Coverage of motor vehicle crashes with injuries in U.S. newspapers, 1999-2002

Problem

The aims of the study were to evaluate information on motor-vehicle crashes with injuries provided in newspaper reports and to assess the frequency of thematic and episodic reporting of motor-vehicle crashes.

Method

The study used Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) derived variables to code a nationally representative sample of U.S. newspaper reports of motor-vehicle crashes from 1999-2002. A total of 473 newspaper reports of motor-vehicle crashes with injuries were included. Information on the crash event, people involved, and vehicles was extracted. The reports were coded for episodic and thematic news framing.

Results

A majority of newspaper reports used episodic framing. The majority of reports included information on the type of crash, but characteristics about people and vehicles were rarely reported.

Discussion

Lack of information in newspapers makes them an incomplete source from which to influence public perceptions and attitudes.

Impact on industry

This provides an opportunity for news print media to improve public health content.

Impact on industry

Newspapers represent an important source of public information; they are, however, an incomplete source [Voight, B., Lapidus, G., Zavoski, R., & Banco, L. (1998). Injury reporting in Connecticut newspapers. Injury Prevention, 4, 292-294.; Baullinger, J., Quan, L., Bennett, E., Cummings, P., & Williams, K. (2001). Use of Washington state newspaper for submersion injury surveillance. Injury Prevention, 7, 339-342]. To increase the accuracy of information provided to the public through media sources, there is a need for increased communication between public health professionals and reporters.The results of this study raise concerns about the contents of motor-vehicle crash information provided in newspapers and suggest that newspapers do not provide information to allow public perception to be in accord with the importance of motor-vehicle crash injuries and health promoting actions to reduce risk of injury. More balanced and detailed information in newspapers would provide an opportunity for news print media to improve public health programs and public perception about the impact of motor-vehicle crashes on safety for all.     

Tracking the prevalence of rollover protective structures on U.S. farm tractors: 1993, 2001, and 2004

Problem

Between 1992 and 2005, 1412 workers on farms died from tractor overturns. A Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) is a proven intervention to reduce overturn deaths. However, farm characteristics that are associated with the adoption of ROPS are not well understood.

Methods

ROPS prevalence statistics were derived from National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) surveys that tracked ROPS use on farms. Data were from the years 1993, 2001, and 2004.

Results

In 1993, 38% of tractors were equipped with ROPS. This increased to 51% by 2004. ROPS prevalence rates were higher on farms in the Southern region of the United States, on farms where the operator was 25-34 years old, and on farms with $100,000 or more of farm sales. Low ROPS prevalence rates were associated with farm operators 65 years old or older and with farms with less than $10,000 of farm product sales.

Summary

The increase in ROPS prevalence between 1993 and 2004 has not been sufficient to decrease the rate of tractor overturn deaths on farms. Incentive programs targeting older farm operators and low-income farm operations are suggested to increase ROPS use on tractors.

Impact on Industry

The study provides farm characteristics associated with low ROPS prevalence rates. The results can be used to target farms for future ROPS promotion activities.     

西成高铁沿线区域A级景区空间点格局研究

通过获取西成高铁沿线8个市级行政区A级景区和高铁站点的地理坐标,利用核密度估计、Ripley′sK函数等方法进行空间点格局分析。结果表明:①西成高铁沿线景区形成了以成都、西安为中心的双热区分布和由成都向乐山、绵阳辐射的次热区分布。②人文遗址类和自然遗迹类景区分别在65km和75km左右的范围内呈聚集分布,现代人造或重建类景区则一直呈聚集分布。③88.4%的景区分布在8个中心城市的“一日游”圈内。     

热闷钢渣用单轨移动罩车的设计

根据钢渣热闷工艺要求进行单轨移动罩车的结构设计与行走装置的设计,通过三维建模软件及理论力学分析计算此罩车的配重及质心,使罩车与导向装置接触处的压力最小,且罩车施加给低地轨的横向静摩擦力最小。通过此方法设计的单轨移动罩车能大大改善钢渣热闷厂房的工作环境,减少厂房的腐蚀,提高厂房屋顶的寿命周期。     

