International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics最新文献

Construction safety is always an issue for construction workers. Hence, personal protective equipment plays a critical role in avoiding potential hazards on construction sites. Among these, hard hats protect against head contact with falling objects on construction sites. This study aims to examine the effects of hard hats with different peak lengths on the field of view at different angles in the upward part and to examine the effects of possible field of view losses caused by the hard hat on the reaction times of the workers. A questionnaire was designed and administered to the construction workers. Experiments were then conducted with a group of subjects to assess their peripheral vision level as well as reaction times. The study found that peripheral vision is affected by the peak size of hard hats. The study further revealed that there is a significant relationship between reaction times and hard hat peak size.

This study explored the relationship between the design of calf compression sleeves and the comfort of young women in long sitting and standing work environments. By studying the relationship between material elongation and comfort pressure, a prediction model was obtained. The characteristics of the calf models of 94 women were classified, and the influence of different calf characteristics on the pressure distribution and tensile value design was objectively analyzed through simulation tests. The samples were then produced based on the simulation results, and subjective and objective try-on tests and evaluations were carried out. The results show that the difference in the shape of the calf has a certain impact on the pressure distribution and comfort. The predicted value of the theoretical model is in good agreement with the actual test value. The sample can bring a suitable gradient pressure and meet the comfort requirements and safety standards.

This study examined the impact of spiritual leadership style on frontline health workers' safety performance through the mediating role of safety climate. Also, leader-member exchange (LMX) was examined as a moderator of the safety climate and safety performance relationship. Survey data from 582 frontline health workers in Ghana's Greater Accra and Ashanti regions were analyzed using AMOS version 23. Findings showed that spiritual leadership dimensions significantly influenced health workers' safety performance. Altruistic love and vision also significantly influenced safety climate. However, hope did not influenced safety climate. Moreover, safety climate had an impact onsafety performance dimensions. Furthermore, safety climate mediated the relationship between altruistic love, vision, and safety performance. However, safety climate did not mediate the relationship between hope and safety performance. Lastly, LMX moderated the positive effect of safety climate on safety compliance but not on safety participation. This study offers valuable insights for improving frontline health workers' safety performance during pandemics.

Objectives. This study aimed to examine the influence of office noise and multitasking on decision confidence, overconfidence, satisfaction, calibration and affective well-being. Detrimental effects of noise and multitasking on perceived annoyance and concentration are well documented. Little is known about whether decision confidence and well-being during decisions are also affected. Methods. The study was a between-subjects laboratory experiment (n = 109) involving a noise condition with office noise presented through headphones (A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level of L_Aeq = 60 dB), a multitasking condition with an email-sorting task as the primary task and a control condition. Results. Compared to the control condition, subjects in the noise and multitasking conditions exhibited overestimation of confidence. There was also a significant decrease in well-being for people in the noise condition. Calibration was not affected. Conclusion. In the case of noise, well-being is affected even before the thresholds of workplace legislation are reached. Undue overconfidence can have detrimental effects upon subsequent decisions and risk-taking. Findings suggest that there should be greater consideration of environmental influences during decision-making in work environments.

Objectives. The aim of this study is to compare the ergonomic risk levels, musculoskeletal complaints and quality of life of physiotherapists (PTs) according to their field of work. Methods. A total of 107 volunteer PTs participated in the study, whose information was recorded. Ergonomic risk levels were determined using rapid entire body assessment (REBA). Complaints about the musculoskeletal system of PTs were evaluated with the Cornell musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire (CMDQ) and quality of life was evaluated by the Nottingham health profile. Results. PTs who worked with pediatric patients (Group_pediatric; n = 47) were younger (p<0.001). PTs who worked with adult patients (Group_adult; n = 60) had a higher daily number of patients (p<0.001). The REBA score did not make a difference between the groups (p = 0.379). The difference was found in the upper back region of the CMDQ (p<0.05). There was no difference between groups for quality of life (p>0.05). Conclusions. Group_pediatric may be working in ergonomically demanding positions, although there is no statistical difference. The injury sites of the musculoskeletal system can differ. However, the reflection of musculoskeletal system problems on quality of life does not show any difference between the groups of PTs.

