Using persuasive messages to encourage voluntary hearing protection among coal miners

INTRODUCTION: This longitudinal field study was designed to encourage Appalachian coal miners in West Virginia and Pennsylvania to engage in hearing-protection behaviors. METHOD: Participants were mailed postcards that featured either a positive, negative, or neutral message on the outside of the postcard and a message encouraging hearing protection behaviors on the inside. The first posttest measurement of the effectiveness of the persuasive messages was conducted about a week after the postcards were mailed. The delayed posttest measurement was conducted six weeks later. RESULTS: Responses from 307 coal miners revealed that the positive or neutral messages generated significantly more self-reported hearing protection behaviors than the negative message. Identical results were obtained in a delayed posttest assessment of miners' self-reported hearing protection behaviors. The positive message was also more effective than either the neutral or negative message in preventing defensive mechanisms from emerging over time. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Positive and neutral messages were convincingly more successful than negative messages in facilitating self-reported hearing protection behaviors among coal miners. Similarly, the positive messages kept defensive processes at bay.     

Predicting pool safety habits and intentions of Australian parents and carers for their young children

Introduction: Children under five years are most at risk of experiencing fatal and nonfatal drowning. The highest proportion of drowning incidents occur in private swimming pools. Lapses in adult supervision and failures in pool barriers are leading contributory factors for pool drowning in this age group. Methods: We investigated the role of the theory of planned behavior social cognitions (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) as well as perceived barriers, planning, role construction, and anticipated regret on parents’ and carers’ intentions and habits toward two pool safety behaviors: restricting access and supervising children around private swimming pools. The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational design. Participants (N = 509) comprised Australian parents or caregivers with children aged under five years and access to a swimming pool at their residence. Participants completed a battery of self-report measures of social cognitive variables with respect to the swimming pool safety behaviors for their children. Results: Path analytic models controlling for past behavior indicated that subjective norm, planning, anticipated regret, and role construction were important predictors of habit, and subjective norm was a consistent predictor of intentions, for both behaviors. Planning predicted intentions in the restricting access sample, while attitudes, barriers, and role construction also predicted intentions in the supervising sample. Both models controlled for past behavior. Conclusion: Current findings indicate the importance of psychological factors for restricting access and supervising behaviors, with normative factors prominent for both reasoned (intentions) and non-conscious (habits) behavioral antecedents. It seems factors guiding restricting access, which likely require regular enactment of routine behaviors (e.g., ensuring gate is not propped open, pool fence meets standards), may be governed by more habitual than intentional processes.     

Antecedents of intention to help mitigate wildfire: Implications for campaigns promoting wildfire mitigation to the general public in the wildland–urban interface

The current investigation sought to examine the association between knowledge of the causes of wildfire in the wildland–urban interface (WUI) and intentions on the part of members of the public to help mitigate wildfire. In doing so, antecedents from the theory of planned behavior were employed to enhance our understanding of the relationships among wildfire knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention to help mitigate wildfire in the WUI. Participants (N = 408) living in the WUI in Appalachian Ohio were sampled as a means of conducting formative research prior to developing messages promoting wildfire mitigation. Our results reveal that, among the variables in the theory of planned behavior, the only paths that consistently explain individual’s intention to help mitigate wildland fire in the WUI in protecting both homes and the environment are associations between knowledge about wildfire and perceived behavioral control and between perceived behavioral control and intention. Our findings are discussed with a focus on message design for wildland fire mitigation professionals and a focus on implications for the theory of planned behaviors for academics with interests in wildland fire and other environmental issues.     

