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17 pages, 12771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility Analysis of Using Channel State Information (CSI) Acquired from Wi-Fi Routers for Construction Worker Fall Detection

by Runhao Guo, Heng Li, Dongliang Han and Runze Liu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4998; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064998 - 12 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2844

Abstract

Accidental falls represent a major cause of fatal injuries for construction workers. Failure to seek medical attention after a fall can significantly increase the risk of death for construction workers. Wearable sensors, computer vision, and manual techniques are common modalities for detecting worker [...] Read more.

Accidental falls represent a major cause of fatal injuries for construction workers. Failure to seek medical attention after a fall can significantly increase the risk of death for construction workers. Wearable sensors, computer vision, and manual techniques are common modalities for detecting worker falls in the literature. However, they are severely constrained by issues such as cost, lighting, background, clutter, and privacy. To address the problems associated with the existing proposed methods, a new method has been conceived to identify construction worker falls by analyzing the CSI signals extracted from commercial Wi-Fi routers. In this research context, our study aimed to investigate the potential of using Channel State Information (CSI) to identify falls among construction workers. To achieve the aim of this study, CSI data corresponding to 360 sets of activities were collected from six construction workers on real construction sites. The results indicate that (1) the behavior of construction workers is highly correlated with the magnitude of CSI, even in real construction sites, and (2) the CSI-based method for identifying construction worker falls has an accuracy of 99% and can also accurately distinguish between falls and fall-like actions. The present study makes a significant contribution to the field by demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing low-cost Wi-Fi routers for the continuous monitoring of fall incidents among construction workers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation to address the issue of fall detection using commercial Wi-Fi devices in real-world construction environments. Considering the dynamic nature of construction sites, the new method developed in this study helps to detect falls at construction sites automatically and helps injured construction workers to seek medical attention on time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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15 pages, 4304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Spread and Burning Characteristics of Continuous Spill Fire Leaked from a Point Source under Different Slopes

by Xiaoxiao Sun, Hong Huang, Jinlong Zhao, Xiang Zhang and Guangheng Song

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054323 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1516

Abstract

Liquid fuel is widely used in industry and transportation. Liquid fuel leakage usually results in some spill fire accidents. In this paper, the effect of slope on the spread and burning behaviors of continuous spill fire from a point discharge source was studied [...] Read more.

Liquid fuel is widely used in industry and transportation. Liquid fuel leakage usually results in some spill fire accidents. In this paper, the effect of slope on the spread and burning behaviors of continuous spill fire from a point discharge source was studied by experiments. The flame spread rate, burning rate, heat convection at the bottom surface, flame feedback radiation, and flame height were analyzed. The results show that the spread area has an increasing trend with the slope, and the length of the spread area increases obviously, while the width of spread area shows an opposite trend. Moreover, the burning rate and the flame height of the steady stage decreases significantly with the slope increase, which can be attributed to the increase of heat convection between the fuel layer and bottom for the larger slopes. Subsequently, a burning rate model for the steady stage is built considering fuel layer heat loss and validated by the current experimental data. This work can provide guidance for the thermal hazard analysis of liquid fuel spill fires from a point source. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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11 pages, 1929 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation Experiment Research of Mine Roadway Simulating Test Device with Adjustable Wind Velocity and Temperature and Humidity

by Lindong Liu, Cuifeng Du, Yuan Wang, Jianwu Chen, Bin Yang and Weibo Jin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4057; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054057 - 24 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1322

Abstract

The design and development process of wind velocity sensors for mining has been a challenging task due to the complexity of a large number of field tests. To resolve this problem, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive test device for the design [...] Read more.

The design and development process of wind velocity sensors for mining has been a challenging task due to the complexity of a large number of field tests. To resolve this problem, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive test device for the design and development of high-precision wind velocities sensor for mining. Through a combination of experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a device that can simulate the mine roadway environment was developed. The device can control the temperature, humidity, and wind velocity parameters to fully replicate the mine roadway environment. It gives designers and developers of high-precision wind velocity sensors for mining a rational and scientific testing environment. In order to quantitatively define the uniformity of air flow in the mine highway section, the research introduced the non-uniformity determination method. The approach was expanded to assess the cross-sectional uniformity of temperature and humidity. The wind velocity within the machine can increase to 8.5 m/s by selecting the right kind of fan. The minimum wind velocity non-uniformity at this moment is 2.30%. The device’s internal temperature can be raised to 38.23 °C and its humidity level can be increased to 95.09% by carefully crafting the rectifier orifice plate’s structure. At this time, the lowest temperature non-uniformity is 2.22%, and the lowest humidity non-uniformity is 2.40%. The device’s average wind velocity is 4.37 m/s, its average temperature is 37.7 °C, as well as its average humidity is 95%, per the emulate results. The device’s non-uniformity in wind velocity, temperature, and humidity is 2.89%, 1.34%, and 2.23%, respectively. It is capable of simulating the mine roadway environment in its entirety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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19 pages, 1078 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Maturity Evaluation Model of Enterprise Safety Culture

by Jingjing Pei, Lu Liu, Ying Chi and Chengyang Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2664; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032664 - 1 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2109

Abstract

To regulate the safety behavior of employees and improve the occupational safety level of enterprises. Based on the perspective of safety culture, this paper designed an index system based on the four dimensions of safety concept, system, behavior, and physical culture, and it [...] Read more.

To regulate the safety behavior of employees and improve the occupational safety level of enterprises. Based on the perspective of safety culture, this paper designed an index system based on the four dimensions of safety concept, system, behavior, and physical culture, and it explored a new quantitative assessment method of safety culture level by introducing the concept of maturity into the evaluation of safety culture using the grey fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. Combining the characteristics of enterprise safety culture, safety culture was divided into five levels, including original level, starting level, development level, completion level, and leading level, and the maturity model of enterprise safety culture was established. Finally, taking an enterprise to be evaluated as an example, the evaluation steps and application of evaluation results were introduced. The results showed that the evaluation model of enterprise safety culture maturity constructed in this paper provides systematic measurement indexes and scientific evaluation methods for evaluating the safety culture maturity of enterprises. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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22 pages, 1721 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Empirical Study of the Contribution of Total Quality Management to Occupational Safety and Health Performance in Saudi Organizations

by Mohamed Aichouni, Mabrouk Touahmia, Serhan Alshammari, Mohamed Ahmed Said, Ahmed Baha Eddine Aichouni, Mohsen Almudayries and Hamza Aljohani

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021495 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5023

Abstract

Working to ensure a safe and secure work environment for workers and employees has become an essential component of achieving organizational excellence in modern organizations. Occupational safety and health (OSH) programs help in attracting and retaining the workforce and human competencies, thus improving [...] Read more.

