Last data update: Apr 22, 2024. (Total: 46599 publications since 2009)
Records 1-9 (of 9 Records) |
Query Trace: Albers J [original query] |
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Case studies of robots and automation as health/safety interventions in small manufacturing enterprises
Lowe BD , Hayden M , Albers J , Naber S . Hum Factors Ergon Manuf 2022 33 (1) 69-103 This article reviews the experiences of 63 case studies of small businesses (<250 employees) with manufacturing automation equipment acquired through a health/safety intervention grant program. The review scope included equipment technologies classified as industrial robots (n = 17), computer numerical control (CNC) machining (n = 29), or other programmable automation systems (n = 17). Descriptions of workers' compensation (WC) claim injuries and identified risk factors that motivated the acquisition of the equipment were extracted from grant applications. Other aspects of the employer experiences, including qualitative and quantitative assessment of effects on risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), effects on productivity, and employee acceptance of the intervention were summarized from the case study reports. Case studies associated with a combination of large reduction in risk factors, lower cost per affected employee, and reported increases in productivity wereCNC stone cutting system, CNC/vertical machining system, automated system for bottling, CNC/routing system for plastics products manufacturing, and a CNC/Cutting system for vinyl/carpet. Six case studies of industrial robots reported quantitative reductions in MSD risk factors in these diverse manufacturing industries: snack foods; photographic film, paper, plate, and chemical; machine shops; leather goods and allied products; plastic products; and iron and steel forging. This review of health/safety intervention case studies indicates that advanced (programmable) manufacturing automation, including industrial robots, reduced workplace musculoskeletal risk factors, and improved process productivity in most cases. 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. |
Review of construction employer case studies of safety and health equipment interventions
Lowe Brian D , Albers James , Hayden Marie , Lampl Michael , Naber Steven , Wurzelbacher Steven . J Constr Eng Manag 2020 146 (4) This paper presents a review of 153 case studies of equipment interventions to improve safety and health of construction businesses in Ohio in 2003-2016. These represent $6.46 million (2016 USD) in purchases incentivized through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) Safety Intervention Grant (SIG) program. The source data in the review were extracted from employer grant applications and final reports of the case studies. Results were aggregated by type of construction equipment and included the reduction in safety and ergonomic hazards (risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders), and an assessment of the quality of the case studies as determined through criteria established by the authors. Equipment associated with greatest reduction in risk factors and with case studies of higher quality were electrical cable feeding/pulling systems, concrete sawing equipment, skid steer attachments for concrete breaking, and manlifts (boom lifts). This review illustrates challenges in demonstrating efficacy of equipment interventions to improve construction safety/health-even from case studies within a structured health/safety program. The authors are aware of no other systematic review of case studies reporting on experiences with health/safety intervention equipment specific to the construction industry. 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers. |
Differences in maternal smoking across successive pregnancies - dose-dependent relation to BMI z-score in the offspring: an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis
Albers L , von Kries R , Sobotzki C , Gao HJ , Buka SL , Clifton VL , Grzeskowiak LE , Oken E , Paus T , Pausova Z , Rifas-Shiman SL , Sharma AJ , Gilman SE . Obes Rev 2018 19 (9) 1248-1255 INTRODUCTION: Uncontrolled family factors may bias the estimation of the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring body mass index (BMI). The objective was to assess if there is an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring BMI z-score independent of factors in the siblings' shared environment and if such association is linear. METHODS: We performed an individual patient data meta-analysis using five studies providing sibling data (45,299 children from 14,231 families). In a multi-level model, separating within-family and between-family effects and with random intercept for families, we analysed the dose-response association between maternal number of cigarettes per day during pregnancy and offspring's BMI z-score using B-splines to allow for non-linear associations. RESULTS: A linear within-family effect for number of cigarettes smoked in the range from 1 to 30 cigarettes per day on the offspring's BMI z-score was observed. Each additional cigarette per day between sibling pregnancies resulted in an increase in BMI z-score of 0.007 (95% CI [0.006, 0.009]). A between family-effect emerged only with doses >/=25 cigarettes per day. CONCLUSIONS: The number of cigarettes mothers smoke per day during pregnancy is positively associated with offspring BMI z-score even among siblings, suggesting that the association is not entirely explained by confounding by family factors. |
Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring overweight: is there a dose-response relationship An individual patient data meta-analysis
Albers L , Sobotzki C , Kuss O , Ajslev T , Batista RF , Bettiol H , Brabin B , Buka SL , Cardoso VC , Clifton VL , Devereux G , Gilman SE , Grzeskowiak LE , Heinrich J , Hummel S , Jacobsen GW , Jones G , Koshy G , Morgen CS , Oken E , Paus T , Pausova Z , Rifas-Shiman SL , Sharma AJ , da Silva AA , Sorensen TI , Thiering E , Turner S , Vik T , von Kries R . Int J Obes (Lond) 2018 42 (7) 1249-1264 BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A number of meta-analyses suggest an association between any maternal smoking in pregnancy and offspring overweight obesity. Whether there is a dose-response relationship across number of cigarettes and whether this differs by sex remains unclear. SUBJECT/METHODS: Studies reporting number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and offspring BMI published up to May 2015 were searched. An individual patient data meta-analysis of association between the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and offspring overweight (defined according to the International Obesity Task Force reference) was computed using a generalized additive mixed model with non-linear effects and adjustment for confounders (maternal weight status, breastfeeding, and maternal education) and stratification for sex. RESULTS: Of 26 identified studies, 16 authors provided data on a total of 238,340 mother-child-pairs. A linear positive association was observed between the number of cigarettes smoked and offspring overweight for up to 15 cigarettes per day with an OR increase per cigarette of 1.03, 95% CI = [1.02-1.03]. The OR flattened with higher cigarette use. Associations were similar in males and females. Sensitivity analyses supported these results. CONCLUSIONS: A linear dose-response relationship of maternal smoking was observed in the range of 1-15 cigarettes per day equally in boys and girls with no further risk increase for doses above 15 cigarettes. |
Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985-2012
Lowe BD , Albers JT , Hudock SD , Krieg EF . Am J Ind Med 2016 59 (2) 164-74 BACKGROUND: This article examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities' responses in terms of citations and penalties. METHODS: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985-2012) to identify n = 258 PNG accidents. RESULTS: 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear to have been preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). CONCLUSIONS: Differences may exist between construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. |
Revisiting Pneumatic Nail Gun Trigger Recommendations
Albers J , Lowe BD , Lipscomb H , Hudock SD , Dement J , Evanoff B , Fullen M , Gillen M , Kaskutas V , Nolan J , Patterson D , Platner J , Pompeii L , Schoenfisch A . Prof Saf 2015 60 (3) 30-33 Pneumatic framing nail gun use is ubiquitous throughout the modern homebuilding industry. This tool has a safety device at the end of the gun muzzle that must be depressed before the fastener can be discharged. Generally, these devices have two types of trigger systems that then define how the nail gun fires in response to a trigger press: 1. The sequential actuation trigger requires that each nail can only be discharged when the safety tip is first depressed and, while held depressed, the trigger is squeezed. 2. The contact actuation trigger allows the operator to first squeeze the trigger and, while holding the trigger squeezed, repeatedly bump the safety tip on the workpiece to shoot multiple nails. In the authors' view, however, an unintended consequence of the recommendations published in (Baggs, et al, 1999) and (2001) has been the creation of the appearance of competing risks with nail gun trigger systems. |
A biomechanical assessment of hand/arm force with pneumatic nail gun actuation systems
Lowe Brian D , Albers James , Hudock Stephen D . Int J Ind Ergon 2014 44 (5) 715-722 A biomechanical model is presented to estimate user hand/arm force exertion with two pneumatic nail gun trigger systems. The sequential actuation trigger (SAT) is safer than the contact actuation trigger (CAT) but increases the user's exertion of force because the trigger must be actuated after the safety tip is held pressed against the workpiece. Time integrated hand force was calculated for a single user based on direct measurement of nail gun tip force against the workpiece (tip contact) and from estimated force to support the tool weight during transfer between nails and during idle holding. The model shows that hand/arm force increases when nailing with the SAT (relative to CAT) and with a vertically-oriented workpiece (relative to horizontal). Expressed per nail fired, the user exerted 0.13Ns (horizontal orientation) and 2.88Ns (vertical orientation) integrated hand force during tip contact with CAT compared to 26.15Ns (horizontal) and 46.08Ns (vertical) with SAT. Depending upon idle holding duration, integrated hand force during tip contact was estimated to have been 1-3% of 48-132Ns total hand force with CAT and 21-44% of 83-167Ns total hand force with SAT (average of horizontal and vertical orientations). Based on standard time allowances from work measurement systems it is proposed that efficient application of hand force during tip contact with SAT can reduce this contribution to 6-15% of 55-139Ns total hand force. The model is useful for considering differences in hand/arm force exertion between the SAT and CAT systems. RELEVANCE TO INDUSTRY: This paper presents a model of hand/arm force associated with two types of pneumatic nail gun actuation (trigger) systems. The model clarifies differences in user force exertion with the sequential actuation and contact actuation triggers to inform nail gun trigger selection decisions. |
