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Food contact materials (FCMs) can contain hazardous chemicals that may have the potential to migrate into food and pose a health hazard for humans. Previous studies have mainly focused on plastic materials, while data on packaging materials made from paper and cardboard are limited. We used a panel of cell-based bioassays to investigate the presence and impact of bioactive chemicals on human relevant endpoints like oxidative stress, genotoxicity, inflammation, xenobiotic metabolism and endocrine system effects in extracts made from paper and cardboard. In total, 23 methanol extracts of commonly used paper and cardboard available on the Swedish market were extracted as a whole product using methanol to retrieve polar substances, and tested at concentrations 0.3–10 mg/mL and 0.2–6 mg/mL. At the highest concentration bioactivities were observed in a high proportion of the samples: oxidative stress (52%), genotoxicity (100%), xenobiotic metabolism (74%), antiandrogenic- (52%) and antioestrogenic receptor (39%). Packages of potential concern included cake/pastry boxes/mats, boxes for infant formula/skimmed milk, pizza boxes, pizza slice trays and bag of cookies. It should be noted that the extraction for packages like cake/pastry boxes can be considered exaggerated, as the exposure usually is shorter. It can be hypothesised that the observed responses may be explained by inks, coatings, contaminants and/or naturally occurring compounds within the material. To summarise, an effect-based approach enables hazard identification of chemicals within FCMs, which is a valuable tool for ensuring safe use of FCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of East China University of Science & Technology is the property of Journal of East China University of Science & Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hazard identification is a fundamental step in safety management that has the potential to reduce the number and severity of occupational injuries on construction sites. Researchers have identified and evaluated some of the hazards, but few have extensively discussed all of them and none have classified them by sector. The goal of this paper is to fill that research gap by considering hazard identification through an organized synthesis of the existing literature. After a comprehensive literature review, 236 publications were deemed eligible for further analysis. Eighteen safety hazards were identified and then categorized into four groups based on their physiological impacts, ranked based on frequency of citation, and classified by sector. The results revealed that falls from heights, material handling, and heavy machinery were the most frequently cited hazards and the most likely to impact all sectors. Mitigation strategies were also identified, and it was determined that most hazards can be mitigated through the use of personal protective equipment, and effective training and supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction process is a dynamic one, and the complexity of the working conditions and the high level of uncertainty make the construction industry the third most dangerous industry after mining and agriculture. And since the construction industry is vital to the development of a country, safety during construction is of particular importance. A great deal of research, studies and practices have been conducted to reduce potential risks and improve worker efficiency during the construction process. In recent years, with the rapid development of cognitive neuroscience and the integration of medical technology, various wearable monitoring devices have been widely used in the field of building construction for real-time monitoring of workers' physical and mental conditions. Among them, the application of EEG (electroencephalogram) in the building construction process enables researchers to gain insight into the physical and mental state of construction workers while performing construction tasks. This paper introduces EEG technology and portable EEG monitoring equipment and summarizes its application in monitoring workers' adverse reactions (emotion, fatigue, psychological burden, and vigilance) and construction hazard identification during the process of construction in recent years, which provides future EEG research in the field of building construction and construction site safety management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evergreen process hazard analysis (PHA) is an essential next step in hazard identification, risk analysis, and process safety risk management. The evergreen PHA addresses weaknesses in PHA practices that allow the facility PHA to degrade and become out‐of‐date during the periods between 5‐year revalidations. This degradation in the PHA has the potential to elevate safety risk in the facility. This paper outlines prerequisites and initial steps that support moving to evergreen PHA. Initial steps include developing the document flow process, establishing triggering events, and defining the PHA protocol for interim PHA studies. A phased approach for implementing evergreen PHA is outlined. Challenges and barriers, real and perceived, are discussed along with solutions. The implementation of a well‐designed and maintained evergreen PHA process not only supports better awareness of hazards within the facility but also allows for continual improvement of the PHA. Five‐year revalidation efforts may be reimagined and refocused to be more effective and to use resource time more efficiently. These benefits can ultimately contribute to safer and more reliable operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of hazards and risk assessment are key factors in the safety of the industries, including power plants. This