Working to ensure a safe and secure work environment for workers and employees has become an essential component of achieving organizational excellence in modern organizations. Occupational safety and health (OSH) programs help in attracting and retaining the workforce and human competencies, thus improving the operational and organizational performance of these organizations. Total quality management (TQM) is a management philosophy adopted by successful organizations to achieve sustainable business performance. This study aims to assess the level of implementation of total quality management and occupational safety and health in Saudi organizations and investigates the relationship between total quality management practices and occupational safety and health performance. Data were collected from a number of random organizations during the period November to December 2021. Based on a sample of 99 valid responses, empirical results were obtained through descriptive and advanced statistical analysis, indicating that TQM practices and OHS are highly implemented in Saudi organizations. The statistical results also showed that TQM practices have a significant positive impact on OSH performance in the surveyed organizations. The seven TQM fundamental pillars and the five OSH program components can be considered as essential success factors and fundamental pillars for TQM implementation in organizations and for OSH performance improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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9 pages, 2317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Job that Kills the Worker: Analysis of Two Case Reports on Work-Related Stress Deaths in the COVID-19 Era

by Maricla Marrone, Carlo Angeletti, Gerardo Cazzato, Gabriele Sebastiani, Luigi Buongiorno, Pierluigi Caricato, Fortunato Pititto, Eliano Cascardi, Alessandra Stellacci and Benedetta Pia De Luca

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010884 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2992

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increasing number of corporate layoffs and downsizing, as well as causing many employees to be absent due to illness, with inevitable consequences on the health of active workers both from a physical point of view, due to the [...] Read more.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increasing number of corporate layoffs and downsizing, as well as causing many employees to be absent due to illness, with inevitable consequences on the health of active workers both from a physical point of view, due to the need to make up for staff and organizational shortages, and from a mental point of view, due to the inevitable consequences related to the uncertainty of the social context. This context has certainly caused an increase in work-related stress, which is the pathological outcome of a process that affects workers who are subjected to excessive (emotional-relational or high or low or inadequate activity) or improper work loads. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the main aspects of this issue, through the analysis proposed by two case reports, both of which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which occupational stress emerged as an etiological agent in the determinism of death. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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15 pages, 903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Predictors of Unsafe Behaviors among Nuclear Power Plant Workers: An Investigation Integrating Personality, Cognitive and Attitudinal Factors

by Da Tao, Xiaofeng Diao, Xingda Qu, Xiaoting Ma and Tingru Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 820; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010820 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2091

Abstract

Unsafe behaviors, such as violations and human errors, have long been recognized as the main causes of accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs). However, personal factors that influence unsafe behaviors among NPP workers have not been well examined, especially in an integrated model. [...] Read more.

Unsafe behaviors, such as violations and human errors, have long been recognized as the main causes of accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs). However, personal factors that influence unsafe behaviors among NPP workers have not been well examined, especially in an integrated model. This study proposes an integrated contextual mediated model to examine personality, cognitive and attitudinal predictors of unsafe behaviors among commissioning workers at NPPs. The model was verified using structural equation modeling technique with survey data from 177 commissioning workers in two Chinese NPPs. Results show that personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness and agreeableness), executive function and safety attitudes exerted significant effects on unsafe behaviors. In addition, the effects of agreeableness and executive function were partly mediated by safety attitudes. Both conscientiousness and neuroticism indirectly influenced unsafe behaviors through the mediating role of executive function. The findings shed light on the design of evidence-based interventions for safety performance in NPPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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18 pages, 3387 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Coal Dust Wettability Identification Based on GA–BP Model

by Haotian Zheng, Shulei Shi, Bingyou Jiang, Yuannan Zheng, Shanshan Li and Haoyu Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010624 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2093

Abstract

Aiming at the problems of the influencing factors of coal mine dust wettability not being clear and the identification process being complicated, this study proposed a coal mine dust wettability identification method based on a back propagation (BP) neural network optimized by a [...] Read more.

Aiming at the problems of the influencing factors of coal mine dust wettability not being clear and the identification process being complicated, this study proposed a coal mine dust wettability identification method based on a back propagation (BP) neural network optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA). Firstly, 13 parameters of the physical and chemical properties of coal dust, which affect the wettability of coal dust, were determined, and on this basis, the initial weight and threshold of the BP neural network were optimized by combining the parallelism and robustness of the genetic algorithm, etc., and an adaptive GA–BP model, which could reasonably identify the wettability of coal dust was constructed. The extreme learning machine (ELM) algorithm is a single hidden layer neural network, and the training speed is faster than traditional neural networks. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm optimizes the weight and threshold of the ELM, so PSO–ELM could also realize the identification of coal dust wettability. The results showed that by comparing the four different models, the accuracy of coal dust wettability identification was ranked as GA–BP > PSO–ELM > ELM > BP. When the maximum iteration times and population size of the PSO algorithm and the GA algorithm were the same, the running time of the different models was also different, and the time consumption was ranked as ELM < BP < PSO–ELM < GA–BP. The GA–BP model had the highest discrimination accuracy for coal mine dust wettability with an accuracy of 96.6%. This study enriched the theory and method of coal mine dust wettability identification and has important significance for the efficient prevention and control of coal mine dust as well as occupational safety and health development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 1894 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Multi-Modal Warning Interface on Takeover Efficiency of Autonomous High-Speed Train

by Chunhui Jing, Haohong Dai, Xing Yao, Dandan Du, Kaidi Yu, Dongyu Yu and Jinyi Zhi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010322 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1962

Abstract

As a large-scale public transport mode, the driving safety of high-speed rail has a profound impact on public health. In this study, we determined the most efficient multi-modal warning interface for automatic driving of a high-speed train and put forward suggestions for optimization [...] Read more.

