Shopping online for children: Is safety a consideration?

Introduction: There has been a significant increase in online purchasing and product safety problems have been identified in e-commerce. This study examines consumer behavior and safety perceptions among parents purchasing child products online. Method: A mixed methods approach, including focus groups and a survey with parents, identified key characteristics and behaviors. Cluster analysis was used to determine different population segments (including “Informed,” “Uninformed,” and “Infrequent” consumer groups) based on their frequency of online shopping and search for product information. “Safe” and “Unsafe” behavior groups were identified related to their search for safety information on child products. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the effects of consumer type groups and demographic variables on the chances of being a safer consumer. Results: Findings indicate that child product safety considerations are not a priority for parents when shopping online. Only 62% of the survey respondents indicated that they search for information prior to buying a child product online, of which only 13% of the respondents noted that they search for information on product safety. Risky consumer behaviors were identified including the purchase of imitation products (counterfeit or knockoff products) and autonomous checks for product safety in lieu of safety standards. The logistic regression analysis found that being an “Uninformed Consumer” increases the odds of an individual being an “Unsafe Consumer” by 8.4 times (χ²(11) = 97.33, p < .001). Practical Applications: Design of a social marketing campaign that targets these different population segments to change perceptions and promote safe online purchasing is recommended.     

Determination of human error probabilities in maintenance procedures of a pump

The “human factor” constitutes an important role in the prediction of safe operation of a facility. Hence, information about human capacities and behaviours should be applied methodically to increase the safety of a systematic process. This paper provides an analysis of human factors in pre- and post-maintenance operations. For possible failure scenarios, this paper considers the procedures for removing process equipment from service (pre-maintenance) and returning the component to service (post-maintenance). In this study, a pump is used as the test example. For each scenario, the human error probability (HEP) is calculated for each activity, using the Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART) which is commonly implemented technique in industry, can also be applied in the analyses of safety cases. HEART is a reliable technique for comparing HEP and its approach is based on the degree of error recovery. Consequences are also assessed for each activity in this methodology. The final value of risk for each activity is assigned by combining error likelihood and related consequences. When the calculated risk is beyond acceptable levels, risk management strategies are provided to increase the safety of the maintenance procedures. The most probable human errors for a considered case study are related to the activities of “draining lines” and “open valves”. These two activities have high HEPs, which are 9.57E−01 and 9.62E−01, respectively.     

What’s in a name? Drivers’ perceptions of the use of five SAE Level 2 driving automation systems

Introduction: Automobile manufacturers are developing increasingly sophisticated driving automation systems. Currently, the highest level of automation available on the market is SAE Level 2, which provides sustained assistance for both lateral and longitudinal vehicle control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how drivers’ perceptions of what behaviors secondary to driving are safe while a Level 2 system is operating vary by system name. Methods: A nationally representative telephone survey of 2005 drivers was conducted in 2018 with questions about behaviors respondents perceived as safe while a Level 2 driving automation system is in operation. Each respondent was asked about two out of five system names at random for a balanced study design. Results: The name “Autopilot” was associated with the highest likelihood that drivers believed a behavior was safe while in operation, for every behavior measured. There was less variation observed among the other four SAE Level 2 system names when compared with each other. A limited proportion of drivers had experience with advanced driver assistance systems and fewer of these reported driving a vehicle in which Level 2 systems were available. Drivers reported that they would consult a variety of sources for information on how to use a Level 2 system. Conclusions: The names of SAE Level 2 driving automation systems influence drivers’ perceptions of how to use them, and the name “Autopilot” was associated with the strongest effect. While a name alone cannot properly instruct drivers on how to use a system, it is a piece of information and must be considered so that drivers are not misled about the correct usage of these systems. Practical Applications: Manufacturers, suppliers, and organizations regulating or evaluating SAE Level 2 automated driving systems should ensure that systems are named so as not to mislead drivers about their safe use.     

A method,DEB analysis,for proactive risk analysis applied to air traffic control

Introduction: Complex production systems as, for instance, those used in health care, in off shore industry, in nuclear power industry or in aviation suffer now and then from severe system breakdowns. Lessons learnt from these often lead to changes in the “system”. A more rational approach would be to identify these “system weaknesses” before accidents happen.A new proactive method, DEB analysis, for identifying hazards in a complex system was applied to an air traffic control unit in Malmoe, Sweden. The system weaknesses (i.e. latent system failures and insufficient safety barriers), which could cause these hazards, were identified. The effectiveness of the method was assessed by comparing these “prospective” identified system weaknesses with “retrospective” identified system weaknesses in a consecutive series of loss of separation cases (n=15), investigated by the central aviation administration.Main findings: The system weaknesses in 14 out of the 15 cases were found with the proactive method. One sub-task was missed.Discussion: The method is an effective tool in disclosing system weaknesses that can give rise to hazards. The method should be modified with increased engagement of operators. It might be applied to other complex systems as well.     

