Working Conditions Research Articles

Assessing the Influence of Safety Culture to Employee Safety Performance Mediated by Safety Communication in Coal-Fired Power Plant

Assessing the Influence of Safety Culture to Employee Safety Performance Mediated by Safety Communication in Coal-Fired Power Plant

The Relationship Between Workers' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards the Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the Incidence of Work Accidents in Production Workers of PT Inka (Persero) Madiun

Occupational safety and health (OHS) is one of the company's maintenance programs. The implementation of OHS programs for employees is very important to create an OHS system that includes elements of management, employment and working conditions and an integrated work environment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between workers' knowledge and attitudes towards the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with the incidence of work accidents in PT INKA (Persero) Madiun production workers. This study used a cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach. The population in this study were all production workers of assembly PT INKA (Persero) Madiun. The sample was taken using simple random sampling technique, with a sample size of 68 respondents. Data collection was done through questionnaires. Data analysis using the Chi-square test. Analysis result show that there is a relationship between the independent variables, namely knowledge (p-value = 0,003) and attitude (p-value = 0,001) and the dependent variable of work accidents. The conclusion in this study is that there is a significant relationship between knowledge and attitudes towards the use of PPE with the incidence of work accidents. Suggestions are expected that workers have high awareness and discipline in the behavior of using PPE so as to reduce the occurrence of work accidents.

Novel hybrid BTMS by considering safety and driving cycle under extreme fast charge/discharge rates

A battery thermal management system integrating phase change material and mini-channels, with a focus on safety and economic considerations, is proposed to enhance thermal performance across various working conditions, safety scenarios, and realistic driving cycles while minimizing energy consumption. A battery thermal model and PCM simulation model were developed and validated using experimental data. Numerical analyses were conducted to compare the combination of PCM and liquid cooling (hybrid cooling) with fully liquid cooling under different charge/discharge rates and realistic driving cycles, evaluating their safety characteristics, power consumption, and thermal efficiency. The results demonstrated that the hybrid cooling approach can effectively maintain both the maximum temperature and the temperature difference within a desirable range, even when the inlet velocity is reduced from 0.12 to 0.05 m/s compared to liquid cooling. Additionally, the hybrid BTMS provides better working conditions for the battery pack, requiring only 4 × 10−5 W of pumping power compared to 16 × 10−5 W in the liquid cooling system. This underscores the capability of the designed BTMS to cool high-capacity battery packs with significantly lower fluid flow rates. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed cooling system was examined in the event of liquid channel failure, with results showing that the hybrid BTMS can successfully maintain the battery's maximum temperature within an allowable range during fast charge/discharge processes. Lastly, evaluations under realistic driving conditions revealed the superiority of hybrid cooling in reducing peak temperatures and minimizing battery temperature variation.

High impedance fault detection method based on improved Mayr Arc model and fitting curve coefficients

To solve the problem of weak transient fault currents and significant nonlinear characteristics caused by arcs in resonant grounding systems, proposing a high-impedance fault (HIF) detection method based on an improved Mayr arc model and fitting curve coefficients. Firstly, to address the issue of low accuracy in simulating fault waveforms in existing HIF models, construct an improved arc model based on Mayr and control the parameter values under different feature dimensions, achieving accurate simulation of arc waveforms. Secondly, based on the impedance characteristics of the feeder, analyze the phase frequency characteristics, determine the first capacitive frequency band, and then determine the cutoff frequency of the Chebyshev filter to improve the ability of waveform feature extraction and fault recognition. Finally, by fitting the voltage and current geometric characteristic curve within the characteristic frequency band, using the least squares method and the quadratic coefficient values of the fitting curve to construct detection criteria, accurate detection of HIF is possible. Research shows that the improved arc model can fully characterize the current arc waveform under various working conditions. Simulations and real-world measurements verify that HIF can be accurately detected using the quadratic coefficient value of the fitting curve.

Relationship between burnout and occupational fatigue exhaustion and recovery among orthopaedic nurses in Tabriz, Iran: a cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between burnout and occupational fatigue exhaustion and recovery among orthopaedic nurses in Tabriz, Iran.DesignDescriptive, cross-sectional survey and correlational analysis.SettingTwo hospitals associated with Tabriz University of Medical...

