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• Explored relationship between managers' safety commitment, leadership style, and employees' safety commitment perceptions. • Difference between managers' safety commitment experienced by managers and managers' commitment perceived by employees. • Transformational leadership mediates the relationship between managers' commitment to safety and employees' perceptions. • Transformational leadership play a positive role in the demonstration of managers' commitment to safety. Introduction : Managers' commitment to safety has been recognized as a focal concept that can play an important role as organizations strive to improve safety performance and prevent major accidents. When management is committed to safety, this shows employees that safety is an important value to the organization, which, in turn, affects employees' safety behavior. Although the number of studies that explore the concept of safety commitment has considerably increased in recent years, the main question that remains to be answered is how managers can most effectively demonstrate their commitment to safety to employees and through what mechanisms. In this paper, we examined the relationship between managers' commitment to safety and employees' perceptions of managers' commitment to safety, with a specific focus on the potential mediating effect of managers' leadership style. Method : To explore the proposed relationship, we performed an explanatory quantitative study on a sample of 147 respondents from six safety–critical organizations in the EU. By employing a mediation model, we were able to gain a better understanding of the role that transformational leadership can play when managers demonstrate their safety commitment to employees. Results : The results showed a positive and significant relationship between managers' commitment to safety and employees' perceptions of managers' commitment to safety. Furthermore, we found a statistically significant difference between managers' and employees' perceptions. The mediation analysis also confirmed that leadership style mediates the relationship between managers' commitment to safety and employees' perceptions of managers' commitment. Conclusions : This paper adds to the understanding of how managers can demonstrate their commitment to safety through their leadership and how managers' leadership style helps to shape employees' perceptions. Practical Application : The findings highlight the relevance of managers' safety commitment and transformational leadership style for employees' perceptions of managers' safety commitment, which is a known antecedent of safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• At present there is no consensus on a definition of safety within safety research. • The lack of consensus is a barrier to communication and epistemic growth. • This paper proposes a new definition of safety: • The proposed definition: Safety is the preservation of positive value. The questions 'what is safety?' and 'what is it that safety researcher's study?' are at the very core of safety research as an academic discipline. One might therefore assume that the discipline is based on clear answers to these questions, answers that are unanimously shared among the great majority of safety researchers. Strangely enough, this is not the case, and this lack of consensus is a major problem, because, as Leveson (2020) points out, without it "everyone starts from a different definition of safety and communication is inhibited." By 2014 this lack of clarity and consensus had become so obvious that there was an entire journal special issue dedicated to the topic. That discussion led to a clarification of the problems, but failed to solve them. Several contributors have since proposed solutions, none of which have gained widespread support. This paper argues that there is still a gap in our theoretical conceptualization, and proposes that safety fundamentally refers to positive value: specifically, the quality of experiences and objects that make people desire them. It is not operations, or persons, or objects that are safe, it is the various valuable qualities that can be lost and that are safe as long as they are preserved. As the future is fundamentally uncertain, all attempts at preserving values or valuables for a desired duration can only rest on assessments of the probability that one will manage to preserve them. Hence, this study proposes the following definition: Safety is the material, emotional and mental state that obtains when it is highly probable that all relevant positive values will be preserved for a desired duration, and the knowledge supporting this probability assessment is strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reviews driving automation (DA) and conventional vehicle crash databases. • Databases often have different underlying assumptions and inclusion criteria, complicating comparisons. • There is a lack of exposure data DA systems, especially for Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). • Minor crashes are common but inconsistently recorded. • Improvements needed in DA exposure data, event data recorder capabilities and access, and crash severity standardization. Introduction: This paper reviewed current driving automation (DA) and baseline human-driven crash databases and evaluated their comparability. Method : Five sources of DA crash data and three sources of human-driven crash data were reviewed for consistency of inclusion criteria, scope of coverage, and potential sources of bias. Alternative methods to determine vehicle automation capability using vehicle identification number (VIN) from state-maintained crash records were also explored. Conclusions : Evaluated data sets used incompatible or nonstandard minimum crash severity thresholds, complicating crash rate comparisons. The most widely-used standard was "police-reportable crash," which itself has different reporting thresholds among jurisdictions. Although low- and no-damage crashes occur at greater frequencies and have more statistical power, they were not consistently reported for automated vehicles. Crash data collection can be improved through collection of driving automation exposure data, widespread collection of crash data form electronic data recorders, and standardization of crash definitions. Practical applications : Researchers and DA developers may use this analysis to conduct more thorough and accurate evaluations of driving automation crash rates. Lawmakers and regulators may use these findings as evidence to enhance data collection efforts, both internally and via new rules regarding electronic data recorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Growth