Safety Compliance Research Articles

AI-based detection and identification of low-level nuclear waste: a comparative analysis

Ensuring environmental safety and regulatory compliance at Department of Energy (DOE) sites demands an efficient and reliable detection system for low-level nuclear waste (LLW). Unlike existing methods that rely on human effort, this paper explores the integration of computer vision algorithms to automate the identification of such waste across DOE facilities. We evaluate the effectiveness of multiple algorithms in classifying nuclear waste materials and their adaptability to newly emerging LLW. Our research introduces and implements five state-of-the-art computer vision models, each representing a different approach to the problem. Through rigorous experimentation and validation, we evaluate these algorithms based on performance, speed, and adaptability. The results reveal a noteworthy trade-off between detection performance and adaptability. YOLOv7 shows the best performance and requires the highest effort to detect new LLW. Conversely, OWL-ViT has lower performance than YOLOv7 and requires minimal effort to detect new LLW. The inference speed does not strongly correlate with performance or adaptability. These findings offer valuable insights into the strengths and limitations of current computer vision algorithms for LLW detection. Each developed model provides a specialized solution with distinct advantages and disadvantages, empowering DOE stakeholders to select the algorithm that aligns best with their specific needs.

Fostering healthy outcomes in hotels: The effects of healthy organizational resources on employees’ stress reduction, resilience, and task performance

This study aims to learn from past global health crises, encouraging industry leaders worldwide to take proactive steps in implementing extra health and safety measures for future potential crises. The research employs a quantitative approach to investigate a proposed model suggesting that hotel employees’ adherence to health and safety regulations is contingent on the availability of supportive organizational resources. An electronic questionnaire was administered to hotel employees in Egypt, resulting in 213 valid responses. The data was analyzed using SPSS 25 and AMOS 24. The findings indicate a strong connection between health and safety training, health and safety resources, and health and safety compliance. Additionally, the results reveal direct and significant links between health and safety compliance, stress reduction, improved employee resilience, and enhanced task performance. Moreover, significant indirect effects were found between health and safety training, health and safety resources, and healthy organizational outcomes, with health and safety compliance serving as a mediator. The current study provides a valuable theoretical and practical contribution on employee motivation to comply with health standards, employee-organization interactions, resilience, and crisis management to better prepare for future health crises.

To protect and to serve? Comparing students’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the campus police in urban and suburban contexts

PurposeGiven that previous research examining students’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the campus police (CP) has largely taken place on a single campus and utilized quantitative methods, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how community context shapes students’ interactions with and perceptions of the CP in two distinct campus settings.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws on in-depth interviews with 70 undergraduates, including 36 attending a university in a relatively safe, affluent suburban area and 34 attending a university in a high crime, disadvantaged urban area.FindingsAlthough participants at both universities appreciated the presence and visibility of the CP, some Suburban U students felt that rather than being protected from outside threats, they were instead policed for engaging in behaviors that they deemed typical of the college experience. Alternatively, Urban U students expressed the opposite of their CP, providing evidence that brief and positive officer-initiated encounters can enhance perceptions of legitimacy, particularly in settings characterized by higher crime rates.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings have implications for how the CP can build trust and legitimacy among students to enhance campus safety and foster future compliance and mutual respect.Originality/valueThis study extends the findings of previous research in two important ways. First, it compares two starkly different campus contexts to understand how community setting and local crime rates influence students’ perceptions of the CP, and second, it utilizes both a comparative and qualitative research design.

The demand for safety measures in the hospitality industry: Changes over three phases of a pandemic

This study examined three phases of a pandemic for changes in demand for safety measures implemented by the hospitality industry. Findings suggested that as demands for safety changed over the different phases, the interplay between safety compliance and the three pillars of the Social Impact theory became more pronounced. Results found that health and hygiene practices became significantly more influential in travel decisions, while contactless technology maintained a negative impact on the immediacy of future travel intention. In contrast, crisis messaging had an increasingly positive impact, exacerbated by political polarization and perceptions. The relevance of physical distancing in travel decisions showed no statistical significance, most likely due to "caution fatigue", improved industry safety protocols, and a focus shift towards vaccination. Meanwhile, the role of personal protection equipment in travel planning evolved, starting strong but decreasing in importance as vaccines took prominence and travelers adapted to new norms.

Evaluating the effects of safety incentives on worker safety behavior control through image-based activity classification.

