Working Conditions Research Articles

Occupational future time perspective and mental health problems across adolescence: Random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis and alternative variations.

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage characterized by escalating mental health issues as well as an increasing awareness of future career possibilities. Occupational future time perspective has been shown to be a promotive factor for social functioning and mental health, and a component in evidence-based clinical practices and randomized controlled trial intervention studies. However, it requires more rigorous and ecological corroboration from longitudinal analysis at the within-person level. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models with several adjustments and sensitivity analyses were applied to the longitudinal data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (Zurich, Switzerland), to analyze how occupational future time perspective and psychological/neurodevelopmental outcomes (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms/externalizing/internalizing problems) covaried across ages 13 (N = 1365), 15 (N = 1446), and 17 (N = 1305) in the years 2016, 2018, and 2020, after controlling for sex (52% male), SES, and school type. A small effect was found in a random intercept cross-lagged panel model whereby occupational future time perspective at age 15 predicted externalizing problems at age 17 (β = .146, p = .05, [95% CI = 0.000, 0.292]), and in a random intercept (contemporaneous) reciprocal panel model specification attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms at age 17 were contemporaneously associated with occupational future time perspective at age 17 (β = -.310, p < .05, [95% CI = -0.580, -0.041]). No cross-lagged associations were found to be robust across different model specifications/adjustments. These findings suggest that improving occupational future time perspective may have limited impact on enhancing mental health, offering valuable insights for school-based interventions. Further research and replication are necessary to confirm these results.

ESG Performance and Enterprise Competitive Advantage Construction: A Case Study of Walmart

This essay opens with an in-depth discussion of the growing importance of ESG concepts in modern corporate management and highlights their significant role in promoting long-term corporate value creation. With the increasing global focus on sustainability, ESG concepts have become an integral part of corporate strategic planning and operational decision-making. Next, this article selects the global retail giant Walmart as a case study and uses SWOT analysis and other management tools to analyse in detail how Walmart has effectively constructed and consolidated its competitive advantages in the highly competitive market through the implementation of an active ESG strategy. The article specifically describes Walmart's practices on several ESG dimensions, including but not limited to the implementation of environmental protection measures, active support to the community, the enhancement of employee welfare, and the optimisation of corporate governance structure. In terms of environmental protection, Walmart has significantly reduced the environmental impact of its operations through measures such as reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainable products. In terms of community support, the company has strengthened its ties with local communities and enhanced its brand image through various community programmes and charitable activities. Employee well-being has been achieved through improved working conditions and career development opportunities, which have not only increased employee satisfaction but also enhanced the company's attractiveness. The article concludes by summarising the important contribution of Walmart's ESG practices to the company's sustainability and long-term competitive advantage and suggests possible future strategic directions and recommendations for Walmart in ESG based on current market trends and company performance. These recommendations are intended to provide valuable references and insights for Walmart and other companies in their future strategic planning and decision-making processes, especially in terms of how to balance economic efficiency and social responsibility to achieve long-term sustainable development. However, due to the limitation of data and the depth of research on Walmart ESG, the article still has limitations.

Practical skills in creating and conditions of a modern endoscopy department

Accumulated many years of experience in creating workrooms and functional endoscopy departments. Due to the fact that in our practice there are a lot of different regulatory documents in the field of construction: SNiP, codes of practice, practical design guidelines, as well as medical standards: SanPiN, sanitary rules, guidelines, various recommendations and orders of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, there is a huge resonance on the requirements of these documents for the creation of working conditions for flexible endoscopy of a certain profile in a medical organization. There are no standards for the development of models of a specific profile of endoscopy departments due to its widespread use in various medical practices. The development of a project for a new medical organization does not in any way concern sanitary standards, while newly built modern medical organizations are checked precisely according to sanitary standards and do not in any way concern building codes. Such an imbalance leads us to the harmonization of multi-profile documents, averaging of area requirements, engineering solutions, conditions for linking the operating requirements from the manufacturer of high-tech equipment. The creation of working groups and the development of individual planning solutions allows us to take into account all the nuances for proper operation, work out the equipment according to technical and dimensional characteristics and clearly formulate the requirements for the preparation of endoscopy workrooms.