基于GIS的太原市街道机动车污染物空间分布特征分析

在研究太原市机动车污染现状的基础上,结合太原市机动车排放因子模型Mob ile6和污染物扩散模型OSPM的计算结果,在G IS平台上绘制了太原市冬夏两季道路机动车污染物排放强度分布图和道路交通污染物浓度分布图,并对可视化结果作了科学的分析,研究结果表明：（1）太原市冬季街道污染总体上要高于夏季,这种趋势以CO的表现尤为明显;（2）街道NOX小时浓度超标率比CO小时浓度超标率更高,在研究的56条路段中,CO小时浓度都没有超过国家二级标准,NOX小时浓度超标率达38.9%（夏季）;（3）NOX污染主要集中在中心区,而建成区周边道路某些路段污染也较严重。     

路面径流水环境下交通承载力分析

为了对路面径流水容许污染总量控制下的交通承载力问题进行探讨,利用神经网络具有的非线性映射能力和遗传算法具有的全局随机搜索能力,结合公路路面径流水质检测数据,提出了一种基于遗传神经网络进行公路交通环境承载力反计算的分析方法,应用该方法可根据路面径流水质污染数据反演出路段交通量大小,并可据此进行交通量与路而径流水质污染的关...     

Corporate occupational exposure limits: An example of a strategy

Occupational exposure limits (OELs) developed by authorities play a key role in the implementation of programs to protect workers against hazardous chemicals. Unfortunately, many hazardous substances do not have OELs or the OEL could be outdated. To assure the health of the workers, it is therefore useful for companies to develop corporate OELs. An inhouse strategy will be presented hereafter. Expertise in toxicology, industrial hygiene, and occupational health should be available within the company and clear selection criteria for substances are needed. A corporate OEL is only developed for hazardous substances (e.g., carcinogenic or reprotoxic) with a high potential for worker exposure when an appropriate national OEL or threshold limit value is not available. The methodology to calculate corporate OELs is based on the existing methods for national or community OELs and also on the guidance from the European Union's (EU) regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). For carcinogenic substances with a nonthreshold mode of action, there is always a residual chance that a cancer develops even when the exposure of workers is low. To establish an OEL for these substances, the “German traffic light model” is recommended. It is pragmatic, defines an unacceptable, tolerable, and acceptable risk level when workers are exposed to these substances, and determines risk management for exposure reduction. Overall, the professional practice to develop OELs is a good example of corporate leadership to proactively protect the health of workers.     

Resistance of Villages to Elevated-Road Traffic Noise

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the methods of reducing elevated-road traffic-noise levels in rural residential areas by controlling the relative locations and morphological parameters and to investigate the effect of noise barriers on noise attenuation along elevated roads and building facades in villages. This study selected six morphological parameters and used noise-mapping techniques to estimate the noise attenuation in 60 village sites. The results indicate that ‘quiet areas’ increase by approximately 10% for each additional 100 m increase in the distance between the elevated road and the village. The best strategy for noise reduction is keeping the elevated road 1,000 m away from the village and raising the road height to 20 m. The building façade conditions only affect the traffic noise level attenuation when the buildings are within 100 m of the elevated road. It was found that the cost-effective length of the road noise barrier is 600 m on both sides of the village parallel to the road. The results highlight the importance of using morphology to improve the traffic noise resistance of villages. The landscape shape indices of buildings and roads are the most important parameters that affect the traffic noise attenuation of elevated roads.     

含信号控制人行横道的街道峡谷污染物扩散三维数值模拟

耦合微观交通仿真和机动车尾气排放模型,分别对含信号控制人行横道和不含信号控制人行横道的街道峡谷污染物排放进行计算,并以此为排放源,采用k-ε两方程模型与组分输运方程对风向与街道垂直时的污染扩散情况进行了三维数值模拟.结果表明,k-ε两方程模型与组分输运方程可以较好地模拟风向与街道垂直时三维街道峡谷内的污染物扩散情况.峡...     

江苏省声环境质量二十年演变规律及污染防治措施

综合分析1991年至2010年声环境质量二十年演变规律,得出环境噪声在污染治理方面所采取和措施