The Ergonomic Behaviors Evaluation Tool (EBET) based on social cognitive theory for the assembly line workers: development and psychometric assessment.

BACKGROUND: Ergonomic behaviors play a crucial role in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). To measure these behaviors, this research aimed to develop and evaluate an ergonomic behaviors tool (EBET) based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) among women workers on assembly lines (WwAL). METHODS: The study was conducted from December 2022 to January 2023 with a focus on the psychometric assessment of EBET. Initially, a literature review and interviews were carried out to identify crucial concepts and primary items. The questionnaire's validity was evaluated using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI). To determine the domains of the tool, construct validity was examined by administering the items to 270 eligible women. The reliability of the tool was assessed using McDonald's Omega coefficient. RESULTS: From a total of 67 primary items, 50 were confirmed. The study demonstrated good validity with CVR = 0.92 and CVI = 0.97, along with reliable results indicated by McDonald's Omega coefficient of 0.74. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed ten distinct dimensions: outcome expectations, outcome expectancies, normative beliefs, perceived barriers, social support, observational learning, reinforcement, behavioral skills, self-efficacy, and intention. Together, these dimensions accounted for 66.25% of the variance in the data. Additionally, the confirmatory factor analysis results supported the presence of these ten constructs and demonstrated a satisfactory fit. CONCLUSIONS: EBET is a dependable and valid instrument for evaluating the ergonomic behaviors of workers, utilizing the principles of SCT. Researchers can employ EBET to gather data and implement suitable training interventions to enhance ergonomic behavior among WwAL. However, it is crucial to recognize that EBET may not encompass all facets of ergonomic behaviors. Therefore, it is imperative for future research to prioritize the evaluation of EBET's suitability among diverse worker populations and to consider additional dimensions of ergonomics to ensure its wider applicability and effectiveness.

Predictive factors of ergonomic behaviors based on social cognitive theory among women workers on assembly lines: application of Bayesian networks.

BACKGROUND: This study focuses on identifying the key factors associated with ergonomic behaviors (ERBE) among women workers on assembly lines (WwAL) to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by repetitive motions and unfavorable body postures. To achieve this objective, this study employed Bayesian networks (BN) analysis based on social cognitive theory (SCT). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the predictive factors of ERBE among 250 WwAL from six different industries located in Neyshabur, a city in northeastern Iran. The study used a two-stage cluster sampling method for participant selection and self-report questionnaires to collect data on demographic characteristics, variables associated with SCT, ERBE, and the standard Nordic questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Netica and SPSS version 21, which involved statistical analyses such as independent t-tests, Pearson correlation, and ANOVA tests at a significance level of p < 0.05. BN analysis was conducted to identify the important factors that impact ERBE. RESULTS: The majority of individuals reported experiencing chronic pain in their back, neck, and shoulder areas. Engaging in physical activity, consuming dairy products, and attaining a higher level of education were found to be significantly associated with the adoption of ERBE p < 0.05. Among the various SCT constructs, observational learning, intention, and social support demonstrated the highest levels of sensitivity towards ERBE, with scores of 4.08, 3.82, and 3.57, respectively. However, it is worth noting that all SCT constructs exhibited a certain degree of sensitivity towards ERBE. CONCLUSIONS: The research findings demonstrate that all constructs within SCT are effective in identifying factors associated with ERBE among WwAL. The study also highlights the importance of considering education levels and variables related to healthy lifestyles when promoting ERBE in this specific population.

Risk assessment of cold stress in petroleum transfer station in the northwestern regions of Iran: Subjective and field measurements.

