Working Conditions In Industry Research Articles

ZIF-8 membranes for efficient C3H6 recovery from the Hydrogen Peroxide to propylene oxide process

The ZIF-8 membrane has emerged as a promising candidate for C3H6/C3H8 separation. However, the feasibility of ZIF-8 membranes for applications has rarely been investigated with gas provided directly by the industry sector. Herein, the C3H6/C3H8 mixture collected from the backend of the Hydrogen Peroxide to Propylene Oxide (HPPO) process was applied as feed gas to examine the separation performance of tubular ZIF-8 membranes. The membranes exhibited excellent separation performance and long-term stability under 9 bar and 50 °C. Noticeably, upon scaling up to a membrane area of 452.16 cm2 by connecting six three-channel modules in series (multi-step membrane), its separation performance satisfied the C3H6 circulation requirements during the HPPO process (purity ≥97.5 % and recovery rate ≥85 %). Furthermore, a simulation of membrane operation under industrial working conditions (22 bar and 56.3 °C) was performed. By fixing the separation factor at 15, a minimum membrane area of 800 m2 met the requirements at the cost of membrane permeance with 120 GPU. The corresponding economic calculation indicated a maximum of 91.8 % annual capital cost saving compared with the distillation process, paving the way for the practical application of membranes.

Reduction of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses using slurry ice

Reduction of Campylobacter on broiler meat is crucial for decreasing the number of campylobacteriosis cases. A module (IceGun®) that sprays slurry ice on carcasses has been developed to enhance the chilling capacity in poultry slaughterhouses and may, in addition, help reduce the bacterial load. The present study investigated how slurry ice (IceGun®) affects the Campylobacter load on broiler carcasses. Neck skin pool samples from IceGun® treated (n = 840) and control carcasses (n = 840) were sampled in a poultry slaughterhouse under industrial working conditions from September 2022 to January 2023 and assessed for reduction of Campylobacter quantitatively and qualitatively. Campylobacter counts were significantly lower using the IceGun® by 0.44 log10 CFU/g (CI: 0.31–0.56). The number of Campylobacter-positive samples was significantly lower for the IceGun® treated carcasses than the control carcasses when the cut-off was set at 100 CFU/g, but not at 1000 CFU/g. The present study demonstrated that the IceGun® reduces the Campylobacter contamination level on poultry neck skin, but further modifications of the IceGun® are desirable to achieve a greater reduction of Campylobacter to lower infection risk to the consumer.

Domain Discrepancy-Guided Contrastive Feature Learning for Few-Shot Industrial Fault Diagnosis Under Variable Working Conditions

Recent advances in data-driven methods have significantly promoted intelligent fault diagnostics for varied industrial applications. However, due to the limitations of machine fault data and the varied scenarios in the context of industrial working conditions, existing diagnostic models can hardly achieve satisfactory results. In this study, we propose a domain discrepancy-guided contrastive feature learning framework for few-shot fault diagnosis under varied working conditions. Unlike the conventional contrastive learning paradigm using manually augmented data, a sample pairs construction is implemented based on the differences between domain distributions for data acquired under different working conditions. The similarity contrast learns the domain-invariant features from a small number of sample pairs. The learned fault features can then be used for fault identification without parameter fine-tuning. In two case studies, we validated the performance of the proposed framework with small training samples under varying speeds, loads, and significant noises. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods, the proposed solution achieved higher diagnostic accuracy for the targeted applications.

Applying the Worker Well-Being Framework to Identify Factors that Impact Turnover Among Long-Haul Truck Drivers.

Drivers in the long-haul trucking industry have chronic health conditions, engage in unhealthy behaviors, and leave the industry at high rates. Previous work has not considered the health and safety outcomes resulting from the conditions of work in the trucking industry and their role in turnover. The goal of this study was to understand the expectations of an incoming workforce, explore how work conditions impact their well-being, and identify strategies for retention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among current long-haul drivers and supervisors at trucking companies, and students and instructors at trucking schools (n = 33). Participants were asked about why they decided to enter the industry, their health challenges related to being in the trucking industry and whether these challenges were related to turnover, and strategies for retention. Health conditions, differences in job expectations, and work demands were associated with leaving the industry. Workplace policies and culture (e.g., lack of supervisor support, schedules that limited home time, company size, and lack of benefits) were associated with workers' intention to leave an organization. Strategies identified to improve retention included integrating health and wellness into onboarding, creating realistic job expectations for those entering the industry, establishing relationships with drivers and dispatchers, and developing policies to limit time away from family. Turnover in the trucking industry is a persistent problem and leads to a shortage of skilled workers, increases the workload, and reduces productivity. Understanding the relationship between the conditions of work and well-being provides a more holistic approach to address the health, safety, and well-being of long-haul truck drivers. Health conditions, differences in job expectations, and work demands were associated with leaving the industry. Workplace policies and culture (e.g., supervisor support, schedules that limited home time, lack of benefits) were associated with workers' intention to leave an organization. These conditions provide an opportunity for occupational health interventions to promote the physical as well as psychological health of long-haul truck drivers.