Increasing labour productivity by providing innovative activities in when repair and service sector in livestock industry

At present, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are significantly behind the developed countries in terms of labor productivity and the share of domestic companies implementing technological innovations in the main sectors of the economy (especially in agriculture). One of the significant factors of this lag is the underestimation in past years of the promising potential of various innovative technologies and, as a consequence the very limited and slow implementation of breakthrough innovations in the most signifi cant sectors of the domestic economy. The decisive turn of the state economic policy of neighboring states in the area of deep technological transformation of all sectors of the economy is aimed at an innovative breakthrough and reaching advanced growth rates in the technological and economic development of fraternal countries. However, along with the introduction of the latest technologies the creation of completely new modern high-tech industries, which will require colossal fi nancial investments, the task of comprehensively and thoroughly exploring internal production reserves, searching for new forms and methods of improving the effi ciency of labour organization at existing enterprises, which will also bring a noticeable economic effect, remains relevant. This article describes in sufficient detail practical activities to improve and streamline accounting, planning, certifi cation, rationalization of workplaces of animal husbandry technical service organizations under the current conditions of the developing market. The results of the studies show that certifi cation and rationalization of workplaces are eff ective tools in fi nding internal production reserves to improve the use of labour resources, fi xed production assets, promotes the replacement of obsolete equipment, improves the relationship between workplaces, improves working conditions, and optimally balances the need for labour with the number of existing workplaces. This will significantly increase the overall efficiency of activities and competitiveness of service enterprises in the fi eld of animal husbandry.

Beam Local Stress Prediction Model for Incremental Launching Construction Based on SSA-SVR Algorithm

In the multi-point incremental launching construction process, without setting temporary piers at the mid-span, it is difficult to ensure the synchronization of the launching equipment at the same pier, which can easily cause the beam to deviate from the design axis, leading to changes in the stress of the beam. Calculating the local maximum stress of the beam when lateral deviation occurs is beneficial for establishing a reasonable and reliable threshold for controlling beam deviations. To address this issue, this paper utilizes a finite element model of the bridge under typical adverse conditions, simulating the lateral deviation and asynchronous jacking of the beam to explore stress variation patterns. The results show that the beam stress increases as the lateral deviation and jacking differences increase, severely affecting the structural safety. To overcome the inefficiency of the finite element modeling method when dealing with multiple working conditions and to establish a reasonable deviation control threshold, this study proposes a beam local stress prediction model under the combined influence of lateral deviation and jacking height differences based on the SSA-SVR algorithm. The model calculates the local maximum stress of the beam for 2500 sets of parameters. An engineering case analysis shows that the prediction model has high calculation accuracy, reliable results, fast computational speed, and high efficiency. Based on the stress prediction results, it is recommended to set the jacking height difference control threshold at 20 mm. When the jacking height difference is less than 20 mm, the local maximum stress value under the combined influence of both parameters should be less than the standard limit. The corresponding lateral deviation control threshold can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual travel difference recorded by the jacking equipment, with the control precision improved to 1 mm.

Evolving Leadership Theories: Integrating Contemporary Theories for VUCA Realities

The present study examines the correlation between current leadership models and three key elements of contemporary society: the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, the rapid digital revolution occurring in our surroundings, and the emergence of the next generation within our organizations. This study presents a framework for successfully incorporating and applying several leadership paradigms in exploratory, reflective, and analytical operations. Effective leadership in the digital era necessitates the use of a variety of leadership styles. Companies must succeed in integrating into the varied and inclusive work environment required by modern society. Achieving the desired results requires not just the abandonment of past methods but also the commitment to applying “next practices”. The current leadership concepts should be in accordance with the prevailing working conditions and beliefs of the current employee and those of future employees. By adopting the viewpoint of the “next up”, existing leadership theories can better accommodate the emotional, historical, and intrinsically imperfect situations that present leadership usually perceives and utilizes to evaluate its activities. The complex structure of this study’s framework enables the use of a single, collaborative, robust leadership model to drive rapid and seamless digital transformation in both enterprises and the contexts that initiate and guide such changes. Furthermore, it enables the exploration of the possible benefits of this approach for both the leaders and team members who struggle with the complexity of these adjustments.

