Assessing gait changes in firefighters due to fatigue and protective clothing

Each year, roughly 11,000 firefighters are injured as a result of slips, trips and falls, which account for over 25% of all fireground injuries. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) can increase risk of fall-related injuries due to its weight, restrictiveness, and increased heat stress. Modification of PPE may serve to mitigate firefighter injuries related to loss of balance and falls. We examined the effects of choosing ‘enhanced’ protective clothing (lightweight, breathable, and less restrictive compared to typical firefighting PPE) and simulated firefighting tasks (18-min bout over four activities) on subsequent gait performance. To assess the effect of wearing protective clothing and firefighting activity, seven gait parameters and three movement errors were assessed during level and obstacle-crossing walking tasks. Forty-four firefighters wore one of two types of PPE (‘Standard’, ‘Enhanced’) during three testing conditions (baseline in station uniform, pre-firefighting activity in PPE, and post-firefighting activity in PPE). The effect of donning any PPE was found to significantly impair gait performance. Fatigue may impact effective mobility since more movement errors were observed during post-activity than pre-activity assessments. Although the Enhanced PPE did not lead to any significant differences in gait parameters compared to Standard PPE, participants in Enhanced PPE made twice as many movement errors, potentially attributed to lack of familiarity with the gear. These results suggest that wearing firefighting PPE and heat-stress induced fatigue are associated with reduced gait performance and increased risk for tripping over obstacles.     

The influence of a real job on upper limb performance in motor skill tests: which abilities are transferred?

To investigate whether the specificities of real jobs create distinctions in the performance of workers in different motor tests for the upper limbs, 24 participants were divided into two groups according to their specific job: fine and repetitive tasks and general tasks. Both groups reproduced tasks related to aiming movements, handling and strength of the upper limbs. There were no significant differences between groups in the dexterity and performance of aiming movements. However, the general tasks group had higher grip strength than the repetitive tasks group, demonstrating differences according to job specificity. The results suggest that a particular motor skill in a specific job cannot improve performance in other tasks with the same motor requirements. The transfer of the fine and gross motor skills from previous experience in a job-specific task is the basis for allocating training and guidance to workers.     

Changes in driving behavior and cognitive performance with different breath alcohol concentration levels

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the changes in driving behavior and cognitive performance of drivers with different breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) levels. METHODS: Eight licensed drivers, aged between 20 and 30 years, with BrAC levels of 0.00, 0.25, 0.4 and 0.5 mg/l performed simulated driving tests under high- and low-load conditions. Subjects were asked to assess their subjective psychological load at specified intervals and perform various tasks. The outcome was measured in terms of reaction times for task completion, accuracy rates, and driver's driving behavior. RESULTS: The effects of BrAC vary depending on the task. Performance of tasks involving attention shift, information processing, and short-term memory showed significant deterioration with increasing BrAC, while dangerous external vehicle driving behavior occurred only when the BrAC reached 0.4 mg/l and the deterioration was marked. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that the cognitive faculty is the first to be impaired by drinking resulting in deteriorated performance in tasks related to divided attention, short-term memory, logical reasoning, followed by visual perception. On the other hand, increasing alcohol dose may not pose an immediate impact on the external vehicle driving behavior but may negatively affect the driver's motor behavior even at low BrAC levels. Experience and will power could compensate for the negative influence of alcohol enabling the drivers to remain in full steering control. This lag between alcohol consumption and impaired driving performance may mislead the drivers in thinking that they are still capable of safe steering and cause them to ignore the potential dangers of drunk driving.     

Age-related differences in effects of non-driving related tasks on takeover performance in automated driving

Introduction: During SAE level 3 automated driving, the driver’s role changes from active driver to fallback-ready driver. Drowsiness is one of the factors that may degrade driver’s takeover performance. This study aimed to investigate effects of non-driving related tasks (NDRTs) to counter driver’s drowsiness with a Level 3 system activated and to improve successive takeover performance in a critical situation. A special focus was placed on age-related differences in the effects. Method: Participants of three age groups (younger, middle-aged, older) drove the Level 3 system implemented in a high-fidelity motion-based driving simulator for about 30 min under three experiment conditions: without NDRT, while watching a video clip, and while switching between watching a video clip and playing a game. The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and eyeblink duration measured driver drowsiness. At the end of the drive, the drivers had to take over control of the vehicle and manually change the lane to avoid a collision. Reaction time and steering angle variability were measured to evaluate the two aspects of driving performance. Results: For younger drivers, both single and multiple NDRT engagements countered the development of driver drowsiness during automated driving, and their takeover performance was equivalent to or better than their performance without NDRT engagement. For older drivers, NDRT engagement did not affect the development of drowsiness but degraded takeover performance especially under the multiple NDRT engagement condition. The results for middle-aged drivers fell at an intermediate level between those for younger and older drivers. Practical Applications: The present findings do not support general recommendations of NDRT engagement to counter drowsiness during automated driving. This study is especially relevant to the automotive industry’s search for options that will ensure the safest interfaces between human drivers and automation systems.     

