Sample records for safety design examination

  1. Physical design correlates of efficiency and safety in emergency departments: a qualitative examination.

    PubMed

    Pati, Debajyoti; Harvey, Thomas E; Pati, Sipra

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to explore and identify physical design correlates of safety and efficiency in emergency department (ED) operations. This study adopted an exploratory, multimeasure approach to (1) examine the interactions between ED operations and physical design at 4 sites and (2) identify domains of physical design decision-making that potentially influence efficiency and safety. Multidisciplinary gaming and semistructured interviews were conducted with stakeholders at each site. Study data suggest that 16 domains of physical design decisions influence safety, efficiency, or both. These include (1) entrance and patient waiting, (2) traffic management, (3) subwaiting or internal waiting areas, (4) triage, (5) examination/treatment area configuration, (6) examination/treatment area centralization versus decentralization, (7) examination/treatment room standardization, (8) adequate space, (9) nurse work space, (10) physician work space, (11) adjacencies and access, (12) equipment room, (13) psych room, (14) staff de-stressing room, (15) hallway width, and (16) results waiting area. Safety and efficiency from a physical environment perspective in ED design are mutually reinforcing concepts--enhancing efficiency bears positive implications for safety. Furthermore, safety and security emerged as correlated concepts, with security issues bearing implications for safety, thereby suggesting important associations between safety, security, and efficiency.

  2. An examination of the comfort and convenience of 1979 safety belt systems

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1979-01-01

    The study examines the comfort and convenience aspects of safety belt systems in 1979 model cars and the user and system characteristics which affect safety belt comfort and convenience. The test design required that each of 114 test participants sit...

  3. Improving patient safety by instructional systems design

    PubMed Central

    Battles, J B

    2006-01-01

    Education and training are important elements in patient safety, both as a potential contributing factor to risks and hazards of healthcare associated injury or harm and as an intervention to be used in eliminating or preventing such harm. All too often we have relied on training as the only interventions for patient safety without examining other alternatives or realizing that, in some cases, the training systems themselves are part of the problem. One way to ensure safety by design is to apply established design principles to education and training. Instructional systems design (ISD) is a systematic method of development of education and training programs for improved learner performance. The ISD process involves five integrated steps: analysis, development, design, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE). The application of ISD using the ADDIE approach can eliminate or prevent education and training from being a contributing factor of health associated injury or harm, and can also be effective in preventing injury or harm. PMID:17142604

  4. A patient safety objective structured clinical examination.

    PubMed

    Singh, Ranjit; Singh, Ashok; Fish, Reva; McLean, Don; Anderson, Diana R; Singh, Gurdev

    2009-06-01

    There are international calls for improving education for health care workers around certain core competencies, of which patient safety and quality are integral and transcendent parts. Although relevant teaching programs have been developed, little is known about how best to assess their effectiveness. The objective of this work was to develop and implement an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to evaluate the impact of a patient safety curriculum. The curriculum was implemented in a family medicine residency program with 47 trainees. Two years after commencing the curriculum, a patient safety OSCE was developed and administered at this program and, for comparison purposes, to incoming residents at the same program and to residents at a neighboring residency program. All 47 residents exposed to the training, all 16 incoming residents, and 10 of 12 residents at the neighboring program participated in the OSCE. In a standardized patient case, error detection and error disclosure skills were better among trained residents. In a chart-based case, trained residents showed better performance in identifying deficiencies in care and described more appropriate means of addressing them. Third year residents exposed to a "Systems Approach" course performed better at system analysis and identifying system-based solutions after the course than before. Results suggest increased systems thinking and inculcation of a culture of safety among residents exposed to a patient safety curriculum. The main weaknesses of the study are its small size and suboptimal design. Much further investigation is needed into the effectiveness of patient safety curricula.

  5. Designing for the Elderly User: Internet Safety Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appelt, Lianne C.

    2016-01-01

    The following qualitative study examines the usability of a custom-designed Internet safety tutorial, targeted at elderly individuals who use the Internet regularly, for effectively conveying critical information regarding online fraud, scams, and other cyber security. The elderly population is especially at risk when it comes to fraudulent…

  6. FFTF Passive Safety Test Data for Benchmarks for New LMR Designs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wootan, David W.; Casella, Andrew M.

    Liquid Metal Reactors (LMRs) continue to be considered as an attractive concept for advanced reactor design. Software packages such as SASSYS are being used to im-prove new LMR designs and operating characteristics. Significant cost and safety im-provements can be realized in advanced liquid metal reactor designs by emphasizing inherent or passive safety through crediting the beneficial reactivity feedbacks associ-ated with core and structural movement. This passive safety approach was adopted for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), and an experimental program was conducted to characterize the structural reactivity feedback. The FFTF passive safety testing pro-gram was developed to examine howmore » specific design elements influenced dynamic re-activity feedback in response to a reactivity input and to demonstrate the scalability of reactivity feedback results to reactors of current interest. The U.S. Department of En-ergy, Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technology program is in the pro-cess of preserving, protecting, securing, and placing in electronic format information and data from the FFTF, including the core configurations and data collected during the passive safety tests. Benchmarks based on empirical data gathered during operation of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) as well as design documents and post-irradiation examination will aid in the validation of these software packages and the models and calculations they produce. Evaluation of these actual test data could provide insight to improve analytical methods which may be used to support future licensing applications for LMRs« less

  7. The architecture of safety: hospital design.

    PubMed

    Joseph, Anjali; Rashid, Mahbub

    2007-12-01

    This paper reviews recent research literature reporting the effects of hospital design on patient safety. Features of hospital design that are linked to patient safety in the literature include noise, air quality, lighting conditions, patient room design, unit layout, and several other interior design features. Some of these features act as latent conditions for adverse events, and impact safety outcomes directly and indirectly by impacting staff working conditions. Others act as barriers to adverse events by providing hospital staff with opportunities for preventing accidents before they occur. Although the evidence linking hospital design to patient safety is growing, much is left to be done in this area of research. Nevertheless, the evidence reported in the literature may already be sufficient to have a positive impact on hospital design.

  8. Traffic safety in the U.S.: re-examining major opportunities.

    PubMed

    Sivak, Michael; Luoma, Juha; Flannagan, Michael J; Bingham, C Raymond; Eby, David W; Shope, Jean T

    2007-01-01

    This article examines five major road-safety risk factors: exceeding posted speed limits, not using safety belts, driving while intoxicated, nighttime driving, and young drivers. The importance of each of these factors is documented, known effective countermeasures (both policy and technology based) are discussed, and impediments to the implementation of these countermeasures in the United States are examined. Based on current understanding of the five major risk factors, and of the available countermeasures, there appear to be a variety of opportunities to make substantial gains in road safety using existing knowledge. The limited implementation of a variety of known countermeasures therefore appears to be inconsistent with high-level, strategic goals to improve road safety. Consequently, a recommendation is made to comprehensively re-examine the balance between the countermeasures discussed in this article and economic, mobility, and privacy concerns. IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY: Such a re-examination is likely to result in broad support for these countermeasures, with a consequent major improvement in road safety.

  9. Violence and legalized brothel prostitution in Nevada: examining safety, risk, and prostitution policy.

    PubMed

    Brents, Barbara G; Hausbeck, Kathryn

    2005-03-01

    This article examines violence in legalized brothels in Nevada. Debates over prostitution policies in the United States have long focused on questions of safety and risk. These discourses inevitably invoke the coupling of violence and prostitution, though systematic examinations of the relationship between the two are sparse. This article explores the issue of violence in the Nevada brothel industry. By drawing on interviews with prostitutes, managers, and policy makers, this article examines both prostitutes' perceptions of safety and risk and brothel managers' practices designed to mitigate violence. Discourses relate to three types of violence: interpersonal violence against prostitutes, violence against community order, and sexually transmitted diseases as violence. The authors conclude by arguing that the legalization of prostitution brings a level of public scrutiny, official regulation, and bureaucratization to brothels that decreases the risk of these 3 types of systematic violence.

  10. Designing for auto safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Driver, E. T.

    1971-01-01

    Safety design features in the motor vehicle and highway construction fields result from systems analysis approach to prevent or lessen death, injury, and property damage results. Systems analysis considers the prevention of crashes, increased survivability in crashes, and prompt medical attention to injuries as well as other postcrash salvage measures. The interface of these system elements with the driver, the vehicle, and the environment shows that action on the vehicle system produces the greatest safety payoff through design modifications. New and amended safety standards developed through hazard analysis technique improved accident statistics in the 70'; these regulations include driver qualifications and countermeasures to identify the chronic drunken driver who is involved in more than two-thirds of all auto deaths.

  11. Children's choice: Color associations in children's safety sign design.

    PubMed

    Siu, Kin Wai Michael; Lam, Mei Seung; Wong, Yi Lin

    2017-03-01

    Color has been more identified as a key consideration in ergonomics. Color conveys messages and is an important element in safety signs, as it provides extra information to users. However, very limited recent research has focused on children and their color association in the context of safety signs. This study thus examined how children use colors in drawing different safety signs and how they associate colors with different concepts and objects that appear in safety signs. Drawing was used to extract children's use of color and the associations they made between signs and colors. The child participants were given 12 referents of different safety signs and were asked to design and draw the signs using different colored felt-tip pens. They were also asked to give reasons for their choices of colors. Significant associations were found between red and 'don't', orange and 'hands', and blue and 'water'. The child participants were only able to attribute the reasons for the use of yellow, green, blue and black through concrete identification and concrete association, and red through abstract association. The children's use of color quite differs from that shown in the ISO registered signs. There is a need to consider the use of colors carefully when designing signs specifically for children. Sign designers should take children's color associations in consideration and be aware if there are any misunderstandings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Design and Planning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

    The most important concern in the design, construction and operation of nuclear powerplants is safety. Nuclear power is one of the major contributors to the nation's supply of electricity; therefore, it is important to assure its safe use. Each different type of powerplant has special design features and systems to protect health and safety. One…

  13. An examination of railroad yard worker safety

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-07-01

    This report presents the methods, findings and recommendations from a multi-year research program that examined worker safety issues in railroad yards. The research program focused on human factor-related hazards and solutions to railroad yard worker...

  14. Designing Crane Controls with Applied Mechanical and Electrical Safety Features

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lytle, Bradford P.; Walczak, Thomas A.

    2002-01-01

    The use of overhead traveling bridge cranes in many varied applications is common practice. In particular, the use of cranes in the nuclear, military, commercial, aerospace, and other industries can involve safety critical situations. Considerations for Human Injury or Casualty, Loss of Assets, Endangering the Environment, or Economic Reduction must be addressed. Traditionally, in order to achieve additional safety in these applications, mechanical systems have been augmented with a variety of devices. These devices assure that a mechanical component failure shall reduce the risk of a catastrophic loss of the correct and/or safe load carrying capability. ASME NOG-1-1998, (Rules for Construction of Overhead and Gantry Cranes, Top Running Bridge, and Multiple Girder), provides design standards for cranes in safety critical areas. Over and above the minimum safety requirements of todays design standards, users struggle with obtaining a higher degree of reliability through more precise functional specifications while attempting to provide "smart" safety systems. Electrical control systems also may be equipped with protective devices similar to the mechanical design features. Demands for improvement of the cranes "control system" is often recognized, but difficult to quantify for this traditionally "mechanically" oriented market. Finite details for each operation must be examined and understood. As an example, load drift (or small motions) at close tolerances can be unacceptable (and considered critical). To meet these high functional demands encoders and other devices are independently added to control systems to provide motion and velocity feedback to the control drive. This paper will examine the implementation of Programmable Electronic Systems (PES). PES is a term this paper will use to describe any control system utilizing any programmable electronic device such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), or an Adjustable Frequency Drive (AID) 'smart' programmable

  15. OSHA and Experimental Safety Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sichak, Stephen, Jr.

    1983-01-01

    Suggests that a governmental agency, most likely Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) be considered in the safety design stage of any experiment. Focusing on OSHA's role, discusses such topics as occupational health hazards of toxic chemicals in laboratories, occupational exposure to benzene, and role/regulations of other agencies.…

  16. BESAFE II: Accident safety analysis code for MFE reactor designs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sevigny, Lawrence Michael

    The viability of controlled thermonuclear fusion as an alternative energy source hinges on its desirability from an economic and an environmental and safety standpoint. It is the latter which is the focus of this thesis. For magnetic fusion energy (MFE) devices, the safety concerns equate to a design's behavior during a worst-case accident scenario which is the loss of coolant accident (LOCA). In this dissertation, we examine the behavior of MFE devices during a LOCA and how this behavior relates to the safety characteristics of the machine; in particular the acute, whole-body, early dose. In doing so, we have produced an accident safety code, BESAFE II, now available to the fusion reactor design community. The Appendix constitutes the User's Manual for BESAFE II. The theory behind early dose calculations including the mobilization of activation products is presented in Chapter 2. Since mobilization of activation products is a strong function of temperature, it becomes necessary to calculate the thermal response of a design during a LOCA in order to determine the fraction of the activation products which are mobilized and thus become the source for the dose. The code BESAFE II is designed to determine the temperature history of each region of a design and determine the resulting mobilization of activation products at each point in time during the LOCA. The BESAFE II methodology is discussed in Chapter 4, followed by demonstrations of its use for two reference design cases: a PCA-Li tokamak and a SiC-He tokamak. Of these two cases, it is shown that the SiC-He tokamak is a better design from an accident safety standpoint than the PCA-Li tokamak. It is also found that doses derived from temperature-dependent mobilization data are different than those predicted using set mobilization categories such as those that involve Piet fractions. This demonstrates the need for more experimental data on fusion materials. The possibility for future improvements and modifications

  17. Safety implications from design exceptions.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-03-01

    The objectives of this study were to: a) summarize past design exceptions to document their frequency and reason for their use and b) determine if any adverse safety implications can be related to adopting design policies and practices related to des...

  18. Safety System Design for Technology Education. A Safety Guide for Technology Education Courses K-12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Vocational Education.

    This manual is designed to involve both teachers and students in planning and controlling a safety system for technology education classrooms. The safety program involves students in the design and maintenance of the system by including them in the analysis of the classroom environment, job safety analysis, safety inspection, and machine safety…

  19. Safety performance functions incorporating design consistency variables.

    PubMed

    Montella, Alfonso; Imbriani, Lella Liana

    2015-01-01

    Highway design which ensures that successive elements are coordinated in such a way as to produce harmonious and homogeneous driver performances along the road is considered consistent and safe. On the other hand, an alignment which requires drivers to handle high speed gradients and does not meet drivers' expectancy is considered inconsistent and produces higher crash frequency. To increase the usefulness and the reliability of existing safety performance functions and contribute to solve inconsistencies of existing highways as well as inconsistencies arising in the design phase, we developed safety performance functions for rural motorways that incorporate design consistency measures. Since the design consistency variables were used only for curves, two different sets of models were fitted for tangents and curves. Models for the following crash characteristics were fitted: total, single-vehicle run-off-the-road, other single vehicle, multi vehicle, daytime, nighttime, non-rainy weather, rainy weather, dry pavement, wet pavement, property damage only, slight injury, and severe injury (including fatal). The design consistency parameters in this study are based on operating speed models developed through an instrumented vehicle equipped with a GPS continuous speed tracking from a field experiment conducted on the same motorway where the safety performance functions were fitted (motorway A16 in Italy). Study results show that geometric design consistency has a significant effect on safety of rural motorways. Previous studies on the relationship between geometric design consistency and crash frequency focused on two-lane rural highways since these highways have the higher crash rates and are generally characterized by considerable inconsistencies. Our study clearly highlights that the achievement of proper geometric design consistency is a key design element also on motorways because of the safety consequences of design inconsistencies. The design consistency measures

  20. Examining markers of safety in homecare using the international classification for patient safety

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Homecare is a growth enterprise. The nature of the care provided in the home is growing in complexity. This growth has necessitated both examination and generation of evidence around patient safety in homecare. The purpose of this paper is to examine the findings of a recent scoping review of the homecare literature 2004-2011 using the World Health Organization International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS), which was developed for use across all care settings, and discuss the utility of the ICPS in the home setting. The scoping review focused on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF); two chronic illnesses commonly managed at home and that represent frequent hospital readmissions. The scoping review identified seven safety markers for homecare: Medication mania; Home alone; A fixed agenda in a foreign language; Strangers in the home; The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker; Out of pocket: the cost of caring at home; and My health for yours: declining caregiver health. Methods The safety markers from the scoping review were mapped to the 10 ICPS high-level classes that comprise 48 concepts and address the continuum of health care: Incident Type, Patient Outcomes, Patient Characteristics, Incident Characteristics, Contributing Factors/Hazards, Organizational Outcomes, Detection, Mitigating Factors, Ameliorating Actions, and Actions Taken to Reduce Risk. Results Safety markers identified in the scoping review of the homecare literature mapped to three of the ten ICPS classes: Incident Characteristics, Contributing Factors, and Patient Outcomes. Conclusion The ICPS does have applicability to the homecare setting, however there were aspects of safety that were overlooked. A notable example is that the health of the caregiver is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of the patient within the homecare setting. The current concepts within the ICPS classes do not capture this, nor do they capture how care

  1. Safety Guided Design of Crew Return Vehicle in Concept Design Phase Using STAMP/STPA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakao, H.; Katahira, M.; Miyamoto, Y.; Leveson, N.

    2012-01-01

    In the concept development and design phase of a new space system, such as a Crew Vehicle, designers tend to focus on how to implement new technology. Designers also consider the difficulty of using the new technology and trade off several system design candidates. Then they choose an optimal design from the candidates. Safety should be a key aspect driving optimal concept design. However, in past concept design activities, safety analysis such as FTA has not used to drive the design because such analysis techniques focus on component failure and component failure cannot be considered in the concept design phase. The solution to these problems is to apply a new hazard analysis technique, called STAMP/STPA. STAMP/STPA defines safety as a control problem rather than a failure problem and identifies hazardous scenarios and their causes. Defining control flow is the essential in concept design phase. Therefore STAMP/STPA could be a useful tool to assess the safety of system candidates and to be part of the rationale for choosing a design as the baseline of the system. In this paper, we explain our case study of safety guided concept design using STPA, the new hazard analysis technique, and model-based specification technique on Crew Return Vehicle design and evaluate benefits of using STAMP/STPA in concept development phase.

  2. 30 CFR 57.14100 - Safety defects; examination, correction and records.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... NONMETAL MINES Machinery and Equipment Safety Devices and Maintenance Requirements § 57.14100 Safety defects; examination, correction and records. (a) Self-propelled mobile equipment to be used during a... persons, the defective items including self-propelled mobile equipment shall be taken out of service and...

  3. Posttest examination of Sodium Loop Safety Facility experiments. [LMFBR

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Holland, J.W.

    In-reactor, safety experiments performed in the Sodium Loop Safety Facility (SLSF) rely on comprehensive posttest examinations (PTE) to characterize the postirradiation condition of the cladding, fuel, and other test-subassembly components. PTE information and on-line instrumentation data, are analyzed to identify the sequence of events and the severity of the accident for each experiment. Following in-reactor experimentation, the SLSF loop and test assembly are transported to the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) for initial disassembly. Goals of the HFEF-phase of the PTE are to retrieve the fuel bundle by dismantling the loop and withdrawing the test assembly, to assess the macro-conditionmore » of the fuel bundle by nondestructive examination techniques, and to prepare the fuel bundle for shipment to the Alpha-Gamma Hot Cell Facility (AGHCF) at Argonne National Laboratory.« less

  4. Designing Effective Safety Signs, Based on a Study of Recall for Safety Signs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Dennis W.

    Aside from direct supervision at a recreational facility, safety signs, if designed properly, are the most effective approach to facility safety. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of various sign designs: (l) multiple concepts with text; (2) single concept with text; and (3) single concept with graphics. A discussion of…

  5. LABORATORY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR SAFETY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Safety Council, Chicago, IL. Campus Safety Association.

    THIS SET OF CONSIDERATIONS HAS BEEN PREPARED TO PROVIDE PERSONS WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF NEW OR REMODELED LABORATORY FACILITIES WITH A SUITABLE REFERENCE GUIDE TO DESIGN SAFETY. THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN TYPES OF LABORATORY AND THE EMPHASIS IS ON GIVING GUIDES AND ALTERNATIVES RATHER THAN DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS. AREAS COVERED INCLUDE--(1)…

  6. 30 CFR 56.14100 - Safety defects; examination, correction and records.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... MINES Machinery and Equipment Safety Devices and Maintenance Requirements § 56.14100 Safety defects; examination, correction and records. (a) Self-propelled mobile equipment to be used during a shift shall be... defective items including self-propelled mobile equipment shall be taken out of service and placed in a...

  7. Generation III reactors safety requirements and the design solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Felten, P.

    2009-03-01

    Nuclear energy's public acceptance, and hence its development, depends on its safety. As a reactor designer, we will first briefly remind the basic safety principles of nuclear reactors' design. We will then show how the industry, and in particular Areva with its EPR, made design evolution in the wake of the Three Miles Island accident in 1979. In particular, for this new generation of reactors, severe accidents are taken into account beyond the standard design basis accidents. Today, Areva's EPR meets all so-called "generation III" safety requirements and was licensed by several nuclear safety authorities in the world. Many innovative solutions are integrated in the EPR, some of which will be introduced here.

  8. Design an optimum safety policy for personnel safety management - A system dynamic approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balaji, P.

    2014-10-01

    Personnel safety management (PSM) ensures that employee's work conditions are healthy and safe by various proactive and reactive approaches. Nowadays it is a complex phenomenon because of increasing dynamic nature of organisations which results in an increase of accidents. An important part of accident prevention is to understand the existing system properly and make safety strategies for that system. System dynamics modelling appears to be an appropriate methodology to explore and make strategy for PSM. Many system dynamics models of industrial systems have been built entirely for specific host firms. This thesis illustrates an alternative approach. The generic system dynamics model of Personnel safety management was developed and tested in a host firm. The model was undergone various structural, behavioural and policy tests. The utility and effectiveness of model was further explored through modelling a safety scenario. In order to create effective safety policy under resource constraint, DOE (Design of experiment) was used. DOE uses classic designs, namely, fractional factorials and central composite designs. It used to make second order regression equation which serve as an objective function. That function was optimized under budget constraint and optimum value used for safety policy which shown greatest improvement in overall PSM. The outcome of this research indicates that personnel safety management model has the capability for acting as instruction tool to improve understanding of safety management and also as an aid to policy making.

  9. Design an optimum safety policy for personnel safety management - A system dynamic approach

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Balaji, P.

    2014-10-06

    Personnel safety management (PSM) ensures that employee's work conditions are healthy and safe by various proactive and reactive approaches. Nowadays it is a complex phenomenon because of increasing dynamic nature of organisations which results in an increase of accidents. An important part of accident prevention is to understand the existing system properly and make safety strategies for that system. System dynamics modelling appears to be an appropriate methodology to explore and make strategy for PSM. Many system dynamics models of industrial systems have been built entirely for specific host firms. This thesis illustrates an alternative approach. The generic system dynamicsmore » model of Personnel safety management was developed and tested in a host firm. The model was undergone various structural, behavioural and policy tests. The utility and effectiveness of model was further explored through modelling a safety scenario. In order to create effective safety policy under resource constraint, DOE (Design of experiment) was used. DOE uses classic designs, namely, fractional factorials and central composite designs. It used to make second order regression equation which serve as an objective function. That function was optimized under budget constraint and optimum value used for safety policy which shown greatest improvement in overall PSM. The outcome of this research indicates that personnel safety management model has the capability for acting as instruction tool to improve understanding of safety management and also as an aid to policy making.« less

  10. The Design of a Practical Enterprise Safety Management System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gabbar, Hossam A.; Suzuki, Kazuhiko

    This book presents design guidelines and implementation approaches for enterprise safety management system as integrated within enterprise integrated systems. It shows new model-based safety management where process design automation is integrated with enterprise business functions and components. It proposes new system engineering approach addressed to new generation chemical industry. It will help both the undergraduate and professional readers to build basic knowledge about issues and problems of designing practical enterprise safety management system, while presenting in clear way, the system and information engineering practices to design enterprise integrated solution.

  11. SAFETY IN THE DESIGN OF SCIENCE LABORATORIES AND BUILDING CODES.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HOROWITZ, HAROLD

    THE DESIGN OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS USED FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF LABORATORY SAFETY AND BUILDING CODES AND REGULATIONS. MAJOR TOPIC AREAS ARE--(1) SAFETY RELATED DESIGN FEATURES OF SCIENCE LABORATORIES, (2) LABORATORY SAFETY AND BUILDING CODES, AND (3) EVIDENCE OF UNSAFE DESIGN. EXAMPLES EMPHASIZE…

  12. Safety in passenger ships: The influence of environmental design characteristics on people's perception of safety.

    PubMed

    Ahola, Markus; Mugge, Ruth

    2017-03-01

    Although objective safety is a widely studied topic in ergonomics, subjective safety has received far less research attention. Nevertheless, most of human decision-making and behavior depends on how we perceive our environment. This study investigates the effects of various environmental design characteristics on people's safety perception in a passenger ship context. Five different environmental design characteristics were manipulated to increase the openness of the space or to create more clear navigation, resulting in 20 different cabin corridors for a passenger ship. Ninety-seven respondents were asked to rate these corridors on the perceived safety in an experiment. The results showed that people feel more safe when the corridors have a curved ceiling, when the walls do not have a split-level design, and when there is a view to the outside. Designers can use these insights when designing future environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Integrating Safety and Mission Assurance in Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cianciola, Chris; Crane, Kenneth

    2008-01-01

    This presentation describes how the Ares Projects are learning from the successes and failures of previous launch systems in order to maximize safety and reliability while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The Ares Projects are integrating Safety and Mission Assurance into design activities and embracing independent assessments by Quality experts in thorough reviews of designs and processes. Incorporating Lean thinking into the design process, Ares is also streamlining existing processes and future manufacturing flows which will yield savings during production. Understanding the value of early involvement of Quality experts, the Ares Projects are leading launch vehicle development into the 21st century.

  14. The interaction between design and occupier behaviour in the safety of new homes.

    PubMed

    McDermott, Hilary; Haslam, Roger; Gibb, Alistair

    2007-03-01

    The design of new homes includes many safety features intended to protect occupiers from injury or ill health within the home, however the effectiveness of these primary intervention measures is likely to be affected by user behaviour. This study examined the interaction between user activity and dwelling design and how this might affect health and safety. It aimed to identify how people use features within new homes and how this may limit the protection afforded by building design, codes and regulations. Forty, home-based, semi-structured, in-depth interviews and home inspections were conducted with individuals recently inhabiting a new home. A range of behaviours were reported in relation to building features including fire doors, pipes and cables, and loft access, which may lead to increased risk of injury or ill-health. For example, occupiers described interfering with the self-closing mechanisms on fire doors and drilling into walls without considering the location of services. They also reported knowingly engaging in unsafe behaviour when accessing the loft, increasing their risk of falls. The accounts suggest that designers and builders need to give greater consideration to how occupier behaviour interacts with building features so that improvements in both design and occupier education can lead to improved health and safety.

  15. For Our Own Safety: Examining the Safety of High-Risk Interventions for Children and Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nunno, Michael A., Ed.; Day, David M., Ed.; Bullard, Lloyd B., Ed.

    2008-01-01

    "For Our Own Safety" is devoted entirely to the subject of, and risks associated with, restraint and seclusion of children. This book is a collection of the diverse viewpoints presented at the international symposium, "Examining the Safety of High-Risk Interventions for Children and Young People" (Ithaca, New York, June 1-4, 2005). It presents…

  16. Control centers design for ergonomics and safety.

    PubMed

    Quintana, Leonardo; Lizarazo, Cesar; Bernal, Oscar; Cordoba, Jorge; Arias, Claudia; Monroy, Magda; Cotrino, Carlos; Montoya, Olga

    2012-01-01

    This paper shows the general design conditions about ergonomics and safety for control centers in the petrochemical process industry. Some of the topics include guidelines for the optimized workstation design, control room layout, building layout, and lighting, acoustical and environmental design. Also takes into account the safety parameters in the control rooms and centers design. The conditions and parameters shown in this paper come from the standards and global advances on this topic on the most recent publications. And also the work was supplemented by field visits of our team to the control center operations in a petrochemical company, and technical literature search efforts. This guideline will be useful to increase the productivity and improve the working conditions at the control rooms.

  17. Principles and Benefits of Explicitly Designed Medical Device Safety Architecture.

    PubMed

    Larson, Brian R; Jones, Paul; Zhang, Yi; Hatcliff, John

    The complexity of medical devices and the processes by which they are developed pose considerable challenges to producing safe designs and regulatory submissions that are amenable to effective reviews. Designing an appropriate and clearly documented architecture can be an important step in addressing this complexity. Best practices in medical device design embrace the notion of a safety architecture organized around distinct operation and safety requirements. By explicitly separating many safety-related monitoring and mitigation functions from operational functionality, the aspects of a device most critical to safety can be localized into a smaller and simpler safety subsystem, thereby enabling easier verification and more effective reviews of claims that causes of hazardous situations are detected and handled properly. This article defines medical device safety architecture, describes its purpose and philosophy, and provides an example. Although many of the presented concepts may be familiar to those with experience in realization of safety-critical systems, this article aims to distill the essence of the approach and provide practical guidance that can potentially improve the quality of device designs and regulatory submissions.

  18. European Workshop Industrical Computer Science Systems approach to design for safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zalewski, Janusz

    1992-01-01

    This paper presents guidelines on designing systems for safety, developed by the Technical Committee 7 on Reliability and Safety of the European Workshop on Industrial Computer Systems. The focus is on complementing the traditional development process by adding the following four steps: (1) overall safety analysis; (2) analysis of the functional specifications; (3) designing for safety; (4) validation of design. Quantitative assessment of safety is possible by means of a modular questionnaire covering various aspects of the major stages of system development.

  19. Bus operator safety : critical issues examination and model practices.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-01-01

    In this study, researchers at the National Center for Transit Research performed a multi-topic comprehensive : examination of bus operator-related critical safety and personal security issues. The goals of this research : effort were to: : 1. Identif...

  20. An examination of safety reports involving electronic flight bags and portable electronic devices

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-06-01

    The purpose of this research was to develop a better understanding of safety considerations with the use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) by examining safety reports from Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS),...

  1. Overview of Design, Lifecycle, and Safety for Computer-Based Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

    2015-01-01

    This document describes the need and justification for the development of a design guide for safety-relevant computer-based systems. This document also makes a contribution toward the design guide by presenting an overview of computer-based systems design, lifecycle, and safety.

  2. Safety assessment in plant layout design using indexing approach: implementing inherent safety perspective. Part 1 - guideword applicability and method description.

    PubMed

    Tugnoli, Alessandro; Khan, Faisal; Amyotte, Paul; Cozzani, Valerio

    2008-12-15

    Layout planning plays a key role in the inherent safety performance of process plants since this design feature controls the possibility of accidental chain-events and the magnitude of possible consequences. A lack of suitable methods to promote the effective implementation of inherent safety in layout design calls for the development of new techniques and methods. In the present paper, a safety assessment approach suitable for layout design in the critical early phase is proposed. The concept of inherent safety is implemented within this safety assessment; the approach is based on an integrated assessment of inherent safety guideword applicability within the constraints typically present in layout design. Application of these guidewords is evaluated along with unit hazards and control devices to quantitatively map the safety performance of different layout options. Moreover, the economic aspects related to safety and inherent safety are evaluated by the method. Specific sub-indices are developed within the integrated safety assessment system to analyze and quantify the hazard related to domino effects. The proposed approach is quick in application, auditable and shares a common framework applicable in other phases of the design lifecycle (e.g. process design). The present work is divided in two parts: Part 1 (current paper) presents the application of inherent safety guidelines in layout design and the index method for safety assessment; Part 2 (accompanying paper) describes the domino hazard sub-index and demonstrates the proposed approach with a case study, thus evidencing the introduction of inherent safety features in layout design.

  3. Obtaining Valid Safety Data for Software Safety Measurement and Process Improvement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Basili, Victor r.; Zelkowitz, Marvin V.; Layman, Lucas; Dangle, Kathleen; Diep, Madeline

    2010-01-01

    We report on a preliminary case study to examine software safety risk in the early design phase of the NASA Constellation spaceflight program. Our goal is to provide NASA quality assurance managers with information regarding the ongoing state of software safety across the program. We examined 154 hazard reports created during the preliminary design phase of three major flight hardware systems within the Constellation program. Our purpose was two-fold: 1) to quantify the relative importance of software with respect to system safety; and 2) to identify potential risks due to incorrect application of the safety process, deficiencies in the safety process, or the lack of a defined process. One early outcome of this work was to show that there are structural deficiencies in collecting valid safety data that make software safety different from hardware safety. In our conclusions we present some of these deficiencies.

  4. Advanced Test Reactor Safety Basis Upgrade Lessons Learned Relative to Design Basis Verification and Safety Basis Management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    G. L. Sharp; R. T. McCracken

    The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a pressurized light-water reactor with a design thermal power of 250 MW. The principal function of the ATR is to provide a high neutron flux for testing reactor fuels and other materials. The reactor also provides other irradiation services such as radioisotope production. The ATR and its support facilities are located at the Test Reactor Area of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). An audit conducted by the Department of Energy's Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (DOE OA) raised concerns that design conditions at the ATR were not adequately analyzedmore » in the safety analysis and that legacy design basis management practices had the potential to further impact safe operation of the facility.1 The concerns identified by the audit team, and issues raised during additional reviews performed by ATR safety analysts, were evaluated through the unreviewed safety question process resulting in shutdown of the ATR for more than three months while these concerns were resolved. Past management of the ATR safety basis, relative to facility design basis management and change control, led to concerns that discrepancies in the safety basis may have developed. Although not required by DOE orders or regulations, not performing design basis verification in conjunction with development of the 10 CFR 830 Subpart B upgraded safety basis allowed these potential weaknesses to be carried forward. Configuration management and a clear definition of the existing facility design basis have a direct relation to developing and maintaining a high quality safety basis which properly identifies and mitigates all hazards and postulated accident conditions. These relations and the impact of past safety basis management practices have been reviewed in order to identify lessons learned from the safety basis upgrade process and appropriate actions to resolve possible concerns with respect to the current ATR

  5. FAST FLUX TEST FACILITY CONCEPTUAL FACILTY DESIGN DESCRIPTION FOR THE INERT GAS CELL EXAMINATION FACILITY NO. 71

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    1968-12-12

    The purpose of this Conceptual Facility Design Description (CFDD) is to provide a technical description of the Inert Gas Cell Examination Facility such that agreement with RDT on a Conceptual Design can be reached . The CFDD also serves to establish a common understanding of the facility concept among all responsible FFTF Project parties including the Architect Engineer and Reactor Designer. Included are functions and design requirements, a physical description of the facility, safety considerations, principles of operation, and maintenance principles.

  6. Ending on a positive: Examining the role of safety leadership decisions, behaviours and actions in a safety critical situation.

    PubMed

    Donovan, Sarah-Louise; Salmon, Paul M; Horberry, Timothy; Lenné, Michael G

    2018-01-01

    Safety leadership is an important factor in supporting safe performance in the workplace. The present case study examined the role of safety leadership during the Bingham Canyon Mine high-wall failure, a significant mining incident in which no fatalities or injuries were incurred. The Critical Decision Method (CDM) was used in conjunction with a self-reporting approach to examine safety leadership in terms of decisions, behaviours and actions that contributed to the incidents' safe outcome. Mapping the analysis onto Rasmussen's Risk Management Framework (Rasmussen, 1997), the findings demonstrate clear links between safety leadership decisions, and emergent behaviours and actions across the work system. Communication and engagement based decisions featured most prominently, and were linked to different leadership practices across the work system. Further, a core sub-set of CDM decision elements were linked to the open flow and exchange of information across the work system, which was critical to supporting the safe outcome. The findings provide practical implications for the development of safety leadership capability to support safety within the mining industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Safety impacts of Design Exceptions in Utah

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-01

    The objective of this research was to compare safety, measured by expected crash frequency and severity, on road segments where design exceptions were approved and constructed to similar road segments where no design exceptions were approved or const...

  8. Safety Impacts of Design Exceptions in Utah

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-08-01

    The objective of this research was to compare safety, measured by expected crash frequency and severity, on road segments where design exceptions were approved and constructed to similar road segments where no design exceptions were approved or const...

  9. Safety of street: The role of street design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rashid, Suhaila Abdul; Wahab, Mohammad Hussaini; Rani, Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd.; Ismail, Syuhaida

    2017-10-01

    Living in the cities poses many challenges for the vulnerable group of user especially women where they are exposed to many issues related to safety. With the changing of lifestyle and demands, women are expected to play multiple roles in the society and working is one of the tasks. When women are expected to be working as men do, they are no longer occupied at one place. Women nowadays travel on a daily basis and being in the streets is one of the important activities. With the influx of diverse group of people into the country, our streets are dominated by different types of people from different background. Due to these factors, there are possibilities of challenges and threats for users especially women. Therefore, city spaces especially the street become an important public realm for women. The design of the street should be able to make women feel safe as these are the public space where they spend time getting to and from work. The way women perceived their environment might be different from men especially when they fear of crime. Perception of safety will affect the quality of life where fear is an important psychological factor in human life. Living in fear will restrict human's freedom. Therefore, this study aimed to explore women's perception of safety in the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The study adopted a mixed-method approach of qualitative and quantitative in order to understand the safety perception among women that will later establish the relationship between built environment and human psychology. 120 respondents were selected randomly around Jalan Benteng, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Melaka and Jalan Melayu. Questionnaire survey forms were distributed and structured observation was conducted at interval period at these streets to examined and assess women's behavior. Finding shows that fear does affect women's perception and physical design of the streets are important in affecting their behavior.

  10. 24 CFR 3280.816 - Examination of equipment for safety.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examination of equipment for safety. 3280.816 Section 3280.816 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING-FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF...

  11. A Critical Examination of Safety Texts: Implications for Trade and Industrial Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gregson, James A.

    1996-01-01

    Qualitative content analysis of three texts used to prepare trade and industrial teachers in occupational safety and health examined definitions of health/safety problems, allocation of responsibility, social context, and collective responsibility. Implementing practices from these texts could free teachers from responsibility for negligence and…

  12. Cultural factors influencing safety need to be addressed in design and operation of technology.

    PubMed

    Meshkati, N

    1996-10-01

    Cultural factors which influence aviation safety in aircraft design, air traffic control, and human factors training are examined. Analysis of the Avianca Flight 052 crash in New York in January, 1990, demonstrates the catastrosphic effects cultural factors can play. Cultural factors include attitude toward work and technology, organizational hierarchy, religion, and population stereotyping.

  13. Enhancing the traditional hospital design process: a focus on patient safety.

    PubMed

    Reiling, John G; Knutzen, Barbara L; Wallen, Thomas K; McCullough, Susan; Miller, Ric; Chernos, Sonja

    2004-03-01

    In 2002 St. Joseph's Community Hospital (West Bend, WI), a member of SynergyHealth, brought together leaders in health care and systems engineering to develop a set of safety-driven facility design principles that would guide the hospital design process. DESIGNING FOR SAFETY: Hospital leadership recognized that a cross-departmental team approach would be needed and formed the 11-member Facility Design Advisory Council, which, with departmental teams and the aid of architects, was responsible for overseeing the design process and for ensuring that the safety considerations were met. The design process was a team approach, with input from national experts, patients and families, hospital staff and physicians, architects, contractors, and the community. The new facility, designed using safety-driven design principles, reflects many innovative design elements, including truly standardized patient rooms, new technology to minimize falls, and patient care alcoves for every patient room. The new hospital has been designed with maximum adaptability and flexibility in mind, to accommodate changes and provide for future growth. The architects labeled the innovative design. The Synergy Model, to describe the process of shaping the entire building and its spaces to work efficiently as a whole for the care and safety of patients. Construction began on the new facility in August 2003 and is expected to be completed in 2005.

  14. 48 CFR 52.250-3 - SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY... or requests may be mailed to: Directorate of Science and Technology, SAFETY Act/Room 4320, Department...

  15. 48 CFR 52.250-3 - SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY... or requests may be mailed to: Directorate of Science and Technology, SAFETY Act/Room 4320, Department...

  16. 48 CFR 52.250-3 - SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY... or requests may be mailed to: Directorate of Science and Technology, SAFETY Act/Room 4320, Department...

  17. 48 CFR 52.250-3 - SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY... or requests may be mailed to: Directorate of Science and Technology, SAFETY Act/Room 4320, Department...

  18. 48 CFR 52.250-3 - SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY... or requests may be mailed to: Directorate of Science and Technology, SAFETY Act/Room 4320, Department...

  19. The United States Does CAIR About Cultural Safety: Examining Cultural Safety Within Indigenous Health Contexts in Canada and the United States.

    PubMed

    Darroch, Francine; Giles, Audrey; Sanderson, Priscilla; Brooks-Cleator, Lauren; Schwartz, Anna; Joseph, Darold; Nosker, Roger

    2017-05-01

    This article examines the concept and use of the term cultural safety in Canada and the United States. To examine the uptake of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural competence, and cultural safety between health organizations in Canada and the United States, we reviewed position statements/policies of health care associations. The majority of selected health associations in Canada include cultural safety within position statements or organizational policies; however, comparable U.S. organizations focused on cultural sensitivity and cultural competence. Through the work of the Center for American Indian Resilience, we demonstrate that U.S. researchers engage with the tenets of cultural safety-despite not using the language. We recommend that health care providers and health researchers consider the tenets of cultural safety. To address health disparities between American Indian populations and non-American Indians, we urge the adoption of the term and tenets of cultural safety in the United States.

  20. Safety and design in airplane construction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Teichmann, Alfred

    1934-01-01

    The author gives a survey of the principles of stress analysis and design of airplane structures, and discusses the fundamental strength specifications and their effect on the stress analysis as compared with the safety factors used in other branches of engineering.

  1. Impact of design features upon perceived tool usability and safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiker, Steven F.; Seol, Mun-Su

    2005-11-01

    While injuries from powered hand tools are caused by a number of factors, this study looks specifically at the impact of the tools design features on perceived tool usability and safety. The tools used in this study are circular saws, power drills and power nailers. Sixty-nine males and thirty-two females completed an anonymous web-based questionnaire that provided orthogonal view photographs of the various tools. Subjects or raters provided: 1) description of the respondents or raters, 2) description of the responses from the raters, and 3) analysis of the interrelationships among respondent ratings of tool safety and usability, physical metrics of the tool, and rater demographic information. The results of the study found that safety and usability were dependent materially upon rater history of use and experience, but not upon training in safety and usability, or quality of design features of the tools (e.g., grip diameters, trigger design, guards, etc.). Thus, positive and negative transfer of prior experience with use of powered hand tools is far more important than any expectancy that may be driven by prior safety and usability training, or from the visual cues that are provided by the engineering design of the tool.

  2. Impact of Passive Safety on FHR Instrumentation Systems Design and Classification

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Holcomb, David Eugene

    2015-01-01

    Fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs) will rely more extensively on passive safety than earlier reactor classes. 10CFR50 Appendix A, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, establishes minimum design requirements to provide reasonable assurance of adequate safety. 10CFR50.69, Risk-Informed Categorization and Treatment of Structures, Systems and Components for Nuclear Power Reactors, provides guidance on how the safety significance of systems, structures, and components (SSCs) should be reflected in their regulatory treatment. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has provided 10 CFR 50.69 SSC Categorization Guideline (NEI-00-04) that factors in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) model insights, as well as deterministic insights, throughmore » an integrated decision-making panel. Employing the PRA to inform deterministic requirements enables an appropriately balanced, technically sound categorization to be established. No FHR currently has an adequate PRA or set of design basis accidents to enable establishing the safety classification of its SSCs. While all SSCs used to comply with the general design criteria (GDCs) will be safety related, the intent is to limit the instrumentation risk significance through effective design and reliance on inherent passive safety characteristics. For example, FHRs have no safety-significant temperature threshold phenomena, thus enabling the primary and reserve reactivity control systems required by GDC 26 to be passively, thermally triggered at temperatures well below those for which core or primary coolant boundary damage would occur. Moreover, the passive thermal triggering of the primary and reserve shutdown systems may relegate the control rod drive motors to the control system, substantially decreasing the amount of safety-significant wiring needed. Similarly, FHR decay heat removal systems are intended to be running continuously to minimize the amount of safety-significant instrumentation needed to

  3. Safety Aspects of Big Cryogenic Systems Design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chorowski, M.; Fydrych, J.; Poliński, J.

    2010-04-01

    Superconductivity and helium cryogenics are key technologies in the construction of large scientific instruments, like accelerators, fusion reactors or free electron lasers. Such cryogenic systems may contain more than hundred tons of helium, mostly in cold and high-density phases. In spite of the high reliability of the systems, accidental loss of the insulation vacuum, pipe rupture or rapid energy dissipation in the cold helium can not be overlooked. To avoid the danger of over-design pressure rise in the cryostats, they need to be equipped with a helium relief system. Such a system is comprised of safety valves, bursting disks and optionally cold or warm quench lines, collectors and storage tanks. Proper design of the helium safety relief system requires a good understanding of worst case scenarios. Such scenarios will be discussed, taking into account different possible failures of the cryogenic system. In any case it is necessary to estimate heat transfer through degraded vacuum superinsulation and mass flow through the valves and safety disks. Even if the design of the helium relief system does not foresee direct helium venting into the environment, an occasional emergency helium spill may happen. Helium propagation in the atmosphere and the origins of oxygen-deficiency hazards will be discussed.

  4. Epidemiological designs for vaccine safety assessment: methods and pitfalls.

    PubMed

    Andrews, Nick

    2012-09-01

    Three commonly used designs for vaccine safety assessment post licensure are cohort, case-control and self-controlled case series. These methods are often used with routine health databases and immunisation registries. This paper considers the issues that may arise when designing an epidemiological study, such as understanding the vaccine safety question, case definition and finding, limitations of data sources, uncontrolled confounding, and pitfalls that apply to the individual designs. The example of MMR and autism, where all three designs have been used, is presented to help consider these issues. Copyright © 2011 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Primary battery design and safety guidelines handbook

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bragg, Bobby J.; Casey, John E.; Trout, J. Barry

    1994-01-01

    This handbook provides engineers and safety personnel with guidelines for the safe design or selection and use of primary batteries in spaceflight programs. Types of primary batteries described are silver oxide zinc alkaline, carbon-zinc, zinc-air alkaline, manganese dioxide-zionc alkaline, mercuric oxide-zinc alkaline, and lithium anode cells. Along with typical applications, the discussions of the individual battery types include electrochemistry, construction, capacities and configurations, and appropriate safety measures. A chapter on general battery safety covers hazard sources and controls applicable to all battery types. Guidelines are given for qualification and acceptance testing that should precede space applications. Permissible failure levels for NASA applications are discussed.

  6. Planning and design for a culture of safety in Thessaloniki's hospitals.

    PubMed

    Chatzicocoli-Syrakou, Sophia; Syrakoy, Athena-Christina

    2004-01-01

    Thessaloniki is the second capital of Greece, located in the region of Macedonia, in the northern part of the Greek mainland. After the opening of the boarders of the former 'Eastern Block' countries and following their general open-policy to the European Union, Thessaloniki became an important part of the Balkans Initiative, aiming at attracting patients from abroad to Greece. Thus, some of the most modern hospitals in Greece are near Thessaloniki. Patient safety forms an important issue of the policy attracting patients. With this paper an attempt will be made to examine the characteristics of a culture of safety embodied in the planning and design of two of Thessaloniki's hospitals. These characteristics are to be found in the health care environment of the present clinical processes, on both, a quantitative and a qualitatve basis, and finally, suggestions for further development.

  7. Predicting the effectiveness of road safety campaigns through alternative research designs.

    PubMed

    Adamos, Giannis; Nathanail, Eftihia

    2016-12-01

    A large number of road safety communication campaigns have been designed and implemented in the recent years; however their explicit impact on driving behavior and road accident rates has been estimated in a rather low proportion. Based on the findings of the evaluation of three road safety communication campaigns addressing the issues of drinking and driving, seat belt usage, and driving fatigue, this paper applies different types of research designs (i.e., experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs), when estimating the effectiveness of road safety campaigns, implements a cross-design assessment, and conducts a cross-campaign evaluation. An integrated evaluation plan was developed, taking into account the structure of evaluation questions, the definition of measurable variables, the separation of the target audience into intervention (exposed to the campaign) and control (not exposed to the campaign) groups, the selection of alternative research designs, and the appropriate data collection methods and techniques. Evaluating the implementation of different research designs in estimating the effectiveness of road safety campaigns, results showed that the separate pre-post samples design demonstrated better predictability than other designs, especially in data obtained from the intervention group after the realization of the campaign. The more constructs that were added to the independent variables, the higher the values of the predictability were. The construct that most affects behavior is intention, whereas the rest of the constructs have a lower impact on behavior. This is particularly significant in the Health Belief Model (HBM). On the other hand, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and descriptive norms, are significant parameters for predicting intention according to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The theoretical and applied implications of alternative research designs and their applicability in the evaluation of road safety

  8. An Innovative Hybrid Loop-Pool SFR Design and Safety Analysis Methods: Today and Tomorrow

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hongbin Zhang; Haihua Zhao; Vincent Mousseau

    2008-04-01

    Investment in commercial sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) power plants will become possible only if SFRs achieve economic competitiveness as compared to light water reactors and other Generation IV reactors. Toward that end, we have launched efforts to improve the economics and safety of SFRs from the thermal design and safety analyses perspectives at Idaho National Laboratory. From the thermal design perspective, an innovative hybrid loop-pool SFR design has been proposed. This design takes advantage of the inherent safety of a pool design and the compactness of a loop design to further improve economics and safety. From the safety analysesmore » perspective, we have initiated an effort to develop a high fidelity reactor system safety code.« less

  9. An examination of some safety issues among commercial motorcyclists in Nigeria: a case study.

    PubMed

    Arosanyin, Godwin Tunde; Olowosulu, Adekunle Taiwo; Oyeyemi, Gafar Matanmi

    2013-01-01

    The reduction of road crashes and injuries among motorcyclists in Nigeria requires a system inquiry into some safety issues at pre-crash, crash and post-crash stages to guide action plans. This paper examines safety issues such as age restriction, motorcycle engine capacity, highway code awareness, licence holding, helmet usage, crash involvement, rescue and payment for treatment among commercial motorcyclists. The primary data derived from a structured questionnaire administered to 334 commercial motorcyclists in Samaru, Zaria were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression technique. There was total compliance with age restriction and motorcycle engine capacity. About 41.8% of the operators were not aware of the existence of the highway code. The odds of licence holding increased with highway code awareness, education with above senior secondary as the reference category and earnings. The odds of crash involvement decreased with highway code awareness, earnings and mode of operation. About 84% of the motorcyclists did not use crash helmet, in spite of being aware of the benefit, and 65.4% of motorcycle crashes was found to be with other road users. The promotion of safety among motorcyclists therefore requires strict traffic law enforcement and modification of road design to segregate traffic and protect pedestrians.

