Equipment failures and their contribution to industrial incidents and accidents in the manufacturing industry

Accidental events in manufacturing industries can be caused by many factors, including work methods, lack of training, equipment design, maintenance and reliability. This study is aimed at determining the contribution of failures of commonly used industrial equipment, such as machines, tools and material handling equipment, to the chain of causality of industrial accidents and incidents. Based on a case study which aimed at the analysis of an existing pulp and paper company's accident database, this paper examines the number, type and gravity of the failures involved in these events and their causes. Results from this study show that equipment failures had a major effect on the number and severity of accidents accounted for in the database: 272 out of 773 accidental events were related to equipment failure, where 13 of them had direct human consequences. Failures that contributed directly or indirectly to these events are analyzed.     

Fatal accidents in nighttime vs. daytime highway construction work zones

INTRODUCTION: Awareness about worker safety in nighttime construction has been a major concern because it is believed that nighttime construction creates hazardous work conditions. However, only a few studies provide valuable comparative information about accident characteristics of nighttime and daytime highway construction activities. METHOD: This study investigates fatal accidents that occurred in Illinois highway work zones in the period 1996-2001 in order to determine the safety differences between nighttime and daytime highway construction. The lighting and weather conditions were included into the study as control parameters to see their effects on the frequency of fatal accidents occurring in work zones. RESULTS: According to this study, there is evidence that nighttime construction is more hazardous than daytime construction. The inclusion of a weather parameter into the analysis has limited effect on this finding. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The study justifies establishing an efficient work zone accident reporting system and taking all necessary measures to enhance safety in nighttime work zones.     

A process mapping model for calculating indirect costs of workplace accidents

This article follows an earlier one in which four criteria and four bases for the development of an indirect-cost calculation model adapted to the accuracy requirements and time constraints of workplace decision-makers were established. A two-level model for calculating indirect costs using process mapping of the organizational response to a workplace accident is presented. The model is based on data collected in interviews with those employees in charge of occupational health and safety in 10 companies of various sizes in different industry sectors. This model is the first to use process mapping to establish the indirect costs of workplace accidents. The approach allows easy identification of the duration and frequency of actions taken by stakeholders when a workplace accident occurs, facilitates the collection of the information needed to calculate indirect costs and yields a usable, precise result. A simple graphic representation of an organization's accident processes helps the user understand each accident's cost components, allowing the identification and reduction of inefficiencies in the overall process. Impact on Industry: By facilitating data collection and shortening the time needed to assess indirect costs of workplace accidents, this indirect cost calculation tool is better suited for workplace use than those currently available.     

Perceptions of personal vulnerability to workplace hazards in the Australian construction industry

Introduction

The importance of risk perception for workplace safety has been highlighted by the inclusion of risk appraisals in contemporary models of precautionary behavior at work. Optimism bias is the tendency to think that negative events are less likely to happen to oneself than to the average person, and is proposed to be related to the reduced use of precautions.

Method

Building on studies of optimism bias for workplace hazards using samples with heterogenous risk profiles, the current study aimed to investigate whether optimism bias is present in a sample of workers exposed to similar workplace hazards. 175 Australian construction workers completed a brief survey that asked them to rate the likelihood of common construction industry hazards occurring to them and to the average worker of the same age doing the same job. Significant levels of optimism bias were found for many hazards (including being electrocuted, being trapped in a confined space, falling from heights, and causing someone else to have an injury).

Results

Optimism bias was not related to perceived controllability, contrary to findings in other domains, yet consistent with findings of optimism bias for workplace hazards. Optimism bias was not found to be related to a reduction in safe work behaviors, though this may be due to difficulties in measuring safe or precautionary behavior, such as social desirability.

Impact on industry

That most workers think that hazards are less likely to happen to them than to the average worker presents a significant problem because it may ameliorate the efficacy of safety programs, yet constitutes a largely unexplored opportunity for improving workplace safety performance.     

机械制造企业安全事故统计分析与对策研究

本文统计分析了4家机械制造企业11年导致人员死亡和重伤的28起安全事故案例,结果表明这些企业安全事故总体发展趋势和企业业务发展有密切的联系,企业安全事故的事故类型、事故原因和事故岗位分布有非常明显的行业特征;最后根据统计分析结果提出了调研企业在预防安全事故方面需要加强的管理对策和措施。     

化工园区初始火灾爆炸引发连锁事故概率研究

通过对化工园区特有石油产品储罐的火灾爆炸形式以及事故多米诺效应的分析,建立引起火灾爆炸连锁事故的池火和蒸汽云爆炸模型.基于MATLAB技术,绘制基于这两个模型的热辐射-距离曲线和冲击波-距离曲线,同时根据设备损坏概率模型绘制超压-损坏概率曲线和热辐射-损坏概率曲线.基于两组曲线的拟合,计算初次火灾爆炸影响范围内其他储罐群发生二次事故的概率.实例分析表明,事故危险源及可能波及的目标危险源的物理、化学性质和相应贮存装置地理位置、强度等,对连锁事故发生的概率有直接影响,而且相互影响的概率之间有一定的对应关系.对应关系不同或发生事故顺序不同,引发连锁事故的概率也不同.因此基于多米诺连锁效应分析,采取有针对性的防控措施,阻断连锁反应路径,可减少损失.     

