WorldWideScience

Sample records for safety case study

  1. Improving safety culture through the health and safety organization: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  2. Lessons learned from measuring safety culture: an Australian case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Suellen; Chiarella, Mary; Homer, Caroline S E

    2010-10-01

    adverse events in maternity care are relatively common but often avoidable. International patient safety strategies advocate measuring safety culture as a strategy to improve patient safety. Evidence suggests it is necessary to fully understand the safety culture of an organisation to make improvements to patient safety. this paper reports a case study examining the safety culture in one maternity service in Australia and considers the benefits of using surveys and interviews to understand safety culture as an approach to identify possible strategies to improve patient safety in this setting. the study took place in one maternity service in two public hospitals in NSW, Australia. Concurrently, both hospitals were undergoing an organisational restructure which was part of a major health reform agenda. The priorities of the reform included improving the quality of care and patient safety; and, creating a more efficient health system by reducing administration inefficiencies and duplication. a descriptive case study using three approaches: the safety culture was identified to warrant improvement across all six safety culture domains. There was reduced infrastructure and capacity to support incident management activities required to improve safety, which was influenced by instability from the organisational restructure. There was a perceived lack of leadership at all levels to drive safety and quality and improving the safety culture was neither a key priority nor was it valued by the organisation. the safety culture was complex as was undertaking this study. We were unable to achieve a desired 60% response rate highlighting the limitations of using safety culture surveys in isolation as a strategy to improve safety culture. Qualitative interviews provided greater insight into the factors influencing the safety culture. The findings of this study provide evidence of the benefits of including qualitative methods with quantitative surveys when examining safety culture

  3. Triangulating case-finding tools for patient safety surveillance: a cross-sectional case study of puncture/laceration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Jennifer A; Gerwin, Daniel; Morlock, Laura; Miller, Marlene R

    2011-12-01

    To evaluate the need for triangulating case-finding tools in patient safety surveillance. This study applied four case-finding tools to error-associated patient safety events to identify and characterise the spectrum of events captured by these tools, using puncture or laceration as an example for in-depth analysis. Retrospective hospital discharge data were collected for calendar year 2005 (n=48,418) from a large, urban medical centre in the USA. The study design was cross-sectional and used data linkage to identify the cases captured by each of four case-finding tools. Three case-finding tools (International Classification of Diseases external (E) and nature (N) of injury codes, Patient Safety Indicators (PSI)) were applied to the administrative discharge data to identify potential patient safety events. The fourth tool was Patient Safety Net, a web-based voluntary patient safety event reporting system. The degree of mutual exclusion among detection methods was substantial. For example, when linking puncture or laceration on unique identifiers, out of 447 potential events, 118 were identical between PSI and E-codes, 152 were identical between N-codes and E-codes and 188 were identical between PSI and N-codes. Only 100 events that were identified by PSI, E-codes and N-codes were identical. Triangulation of multiple tools through data linkage captures potential patient safety events most comprehensively. Existing detection tools target patient safety domains differently, and consequently capture different occurrences, necessitating the integration of data from a combination of tools to fully estimate the total burden.

  4. Case study: the Argentina Road Safety Project: lessons learned for the decade of action for road safety, 2011-2020.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raffo, Veronica; Bliss, Tony; Shotten, Marc; Sleet, David; Blanchard, Claire

    2013-12-01

    This case study of the Argentina Road Safety Project demonstrates how the application of World Bank road safety project guidelines focused on institution building can accelerate knowledge transfer, scale up investment and improve the focus on results. The case study highlights road safety as a development priority and outlines World Bank initiatives addressing the implementation of the World Report on Road Traffic Injury's recommendations and the subsequent launch of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, from 2011-2020. The case study emphasizes the vital role played by the lead agency in ensuring sustainable road safety improvements and promoting the shift to a 'Safe System' approach, which necessitated the strengthening of all elements of the road safety management system. It summarizes road safety performance and institutional initiatives in Argentina leading up to the preparation and implementation of the project. We describe the project's development objectives, financing arrangements, specific components and investment staging. Finally, we discuss its innovative features and lessons learned, and present a set of supplementary guidelines, both to assist multilateral development banks and their clients with future road safety initiatives, and to encourage better linkages between the health and transportation sectors supporting them.

  5. Understanding lean & safety projects: analysis of case studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Crema

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Facing the current socio-economic contingency while guaranteeing a high level of care quality is particularly challenging in the field of healthcare. Through an integrated adoption of emerging managerial solutions, projects that allow organizations to achieve both efficiency and patient safety improvements could be implemented, thereby transposing policy directives towards a safer and more sustainable healthcare system. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the features of Lean & Safety (L&S projects. Three Health Lean Management (HLM projects that had unexpected patient safety results were selected from the same region. Differences and similarities among the cases have been highlighted and interesting points of evidence have been noted. Despite the fact that the projects were pursuing similar objectives and benefiting from comparable support, the obtained changes had direct impact on patient safety enhancement in the cases that involved the front-office processes, and an indirect impact on patient safely for the L&S project that focused on back-office activities. The implementation processes and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT adoption of the cases are also different.

  6. Behavior-based safety on construction sites: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhry, Rafiq M

    2014-09-01

    This work presents the results of a case study and describes an important area within the field of construction safety management, namely behavior-based safety (BBS). This paper adopts and develops a management approach for safety improvements in construction site environments. A rigorous behavioral safety system and its intervention program was implemented and deployed on target construction sites. After taking a few weeks of safety behavior measurements, the project management team implemented the designed intervention and measurements were taken. Goal-setting sessions were arranged on-site with workers' participation to set realistic and attainable targets of performance. Safety performance measurements continued and the levels of performance and the targets were presented on feedback charts. Supervisors were asked to give workers recognition and praise when they acted safely or improved critical behaviors. Observers were requested to have discussions with workers, visit the site, distribute training materials to workers, and provide feedback to crews and display charts. They were required to talk to operatives in the presence of line managers. It was necessary to develop awareness and understanding of what was being measured. In the process, operatives learned how to act safely when conducting site tasks using the designed checklists. Current weekly scores were discussed in the weekly safety meetings and other operational site meetings with emphasis on how to achieve set targets. The reliability of the safety performance measures taken by the company's observers was monitored. A clear increase in safety performance level was achieved across all categories: personal protective equipment; housekeeping; access to heights; plant and equipment, and scaffolding. The research reveals that scores of safety performance at one project improved from 86% (at the end of 3rd week) to 92.9% during the 9th week. The results of intervention demonstrated large decreases in

  7. Safety training parks – A case study on the effectiveness of the trainings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Räsänen, Tuula; Sormunen, E.; Reiman, Arto

    The Safety Training Park (STP) concept is a unique Finnish safety training innovation. The STP provides different actors of the construction industry and other branches a practical occupational safety and health (OSH) training area. To the authors’ knowledge, no such parks exist in Europe besides...... Finland. Objec-tive was to study the effectiveness of the STP trainings at a large case company which participated in this study and which has actively trained its personnel in the park. The study was conducted from February 2015 to Feb-ruary 2017. Several key success factors were identified...... in the interviews of this case study. In addition, the company OSH statistics (2010 – 2016) showed a positive development at safety level. However, The Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire did not show any significant change of results in a one year period. According to the results of the group interviews...

  8. Safety Management. An Introduction to a Frame of Reference Exemplified with Case Studies from Non-Nuclear Contexts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Svensson, Ola (Risk Analysis, Social and Decision Research Unit, Dept. of Psychology, Stockholm Univ., Stockholm (Sweden)); Salo, Ilkka (Dept. of Psychology, Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden))

    2004-11-15

    A systems perspective on safety management is introduced followed by two briefly presented case studies of safety management in non-nuclear contexts. The first study concerns a car manufacturer and the second study a road traffic tunnel system. The risks of a car accident in the first case study are evident. The great exposure generates many incidents and accidents. In the second study, the rather low traffic intensity through the tunnel produces few incidents and accidents and only a few fatal accidents over the years. Yet, the risk of the individual traveler is much greater in the tunnel than on the average road. The case studies are presented in a systems perspective with emphasis on information feedback about the risks of the systems. The first case study illustrates high quality safety management, while the second case study shows many weaknesses of the safety management in the tunnel system. Some differences in safety management between the case studies are noted. The last part of the study presents an organizational perspective on safety management and offers alternative theoretical perspectives on the concept of safety management. The report shows that further studies are needed both (1) to develop a frame of reference for describing safety management across industries and activities and (2) to collect data illustrating of good and poor safety management. Then, the results can be used to strengthen and/or improving safety management in the nuclear power industry and its regulators

  9. Safety Management. An Introduction to a Frame of Reference Exemplified with Case Studies from Non-Nuclear Contexts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, Ola; Salo, Ilkka

    2004-11-01

    A systems perspective on safety management is introduced followed by two briefly presented case studies of safety management in non-nuclear contexts. The first study concerns a car manufacturer and the second study a road traffic tunnel system. The risks of a car accident in the first case study are evident. The great exposure generates many incidents and accidents. In the second study, the rather low traffic intensity through the tunnel produces few incidents and accidents and only a few fatal accidents over the years. Yet, the risk of the individual traveler is much greater in the tunnel than on the average road. The case studies are presented in a systems perspective with emphasis on information feedback about the risks of the systems. The first case study illustrates high quality safety management, while the second case study shows many weaknesses of the safety management in the tunnel system. Some differences in safety management between the case studies are noted. The last part of the study presents an organizational perspective on safety management and offers alternative theoretical perspectives on the concept of safety management. The report shows that further studies are needed both (1) to develop a frame of reference for describing safety management across industries and activities and (2) to collect data illustrating of good and poor safety management. Then, the results can be used to strengthen and/or improving safety management in the nuclear power industry and its regulators

  10. Safety case plan 2008

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-07-01

    Following the guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (now Ministry of Employment and Economy) Posiva is preparing to submit the construction license application for a spent fuel repository by the end of the year 2012. The long-term safety section supporting the license application is based on a safety case, which, according to the internationally adopted definition, is a compilation of the evidence, analyses and arguments that quantify and substantiate the safety and the level of expert confidence in the safety of the planned repository. In 2005, Posiva presented a plan to prepare such a safety case. The present report provides a revised plan of the safety case contents mentioned above. The update of the safety case plan takes into account the recommendations made by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) about improving the focus and further developing the plan. Accordingly, particular attention is given to the quality management of the safety case work, the management of uncertainties and the scenario methodology. The quality management is based on the ISO 9001:2000 standard process thinking enhanced with special features arising from STUK's YVL Guides. The safety case production process is divided into four main sub-processes. The conceptualisation and methodology sub-process defines the framework for the assessment. The critical data handling and modelling sub-process links Posiva's main technical and scientific activities to the production of the safety case. The assessment sub-process analyses the consequences of the evolution of the disposal system in various scenarios, classified either as part of the expected evolution or as disruptive scenarios. The compliance and confidence sub-process is responsible for final evaluation of compliance of the assessment results with the regulatory criteria and the overall confidence in the safety case. As in the previous safety case plan, the safety case will be based on several reports, but

  11. Key aspects in managing safety when working with multiple contractors: A case study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drupsteen, L.; Rasmussen, H.B.; Ustailieva, E.; Kampen, J. van

    2015-01-01

    Working with multiple contractors in a shared workplace can introduce and increase safety risks due to complexity. The aim of this study was to explore how safety issues are recognized in a specific case and to identify whether clients and contractors perceive problems similarly. The safety issues

  12. Safety Justification and Safety Case for Safety-critical Software in Digital Reactor Protection System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, Kee-Choon; Lee, Jang-Soo; Jee, Eunkyoung

    2016-01-01

    Nuclear safety-critical software is under strict regulatory requirements and these regulatory requirements are essential for ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants. The verification & validation (V and V) and hazard analysis of the safety-critical software are required to follow regulatory requirements through the entire software life cycle. In order to obtain a license from the regulatory body through the development and validation of safety-critical software, it is essential to meet the standards which are required by the regulatory body throughout the software development process. Generally, large amounts of documents, which demonstrate safety justification including standard compliance, V and V, hazard analysis, and vulnerability assessment activities, are submitted to the regulatory body during the licensing process. It is not easy to accurately read and evaluate the whole documentation for the development activities, implementation technology, and validation activities. The safety case methodology has been kwon a promising approach to evaluate the level and depth of the development and validation results. A safety case is a structured argument, supported by a body of evidence that provides a compelling, comprehensible, and valid case that a system is safe for a given application in a given operating environment. It is suggested to evaluate the level and depth of the results of development and validation by applying safety case methodology to achieve software safety demonstration. A lot of documents provided as evidence are connected to claim that corresponds to the topic for safety demonstration. We demonstrated a case study in which more systematic safety demonstration for the target system software is performed via safety case construction than simply listing the documents

  13. Safety Justification and Safety Case for Safety-critical Software in Digital Reactor Protection System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, Kee-Choon; Lee, Jang-Soo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Jee, Eunkyoung [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    Nuclear safety-critical software is under strict regulatory requirements and these regulatory requirements are essential for ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants. The verification & validation (V and V) and hazard analysis of the safety-critical software are required to follow regulatory requirements through the entire software life cycle. In order to obtain a license from the regulatory body through the development and validation of safety-critical software, it is essential to meet the standards which are required by the regulatory body throughout the software development process. Generally, large amounts of documents, which demonstrate safety justification including standard compliance, V and V, hazard analysis, and vulnerability assessment activities, are submitted to the regulatory body during the licensing process. It is not easy to accurately read and evaluate the whole documentation for the development activities, implementation technology, and validation activities. The safety case methodology has been kwon a promising approach to evaluate the level and depth of the development and validation results. A safety case is a structured argument, supported by a body of evidence that provides a compelling, comprehensible, and valid case that a system is safe for a given application in a given operating environment. It is suggested to evaluate the level and depth of the results of development and validation by applying safety case methodology to achieve software safety demonstration. A lot of documents provided as evidence are connected to claim that corresponds to the topic for safety demonstration. We demonstrated a case study in which more systematic safety demonstration for the target system software is performed via safety case construction than simply listing the documents.

  14. Collaboration and patient safety at an emergency department - a qualitative case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, Anna Helene Meldgaard; Rasmussen, Kurt; Grytnes, Regine; Nielsen, Kent Jacob

    2018-03-19

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how conflicts about collaboration between staff at different departments arose during the establishment of a new emergency department and how these conflicts affected the daily work and ultimately patient safety at the emergency department. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative single case study draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The theoretical concepts "availability" and "receptiveness" as antecedents for collaboration will be applied in the analysis. Findings Close collaboration between departments was an essential precondition for the functioning of the new emergency department. The study shows how a lack of antecedents for collaboration affected the working relation and communication between employees and departments, which spurred negative feelings and reproduced conflicts. This situation was seen as a potential threat for the safety of the emergency patients. Research limitations/implications This study presents a single case study, at a specific point in time, and should be used as an illustrative example of how contextual and situational factors affect the working environment and through that patient safety. Originality/value Few studies provide an in-depth investigation of what actually takes place when collaboration between professional groups goes wrong and escalates, and how problems in collaboration may affect patient safety.

  15. Confidence improvement of disosal safety bydevelopement of a safety case for high-level radioactive waste disposal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baik, Min Hoon; Ko, Nak Youl; Jeong, Jong Tae; Kim, Kyung Su [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    Many countries have developed a safety case suitable to their own countries in order to improve the confidence of disposal safety in deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste as well as to develop a disposal program and obtain its license. This study introduces and summarizes the meaning, necessity, and development process of the safety case for radioactive waste disposal. The disposal safety is also discussed in various aspects of the safety case. In addition, the status of safety case development in the foreign countries is briefly introduced for Switzerland, Japan, the United States of America, Sweden, and Finland. The strategy for the safety case development that is being developed by KAERI is also briefly introduced. Based on the safety case, we analyze the efforts necessary to improve confidence in disposal safety for high-level radioactive waste. Considering domestic situations, we propose and discuss some implementing methods for the improvement of disposal safety, such as construction of a reliable information database, understanding of processes related to safety, reduction of uncertainties in safety assessment, communication with stakeholders, and ensuring justice and transparency. This study will contribute to the understanding of the safety case for deep geological disposal and to improving confidence in disposal safety through the development of the safety case in Korea for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

  16. Topical session proceedings of the 5. IGSC meeting on: observations regarding the safety case in recent safety assessment studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hooper, Alan J.; Voinis, Sylvie; Van Luik, Abraham E.

    2004-01-01

    Within the NEA, the IGSC (Integration Group for the Safety Case) has, as an essential role, to develop common views on such key aspects of the safety case. Therefore, since the inauguration of the IGSC in 2000, four meetings were organised with topical sessions to explore various of these key aspects. This is a report on the fifth such topical session, held as part of the 5. plenary meeting of the IGSC. The session was attended by 36 participants, representing waste management organisations and regulatory authorities from 16 NEA member countries, the IAEA and the European Commission. The purpose of this topical session was to provide support to the finalising of the IGSC safety case brochure by getting a description of the safety case content of the IAEA Draft Safety Requirements document and by getting an overview of progress that could be observed from national organisations on developing their cases for system safety and/or developing the required methodologies. The objective was that the IGSC safety case brochure should be supportive of the IAEA/NEA document, and be reflective of the experience of the IGSC member programmes and organisations. The topical session was mainly aimed at exchanging information on: - The safety case related content of the proposed IAEA/NEA document (currently titled: 'IAEA Safety Standards Series, Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste, Draft Safety Requirements (DS-154)'). - National programmes where safety assessments have recently been completed, e.g. ONDRAF/NIRAS, Nagra and Andra. - Feedback from international peer reviews, e.g. the Andra Dossier 2001 Argile, the Belgian SAFIR 2 report, the SR 97 report and the US-DOE Yucca Mountain TSPA. - The evolution of some national assessment methods and approaches e.g. SKB and Nagra. - The content of the draft IGSC safety case brochure entitled: 'The Nature and Purpose of the Post-closure Safety Case in Geological Disposal'. This document presents the various

  17. The Safety Case and Safety Assessment for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-09-15

    This Safety Guide provides guidance and recommendations on meeting the safety requirements in respect of the safety case and supporting safety assessment for the disposal of radioactive waste. The safety case and supporting safety assessment provide the basis for demonstration of safety and for licensing of radioactive waste disposal facilities and assist and guide decisions on siting, design and operations. The safety case is also the main basis on which dialogue with interested parties is conducted and on which confidence in the safety of the disposal facility is developed. This Safety Guide is relevant for operating organizations preparing the safety case as well as for the regulatory body responsible for developing the regulations and regulatory guidance that determine the basis and scope of the safety case. Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Demonstrating the safety of radioactive waste disposal; 3. Safety principles and safety requirements; 4. The safety case for disposal of radioactive waste; 5. Radiological impact assessment for the period after closure; 6. Specific issues; 7. Documentation and use of the safety case; 8. Regulatory review process.

  18. Maintaining and Researching Port Safety: A Case Study of the Port of Kaohsiung

    OpenAIRE

    Tseng, Po-Hsing.; Pilcher, Nick.

    2017-01-01

    Maintaining port safety in full conformity with IMO standards is a requisite for every port and country. To do this, understanding the challenges and human factors involved is key. To date, much research has shed valuable light on these factors and considered how to address them. One aspect that is often noted is that both maintaining port safety and researching port safety presents numerous challenges. This paper considers both these aspects in the context of a case study of port safety in K...

  19. Patient safety challenges in a case study hospital--of relevance for transfusion processes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aase, Karina; Høyland, Sindre; Olsen, Espen; Wiig, Siri; Nilsen, Stein Tore

    2008-10-01

    The paper reports results from a research project with the objective of studying patient safety, and relates the finding to safety issues within transfusion medicine. The background is an increased focus on undesired events related to diagnosis, medication, and patient treatment in general in the healthcare sector. The study is designed as a case study within a regional Norwegian hospital conducting specialised health care services. The study includes multiple methods such as interviews, document analysis, analysis of error reports, and a questionnaire survey. Results show that the challenges for improved patient safety, based on employees' perceptions, are hospital management support, reporting of accidents/incidents, and collaboration across hospital units. Several of these generic safety challenges are also found to be of relevance for a hospital's transfusion service. Positive patient safety factors are identified as teamwork within hospital units, a non-punitive response to errors, and unit manager's actions promoting safety.

