Modeling patterns of breakdown (or archetypes) of human and organizational processes in accidents using system dynamics

Systems approaches to safety have received growing attention in modern accident investigation techniques (e.g., STAMP, Accimap) with the emphasis shifted to the organizational dynamics (or archetypes) that may lead to an erosion of defenses and a drift out of the safety margins. Although the literature contains many applications of archetypes and system dynamics to safety, this richness comes at a cost of learning. It has become very difficult for safety practitioners to integrate the diverse studies of system dynamics with their diverging models. To provide a practical tool of system dynamics in accident investigation, this article reviews earlier studies and integrates them as a classification of patterns of breakdown (or archetypes) of both human and organizational processes on the basis of two control models, that is, the Extended Control Model (ECOM) and the Viable System Model (VSM). In this article, archetypes are represented as variants of two generic templates of performance which exploit many elements of complexity theory and system control. Apart from providing a practical tool to safety practitioners to access the literature on archetypes, the generic templates of ECOM and VSM can be used in building simulators of individual and organizational processes for risk analysis.     

Comparison of batch leaching tests and influence of pH on the release of metals from construction and demolition wastes

Construction and demolition wastes are suitable for use in road construction. However, leaching characterization of recycled materials is required to determine their pollutant potential and the consequence of their application in different scenarios. The motivation of this paper is derived from the increasing use of different leaching test methods. In Europe, the confusion resulting from the wide variety of tests used to evaluate environmental properties of construction materials implies that an evaluation of the current practices and the attempt to consolidate the approaches are required.Two equilibrium-based leaching tests (the Dutch test and the European standard) were conducted to assess the environmental impact of four recycled aggregates. Three natural limestone aggregates were used as controls. Both tests measure the potential release of hazardous elements under extreme conditions using different leaching parameters (L/S ratio, pH value and contact time). The results proved that pH is the most relevant factor on the assessment of the differences between leaching methods due to its strong control on the pollutant release.To classify the materials according to their environmental effects, the concentration limit values of the metals imposed by Council Decision 2003/33/EC were used as a reference. The comparison allowed the classification of the recycled aggregates as inert wastes, with the exception of the MR-2 aggregate, which was classified as non-hazardous material.     

Technological disaster factors

Major Hazard Installations (MHIs) deal with the hazardous substances which exceed the threshold quantity. Although MHIs are safe organizations, they cannot fail due to a single error. However, due to their high complexity, the designer and the operator make errors during the design, and operation of the plants. Consequently, the technical, operational and organizational errors may lead to a major accident. The world has seen many incidents due to the operation of the MHIs. Malaysia has experienced several technological disasters. Four investigation reports have been reviewed in detail. This paper reviews the causes of the technological disasters in general. This paper also summarizes the causes of the technological disasters in Malaysia. Finally the paper rearranges the technological disaster causes and errors.     

Local Institutional Development and Organizational Change for Advancing Sustainable Urban Water Futures

This paper presents the local institutional and organizational development insights from a five-year ongoing interdisciplinary research project focused on advancing the implementation of sustainable urban water management. While it is broadly acknowledged that the inertia associated with administrative systems is possibly the most significant obstacle to advancing sustainable urban water management, contemporary research still largely prioritizes investigations at the technological level. This research is explicitly concerned with critically informing the design of methodologies for mobilizing and overcoming the administrative inertia of traditional urban water management practice. The results of fourteen in-depth case studies of local government organizations across Metropolitan Sydney primarily reveal that (i) the political institutionalization of environmental concern and (ii) the commitment to local leadership and organizational learning are key corporate attributes for enabling sustainable management. A typology of five organizational development phases has been proposed as both a heuristic and capacity benchmarking tool for urban water strategists, policy makers, and decision makers that are focused on improving the level of local implementation of sustainable urban water management activity. While this investigation has focused on local government, these findings do provide guideposts for assessing the development needs of future capacity building programs across a range of different institutional contexts.     

Intensive olive orchards on sloping land: good water and pest management are essential

There is intensive cultivation of olives on sloping land in Jaen-Granada (Spain), Basilicata (Italy) and Western Crete (Greece). The intensive olive groves here are characterised by a tree density of about 250treesha(-1), yearly fertilisation and pruning, several chemical sprays for pest control, soil tillage once to thrice per year and irrigation up to 2700m(3)ha(-1)yr(-1). Intensive management results in high yields of 3600-6500kgha(-1) but also higher labour costs of 1154-1590euroha(-1)yr(-1), varying per area. The major environmental concerns in this system are related to chemical residues in the fruit, the extinction of useful insects, the depletion of groundwater resources, the pollution of soil and water and the erosion of soil. This paper describes the impact of intensive orchard management on natural resources and gives recommendations for soil and water conservation, reduction of chemicals use and biodiversity enhancement. The specific recommendations for the relevant stakeholders-farmers, technicians, agricultural services and policy makers-are based on the experimental evaluation of different agricultural practices and a socio-economic analysis of local and global production and markets.     

