Safety Framework Research Articles

Navigating ethical challenges of explainable ai in autonomous systems

The rapid integration of autonomous systems, such as vehicles, drones, and robots, into various sectors brings forth significant ethical challenges concerning their decision-making processes. This paper examines the role of Explainable AI (XAI) in addressing these challenges, particularly regarding accountability in the event of accidents and the necessity of human oversight in automated environments. We discuss the critical ethical implications of transparency, emphasizing how XAI can bridge the gap between complex algorithmic decision-making and public understanding, thereby fostering trust in these technologies. The paper also outlines the current regulatory frameworks for AI safety, analysing their effectiveness in promoting responsible innovation. Furthermore, we investigate the consequences of opaque algorithms, especially in life-critical applications where the stakes are exceptionally high. Through an analysis of case studies, we showcase how organizations have successfully implemented XAI to enhance safety measures and uphold ethical responsibility in their autonomous systems. Ultimately, this study advocates for the integration of XAI as a vital component in developing responsible autonomous technologies, ensuring accountability, and safeguarding public trust in an era increasingly defined by automation.

Designing comprehensive workforce safety frameworks for high-risk environments: A strategic approach

High-risk industries such as oil and gas, construction, and manufacturing face significant challenges in safeguarding their workforce due to the inherent dangers of their operations. This paper presents a strategic approach to designing comprehensive workforce safety frameworks that address both personal and process safety. Personal safety focuses on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), behavior-based safety programs, and training, while process safety aims to manage operational risks such as equipment malfunctions and hazardous materials. The interdependency of these two safety pillars is essential in reducing workplace accidents and ensuring a safer operational environment. Challenges in implementing safety frameworks, such as complex operations, human factors, and technological and regulatory barriers, are also discussed. To overcome these challenges, the paper proposes a series of strategic solutions, including risk assessment, technology integration, continuous improvement, and stakeholder collaboration. By adopting these recommendations, industries can develop customized safety frameworks that protect their workforce and enhance operational efficiency. Keywords: High-Risk Industries, Workforce Safety, Personal Safety, Process Safety, Risk Assessment, Safety Frameworks.

Process Management Framework for Health and Safety at Work (SST) Companies

Objective: This study aims to develop and implement a process management framework for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) companies, seeking to optimize the organization and execution of services, identifying improvement opportunities throughout the customer journey, from contract closure to renewal. The proposal is to offer an adaptable model that meets industry demands and enhances the operational efficiency of companies. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework addresses the evolution of Regulatory Standards (NRs) since the 1970s and the importance of complying with labor laws for the safety and health of workers in Brazil. The role of eSocial, created in 2014 to unify and ensure the collection of employer information, is highlighted, as well as its function in alerting them to legal risks. Method: The methodology used was action research, as defined by Oquist (1978). The research involved mapping the operational processes of OSH companies to identify areas for improvement. The first version of the framework was developed, tested, and based on the results, improved into a second version. The improvements were based on tests and validations conducted throughout the process. Results and Discussion: The first version of the framework showed positive results but also highlighted the need for improvements, which were incorporated into the second version. Changes included the restructuring of steps and the addition of a new phase focused on the commercial process. Satisfaction surveys with internal and external clients, as well as accounting firms, indicated positive acceptance but also a lack of systemic vision among professionals, affecting the quality of the work. Research Implications: The research implications are significant for the OSH sector. The developed framework improves the organization and efficiency of service-providing companies. The study also highlights the importance of performance indicators to monitor performance and mitigate risks, such as customer loss. It is recommended that future research explore the adaptation of the framework to new technologies and automation. Originality/Value: The originality of this study lies in the creation of a process management framework specifically for OSH companies, where organization and efficiency are essential for complying with labor regulations and ensuring worker safety. The value of the work resides in its practical contribution to the sector, offering an adaptable model that can be improved based on feedback and technological advancements.

Danger, Nuisance, Disregard: Analyzing User-Generated Videos for Augmented Reality Gameplay on Hand-held Devices

Augmented Reality (AR) has been largely deployed on smartphones in recent years. AR gaming, featured with geo-reference, is anchored to our real-world environments. Nevertheless, designing such AR user interaction in-the-wild is under-explored. Therefore, we examined 242 YouTube videos regarding AR gameplay, primarily Pokémon GO, (1) to reveal personal and social threats during gameplay, and (2) to identify how such threats connect to the user and spatial contexts. Our video analysis generalises the threats, including but not limited to hitting bystanders, falling off a cliff, car crashes, crowds and blockages, and stampedes. Through video analysis, we connect the threats with the user and spatial contexts. Subsequently, we propose several design tactics to deliver safe and nuisance-free AR usages in physical environments. Finally, we suggest strategies to consider large-scale deployment of AR at the levels of individuals and local communities, such as an auditable and accountable framework for user safety and social acceptability.

