Industrial Workplace Research Articles

Wearable Technology Hesitancy in Industrial Applications

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Ergonomists and engineers often look to technology to improve workplace outcomes such as safety and productivity. However, hesitancy toward new technology can hinder the adoption of devices such as wearables. In this study, we spoke to industry representatives about the factors that influence the implementation of wearables in the manufacturing workplace. Focus group participants provided several actionable insights to reduce hesitancy in adopting wearables in the industrial workplace. First, emphasizing safety culture and the benefits to workplace safety and health is paramount. Second, the case for using wearable for performance improvement should also be discussed after leading with safety. Finally, organizations should consider voluntary participation in a wearables program with early adopters.

New complete genome insights into Enterobacter roggenkampii FACU2: a potential player in cadmium bio-removal.

Industrial workplaces, particularly those involved in ore processing or smelting, pose a high risk of exposure to cadmium, a highly toxic metal. This study isolated and identified eight cadmium-resistant strains from industrial wastewater for their ability to resist cadmium. Enterobacter roggenkampii FACU2 demonstrated exceptional cadmium removal capabilities during our analysis, successfully eliminating 62% of the cadmium. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was utilized to examine the morphological change between the most and least efficient strains that responded to cadmium stress at the cellular level. Compared to the control bacteria, the treated bacteria exhibited notably higher levels of cadmium adsorption and accumulation within their cells. A complete genome analysis revealed that E. roggenkampii FACU2 has one chromosome and one plasmid with a size of 4,856,454bp and 80,926bp, respectively, in addition to harboring numerous heavy metal-resistant genes related to cadmium and other heavy metals. Moreover, the gene expression of four cadmium-resistant genes (czcA, cadA, czcC and czcD) showed that the high cadmium concentration led to a significant increase in czcA and cadA mRNA levels, thus indicating the activation of cadmium-resistant genes in the E. roggenkampii FACU2 compared to Enterobacter sp. strain FACU. Due to its ability to remove cadmium and other heavy metals, this strain holds promise as a source of genes for biological treatment methods. This application could contribute to environmental purification, ultimately benefiting human health.

Designing Designing and delivering Embedded Immersive Learning Sessions (ELIS) within the VU Block delivery model

Experiential Based Learning in the context of Outdoor Adventure Education is delivered in complex learning environments where teachers deliver programming in isolation (Fang et al., 2023). Due to the complexity of working in natural environments, often in remote and wilderness settings, and teachers working in isolation inconsistencies between deliveries of the same subject or programming often occurs (Picknoll et al., 2023). This article will provide a reflective case study to examine and demonstrate how embedding immersive learning teaching and learning practices can be effectively included to achieve greater consistency between Experiential Based Learning programmes to meet the Intentioned Learning Outcome (ILOs) (Biggs, 2014). In addition, this delivery structure has been applied to the intensive delivery framework of Victoria Universities Block Model, which occurs over a four-week delivery period. Immersive Learning Practices (ILPs) are experiences that can be facilitated in situ, or replicate authentic and real conditions as described in Boud (2022). However, these practices and how they relate to programmed delivery need to be explicitly communicated to teaching staff prior to program delivery. Program ILP also need to be evaluated and assessed by teaching staff in the field to consider possible adjustments to their application for future programming. This case study will be referring to two units/subject delivered at Victoria University within the First Year College and are part of the School or Outdoor Leadership and Outdoor Environmental Science. Both SOL units contain HE and VE outcomes that provide knowledge and skills required in subsequent units/subjects contained in these degrees as well as in relevant industry workplaces. The application of a pre-delivery information for staff about contained in the unit online learning management system and pre-program briefings have been used to communicate how EILP can be applied to field teaching and programming. These measures have supported some improvements in providing consistency between EBL programs facilitated by independent teaching staff as part of an intensive learning framework in a remote and wilderness settings.