  10. Safety Guided Design Based on Stamp/STPA for Manned Vehicle in Concept Design Phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ujiie, Ryo; Katahira, Masafumi; Miyamoto, Yuko; Umeda, Hiroki; Leveson, Nancy; Hoshino, Nobuyuki

    2013-09-01

    In manned vehicles, such as the Soyuz and the Space Shuttle, the crew and computer system cooperate to succeed in returning to the earth. While computers increase the functionality of system, they also increase the complexity of the interaction between the controllers (human and computer) and the target dynamics. In some cases, the complexity can produce a serious accident. To prevent such losses, traditional hazard analysis such as FTA has been applied to system development, however it can be used after creating a detailed system because it focuses on detailed component failures. As a result, it's more difficult to eliminate hazard cause early in the process when it is most feasible.STAMP/STPA is a new hazard analysis that can be applied from the early development phase, with the analysis being refined as more detailed decisions are made. In essence, the analysis and design decisions are intertwined and go hand-in-hand. We have applied STAMP/STPA to a concept design of a new JAXA manned vehicle and tried safety guided design of the vehicle. As a result of this trial, it has been shown that STAMP/STPA can be accepted easily by system engineers and the design has been made more sophisticated from a safety viewpoint. The result also shows that the consequences of human errors on system safety can be analysed in the early development phase and the system designed to prevent them. Finally, the paper will discuss an effective way to harmonize this safety guided design approach with system engineering process based on the result of this experience in this project.

  11. Participatory design of a preliminary safety checklist for general practice

    PubMed Central

    Bowie, Paul; Ferguson, Julie; MacLeod, Marion; Kennedy, Susan; de Wet, Carl; McNab, Duncan; Kelly, Moya; McKay, John; Atkinson, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Background The use of checklists to minimise errors is well established in high reliability, safety-critical industries. In health care there is growing interest in checklists to standardise checking processes and ensure task completion, and so provide further systemic defences against error and patient harm. However, in UK general practice there is limited experience of safety checklist use. Aim To identify workplace hazards that impact on safety, health and wellbeing, and performance, and codesign a standardised checklist process. Design and setting Application of mixed methods to identify system hazards in Scottish general practices and develop a safety checklist based on human factors design principles. Method A multiprofessional ‘expert’ group (n = 7) and experienced front-line GPs, nurses, and practice managers (n = 18) identified system hazards and developed and validated a preliminary checklist using a combination of literature review, documentation review, consensus building workshops using a mini-Delphi process, and completion of content validity index exercise. Results A prototype safety checklist was developed and validated consisting of six safety domains (for example, medicines management), 22 sub-categories (for example, emergency drug supplies) and 78 related items (for example, stock balancing, secure drug storage, and cold chain temperature recording). Conclusion Hazards in the general practice work system were prioritised that can potentially impact on the safety, health and wellbeing of patients, GP team members, and practice performance, and a necessary safety checklist prototype was designed. However, checklist efficacy in improving safety processes and outcomes is dependent on user commitment, and support from leaders and promotional champions. Although further usability development and testing is necessary, the concept should be of interest in the UK and internationally. PMID:25918338

  12. Lithium Ion Battery Design and Safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Au, George; Locke, Laura

    2001-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation makes several recommendations to ensure the safe and effective design of Lithium ion cell batteries. Large lithium ion cells require pressure switches and small cells require pressure disconnects and other safety devices with the ability to instantly interrupt flow. Other suggestions include specifications for batteries and battery chargers.

  13. Design of agricultural product quality safety retrospective supervision system of Jiangsu province

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Kun

    2017-08-01

    In store and supermarkets to consumers can trace back agricultural products through the electronic province card to query their origin, planting, processing, packaging, testing and other important information and found that the problems. Quality and safety issues can identify the responsibility of the problem. This paper designs a retroactive supervision system for the quality and safety of agricultural products in Jiangsu Province. Based on the analysis of agricultural production and business process, the goal of Jiangsu agricultural product quality safety traceability system construction is established, and the specific functional requirements and non-functioning requirements of the retroactive system are analyzed, and the target is specified for the specific construction of the retroactive system. The design of the quality and safety traceability system in Jiangsu province contains the design of the overall design, the trace code design and the system function module.

  14. Designing with Traffic Safety in Mind.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, John

    1998-01-01

    Provides an example of how one county public school system was able to minimize traffic accidents and increase safety around its schools. Illustrations are provided of safer bus loading zones, pedestrian walkways and sidewalks, staff parking, and acceptable methods for staging buses. A checklist for school driveway design concludes the article.…

  15. The European space suit, a design for productivity and crew safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skoog, A. Ingemar; Berthier, S.; Ollivier, Y.

    In order to fulfil the two major mission objectives, i.e. support planned and unplanned external servicing of the COLUMBUS FFL and support the HERMES vehicle for safety critical operations and emergencies, the European Space Suit System baseline configuration incorporates a number of design features, which shall enhance the productivity and the crew safety of EVA astronauts. The work in EVA is today - and will be for several years - a manual work. Consequently, to improve productivity, the first challenge is to design a suit enclosure which minimizes movement restrictions and crew fatigue. It is covered by the "ergonomic" aspect of the suit design. Furthermore, it is also necessary to help the EVA crewmember in his work, by giving him the right information at the right time. Many solutions exist in this field of Man-Machine Interface, from a very simple system, based on cuff check lists, up to advanced systems, including Head-Up Displays. The design concept for improved productivity encompasses following features: • easy donning/doffing thru rear entry, • suit ergonomy optimisation, • display of operational information in alpha-numerical and graphical from, and • voice processing for operations and safety critical information. Concerning crew safety the major design features are: • a lower R-factor for emergency EVA operations thru incressed suit pressure, • zero prebreath conditions for normal operations, • visual and voice processing of all safety critical functions, and • an autonomous life support system to permit unrestricted operations around HERMES and the CFFL. The paper analyses crew safety and productivity criteria and describes how these features are being built into the design of the European Space Suit System.

  16. The European space suit, a design for productivity and crew safety.

    PubMed

    Skoog, A I; Berthier, S; Ollivier, Y

    1991-01-01

    In order to fulfill the two major mission objectives, i.e. support planned and unplanned external servicing of the COLUMBUS FFL and support the HERMES vehicle for safety critical operations and emergencies, the European Space Suit System baseline configuration incorporates a number of design features, which shall enhance the productivity and the crew safety of EVA astronauts. The work in EVA is today--and will be for several years--a manual work. Consequently, to improve productivity, the first challenge is to design a suit enclosure which minimizes movement restrictions and crew fatigue. It is covered by the "ergonomic" aspect of the suit design. Furthermore, it is also necessary to help the EVA crewmember in his work, by giving him the right information at the right time. Many solutions exist in this field of Man-Machine Interface, from a very simple system, based on cuff check lists, up to advanced systems, including Head-Up Displays. The design concept for improved productivity encompasses following features: easy donning/doffing thru rear entry, suit ergonomy optimisation, display of operational information in alpha-numerical and graphical form, and voice processing for operations and safety critical information. Concerning crew safety the major design features are: a lower R-factor for emergency EVA operations thru increased suit pressure, zero prebreath conditions for normal operations, visual and voice processing of all safety critical functions, and an autonomous life support system to permit unrestricted operations around HERMES and the CFFL. The paper analyses crew safety and productivity criteria and describes how these features are being built into the design of the European Space Suit System.

  17. Small Column Ion Exchange Design and Safety Strategy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Huff, T.; Rios-Armstrong, M.; Edwards, R.

    2011-02-07

    Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) is a transformational technology originally developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM-30) office and is now being deployed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to significantly increase overall salt processing capacity and accelerate the Liquid Waste System life-cycle. The process combines strontium and actinide removal using Monosodium Titanate (MST), Rotary Microfiltration, and cesium removal using Crystalline Silicotitanate (CST, specifically UOP IONSIV{reg_sign}IE-911 ion exchanger) to create a low level waste stream to be disposed in grout and a high level waste stream to be vitrified. The process also includes preparation of the streamsmore » for disposal, e.g., grinding of the loaded CST material. These waste processing components are technically mature and flowsheet integration studies are being performed including glass formulations studies, application specific thermal modeling, and mixing studies. The deployment program includes design and fabrication of the Rotary Microfilter (RMF) assembly, ion-exchange columns (IXCs), and grinder module, utilizing an integrated system safety design approach. The design concept is to install the process inside an existing waste tank, Tank 41H. The process consists of a feed pump with a set of four RMFs, two IXCs, a media grinder, three Submersible Mixer Pumps (SMPs), and all supporting infrastructure including media receipt and preparation facilities. The design addresses MST mixing to achieve the required strontium and actinide removal and to prevent future retrieval problems. CST achieves very high cesium loadings (up to 1,100 curies per gallon (Ci/gal) bed volume). The design addresses the hazards associated with this material including heat management (in column and in-tank), as detailed in the thermal modeling. The CST must be size reduced for compatibility with downstream processes. The design addresses material transport into and out of the grinder

  18. Cycling transport safety quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drbohlav, Jiri; Kocourek, Josef

    2018-05-01

    Dynamic interest in cycling transport brings the necessity to design safety cycling infrastructure. In las few years, couple of norms with safety elements have been designed and suggested for the cycling infrastructure. But these were not fully examined. The main parameter of suitable and fully functional transport infrastructure is the evaluation of its safety. Common evaluation of transport infrastructure safety is based on accident statistics. These statistics are suitable for motor vehicle transport but unsuitable for the cycling transport. Cycling infrastructure evaluation of safety is suitable for the traffic conflicts monitoring. The results of this method are fast, based on real traffic situations and can be applied on any traffic situations.

  19. Medication safety.

    PubMed

    Keohane, Carol A; Bates, David W

    2008-03-01

    Patient safety is a state of mind, not a technology. The technologies used in the medical setting represent tools that must be properly designed, used well, and assessed on an on-going basis. Moreover, in all settings, building a culture of safety is pivotal for improving safety, and many nontechnologic approaches, such as medication reconciliation and teaching patients about their medications, are also essential. This article addresses the topic of medication safety and examines specific strategies being used to decrease the incidence of medication errors across various clinical settings.

  20. An Examination of Safety and Health Practices in Agricultural Mechanics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Threeton, Mark D.; Ewing, John C.

    2017-01-01

    Providing training of safe operations and behaviors in Agricultural Mechanics classrooms and laboratories is an important aspect of the agricultural education teaching and learning environment. The purpose of this survey research study was to examine current occupational safety and health practices within agricultural mechanics programs. The…

  1. Design for Reliability and Safety Approach for the NASA New Launch Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Safie, Fayssal, M.; Weldon, Danny M.

    2007-01-01

    The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is in the midst of a space exploration program intended for sending crew and cargo to the international Space Station (ISS), to the moon, and beyond. This program is called Constellation. As part of the Constellation program, NASA is developing new launch vehicles aimed at significantly increase safety and reliability, reduce the cost of accessing space, and provide a growth path for manned space exploration. Achieving these goals requires a rigorous process that addresses reliability, safety, and cost upfront and throughout all the phases of the life cycle of the program. This paper discusses the "Design for Reliability and Safety" approach for the NASA new crew launch vehicle called ARES I. The ARES I is being developed by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in support of the Constellation program. The ARES I consists of three major Elements: A solid First Stage (FS), an Upper Stage (US), and liquid Upper Stage Engine (USE). Stacked on top of the ARES I is the Crew exploration vehicle (CEV). The CEV consists of a Launch Abort System (LAS), Crew Module (CM), Service Module (SM), and a Spacecraft Adapter (SA). The CEV development is being led by NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). Designing for high reliability and safety require a good integrated working environment and a sound technical design approach. The "Design for Reliability and Safety" approach addressed in this paper discusses both the environment and the technical process put in place to support the ARES I design. To address the integrated working environment, the ARES I project office has established a risk based design group called "Operability Design and Analysis" (OD&A) group. This group is an integrated group intended to bring together the engineering, design, and safety organizations together to optimize the system design for safety, reliability, and cost. On the technical side, the ARES I project has, through the OD

  2. A Daily Diary Approach to the Examination of Chronic Stress, Daily Hassles and Safety Perceptions in Hospital Nursing.

    PubMed

    Louch, Gemma; O'Hara, Jane; Gardner, Peter; O'Connor, Daryl B

    2017-12-01

    Stress is a significant concern for individuals and organisations. Few studies have explored stress, burnout and patient safety in hospital nursing on a daily basis at the individual level. This study aimed to examine the effects of chronic stress and daily hassles on safety perceptions, the effect of chronic stress on daily hassles experienced and chronic stress as a potential moderator. Utilising a daily diary design, 83 UK hospital nurses completed three end-of-shift diaries, yielding 324 person days. Hassles, safety perceptions and workplace cognitive failure were measured daily, and a baseline questionnaire included a measure of chronic stress. Hierarchical multivariate linear modelling was used to analyse the data. Higher chronic stress was associated with more daily hassles, poorer perceptions of safety and being less able to practise safely, but not more workplace cognitive failure. Reporting more daily hassles was associated with poorer perceptions of safety, being less able to practise safely and more workplace cognitive failure. Chronic stress did not moderate daily associations. The hassles reported illustrate the wide-ranging hassles nurses experienced. The findings demonstrate, in addition to chronic stress, the importance of daily hassles for nurses' perceptions of safety and the hassles experienced by hospital nurses on a daily basis. Nurses perceive chronic stress and daily hassles to contribute to their perceptions of safety. Measuring the number of daily hassles experienced could proactively highlight when patient safety threats may arise, and as a result, interventions could usefully focus on the management of daily hassles.

  3. Examining the Role of School Resource Officers on School Safety and Crisis Response Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eklund, Katie; Meyer, Lauren; Bosworth, Kris

    2018-01-01

    School resource officers (SROs) are being increasingly employed in schools to respond to incidents of school violence and to help address safety concerns among students and staff. While previous research on school safety and crisis teams has examined the role of school mental health professionals' and administrators, fewer studies have evaluated…

  4. Patient safety during radiological examinations: a nationwide survey of residency training hospitals in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yuan-Hao; Chen, Clayton Chi-Chang; Lee, San-Kan; Chen, Cheng-Yu; Wan, Yung-Liang; Guo, Wan-Yuo; Cheng, Amy; Chan, Wing P

    2016-09-20

    Variations in radiological examination procedures and patient load lead to variations in standards of care related to patient safety and healthcare quality. To understand the status of safety measures to protect patients undergoing radiological examinations at residency training hospitals in Taiwan, a follow-up survey evaluating the full spectrum of diagnostic radiology procedures was conducted. Questionnaires covering 12 patient safety-related themes throughout the examination procedures were mailed to the departments of diagnostic radiology with residency training programmes in 19 medical centres (with >500 beds) and 17 smaller local institutions in Taiwan. After receiving the responses, all themes in 2014 were compared between medical centres and local institutions by using χ(2) or 2-sample t-tests. Radiology Directors or Technology Chiefs of medical centres and local institutions in Taiwan participated in this survey by completing and returning the questionnaires. The response rates of medical centres and local institutions were 95% and 100%, respectively. As indicated, large medical centres carried out more frequent clinically ordered, radiologist-guided patient education to prepare patients for specific examinations (CT, 28% vs 6%; special procedures, 78% vs 44%) and incident review and analysis (89% vs 47%); however, they required significantly longer access time for MRI examinations (7.00±29.50 vs 3.50±3.50 days), had more yearly incidents of large-volume contrast-medium extravasation (2.75±1.00 vs 1.00±0.75 cases) and blank radiographs (41% vs 8%), lower monthly rates of suboptimal (but interpretable) radiographs (0.00±0.01% vs 0.64±1.84%) and high-risk reminder reporting (0.01±0.16% vs 1.00±1.75%) than local institutions. Our study elucidates the status of patient safety in diagnostic radiology in Taiwan, thereby providing helpful information to improve patient safety guidelines needed for medical imaging in the future. Published by the BMJ

  5. Design considerations to enhance the safety of patient compartments in ambulance transporters.

    PubMed

    Byran, Eyal; Gilad, Issachar

    2012-01-01

    The safety of the interior of ambulances is dubious and, in the event of sudden impact during emergency transport, potentially perilous to patients they carry. The workplace ergonomics of the interior of the passenger cabin is lacking. This article discusses an improved ergonomic interior design based on study findings, observations and subjective perception. It suggests design aspects and safety concepts aimed at increasing the safety of patients and paramedic staff inside the ambulance as a mobile workstation.

  6. Compassionate containment? Balancing technical safety and therapy in the design of psychiatric wards.

    PubMed

    Curtis, Sarah; Gesler, Wilbert; Wood, Victoria; Spencer, Ian; Mason, James; Close, Helen; Reilly, Joseph

    2013-11-01

    This paper contributes to the international literature examining design of inpatient settings for mental health care. Theoretically, it elaborates the connections between conceptual frameworks from different strands of literature relating to therapeutic landscapes, social control and the social construction of risk. It does so through a discussion of the substantive example of research to evaluate the design of a purpose built inpatient psychiatric health care facility, opened in 2010 as part of the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Findings are reported from interviews or discussion groups with staff, patients and their family and friends. This paper demonstrates a strong, and often critical awareness among members of staff and other participants about how responsibilities for risk governance of 'persons' are exercised through 'technical safety' measures and the implications for therapeutic settings. Our participants often emphasised how responsibility for technical safety was being invested in the physical infrastructure of certain 'places' within the hospital where risks are seen to be 'located'. This illuminates how the spatial dimensions of social constructions of risk are incorporated into understandings about therapeutic landscapes. There were also more subtle implications, partly relating to 'Panopticist' theories about how the institution uses technical safety to supervise its own mechanisms, through the observation of staff behaviour as well as patients and visitors. Furthermore, staff seemed to feel that in relying on technical safety measures they were, to a degree, divesting themselves of human responsibility for risks they are required to manage. However, their critical assessment showed their concerns about how this might conflict with a more therapeutic approach and they contemplated ways that they might be able to engage more effectively with patients without the imposition of technical safety measures. These findings advance our thinking

  7. Highway Safety Program Manual: Volume 12: Highway Design, Construction and Maintenance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

    Volume 12 of the 19-volume Highway Safety Program Manual (which provides guidance to State and local governments on preferred highway safety practices) focuses on highway design, construction and maintenance. The purpose and specific objectives of such a program are described. Federal authority in the area of highway safety and policies regarding…

  8. Generalized railway tank car safety design optimization for hazardous materials transport: addressing the trade-off between transportation efficiency and safety.

    PubMed

    Saat, Mohd Rapik; Barkan, Christopher P L

    2011-05-15

    North America railways offer safe and generally the most economical means of long distance transport of hazardous materials. Nevertheless, in the event of a train accident releases of these materials can pose substantial risk to human health, property or the environment. The majority of railway shipments of hazardous materials are in tank cars. Improving the safety design of these cars to make them more robust in accidents generally increases their weight thereby reducing their capacity and consequent transportation efficiency. This paper presents a generalized tank car safety design optimization model that addresses this tradeoff. The optimization model enables evaluation of each element of tank car safety design, independently and in combination with one another. We present the optimization model by identifying a set of Pareto-optimal solutions for a baseline tank car design in a bicriteria decision problem. This model provides a quantitative framework for a rational decision-making process involving tank car safety design enhancements to reduce the risk of transporting hazardous materials. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Violence and Legalized Brothel Prostitution in Nevada: Examining Safety, Risk, and Prostitution Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brents, Barbara G.; Hausbeck, Kathryn

    2005-01-01

    This article examines violence in legalized brothels in Nevada. Debates over prostitution policies in the United States have long focused on questions of safety and risk. These discourses inevitably invoke the coupling of violence and prostitution, though systematic examinations of the relationship between the two are sparse. This article explores…

  10. Examining the macroergonomics and safety factors among teleworkers: development of a conceptual model.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Michelle M; Schleifer, Lawrence M; Huang, Yueng-hsiang

    2012-01-01

    With the rising number of teleworkers who are working in non-traditional work locations, health and safety issues are even more critical. While telework offers attractive alternatives to traditional work locations, it is not without challenges for employers and workers. A macroergonomics approach or work system design for telework programs is proposed to address these new challenges. This approach explains the impact of organizational, psychosocial and workplace risk factors on teleworker's health and safety. A process for managing the health and safety of teleworkers is presented along with preventive strategies to provide an injury-free working environment.

  11. Practical Child Safety Education in England: A National Survey of the Child Safety Education Coalition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulvaney, Caroline A.; Watson, Michael C.; Walsh, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To examine the provision of practical safety education by Child Safety Education Coalition (CSEC) organizations in England. Design: A postal survey. Setting: Providers of child practical safety education who were also part of CSEC. Methods: In February 2010 all CSEC organizations were sent a self-completion postal questionnaire which…

  12. Brazed Joints Design and Allowables: Discuss Margins of Safety in Critical Brazed Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    FLom, Yury

    2009-01-01

    This slide presentation tutorial discusses margins of safety in critical brazed structures. It reviews: (1) the present situation (2) definition of strength (3) margins of safety (4) design allowables (5) mechanical testing (6) failure criteria (7) design flowchart (8) braze gap (9) residual stresses and (10) delayed failures. This presentation addresses the strength of the brazed joints, the methods of mechanical testing, and our ability to evaluate the margins of safety of the brazed joints as it applies to the design of critical and expensive brazed assemblies.

  13. The Role of Probabilistic Design Analysis Methods in Safety and Affordability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Safie, Fayssal M.

    2016-01-01

    For the last several years, NASA and its contractors have been working together to build space launch systems to commercialize space. Developing commercial affordable and safe launch systems becomes very important and requires a paradigm shift. This paradigm shift enforces the need for an integrated systems engineering environment where cost, safety, reliability, and performance need to be considered to optimize the launch system design. In such an environment, rule based and deterministic engineering design practices alone may not be sufficient to optimize margins and fault tolerance to reduce cost. As a result, introduction of Probabilistic Design Analysis (PDA) methods to support the current deterministic engineering design practices becomes a necessity to reduce cost without compromising reliability and safety. This paper discusses the importance of PDA methods in NASA's new commercial environment, their applications, and the key role they can play in designing reliable, safe, and affordable launch systems. More specifically, this paper discusses: 1) The involvement of NASA in PDA 2) Why PDA is needed 3) A PDA model structure 4) A PDA example application 5) PDA link to safety and affordability.

  14. Public Safety Networks--Examining Mimetic, Complexity, and Legacy Effects on Interorganizational Collaborations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dias, Martin A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this dissertation is to examine information systems-enabled interorganizational collaborations called public safety networks--their proliferation, information systems architecture, and technology evolution. These networks face immense pressures from member organizations, external stakeholders, and environmental contingencies. This…

  15. A Review of Safety and Design Requirements of the Artificial Pancreas.

    PubMed

    Blauw, Helga; Keith-Hynes, Patrick; Koops, Robin; DeVries, J Hans

    2016-11-01

    As clinical studies with artificial pancreas systems for automated blood glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes move to unsupervised real-life settings, product development will be a focus of companies over the coming years. Directions or requirements regarding safety in the design of an artificial pancreas are, however, lacking. This review aims to provide an overview and discussion of safety and design requirements of the artificial pancreas. We performed a structured literature search based on three search components-type 1 diabetes, artificial pancreas, and safety or design-and extended the discussion with our own experiences in developing artificial pancreas systems. The main hazards of the artificial pancreas are over- and under-dosing of insulin and, in case of a bi-hormonal system, of glucagon or other hormones. For each component of an artificial pancreas and for the complete system we identified safety issues related to these hazards and proposed control measures. Prerequisites that enable the control algorithms to provide safe closed-loop control are accurate and reliable input of glucose values, assured hormone delivery and an efficient user interface. In addition, the system configuration has important implications for safety, as close cooperation and data exchange between the different components is essential.

  16. Examining psychosocial and physical hazards in the Ghanaian mining industry and their implications for employees' safety experience.

    PubMed

    Amponsah-Tawiah, Kwesi; Jain, Aditya; Leka, Stavroula; Hollis, David; Cox, Tom

    2013-06-01

    In addition to hazardous conditions that are prevalent in mines, there are various physical and psychosocial risk factors that can affect mine workers' safety and health. Without due diligence to mine safety, these risk factors can affect workers' safety experience, in terms of near misses, disabling injuries and accidents experienced or witnessed by workers. This study sets out to examine the effects of physical and psychosocial risk factors on workers' safety experience in a sample of Ghanaian miners. 307 participants from five mining companies responded to a cross sectional survey examining physical and psychosocial hazards and their implications for employees' safety experience. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models indicated that mining conditions, equipment, ambient conditions, support and security, and work demands and control are significant predictors of near misses, disabling injuries, and accidents experienced or witnessed by workers. The type of mine had important implications for workers' safety experience. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  17. Investigation of structural factors of safety for the space shuttle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    A study was made of the factors governing the structural design of the fully reusable space shuttle booster to establish a rational approach to select optimum structural factors of safety. The study included trade studies of structural factors of safety versus booster service life, weight, cost, and reliability. Similar trade studies can be made on other vehicles using the procedures developed. The major structural components of a selected baseline booster were studied in depth, each being examined to determine the fatigue life, safe-life, and fail-safe capabilities of the baseline design. Each component was further examined to determine its reliability and safety requirements, and the change of structural weight with factors of safety. The apparent factors of safety resulting from fatigue, safe-life, proof test, and fail-safe requirements were identified. The feasibility of reduced factors of safety for design loads such as engine thrust, which are well defined, was examined.

  18. Angioedema Spotlight: A Closer Examination of Sacubitril/Valsartan Safety Results.

    PubMed

    Owens, Ryan E; Oliphant, Carrie S

    2017-01-01

    Incorporation of neprilysin inhibition into heart failure pharmacotherapy regimens has recently been recommended by U.S. guidelines, based on results from the PARADIGM-HF trial comparing sacubitril/valsartan to enalapril. While most of the discussion has focused on efficacy, a closer examination of the safety results, particularly the incidence of angioedema during the run-in and double-blind periods, is also warranted. Although no major safety concerns were identified, an angioedema risk comparable to enalapril was found, primarily in the black population. Therefore, despite combination with an angiotensin receptor blocker, which historically has a lower incidence of angioedema, the addition of neprilysin inhibition yields an angioedema risk profile comparable to angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Clinicians should recognize this safety risk when prescribing sacubitril/valsartan and remain vigilant in counseling patients regarding the signs and symptoms of angioedema. As recommended by the guidelines, avoiding sacubitril/valsartan use concurrently or within 36 hours of the last dose of an ACE inhibitor or in patients with a history of angioedema is also crucial to minimize angioedema risk and prevent patient harm. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  19. Safety sign designs for children by considering effect of the colors preferences: A case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iftadi, Irwan; Nugraha, Dian Cahya; Jauhari, Wakhid Ahmad

    2018-02-01

    Color has become a major consideration in ergonomics. Color conveys a message and it is an important element in safety signs. The importance of colors usage in safety sign designs makes the colors research into one of the things that must be done before designing them. So far, research in the related field only focused on the adult's perspective without involving children's perspective in designing the safety signs. This paper aims to find out how children's perception towards colors affects the safety sign designs. This study consist of eight sections which are literature study, direct observation, determining referents and other parameters, determining research respondents, making the booklet, assessing the colors preferences, determining the design's parameter value and creating the safety sign designs. Limitation of the research are the objects are the students with the age of 10 - 11 years old in Grade IV and then the research is conducted in the school day and hours that apply to the school. Chi square test and odds ratio are employed to assess the colors preferences. Twelve safety sign designs are proposed by considering the children's colors perception. The designs are grouped into three types of sign which are Mandatory Action Sign, Warning Sign and Prohibition Sign. Six colors are used to draw the safety signs i.e. red, orange, yellow, green, blue and black. On the basis of the study, it is concluded that the colors that often appears in safety signs is green with the percentage of 75% and that rarely appears is red with the percentage of 8.33%.

  20. Nuclear safety for the space exploration initiative

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dix, Terry E.

    1991-01-01

    The results of a study to identify potential hazards arising from nuclear reactor power systems for use on the lunar and Martian surfaces, related safety issues, and resolutions of such issues by system design changes, operating procedures, and other means are presented. All safety aspects of nuclear reactor power systems from prelaunch ground handling to eventual disposal were examined consistent with the level of detail for SP-100 reactor design at the 1988 System Design Review and for launch vehicle and space transport vehicle designs and mission descriptions as defined in the 90-day Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) study. Information from previous aerospace nuclear safety studies was used where appropriate. Safety requirements for the SP-100 space nuclear reactor system were compiled. Mission profiles were defined with emphasis on activities after low earth orbit insertion. Accident scenarios were then qualitatively defined for each mission phase. Safety issues were identified for all mission phases with the aid of simplified event trees. Safety issue resolution approaches of the SP-100 program were compiled. Resolution approaches for those safety issues not covered by the SP-100 program were identified. Additionally, the resolution approaches of the SP-100 program were examined in light of the moon and Mars missions.

  1. Safety assessment in plant layout design using indexing approach: implementing inherent safety perspective. Part 2-Domino Hazard Index and case study.

    PubMed

    Tugnoli, Alessandro; Khan, Faisal; Amyotte, Paul; Cozzani, Valerio

    2008-12-15

    The design of layout plans requires adequate assessment tools for the quantification of safety performance. The general focus of the present work is to introduce an inherent safety perspective at different points of the layout design process. In particular, index approaches for safety assessment and decision-making in the early stages of layout design are developed and discussed in this two-part contribution. Part 1 (accompanying paper) of the current work presents an integrated index approach for safety assessment of early plant layout. In the present paper (Part 2), an index for evaluation of the hazard related to the potential of domino effects is developed. The index considers the actual consequences of possible escalation scenarios and scores or ranks the subsequent accident propagation potential. The effects of inherent and passive protection measures are also assessed. The result is a rapid quantification of domino hazard potential that can provide substantial support for choices in the early stages of layout design. Additionally, a case study concerning selection among various layout options is presented and analyzed. The case study demonstrates the use and applicability of the indices developed in both parts of the current work and highlights the value of introducing inherent safety features early in layout design.

  2. The relationship between organizational leadership for safety and learning from patient safety events.

    PubMed

    Ginsburg, Liane R; Chuang, You-Ta; Berta, Whitney Blair; Norton, Peter G; Ng, Peggy; Tregunno, Deborah; Richardson, Julia

    2010-06-01

    To examine the relationship between organizational leadership for patient safety and five types of learning from patient safety events (PSEs). Forty-nine general acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. A nonexperimental design using cross-sectional surveys of hospital patient safety officers (PSOs) and patient care managers (PCMs). PSOs provided data on organization-level learning from (a) minor events, (b) moderate events, (c) major near misses, (d) major event analysis, and (e) major event dissemination/communication. PCMs provided data on organizational leadership (formal and informal) for patient safety. Hospitals were the unit of analysis. Seemingly unrelated regression was used to examine the influence of formal and informal leadership for safety on the five types of learning from PSEs. The interaction between leadership and hospital size was also examined. Formal organizational leadership for patient safety is an important predictor of learning from minor, moderate, and major near-miss events, and major event dissemination. This relationship is significantly stronger for small hospitals (<100 beds). We find support for the relationship between patient safety leadership and patient safety behaviors such as learning from safety events. Formal leadership support for safety is of particular importance in small organizations where the economic burden of safety programs is disproportionately large and formal leadership is closer to the front lines.

  3. Multimedia for occupational safety and health training: a pilot study examining a multimedia learning theory.

    PubMed

    Wallen, Erik S; Mulloy, Karen B

    2006-10-01

    Occupational diseases are a significant problem affecting public health. Safety training is an important method of preventing occupational illness. Training is increasingly being delivered by computer although theories of learning from computer-based multimedia have been tested almost entirely on college students. This study was designed to determine whether these theories might also be applied to safety training applications for working adults. Participants viewed either computer-based multimedia respirator use training with concurrent narration, narration prior to the animation, or unrelated safety training. Participants then took a five-item transfer test which measured their ability to use their knowledge in new and creative ways. Participants who viewed the computer-based multimedia trainings both did significantly better than the control group on the transfer test. The results of this pilot study suggest that design guidelines developed for younger learners may be effective for training workers in occupational safety and health although more investigation is needed.

  4. Roadway safety design workbook.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-07-01

    Highway safety is an ongoing concern to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). As part of its : proactive commitment to improving highway safety, TxDOT is moving toward including quantitative safety : analyses earlier in the project developm...

  5. Highway safety design workshops.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-11-01

    Highway safety is an ongoing concern for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). As part of its : proactive commitment to improving highway safety, TxDOT is moving toward including quantitative safety : analyses earlier in the project develop...

  6. General Consideration in the History, Physical Examination, and Safety Determination.

    PubMed

    Buchanan, Jonathan; Dexter, William; Powell, Amy; Wright, Justin

    2015-12-01

    A thorough medical history is perhaps the most important aspect when evaluating an athlete before wilderness adventure. A physical examination should follow focusing on conditions that may be affected by changes in atmospheric pressure, extremes of temperature, or altitude. This information can then be used to make safety recommendations ensuring that adventurers are able to safely enjoy participation in the wilderness pursuit of their choice. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Effects of training school type and examiner type on general aviation flight safety.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-03-01

    This study addresses the question Do training school type and certifying examiner type affect a general aviation (GA) pilots subsequent aviation safety record? Education was operationalized as private pilot instruction in either a Part...

  8. 14 CFR 415.127 - Flight safety system design and operation data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... system and subsystems design and operational requirements. (c) Flight safety system diagram. An applicant... subsystems. The diagram must include the following subsystems defined in part 417, subpart D of this chapter... data processing, display, and recording system; and flight safety official console. (d) Subsystem...

  9. 14 CFR 415.127 - Flight safety system design and operation data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... system and subsystems design and operational requirements. (c) Flight safety system diagram. An applicant... subsystems. The diagram must include the following subsystems defined in part 417, subpart D of this chapter... data processing, display, and recording system; and flight safety official console. (d) Subsystem...

  10. 14 CFR 415.127 - Flight safety system design and operation data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... system and subsystems design and operational requirements. (c) Flight safety system diagram. An applicant... subsystems. The diagram must include the following subsystems defined in part 417, subpart D of this chapter... data processing, display, and recording system; and flight safety official console. (d) Subsystem...

  11. 14 CFR 415.127 - Flight safety system design and operation data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... system and subsystems design and operational requirements. (c) Flight safety system diagram. An applicant... subsystems. The diagram must include the following subsystems defined in part 417, subpart D of this chapter... data processing, display, and recording system; and flight safety official console. (d) Subsystem...

  12. 14 CFR 415.127 - Flight safety system design and operation data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Expendable Launch Vehicle From a Non-Federal Launch Site § 415.127 Flight safety system design and operation...: flight termination system; command control system; tracking; telemetry; communications; flight safety... control system. (7) Flight termination system component storage, operating, and service life. A listing of...

  13. Examining the Relationship Between Passenger Airline Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing and Aircraft Safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monaghan, Kari L.

    The problem addressed was the concern for aircraft safety rates as they relate to the rate of maintenance outsourcing. Data gathered from 14 passenger airlines: AirTran, Alaska, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, United, and USAir covered the years 1996 through 2008. A quantitative correlational design, utilizing Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the coefficient of determination were used in the present study to measure the correlation between variables. Elements of passenger airline aircraft maintenance outsourcing and aircraft accidents, incidents, and pilot deviations within domestic passenger airline operations were analyzed, examined, and evaluated. Rates of maintenance outsourcing were analyzed to determine the association with accident, incident, and pilot deviation rates. Maintenance outsourcing rates used in the evaluation were the yearly dollar expenditure of passenger airlines for aircraft maintenance outsourcing as they relate to the total airline aircraft maintenance expenditures. Aircraft accident, incident, and pilot deviation rates used in the evaluation were the yearly number of accidents, incidents, and pilot deviations per miles flown. The Pearson r-values were calculated to measure the linear relationship strength between the variables. There were no statistically significant correlation findings for accidents, r(174)=0.065, p=0.393, and incidents, r(174)=0.020, p=0.793. However, there was a statistically significant correlation for pilot deviation rates, r(174)=0.204, p=0.007 thus indicating a statistically significant correlation between maintenance outsourcing rates and pilot deviation rates. The calculated R square value of 0.042 represents the variance that can be accounted for in aircraft pilot deviation rates by examining the variance in aircraft maintenance outsourcing rates; accordingly, 95.8% of the variance is unexplained. Suggestions for future research include

  14. The role of leader influence tactics and safety climate in engaging employees' safety participation.

    PubMed

    Clarke, Sharon; Ward, Katie

    2006-10-01

    This study examines the effect of leader influence tactics on employee safety participation in a U.K.-based manufacturing organization, examining the role of safety climate as a mediator. Structural equation modeling showed that leader influence tactics associated with a transformational leadership style had significant relationships with safety participation that were partially mediated by the safety climate (consultation) or fully mediated by the safety climate (inspirational appeals). In addition, leader influence tactics associated with a transactional leadership style had significant relationships with safety participation: rational persuasion (partially mediated by safety climate) and coalition tactics (direct effect). Thus, leaders may encourage safety participation using a combination of influence tactics, based on rational arguments, involvement in decision making, and generating enthusiasm for safety. The influence of building trust in managers is discussed as an underlying mechanism in this relationship. Practical implications are highlighted, including the design of leadership development programs, which may be particularly suited to high-reliability organizations.

  15. Preliminary Examination of Safety Issues on a University Campus: Personal Safety Practices, Beliefs & Attitudes of Female Faculty & Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Paula C.; Bryden, Pamela J.

    2007-01-01

    University and college campuses are not immune to acts of violence. Unfortunately there is limited information regarding violence in the academic setting among women employees. As such, the purpose of this exploratory research was to examine issues that female faculty and staff members have about safety on and around campus, including concerns…

  16. 48 CFR 50.205-3 - Authorization of offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...— (i) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation, a pre-qualification designation notice or a block designation; or (ii) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act certification, a block certification... contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract award. 50.205-3 Section 50.205-3...

  17. Sources of Safety Data and Statistical Strategies for Design and Analysis: Clinical Trials.

    PubMed

    Zink, Richard C; Marchenko, Olga; Sanchez-Kam, Matilde; Ma, Haijun; Jiang, Qi

    2018-03-01

    There has been an increased emphasis on the proactive and comprehensive evaluation of safety endpoints to ensure patient well-being throughout the medical product life cycle. In fact, depending on the severity of the underlying disease, it is important to plan for a comprehensive safety evaluation at the start of any development program. Statisticians should be intimately involved in this process and contribute their expertise to study design, safety data collection, analysis, reporting (including data visualization), and interpretation. In this manuscript, we review the challenges associated with the analysis of safety endpoints and describe the safety data that are available to influence the design and analysis of premarket clinical trials. We share our recommendations for the statistical and graphical methodologies necessary to appropriately analyze, report, and interpret safety outcomes, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of safety data obtained from clinical trials compared to other sources. Clinical trials are an important source of safety data that contribute to the totality of safety information available to generate evidence for regulators, sponsors, payers, physicians, and patients. This work is a result of the efforts of the American Statistical Association Biopharmaceutical Section Safety Working Group.

  18. Safety approach to the selection of design criteria for the CRBRP reactor refueling system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Meisl, C J; Berg, G E; Sharkey, N F

    1979-01-01

    The selection of safety design criteria for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) refueling systems required the extrapolation of regulations and guidelines intended for Light Water Reactor refueling systems and was encumbered by the lack of benefit from a commercially licensed predecessor other than Fermi. The overall approach and underlying logic are described for developing safety design criteria for the reactor refueling system (RRS) of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP). The complete selection process used to establish the criteria is presented, from the definition of safety functions to the finalization of safety design criteria in the appropriate documents.more » The process steps are illustrated by examples.« less

  19. Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of two large safety studies.

    PubMed

    Gaffney, Michael

    2016-10-01

    The emergence, post approval, of serious medical events, which may be associated with the use of a particular drug or class of drugs, is an important public health and regulatory issue. The best method to address this issue is through a large, rigorously designed safety study. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the statistical issues involved in these large safety studies. Two such studies are PRECISION and EAGLES. PRECISION is the primary focus of this article. PRECISION is a non-inferiority design with a clinically relevant non-inferiority margin. Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of PRECISION are discussed. Quantitative and clinical aspects of the selection of the composite primary endpoint, the determination and role of the non-inferiority margin in a large safety study and the intent-to-treat and modified intent-to-treat analyses in a non-inferiority safety study are shown. Protocol changes that were necessary during the conduct of PRECISION are discussed from a statistical perspective. Issues regarding the complex analysis and interpretation of the results of PRECISION are outlined. EAGLES is presented as a large, rigorously designed safety study when a non-inferiority margin was not able to be determined by a strong clinical/scientific method. In general, when a non-inferiority margin is not able to be determined, the width of the 95% confidence interval is a way to size the study and to assess the cost-benefit of relative trial size. A non-inferiority margin, when able to be determined by a strong scientific method, should be included in a large safety study. Although these studies could not be called "pragmatic," they are examples of best real-world designs to address safety and regulatory concerns. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. 29 CFR 1960.6 - Designation of agency safety and health officials.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... responsibility to represent effectively the interest and support of the agency head in the management and... Order 12196, and this part; (2) An organization, including provision for the designation of safety and... safety and health program at all operational levels; (3) A set of procedures that ensures effective...

  1. Creating a Culture of Patient Safety through Innovative Hospital Design

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-05-01

    and families in the design process The IOM recommends working together with patients to customize health care systems, to ensure patient needs and...lab, drawing what we could about patient safety from available literature; inviting experts from the health care profession and other fields...safety of patient care, St. Joseph administrators believed that there was an opportunity to learn collectively from leaders in health care and other

  2. Medication safety research by observational study design.

    PubMed

    Lao, Kim S J; Chui, Celine S L; Man, Kenneth K C; Lau, Wallis C Y; Chan, Esther W; Wong, Ian C K

    2016-06-01

    Observational studies have been recognised to be essential for investigating the safety profile of medications. Numerous observational studies have been conducted on the platform of large population databases, which provide adequate sample size and follow-up length to detect infrequent and/or delayed clinical outcomes. Cohort and case-control are well-accepted traditional methodologies for hypothesis testing, while within-individual study designs are developing and evolving, addressing previous known methodological limitations to reduce confounding and bias. Respective examples of observational studies of different study designs using medical databases are shown. Methodology characteristics, study assumptions, strengths and weaknesses of each method are discussed in this review.

  3. An epistemology of patient safety research: a framework for study design and interpretation. Part 1. Conceptualising and developing interventions.

    PubMed

    Brown, C; Hofer, T; Johal, A; Thomson, R; Nicholl, J; Franklin, B D; Lilford, R J

    2008-06-01

    This is the first of a four-part series of articles examining the epistemology of patient safety research. Parts 2 and 3 will describe different study designs and methods of measuring outcomes in the evaluation of patient safety interventions, before Part 4 suggests that "one size does not fit all". Part 1 sets the scene by defining patient safety research as a challenging form of service delivery and organisational research that has to deal (although not exclusively) with some very rare events. It then considers two inter-related ideas: a causal chain that can be used to identify where in an organisation's structure and/or processes an intervention may impact; and the need for preimplementation evaluation of proposed interventions. Finally, the paper outlines the authors' pragmatist ontological stance to patient safety research, which sets the philosophical basis for the remaining three articles.

  4. A scan statistic for identifying optimal risk windows in vaccine safety studies using self-controlled case series design.

    PubMed

    Xu, Stanley; Hambidge, Simon J; McClure, David L; Daley, Matthew F; Glanz, Jason M

    2013-08-30

    In the examination of the association between vaccines and rare adverse events after vaccination in postlicensure observational studies, it is challenging to define appropriate risk windows because prelicensure RCTs provide little insight on the timing of specific adverse events. Past vaccine safety studies have often used prespecified risk windows based on prior publications, biological understanding of the vaccine, and expert opinion. Recently, a data-driven approach was developed to identify appropriate risk windows for vaccine safety studies that use the self-controlled case series design. This approach employs both the maximum incidence rate ratio and the linear relation between the estimated incidence rate ratio and the inverse of average person time at risk, given a specified risk window. In this paper, we present a scan statistic that can identify appropriate risk windows in vaccine safety studies using the self-controlled case series design while taking into account the dependence of time intervals within an individual and while adjusting for time-varying covariates such as age and seasonality. This approach uses the maximum likelihood ratio test based on fixed-effects models, which has been used for analyzing data from self-controlled case series design in addition to conditional Poisson models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. [Design of a plan for patient safety in pediatric surgery service].

    PubMed

    Paredes Esteban, R M; Castillo Fernández, A L; Miñarro del Moral, R; Garrido Pérez, J I; Granero Cendón, R; Gómez Beltrán, O; Berenguer Garcia, M J; Tejedor Fernández, M

    2014-10-01

    Patient safety is a key priority in quality management for healthcare services providers. Every patient is entitled to receive safe and effective healthcare. The aim of this study was to design a patient safety plan for a Paediatric Surgery Department. We carried out a literature review and we established a work group that included healthcare professionals from the Paediatric Surgery Department and the Quality and Medical Records Department. The group identified potential adverse events, failures and causes and established a rating using Failure Mode Effects Analysis. Potential risks were mapped out and a plan was designed establishing actions to reduce risks. We designated leaders to ensure the effective implementation of the plan. A total of 58 adverse events were identified in the Paediatric Surgery Department. We detected 128 failures that were produced by 211 different causes. The group developed a proposal with 424 specific measures to carry out preventive and/or remedial actions that were then narrowed down to 322. The group designed a plan to apply the programme, which is currently being implemented. The methodology used enabled obtaining key information for improvement of patient safety and developing preventive and/or remedial actions. These measures are applicable in practice, as they were designed using proposals and agreements with professionals that take active part in the care of children with surgical conditions.

  6. Federal and tribal lands road safety audits : case studies

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-12-01

    A road safety audit (RSA) is a formal safety performance examination by an independent, multidisciplinary team. RSAs are an effective tool for proactively improving the safety performance of a road project during the planning and design stages, and f...

  7. Design for Reliability and Safety Approach for the New NASA Launch Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Safie, Fayssal M.; Weldon, Danny M.

    2007-01-01

    The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is in the midst of a space exploration program intended for sending crew and cargo to the international Space Station (ISS), to the moon, and beyond. This program is called Constellation. As part of the Constellation program, NASA is developing new launch vehicles aimed at significantly increase safety and reliability, reduce the cost of accessing space, and provide a growth path for manned space exploration. Achieving these goals requires a rigorous process that addresses reliability, safety, and cost upfront and throughout all the phases of the life cycle of the program. This paper discusses the "Design for Reliability and Safety" approach for the NASA new launch vehicles, the ARES I and ARES V. Specifically, the paper addresses the use of an integrated probabilistic functional analysis to support the design analysis cycle and a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to support the preliminary design and beyond.

  8. Measuring safety climate in health care.

    PubMed

    Flin, R; Burns, C; Mearns, K; Yule, S; Robertson, E M

    2006-04-01

    To review quantitative studies of safety climate in health care to examine the psychometric properties of the questionnaires designed to measure this construct. A systematic literature review was undertaken to study sample and questionnaire design characteristics (source, no of items, scale type), construct validity (content validity, factor structure and internal reliability, concurrent validity), within group agreement, and level of analysis. Twelve studies were examined. There was a lack of explicit theoretical underpinning for most questionnaires and some instruments did not report standard psychometric criteria. Where this information was available, several questionnaires appeared to have limitations. More consideration should be given to psychometric factors in the design of healthcare safety climate instruments, especially as these are beginning to be used in large scale surveys across healthcare organisations.

  9. Design of Hack-Resistant Diabetes Devices and Disclosure of Their Cyber Safety

    PubMed Central

    Sackner-Bernstein, Jonathan

    2017-01-01

    Background: The focus of the medical device industry and regulatory bodies on cyber security parallels that in other industries, primarily on risk assessment and user education as well as the recognition and response to infiltration. However, transparency of the safety of marketed devices is lacking and developers are not embracing optimal design practices with new devices. Achieving cyber safe diabetes devices: To improve understanding of cyber safety by clinicians and patients, and inform decision making on use practices of medical devices requires disclosure by device manufacturers of the results of their cyber security testing. Furthermore, developers should immediately shift their design processes to deliver better cyber safety, exemplified by use of state of the art encryption, secure operating systems, and memory protections from malware. PMID:27837161

  10. Design of Hack-Resistant Diabetes Devices and Disclosure of Their Cyber Safety.

    PubMed

    Sackner-Bernstein, Jonathan

    2017-03-01

    The focus of the medical device industry and regulatory bodies on cyber security parallels that in other industries, primarily on risk assessment and user education as well as the recognition and response to infiltration. However, transparency of the safety of marketed devices is lacking and developers are not embracing optimal design practices with new devices. Achieving cyber safe diabetes devices: To improve understanding of cyber safety by clinicians and patients, and inform decision making on use practices of medical devices requires disclosure by device manufacturers of the results of their cyber security testing. Furthermore, developers should immediately shift their design processes to deliver better cyber safety, exemplified by use of state of the art encryption, secure operating systems, and memory protections from malware.

  11. [Safety culture: definition, models and design].

    PubMed

    Pfaff, Holger; Hammer, Antje; Ernstmann, Nicole; Kowalski, Christoph; Ommen, Oliver

    2009-01-01

    Safety culture is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. Safety culture of a healthcare organization is high if it has a common stock in knowledge, values and symbols in regard to patients' safety. The article intends to define safety culture in the first step and, in the second step, demonstrate the effects of safety culture. We present the model of safety behaviour and show how safety culture can affect behaviour and produce safe behaviour. In the third step we will look at the causes of safety culture and present the safety-culture-model. The main hypothesis of this model is that the safety culture of a healthcare organization strongly depends on its communication culture and its social capital. Finally, we will investigate how the safety culture of a healthcare organization can be improved. Based on the safety culture model six measures to improve safety culture will be presented.

  12. Safety design considerations for lithium batteries in CF applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moroz, W. J.

    1981-02-01

    Lithium-sulphur dioxide (Li-SO2) primary cells are being introduced as power supplies into Canadian Forces applications where advantage can be taken of their high energy density characteristics and low temperature capabilities. For safety reasons the high energy capabilities of these cells must be protected against the possibility of accidental abuse. DREO has investigated and identified a number of operational problem areas associated with Li-SO2 systems. Safety design considerations are proposed for three CF applications; the PRC 515 Radio Set/Radar Transponder SST-181X applications and the AN/PRQ-501 Personal Locater Beacon.

  13. 77 FR 74196 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Safety Considerations for Product Design To Minimize Medication...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-13

    ... document, which addresses safety achieved through drug product design, is the first in a series of planned...] Draft Guidance for Industry on Safety Considerations for Product Design To Minimize Medication Errors... Considerations for Product Design to Minimize Medication Errors.'' The draft guidance provides sponsors of...

  14. Cornell Alliance for Science Evaluation of Consensus on Genetically Modified Food Safety: Weaknesses in Study Design

    PubMed Central

    Antoniou, Michael N.; Robinson, Claire J.

    2017-01-01

    Cornell Alliance for Science has launched an initiative in which “citizen scientists” are called upon to evaluate studies on health risks of genetically modified (GM) crops and foods. The purpose is to establish whether the consensus on GM food safety claimed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is supported by a review of the scientific literature. The Alliance’s citizen scientists are examining more than 12,000 publication abstracts to quantify how far the scientific literature supports the AAAS’s statement. We identify a number of fundamental weaknesses in the Alliance’s study design, including evaluation is based only on information provided in the publication abstract; there is a lack of clarity as to what material is included in the 12,000 study abstracts to be reviewed, since the number of appropriately designed investigations addressing GM food safety are few; there is uncertainty as to whether studies of toxic effects arising from GM crop-associated pesticides will be included; there is a lack of clarity regarding whether divergent yet equally valid interpretations of the same study will be taken into account; and there is no definition of the cutoff point for consensus or non-consensus on GM food safety. In addition, vital industry proprietary biosafety data on GM crops and associated pesticides are not publicly available and is thus cannot inform this project. Based on these weaknesses in the study design, we believe it is questionable as to whether any objective or meaningful conclusion can be drawn from the Alliance’s initiative. PMID:28447029

  15. Cornell Alliance for Science Evaluation of Consensus on Genetically Modified Food Safety: Weaknesses in Study Design.

