Application of Machine Learning Modeling for the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry Injury Rate Prediction

Introduction: Yearly, the International Labor Organization report indicates many workplace accident occurrences. The degree of the happenings depends on the workplace environment setting and the incident regulatory measures implemented. By the nature of its work environment, the oil and gas upstream sector is susceptible to high incident rates. In the current fierce business competition and practices, improving productivity, quality, and other processes, such as Safety,  is vital. Implementing well-designed safety procedures is the key to managing and reducing the risk level of workplace incidents. Methods: Recently, the application of Machine learning (ML) modeling for accident/injury prediction has been reported in the construction, mining, transport, and health sectors. Likewise, the objective of this paper was to implement three machine-learning-based models to predict injury rates in a drilling operation. The petroleum safety authority of Norway provided the datasets. First, the dataset was pre-processed, and then the selected features and target dataset were used for the modeling. Finally, the model prediction and performance accuracy analysis were performed. Results: Results showed that multivariable regression (MVR), Random Forest (RF), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) machine learning algorithms-based models predict the test data with R2 values of 0.9576, 0.793, and 0.97036, respectively. Conclusion: As the common saying goes, \u27prevention is better than cure.\u27 For this, implementing methods such as improved work processes and Health, Safety, and  Environment (HSE) mitigation procedures, workplace injuries, and accidents allow for reducing the risk level of workplace injuries. The application of integrated machine learning tools, along with carefully built-in workplace accident database implementation, will provide early detection and possible remedial precautions that can be taken to prevent workplace injuries/accidents/fatalities. However, extensive research and development are required to deploy the method in real life. Combining Machine Learning modeling and carefully designed safety measures is vital for successful and robust predictive tools

A mapping review of challenges in existing technology-based occupational safety training in the tourism and hospitality industry: Research potential in commercial kitchens

Introduction: An effective response to a safe and healthy work environment relies on advanced preparedness such as occupational safety training. The main objectives of this study are to describe and classify the most critical challenges and identify knowledge gaps in the literature that could inform future research. Methods: A systematic mapping review gathers information from six search engines; Francis and Taylor, Scopus, Science Direct, Emerald Insight, and SpringerLink, which yielded journal publications between 1948 and 2022. The data were analyzed using meta-analysis from 135,310 article search results, whereby 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies varied in terms of aim, study design, and reporting detail. Results: The results showed that Canada and the United States are countries that study safety training in the tourism or hospitality industry, mainly in food management and food safety. The results also show that studies on occupational safety training in commercial kitchens are not common in the existing literature. The findings revealed that the highest number of articles involving safety training focused on food safety and food management in the tourism industry but less on kitchen workers\u27 safety. Conclusions: This mapping review demonstrates hospitality workers\u27 struggles, especially commercial kitchen workers. This review presents the types of technologies used for occupational safety training and provides an overview of different strategies that address the challenges. Among the most significant obstacles in occupational safety and health training are a lack of knowledge, high financial costs for implementation, and outdated policies from authorities

Study on Causal Effects of Occupational Stress on Healthcare Workers at a selected Healthcare Facility in Oman

Introduction: Occupational stress (OS) can be described as any physical or psychological change in an individual due to immediate or long-term reactions to workplace conditions that pose perceived threats or challenges to that employee. Typically, since work environments differ worldwide, scientists posit that the nature, sources, and causes of OS and the solutions proffered to address its impacts among healthcare workers (HCWs), differ markedly. The study aims to identify and examine the causal effects of OS on HCWs at the selected health facility in Oman. Methods: The study adopted a quantitative design that utilized questionnaires to examine the causes and effects of OS on selected health workers. Data was collected from December 2021 to January 2022 from 150 health facility employees to obtain their opinions on the causes and effects of OS on their health, work life, and productivity.  Results: Findings revealed that 47% of the respondents were male and 53% were female. Further, the results also revealed that HCWs at the selected health facility have experienced a high prevalence of OS due to various factors ranging from staff shortages, as revealed by 56.2% of the participants, to work duration and loads, as revealed by 69.0% of the participants, and staff working conditions.  Conclusion: As a panacea, recommend management of healthcare facilities engage more highly qualified staff and create highly conducive work environments and training. Likewise, the management can provide modern-day facilities and amenities. It is envisaged that such measures will also reduce workloads, which will help the HCWs to rest, resuscitate, re-energize, and nurture effective stress. Furthermore, the measures will help create a stress-free, healthy, and conducive environment for the HCWs and greatly improve quality healthcare delivery services

