Ergonomics of the Operative Field in Paediatric Minimal Access Surgery

Imperial Users onl

Developing an Intervention Toolbox for the Common Health Problems in the Workplace

Development of the Health ↔ Work Toolbox is described. The toolbox aims to reduce the workplace impact of common health problems (musculoskeletal, mental health, and stress complaints) by focusing on tackling work-relevant symptoms. Based on biopsychosocial principles this toolbox supplements current approaches by occupying the zone between primary prevention and healthcare. It provides a set of evidence-informed principles and processes (knowledge + tools) for tackling work-relevant common health problems. The toolbox comprises a proactive element aimed at empowering line managers to create good jobs, and a ‘just in time’ responsive element for supporting individuals struggling with a work-relevant health problem. The key intention is helping people with common health problems to maintain work participation. The extensive conceptual and practical development process, including a comprehensive evidence review, produced a functional prototype toolbox that is evidence based and flexible in its use. End-user feedback was mostly positive. Moving the prototype to a fully-fledged internet resource requires specialist design expertise. The Health ↔ Work Toolbox appears to have potential to contribute to the goal of augmenting existing primary prevention strategies and healthcare delivery by providing a more comprehensive workplace approach to constraining sickness absence

An inquiry into the theory, causes and consequences of monitoring indicators of health and safety at work

This paper engages in an interdisciplinary survey of the current state of knowledge related to the theory, determinants and consequences of occupational safety and health (OSH). First, it synthesizes the available theoretical frameworks used by economists and psychologists to understand the issues related to the optimal provision of OSH in the labour market. Second, it reviews the academic literature investigating the correlates of a comprehensive set of OSH indicators, which portray the state of OSH infrastructure (social security expenditure, prevention, regulations), inputs (chemical and physical agents, ergonomics, working time, violence) and outcomes (injuries, illnesses, absenteeism, job satisfaction) within workplaces. Third, it explores the implications of the lack of OSH in terms of the economic and social costs that are entailed. Finally, the survey identifies areas of future research interests and suggests priorities for policy initiatives that can improve the health and safety of workers

An Inquiry into the Theory, Causes and Consequences of Monitoring Indicators of Health and Safety at Work

This paper engages in an interdisciplinary survey of the current state of knowledge related to the theory, determinants and consequences of occupational safety and health (OSH). First, it synthesizes the available theoretical frameworks used by economists and psychologists to understand the issues related to the optimal provision of OSH in the labour market. Second, it reviews the academic literature investigating the correlates of a comprehensive set of OSH indicators, which portray the state of OSH infrastructure (social security expenditure, prevention, regulations), inputs (chemical and physical agents, ergonomics, working time, violence) and outcomes (injuries, illnesses, absenteeism, job satisfaction) within workplaces. Third, it explores the implications of the lack of OSH in terms of the economic and social costs that are entailed. Finally, the survey identifies areas of future research interests and suggests priorities for policy initiatives that can improve the health and safety of workers.health, safety, indicators, accidents, diseases, absenteeism

Work-related upper limb disorder:- An investigative study

The primary aim of occupational health staff within a manufacturing company is to ensure the health and well being of the employees are safeguarded. The aim may be difficult to achieve as it goes directly against the ethos of business, i.e. making money. It is the researcher's experience that company owners, especially Far Eastern owners, are disinclined to introduce health and safety measures that cost money. The study is conducted in an electronic company (Company X) in the northeast of England, owned by foreign nationals. Retrospective examination of accident, sickness and absenteeism records reveal that work-related upper limb disorder (WRULD) is apparent and upper limb discomfort is a significant problem in Соmpany X. Research shows that the principle of job rotation tends to reduce fatigue and the incidence of WRULD, consequently sickness and absenteeism and labour turnover will also be reduced. In Company X physiological stress to the limb is highly relevant to the production line workers, based on case studies of employees with work-related upper limb disorder. This led to conducting a study of two sites building different electrical equipment. 80 employees participated in the study which involved monitoring the employees on six paced production lines in the Personal Computer Monitor factory PCM which included seven teams and employees in five teams on four production lines in the Microwave Oven Factory. A semi paced line, the Bent Tool Machine BTM in MWO were also involved in the job rotation experiment. Discomfort scale measurements were administered to all that took part and an extra objective measurement of grip strength was provided by the employees in the BTM to provide information on fatigue. A comparison between grip strength and discomfort was analysed for any con-elation. The main data collection took place between September and December 2000.There is some evidence that the differences in discomfort is caused by job rotation as where job rotation was taking place the employees in the study had lower levels of discomfort than those on non- rotational duties. In the CDT prep job PCM where job rotation was taking place a comparison between job rotation and the non-rotation group with regard to discomfort in body parts differed (Fisher's exact test, p=0.05).The job action analysis that was designed specifically for the production line environment allowed comparisons of upper limb score for different jobs. It would appear that regular job analysis should be introduced as a matter of practice in Company X in the future. The study demonstrated the importance of prevention and innovation ergonomics and there was evidence to suggest that the occupational health department should adopt an active role in the future for the benefit of the employees and the financial survival of the Company