“Justice” and “fairness” are not the same thing

Organizational justice researchers tend to treat as synonyms the terms “justice” and “fairness”. We discuss different definitional arguments, concluding that these two concepts are distinct. Justice should be defined as adherence to rules of conduct, whereas fairness should be defined as individuals' moral evaluations of this conduct. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design of electrical equipment for areas containing combustible dust: Why dust standards cannot be extensively harmonised with gas standards

Over recent years, the idea has emerged within the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), as well as within the standardisation system of the European Union, that it may be beneficial to harmonise design concepts for electrical equipment for areas containing combustible dusts, with those for areas containing combustible gases and vapours. The harmonisation idea has been encouraged by the European Union “ATEX 100a” Directive, which suffers from insufficient differentiation between combustible dusts, combustible mists, and combustible gases/vapours. This deficiency probably originates from focusing on the extensive similarity of combustible dust clouds, mist clouds and gas/vapour clouds when it comes to ignition and burning properties. However, these similarities are of little significance unless there is an explosible cloud in the first place. And this is where dusts, mists and gases/vapours differ substantially, as discussed in detail in the present paper. It is suggested, therefore, that the idea of extensive harmonisation of design concepts for dusts with those established for gases/vapours be put aside (e.g. IEC Committee draft standards for “Ex i” and “Ex p” for dusts, as well as a proposal for a new “Ex m” dust standard). Instead, the safe design of electrical equipment for areas containing combustible dusts should mainly be based on two simple concepts, use of enclosures that keep the dust out to the required extent, and measures that keep the temperature of any surface in contact with dust clouds or layers sufficiently low to effectively prevent ignition. This is in full accordance with the current philosophy in European standardisation as expressed clearly in EN 50281-1-1 and -2: “The ignition protection is based on the limitation of the maximum surface temperature of the enclosure, and on the restriction of dust ingress into the enclosure by the use of “dust tight” or “dust protected” enclosures”. The same philosophy has been prevailing in USA for quite some time. It is indeed to be hoped that Europe will also maintain this sensible approach, and revise the “ATEX 100a” directive accordingly.     

Making safety training stickier: A richer model of safety training engagement and transfer

Introduction: Compared to other types of occupational training, safety training suffers from several unique challenges that potentially impair the engagement of learners and their subsequent application or “transfer” of knowledge and skills upon returning to the job. However, existing research on safety training tends to focus on specific factors in isolation, such as design features and social support. The aim of this research is to develop an overarching theoretical framework that integrates factors contributing to training engagement and transfer. Method: We conducted a comprehensive qualitative review of safety training research that was published between 2010 and 2020. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, yielding 147 articles, and 38 were included. We content analyzed article summaries to arrive at core themes and combined them with contemporary models of general occupational training to develop a rich model of safety training engagement and transfer. Results: We propose that training engagement is a combination of pre-training factors such as individual, organizational, and contextual factors, that interact with design and delivery factors. Safety training engagement is conceptualized as a three-component psychological state: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. Organizations should prioritize pre-training readiness modules to address existing attitudes and beliefs, optimize the safety training transfer climate, and critically reflect on their strategy to design and deliver safety training so that engagement is maximized. Conclusions: There are practical factors that organizations can use before training (e.g., tailoring training to employees’ characteristics), during training (e.g., ensuring trainer credibility and use of adult learning principles), and after training (e.g., integrating learned concepts into systems). Practical Applications: For safety training to ‘stick,’ workers should be affectively, cognitively, and behaviorally engaged in learning, which will result in new knowledge and skills, improvements in attitudes, and new safety behaviors in the workplace. To enable engagement, practitioners must apply adult learning principles, make the training relevant, and tailor the training to the job and individual needs. After training, ensure concepts are embedded and aligned with existing systems and routines to promote transfer.     

