A study on rescuer drowning and multiple drowning incidents

IntroductionDrowning is a leading cause of injury related death in many countries, including Turkey, where this study originates. The aim of the study is to define and examine “rescuer” drowning and Multiple Drowning Incidents (MDIs), and suggest preventative measures against MDIs.MethodThe event of a person drowning can be complicated if an untrained person attempts to rescue the Primary Drowning Victim (PDV). This can result in the death of the “rescuer” as well as the PDV, which then becomes an MDI. This study categorizes these MDI incidents by examining online news media accounts in Turkey from 2005 through 2008.ResultsIn this 4-year period, 88 “rescuer” drowning incidents occurred in which 114 “rescuers” and 60 PDVs died from drowning in MDIs; 114 drowned “rescuers” rescued 47 PDVs before they died from drowning. Most of the “rescuers” were male and 42.1% of them were under the age of 18. Most of the drowning incidents (68.5%) occurred in fresh water (lakes/dams/water holes and rivers/creeks/streams).ConclusionIn this study, risk factors for drowning deaths include gender and entering in unguarded open water. An increased awareness of such risks as well as promotion of both swimming and rescue skills in water could help reduce MDIs. Parents who live close to fresh water sources with boys under the age of 18 years should be more aware of drowning risk because of their higher rates of deaths from drowning.Impact on IndustryThe results of this study give the chance to policy makers and all other related people or organizations to see the whole picture of deaths by drowning and the results can be used to build up preventative strategies as swimming teaching and life guard education.     

A framework for learning from incidents in the workplace

Learning from Incidents (LFI) in the workplace has been gaining increasing importance in the Health, Safety and Environment context. Although organisations adopt a variety of LFI initiatives, it is often unclear what learning approaches are the most appropriate and the most effective for different types of incidents across a range of contexts. The aim of the paper is to surface factors that are important for effective Learning from Incidents (LFI). The paper builds on a conceptual framework for learning from incidents, developed through an earlier study. This conceptual framework was validated through empirical data collected at two multinational corporations in the energy sector. From this data a refined framework for learning from incidents was devised with five factors important for LFI: participants of learning, type of incidents, learning process, type of knowledge and learning context. This framework can be used as an evaluation tool and as a guidance tool to develop holistic, organisational learning approaches.     

A decade's experience with the Scanlon Plan: A case study

This field study examined the operation and impact of the Scanlon Plan at a large manufacturing facility. An interrupted time-series research design, augmented by extensive qualitative data analysis was used to analyse the productivity and employment experience over a nine-year period. The plan resulted in modest increases in productivity and stable employment, while improving the overall union-management relationship. Through the Scanlon structure for employee involvement, over 5000 suggestions have been made. Moderate and consistent productivity sharing bonuses were paid.     

Steady-state analyses for reactive distillation control: An MTBE case study

An approach, based purely on steady-state analyses, for synthesizing effective control structures for reactive distillation (RD) columns is presented. The main idea is to analyze the steady-state relationships between the manipulated (input) variables and the potential controlled (output) variables to identify input–output (IO) pairings that are sensitive and avoid steady-state multiplicities providing a large range of nearly linear operating region around the base case design. Traditional SISO control loops are then implemented using these IO pairings to obtain control structures that maintain the column near the design product purity and conversion for the anticipated primary disturbances. The Niederlinski Index is used to eliminate dynamically unstable pairings in control structures with multiple loops. The approach is demonstrated on an example MTBE RD column. The impact of steady-state multiplicities on control structure design is highlighted.     

Self-reported incidents,accidents, and use of protective gear among small-scale forestry workers in Sweden

Self-reported data were collected from 156 self-employed small-scale forestry workers regarding their work, including use of safety gear and number and type of incidents and accidents. About 40% of the respondents reported that during the previous 24 months they had some kind of work-related accident where an injury occurred, and/or experienced in incident, a close call that could have resulted in an injury. Of those injured or involved in an accident, 50% reported that at the time of the accident or incident they were not fully using their safety gear. Sixty-seven percent of the accident victims reported seeking medical attention for their injuries. No significant relationships were found between production level, age, use of safety gear or sensation seeking tendencies and the reports of accidents and incidents. Accidents and incidents were most likely to occur during felling, thinning and transportation activities and were usually caused by unforeseen interactions with falling trees/branches or equipment. Compared to earlier surveys of Swedish small-scale forestry workers, consistent use of all required safety gear was down by 10% to 50%. Protective pants and gloves were the items least likely to be used while ear, eye and foot protection were most likely to be used. The results indicate that better planning during felling processes may be the key to reducing the number of accidents for this population.     

