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Construction managers and planners are always involved in answering questions regarding the effects of changing the level of resources involved in construction activities on project performance. The planners strive to determine the best... more
Construction managers and planners are always involved in answering questions regarding the effects of changing the level of resources involved in construction activities on project performance. The planners strive to determine the best resource level combination that optimizes the performance measures such as productivity. In this study, a unique approach involving the combined use of a powerful Quality Engineering tool, Design of Experiment (DOE) and Simulation for determining the best combination of resources level for a real-world construction process, viz. concrete pouring process. DOE enabled the experimental plan to be designed in the form of a twice replicated, 24 full factorial designs with 5 center points. This experimental plan involved 37 experiments. Simulation has enabled the construction process investigated to be realistically modelled. Therefore, instead of performing field trials involving 37 experiments, these experiments are simulated in order to obtain the response investigated, which is productivity. A model, for predicting concrete pouring process productivity, was successfully developed and the optimum resources level was also determined.
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ABSTRACT Back pain among school children using backpacks is still a problem and generating interest from academia. Most research has been limited in scope. While some researchers carried out experimental investigations using biomechanical... more
ABSTRACT Back pain among school children using backpacks is still a problem and generating interest from academia. Most research has been limited in scope. While some researchers carried out experimental investigations using biomechanical and physiological principles, others based their research on psychosocial issues. The inability to recognize the complexity of factors that affect this issue may explain why conflicting results have been obtained by different researchers. Presently, a general recommendation for a backpack weight of 10–15% of body weight has been accepted as a standard. But recent findings still indicate back pain among backpack users in schools. The purpose of this paper was to develop a holistic backpack-back pain model that is based on concurrent research, including: biomechanics, psychosocial and physiological factors. A systematic approach was taken in evaluating relationships among the various factors thereby proposing a model that can serve as a tool for evaluating contextual issues involving backpack design and use and back pain.
Research Interests: Physiology, Pediatrics, Ergonomics, Biomechanics, Medicine, and 3 moreBack Pain, Psychosocial, and Backpack
Racial differences associated with variation in diet, climate and culture, may pose a challenge in developing a globally acceptable safe backpack weight for schoolchildren. This study therefore investigates the suitability of a... more
Racial differences associated with variation in diet, climate and culture, may pose a challenge in developing a globally acceptable safe backpack weight for schoolchildren. This study therefore investigates the suitability of a multivariate backpack-related back pain model in a multiracial society such as Malaysia. Back pain related data from an average of 205 Malay, Chinese and Indian Schoolchildren were fitted into a proposed backpack-related back pain model and also into a regression model to predict safe weight from percentage body weight (PBW), body mass index and age in order to determine the level of fit. While the three racial models met the minimum requirements of the different goodness-of-fit indices, there were uncaptured significant relationships peculiar to each racial model in the proposed model. Notwithstanding, the combination of age, BMI and PBW are better predictors of back pain occurrence among the children in the three ethnic groups.
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Mohd. Rohani, Jafri and Mohd. Yusof, Sha'ri and Mohamad, Ismail (2007) Deriving a relationship between success factors and quality performance in statistical process control implementation: a hypethetical model for empirical... more
Mohd. Rohani, Jafri and Mohd. Yusof, Sha'ri and Mohamad, Ismail (2007) Deriving a relationship between success factors and quality performance in statistical process control implementation: a hypethetical model for empirical investigations. In: 9th Islamic ...
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Musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs) are major occupational health issues among the private sector and government. This paper analyzed total direct cost being paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian... more
Musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs) are major occupational health issues among the private sector and government. This paper analyzed total direct cost being paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian workers due to musculoskeletal disease. Total direct cost consists of compensation cost, return to work and rehabilitation cost, and medical cost. The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the total direct costs incurred as a result of cases of chronic musculoskeletal injuries approved by SOCSO from 2010–2014. (2) To examine the age category imposed for the total average cost on the highest MSDs claims for the four categories setting. This study has utilize data provided by Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) on occupational diseases and adopt top-down approach. The claims data is limited to MSD reported between 2009 until 2014. A total of 416 claims related to MSD has been analyzed. All the category recorded the highest total direct ...
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This study analyzes compensation cost paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian manufacturing workers due to MSD related cases. The study compares MSD related cases based on three categories: cause of... more
This study analyzes compensation cost paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian manufacturing workers due to MSD related cases. The study compares MSD related cases based on three categories: cause of accident, type of injury and location of body injury against "older" workers and "younger" workers and gender differences. This study adopted top-down approach which utilized national statistics related to MSD claims data provided by SOCSO. The claim data is limited to MSD reported cases from 2009 to 2014. A total of 537 claims which related to MSD has been recorded in Malaysia within that period. The highest number of cases based on cause of accident is due to strenuous movement with average compensation cost at RM 28 400 (male younger workers) and RM 22 738 (male older workers). Besides, most of the claimants sustain MSD injury at the back body region. with average compensation cost of RM 28 117 (male younger workers) and RM 21 ...
