Identification, analysis and dissemination of information on near misses: A case study in the construction industry

Near misses are well-known for providing a major source of useful information for safety management. They are more frequent events than accidents and their causes may potentially result in an accident under slightly different circumstances. Despite the importance of this type of feedback, there is little knowledge on the characteristics of near misses, and on the use of this information in safety management. This article proposes guidelines for identifying, analyzing and disseminating information on near misses in construction sites. In particular, it is proposed that near misses be analyzed based on four categories: (a) whether or not it was possible to track down the event; (b) the nature of each event, in terms of its physical features (e.g. falling objects); (c) whether they provided positive or negative feedback for the safety management system; and (d) risk, based on the probability and severity associated with each event. The guidelines were devised and tested while a safety management system was being developed in a healthcare building project. The monitoring of near misses was part of a safety performance measurement system. Among the main results, a dramatic increase in both the number and quality of reports stands out after the workforce was systematically encouraged to report. While in the first 4 months of the study – when the workforce was not encouraged to report – there were just 12 reports, during the subsequent 4 months – when the workforce was so encouraged – there were 110 reports, all of them being analyzed based on the four analytical categories proposed.     

多普勒天气雷达综合防雷安全措施研究

为保证用于提升气象服务能力的新一代多普勒天气雷达安全可靠运行,其综合防雷十分重要。本文通过对雷达楼及其信息系统的防雷安全环境理论计算确定其防雷等级,雷达塔楼主体建筑按二类防雷建筑物设计,其信息处理、传输系统按信息系统雷击电磁脉冲防护分级划为A级。结合巴彦淖尔市雷达工程实例分析了当地的地理地质、气候环境和雷电活动规律,及根据被保护物的特点详细研究了防雷装置的形式,提出了多普勒天气雷达综合防雷保护体系;分别从雷达天线直击雷防护、侧击雷防护、等电位和屏蔽措施、接地装置、电源信号系统浪涌保护及生活附属设施防雷设计等方面进行了综合论述。工程经实践证明其防雷措施是行之有效的,这对新一代多普勒天气雷达安全运行具有较好的指导意义。     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Winter Cover Crops for Controlling Agricultural Nutrient Losses

A nutrient loss reduction strategy is necessary to guide the efforts of improving water quality downstream of an agricultural watershed. In this study, the effectiveness of two winter cover crops, namely cereal rye and annual ryegrass, is explored as a loss reduction strategy in a watershed that ultimately drains into a water supply reservoir. Using a coupled optimization-watershed model, optimal placements of the cover crops were identified that would result in the tradeoffs between nitrate-N losses reduction and adoption levels. Analysis of the 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75% adoption levels extracted from the optimal tradeoffs showed that the cover crop placements would provide annual nitrate-N loss reductions of 3.0%–3.7%, 7.8%–8.8%, 15%–17.5%, and 20.9%–24.3%, respectively. In addition, for the same adoption levels (i.e., 10%–75%), sediment (1.8%–17.7%), and total phosphorus losses (0.8%–8.6%) could be achieved. Results also indicate that implementing each cover crop on all croplands of the watershed could cause annual water yield reduction of at least 4.8%, with greater than 28% in the months of October and November. This could potentially be detrimental to the storage volume of the downstream reservoir, especially in drought years, if cover crops are adopted in most of the reservoir's drainage area. Evaluating water yield impacts, particularly in periods of low flows, is thus critical if cover crops are to be considered as best management practices in water supply watersheds.     

Changes in electrical generator cooling systems: Are they cost-effective sources of water now and under climate change?

In the United States, thermal power plant electrical generators (EGs) are large water diverters and consumptive users who need water for cooling. Retrofitting existing cooling systems to dry cooling and building new facilities with dry cooling can save water and reduce EG's vulnerability to drought. However, this can be an expensive source of water. We estimate that the cost of water saved by retrofitting cooling in existing EGs ranges from $0.04/m³ to $18/m³ depending on facility characteristics. Also water savings from building new EGs with dry cooling ranges in cost per unit water from $1.29/m³ to $2.24/m³. We compare costs with that for water development projects identified in the Texas State Water Plan. We find the water cost from converting to dry cooling is lower than many of the water development possibilities. We then estimate the impact of climate change on the cost of water saved, finding climate change can increase EG water use by up to 9.3% and lower the costs of water saved. Generally, it appears that water planners might consider cooling alterations as a cost competitive water development alternative whose cost would be further decreased by climate change.     

Towards a long-term integrated monitoring programme in Europe: network design in theory and practice

Long-term integrated monitoring is an important approach forinvestigating, detecting and predicing the effects ofenvironmental changes. Currently, European freshwaters,glaciers, forests and other narural and semi-natural ecosystemsand habitats are monitored by a number of networks establishedby different organisations. However, many monitoring programmeshave a narrow focus (e.g. targeting individual ecosystems) andmost have different measurement protocols and sampling design.This has resulted in poor integration of ecosystem monitoring ata European level, leading to some overlapping of efforts and alack of harmonised data to inform policy decisions. The need fora consistent pan-European long-term integrated monitoring ofterrestrial systems programme is recognised in the scientificcommunity. However, the design of such a system can be problematic, not least because of the constraints imposed bythe need to make maximum use of existing sites and networks.Based on the outcomes of the NoLIMITS project (Networking ofLong-term Integrated Monitoring in Terrestrial Systems), thisarticle reviews issues that should be addressed in designing aprogramme based on existing monitoring sites and networks. Fourmajor design issues are considered: (i) users' requirements,(ii) the need to address multiple objectives, (iii) role ofexisting sites and (iv) operational aspects.     