    PubMed

    Antoniou, Michael N; Robinson, Claire J

    2017-01-01

    Cornell Alliance for Science has launched an initiative in which "citizen scientists" are called upon to evaluate studies on health risks of genetically modified (GM) crops and foods. The purpose is to establish whether the consensus on GM food safety claimed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is supported by a review of the scientific literature. The Alliance's citizen scientists are examining more than 12,000 publication abstracts to quantify how far the scientific literature supports the AAAS's statement. We identify a number of fundamental weaknesses in the Alliance's study design, including evaluation is based only on information provided in the publication abstract; there is a lack of clarity as to what material is included in the 12,000 study abstracts to be reviewed, since the number of appropriately designed investigations addressing GM food safety are few; there is uncertainty as to whether studies of toxic effects arising from GM crop-associated pesticides will be included; there is a lack of clarity regarding whether divergent yet equally valid interpretations of the same study will be taken into account; and there is no definition of the cutoff point for consensus or non-consensus on GM food safety. In addition, vital industry proprietary biosafety data on GM crops and associated pesticides are not publicly available and is thus cannot inform this project. Based on these weaknesses in the study design, we believe it is questionable as to whether any objective or meaningful conclusion can be drawn from the Alliance's initiative.

  16. Safety envelope for load tolerance of structural element design based on multi-stage testing

    DOE PAGES

    Park, Chanyoung; Kim, Nam H.

    2016-09-06

    Structural elements, such as stiffened panels and lap joints, are basic components of aircraft structures. For aircraft structural design, designers select predesigned elements satisfying the design load requirement based on their load-carrying capabilities. Therefore, estimation of safety envelope of structural elements for load tolerances would be a good investment for design purpose. In this article, a method of estimating safety envelope is presented using probabilistic classification, which can estimate a specific level of failure probability under both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. An important contribution of this article is that the calculation uncertainty is reflected in building a safety envelope usingmore » Gaussian process, and the effect of element test data on reducing the calculation uncertainty is incorporated by updating the Gaussian process model with the element test data. It is shown that even one element test can significantly reduce the calculation uncertainty due to lacking knowledge of actual physics, so that conservativeness in a safety envelope is significantly reduced. The proposed approach was demonstrated with a cantilever beam example, which represents a structural element. The example shows that calculation uncertainty provides about 93% conservativeness against the uncertainty due to a few element tests. As a result, it is shown that even a single element test can increase the load tolerance modeled with the safety envelope by 20%.« less

  17. A Team, Case-based Examination and Its Impact on Student Performance in a Patient Safety and Informatics Course

    PubMed Central

    Etheridge, Kierstan; DeLellis, Teresa

    2017-01-01

    Objective. To describe the redesigned assessment plan for a patient safety and informatics course and assess student pharmacist performance and perceptions. Methods. The final examination of a patient safety course was redesigned from traditional multiple choice and short answer to team-based, open-ended, and case-based. Faculty for each class session developed higher level activities, focused on developing key skills or attitudes deemed essential for practice, for a progressive patient case consisting of nine activities. Student performance and perceptions were analyzed with pre- and post-surveys using 5-point scales. Results. Mean performance on the examination was 93.6%; median scores for each assessed course outcome ranged from 90% to 100%. Eighty-five percent of students completed both surveys. Confidence performing skills and demonstrating attitudes improved for each item on post-survey compared with pre-survey. Eighty-one percent of students indicated the experience of taking the examination was beneficial for their professional development. Conclusion. A team, case-based examination was associated with high student performance and improved self-confidence in performing medication safety-related skills. PMID:28970618

  18. Fire safety design of a mobile quarantine facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bass, R. S.; Hirasaki, J. K.

    1971-01-01

    During the design phase of the Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF), a primary consideration was fire safety. Therefore, appropriate criteria and ground rules were used in the design and construction of the facility. The fire codes and fire-requirement listings that are used by commerical airlines were supplied to the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). After these codes were reviewed, a basic ground rule was adopted that flame protection for all combustible materials should be at least equivalent to or better than the standards for commercial aircraft. Because the MQF was designed to operate with an interior atmosphere of air rather than with an oxygen-enriched atmosphere such as that of the Apollo spacecraft cabin, the requirements for MQF material were not as stringent as those for the spacecraft.

  19. Software safety - A user's practical perspective

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunn, William R.; Corliss, Lloyd D.

    1990-01-01

    Software safety assurance philosophy and practices at the NASA Ames are discussed. It is shown that, to be safe, software must be error-free. Software developments on two digital flight control systems and two ground facility systems are examined, including the overall system and software organization and function, the software-safety issues, and their resolution. The effectiveness of safety assurance methods is discussed, including conventional life-cycle practices, verification and validation testing, software safety analysis, and formal design methods. It is concluded (1) that a practical software safety technology does not yet exist, (2) that it is unlikely that a set of general-purpose analytical techniques can be developed for proving that software is safe, and (3) that successful software safety-assurance practices will have to take into account the detailed design processes employed and show that the software will execute correctly under all possible conditions.

  20. Designing Serious Games for Safety Education: "Learn to Brace" versus Traditional Pictorials for Aircraft Passengers.

    PubMed

    Chittaro, Luca

    2016-05-01

    Serious games for safety education (SGSE) are a novel tool for preparing people to prevent and\\or handle risky situations. Although several SGSE have been developed, design and evaluation methods for SGSE need to be better grounded in and guided by safety-relevant psychological theories. In particular, this paper focuses on threat appeals and the assessment of variables, such as safety locus of control, that influence human behavior in real risky situations. It illustrates how we took into account such models in the design and evaluation of "Learn to Brace", a first-of-its-kind serious game that deals with a major problem in aviation safety, i.e. the scarce effectiveness of the safety cards used by airlines. The study considered a sample of 48 users: half of them received instructions about the brace position through the serious game, the other half through a traditional safety card pictorial. Results showed that the serious game was much more effective than the traditional instructions both in terms of learning and of changing safety-relevant perceptions, especially safety locus of control and recommendation perception.

  1. 30 CFR 57.18002 - Examination of working places.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... designated by the operator shall examine each working place at least once each shift for conditions which may... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of working places. 57.18002 Section 57.18002 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND...

  2. An aspect-oriented approach for designing safety-critical systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petrov, Z.; Zaykov, P. G.; Cardoso, J. P.; Coutinho, J. G. F.; Diniz, P. C.; Luk, W.

    The development of avionics systems is typically a tedious and cumbersome process. In addition to the required functions, developers must consider various and often conflicting non-functional requirements such as safety, performance, and energy efficiency. Certainly, an integrated approach with a seamless design flow that is capable of requirements modelling and supporting refinement down to an actual implementation in a traceable way, may lead to a significant acceleration of development cycles. This paper presents an aspect-oriented approach supported by a tool chain that deals with functional and non-functional requirements in an integrated manner. It also discusses how the approach can be applied to development of safety-critical systems and provides experimental results.

  3. A revolutionary design change to improve stapler safety.

    PubMed

    Arteaga-González, Iván J

    2013-01-01

    Postoperative staple line leaks and bleeding are the most common reasons for complications in surgical procedures that involve organ resection, such as sleeve gastrectomy. Increasing the safety of these operations requires improving the instruments (endostaplers or endocutters) used for stapling and sectioning the tissues. We present a new prototype stapler for marketing in resection surgery, especially designed for the sleeve gastrectomy. We suggest that the medical instrument industry creates devices in which the channel along which the knife blade runs is located asymmetrically. This would allow more staples to be placed on the side of the gastric remnant, thus improving the sealing and hemostasis of the suture line and reducing the number of complications for patients as a result. The application of new concepts in medical surgical devices can improve the safety of the procedures in our patients.

  4. 76 FR 11187 - Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-01

    ... Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards... rule addressing Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health..., and weekly examinations of underground coal mines. This extension gives commenters an additional 30...

  5. Design and Testing of the Safety Agenda Mobile App for Managing Health Care Managers’ Patient Safety Responsibilities

    PubMed Central

    Carrillo, Irene; Fernandez, Cesar; Vicente, Maria Asuncion; Guilabert, Mercedes

    2016-01-01

    Background Adverse events are a reality in clinical practice. Reducing the prevalence of preventable adverse events by stemming their causes requires health managers’ engagement. Objective The objective of our study was to develop an app for mobile phones and tablets that would provide managers with an overview of their responsibilities in matters of patient safety and would help them manage interventions that are expected to be carried out throughout the year. Methods The Safety Agenda Mobile App (SAMA) was designed based on standardized regulations and reviews of studies about health managers’ roles in patient safety. A total of 7 managers used a beta version of SAMA for 2 months and then they assessed and proposed improvements in its design. Their experience permitted redesigning SAMA, improving functions and navigation. A total of 74 Spanish health managers tried out the revised version of SAMA. After 4 months, their assessment was requested in a voluntary and anonymous manner. Results SAMA is an iOS app that includes 37 predefined tasks that are the responsibility of health managers. Health managers can adapt these tasks to their schedule, add new ones, and share them with their team. SAMA menus are structured in 4 main areas: information, registry, task list, and settings. Of the 74 users who tested SAMA, 64 (86%) users provided a positive assessment of SAMA characteristics and utility. Over an 11-month period, 238 users downloaded SAMA. This mobile app has obtained the AppSaludable (HealthyApp) Quality Seal. Conclusions SAMA includes a set of activities that are expected to be carried out by health managers in matters of patient safety and contributes toward improving the awareness of their responsibilities in matters of safety. PMID:27932315

  6. Safety by design of printed multilayer materials intended for food packaging.

    PubMed

    Domeño, Celia; Aznar, Margarita; Nerín, Cristina; Isella, Francesca; Fedeli, Mauro; Bosetti, Osvaldo

    2017-07-01

    Printing inks are commonly used in multilayer plastics materials used for food packaging, and compounds present in inks can migrate to the food either by diffusion through the multilayers or because of set-off phenomena. To avoid this problem, the right design of the packaging is crucial. This paper studies the safety by design of multilayer materials. First, the migration from four different multilayers manufactured using polyethylene terephthalate (PET), aluminium (Al) and polyethylene (PE) was determined. The structural differences among materials such as the presence of inks or lacquer coatings as well as the differences in layers position allowed the study of a safety-by-design approach. Sixty-nine different compounds were detected and identified; 49 of them were not included in the positive list of Regulation EU/10/2011 or in Swiss legislation and 15 belong to Cramer class III, which means that they have a theoretical high toxicity. Some of the compounds related to ink composition were pyrene, a compound commercially used to make dyes and dye precursors and the antioxidant Irganox 1300. The application of external lacquers decreased the concentration of some migrants but also brought the potential for new migrants coming from its composition. A final risk assessment of the material allowed evaluating food safety for different food simulants and confirm it.

  7. Improving Hospital Quality and Patient Safety an Examination of Organizational Culture and Information Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, John Wallace

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation examines the effects of safety culture, including operational climate and practices, as well as the adoption and use of information systems for delivering high quality healthcare and improved patient experience. Chapter 2 studies the influence of both general and outcome-specific hospital climate and quality practices on process…

  8. Program for developing and implementing a new approach to designing for fire safety in buildings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    The traditional method of providing for fire safety in buildings through reliance on codes and standards that prescribe specific measures to be taken in the design and construction of buildings to minimize the potential for a fire occurring and to protect property and life should a fire occur was evaluated. A new approach to designing for fire safety in buildings is outlined.

  9. 77 FR 43721 - Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-26

    ... Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards... effectiveness of information collection requirements contained in the final rule on Examinations of Work Areas... requirements in MSHA's final rule on Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of...

  10. System Guidelines for EMC Safety-Critical Circuits: Design, Selection, and Margin Demonstration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lawton, R. M.

    1996-01-01

    Demonstration of required safety margins on critical electrical/electronic circuits in large complex systems has become an implementation and cost problem. These margins are the difference between the activation level of the circuit and the electrical noise on the circuit in the actual operating environment. This document discusses the origin of the requirement and gives a detailed process flow for the identification of the system electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) critical circuit list. The process flow discusses the roles of engineering disciplines such as systems engineering, safety, and EMC. Design and analysis guidelines are provided to assist the designer in assuring the system design has a high probability of meeting the margin requirements. Examples of approaches used on actual programs (Skylab and Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster) are provided to show how variations of the approach can be used successfully.

  11. Nuclear safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buden, D.

    1991-01-01

    Topics dealing with nuclear safety are addressed which include the following: general safety requirements; safety design requirements; terrestrial safety; SP-100 Flight System key safety requirements; potential mission accidents and hazards; key safety features; ground operations; launch operations; flight operations; disposal; safety concerns; licensing; the nuclear engine for rocket vehicle application (NERVA) design philosophy; the NERVA flight safety program; and the NERVA safety plan.

  12. Saudi Arabian ICU safety culture and nurses' attitudes.

    PubMed

    Alayed, Abdulrahman S; Lööf, Helena; Johansson, Unn-Britt

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to examine nurses' attitudes towards safety culture in six Saudi Arabian intensive care units (ICUs). The study is descriptive with a cross-sectional design. The Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ)-ICU version was distributed and 216 completed questionnaires were returned. The findings provide a basis for further research on Saudi Arabian ICU safety culture. This study showed that the SAQ-ICU can be used to measure safety climate to identify areas for improvement according to nurse attitudes and perceptions. Findings indicate that ICU safety culture is an important issue that hospital managers should prioritise. The SAQ-ICU questionnaire, used to measure safety climate in Saudi Arabian ICUs, identifies service strengths and improvement areas according to attitudes and perceptions. To the knowledge, this is the first study to use SAQ to examine nurses' safety culture attitudes in Saudi Arabian ICUs. The present findings provide a baseline and further details about Saudi Arabian ICU safety. Study participants represented nine nationalities, indicating the nursing workforce's diversity, which is expected to continue in the future. Such a nursing cultural heterogeneity calls for further studies to examine and evaluate attitudes and values to improve ICU safety culture.

  13. 11 CFR 7.27 - Hearing examiner designation and qualifications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... complaint. (2) The examiner shall be an attorney at the Assistant General Counsel level or higher. ... 11 Federal Elections 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Hearing examiner designation and qualifications. 7.27 Section 7.27 Federal Elections FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Post Employment...

  14. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice.

    PubMed

    Lapkin, Samuel; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Gilligan, Conor

    2015-08-01

    Safe medication practices depend upon, not only on individual responsibilities, but also effective communication and collaboration between members of the medication team. However, measurement of these skills is fraught with conceptual and practical difficulties. The aims of this study were to explore the utility of a Theory of Planned Behaviour-based questionnaire to predict health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice; and to determine the contribution of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions. A descriptive cross-sectional survey based upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour was designed and tested. A convenience sample of 65 undergraduate pharmacy, nursing and medicine students from one semi-metropolitan Australian university were recruited for the study. Participants' behavioural intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control to behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety were measured using an online version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour Medication Safety Questionnaire. The Questionnaire had good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.844. The three predictor variables of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control accounted for between 30 and 46% of the variance in behavioural intention; this is a strong prediction in comparison to previous studies using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Data analysis also indicated that attitude was the most significant predictor of participants' intention to collaborate with other team members to improve medication safety. The results from this study provide preliminary support for the Theory of Planned Behaviour-Medication Safety Questionnaire as a valid instrument for examining health professional students' behavioural intentions in relation to medication safety and collaborative practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. An evaluation of two conducted electrical weapons and two probe designs using a swine comparative cardiac safety model.

    PubMed

    Dawes, Donald Murray; Ho, Jeffrey D; Moore, Johanna C; Miner, James R

    2013-09-01

    Despite human laboratory and field studies that have demonstrated a reasonable safety profile for TASER brand conducted electrical weapons (CEW), the results of some swine studies and arrest related deaths temporal to the use of the CEWs continue to raise questions regarding cardiac safety. TASER International, Inc., has released a new CEW, the TASER X2, touted to have a better safety profile than its long-standing predecessor, the TASER X26. We have developed a model to assess the relative cardiac safety of CEWs and used it to compare the TASER X2 and the TASER X26. This safety model was also used to assess the relative safety of an experimental probe design as compared to the standard steel probe. Our results suggest that the TASER X2 has an improved safety margin over the TASER X26. The new probe design also has promise for enhanced cardiac safety, although may have some disadvantages when compared to the existing design which would make field use impractical.

  16. The relationship among computer work, environmental design, and musculoskeletal and visual discomfort: examining the moderating role of supervisory relations and co-worker support.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Larson, Nancy

    2016-01-01

    The prevalence of work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and visual symptoms reported in the USA has increased dramatically during the past two decades. This study examined the factors of computer use, workspace design, psychosocial factors, and organizational ergonomics resources on musculoskeletal and visual discomfort and their impact on the safety and health of computer work employees. A large-scale, cross-sectional survey was administered to a US manufacturing company to investigate these relationships (n = 1259). Associations between these study variables were tested along with moderating effects framed within a conceptual model. Significant relationships were found between computer use and psychosocial factors of co-worker support and supervisory relations with visual and musculoskeletal discomfort. Co-worker support was found to be significantly related to reports of eyestrain, headaches, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Supervisor relations partially moderated the relationship between workspace design satisfaction and visual and musculoskeletal discomfort. This study provides guidance for developing systematic, preventive measures and recommendations in designing office ergonomics interventions with the goal of reducing musculoskeletal and visual discomfort while enhancing office and computer workers' performance and safety.

  17. Examining the Relationship between Safety Management System Implementation and Safety Culture in Collegiate Flight Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Mike Fuller

    2017-01-01

    Safety Management Systems (SMS) are becoming the industry standard for safety management throughout the aviation industry. As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to mandate SMS for different segments, the assessment of an organization's safety culture becomes more important. An SMS can facilitate the development of a strong…

  18. 49 CFR Appendix F to Part 229 - Recommended Practices for Design and Safety Analysis

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... expected order of use; (v) Group similar controls together; (vi) Design for high stimulus-response compatibility (geometric and conceptual); (vii) Design safety-critical controls to require more than one... description of all backup methods of operation; and (s) The configuration/revision control measures designed...

  19. 49 CFR Appendix F to Part 229 - Recommended Practices for Design and Safety Analysis

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... expected order of use; (v) Group similar controls together; (vi) Design for high stimulus-response compatibility (geometric and conceptual); (vii) Design safety-critical controls to require more than one... description of all backup methods of operation; and (s) The configuration/revision control measures designed...

  20. 49 CFR Appendix F to Part 229 - Recommended Practices for Design and Safety Analysis

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... expected order of use; (v) Group similar controls together; (vi) Design for high stimulus-response compatibility (geometric and conceptual); (vii) Design safety-critical controls to require more than one... description of all backup methods of operation; and (s) The configuration/revision control measures designed...

  1. Patient safety climate (PSC) perceptions of frontline staff in acute care hospitals: examining the role of ease of reporting, unit norms of openness, and participative leadership.

    PubMed

    Zaheer, Shahram; Ginsburg, Liane; Chuang, You-Ta; Grace, Sherry L

    2015-01-01

    Increased awareness regarding the importance of patient safety issues has led to the proliferation of theoretical conceptualizations, frameworks, and articles that apply safety experiences from high-reliability industries to medical settings. However, empirical research on patient safety and patient safety climate in medical settings still lags far behind the theoretical literature on these topics. The broader organizational literature suggests that ease of reporting, unit norms of openness, and participative leadership might be important variables for improving patient safety. The aim of this empirical study is to examine in detail how these three variables influence frontline staff perceptions of patient safety climate within health care organizations. A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of previously validated scales. The results of the study show that ease of reporting, unit norms of openness, and participative leadership are positively related to staff perceptions of patient safety climate. Health care management needs to involve frontline staff during the development and implementation stages of an error reporting system to ensure staff perceive error reporting to be easy and efficient. Senior and supervisory leaders at health care organizations must be provided with learning opportunities to improve their participative leadership skills so they can better integrate frontline staff ideas and concerns while making safety-related decisions. Finally, health care management must ensure that frontline staff are able to freely communicate safety concerns without fear of being punished or ridiculed by others.

  2. Beyond usability: designing effective technology implementation systems to promote patient safety.

    PubMed

    Karsh, B-T

    2004-10-01

    Evidence is emerging that certain technologies such as computerized provider order entry may reduce the likelihood of patient harm. However, many technologies that should reduce medical errors have been abandoned because of problems with their design, their impact on workflow, and general dissatisfaction with them by end users. Patient safety researchers have therefore looked to human factors engineering for guidance on how to design technologies to be usable (easy to use) and useful (improving job performance, efficiency, and/or quality). While this is a necessary step towards improving the likelihood of end user satisfaction, it is still not sufficient. Human factors engineering research has shown that the manner in which technologies are implemented also needs to be designed carefully if benefits are to be realized. This paper reviews the theoretical knowledge on what leads to successful technology implementation and how this can be translated into specifically designed processes for successful technology change. The literature on diffusion of innovations, technology acceptance, organisational justice, participative decision making, and organisational change is reviewed and strategies for promoting successful implementation are provided. Given the rapid and ever increasing pace of technology implementation in health care, it is critical for the science of technology implementation to be understood and incorporated into efforts to improve patient safety.

  3. Putting Safety in the Frame

    PubMed Central

    O’Keeffe, Valerie Jean; Thompson, Kirrilly Rebecca; Tuckey, Michelle Rae; Blewett, Verna Lesley

    2015-01-01

    Current patient safety policy focuses nursing on patient care goals, often overriding nurses’ safety. Without understanding how nurses construct work health and safety (WHS), patient and nurse safety cannot be reconciled. Using ethnography, we examine social contexts of safety, studying 72 nurses across five Australian hospitals making decisions during patient encounters. In enacting safe practice, nurses used “frames” built from their contextual experiences to guide their behavior. Frames are produced by nurses, and they structure how nurses make sense of their work. Using thematic analysis, we identify four frames that inform nurses’ decisions about WHS: (a) communicating builds knowledge, (b) experiencing situations guides decisions, (c) adapting procedures streamlines work, and (d) team working promotes safe working. Nurses’ frames question current policy and practice by challenging how nurses’ safety is positioned relative to patient safety. Recognizing these frames can assist the design and implementation of effective WHS management. PMID:28462311

  4. Examining the influence of urban definition when assessing relative safety of drinking-water in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Christenson, Elizabeth; Bain, Robert; Wright, Jim; Aondoakaa, Stephen; Hossain, Rifat; Bartram, Jamie

    2014-08-15

    Reducing inequalities is a priority from a human rights perspective and in water and public health initiatives. There are periodic calls for differential national and global standards for rural and urban areas, often justified by the suggestion that, for a given water source type, safety is worse in urban areas. For instance, initially proposed post-2015 water targets included classifying urban but not rural protected dug wells as unimproved. The objectives of this study were to: (i) examine the influence of urban extent definition on water safety in Nigeria, (ii) compare the frequency of thermotolerant coliform (TTC) contamination and prevalence of sanitary risks between rural and urban water sources of a given type and (iii) investigate differences in exposure to contaminated drinking-water in rural and urban areas. We use spatially referenced data from a Nigerian national randomized sample survey of five improved water source types to assess the extent of any disparities in urban-rural safety. We combined the survey data on TTC and sanitary risk with map layers depicting urban versus rural areas according to eight urban definitions. When examining water safety separately for each improved source type, we found no significant urban-rural differences in TTC contamination and sanitary risk for groundwater sources (boreholes and protected dug wells) and inconclusive findings for piped water and stored water. However, when improved and unimproved source types were combined, TTC contamination was 1.6 to 2.3 times more likely in rural compared to urban water sources depending on the urban definition. Our results suggest that different targets for urban and rural water safety are not justified and that rural dwellers are more exposed to unsafe water than urban dwellers. Additionally, urban-rural analyses should assess multiple definitions or indicators of urban to assess robustness of findings and to characterize a gradient that disaggregates the urban-rural dichotomy

  5. A Guide to the Design of Occupational Safety and Health Training for Immigrant, Latino/a Dairy Workers.

    PubMed

    Menger, Lauren M; Rosecrance, John; Stallones, Lorann; Roman-Muniz, Ivette Noami

    2016-01-01

    Industrialized dairy production in the U.S. relies on an immigrant, primarily Latino/a, workforce to meet greater production demands. Given the high rates of injuries and illnesses on U.S. dairies, there is pressing need to develop culturally appropriate training to promote safe practices among immigrant, Latino/a dairy workers. To date, there have been few published research articles or guidelines specific to developing effective occupational safety and health (OSH) training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. Literature relevant to safety training for immigrant workers in agriculture and other high-risk industries (e.g., construction) was examined to identify promising approaches. The aim of this paper is to provide a practical guide for researchers and practitioners involved in the design and implementation of effective OSH training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. The search was restricted to peer-reviewed academic journals and guidelines published between 1980 and 2015 by universities or extension programs, written in English, and related to health and safety training among immigrant, Latino/a workers within agriculture and other high-risk industries. Relevant recommendations regarding effective training transfer were also included from literature in the field of industrial-organizational psychology. A total of 97 articles were identified, of which 65 met the inclusion criteria and made a unique and significant contribution. The review revealed a number of promising strategies for how to effectively tailor health and safety training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry grouped under five main themes: (1) understanding and involving workers; (2) training content and materials; (3) training methods; (4) maximizing worker engagement; and (5) program evaluation. The identification of best practices in the design and implementation of training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers within

  6. A Guide to the Design of Occupational Safety and Health Training for Immigrant, Latino/a Dairy Workers

    PubMed Central

    Menger, Lauren M.; Rosecrance, John; Stallones, Lorann; Roman-Muniz, Ivette Noami

    2016-01-01

    Industrialized dairy production in the U.S. relies on an immigrant, primarily Latino/a, workforce to meet greater production demands. Given the high rates of injuries and illnesses on U.S. dairies, there is pressing need to develop culturally appropriate training to promote safe practices among immigrant, Latino/a dairy workers. To date, there have been few published research articles or guidelines specific to developing effective occupational safety and health (OSH) training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. Literature relevant to safety training for immigrant workers in agriculture and other high-risk industries (e.g., construction) was examined to identify promising approaches. The aim of this paper is to provide a practical guide for researchers and practitioners involved in the design and implementation of effective OSH training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry. The search was restricted to peer-reviewed academic journals and guidelines published between 1980 and 2015 by universities or extension programs, written in English, and related to health and safety training among immigrant, Latino/a workers within agriculture and other high-risk industries. Relevant recommendations regarding effective training transfer were also included from literature in the field of industrial–organizational psychology. A total of 97 articles were identified, of which 65 met the inclusion criteria and made a unique and significant contribution. The review revealed a number of promising strategies for how to effectively tailor health and safety training for immigrant, Latino/a workers in the dairy industry grouped under five main themes: (1) understanding and involving workers; (2) training content and materials; (3) training methods; (4) maximizing worker engagement; and (5) program evaluation. The identification of best practices in the design and implementation of training programs for immigrant, Latino/a workers within

  7. A multilevel examination of affective job insecurity climate on safety outcomes.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Lixin; Probst, Tahira M

    2016-07-01

    Previous research has established a causal link between individual perceptions of job insecurity and safety outcomes. However, whether job insecurity climate is associated with safety outcomes has not been studied. The purpose of the current study was to explore the main and cross-level interaction effects of affective job insecurity climate on safety outcomes, including behavioral safety compliance, reporting attitudes, workplace injuries, experienced safety events, unreported safety events, and accident underreporting, beyond individual affective job insecurity. With 171 employees nested in 40 workgroups, multilevel analyses revealed that the negative impacts of individual affective job insecurity on safety outcomes are exacerbated when they occur in a climate of high affective job insecurity. These results are interpreted in light of safety management efforts and suggest that efforts to create a secure climate within one's workgroup may reap safety-related benefits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. An examination of public school safety measures across geographic settings.

    PubMed

    Shelton, Andrea J; Owens, Emiel W; Song, Holim

    2009-01-01

    Violence at a school can have a negative impact on the health of students, teachers, administrators, and others associated with the school and surrounding community. The use of weapons in school buildings or on school grounds accounts for the majority of violent deaths, particularly among males. This national trend suggests the need for a more concerted effort to improve safety and prevent violence. This article reports the use of 13 safety measures in US public schools in 4 geographic regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West) and 3 community settings (urban, suburban, and rural). Data representing 16,000 schools reported in the Educational Longitudinal Survey of 2002-2004 were analyzed. Data were self-reported by school administrators. Of the various safety measures assessed, fire alarms and extinguishers were consistently reported regardless of the geographic region or community setting of the school. Other than measures for fire safety, schools throughout the country routinely used exterior light and student lockers as safety measures. There was a significant difference by geographic region and community setting in the use of safety measures that required specific personnel, namely a security guard and an adult to direct a guest to sign in. Recognizing the patterns of violence at public high schools, administrators working with students, other school personnel, and community partners may consider more combinations of the safety measures within their institutions together with local resources and services to improve safety and reduce violence.

  9. Using the Donabedian framework to examine the quality and safety of nursing service innovation.

    PubMed

    Gardner, Glenn; Gardner, Anne; O'Connell, Jane

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the safety and quality of nurse practitioner service using the audit framework of Structure, Process and Outcome. Health service and workforce reform are on the agenda of governments and other service providers seeking to contain healthcare costs whilst providing safe and effective health care to communities. The nurse practitioner service is one health workforce innovation that has been adopted globally to improve timely access to clinical care, but there is scant literature reporting evaluation of the quality of this service innovation. A mixed-methods design within the Donabedian evaluation framework was used. The Donabedian framework was used to evaluate the Structure, Process and Outcome of nurse practitioner service. A range of data collection approaches was used, including stakeholder survey (n = 36), in-depth interviews (11 patients and 13 nurse practitioners) and health records data on service processes. The study identified that adequate and detailed preparation of Structure and Process is essential for the successful implementation of a service innovation. The multidisciplinary team was accepting of the addition of nurse practitioner service, and nurse practitioner clinical care was shown to be effective, satisfactory and safe from the perspective of the clinician stakeholders and patients. This study demonstrated that the Donabedian framework of Structure, Process and Outcome evaluation is a valuable and validated approach to examine the safety and quality of a service innovation. Furthermore, in this study, specific Structure elements were shown to influence the quality of service processes further validating the framework and the interdependence of the Structure, Process and Outcome components. Understanding the Structure and Process requirements for establishing nursing service innovation lays the foundation for safe, effective and patient-centred clinical care. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. NASA's post-Challenger safety program - Themes and thrusts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodney, G. A.

    1988-01-01

    The range of managerial, technical, and procedural initiatives implemented by NASA's post-Challenger safety program is reviewed. The recommendations made by the Rogers Commission, the NASA post-Challenger review of Shuttle design, the Congressional investigation of the accident, the National Research Council, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, and NASA internal advisory panels and studies are summarized. NASA safety initiatives regarding improved organizational accountability for safety, upgraded analytical techniques and methodologies for risk assessment and management, procedural initiatives in problem reporting and corrective-action tracking, ground processing, maintenance documentation, and improved technologies are discussed. Safety issues relevant to the planned Space Station are examined.

  11. A hybrid multi-objective imperialist competitive algorithm and Monte Carlo method for robust safety design of a rail vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nejlaoui, Mohamed; Houidi, Ajmi; Affi, Zouhaier; Romdhane, Lotfi

    2017-10-01

    This paper deals with the robust safety design optimization of a rail vehicle system moving in short radius curved tracks. A combined multi-objective imperialist competitive algorithm and Monte Carlo method is developed and used for the robust multi-objective optimization of the rail vehicle system. This robust optimization of rail vehicle safety considers simultaneously the derailment angle and its standard deviation where the design parameters uncertainties are considered. The obtained results showed that the robust design reduces significantly the sensitivity of the rail vehicle safety to the design parameters uncertainties compared to the determinist one and to the literature results.

  12. Risk-based process safety assessment and control measures design for offshore process facilities.

    PubMed

    Khan, Faisal I; Sadiq, Rehan; Husain, Tahir

    2002-09-02

    Process operation is the most hazardous activity next to the transportation and drilling operation on an offshore oil and gas (OOG) platform. Past experiences of onshore and offshore oil and gas activities have revealed that a small mis-happening in the process operation might escalate to a catastrophe. This is of especial concern in the OOG platform due to the limited space and compact geometry of the process area, less ventilation, and difficult escape routes. On an OOG platform, each extra control measure, which is implemented, not only occupies space on the platform and increases congestion but also adds extra load to the platform. Eventualities in the OOG platform process operation can be avoided through incorporating the appropriate control measures at the early design stage. In this paper, the authors describe a methodology for risk-based process safety decision making for OOG activities. The methodology is applied to various offshore process units, that is, the compressor, separators, flash drum and driers of an OOG platform. Based on the risk potential, appropriate safety measures are designed for each unit. This paper also illustrates that implementation of the designed safety measures reduces the high Fatal accident rate (FAR) values to an acceptable level.

  13. Some Challenges in the Design of Human-Automation Interaction for Safety-Critical Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feary, Michael S.; Roth, Emilie

    2014-01-01

    Increasing amounts of automation are being introduced to safety-critical domains. While the introduction of automation has led to an overall increase in reliability and improved safety, it has also introduced a class of failure modes, and new challenges in risk assessment for the new systems, particularly in the assessment of rare events resulting from complex inter-related factors. Designing successful human-automation systems is challenging, and the challenges go beyond good interface development (e.g., Roth, Malin, & Schreckenghost 1997; Christoffersen & Woods, 2002). Human-automation design is particularly challenging when the underlying automation technology generates behavior that is difficult for the user to anticipate or understand. These challenges have been recognized in several safety-critical domains, and have resulted in increased efforts to develop training, procedures, regulations and guidance material (CAST, 2008, IAEA, 2001, FAA, 2013, ICAO, 2012). This paper points to the continuing need for new methods to describe and characterize the operational environment within which new automation concepts are being presented. We will describe challenges to the successful development and evaluation of human-automation systems in safety-critical domains, and describe some approaches that could be used to address these challenges. We will draw from experience with the aviation, spaceflight and nuclear power domains.

  14. A systematic review of the safety climate intervention literature: Past trends and future directions.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jin; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Cheung, Janelle H; Chen, Zhuo; Shaw, William S

    2018-04-26

    Safety climate represents the meaningfulness of safety and how safety is valued in an organization. The contributions of safety climate to organizational safety have been well documented. There is a dearth of empirical research, however, on specific safety climate interventions and their effectiveness. The present study aims at examining the trend of safety climate interventions and offering compiled information for designing and implementing evidence-based safety climate interventions. Our literature search yielded 384 titles that were inspected by three examiners. Using a stepwise process that allowed for assessment of interobserver agreement, 19 full articles were selected and reviewed. Results showed that 10 out of the 19 articles (52.6%) were based on a quasi-experimental pre- and postintervention design, whereas 42.1% (n = 8) studies were based on a mixed-design approach (including both between- and within-subject design). All interventions in these 19 studies involved either safety-/health-related communication or education/training. Improvement of safety leadership was also a common component of safety climate interventions. According to the socio-technical systems classification of intervention strategies, all studies were categorized as interventions focusing on improving organizational and managerial structure as well as the personnel subsystem; four of them also aimed at improving technological aspects of work, and five of them aimed at improving the physical work subsystem. In general, a vast majority of the studies (89.5%, n = 17) showed a statistically significant improvement in safety climate across their organizations postintervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Cascade Distillation System Design for Safety and Mission Assurance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sargusingh, Miriam J.; Callahan, Michael R.

    2015-01-01

    Per the NASA Human Health, Life Support and Habitation System Technology Area 06 report "crewed missions venturing beyond Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) will require technologies with improved reliability, reduced mass, self-sufficiency, and minimal logistical needs as an emergency or quick-return option will not be feasible." To meet this need, the development team of the second generation Cascade Distillation System (CDS 2.0) opted a development approach that explicitely incorporate consideration of safety, mission assurance, and autonomy. The CDS 2.0 prelimnary design focused on establishing a functional baseline that meets the CDS core capabilities and performance. The critical design phase is now focused on incorporating features through a deliberative process of establishing the systems failure modes and effects, identifying mitigative strategies, and evaluating the merit of the proposed actions through analysis and test. This paper details results of this effort on the CDS 2.0 design.

  16. Cascade Distillation System Design for Safety and Mission Assurance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sarguisingh, Miriam; Callahan, Michael R.; Okon, Shira

    2015-01-01

    Per the NASA Human Health, Life Support and Habitation System Technology Area 06 report "crewed missions venturing beyond Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) will require technologies with improved reliability, reduced mass, self-sufficiency, and minimal logistical needs as an emergency or quick-return option will not be feasible".1 To meet this need, the development team of the second generation Cascade Distillation System (CDS 2.0) chose a development approach that explicitly incorporate consideration of safety, mission assurance, and autonomy. The CDS 2.0 preliminary design focused on establishing a functional baseline that meets the CDS core capabilities and performance. The critical design phase is now focused on incorporating features through a deliberative process of establishing the systems failure modes and effects, identifying mitigation strategies, and evaluating the merit of the proposed actions through analysis and test. This paper details results of this effort on the CDS 2.0 design.

  17. A new method for the assessment of patient safety competencies during a medical school clerkship using an objective structured clinical examination

    PubMed Central

    Daud-Gallotti, Renata Mahfuz; Morinaga, Christian Valle; Arlindo-Rodrigues, Marcelo; Velasco, Irineu Tadeu; Arruda Martins, Milton; Tiberio, Iolanda Calvo

    2011-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Patient safety is seldom assessed using objective evaluations during undergraduate medical education. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of fifth-year medical students using an objective structured clinical examination focused on patient safety after implementation of an interactive program based on adverse events recognition and disclosure. METHODS: In 2007, a patient safety program was implemented in the internal medicine clerkship of our hospital. The program focused on human error theory, epidemiology of incidents, adverse events, and disclosure. Upon completion of the program, students completed an objective structured clinical examination with five stations and standardized patients. One station focused on patient safety issues, including medical error recognition/disclosure, the patient-physician relationship and humanism issues. A standardized checklist was completed by each standardized patient to assess the performance of each student. The student's global performance at each station and performance in the domains of medical error, the patient-physician relationship and humanism were determined. The correlations between the student performances in these three domains were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 95 students participated in the objective structured clinical examination. The mean global score at the patient safety station was 87.59±1.24 points. Students' performance in the medical error domain was significantly lower than their performance on patient-physician relationship and humanistic issues. Less than 60% of students (n = 54) offered the simulated patient an apology after a medical error occurred. A significant correlation was found between scores obtained in the medical error domains and scores related to both the patient-physician relationship and humanistic domains. CONCLUSIONS: An objective structured clinical examination is a useful tool to evaluate patient safety competencies during the medical student clerkship

  18. Examination of the relationship between management and clinician perception of patient safety climate and patient satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Mazurenko, Olena; Richter, Jason; Kazley, Abby Swanson; Ford, Eric

    2017-04-25

    The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between managers and clinicians' agreement on deeming the patient safety climate as high or low and the patients' satisfaction with those organizations. We used two secondary data sets: the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (2012) and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (2012). We used ordinary least squares regressions to analyze the relationship between the extent of agreement between managers and clinicians' perceptions of safety climate in relationship to patient satisfaction. The dependent variables were four Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems patient satisfaction scores: communication with nurses, communication with doctors, communication about medicines, and discharge information. The main independent variables were four groups that were formed based on the extent of managers and clinicians' agreement on four patient safety climate domains: communication openness, feedback and communication about errors, teamwork within units, and teamwork across units. After controlling for hospital and market-level characteristics, we found that patient satisfaction was significantly higher if managers and clinicians reported that patient safety climate is high or if only clinicians perceived the climate as high. Specifically, manager and clinician agreement on high levels of communication openness (β = 2.25, p = .01; β = 2.46, p = .05), feedback and communication about errors (β = 3.0, p = .001; β = 2.89, p = .01), and teamwork across units (β = 2.91, p = .001; β = 3.34, p = .01) was positively and significantly associated with patient satisfaction with discharge information and communication about medication. In addition, more favorable perceptions about patient safety climate by clinicians only yielded similar findings. Organizations should measure and examine patient safety climate from multiple perspectives and be aware that individuals

  19. Does user-centred design affect the efficiency, usability and safety of CPOE order sets?

    PubMed

    Chan, Julie; Shojania, Kaveh G; Easty, Anthony C; Etchells, Edward E

    2011-05-01

    Application of user-centred design principles to Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems may improve task efficiency, usability or safety, but there is limited evaluative research of its impact on CPOE systems. We evaluated the task efficiency, usability, and safety of three order set formats: our hospital's planned CPOE order sets (CPOE Test), computer order sets based on user-centred design principles (User Centred Design), and existing pre-printed paper order sets (Paper). 27 staff physicians, residents and medical students. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Methods Participants completed four simulated order set tasks with three order set formats (two CPOE Test tasks, one User Centred Design, and one Paper). Order of presentation of order set formats and tasks was randomized. Users received individual training for the CPOE Test format only. Completion time (efficiency), requests for assistance (usability), and errors in the submitted orders (safety). 27 study participants completed 108 order sets. Mean task times were: User Centred Design format 273 s, Paper format 293 s (p=0.73 compared to UCD format), and CPOE Test format 637 s (p<0.0001 compared to UCD format). Users requested assistance in 31% of the CPOE Test format tasks, whereas no assistance was needed for the other formats (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in number of errors between formats. The User Centred Design format was more efficient and usable than the CPOE Test format even though training was provided for the latter. We conclude that application of user-centred design principles can enhance task efficiency and usability, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation.

  20. Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 3: Reactor system preliminary nuclear safety analysis. Part 1: Reference Design Document (RDD)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    The Reference Design Document, of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) - Reactor System provides the basic design and operations data used in the nuclear safety analysis of the Rector Power Module as applied to a Space Base program. A description of the power module systems, facilities, launch vehicle and mission operations, as defined in NASA Phase A Space Base studies is included. Each of two Zirconium Hydride Reactor Brayton power modules provides 50 kWe for the nominal 50 man Space Base. The INT-21 is the prime launch vehicle. Resupply to the 500 km orbit over the ten year mission is provided by the Space Shuttle. At the end of the power module lifetime (nominally five years), a reactor disposal system is deployed for boost into a 990 km high altitude (long decay time) earth orbit.

  1. Examination of adult and child bicyclist safety-relevant events using naturalistic bicycling methodology.

    PubMed

    Hamann, Cara J; Peek-Asa, Corinne

    2017-05-01

    Among roadway users, bicyclists are considered vulnerable due to their high risk for injury when involved in a crash. Little is known about the circumstances leading to near crashes, crashes, and related injuries or how these vary by age and gender. The purpose of this study was to examine the rates and characteristics of safety-relevant events (crashes, near crashes, errors, and traffic violations) among adult and child bicyclists. Bicyclist trips were captured using Pedal Portal, a data acquisition and coding system which includes a GPS-enabled video camera and graphical user interface. A total of 179 safety-relevant events were manually coded from trip videos. Overall, child errors and traffic violations occurred at a rate of 1.9 per 100min of riding, compared to 6.3 for adults. However, children rode on the sidewalk 56.4% of the time, compared with 12.7% for adults. For both adults and children, the highest safety-relevant event rates occurred on paved roadways with no bicycle facilities present (Adults=8.6 and Children=7.2, per 100min of riding). Our study, the first naturalistic study to compare safety-relevant events among adults and children, indicates large variation in riding behavior and exposure between child and adult bicyclists. The majority of identified events were traffic violations and we were not able to code all risk-relevant data (e.g., subtle avoidance behaviors, failure to check for traffic, probability of collision). Future naturalistic cycling studies would benefit from enhanced instrumentation (e.g., additional camera views) and coding protocols able to fill these gaps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. The Penn State Safety Floor: Part I--Design parameters associated with walking deflections.

    PubMed

    Casalena, J A; Ovaert, T C; Cavanagh, P R; Streit, D A

    1998-08-01

    A new flooring system has been developed to reduce peak impact forces to the hips when humans fall. The new safety floor is designed to remain relatively rigid under normal walking conditions, but to deform elastically when impacted during a fall. Design objectives included minimizing peak force experienced by the femur during a fall-induced impact, while maintaining a maximum of 2 mm of floor deflection during walking. Finite Element Models (FEMs) were developed to capture the complex dynamics of impact response between two deformable bodies. Validation of the finite element models included analytical calculations of theoretical buckling column response, experimental quasi-static loading of full-scale flooring prototypes, and flooring response during walking trials. Finite Element Method results compared well with theoretical and experimental data. Both finite element and experimental data suggest that the proposed safety floor can effectively meet the design goal of 2 mm maximum deflection during walking, while effectively reducing impact forces during a fall.

  3. Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Methods and design Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011–July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. Discussion We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to

  4. Tower Shielding Reactor II design and operation report: Vol. 2. Safety Analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Holland, L. B.; Kolb, J. O.

    1970-01-01

    Information on the Tower Shielding Reactor II is contained in the TSR-II Design and Operation Report and in the Tower Shielding Facility Manual. The TSR-II Design and Operating Report consists of three volumes. Volume 1 is Descriptions of the Tower Shielding Reactor II and Facility; Volume 2 is Safety analysis of the Tower Shielding Reactor II; and Volume 3 is the Assembly and Testing of the Tower Shielding Reactor II Control Mechanism Housing.

  5. [Safety in the Microbiology laboratory].

    PubMed

    Rojo-Molinero, Estrella; Alados, Juan Carlos; de la Pedrosa, Elia Gómez G; Leiva, José; Pérez, José L

    2015-01-01

    The normal activity in the laboratory of microbiology poses different risks - mainly biological - that can affect the health of their workers, visitors and the community. Routine health examinations (surveillance and prevention), individual awareness of self-protection, hazard identification and risk assessment of laboratory procedures, the adoption of appropriate containment measures, and the use of conscientious microbiological techniques allow laboratory to be a safe place, as records of laboratory-acquired infections and accidents show. Training and information are the cornerstones for designing a comprehensive safety plan for the laboratory. In this article, the basic concepts and the theoretical background on laboratory safety are reviewed, including the main legal regulations. Moreover, practical guidelines are presented for each laboratory to design its own safety plan according its own particular characteristics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  6. Testing safety eyewear: how frame and lens design affect lens retention.

    PubMed

    McMahon, Janice M; Beckerman, Stephen

    2007-02-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the role that frame and lens design play in lens retention during high-impact testing of safety eyewear that advertises conformance to the performance-based ANSI Z87.1-2003 standard. A total of 75 Z87 safety eyeglass frames (3 each of 25 frame models) were used in this study, procured from 5 of the leading U.S. safety frame manufacturers. Frames were fitted by an independent laboratory with 2.0-mm plano polycarbonate lenses in compliance with ANSI Z87.1-2003. Finished spectacles were sent to a subsequent laboratory testing facility where each frame was subjected to both high-mass and oblique-incidence high-velocity impacts to determine frame characteristics that were most highly associated with testing failure. Among the frame and lens parameters that were considered in this analysis were the A and B dimensions, effective diameter, distance between lenses, bridge type, frame material, bevel type, and frame cost. Certain variables were controlled for by maintaining consistency among all spectacle pairs, e.g., lens prescription, center thickness, and edge thickness. Multiple logistic regression was used to control potential confounding variables and to develop the best combination of them for predictive value. Of 25 separate frame models assessed, 10 passed both high-mass and high-velocity impact testing, i.e., none of the 3 frame/lens samples failed. Of the models that failed, 13 failures were caused by high-velocity testing, 1 by high-mass testing, and 1 failed both high-mass and high-velocity testing. None of the 15 spectacles with the SprinGuardtrade mark (Hilco, Plainville, Massachusetts) bevel design failed, although these were proprietary to 1 manufacturer and included only 5 frame models. Two spectacle designs (6 individual frames) incorporated an inverted bevel design of which 3 of the frames failed impact testing. Controlling for drop ball velocity among the 54 remaining standard "V" bevel spectacle pairs, the odds of

  7. Designing the safety of healthcare. Participation of ergonomics to the design of cooperative systems in radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Munoz, Maria Isabel; Bouldi, Nadia; Barcellini, Flore; Nascimento, Adelaide

    2012-01-01

    This communication deals with the involvement of ergonomists in a research-action design process of a software platform in radiotherapy. The goal of the design project is to enhance patient safety by designing a workflow software that supports cooperation between professionals producing treatment in radiotherapy. The general framework of our approach is the ergonomics management of a design process, which is based in activity analysis and grounded in participatory design. Two fields are concerned by the present action: a design environment which is a participatory design process that involves software designers, caregivers as future users and ergonomists; and a reference real work setting in radiotherapy. Observations, semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops allow the characterization of activity in radiotherapy dealing with uses of cooperative tools, sources of variability and non-ruled strategies to manage the variability of the situations. This production of knowledge about work searches to enhance the articulation between technocentric and anthropocentric approaches, and helps in clarifying design requirements. An issue of this research-action is to develop a framework to define the parameters of the workflow tool, and the conditions of its deployment.

  8. Does user-centred design affect the efficiency, usability and safety of CPOE order sets?

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Julie; Shojania, Kaveh G; Easty, Anthony C

    2011-01-01

    Background Application of user-centred design principles to Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems may improve task efficiency, usability or safety, but there is limited evaluative research of its impact on CPOE systems. Objective We evaluated the task efficiency, usability, and safety of three order set formats: our hospital's planned CPOE order sets (CPOE Test), computer order sets based on user-centred design principles (User Centred Design), and existing pre-printed paper order sets (Paper). Participants 27staff physicians, residents and medical students. Setting Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Methods Participants completed four simulated order set tasks with three order set formats (two CPOE Test tasks, one User Centred Design, and one Paper). Order of presentation of order set formats and tasks was randomized. Users received individual training for the CPOE Test format only. Main Measures Completion time (efficiency), requests for assistance (usability), and errors in the submitted orders (safety). Results 27 study participants completed 108 order sets. Mean task times were: User Centred Design format 273 s, Paper format 293 s (p=0.73 compared to UCD format), and CPOE Test format 637 s (p<0.0001 compared to UCD format). Users requested assistance in 31% of the CPOE Test format tasks, whereas no assistance was needed for the other formats (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in number of errors between formats. Conclusions The User Centred Design format was more efficient and usable than the CPOE Test format even though training was provided for the latter. We conclude that application of user-centred design principles can enhance task efficiency and usability, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation. PMID:21486886

  9. Does Employee Safety Matter for Patients Too? Employee Safety Climate and Patient Safety Culture in Health Care.

    PubMed

    Mohr, David C; Eaton, Jennifer Lipkowitz; McPhaul, Kathleen M; Hodgson, Michael J

    2015-04-22

    We examined relationships between employee safety climate and patient safety culture. Because employee safety may be a precondition for the development of patient safety, we hypothesized that employee safety culture would be strongly and positively related to patient safety culture. An employee safety climate survey was administered in 2010 and assessed employees' views and experiences of safety for employees. The patient safety survey administered in 2011 assessed the safety culture for patients. We performed Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships between a composite measure of employee safety with subdimensions of patient safety culture. The regression models controlled for size, geographic characteristics, and teaching affiliation. Analyses were conducted at the group level using data from 132 medical centers. Higher employee safety climate composite scores were positively associated with all 9 patient safety culture measures examined. Standardized multivariate regression coefficients ranged from 0.44 to 0.64. Medical facilities where staff have more positive perceptions of health care workplace safety climate tended to have more positive assessments of patient safety culture. This suggests that patient safety culture and employee safety climate could be mutually reinforcing, such that investments and improvements in one domain positively impacts the other. Further research is needed to better understand the nexus between health care employee and patient safety to generalize and act upon findings.

