Validity and reliability of a wearable insole pressure system for measuring gait parameters to identify safety hazards in construction

Purpose Construction workers are frequently exposed to safety hazards on sites. Wearable sensing systems (e.g. wearable inertial measurement units (WIMUs), wearable insole pressure system (WIPS)) have been used to collect workers' gait patterns for distinguishing safety hazards. However, the performance of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters for identifying safety hazards as compared to a reference system (i.e. WIMUs) has not been studied. Therefore, this study examined the validity and reliability of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters as compared to WIMU-based gait parameters for distinguishing safety hazards in construction. Design/methodology/approach Five fall-risk events were conducted in a laboratory setting, and the performance of the proposed approach was assessed by calculating the mean difference (MD), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of five gait parameters. Findings Comparable results of MD, MAE, MAPE and RMSE were found between WIPS-based gait parameters and the reference system. Furthermore, all measured gait parameters had validity (ICC = 0.751) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.910) closer to 1, indicating a good performance of measuring WIPS-based gait parameters for distinguishing safety hazards. Research limitations/implications Overall, this study supports the relevance of developing a WIPS as a noninvasive wearable sensing system for identifying safety hazards on construction sites, thus highlighting the usefulness of its applications for construction safety research. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the performance of a wearable insole pressure system for identifying safety hazards in construction

Development of a Fall Risk Asessment Tool Using Gait Analysis

In the United States, falls are one of the leading causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries for people of all ages. Current clinical methods to assess fall risk are impractical, and often do not use individuals’ actual performance. With current technological advances, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the tools are available to create a digital system that can take into account an individual’s actual performance in making a fall risk assessment. A digital insole based sensory computing system can collect and analyze human gait patterns to develop a fall risk assessment platform with great accuracy.The presented research considers current clinical methods and describes a computerized self-service platform that successfully addresses different gait variables and metrics critical to accurate fall risk assessment. The system incorporates a shoe insole with pressure sensors, and an accelerometer. Collected foot data are transferred to an analytics visualization platform. A wide range of gait pattern recognition metrics, and gait data analyses features are then displayed on the platform enabling specific fall risk assessment

Effects of load carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters during a manual material handling task

Purpose: Since construction workers often need to carry various types of loads in their daily routine, they are at risk of sustaining musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, carrying a load during walking may disturb their walking balance and lead to fall injuries among construction workers. Different load carrying techniques may also cause different extents of physical exertion. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different load-carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters in asymptomatic individuals on both stable and unstable surfaces. Design/methodology/approach: Fifteen asymptomatic male participants (mean age: 31.5 ± 2.6 years) walked along an 8-m walkway on flat and foam surfaces with and without a load thrice using three different techniques (e.g. load carriage on the head, on the dominant shoulder, and in both hands). Temporal gait parameters (e.g. gait speed, cadence, and double support time), gait symmetry (e.g. step time, stance time, and swing time symmetry), and dynamic balance parameters [e.g. anteroposterior and mediolateral center of pressure (CoP) displacement, and CoP velocity] were evaluated. Additionally, the heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA) was assessed to estimate physiological parameters.  Findings: The gait speed was significantly higher when the load was carried in both hands compared to other techniques (Hand load, 1.02 ms vs Head load, 0.82 ms vs Shoulder load, 0.78 ms). Stride frequency was significantly decreased during load carrying on the head than the load in both hands (46.5 vs 51.7 strides/m). Step, stance, and swing time symmetry were significantly poorer during load carrying on the shoulder than the load in both hands (Step time symmetry ration, 1.10 vs 1.04; Stance time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.05; Swing time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.04). The anteroposterior (Shoulder load, 17.47 mm vs Head load, 21.10 mm vs Hand load, −5.10 mm) and mediolateral CoP displacements (Shoulder load, −0.57 mm vs Head load, −1.53 mm vs Hand load, −3.37 ms) significantly increased during load carrying on the shoulder or head compared to a load in both hands. The HR (Head load, 85.2 beats/m vs Shoulder load, 77.5 beats/m vs No load, 69.5 beats/m) and EDA (Hand load, 14.0 µS vs Head load, 14.3 µS vs Shoulder load, 14.1 µS vs No load, 9.0 µS) were significantly larger during load carrying than no load.  Research limitations/implications: The findings suggest that carrying loads in both hands yields better gait symmetry and dynamic balance than carrying loads on the dominant shoulder or head. Construction managers/instructors should recommend construction workers to carry loads in both hands to improve their gait symmetry and dynamic balance and to lower their risk of falls.  Practical implications: The potential changes in gait and balance parameters during various load carrying methods will aid the assessment of fall risk in construction workers during loaded walking. Wearable insole sensors that monitor gait and balance in real-time would enable safety managers to identify workers who are at risk of falling during load carriage due to various reasons (e.g. physical exertion, improper carrying techniques, fatigue). Such technology can also empower them to take the necessary steps to prevent falls.  Originality/value: This is the first study to use wearable insole sensors and a photoplethysmography device to assess the impacts of various load carrying approaches on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological measures (i.e. HR and EDA) while walking on stable and unstable terrains