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) regarding hearing health and noise-induced hearing loss among folk/light music professionals from Chennai

Introduction: Musicians are exposed to music at high intensities and are at risk for developing noise- induced hearing loss (NIHL). Since hearing is so important to their career, they deserve special consideration. To avoid the deleterious effects of loud music, the professionals should be sensitized to the noise exposure and the use of strategies to prevent NIHL. The aim of the study is to determine the knowledge and attitude towards noise induced hearing disorders, and hearing conservative practices among professional musicians. Method: A KAP questionnaire was administered online to 136 professional musicians belonging to folk/ light music genre in Chennai. The participants were 115 males and 21 females, ranging in age from 18 to 75 years with the mean age of 29 (SD= 11). Results: The findings revealed that musicians were aware of the nature and cause of NIHL, but knowledge of NIHL prevention and treatment was limited to few. They had common misconceptions about the sources of harmful loud sounds, the effects of hearing loss, and hearing conservation strategies. Only a few participants reported to have used Ear Protective Devices (EPDs).  Conclusion: Although musicians are aware of the risks of exposure to loud noise, they seldom use hearing protection. It is therefore vital to provide crucial information regarding NIHL and its prevention and promote musicians for better hearing preservation practices

Ergonomic Design of Noseless Bicycle Saddle using UPVC/Silica-Aerogel

Introduction: During cycling most of the people suffer from perineal pain due to the pressure acting on the perineal area by the nose of the seat. Also Unsupported sitting on the saddle in a forward bending posture for longer time induce low back pain (LBP) among cyclists. So this paper presents the design of noseless bicycle seat with backrest using UPVC/Silica-Aerogel. Methods: This seat is designed as per the anthropometric dimensions of human body. Various parameters such as Lumbar position, seat tilt angle, seat position, backrest angle, seat height, backrest height, seat and backrest width are considered and the optimal value is determined while designing. The material chosen for the base of seat is UPVC/Silica- Aerogel composite and the cushioning material is chosen as polyurethene foam.  The design is executed in 3D modelling software and validated using FEA package. Results: The maximum stresses induced in the newly proposed material UPVC/Silica-Aerogel (4.41MPa) is lesser than its yield strength (59 MPa). The maximum anterior stress of noseless seat is found out to be 24.5 kPa which is lower than that of the saddle with nose (41 kPa). Conclusion: As the anterior stress of noseless seat is lesser, the perineal pressure of cyclists is greatly reduced and this decreases the health problems associated with the perineal pressure. Also the backrest of the seatpan enhances the supporting of back muscles and reduces LBP among cyclists

Practices of Personal Protective Measures against SARS-Cov-2 among Undergraduate Medical Students in South India

Introduction: The use of personal protective measures holds relevance despite mass immunization coverage of COVID-19 vaccination in the population. This is because vaccination only gives protection from severe COVID-19 and does not prevent the risk of infection. Medical students can be vital in training people in infection control practices. The study aimed to assess the practices of undergraduate medical students regarding personal protective measures against COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among first to final-year students at a private medical college in Mangalore. Data were collected using a Microsoft form. Results: The mean age of the 302 participants was 21.2±1.6 years. The majority of them were females [179 (59.3%)]. Face mask was worn by 295(97.7%) participants. Non-recommended types of face masks like using cloth masks [108 (36.6%)] and handkerchiefs [7 (2.4%)] were reported by participants. 35 (11.9%) of them wore the face mask incorrectly. Periodicity of replacement of disposable type masks was not done every day by 181(61.4%) participants. 142(48.1%) of them did not dispose of masks whenever they became moist on every occasion. Only 79 (26.8%) always practiced proper disposal of face masks. Hand sanitizer to disinfect hands was always used by 102 (33.8%) participants. Only 42 (13.9%) participants practiced correct practice of hygiene hand wash always. Only 58 (19.2%) participants had a good level of practice. Practice level was significantly poorer among males and first-year students. Conclusion: Several gaps in preventive practices against COVID-19 were identified, particularly among males and first-year students. These issues need to be addressed among medical students in future training programs

