Workers' compensation loss prevention representative contact and risk of lost-time injury in construction policyholders

IntroductionInsurance loss prevention (LP) representatives have access and contact with businesses and employees to provide targeted safety and health resources. Construction firms, especially those smaller in size, are a high-risk population. This research evaluated the association between LP rep contact and risk for lost-time injuries in construction policyholders.MethodsWorkers' compensation data were utilized to track LP rep contact with policyholders and incidence of lost-time injury over time. Survival analysis with repeated events modeling calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsCompared no LP contact, one contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk (HR = 0.73, CI = 0.65–0.82), two with a 41% (HR = 0.59, CI = 0.51–0.68), and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk (HR = 0.72, CI = 0.65–0.81).ConclusionsLP reps appear to be a valuable partner in efforts to reduce injury burden. Their presence or contact with policyholders is consistent with reduction in overall incidence of lost-time injuries.Practical applicationsReduction in lost-time injuries, resulting in reduced workers' compensation costs for policyholders and insurance companies, builds a business-case for safety and injury prevention. LP reps are often a low or no-cost benefit for insurance policyholders and may be an important injury prevention resource for small firms and/or those with lack of safety resources and staff.     

Workers' involvement--a missing component in the implementation of occupational safety and health management systems in enterprises.

Effective implementation of occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation based on European Union directives requires promotion of OSH management systems (OSH MS). To this end, voluntary Polish standards (PN-N-18000) have been adopted, setting forth OSH MS specifications and guidelines. However, the number of enterprises implementing OSH MS has increased slowly, falling short of expectations, which call for a new national policy on OSH MS promotion. To develop a national policy in this area, a survey was conducted in 40 enterprises with OSH MS in place. The survey was aimed at identifying motivational factors underlying OSH MS implementation decisions. Specifically, workers' and their representatives' involvement in OSH MS implementation was investigated. The results showed that the level of workers' involvement was relatively low, which may result in a low effectiveness of those systems. The same result also applies to the involvement of workers' representatives and that of trade unions.     

城市公共安全风险评估与控制对策研究:以武汉市为例

为明确城市公共安全关键影响因素,解决以往研究中存在的研究区域小、影响因素单一、评估方法主观性强、对策措施缺乏针对性等问题,基于风险评估基础理论和因子分析法,构建城市公共安全风险评估指标体系和风险评估模型,并以武汉市为例进行公共安全风险评估,提出相应的风险控制对策。结果表明:构建的“灾害严重性-风险应对能力”风险评估指标体系对因子分析法具有较好的适用性,风险评估模型能够有效判别城市公共安全的关键影响因素;影响武汉市公共安全的4大关键影响因子为城市发展水平和基础设施、事故灾害、环境影响和地质灾害及其防治;2010—2017年间武汉市公共安全水平总体呈上升趋势,风险应对能力的提升对武汉市公共安全水平提升贡献较大。     

Characteristics of construction firms at risk for future workers' compensation claims using administrative data systems,Washington State

Introduction: Construction is high-hazard industry, and continually ranks among those with the highest workers' compensation (WC) claim rates in Washington State (WA). However, not all construction firms are at equal risk. We tested the ability to identify those construction firms most at risk for future claims using only administrative WC and unemployment insurance data. Methods: We collected information on construction firms with 10–50 average full time equivalent (FTE) employees from the WA unemployment insurance and WC data systems (n = 1228). Negative binomial regression was used to test the ability of firm characteristics measured during 2011–2013 to predict time-loss claim rates in the following year, 2014. Results: Claim rates in 2014 varied by construction industry groups, ranging from 0.7 (Land Subdivision) to 4.6 (Foundation, Structure, and Building Construction) claims per 100 FTE. Construction firms with higher average WC premium rates, a history of WC claims, increasing number of quarterly FTE, and lower average wage rates during 2011–2013 were predicted to have higher WC claim rates in 2014. Conclusions: We demonstrate the ability to leverage administrative data to identify construction firms predicted to have future WC claims. This study should be repeated to determine if these results are applicable to other high-hazard industries. Practical Applications: This study identified characteristics that may be used to further refine targeted outreach and prevention to construction firms at risk.     

