An application of a modified theory of planned behavior model to investigate adolescents’ job safety knowledge,norms, attitude and intention to enact workplace safety and health skills

Introduction: For many reasons, including a lack of adequate safety training and education, U.S. adolescents experience a higher rate of job-related injury compared to adult workers. Widely used social-psychological theories in public health research and practice, such as the theory of planned behavior, may provide guidance for developing and evaluating school-based interventions to prepare adolescents for workplace hazards and risks. Method: Using a structural equation modeling approach, the current study explores whether a modified theory of planned behavior model provides insight on 1,748 eighth graders’ occupational safety and health (OSH) attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy and behavioral intention, before and after receiving instruction on a free, national young worker safety and health curriculum. Reliability estimates for the measures were produced and direct and indirect associations between knowledge and other model constructs assessed. Results: Overall, the findings align with the theory of planned behavior. The structural equation model adequately fit the data; most path coefficients are statistically significant and knowledge has indirect effects on behavioral intention. Confirmatory factor analyses suggest that the knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention measures each reflect a unique dimension (reliability estimates ≥0.86), while the subjective norm measure did not perform adequately. Conclusion: The findings presented provide support for using behavioral theory (specifically a modified theory of planned behavior) to investigate adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral intention to engage in safe and healthful activities at work, an understanding of which may contribute to reducing the downstream burden of injury on this vulnerable population—the future workforce. Practical application: Health behavior theories, commonly used in the social and behavioral sciences, have utility and provide guidance for developing and evaluating OSH interventions, including those aimed at preventing injuries and promoting the health and safety of adolescent workers in the U.S., who are injured at higher rates than are adults.     

The passion bug: How and when do leaders inspire work passion?

Drawing from signaling theory, we propose a work passion transfer model where leaders' passion is transmitted to employees through the former's leadership style and is contingent on employees' perceived importance of performance to self-esteem (IPSE). Data from 201 supervisor–employee dyads from the health-care industry show that leaders' harmonious passion led to employees' harmonious passion through charismatic leadership, whereas contingent reward leadership accounted for the transfer of obsessive passion; IPSE did not play a moderating role for either form of passion. Results from a supplementary study further reveal that the link between leadership and employee passion operated through employees' perception of leader passion and that employees' IPSE accentuated for the relationship between perceived leader obsessive passion and employees' obsessive passion. This study advances research in work passion, leadership, and signaling theory and provides important implications for managerial practice.     

Experiment and simulation research of evolution process for LNG leakage and diffusion

The frequent occurrence of LNG leakage accidents has caused serious economic loss and environmental damage. Experiments and simulations can be combined to obtain the transient process of LNG leakage and diffusion. This paper analyzed LNG leakage diffusion rules with experiment results obtained by depleting 1.4t LNG. The vapor clouds and LNG concentration are measured, which can be a comparison with the simulation results. Computational fluid dynamics and gas diffusion theory were chosen as the theoretical basis, simulating the transient process of LNG gasification to obtain the diffusion concentration rules. The simulation of LNG diffusion is divided into two parts: LNG leakage at the source and atmospheric diffusion. The maximum concentration of methane in the experiment was 4.1%, and the maximum concentration in the simulation was 4.6%. The results show good agreement of the deviation statistics, which fall in the standard recommendation value range. Then we make a prediction of the dangerous concentration area and the flammability hazard zone of LNG leakage accident. The simulation results show that the range of the lower wind direction danger area firstly increases and then decreases, and the maximum distance of IDLH increases firstly and arrived at the peak of 52  m at 300s.     

Research based on double coverage rate and reliability of gas detector layout optimization

The gas detector layout should be highly attuned to combustible gas leakage and attain a good reliability in avoiding detector malfunction, which is an important guarantee for the normal production of the chemical industry and other related enterprises. Herein, a gas detector layout optimization method based on double coverage and reliability is proposed. The key gas leakage monitoring area is determined through layout scene field investigation. To improve the detection probability and detection system reliability, the dual coverage target and voting mechanism are set, and the gas detector layout is determined with the ray-casting algorithm according to the coverage target. Combined with FLACS software to simulate a variety of typical leakage conditions under different layout scenarios, the relationship between the leaked gas concentration detected by gas detectors in each layout scheme and time is obtained, and the gas leakage detection probability in each layout scheme, number of detectors that can trigger the alarm, shortest time to trigger the alarm and reliability are comprehensively evaluated. The decision-maker selects the final gas detector layout plan according to the evaluation results and actual site needs. The study shows that the detection probability of each layout scheme set according to the double coverage is high, and multiple detectors can trigger the alarm (up to 100%), which ensures that the alarm can be triggered within 10 s under all applicable conditions. According to the evaluation results, the decision-maker can obtain a layout scheme that not only agrees with the actual site conditions but also attains a high detection probability, short detection time and strong reliability.     

