Job Site Research Articles

Drug Use: Impact, Rules, Regulations and Mitigation Practices in the Construction Industry in the U.S

Abusing intoxicating substances such as alcohol and drugs in the construction industry poses a serious threat to the safety of workers. It is a pervasive problem that often results in fatal accidents and other relevant risks. This paper aimed to investigate the impacts of substance abuse at job sites, the perception of industry professionals about the issue, and the current practices of the industry. The objective was to compare the perception of the industry to the findings of the background study conducted in this area. To achieve this goal, the authors conducted a survey to analyze (1) the difference in perception between onsite and administrative teams regarding the issue of onsite substance abuse, (2) comparing possibilities of occurrence of diverse impacts of substance abuse as per the industry perspective, and (3) effectiveness of the available mitigation practices according to industry professionals. The results show that (1) there is a significant difference in perception regarding the existence and the seriousness of the problem of substance abuse in the construction companies between the onsite and the administrative teams, (2) though fatal accidents are the worst possible impact, loss in productivity is considered as the most common impact, and (3) drug-testing is not considered as the best mitigation practice by construction professionals. It was concluded that there is a need for education on the seriousness of drug abuse as well as extensive research for developing more efficient mitigation systems.

Welding flame detection based on color recognition and progressive probabilistic Hough transform

SummaryWelders are widely used in machinery manufacturing and machining industry. In the process of electric welding, accidents are often caused by some unsafe behaviors. This paper focuses on the intelligent recognition method of welding flame, which can reduce the accidents of welding flame to a certain extent. Due to the difficulties in observing workers on job sites, developing an algorithm for intelligent identification of unsafe factors is significant. Firstly, Hue,Saturation and Value (HSV) color space with strong robustness is selected to segment the mark image with threshold value, and the region of interest in which the welding fame is located is segment; secondly, the Progressive Probabilistic Hough transform is used to detect the region of interest, judge the number of existing lines, and finally determine whether there is welding flame in this region. In this way, the welding flame can be better detected, which can reduce the workload of managers and is beneficial to the supervision of the management personnel.

Robot-based facade spatial assembly optimization

Robotic involvement in construction is still in its initial stages compared to other industries. Conventionally, the facade panel picking position is done manually by trial and error. The designer chooses a place to pick up a facade piece within reach of the robot arm, and then simulates the entire pick and place process in a digital model before applying to the assembly on the construction job site. After that the designer might detect errors, collisions, or singularities, which require the designer to modify the position of picking by changing the location or orientation of the module, thus repeating the simulation cycle until they reach a satisfactory result with no errors or collisions. This work is usually considered monotonous, inefficient, and time consuming. Therefore, this research proposes an optimization process implemented in design stage of construction project via static performance criteria in order to automatically search for the best picking location within the reach of the robot arm. The goal is to automate the process of robot location finding and solve the limitations of modular robot assembly simulation processes in order to allow for effective execution during the robotic construction implementation. The proposed approach, called iFobot, consists of three modules: Facade Generative Modeling (iFobot-D), Robot Position Optimization (iFobot-B), and Culminating Feedback to BIM (iFobot-L). Specifically, the scope of the paper is limited to the robot arm and facade picking and placing location finding processes. This research allows initial assessment of the possible assembly process as regards the dimensions of modules and hence the overall dimensions of the system, which subsequently influences assembly implementation in the construction job site. A set of generative algorithms were developed using commercially developed visual programming language that automatically populate facade modules on the building envelope, find the robot and facade assembly locations with their quantity take-off, and integrate the module with the BIM environment. A case study has been developed to validate and test the proposed system. The results prove that the system generates optimized locations for the robot arm workstations with the lowest possible collision and reachability rate while addressing robot operation time reduction, thus reducing risks encountered during facade assembly and increasing productivity. Moreover, the iFobot is predicted to influence decision making during the facade assembly process on a physical construction job site.

Automated verification of 3D manufacturability for steel frame assemblies

The emergence of off-site construction has shifted many construction activities from job sites to controlled factory environments, enabling the extensive use of automated machines in the fabrication of construction-oriented products (such as fame assemblies). When using highly automated machines in agile manufacturing, the process planning becomes the bottleneck since it is mostly manual, experienced-based, and error prone. Even though the manufacturability was proven to be automatically evaluated for 2D wood-framed assemblies, many construction-oriented products, such as steel-framed assemblies, have three-dimensional features that have not yet been accounted for. This paper extends the previously developed 2D framework for 3D applications as required in steel-framed assemblies, in order to automatically check the manufacturability of steel frame assemblies given the building information model (BIM). The proposed system detects intersection regions in a frame assembly and calculates areas that require manufacturing operations, such as fastening with screws. This objective is accomplished with the use of classic techniques commonly used in computational geometry. The proposed framework is validated using a steel frame with commonly encountered geometric features in the machine environment. The result proves that the proposed approach automatically and accurately determines the manufacturing locations of the frame assembly.

