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Yang Y, Chan APC, Shan M, Gao R, Bao F, Lyu S, Zhang Q, Guan J. Opportunities and Challenges for Construction Health and Safety Technologies under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Chinese Construction Projects. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:13038. [PMID: 34948653 PMCID: PMC8701157 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant delays and cost overrun in construction projects. The implementation of health and safety (H&S) technologies is one of the most important strategies to alleviate the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on the construction industry and help the industry adapt to the new normal. This study aims to evaluate the adoption of H&S technologies for pandemic management in the construction sector under the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews with eighteen practitioners engaged from construction companies and technology firms were conducted to collect their views on the driving forces and issues of the adoption of H&S technologies for pandemic management in Chinese construction projects. The results reveal that the major H&S technologies used included the health quick response (QR) code system, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered fever monitoring, and site access control system. These technologies were reported to be effective in preventing the spread of the pandemic in workplaces. The findings of the study amplify that the pandemic may serve as an acceleration of the adoption of H&S technologies in the construction sector. Other technologies, such as building information modeling, drones, AI-based safety monitoring, and robotics, however, were seldom used in the studied projects. The interviewees addressed several problems regarding the implementation of these technologies. High costs of technologies, a lack of client support, and disruptions to the normal work process were the main hurdles of the adoption of these technologies. The results indicated that the external influence factor-the COVID-19 pandemic-could considerably drive the use of H&S technologies, whereas the internal influence factors-cost and compatibility of technology-might be the major barriers to technology adoption. To encourage the wider use of H&S technologies in construction, the government is recommended to support the technology transformation by granting financial subsidies for costs involved in innovation adoption. Project owners may consider investing substantially in H&S technologies that can strengthen their resilient and innovative ability to adapt to the post-COVID-19 landscape. The present results will be useful to industry stakeholders and researchers interested in developing H&S technologies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- The Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen 518057, China;
- Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Q.Z.); (J.G.)
| | - Albert P. C. Chan
- The Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen 518057, China;
- Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Q.Z.); (J.G.)
| | - Ming Shan
- Department of Engineering Management, School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, 68 South Shaoshan Road, Changsha 410004, China;
| | - Ran Gao
- Department of Construction Economics and Management, School of Management Science and Engineering, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 102206, China;
| | - Fengyu Bao
- Department of Construction Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610000, China;
| | - Sainan Lyu
- Department of Structural Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China;
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Q.Z.); (J.G.)
| | - Junfeng Guan
- Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Q.Z.); (J.G.)
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Akinlolu M, Haupt TC, Edwards DJ, Simpeh F. A bibliometric review of the status and emerging research trends in construction safety management technologies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2020.1819584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Akinlolu
- Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Theo C. Haupt
- Faculty of Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - David John Edwards
- Faculty of Computing Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Fredrick Simpeh
- Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Vaquero-Álvarez E, Cubero-Atienza A, Ruiz-Martínez P, Vaquero-Abellán M, Mecías MDR, Aparicio-Martínez P. Bibliometric Study of Technology and Occupational Health in Healthcare Sector: A Worldwide Trend to the Future. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17186732. [PMID: 32947775 PMCID: PMC7558561 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Since the eighties, technological tools have modified how people interact in their environment. At the same time, occupational safety and health measures have been widely applied. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work considers that information and communication technologies are the main methods to achieve the goals proposed to improve working life and the dissemination of good practices. The principal objective was to determine the trends of publications focused on these technologies and occupational safety in the healthcare sector during the last 30 years. A bibliometric study was carried out. The 1021 documents showed an increased trend per country, especially for the United States (p < 0.001) and year (p < 0.001). The citations per year showed significant differences between citations of articles published before 2007 (p < 0.001). The year was also linked to the increase or decrease of articles (72.2%) and reviews (14.9%) (p < 0.001). The analysis of journal co-citations also showed that the main journals (such as Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology) were linked to other important journals and had a major part in the clusters formed. All these findings were discussed in the manuscript and conclusions were drawn.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonio Cubero-Atienza
- Departamento Ingeniería Rural, Ed Leonardo da Vinci, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; (A.C.-A.); (M.D.R.M.)
| | - Pilar Ruiz-Martínez
- GC24 Clinical and Molecular Microbiology, Instituto Maimónides, Facultad Medicina y Enfermería, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Manuel Vaquero-Abellán
- GC12 Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Primary Care, Instituto Maimónides, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
- Departamento de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Farmacología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
| | - María Dolores Redel Mecías
- Departamento Ingeniería Rural, Ed Leonardo da Vinci, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; (A.C.-A.); (M.D.R.M.)
