Analysis of Falls from Height Variables in Occupational Accidents

Fall-from-height accidents are linked to severe and fatal consequences for impacted workers. A better understanding of the related variables is necessary to improve worker safety. This study analyzed all fall-from-height occupational accidents recorded in Spain from 2009 to 2019, selected significant variables, and evaluated the influence concerning the seriousness of the falls from height. Based on a total of 290,583 fall-from-height accidents, the study shows that a male inexperienced worker in a small company working in a non-habitual workplace is more likely to suffer fatal consequences once the accident happens. An improved knowledge of fall-from-height accidents will improve safety conditions. The workers should be trained and informed about their specific risk depending on the variables analyzed. Safety training should consider more risky profiles. Results from the current study can help identify suitable fall prevention and risk mitigation actions in safety programs for companies.

Galvanic Corrosion Behaviour of Different Types of Coatings Used in Safety Systems Manufacturing

Worker safety is one of the main aspects to be taken into account in any activity carried out at work. When we talk about the safety of the worker at activities carried out at height, the condition and characteristics of the personal protective equipment against falling from a height are one of the main causes of work accidents resulting in serious injuries or death. Carabiners are the main components of the safety system; their role is to connect the other components of the system or to make the connection between the system and the anchor point. Therefore, to be used safely, the carabiners’ material must have high corrosion resistance in different environments. This paper is part of a complex study that aims to improve the corrosion properties of carbon steel used in the manufacture of carabiners. Previous studies have shown that the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in various corrosive environments has been improved by the deposition of different types of phosphate layers, as well as other subsequently deposited layers. The aim of this paper is to study the galvanic corrosion evaluation between different galvanic couples (duralumin-coated samples, aluminium bronze-coated samples, and carbon steel-coated samples) tested in three different corrosive media. Moreover, the study approaches for the first time the galvanic corrosion of systems that can be formed between the materials used in the manufacture of carabiners. Accordingly, it was observed that, overall, the samples coated with a Zn phosphate layer exhibited the best performance in all the corrosive environments (saltwater and fire extinguishing solution).

Safety for all: patient and healthcare worker safety – two sides of the same coin

This editorial reviews the Safety for All campaign, which is calling for improvements in, and between, patient and healthcare worker safety to prevent safety incidents and deliver better outcomes for all.

Research on the Tournament Incentive Mechanism of the Safety Behavior for Construction Workers: Considering Multiple Heterogeneity

The unsafe behavior of construction workers is one of the most important and direct causes of safety accidents. Managers usually develop effective incentives aimed at regulating worker safety behavior. Due to the large number of workers in construction projects, there are multiple differences in fairness preference, risk preference and ability level, which will lead to the complex effect of the traditional mechanism to regulate workers’ safety behavior. In order to improve the effectiveness of incentive measures for worker safety behavior, this paper takes into account the multiple differences of individual workers’ fairness preference, risk preference and ability level, based on the tournament mechanism to construct a competition incentive model. By designing a tournament reward and salary distribution for heterogeneous workers, the occurrence of unsafe behaviors can be reduced. The study found that in terms of the optimal level of safety investment, workers with risk aversion attitude generally invest higher than that of workers with risk preference, no matter whether they have a strong fairness preference or not; In terms of the distribution of tournament rewards, workers with a risk aversion attitude and a higher level of fairness preference need to be given higher incentives.

Design and Implementation of Intelligent EOD System Based on Six-Rotor UAV

Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robots can replace humans that work in hazardous environments to ensure worker safety. Thus, they have been widely developed and deployed. However, existing EOD robots have some limitations in environmental adaptation, such as a single function, slow action speed, and limited vision. To overcome these shortcomings and solve the uncertain problem of bomb disposal on the firing range, we have developed an intelligent bomb disposal system that integrates autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation, deep learning, and other technologies. For the hardware structure of the system, we design an actuator constructed by a winch device and a mechanical gripper to grasp the unexploded ordnance (UXO), which is equipped under the six-rotor UAV. The integrated dual-vision Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) pod is applied in the system to monitor and photograph the deployment site for dropping live munitions. For the software structure of the system, the ground station exploits the YOLOv5 algorithm to detect the grenade targets for real-time video and accurately locate the landing point of the grenade. The operator remotely controls the UAV to grasp, transfer, and destroy grenades. Experiments on explosives defusal are performed, and the results show that our system is feasible with high recognition accuracy and strong maneuverability. Compared with the traditional mode of explosives defusal, the system can provide decision-makers with accurate information on the location of the grenade and at the same time better mitigate the potential casualties in the explosive demolition process.