  10. What can nanosafety learn from drug development? The feasibility of "safety by design".

    PubMed

    Hjorth, Rune; van Hove, Lilian; Wickson, Fern

    2017-04-01

    "Safety by design" (SbD) is an intuitively appealing concept that is on the rise within nanotoxicology and nanosafety research, as well as within nanotechnology research policy. It leans on principles established within drug discovery and development (DDD) and seeks to address safety early, as well as throughout product development. However, it remains unclear what the concept of SbD exactly entails for engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) or how it is envisioned to be implemented. Here, we review the concept as it is emerging in European research and compare its resemblance with the safety testing and assessment practices in DDD. From this comparison, it is clear that "safety" is not obtained through DDD, and that SbD should be considered a starting point rather than an end, meaning that products will still need to progress through thorough safety evaluations and regulation. We conclude that although risk reduction is clearly desirable, the way SbD is currently communicated tends to treat safety as an inherent material property and that this is fundamentally problematic as it represents a recasting and reduction of societal issues into technical problems. SbD therefore faces a multitude of challenges, from practical implementation to unrealistic stakeholder expectations.

  11. A human factors engineering paradigm for patient safety: designing to support the performance of the healthcare professional

    PubMed Central

    Karsh, B‐T; Holden, R J; Alper, S J; Or, C K L

    2006-01-01

    The goal of improving patient safety has led to a number of paradigms for directing improvement efforts. The main paradigms to date have focused on reducing injuries, reducing errors, or improving evidence based practice. In this paper a human factors engineering paradigm is proposed that focuses on designing systems to improve the performance of healthcare professionals and to reduce hazards. Both goals are necessary, but neither is sufficient to improve safety. We suggest that the road to patient and employee safety runs through the healthcare professional who delivers care. To that end, several arguments are provided to show that designing healthcare delivery systems to support healthcare professional performance and hazard reduction should yield significant patient safety benefits. The concepts of human performance and hazard reduction are explained. PMID:17142611

  12. Influence of workplace demands on nurses' perception of patient safety.

    PubMed

    Ramanujam, Rangaraj; Abrahamson, Kathleen; Anderson, James G

    2008-06-01

    Patient safety is an ongoing challenge in the design and delivery of health-care services. As registered nurses play an integral role in patient safety, further examination of the link between nursing work and patient safety is warranted. The present study examines the relationship between nurses' perceptions of job demands and nurses' perceptions of patient safety. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data collected from a survey of 430 registered nurses at two community hospitals in the USA. As hypothesized, nurses' perception of patient safety decreases as the job demands increase. The level of personal control over practice directly affects nurses' perception of the ability to assure patient well-being. Nurses who work full-time and are highly educated have a decreased perception of patient safety, as well. The significant relationship between job demands and patient safety confirms that nurses make a connection between their working conditions and the ability to deliver safe care.

  13. Health and Safety Legislation in Australia: Complexity for Training Remains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bahn, Susanne; Barratt-Pugh, Llandis

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the findings from a study that examined the impact of the National Occupational Health and Safety Strategy 2002-2012 and the harmonisation of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 on Australian training design, delivery and outcomes. There has been a comparative reduction in work related injuries, fatalities and disease, and…

  14. Occupational health and safety: Designing and building with MACBETH a value risk-matrix for evaluating health and safety risks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopes, D. F.; Oliveira, M. D.; Costa, C. A. Bana e.

    2015-05-01

    Risk matrices (RMs) are commonly used to evaluate health and safety risks. Nonetheless, they violate some theoretical principles that compromise their feasibility and use. This study describes how multiple criteria decision analysis methods have been used to improve the design and the deployment of RMs to evaluate health and safety risks at the Occupational Health and Safety Unit (OHSU) of the Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley. ‘Value risk-matrices’ (VRMs) are built with the MACBETH approach in four modelling steps: a) structuring risk impacts, involving the construction of descriptors of impact that link risk events with health impacts and are informed by scientific evidence; b) generating a value measurement scale of risk impacts, by applying the MACBETH-Choquet procedure; c) building a system for eliciting subjective probabilities that makes use of a numerical probability scale that was constructed with MACBETH qualitative judgments on likelihood; d) and defining a classification colouring scheme for the VRM. A VRM built with OHSU members was implemented in a decision support system which will be used by OHSU members to evaluate health and safety risks and to identify risk mitigation actions.

  15. Health and Safety Audit Design Manual

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ternes, Mark P.; Langley, Brandon R.; Accawi, Gina K.

    The Health and Safety Audit is an electronic audit tool developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to assist in the identification and selection of health and safety measures when a home is being weatherized (i.e., receiving home energy upgrades), especially as part of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program, or during home energy-efficiency retrofit or remodeling jobs. The audit is specifically applicable to existing single-family homes (including mobile homes), and is generally applicable to individual dwelling units in low-rise multifamily buildings. The health and safety issues covered in the audit are grouped in nine categories: moldmore » and moisture, lead, radon, asbestos, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), combustion, pest infestation, safety, and ventilation. Development of the audit was supported by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control and the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program.« less

  16. Bias correction of risk estimates in vaccine safety studies with rare adverse events using a self-controlled case series design.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Chan; Newcomer, Sophia R; Glanz, Jason M; Shoup, Jo Ann; Daley, Matthew F; Hambidge, Simon J; Xu, Stanley

    2013-12-15

    The self-controlled case series (SCCS) method is often used to examine the temporal association between vaccination and adverse events using only data from patients who experienced such events. Conditional Poisson regression models are used to estimate incidence rate ratios, and these models perform well with large or medium-sized case samples. However, in some vaccine safety studies, the adverse events studied are rare and the maximum likelihood estimates may be biased. Several bias correction methods have been examined in case-control studies using conditional logistic regression, but none of these methods have been evaluated in studies using the SCCS design. In this study, we used simulations to evaluate 2 bias correction approaches-the Firth penalized maximum likelihood method and Cordeiro and McCullagh's bias reduction after maximum likelihood estimation-with small sample sizes in studies using the SCCS design. The simulations showed that the bias under the SCCS design with a small number of cases can be large and is also sensitive to a short risk period. The Firth correction method provides finite and less biased estimates than the maximum likelihood method and Cordeiro and McCullagh's method. However, limitations still exist when the risk period in the SCCS design is short relative to the entire observation period.

  17. Parental Views of Food-Safety Education in a Japanese Primary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horikawa, Haruka; Akamatsu, Rie; Horiguchi, Itsuko; Marui, Eiji

    2013-01-01

    Objective: This study examined Japanese mothers' satisfaction with food-safety education in primary schools, compared the characteristics of mothers who were not satisfied, and identified topics that should be included in food-safety education, according to mothers. Design: An online survey was conducted in March 2011 in Japan. The questionnaire…

  18. 37 CFR 1.155 - Expedited examination of design applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Expedited examination of design applications. 1.155 Section 1.155 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES National Processing...

  19. 37 CFR 1.155 - Expedited examination of design applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Expedited examination of design applications. 1.155 Section 1.155 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES National Processing...

  20. 37 CFR 1.155 - Expedited examination of design applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Expedited examination of design applications. 1.155 Section 1.155 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES National Processing...

  1. 37 CFR 1.155 - Expedited examination of design applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Expedited examination of design applications. 1.155 Section 1.155 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES National Processing...

  2. 37 CFR 1.155 - Expedited examination of design applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Expedited examination of design applications. 1.155 Section 1.155 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES National Processing...

  3. Experimental Study and Computational Simulations of Key Pebble Bed Thermo-mechanics Issues for Design and Safety

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tokuhiro, Akira; Potirniche, Gabriel; Cogliati, Joshua

    2014-07-08

    An experimental and computational study, consisting of modeling and simulation (M&S), of key thermal-mechanical issues affecting the design and safety of pebble-bed (PB) reactors was conducted. The objective was to broaden understanding and experimentally validate thermal-mechanic phenomena of nuclear grade graphite, specifically, spheres in frictional contact as anticipated in the bed under reactor relevant pressures and temperatures. The contact generates graphite dust particulates that can subsequently be transported into the flowing gaseous coolent. Under postulated depressurization transients and with the potential for leaked fission products to be adsorbed onto graphite 'dust', there is the potential for fission products to escapemore » from the primary volume. This is a design safety concern. Furthermore, earlier safety assessment identified the distinct possibility for the dispersed dust to combust in contact with air if sufficient conditions are met. Both of these phenomena were noted as important to design review and containing uncertainty to warrant study. The team designed and conducted two separate effects tests to study and benchmark the potential dust-generation rate, as well as study the conditions under which a dust explosion may occure in a standardized, instrumented explosion chamber.« less

  4. Using network screening methods to determine locations with specific safety issues: A design consistency case study.

    PubMed

    Butsick, Andrew J; Wood, Jonathan S; Jovanis, Paul P

    2017-09-01

    The Highway Safety Manual provides multiple methods that can be used to identify sites with promise (SWiPs) for safety improvement. However, most of these methods cannot be used to identify sites with specific problems. Furthermore, given that infrastructure funding is often specified for use related to specific problems/programs, a method for identifying SWiPs related to those programs would be very useful. This research establishes a method for Identifying SWiPs with specific issues. This is accomplished using two safety performance functions (SPFs). This method is applied to identifying SWiPs with geometric design consistency issues. Mixed effects negative binomial regression was used to develop two SPFs using 5 years of crash data and over 8754km of two-lane rural roadway. The first SPF contained typical roadway elements while the second contained additional geometric design consistency parameters. After empirical Bayes adjustments, sites with promise (SWiPs) were identified. The disparity between SWiPs identified by the two SPFs was evident; 40 unique sites were identified by each model out of the top 220 segments. By comparing sites across the two models, candidate road segments can be identified where a lack design consistency may be contributing to an increase in expected crashes. Practitioners can use this method to more effectively identify roadway segments suffering from reduced safety performance due to geometric design inconsistency, with detailed engineering studies of identified sites required to confirm the initial assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Educating preschoolers about sun safety.

    PubMed Central

    Loescher, L J; Emerson, J; Taylor, A; Christensen, D H; McKinney, M

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVES. This feasibility study examined whether a sun safety curriculum designed for and administered to preschoolers affects their cognition (knowledge, comprehension, application) regarding sun safety. METHODS. Twelve classes of 4- to 5-year-olds were recruited from local preschools and randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received an investigator-developed sun safety curriculum; the control group did not. Children in both groups were tested at the beginning of the study about their cognition related to sun safety. They then received posttests 2 and 7 weeks following the pretest. RESULTS. The curriculum had a significant effect on the knowledge (P = .01) and comprehension (P = .006) components of cognition. The application component of cognition was not significantly changed by the curriculum. CONCLUSIONS. A structured curriculum was found to be an efficacious means of enhancing knowledge and comprehension of sun safety in preschool children. At the preoperational developmental stage, however, children may not be able to apply such knowledge and comprehension. PMID:7604917

  6. Design and Implementation of the Harvard Fellowship in Patient Safety and Quality.

    PubMed

    Gandhi, Tejal K; Abookire, Susan A; Kachalia, Allen; Sands, Kenneth; Mort, Elizabeth; Bommarito, Grace; Gagne, Jane; Sato, Luke; Weingart, Saul N

    2016-01-01

    The Harvard Fellowship in Patient Safety and Quality is a 2-year physician-oriented training program with a strong operational orientation, embedding trainees in the quality departments of participating hospitals. It also integrates didactic and experiential learning and offers the option of obtaining a master's degree in public health. The program focuses on methodologically rigorous improvement and measurement, with an emphasis on the development and implementation of innovative practice. The operational orientation is intended to foster the professional development of future quality and safety leaders. The purpose of this article is to describe the design and development of the fellowship. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Mobile site safety review for the transuranic (TRU) waste characterization program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1996-11-01

    This Safety Review Document (SRD) applies to the Active/Passive Neutron Examination and Assay (APNEA) system installed on a Lockheed Martin Specialty Components, Inc., (Specialty Components) trailer. The APNEA is designed to perform nuclear waste drum assay. The purpose of this document is to describe the safety features of the APNEA system.

  8. Fall prevention and safety communication training for foremen:Report of a pilot project designed to improve residential construction safety

    PubMed Central

    Kaskutas, Vicki; Dale, Ann Marie; Lipscomb, Hester; Evanoff, Brad

    2013-01-01

    Problem Falls from heights account for 64% of residential construction worker fatalities and 20% of missed work days. We hypothesized that worker safety would improve with foremen training in fall prevention and safety communication. Method Training priorities identified through foreman and apprentice focus groups and surveys were integrated into an 8-hour training. We piloted the training with ten foremen employed by a residential builder. Carpenter trainers contrasted proper methods to protect workers from falls with methods observed at the foremen’s worksites. Trainers presented methods to deliver toolbox talks and safety messages. Results from worksite observational audits (n=29) and foremen/crewmember surveys (n=97) administered before and after training were compared. Results We found that inexperienced workers are exposed to many fall hazards that they are often not prepared to negotiate. Fall protection is used inconsistently and worksite mentorship is often inadequate. Foremen feel pressured to meet productivity demands and some are unsure of the fall protection requirements. After the training, the frequency of daily mentoring and toolbox talks increased, and these talks became more interactive and focused on hazardous daily work tasks. Foremen observed their worksites for fall hazards more often. We observed increased compliance with fall protection and decreased unsafe behaviors during worksite audits. Discussion Designing the training to meet both foremen’s and crewmembers’ needs ensured the training was learner-centered and contextually-relevant. This pilot suggests that training residential foremen can increase use of fall protection, improve safety behaviors, and enhance on-the-job training and safety communication at their worksites. Impact on Industry Construction workers’ training should target safety communication and mentoring skills with workers who will lead work crews. Interventions at multiple levels are necessary to increase safety

  9. Fall prevention and safety communication training for foremen: report of a pilot project designed to improve residential construction safety.

    PubMed

    Kaskutas, Vicki; Dale, Ann Marie; Lipscomb, Hester; Evanoff, Brad

    2013-02-01

    Falls from heights account for 64% of residential construction worker fatalities and 20% of missed work days. We hypothesized that worker safety would improve with foremen training in fall prevention and safety communication. Training priorities identified through foreman and apprentice focus groups and surveys were integrated into an 8-hour training. We piloted the training with ten foremen employed by a residential builder. Carpenter trainers contrasted proper methods to protect workers from falls with methods observed at the foremen's worksites. Trainers presented methods to deliver toolbox talks and safety messages. Results from worksite observational audits (n=29) and foremen/crewmember surveys (n=97) administered before and after training were compared. We found that inexperienced workers are exposed to many fall hazards that they are often not prepared to negotiate. Fall protection is used inconsistently and worksite mentorship is often inadequate. Foremen feel pressured to meet productivity demands and some are unsure of the fall protection requirements. After the training, the frequency of daily mentoring and toolbox talks increased, and these talks became more interactive and focused on hazardous daily work tasks. Foremen observed their worksites for fall hazards more often. We observed increased compliance with fall protection and decreased unsafe behaviors during worksite audits. Designing the training to meet both foremen's and crewmembers' needs ensured the training was learner-centered and contextually-relevant. This pilot suggests that training residential foremen can increase use of fall protection, improve safety behaviors, and enhance on-the-job training and safety communication at their worksites. Construction workers' training should target safety communication and mentoring skills with workers who will lead work crews. Interventions at multiple levels are necessary to increase safety compliance in residential construction and decrease falls

  10. Fire safety

    Treesearch

    Robert H. White; Mark A. Dietenberger

    1999-01-01

    Fire safety is an important concern in all types of construction. The high level of national concern for fire safety is reflected in limitations and design requirements in building codes. These code requirements are discussed in the context of fire safety design and evaluation in the initial section of this chapter. Since basic data on fire behavior of wood products...

  11. Optimal Design of Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Systems for improving safety in NASA's Exploration Vehicles: A Two-Level Multidisciplinary Design Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mehr, Ali Farhang; Tumer, Irem; Barszcz, Eric

    2005-01-01

    Integrated Vehicle Health Management (ISHM) systems are used to detect, assess, and isolate functional failures in order to improve safety of space systems such as Orbital Space Planes (OSPs). An ISHM system, as a whole, consists of several subsystems that monitor different components of an OSP including: Spacecraft, Launch Vehicle, Ground Control, and the International Space Station. In this research, therefore, we propose a new methodology to design and optimize ISHM as a distributed system with multiple disciplines (that correspond to different subsystems of OSP safety). A paramount amount of interest has been given in the literature to the multidisciplinary design optimization of problems with such architecture (as will be reviewed in the full paper).

  12. Design for Occupational Safety and Health of Workers in Construction in Developing Countries: A Study of Architects in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Manu, Patrick; Poghosyan, Anush; Mshelia, Ibrahim Mark; Iwo, Samuel Tekena; Mahamadu, Abdul-Majeed; Dziekonski, Krzysztof

    2018-06-14

    Design for safety (DfS) of workers is amongst the prominent ways of tackling poor occupational safety and health (OSH) performance in construction. However, in developing countries there is an extremely limited research on DfS. This study thus makes an important contribution to the subject of DfS in developing countries by specifically examining the awareness and practice of DfS amongst architects within the construction sector of Nigeria. A survey of architects, yielding 161 valid responses, was conducted. While there is a high awareness of the concept of DfS, the actual practice is low. Additionally, although there is high interest in DfS training, the engagement in DfS training is low. Significantly, awareness of DfS, training and education related to DfS, and membership of a design professional body have very limited bearing on the practice of DfS by architects. The findings are thus symptomatic of the prevalence of influential DfS implementation barriers within the construction sector. Industry stakeholders should seek to raise the profile of DfS practice within the sector. Furthermore, similar empirical studies in the construction sector of other developing countries would be useful in shedding light on the status of DfS in these countries.

  13. Examining the design features of a communication-rich, problem-centred mathematics professional development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Araujo, Zandra; Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Jacobson, Erik

    2018-04-01

    While there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The professional development was grounded in a set of mathematical tasks that each had one right answer, but multiple solution paths. The facilitator engaged participants in problem solving and encouraged participants to work collaboratively to explore different solution paths. Through analysis of this collaborative learning environment, we identified five design features for supporting teacher learning of important mathematics and pedagogy in a problem-solving setting. We discuss these design features in depth and illustrate them by presenting an elaborated example from the professional development. This study extends the existing guidance for the design of professional development by examining and operationalizing the relationships among research-based features of effective professional development and the enacted features of a particular design.

  14. Openness to experience, work experience and patient safety.

    PubMed

    Chang, Hao-Yuan; Friesner, Daniel; Lee, I-Chen; Chu, Tsung-Lan; Chen, Hui-Ling; Wu, Wan-Er; Teng, Ching-I

    2016-11-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine how the interaction between nurse openness and work experience is related to patient safety. No study has yet examined the interactions between these, and how openness and work experience jointly impact patient safety. This study adopts a cross-sectional design, using self-reported work experience, perceived time pressure and measures of patient safety, and was conducted in a major medical centre. The sample consisted of 421 full-time nurses from all available units in the centre. Proportionate random sampling was used. Patient safety was measured using the self-reported frequency of common adverse events. Openness was self-rated using items identified in the relevant literature. Nurse openness is positively related to the patient safety construct (B = 0.08, P = 0.03). Moreover, work experience reduces the relation between openness and patient safety (B = -0.12, P < 0.01). The relationship between openness, work experience and patient safety suggests a new means of improving patient care in a health system setting. Nurse managers may enhance patient safety by assessing nurse openness and assigning highly open nurses to duties that make maximum use of that trait. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Stochastic targeted (STAR) glycemic control: design, safety, and performance.

    PubMed

    Evans, Alicia; Le Compte, Aaron; Tan, Chia-Siong; Ward, Logan; Steel, James; Pretty, Christopher G; Penning, Sophie; Suhaimi, Fatanah; Shaw, Geoffrey M; Desaive, Thomas; Chase, J Geoffrey

    2012-01-01

    Tight glycemic control (TGC) has shown benefits but has been difficult to achieve consistently. STAR (Stochastic TARgeted) is a flexible, model-based TGC approach that directly accounts for intra- and interpatient variability with a stochastically derived maximum 5% risk of blood glucose (BG) below 72 mg/dl. This research assesses the safety, efficacy, and clinical burden of a STAR TGC controller modulating both insulin and nutrition inputs in virtual and clinical pilot trials. Clinically validated virtual trials using data from 370 patients in the SPRINT (Specialized Relative Insulin and Nutrition Titration) study were used to design the STAR protocol and test its safety, performance, and required clinical effort prior to clinical pilot trials. Insulin and nutrition interventions were given every 1-3 h as chosen by the nurse to allow them to manage workload. Interventions were designed to maximize the overlap of the model-predicted (5-95(th) percentile) range of BG outcomes with the 72-117 mg/dl band and thus provide a maximum 5% risk of BG <72 mg/dl. Interventions were calculated using clinically validated computer models of human metabolism and its variability in critical illness. Carbohydrate intake (all sources) was selected to maximize intake up to 100% of the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM) goal (25 kg/kcal/h). Insulin doses were limited (8 U/h maximum), with limited increases based on current rate (0.5-2.0 U/h). Initial clinical pilot trials involved 3 patients covering ~450 h. Approval was granted by the Upper South A Regional Ethics Committee. Virtual trials indicate that STAR provides similar glycemic control performance to SPRINT with 2-3 h (maximum) measurement intervals. Time in the 72-126 mg/dl and 72-145 mg/dl bands was equivalent for all controllers, indicating that glycemic outcome differences between protocols were only shifted in this range. Safety from hypoglycemia was improved. Importantly

  16. Functional design criteria for interim stabilization safety class 1 trip circuit

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Larson, R.E., Westinghouse Hanford

    1996-06-10

    This Functional Design Criteria document outlines the basic requirements for the Safety Class 1 Trip Circuit. The objective of the Safety Class 1 Trip Circuit is to isolate the power circuitry to the Class 1 Division 2, Group B or lesser grade electrically fed loads located in the pump pit. The electrically fed load circuits need to have power isolated to them upon receipt of the following conditions, loss of flammable gases being released (above a predetermined threshold), and seismic(greater than 0.12g acceleration) activity. The two circuits requiring power isolation are the pump and heat trace power circuits. The Safetymore » Class 1 Trip Circuit will be used to support salt well pumping in SST`s containing potentially flammable gas-bearing / gas-producing radioactive waste.« less

  17. Design and implementation of an identification system in construction site safety for proactive accident prevention.

    PubMed

    Yang, Huanjia; Chew, David A S; Wu, Weiwei; Zhou, Zhipeng; Li, Qiming

    2012-09-01

    Identifying accident precursors using real-time identity information has great potential to improve safety performance in construction industry, which is still suffering from day to day records of accident fatality and injury. Based on the requirements analysis for identifying precursor and the discussion of enabling technology solutions for acquiring and sharing real-time automatic identification information on construction site, this paper proposes an identification system design for proactive accident prevention to improve construction site safety. Firstly, a case study is conducted to analyze the automatic identification requirements for identifying accident precursors in construction site. Results show that it mainly consists of three aspects, namely access control, training and inspection information and operation authority. The system is then designed to fulfill these requirements based on ZigBee enabled wireless sensor network (WSN), radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and an integrated ZigBee RFID sensor network structure. At the same time, an information database is also designed and implemented, which includes 15 tables, 54 queries and several reports and forms. In the end, a demonstration system based on the proposed system design is developed as a proof of concept prototype. The contributions of this study include the requirement analysis and technical design of a real-time identity information tracking solution for proactive accident prevention on construction sites. The technical solution proposed in this paper has a significant importance in improving safety performance on construction sites. Moreover, this study can serve as a reference design for future system integrations where more functions, such as environment monitoring and location tracking, can be added. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Examining the Characteristics of Digital Learning Games Designed by In-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    An, Yun-Jo; Cao, Li

    2017-01-01

    In order to better understand teachers' perspectives on the design and development of digital game-based learning environments, this study examined the characteristics of digital learning games designed by teachers. In addition, this study explored how game design and peer critique activities influenced their perceptions of digital game-based…

  19. Examining occupational health and safety vulnerability among Canadian workers with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Breslin, F Curtis; Lay, A Morgan; Jetha, Arif; Smith, Peter

    2017-05-26

    To compare workers with and without disabilities on their reported workplace hazard exposure and the presence of occupational health and safety vulnerability factors. Working-aged adults in Ontario or British Columbia were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey (n = 1988). Self-reported measures included demographic factors, work-related variables, perceived level of activity limitation at work, and presence of work safety vulnerability factors utilizing a novel framework. Reporting a disability at work was significantly associated with greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. In addition, those reporting a disability at work were more likely to be employed in conditions where hazard exposure was combined with inadequate policies and procedures, or hazard exposures were combined with inadequate empowerment. Work safety vulnerability is one way that health inequalities can be perpetuated even among those with disabilities who have found work. Our results suggest that employers and policy makers need to focus on assessing and addressing hazard exposures and targeting occupational health and safety resources in the workplace in a way that includes workers with disabilities. Implications for Rehabilitation Workers with disabilities experience greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. Those with moderate and severe disabilities reported occupational health and safety vulnerability, suggesting that workplace accommodations should be available to a broader range of disability levels. It appears that, above and beyond standard safety procedures, providing workplace accommodations for people with disabilities may further reduce their hazard exposure and improve their safety.

  20. Neural Net Safety Monitor Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larson, Richard R.

    2007-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) has been conducting flight-test research using an F-15 aircraft (figure 1). This aircraft has been specially modified to interface a neural net (NN) controller as part of a single-string Airborne Research Test System (ARTS) computer with the existing quad-redundant flight control system (FCC) shown in figure 2. The NN commands are passed to FCC channels 2 and 4 and are cross channel data linked (CCDL) to the other computers as shown. Numerous types of fault-detection monitors exist in the FCC when the NN mode is engaged; these monitors would cause an automatic disengagement of the NN in the event of a triggering fault. Unfortunately, these monitors still may not prevent a possible NN hard-over command from coming through to the control laws. Therefore, an additional and unique safety monitor was designed for a single-string source that allows authority at maximum actuator rates but protects the pilot and structural loads against excessive g-limits in the case of a NN hard-over command input. This additional monitor resides in the FCCs and is executed before the control laws are computed. This presentation describes a floating limiter (FL) concept1 that was developed and successfully test-flown for this program (figure 3). The FL computes the rate of change of the NN commands that are input to the FCC from the ARTS. A window is created with upper and lower boundaries, which is constantly floating and trying to stay centered as the NN command rates are changing. The limiter works by only allowing the window to move at a much slower rate than those of the NN commands. Anywhere within the window, however, full rates are allowed. If a rate persists in one direction, it will eventually hit the boundary and be rate-limited to the floating limiter rate. When this happens, a persistent counter begins and after a limit is reached, a NN disengage command is generated. The

  1. Safety design approach for external events in Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yamano, H.; Kubo, S.; Tani, A.

    2012-07-01

    This paper describes a safety design approach for external events in the design study of Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor. An emphasis is introduction of a design extension external condition (DEEC). In addition to seismic design, other external events such as tsunami, strong wind, abnormal temperature, etc. were addressed in this study. From a wide variety of external events consisting of natural hazards and human-induced ones, a screening method was developed in terms of siting, consequence, frequency to select representative events. Design approaches for these events were categorized on the probabilistic, statistical and deterministic basis. External hazard conditions were considered mainlymore » for DEECs. In the probabilistic approach, the DEECs of earthquake, tsunami and strong wind were defined as 1/10 of exceedance probability of the external design bases. The other representative DEECs were also defined based on statistical or deterministic approaches. (authors)« less

  2. Study design and analysis of automobile bumper for pedestrian safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulkarni, Akash; Vora, Rushabh; Ravi, K.

    2017-11-01

    This paper aims to design and analyse the bumper beam structure, in order to ensure the protection of the pedestrians along with the occupants inside the vehicle. The concern shown towards the pedestrian safety is because, each year about 2,70,000 pedestrians are killed in road accidents that accounts to 22% of the total deaths. From the literature review, it was inferred that the mounting position of bumper and material selection play a crucial role in maximising the pedestrian safety. Hence in this paper, the effects of bumper mounting position and the bumper beam material have been studied, with reference to an explicit dynamic collision involving with a dummy human lower leg set-up. The acceptance of a particular mounting position/material was based on the fact that the maximum stress and deformation induced were less than the yield limits of the human leg form structure (representing the skin, femur and tibia).

  3. The design of the intelligent monitoring system for dam safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Chun-qiao; Jiang, Chen-guang; Wang, Guo-hui

    2008-12-01

    Being a vital manmade water-control structure, a dam plays a very important role in the living and production of human being. To make a dam run safely, the best design and the superior construction quality are paramount; moreover, with working periods increasing, various dynamic, alternative and bad loads generate little by little various distortions on the dam structure inevitably, which shall lead to potential safety problems or further a disaster (dam burst). There are many signs before the occurrence of a dam accident, so the timely and effective surveying on the distortion of a dam is important. On the basis of the cause supra, two intelligent (automatic) monitoring systems about the dam's safety based on the RTK-GPS technology and the measuring robot has been developed. The basic principle, monitoring method and monitoring process of these two intelligent (automatic) monitoring systems are introduced. It presents examples of monitor and puts forward the basic rule of dam warning based on data of actual monitor.

  4. The Effects of Safety Discrimination Training and Frequent Safety Observations on Safety-Related Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Matthew A.; Alvero, Alicia M.

    2012-01-01

    The intent of the present study was to assess the effects of discrimination training only and in combination with frequent safety observations on five participants' safety-related behavior in a simulated office setting. The study used a multiple-baseline design across safety-related behaviors. Across all participants and behavior, safety improved…

  5. Hospital safety climate surveys: measurement issues.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Jeanette; Sarac, Cakil; Flin, Rhona

    2010-12-01

    Organizational safety culture relates to behavioural norms in the workplace and is usually assessed by safety climate surveys. These can be a diagnostic indicator on the state of safety in a hospital. This review examines recent studies using staff surveys of hospital safety climate, focussing on measurement issues. Four questionnaires (hospital survey on patient safety culture, safety attitudes questionnaire, patient safety climate in healthcare organizations, hospital safety climate scale), with acceptable psychometric properties, are now applied across countries and clinical settings. Comparisons for benchmarking must be made with caution in case of questionnaire modifications. Increasing attention is being paid to the unit and hospital level wherein distinct cultures may be located, as well as to associated measurement and study design issues. Predictive validity of safety climate is tested against safety behaviours/outcomes, with some relationships reported, although effects may be specific to professional groups/units. Few studies test the role of intervening variables that could influence the effect of climate on outcomes. Hospital climate studies are becoming a key component of healthcare safety management systems. Large datasets have established more reliable instruments that allow a more focussed investigation of the role of culture in the improvement and maintenance of staff's safety perceptions within units, as well as within hospitals.

  6. Efficient runner safety assessment during early design phase and root cause analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Q. W.; Lais, S.; Gentner, C.; Braun, O.

    2012-11-01

    Fatigue related problems in Francis turbines, especially high head Francis turbines, have been published several times in the last years. During operation the runner is exposed to various steady and unsteady hydraulic loads. Therefore the analysis of forced response of the runner structure requires a combined approach of fluid dynamics and structural dynamics. Due to the high complexity of the phenomena and due to the limitation of computer power, the numerical prediction was in the past too expensive and not feasible for the use as standard design tool. However, due to continuous improvement of the knowledge and the simulation tools such complex analysis has become part of the design procedure in ANDRITZ HYDRO. This article describes the application of most advanced analysis techniques in runner safety check (RSC), including steady state CFD analysis, transient CFD analysis considering rotor stator interaction (RSI), static FE analysis and modal analysis in water considering the added mass effect, in the early design phase. This procedure allows a very efficient interaction between the hydraulic designer and the mechanical designer during the design phase, such that a risk of failure can be detected and avoided in an early design stage.The RSC procedure can also be applied to a root cause analysis (RCA) both to find out the cause of failure and to quickly define a technical solution to meet the safety criteria. An efficient application to a RCA of cracks in a Francis runner is quoted in this article as an example. The results of the RCA are presented together with an efficient and inexpensive solution whose effectiveness could be proven again by applying the described RSC technics. It is shown that, with the RSC procedure developed and applied as standard procedure in ANDRITZ HYDRO such a failure is excluded in an early design phase. Moreover, the RSC procedure is compatible with different commercial and open source codes and can be easily adapted to apply for

  7. Sex differences in principal farm operators' tractor driving safety beliefs and behaviors.

    PubMed

    Cole, H P; Westneat, S C; Browning, S R; Piercy, L R; Struttmann, T

    2000-01-01

    To examine the widely accepted hypothesis that farm women are more concerned with safety issues and behaviors than their male counterparts are. A telephone survey was administered to a random sample of Kentucky principal farm operators, 90 of whom were women. Participants were questioned about their tractor safety beliefs and practices. No significant sex differences in tractor safety perceptions and behavior were observed. Socialization of women to the role of principal farm operator may override their typically greater sensitivity to safety issues, an important consideration when designing safety campaigns for this population.

  8. Fire safety design considerations for advanced space vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1988-01-01

    The desire to understand and explore space has driven man to overcome the confines of the Earth's atmosphere and accept the challenge of spaceflight. With our increasing ability to travel, work, and explore in space comes a need for a better understanding of the hazards in this relatively new endeavor. One of the most important and immediate needs is to be able to predict the ignition, spread, and growth of fire on board spacecraft. Fire safety aboard spacecraft has always been a concern; however, with the increasing number and duration of proposed missions, it is imperative that the spacecraft be designed with a solid understanding of fire hazards, insuring that all risks have been minimized and extinguishment systems are available.

  9. An Examination of the Starting Point Approach to Design and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Good, Keith; Jarvinen, Esa-Matti

    2007-01-01

    This study examines the Starting Point Approach (SPA) to design and technology, which is intended to maximize creativity while being manageable for the teacher. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the children could do what the approach requires and in particular whether it promoted their innovative thinking. Data were collected during…

  10. Process safety improvement--quality and target zero.

    PubMed

    Van Scyoc, Karl

    2008-11-15

    Process safety practitioners have adopted quality management principles in design of process safety management systems with positive effect, yet achieving safety objectives sometimes remain a distant target. Companies regularly apply tools and methods which have roots in quality and productivity improvement. The "plan, do, check, act" improvement loop, statistical analysis of incidents (non-conformities), and performance trending popularized by Dr. Deming are now commonly used in the context of process safety. Significant advancements in HSE performance are reported after applying methods viewed as fundamental for quality management. In pursuit of continual process safety improvement, the paper examines various quality improvement methods, and explores how methods intended for product quality can be additionally applied to continual improvement of process safety. Methods such as Kaizen, Poke yoke, and TRIZ, while long established for quality improvement, are quite unfamiliar in the process safety arena. These methods are discussed for application in improving both process safety leadership and field work team performance. Practical ways to advance process safety, based on the methods, are given.

  11. Examining Variation in Attitudes toward Aggressive Retaliation and Perceptions of Safety among Bullies, Victims, and Bully/Victims

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradshaw, Catherine P.; O'Brennan, Lindsey M.; Sawyer, Anne L.

    2008-01-01

    This article examines the link between involvement in bullying, as either a bully, victim, or bully/victim, and attitudes toward violence and perceptions of safety among 16,012 middle and high school students. Analyses indicated that 37.6% were frequently involved in bullying. Bully/victims were the most likely to report feeling unsafe and…

  12. 30 CFR 75.361 - Supplemental examination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Ventilation § 75.361 Supplemental examination. (a) Except... examine the area for hazardous conditions, determine whether the air is traveling in its proper direction...

  13. Design and development of food safety knowledge and attitude scales for consumer food safety education.

    PubMed

    Medeiros, Lydia C; Hillers, Virginia N; Chen, Gang; Bergmann, Verna; Kendall, Patricia; Schroeder, Mary

    2004-11-01

    The objective of this study was to design and develop food safety knowledge and attitude scales based on food-handling guidelines developed by a national panel of food safety experts. Knowledge (n=43) and attitude (n=49) questions were developed and pilot-tested with a variety of consumer groups. Final questions were selected based on item analysis and on validity and reliability statistical tests. Knowledge questions were tested in Washington State with participants in low-income nutrition education programs (pretest/posttest n=58, test/retest n=19) and college students (pretest/posttest n=34). Attitude questions were tested in Ohio with nutrition education program participants (n=30) and college students (non-nutrition majors n=138, nutrition majors n=57). Item analysis, paired sample t tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha were used. Reliability and validity tests of individual items and the question sets were used to reduce the scales to 18 knowledge questions and 10 attitude questions. The knowledge and attitude scales covered topics ranked as important by a national panel of experts and met most validity and reliability standards. The 18-item knowledge questionnaire had instructional sensitivity (mean score increase of more than three points after instruction), internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha >.75), and produced similar results in test-retest without intervention (coefficient of stability=.81). Knowledge of correct procedures for hand washing and avoiding cross-contamination was widespread before instruction. Knowledge was limited regarding avoiding food preparation while ill, cooking hamburgers, high-risk foods, and whether cooked rice and potatoes could be stored at room temperature. The 10-item attitude scale had an appropriate range of responses (item difficulty) and produced similar results in test-retest ( P safety is

  14. Evolution of Space Shuttle Range Safety Ascent Flight Envelope Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brewer, Joan; Davis, Jerel; Glenn, Christopher

    2011-01-01

    For every space vehicle launch from the Eastern Range in Florida, the range user must provide specific Range Safety (RS) data products to the Air Force's 45th Space Wing in order to obtain flight plan approval. One of these data products is a set of RS ascent flight envelope trajectories that define the normal operating region of the vehicle during powered flight. With the Shuttle Program launching 135 manned missions over a 30-year period, 135 envelope sets were delivered to the range. During this time, the envelope methodology and design process evolved to support mission changes, maintain high data quality, and reduce costs. The purpose of this document is to outline the shuttle envelope design evolution and capture the lessons learned that could apply to future spaceflight endeavors.

  15. Cerebrospinal fluid protein and glucose examinations and tuberculosis:
Will laboratory safety regulations force a change of practice?

    PubMed

    Tormey, William P; O'Hagan, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein and glucose examinations are usually performed in chemical pathology departments on autoanalysers. Tuberculosis (TB) is a group 3 biological agent under Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament but in the biochemistry laboratory, no extra precautions are taken in its analysis in possible TB cases. The issue of laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens, when tuberculosis infection is in question is addressed in the context of ambiguity in the implementation of current national and international health and safety regulations. Additional protective measures for laboratory staff during the analysis of CSF TB samples should force a change in current laboratory practice and become a regulatory issue under ISO 15189. Annual Mantoux skin test or an interferon-γ release assay for TB should be mandatory for relevant staff. This manuscript addresses the issue of biochemistry laboratory practice and safety in the biochemical analyses of CSF specimens when tuberculosis infection is in question in the context of the ambiguity of statutory health and safety regulations.

  16. Safe School Design: A Handbook for Educational Leaders Applying the Principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, Tod; Walker, Hill; Sprague, Jeffrey

    This document seeks to synthesize, integrate, and make available to school personnel solid information regarding Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). Chapter 1, "The Changed Landscape of School Safety and Security," examines characteristics of safe and unsafe schools, causes of vulnerability, and the role of design and technology…

  17. Design, operation, and safety of single-room interventional MRI suites: practical experience from two centers.

    PubMed

    White, Mark J; Thornton, John S; Hawkes, David J; Hill, Derek L G; Kitchen, Neil; Mancini, Laura; McEvoy, Andrew W; Razavi, Reza; Wilson, Sally; Yousry, Tarek; Keevil, Stephen F

    2015-01-01

    The design and operation of a facility in which a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner is incorporated into a room used for surgical or endovascular cardiac interventions presents several challenges. MR safety must be maintained in the presence of a much wider variety of equipment than is found in a diagnostic unit, and of staff unfamiliar with the MRI environment, without compromising the safety and practicality of the interventional procedure. Both the MR-guided cardiac interventional unit at Kings College London and the intraoperative imaging suite at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery are single-room interventional facilities incorporating 1.5 T cylindrical-bore MRI scanners. The two units employ similar strategies to maintain MR safety, both in original design and day-to-day operational workflows, and between them over a decade of incident-free practice has been accumulated. This article outlines these strategies, highlighting both similarities and differences between the units, as well as some lessons learned and resulting procedural changes made in both units since installation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Safety analysis in test facility design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valk, A.; Jonker, R. J.

    1990-09-01

    The application of safety analysis techniques as developed in, for example nuclear and petrochemical industry, can be very beneficial in coping with the increasing complexity of modern test facility installations and their operations. To illustrate the various techniques available and their phasing in a project, an overview of the most commonly used techniques is presented. Two case studies are described: the hazard and operability study techniques and safety zoning in relation to the possible presence of asphyxiating atmospheres.

  19. Probabilistic safety assessment of the design of a tall buildings under the extreme load

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Králik, Juraj, E-mail: juraj.kralik@stuba.sk

    2016-06-08

    The paper describes some experiences from the deterministic and probabilistic analysis of the safety of the tall building structure. There are presented the methods and requirements of Eurocode EN 1990, standard ISO 2394 and JCSS. The uncertainties of the model and resistance of the structures are considered using the simulation methods. The MONTE CARLO, LHS and RSM probabilistic methods are compared with the deterministic results. On the example of the probability analysis of the safety of the tall buildings is demonstrated the effectiveness of the probability design of structures using Finite Element Methods.

  20. Probabilistic safety assessment of the design of a tall buildings under the extreme load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Králik, Juraj

    2016-06-01

    The paper describes some experiences from the deterministic and probabilistic analysis of the safety of the tall building structure. There are presented the methods and requirements of Eurocode EN 1990, standard ISO 2394 and JCSS. The uncertainties of the model and resistance of the structures are considered using the simulation methods. The MONTE CARLO, LHS and RSM probabilistic methods are compared with the deterministic results. On the example of the probability analysis of the safety of the tall buildings is demonstrated the effectiveness of the probability design of structures using Finite Element Methods.

  1. A flight test facility design for examining digital information transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Knox, Charles E.

    1990-01-01

    Information is given in viewgraph form on a flight test facility design for examining digital information transfer. Information is given on aircraft/ground exchange, data link research activities, data link display format, a data link flight test, and the flight test setup.

  2. Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis for safety assessment of nuclear power plants

    DOE PAGES

    Di Maio, Francesco; Zio, Enrico; Smith, Curtis; ...

    2015-07-06

    The present special issue contains an overview of the research in the field of Integrated Deterministic and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (IDPSA) of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Traditionally, safety regulation for NPPs design and operation has been based on Deterministic Safety Assessment (DSA) methods to verify criteria that assure plant safety in a number of postulated Design Basis Accident (DBA) scenarios. Referring to such criteria, it is also possible to identify those plant Structures, Systems, and Components (SSCs) and activities that are most important for safety within those postulated scenarios. Then, the design, operation, and maintenance of these “safety-related” SSCs andmore » activities are controlled through regulatory requirements and supported by Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA).« less

  3. How Can We Improve School Safety Research?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Astor, Ron Avi; Guerra, Nancy; Van Acker, Richard

    2010-01-01

    The authors of this article consider how education researchers can improve school violence and school safety research by (a) examining gaps in theoretical, conceptual, and basic research on the phenomena of school violence; (b) reviewing key issues in the design and evaluation of evidence-based practices to prevent school violence; and (c)…

  4. Usability and Safety in Electronic Medical Records Interface Design: A Review of Recent Literature and Guideline Formulation.

    PubMed

    Zahabi, Maryam; Kaber, David B; Swangnetr, Manida

    2015-08-01

    The objectives of this study were to (a) review electronic medical record (EMR) and related electronic health record (EHR) interface usability issues, (b) review how EMRs have been evaluated with safety analysis techniques along with any hazard recognition, and (c) formulate design guidelines and a concept for enhanced EMR interfaces with a focus on diagnosis and documentation processes. A major impact of information technology in health care has been the introduction of EMRs. Although numerous studies indicate use of EMRs to increase health care quality, there remain concerns with usability issues and safety. A literature search was conducted using Compendex, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases to find EMR research published since 2000. Inclusion criteria included relevant English-language papers with subsets of keywords and any studies (manually) identified with a focus on EMR usability. Fifty studies met the inclusion criteria. Results revealed EMR and EHR usability problems to include violations of natural dialog, control consistency, effective use of language, effective information presentation, and customization principles as well as a lack of error prevention, minimization of cognitive load, and feedback. Studies focusing on EMR system safety made no objective assessments and applied only inductive reasoning methods for hazard recognition. On the basis of the identified usability problems and structure of safety analysis techniques, we provide EMR design guidelines and a design concept focused on the diagnosis process and documentation. The design guidelines and new interface concept can be used for prototyping and testing enhanced EMRs. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  5. Final safety analysis report for the Galileo Mission: Volume 1, Reference design document

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    The Galileo mission uses nuclear power sources called Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) to provide the spacecraft's primary electrical power. Because these generators contain nuclear material, a Safety Analysis Report (SAR) is required. A preliminary SAR and an updated SAR were previously issued that provided an evolving status report on the safety analysis. As a result of the Challenger accident, the launch dates for both Galileo and Ulysses missions were later rescheduled for November 1989 and October 1990, respectively. The decision was made by agreement between the DOE and the NASA to have a revised safety evaluation and report (FSAR) preparedmore » on the basis of these revised vehicle accidents and environments. The results of this latest revised safety evaluation are presented in this document (Galileo FSAR). Volume I, this document, provides the background design information required to understand the analyses presented in Volumes II and III. It contains descriptions of the RTGs, the Galileo spacecraft, the Space Shuttle, the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), the trajectory and flight characteristics including flight contingency modes, and the launch site. There are two appendices in Volume I which provide detailed material properties for the RTG.« less

  6. An Examination of Commercial Motor Vehicle Hours of Service Safety Regulation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    enough data for a statistical analysis of its effects on truck driver safety. This research found that by comparing truck driving safety data prior...impact on the commercial motor vehicle industry. Research has demonstrated how fatigue leads to increased accident rates by decreasing reaction time

  7. Safety in the Air: A Curriculum about Flight and Air Traffic Control Designed for Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colton, Ted

    This six-lesson unit is designed to familiarize sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students with air traffic safety and the individuals who make air traffic safety possible. Each lesson consists of a statement of the concept fostered, a list of objectives, a brief discussion on the focus of the unit, and instructional strategies for lesson topics…

  8. Proposed system safety design and test requirements for the microlaser ordnance system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stoltz, Barb A.; Waldo, Dale F.

    1993-01-01

    Safety for pyrotechnic ignition systems is becoming a major concern for the military. In the past twenty years, stray electromagnetic fields have steadily increased during peacetime training missions and have dramatically increased during battlefield missions. Almost all of the ordnance systems in use today depend on an electrical bridgewire for ignition. Unfortunately, the bridgewire is the cause of the majority of failure modes. The common failure modes include the following: broken bridgewires; transient RF power, which induces bridgewire heating; and cold temperatures, which contracts the explosive mix away from the bridgewire. Finding solutions for these failure modes is driving the costs of pyrotechnic systems up. For example, analyses are performed to verify that the system in the environment will not see more energy than 20 dB below the 'No-fire' level. Range surveys are performed to determine the operational, storage, and transportation RF environments. Cryogenic tests are performed to verify the bridgewire to mix interface. System requirements call for 'last minute installation,' 'continuity checks after installation,' and rotating safety devices to 'interrupt the explosive train.' As an alternative, MDESC has developed a new approach based upon our enabling laser diode technology. We believe that Microlaser initiated ordnance offers a unique solution to the bridgewire safety concerns. For this presentation, we will address, from a system safety viewpoint, the safety design and the test requirements for a Microlaser ordnance system. We will also review how this system could be compliant to MIL-STD-1576 and DOD-83578A and the additional necessary requirements.

  9. Senate examines measures to improve nuclear safety following Japan disaster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2012-03-01

    One year after Japan suffered a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and nuclear disaster, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken a number of measures to try to ensure that nuclear plants in the United States are safe from natural hazards. At a U.S. Senate hearing on 15 March, NRC chair Gregory Jaczko announced that the commission had issued three key orders and several requests for information on 12 March that plant licensees must follow, and that NRC also plans to take additional actions. However, the commission is not moving quickly enough in some areas, such as ensuring that all plants are safe from seismic hazards, including those in areas with low seismic activity, according to Jaczko's testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. The 12 March orders require licensees to have strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent-fuel pool cooling capabilities "following a beyond-design-basis extreme natural event" and have a reliable indication of the water level in spent-fuel storage pools.

  10. The Design of Transportation Equipment in Terms of Human Capabilities. The Role of Engineering Psychology in Transport Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McFarland, Ross A.

    Human factors engineering is considered with regard to the design of safety factors for aviation and highway transportation equipment. Current trends and problem areas are identified for jet air transportation and for highway transportation. Suggested solutions to transportation safety problems are developed by applying the techniques of human…

  11. Safety in the Air: A Curriculum About Flight and Air Traffic Control Designed for Middle School Students

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1983-01-01

    Safety in the Air is designed to be taught as a six-lesson unit to middle school : students, preferably sixth, seventh, or eighth grade level. : This curriculum is designed first of all to familiarize both the teacher and the : student with some basi...

  12. Interface design of VSOP'94 computer code for safety analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Natsir, Khairina; Yazid, Putranto Ilham; Andiwijayakusuma, D.; Wahanani, Nursinta Adi

    2014-09-01

    Today, most software applications, also in the nuclear field, come with a graphical user interface. VSOP'94 (Very Superior Old Program), was designed to simplify the process of performing reactor simulation. VSOP is a integrated code system to simulate the life history of a nuclear reactor that is devoted in education and research. One advantage of VSOP program is its ability to calculate the neutron spectrum estimation, fuel cycle, 2-D diffusion, resonance integral, estimation of reactors fuel costs, and integrated thermal hydraulics. VSOP also can be used to comparative studies and simulation of reactor safety. However, existing VSOP is a conventional program, which was developed using Fortran 65 and have several problems in using it, for example, it is only operated on Dec Alpha mainframe platforms and provide text-based output, difficult to use, especially in data preparation and interpretation of results. We develop a GUI-VSOP, which is an interface program to facilitate the preparation of data, run the VSOP code and read the results in a more user friendly way and useable on the Personal 'Computer (PC). Modifications include the development of interfaces on preprocessing, processing and postprocessing. GUI-based interface for preprocessing aims to provide a convenience way in preparing data. Processing interface is intended to provide convenience in configuring input files and libraries and do compiling VSOP code. Postprocessing interface designed to visualized the VSOP output in table and graphic forms. GUI-VSOP expected to be useful to simplify and speed up the process and analysis of safety aspects.

  13. The Public Safety Impact of Community Notification Laws: Rearrest of Convicted Sex Offenders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Naomi J.

