Risky scenario identification in a risk perception scale for construction workers in Thailand

Introduction: Construction sites exhibit unique hazardous characteristics. Hence, investigating the causes of fatal and nonfatal accidents is extremely important to promote safety on construction sites. Literature shows a risk perception (RP) scale for construction workers; to expand the existing research, this study aims to identify risky scenarios for assessing the RP of Thai construction workers, with the goal of reducing workplace incidents. Method: The scale development process consists of four phases. Item development was also performed, followed by factor analysis. Reliability and validity assessments were finalized in the process. A survey of 500 construction workers in Thailand was conducted to investigate risky scenarios. Through the process, a total of 17 items remained in the final RP scale, and the reliability and validity of these items were confirmed. Results: The RP scale was affirmed to have four dimensions (probability, severity, worry, and unsafe). These dimensions of workers’ RP were negatively correlated with the workers’ risk-taking behaviors. This study further showed that participants with a high level of affective RP were more likely to have a high level of cognitive RP. Hence, those with a high level of RP tended to be involved in fewer risk-taking behaviors. Practical Applications: The final version of the scale was reliable and valid in determining the RP and risk-taking behaviors of construction workers in Thailand.     

自然观光地旅游者的风险感知变化及差异分析——以九寨沟自然风景区为例

旅游风险感知就是旅游者在其旅游行为前及过程中对可能发生的负面结果的感知,风险感知目前已成为旅游安全研究中的重要内容。通过构建旅游者风险感知量表,以九寨沟为案例地进行实证研究得出：（1）旅游者感知风险主要分为3个维度：功能障碍型、危机事件型及文化冲突型;（2）旅游者的总体风险感知较小,其中功能障碍型风险较大,其次为危机事件和文化冲突,并且地震等危机事件并未成为旅游者担心的主要风险;（3）不同旅游者的差异主要体现在“花费冤枉钱”、“迷路或与同伴走失”、“语言障碍”等方面,性别、地域、是否经历过灾害、是否买保险、是否带药品等因素对各类风险感知差异没有显著影响。旅游者风险感知研究为完善旅游安全理论提供了参考,并且对旅游地的风险管理提供了依据,具有指导和借鉴意义     

Sustainable Development and Norwegian Genetic Engineering Regulations: Applications, Impacts, and Challenges

The main purpose of The NorwegianGene Technology Act (1993) is to enforcecontainment of genetically modified organisms(GMOs) and control of GMO releases.Furthermore, the Act intends to ensure that``production and use of GMOs should take placein an ethically and socially justifiable way,in accordance with the principle of sustainabledevelopment and without detrimental effects tohealth and the environment.' Hence it isobvious that, for the Norwegian authorities,sustainable development is a normativeguideline when evaluating acceptableconsequences of GMO use and production. Inaccordance with this, we have investigated theextent to which the sustainability criteriawere decisive for the destiny of one approvedand one declined application of geneticallymodified plant release. The presentunderstanding of the ecological,socio-economical, and cultural consequences ofGMO use and release is fragmentary anduncertain. We consider the PrecautionaryPrinciple and the notion of equitabledistribution as key issues within thesustainable development framework, henceconstituting important foundations for ouranalyses. The Act is legitimizingsustainability criteria, but does not seem tosecure their conversion into concrete action.We envisage a more conscious implementation ofthe Norwegian Gene Technology Act.Sustainability concerns ecological, economical,and social values, and these can only beensured through long-term thinking, initiationof independent risk-associated research, andbroad involvement of all stakeholders in theevaluation of GMO issues and concerns.     

土壤空间变异性研究评述

在研究方法上，土壤空间变异性研究经历了由定性描述到传统统计学、再到地统计学的不断改进过程，而研究内容也由对单一特性的研究逐渐转向多特性的研究。土壤空间变异性研究虽取得了明显的进展，但也存在地统计学方法在实际应用中主观性太强，土壤综合特性的空间变异性研究、时空结合的变异性研究以及与数学模型有机结合研究不够深入等问题。文章在分析国内外研究现状的基础上，提出了亟待深入研究的若干问题，对这些问题的研究有助于“数字土壤”、“精准农业”和生态环境建设的实施。     

