About The Program

It's essential that safety professionals stay current with new ideas and emerging technologies. The key to that is research. Research is how we further our collective knowledge and grow the safety profession. Thanks to the support of our donors, the ASSP Foundation is at the forefront of supporting safety research. We’re investing in research that will enhance safety around the world.

These projects are critical to the continued growth of the safety profession as they support the development of knowledge, innovative methods, systems and other appropriate interventions for advancing safety and health in the workplace. Research grants assist the safety community in mitigating the risks of injury and illness in the workplace and help develop and grow research talent in the safety and health field.

Current Study: Advancing Safety Surveillance Using Individualized Sensor Technology

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Foundation released a fatigue research report that shows the value of wearable technology in the workplace, encouraging employers to make a New Year’s resolution to monitor the fatigue levels of its workers to reduce injuries and increase productivity. The three-year study was led by Dr. Lora Cavuoto at the University at Buffalo and Dr. Fadel Megahed at the Farmer School of Business at Miami University of Ohio. The project also involved researchers from Auburn University and the University of Dayton.

The study demonstrated how to capture a worker’s safety performance and translate the data into personal fatigue levels. It’s the first step in creating a comprehensive framework that can identify research-supported interventions that protect workers from injuries caused by being tired on the job.

A DMAIC Perspective on Physical Fatigue Management

Due to its high prevalence and serious consequences, a need exists for practical solutions to create awareness toward monitoring fatigue to prevent injuries and safety incidents.

Safety professionals can look to existing process improvement frameworks such as six sigma to outline the stages of fatigue monitoring.

Read the article from the June 2019 ASSP PSJ.

 

Final Progress Report:

Advancing Safety Surveillance Using Individualized Sensor Technology (ASSIST):
Final Progress Report (December 2018)

Media Coverage:

ASSP PSJ Article:
A DMAIC Perspective on Physical Fatigue Management, by Zahra Sedighi Maman, Lin Lu, Fadel M. Megahed and Lora A. Cavuoto

ASSP Foundation:
Advancing Safety Surveillance Using Individualized Sensor Technology (ASSIST) Press Release (January 2019)

WGN-AM Radio Chicago (1/3/19):
Businesses Are Losing $130 Billion Per Year from Health-Related Productivity Loss (Also a 10-minute live segment with Dr. Lora Cavuoto)

Yahoo! Finance (1/3/19):
Research shows value of wearable technology in reducing workplace injuries

WOGO-AM Radio San Diego (1/3/19):
A 3-minute live segment with Lora Cavuoto on ASSP Foundation’s fatigue research report (no online story)

Star Tribune Minneapolis (1/3/19):
Research shows value of wearable technology in reducing workplace injuries

Bloomberg Law (1/3/19):
Wireless Monitoring Can Limit Injuries but Raises Concerns

Canadian Insider (1/3/19):
Research shows value of wearable technology in reducing workplace injuries

Occupational Health & Safety (1/3/19):
ASSP Foundation Releases Fatigue Report

Arizona Republic (1/3/19):
Research shows value of wearable technology in reducing workplace injuries

Business Insurance (1/3/19):
Safety study finds majority of manufacturing workers tired on job

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (1/3/19):
Research shows value of wearable technology in reducing workplace injuries

KTRH-AM Radio Houston (1/4/19):
Workplace Fatigue Costing $130 Billion in Lost Productivity

Canadian Occupational Safety (1/4/19):
Wearable technology can help reduce workplace injuries: Study

Intelex Community (1/4/19):
Wearable Technology Could Be Key to Identifying Link Between Worker Fatigue and Workplace Injuries

Construction Equipment (1/4/19):
Research Encourages use of Wearable Technology to Reduce Workplace Injury

Wearable Technologies (1/5/19):
Wearables Make Workplaces Safer, A Long Running Study Confirms