基于容量损失的交叉航路高度层分配

我国空中交通网络越来越复杂,航路交叉点附近的冲突日益增多,调配冲突时需令航空器改变高度层,这却会导致航路容量损失。计算了航空器改变高度层时对其他高度层造成的容量损失系数,并在此基础上以最小化容量损失为目标建立模型,设计了启发式算法,以航路交叉点附近的4架有冲突的航空器为例进行仿真计算。仿真结果表明,该模型可以根据航路各高度层实时飞行流密集情况,求出使航路总容量损失系数达到最小的航空器避让方案,从而减少航路上的容量损失,提高空域资源利用率。     

导致尾矿坝溃坝的因素分析

尾矿库是矿山的一个重大危险源,一旦发生尾矿坝溃坝事故,将造成重大的人员伤亡、财产损失和环境污染,需要引起人们的重视.滑坡(岸坡坍塌)、坝体地震液化、洪水漫坝、渗流破坏等是导致尾矿坝溃坝的主要因素,分析了各因素是如何影响坝体的稳定性,建立了尾矿坝溃坝的故障树,求出了最小割集合和最小径集合,根据前面的分析提出了控制措施,从而为进行尾矿坝的安全评价奠定基础.     

尾矿坝溃坝致灾机理研究

尾矿库是矿山的一个重大危险源,一旦发生尾矿坝溃坝事故,将造成重大的人员伤亡、财产损失和环境污染,需要引起人们的重视.本文归纳整理了近年来国内外尾矿坝失事情况,总结出尾矿坝溃坝的失事模式可分为洪水漫坝失事模式和坝体结构失事模式,坝体结构失事模式又可分为渗透破坏失事模式、坝坡失稳失事模式和地震险情失事模式,并对导致尾矿坝溃坝的致灾机理进行了分析.     

Work-related road safety: A case study of Roche Australia

Fleet, work-related or occupational road safety has the potential to make a major contribution to reducing both human harm and asset damage. To date, however, there would appear to be a dearth of well researched and evaluated case studies in the public domain in this area.This paper provides an on-going, documented, real-world case study of work-related road safety within an Australian company that has sought to manage, monitor and improve its road safety performance over the last 5 years through a range of proactive, fleet manager, insurance and risk-led initiatives.Roche Australia has successfully implemented a Company Motor Vehicle Safety Program with support from its fleet insurers and risk management advisors. Four key initiatives are set out covering: (1) Driver risk assessment, monitoring and improvement. (2) Policy development and communications. (3) Process and outcomes evaluation. (4) Continuous review and refinement of policies, processes, programs and future developments.The program has led to a range of process and performance-based outcomes. Typical barriers to success in work-related road safety have been identified and overcome. Almost 100% risk assessment and improvement process compliance by drivers has been achieved. A predictive relationship between risk assessment outcomes and collision history has been identified. Reductions in insurance claims, collision costs and claims ratio have been sustained. A detailed project plan is in place to continue the program for the next 3 years.The paper concludes that with effective management, a well developed work-related road safety program can result in performance improvements within the initiating organisation. Several limitations in the case study methodology, as well as areas for further work and lessons for policy makers, researchers and practitioners are also identified.     

Organizational and behavioural consequences of uncertainty: A case study

This paper examines some of the organizational and behavioural consequences of uncertainty through consideration of a case study. An industrial firm and its problems are described and an attempt is made to understand the origins of the situation using a systems analysis which draws on constructs from the structural, the behavioural and the ‘bureaucratic’ traditions within organization theory. The analysis demonstrates: that the problems are interrelated and stem from the structural arrangements in the firm which are unable to cope with the prevailing uncertainties; that the behavioural difficulties may be seen as manifestations of the underlying structural/environmental mismatch; and, that the problems are exacerbated by apparently logical but paradoxically inappropriate managerial choices and responses. The implications of this study for theory, practice and method are discussed.     

Business Process Reengineering of emergency management procedures: A case study

The production and storage of dangerous substances in an industrial establishment creates risks for man, environment and properties in the surrounding area. Safety regulations require the establishment of a preventive information campaign regarding industrial risks and self-defence measures to adopt in an emergency situation. In the case of a major accident, people must be promptly made aware of the appropriate self-defence actions and behaviours to adopt. This strategic activity can reduce the panic effect, make citizens more cooperative and guarantee the effectiveness of any emergency plan. In this paper, the information chain is studied as an industrial process modelled by the IDEF0 language. Through this method, each link in the chain has been deeply analysed. For each function of the process, the inputs, outputs and necessary controls and resources have been identified. Starting from a clear view of the current state, the process of re-engineering has been implemented to minimise or eliminate downtime, deficiencies and illnesses and, thus, consequent time losses. The main contribution of the IDEF0 application in emergency management is to provide a clear view of the whole system, a communication system between emergency actors, a rich information source and a structured base for the re-engineering process.     

