ABSTRACT Electrocution is one of the four leading causes of worker deaths in the construction sector and thus it is paramount to identify the electrocution mechanisms. This work interprets the mechanisms of an electrical accident as a... more
ABSTRACT Electrocution is one of the four leading causes of worker deaths in the construction sector and thus it is paramount to identify the electrocution mechanisms. This work interprets the mechanisms of an electrical accident as a chain of decision mistakes throughout the entire task process. The objective of this paper is to visualize the decision-making chains in the workplace electrical safety for construction workers. Due to construction’s “one-off” nature, the researchers narrow the decision-making chain for specific “features of work” (FOW), a group of distinctive activities possessing higher occupational safety and health (OSH) risks and requiring particular attention. By analyzing the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) electrocution reports, the authors identify five features of work and illustrate their decision-making chains. This work promotes electrical safety and injury prevention through the decision-making lens, and also contributes to the scholarly body of knowledge by introducing a comprehensive decision-making chain approach which is applicable to other safety research.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Perception, Health Care, Environmental Health, Medicine, Harassment, and 3 moreConcurrence, Crop, and Omics
Research Interests: Business and Engineering
ABSTRACT The construction industry experiences the greatest proportion of workplace electrical injuries globally. Much research effort has gone towards analyzing this phenomenon, yet a majority of which focused on isolated elements while... more
ABSTRACT The construction industry experiences the greatest proportion of workplace electrical injuries globally. Much research effort has gone towards analyzing this phenomenon, yet a majority of which focused on isolated elements while ignored the work system. Modern work systems are complex, within which humans interact with technology, social structures, and environments. Outcomes (including accidents and injuries) resulting from such a complex system are not attained by any system element in isolation. As a result, effective risk management requires the control over the whole sociotechnical system. The present work demonstrates such an effort in investigating sociotechnical systems. The work uses a triangulation approach in examining construction fatality reports. The findings identify three typical sociotechnical systems, reveal their system weaknesses, and provide remedial recommendations. The work contributes to the knowledge body of risk management, electrical safety, and research methodologies. The introduced triangulation approach in injury analysis and intervention is grounded in the broad concept of workplace safety, namely organizational, social, political and psychological contexts.
Research Interests:
Electrocution is among the... more
Electrocution is among the 'fatal four' in US construction according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Learning from failures is believed to be an effective path to success, with deaths being the most serious system failures. This paper examined the failures in electrical safety by analysing all electrical fatality investigations (N = 132) occurring between 1989 and 2010 from the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation programme that is completed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Results reveal the features of the electrical fatalities in construction and disclose the most common electrical safety challenges on construction sites. This research also suggests the sociotechnical system breakdowns and the less effectiveness of current safety training programmes may significantly contribute to worker's unsafe behaviours and electrical fatality occurrences.
Research Interests: Engineering, Occupational Health, Construction, Injury Prevention, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Construction Industry, Humans, United States, Male, Occupational Safety and Health, Risk factors, Middle Aged, Adult, Public health systems and services research, Time Factors, Electrocution, Age Factors, Risk Factors, and Poison Control
Research Interests:
This paper draws on healthcare work systems research conducted in several healthcare facilities in both urban and rural domains in the United States to determine the most salient organizational design and management factors that impact... more
This paper draws on healthcare work systems research conducted in several healthcare facilities in both urban and rural domains in the United States to determine the most salient organizational design and management factors that impact intervention success, either negatively or positively. Thematically, the common technical subsystem focus across studies was the goal of reducing healthcare associated infections, which cause a risk to patients, healthcare workers and other stakeholders who visit healthcare facilities. The methodology used in these studies was MacroErgonomic Analysis and Design (MEAD). The objective of this paper is to heighten the awareness of ODAM factors that improve or impede process improvement efforts. The expected outcome is to provide information to help ergonomists prepare, plan, and manage their work system interventions to maximize system performance and well-being for patients and workers.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge on the advantages of integrating safety earlier in the construction project lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is used to collect data from... more
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge on the advantages of integrating safety earlier in the construction project lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is used to collect data from construction sites in the USA, which performs poorly in construction safety and health, and Australia (AU), which performs well in construction safety and health. Qualitative data are collected to determine how and when safety is considered in the project lifecycle in both countries, and then the results are benchmarked to determine the benefits of addressing safety earlier in the process. Findings – Data show that addressing a potential hazard earlier in the project lifecycle has performance benefits in terms of the level of hazard control. Research limitations/implications – The processes that are identified as possibly explaining the performance difference are just based on qualitative data from interviews. Targeted research addressing the relationship bet...