As a large-scale public transport mode, the driving safety of high-speed rail has a profound impact on public health. In this study, we determined the most efficient multi-modal warning interface for automatic driving of a high-speed train and put forward suggestions for optimization and improvement. Forty-eight participants were selected, and a simulated 350 km/h high-speed train driving experiment equipped with a multi-modal warning interface was carried out. Then, the parameters of eye movement and behavior were analyzed by independent sample Kruskal–Wallis test and one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the current level 3 warning visual interface of a high-speed train had the most abundant warning graphic information, but it failed to increase the takeover efficiency of the driver. The visual interface of the level 2 warning was more likely to attract the attention of drivers than the visual interface of the level 1 warning, but it still needs to be optimized in terms of the relevance of and guidance between graphic–text elements. The multi-modal warning interface had a faster response efficiency than the single-modal warning interface. The auditory–visual multi-modal interface had the highest takeover efficiency and was suitable for the most urgent (level 3) high-speed train warning. The introduction of an auditory interface could increase the efficiency of a purely visual interface, but the introduction of a tactile interface did not improve the efficiency. These findings can be used as a basis for the interface design of automatic driving high-speed trains and help improve the active safety of automatic driving high-speed trains, which is of great significance to protect the health and safety of the public. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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14 pages, 522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Perceived Organizational Support Reduce the Effect of Working Environmental Risk on Occupational Strain? A Study of Chinese Geological Investigators

by Su Tao, Jinmiao Hao and Jicong Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010051 - 21 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1517

Abstract

Background: Sensitivity to working environmental risks is essential to ensure the safety of geological investigators, but persistent perceived risks may lead to occupational strain, with negative effects on physical and mental health. This study aimed to find ways to reduce the negative consequences [...] Read more.

Background: Sensitivity to working environmental risks is essential to ensure the safety of geological investigators, but persistent perceived risks may lead to occupational strain, with negative effects on physical and mental health. This study aimed to find ways to reduce the negative consequences of working environmental risk perception without losing situational awareness. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 268 participants from geological survey organizations, measuring their perception of working environmental risk, occupational strain, perceived organizational support, and other stressors. Results: (1) The perception of working environmental risk and occupational strain of geological investigators was significantly higher than that of administrative staff, managers, and scientific researchers. (2) Working environmental risk is an important predictor of occupational strain in geological investigators even after controlling for other stressors. (3) Different dimensions of perceived organizational support play different roles in stress management; socio-emotional support negatively predicts occupational strain, and instrumental support moderates the relationship between working environmental risk perception and occupational strain. Conclusions: Our findings identify working environmental risk as one of the most prominent stressors for geological investigators. Socio-emotional support directly reduces occupational strain, while instrumental support buffers the effect of risk perception on occupational strain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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10 pages, 1560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perception and Knowledge of Dental Ergonomics among Romanian Dental Students

by Ioana Cristina Talpos-Niculescu, Andrei Zoltan Farkas, Diana Lungeanu, Veronica Argeşanu, Mirella Dorina Anghel and Riham Nagib

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16988; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416988 - 17 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2278

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among leading factors for early retirement of dental practitioners while the application of ergonomic principles is often overlooked during dental education. The article aims to assess the need for dental ergonomics modules as an integrated part of the dental [...] Read more.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among leading factors for early retirement of dental practitioners while the application of ergonomic principles is often overlooked during dental education. The article aims to assess the need for dental ergonomics modules as an integrated part of the dental school curriculum and to quantify the significance and role of ergonomics in reducing musculoskeletal stress generated while undergoing dental training. The study design consisted of a three-part original close-ended multiple-choice questionnaire carried out among 75 sixth year students from “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania. Questions focused on the basic knowledge of theoretical ergonomics, the ISO 11226 standard and means of improvement in undergraduate ergonomics training. Most students had an average level of knowledge regarding dental ergonomic principles. Data analysis showed that 62.16% agree that the information received in the second-year dental ergonomics course was helpful in regard to time organization. A high percentage (86%) also understood the correct positioning of the patient while performing dental procedures. Although implementation of ergonomic principles in the early dental training years has a high influence in the prevention of MSDs, students do not fully understand the impact this subject has on their future careers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 688 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence Mechanism of Political Skill on Safety Voice Behavior in High-Risk Industries: The Mediating Role of Voice Efficacy

by Yunfeng Sun, Jianwu Chen, Chongyang Qian, Xiaowei Luo and Xiang Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16162; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316162 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1822

Abstract

As an important indicator to measure the adaptability and development potential of individuals in an organization, political skill is rarely considered as an antecedent variable in the field of safety voice. This study is based on impression management theory and social cognitive theory. [...] Read more.

As an important indicator to measure the adaptability and development potential of individuals in an organization, political skill is rarely considered as an antecedent variable in the field of safety voice. This study is based on impression management theory and social cognitive theory. From the perspective of employee self-service-oriented safety voice motivation, we took political skill as a predictor of safety voice behavior and introduced voice efficacy as an intermediary variable to construct a theoretical model of the relationship between political skill, voice efficacy, and safety voice behavior. We used the method of questionnaire to collect data from employees in high-risk industries. SPSS and AMOS software were used as analysis tools to examine the relationship between political skill, voice efficacy, and safety voice behavior. The study results show that: (1) political skill has a significant positive impact on safety voice behavior; and (2) voice efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between political skill and safety voice behavior. In this study, a new predictor of safety voice behavior and its mediation mechanism were obtained. Political skill can not only reflect the psychological cognitive ability of individuals in dangerous work environments, but it is also an important manifestation of the social exchanges between employees and organizations. In the special organizational context where China generally values “guanxi”, political skill has a stronger ability to predict and explain safety voice behavior. This research can help organizations obtain safety-related suggestions from employees in a timely manner and realize the sustainable development of safety management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Effects of Personality on the Safety Behavior of Gold Mine Workers: A Moderated Mediation Approach

by Li Yang, Sumaiya Bashiru Danwana, Fadilul-lah Yassaanah Issahaku, Sundas Matloob and Junqi Zhu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16054; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316054 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2168

Abstract

Based on prior research on the relationship between personality and safety behavior, we construct a moderated mediation model that tests the effects of each of the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism) on the safety behavior of gold miners [...] Read more.