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Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) among workers is a major cause of lost workdays in industries and also accounted for the highest rate of disability among workers. (WHO 2003, Gallagher and Heberger 2012). It has led to loss of productivity... more
Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) among workers is a major cause of lost workdays in industries and also accounted for the highest rate of disability among workers. (WHO 2003, Gallagher and Heberger 2012). It has led to loss of productivity and has become a high financial burden on national health systems (Chiasson et al. 2012, Gallagher and Heberger 2012). These negative effects needs to be prevented, as much as possible, especially in developing countries whose industries are just developing, and such effects can constitute serious obstacle to their drive for industrialization. This serves as justification for this study, which investigated MSD among Malaysian workers, and also developed a model highlighting the direct and indirect effect of physical and psychosocial factors on workers satisfaction.
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The paper underlines the initial work that is aimed at investigating the critical process and work-related symptoms that contribute to ergonomic and noise hazard furniture production industry. The effectiveness of the current existing... more
The paper underlines the initial work that is aimed at investigating the critical process and work-related symptoms that contribute to ergonomic and noise hazard furniture production industry. The effectiveness of the current existing control measures are also identified. Furniture industry is a manufacturing industry that employs a large workforce. There are many cases of occupational health diseases reported in 2016 from the manufacturing sector in Malaysia. The highest diseases reported are noise-induced hearing loss and musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, in this project, the focus is on the ergonomic and noise hazards in the furniture industry in Malaysia. The project will be done by using three methodologies. The methodologies are four sections questionnaire or survey, direct observation using RULA and REBA, and direct measurement to measure the noise exposure level in the working place.
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The objectives of this study are to identify the level of safety culture in terms of the perceptions of the beliefs on the importance at workplace (SCB) and the existing safety culture practice (ESCP), to find out the level of SCB, and to... more
The objectives of this study are to identify the level of safety culture in terms of the perceptions of the beliefs on the importance at workplace (SCB) and the existing safety culture practice (ESCP), to find out the level of SCB, and to identify to what extend safety is being closely practiced (ESCP) amongst Safety and Health Officers (SHOs). A questionnaire was sent to 173 SHOs in Malaysian manufacturing companies and 146 questionnaires were successfully returned. 22 questions related to self-regulations, commitment, motivation and communication which were identified through literature. Each respondent needs to rate his or her level of understanding of SCB and ESCP. Mean score analysis was used to determine the level of understanding of SCB and ESCP. Subsequently the differences between the two components are shown in a radar graph. The details of the items in identifying the levels of SCB and ESCP were analyzed. The study found the level of SCB is between medium high to high. Ho...
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ASEAN region is believed to have a great potential for biomass and solar energy generation due to its abundance of sunlight, rain, and fertile land. However, these resources are still underutilized as the current rate of renewable energy... more
ASEAN region is believed to have a great potential for biomass and solar energy generation due to its abundance of sunlight, rain, and fertile land. However, these resources are still underutilized as the current rate of renewable energy is relatively low, whereby most countries are still highly emphasizing fossil fuels. The use of fuel without replenishing the fuel source will ultimately deplete the resource in very much the same as fossil fuels currently utilized. While the concept of fuel replenishment seemed simple, the implementation posed a challenge to meet. This is where free energy in the form of solar, wind, wave, underground thermal, and biomass is being harnessed. Therefore, these forms of energy also have certain limitations depending on the geographical and the availability of the sources throughout the region. This study aims to analyze the current potential renewable energy scenario and future prospect of renewable energy resource for biomass and solar energy in sele...
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Lack of designer’s knowledge of construction safety risks and HSE personnel’s knowledge of structural designs and means and methods of construction have been highlighted as significant barriers to the implementation of design for... more
Lack of designer’s knowledge of construction safety risks and HSE personnel’s knowledge of structural designs and means and methods of construction have been highlighted as significant barriers to the implementation of design for construction safety. These barriers often result in poor collaboration among designers and HSE personnel in addressing safety issues that lead to accidents and frequent work stoppages. This study explored the ability of HSE officers, engineers and superintendents to recognize and assess risk associated with constructing structural components of a building (foundation, columns, walls, beams and roofs). The objective was to determine how consensus is risk perceived among the three groups of field personnel. The paper used a quantitative methodology that evaluates safety risks related to performing construction activities to supports designers to carry out construction designs using a risk assessment–based approach. The methodology compares cumulative risks of...