Comparative Analysis between SA-516 Gr 70 Material with SA-537 Class 2 Material in Shell Pressure Vessel Fabrication Process

A pressure vessel is a container designed to hold fluids under pressure, including liquids and gases with varying pressures and temperatures. The pressure exerted on the vessel's walls and body is a critical factor that must be carefully considered to ensure compliance with applicable international design standards and prioritize worker safety and security. This research focused on a pressure vessel to investigate the impact of temperature on shell thickness to meet ASME standards. The study utilized shell components made from SA-516 Gr 70 and SA-537 materials. Experiments were conducted with each material at temperatures of 250°C, 235°C, and 343°C, revealing that thickness varies based on material and temperature. The research findings demonstrate compliance with ASME standards, as the shell thickness in all trials exceeded the minimum specified in the drawings.

Measurements of dust and respirable crystalline silica during indoor demolition and renovation.

Increased focus on renovating and maintaining the existing building stock is an integral part of the circular economy, however this might pose challenges to workers health. The aim of this study was to assess the renovation workers' exposure to inhalable dust, thoracic dust, respirable dust, and respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Personal aerosol samples were collected as full shift samples from 92 workers to a total of 407 samples. Fourteen locations around Oslo, Norway was visited for multiple days with repeated measurements of the same individual. Particulate matter from 3 aerosol fractions, respirable, thoracic, and inhalable, were analyzed gravimetrically, and the respirable fraction was analyzed for RCS by NIOSH 7500 method for X-ray diffraction (XRD)with low temperature plasma ashing sample preparation. The total measured concentrations of respirable dust (n = 192) had a geometric mean (GM) of 0.88mg/m3, RCS concentrations (n = 182) had a GM of 0.040mg/m3, thoracic dust (n = 131) had GM 2.4mg/m3, and inhalable dust (n = 84) had a GM of 8.5mg/m3. The maximum measured concentrations were 29mg/m3, 3.2mg/m3, 65mg/m3, and 163mg/m3, respectively. Workdays involving tasks such as mechanical demolition and clearing out demolished materials led to the highest exposure levels of both dust and RCS. However, other workers at the renovation sites were indirectly exposed to a considerable amount of RCS. This study revealed substantial exposure to both RCS and dust during renovation, and protective measures are warranted to reduce exposure levels in the industry.

Combined exercise Intervention protocol validation in sedentary workers health risk with Nonspecific Chronic low back pain People

Background: Most chronic low back pain is nonspecific as the cause of the pain is unknown. Hence exercise protocol focussing on one area of fitness is not appropriate. A general exercise programme that combines muscular strength, flexibility and aerobic fitness would benefit the rehabilitation of Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain and its health risk. The present study aimed to validate the content of the combined exercise intervention protocol. Methods: The development and expert judgement stages are part of the content validation process. The development of the exercise protocol was based on a comprehensive literature review. The protocol was created in a step-by-step progressive manner. Exercises for flexibility (20 minutes), stabilisation and strengthening (20 minutes), and aerobic (20 minutes) make up the three main parts of the exercise protocol. 12 independent professionals with a minimum of 10 years of experience were invited. Ten of the twelve specialists consented to take part in the study. In India, all of the professionals were engaged in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal physical therapy. There are two professors, three associate professors, and five senior physiotherapists among the experts. Responses were gathered by mail. During the validation phase, The Exercise protocol was graded by the experts on relevance and ease of performance using a 5-point scale. After collecting the responses content validity index and kappa values were calculated. Results: 37 out of 39 items in the combined exercise intervention protocol showed good agreement. Treadmill walking with 60-75% and 80% and above target heart rate showed a kappa value of 0.66 for relevance and 0.50 for ease of performance. Conclusions: The designed exercise protocol exhibited good content validity.

Rank-and-File Employee Stock Options and Workplace Safety

We provide robust evidence that rank-and-file employee stock options (R&amp;F options) lead to lower work-related injury rates. This finding is consistent with the view that R&amp;F options improve workplace safety by facilitating employee retention and cooperation. To establish causality, we employ difference-in-differences analysis around the passage of FAS 123R option expensing regulation and instrumental variable estimation. In cross-sectional analysis, we find that the documented effect is amplified among firms with higher labor mobility rates and among firms with greater scope for employee free riding. The results of supplemental analysis suggest that work-related injuries adversely impact firm performance and rule out reduced employee whistleblowing about workplace safety issues as an alternative mechanism driving our findings. This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance. Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02072 .