The use of seat belt by motor vehicle occupants in South Africa

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article was to examine the use of seat belt by motor vehicle users in the various provinces in South Africa. METHODS: Data were abstracted from published reports of the national Department of Transport. Percentage distribution and correlation of road safety variables and seat belt wearing rates for motor vehicle users were calculated for the different provinces. RESULTS: High seat belt wearing rates by the drivers (between 75.1% and 88.1%, national rate was 81%). The seat belt wearing rates for the front and back seat passengers were much lower than for the drivers. The seat belt wearing rates for front seat passengers (44.5% to 60.5%, national - 50.1%) and back seat passengers (1% to 16%, national - 7.6%) were much lower than for the drivers. The national seat belt wearing rate for all vehicles between 1982 and 1995 was between 46.9% and 69.2%, but this has generally declined. CONCLUSION: There is a need for the implementation of strategies to increase the use of seat belts to reduce injuries and fatalities.     

Promotion of alternative-sized personal protective equipment

IntroductionWith more diversity in the workforce, companies are producing PPE such as hard hats, safety glasses, coveralls, foot protection, and safety harnesses for a larger range of body shapes and sizes. However, gray literature reports suggest that barriers exist to getting alternate sized PPE from the manufacturer to the workers who need it. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which alternative-sized PPE is marketed.MethodA web-based review of seven major manufacturers of PPE was conducted to determine: (a) whether or not they offer alternative-sized products, (b) if these products are clearly labeled, and (c) if images used to display PPE are representative of a diverse workforce.ResultsOf the seven PPE manufacturers investigated, six had at least one product that was marketed as gender and/or size alternatives however, alternative sizes were more common for larger body types. Alternative-sized products rarely included size charts, and the models used to display PPE were overwhelmingly white males of average size.ConclusionsDespite the growing availability of alternative-sized PPE, it can be difficult to find these products, which suggests that they are rarely promoted or labeled as alternative-sized. Our study indicates that companies should expand their product lines and more aggressively market and promote these items. Guidance on how to properly fit their products would also be extremely helpful to the end-user.Practical applicationsManufacturers could improve the availability of alternative-sized PPE and increase their promotion of these products on their websites and in their catalogs. Individual companies and safety professionals may assist in this process by demonstrating demand for alternative-sized PPE.     

Effects of safety climate on safety norm violations: exploring the mediating role of attitudinal ambivalence toward personal protective equipment

Problem

Research on the role of organizational and psychosocial factors in influencing risk behaviors and the likelihood of injury at work showed that safety climate also has great impact on workers’ behavior. However, the mechanisms through which this impact operates are still partially unclear.

Method

In order to explore the role that attitudinal ambivalence toward wearing PPE might play in mediating the impact of safety climate on safety norm violations, a questionnaire was administered to 345 Italian workers.

Results

Three dimensions of safety climate (i.e., company safety concern, senior managers’ safety concern, supervisors’ attitudes towards safety) were found to be positively associated with the individual ambivalence level, whereas the fourth one (i.e., work pressure) was negatively correlated with it. In turn, low levels of ambivalence were associated with a lower tendency to break the safety norms, even though the perception of a good safety climate also maintained a direct effect on unsafe behaviors.

Impact on industry

Designers of training program for the prevention of work related injuries must pay great attention to the psycho-social factors (such as the effects of the safety climate perception by employees on their attitudes and behaviors), and include specific contents into the prevention programs in order to improve workers compliance with safety norms.     

A proactive approach to human error detection and identification in aviation and air traffic control

In recent years, there has been a realization that total elimination of human error may be difficult to achieve. A further reduction of accidents will require a better understanding of how practitioners manage their errors in ways that consequences are contained or mitigated. With this goal in mind, the present study has set out to propose a framework of cognitive strategies in error detection that would make human performance resilient to changes in work demands. The literature regarded error detection as a spontaneous process that occurs either while an action is executed (action-based detection) or after action feedback (outcome-based detection). To help practitioners maintain a state of mindfulness and introspection, this study proposes several cognitive strategies such as, rehearsing tasks for future execution, bringing into conscious attention routine tasks, seeing how trajectories change over time, and cross-checking data for reliability. Two further detection mechanisms are proposed at the situation assessment and planning stages of performance. Awareness-based detection may include revising a model of the situation, finding hidden assumptions, and testing the plausibility of assumptions. Planning-based detection addresses issues such as, identifying uncertainties in a plan, thinking out possible errors, and deciding when and how often to review task progress. Finally, several attitudinal factors and team factors are presented that affect the processes of error detection and identification. The cognitive strategies in error detection together with the attitudinal and team factors constitute a framework for designing the content of error management training.     