界遗产“突出的普遍价值”及其游客感知研究

成为世界遗产仅是遗产保护和价值阐释、传播的起点,但世界遗产“突出的普遍价值”(OUV)的评价问题一直存在着全球视野和本土意境下的阐释差异.文章以中国进入世界遗产名录和预备名录的三清山、九寨沟、江南水乡为例,阐释突出的普遍价值OtV(概念+十项评估标准+完整性和/或原真性+足够的保护和管理机制),提出了将国际语境与本土语境有机结合的OUV评价新标准.首先,OUV虽然是联合国教科文组织UNESCO在评选世界遗产时的主要依据,但在挣脱国家界限特别是要求当事国按照OUV的标准、惯例进行管理的过程中,存在价值丢失的问题.其次,虽然OUV是由UNESCO的专家委员会进行评价和比较分析得出(显然定性、无分值的),但通过强化量表设计过程的逻辑判断和理性对待信度和效度问题,OUV可以通过liket量表进行测量,结果显示OUV能够被公众理解和欣赏.再次,OUV的专家评价和公众评价既存在共性特征,亦存在差异特征(即价值丢失部分),并表现为不同的用途,遗产地的管理者如能将OUV的世界语境与本土化语境有机结合,能够避免价值丢失问题的出现.建议三清山在“奇峰怪石、峡谷幽云、植被生态、高空栈道”的OUV世界语境基础上,同样需要重视“道教名山”的本土化语境.建议江南水乡严格保护水乡古镇的外围水乡地域环境,它们对于理解江南水乡的OUV,特别是其完整性、原真性的必然要求都是不可或缺的.遗产地的管理者同样需要综合看待专家评价和公众评价.江南水乡案例生动的诠释,专家评价有其科学性和严肃性,“建构的原真性”、“后现代的原真性”,亦或是“存在的原真性”,它们永远不可能替代“客观的原真性”.考虑到OUV的阐释,公众评价同样有着重要的用途,特别是其社会教育意义、精神信仰和国家认同意义等.     

A case study of perceptions of climate change impacts and child well-being: Implications for development programming

Climate change will affect those most vulnerable in the developing world, and humanitarian relief and development organizations will need to respond. Using a quantitative survey, the attitudes of World Vision staff towards climate change and its risks for children were examined. Results indicate a very strong awareness of climate change and its risks to the key outcome indicator of the organization (child well-being), but there are significant variations within the organization. Specific groups perceive fewer risks to child well-being and may be less supportive of action on climate change. Internal strategies are needed to build necessary commitments to organizational action.     

公众对耕地保护及多功能价值的认知与参与意愿研究——基于浙江省苍南县的实证分析

通过参与性访谈对苍南县214名调查对象进行了分层随机抽样调查,研究了公众对耕地保护及其多功能价值的认知与参与意愿,并根据受访者所从事行业将其分为非农和农业两组对象进行比较分析.结果表明:土地政策的稳定性和长效性,以及农业收益高低是影响农户耕地保护和投资的主要因素.公众耕地保护意识较强,超过85%的受访者认为保护耕地很重要.但公众对于耕地保护的支付意愿不高,这点在农业受访者中表现尤为突出.公众对于耕地多功能性的认知存在较大的不足和误区,尤其是对耕地的生态功能方面的认识.通过逻辑回归分析发现,公众的文化程度、年龄和所从事的行业是影响他们对耕地保护及其多功能性认知与参与意愿的主要因素.     

Perception of drinking water in the Quebec City region (Canada): the influence of water quality and consumer location in the distribution system

The purpose of every water utility is to provide consumers with drinking water that is aesthetically acceptable and presents no risk to public health. Several studies have been carried out to analyze people's perception and attitude about the drinking water coming from their water distribution systems. The goal of the present study is to investigate the influence of water quality and the geographic location of consumers within a distribution system on consumer perception of tap water. The study is based on the data obtained from two surveys carried out in municipalities of the Quebec City area (Canada). Three perception variables were used to study consumer perception: general satisfaction, taste satisfaction and risk perception. Data analysis based on logistic regression indicates that water quality variations and geographic location in the distribution system have a significant impact on the consumer perception. This impact appears to be strongly associated with residual chlorine levels. The study also confirms the importance of socio-economic characteristics of consumers on their perception of drinking water quality.     

Public Perception as a Barrier to Introducing Wood in Rivers for Restoration Purposes

Reintroduction of wood in rivers for restoration purposes is now recognized in a positive way by scientists. Nevertheless, the perception of wood in riverscapes is strongly affected by the socio-cultural environment. This cultural influence might explain why wood reintroduction is accepted and promoted in some regions of the world but not in others, despite the demonstrated ecological benefits. From an extensive student perception survey, we show that most of the groups from nine countries in the world considered riverscapes with wood to be less aesthetic, more dangerous, and needing more improvement than riverscapes without wood. By contrast, this way of thinking was not observed in Germany, Sweden, and Oregon (USA), where the first instances of wood reintroduction occurred.     

A Comparison of Protocols and Observer Precision for Measuring Physical Stream Attributes1

Abstract: Stream monitoring programs commonly measure physical attributes to assess the effect of land management on stream habitat. Variability associated with the measurement of these attributes has been linked to a number of factors, but few studies have evaluated variability due to differences in protocols. We compared six protocols, five used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and one by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on six streams in Oregon and Idaho to determine whether differences in protocol affect values for 10 physical stream attributes. Results from Oregon and Idaho were combined for groups participating in both states, with significant differences in attribute means for 9 out of the 10 stream attributes. Significant differences occurred in 5 of 10 in Idaho, and 10 of 10 in Oregon. Coefficients of variation, signal‐to‐noise ratio, and root mean square error were used to evaluate measurement precision. There were differences among protocols for all attributes when states were analyzed separately and as a combined dataset. Measurement differences were influenced by choice of instruments, measurement method, measurement location, attribute definitions, and training approach. Comparison of data gathered by observers using different protocols will be difficult unless a core set of protocols for commonly measured stream attributes can be standardized among monitoring programs.