Better Responses to Gender-based Violence in Cambodia's Construction Sector. This project aims to produce the first systematic assessment of gender-based violence (GBV) in Cambodia’s construction sector, which employs an unusually high percentage of women. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the project will investigate the causes and manifestations of workplace GBV and produce an analysis of local and international labour movement actors’ efforts to combat it, with a focus on how Cambod ....Better Responses to Gender-based Violence in Cambodia's Construction Sector. This project aims to produce the first systematic assessment of gender-based violence (GBV) in Cambodia’s construction sector, which employs an unusually high percentage of women. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the project will investigate the causes and manifestations of workplace GBV and produce an analysis of local and international labour movement actors’ efforts to combat it, with a focus on how Cambodia’s cultural, political and economic context influences local actors’ uptake of international norms. In addition to academic benefits, this analysis will benefit our partner organisations, which plan to use the project's findings to strengthen their programs and better equip local unions to tackle workplace GBV. Read moreRead less
Socio-psychological factors and compliance with work health and safety regulation – theory, policy and practice. This project will examine and provide an account of the relationship between socio-psychological factors (knowledge, motivations, attitudes, perceptions and norms), and procedural and substantive compliance with work health and safety regulation and lead the way in reducing workplace injuries through improving regulatory effectiveness.
Microbiologically Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking in Underground Mines. Premature brittle failure of rock & cable bolts due to stress corrosion cracking can cause fatalities and serious damage, and has been reported in several mining operations across Australia and world-wide. The evidence suggests that microbial activity is a contributing factor. The project aims to implement experimental methodologies to determine the specific conditions responsible for bolt failure and develop novel prevent ....Microbiologically Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking in Underground Mines. Premature brittle failure of rock & cable bolts due to stress corrosion cracking can cause fatalities and serious damage, and has been reported in several mining operations across Australia and world-wide. The evidence suggests that microbial activity is a contributing factor. The project aims to implement experimental methodologies to determine the specific conditions responsible for bolt failure and develop novel prevention techniques applicable in underground mines. The benefits of this research will be improved understanding of the environment causing catastrophic failure of bolts and avoidance of potential hazards & economic loss in mining projects. This will lead to improved safety & increased productivity in mining operations.Read moreRead less
Legal risk management of adverse health outcomes and injury in the fitness industry: developing evidence-informed regulation that improves safety. This project analyses Australian laws, policies and practices designed to manage legal risks and liabilities in the fitness industry, and assesses their effectiveness in preventing adverse health outcomes, injuries, and the legal liability associated with those risks.
Next generation smart lighting to improve sleep and alertness. Light has a powerful influence on our sleep and alertness. The manipulation of the amount of blue in a light source and the visual brightness of a light source are key factors, but there has been no systematic study that can guide manufacturers in the design of the ideal light source for promoting either sleep or alertness. This study will systematically examine the impact of the amount of blue light in a light source and the visual ....Next generation smart lighting to improve sleep and alertness. Light has a powerful influence on our sleep and alertness. The manipulation of the amount of blue in a light source and the visual brightness of a light source are key factors, but there has been no systematic study that can guide manufacturers in the design of the ideal light source for promoting either sleep or alertness. This study will systematically examine the impact of the amount of blue light in a light source and the visual brightness, creating a wide range of combinations that can be used to model the optimal light specifications for sleep and alertness, while maintaining visual acuity and colour discrimination. This will be the evidence base needed by the lighting industry to create the next generation of smart lighting.Read moreRead less
Towards a safer workplace: promoting healthy work environments through strategic research in memory and behaviour change. In collaboration with WorkCover NSW, psychologists plan to develop new strategies to promote healthy and safe work environments. The researchers will find how to: best motivate people to engage in healthy work practices and obtain comprehensive and accurate information about the causes of accidents.
Avoiding catastrophic failure of rock bolts in underground coal mines. This project will examine the factors responsible for the emerging problem of catastrophic failure of rock bolts in underground mines in order to develop strategies for resisting such failures. The consequences of rock bolt failure are potentially enormous from both a mine safety and economic standpoint. The strategies developed are expected to not only reduce the likelihood of injury and death from rock falls but to also red ....Avoiding catastrophic failure of rock bolts in underground coal mines. This project will examine the factors responsible for the emerging problem of catastrophic failure of rock bolts in underground mines in order to develop strategies for resisting such failures. The consequences of rock bolt failure are potentially enormous from both a mine safety and economic standpoint. The strategies developed are expected to not only reduce the likelihood of injury and death from rock falls but to also reduce very expensive mine downtime and avoid costly replacement of broken rock bolts. Australian Rock Bolting Technology is now used internationally and the work will be of substantial significance both nationally and internationally. It will help maintain Australia's international prominence in this field.Read moreRead less
Forensic platform technologies for roadside and workplace testing based on nanostructured silicon chips. Roadside drug testing has recently been incorporated into government legislation throughout Australia and abroad. The objective of this project is to develop advanced analysis technologies for implementing effective roadside and workplace testing. The availability of these technologies will increase the safety of Australian drivers and workers.
A Machine Learning Framework for Concrete Workability Estimation . Concrete is the most used construction material in Australia. The project aims to develop a system to measure the workability of concrete in transit in agitator trucks using advanced machine vision and machine learning, and provide a reliable alternative to the current practice of visually testing concrete workability by certified testers. Concrete that fails to meet workability requirements is one of the most frequent reasons fo ....A Machine Learning Framework for Concrete Workability Estimation . Concrete is the most used construction material in Australia. The project aims to develop a system to measure the workability of concrete in transit in agitator trucks using advanced machine vision and machine learning, and provide a reliable alternative to the current practice of visually testing concrete workability by certified testers. Concrete that fails to meet workability requirements is one of the most frequent reasons for rejection at construction sites, resulting in significant costs, waste, and delays. Multimodal data sources will be used to provide a reliable workability estimate in real time, enabling construction teams to identify and rectify workability issues in transit while continuously monitoring the adjustments effects.Read moreRead less
Avoiding catastrophic failure of cable bolts in underground mines. This work aims to identify the factors responsible for the emerging problem of catastrophic failure of high-load cable bolts in underground mines and develop strategies for resisting their failure. The work is of high importance since failure of cable bolts is now being reported in several mines across Australia and is expected to become a problem world-wide. The work is novel as it intends to be the very first study of catastrop ....Avoiding catastrophic failure of cable bolts in underground mines. This work aims to identify the factors responsible for the emerging problem of catastrophic failure of high-load cable bolts in underground mines and develop strategies for resisting their failure. The work is of high importance since failure of cable bolts is now being reported in several mines across Australia and is expected to become a problem world-wide. The work is novel as it intends to be the very first study of catastrophic cable bolt failure. The expected outcome is the development of economically viable solutions for avoiding catastrophic cable bolt failure. It is anticipated that the findings will also be relevant to the civil engineering sector.Read moreRead less