Based on prior research on the relationship between personality and safety behavior, we construct a moderated mediation model that tests the effects of each of the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism) on the safety behavior of gold miners in Ghana. The model included safety competency as a mediator between the five personality traits and safety behavior. Management commitment to safety was used as a moderator to test the strength of the mediation of safety competency. Data was collected from 344 individuals employed across six large-scale gold mining companies in Ghana using a questionnaire survey. Amos 26 was used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis. The hypotheses were tested using Hayes PROCESS macros models 4 and 7 on SPSS 26. Findings show that openness and extraversion have an insignificant direct influence on safety behavior. Neuroticism negatively affects safety behavior. In contrast, conscientiousness and agreeableness positively affect safety behavior. Mediation analysis revealed that safety competency partially mediates the relationships between (1) conscientiousness and safety behavior and (2) agreeableness and safety behavior. The relationship between extraversion and safety behavior is fully mediated by safety competency. Additionally, we discovered that management safety commitment has a significant conditional indirect effect (Index of moderated mediation = 0.168 95% CI = [0.122;0.222]) on the relationship between conscientiousness and safety behavior through safety competency. Management safety commitment also significantly moderated (Index of moderated mediation = 0.075 95% CI = [0.021;0.120]) the relationship between agreeableness and safety behavior through safety competency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 3141 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Risk and Resilience Evaluation of Urban Underground Public Space

by Xiaojuan Li, Lulu Li, Mingchao Lin and Chi Yung Jim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15897; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315897 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2749

Abstract

High urban density, land scarcity, rapid population growth, and traffic congestion have restricted urban development. In response, selected multiple functions have increasingly been integrated into the underground public space (UPS) to maximize the 3D utilization of precious urban space. The accelerated intensity of [...] Read more.

High urban density, land scarcity, rapid population growth, and traffic congestion have restricted urban development. In response, selected multiple functions have increasingly been integrated into the underground public space (UPS) to maximize the 3D utilization of precious urban space. The accelerated intensity of UPS use has alerted safety concerns. UPS with enclosed and confined natures, complex building structures, locations usually in cramped areas, and limited emergency exits are potentially more prone to heavy casualties and losses in natural or human-made disasters. As research on UPS safety is limited and focused on single risks, we attempted to fill the knowledge gap by developing an integrated risk analysis of UPS to understand risk resilience and improve risk management. From the perspective of the UPS system, four latent factors were identified: natural environment, economic environment, facilities and equipment, and physical structure. Seventeen resilience indicators subsumed under the factors were selected based on resilience concepts. A questionnaire was designed to gather opinions on the relative importance rating of the resilience indicators. SPSS and AMOS software were enlisted to build a structural equation model (SEM), validate the data and model, and calculate the path coefficients and index weights to test four hypotheses. The SEM model results were employed to develop a holistic resilience enhancement strategy under a four-phase framework: before, during, after, and long-term, and under four latent factors. The resilience enhancements can optimize UPS disaster prevention, rescue and evacuation, mitigation, and response management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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22 pages, 2985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Safety Performance Assessment of Construction Sites under the Influence of Psychological Factors: An Analysis Based on the Extension Cloud Model

by Junlong Peng and Qi Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15378; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215378 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2668

Abstract

Psychological hazards within organizational structures of construction sites are difficult to detect and can have significant negative impacts on safety performances when such hazards erupt. At present, most safety performance assessment models for construction sites ignore psychological factors. Therefore, in order to reveal [...] Read more.

Psychological hazards within organizational structures of construction sites are difficult to detect and can have significant negative impacts on safety performances when such hazards erupt. At present, most safety performance assessment models for construction sites ignore psychological factors. Therefore, in order to reveal psychological hazards within construction site organizations and to avoid damage caused by psychological hazards to safety performances, this paper evaluates the safety performances of construction sites by focusing on leader–member exchange ambivalence as the main trigger point. The evaluation system and evaluation criteria are established through three aspects: building scale, emotional orientation, and stability factors. The hierarchical analysis method, game theory, and extension cloud model are combined to make evaluation results more objective and credible. Moreover, a construction project with high technical requirements, high investment, and complex construction conditions (defined as a complex project) and an ordinary construction project with low technical difficulty and simple construction conditions (defined as a general project) were selected for analysis. The evaluation results indicate that both complex projects and general projects have safety hazards regarding psychological orientations. Finally, this paper makes some suggestions from three aspects: management system and corporate culture, building site intelligence, and social opinion to improve the safety performances of construction sites. The evaluation results are the same as actual operation results, which verify that models proposed in this paper can be used for safety performance evaluations of actual construction projects and provide help for managers to grasp overall safety levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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14 pages, 3849 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Distracting Behaviors on Driving Workload and Driving Performance in a City Scenario

by Shuang Luo, Xinxin Yi, Yiming Shao and Jin Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215191 - 17 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1931

Abstract

Distractors faced by drivers grow continuously, and concentration on driving becomes increasingly difficult, which has detrimental influences on road traffic safety. The present study aims to investigate changes in driving workload and driving performance caused by distracting tasks. The recruited subjects were requested [...] Read more.

Distractors faced by drivers grow continuously, and concentration on driving becomes increasingly difficult, which has detrimental influences on road traffic safety. The present study aims to investigate changes in driving workload and driving performance caused by distracting tasks. The recruited subjects were requested to drive along a city route in a real vehicle and perform three secondary tasks sequentially. Electrocardiography and driving performance were measured. Heart rate variability (HRV) was adopted to quantitatively analyze the driving workload. Findings show that: (i) increments are noticed in the root mean square differences of successive heartbeat intervals (RMSSD), the standard deviation of normal-to-normal peak (SDNN), the heart rate growth rate (HRGR), and the ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency powers (LF/HF) compared to undistracted driving; (ii) the hands-free phone conversation task has the most negative impacts on driving workload; (iii) vehicle speed reduces due to secondary tasks while changes in longitudinal acceleration exhibit inconsistency; (iv) the experienced drivers markedly decelerate during hands-free phone conversation, and HRGR shows significant differences in both driving experience and gender under distracted driving conditions; (v) correlations exist between HRV and driving performance, and LF/HF correlates positively with SDNN/RMSSD in the hands-free phone conversation and chatting conditions while driving. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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23 pages, 385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Mediation Role of Safety Attitude in the Impact of Resilience on the Safety Behavior of Coal Miners in China

by Yuanlong Li, Jingqi Gao, Chongyang Qian and Xiang Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215164 - 17 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1693

Abstract

Resilience can improve the adaptability of coal miners to high-hazard and high-stress environments. After facing setbacks or adversities, resilience can enable coal miners to recover from bad mental states and have an optimistic safety attitude and positive safety behaviors. However, how resilience affects [...] Read more.