  20. Regulatory review of safety cases and safety assessments - associated challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bennett, D.G.; Ben Belfadhel, M.; Metcalf, P.E.

    2006-01-01

    Regulatory reviews of safety cases and safety assessments are essential for credible decision making on the licensing or authorization of radioactive waste disposal facilities. Regulatory review also plays an important role in developing the safety case and in establishing stakeholders' confidence in the safety of the facility. Reviews of safety cases for radioactive waste disposal facilities need to be conducted by suitably qualified and experienced staff, following systematic and well planned review processes. Regulatory reviews should be sufficiently comprehensive in their coverage of issues potentially affecting the safety of the disposal system, and should assess the safety case against clearly established criteria. The conclusions drawn from a regulatory review, and the rationale for them should be reproducible and documented in a transparent and traceable way. Many challenges are faced when conducting regulatory reviews of safety cases. Some of these relate to issues of project and programme management, and resources, while others derive from the inherent difficulties of assessing the potential long term future behaviour of engineered and environmental systems. The paper describes approaches to the conduct of regulatory reviews and discusses some of the challenges faced. (author)

  1. Teaching microbiological food safety through case studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florence Dubois-Brissonnet

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Higher education students usually ask for more training based on case studies. This was addressed by designing a specific food safety module (24 hours in which students were shown how to predict microbiological risks in food products i.e. they were asked to determine product shelf-life according to product formulation, preservation methods and consumption habits using predictive microbiology tools. Working groups of four students first identified the main microbiological hazards associated with a specific product. To perform this task, they were given several documents including guides for good hygiene practices, reviews on microbiological hazards in the food sector, flow sheets, etc…  After three-hours of work, the working groups prepared and gave an oral presentation in front of their classmates and professors. This raised comments and discussion that allowed students to adjust their conclusions before beginning the next step of their work. This second step consisted in the evaluation of the safety risk associated with the two major microbiological hazards of the product studied, using predictive microbiology. Students then attended a general lecture on the different tools of predictive microbiology and tutorials (6 hours that made them familiar with the modelling of bacterial growth or inactivation. They applied these tools (9 hours to predict the shelf-life of the studied product according to various scenarios of preservation (refrigeration, water activity, concentration of salt or acid, modified atmosphere, etc… and/or consumption procedures (cooking. The module was concluded by oral presentations of each working group and included student evaluation (3 hours.

  2. Recommendations on the use of expert judgment in safety and reliability engineering studies. Two offshore case studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hokstada, Per; Oien, Knut; Reinertsen, Rune

    1998-01-01

    This paper provides guidance on the process of establishing input data to safety and reliability engineering analyses when no or little field data exist, and expert judgment is required. Some recommendations are directly related to a discussion of basic requirements for scientific work. Further, two case studies are discussed in order to highlight some actual problem areas that are experienced when using expert judgment, and some recommendations for handling these problems are given. The first case describes how expert judgment was used to analyse the safe operation of an umbilical on a semisubmersible drilling rig, and the second case is related to establishing generic failure rates/probabilities for components of offshore safety systems

  3. A systematic approach to safety case maintenance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, T.P.; McDermid, J.A.

    2001-01-01

    A crucial aspect of safety case management is the ongoing maintenance of the safety argument through life. Throughout the operational life of any system, changing regulatory requirements, additional safety evidence and a changing design can challenge the corresponding safety case. In order to maintain an accurate account of the safety of the system, all such challenges must be assessed for their impact on the original safety argument. This is increasingly being recognised by many safety standards. However, many safety engineers are experiencing difficulties with safety case maintenance at present, the prime reason being that they do not have a systematic and methodical approach by which to examine the impact of change on safety argument. The size and complexity of safety arguments and evidence being presented within safety cases is increasing. Nowhere is this more apparent than for Electrical, Electronic and Programmable Electronic systems attempting to comply with the requirements and recommendations of software and hardware safety standards such as and UK Defence Standards 00-54 [MoD. 00-54 Requirements of Safety Related Electronic Hardware in Defence Equipment. Ministry of Defence, Interim Defence Standard, 1999], 00-55 []. However, this increase in safety case complexity exacerbates problems of comprehension and maintainability later on in the system lifecycle. This paper defines and describes a tool-supported process, based upon the principles of goal structuring, that attempts to address these difficulties through facilitating the systematic impact assessment of safety case challenges

  4. Fire safety case study of a railway tunnel: Smoke evacuation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Maele Karim

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available When a fire occurs in a tunnel, it is of great importance to assure the safety of the occupants of the tunnel. This is achieved by creating smoke-free spaces in the tunnel through control of the smoke gases. In this paper, results are presented of a study concerning the fire safety in a real scale railway tunnel test case. Numerical simulations are performed in order to examine the possibility of natural ventilation of smoke in inclined tunnels. Several aspects are taken into account: the length of the simulated tunnel section, the slope of the tunnel and the possible effects of external wind at one portal of the tunnel. The Fire Dynamics Simulator of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA, is applied to perform the simulations. The simulations show that for the local behavior of the smoke during the early stages of the fire, the slope of the tunnel is of little importance. Secondly, the results show that external wind and/or pressure conditions have a large effect on the smoke gases inside the tunnel. Finally, some idea for the value of the critical ventilation velocity is given. The study also shows that computational fluid dynamics calculations are a valuable tool for large scale, real life complex fire cases. .

  5. Selection and ranking of occupational safety indicators based on fuzzy AHP: A case study in road construction companies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janackovic, Goran Lj.

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the factors, performance, and indicators of occupational safety, as well as a method to select and rank occupational safety indicators based on the expert evaluation method and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP. A case study is done on road construction companies in Serbia. The key safety performance indicators for the road construction industry are identified and ranked according to the results of a survey that included experts who assessed occupational safety risks in these companies. The case study confirmed that organisational factors have a dominant effect on the quality of the occupational health and safety management system in Serbian road construction companies.

  6. Monitoring road safety development at regional level: A case study in the ASEAN region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Faan; Wang, Jianjun; Wu, Jiaorong; Chen, Xiaohong; Zegras, P Christopher

    2017-09-01

    Persistent monitoring of progress, evaluating the results of interventions and recalibrating to achieve continuous improvement over time is widely recognized as being crucial towards the successful development of road safety. In the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region there is a lack of well-resourced teams that contain multidisciplinary safety professionals, and specialists in individual countries, who are able to carry out this work effectively. In this context, not only must the monitoring framework be effective, it must also be easy to use and adapt. This paper provides a case study that can be easily reproduced; based on an updated and refined Road Safety Development Index (RSDI), by means of the RSR (Rank-sum ratio)-based model, for monitoring/reporting road safety development at regional level. The case study was focused on the road safety achievements in eleven Southeast Asian countries; identifying the areas of poor performance, potential problems and delays. These countries are finally grouped into several classes based on an overview of their progress and achievements regarding to road safety. The results allow the policymakers to better understand their own road safety progress toward their desired impact; more importantly, these results enable necessary interventions to be made in a quick and timely manner. Keeping action plans on schedule if things are not progressing as desired. This would avoid 'reinventing the wheel' and trial and error approaches to road safety, making the implementation of action plans more effective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The 2002 Drigg post-closure safety case: implementation of a multiple factor safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lean, C.B.; Grimwood, P.D.; Watts, L.; Fowler, L.; Thomson, G.; Kelly, E.; Hodgkinson, D.

    2004-01-01

    British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) owns and operates the Drigg disposal site, which is the UK's principal facility for the disposal of low level radioactive waste (LLW). Disposals are carried out under the terms of an authorization granted by the UK Environment Agency (the Agency). The Agency periodically reviews the authorization to take account of new information and any revisions to regulatory requirements. In September 2002 new Operational Environmental and Post-Closure Safety Cases (OESC and PCSC respectively) were submitted to the Agency to support the next authorization review. The OESC assesses radiological safety aspects up until closure of the site, including a post-operational management phase, whilst the PCSC considers the longer-term radiological safety. The Drigg disposal facility has been operational since 1959. For the first 3 decades of operations, disposals were solely by tumble tipping wastes into excavated trenches. This was phased out in favour of vault disposal and disposals to the trenches were completed in 1995. The first vault (Vault 8) commenced operations in 1988 and construction of future vaults is planned up to the estimated end of disposal operations in about 50 years time. This paper describes the main components of the 2002 Drigg PCSC and how they relate to each other. Central to the safety case is a systematic comprehensive post-closure radiological safety assessment (PCRSA). However, the importance of the more qualitative aspects of the safety case, including a demonstration of optimisation, is also highlighted. In addition, other confidence-building activities which are key to developing and presenting the safety case are discussed. (author)

  8. Safety case development with SBVR-based controlled language

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luo, Y.; van den Brand, M.G.J.; Kiburse, A.; Desfray, P.; Philipe, J.; Hammoudi, S.; Pires, L.F.

    2015-01-01

    Safety case development is highly recommended by some safety standards to justify the safety of a system. The Goal Structuring Notation (GSN) is a popular approach to construct a safety case. However, the content of the safety case elements, such as safety claims, is in natural language. Therefore,

  9. Dynamic Safety Cases for Through-Life Safety Assurance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh; Habli, Ibrahim

    2015-01-01

    We describe dynamic safety cases, a novel operationalization of the concept of through-life safety assurance, whose goal is to enable proactive safety management. Using an example from the aviation systems domain, we motivate our approach, its underlying principles, and a lifecycle. We then identify the key elements required to move towards a formalization of the associated framework.

  10. A hybrid simulation approach for integrating safety behavior into construction planning: An earthmoving case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Yang Miang; Askar Ali, Mohamed Jawad

    2016-08-01

    One of the key challenges in improving construction safety and health is the management of safety behavior. From a system point of view, workers work unsafely due to system level issues such as poor safety culture, excessive production pressure, inadequate allocation of resources and time and lack of training. These systemic issues should be eradicated or minimized during planning. However, there is a lack of detailed planning tools to help managers assess the impact of their upstream decisions on worker safety behavior. Even though simulation had been used in construction planning, the review conducted in this study showed that construction safety management research had not been exploiting the potential of simulation techniques. Thus, a hybrid simulation framework is proposed to facilitate integration of safety management considerations into construction activity simulation. The hybrid framework consists of discrete event simulation (DES) as the core, but heterogeneous, interactive and intelligent (able to make decisions) agents replace traditional entities and resources. In addition, some of the cognitive processes and physiological aspects of agents are captured using system dynamics (SD) approach. The combination of DES, agent-based simulation (ABS) and SD allows a more "natural" representation of the complex dynamics in construction activities. The proposed hybrid framework was demonstrated using a hypothetical case study. In addition, due to the lack of application of factorial experiment approach in safety management simulation, the case study demonstrated sensitivity analysis and factorial experiment to guide future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Institutional Case Studies-Based Course in Food Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pleitner, Aaron M.; Chapin, Travis K.; Hammons, Susan R.; Stelten, Anna Van; Nightingale, Kendra K.; Wiedmann, Martin; Johnston, Lynette M.; Oliver, Haley F.

    2015-01-01

    Developing novel, engaging courses in food safety is necessary to train professionals in this discipline. Courses that are interactive and case-based encourage development of critical thinking skills necessary for identifying and preventing foodborne disease outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a case study…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  13. A probabilistic safety assessment PEER review: Case study on the use of probabilistic safety assessment for safety decisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-10-01

    The purpose of this case study is to illustrate, using an actual example, the organizing and carrying out of an independent peer review of a draft full-scope (level 3) probabilistic safety assessment. The specific findings of the peer review are of less importance than the approach taken, the interaction between sponsor and study team, and the technical and administrative issues that can arise during a peer review. This case study will examine the following issues: how the scope of the peer review was established, based on how it was to be used by the review sponsoring body; how the level of effort was determined, and what this determination meant for the technical quality of the review; how the team of peer reviewers was selected; how the review itself was carried out; what findings were made; what was done with these findings by both the review sponsoring body and the PSA analysis team. 9 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

  14. Automating the Generation of Heterogeneous Aviation Safety Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denney, Ewen W.; Pai, Ganesh J.; Pohl, Josef M.

    2012-01-01

    A safety case is a structured argument, supported by a body of evidence, which provides a convincing and valid justification that a system is acceptably safe for a given application in a given operating environment. This report describes the development of a fragment of a preliminary safety case for the Swift Unmanned Aircraft System. The construction of the safety case fragment consists of two parts: a manually constructed system-level case, and an automatically constructed lower-level case, generated from formal proof of safety-relevant correctness properties. We provide a detailed discussion of the safety considerations for the target system, emphasizing the heterogeneity of sources of safety-relevant information, and use a hazard analysis to derive safety requirements, including formal requirements. We evaluate the safety case using three classes of metrics for measuring degrees of coverage, automation, and understandability. We then present our preliminary conclusions and make suggestions for future work.

  15. Safety Case Development as an Information Modelling Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Robert

    This paper considers the benefits from applying information modelling as the basis for creating an electronically-based safety case. It highlights the current difficulties of developing and managing large document-based safety cases for complex systems such as those found in Air Traffic Control systems. After a review of current tools and related literature on this subject, the paper proceeds to examine the many relationships between entities that can exist within a large safety case. The paper considers the benefits to both safety case writers and readers from the future development of an ideal safety case tool that is able to exploit these information models. The paper also introduces the idea that the safety case has formal relationships between entities that directly support the safety case argument using a methodology such as GSN, and informal relationships that provide links to direct and backing evidence and to supporting information.

  16. Child safety in parks' playgrounds (a case study in Tehran’s sub-district parks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.H. Mirlouhi Falavarjani

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Background and aimsSafety is a complex concept and multidisciplinary science which is included some difference areas from industrial sectors to urban public arenas. Parks and playgrounds as important public places should be considered in terms of health and safety, especially for kids as prominent social vulnerable citizens. According to CPSC, 147 deaths havebeen reported for under 15 year old child during Jan 1990 to Aug 2000. Every 2.5 minute, kid suffers playground related accident. The main objective in this study is safety assessment ofplaygrounds among the selected parks.MethodsIn this case study, deductive approach and cross-sectional survey was followed, and some parks and playgrounds were selected among five urban counties in Tehran. Our volunteered samples were 160 parents. Playgrounds and related equipment were assessed in terms of safety, as well.ResultsOur findings show that more than 68% of playground equipment might create hazardous condition for kids. Lack of sustain maintenance for both of equipment and playground surface make some risky area for the mentioned group. Statistical analysis by SPSSWin 13 showed that more than 78 % of parents are worry about their child in terms of playground safetyproblems. Safety assessment of swings and slides showed that there are safety based problems in 89% of cases. Due to statistical reports of Tehran Emergency center, 10-12 and 8-10 year old kids suffer play based accident more than others. Reported traumas showed that face and skull and then feet suffered mechanical injury more than other limbs.ConclusionSurely, safety and health considerations are known as Municipality responsibilities, so for safety improvement in parks an integration safety system should be happened. HSE_MS seems a reliable approach for the mention goal. For improvement of exist parks and playground some related standard should be follows such as CPSC standards, EN 1176, and EN 1177. Also anthropometric data development

  17. A new look on the safety case for geologic disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pescatore, Claudio; Riotte, Hans; Voinis, Sylvie

    2005-01-01

    It has become evident that the development of a geologic repository will involve a number of stages punctuated by interdependent decisions on whether and how to move to the next stage. These decisions require a clear and traceable presentation of technical and scientific arguments that will help in giving confidence in the feasibility and safety of a proposed concept. A detailed safety assessment is typically required at major decision points in repository planning and implementation, including decisions that require the granting of licenses. In recent years the scope of the safety assessment has broadened to include the collation of a broad range of evidence and arguments that complement and support the reliability of the results of quantitative analyses, and the broader term 'post-closure safety case' or simply 'safety case' is used to refer to these studies. This paper reflects the historical development from integrated safety assessment to modern safety cases and outlines the main elements of a safety case for geologic disposal. The presentation of the safety strategy, multiple barrier concept and strategies to deal with uncertainties are analysed and the importance of an explicit statement of confidence is emphasized. (author)

  18. Development of NUMO safety case for geological disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Satoru; Deguchi, Akira

    2016-01-01

    NUMO has developed a generic safety ease based on the latest knowledge to show the feasibility and safety of geological disposal in Japan. The NUMO safety case has been developed to provide a basic structure for subsequent safety cases that would be applied to any selected site, emphasising practical approaches and methodology, which will be applicable for the conditions/constraints during an actual siting process. This paper will provide a brief overview of the NUMO safety case. (author)

  19. IGSC - Integration Group for the Safety Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    Countries that rely on nuclear energy and materials have an ethical obligation to manage radioactive waste in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. For society to support the sustainable solutions envisaged, disposal concepts must be technologically sound and the safety of these concepts must be convincingly demonstrated. The Nuclear Energy Agency's Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC) establishes and documents the technical and scientific basis for developing and reviewing safety cases as a platform for dialogue among technical experts and as a tool for decision making. The IGSC addresses various strategic and policy aspects of radioactive waste management as the technical advisory body to the NEA Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) for all issues related to repository development. For more than two decades, the IGSC and its predecessor technical groups have promoted the exchange of national experience in evaluating and implementing geological repositories. IGSC activities foster consensus on best practices and encourage the development of innovative, advanced approaches covering the technical aspects at all stages of repository implementation, including: - strategies to characterise and evaluate potential disposal sites; - methods to design and test engineered barrier systems; - priorities for research and development programmes to improve the understanding of important processes and interactions; - tools for safety assessments; - techniques for the effective presentation and communication of the results of safety cases and other factors that provide the basis for increased confidence in the safety of geological disposal facilities. The IGSC has been instrumental in further developing the 'modern safety case', a concept that originally emerged from NEA work in the 1990's. Cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission (EC) has led to the worldwide adoption of this safety

  20. A review of case studies evaluating economic incentives to promote occupational safety and health

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elsler, D.; Treutlein, D.; Rydlewska, I.; Frusteri, L.; Krüger, H.; Veerman, T.; Eeckelaert, L.; Roskams, N.; Broek, K. van den; Taylor, T.N.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: In many European countries, external economic incentives are discussed as a policy instrument to promote occupational safety and health (OSH) in enterprises. This narrative case study review aims to support policy-makers in organizations providing such incentives by supplying information

  1. Alberta Environment's weir safety program : options for rehabilitation to improve public safety : a case study of the Calgary weir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blakely, D [Alberta Environment, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2009-07-01

    Alberta Environment Water Management Operations (WMO) owns and operates 46 dams and 800 kilometres of canals in Alberta. The WMO consists of 120 staff and several contract operators to take care of this infrastructure. Most of the infrastructure supplies water for irrigation use, which adds 5 billion dollars to the provincial economy annually. Other water uses include stock watering, domestic use, municipal use, recreational use and habitat. Alberta Environment's weir safety program was also discussed along with options for rehabilitation to improve public safety. A case study of Calgary's Weir Dam on the Bow River was highlighted. A brief history of the dam was offered and safety programs around provincially-owned weirs were discussed. Photographs were included to illustrate some of the additional safety measures at the Calgary weir, such as suspended safety buoys upstream of the boom directing paddlers to the portage trail, and signage on the river that can be activated when the boom is out. Typical river users on the Calgary Bow River and safety history at the Calgary Weir were discussed along with other topics such as the Calgary Bow River weir project criteria; project design progress; pre-feasibility options; scale modelling; final design analysis; construction funding; and proposed changes to the safety program for the new weir configuration. figs.

