Management of hazardous waste in Thailand: present situation and future prospects

 This paper deals with the present scenario of hazardous waste management practices in Thailand, and gives some insights into future prospects. Industrialization in Thailand has systematically increased the generation of hazardous waste. The total hazardous waste generated in 2001 was 1.65 million tons. It is estimated that over 300 million kg/year of hazardous waste is generated from nonindustrial, community sources (e.g., batteries, fluorescent lamps, cleansing chemicals, pesticides). No special facilities are available for handling these wastes. There are neither well-established systems for separation, storage, collection, and transportation, nor the effective enforcement of regulations related to hazardous wastes management generated from industrial or nonindustrial sectors. Therefore, because of a lack of treatment and disposal facilities, these wastes find their way into municipal wastewaters, public landfills, nearby dump sites, or waterways, raising serious environmental concern. Furthermore, Thailand does not have an integrated regulatory framework regarding the monitoring and management of hazardous materials and wastes. In addition to the absence of a national definition of hazardous wastes, limited funding has caused significant impediments to the effective management of hazardous waste. Thus, current waste management practices in Thailand present significant potential hazards to humans and the environment. The challenging issues of hazardous waste management in Thailand are not only related to a scarcity of financial resources (required for treatment and disposal facilities), but also to the fact that there has been no development of appropriate technology following the principles of waste minimization and sustainable development. A holistic approach to achieving effective hazardous waste management that integrates the efforts of all sectors, government, private, and community, is needed for the betterment of human health and the environment. Received: February 26, 2001 / Accepted: October 11, 2002     

Trespassing on the tracks: a review of railway pedestrian safety research

INTRODUCTION: Train-pedestrian collisions have been shown to be the leading cause of fatality in train-related accidents worldwide, yet there is remarkably little research in this area. METHOD: In this paper, the major types of railway transportation accident research are briefly highlighted to indicate the general context of research concerning train-pedestrian collisions, which are then reviewed. Themes emerging from the diverse research are identified, the various strategies that have been proposed for prevention of railway pedestrian accidents are discussed, and the empirical evidence for their efficacy examined in the light of the much more extensive literature on road pedestrian accidents. Finally, it is proposed that application of current theory in behavioral and cognitive psychology may usefully inform future research in transportation safety.     

Characteristics of large cooking oil pool fires and their extinguishment by water mist

Large cooking oil pool fires, occurring in industrial oil cookers, present a severe hazard to food processing plants due to their size and the large amount of hot oil involved. This paper reports a series of full-scale fire experiments conducted in a large industrial oil cooker mock-up. The characteristics of large cooking oil pool fires and the effect of oil depth and hood position in the oil cooker on fire growth were studied. The use of water mist for extinguishing large oil pool fires and their extinguishing performance under different discharge pressure and with different types of water mist systems were investigated. Experimental results showed that the cooking oil underwent a substantial expansion in volume during heating. The fires developed quickly once the oil auto-ignited. The fire growth rate was affected by the oil depth in the pan and the hood position in the oil cooker. The water mist fire suppression systems effectively extinguished large cooking oil fires and prevented them from re-igniting. Their extinguishing performance was determined by the type of water mist system, discharge pressure and hood position in the oil cooker.     

RAPID-N: Rapid natech risk assessment and mapping framework

Natech accidents at industrial plants are an emerging risk with possibly serious consequences. For the mitigation of natech risk, authorities need to identify natech prone areas in a systematic manner. In order to facilitate probabilistic natech risk mapping, a unified methodology was developed that is based on the estimation of on-site natural hazard parameters, determination of damage probabilities of plant units, and assessment of probability and severity of possibly triggered natech events. The methodology was implemented as an on-line, extensible risk assessment and mapping software framework called RAPID-N, which allows rapid local and regional natech risk assessment and mapping with minimal data input. RAPID-N features an innovative data estimation framework to complete missing input data, such as on-site natural hazard parameters and plant unit characteristics. The framework is also used for damage assessment and natech consequence analysis, and allows easy modification of input parameters, dynamic generation of consequence models according to data availability, and extension of models by adding new equations or substituting existing ones with alternatives. Results are presented as summary reports and interactive risk maps, which can be used for land-use and emergency planning purposes by using scenario hazards, or for rapid natech consequence assessment following actual disasters. As proof of concept, the framework provides a custom implementation of the U.S. EPA's RMP Guidance for Offsite Consequence Analysis methodology to perform natech consequence analysis and includes comprehensive data for earthquakes. It is readily extendible to other natural hazards and more comprehensive risk assessment methods.     

