Investigating risk factors for slips,trips and falls in New Zealand residential construction using incident-centred and incident-independent methods

Slip, trip and fall (STF) incidents, particularly falls from a height, are a leading cause of injury in the New Zealand residential construction industry. The most common origins of falls from a height in this sector are ladders, scaffolding and roofs, while slipping is the most frequent fall initiating event category. The study aimed to provide detailed information on construction industry STF risk factors for high-risk tasks, work equipment and environments, as identified from an earlier analysis of STF claims data, together with information to be used in the development of interventions to reduce STF risk in New Zealand residential construction. The study involved the use of both incident-centred and incident-independent methods of investigation, including detailed follow-up investigations of incidents and observations and interviews with workers on construction sites, to provide data on a wide range of risk factors. A large number of risk factors for residential construction STFs were identified, including factors related to the work environment, tasks and the use and availability of appropriate height work equipment. The different methods of investigation produced complementary information on factors related to equipment design and work organization, which underlie some of the site conditions and work practices identified as key risk factors for residential construction STFs. A conceptual systems model of residential construction STF risk is presented.     

Investigating slips, trips and falls in the New Zealand dairy farming sector

The paper presents findings from 39 detailed follow-up investigations of slips, trips and falls (STF) incurred by individuals working in New Zealand's dairy farming industry. The study sought to identify the key contributory risk factors for STF in this sector to provide evidence to support intervention design, and to determine the effectiveness of the investigative methodology used to achieve these objectives. Findings from the follow-up investigations included an analysis of factors related to the underfoot surface, underfoot hazard and footwear. Of note here was the propensity for STF-involved workers to not see or identify an underfoot hazard due to concurrent visual task distractions, and for workers to use footwear that both lacked effective tread and was unsuitable for the task and underfoot surface. Key latent risk factors and their interactions identified included problems associated with time pressure and related time-saving behaviours and the presence of design errors that, for example, required workers to climb onto equipment to view aspects of the task they were working on. The paper concludes that the potential resource and logistical problems associated with conducting detailed STF investigations are outweighed by the opportunity to collect rich data on key risk factors and their interactions in STF research.     

Investigating slips,trips and falls in the New Zealand dairy farming sector

The paper presents findings from 39 detailed follow-up investigations of slips, trips and falls (STF) incurred by individuals working in New Zealand's dairy farming industry. The study sought to identify the key contributory risk factors for STF in this sector to provide evidence to support intervention design, and to determine the effectiveness of the investigative methodology used to achieve these objectives. Findings from the follow-up investigations included an analysis of factors related to the underfoot surface, underfoot hazard and footwear. Of note here was the propensity for STF-involved workers to not see or identify an underfoot hazard due to concurrent visual task distractions, and for workers to use footwear that both lacked effective tread and was unsuitable for the task and underfoot surface. Key latent risk factors and their interactions identified included problems associated with time pressure and related time-saving behaviours and the presence of design errors that, for example, required workers to climb onto equipment to view aspects of the task they were working on. The paper concludes that the potential resource and logistical problems associated with conducting detailed STF investigations are outweighed by the opportunity to collect rich data on key risk factors and their interactions in STF research.     

Injuries from slips and trips in construction

Construction injuries preceded by a slip or trip were documented using data from the building of the Denver International Airport (Denver, Colorado, USA), the largest construction project in the world at the time. Slips and trips occurred at a rate of 5/200,000 h worked accounting for 18% of all injuries and 25% of workers' compensation payments, or more than $10 million. Slips contributed to the vast majority (85%) of same-level falls and over 30% of falls from height, as well as a significant number of musculoskeletal injures sustained after slipping or tripping but without falling. The injury burden would have been under-recognized in analyses of most coded compensation records. In contrast to other types of injuries, the most common contributing factors were environmental in nature including conditions of walking and working surfaces, terrain and weather. Due to the very dynamic nature of construction work, reducing slips and trips will require a focus on environmental and organizational solutions that evolve as the site changes and the construction project evolves.     