  2. Changing patient safety culture in China: a case study of an experimental Chinese hospital from a comparative perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Yong Hong; Ng, Chui Shan; Cai, Xiao; Xu, Jun; Zhang, Xin Shi; Ke, Dong Ge; Yu, Qian Hui; Chan, Chi Kuen

    2018-01-01

    Background The World Health Organization highlights that patient safety interventions are not lacking but that the local context affects their successful implementation. Increasing attention is being paid to patient safety in Mainland China, yet few studies focus on patient safety in organizations with mixed cultures. This paper evaluates the current patient safety culture in an experimental Chinese hospital with a Hong Kong hospital management culture, and it aims to explore the application of Hong Kong’s patient safety strategies in the context of Mainland China. Methods A quantitative survey of 307 hospital staff members was conducted using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire. The findings were compared with a similar study on general Chinese hospitals and were appraised with reference to the Manchester Patient Safety Framework. Results Lower scores were observed among participants with the following characteristics: males, doctors, those with more work experience, those with higher education, and those from the general practice and otolaryngology departments. However, the case study hospital achieved better scores in management expectations, actions and support for patient safety, incident reporting and communication, and teamwork within units. Its weaknesses were related to non-punitive responses to errors, teamwork across units, and staffing. Conclusions The case study hospital contributes to a changing patient safety culture in Mainland China, yet its patient safety culture remains mostly bureaucratic. Further efforts could be made to deepen the staff’s patient safety culture mind-set, to realize a “bottom-up” approach to cultural change, to build up a comprehensive and integrated incident management system, and to improve team building and staffing for patient safety. PMID:29750061

  3. Development of a safety case editor with assessment features

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luo, Y.; Li, Z.; van den Brand, M.G.J.

    2016-01-01

    A safety case is an argumentation for showing confidence in the claimed safety assurance of a system, which should be comprehensible and well-structured. Typically, safety cases are represented in plain text, but the structure of safety cases might become ambiguous and unclear. To address this, the

  4. Interim summary report of the safety case 2009

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-03-01

    intrinsic properties of the main components of the repository and from the understanding of their evolution gained from extensive site- and concept-specific field, laboratory and modelling studies and from studies of natural and anthropogenic analogues. For any canisters that fail over this time window, the low radionuclide calculated release rates to the biosphere and resultant annual effective doses to humans and absorbed dose rates to other species of flora and fauna imply that any radiological consequences of these releases will be negligible. Furthermore, the calculation results indicate that, in general, differences in the geometry and transport paths considered in the analyses of the KBS-3V and KBS-3H design variants have only a minor impact on calculated releases and doses. Work carried out to date indicates that a geological repository for the final disposal of spent fuel, implemented as planned at the Olkiluoto site, will conform to Finnish regulatory requirements and provide an adequate level of longterm safety. This conclusion is based on the findings of safety assessments, the systematic treatment of uncertainty in these assessments and the quality measures that have been applied in the development and application of models, data and computer codes. Plans are in place to manage remaining safety-related issues and uncertainties, as given in the report TKS-2009. In implementing TKS-2009, quality assurance measures will be applied in the various production steps of the safety case, including and tests and experiments to demonstrate the feasibility and quality of technical solutions. In this way, a comprehensive safety case will be developed to support the licensing process. (orig.)

  5. Pursuing for the case of safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hansen, H; Salaber, A [Geco-Prakla, Paris (France); Myers, S [Sedco Forex, Montrouge (France); Redd, E [Sedco Forex, Aberdeen (United Kingdom); Shannon, R [Anadrill HSE, London (United Kingdom)

    1993-01-01

    Ever since the Piper Alpha disaster, safety has become one of the industry's hottest issues. Attention to safety leads to improved communication within organizations as well as between operators and contractors, and ultimately to more efficient operations. In this article descriptions are given of safety management systems, the safety-case philosophy and legislative changes hat are helping promote these new safety tools. 6 figs., 4 ills., 3 refs.

  6. Pursuing for the case of safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hansen, H.; Salaber, A. (Geco-Prakla, Paris (France)); Myers, S. (Sedco Forex, Montrouge (France)); Redd, E. (Sedco Forex, Aberdeen (United Kingdom)); Shannon, R. (Anadrill HSE, London (United Kingdom))

    1993-01-01

    Ever since the Piper Alpha disaster, safety has become one of the industry's hottest issues. Attention to safety leads to improved communication within organizations as well as between operators and contractors, and ultimately to more efficient operations. In this article descriptions are given of safety management systems, the safety-case philosophy and legislative changes hat are helping promote these new safety tools. 6 figs., 4 ills., 3 refs.

  7. Chinese consumers concerns about food safety: Case of Tianjin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhang XiaoYong, Xiaoyong

    2005-01-01

    The objective of this study is to gain an insight to Chinese consumers' knowledge and concerns over food safety from a case study in Tianjin city. The results indicate that Chinese consumers are very much concerned about food safety, particularly with regard to vegetables and dairy products. Chinese

  8. Comprehensive safety cases for radioactive waste management facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woollam, P.B.; Cameron, H.M.; Davies, A.R.; Hiscox, A.W.

    1995-01-01

    Probabilistic safety assessment methodology has been applied by Nuclear Electric plc (NE) to the development of comprehensive safety cases for the radioactive waste management processing and accumulation facilities associated with its 26 reactor systems. This paper describes the methodology and the safety case assessment criteria employed by NE. An overview of the results is presented, together with more detail of a specific safety analysis: storage of fuel element debris. No risk to the public greater than 10 -6 /y has been identified and the more significant risks arise from the potential for radioactive waste fires. There are no unacceptable risks from external hazards such as flooding, aircrash or seismic events. Some operations previously expected to have significant risks in fact have negligible risks, while the few faults with risks exceeding the assessment criteria were only identified as a result of this study

  9. The LMFBR safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, D.

    1990-01-01

    The main objective of this report is to review the present status of the safety case for the liquid metal cooled fast reactor (FBR). A particular emphasis is placed on activities in Europe where the FBR has been progressively developed for many years during which time systems have passed from small experimental plants to the 1200 MWe SPX-1. The FBR has been found to be an easily controlled plant with low impact on the environment and low dose rates to operational personnel. Aspects of reactor design and associated R and D that are required for FBRs to be licensed and the progress made to meet these requirements are described. Fault conditions in the credible range can be dealt with safely, the FBR having several advantageous characteristics which assist safety. Also measures are foreseen to mitigate potential consequences of more severe but improbable accidents. This study sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities was carried out by Colenco Ltd in vlose collaboration with the Safety Working Group (SWG) which is a subgroup of the CEC Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee (FRCC)

  10. JET Tokamak, preparation of a safety case for tritium operations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boyer, Helen, E-mail: helen.boyer@ccfe.ac.uk [CCFE, Culham Science Centre (United Kingdom); Plummer, David; Johnston, Jane [CCFE, Culham Science Centre (United Kingdom)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • A safety case incorporating technical and ITER related upgrades. • Hazard analysis reworked to include new modelling assessments. • Fitness for purpose assessment of safety controls. - Abstract: A new Safety Case is required to permit tritium operations on JET during the forthcoming DTE2 campaign. The outputs, benefits and lessons learned associated with the production of this Safety Case are presented. The changes that have occurred to the Safety Case methodology since the last JET tritium Safety Case are reviewed. Consideration is given to the effects of modifications, particularly ITER related changes, made to the JET and the impact these have on the hazard assessments as well as normal operations. Several specialized assessments, including recent MELCOR modelling, have been undertaken to support the production of this Safety Case and the impact of these assessments is outlined. Discussion of the preliminary actions being taken to progress implementation of this Safety Case is provided, highlighting new methods to improve the dissemination of the key Safety Case results to the plant operators. Finally, the work required to complete this Safety Case, before the next tritium campaign, is summarized.

  11. Design of safety-critical systems using the complementarities of success and failure domains with a case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, Rizwan; Koo, June Mo; Jeong, Yong Hoon; Heo, Gyunyoung

    2011-01-01

    A safety-critical system has to qualify the performance-related requirements and the safety-related requirements simultaneously. Conceptually, design processes should consider both of them simultaneously but the practices do not and/or cannot follow such a theoretical approach due to the limitation of design resources. From our experience, we found that safety-related functions must be simultaneously resolved with the development of performance-related functions, particularly, in case of safety-critical systems. Since, success and failure domain analyses are essential for the investigation of performance-related and safety-related requirements, respectively, we articulated our perception to Axiomatic Design (AD), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and TRIZ. A design evolution procedure considering feedbacks from AD to identify functional couplings, TRIZ methodology to explore uncoupling solutions and FTA to improve reliability in a systematic way is presented here. A case study regarding design of safety injection tank installed in a nuclear power plant is also included to illustrate the proposed framework. It is expected that several iterations between AD-TRIZ-FTA would result into an optimized design which could be tested against the desired performance and safety criteria.

  12. Design of safety-critical systems using the complementarities of success and failure domains with a case study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmed, Rizwan; Koo, June Mo [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Yong Hoon [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Gyunyoung, E-mail: gheo@khu.ac.k [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-01-15

    A safety-critical system has to qualify the performance-related requirements and the safety-related requirements simultaneously. Conceptually, design processes should consider both of them simultaneously but the practices do not and/or cannot follow such a theoretical approach due to the limitation of design resources. From our experience, we found that safety-related functions must be simultaneously resolved with the development of performance-related functions, particularly, in case of safety-critical systems. Since, success and failure domain analyses are essential for the investigation of performance-related and safety-related requirements, respectively, we articulated our perception to Axiomatic Design (AD), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and TRIZ. A design evolution procedure considering feedbacks from AD to identify functional couplings, TRIZ methodology to explore uncoupling solutions and FTA to improve reliability in a systematic way is presented here. A case study regarding design of safety injection tank installed in a nuclear power plant is also included to illustrate the proposed framework. It is expected that several iterations between AD-TRIZ-FTA would result into an optimized design which could be tested against the desired performance and safety criteria.

  13. Plan for safety case of spent fuel repository at Olkiluoto

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vieno, T.; Ikonen, A.T.K.

    2005-02-01

    Posiva aims to present the Safety Case supporting the construction license application of the spent fuel repository at Olkiluoto by 2012. An outline and preliminary assessments will be presented in 2009. Interim reporting and an update of the Safety Case plan will be presented in 2006, as required by the authorities. The KBS-3 disposal concept aims at long-term isolation and containment of spent fuel assemblies in durable copper-iron canisters emplaced in a repository to be constructed at a depth between 400 and 600 metres in crystalline bedrock. By 2012, studies on the KBS-3 disposal concept and site investigations at Olkiluoto will have been continued over about thirty years. The construction of an underground rock characterisation facility (called ONKALO) was started in June 2004. The investigations are carried out in close cooperation with the Swedish SKB developing and assessing the same disposal concept at candidate sites, resembling Olkiluoto, at the other side of the Baltic Sea. A safety case is the synthesis of evidence, analyses and arguments that quantify and substantiate the safety, and the level of expert confidence in the safety, of a planned repository. Posiva's Safety Case will be organised in a portfolio including ten main reports, which will be periodically updated according the overall schedule presented in the plan. The Site report describing the present state and past evolution of the Olkiluoto site, as well as the disturbances caused by the construction of ONKALO and the first stage of the repository, forms the geoscientific basis of the Safety Case. The engineering basis is provided by the reports on the Characteristics of spent fuel, Canister design, and Repository design. The Process report containing descriptions and analyses of features, events and processes potentially affecting the disposal system, and the report on the Evolution of site and repository form the scientific basis of the Safety Case. The latter report will describe and

  14. Comprehensive safety cases for radioactive waste management facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woollam, P.B.

    1993-01-01

    Probabilistic safety assessment methodology is being applied by Nuclear Electric plc (NE) to the development of comprehensive safety cases for the radioactive waste management processing and accumulation facilities associated with its 26 reactor systems. This paper describes the methodology and the safety case assessment criteria employed by NE. An overview of the results from facilities used by the first 16 reactors is presented, together with more detail of a specific safety analysis: storage of fuel element debris. No risk to the public greater than 10 -6 /y has been identified and the more significant risks arise from the potential for radioactive waste fires. There are no unacceptable risks from external hazards such as flooding, aircrash or seismic events. Some operations previously expected to have significant risks in fact have negligible risks, while the few faults with risks exceeding the assessment criteria were only identified as a result of this study

  15. Changing patient safety culture in China: a case study of an experimental Chinese hospital from a comparative perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu XP

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Xiao Ping Xu,* Dong Ning Deng,* Yong Hong Gu, Chui Shan Ng, Xiao Cai, Jun Xu, Xin Shi Zhang, Dong Ge Ke, Qian Hui Yu, Chi Kuen Chan Clinical Service Department, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: The World Health Organization highlights that patient safety interventions are not lacking but that the local context affects their successful implementation. Increasing attention is being paid to patient safety in Mainland China, yet few studies focus on patient safety in organizations with mixed cultures. This paper evaluates the current patient safety culture in an experimental Chinese hospital with a Hong Kong hospital management culture, and it aims to explore the application of Hong Kong’s patient safety strategies in the context of Mainland China. Methods: A quantitative survey of 307 hospital staff members was conducted using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire. The findings were compared with a similar study on general Chinese hospitals and were appraised with reference to the Manchester Patient Safety Framework. Results: Lower scores were observed among participants with the following characteristics: males, doctors, those with more work experience, those with higher education, and those from the general practice and otolaryngology departments. However, the case study hospital achieved better scores in management expectations, actions and support for patient safety, incident reporting and communication, and teamwork within units. Its weaknesses were related to non-punitive responses to errors, teamwork across units, and staffing. Conclusions: The case study hospital contributes to a changing patient safety culture in Mainland China, yet its patient safety culture remains mostly bureaucratic. Further efforts could be made to deepen the staff’s patient safety culture mind-set, to realize a

  16. Development of an environmental safety case guidance manual

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wellstead, Matthew John

    2014-01-01

    NDA RWMD is currently considering the scope, purpose and structure of a safety case manual that covers the development of nuclear operational, transport and environmental safety cases for a geological disposal facility in the United Kingdom. This paper considers the Environmental Safety Case (ESC) input into such a manual (herein referred to as the 'ESC Manual'), looking at the drivers and benefits that a guidance manual in this area may provide. (authors)

  17. Regulatory review of safety cases and safety assessments for near surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nys, V.

    2003-01-01

    The activities of the ASAM Regulatory Review Working Group are presented. Regulatory review of the safety assessment is made. It includes the regulatory review of post-closure safety assessment; safety case development and confidence building. The ISAM methodology is reviewed and SA system description is presented. Recommendations on the review process management are given

  18. IMPLEMENTATION OF A SAFETY PROGRAM FOR THE WORK ACCIDENTS’ CONTROL. A CASE STUDY IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edison Cesar de Faria Nogueira

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article presents a case study related to the implementation of a Work Safety Program in a chemical industry, based on the Process Safety Program, PSP, of a huge energy company. The research was applied, exploratory, qualitative and with and data collection method through documentary and bibliographical research. There will be presented the main practices adopted in order to make the Safety Program a reality inside a chemical industry, its results and contributions for its better development. This paper proposes the implementation of a Safety Program must be preceded by a diagnosis of occupational safety and health management system and with constant critical analysis in order to make the necessary adjustments.

  19. The role of production and teamwork practices in construction safety: a cognitive model and an empirical case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitropoulos, Panagiotis Takis; Cupido, Gerardo

    2009-01-01

    In construction, the challenge for researchers and practitioners is to develop work systems (production processes and teams) that can achieve high productivity and high safety at the same time. However, construction accident causation models ignore the role of work practices and teamwork. This study investigates the mechanisms by which production and teamwork practices affect the likelihood of accidents. The paper synthesizes a new model for construction safety based on the cognitive perspective (Fuller's Task-Demand-Capability Interface model, 2005) and then presents an exploratory case study. The case study investigates and compares the work practices of two residential framing crews: a 'High Reliability Crew' (HRC)--that is, a crew with exceptional productivity and safety over several years, and an average performing crew from the same company. The model explains how the production and teamwork practices generate the work situations that workers face (the task demands) and affect the workers ability to cope (capabilities). The case study indicates that the work practices of the HRC directly influence the task demands and match them with the applied capabilities. These practices were guided by the 'principle' of avoiding errors and rework and included work planning and preparation, work distribution, managing the production pressures, and quality and behavior monitoring. The Task Demand-Capability model links construction research to a cognitive model of accident causation and provides a new way to conceptualize safety as an emergent property of the production practices and teamwork processes. The empirical evidence indicates that the crews' work practices and team processes strongly affect the task demands, the applied capabilities, and the match between demands and capabilities. The proposed model and the exploratory case study will guide further discovery of work practices and teamwork processes that can increase both productivity and safety in construction

  20. Using systems thinking in patient safety: a case study on medicines management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brimble, Mandy; Jones, Aled

    2017-06-29

    Systems thinking is used as a way of understanding behaviours and actions in complex healthcare organisations. An important premise of the concept is that every action in a system causes a reaction elsewhere in that system. These reactions can lead to unintended consequences, sometimes long after the original action, and so are not always attributed to them. This article applies systems thinking to a medicines management case study, to highlight how quality-improvement practitioners can use the approach to underpin planning and implementation of patient-safety initiatives. The case study is specific to transcribing in children's hospices, but the strategies can be applied to other areas. The article explains that, while root cause analysis tools are useful for identifying the cause of, and possible solutions to, problems, they need to be considered carefully in terms of unintended consequences, and how the system into which the solution is implemented can be affected by the change. Analysis of problems using a systems-thinking approach can help practitioners to develop robust and well informed business cases to present to decision makers.

  1. Validation test case generation based on safety analysis ontology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Chin-Feng; Wang, Wen-Shing

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Current practice in validation test case generation for nuclear system is mainly ad hoc. ► This study designs a systematic approach to generate validation test cases from a Safety Analysis Report. ► It is based on a domain-specific ontology. ► Test coverage criteria have been defined and satisfied. ► A computerized toolset has been implemented to assist the proposed approach. - Abstract: Validation tests in the current nuclear industry practice are typically performed in an ad hoc fashion. This study presents a systematic and objective method of generating validation test cases from a Safety Analysis Report (SAR). A domain-specific ontology was designed and used to mark up a SAR; relevant information was then extracted from the marked-up document for use in automatically generating validation test cases that satisfy the proposed test coverage criteria; namely, single parameter coverage, use case coverage, abnormal condition coverage, and scenario coverage. The novelty of this technique is its systematic rather than ad hoc test case generation from a SAR to achieve high test coverage.

  2. Safety Case for Service Contracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez, Israel L.

    2014-07-01

    Safety cases developed for the Facilities Management and Operations Center (FMOC) are based on the requirements in MN471021, Work Planning and Control Criteria for Safe Design and Operations. The FMOC performs maintenance activities in various locations at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM). SNL/NM consists of more than 6,000,000 square feet of buildings, structures, and site infrastructure on approximately 13,000 acres of land. The FMOC performs approximately 7500 service contract work orders a year to assist with operations and maintenance at the SNL/NM site and facilities. As part of the continual improvement process, this Safety Case will be reviewed and updated, as needed, or at a minimum every three years.

  3. Alberta Environment's weir safety program : options for rehabilitation to improve public safety : a case study of the Calgary weir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blakely, D. [Alberta Environment, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2009-07-01

    Alberta Environment Water Management Operations (WMO) owns and operates 46 dams and 800 kilometres of canals in Alberta. The WMO consists of 120 staff and several contract operators to take care of this infrastructure. Most of the infrastructure supplies water for irrigation use, which adds 5 billion dollars to the provincial economy annually. Other water uses include stock watering, domestic use, municipal use, recreational use and habitat. Alberta Environment's weir safety program was also discussed along with options for rehabilitation to improve public safety. A case study of Calgary's Weir Dam on the Bow River was highlighted. A brief history of the dam was offered and safety programs around provincially-owned weirs were discussed. Photographs were included to illustrate some of the additional safety measures at the Calgary weir, such as suspended safety buoys upstream of the boom directing paddlers to the portage trail, and signage on the river that can be activated when the boom is out. Typical river users on the Calgary Bow River and safety history at the Calgary Weir were discussed along with other topics such as the Calgary Bow River weir project criteria; project design progress; pre-feasibility options; scale modelling; final design analysis; construction funding; and proposed changes to the safety program for the new weir configuration. figs.