Occupational and public health and safety in a changing work environment: An integrated approach for risk assessment and prevention

During recent years the work environment has undergone significant changes regarding working time, years of employment, work organization, type of employment contracts and working conditions. In this paper, consequences of these changes on occupational and public health and safety are examined. These include the disruption of human biological rhythms, the increase of workers fatigue due to changes in patterns of working hours and years of employment, job insecurity and occupational stress, which have a serious impact on workers’ health and may result in an increase in occupational accidents. Unsafe work practices related to workload and time pressure, the impact of work changes on public safety and the deterioration of workers’ living conditions with respect to income, social-family life, health and insurance benefits, are also described. In this context, difficulties that occur due to the changing work environment in conducting effective occupational risk assessments and implementing OSH measures are discussed (for example, frequent changes between tasks and workplaces, underreporting of occupational accidents and diseases, lack of methodological tools, etc.). A fundamental criterion used while studying consequences on health and safety and the relative preventive measures is that health and safety must be approached as ‘the promotion and maintenance at the highest degree of the physical, mental and social well-being of workers’ and not only as retention of their work ability. Limits in combining “flexibility” at work and overall protection of occupational and public safety and health in a competitive market are put forward for discussion.     

生态环保类项目风险补偿机制实践

"环保贷"是由财政资金建立风险补偿资金池为生态环保类项目提供贷款增信和风险补偿,引导金融资本进入生态环保领域的一款绿色金融产品。本文总结了江苏省"环保贷"政策的运行方式、支持范围、实施成效,在此基础上,深入分析了"环保贷"业务进展中存在的产品方案有待完善、合作银行仍然偏少、宣传推广力度仍需加强等问题,并针对性提出了"完善产品方案,提高贷款期限""扩充合作银行,提高‘环保贷’规模""加强宣传工作,提升‘环保贷’知名度"等政策建议。     

Lower health risk with increased job control among white collar workers

Associations between increased job control and health status were tested with questionnaire data from a random sample of full-time workers (n = 8504) from the national Swedish white collar labor federation, TCO (representing 25 per cent of the Swedish work force). Of these subjects, 1937 had undergone a company-initiated job reorganization during the previous several years. Workers in the job reorganization group who had influence in the reorganization process and obtained increased task control as a result had lower levels of illness symptoms on 11 of 12 health indicators controlling for age and sex (11 of 12 associations significant for males, four of 12 associations significant for females). A previously validated measure of coronary heart disease was significantly lower in circumstances of increased job control for males (8.6 per cent symptom frequency with decreased control versus 3.4 per cent with increased control; p = 0.05). Absenteeism was lower: 10.7 per cent versus 5.0 per cent (0.01). Depression was lower 27.8 per cent to 13.7 per cent (0.001). However, smoking was significantly higher for women 11.0 per cent versus 23.5 per cent (0.01). All illness indicators showed that the process of job reorganization itself was associated with significantly higher symptoms (‘change stress’). However for males (only) symptoms levels when reorganization was accompanied by increased control were often as low or lower than symptom levels for no reorganization at all. Unfortunately, job reorganizations involving employee influence and increased task control were less frequent than job reorganizations involving reduced influence and no increased control, especially for women and older workers.     

城市公共安全风险评估——以高层建筑火灾为例

为了提高城市公共安全管理水平,必须首先对城市涉及公共安全的风险进行客观和科学评估。简要介绍一种城市公共安全风险评估的方法,并以高层建筑火灾为例,详细地对风险事件进行风险识别、分析和评价,以及提出应对措施的过程。该方法可以作为我国城市公共安全风险管理的有效工具加以推广和使用。     

大连市人群对多环芳烃的暴露及健康风险评价

近年来大连市多环芳烃污染日益严重.为研究大连市多环芳烃类有机污染物对居民产生的潜在健康危害,结合大连地区人群状况,采用多介质-多途径暴露模型,评价大连市居民暴露于多环芳烃的暴露量及由此导致的健康风险,分析不同环境介质、暴露介质及暴露途径的风险贡献率,并结合蒙特卡罗方法分析研究过程中的不确定性.在实际评价时,根据大连市的实际情况,选用了部分美国环保局推荐的参数,剩余的评价参数根据国内的相关文献进行了修正.结果表明,大连市居民中男性和女性对环境中多环芳烃的日平均暴露量分别为2.59× 10-4 mg/(kg·d)和2.79×10-4 mg/(kg·d).主要暴露途径是膳食暴露,此外呼吸暴露也占有一定的比重,皮肤暴露作用很小.膳食暴露中对总暴露贡献最大的食品是谷物和蔬菜.相应的男性和女性的健康风险度分别为2.68×10-5a-1和2.90×10-5 a-1,大连市多环芳烃类污染物居民人体健康风险度高于可接受健康风险度标准.大连市女性对多环芳烃的暴露量高于男性,女性健康风险平均值亦高于EPA标准值.大连市多环芳烃人群暴露与天津、北京和兰州相比存在一定的差异.各项参数中,粮食、蔬菜摄食量和相应的多环芳烃(PAHs)残留浓度是影响暴露的重要因素.通过蒙特卡罗模拟得到各年龄段人群对多环芳烃(PAHS)的日均暴露量的分布特征,各输出变量均服从对数正态分布.     