Working conditions, well-being, and retention of healthcare personnel: A comparative study between lean healthcare and nurse-to-patient ratio

ABSTRACT The issue of nurse retention due to stressful working conditions in several Western countries, including Canada, has been exacerbated in recent years by population aging, mass retirements, and the COVID-19 crisis. To address these challenges, healthcare organizations have drawn inspiration from service optimization models adopted by industry (Lean Healthcare) and staffing ratio projects. However, there is a lack of research exploring the working conditions of healthcare staff under these different systems. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and the job demands-resource model, we tested, using structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis, the effects of the workload intensification on job well-being and staff retention. We compared a sample of 145 nurses working under the Lean system with another sample of 155 nurses working under the ratio system. The results support our hypotheses and highlight that working conditions appear to be more challenging under the Lean system than under the ratio system.

Temperature and stress distributions during laser cutting with different materials

Laser cutting is an extremely precise and versatile industrial technique that utilizes a focused laser beam to accomplish precise and accurate material cutting or engraving. Because of its efficiency and adaptability, laser cutting has become an essential component of modern production and design. The transient thermal and stress distribution of laser cutting of a sheet is introduced numerically in this study. Temperature, equivalent elastic strain, and equivalent stresses at different workpiece materials (structural steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy) are investigated. Three different laser beams (500 W, 1000 W, and 1500 W) were used in this study. The modeling applies a heat source based on a Gaussian distribution to predict heat flow with an accurate temperature distribution field. The numerical model is validated with experimental data, and the error percentage is consistent and reasonable. The results showed that titanium could attain higher temperatures for the material of the workpiece under the same working conditions as both stainless steel and aluminum alloy. In comparison to stainless steel, the temperature increase ratios for titanium and aluminum are 121 % and 113.5 %, respectively. Aluminum expands rapidly, structural steel endures stresses, and titanium withstands high temperatures effectively. In comparison to 500 W, the temperature rise ratios for laser beams of 1000 W and 1500 W are 174 % and 237 %, respectively. These results highlight how critical it is to select the ideal laser power dependent on the properties of the material, adding to a more sophisticated knowledge for increased accuracy and effectiveness in laser cutting procedures.

Simulation data-driven attention fusion network with multi-similarity metric: A single-domain generalization diagnostic method for tie rod bolt loosening of a rod-fastening rotor system

The rod-fastening rotor system is the core rotating component of gas turbines and aero engines. The rod-disk joint structure of the rod-fastening rotor system is subjected to tie rod bolt loosening under complex operating conditions. Because of the uncertainty of fault occurrence, the model must possess diagnostic capability under unseen working conditions. Domain generalization methods are commonly employed to address such problems. They typically utilize multi-condition data or generate data from a single condition to train the model, enabling it to generalize to unknown operating conditions. However, difficulties in collecting complete multi-condition data and limitations in generating data, such as conflicting attributes and limited categories, make it challenging to ensure high-quality data for model training. To address these issues, this paper establishes a dynamic model of the rod-fastening rotor system to obtain high-fidelity simulation fault data, ensuring the physical accuracy, richness, and diversity of the source domain data. Meanwhile, a novel signal-domain generalization method called simulation data-driven attention fusion network with multi-similarity metric is proposed for tie rod bolt loosening in the rod-fastening rotor system. The attention feature fusion strategy is utilized to achieve the comprehensive representation of local and global features efficiently. Moreover, a multi-similarity loss based on deep metric learning is introduced to comprehensively consider the self-similarity and relative similarities between features, enabling class-level optimization of features. The proposed method is validated to have superior diagnostic performance in two cross-domain tasks compared with other methods. The proposed method can provide valuable insights into fault diagnosis in the rod-fastening rotor system.

Putting workers’ safety front and center: Employee-organization exchange and employee safety performance

Introduction: The global occupational accident situation remains severe. As enhancing employee safety performance constitutes a crucial part of accident prevention and safety management, the study aims to examine, from an employment relationship perspective, the cognitive, motivational, and behavioral mechanisms through which employee-organization exchange (EOX), as a social exchange type of employment relationship, can affect employee safety performance. Method: Data were collected from 672 subordinates and their immediate 100 supervisors in three large manufacturing firms in Guangdong province, China. Results: The results shows that: (1) EOX has a positive effect on employees’ safety risk perception, psychological ownership of safety promotion, and safety communication; (2) safety risk perception, psychological ownership of safety promotion and safety communication (as cognitive, motivational and behavioral mechanisms) mediate the relationship between EOX and safety performance (both safety compliance and safety participation); and (3) management commitment to safety moderates the direct effect of EOX on safety risk perception, psychological ownership of safety promotion, and safety communication, and its indirect effect on two forms of safety performance via the three mediating mechanisms. The moderating effect and moderated indirect effect are stronger when management commits more to safety. The study contributes to the employee safety literature. Practical Applications: Employers should establish a long-term oriented social exchange relationship with their employees for effective safety management.