  4. Cooperation and organization in decision making : a more decisive road safety policy ? : results from a multiple case study in the Netherlands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bax, C.

    2005-01-01

    This study examines the administrative processes that led to the implementation of road safety measures in Dutch Regional Traffic and Transport Plans. The design of the study is a multiple case study in six regions in the Netherlands. The road safety policy is evaluated by looking at the

  5. Safety case: An international perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pescatore, C.; Voinis, S.

    2002-01-01

    In recent years, it has become more and more evident that repository development will involve a number of stages punctuated by interdependent decisions on whether and how to move to the next stage. These decisions require a clear and traceable presentation of technical arguments that will help in giving confidence in the feasibility and safety of the proposed concept. The depth of understanding and technical information available to support decisions will vary from step to step. A safety case is a key item to support the decision to move to the next stage in repository development. Progress is noted, in the past decade, in the performance and safety assessment areas, particularly in the methodologies for repository system analysis. Progress is also observed regarding the understanding of the natural system and its characterisation, treatment of uncertainties, and modelling. Some areas are under active development, e.g. the area of scenario development and analysis. Finally, to increase confidence, rigorous quality assurance procedures need to be implemented, as well as the factoring of the contribution of R and D in underground research laboratories. The paper summarises the lessons learnt within relevant NEA initiatives as they evolved over the course of a decade and now allow a comprehensive view of what constitutes a safety case. (author)

  6. The safety case for deep geological disposal of radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwong, Gloria

    2014-01-01

    The concept of a 'safety case' for a deep geological repository for radioactive waste was first introduced by the NEA Expert Group on Integrated Performance Assessment (IPAG). It was further developed in the NEA report entitled Confidence in the Long-term Safety of Deep Geological Repositories (1999), and since then it has been taken up in international safety standards as promulgated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, 2006, 2011) and more recently in recommendations by the International Commission on Radiological Protection on the application of the system of radiological protection in geological disposal (ICRP, 2013). Many national radioactive waste disposal programmes and regulatory guides are also applying this concept. The NEA has used the safety case as a guide in several international peer reviews of national repository programmes and safety documentation. In Europe, the EU Directive 2011/70/ Euratom (EU, 2011) establishes a framework to ensure responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste by member states that, inter alia, requires a decision-making process based on safety evidence and arguments that mirror the safety case concept. In 2007, the NEA, the IAEA and the European Commission (EC) organised a symposium on Safety Cases for the Deep Disposal of Radioactive Waste: Where Do We Stand? Since this time, however, there have been some major developments in a number of national geological disposal programmes and significant experience in preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating geological repositories. A symposium on The Safety Case for Deep Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste: 2013 State of the Art was thus organised to assess developments since 2007 in the practice, understanding and roles of the safety case, as applied internationally at all stages of repository development, including the interplay of technical, regulatory and societal issues. The symposium

  7. Raised crosswalks on entrance to the roundabout-a case study on effectiveness of treatment on pedestrian safety and convenience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candappa, Nimmi; Stephan, Karen; Fotheringham, Nicola; Lenné, Michael G; Corben, Bruce

    2014-01-01

    A common concern in the use of a roundabout is providing adequately for the pedestrian. This unique roundabout layout, which introduces raised crosswalks directly at the roundabout entrance, as opposed to at a car length back, aims at improving safety and convenience for pedestrians at roundabouts. A preliminary evaluation of the layout was undertaken to establish its effectiveness in meeting study objectives. A quasi-experimental before-and-after study design was used to compare speeds on approach and immediately prior to the crossing to ascertain potential impact speed and implications for pedestrian safety. Compliance to crossing and crossing time were also compared in relation to safety and convenience outcomes. A questionnaire assessed pedestrian perception of the safety and convenience at the roundabout before and after treatment. Results from this case study indicate that mean approach speeds (free speeds 30 m from crossing) reduced from 32.7 to 30.7 km/h and immediately prior to crossing, mean speeds reduced from 19.1 to 16.3 km/h. There was also a marked reduction in proportions of vehicles traveling at speeds that could elevate risk to pedestrians. Total crossing time after treatment reduced by around 4 s, and crossing compliance increased from approximately half to approximately 90 percent. Survey of pedestrians indicated positive response to the perceived safety and convenience posttreatment. Preliminary results of the case study suggest positive safety and convenience outcomes. Implications for pedestrian safety include less exposure to traffic and lower risk of serious injury, particularly for elderly pedestrians; convenience outcomes include shorter waiting times to cross and greater compliance to the crossing. A larger study is required to substantiate the findings.

  8. A systematic approach and tool support for GSN-based safety case assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luo, Y.; Brand, M. van den; Li, Z.; Saberi, A.K.

    2017-01-01

    Context. In safety-critical domains, safety cases are widely used to demonstrate the safety of systems. A safety case is an argumentation for showing confidence in the claimed safety assurance of a system, which should be comprehensible and well-structured. Typically, safety cases can be represented

  9. IRSN safety research carried out for reviewing geological disposal safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serres, Christophe; Besnus, Francois; Gay, Didier

    2010-01-01

    The Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Institute develops a research programme on scientific issues related to geological disposal safety in order to supporting the technical assessment carried out in the framework of the regulatory review process. This research programme is organised along key safety questions that deal with various scientific disciplines as geology, hydrogeology, mechanics, geochemistry or physics and is implemented in national and international partnerships. It aims at providing IRSN with sufficient independent knowledge and scientific skills in order to be able to assess whether the scientific results gained by the waste management organisation and their integration for demonstrating the safety of the geological disposal are acceptable with regard to the safety issues to be dealt with in the Safety Case. (author)

  10. Safety cases and siting processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metlay, Daniel; Ewing, Rodney

    2014-01-01

    Central to any process for building a deep-mined geologic repository for high-activity radioactive waste is the development of a safety case. To date, such cases, in various forms have been elaborated for a variety of concepts for geologic disposal, including in salt, clay, argillite, crystalline rock (granite and gneiss) and volcanic tuff formations. In addition to the technical effort required to develop a safety case, increasingly nations have come to believe that it is also critical to obtain the consent of the region or community where the facility might be located. The purpose of this paper is to explore issues associated with just one aspect of consent-based siting: How can such a process be designed so that willingness to accept a site for a repository continues to be meaningful even as new technical knowledge and insights emerge during site characterisation? In short, what is the meaning of 'informed consent' in the context of repository development? (authors)

  11. Development of a natural analogue database to support the safety case of the Korean radioactive waste disposal program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baik, M.H.; Park, T.J.; Kim, I.Y.; Jeong, J.; Choi, K.W.

    2015-01-01

    In this study, the status of natural analogue studies in Korea is briefly summarized and applicability of existing natural analogue information to the Korean safety case has been evaluated. To enable effective application of natural analogue information to the overall evaluation of long-term safety (the 'safety case') for the geological disposal of radioactive wastes, a natural analogue database has been developed by collecting, classifying, and evaluating relevant data. The natural analogue data collected were classified into categories based on site information, components/processes of the disposal system, properties/phenomena, reference, safety case application, application method, and suitability to a safety case. Suitability of the natural analogue data to a specific safety case was evaluated based upon the importance and the applicability to the Korean safety case. As a result, 75 natural analogue datasets were selected as important for the Korean safety case. The database developed can now be utilized in the RD and D (Research, Development, and Demonstration) program development for natural analogue studies. In addition, the methodology developed and the database compiled in this study may assist in the development of safety case including safety assessment for high-level radioactive waste disposal in Korea as well as in other countries. (authors)

  12. Development of a natural analogue database to support the safety case of the Korean radioactive waste disposal program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baik, M.H.; Park, T.J.; Kim, I.Y.; Jeong, J. [Korea Atomic Research Institute, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, K.W. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    In this study, the status of natural analogue studies in Korea is briefly summarized and applicability of existing natural analogue information to the Korean safety case has been evaluated. To enable effective application of natural analogue information to the overall evaluation of long-term safety (the 'safety case') for the geological disposal of radioactive wastes, a natural analogue database has been developed by collecting, classifying, and evaluating relevant data. The natural analogue data collected were classified into categories based on site information, components/processes of the disposal system, properties/phenomena, reference, safety case application, application method, and suitability to a safety case. Suitability of the natural analogue data to a specific safety case was evaluated based upon the importance and the applicability to the Korean safety case. As a result, 75 natural analogue datasets were selected as important for the Korean safety case. The database developed can now be utilized in the RD and D (Research, Development, and Demonstration) program development for natural analogue studies. In addition, the methodology developed and the database compiled in this study may assist in the development of safety case including safety assessment for high-level radioactive waste disposal in Korea as well as in other countries. (authors)

  13. Monitoring antimalarial safety and tolerability in clinical trials: A case study from Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mpimbaza Arthur

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background New antimalarial regimens, including artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs, have been adopted widely as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. Although these drugs appear to be safe and well-tolerated, experience with their use in Africa is limited and continued assessment of safety is a priority. However, no standardized guidelines for evaluating drug safety and tolerability in malaria studies exist. A system for monitoring adverse events in antimalarial trials conducted in Uganda was developed. Here the reporting system is described, and difficulties faced in analysing and interpreting the safety results are illustrated, using data from the trials. Case description Between 2002 and 2007, eleven randomized, controlled clinical trials were conducted to compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of different antimalarial regimens for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Uganda. The approach to adverse event monitoring was similar in all studies. A total of 5,614 treatments were evaluated in 4,876 patients. Differences in baseline characteristics and patterns of adverse event reporting were noted between the sites, which limited the ability to pool and analyse data. Clinical failure following antimalarial treatment confounded associations between treatment and adverse events that were also common symptoms of malaria, particularly in areas of lower transmission intensity. Discussion and evaluation Despite prospectively evaluating for adverse events, limitations in the monitoring system were identified. New standardized guidelines for monitoring safety and tolerability in antimalarial trials are needed, which should address how to detect events of greatest importance, including serious events, those with a causal relationship to the treatment, those which impact on adherence, and events not previously reported. Conclusion Although the World Health Organization has supported the development of

  14. Making the Postclosure Safety Case for the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    P. Swift; A.V. Luik

    2006-08-28

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in its advisory standard for geological repositories promulgated jointly with the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, explicitly distinguishes between the concepts of a safety case and a safety assessment. As defined in the advisory standard, the safety case is a broader set of arguments that provide confidence and substantiate the formal analyses of system safety made through the process of safety assessment. Although the IAEAYs definitions include both preclosure (i.e., operational) safety and post-closure performance in the overall safety assessment and safety case, the emphasis in here is on long-term performance after waste has been emplaced and the repository has been closed. This distinction between pre- and postclosure aspects of the repository is consistent with the U.S. regulatory framework defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Chapter 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 197, or 40 CFR 197) [2] and implemented by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Chapter 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 63, or 10 CFR 63) [3]. The separation of the pre- and postclosure safety cases is also consistent with the way in which the U.S. Department of Energy has assigned responsibilities for developing the safety case. Bechtel SAIC Company is the Management and Operating contractor responsible for the design and operation of the Yucca Mountain facility and is therefore responsible for the preparation of the preclosure aspects of the safety case. Sandia National Laboratories has lead responsibility for scientific work evaluating post-closure performance, and therefore is responsible for developing the post-closure aspects of the safety case. In the context of the IAEA definitions, both preclosure and postclosure safety, including safety assessment and the safety case, will be documented in the license application being prepared for the

  15. Making the Postclosure Safety Case for the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    P. Swift; A.V. Luik

    2006-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in its advisory standard for geological repositories promulgated jointly with the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, explicitly distinguishes between the concepts of a safety case and a safety assessment. As defined in the advisory standard, the safety case is a broader set of arguments that provide confidence and substantiate the formal analyses of system safety made through the process of safety assessment. Although the IAEAYs definitions include both preclosure (i.e., operational) safety and post-closure performance in the overall safety assessment and safety case, the emphasis in here is on long-term performance after waste has been emplaced and the repository has been closed. This distinction between pre- and postclosure aspects of the repository is consistent with the U.S. regulatory framework defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Chapter 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 197, or 40 CFR 197) [2] and implemented by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Chapter 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 63, or 10 CFR 63) [3]. The separation of the pre- and postclosure safety cases is also consistent with the way in which the U.S. Department of Energy has assigned responsibilities for developing the safety case. Bechtel SAIC Company is the Management and Operating contractor responsible for the design and operation of the Yucca Mountain facility and is therefore responsible for the preparation of the preclosure aspects of the safety case. Sandia National Laboratories has lead responsibility for scientific work evaluating post-closure performance, and therefore is responsible for developing the post-closure aspects of the safety case. In the context of the IAEA definitions, both preclosure and postclosure safety, including safety assessment and the safety case, will be documented in the license application being prepared for the

  16. Case Study on Influence Factor Trend Analysis of the Accidents and Events of Nuclear Power Plants by applying Nuclear Safety Culture Framework

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, J. Y.; Park, Y. W.; Park, H.G.

    2016-01-01

    This study 1) established the standard based on frameworks of safety culture principles that show safety culture promotion goals, 2) analyzed the linkages with the frameworks that were established by analyzing each incident cause and weak point from selected 268 cases(rating over INES grade 1) among 4,088 cases (as of April 1, 2015). The 4,088 cases were selected as a result of database analysis from 702 accidents recorded in accident and rating evaluation reports that were published in the National Nuclear Safety Commission and overseas IRS (International Reporting System for operating Experience), and 3) finally conducted a trend analysis studies with these comprehensive results. From the investigations, followings were concluded. 1) In order to analyze the safety culture, analysis methodology is required. 2) Analytical methodology for building sustainable safety culture promoting a virtuous cycle system was developed 3) Among variety of process input data, 970 domestic and overseas incidents were selected as targets and 502 accidents were classified as safety culture related events by utilizing screen filter of IAEA GS-G-3.5 Appendix I and Framework (Nuclear Safety Culture Base Frame) developed by BEES, Inc. for safety culture analysis method. 4) As a result, complex safety culture influence factors for the one reason which was difficult to separate by conventional methods was able to be analyzed. 5) The cumulative data through the system was results of virtuous trend analysis rather than temporary results. Thus, it could be unique cultural factors of the domestic industry and could derive trend differences for domestic safety culture factors accordingly

  17. Case Study on Influence Factor Trend Analysis of the Accidents and Events of Nuclear Power Plants by applying Nuclear Safety Culture Framework

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J. Y.; Park, Y. W.; Park, H.G. [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    This study 1) established the standard based on frameworks of safety culture principles that show safety culture promotion goals, 2) analyzed the linkages with the frameworks that were established by analyzing each incident cause and weak point from selected 268 cases(rating over INES grade 1) among 4,088 cases (as of April 1, 2015). The 4,088 cases were selected as a result of database analysis from 702 accidents recorded in accident and rating evaluation reports that were published in the National Nuclear Safety Commission and overseas IRS (International Reporting System for operating Experience), and 3) finally conducted a trend analysis studies with these comprehensive results. From the investigations, followings were concluded. 1) In order to analyze the safety culture, analysis methodology is required. 2) Analytical methodology for building sustainable safety culture promoting a virtuous cycle system was developed 3) Among variety of process input data, 970 domestic and overseas incidents were selected as targets and 502 accidents were classified as safety culture related events by utilizing screen filter of IAEA GS-G-3.5 Appendix I and Framework (Nuclear Safety Culture Base Frame) developed by BEES, Inc. for safety culture analysis method. 4) As a result, complex safety culture influence factors for the one reason which was difficult to separate by conventional methods was able to be analyzed. 5) The cumulative data through the system was results of virtuous trend analysis rather than temporary results. Thus, it could be unique cultural factors of the domestic industry and could derive trend differences for domestic safety culture factors accordingly.

  18. The development of safety cases for healthcare services: Practical experiences, opportunities and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sujan, Mark; Spurgeon, Peter; Cooke, Matthew; Weale, Andy; Debenham, Philip; Cross, Steve

    2015-01-01

    There has been growing interest in the concept of safety cases for medical devices and health information technology, but questions remain about how safety cases can be developed and used meaningfully in the safety management of healthcare services and processes. The paper presents two examples of the development and use of safety cases at a service level in healthcare. These first practical experiences at the service level suggest that safety cases might be a useful tool to support service improvement and communication of safety in healthcare. The paper argues that safety cases might be helpful in supporting healthcare organisations with the adoption of proactive and rigorous safety management practices. However, it is also important to consider the different level of maturity of safety management and regulatory oversight in healthcare. Adaptations to the purpose and use of safety cases might be required, complemented by the provision of education to both practitioners and regulators. - Highlights: • Empirical description of safety case development at service level in healthcare. • Safety cases can support adoption of proactive and rigorous safety management. • Adaptation to purpose and use of safety cases might be required in healthcare. • Education should be provided to practitioners and regulators

  19. Safety distance assessment of industrial toxic releases based on frequency and consequence: A case study in Shanghai, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Q.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, X.; Ma, W.C.; Chen, L.M.

    2009-01-01

    A case study on the safety distance assessment of a chemical industry park in Shanghai, China, is presented in this paper. Toxic releases were taken into consideration. A safety criterion based on frequency and consequence of major hazard accidents was set up for consequence analysis. The exposure limits for the accidents with the frequency of more than 10 -4 , 10 -5 -10 -4 and 10 -6 -10 -5 per year were mortalities of 1% (or SLOT), 50% (SLOD) and 75% (twice of SLOD) respectively. Accidents with the frequency of less than 10 -6 per year were considered incredible and ignored in the consequence analysis. Taking the safety distance of all the hazard installations in a chemical plant into consideration, the results based on the new criterion were almost smaller than those based on LC50 or SLOD. The combination of the consequence and risk based results indicated that the hazard installations in two of the chemical plants may be dangerous to the protection targets and measurements had to be taken to reduce the risk. The case study showed that taking account of the frequency of occurrence in the consequence analysis would give more feasible safety distances for major hazard accidents and the results were more comparable to those calculated by risk assessment.

  20. Safety benefits from CANDU reactor replacement - a case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mottram, R.; Millard, J.W.F.; Purdy, P.

    2011-01-01

    Both total core replacement and core retubing have been used in the CANDU industry. For future plant refurbishments, based on experience both in new construction and in recent refurbishments, the concept of total core replacement has been revisited. This builds on practices for replacement of other large plant equipment like boilers. The Bruce CANDU reactors, with their local shield tanks built around the Calandria and containment closely located around that Calandria Shield Tank Assembly (CSTA), are believed to be good candidates for core replacement. A structured process was used to design a replacement CSTA suitable for Bruce A use. The work started with a study of opportunities for safety enhancements in the core. This progressed into design studies and related design assist safety analysis on the reactor. A key element of the work involved consideration of how verified features from later CANDU designs, and from our new reactor design work, could be tailored to fit this replacement core. The replacement reactor core brings in structural improvements in both calandria and end shield, and safety improvements like the natural circulation enhancing moderator cooling layout and further optimized reactivity layouts to improve shutdown system performance. Bruce Power are currently studying the business implications of this and retube techniques as part of preparation for future refurbishments. The work explained in this paper is in the context of the safety related changes and the work to choose and quantify them. (author)

  1. Safety benefits from CANDU reactor replacement. A case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mottram, R.; Millard, J.W.F.; Purdy, P.