我国煤矿安全生产事故的致灾因素分析

煤矿安全不仅关系到广大煤矿工人的生命财产安全、煤炭的安全开采,还关系到煤炭企业的和谐稳定.煤矿安全工作是党和政府管理社会、为人民服务的基本任务,是全面落实科学发展观、建设和谐社会的重要组成部分.首先对我国煤矿安全形势进行了分析,随后介绍了事故致因理论的发展,结合我国煤矿事故的特点运用现代事故致因理论对一起煤矿事故进行了分析,最后得出提高煤矿安全监管的措施.     

行为控制方法在煤矿放炮事故预防中的应用研究

我国煤炭行业事故频发,而人的不安全动作引起了88％的事故,因此,运用行为控制方法来约束人的不安全动作对于减少煤矿事故有着重要意义。以煤矿放炮员不安全动作为统计指标,对我国2000—2011年41起煤矿重特大放炮事故进行统计,得到16种、48个不安全放炮动作。进一步分析,发现造成这些不安全动作的原因集中在放炮员安全知识、意识、习惯,组织安全管理体系,以及组织安全文化这三方面。根据这些原因提出了系统的行为控制方法,给出了放炮员不安全动作的综合解决对策,这样企业便采取了从安全文化到放炮员不安全动作的一整套行为控制措施,从而可以有效预防煤矿放炮员的不安全动作,减少煤矿企业放炮事故的发生。     

多元回归在大气环境污染事故预测中的应用

运用多元回归法,通过预测模型的选择、数学模型的建立、基础数据的整理和回归效果的检验,建立环境污染范围与诸条件的关系,达到快速估算的目的,从而形成一种有效的大气环境污染事故范围预测的方法.     

模糊综合评价法在道路运输企业安全评价中的应用

我国道路运输企业交通安全形势比较严峻,推行道路运输企业安全综合评价是降低道路运输企业交通事故的有效途径之一.本文运用Delphi法和AHP法建立了道路运输企业安全层次分析模型,构建了安全综合评价指标体系.选用基于"差动"原理的赋权法--G1法计算各指标的权重,应用模糊综合评价法对其进行安全综合评价.采用平均加权法对评价因素的各项指标进行量化处理,从而得到道路运输企业安全的综合评价结果.最后,对陕西省一家道路运输企业进行了实际验证,比较真实地反映了此企业的安全状况.     

灰色关联分析在道路交通事故中的应用

全国或某一地区的道路交通安全系统是一个灰色系统,可应用灰色关联分析法方便地确定影响交通安全的主要相关因素。由灰色关联度导出灰色关联序,以进行优势分析,从而得到交通事故的最(准)优因素及最(准)优特征。根据1990—2000年全国道路交通事故以及全国人口、机动车、公路里程和客货运输量等主要相关因素统计资料可知,货运量、货运周转量和客运量是影响交通安全的主要相关因素,死、伤人数是交通事故的主要特征和指标。由哈尔滨市2000年道路路段交通事故与交通组成统计资料可知,城市道路交通事故的主要影响因素是各类货车、摩托车和大型车。因此,加强货车和货运管理对提高我国交通安全水平具有重要意义。     

Structural equation model of the influence of noise annoyance on miners’ unsafe behavior in coal mines

Miners' unsafe behavior (UB) is the main cause of coal mine accidents. Previous research has suggested that excessive noise in tunnels impacts miners' temperaments and safe production behavior. To explore the influence of noise on UB, four different dimensions of noise annoyance were identified: cognitive, emotional, communication, and physical mechanism annoyance. The coal mine noise annoyance scale, miners' unsafe behavior intention (UBI) scale, and miners’ UB scale were developed according to different dimensions. In the first survey, a total of 200 questionnaires were distributed in the two coal mines, and 193 valid questionnaires were recovered. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and invalid items were removed according to the analysis results to form the final scale. Then, 500 final scales were distributed in two Chinese coal mines, and 482 valid questionnaires were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted by collating the data of the second questionnaire. Based upon the structural equation model (SEM), the SEM of the influence of noise annoyance degree on UB and the path analysis with latent variable path analysis with the latent variables (PA-LVs) mediating model of the effect of UBI on UB were established, and the path coefficients with fitting data of the model were analyzed. The results indicated that the four dimensions of coal mine noise annoyance had a strong positive impact on UB, which was reduced by less noise annoyance. In addition, the Bootstrap method was used to verify the mediating method among the four dimensions of noise annoyance, cognitive annoyance, emotional annoyance, with communication annoyance indirectly affecting UB through UBI. The research results provide theoretical support for reducing the UB of miners and improving coal mine safety levels.