Ontology-based semantic modelling to support knowledge-based document classification on disaster-resilient construction practices

Construction sites can be particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as hurricanes. They include incomplete structures that are still under construction, temporary structures and unsecured equipment that could be damaged during disasters, and hazardous materials that require special handling and storage. Therefore, to facilitate more resilient built environments, there is sorely a need to equip construction professionals with knowledge on disaster-resilient construction practices (DRCPs). To address this need, this paper proposes an ontology-based semantic model for representing and reasoning about the knowledge of DRCPs in construction job sites. The model is designed to serve as a foundation for a knowledge-based decision-making system on DRCPs. The model was implemented in a document classification module of the system, and the results of the experiment indicate that the model is applicable in supporting the classification of DRCP knowledge. The proposed model facilitates effective and efficient decision-making towards more resilient construction sites.

OntoJob Query Processor: An Ontology Driven Query Processing Method in Jobology Information System

There are a large numbers of jobsites/job portals that provide information about employment on the internet. These websites facilitate employers to post job lists. Job seekers go through those job posts and apply for the same. But, due to the availability of dozens of job portals, job seekers are unable to concentrate on the efforts to see the best outcomes. The overall objective of the paper is to develop a prototype system that provides a platform for the job seeker to access all the job lists from various job sites on a single click, at the same place with respect to the fired query. For this purpose, an ontology driven information system named as Jobology is discussed that integrates various Jobboards using the approach of ontology alignment. The system takes user’s query in keyword format and in response generates a set of SPARQL queries. These SPARQL queries are then fired on their respective ontologies and in turn they yield the results. These results are merged and finally presented to user. As a contribution of this paper, we have proposed an “OntoJob” Query processor that takes job seeker query in keyword format and in turn generates a set of SPARQL queries with respect to every jobboard. The proposed approach is implemented in JAVA using OWLAPI on window platform. To evaluate the proposed work, comparison analysis between Jobboards, proposed ontologies and integrated system was performed. The results came out to be very satisfactory.

Multimedia Narrative: Technologies, Content, Platforms

Many economic sectors are characterized by the production of information whose analysis enables the creation of content for different audiences. After analyzing ads on the global job and recruitment sites was identified the need for narrative professionals in various business sectors with qualifications for software, multiple platforms, and multimedia content.

AR/VR is this year's hot ticket for jobs: But growth in demand for blockchain developers stutters - [Careers

It's a good time to be an engineer specializing in augmented reality or virtual reality. That's the conclusion of the latest report by the job site Hired, which released its annual state of software engineers report in February. To compile its data, Hired reviewed 420,000 interview requests from 10,000 companies made to 98,000 job seekers throughout 2019.

Safety Voice for Ergonomics (SAVE): Evaluation of a masonry apprenticeship training program

BackgroundMasons have a high rate of musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers and greater than all other industries. Viable solutions to musculoskeletal hazards have been identified by industry stakeholders, yet masons receive minimal ergonomics training. Apprentices, as the next generation of masons, need training and strategies to identify and speak up about ergonomic and safety issues on job sites. To fill this gap, our team developed the Safety Voice for Ergonomics (SAVE) training program. MethodsThe interactive, 7-unit SAVE program was developed specifically for masonry brick and block apprentices. This innovative training contains detailed ergonomics lessons focusing on risk factors and solutions specific to this masonry craft. It also contains lessons that provide communication and problem solving strategies. Evaluation of SAVE employed a randomized control trial designed to assess the effectiveness of SAVE for apprentices over a six-month period. ResultsOur findings demonstrated that compared to controls, SAVE trained apprentices used their safety voice more (P = .049) and had greater safety participation (P = .028). They adopted more ergonomic practices such as adjusting scaffolding (P = .016) and using better body postures (P = 042). Apprentices liked SAVE and indicated that it prompted them to change workplace safety behaviors. ConclusionsSAVE is an effective program, providing needed ergonomic and safety communication training for workers as they begin their trade. The broad adoption of SAVE training by the masonry industry has the potential to empower apprentices, elevate the trade's safety culture, and ultimately reduce musculoskeletal disorders.