Stiffness Modeling and Deformation Analysis of Parallel Manipulators Based on the Principal Axes Decomposition of Compliance Matrices

Abstract This paper presents a general equivalent approach to solve the stiffness modeling or load-deformation problem of non-redundant parallel mechanisms. Based on the principal axes decomposition of structure compliance matrices, an equivalent six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOFs) serial mechanism is established to approximate the load-deformation behavior of each flexible link in the mechanism. Hence, each limb of the parallel mechanism can be equivalent to a serial redundant rigid body mechanism with passive elastic joints, and the load-deformation problem can be transformed to the equilibrium configuration calculation of the equivalent mechanism. The main advantage of the proposed method is that the robotic kinematics and statics, rather than the elastic mechanics, can be directly adopted to solve the equilibrium configuration of the parallel mechanism under external load. Besides, a closed form solution of the corresponding deformation can be obtained, which can be solved by the gradient-based searching algorithm. Therefore, the final deformation will no longer be linear to the external load, which makes this method more accurate and more suitable for the deformation prediction and compensation in real industrial working conditions. In order to verify the effectiveness and correctness of this method, a 3PRRU parallel manipulator will be introduced as an example, to compare the load-deformation results with the finite element analysis (FEA) simulation and matrix calculation methods, so the nonlinearity feature can be shown in an intuitive manner.

THE IMPACT OF WORKING CONDITIONS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF CONJUNCTIVAL AND CORNEAL DISEASES IN MODERN OIL INDUSTRY

The problem of the development of eye diseases in people employed in hazardous industries, including the oil industry, remains relevant in Azerbaijan, as the health protection of the working population is a priority. This paper presents the results of a study on the impact of the severity of working conditions in the modern oil industry of Azerbaijan on the occurrence of conjunctival and cornea diseases. The objective of the study is to assess the working environment at the enterprises of oil and gas production profile of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) in terms of their impact on the occurrence of eye diseases. In total, 1852 employees from 13 SOCAR enterprises, who are willing to voluntarily participate in the study, were selected by random systematic sampling. The research was conducted in 2018-2019. According to the obtained data, 55.5% of workplaces in the enterprises belong to class A (optimal working conditions). However, in such industries as “Oil Rocks” and “Siyazan Oil”, on average, 30% of workplaces belong to a high hazard class C. Conjunctival and corneal pathologies were detected in 33% of all workers during the study. There was a statistically significant difference in the character of the conjunctival and corneal diseases, depending on the severity of working conditions. The percentage of occurrence of dry eye syndrome was significant in all conditions of labour severity and ranged from 65 to 79%. The majority of participants employed in the production group of “Class C – heavy working conditions” had a high incidence of conjunctivitis of various aetiologies (18%). To reduce the occurrence of conjunctival and corneal diseases, it is recommended to adhere to preventive measures for employees working in difficult working environment.

What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party

What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party

Well-being in high-rise construction sites: key factors

The working conditions in the high-rise construction industry are frequently used in the current debate due to its lack of conceptual and operational precision as the workers' well-being being unconsidered becomes work pressure. To improve this situation, understanding the key factors for workplace well-being will help create a safe and comfortable working environment for those involved in the high-rise construction industry. However, few studies have been conducted on the topic. This study aims to determine the key factors affecting construction workers' well-being in high-rise projects. To achieve those objectives, interviews and surveys with high-rise construction project employees will be conducted and analyzed. The study's findings can provide insights for developing an assessment tool for evaluating workplace well-being in high-rise construction projects. Also, the findings can be utilized as a guideline for the public and commercial sectors to guarantee that well-being practices are maintained at high-rise construction sites.