The Relationship Between Occupational Accidents and Near-Miss Accidents and Occupational Safety Climate in a Metal Industry Workplace

Objective: The aim of the research is to determine the relationship between occupational safety climate and occupational accidents and near-miss accidents in a workplace producing in the metal industry. Material and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted between 15 July and 30 August 2024 in an enterprise engaged in production in the metal sector in Balikesir province with a research group of 387 people. The dependent variables of the study are occupational accidents and near misses. Results: During their working lives, 37.2% of the participants had a near-miss accident and 34.1% had a work-related accident. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that those who had a near-miss accident had low scores in the dimensions of Management safety priority, commitment and competence (OR: 0.56 CI: 0.38-0.82), Management safety justice (OR: 0.69, CI: 0.48-1), Workers’ safety commitment (OR: 0.62, CI: 0.42-0.93), Workers’ safety priority and risk non-acceptance (OR: 0.4 CI: 0.27-0.61) and safety communication, learning, and trust in co-worker safety competence (OR: 0.65, CI: 0.45-0.94). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, those who had a work accident had a significantly lower score on the dimension of Workers’ safety priority and risk non-acceptance (OR: 0.46, CI: 0.30-0.70). Conclusion: In the study, one in three people had a work accident or near-miss accident during their working life and the level of work safety climate was quite good. It was determined that the history of near miss accidents and work accidents was significantly related to the dimensions of occupational safety climate.

Development and validation of an unsafe behavior checklist for workers.

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a simple unsafe behavior checklist to assess the extent of unsafe behavior among workers in an industrial setting. The checklist was developed using Focus Group Interview (FGI) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis methodology. Preliminary testing was conducted with an unspecified sample and the correlation between unsafe behavior and accident experience was validated. The analyzed and compared the correlation between the type of unsafe behavior and accident experience and demonstrated the suitability of the unsafe behavior checklist. A risk sensitivity and risk-taking checklist was employed to identify five types of unsafe behavior. This study concludes that the unsafe behavior checklist can be used to predict accident concerns among workers with high types of dangerous behavior. This can help improve unsafe behavior and reduce the frequency of incidents. Therefore, the "Unsafe behavior Checklist" developed in this study can be used as an early indicator of the extent to which workers are aware of dangers in industrial workplaces in order to prevent accidents.

A tool for ergonomic assessment of industrial workplaces: the Ergonom.io case

A tool for ergonomic assessment of industrial workplaces: the Ergonom.io case

Redefining Family Relationships: The Impact of Disability on Working-Class Families during the Industrial Revolution in Britain

The Industrial Revolution traditionally has been seen in Disability Studies as marking a decisive shift in the lives of disabled people. It is argued that the rise of mechanisation, time discipline and standardisation made the industrial workplace a hostile environment for people with non-standard bodies. According to this view, increasing demands to work outside the home also meant that families were less capable of caring for older and disabled members, leading to greater institutionalisation. This view of increasing segregation of disabled people from home and work has dominated understanding of disability in the British Industrial Revolution, but it does not reflect the variability of disabled people's experiences at the time. Drawing on official enquiries, fictional literature, journalism and social commentary from the 1830s and 1840s – a time when the impact of industrialisation on the bodies and family relationships of workers became matters of public, political concern – this article shows the continuing importance of family in the lives of disabled people. The legal duty of families to care for sick and disabled relatives was an enduring social principle throughout this period. Interpersonal relations were tested and sometimes re-drawn by disability, forcing a change in traditional familial roles and expectations. For working people and their families, the potentials for poverty resulting from disability could be great. However, disabled people continued to play significant roles in the lives of their families, and where possible continued to contribute to the domestic economy. Taking a disability perspective on the history of the family highlights the interdependence between family members in industrialising Britain.

Directional pollutant extraction—the mathematics of the two-dimensional Aaberg exhaust hood

By deflecting unpolluted air away from the exhaust inlet by means of directional air jets, the Aaberg exhaust hood can focus the extraction flow it produces directly onto a source of contaminant and, thereby, achieve directional extraction of pollutant at high concentration. While significantly outperforming conventional hoods, such ‘jet-reinforced’ flows are notoriously challenging to control in practice and if operating incorrectly disperse, rather than extract, airborne pollutants. To provide a rapid predictive capability and insight into the role of device geometry, a mathematical model for the airflow created by the Aaberg exhaust hood is developed. Modelling the induced flow as potential flow, conformal mapping techniques are used to develop analytical solutions for the stream function and airspeed, from which we identify the region of pollutant capture. Investigating these flows as the directionality of the air jets and the ratio of jet-to-suction strengths are varied, our analytical solutions offer insights into the effective deployment of jet-reinforced exhaust hoods to improve indoor air quality in industrial workplaces.

Occupational noise exposure and its effects among mill workers: A narrative review.