    2011-01-01

    Both total core replacement and core retubing have been used in the CANDU industry. For future plant refurbishments, based on experience both in new construction and in recent refurbishments, the concept of total core replacement has been revisited. This builds on practices for replacement of other large plant equipment like boilers. The Bruce CANDU reactors, with their local shield tanks built around the Calandria and containment closely located around that Calandria Shield Tank Assembly (CSTA), are believed to be good candidates for core replacement. A structured process was used to design a replacement CSTA suitable for Bruce A use. The work started with a study of opportunities for safety enhancements in the core. This progressed into design studies and related design assist safety analysis on the reactor. A key element of the work involved consideration of how verified features from later CANDU designs, and from our new reactor design work, could be tailored to fit this replacement core. The replacement reactor core brings in structural improvements in both calandria and end shield, and safety improvements like the natural circulation enhancing moderator cooling layout and further optimized reactivity layouts to improve shutdown system performance. Bruce Power are currently studying the business implications of this and retube techniques as part of preparation for future refurbishments. The work explained in this paper is in the context of the safety related changes and the work to choose and quantify them. (author)

  2. Stakeholder involvement in building and maintaining radiation safety infrastructure in Latvia: The case studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eglajs, A.; Salmins, A.

    2003-01-01

    This paper comprises the assessment of interests for central and local governments, different authorities, public and commercial companies, political parties and non-governmental organizations, organised and ad-hock groups of public, which could contribute to development and maintenance of infrastructure for radiation safety, general environmental protection, as well as for public health among other similar fields. Understanding of these interests allows to be prepared for eventual demonstrations or publications against decisions about significant modifications of infrastructure and provides ideas how to explain needs of financial and human resources for maintaining of supervisory system and management of major facilities, which are vital for safety infrastructure. Two case studies are presented in this report related to modification of the framework law and the preparation of radioactive waste management strategy. (author)

  3. [Case-non case studies: Principles, methods, bias and interpretation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faillie, Jean-Luc

    2017-10-31

    Case-non case studies belongs to the methods assessing drug safety by analyzing the disproportionality of notifications of adverse drug reactions in pharmacovigilance databases. Used for the first time in the 1980s, the last few decades have seen a significant increase in the use of this design. The principle of the case-non case study is to compare drug exposure in cases of a studied adverse reaction with that of cases of other reported adverse reactions and called "non cases". Results are presented in the form of a reporting odds ratio (ROR), the interpretation of which makes it possible to identify drug safety signals. This article describes the principle of the case-non case study, the method of calculating the ROR and its confidence interval, the different modalities of analysis and how to interpret its results with regard to the advantages and limitations of this design. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Towards a Formal Basis for Modular Safety Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh

    2015-01-01

    Safety assurance using argument-based safety cases is an accepted best-practice in many safety-critical sectors. Goal Structuring Notation (GSN), which is widely used for presenting safety arguments graphically, provides a notion of modular arguments to support the goal of incremental certification. Despite the efforts at standardization, GSN remains an informal notation whereas the GSN standard contains appreciable ambiguity especially concerning modular extensions. This, in turn, presents challenges when developing tools and methods to intelligently manipulate modular GSN arguments. This paper develops the elements of a theory of modular safety cases, leveraging our previous work on formalizing GSN arguments. Using example argument structures we highlight some ambiguities arising through the existing guidance, present the intuition underlying the theory, clarify syntax, and address modular arguments, contracts, well-formedness and well-scopedness of modules. Based on this theory, we have a preliminary implementation of modular arguments in our toolset, AdvoCATE.

  5. The Effect of Safety Costs on Productivity and Quality: A Case Study of Five Steel Companies in Ahvaz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholamabbas Shirali

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background The implementation of a safety program is one of the most effective factors in increasing productivity. A look to safety from the perspective of efficiency can indicate necessary investment in safety for all, especially the managers of companies. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of safety costs on some indicators of productivity and quality in industrial companies. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis and was implemented in five steel companies in Ahvaz. The data relating to the safety costs such as staffing costs and total safety costs, and productivity and quality indicators were collected in five years. This information and data were collected according to statistics from documents and archives of safety, accounting, and production sectors of companies. Costs as well as numbers and figures of variables were expressed in the form of per capita and percentage to make the data comparable. Linear and generalized regression models and Wald Chi-Square test were used by the SPSS 22 software to determine the relationships between them. Results Safety costs such as capita labor safety costs and capita total safety costs or percentage safety labor costs to labor costs, showed a significant positive effect on labor productivity, labor competitiveness, total factor productivity, quality index and production rates (in some cases, P = 0.001. Conclusions The total safety cost and safety labor compensation generally, regardless of the nature and quality of the safety management system, can impact productivity, quality and quantity of production in addition to other factors of production. Surely if safety programs are targeted and codified, the effect of the investment will be doubled.

  6. On safety management and nuclear safety - A frame of reference for studies of safety management with examples from non-nuclear contects of relevance for nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svenson, O.; Allwin, P.; Salo, I.

    2004-03-01

    The report includes three case studies of safety management. The studies are presented as chapters, but are written in a format that makes them easy to read separately. Two of the studies cover regulators (the Swedish Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Luftfartsinspektionen) and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate) and one a regulated activity/industry (a car manufacturer, Volvo Car). The introduction outlines a living system framework and relates this to concepts used in organizational management. The report concludes with some findings with potential relevance for safety management in the nuclear power domain. In the next phase of the work, the regulated counterparts of the regulators here will be investigated in addition to a fourth case study of a regulated activity/industry. (au)

  7. Scientific basis for a safety case of deep geological repositories

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noseck, Ulrich; Becker, Dirk-Alexander; Brasser, Thomas [and others

    2012-11-15

    Within this project strategies and methods to build a safety case for deep geological repositories are further developed. This includes also the scientific fundamentals as a basis of the safety case. In the international framework the methodology of the Safety Case is frequently applied and continuously improved. According to definitions from IAEA and NEA the Safety Case is a compilation of arguments and facts, which describe, quantify and support the safety and the degree of confidence in the safety of the geological repository. The safety of the geological repository should be demonstrated by the safety case. The safety case is the basis for essential decisions during a repository programme. It comprises the results of safety assessments in combination with additional information like multiple lines of evidence and a discussion of robustness and quality of the repository, its design and the quality of all safety assessments including the basic assumptions. A crucial element of the Safety Case is the long-term safety analysis, i.e. the systematic analysis of the hazards connected with the facility and the capability of site and repository design to ensure the required safety functions and to fulfill the technical claims. Long-term safety analysis requires a powerful and qualified programme package, which contains appropriate hardware and software as well as well trained and experienced modellers performing the model calculations. The calculation tools used within safety cases need to be checked and verified and continuously adapted to the state-of-the-art science and technology. Especially it needs to be applicable to a real repository system. For the assessment of safety a deep process understanding is necessary. The R and D work performed within this project will contribute to the improvement of process and system understanding as well as to the further development of methods and strategies applied in the safety case. Emphasis was put on the following aspects

  8. Scientific basis for a safety case of deep geological repositories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noseck, Ulrich; Becker, Dirk-Alexander; Brasser, Thomas

    2012-11-01

    Within this project strategies and methods to build a safety case for deep geological repositories are further developed. This includes also the scientific fundamentals as a basis of the safety case. In the international framework the methodology of the Safety Case is frequently applied and continuously improved. According to definitions from IAEA and NEA the Safety Case is a compilation of arguments and facts, which describe, quantify and support the safety and the degree of confidence in the safety of the geological repository. The safety of the geological repository should be demonstrated by the safety case. The safety case is the basis for essential decisions during a repository programme. It comprises the results of safety assessments in combination with additional information like multiple lines of evidence and a discussion of robustness and quality of the repository, its design and the quality of all safety assessments including the basic assumptions. A crucial element of the Safety Case is the long-term safety analysis, i.e. the systematic analysis of the hazards connected with the facility and the capability of site and repository design to ensure the required safety functions and to fulfill the technical claims. Long-term safety analysis requires a powerful and qualified programme package, which contains appropriate hardware and software as well as well trained and experienced modellers performing the model calculations. The calculation tools used within safety cases need to be checked and verified and continuously adapted to the state-of-the-art science and technology. Especially it needs to be applicable to a real repository system. For the assessment of safety a deep process understanding is necessary. The R and D work performed within this project will contribute to the improvement of process and system understanding as well as to the further development of methods and strategies applied in the safety case. Emphasis was put on the following aspects

  9. Safety studies on Korean fusion DEMO plant using integrated safety assessment methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Kyemin; Kang, Myoung-suk; Heo, Gyunyoung; Kim, Hyoung-chan

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •The purpose of this paper is to suggest methodology that can investigate safety issues and provides a case study for Korean fusion DEMO plant. •The concepts of integrated safety assessment methodology (ISAM) that can be applied in addressing regulatory requirements and recognizing safety issues for K-DEMO were emphasized. •Phenomena identification and ranking table (PIRT) was proposed. It can recognize vulnerabilities of systems and identify the gaps in technical areas requiring additional researches. •This work is expected to contribute on the conceptual design of safety features for K-DEMO to design engineers and the guidance for regulatory requirements to licensers. -- Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to suggest methodology that can investigate safety issues and provides a case study for Korean fusion DEMO plant (K-DEMO) as a part of R and D program through the National Fusion Research Institute of Korea. Even though nuclear regulation and licensing framework is well setup due to the operating and design experience of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) since 1970s, the regulatory authority of South Korea has concerns on the challenge of facing new nuclear facilities including K-DEMO due to the differences in systems, materials, and inherent safety feature from conventional PWRs. Even though the follow-up of the ITER license process facilitates to deal with significant safety issues of fusion facilities, a licensee as well as a licenser should identify the gaps between ITER and DEMO in terms of safety issues. First we reviewed the methods of conducting safety analysis for unprecedented nuclear facilities such as Generation IV reactors, particularly very high temperature reactor (VHTR), which is called as integrated safety assessment methodology (ISAM). Second, the analysis for the conceptual design of K-DEMO on the basis of ISAM was conducted. The ISAM consists of five analytical tools to develop the safety requirements from licensee

  10. Safety studies on Korean fusion DEMO plant using integrated safety assessment methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Kyemin; Kang, Myoung-suk [Kyung Hee University, Youngin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Gyunyoung, E-mail: gheo@khu.ac.kr [Kyung Hee University, Youngin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyoung-chan [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon-si 305-333 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: •The purpose of this paper is to suggest methodology that can investigate safety issues and provides a case study for Korean fusion DEMO plant. •The concepts of integrated safety assessment methodology (ISAM) that can be applied in addressing regulatory requirements and recognizing safety issues for K-DEMO were emphasized. •Phenomena identification and ranking table (PIRT) was proposed. It can recognize vulnerabilities of systems and identify the gaps in technical areas requiring additional researches. •This work is expected to contribute on the conceptual design of safety features for K-DEMO to design engineers and the guidance for regulatory requirements to licensers. -- Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to suggest methodology that can investigate safety issues and provides a case study for Korean fusion DEMO plant (K-DEMO) as a part of R and D program through the National Fusion Research Institute of Korea. Even though nuclear regulation and licensing framework is well setup due to the operating and design experience of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) since 1970s, the regulatory authority of South Korea has concerns on the challenge of facing new nuclear facilities including K-DEMO due to the differences in systems, materials, and inherent safety feature from conventional PWRs. Even though the follow-up of the ITER license process facilitates to deal with significant safety issues of fusion facilities, a licensee as well as a licenser should identify the gaps between ITER and DEMO in terms of safety issues. First we reviewed the methods of conducting safety analysis for unprecedented nuclear facilities such as Generation IV reactors, particularly very high temperature reactor (VHTR), which is called as integrated safety assessment methodology (ISAM). Second, the analysis for the conceptual design of K-DEMO on the basis of ISAM was conducted. The ISAM consists of five analytical tools to develop the safety requirements from licensee

  11. Performance Evaluation and Analysis of Rural Drinking Water Safety Project——A Case Study in Jiangsu, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Xiaorong

    2017-04-01

    Water is the basic condition for human survival and development. As China is the most populous country, rural drinking water safety problems are most conspicuous. Therefore, the Chinese government keeps increasing investment and has built a large number of rural drinking water safety projects. Scientific evaluation of project performance is of great significance to promote the sustainable operation of the project and the sustainable development of rural economy. Previous studies mainly focus on the economic benefits of the project, while ignoring the fact that the rural drinking water safety project is quasi-public goods, which has economic, social and ecological benefits. This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation model for rural drinking water safety performance, which adapts the rules of "5E" (economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity and environment) as the value orientation, and selects a rural drinking water safety project as object in case study at K District, which is in the north of Jiangsu Province, China. The results shows: 1) the comprehensive performance of K project is in good condition; 2) The performance of every part shows that the scores of criteria "efficiency", "environment" and "effect" are higher than the mean performance, while the "economy" is slightly lower than the mean and the "equity" is the lowest. 3) The performance of indicator layer shows that: the planned completion rate of project, the reduction rate of project cost and the penetration rate of water-use population are significantly lower than other indicators. Based on the achievements of previous studies and the characteristics of rural drinking water safety project, this study integrates the evaluation dimensions of equity and environment, which can contribute to a more comprehensive and systematic assessment of project performance and provide empirical data for performance evaluation and management of rural drinking water safety project. Key Words: Rural drinking water

  12. Using Space Syntax to Assess Safety in Public Areas - Case Study of Tarbiat Pedestrian Area, Tabriz-Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cihangir Çamur, Kübra; Roshani, Mehdi; Pirouzi, Sania

    2017-10-01

    In studying the urban complex issues, simulation and modelling of public space use considerably helps in determining and measuring factors such as urban safety. Depth map software for determining parameters of the spatial layout techniques; and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for analysing and evaluating the views of the pedestrians on public safety were used in this study. Connectivity, integration, and depth of the area in the Tarbiat city blocks were measured using the Space Syntax Method, and these parameters are presented as graphical and mathematical data. The combination of the results obtained from the questionnaire and statistical analysis with the results of spatial arrangement technique represents the appropriate and inappropriate spaces for pedestrians. This method provides a useful and effective instrument for decision makers, planners, urban designers and programmers in order to evaluate public spaces in the city. Prior to physical modification of urban public spaces, space syntax simulates the pedestrian safety to be used as an analytical tool by the city management. Finally, regarding the modelled parameters and identification of different characteristics of the case, this study represents the strategies and policies in order to increase the safety of the pedestrians of Tarbiat in Tabriz.

  13. Case study of physician leaders in quality and patient safety, and the development of a physician leadership network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, Chris; Yousefi, Vandad; Wallington, Tamara; Ginzburg, Amir

    2010-01-01

    There is increasing recognition of the need for physician leadership in quality and patient safety, and emerging evidence that physician leadership contributes to improved care. Hospitals are beginning to establish physician leader positions; however, there is little guidance on how to define these roles and the strategies physician leaders can use toward improving care. This case study examines the roles of four physician leaders, describes their contribution to the design and implementation of hospital quality and patient safety agendas and discusses the creation of a physician network to support these activities. The positions were established between July 2006 and April 2009. All are corporate roles with varying reporting and accountability structures. The physician leads are involved in strategic planning, identifying and leading quality and safety initiatives, physician engagement and culture change. All have significantly contributed to the implementation of hospital improvement activities and are seen as influential among their peers as resources and mentors for local project success. Despite their accomplishments, these physician leads have been challenged by ambiguous role descriptions and difficulty identifying effective improvement strategies. As such, an expanding physician network was created with the goal of sharing approaches and tools and creating new strategies. Physician leaders are an important factor in the improvement of safety and quality within hospitals. This case study provides a template for the creation of such positions and highlights the importance of networking as an effective strategy for improving local care and advancing professional development of physician leaders in quality and patient safety.

  14. Recent Cases: Administrative Law--Occupational Safety and Health Act

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvard Law Review, 1976

    1976-01-01

    Implications of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 are described in two cases: Brennan v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (Underhill Construction Corp.), and Anning-Johnson Co. v. United States Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. (LBH)

  15. Nordic studies in reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pershagen, N.

    1993-01-01

    The Nordic Nuclear Safety Research Programme SIK programme in reactor safety is part of a major joint Nordic research effort in nuclear safety. The report summarizes the achievements of the SIK programme, which was carried out during 1990-1993 in collaboration between Nordic nuclear utilities, safety authorities, and research institutes. Three main projects were successfully completed dealing with: 1) development and application of a living PSA concept for monitoring the risk of core damage, and of safety indicators for early warning of possible safety problems; 2) review and intercomparison of severe accident codes, case studies of potential core melt accidents in nordic reactors, development of chemical models for the MAAP code, and outline of a system for computerized accident management support; 3) compilation of information about design and safety features of neighbouring reactors in Germany, Lithuania and Russia, and for naval reactors and nuclear submarines. The report reviews the state-of-the-art in each subject matter as an introduction to the individual project summaries. The main findings of each project are highlighted. The report also contains an overview of reactor safety research in the Nordic countries and a summary of fundamental reactor safety principles. (au) (69 refs.)

  16. Diesel oil safety stock in storage and distribution terminals: a case study: Porto Velho/Rio, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freitas, Rubens C. [Agencia Nacional do Petroleo, Gas Natural e Biocombustiveis (ANP), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); D' agosto, Marcio A. [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil)

    2012-07-01

    This paper presents a methodology for calculating diesel oil safety stock in distributor terminals located in the northern of Brazil, applied on a case study for terminals in the state of Rondonia. From the mapping of logistic flows related to transport and storage of diesel oil, the risk factors that cause uncertainties in lead time were analyzed and quantified. Through a research conducted among economic agents (producers, distributors and carriers) operating in the region, it was measured the relevance and impact of risk factors on the safety stock in the terminals. The safety stock was calculated by the classical equation of inventories, as well as by the methodology proposed in this paper. The difference between the two methods has unveiled inefficiencies derived from uncertainties in lead time. Recommendations of actions to mitigate the risk factors are included at the end of this paper. (author)

  17. Safety certification of airborne software: An empirical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodd, Ian; Habli, Ibrahim

    2012-01-01

    Many safety-critical aircraft functions are software-enabled. Airborne software must be audited and approved by the aerospace certification authorities prior to deployment. The auditing process is time-consuming, and its outcome is unpredictable, due to the criticality and complex nature of airborne software. To ensure that the engineering of airborne software is systematically regulated and is auditable, certification authorities mandate compliance with safety standards that detail industrial best practice. This paper reviews existing practices in software safety certification. It also explores how software safety audits are performed in the civil aerospace domain. The paper then proposes a statistical method for supporting software safety audits by collecting and analysing data about the software throughout its lifecycle. This method is then empirically evaluated through an industrial case study based on data collected from 9 aerospace projects covering 58 software releases. The results of this case study show that our proposed method can help the certification authorities and the software and safety engineers to gain confidence in the certification readiness of airborne software and predict the likely outcome of the audits. The results also highlight some confidentiality issues concerning the management and retention of sensitive data generated from safety-critical projects.