Visual Language-Aided Construction Fire Safety Planning Approach in Building Information Modeling

Fires pose an enormous threat to human safety and many spectacular fires in under-construction buildings were reported over the past few years. Many construction sites only rely on fire extinguishers, as under-construction buildings do not contain a permanent fire protection system. Traditional safety planning lacks a justified approach for the firefighting equipment installation planning in the construction job site. Even though many government agencies made safety regulations for firefighting equipment installations, it is still a challenge to translate and execute these rules at the job site. Currently, the construction industry is devoted to discovering all the possible applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology in the entire phases of the project life cycle. BIM technology enables the presentation of facilities in 3-D and offers rule-based modeling through visual programming tools. Therefore, this paper focuses on a visual language approach for rule translation and a multi-agent-based construction fire safety planning simulation in BIM. The proposed approach includes three core modules, namely: (a) Rule Extraction and Logic Development (RELD) Module, (b) Design for Construction Fire Safety (DCFS) Module, and (c) Con-fire Safety Plan Simulation (CSPS) Module. In addition, the DCFS module further includes three submodules, named as (1) Firefighting Equipment Installation (FEI) Module, (2) Bill of Quantities (BoQs) for firefighting Equipment (BFE) Module, and (3) Escape Route Plan (ERP) Module. The RELD module converts the OSHA fire safety rule into mathematical logic, and the DCFS module presents the development of the Con-fire Safety Planning approach by translating the rules from mathematical logic into computer-readable language. The three sub-modules of the DCFS module visualize the outputs of this research work. The CSPS module uses a multi-agent simulation to verify the safety rule compliance of the portable firefighting equipment installation plan the system in a BIM environment. A sample project case study has been implemented to validate the proof of concept. It is anticipated that the proposed approach has the potential to helps the designers through its effectiveness and convenience while it could be helpful in the field for practical use.

Analysis of Historical Worker Exposures to Respirable Dust from Talc Mining and Milling Operations in Vermont.

Talc is mined and milled throughout the world for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. Although prior studies have evaluated workplace exposures or health effects from talc operations, the primary emphasis of these investigations has been on certain mineral contaminants (e.g. crystalline silica and asbestos) rather than talc itself. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate historical worker exposures to respirable dust (as a measure of talc exposures) in the Vermont talc mines and mills, which involved a relatively pure form of talc (i.e. no asbestos and <0.25% or <1% crystalline silica). Respirable dust sampling data collected for workers in the Vermont mines and mills, which have not been previously published, were obtained from both mining company records and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspections. Because of differences in sampling design, the company and MSHA data were analyzed and reported separately. Overall, nearly 700 respirable dust samples collected for 44 job categories at 7 site locations over an approximate 30-year period were analyzed. Average respirable dust concentrations were found to exceed occupational exposure limits (OELs) in the United States and other countries for several job categories and site locations. Regardless of data source, the highest observed exposures were for mining jobs involving the operation of heavy equipment to break up, move, or load raw ore from the mines and milling or shipping jobs involving the crushing of raw ore, cleaning and drying of processed talc, and bagging and packaging of the final talc product. When analyzing the company data, the arithmetic mean respirable dust concentration was 2.73 mg m-3 for Muckerman at Hammondsville Mine, 3.18 mg m-3 for dosco operator at Ludlow mines, 1.35 mg m-3 for crusher operator at Gassetts Mill, 2.4 mg m-3 for palletizer at West Windsor Mill, and 2.68 mg m-3 for bagging operator at Columbia Shipping Center. When analyzing the MSHA data, the arithmetic mean respirable dust concentration was 3.5 mg m-3 for kiln/dryer operator at Hammondsville Mine, 1.27 mg m-3 for driller at Ludlow mines, 3.69 mg m-3 for ball mill operator at Columbia mill, 3.02 mg m-3 for flotation operator at West Windsor Mill, and 3.24 mg m-3 for bagging operator at Columbia Shipping Center. Worker exposures were found to decline over time for many, but not all, jobs. Our findings highlight potential high-risk jobs that might benefit from additional exposure control strategies at current or future talc manufacturing sites. The respirable dust measurements summarized here may also be used to reconstruct historical worker exposures at the Vermont sites or aid in subsequent epidemiology studies of this cohort focused on malignant or non-malignant respiratory disease.