There are many possibilities for noise exposure in industrial workplaces, including sectors that extensively use heavy machinery in processing each product. Various studies indicate a causal relationship between noise exposure and auditory/nonauditory effects among workers. Noise exposure poses risks to health and workers' hearing acuity and safety. This review paper aims to identify and summarize occupational noise exposure by examining the auditory and nonauditory effects among mill workers. The mills included in the study are palm oil, lumber, textiles, rice, sugarcane, flour, paper, and sawmills. A two-step methodology was used to achieve the aims of this narrative review. The literature search was conducted by gathering PubMed and Google Scholar papers, focusing on occupational noise in different occupational mill environments. Grey's literature was conducted by screening the worldwide national standard for the laws, guidelines, and other related information based on this topic. A total of 22 articles published have been included. The content of each publication was subsequently summarized. Most of the machine areas within the mills emitted high level of noise. The auditory effects of occupational noise exposure among mill workers were noise-induced hearing loss and hearing impairment. Hypertension, stress, communication disturbance, cardiovascular disease, and headache were the nonauditory effects experienced by workers. The recommendations provided in this review for mitigating noise exposure are derived from the hierarchy of control. Overall, most mill workers are exposed to a high noise level exceeding the standard noise exposure limit. Preventive actions should be taken to address and reduce work-related injuries among mill workers worldwide.

Assessment of the Implementing The COVID-19 Health Protocol in Pandemic Situation at PT. Bank XYZ Tbk, Medan, Indonesia

Background: Large-scale social Restrictions were implemented in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to February 2022. The government has imposed restrictions on the number of workers in the workplace by implementing COVID-19 protocols at the workplace and work-from-home. This research aims to analyze the implementation of the COVID-19 protocol at PT. Bank XYZ Medan office. Methods: Observational descriptive research provides a clear picture by observing the conditions that occur directly to see how the COVID-19 protocol is implemented at PT.Bank XYZ Medan office. Quantitative methods are used. The instruments are the provision of Health Protocols from the Indonesian Minister of Health Decree No. 328 of 2020 regarding Guidelines for Preventing Control of COVID-19 in Office and Industrial Workplaces to Support Business Continuity in Pandemic Situations. Results: The implementation of the COVID-19 health protocol in the PT. Bank XYZ Medan office has a "Very Good" level of achievement. Companies can maintain the implementation of existing COVID-19 protocols during the pandemic to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the company. Conclusion: PT. Bank XYZ is expected to maintain the implementation of the COVID-19 protocol if the pandemic has not been declared over by the government of the Republic of Indonesia, and in the future improvements can be made to prevent the transmission of other diseases. Employees must continue to follow the regulations set by the company.

Robots as guardians: Industrial automation and workplace safety in China

Industrial robots can improve workplace safety by performing hazardous tasks on behalf of workers. This paper examines the impact of industrial robots on workplace safety in China. We find that a one-standard-deviation increase in robot exposure reduces annual workplace accidents and fatalities by 0.100 and 0.0133 cases per thousand population, compared to sample averages of 0.122 accidents and 0.0351 fatalities. These findings are robust to an instrumental variable strategy and various robustness checks. Our analysis of injuries in household surveys and Baidu search activities reinforces these results. Using an accounting framework, we show that the safety improvement is not driven by the mechanical effects of robot-induced employment reduction. Instead, within-occupation improvement in workplace safety plays a more crucial role.

Solution-oriented development of the sound environment in industrial workplaces

Objectives. Research literature has not given much evaluation to why the proposed noise control actions in workplaces are not being implemented. There are views of the different personnel groups in the workplace and the reasons why the possibilities for solutions have not been examined. Methods. The companies under study were a welding machine shop, an assembly plant, a heavy steel company and an art glass factory. Noise management was approached by combining the perspectives of technology, acoustics and occupational safety with the examination of sociocultural factors at the workplace level. Results. Noise was not well represented in occupational safety practices. The productivity aspect was strongly emphasized. The use of personal protective equipment created the illusion that everything possible has been done and noise controlled. Conclusion. The study developed a model in which experts in the field of acoustics and sociocultural researchers together evaluated the state and development needs of noise abatement. The results of the project show that successful noise control solutions require a process involving all staff in the workplace.

Training and Familiarization with Industrial Exoskeletons: A Review of Considerations, Protocols, and Approaches for Effective Implementation.

