Industrial Workplace Research Articles

The Impact of New Technologies on Employment Relationship

Technology is the lifeblood of progress, without which things cannot move forward. We all rely on it in our daily lives. In recent years, the correlation between new technology and employment has gained significant attention. It has infiltrated not only industrial workplaces and offices, but also the lives of employees and employers. This shift represents one of the most profound changes people have experienced in their professional lives due to the integration of fashion and cutting-edge technology in a design-driven environment. The impact has been both positive and negative for various sectors. There are multiple facets to technological advancements and their consequences that need to be addressed for a more sustainable outcome. Research indicates that employee behavior has not only evolved across generations, but has also been redefined through interactions with employers and colleagues thanks to technological breakthroughs like artificial intelligence, self-sustaining technology, and remote work tools. Innovation plays a pivotal role as these methods driven by technology come into play. Numerous studies have shown that innovation may disrupt certain aspects of employment, but ultimately brings about new job opportunities. The impact of innovation on employment has played a significant role in reshaping job markets due to ongoing advancements in processes. However, there is no definitive conclusion at this point; instead, there are valuable lessons to be learned about how the power dynamics within industries have been undervalued amidst this technological revolution. It highlights the importance of gaining sufficient knowledge and awareness about which types of jobs will flourish under this new technological paradigm.

The Ethics of Mandatory Exoskeleton Use in Commercial and Industrial Settings

Research shows exoskeletons can reduce muscle activity and decrease the risk of injury for workers. Exoskeletons, therefore, are becoming more prevalent in industrial workplaces, and their use in some circumstances has already been mandated. It is probable that additional employers will mandate the use of exoskeletons as a means of mitigating injuries to their employees. This presents ethical concerns because employers hold power over the employees wages and employment. Some employees who are required to wear exoskeletons may not be able to, while others may not wish to. How should workers privacy and preferences be weighted? Should employees be prohibited from jobs that use exoskeletons if the exoskeletons do not fit them or if they do not wish to disclose their bodys measurements? Should companies using exoskeletons be permitted to require workers to perform additional work with an exoskeleton? In this paper, we examine these and other ethical considerations related to mandatory exoskeleton use through the Six Pillars of Character framework of the Josephson Institute of Ethics (2002) and the Universal Moral Values for Corporate Codes of Ethics framework by Schwartz (2005). We provide a discussion of possible solutions following ethical tenets, including executing pilot studies before mandatory use policies, offering several self-adjustable models of exoskeletons, and allowing existing workers to transfer jobs if they are ill at ease with new exoskeleton policies. The best course of action may depend on specific individual circumstances.

Predictability Augmentation by In-silico Study to In-vivo and In-vitro Results of Lung Doses of Airborne Fine and Ultrafine Particles Inhaled by Humans at Industrial Workplaces

This study correlates computational predictions with in vivo and in vitro experimental results of inhaled fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM) transport, dissemination, and deposition in the human respiratory airways. Epidemiological studies suggest that workplace exposure to anthropogenic pollutant PMs is a risk factor for increased susceptibility to acute broncho-pulmonary illnesses. However, investigations on detailed human inhalation and PM transport processes are restrictive from time, cost, and ethical perspectives. Computational simulation based on the Multiple Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) model was employed to quantify the risks associated with workplace exposure of these PMs. Here, the physical, mechanical, and electrical properties of PMs of carbon black (CB) and ultrafine particles (UFPs) from wire-cut electrical discharge machining (WEDM), with mass median aerodynamic diameter (CMAD) in the range of 1 nm to 1000 nm, were used as input parameters of MPPD. Additionally, it mimicked occupational workers’ age, body mass index, and oronasal-combinational nose and mouth breathing exposure time. The deposition results were compared with several vivo and in vitro experimental data reported in the literature, and satisfactory agreements were found. For example, a total lung dose of CB-PMs of 100 nm is the highest (28%), while a 380 nm dose is the lowest (15%). Afterward, deposition increases with particle size, reaching 26% for 1000 nm. In the case of WEDM-UFPs, about 98% of all 1.0 nm inhaled particles remain in the lung. Subsequently, the deposition dose decreases with the particle size and reaches up to 28% for 100 nm particles. Approximately 51% of deposited WEDM-UFPs are of CMAD ≤ 5 nm. The images of lung geometry also observed the maximum deposited mass and mass flux rate in the head, tracheobronchial, and pulmonary airways.