| | - Pilar Aparicio-Martínez
- GC12 Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Primary Care, Instituto Maimónides, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
- Departamento de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Farmacología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-679-727-823
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Breloff SP, Dutta A, Dai F, Sinsel EW, Warren CM, Ning X, Wu JZ. Assessing work-related risk factors for musculoskeletal knee disorders in construction roofing tasks. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2019; 81:102901. [PMID: 31422268 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Roofers often suffer from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) to their knees due to spending a large amount of time kneeling while performing work-related roofing activities on sloped rooftops. Several ergonomic studies have identified kneeling as a potential risk factor for knee injuries and disorders. Existing biomechanical models and sensor technologies used to assess work-related risk factors for different construction trades are not applicable in roof work settings especially on slanted rooftop surfaces. This work assesses the impacts of work-related factors, namely working posture and roof slope, on the potential risk of developing knee MSDs due to residential roofing tasks in a laboratory setting. Nine human subjects participated in the experiment and mimicked shingle installation on a slope-configurable wooden platform. Maximum angles of right and left knee flexion, abduction, adduction, and axial rotation (internal and external) were measured as risk indicators using a motion capture system under different roof slope settings. The results demonstrated that roof slope, working posture and their interaction may have significant impacts on developing knee MSDs during roofing activities. Knees are likely to be exposed to increased risk of MSDs due to working in a dynamic kneeling posture during shingle installation. In our study, flexion in both knees and adduction in the right knee were found lower in high-pitched rooftops; however, abduction in the left knee and internal rotation in the right knee were found higher during shingle installation. Hence proper attention is needed for these situations. This study provides useful information about the impact of roof work settings on knee MSDs development, which may facilitate effective interventions such as education, training, and tools to prevent knee injuries in construction roofing tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott P Breloff
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA.
| | - Amrita Dutta
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6103, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - Fei Dai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6103, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - Erik W Sinsel
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA.
| | - Christopher M Warren
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA.
| | - Xiaopeng Ning
- Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6070, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - John Z Wu
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA.
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Factors that Sustain Health and Safety Management Practices in the Food Industry. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11154001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Due to the significant change in business organizations, scholarly interest has diverted from studying the determinants of financial performance to understanding the environmental activities, sustainability practices, and health and safety management practices. Despite the extensive literature, it is yet to understand either internal or external factors that improve health and safety management practices in SMEs. This research examines the influence of the internal factors—intellectual capital, information technology capabilities (ITC), and entrepreneurial orientation, and the external capabilities—government financial support, institutional pressure, and managerial networking on six health and safety management practices: management commitment, staff training, worker involvement, safety communication and feedback, safety rules and procedures, and safety promotion policies. We researched 410 Pakistani SMEs from the food business industry. The results indicate that intellectual capital significantly improves management commitment, safety communication and feedback, and safety rules and produces; ITC significantly improves management commitment and safety communication and feedback; and entrepreneurial orientation significantly facilitates safety training and worker involvement only. In the external capabilities, government financial support has a significant influence on management commitment, worker involvement, safety rules and policies, and safety promotion policies. Institutional pressure has a significant influence on management commitment, safety training, safety communication, and feedback and safety promotion policies. Managerial networking significantly influences safety training, worker involvement, safety rules and procedures, and safety promotion policies of SMEs. Focusing only on the food industry is the major limitation of this research, this study recommends SMEs to give sufficient attention to their internal and external factors to enhance health and safety management practices. Further implications are discussed.
