<p> Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent work-related musculoskeletal disorder. Occupational risk factors have been studied for current ergonomic prevention strategies; however, other underlying mechanisms may exist since not all workers performing the same task develop the same severity. Previous research has identified personal and psychosocial risk factors that also contribute to LBP. Research quantifying the interactive effects of the various personal, psychosocial and occupational factors is limited, along with research on the effect of risk factor combinations on LBP severity. </p><p> The objectives of this study were to: 1) study the various factors that are known to be involved in low back pain and analyze interactions, and 2) develop a model to predict low back pain and validate it. In order to address these objectives, 2 studies were conducted. </p><p> The first study investigated the effects of various personal, genetic, occupational and psychosocial factors on two subjective LBP severity ratings: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and three physician-based ratings: MRI severity, canal stenosis and nerve impingement. Personal and psychosocial factors, in addition to occupational factors, were found to significantly affect the severity ratings. </p><p> The second study involved building predictive models of LBP severity for each risk factor category as well as a combined risk factor model. Results showed that the combined risk factor models considering interaction effects both within and across risk factor categories were significantly better in predicting severity ratings than the individual models. However, validation conducted using 5 random samples showed inconsistent accuracies. Results obtained may help to develop a more reliable way to predict and, hence, prevent chronic LBP.</p>

<p> Stress has long been conceptualized as consisting of two factors, eustress, or good stress, and distress, or bad stress (Selye, 1956). The occupational stress literature identifies <i>challenge</i> stressors as those associated with favorable outcomes, and <i>hindrance</i> stressors as those associated with negative outcomes (Cavanaugh, Boswell, Roehling, &amp; Boudreau, 2000). The current study had three objectives: 1) to investigate occupational level stressor appraisal by K-12 teachers, 2) to explore how the perception of the availability of resources influences individual level stressor appraisal, and 3) to test differential outcomes of challenge and hindrance stress. Results indicate that K-12 teachers appraise workload as a hindrance stressor more than as a challenge stressor, which is contrary to existing management literature categorizing workload a challenge stressor. Perceived resources also accounted for significant variance in individual appraisal of stressors as a hindrance. Results pinpoint precise personal and organizational resources that contribute to stressor appraisals as a hindrance. Finally, hindrance stress significantly detracted from engagement while challenge stress did not affect work engagement.</p>

This compilation thesis investigates risk and safety management at the Swedish local governmentallevel. It sets special focus on municipal implementation of overall international and nationalstrategies and objectives regarding holistic, cross-sectorial and multi-strategic risk and safetywork, and the prevention of accidents and injuries. The overall aim for this thesis have been to empirically map and provide an overview of theadministrative structures for, and the prevailing management perspectives applied in the societalrisk and safety management in Sweden, as well as to study the diffusion of strategic intentions forthis area down to the municipal level. Three different sources constitute the thesis empirical base: two different set of official planningdocuments, written by Swedish municipal officials on commission of the local politiciansand one set of data from a survey investigation with municipal officials representing differentdepartments/functions. The documents were investigated using content analysis, while datafrom the survey were analyzed using statistical measures. This thesis provides through its empirical works an outlook on the general characteristics andarchetypical features of the Swedish local level’s administrative structures and managementperspective on risk and safety management; and proposes a municipal typology and a set of valuecharacters for allocation and institutionalization of risk and safety-tasks. This thesis also suggestsa conceptual framework for overviewing risk and safety management’s systemic steering elementsin its framework report. Based on the findings made, it seems as if the local level’s compliance tothe strategic level’s ambitions for the risk and safety area is hindered by practical implementationdifficulties and that much work remains in order to reach stated strategic objectives regardingholistic, inter-sectorial and multi-strategic management approaches, and preventive risk andsafety work. / Baksidestext The compilation thesis investigates Societal Risk and Safety Management (SRSM) at the Swedish local governmental level. It sets special focus on municipal implementation of overall international and national strategies and objectives regarding holistic, cross-sectorial and multi-strategic risk and safety work, and prevention of accidents/injuries and promotion of safety. Three different sources constitute the thesis empirical bases: two different sets of official governmental planning documents, written by Swedish municipal officials on commission of the local politicians and one set of data from a survey investigation with municipal officials (n=1283), representing different administrative departments/functions within different municipalities. The official documents were investigated using content analysis methodology, while data from the survey were analyzed using various statistical investigations. This thesis suggests a conceptual and systemic model for SRSM’s contextual and analytical elements, and provides through its empirical works an overview of management perspectives and administrative structures applied, and it proposes a municipal typology and a set of value characters for allocation and institutionalization of SRSM-tasks locally.

Behavior as related to occupational danger was explored in this research by examining industrial workers' reactions to accidents they had on the job. An observational study was conducted using longitudinal data to investigate relationships between hypothesized antecedent conditions and the occurrence of accidents at a large petrochemical refining and manufacturing complex. Models were developed that indicated the extent to which job-related injuries affected the duration of subsequent accident-free periods prior to another accident. Results indicated that a worker's job category and cumulative accident history as well as characteristics associated with previous accidents reliably influenced accident propensity. The tendency to be involved in accidents was unrelated to seasonal or weekly influences. Results are discussed in terms of the relative magnitude of various system factors on accident liability. It is anticipated that the theoretical and analytical techniques employed will be useful in developing strategies for clarifying the mechanisms through which workers perceive, assess and respond to danger in the workplace and enhancing decisions with regard to the targeting of prevention efforts.