Emerging Technologies and Evolving Work Practices Impacting Employee Engagement- Automobile Industry

Purpose: The manufacturing industry has been at the cutting edge of technological advancements, improving quality and profoundly altering work practices. Technology disruptions redefine work practices, resulting in innovation and creativity, driving higher productivity and performance. Man-machine collaboration is profoundly strengthening manufacturing, increasing product quality and safety features. Robots, Cobots working alongside the shopfloor act as a substitute human workforce, increasing productivity and performance Theoretical framework: Multiple theories support employee turnover studies; the job embeddedness theory suits this study the most. JE theory clearly states that employees who feel connected to the social and professional phase within the organization are less likely to leave. Likewise, motivated and up-skilled employees will tend to have better QOL and QWL. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted over three months in the automobile industry, and the design adopted a mixed method approach; primary evidence was collected from the field as an interview method and various scholarly evidence collaborated with our study. The research design is descriptive and deductive in nature. The methodology used in the research paved the way to answer the critical research question with the help of a theory. Findings: Adapting to new work practices results in changes to job design as employers optimize their workforces to meet the demands of the latest techniques. Implementing disruptive technologies can improve the efficiency, safety, and fulfillment of the workplace in the automobile industry. The new-age practices driven by disruptive technologies enhance skill development, productivity, and employee engagement. Research, practical & social implications: Disruptive technologies are improving the safety and quality parameters. Organizations focusing on employees' upskilling based on learning preferences and learning styles tremendously impact productivity, motivation, and morale, enhancing job satisfaction and employee retention. Originality/value: Data collected from the field interactions derived the factual position, which was tested using various statistical tools to ensure reliability and validity. Findings added to the body of knowledge further.

Experiments with cooperative robots that can detect object’s shape, color and size to perform tasks in industrial workplaces

Experiments with cooperative robots that can detect object’s shape, color and size to perform tasks in industrial workplaces

Work-related diseases and risk factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders among unionized metal industry workers: a cross-sectional study

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of work-related diseases (WRDs) and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WR-MSDs), as well as investigate WR-MSD-associated risk factors, among metal industry workers in Turkey. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 1374 members of the Birleşik Metal İş Union from 121 companies. Data were collected using a self-administered 30-item questionnaire. Results. The survey response rate was 81.4% (1374/1686). Almost one out of every six workers (14.8%) stated that they had been diagnosed with a WRD, 3.6% reported that they had been diagnosed with an occupational disease and 38.6% of them indicated that they had suffered an occupational accident (OA) at least once. The prevalence of WR-MSDs was 10.7%, of work-related lung diseases was 1.8% and of occupational hearing loss was 0.6%. Quitting smoking, smoking, OA, heavy lifting, time pressure and working in the automotive industry were all associated with WR-MSDs. Conclusions. Interventions aimed at reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) should focus on smoking cessation, training workers in proper techniques and equipment for lifting and pushing/pulling heavy loads, preventing OAs and injuries, and reducing the time pressure in the workplace in the metal industry.

Safety: A collective and embedded competency. An ethnographic study of safety practices at an industrial workplace in the Netherlands

Introduction: Organizations place strong emphasis on the standardized occupational health and safety procedures to reduce work-related illnesses and workplace accidents. However, standardized procedures are not always followed up in daily work practices. Organizations must cope with the differences between standardized procedures and local adaptation by employees. Methods: This ethnographic field study at an industrial workplace in the Netherlands provides insights into employees’ everyday work practices, how these work practices are shaped, and how they relate to local occupational health and safety procedures. Acknowledging safety as a competency embedded in work practices, as introduced by Gherardi and Nicolini (2002), offers a theoretical point of view for looking beyond the dichotomy of standardization and local adaptations. Results: The results show that a standardized and noncontextualized occupational health and safety management system that focuses on accident-free days and compliance actually leads to ignorance of practical and tacit competences of workers and no learning and improvement of safety procedures can take place. However, our findings also illustrate how employees in their informal everyday work practices reduce the risks produced by the safety system itself. Conclusion: Overall, the results indicate that social interactions among employees, leaders, and management within the organization play an important role in workplace safety. The analysis highlights the value of vulnerability and trust in relationships at work to be able to learn and develop safety procedures that align with local demands. Practical applications: This study emphasizes the need for participatory approaches in creating safer and healthier workplaces. The cocreation of occupational health and safety (OHS) rules and procedures, however, can only function if they are combined with a responsive leadership style.

