Risk Analysis Commons^™

Identifying Hazardous Patterns In Msha Data Using Random Forests, Olivia Milam

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Mining safety and health in the US can be better understood through the application of machine learning techniques to data collected by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). By identifying hazardous conditions that could lead to accidents before they occur, valuable insights can be gained by MSHA, mining operators, and miners. In this study, we propose using a Random Forest machine learning model to predict whether a given mining violation will lead to an accident, and if so, whether it will be fatal or non-fatal. To achieve this, the model is trained on MSHA violation data and the sum …

Choosing Wearable Internet Of Things Devices For Managing Safety In Construction Using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process As A Decision Support System, Sharique Khalid

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many safety and health risks are faced daily by workers in the field of construction. There is unpredictability and risk embedded in the job and work environment. When compared with other industries, the construction industry has one of the highest numbers of worker injuries, illnesses, fatalities, and near-misses. To eliminate these risky events and make worker performance more predictable, new safety technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Wearable Sensing Devices (WSD) have been highlighted as effective safety systems. Some of these Wearable Internet of Things (WIoT) and sensory devices are already being used in other industries to …

Adequate Ventilation: How Is It Defined And Does It Adequately Warn Consumers?, Christopher Blankenship

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this research was to clarify and define the term “adequate ventilation.” Upon looking at regulations, court cases, and other elements, it is clear that the term is inadequate to inform consumers and does not instruct consumers on how to achieve proper ventilation. To find out if consumers understand this, random persons were asked to define it. The answers were given a numerical value to show the knowledge trend. The outcome showed that most people do not understand how to achieve proper ventilation. Conclusion: Diagrams showing how to set up a room with ventilation and new instructions are …

Aging Effect On Foot Dynamics During Unexpected Slips, Jian Liu, Thurmon E. Lockhart

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

Slip-induced fall accidents have been recognized as a serious threat to the health of the elderly.The objective of the current study was to investigate the aging effect on the biomechanical reactions of both perturbed foot and unperturbed foot to the unexpected slips. Nineteen younger (mean age: 25.0 years old) and twenty-one older (mean age: 71.2 years old) adults were involved in a laboratory study,in which slippery surface was induced during walking without their awareness.The reactive responses of both slipping foot and unperturbed foot were quantified by optical motion capture system and force platforms.The results indicate a characteristic toe-touch strategy by …

Fall Risk Assessments Based On Postural And Dynamic Stability Using Inertial Measurement Unit, Jian Liu, Xiaoyue Zhang, Thurmon E. Lockhart

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

Objectives: Slip and fall accidents in the workplace are one of the top causes of work related fatalities and injuries. Previous studies have indicated that fall risk was related to postural and dynamic stability. However, the usage of this theoretical relationship was limited by laboratory based measuring instruments. The current study proposed a new method for stability assessment by use of inertial measurement units (IMUs).

Methods: Accelerations at different body parts were recorded by the IMUs. Postural and local dynamic stability was assessed from these measures and compared with that computed from the traditional method. Results: The results demonstrated: 1) …

Hispanic Maternal And Children's Perceptions Of Neighborhood Safety Related To Walking And Cycling, Norma Olvera, Dennis W. Smith, Chanam Lee, Jian Liu, Jay Lee, Stephanie Kellam, Jun-Hyun Kim

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

This study examined neighborhood safety as perceived by children (mean age=10 years) and their mothers, and its association with children's physical activity. For all eight safety items examined, children perceived their environment as less dangerous than mothers (p<0.05). None of the multiple regression models predicting children's physical activity by safety perceptions were significant (p>0.10). The maternal perception model explained the highest percentage of variance (R²=0.26), compared to the children's perception model (R²=0.22). Findings suggest that future studies should explore relations between self-reported and objectively measured safety barriers to Hispanic youth walking and cycling.

A Review Focused On The Psychological Effectiveness Of Tai Chi On Different Populations, Long Zhang, Thomas Lowder, Jian Liu

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

As a popular exercise form, Tai Chi (TC) has been investigated to determine its contributions to an active and healthy lifestyle. There are an increasing number of researchers who focus on exploring the potential physiological and psychological benefits of TC but only a few systematic reviews of these benefits to a variety of populations. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively evaluate the reported psychological benefits associated with practicing TC. Although many investigators have reported possible psychological benefits of TC for children, young adults, older healthy adults, and for a variety of patient populations, many of the reports suffer …