paper contains an original risk analysis method that increases the level of safety in commissioning and start-up operations. With the proposed method, which has been tested in real industrial facilities, it has been possible to increase the safety of the system and reduce the likelihood of incidents and accidents in one of the most dangerous stages of project construction activities. This paper also gives an overview of the processes and procedures used in the construction of power plants compared to other industry sectors, proposing some areas for potential improvement. It has been verified that temporary systems used during commissioning apply risk evaluation techniques that do not consider some aspects related to process hazards, something that can be important for the prevention of accidents that historically happen at this stage. Analysis of the data has determined that, in these stages, there have been incidents and accidents, some of them severe. Thus, in this paper, a methodology is proposed. The method allows addressing the particularities of the execution of temporary systems in a safe way by putting into practice an agile and flexible method that can be applied to these particular systems, so that the risk levels can be reduced. The method was applied to one real application representative of this kind of system and yielded excellent results. The proposed methodology is highly recommended as an improvement for the power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to give an impression of new technologies and processes that are in development for application to achieve decarbonization, and about which less or no experience on associated hazards exists in the process industry. More or less an exception is hydrogen technology because its hazards are relatively known and there is industry experience in handling it safely, but problems will arise when it is produced, stored, and distributed on a large scale. So, when its use spreads to communities and it becomes as common as natural gas now, measures to control the risks will be needed. And even with hydrogen, surprise findings have been shown lately, e.g., its BLEVE behavior when in a liquified form stored in a vessel heated externally. Substitutes for hydrogen are not without hazard concern either. The paper will further consider the hazards of energy storage in batteries and the problems to get those hazards under control. Relatively much attention will be paid to the electrification of the process industry. Many new processes are being researched, which given green energy, will be beneficial to reduce greenhouse gases and enhance sustainability, but of which hazards are rather unknown. Therefore, as last chapter the developments with respect to the concept of hazard identification and scenario definition will be considered in quite detail. Improvements in that respect are also being possible due to the digitization of the industry and the availability of data and considering the entire life cycle, all facilitated by the data model standard ISO 15926 with the scope of integration of life-cycle data for process plants including oil and gas production facilities. Conclusion is that the new technologies and processes entail new process and personal hazards, and that much effort is going into renewal but safety analyses are scarce. Right in a period of process renewal, attention should be focused on possibilities to implement inherently safer design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of East China University of Science & Technology is the property of Journal of East China University of Science & Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The manufacture and production of industrial chemicals continues to increase, with hundreds of thousands of chemicals and chemical mixtures used worldwide, leading to widespread population exposures and resultant health impacts. Low-wealth communities and communities of color often bear disproportionate burdens of exposure and impact; all compounded by regulatory delays to the detriment of public health. Multiple authoritative bodies and scientific consensus groups have called for actions to prevent harmful exposures via improved policy approaches. We worked across multiple disciplines to develop consensus recommendations for health-protective, scientific approaches to reduce harmful chemical exposures, which can be applied to current US policies governing industrial chemicals and environmental pollutants. This consensus identifies five principles and scientific recommendations for improving how agencies like the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approach and conduct hazard and risk assessment and risk management analyses: (1) the financial burden of data generation for any given chemical on (or to be introduced to) the market should be on the chemical producers that benefit from their production and use; (2) lack of data does not equate to lack of hazard, exposure, or risk; (3) populations at greater risk, including those that are more susceptible or more highly exposed, must be better identified and protected to account for their real-world risks; (4) hazard and risk assessments should not assume existence of a "safe" or "no-risk" level of chemical exposure in the diverse general population; and (5) hazard and risk assessments must evaluate and account for financial conflicts of interest in the body of evidence. While many of these recommendations focus specifically on the EPA, they are general principles for environmental health that could be adopted by any agency or entity engaged in exposure, hazard, and risk assessment. We also detail recommendations for four priority areas in companion papers (exposure assessment methods, human variability assessment, methods for quantifying