Introduction. The impact of a driver’s cognitive capability on traffic safety has not been adequately studied. This study examined the relationship between cognitive failures, driving errors and accident data. Method. Professional drivers from Iran (160 males, ages 18–65) participated in this study. The cognitive failures questionnaire (CFQ) and the driver error questionnaire were administered. The participants were also asked other questions about personal driving information. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was performed to determine the factor structure of the CFQ. Poisson regression models were developed to predict driving errors and accidents from total CFQ scores and the extracted factors. Results. Total CFQ scores were associated with driving error rates, but not with accidents. However, the 2 extracted factors suggested an increased effect on accidents and were strongly associated with driving errors. Discussion. Although the CFQ was not able to predict driving accidents, it could be used to identify drivers susceptible to driving errors. Further development of a driving-oriented cognitive failure scale is recommended to help identify error prone drivers. Such a scale may be beneficial to licensing authorities or for developing driver selection and training procedures for organizations.

Introduction. The majority of industrial accidents occur because of human errors. Human error has different causes, however, in all cases cognitive abilities and limitations of human play an important role. Occupational cognitive failures are cognitively-based human errors that occur at work. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between occupational cognitive failures and safety consequences. Method. Personnel of a large industrial company in Iran filled out an occupational cognitive failure questionnaire (OCFQ) and answered questions on accidents. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between cognitive failures and safety consequences. Results. According to developed regression models, personnel with a high rate of cognitive failure, in comparison to low rate, have a high risk of minor injury involvement (OR 5.1, 95% CI [2.62, 10.3]); similar results were for major injury and near miss. Discussion. The results of this study revealed usefulness of the OCFQ as a tool of predicting safety- related consequences and planning preventive actions.

The nature of firefighters’ work is characterized by its unexpected emergencies, sleep deprivation, night shift schedules, and smoke exposure during firefighting. Eighteen firefighters were involved in simulated live-fire activities. Firefighters’ health status in terms of cardiovascular and mental conditions was checked by a physician and through reviewing their medical records. Firefighters’ cognitive functions were evaluated by visual and auditory continuous performance tests (VCPT and ACPT) and paced visual and auditory serial addition tests (PVSAT and PASAT). VCPT and ACPT scores were lower after the activity relative to baseline. The results revealed that ACPT appears to be more difficult than VCPT. Also, PVSAT and PASAT scores decreased significantly after the experiment. PASAT scores following firefighting tasks experienced a more significant decline compared to those of the PVSAT. These findings suggest that firefighters have visual and auditory cognitive function problems following firefighting activities. In conclusion, auditory cognitive function was more influenced than the visual ability as a result of the experiment.

Introduction. Considering the importance of evaluating working postures, many techniques and tools have been developed to identify and eliminate awkward postures and prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The introduction of the Microsoft Kinect sensor, which is a low-cost, easy to set up and markerless motion capture system, offers promising possibilities for postural studies. Objectives. Considering the Kinect’s special ability in head-pose and facial-expression tracking and complexity of cervical spine movements, this study aimed to assess concurrent validity of the Microsoft Kinect against an electrogoniometer for neck angle measurements. Methods. A special software program was developed to calculate the neck angle based on Kinect skeleton tracking data. Neck angles were measured simultaneously by electrogoniometer and the developed software program in 10 volunteers. The results were recorded in degrees and the time required for each method was also measured. Results. The Kinect’s ability to identify body joints was reliable and precise. There was moderate to excellent agreement between the Kinect-based method and the electrogoniometer (paired-sample t test, p ≥ 0.25; intraclass correlation for test–retest reliability, ≥0.75). Conclusion. Kinect-based measurement was much faster and required less equipment, but accurate measurement with Microsoft Kinect was only possible if the participant was in its field of view.

Objectives: Increasing bilateral gluteus medius co-activation has been identified as one of the most important factors in developing low back pain due to prolonged standing in healthy people. This study aims to investigate the impact of an anti-fatigue mat on the bilateral gluteus medius...