Study of the influence of melamine polyphosphate and aluminum hydroxide on the flame propagation and explosion overpressure of aluminum magnesium alloy dust

When aluminum magnesium alloy dust floats in the air, a certain ignition energy can easily cause an accidental explosion. To prevent and control the occurrence of accidental explosions and reduce the severity of accidents, it is necessary to carry out research on the explosion suppression of aluminum magnesium alloy dust. This paper uses a vertical glass tube experimental device and a 20 L spherical explosive experimental device to carry out experimental studies on the suppression of the flame propagation and explosion overpressure of aluminum magnesium alloy dust with melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and Al(OH)₃. With increasing MPP and Al(OH)₃ concentrations, the flame brightness darkened, the flame velocity and propagation distance gradually decreased, and P_max and (dp/dt)_max decreased significantly. When the amount of MPP added reached 60%, the flame propagation distance decreased to 188 mm, which is a decrease of 68%, and the explosion overpressure decreased to 0.014 MPa, effectively suppressing the explosion of aluminum magnesium alloy dust. The experimental results showed that MPP was more effective than Al(OH)₃ in inhibiting the flame propagation and explosion overpressure of the aluminum magnesium alloy dust. Finally, the inhibitory mechanisms of the MPP and Al(OH)₃ were further investigated. The MPP and Al(OH)₃ endothermic decomposition produced an inert gas, diluted the oxygen concentration and trapped active radicals to terminate the combustion chain reaction.     

基于ALOHA软件的某化工厂选址合理性评估

为了研究化工厂选址的合理性,以山东省某化工厂为例,采用ALOHA(有害大气空中定位软件)模拟软件定量确定厂区内环氧乙烷毒气扩散事故的影响区域和敏感点毒气浓度,结合GoogleEarth地图对影响范围进行实地拟合。结果表明化工厂的环氧乙烷储罐泄漏后,毒气扩散到厂区范围之外,毒气浓度在50~500ppm之间的重伤区(ERPG-2)扩散距离可达1.7km,对周围居民的人身安全构成严重威胁;厂区应根据拟合结果重新规划工厂中环氧乙烷储罐的位置;ALOHA软件对化工厂选址评价提供了新的手段。     

化肥厂爆炸事故的不安全动作分析

为了分析化肥厂爆炸事故背后的不安全动作。本文选取了2009-2018年间国内外发生的52起典型化肥厂爆炸事故。从发生时间的角度分析事故特性,发现白昼期间的事故发生概率相对较高。同时文章分析了运输卸料、车间操作、特种作业和管理人员4种作业类型的不安全动作,从发生频率和风险等级两个方面评估了不安全动作的综合危险度。结果表明13项不安全动作的综合危险度较高,需要重点预控。     

近距煤层无煤柱协调开采布局研究与应用*

为了解决老母矿近距煤层的开采难题,通过理论分析并利用FLAC 3D数值模拟软件进行模拟,分析出煤层前后推进150 m是最合理的步距,侧向采动支撑压力在15~50 m内存在影响。基于这些理论数据,确定回采巷道的合理位置,进而确定以内错距离范围为30~60 m的内错式布置方式布置巷道和无煤柱协调开采布局,并进行井下工程应用。最后把无煤柱协调开采布局与双巷掘进开采布局对比,得出无煤柱协调开采布局的先进性和优势,研究结果可为同类条件下的工程应用提供借鉴。     

基于RFPA2D复合局部挠曲岩体数值模拟

为研究复合局部挠曲岩体强度特征以及破坏规律,采用岩石真实破裂软件RFPA^2D,对水平层面挠曲30°,45°,60°,75°的复合岩体进行单轴压缩试验模拟。模拟结果表明:挠曲角为30°,45°,60°,75°的复合岩体破坏面几乎与挠曲段夹层重合,其挠曲端部均产生了垂直于挠曲段夹层的裂纹;复合单斜岩体与复合挠曲岩体破坏面的形成因素大致相同,夹层强度是2种岩体失稳的主要因素;复合挠曲岩体单轴抗压强度随挠曲角增大同样呈“U”型变化,与单斜岩体变化趋势一致;当水平层状岩体发生挠曲后,其单轴抗压强度减小,当挠曲角为60°时,强度降低25.19%,当挠曲角为75°时,强度降低0.17%。;随着均质系数m的增大,复合挠曲岩体单轴抗压强度以及轴向应变均出现逐渐递增的趋势,且不同m值,其岩体裂隙扩展方式具有明显差别。     

隧道与横通道交叉角对火灾烟气蔓延影响机制研究

为探索隧道与横通道交叉角对火灾烟气蔓延的影响机制,采用FDS数值模拟,研究横通道与隧道不同交叉角情况下火灾烟气温度、浓度、烟气层高度等的变化规律,建立开启火源下风向横通道时隧道内烟气最高温度修正公式,提出烟气纵向蔓延恢复长度的概念,并探讨其影响规律。 结果表明:隧道和横通道交叉角越小,隧道内同一位置烟气层高度越高,当交叉角由90°降低到30°时,烟气层高度最大增加32%;烟气纵向蔓延恢复长度与交叉角及通风速率呈正相关,而与火源功率几乎无关。研究结果对隧道通风排烟系统设计及相关标准的制定具有参考意义。