Resilience can improve the adaptability of coal miners to high-hazard and high-stress environments. After facing setbacks or adversities, resilience can enable coal miners to recover from bad mental states and have an optimistic safety attitude and positive safety behaviors. However, how resilience affects safety behavior and the role of safety attitude in the relationship have not been clear. This study systematically reviewed previous research on resilience, safety attitude, and safety behavior. By recovering 639 valid questionnaires, the validity and reliability of the resilience scale, safety attitude scale, and safety behavior scale for coal miners were verified. Hierarchical regression analysis explored the relationships between resilience, safety attitude, and safety behavior. Studies have shown that resilience positively affects safety attitude and safe behavior. Safety attitude positively affects safety behaviors and plays a role as a partial mediator in the impact of resilience on safe behavior. The theoretical contribution is that the resilience of miners has a positive impact on safety behavior. Moreover, resilience can also act on safety behaviors through the partial intermediation of safety attitude. The practical contribution is that managers of coal mining companies can promote the resilience and safety attitude of coal miners to improve safety behaviors and prevent accidents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

22 pages, 1069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Professionalization Alleviate Job Burnout in Construction Workers in China? A Multivariable Mediating Model

by Guodong Ni, Xinyue Miao, Li Li, Huaikun Li, Shaobo Wang and Miaomiao Niu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13879; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113879 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2205

Abstract

Burnout is at all-time highs across modern professions. As a typical labor-intensive industry, the high-pressure and task-driven nature of the construction industry makes construction workers more prone to burnout. It is still unclear whether increasing the professionalization level can lessen the many harmful [...] Read more.

Burnout is at all-time highs across modern professions. As a typical labor-intensive industry, the high-pressure and task-driven nature of the construction industry makes construction workers more prone to burnout. It is still unclear whether increasing the professionalization level can lessen the many harmful consequences of job burnout on construction workers’ employment. Therefore, this study examined the influencing mechanism of professionalization on job burnout in the construction industry. First, a theoretical model based on the conservation of resources (COR) theory was developed with workload, job insecurity, and work–family conflict as moderating variables. A reliable sample of 441 Chinese construction workers were then recruited in the investigation. The data analysis was supported by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that: (i) an increase in the professionalization level could be directly effective in alleviating job burnout among construction workers; (ii) workload and work–family conflict could play an independent and continuous mediating role between professionalization and job burnout; and (iii) while job insecurity caused by a low professionalization did not have a direct impact on job burnout, it could have an indirect impact on job burnout through workload and work–family conflict, respectively. This study enriches the literature on job burnout among construction workers, as well as provides a theoretical basis and practical management guidance for Chinese construction companies to alleviate job burnout in workers from a professionalization standpoint. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Leader Bottom-Line Mentality on Miners’ Safety Behavior: A Moderated Parallel Mediation Model Based on the Dual-System Theory

by Lixia Niu, Wende Xia and Yafan Qiao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11791; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811791 - 19 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2746

Abstract

As a high-risk industry that is always struggling with unsafe factors, coal mine enterprises must prioritize safety in their operation and management, but there are still some short-sighted coal mine managers who choose to leave safety behind in the desperate pursuit of financial [...] Read more.

As a high-risk industry that is always struggling with unsafe factors, coal mine enterprises must prioritize safety in their operation and management, but there are still some short-sighted coal mine managers who choose to leave safety behind in the desperate pursuit of financial benefits, resulting in coal mine accidents from time to time. Unfortunately, this leadership style, known as leader bottom-line mentality, has not yet received sufficient attention in the safety field. Based on dual-system theory, this study aimed to explore the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and safety consciousness between leader bottom-line mentality and miners’ safety behavior, as well as the moderating role of Chinese traditionality. Using a sample of 422 frontline miners in China, the results of the data analysis showed that emotional exhaustion and safety consciousness played parallel mediating roles between leader bottom-line mentality and miners’ safety behavior, and Chinese traditionality moderated the effect of leader bottom-line mentality: the higher the Chinese traditionality, the weaker the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and the stronger the mediating effect of safety consciousness. Present research explains the mechanisms and boundaries of the influence of leader bottom-line mentality on miners’ safety behavior, contributing to the emerging literature on safety management and bottom-line mentality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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29 pages, 4823 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution Model and Simulation Study of the Public Risk Perception of COVID-19

by Ao Zhang, Hao Yang, Zhenlei Tian and Shuning Tong

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11581; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811581 - 14 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1603

Abstract

The evolution of the public perception of the risk in public health emergencies is closely related to risk response behavior. There are few systematic explanations and empirical studies on how the individual receiving the risk information affects the change in the individual risk [...] Read more.

The evolution of the public perception of the risk in public health emergencies is closely related to risk response behavior. There are few systematic explanations and empirical studies on how the individual receiving the risk information affects the change in the individual risk perception through internal mechanisms in the context of COVID-19. Based on the understanding of the existing research, this paper constructs the evolution model of the public risk perception level based on the limited memory theory and a simulation analysis is performed. The results are as follows: memory rate, association rate, information reception and information stimulation in a single period of time have significant indigenous effects on the risk perception; when the amount of information received and the information stimulus remain unchanged, the public’s risk perception follows a monotonic upward trend, but there is an upper limit function, and the upper limit is determined by the memory rate and association rate, and the influence of the association rate is higher than that of the memory rate; When the amount of information received and the information stimulus changes, the public’s risk perception will also change, and there is a lag effect, which is determined by the memory rate. The impact of the acceptance of the information on the risk perception is greater than that of the information stimulus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Double-Edged Sword of Safety Training for Safety Behavior: The Critical Role of Psychological Factors during COVID-19

by Xin Ning, Jiwen Huang, Chunlin Wu, Tong Liu and Chao Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10951; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710951 - 2 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1805

Abstract

Safety training (ST) is the primary means of avoiding unsafe behaviors, but it has not achieved the expected impact on improving workplace safety because of the high psychological stress it brings to workers. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) further threatens workers’ psychological conditions, [...] Read more.

