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MANIVA OLIVA

Dottorando
Dipartimento di Ingegneria "Enzo Ferrari"

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Pubblicazioni

2023 - Exoskeletons at work: opportunities, suggestions for implementation and future research needs [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, Lucia; Paolo Bacchetta, Adriano; Oliva, Maniva; Melloni, Riccardo
abstract

Exoskeletons are wearable devices that use mechanical interaction with the body to augment, assist, and enhance physical activity, motion, and body posture. In the last decades, these devices have been extensively studied and applied in motor rehabili- tation. More recently, both industrial and academic researchers have been working to explore the effectiveness of exoskeletons in supporting human upper and lower extre- mities during manual material handling to eliminate or reduce the risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). If on the one hand, the effects for the prevention of WMSDs seem evident, on the other hand, some studies are carefully evaluating the overall impact of exoskeletons on the health and safety of workers. Still, there is limited evidence on the long-term effects of these devices. Hence, more research is necessary to understand the benefits and the potential opportunities arising from the introduction of exoskeletons in the workplace, as well as the potential limitations and risks that may arise for workers. This paper aims to address these challenges, pro- viding the results of a structured analysis of the scientific literature on occupational exoskeletons. A conceptual framework describes the benefits and the potential limi- tations of occupational exoskeletons, supporting the safe and effective selection and adoption of these devices in workplaces. The findings in this paper support academic, industrial practitioners, and researchers to understand the opportunities behind the use of exoskeletons, the future research needs, and to predict the benefits and the potential limitations of their implementation in workplaces.

2023 - L’esoscheletro per il lavoro: opportunità, limiti e questioni aperte [Articolo su rivista]
Botti, Lucia; Paolo Bacchetta, Adriano; Oliva, Maniva; Melloni, Riccardo
abstract

Gli esoscheletri sono dispositivi che, sfruttando l'interazione meccanica con il corpo umano di un dispositivo indossabile in grado di fornire un adeguato supporto posturale, consentono di assistere e migliorare le attività di movimentazione manuale de carichi ed evitare/limitare l’insorgere di malattie e disturbi muscolo-scheletrici. Negli ultimi anni, dopo che gli esoscheletri sono stati ampiamente studiati e applicati nella riabilitazione motoria, si è visto un interesse diffuso e sempre maggiore nella comunità scientifica e nel settore industriale per capire ed esplorare l'efficacia di tali dispositivi quali ausili di supporto per gli arti superiori e inferiori durante lo svolgimento di diverse attività manuali. Peraltro, se da una parte gli effetti ai fini della prevenzione da malattie e disturbi muscolo-scheletrici sembrano evidenti, dall’altra alcuni studi stanno valutando con attenzione l'impatto complessivo degli esoscheletri sulla salute e la sicurezza dei lavoratori tenuto anche conto che, ad oggi, vi sono prove limitate sugli effetti a lungo termine di questi dispositivi. Per questo, ed anche per diversi altri motivi, si ritiene siano necessari ulteriori ricerche e studi per comprendere i reali benefici e le potenziali opportunità derivanti dall'introduzione degli esoscheletri nei luoghi di lavoro, nonché i potenziali limiti e rischi che possono derivare per i lavoratori.

2023 - Sustainable production of ceramic products: the use of by-products in traditional ceramic mixture [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Oliva, Maniva; Botti, Lucia; Melloni, Riccardo; Pozzi, Paolo
abstract

2022 - A structured approach to support the definition of confined space entry and working procedures in the wine industry [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mosconi, Simone; Bacchetta, Adriano; Melloni, Riccardo; Oliva, Maniva; Botti, Lucia
abstract

2022 - Accidents at work: an insight into logistics operations [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, L.; Oliva, M.; Melloni, R.
abstract

The logistics industry ensures the delivery and storage of goods and materials around the world, covering both the distribution and the warehousing sectors of every industry. The injury rate of the logistics industry is notable and above the average compared to other industries. The high accident rate of the logistics industry is partly due to the significant weight and size of some of the items handled and the vehicles and equipment required to handle them. Also, logistics entails workers moving between different work areas or sites during the day, each of which have many different safety measures, procedures, and approaches to risk management. This paper introduces a structured analysis of occupational accidents that occurred during logistics operations. The investigation includes more than 900 fatal and serious accidents that occurred in Italy between 2002 and 2016, involving workers from the logistics industry. The findings show that the contact of the injured worker with moving objects or vehicles, the variation of movement of the vehicle or transport system, and the falling of objects from above were the most common types of accidents that occurred in logistics. Industrial trucks were the most frequent risk factors that triggered the investigated events. Material handling was the activity that the injured workers were usually performing when the accidents occurred. The leading apparent causes of accidents were the voluntary adoption of an improper procedure, e.g. the bypass of a risk control measure, and the misplacement of the worker. The lack of training appears to be the leading root cause of the investigated events.