基于YOLOv3的电网作业人员安全帽佩戴检测

为了有效监测电网作业人员不规范佩戴安全帽行为,提出1种基于YOLOv3的电网作业现场安全帽佩戴检测方法.针对安全帽佩戴规范性问题,构建正确佩戴、不正确佩戴和未佩戴安全帽3种情况下的图像样本库;并利用该数据库对YOLOv3模型进行训练与测试,结合模型参数、样本比例及算法对比分析,开展电网作业人员安全帽佩戴检测算例.结果表...     

Effect prediction of time-gaps for adaptive cruise control (ACC) and in-vehicle tasks on bus driver performance

Researchers have devoted a great deal of attention to the effects of driver assist systems on driver performance. This article describes a modeling approach to simulate the effects of time-gaps for adaptive cruise control (ACC) and manual in-vehicle tasks on bus-driver performance. A concept model was built with the knowledge of modularization, parameterization, and parallel processing. By running the model, the predictions for the effects of five levels of time-gaps and two types of in-vehicle tasks were collected in three measures: (1) mean gap, (2) minimum gap, and (3) collision rate. The model performed well in prediction, especially when driving with in-vehicle tasks. Predictions from the model were validated by the experiment with a verified fixed-base bus-driving simulator, used in the authors’ previous studies. Throughout the modeling approach, this research provides a theoretical and accurate way to assess effects of time-gaps and vehicle-equipped interfaces. In follow-up research, the authors will apply this approach to evaluate other driving assist systems (e.g. collision warning systems and navigation systems) to create a customized software kit.     

军用鞋靴足底压力的舒适性测试分析

基于先进的足底压力分布测试系统。本文分析了6种军用鞋靴样品在穿着中速行走时的受力舒适性。首次提出并应用了极大应力值、持续时间及位置、应力分散程度、压力中心移动曲线等有效参量数据，对鞋靴的适体性、弯曲刚度、减震性能、崴磨脚与否等舒适性指标进行客观定量的评价。实践证明，其手段、方法和结论可为我军军用鞋靴的设计、选材及定型提供重要参考意见。     

YOLOv4目标检测算法在煤矿工人口罩佩戴监测工作中的应用研究*

为防止煤矿工人吸入过量粉尘而导致职业性尘肺病,基于Keras框架利用YOLOv4 (you only look once)目标检测算法对井下人员佩戴防尘口罩情况进行高精度且快速的检测与识别,并与MTCNN(Multi-task convolutional neural network)和FaceNet构成的人脸识别算法相结合,进行煤矿工人口罩佩戴监测的研究。结果表明:模型对井下人员口罩佩戴有较高的检测精度,识别已佩戴口罩的矿井下作业人员的平均精度达到92.78%,识别未佩戴防尘口罩检测的平均精度为91.63%,与其他主流算法相比算法具有更好的鲁棒性和检测效果。研究结果为预防煤矿工人职业性尘肺病提供1种有效的技术手段。     

The acceptance of personal protective equipment among Hong Kong construction workers: An integration of technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior with risk perception and safety climate

Introduction: The phenomenon that construction workers do not use personal protective equipment (PPE) is a major reason for the high occurrence frequency of accidents in the construction industry. However, little efforts have been made to quantitatively examine the factors influencing construction workers’ acceptance of PPE. Method: In the current study, a PPE acceptance model for construction workers (PAMCW) was proposed to address the noted need. The PAMCW incorporates the technology acceptance model, theory of planned behavior, risk perception, and safety climate for explaining construction worker acceptance of PPE. 413 construction workers participated in this study to fill out a structured questionnaire. The PAMCW was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: Results provide evidence of the applicability of the technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior to the PPE acceptance among construction workers. The positive influence of safety climate and risk perception-severity on attitude toward using PPE was significant. Safety climate positively influences perceived usefulness. Risk perception-worry and unsafe was found to positively affect intention to use PPE. Practical Applications: Practical suggestions for increasing construction workers’ use of PPE are also discussed.     

Effects of multitasking on operator performance using computational and auditory tasks

This study investigated the effects of multiple cognitive tasks on human performance. Twenty-four students at North Carolina A&;T State University participated in the study. The primary task was auditory signal change perception and the secondary task was a computational task. Results showed that participants' performance in a single task was statistically significantly different from their performance in combined tasks: (a) algebra problems (algebra problem primary and auditory perception secondary); (b) auditory perception tasks (auditory perception primary and algebra problems secondary); and (c) mean false-alarm score in auditory perception (auditory detection primary and algebra problems secondary). Using signal detection theory (SDT), participants' performance measured in terms of sensitivity was calculated as ?0.54 for combined tasks (algebra problems the primary task) and ?0.53 auditory perceptions the primary task. During auditory perception tasks alone, SDT was found to be 2.51. Performance was 83% in a single task compared to 17% when combined tasks.     