Due to the pandemic, the entire staff employed in healthcare institutions were directly exposed to longer working hours and unstable working conditions. Based on these facts, the research in this article aims to find out more about employees' satisfaction with working conditions and management's engagement in preserving their health and safety. Thus, a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) model based on the analyzed attitudes and opinions of employees was formed to reveal the interdependencies between working conditions resulting from the undertaken management activities, employee satisfaction and workplace safety. The results show that both nurses and drivers were least satisfied with working conditions during the pandemic while indicating those workplaces to be the most endangered. Additionally, the proposed model can be successfully applied to any type of organization to identify insufficiently effective management activities, address them accordingly and thereby improve the level of employee satisfaction.

Construction safety is of significance since construction accidents can result in loss of property and large numbers of casualties. This research aims to identify the critical causes of construction accidents by introducing a hybrid approach. The hybrid approach is developed to identify the critical causes of construction accidents by combining the human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS) model with complex network (CN) theory. A total of 863 construction accident cases were collected, and 46 causal factors were identified. Subsequently, the accident causal network was established, and six critical causal factors were extracted. The hybrid analysis approach is demonstrated with a real construction accident case, and the results demonstrate that the hybrid approach could better identify the critical causal factors. Consequently, this research enables the enhancement of understanding the HFACS framework and CN theory, as well as a contribution to safety management in the construction industry at different levels.

Objectives. Shoulder protraction is frequently seen in office workers because of working with excessive trunk flexion for a long time. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of stabilization exercises (SE) given in addition to office exercises (OE). Methods. Sixty office workers with shoulder protraction were divided into SE + OE (n = 30) and OE (n = 30) groups by stratified random sampling for 8 weeks and followed up for 4 weeks. Shoulder protraction was assessed with a caliper, muscle strength with a hand-held dynamometer, proprioception with an isokinetic dynamometer, vibration sense with a vibrometer and upper extremity functional performance with the closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability test. Results. There were significant improvements in all parameters in the OE + SE group, while increases in the strength of the upper trapezius, pectoralis major and infraspinatus muscles and in upper extremity functional performance were also found in the OE group (p < 0.05). During detraining, shoulder protraction, muscle strength, proprioception and upper extremity performance showed longer-term improvement with SE + OE (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The results obtained with the exercises demonstrate the importance of SE + OE in terms of maintaining proper posture and improving shoulder proprioception, muscle strength and functional performance.

Objectives. This study aimed to map the evidence on burnout syndrome in higher education teachers and its relationship with ergonomic and biopsychosocial factors. Methods. We performed a scoping review of articles published up to 2021, extracting the location, study design, sample characteristics and assessment methods, and investigated ergonomic and biopsychosocial factors. Results. Eighteen studies were found in 12 countries, and most used a cross-sectional design (n = 17/18, 94%). The Maslach burnout inventory was the most used assessment method (n = 9, 50%). There is a consensus that burnout syndrome in higher education teachers requires more attention, as it can be related to physical, mental and social factors. Conclusions. In the professional environment, physical ergonomic characteristics or those related to work organization deserve greater attention, as well as psychosocial factors, as they are strongly associated with burnout syndrome.

Objectives. This study explores the effects of temperature steps on thermal responses to understand abrupt temperature shifts faced by heat-exposed workers during winter. Methods. Three temperature step changes with three phases (S20: 20-40-20 °C, S30: 10-40-10 °C, S40: 0-40-0 °C) were conducted. Phase 1 took 30 min, phase 2 took 60 min and phase 3 took 40 min. Eleven participants remained sedentary throughout the experiment, and physiological responses, thermal perception and self-reported health symptoms were recorded. Results. In temperature up steps, steady skin temperature and sweating onset were delayed, and heart rate dropped by 10 bpm from S20 to S40. In temperature down steps to cold conditions, individuals transitioned from thermal comfort to discomfort and eventually cold strain. Blood pressure increased in temperature down steps, correlating with temperature step magnitudes. Thermal responses to temperature steps of equal magnitude but opposite directions were asymmetries, which weakened as step magnitude increased. Thermal perceptions responded faster than physiological changes after temperature steps, while self-reported health symptoms lagged behind physiological responses. Conclusions. These findings contribute to expanding basic data to understand the effects of temperature step magnitude and direction.