Circular Economy in the Oil and Gas Exploration and Production: Resource Recovery from Drill Cuttings and other Oily Wastes

With an increasing awareness of minimising the environmental footprint combined with the inclusion of circularity in the oil and gas industry, stricter laws and therefore more rigorous treatment targets will have to be implemented in the waste/resource management. Increasingly complex solid and liquid waste streams result in the further need to implement safer, more advanced technologies. Emission levels, resource recovery, energy efficiency, worker safety, and input material flexibility will become key assessment factors. The vacuum thermal desorption process allows for the recovery of resources from different industrial hazardous wastes. At the core of the process is a specially designed vacuum evaporator chamber utilizing indirect heat and controlled vacuum to evaporate contaminants. With this process, resources can be recovered and solids/mineral fractions decontaminated therefore minimising the hazardous waste and bringing valuable resources back into the value chain. A wide range of input materials, independently from their consistency, can be treated using the same process, as a result of the batch-wise working principle of the vacuum evaporator. The process reduces air emissions derived from two sources. One originates from the thermal oil heating system (flue gas), the other from the vacuum desorption process (exhaust). For the latter, in an oily waste recycling facility that processes approximately 30,000 tonnes per year, <<100 m3/h are emitted, of which on average 96 % are nitrogen. Regarding resource recovery, typical output material parameters include clean solids with a TPH (up to C40) content < 0.5 %, oil in product quality with a recovery rate > 99.5 %, and clean water for moistening of the solids. Highest energy efficiency is achieved because the vacuum reduces the boiling point of the hydrocarbons by more than 100 °C. In addition, the recovered oil can be used as fuel to run the equipment. In conclusion, resources will be recovered and therefore hazardous waste reduced, emissions decreased and highest safety for workers observed. Aside from the above stated advantages of using indirectly heated thermal desorption, this process also offers the possibility to be operated using renewable energy. Therefore, guaranteeing zero emissions supporting the health & safety of our environment and its people.

Stressors, Manifestations and Course of COVID-19 Related Distress Among Nurses and Midwives in Tasmania

ABSTRACTIntroductionThe deleterious effects relating to the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers has now been widely established. Understanding how COVID-19 affects their work and life is complex and multidimensional. This longitudinal study describes the critical stressors and how they manifest within both the work and larger social environment for nurses and midwives in Tasmania, Australia.MethodsThis longitudinal, descriptive survey explores the trajectory of the psychological health of Tasmanian public sector nurses and midwives during the COIVD-19 pandemic. The survey was distributed at 3 timepoints over a 12-month period and consisted of a battery of psychological tests which included the Patient Health Questionnaire, General Anxiety Disorder, Insomnia Severity Index, and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, together with free text comments.AnalysisThe associations between outcome and predictor variables were assessed using mixed effects linear regression and linear mixed model analyses. Free text comments were themed.ResultsHigh levels of stress and mental exhaustion were attributed to threatened workplace team culture; compromised quality of patient care; the impact on family, home, financial and economic domains; lack of clear communication; issues surrounding personal protective equipment; and female gender. Study data show younger nurses and midwives suffered higher levels of stress and mental exhaustion than older.ConclusionThis study highlights the need for stable and functional relationships at home and at work for nurses and midwives.Factors which will help preserve the mental health of nurses and midwives include strong workplace culture with ongoing processes to monitor organisational burnout; building resilience, particularly among younger nurses and midwives; protection of healthcare worker safety; clear communication processes and supporting stable and functional relationships at home. The health service has an imperative to ensure optimum service delivery by safeguarding staff, despite the inevitable health stress imposed by the nature of the work.

The Pransky interview: Jack Morrison, CEO and Co-Founder, Scythe Robotics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry engineer-turned entrepreneur regarding his pioneering efforts in starting robotic companies and commercializing technological inventions. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The interviewee is Jack Morrison, CEO and Co-Founder, Scythe Robotics. Morrison shares how he and his co-founders started this innovative company, the milestones and challenges he’s faced and his long-term goals. Findings Morrison received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Computer Science and German from Bowdoin College. He attended The George Washington University as a PhD student in Computer Science but left to co-found Replica Labs, a producer of software that turns any mobile phone into a high-quality 3D scanner. Morrison served as Replica’s CTO until it was acquired by Occipital in 2016, where he stayed on as a computer vision engineer until co-founding Scythe Robotics in April 2018. Originality/value While mowing his lawn in Colorado, Jack Morrison had a sudden insight: what if he could apply the latest robotics technology he was so familiar with to the challenge of commercialized landscaping? In 2018, Morrison teamed up with Replica Labs co-founder Isaac Roberts and Occipital’s Davis Foster, to create Scythe Robotics, a company that builds autonomous robotics solutions for the $105bn commercial landscaping industry. In June 2021, Scythe Robotics emerged from stealth with over $18m in funding with its first commercial product: a transformational, all-electric, fully autonomous mower designed to keep crew productivity high while also increasing the quality of cut and worker safety. The machine features eight high dynamic range cameras and a suite of other sensors that enable it to operate safely in dynamic environments by identifying and responding to the presence of humans, animals and other potential obstacles. Simultaneously, the machine captures valuable property and mower performance data, which helps landscape contractors improve workflow, identify upsell opportunities, schedule more efficiently and manage labor costs. The all-electric powertrain is quiet, emissions-free and radically more reliable than gas-powered manual mowers. Scythe Robotics’ business model is based on Robot as a Service. Instead of buying machines outright, customers are billed by acres mowed. This massively reduces contractors’ expenses and eliminates substantial costs. Scythe Robotics is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and has offices in Vero Beach, FL and Austin, TX. Scythe is the recipient of the 2020 ALCC (Associated Landscape Contractors CO) Innovation Winner and the 2021 Colorado OEDIT Advanced Industries Grantee.