An evaluation of a college campus emergency preparedness intervention

IntroductionGiven the range of emergencies that beset postsecondary institutions, university administrators must take a multimodal approach to prepare campus stakeholders for safety threats. One such strategy is emergency preparedness communication.MethodsIn the present investigation, we tested the efficacy of a professionally produced video that uses the federally endorsed slogan, Run-Hide-Fight(r). Undergraduate students participated in a quasi-experiment with a pretest-posttest-delayed posttest control group design.ResultsUsing the theory of planned behavior as our guiding framework, we found that video exposure increased attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, as well as knowledge of recommended behavioral responses. Favorable attitudes and injunctive norms positively predicted intentions at the initial and delayed posttests. Importantly, the video's effects on most of the outcomes endured two weeks after video exposure.ConclusionsA brief emergency preparedness video using the Run-Hide-Fight(r) theme can have immediate and lingering effects on psychosocial predictors of appropriate emergency response behaviors.Practical ApplicationsAdministrators at higher education institutions should consider showing emergency preparedness messages to increase the likelihood that stakeholders will take appropriate action in case of a campus threat. In particular, these messages should aim to promote favorable attitudes toward appropriate response behaviors and instill beliefs that appropriate responses ought to be performed.     

矿工工作应激与对策探讨

工作应激对煤矿工人的影响是导致煤矿安全管理事故发生的主要原因,所以,煤矿工人的工作应激是一个亟待解决的问题。通过文献的搜集和访谈,与其他职业压力源的比较分析,并结合矿工这一职业的特点,第一,界定煤矿工人工作应激的概念;第二,从工作特征、组织因素、社会因素和个人特征4个大的方面来全面地分析矿工工作应激的来源;第三,依据工作应激的来源,从个人、组织和社会3个层面来探讨矿工工作应激的解决对策。为煤矿安全管理及维护矿工身心健康提供一定的依据。     

The prediction of safe lifting behavior: an application of the theory of planned behavior

PROBLEM: Injuries resulting from lifting are costly, and create significant pain and discomfort. While engineering controls are the most effective means of reducing risks, most organizations continue to rely on manual lifting techniques. The problem, however, is that the use of safe-lifting techniques is inconsistent and managers have a difficult time motivating use of these techniques. Consequently, it is important to understand the factors driving safe-lifting behaviors. METHODS: This study used a survey to apply the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen., I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organization Behavior and Human Processes, 50, 179-211) to safe-lifting among 136 materials management employees at a heavy manufacturing organization. Structural equation modeling and factor analysis were employed to analyze relationships among constructs. RESULTS: Results revealed that perceived behavioral control and intention were the strongest predictors of safe-lifting behavior. Subjective norms, to a lesser degree, were also important influences on intention. Attitudes did not surface as effective direct predictors of safe-lifting behavior, but did affect behavior and intent via mediating factors (subjective norms and perceived behavioral control). Finally, the theory of planned behavior was supported as an effective model explaining safe-lifting behavior, and had potential application for many other safety-related behaviors. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results from this study emphasize the importance of perceived behavioral control as a factor associated with safety-related behavior.     

行为经济学视角下矿工不安全行为仿真分析

为了分析影响矿工不安全行为决策的成本收益因素，扩展不安全行为的研究方向，基于行为经济学，构建矿工不安全行为决策模型，模型包括矿工属性、管理者属性以及矿工之间的交互影响规则。利用Netlogo工具进行仿真模拟，探讨不同影响因素对不安全行为产生的影响程度。结果表明:正向激励水平对抑制不安全行为效果显著，同时，维持合理的工作时间对保障安全生产意义重大，从而为煤矿企业控制不安全行为提供思路。     

Diversity attitudes and norms: the role of ethnic identity and relational demography

This study investigated attitudes and subjective norms related to workplace diversity initiatives and intentions to engage in diversity‐related behaviors in a sample of 852 public service employees. Participants completed a survey measuring behavioral intentions, attitudes, belief‐based norms, ethnic identity achievement, and demographic characteristics. Comparisons were made between people of color and Whites as well as between those with high and low ethnic identity achievement. Results showed a triple interaction among supervisor race, employee race, and employee ethnic identity achievement. Specifically, among people of color with high ethnic identity achievement, having a supervisor of color was more strongly associated with positive views of subjective norms toward inclusive behavior, understanding others, and treating others with respect than among people of color with low ethnic identity achievement. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A safety self-management intervention for mining operations