Challenges and enablers of augmented reality technology for in situ walkthrough applications

The successful implementation of situational-awareness enhancement using next-generation augmented reality in construction project walkthroughs has significant associated challenges. In this research, an augmented reality (AR) approach was developed to evaluate and showcase the trade-offs between capacity, latency, and reliability for the technology. The approach, named “i-Tracker”, overlays visualizations of designs by creating virtual content to be superimposed into physical contexts. i-Tracker uses the latest generation of mobile computing technology to effectively locate design information from existing parametric engineering designs (architectural, structural, and mechanical objects) and create a fully animated scene in situ. The i-Tracker technology uses a combination of depth-sensing cameras and inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. The evaluation of this technology demonstrates the requirements and limitations applicable to the implementation of this technology in job sites. In the example use case, the device’s relative position and orientation with respect to the user are estimated. Performance features such as motion tracking, localization, error dispersion with respect to luminance, system processing speed, and ambiguity in the feature tracking are evaluated. i-Tracker contributes to the body of literature and current work on the use of positioning and tracking systems in real construction sites within the AR context. This project advances understanding of rapid implementations and the use of AR visualizations on job sites, utilizing significant progress in mobile and ubiquitous computing with faster central processing units (CPUs) and graphical processing units (GPUs).

Automated rigging design for heavy industrial lifts

Modular-based heavy industrial construction projects typically involve the use of mobile cranes to lift and place large heavy prefabricated modules. These modules must be lifted vertically, raised evenly, and maintained in a level position during the lift in order to prevent them from deflecting and, more importantly, to mitigate safety issues regarding potential rigging failure. In this respect, a comprehensive crane lift study at the planning stage of the project is required to ensure the lifts are successful and to improve safety and productivity. One of the most tedious and time-intensive tasks involved in conducting the lift study is the design of the rigging assemblies, which are the link between the crane hook and the module. In practice, however, this task is performed manually and relies heavily on guesswork, which is error-prone and time-consuming, especially when the center of gravity is offset from the center of the module. Poorly designed rigging assemblies are only detected at the job site when the module does not raise evenly at the beginning of the lift, which then results in wasted time and productivity loss as the assembled components have to be unrigged and properly adjusted. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes an automated mathematical-based rigging assembly design system that consists of: (i) collecting module and available rigging component information; (ii) the solver analysis, which calculates the sling angles and performs the calculations required to balance the module; (iii) the rigging assembly designer, which determines the required capacity of the rigging components and selects the suitable riggings from the database; (iv) rigging assembly design alternatives; and (v) the 3D visualizer, which creates a 3D model of the designed rigging assembly. This framework enables lift engineers to create rigging assembly designs more precisely and expeditiously. The methodology is validated in a case study.

Spatial Implications of Telecommuting

If the 2020 surge in working from home became permanent, how would the distribution of jobs and residents within and across U.S. cities change? To study this question, we build a quantitative spatial equilibrium model of job and residence choice with commuting frictions between 4,502 sub-metropolitan locations in the contiguous U.S. A novel feature of our model is the heterogeneity of workers in the fraction of time they work on-site: some workers commute daily, some always work at home, while others alternate between working on-site and remotely. In a counterfactual where remote work becomes more common, residents move from central to peripheral areas within cities, and from large coastal to small interior cities, on average. The reallocation of jobs is less monotonic, with increases both in peripheral locations and in the highest-productivity metropolises. Agglomeration externalities from in-person interactions are crucial for welfare effects. If telecommuters keep contributing to productivity as if they worked on-site, better job market access drives considerable welfare gains, even for those who continue to commute. But if productivity declines in response to the reduction in face-to-face interactions, wages fall and most workers are worse off.

A Study on Soft Skill and Its Impact of Growth and Productivity in Service Industry

In Indian economy the demand for Soft skills is at boom. With special reference to service sector; communication skills, self - management, creativity, teamwork, leadership and customer services is highly required. Soft skills are directly influencing the growth of individuals in terms of employment and promotions as well as the industry in terms of revenue and expansion. The role of Soft skills is increasing gradually as the economy is moving towards expansion of service sector. Soft skills as a human capital plays a fundamental role in service sector industry. This research study has analyzed Soft skills role specifically in retail financial services. The study focuses on acknowledging the importance of Soft skills in services. For this purpose the information has been gathered from the industry experts from Life Insurance, General Insurance and Equity. Analysis of various job sites and the earlier research studies in the similar direction has been done. The present study is an attempt to make an in depth analysis of the impact of Soft skills on the rapidly growing selected industries of service sector. The study is confined to selected services in the city of Chennai.