Management System for Safety, Health and Environmental Risks at Jasa Contratistas S.A.C.

The investigation focused on establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for Safety, Health and Environment at JASA Contratistas S.A.C., based on Peruvian legislation, including Law No. 29783 and Supreme Decree No. 023-2021-MINAM. The methodology covered the initial characterization, the definition of environmental policy objectives and the evaluation of occupational risks through IPERC matrices. 122 regulatory items were identified, with 56% meeting the criteria of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (SGSST). In the environmental field, a 3.38% reduction in deforestation was evident, a 7% increase in solid waste recycling and a 5% improvement in environmental management. After the implementation of the SGSST, occupational risks decreased from 25% to 10.71%, while in the environmental aspect, deforestation reached 2.10%, solid waste treatment increased to 17.5%, and the pro-environmental attitude of employees improved by 20.8%. This system not only improved risk control and reduced accidents, but also increased productivity, ensured regulatory compliance, strengthened competitiveness and encouraged improved environmental behavior among staff.

A nationwide mixed-methods study of gaps and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in hospitals in Indonesia

There is an urgent need to understand the implementation barriers of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a mixed-methods study in public and private hospitals across all provinces in Indonesia (March-December 2023). We used a self-assessment questionnaire with a scoring system, and multilevel ordinal regression to assess associations with hospital and district-level characteristics. Focus group discussions (FGD) with hospital stakeholders examined barriers and enablers. We applied a patient safety framework to integrate results. 575 (19%) of 3026 hospitals completed the self-assessment, of whom 516 (89.7%) had a formal ASP (median 4 [IQR1-5] years), and 14 participated in FGD. The median overall ASP development score was 48.4% (35.9-62.5%), classifying 41 (8.0%) hospitals as inadequate (0-25%), 237 (45.9%) as basic (26-50%), 179 (34.7%) as intermediate (51-75%) and 59 (11.4%) as advanced (76-100%). Scores were highest for hospital leadership support (83.4% [66.7-100%]), followed by ASP team and infectious disease training (66.7% [55.6-77.8%]); education (50% [0.0-75.0%]); ASP interventions (43.8% [18.7-68.7%]); hospital infrastructure (42.9% [14.3-71.4%]); and monitoring, reporting and feedback (40.9% [27.3-54.5%]). A higher ASP development score was associated with higher hospital tiered level, longer ASP duration, and higher district-level public health development index and per capita domestic expenditure, but not with hospital ownership or geographic region. FGDs highlighted barriers related to hospital leadership support, staff technical and behavioral skills, cross-disciplinary collaboration, fear of loss of prescriber autonomy, microbiology and IT support, and hospital accreditation. Identified implementation barriers can inform actions for context-specific, sustainable improvement of ASPs.

Food safety aspects of carbon dots: a review

AbstractDiscovered in 2004, carbon dots have garnered a major attention due to their unique optical properties, nanoscale size, and cost-effectiveness. Their potential uses are applicable for bioimaging, electronics, and the food industry. Carbon dots are promising tools for detecting contaminants, identifying harmful bacteria, and monitoring essential nutrients. Here, we review the safety risks associated with applying carbon dots in the food industry, focusing on their integration into global food safety frameworks. We highlight recent advancements in the detection capabilities of carbon dots, showcasing their sensitivity and specificity in identifying foodborne pathogens and contaminants. We discuss strategies to mitigate potential health risks, such as optimizing carbon dot synthesis to minimize their toxicity and ensuring thorough regulatory assessments. Current research shows that carbon dots improve food safety, but research is needed to address safety concerns and ensure consumer confidence.