in e-commerce has placed notable demands on delivery personnel. • The number of injuries to delivery personnel has been consistently increasing. • Rates of injury to delivery personnel are higher than the industry average. • Younger and female employees experience higher rates of injury. Introduction: The rise of e-commerce has rapidly increased the proportion of goods delivered directly to customers' homes. These increases have placed notable demands on delivery personnel, with potential health and safety consequences. In this paper, we examined trends in parcel delivery driver injury through analyses of injuries treated in emergency departments (ED) in the United States from 2015 through 2022. Methodology: We explored trends among Couriers and Messengers as well as Postal Service personnel as designated by Bureau of Census (BOC) industry codes. We estimated counts and rates of injuries per 10,000 full time worker equivalents and examined demographics (e.g., age, sex) and other characteristics (e.g., source of injury, injury diagnosis) associated with these injuries. Results: We found that: (1) ED-treated injury rates between 2015 and 2022, among both the Postal Service and Couriers and Messengers, have demonstrated an upward trajectory, contrasting with overall U.S. industry injury rates, which have trended downward; and (2) while ED-treated injury rates for these industries have taken different paths over time, both industries' ED-treated injury rates have converged toward a position much higher than average. Moreover, we found that female personnel and young personnel disproportionately experienced ED injuries. Conclusions: In addition to calling attention to worrying injury trends among delivery drivers, we conclude that the current data landscape prevents the development of a nuanced picture of injury trends and hazards. These limits inhibit exploration of many specific hazards, and therefore preventive measures that would be designed based on such specific exploration. Practical Applications: Our results serve both as a foundation toward improved safety practices in an industry that continues to experience rapid changes and as a step toward motivating updated data collection and dissemination practices that could help understanding of the modern workplace injury landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Road crashes are a major social problem, with 1.19 million road fatalities per year. • Speeding is the number one cause of road crashes worldwide, especially in cities where pedestrians are highly exposed. • A thorough literature review was conducted and the effectiveness from 30 km/h speed limits was discussed. • Scientific evidence demonstrated that more than 40% lives saved with the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits in cities. • Launching public awareness campaigns and encouraging Public Transport use and active mobility could be proved beneficial. Introduction: Road crashes are a major social problem, resulting in 1.19 million fatalities and over 50 million injuries annually. Speeding is the primary cause of road crashes worldwide, particularly in cities where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are especially vulnerable. This paper aims to review and assess the effectiveness of implementing a 30 km/h speed limit. Method: To achieve this objective, a comprehensive literature review was conducted, evaluating the impact of 30 km/h speed limits on safety, emissions, energy consumption, traffic flow, livability, and health. The systematic literature review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: Current scientific evidence indicated that the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits in cities can save over 40% of lives, alongside significant positive effects on the environment, energy consumption and public health, including reduced fuel consumption and increased walking and cycling. Practical Applications: Public awareness campaigns and promoting the use of public transport and active mobility options, such as walking and cycling, could further support the adoption of 30 km/h speed limits in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The 80 km/h speed limit is associated with a significant reduction in fatalities. • Estimated benefits are between 300 and 350 lives saved. • Estimated effects vary between counties, illustrating the potential impact depending on the local context. • The dynamics of the measure evolve over time. Introduction : Speeding is considered to be a major contributor to road fatalities and injuries worldwide. Inappropriate speeding behavior is associated with a high casualty burden. It could be responsible for at least 30% of road accidents. Method : In 2018, the French authorities decided to introduce a new speed limit. They lowered the speed limit to 80 km/h on the unseparated interurban network. The aim was to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries and to implement some measures in line with international commitments. This paper uses different econometric models applied to time series for different groups of counties. Results : The results show a significant positive contribution of the new speed limit. The estimated number of lives saved is between 300 and 350. The overall reduction in the number of fatalities is 10%. The results also show a differentiated impact according to the local context and the different dynamics at play. Conclusions and Practical Applications : The results of this paper are in line with the scientific literature on speed limit reductions. They represent a validation of a debated public decision, while at the same time consolidating the body of knowledge on the subject, helping the decision-maker to adopt an appropriate measure to improve road safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel design for measuring the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol using self-reports. • Trip-based recording enables the analysis of driving under the influence of alcohol with trip-specific details. • Findings from Germany align with existing research results for the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol. • The survey concept adds a new variant to the set of instruments for recording driving under the influence of alcohol. Introduction: Driving under the influence of alcohol comprises a serious road safety issue. A comprehensive investigation is challenging and a high number of unreported cases of driving under the influence of alcohol is suspected. Existing methods, including roadside surveys or period-based self-reports, are either difficult to implement or may lack informative value. Method: This paper describes