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Kim S, Moore A, Srinivasan D, Akanmu A, Barr A, Harris-Adamson C, Rempel DM, Nussbaum MA. Potential of Exoskeleton Technologies to Enhance Safety, Health, and Performance in Construction: Industry Perspectives and Future Research Directions. IISE Trans Occup Ergon Hum Factors 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/24725838.2018.1561557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sunwook Kim
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Albert Moore
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Divya Srinivasan
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Abiola Akanmu
- Construction Engineering and Management, Myers Lawson School of Construction, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Alan Barr
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carisa Harris-Adamson
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA
- School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - David M. Rempel
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maury A. Nussbaum
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Virginia Tech – Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Blacksburg, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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Schofield KE, Alexander BH, Gerberich SG, MacLehose RF. Workers' compensation loss prevention representative contact and risk of lost-time injury in construction policyholders. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2017; 62:101-105. [PMID: 28882256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2017.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Insurance loss prevention (LP) representatives have access and contact with businesses and employees to provide targeted safety and health resources. Construction firms, especially those smaller in size, are a high-risk population. This research evaluated the association between LP rep contact and risk for lost-time injuries in construction policyholders. METHODS Workers' compensation data were utilized to track LP rep contact with policyholders and incidence of lost-time injury over time. Survival analysis with repeated events modeling calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Compared no LP contact, one contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk (HR=0.73, CI=0.65-0.82), two with a 41% (HR=0.59, CI=0.51-0.68), and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk (HR=0.72, CI=0.65-0.81). CONCLUSIONS LP reps appear to be a valuable partner in efforts to reduce injury burden. Their presence or contact with policyholders is consistent with reduction in overall incidence of lost-time injuries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Reduction in lost-time injuries, resulting in reduced workers' compensation costs for policyholders and insurance companies, builds a business-case for safety and injury prevention. LP reps are often a low or no-cost benefit for insurance policyholders and may be an important injury prevention resource for small firms and/or those with lack of safety resources and staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Schofield
- University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, USA; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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Dale AM, Jaegers L, Welch L, Barnidge E, Weaver N, Evanoff BA. Facilitators and barriers to the adoption of ergonomic solutions in construction. Am J Ind Med 2017; 60:295-305. [PMID: 28195660 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rates of musculoskeletal disorders in construction remain high. Few studies have described barriers and facilitators to the use of available ergonomic solutions. This paper describes these barriers and facilitators and their relationship to the level of adoption. METHODS Three analysts rated 16 proposed ergonomic solutions from a participatory ergonomics study and assessed the level of adoption, six adoption characteristics, and identified the category of adoption from a theoretical model. RESULTS Twelve solutions were always or intermittently used and were rated positively for characteristics of relative advantage, compatibility with existing work processes and trialability. Locus of control (worker vs. contractor) was not related to adoption. Simple solutions faced fewer barriers to adoption than those rated as complex. CONCLUSIONS Specific adoption characteristics can help predict the use of new ergonomic solutions in construction. Adoption of complex solutions must involve multiple stakeholders, more time, and shifts in culture or work systems. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:295-305, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Marie Dale
- Division of General Medical Sciences; Washington University School of Medicine; St Louis Missouri
| | - Lisa Jaegers
- Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy; Saint Louis University Doisy College of Health Sciences; St Louis Missouri
| | - Laura Welch
- CPWR-Center for Construction Research and Training; Silver Spring Maryland
| | - Ellen Barnidge
- Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education; Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice; Saint Louis Missouri
| | - Nancy Weaver
- Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education; Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice; Saint Louis Missouri
| | - Bradley A. Evanoff
- Division of General Medical Sciences; Washington University School of Medicine; St Louis Missouri
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Dale AM, Miller K, Gardner BT, Hwang CT, Evanoff B, Welch L. Observed use of voluntary controls to reduce physical exposures among sheet metal workers of the mechanical trade. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2016; 52:69-76. [PMID: 26360196 PMCID: PMC4631612 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Little is known about the transfer into the workplace of interventions designed to reduce the physical demands of sheet metal workers. METHODS We reviewed videos from a case series of 15 sheet metal worksite assessments performed in 2007-2009 to score postures and physical loads, and to observe the use of recommended interventions to reduce physical exposures in sheet metal activities made by a NIOSH stakeholder meeting in 2002. RESULTS Workers showed consistent use of material handling devices, but we observed few uses of recommended interventions to reduce exposures during overhead work. Workers spent large proportions of time in awkward shoulder elevation and low back rotation postures. CONCLUSIONS In addition to the development of new technologies and system designs, increased adoption of existing tools and practices could reduce time spent in awkward postures and other risks for musculoskeletal disorders in sheet metal work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Marie Dale
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Campus Box 8005, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Kim Miller
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Campus Box 8005, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Washington University School of Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Campus Box 8502, Saint Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Bethany T Gardner
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Campus Box 8005, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ching-Ting Hwang
- Washington University School of Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Campus Box 8502, Saint Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Bradley Evanoff
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Campus Box 8005, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Laura Welch
- The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), 8484 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Welch L, Baker R. Introduction to the collection on research to practice in the construction industry. Am J Ind Med 2015; 58:807-8. [PMID: 26122815 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Welch
- CPWR - Center for Construction Research and Training
| | - Robin Baker
- UC Berkeley Center for Occupational and Environmental Health; CPWR - Center for Construction Research and Training
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