Blood on the coal: The effect of organizational size and differentiation on coal mine accidents

Introduction

Each year, there are at least 100,000,000 occupational accidents and 100,000 occupational deaths in the world. In the United States, one of the safest countries in the world in which to work, there were more than 5,400 workplace fatalities and 5.9 million workplace injuries in 2007. The cost to American industry and taxpayers is estimated to be at least $170 billion per year. Further, as illustrated by accidents such as Three Mile Island and Bhopal, industrial accidents potentially impact a much wider sphere than that of the injured worker and his or her employer. As the repercussions of organizational accidents reverberate through organizations and are felt from human resources to accounting, firms are beginning to incorporate messages of safety in their missions and strategies. As firms organize to achieve safer work environments, they are faced with decisions on how to structure their activities in terms of, among other things, size and differentiation.

Method

This paper explores the impact on accident rates of size and differentiation at the corporate and mine levels of mining companies in an effort to create a framework for thinking about organizational accidents from a structural perspective.

Results

The results suggest that larger mines are safer than smaller mines, and that mines with less task diversity are safer than mines with greater task diversity. The results also suggest that at the corporate level, task diversity decreases mine accidents. These results may help mining executives and engineers structure their corporate activities and individual mines more effectively to help reduce accidents.     

Making work safer: Testing a model of social exchange and safety management

Introduction

This study tests a conceptual model that focuses on social exchange in the context of safety management. The model hypothesizes that supportive safety policies and programs should impact both safety climate and organizational commitment. Further, perceived organizational support is predicted to partially mediate both of these relationships.

Methods

Study outcomes included traditional outcomes for both organizational commitment (e.g., withdrawal behaviors) as well as safety climate (e.g., self-reported work accidents). Questionnaire responses were obtained from 1,723 employees of a large national retailer.

Results

Using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, all of the model's hypothesized relationships were statistically significant and in the expected directions. The results are discussed in terms of social exchange in organizations and research on safety climate.

Impact on Industry

Maximizing safety is a social-technical enterprise. Expectations related to social exchange and reciprocity figure prominently in creating a positive climate for safety within the organization.     

Definitions and organizational practice of sustainability in the for-profit sector of Nova Scotia

The term “sustainability” has been a part of local, national, and international environmental discussions for well over a decade. First legitimized by the United Nations in 1987 with the release of the Brundtland Commission and Our Common Future (WCED, 1987), the term “sustainability” is now often used in more mainstream contexts. However, given our continued global ecological decline (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005), the question remains: do decision makers within organizations really have a clear idea of what sustainability is? Further, are they able to communicate that vision in such a way as it can be operationalized within their organizations?Organizations are faced with a high degree of uncertainty when attempting to move towards sustainability. The immense amount of literature and information available about the concept is daunting, especially for harried managers of small businesses who must respond to many competing needs and interests. Although many concepts, frameworks, and tools are available for business executives to use, there have been relatively less attempts to develop a rigorous, applied definition of sustainability that can be clearly understood, implemented, and measured within and across organizations. Given the abundance of concepts, frameworks, and tools, with the corresponding dearth of overarching frameworks, one may wonder what are executives learning from all this literature, and how it is being diffused into strategy, planning, and operations? This study aims to gain insight into executives’ thinking around definitions and the implementation of sustainability practices in Nova Scotia. The findings of this study indicate that there are three key relationships of significance in this area including: type of definition and ease of articulation; type of definition and type of experience; and type of definition, type of experience, and integration of strategic and operational planning.     

WATER RESOURCES AS SOCIAL PROBLEMS1

ABSTRACT. Evidence from 1969 studies in Virginia and Ohio suggests that neither community leaders nor the general public are likely to define water related problems as major problem areas. An examination of the components of a social problem tends to indicate that water problems have not moved beyond a level of minimal public concern. When respondents were willing to describe existing or potential water problems, perceptions as well as possible solutions were described in abstract rather than action-oriented terms. It is suggested that efforts to eliminate water resource problems are not likely to be effective until public concern moves to motivational and behavioral levels.