Real Time Safety Assessment Based on Hira for Portable and Overhanging Lifting Machine- Construction Site

Cranes are an essential machine for many industries. Due to the fact that it is so large, and it moves such heavy gadget, it can also be very dangerous. Most cranes manage to move at the base in order to put the load where it needs to go. When this occurs, anyone who is in the area surrounding the crane could get trapped in a pinch point and get crushed. The crane driver typically does not have visibility to the area directly on every side the machine, which produces this safety hazard even more serious. Unfortunately, when large numbers of cranes have been dispatched to a Industrial site, the hazard exposure also increases for workers who work with, around or under these cranes. As per OSHA, 85% of all cranes unsettle and structural failures can be allocate to exceeding the crane’s operational capacity. When a crane is overloaded, it is subject to structural stresses that may cause irreparable damage. Swinging or unexpected dropping of the load, using defective components, hoisting a load far away capacity, pull a load, and side-loading a boom can all cause overloading. The only way to eliminate the accidents is Identify the Hazards to assess the associated controls with the Material Lifting machinery with their operations to bring the hazard to tolerable level. As the part of this dissertation hazard recognition will carried out with the help of checklist and different mathematical methodology with respect to various lifting machines and their control measures will also be given in this work, improved safe work conditions in industry for using this engineering tool this is the objective of this project work and to reduce the number of accidents. The main objective of this study was to examine the various hazards associated with using cranes will help of checklist to identify the risks in the workplace.

Research on the Prediction Method of the Areas of Fluorine Chemical Pipeline Susceptible to Erosion

A prediction method applicable to erosion-prone areas of fluorine chemical pipelines is herein proposed. By summarizing the common working conditions in the fluorine chemical industry, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for industrial pipelines is established, and three-dimensional numerical calculations of the flow field in the pipelines are carried out to analyze the characteristics of the hydrodynamic parameters and phase distribution in the flow field, as well as the erosion rate distribution in different areas of the pipelines. The areas in the pipeline that are susceptible to erosion are predicted based on the results. The method has universal applicability and has been applied in many large petrochemical companies. It achieves the function of predicting the areas of severe pipeline erosion in a scientifically sound manner. This paper also details the application of the method in a distillation oil and gas pipeline of a large oil and gas company in western China.

ASSESSMENT OF THE ACOUSTIC MICROCLIMATE AND RATING OF NOISE HAZARDS IN THE INNER TRANSPORT SYSTEM OF A BUCKET WHEEL EXCAVATOR: A CASE STUDY

Noise and acoustic microclimate have an important influence on working conditions in industry. However, there are many sources of noise in machinery that create occupational hazards. In particular, these problems occur in belt conveyors, which are components of integrated continuous material handling systems. In large heavy-duty machines used for surface mining (bucket wheel, bucket chain excavators, and stackers), the most acoustically active areas are located in the zones of conveyor lines. For this reason, the present article presents the results of comprehensive research of noise in a transport system in a bucket wheel excavator operated in a surface mine. The most significant sources of noise were tested. Two analysis approaches (deterministic and probabilistic) were applied. Lower values of permissible exposure time were obtained using the latter method. This approach should be selected, as it takes into account the real conditions of operation of the tested object. The research and analysis showed that in real operating conditions of large working machines (multi-bucket wheeled excavators), the noise level cannot be treated in deterministic categories. This is due (among other factors) to the fact that the working loads are randomly variable in various operating conditions, which also causes the nature of noise in the area of these machines and their surroundings to change randomly. For this reason, the acoustic climate and the assessment of the level of noise hazards in such machines should be analyzed by taking into account the random nature of noise.

The role of the state in influencing work conditions in China's internet industry: Policy, evidence, and implications for industrial relations

While there is growing scholarly interest in work conditions in China's internet industry, many studies have focused exclusively on corporate employment relations strategies. By contrast, the article demonstrates the Chinese government's significant role in shaping the collective work experience in business reality. Drawing on three months of fieldwork in China, the findings suggest that the state's quest for technology supremacy has resulted in internet companies that compete ferociously, which in turn causes extreme working hours and burnout. The censorship of online labour activism and the ambiguity in court decisions also lower the interest of tech workers in organising and defending their labour rights. This study opens up an evidence-based debate on industrial relations in contemporary China and calls for more discussions on the state's role in shaping worker well-being and protection.

