Industrial Workplace Research Articles

Low circulation of respiratory syncytial and influenza viruses during autumn-winter 2021 in the industrial workplace and long-term healthcare facilities in Athens, Greece.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has pinpointed the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), which have been traditionally used for the prevention of the spread of respiratory viruses among individuals. The aim of our study was to capture the level of circulation of respiratory syncytial and influenza viruses during a period of medium severity NPIs due to SARS-CoV-2 pandemics in Greece. A total of 2,225 nasopharyngeal samples were received during the year 2021 as a part of the routine diagnostic service and were divided into two study groups: (a) January to September 2021 and (b) October to the end of December 2021. The latter is the time of the year when there is a peak of infections from most respiratory viruses, and thus, most of the samples were tested in that period. The samples were taken from three different sites, i.e., (a) industrial workers in a factory, (b) elderly homecare facilities, and c) people who actively asked to be tested for SARS-CoV-2. All the samples were tested simultaneously for SARS-CoV2, RSV, and influenza virus. A total of 2,110 samples were negative for either of the three viruses, 106 were SARS-CoV-2-positive, and 9 were RSV-positive from which 7 were found in the workers' group. None of the samples was found to be positive for the influenza virus, and no sample had co-infection. Our study shows the low-level circulation of RSV and influenza viruses during autumn-winter 2021 and will provide a reference for future studies of RSV and influenza in Greece.

Fatigue as a physiological problem: experiments in the observation and quantification of movement and industrial labor, 1873-1947

ABSTRACT The period 1873–1947 was productive in fostering ideas about observing, measuring, and quantifying repetitive human movements, prior to the rise of occupational health and ergonomics within industrial psychology. Starting with physiological experimentation in the lab, instruments of graphic inscription were then applied in the industrial workplace, initially as a benevolent measurement for monitoring worker health, but elsewhere as a more invasive measurement for the surveillance of worker efficiency. Herman Helmholtz’s invention of the myograph, and an adaptation called the ergograph, would help form what Kronecker (1873) and later Mosso (1891) termed the ‘curve of fatigue’, and were used in extensive research on factory workers for Jules Amar’s Le Moteur humain in 1914. Meanwhile, in Britain in 1915 the physiologist Sherrington was observing workers in munitions factories, feeding into the formation of the Industrial Fatigue Research Board in 1919, which produced official reports. In the United States, similar but more high-profile research was conducted by Frederick Winslow Taylor and Lillian and Frank Gilbreth, who studied movement efficiency to maximize industrial productivity by innovating upon photographic and chronophotographic techniques. Further physiological research was taken up in Lawrence J. Henderson’s Harvard Fatigue Laboratory between 1927 and 1947 on subjects situated in environmental extremes.

Disrupting ‘a man's world’: gender, technology, and class in Vietnam's global heavy industry

AbstractOnly rarely is Vietnam's global heavy industry studied from an anthropological perspective in either its gender or its class dimensions. This article contributes new insights into the ways in which the interagential dynamics of gender and technology from shopfloor to engineer offices coproduce social orders in contesting and perpetuating essentializing notions of femininity and masculinity. Blue‐collar and white‐collar women working in heavy industrial workplaces represent a minority in ‘a man's world’, ambiguously both disidentifying and identifying with notions of a typical ‘female character’ vis‐à‐vis ‘male character’. Women working in heavy industry, the article shows, generate ‘disruption’ by reconfiguring conventions regarding gendered occupation, redefining gendered engagement with technology, and recalibrating images of femininity and masculinity. Doing so means carving out new opportunities and/or provoking crisis in a patrilineal universe. The article analyses the intricate ways in which women's engagement with technology is empowering while simultaneously reinforcing gender‐ and class‐specific inequalities in socialist Vietnam's global market economy.

ERGONOMIC RISK ASSESSMENT OF TAKING THE PRODUCT DIRECTLY FROM THE PRODUCTION LINE

Creating healthy workplaces considering ergonomic risks is becoming a necessary part of preventive approach in design of workplaces. Preventive approach has positive impact including economical, health and safety measures. Corrective approach can be used when e.g. health issues must be improved. Performance analysis is important for employers in competitive domestic or global market. If the analysis is made on the basis of faulty or incomplete information, such analysis may not be reliable and consequently the decision made might yield an unexpected result. Thus, proper usage of performance indicators is vital to avoid mistakes and minimise such risk. Our study is focused on workplace in automotive industry, where worker removes product from the line and place the product in crates located next to the line. Worker prepares crates continuously after he fills them with product for full capacity. Quantitative analysis of ergonomic risk was performed with wireless multisensory measurement system Captiv, based on complaints from workers related to upper limbs and neck pain. Improvements in workplace design were suggested, also process changes were analysed by working posture analysis based on results measured with Captiv system.