Research Interests:
In this workshop paper, we examined how non-equivalent communication technologies impact on trust in partially distributed conceptual design teams. To incorporate the uniqueness of partially distributed team setting, we distinguished... more
In this workshop paper, we examined how non-equivalent communication technologies impact on trust in partially distributed conceptual design teams. To incorporate the uniqueness of partially distributed team setting, we distinguished trust into two categories, which were trust towards distant partners (distant trust) and trust towards colocated partners (co-located trust). Findings revealed that media has a varying impact on distant trust depending on different combinations of communication technologies utilized in the experiment. Further research directions are discussed. Author Keywords Trust; Distant trust; Co-located trust; Partially distributed team; Computer-mediated communication; Conceptual design; ACM Classification Keywords H.5.3. Information interfaces and presentation: Group and Organization Interfaces. General Terms Human Factors; Design; Experimentation. INTRODUCTION Organizations frequently utilize partially distributed teams to overcome geographical distances, to inc...
Work-related construction safety incidents continue to be a critical societal problem. Despite continued efforts, the industry has not seen any significant reduction in recordable injury rates in the last decade. An essential component in... more
Work-related construction safety incidents continue to be a critical societal problem. Despite continued efforts, the industry has not seen any significant reduction in recordable injury rates in the last decade. An essential component in construction safety management is the identification of potential hazards to establish proactive physical or procedural controls that reduce safety risk exposure. Unfortunately, studies indicate that a large portion of hazards are not adequately identified or assessed, thus compromising worker safety. To address this issue, promising site-based construction hazard identification strategies were identified in a wide body of literature and potentially breakthrough strategies were developed by an expert panel of construction safety professionals in brainstorming sessions. The strategies were then prioritized based on their potential and applicability to construction using the nominal group technique, facilitated by a group-decision support system. Con...
Research Interests:
A number of significant challenges confront effective communication in partially distributed conceptual design teams (PDCDTs), mainly due to the ill-defined and open nature of conceptual design tasks and their associated solution spaces.... more
A number of significant challenges confront effective communication in partially distributed conceptual design teams (PDCDTs), mainly due to the ill-defined and open nature of conceptual design tasks and their associated solution spaces. In contrast to colocated team members who interact face-to-face, communication difficulties among PDCDTs can intensify as a result of the physical separation of team members and their heavy reliance on communication technologies to achieve desired outcomes. Despite advances in these technologies, the ability to convey contextual and paralinguistic cues is still more limited between distant partners in comparison to face-to-face interactions. Thus, team members often experience challenges in establishing and maintaining shared understanding. In addition, partially distributed teams are more vulnerable to in-group dynamics than fully distributed or fully co-located teams. There have been substantial theoretical advances in the field of computer-mediat...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Falls remain the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in residential construction. Because of job-specific work conditions and environmental constraints, the various construction trades (e.g., roofing, siding, or framing) employ... more
Falls remain the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in residential construction. Because of job-specific work conditions and environmental constraints, the various construction trades (e.g., roofing, siding, or framing) employ different safety standards and fall-protection training practices. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore the specific training needs and training preferences of small roofing subcontractors. A total of 20 roofing subcontractors participated in this study. A mixed methods approach, incorporating a survey and semi-structured interviews, was utilized. Results from this study revealed that an individual's job title (i.e., his or her role on the jobsite) and the employer's existing training methods were accurate predictors of the employee's preferred training methods. This study also suggests the need for improved fall hazard awareness among roofing workers via training. Context-relevant methods and workers' preferred physical forms in receiving training were identified and found to be most effective for safety training and learning in the workplace.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Brian M. Kleiner, Tonya L. Smith-Jackson, Thomas H. Mills, III, Michael O'Brien, Elizabet Haro. ... This project-specific plan is detailed enough to address risks posed by the project, but generic and value centric enough... more
... Brian M. Kleiner, Tonya L. Smith-Jackson, Thomas H. Mills, III, Michael O'Brien, Elizabet Haro. ... This project-specific plan is detailed enough to address risks posed by the project, but generic and value centric enough that all subs and volunteer work crews can support and follow ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Brian M. Kleiner Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia Ram R. Bishu, Professor University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska Colin G. Drury and Madhu Nair University at Buffalo Amherst, New York ... HUMAN FACTORS IMPLICATIONS OF ERP... more
... Brian M. Kleiner Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia Ram R. Bishu, Professor University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska Colin G. Drury and Madhu Nair University at Buffalo Amherst, New York ... HUMAN FACTORS IMPLICATIONS OF ERP Colin G. Drury and Madhu Nair ...