An Archival Examination of Gender-Specific Terminology in Public and Private Sector Collective Bargaining Agreements

Organizations and labor unions are at the crossroads of transformational change in workplace demographics. In increasing numbers, female workers are entering fields and occupations that have historically been primarily occupied by male workers. However, despite these shifts in workplace demographics, many collective bargaining agreements (CBA’s) are outdated with the use of gender-specific terminologies which are rooted in the historic industrial workplace and contain terminology implicating a workplace and occupation only held by male workers. This article examined the frequency with which such gender-specific terminology is used in both public and private sector CBA’s. Additionally, the article also offers recommendations for both organizations and labor unions with respect to terminology changes in their CBAs. Failure to adapt and modify such language may reflect a lack of inclusion by both organizations and labor unions with respect to their employees and members.

Vision Zero for industrial workplace safety innovative model development for metal manufacturing industry

This study target is to investigate Vision Zero strategy & develop a model that contributes to the reduction of injuries, accidents, and fatalities. In turn, this model aims to enhance the well-being, safety, and productivity of the manufacturing sector. The study has conducted comprehensive theoretical reviews from reputable journals that are relevant to Vision Zero, manufacturing industries in general, and specifically the metal manufacturing industries. The study also underwent a validation of the Vision Zero strategy model by discussing with a selected professional team in this field from the industry. The results of this study shows that research related to the Vision Zero strategy has not been widely disseminated or popularized. It further reveals that manufacturing industries predominantly operate based on traditional work environmental principles, rather than actively embracing the concepts and principles of Vision Zero. The study has also uncovered that previous research on Vision Zero primarily focused on road accidents, injuries, and fatalities. In contrast, studies conducted in the manufacturing sector primarily examined aspects related to safety, health, and worker well-being. However, these studies often failed to sufficiently align their objectives with the overarching priority of enhancing productivity, especially within the context of the industrial revolution. Due to the limited studies related to Vision Zero and a new area for the research database, setting comparative goals and developing a stringent strategy may not be the final outcome here with the developed model. The results of this research could provide valuable insights to policymakers & lawmakers in order to enhance workplace health and safety regulations which support industries' productivity. This study represents a pioneering effort in developing a new Vision Zero strategy model that aligns with productivity goals and emphasizes knowledge-based approaches for reducing or eliminating injuries, accidents, and fatalities.

Bringing beauty to the factory floor: beauty culture in America’s industrial workplaces during World War II

Bringing beauty to the factory floor: beauty culture in America’s industrial workplaces during World War II

Experimental tensile strength analysis of ABS material through FDM technique

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a growing technique for generating intricate, challenging manufacturing things. Rapid prototyping for product development and design is typically done in industrial workplaces using fused deposition modelling, a layer-by-layer manufacturing technique. Using additive manufacturing technology, complex products may be easily produced. Patterns and percentages of infill have been researched. The majority study is established by findings from experiments using different single process parameters. Because infill patterns have an impact on manufacturing costs, material costs, and quality, they must be thoroughly studied. In this study, simulations of rectangular and triangular patterns with 25% were accomplished. During the analysis at 25% infill, it was found that the triangle pattern exhibits lower levels of stress compared to the rectangular pattern. For applications utilizing 25% infill, rectangular patterns demonstrate more favorable performance than triangular ones. This research work takes the overview of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Experimental Tensile Strength Analysis of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Material through the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) Technique.

Creating a Long-Term Safe Workplace in Garment Industry of Bangladesh: A Review

Creating a Long-Term Safe Workplace in Garment Industry of Bangladesh: A Review

Insights into evaluating and using industrial exoskeletons: Summary report, guideline, and lessons learned from the interdisciplinary project “Exo@Work”

Industrial exoskeletons represent a future-oriented technology for physically supporting humans during work. Especially in industrial workplaces, exoskeletons offer the potential for preventing musculoskeletal disorders and, thus, improving ergonomics since many workplaces and processes continually require a high proportion of demanding manual activities. Despite the number of available systems and the demand for personal support, exoskeletons have still not reached widespread adoption and regular application in occupational workplaces. In addition to the modest acceptance and usability, experts especially criticize the rare evidence of effective benefits of exoskeletons. The project “Exo@Work” examined evaluation approaches for exoskeletons in the industrial working world pursuing a mixed-methods strategy and three heterogeneous strands: (A) semi-structured interviews with experts (n = 18), (B) study-based workplace investigations with students and industrial workers (n = 78) using fourteen qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods as well as 17 exoskeletons, and (C) a questionnaire study on acceptance and usability with industrial workers (n = 33). The results reveal various support effects of different active and passive exoskeletons as well as several influencing factors for acceptance and usability. The findings flowed into a guideline with recommendations for practitioners as a prospective basis for evaluating and using exoskeletons in a targeted manner and promoting their widespread use in the industry.