J-value analysis of different regulatory limits for workers and the public

The J-value technique allows an objective determination to be made of the resources that should be applied cost effectively to improve heath and safety. This is essential if capabilities are to be employed optimally and risks reduced in a way that reflects their severity. Although other considerations such as good practice and socio-political influences may affect a final decision on the resources to be sanctioned, the incorporation of these additional factors should be made transparent if the decision is no longer to be based on cost effectiveness. The J-value provides an objective criterion by which to judge when “reasonable practicability” has been achieved in committing resources for safety improvement, which is the legal requirement under health and safety law in the UK.Moreover, the J-value methodology also allows other related issues to be addressed objectively. Regulatory bodies apply different limits for workers and the general public, with higher risks being permitted for workers. Although a factor of about 10 has been used in several contexts, no objective rationale has been developed for this particular figure until now. However, it is shown that application of the J-value analysis can provide a justification for a ratio of workers’ risk to public risk of approximately this size if certain reasonable assumptions are made. Thus the paper provides the first quantitative explanation for the different levels of protection demanded by regulators nationally and internationally for workers and public.     

Safer than the average human driver (who is less safe than me)? Examining a popular safety benchmark for self-driving cars

Although the level of safety required before drivers will accept self-driving cars is not clear, the criterion of being safer than a human driver has become pervasive in the discourse on vehicle automation. This criterion actually means “safer than the average human driver,” because it is necessarily defined with respect to population-level data. At the level of individual risk assessment, a body of research has shown that most drivers perceive themselves to be safer than the average driver (the better-than-average effect). Method: Using an online sample, this study examined U.S. drivers’ ratings of their own ability to drive safely and their desired level of safety for self-driving vehicles. Results: This study replicated the better-than average effect and showed that most drivers stated a desire for self-driving cars that are safer than their own perceived ability to drive safely before they would: (1) feel reasonably safe riding in a self-driving vehicle; (2) buy a self-driving vehicle, all other things (cost, etc.) being equal; and (3) allow self-driving vehicles on public roads. Conclusions: Since most drivers believe they are better than average drivers, the benchmark of achieving automation that is safer than a human driver (on average) may not represent acceptably safe performance of self-driving cars for most drivers. Practical applications: If perceived level of safety is an important contributor to acceptance of self-driving vehicles, the popular “safer than a human driver” benchmark may not be adequate for widespread acceptance.     

Improving workplace safety by thinking about what might have been: A first look at the role of counterfactual thinking

Introduction: Information processing theories of workplace safety suggest that cognition is an antecedent of safety behavior. However, little research has directly tested cognitive factors as predictors of workplace safety within organizational psychology and behavior research. Counterfactuals (cognitions about “what might have been”) can be functional when they consist of characteristics (e.g., “upward’ – focusing on better outcomes) that alter behavior in a manner consistent with those outcomes. This field study aimed to examine the influence of counterfactual thinking on safety behavior and explanatory mechanisms and boundary conditions of that relationship. Method: A sample of 240 medical providers from a hospital in China responded to three surveys over a four-month time frame. Results: Results showed that upward counterfactuals were positively related to supervisor ratings of safety compliance and participation. These relationships were mediated by safety knowledge but not by safety motivation. Upward counterfactuals were more strongly related to safety behavior and knowledge than downward counterfactuals. As expected, safety locus of control strengthened the mediating effects of safety knowledge on the relationship between upward counterfactuals and safety behavior. Conclusions and Practical Applications: The findings demonstrated that counterfactual thinking is positively associated with safety behavior and knowledge, thus expanding the variables related to workplace safety and laying some initial groundwork for new safety interventions incorporating counterfactual thinking.     

Safety in the mining industry and the unfinished legacy of mining accidents: Safety levers and defense-in-depth for addressing mining hazards