Effects of load carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters during a manual material handling task

Purpose: Since construction workers often need to carry various types of loads in their daily routine, they are at risk of sustaining musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, carrying a load during walking may disturb their walking balance and lead to fall injuries among construction workers. Different load carrying techniques may also cause different extents of physical exertion. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different load-carrying techniques on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological parameters in asymptomatic individuals on both stable and unstable surfaces. Design/methodology/approach: Fifteen asymptomatic male participants (mean age: 31.5 ± 2.6 years) walked along an 8-m walkway on flat and foam surfaces with and without a load thrice using three different techniques (e.g. load carriage on the head, on the dominant shoulder, and in both hands). Temporal gait parameters (e.g. gait speed, cadence, and double support time), gait symmetry (e.g. step time, stance time, and swing time symmetry), and dynamic balance parameters [e.g. anteroposterior and mediolateral center of pressure (CoP) displacement, and CoP velocity] were evaluated. Additionally, the heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA) was assessed to estimate physiological parameters. Findings: The gait speed was significantly higher when the load was carried in both hands compared to other techniques (Hand load, 1.02 ms vs Head load, 0.82 ms vs Shoulder load, 0.78 ms). Stride frequency was significantly decreased during load carrying on the head than the load in both hands (46.5 vs 51.7 strides/m). Step, stance, and swing time symmetry were significantly poorer during load carrying on the shoulder than the load in both hands (Step time symmetry ration, 1.10 vs 1.04; Stance time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.05; Swing time symmetry ratio, 1.11 vs 1.04). The anteroposterior (Shoulder load, 17.47 mm vs Head load, 21.10 mm vs Hand load, −5.10 mm) and mediolateral CoP displacements (Shoulder load, −0.57 mm vs Head load, −1.53 mm vs Hand load, −3.37 ms) significantly increased during load carrying on the shoulder or head compared to a load in both hands. The HR (Head load, 85.2 beats/m vs Shoulder load, 77.5 beats/m vs No load, 69.5 beats/m) and EDA (Hand load, 14.0 µS vs Head load, 14.3 µS vs Shoulder load, 14.1 µS vs No load, 9.0 µS) were significantly larger during load carrying than no load. Research limitations/implications: The findings suggest that carrying loads in both hands yields better gait symmetry and dynamic balance than carrying loads on the dominant shoulder or head. Construction managers/instructors should recommend construction workers to carry loads in both hands to improve their gait symmetry and dynamic balance and to lower their risk of falls. Practical implications: The potential changes in gait and balance parameters during various load carrying methods will aid the assessment of fall risk in construction workers during loaded walking. Wearable insole sensors that monitor gait and balance in real-time would enable safety managers to identify workers who are at risk of falling during load carriage due to various reasons (e.g. physical exertion, improper carrying techniques, fatigue). Such technology can also empower them to take the necessary steps to prevent falls. Originality/value: This is the first study to use wearable insole sensors and a photoplethysmography device to assess the impacts of various load carrying approaches on gait parameters, dynamic balance, and physiological measures (i.e. HR and EDA) while walking on stable and unstable terrains

A BIM-based Approach for Predictive Safety Planning in the Construction Industry

The number of safety incidents in the construction industry is higher than that in most of the other industries. These safety incidents can be attributed to a lack of information and training. The new line of thinking in management has been moving toward predictive decision-making methods with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). In this regard, the construction industry has been lagging on embracing modern management concepts. Hence, it is vital to re-engineer construction management to be on par with industries such as manufacturing. Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be recognized as the most promising technology that is introduced to the construction sector in the recent past. The information contained in a BIM model can be manipulated to aid construction safety management. This research presents BIM-based methods for predictive safety planning in the construction industry. At first, a comprehensive review of construction management challenges was conducted. This review revealed that although there are some studies regarding BIM-based predictive decision-making, still some knowledge gaps can be mentioned in the safety management of construction workers and building residents. To address the mentioned challenges, at first, this study integrates BIM with fuzzy logic to improve predictive safety planning to reduce the safety incidents in the construction projects. A Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) was developed based on the causality of safety incidents. The FIS extracts construction project data from BIM models while automatically assessing the risk of each potential hazard and also the total risk of a project. The proposed method enables construction managers to prevent construction incidents and enhance the health and safety of construction workers. Furthermore, this study develops a methodological framework for rule checking and the safety-focused ruleset for BIM-enabled building construction projects in Ontario, Canada. Identified safety standards were defined in Solibri Model checker software as a ruleset. The outcomes of this section will ensure the occupant’s safety through a proper design. Moreover, the findings of this will support promoting BIM in the Canadian construction industry

