Industrial Workers Research Articles

Representations of corporate growth and work conditions from the perspective of industrial workers

O crescimento empresarial tem sido objeto de atenção uma vez que ampliar os negócios parece evidenciar o sucesso das práticas organizacionais. Todavia, este fenômeno precisa ser examinado considerando que, numa perspectiva crítica, o processo implica politização para evitar naturalizações e considerar os diversos agentes e influências a ele associado. Neste artigo, o objetivo é analisar as representações sociais do crescimento empresarial sob a ótica dos trabalhadores, o que foi feito mediante uma pesquisa qualitativa baseada nas trajetórias profissionais de trabalhadores industriais da região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, tratadas por meio de análise do discurso. Os principais resultados sugerem que os trabalhadores percebem as alterações no contexto e suas consequências para as empresas, o que resultou na decisão de crescimento empresarial. Todavia, os discursos são ambíguos, variando da adesão à ideia de que nada resta além de se adaptar, ao combate aos efeitos sociais do crescimento.

«Jeg vil bli en å regne med»

AbstractYoung men’s desistance from gangs involved in crime is a pressing social issue in the Nordic countries. Drawing from a larger study comprising life story interviews with previously incarcerated men across different life stages, this article elaborates the narration of desistance among three young men who desisted from gang-related crime in their early twenties. By telling their stories of involvement in crime and their desistance process as career shift narratives, continuity in their »real me« is emphasised. Their stories make them come across as rational agents concerned with independence, ambition and a goal-oriented agency proving their capacity and willingness to take responsibility through hard work in the construction industry. This narrative identity can be understood as the young men’s ideals of masculinity, which intertwine their earlier values and previous experiences with a new maturity gained by social relations to role models in the labour market and significant others. In line with this, ideals of masculinity may be seen as a narrative resource which may shape and enhance possibilities for secondary and tertiary desistance in early adulthood.

Farm Labor Shortage in the Pennsylvania Mushroom Industry: A Gender‐Sensitive Comparison of Farmer and Farmworker Perspectives☆

AbstractU.S. farmers are facing a widespread labor shortage. Previous literature on the causes, mostly written by agricultural economists, has focused on the macro‐economic and political factors that have reduced the traditional agricultural labor supply from rural Latin America. In this article, we present a sociological approach that probes the settlement of immigrant farmworkers in rural communities and their associated family responsibilities as possible contributing factors to the farm labor shortage. We conducted online questionnaires with 23 mushroom farm and packing plant representatives and structured interviews with 105 women and men workers in the Pennsylvania mushroom industry. Our findings suggest that if compensation and scheduling were more amenable to raising families, the labor shortage would be less acute. Moreover, workers, particularly women, identified the need for more respectful treatment by their supervisors. We conclude that, while farm employers are taking measures to address these concerns, their efforts do not fully address the economic conditions and sense of disrespectful treatment that may contribute to the labor shortage. As a result, farm employers feel forced to turn to labor contracting services, whose practices may exacerbate the vulnerability of mushroom workers.

AMFP-net: Adaptive multi-scale feature pyramid network for diagnosis of pneumoconiosis from chest X-ray images

Early detection of pneumoconiosis by routine health screening of workers in the mining industry is critical for preventing the progression of this incurable disease. Automated pneumoconiosis classification in chest X-ray images is challenging due to the low contrast of opacities, inter-class similarity, intra-class variation and the existence of artifacts. Compared to traditional methods, convolutional neural networks have shown significant improvement in pneumoconiosis classification tasks, however, accurate classification remains challenging due to mainly the inability to focus on semantically meaningful lesion opacities. Most existing networks focus on high level abstract information and ignore low level detailed object information. Different from natural images where an object occupies large space, the classification of pneumoconiosis depends on the density of small opacities inside the lung. To address this issue, we propose a novel two-stage adaptive multi-scale feature pyramid network called AMFP-Net for the diagnosis of pneumoconiosis from chest X-rays. The proposed model consists of 1) an adaptive multi-scale context block to extract rich contextual and discriminative information and 2) a weighted feature fusion module to effectively combine low level detailed and high level global semantic information. This two-stage network first segments the lungs to focus more on relevant regions by excluding irrelevant parts of the image, and then utilises the segmented lungs to classify pneumoconiosis into different categories. Extensive experiments on public and private datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach can outperform state-of-the-art methods for both segmentation and classification.

