Predicting trucking accidents with truck drivers 'safety climate perception across companies: A transfer learning approach

There is a rising interest in using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered safety analytics to predict accidents in the trucking industry. Companies may face the practical challenge, however, of not having enough data to develop good safety analytics models. Although pretrained models may offer a solution for such companies, existing safety research using transfer learning has mostly focused on computer vision and natural language processing, rather than accident analytics. To fill the above gap, we propose a pretrain-then-fine-tune transfer learning approach to help any company leverage other companies' data to develop AI models for a more accurate prediction of accident risk. We also develop SafeNet, a deep neural network algorithm for classification tasks suitable for accident prediction. Using the safety climate survey data from seven trucking companies with different data sizes, we show that our proposed approach results in better model performance compared to training the model from scratch using only the target company's data. We also show that for the transfer learning model to be effective, the pretrained model should be developed with larger datasets from diverse sources. The trucking industry may, thus, consider pooling safety analytics data from a wide range of companies to develop pretrained models and share them within the industry for better knowledge and resource transfer. The above contributions point to the promise of advanced safety analytics to make the industry safer and more sustainable.Comment: submitted to journal: accident analysis and preventio

An interpretable clustering approach to safety climate analysis: examining driver group distinction in safety climate perceptions

The transportation industry, particularly the trucking sector, is prone to workplace accidents and fatalities. Accidents involving large trucks accounted for a considerable percentage of overall traffic fatalities. Recognizing the crucial role of safety climate in accident prevention, researchers have sought to understand its factors and measure its impact within organizations. While existing data-driven safety climate studies have made remarkable progress, clustering employees based on their safety climate perception is innovative and has not been extensively utilized in research. Identifying clusters of drivers based on their safety climate perception allows the organization to profile its workforce and devise more impactful interventions. The lack of utilizing the clustering approach could be due to difficulties interpreting or explaining the factors influencing employees' cluster membership. Moreover, existing safety-related studies did not compare multiple clustering algorithms, resulting in potential bias. To address these issues, this study introduces an interpretable clustering approach for safety climate analysis. This study compares 5 algorithms for clustering truck drivers based on their safety climate perceptions. It proposes a novel method for quantitatively evaluating partial dependence plots (QPDP). To better interpret the clustering results, this study introduces different interpretable machine learning measures (SHAP, PFI, and QPDP). Drawing on data collected from more than 7,000 American truck drivers, this study significantly contributes to the scientific literature. It highlights the critical role of supervisory care promotion in distinguishing various driver groups. The Python code is available at https://github.com/NUS-DBE/truck-driver-safety-climate.Comment: Submitted to Journal:Accident Analysis and Preventio

Perception of slipperiness and prospective risk of slipping at work

Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of injury at work, and slipping is the predominant cause of falling. Prior research has suggested a modest correlation between objective measures (such as coefficient of friction, COF) and subjective measures of slipperiness (such as worker perceptions) in the workplace. However, the degree of association between subjective measures and the actual risk of slipping at the workplace is unknown. This study examined the association between perception of slipperiness and the risk of slipping. Methods: 475 workers from 36 limited-service restaurants participated in a 12-week prospective cohort study. At baseline, demographic information was collected, participants rated floor slipperiness in eight areas of the restaurant, and work environment factors, such as COF, were measured. Restaurant-level and area-level mean perceptions of slipperiness were calculated. Participants then reported their slip experience at work on a weekly basis for the next 12 weeks. The associations between perception of slipperiness and the rate of slipping were assessed. Results: Adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, education, primary language, mean COF, use of slip-resistant shoes, and restaurant chain, each 1-point increase in mean restaurant-level perception of slipperiness (4-point scale) was associated with a 2.71 times increase in the rate of slipping (95% CI 1.25 to 5.87). Results were similar for area-level perception within the restaurant (rate ratios (RR) 2.92, 95% CI 2.41 to 3.54). Conclusions: Perceptions of slipperiness and the subsequent rate of slipping were strongly associated. These findings suggest that safety professionals, risk managers and employers could use aggregated worker perceptions of slipperiness to identify slipping hazards and, potentially, to assess intervention effectiveness

Internet and telephonic IVR mixed-mode survey for longitudinal studies: Choice, retention, and data equivalency

Purpose This study examined data equivalency and loss to follow-up rates from Internet and interactive voice response (IVR) system surveys in a prospective-cohort study. Methods 475 limited-service restaurant workers participating in the 12-week study were given a choice to report their weekly slipping experience by either IVR or Internet. Demographic differences, loss to follow-up, self-reported rates of slipping, and selection of first and last choices were compared. Results Loss to follow-up rates were slightly higher for those choosing the IVR mode. Rates of slipping and selection of first and last choices were not significantly different between survey modes. Propensity to choose an Internet survey decreased with increasing age, and was the lowest among Spanish speakers (5%) and those with less than a high school education (14%). Conclusions Studies relying solely on Internet-based data collection may lead to selective exclusion of certain populations. Findings suggest that Internet and IVR may be combined as survey modalities within longitudinal studies