a newly developed questionnaire-based survey conducted in a nationwide online survey in Germany that measures the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol via self-reports concerning randomly selected trips from 7 days prior. The trip-based data collection includes details about the reported car ride. Expected low case numbers are addressed by additionally recording the last trip driven under the influence of alcohol from the previous week. Results: Within the previous 7 days, 6.3% of the surveyed drivers had driven under the influence of alcohol. Further analyses aligned with familiar patterns from prior research: Age, sex, daytime, and days of the week significantly predict driving under the influence of alcohol. However, attitudes toward stricter rules are also identified as a factor. Conclusions: The proposed survey design enables the current findings to surpass results of previous surveys and yields data comparable to roadside survey results. The questionnaire proved feasible in conducting the survey and gathered valid findings that correspond to international research and traffic crash data. For Germany, in particular, and in alignment with familiar patterns related to times and days, the findings point to the likelihood that particularly males and younger drivers will drive under the influence of alcohol. Practical Applications: The proposed survey concept adds a new variant to the set of instruments for recording driving under the influence of alcohol by determining a trip-based prevalence, thus offering new insights into driving under the influence in alcohol of Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Despite high burden, significantly less is known about non-fatal drowning. • Using data linkage, cases of non-fatal drowning from the pre-hospital setting were analysed. • For every one drowning fatality, 15 non-fatal drownings were attended by ambulance. • Despite lower fatalities, drowning burden among adolescents and females is revealed when analysing non-fatal drowning data. • Results indicate a need to widen primary prevention efforts across population groups. Introduction : Drowning is a preventable cause of mortality, with 279 unintentional drowning deaths per year in Australia. Despite larger estimated numbers, less is known about nonfatal drowning compared to fatalities. This study aimed to examine the burden of fatal and nonfatal drowning in the Australian state of New South Wales using pre-hospital case capture. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of individuals attended by an ambulance in NSW for drowning between 2010 and 2021 was conducted. Ambulance data (paper-based and electronic medical records) were linked to emergency department and death registry. Ratios of fatal to nonfatal drowning were constructed overall, by sex, age, and remoteness of incident and residential locations. Results: 3,973 ambulance-attended drowning patients were identified (an annual rate of 4.16/100,000 persons). Six percent (6.1%; n = 243) died within 30 days, 82.7% (n = 201) of which died on the day of incident, including at the scene. Mean survival time for those who died between 2 and 30 days was 4.6 days. The overall ratio of fatal to nonfatal incidents was 1:15. Ratios were highest for 10–19 year-olds (1:77), females (1:22), and in metropolitan incident (1:20) and residential (1:23) locations. Across the study drowning declined by 14 incidents and 0.18 fatalities per year. Discussion: Temporal trends indicate declining drowning incidents and fatalities. However, this study highlights significant numbers of nonfatal incidents among those traditionally seen as lower risk, such as adolescents and females, necessitating a widened focus on improving water safety among these groups. Conclusions: Nonfatal drowning results in significant, yet preventable health system burden in New South Wales. Practical Applications: This study highlights the importance of documenting the full burden of drowning, including health system impacts of a preventable cause of injury and death. Such data may be used to encourage further investment in primary prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crash modification factors are estimated for adaptive traffic signal control technology at individual intersections. • CMFs estimated with both empirical bayes before-after methodology with propensity scores-potential outcomes framework. • CMFs are consistent between the two approaches when the same sample is used. Introduction: The main objective of this paper is to compare the safety effectiveness estimates obtained using the empirical Bayes (EB) before-after and propensity scores-potential outcomes (PSPO) methods. Method: The dataset employed in this study consisted of 338 intersections where adaptive traffic signal control (ATSC) technology was deployed in Pennsylvania. Results: The results revealed that the EB and PSPO methods produce Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) that are not statistically different from each other, which suggests that the two methods provide consistent results in the present study. Nevertheless, there are still some minor differences between the CMF values obtained from the EB method and the CMF values obtained using PSPO. These differences may be attributed to the different statistical basis and different methodological focus between the methods. Overall, the CMF values indicate a slightly higher expected crash frequency of various injury severity levels and for different intersection types (3-leg vs. 4-leg) associated with the implementation of ATSC; however, some of these changes were not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Despite prevalent role of human factors, police-reported pedestrian-involved crash data often have gaps in crash details. • The Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Data Tool (PBCAT) provides an inclusive high-quality database capturing sequence of events. • Unobserved factors (e.g., pedestrian conspicuity or driver riskiness) can have significant influence on pedestrian injuries. • Ordered probit model and its finite mixture version are applied to address unobserved heterogeneity in pedestrian injuries. • Results suggest sufficient heterogeneity in pedestrian injuries and parameters of related factors across two latent groups. Introduction: Human factors are often major contributors to pedestrian crashes. However, police-reported pedestrian-involved crash data often have gaps in crash details. Overcoming this limitation, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Data Tool (PBCAT) provides a more comprehensive high-quality database capturing the sequence of events. Methods: In addition to human and