Learning from the Bhopal disaster to improve process safety management in Singapore

The Singapore process industry is mainly made up of chemical and energy companies such as Mitsui Chemicals, Clariant, Exxon Mobil, Shell, Sumitomo, Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore and Infineum. Majority of these companies are located on Jurong Island, southwest of Singapore. Jurong Island houses nearly 100 leading petroleum, petrochemicals and specialty chemicals companies and the total investment is about S$42 billion in total. With a land surface area of only 716 km² and a high concentration of process plants, the Singapore government places strong emphasis on safety and risk management. In this paper, four process industry veterans from the government, academic and private sectors were interviewed. Through the interviews, the authors sought to understand the veterans’ perspectives on lessons that the Singapore process industry should learn from the Bhopal disaster. The veterans expanded their thoughts beyond the Bhopal disaster and provided many insights and suggestions critical to process safety management in Singapore and other countries. A systemic model of process safety management was derived from the interviews and key elements of operational process safety management were identified. In addition, a research agenda was identified based on the inputs from the veterans.     

Risks in urban rooftop agriculture: Assessing stakeholders’ perceptions to ensure efficient policymaking

Rooftop agriculture (RA) is an innovative form of urban agriculture that takes advantage of unused urban spaces while promoting local food production. However, the implementation of RA projects is limited due to stakeholders’ perceived risks. Such risks should be addressed and minimized in policymaking processes to ensure the sustainable deployment of RA initiatives. This paper evaluates the risks that stakeholders perceive in RA and compares these perceptions with the currently available knowledge, including scientific literature, practices and market trends. Qualitative interviews with 56 stakeholders from Berlin and Barcelona were analyzed for this purpose. The results show that perceived risks can be grouped into five main categories: i) risks associated with urban integration (e.g., conflicts with images of “agriculture”), ii) risks associated with the production system (e.g., gentrification potential), iii) risks associated with food products (e.g., soil-less growing techniques are “unnatural”), iv) environmental risks (e.g., limited organic certification) and v) economic risks (e.g., competition with other rooftop uses). These risks are primarily related to a lack of (scientific) knowledge, insufficient communication and non-integrative policymaking. We offer recommendations for efficient project design and policymaking processes. In particular, demonstration and dissemination activities as well as participatory policymaking can narrow the communication gap between RA developers and citizens.     

Horseback riding-related injuries treated in emergency departments: Risk factors and prevention strategies

IntroductionDespite inherit dangers of horseback riding (HBR), research on HBR-related injuries is sparse. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to (1) examine HBR-related injuries treated in emergency departments (EDs) and associated risk factors and (2) explore HBR-related injury experiences and recommendations for prevention strategies from the perspective of riders. Method: We retrospectively analyzed data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), identifying HBR-related ED visits between 2010 and 2014. Additionally, we conducted 10 phone interviews with active horseback riders to understand their experiences and perspectives regarding HBR-related injuries and recommendations for prevention measures. Results: A total of 21,899 ED visits for HBR-related injuries were identified. When weighted, these represented 100,964 ED visits in the United States. Females had a consistently higher proportion of ED visits compared to males across the study period, with the proportion of ED visits being highest in females aged 15–19. Most injuries (85.9%) were treated and released from the ED. Three primary themes were identified as key to the prevention of HBR-related injuries: (1) rider safety (e.g., use of protective equipment), (2) external factors (e.g., awareness of environment), and (3) rider and horse interactions (e.g., matching skill level of the rider to the horse). Conclusions: Results indicate that HBR-related injuries treated in EDs are prevalent, with female riders aged 15–19 years having the highest proportion of injuries treated in EDs. Practical Applications: There is a critical need for injury prevention programs that not only promote the use of protective equipment, but that also educate horseback riders on horse behavior, the proper handling of horses, and safe riding practices.     

Identifying management practices that drive production-line workers’ engagement through qualitative analysis

Introduction: Engagement research - most often defined by a worker’s psychological state of vigor, dedication, and absorption - pays little attention to production-line workers. This study therefore explores factors that drive workers’ engagement with health and safety (H&S) in a production-line context as well as their perception of managerial influence Furthermore, the study adds to the body of research by exploring H&S engagement concepts through the use of qualitative research methods. Method: 38 semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed through template analysis to identify themes that promote and hinder engagement. Results: The main engagement drivers were found to be: (a) the displayed safety focus of the company in organizational and social aspects; (b) the quality of the communication approach with respect to quality, consistency and direction; and (c) the environment encompassing the relationship between workers and supervisors and peers as well as the psychological environment. Notably, a trusting relationship between supervisors and workers appeared to be the most influential driver in determining engaged H&S behavior. Discussion and impact in industry: The study highlights factors that could be adapted to improve engagement and consequently enhance H&S approaches. Originality: The study reported in this paper offers a unique insight into individual production workers’ perceived drivers of H&S engagement using Qualitative Analysis. Practical applications: The study identified the important role that supervisors play in workers’ H&S engagement levels and what skills they need to employ to enhance workers’ engagement in general and in the context of H&S behavior and performance. Furthermore, the importance of psychological and sociological factors in safety approaches are highlighted and were found to be key for creating safer workplaces.     

