The multiple communities of low-carbon transition: an assessment of communities involved in forest carbon measurement

In recent writing on sociotechnical transitions theory communities are mostly conceived of as being local and place-based (“grassroots”). In this paper the implications for sociotechnical transitions theory of having multiple communities operating at different geographical scales, and with different objectives, are examined through a case study of low-carbon innovation in forests. The focus of analysis is the communities promoting sociotechnical innovations in the measurement of forest carbon. Innovation is being driven by the international United Nations climate policy initiative “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation” (REDD+). The rise of REDD+ policy has prompted a flurry of activity in related scientific research, especially in the field of remote sensing. But other types of community are also actively positioning themselves as experts in forest carbon measurement: there are multiple communities at work, each with varying claims to innovation and expertise, from local (place-based) forest communities to international communities of foresters and forest ecologists. Recognition of the multiple communities operating within sociotechnical systems usefully draws our attention to the politics of innovation.     

Migrating an incident reporting system to a CCPS process safety metrics model

A major chemical company established a formal incident investigation and reporting system several years ago. The original system focused heavily on worker-related injuries, illnesses, and near-misses and was used primarily to track statistics reportable to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This Occupational Injury and Illness (OII) approach has been recognized to be an ineffective tool for measuring, predicting, and preventing process safety incidents. The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) recently published guidelines on how to establish safety metrics for the measurement and reduction of process safety incidents. The process safety metrics approach relies upon leading and lagging metrics to improve organization process safety. This paper is a case study of the analysis of one organization’s incident database, which represents approximately five years of data from over a dozen facilities. The aim of this investigation was to extract useful process safety metrics from the incident investigation and reporting system, which would be pertinent to the types of process units and process functions at these facilities. This paper will discuss the approach taken to extract process incident information from an OII-based database and present the difficulties of performing an analysis on such a database. This paper provides guidance on how to migrate an existing OII-based reporting system to a program that includes process safety metrics in accordance with industry best practices.     

国内外空气污染指数的现状及发展趋势

针对中国目前使用的空气污染指数(Air Pollution Index,API)中存在的问题,通过比较国内外空气污染指数在基本概念、级别限值和等级划分等方面的区别,结合中国的实际情况,提出了增加监测指标、提高发布效率、优化统计模型等改进意见。     

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.     

上海市大气中PM10浓度的统计分析

以上海市2002年-2009年的PM10实测数据和同步气象资料为研究对象进行上海市PM10污染分析研究。对2002年-2009年的监测数据进行分析、归纳,得到了上海市可吸入颗粒物(PM10)浓度的季节变化规律、每日小时变化规律以及上海市不同地区可吸入颗粒物(PM10)浓度的分布特征,并对这种特征及变化规律进行了详尽地分析。研究表明上海市空气环境质量在逐年好转,其标志是累计超标污染天数每年减少5天;在一年当中,污染天数最多的是冬季,其次是春季,最少的是夏季;在空气环境质量逐年好转的大趋势下,针对其产生的原因进行了分析。     

珠三角区域空气质量指数(RAQI)的研究

区域空气质量指数(Regional Air Quality Index,RAQI)是粤港政府联合发布、反映珠三角区域内不同地区的空气质量状况的评级系统。虽然RAQI综合考虑了空气污染的总量水平,较我国空气污染指数(Air Pollution Index,API)系统增加了O3,一定程度地考虑了大气氧化性增高的问题,但其所表征的空气质量状况与实际空气污染水平和公众感受仍存在差异。对2006年珠三角和香港监测数据的研究表明,RAQI较API能更充分地体现空气质量的分级;小时RAQI能够实时准确地反映了环境质量的变化,较每日RAQI更具有实际意义;加入PM2.5或采用不同的O3、PM10和PM2.5环境质量标准,是影响RAQI的重要因素。PM2.5/PM10为0.7,比世界卫生组织推荐的PM2.5/PM10为0.5的比例更符合珠三角的实际情况。因此,增加细粒子污染物PM2.5,适当调严某些污染物的环境质量标准,增加RAQI的发布频次,可以使RAQI更全面、准确地反映区域空气污染状况,是RAQI改进的方向。     

云南省环保举报热线系统的设计与建设

叙述了云南省环保热线系统的总体设计,集成的先进技术,预期目标和建设情况等。     

发展和完善我国航空安全自愿报告系统的研究

鉴于当前我国航空安全自愿报告系统运行时间短、效果不佳的现状,主要从航空安全自愿报告系统运行、系统平台功能设计及信息处理分析3方面,对国内外大量航空安全自愿报告系统进行研究。指出目前我国航空安全自愿报告系统在系统设计、系统运行及后期的信息处理、信息发布利用等环节存在的问题和制约因素。就协调中立运行机构与系统3大原则之间的冲突,加强系统平台的人性化设计,提高信息分析处理效果,完善信息发布利用机制、提高信息利用度等关键问题给出了新的思路和对策。为我国航空自愿报告系统的完善和发展,提出了切实的改进建议和措施。     

A comprehensive approach to API RP 752 and 753 building siting studies

Facility siting studies are an important part of process safety, and are required for facilities that fall under OSHA’s PSM program. Facility siting is frequently interpreted as performing a building siting study which adheres to the guidance given in API RP 752. Building siting may also consider siting of temporary or portable buildings based on the guidance in API RP 753. While both API RP 752 and API RP 753 provide a framework and some guidance for performing building siting studies, they do not provide detailed methodologies or provide guidance on performing a detailed analysis. As a result many building siting studies are inconsistent in their overall approach, or in the way they address hazards. Due to the recent scrutiny applied to building siting studies, more attention has been given to provide evaluations which correctly describe the range of hazards that may affect an occupied building at a petrochemical facility. This paper outlines a comprehensive methodology for performing building siting studies at such facilities. The methodology addresses the applicable hazards and the available tools by which the potential impacts to building occupants can be evaluated.     

Threatened and Endangered Species: At What Cost? The Corps of Engineers Looks at Expenditures and Priorities

Current political conditions, primarily budgetary uncertainty, and the related reluctance to make funding commitments for future generations, have raised questions about the costs of conservation and environmental protection that have not previously been asked. As Federal investments are scrutinized and budgets become ever more constrained, the costs associated with environmental requirements could begin to be of greater importance and to influence decisions on Federal projects. In response to concerns about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) spending under the Endangered Species Act (P.L. 93-205) (ESA), a limited investigation was performed to determine the accuracy of reported Corps expenditures. The investigation showed that, for particular groups of species, actual conservation costs for threatened and endangered species may be twice the amounts previously reported in the annual ESA expenditure reporting to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In light of this finding, the Corps has sought a means to provide more accurate and consistent reporting of expenditures for addressing threatened and endangered species. A Species Costs Template (template) has been developed to identify the types and magnitude of costs related to the ESA and to counteract the impediments (legal, institutional, and practical) to underreporting costs. The template will be used by the Corps for reporting ESA costs beginning with Fiscal Year 2005 (FY05) (reported in January 2006). Five broad categories of expenditures (effects determination costs, ESA protection and conservation costs, equipment costs, opportunity costs, and other species costs) are identified by the template.