The Job Accommodation Scale (JAS): Psychometric Evaluation of a New Measure of Employer Support for Temporary Job Modifications

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9508-7An employer offer of temporary job modification is a key strategy for facilitating return-to-work for musculoskeletal conditions, but there are no validated scales to assess the level of support for temporary job modifications across a range of job types and organizations. Objective To pilot test a new 21-item self-report measure [the Job Accommodation Scale (JAS)] to assess its applicability, internal consistency, factor structure, and relation to physical job demands. Methods Supervisors (N = 804, 72.8 % male, mean age = 46) were recruited from 19 employment settings in the USA and Canada and completed a 30-min online survey regarding job modification practices. As part of the survey, supervisors nominated and described a job position they supervised and completed the JAS for a hypothetical worker (in that position) with an episode of low back pain. Job characteristics were derived from the occupational informational network job classification database. Results The full response range (1–4) was utilized on all 21 items, with no ceiling or floor effects. Avoiding awkward postures was the most feasible accommodation and moving the employee to a different site or location was the least feasible. An exploratory factor analysis suggested five underlying factors (Modify physical workload; Modify work environment; Modify work schedule; Find alternate work; and Arrange for assistance), and there was an acceptable goodness-of-fit for the five parceled sub-factor scores as a single latent construct in a measurement model (structural equation model). Job accommodations were less feasible for more physical jobs and for heavier industries. Conclusions The pilot administration of the JAS with respect to a hypothetical worker with low back pain showed initial support for its applicability, reliability, and validity when administered to supervisors. Future studies should assess its validity for use in actual disability cases, for a range of health conditions, and to assess different stakeholder opinions about the feasibility of job accommodation strategies.This research was supported by CIHR Grant MOP-102571, Supervisors’ perspectives on accommodating back injured workers: a mixed-methods study (PI: V Kristman) and by intramural research funding (Project LMRIS 09-01) of the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety (PI: W Shaw).http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9508-

Preventing Slips and Falls through Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Findings from a Study of Limited-Service Restaurants

Background/Objective Physical activity has been shown to be beneficial at improving health in some medical conditions and in preventing injury. Epidemiologic studies suggest that physical activity is one factor associated with a decreased risk for slips and falls in the older (≥65 years) adult population. While the risk of slips and falls is generally lower in younger than in older adults; little is known of the relative contribution of physical activity in preventing slips and falls in younger adults. We examined whether engagement in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was protective of slips and falls among a younger/middle-aged (≤50 years old) working population. Methods: 475 workers from 36 limited-service restaurants in six states in the U.S. were recruited to participate in a prospective cohort study of workplace slipping. Information on LTPA was collected at the time of enrollment. Participants reported their slip experience and work hours weekly for up to 12 weeks. We investigated the association between the rate of slipping and the rate of major slipping (i.e., slips that resulted in a fall and/or injury) and LTPA for workers 50 years of age and younger (n = 433, range 18–50 years old) using a multivariable negative binomial generalized estimating equation model. Results: The rate of major slips among workers who engaged in moderate (Adjusted Rate Ratio (RR) = 0.65; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = [0.18–2.44]) and vigorous (RR = 0.64; 95%CI = [0.18–2.26]) LTPA, while non-significant, were approximately one-third lower than the rate of major slips among less active workers. Conclusion: While not statistically significant, the results suggest a potential association between engagement in moderate and vigorous LTPA and the rate of major slips in younger adults. Additional studies that examine the role of occupational and non-occupational physical activity on the risk of slips, trips and falls among younger and middle aged adults appear warranted

Leisure-Time Physical Activity, Falls, and Fall Injuries in Middle-Aged Adults.

Introduction Although exercise and strength training have been shown to be protective against falls in older adults (aged 65 years and older), evidence for the role of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in the prevention of falls and resulting injuries in middle-aged adults (aged 45–64 years) is lacking. In the present study, we investigate the association between self-reported engagement in LTPA and the frequency of falls and fall-related injuries among middle-aged and older adults, while controlling for key sociodemographic and health characteristics. Methods Nationally representative data from the 2010 U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey were analyzed in April 2014 to examine the number of adults aged ≥45 years who self-reported their fall experience in the previous 3 months and any injuries that resulted from those falls. We then evaluated the association between LTPA and self-reported falls and injuries across three age strata (45–54, 55–64, and ≥65 years). The two main self-reported outcome measures were (1) frequency of falls in the 3 months prior to the survey interview date and (2) the number of injuries resulting from these falls. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs were calculated using Poisson regression models with robust SEs. Results Of 340,680 survey participants aged ≥45 years, 70.7% reported engaging in LTPA, and 17% reported one or more falls. Among those reporting a fall within 3 months, 25.6% experienced one injurious fall (fall resulting in an injury) and 8.4% reported two or more injurious falls. Controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics, among adults aged 45–54 years, those who engaged in LTPA were significantly less likely to report one fall (PR=0.90, 95% CI=0.81, 0.99); two or more falls (PR=0.84, 95% CI=0.77, 0.93); one injurious fall (PR=0.88, 95% CI=0.78, 0.99); and two or more injurious falls (PR=0.69, 95% CI=0.58, 0.83) than those who did not exercise. A similar protective effect of LTPA on reporting falls and injuries was noted for adults aged 55–64 and ≥65 years. Conclusions Similar to older adults, middle-aged adults who engage in LTPA report fewer falls and fall-related injuries. Upon further confirmation of the relationship between LTPA and falls among middle-aged adults, fall prevention interventions could be developed for this population