Analysis of Intelligent Equipment Usage for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Prevention in Miners - Shanxi Province, China, 2023.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are prevalent in the workforce and occur across various industries. Surveys show that the prevalence of WMSDs among miners is generally over 50%. High levels of intelligent equipment usage (IEU) can decrease the prevalence of WMSDs among miners by 7.49% and reduce pain by 13.69% on average. Stepwise regression analysis proved that IEU can reduce the harmful effects of workload on WMSDs. New Quality Productive Forces (NQPF) should also focus on health productivity. Disease prevention departments should consider the impact of NQPFs on occupational health and actively guide intelligent equipment design.

Assessment of vertical transport of PM in a surface iron ore mine due to in-pit mining operations

Particulate matter (PM) is the most prevalent pollutant associated with surface mining operations, adversely affecting the health of mine workers. Using a combination of low-cost PM sensors and portable sampling devices, this research quantified the PM concentration and factors influencing its vertical transport inside a 100 m deep surface iron ore mine.Transport of ore through off-road trucks accounted for ∼ 70 % of the in-pit emissions. Also, differential settling and varying meteorological parameters along the vertical extent of the mine resulted in the escape of 17 % of PM2.5-10, 43 % of PM1-2.5, and 69 % of PM1to the mine’s surrounding atmosphere. Iron ore and carbon particles were identified as the major constituents of the airborne PM. The findings of this study demonstrate the application of low-cost sensors in monitoring PM concentration along the vertical extent of the mine, which can ultimately provide exposure estimates to the mine workers at different working locations.

Multi-source domain adaptation using diffusion denoising for bearing fault diagnosis under variable working conditions

Transfer learning of multi-source domain adaptation seems a promising way for fault diagnosis of roller element bearings under variable working conditions. Data imbalance affects the performance of multi-source domain adaptation greatly and is expected to be solved by GAN. However, GAN-based transfer learning diagnosis models suffer pattern collapse and training instability, leading to unsatisfying diagnosis results in practical engineering. This paper proposes a denoising diffusion multi-source domain adaptation model (DDMDA). The proposed model uses diffusion denoising, which has better performance and is simpler to train than GAN, to generate shifted source domains for solving the data imbalance problem. A new noise prediction structure in diffusion denoising named Utrans-net, is constructed to restore the data distribution in the shifted source domain. Also, a multiple-domain discriminator structure is designed to extract features from multiple source domains to solve the issue of variable working conditions. Advanced models are used in this paper to compare with the proposed model for validation. Experimental demonstrations show that the proposed model is superior to the comparison models with satisfying performance.

A Study on Exploring and Prioritizing Critical Risks in Construction Project Assessment

According to Mc Kinsey Report (2015) large construction projects take 20% large time and 80% more budget to get finished. This highlights the importance of Risk Assessment to ensure work safety, cost management and quality construction.The study aims to identify and investigate critical risks in the evaluation of construction projects by utilizing the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Weighted Average Index method. The risk factors for project assessment were identified in the following domains: Budget and Cost Management Risk, Schedule and Time Management Risk, Scope and Planning Risk, Safety and Regulatory Compliance Risk, Resource Management Risk, Communication and Stakeholder Management Risk, and Environmental and Sustainability Risk, through an extensive literature review and expert interviews. A survey was distributed to building operators in Hyderabad, India. The Weighted Average Index technique was used to evaluate 180 completed responses and identify risk indicators. To find underlying patterns, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to gain a better understanding of the connections between these variables. Results identified reliance on essential resources, insufficient risk assessment, cash flow restrictions, and safety issues as top considerations, with currency exchange rate swings and delayed information dissemination ranking lower but still substantial. These insights provide essential advise to stakeholders in order to successfully minimize risks and improve project results. By using systematic risk assessment and management methodologies, building projects in Hyderabad and elsewhere may handle hurdles more effectively, assuring long-term sustainability and resilience.

A research agenda for occupational safety, health, & well-being in hospitality & tourism management

With the exception of the most recent years following the global pandemic, hospitality and tourism-related research specifically examining worker safety, health, and well-being has not been a topic at the forefront in the discipline. Pre-pandemic studies investigating worker well-being frequently used dependent variables such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and organizational commitment as proxies. The purpose of this research was to identify the gaps in occupational safety, health, and well-being priorities within the contemporary hospitality and tourism and adjacent literature. Utilizing a content analysis of 531 academic journal articles reduced from 4170 originally mined, 11,109 coded segments formed 9 clusters in which 3 overarching themes emerged. Based on the emergent themes, an interdisciplinary research framework adapted from Sorensen et al. (2016) and Peters et al. (2020) is proposed to improve the design and inclusion of occupational safety, health, and well-being constructs in future hospitality and tourism management research.