roadway environmental factors, there could be unobserved factors (e.g., pedestrian conspicuity, impact speed, or riskiness by a driver) that could be either unavailable or not used in the analysis; however, these unobserved factors could have a significant influence on pedestrian injuries. This study applies finite mixture models to address unobserved heterogeneity in pedestrian injuries which is usually overlooked. As a result, the associations of one or more of the observed factors with pedestrian injuries across different latent (unobserved) classes can be different. Results: Harnessing this unique database for North Carolina reveals that in most (95%) of the crashes (N=24,886) occurring between 2009 and 2019, pedestrians were either killed or injured. Risky behaviors by drivers and pedestrians contributed to 7.91% and 50.59% of these crashes, respectively. Recognition errors (e.g., dash or dart-out) and violations (e.g., failure to yield) by pedestrians contributed to 22.08% and 28.58% of crashes, respectively. Recognition errors and violations by drivers contributed to only 2.12% and 3.11% of crashes respectively each of which is significantly lower than those by pedestrians. Results of the ordered Probit model indicate that the chance of pedestrian fatality is significantly higher if a pedestrian makes recognition errors and violations, a driver makes performance errors, and either the pedestrian or driver is impaired. Conclusions and practical implications: The finite mixture model shows that pedestrians belong to two latent groups across which there is significant heterogeneity in pedestrian injuries and variations in the associations of observed factors with pedestrian injuries. The practical implications are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction : In pursuit of sustainability goals, many cities are introducing measures to increase the usage of bicycles as a means of transportation. City planners aim to ensure that this increase does not lead to an increase in crashes, but must make corresponding infrastructure decisions with limited information. Sufficient data to perform a statistical analysis of location-specific crash frequencies is rarely available. For example, only approximately 10% of all bicycle crashes are reported to the police (Shinar et al., 2018). Therefore, urban planners often rely on expert opinion, which may lead to suboptimal prioritization and realization of infrastructure improvements. Method: This paper demonstrates how surveys on bicycle crashes can be used to aid urban planners in making infrastructure decisions. In addition to confirming the location and characteristics of reported crashes, surveys can uncover characteristics of crashes that are not reported to the police, situations in which a crash almost occurred, and locations perceived by cyclists to be dangerous. Surveys also allow urban planners to investigate non-infrastructure related causes of crashes, such as the frequency with which individual cyclists use other modes of transportation. Practical Applications: The usefulness of surveys in the determination of urban cycling safety is demonstrated in this paper through analysis of survey results from the city of Zurich in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Occupational injury research is influenced by researchers' perspectives. • Injury-focused perspectives focus on finding and controlling causes of injuries. • This perspective may inadvertently limit occupational injury research. • Occupation-focused perspectives focus on understanding how work is done. • This perspective may allow for new insights in occupational injury research. Introduction: The effectiveness of occupational injury research may, at least in part, depend upon the perspective used in that research. Method: This paper presents two perspectives occupational injury research may adopt – the injury-focused and the occupation-focused perspectives. The injury-focused perspective sees injuries as the primary unit of analysis in occupational injury research. It is based on several premises that focus its research on understanding occupational injuries. However, this focus may obscure certain factors of how injuries occur and, ultimately, how to create occupational safety. By contrast, the occupation-focused perspective sees work as the primary unit of analysis of occupational injury research. This perspective may allow researchers to solve what is described in this paper as the 'dark safety' problem (i.e., how even unsafe systems go long periods of time without failure). The paper does not argue that one or the other perspective should be the only perspective. However, a balanced perspective between injury-focused and occupation-focused research is needed to further occupational injury research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Small mobile robots are becoming increasingly popular in construction. • Small mobile robots raise novel occupational safety issues that need to be evaluated. • No previous research examined the impact of small mobile robots on workers' safety. • This conceptual paper identifies and categorizes various risk posed by small mobile robots. • Study outcomes can be used in creating guidelines for safe operations of small mobile robots. Introduction: Small mobile robots have become increasingly popular in the construction domain over the last few years. They are stable on rough terrains, can walk over small obstacles, climb stairs, and carry various sensors or arms to perform diverse functions and sub-tasks required to complete construction-related tasks. Saving time, improving accessibility to difficult or unsafe spaces, and reducing costs while accomplishing construction tasks are some of the benefits of using small, mobile robots in construction. However, serious concerns about new workplace hazards could arise from having mobile robots on the jobsite. Unfortunately, no study has attempted to evaluate these risks, especially in the construction domain. Therefore, there was a significant need to develop a holistic understanding of the direct and indirect risks of mobile robot applications in construction. Method: In this paper, we used inferential and Virtual Reality (VR) visualization techniques to: (1) construct conceptual visualizations of proximal and distant human-robot interaction within the construction context; and (2) identify potential safety challenges of robots, which were categorized into three groups: (a) physical risks, (b) attentional costs, and (c) psychological impacts. These identified safety challenges were then validated and ranked by a group of construction safety and robotic experts who had knowledge and experience using such