地震台站观测系统的防雷技术——以陕西为例

雷电对地震观测台站的危害已成为影响台站长期稳定运行的重要因素之一。针对地震台站观测系统建设,从4个方面对避雷技术进行了分析设计。同时以陕西省的地震观测台站为例,具体说明了防雷措施的应用方法及应用效果。     

崇义客家梯田区生态系统服务功能及价值评估

崇义客家梯田位于赣南,为当地客家人提供了多项生态服务功能。开展崇义客家梯田区生态系统服务功能价值评估,有助于人们更好地了解梯田区生态系统对客家社会的直接贡献,使政府作经济效益权衡决策时充分考虑保护梯田区生态系统的重要性。论文根据梯田区生态与社会经济系统的特征,构建了崇义客家梯田区生态系统服务功能价值评估指标体系,并以2012年数据为基础,综合运用替代成本、市场价值、影子工程、造林成本、成果参数和旅行费用等定量方法,评估了崇义客家梯田区农田和森林两个主要生态系统的价值。结果表明：1）2012年崇义客家梯田区生态系统服务总价值为102.02×10⁸元,其中,农田生态系统和森林生态系统服务价值分别为42.00×10⁸元和60.03×10⁸元,分别占总价值的41.17%和58.84%。2）在评估的11项服务指标中,生物多样性保护和旅游休闲的价值居前两位,分别为29.73×10⁸元和22.30×10⁸元,各占总价值的29.14%和21.86%。3）11项服务指标按其评估的价值大小排序为：生物多样性保护>旅游休闲>气体调节>土壤保持>产品生产>气候调节>调洪蓄水>病虫草害控制>社会保障>文化传承>净化环境。直观的经济数字反映了客家梯田区生态系统对社会的巨大贡献,不仅有利于提高管理者和公众保护农业文化遗产的意识,也为政府制定客家梯田区生态系统补偿标准提供数据支撑。     

Effect of two TiO2 nanoparticles on the growth of unicellular green algae using the OECD 201 test guideline: influence of the exposure system

This work aimed at assessing the influence of different exposure systems to perform the commonly used OECD 201 freshwater algal growth inhibition test in the context of nanoparticles hazard assessment. Two distinct TiO₂ nanoparticles were considered and three different exposure systems were investigated: Erlenmeyers flasks and 24-well microplates (both using an orbital shake system), and an alternative system using cylindrical vials and magnetic stirring. All three systems are in accordance with the OECD 201 test guideline recommendations. We concluded that the exposure systems applied to achieve the test can substantially affect the ecotoxicological results and the subsequent calculated ECx. The selected systems influenced both the interaction between algal cells and TiO₂ nanoparticles as well as the growth inhibition recorded. Disparities in ecotoxicity relative to the TiO₂ nanoparticles tested were also observed and are finally discussed.     

Changes of microbial composition during wastewater reclamation and distribution systems revealed by high-throughput sequencing analyses

This study employed 454-pyrosequencing to investigate microbial and pathogenic communities in two wastewater reclamation and distribution systems. A total of 11972 effective 16S rRNA sequences were acquired from these two reclamation systems, and then designated to relevant taxonomic ranks by using RDP classifier. The Chao index and Shannon diversity index showed that the diversities of microbial communities decreased along wastewater reclamation processes. Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum in reclaimed water after disinfection, which accounted for 83% and 88% in two systems, respectively. Human opportunistic pathogens, including Clostridium, Escherichia, Shigella, Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium, were selected and enriched by disinfection processes. The total chlorine and nutrients (TOC, NH₃-N and NO₃-N) significantly affected the microbial and pathogenic communities during reclaimed water storage and distribution processes. Our results indicated that the disinfectant-resistant pathogens should be controlled in reclaimed water, since the increases in relative abundances of pathogenic bacteria after disinfection implicate the potential public health associated with reclaimed water.     

Treatment,residual chlorine and season as factors affecting variability of trihalomethanes in small drinking water systems

Seasonal variability in source water can lead to challenges for drinking water providers related to operational optimization and process control in treatment facilities. The objective of this study is to investigate seasonal variability of water quality in municipal small water systems (<3000 residents) supplied by surface waters. Residual chlorine and trihalomethanes (THM) were measured over seven years (2003–2009). Comparisons are made within each system over time, as well as between systems according to the type of their treatment technologies. THM concentrations are generally higher in the summer and autumn. The seasonal variability was generally more pronounced in systems using chlorination plus additional treatment. Chloroform, total THM (TTHM) and residual chlorine concentrations were generally lower in systems using chlorination plus additional treatment. Conversely, brominated THM concentrations were higher in systems using additional treatment. Residual chlorine was highest in the winter and lowest in the spring and summer. Seasonal variations were most pronounced for residual chlorine in systems with additional treatment. There was generally poor correlation between THM concentrations and concentrations of residual chlorine. Further study with these data will be beneficial in finding determinants and indicators for both quantity and variability of disinfection byproducts and other water quality parameters.