Similarities between work related musculoskeletal disorders and slips,trips and falls

Most occupational risks manifest themselves through movements performed at work, for example musculoskeletal disorders, slips, trips and falls. Research focusing on such risks often differentiates diseases from accidents. All these risks prove to be diffuse, widespread, emergent and devoid of an external harmful hazard, when analysed through their common vector, i.e. through the movements manifesting them. These characteristics have a strong impact on risk perception and on approaches necessary to ensure sustainable prevention. A participative search for local solutions to preventing these risks, integrating shared risk representation and several analysis levels, would seem helpful. A balance between defended and resilience-based conceptions of health and safety should be established. Research should also be extended to enhance in-depth understanding of controls impacting worker movements when performing a task, while safeguarding health and safety.     

State of science: occupational slips,trips and falls on the same level*

Occupational slips, trips and falls on the same level (STFL) result in substantial injuries worldwide. This paper summarises the state of science regarding STFL, outlining relevant aspects of epidemiology, biomechanics, psychophysics, tribology, organisational influences and injury prevention. This review reaffirms that STFL remain a major cause of workplace injury and STFL prevention is a complex problem, requiring multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted approaches. Despite progress in recent decades in understanding the mechanisms involved in STFL, especially slipping, research leading to evidence-based prevention practices remains insufficient, given the problem scale. It is concluded that there is a pressing need to develop better fall prevention strategies using systems approaches conceptualising and addressing the factors involved in STFL, with considerations of the full range of factors and their interactions. There is also an urgent need for field trials of various fall prevention strategies to assess the effectiveness of different intervention components and their interactions.

Practitioner Summary: Work-related slipping, tripping and falls on the same level are a major source of occupational injury. The causes are broadly understood, although more attention is needed from a systems perspective. Research has shown preventative action to be effective, but further studies are required to understand which aspects are most beneficial.     

The role of latent and active failures in workplace slips, trips and falls: an information processing approach

The vast majority of the published workplace slips, trips and falls (STF) literature is exceedingly narrow in its focus and often ignores wider systems issues in workplace STF aetiology. There is little recognition within the published literature of the importance of latent failures or the upstream organisational and cultural contexts within which workplace STF occur. This is unfortunate, as a systems approach to workplace STF analysis, that is inclusive of latent design and work organisation factors that often shape worker behaviour patterns related to STF risk (e.g. rushing, risk taking), is fundamental to the development of effective prevention measures. The aims of this paper are to provide an understanding of workplace STF causation that is cognisant of the potential role of both active and latent failures in STF causation. The paper presents an ergonomics model for workplace STF analysis that highlights information processing in STF aetiology, the STF incident process and the interaction between latent and active failures in STF causation. The paper draws upon ergonomics research conducted in a range of occupational contexts to illustrate the key features of the model as it applies to workplace STF. Implications of the model for analysis and prevention of STF are discussed.     

Prevalence and risk factors associated with musculoskeletal discomfort in New Zealand veterinarians

A cross-sectional study using a modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire asked 867 New Zealand veterinarians about the presence or absence of musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD). Participants were asked if MSD affected their normal activities and if it required any period(s) of absence from work. Additional questions enquired about work activities, psychosocial factors and workload. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the association between identified risk factors and the presence of MSD requiring absence from work in the previous 12 months, controlling for the presence of known confounders. The overall period prevalence of MSD was 96%, 67% had normal activities being affected and 18% of participants reported that they had been absent from work due to MSD. The lower back was the body site most commonly reported for MSD (73%). Factors increasing the odds of MSD requiring time off work for clinical veterinarians were 10 year increases in age (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.05-1.52), work involving awkward grip and hand movements 100% of time (OR 12.91, 95% CI 3.46-4.21) and those who were dissatisfied with the level and difficulty of their work (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.11-6.56). These findings have implications for health, lifestyle and retention rates for veterinarians.     

