Oil spill cleanup cost estimation—Developing a mathematical model for marine environment

The field of oil spill cost modelling is not as well explored as desirable. Generally speaking, the existing models have either low accuracy, in that their predictions are far from the real cost, or low applicability, in that they are only valid under very specific conditions; such as in one particular country. This work strives to construct a model that is functional in a global scope and still possess a high level of accuracy. The resulting attempt is in many ways superior to the publicly available competitors, not only because of its predictive capacity but also because the model is quick to use, and its input variables should be readily available to any informed user. The model is more accurate comparing with similar available models. However, further study is needed to modify it to obtain more realistic results.     

Measuring the violence of dust explosions with the “20 l sphere” and with the standard “ISO 1 m vessel”: Systematic comparison and analysis of the discrepancies

On the basis of a systematic testwork with a number of different dusts, the explosion indices as determined within the 20 l sphere and with the ISO-VDI 1 m³ vessel have been compared. The repeatability has been assessed and since some systematic deviations appear a refined physical analysis of the explosion processes is developed. It appears in particular that the cube root law supposed to link both vessels is not verified. A striking illustration of this appears when a dust with a significant explosion severity inside the 20 l sphere is not even explosible in the larger vessel. It is strongly suggested that the ignition energy is forcing very significantly the explosion in the smaller vessel inducing several tens of Celsius degrees of preheating. It is shown also that the inner level of turbulence is decreasing very fast in the 20 l sphere during the flame development so that difficult-to-ignite mixtures would tend to burn at a lower combustion rate. It is further demonstrated that the major bias between the chambers can be explained and quantified with these elements. A correlation with the standard 1 m³ vessel and a grid of interpretation of the data is proposed.     

The reality of “Revitalizing Health and Safety”

Problem: Workplace health and safety remains an important international socioeconomic issue, but the progressive declines in reported incidents may be slowing. The British Government has responded by launching a new policy initiative aimed at “Revitalizing Health and Safety” by establishing targets for improvement, strategies, and a series of action points, mainly targeting employers and organizational issues. This paper critically assesses the realities of implementing this policy with respect to the scientific base for each of the strategies. Method: Literature meta-analysis; analysis of policy. Results: Empirically proven determinants of workplace health and safety provide baselines for compensation and conditions of work, workforce characteristics, workplace characteristics, health and safety environment, political and economic factors, and industry characteristics. Support for different policy elements is varied and there are some significant gaps. Summary: An impressive body of research was found that offers a firm foundation for future developments. However, the need for work that is interdisciplinary, ordered, and collaborative is pressing. The need to move away from elegant but simplistic pictures of occupational health and safety (OHS) management practice, and to reflect true complexity is imperative. The reality of health and safety at work is that it is an issue that is taken lightly by those who do not practice or research safe and healthy working, and a serious issue for victims or relatives of victims of shoddy management. It remains one of the bastions of inequality of work worldwide. Impact on industry: The intent of governments in attempting to reinvigorate the suppression of workplace injury and illness is motivated by both social and economic imperatives. Motivation for organizations is not fully understood as there is no obvious business imperative. If organizations can further understand and provide a scientific justification for investment in OHS management, then governments' task will be made easier. By proving the value of OHS to management, we will demonstrate that organizations continue to present considerable hazards to their employees.     

氨制冷系统的压力管道安全

氨制冷系统压力管道在特定的环境和特定的工作参数下运行,压力管道的安全性能与设计、安装、检验试验和使用密切相关。关注氨制冷系统压力管道在设计、安装、检验试验和使用方面常出现的问题,有针对性的整改,对预防和提高氨制冷系统压力管道的安全性具有重要意义。     

The “Mini Closed Pressure Vessel Test (MCPVT)” as a screening or classification test for explosive properties of organic peroxides

Tests according to the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods for the determination of explosive properties of organic peroxides have been compared with screening criteria for explosivity based on measurements in a closed mini-autoclave (MCPVT). It will be shown that an additional screening test may be helpful but the information obtained from the UN tests are more important to characterise the specific properties of a substance under different conditions.     

Acute exposure to chemicals during ‘do-it-yourself’ activities: survey of enquiries to the Swedish Poisons Information Centre in 1996

In 1996 the Swedish Poisons Information Centre performed a follow-up study concerning poisonings related to ‘do-it-yourself’ activities. The study was supported by the National Institute of Public Health in Sweden. The objectives were to investigate and define monthly variations, route of exposure, type of products and, in particular, exposures to corrosives, age and sex groups, place of treatment, severity of symptoms, place of the accident, special risk products and risk situations. The Poisons Information Centre was contacted concerning 1609 cases, with a peak during the summer months. There was no or uncertain connection between exposure and symptoms in 117 cases. This means that 1492 cases were left to study. Inhalation and eye exposure were the predominant routes, followed by skin exposure and ingestion. Cleaning agents were the most common type of products involved. Of the 1492 cases included in the study 1033 were possible to follow up. Among these, 20–29 year olds and 30–39 year olds predominated, and there was a dominance for men. In total, 28% of those exposed were subject to medical attention, either in hospital or in outpatient clinics. According to the Poisoning Severity Score 78% had mild (grade 1) and 7% moderate (grade 2) symptoms. There were no severe intoxications and no deaths. Severity grade 2 occurred 3.6 times more often among those with exposures involving risk of corrosive damage than among others in the study population. Most accidents occurred in the home. Special risk products and risk situations were exposure to corrosive products, release of chlorine when mixing hypochlorite and acid, ‘fire-eating’, siphoning gasoline and diesel fuel, welding, and inhalation of carbon monoxide from exhaust gases. The Swedish Poisons Information Centre registered 1609 cases of poisoning accidents during ‘do-it-yourself’ activities, which means an average of four to five cases per day. Although this type of accidents is not uncommon, significant poisoning seems to be rare. Some special risk situations were identified.     

A theoretical and methodological framework for studying and modelling drivers’ mental representations

This article provides a synthetic overview of the research programme carried out at INRETS-LESCOT over the last 10 years, in view to studying and modelling the mental representations of car drivers. Theoretically, this research is in line with two complementary scientific traditions: Human Information Processing theories on the one hand, and theories of Operative Activity on the other. As discussed in Section 1 of the article, attention is given to the functional representations of drivers, constructed “by” and “for” the action, such as they are implemented in a driving situation, and taking into account both implicit and explicit dimensions. This aim directly impacts on the methodological approach implemented, in so far as it entails defining an “experimental continuum” ranging from naturalistic observations of the driving activity (on the open road), to setting up more controlled experimental protocols in order to permit in-depth, systematic and reproducible scientific investigations of drivers’ cognition. Section 2 of the article presents a synthetic view of these methods, while Section 3 presents several significant results obtained with them. Lastly, the final part of the article focuses on the computational formalism defined at INRETS-LESCOT (i.e. the driving schemas) designed to model driver knowledge and mental representations, and developed in a COgnitive Simulation MOdel of the DRIVEr called COSMODRIVE.