A Bayesian network analysis of workplace accidents caused by falls from a height

This article analyses, using Bayesian networks, the circumstances surrounding workplace tasks performed using auxiliary equipment (ladders, scaffolding, etc.) that may result in falls. The information source was a survey of employees working at a height. We were able to determine the usefulness of this approach – innovative in the accident research field – in identifying the causes that have the greatest bearing on accidents involving auxiliary equipment: in these cases, the adoption of incorrect postures during work and a worker’s inadequate knowledge of safety regulations. Likewise, the duration of tasks was also associated with both these variables, and therefore, with the accident rate. Bayesian networks also enable dependency relationships to be established between the different causes of accidents. This information – which is not usually furnished by conventional statistical methods applied in the field of labour risk prevention – allow a causality model to be defined for workplace accidents in a more realistic way. With this statistic tool, the expert is also provided with useful information that can be input to a management model for labour risk prevention.     

Prevention through design: The effect of European Directives on construction workplace accidents

Workplace accidents still occur with distressing frequency, particularly in construction. Industrialized countries have become increasingly aware of this situation and have adopted policies to attempt to deal with this issue. Such policies have led to the development of new laws and regulations with a view to improving workplace conditions.This paper first analyzes policies regarding accident prevention in the European Union, as initially stipulated in the European Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, and more specifically in Directive 92/57/EEC, on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites, concentrating on prevention through design. Whilst designers previously had some responsibilities for reducing risk under common law provisions in many countries, this directive was the first explicit legislation to enforce particular duties upon them. The adaptation of the provisions in this directive to the national legislation of EU member countries is also studied.The second section of the paper analyzes the incidence rate of workplace accidents in the construction sector in each country from the year when these regulations came into force until the present time. Based on the evolution of these accident rates, the paper postulates the extent to which European policies have contributed to accident prevention in construction. It is now more than a decade since this legislation has been in force which provides a suitable period for a reflective analysis on it is impact.     

Costs and benefits of preventing workplace accidents: The case of participatory ergonomics

This paper provides a cost-benefit analysis of a participatory ergonomics program conducted at the beginning of the 1990s to reduce back-related disorders among packers at a warehouse of the Société des Alcools du Québec in Quebec City. After evaluating the costs of the program, we present a rigorous econometric analysis to assess how many accidents have been prevented by the program so as to compute the direct and indirect costs avoided as a result of such accident reduction. We show that the program has indeed been profitable for the firm.     

Organizational practices and workplace health and safety: A cross-sectional study in manufacturing companies

We report the results of a mail questionnaire for 312 manufacturing firms in the province of Ontario (Canada). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of workplace level health and safety policies, practices and attitudes. Analyses were conducted across firm categories based upon lost-time frequency rate (LTFR) data. Lower LTFRs were associated with paternalistic initiatives, recording of occupational health and safety (OHS) measures, greater involvement of workers in decision-making, and better managerial attitudes concerning the importance of OHS. The composition of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), a committee mandated in all workplaces we sampled, differed according to injury rate: the mean number of worker (vs. management) members on the JHSC was higher for lower injury sites, and the mean number of worker members attending JHSC meetings was also higher for lower injury worksites. In addition, workplaces with lower LTFR benefitted by having JHSCs with more executive functions and greater worker involvement. In conclusion, managerial and worker participation in OHS initiatives characterizes safer workplaces. Also, general concern of management towards OHS—illustrated by both attitudes and concrete actions—is also associated with lower injury rates.     

化学工业园区事故应急救援体系构建

应急救援体系是化学工业园区提高突发事件应对能力的重要措施.本文在化学工业园区特点和危险性分析的基础上,解析了化学工业园区在预防、准备、响应、恢复等应急管理过程中的不同需求,提出化学工业园区事故应急救援体系框架,即应以重大危险源监控、区域风险评价和安全规划为重点实施风险防控,依托园区现行管理体制完善事故应急组织体系,形成由园区总体预案、园区专项预案、企业预案组成的应急预案体系,依托公安消防队伍和企业应急救援队构筑园区应急救援联防体系,建设融日常安全监管、异常应急指挥于一体的应急管理信息系统,建立企业自救、互救与社会救援相结合的应急救援运行机制.     