Exploring Research Dynamics in Aggression and Violence

Background: From 1994 to 2023, the research landscape on the subjects of aggression and violence has grown considerably, influenced by a growth in concerns around mental health, the prevention of violence, and cross-disciplinary approaches in the study of human behavior. The rising complexity of such fields requires a bibliometric analysis for an understanding of the thematic trends, key research areas, and scholarly collaborations that have shaped this body of knowledge. Objective: This study attempts to conduct an inclusive bibliometric analysis representing important themes, research trends, and interdisciplinary relationships of scholarship on psychology, aggression, violence prevention, and other public health-related topics in the past three decades. This paper aims at identifying influential topics, authors, and emerging areas of interest as well as shedding light on potential gaps in this research area. Methods: A bibliometric approach has been applied using VOSviewer for network visualization and mapping. The dataset includes scholarly publications in the period between 1994 and 2023; co-authorship, citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence are included. Major research clusters, prominent authors, and thematic trends identified in this paper represent the main findings in a visual manner. An overview of key topics and their interrelations is shown visually in word clouds and network visualizations. Findings: Results show that psychology is the most dominant discipline in the discourse of aggression, violence, and public health. Dominant topics include mental health, suicide prevention, poison control, and occupational safety. Other fast-growing topics deal with cyber-aggression and media-fueled violence, reflecting technological changes impinging on behavioral studies. There is considerable interdisciplinary interaction, especially between psychology and medicine and/or public health. These three issues do not cover the broadness of research; other areas, such as environmental health and substance abuse, are underrepresented in the scholarship. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis underlines the role of psychology and public health as significant in addressing aggression, violence, and mental health. The research landscape is large and interdisciplinary, with future research needing to cover environmental, socio-economic, and systemic factors of public health even more. Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and embedding of hitherto less explored topics will play a decisive role in the further development of a comprehensive understanding of the complex issues at play. Novelty: The paper therefore carves out a distinctive bibliometric perspective on the evolution of research in psychology, aggression, and violence within the period 1994-2023, pointing not just toward the themes at the forefront, but also the emergent trends and lacunae in the literature. By identifying key areas of scholarly concentration and underrepresented areas, the analysis constructs a roadmap to future research and advances a more integrated approach toward resolving behavioral and public health problems.

Predictive Models of Brake Reaction and Steering of Police Officers in Critical Driving Situations

Motor vehicle crashes involving police vehicles significantly impact law enforcement officer (LEO) safety, often occurring during high-risk maneuvers like pursuit driving and sudden lane changes. These incidents are exacerbated by LEOs’ interaction with in-vehicle technologies, including Mobile Computer Terminals. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) could mitigate these risks, though existing ADAS algorithms are not tailored to the unique work demands. To address these challenges, our study develops predictive models for LEO braking and steering in critical situations, based on a driving simulator experiment with police officers. Both braking and steering models were constructed and identified as effective in predicting police officer braking response and steering. The models can be practically applied as part of ADAS systems to deliver warnings at appropriate times, adapting to police officer demands in critical driving situations. Study implications contribute to the wider body of knowledge on surface transportation, occupational safety, and the use of adaptive models.

Research on position tracking control of electro-hydraulic actuator system combining feedforward inverse model controller and exponential functional link network adaptive controller

The electro-hydraulic actuator system plays a crucial role in indoor high-frequency simulation experiments. Many components of the system exhibit unavoidable nonlinear characteristics, which reduce its dynamic position response capability. Additionally, most algorithms are unsuitable for practical high-frequency conditions due to either local instability or high computational complexity. To improve position tracking accuracy under high-frequency control, a novel combined control strategy is proposed, integrating an appropriate feedforward inverse model controller (FFIMC) with an exponential functional link network adaptive controller (EFLNAC). Initially, the system has reached a stable state under the action of the PID controller. Subsequently, the FFIMC estimates both the model and the inverse model of the PID system by applying the AIC technique developed through the DCT-VSSNLMS adaptive algorithm, which extends the system’s bandwidth. Following this, the EFLNAC, as the outermost loop, acquires the inverse model of the FFIMC system and updates internal parameters in real-time, thereby enhancing the system’s resistance to nonlinear disturbances. Finally, the combined controller is validated through simulations and experiments under various working conditions. The results show a significant increase in the PID system’s bandwidth and demonstrate that the tracking error of the signal is maintained within 0.079 mm. Therefore, the combined controller proves to be an effective solution for high-precision, high-frequency displacement tracking, offering the advantages of low computational complexity, high accuracy, and strong effectiveness.