Construction worker safety remains a major concern even as task automation increases. Although safety incentives have been introduced to encourage safety compliance, it is still difficult to accurately measure the effectiveness of these measures. A simple count of accident rates and lower numbers do not necessarily mean that workers are properly complying with safety regulations. To address this problem, this study proposes an image-based approach to monitor moment-by-moment worker safety behavior and evaluate the effects of different safety incentive scenarios. By capturing workers' safety behaviors using a model integrated with OpenPose and spatiotemporal graph convolutional network, this study evaluated the effects of safety-incentive scenarios on workers' compliance with rules while on the job. The safety incentive scenarios in this study were designed as 1) varying the type (i.e., providing rewards and penalties) of incentives and 2) varying the frequency of feedback about ones' own compliance status during tasks. The effects of the scenarios were compared to the average compliance rates of three safety regulations (i.e., personal protective equipment self-monitoring hazard avoidance, and arranging the safety hook) for each scenario. The results show that 1) rewarding a good-compliance is more effective when there is no feedback on compliance status, and 2) penalizing non-compliance is more effective when there are three feedbacks during the tasks. This study provides a more accurate assessment of safety incentives and their effectiveness by focusing on safe behaviors to promote safety compliance among construction workers.

Comprehensive analysis of correlations between soil electrical resistivity and index geotechnical properties

This study investigates the relationships between soil electrical resistivity and key geotechnical properties to develop predictive models for designing grounding systems in electrical substations. Conducted on 30 soil samples from various different regions of Thailand, the research evaluates resistivity in relation to soil water content, plasticity index, and dry density. Using a comprehensive laboratory setup, the soil samples were evaluated under controlled conditions, including temperature, humidity, and salt content of the soil samples, to establish robust correlations between the measured resistivity and the index geotechnical parameters. The results reveal a significant inverse relationship between soil resistivity and water content, confirming that water content is a dominant factor influencing resistivity. Further analysis using multiple non-linear regression demonstrated strong correlations, indicating that a combination of water content, soil dry density, and plasticity index can predict soil resistivity with high reliability. This approach enables optimization of substation grounding designs to ensure operational safety and regulatory compliance. The study suggests that integrating these geotechnical assessments into standard grounding system design procedures can significantly improve the effectiveness and safety of electrical infrastructure. Recommendations for future research include expanding the dataset to encompass a broader range of soil types and investigating the effects of particle size and electrolyte content on soil resistivity. These enhancements aim to refine the predictive models and address the broader applicability of the results in diverse geological settings.

Development and validation of a PMA-qPCR method for accurate quantification of viable Lacticaseibacillus paracasei in probiotics.

The effectiveness of probiotic products hinges on the viability and precise quantification of probiotic strains. This study addresses this crucial requirement by developing and validating a precise propidium monoazide combination with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PMA-qPCR) method for quantifying viable Lacticaseibacillus paracasei in probiotic formulations. Initially, species-specific primers were meticulously designed based on core genes from the whole-genome sequence (WGS) of L. paracasei, and they underwent rigorous validation against 462 WGSs, 25 target strains, and 37 non-target strains across various taxonomic levels, ensuring extensive inclusivity and exclusivity. Subsequently, optimal PMA treatment conditions were established using 25 different L. paracasei strains to effectively inhibit dead cell DNA amplification while preserving viable cells. The developed method exhibited a robust linear relationship (R 2 = 0.994) between cycle threshold (Cq) values and viable cell numbers ranging from 103 to 108 CFU/mL, with an impressive amplification efficiency of 104.48% and a quantification limit of 7.30 × 103 CFU/mL. Accuracy assessments revealed biases within ±0.5 Log10 units, while Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated a mean bias of 0.058 Log10, with 95% confidence limits of -0.366 to 0.482 Log10. Furthermore, statistical analysis (p = 0.76) indicated no significant differences between theoretical and measured values. This validated PMA-qPCR method serves as a robust and accurate tool for quantifying viable L. paracasei in various sample matrices, including pure cultures, probiotics as food ingredients, and composite probiotic products, thereby enhancing probiotic product quality assurance and contributing to consumer safety and regulatory compliance.

Healthcare workers' safety compliance behavior in times of COVID-19: The interaction model.

Strengthening safety compliance behaviour can reduce the organizations' unexpected financial losses and prevent employees from continuous COVID-19. It drives this study to create a research framework involved by organizational, individual and social factors to predict employees' safety compliance behaviour. This study examines how risk perceptions of COVID-19, employee well-being, workplace health and safety training, safety motivation and safety related stigma impact safety compliance behavior in times COVID-19 pandemic. A self-administered questionnaire was disseminated to healthcare workers. In all, 344 acceptable questionnaires were derived for further analysis. The results revealed that the risk perception of COVID-19 and employee well-being has no significant relationship with safety compliance behavior. Similarly, safety related stigma also has no moderating effect on safety motivation and safety compliance behavior. However, workplace health and safety training and safety motivation have significant relationships with safety compliance behavior. This study contributes to the literature by illuminating on the importance of organizational, individual, social factors and how they can interact with safety compliance behaviour. Additionally, knowing the unique function of safety related stigma in building safety compliance behaviour may help guide future efforts and training initiatives to enhance workplace safety.