Working in cold environments can have a variety of negative consequences on health, efficiency, quality, safety, and performance. The present study investigates the risk of cold stress in petroleum transfer centers in Iran's northwestern cold regions. The proposed method by ISO-15743 (E) was used to assess the risk of cold stress. The activity level (M) was calculated using the ISO 8996:2021 standard. The evaluation of local cooling, contact of cold surfaces, and hand and face temperature was performed using ISO 11079, ISO 13732-3, and ISO 9886, respectively. During their work, 28 outdoor site men and mechanics as a case group and 8 operators as a control group put through subjective analysis. According to the findings, the mean Icl,r, IREQmin, and IREQneutral were 1.59 ± 0.33, 2.1 ± 0.44, and 2.43 ± 0.45, respectively. The mean equivalent chill temperature was -13.83 ± 5.45, and workers were at risk of local cooling stress at levels 1 and 2. The case group showed greater losses in finger skin temperatures after short term exposure to extremely cold environments than the control group (P < 0.001). Based on the questionnaire results a significant percentage of workers performing the activity during the winter have more difficulty. Prolonged general and local cold exposure can cause pain, numbness, and frostbite in site men and mechanics. Careful planning, training, extensive distribution of cold protective clothing, rest periods, a relatively short stay in the cold environment, and proper equipment can greatly reduce these hazards.

Development and application of a fuzzy occupational health risk assessment model in the healthcare industry.

BACKGROUND: Hazards of the workplace and their impacts on the healthcare industry affect the quality of patient care and safety and impose high costs on the healthcare industry. Occupational health in this industry requires proper identification of hazards and managing the related risks. In this study, the researchers attempted to develop an easy-to-use and high applicability occupational health risk assessment model with a fuzzy approach to evaluate risks more precisely. METHODS: In this study, a fuzzy inference system (FIS) was designed and applied to develop a risk assessment model. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the developed model could be applied as a practical model for evaluating occupational health risks. The weight of each risk criterion was used to calculate the risk level by adopting a fuzzy approach. The risk assessment results construed using the fuzzy set theory provided a broad picture of risks and could work adequately in the presence of inaccurate and insufficient data to calculate the risk. This model calculates risk levels and provides us with the dispersion and distribution of the calculated value of the risk number.

Investigating the trends and causes of changes in human anthropometric dimensions over the past three decades: a challenge for ergonomic design.

Objectives. The present study aimed to review the changes in anthropometric dimensions around the world during the last 30 years.Methods. The search for this study was conducted in four databases with related keywords. Papers from 1990 to 2021 were reviewed and 4139 articles were identified, with 505 related titles. Of these, 187 articles met the eligibility criteria, and their whole text was examined; 132 articles were then included for the final review.Results. The reviewed studies showed that a large number of anthropometric dimensions of the human body have become larger than in the past, such as height. Although the increasing trend of anthropometric dimensions in the past has been faster than in recent years, decreasing changes have also been seen in some anthropometric dimensions, such as the human jaw, face width and head width. It should be noted that the main reasons for the changes mentioned in the studies are economics and family income, social conditions, health and nutrition.Conclusion. Since the process of changes in anthropometric dimensions is not always the same, anthropometric data should be updated regularly, and work environments and equipment should be reviewed or redesigned according to the new anthropometric data.

Investigating human error in Iran's copper mines using the CREAM based on human cognitive reliability analysis.

Objectives Human error has been recognized as one of the top causes of most accidents in mines. This study aimed to identify and assess cognitive errors among copper miners using the cognitive reliability and error analysis method (CREAM). Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in one of the copper mines in Iran. First, all tasks were analyzed by hierarchical task analysis (HTA). Then cognitive errors were assessed using the CREAM. Results. With respect to the basic CREAM results in the operational units, including extraction, crushing and processing, human error probability (HEP) was obtained as 0.056, 0.0315 and 0.0177, respectively. Based on the results of the extended CREAM, the types of errors identified for all tasks in the three operational units were mainly associated with execution (53.4%), observation (40%), interpretation (5%) and planning (1.6%). Also, the cognitive errors were related to execution, monitoring, observation, communication, diagnosis, recording and planning, respectively. Conclusion. The results showed that human error is very high in the operational units of the mine. Therefore, immediate actions are needed to improve safety performance in the mine units, which determine the role of various factors in human errors and can provide the possibility of implementing more effective interventions.