Investigation of an emotional virtual human modelling method

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.In order to simulate virtual humans more realistically and enable them life-like behaviours, several exploration research on emotion calculation, synthetic perception, and decision making process have been discussed. A series of sub-modules have been designed and simulation results have been presented with discussion. A visual based synthetic perception system has been proposed in this thesis, which allows virtual humans to detect the surrounding virtual environment through a collision-based synthetic vision system. It enables autonomous virtual humans to change their emotion states according to stimuli in real time. The synthetic perception system also allows virtual humans to remember limited information within their own First-in-first-out short-term virtual memory. The new emotion generation method includes a novel hierarchical emotion structure and a group of emotion calculation equations, which enables virtual humans to perform emotionally in real-time according to their internal and external factors. Emotion calculation equations used in this research were derived from psychologic emotion measurements. Virtual humans can utilise the information in virtual memory and emotion calculation equations to generate their own numerical emotion states within the hierarchical emotion structure. Those emotion states are important internal references for virtual humans to adopt appropriate behaviours and also key cues for their decision making. The work introduces a dynamic emotional motion database structure for virtual human modelling. When developing realistic virtual human behaviours, lots of subjects were motion-captured whilst performing emotional motions with or without intent. The captured motions were endowed to virtual characters and implemented in different virtual scenarios to help evoke and verify design ideas, possible consequences of simulation (such as fire evacuation). This work also introduced simple heuristics theory into decision making process in order to make the virtual human’s decision making more like real human. Emotion values are proposed as a group of the key cues for decision making under the simple heuristic structures. A data interface which connects the emotion calculation and the decision making structure together has also been designed for the simulation system

Integrating Ergonomics with Lean Six Sigma on a meal solutions industrial kitchen

The integration of Ergonomics with Lean and Six Sigma are the foundations of this dissertation. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) philosophy has already proven its worth through several successful implementations in the most varied kind of industry. Several researchers are complementing Lean Six Sigma values and prepositions with other disciplines, so that improvement doesn’t concern only the processes flow, but also the entire ecosystem with it. Therefore, Ergonomics integrates perfectly with LSS, not only in a sense of concerning about employees while LSS concerns about processes, but also helping to improve efficiency. It should be integrated on the core of every company’s management team. This dissertation focuses on studying the production system of an Industrial Kitchen which produces ready-to-eat (RTE) meals for Pingo Doce retailer. The aim was to apply Ergonomics, Lean and Six Sigma’s principles in an integrated form, in order to improve the Kitchen’s productivity and efficiency. The HACCP standards are crucial in a food industry of this kind so were, therefore, considered at all times. The methodology utilized was a holistic approach of the DMAIC cycle, including Ergonomics in all stages and HACCP especially in the Improve phase. This case study brought added value to the company by achieving the initially proposed goals, regarding elimination of waste and productivity increase by 16% in 2015 vs 2014 results, always focusing on the well-being of employees. The operational costs decreased 18%, overcoming the initially set goal of 6%. Developing this project has made it possible to understand the applicability of the utilized methodology and the impact it may have in all kinds of industries, as well as its limitations. The DMAIC cycle, together with all the other LSS implemented tools, proved their worth when it comes to planning and implementing a project of this kind. They are simple to apply and highly effective. The approached theme – and the integration of other disciplines with LSS – should be applied in different industries, so that broader conclusions can be made while continuously improving the implementation strategy and proving its value

Occupational Safety and Health: навчальний посібник з англійської мови для здобувачів ступеня вищої освіти заочної форми навчання зі спеціальності 263 «Цивільна безпека»

Навчальний посібник складається з 11 блоків, що включають англомовні наукові автентичні тексти, пов’язані з питаннями охорони праці та безпеки життєдіяльності. Кожен розділ закінчується тестовими завданнями на перевірку засвоєного матеріалу та інформаційно- розважальним блоком. Для полегшення роботи з даним навчальним посібником і кращої орієнтації здобувачів вищої освіти у навчальному матеріалі, що є важливим фактором успішного засвоєння знань , усі заняття у навчальному посібнику мають єдину структуру. При підготовці навчального посібника були використані матеріали різних спеціалізованих видань, що містять сучасні оригінальні тексти, монографії; електронні ресурси. Навчальний посібник розраховано на здобувачів ступеню вищої освіти «Бакалавр» у закладах вищої освіти ІІІ-ІV рівня акредитації