Remarkable things: Visual evidence and excess at Charcot’s Salpêtrière

ABSTRACT Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893) pioneered the use of visual aids in his lectures at the Hôpital de la Salpêtrière. He deployed photographs, casts, diagrams, graphs, drawings, lantern slides, and even patients to help the audience understand his innovative diagnoses, but that same visual imagery also informed his own conceptualizations of pathology. Charcot, whom Sigmund Freud famously called a “visuel,” made drawings of his patients and their autopsied organs while also encouraging the art-making of his many collaborators and protégés at the Salpêtrière in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Their “scientific artworks” epitomize the entanglement of art and medical science at the hospital. This article examines the role of visual media in diagnosing pathology under Charcot’s aegis, bringing to light images and objects that catalogue the case of Ambroise Bourdy. Here was a perfect example of the male hysteric, according to Charcot: a “robust” blacksmith and father who developed a hysterical contracture after a workplace injury. In 1882, Charcot’s Salpêtrière colleagues—including Dr. Henri Parinaud, Dr. Paul Richer, Louis Loreau, and Albert Londe—tested Bourdy’s eyes, made drawings and a cast of his contracted left hand, and photographed him in various poses. The surfeit of visual imagery of Bourdy purports to illustrate traumatic hysteria—however, it more effectively, if unintentionally, reveals a delight in art-making at the Salpêtrière.

Performance analysis and multi-objective optimization of a novel solid oxide fuel cell-based poly-generation and condensation dehumidification system

The application of energy supply systems based on fuel cells contributes to meeting the requirement of sustainable development, and developing high-efficiency, low-pollution, and multifunction poly-generation systems coupled with fuel cells is increasingly attractive. This study proposes a novel combined cooling, heating, power poly-generation and dehumidification system including a solid oxide fuel cell, a gas turbine, a double effect absorption refrigerator, a condensation dehumidification unit, an organic Rankine cycle, and a heat exchanger. Thermodynamic, economic, and environmental analysis models of the entire system are developed to evaluate system comprehensive performance. The effects of system parameters such as the inlet temperature of fuel cell, steam to carbon ratio, air flow rate, and high temperature generator temperature on system performance are analyzed. The analysis findings reveal that the proposed system can provide power, cooling, and heating of 551.904 kW, 20.307 kW, and 193.009 kW, and the dehumidification capacity per unit is 14.516 g/kg when 1.238 kg/s of humid air is treated. The system exergy efficiency is found to be 70.534 %, and the system cost rate is 15.578 $/h with carbon dioxide emission being 0.301 kg/kWh at the design condition. Two groups of multi-objective optimizations of the whole system are further conducted to acquire the optimal system performance and working conditions. The optimization results demonstrate that the optimal exergy efficiency of 72.912 % appears at point C1 in the first group of optimization with the lowest carbon dioxide emission being 0.293 kg/kWh, and the optimal qualities of humid air are found to be 1.606 kg/s at C2 and D2 in the second group of optimization. After optimization, the system carbon dioxide emission is decreased by 0.008 kg/kWh, the exergy efficiency is increased by 2.378 %, and the quality of humid air in dehumidification process is developed by 0.368 kg/s. In summary, the proposed poly-generation and dehumidification system can meet multifunction energy demands and achieve good performance, and the research work could also provide theoretical basis for developing evaluation and optimization technologies of fuel cell-based poly-generation systems.

High-temperature heat pump working fluid development based on molecular design and the group contribution method

High-temperature heat pumps are widely recognized as a critical approach for decarbonizing energy-intensive industries, and their performance is significantly influenced by the working fluids. However, conventional working fluid selection methods primarily focus on existing fluids, limiting the selection scale. Therefore, a group-contribution-based computer-aided molecular design method has been proposed to design and select working fluids for high-temperature heat pumps on a large scale, comprehensively considering environmental impact, safety, operating reliability and performance. A total of 9771 working fluids were generated by the computer-aided process based on the backtracking searching algorithm. Under different working conditions, 208, 232, 243, 228, and 208 working fluids have passed the multi-level screening process based on the group contribution method, respectively, with an overall passing rate below 2.49 %. The H(C)FOs among the top 50 working fluids, ranked by the coefficient of performance, were further analyzed. Statistically, 92.4 % and 98.73 % of the total top 50 working fluids had their Tbr and Tc values within the ranges of 0.640–0.675 and 432–480 K, respectively. Among the 18 HCFOs within the top 50 list, 83.3 % were non-existent. R1251zd and R1344zf demonstrated the best ranking results, while R1242zf, R1233yf, and R1233xf exhibited superior working condition flexibility. As an existing HCFO, R1251yd outperformed other working fluids. Of the 35 HFOs in the top 50 list, 88.57 % were non-existent, and R1381myz, R1371my and R1381mzz showed both exceptional performance and superior working condition adaptability. In conclusion, there remain promising prospects and a notable necessity for the new H(C)FO development, and guidance can be expected from this study in this regard.