Spillover effect of workplace democracy: A conceptual revision.

The so-called "spillover thesis" by Pateman is one of the prominent theoretical explanations for why workplace-based participation and democracy could induce stronger political participation. By this thesis, Pateman underscored the relevance of industrial workplaces as relevant places where citizens can be socialized regarding democratic attitudes while proposing the educative effect of workplace democracy and assuming a strong linkage between workplace-based and political participation as moderated by self-efficacy. The spillover thesis has received a controversial consideration as previous empirical studies have provided inconsistent evidence. Some empirical undertakings support the assumption by Pateman and indicate a positive relationship between workplace democracy and societal effects, like increased moral and community orientation or higher levels of political participation among employees from companies with higher degrees of workplace democracy. Other empirical studies yield results that do not confirm the thesis. Scholars have discussed method-based shortcomings of the previous empirical research while pointing to the inconsistency of definitions and operationalizations as the main shortcoming. In contrast to that, systematic conceptual consideration of the spillover thesis and the accompanying scholarship are still lacking. The present article addresses this shortcoming and provides a critical reflection on the spillover thesis and corresponding research. It aims at identifying the main conceptual shortcomings and providing avenues for future theoretical undertakings in analyzing whether and how participation at the workplace is related to participation in political domains.

The Risk Factors for Radiolucent Nephrolithiasis among Workers in High-Temperature Workplaces in the Steel Industry.

Workers in high-temperature workplaces with inadequate water supply may exhibit symptoms of chronic dehydration and have increased risk of nephrolithiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of radiolucent stone formation among workers in a high-temperature workplace and the related risk factors associated with the condition. We collected data from 1681 workers in a steel factory in Southern Taiwan who underwent regular health examinations. Radiolucent stones were defined as positive findings on ultrasound with negative radiographic images. The prevalences of nephrolithiasis and radiolucent stones in this study were 12.0% and 5.1%, respectively. Heat exposure and age were two major risk factors influencing the probability of radiolucent stones. We combined the age and heat exposure into four groups (over and under 35 years of age with and without heat exposure) in a logistic regression. For workers younger than 35 years, the odds ratio of radiolucent stones was 2.695 (95% confidence interval: 1.201-6.049) in workers with heat exposure compared to workers without. Our investigation further demonstrated that heat exposure was a main risk factor for radiolucent stone formation. In conclusion, our identification of heat exposure as an independent factor for radiolucent stone development in steel workers highlights the need for attention to be paid to those working in similar environments.

Cancer Awareness Among Airline Pilots

A high level of cancer awareness may contribute to early diagnosis and improve cancer survival. This study is aimed to assess the level of awareness of occupational cancer among airline pilots. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study has examined pilots’ occupational cancer awareness levels for the first time. A brand-new cancer awareness survey was used to examine the awareness level of airline pilots on cancer. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was employed to analyze the survey results. The response rate was % 43.6. Data had been collected from 523 individuals, 48 of whom were female pilots. Of the participants 67.3% were long-haul pilots. Female airline pilots were much more aware of cancer in comparison to male airline pilots. Pilots flying 81-90 hours per month were much more aware of cancer in comparison to other participants. Academic articles, magazines and social media were sources of knowledge for 64.6 % of pilots whereas 39.5% of pilots were informed by e-learnings and recurrent trainings regarding the occupational cancer. According to the findings of this study, there is a need for training and media-based interventions to raise awareness and instil safe and healthy lifestyle practices at the workplace in the airline industry.