Effectiveness of a theory-based educational intervention on work-related musculoskeletal disorders preventive behaviors among assembly-line female workers: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of preventive behaviors of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) requires proper training, which leads to correct decisions regarding maintaining postures at work and performing stretching exercises. Due to very repetitive work, applying manual force, improper postures, and static contractions of proximal muscles, assembly-line female workers suffer from musculoskeletal pains. It is assumed that structured and theory-based educational intervention using a learning-by-doing (LBD) approach may increase the preventive behaviors against MSDs and reduce the consequences of these disorders. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in three phases: phase 1: validation of the compiled questionnaire, phase 2: determining the social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs that predict the preventive behaviors of MSDs in assembly-line female workers, and phase 3: designing and implementing the educational theory. The educational intervention is based on the LBD approach, and the study population includes assembly-line female workers in electronic industries of Iran, who are randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the educational intervention in the workplace and the control group does not receive any intervention. The theory-based educational intervention includes evidence-based information along with pictures, fact sheets, and published literature about a good posture at work and the need to perform proper stretching exercises. The educational intervention aims to improve the knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and intention of assembly-line female workers to adopt preventive behaviors of MSDs. DISCUSSION: The present study will evaluate the effects of maintaining a good posture at work and performing stretching exercises on the adherence to preventive behaviors of MSDs among assembly-line female workers. The developed intervention is easily implemented and evaluated in a short period of time based on the improved score of the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) method and the mean score of adherence to stretching exercises and can be provided by a health, safety, and environment (HSE) expert. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov IRCT20220825055792N1. Registered on 23 September 2022 with the IRCTID.

Methodology for quantitatively monitoring the basic risk factors of accidents: A case study on manufacturing companies.

BACKGROUND: Considering that the frequency of a factor contribution to accidents occurrence is not always a reason for the importance of that factor, in addition to studying the participation of basic risk factors (BRFs) in the occurrence of the accidents, their importance must be investigated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study is to propose a quantitative methodology for monitoring BRFs based on Tripod Beta and Tripod Delta methods. METHODS: In the present study, first, the accidents that took place in the manufacturing companies were analyzed using a reactive approach, ie Tripod Beta. In the second step, a proactive, ie Tripod Delta was used to identify the weaknesses in the companies using safety performance indicators. Finally, a quantitative methodology for monitoring BRFs was proposed. RESULTS: According to the results of the accident analysis, training with 33 cases, hardware with 30 cases, procedures with 25 cases and error induce conditions with 14 cases were the most frequent contributing basic risk factors to the accidents. The lowest score of the basic risk factor indicators was related to the organization (4.9), design (8.8), training (8.3), procedures (8.3), and hardware (8.7). Based on the results, maintenance management, hardware, and training have the highest weight in the occurrence of accidents, 0.23, 0.179, and 0.125, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: he proposed methodology helps the organization to continuously improve safety performance by identifying system's weaknesses before the accident and invest optimally in the system's critical points.

Evaluation of human error in workers of an Iranian copper mine during the COVID-19 pandemic using the CREAM.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of COVID-19 has adversely affected both global economy and public health around the world. These effects have also been observed in many workplaces, including mines. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the human error of copper miners during the pandemic. METHOD: This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study was performed on 192 workers of a copper mine in Iran. For this, occupation tasks were firstly analyzed using the Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA), and then the human error in different subunits was assessed using the basic Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method (CREAM). The prevalence of COVID-19 among miners was determined by assessing positive PCR test records. RESULTS: The probability of human error in the operational subunits including mining, crushing, processing, and support subunits was estimated to be 0.0056, 0.056, 0.0315, and 0.0177, respectively. All three operational units were found to be in the scrambling control mode. The support unit was determined to be in the tactical control mode. Approximately 50% of all workers had been infected with COVID-19, with the highest prevalence in support units. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, copper miners are at higher risk of human error induced by poor working conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to employ some management strategies such as promotion of safety, health monitoring, and adopting supportive measures to control occupational stresses and therefore the probability of human error in the mine's operational units.

Application and modification of the Tripod Beta method for analyzing the causes of oil and gas industry accidents.