Evaluating healthy workplace in geothermal industry

The geothermal industry is located in mountainous areas and far from urban centers that are at risk of danger. Hazard management is one aspect of occupational safety health management, including occupational environmental health. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the healthy workplace in geothermal industry. Observation and measurement technique are used to determine the light intensity, noise, humidity and temperature in all room in the industry. The results state that there are three rooms that did not meet the standard, the noisy still eligible both for offices (65dBA) and PLTP (85 dBA), the humidity is quite high (60%) and the average temperature is 15-20oC. Most of the indicators are still below the limit value based on the company and local regulations. Pengukuran aspek fisik monitoring kesehatan lingkungan kerja sudah memperoleh hasil yang baik. Namun, masih ada beberapa lokasi lingkungan kerja yang perli dilakukan perbaikan lagi dari segi pencahayaan dengan penggantian jenis lampu LED, dan pengaturan suhu dan kelembapan ruang. The assessment of healthy workplace is needed to improve the well-being of the workers in geothermal industry.

By a long shot: Power, devaluation and discrimination in a toxic cultural workforce

Drawing on data collected for a comprehensive workforce survey of the audio-visual camera profession in Australia ( n = 582), this article investigates discrimination and devaluation in screen industry workplaces. Employing a mixed method approach, we analyse the intersection of gender, sexuality and ethnicity to show that group differences play an important role in understanding workplace cultures defined by power imbalances. To address the problem of these toxic workplaces, we propose the importance of attending to job precarity and suggest the need for policymakers, guilds and trade unions to work collaboratively to set and enforce standards of workplace equality and respect. JEL Classification: Z13

Occupational Health and Safety in Drug Manufacturing Industry: A Short Review

Background: Not much is known about the health risks of workplace in the drug manufacturing industry. While the pharmaceutical industries seem safe superficially, the production of medicines demand a well maintained and clean working atmosphere and the typical depiction of employees wearing white coats add to the illusion. Objective: To document occupational health and safety in drug manufacturing industry. Methods: Large-scale research was conducted to assess the health, safety and efficacy of specific drugs before their marketing and distribution, however only a few surveys have examined the occupational health and safety of employees who manufacture these drugs. Results: There are many irritants and drugs that cause risk to health, these include powdered penicillin, nicotinic compounds, Local anaesthetics, chloroform, sulfonechloramides, benzene, mepacrine, acriflavine and sulfonating agents. The most crucial aspects of efficient pharmaceutical safety management are knowing and recognising the danger of hazardous facility and hazard discharge. The easiest method to avoid difficulties is to eliminate the danger or employ substitution (choosing the least toxic or safest product or process available). Furthermore, it appears plausible to anticipate that chemical-related health impacts of pharmaceutical industry activity, long-term effects, in particular, are likely under-reported and understated. Other dangers (for example, ergonomic design and stressors) are reported more frequently in internal company systems, but are rarely acknowledged in public. Conclusion: General safety guidelines and rules for drug manufacturing safety should be followed. These include; not to work alone in the laboratory, never use pipette with mouth, wear goggles or safety glasses in the laboratory, practice personal hygiene rules, do not eat or drink in the laboratory, use PPE and the practice of good housekeeping techniques.Keywords: Occupational health and safety, drug manufacturing, Pharma industry, international standards

Returning to Normalcy: an Evidence-Based Overview of Strategies for Creating a Psychologically Safer Workplace in Ghanaian Health Industry