PSO-SVM模型在化工事故风险预测中的应用研究

为了减少化工事故的发生,提高化工生产过程中事故风险预测的准确性,研究了粒子群优化算法与支持向量机(PSO-SVM)模型在事故风险预测中的应用.首先,统计分析近5年化工生产安全事故致因因素,得出化工事故风险因素统计特征,结合层次分析法,建立化工事故风险预测指标体系并确定各指标因素的权重值;然后,基于MATLAB计算生成的...     

Process industry accidents in Sri Lanka: Analysis and basic lessons learnt

Accidents in the process industry could be prevented or reduced by having good safety management measures. Such preventive measures could be further improved through the experiences and lessons learnt from past accidents. Therefore, analysis results of past accidents are valuable sources of information for determining root causes and as case material to prevent and reduce the adverse consequences of accidents in the process industry.This paper looks at accidents in the process industry that have occurred in the past 10 years from 1997 to 2006 in Sri Lanka to gain an understanding of the nature and consequences of accidents. Lessons and main areas of concern to improve safety in the Sri Lanka process industry are discussed. The analysis is done for different event types based on specific operating process stage during which the accident occurred such as processing, loading and unloading, repair and maintenance and storage, the immediate effect types such as fire, explosion, chemical releases and emissions and the consequences of each accident. Fire incidents were observed in 38 accidents analyzed. The results show that the highest number of accidents has occurred during processing operations followed by accidents during maintenance and repair work. The cause analysis shows that many accidents have occurred due to technical and human failures.The accidents are then classified according to the severity of the consequences in order to compare the nature of accidents experienced in Sri Lanka with respect to accidents in other countries in the world.     

基于安全规划的典型石油化学工业事故原因分析

石油化学工业中的原料、产品大多数具有易燃、易爆、有毒和腐蚀等特性,一旦发生事故,将会产生人员伤亡、财产损失,甚至对环境产生较大的破坏.本文主要从安全规划的角度分析典型石油化学工业事故产生的原因.研究表明,这些事故的原因主要有选址不合理,使用或储存的危险化学品数量、规模过大,与周边地区的安全距离不足、设施之间安全距离不足和危险设施布局不合理.     

Safety climate factors and its relationship with accidents and personal attributes in the chemical industry

Safety in the chemical industry is a major issue in a thickly populated country like India. The study was carried out to determine the safety climate factors in the chemical industry in Kerala, India. A survey using a questionnaire was conducted among 2536 employees in eight major accident hazard chemical industrial units in Kerala. The study population included workers and first line supervisors at the lowest end of the management. 75% of the data collected was subjected to principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation using SPSS program. This revealed 8 factors which together explained 52.15% of the total variance. Internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha) across items in each of the 8 factors and that of the total scale were found acceptable. The model was tested with the remaining data by running confirmatory factor analysis using the AMOS 4.0 structural equation modeling program and was found to produce a good fit. The safety climate scores calculated were found to have significant negative correlation with self-reported accident rates revealing good predictive validity. One way ANOVA results show that companies’ mean safety climate scores differ significantly from each other indicating that organizations have different safety climate levels. Tests were also conducted to find out the effects of qualification, age, job category and experience of respondents on their perceptions and attitudes about safety.     

Rate of occupational accidents in the mining industry since 1950--a successful approach to prevention policy

This paper deals with the decrease in the rate of accident insurance claims in the German mining industry over the last five decades. It intends to show that this process is above all the result of a prevention policy where companies and the body responsible for the legal accident insurance in the mining industry, the Bergbau-Berufsgenossenschaft (BBG), work hand in hand. A system like the German accident insurance scheme, combining prevention, rehabilitation, and compensation, enables successful and modern safety and health measures.     

石油石化重大工艺安全事故应急机制浅析

石油石化生产关键工艺设备或流程蕴藏的风险能量巨大,一旦发生事故,后果往往极其严重。分析了石油石化重大工艺安全事故专业性强、事故规模大、易形成连锁反应和诱发环境污染事件等3个典型特征。通过事故应急经验分析,研究提出了石油石化重大工艺安全事故应急工作需要遵循的风险辨识充分到位、专业应急保障有力、应急资源保障充足、企地联动迅速高效、社会舆论引导得力等5方面的重点应急策略。设计了工艺安全事故风险辨识与评估、专业应急队伍建设与能力提升、应急资源联合储备、区域应急联动和公共危机公关等5项石油石化企业重大工艺安全事故应急重点工作机制内容和建设要点。石油石化企业需要不断建立和完善5项应急工作机制,才能为重大工艺安全事故应急工作提供可靠保障。     

Women in the workplace.

The greatly increased number of women in the U.S. work force calls for greater attention to and emphasis on their safety and health. The author explores the history, demography, employment experiences and occupational safety and health considerations of working women.