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Constructing the Wastewater Treatment Wetland—Some Factors to Consider
Published in Donald A. Hammer, Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment, 2020
David A. Tomljanovich, Oscar Perez
Correct type and size of heavy equipment is crucial to ensuring cost-effective, proper construction. Under- or oversized equipment can result in cost and time overruns. A good practice is to show the equipment operator(s) the site during the planning stages to obtain his/her opinion on equipment, time to construct, and potential problems.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Lower Back Disorders Among Heavy Equipment Operators
Published in Philip D. Bust, Contemporary Ergonomics 2006, 2020
Heavy equipment is engineering vehicles designed to execute specialized, heavy-duty tasks such as engineering and construction activities. The operation of heavy equipment may expose its driver to multiple ergonomic risk factors, including static work postures (e.g., trunk and neck twisting, stooping, deep sideway trunk-bending), whole-body vibration, shock (also called jarring and jolting), physical work demands (e.g., walking, pulling, lifting), climatic conditions (e.g., heat, cold), and psychosocial factors (e.g., job satisfaction). These ergonomic risk factors are known to be associated with musculoskeletal disorders. This research deals with this issue among heavy equipment operators and seeks an answer to the following question: “Are whole-body vibration/shock and working postures associated with lower back and neck pain among heavy equipment operators (i.e., forklift, crane, tractor, and earth moving equipment) while accounting for individual (i.e., age, gender, prior history of back or neck disorders) and occupational confounders (i.e., material handling, climatic conditions, psychosocial conditions)?”. Numerous reviews have been published on the subject. The great majority of these reviews was qualitative and did not include the ingredients of an evidence-based methodology. This paper deals with a critical appraisal and meta-analysis designed to provide an answer to the aforementioned question.
Forest Management Impacts on Undrained Peatlands in North America
Published in Carl C. Trettin, Martin F. Jurgensen, David F. Grigal, Margaret R. Gale, John K. Jeglum, Northern Forested Wetlands, 2018
The effects of forest management activities on soils will be discussed with respect to biogeochemical and physical properties. Soil biogeochemical properties of interest are those related to plant nutrients and their availability. Because of the low nutrient status of many peatlands and the reduced effectiveness of natural processes of nutrient replacement as compared to uplands, nutrient removal by harvesting may reduce the ability of a site to sustain productivity. The physical properties of soils are largely affected by the methods used to extract forest products, including road construction, skid trails, and logging decks. The effects of heavy equipment are usually concentrated in specific areas and can alter properties so that soils are no longer productive. In addition, such alteration can influence hydrological properties and processes of the soils and thus of the entire peatland system for long periods of time.
The effect of rollover protection systems and trailers on quad bike stability
Published in International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2020
Björn Edlund, Ola Lindroos, Tomas Nordfjell
Interventions that by engineering aims to eliminate or control the dangers from relevant hazards are considered to be the most effective ways of preventing injuries (Grzebieta et al. 2015f; Donham and Thelin 2016). Rollover protection structures (ROPS) are a collective term for structures such as roll bars or roll cages that serve to create a safe space for the driver in the event of a rollover (Hallman 2005; Lower and Trotter 2014). Nowadays such equipment is standard on most heavy equipment in forestry, farming, landscaping, and construction (Stockton et al. 2002). Effective ROPS must create a safe zone around the driver in a rollover situation and should be equipped with a restraint system to contain the driver within it (e.g., Stockton et al. 2002; Lower and Trotter 2014). ROPS with seatbelts, or safety cabs where the driver is securely held inside the ROPS have been found to be very effective in farm tractor rollover incidents. For example, the legal requirement for there to be ROPS on all farm tractors has reduced deaths in rollover incidents by 99% in Sweden (Springfeldt 1996; Loringer and Myers 2008; Cavallo et al. 2014). Indeed, even the simplest ROPS without any additional driver restraining device have been shown to increase the safety for the operator in the event of a rollover with farm tractors (Ayers 1997; Reynolds and Groves 2000).
Structural equation modelling of lower back pain due to whole-body vibration exposure in the construction industry
Published in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2019
Vitharanage Hashini Paramitha Vitharana, Thanwadee Chinda
Palmer et al. [14] showed that the construction industry is the largest industry contributing to WBV exposure. Construction workers are usually exposed to WBV through the use of heavy equipment. The exposure level of WBV is very high among those heavy equipment operators, including soil roller, excavator, motor grader, skid-steer loader and dozer operators [15]. Waters et al. [16] mentioned that heavy equipment operators are at higher risk of developing LBP in comparison with those who are not working with heavy equipment. Boshuizen et al. [17] stated that 68% of workers in the construction industry suffer from LBP regularly, and the prevalence of LBP is 25% higher among the workers who are exposed to WBV. Ueno et al. [18] mentioned that LBP is the primary cause of occupational sick leave for 4 days or more in the construction industry in Japan. Guo et al. [19] agreed that LBP is a major cause of morbidity and lost production for US construction workers.
Synergy from configuration of global production networks: drivers, mechanisms, and outcomes
Published in Production Planning & Control, 2019
P. A. Christodoulou, J. S. Srai, M. J. Gregory
VehicleCo manufactures heavy equipment for use in construction and mining industries. It operates over 100 plants distributed globally. The major production processes used include a range of component processes involving items such as subframes, undercarriages, hydraulics, transmissions, and engines, which are then assembled into end products. The company was founded in the early 1900s and developed initial critical mass by serving the US domestic market, before expanding internationally, first into Western Europe and then more widely to serve most international markets during the period 1950 to 2000. Many of these initiatives were driven by autonomous regional product-oriented business entities, with little co-ordination, leading to a suboptimal global network. The firm conducted a review of its GPN configuration strategy during the period 2003–7.