  18. Definition of the OPERA safety case for radioactive waste disposal in the Netherlands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hart, Jaap; Wildenborg, Ton; Davis, Paul; Becker, Dirk-Alexander; Verhoef, Ewoud

    2014-01-01

    This paper first gives a short introduction on OPERA, the current Dutch five-year research programme on disposal of radioactive waste. It then zooms in on OPERA WP (Work Package) 2 Safety Case - the OSCAR project, and presents (preliminary) results on the structure of the OPERA safety case, the subject of safety statements, and the OPERA safety assessment methodology. The structure of the initial long-term, post-closure safety case for a disposal facility for radioactive waste in Boom Clay in the Netherlands is being developed in the OSCAR project. Hereto a selection of relevant national and international efforts concerning the set-up of a safety case for geological disposal of radioactive waste (safety case structure, safety assessment methodology, FEP database) has been reviewed considering the objectives and outlines of the OPERA programme described in the OPERA research plan. Not surprisingly, it turned out that the guidelines and databases of the IAEA and NEA developed by the international community pretty well covered all aspects of nationally developed safety cases. Although in OPERA only 'initial and conditional' safety cases (for disposal in low permeable clay and rock salt) will be developed, the programme objective is detailing a first road-map for the long-term research on geological disposal of radioactive waste in the Netherlands. The safety case being developed will serve as a basis for the further development of the subsequent stages of the Dutch radioactive waste disposal programme. The focus of OSCAR is, therefore, to develop and propose a 'future proof' structure for the safety case, drawing on the NEA and IAEA/PRISM methodologies. The OPERA safety case structure being developed will encompass all relevant aspects, or components, of a modern safety case and will link the different components in a practical and transparent way. It will assist in steering the flow of information generated within the different OPERA and as such provide a structured

  19. Managing sidewalk pavement maintenance: A case study to increase pedestrian safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Vittoria Corazza

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Comfort is a major requirement in planning pedestrian facilities. Pedestrians walk where they feel comfortable and when they do not feel at ease, they walk elsewhere. A typical example is that filthy, distressed, or too narrow sidewalks induce pedestrians to walk on carriageways. This behaviour jeopardizes road safety and highly dangerous to most users, leave them vulnerable. Unsuitable pavements can be the result of irregular maintenance operations to restore evenness after shock damage, weather phenomena, installation of equipment (e.g., posts, fences, urban furniture with a reduction of walkable surface, or substandard repair work on pavements and patches due to emergency operations. These problems can be solved with an appropriate maintenance management system, which optimizes financial resources to make smart decisions about how to intervene with an adequate and lasting maintenance operation. This paper defines an evaluation index for sidewalk conditions as a part of an efficient set-up of a Sidewalk Management System, which is similar to the better known Road Management System. The study relies on surveys, as well as the classification and analysis of sidewalk distresses. The authors adapted an index already standardized by ASTM for roads and airports: the Pavement Condition Index (PCI. PCI has been modified to consider the specific types on the sidewalks studied within this paper. To validate the method, a case study of a residential district in Rome, Italy, was carried out. The chosen area lacks regular maintenance and has therefore resulted in a network of unsafe sidewalks. Frequent detour routes were surveyed and related to the level of distresses within a general assessment of safety. This study concentrates on sidewalks with flexible pavements because this type of pavement is the only one adopted in the survey areas and, in general, throughout Italy.

  20. Contractors’ Attitude towards Enhancing Safety Performance: Case Study on Construction Firms in Penang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulang N. Md

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A qualitative study was conducted to investigate the contractors’ attitude towards enhancing the safety performance in construction site. Despite the fact that there are many safety initiatives established by the government, the rates of accidents are still in a critically high condition. Thus the purpose of this research is to study the contractors’ attitude towards enhancing the implementation of safety management system in construction site in order to increase the safety awareness of construction practitioners in construction site and improve the safety condition of construction sites. This study is conducted through oral interviews with the construction practitioners, and visual inspection of construction sites. The attitudes of contractors are evaluated from 3 aspects: Contractors’ efforts in implement and enforce the safety rules, Contractors efforts in overcoming the rate of accidents, and Reasons given by the contractors for not implement safety law.

  1. Sun Safety at Work Canada: a multiple case-study protocol to develop sun safety and heat protection programs and policies for outdoor workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, Desre M; Tenkate, Thomas; Strahlendorf, Peter; Kushner, Rivka; Gardner, Audrey; Holness, D Linn

    2015-07-10

    CAREX Canada has identified solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) as the second most prominent carcinogenic exposure in Canada, and over 75 % of Canadian outdoor workers fall within the highest exposure category. Heat stress also presents an important public health issue, particularly for outdoor workers. The most serious form of heat stress is heat stroke, which can cause irreversible damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Although the need for sun and heat protection has been identified, there is no Canada-wide heat and sun safety program for outdoor workers. Further, no prevention programs have addressed both skin cancer prevention and heat stress in an integrated approach. The aim of this partnered study is to evaluate whether a multi-implementation, multi-evaluation approach can help develop sustainable workplace-specific programs, policies, and procedures to increase the use of UV safety and heat protection. This 2-year study is a theory-driven, multi-site, non-randomized study design with a cross-case analysis of 13 workplaces across four provinces in Canada. The first phase of the study includes the development of workplace-specific programs with the support of the intensive engagement of knowledge brokers. There will be a three-points-in-time evaluation with process and impact components involving the occupational health and safety (OHS) director, management, and workers with the goal of measuring changes in workplace policies, procedures, and practices. It will use mixed methods involving semi-structured key informant interviews, focus groups, surveys, site observations, and UV dosimetry assessment. Using the findings from phase I, in phase 2, a web-based, interactive, intervention planning tool for workplaces will be developed, as will the intensive engagement of intermediaries such as industry decision-makers to link to policymakers about the importance of heat and sun safety for outdoor workers. Solar UV and heat are both health and safety hazards

  2. Evolution of a holistic systems approach to planning and managing road safety: the Victorian case study, 1970-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir, Carlyn; Johnston, Ian R; Howard, Eric

    2018-06-01

    The Victorian Safe System approach to road safety slowly evolved from a combination of the Swedish Vision Zero philosophy and the Sustainable Safety model developed by the Dutch. The Safe System approach reframes the way in which road safety is viewed and managed. This paper presents a case study of the institutional change required to underpin the transformation to a holistic approach to planning and managing road safety in Victoria, Australia. The adoption and implementation of a Safe System approach require strong institutional leadership and close cooperation among all the key agencies involved, and Victoria was fortunate in that it had a long history of strong interagency mechanisms in place. However, the challenges in the implementation of the Safe System strategy in Victoria are generally neither technical nor scientific; they are predominantly social and political. While many governments purport to develop strategies based on Safe System thinking, on-the-ground action still very much depends on what politicians perceive to be publicly acceptable, and Victoria is no exception. This is a case study of the complexity of institutional change and is presented in the hope that the lessons may prove useful for others seeking to adopt more holistic planning and management of road safety. There is still much work to be done in Victoria, but the institutional cultural shift has taken root. Ongoing efforts must be continued to achieve alert and compliant road users; however, major underpinning benefits will be achieved through focusing on road network safety improvements (achieving forgiving infrastructure, such as wire rope barriers) in conjunction with reviews of posted speed limits (to be set in response to the level of protection offered by the road infrastructure) and by the progressive introduction into the fleet of modern vehicle safety features. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights

  3. Integrating evidence-based practices for increasing cancer screenings in safety net health systems: a multiple case study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Shuting; Kegler, Michelle C; Cotter, Megan; Emily, Phillips; Beasley, Derrick; Hermstad, April; Morton, Rentonia; Martinez, Jeremy; Riehman, Kara

    2016-08-02

    Implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) to increase cancer screenings in safety net primary care systems has great potential for reducing cancer disparities. Yet there is a gap in understanding the factors and mechanisms that influence EBP implementation within these high-priority systems. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), our study aims to fill this gap with a multiple case study of health care safety net systems that were funded by an American Cancer Society (ACS) grants program to increase breast and colorectal cancer screening rates. The initiative funded 68 safety net systems to increase cancer screening through implementation of evidence-based provider and client-oriented strategies. Data are from a mixed-methods evaluation with nine purposively selected safety net systems. Fifty-two interviews were conducted with project leaders, implementers, and ACS staff. Funded safety net systems were categorized into high-, medium-, and low-performing cases based on the level of EBP implementation. Within- and cross-case analyses were performed to identify CFIR constructs that influenced level of EBP implementation. Of 39 CFIR constructs examined, six distinguished levels of implementation. Two constructs were from the intervention characteristics domain: adaptability and trialability. Three were from the inner setting domain: leadership engagement, tension for change, and access to information and knowledge. Engaging formally appointed internal implementation leaders, from the process domain, also distinguished level of implementation. No constructs from the outer setting or individual characteristics domain differentiated systems by level of implementation. Our study identified a number of influential CFIR constructs and illustrated how they impacted EBP implementation across a variety of safety net systems. Findings may inform future dissemination efforts of EBPs for increasing cancer screening in similar settings. Moreover

  4. A new approach to preparing safety cases for existing nuclear plant (COSR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rice, S.A.; Buchan, A.B.

    2000-01-01

    BNFL is committed to achieving world class safety performance, through a process of continuously reviewing and improving its safety practices. In the mid 1990s, as part of this process, the company began to develop a new type of safety case, for existing non-reactor nuclear plants, called the continued operation safety report (COSR). Following a significant amount of development work from experts within BNFL and important contributions from its regulators, the first approved COSR was recently completed and submitted to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. The COSR aims to provide a visibly integrated safety and engineering case for the adequacy of continued operation of a nuclear facility. It achieves this by identifying the main plant structures, systems and components that have a safety function and provides the appropriate supporting engineering substantiation. The COSR aims to explore plant safety and identify worthwhile improvements. The document also aims to be reader-friendly by focusing on the main safety issues. It is therefore a slim safety summary which provides operators, safety specialists and regulators with an overview and introduction into the broader, more detailed safety case. This paper provides an overview of the COSR and its production process, describing the safety case improvements that have been made by comparing it to its predecessor, the fully developed safety case. The paper also illustrates the benefits of the COSR by providing current examples of its application on existing BNFL plant. Finally, the paper describes ongoing development work aimed at further improving the COSR and its production process. (author)

  5. Assuring consumer safety without animal testing: a feasibility case study for skin sensitisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Gavin; Aleksic, Maja; Aptula, Aynur; Carmichael, Paul; Fentem, Julia; Gilmour, Nicola; Mackay, Cameron; Pease, Camilla; Pendlington, Ruth; Reynolds, Fiona; Scott, Daniel; Warner, Guy; Westmoreland, Carl

    2008-11-01

    Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD; chemical-induced skin sensitisation) represents a key consumer safety endpoint for the cosmetics industry. At present, animal tests (predominantly the mouse Local Lymph Node Assay) are used to generate skin sensitisation hazard data for use in consumer safety risk assessments. An animal testing ban on chemicals to be used in cosmetics will come into effect in the European Union (EU) from March 2009. This animal testing ban is also linked to an EU marketing ban on products containing any ingredients that have been subsequently tested in animals, from March 2009 or March 2013, depending on the toxicological endpoint of concern. Consequently, the testing of cosmetic ingredients in animals for their potential to induce skin sensitisation will be subject to an EU marketing ban, from March 2013 onwards. Our conceptual framework and strategy to deliver a non-animal approach to consumer safety risk assessment can be summarised as an evaluation of new technologies (e.g. 'omics', informatics), leading to the development of new non-animal (in silico and in vitro) predictive models for the generation and interpretation of new forms of hazard characterisation data, followed by the development of new risk assessment approaches to integrate these new forms of data and information in the context of human exposure. Following the principles of the conceptual framework, we have been investigating existing and developing new technologies, models and approaches, in order to explore the feasibility of delivering consumer safety risk assessment decisions in the absence of new animal data. We present here our progress in implementing this conceptual framework, with the skin sensitisation endpoint used as a case study. 2008 FRAME.

  6. Nuclear Safety Culture Assessment for a Newcomer Country: Case Study of Jordan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khasawneh, Khalid; Park, Yun Woon

    2016-01-01

    For countries initiating or considering to start their nuclear power programs; developing a successful safety culture is of a great challenge, owing to lack of experience and the sensitive nature of the nuclear industry in general. The Jordanian case was chosen since Jordan is in the early stages of its nuclear program and the establishment of an effective safety culture is crucial to guarantee the safe operation of its future nuclear facilities. It also should be noted that Fukushima accident has adversely affected the progress of the Jordanian nuclear program driven by the negative public opinion. The government shifts the policies toward enhancing the nuclear safety by enforcing the communication between the engaged parties and openness and transparency with public. In the wake of Fukushima accident the Jordanian government reassured the appropriate siting criteria and siting review, the leadership and the organizations commitment to nuclear safety by adopting advanced reactor technology, the consideration of modern operator accident mitigation strategies and the increased and close cooperation with IAEA and adherence to evolving international safety standards. The progress in the Jordanian nuclear power project in order to satisfy the IAEA requirements was quantified and ranked. A good progress was shown in some aspects, for example in the multicultural and multi-national elements and the establishment of an independent and effective regulatory body. However, some elements, concerning the understanding of the safety culture, management system of the regulatory body and the cultural assessment was not satisfied and an urgent need to focus on and enhance those aspects are required by the Jordanian government. Some elements, for example the leadership, communication and competence, have partial fulfillment of the IAEA requirements. However enhancing those aspects is required in the short and the mid-term in order to guarantee a well-established nuclear power

  7. Nuclear Safety Culture Assessment for a Newcomer Country: Case Study of Jordan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khasawneh, Khalid; Park, Yun Woon [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    For countries initiating or considering to start their nuclear power programs; developing a successful safety culture is of a great challenge, owing to lack of experience and the sensitive nature of the nuclear industry in general. The Jordanian case was chosen since Jordan is in the early stages of its nuclear program and the establishment of an effective safety culture is crucial to guarantee the safe operation of its future nuclear facilities. It also should be noted that Fukushima accident has adversely affected the progress of the Jordanian nuclear program driven by the negative public opinion. The government shifts the policies toward enhancing the nuclear safety by enforcing the communication between the engaged parties and openness and transparency with public. In the wake of Fukushima accident the Jordanian government reassured the appropriate siting criteria and siting review, the leadership and the organizations commitment to nuclear safety by adopting advanced reactor technology, the consideration of modern operator accident mitigation strategies and the increased and close cooperation with IAEA and adherence to evolving international safety standards. The progress in the Jordanian nuclear power project in order to satisfy the IAEA requirements was quantified and ranked. A good progress was shown in some aspects, for example in the multicultural and multi-national elements and the establishment of an independent and effective regulatory body. However, some elements, concerning the understanding of the safety culture, management system of the regulatory body and the cultural assessment was not satisfied and an urgent need to focus on and enhance those aspects are required by the Jordanian government. Some elements, for example the leadership, communication and competence, have partial fulfillment of the IAEA requirements. However enhancing those aspects is required in the short and the mid-term in order to guarantee a well-established nuclear power

  8. Case study on the use of PSA methods: Determining safety importance of systems and components at nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-04-01

    This case study emphasizes the step of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) regarding identification of systems and components important to nuclear plant safety. An importance analysis involves combining information that is both qualitative and probabilistic in nature to generate a numerical ranking to determine the system and/or component failures that dominate the risk. Such a ranking can suggest where hardware, software, human factors and component design changes can be implemented to improve plant safety. Examples of using ranking methodology are described. A qualitative ranking criteria is discussed for components and systems that are not included in a PSA. 18 refs, 7 figs, 18 tabs

  9. Safety, safety case and society - Lessons from the experience of the Forum on Stakeholder Confidence and other NEA initiatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pescatore, Claudio

    2014-01-01

    public, even if the legal responsibilities are different for each of the actors. The safety case should serve as the liaison amongst these three groups. One must be aware that trust, familiarity and control are important components of safety. This is true for both the specialists and the non-specialists, even if each grouping may hold different expectations. When the context and purpose of the study are described in the safety case, some broader issues may usefully be mentioned/discussed: prevention, precaution, public control, justice, fairness, balance between short- and long-term protection, long-term (passive) safety. It is advisable to make it clearer in the safety case that, although they are not needed for arguing the intrinsic safety of the system after closure, further actions are planned today, such as continued oversight and RK and M preservation, that add to the system robustness both in a technical sense (reduced potential for human intrusion) and in a societal sense (continued responsibility). It would be good if, in the safety case, the provider indicated how confidence in the results was earned and that the processes for gaining confidence were made visible.5 Similarly, in decision making, the regulator, when issuing permits or licenses, should describe the basis for their confidence. The NEA has elaborated a vast literature on radioactive waste governance. It would be worthwhile to analyse it for drawing further lessons from a safety case perspective. (authors)

  10. Safety Case for Safe-store

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woollam, Paul B.

    2002-01-01

    Magnox Electric plc (Magnox), a wholly owned subsidiary of BNFL, owns 26 gas-cooled, graphite-moderated units on 11 sites in the UK. Eight units have been permanently shutdown and the remainder will shut this decade in a currently declared closure programme. The first of these reactors went to power in 1952 and the fleet has generated typically 9% of the UK's electricity during the last five decades. In accordance with UK Government policy, BNFL aims for a systematic and progressive reduction in hazards on its decommissioning sites. The end-point of the decommissioning process is that the reactors will be dismantled and their sites de-licensed. This will be done through minimising both the risks to the public, workers and the environment and also the lifetime cost, consistent with world class safety. There will be passive safe storage during deferment periods and it is BNFL's clear intent that the reactors will not be Safe-stored indefinitely. The main hazard associated with any decommissioned nuclear site is the spent fuel. Hence the reactors will be de-fuelled as soon as practicable after shutdown. After this work is complete, Cs-137 contaminated plant (e.g. fuel pools, effluent plant, and drains) will be dismantled when it is no longer needed. All other plant and buildings will also be dismantled when they are no longer needed, except for the reactor buildings which will be put into passive safe storage. Co-60 contaminated plant, such as steam generators, will be dismantled with the reactors. The reactors will be dismantled in a sequenced programme, with a notional start time around 100 years from shutdown. Magnox Electric is ensuring that the reactors and primary circuits on all its sites are well characterised. We have carried out a detailed, peer reviewed hazard identification on the lead site from which we have generated a rolling 25-year basic safety case. We have then searched for cliff edge effects and possible long-term changes to generate the 100-year

  11. Safety case for license application for a final repository: The French example

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boissier, Fabrice; Voinis, Sylvie

    2014-01-01

    The reversible repository in a deep geological formation is the French reference solution for the long-term management of high-level and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste (HLW and ILW). Twenty years of R and D work and conceptual and basic studies since the first French Act of 1991 led, in particular, to a feasibility demonstration in 2005. According to the French Act on Radioactive Waste of 28 of June 2006, Andra shall design a reversible repository in order to apply for license in 2015. In response to this demand, Andra developed the industrial project known as 'Cigeo', a reversible geological disposal facility for HLW and ILW located in Meuse/Haute-Marne. Two years before applying for authorisation, Andra's project is now focusing on three main targets: developing Cigeo's industrial design, preparing the authorisation process through increased exchanges with stakeholders and the preparation of a safety case to support authorisation application. The latter draws on the previous safety cases of 2005 and 2009, which give a sound basis to assess Cigeo's safety, both for the operational and post-closure periods. In this new stage of the project, the challenging issues for the preparation of the safety case are the following: - to identify the various regulatory frameworks (nuclear and non-nuclear) and guides applicable to the facility; - to ensure that the industrial design complies in particular with the safety requirements as presented in the safety case and its supporting safety assessment; - to identify crucial inputs (R and D, tests,...) needed to support the authorisation application, in particular, to bring convincing arguments to assess the technical feasibility of the design and when appropriate its ability to meet the safety requirements; - to ensure that all the requirements from previous regulatory and peer reviews (national and international?) are taken into account. (authors)

  12. Safety testing of monoclonal antibodies in non-human primates: Case studies highlighting their impact on human risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, Frank R; Cavagnaro, Joy; McKeever, Kathleen; Ryan, Patricia C; Schutten, Melissa M; Vahle, John; Weinbauer, Gerhard F; Marrer-Berger, Estelle; Black, Lauren E

    2018-01-01

    Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are improving the quality of life for patients suffering from serious diseases due to their high specificity for their target and low potential for off-target toxicity. The toxicity of mAbs is primarily driven by their pharmacological activity, and therefore safety testing of these drugs prior to clinical testing is performed in species in which the mAb binds and engages the target to a similar extent to that anticipated in humans. For highly human-specific mAbs, this testing often requires the use of non-human primates (NHPs) as relevant species. It has been argued that the value of these NHP studies is limited because most of the adverse events can be predicted from the knowledge of the target, data from transgenic rodents or target-deficient humans, and other sources. However, many of the mAbs currently in development target novel pathways and may comprise novel scaffolds with multi-functional domains; hence, the pharmacological effects and potential safety risks are less predictable. Here, we present a total of 18 case studies, including some of these novel mAbs, with the aim of interrogating the value of NHP safety studies in human risk assessment. These studies have identified mAb candidate molecules and pharmacological pathways with severe safety risks, leading to candidate or target program termination, as well as highlighting that some pathways with theoretical safety concerns are amenable to safe modulation by mAbs. NHP studies have also informed the rational design of safer drug candidates suitable for human testing and informed human clinical trial design (route, dose and regimen, patient inclusion and exclusion criteria and safety monitoring), further protecting the safety of clinical trial participants.

