Critical factors and paths influencing construction workers’ safety risk tolerances

While workers’ safety risk tolerances have been regarded as a main reason for their unsafe behaviors, little is known about why different people have different risk tolerances even when confronting the same situation. The aim of this research is to identify the critical factors and paths that influence workers’ safety risk tolerance and to explore how they contribute to accident causal model from a system thinking perceptive. A number of methods were carried out to analyze the data collected through interviews and questionnaire surveys. In the first and second steps of the research, factor identification, factor ranking and factor analysis were carried out, and the results show that workers’ safety risk tolerance can be influenced by four groups of factors, namely: (1) personal subjective perception; (2) work knowledge and experiences; (3) work characteristics; and (4) safety management. In the third step of the research, hypothetical influencing path model was developed and tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM). It is found that the effects of external factors (safety management and work characteristics) on risk tolerance are larger than that of internal factors (personal subjective perception and work knowledge & experiences). Specifically, safety management contributes the most to workers’ safety risk tolerance through its direct effect and indirect effect; while personal subjective perception comes the second and can act as an intermedia for work characteristics. This research provides an in-depth insight of workers’ unsafe behaviors by depicting the contributing factors as shown in the accident causal model developed in this research.     

A rear-end collision risk assessment model based on drivers’ collision avoidance process under influences of cell phone use and gender—A driving simulator based study

Driver’s collision avoidance performance has a direct link to the collision risk and crash severity. Previous studies demonstrated that the distracted driving, such as using a cell phone while driving, disrupted the driver’s performance on road. This study aimed to investigate the manner and extent to which cell phone use and driver’s gender affected driving performance and collision risk in a rear-end collision avoidance process. Forty-two licensed drivers completed the driving simulation experiment in three phone use conditions: no phone use, hands-free, and hand-held, in which the drivers drove in a car-following situation with potential rear-end collision risks caused by the leading vehicle’s sudden deceleration. Based on the experiment data, a rear-end collision risk assessment model was developed to assess the influence of cell phone use and driver’s gender. The cell phone use and driver’s gender were found to be significant factors that affected the braking performances in the rear-end collision avoidance process, including the brake reaction time, the deceleration adjusting time and the maximum deceleration rate. The minimum headway distance between the leading vehicle and the simulator during the rear-end collision avoidance process was the final output variable, which could be used to measure the rear-end collision risk and judge whether a collision occurred. The results showed that although cell phone use drivers took some compensatory behaviors in the collision avoidance process to reduce the mental workload, the collision risk in cell phone use conditions was still higher than that without the phone use. More importantly, the results proved that the hands-free condition did not eliminate the safety problem associated with distracted driving because it impaired the driving performance in the same way as much as the use of hand-held phones. In addition, the gender effect indicated that although female drivers had longer reaction time than male drivers in critical situation, they were more quickly in braking with larger maximum deceleration rate, and they tended to keep a larger safety margin with the leading vehicle compared to male drivers. The findings shed some light on the further development of advanced collision avoidance technologies and the targeted intervention strategies about cell phone use while driving.     

Supply chain risk mitigation competency: an individual-level knowledge-based perspective

Supply chain managers are responsible for making decisions regarding supply chain risk in order to mitigate the impact of supply chain disruptions. This study develops and tests a theoretical model that leverages the individual-level knowledge-based view perspective to understand the process through which risk mitigation orientation of the supply chain manager contributes to his/her absorptive capacity. A supply chain manager’s absorptive capacity, in turn, enhances his/her ability to effectively mitigate supply chain risk. Study findings demonstrate that supply chain managers with high-risk mitigation orientation have greater level of absorptive capacity which enhances their risk mitigation competency. This study represents the first development and testing of a model that examines individual-level knowledge management factors that affect supply chain risk mitigation competency. This research emphasises the importance of the individual supply chain manager in managing risk and illustrates how theoretical perspectives from the knowledge management, supply chain risk and organisational behaviour literature can be fruitfully adopted to explain behaviour in the field of supply chain risk management.     