Development and Validation of the Emergency Medical Technicians Occupational Stress Scale

Introduction. The population of interested workers for this study included Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in the United States. This group of workers was chosen because of the nature of their work, which requires their presence at the scenes of life and death situations. Certainly, their work conditions can have an effect on their psychological well-being. Yet, the work of these workers, with all of its stressors, has not been adequately studied through the use of appropriate measuring instruments. Emergency Medical Technicians are not unknown in occupational stress research. This report discusses previous studies on EMT workers and occupational stressors and explains the curative process through the development and validation of an EMT Occupational Stress Scale. The report also highlights the psychometric investigation of this scale. Paramedics/EMTs face increased risk of physical and psychological stress due to the nature of their work. It is crucial to understand the stressors affecting their well-being in order to develop appropriate management strategies. Research suggests that EMTs may lack preparation for their roles, requiring additional training in empathy and emotional intelligence. The relationship between stressors experienced and clinical service provided needs further investigation. Standardized measures of stress for paramedics/EMTs are lacking and more comprehensive instruments are needed. This report aims to develop a comprehensive stress scale specifically for EMTs/paramedics, addressing validation concerns and incorporating environmental stress within a larger theoretical framework. Methods. This study was This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach to develop and validate the Emergency Medical Technicians Occupational Stress Scale. The scale was pilot tested with a sample of EMTs to ensure reliability and validity. by the ethics committee and is based on a literature review. The Canadian EMT Job Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to measure organizational stress levels of EMTs. The questionnaire was reviewed by professionals and academics, resulting in the inclusion of five new items. The final item list consisted of 58 questions. Permission was obtained. Results. The outcomes and findings obtained from the comprehensive study conducted on the Development and Validation of the Emergency Medical Technicians Occupational Stress Scale have shed light on significant discoveries pertaining to the intricate realm of stress levels experienced by our dedicated EMT professionals. Conclusion. The rapidly evolving scope of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) practice has placed increasing demands on the relatively small professional community that consists of EMTs and paramedics. An Occupational Stress model was developed to examine interpersonal work stressors unique to the EMT role, and a measure was developed to assess the construct. Initial results suggest that the OSM is an accurate, reliable, and potentially valuable assessment tool. High levels of interpersonal stress may influence the EMTs to cope with their daily activities by seeking outlets for tension and depression through increased use of alcohol, legal drugs, and caffeine. Alcohol is used more frequently than other legal drugs are to modify interpersonal stress symptoms. The EMTs are in a prime position to help each other identify these symptoms when arising and offer assistance. Staff stress management programs are essential in solving and preventing occupational stress. A move toward prevention rather than reaction to such stress, which for many results in alcoholism, drug addiction, or job related emotional illness, will serve to preserve the health of the EMTs. The medical community has a vested interest in the health of these dedicated professionals. Not only does such prevention attempt to manage the human tragedy of alcoholism, legal drug addiction, and job related emotional illness, but it also prevents the more tangible, but no less important cost factors to the EMT.

An Investigation of the Effects of Flame Straightening Heating on the High-Strength Structural Steels Microstructure

AbstractIn this research, the effects of heating cycles that are performed correctly and excessively—well above the limitations given by the steel manufacturer—on flame straightening are assessed and analyzed. The paper focuses on the microstructural changes caused by the overheating during the flame straightening process. To create geometrical changes in a metal construction, a tiny section of the element or structure is heated to the straightening temperature during the flame straightening process. Strenx® 960 is typically produced through a combination of thermomechanical rolling and quenching and tempering, resulting in a fine-grained martensitic or bainitic microstructure. These processes are designed to achieve a balance of high strength and good toughness. The microstructural changes associated with different working conditions in the case of welding include HAZ softening and grain growth. The study aimed to highlight the influence of flame hardening on the microstructure of the material.

Equivalent Simulation Study of Delta-Rotor Engine

The mechanical structure, movement mode, and combustion process of a triangular rotor engine differ from those of a conventional engine with a crank connecting rod mechanism as the core. This makes it impossible to directly use existing simulation software to simulate the performance of the entire engine, rendering it difficult to conduct structural evaluation and performance prediction during the engine development stage. Therefore, using existing performance simulation software to establish a performance-equivalent model for a triangular rotor engine is crucial. To solve the above problems, this study proposes a performance-equivalent simulation modelling method for a triangular rotor engine based on a three-dimensional simulation model and the operating principles of the triangular rotor and four-stroke engines. Compared to various performance indicators obtained from the three-dimensional simulation model, the results show that the equivalent model established in this study has sufficient accuracy for key indicators such as the cylinder pressure, cylinder temperature, and in-cylinder quality under various working conditions. This can satisfy the requirements of the complete machine-performance simulation of a triangular rotor engine.