PROBLEM: This quasi-experimental field study examined the efficacy of a safety self-management process to increase safety-related work practices in mining operations. METHODS: After a 7-week baseline, 15 miners participated in a safety self-management training and education presentation. The participants in a prebehavior condition (n=8) recorded their intentions to engage in specific percentages of safety-related work behaviors before starting their shift for the day. In contrast, participants in a postbehavior condition (n=7) recorded their percentages of safety-related work behaviors after their shift for the day. RESULTS: During withdrawal (4 weeks), the miners did not complete any self-monitoring forms. Based on 10,905 behavioral observations, safety self-management was effective at increasing the frequency of safety-related behavior (p<.05). For the prebehavior condition, the mean percent safe score across three target behaviors increased 34.8% during intervention. Similarly, in the postbehavior condition, the mean percent safe score across three target behaviors increased 40.1% during intervention. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The results suggest that employees who work in relative isolation or have little oversight, compared to traditional industrial workers, may benefit from a process by which they can systematically observe themselves.     

矿工安全注意力影响因素的SEM研究

为探索矿工安全注意力的影响因素作用路径,寻求合理的干预对策,在文献研究和实地调研基础上,提取矿工安全注意力的衡量指标和影响因素,借助结构方程模型技术验证研究假设,构建修正后的矿工安全注意力影响因素作用路径概念模型图。研究表明:矿工安全注意力的影响因素,即矿工安全意识、矿工工作疲劳、安全信息刺激以及安全监管对矿工安全注意力的衡量指标,即注意专注度、注意广度以及注意转移度都存在路径关系,而且矿工安全注意力的衡量指标之间也存在路径关系。以期通过有效干预影响因素提高矿工安全注意力,降低人因失误导致煤矿安全事故发生的概率。     

认知心理学视角下矿工的信息加工模型研

矿工在煤矿井下的生产过程是对外界信息的加工处理过程。矿工能否正确处理外界刺激,将直接产生安全或不安全行为,影响煤矿安全生产,甚至引发重大事故。在认知心理学视角下,应用感觉、注意和记忆理论对矿工行为的形成机制进行分析,建立矿工信息加工模型,并对模型的特点和作用进行分析,同时指出该模型存在的不足。信息加工模型的建立与分析可为安全管理措施的制定及安全培训内容及环节的设计提供理论依据。     

Measuring determinants of occupational health related behavior in Flemish farmers: an application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

PROBLEM: Preventive interventions to reduce occupational injuries and health problems in farmers require the identification of factors that contribute to unsafe and health damaging behavior. This paper describes the development and validation of a self-report questionnaire, which measures the determinants of occupational health-related behaviors in farmers. METHOD: A representative sample of 283 Flemish farmers completed a provisional 135 item questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, measuring four behaviors related to occupational health (machinery use, animal handling, preventing falls, and pesticide use), as well as the intentions, attitudes, perceived social norms, and self-efficacy for each of these behaviors. RESULTS: The fit indices of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis turned out not to be sufficient to reproduce the dimensions of the TPB. Therefore exploratory factor analysis was use to determine the underlying dimensions. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) on the behavioral items yielded single component solutions explaining a considerable proportion of the variance for each behavior and for behavioral intentions. Principal component analyses toward an a priori three-component structure reflecting the TPB dimensions did not produce sufficient congruence for the determinants of the four behaviors. Subsequent Varimax rotations and discarding of redundant items resulted in three component solutions explaining 50% to 69% of the variance in the determinants of each behavior, corresponding with the dimensions of the TPB. Internal consistencies ranged from .25 to .89. Scale scores accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in intention and self-reported behavior. IMPACT: The study demonstrates the validity of the TPB in predicting behavior related to occupational safety and health in farmers, and provides a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure the cognitive concepts featured in this model. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Both authors share the same view on this study's impact on industry. In recent years, efforts have been made to create awareness among farmers about occupational hazards, and to encourage farmers to perform safer and healthier behavior. However, only a limited number of these interventions have proven to be successful. A possible reason for this relative lack of success is that interventions typically focus on risk analysis and raising awareness, whereas the literature on preventive health behavior change indicates that knowledge and awareness with regard to possible health risks are neither necessary nor sufficient to change behavior. To raise the effectiveness of prevention programs, other relevant determinants of behavior need to be addressed as well, such as: attitudes, perceived social norms, self efficacy, and elements of the physical environment that elicit or reinforce behavior. These determinants play a key role in psychological models of health related behavior, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior. Thus far, the use of these models within agricultural settings is fairly limited. This study demonstrates the validity of the Theory of Planned Behavior in predicting behavior related to occupational safety and health in farmers, and provides a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure the cognitive concepts featured in this model.     

