Search results

This study aims to explore the factors influencing electrical accidents. Here, the authors aim to understand and model the causes of electrical accidents at multiple levels.

In the study, the authors have tried to put causes of accidents in the electricity distribution segment, in the framework of the Swiss Cheese model. Delphi kind of expert survey was conducted to find the Cheese Slice (level) and the causes (holes) for electrical accidents. Inputs from a hundred experts having more than five years of experience in electrical utility companies have been used to find Cheese Slice and holes, to explain the occurrence of an electrical accident.

Effective training for safe work practices, safe knowledge and closer supervision would go a long way to plug the holes in the Cheese Slice in human factors. The difference in perception of managers, supervisors and workers on the importance of various causes of electrical accidents are also presented and discussed.

This research is based on expert opinion and survey where respondent perception is reported. Actual accident data has not been used here.

The holes or causes of accidents at different levels (Cheese Slice) have been identified for plugging or removal for better safety.

Electrical energy is widely used, and therefore, electrical safety is a social concern and also improving it is a social need.

The study contributes to electrical safety issues in the electrical utility sector.

Statistics show that the construction sector has the second-highest number of accident cases in Malaysia. A total of 100, 000 construction workers suffer from work-related bad health each year. Scaffolding accidents are the second cause of accidents on construction sites. Therefore, this present research provided answers to the following questions: (1) what are the causes of scaffolding accidents and (2) what are the possible measures to reduce scaffolding accidents?

The research developed a questionnaire instrument that included 24 causes of scaffolding accidents and 21 remedial actions. The research was based on a cross-sectional survey questionnaire administered to 129 members of construction organizations.

Data revealed that scaffolding-related cases caused a total of 70% of the deaths/injuries on sites. Furthermore, scaffolding accidents were mainly caused by a lack of guard rails on scaffoldings, poor inspections, improper assembly, a poor safety culture, poor attitudes towards safety, poor footing of scaffoldings and unsecured planking. To reduce scaffolding accidents, there must be a lifeline on scaffolding, proper guardrails and proper assembling of scaffoldings, and preventing access to incomplete or defective scaffoldings. The 24 causes are structured into six factors through factor analysis and the 21 remedial actions into six factors.

This research serves as the first attempt to conduct broad research on the causes and remedial actions concerning scaffolding accidents on construction sites in Malaysia. Theoretically, the research has provided fresh insights into the impact of scaffolding accidents.

The paper aims to convert into useable guidelines, the knowledge related to human factors and tasks' organisation, which are embedded in one of the most exciting maintenance actions that are carried out, the pitstop in Formula 1 races.

The paper opted for a fault tree analysis (FTA) to de-construct all the sub-tasks and their possible deviations from desirable situations and to evaluate the most relevant information needed for carrying out the pitstop operation. Besides, the SHELL model was applied in a second stage to evaluate the interaction between human being and human interfaces with other components of the system. Once this set of information was crystallised, the research translated it into useable guidelines for organising industrial maintenance actions using the same approach and possible reaching the same results.

The results of this study is a structured set of guidelines that encompasses the most paramount aspects that should be considered for setting correct maintenance actions. They represent a “guide” for including the different angles that are included during these operations.

The guidelines are potentially applicable to every maintenance operation. The guidelines should be tested on different working domains to check their applicability besides the racing world.

This study is a reverse engineering work for creating a scheme to include into maintenance operations aspects such as crew athlete-like fitness, training, technology, organisational issues, safety, ergonomics and psychology.

The value of the paper is deconstructing the results of one of the most successful and prepared maintenance action. The paper takes a different approach in proposing how to structure and create maintenance solutions. The difference in approaches between the maintenance during the pitstop of Formula 1 car and industrial applications enhances the gap that needs still to be filled for further improving maintenance actions out of the racing world.