    2012-01-01

    Sex offender management is one of the highest-profile issues in public safety today. Although states have enacted community notification laws as a means to protect communities from sexual offending, limited research has been conducted to examine the impact of these laws on public safety. As such, this study used a quasi-experimental design to…

  14. Meta-analysis and review: effectiveness, safety, and central port design of the intraocular collamer lens

    PubMed Central

    Packer, Mark

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to summarize relevant data from publications appearing in the peer-reviewed scientific literature over the past decade since US Food and Drug Administration approval of the implantable collamer lens (ICL), and, in particular, to review studies relating to sizing methodology, safety, and effectiveness, as well as more recent studies reporting clinical outcomes of the V4c Visian ICL with KS Aquaport, VICMO. A literature search was conducted using two databases, PubMed.gov and Science.gov, to identify all articles published after 2005 related to the Visian ICL (STAAR Surgical, Inc.). Articles were examined for their relevance to sizing methodology, clinical safety, and effectiveness, and the references cited in each article were also searched for additional relevant publications. The literature review revealed that all currently reported methods of determining the best-fit size of the ICL achieve similarly satisfactory results in terms of vault, the safe distance between the crystalline lens and the ICL. Specifically, meta-analysis demonstrated that sulcus-to-sulcus and white-to-white measurement-based sizing methods do not result in clinically meaningful nor statistically significant differences in vault (two-sample two-sided t-test using pooled mean and standard deviations; t (2,594)=1.33; P=0.18). The reported rates of complications related to vault are very low, except in two case series where additional risk factors such as higher levels of myopia and older age impacted the incidence of cataract. On the basis of preclinical studies and initial clinical reports, with up to 5 years of follow-up, the new VICMO central port design holds promise for further reduction of complications. Given its safety record and the significant improvement in vision and quality of life that the ICL makes possible, the benefits of ICL implantation outweigh the risks. PMID:27354760

  15. Meta-analysis and review: effectiveness, safety, and central port design of the intraocular collamer lens.

    PubMed

    Packer, Mark

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to summarize relevant data from publications appearing in the peer-reviewed scientific literature over the past decade since US Food and Drug Administration approval of the implantable collamer lens (ICL), and, in particular, to review studies relating to sizing methodology, safety, and effectiveness, as well as more recent studies reporting clinical outcomes of the V4c Visian ICL with KS Aquaport, VICMO. A literature search was conducted using two databases, PubMed.gov and Science.gov, to identify all articles published after 2005 related to the Visian ICL (STAAR Surgical, Inc.). Articles were examined for their relevance to sizing methodology, clinical safety, and effectiveness, and the references cited in each article were also searched for additional relevant publications. The literature review revealed that all currently reported methods of determining the best-fit size of the ICL achieve similarly satisfactory results in terms of vault, the safe distance between the crystalline lens and the ICL. Specifically, meta-analysis demonstrated that sulcus-to-sulcus and white-to-white measurement-based sizing methods do not result in clinically meaningful nor statistically significant differences in vault (two-sample two-sided t-test using pooled mean and standard deviations; t (2,594)=1.33; P=0.18). The reported rates of complications related to vault are very low, except in two case series where additional risk factors such as higher levels of myopia and older age impacted the incidence of cataract. On the basis of preclinical studies and initial clinical reports, with up to 5 years of follow-up, the new VICMO central port design holds promise for further reduction of complications. Given its safety record and the significant improvement in vision and quality of life that the ICL makes possible, the benefits of ICL implantation outweigh the risks.

  16. Crashworthiness Design of the Shear Bolts for Light Collision Safety Devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jin Sung; Huh, Hoon; Kwon, Tae Soo

    This paper introduces the jig set for the crash test and the crash test results of shear bolts which are designed to fail at train crash conditions. The tension and shear bolts are attached to Light Collision Safety Devices(LCSD) as a mechanical fuse when tension and shear bolts reach their failure load designed. The kinetic energy due to the crash is absorbed by the secondary energy absorbing device after LCSD are detached from the main body by the fracture of shear bolts. A single shear bolt was designed to fail at the load of 250 kN. The jig set designed to convert a compressive loading to a shear loading was installed to the high speed crash tester for dynamic shear tests. Two strain gauges were attached at the parallel section of the jig set to measure the load responses acting on the shear bolts. Crash tests were performed with a carrier whose mass was 250 kg and the initial speed of the carrier was 9 m/sec. From the quasi-static and dynamic experiments as well as the numerical analysis, the capacity of the shear bolts were accurately predicted for the crashworthiness design.

  17. Putting Safety in the Frame: Nurses' Sensemaking at Work.

    PubMed

    O'Keeffe, Valerie Jean; Thompson, Kirrilly Rebecca; Tuckey, Michelle Rae; Blewett, Verna Lesley

    2015-01-01

    Current patient safety policy focuses nursing on patient care goals, often overriding nurses' safety. Without understanding how nurses construct work health and safety (WHS), patient and nurse safety cannot be reconciled. Using ethnography, we examine social contexts of safety, studying 72 nurses across five Australian hospitals making decisions during patient encounters. In enacting safe practice, nurses used "frames" built from their contextual experiences to guide their behavior. Frames are produced by nurses, and they structure how nurses make sense of their work. Using thematic analysis, we identify four frames that inform nurses' decisions about WHS: (a) communicating builds knowledge, (b) experiencing situations guides decisions, (c) adapting procedures streamlines work, and (d) team working promotes safe working. Nurses' frames question current policy and practice by challenging how nurses' safety is positioned relative to patient safety. Recognizing these frames can assist the design and implementation of effective WHS management.

  18. Feasibility and safety of a novel magnetic-assisted capsule endoscope system in a preliminary examination for upper gastrointestinal tract.

    PubMed

    Lien, Gi-Shih; Wu, Ming-Shun; Chen, Chun-Nan; Liu, Chih-Wen; Suk, Fat-Moon

    2018-04-01

    Current capsule endoscopy procedures are ineffective for upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract examination because they do not allow for operator-controlled navigation of the capsule. External controllability of a capsule endoscope with an applied magnetic field is a possible solution to this problem. We developed a novel magnetic-assisted capsule endoscope (MACE) system to visualize the entire upper GI tract. The present study evaluated the safety and feasibility of the MACE system for the examination of the upper GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The present open clinical study enrolled ten healthy volunteers. All participants swallowed a MACE, and an external magnetic field navigator was used for magnetic capsule manipulation in the upper GI tract. We assessed the maneuverability of the magnetic capsule and completeness of the MACE examination as well as the safety and tolerability of the procedure. The present study enrolled ten healthy volunteers with a mean age and body mass index of 47.7 years and 25.6 kg/m 2 , respectively. One volunteer withdrew because of difficulty in swallowing the capsule. In total, nine volunteers underwent the MACE examination. The average examination time was 27.1 min. The maneuverability of the capsule was assessed as good and fair in 55.6 and 44.4% of the participants, respectively. The overall completeness of the examination in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum was 100, 85.2, and 86.1%, respectively. No severe adverse events occurred during this study. All participants exhibited satisfactory tolerance of the MACE examination. The MACE system has satisfactory maneuverability and visualization completeness with excellent acceptance and tolerance.

  19. Application of Framework for Integrating Safety, Security and Safeguards (3Ss) into the Design Of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Badwan, Faris M.; Demuth, Scott F

    Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Research and Development develops options to the current commercial fuel cycle management strategy to enable the safe, secure, economic, and sustainable expansion of nuclear energy while minimizing proliferation risks by conducting research and development focused on used nuclear fuel recycling and waste management to meet U.S. needs. Used nuclear fuel is currently stored onsite in either wet pools or in dry storage systems, with disposal envisioned in interim storage facility and, ultimately, in a deep-mined geologic repository. The safe management and disposition of used nuclear fuel and/or nuclear waste is amore » fundamental aspect of any nuclear fuel cycle. Integrating safety, security, and safeguards (3Ss) fully in the early stages of the design process for a new nuclear facility has the potential to effectively minimize safety, proliferation, and security risks. The 3Ss integration framework could become the new national and international norm and the standard process for designing future nuclear facilities. The purpose of this report is to develop a framework for integrating the safety, security and safeguards concept into the design of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (UNFSF). The primary focus is on integration of safeguards and security into the UNFSF based on the existing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approach to addressing the safety/security interface (10 CFR 73.58 and Regulatory Guide 5.73) for nuclear power plants. The methodology used for adaptation of the NRC safety/security interface will be used as the basis for development of the safeguards /security interface and later will be used as the basis for development of safety and safeguards interface. Then this will complete the integration cycle of safety, security, and safeguards. The overall methodology for integration of 3Ss will be proposed, but only the integration of safeguards and security will be applied to the design

  20. Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation.

    PubMed

    Hanskamp-Sebregts, Mirelle; Zegers, Marieke; Boeijen, Wilma; Westert, Gert P; van Gurp, Petra J; Wollersheim, Hub

    2013-06-22

    Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011-July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to early detect unsafe care and improve patient

  1. High visibility safety apparel and nighttime conspicuity of pedestrians in work zones.

    PubMed

    Sayer, James R; Mefford, Mary Lynn

    2004-01-01

    Every year numerous occupational fatalities result from pedestrians being struck by motor vehicles intruding into work zones. Attributes of retroreflective personal safety garments on pedestrian conspicuity at night were assessed in a field study. Using instrumented vehicles on a closed track, participants drove through simulated work zones attempting to detect pedestrians located in the work zones. Configuration of the retroreflective trim, trim color, placement in the work zone, and driver age significantly affected pedestrian conspicuity. Intensity and the amount of retroreflective trim did not. Personal safety garments incorporating retroreflective trim significantly improve pedestrian conspicuity in work zones. The results emphasize the importance of retroreflective trim on personal safety garments, particularly if the trim is located on garment sleeves. We examine the design attributes that contribute to making a personal safety garment conspicuous. The results have implications regarding preferred garment designs, industry standards, and service life of personal safety garments.

  2. "Ohio 4-H CARTEENS": Peer Intervention Safety Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cropper, Rebecca J.

    1999-01-01

    Ohio 4-H's CARTEENS seeks to reduce juvenile traffic violations in a program designed and presented by teen peer educators with guidance and technical assistance from the state highway patrol. Teens examined court data to determine content, which includes defensive driving, rural road safety, and dealing with peer pressure. (SK)

  3. What vehicle features are considered important when buying an automobile? An examination of driver preferences by age and gender.

    PubMed

    Vrkljan, Brenda H; Anaby, Dana

    2011-02-01

    Certain vehicle features can help drivers avoid collisions and/or protect occupants in the event of a crash, and therefore, might play an important role when deciding which vehicle to purchase. The objective of this study was to examine the importance attributed to key vehicle features (including safety) that drivers consider when buying a car and its association with age and gender. A sample of 2,002 Canadian drivers aged 18 years and older completed a survey that asked them to rank the importance of eight vehicle features if they were to purchase a vehicle (storage, mileage, safety, price, comfort, performance, design, and reliability). ANOVA tests were performed to: (a) determine if there were differences in the level of importance between features and; (b) examine the effect of age and gender on the importance attributed to these features. Of the features examined, safety and reliability were the most highly rated in terms of importance, whereas design and performance had the lowest rating. Differences in safety and performance across age groups were dependent on gender. This effect was most evident in the youngest and oldest age groups. Safety and reliability were considered the most important features. Age and gender play a significant role in explaining the importance of certain features. Targeted efforts for translating safety-related information to the youngest and oldest consumers should be emphasized due to their high collision, injury, and fatality rates. Copyright © 2011 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Electromagnetic compatibility and safety design of a patient compliance-free, inductive implant charger.

    PubMed

    Theodoridis, Michael P; Mollov, Stefan V

    2014-10-01

    This article presents the design of a domestic, radiofrequency induction charger for implants toward compliance with the Federal Communications Commission safety and electromagnetic compatibility regulations. The suggested arrangement does not impose any patient compliance requirements other than the use of a designated bed for night sleep, and therefore can find a domestic use. The method can be applied to a number of applications; a rechargeable pacemaker is considered as a case study. The presented work has proven that it is possible to realize a fully compliant inductive charging system with minimal patient interaction, and has generated important information for consideration by the designers of inductive charging systems. Experimental results have verified the validity of the theoretical findings.

  5. Safety leadership: extending workplace safety climate best practices across health care workforces.

    PubMed

    McCaughey, Deirdre; Halbesleben, Jonathon R B; Savage, Grant T; Simons, Tony; McGhan, Gwen E

    2013-01-01

    Hospitals within the United States consistently have injury rates that are over twice the national employee injury rate. Hospital safety studies typically investigate care providers rather than support service employees. Compounding the lack of evidence for this understudied population is the scant evidence that is available to examine the relationship of support service employees'perceptions of safety and work-related injuries. To examine this phenomenon, the purpose of this study was to investigate support service employees' perceptions of safety leadership and social support as well as the relationship of safety perception to levels of reported injuries. A nonexperimental survey was conducted with the data collected from hospital support service employees (n = 1,272) and examined. (1) relationships between safety leadership (supervisor and organization) and individual and unit safety perceptions; (2) the moderating effect of social support (supervisor and coworker) on individual and unit safety perceptions; and (3) the relationship of safety perception to reported injury rates. The survey items in this study were based on the items from the AHRQ Patient Safety Culture Survey and the U.S. National Health Care Surveys. Safety leadership (supervisor and organization) was found to be positively related to individual safety perceptions and unit safety grade as was supervisor and coworker support. Coworker support was found to positively moderate the following relationships: supervisor safety leadership and safety perceptions, supervisor safety leadership and unit safety grade, and senior management safety leadership and safety perceptions. Positive employee safety perceptions were found to have a significant relationship with lower reported injury rates. These findings suggest that safety leadership from supervisors and senior management as well as coworker support has positive implications for support service employees' perceptions of safety, which, in turn, are

  6. Examining Teaching Practices in Design and Craft Education in Iceland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorsteinsson, Gisli; Olafsson, Brynjar

    2017-01-01

    This article reports a survey which aimed to examine the present situation in Design and Craft Education (D&C) in Iceland in terms of teachers' general standing and their teaching inside the Icelandic elementary schools. A questionnaire was sent to 170 D&C teachers in Icelandic elementary schools. The questionnaire was completed by 101…

  7. Assessment of Contributions to Patient Safety Knowledge by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-Funded Patient Safety Projects

    PubMed Central

    Sorbero, Melony E S; Ricci, Karen A; Lovejoy, Susan; Haviland, Amelia M; Smith, Linda; Bradley, Lily A; Hiatt, Liisa; Farley, Donna O

    2009-01-01

    Objective To characterize the activities of projects funded in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)' patient safety portfolio and assess their aggregate potential to contribute to knowledge development. Data Sources Information abstracted from proposals for projects funded in AHRQ' patient safety portfolio, information on safety practices from the AHRQ Evidence Report on Patient Safety Practices, and products produced by the projects. Study Design This represented one part of the process evaluation conducted as part of a longitudinal evaluation based on the Context–Input–Process–Product model. Principal Findings The 234 projects funded through AHRQ' patient safety portfolio examined a wide variety of patient safety issues and extended their work beyond the hospital setting to less studied parts of the health care system. Many of the projects implemented and tested practices for which the patient safety evidence report identified a need for additional evidence. The funded projects also generated a substantial body of new patient safety knowledge through a growing number of journal articles and other products. Conclusions The projects funded in AHRQ' patient safety portfolio have the potential to make substantial contributions to the knowledge base on patient safety. The full value of this new knowledge remains to be confirmed through the synthesis of results. PMID:21456108

  8. Subsurface safety valves: safety asset or safety liability

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Busch, J.M.; Llewelyn, D.C.G.; Policky, B.J.

    1983-10-01

    This paper summarizes the methods used to compare the risk of a blowout for a well completed with a subsurface safety valve (SSSV) vs. a completion without an SSSV. These methods, which could be applied to any field, include a combination of SSSV reliability and conventional risk analyses. The Kuparuk River Unit Working Interest Owners recently formed a group to examine the risks associated with installing and maintaining SSSV's in the Kuparuk field. The group was charged with answering the question: ''Assuming Kuparuk field operating conditions, are SSSV's a safety asset, or do numerous operating and maintenance procedures make themmore » a safety liability.'' The results indicate that for the Kuparuk River Unit, an SSSV becomes a safety liability when the mean time between SSSV failures is less than one year. Since current SSSV mean time to failure (MTTF) at Kuparuk is approximately 1000 days, they are considered a safety asset.« less

  9. Nuclear safety considerations in the conceptual design of a fast reactor for space electric power and propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsieh, T.-M.; Koenig, D. R.

    1977-01-01

    Some nuclear safety aspects of a 3.2 mWt heat pipe cooled fast reactor with out-of-core thermionic converters are discussed. Safety related characteristics of the design including a thin layer of B4C surrounding the core, the use of heat pipes and BeO reflector assembly, the elimination of fuel element bowing, etc., are highlighted. Potential supercriticality hazards and countermeasures are considered. Impacts of some safety guidelines of space transportation system are also briefly discussed, since the currently developing space shuttle would be used as the primary launch vehicle for the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft.

  10. Is the large simple trial design used for comparative, post-approval safety research? A review of a clinical trials registry and the published literature.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Robert F; Lem, Joanna A; Gatto, Nicolle M; Eng, Sybil M

    2011-10-01

    Post-approval, observational drug safety studies face well known difficulties in controlling for confounding, particularly confounding by indication for drug use. A study design that addresses confounding by indication is the large simple trial (LST). LSTs are characterized by large sample sizes, often in the thousands; broad entry criteria consistent with the approved medication label; randomization based on equipoise, i.e. neither physician nor patient believes that one treatment option is superior; minimal, streamlined data collection requirements; objectively-measured endpoints (e.g. death, hospitalization); and follow-up that minimizes interventions or interference with normal clinical practice. In theory then, the LST is a preferred study design for drug and vaccine safety research because it controls for biases inherent to observational research while still providing results that are generalizable to 'real-world' use. To evaluate whether LSTs are used for comparative safety evaluation and if the design is, in fact, advantageous compared with other designs, we conducted a review of the published literature (1949 through 31 December 2010) and the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (2000 through 31 December 2010). Thirteen ongoing or completed safety LSTs were identified. The design has rarely been used in comparative drug safety research, which is due to the operational, financial and scientific hurdles of implementing the design. The studies that have been completed addressed important clinical questions and, in some cases, led to re-evaluation of medical practice. We conclude the design has demonstrated utility for comparative safety research of medicines and vaccines if the necessary scientific and operational conditions for its use are met.

  11. The safety and reliability of the S and A mechanism designed for the NASA/LSPE program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Montesi, L. J.

    1973-01-01

    Under contract to the Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA/Houston, NOL developed a number of explosive charges for use in studying the surface of the moon during Apollo 17 activities. The charges were part of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE). When the Safety and Arming Device used in the previous ALSEP experiments was found unsuitable for use with the new explosive packages, NOL also designed the Safety and Arming Mechanism, and the safety and reliability tests conducted are described. The results of the test program indicate that the detonation transfer probability between the armed explosive components exceeds 0.9999, and is less than 0.0001 when the explosive components are in the safe position.

  12. Evaluation of Safety, Quality and Productivity in Construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Usmen, M. A.; Vilnitis, M.

    2015-11-01

    This paper examines the success indicators of construction projects, safety, quality and productivity, in terms of their implications and impacts during and after construction. First safety is considered during construction with a focus on hazard identification and the prevention of occupational accidents and injuries on worksites. The legislation mandating safety programs, training and compliance with safety standards is presented and discussed. Consideration of safety at the design stage is emphasized. Building safety and the roles of building codes in prevention of structural failures are also covered in the paper together with factors affecting building failures and methods for their prevention. Quality is introduced in the paper from the perspective of modern total quality management. Concepts of quality management, quality control, quality assurance and Six Sigma and how they relate to building quality and structural integrity are discussed with examples. Finally, productivity concepts are presented with emphasis on effective project management to minimize loss of productivity, complimented by lean construction and lean Six Sigma principles. The paper concludes by synthesizing the relationships between safety, quality and productivity.

  13. Space engine safety system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maul, William A.; Meyer, Claudia M.

    1991-01-01

    A rocket engine safety system was designed to initiate control procedures to minimize damage to the engine or vehicle or test stand in the event of an engine failure. The features and the implementation issues associated with rocket engine safety systems are discussed, as well as the specific concerns of safety systems applied to a space-based engine and long duration space missions. Examples of safety system features and architectures are given, based on recent safety monitoring investigations conducted for the Space Shuttle Main Engine and for future liquid rocket engines. Also, the general design and implementation process for rocket engine safety systems is presented.

  14. The Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE): method and design considerations.

    PubMed

    Boudreaux, Edwin D; Miller, Ivan; Goldstein, Amy B; Sullivan, Ashley F; Allen, Michael H; Manton, Anne P; Arias, Sarah A; Camargo, Carlos A

    2013-09-01

    Due to the concentration of individuals at-risk for suicide, an emergency department visit represents an opportune time for suicide risk screening and intervention. The Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE) uses a quasi-experimental, interrupted time series design to evaluate whether (1) a practical approach to universally screening ED patients for suicide risk leads to improved detection of suicide risk and (2) a multi-component intervention delivered during and after the ED visit improves suicide-related outcomes. This paper summarizes the ED-SAFE's study design and methods within the context of considerations relevant to effectiveness research in suicide prevention and pertinent human participants concerns. 1440 suicidal individuals, from 8 general ED's nationally will be enrolled during three sequential phases of data collection (480 individuals/phase): (1) Treatment as Usual; (2) Universal Screening; and (3) Intervention. Data from the three phases will inform two separate evaluations: Screening Outcome (Phases 1 and 2) and Intervention (Phases 2 and 3). Individuals will be followed for 12 months. The primary study outcome is a composite reflecting completed suicide, attempted suicide, aborted or interrupted attempts, and implementation of rescue procedures during an outcome assessment. While 'classic' randomized control trials (RCT) are typically selected over quasi-experimental designs, ethical and methodological issues may make an RCT a poor fit for complex interventions in an applied setting, such as the ED. ED-SAFE represents an innovative approach to examining the complex public health issue of suicide prevention through a multi-phase, quasi-experimental design embedded in 'real world' clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. 41 CFR 102-76.30 - What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 76-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Design and Construction... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of Federal facilities? 102-76.30...

  16. 41 CFR 102-76.30 - What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 76-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Design and Construction... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of Federal facilities? 102-76.30...

  17. 41 CFR 102-76.30 - What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 76-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Design and Construction... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of Federal facilities? 102-76.30...

  18. 41 CFR 102-76.30 - What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 76-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Design and Construction... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of Federal facilities? 102-76.30...

  19. 41 CFR 102-76.30 - What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 76-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Design and Construction... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What seismic safety standards must Federal agencies follow in the design and construction of Federal facilities? 102-76.30...

  20. Characterization of NiTi Shape Memory Damping Elements designed for Automotive Safety Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strittmatter, Joachim; Clipa, Victor; Gheorghita, Viorel; Gümpel, Paul

    2014-07-01

    Actuator elements made of NiTi shape memory material are more and more known in industry because of their unique properties. Due to the martensitic phase change, they can revert to their original shape by heating when subjected to an appropriate treatment. This thermal shape memory effect (SME) can show a significant shape change combined with a considerable force. Therefore such elements can be used to solve many technical tasks in the field of actuating elements and mechatronics and will play an increasing role in the next years, especially within the automotive technology, energy management, power, and mechanical engineering as well as medical technology. Beside this thermal SME, these materials also show a mechanical SME, characterized by a superelastic plateau with reversible elongations in the range of 8%. This behavior is based on the building of stress-induced martensite of loaded austenite material at constant temperature and facilitates a lot of applications especially in the medical field. Both SMEs are attended by energy dissipation during the martensitic phase change. This paper describes the first results obtained on different actuator and superelastic NiTi wires concerning their use as damping elements in automotive safety systems. In a first step, the damping behavior of small NiTi wires up to 0.5 mm diameter was examined at testing speeds varying between 0.1 and 50 mm/s upon an adapted tensile testing machine. In order to realize higher testing speeds, a drop impact testing machine was designed, which allows testing speeds up to 4000 mm/s. After introducing this new type of testing machine, the first results of vertical-shock tests of superelastic and electrically activated actuator wires are presented. The characterization of these high dynamic phase change parameters represents the basis for new applications for shape memory damping elements, especially in automotive safety systems.

  1. New geometric design consistency model based on operating speed profiles for road safety evaluation.

    PubMed

    Camacho-Torregrosa, Francisco J; Pérez-Zuriaga, Ana M; Campoy-Ungría, J Manuel; García-García, Alfredo

    2013-12-01

    To assist in the on-going effort to reduce road fatalities as much as possible, this paper presents a new methodology to evaluate road safety in both the design and redesign stages of two-lane rural highways. This methodology is based on the analysis of road geometric design consistency, a value which will be a surrogate measure of the safety level of the two-lane rural road segment. The consistency model presented in this paper is based on the consideration of continuous operating speed profiles. The models used for their construction were obtained by using an innovative GPS-data collection method that is based on continuous operating speed profiles recorded from individual drivers. This new methodology allowed the researchers to observe the actual behavior of drivers and to develop more accurate operating speed models than was previously possible with spot-speed data collection, thereby enabling a more accurate approximation to the real phenomenon and thus a better consistency measurement. Operating speed profiles were built for 33 Spanish two-lane rural road segments, and several consistency measurements based on the global and local operating speed were checked. The final consistency model takes into account not only the global dispersion of the operating speed, but also some indexes that consider both local speed decelerations and speeds over posted speeds as well. For the development of the consistency model, the crash frequency for each study site was considered, which allowed estimating the number of crashes on a road segment by means of the calculation of its geometric design consistency. Consequently, the presented consistency evaluation method is a promising innovative tool that can be used as a surrogate measure to estimate the safety of a road segment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Examining the Design Features of a Communication-Rich, Problem-Centred Mathematics Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Araujo, Zandra; Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Jacobson, Erik

    2018-01-01

    While there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The…

  3. Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 5: Nuclear System safety guidelines. Part 1: Space base nuclear safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    The design and operations guidelines and requirements developed in the study of space base nuclear system safety are presented. Guidelines and requirements are presented for the space base subsystems, nuclear hardware (reactor, isotope sources, dynamic generator equipment), experiments, interfacing vehicles, ground support systems, range safety and facilities. Cross indices and references are provided which relate guidelines to each other, and to substantiating data in other volumes. The guidelines are intended for the implementation of nuclear safety related design and operational considerations in future space programs.

  4. The examination of headache activity using time-series research designs.

    PubMed

    Houle, Timothy T; Remble, Thomas A; Houle, Thomas A

    2005-05-01

    The majority of research conducted on headache has utilized cross-sectional designs which preclude the examination of dynamic factors and principally rely on group-level effects. The present article describes the application of an individual-oriented process model using time-series analytical techniques. The blending of a time-series approach with an interactive process model allows consideration of the relationships of intra-individual dynamic processes, while not precluding the researcher to examine inter-individual differences. The authors explore the nature of time-series data and present two necessary assumptions underlying the time-series approach. The concept of shock and its contribution to headache activity is also presented. The time-series approach is not without its problems and two such problems are specifically reported: autocorrelation and the distribution of daily observations. The article concludes with the presentation of several analytical techniques suited to examine the time-series interactive process model.

  5. Design of a reusable kinetic energy absorber for an astronaut safety tether to be used during extravehicular activities on the Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Borthwick, Dawn E.; Cronch, Daniel F.; Nixon, Glen R.

    1991-01-01

    The goal of this project is to design a reusable safety device for a waist tether which will absorb the kinetic energy of an astronaut drifting away from the Space Station. The safety device must limit the tension of the tether line in order to prevent damage to the astronaut's space suit or to the structure of the spacecraft. The tether currently used on shuttle missions must be replaced after the safety feature has been developed. A reusable tether for the Space Station would eliminate the need for replacement tethers, conserving space and mass. This report presents background information, scope and limitations, methods of research and development, alternative designs, a final design solution and its evaluation, and recommendations for further work.

  6. Examining Treatment Effects for Single-Case ABAB Designs through Sensitivity Analyses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crumbacher, Christine A.

    2013-01-01

    Single-case designs (SCDs) are often used to examine the impact of an intervention over brief periods of time (Kratochwill & Stoiber, 2002; Segool, Brinkman, & Carlson, 2007). The majority of SCDs are inspected using visual analysis (Kromrey & Foster-Johnson, 1996; Morgan & Morgan, 2009). Although the single-case literature…

  7. Safety Characteristics in System Application Software for Human Rated Exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mango, E. J.

    2016-01-01

    NASA and its industry and international partners are embarking on a bold and inspiring development effort to design and build an exploration class space system. The space system is made up of the Orion system, the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) system. All are highly coupled together and dependent on each other for the combined safety of the space system. A key area of system safety focus needs to be in the ground and flight application software system (GFAS). In the development, certification and operations of GFAS, there are a series of safety characteristics that define the approach to ensure mission success. This paper will explore and examine the safety characteristics of the GFAS development.

  8. The roles of garment design and scene complexity in the daytime conspicuity of high-visibility safety apparel.

    PubMed

    Sayer, James R; Buonarosa, Mary Lynn

    2008-01-01

    This study examines the effects of high-visibility garment design on daytime pedestrian conspicuity in work zones. Factors assessed were garment color, amount of background material, pedestrian arm motion, scene complexity, and driver age. The study was conducted in naturalistic conditions on public roads in real traffic. Drivers drove two passes on a 31-km route and indicated when they detected pedestrians outfitted in the fluorescent garments. The locations of the vehicle and the pedestrian were recorded. Detection distances between fluorescent yellow-green and fluorescent red-orange garments were not significantly different, nor were there any significant two-way interactions involving garment color. Pedestrians were detected at longer distances in lower complexity scenes. Arm motion significantly increased detection distances for pedestrians wearing a Class 2 vest, but had little added benefit on detection distances for pedestrians wearing a Class 2 jacket. Daytime detection distances for pedestrians wearing Class 2 or Class 3 garments are longest when the complexity of the surround is low. The more background information a driver has to search through, the longer it is likely to take the driver to locate a pedestrian--even when wearing a high-visibility garment. These findings will provide information to safety garment manufacturers about characteristics of high-visibility safety garments which make them effective for daytime use.

  9. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-3. Pedestrian Safety, Grade 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains nine lessons on pedestrian safety for use in grade 3. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing communication methods for…

  10. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Pedestrian Safety, Grade 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains eight lessons on pedestrian safety for use in grade 2. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing communication methods for…

  11. Efficacy and safety of a clinically relevant foamy vector design in human hematopoietic repopulating cells.

    PubMed

    Everson, Elizabeth M; Hocum, Jonah D; Trobridge, Grant D

    2018-06-23

    Previous studies have shown that foamy viral (FV) vectors are a promising alternative to gammaretroviral and lentiviral vectors and insulators can improve FV vector safety. However, in a previous analysis of insulator effects on FV vector safety, strong viral promoters were used to elicit genotoxic events. Here we developed and analyzed the efficacy and safety of a high-titer, clinically relevant FV vector driven by the housekeeping promoter elongation factor-1α and insulated with an enhancer blocking A1 insulator (FV-EGW-A1). Human CD34 + cord blood cells were exposed to an enhanced green fluorescent protein expressing vector, FV-EGW-A1, at a multiplicity of infection of 10 and then maintained in vitro or transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Flow cytometry was used to measure engraftment and marking in vivo. FV vector integration sites were analyzed to assess safety. FV-EGW-A1 resulted in high-marking, multi-lineage engraftment of human repopulating cells with no evidence of silencing. Engraftment was highly polyclonal with no clonal dominance and a promising safety profile based on integration site analysis. An FV vector with an elongation factor-1α promoter and an A1 insulator is a promising vector design for use in the clinic. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  12. Design of 3D simulation engine for oilfield safety training

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Hua-Ming; Kang, Bao-Sheng

    2015-03-01

    Aiming at the demand for rapid custom development of 3D simulation system for oilfield safety training, this paper designs and implements a 3D simulation engine based on script-driven method, multi-layer structure, pre-defined entity objects and high-level tools such as scene editor, script editor, program loader. A scripting language been defined to control the system's progress, events and operating results. Training teacher can use this engine to edit 3D virtual scenes, set the properties of entity objects, define the logic script of task, and produce a 3D simulation training system without any skills of programming. Through expanding entity class, this engine can be quickly applied to other virtual training areas.

  13. Car Club Teacher's Guide. An Educational Program on Safety Belt Use for Junior High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

    This information packet describes the teacher's role in Car Club, a program designed to convince junior high school students to use motor vehicle safety belts. Students are approached as both passengers and future drivers to help them examine their roles and responsibilities relating to safety belts and occupant protection systems, including air…

  14. Safety considerations in the design and operation of large wind turbines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reilly, D. H.

    1979-01-01

    The engineering and safety techniques used to assure the reliable and safe operation of large wind turbine generators utilizing the Mod 2 Wind Turbine System Program as an example is described. The techniques involve a careful definition of the wind turbine's natural and operating environments, use of proven structural design criteria and analysis techniques, an evaluation of potential failure modes and hazards, and use of a fail safe and redundant component engineering philosophy. The role of an effective quality assurance program, tailored to specific hardware criticality, and the checkout and validation program developed to assure system integrity are described.

  15. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Characteristics Associated with Violence and Safety in Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vagi, Kevin J.; Stevens, Mark R.; Simon, Thomas R.; Basile, Kathleen C.; Carter, Sherry P.; Carter, Stanley L.

    2018-01-01

    Background: This study used a new Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment tool to test the associations between physical attributes of schools and violence-related behaviors and perceptions of students. Methods: Data were collected from 4717 students from 50 middle schools. Student perceptions of risk and safety, and…

  16. Conceptual design study of Fusion Experimental Reactor (FY86 FER): Safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seki, Yasushi; Iida, Hiromasa; Honda, Tsutomu

    1987-08-01

    This report describes the study on safety for FER (Fusion Experimental Reactor) which has been designed as a next step machine to the JT-60. Though the final purpose of this study is to have an image of design base accident, maximum credible accident and to assess their risk or probability, etc., as FER plant system, the emphasis of this years study is placed on fuel-gas circulation system where the tritium inventory is maximum. The report consists of two chapters. The first chapter summarizes the FER system and describes FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) and related accident progression sequence for FER plant system as a whole. The second chapter of this report is focused on fuel-gas circulation system including purification, isotope separation and storage. Probability of risk is assessed by the probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) procedure based on FMEA, ETA and FTA.

  17. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Passenger Safety, Grade 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains four lessons and an appendix of school bus safety tips for use in grade 3. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing…

  18. The moderating role of safety-specific trust on the relation between safety-specific leadership and safety citizenship behaviors.

    PubMed

    Conchie, Stacey M; Donald, Ian J

    2009-04-01

    The authors examined whether safety-specific trust moderates or mediates the relationship between safety-specific transformational leadership and subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. Data from 139 subordinate-supervisor dyads were collected from the United Kingdom construction industry and analyzed using hierarchical regression models. Results showed that safety-specific trust moderated rather than mediated the effects of safety-specific transformational leaders on subordinates' behavior. Specifically, in conditions of high and moderate safety-specific trust, leaders had a significant effect on subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. However, in conditions of low safety-specific trust, leaders did not significantly influence subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. The implications of these findings for general safety theory and practice are discussed.

  19. Using micro-simulation to investigate the safety impacts of transit design alternatives at signalized intersections.

    PubMed

    Li, Lu; Persaud, Bhagwant; Shalaby, Amer

    2017-03-01

    This study investigates the use of crash prediction models and micro-simulation to develop an effective surrogate safety assessment measure at the intersection level. With the use of these tools, hypothetical scenarios can be developed and explored to evaluate the safety impacts of design alternatives in a controlled environment, in which factors not directly associated with the design alternatives can be fixed. Micro-simulation models are developed, calibrated, and validated. Traffic conflicts in the micro-simulation models are estimated and linked with observed crash frequency, which greatly alleviates the lengthy time needed to collect sufficient crash data for evaluating alternatives, due to the rare and infrequent nature of crash events. A set of generalized linear models with negative binomial error structure is developed to correlate the simulated conflicts with the observed crash frequency in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Crash prediction models are also developed for crashes of different impact types and for transit-involved crashes. The resulting statistical significance and the goodness-of-fit of the models suggest adequate predictive ability. Based on the established correlation between simulated conflicts and observed crashes, scenarios are developed in the micro-simulation models to investigate the safety effects of individual transit line elements by making hypothetical modifications to such elements and estimating changes in crash frequency from the resulting changes in conflicts. The findings imply that the existing transit signal priority schemes can have a negative effect on safety performance, and that the existing near-side stop positioning and streetcar transit type can be safer at their current state than if they were to be replaced by their respective counterparts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Workplace Safety and Health Topics: Safety & Prevention

    MedlinePlus

    ... Health Records (EHRs) and Patient Work Information Engineering Controls Equipment Design in Mining Falls in the Workplace Green, Safe, and Healthy Jobs – Prevention through Design Hierarchy of Controls Industry and Occupation Coding and Support Logging Safety ...

  1. 3S (Safeguards, Security, Safety) based pyroprocessing facility safety evaluation plan

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ku, J.H.; Choung, W.M.; You, G.S.

    The big advantage of pyroprocessing for the management of spent fuels against the conventional reprocessing technologies lies in its proliferation resistance since the pure plutonium cannot be separated from the spent fuel. The extracted materials can be directly used as metal fuel in a fast reactor, and pyroprocessing reduces drastically the volume and heat load of the spent fuel. KAERI has implemented the SBD (Safeguards-By-Design) concept in nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The goal of SBD is to integrate international safeguards into the entire facility design process since the very beginning of the design phase. This paper presents a safety evaluationmore » plan using a conceptual design of a reference pyroprocessing facility, in which 3S (Safeguards, Security, Safety)-By-Design (3SBD) concept is integrated from early conceptual design phase. The purpose of this paper is to establish an advanced pyroprocessing hot cell facility design concept based on 3SBD for the successful realization of pyroprocessing technology with enhanced safety and proliferation resistance.« less

  2. CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROLS AND THE SAFETY BASIS AT PFP

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kessler, S

    2009-04-21

    -2007. In reviewing documents used in classifying controls for Nuclear Safety, it was noted that DOE-HDBK-1188, 'Glossary of Environment, Health, and Safety Terms', defines an Administrative Control (AC) in terms that are different than typically used in Criticality Safety. As part of this CCR, a new term, Criticality Administrative Control (CAC) was defined to clarify the difference between an AC used for criticality safety and an AC used for nuclear safety. In Nuclear Safety terms, an AC is a provision relating to organization and management, procedures, recordkeeping, assessment, and reporting necessary to ensure safe operation of a facility. A CAC was defined as an administrative control derived in a criticality safety analysis that is implemented to ensure double contingency. According to criterion 2 of Section IV, 'Linkage to the Documented Safety Analysis', of DOESTD-3007-2007, the consequence of a criticality should be examined for the purposes of classifying the significance of a control or component. HNF-PRO-700, 'Safety Basis Development', provides control selection criteria based on consequence and risk that may be used in the development of a Criticality Safety Evaluation (CSE) to establish the classification of a component as a design feature, as safety class or safety significant, i.e., an Engineered Safety Feature (ESF), or as equipment important to safety; or merely provides defense-in-depth. Similar logic is applied to the CACs. Criterion 8C of DOE-STD-3007-2007, as written, added to the confusion of using the basic CCR from HNF-7098. The PFP CCR attempts to clarify this criterion by revising it to say 'Programmatic commitments or general references to control philosophy (e.g., mass control or spacing control or concentration control as an overall control strategy for the process without specific quantification of individual limits) is included in the PFP DSA'. Table 1 shows the PFP methodology for evaluating CACs. This evaluation process has been in use

  3. Work boot design affects the way workers walk: A systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Dobson, Jessica A; Riddiford-Harland, Diane L; Bell, Alison F; Steele, Julie R

    2017-05-01

    Safety boots are compulsory in many occupations to protect the feet of workers from undesirable external stimuli, particularly in harsh work environments. The unique environmental conditions and varying tasks performed in different occupations necessitate a variety of boot designs to match each worker's occupational safety and functional requirements. Unfortunately, safety boots are often designed more for occupational safety at the expense of functionality and comfort. In fact, there is a paucity of published research investigating the influence that specific variations in work boot design have on fundamental tasks common to many occupations, such as walking. This literature review aimed to collate and examine what is currently known about the influence of boot design on walking in order to identify gaps in the literature and develop evidence-based recommendations upon which to design future research studies investigating work boot design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. How much do workers' health examinations add to health and safety at the workplace? Occupational preventive usefulness of routine health examinations.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Jareño, Maria Cruz; Molinero, Emilia; de Montserrat, Jaume; Vallès, Antoni; Aymerich, Marta

    2015-01-01

    Despite no evidence in favour, routine workers' health examinations, mostly pre-employment and periodic, are extensively performed worldwide with important allocation of resources. In Spain they are performed within a theoretical job-specific health surveillance system. Our objective was to ascertain their occupational preventive usefulness from the perspective of occupational health professionals. Cross sectional study. Online survey addressed to all physicians and nurses members of the Catalan Society of Safety and Occupational Medicine (n=539) in 2011. Univariate and bivariate analyses of prevalence and prevalence differences of answers. Response rate 53% (n=285). According to more than 70% of respondents the health surveillance system isn't cost-effective, doesn't meet the goal of early detection of health damage related to work, and doesn't contribute to improve the occupational risk prevention system. Further deficiencies were identified regarding specificity and scientific basis for health examinations, quality of collective health surveillance and referral of suspected cases to mutual insurance companies for diagnosis and treatment. Bivariate analysis showed a significantly more negative opinion for several items amongst physicians (versus nurses) and amongst professionals working in external prevention services (versus internal services). This study raises serious concerns about how health examinations are performed within our workers' health surveillance system, which should be reviewed to ensure the fulfilment of its occupational preventive objective. Our results might encourage other countries with similar practices to assess them in order to assure their fitness for purpose. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  5. Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Approval of Food and Drug Administration-Designated Breakthrough and Nonbreakthrough Cancer Medicines.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Thomas J; Franklin, Jessica M; Chen, Christopher T; Lauffenburger, Julie C; Gyawali, Bishal; Kesselheim, Aaron S; Darrow, Jonathan J

    2018-04-24

    Purpose The breakthrough therapy program was established in 2012 to expedite the development and review of new medicines. We evaluated the times to approval, efficacy, and safety of breakthrough-designated versus non-breakthrough-designated cancer drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Methods We studied all new cancer drugs approved by the FDA between January 2012 and December 2017. Regulatory and therapeutic characteristics (time to FDA approval, pivotal trial efficacy end point, novelty of mechanism of action) were compared between breakthrough-designated and non-breakthrough-designated cancer drugs. Random-effects meta-regression was used to assess the association between breakthrough therapy designation and hazard ratios for progression-free survival (PFS), response rates (RRs) for solid tumors, serious adverse events, and deaths not attributed to disease progression. Results Between 2012 and 2017, the FDA approved 58 new cancer drugs, 25 (43%) of which received breakthrough therapy designation. The median time to first FDA approval was 5.2 years for breakthrough-designated drugs versus 7.1 years for non-breakthrough-designated drugs (difference, 1.9 years; P = .01). There were no statistically significant differences between breakthrough-designated and non-breakthrough-designated drugs in median PFS gains (8.6 v 4.0 months; P = .11), hazard ratios for PFS (0.43 v 0.51; P = .28), or RRs for solid tumors (37% v 39%; P = .74). Breakthrough therapy-designated drugs were not more likely to act via a novel mechanism of action (36% v 39%; P = 1.00). Rates of deaths (6% v 4%; P = .99) and serious adverse events (38% v 36%; P = 0.93) were also similar in breakthrough-designated and non-breakthrough-designated drugs. Conclusion Breakthrough-designated cancer drugs were associated with faster times to approval, but there was no evidence that these drugs provide improvements in safety or novelty; nor was there a statistically significant efficacy

  6. Developing an industry-oriented safety curriculum using the Delphi technique.

    PubMed

    Chen, Der-Fa; Wu, Tsung-Chih; Chen, Chi-Hsiang; Chang, Shu-Hsuan; Yao, Kai-Chao; Liao, Chin-Wen

    2016-09-01

    In this study, we examined the development of industry-oriented safety degree curricula at a college level. Based on a review of literature on the practices and study of the development of safety curricula, we classified occupational safety and health curricula into the following three domains: safety engineering, health engineering, and safety and health management. We invited 44 safety professionals to complete a four-round survey that was designed using a modified Delphi technique. We used Chi-square statistics to test the panel experts' consensus on the significance of the items in the three domains and employed descriptive statistics to rank the participants' rating of each item. The results showed that the top three items for each of the three domains were Risk Assessment, Dangerous Machinery and Equipment, and Fire and Explosion Prevention for safety engineering; Ergonomics, Industrial Toxicology, and Health Risk Assessment for health engineering; and Industrial Safety and Health Regulations, Accident Investigation and Analysis, and Emergency Response for safety and health management. Only graduates from safety programmes who possess practical industry-oriented abilities can satisfy industry demands and provide value to the existence of college safety programmes.

  7. Protection and Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American School Board Journal, 1964

    1964-01-01

    Several aspects of school safety and protection are presented for school administrators and architects. Among those topics discussed are--(1) life safety, (2) vandalism controlled through proper design, (3) personal protective devices, and (4) fire alarm systems. Another critical factor in providing a complete school safety program is proper…

  8. Fire safety of wood construction

    Treesearch

    Robert H. White; Mark A. Dietenberger

    2010-01-01

    Fire safety is an important concern in all types of construction. The high level of national concern for fire safety is reflected in limitations and design requirements in building codes. These code requirements and related fire performance data are discussed in the context of fire safety design and evaluation in the initial section of this chapter. Because basic data...

  9. Sociotechnical systems as a framework for regulatory system design and evaluation: Using Work Domain Analysis to examine a new regulatory system.

    PubMed

    Carden, Tony; Goode, Natassia; Read, Gemma J M; Salmon, Paul M

    2017-03-15

    Like most work systems, the domain of adventure activities has seen a series of serious incidents and subsequent calls to improve regulation. Safety regulation systems aim to promote safety and reduce accidents. However, there is scant evidence they have led to improved safety outcomes. In fact there is some evidence that the poor integration of regulatory system components has led to adverse safety outcomes in some contexts. Despite this, there is an absence of methods for evaluating regulatory and compliance systems. This article argues that sociotechnical systems theory and methods provide a suitable framework for evaluating regulatory systems. This is demonstrated through an analysis of a recently introduced set of adventure activity regulations. Work Domain Analysis (WDA) was used to describe the regulatory system in terms of its functional purposes, values and priority measures, purpose-related functions, object-related processes and cognitive objects. This allowed judgement to be made on the nature of the new regulatory system and on the constraints that may impact its efficacy following implementation. Importantly, the analysis suggests that the new system's functional purpose of ensuring safe activities is not fully supported in terms of the functions and objects available to fulfil them. Potential improvements to the design of the system are discussed along with the implications for regulatory system design and evaluation across the safety critical domains generally. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Components That Affect the Personal Motivation to Implement Campus Safety Protocols

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burt, Ernest, III

    2013-01-01

    This study examined components that have an effect on crisis response team members' personal motivation to perform campus safety protocols. The research method for this study was a quantitative design. The variables measured were compensation, experience, training, and communication. The motivation sources for this study included instrumental…

  11. A Safety Program that Integrated Behavior-Based Safety and Traditional Safety Methods and Its Effects on Injury Rates of Manufacturing Workers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hermann, Jaime A.; Ibarra, Guillermo V.; Hopkins, B. L.

    2010-01-01

    The present research examines the effects of a complex safety program that combined Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) and traditional safety methods. The study was conducted in an automobile parts plant in Mexico. Two sister plants served as comparison. Some of the components of the safety programs addressed behaviors of managers and included methods…

  12. Safety climate and the distracted driving experiences of truck drivers.

    PubMed

    Swedler, David I; Pollack, Keshia M; Agnew, Jacqueline

    2015-07-01

    For truck drivers, distracted driving is a workplace behavior that increases occupational injury risk. We propose safety climate as an appropriate lens through which researchers can examine occupational distracted driving. Using a mixed methods study design, we surveyed truck drivers using the Safety Climate Questionnaire (SCQ) complemented by semi-structured interviews of experts on distracted driving and truck safety. Safety climate was assessed by using the entire SCQ as an overall climate score, followed by factor analysis that identified the following safety climate factors: Communications and Procedures; Management Commitment; and Work Pressure. In multivariate regression, the overall safety climate scale was associated with having ever experienced a crash and/or distraction-involved swerving. Interview participants described how these SCQ constructs could affect occupational distracted driving. To reduce distraction-related crashes in their organizations, management can adhere to safe policies and procedures, invest in engineering controls, and develop safer communication procedures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Pedestrian Safety, Grades K-1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains thirteen lessons on pedestrian safety for use in kindergarten and grade 1. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing…

  14. Guaranteeing safety in spatially situated agents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kohout, R.C.; Hendler, J.A.; Musliner, D.J.

    1996-12-31

    {open_quote}Mission-critical{close_quotes} systems, which include such diverse applications as nuclear power plant controllers, {open_quotes}fly-by-wire{close_quotes} airplanes, medical care and monitoring systems, and autonomous mobile vehicles, are characterized by the fact that system failure is potentially catastrophic. The high cost of failure justifies the expenditure of considerable effort at design-time in order to guarantee the correctness of system behavior. This paper examines the problem of guaranteeing safety in a well studied class of robot motion problems known as the {open_quotes}asteroid avoidance problem.{close_quotes} We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for ensuring safety in the simple version of this problem which occurs most frequently inmore » the literature, as well as sufficient conditions for a more general and realistic case. In doing so, we establish functional relationships between the number, size and speed of obstacles, the robot`s maximum speed and the conditions which must be maintained in order to ensure safety.« less

  15. 30 CFR 56.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 56.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions § 56.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons experienced in examining and testing for loose...

  16. 30 CFR 56.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 56.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions § 56.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons experienced in examining and testing for loose...

  17. Transformational and passive leadership as cross-level moderators of the relationships between safety knowledge, safety motivation, and safety participation.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Lixin; Probst, Tahira M

    2016-06-01

    While safety knowledge and safety motivation are well-established predictors of safety participation, less is known about the impact of leadership styles on these relationships. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether the positive relationships between safety knowledge and motivation and safety participation are contingent on transformational and passive forms of safety leadership. Using multilevel modeling with a sample of 171 employees nested in 40 workgroups, we found that transformational safety leadership strengthened the safety knowledge-participation relationship, whereas passive leadership weakened the safety motivation-participation relationship. Under low transformational leadership, safety motivation was not related to safety participation; under high passive leadership, safety knowledge was not related to safety participation. These results are discussed in light of organizational efforts to increase safety-related citizenship behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  18. Designscholar: Examining Creative Thinking in an Online Learning Community for Interior Design Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ransdell, Marlo Evelyn

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the creative thinking of interior design graduate students in an online learning community. This study considered potential changes in creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) about design research resulting from peer-led online discussions. It further studied the learner characteristics of…

  19. Identifying Facilitators and Barriers for Patient Safety in a Medicine Label Design System Using Patient Simulation and Interviews.

    PubMed

    Dieckmann, Peter; Clemmensen, Marianne Hald; Sørensen, Trine Kart; Kunstek, Pina; Hellebek, Annemarie

    2016-12-01

    Medicine label design plays an important role in improving patient safety. This study aimed at identifying facilitators and barriers in a medicine label system to prevent medication errors in clinical use by health care professionals. The study design is qualitative and exploratory, with a convenience sample of 10 nurses and 10 physicians from different acute care specialties working in hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark. In 2 patient simulation scenarios and a sorting task, the participants selected the medicines from a range of ampules, vials, and infusion bags. After each scenario and in the end of the study, the participants were interviewed. Notes were validated with the participants, and content was analyzed. The label design benefited from the standardized construction of the labels, the clear layout and font, and some warning signs. The complexity of the system and some inconsistencies (different meaning of colors) posed challenges, when considered with the actual application context, in which there is little time to get familiar with the design features. For optimizing medicine labels and obtaining the full benefit of label design features on patient safety, it is necessary to consider the context in which they are used.