Building a Learning Management Framework for Patient Safety: Lessons From a Large Multistate System

Background Embracing a learning, transparent, and improvement culture is crucial for healthcare organizations to effectively learn from human errors and deliver safer, higher-quality patient care. However, the application of organizational learning in healthcare has been relatively narrow, necessitating the establishment of learning systems across healthcare organizations. This paper presents a novel learning management framework in a multistate health system, which is also a patient safety organization (PSO), facilitating a transition into a high reliability organization. We also provide initial results, uniquely contributing to the limited literature on healthcare learning management networks for patient safety. Methods We explore solutions for widespread learning from safety events in a large multistate U.S. healthcare system. We discuss the challenges of culture, technology, measurement systems, and barriers to learning from errors. We present our key driver diagram, critical details of implementing a learning network, and our initial findings, including the positive impact of the good catch program and the culture of safety survey. These initiatives have led to improved communication about errors and a growing willingness to learn from them, demonstrating the effectiveness of our learning management network. We also discuss the importance of data in organizational learning. Results From 2021 to 2023, the overall event reporting rate, which includes all severity levels of harm, increased by 22.41%, from 165.15 to 202.16 events per 10,000 patient days (p-value<0.0001). The reporting rate for near-miss events also rose by 20.50%, from 138.09 to 166.41 events per 10,000 patient days (p-value<0.0001). We attribute these improvements to enhanced data sharing and a culture of transparency the learning management network fosters. The “Communication about error” element in the culture of safety survey, with over 55,000 respondents, improved from 69.5% in 2020 to 70.6% in 2022 (p-value<0.0001), indicating better communication and a growing willingness to learn from errors. Feedback from over 1,000 PSO safe table participants highlighted a respectful and supportive atmosphere, acknowledging areas for improvement without blame. Conclusion In conclusion, we emphasize the comprehensive approach to patient safety, utilizing diverse strategies and evidence-backed methods to spread learning and data sources and reinforcing the commitment to “healing without harm.” Looking ahead, we aim to instill essential learning mindsets, create psychologically safe workplaces, and promote high reliability and safety behaviors. We remain optimistic that the maturation of the learning management network will ultimately contribute to a decrease in harm rates, aligning with our ongoing commitment to patient safety and continuous enhancement. Our future research will focus on further refining and expanding the learning management framework to significantly impact patient safety in healthcare organizations.

Challenges to Integrating Portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems in Emergency Medical Service Ambulances for Stroke Care

This qualitative study explores the barriers to incorporating portable MRI devices in ambulances, enabling effective patient triage and potentially reducing time to thrombolytic treatment for stroke. Using a digital twin of the patient handling process, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 paramedics and 7 neurologists from an emergency medical services system and a tertiary stroke care center. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts, guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety framework, revealed key barriers: the need for specialized MRI operation skills, complex patient handling procedures, limited space, and the necessity for training and policy development. The study proposes solutions to address these challenges, aiming to facilitate the implementation of ambulance-based MRI systems for expedited stroke care. The findings contribute to understanding the factors influencing the adoption of advanced imaging technology in pre-hospital settings, ultimately improving patient outcomes by minimizing delays in stroke treatment.

Assessment of comprehensive school safety in Vietnam: From policy to practice

Since the first School Safety Program launched by the Ministry of Education and Training in 2007, Vietnam has promoted various multi-sectoral activities to advance school safety nationwide. This study aims to identify the opportunities to advance school disaster safety by assessing policies and practices in Vietnam. A framework adapted from the ASEAN Comprehensive School Safety Framework and School Disaster Resilience Assessment is utilized to evaluate policy coverage and implementation level of school safety in Vietnam. The study systematically reviewed legal documents at national level, followed by questionnaire surveys conducted for primary schools in Da Nang City, which was selected as a pilot evaluation site owing to its vulnerability to natural disasters and extensive records of school safety practices. Results show that the most critical elements of school safety have been reflected in existing policy documents and regulations. However, the gap between policies and implementation remains due to the inadequacy of school safety viewpoint, designated roles and responsibilities, resources, and guidelines for supporting the school safety practices at the local level. The findings emphasize the importance of a national school safety framework that enables institutional and resource arrangements for better practices at the local level.

Telehealth Safety Framework: Addressing a New Frontier in Patient Safety.

Telehealth Safety Framework: Addressing a New Frontier in Patient Safety.

Mixed methods evaluation of a specialty-specific system to promote physician engagement in safety and quality reporting in a large academic health system

BackgroundIncident reporting systems (IRS) can improve care quality and patient safety, yet their impact is limited by clinician engagement. Our objective was to assess barriers to reporting in a hospital-wide...

Applying Socio-Technical Models to Alarm Management: Tailoring Bed Exit Alerts in Medical-Surgical Units.