Research on lease and sale of electric vehicles based on value engineering

Electric vehicles (EVs) acknowledged as potential means of transportation tools in the near future are widely accepted as the development trend of automobile industry due to its environment protection and fuel energy saving properties. As a product containing new technologies and concepts with little market experience and consumer identification, studying its life cycle operation modes will help to figure out an optimal approach to conduct EVs manufacturing and service. The two common operation modes, lease and sale of EVs, have their own advantages and weaknesses under different scenarios and consumer psychological status. Research and comparisons on the function, cost and value of two operation modes in full life cycle will simulate the rapid development of EVs forming a mature and dynamic operation mechanism. This paper utilised approaches in value engineering, putting forward customer requirements and technical elements of EV lease and sale based on quality assessment and customer-perceived value, proposing the metric method of function and cost coefficient by mathematical modelling, and conducting value coefficient analysis and comparison based on customer’s risk aversion psychology. An illustrative example raised for studying operation mode of three different kinds of EVs based on the analysis of value coefficient, providing guideline for manufacturer and servicers of EVs.     

Amplification‐Free Multi‐RNA‐Type Profiling for Cancer Risk Stratification via Alternating Current Electrohydrodynamic Nanomixing

Simultaneous analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)—multi‐RNA‐type profiling—is increasingly crucial in cancer diagnostics. Yet, rapid multi‐RNA‐type profiling is challenging due to enzymatic amplification reliance and RNA‐type‐dependent characteristics. Here, a nanodevice is reported to uniquely use alterable alternating current electrohydrodynamic (ac‐EHD) forces to enhance probe–target hybridization prior to direct native RNA target detection, without target amplification or surface functionalization. To exemplify clinical applicability, noninvasive screening of next‐generation prostate cancer (PCa) RNA biomarkers (of different types) in patient urine samples is performed. A strong correlation between multi‐RNA‐type expression and aggressive PCa is found, and the nanodevice performance is statistically evaluated. It is believed that this miniaturized system exhibits great potential for cancer risk stratification via multi‐RNA‐type profiling.     

高通量筛查和安全评估结合评价乳制品包装安全风险

目的 以乳制品包装为研究对象,建立一套科学评价食品接触材料安全风险的方法,全面评价食品接触材料在接触食品过程中带来的食品安全风险。方法 采用非靶向高通量筛查检测技术全面筛查食品模拟物中的重金属和有机物,根据权威数据库和物质毒理学资料进行危害评估,参考欧盟和美国膳食暴露量计算方法进行暴露评估,结合评估结果计算风险系数,最终表征食品接触材料的安全风险。结果 抽取了市面上的塑料、金属、涂料及复合包装等不同材质的乳制品包装进行检测,检出铜、铬、锰和锡等元素,以及有意添加物（如单体、溶剂、抗氧剂、光引发剂、爽滑剂、增塑剂等）、非有意添加物质（如抗氧剂降解产物、寡聚物等）。采用暴露评估和危害评估方法分别表征检出物的膳食暴露和健康指导值,安全风险评估风险系数分布在0.007%～9.4%之间,安全风险较低。结论 建立的食品接触材料安全评价方法是一种有效评价食品接触材料安全风险的方法,该方法具有一定的通用性,企业、行业和政府部门等可用于识别食品接触材料的安全风险,为减少和排除安全风险提供科学依据。     

放射性货包运输风险控制目标探讨

目的 提出制定我国放射性物质货包运输风险控制目标的初步建议,可为相关风险评价工作提供决策参考。方法 通过借鉴核电厂及非反应堆核设施相关安全目标研究的宝贵经验,对相关阈值划分和风险可接受边界进行讨论,并针对放射性货包运输的特点展开分析,提出以风险矩阵作为其风险目标的表达形式。结果 相关研究认为,对放射性物质货包运输来说,按照严重程度分类,结合其事故发生率,是一种较为合理的表征形式。结论 本文对放射性物质货包运输风险控制目标制定进行了初步的探索。要使得该风险矩阵能与实际运输活动的风险指引相适应,最终起到指导运输风险管理的作用,未来还需要更多研究成果的推动。     

开封市城市火灾危险性分析

从统计资料出发,分析开封市火灾的一般规律,给出了火灾危险性分析的定量结果,揭示了消防系统的薄弱环节。     

化学危险品事故源强不确定性实例分析

讨论了化学危险品突发事故的环境危害评价的不确定性问题。应用几率密度函数可解决事故预测时源强估算的不确定性问题。采用模糊集方法可解决应急管理时事故源强的不确定性问题。文章提供了液氯泄漏和丙烷闪蒸─—火球模型两个实例。     

SAS判别分析在商业银行信用风险评估中的应用

针对我国商业银行传统客户风险评级体系现有的缺陷,介绍了如何把SAS判别分析方法应用于商业银行的客户信用风险评估,并进行验证分析,结果表明,SAS判别分析方法是一种高效,高准确度的评估方法.