EHS Today (1/7/19):
Using Technology To Measure Worker Fatigue

ThomasNet.com (1/7/19):
Study Demonstrates Fatigue Monitoring with Wearables

Connecticut Business and Industry Association (1/7/19):
Wearable Technology Helps Prevent Fatigue-Related Workplace Injury

New Equipment Digest (1/11/19):
Tilted Toward Safety and Productivity

Construction Dive (1/11/19):
Safety professionals: Wearables can help mitigate the effects of jobsite fatigue

WorkersCompensation.com (1/15/19):
Research Shows Value of Wearable Technology in Reducing Workplace Injuries

Business Insurance (1/16/19):
One big yawn? Safety stands at the intersection of fatigue, automation

Paint Square (1/18/19):
Safety Report Looks at Sensors for Fatigue

EHS Today (1/27/19):
Are You Sick and Tired of Working Too Hard?

Manufacturing Talk Radio (1/29/19):
Measuring and Reducing Fatigue-related Inefficiencies (25-minute podcast)

CBS Radio Network (1/3/19):
Radio clip

KFBK-AM Sacramento (1/3/19):
Radio clip

EHS Today (2/5/19):
Sincerely Stefanie: Embracing Technology to Prevent Injury


 

The Effects of Restricting Space
Grady T. Holman, Troy Blackburn and S. Maghsoodloo

Employee Morale; Examining the Link to Occupational Safety & Health
Michael Behm

The Effects of Social Modeling on Safety Behavior
Lauren Murphy

A Survey of Corporate Financial Decision Makers' Perceptions of Safety Performance, Programs & Personnel
DeArmond, Huang & Chen

Transitioning Sloped Surfaces: The Effects of Roofing Work on Balance & Falls
Lloyd "Chip" Wade and Jerry Davis - Auburn University

Glove Use and the Relative Risk of Acute Hand Injury: A Case-Crossover Study
Sorock, Lombardi, Peng, Hauser, Eisen, Herrick, Mittleman

Using Narrative Text & Coded Data to Develop Hazard Scenarios for Occupational Injury Interventions
Lincoln, Sorock, Courtney, Wellman, Smith, Amoroso

Impact Performance of Polycarbonate Lenses for Industry and Sport
Paul Vinger, M.D. - Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston

Stress Factors Experienced by Women in Non-Traditional Occupations: Female Commercial Drivers in the Transportation Industry
Tracey Bernard, Ph.D and Linda Bouck, Ed.D - Murray State University

How to Cope with Terrorism in the Schools
Daniel E. Della-Giustina, Ph.D. - West Virginia University

Assessment of Ergonomic Risk Factors among Operators of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery
N. Kumar Kittusamy - Marshall University

Critical Characteristics for Successful Construction Safety: A Study of the Culture within Outstanding Construction Companies
Keith Molenaar, Ph.D. - University of Colorado

Effectiveness of Safety Incentive Programs in Construction
Paul Goodrum, P.E., Ph.D. - University of Kentucky

Getting a Grip on Grip Force Estimates
Jeffrey S. Casey, Raymond W. McGorry & Patrick G. Dempsey

Impact of Maintenance Function on Plant Safety
Ray, Batson, Weems, Wan, Sorock, Matz, Cotnam

ASSP Foundation Helps Sponsor Human Capital Study

The ASSP Foundation was proud to partner with ASSP, Harvard University and the Center for Safety and Health Sustainability in sponsoring the study, “Corporate Disclosure of Human Capital Metrics,” authored by Aaron Bernstein and Larry Beeferman of the Harvard Law School Pensions and Capital Stewardship Project.

The study shows that 96 percent of survey respondents disclosed metrics on employee fatalities while only 17 percent of publicly assessed companies did so. Human capital metrics are of increasing interest to global investors who understand that a sustainable workforce is critical to a firm’s success. The study’s conclusion draws on data from a 2016 review conducted by RobecoSAM of nearly 2,000 of the largest companies traded on global exchanges.

Click here the link to learn more about the study.