Preferred surface microscopic geometric features on floors as potential interventions for slip and fall accidents on liquid contaminated surfaces

PROBLEM: Surface roughness affects friction, so selection of floor surfaces with certain roughness characteristics could potentially reduce slip and fall accidents. This article summarizes the preferred surface microscopic geometric features that could increase friction on surfaces covered with liquid contaminants. METHOD: Three types of surface features, represented by the average of the maximum height above the mean line in each cut-off length (R(pm)), the arithmetical average of surface slope (Delta(a)), and the kernel roughness depth (R(k)), are identified as preferred surface microscopic geometric features for a higher friction. The proper settings on the profilometers (instruments used to measure surface roughness) for optimizing these surface parameters are specified. The friction mechanisms involved reveal why these features are more desirable. RESULTS: Although surface roughness is important in determining slipperiness, there is still insufficient information to establish a safety criterion based on roughness; however, the method presented in this paper can readily provide a relative comparison. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The summary presented will help safety professionals properly select new floor surfaces or assess existing floors to reduce slip and fall accidents.     

Effectiveness of primary enforcement safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement of safety belt laws: a summary of the Guide to Community Preventive Services systematic reviews

BACKGROUND: The use of safety belts is the single most effective means of reducing fatal and nonfatal injuries in motor-vehicle crashes. This paper summarizes the systematic reviews of two interventions to increase safety belt use: primary enforcement safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement of safety belt laws. The reviews were previously published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. METHODS: We conducted the systematic reviews using the methodology developed for the Guide to Community Preventive Services. RESULTS: These reviews provide strong evidence that primary laws are more effective than secondary laws in increasing safety belt use and decreasing fatalities and that enhanced enforcement is effective in increasing safety belt use. Increases in belt use are generally highest in states with low baseline rates of belt use. DISCUSSION: Primary safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement programs tend to result in greater increases in usage rates for target groups with lower baseline rates. Concerns regarding public opposition to these interventions may impede their implementation in some jurisdictions. However, surveys indicate that a substantial majority of the public supports implementation of both primary laws and enhanced enforcement programs. CONCLUSION: Based on the strong evidence for effectiveness of primary safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement programs, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended that all states enact primary safety belt laws and that communities implement enhanced enforcement programs.     

CSHM: Web-based safety and health monitoring system for construction management

INTRODUCTION: This paper describes a web-based system for monitoring and assessing construction safety and health performance, entitled the Construction Safety and Health Monitoring (CSHM) system. METHOD: The design and development of CSHM is an integration of internet and database systems, with the intent to create a total automated safety and health management tool. A list of safety and health performance parameters was devised for the management of safety and health in construction. A conceptual framework of the four key components of CSHM is presented: (a) Web-based Interface (templates); (b) Knowledge Base; (c) Output Data; and (d) Benchmark Group. RESULTS: The combined effect of these components results in a system that enables speedy performance assessment of safety and health activities on construction sites. With the CSHM's built-in functions, important management decisions can theoretically be made and corrective actions can be taken before potential hazards turn into fatal or injurious occupational accidents. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: As such, the CSHM system will accelerate the monitoring and assessing of performance safety and health management tasks.     

Graduated driver licensing restrictions: awareness, compliance, and enforcement in North Carolina

