Prevention of Falls from Heights in Construction Using an IoT System Based on Fuzzy Markup Language and JFML

The main cause of fatal accidents in the construction sector are falls from height (FFH) and the inappropriate use of a harness is commonly associated with these fatalities. Traditional methods, such as onsite inspections, safety communication, or safety training, are not enough to mitigate accidents caused by FFH associated with a poor management in the use of a harness. Although some technological solutions for the automated monitoring of workers could improve safety conditions, their use is not frequent due to the particularities of construction sites: complexity, dynamic environments, outdoor workplaces, etc. Then, the integration of expert knowledge with technology is a key issue. Fuzzy logic systems (FLS) and Internet of Things (IoT) present many potential benefits, such as real-time decisions being made based on FLS and data from sensors. In the current research, the development and test of an IoT system integrated with the Java Fuzzy Markup Language Library for FLS, to support experts’ decision making in FFH, is proposed. The proposal was checked in four construction scenarios based on working conditions with different levels of risk of FFH and obtained promising results.Universidad de Malaga Plan Propio-Universidad de MalagaSpanish GovernmentEuropean Commission RTI2018-098371-B-I0

Carpooling systems for commuting among teachers: an expert panel analysis of their barriers and incentives

Sustainable mobility is a current challenge in our society. Research shows that carpooling systems are potential solutions that could mitigate environmental pollution and urban congestion and provide cost savings for their users. Despite their potential benefits, the levels of carpooling practices among some occupations could be improved. Teachers are suitable for carpooling experiences due to their specific working conditions (e.g., timetables, destinations changes, path matches); however, there is no research solely focused on teachers. Thus, the current research aimed to analyze the barriers and incentives for teachers using carpooling systems for commuting. A panel member was selected following the staticized group technique. Panelists were surveyed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of carpooling. Results showed that fuel savings were considered by the expert panel as the most important incentive for carpooling. For short distances, carpooling was not considered the best commuting option. Additionally, the increase in travel time and loss of personal independence were identified as relevant barriers. Based on the opinions of experts, it can be concluded that carpooling barriers outweigh the incentives for the commuting of teachers. To promote carpooling practices, institutional mobility plans with advantages for carpoolers could improve the teachers’ perceptions about carpooling. Future carpooling strategies should consider these results to promote incentives and address the identified barriers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prevention of Falls from Heights in Construction Using an IoT System Based on Fuzzy Markup Language and JFML

The main cause of fatal accidents in the construction sector are falls from height (FFH) and the inappropriate use of a harness is commonly associated with these fatalities. Traditional methods, such as onsite inspections, safety communication, or safety training, are not enough to mitigate accidents caused by FFH associated with a poor management in the use of a harness. Although some technological solutions for the automated monitoring of workers could improve safety conditions, their use is not frequent due to the particularities of construction sites: complexity, dynamic environments, outdoor workplaces, etc. Then, the integration of expert knowledge with technology is a key issue. Fuzzy logic systems (FLS) and Internet of Things (IoT) present many potential benefits, such as real-time decisions being made based on FLS and data from sensors. In the current research, the development and test of an IoT system integrated with the Java Fuzzy Markup Language Library for FLS, to support experts’ decision making in FFH, is proposed. The proposal was checked in four construction scenarios based on working conditions with different levels of risk of FFH and obtained promising results

Occupational Traffic Accidents among Teachers in Spain

Occupational traffic accidents are a leading cause of injuries or deaths among workers. Teachers in Spain are especially concerned about the problem of commuting due to their particular labor conditions. Multiple work-related factors are associated with the risk and severity of occupational traffic-related motor vehicle crashes. The objective of this research is to analyze the influence of the variables associated with the severity of occupational traffic accidents among teachers in Spain. A logistic regression model was used for the current study. The odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated for the injured worker on a sample of 20,190 occupational traffic accidents suffered by teachers. The results showed that women, Spanish nationality, younger than 55 years, and those driving a car were more likely to suffer a light crash. In contrast, men, foreign nationalities, older than 55 years, and those riding a motorbike were more likely to suffer a serious crash. Based on these findings, motor vehicle safety training could be designed and adapted to the riskiest profiles. Additionally, effective mobility plans for commuting could help reduce work-related traffic accidents.This research received funding from the project referenced as “UMA20-FEDERJA-078” and titled Diseño de un sistema smart carpooling para la mejora de la movilidad, y la reducción de la siniestralidad laboral and from “Plan Propio-Universidad de Málaga”. Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Proposal for an Institutional Carpooling System among workers from the public-education sector

Car journeys to work represent a high percentage of daily mobility. Carpooling can be an efficient alternative for managing this transport demand. Carpooling benefits are not limited to reducing emissions and energy consumption: users can also benefit in the reduction in travel costs and travel time using high-occupancy vehicle lanes, as well as reducing commuting stress. The organization of such a system is not easy to carry out individually. Institutions and companies with a high number of employees are suitable for carpooling initiatives, and the education sector holds a high number of workers. Considering the large number of teachers and the fact that many of them are regular drivers, the sector presents an opportunity to design a formal carpooling transport system. This paper presents the design of a proposal for a carpooling system among workers from the education sector in the region of Andalusia, Spain. The system yielded relevant benefits such as cost savings, emissions reductions, and a high number of potential users. The designed system can potentially improve transport conditions for workers in commuting displacements and reduce occupational traffic accidents.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occupational injuries among male construction workers in Spain