Mining remains one of the most hazardous occupations worldwide and underground coal mines are especially notorious for their high accident rates. In this work, we provide an overview of the broad and multi-faceted topic of safety in the mining industry. After reviewing some statistics of mining accidents in the United States, we focus on one pervasive and deadly failure mode in mines, namely explosions. The repeated occurrence of mine explosions, often in similar manner, is the loud unfinished legacy of mining accidents and their occurrence in the 21st century is inexcusable and should constitute a strong call for action for all stakeholders in this industry to settle this problem. We analyze one such recent mine disaster in which deficiencies in various safety barriers failed to prevent the accident initiating event from occurring, then subsequent lines of defense failed to block this accident scenario from unfolding and to mitigate its consequences. We identify the technical, organizational, and regulatory deficiencies that failed to prevent the escalation of the mine hazards into an accident, and the accident into a “disaster”. This case study provides an opportunity to illustrate several concepts that help describe the phenomenology of accidents, such as initiating events, precursor or lead indicator, and accident pathogen. Next, we introduce the safety principle of defense-in-depth, which is the basis for regulations and risk-informed decisions by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and we examine its relevance and applicability to the mining system in support of accident prevention and coordinating actions on all the safety levers, technical, organizational, and regulatory to improve mining safety. The mining system includes the physical confines and characteristics of the mine, the equipment in the mine, the individuals and the organization that operate the mine, as well as the processes and regulatory constraints under which the mine operates. We conclude this article with the proposition for the establishment of defense-in-depth as the guiding safety principle for the mining industry and we indicate possible benefits for adopting this structured hazard-centric system approach to mining safety.     

Behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes: From contributing factors,pre-crash actions,to injury severities

Introduction: This study performed a path analysis to uncover the behavioral pathways (from contributing factors, pre-crash actions to injury severities) in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. Method: The analysis investigated more than 7,000 bicycle-motor vehicle crashes in North Carolina between 2007 and 2014. Pre-crash actions discussed in this study are actions of cyclists and motorists prior to the event of a crash, including “bicyclist failed to yield,” “motorist failed to yield,” “bicyclist overtaking motorist,” and “motorist overtaking bicyclist.” Results: Model results show significant correlates of pre-crash actions and bicyclist injury severity. For example, young bicyclists (18 years old or younger) are 23.5% more likely to fail to yield to motor traffic prior to the event of a crash than elder bicyclists. The “bicyclist failed to yield” action is associated with increased bicyclist injury severity than other actions, as this behavior is associated with an increase of 5.88 percentage points in probability of a bicyclist being at least evidently injured. The path analysis can highlight contributing factors related to risky pre-crash actions that lead to severe injuries. For example, bicyclists traveling on regular vehicle travel lanes are found to be more likely to involve the “bicyclist failed to yield” action, which resulted in a total 44.38% (7.04% direct effect + 37.34% indirect effect) higher likelihood of evident or severe injuries. The path analysis can also identify factors (e.g., intersection) that are not directly but indirectly correlated with injury severity through pre-crash actions. Practical Applications: This study offers a methodological framework to quantify the behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. The findings are useful for cycling safety improvements from the perspective of bicyclist behavior, such as the educational program for cyclists.     

员工行为安全管理系统的初步构建

现有的企业安全管理主要依靠管理人员监督管理,对员工行为的规范化管理效果有限。针对常见的员工不安全行为,提出建立员工行为安全管理系统促使员工行为规范化,并将其分为4个部分:违规提示系统,危险警报系统,辅助提示系统,紧急制动系统,辅以"自我观察法"作为配套管理措施,将员工意识由"要我安全"向"我要安全"转变,以期能够减少由不安全行为引发的事故,促进企业安全文化的逐步形成。     

工程监理的安全责任研究

为了研究工程监理单位是否应该承担安全监理的责任问题,从工程监理制度与安全施工的关系,从法律、行政法规、技术规范等多方面对工程监理的安全责任进行了全面的分析和详细的研究,最后从法理和现实入手,对工程监理单位的安全责任进行了总结和归纳,对一些条文规定进行了深入的解析。研究结果表明,目前的《建设工程安全生产管理条例》和某些地方政府和行业主管部门对工程监理单位的安全监理责任有扩大化的倾向,应予以制止。     

Perceptions of safety on a shared road: Driving,cycling, or walking near an autonomous vehicle

Introduction: While improved safety is a highly cited potential benefit of autonomous vehicles (AVs), at the same time a frequently cited concern is the new safety challenges that AVs introduce. The literature lacks a rigorous exploration of the safety perceptions of road users who will interact with AVs, including vulnerable road users. Addressing this gap is essential because the successful integration of AVs into transportation systems hinges on an understanding of how all road users will react to their presence. Methods: A stated preference survey of the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan statistical area (Phoenix MSA) was conducted in July 2018. A series of ordered probit models was estimated to analyze the survey responses and identify differences between various population groups with respect to the perceived safety of driving, cycling, and walking near AVs. Results: Greater exposure to and awareness of AVs are not uniformly associated with increases in perceived safety. Various attitudinal factors, level of AV automation, and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors are related to safety perceptions of driving, walking, and cycling near AVs. Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, income, employment, and automobile usage and ownership, have various relationships with perceived safety. Conclusions: Cycling near an AV was perceived as the least safe activity, followed by walking and then driving near an AV. Both similarities and differences were observed among the factors associated with the perceived safety of different travel alternatives. Practical Applications: Public perception will guide the development and adoption of AVs directly and indirectly. To help maintain control of public perception, transportation planners, decision makers, and other stakeholders should consider more deliberate and targeted messaging to address the concerns of different road users. In addition, more careful pilot testing and more direct attention to vulnerable road users may help avoid a backlash that could delay the rollout of this technology.     