Novel natural gradient boosting-based probabilistic prediction of physical properties for polypropylene-based composite data

Accurately predicting the physical properties of polypropylene composites is challenging because they are highly complex due to the numerous combinations of materials used in their production. Therefore, several challenges must be addressed to develop a predictive model suitable for applied in commercial industry. This study proposes a probabilistic prediction model for the physical properties of polypropylene composites using NGBoost with categorization. The proposed model simultaneously addressed the data imbalance and uncertainty problems using the NGBoost with categorization method. In the data preprocessing step, categorization was used to classify data for each recipe type so that all types of data could be learned. In the model training step, the model performance was improved through hyperparameter optimization. Subsequently, the probabilistic possibility of the predicted value was presented using the probability density function of NGBoost. As a result, the performance of the model had a R2 of 0.9 or more and a normalized root mean square error of 0.1 or less in all four properties. Therefore, the proposed model simultaneously suggests a predicted physical property and its probability with a high performance using real commercial data. In addition, this model is useful for industrial workers because it saves time and cost for the manufacturing and property testing of PPCs.

The risk of additional branch works in the construction of railway projects

Every decision or action taken as part of a construction project involves risk. Unforeseen branch works that may occur during the construction investment are the so-called additional work. They cause risk, both for the contractor and the investor. Skilful management of this risk may lead to minimizing the change in the investment duration or minimizing the change in the cost of the contractual amount. The work proposes a method of analysing the risk of industrial works that may occur during additional works in railway construction investments. A constructed Bayesian network based on the risk component of industrial works was used for the analysis. Bayesian networks are listed as one of the 31 techniques suggested for risk analysis in accordance with the ISO 31010 standard, which enables the correct analysis of the examined problem with satisfactory accuracy. During the construction of the network, historical data was obtained from completed and settled railway infrastructure construction projects, and 125 unique records corresponding to additional works were identified. The created Bayesian network combines technological aspects resulting from the specificity of the implementation of branch works in railway construction projects with a practical assessment of their risk. The proposed network model allows for risk analysis by defining various event scenarios, and has high application capacity resulting from the ease of applying its results in practice in the implementation of railway investments.

Public opinion, racial bias and labour market outcomes in the USA.

Here we study the role of negative shifts in public opinion in the economic lives of under-represented racial groups by investigating sudden changes in views towards Asian people following the anti-Chinese rhetoric that emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated changes in employment status and earnings in the US labour market. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we find that, unlike other under-represented groups, Asian workers in occupations or industries with a higher likelihood of face-to-face interactions before the pandemic were more likely to become unemployed afterwards. While widespread along the political spectrum, negative shifts in the perceived favourability of Asian people, and not of other under-represented groups, were much stronger among those who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and could have been more influenced by the anti-Asian rhetoric.

Study of the use of neural network in combination with graphical programs in light industry

Technology, currently at the peak of its development, provides an opportunity to increase the level of education of modern man. As a consequence, the development of new clothing models using neural networks is also becoming a more efficient way to optimize design processes. By applying neural networks, results can be achieved quickly and easily. Artificial intelligence empowers and optimizes work in the fashion industry: it recognizes clothes from photos, accesses virtual fitting sessions, and, without much effort, easily selects the perfect size. The program will automatically design the pattern and technically reproduce patterns by size, height and fullness. Artificial intelligence will require less creative work from the author, and the designers themselves will be able to spend more time on their creativity. The research paper utilizes Microsoft Bing to facilitate the creation of new designs for clothing patterns. It is an artificial intelligence that can be used to create images, solve problems and get new ideas. With the help of this program it is planned to create an experimental series of Kyrgyz national costumes, the details of which will be designed in the graphic program of Grafic 12 clothing designer.