robots in construction. Practical Applications: The outcomes of the study provided a detailed understanding of how robots might adversely affect workers' safety and health. The study outcomes could also be ultimately used in creating regulatory and administrative guidelines for the safe operations of small mobile robots in construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper conceptualizes safety voice climate and presents a measurement tool named the "Safety Voice Climate Scale" (SVCS) • The SVCS consists of the two theoretical dimensions "Work colleagues' encouragement of safety voice" and "Leaders' attitudes towards safety voice". • The paper presents initial evidence for SVCS' validity. • The paper assessed the associations between safety voice climate and safety voice behavior. • The sample included 7624 employees from the Norwegian petroleum sector. • Confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed two-factor model, and the internal consistency of the factors was good. • A SEM model including the SVCS as predictor of safety voice behavior showed good fit, indicating acceptable criterion validity. Introduction : Speaking up about safety issues, termed "safety voice," is a proactive response where people across all levels of the organization express their concerns to prevent physical hazards. An understanding of safety voice requires insight into its antecedents. A perceived need to fit in with the organization and fear of consequences can trump the courage to speak out about safety concerns. Safety voice climate can be seen as a manifestation of the social exchanges in an organization and functions as a roadmap of which speaking out behaviors are encouraged and which behaviors are not. This study conceptualizes safety voice climate, presents the Safety Voice Climate Scale (SVCS) as a measurement tool, and gathers initial evidence for its validity. The study also assesses the associations between the SVCS and safety voice behavior. Method : The SVCS and the measurement of safety voice behavior were derived from the Trends in Risk Level in the Norwegian Petroleum Activity questionnaire. The SVCS includes the two theoretical dimensions Work colleagues' encouragement of safety voice and Leaders' attitudes towards safety voice. Psychometric properties were tested with a representative sample from the Norwegian petroleum sector (n = 7,624). Results : Confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed two-factor model, and the internal consistency of the factors was good. Furthermore, a structural equation model including the SVCS as predictors of safety voice behavior showed a good fit, indicating acceptable criterion validity, although only the Work colleagues' encouragement of safety voice variable was significantly associated with safety voice behavior. Conclusion and practical application : The SVCS can be used as a tool to detect some of the barriers and supporting elements relating to safety voice and guidance on the efforts needed to foster work climates that promote communication of safety issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three cases of outsourced facility management between national or international companies were investigated. • Safety management practices in outsourced facility management conform to those in safety critical industries. • However, the practice of review was not found, limiting learning. • Regulatory failures contribute to safety management challenges in outsourced facility management. Introduction: Outsourcing is a commonly occurring organizational activity, but one associated with negative occupational safety outcomes. Improving the management of safety in workplaces where contractors are employed is vital, but under-researched in the service sectors. The aims of this paper were to investigate both the practices and challenges of safety management in outsourced facility management (FM), an important global service sector. Method: Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with clients and contractors in three different FM outsourcing arrangements between large corporations in the UK. Data were thematically coded against frameworks derived from existing literature to identify deployed safety management practices and reveal challenges associated with safety management in these outsourced relationships. Results: Safety management practices in outsourced FM conformed to known practices clustering into four previously identified categories (planning, selecting, on-site working, and checking). A fifth category (reviewing) was not observed. Operating across national boundaries, applying national contracts locally, working with mandated KPIs, and contract specifications all created new challenges for safety management not previously reported. Other known challenges associated with economic pressure and disorganization were observed. Conclusion: Safety management practices observed in safety critical industries also apply in FM. However, the challenges of safety management in these three cases included regulatory failures that have not been routinely identified in other empirical studies of safety in outsourcing arrangements. Practical application: Adopting widely accepted safety management practices support safer working in outsourced FM and encourage cross-sector learning. New challenges for safety management noted here encourage consideration of unintended consequences of contract terms and conditions, require corporate agreement on how to ensure safety compliance when working transnationally, and a review of decision-making and processes and procedures to enable effective and safe working locally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper discusses methodological shortcomings of studies on the effects of electronic stability control (ESC) for passenger cars. • A meta -analysis investigated whether the strong heterogeneity of the data could be explained by various methodological factors. • Only some samples yielded results which were consistent with the hypothesis of inflated effects. • It was concluded that some important methodological aspects of the studies have not been reported, and it is thus not possible to fully test the proposed hypotheses in a meta -analysis. Objective : Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a standard feature on most modern cars, due to its reported efficiency to reduce the number of crashes of several types. However, empirical studies of safety effects of ESC for passenger vehicles have not considered some methodological problems that might have inflated the effects. This includes self-selection of drivers who buy/use ESC and behavioral adaptation to the system over long time periods, but also