1,720,974 research outputs found
Correction to Palazzi, E.; Currò, F.; Fabiano, B. Accidental continuous releases from coal processing in semi-confined environment. Energies 2013, 6, 5003-5022
No full textMajor accident prevention: A Construction Site Approach for Pro-active Management of Unsafe Conditions
No full textIn large-scale construction projects, site situation and surrounding environment can change daily. This is due to multiple factors acting as “incident catalysts”, like less, or un-skilled workers, outsourcing, more complex construction phases (heights or confined spaces), under pressure working conditions, as well as changes in environmental conditions (e.g. wind, temperature, etc.). It is essential to acquire a statistical significant reference concerning the unsafe acts and risky behaviour to implement proactive measures preventing occurrences of major incidents. In this paper, the construction phase in the Middle East of one of the world’s largest oil and petrochemical integrated complex was considered. Starting from the accident/incident pyramid approach, management, direct field supervisors, as well as subcontractors were involved in the development and upgrading of a Multilayer Reporting System, covering any risk behaviours, unsafe situation, violations or acts, safety or environmental issues, near misses as well as minor, or major accidents. The modular approach provided a comprehensive overview of the core human and technical issues in the construction and testing of the process plant, suggesting how to implement technical and managerial solutions to handle them effectively, reduce the likelihood of errors, violations and avoid damages to the facilities, environment and humans
An Application of Engineering 4.0 to Hospitalized Patients
No full textIn this paper the authors address the problem of surveillance of bedridden patients in hospitals and residences for elderly. Unfortunately, patients cannot be supervised by operators 24 h a day, given the associated costs. An attempt to solve this problem is already provided by wearable devices. This paper describes a 4.0 system implemented to overcome the limits (identified by interviewing a sample of nurses belonging to different facilities) of the wearable devices available on the market. The system proposed consists in monitoring the bed, instead of the patient, through applied sensors. By centralizing and analyzing the data collected it is possible to promptly inform the operative center of the occurrence of risky events to which bedridden patients are normally subjected. The scope of the system is preventing such risks, where possible, or mitigating their effects with a real time intervention. A case study on an active facility, conducted as a pilot project, confirms the humanitarian and economic benefits for patients and facility
Critical Issues in Short-cut Modelling of Massive Carbon Dioxide Releases
No full textIn case of accidental gaseous releases, the detailed analysis of rather complicated situations (partial confinement, irregular shapes, unsteady-state) usually requires the use of sophisticated integral models and/or CFD calculations, but when conservative results are enough, especially in preliminary hazard assessment, analytical models can be conveniently applied. This paper presents a very simple analytical model accounting also for wind effect on accidental release evolution, suitable to be adopted as short-cut evaluation tool in case of accidental carbon dioxide semi-continuous release at high speed (jet), and nearly instantaneous releases from high-pressure systems. It may allow a preliminary evaluation of emergency actions, in case of a massive and deadly release of carbon dioxide from a storage site, or due to natural event, once properly defined the source term and refined for possible thermal effects
Fighting Hospital Infections with Engineering 4.0
No full textIn the repeated interventions carried out by the authors in the healthcare sector [1-4] (hospitals, outpatient clinics and clinics), including assistance facilities (residences for the elderly and outpatient medical offices) the problem of so-called hospital or nosocomial infections has always been reported to the team by the medical and nursing staff. Starting from an age-old experience of sanitization of confined environments, achieved by the authors by using a 4.0 machine, for the production of gaseous ozone and UVC rays [8], it was required to the team to extend the benefits achieved to the healthcare sector. This goal was possible by generating a dedicated approach, for an effective action to combat this serious problem of global significance. The machine mentioned was conceptualized, designed and developed by the authors by specific Engineering 4.0 methodologies, meaning with this term the use of all Engineering technologies, techniques, software, tools, and devices characterizing the fourth industrial revolution
Smart Inventory 4.0: Advanced version
No full textThe Authors of this paper had first conceptualized and then developed the automated picking plant described in the paper “A 4.0 Automated Warehouse Storage and Picking System for Order Fulfillment”, presented by the Authors to the WCE 2021 IAENG Congress and awarded with the “Best Paper Award of the 2021 International Conference of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management”. In the perspective of the continuous improvement of Industry 4.0 they have brought to this first system the significant functional improvements object of this paper. In particular, having found that the loading of the goods in the individual boxes was carried out by the Operators in this factory by using ladders on which they climbed, without the necessary PPE and carrying the load manually, with the consequent risk of falling from such heights (3-6m) to cause even serious physical damage, the Authors first studied and then implemented an automatic loading system. A second problem was then highlighted for the storage of special products such as Food and Pharma, that, unlike what happens in the Beauty Sector (for which the plant was designed), need to remain in specific conditions of temperature and relative humidity. The paper describes how, in this new version, the two parameters are monitored in each single box by means of appropriate sensors that send alerts to the centralized control system when these parameters are outside the preset threshold. In this way, prompt remedial intervention is possible, avoiding the deterioration of the contents of the boxes and the consequent economic damage deriving from their alienation. All this is made possible at acceptable costs thanks to the technologies offered by Industry 4.0 such as modern robotics and Data Centralization via IIoT for monitoring and control