Physical fitness assessment of a Venezuelan industrial direct labor force population

Introduction The purpose of this research is to evaluate the physical fitness variables of Venezuelan workers, taking into account exercise batteries or submaximal tests that have been little used in the industrial environment.Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, epidemiological and field study was conducted in a Venezuelan population of industrial direct labor workers in bipedestation. The sample consisted of 185 workers (M: 136, W: 49) in the main industrial areas of the state of Aragua-Venezuela.Results: Results were obtained on the physical fitness of Venezuelan industrial direct labor workers presenting average results in both sexes. Calculations for obtaining HRmax and RAC in ml O2 min-1 kg-1 were taken into account.Conclusions: A population of industrial direct labor was observed, of low physical capacity with values associated with age (42.87 M-38.43W), physical wear and tear, poor physical fitness habits, poor dietary habits and decrease in muscle mass.

Why employees speak up: unveiling motives for constructive voice

PurposeThe study empirically explores employees' motives for engaging in constructive voice behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilized qualitative research methods. The data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 26 workers in the renewable energy industry in Kenya. The data were analyzed using a phronetic iterative approach (Tracy, 2020).FindingsThe data revealed various motives that may drive constructive voice including, personal (e.g. material rewards and emotional gratification), relational (e.g. advocating for others and diluting opposition) and organizational motives (e.g. ensuring organizational survival and bolstering innovation). Additionally, the authors illustrated how these motives may evolve and/or jointly drive constructive voice.Originality/valueAlthough voice scholars are beginning to recognize the existence of other motives besides prosocial, the knowledge of such motives has remained theoretical. This is one of the first studies to empirically examine motives for constructive voice. By unveiling the motives, the findings demonstrate different pathways through which a voice opportunity transforms into a constructive voice behavior.

A portable inflatable soft wearable robot to assist the shoulder during industrial work.

Repetitive overhead tasks during factory work can cause shoulder injuries resulting in impaired health and productivity loss. Soft wearable upper extremity robots have the potential to be effective injury prevention tools with minimal restrictions using soft materials and active controls. We present the design and evaluation of a portable inflatable shoulder wearable robot for assisting industrial workers during shoulder-elevated tasks. The robot is worn like a shirt with integrated textile pneumatic actuators, inertial measurement units, and a portable actuation unit. It can provide up to 6.6 newton-meters of torque to support the shoulder and cycle assistance on and off at six times per minute. From human participant evaluations during simulated industrial tasks, the robot reduced agonist muscle activities (anterior, middle, and posterior deltoids and biceps brachii) by up to 40% with slight changes in joint angles of less than 7% range of motion while not increasing antagonistic muscle activity (latissimus dorsi) in current sample size. Comparison of controller parameters further highlighted that higher assistance magnitude and earlier assistance timing resulted in statistically significant muscle activity reductions. During a task circuit with dynamic transitions among the tasks, the kinematics-based controller of the robot showed robustness to misinflations (96% true negative rate and 91% true positive rate), indicating minimal disturbances to the user when assistance was not required. A preliminary evaluation of a pressure modulation profile also highlighted a trade-off between user perception and hardware demands. Finally, five automotive factory workers used the robot in a pilot manufacturing area and provided feedback.

EMPOWERING MANUAL HANDLERS: A COMPREHENSIVE ERGONOMIC AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM IN PLASTIC MANUFACTURING KULAI, JOHORE

Background: Ergonomic awareness training programs are known for their methodical approach to identifying and mitigating workplace risks and have been associated with decreased Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). MSDs were prevalent in manufacturing including the plastic industry, causing significant health and economic impacts. However, research on ergonomic interventions in this sector is limited. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of ergonomic awareness programs among manual handling workers in the plastic tray manufacturing industry, with a focus on tasks related to forming and packing. Methods: This study was conducted in a plastic tray manufacturing facility in Kulai, Johor, that targeted workers involved in high-risk ergonomic tasks such as forming and packing, with exposure to ergonomic hazards for up to 12 hours daily. A total of 108 workers participated, receiving ergonomic awareness training and completing survey questionnaires. Results: The results revealed that post-training showed significant improvement (p<0.01) in workers' ergonomic awareness, indicating the effectiveness of the ergonomic training program in enhancing knowledge (t=12.92), attitudes (t=14.77), and practices (t=16.29). Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical role of enhanced ergonomic awareness in emphasizing the necessity for industry-specific, customized ergonomic training in the plastic tray manufacturing industry. It is suggested the implementation of these focused training programs to strengthen workplace safety and health, encourage ergonomic awareness, and lessen the long-term development of MSDs.