the dominant method of induced exposure. This study aimed to investigate whether such methodological problems might have influenced the results. Method: A meta -analysis was undertaken to investigate whether there are systematic differences between published studies. Moderators tested included when the study was undertaken, the type of vehicle studied, the percent ESC in the sample, size of sample, the length of the study, whether matched or un-matched vehicles were studied, whether induced exposure was used, and two variants of types of crashes used as controls. Results: The effects found ranged from 38% to 75% reduction of crashes for the main targets of singles, running off road and rollover crashes. However, these effects were heterogeneous, and differed depending on the methods used. Most importantly, information that could have allowed more precise analyses of the moderators were missing in most publications. Conclusions: Although average effects were large and in agreement with previous meta -analyses, heterogeneity of the data was large, and lack of information about important moderators means that firm conclusions about what kind of mechanisms were influencing the effects cannot be drawn. The available data on ESC efficiency are not unanimous, and further investigations into the effects of ESC on safety using different methodologies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Virtual Reality is as a viable training method for low-voltage electrical safety. • VR training demonstrates overall effectiveness in reaction, learning, and duration. • Trainees react positively, notably for engagement, intention to use, and enjoyment. • VR facilitates learning; trainees retain substantial knowledge after four weeks. • Most trainees consider the 29- to 44-minute training duration appropriate. Introduction : The widespread use and inherent risks associated with low-voltage electrical equipment require all workers to understand its hazards and how to manage them. Despite being the most commonly used method for raising safety awareness, lecture-based training often proves ineffective. Virtual reality (VR) allows the user to be immersed in a virtual environment and actively participate in practical training while maintaining their safety, which can potentially result in engaging and effective training. This paper investigates the effectiveness of using immersive VR for low-voltage (LV) electrical safety training to understand the potential benefits of VR technology for industrial safety training applications. Method: A within-group experimental design was employed with 18 participants undertaking the LV VR training. The effectiveness of the training was evaluated by measuring participants' reactions, learning, and training duration. Participants' learning was measured before, immediately after, and four weeks after the training, whereas reaction and suitability of training duration were measured after the training. Results: Participants reported highly positive reactions to the LV VR training, particularly regarding their level of engagement, intention to use the system in the future, and enjoyment. Knowledge test scores significantly improved immediately after training with high effect sizes. Although scores decreased significantly four weeks after training, they remained significantly higher compared to before training. The training duration, ranging from 29 to 44 minutes was considered suitable for the training. Conclusions: LV VR training effectively elicited positive reactions from trainees and supporting trainees to acquire and retain safety information while maintaining appropriate training duration. Practical Implications: VR emerges as a viable alternative training method worth exploring for organizations seeking to improve their safety training programs. VR combines educational and entertainment values, facilitating enjoyable learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comprehensive investigation into the current and emerging solutions, policies, and guidance employed by various agencies to mitigate wrong-way driving (WWD) activities in the United States. • Survey traffic and safety engineers from all 50 state transportation agencies and 59 tollway authorities across the nation. • The insights gathered from the survey and interviews with different agencies are invaluable in shaping safe system approaches to mitigate WWD issues. • Lay the groundwork for developing national guidelines to reduce WWD crashes and incidents on divided highways. Introduction: This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the current and emerging solutions, policies, and guidance employed by various agencies to mitigate wrong-way driving (WWD) activities in the United States. The study utilized a two-pronged approach, involving an online survey and follow-up phone interviews with respondents from state transportation agencies, tollway authorities, and law enforcement. Methods: The initial step involved conducting an online survey to gather general insights about the existing strategies and practices used to combat WWD. The survey questionnaire, consisting of 12 questions, covered topics such as mitigation strategies/policies, guidance for selecting countermeasures, and topics/needs for national handbook. The survey was emailed to traffic and safety engineers from all 50 state transportation agencies and 59 tollway authorities across the nation. As the second step, follow-up phone interviews were conducted with respondents identified from the online survey. The interviews delved deeper into specific aspects such as crash/incident data collection methods, identification of crash-prone locations, countermeasure selection and implementation, experience with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) applications, and future initiatives. Results: The findings from the survey and interviews indicated an increasing awareness and adoption of best practices to combat WWD. Various states have implemented new policies and advanced technologies to deter WWD incidents. The insights gathered from the survey and interviews with different agencies are invaluable in shaping safe system approaches and guidelines for the national handbook on WWD solutions. Practical applications: Overall, this study sheds light on the efforts and progress made by state transportation agencies, tollway authorities, and law enforcement in addressing the critical issue of WWD. By gathering valuable lessons and practices from the various agencies, this research lays the groundwork for developing national guidelines to reduce WWD crashes and incidents on divided highways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Road deaths are higher on