Sound Quality Prediction Method of Dual-Phase Hy-Vo Chain Transmission System Based on MFCC-CNN and Fuzzy Generation

redict the sound quality of dual-phase Hy-Vo chain transmission system noise using a small sample size. Noise acquisition tests are conducted under various working conditions, followed by subjective evaluations using the equal interval direct one-dimensional method. Objective evaluations are performed using the Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC). To understand the impact of the MFCC order and the frame number on prediction accuracy, MFCC feature maps of different specifications are analyzed. The dataset is expanded threefold using fuzzy generation with an appropriate membership degree. The convolutional neural network (CNN) is developed, utilizing MFCC feature maps as inputs and evaluation scores as outputs. Results indicate a positive correlation between the frame number and prediction accuracy, whereas higher MFCC orders introduce redundancy, reducing accuracy. The proposed CNN method outperforms three traditional machine learning approaches, demonstrating superior accuracy and resistance to overfitting.

The unsupervised bearing fault diagnosis method based on the dual-framework Siamese network

Abstract Aiming at the problem of insufficient bearing fault samples in practical engineering, an unsupervised bearing fault diagnosis method with double frame twin network is proposed in this paper. This method only uses the source domain data to diagnose the target domain data, and can minimize the problem of domain difference. The concrete method is firstly to carry on continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to the rolling bearing signal, and the processed signal is used as the input feature of convolutional neural network (CNN). The twin network structure is optimized and Manhattan distance is used as the loss function in the training process. The proposed CM network is applied to the diagnosis of inner ring fault, outer ring fault and normal state of rolling bearing. The results show that CM network can achieve over 90% accuracy on SQ variable speed vibration signal data set (SQV), Shijiazhuang Railway University data set (STD) and Case Western Reserve University data set (CWRU), which is suitable for bearing fault diagnosis under different working conditions and provides a new direction for fault diagnosis. The PyTorch code is available at https://github.com/xiaotianqu/The-unsupervised-bearing-fault-diagnosis-method-based-on-the-dual-framework-Siamese-network

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OF WOMEN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS: A CASE STUDY IN MADURAI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU

The construction sector plays an important role in the livelihoods of rural poor populations, contributing significantly to their economic sustenance. This study focuses on the status and significance of women construction workers in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. More than 3 lakh construction workers are employed in Tamil Nadu facing various challenges on a daily basis. Women in this sector encounter numerous issues including socio-economic hardships, environmental risks and health problems at the worksite. The present study investigates the socio-economic conditions and occupational health problems faced by women in Madurai’s construction industry. The construction sector a key employer in developing countries like India predominantly hires unskilled and semi-skilled labour. Women workers in construction industry endure long working hours, wage discrimination and adverse working conditions often with limited access to social security or healthcare. Data collected from 60 respondents through purposive sampling reveals that most of the women workers are between 30 and 50 years old and have only a primary level of education. Despite their significant contributions these women face a multitude of challenges such as health issues like neck and shoulder pain, anaemia and asthma with minimal awareness of medical insurance. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at improving economic security, health awareness, and working conditions for women in the construction sector. KEYWORDS: construction women workers, marginalized, health problems, wage discrimination, livelihood.

Decoding Pandemic Stress: Analysing Mental Health of Tea Workers in India

This research article aims to investigate the factors that affected the mental health of tea workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study provides essential insights into the psychological factors affecting tea workers during this critical time. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires from 532 tea workers in the north-eastern region of India. The collected data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling approaches. The study found that all the factors investigated significantly impacted employee stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, safety perception and contagion risk were found to have the strongest influence on stress, followed by unknown and information overload, social exclusion and humiliation, monetary loss and job uncertainty, and quarantine and restraint. Additionally, the study confirms that stress at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic can lead to depression among tea workers, which is also related to insomnia and relationship troubles. Investigating the various dimensions of COVID-19 stressors among tea workers is crucial for the government and management to understand the root causes of the problem. By understanding the contributing factors to mental health issues, we can develop appropriate interventions to support the well-being of tea workers, providing a blueprint for mitigating the potential adverse effects of future pandemics.