Safety training (ST) is the primary means of avoiding unsafe behaviors, but it has not achieved the expected impact on improving workplace safety because of the high psychological stress it brings to workers. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) further threatens workers’ psychological conditions, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of ST. However, the existing literature has mainly laid emphasis on the bright side of ST and neglected examining its impact on safety behavior (SB) from detrimental psychological factors. Drawing from the conservation of resources theory, a novel two-staged model was established to understand how these psychological factors mediate and moderate the association between ST and SB. We incorporated resource consumption (e.g., role overload (RO) and COVID-19-related task setbacks) and resource generation (e.g., psychological resilience) into the model to consider both detrimental and protective psychological factors against ST. We then implemented a time-separated, three-wave data collection on a sample of frontline workers to validate this hypothetical model. Consistent with our hypothesis, RO played a significant mediating role between ST and SB, that is, ST leads to RO, and in turn, holds up SB. Surprisingly, contrary to our hypothesis, COVID-19-related task setbacks weakened the negative and indirect impact of ST on SB via RO. This is one of the first empirical studies to highlight how detrimental psychological factors caused by ST constrict or amplify SB. In practice, the efficacy of ST can be enhanced by cultivating psychological resilience and clarifying employees’ job responsibilities to reduce the ambiguity of roles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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13 pages, 3416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Real-World Effects of Route Familiarity on Drivers’ Eye Fixations at Urban Intersections in Changsha, China

by Lin Hu, Guangtao Guo, Jing Huang, Xianhui Wu and Kai Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159529 - 3 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1713

Abstract

A crucial factor, route familiarity, can affect traffic safety. Nevertheless, focus on the influence of route familiarity on drivers’ eye fixations at urban intersections has received less attention. Identifying the real-world effect of route familiarity on drivers’ eye fixations at urban intersections in [...] Read more.

A crucial factor, route familiarity, can affect traffic safety. Nevertheless, focus on the influence of route familiarity on drivers’ eye fixations at urban intersections has received less attention. Identifying the real-world effect of route familiarity on drivers’ eye fixations at urban intersections in Changsha, China, was the objective of this study. Their visual fixation indicators were recorded while unfamiliar drivers and familiar drivers drove a 9 km-long route with nine intersections in an urban environment, but their effectiveness was indicated by the data collected 150 m before the lane stop and 50 m after the lane stop at these intersections. From the analysis of the extracted data, the results indicated that route familiarity could influence drivers’ processing times in the left window (LW) and other areas (OT). Compared with familiar drivers, unfamiliar drivers had longer processing times and higher mental workloads for the right front (RF). For the vehicle’s front (RF, FL, FR), the sampling rates and mental workloads of unfamiliar drivers were higher than those of familiar drivers, but it was the opposite for the driver’s sides (LW, RW) and rear (LM, RM, ReM). It was also indicated that the phenomenon said to increase familiarity with the route and make drivers more likely to be distracted in urban intersections had not been found. From the present findings, the effect of route familiarity on drivers’ eye fixations at urban intersections was confirmed. The high accident risk of familiar drivers could be partly explained by the decrement in drivers’ eye fixation strategies. However, the strategies could not account for the phenomenon that more familiar drivers are involved in rear-end accidents. Therefore, the reason can be investigated based on drivers’ visual scanning strategies, their physiological signals and driving behavior in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 4578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Regularity of Ammonia-Related Refrigeration Accidents in China from 2010 to 2020

by Cong Luo, Yunsheng Zhao and Ke Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8230; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148230 - 6 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2398

Abstract

The frequent occurrence of ammonia-related refrigeration accidents (ArRAs) restricts the safety and sustainable development of cold storage. As an essential tool for safety management, accident statistical analysis can provide a crucial decision-making basis for accident prevention and control. The present study combined descriptive [...] Read more.

The frequent occurrence of ammonia-related refrigeration accidents (ArRAs) restricts the safety and sustainable development of cold storage. As an essential tool for safety management, accident statistical analysis can provide a crucial decision-making basis for accident prevention and control. The present study combined descriptive statistics and comparative analysis methods to explore the characteristics and regularities of 82 ArRAs in China from 2010 to 2020. The results showed that the annual evolution of ArRAs presents a bimodal “M” mode in which 2013 and 2016 were the peaking years of accidents. The monthly distribution has an agglomeration effect, and the period from June to September had a high incidence period of accidents. The ArRAs mainly occurred in East China and Central China in the spatial dimension. Zhejiang, Shandong, Hubei, and Sichuan are the pivotal provinces for preventing and controlling ArRAs. Human factors and equipment failure are the leading causes of ArRAs. Accident numbers and casualties have inconsistent trends due to the uncertainty and variability of ArRAs’ consequences. The safety situation of ammonia-related refrigeration enterprises has improved but still needs to strive to prevent and control major accidents. This study draws valuable references for safety decision-making by ammonia-related refrigeration enterprises and safety regulators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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16 pages, 7105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dry Heat as a Potential Decontamination Method on the Filtration Efficiency of Filtering Facepiece Respirators

by Zhixu Jin, Chenchen Sun, Wending Wu and Xiaobing Yang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7167; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127167 - 11 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1747

Abstract

Filtering facepiece respirators have been widely used in the fields of occupational health and public hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, disposable respirators have been in high demand, and the waste generated from these disposable products poses a problem for the [...] Read more.

Filtering facepiece respirators have been widely used in the fields of occupational health and public hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, disposable respirators have been in high demand, and the waste generated from these disposable products poses a problem for the environment. Here, we aimed to test a practical decontamination method to allow for the reuse of KN95 respirators. In this study, three types of KN95 respirators were heated at 80 °C and 90 °C for different durations (15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, and 24 h). The filtration efficiencies of the tested KN95 respirators before and after heating were measured, and the changes in microstructure were imaged with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, a neural network model based on the nonlinear autoregressive with external input (NARX) to predict the filtration efficiency of the KN95 respirator was established. The results show that the temperature and time of dry heating affected particle prevention. The higher the temperature and the longer the heating time, the more obvious the decline in the filtration efficiency of the respirators. When the heating temperature reached 100 °C, the respirator may be no longer suitable for reuse. These results show that a dry heat temperature between 70 °C and 90 °C, and a heating time between 30 min and 2 h is assumed to be a suitable and effective decontamination method for respirators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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14 pages, 1695 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Investigation on Chinese Public Acceptance of COVID-19 Prevention Measures

by Ao Zhang, Hao Yang, Shuning Tong and Jingqi Gao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5087; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095087 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1963

Abstract

China has basically succeeded in bringing the COVID-19 epidemic under control, thanks to a timely series of effective prevention and control measures taken by the Chinese government. In this study, a public acceptance questionnaire of epidemic prevention measures was designed to investigate the [...] Read more.

