Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Manual therapists are susceptible to occupational low back pain. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for occupational low back pain in manual therapists and to determine and compare the prevalence and risk factors for occupational low back pain among various types of manual therapists in South Africa. This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey and a self-administered questionnaire, developed from the literature and validated prior to the study, was mailed to 1500 randomly selected manual therapists, including: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, biokineticists, chiropractors, reflexologists, aromatherapists and massage therapists. A total of 233 completed questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 15.53%. Results revealed that the point prevalence of low back pain in manual therapists was very high at 41%, the one-year prevalence was 59% and the career prevalence was 74%. The point prevalence of low back pain was highest in aromatherapists and biokineticists, while both the one-year and career prevalence of low back pain was highest in occupational therapists and massage therapists. The risk factors for low back pain in manual therapists were: BMI; previous abdominal surgery; previous trauma to the low back, hips, knees or ankles; a physically stressful job; not having an assistant and work in a hospital or other setting. In keeping with the literature, various workrelated factors were implicated in the development and / or exacerbation of low back pain in certain manual therapists more than others and low back pain history in the different manual therapists was also in accordance with the literature. To conclude, low back pain is prevalent among South African manual therapists and the development and implementation of preventative programs to reduce rates of occupational low back pain in manual therapists is mandatory.

Child pedestrian injury and mortality is an issue of significant public health concern in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng, in South Africa. Since there is a paucity of studies in the last decade or more on fatal childhood traffic and non-traffic injuries in Johannesburg, this study aspires to address the disproportion in this domain of research, and provide more recent, and comprehensive empirical evidence over a ten-year period. The overarching aim of this study was to describe and examine the magnitude, circumstances, and neighbourhood characteristics of fatal pedestrian injuries among children (0-14 years) in Johannesburg for the period from 2001 to 2010. More specifically, the objectives of the study were: firstly, to provide a comprehensive epidemiological description of the magnitude, trends and occurrence of pedestrian mortality among children; secondly, to describe and examine the epidemiology of child pedestrian mortality in relation to children as motor vehicle passengers; thirdly, to describe and examine child pedestrian mortality in relation to non-traffic injuries, in particular, burns and drowning; and fourthly, to assess the influence of neighbourhood characteristics on child pedestrian mortality. The study conceptualised pedestrian road safety within an ecological systems framework. The study used quantitative descriptive, and multivariate logistic regression methods of analysis to examine child pedestrian mortality data. The study drew on data from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System (NIMSS) and the Census 2001. The main findings indicated that black, male children aged 5 to 9 years (11.02/100 000) are the most vulnerable, and that mortality occurred predominantly during the afternoons and early evenings (12h00-16h00 and 16h00-21h00), over weekends, during school holidays, and to a lesser extent, during non-holiday months. In addition, neighbourhood characteristics that reflected concentrations of disadvantage, single female-headed households and residentially stable areas were associated with child pedestrian mortality. The study findings highlight the need for critical action in terms of investment in child pedestrian safety research, and appropriate prevention initiatives guided by stringent evidenced-based studies, and the design of safe pedestrian, vehicular and urban environments. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa, and other developing countries, experience great problems concerning road traffic accidents. Despite road safety campaigns like Arrive Alive being launched, accident rates do not decline significantly and the problem is predicted to get worse. This study is done on a road in the Western Cape, the R44, to investigate the causes of road accidents. The causes of the accidents are deduced from the accident reports and relationships are sought with other factors. The results of this study are risk factors (human-, environment- and vehicle factors) for the 14 accident types that occurred on the R44, as well as measures to prevent road accidents. It has been found that the human factor plays the biggest role in road accidents. Out of the 404 accidents analysed, 77.7% were caused by human factors, 8.7% by unknown factors, 7.2% by environmental factors and 6.4% by vehicle factors. The problems experienced with the data quality are reported and recommendations concerning it are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika en ander ontwikkelende lande ervaar groot probleme met verkeersongelukke. Ten spyte van veldtogte soos Arrive Alive wat geloods word, neem ongelukskoerse nie beduidend af nie, en daar word voorspel dat die situasie nie gaan verbeter nie. Hierdie studie is op 'n pad in die Wes-Kaap, die R44, gedoen om die oorsake van padongelukke vas te stel. Die oorsake van ongelukke i s van die ongeluksvorms a fgelei, en verwantskappe is gesoek met ander faktore. Die resultate van die studie is risikofaktore (menslike-, omgewings- en voertuigfaktore) vir die 14 ongelukstipes wat op die R44 voorgekom het, asook voorkomingsmaatreëls om padongelukke te voorkom. Daar is gevind dat die menslike faktor die grootste oorsaak van ongelukke is. Uit die 404 ongelukke wat geanaliseer is, is 77.7% van die ongelukke deur menslike faktore, 8.7% van die ongelukke deur onbekende faktore, 7.2% van die ongelukke deur omgewingsfaktore en 6.4% van die ongelukke deur voertuigfaktore veroorsaak. In hierdie studie is probleme ondervind met die datakwaliteit, en daaroor is verslag gedoen en aanbevelings gemaak.

