables are studied, with the influence of each relating to accident severity, divided into three types (light, serious, and fatal). The analysis is based on a total of 158,166 accidents. Results show that the severity of the accident is related to age, gender, nationality, economic activity, company staff, length of service, location of accident, deviation, injury, days of absence, day of the week, injury, and region of Spain. This sector produces a high rate of serious accidents compared to all other sectors, employs the most foreign workers, and uses heavy machinery at work that also serves as a means of transport. We offer conclusions and future lines of research to improve worker safety and also help regulators. These results provide information that should be of use for both companies and regulators, to increase the safety of agricultural activities. This study analyzes accidents in the agriculture sector in Spain in the period between 2013 and 2018, therefore conclusions may be different when other countries of the European Union or of the rest of the world are considered.

Peningkatan Keselamatan Kerja Penderes Kelapa di Sentra Gula Merah Desa Lojejer, Kecamatan Wuluhan

This community service activity is carried out with the target group of coconut tappers at the Red Sugar Center, Lojejer Village, Wuluhan District, Jember Regency. This program has the aim of increasing the knowledge of coconut tappers about work safety, so that it will also increase the tresher's attitude and concern for their own safety at work. The problems faced by partners are 1) low knowledge of partners related to work safety, 2) cases of workers falling from heights which have fatal consequences for tappers. The resulting targets and outputs are 1) service products in the form of knowledge and attitudes in improving work safety, 2) awareness of the use of simple personal protective equipment. The methods used to achieve these goals are 1) socialization, 2) mentoring. This community service activity was attended by 12 people. The result of this activity is increased partner knowledge and increased awareness of partners in terms of work safety.