  20. Safety sans Frontières: An International Safety Culture Model.

    PubMed

    Reader, Tom W; Noort, Mark C; Shorrock, Steven; Kirwan, Barry

    2015-05-01

    The management of safety culture in international and culturally diverse organizations is a concern for many high-risk industries. Yet, research has primarily developed models of safety culture within Western countries, and there is a need to extend investigations of safety culture to global environments. We examined (i) whether safety culture can be reliably measured within a single industry operating across different cultural environments, and (ii) if there is an association between safety culture and national culture. The psychometric properties of a safety culture model developed for the air traffic management (ATM) industry were examined in 17 European countries from four culturally distinct regions of Europe (North, East, South, West). Participants were ATM operational staff (n = 5,176) and management staff (n = 1,230). Through employing multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, good psychometric properties of the model were established. This demonstrates, for the first time, that when safety culture models are tailored to a specific industry, they can operate consistently across national boundaries and occupational groups. Additionally, safety culture scores at both regional and national levels were associated with country-level data on Hofstede's five national culture dimensions (collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and long-term orientation). MANOVAs indicated safety culture to be most positive in Northern Europe, less so in Western and Eastern Europe, and least positive in Southern Europe. This indicates that national cultural traits may influence the development of organizational safety culture, with significant implications for safety culture theory and practice. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  1. Design and evaluation of simulation scenarios for a program introducing patient safety, teamwork, safety leadership, and simulation to healthcare leaders and managers.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Jeffrey B; Singer, Sara J; Hayes, Jennifer; Sales, Michael; Vogt, Jay W; Raemer, Daniel; Meyer, Gregg S

    2011-08-01

    We developed a training program to introduce managers and informal leaders of healthcare organizations to key concepts of teamwork, safety leadership, and simulation to motivate them to act as leaders to improve safety within their sphere of influence. This report describes the simulation scenario and debriefing that are core elements of that program. Twelve teams of clinician and nonclinician managers were selected from a larger set of volunteers to participate in a 1-day, multielement training program. Two simulation exercises were developed: one for teams of nonclinicians and the other for clinicians or mixed groups. The scenarios represented two different clinical situations, each designed to engage participants in discussions of their safety leadership and teamwork issues immediately after the experience. In the scenarios for nonclinicians, participants conducted an anesthetic induction and then managed an ethical situation. The scenario for clinicians simulated a consulting visit to an emergency room that evolved into a problem-solving challenge. Participants in this scenario had a limited time to prepare advice for hospital leadership on how to improve observed safety and cultural deficiencies. Debriefings after both types of scenarios were conducted using principles of "debriefing with good judgment." We assessed the relevance and impact of the program by analyzing participant reactions to the simulation through transcript data and facilitator observations as well as a postcourse questionnaire. The teams generally reported positive perceptions of the relevance and quality of the simulation with varying types and degrees of impact on their leadership and teamwork behaviors. These kinds of clinical simulation exercises can be used to teach healthcare leaders and managers safety leadership and teamwork skills and behaviors.

  2. 16 CFR 1105.14 - Audit and examination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Audit and examination. 1105.14 Section 1105.14 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS... representatives, shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any pertinent books, documents...

  3. A structural equation modelling approach examining the pathways between safety climate, behaviour performance and workplace slipping

    PubMed Central

    Swedler, David I; Verma, Santosh K; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Lombardi, David A; Chang, Wen-Ruey; Brennan, Melayne; Courtney, Theodore K

    2015-01-01

    Objective Safety climate has previously been associated with increasing safe workplace behaviours and decreasing occupational injuries. This study seeks to understand the structural relationship between employees’ perceptions of safety climate, performing a safety behaviour (ie, wearing slip-resistant shoes) and risk of slipping in the setting of limited-service restaurants. Methods At baseline, we surveyed 349 employees at 30 restaurants for their perceptions of their safety training and management commitment to safety as well as demographic data. Safety performance was identified as wearing slip-resistant shoes, as measured by direct observation by the study team. We then prospectively collected participants’ hours worked and number of slips weekly for the next 12 weeks. Using a confirmatory factor analysis, we modelled safety climate as a higher order factor composed of previously identified training and management commitment factors. Results The 349 study participants experienced 1075 slips during the 12-week follow-up. Confirmatory factor analysis supported modelling safety climate as a higher order factor composed of safety training and management commitment. In a structural equation model, safety climate indirectly affected prospective risk of slipping through safety performance, but no direct relationship between safety climate and slips was evident. Conclusions Results suggest that safety climate can reduce workplace slips through performance of a safety behaviour as well as suggesting a potential causal mechanism through which safety climate can reduce workplace injuries. Safety climate can be modelled as a higher order factor composed of safety training and management commitment. PMID:25710968

  4. Safety analysis of urban arterials at the meso level.

    PubMed

    Li, Jia; Wang, Xuesong

    2017-11-01

    Urban arterials form the main structure of street networks. They typically have multiple lanes, high traffic volume, and high crash frequency. Classical crash prediction models investigate the relationship between arterial characteristics and traffic safety by treating road segments and intersections as isolated units. This micro-level analysis does not work when examining urban arterial crashes because signal spacing is typically short for urban arterials, and there are interactions between intersections and road segments that classical models do not accommodate. Signal spacing also has safety effects on both intersections and road segments that classical models cannot fully account for because they allocate crashes separately to intersections and road segments. In addition, classical models do not consider the impact on arterial safety of the immediately surrounding street network pattern. This study proposes a new modeling methodology that will offer an integrated treatment of intersections and road segments by combining signalized intersections and their adjacent road segments into a single unit based on road geometric design characteristics and operational conditions. These are called meso-level units because they offer an analytical approach between micro and macro. The safety effects of signal spacing and street network pattern were estimated for this study based on 118 meso-level units obtained from 21 urban arterials in Shanghai, and were examined using CAR (conditional auto regressive) models that corrected for spatial correlation among the units within individual arterials. Results showed shorter arterial signal spacing was associated with higher total and PDO (property damage only) crashes, while arterials with a greater number of parallel roads were associated with lower total, PDO, and injury crashes. The findings from this study can be used in the traffic safety planning, design, and management of urban arterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All

  5. Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 6: Space base nuclear system safety plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    A qualitative identification of the steps required to assure the incorporation of radiological system safety principles and objectives into all phases of a manned space base program are presented. Specific areas of emphasis include: (1) radiological program management, (2) nuclear system safety plan implementation, (3) impact on program, and (4) summary of the key operation and design guidelines and requirements. The plan clearly indicates the necessity of considering and implementing radiological system safety recommendations as early as possible in the development cycle to assure maximum safety and minimize the impact on design and mission plans.

  6. Safety testing of GM-rice expressing PHA-E lectin using a new animal test design.

    PubMed

    Poulsen, Morten; Schrøder, Malene; Wilcks, Andrea; Kroghsbo, Stine; Lindecrona, Rikke Hvid; Miller, Andreas; Frenzel, Thomas; Danier, Jürgen; Rychlik, Michael; Shu, Qingyao; Emami, Kaveh; Taylor, Mark; Gatehouse, Angharad; Engel, Karl-Heinz; Knudsen, Ib

    2007-03-01

    The 90-day animal study is the core study for the safety assessment of genetically modified foods in the SAFOTEST project. The model compound tested in the 90-day study was a rice variety expressing the kidney bean Phaseolus vulgaris lectin agglutinin E-form (PHA-E lectin). Female Wistar rats were given a nutritionally balanced purified diet with 60% parental rice, 60% PHA-E rice or 60% PHA-E rice spiked with 0.1% recombinant PHA-E lectin for 90 days. This corresponded to a mean daily PHA-E lectin intake of approximately 0, 30 and 100mg/kg body weight for each group, respectively. The spiking was used to increase the specificity and to demonstrate the sensitivity of the study. A range of biological, biochemical, microbiological and pathological parameters were examined and significant differences in weight of small intestine, stomach and pancreas and plasma biochemistry were seen between groups. Included in this paper are also data from the molecular characterisation and chemical analysis of the PHA-E rice, from the construction and production of the PHA-E lectin, and from the preceding 28-day in vivo study where the toxicity of the pure PHA-E lectin was determined. In conclusion, the combined use of information from the compositional analysis, the 28-day study and the characterisation of the PHA-E rice and the PHA-E lectin has improved the design of the 90-day study. The spiking procedure has facilitated the interpretation of the results of the study and transferred it into a valuable tool for the future safety testing of genetically modified foods.

  7. Consideration of future safety consequences: a new predictor of employee safety.

    PubMed

    Probst, Tahira M; Graso, Maja; Estrada, Armando X; Greer, Sarah

    2013-06-01

    Compliance with safety behaviors is often associated with longer term benefits, but may require some short-term sacrifices. This study examines the extent to which consideration of future safety consequences (CFSC) predicts employee safety outcomes. Two field studies were conducted to evaluate the reliability and validity of the newly developed Consideration of Future Safety Consequences (CFSC) scale. Surveys containing the CFSC scale and other measures of safety attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes were administered during working hours to a sample of 128 pulp and paper mill employees; after revising the CFSC scale based on these initial results, follow-up survey data were collected in a second sample of 212 copper miners. In Study I, CFSC was predictive of employee safety knowledge and motivation, compliance, safety citizenship behaviors, accident reporting attitudes and behaviors, and workplace injuries - even after accounting for conscientiousness and demographic variables. Moreover, the effects of CFSC on the variables generally appear to be direct, as opposed to mediated by safety knowledge or motivation. These findings were largely replicated in Study II. CFSC appears to be an important personality construct that may predict those individuals who are more likely to comply with safety rules and have more positive safety outcomes. Future research should examine the longitudinal stability of CFSC to determine the extent to which this construct is a stable trait, rather than a safety attitude amenable to change over time or following an intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Operations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

    Powerplant systems and procedures that ensure the day-to-day health and safety of people in and around the plant is referred to as operational safety. This safety is the result of careful planning, good engineering and design, strict licensing and regulation, and environmental monitoring. Procedures that assure operational safety at nuclear…

  9. Software Safety Risk in Legacy Safety-Critical Computer Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hill, Janice; Baggs, Rhoda

    2007-01-01

    Safety-critical computer systems must be engineered to meet system and software safety requirements. For legacy safety-critical computer systems, software safety requirements may not have been formally specified during development. When process-oriented software safety requirements are levied on a legacy system after the fact, where software development artifacts don't exist or are incomplete, the question becomes 'how can this be done?' The risks associated with only meeting certain software safety requirements in a legacy safety-critical computer system must be addressed should such systems be selected as candidates for reuse. This paper proposes a method for ascertaining formally, a software safety risk assessment, that provides measurements for software safety for legacy systems which may or may not have a suite of software engineering documentation that is now normally required. It relies upon the NASA Software Safety Standard, risk assessment methods based upon the Taxonomy-Based Questionnaire, and the application of reverse engineering CASE tools to produce original design documents for legacy systems.

  10. Hydrogen Safety Issues Compared to Safety Issues with Methane and Propane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Green, M. A.

    2006-04-01

    The hydrogen economy is not possible if the safety standards currently applied to liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas by many laboratories are applied to devices that use either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Methane and propane are commonly used by ordinary people without the special training. This report asks, "How is hydrogen different from flammable gasses that are commonly being used all over the world?" This report compares the properties of hydrogen, methane and propane and how these properties may relate to safety when they are used in both the liquid and gaseous state. Through such an analysis, sensible safety standards for the large-scale (or even small-scale) use of liquid and gaseous hydrogen systems can be developed. This paper is meant to promote discussion of issues related to hydrogen safety so that engineers designing equipment can factor sensible safety standards into their designs.

  11. Hydrogen Safety Issues Compared to Safety Issues with Methane andPropane

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Green, Michael A.

    The hydrogen economy is not possible if the safety standards currently applied to liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas by many laboratories are applied to devices that use either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Methane and propane are commonly used by ordinary people without the special training. This report asks, 'How is hydrogen different from flammable gasses that are commonly being used all over the world?' This report compares the properties of hydrogen, methane and propane and how these properties may relate to safety when they are used in both the liquid and gaseous state. Through such an analysis, sensible safety standardsmore » for the large-scale (or even small-scale) use of liquid and gaseous hydrogen systems can be developed. This paper is meant to promote discussion of issues related to hydrogen safety so that engineers designing equipment can factor sensible safety standards into their designs.« less

  12. Bovine thrombin safety reporting: an example of study design and publication bias.

    PubMed

    Crean, Sheila; Michels, Shannon L; Moschella, Kevin; Reynolds, Matthew W

    2010-01-01

    Bovine thrombin, a popular hemostat and sealant since 1945, has recently been subjected to clinical trial testing due to reformulations in 1998. We sought to compare adverse event rates of early observational studies with those of later interventional trials. A MEDLINE-based literature search in publications that report safety in bovine thrombin exposed surgical patients was extracted and reviewed. In 38 studies, about half were case reports and 31.5% were interventional trials. In case reports, 41% of authors reported severe coagulopathic adverse events. In contrast, whereas blood complications were common in large trials, no association of harm was established for bovine thrombin product exposure and/or immunization. In this review, later clinical trials failed to reproduce the common and severe coagulopathy predicted by earlier observational studies in bovine exposed patients. This example illustrates that perceptions of safety can change as a function of study design, even for a widely adopted, well established biologic such as thrombin. Caution must be exercised in interpreting evidence from observational studies alone.

  13. Normal accidents: human error and medical equipment design.

    PubMed

    Dain, Steven

    2002-01-01

    High-risk systems, which are typical of our technologically complex era, include not just nuclear power plants but also hospitals, anesthesia systems, and the practice of medicine and perfusion. In high-risk systems, no matter how effective safety devices are, some types of accidents are inevitable because the system's complexity leads to multiple and unexpected interactions. It is important for healthcare providers to apply a risk assessment and management process to decisions involving new equipment and procedures or staffing matters in order to minimize the residual risks of latent errors, which are amenable to correction because of the large window of opportunity for their detection. This article provides an introduction to basic risk management and error theory principles and examines ways in which they can be applied to reduce and mitigate the inevitable human errors that accompany high-risk systems. The article also discusses "human factor engineering" (HFE), the process which is used to design equipment/ human interfaces in order to mitigate design errors. The HFE process involves interaction between designers and endusers to produce a series of continuous refinements that are incorporated into the final product. The article also examines common design problems encountered in the operating room that may predispose operators to commit errors resulting in harm to the patient. While recognizing that errors and accidents are unavoidable, organizations that function within a high-risk system must adopt a "safety culture" that anticipates problems and acts aggressively through an anonymous, "blameless" reporting mechanism to resolve them. We must continuously examine and improve the design of equipment and procedures, personnel, supplies and materials, and the environment in which we work to reduce error and minimize its effects. Healthcare providers must take a leading role in the day-to-day management of the "Perioperative System" and be a role model in

  14. Using driving simulators to assess driving safety.

    PubMed

    Boyle, Linda Ng; Lee, John D

    2010-05-01

    Changes in drivers, vehicles, and roadways pose substantial challenges to the transportation safety community. Crash records and naturalistic driving data are useful for examining the influence of past or existing technology on drivers, and the associations between risk factors and crashes. However, they are limited because causation cannot be established and technology not yet installed in production vehicles cannot be assessed. Driving simulators have become an increasingly widespread tool to understand evolving and novel technologies. The ability to manipulate independent variables in a randomized, controlled setting also provides the added benefit of identifying causal links. This paper introduces a special issue on simulator-based safety studies. The special issue comprises 25 papers that demonstrate the use of driving simulators to address pressing transportation safety problems and includes topics as diverse as neurological dysfunction, work zone design, and driver distraction. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Improving patient safety culture in general practice: an interview study

    PubMed Central

    Verbakel, Natasha J; de Bont, Antoinette A; Verheij, Theo JM; Wagner, Cordula; Zwart, Dorien LM

    2015-01-01

    Background When improving patient safety a positive safety culture is key. As little is known about improving patient safety culture in primary care, this study examined whether administering a culture questionnaire with or without a complementary workshop could be used as an intervention for improving safety culture. Aim To gain insight into how two interventions affected patient safety culture in everyday practice. Design and setting After conducting a randomised control trial of two interventions, this was a qualitative study conducted in 30 general practices to aid interpretation of the previous quantitative findings. Method Interviews were conducted at practice locations (n = 27) with 24 GPs and 24 practice nurses. The theory of communities of practice — in particular, its concepts of a domain, a community, and a practice — was used to interpret the findings by examining which elements were or were not present in the participating practices. Results Communal awareness of the problem was only raised after getting together and discussing patient safety. The combination of a questionnaire and workshop enhanced the interaction of team members and nourished team feelings. This shared experience also helped them to understand and develop tools and language for daily practice. Conclusion In order for patient safety culture to improve, the safety culture questionnaire was more successful when accompanied by a practice workshop. Initial discussion and negotiation of shared goals during the workshop fuelled feelings of coherence and belonging to a community wishing to learn about enhancing patient safety. Team meetings and day-to-day interactions enhanced further liaison and sharing, making patient safety a common and conscious goal. PMID:26622035

  16. Understanding safety culture in long-term care: a case study.

    PubMed

    Halligan, Michelle H; Zecevic, Aleksandra; Kothari, Anita R; Salmoni, Alan W; Orchard, Treena

    2014-12-01

    This case study aimed to understand safety culture in a high-risk secured unit for cognitively impaired residents in a long-term care (LTC) facility. Specific objectives included the following: diagnosing the present level of safety culture maturity using the Patient Safety Culture Improvement Tool (PSCIT), examining the barriers to a positive safety culture, and identifying actions for improvement. A mixed methods design was used within a secured unit for cognitively impaired residents in a Canadian nonprofit LTC facility. Semistructured interviews, a focus group, and the Modified Stanford Patient Safety Culture Survey Instrument were used to explore this topic. Data were synthesized to situate safety maturity of the unit within the PSCIT adapted for LTC. Results indicated a reactive culture, where safety systems were piecemeal and developed only in response to adverse events and/or regulatory requirements. A punitive regulatory environment, inadequate resources, heavy workloads, poor interdisciplinary collaboration, and resident safety training capacity were major barriers to improving safety. This study highlights the importance of understanding a unit's safety culture and identifies the PSCIT as a useful framework for planning future improvements to safety culture maturity. Incorporating mixed methods in the study of health care safety culture provided a good model that can be recommended for future use in research and LTC practice.

  17. Examining the safety of PPAR agonists - current trends and future prospects.

    PubMed

    Bortolini, Michele; Wright, Matthew B; Bopst, Martin; Balas, Bogdana

    2013-01-01

    The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and -γ agonists, fibrates and glitazones, are effective treatments for dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, respectively, but exhibit class-related, as well as compound-specific safety characteristics. This article reviews the profiles of PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, and dual PPAR-α/γ agonists with regard to class-related and compound-specific efficacy and adverse effects. We explore how learnings from first-generation drugs are being applied to develop safer PPAR-targeted therapies. The finding that rosiglitazone may increase risk for cardiovascular events has led to regulatory guidelines requiring demonstration of cardiovascular safety in appropriate outcome trials for new type 2 diabetes mellitus drugs. The emerging data on the possibly increased risk of bladder cancer with pioglitazone may prompt the need for post-approval safety studies for new drugs. Since PPAR-α and -γ affect key cardiometabolic risk factors (diabetic dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and inflammation) in a complementary fashion, combining their benefits has emerged as a particularly attractive option. New PPAR-targeted therapies that balance the relative potency and/or activity toward PPAR-α and -γ have shown promise in retaining efficacy while reducing potential side effects.

  18. Examining the Relationship of an All-Cause Harm Patient Safety Measure and Critical Performance Measures at the Frontline of Care.

    PubMed

    Sammer, Christine; Hauck, Loran D; Jones, Cason; Zaiback-Aldinger, Julie; Li, Michael; Classen, David

    2018-02-07

    In 2015, the Institute of Medicine Vital Signs report called for a new patient safety composite measure to lessen the reporting burden of patient harm. Before this report, two patient safety organizations had developed an electronic all-cause harm measurement system leveraging data from the electronic health record, which identified and grouped harms into five broad categories and consolidated them into one all-cause harm outcome measure. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between this all-cause harm patient safety measure and the following three performance measures important to overall hospital safety performance: safety culture, employee engagement, and patient experience. We studied the relationship between all-cause harm and three performance measures on eight inpatient care units at one hospital for 7 months. The findings demonstrated strong correlations between an all-cause harm measure and patient safety culture, employee engagement, and patient experience at the hospital unit level. Four safety culture domains showed significant negative correlations with all-cause harm at a P value of 0.05 or less. Six employee engagement domains were significantly negatively correlated with all-cause harm at a P value of 0.01 or less, and six of the ten patient experience measures were significantly correlated with all-cause harm at a P value of 0.05 or less. The results show that there is a strong relationship between all-cause harm and these performance measures indicating that when there is a positive patient safety culture, a more engaged employee, and a more satisfying patient experience, there may be less all-cause harm.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the

  19. The effect of safety initiatives on safety performance: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Hoonakker, Peter; Loushine, Todd; Carayon, Pascale; Kallman, James; Kapp, Andrew; Smith, Michael J

    2005-07-01

    Construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries, not only in the USA, but worldwide. In this longitudinal study we examined the effects of safety initiatives on the safety performance of construction companies. One of the measures commonly used in the USA to track a company's safety performance is the experience modification rate (EMR). The EMR is based on the company's safety records (injury claims) from the past three full years and is used to calculate the workers' compensation insurance premiums. In a longitudinal study, we studied the effects of safety efforts and initiatives on the EMR. The results show that safety initiatives and money spent on safety do improve safety performance, but only over time.

  20. On the use of naturalistic methods to examine safety-relevant behaviours amongst children and evaluate a cycling education program.

    PubMed

    Hatfield, J; Dozza, M; Patton, D A; Maharaj, P; Boufous, S; Eveston, T

    2017-11-01

    School-based cycling education programs aim to improve cycling safety and participation amongst children. Available research suggests that typical programs, which focus on bicycle manoeuvring skills, have limited effects on behaviour observed on a track or planned route. The current study uses theoretically more valid, naturalistic cycling data, to evaluate Safe Cycle, a program that incorporates hazard and self-awareness training. Soon after Safe Cycle was delivered at treatment schools, research bicycles instrumented with a rearward- and a forward-facing camera were loaned to six children from treatment schools and six children from (waitlist) control schools. In each group half the children were in Year 6, and half were in Year 7/8. Each child was instructed to ride the research bicycle instead of their own bicycle for the 1-2 weeks that they had a research bicycle. Video data were reduced using a purpose-designed coding scheme that identified whether participants performed specific safety-relevant behaviours in appropriate circumstances. While the participants controlled their bicycles well, gave way appropriately to traffic at intersections, and stopped at red lights, participants frequently removed one or both hands from the handlebars, and seldom signalled turns, conducted over-shoulder-checks when changing lanes, or looked in multiple directions at intersections (except when crossing a road). While aspects of design and small sample sizes limited evaluation findings, this research demonstrated the feasibility and potential of naturalistic data to support cycling education program evaluation. Further, the study substantially extended available naturalistic study of children's cycling behaviour to highlight behaviours which might be targeted by cycling safety initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Nozzle Extension for Safety Air Gun

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zumbrun, H. N.; Croom, Delwin R., Jr.

    1986-01-01

    New nozzle-extension design overcomes problems and incorporates original commercial nozzle, retaining intrinsic safety features. Components include extension tube, length of which made to suit application; adaptor fitting, and nozzle adaptor repinned to maintain original safety features. Design moves conical airstream to end of extension to blow machine chips away from operator. Nozzle-extension modification allows safe and efficient operation of machine tools while maintaining integrity of orginial safety-air-gun design.

  2. Roadway Safety Guide

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-01

    Roadway safety refers to that portion of overall highway safety that is determined by the roadway's physical features such as road design, roadway signs, pavement markings, operating conditions, roadside objects (such as utility poles, signs, trees, ...

  3. Interchange Safety Analysis Tool (ISAT) : user manual

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-06-01

    This User Manual describes the usage and operation of the spreadsheet-based Interchange Safety Analysis Tool (ISAT). ISAT provides design and safety engineers with an automated tool for assessing the safety effects of geometric design and traffic con...

  4. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Characteristics Associated With Violence and Safety in Middle Schools.

    PubMed

    Vagi, Kevin J; Stevens, Mark R; Simon, Thomas R; Basile, Kathleen C; Carter, Sherry P; Carter, Stanley L

    2018-04-01

    This study used a new Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment tool to test the associations between physical attributes of schools and violence-related behaviors and perceptions of students. Data were collected from 4717 students from 50 middle schools. Student perceptions of risk and safety, and violence were assessed. Evaluators used the CPTED School Assessment (CSA) to quantify how well the physical elements of each school correspond to ideal CPTED principles. Generalized linear mixed models were used to adjust for school- and student-level characteristics. Higher CSA scores were generally associated with higher perceptions of safety and lower levels of violence perpetration and perceived risk in unadjusted models. Higher CSA scores were also associated with lower odds of missing school because of safety concerns in most adjusted models, with significant adjusted odds ratios (AORs) ranging from 0.32 to 0.63. CSA scores for parking and bus loading areas also remained associated with higher perceived safety (AORs = 1.28 and 1.32, respectively) and lower perceived risk (AORs = 0.73 and 0.66, respectively) in adjusted models. The CSA is useful for assessing school environments that are associated with violence-related behaviors and perceptions. The CSA might help guide school environmental modifications to reduce violence. © 2018, American School Health Association.

  5. Integrating Safety Assessment Methods using the Risk Informed Safety Margins Characterization (RISMC) Approach

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Curtis Smith; Diego Mandelli

    Safety is central to the design, licensing, operation, and economics of nuclear power plants (NPPs). As the current light water reactor (LWR) NPPs age beyond 60 years, there are possibilities for increased frequency of systems, structures, and components (SSC) degradations or failures that initiate safety significant events, reduce existing accident mitigation capabilities, or create new failure modes. Plant designers commonly “over-design” portions of NPPs and provide robustness in the form of redundant and diverse engineered safety features to ensure that, even in the case of well-beyond design basis scenarios, public health and safety will be protected with a very highmore » degree of assurance. This form of defense-in-depth is a reasoned response to uncertainties and is often referred to generically as “safety margin.” Historically, specific safety margin provisions have been formulated primarily based on engineering judgment backed by a set of conservative engineering calculations. The ability to better characterize and quantify safety margin is important to improved decision making about LWR design, operation, and plant life extension. A systematic approach to characterization of safety margins and the subsequent margin management options represents a vital input to the licensee and regulatory analysis and decision making that will be involved. In addition, as research and development (R&D) in the LWR Sustainability (LWRS) Program and other collaborative efforts yield new data, sensors, and improved scientific understanding of physical processes that govern the aging and degradation of plant SSCs needs and opportunities to better optimize plant safety and performance will become known. To support decision making related to economics, readability, and safety, the RISMC Pathway provides methods and tools that enable mitigation options known as margins management strategies. The purpose of the RISMC Pathway R&D is to support plant decisions for risk

  6. Outsource Power, Import Safety? Challenges and Opportunities of the U.S.-China Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation.

    PubMed

    Lin, Ching-Fu

    The United States has a high stake in China’s serious food safety problem, as food products of Chinese origin have dominated the U.S. food market in numerous areas and continue to grow. The conclusion of the U.S.-China Food Safety Agreement (“the Agreement”) has allowed FDA to strengthen regulatory cooperation with its Chinese counterpart in various aspects. The Agreement also paves the way for the implementation of the new regulatory tools incorporated in FSMA, especially in the cross-border context. However, both the Agreement and FSMA have certain crucial limitations that may create future hurdles to effective implementation in the U.S.-China cooperation. This paper therefore endeavors to first examine China’s governance challenges over food safety, with a focus on the 2009 Food Safety Law, the 2015 Amendment, and the fundamental problem of “thin” rule of law. This paper moves to analyze the U.S.-China Food Safety Agreement, reviewing the agreement’s strengths and weaknesses. It further assesses FSMA’s innovative institutional design to regulate imported food products and its limitations. However, both the U.S.-China Food Safety Agreement and FSMA arguably create a regulatory dilemma for FDA when addressing imported food safety, due to structural mismatch between the broad scope of power granted to FDA and the long chain of power outsourcing to governments or private companies as primary “regulators.” Neither the Agreement nor FSMA give FDA adequate capacity to closely oversee such “agents” along the chain of power outsourcing. Framing the U.S.-China food safety cooperation as a multilayer structure that “outsources power” to “import safety,” this paper concludes by stressing the need for a robust accountability and effective mechanism for U.S.-China food safety cooperation.

  7. Using Co-Design to Develop a Collective Leadership Intervention for Healthcare Teams to Improve Safety Culture.

    PubMed

    Ward, Marie E; De Brún, Aoife; Beirne, Deirdre; Conway, Clare; Cunningham, Una; English, Alan; Fitzsimons, John; Furlong, Eileen; Kane, Yvonne; Kelly, Alan; McDonnell, Sinéad; McGinley, Sinead; Monaghan, Brenda; Myler, Ann; Nolan, Emer; O'Donovan, Róisín; O'Shea, Marie; Shuhaiber, Arwa; McAuliffe, Eilish

    2018-06-05

    While co-design methods are becoming more popular in healthcare; there is a gap within the peer-reviewed literature on how to do co-design in practice. This paper addresses this gap by delineating the approach taken in the co-design of a collective leadership intervention to improve healthcare team performance and patient safety culture. Over the course of six workshops healthcare staff, patient representatives and advocates, and health systems researchers collaboratively co-designed the intervention. The inputs to the process, exercises and activities that took place during the workshops and the outputs of the workshops are described. The co-design method, while challenging at times, had many benefits including grounding the intervention in the real-world experiences of healthcare teams. Implications of the method for health systems research are discussed.

  8. Health and safety impacts of nuclear, geothermal, and fossil-fuel electric generation in California. Volume 9. Methodologies for review of the health and safety aspects of proposed nuclear, geothermal, and fossil-fuel sites and facilities

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nero, A.V.; Quinby-Hunt, M.S.

    1977-01-01

    This report sets forth methodologies for review of the health and safety aspects of proposed nuclear, geothermal, and fossil-fuel sites and facilities for electric power generation. The review is divided into a Notice of Intention process and an Application for Certification process, in accordance with the structure to be used by the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the first emphasizing site-specific considerations, the second examining the detailed facility design as well. The Notice of Intention review is divided into three possible stages: an examination of emissions and site characteristics, a basic impact analysis, and an assessment of publicmore » impacts. The Application for Certification review is divided into five possible stages: a review of the Notice of Intention treatment, review of the emission control equipment, review of the safety design, review of the general facility design, and an overall assessment of site and facility acceptability.« less

  9. Meta-analysis of surgical safety checklist effects on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and safety.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Vanessa E; Popejoy, Lori L

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of surgical safety checklists on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and compliance with safety measures through meta-analysis. Four meta-analyses were conducted on 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The effect size of checklists on teamwork and communication was 1.180 (p = .003), on morbidity and mortality was 0.123 (p = .003) and 0.088 (p = .001), respectively, and on compliance with safety measures was 0.268 (p < .001). The results indicate that surgical safety checklists improve teamwork and communication, reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve compliance with safety measures. This meta-analysis is limited in its generalizability based on the limited number of studies and the inclusion of only published research. Future research is needed to examine possible moderating variables for the effects of surgical safety checklists.

  10. Background report guidance for roadway safety data to support the highway safety improvement program.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-06-01

    "Quality data are the foundation for making important decisions regarding the design, operation, and safety of : roadways. The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) provides information on how safety data should be : used. However, there are no d...

  11. Safety Climate Among Nontraditional Workers in Construction: Arguing for a Focus on Construed External Safety Image.

    PubMed

    Stiehl, Emily; Forst, Linda

    2018-05-01

    Safety climate, employees' perceptions of work-related safety, 1 has been promoted as a leading indicator of workplace safety in construction. 2 , 3 While research has primarily examined internal organizational sources (e.g., manager attitudes, formal organizational policies) on these perceptions, external sources of information might be more relevant to construction workers in nontraditional jobs who work for a limited time and/or have limited interaction with other employees. This paper argues for the future development of a construed external safety image scale to measure employees' perceptions about how external groups view their organization's safety. 4 The construed external safety image would capture the external sources that nontraditional workers use to assess safety climate and will allow public health researchers to identify and change dangerous workplaces while more effectively communicating information about safe workplaces to workers. The public health relevance of safety climate and construed external safety image for monitoring and communicating safety to nontraditional workers require examination.

  12. Occupational safety issues in residential construction surveyed in Wisconsin, United States.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sang D; Carlson, Kathryn

    2014-01-01

    Residential construction is a high-risk industry in the U.S. due to the exposure to work-related safety hazards and fall injuries. This study aimed to examine the safety training and safe work practices of construction workers within the small residential construction industry. In order to achieve the study objectives, a survey was designed and sent to approximately 200 Wisconsin based residential construction contractors. About one third of the respondents stated that they did not have any form of safety programs. The study indicated that the most common types of work-related injuries in residential construction were slips/trips/falls and cuts/lacerations. The survey findings also suggested that the residential construction contractors needed to increase the utilization of fall protection safety equipment. Further education and subject matter expert training could provide benefits to improve occupational safety and health of the small business workforce in the residential construction industry.

  13. Acquisition of Fire Safety Knowledge and Skills With Virtual Reality Simulation.

    PubMed

    Rossler, Kelly L; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Duvall, Adrianne

    2018-05-25

    Prelicensure nursing students seeking to enter perioperative nursing need preparatory fire safety knowledge and skills training to participate as a member of an operating room (OR) team. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of the Virtual Electrosurgery Skill Trainer (VEST) on OR fire safety skills among prelicensure nursing students. An experimental pretest-posttest design was used in this study. Twenty nursing students were randomized to a control or an intervention group. Knowledge and skills acquisition of OR fire safety were assessed. There were no statistically significant findings in knowledge for either group. Fisher exact test demonstrated significant relationships between the skills performance criteria of following emergency procedures for a fire and demonstrating PASS (pull-aim-squeeze-sweep) technique (P = .001). Academic and hospital educators may consider incorporating virtual reality simulation to teach fire safety education or reinforce general fire safety practices to nursing students and novice nurses.

  14. Simultaneous sequential monitoring of efficacy and safety led to masking of effects.

    PubMed

    van Eekelen, Rik; de Hoop, Esther; van der Tweel, Ingeborg

    2016-08-01

    Usually, sequential designs for clinical trials are applied on the primary (=efficacy) outcome. In practice, other outcomes (e.g., safety) will also be monitored and influence the decision whether to stop a trial early. Implications of simultaneous monitoring on trial decision making are yet unclear. This study examines what happens to the type I error, power, and required sample sizes when one efficacy outcome and one correlated safety outcome are monitored simultaneously using sequential designs. We conducted a simulation study in the framework of a two-arm parallel clinical trial. Interim analyses on two outcomes were performed independently and simultaneously on the same data sets using four sequential monitoring designs, including O'Brien-Fleming and Triangular Test boundaries. Simulations differed in values for correlations and true effect sizes. When an effect was present in both outcomes, competition was introduced, which decreased power (e.g., from 80% to 60%). Futility boundaries for the efficacy outcome reduced overall type I errors as well as power for the safety outcome. Monitoring two correlated outcomes, given that both are essential for early trial termination, leads to masking of true effects. Careful consideration of scenarios must be taken into account when designing sequential trials. Simulation results can help guide trial design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. An examination of the impact of five grade crossing safety factors on driver decision making

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-04-01

    The authors applied signal detection theory to model the impact : of five grade-crossing safety factors to understand their impact : on driver decision making. The safety factors were improving : commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver safety through f...

  16. Open-type ferry safety system design for using LNG fuel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pagonis, D. N.; Livanos, G.; Theotokatos, G.; Peppa, S.; Themelis, N.

    2016-12-01

    In this feasibility study, we investigate the viability of using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) fuel in an open type Ro-Ro passenger ferry and the associated potential challenges with regard to the vessel safety systems. We recommend an appropriate methodology for converting existing ships to run on LNG fuel, discuss all the necessary modifications to the ship's safety systems, and also evaluate the relevant ship evacuation procedures. We outline the basic requirements with which the ship already complies for each safety system and analyze the additional restrictions that must be taken into consideration for the use of LNG fuel. Appropriate actions are recommended. Furthermore, we carry out a hazard identification study. Overall, we clearly demonstrate the technical feasibility of the investigated scenario. Minimal modifications to the ship's safety systems are required to comply with existing safety rules for this specific type of ship.

  17. Multimorbidity and Patient Safety Incidents in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Panagioti, Maria; Stokes, Jonathan; Esmail, Aneez; Coventry, Peter; Cheraghi-Sohi, Sudeh; Alam, Rahul; Bower, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Background Multimorbidity is increasingly prevalent and represents a major challenge in primary care. Patients with multimorbidity are potentially more likely to experience safety incidents due to the complexity of their needs and frequency of their interactions with health services. However, rigorous syntheses of the link between patient safety incidents and multimorbidity are not available. This review examined the relationship between multimorbidity and patient safety incidents in primary care. Methods We followed our published protocol (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42014007434). Medline, Embase and CINAHL were searched up to May 2015. Study design and quality were assessed. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for the associations between multimorbidity and two categories of patient safety outcomes: ‘active patient safety incidents’ (such as adverse drug events and medical complications) and ‘precursors of safety incidents’ (such as prescription errors, medication non-adherence, poor quality of care and diagnostic errors). Meta-analyses using random effects models were undertaken. Results Eighty six relevant comparisons from 75 studies were included in the analysis. Meta-analysis demonstrated that physical-mental multimorbidity was associated with an increased risk for ‘active patient safety incidents’ (OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.40 to 3.38) and ‘precursors of safety incidents’ (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.36 to 2.03). Physical multimorbidity was associated with an increased risk for active safety incidents (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.45 to 1.80) but was not associated with precursors of safety incidents (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.90 to 1.13). Statistical heterogeneity was high and the methodological quality of the studies was generally low. Conclusions The association between multimorbidity and patient safety is complex, and varies by type of multimorbidity and type of safety incident. Our analyses suggest that multimorbidity

  18. Safety evaluation methodology for advanced coal extraction systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zimmerman, W. F.

    1981-01-01

    Qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods for coal extraction systems were developed. The analysis examines the soundness of the design, whether or not the major hazards have been eliminated or reduced, and how the reduction would be accomplished. The quantitative methodology establishes the approximate impact of hazards on injury levels. The results are weighted by peculiar geological elements, specialized safety training, peculiar mine environmental aspects, and reductions in labor force. The outcome is compared with injury level requirements based on similar, safer industries to get a measure of the new system's success in reducing injuries. This approach provides a more detailed and comprehensive analysis of hazards and their effects than existing safety analyses.

  19. 30 CFR 57.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 57.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions-Surface and Underground § 57.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons...

  20. 30 CFR 57.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 57.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions-Surface and Underground § 57.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons...

  1. Introducing Laboratory Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLorenzo, Ronald

    1985-01-01

    Presents a simple, 10-item quiz designed to make students aware that they must learn laboratory safety. The items include questions on acid/base accidents, several types of fire extinguishers, and safety glassses. Answers and some explanations are included. (DH)

  2. Evaluating efficiency and statistical power of self-controlled case series and self-controlled risk interval designs in vaccine safety.

    PubMed

    Li, Rongxia; Stewart, Brock; Weintraub, Eric

    2016-01-01

    The self-controlled case series (SCCS) and self-controlled risk interval (SCRI) designs have recently become widely used in the field of post-licensure vaccine safety monitoring to detect potential elevated risks of adverse events following vaccinations. The SCRI design can be viewed as a subset of the SCCS method in that a reduced comparison time window is used for the analysis. Compared to the SCCS method, the SCRI design has less statistical power due to fewer events occurring in the shorter control interval. In this study, we derived the asymptotic relative efficiency (ARE) between these two methods to quantify this loss in power in the SCRI design. The equation is formulated as [Formula: see text] (a: control window-length ratio between SCRI and SCCS designs; b: ratio of risk window length and control window length in the SCCS design; and [Formula: see text]: relative risk of exposed window to control window). According to this equation, the relative efficiency declines as the ratio of control-period length between SCRI and SCCS methods decreases, or with an increase in the relative risk [Formula: see text]. We provide an example utilizing data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) to study the potential elevated risk of febrile seizure following seasonal influenza vaccine in the 2010-2011 season.

  3. Knowledge, attitude and practices for design for safety: A study on civil & structural engineers.

    PubMed

    Goh, Yang Miang; Chua, Sijie

    2016-08-01

    Design for safety (DfS) (also known as prevention through design, safe design and Construction (Design and Management)) promotes early consideration of safety and health hazards during the design phase of a construction project. With early intervention, hazards can be more effectively eliminated or controlled leading to safer worksites and construction processes. DfS is practiced in many countries, including Australia, the UK, and Singapore. In Singapore, the Manpower Ministry enacted the DfS Regulations in July 2015, which will be enforced from August 2016 onwards. Due to the critical role of civil and structural (C&S) engineers during design and construction, the DfS knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of C&S engineers have significant impact on the successful implementation of DfS. Thus, this study aims to explore the DfS KAP of C&S engineers so as to guide further research in measuring and improving DfS KAP of designers. During the study, it was found that there is a lack of KAP studies in construction management. Therefore, this study also aims to provide useful lessons for future applications of the KAP framework in construction management research. A questionnaire was developed to assess the DfS KAP of C&S engineers. The responses provided by 43 C&S engineers were analyzed. In addition, interviews with experienced construction professionals were carried out to further understand perceptions of DfS and related issues. The results suggest that C&S engineers are supportive of DfS, but the level of DfS knowledge and practices need to be improved. More DfS guidelines and training should be made available to the engineers. To ensure that DfS can be implemented successfully, there is a need to study the contractual arrangements between clients and designers and the effectiveness of different implementation approaches for the DfS process. The questionnaire and findings in this study provided the foundation for a baseline survey with larger sample size, which is

  4. Revitalizing Nuclear Safety Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

    This report covers the general issues involved in nuclear safety research and points out the areas needing detailed consideration. Topics included are: (1) "Principles of Nuclear Safety Research" (examining who should fund, who should conduct, and who should set the agenda for nuclear safety research); (2) "Elements of a Future…

  5. Traffic signal design and simulation for vulnerable road users safety and bus preemption

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lo, Shih-Ching; Huang, Hsieh-Chu

    Mostly, pedestrian car accidents occurred at a signalized interaction is because pedestrians cannot across the intersection safely within the green light. From the viewpoint of pedestrian, there might have two reasons. The first one is pedestrians cannot speed up to across the intersection, such as the elders. The other reason is pedestrians do not sense that the signal phase is going to change and their right-of-way is going to be lost. Developing signal logic to protect pedestrian, who is crossing an intersection is the first purpose of this study. In addition, to improve the reliability and reduce delay of publicmore » transportation service is the second purpose. Therefore, bus preemption is also considered in the designed signal logic. In this study, the traffic data of the intersection of Chong-Qing North Road and Min-Zu West Road, Taipei, Taiwan, is employed to calibrate and validate the signal logic by simulation. VISSIM 5.20, which is a microscopic traffic simulation software, is employed to simulate the signal logic. From the simulated results, the signal logic presented in this study can protect pedestrians crossing the intersection successfully. The design of bus preemption can reduce the average delay. However, the pedestrian safety and bus preemption signal will influence the average delay of cars largely. Thus, whether applying the pedestrian safety and bus preemption signal logic to an intersection or not should be evaluated carefully.« less

  6. An Evaluation of the Added Value of Co-Design in the Development of an Educational Game for Road Safety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    All, Anissa; Van Looy, Jan; Castellar, Elena Patricia Nuñez

    2013-01-01

    This study explores the added value of co-design in addition to other innovation research methods in the process of developing a serious game design document for a road safety game. The sessions aimed at exploring 4 aspects of a location-based game experience: themes, game mechanics, mobile phone applications and locations for mini-games. In…

  7. An evaluation of an airline cabin safety education program for elementary school children.

    PubMed

    Liao, Meng-Yuan

    2014-04-01

    The knowledge, attitude, and behavior intentions of elementary school students about airline cabin safety before and after they took a specially designed safety education course were examined. A safety education program was designed for school-age children based on the cabin safety briefings airlines given to their passengers, as well as on lessons learned from emergency evacuations. The course is presented in three modes: a lecture, a demonstration, and then a film. A two-step survey was used for this empirical study: an illustrated multiple-choice questionnaire before the program, and, upon completion, the same questionnaire to assess its effectiveness. Before the program, there were significant differences in knowledge and attitude based on school locations and the frequency that students had traveled by air. After the course, students showed significant improvement in safety knowledge, attitude, and their behavior intention toward safety. Demographic factors, such as gender and grade, also affected the effectiveness of safety education. The study also showed that having the instructor directly interact with students by lecturing is far more effective than presenting the information using only video media. A long-term evaluation, the effectiveness of the program, using TV or video accessible on the Internet to deliver a cabin safety program, and a control group to eliminate potential extraneous factors are suggested for future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Perception is reality: How patients contribute to poor workplace safety perceptions.

    PubMed

    McCaughey, Deirdre; McGhan, Gwen; DelliFraine, Jami L; Brannon, S Diane

    2011-01-01

    Nurses and aides are among the occupational subgroups with the highest injury rates and workdays lost to illness and injury in North America. Many studies have shown that these incidents frequently happen during provision of patient care. Moreover, health care workplaces are a source of numerous safety risks that contribute to worker injuries. These findings identify health care as a high-risk occupation for employee injury or illness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among patient care, employee safety perceptions, and employee stress. Using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Model of Job Stress and Health as a foundation, we developed and tested a conceptual workplace safety climate-stress model that explicates how caring for high-risk patients is a safety stressor that has negative outcomes for health care providers, including poor workplace safety perceptions and increasing stress levels. We introduced the concept of "high-risk patients" and define them as those who put providers at greater risk for injury or illness. Using a nonexperimental survey design, we examined patient types and safety perceptions of health care providers (nurses, aides, and allied health) in an acute care hospital. Health care providers who care for high-risk patients more frequently have poor safety climate perceptions and higher stress levels. Safety climate was found to mediate the relationship between high-risk patients and stress. These findings bring insight into actions health care organizations can pursue to improve health care provider well-being. Recognizing that different patients present different risks and pursuing staffing, training, and equipment to minimize employee risk of injury will help reduce the staggering injury rates experienced by these employees. Moreover, minimizing employee stress over poor workplace safety is achievable through comprehensive workplace safety climate programs that include supervisor, management

  9. 30 CFR 75.1326 - Examination after blasting.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....1326 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Explosives and Blasting § 75.1326 Examination... and dust. (b) Immediately after the blasting area has cleared, a qualified person or a person working...

  10. 30 CFR 75.821 - Testing, examination and maintenance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground High-Voltage Distribution High-Voltage Longwalls § 75.821 Testing, examination and maintenance. (a) At least once every 7 days, a... must test and examine each unit of high-voltage longwall equipment and circuits to determine that...

  11. Critical Drivers for Safety Culture: Examining Department of Energy and U.S. Army Operational Experiences - 12382

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lowes, Elizabeth A.

    2012-07-01

    Evaluating operational incidents can provide a window into the drivers most critical to establishing and maintaining a strong safety culture, thereby minimizing the potential project risk associated with safety incidents. By examining U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) versus U.S. Army drivers in terms of regulatory and contract requirements, programs implemented to address the requirements, and example case studies of operational events, a view of the elements most critical to making a positive influence on safety culture is presented. Four case studies are used in this evaluation; two from DOE and two from U.S. Army experiences. Although the standards guiding operationsmore » at these facilities are different, there are many similarities in the level of hazards, as well as the causes and the potential consequences of the events presented. Two of the incidents examined, one from a DOE operation and the other from a U.S. Army facility, resulted in workers receiving chemical burns. The remaining two incidents are similar in that significant conduct of operations failures occurred resulting in high-level radioactive waste (in the case of the DOE facility) or chemical agent (in the case of the Army facility) being transferred outside of engineering controls. A review of the investigation reports for all four events indicates the primary causes to be failures in work planning leading to ineffective hazard evaluation and control, lack of procedure adherence, and most importantly, lack of management oversight to effectively reinforce expectations for safe work planning and execution. DOE and Army safety programs are similar, and although there are some differences in contractual requirements, the expectations for safe performance are essentially the same. This analysis concludes that instilling a positive safety culture comes down to management leadership and engagement to (1) cultivate an environment that values a questioning attitude and (2) continually reinforce

  12. 33 CFR 159.97 - Safety: inspected vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Safety: inspected vessels. 159.97...) POLLUTION MARINE SANITATION DEVICES Design, Construction, and Testing § 159.97 Safety: inspected vessels. The Commanding Officer, USCG Marine Safety Center, approves the design and construction of devices to...

  13. 33 CFR 159.97 - Safety: inspected vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safety: inspected vessels. 159.97...) POLLUTION MARINE SANITATION DEVICES Design, Construction, and Testing § 159.97 Safety: inspected vessels. The Commanding Officer, USCG Marine Safety Center, approves the design and construction of devices to...

  14. 33 CFR 159.97 - Safety: inspected vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safety: inspected vessels. 159.97...) POLLUTION MARINE SANITATION DEVICES Design, Construction, and Testing § 159.97 Safety: inspected vessels. The Commanding Officer, USCG Marine Safety Center, approves the design and construction of devices to...

  15. 33 CFR 159.97 - Safety: inspected vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety: inspected vessels. 159.97...) POLLUTION MARINE SANITATION DEVICES Design, Construction, and Testing § 159.97 Safety: inspected vessels. The Commanding Officer, USCG Marine Safety Center, approves the design and construction of devices to...

  16. White Paper on studying the safety of the childhood immunization schedule in the Vaccine Safety Datalink.

    PubMed

    Glanz, Jason M; Newcomer, Sophia R; Jackson, Michael L; Omer, Saad B; Bednarczyk, Robert A; Shoup, Jo Ann; DeStefano, Frank; Daley, Matthew F

    2016-02-15

    While the large majority of parents in the U.S. vaccinate their children according to the recommended immunization schedule, some parents have refused or delayed vaccinating, often citing safety concerns. In response to public concern, the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) evaluated existing research regarding the safety of the recommended immunization schedule. The IOM concluded that although available evidence strongly supported the safety of the currently recommended schedule as a whole, additional observational research was warranted to compare health outcomes between fully vaccinated children and those on a delayed or alternative schedule. In addition, the IOM identified the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) as an important resource for conducting this research. Guided by the IOM findings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) commissioned a White Paper to assess how the VSD could be used to study the safety of the childhood immunization schedule. Guided by subject matter expert engagement, the resulting White Paper outlines a 4 stage approach for identifying exposure groups of undervaccinated children, presents a list of health outcomes of highest priority to examine in this context, and describes various study designs and statistical methods that could be used to analyze the safety of the schedule. While it appears feasible to study the safety of the recommended immunization schedule in settings such as the VSD, these studies will be inherently complex, and as with all observational studies, will need to carefully address issues of confounding and bias. In light of these considerations, decisions about conducting studies of the safety of the schedule will also need to assess epidemiological evidence of potential adverse events that could be related to the schedule, the biological plausibility of an association between an adverse event and the schedule, and public concern about the safety of the schedule. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  17. Effect of current federal regulations on handgun safety features.