Effective training programs are essential for safely integrating exoskeletons (EXOs) in industrial workplaces. Since the effects of wearable systems depend highly upon their proper use, lack of training of end-users may cause adverse effects on users. We reviewed articles that incorporated training and familiarization protocols to train novices on proper operation/use of EXOs. Findings showed variation in training methods that were implemented to train study participants in EXO evaluation studies. Studies also indicate that multiple (up to four) sessions may be needed for novice EXO wearers to match movement patterns of experts, and training can offer benefits in enhancing motor learning in novices. Biomechanical assessments and ergonomic evaluations can be helpful in developing EXO-specific training protocols by determining training parameters (duration/number of sessions and task difficulty). Future directions include development of personalized training approaches by assessing user behavior/performance through integration of emerging sensing technologies. Application of simulators and use of data-driven approaches for customizing training protocols to individuals, tasks, and EXO design are provided along with a comprehensive training framework. Discussed elements in this article can be helpful to exoskeleton researchers in familiarizing novice users to EXOs prior to evaluation, and to practitioners in developing protocols for training workforce.

The Pandemic and Counterurbanization: A Comparison of Sweden and Slovenia

Based on the concept of teleworkability, its sluggish determinants of industry structure and workplace culture, and the change in people’s valuation of rural amenities that happened during the pandemic, this paper analyzes their possible influence on counterurbanization during the pandemic in Sweden and Slovenia. We found signs of open (migration) as well as “hidden” counterurbanization (unregistered rural living) in both countries, stronger in Sweden than in Slovenia, and we found indications that industrial structure and national workplace cultures contributed to differences in the strength of the counterurbanization. In both countries, we found indications that the pandemic contributed to a shift in people’s relative valuation of rural vs. urban amenities. Thus, while the sluggish factors contributed to differences in teleworkability between Sweden and Slovenia, the chock implied similar reactions in the shift of the valuation of amenities. Ever since the counterurbanization of the 1970s, studies of the phenomenon have almost solely been completed within countries, and the few international comparisons that have been completed have been based on comparing the results of the national studies. This study is one of the very first ones that compares counterurbanization and its driving forces in two countries within the same analytical framework.

Occupational safety management and human reliability testing during the operation of a plastic injection molding machine

Work safety is a key element in the design and maintenance of industrial workplaces and processes. This article examines occupational safety and the reliability of the human factor in the role of a plastic injection molding machine operator. Analyzing the work process and the dangerous, harmful, and burdensome factors present in the environment and workplace allowed for the identification of occupational hazards. Additionally, factors such as the frequency of threats, the likelihood of events, the possibility of avoiding and limiting damage, and the consequences of events were considered to conduct an occupational risk assessment according to the JSA (Job Safety Analysis) method. Following this, human reliability was assessed by determining the probability of operator errors using the TESEO and HEART methods. Finally, the possibility of using selected immersion techniques on the results of the research was discussed. The research methods and tools used in this study included a literature review and analysis, observation, interviews, and inference.

Challenges and barriers to healthy eating behaviors in the workplace: A pragmatic approach to promoting healthy aging.

The role of health-related behaviors, particularly eating behavior, in the health of middle-aged individuals in the workplace is crucial. This qualitative study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and barriers to healthy eating behaviors in the industrial workplace from the perspectives of middle-aged workers and employers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants, including 5 workers aged 35 to 59 years, 3 nutrition experts, 2 health, safety and environment (HSE) experts, and 5 employers from industrial workplaces in Tehran, Iran. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants who could provide meaningful insights into the research question. The data were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman approach with MAXQDA software. The study revealed three main themes that hindered healthy eating behaviors in the workplace: (i) the absence of organizational structures for well-being and health, including sub-themes such as the lack of health-oriented organizational policies, inaccessibility to healthy nutritional resources, and restrictive rules, (ii) the pressure of organizational social norms, including sub-themes such as the impact of friendship networks and colleagues, and the effect of workplace culture, and (iii) the lack of a supportive learning environment for healthy behavior, including sub-themes such as the impact of poor interactions and the absence of supportive training. The findings highlight the need for workplace health programs that address the identified challenges and promote healthy eating behaviors among middle-aged workers. Implementing health-focused policies and fostering a workplace environment that encourages nutritious food choices can enhance the overall health and well-being of workers and potentially lead to healthy aging in the future.