non-cancer health outcomes, and a framework for defining chemical classes). These recommendations constitute key steps for improved evidence-based environmental health decision-making and public health protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of robotics and automation (RA) within construction operations to combat stagnant productivity, high rates of injuries and fatalities, and a declining workforce is increasing. However, utilizing RA for construction operations creates human-robot interactions (HRIs) that can lead to the emergence of novel hazards or exacerbate existing safety risk levels. These hazards, if ignored, could worsen worker safety performance. This paper presents a study intended to identify critical HRI safety risks and develop a pre-task planning protocol for the assessment of safety risks associated with the use of RA. To achieve this goal, the authors utilized a sequential multi-phase approach relying on information obtained from a literature review, a 3-round Delphi process consisting of a panel of experts from industry and academia, and interviews with safety experts. Forty hazards associated with RA and 20 potential strategies for the mitigation of HRI safety risks were identified and evaluated. This information was used to develop a safety risk assessment tool that yields an overall risk rating of using RA. This study contributes to knowledge and practice by identifying and quantifying critical safety risks associated with HRI and developing a tool to assess and mitigate unique HRI safety risks. Utilizing insights developed in this study could improve construction worker safety and health and aid the industry's increasing push towards a smart and safe workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For mining engineering and geological engineering, the deformation and fracture of coal and rock are the essential causes of dynamic disasters. In this paper, the loading experimental system was established on gas-bearing coal, to study the internal relationship between the spatial distribution of EP and the development process of damaging localization on coal mass. The results indicated the temporal response of EP signal could reflect the stress state and damage degree of gas-bearing coal, showing the precursor feather when coal mass failed. Particularly, when the stress dropped suddenly, the EP signal has a sudden mutation, and the acoustic emission (AE) signal suffered the pulsed increase, while the crack grew and expanded rapidly. Furthermore, when local severe damage occurs inside the coal mass, there was abnormal EP spatial distribution with high-value or dense contours in these zones, where simultaneously AE rupture events frequently occurred, and cracks expanded and gathered. The characteristics of EP spatial distribution can reveal the development process of coal mass damaging localization. Meanwhile, the mentioned zones with abnormal EP distribution above are hazard sources inducing coal mass’s instability and failure. The study results provide the foundational research work of fine forecasting on coal and gas outburst disaster hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Yellow River is the property of Editorial Board of Yellow River and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Railway Signalling & Communication Engineering is the property of Railway Signalling & Communication Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Evaluation of water inrush risk is becoming increasingly important as coal mining activities reach greater depths. Hazard identification, as well as hazard analysis, is the first step in accident prevention. However, there have not been any studies that focus on the hazard analysis system for mine water inrush. In this paper, hazard identification and its definitions are briefly summarized and a comprehensive review of methods for hazard identification and classification are conducted. To illustrate the hazard of coal mine water inrush, data on coal mine accidents (since 2001) are collected and hundreds water inrush accidents were analyzed in depth. Empirical, statistical analysis and case study method were used to conduct the research. By collecting a large number of mine water inrush cases, hazard identification and risk control measures for coal mine water inrush accidents were conducted. Hazard identification method based on fault tree analysis, as well as a method based on management oversight and risk tree (MORT) and energy release theory were put forward. The analysis results show that the historical information and experiences are critically important in hazard identification of mine water inrush. Hazard of mine water inrush is divided into dynamic root hazard and static root hazard which can be further categorized into static innate hazard and dynamic-triggered hazard. Strategies for risk control of mine water inrush are combined into three aspects: engineering controls, operation system controls, and human behavior controls. Finally, a case study of the Taoyuan coal mine was conducted to illustrate the proposed system, with limitations and future studies are discussed. The hazard identification and classification system can be broadly applied to coal mines and will improve risk control and prevention of mine water inrush accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocrine disrupting chemicals or carcinogens have been known for decades for their endocrine signal disruption. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are a serious concern and they have been included in the top priority toxicants and persistent organic pollutants. Therefore, researchers have been working for a long time to understand their mechanisms of interaction in different human organs. Several reports are available about the carcinogen potential of these chemicals. The presented review is an endeavor to understand the hazard identification associated with endocrine disrupting carcinogens in relation to the human body. The paper discusses the major endocrine disrupting carcinogens and their potency for carcinogenesis. It discusses human exposure, route of entry, carcinogenicity and mechanisms. In addition, the paper discusses the research gaps and bottlenecks associated with the research. Moreover, it discusses the limitations associated with the analytical techniques for detection of endocrine disrupting carcinogens. [Display omitted] • Types of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) related to cancer were analyzed. • EDCs associated cancers and their mechanisms were discussed. • Human exposure to EDCs was explored. • Assessment of EDCs carcinogenicity was performed. • Research gaps and future studies were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the safety issue of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) has become a hot topic. Preliminary hazard analysis of MASS can assist autonomous ship design and ensure safe and reliable operation. However, since MASS technology is still at its early stage, there are not enough data for comprehensive hazard analysis. Hence, this paper attempts to combine conventional ship data and MASS experiments to conduct a preliminary hazard analysis for autonomy level III MASS using the hybrid causal logic (HCL) method. Firstly, the hazardous scenario of autonomy level III MASS is developed using the event sequence diagram (ESD). Furthermore, the fault tree (FT) method is utilized to analyze mechanical events in ESD. The events involving human factors and related to MASS in the ESD are analyzed using Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). Finally, the accident probability of autonomy level III MASS is calculated in practice through historical data and a test ship with both an autonomous and a remote navigation mode in Wuhan and Nanjing, China. Moreover, the key influence factors are found, and the accident-causing event chains are identified, thus providing a reference for MASS design and safety assessment process. This process is applied to the preliminary hazard analysis of the test ship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoplastics are associated with several risks to the ecology and toxicity to humans. Nanoplastics are synthetic polymers with dimensions ranging from 1 nm to 1 μm. They are directly released to the environment or secondarily derived from plastic disintegration in the environment. Nanoplastics are widely detected in environmental samples and the food chain; therefore, their potentially toxic effects have been widely explored. In the present review, an overview of another two potential sources of nanoplastics, exposure routes to illustrate hazard identification of nanoplastics, cell internalization, and effects on intracellular target organelles are presented. In addition, challenges on the study of nanoplastics and future research areas are summarized. This paper also summarizes some approaches to eliminate or minimize the levels of nanoplastics to ensure environmental safety and improve human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucralose, a sugar substitute first approved for use in 1991, is a non-caloric sweetener regulated globally as a food additive. Based on numerous experimental animal studies (dating to the 1980s) and human epidemiology studies, international health agencies have determined that sucralose is safe when consumed as intended. A single lifetime rodent carcinogenicity bioassay conducted by the Ramazzini Institute (RI) reported that mice fed diets containing sucralose develop hematopoietic neoplasia, but controversy continues regarding the validity and relevance of these data for predicting health effects in humans. The present paper addresses the controversy by providing the perspective of experienced pathologists on sucralose-related animal toxicity and carcinogenicity data generally, and the RI carcinogenicity bioassay findings specifically, using results from publicly available papers and international regulatory authority decisions. In the authors' view, flaws in the design, methodology, data evaluation, and reporting of the RI carcinogenicity bioassay for sucralose diminish the value of the data as evidence that this agent represents a carcinogenic hazard to humans. This limitation will remain until the RI bioassay is repeated under Good Laboratory Practices and the design, data, and accuracy of the pathology diagnoses and interpretations are reviewed by qualified pathologists with experience in evaluating potential chemically-induced carcinogenic hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batteries and hydrogen constitute two of the most promising solutions for decarbonising international shipping. This paper presents the comparison between a battery and a proton-exchange membrane hydrogen fuel cell version of a high-speed catamaran ferry with a main focus on safety. The systems required for each version are properly sized and fitted according to the applicable rules, and their impact on the overall design is discussed. Hazards for both designs were identified; frequency and consequence indexes for them were input qualitatively, following Novel Technology Qualification and SOLAS Alternative Designs and Arrangements, while certain risk control options were proposed in order to reduce the risks of the most concerned accidental events. The highest ranked risks were analysed by quantitative risk assessments in PyroSim software. The gas dispersion analysis performed for the hydrogen version indicated that it is crucial for the leakage in the fuel cell room to be stopped within 1 s after being