Novel method for finishing nonwoven fabrics from domestic raw materials with flame retardant and antimicrobial properties

This study aims to obtain a non-woven material with flame retardant and biocidal properties, considering the use of salicylic acid, copper sulfate, and guanidine hydrochloride in a finishing composition, based on preliminary studies. The concentrations of copper sulfate, guanidine hydrochloride, and salicylic acid were varied, respectively, within 1–5 g/L, 5–15 g/L, and 3–7 g/L. The conditions of the finishing process involved the application of the aqueous solutions, by spraying on the surface of the material, followed by drying at 120 °C for 5 min and heat treatment at 180 °C on a thermal press. In the production of nonwovens, treatment with a flame retardant and biocidal composition can be combined with emulsification of a mixture of fibers, or carried out after the formation of the canvas with subsequent heat treatment and calendering. The untreated sample of non-woven material, when tested for flammability with an ignition time of 15 s, burns completely in 40 s. For the sample treated by the proposed method, the self-burning is reduced to zero (DIN 53906). To study the biocidal activity, a microbiological essay was conducted according to ASTM E2149. It was found that the tested sample exhibits fungicidal activity against the tested strains. In addition, tests conducted on the skin-irritating effects of nonwovens treated with the proposed method have shown its safety for human health.

Characterization of a secondary palmitoleoyltransferase of lipid A in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The detection of pathogenicity and immunogenicity in Vibrio parahaemolyticus poses a significant challenge due to its threat to human health and food safety, which is strongly correlated with lipid A. Lipid A, a critical component found in most Gram-negative bacteria, functions as a hydrophobic anchor for lipopolysaccharide. V. parahaemolyticus synthesizes multiple lipid A species with various secondary acyl chains. In this study, a secondary acyltransferase of lipid A encoded by VP_RS08405 in V. parahaemolyticus was identified. Based on sequence alignment analysis, V. parahaemolyticus VP_RS08405 has high homology to E. coli lpxL, lpxM and lpxP which encode the three secondary acyltransferases of lipid A. Therefore, V. parahaemolyticus VP_RS08405 was cloned into pBAD33, and the resulting pB08405 was introduced in E. coli mutants WHL00 in which lpxL was deleted, WHM00 in which lpxM was deleted, WHP00 in which lpxP was deleted, and WH300 in which lpxL, lpxM and lpxP were deleted. The recombinant strains WHL00/pB08405, WHM00/pB08405, WHP00/pB08405, WH300/pB08405, as well as their vector controls, were grown at normal and low temperatures. Lipid A species were isolated from the above strains and analyzed by using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography. After comparing the secondary acyl alterations of lipid A from different recombinant strains, it is concluded that VP_RS08405 specifically catalyzed the addition of a palmitoleate to the 2′-position of lipid A and its activity is not temperature-sensitive. In addition, to determine the dependence of VP_RS08405 on Kdo, VP_RS08405 was overexpressed in E. coli mutants WH001 in which waaA was deleted, and WH400 in which waaA, lpxL, lpxM and lpxP were deleted. Lipid A species were isolated from WH001/pB08405 and WH400/pB08405, and analyzed. The results show that the function of VP_RS08405 is Kdo-dependent. These findings provide a better understanding of the structural diversity of lipid A in V. parahaemolyticus.

Effect of pile driving induced ground vibrations and stress distribution to close settlements: a case study

The pile method, applied in the foundational operations of construction to enhance soil-bearing capacity, is utilized in locations with insufficient soil support. Its purpose is to reinforce the foundation and improve soil stability before constructing a structure. In this study, vibrations occurring during the application of Vibrex-type piles for foundation reinforcement in a construction project located in the Konak district of Izmir Province were measured at various distances from the measurement points. The study further explored the influence of pile application on soil stability, considering the geomechanical properties of the site’s soil structure. The analysis of the study’s graph indicates that stress and vibration velocity remains at optimal levels, suggesting favorable working conditions.