Background. Understanding the causes of accidents plays a major role in learning from accidents and developing accident prevention and control strategies. Objective. This study aimed at application and modification of the Tripod Beta method for analyzing accident causes in the oil and gas industries. Materials and methods. A total of 68 accidents occurring in the oil and gas industries during 2005-2016 were analyzed. For this purpose, we used the Tripod Beta method and modified it using Reason's Swiss cheese model and analysis accident results. Results. The main causes that have been ignored in the Tripod Beta method were supervision factors involved in 66% of the accidents (underlying causes) and unsafe conditions that contributed to 55% of accidents (immediate causes). The former was incorporated as a sublayer of the underlying cause and the latter as a sublayer of immediate cause to the modified Tripod Beta method. Conclusions. The results of the present study added to the knowledge on the causes of accidents. These results can help increase the capabilities of the Tripod Beta method for analyzing accident causes, such as supervision factors and unsafe conditions, which have been ignored in analyses performed using the Tripod Beta method.

Validity and consistency assessment of accident analysis methods in the petroleum industry.

Background. Accident analysis is the main aspect of accident investigation. It includes the method of connecting different causes in a procedural way. Therefore, it is important to use valid and reliable methods for the investigation of different causal factors of accidents, especially the noteworthy ones. Objective. This study aimed to prominently assess the accuracy (sensitivity index [SI]) and consistency of the six most commonly used accident analysis methods in the petroleum industry. Methods. In order to evaluate the methods of accident analysis, two real case studies (process safety and personal accident) from the petroleum industry were analyzed by 10 assessors. The accuracy and consistency of these methods were then evaluated. The assessors were trained in the workshop of accident analysis methods. Results. The systematic cause analysis technique and bowtie methods gained the greatest SI scores for both personal and process safety accidents, respectively. The best average results of the consistency in a single method (based on 10 independent assessors) were in the region of 70%. Conclusion. This study confirmed that the application of methods with pre-defined causes and a logic tree could enhance the sensitivity and consistency of accident analysis.

Evaluating the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction among female hospital nurses in Babol: An application of structural equation modeling.

Background: This study was designed to investigate job satisfaction and its relation to perceived job stress among hospital nurses in Babol County, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 406 female nurses in 6 Babol hospitals. Respondents completed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), the health and safety executive (HSE) indicator tool and a demographic questionnaire. Descriptive, analytical and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were carried out applying SPSS v. 22 and AMOS v. 22. Results: The Normed Fit Index (NFI), Non-normed Fit Index (NNFI), Incremental Fit Index (IFI)and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) were greater than 0.9. Also, goodness of fit index (GFI=0.99)and adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) were greater than 0.8, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) were 0.04, The model was found to be with an appropriate fit. The R-squared was 0.42 for job satisfaction, and all its dimensions were related to job stress. The dimensions of job stress explained 42% of changes in the variance of job satisfaction. There was a significant relationship between the dimensions of job stress such as demand (ß =0.173,CI =0.095 - 0.365, P≤0.001), control (ß =0.135, CI =0.062 - 0.404, P =0.008), relationships(ß =-0.208, CI =-0.637- -0.209; P≤0.001) and changes (ß =0.247, CI =0.360 - 1.026, P≤0.001)with job satisfaction. Conclusion: One of the important interventions to increase job satisfaction among nurses maybe improvement in the workplace. Reducing the level of workload in order to improve job demand and minimizing role conflict through reducing conflicting demands are recommended.

Risk Factors for Developing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders during Dairy Farming.

BACKGROUND: Dairy farming work involves frequent use of poor postures. These postures may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders among dairy workers. OBJECTIVE: To assess postural load during performance of various tasks related to dairy farming. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a dairy farm in Iran. In order to assess postural load, tasks related to dairy farming were divided into 3 categories: feeding, milking, and manure disposal. Each task was then divided into its constituent work subdivisions (tasks). Finally, the working posture for each work subdivision was evaluated using Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). RESULTS: Based on the results from the REBA score, the poorest risk scores (risk level 4) were associated with the following tasks: (1) manure disposal, (2) filling feed bags, and (3) pouring milk into a bucket. Other tasks such as filling corn containers, pouring corn into the milling machine, preparing the feed, pouring food into mangers, attaching the milking machine, and pouring milk from a bucket into a tank imposed high risk (risk level 3). The risk for the tasks of washing and disinfecting the udders were assessed as medium risks. CONCLUSION: The risk levels associated with most of the tasks on the studied farm were unacceptably high. Therefore, it is essential to implement ergonomic interventions to reduce risk levels of the tasks.