detected to prevent the formation of explosive masses under full pipe rupture of 33 mm diameter, even with 120 air changes per hour. For the battery version, the smoke/fire simulation in the battery room indicated that the firefighting system could achieve a 30% reduction in fire duration, with firedoors closed and ventilation shut, compared to the scenario without a firefighting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power systems and their primary components, mostly the transmission and distribution of overhead lines, substations, and other power facilities, are distributed in space and are exposed to various atmospheric and meteorological conditions. These conditions carry a certain level of risk for reliable electrical power delivery. Various atmospheric hazards endanger the operation of power systems, where the most significant are thunderstorms, wildfire events, and floods which can cause various ranges of disturbances, faults, and damages to the power grid, or even negatively affect the quality of life. By utilizing a weather monitoring and early warning system, it is possible to ensure a faster reaction against different weather-caused fault detections and elimination, to ensure a faster and more adequate preparation for fighting extreme weather events, while maintaining overhead line protection and fault elimination. Moreso, it is possible to bypass overhead lines that have the highest risk of unfavorable meteorological events and hazards, and reroute the energy, thus providing electricity to endangered areas in times of need while minimizing blackouts, and consequently, improving the quality of human life. This paper will present an analysis of the various risks of atmospheric phenomena, in the meteorological and climate context, and discuss various power system components, the power system control, operations, planning, and power quality. A concept with the main functionalities and data sources needed for the establishment of an early warning weather hazard system will be proposed. The proposed solution can be used as a utility function in power system control to mitigate risks to the power system due to atmospheric influences and ongoing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in training approaches and technology have identified the need to improve training in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). While many researchers have examined the use of augmented reality (AR) and technology-based classrooms to enhance conventional training practices, quantitative evidence for their effectiveness and motivational impact remains scarce. To contribute to filling this research gap, an AR-based application was developed to enhance OSH training. The enhanced training session was conducted in a closed, safe environment with ten participants with no background in OSH. Pre-test, post-test, and instructional material motivation surveys (IMMS) using a five-point Likert scale were deployed to measure the effectiveness and motivational impact in accordance with the respective ARCS factors. The empirical results obtained show that participants performed significantly better in the post-tests than in the pre-tests (mean = 14.60, s = 1.71, t(9) = -12.11 with p-value < 0.001). The IMMS results show that the perceived motivation arising from the AR-based application resulted in the highest mean score for the satisfaction factor (4.80) followed by the relevance (4.65), confidence (4.60), and attention (4.55) factors. The results of the evaluation suggest that the AR-based application boosted participants' active learning behavior, engagement, and interest during the enhanced training session and produced a better learning outcome and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Engineering Geology / Gongcheng Dizhi Xuebao is the property of Journal of Engineering Geology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The setting of concentrations for testing substances in ecotoxicological studies is often based on fractions of the concentrations that cause 50% mortality (LC50 or LD50) rather than environmentally relevant levels. This practice can result in exposures to animals at test concentrations that are magnitudes of order greater than those experienced in the environment. Often, such unrealistically high concentrations may cause non-specific biochemical or morphologic changes that primarily reflect the near-lethal health condition of the animal subjects, as opposed to effects characteristic of the particular test compound. Meanwhile, it is recognized that for many chemicals, the toxicologic mode of action (MOA) responsible for lethality may differ entirely from the MOAs that cause various sublethal effects. One argument for employing excessively high exposure concentrations in sublethal studies is to ensure the generation of positive toxicological effects, which can then be used to establish safety thresholds; however, it is possible that the pressure to produce exposure-related effects may also contribute to false positive outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to explore issues involving some current usages of acute LC50 data in ecotoxicology testing, and to propose an alternative strategy for performing this type of research moving forward. Toward those ends, a brief literature survey was conducted to gain an appreciation of methods that are currently being used to set test concentrations for sublethal definitive studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy attracts increasing attention from both industry and academia under the context of carbon neutrality. For wind and solar energy, the strong dependence on natural processes results in the imbalance between energy production and real demands. Energy storage technologies, e.g., Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), are