Implementing and evaluating novel safety training methods for construction sector workers: Results of a randomized controlled trial

Introduction: The construction industry is regarded as one of the most unsafe occupational fields worldwide. Despite general agreement that safety training is an important factor in preventing accidents in the construction sector, more studies are needed to identify effective training methods. To address the current research gap, this study evaluated the impact of novel, participatory safety training methods on construction workers’ safety competencies. Specifically, we assessed the efficacy of an immersive virtual reality (VR)-based safety training program and a participatory human factors safety training program (HFST) in construction industry workplaces. Method: In 2019, 119 construction sector workers from eight workplaces participated in a randomized controlled trial conducted in Finland. All the study participants were assessed using questionnaires at baseline, immediately after the intervention and at one-month follow-up. We applied generalized linear mixed modeling for statistical analysis. Results: Compared to lecture-based safety training, VR-based safety training showed a stronger impact on safety motivation, self-efficacy and safety-related outcome expectancies. In addition, the construction sector workers who participated in the VR-based safety training showed a greater increase in self-reported safety performance at one-month follow-up. Contrary to our study hypotheses, we found no significant differences between the study outcomes in terms of study participants in the HFST training condition and the comparison condition without HFST training. Conclusion: Our study indicates that VR technology as a safety training tool has potential to increase safety competencies and foster motivational change in terms of the safety performance of construction sector workers. In the future, the efficacy of participatory human factors safety training should be studied further using a version that targets both managerial and employee levels and is implemented in a longer format. Practical implications: Safety training in virtual reality provides a promising alternative to passive learning methods. Its motivating effect complements other safety training activities.     

Guidance to improve the effectiveness of process safety management systems in operating facilities

The Process Safety Management (PSM) systems at the operating facilities in the Oil & Gas and in Chemical manufacturing industries have matured over the years and have become, at most facilities, very robust and sophisticated. These programs are administrated by Process Safety (PS) teams at both the corporate business units and plant levels and have been effective in reducing the number and severity of PS events across the industries over the past 25 years or so. Incidents however are occurring at a regular interval and in recent times several noteworthy PS events have occurred in the United States which have brought into question the effectiveness of the PSM programs at play. These facilities have been applying their PSM programs with the expectation that the number and severity of PS events would decrease over time. The expected result has not been realized, especially in context to those facilities that have undergone the recent incidents. Current paper reviews a few publicly available PS performance reports of Oil & Gas and Chemical manufacturing industries. The authors identified a few factors at play that have led to these PS events based on their experience, literature review, and incident investigation reports. Most of the factors are intertwined with multiple PSM elements and it requires a holistic approach to address them. Each of the factors is described and the path forward is proposed to improve the effectiveness of PSM programs.     

我国安全生产事故调查分级培训机制研究

调查培训对于调查人员素质、技能和知识水平的提高具有十分重要的作用。本文首先对比分析了发达国家事故调查员培训的理念、方法和机制,结合我国伤亡事故分级调查处理的原则,引入分级培训机制,通过分析不同层次及类型的事故调查中调查员应具备的知识和技能,设计适应实际需求的培训机制和方法,建立事故调查培训绩效评估体系,并提出建立健全事故调查培训体制对策,有利于集中和充分利用社会资源,提高调查人员整体素质。通过改进事故调查培训机制,有利于提高事故调查的科学性和权威性,使人们能真正从事故中吸取教训和总结经验,防止类似事故的再次发生。     

安全培训机构建设现状分析

为了解安全培训机构的现状,对2008年到期复审的91家一、二级安全培训机构的评分结果进行了统计分析。分析结果表明：当前,大多数一、二级培训机构基础设施健全,制度基本完善,业务比较饱满,较以前取得了较大的提高。但是,培训机构普遍存在着专职管理人员队伍素质不高,专职教师专业结构不合理,培训教学研究工作薄弱,以及培训组织不规范的问题。建议主管部门要按照《标准》要求,进一步加强专职教师和专职管理人员的培训,指导培训机构开展安全培训教学研究,加强培训机构的工作交流,广泛宣传和推广好的典型和经验。     

Integrative research on environmental and landscape change: PhD students' motivations and challenges

The growing demand for integrative (interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary) approaches in the field of environmental and landscape change has increased the number of PhD students working in this area. Yet, the motivations to join integrative projects and the challenges for PhD students have so far not been investigated. The aims of this paper were to identify the understanding of PhD students with regard to integrative research, their motivations to join integrative projects, their expectations in terms of integration and results, and to reveal the challenges they face in integrative projects. We collected data by a questionnaire survey of 104 PhD students attending five PhD Master Classes held from 2003 to 2006. We used manual content analysis to analyse the free-text answers. The results revealed that students lack a differentiated understanding of integrative approaches. The main motivations to join integrative projects were the dissertation subject, the practical relevance of the project, the intellectual stimulation of working with different disciplines, and the belief that integrative research is more innovative. Expectations in terms of integration were high. Core challenges for integration included intellectual and external challenges such as lack of knowledge of other disciplines, knowledge transfer, reaching depth, supervision, lack of exchange with other students and time demands. To improve the situation for PhD students, we suggest improving knowledge on integrative approaches, balancing practical applicability with theoretical advancement, providing formal introductions to other fields of research, and enhancing institutional support for integrative PhD projects.     

“限塑令”对塑料袋回收利用影响的分析

针对我国塑料袋回收利用的现状及案例调研显示,“限塑令”对塑料袋的回收利用具有促进作用;但“限塑令”实施的预期效果目前尚不明显。“限塑令”有待进一步推广,相应的回收利用体系也亟待建设与健全。     

林业企业特种作业人员安全技术培训方法的研究

对培训的内容和方法进行了深入的探讨。总结了林业企业特种作业人员安全技术培训工作的一些经验和教训,提出了林业企业特种作业人员安全技术培训工作中采取的措施和非常很有价值的建议。对同类企业的特种作业人员培训工作具有很好的指导和借鉴作用。     

特种作业人员安全技术培训现状及对策

从特种作业人员安全技术培训工作的重要性出发，分析了当前企业在特种作业人员安全技术培训方面存在的主要问题，并提出了相应的对策，对搞好企业特种作业人员安全技术培训工作有重要的指导意义。     

河北省会展人才需求与会展人才培养调研报告

结合河北省会展人才缺乏、迫切需要复合型及实战型人才的现状,指出会展人才培养存在专业培养目标不明晰、专业课程体系尚未建立及校企合作模式没有真正落实等问题,提出人才需求与人才培养需要科学测评会展人才需求,构建多层次会展教育体系,加强院校与会展企业的对话机制和课程设置坚持以市场需求为导向等具体措施。     

基于林农参与式森林经营培训的影响评价——以福建山连村为例

森林参与式经营在林农林业生产中起着重要的作用。针对当前公众参与政策制定不足的现状,通过对案例点开展参与式森林经营管理培训实践的分析,认识到森林参与式培训对林农经营森林资源的意义和作用,了解并发现林农对现行森林资源管理政策的需求以及当前政策中存在的问题。研究表明,森林参与式培训效果作用明显,资源管理政策缺乏有效的公众参与,导致政策设定有失合理。提出对策建议,以期对参与式森林经营管理培训的推广提供一定的实践意义。