The study focused on returning to normalcy: an evidence-based overview of strategies for creating a psychologically safer workplace in Ghanaian health industry. The study used a Qualitative Research Approach, specifically, a phenomenological research approach, and an exploratory research design to explore and comprehend individuals' lived experiences, views, and strategies for creating a safe psychological workplace. The study used the non-probability sampling method, which involved purposive sampling method to select participants for the study. The study found that most health professionals communicate politely with patients. There were mixed reactions regarding the overall sense of safety and well-being within the Ghanaian health industry. On one hand, most of the Ghanaian health institutions has put in place excellent support systems, and there is a culture of camaraderie among colleagues that generates a reassuring work atmosphere. On the other hand, there is a lack of financial resources in the health industry, which has adverse effect on staff well-being, producing an environment of frustration and tension. Due to budget restrictions, the health industry frequently translates to insufficient worker levels, outmoded equipment, and poor support systems. According to the results of the poll, most policies regarding staff allowances favour senior leaders and senior staff over junior employees. As a result, an organization's policy on allowances allocation favour senior leaders and management over junior employees. The study acknowledged that creating a psychologically safe workplace is a complex and ongoing process that involves various stages. These stages are interconnected and require ongoing commitment and effort from leadership and employees. The study found eight (8) key stages to consider when creating a psychologically safe workplace. These stages covered Assessment and Diagnosis, Leadership Commitment and Training, Communication and Transparency, Inclusive Decision-Making, Feedback and Recognition, Training and Skill Development, Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation, and Support for Mental Health and Well-being.

Using assurance of learning data to assess business students’ research skills

PurposeSkills development for business students is increasingly becoming more important in business education and the workplace. In this paper, students’ research skills are examined. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the issues and challenges students face in developing research skills and how these can be addressed.Design/methodology/approachThe study combines external marker evaluation and content analysis to evaluate one hundred 2,000-word essays and identify issues and challenges associated with students’ development of research skills.FindingsResults show that the essays rate well in collecting and using sources and summarising key topics but miss on integrating sources in writing and inconsistency in citations and referencing.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the paper’s limitations is using a sample from a single course in a business school in Australia. Nonetheless, the sampled essays represent similar writing tasks elsewhere that require students to display research skills.Practical implicationsSome implications for business and higher education are offered, including suggestions to address the issues and challenges raised in business education. For example, academics are encouraged to communicate clear expectations for writing tasks, provide support and show exemplars of business writing that incorporates practical research skills.Social implicationsBusiness students who develop effective research skills contribute to society by developing skills in effectively searching and evaluating information. This ensures business graduates in industry workplaces reach considered conclusions before making recommendations that could impact people’s lives.Originality/valueThe study is original in its approach to investigating the nuances of research skills deficiencies by using external expert examination combined with content analysis.

Reducing Background Induced Domain Shift for Adaptive Person Re-Identification

Cross-domain person re-identification (Re-ID) is a challenging and important task in monitoring safety and procedure compliance of industrial work places. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to reduce background induced domain shift for adaptive person Re-ID. Specifically, a foreground-background joint clustering module is proposed to extract discriminative foreground and background features and an attention-based feature disentanglement module is designed to reduce the interference of background with the extraction of discriminative foreground features. Experimental results on three widely used person Re-ID benchmarking datasets (Market-1501, DukeMTMC-reID, and MSMT17) have demonstrated that the proposed method achieves promising performance compared with the state-of-the-art methods.

Impact of nasal photodisinfection on SARS-CoV-2 infection in an industrial workplace

ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate a quality improvement initiative designed to control SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) using the large-scale deployment of antimicrobial photodisinfection therapy (aPDT) for nasal decolonization in a Canadian industrial workplace (a food processing plant). Study designUsing a retrospective chart review of treatment questionnaires, linked to COVID laboratory testing results, a quality improvement assessment was analyzed to determine treatment effectiveness and safety. MethodsThis voluntary aPDT intervention involved the administration of a light-sensitive liquid to the nose followed by nonthermal red-light irradiation on a weekly basis. Employees in food processing industries are at increased risk for COVID infection due to the nature of their work environments. In an effort to mitigate the transmission and consequences of the disease among such workers and the community at large, aPDT was added to a well-established bundle of pre-existing pandemic safety measures (e.g., mask-wearing, testing, contact tracing, workplace-engineered barriers, increased paid sick leave). ResultsFrom December 2020 to May 2021, we found high interest in and compliance with aPDT treatment, along with a statistically significant lower PCR test positivity rate in the study population in comparison to the case rates for the local Canadian province. Treatment safety monitoring and outcomes of the aPDT program demonstrated no serious adverse events. ConclusionsThis study suggests nasal photodisinfection provides safe and effective COVID viral suppression when deployed across the majority of workers in an industrial workplace setting.