Research Interests:
This study was designed to evaluate the symbiosis of human-machine systems with varying levels of automation. This paper focuses on the protocol methodology employed in the study. The approach required the use of both qualitative and... more
This study was designed to evaluate the symbiosis of human-machine systems with varying levels of automation. This paper focuses on the protocol methodology employed in the study. The approach required the use of both qualitative and quantitative techniques to derive a comprehensive evaluation of the human-machine system. Protocol Analysis supported by ethnographic software was used to evaluate the verbal transcripts. A qualitative process of code mapping and analysis was developed. The Modified Cooper-Harper scale was used to evaluate mental workload and objective measures of performance provided quantitative data of the system. The results confirmed the usefulness of a proposed classification scheme for human-machine systems. Using the methodology, human capabilities could be assessed against system demands for various configurations of a human-machine system. The importance of understanding the human's role in increasingly automated systems was again demonstrated.
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Efforts have been taken for years to minimize the occupational safety and health (OSH) risk, but the injury records remain a constant reason for worldwide concerns. Many firms often implement technology as an administrative hierarchy of... more
Efforts have been taken for years to minimize the occupational safety and health (OSH) risk, but the injury records remain a constant reason for worldwide concerns. Many firms often implement technology as an administrative hierarchy of control (HOC). However, technologies may also actively influence safe practices at the managerial level for administrative HOC. This research examines electrical safety hazards in the U.S. construction industry as a basis for, studying the feasibility of using technology to integrate safety culture into the administrative level of OSH risk mitigation. The researchers introduce the concept of “habitus”, which suggests one possibility for establishing a safety culture that increases workers’ safety performance and integrates into workers’ safety practices through cutting-edge information technology. A prototype application for OSH training based on mobile virtual reality (MVR) technology is demonstrated to help establish habitus in workers’ daily prac...
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT Hazard identification and communication are integral to most construction methods, and every construction safety management activity. Unfortunately, in practice, significant hazards are often not recognized and communicated... more
ABSTRACT Hazard identification and communication are integral to most construction methods, and every construction safety management activity. Unfortunately, in practice, significant hazards are often not recognized and communicated leading to sub-optimal hazard awareness at the crew level. To bridge this gap in performance, we conducted a two-year intensive research project focused on developing a strategy that increases the proportion of hazards identified, communicated, and managed. Specifically, we designed a hazard identification and transmission (HIT) board that is used in conjunction with energy-based retrieval mnemonics and facilitates identifying and communicating hazards during both the planning and the execution phases. The strength of this strategy lies in the fact that workers are able to detect and communicate hazards in real time using energy-source mnemonic cues, which significantly reduces cognitive demand. Following development, we conducted immersive field studies to evaluate the impact of the devised strategy on two projects in the United States. Data from six crews were gathered using the rigorous multiple baseline testing experimental approach and analysis was conducted using interrupted time-series regression models. The results indicate that the crews were able to recognize and communicate only an average of 54% of hazards in the baseline phase, but were able to recognize and communicate 77% during the planning phase after using the intervention. An additional 6% of hazards were identified and communicated in the execution phase. This represents the first known formal effort to evaluate a real-time hazard identification and communication strategy for the construction industry.