Burden of carpal tunnel syndrome and its associated factors among construction industry workers in Gondar town, Ethiopia.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by symptoms such as pain, numbness, or tingling on the anterior surface of the index, middle, or radial half of the ring finger, which is frequently associated with weakness of hand grip, and nocturnal pain and/or numbness resulting from compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel between the carpal bones and the transverse ligament. The construction industry involves many activities aside from the building process, such as landscaping, painting, electrical supply, plastering, paving, and telecommunications. Performing such tasks involves repetition of wrist flexion and extension, forceful grip with the hand, and/or vibrations of the hand and arm. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and its associated risk factors among construction workers. An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among six construction sectors in Gondar from April to July 2021. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was prepared from the literature with a Katz hand diagram, and a physical examination and a special test (carpal compression test, Phalen's, and Tinel's test) were carried out for those participants who reported pain during the interview. Binary logistic regression was conducted with SPSS 25 to identify the associated risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. The strength of the association was detected by the adjusted odds ratio. A total of 333 study participants aged 18-70 years were included in this study. Among the participants, 11.7% (AOR: 95%CI: 8.1-15.3) had carpal tunnel syndrome. Age, cigarette smoking, work experience, and working with finger-pressing tools were risk factors significantly associated with carpal tunnel syndrome among construction workers with a p-value of <0.05. The magnitude of carpal tunnel syndrome was 11.7% among construction workers. Being of older age, having more experience, cigarette smoking, and working with finger-pressing tools were risk factors significantly associated with carpal tunnel syndrome among construction workers. Employers should implement work safety education programs that raise awareness about the risks of cigarette smoking and encourage employers and supervisors to seek early medical intervention and treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome before it becomes a chronic problem.

Associations between day and night-shifts, work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism in the manufacturing industry

Objectives. Associations between shift-work, musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism are poorly investigated in the manufacturing industry. This study aimed to investigate associations between working schedule, musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism among pulp and paper industry workers. Methods. Musculoskeletal symptoms of 904 workers were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. χ 2 tests assessed associations between being a day-worker or shift-worker, the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and days of absenteeism. Results. A significant association was found between working schedule and symptoms in the lower back in the last 12 months, with shift-workers presenting higher prevalence than day-workers (p = 0.022). Significant associations were also found between days of absenteeism and symptoms in the shoulders (p = 0.002), which mostly led to absenteeism of 100–365 days; elbows (p < 0.001), wrists/hands (p = 0.045) and ankles/feet (p = 0.042), which produced absenteeism mostly of 25–99 days; and dorsal region (p = 0.001), which mainly led to absenteeism of 10–24 days. No associations were found between working schedule and days of absenteeism (p = 0.265). Conclusion. Shift-work is associated with increased prevalence of lower back symptoms, but seems not to influence days of absenteeism. Shoulders seem to be the region leading to higher days of absenteeism, followed by elbows, wrists/hands, ankles/feet and the dorsal region.

PENGARUH KETERLIBATAN PADA BUSINESS CENTER,PENDIDIKAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN, DAN PRAKTIK KERJA INDUSTRI TERHADAP MINAT BERWIRAUSAHA SISWA SMK

Abstract: This observe objectives to decide the impact of involvement in a business center, entrepreneurship education, and business work practices on students' hobby in entrepreneurship. The approach on this take a look at is descriptive quantitative with statistics evaluation the use of multiple linear regression evaluation. the whole population on this observe become 104 elegance XII college students of the net business and marketing branch Vocational High School 1 Turen. The pattern on this have a look at amounted to eighty three college students. The sampling approach uses a proportional random sampling technique through taking random samples from all individuals of the populace. contraptions in the form of questionnaires, statement, and documentation. The results of this study prove that partially involvement in the business center has a positive and significant effect on students' interest in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education does not have a positive and significant effect on students' interest in entrepreneurship, and industrial work practices have a positive and significant effect on students' interest in entrepreneurship.