Finger tendon travel associated with sequential trigger nail gun use
Lowe B , Albers J , Hudock S , Krieg E . IIE Trans Occup 2013 1 (2) 109-118 OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS: This article reports a method for assessing finger tendon motion associated with the use of a sequential actuation trigger pneumatic nail gun. The two-stage actuation process of the sequential actuation trigger reduces risk of nail puncture injury from unintended nail discharge (relative to the higher risk of the contact actuation trigger). However, widespread adoption of the sequential actuation trigger nail gun throughout the construction industry has been hindered by beliefs about productivity and musculoskeletal concerns about the repetitive trigger actuation and finger motion for each nail fired. Though existing guidelines for finger tendon travel exposure are not well established, predictions derived with the present method combined with productivity standards suggest insufficient evidence to contradict the safety-based recommendation to adopt the sequential actuation trigger trigger. BACKGROUND: Pneumatic nail guns used in wood framing are equipped with one of two triggering mechanisms. Sequential actuation triggers have been shown to be a safer alternative to contact actuation triggers because they reduce traumatic injury risk. However, the sequential actuation trigger must be depressed for each individual nail fired as opposed to the contact actuation trigger, which allows the trigger to be held depressed as nails are fired repeatedly by bumping the safety tip against the workpiece. As such, concerns have been raised about risks for cumulative trauma injury, and reduced productivity, due to repetitive finger motion with the sequential actuation trigger. PURPOSE: This study developed a method to predict cumulative finger flexor tendon travel associated with the sequential actuation trigger nail gun from finger joint kinematics measured in the trigger actuation and productivity standards for wood-frame construction tasks. METHODS: Finger motions were measured from six users wearing an instrumented electrogoniometer glove in a simulation of two common framing tasks: wall building and flat nailing of material. Flexor tendon travel was calculated from the ensemble average kinematics for an individual nail fired. RESULTS: Finger flexor tendon travel was attributable mostly to proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joint motion. Tendon travel per nail fired appeared to be slightly greater for a wall-building task than a flat nailing task. The present study data, in combination with construction industry productivity standards, suggest that a high-production workday would be associated with less than 60 m/day cumulative tendon travel per worker (based on 1700 trigger presses/day). CONCLUSION AND APPLICATIONS: These results suggest that exposure to finger tendon travel from sequential actuation trigger nail gun use may be below levels that have been previously associated with high musculoskeletal disorder risk. |
Investigating reduced bag weight as an effective risk mediator for mason tenders
Davis KG , Kotowski SE , Albers J , Marras WS . Appl Ergon 2010 41 (6) 822-31 Masonry workers face some of the highest physical demands in the construction industry where large bags of masonry material weighing 42.7 kg are commonly handled by mason tenders who mix the mortar, distribute mortar and bricks/blocks, and erect/dismantle scaffolding throughout the day. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using half-weight bags (21.4 kg) on reducing the biomechanical loading, physiological response, and perceived exertions. Ten male subjects performed asymmetric lifting tasks simulating unloading bags from a pallet. Muscle activity, trunk kinematics, heart rate, blood pressure and subjective rating data were collected. Spine loads were predicted from a well-validated EMG-assisted model. Bag weight, lift type, bag height at origin, and asymmetry at destination significantly impacted the spine loads. While there was a 50% reduction in bag weight, the peak loads for the half-weight bags were only 25% less than the more available full-weight bags (a reduction of about 320 N of shear and 1000 N of compression). Lifts allowing movement of the feet reduced the loads by about 22% in shear and 27% in compression compared to constrained postures. Interestingly, cumulative spine loads were greater for the lighter bags than the heavy bags ( approximately 40%). The subjective ratings of exertion and risk were significantly lower for the lighter bags. RELEVANCE TO INDUSTRY: The reduction in peak spine loading for the half-weight bags, particularly at the higher heights and when the feet were allowed to move could significantly reduce the injuries of masonry workers. However, there were trade-offs with cumulative loads that may minimize the reduced risk. Overall, given the limited amount of time lifting bags, the reduction of peak loads. |
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