2022 - Learn from the past and act for the future: A holistic and participative approach for improving occupational health and safety in industry [Articolo su rivista]
Botti, L.; Melloni, R.; Oliva, M.
abstract

The European working population is significantly ageing. This trend is expected to increase in the next years. In this context, occupational health and safety strategies need to evolve, developing return-to-work procedures and workplace modifications to avoid long-term sickness absence and early retirement. Safety management strategies should consider age related factors, so that every worker, regardless of age, feels safe and committed to reach personal and corporate goals. This study proposes a holistic approach based on a participatory methodology to identify the causes of workplace hazards and to improve occupational health and safety in industry. The first step supports the identification of the root causes of accidents and injuries. The second step involves the participation of the workers in the analysis of the consequences and the causes of safety issues in their workplace. The last step investigates the process deficiencies that may impact on the safety performances of the work system. The participatory technique adopted in this paper is the focus group with the workers, based on the fault tree analysis method. The findings suggest that the causes of unsafe work conditions may be the result of inefficiencies and deficits in the work process. The proposed approach allows multiple benefits, including an increased commitment of the workers and an improved safety culture within the organization. Such improvements are critical, especially when a relevant part of the workforce includes aged workers with multiple years of experience with the investigated tasks and, consequently, prolonged time of exposure to the same risk factors.

2022 - Understanding human factors to improve occupational safety in manufacturing: a case study [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, Lucia; Oliva, Maniva; Melloni, Riccardo
abstract

This paper investigates how the deviation of an industrial process from its optimal productivity, maintenance, and quality levels can lead to safety issues. An integrated approach was developed in 2021 to analyze the correlation between safety deficie- ncies and process inefficiencies. In this study, the proposed approach was adopted, aiming to identify potential connections between the safety issues that emerged from the previous investigations and the process inefficiencies. A case study describes the application of the proposed approach in an Italian company leader in the production of boilers for domestic and industrial heating and cooling systems. The findings show that the joint analysis of the results from the investigations in the proposed approach allows understanding the human factors in the investigated manufacturing process, i.e. the environmental, organizational, and job factors, and the human and individual characteristics which influence behavior at work in a way which can affect occupational safety.

2021 - Analyzing the Dynamics of Work Accidents in Manufacturing to Understand “Reasonably Foreseeable Behaviors” [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, Lucia; Melloni, Riccardo; Oliva, Maniva
abstract

This paper introduces a structured analysis of the leading causes of occupational accidents that occurred in the Italian manufacturing industry in the last decades. The aim of this research was to understand the human factors and the common causes of unsafe behaviors that may have determined the investi- gated accidents. The European Directive 2006/2/EC defines the essential health and safety requirements for the design of machinery for its intended purpose or for a purpose which can reasonably be foreseen. In this context, the present research supports the design of modern manufacturing systems, with the aim to investi- gate and understand workers’ reasonably foreseeable behaviors and to provide directions for prevention strategies. The results show the leading causes of such events as, for example, the adop- tion of an improper procedure or worker misplacement. The findings of this research will help practitioners and researchers understand the human behav- iors and the limits of the machinery, including the intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuses thereof.

2021 - Apparent and root causes of occupational accidents occurred during maintenance interventions [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, L.; Oliva, M.; Di Donato, L.; Melloni, R.
abstract

This paper introduces the results of a structured analysis of occupational accidents occurred during maintenance interventions in Italy, in the last decades. The investigation includes 49 occupational accidents occurred in Italy between 2002 and 2016, involving maintenance workers. Results show that the leading apparent cause of accidents was the voluntary adoption of an improper procedure, e.g. the bypass of a risk control measure, followed by distraction and error of judgment. The lack of training appeared to be the leading root cause of the investigated events. However, the investigation of root causes was difficult because of the lack of information on human factors and other intermediate causes that lead to the occupational accident. The findings of this analysis suggest that a structured methodology for accident registration is required. Such methodology should collect data supporting the identification of the root causes of occupational accidents and workers’ reasonably foreseeable behaviors on which prevention strategies should focus.