days with low traffic volume in U.S. counties. • Without speed-reducing countermeasures, lowered congestion is likely to increase deaths. Introduction: Road death risk is often characterized as deaths per volume of traffic in geographic regions, the denominator in miles or kilometers supposedly indicative of the magnitude of risk exposure. This paper reports an examination of the differences in the predictive value of factors hypothesized to influence traffic volume and road death risk. Method: The association of 11 risk factors in U.S. counties during the first 7 months of 2020 was examined for consistency of predictions of road death and traffic volume measured by cell phone and vehicle location data. The study employed least squares regression for traffic volume and Poisson regression for deaths with the population as the offset variable. Results: The directions of the regression coefficients for traffic volume and odds of road deaths per population were opposite from one another for 9 of the 11 variables in the analysis of vehicle occupant deaths. Only the coefficients for maximum daily temperature and Saturday travel were in the same direction. The confidence intervals of three risk ratios for pedestrian deaths indicated low reliability but most of the predictor variables were opposite in association with traffic volume and odds of death. Although traffic volume plunged in the first weeks of the pandemic, the results for the months before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were similar. Practical applications: Traffic volume is an inverse risk factor for road deaths at the local level, likely the result of lower speeds on congested roads. Without the application of countermeasures aimed at reducing speed and other risk factors, the reduction of road congestion is likely to increase deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This 12-week Goldilocks Work intervention was delivered almost as planned with high quality and adherence to the predefined protocol. • Despite the high level of adherence, the intervention did not result in a change towards the intended 'just right' ergonomic balance in physical behaviors. • This Goldilocks Work intervention did not promote musculoskeletal health or change productivity among industrial workers with physically demanding work. • Further research is needed to identify effective implementation strategies that can change physical behaviors within an industrial setting. Introduction: Industrial workers with physically demanding work have increased risk of musculoskeletal pain. The present 12-week Goldilocks Work intervention aimed to organize work among industrial workers to comprise a 'just right' ergonomic balance of physical behaviors (i.e., sit, stand and active) intended to promote musculoskeletal health. The paper investigates the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing low back pain after work. Methods: 83 workers across 28 workteams in a biotech organization were recruited. Workteams were randomly allocated to receive the intervention or work as usual (control). Intervention workteams implemented the Goldilocks Work planning tool to organize their work tasks towards a predefined 'just right' ergonomic balance (i.e., composition of 60% sitting, 30% standing, 10% active work and hourly task alternation). The primary outcome was low back pain intensity. Secondary outcomes were bodily pain, fatigue, physical exertion, productivity and energy after work measured in the survey, and composition and alternations of physical behaviors measured using wearable sensors. Results: The intervention was delivered almost as planned, with good quality and high adherence among most workteams. However, the intervention did not change physical behaviors towards the intended 'just right' ergonomic balance. No significant reduction in low back pain (0.07, CI 95%: −0.68; 0.82), bodily pain (0.10, CI 95%: −0.57; 0.76), tiredness (−0.53, CI 95%: −1.24; 0.19), physical exertion (−0.18, CI 95%: −0.83; 0.48), or improvement in energy (0.39, CI 95%: −1.02; 0.23) or productivity (−0.03, CI 95%: −0.77; 0.72) were found. Conclusion: This Goldilocks Work intervention did not promote musculoskeletal health among industrial workers and did not change physical behaviors as intended. Thus, more research is needed into implementation strategies to change physical behaviors during productive work towards an evidence-based 'just right' ergonomic balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Objective fatigue detection studies using physiological sensing are reviewed. • 43 recent articles are selected after a comprehensive quality assessment. • Signal modalities, experimental environments, and fatigue detection models are analyzed. • Directions for future research are provided based on identified gaps. • Challenges and future solutions for fatigue detection in workplaces are discussed. Fatigue is considered to have a life-threatening effect on human health and it has been an active field of research in different sectors. Deploying wearable physiological sensors helps to detect the level of fatigue objectively without any concern of bias in subjective assessment and interfering with work. This paper provides an in-depth review of fatigue detection approaches using physiological signals to pinpoint their main achievements, identify research gaps, and recommend avenues for future research. The review results are presented under three headings, including: signal modality, experimental environments, and fatigue detection models. Fatigue detection studies are first divided based on signal modality into uni-modal and multi-modal approaches. Then, the experimental environments utilized for fatigue data collection are critically analyzed. At the end, the machine learning models used for the classification of fatigue state are reviewed. The directions for future research are provided based on critical analysis of past studies. Finally, the challenges of objective fatigue detection in the real-world scenario are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bicycle fall-over experiments and numerical simulations, with a 3-year-old child dummy in a bicycle seat, enabled the authors to have an insight into the child's kinematics, head accelerations and neck bending. • We highlighted the importance of neck bending injuries during bicycle fall over, which are often neglected in the vulnerable road user safety assessment. • We concluded that assessing only the acceleration of the head and the head injury criterion (HIC) values may lead to false and even hazardous decisions of not wearing a helmet. Introduction : The paper addresses an important accident type that involves children