International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics : JOSE
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Int J Occup Saf Ergon · Jan 2006
Thermal performance assessment of heat resistant fabrics based on a new thermal wave model of skin heat transfer.
A thermal wave skin model incorporating surface heat flux from a skin simulant sensor is developed to characterize the thermal performance of heat resistant fabrics covering the skin simulant sensor. Comparisons of time to 2nd-degree skin burn and temperature elevation of skin beneath a layer of fabric between the Pennes' equation and the newly developed thermal wave skin model are performed in this research. Results of tolerance time from the Stoll criterion method are also compared with those from 2 skin models in a thermal protective performance calorimeter. It is concluded that the thermal properties of heat resistant fabrics can be characterized more precisely than previously.
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Int J Occup Saf Ergon · Jan 2005
Comparative StudySafety climate in Finnish- and Swedish-speaking companies.
The aim of this study was to compare assessments made by Finnish- and Swedish-speaking workers in Finland about the safety climate in their companies, because an earlier study showed that the accident frequency of Swedish-speaking workers was one third lower than that of Finnish-speaking workers. 148 Finnish-speaking and 138 Swedish-speaking workers from 14 small and medium-sized companies participated in this study. They filled out a Finnish safety climate questionnaire, the reliability of which was above the acceptable level. There were no differences between the language groups in the total variables of safety climate and safety action. Based on the differences in single items, we interpreted that Swedish-speaking workers stressed collective safety more, whereas Finnish-speaking workers put more emphasis on their personal responsibility for safety.