Working with Bounded Collaboration: A Qualitative Study on How Collaboration is Co-constructed around Collaborative Robots in Industry

We investigate how collaboration is understood and configured in industrial workplaces with collaborative robots (cobots). Through a qualitative analysis of 115 case studies of companies using cobots and 14 semi-structured interviews with cobot manufacturers and users, we examine the usages of cobots in the manufacturing industry over the entire temporal spectrum from pre-introduction to completed implementation. By synthesizing diverse stakeholders' perspectives, we present a set of main findings; key roles of a few supportive production workers during the adoption of cobots; a fragmentation of work tasks and the resulting loss of job identity among workers; the disunified meaning of "collaboration" which is under constant development; and the collaborative space and the working rhythms between production workers and cobots. By reconsidering what collaboration means in the workplace with cobots, we propose the concept of bounded collaboration, which means that the anticipated collaboration is manifested in a partial and limited manner within a collaborative technology. Finally, we provide practical suggestions for examining and supporting organizations and users in their adoption of cobots.

Managing Employee Emotions at the Workplace in the Hospitality Industry

This paper explores frontline employees’ experience of managing emotions at their workplaces. The data for this study were collected using semi-structured interviews with fifteen hotel employees in Macao who were either working or had worked previously as frontline staff. The findings of this study reveal the nature and sources of emotional disturbances for hotel employees as well as strategies used by them to manage their emotions at their workplaces. The study also highlights the impacts of repeated controlling of emotions on employees, and the need for policy makers, including the hotel managers and government agencies that regulate hospitality employment, to develop regulations that emphasise these issues.

Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Residences and Workplaces under the Influence of Metro Transportation in Metropolises from the Perspectives of Accessibility and Travelers’ Industries: The Case of Guangzhou

The spatial separation between residences and workplaces of citizens is a challenge encountered by many, causing urban problems like long-distance commutes, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution due to the heavy usage of cars. As a result of this phenomenon, metro transportation has become an increasingly important means of transportation in metropolises. To further understand the spatial separation issues, we analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of areas under the influence of metro transportation in metropolises, and this could provide new approaches to this challenge. This research used Guangzhou city as a case study to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of residences and workplaces from two perspectives: accessibility, and the type of the travelers’ industries. The analysis was mainly based on (1) passengers’ travel data provided by Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd. (Guangzhou, China); (2) the resident population, based on the sixth national census in China; and (3) the employed population, based on the third economic census of China. Our research resulted in three key findings. First, the spatial separation of residences and workplaces was generally noticeable in Guangzhou but was less noticeable in the area with metro stations. Second, workplaces were concentrated in the central ring while residences were concentrated in the inner suburban ring in Guangzhou. Third, there was a relative concentration of workplaces in the same service industry and the workplaces of each service industry were concentrated in separate, respective areas in Guangzhou. On the basis of these findings, we provided suggestions for policymakers to develop specific and effective actions to mitigate the negative impacts of spatial separation.

The effect of transparency and trust on intelligent system acceptance: Evidence from a user-based study

Contemporary decision support systems are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence technology such as machine learning algorithms to form intelligent systems. These systems have human-like decision capacity for selected applications based on a decision rationale which cannot be looked-up conveniently and constitutes a black box. As a consequence, acceptance by end-users remains somewhat hesitant. While lacking transparency has been said to hinder trust and enforce aversion towards these systems, studies that connect user trust to transparency and subsequently acceptance are scarce. In response, our research is concerned with the development of a theoretical model that explains end-user acceptance of intelligent systems. We utilize the unified theory of acceptance and use in information technology as well as explanation theory and related theories on initial trust and user trust in information systems. The proposed model is tested in an industrial maintenance workplace scenario using maintenance experts as participants to represent the user group. Results show that acceptance is performance-driven at first sight. However, transparency plays an important indirect role in regulating trust and the perception of performance.

A User Study for the Evaluation of Adaptive Interaction Systems for Inclusive Industrial Workplaces