Research Interests:
Our goal was to briefly describe how macroergonomics was developed to fill a void in human factors and ergonomics. A study commissioned by the Human Factors Society in 1978 resulted in the formalization of a new subdiscipline of human... more
Our goal was to briefly describe how macroergonomics was developed to fill a void in human factors and ergonomics. A study commissioned by the Human Factors Society in 1978 resulted in the formalization of a new subdiscipline of human factors, called organizational design and management, which eventually was coined macroergonomics. Differentiators of macroergonomics are presented along with methods adapted from other domains as well as unique methods. Based on laboratory and field studies conducted at multiple universities, government facilities, and industries, work system factors can be manipulated in the laboratory and studied in the field successfully. Also, case studies in academia, industry, and government demonstrate 60% to 90% performance impact and positive qualitative changes such as culture change. Macroergonomics offers a perspective as well as methods and tools for more successful human factors and ergonomics design, development, intervention, and implementation. Human factors engineers or psychologists and ergonomists can use the perspective of macroergonomics to achieve better results or can expand their involvement of macroergonomics through the use of methods and tools.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Electrocution is among the... more
Electrocution is among the 'fatal four' in US construction according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Learning from failures is believed to be an effective path to success, with deaths being the most serious system failures. This paper examined the failures in electrical safety by analysing all electrical fatality investigations (N = 132) occurring between 1989 and 2010 from the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation programme that is completed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Results reveal the features of the electrical fatalities in construction and disclose the most common electrical safety challenges on construction sites. This research also suggests the sociotechnical system breakdowns and the less effectiveness of current safety training programmes may significantly contribute to worker's unsafe behaviours and electrical fatality occurrences.
Research Interests:
... degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial and Systems Engineering Robert Williges and Roger Ehrich, Co-chairs Brian Kleiner Katherine Cennamo Maury Nussbaum January 2001 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Macroergonomics ...
There is growing debate over the need for academic research to produce applied. For example, funding agencies, such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are emphasizing direct relationships with industry,... more
There is growing debate over the need for academic research to produce applied. For example, funding agencies, such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are emphasizing direct relationships with industry, and the need to contain research methods that are targeted, useful, and mutually beneficial. Applied academic research does not always translate into successful industry practice, let
Research Interests:
This study explored the potential for auditory and haptic spatial cuing approaches to alert drivers to the direction of a crash threat. For an automobile equipped with multiple crash avoidance systems, effective cuing of the crash threat... more
This study explored the potential for auditory and haptic spatial cuing approaches to alert drivers to the direction of a crash threat. For an automobile equipped with multiple crash avoidance systems, effective cuing of the crash threat direction may help the driver avoid the crash. Because the driver may not be looking in the direction of a visual crash alert, nonvisual crash alerts were explored as an additional means of directing attention to a potential crash situation. In this in-traffic study, 32 drivers were asked to verbally report alert direction in the absence of any crash threats. Driver localization accuracy and response time were examined as a function of eight alert locations surrounding the vehicle and four directional alert approaches (auditory, haptic, haptic and auditory, and haptic and nondirectional auditory). The auditory directional alert approach used four speakers and broadband alert sounds, and the haptic directional alert approach used vibrations generated at various locations on the bottom of the driver's seat. Overall, relative to the auditory alert approach, the three approaches that included the haptic seat alert component reduced correct localization response times by 257 ms and increased percentage correct localization from 32% to 84%. These results suggest that seat vibration alerts are a promising candidate for alerting drivers to the direction of a crash threat. These findings should facilitate developing a multimodality integrated crash alert approach for vehicles equipped with multiple crash avoidance systems.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Our traditional organizations are struggling to change with this dynamic environment. ... Conceptual model McGrath (1991) has defined a framework, defined by modes of the processes that all work groups ... 7. Hill, P. and Emery, F.... more
... Our traditional organizations are struggling to change with this dynamic environment. ... Conceptual model McGrath (1991) has defined a framework, defined by modes of the processes that all work groups ... 7. Hill, P. and Emery, F. "Toward a New Philosophy of Management". ...
Research Interests:
... past ten years, without any consistent evaluation of their flight performance as it relates to hearingsensitivity (MD Quattlebaum, AERO Program Manager and Chief, Epidemiology, US ... It is important to note that the sound levels a... more
... past ten years, without any consistent evaluation of their flight performance as it relates to hearingsensitivity (MD Quattlebaum, AERO Program Manager and Chief, Epidemiology, US ... It is important to note that the sound levels a pilot experiences while flying a helicopter is ...