The poor safety situation in the United Kingdom (UK) construction industry and its adverse socio-economic record are well documented in the existing literature. The application of Lean Construction techniques has been proposed as an effective strategy to address accidents on construction sites, a major safety concern in the construction industry. However, examination of the relationship between Lean Construction techniques and safety issues has been marginal. This study explores this relationship with the aim of developing a framework for using Lean Construction techniques to promote safety on UK construction sites. A framework was initially devised based on a synthesis of the literature and further refined based on findings from interviews held with 10 Lean Construction practitioners on antecedents of Lean Construction techniques and safety issues. In order to develop and confirm the framework, data was collected from practicing Lean Construction organisations using a questionnaire survey and analysed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and inter-rater agreement statistical test to examine the pattern and extent of the relationships. The study found a total of thirty-eight (38) relationships between Lean Construction techniques and safety issues. These relationships are mainly positive in nature in that they demonstrate path to improvement in safety on construction sites. They show which techniques could be used to address the relevant safety issue. Furthermore, it was established that the application of Lean Construction techniques on construction sites can be impeded by challenges such as: lack of Lean Construction knowledge, complexity, misconception about Lean and difficulties in changing employees’ working culture. The study identified strategies that could be used to address these challenges. These include enlightenment on benefits of Lean practice, publication of improvements realised from Lean practice, training, workers’ involvement and empowerment, persistence, robust planning and gradual step-by-step implementation. The study, therefore, concludes that Lean Construction techniques have positive relationships with safety issues on construction sites in the UK and on the basis of the relationships develops an integrated framework to guide application of the techniques by contracting organisations in promoting safety. The study makes a number of recommendations including the incorporation of Lean Construction practice into government health and safety initiatives, regulations and policies, and identifies areas for further research.

Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive show that the UK construction industry has approximately 80 fatalities per year, making the construction industry one of the most dangerous industries when compared to other industries. The reduction of construction accidents in the construction industry has led to the need for thoroughly analysed construction environment information which can be effectively utilised in formulating construction health and safety planning strategies, thus enabling the construction industry meet accident reduction targets. However, existing approaches to information analysis mainly focus on factors within construction health and safety information during analysis and do not shed light on the influencing socio-economic and spatially influenced issues within which the industry’s accident contributory factors are rooted. It is also clear that limitations of information usage in the construction industry are due to the fragmented nature in which health and safety information is availed to practitioners for ultimate utilisation in the construction process. There is, therefore, a need for more appropriate decision-support mechanisms that can take account of spatial contributory factors to accident occurrence. There is also a need for mechanisms that enhance the management, analysis and utilisation construction environment information from varied sources for integration in the construction process. The failure to utilise information from varied sources in the construction industry, means that adequately analysed information is lacking for integration in construction health and safety planning strategy formulation process. This study was initiated as a response to this challenge. This prompted further research into the utilisation of health and safety information and its integration in the construction process. A survey involving 215 construction stakeholders was conducted to establish the limitation and requirements of health and safety in the construction industry. Results derived through qualitative analysis further emphasised the need for enhanced health and safety information analysis and integration for use in decision making. The research explored how the spatial element present in all in construction environment information could be utilised to account for accident contributory factors. This led to the exploration Geographical Information System (GIS), a mechanism that takes into account spatial aspects of bodies of information of the phenomenon being explored, for its potential capabilities in management and analysis of construction environment information. The implementation of the GIS-based system known as Geographical Information System for Accident Prevention (GISAP) is then presented. The evaluation of the system by prospective end-users reveals the limitations and benefits of the system implementation and recommendations made for further research. In conclusion, it was clear from this study that this approach has the potential to provide a quick referencing GIS success that can link, organise, analyse and display accident data and other construction and non construction environment data. This can assist stakeholders in decision making during formulation of construction health and safety strategies. The approach can improve understanding of analyses and can enhance the handling of queries related to accident data and other data. This innovative approach can also offer an extra dimension of safety information management, identify trends and areas for effective accident preventive action and ultimately enable development and directions of future work and to engender wider debate.