in bicycle seats – the bicycle fall over. It is a significant and common accident type and many parents have been reported to experience this type of "close call." The fall over occurs at low velocities and even while a bicycle is standing still, and may result from a split-second lack of attention on behalf of the accompanying adult (e.g. while loading groceries, i.e. while not being exposed to traffic per se). Moreover, irrespective of the low velocities involved, the trauma that may result to the head of the child is considerable and may be life-threatening, as shown in the study. Method: The paper presents two methods to address this accident scenario in a quantitative way: in-situ accelerometer-based measurement and numerical modeling approaches. It is shown that the methods produce consistent results under the prerequisites of the study. They are therefore promising methods to be used in the study of this type of accident. Results: The importanance of the protective role of a child helmet is without discussion in everyday traffic. However, this study draws attention to one particular effect observed in this accident type: that the geometry of the helmet may at times expose the child's head to considerably larger forces, by having contact with the ground. The study also highlights the importance of neck bending injuries during bicycle fall over, which are often neglected in the safety assessment – not only for children in bicycle seats. The study concludes that considering only head acceleration may lead to biased conclusions about using helmets as protective devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The U.S. food supply chain, from manufacturer to retailer, is a relatively hazardous occupation for workers, with higher morbidity and mortality rates versus other industries. • Employees in food manufacturing, wholesaling, and even retailing experience relatively high numbers of occupational injuries and fatalities. One reason for the high hazard rates may be the reliance on a synergistic packaging system designed to load and transport food products within and between manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. • This paper examined severe injuries related to the packaging and movement of food products in segments of the food and beverage supply chain from manufacturing to retailing. We used an OSHA database to investigate all severe injuries in the six years from 2015 to 2020. • Results show there were 1,084 severe injuries and 47 fatalities during the six-year period. Fractures of the lower extremities were most prevalent, with the most frequent event type being transportation-related such as pedestrian-vehicle incidents. Significant differences were seen in the three parts of the food supply chain. The paper discusses how pressure from various parts of the food supply chain may be increasing risks for workers. Introduction : The modern food supply chain presents unique hazards to employees that result in higher morbidity and mortality rates versus other industries. Employees in food manufacturing, wholesaling, and even retailing experience relatively high numbers of occupational injuries and fatalities. One reason for the high hazard rates may be the reliance on a synergistic packaging system designed to load and transport food products within and between manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Packaged food products are often aggregated using palletizers before they can be transported by forklifts and pallet jacks. Materials handling within facilities is critical to the efficient functioning of all members of the food-related supply chain, but product movement can be a source of occupational injuries. No previous research has examined the cause and result of such hazards. Method: This paper aims to examine severe injuries related to the packaging and movement of food products in segments of the food and beverage supply chain from manufacturing to retailing. An OSHA database was used to investigate all severe injuries in the six years from 2015 to 2020. The focus was on the food supply chain for the period since OSHA began mandating new reporting procedures for severe injuries. Results: Results show there were 1,084 severe injuries and 47 fatalities during the six-year period. Fractures of the lower extremities were most prevalent, with the most frequent event type being transportation-related such as pedestrian-vehicle incidents. Significant differences were seen in the three parts of the food supply chain. Practical Applications: Implications are drawn for key sectors of the food-related supply chain to reduce packaging- and product movement-related hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A preliminary conceptual framework of normalization of deviance is proposed. • Normalization of deviance appears dependent on the initial normalization of risk. • Impact of organizational factors on normalization of deviance development is shown. • Future research into risk normalization is proposed. Introduction: The concept of normalization of deviance describes the gradual acceptance of deviant observations and practices. It is founded upon the gradual desensitization to risk experienced by individuals or groups who recurrently deviate from standard operating procedures without encountering negative consequences. Since its inception, normalization of deviance has seen extensive, but segmented, application across numerous high-risk industrial contexts. The current paper describes a systematic review of the existing literature on the topic of normalization of deviance within high-risk industrial settings. Method : Four major databases were searched in order to identify relevant academic literature, with 33 academic papers meeting all inclusion criteria. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the texts. Results: Based on the review, an initial conceptual framework was developed to encapsulate identified themes and their interactions; key themes linked to the normalization of deviance included risk normalization, production pressure, culture, and a lack of negative consequences. Conclusions: While preliminary, the present framework offers relevant insights into the phenomenon that may help guide future analysis using primary data sources and aid in the development of intervention methods. Practical Applications: Normalization of deviance is an insidious phenomenon that has been noted in several high-profile disasters across a variety of industrial settings. A number of organizational factors allow for and/or propagate this process, and as such, the phenomenon should be considered as an aspect of safety evaluations and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]