Maskuliniteter i förändring på mansdominerade arbetsplatser. Exemplet gruvindustrin

This article discusses how changes in male-dominated work are connected to changes in gender constructions in the workplaces. The discussion is based on results from research conducted 2001–2021, mainly qualitative empirical studies of mine work. Although the development of the mining industry will not be as technologically deterministic and rapid as the usual dystopian and utopian visions predict, our research shows that there has already been changes that have affected mine work and workplaces. These changes have challenged the old, gendered mining workplace cultures and the implementation of new technology and reorganisation initially met resistance in the workplace. Workplace cultures seemed to be lagging behind in their acceptance of technological and organizational changes. The resistance was shaped in relation to intertwined masculinities and miner identities linked to the old ‘macho masculin-ity’, a form of local hegemonic masculinity built upon overarching myths and discourses about both mining and rural communities. The subsequent changes of mining work resulted in new gender encodings of the new technology and the new spaces of work – which created new organisational gender boundaries and new forms of inequality. At the same time, there are new forms of masculinities and feminini-ties emerging in mining organizations, which can provide openings for gender equality. Although mine work continues to be male dominated, we can see that new places, new technology, improved work environment and increased gender equality seem to imply that it has become difficult to preserve the old (‘macho’) miner masculinity and to maintain the gender marking of mining work as male and the image of the miner as male. As of now, the ‘green transition’ and the acceleration of new digital technologies implemented in mine work is beginning to shape the industrial workplaces of northern Sweden. The discourses of “green” and “technological transformation” are permeated by gendered preconceptions, by some expected to reshape the masculine workplace of the mine. Yet, our conclusion is that transformation of gendered structures in mining is not foremost dependent of technological change. Rather, we have seen complex connections between gender, technology, work and place for these male-dominated industrial workplaces, including processes of both stability and change, suggesting that changes in workplaces does not only challenge but also reproduce and reconfigure gender-based preconceptions and social constructions of gender.

Negotiating standards in Sino-Mongolian industrial relations

Anthropologists have used ‘standards’ to critique Western hegemony through the centre–periphery extractive paradigm or the top–down imposition of developmental agendas. This article suggests an alternative possibility by considering the agency of local actors through their experience and evocation of standards in industrial workplaces. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at two Chinese-owned extractive enterprises and a public vocational school in the east of Mongolia, I recast standards as a conduit for local practitioners to express genuine aspirations for improvement. Here, standards embody the ideal more than the average or the bottom line. Chinese enterprises in Mongolia are assessed against local perceptions of the global hierarchy of standards, which is not only underpinned by technical competence but also influenced by socioeconomic, moral, and geopolitical considerations. This article presents emic and etic perspectives on Chinese enterprises in Mongolia, contributing three ethnographic case studies to the discussion about the contested ascent of China as a global standards-maker and standards-shaker. It highlights the distinctive geopolitical situation of Mongolia and suggests broader implications for uneven development in the world economy.

A Case Study of Ergonomic Risk Assessment in Slovakia with Respect to EU Standard.

Attention on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) involves statistical surveys showing an increasing trend in the incidence of WMSDs. Technological development has led to new tools and methods for the assessment of physical load at work. These methods are mostly based on the direct sensing of appropriate parameters, which allows more precise quantification. The aim of this paper is to compare several commonly used methods in Slovakia for the assessment of ergonomic risk reflecting current EU and Slovak legislative regulations. A Captiv wireless sensory system was used at a car headlight quality control assembly workplace for sensing, data acquisition and data processing. During the evaluation of postures and movements at work, we discovered differences in the applicable standards: Decree 542/2007 Coll. (Slovak Legislation), the STN EN 1005-4+A1, and the French standards default in the Captiv system. Standards define the thresholds for hazardous postures with significant differences in several evaluated body segments, which affects the final evaluation of the measurements. Our experience from applying improved risk assessment methodology may have an impact on Slovak industrial workplaces. It was confirmed that there is a need to create uniform standards for the ergonomic risk assessment of body posture, including a detailed description of the threshold values for individual body segments.

Analyzing the factors influencing the creation of a toxic workplace in the electronics industry:a fuzzy cognitive map approach

PurposeThis study aims to identify the factors influencing the creation of a toxic workplace and to examine how to improve a toxic workplace in the electronics industry.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the factors that influence the creation of a toxic work environment were identified by reviewing the research literature. Then, the current status of each identified factor in Iran’s electronics industry was evaluated by developing a questionnaire. Based on the survey data, a relationship map between the factors influencing the toxic workplace was created using the fuzzy cognitive mapping technique. Finally, scenarios were designed to improve the toxic workplace.FindingsThe results show that the “workplace bullying” factor is the factor with the highest centrality in relation to other factors. The results of the scenario design indicate the effectiveness of the “unrealistic expectations at work” factor as a scenario trigger.Originality/valueThis study helps reduce the toxic workplace in the organization, which plays an important role in improving the employees’ work performance and the organization’s development.