Current trends and problems of division of labor in dentistry

The aim of the study was to study current trends and topical problems of the division of labor in dentistry. Materials and methods. Various sources of information were analyzed, including special literature, regulatory legal acts, advertisements on job sites and official statistics; a systemic approach, content analysis and comparative method were used. Results. The applied value of the main normative documents that define today the professional model of a dentist (Professional standard, Nomenclature of specialties, Qualification requirements) is revealed. The advantages and disadvantages of the narrowly focused specialization of dentists are noted. The analysis of the existing practice of using auxiliary personnel in dental clinics is carried out. It is pointed out the shortcomings of providing nurses to doctors of state dental institutions, as well as the fact that the current regulations define the functions of a nurse without taking into account dental specifics. At the same time, dental assistants work in private clinics, but this category of medical personnel is not formally available, since it is not provided for by current legislation. Conclusion. Based on the analysis, concludes that it is necessary to develop a concept of the division of labor in dentistry, which makes it possible to determine the roles (compositions of functions) of various dental specialists, the rational boundaries of the specialization of dentists and the criteria for assigning certain medical actions to the exclusive competence of a particular specialty. Along with this, it is proposed, as a priority, to officially introduce a new specialty “Nursing in dentistry” and the position of dental assistant.

Investigation of Employers' Preferences for the Design of Staffing Agency Incentives to Hire Ex-Felons

A criminal record can severely damage labor market prospects. While public and private organizations have developed a host of policies to encourage employers to hire people with a record, research suggests some of the policies may have negative unintended consequences. To explore ways to mitigate these consequences, we conducted a discrete-choice experiment in the summer of 2017 with a nationally representative sample of employers. Employers indicated their preferences for incentives offered by staffing agencies to hire individuals with one non-violent felony conviction. These incentives include: a replacement guarantee, more detailed work history, provision of transportation to/from job site, and a fee discount. The baseline incentive involved a staffing agency verifying that the ex-offender did not have safety or rule violations in previous companies and a fee discount worth the same amount as the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit for ex-felons (WOTC). At baseline, less than half (43%) of employers would consider hiring an individual with this incentive. The likelihood of hiring an individual with a record increased from the baseline by 69 percent if a staffing agency also provided a guarantee of a replacement worker in the event the individual was deemed unsuitable. Employers were 53 percent more likely to hire an individual providing a certificate of validated positive previous work performance history. Having consistent transportation increased the probability of being considered for hire by 33 percent, and doubling the fee discount increased the baseline probability by 42 percent.

The Road from Lumberman to Forester “Professional Forestry Education from the Job Site” (Voluntary Symposium at the Japanese Forest Society: What Matters in Professional Forestry Education System in Japan? Rethinking Forest Science, Technology and Society)

The Road from Lumberman to Forester “Professional Forestry Education from the Job Site” (Voluntary Symposium at the Japanese Forest Society: What Matters in Professional Forestry Education System in Japan? Rethinking Forest Science, Technology and Society)

A Study on the Research of Competency Model Development in the Korean Job Site

A Study on the Research of Competency Model Development in the Korean Job Site

Risk communication in Athabasca oil sands tailings operations

Oil sands operations involve many working groups, which can result in communication silos that make effective risk communication challenging. Workers are also directly at risk when they encounter conditions that contain hazards they are not equipped to identify and control. This is illustrated by fatalities in the oil sands related to unseen ground hazards at tailings storage and transport facilities. This research asked how gaps in communication between different working groups can be identified and how information about risks can be effectively disseminated to workers who interact with these facilities. Using ground hazards as a case study, we analyzed four datasets to identify areas for enhanced risk communication. The aim was to determine the hazards that workers see on the job site and compare their responses to tailings safety experts, geotechnical analysis, and recorded incidents. This will allow for the design of effective risk communication strategies at oil sands tailings operations. Traditional risk communication principles to disseminate information to external stakeholders will be applied to an internal audience of workers in tailings operations. The aim is to enhance the dialogue regarding risks across the organization. This will be done by increasing the knowledge and understanding of ground hazards in oil sands tailings operations, resulting in the invisible becoming seen and the risk tolerance among workers being lowered.