煤矸石制砖企业职业安全健康风险与控制现状调查研究

调查与分析煤矸石制砖企业职业安全与健康风险与控制现状,为预防与控制职业安全健康风险提供依据。采用填表、现场监测与核查等方法,对13家煤矸石制砖企业的基本情况、危险和有害因素、防护措施等情况进行了调查、分析与评价。工作场所可能存在坍塌、机械伤害、挤压伤害、烧伤/灼烫、触电/电击、车辆伤害/撞击、中毒和窒息和砸伤、粉尘、噪声、高温和有害气体、不良工效学因素等危险、有害因素。防护罩、活动栏杆、地沟盖板、人行过梯、高压保护和隔离栏杆、通风除尘设施、喷淋设施、窑口引风机、烟尘脱硫除尘系统等为该类企业配置的主要防护设施;防尘口罩、防护手套和劳动护肤品为该类企业使用的个体防护装备,所有企业均未为噪声接触人员提供护听器。煤矸石制砖企业存在多种危险、有害因素,企业配有相应防护设施,但其效果欠佳,企业应加强对工作场所噪声危害的预防与控制。     

兰州地区人群对六六六的暴露及健康风险评价

为研究兰州地区六六六(HCH)对人群的健康风险,应用改进的美国环境保护署(US EPA)多介质暴露模型,结合兰州地区人群状况,计算了各年龄人群通过11种暴露途径对六六六的暴露量.结果表明,兰州地区居民对环境中六六六的终身日平均暴露量为2.01×10-5 mg/(k·d)(儿童)和2.53×10-5 mg/(kg·d)(成人).暴露途径中以食物暴露为主导,其次是呼吸暴露,皮肤暴露作用很小.食物中贡献较大的为谷物和蔬菜.相应的健康风险度分别为5.40×10-9 a-1(男性)和6.30× 10-9a-1(女性).兰州地区六六六居民人体健康风险度低于可接受健康风险度标准,兰州地区六六六人群暴露水平与天津、太原、太湖地区相比存在一定的差异,女性对六六六的暴露量高于男性.兰州人群成人的六六六暴露量大于儿童,成人是六六六暴露风险最高的群体.各项参数中,谷物和蔬菜摄食量和相应的六六六残留浓度是影响暴露的重要因素.通过蒙特卡罗模拟得到各年龄段人群对HCH的日均暴露量的分布特征,各输出变量均服从对数正态分布.     

Component failure recognition and maintenance optimization for offshore heave compensation systems based on importance measures

Heave compensation systems work to reduce the influence of unpredictable marine environments on offshore operations and are powered by hydraulic systems. As an important approach in the reliability field, importance measure assesses the impact of components on a system. This paper considers the importance of hydraulic system components for system performance. By analyzing the working state of each component in the passive compensation and active compensation phases, the working principle of the hydraulic system of a semi-active heave compensation experimental system is explained. According to the actual design of the experimental system and its working principle, eight types of 27 components, whose failures affect the performance, are extracted. The servo valve and the accumulator are determined to be redundant while the other components are nonredundant. Two performance-related importance measures, Griffith importance measure (GIM) and integrated importance measure (IIM), are then applied to sort the components of the hydraulic system and determine the maintenance sequence. Finally, based on the IIM value and the maintenance cost of each component, optimization strategies are proposed under different conditions using total cost and time as independent variables.     