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The accident occurred in the construction industry is reportedly the third-highest after manufacturing and agriculture industry. The percentage of accident cases and fatality ratios in the Malaysian construction industry are getting... more
The accident occurred in the construction industry is reportedly the third-highest after manufacturing and agriculture industry. The percentage of accident cases and fatality ratios in the Malaysian construction industry are getting larger and gradually increasing each year. This data indicates that the safety and health performance in the Malaysian construction industry appears to be weak. Henceforth, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia (DOSH) through government initiative has introduced and published a guideline on Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Industry (Management) 2017. This guideline aims to decrease 50% of the fatality rates in the construction industry by 2020. Therefore, this paper sought to review the current OSHCIM practice in Malaysia construction industry towards the OSHCIM implementation. This study adopted a quantitative approach in conducting the data collection and the data analysis process. A set of a questionnaire developed, t...
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This study aims to assess the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) on Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from employers’ perspectives in Malaysia industries. A newly developed KAP questionnaire was distributed and answered by 45... more
This study aims to assess the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) on Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from employers’ perspectives in Malaysia industries. A newly developed KAP questionnaire was distributed and answered by 45 employers. Most employers showed good scores in the majority of items in Knowledge, Attitude and Practices sections. Pearson correlation was used in order to test the relationship between KAP scores and demographic profile and also KAP variables. It was found that knowledge has strong correlation r=0.291, p>0.05 with gender. The attitude component has a strong correlation (r=0.344, p>0.05) with age group. Whereas the practices component has good correlation with education level (r=0.249, p>0.05). However, the KAP variables show only knowledge and practices have a strong correlation (r=0.271, p>0.05). MSDs cases are increasing hence understanding the underlying KAP factors are crucial in order to tackle the problem.
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This paper analyzed total direct cost that is paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian workers due to musculoskeletal disease. The objectives of this study are 1) to determine the total direct costs... more
This paper analyzed total direct cost that is paid by the Social Security Organization of Malaysia (SOCSO) to the Malaysian workers due to musculoskeletal disease. The objectives of this study are 1) to determine the total direct costs incurred as a result of cases of chronic musculoskeletal injuries that was approved by SOCSO from 2009 to 2014 and 2) to examine the age category imposed for the total average cost of the highest MSDs claims for the four categories setting. The data provided by SOCSO on occupational diseases and adopt the top-down approach which includes of 416 claims reported between 2009 and 2014. The categories recorded are the highest total direct cost for types of industries, types of injury, causes of accident and type of body parts. The age claimant is then identified from total average cost earned from the highest total direct cost of the four categories. Manufacturing industry, strenuous movement, sprain and strain and back are recorded as highest total direc...
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Research Interests: Engineering and Geology
Road accidents are a major problem in both developed and developing countries, although related to different historical reasons and circumstances. The clear, common feature is the impact caused by three major factors: use of the... more
Road accidents are a major problem in both developed and developing countries, although related to different historical reasons and circumstances. The clear, common feature is the impact caused by three major factors: use of the automobile, road infrastructure and the road users (human factor), this has generated interest from researchers and academia. Most research has been limited in scope, while some researchers used secondary data, some use official reports, experimental investigation through system approach. The inability to recognize the complexity of factors that affect this issue may explain why we have conflicting results obtained by different researchers. The purpose of this paper was to develop a sustainable road safety model that is based on concurrent research, including: Human factors, Vehicle factors and Road factors. A sustainable approach was taken in evaluating relationships among the various factors and indicators thereby proposing a model that can serve as a tool...
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The increase in Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) cases in the context of manufacturing industry in Malaysia in the recent years has become a national concern. Therefore, the study aims to compare the severity of the WMSDs cases involving... more
The increase in Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) cases in the context of manufacturing industry in Malaysia in the recent years has become a national concern. Therefore, the study aims to compare the severity of the WMSDs cases involving electronic workers by using survey, interview, observation and experimental methods. The questionnaire was designed and distributed to 204 assembly workers performing printer and inserting semiconductor in the electronic sector. The ergonomic risk was assessed through direct observation of workers’ posture at their workstation using WERA. In addition, Electromyogram (EMG) analysis was used to measure the muscle activity of workers. The result shows that standing workers are exposed to consistent MSD more than sitting workers in all body regions except for the upper back. According to WERA results, both postures contribute to high risk of MSD especially at wrist and leg regions. In conclusion, there is a significant correlation in the findings from t...
