Search

Robust scientific evidence exists for occupational group of heavy vehicle drivers in oil and gas transport who are infected with acute fatigue. Numerous recent studies relate driver’s perceived stress and fatigue with dangerous driving behaviours during performance of delivery duties. This study investigates the association between driver’s perceived stress on aberrant driving behaviour and determines fatigue to be the mediation factor. Sample size of 378 male drivers from 10 oil and gas transport companies was selected that operate in peninsular west and east Malaysia, who answered adapted version of Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) in the conducted survey. Structural Equation Model (SEM) was applied that proved aberrant driving behaviours of heavy vehicle drivers can be predicted through driver’s perceived stress and fatigue. Fatigue is a mechanism that mediates the association amongst driver perceived stress and aberrant driving behaviours. In conclusion, the parameter of fatigue mediates between the perceived stress which is an appropriate prediction tool and consequent aberrant driving behaviour of heavy vehicle drivers. This study suggests abatement in individual stress and recommends fatigue management to alter risky and aberrant driving behaviours in order to encourage and give impetus to safe driving culture in oil and gas transportation sector in Malaysia.

Underwater gliders are a type of underwater vehicle that transverse the oceans by shifting its buoyancy, during which its wings develop a component of the downward motion in the horizontal plane, thus producing a forward force. They are primarily used in oceanography sensing and data collection and play an important role in ocean research and development. Although there have been considerable developments in these gliders since the development of the first glider concept in 1989, to date, no review of these gliders have been done. This paper reviews existing underwater gliders, with emphasis on their respective working principles, range and payload capacity. All information on gliders available in the public domain or published in literature from the year 2000-2013 was reviewed. The majority of these gliders have an operational depth of 1000 m and a payload of less than 25 kg. The exception is a blend-body shape glider, which has a payload of approximately 800 kg and an operational depth around about 300 m. However, the commercialization of these gliders has been limited with only three know examples that have been successfully commercialized.