The current application of logistics in the construction industry is relatively inefficient when compared with other industries such as retail and manufacturing. The factors attributed to this inefficiency include the fragmented and short-term nature of construction process and inadequate tracking facilities on site. The inefficiency of construction logistics creates inter alia loss of materials and equipment, waste, construction delay, excessive cost and collision accident on site. Meanwhile, several information and communication technologies (ICT) have been proposed and developed by researchers to improve logistics functions such as tracking and monitoring of resources through the supply chain to the construction site. Such technologies include global positioning system (GPS), radio frequency identification devices (RFID), wireless sensors network (WSN) and geographical information system (GIS). While considerable research has been undertaken to develop the aforementioned systems, limited work has so far been done on investment justification prior to implementation. In this research, a framework has been developed to assess the extent of construction logistics problems, measure the significances of the problems, match the problems with existing ICT-based solutions and develop a robust ready-to-use multi-criteria analysis tool that can quantify the costs and benefits of implementing several ICT-based construction logistics systems. The tool is an integrated platform of related evaluation techniques such as Fault Tree Analysis, Decision Tree Analysis, Life Cycle Cost Analysis and Multi-Attribute Utility Theory. Prior to the development of this tool, data was collected through questionnaire survey and analysed by means of statistical analysis in order to derive some foundational parameters of the tool. Quantitative research method was adopted for data collection because the processes of the tool for which the data was required are quantitative. The implementation of this tool is novel given the integration of the analytical techniques mentioned above and the application of the tool for selecting ICT-based construction logistics systems. The tool takes in data such as cost and quantities of materials for a building project and quantifies the cost and benefits of alternative ICT-based tracking systems that can improve the logistics functions of the project. The application of the tool will eliminate guesswork on the benefits of ICT-based tracking systems by providing an objective platform for the quantification of cost and benefits of the systems prior to implementation.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / abstract / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

Uppsatsen undersöker orsaker till fenomenet girting, dvs olyckor där bogserbåtar dras ned och potentiellt kapsejsar vid bogsering av farkoster. Undersökningen utgår från 14 officiella haverirapporter om girtingsituationer världen över.  Med hjälp av modellen HFACS-MA kategoriseras olycksorsakerna i en orsakskedja för att utröna vilka kategorier som är mest frekvent förekommande i samtliga undersökta olyckor. Resultatet visar att dåligt förberedda bogseroperationer (med otillräcklig eller utebliven planering och riskbedömning), brister i organisationernas dokumentation (manualer, instruktioner och procedurer), samt bristande kommunikation mellan de inblandade parterna var de största faktorerna för girting. För att minska risken för girting har rekommendationer framtagits, som bl a innefattar vikten av att hålla dokumentation uppdaterad, hålla tydlig kommunikation mellan inblandade parter under bogseringsoperationer samt planera varje operation noggrant och ge alla inblandade möjlighet till återkoppling. / This essay studies the causes of girting, i.e. accidents where tugboats get pulled down and capsizes by the vessel it is towing. The study uses 14 official accident reports about girting accidents all over the world. The HFACS-MA model is used to categorize the causes of the accident into a causal chain, in order to find out which categories are most frequently present in the accident reports.  The result shows that poorly planned tow operations (with inadequate planning and/or risk assessment), deficiencies in the organization’s documentation (i.e. manuals, instructions and procedures), and poor communication between the involved parties were the most frequently found factors for girting. In order to reduce the risk of girting, recommendations have been made that includes the importance of keeping documents up to date, maintain clear communication between the parties involved during towing operations and to plan each operation thoroughly, giving everyone involved the opportunity for feedback regarding the plan.