PROBLEM: This study examined the extent to which critical restrictions in North Carolina's graduated driver licensing (GDL) system are known, adhered to, and enforced. METHOD: Teenagers and their parents were recruited as they applied for either an intermediate or full license at 1 of 23 licensing offices. Telephone interviews were conducted with 900 teenagers and their parents. RESULTS: Awareness of North Carolina's night and passenger restrictions was very high among both parents and teenagers. Ten percent of teenagers reported violating the night restriction without their parents' knowledge, and 15% had done so with their parents' approval. Only 4% of parents reported allowing their teenagers to drive with more than one teenage passenger, but 19% of teenagers reported that they were allowed to do this. Violations of the passenger restriction without parental knowledge were more common than violations of the night restriction (22% vs. 10%, respectively). Among teenagers who violated restrictions without their parents' knowledge, most reported doing so only once or a few times. Teenagers expressed little concern about detection, although a majority reported driving more carefully to avoid police notice. Neither parents nor teenagers knew much about police enforcement of GDL restrictions. To obtain a sense of the views of law enforcement officers, informal interviews were conducted with 20 officers from five diverse communities and the state highway patrol. These officers were highly supportive of GDL but unfamiliar with many of the specific provisions. Moreover, enforcement of GDL restrictions did not appear to be a high priority. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: There is a need to increase the belief among teens (and parents) that police are enforcing GDL restrictions in their community; law enforcement participation in well-publicized traffic safety enforcement efforts would likely produce this result.     

模糊集值统计法在煤矿安全评价指标权值中的应用

应用模糊集值统计的理论 ,对煤矿安全评价中具有随机性和模糊性的指标进行数学分析 ,进一步改进了其权值的确定方法 ,使其更加符合实际情况 ,并对由此得出的权值进行了可靠性分析。通过实例表明 ,该方法克服了经典统计法的不足 ,提高了煤矿安全评价的实用性和科学性     

混合气体爆炸性MFC图形分析

判断混合气体爆炸性常用 3种方法 ,即科瓦德爆炸三角形法、美国矿业局采用的爆炸三角形计算法和最小助燃氧浓度法 ,然而如何准确、快速、形象地得到分析结果在防灾救灾中是十分关键的。笔者的重点是提供一个图形分析方法解决上述问题。VC ++是方法的基本理论依据 ,用一个实例来验证方法的有效性。总之 ,研究表明 :图形分析法可提高安全管理效率。     

关于沥青烟尘治理的工业安全与卫生评价

炭阳极生产过程存在着严重的环境污染问题 ,在诸多污染物中沥青烟尘对人类生存的危害最大 ,是企业和政府强化治理的重点。笔者结合某铝厂的技术改造工程 ,对沥青烟尘的治理加以讨论 ,将先进的生产工艺和成熟可靠的净化技术作为治理污染源的有效措施 ,以保证污染物的排放量达到国家标准要求。在技改过程中 ,严格按照所涉及的安全生产规程和标准 ,把它们作为技术改造设计原则、安全防范措施、工业卫生评价的依据。     

基于灰色系统理论的煤与瓦斯突出预测

为了对煤与瓦斯突出事故进行有效的预防与控制 ,笔者应用灰色系统理论中的灰色聚类评估方法 ,对矿井的煤与瓦斯突出进行了预测。经实例证明 ,与常用的预测方法相比 ,灰色聚类预测方法具有能动态预测、预测准确等优点。该方法将影响突出的多个因素综合系统的来考虑 ,跳出了常规预测方法只依靠单一指标进行预测的圈子 ,提高了预测的准确性。研究结果表明 ,该方法能准确地反映矿井煤与瓦斯突出规律 ,是一种新的煤与瓦斯突出预测的方法     

OFA系列石油定量分析仪使用探讨

通过分析现有OFA系列石油定量分析仪的使用对操作人员的职业危害,从试剂对人体的危害程度、对油气发出荧光的干扰程度、油气萃取灵敏度与萃取荧光效率、钻井液添加剂选择性进行对比实验提出了采用异丙醇代替正已烷作为萃取剂的可能性,并对工作台进行改造,将有害气体迅速排除,降低室内有害气体浓度,从而实现“绿色”操作的方法。     

武钢职业安全健康管理

根据武钢自身安全管理工作的需要,提出了一套以科学的方法、务实的态度、严谨的作风,开展以危险辨识、风险评价、危险控制为核心的职业安全健康管理工作思路,从而使生产环境、职工素质、管理水平等方面均取得较大改善和提高,效果显著。