  13. Development of a Reality-Based Multimedia Case Study Teaching Method and Its Effect on Students' Planned Food Safety Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberts, Caitlin M.; Stevenson, Clinton D.

    2017-01-01

    There is opportunity to decrease the frequency of foodborne illnesses by improving food safety competencies and planned behaviors of college students before they begin careers in the food industry. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a multimedia case study teaching method that provides real world context for food science education;…

  14. Use of the safety case to focus KMS applications - 16348

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osawa, Hideaki; Hioki, Kazumasa; Umeki, Hiroyuki; Takase, Hiroyasu; McKinley, Ian

    2009-01-01

    The safety case, as defined in Japan, is an integrated set of arguments to show that a repository is sufficiently safe during both operational and post-closure phases. It explicitly includes the findings of a safety assessment and a demonstration of confidence in these findings. It is developed in a stepwise manner, with provisional cases used to support decisions at major project milestones. Social acceptance is acknowledged to be critical and hence a safety case includes not only technical components, but also the arguments required to explain fundamental issues to all key stakeholders. In the JAEA KMS project, the safety case has been found useful as a framework that allows all supporting R and D to be seen in the context of its applicability. Various tools have been examined to develop associated argumentation models and they have been seen to provide an overview that is valuable to both the users and producers of knowledge. The paper will review progress to date in this work, with illustrative examples of argumentation networks and an outline of future developments and challenges. (authors)

  15. Science, safety, and trust: the case of transgenic food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinelli, Lucia; Karbarz, Małgorzata; Siipi, Helena

    2013-02-01

    Genetically modified (GM) food is discussed as an example of the controversial relation between the intrinsic uncertainty of the scientific approach and the demand of citizen-consumers to use products of science innovation that are known to be safe. On the whole, peer-reviewed studies on GM food safety do not note significant health risks, with a few exceptions, like the most renowned "Pusztai affair" and the recent "Seralini case." These latter studies have been disregarded by the scientific community, based on incorrect experimental designs and statistic analysis. Such contradictory results show the complexity of risk evaluation, and raise concerns in the citizen-consumers against the GM food. A thoughtful consideration by scientific community and decision makers of the moral values that are present in risk evaluation and risk management should be the most trustable answer to citizen-consumers to their claim for clear and definitive answers concerning safety/un-safety of GM food.

  16. Proceedings on safety case - IGSC Topical Session held 25 November 2001, Paris-France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Sullivan, Patrik; Voinis, Sylvie; Ouzounian, Gerald; Van Luik, Abraham

    2002-01-01

    It is accepted universally that an assessment of the safety of proposed geological repositories is a key input to the decision-making process regarding the development of these facilities. Accordingly, implementing and regulatory organisations in many of the OECD/NEA countries are involved in the investigation and resolution of issues associated with repository safety and NEA has been concerned with this issue for several years. Most current repository development programmes envisage that repository development will occur in an incremental fashion, with decisions being taken by national authorities at several steps in the development process. It may be envisaged that safety assessments will become progressively more refined at successive stages of the development process, with an expectation of increasing levels of confidence that the assessed levels of safety can be realised in practice. Different countries are at different stages and therefore opinions can be expected to vary on where the key issues remain. In accordance with current terminology the Safety Case for a proposed facility should present the results of the safety assessment together with an illustration of the level of confidence in the results. The safety case should also discuss how levels of uncertainty would be reduced in succeeding development phases. The establishment of the IGSC (Integration Group for the Safety Case), to bring together all activities relating to the safety case, recognised its key role of the latter in the process of repository development. Initiatives currently being pursued by the IGSC include the development of a 'Safety Case Brochure', to synthesise current understanding about the requirements of the Safety Case. The IGSC has a role to develop common views on such key aspects of the Safety Case but should not be prescriptive. To go further in establishments of the safety case brochure, a 'Topical Session' on the Safety Case was organised as part of the

  17. The use of case tools in OPG safety analysis code qualification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pascoe, J.; Cheung, A.; Westbye, C.

    2001-01-01

    Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is currently qualifying its critical safety analysis software. The software quality assurance (SQA) framework is described. Given the legacy nature of much of the safety analysis software the reverse engineering methodology has been adopted. The safety analysis suite of codes was developed over a period of many years to differing standards of quality and had sparse or incomplete documentation. Key elements of the reverse engineering process require recovery of design information from existing coding. This recovery, if performed manually, could represent an enormous effort. Driven by a need to maximize productivity and enhance the repeatability and objectivity of software qualification activities the decision was made to acquire or develop and implement Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools. This paper presents relevant background information on CASE tools and discusses how the OPG SQA requirements were used to assess the suitability of available CASE tools. Key findings from the application of CASE tools to the qualification of the OPG safety analysis software are discussed. (author)

  18. Holes in the safety net: a case study of access to prescription drugs and specialty care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanley, Ava; Cantor, Joel C; Guarnaccia, Peter

    2008-07-01

    The health care safety net in the United States is intended to fill gaps in health care services for uninsured and other vulnerable populations. This paper presents a case study of New Brunswick, NJ, a small city rich in safety net resources, to examine the adequacy of the American model of safety net care. We find substantial gaps in access to care despite the presence of a medical school, an abundance of primary care and specialty physicians, two major teaching hospitals, a large federally qualified health center and other safety net resources in this community of about 50,000 residents. Using a blend of random-digit-dial and area probability sampling, a survey of 595 households was conducted in 2001 generating detailed information about the health, access to care, demographic and other characteristics of 1,572 individuals. Confirming the great depth of the New Brunswick health care safety net, the survey showed that more than one quarter of local residents reported a hospital or community clinic as their usual source of care. Still, barriers to prescription drugs were reported for 11.0% of the area population and more than two in five (42.8%) local residents who perceived a need for specialty care reported difficulty getting those services. Bivariate analyses show significantly elevated risk of access problems among Hispanic and black residents, those in poor health, those relying on hospital and community clinics or with no usual source of care, and those living at or below poverty. In multivariate analysis, lack of health insurance was the greatest risk factor associated with both prescription drug and specialty access problems. Few local areas can claim the depth of safety net resources as New Brunswick, NJ, raising serious concerns about the adequacy of the American safety net model, especially for people with complex and chronic health care needs.

  19. Development of the NUMO pre-selection, site-specific safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujiyama, Tetsuo; Suzuki, Satoru; Deguchi, Akira; Umeki, Hiroyuki

    2016-01-01

    Key conclusions: ◆ “The NUMO pre-selection, site-specific safety case” provides the basic structure for subsequent safety cases that will be applied to any selected site, emphasising practical approaches and methodology which will be applicable for the conditions/constraints during an actual siting process. ◆ The preliminary results of the design and safety assessment would underpin the feasibility and safety of geological disposal in Japan.

  20. On Safety Management. A Frame of Reference for Studies of Safety Management with Examples From Non-Nuclear Contexts of Relevance for Nuclear Safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Svensson, Ola; Salo, Ilkka; Allwin, Pernilla (Risk Analysis, Social and Decision Research Unit, Dept. of Psychology, Stockholm Univ., Stockholm (Sweden))

    2004-11-15

    A good knowledge about safety management from risk technologies outside the area of nuclear power may contribute to both broaden the perspectives on safety management in general, and point at new opportunities for improving safety measures within the nuclear industry. First, a theoretical framework for the study of safety management in general is presented, followed by three case studies on safety management from different non-nuclear areas with potential relevance for nuclear safety. The chapters are written as separate reports and can be read independently of each other. The nuclear industry has a long experience about the management of risky activities, involving all the stages from planing to implementation, both on a more generalized level and in the specific branches of activities (management, administration, operation, maintenance, etc.). Here, safety management is a key concept related to these areas of activities. Outside the field of nuclear power there exist a number of different non-nuclear risk technologies, each one with their own specific needs and experiences about safety management. The differences between the areas consist partly of the different experiences caused by the different technologies. Besides using own experiences in safety practices within the own areas of activities, it may be profitable to take advantage in knowledge and experiences from one area and put it in practice in another area. In order to facilitate knowledge transfer from one technological area to another it may be possible to adapt a common theoretical model, for descriptions and explanations, to the different technologies. Such a model should admit that common denominators for safety management across the areas might be identified and described with common concepts. Systems theory gives the opportunity to not only create models that are descriptive for events within the limits of a given technology, but also to generate knowledge that can be transferred to other

  1. Safety standards for near surface disposal and the safety case and supporting safety assessment for demonstrating compliance with the standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metcalf, P.

    2003-01-01

    The report presents the safety standards for near surface disposal (ICRP guidance and IAEA standards) and the safety case and supporting safety assessment for demonstrating compliance with the standards. Special attention is paid to the recommendations for disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste. The requirements are based on the principle for the same level of protection of future individuals as for the current generation. Two types of exposure are considered: human intrusion and natural processes and protection measures are discussed. Safety requirements for near surface disposal are discussed including requirements for protection of human health and environment, requirements or safety assessments, waste acceptance and requirements etc

  2. Alberta Environment's weir safety program : options for rehabilitation to improve public safety : a case study of the Calgary weir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2010-07-01

    Alberta Environment's water management operations (WMO) own and operates 46 dams and 800 km of canals. This presentation discussed a rehabilitation program designed to improve the safety of the WMO's Calgary weir which was built in 1908 to encourage settlement in the province. The weir includes a 32 m wide sluiceway, a 2.5 m concrete weir, and a fish ladder. A portage trail has been built to accommodate canoes, and signs are posted to indicate the hazards associated with the weir. The WMO has also launched an advertising campaign to outline hazards to the general public. The WMO has a contract with the Calgary fire department (CFD) to maintain a safety boom and provide rescue operations at the weir. The weir project aims to accommodate access and safety while enhancing flood conveyance capabilities of the weir. The project will allow upstream passage for patrol boats operated by the Calgary fire department's aquatic rescue service. The final design of the weir will include a series of drops constructed downstream of the weir to create pool and riffle structures that will eliminate hydraulic rollers. Notches will be cut in the weir to regulate flows moving through the new low and high flow channels. Case studies of other low-head dams operated by the WMO were also presented. tabs., figs.

  3. A Case Study of Dynamic Response Analysis and Safety Assessment for a Suspended Monorail System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Yulong; Li, Yongle; Ding, Jiajie

    2016-11-10

    A suspended monorail transit system is a category of urban rail transit, which is effective in alleviating traffic pressure and injury prevention. Meanwhile, with the advantages of low cost and short construction time, suspended monorail transit systems show vast potential for future development. However, the suspended monorail has not been systematically studied in China, and there is a lack of relevant knowledge and analytical methods. To ensure the health and reliability of a suspended monorail transit system, the driving safety of vehicles and structure dynamic behaviors when vehicles are running on the bridge should be analyzed and evaluated. Based on the method of vehicle-bridge coupling vibration theory, the finite element method (FEM) software ANSYS and multi-body dynamics software SIMPACK are adopted respectively to establish the finite element model for bridge and the multi-body vehicle. A co-simulation method is employed to investigate the vehicle-bridge coupling vibration for the transit system. The traffic operation factors, including train formation, track irregularity and tire stiffness, are incorporated into the models separately to analyze the bridge and vehicle responses. The results show that the coupling of dynamic effects of the suspended monorail system between vehicle and bridge are significant in the case studied, and it is strongly suggested to take necessary measures for vibration suppression. The simulation of track irregularity is a critical factor for its vibration safety, and the track irregularity of A-level road roughness negatively influences the system vibration safety.

  4. A Case Study of Dynamic Response Analysis and Safety Assessment for a Suspended Monorail System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yulong Bao

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available A suspended monorail transit system is a category of urban rail transit, which is effective in alleviating traffic pressure and injury prevention. Meanwhile, with the advantages of low cost and short construction time, suspended monorail transit systems show vast potential for future development. However, the suspended monorail has not been systematically studied in China, and there is a lack of relevant knowledge and analytical methods. To ensure the health and reliability of a suspended monorail transit system, the driving safety of vehicles and structure dynamic behaviors when vehicles are running on the bridge should be analyzed and evaluated. Based on the method of vehicle-bridge coupling vibration theory, the finite element method (FEM software ANSYS and multi-body dynamics software SIMPACK are adopted respectively to establish the finite element model for bridge and the multi-body vehicle. A co-simulation method is employed to investigate the vehicle-bridge coupling vibration for the transit system. The traffic operation factors, including train formation, track irregularity and tire stiffness, are incorporated into the models separately to analyze the bridge and vehicle responses. The results show that the coupling of dynamic effects of the suspended monorail system between vehicle and bridge are significant in the case studied, and it is strongly suggested to take necessary measures for vibration suppression. The simulation of track irregularity is a critical factor for its vibration safety, and the track irregularity of A-level road roughness negatively influences the system vibration safety.

  5. On Safety Management. A Frame of Reference for Studies of Safety Management with Examples From Non-Nuclear Contexts of Relevance for Nuclear Safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, Ola; Salo, Ilkka; Allwin, Pernilla

    2004-11-01

    A good knowledge about safety management from risk technologies outside the area of nuclear power may contribute to both broaden the perspectives on safety management in general, and point at new opportunities for improving safety measures within the nuclear industry. First, a theoretical framework for the study of safety management in general is presented, followed by three case studies on safety management from different non-nuclear areas with potential relevance for nuclear safety. The chapters are written as separate reports and can be read independently of each other. The nuclear industry has a long experience about the management of risky activities, involving all the stages from planing to implementation, both on a more generalized level and in the specific branches of activities (management, administration, operation, maintenance, etc.). Here, safety management is a key concept related to these areas of activities. Outside the field of nuclear power there exist a number of different non-nuclear risk technologies, each one with their own specific needs and experiences about safety management. The differences between the areas consist partly of the different experiences caused by the different technologies. Besides using own experiences in safety practices within the own areas of activities, it may be profitable to take advantage in knowledge and experiences from one area and put it in practice in another area. In order to facilitate knowledge transfer from one technological area to another it may be possible to adapt a common theoretical model, for descriptions and explanations, to the different technologies. Such a model should admit that common denominators for safety management across the areas might be identified and described with common concepts. Systems theory gives the opportunity to not only create models that are descriptive for events within the limits of a given technology, but also to generate knowledge that can be transferred to other

  6. Contents and Sample Arguments of a Safety Case for Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-06-01

    This publication arises from the results of two projects to assist Member States in understanding and developing safety cases for near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities. The objective of the publication is to give detailed information on the contents of safety cases for radioactive waste disposal and the types of arguments that may be included. It is written for technical experts preparing a safety case, and decision makers in the regulatory body and government. The publication outlines the key uses and aspects of the safety case, its evolution in parallel with that of the disposal facility, the key decision steps in the development of the waste disposal facility, the components of the safety case, their place in the Matrix of Arguments for a Safety Case (the MASC matrix), and a detailed description of the development of sample arguments that might be included in a safety case for each of two hypothetical radioactive waste disposal facilities.

  7. Safety analysis and related studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lelievre, J.

    1979-12-01

    Several examples of reactor safety studies are given. For light water reactors, the consequences of loss of coolant, the disposition of the fuel elements and the behaviour under irradiation of the steels used for containment are described. For fast reactors, the disposition of fuel elements in the case of cooling accidents and sodium fies are described. Examples given of studies not specific to a particular reactor type include studies of non-destructive testing and those of reliability

  8. Integrated safety case development for deep geological repositories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamura, Hideki; McKinley, Ian G.

    2008-01-01

    The paper will illustrate an 'integrated safety case', which involves combining both pre-closure and post-closure safety arguments from the point of view of a repository implementer, who must also ensure that projects are practical, acceptable and economic. The post-closure safety case is based on the performance of a number of barriers, which are established during construction, operation and closure. Such barriers must be confirmed using quality assured methods, supported, as required, by inspection and monitoring. The requirement for integrated assessment means that even the final process to end institutional control and transfer any liabilities from the implementer needs to be considered at present, even though this will undoubtedly be refined and tailored to the site characteristics over the many decades that will pass before this occurs. To illustrate the practical application of this approach, assessment of variants for remote-handled emplacement of the EBS for disposal of HLW in Japan will be discussed. (author)

  9. Development and Presentation of the Drigg Post-Closure Safety Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, Eugene; Watts, Len; Grimwood, Paul

    2001-01-01

    Drigg is an operational facility for the near-surface disposal of solid low level radioactive waste (LLW). The disposal facility is located in Cumbria, north-west England, near the Sellafield nuclear site, and is owned and operated by British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). Disposals at Drigg are carried out under the terms of an authorisation granted by the UK Environment Agency. Periodically the Drigg authorisation is subject to formal regulatory review. The current regulatory guidance, 'Disposal Facilities on Land for Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Wastes: Guidance on Requirements for Authorisation' (the GRA) was published in 1997 and contains guidance on the principles and requirements against which the Environment Agency will consider applications for disposal authorisation. BNFL has undertaken to produce an updated Drigg postclosure safety case (PCSC) in September 2002 to support the next authorisation review. In preparation for this, BNFL published a 'Status Report on the Development of the 2002 Drigg PCSC' in March 2000. This paper discusses the main components of the Drigg PCSC and how they relate to each other. Central to the safety case will be a systematic, post-closure radiological safety assessment (PCRSA). However the main focus of this paper is on the other main components of the PCSC which are presented in conjunction with the PCRSA to make a complete and integrated safety case. In addition other confidence building activities which are key to developing and presenting the safety case are discussed, in particular communications with the stakeholders

  10. Method for Pedestrian Crossing Risk Assessment and Safety Level Determination: the Case Study of Tallinn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pashkevich, M.; Krasilnikova, A.; Antov, D.

    2016-07-01

    Pedestrians are a part of vulnerable road users which safety requires a special attention. Official statistics in Estonia from the last decade returns the following numbers: around 30 % of all road traffic accidents in the country were accidents with pedestrians, 32 % of all traffic fatalities were finished with pedestrian death. Pedestrian crossing has the biggest risk level between all kinds of pedestrian facilities, because it includes a direct conflict point between vehicle and pedestrian traffics. The article presents a method to assess risk of pedestrian crossing users and to determine safety level of this road infrastructure element. This approach is based on observation and collection of infrastructural as well as traffic data, which includes: (1) information about each pedestrian crossing facility, its location and state, (2) data about accidents with pedestrians and their features, (3) data from road traffic measurements. The main advantages of the described method are universality and comprehensiveness. The case study was done in Kristiine district of the city Tallinn, which was chosen as the most typical average district of Estonian capital. Results of this study are also presented in the article. (Author)

  11. Application of a model for delivering occupational safety and health to smaller businesses: Case studies from the US.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Thomas R; Sinclair, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    Smaller firms are the majority in every industry in the US, and they endure a greater burden of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities than larger firms. Smaller firms often lack the necessary resources for effective occupational safety and health activities, and many require external assistance with safety and health programming. Based on previous work by researchers in Europe and New Zealand, NIOSH researchers developed for occupational safety and health intervention in small businesses. This model was evaluated with several intermediary organizations. Four case studies which describe efforts to reach small businesses with occupational safety and health assistance include the following: trenching safety training for construction, basic compliance and hazard recognition for general industry, expanded safety and health training for restaurants, and fall prevention and respirator training for boat repair contractors. Successful efforts included participation by the initiator among the intermediaries' planning activities, alignment of small business needs with intermediary offerings, continued monitoring of intermediary activities by the initiator, and strong leadership for occupational safety and health among intermediaries. Common challenges were a lack of resources among intermediaries, lack of opportunities for in-person meetings between intermediaries and the initiator, and balancing the exchanges in the initiator-intermediary-small business relationships. The model offers some encouragement that initiator organizations can contribute to sustainable OSH assistance for small firms, but they must depend on intermediaries who have compatible interests in smaller businesses and they must work to understand the small business social system.