Integration of smartphone technology with the patient call-bell system provides the opportunity to enhance patient safety by supporting nurses' ability to communicate and prioritize care delivery directly. However, challenges are associated with achieving a balance between alarm support and alarm fatigue, including distracting nurses from patient care or desensitizing the nurse to other alarms and calls [1]. Our hospitals have quantitative and anecdotal reports of seriously high volumes of wireless alerts on the nurses' smartphones. Nurses have complained that the phones are generating too much noise to consume or timely prioritize. Preliminary alarm inventory revealed the Bed Exit wireless alert as a leading contributor of signal volume across many units and hospitals. The lack of standard policies and workflow improvement processes has increased nuisance alarms, making these Health Information Technologies less useful and safe. Using system data, workflow observations, and nursing interviews, Singh and Sittig's HIT Safety framework [2] was applied to identify and prioritize sociotechnical factors and interventions that impact the end-to-end Bed Exit alarm workflow. This study reviews the application of sociotechnical models and frameworks to reduce wireless calls without introducing risk and impacting patient care.

Middle leaders pursuing teacher safety against learner victimization: A policy document analysis

Various scholars have confirmed that teacher safety against learner victimization is a growing concern worldwide, and this problem is exacerbated by a lack of understanding and readiness to implement policies to address this matter. In this regard, policy implementation by middle leaders (MLs) in creating safe school environments has attracted much less interest as a possible way of addressing issues of teacher safety and the prevention of learner victimization. MLs are regarded as individuals who have the potential to lead, plan, inspire and persuade, and in so doing, they are in an ideal position to translate policy into practice. As such, this paper provides a qualitative policy document analysis of The National School Safety Framework (NSSF) premised on the theory that every individual in the school experiences safety in dissimilar ways and has unique safety needs. The NSSF is endorsed by the Department of Basic Education to guide in addressing issues of violence and safety in South African schools. Underpinned by the rational choice theory and utilizing policy document analysis, texts in the NSSF were analysed and interpreted to propose transformative policy strategies that can assist MLs in managing teachers’ safety at schools more effectively. The findings suggest that administrative duties and a lack of time make it difficult for MLs to create a safe and supportive learning environment in schools. Another finding was that there is no clear plan outlined in the NSSF to guide MLs to pursue teacher safety against learner victimization in schools. To assist MLs, this paper proposes transformative policy strategies that can assist them in promoting teacher safety and preventing learner victimization in schools. The paper recommends that more explicit interpretation and implementation strategies be communicated with schools to assist them in fighting the war against violence in schools.

A Qualitative Analysis of Barriers to Evidence-Based Care in the Prehospital Management of Patients with Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome

Objectives Prehospital electrocardiogram (ECG) and administration of aspirin are evidence-based strategies for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, emergency medical services (EMS) compliance in patients with suspected ACS varies widely. We sought to understand the barriers to prehospital ECG acquisition and aspirin administration for patients with suspected ACS. Methods In this qualitative study, we interviewed EMS clinicians at three geographically diverse United States (U.S.)-based EMS agencies. We interviewed practicing clinicians and quality and operations leaders at these agencies. Based on the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a grounded qualitative approach with open coding. The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework and a constant comparison technique were used to identify and refine themes. Results Twenty-five paramedics and 20 additional agency personnel participated. Median age was 41 (IQR: 34–51) years and 13 (29%) were female. Themes were organized using SEIPS and longitudinally through four phases of an EMS call. During the pre-arrival phase, staffing challenges, training quality, and dispatch may anchor EMS clinicians on a diagnosis. During the diagnosis and treatment phase, safety and communication barriers may take priority over care delivery. Additionally, EMS clinicians must allocate assets (e.g. whether to send an advanced life support unit) and financial resources; veteran EMS clinicians identified their experience whereas newer clinicians cited their recent education when making these decisions. Also, diagnostic uncertainty due to increasing patient complexity and atypical presentations contributed to diagnostic errors. During the response and transport phase, the scope of practice limits the use and interpretation of the ECG, with clinicians reporting that liberal use of ECG led to more rapid decision-making. Finally, in the after phase, personnel reported the “psychologically taxing” nature of the job contributing to biases, bad habits, and burnout. Performance feedback was desired for personal development, though currently perceived as infrequent and punitive. Conclusions Multiple, interrelated themes underscored the complexities of delivering evidence-based care to prehospital patients with ACS. Education in ECG interpretation, resource allocation, bias, and enhancing feedback may serve as strategies to address the identified barriers.

Pioneering food safety: Blockchain's integration in supply chain surveillance

Ensuring food safety in a world facing escalating demand and complex supply chains is a pressing challenge. Despite increasing awareness, obstacles such as information distribution, financial limitations, and insufficient infrastructure impede food safety efforts. Blockchain technology presents a promising solution by improving transparency and traceability in supply chains, which are essential for tackling food safety issues. This study explores the integration of blockchain into food safety frameworks, emphasising its compatibility and potential to transform food production and distribution. Drawing on literature, it identifies key challenges to blockchain adoption, including regulatory frameworks and interoperability issues, and proposes strategies such as government intervention and standardisation to overcome them. Ultimately, blockchain holds immense promise in revolutionizing food safety practices, ensuring safe and nutritious food for all.