基于API 581的燃烧与爆炸后果分析方法研究

为了研究基于风险的检验（RBI）中燃烧、爆炸后果分析方法在实际应用中的效果,以API 581为基础,介绍了Level 1分析法、Level 2分析法及分析流程;然后,以油气分离器为例,根据API 581推荐的Level 1分析法编写VB程序,计算后果面积,采用PHAST软件计算Level 2分析法的后果面积;对比分析两种方法的计算结果,以及二者计算准确性的主要影响因素。研究结果表明:Level 1法比Level 2法简单,但其计算准确性较低;后果面积计算准确性的主要影响因素包括潜在泄漏质量、能量调整系数和液相后果计算面积公式选用等;应用时应兼顾两种方法的计算精度和经济效益,并选取合适的分析方法。     

基于改进的YOLOv4安全帽佩戴检测研究

为了加强建筑工人佩戴安全帽情况的检测,防止安全事故的发生,提出1种改进的轻量级YOLOv4安全帽佩戴检测算法,用于运行在移动设备端,降低现场部署的条件;制作1个8 000幅图像的数据集,用于训练和评估安全帽检测算法;为了评估改进的YOLOv4的性能,从5个不同建筑工地采集到600张施工人员图像和60条施工视频作为验证集;根据建筑工地不同的视觉条件对图像进行分类,用于验证本文算法在不同外界环境下的性能。结果表明:改进后的模型检测速度是YOLOv4的3.4倍,可用于实时检测施工人员在不同施工现场条件下是否佩戴安全帽的情况,有利于提高安全检查和监督水平。     

A Methodology for Assessing Blast Protection in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb Suits

To reduce human casualties associated with explosive ordnance disposal, a wide range of protective wear has been designed to shield against the blast effects of improvised explosive devices and munitions. In this study, 4 commercially available bomb suits, representing a range of materials and armor masses, were evaluated against 0.227 and 0.567 kg of spherical C-4 explosives to determine the level of protection offered to the head, neck, and thorax.

A Hybrid III dummy, an instrumented human surrogate [1], was tested with and without protection from the 4 commercially available bomb suits. 20 tests with the dummy torso mounted to simulate a kneeling position were performed to confirm repeatability and robustness of the dummies, as well as to evaluate the 4 suits. Correlations between injury risk assessments based on past human or animal injury model data and various parameters such as bomb suit mass, projected area, and dummy coverage area were drawn.     

Physiological evaluation of chemical protective suit systems (CPSS) in hot conditions.

This job-related experiment investigated physiological strain in subjects wearing impermeable chemical protective suit systems (CPSSs) weighing about 28 kg. Two types of CPSSs were studied: the self-contained breathing apparatus was carried either inside or outside the suit. Eight healthy and physically fit male firefighter instructors aged 32 to 45 years volunteered for the study. The test drill, performed at a dry, windless ta of 40 degrees C, was divided into 2 consecutive work sessions of 14.5 min (a 20-min rest between) including typical operational work tasks. Considerable thermal and maximal cardiovascular strain and intense subjective discomfort measured in the firefighters emphasize the need to limit working time in hot conditions to only 10-12 min while wearing CPSSs. The present results indicate that the exceptionally heavy physical load and psychological stress during operations in chemical emergencies must be considered in the assessment of the cardiovascular capacity of ageing firefighters using CPSSs.     

人体降温服在矿井热环境中的应用综述

降温服是一种应用于高温环境条件下的个体防护设备。根据深矿井热害治理需求,提出用人体降温服对人体直接降温的个体防护方法。结合降温服的降温原理和分类,对个体降温服国内外研究现状及其在矿井热害治理中的可能应用进行了综述和评价分析。为在深矿井热害治理中有针对性的研究、设计和应用矿用人体降温服提供参考。     

果园农药作业个体防护的影响因素

农药是果树种植园进行病虫害防治常用方法,农药会通过呼吸道、口腔及皮肤等途径进入人体,进而对作业者健康产生不利影响。在辽东某地区种植园的调查发现,果园作业者的防护装备配置情况与果园人均产值和安全教育水平呈正向相关。近年来果园作业的防护装备配置水平逐年提升,果园管理者及员工对个体防护装备的认知也逐步提高,但防护装备的配置及使用情况仍有很大改善空间。本文进一步普及农药作业安全与健康教育,普及防护装备的选用和维护常识对降低农药中毒现象的发生有直接影响。