In recent years, production systems have become highly sophisticated and complex. As a result, while on the one hand, the least-skilled labor has been partially displaced by machines, high-skilled labor is more required to supervise and control advanced automation systems. In many cases, the complexity of machines implies an increased complexity of human–machine interfaces (HMIs), which are the main point of contact between the operator and the machine. To enable effective use of HMIs and to enable their usage by workers with different knowledge and capabilities, novel design approaches have been proposed. In particular, in this article, we consider the approach developed in the framework of the European research project INCLUSIVE, which aimed at designing industrial HMIs that adapt to the skills and capabilities of human operators. As a case study, we consider an adaptive interaction system for the woodworking industry and present an extensive evaluation carried out in real production environment with shopfloor workers. The effectiveness of the INCLUSIVE approach has been assessed with subjective and objective measurements and compared to that of interaction systems customarily used in industry. Results have shown that users appreciated the INCLUSIVE system and largely preferred it over the customary system. Moreover, with regard to objective performance-related measurements, they performed better when using the INCLUSIVE system since they received tailored guidance during the considered working tasks. Note to Practitioners— This article was motivated by the fact that advanced automation systems are often highly complex for human operators. To address this problem, we focus on the importance of designing the automation system around users and discuss an approach for adaptive automation, called INCLUSIVE. Its main feature is that it adapts the human–machine interface (HMI) according to operator’s skills, capabilities, and current mental fatigue. In this article, we provide an extensive evaluation of the INCLUSIVE system, considering a company producing woodworking machines as a use case. Assessment was carried out in the company shopfloor, considering real workers, and the INCLUSIVE system was compared with the customary HMI running on the company machines. The results of our study suggest that adapting the interaction to operator’s needs allows better working performance while letting workers more satisfied with the use of the system.

Context-Adaptive Visual Cues for Safe Navigation in Augmented Reality Using Machine Learning

Augmented reality (AR) using head-mounted displays (HMDs) is a powerful tool for user navigation. Existing approaches usually display navigational cues that are constantly visible (always-on). This limits real-world application, as visual cues can mask safety-critical objects. To address this challenge, we develop a context-adaptive system for safe navigation in AR using machine learning. Specifically, our system utilizes a neural network, trained to predict when to display visual cues during AR-based navigation. For this, we conducted two user studies. In User Study 1, we recorded training data from an AR HMD. In User Study 2, we compared our context-adaptive system to an always-on system. We find that our context-adaptive system enables task completion speeds on a par with the always-on system, promotes user autonomy, and facilitates safety through reduced visual noise. Overall, participants expressed their preference for our context-adaptive system in an industrial workplace setting.

Elbow-Height Handle and Staggered Stance Exhibited Greatest Force in Pushing and Pulling: A Study among Malaysian Adults

Introduction: Pushing and pulling activities are common in daily life and industrial workplaces. These activities are potentially contributing to muscle fatigue in the back and shoulder if not managed ergonomically. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the maximum strength of Malaysian adults in horizontal symmetrical two-handed pushing and pulling with different handle heights and stances. Methods: Forty-seven participants of 24 males and 23 females were recruited in pushing and pulling experiments. The participants were assistant engineers and postgraduate students of a technical university. The dependent variable was the magnitude of push/ pull force. The independent variables consisted of action, handle height and stances. The experimental design was set for 2 actions, 3 handle heights and 2 stances, yielding 12 variables combinations. Results: Key findings of this study revealed that combination of pull action, handle height at elbow level and staggered stance exhibited greatest force. On the contrary, combination of push action, handle height at knuckle level and parallel stance resulted in lowest force. In pushing test, both male and female participants obtained greatest force of 233.3 N and 121.7 N, respectively, when the handle height was at elbow level and staggered stance. Similarly, in pulling test, males and females obtained highest force of 242.9 N and 152.4 N, respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that handle height at elbow level and staggered stance exhibited greatest force in pushing and pulling activities. This study provides information to individuals who involved in pushing and pulling tasks with least force exertion to minimize muscle fatigue in the back and shoulder. Future studies should consider the following recommendations: 1) Participants of study should involve manufacturing industry workers. 2) To study the effect of pushing and pulling tasks on muscle activity.

Injury Impoverished: Workplace Accidents, Capitalism, and Law in the Progressive Era

Injury Impoverished: Workplace Accidents, Capitalism, and Law in the Progressive Era

Craft is ubiquitous

This Special Issue presents a selection of contributions that seek to extend the idea of what craft practice and research can be. They stem from the conference presentations in the 1st Biennial International Conference for the Craft Sciences (BICCS), held online during 4–6 May 2021. This conference was initiated by the Craft Laboratory in Mariestad city, which is affiliated with the Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. What counts as craft, and what does not, has been discussed with the general consensus that craft often evades definitions and instead thrives as an adhesive between other domains. In this editorial we claim that craft practice is ubiquitous, since acts of ‘crafting’ are infiltrated in most aspects of society, from the industrial workplace to the home. In addition to being a professional domain, craftmanship is also an attitude and a way of life. Craft making further facilitates shared reflective platforms which can carry and sustain cultural associations, or even social resistance, over time. We hope to invite readers to extend the notions of what crafts can be, by discussing issues related to such various topics as plant propagation, crystal growing, neuroscientific activity tracking, multimodal presentations of craft research and hybrid forms of digital and handmade craft processes. We also present an overview of educational contexts of crafts and discuss the role of the craft practitioner in heritage studies such as traditional boat building or industrial lace making.

