Biomedical subjects

J Maiti

Publications and source records attributed to J Maiti.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Risk-based maintenance--techniques and applications.

Plant and equipment, however well designed, will not remain safe or reliable if it is not maintained. The general objective of the maintenance process is to make use of the knowledge of failures and accidents to achieve the possible safety with the lowest possible cost. The concept of risk-based maintenance was developed to inspect the high-risk components usually with greater frequency and thoroughness and to maintain in a greater manner, to achieve tolerable risk criteria. Risk-based maintenance methodology provides a tool for maintenance planning and decision making to reduce the probability of failure of equipment and the consequences of failure. In this paper, the risk analysis and risk-based maintenance methodologies were identified and classified into suitable classes. The factors affecting the quality of risk analysis were identified and analyzed. The applications, input data and output data were studied to understand their functioning and efficiency. The review showed that there is no unique way to perform risk analysis and risk-based maintenance. The use of suitable techniques and methodologies, careful investigation during the risk analysis phase, and its detailed and structured results are necessary to make proper risk-based maintenance decisions.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2005

An epidemiological study of injury in mines: implications for safety promotion.

The role of various factors in coal mine-related injuries was investigated using a case-control design. The study setting was two neighbouring underground coal mines in India. Cases comprised mine workers (n = 150) who had sustained a prior mine-related injury from a population of 1000 underground workers. Controls were selected from those mineworkers with no history of a prior mine-related injury using frequency matching (n = 150) from the same source population. Data were collected from the cases and controls using a structured survey questionnaire. Based on the responses of the participants, each factor was grouped into three categories. High-low plots and Chi-square tests were conducted to explore the differences between the cases and controls. Bivariate logistic regression was run to estimate the crude odds of injuries, while multivariate logistic regression estimated the adjusted odds of injuries to the workers for the various variable categories. High-low plots and the Chi-square test clearly revealed that the cases and controls significantly differed in their responses for the variables studied. Accident-involved workers take more risks, are negatively affected, job dissatisfied, feel more production pressure, job stress, work hazards and are less job involved and are more dissatisfied with safety environment and social climate of the mines compared to the controls. The multivariate odds of injuries to high risk taking, negatively affected and job dissatisfied workers are 1.21, 9.34 and 2.00 times more compared to their lowest counterparts. Similarly, workers satisfied with the overall safety practice and safety equipment availability and maintenance are 1.5 and 3.12 times less likely to be injured than the workers with little or no satisfaction with the above factors. It is therefore concluded that negative affectivity and job dissatisfaction are the two major personal level factors that contribute more towards accident/injury in the mines studied. Identification and elimination/reduction of negative attitudes are of utmost importance.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2004

Determinants of work injuries in mines - an application of structural equation modelling.

In spite of stringent regulations and much attention towards reducing risks in the physical environment, the mining industry continues to be associated with high levels of accidents, injuries and illnesses. Only engineering solutions to accident prevention are inappropriate unless coupled with focused attention to the attitudes and behaviours of the mineworkers in coping with the inherent physical, technical and situational risks. The present study identified these various risk factors and analysed their influences on work injury in a causal framework. Data were collected from an underground coalmine of India. The pattern and strength of relationships of 16 causal factors with work injuries were assessed through structural equation modelling. The case study results showed that negatively personified individuals are of major concern for safety improvement in the mine studied. They not only fail to avoid work injuries, they are unable to extend safe work behaviours in their work. The variable safety environment is negatively affected by personality, whereas social support has a positive relationship with safety environment. The variable job hazards appeared to have a significant relationship with job involvement, which has a negative relationship with work injury. Elimination of negative behaviours must be focused and committed by the mine safety management. Long term planning through (i) identification of negative individuals, (ii) proper councelling of adverse effects of negative behaviours, and (iii) special training with psychological treatment is highly required. Identification may begin while recruiting new workers through interview. Proper allocation of jobs (right person for right job) may be a judicial solution to this end.

Accidents, Occupational↗