К ВОПРОСУ СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЯ НОРМАТИВНОЙ БАЗЫ ПО ПОЖАРНОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ СТОЕЧНЫХ СУДОВ

The actual problem of improving the regulatory documentation on fire safety of rack-mounted inland water transport vessels used as hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, in which there is a significant number of visitors (mass stay of people), is considered. There is an increase in the number of such vessels, and, consequently, an increased risk of fires with severe consequences. The purpose of the work is to improve the regulatory framework for fire safety of moored ships. The study used the method of analyzing statistics and problematic issues of their suppression. The results of the work showed the need to assess the features of ensuring the safety of rack-mounted non-self-propelled vessels. Based on the processing, analysis and systematization of the data obtained, it will be possible to develop proposals for further implementation in legal documents and assess the feasibility of their application.

Integrated management of safety and security barriers in chemical plants to cope with emerging cyber-physical attack risks under uncertainties

Chemical facilities face threats from accidental and intentional events, including the rising concern of cyber-physical (C2P) attacks in the digitized industrial control system era. Addressing major accident risks from safety hazards and C2P attacks requires an immediate unified framework for safety and security barrier management. This study presents a systematic risk-based approach to integrate conventional safety risks with emerging C2P attack risks. Adverse scenarios are identified, integrated into an attack-tree-bow-tie diagram, and modelled using a Bayesian network (BN). A vulnerability assessment model is developed to quantify industrial control system vulnerability to C2P attacks, considering uncertainties in attackers' knowledge levels. Monte Carlo simulations are used to handle uncertainty propagation in risk assessment, allowing the use of probability distributions for BN root nodes. Sensitivity analysis identifies critical factors/events, guiding the proposal of candidate strategies for barrier improvements. Combining cost-effectiveness analysis with a risk matrix yields the optimal strategy for safety and security barrier enhancements based on risk estimations. A hypothetical case study demonstrates the proposed approach's effectiveness in integrated safety and security barrier management, considering security vulnerability patching and safety barrier maintenance scheduling from a cost-effective perspective.

EXTENDING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FOR SAFETY‐CRITICAL DEFENCE APPLICATIONS

AbstractDefence sector applications are often characterised by a high level of complexity: in the technical systems involved, in their management and supply chain arrangements, and in the dynamic nature of the risks involved. ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 is well established as a standard that provides a common set of life cycle processes and terminology for engineering complex systems. However, it takes a generic approach that does not directly address the needs of systems with a safety impact. In contrast, safety‐specific standards like IEC 61508 provide a well‐known framework for the functional safety of electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic safety‐related systems, but do not address the complexity commonly found in systems in the defence sector.In IEC 63187‐1, the International Electrotechnical Commission is drafting a new standard to provide a safety framework for defence applications. It uses modern systems engineering principles that build on ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, extending it with requirements to make it appropriate for critical systems in the defence sector. This paper discusses how IEC 63187‐1 uses ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 to achieve the goals of system safety, why this approach was adopted, the expected benefits and some of the impacts of designing the new safety framework this way.

Developing Causality and Severity Assessment Frameworks for Food Safety Signals Using Social Media Reviews: A Technical Report Based on Data From an Urban Indian Suburb.

Social media reviews are a valuable data source, reflecting consumer experiences and interactions with businesses. This study leverages such data to develop a passive surveillance framework for food safety in urban India. By employing a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT)-powered Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis tool, branded as Eat At Right Place (ERP), the study analyses over 100,000 reviews from 93 restaurants to identify and assess food safety signals. The Causality Assessment Index (CAI) and Severity Assessment Score (SAS) are introduced to systematically evaluate potential risks. The CAI uses pattern recognition and temporal relationships to establish causality while the SAS quantifies severity based on sub-aspects such as cleanliness, food handling, and unintended health outcomes. Results indicate that 40% of the restaurants had a CAI above 1, highlighting significant food safety concerns. The framework successfully prioritizes corrective actions by grading the severity of issues, demonstrating its potential for real-time food safety management. This study underscores the importance of integrating innovative data-driven approaches into public health monitoring systems and suggests future improvements in natural language processing algorithms and data source expansion. The findings pave the way for enhanced food safety surveillance and timely regulatory interventions.