Ocular Surface in Bangle Makers of Firozabad

Purpose: The bangle-making industry in Firozabad, India, is a significant source of employment for thousands of workers. However, the occupational hazards associated with this industry, particularly the exposure to glass dust and chemical fumes, calcide powder, etc. have raised concerns regarding the ocular health of bangle makers. This study is aimed to evaluate and describe the status of ocular surface among the bangle makers in Firozabad. Method: This was an OSDI questionnaire based cross sectional descriptive study, consisting a series of 12 questions about symptoms as itching, redness, blurred vision, grittiness, watering etc. Torch light examination of each subject was performed to look for any ocular abnormalities. An unstructured survey regarding the work hours in the factory, working experience in the bangle making industry, ocular complaints, history of hospital visits and prior eye-check-ups was also done. The responses were represented with the help of tables and chart. Results: 74 participants were enrolled in this study, OSDI score ranging from 23-33 that comes in moderate value. Maximum workers reported with normal eye health but there were ocular morbidities and surface abnormalities prevailing in this population, i.e. pterygium (8%), cataract (5.3%), pinguecula (2.7%), itching (6.7%), redness (4%). Conclusion: There is a need to improve occupational safety measures amongst the industry workers, including the provision of proper eye protection and mandatory eye check-ups to minimize the adverse effects on the ocular health of bangle makers, also need to increase awareness to motivate the workers for regular eye check-ups. Keywords: Ocular Surface, Infrared radiation, Occupational hazards, Ocular morbidities, Bangle makers.

Cervical Cancer and Its Association With Pregnancy.

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably, destroying tissues. A malignant tumor arises from cells in the cervix, the lower portion of the uterus (womb) that links the uterus to the vagina (birth canal), and is known as cervical cancer. One of the most significant global community health problems is cancer, which sees a daily increase in the number of sufferers.Therefore, it is crucial to expand our understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of cervical cancer and to suggest new therapeutic goals as well as new techniques for early detection of the illness. Since early diagnosis of pathologies can dramatically increase a patient's chance of survival, prognosis, and recurrence. This article aims to educate readers about some essential concepts surrounding cervical cancer, including the various types of cervical cancer, the stages of cancer, as well as their etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, management, and treatment, and its relationship with pregnancy. All of these concepts are essential for any individual studying medicine or working in the medical industry to understand. We intend to summarize the information that is currently available and the recommended courses of action for treating cervical cancer and its association with pregnancy in this review. Research priorities and controversies are also noted.

Halal B2B marketing in the metaverse: crafting a conceptual framework to pinpoint opportunities and challenges, outlining the agenda for future research