China has basically succeeded in bringing the COVID-19 epidemic under control, thanks to a timely series of effective prevention and control measures taken by the Chinese government. In this study, a public acceptance questionnaire of epidemic prevention measures was designed to investigate the influencing factors of public acceptance. A total of 2062 samples were collected from 8 March 2020 to 9 April 2020, and Independent-Samples T-Test and One-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data collected in the questionnaire in SPSS version 22.0. The results show that age and educational level have a significant influence on public acceptance. With the development of the epidemic, the acceptability grew generally higher. The public acceptance of traffic measures is the highest. This study summarises China’s scientific experience in the fight against COVID-19 and the differences in public acceptance. It can provide a positive reference for the development of epidemic prevention in other countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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20 pages, 1128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ability of Wearable Accelerometers-Based Measures to Assess the Stability of Working Postures

by Liangjie Guo, Junhui Kou and Mingyu Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4695; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084695 - 13 Apr 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2187

Abstract

With the rapid development and widespread application of wearable inertial sensors in the field of human motion capture, the low-cost and non-invasive accelerometer (ACC) based measures have been widely used for working postural stability assessment. This study systematically investigated the abilities of ACC-based [...] Read more.

With the rapid development and widespread application of wearable inertial sensors in the field of human motion capture, the low-cost and non-invasive accelerometer (ACC) based measures have been widely used for working postural stability assessment. This study systematically investigated the abilities of ACC-based measures to assess the stability of working postures in terms of the ability to detect the effects of work-related factors and the ability to classify stable and unstable working postures. Thirty young males participated in this study and performed twenty-four load-holding tasks (six working postures × two standing surfaces × two holding loads), and forty-three ACC-based measures were derived from the ACC data obtained by using a 17 inertial sensors-based motion capture system. ANOVAs, t-tests and machine learning (ML) methods were adopted to study the factors’ effects detection ability and the postural stability classification ability. The results show that almost all forty-three ACC-based measures could (p < 0.05) detect the main effects of Working Posture and Load Carriage, and their interaction effects. However, most of them failed in (p ≥ 0.05) detecting Standing Surface’s main or interaction effects. Five measures could detect both main and interaction effects of all the three factors, which are recommended for working postural stability assessment. The performance in postural stability classification based on ML was also good, and the feature set exerted a greater influence on the classification accuracy than sensor configuration (i.e., sensor placement locations). The results show that the pelvis and lower legs are recommended locations overall, in which the pelvis is the first choice. The findings of this study have proved that wearable ACC-based measures could assess the stability of working postures, including the work-related factors’ effects detection ability and stable-unstable working postures classification ability. However, researchers should pay more attention to the measure selection, sensors placement, feature selection and extraction in practical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 2197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Validation of the Haze Risk Perception Scale and Influencing Factor Scale—A Study Based on College Students in Beijing

by Yongbao Zhang, Jianwu Chen, Xingfei Wei and Xiang Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4510; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084510 - 8 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2097

Abstract

Although Beijing’s air quality has improved, there is still a long way to go for haze governance. In order to understand haze risk perception and related influencing factors among college students in Beijing, we developed and verified two scales, with college students as [...] Read more.

Although Beijing’s air quality has improved, there is still a long way to go for haze governance. In order to understand haze risk perception and related influencing factors among college students in Beijing, we developed and verified two scales, with college students as the survey object, and analyzed the theoretical framework and realistic level of haze risk perception and influencing factors through empirical research. We showed that the reliability and validity of the two scales are excellent, and they can be used as a powerful tool to measure college students’ perception of haze. The haze risk perception scale (HRPS) is divided into four dimensions. The degrees of perception ranked from high to low are: direct consequences perception, indirect consequences perception, risk responsibility perception and risk source perception. The haze risk perception influencing factor scale (HRPIFS) is divided into three dimensions. The degrees of influence ranked from high to low are: personal emotion, media communication and government policy; the three influencing factors all have a significant positive correlation to overall haze risk perception, but personal emotions and media communication are only significantly related to the three dimensions of direct consequence perception, indirect consequence perception and risk source perception. Government policy is only significantly related to the three dimensions of direct consequence perception, indirect consequence perception and risk liability perception. This paper proves the important role of media in haze risk perception and puts forward some policy suggestions to guide the public to form a rational risk perception. These findings can help improve theoretical and practical research related to haze risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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21 pages, 4715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Shift Work on Cognitive Function in Chinese Coal Mine Workers: A Resting-State fNIRS Study

by Fangyuan Tian, Hongxia Li, Shuicheng Tian, Jiang Shao and Chenning Tian

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 4217; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074217 - 1 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2963

Abstract

Aim: Pilot study to examine the impact of shift work on cognitive function in Chinese coal mine workers. Background: Shift work is commonly used in modern industries such as the coal industry, and there is growing concern over the impact that shift work [...] Read more.

Aim: Pilot study to examine the impact of shift work on cognitive function in Chinese coal mine workers. Background: Shift work is commonly used in modern industries such as the coal industry, and there is growing concern over the impact that shift work has on miners’ work performance and personal well-being. Method: A total of 54 miners working three shifts (17 in morning shift, 18 in afternoon, and 19 in night shift) participated in this exploratory study. A resting-state fNIRS functional connectivity method was conducted to assess the cognitive ability before and after the work shift. Results: Results showed significant differences in cognitive ability between before and after the work shifts among the three-shift workers. The brain functional connectivity was reduced ranking as the night, afternoon, and morning shifts. Decreased brain functional connectivity at the end of the working shift was found compared with before in the morning and afternoon shifts. Opposite results were obtained during the night shift. The resting-state functional brain networks in the prefrontal cortex of all groups exhibited small-world properties. Significant differences in betweenness centrality and nodal local efficiency were found in the prefrontal cortex in the morning and night shifts. Conclusions: The current findings provide new insights regarding the effect of shift work on the cognitive ability of Chinese coal mine workers from the view of brain science. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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10 pages, 1957 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changing Patterns of the Flow Ratio with the Distance of Exhaust and Supply Hood in a Parallel Square Push-Pull Ventilation

by Jianwu Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2957; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052957 - 3 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1844

Abstract

The method of flow ratio k is often used for designing parallel push-pull ventilation. The k value is mostly selected empirically and is difficult to determine accurately, resulting in an imprecise design of the push-pull ventilation system. Therefore, parallel push-pull ventilation was taken [...] Read more.