Comparative Study of Performance-Oriented Feedforward Compensation Strategies for Precision Mechatronic Motion Systems

To meet the progressively stringent demands for trajectory tracking performance in precision/ultra-precision industry, multiple advanced feedforward compensation strategies have been reported in recent years. However, there is no fair and comprehensive performance comparison of advantages and drawbacks of various methods under different industrial working conditions. In this paper, a comparative study of several performance-oriented feedforward strategies represented by standard iterative learning control (ILC), cascaded ILC (CILC), gated recurrent units based feedforward compensation (GRU-FFC), and real-time iterative compensation (RIC) has been systematically conducted by theoretical clarification and experimental verification. Various trajectory tracking tasks are accomplished on a precision mechatronic motion stage, and the tracking performances to be examined include (i) tracking accuracy; (ii) extrapolation capability for non-repetitive trajectories; (iii) disturbance rejection ability. Experimental results are sufficiently summarized with the combination of underlying control mechanism analysis, which can provide a comprehensive and reliable selection guidance of feedforward compensation strategies in different practical industrial scenarios.

A qualitative study of the working conditions in the readymade garment industry and the impact on workers’ health and wellbeing

Objectives: There has been debate regarding the working conditions for employees of the Bangladesh readymade garment (RMG) industry since the 1980s. Little is known how the existing working conditions of the Bangladesh RMG sector impact workers’ health and overall wellbeing, which remains the key aim of this study. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Twenty-seven RMG workers (female: 21, male: 6) were purposively recruited for focus groups (FGs) from both the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and non-EPZ factories located in Dhaka and Chattogram, the two largest cities in Bangladesh. FGs were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was performed to review the transcribed data and to identify themes. Results: The study identified that the existing working conditions impacted workers’ health and wellbeing severely. These conditions mainly comprise of inadequate workplace facilities (lack of pure drinking water, unavailability of qualified doctors, and fabricated signage of childcare facilities) and poor working environments (lack of hygienic practices, unavailability of safety equipment, sexual harassment, mandatory nights shifts, inappropriate sitting arrangements, and workplaces as death traps). All the female workers reported experience of verbal or sexual harassment at least once inside the factories also noted anxiety and feeling unsafe while working during night shifts. These conditions are presented within the socioeconomic conditions of Bangladesh. Conclusions: This study contributes to understanding the nexus between factory owners’ profit maximization mindset and workplace conditions in relation to workers’ health and wellbeing status. Strict monitoring of the workplace conditions of Bangladesh RMG factories is warranted.

Study of the ergonomic risk in operators of an assembly line using the RULA method in real working conditions through the application of a commercial sensor

Assessing ergonomic risk in real working conditions is a challenge for ergonomists, who use observational methods to collect information, with RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) being one of the most widely used. The disadvantage of these methods is that data collection is subjective and is based on estimates of projected angles on photos and/or videos, which leads to variations according to the criteria of each evaluator. For this reason, this work proposes the use of the Kinect V2 commercial sensor, as a tool for ergonomic assessment in real working conditions in industry. In the study, data such as planes, angles and positions of the worker were obtained, which the RULA method needs to determine the existence of ergonomic risk. The application of the sensor was carried out in real working conditions and it was performed to an operator of a bridge beam assembly line in a metalworking factory. Then, the trajectory and angle curves were obtained by means of an algorithm; and were compared with those of a standard motion capture system in a photogrammetry laboratory. Finally, the RULA score obtained by the implemented system was validated by an expert.

Laboratory and Production Biosafety When Working With Bioobjects: Regulatory and Organizational and Technical Aspects

The use of pathogenic and opportunistic biological agents in research and production processes should be accompanied by risk management in the context of biosafety and biosecurity. These issues are regulated differently depending on the industry orientation, including organizational and technical support. To provide a safe environment for working with biological threats of various levels of risks is one of the urgent tasks of our time. Our article is an analytical review of modern approaches to biosafety management in laboratories and industries when working with hazardous biological objects, pollution, including issues of occupational safety management and organizational and technical support of biosecurity. We analyzed the current state of the problem on the implementation and provision of proper working conditions in biotechnological or related industries, as well as in laboratories and research centers operating with biolo­gical objects of various hazard classes. To achieve biosafety, the basic principle is to limit or prevent the spread of potentially hazardous or harmful biological agents. The article describes the classification of hazardous biological agents, the current requirements for ensuring biosafety for workers of biotechnological and biopharmaceutical enterprises, laboratories and research centers when working with biological material. Ensuring the appropriate level of biosafety in Ukraine is governed by a number of regulations concerning all areas and activities related to work with biological objects of various hazard levels. Adherence to strict regulatory requirements at all levels of the organization of work in laboratories, research institutions, and industries dealing with biological objects will ensure safe conditions for staff.