Users’ acceptance of private automated vehicles: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: This research systematically reviewed relevant studies on users’ acceptance of conditional (Level 3) to full (Level 5) automated vehicles when such vehicles are to be used privately (herein referred to as ‘private automated vehicles or private AVs). Method: The search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, and was undertaken in three databases: APA PsycINFO, Transport Research International Documentation, and Web of Science. Articles were required to focus on individuals’ acceptance of private SAE Level 3–5 AVs. Acceptance was defined as individuals’ attitudes towards or intentions and/or willingness to use AVs in the future. A total of 2,354 articles were identified in the database search. Thirty-five articles were included in the review, six of which included multiple studies and/or comparison groups. Results: Most studies (n = 31) applied self-reported measures to assess user acceptance together with a range of psychosocial factors predicting such acceptance. The meta-analytic correlations revealed that perceived behavioral control, perceived benefits/usefulness, perceived ease of use, and subjective/social norms had significant positive pooled relationships with attitudes and intentions. Trust and sensation seeking also had significant positive pooled correlations with intentions, while knowledge of AVs had a significant and negative pooled correlation with intentions. Age did not show any significant pooled relationship with attitudes, intentions, or willingness. Conclusions: The findings obtained from the systematic review and meta-analysis provide support for psychosocial models to aid understanding of users’ acceptance of private AVs. Practical applications: Examining acceptance of AVs after participants have experienced these vehicles on closed tracks or open roads would advance contemporary knowledge of users’ intentions to use these vehicles in the future. Further, experiencing these vehicles firsthand may also help with addressing any perceived barriers reducing acceptance of future use of private AVs.     

复杂适应系统视角下矿工自制力影响因素研究

为了提高矿工自制力水平、进一步减少煤矿事故中的人因事故,基于复杂适应系统理论及系统动力学知识,通过Vensim PLE软件研究矿工主体与安检人员、环境、工作任务特征3个系统之间的相互作用,并从矿工个体角度构建自制力影响因素仿真模型。研究结果表明:矿工情绪对自制力提升最为显著,疲劳程度对矿工自制力的抑制作用较突出,过高或过低的自信心水平均会对矿工自制力产生削弱影响;因此,改善工作环境、提高整体组织氛围、保证矿工的情绪稳定性以及通过改善作业制度降低疲劳程度对提高自制力最为有效。煤矿企业应根据各因素在工作时间段的不同作用,结合矿工自身生理心理因素,采取相应措施以提高矿工自制力水平。     

Assessment of HEADS UP online training as an educational intervention for sports officials/athletic trainers

Background: Sports- and recreation-related concussions are a common injury among children. Sports officials (SOs) and athletic trainers (ATs) are integral to setting the stage for safe play and managing concussions when they occur, and significant numbers of both groups have completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HEADS UP online concussion training course. However, the utility of the course for these audiences has not been assessed. We hypothesized that sports officials’ and athletic trainers’ concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions will improve from pre- and post-test after completing CDC’s HEADS UP online concussion training course. Method: Respondents’ concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions were assessed both before and after taking the training course. Differences between pre- and post-test scores were calculated based on the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test Z-score or McNemar’s test. Effect sizes were interpreted. Results: The SOs and ATs who participated in the HEADS UP online training had a high level of concussion knowledge before taking the course: 90% or more of respondents could identify the correct response for at least seven of the 13 knowledge questions in the pre-test. Still, the course was effective at improving the respondents’ knowledge about return-to-play protocols and concussion reporting. Further, SOs and ATs demonstrated improvement in their concussion-related attitudes and behavioral intentions between the pre- and post-test. Conclusion: SOs’ and ATs’ concussion knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions improved immediately following completion of the CDC HEADS UP online training. Future research could also focus on the long-term retention of this type of training. Practical Applications: This study provides insight into how to better focus concussion-related educational programs to fit SOs’ and ATs’ needs.     