Analisis Faktor Internal dan Faktor Eksternal Kepatuhan Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja (K3) pada Pekerja Unit Teknik di PT X Kabupaten Magetan

Engineering units are complex activities with diverse jobs such as maintanace, machine operation and machine supervision. These jobs have a high risk of occupational accidents, so they must comply with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) to reduce the risk of accidents and improve worker welfare. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Compliance can be influenced by internal factors and external factors. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the factors that cause Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) compliance. This research method uses quantitative research with a cross sectional research design with logistic regression analysis. Based on the output of statistical tests, the significance results of internal factors of age 0.015 <0.05, tenure 0.009 <0.05, knowledge 0.006 <0.05, attitude 0.016 <0.05, motivation 0.028 <0.05, ability 0.003 <0.05 and the significance results of external factors of work environment 0.12 <0.05. Internal factors (age, tenure, knowledge, attitude, motivation, ability) and external factors (work environment) influence and have a positive relationship with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) compliance.

IntelliVent: A Review on Enhancing Patient Care with Advanced Ventilation Systems

IntelliVent: Enhancing Patient Care with Advanced Ventilation System intends to revolutionize mechanical ventilation by creating an automated ventilator that uses an Ambu bag and has complete monitoring features. The system precisely sets and controls respiratory parameters such as tidal volume, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, peak and plateau pressures, I:E ratio, and FiO2 levels utilizing a DC motor-driven cam lever mechanism for precision Ambu bag compression. IntelliVent uses modern sensors to monitor important patient characteristics such as blood pressure, glucose levels, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and platelet count, allowing for dynamic modifications to match unique patient demands. The complex control software offers different ventilation modes and real-time feedback loops, which improves system adaptability and responsiveness. IntelliVent's user-friendly interface, which includes real-time visualization of critical parameters and vital signs, helps clinicians make informed judgments. This project seeks to provide a cost-effective, dependable, and adjustable ventilation solution that will improve patient care quality and efficiency in critical care settings. IntelliVent aims to ensure safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance through thorough calibration, bench testing, and clinical trials, thereby setting a new standard in mechanical ventilation technology.

Facing Fear and Embracing Safety: Validation of the COVID-19 Psychosocial Scales in Essential Frontline Workers During the Pandemic.

The study has two main aims: (1) to analyze and validate the factor structure of the Fear of COVID-19, Workplace health and safety training, and Behavioral Safety Compliance scales (Study 1) in frontline Spanish COVID-19 workers from different sectors (food sector, hospitals, and death care services); and (2) to analyze and validate the factor structure of a reduced version of these scales (Study 2) in Spanish workers in the healthcare sector. Analyses carried out using R 1.4.2. allowed us to validate the factor structure of the scales in the two studies. The sample consisted of 361 participants in study 1; and 708 participants in study 2. The results indicate that the instruments offer adequate evidence of reliability and validity. The questionnaire (especially the short version) can be used by employees who were in frontline of COVID-19 in a reliable and valid way in the post-COVID-19 period, and even to prevent potential similar events that might threaten professionals' physical and mental health in the future.

Visitor safety and security compliance as a key component of event planning and implementation? Findings from a German research project on COVID-19

Introduction: Event Safety and Security Production (ESSP) typically involves event organizers, private security firms, authorities, police, fire brigades, and others. Their joint responsibility is to ensure safety, decide on measures, communicate them, and enforce them when necessary. Effective ESSP relies on visitor cooperation and rule compliance. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of rule compliance in event safety and security. With the event industry’s standstill and subsequent reopening under strict conditions, organizers had to implement comprehensive safety and hygiene measures. Studies on crowd compliance under pandemic conditions identified influencing factors. These include perceived threats, sociodemographic characteristics, group behavior, trust in institutions, etc..Methods: Little research focuses on actively promoting rule compliance. Therefore, this paper addresses three research questions (RQ): (1) To what extent does the compliance of visitor safety measures play a role in the planning and implementation of events? (2) To what extent have visitor safety measures been complied with at events during the pandemic and did that change throughout the pandemic? And finally (3) How can the compliance of measures for visitor safety explicitly be taken into account in event planning and implementation? Qualitative data from 11 expert interviews and quantitative data from a representative population survey (N = 10,239) from a German research project on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) for the safe reopening of events during the pandemic are used to answer the first two questions (RQ1; RQ2). Results of the data triangulation point to recommendations for practical application (RQ3).Results and Discussion: Findings suggest a high level of compliance with COVID-19 measures among the survey respondents, with expert consensus on the need for active and communicative visitor involvement in the implementation and enforcement of visitor safety measures. These insights extend beyond pandemic-specific events to traditional security and safety measures in crowd management. For event practice, this indicates the importance of consistent, transparent, and engaging communication strategies starting well before the event, with the customer journey approach as a potential solution. Suitable approaches to visitor safety by event organizers should be implementable and enforceable; this is the key to ensuring that event communication in relation to ESSP is effective.