Engineering Solutions 4.0 in the fight against the spread of Covid 19 A new Methodology including processes, procedures and devices
No full textThanks to the principles and technologies made available by Industry 4.0, the authors conceptualized and modeled a new strategy, capable of making an effective contribution to the problem of limiting contagion from Covid19 today, and tomorrow from any possible other type virus, bacteria or pathogen agent introduced by subjects who, although unaware of being vectors, develop the infection only after their access to the places of stay (Hotel, office, Infrastructure, etc.) where they go to reside. The key point of the strategy is a 4.0 thermoscanner, created by the authors, which is positioned in appropriately chosen locations of the settlement and an innovative method of disinfection of the same implemented by means of UV-C rays and Ozone in the gaseous state, produced by a machine, also conceptualized and developed by the authors, capable of reproducing the Chapman Cycle with the associated advantages. Therefore, it is operated an absolute disinfection based on a reversible cycle Oxygen-Ozone-Oxygen, with a prompt re-habitability of the treated rooms, with minimal treatment costs and without the use of expensive and unhealthy chemicals or wet water vapor (incompatible with paper and electronics). This technology was described in the paper “Sanitizing of Confined Spaces Using Gaseous Ozone Produced by 4.0 Machines” presented by the authors to the WCE 2021 IAENG Congress and awarded with the “Best Paper Award of the 2021 International Conference of Systems Biology and Bioengineering”. In the presence of a Person with a fever, the thermoscanner automatically launches an alert to the site Safety officers, who confine him to an isolated place and make the Health Institutions intervene and take it over
A field study on human factor and safety performances in a downstream oil industry
No full textafety culture and awareness by workers are pivotal tools for the implementation of systematic procedures aiming to risk mitigation in the process industry. The evaluation of human factors on safety performance can reveal unsafe attitudes and failures in training, supervision and management, whose correction greatly contribute to the enhancement of safety program. In this work, the role of human factors in an oil industry was studied by the collection of field data through a structured questionnaire filled by shift, daily and outsourced workers. A deep investigation on the variables involved in the process was carried out, firstly quantifying three conceptual key dimensions (individual, human resource management, equipment and technology) and then analyzing data by means of Response Surface Methodology (RSM), to identify the statistical significant factors and the overall level of safety awareness, behaviour and risk perception of the respondents
Human factors and safety management: A field study on safety performance in the process industry
No full textAs widely reported in the scientific literature, audits, benchmarking, safety performance indicators and accident data help the management to understand the current safety performance status and to individuate strong and weak areas of the safety management system. Additionally, being process safety incidents relatively rare, as evidenced in the Baker report on BP Texas City accident, safety performance cannot be measured effectively alone on the basis of such high profile incidents. In the first phase of the research program, process and occupational injuries were studied, collecting field data in a large process industry, over five-year observation. Technical and management improvements seem no longer sufficient to promote safety as at-risk behaviour and unsafe attitudes are still present in spite of all training, supervision and guidance. A thorough analysis on underlying causes connected with human failure was subsequently performed by designing a structured questionnaire, for both in-house and outsourced frontline workers. Data statistical analysis allowed quantifying four conceptual key dimensions within the firm, namely: individual behaviour, organizational climate, human resource management and plants/technology. Significant results were utilized to evidence individual and corporate elements affecting accident frequency for the two workforce types. Conclusions were focused on identifying technical and managerial options to reduce the likelihood of errors and increase risk resilience
Through Engineering 4.0 the Safe Operating Block for Patients and Medical Staff
No full textThe Paper deals with the management of the operating block in its many activities. By a new approach and with innovative machinery specific several problems were thus studied and overcome, such as the control of hospital infections, the operations of washing and sterilization of surgical instruments, the planning of interventions, the tracking of drugs and medical devices entering the operating block, the management of stocks, the bed management, the monitoring of environmental parameters for patient comfort and safety, the monitoring of machines and the interlocking of doors, etc. Furthermore, it is proposed a wide use of the analytical tools to support decision making, extended to the most modern Cyber-Physical Systems and Digital Twin, alongside Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence algorithms. Concluding with the new services that can be offered following the digital transformation 4.0 process of the operating block. Using the tools made available by the most advanced Engineering, an operating block was redesigned, safer for patients and medical staff and more efficient from a conduction point of view. This is done using an administration model that was first conceptualized, designed and then implemented adopting what is made available by Industry 4.0, as well as a series of Management Engineering methodologies aimed at an optimized government of complex systems. Through the data collected by appropriate sensors and translated by the software into usable information, there is an optimal use of the available resources, furthermore, the activities for which improvements can be made with the benefit of patients and structures are identified
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