全工班呼吸性粉尘测定及防尘措施研究

针对呼吸性粉尘对矿井工人身体健康的危害,对煤矿综采工作面、综掘工作面、炮掘工作面等进行分工种个体性的全尘和呼尘监测,测定了各工作面粉尘(全尘和呼尘)的浓度、粉尘分散度和SiO2浓度。其结果表明:全工班呼吸性粉尘测定的方法更加真实可靠,更真实地反映了呼吸性粉尘对井下各操作工种的致病危害,测得的各工作面各工种的呼尘浓度均高于国家标准。通过数据的分析以及工人的建议,提出了一些新式的、有效的防尘措施来降低呼吸性粉尘对人体健康的危害。     

基于扎根理论的矿工不安全行为成本和收益识别

为了减少矿工不安全行为的发生,以陕西煤业化工集团神南矿业公司为研究样本,基于扎根理论对矿工不安全行为成本和矿工不安全行为收益进行识别,通过实地访谈收集资料,将访谈内容进行编码处理,建立矿工不安全行为成本和收益识别的概念模型,并以此构建矿工不安全行为成本和收益识别的动态模型图;最后,通过模型理论饱和度检验,证明模型中展现的脉络关系是饱和的。研究结果表明:矿工自身的安全意识、人口统计特征因素及情景因素,对矿工不安全行为成本和收益有着重要影响;风险成本、预备成本和实施成本构成矿工不安全行为成本,精神收益和物质收益构成矿工不安全行为收益。     

Application of Prevention through Design for hearing loss in the mining industry

INTRODUCTION: Overexposure to noise remains a widespread and serious health hazard in the U.S. service providing and goods producing industries. Excessive noise can lead to poor verbal communication and reduce the ability to recognize warning signals. These dangerous work conditions can also cause stress and fatigue. Occupational hearing loss is a permanent illness, with no recovery currently possible. METHOD: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recognized Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) as one of the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries in the United States, and has emphasized its importance as one of the critical areas expressed in the National Occupational Research Agenda. RESULTS: One of the most serious noise problems in the goods producing industries is the operation of continuous mining machines during underground coal mining. In order to minimize occupational hearing loss, noise hazards are "designed out" early in the design process. NIOSH is leading a national initiative called Prevention through Design (PTD) to promote this concept. This paper describes the quiet-by-design approach of a noise control that reduced noise exposures of continuous mining machine operators by 3dB(A) using the four functional areas of PTD, namely Practice, Policy, Research, and Education.     

Traffic safety culture and prosocial driver behavior for safer vehicle-bicyclist interactions

Introduction: Bicyclist safety is a growing concern as more adults use this form of transportation for recreation, exercise, and mobility. Most bicyclist fatalities result from a crash with a vehicle. Often, the behaviors of the driver are responsible for the crash. Method: This survey study of Montana and North Dakota residents (n = 938) examined the influence of traffic safety culture on driver behaviors that affect safe interactions with bicyclists. Results: Prosocial driver behavior was most common and appeared to be intentional. Intention was increased by positive attitudes, normative perceptions, and perceived control. However, normative perceptions appear to offer the most opportunity for change. Practical Application: Strategies that increase perceptions that prosocial driver behavior is normal may increase prosocial intentions, thereby increasing bicyclist safety.     

When the type of move matters: employee outcomes under various relocation situations

The type of job change associated with relocation and the type of relocation decision were examined as predictors of post‐move attitudes and intentions. Employees who relocated for a lateral or downward job change reported lower perceived organizational support and higher turnover intentions than those who relocated for a promotion. Further, those taking downward moves or moving involuntarily had lower perceptions of support and higher intentions to quit than lateral relocators and voluntary relocators, respectively. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.