Differentiating slip-induced falls from normal walking and successful recovery after slips using kinematic measures

Slip-induced falls are prevalent and serious in occupational settings. Fall detection can minimise the adverse consequences caused by falls. However, a limitation in the existing fall detection research is that the fall indicators were predetermined without any theoretical and experimental basis. This study aimed to determine the optimal fall indicators for fall detection research by experimentally examining a comprehensive set of kinematic measures. The body kinematic measures were compared among normal walking, successful recovery after slips and slip-induced falls. We identified the kinematic measures that differ between falls and the selected non-fall activities (i.e. successful recovery and normal walking), especially at the early stage of loss-of-balance due to slips. Findings obtained from this study can enhance the understanding of kinematic differences between slip-induced falls and non-fall activities, and such knowledge is particularly useful for developing fall detection models.

Practitioner Summary: Slips have been reported to be a major cause of accidental falls. Findings from this study can help determine the kinematic measures that can effectively and efficiently differentiate slip-induced falls from successful recovery and normal walking. Such knowledge can help develop effective strategies to prevent slip-induced falls.     

Occupational and environmental risk factors for falls among workers in the healthcare sector

Falls are a leading cause of occupational injury for workers in healthcare, yet the risk factors of falls in this sector are understudied. Falls resulting in workers' compensation for time-loss from work from 2004–2007 for healthcare workers in British Columbia (BC) were extracted from a standardised incident-reporting database. Productive hours were derived from payroll data for the denominator to produce injury rates; relative risks were derived through Poisson regression modelling. A total of 411 falls were accepted for time-loss compensation. Compared to registered nurses, facility support workers (risk ratio (95% CI) = 6.29 (4.56–8.69)) and community health workers (6.58 (3.76–11.50)) were at high risk for falls. Falls predominantly occurred outdoors, in patients' rooms and kitchens depending on occupation and sub-sector. Slippery surfaces due to icy conditions or liquid contaminants were a leading contributing factor. Falls were more frequent in the colder months (January–March). The risk of falls varies by nature of work, location and worker demographics. The findings of this research will be useful for developing evidence-based interventions.

Statement of Relevance: Falls are a major cause of occupational injury for healthcare workers. This study examined risk factors including occupation type, workplace design, work setting, work organisation and environmental conditions in a large healthcare worker population in BC, Canada. The findings of this research should contribute towards developing evidence-based interventions.     

Impact of joint torques on heel acceleration at heel contact, a contributor to slips and falls

Slips/falls are a health burden in the workplace. Previous research has implied a relationship between foot dynamics at heel contact and slips/falls; however, heel acceleration has received little attention. Heel acceleration as the heel contacts the ground is the result of the combined effort of the leg joint torques to control motion of the foot. This study aims to examine the association of heel acceleration with fall risk, and explore the main joint torque determinant of heel acceleration at contact. Sixteen young and eleven older adults walked on known dry floors and in slippery environments expected to be dry. Heel acceleration at heel contact in the direction of motion, i.e. anterior/posterior, was compared between slip-recovery and slip-fall outcomes. Results showed that subjects that recovered contacted the floor with a greater heel deceleration (p < 0.05) than fall subjects. Knee torque alone explained 76% of the heel acceleration variability (p < 0.01). These data suggest that walking with reduced knee flexion torque at heel contact results in a reduced heel deceleration, a potential risk factor for slip-initiated falls.     

Investigating collision risk factors perceived by navigation officers in a close-quarters situation using a ship bridge simulator

Cognition, Technology & Work - Ship collisions caused by navigation officer error significantly threaten the safety of marine navigation. An increased fear of collision for navigation officers...     

MDS矩阵和对合MDS矩阵的新构造方法

首先对Lacan等人给出的由Vandermonde矩阵构造MDS码的方法进行了研究, 指出了其中存在的问题, 给出了由两个Vandermonde矩阵构造MDS矩阵的充要条件; 然后利用矩阵乘的方法, 给出了由标量乘Vandermonde矩阵构造MDS矩阵的充要条件; 最后在Sajadieh等人给出的由两个Vandermonde矩阵构造对合MDS矩阵方法的基础之上, 给出了标量乘Vandermonde矩阵构造对合MDS矩阵的方法。对标量乘矩阵来讲, 可以通过调控标量中分量的大小来调整标量乘矩阵元素大小和元素重量大小来满足其软、硬件实现性能, 因此该构造MDS矩阵及对合MDS矩阵的方法具有实用价值。     