煤矿企业重大灾害预防与安全保障体系构建与运行评价

为提高煤矿企业重大灾害预防与安全保障能力,以典型煤矿企业为例,深入分析企业重大灾害的孕灾环境与类型,确定诱发煤矿重大灾害事故发生的关键因素,并提出构建以“安全文化理念”为1个核心,涵盖“组织”“制度”“人员”“技术”“信息”“装备”“资金”7个要素以及“危险源预控”和“灾害应急救援”2个关键环节的整体安全保障体系;最后,利用事故树模型和层次分析法评价某典型煤矿企业历年来的灾害事故实际情况,提出相关保障体系的持续优化方案,研究结果可为煤炭行业企业开展重大灾害预防与安全保障体系的设计与构建提供参考和借鉴。     

Investigating the relationship between person–environment fit and safety behavior: A social cognition perspective

Introduction: This study explored the relationship between person–job fit and safety behavior, as well as the mediating role played by psychological safety, from the perspective of social cognitive theory and person–environment fit theory. Method: A total of 800 employees from petroleum enterprises were recruited, with cluster random sampling used to collect data in two stages. Results: The results showed that employees’ safety behavior is higher under the condition of “high person–job fit—high person–organization fit” than under that of “low person–job fit—low person–organization fit.” In other words, the more congruent the level of person–job fit and person–organization fit for a given employee, the higher their level of safety behavior. Practical Applications: Psychological safety plays a mediating role between the congruence of both person–job fit and person–organization fit and employees’ safety behavior.     

HAZOP结合What-if方法在某延迟焦化装置除焦中的应用

为克服传统危险与可操作性（HAZOP）定性分析方法在复杂操作、间歇作业等过程中使用的局限性,提出在传统HAZOP定性分析方法的基础上结合What-if（故障假设）方法,对人的不安全行为和操作规程不完备所导致的风险后果分析作出补充。详细说明其技术原理、工作流程等使用细节,系统阐述该方法与传统HAZOP定性分析方法的区别,并在某延迟焦化装置的除焦操作的风险分析中应用。经分析,识别出在“给水-泡焦”节点,有“操作规程错误”场景2项,“操作规程不具体”场景1项,不存在“操作人员未按操作规程执行”场景。研究结果表明:本文方法有效且具有较好效果,可以广泛应用于操作规程/作业指导书审查、作业过程隐患排查等方面,帮助企业开展操作层面的风险识别与管理,提升企业的生产安全水平。     

What does ‘safe’ look and feel like?

In this paper, the authors answer the question and help readers to form a view of ‘what does safe look and feel like’? Five important aspects of safety are addressed logically: Safety Culture, Safety Awareness, Safety Function, Processes, and Training. In each part, rather than just address what elements are involved and the importance of every element, this paper also provides general ideas and examples to help improve the level of safety. While safety culture is to a large extent influenced by the leadership; a best-in-class safety culture can be self-perpetuating particularly if the initial journey to best-in-class safety culture embeds the concepts of safety awareness, safety functions, processes and training in the organization. The paper provides an overview of safety related actions, tools, and processes that High Reliability Organizations follow, and should serve as a benchmark for other organizations of all sizes in search of safety improvement.     

航海技术专业安全管理素质培养方案研究

比较分析了海运物流业的风险程度,指出航海技术专业是隐性的安全工程专业。针对海运物流业对高级船员的“安全管理素质”、“驾驶台安全素质”、“应急反应素质”新需求,指出需用高等工程教育模式替代传统的职业教育模式,采用国际上“回归工程”理念来培养安全管理素质。因而提出了由3个课群构成的安全管理课系,阐述“综合安全管理素质”课群的设计思想,重点给出关键课程《海运安全科学基础》的内容组织和教学要求。研究成果为造就具有自组织自适应能力的海运安全管理素质的高级船员奠定了课系基础和培养机制。