To research the interaction between the elements of the traffic safety system “Traffic Participant – Vehicle – Road (Traffic Environment)” and the influencing factors, and to provide recommendations for the improvement of traffic safety in Lithuania. The following main problems were solved in the research: • to research the models applied for the analysis of traffic safety system; • to identify the key factors influencing the traffic safety system reliability; • to perform reaction tests of traffic participants, during which the driver’s reaction time in usual situations and in potentially dangerous or unforeseen situations is identified, i.e. while talking on a mobile phone, distractions, headlight dazzle at night, and other situations; • based on mathematical calculation methods and the tests performed, to identify the factors influencing the driver’s reaction time; • based on traffic accident data on certain main roads and by applying statistical mathematical packages, to identify the factors affecting the number of traffic accidents; • after analyzing the factors affecting the traffic safety system, to formulate substantiated trends for the improvement of traffic safety and to implement that traffic safety improvement means for these trends; • to assess the efficiency of traffic safety improvement means.

The automotive industry is actively supporting research and innovation to meet manufacturers' requirements related to safety issues, performance and environment. The Green ITS project is among the efforts in that regard. Safety is a major customer and manufacturer concern. Therefore, much effort have been directed to developing cutting-edge technologies able to assess driver status in term of alertness and suitability. In that regard, we aim to create with this thesis a framework for a context-aware driver status assessment system. Context-aware means that the machine uses background information about the driver and environmental conditions to better ascertain and understand driver status. The system also relies on multiple sensors, mainly video and audio. Using context and multi-sensor data, we need to perform multi-modal analysis and data fusion in order to infer as much knowledge as possible about the driver. Last, the project is to be continued by other students, so the system should be modular and well-documented. With this in mind, a driving simulator integrating multiple sensors was built. This simulator is a starting point for experimentation related to driver status assessment, and a prototype of software for real-time driver status assessment is integrated to the platform. To make the system context-aware, we designed a driver identification module based on audio-visual data fusion. Thus, at the beginning of driving sessions, the users are identified and background knowledge about them is loaded to better understand and analyze their behavior. A driver status assessment system was then constructed based on two different modules. The first one is for driver fatigue detection, based on an infrared camera. Fatigue is inferred via percentage of eye closure, which is the best indicator of fatigue for vision systems. The second one is a driver distraction recognition system, based on a Kinect sensor. Using body, head, and facial expressions, a fusion strategy is employed to deduce the type of distraction a driver is subject to. Of course, fatigue and distraction are only a fraction of all possible drivers' states, but these two aspects have been studied here primarily because of their dramatic impact on traffic safety. Through experimental results, we show that our system is efficient for driver identification and driver inattention detection tasks. Nevertheless, it is also very modular and could be further complemented by driver status analysis, context or additional sensor acquisition.

Recently, there has been increasing recognition of the threat of fatigue on safety. Nursing has been slow to recognize this threat. Workplace napping is a fatigue management strategy that is used in some nursing workplaces, although often hidden. This feminist interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experience of night shift fatigue and the use of workplace napping among critical care nurses. An understanding of the meaning of night shift fatigue, the concern for safety as embodied by fear, was illuminated by exploring the phenomenological commonalities within the nurses’ historical, social and cultural world. Five main themes were identified within this overarching understanding. There is a need to recognize oppressive constraints, and share the responsibility for managing fatigue among individuals, professions and organizations. In education, practice and research, nurses must be supported through validated evidence-informed strategies to manage what is a normal consequence of shift work, thus leading to enhanced safety for both the patient and nurse.

This study examined some of the environmental, physiological, and genetic factors or mechanisms which contribute to L. monocytogenes’ desiccation survival under food processing conditions. Desiccation experiments were carried out on stainless steel coupons stored at 43% RH, 15°C. The level of initial contamination had no impact (p>0.05), whereas the presence of a mature biofilm, prior osmoadaptation, and the presence of salt (5%) and lard (20-60%) on the SS coupons significantly (p<0.05) increased the bacterium’s desiccation survival. An Lm568 transposon mutant library was constructed to screen for novel genes involved in desiccation survival. Fifteen tolerant and 16 sensitive desiccation mutants were sequenced. Interrupted genes involved in motility and FA membrane modification were the most common in tolerant mutants whereas energy and membrane transport related genes were the most recognized in sensitive mutants. Lastly, a spontaneous desiccation resistant Lm568 variant was isolated, emphasizing the importance of understanding desiccation tolerance for food safety.

Best practices have previously been developed for beef slaughter and further processing operations with input from academic and industry leaders. Best practices for pork processors have not been developed, and those developed for the beef industry may not always be applicable to the operations of Small and Very Small establishments. Small and Very Small establishments warrant unique consideration in terms of financial and technological capabilities. While larger processors utilize multiple capital-intensive microbial interventions, smaller establishments often must rely on sanitary practices and more traditional interventions. In order to develop best practices for Small and Very Small pork slaughter and further processing establishments, a survey instrument seeking information on establishment and facility characteristics as well as current sanitary practices was distributed to Small and Very Small establishments in the Southwest region. Additionally, microbiological baselines were established for six Small and Very Small pork slaughter and/or further processing establishments to allow the efficacy of best practices to be assessed following implementation in each of the six plants. Survey responses revealed areas where best practice recommendation efforts may be focused, and microbiological baseline data provided insight to the condition of carcasses and environmental surfaces using current sanitary practices. Combined, the data reveal the opportunities for improvement in the food safety systems of Small and Very Small pork processing establishments.

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