A Study of Cognitive Slips According to Contaminants on the Floor

BACKGROUND: This research investigates the degrees of slipperiness felt by the participants who walk on contaminants applied to a floor surface to decide degrees of slipperiness for various contaminants. METHODS: For the experiment, 30 participants walked on a floor to which six contaminants were applied. All participants took the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)–based slipperiness questionnaire survey for the six kinds of contaminants, and the results were compared with the coefficient of friction. RESULTS: The results of slip risk from the AHP indicate that grease is the most slippery of the six contaminants, followed by diesel engine oil, hydraulic oil, cooking oil, water-soluble cutting oil, and water in a decreasing order of slipperiness. When the results of slip risk from the AHP are compared with the static coefficient of friction for each contaminant, the order of slip risk follows the same trend. Although the results of slip risk from the AHP coincide with the static coefficient of friction, further study would be needed to investigate this relationship. CONCLUSION: This study will contribute as reference material for future research on preventing industrial accidents that result in falls from high places due to slipping.

How do the work environment and work safety differ between the dry and wet kitchen foodservice facilities?

In order to create a worker-friendly environment for institutional foodservice, facilities operating with a dry kitchen system have been recommended. This study was designed to compare the work safety and work environment of foodservice between wet and dry kitchen systems. Data were obtained using questionnaires with a target group of 303 staff at 57 foodservice operations. Dry kitchen facilities were constructed after 2006, which had a higher construction cost and more finishing floors with anti-slip tiles, and in which employees more wore non-slip footwear than wet kitchen (76.7%). The kitchen temperature and muscular pain were the most frequently reported employees' discomfort factors in the two systems, and, in the wet kitchen, "noise of kitchen" was also frequently reported as a discomfort. Dietitian and employees rated the less slippery and slip related incidents in dry kitchens than those of wet kitchen. Fryer area, ware-washing area, and plate waste table were the slippery areas and the causes were different between the functional areas. The risk for current leakage was rated significantly higher in wet kitchens by dietitians. In addition, the ware-washing area was found to be where employees felt the highest risk of electrical shock. Muscular pain (72.2%), arthritis (39.1%), hard-of-hearing (46.6%) and psychological stress (47.0%) were experienced by employees more than once a month, particularly in the wet kitchen. In conclusion, the dry kitchen system was found to be more efficient for food and work safety because of its superior design and well managed practices.