promising solutions to increase the renewable energy penetration. However, the CAES system is a multi-component structure with multiple energy forms involved in the process subject to high temperature and high-pressure working conditions. The CAES system is a complex process flowsheet consisting of charging and discharging process. The process should be optimized to achieve the best thermodynamic and economic performance. Under the optimal design conditions, it might lead to severe consequences once a failure occurs, e.g., harm to humans, the environment, and assets. Limited attention and scarce available information have been paid to the CAES system risk management yet. Hence, this paper applies the System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA), which is a top-down method based on system theory, to identify the CAES system safety hazards. The results are expected to provide a preliminary guideline for practitioners regarding the safety and reliability of the CAES system. As a result, a more reliable CAES system can contribute to a more flexible energy system with more efficient and economic utilization of fluctuating renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidents have occurred periodically in the tailings ponds where mine solid waste is stored in recent years, and thus their safety has become one of the constraints restricting the sustainable development of the mining industry. Reclamation is an important way to treat tailings ponds, but improper reclamation methods and measures not only cannot reduce the accident risk of tailings ponds, but will further increase the pollution to the surrounding environment. The influencing factors of reclamation accidents in tailings ponds are complex, and the existing models cannot characterize them. In order to study the propagation process of tailings pond reclamation risk, this paper proposes a three-dimensional identification framework for accident hazards based on evidence (TDIFAHE) to identify all potential hazards that may occur during the reclamation stage, and obtain a list of hazards. Based on the complex network theory, this paper uses identified hazards as network nodes and the correlation between hazards as the edges of the network. Based on the identified hazard data, the evolution network of reclamation risk in tailings ponds (ENRRTP) is constructed. By analyzing the statistical characteristics of ENRRTP, it can be found that ENRRTP has small world and scale-free characteristics. The above characteristics show that the reclamation risk of tailings ponds is coupled with multiple factors and the disaster path is short. Giving priority to those hub hazards that have a dominant impact on the reclamation risk can significantly reduce the reclamation risk of the tailings pond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crane-related accidents often occur due to failure in timely and accurate hazard identification. Virtual Reality (VR) technology facilitates immersive environments for improving hazard identification without real-world consequences. However, the impact of simulation fidelity on hazard identification performance, particularly for novice crane operators, remains underexplored. This paper examines how simulation fidelity and task complexity affect hazard identification performance among novice operators through a VR experiment with two fidelity and two complexity levels. Findings demonstrate high-fidelity (HF) scenarios significantly improve hazard identification success rate and speed for swing-over hazards but extend task completion times. Task complexity modulates simulation fidelity's impact on task completion, with significant differences between fidelity levels observed only under low complexity. These insights inform the design and calibration of simulation fidelity in VR platforms, potentially improving training efficacy and crane lifting safety for novice operators. • Explores the impact of simulation fidelity on novice crane operators' hazard identification. • Finds that high-fidelity boosts success rate but reduces speed in hazard identification. • Highlights accuracy-speed trade-off due to simulation fidelity changes. • Emphasises interaction fidelity for immersive, real-world-like experiences. • Guides on balancing simulation fidelity and cost-effectiveness in VR safety training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a responsive analysis of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in risk management, contrasting traditional approaches with those augmented by AI and highlighting the challenges and opportunities that emerge. AI, intense learning methodologies such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have been identified as pivotal in extracting meaningful insights from image data, a form of analysis that holds significant potential in identifying and managing risks across various industries. The research methodology involves a strategic selection and processing of images for analysis and introduces three case studies that serve as benchmarks for evaluation. These case studies showcase the application of AI, in place of image processing capabilities, to identify hazards, evaluate risks, and suggest control measures. The comparative evaluation focuses on the accuracy, relevance, and practicality of the AI-generated findings alongside the system's response time and comprehensive understanding of the context. Results reveal that AI can significantly enhance risk assessment processes, offering rapid and detailed insights. However, the study also recognises the intrinsic limitations of AI in contextual interpretation, advocating for a synergy between technological and domain-specific expertise. The conclusion underscores the transformative potential of