Assessment of work-life balance among married female healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital of Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: In the present century, women seem to flood into every industry/department on par with men with their knowledge and skill. The working woman’s job title, demands, and challenges she faces often result in incompatibilities between the necessities felt at the workplace and home leading to conflicts and loss of work-life balance (WLB). Eventually, a work-life balance is said to exist if the workplace and non-work domains have a proper compatibility. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study has been conducted among married female healthcare workers in the tertiary care hospital during the period November 2022 to April 2023. The healthcare workers included were Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacy staff, and lab technicians. A sample size 318 was derived and samples were drawn by stratified random sampling method. The chi-square test was employed to find an association in IBM SPSS v21. Results: Only 28.3% of the healthcare workers had adequate work-life balance and the majority (66 %) cited family factors as the key factor influencing their work-life balance. Statistically significant association (p<0.05) has been established for characteristics like occupation, marital status, type of family, presence of children, type of duty, place of work and travel time. Conclusion: A series of focus group discussions can be conducted as it serves as a forum for sharing ideas, concerns and information on work-life balance. Institutions can support their staff by developing flexible working schedules and also by ensuring that workplace demands are not penetrating their personal life

Riding to the Rescue: A Comprehensive Review of Health and Safety Measures in Ambulance Cars

Paramedics are registered health professionals in numerous countries. Whilst ambulance services must prioritize their patients, they also require personnel to be healthy to perform at their utmost to provide optimal patient care. Ambulance transport is associated with predictable and likely preventable occupant hazards. Ambulance services provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and shift work is known to be a risk factor for poor health. Working unsociable hours has detrimental consequences on the health and well-being of healthcare workers and can ultimately result in compromised patient care. Ambulance service utilization rates are high, with paramedics working in unpredictable environments, and undertaking complex clinical and manual handling tasks whilst caring for critically unwell patients; thus, there are several reasons postulated for poor health in this professional group. These include injuries, serious infections, high rates of musculoskeletal diseases, stress, and mental health problems. This review article aims to identify the occupational risks in an ambulance service, assess their impact on the health of employees, and explore control measures that can be implemented to reduce the risks and improve the safety of healthcare workers and patients

COVID-19 pandemic and perceived stress in Information Technology professionals

Introduction: Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a pandemic was declared by WHO on 11 March 2020. The lockdown had an evident impact on various sectors including the Information Technology sector. Few studies have been conducted to find out the levels of stress in Information Technology professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all employees of Information Technology companies were informed to work remotely at their homes without any prior information, training and mental acceptance i.e. ‘work from home’. Information technology professionals have occupational stress &working from home during COVID-19 has added mental stress. The present study was planned to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived stress in Information Technology professionals. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional observational study. Volunteers of the Information Technology sector (n=200) of either sex in the age group of 25 to 55 years participated in the study. PSS was administered through Google Forms and scores were analyzed. Results: The association of various stressors with PSS was done which showed a significantly positive association. The mean PSS score of subjects was 23.53 ± 7.39. Twelve (6%) employees had mild, twenty (60%) had moderate and sixty-eight (34%) had high stress levels. This study explored that IT professionals experienced an additional level of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The present study concluded statistically significant moderate levels of stress in IT professionals of either sex with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Laboratory Risk Analysis in a Branch Hospital: The L-type Matrix

Introduction: Laboratory workers are often exposed to various risk factors, which can be classified as biological, physical, chemical, psychosocial, and ergonomic. This study aims to conduct a risk analysis in the workers of microbiology and biochemistry laboratories of a branch hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye to identify occupational health and safety risks and provide recommendations for measures to be taken. Methods: The investigators conducted the risk analysis with a five-person team including occupational health and safety experts, a laboratory manager, and technicians. Risk assessments were performed using the L-type matrix 5x5 diagram. The level of risk was determined with the product of probability and severity. Results: Risk analysis in the microbiology laboratory showed ten risk factors. Three of them had moderate level scores as following "working with xylene", “continuous standing work” and "insufficient free space". The remaining risks have low-risk scores, including "working in a noisy environment, "microscope light and ambient light", "working with blood", "working with feces", "non-ergonomic chairs", "insufficient airflow in the environment" and "continuous presence in a closed space". In the biochemistry laboratory, four were classified as moderate risk, including working in constant standing, exposure to bodily fluids, blood tests for bacteria and viruses and non-ergonomic furniture. Conclusion: The priority should be to minimize the risks associated with contact with blood and body fluids. This could involve the implementation of strict safety measures and protocols, as well as providing appropriate personal protective equipment to all personnel who may encounter these fluids