An ethnography of low-income mothers' safeguarding efforts

Problem

Children living in lower-income environments are at greater risk for unintentional injuries. However, little is known about the safety practices of mothers living in low-income situations.

Method

This ethnographic study explored the child safeguarding experiences of low-income mothers using in-home interviews and observations.

Results

Mothers' safeguarding efforts included cognitive and emotional work, child directed work, and work directed at the physical and social environments. Factors that influenced the women's safeguarding included the quality of the indoor space, availability of safe play space, traffic hazards, sibling interactions, child care supports, relationships with neighbors, and trust in community services.

Discussion

These findings have implications for the conceptualization of safeguarding practices and provide insight about the experiences of mothers living on low-incomes.

Impact on Industry

When developing safety interventions, program planners should consider the views and practices of mothers as well as contextual factors in the physical and social environments.     

A gateway to nature: Teenagers' narratives on smoking marijuana outdoors

Increasingly, many youth are disconnected from the natural world; rather, they inhabit a technological world. Although experiences in nature have long been a source of fascination, little is known about how youth independently access and make sense of nature. We focus on the experiences of youth who chose to use marijuana in nature. A substance such as marijuana is often viewed as a “gateway” leading to “harder” drug use; rarely do we consider how marijuana might be a gateway to positive experiences. Narrative analysis was used to explore how young people, aged 14–18, describe their marijuana use in nature, an important aspect of the culture and context of marijuana use. Youth's constructions of nature are revealed in four narratives in which they situate themselves: freedom in nature, the pleasure of leisure, in awe of the natural world and making meaning of the world. One subnarrative, flowing through space, was also uncovered. The findings point to the importance of these nature experiences for youth who expressed how they were able to be in nature in new ways. Participants articulated their yearning for and ability to establish a connection within their natural world.     

The Appropriateness of Snowmobiling in National Parks: An Investigation of the Meanings of Snowmobiling Experiences in Yellowstone National Park

The debate over snowmobiling and other types of motorized recreation in US national parks signals the need for a better understanding of the meanings of these experiences. The fundamental issue facing many parks is whether snowmobiling is an appropriate activity. The matter of appropriateness is anchored in two questions: (1) Does snowmobiling in national parks cause unacceptable biophysical and social impacts? (2) Are snowmobiling experiences consistent with the fundamental purposes of national parks? This article particularly addresses the appropriateness issue and presents the findings of an interpretive study of the meanings of snowmobiling experiences in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Sixty-five semistructured interviews were conducted with winter visitors who used snowmobiles in the park during the winter season of 1999. Overall, the study findings reveal that visitors on snowmobiles view YNP as a place to experience its wildland attributes, such as natural scenery, geothermal features, and, especially, wildlife. Snowmobiling is perceived as a mode of transportation rather than the experience in and of itself. The results challenge the popular image of snowmobiles as thrill-craft and snowmobilers as thrill-seekers. The study demonstrates that snowmobiling in YNP affords highly meaningful recreational experiences, grounded in appreciating the park’s unique natural features and attributes.     

通信作业环境挥发性有机物的定性分析与表征

了解通信机房作业环境挥发性有机物（VOCs)的种类和污染状况，为制定防治措施提供依据，利用气相色谱-质谱计算机联用系统（GC-MS），对地面和地下共10个典型作业环境的VOCs进行了采集和全谱分析，结果表明，共检出332种污染物质，包括苯系物、脂肪烃、多环芳烃、有机醇、酮、胺、脂、羟酸及杂环化合物等，结论是，通信机房VOCs种类繁多、来源复杂，其联合作用可能是影响工作人员工作效率和身心健康的重要源因之一。     

Effect of surrounding landscape on driving behaviour: A driving simulator study

This paper examines how three Swedish landscape types (open, forested, and varied) affect driver behaviour. The study was carried out in 2007 under controlled conditions in the VTI Driving Simulator III, Linköping, Sweden. Qualitative (questionnaires) and quantitative (simulator measurement) data were used. Eighteen subjects were selected, nine men and nine women aged 25–65 years, all licensed to drive for at least five years. Two hypotheses were established based on previous research: 1) landscape character (open, forested, or varied) affects driving behaviour (average speed, variation in lateral vehicle position, and steering wheel grasping frequency); and 2) landscape character affects driver perception of the driving situation. The first was tested in the driving simulator and the second via questionnaires concerning the simulator drive. The results indicate that the driver is affected by different landscape types. In the open landscape, subjects drove faster, did not drive as close to the centre of the road, and grasped the steering wheel more often while simultaneously experiencing less stress. Landscape also appears to be relevant to traffic safety, which has implications for choosing new routes when planning new roads and for maintaining existing roads.