Retention of prions in the polychaete Hediste diversicolor and black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larvae after short-term experimental immersion and feeding with brain homogenate from scrapie infected sheep

Finding alternative protein and lipid sources for aquafeeds is crucial for the sustainable growth of fed aquaculture. Upcycling industrial side streams and byproducts using extractive species can reduce waste and help reduce the sector's dependence on fish meal and fish oils. Polychaete worms (Hediste diversicolor) and black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) are promising candidates for converting waste materials into valuable protein and lipid sources. However, further research and evaluations are needed to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of these alternative feed sources, especially regarding prions spreading potential in the unlikely case that prions would be introduced in the value chain via feedstocks. In the present investigation, BSFL and juvenile polychaetes that had received a massive dose of scrapie prions through immersion and oral inoculation were found to harbour detectable prions using an ultrasensitive amplification method known as PMCA. This observation suggests that both H. diversicolor and BSFL have the potential to serve as mechanical vectors for prions diseases. However, it is important to note that insects, lacking the prion protein gene, are incapable of propagating prions. Therefore, the quantity of prions present in the larvae will inevitably be lower than the amount of prions they encountered. This is the first study to report on the fate of prions through ingestion by these marine and terrestrial invertebrate species.

Identification, ranking and prioritization of Key Performance Indicators for evaluating greenness of manufactured products

Sustainability has become a paramount concern in the manufacturing industry, with a growing emphasis on eco-friendly products to preserve our planet’s life-support systems. However, evaluating the ”greenness” of a manufactured product is a complex task due to data availability, varying definitions of ”green” products, and diverse environmental impacts. This research addresses this challenge by identifying, classifying, and prioritizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess green manufactured products, specifically within the Indian manufacturing context. A systematic approach was employed, incorporating Pareto analysis and the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) to identify the most significant KPIs and assign them priority. Industry, academia, and customer perspectives were considered, resulting in distinct priorities. Industry experts prioritize economic aspects, while academia emphasizes health and safety. Customers focus on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. This diversity of perspectives underscores the need for businesses to tailor their sustainability strategies to meet evolving customer demands while considering economic implications. The study identifies 30 vital KPIs crucial for evaluating green product manufacturing, encompassing dimensions like waste management, energy efficiency, workplace safety, and societal compliance. By considering these KPIs, businesses can make informed decisions to improve sustainability, reduce their environmental footprint, and align with consumer expectations. The findings provide a roadmap for businesses and policymakers to develop more effective strategies, targeting diverse stakeholder groups and promoting the production and use of green products. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in sustainable manufacturing and serves as a valuable tool for manufacturers in India and beyond, aiding them in navigating the complexities of manufacturing green products and meeting the rising demand from environmentally conscious consumers.

Incorporating military certification practices in the aerospace industry for enhanced safety and compliance

This study investigates the transfer of certification practices from the military aviation industry to the aerospace sector, emphasizing operational safety and compliance with international standards. The objective is to analyze and compare military certification processes with those of innovative aeronautical and space products, aiming to enhance their effectiveness and applicability. The adopted methodology includes a systematic literature review on military and aerospace certification, as well as a detailed comparison of the type certification processes for aeronautical and space designs. The main results highlight the shared technological complexity and economic challenges faced by the sectors, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive certification processes to ensure safety and regulatory compliance, supporting strategic objectives in advancing a safe aerospace sector aligned with global standards.

The Importance of Social Equity and Exchange to Achieve Food Safety Compliance During a Food Safety Crisis in the Restaurant Environment

ABSTRACT The impact of COVID-19 has resulted in permanent improvements in the restaurant industry. Protocols demanded by the FDA spurred the implementation of heightened food safety improvements that continued in post-pandemic times, this study investigated the impact of restaurant employees’ perception of managerial behaviors on their intention to comply with the new food safety expectations. Using Social Equity and Exchange theories as the structural basis, 2080 restaurant employees were surveyed to explore the factors of gain, responsibility, pride, trust, and value impacting intentions to comply with food safety expectations. Using PLS-SEM analysis, results suggest that valued social interactions/exchanges between subordinates and management significantly improved food safety compliance intentions among employees. Gain, responsibility, and pride together account for 60.2% variance in trust and 63.6% variance in value.