Occupational injuries are a cause of concern in our society. They are associated with absence at work and early retirement, especially among male workers employed in dangerous sectors such as construction and mining. The aim of the current study is to analyse factors of usual consideration in the sector and assess its influence on accidents from a statistical study. A logistic regression model was used in a sample of 814,775 occupational accidents suffered by male construction workers between 2009 and 2019. This model was based on the calculation of the odds ratio (OR). Results show that among these construction workers, those who were Spanish, under 45 years old, and with more than one year of service were more likely to suffer a neck injury in a light traffic accident. In contrast, workers older than 45 years old and with more than one year of experience were less likely to suffer a head injury. No variable was detected that offered the same protective or risk effect through the different parts of the injured body. For workers in this sector, safety training, and the adaptation of this training to risky profiles and injuries should improve working conditions and injury rates

A Safety System based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to prevent the misuse of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in construction

In this paper we address the issue of safety in the use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in construction, industrial, or similar sites where power tools are used. We propose a novel solution that can control actively the power of the tool depending on the worker–tool distance. It is based on RSSI information transmitted by BLE devices arranged in a particular rig, combined with a Bayesian distance estimator. Such an approach minimizes the required instrumentation of the workplace and also the number of configuration parameters; therefore it enables a wide range of applications. Our aim is not only to signal risky situations caused by the misuse of the PPE (either due to its bad fitting or a wrong distance to the tool), but to intervene in a fast and robust way to avoid the safety risk. This solution is built upon previous results on the statistically sound measurement of distances and closeness in construction sites. Here, we contribute with a thorough analysis of collocating several BLE transmitters near orthogonally, which reduces interferences while avoiding the cost of more advanced technologies. We study how many transmitters are needed and what parameters are the best in the Bayesian filter for the optimal performance of the system. Real experiments with a prototype have been conducted in a construction workshop where a person operates a miter saw. The results show how the correct use of the PPE (an earmuff equipped with the BLE transmitters) can be inferred from the distance estimation in a robust and reliable way.This research received funding from Plan Propio-Universidad de Málaga and it is associated to the Proyecto Puente “Integración de dispositivos basados en el paradigma loT para la mejora de seguridad laboral en proyectos de contrucción (IoTcons)”. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Virtual Fence System Based on IoT Paradigm to Prevent Occupational Accidents in the Construction Sector

Many occupational accidents in construction sites are caused by the intrusion of a worker into a hazardous area. Technological solutions based on RFID, BIM, or UWB can reduce accidents, but they still have some limitations.The aim of the current paper is to design and evaluate a new system of “virtual fences” based on Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) to avoid intrusions. First of all, the system was designed using a number of beacons, a Bayesian filter, a finite state machine, and an indicator. Secondly, its safety attributes were evaluated based on a scientific questionnaire by an expert panel following the staticized groups’ methodology. Results showed that the proposal is inexpensive and easy to integrate and configure. The selected experts evaluated positively all the attributes of the system, and provided valuable insights for further improvements. From the experts’ discussions, we concluded that successful adoption of this “virtual fence” system based on BLE beacons should consider the influence of factors such as cost savings, top management support, social acceptance, and compatibility and integration with existing systems, procedures, and company culture. In addition, legislation updates according to technical advances would help with successful adoption of any new safety system

Management of Technostress in Teachers as Occupational Risk in the Context of COVID-19

The integration of new technologies in schools and high schools is linked to new problems with the use and management of ITC tools, such as technostress in teachers. Technostress is associated with several negative effects on workers’ health, such as anxiety, musculoskeletal disorders, headache, mental and physical fatigue. Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of schools closed, and face-to-face courses were replaced with online courses in a very short time. In these circumstances, several teachers were forced to increase their skills with ICT technology to accomplish their teaching objectives, and their technological workload was higher than at the beginning of the course. In the current research, the technostress of teachers was evaluated based on a validated questionnaire. Results pointed out that occupational risks linked to technostress were high during the pandemic period. Older teachers showed more vulnerability to the risk, because a lack of training and adaptation of some of the new tools for online courses, while women showed higher levels of anxiety and emotional tension. Prevention measures as specific training programs for ICT, rational use of ICT, and a more balanced distribution of work and family life at home should be developed to address the problem

Characteristics of Occupational Injuries among Spanish Nursing Workers

Introduction: Nursing professionals face a multitude of daily occupational hazards that can cause occupational accidents. AIM: The objective of this work is to analyze the personal variables included in official accident reports, to evaluate their influence on occupational accidents suffered by nursing and nursing assistant professionals. Methodology: A total of 187,821 occupational accidents recorded in Spain from 2011 to 2019 were analyzed in the sector using contingency tables, chi-square, and corrected standardized residuals. Results: The results showed that the older the professional, the probability that once the accident had occurred, its severity would be more serious. Regarding gender, men are more likely to suffer more serious accidents compared to accidents registered by women. Results about the length of service and nationality did not reach statistical significance in the group of accidents analyzed. Conclusions: The planning of preventive measures must be adapted to the profiles of the workers in the most vulnerable sector