Functional levels of floor surface roughness for the prevention of slips and falls: Clean-and-dry and soapsuds-covered wet surfaces

Literature has shown a general trend that slip resistance performance improves with floor surface roughness. However, whether slip resistance properties are linearly correlated with surface topographies of the floors or what roughness levels are required for effective slip resistance performance still remain to be answered. This pilot study aimed to investigate slip resistance properties and identify functional levels of floor surface roughness for practical design applications in reducing the risk of slip and fall incidents. A theory model was proposed to characterize functional levels of surface roughness of floor surfaces by introducing a new concept of three distinctive zones. A series of dynamic friction tests were conducted using 3 shoes and 9 floor specimens under clean-and-dry as well as soapsuds-covered slippery wet environments. The results showed that all the tested floor-shoe combinations provided sufficient slip resistances performance under the clean-and-dry condition. A significant effect of floor type (surface roughness) on dynamic friction coefficient (DFC) was found in the soapsuds-covered wet condition. As compared to the surface roughness effects, the shoe-type effects were relatively small. Under the soapsuds-covered wet condition, floors with 50?μm in Ra roughness scale seemed to represent an upper bound in the functional range of floor surface roughness for slip resistance because further increase of surface roughness provided no additional benefit. A lower bound of the functional range for slip resistance under the soapsuds-covered wet condition was estimated from the requirement of DFC?>?0.4 at Ra???17?μm. Findings from this study may have potential safety implications in the floor surface design for reducing slip and fall hazards.     

Forecasting tunnel geology,construction time and costs using machine learning methods

Neural Computing and Applications - This research intends to use machine learning approaches to predict tunnel geology and its construction time and costs. For this purpose, the Gaussian Process...     

Accident patterns and prevention measures for fatal occupational falls in the construction industry

Contributing factors to 621 occupational fatal falls have been identified with respect to the victim's individual factors, the fall site, company size, and cause of fall. Individual factors included age, gender, experience, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Accident scenarios were derived from accident reports. Significant linkages were found between causes for the falls and accident events. Falls from scaffold staging were associated with a lack of complying scaffolds and bodily action. Falls through existing floor openings were associated with unguarded openings, inappropriate protections, or the removal of protections. Falls from building girders or other structural steel were associated with bodily actions and improper use of PPE. Falls from roof edges were associated with bodily actions and being pulled down by a hoist, object or tool. Falls through roof surfaces were associated with lack of complying scaffolds. Falls from ladders were associated with overexertion and unusual control and the use of unsafe ladders and tools. Falls down stairs or steps were associated with unguarded openings. Falls while jumping to a lower floor and falls through existing roof openings were associated with poor work practices. Primary and secondary prevention measures can be used to prevent falls or to mitigate the consequences of falls and are suggested for each type of accident. Primary prevention measures would include fixed barriers, such as handrails, guardrails, surface opening protections (hole coverings), crawling boards/planks, and strong roofing materials. Secondary protection measures would include travel restraint systems (safety belt), fall arrest systems (safety harness), and fall containment systems (safety nets).     

Risk factors associated with back pain in New Zealand school children

This study investigated risk factors associated with back pain in 245 New Zealand intermediate school children aged 11-14 years in a cross-sectional survey, using a self-completion questionnaire for demographic details, pain prevalence, psychosocial parameters, school and leisure activities and family characteristics. The strongest relationships were between back pain and common childhood complaints (stomach ache, headache and sore throats) (p < 0.01) and psychosocial factors (conduct and hyperactivity) (p < 0.01). For physical factors, there was a significant relationship between neck and low back pain and attributes of chairs. Low back pain was significantly related to low desk height (as reported by students) (p < 0.05). School bag weight was not significantly related to low back pain but carrying the bag on one shoulder was (p < 0.05). It is concluded that, amongst these intermediate school children, psychological, social and emotional factors had a stronger relationship with back pain than physical factors. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study investigated risk factors associated with back pain amongst New Zealand intermediate school children. It showed that psychological, social and emotional factors may have a stronger relationship with back pain than physical factors.