Enhancing autonomous driving safety: A robust traffic sign detection and recognition model TSD-YOLO

As autonomous driving technology rapidly advances, Traffic Sign Detection and Recognition (TSDR) has become pivotal in ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of autonomous vehicles. Despite progress, existing technologies struggle under challenging conditions such as adverse weather and complex roadway environments. To overcome these obstacles, we introduce a novel model, TSD-YOLO, which leverages Mamba and YOLO technologies to enhance the accuracy and robustness of traffic sign detection. Our innovative YOLO-MAM dual-branch module merges convolutional layer-based local feature extraction with the long-distance dependency capabilities of the State Space Models (SSMs). We conducted experimental validations using the Tsinghua-Tencent 100K (TT-100K) dataset and the Mapillary Traffic Sign Detection (MTSD) dataset, demonstrating our model’s efficacy across various datasets. Furthermore, cross-dataset validations affirm the model’s exceptional generalization and robustness across diverse environments. This study not only bolsters traffic sign detection and recognition in autonomous driving systems but also paves the way for future advancements in autonomous driving technology.

DESIGNING OF COMPUTER VISION BASED SAFETY GEAR DETECTION USING YOLO V8 AND JETSON NANO

Abstract—Enhancing worker safety on construction sites is pivotal, as lapses in wearing safety gear such as helmets, masks, and vests can lead to potential hazards. To address this issue, we introduce a novel solution leveraging the YOLO V8 device to detect helmet usage among workers. However, challenges arise due to security unawareness and discomfort, causing helmet removal. To mitigate this risk, we propose an advanced system employing the Jetson Nano board and . This system not only detects helmet adherence but also monitors the use of safety masks and vests. Unlike the existing YOLO V5-based approach, our proposed system adopts YOLO V8, ensuring heightened accuracy. The integration of a CSI Camera Module further enhances real-time monitoring capabilities. Through the synergy of Jetson Nano, YOLO V8 and CSI Camera Module, we pioneer an innovative solution to enforce safety compliance by preventing unauthorized entry without proper safety measures. Index Terms— NVIDIA Jetson Nano, Object detection, Deep Learning, YOLO V8, CSI Camera module.

Communicative Framework Development for Construction Risk Governance: An Analysis of Risk and Trust Perception for Organizational Sustainability

In the construction industry, risk governance stems from the standardization of safety policies and procedures. Safety governance is typically communicated and enforced through a top-down, command-and-control approach. Procedures and policies are created at the top level and cascaded down to the work. Individual discretion in the workplace permits a choice for worker adherence to safety procedures. Through a literature review, this study identified risk perception as a significant variable in regulatory compliance and fidelity. Individual hazard assessments and risk behaviors are often based on subjective cognitive risk perceptions rather than organizational governance policy. In the current governance system, there is a misalignment of risk perceptions and failure in trust between the workforce and the regulatory process. This study examines the impact of risk perceptions on safety compliance and promotes a more participative risk governance process for sustainable construction practices. A participative framework model is proposed to help align worker risk perceptions with organizational governance through policy creation, policy compliance and stakeholder participation and feedback. Utilizing proper discourse and cyclical communication, the proposed framework aims to increase safety fidelity, compliance, and trust in the construction industry through a more inclusive and collaborative governance strategy.

Cocoa Farmer's Use Of Approved Pesticides And Compliance With Safety Standards In Obuasi Municipality, Ghana

Amidst the agricultural landscape of Ghana lies a complex interplay of practices governing the use of approved pesticides and adherence to safety standards among farmers. By analysing data gleaned from 400 farmers through the multistage sampling technique, our aim is reveal the multifaceted influences that shape farmers' decisions in the use of approved pesticides and safety compliance. Age, education, marital status, farm ownership, experience, farm size, access to equipment and services, cooperative membership, secondary occupations, and income, significantly influence farmers' choices in the use of approved pesticides. Furthermore, compliance with safety protocols is found to be influenced by factors such as farm size, access to extension services, and the perceived relative advantage of pesticides. We advocate for policies that promote the use of approved pesticides and prioritise safety standards in agricultural practices. This may include strengthening regulatory frameworks, incentivising sustainable farming practices, and enforcing penalties for non-compliance with safety regulations.