Crisis management of SARS in a hospital

INTRODUCTION: A large general hospital was suddenly disabled by an in-hospital outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (SARS). METHOD: The crisis was successfully managed by a Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) that included: (a) containment of SARS patients on a special floor and evacuation of the patients from the infected and near-around floors; (b) sorting of the hospital into areas and floors to avoid cross contact of people; (c) triage of patients into groups according to risks; (d) closure of the emergency room and outpatient clinics; and (e) set up of an outdoor fever screening station and emergency service. RESULTS: The situation was quickly controlled after the implementation of these procedures. The central argument in this case is that crisis managerial behavior is the result of how managers channel and distribute the attention of their crisis sense. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: What managers should do depends on what risk issues and actions related to risk independency, efficiency, safety priority, and transparency they take. What risk issues and actions they take depends on the crisis sense and on how management responds to leadership, resource, and execution.     

Elemental analysis of lightweight metal scraps recovered by an automatic sorting technique combining a weight meter and a laser 3D shape-detection system

To verify the effectiveness of a new automatic sorting technique that combines a weight meter and a laser 3D shape-detection system, elemental analysis of lightweight metal scraps generated in end-of-life vehicle (ELV) shredder facilities was conducted using a handheld XRF analyzer. According to their 3D shape and chemical composition, aluminum scraps were classified into cast alloy (Alc) and wrought alloy (Alw) fragments, and magnesium scraps were classified into irregularly shaped and rod-like fragments. The average chemical composition of a group of fragments was estimated before and after the separation test using the developed automatic sorting technique. The results show that the production of wrought aluminum alloy from the mixture of Alc and Alw fragments is not realistic because the contents of some alloying elements greatly exceed the standard values, although these alloying elements greatly decrease after the Alc fragments are separated out. For the magnesium scraps, after the rod-like magnesium fragments originating from the steering column were separated from the irregularly shaped fragments, the average chemical compositions of the rod-like products and the irregularly shaped products clearly approached the standard compositions of AM60B and AZ91D alloys, respectively. Thus, it was confirmed that the developed automatic sorting technique contributes to recycling of lightweight metal scrap in the automobile industry.     

Achieving sustainable lifestyles? Socio-cultural dispositions,collective action and material culture as problems and possibilities

This article focuses on the everyday life of ordinary households, their behaviour and responsibility with regard to environmental and sustainability issues. Previous research has shown that there is a gap between what households perceive as ideologically correct behaviour and what they actually do. It is argued here that socio-cultural dispositions, material culture and collective action need to be included in future strategies for creating more sustainable lifestyles. The investigation is based on a study of families participating in a year-long project in which the families learned to live in a more environmentally friendly way. In the study of the families, material culture interacted with routines, family relations and citizenship in a reproducing manner. The lifestyle changes were gender-biased, with the women as driving forces but also bearing most of the extra workload. From early life experiences, garbage sorting stood out as an especially powerful tool for a change towards more sustainable lifestyles.     

碳中和视域下的垃圾精细化治理：日本吸收性卫生用品回收体系的构建经验及启示

通过循环利用，减少吸收性卫生用品产量和废弃量的陡增所带来的碳排放量，将加速碳中和进程。日本提供了吸收性卫生用品回收体系构建的先行经验，即以“政府引导—企业运作—社会团体协作”为顶层架构，明确制度、完备设施、完善渠道、宣传到户等。建议我国取长补短，在夯实法律法规和优化主体协同机制的基础上，重点着眼于突破技术壁垒、推动智慧化监管、深化绿色理念，以点带面推进吸收性卫生用品的回收循环试点，进一步推动垃圾分类精细化治理的进程。