    PubMed

    Milne, John S; Hargarten, Stephen W; Kellermann, Arthur L; Wintemute, Garen J

    2003-01-01

    In the late 1960s, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms implemented the "factoring criteria," a set of minimum size and safety standards required for any handgun imported into the United States. These standards, however, were not applied to guns manufactured domestically. We determine whether extending the factoring criteria to all handguns sold in the United States, as has been proposed in Congress, would increase the likelihood that safety devices would be included in new handgun designs. Imported and domestic handgun models produced in 1996 were examined to determine the prevalence of 4 passively acting safety devices on pistols and 1 passive safety device on revolvers. Domestic models were also scored against the factoring criteria. Compared with domestic pistol models, imported pistols were more likely to include a firing pin block (odds ratio [OR] 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.54 to 3.85) and a loaded chamber indicator (OR 1.59; 95% CI 0.98 to 2.56). Domestic pistol models that already met the factoring criteria were more likely to include a loaded chamber indicator (OR 12.05; 95% CI 2.74 to 53.02), a grip safety (OR 24.12; 95% CI 7.8 to 74.33), and a firing pin block (OR 4.92; 95% CI 2.35 to 10.29) than domestic models that did not meet the criteria. Although pistol models that meet the factoring criteria are more likely to contain safety devices than those that do not, the net effect is modest. Thus, the factoring criteria alone are insufficient to ensure consistent incorporation of safety features into new handgun designs.

  18. The Utility of Single Subject Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Kyle D.

    2016-01-01

    Single subject design (SSD) research is a quantitative approach used to investigate basic and applied research questions. It has been used for decades to examine issues of social importance such as those related to general and special education strategies, therapeutic approaches in mental health, community health practices, safety, and business…

  19. Nuclear Safety

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Silver, E G

    This document is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated.

  20. Software safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leveson, Nancy

    1987-01-01

    Software safety and its relationship to other qualities are discussed. It is shown that standard reliability and fault tolerance techniques will not solve the safety problem for the present. A new attitude requires: looking at what you do NOT want software to do along with what you want it to do; and assuming things will go wrong. New procedures and changes to entire software development process are necessary: special software safety analysis techniques are needed; and design techniques, especially eliminating complexity, can be very helpful.

  1. A Safety Index and Method for Flightdeck Evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Latorella, Kara A.

    2000-01-01

    If our goal is to improve safety through machine, interface, and training design, then we must define a metric of flightdeck safety that is usable in the design process. Current measures associated with our notions of "good" pilot performance and ultimate safety of flightdeck performance fail to provide an adequate index of safe flightdeck performance for design evaluation purposes. The goal of this research effort is to devise a safety index and method that allows us to evaluate flightdeck performance holistically and in a naturalistic experiment. This paper uses Reason's model of accident causation (1990) as a basis for measuring safety, and proposes a relational database system and method for 1) defining a safety index of flightdeck performance, and 2) evaluating the "safety" afforded by flightdeck performance for the purpose of design iteration. Methodological considerations, limitations, and benefits are discussed as well as extensions to this work.

  2. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Passenger Safety, Grade 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains eight lessons for use in grade 2. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing communication methods for highway users,…

  3. 8 CFR 332.1 - Designation of service employees to administer oaths and conduct examinations and hearings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... service employees to administer oaths and conduct examinations and hearings. (a) Examinations. All... section 335 of the Act. A district director may also designate other officers of the Service, who are classified at grade levels equal to or higher than the grade of the immigration examiners, to conduct the...

  4. Application of the Life Safety Code to a Historic Test Stand

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Askins, Bruce; Lemke, Paul R.; Lewis, William L.; Covell, Carol C.

    2011-01-01

    NASA has conducted a study to assess alternatives to refurbishing existing launch vehicle modal test facilities as opposed to developing new test facilities to meet the demands of a very fiscally constrained test and evaluation environment. The results of this study showed that Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Test Stand (TS) 4550 could be made compliant, within reasonable cost and schedule impacts, if safety processes and operational limitations were put in place to meet the safety codes and concerns of the Fire Marshall. Trades were performed with key selection criteria to ensure that appropriate levels of occupant safety are incorporated into test facility design modifications. In preparation for the ground vibration tests that were to be performed on the Ares I launch vehicle, the Ares Flight and Integrated Test Office (FITO) organization evaluated the available test facility options, which included the existing mothballed structural dynamic TS4550 used by Apollo and Shuttle, alternative ground vibration test facilities at other locations, and construction of a new dynamic test stand. After an exhaustive assessment of the alternatives, the results favored modifying the TS4550 because it was the lowest cost option and presented the least schedule risk to the NASA Constellation Program for Ares Integrated Vehicle Ground Vibration Test (IVGVT). As the renovation design plans and drawings were being developed for TS4550, a safety concern was discovered the original design for the construction of the test stand, originally built for the Apollo Program and renovated for the Shuttle Program, was completed before NASA s adoption of the currently imposed safety and building codes per National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code [NFPA 101] and International Building Codes. The initial FITO assessment of the design changes, required to make TS4550 compliant with current safety and building standards, identified a significant cost increase and schedule impact

  5. 30 CFR 56.18002 - Examination of working places.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... examine each working place at least once each shift for conditions which may adversely affect safety or... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of working places. 56.18002 Section 56.18002 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND...

  6. Effects of organizational safety on employees' proactivity safety behaviors and occupational health and safety management systems in Chinese high-risk small-scale enterprises.

    PubMed

    Mei, Qiang; Wang, Qiwei; Liu, Suxia; Zhou, Qiaomei; Zhang, Jingjing

    2018-06-07

    Based on the characteristics of small-scale enterprises, the improvement of occupational health and safety management systems (OHS MS) needs an effective intervention. This study proposed a structural equation model and examined the relationships of perceived organization support for safety (POSS), person-organization safety fit (POSF) and proactivity safety behaviors with safety management, safety procedures and safety hazards identification. Data were collected from 503 employees of 105 Chinese high-risk small-scale enterprises over 6 months. The results showed that both POSS and POSF were positively related to improvement in safety management, safety procedures and safety hazards identification through proactivity safety behaviors. Our findings provide a new perspective on organizational safety for improving OHS MS for small-scale enterprises and extend the application of proactivity safety behaviors.

  7. Improving patient safety in Libya: insights from a British health system perspective.

    PubMed

    Elmontsri, Mustafa; Almashrafi, Ahmed; Dubois, Elizabeth; Banarsee, Ricky; Majeed, Azeem

    2018-04-16

    Purpose Patient safety programmes aim to make healthcare safe for both patients and health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to explore the UK's patient safety improvement programmes over the past 15 years and explore what lessons can be learnt to improve Libyan healthcare patient safety. Design/methodology/approach Publications focusing on UK patient safety were searched in academic databases and content analysed. Findings Several initiatives have been undertaken over the past 15 years to improve British healthcare patient safety. Many stakeholders are involved, including regulatory and professional bodies, educational providers and non-governmental organisations. Lessons can be learnt from the British journey. Practical implications Developing a national patient safety strategy for Libya, which reflects context and needs is paramount. Above all, Libyan patient safety programmes should reference internationally approved guidelines, evidence, policy and learning from Britain's unique experience. Originality/value This review examines patient safety improvement strategies adopted in Britain to help developing country managers to progress local strategies based on lessons learnt from Britain's unique experience.

  8. Active-comparator design and new-user design in observational studies

    PubMed Central

    Yoshida, Kazuki; Solomon, Daniel H.; Kim, Seoyoung C.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Over the past decade, an increasing number of observational studies have examined the effectiveness or safety of rheumatoid arthritis treatments. However, unlike randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies of drug effects face methodological challenges including confounding by indication. Two design principles - active comparator design and new user design can help mitigate such challenges in observational studies. To improve validity of study findings, observational studies should be designed in such a way that makes them more closely approximate RCTs. The active comparator design compares the drug of interest to another commonly used agent for the same indication, rather than a ‘non-user’ group. This principle helps select treatment groups similar in treatment indications (both measured and unmeasured characteristics). The new user design includes a cohort of patients from the time of treatment initiation, so that it can assess patients’ pretreatment characteristics and capture all events occurring anytime during follow-up. PMID:25800216

  9. Associations between safety climate and safety management practices in the construction industry.

    PubMed

    Marín, Luz S; Lipscomb, Hester; Cifuentes, Manuel; Punnett, Laura

    2017-06-01

    Safety climate, a group-level measure of workers' perceptions regarding management's safety priorities, has been suggested as a key predictor of safety outcomes. However, its relationship with actual injury rates is inconsistent. We posit that safety climate may instead be a parallel outcome of workplace safety practices, rather than a determinant of workers' safety behaviors or outcomes. Using a sample of 25 commercial construction companies in Colombia, selected by injury rate stratum (high, medium, low), we examined the relationship between workers' safety climate perceptions and safety management practices (SMPs) reported by safety officers. Workers' perceptions of safety climate were independent of their own company's implementation of SMPs, as measured here, and its injury rates. However, injury rates were negatively related to the implementation of SMPs. Safety management practices may be more important than workers' perceptions of safety climate as direct predictors of injury rates. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. The Role and Quality of Software Safety in the NASA Constellation Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Layman, Lucas; Basili, Victor R.; Zelkowitz, Marvin V.

    2010-01-01

    In this study, we examine software safety risk in the early design phase of the NASA Constellation spaceflight program. Obtaining an accurate, program-wide picture of software safety risk is difficult across multiple, independently-developing systems. We leverage one source of safety information, hazard analysis, to provide NASA quality assurance managers with information regarding the ongoing state of software safety across the program. The goal of this research is two-fold: 1) to quantify the relative importance of software with respect to system safety; and 2) to quantify the level of risk presented by software in the hazard analysis. We examined 154 hazard reports created during the preliminary design phase of three major flight hardware systems within the Constellation program. To quantify the importance of software, we collected metrics based on the number of software-related causes and controls of hazardous conditions. To quantify the level of risk presented by software, we created a metric scheme to measure the specificity of these software causes. We found that from 49-70% of hazardous conditions in the three systems could be caused by software or software was involved in the prevention of the hazardous condition. We also found that 12-17% of the 2013 hazard causes involved software, and that 23-29% of all causes had a software control. Furthermore, 10-12% of all controls were software-based. There is potential for inaccuracy in these counts, however, as software causes are not consistently scoped, and the presence of software in a cause or control is not always clear. The application of our software specificity metrics also identified risks in the hazard reporting process. In particular, we found a number of traceability risks in the hazard reports may impede verification of software and system safety.

  11. 30 CFR 75.1433 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress points, including the area... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Hoisting and Mantrips Wire Ropes § 75.1433 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be visually examined along its...

  12. 30 CFR 75.1433 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress points, including the area... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Hoisting and Mantrips Wire Ropes § 75.1433 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be visually examined along its...

  13. 30 CFR 75.1433 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress points, including the area... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Hoisting and Mantrips Wire Ropes § 75.1433 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be visually examined along its...

  14. 30 CFR 75.1433 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress points, including the area... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Hoisting and Mantrips Wire Ropes § 75.1433 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be visually examined along its...

  15. On the Safety of Machine Learning: Cyber-Physical Systems, Decision Sciences, and Data Products.

    PubMed

    Varshney, Kush R; Alemzadeh, Homa

    2017-09-01

    Machine learning algorithms increasingly influence our decisions and interact with us in all parts of our daily lives. Therefore, just as we consider the safety of power plants, highways, and a variety of other engineered socio-technical systems, we must also take into account the safety of systems involving machine learning. Heretofore, the definition of safety has not been formalized in a machine learning context. In this article, we do so by defining machine learning safety in terms of risk, epistemic uncertainty, and the harm incurred by unwanted outcomes. We then use this definition to examine safety in all sorts of applications in cyber-physical systems, decision sciences, and data products. We find that the foundational principle of modern statistical machine learning, empirical risk minimization, is not always a sufficient objective. We discuss how four different categories of strategies for achieving safety in engineering, including inherently safe design, safety reserves, safe fail, and procedural safeguards can be mapped to a machine learning context. We then discuss example techniques that can be adopted in each category, such as considering interpretability and causality of predictive models, objective functions beyond expected prediction accuracy, human involvement for labeling difficult or rare examples, and user experience design of software and open data.

  16. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Bicycle Safety, Grade 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains ten lessons on bicycles for use in grade 2. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing communication methods for highway users,…

  17. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Bicycle Safety, Grade 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide for grade 3 contains seven lessons on bicycles and an appendix on conducting a bicycle rodeo. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing…

  18. Psychometrics of the AAN Caregiver Driving Safety Questionnaire and contributors to caregiver concern about driving safety in older adults.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Janessa O; Springate, Beth; Bernier, Rachel A; Davis, Jennifer

    2018-03-01

    ABSTRACTBackground:The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) updated their practice parameters in the evaluation of driving risk in dementia and developed a Caregiver Driving Safety Questionnaire, detailed in their original manuscript (Iverson Gronseth, Reger, Classen, Dubinsky, & Rizzo, 2010). They described four factors associated with decreased driving ability in dementia patients: history of crashes or citations, informant-reported concerns, reduced mileage, and aggressive driving. An informant-reported AAN Caregiver Driving Safety Questionnaire was designed with these elements, and the current study was the first to explore the factor structure of this questionnaire. Additionally, we examined associations between these factors and cognitive and behavioral measures in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease and their informants. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-component structure, consistent with the theory behind the AAN scale composition. These four factor scores also were significantly associated with performance on cognitive screening instruments and informant reported behavioral dysfunction. Regressions revealed that behavioral dysfunction predicted caregiver concerns about driving safety beyond objective patient cognitive dysfunction. In this first known quantitative exploration of the scale, our results support continued use of this scale in office driving safety assessments. Additionally, patient behavioral changes predicted caregiver concerns about driving safety over and above cognitive status, which suggests that caregivers may benefit from psychoeducation about cognitive factors that may negatively impact driving safety.

  19. Influence of safety motivation and climate on safety behaviour and outcomes: evidence from the Saudi Arabian construction industry.

    PubMed

    Panuwatwanich, Kriengsak; Al-Haadir, Saeed; Stewart, Rodney A

    2017-03-01

    Over the last three decades, safety literature has focused on safety climate and its role in forecasting injuries and accidents. However, research findings regarding the relationships between safety climate and other key outcome constructs are somewhat inconsistent. Recent safety climate literature suggests that examining the role of safety motivation may help provide a better explanation of such relationships. The research presented in this article aimed to empirically analyse the relationships among safety motivation, safety climate, safety behaviour and safety outcomes within the context of the Saudi Arabian construction industry. A conceptual model was developed to examine the relationships among four main constructs: safety motivation, safety climate, safety behaviour and safety outcomes. Based on the survey data collected in Saudi Arabia from site engineers and project managers (n = 295), statistical analyses were carried out, including confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling to assess the model and test the hypotheses. The main results indicated that safety motivation could positively influence safety behaviour through safety climate, which plays a mediating role for this mechanism. The results also confirmed that safety behaviour could predict safety outcomes within the context of the Saudi Arabian construction industry.

  20. Occupational Safety Issues in Residential Construction Surveyed in Wisconsin, United States

    PubMed Central

    CHOI, Sang D.; CARLSON, Kathryn

    2014-01-01

    Residential construction is a high-risk industry in the U.S. due to the exposure to work-related safety hazards and fall injuries. This study aimed to examine the safety training and safe work practices of construction workers within the small residential construction industry. In order to achieve the study objectives, a survey was designed and sent to approximately 200 Wisconsin based residential construction contractors. About one third of the respondents stated that they did not have any form of safety programs. The study indicated that the most common types of work-related injuries in residential construction were slips/trips/falls and cuts/lacerations. The survey findings also suggested that the residential construction contractors needed to increase the utilization of fall protection safety equipment. Further education and subject matter expert training could provide benefits to improve occupational safety and health of the small business workforce in the residential construction industry. PMID:25016947

  1. One in a Million Given the Accident: Assuring Nuclear Weapon Safety

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weaver, Jason

    2015-08-25

    Since the introduction of nuclear weapons, there has not been a single instance of accidental or unauthorized nuclear detonation, but there have been numerous accidents and “close calls.” As the understanding of these environments has increased, the need for a robust nuclear weapon safety philosophy has grown. This paper describes some of the methods used by the Nuclear Weapon Complex today to assure nuclear weapon safety, including testing, modeling, analysis, and design features. Lastly, it also reviews safety’s continued role in the future and examines how nuclear safety’s present maturity can play a role in strengthening security and other areasmore » and how increased coordination can improve safety and reduce long-term cost.« less

  2. Studies on Labour Safety in Construction Sites

    PubMed Central

    Kanchana, S.; Sivaprakash, P.; Joseph, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    Construction industry has accomplished extensive growth worldwide particularly in past few decades. For a construction project to be successful, safety of the structures as well as that of the personnel is of utmost importance. The safety issues are to be considered right from the design stage till the completion and handing over of the structure. Construction industry employs skilled and unskilled labourers subject to construction site accidents and health risks. A proper coordination between contractors, clients, and workforce is needed for safe work conditions which are very much lacking in Indian construction companies. Though labour safety laws are available, the numerous accidents taking place at construction sites are continuing. Management commitment towards health and safety of the workers is also lagging. A detailed literature study was carried out to understand the causes of accidents, preventive measures, and development of safe work environment. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey, which was distributed among various categories of construction workers in Kerala region. The paper examines and discusses in detail the total working hours, work shifts, nativity of the workers, number of accidents, and type of injuries taking place in small and large construction sites. PMID:26839916

  3. Studies on Labour Safety in Construction Sites.

    PubMed

    Kanchana, S; Sivaprakash, P; Joseph, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    Construction industry has accomplished extensive growth worldwide particularly in past few decades. For a construction project to be successful, safety of the structures as well as that of the personnel is of utmost importance. The safety issues are to be considered right from the design stage till the completion and handing over of the structure. Construction industry employs skilled and unskilled labourers subject to construction site accidents and health risks. A proper coordination between contractors, clients, and workforce is needed for safe work conditions which are very much lacking in Indian construction companies. Though labour safety laws are available, the numerous accidents taking place at construction sites are continuing. Management commitment towards health and safety of the workers is also lagging. A detailed literature study was carried out to understand the causes of accidents, preventive measures, and development of safe work environment. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey, which was distributed among various categories of construction workers in Kerala region. The paper examines and discusses in detail the total working hours, work shifts, nativity of the workers, number of accidents, and type of injuries taking place in small and large construction sites.

  4. Improving Student Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorn, Michael; Trump, Kenneth S.; Nichols, R. Leslie

    2001-01-01

    Presents the latest information on how schools can keep their students safe. Safety oriented actions discussed cover incident reporting and tracking, tactical site surveys, school safety and emergency operations planning, staff development efforts, and facility design. Explains the need to review and test specific prevention concepts and emergency…

  5. Roads to Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hauer, Ezra

    1991-01-01

    Contends that the level of safety built into roads is largely unpremeditated and that roads and highways are not as safe as they might be. Discusses practices, standards, and deficiencies in highway and traffic safety related to geometric design and traffic engineering. Recommends increased transportation engineering professionalism and public…

  6. User-Centered Collaborative Design and Development of an Inpatient Safety Dashboard.

    PubMed

    Mlaver, Eli; Schnipper, Jeffrey L; Boxer, Robert B; Breuer, Dominic J; Gershanik, Esteban F; Dykes, Patricia C; Massaro, Anthony F; Benneyan, James; Bates, David W; Lehmann, Lisa S

    2017-12-01

    Patient safety remains a key concern in hospital care. This article summarizes the iterative participatory development, features, functions, and preliminary evaluation of a patient safety dashboard for interdisciplinary rounding teams on inpatient medical services. This electronic health record (EHR)-embedded dashboard collects real-time data covering 13 safety domains through web services and applies logic to generate stratified alerts with an interactive check-box function. The technological infrastructure is adaptable to other EHR environments. Surveyed users perceived the tool as highly usable and useful. Integration of the dashboard into clinical care is intended to promote communication about patient safety and facilitate identification and management of safety concerns. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. All rights reserved.

  7. Human performance cognitive-behavioral modeling: a benefit for occupational safety.

    PubMed

    Gore, Brian F

    2002-01-01

    Human Performance Modeling (HPM) is a computer-aided job analysis software methodology used to generate predictions of complex human-automation integration and system flow patterns with the goal of improving operator and system safety. The use of HPM tools has recently been increasing due to reductions in computational cost, augmentations in the tools' fidelity, and usefulness in the generated output. An examination of an Air Man-machine Integration Design and Analysis System (Air MIDAS) model evaluating complex human-automation integration currently underway at NASA Ames Research Center will highlight the importance to occupational safety of considering both cognitive and physical aspects of performance when researching human error.

  8. Human performance cognitive-behavioral modeling: a benefit for occupational safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gore, Brian F.

    2002-01-01

    Human Performance Modeling (HPM) is a computer-aided job analysis software methodology used to generate predictions of complex human-automation integration and system flow patterns with the goal of improving operator and system safety. The use of HPM tools has recently been increasing due to reductions in computational cost, augmentations in the tools' fidelity, and usefulness in the generated output. An examination of an Air Man-machine Integration Design and Analysis System (Air MIDAS) model evaluating complex human-automation integration currently underway at NASA Ames Research Center will highlight the importance to occupational safety of considering both cognitive and physical aspects of performance when researching human error.

  9. AGR-1 Compact 1-3-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Demkowicz, Paul Andrew

    The Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program was established to perform the requisite research and development on tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel to support deployment of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). The work continues as part of the Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) TRISO Fuel program. The overarching program goal is to provide a baseline fuel qualification data set to support licensing and operation of an HTGR. To achieve these goals, the program includes the elements of fuel fabrication, irradiation, post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing, fuel performance modeling, and fission product transport (INL 2015). A seriesmore » of fuel irradiation experiments is being planned and conducted in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These experiments will provide data on fuel performance under irradiation, support fuel process development, qualify the fuel for normal operating conditions, provide irradiated fuel for safety testing, and support the development of fuel performance and fission product transport models. The first of these irradiation tests, designated AGR-1, began in the ATR in December 2006 and ended in November 2009. This experiment was conducted primarily to act as a shakedown test of the multicapsule test train design and provide early data on fuel performance for use in fuel fabrication process development. It also provided samples for post-irradiation safety testing, where fission product retention of the fuel at high temperatures will be experimentally measured. The capsule design and details of the AGR-1 experiment have been presented previously (Grover, Petti, and Maki 2010, Maki 2009).« less

  10. AGR-1 Compact 5-3-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Demkowicz, Paul; Harp, Jason; Winston, Phil

    The Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program was established to perform the requisite research and development on tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel to support deployment of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). The work continues as part of the Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) TRISO Fuel program. The overarching program goal is to provide a baseline fuel qualification data set to support licensing and operation of an HTGR. To achieve these goals, the program includes the elements of fuel fabrication, irradiation, post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing, fuel performance, and fission product transport (INL 2015). A series ofmore » fuel irradiation experiments is being planned and conducted in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These experiments will provide data on fuel performance under irradiation, support fuel process development, qualify the fuel for normal operating conditions, provide irradiated fuel for safety testing, and support the development of fuel performance and fission product transport models. The first of these irradiation tests, designated AGR-1, began in the ATR in December 2006 and ended in November 2009. This experiment was conducted primarily to act as a shakedown test of the multicapsule test train design and provide early data on fuel performance for use in fuel fabrication process development. It also provided samples for post-irradiation safety testing, where fission product retention of the fuel at high temperatures will be experimentally measured. The capsule design and details of the AGR-1 experiment have been presented previously.« less

  11. The impact of occupational health and safety regulations on prevention through design in construction projects: Perspectives from Spain and the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Aires, María Dolores; Rubio Gámez, María Carmen; Gibb, Alistair

    2015-01-01

    Since the mid-1990 s, Prevention through Design (PtD) has become increasingly prevalent in the built environment. The acceptance of PtD has largely been due to the removal or reduction of risks during the execution phase of construction projects. European States have had the added impetus of national legislation. This paper analyzes the influence of European Union Directive 92/57/EEC on occupational safety and health injury prevention in the project design phase. Qualitative methods comprised individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a panel of experts. Sixty individuals from construction and related professions (architects, engineers, constructors, developers, and other construction experts) answered 17 key questions to establish national perceptions of the effectiveness of Directive 92/57/EEC in Spain and the United Kingdom (UK). The implementation of PtD in the project design phase in the UK is clearer since the regulations explicitly state the obligations of project designers as well as those of the coordinator. Interviews with Spanish experts show that, in Spain, the prevention culture is less frequently realized. The most significant differences between the European Directive and national regulations which influence PtD are linked to the Health and Safety Coordinator, and Health and Safety documents.

  12. Technical Guidance from the International Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space for Design and Development Phases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Summerer, Leopold

    2014-08-01

    In 2009, the International Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space [1] has been adopted, following a multi-year process that involved all major space faring nations in the frame of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The safety framework reflects an international consensus on best practices. After the older 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, it is the second document at UN level dedicated entirely to space nuclear power sources.This paper analyses aspects of the safety framework relevant for the design and development phases of space nuclear power sources. While early publications have started analysing the legal aspects of the safety framework, its technical guidance has not yet been subject to scholarly articles. The present paper therefore focuses on the technical guidance provided in the safety framework, in an attempt to assist engineers and practitioners to benefit from these.

  13. Medicaid Markets and Pediatric Patient Safety in Hospitals

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Richard B; Cheung, Robyn; Owens, Pamela; Wilson, R Mark; Simpson, Lisa

    2007-01-01

    Objective To examine the association of Medicaid market characteristics to potentially preventable adverse medical events for hospitalized children, controlling for patient- and hospital-level factors. Data Sources/Study Setting Two carefully selected Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) pediatric patient safety indicators (decubitus ulcers and laceration) are analyzed using the new pediatric-specific, risk-adjusting, patient safety algorithm from the AHRQ. All pediatric hospital discharges for patients age 0–17 in Florida, New York, and Wisconsin, and at risk of any of these two patient safety events, are examined for the years 1999–2001 (N=859,922). Study Design Logistic regression on the relevant pool of discharges estimates the probability an individual patient experiences one of the two PSI events. Data Extraction Methods Pediatric discharges from the 1999 to 2001 State Inpatient Databases (SIDs) from the AHRQ Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, merged with hospital-level data from the American Hospital Association's Annual Survey, Medicaid data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and state Medicaid offices, and private and Medicaid managed care enrollment data obtained from InterStudy, are used in the estimations. Principal Findings At the market level, patients in markets in which Medicaid payers face relatively little competition are more likely to experience a patient safety event (odds ratio [OR]=1.602), while patients in markets in which hospitals face relatively little competition are less likely to experience an adverse event (OR=0.686). At the patient-discharge and hospital levels, Medicaid characteristics are not significantly associated with the incidence of a pediatric patient safety event. Conclusions Our analysis offers additional insights to previous work and suggests a new factor—the Medicaid-payer market—as relevant to the issue of pediatric patient safety. PMID:17850529

  14. Space Station crew safety alternatives study. Volume 5: Space Station safety plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mead, G. H.; Peercy, R. L., Jr.; Raasch, R. F.

    1985-01-01

    The Space Station Safety Plan has been prepared as an adjunct to the subject contract final report, suggesting the tasks and implementation procedures to ensure that threats are addressed and resolution strategy options identified and incorporated into the space station program. The safety program's approach is to realize minimum risk exposure without levying undue design and operational constraints. Safety objectives and risk acceptances are discussed.

  15. Focused ultrasound-mediated noninvasive blood-brain barrier modulation: preclinical examination of efficacy and safety in various sonication parameters.

    PubMed

    Shin, Jaewoo; Kong, Chanho; Cho, Jae Sung; Lee, Jihyeon; Koh, Chin Su; Yoon, Min-Sik; Na, Young Cheol; Chang, Won Seok; Chang, Jin Woo

    2018-02-01

    OBJECTIVE The application of pharmacological therapeutics in neurological disorders is limited by the ability of these agents to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Focused ultrasound (FUS) has recently gained attention for its potential application as a method for locally opening the BBB and thereby facilitating drug delivery into the brain parenchyma. However, this method still requires optimization to maximize its safety and efficacy for clinical use. In the present study, the authors examined several sonication parameters of FUS influencing BBB opening in small animals. METHODS Changes in BBB permeability were observed during transcranial sonication using low-intensity FUS in 20 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The authors examined the effects of FUS sonication with different sonication parameters, varying acoustic pressure, center frequency, burst duration, microbubble (MB) type, MB dose, pulse repetition frequency (PRF), and total exposure time. The focal region of BBB opening was identified by Evans blue dye. Additionally, H & E staining was used to identify blood vessel damage. RESULTS Acoustic pressure amplitude and burst duration were closely associated with enhancement of BBB opening efficiency, but these parameters were also highly correlated with tissue damage in the sonicated region. In contrast, MB types, MB dose, total exposure time, and PRF had an influence on BBB opening without conspicuous tissue damage after FUS sonication. CONCLUSIONS The study aimed to identify these influential conditions and provide safety and efficacy values for further studies. Future work based on the current results is anticipated to facilitate the implementation of FUS sonication for drug delivery in various CNS disease states in the near future.

  16. Vision Zero--a road safety policy innovation.

    PubMed

    Belin, Matts-Åke; Tillgren, Per; Vedung, Evert

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to examine Sweden's Vision Zero road safety policy. In particular, the paper focuses on how safety issues were framed, which decisions were made, and what are the distinctive features of Vision Zero. The analysis reveals that the decision by the Swedish Parliament to adopt Vision Zero as Sweden's road safety policy was a radical innovation. The policy is different in kind from traditional traffic safety policy with regard to problem formulation, its view on responsibility, its requirements for the safety of road users, and the ultimate objective of road safety work. The paper briefly examines the implications of these findings for national and global road safety efforts that aspire to achieving innovative road safety policies in line with the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2010.

  17. What's gender got to do with it? Examining masculinities, health and safety and return to work in male dominated skilled trades.

    PubMed

    Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Mansfield, Elizabeth; Colantonio, Angela; Moody, Joel; Mantis, Steve

    2016-06-16

    Electrical injuries are a common cause of work-related injury in male dominated skilled trades. In this study we explored how issues of gender, masculinities and institutional workplace practices shape expectations of men and their choices when returning to work following a workplace electrical injury. Twelve workers, who suffered an electrical injury, and twelve employer representatives, completed semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis we identified key themes related to how masculinities influenced men's health and safety during the return to work process. Strong identification with worker roles can influence injured workers decisions to return to work 'too early'. A desire to be viewed as a strong, responsible, resilient worker may intersect with concerns about job loss, to influence participants' decisions to not report safety issues and workplace accidents, to not disclose post-injury work challenges, and to not request workplace supports. Institutionalized workplace beliefs regarding risk, de-legitimization of the severity of injuries, and the valorization of the "tough" worker can further re-enforce dominant masculine norms and influence return to work processes and health and safety practices. Workplaces are key sites where gender identities are constructed, affirmed and institutionalized. Further research is warranted to examine how established masculine norms and gendered workplace expectations can influence workplace health and safety in male dominated high risk occupations. Future research should also evaluate strategies that encourage men to discuss post-injury work challenges and request supports when work performance or health and safety issues arise during the return to work process.

  18. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Passenger Safety, Grades K-1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains nine lessons for use in kindergarten and grade 1. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing communication methods for highway…

  19. Health IT for Patient Safety and Improving the Safety of Health IT.

    PubMed

    Magrabi, Farah; Ong, Mei-Sing; Coiera, Enrico

    2016-01-01

    Alongside their benefits health IT applications can pose new risks to patient safety. Problems with IT have been linked to many different types of clinical errors including prescribing and administration of medications; as well as wrong-patient, wrong-site errors, and delays in procedures. There is also growing concern about the risks of data breach and cyber-security. IT-related clinical errors have their origins in processes undertaken to design, build, implement and use software systems in a broader sociotechnical context. Safety can be improved with greater standardization of clinical software and by improving the quality of processes at different points in the technology life cycle, spanning design, build, implementation and use in clinical settings. Oversight processes can be set up at a regional or national level to ensure that clinical software systems meet specific standards. Certification and regulation are two mechanisms to improve oversight. In the absence of clear standards, guidelines are useful to promote safe design and implementation practices. Processes to identify and mitigate hazards can be formalised via a safety management system. Minimizing new patient safety risks is critical to realizing the benefits of IT.

  20. Exit examination: a survey of UK psychiatrists' views

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Nicholas S.; Haselgrove, Angela; Tovey, Matthew S.; Khokhar, Waqqas A.; Husain, Muj; Osman-Hicks, Victoria C.

    2015-01-01

    Aims and method The Royal College of Psychiatrists is considering how best to introduce a post-MRCPsych-examination assessment (‘exit examination’) in anticipation of external pressures to ensure patient safety through the use of such assessments. The Psychiatric Trainees' Committee conducted an online survey to gather the views of psychiatrists regarding the possible format and content of this examination in the hope that this information can be used to design a satisfactory assessment. Results Of the 2082 individuals who started the survey, 1735 completed all sections (83.3%). Participants included consultants and trainees from a range of subspecialties. There was general agreement that the content and structure of the exit examination should include assessment of clinical and communication skills. Clinical implications UK psychiatrists believe that an exit assessment should focus on clinical and communication skills. It should assess both generic and subspecialty-specific competencies and incorporate a mixture of assessment techniques. PMID:26755972

  1. Relating voltage and thermal safety in Li-ion battery cathodes: a high-throughput computational study.

    PubMed

    Jain, Anubhav; Hautier, Geoffroy; Ong, Shyue Ping; Dacek, Stephen; Ceder, Gerbrand

    2015-02-28

    High voltage and high thermal safety are desirable characteristics of cathode materials, but difficult to achieve simultaneously. This work uses high-throughput density functional theory computations to evaluate the link between voltage and safety (as estimated by thermodynamic O2 release temperatures) for over 1400 cathode materials. Our study indicates that a strong inverse relationship exists between voltage and safety: just over half the variance in O2 release temperature can be explained by voltage alone. We examine the effect of polyanion group, redox couple, and ratio of oxygen to counter-cation on both voltage and safety. As expected, our data demonstrates that polyanion groups improve safety when comparing compounds with similar voltages. However, a counterintuitive result of our study is that polyanion groups produce either no benefit or reduce safety when comparing compounds with the same redox couple. Using our data set, we tabulate voltages and oxidation potentials for over 105 combinations of redox couple/anion, which can be used towards the design and rationalization of new cathode materials. Overall, only a few compounds in our study, representing limited redox couple/polyanion combinations, exhibit both high voltage and high safety. We discuss these compounds in more detail as well as the opportunities for designing safe, high-voltage cathodes.

  2. Examining the relationship between community design and crash incidence.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-07-01

    This study seeks to understand how urban formspecifically land use and street network configurations : may influence the incidence of traffic-related crashes injuries and deaths. It begins with an historic : overview of the safety concepts that...

  3. Handbook for Public Playground Safety.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

    Playgrounds, being a fundamental part of the childhood experience, should be safe havens for children. This handbook includes technical safety guidelines for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining public playgrounds. It also includes a "Public Playground Safety Checklist" to highlight some of the most important safety issues…

  4. NASA Software Safety Standard

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosenberg, Linda

    1997-01-01

    If software is a critical element in a safety critical system, it is imperative to implement a systematic approach to software safety as an integral part of the overall system safety programs. The NASA-STD-8719.13A, "NASA Software Safety Standard", describes the activities necessary to ensure that safety is designed into software that is acquired or developed by NASA, and that safety is maintained throughout the software life cycle. A PDF version, is available on the WWW from Lewis. A Guidebook that will assist in the implementation of the requirements in the Safety Standard is under development at the Lewis Research Center (LeRC). After completion, it will also be available on the WWW from Lewis.

  5. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Bicycle Safety, Grades K-1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains nine lessons on sidewalk vehicles and bicycles for use in kindergarten and grade 1. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing…

  6. The Shirts on Our Backs: Teleological Perspectives on Factory Safety in Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dhooge, Lucien J.

    2016-01-01

    This case study addresses the issue of factory safety in the garment industry through an examination of two recent catastrophic failures in Bangladesh. The case study was designed for students in Business Ethics in the MBA curriculum at the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The case study has also been adapted…

  7. Sample size for post-marketing safety studies based on historical controls.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yu-te; Makuch, Robert W

    2010-08-01

    As part of a drug's entire life cycle, post-marketing studies are an important part in the identification of rare, serious adverse events. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun to implement new post-marketing safety mandates as a consequence of increased emphasis on safety. The purpose of this research is to provide exact sample size formula for the proposed hybrid design, based on a two-group cohort study with incorporation of historical external data. Exact sample size formula based on the Poisson distribution is developed, because the detection of rare events is our outcome of interest. Performance of exact method is compared to its approximate large-sample theory counterpart. The proposed hybrid design requires a smaller sample size compared to the standard, two-group prospective study design. In addition, the exact method reduces the number of subjects required in the treatment group by up to 30% compared to the approximate method for the study scenarios examined. The proposed hybrid design satisfies the advantages and rationale of the two-group design with smaller sample sizes generally required. 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Offshore safety case approach and formal safety assessment of ships.

    PubMed

    Wang, J

    2002-01-01

    Tragic marine and offshore accidents have caused serious consequences including loss of lives, loss of property, and damage of the environment. A proactive, risk-based "goal setting" regime is introduced to the marine and offshore industries to increase the level of safety. To maximize marine and offshore safety, risks need to be modeled and safety-based decisions need to be made in a logical and confident way. Risk modeling and decision-making tools need to be developed and applied in a practical environment. This paper describes both the offshore safety case approach and formal safety assessment of ships in detail with particular reference to the design aspects. The current practices and the latest development in safety assessment in both the marine and offshore industries are described. The relationship between the offshore safety case approach and formal ship safety assessment is described and discussed. Three examples are used to demonstrate both the offshore safety case approach and formal ship safety assessment. The study of risk criteria in marine and offshore safety assessment is carried out. The recommendations on further work required are given. This paper gives safety engineers in the marine and offshore industries an overview of the offshore safety case approach and formal ship safety assessment. The significance of moving toward a risk-based "goal setting" regime is given.

  9. 49 CFR 452.7 - Continuous examination program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS EXAMINATION OF CONTAINERS § 452.7 Continuous examination program. (a) In lieu of a periodic examination under § 452.1, each owner of an approved container meeting § 450.5 may examine the container or have it examined using an approved continuous examination...

  10. 49 CFR 452.7 - Continuous examination program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS EXAMINATION OF CONTAINERS § 452.7 Continuous examination program. (a) In lieu of a periodic examination under § 452.1, each owner of an approved container meeting § 450.5 may examine the container or have it examined using an approved continuous examination...

  11. 49 CFR 452.7 - Continuous examination program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS EXAMINATION OF CONTAINERS § 452.7 Continuous examination program. (a) In lieu of a periodic examination under § 452.1, each owner of an approved container meeting § 450.5 may examine the container or have it examined using an approved continuous examination...

  12. 49 CFR 452.7 - Continuous examination program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS EXAMINATION OF CONTAINERS § 452.7 Continuous examination program. (a) In lieu of a periodic examination under § 452.1, each owner of an approved container meeting § 450.5 may examine the container or have it examined using an approved continuous examination...

  13. 49 CFR 452.7 - Continuous examination program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS EXAMINATION OF CONTAINERS § 452.7 Continuous examination program. (a) In lieu of a periodic examination under § 452.1, each owner of an approved container meeting § 450.5 may examine the container or have it examined using an approved continuous examination...

  14. Patient Drug Safety Reporting: Diabetes Patients' Perceptions of Drug Safety and How to Improve Reporting of Adverse Events and Product Complaints.

    PubMed

    Patel, Puja; Spears, David; Eriksen, Betina Østergaard; Lollike, Karsten; Sacco, Michael

    2018-03-01

    Global health care manufacturer Novo Nordisk commissioned research regarding awareness of drug safety department activities and potential to increase patient feedback. Objectives were to examine patients' knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturers' responsibilities and efforts regarding drug safety, their perceptions and experiences related to these efforts, and how these factors influence their thoughts and behaviors. Data were collected before and after respondents read a description of a drug safety department and its practices. We conducted quantitative survey research across 608 health care consumers receiving treatment for diabetes in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy. This research validated initial, exploratory qualitative research (across 40 comparable consumers from the same countries) which served to guide design of the larger study. Before reading a drug safety department description, 55% of respondents were unaware these departments collect safety information on products and patients. After reading the description, 34% reported the department does more than they expected to ensure drug safety, and 56% reported "more confidence" in the industry as a whole. Further, 66% reported themselves more likely to report an adverse event or product complaint, and 60% reported that they were more likely to contact a drug safety department with questions. The most preferred communication methods were websites/online forums (39%), email (27%), and telephone (25%). Learning about drug safety departments elevates consumers' confidence in manufacturers' safety efforts and establishes potential for patients to engage in increased self-monitoring and reporting. Study results reveal potentially actionable insights for the industry across patient and physician programs and communications.

  15. Comprehensive School Safety Initiative Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Institute of Justice, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) developed the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative in consultation with federal partners and Congress. It is a research-focused initiative designed to increase the safety of schools nationwide through the development of knowledge regarding the most effective and sustainable school safety interventions and…

  16. Hard and Soft Safety Verifications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wetherholt, Jon; Anderson, Brenda

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences between and the effects of hard and soft safety verifications. Initially, the terminology should be defined and clarified. A hard safety verification is datum which demonstrates how a safety control is enacted. An example of this is relief valve testing. A soft safety verification is something which is usually described as nice to have but it is not necessary to prove safe operation. An example of a soft verification is the loss of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) casings from Shuttle flight, STS-4. When the main parachutes failed, the casings impacted the water and sank. In the nose cap of the SRBs, video cameras recorded the release of the parachutes to determine safe operation and to provide information for potential anomaly resolution. Generally, examination of the casings and nozzles contributed to understanding of the newly developed boosters and their operation. Safety verification of SRB operation was demonstrated by examination for erosion or wear of the casings and nozzle. Loss of the SRBs and associated data did not delay the launch of the next Shuttle flight.

  17. The communicative construction of safety in wildland firefighting

    Treesearch

    Jody Jahn; Linda L. Putnam; Anne E. Black

    2012-01-01

    This document is a summary of a mixed methods dissertation that examined the communicative construction of safety in wildland firefighting. For the dissertation, I used a two-study mixed methods approach, examining the communicative accomplishment of safety from two perspectives: high reliability organizing (Weick, Sutcliffe, & Obstfeld, 1999), and safety climate (...

  18. Security Implications of Physical Design Attributes in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Pati, Debajyoti; Pati, Sipra; Harvey, Thomas E

    2016-07-01

    Security, a subset of safety, is equally important in the efficient delivery of patient care. The emergency department (ED) is susceptible to violence creating concerns for the safety and security of patients, staff, and visitors and for the safe and efficient delivery of care. Although there is an implicit and growing recognition of the role of the physical environment, interventions typically have been at the microlevel. The objective of this study was to identify physical design attributes that potentially influence safety and efficiency of ED operations. An exploratory, qualitative research design was adopted to examine the efficiency and safety correlates of ED physical design attributes. The study comprised a multimeasure approach involving multidisciplinary gaming, semistructured interviews, and touring interviews of frontline staff in four EDs at three hospital systems across three states. Five macro physical design attributes (issues that need to be addressed at the design stage and expensive to rectify once built) emerged from the data as factors substantially associated with security issues. They are design issues pertaining to (a) the entry zone, (b) traffic management, (c) patient room clustering, (d) centralization versus decentralization, and (e) provisions for special populations. Data from this study suggest that ED security concerns are generally associated with three sources: (a) gang-related violence, (b) dissatisfied patients, and (c) behavioral health patients. Study data show that physical design has an important role in addressing the above-mentioned concerns. Implications for ED design are outlined in the article. © The Author(s) 2016.

  19. Comparing two safety culture surveys: safety attitudes questionnaire and hospital survey on patient safety.

    PubMed

    Etchegaray, Jason M; Thomas, Eric J

    2012-06-01

    To examine the reliability and predictive validity of two patient safety culture surveys-Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) and Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS)-when administered to the same participants. Also to determine the ability to convert HSOPS scores to SAQ scores. Employees working in intensive care units in 12 hospitals within a large hospital system in the southern United States were invited to anonymously complete both safety culture surveys electronically. All safety culture dimensions from both surveys (with the exception of HSOPS's Staffing) had adequate levels of reliability. Three of HSOPS's outcomes-frequency of event reporting, overall perceptions of patient safety, and overall patient safety grade-were significantly correlated with SAQ and HSOPS dimensions of culture at the individual level, with correlations ranging from r=0.41 to 0.65 for the SAQ dimensions and from r=0.22 to 0.72 for the HSOPS dimensions. Neither the SAQ dimensions nor the HSOPS dimensions predicted the fourth HSOPS outcome-number of events reported within the last 12 months. Regression analyses indicated that HSOPS safety culture dimensions were the best predictors of frequency of event reporting and overall perceptions of patient safety while SAQ and HSOPS dimensions both predicted patient safety grade. Unit-level analyses were not conducted because indices did not indicate that aggregation was appropriate. Scores were converted between the surveys, although much variance remained unexplained. Given that the SAQ and HSOPS had similar reliability and predictive validity, investigators and quality and safety leaders should consider survey length, content, sensitivity to change and the ability to benchmark when selecting a patient safety culture survey.

  20. Safe design of healthcare facilities

    PubMed Central

    Reiling, J

    2006-01-01

    The physical environment has a significant impact on health and safety; however, hospitals have not been designed with the explicit goal of enhancing patient safety through facility design. In April 2002, St Joseph's Community Hospital of West Bend, a member of SynergyHealth, brought together leaders in healthcare and systems engineering to develop a set of safety‐driven facility design recommendations and principles that would guide the design of a new hospital facility focused on patient safety. By introducing safety‐driven innovations into the facility design process, environmental designers and healthcare leaders will be able to make significant contributions to patient safety. PMID:17142606

  1. 30 CFR 57.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... improper lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 57.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service...

  2. 30 CFR 57.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... improper lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 57.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service...

  3. 30 CFR 57.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... improper lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 57.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service...

  4. 30 CFR 57.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... improper lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 57.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service...

  5. Job Design for Mindful Work: The Boosting Effect of Psychosocial Safety Climate.

    PubMed

    Lawrie, Emily J; Tuckey, Michelle R; Dollard, Maureen F

    2017-12-28

    Despite a surge in workplace mindfulness research, virtually nothing is known about how organizations can cultivate everyday mindfulness at work. Using the extended job demands-resources model, we explored daily psychological demands and job control as potential antecedents of daily mindfulness, and the moderating effect of psychosocial safety climate (PSC, which relates to the value organizations place on psychological health at work). We also examined the relationship between mindfulness and learning to augment understanding of the benefits of everyday mindfulness at work. A sample of 57 employees, primarily working in education, health care, and finance, completed a diary for five days within a 2-week period, covering mindfulness, psychological demands, job control, and learning. PSC was measured in a baseline survey, with individual ratings combined with those of up to four colleagues to tap objective (shared) climate. Hierarchical linear modeling showed that daily psychological demands were negatively related to daily mindfulness, and daily job control was positively related to daily mindfulness especially as PSC increased. Additionally, daily mindfulness was positively associated with daily workplace learning. This study is one of the first to identify work-related antecedents to everyday mindfulness. The findings suggest that (a) to support everyday mindfulness at work, jobs must be designed with manageable demands and a variety of tasks that allow for creativity and skill discretion, and (b) the benefits of mindfulness interventions for employee psychological health and well-being may not be sustainable unless employees have influence over when and how they do their work, in the "right" climate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Nuclear power and probabilistic safety assessment (PSA): past through future applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stamatelatos, M. G.; Moieni, P.; Everline, C. J.

    1995-03-01

    Nuclear power reactor safety in the United States is about to enter a new era -- an era of risk- based management and risk-based regulation. First, there was the age of `prescribed safety assessment,' during which a series of design-basis accidents in eight categories of severity, or classes, were postulated and analyzed. Toward the end of that era, it was recognized that `Class 9,' or `beyond design basis,' accidents would need special attention because of the potentially severe health and financial consequences of these accidents. The accident at Three Mile Island showed that sequences of low-consequence, high-frequency events and human errors can be much more risk dominant than the Class 9 accidents. A different form of safety assessment, PSA, emerged and began to gain ground against the deterministic safety establishment. Eventually, this led to the current regulatory requirements for individual plant examinations (IPEs). The IPEs can serve as a basis for risk-based regulation and management, a concept that may ultimately transform the U.S. regulatory process from its traditional deterministic foundations to a process predicated upon PSA. Beyond the possibility of a regulatory environment predicated upon PSA lies the possibility of using PSA as the foundation for managing daily nuclear power plant operations.

  7. Examining Teacher Talk in an Engineering Design-Based Science Curricular Unit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aranda, Maurina L.; Lie, Richard; Selcen Guzey, S.; Makarsu, Murat; Johnston, Amanda; Moore, Tamara J.

    2018-03-01

    Recent science education reforms highlight the importance for teachers to implement effective instructional practices that promote student learning of science and engineering content and their practices. Effective classroom discussion has been shown to support the learning of science, but work is needed to examine teachers' enactment of engineering design-based science curricula by focusing on the content, complexity, structure, and orchestration of classroom discussions. In the present study, we explored teacher-student talk with respect to science in a middle school curriculum focused on genetics and genetic engineering. Our study was guided by the following major research question: What are the similarities and differences in teacher talk moves that occurred within an engineering design-based science unit enacted by two teachers? Through qualitative and quantitative approaches, we found that there were clear differences in two teachers' use of questioning strategies and presentation of new knowledge that affected the level of student involvement in classroom discourse and the richness and details of student contributions to the conversations. We also found that the verbal explanations of science content differed between two teachers. Collectively, the findings in this study demonstrate that although the teachers worked together to design an engineering designed-based science curriculum unit, their use of different discussion strategies and patterns, and interactions with students differed to affect classroom discourse.

  8. Modeling Transients and Designing a Passive Safety System for a Nuclear Thermal Rocket Using Relap5

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khatry, Jivan

    Long-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. Several nuclear reactor types were investigated by the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Study of planned/unplanned transients on nuclear thermal rockets is important due to the need for long-term missions. A NERVA design known as the Pewee I was selected for this purpose. The following transients were run: (i) modeling of corrosion-induced blockages on the peripheral fuel element coolant channels and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core, and (ii) modeling of loss-of-flow-accidents (LOFAs) and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core. For part (i), the radiation heat transfer rate of blocked channels increases while their neighbors' decreases. For part (ii), the core radiation heat transfer rate increases while the flow rate through the rocket system is decreased. However, the radiation heat transfer decreased while there was a complete LOFA. In this situation, the peripheral fuel element coolant channels handle the majority of the radiation heat transfer. Recognizing the LOFA as the most severe design basis accident, a passive safety system was designed in order to respond to such a transient. This design utilizes the already existing tie rod tubes and connects them to a radiator in a closed loop. Hence, this is basically a secondary loop. The size of the core is unchanged. During normal steady-state operation, this secondary loop keeps the moderator cool. Results show that the safety system is able to remove the decay heat and prevent the fuel elements from melting, in response to a LOFA and subsequent SCRAM.

  9. A consideration of lithium cell safety

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tobishima, Shin-ichi; Yamaki, Jun-ichi

    The safety characteristics of commercial lithium ion cells are examined in relation to their use as batteries for cellular phones. This report describes a theoretical approach to an understanding of cell safety, example results of safety tests that we performed on lithium ion cells, and also presents our views regarding cell safety.

  10. Genetic modification of hematopoietic cells using retroviral and lentiviral vectors: safety considerations for vector design and delivery into target cells.