AI in risk management, supporting continued research to further integrate AI effectively into risk assessment frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the dynamic and complex nature of a construction jobsite, workers' safety is significantly connected to both their ability to efficiently scan their surrounding environment and their ability to anticipate and identify potentially hazardous sources in a timely manner. However, existing studies have failed to consider the spatial-temporal characteristics of high-risk construction hazards as well as the limited training available for enhancing workers' hazard anticipation. Accordingly, this study (1) examines the impact of dynamic hazards' spatiotemporal characteristics on construction workers' hazard identification and anticipation performance, and (2) proposes and illustrates a new methodological approach that harnesses cue perception timing to assemble a coherent cognitive model of situational awareness. To achieve these objectives, this study combines subjective survey measurements with such technologies as 360° video panoramas and wearable psychophysiological sensors to examine 30 construction workers' hazard search strategies, timely hazard identification performance, and spatial attentional distribution. The results of this study demonstrate that workers' hazard anticipation abilities are differentially influenced by both spatial and temporal characteristics of dynamic hazards: (1) most workers failed to distribute their spatial attention across the 360° construction environment and missed hazards outside their field of view (behind or overhead), highlighting the importance of attentional orienting; (2) most workers failed to identify emerging hazard cues that would enable anticipating latent hazards; and (3) many workers failed to develop a correct situational awareness framework because they had improper cue-perception timing. The findings of this study highlight the importance of considering the unique spatiotemporal characteristics of dynamic hazards to properly predict workers' true hazard anticipation abilities. Furthermore, the findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insight into developing effective safety training strategies to enhance workers' situational awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of hazards and risk assessment are key factors in the safety of the industries, including power plants. This paper contains an original risk analysis method that increases the level of safety in commissioning and start-up operations. With the proposed method, which has been tested in real industrial facilities, it has been possible to increase the safety of the system and reduce the likelihood of incidents and accidents in one of the most dangerous stages of project construction activities. This paper also gives an overview of the processes and procedures used in the construction of power plants compared to other industry sectors, proposing some areas for potential improvement. It has been verified that temporary systems used during commissioning apply risk evaluation techniques that do not consider some aspects related to process hazards, something that can be important for the prevention of accidents that historically happen at this stage. Analysis of the data has determined that, in these stages, there have been incidents and accidents, some of them severe. Thus, in this paper, a methodology is proposed. The method allows addressing the particularities of the execution of temporary systems in a safe way by putting into practice an agile and flexible method that can be applied to these particular systems, so that the risk levels can be reduced. The method was applied to one real application representative of this kind of system and yielded excellent results. The proposed methodology is highly recommended as an improvement for the power industry.

The cascading propagation and evolution of metro operation failures can significantly impact the safety of metro operation. To overcome this challenge, this study pre-processes a massive amount of metro operation log data through noise reduction. Moreover, a professional terminology dictionary is constructed along with a custom stop-word dictionary to segment the preprocessed data. Subsequently, the AFP-tree algorithm is employed to mine the segmented log data and identify key hazards. A weighted urban rail transit network is established, considering the effective path time cost, and the shortest travel OD path. To simulate the dynamic evolution of the failure chain propagation, a model based on disaster propagation theory is constructed. Taking the Shanghai Metro line as a case, multiple simulation scenarios are established with 25 key hazards as triggering points, and the number of cascade failure stations affected under different scenarios is outputted. The results indicate that the fault stations caused by the large passenger flow are the largest. Meanwhile, the number of stations affected by the door clamp is the smallest. The scale of fault stations reaches a maximum value in 16–20 min. Through case analysis, a positive correlation is found when the self-recovery factor is between 14 and 18, and the number of fault stations shows a significant increasing trend. The research results can provide decision-making support and theoretical guidance for rail transit operation safety management enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidents have occurred periodically in the tailings ponds where mine solid waste is stored in recent years, and thus their safety has become one of the constraints restricting the sustainable development of the mining industry. Reclamation is an important way to treat tailings ponds, but improper reclamation methods and measures not only cannot