Beyond the New Deal Order: U.S. Politics from the Great Depression to the Great RecessionCapitalism Contested: The New Deal and Its Legacies

Beyond the New Deal Order: U.S. Politics from the Great Depression to the Great RecessionCapitalism Contested: The New Deal and Its Legacies

Optimising industry learners’ online experiences – lessons for a post-pandemic world

ABSTRACT This study examines the experiences and impact COVID-19 has had on industry online learners. Exploring initially the term ‘industry learner' and explaining the background to the design of the online modules the learners participated on. The design and delivery of this programme resulted in minimal impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explores qualitative reports of industry learners’ experiences, and these are analysed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that the design principle of maximising social interaction, at peer to peer and peer to educator levels, resulted in an enhanced student experience. Group based interactions were recognised by learners as both an occasional source of friction, but also as a valuable proxy for industry leadership roles and workplace group dynamics. This highlights the complex enhancing and inhibiting nature of group-based learning. Implications for further optimisation of online and blended learning environments are explored and associated future research priorities are identified.

Team Based Project Learning Model on The MBKM Course in The Department of Nonformal Education

The PISA ranking places Indonesia in 2019 at 74th, or the 6th bottom of the 79 countries surveyed. From this data alone, we can describe how low the cognitive abilities or intelligence of Indonesian students are. In the education curriculum, the government has designed special standards so that Indonesian students are increasingly trained in their cognitive abilities, and are increasingly able to solve problems well. Freedom to learn is an idea that gives freedom to educators and students in determining the learning system. The purpose of the declaration of independent learning is to create a meaningful education and emphasize aspects of skills and experiences in learning. The spirit brought by the concept of independent learning is the flexibility and freedom in designing and managing learning for educational actors, ranging from educational institutions, educators, to students. The main programs are: the ease of opening new study programs, changes to the accreditation system for higher lecturers, the convenience of state higher education institutions becoming state universities with legal entities, and the right to study for three semesters outside the study program. Students are given the freedom to take credits outside the study program, three semesters which are meant in the form of 1 semester of opportunity to take courses outside the study program and 2 semesters of participating in learning activities outside of higher education. Various forms of learning activities outside of tertiary institutions, including conducting internships/work practices in industry or other workplaces, implementing community service projects in villages, teaching in educational units, participating in student exchanges, conducting research, conducting entrepreneurial activities, conducting studies/ independent projects, and following humanitarian programs. All these activities must be carried out by students with guidance from the lecturer. The learning process at the Merdeka Campus is one of the most essential manifestations of student-centered learning. Learning in the Merdeka Campus provides challenges and opportunities for the development of innovation, creativity, capacity, personality, and student needs, as well as developing independence in seeking and finding knowledge through realities and field dynamics such as ability requirements, real problems, social interaction, collaboration, self-management, performance demands, targets and achievements. Through an independent learning program that is well designed and implemented, students' hard and soft skills will be formed strongly.

Hotel Workplace Environment, Millennial Culture and Graduates Career Commitment: An Empirical Investigation

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the influence of the hotel industry workplace environment and the moderating effect of Millennial culture on graduates’ career commitment. The study population was among the hospitality graduates working at five-star hotels in Indonesia. The graduate’s responses were tapped using a quantitative approach. The proposed model is analyzed through the Partial-least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) assessment. The study findings revealed that the Millennial hospitality graduates’ commitment to a career in the hotel industry is strongly related to the working hours, working environment, and salary. However, career advancement opportunities are insignificant predictors of career commitment. Interestingly, the Millennial culture is manifestly found as an insignificant moderating factor in explaining the relationship between Millennial graduates’ perception of the hotel industry workplace environment and their career commitment. These findings advance the understanding of how modern graduates’ perception of the hotel industry’s hallmark workplace environment can influence their career commitment.