Enabling an ageing workforce: Using design to innovate the workplace and empower older workers

Australia’s population is ageing, but with enhanced health prospects and insufficient retirement funds, and industries impacted by a dwindling itinerate manual labour supply, workers will want, and may need, to remain in the workforce for longer. However, as people age, they lose muscular strength, experience a decline in physical and cognitive performance, and are more vulnerable to muscular-skeletal issues caused by repetitive or awkward movement patterns. Consequently, ageing workers in occupations that require sustained physical activities are at increased risk of injury and exacerbated physical decline and may experience ageist discrimination in the workplace that impacts their psychological wellbeing. This research, Enabling an Ageing Workforce, recognises the issues facing the older worker across a range of different workplace contexts and asks the question: How can design and new technologies address the compounding factors of an ageing (working) population and enable older workers to continue to be productive and effective whilst ensuring their personal wellbeing? Enabling an Ageing Workforce’ is a collaborative research and design project between RMIT University’s ‘Safeness by Design’ initiative and the Innovation Centre of WorkSafe Victoria. This project investigates ageing, wellbeing, and workplace safeness within specific industries to identify areas of concern, opportunities for design intervention, and the proposal of future-focused design solutions. The researchers conduct a substantial scope of enquiry, while concurrently undertaking a partnered design studio with Industrial Design students, to develop and respond with appropriate design solutions. The research identifies that safeness issues exist across specific industry contexts because of workplace culture, practices and predominant behaviours, specific work actions and activities, workplace design, economic and time pressures, and poor risk literacy, training and awareness. The design studio component sees students addressing research-identified issues across many industry sectors and workplace contexts to: • prevent musculoskeletal issues in healthcare workers in the homecare environment, • correct harmful movement behaviours in manufacturing environments, • support older workers in manual tasks, through assistive technologies, • address mental health in the construction industry, • reduce ladder injuries in the residential construction industry, • reduce vibration related injuries in the agricultural sector. This research reveals insights into how a ‘safeness by design’ lens can enable an ageing Australian workforce. Such an approach needs to balance pre-emptive and reactive safety measures, focusing on creating a safe and supportive working environment for all workers. Whilst it is important to support older workers to reduce risk or injury and to promote their capability and performance, enabling longevity, it is also critical to implement measures that protect younger workers from unsafe workplace behaviours, processes and expectations that can lead to longer-term impairment, and may result in them leaving that industry prematurely

Proceedings of the West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference 2021

FOREWORD: I would like to welcome each participant to the WABER 2021 Conference. Since its inception in 2009, the WABER Conference series has done a great deal to nurture and support researchers, initially in West Africa, also, in other parts of Africa and elsewhere. I would like to thank all delegates for your participation which enables us to keep this Conference going. The WABER Conference enjoys a positive international reputation and has continued to grow from strength to strength over the past 13 years. For this, I would like to thank our team, keynote speakers and participants over the years for every contribution you have made to the success of this Conference. This year's Conference has an excellent programme, line up of speakers and authors. I would like to thank and commend the authors of all 72 papers in this Conference proceedings. If the research paper writing process was compared to a marathon, the authors of the 72 papers in this publication would be adjudged as the ones who have endured and finished the race. We opened the call for papers for this Conference in December 2020 and over 100 abstracts were submitted by authors. However, it is one thing to propose to write a paper, and it is quite another thing to actually write the paper. Therefore, I would like to thank and congratulate all authors who succeeded in completing the process of getting published in this conference proceedings. It is befitting that we have an excellent range of interesting topics in the 72 papers to be discussed at this conference. We are honoured to welcome Professor Charles Egbu, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University, to give us a special opening address. In the three days of this conference, we will have various plenary presentations by experienced international academics and I would like to thank and welcome each of them below. Professor Albert Chan Richard Lorch Professor Taibat Lawanson Professor Dato’ Sri Ar Dr Asiah Abdul Rahim Professor George Ofori. In addition to these speakers, we have other interesting sessions on the programme including a special session for doctoral students and supervisors several other experienced speakers addressing various topics that should be of interest to many of us. I would like to thank all members of the organising team particularly Associate Professor Emmanuel Essah, Dr Yakubu Aminu Dodo and Dr Sam Moveh for their efforts which has helped to organise this Conference successfully. I would also like to thank all of our reviewers particularly Associate Professor Emmanuel Essah and Dr Haruna Moda for the considerable time and effort spent reviewing and checking all papers to ensure a high standard of quality. The WABER Conference Team always plays an excellent role in the success of our events and I would like to thank and appreciate the contributions of Florence, Sam Boakye, Victor Ayitey and his team, Kwesi Kwofie and Issah Abdul Rahman to the success of this Conference. I hope you enjoy our first hybrid conference and engage with our exciting speakers on the diverse topics that will be covered over the three days of this Conference