Cardiovascular disease risk: it is complicated, but race and ethnicity are key, a Bayesian network analysis

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite the complexity of cardiovascular disease etiology, we do not fully comprehend the interactions between non-modifiable factors (e.g., age, sex, and race) and modifiable risk factors (e.g., health behaviors and occupational exposures).ObjectiveWe examined proximal and distal drivers of cardiovascular disease and elucidated the interactions between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.MethodsWe used a machine learning approach on four cohorts (2005–2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to examine the effects of risk factors on cardiovascular risk quantified by the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE). We estimated a network of risk factors, computed their strength centrality, closeness, and betweenness centrality, and computed a Bayesian network embodied in a directed acyclic graph.ResultsIn addition to traditional factors such as body mass index and physical activity, race and ethnicity and exposure to heavy metals are the most adjacent drivers of PCE. In addition to the factors directly affecting PCE, sleep complaints had an immediate adverse effect on FRS. Exposure to heavy metals is the link between race and ethnicity and FRS.ConclusionHeavy metal exposures and race/ethnicity have similar proximal effects on cardiovascular disease risk as traditional clinical and lifestyle risk factors, such as physical activity and body mass. Our findings support the inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic groups in all cardiovascular research and the consideration of the social environment in clinical decision-making

Etiological Profile and Treatment Outcome of Epistaxis at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: A Prospective Review of 104 Cases.

Epistaxis is the commonest otolaryngological emergency affecting up to 60% of the population in their lifetime, with 6% requiring medical attention. There is paucity of published data regarding the management of epistaxis in Tanzania, especially the study area. This study was conducted to describe the etiological profile and treatment outcome of epistaxis at Bugando Medical Centre, a tertiary care hospital in Northwestern Tanzania. This was a prospective descriptive study of the cases of epistaxis managed at Bugando Medical Centre from January 2008 to December 2010. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS computer software version 15. A total of 104 patients with epistaxis were studied. Males were affected twice more than the females (2.7:1). Their mean age was 32.24 ± 12.54 years (range 4 to 82 years). The modal age group was 31-40 years. The commonest cause of epistaxis was trauma (30.8%) followed by idiopathic (26.9%) and hypertension (17.3%). Anterior nasal bleeding was noted in majority of the patients (88.7%). Non surgical measures such as observation alone (40.4%) and anterior nasal packing (38.5%) were the main intervention methods in 98.1% of cases. Surgical measures mainly intranasal tumor resection was carried out in 1.9% of cases. Arterial ligation and endovascular embolization were not performed. Complication rate was 3.8%. The overall mean of hospital stay was 7.2 ± 1.6 days (range 1 to 24 days). Five patients died giving a mortality rate of 4.8%. Trauma resulting from road traffic crush (RTC) remains the most common etiological factor for epistaxis in our setting. Most cases were successfully managed with conservative (non-surgical) treatment alone and surgical intervention with its potential complications may not be necessary in most cases and should be the last resort. Reducing the incidence of trauma from RTC will reduce the incidence of emergency epistaxis in our centre

A Model of Antecedents of Work-Family Conflict for Dual-Earner Couples in the Sandwiched Generation: A Longitudinal Study

This dissertation integrates theory and research in the examination of the antecedents of work-family conflict for dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation. In a continuation of Frone, Yardly and Markel\u27s (1997) study, this dissertation uses longitudinal data to test the mediating effects of job and family satisfaction variables on the relationship between the antecedent variables and work-family conflict, and between work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict. Because Frone et al.\u27s 1997 model was examined using cross-sectional data, this dissertation provides a more stringent test of the model of the work-family interface. Two waves of mailed surveys were collected from 234 couples (309 couples total returned the first wave of survey) to assess the changes over time. The analytical steps for determining mediating effects in this dissertation followed suggestions by Baron and Kenny (1986). Two revised models, one for husbands and one for wives, were developed based on the findings from testing mediating effects, and tested using covariance structural modeling. A system dynamics model representing work-family conflict was constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of applying system dynamics to work-family conflict and other related problems. The results indicated: (a) some work conditions were indirect predictors of work-to-family conflict and the relationships were mediated by job satisfaction level, while some showed direct effects on work-to-family conflict and others showed no effects; (b) for both wives and husbands, this study provided less support for the relationships between family conditions and family-to-work conflict compared to the relationships between work conditions and work-to-family conflict, and (c) no mediating effects of job satisfaction or family satisfaction on the relationships between the two forms of work-family conflict were found for either husbands or wives, contrary to the indirect relationships suggested by Frone et al., 1997. Contributions, implications and limitations of this study are discussed