Integrating flare gas with cogeneration systems: Operational risk assessment

Flare gas utilization in a cogeneration plant is an attractive proposition considering its environmental and economic incentives. Evaluation of the operational risk of integrating flare gas with cogeneration is complex due to the uncertainty in flare gas quality and process conditions. The current study delves into the change in operational risk after modifying the existing cogeneration process with the addition of fuel from flare gas. Based on the process hazards evaluation, the current study identified two critical loss control events (or top events) - boiler gas temperature exceeding operating design temperature and rich fuel mixture in the boiler firebox. The underlying causes that may contribute and lead to these loss control events were identified using fault trees and were updated to the existing cogeneration scenarios. Similarly, different consequential events that may arise from the loss control events were analysed using event trees with existing system safeguards. A Bayesian network model with its explanatory power mapped all the identified dangerous scenarios from the fault trees and event trees to predict integrated systems reliability and diagnose causal factors. Bayesian Network analysis illustrates the dynamic cause-effect relationship and determines the risk escalation due to the changes in the composition of flare gas that is fed to the boiler. The presence of a higher percentage of hydrogen (above 40 mol%) in the flare gas escalates the risk of lean air to fuel ratio in the boiler firebox and increases boiler radiation zone duty. These conditions are detrimental to the boiler firebox operation and can result in critical scenarios such as flame impingement and tube rupture. Additionally, other consequences-a steam explosion and boiler stack explosion were also investigated. However, their probability of occurrence was relatively insignificant with the given frequency of flare gas utilization in the cogeneration system.     

Risk and system integrity concepts for safety-related control systems

This paper provides an overview of the concepts of “risk” and “safety-integrity” in relation to safety-related electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems. The paper is an abridged version of Annex A of the emerging International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard; “Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems”. Although based on Annex A, the authors have deviated in a few instances, from the strict wording of Annex A in order to more properly represent their own views. Where this occurs, a note in the text has been added to alert the reader of the deviation. The concepts of risk (including tolerable risk; safety integrity; safety-related system; System and Software Integrity Levels) are discussed.     

Self healing databases for predictive risk analytics in safety-critical systems

Assuring the quality, consistency and accuracy of safety data repositories is essential in safety-critical systems. In many systems, however, significant effort is required to identify, address, clean and repair data errors and inconsistencies, and to integrate safety data sets and repositories, particularly for risk analyses. Although some self healing and self repairing capabilities leveraging machine learning and predictive analyses have been employed to identify anomalies and monitor quality in structured safety-critical data sets, little attention has been focused on addressing shortcomings in heterogeneous—structured and unstructured—safety data sets, the focus of this work. The text mining and classification analysis employed in this research indicates that machine learning techniques can be employed to improve the accuracy and robustness of large-scale structured and unstructured database repositories, and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of safety data repository maintenance. Hybrid machine learning approaches, leveraging machine learning, text mining and natural language processing, offer additional promise in future work.     

输油气站危害控制技术

风险分析和控制是HSE体系的核心内容,针对油气管道企业的实际生产运营特点,阐述了风险管理的基本思路,就目前国内外常用危害因素的识别评判方法进行了归纳分析,给出了适合输油气站队的风险控制的管理方法和措施,为生产基层单位HSE体系深入推广提供了参考.     

城市公共消防安全风险预警评价体系构建研究

通过运用理论研究方法构建了城市公共消防安全风险预警评价指标体系,结合层次分析法和模糊综合方法构建了城市公共消防安全风险预警评价模型与评价思路,并根据评价的结果提出了加强城市公共消防安全的相关对策建议。     

石油钻井井控风险诱因专家调查分析

引发井控风险的因素很多,各因素对风险的影响也大小不一,做好井控风险诱因影响程度大小的评估工作是有效降低井喷事故发生率、减少事故损失的基础工作。专家调查法是一种简便易行的调查方法,但是组织大量的专家进行井控风险诱因的调查难度很大,本文采用改进的专家调查法,通过调研专家的文章、谈话、评论的方式来代替组织专家开会研讨的方法研究石油钻井井控风险诱因,改进的专家调查法所得出的调查结果与现场实际一致,表明了该方法科学、简便易行。这种对专家调查法的改进可以推广应用在其他行业上。     

Home based workers at risk: Outworkers and occupational health and safety

Outwork is work done for payment at, about or from home. Outworkers generally work under conditions which are less favourable that those of their counterparts doing similar work ‘on site’. There are significant occupational health and safety issues associated with outwork. Terms and conditions of work (e.g. rate of pay, hours of work, degree of worker control over the work process, legislative coverage etc.) will significantly influence health and safety outcomes for outworkers. The paper addresses these more general issues as well as detailing specific workplace hazards and injuries, and other health impacts arising from the work.