Purpose The study aims to explore the theoretical framework of Halal B2B marketing in the metaverse, develop a conceptual framework for future research, identify challenges and opportunities, including technological, cultural and compliance aspects, and provide insights for the effective integration of the metaverse into Halal B2B marketing practices. Design/methodology/approach The research employs a comprehensive literature review, examining works on halal marketing, Islamic business ethics and technology adoption in Islamic markets. The study also identifies key stakeholders in Halal B2B marketing within the metaverse, such as Halal businesses, Muslim buyers, technology developers, regulatory bodies and others, and discusses their unique challenges and contributions. Findings The study presents a conceptual framework depicting the interaction among various stakeholders in Halal B2B marketing within the metaverse. It identifies opportunities such as enhanced customer engagement, global market expansion and innovative branding, and discusses challenges including technological disparities, cultural sensitivities and Halal compliance. Research limitations/implications The conceptual framework delineated in this paper succinctly outlines the potential challenges confronted by diverse stakeholders in building the digital Halal market ecosystem within the metaverse. These frameworks augment the understanding of the metaverse as an evolving digital technology for brands operating within this digital space. This contributes to both theoretical and practical insights into the integration of the metaverse into business operations. While the metaverse holds promise for immersive and interconnected digital experiences, it also comes with several limitations and challenges that need to be taken into account. Practical implications The research introduces a framework that elucidates the professional relationships among key entities: Halal B2B brands aiming to enter the metaverse for brand promotion, buyers seeking business opportunities within the metaverse, and technology developers responsible for establishing the required infrastructure. This framework offers a succinct portrayal of the stakeholders' positions, delves into potential opportunities within the metaverse, and scrutinises the inherent challenges associated with these possibilities. Social implications The metaverse empowers Halal enterprises to provide tailor-made experiences that resonate with the preferences of Muslim consumers. It offers scope for personalised marketing, emphasising its potential as a pivotal element in the triumph of Halal B2B marketing within the metaverse. In the realm of Halal marketing, cultural and ethical alignment holds paramount importance. The metaverse provides opportunities for devising marketing approaches that are attuned to Islamic cultural and ethical values. Originality/value The study results in several recommendations that could help Halal B2B brands effectively leverage the metaverse's potential and cater to Muslim consumers' needs innovatively. These are: (a) Invest in Metaverse Infrastructure by partnering with technology developers or invest in virtual spaces tailored to Halal products; (b) Tailor Marketing Experiences through creating immersive experiences aligned with Muslim consumers' preferences; (c) Ensure Cultural and Ethical Alignment by consulting religious scholars to ensure marketing respects Islamic values; (d) Foster Business Opportunities by facilitating virtual trade shows and marketplaces for Halal products; (e) Educate Stakeholders by organising workshops to introduce the metaverse's potential benefits; (f) Address Challenges Proactively by tackling privacy, accessibility and regulatory issues head-on; (g) Collaborate with Industry Partners and work with other Halal brands and tech partners to drive innovation.

Preservative contact allergy in occupational dermatitis: a machine learning analysis.

Occupational dermatoses impose a significant socioeconomic burden. Allergic contact dermatitis related to occupation is prevalent among healthcare workers, cleaning service personnel, individuals in the beauty industry and industrial workers. Among risk factors, the exposure to preservatives is frequent, since they are extensively added in products for occupational use. The goal of this study is to investigate the contact allergy patterns in order to understand the linkage among hypersensitivity to preservatives, occupational profiles, patients' clinical and demographic characteristics. Patch test results were collected from monosensitized patients to Formaldehyde 2%, KATHON 0.02%, thimerosal 0.1%, and MDBGN 0.5%; information was also collected for an extended MOAHLFA (Male-Occupational-Atopic-Hand-Leg-Face-Age) index. To assess the relationship between allergen group and occupational-related ACD, the chi-square test for independence was utilized. To uncover underlying relationships in the data, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and categorical principal components analysis (CATPCA), which are machine learning approaches, were applied. Significant relationships were found between allergen group and: occupation class, atopy, hand, leg, facial, trunk, neck, head dermatitis, clinical characteristics, ICDRG 48h and ICDRG 72h clinical evaluation. MCA and CATPCA findings revealed a link among allergen group, occupation class, patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, the MOAHLFA index, and the ICDRG scores. Significant relationships were identified between the allergen group and various manifestations of dermatitis. The utilization of machine learning techniques facilitated the discernment of meaningful patterns in the data.

“I never thought about how much of a juggle it would be”: motherhood and work in contemporary Lithuanian and Irish creative industries

ABSTRACT This article explores the experiences of Irish and Lithuanian mothers in creative work who detail challenges they face and the various strategies they develop to sustain creative work and care for their children. The study draws from 24 interviews which were carried out with mothers in both countries at various stages in their careers. Our study stresses the importance of national context in research on European creative workers, since national and localised differences feature little in creative industries literature. By assessing mothers in their national contexts, we argue that mothers may share overall experiences of juggling work and family life, of the requirement to solve childcare issues and of challenges they face while working in creative industries. However, crucially, key differences emerge in how Lithuanian and Irish mothers position their professional and maternal identities. Differences arise in the solutions that Lithuanian and Irish mothers use and in the extent to which challenges may be negated, particularly across generations. We relate each of these differences to the localised contexts in which the creative workers mother.