The method of flow ratio k is often used for designing parallel push-pull ventilation. The k value is mostly selected empirically and is difficult to determine accurately, resulting in an imprecise design of the push-pull ventilation system. Therefore, parallel push-pull ventilation was taken as the research object in this paper. The push-pull ventilation studied consists of a square uniform supply hood and a square uniform exhaust hood, and the side length of pull hood and pull hood was same. A workbench was set between the push hood and pull hood, and the source of toluene pollutions was set in the center of the worktable surface. The optimal k values for different distances between push hood and pull hood were studied by numerical simulation using Ansys Fluent, which were obtained base on the distribution of wind speed and toluene concentration. The results showed that parallel push-pull ventilation is not suitable for applications when L/a ≥ 6. The changing patterns of k value with L/a is proposed in the range of 1.5 ≤ L/a ≤ 5 for the parallel square push-pull ventilation, which can be used to estimate k value relatively accurately under the condition that L/a is known, so as to guide the determination of the exhaust air volume of the parallel push-pull ventilation system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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18 pages, 2661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cause Mechanism of Metro Collapse Accident Based on Risk Coupling

by Ming Fang, Yi Zhang, Mengjue Zhu and Shaopei Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042102 - 13 Feb 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2698

Abstract

A metro collapse accident is the main type of metro construction accidents. How to scientifically analyze the key cause factors and their interaction coupling mechanism of the existing metro collapse accidents is crucial to reduce the occurrence of metro collapse. Based on the [...] Read more.

A metro collapse accident is the main type of metro construction accidents. How to scientifically analyze the key cause factors and their interaction coupling mechanism of the existing metro collapse accidents is crucial to reduce the occurrence of metro collapse. Based on the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and the Behavior security “2-4” Model (24Model), the FTA-24Model accident cause analysis framework was constructed by combing their respective characteristics. To be more specific, a logical analysis program was developed to analyze the accident causes by the four-module analysis method. An empirical study was carried out by taking the “12.1” major cave-in accident at the construction site of the Metro Line 11 in Guangzhou as an example. Compared with the case accident report, the FTA-24Model framework analysis method can not only systematically deduce the logical relationship between the accident causes and provides a panorama of the accident cause chain and its evolution process, but also identify the key causes of accidents and their coupling risk effects. For a metro construction accident, this method can not only effectively investigate the accident causes, but also provide a reference for the formulation of prevention strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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Review

Jump to: Research

10 pages, 329 KiB

Open AccessReview

Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Regular and Special Education Teachers: A Narrative Review

by Ahmad Asyraf Abdul Rahim, Mohammad Saffree Jeffree, Dayang Maryama Ag Daud, Nicholas Pang and Mohd Fazeli Sazali

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811704 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4043

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is a major health problem, which can lead to an enormous burden to the institution as well as chronic disability to the individual. Teachers are at risk of developing MSD due to the exposure to various ergonomic risk factors. Teachers [...] Read more.

Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is a major health problem, which can lead to an enormous burden to the institution as well as chronic disability to the individual. Teachers are at risk of developing MSD due to the exposure to various ergonomic risk factors. Teachers of special education, for example, are expected to perform extra duty such as lifting and moving students, feeding food, changing diapers, and helping them in ambulation. Although there is an adequate amount of scientific research on MSD’s prevalence and its risk factors among regular teachers, only few studies have focused on special education teachers. This review aimed to address these gaps by describing the evidence from various papers on the prevalence of MSD among regular and special education teachers and the related risk factors. The papers have been gathered using electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Springer. The prevalence of MSD among regular teachers ranges from 48.7% to 73.7%, while the prevalence ranges from 38.7% to 94% in special education teachers. Risk factors, such as individual (age, duration of teaching, working hours, and work burden), physical (teaching activities, affected body areas), and psychological factors (stress, anxiety, fear), were identified. From the review, it is recommended to implement ergonomically designed workplaces, comprehensive ergonomic training, psychological approaches, and functional training among teachers at risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

21 pages, 1097 KiB

Open AccessReview

Systematic Literature Review on Indicators Use in Safety Management Practices among Utility Industries

by Mohamad Xazaquan Mansor Ali, Kadir Arifin, Azlan Abas, Mohd Akhir Ahmad, Muhammad Khairil, Muhammad Basir Cyio, Muhammad Ahsan Samad, Ilyas Lampe, Mahfudz Mahfudz and Muhammad Nur Ali

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6198; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106198 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3999

Abstract

Background: Workers in utility industries are exposed to occupational accidents due to inadequate safety management systems. Accordingly, it is necessary to characterize and compare the available literature on indicators used in safety management practices in the utility industries. Methods: The systematic literature review [...] Read more.

Background: Workers in utility industries are exposed to occupational accidents due to inadequate safety management systems. Accordingly, it is necessary to characterize and compare the available literature on indicators used in safety management practices in the utility industries. Methods: The systematic literature review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement. This study considered 25 related studies from Web of Science and Scopus databases. Results: Further review of these articles resulted in three mains performance indicators; namely, driven leading indicators, observant leading indicators, and lagging indicators consisting of 15 sub-indicators. Conclusions: Future studies should consider researching a more comprehensive range of utility industries, measuring subjective and objective indicators, integrating risk management into safety management practices, and validating the influence of leading indicators on safety outcomes. Further, researchers recommend including accidents, fatalities, lost time injuries, and near misses in safety outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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23 pages, 440 KiB

Open AccessReview

What Social Supports Are Available to Self-Employed People When Ill or Injured? A Comparative Policy Analysis of Canada and Australia

by Tauhid Hossain Khan, Ellen MacEachen and Debra Dunstan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5310; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095310 - 27 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3365

Abstract

Self-employment (SE) is a growing precarious work arrangement internationally. In the current digital age, SE appears in configurations and contours that differ from the labor market of 50 years ago and is part of a ‘paradigm shift’ from manufacturing/managerial capitalism to entrepreneurial capitalism. [...] Read more.

Self-employment (SE) is a growing precarious work arrangement internationally. In the current digital age, SE appears in configurations and contours that differ from the labor market of 50 years ago and is part of a ‘paradigm shift’ from manufacturing/managerial capitalism to entrepreneurial capitalism. Our purpose in this paper is to reflect on how a growing working population of self-employed people accesses social support systems when they are not working due to injury and sickness in the two comparable countries of Canada and Australia. We adopted ‘interpretive policy analysis’ as a methodological framework and searched a wide range of documents related to work disability policy and practice, including official data, legal and policy texts from both countries, and five prominent academic databases. Three major themes emerged from the policy review and analysis: (i) defining self-employment: contested views; (ii) the relationship between misclassification of SE and social security systems; (iii) existing social security systems for workers and self-employed workers: Ontario and NSW. Our comparative discussion leads us toward conclusions about what might need to be done to better protect self-employed workers in terms of reforming the existing social security systems for the countries. Because of similarities and differences in support available for SE’d workers in the two countries, our study provides insights into what might be required to move the different countries toward sustainable labour markets for their respective self-employed populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health: Safety Management, Safety Human Factors and Ergonomics)

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