Physiological Alterations of Subchronic Lead Exposure Induced Degeneration of Epithelial Cells in Proximal Tubules and the Remedial Effect of Curcumin-III in Meriones shawi: a Possible Link with Vasopressin Release.

At the industrial working conditions, lead exposure could induce several alterations for the human body. Subchronic lead exposure is linked with several injuries including cerebral and renal dysfunctions. The present work discusses the effects of subchronic lead toxicity (3g/l) in drinking water during the period of treatment (6weeks) on vasopressin system and epithelial cells in proximal tubules. Also, we aimed to evaluate the protective effect of curcumin-III administered orally by gavage (30mg/kg BW), against subchronic Pb exposure in Meriones shawi. The biochemical and histopathological examinations demonstrate renal damages induced by lead toxicity. In addition, the behavioral and immunohistochemical studies revealed that Pb neurotoxicity exhibited an anxious behavior with a significant elevation of the vasopressin (AVP) staining within the paraventricular nuclei. The study showed also curcumin-III restored the renal alterations with an anxiolytic effect. Moreover, it restored the AVP level in the studying nuclei. Our work supports a possible link between AVP release and epithelial degeneration in the proximal tubules, and shows a new pharmacological effect of curcumin-III as an anxiolytic agent against lead toxicity.

Methodology for multi-criteria assessment of working conditions as an object of qualimetry

Abstract The article considers several modern scientific papers substantiating the need for assessing workplace safety and focusing on methods applied for the quantitative assessment of working conditions. The analysis found unsolved problems in qualimetry, which could lead to the development of new practical and generally applicable methods to effectively assess working conditions. The analysis proved the relevance of the topic and helped to determine the aim of the article, i.e., the development of a methodology for the quantitative assessment of working conditions in industries, considering harmful production factors. An exponential distribution, which belongs to the theory of extreme statistics, was proposed for the transition of heterogeneous single indicators of harmful factors into a dimensionless scale. Affine transformations were used to combine dissimilar scales, making it possible to divide segments on dissimilar scales into equal proportions. The article proposes a step-by-step method for determining a complex indicator of working conditions in industries. The proposed methodology allows management decisions that minimise the deviation in actual values of harmful factors from the optimal ones. The developed technique was tested at one specific metallurgical production site.

Collectivism, individualism and solidarity in global value chain restructuring in the Global North: Workers' resistance in the Swiss machinery industry.

Global value chains (GVCs) have become the dominant form of industrial organization in the global economy. Although the economic outcomes of GVC restructuring have been measured and the determinants theorized, there is a lack of empirical research on the real processes of GVC restructuring and its impact on labour in the Global North. This article helps to address this gap by investigating the effect of the participation in GVCs on the lead firms’ value-capturing strategies and on workers’ ability to defend and improve their working conditions in the Swiss machinery industry. Based on a critical GVC approach and a qualitative study of two work conflicts, the study demonstrates how GVCs shape a variety of new strategies for capital and labour; enhancing forms of management strategies and weakening the possibilities for workers’ counterstrategies by eroding collectivism and solidarity and promoting individualism among workers.

A performance degradation prediction approach for turbo-generator bearing considering complex working conditions based on clustering indicator and self-optimized deep learning model

The reliability of turbo-generator bearings affects the stability and safety of power plants. To detect early symptoms of failure, prediction of the performance degradation of turbo-generator bearings is particularly important. At present, most related research relies on accelerated degradation test platforms; however, the industrial field environment and complex working conditions may affect practical application. In this study, a performance degradation prediction approach for turbo-generator bearings considering complex working conditions based on a clustering indicator and a self-optimized deep learning model (SODLM) is proposed. First, the Dirichlet process-Gaussian mixture clustering model is introduced to construct the performance degradation indicator (PDI) of the turbo-generator. Then through introducing the hyper-parameter constraint, the hyper-parameter influence significance comparison mechanism, and the minimum training epoch, an improved hyperband (IH) is established to realize the automatic tuning of the hyper-parameters in the prediction model. Furthermore, the SODLM is constructed based on the IH and a stacked one-dimensional convolutional neural network. Finally, the performance degradation trend of a turbo-generator bearing in a practical industrial field is successfully predicted through the proposed approach. The experimental analysis demonstrates that the proposed PDI avoids the influence of sampling frequency and complex working conditions. Compared with traditional optimization algorithms and prediction models, the proposed performance degradation prediction approach demonstrates better accuracy and stability.