Driving concerns among older adults: Associations with driving skill,behaviors, and experiences

Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to determine what older adults find most concerning about driving as they age and how these concerns are related to driving skill, behaviors, and experiences.

Methods: In partnership with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, a sample of 751 older adults ages 65 and older completed an online survey between October 2017 and May 2018. A content analysis was used to code open-ended responses about driver concerns, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between driving concerns and driving skill, behavior, and experiences.

Results: Eighty-four percent of participants reported at least one driving concern, with 44% concerned about others’ driving, 34% concerned about their own driving, and 24% concerned about driving conditions. The most frequently mentioned driving concerns were other drivers in general, driving at night, visual ability and awareness, and other drivers being aggressive or reckless. Being concerned with their own driving was significantly associated with decreased perceived driving skill and increased odds of experiencing negative driving experiences in the past year. Being concerned about others’ driving was associated with increased odds of wearing a seat belt (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]?=?2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02, 7.00), having high perceived driving skills in emergency situations (AOR = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.14, 2.12), and getting in a near crash or collision in the past year (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04, 2.18).

Conclusions: Older adult drivers are frequently concerned about their own driving as well as the driving of others. Implications for future research and health practice are discussed.     

Operational leeway in work situations: do ergonomic risk assessment tools consider operational leeway for job analysis?

Our study shows that information on operational leeway is limited in the originator articles of the ergonomic risk assessment tools for prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The tools’ underlying theoretical models do not consider the indicators of operational leeway, and they cannot determine the sufficiency of the situational operational leeway in a work situation. Consequently, regulation of the activity, which ensures the performance goals and the individual's health, has been overlooked. The lack of literature on indicators of situational operational leeway is one of the reasons for this deficit. Defining the indicators for this concept would be an innovation in the approach of MSD risk prevention. Developing empirically the concept of situational operational leeway in risk assessment tools would help to progress the current approach of MSD prevention. This study therefore proposes indicators of situational operational leeway to increase the representativeness and reliability of the risk assessment tools for MSDs.     

空区隐患爆破治理方案及延期时间的数值模拟分析

为了防止矿山空区引起地表塌陷造成建构（筑）物的破坏以及降低矿柱塌落振动对井下开采的威胁,采用现场试验与数值模拟相结合的方法,优选爆破治理方案和延期时间。根据炮孔布置和爆破参数,建立实际比例数值模型;在岩石物理力学指标测试的基础上,确定模型材料参数;采用LS-DYNA数值模拟软件,对比分析方案优劣以及确定爆破延期时间。研究结果表明:在满足空区隐患爆破治理效果的前提下,同一节点处A方案质点振速峰值为0.923 9 m/s小于B方案质点振速峰值1.225 3 m/s;而且当延期时间为100 ms时,通过模型垂直方向的位移云图可知岩石的破坏范围最大,塌落区域更加分散。现场应用结果显示空区隐患治理工程爆破效果良好,形成了隔离缓冲层,可以保证露天和井下的安全。     

基坑放坡开挖对下方既有地铁隧道影响计算及风险预测

为研究基坑放坡开挖对下方既有地铁隧道的影响以及预测隧道结构的风险,通过改进的计算方法得到放坡开挖基坑引起下方既有地铁隧道的竖向和横向附加荷载、位移、相对变形曲率共6个隧道结构安全的物理表现因子;将位移计算结果与前人理论计算结果、实测数据对比验证,并分析各土层物理力学参数对6个因子的敏感性;最后,基于正态分布概率模型对较敏感的土层物理力学参数随机取值,利用蒙特卡罗方法计算6个因子各级风险发生的概率和竖向、横向2类因子综合影响下隧道结构各级风险发生的总概率。研究结果表明:与原来仅限于矩形开挖基坑的计算方法相比,改进后的计算方法适用范围更广、实用性更强;在算例二分析中,隧道竖向位移和相对变形曲率超过控制值的概率分别为12%和68.7%,其余因子均为0,隧道竖向相对变形曲率是隧道结构处于不安全状态的最主要因子;若不采取预防措施,隧道结构将有高达73.27%的概率处于不安全状态,其中有68.7%的概率处于很不安全状态。     

油气长输管道作业分级定量风险评价方法研究及应用

为客观掌握油气管道生产运营岗位主要作业风险,实现油气长输管道企业作业风险管理,提出一种作业分级定量风险评价方法。首先,辨识油气管道系统主要危险作业类型和引起作业事故的危险有害因素;然后由作业分级法确定事故发生的可能性与严重性;最后建立基于作业分级的风险矩阵,得到各作业活动的风险级别。将该方法应用于某管道公司,以该公司生产区内部高处作业为例,对作业过程中的危险有害因素进行识别与评价,得出高处作业过程中各步骤的风险程度。结果表明该评价方法具有一定的可操作性,可反映各类危险作业过程中的风险程度,为后期有针对性的风险控制提供指导,有助于公司的风险管理。     