    PubMed

    Dropulic, Boro

    2005-07-01

    The recent development of leukemia in three patients following retroviral vector gene transfer in hematopoietic stem cells, resulting in the death of one patient, has raised safety concerns for the use of integrating gene transfer vectors for human gene therapy. This review discusses these serious adverse events from the perspective of whether restrictions on vector design and vector-modified target cells are warranted at this time. A case is made against presently establishing specific restrictions for vector design and transduced cells; rather, their safety should be ascertained by empiric evaluation in appropriate preclinical models on a case-by-case basis. Such preclinical data, coupled with proper informed patient consent and a risk-benefit ratio analysis, provide the best available prospective evaluation of gene transfer vectors prior to their translation into the clinic.

  11. Design of a Conceptual Bumper Energy Absorber Coupling Pedestrian Safety and Low-Speed Impact Requirements

    PubMed Central

    Mo, Fuhao; Zhao, Siqi; Yu, Chuanhui; Duan, Shuyong

    2018-01-01

    The car front bumper system needs to meet the requirements of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact which are somewhat contradicting. This study aims to design a new kind of modular self-adaptive energy absorber of the front bumper system which can balance the two performances. The X-shaped energy-absorbing structure was proposed which can enhance the energy absorption capacity during impact by changing its deformation mode based on the amount of external collision energy. Then, finite element simulations with a realistic vehicle bumper system are performed to demonstrate its crashworthiness in comparison with the traditional foam energy absorber, which presents a significant improvement of the two performances. Furthermore, the structural parameters of the X-shaped energy-absorbing structure including thickness (t u), side arc radius (R), and clamping boost beam thickness (t b) are analyzed using a full factorial method, and a multiobjective optimization is implemented regarding evaluation indexes of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact. The optimal parameters are then verified, and the feasibility of the optimal results is confirmed. In conclusion, the new X-shaped energy absorber can meet both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact requirements well by altering the main deformation modes according to different impact energy levels. PMID:29581728

  12. Design of a Conceptual Bumper Energy Absorber Coupling Pedestrian Safety and Low-Speed Impact Requirements.

    PubMed

    Mo, Fuhao; Zhao, Siqi; Yu, Chuanhui; Xiao, Zhi; Duan, Shuyong

    2018-01-01

    The car front bumper system needs to meet the requirements of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact which are somewhat contradicting. This study aims to design a new kind of modular self-adaptive energy absorber of the front bumper system which can balance the two performances. The X-shaped energy-absorbing structure was proposed which can enhance the energy absorption capacity during impact by changing its deformation mode based on the amount of external collision energy. Then, finite element simulations with a realistic vehicle bumper system are performed to demonstrate its crashworthiness in comparison with the traditional foam energy absorber, which presents a significant improvement of the two performances. Furthermore, the structural parameters of the X-shaped energy-absorbing structure including thickness ( t u ), side arc radius ( R ), and clamping boost beam thickness ( t b ) are analyzed using a full factorial method, and a multiobjective optimization is implemented regarding evaluation indexes of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact. The optimal parameters are then verified, and the feasibility of the optimal results is confirmed. In conclusion, the new X-shaped energy absorber can meet both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact requirements well by altering the main deformation modes according to different impact energy levels.

  13. Relationships among Safety Climate, Safety Behavior, and Safety Outcomes for Ethnic Minority Construction Workers

    PubMed Central

    Lyu, Sainan; Chan, Albert P. C.; Wong, Francis K. W.

    2018-01-01

    In many countries, it is common practice to attract and employ ethnic minority (EM) or migrant workers in the construction industry. This primarily occurs in order to alleviate the labor shortage caused by an aging workforce with a lack of new entrants. Statistics show that EM construction workers are more likely to have occupational fatal and nonfatal injuries than their local counterparts; however, the mechanism underlying accidents and injuries in this vulnerable population has been rarely examined. This study aims to investigate relationships among safety climate, safety behavior, and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. To this end, a theoretical research model was developed based on a comprehensive review of the current literature. In total, 289 valid questionnaires were collected face-to-face from 223 Nepalese construction workers and 56 Pakistani construction workers working on 15 construction sites in Hong Kong. Structural equation modelling was employed to validate the constructs and test the hypothesized model. Results show that there were significant positive relationships between safety climate and safety behaviors, and significant negative relationships between safety behaviors and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. This research contributes to the literature regarding EM workers by providing empirical evidence of the mechanisms by which safety climate affects safety behaviors and outcomes. It also provides insights in order to help the key stakeholders formulate safety strategies for EM workers in many areas where numerous EM workers are employed, such as in the U.S., the UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Middle East. PMID:29522503

  14. Relationships among Safety Climate, Safety Behavior, and Safety Outcomes for Ethnic Minority Construction Workers.

    PubMed

    Lyu, Sainan; Hon, Carol K H; Chan, Albert P C; Wong, Francis K W; Javed, Arshad Ali

    2018-03-09

    In many countries, it is common practice to attract and employ ethnic minority (EM) or migrant workers in the construction industry. This primarily occurs in order to alleviate the labor shortage caused by an aging workforce with a lack of new entrants. Statistics show that EM construction workers are more likely to have occupational fatal and nonfatal injuries than their local counterparts; however, the mechanism underlying accidents and injuries in this vulnerable population has been rarely examined. This study aims to investigate relationships among safety climate, safety behavior, and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. To this end, a theoretical research model was developed based on a comprehensive review of the current literature. In total, 289 valid questionnaires were collected face-to-face from 223 Nepalese construction workers and 56 Pakistani construction workers working on 15 construction sites in Hong Kong. Structural equation modelling was employed to validate the constructs and test the hypothesized model. Results show that there were significant positive relationships between safety climate and safety behaviors, and significant negative relationships between safety behaviors and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. This research contributes to the literature regarding EM workers by providing empirical evidence of the mechanisms by which safety climate affects safety behaviors and outcomes. It also provides insights in order to help the key stakeholders formulate safety strategies for EM workers in many areas where numerous EM workers are employed, such as in the U.S., the UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Middle East.

  15. Evaluation of Design Assurance Regulations for Safety of Space Navigation Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ratti, B.; Sarno, M.; De Andreis, C.

    2005-12-01

    The European Space Agency (ESA), the European Community (EC), and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) are contributing to the development of a Global positioning and Navigation Satellite System, known as GNSS. The development programme is carried out in two main steps:• GNSS-1: the first-generation system, based on signals received from the GPS (USA) and GLONASS (Russia) constellations, and augmentation systems like EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service)• GNSS-2: the second-generation system, that will achieve the ultimate objective of European sovereignty for position determination, navigation and time dissemination. This system, named Galileo, comprises a global space and ground control infrastructure.The Galileo navigation signal will be used in the frame of safety-critical transport applications, thus it is necessary to assess the space safety assurance activity against the civil safety regulations and safety management system.. RTCA DO-254 and IEC 61508 standards, considered as part of best practice engineering references, for the development of safety- related systems in most applications, were selected during phases B2 and C0 of the Galileo project for this purpose.

  16. Analysis of inconsistencies related to design speed, operating speed, and speed limits.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-02-01

    The objective of this research was to examine the relationship among design speeds, operating speeds and speed limits and address safety and operational concerns regarding the presence of disparities among these speed metrics. Roadway sections were s...

  17. Evaluation of the safety of C-spine clearance by paramedics: design and methodology

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Canadian Emergency Medical Services annually transport 1.3 million patients with potential neck injuries to local emergency departments. Less than 1% of those patients have a c-spine fracture and even less (0.5%) have a spinal cord injury. Most injuries occur before the arrival of paramedics, not during transport to the hospital, yet most patients are transported in ambulances immobilized. They stay fully immobilized until a bed is available, or until physician assessment and/or X-rays are complete. The prolonged immobilization is often unnecessary and adds to the burden of already overtaxed emergency medical services systems and crowded emergency departments. Methods/Design The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and potential impact of an active strategy that allows paramedics to assess very low-risk trauma patients using a validated clinical decision rule, the Canadian C-Spine Rule, in order to determine the need for immobilization during transport to the emergency department. This cohort study will be conducted in Ottawa, Canada with one emergency medical service. Paramedics with this service participated in an earlier validation study of the Canadian C-Spine Rule. Three thousand consecutive, alert, stable adult trauma patients with a potential c-spine injury will be enrolled in the study and evaluated using the Canadian C-Spine Rule to determine the need for immobilization. The outcomes that will be assessed include measures of safety (numbers of missed fractures and serious adverse outcomes), measures of clinical impact (proportion of patients transported without immobilization, key time intervals) and performance of the Rule. Discussion Approximately 40% of all very low-risk trauma patients could be transported safely, without c-spine immobilization, if paramedics were empowered to make clinical decisions using the Canadian C-Spine Rule. This safety study is an essential step before allowing all paramedics across Canada to selectively

  18. Accidents That Shouldn't Happen: A Report of the Grade Crossing Safety Task Force to Secretary Federico Pena

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-03-01

    This report explains how a lack of information and/or guidelines in the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and inspection of grade crossings led the Task Force to identify five safety problem areas for detailed examination-interconnected S...

  19. Quality and patient safety in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Raab, Stephen S; Swain, Justin; Smith, Natasha; Grzybicki, Dana M

    2013-09-01

    The media, medical legal, and safety science perspectives of a laboratory medical error differ and assign variable levels of responsibility on individuals and systems. We examine how the media identifies, communicates, and interprets information related to anatomic pathology breast diagnostic errors compared to groups using a safety science Lean-based quality improvement perspective. The media approach focuses on the outcome of error from the patient perspective and some errors have catastrophic consequences. The medical safety science perspective does not ignore the importance of patient outcome, but focuses on causes including the active events and latent factors that contribute to the error. Lean improvement methods deconstruct work into individual steps consisting of tasks, communications, and flow in order to understand the affect of system design on current state levels of quality. In the Lean model, system redesign to reduce errors depends on front-line staff knowledge and engagement to change the components of active work to develop best practices. In addition, Lean improvement methods require organizational and environmental alignment with the front-line change in order to improve the latent conditions affecting components such as regulation, education, and safety culture. Although we examine instances of laboratory error for a specific test in surgical pathology, the same model of change applies to all areas of the laboratory. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Examination of the Safety of Pediatric Vaccine Schedules in a Non-Human Primate Model: Assessments of Neurodevelopment, Learning, and Social Behavior

    PubMed Central

    Curtis, Britni; Liberato, Noelle; Rulien, Megan; Morrisroe, Kelly; Kenney, Caroline; Yutuc, Vernon; Ferrier, Clayton; Marti, C. Nathan; Mandell, Dorothy; Burbacher, Thomas M.; Sackett, Gene P.

    2015-01-01

    Background In the 1990s, the mercury-based preservative thimerosal was used in most pediatric vaccines. Although there are currently only two thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) recommended for pediatric use, parental perceptions that vaccines pose safety concerns are affecting vaccination rates, particularly in light of the much expanded and more complex schedule in place today. Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the safety of pediatric vaccine schedules in a non-human primate model. Methods We administered vaccines to six groups of infant male rhesus macaques (n = 12–16/group) using a standardized thimerosal dose where appropriate. Study groups included the recommended 1990s Pediatric vaccine schedule, an accelerated 1990s Primate schedule with or without the measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccine, the MMR vaccine only, and the expanded 2008 schedule. We administered saline injections to age-matched control animals (n = 16). Infant development was assessed from birth to 12 months of age by examining the acquisition of neonatal reflexes, the development of object concept permanence (OCP), computerized tests of discrimination learning, and infant social behavior. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, multilevel modeling, and survival analyses, where appropriate. Results We observed no group differences in the acquisition of OCP. During discrimination learning, animals receiving TCVs had improved performance on reversal testing, although some of these same animals showed poorer performance in subsequent learning-set testing. Analysis of social and nonsocial behaviors identified few instances of negative behaviors across the entire infancy period. Although some group differences in specific behaviors were reported at 2 months of age, by 12 months all infants, irrespective of vaccination status, had developed the typical repertoire of macaque behaviors. Conclusions This comprehensive 5-year case–control study, which closely examined

  1. The role of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board in a clinical trial: the CRISIS study.

    PubMed

    Holubkov, Richard; Casper, T Charles; Dean, J Michael; Anand, K J S; Zimmerman, Jerry; Meert, Kathleen L; Newth, Christopher J L; Berger, John; Harrison, Rick; Willson, Douglas F; Nicholson, Carol

    2013-05-01

    Randomized clinical trials are commonly overseen by a Data and Safety Monitoring Board comprised of experts in medicine, ethics, and biostatistics. Data and Safety Monitoring Board responsibilities include protocol approval, interim review of study enrollment, protocol compliance, safety, and efficacy data. Data and Safety Monitoring Board decisions can affect study design and conduct, as well as reported findings. Researchers must incorporate Data and Safety Monitoring Board oversight into the design, monitoring, and reporting of randomized trials. Case study, narrative review. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board's role during the comparative pediatric Critical Illness Stress-Induced Immune Suppression (CRISIS) Prevention Trial is described. The National Institutes of Health-appointed CRISIS Data and Safety Monitoring Board was charged with monitoring sample size adequacy and feasibility, safety with respect to adverse events and 28-day mortality, and efficacy with respect to the primary nosocomial infection/sepsis outcome. The Federal Drug Administration also requested Data and Safety Monitoring Board interim review before opening CRISIS to children below 1 yr of age. The first interim analysis found higher 28-day mortality in one treatment arm. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board maintained trial closure to younger children and requested a second interim data review 6 months later. At this second meeting, mortality was no longer of concern, whereas a weak efficacy trend of lower infection/sepsis rates in one study arm emerged. As over 40% of total patients had been enrolled, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board elected to examine conditional power and unmask treatment arm identities. On finding somewhat greater efficacy in the placebo arm, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board recommended stopping CRISIS due to futility. The design and operating procedures of a multicenter randomized trial must consider a pivotal Data and Safety Monitoring Board role. Maximum

  2. Safety Capital: The Management of Organizational Knowledge on Occupational Health and Safety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nunez, Imanol; Villanueva, Mikel

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The concept of Safety Capital was developed by analyzing the creation and composition of the Intellectual Capital embedded in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) systems. The paper aims to address this relationship. Design/methodology/approach: By drawing a theoretical link for the relationship between OHS activities and intellectual…

  3. Using a Modified Theory of Planned Behavior to Examine Adolescents' Workplace Safety and Health Knowledge, Perceptions, and Behavioral Intention: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

    PubMed

    Guerin, Rebecca J; Toland, Michael D; Okun, Andrea H; Rojas-Guyler, Liliana; Bernard, Amy L

    2018-03-31

    Work, a defining feature of adolescence in the United States, has many benefits. Work also has risks, as adolescents experience a higher rate of serious job-related injuries compared to adults. Talking Safety, a free curriculum from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is one tool educators may adopt to provide teens with essential workplace safety and health education. Adolescents (N = 2503; female, 50.1%; Hispanic, 50.0%) in a large urban school district received Talking Safety from their eighth-grade science teachers. This study used a modified theory of planned behavior (which included a knowledge construct), to examine students' pre- and post-intervention scores on workplace safety and health knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention to enact job safety skills. The results from confirmatory factor analyses indicate three unique dimensions reflecting the theory, with a separate knowledge factor. Reliability estimates are ω ≥ .83. The findings from the structural equation models demonstrate that all paths, except pre- to posttest behavioral intention, are statistically significant. Self-efficacy is the largest contributor to the total effect of these associations. As hypothesized, knowledge has indirect effects on behavioral intention. Hispanic students scored lower at posttest on all but the behavioral intention measure, possibly suggesting the need for tailored materials to reach some teens. Overall the findings support the use of a modified theory of planned behavior to evaluate the effectiveness of a foundational workplace safety and health curriculum. This study may inform future efforts to ensure that safe and healthy work becomes integral to the adolescent experience.

  4. Chemical Safety for Sustainability: Research Action Plan

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Strategic Research Action Plan for EPA’s Chemical Safety for Sustainability research program presents the purpose, design and themes of the Agency’s research efforts to ensure safety in the design, manufacture and use of existing and future chemicals.

  5. Patient safety trilogy: perspectives from clinical engineering.

    PubMed

    Gieras, Izabella; Sherman, Paul; Minsent, Dennis

    2013-01-01

    This article examines the role a clinical engineering or healthcare technology management (HTM) department can play in promoting patient safety from three different perspectives: a community hospital, a national government health system, and an academic medical center. After a general overview, Izabella Gieras from Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, CA, leads off by examining the growing role of human factors in healthcare technology, and describing how her facility uses clinical simulations in medical equipment evaluations. A section by Paul Sherman follows, examining patient safety initiatives from the perspective of the Veterans Health Administration with a focus on hazard alerts and recalls. Dennis Minsent from Oregon Health & Science University writes about patient safety from an academic healthcare perspective, and details how clinical engineers can engage in multidisciplinary safety opportunities.

  6. The Tehran Eye Study: research design and eye examination protocol

    PubMed Central

    Hashemi, Hassan; Fotouhi, Akbar; Mohammad, Kazem

    2003-01-01

    Background Visual impairment has a profound impact on society. The majority of visually impaired people live in developing countries, and since most disorders leading to visual impairment are preventable or curable, their control is a priority in these countries. Considering the complicated epidemiology of visual impairment and the wide variety of factors involved, region specific intervention strategies are required for every community. Therefore, providing appropriate data is one of the first steps in these communities, as it is in Iran. The objectives of this study are to describe the prevalence and causes of visual impairment in the population of Tehran city; the prevalence of refractive errors, lens opacity, ocular hypertension, and color blindness in this population, and also the familial aggregation of refractive errors, lens opacity, ocular hypertension, and color blindness within the study sample. Methods Design Through a population-based, cross-sectional study, a total of 5300 Tehran citizens will be selected from 160 clusters using a stratified cluster random sampling strategy. The eligible people will be enumerated through a door-to-door household survey in the selected clusters and will be invited. All participants will be transferred to a clinic for measurements of uncorrected, best corrected and presenting visual acuity; manifest, subjective and cycloplegic refraction; color vision test; Goldmann applanation tonometry; examination of the external eye, anterior segment, media, and fundus; and an interview about demographic characteristics and history of eye diseases, eye trauma, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and ophthalmologic cares. The study design and eye examination protocol are described. Conclusion We expect that findings from the TES will show the status of visual problems and their causes in the community. This study can highlight the people who should be targeted by visual impairment prevention programs. PMID:12859794

  7. Safety Behaviors among Parents of Preschoolers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glik, Deborah; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Telephone survey examined relationships between safety behaviors to reduce the risk of childhood injury and parents' socioeconomic, psychosocial, and situational characteristics. Results indicated socioeconomic status and maternal stress negatively related to safety behaviors, and risk perceptions positively related to safety behaviors, suggesting…

  8. Identification of differences between rural and urban safety cultures.

    PubMed

    Rakauskas, Michael E; Ward, Nicholas J; Gerberich, Susan G

    2009-09-01

    The prevailing risk of traffic fatalities is much larger in rural areas compared to urban areas. A number of explanations have been offered to explain this including road design, emergency medical service proximity, and human factors. This research explored the potential contribution of rural driver attitudes that may underlie the increased fatal crash risk in rural environments. This analysis examined differences between rural and urban drivers in terms of self-reported risk taking for driving behaviors associated with fatal crashes and attitudes toward safety interventions using a large-scale survey. The results suggested that rural drivers engage in riskier behavior, such as not wearing seatbelts, because they have lower perceptions of the risks associated with such behaviors. Results also suggested that vehicle type (e.g., pickup trucks versus passenger vehicles) may be related to seatbelt compliance and frequency of driving under the influence of alcohol. Rural drivers perceived the utility of government-sponsored traffic safety interventions to be lower than their urban counterparts. This study provides insights into the role of the human factor in rural fatal crashes and provides policy suggestions for developing safety interventions that are designed with respect to the psychosocial factors that define the rural culture.

  9. Macroergonomic analysis and design for improved safety and quality performance.

    PubMed

    Kleiner, B M

    1999-01-01

    Macroergonomics, which emerged historically after sociotechnical systems theory, quality management, and ergonomics, is presented as the basis for a needed integrative methodology. A macroergonomics methodology was presented in some detail to demonstrate how aspects of microergonomics, total quality management (TQM), and sociotechnical systems (STS) can be triangulated in a common approach. In the context of this methodology, quality and safety were presented as 2 of several important performance criteria. To demonstrate aspects of the methodology, 2 case studies were summarized with safety and quality performance results where available. The first case manipulated both personnel and technical factors to achieve a "safety culture" at a nuclear site. The concept of safety culture is defined in INSAG-4 (International Atomic Energy Agency, 1991). as "that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance." The second case described a tire manufacturing intervention to improve quality (as defined by Sink and Tuttle, 1989) through joint consideration of technical and social factors. It was suggested that macroergonomics can yield greater performance than can be achieved through ergonomic intervention alone. Whereas case studies help to make the case, more rigorous formative and summative research is needed to refine and validate the proposed methodology respectively.

  10. Examining the safety of dental treatment in pregnant women.

    PubMed

    Michalowicz, Bryan S; DiAngelis, Anthony J; Novak, M John; Buchanan, William; Papapanou, Panos N; Mitchell, Dennis A; Curran, Alice E; Lupo, Virginia R; Ferguson, James E; Bofill, James; Matseoane, Stephen; Deinard, Amos S; Rogers, Tyson B

    2008-06-01

    Although clinicians generally consider it safe to provide dental care for pregnant women, supporting clinical trial evidence is lacking. This study compares safety outcomes from a trial in which pregnant women received scaling and root planing and other dental treatments. The authors randomly assigned 823 women with periodontitis to receive scaling and root planing, either at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation or up to three months after delivery. They evaluated all subjects for essential dental treatment (EDT) needs, defined as the presence of moderate-to-severe caries or fractured or abscessed teeth; 351 women received complete EDT at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation. The authors used Fisher exact test and a propensity-score adjustment to compare rates of serious adverse events, spontaneous abortions/stillbirths, fetal/congenital anomalies and preterm deliveries (<37 weeks' gestation) between groups, according to the provision of periodontal treatment and EDT. Rates of adverse outcomes did not differ significantly (P> .05) between women who received EDT and those who did not require this treatment, or between groups that received both EDT and periodontal treatment, either EDT or periodontal treatment alone, or no treatment. Use of topical or local anesthetics during root planing also was not associated with an increased risk of experiencing adverse outcomes. EDT in pregnant women at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation was not associated with an increased risk of experiencing serious medical adverse events or adverse pregnancy outcomes. Data from larger studies and from groups with other treatment needs are needed to confirm the safety of dental care in pregnant women. This study provides evidence that EDT and use of topical and local anesthetics are safe in pregnant women at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation.

  11. Is Model-Based Development a Favorable Approach for Complex and Safety-Critical Computer Systems on Commercial Aircraft?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

    2014-01-01

    A system is safety-critical if its failure can endanger human life or cause significant damage to property or the environment. State-of-the-art computer systems on commercial aircraft are highly complex, software-intensive, functionally integrated, and network-centric systems of systems. Ensuring that such systems are safe and comply with existing safety regulations is costly and time-consuming as the level of rigor in the development process, especially the validation and verification activities, is determined by considerations of system complexity and safety criticality. A significant degree of care and deep insight into the operational principles of these systems is required to ensure adequate coverage of all design implications relevant to system safety. Model-based development methodologies, methods, tools, and techniques facilitate collaboration and enable the use of common design artifacts among groups dealing with different aspects of the development of a system. This paper examines the application of model-based development to complex and safety-critical aircraft computer systems. Benefits and detriments are identified and an overall assessment of the approach is given.

  12. 33 CFR 159.95 - Safety.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety. 159.95 Section 159.95... SANITATION DEVICES Design, Construction, and Testing § 159.95 Safety. (a) Each device must— (1) Be free of... explosion or over pressurization as a result of an accumulation of gases; and (3) Meet all other safety...

  13. 30 CFR 56.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 56.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be...

  14. 30 CFR 56.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 56.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be...

  15. 30 CFR 56.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 56.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be...

  16. 30 CFR 56.19023 - Examinations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... lubrication or dressing. In addition, visual examination for wear and broken wires shall be made at stress... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Personnel Hoisting Wire Ropes § 56.19023 Examinations. (a) At least once every fourteen calendar days, each wire rope in service shall be...

  17. Examining the safety of menstrual cups among rural primary school girls in western Kenya: observational studies nested in a randomised controlled feasibility study

    PubMed Central

    Juma, Jane; Nyothach, Elizabeth; Laserson, Kayla F; Oduor, Clifford; Arita, Lilian; Ouma, Caroline; Oruko, Kelvin; Omoto, Jackton; Mason, Linda; Alexander, Kelly T; Fields, Barry; Onyango, Clayton; Phillips-Howard, Penelope A

    2017-01-01

    Objective Examine the safety of menstrual cups against sanitary pads and usual practice in Kenyan schoolgirls. Design Observational studies nested in a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study. Setting 30 primary schools in a health and demographic surveillance system in rural western Kenya. Participants Menstruating primary schoolgirls aged 14–16 years participating in a menstrual feasibility study. Interventions Insertable menstrual cup, monthly sanitary pads or ‘usual practice’ (controls). Outcome measures Staphylococcus aureus vaginal colonization, Escherichia coli growth on sampled used cups, toxic shock syndrome or other adverse health outcomes. Results Among 604 eligible girls tested, no adverse event or TSS was detected over a median 10.9 months follow-up. S. aureusprevalence was 10.8%, with no significant difference over intervention time or between groups. Of 65 S.aureus positives at first test, 49 girls were retested and 10 (20.4%) remained positive. Of these, two (20%) sample isolates tested positive for toxic shock syndrome toxin-1; both girls were provided pads and were clinically healthy. Seven per cent of cups required replacements for loss, damage, dropping in a latrine or a poor fit. Of 30 used cups processed for E. coli growth, 13 (37.1%, 95% CI 21.1% to 53.1%) had growth. E. coli growth was greatest in newer compared with established users (53%vs22.2%, p=0.12). Conclusions Among this feasibility sample, no evidence emerged to indicate menstrual cups are hazardous or cause health harms among rural Kenyan schoolgirls, but large-scale trials and post-marketing surveillance should continue to evaluate cup safety. PMID:28473520

  18. Safety climate and mindful safety practices in the oil and gas industry.

    PubMed

    Dahl, Øyvind; Kongsvik, Trond

    2018-02-01

    The existence of a positive association between safety climate and the safety behavior of sharp-end workers in high-risk organizations is supported by a considerable body of research. Previous research has primarily analyzed two components of safety behavior, namely safety compliance and safety participation. The present study extends previous research by looking into the relationship between safety climate and another component of safety behavior, namely mindful safety practices. Mindful safety practices are defined as the ability to be aware of critical factors in the environment and to act appropriately when dangers arise. Regression analysis was used to examine whether mindful safety practices are, like compliance and participation, promoted by a positive safety climate, in a questionnaire-based study of 5712 sharp-end workers in the oil and gas industry. The analysis revealed that a positive safety climate promotes mindful safety practices. The regression model accounted for roughly 31% of the variance in mindful safety practices. The most important safety climate factor was safety leadership. The findings clearly demonstrate that mindful safety practices are highly context-dependent, hence, manageable and susceptible to change. In order to improve safety climate in a direction which is favorable for mindful safety practices, the results demonstrate that it is important to give the fundamental features of safety climate high priority and in particular that of safety leadership. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Safety analysis of urban signalized intersections under mixed traffic.

    PubMed

    S, Anjana; M V L R, Anjaneyulu

    2015-02-01

    This study examined the crash causative factors of signalized intersections under mixed traffic using advanced statistical models. Hierarchical Poisson regression and logistic regression models were developed to predict the crash frequency and severity of signalized intersection approaches. The prediction models helped to develop general safety countermeasures for signalized intersections. The study shows that exclusive left turn lanes and countdown timers are beneficial for improving the safety of signalized intersections. Safety is also influenced by the presence of a surveillance camera, green time, median width, traffic volume, and proportion of two wheelers in the traffic stream. The factors that influence the severity of crashes were also identified in this study. As a practical application, the safe values of deviation of green time provided from design green time, with varying traffic volume, is presented in this study. This is a useful tool for setting the appropriate green time for a signalized intersection approach with variations in the traffic volume. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. A mediation model linking dispatcher leadership and work ownership with safety climate as predictors of truck driver safety performance.

    PubMed

    Zohar, Dov; Huang, Yueng-hsiang; Lee, Jin; Robertson, Michelle

    2014-01-01

    The study was designed to test the effect of safety climate on safety behavior among lone employees whose work environment promotes individual rather than consensual or shared climate perceptions. The paper presents a mediation path model linking psychological (individual-level) safety climate antecedents and consequences as predictors of driving safety of long-haul truck drivers. Climate antecedents included dispatcher (distant) leadership and driver work ownership, two contextual attributes of lone work, whereas its proximal consequence included driving safety. Using a prospective design, safety outcomes, consisting of hard-braking frequency (i.e. traffic near-miss events) were collected six months after survey completion, using GPS-based truck deceleration data. Results supported the hypothesized model, indicating that distant leadership style and work ownership promote psychological safety climate perceptions, with subsequent prediction of hard-braking events mediated by driving safety. Theoretical and practical implications for studying safety climate among lone workers in general and professional drivers in particular are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Correlation between safety assessments in the driver-car interaction design process.

    PubMed

    Broström, Robert; Bengtsson, Peter; Axelsson, Jakob

    2011-05-01

    With the functional revolution in modern cars, evaluation methods to be used in all phases of driver-car interaction design have gained importance. It is crucial for car manufacturers to discover and solve safety issues early in the interaction design process. A current problem is thus to find a correlation between the formative methods that are used during development and the summative methods that are used when the product has reached the customer. This paper investigates the correlation between efficiency metrics from summative and formative evaluations, where the results of two studies on sound and navigation system tasks are compared. The first, an analysis of the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL survey, consists of answers given by about two thousand customers. The second, an expert evaluation study, was done by six evaluators who assessed the layouts by task completion time, TLX and Nielsen heuristics. The results show a high degree of correlation between the studies in terms of task efficiency, i.e. between customer ratings and task completion time, and customer ratings and TLX. However, no correlation was observed between Nielsen heuristics and customer ratings, task completion time or TLX. The results of the studies introduce a possibility to develop a usability evaluation framework that includes both formative and summative approaches, as the results show a high degree of consistency between the different methodologies. Hence, combining a quantitative approach with the expert evaluation method, such as task completion time, should be more useful for driver-car interaction design. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  2. Advances in phakic intraocular lenses: indications, efficacy, safety, and new designs.

    PubMed

    Alio, Jorge L

    2004-08-01

    The recent evolution of phakic intraocular lenses (PIOLs) has made this refractive surgical technique safer, very predictable, and effective. Due to these reasons, PIOLs have been expanding the horizon of their indications. The aim of this review is to update the reader in the recent advances reported on the topic during the year 2003. The most recent progress has been made towards decreasing the incision size down to 3 mm or less for all PIOLs models to avoid pupil ovalling in angle-supported designs with new biomaterials or exchangeable haptics, and to decrease the incidence of cataract induction in posterior chamber models with modified designs and better sizing. High-order aberrations and the quality of vision are improved with PIOLs. The main limitation for the further development of PIOLs is the lack of adequate diagnostic imaging techniques to perform a precise preoperative study of the anterior segment anatomy. Emerging diagnostic technologies based on the use of very high frequency (100 MHz) ultrasound and optical coherence tomography seem to have a most important role in the future development of PIOLs defining preoperatively the most adequate anatomic conditions for each design. PIOLs offer today an excellent alternative for the correction of high and moderate myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Emerging indications, still under investigation, include presbyopia and pediatric anisometropic amblyopia. Due to their advantages for quality of vision and the increased knowledge on their safety, as well as the evidence of their predictability, PIOLs are expected to largely increase their clinical use as a refractive surgical technique in the coming years.

  3. Nuclear power: Siting and safety

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Openshaw, S.

    1986-01-01

    By 2030, half, or even two-thirds, of all electricity may be generated by nuclear power. Major reactor accidents are still expected to be rare occurrences, but nuclear safety is largely a matter of faith. Terrorist attacks, sabotage, and human error could cause a significant accident. Reactor siting can offer an additional, design-independent margin of safety. Remote geographical sites for new plants would minimize health risks, protect the industry from negative changes in public opinion concerning nuclear energy, and improve long-term public acceptance of nuclear power. U.K. siting practices usually do not consider the contribution to safety that could be obtainedmore » from remote sites. This book discusses the present trends of siting policies of nuclear power and their design-independent margin of safety.« less

  4. Patient safety climate and worker safety behaviours in acute hospitals in Scotland.

    PubMed

    Agnew, Cakil; Flin, Rhona; Mearns, Kathryn

    2013-06-01

    To obtain a measure of hospital safety climate from a sample of National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals in Scotland and to test whether these scores were associated with worker safety behaviors, and patient and worker injuries. Data were from 1,866 NHS clinical staff in six Scottish acute hospitals. A Scottish Hospital Safety Questionnaire measured hospital safety climate (Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture), worker safety behaviors, and worker and patient injuries. The associations between the hospital safety climate scores and the outcome measures (safety behaviors, worker and patient injury rates) were examined. Hospital safety climate scores were significantly correlated with clinical workers' safety behavior and patient and worker injury measures, although the effect sizes were smaller for the latter. Regression analyses revealed that perceptions of staffing levels and managerial commitment were significant predictors for all the safety outcome measures. Both patient-specific and more generic safety climate items were found to have significant impacts on safety outcome measures. This study demonstrated the influences of different aspects of hospital safety climate on both patient and worker safety outcomes. Moreover, it has been shown that in a hospital setting, a safety climate supporting safer patient care would also help to ensure worker safety. The Scottish Hospital Safety Questionnaire has proved to be a usable method of measuring both hospital safety climate as well as patient and worker safety outcomes. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Transformational leadership and employee safety performance: a within-person, between-jobs design.

    PubMed

    Inness, Michelle; Turner, Nick; Barling, Julian; Stride, Chris B

    2010-07-01

    We investigated the extent to which the safety performance (i.e., self-reported safety compliance and safety participation) of employees with 2 jobs was predicted by their respective supervisors' transformational leadership behaviors. We compared 2 within-person models: a context-specific model (i.e., transformational leadership experienced by employees in 1 context related to those same employees' safety performance only in that context) and a context-spillover model (i.e., transformational leadership experienced by employees in 1 context related to those same employees' safety performance in the same and other contexts). Our sample comprised 159 "moonlighters" (73 men, 86 women): employees who simultaneously hold 2 different jobs, each with a different supervisor, providing within-person data on the influence of different supervisors on employee safety performance across 2 job contexts. Having controlled for individual differences (negative affectivity and conscientiousness) and work characteristics (e.g., hours worked and length of relationship with supervisor), the context-specific model provided the best fit to the data among alternative nested models. Implications for the role of transformational leadership in promoting workplace safety are discussed.

  6. Advanced Design Features of APR1400 and Realization in Shin Kori Construction Project

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    OH, S.J.; Park, K.C.; Kim, H.G.

    2006-07-01

    APR1400 adopted several advanced design features. To ensure their proper operation as a part of ShinKori 3,4 project, both experimental and analytical work are continuing. In this paper, work on the advanced design features related to enhanced safety is examined. APR1400 safety injection system consists of four independent trains which include four safety injection pump and tanks. A passive flow regulating device called fluidic device is installed in the safety injection tanks. Separate effect tests including a full scale fluidic device tests have been conducted. Integral system tests are in progress. Combination of these work with the analytical work usingmore » RELAP5/Mod3 would ensure the proper operation of the new safety injection systems. To mitigate severe accidents, hydrogen mitigation system using PARs and igniters is adopted. Also, active injection system and the streamlined insulation design are adopted to enhance the in-vessel retention capability with the external cooling of RPV strategy. Analytic work with supporting experiments is performed. We are certain that these preparatory work would help the successful adaptation of ADF in ShinKori project. (authors)« less

  7. Efficacy and safety of rectal thiopental sedation in outpatient echocardiographic examination of children.

    PubMed

    Okutan, V; Lenk, M K; Sarici, S U; Dündaröz, R; Akin, R; Gökçay, E

    2000-11-01

    The efficacy and safety of rectal thiopental administration in sedation for paediatric echocardiographic examination were prospectively investigated in infants with known or suspected congenital heart disease in an outpatient manner. A total of 1150 patients (546F, 604M) were studied; 264 were 7 d to 6 mo old (group I), 572 were 6 mo to 2-y-old (group II), and 314 were 2 to 6-y-old (group III). Thiopental sodium dissolved in 10 ml of water in a syringe to which a 6-F feeding catheter was attached was administered prior to echocardiographic examination to patients in groups I, II and III with doses of 50, 35 and 25 mg/kg, respectively in an emergency care environment. Length of time to achieve sedation (induction time), duration of sedation, length of time to return to normal activity (recovery time), whether sedation was successful and side effects were recorded. In the overall study population, sedation was successful in 1094 (95.1%) of the patients, the induction time was 16.34 +/- 3.69 min, the duration of sedation was 35.07 +/- 7.04 min, the recovery time was 63.25 +/- 10.17 min and the overall side-effect prevalence was 2%. Sedation was significantly more successful, the induction time was significantly shorter, the recovery time was significantly longer and side effects significantly more prominent in groups I and II compared to group III. Rectally administered thiopental is a safe and efficacious agent for sedation of infants and young children with known or suspected congenital heart disease who are undergoing echocardiography in an outpatient cardiology clinic, provided that it is used in an emergency care setting considering the risk of respiratory depression even though the prevalence of this side effect is significantly low.

  8. Improving safety culture through the health and safety organization: a case study.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Kent J

    2014-02-01

    International research indicates that internal health and safety organizations (HSO) and health and safety committees (HSC) do not have the intended impact on companies' safety performance. The aim of this case study at an industrial plant was to test whether the HSO can improve company safety culture by creating more and better safety-related interactions both within the HSO and between HSO members and the shop-floor. A quasi-experimental single case study design based on action research with both quantitative and qualitative measures was used. Based on baseline mapping of safety culture and the efficiency of the HSO three developmental processes were started aimed at the HSC, the whole HSO, and the safety representatives, respectively. Results at follow-up indicated a marked improvement in HSO performance, interaction patterns concerning safety, safety culture indicators, and a changed trend in injury rates. These improvements are interpreted as cultural change because an organizational double-loop learning process leading to modification of the basic assumptions could be identified. The study provides evidence that the HSO can improve company safety culture by focusing on safety-related interactions. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council.

  9. Learning Patient Safety in Academic Settings: A Comparative Study of Finnish and British Nursing Students' Perceptions.

    PubMed

    Tella, Susanna; Smith, Nancy-Jane; Partanen, Pirjo; Turunen, Hannele

    2015-06-01

    Globalization of health care demands nursing education programs that equip students with evidence-based patient safety competences in the global context. Nursing students' entrance into clinical placements requires professional readiness. Thus, evidence-based learning activities about patient safety must be provided in academic settings prior to students' clinical placements. To explore and compare Finnish and British nursing students' perceptions of learning about patient safety in academic settings to inform nursing educators about designing future education curriculum. A purpose-designed instrument, Patient Safety in Nursing Education Questionnaire (PaSNEQ) was used to examine the perceptions of Finnish (n = 195) and British (n = 158) nursing students prior to their final year of registration. Data were collected in two Finnish and two English nursing schools in 2012. Logistic regressions were used to analyze the differences. British students reported more inclusion (p < .001) of "gaining knowledge," "training skills," and "highlighting affirmative attitudes and motivation" related to patient safety in their programs. Both student groups considered patient safety education to be more valuable for their own learning than what their programs had provided. Training patient safety skills in the academic settings were the strongest predictors for differences (odds ratio [OR] = 34.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.39-162.83), along with work experience in the healthcare sector (OR = 3.02, 95% CI 1.39-6.58). To prepare nursing students for practical work, training related to clear communication, reporting errors, systems-based approaches, interprofessional teamwork, and use of simulation in academic settings requires comprehensive attention, especially in Finland. Overall, designing patient safety-affirming nursing curricula in collaboration with students may enhance their positive experiences on teaching and learning about patient safety. An international

  10. Seniors' perceptions of vehicle safety risks and needs.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Lynn; Polgar, Jan Miller; Vrkljan, Brenda; Jacobson, Jill

    2010-01-01

    The investigation of vehicle safety needs for older drivers and passengers is integral for their safe transportation. A program of research on safe transportation for seniors was launched through AUTO21, a Canadian Network of Centres of Excellence. This national research network focuses on a wide range of automotive issues, from materials and design to safety and societal issues. An inductive qualitative inquiry of seniors' driving experiences, safety feature use, and strategies to prevent injury and manage risks was a first step in this program. We conducted interviews and focus groups with 58 seniors without disabilities and 9 seniors with disabilities. We identified a lack of congruity between the vehicle and safety feature design and seniors' needs. Seniors described strategies to manage their safety and that of others. Specific aspects of vehicle design, safety features, and action strategies that support safer use and operation of a vehicle by seniors are outlined.

  11. Evidence-Based and Value-Based Decision Making About Healthcare Design: An Economic Evaluation of the Safety and Quality Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Zadeh, Rana; Sadatsafavi, Hessam; Xue, Ryan

    2015-01-01

    This study describes a vision and framework that can facilitate the implementation of evidence-based design (EBD), scientific knowledge base into the process of the design, construction, and operation of healthcare facilities and clarify the related safety and quality outcomes for the stakeholders. The proposed framework pairs EBD with value-driven decision making and aims to improve communication among stakeholders by providing a common analytical language. Recent EBD research indicates that the design and operation of healthcare facilities contribute to an organization's operational success by improving safety, quality, and efficiency. However, because little information is available about the financial returns of evidence-based investments, such investments are readily eliminated during the capital-investment decision-making process. To model the proposed framework, we used engineering economy tools to evaluate the return on investments in six successful cases, identified by a literature review, in which facility design and operation interventions resulted in reductions in hospital-acquired infections, patient falls, staff injuries, and patient anxiety. In the evidence-based cases, calculated net present values, internal rates of return, and payback periods indicated that the long-term benefits of interventions substantially outweighed the intervention costs. This article explained a framework to develop a research-based and value-based communication language on specific interventions along the planning, design and construction, operation, and evaluation stages. Evidence-based and value-based design frameworks can be applied to communicate the life-cycle costs and savings of EBD interventions to stakeholders, thereby contributing to more informed decision makings and the optimization of healthcare infrastructures. © The Author(s) 2015.

  12. Safety of High Speed Ground Transportation Systems : Analytical Methodology for Safety Validation of Computer Controlled Subsystems : Volume 2. Development of a Safety Validation Methodology

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-01-01

    This report describes the development of a methodology designed to assure that a sufficiently high level of safety is achieved and maintained in computer-based systems which perform safety cortical functions in high-speed rail or magnetic levitation ...

  13. Disentangling the roles of safety climate and safety culture: Multi-level effects on the relationship between supervisor enforcement and safety compliance.

    PubMed

    Petitta, Laura; Probst, Tahira M; Barbaranelli, Claudio; Ghezzi, Valerio

    2017-02-01

    Despite increasing attention to contextual effects on the relationship between supervisor enforcement and employee safety compliance, no study has yet explored the conjoint influence exerted simultaneously by organizational safety climate and safety culture. The present study seeks to address this literature shortcoming. We first begin by briefly discussing the theoretical distinctions between safety climate and culture and the rationale for examining these together. Next, using survey data collected from 1342 employees in 32 Italian organizations, we found that employee-level supervisor enforcement, organizational-level safety climate, and autocratic, bureaucratic, and technocratic safety culture dimensions all predicted individual-level safety compliance behaviors. However, the cross-level moderating effect of safety climate was bounded by certain safety culture dimensions, such that safety climate moderated the supervisor enforcement-compliance relationship only under the clan-patronage culture dimension. Additionally, the autocratic and bureaucratic culture dimensions attenuated the relationship between supervisor enforcement and compliance. Finally, when testing the effects of technocratic safety culture and cooperative safety culture, neither safety culture nor climate moderated the relationship between supervisor enforcement and safety compliance. The results suggest a complex relationship between organizational safety culture and safety climate, indicating that organizations with particular safety cultures may be more likely to develop more (or less) positive safety climates. Moreover, employee safety compliance is a function of supervisor safety leadership, as well as the safety climate and safety culture dimensions prevalent within the organization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Impact of Nurse Staffing Mandates on Safety-Net Hospitals: Lessons from California

    PubMed Central

    McHugh, Matthew D; Brooks Carthon, Margo; Sloane, Douglas M; Wu, Evan; Kelly, Lesly; Aiken, Linda H

    2012-01-01

    Context California is the first and only state to implement a patient-to-nurse ratio mandate for hospitals. Increasing nurse staffing is an important organizational intervention for improving patient outcomes. Evidence suggests that staffing improved in California hospitals after the mandate was enacted, but the outcome for hospitals bearing a disproportionate share of uncompensated care—safety-net hospitals—remains unclear. One concern was that California's mandate would burden safety-net hospitals without improving staffing or that hospitals would reduce their skill mix, that is, the proportion of registered nurses of all nursing staff. We examined the differential effect of California's staffing mandate on safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals. Methods We used a time-series design with Annual Hospital Disclosure data files from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) for the years 1998 to 2007 to assess differences in the effect of California's mandate on staffing outcomes in safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals. Findings The mandate resulted in significant staffing improvements, on average nearly a full patient per nurse fewer (−0.98) for all California hospitals. The greatest effect was in those hospitals with the lowest staffing levels at the outset, both safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals, as the legislation intended. The mandate led to significantly improved staffing levels for safety-net hospitals, although there was a small but significant difference in the effect on staffing levels of safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals. Regarding skill mix, a marginally higher proportion of registered nurses was seen in non-safety-net hospitals following the mandate, while the skill mix remained essentially unchanged for safety-net hospitals. The difference between the two groups of hospitals was not significant. Conclusions California's mandate improved staffing for all hospitals, including safety-net hospitals

  15. Large-Scale Spacecraft Fire Safety Tests

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Urban, David; Ruff, Gary A.; Ferkul, Paul V.; Olson, Sandra; Fernandez-Pello, A. Carlos; T'ien, James S.; Torero, Jose L.; Cowlard, Adam J.; Rouvreau, Sebastien; Minster, Olivier; hide

    2014-01-01

    An international collaborative program is underway to address open issues in spacecraft fire safety. Because of limited access to long-term low-gravity conditions and the small volume generally allotted for these experiments, there have been relatively few experiments that directly study spacecraft fire safety under low-gravity conditions. Furthermore, none of these experiments have studied sample sizes and environment conditions typical of those expected in a spacecraft fire. The major constraint has been the size of the sample, with prior experiments limited to samples of the order of 10 cm in length and width or smaller. This lack of experimental data forces spacecraft designers to base their designs and safety precautions on 1-g understanding of flame spread, fire detection, and suppression. However, low-gravity combustion research has demonstrated substantial differences in flame behavior in low-gravity. This, combined with the differences caused by the confined spacecraft environment, necessitates practical scale spacecraft fire safety research to mitigate risks for future space missions. To address this issue, a large-scale spacecraft fire experiment is under development by NASA and an international team of investigators. This poster presents the objectives, status, and concept of this collaborative international project (Saffire). The project plan is to conduct fire safety experiments on three sequential flights of an unmanned ISS re-supply spacecraft (the Orbital Cygnus vehicle) after they have completed their delivery of cargo to the ISS and have begun their return journeys to earth. On two flights (Saffire-1 and Saffire-3), the experiment will consist of a flame spread test involving a meter-scale sample ignited in the pressurized volume of the spacecraft and allowed to burn to completion while measurements are made. On one of the flights (Saffire-2), 9 smaller (5 x 30 cm) samples will be tested to evaluate NASAs material flammability screening tests

  16. 78 FR 43091 - Technical Operations Safety Action Program (T-SAP) and Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-19

    ... Administration 14 CFR Part 193 [Docket No.: FAA-2013-0375] Technical Operations Safety Action Program (T-SAP) and Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice of Proposed Order Designating Safety Information as Protected from...

  17. Optimal Design of Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Systems for improving safety in NASA's Exploration Vehicles: A Two-Level Multidisciplinary Design Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tumer, Irem; Mehr, Ali Farhang

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, a two-level multidisciplinary design approach is described to optimize the effectiveness of ISHM s. At the top level, the overall safety of the mission consists of system-level variables, parameters, objectives, and constraints that are shared throughout the system and by all subsystems. Each subsystem level will then comprise of these shared values in addition to subsystem-specific variables, parameters, objectives and constraints. A hierarchical structure will be established to pass up or down shared values between the two levels with system-level and subsystem-level optimization routines.

  18. Restaurant manager and worker food safety certification and knowledge.

    PubMed

    Brown, Laura G; Le, Brenda; Wong, Melissa R; Reimann, David; Nicholas, David; Faw, Brenda; Davis, Ernestine; Selman, Carol A

    2014-11-01

    Over half of foodborne illness outbreaks occur in restaurants. To combat these outbreaks, many public health agencies require food safety certification for restaurant managers, and sometimes workers. Certification entails passing a food safety knowledge examination, which is typically preceded by food safety training. Current certification efforts are based on the assumption that certification leads to greater food safety knowledge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted this study to examine the relationship between food safety knowledge and certification. We also examined the relationships between food safety knowledge and restaurant, manager, and worker characteristics. We interviewed managers (N=387) and workers (N=365) about their characteristics and assessed their food safety knowledge. Analyses showed that certified managers and workers had greater food safety knowledge than noncertified managers and workers. Additionally, managers and workers whose primary language was English had greater food safety knowledge than those whose primary language was not English. Other factors associated with greater food safety knowledge included working in a chain restaurant, working in a larger restaurant, having more experience, and having more duties. These findings indicate that certification improves food safety knowledge, and that complex relationships exist among restaurant, manager, and worker characteristics and food safety knowledge.

  19. Restaurant Manager and Worker Food Safety Certification and Knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Laura G.; Le, Brenda; Wong, Melissa R.; Reimann, David; Nicholas, David; Faw, Brenda; Davis, Ernestine; Selman, Carol A.

    2017-01-01

    Over half of foodborne illness outbreaks occur in restaurants. To combat these outbreaks, many public health agencies require food safety certification for restaurant managers, and sometimes workers. Certification entails passing a food safety knowledge examination, which is typically preceded by food safety training. Current certification efforts are based on the assumption that certification leads to greater food safety knowledge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted this study to examine the relationship between food safety knowledge and certification. We also examined the relationships between food safety knowledge and restaurant, manager, and worker characteristics. We interviewed managers (N = 387) and workers (N = 365) about their characteristics and assessed their food safety knowledge. Analyses showed that certified managers and workers had greater food safety knowledge than noncertified managers and workers. Additionally, managers and workers whose primary language was English had greater food safety knowledge than those whose primary language was not English. Other factors associated with greater food safety knowledge included working in a chain restaurant, working in a larger restaurant, having more experience, and having more duties. These findings indicate that certification improves food safety knowledge, and that complex relationships exist among restaurant, manager, and worker characteristics and food safety knowledge. PMID:25361386

  20. Fear patterns: a new approach to designing road safety advertisements.

    PubMed

    Algie, Jennifer; Rossiter, John R

    2010-01-01

    This research studies fear patterns within fear appeal anti-speeding television commercials. A pattern of fear is the sequence of fear arousal and fear reduction, if any, that is felt by the viewing audience when exposed to a fear appeal advertisement. Many road safety advertisers use fear appeals, such as "shock" advertising, that result in fear arousal, leaving the viewer feeling extremely tense. The moment-to-moment reactions of young drivers to 12 road safety commercials are gauged using a dynamic, temporal measure of fear. The fear patterns generated from each ad are analyzed and a new perspective on creating fear appeal road safety advertisements, with an emphasis on fear-relief, fear-partial relief, and fear-only patterns, is discussed.