2020 - A Detailed Investigation on Apparent and Root Causes of Accidents in Manufacturing [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Botti, L.; Melloni, R.; Mosconi, S.; Oliva, M.
abstract

This paper introduces the results of the analysis of 118 occupational accidents occurred in Italy between 2002 and 2015, in manufacturing. The aim was to identify apparent and root causes of such events. Apparent causes are derived from the description of the accidents on reports. Results show that the leading apparent cause was the voluntary adoption of an improper procedure, e.g. the bypass of a risk control measure, followed by the improper use of equipment and lack of coordination. The investigation of root causes was difficult because of the lack of information on human factors and other intermediate causes that lead to the occupational accident. A structured methodology that collects data for the identification of the accident root causes is missing. The collection of such data would allow the identification of leading indicators for occupational accidents in manufacturing and, more specifically, for the mechanisms that cause fatal and serious injuries.

2020 - Web aided confined spaces risk assessment: Development of a web portal supporting the risk assessment of work in confined spaces [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mosconi, S.; Bacchetta, A.; Di Donato, L.; Melloni, R.; Oliva, M.; Botti, L.
abstract

Past and recent statistics on industrial accidents show that work in confined spaces is a high-risk activity that frequently leads to multiple fatalities and serious injuries. The analysis of accidents dynamics reveals that the leading cause of such events is the lack of awareness about the risks that may be present within the confined space. This paper introduces an innovative web-based tool supporting employers, safety professionals and practitioners during the risk assessment of confined spaces in industry. The proposed tool is based on the Web Aided Confined Spaces Risk Assessment algorithm, i.e. a decisional flow chart that drives the user during each phase of the risk assessment for work in confined spaces. The aim was to support the prevention of occupational accidents during work in confined spaces and to promote the awareness about the risks of such activity. The proposed tool investigates critical issues dealing with confined spaces, e.g. the definition and the classification of confined spaces and the identification of hazards and risks, the qualification of the companies, the emergency and rescue procedures and the personal protective equipment. Two additional sections introduce a collection of previous cases of accidents in confined spaces and an archive of documents, e.g. reports and international regulations on work in confined spaces. Finally, a tutorial allows the interactive consultation of regulations, documents and media. A case study shows the application of the proposed tool to a grain silo and the investigation of the ordinary maintenance intervention performed inside the confined space. After completing the procedure with the flow chart, the user has proper information to make decisions about the confined space intervention. The dynamic structure of the web portal allows the user to interact with the contents by adding new case studies, work procedures and critical events, e.g. accidents, dangerous occurrences and near misses.

2019 - Participative ergonomics for the improvement of occupational health and safety in industry: a focus group-based approach [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mosconi, S.; Melloni, R.; Oliva, Maniva; Botti, Lucia
abstract

This paper introduces a participative approach to the investigation and promotion of health and safety in industry. The proposed methodology promotes the active participation of the workers in the analysis of consequences and causes of unsafe behaviours that may result in work-related musculoskeletal disorders, accidents, injuries or near-misses. The developed participative technique is the Focus Group with Workers, based on the Fault Tree Analysis method (FGW-FTA). Focus groups are conventionally used by social and behavioural researchers to understand opinions, motivations, attitudes, and mental processes that underlie people behaviours. The innovative procedure in this paper addresses researchers and safety professionals during the focus groups with the workers for the identification of critical risk factors in the workplace. The result is a structured analysis, operated by and with the workers, for the identification of consequences and causes of unsafe behaviours. Finally, the developed methodology addresses the definition of a set of preventive and protective measures, and corrective actions for the improvement of health and safety in the workplace. An experimental study in an Italian boiler manufacturer describes the proposed methodology and the results of the focus groups with the workers. An evaluation questionnaire was elaborated to investigate the workers’ knowledge on occupational health and safety. A second questionnaire was developed to understand the workers’ perception on occupational risks. Each participant was invited to fill in both the questionnaires before and after the focus groups with the workers. The results of the study proved the effectiveness of the developed methodology in improving workers knowledge and perceptions on occupational health and safety.