reduce the accident risk of tailings ponds, but will further increase the pollution to the surrounding environment. The influencing factors of reclamation accidents in tailings ponds are complex, and the existing models cannot characterize them. In order to study the propagation process of tailings pond reclamation risk, this paper proposes a three-dimensional identification framework for accident hazards based on evidence (TDIFAHE) to identify all potential hazards that may occur during the reclamation stage, and obtain a list of hazards. Based on the complex network theory, this paper uses identified hazards as network nodes and the correlation between hazards as the edges of the network. Based on the identified hazard data, the evolution network of reclamation risk in tailings ponds (ENRRTP) is constructed. By analyzing the statistical characteristics of ENRRTP, it can be found that ENRRTP has small world and scale-free characteristics. The above characteristics show that the reclamation risk of tailings ponds is coupled with multiple factors and the disaster path is short. Giving priority to those hub hazards that have a dominant impact on the reclamation risk can significantly reduce the reclamation risk of the tailings pond.

The objective of this paper is to develop online risk models that can be updated as conditions change, using risk as one metric to control an autonomous ship in operation. This paper extends and integrates the System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) and Bayesian Belief Networks (BBN) with control systems for autonomous ships to enable supervisory risk control. The risk metric is used in a Supervisory Risk Controller (SRC) that considers both risk and operational costs when making decisions. This enables the control system to make better and more informed decisions than existing ship control systems. The novel control system is tested in a case study where the SRC can change: (i) which machinery system is active; (ii) which control mode to run the ship in; and (iii) which speed reference to follow. The SRC is able to choose the optimum machinery, control mode, and speed reference to maintain safe control of the ship over a route in changing conditions. • Method for developing a supervisory risk controller for autonomous surface ships. • Show how risk models can be used in ship control systems. • Supervisory controller for high-level control of autonomous surface ships. • Case study with supervisory risk control of autonomous surface ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to use alternative fuels if we are to reach the emission reduction targets set by the IMO. Hydrogen carriers are classified as zero-emission, while having a higher energy density (including packing factor) than pure hydrogen. They are often considered as safe alternative fuels. The exact definition of what safety entails is often lacking, both for hydrogen carriers as well as for ship safety. The aim of this study is to review the safety of hydrogen carriers from two perspectives, investigating potential connections between the chemical and maritime approaches to safety. This enables a reasoned consideration between safety aspects and other design drivers in ship design and operation. The hydrogen carriers AB, NaBH 4 , KBH 4 and two LOHCs (NEC and DBT) are taken into consideration, together with a couple reference fuels (ammonia, methanol and MDO). After the evaluation of chemical properties related to safety and the scope of the current IMO safety framework, it can be concluded that safety remains a vague and non-explicit concept from both perspectives. Therefore, further research is required to prove the safe application of hydrogen carriers onboard ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lolak Bolaang Mongondow Airport Runway and Taxiway Project represents one of the emerging airport developments characterized by a heightened susceptibility to accidents. Occupational Safety and Health (K3), an integral component of multifaceted initiatives aimed at mitigating workplace accidents while augmenting labor productivity and efficiency, has been effectively integrated into this undertaking. Among the methodologies employed for its implementation, the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Risk Control (HIRARC) approach takes precedence. The primary objective of this research is to meticulously identify hazards, conduct a comprehensive analysis of workplace safety risks, and institute measures to curtail these risks within the scope of the Lolak Bolaang Mongondow Airport Runway and Taxiway project. This endeavor seeks to curtail, and ideally eliminate, workplace accidents. Data acquisition was facilitated through a combination of observational techniques and structured interviews with service providers and construction contractors, involving 63 respondents. To ascertain the categorization of risk levels, spanning from low to high, a meticulous workplace safety risk analysis was executed. The outcome of this analysis, encompassing a total of 69 subitems of work, reveals that the highest risk level is attributed to runway construction work, accounting for 53% of the identified risks (9 out of 17). The second-highest risk category pertains to PKP-PK work, constituting 40% of the 40 identified risks, and the third-highest risk level is linked to operational road pavement construction, with a risk percentage of 31%. Subsequent to Djoni Hermanus Lalenoh, Arestides K. Torry Dundu, Lucia. I. R. Lefrandt, Audie Lexie Egbert Rumayar, Grace Yoyce Malingkas the identification and assessment of risks, risk control measures are diligently executed. This phase signifies the culmination of data processing within the framework of the HIRARC methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]