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This paper presents discussion on bus accident data for period of 2003 – 2012 retrieved from Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS). A statistical analysis was conducted to gain insight into the trend, factors affecting accident... more
This paper presents discussion on bus accident data for period of 2003 – 2012 retrieved from Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS). A statistical analysis was conducted to gain insight into the trend, factors affecting accident occurrence and severity of commercial buses. 47% of cases investigated by MIROS between 2007 and 2010 resulted in fatalities, with fatality rate of 1-3 persons being the most frequent while accident with minor injuries having at least 22%. Understanding these factors can help to bring forth realistic strategies to improve the safety of these bus services. Express and stage buses have the highest rate of accident and causalities by road. Express roads record more accident compared to other categories of road. The major cause of mechanical failure among all types of buses was identified to be brake failure with about 56% of the total mechanical failure, and about 52% of all commercial buses were involved in traffic accident with a yearly means of 3.8 accid...
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Prolonged standing is one of the common activities in electronic industry as the task requirement. Prolonged standing can cause discomfort on the body of the workers and can lead to injury and occupational disease. The purpose of this... more
Prolonged standing is one of the common activities in electronic industry as the task requirement. Prolonged standing can cause discomfort on the body of the workers and can lead to injury and occupational disease. The purpose of this study is to investigate standing workers perception on the fatigue and the discomfort on their respective body region for 12 hours working time. The subjects are the 80 workers with a good health condition and at least 6 months tenure. The subject data are collected via questionnaires and Likert scale to define the discomfort, pain, and fatigue. The workers were interviewed regarding their job and perceived fatigue discomfort. The results show the domination of the lower body region with the higher mean at the lower back, legs, and foot ankle. No statistically significant differences were found between the job tenure and body part discomfort pain and fatigue. There is a significant relation between gender and discomfort pain on legs and foot ankle. The...
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The objective of the study is to identify the effect of three demographics factors: education level, working experiences and ergonomics training on ergonomics awareness (EA) and ergonomics practices (EP). 146 questionnaires were received... more
The objective of the study is to identify the effect of three demographics factors: education level, working experiences and ergonomics training on ergonomics awareness (EA) and ergonomics practices (EP). 146 questionnaires were received from Safety and Health Officers (SHOs) in Malaysian manufacturing companies. Exploratory Factor Analysis has been carried out but not discussed in this paper. Ergonomics awareness (EA) represented by four elements: knowledge in ergonomics technical (KET), beliefs on implication of work and need for improvements (BIIWNI), beliefs on the importance of assessment (BIAss) and beliefs on the importance of anthropometrics and suitability to workers (BIASW). Ergonomics practices (EP) were represented by two elements; ergonomics technical (Ergo_Tech) and ergonomics administrative (Ergo_Ad). Analysis were carried out by Levene test, MANOVA, and linear regression (stepwise). It is found that ergonomics training and working experiences as SHO have significantl...
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Prolonged standing can cause discomfort on the body of the workers and can lead to injury and occupational disease. One of the ergonomic intervention is through improving the work-rest scheduling. The purpose of this study are to identify... more
Prolonged standing can cause discomfort on the body of the workers and can lead to injury and occupational disease. One of the ergonomic intervention is through improving the work-rest scheduling. The purpose of this study are to identify the fatigue level from the perception of the worker and to investigate the impact of the work-rest scheduling to the standing workers for 12 hours working time with a different gender. This study involved two methods which are self-assessment of the worker and direct measurement by using electromyography (EMG). For self-assessment, 80 workers have been interviewed using questionnaire in order to identify the fatigue level. For direct measurement, EMG was attached to the 15 selected workers at their respective leg and lower back to analyse the muscle efforts. In terms of perception, the results show the discomfort and fatigue level at the lower body region in the following order as foot ankle, lower back and leg. There is a significant difference be...
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This study proposed an incorporated simulation–Taguchi model to optimize a petrol station sales rate. In addition, it provided a regression model to forecast the sales rate. Initially, Witness 2014 simulation software© was used to... more
This study proposed an incorporated simulation–Taguchi model to optimize a petrol station sales rate. In addition, it provided a regression model to forecast the sales rate. Initially, Witness 2014 simulation software© was used to simulate the operating system of a petrol station. Next, the obtained simulation results were used as the input for Taguchi method to optimize the process. Taguchi L4 standard orthogonal array was taken to optimize the petrol station parameters including the number of pumps, number of cashiers and customers’ interarrival times (IATs) to obtain a better sales rate. Three noise factors such as petrol station location, different cashiers and different dispensers considered as potential factors affecting the response. Based on Taguchi methodology, number of pumps and IAT were identified as highly contributing factors on the sales rate. The remaining factor (number of cashier) similarly influences the response, but the effect is not very significant. Therefore, the importance sequence of the sales rate parameter is IATs > number of pumps > number of cashiers. The regression equation was formulated to maximize the sales rate (Liter) and then verified by the confirmation runs.