化学品泄漏初期应对程序与方法研究

提出了化学品泄漏初期应对的概念,并对其内容和方法进行了阐述.化学品泄漏事故发生后,只要知道泄漏物质、泄漏量大小和风向,就可以快速确定现场管制区域、现场救援和救护人员的个体防护需求,以及人员疏散方案,从而可以在第一时间内采取有效措施,减少事故造成的人员伤亡、财产损失和环境破坏.     

The development and evaluation of accident prevention routines: A case study

Information resulting from the occurrence of accidents and near-accidents is the basis for most accident prevention efforts. However, such information may not normally be incorporated into local safety activities. A group to assist supervisors in their investigations of accidents and a procedure to prompt the reporting of near-accidents by employees were tested at one company as means of improving local safety activities. The accident investigation group was in operation in all departments and was associated with improved accident reporting and prevention activities as well as a reduction in accident severity. The near-accident reporting procedure was tested in one department and led to improved knowledge about risks, although no reductions in accident frequency and severity were shown. On the basis of these results, the company safety committee decided at the end of the first year to extend the mandate of the investigation group but not to continue with near-accident reporting. Follow-ups after 2 and 3 years indicated that improvements in prevention activities had been maintained and that accident severity had been further reduced.     

Harnessing database resources for understanding the profile of chemical process industry incidents

Analyzing historical databases can provide valuable information on the incident occurrences and their consequences for assessing the safety of the chemical process industry. In this study, the RMP and HSEES databases were utilized to understand the patterns and the factors influencing chemical process industry incidents. Frequency exceedance curves were generated by utilizing the different incident consequences from the databases to understand the profile of societal loss from reported incidents. Understanding the statistics and trends of the historical incidents could serve as important lagging indicators in order to assess the probable proximity to major consequences from the low-probability/high-consequence incidents. To this regard, the safety pyramids were also generated to better understand the relationship between the different consequences of the reported incidents. Furthermore, the safety pyramids were analyzed in comparison with the traditional safety pyramid proposed by Heinrich to understand the US process industry incident occurrence trends.     

踏破石棉瓦坠落的事故树分析

为明确高处作业时踏破石棉瓦坠落伤亡事故发生的原因,有针对性地采取预防措施,采取事故树分析法.在建立踏破石棉瓦坠落事故树的基础上,对事故进行定性和定量分析,从而得到该事故树的最小割集、最小径集、顶上事件的发生概率以及基本事件结构重要度、概率重要度和临界重要度的排序.结果表明,高空作业且地面状况不好、未使用安全带、脚下滑动踏空和身体失去平衡是导致该事故的4个主要原因.因此,应从这几方面采取措施加以控制.     

Work stress among long-distance coach drivers: A survey and correlational study

This paper presents findings from an Australian survey of work conditions, coping behaviors and stress among 93 long-distance coach drivers. A tripartite model of coach driver stress is presented. The model proposes that the impacts of job demands (e.g. driving hours) on work-related stress outcomes (e.g. doctor visits) are mediated by a set of maladaptive coping behaviors and responses (e.g. stimulant use, speeding). Correlational analyses of the survey data provided general support for the model. Results suggested that long driving hours provide the single best predictor of maladaptive behaviors such as stimulant use and sleep disturbance among the drivers. The maladaptive behaviors, in turn, consistently predicted stress outcomes such as doctor visits and symptom reports. Direct correlations between job demands and stress outcomes were also consistent with the model, but the correlations were of a lower magnitude. The data suggests that stimulant use and sleep disturbance may be important mediators in the link between job demands and stress outcomes for long-distance coach drivers. Path modelling with larger samples is recommended for future research along the present lines. Implications for work practices within the long-distance transport industry are briefly considered.     

A study in hospital noise - a case from Taiwan.

Hospitals are places that allow patients to rest and recover, and therefore must be quiet inside and in the surrounding neighborhood. One medical center was chosen as a sample hospital. This hospital was a tertiary care center during the 2003 outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan. The measurement results show that the noise level in the wards and stations was between 50.3 and 68.1 dB which exceeded the suggested hospital ward sound level. The quietest units were the Surgical Intensive Care Unit and recovery rooms with a noise level lower than 50 dB during the night. The higher noise levels were in the hall and pharmacy which were highly populated areas. This study analyzed the causes of this excessive noise and used noise reduction methods. The paired t test was performed and the results showed improvement methods were successful. This study found the noise levels reached 98.5-107.5 dB in power generator rooms and air-conditioning facilities, and suggests employees use ear plugs.     

矿山坠井事故的原因及预防措施的探讨

对矿山坠井事故进行故障树分析,找出了矿山坠井事故发生的原因,提出了在溜矿井口使用安全挡墙、活动安全门和安全警示灯等防护措施,取得了良好效果。