可燃制冷剂空调用开关元件点燃危险及防爆试验分析

随着全球范围对环境问题的日益重视,R290,R32等新型制冷剂因优良的环保性能和节能效果被广泛应用于空调行业,但其属于IIA级爆炸性气体,为了进一步分析其运行过程中的防爆安全性能。通过文献数据和测试分析,可燃制冷剂空调电气元件的点燃源主要来自其工作过程中产生的电气火花。其中空调开关元件最容易产生电火花、电弧,且通过试验验证这些火花或电弧能点爆（6.5±0.5）%乙烯/空气混合物。综合IEC 60335-2-40,GB 4706.32标准要求和空调开关元件的结构特征,分析确定其应符合“nC”型防爆技术要求,并能通过“nC”型爆炸试验。针对开关元件结构尺寸小、存在爆炸试验中爆炸性混合气体多次置换和负载通、断电操作的难点问题,提出一套合理可行的爆炸试验实施方案,并通过测试应用得到验证。     

成品油站场工艺管道风险辨识与评价

为保障成品油站场工艺管道的安全平稳运行,在充分辨识风险因素的前提下,提出了一种基于KENT法和RBI的风险评价方法。首先,以风险机理分析为基础,采用SHEL模型从导致风险上升的直接原因（风险内因）和间接原因（风险外因）2个角度辨识了风险因素,并细化各因素指标项;然后借鉴KENT法,对各指标项进行评分量化;依据RBI法,采用风险外因体系修正风险内因体系的方式确定失效可能性;综合环境后果、人员后果与商业后果,明确失效后果的评价体系与计算方法;最后,结合失效可能性与失效后果进行风险评价,从风险等级和风险排序2方面为检维修决策提供依据。应用表明:该评价方法便于工艺管道风险评价的基层实施,可为基于风险的检维修决策提供有效技术支撑。     

考虑爆裂影响的钢筋混凝土梁火灾温度场数值分析

为了描述混凝土高温爆裂对构件热传导过程的影响,结合钢筋混凝土梁火灾试验,考虑爆裂时间和区域的不确定性,建立了火灾下钢筋混凝土梁数值分析模型,分析爆裂深度、爆裂面积比、爆裂位置等爆裂参数对梁跨中截面温度场的影响规律。研究结果表明:当钢筋混凝土梁发生受火爆裂,梁截面的温度显著升高,并随爆裂深度的增大而进一步增强;爆裂面积比对截面温度场影响不显著,当爆裂深度、爆裂位置一定,爆裂面积比增加达到13%左右时,截面温度场基本上不再变化;爆裂深度、爆裂面积比一定,梁跨中爆裂对截面温度场影响最大,但是底部纵筋处温度较顶部纵筋处温度升高较快。     

基于模糊贝叶斯网络的煤气化职业健康风险分析

针对煤气化行业职业健康风险影响因素不确定及模糊的特点,建立了职业健康风险计算模型。该模型将模糊数学与贝叶斯网络相耦合,模拟事件概率,找出导致风险的主要因素。通过分析煤气化行业中存在的多种风险因素,应用问卷调查法和模糊集理论模拟了根节点的发生概率,得出职业健康风险概率的预测值;应用贝叶斯网络反向推理的功能计算根节点后验概率并排序,确定了薄弱环节。该模型不仅能解决概率缺失情况下的风险量化推算问题,定量进行职业健康风险评估,还可以实现关键因素的识别,并能有针对性地提出改进措施,为职业健康风险预防提供决策依据。     

基于CFD-DEM的旋风除尘器内气固流动特性研究

为了研究旋风除尘器内气固流动特性,采用CFD-DEM耦合算法研究不同入口气体速度下旋风除尘器内颗粒流态、静压、径向速度及轴向速度分布特征。结果表明:煤屑颗粒在离心力和径向曳力的作用下以螺旋颗粒条带靠近除尘器的壁面稳定向下移动,随着入口风速的增加煤屑颗粒条带变宽,条带与除尘器的第1次接触的拐点上移,螺距减小;除尘器内部压力轴向变化较小,径向变化较大,随着入口气体速度增加,除尘器壁面附近高压区范围和压力也随之增加,除尘器上方和下方的负压区变宽并朝轴向方向延伸;随入口气体速度增加,除尘器内径向速度和轴向速度逐渐增加,煤屑颗粒在除尘器中部聚集较多,煤屑停留时间变长,入口气体速度为15 m/s时,煤屑颗粒在除尘器内停留时间最长。