  12. Application of a model for delivering occupational safety and health to smaller businesses: Case studies from the US

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Thomas R.; Sinclair, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    Smaller firms are the majority in every industry in the US, and they endure a greater burden of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities than larger firms. Smaller firms often lack the necessary resources for effective occupational safety and health activities, and many require external assistance with safety and health programming. Based on previous work by researchers in Europe and New Zealand, NIOSH researchers developed for occupational safety and health intervention in small businesses. This model was evaluated with several intermediary organizations. Four case studies which describe efforts to reach small businesses with occupational safety and health assistance include the following: trenching safety training for construction, basic compliance and hazard recognition for general industry, expanded safety and health training for restaurants, and fall prevention and respirator training for boat repair contractors. Successful efforts included participation by the initiator among the intermediaries’ planning activities, alignment of small business needs with intermediary offerings, continued monitoring of intermediary activities by the initiator, and strong leadership for occupational safety and health among intermediaries. Common challenges were a lack of resources among intermediaries, lack of opportunities for in-person meetings between intermediaries and the initiator, and balancing the exchanges in the initiator–intermediary–small business relationships. The model offers some encouragement that initiator organizations can contribute to sustainable OSH assistance for small firms, but they must depend on intermediaries who have compatible interests in smaller businesses and they must work to understand the small business social system. PMID:26300585

  13. Safety cases for the co-ordinated research project on improvement of safety assessment methodologies for near surface radioactive waste disposal facilities (ISAM)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozak, M.W.; Torres-Vidal, C.; Kelly, E.; Guskov, A.; Blerk, J. van

    2002-01-01

    A Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) has recently been completed on the Improvement of Safety Assessment Methodologies for Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities (ISAM). A major aspect of the project was the use of safety cases for the practical application of safety assessment. An overview of the ISAM safety cases is given in this paper. (author)

  14. Preparing Safety Cases for Operating Outside Prescriptive Fatigue Risk Management Regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gander, Philippa; Mangie, Jim; Wu, Lora; van den Berg, Margo; Signal, Leigh; Phillips, Adrienne

    2017-07-01

    Transport operators seeking to operate outside prescriptive fatigue management regulations are typically required to present a safety case justifying how they will manage the associated risk. This paper details a method for constructing a successful safety case. The method includes four elements: 1) scope (prescriptive rules and operations affected); 2) risk assessment; 3) risk mitigation strategies; and 4) monitoring ongoing risk. A successful safety case illustrates this method. It enables landing pilots in 3-pilot crews to choose the second or third in-flight rest break, rather than the regulatory requirement to take the third break. Scope was defined using a month of scheduled flights that would be covered (N = 4151). These were analyzed in the risk assessment using existing literature on factors affecting fatigue to estimate the maximum time awake at top of descent and sleep opportunities in each break. Additionally, limited data collected before the new regulations showed that pilots flying at landing chose the third break on only 6% of flights. A prospective survey comparing subjective reports (N = 280) of sleep in the second vs. third break and fatigue and sleepiness ratings at top of descent confirmed that the third break is not consistently superior. The safety case also summarized established systems for fatigue monitoring, risk assessment and hazard identification, and multiple fatigue mitigation strategies that are in place. Other successful safety cases have used this method. The evidence required depends on the expected level of risk and should evolve as experience with fatigue risk management systems builds.Gander P, Mangie J, Wu L, van den Berg M, Signal L, Phillips A. Preparing safety cases for operating outside prescriptive fatigue risk management regulations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(7):688-696.

  15. Food safety issues in China: a case study of the dairy sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Xiaoxia; Li, Zhemin

    2016-01-15

    Over the past 10 years, food safety incidents have occurred frequently in China. Food safety issues in the dairy sector have increasingly gained the attention of the Chinese government and the public. The objective of this research is to explore consumption changes of dairy products of different income groups after these dairy safety incidents. The research indicates that consumers' response to dairy safety risk is very intense. Dairy consumption has experienced a declining trend in recent years, and the impact of dairy safety incidents has lasted for at least 5 years. Until 2012, dairy consumption had not yet fully recovered from this influence. Using the random effects model, this study examined the relationship between food safety incident and consumption. Overall, the results show that consumers in the low-income group are more sensitive to safety risk than those in the high-income group. It can be seen from this paper that the decrease of urban residents' dairy consumption was mainly driven by changes in fresh milk consumption, while the decline of milk powder consumption, which was affected by the melamine incident, was relatively moderate, and milk powder consumption for the high-income group even increased. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Indicators of Faculty and Staff Perceptions of Campus Safety: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolfolk, Willie A.

    2013-01-01

    The study addressed the problem of a critical increase in campus crime between 1999 and 2009, a period during which overall crime in the United States declined. Further the research explored the perceptions of campus safety among faculty and staff at an institution where campus safety initiatives are nationally ranked as exemplary and incidents of…

  17. Perspective on safety case to support a possible site recommendation decision

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gil, A.V.; Gamble, R.P.

    2002-01-01

    The mission of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is to provide the basis for a national decision regarding the development of a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. There are a number of steps in the decision process defined by US law that must be completed prior to development of a repository at this site. The DOE's focus is currently on the first two steps in this process: characterization of the site to support a determination by the DOE on whether the site is suitable for a geologic repository and a decision by the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) on whether to recommend to the President that the site be approved for a repository. To enhance the confidence of multiple audiences in the basis for these actions, and to provide a basis for subsequent action by the President and the US Congress, information supporting the decision process must include the elements of a safety case consistent with the statutory and regulatory framework for these decisions. The idea of a safety case is to broaden the basis for confidence by decision-makers and the public in conclusions about safety. A safety case should cite multiple lines of evidence, or reasoning, beyond the results of a safety assessment to support the demonstration of safety, which includes compliance with applicable safety criteria. The multiple lines of evidence should show the basis for confidence in safety. To be most effective, such evidence requires information not directly used in the safety assessment. (author)

  18. Assessment of Electrical Safety Beliefs and Practices: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Boubaker

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the electrical safety beliefs and practices in Hail region, Saudi Arabia, have been assessed. Based on legislative recommendations and rules applied in Saudi Arabia, on official statistics regarding the electricity-caused accidents and on the analysis of more than 200 photos captured in Hail (related to electrical safety, a questionnaire composed of 36 questions (10 for the respondents information, 16 for the home safety culture and 10 for the electrical devices purchasing culture has been devised and distributed to residents. 228 responses have been collected and analyzed. Using a scale similar to the one adopted for a university student GPA calculation, the electrical safety level (ESL in Hail region has been found to be 0.76 (in a scale of 4 points which is a very low score and indicates a poor electrical safety culture. Several recommendations involving different competent authorities have been proposed. Future work will concern the assessment of safety in industrial companies in Hail region.

  19. Study on operational safety issues in the Japanese disposal concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Satoru; Kitagawa, Yoshito; Hyodo, Hideaki; Kubota, Shigeru; Iijima, Masayoshi; Tamura, Akio; Ishiguro, Katsuhiko; Fujihara, Hiroshi

    2014-01-01

    In Japan, vitrified high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and certain types of low-level radioactive waste that results from the reprocessing of spent fuel and classified as TRU waste will be disposed of in deep geological formations. NUMO aims to ensure the safety of local residents and workers during the operational phase and after repository closure and will therefore establish a safety case for the geological disposal programme at the end of each stage of the stepwise siting process. Although the Japanese programme is still in the stage before initiation of the siting process, updating the generic (non-site-specific) safety case is required for building confidence among stakeholders. This study focuses on operational safety issues for the Japanese HLW disposal concept. (authors)

  20. Assessment of Safety Condition in One of the Teaching Hospitals in Kermanshah (2015: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masod Ghanbari Kakavand

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: Many working conditions-related stress factors that can produce injuries and illnesses are important in hospital environments. So, the health and safety of nurses and patients from workplace-induced injuries and illnesses is important. In this study, we have assessed the safety condition of one of the teaching hospitals in Kermanshah (2015. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in one of the teaching hospital of Kermanshah University of medical sciences. For this aim a checklist was prepared based on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's standards and Part 3 of the manual of National Building Regulations. These checklists comprised (The final checklist had 239 questions of 9 dimensions various sections of safety including; fire safety, building safety, electrical safety, emergency exit routes safety, heating and cooling equipment safety, operating room and laundry room and salty home safety. Eventually, using SPSS 16 and descriptive statistics, data were analyzed. Results: According to the results of this study, 66.6% of the units had poor safety and 33.4% of them were moderately safe. As well as, only ICU and CCU unit, heating and cooling equipment and operational room showed moderate compliance with safety requirements and other sections were poorly complied. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that safety conditions of hospital were not at favorable level. These poor safety statues can jeopardize patients and hospital personnel. Thus some interventions such as improvement of working conditions, compliance with safety acts and implementation of health, safety and environmental management system would be necessary.

  1. The role of quality management in safety case development - Nagra's experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schneider, Juerg W.; Zuidema, Piet

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses the role of quality management (QM) in safety case development based on Nagra's experience from a broad range of projects. These include Project Gewahr (L/ILW and HLW, Nagra, 1985), the Wellenberg Project (L/ILW, Nagra, 1994), Project Opalinus Clay (HLW, Nagra, 2002a, 2002b), and recent project work needed in the context of the Swiss site selection process (L/ILW and HLW, Nagra, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2010). Broadly speaking, Nagra's Quality Management policy is focused on ensuring: i) the quality of the disposal system (siting, design and implementation); ii) the quality of the underlying scientific understanding, which are seen as key elements of a credible safety case, along with the quality of the safety calculations themselves and of compiling the safety case, including the drawing of conclusions (Nagra, 2002a). All aspects of QM discussed in this paper should be seen in this context. (authors)

  2. A Safety Case Approach for Deep Geologic Disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in Bedded Salt - 13350

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sevougian, S. David [Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); MacKinnon, Robert J. [Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Leigh, Christi D. [Defense Waste Management Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Hansen, Frank D. [Geoscience Research and Applications Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States)

    2013-07-01

    The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and utility of developing a defensible safety case for disposal of United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) high-level waste (HLW) and DOE spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a conceptual deep geologic repository that is assumed to be located in a bedded salt formation of the Delaware Basin [1]. A safety case is a formal compilation of evidence, analyses, and arguments that substantiate and demonstrate the safety of a proposed or conceptual repository. We conclude that a strong initial safety case for potential licensing can be readily compiled by capitalizing on the extensive technical basis that exists from prior work on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), other U.S. repository development programs, and the work published through international efforts in salt repository programs such as in Germany. The potential benefits of developing a safety case include leveraging previous investments in WIPP to reduce future new repository costs, enhancing the ability to effectively plan for a repository and its licensing, and possibly expediting a schedule for a repository. A safety case will provide the necessary structure for organizing and synthesizing existing salt repository science and identifying any issues and gaps pertaining to safe disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in bedded salt. The safety case synthesis will help DOE to plan its future R and D activities for investigating salt disposal using a risk-informed approach that prioritizes test activities that include laboratory, field, and underground investigations. It should be emphasized that the DOE has not made any decisions regarding the disposition of DOE HLW and DOE SNF. Furthermore, the safety case discussed herein is not intended to either site a repository in the Delaware Basin or preclude siting in other media at other locations. Rather, this study simply presents an approach for accelerated development of a safety case for a potential

  3. A Safety Case Approach for Deep Geologic Disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in Bedded Salt - 13350

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sevougian, S. David; MacKinnon, Robert J.; Leigh, Christi D.; Hansen, Frank D.

    2013-01-01

    The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and utility of developing a defensible safety case for disposal of United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) high-level waste (HLW) and DOE spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a conceptual deep geologic repository that is assumed to be located in a bedded salt formation of the Delaware Basin [1]. A safety case is a formal compilation of evidence, analyses, and arguments that substantiate and demonstrate the safety of a proposed or conceptual repository. We conclude that a strong initial safety case for potential licensing can be readily compiled by capitalizing on the extensive technical basis that exists from prior work on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), other U.S. repository development programs, and the work published through international efforts in salt repository programs such as in Germany. The potential benefits of developing a safety case include leveraging previous investments in WIPP to reduce future new repository costs, enhancing the ability to effectively plan for a repository and its licensing, and possibly expediting a schedule for a repository. A safety case will provide the necessary structure for organizing and synthesizing existing salt repository science and identifying any issues and gaps pertaining to safe disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in bedded salt. The safety case synthesis will help DOE to plan its future R and D activities for investigating salt disposal using a risk-informed approach that prioritizes test activities that include laboratory, field, and underground investigations. It should be emphasized that the DOE has not made any decisions regarding the disposition of DOE HLW and DOE SNF. Furthermore, the safety case discussed herein is not intended to either site a repository in the Delaware Basin or preclude siting in other media at other locations. Rather, this study simply presents an approach for accelerated development of a safety case for a potential

  4. Correlated Topics in a Scalable Multidimensional Text Cube: Algorithms and Aviation Safety Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Bo; Lin, Cindy X.; Srivastava, Ashok N.; Oza, Nikunj C.; Han, Jiawei

    2010-01-01

    As world-wide air traffic continues to grow even at a modest pace, the overall complexity of the system will increase significantly. This increased complexity can lead to a larger number of fatalities per year even if the extremely low fatality rate that we currently enjoy is maintained. One important source of information about the safety of the aviation system is in Aviation Safety Text Reports which are written by members of the flight crew, air traffic controllers, and other parties involved with the aviation system. These anonymized narrative reports contain fixed-field contextual information about the flight but also contain free-form narratives that describe, in the author s own words, the nature of the safety incident and, in many cases, the contributing factors that led to the safety incident. Several thousand such reports are filed each month, each of which is read and analyzed by highly trained experts. However, it is possible that there are emerging safety issues due to the fact that they may be reported very infrequently and in different contexts with different descriptions. The goal of this research paper is to develop correlated topic models which uncover correlations in the subspaces defined by the intersection of numerous fixed fields and discovered correlated topics. This task requires the discovery of latent topics in the text reports and the creation of a topic cube. Furthermore, because the number of potential cells in the topic cube is very large, we discuss novel methods of pruning the search space in the topic cells, thereby making the analysis feasible. We demonstrate the new algorithms on an analysis of pilot fatigue and its contributing factors, as well as the safety incidents that are correlated with this phenomenon.

  5. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto - Synthesis 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-12-01

    TURVA-2012 is Posiva's safety case in support of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR 2012) and application for a construction licence for a spent nuclear fuel repository. Consistent with the Government Decisions-in- Principle, this foresees a repository developed in bedrock at the Olkiluoto site according to the KBS-3 method, designed to accept spent nuclear fuel from the lifetime operations of the Olkiluoto and Loviisa reactors. Synthesis 2012 presents a synthesis of Posiva Oy's Safety Case 'TURVA-2012' portfolio. It summarises the design basis for the repository at the Olkiluoto site, the assessment methodology and key results of performance and safety assessments. It brings together all the lines of argument for safety, evaluation of compliance with the regulatory requirements, and statement of confidence in long-term safety and Posiva's safety analyses. The TURVA-2012 safety case demonstrates that the proposed repository design provides a safe solution for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, and that the performance and safety assessments are fully consistent with all the legal and regulatory requirements related to long-term safety as set out in Government Decree 736/2008 and in guidance from the nuclear regulator - the STUK. Moreover, Posiva considers that the level of confidence in the demonstration of safety is appropriate and sufficient to submit the construction licence application to the authorities. The assessment of long-term safety includes uncertainties, but these do not affect the basic conclusions on the long-term safety of the repository. (orig.)

  6. Preparation of the initial safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hensley, G.

    1987-01-01

    In British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL), the design of nuclear chemical plants for construction and subsequent operation at Sellafield Works is carried out by the Engineering Division of the Spent Fuel Management Services Group based at Risley, Warrington. Plant construction cannot take place, nor plant commissioning, until it has been demonstrated in the initial (design) safety case that the chosen design will allow the plant to be operated in an adequately safe manner, corresponding to an extremely low level of risk. The safety documentation procedure is described. A Preliminary Design Safety Appraisal is made of the initial design proposal to give an early indication of the order of risk that might prevail. The risk from each hazard is compared with an allocated risk target which makes up a proportion of the total plant risk which is quantified in BNFL's risk criteria. Where the risk appears unacceptable, appropriate modifications are made to the design. Prior to commissioning, a comprehensive, detailed risk assessment is carried out. The methodology of probabilistic risk assessment is described and examples given of how different hazards are assessed. (author)

  7. Use of Fixed Effects Models to Analyze Self-Controlled Case Series Data in Vaccine Safety Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Stanley; Zeng, Chan; Newcomer, Sophia; Nelson, Jennifer; Glanz, Jason

    2012-04-19

    Conditional Poisson models have been used to analyze vaccine safety data from self-controlled case series (SCCS) design. In this paper, we derived the likelihood function of fixed effects models in analyzing SCCS data and showed that the likelihoods from fixed effects models and conditional Poisson models were proportional. Thus, the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of time-varying variables including vaccination effect from fixed effects model and conditional Poisson model were equal. We performed a simulation study to compare empirical type I errors, means and standard errors of vaccination effect coefficient, and empirical powers among conditional Poisson models, fixed effects models, and generalized estimating equations (GEE), which has been commonly used for analyzing longitudinal data. Simulation study showed that both fixed effect models and conditional Poisson models generated the same estimates and standard errors for time-varying variables while GEE approach produced different results for some data sets. We also analyzed SCCS data from a vaccine safety study examining the association between measles mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). In analyzing MMR-ITP data, likelihood-based statistical tests were employed to test the impact of time-invariant variable on vaccination effect. In addition a complex semi-parametric model was fitted by simply treating unique event days as indicator variables in the fixed effects model. We conclude that theoretically fixed effects models provide identical MLEs as conditional Poisson models. Because fixed effect models are likelihood based, they have potentials to address methodological issues in vaccine safety studies such as how to identify optimal risk window and how to analyze SCCS data with misclassification of adverse events.

  8. Receptionist input to quality and safety in repeat prescribing in UK general practice: ethnographic case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swinglehurst, Deborah; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Russell, Jill; Myall, Michelle

    2011-11-03

    To describe, explore, and compare organisational routines for repeat prescribing in general practice to identify contributors and barriers to safety and quality. Ethnographic case study. Four urban UK general practices with diverse organisational characteristics using electronic patient records that supported semi-automation of repeat prescribing. 395 hours of ethnographic observation of staff (25 doctors, 16 nurses, 4 healthcare assistants, 6 managers, and 56 reception or administrative staff), and 28 documents and other artefacts relating to repeat prescribing locally and nationally. Potential threats to patient safety and characteristics of good practice. Observation of how doctors, receptionists, and other administrative staff contributed to, and collaborated on, the repeat prescribing routine. Analysis included mapping prescribing routines, building a rich description of organisational practices, and drawing these together through narrative synthesis. This was informed by a sociological model of how organisational routines shape and are shaped by information and communications technologies. Results Repeat prescribing was a complex, technology-supported social practice requiring collaboration between clinical and administrative staff, with important implications for patient safety. More than half of requests for repeat prescriptions were classed as "exceptions" by receptionists (most commonly because the drug, dose, or timing differed from what was on the electronic repeat list). They managed these exceptions by making situated judgments that enabled them (sometimes but not always) to bridge the gap between the idealised assumptions about tasks, roles, and interactions that were built into the electronic patient record and formal protocols, and the actual repeat prescribing routine as it played out in practice. This work was creative and demanded both explicit and tacit knowledge. Clinicians were often unaware of this input and it did not feature in policy

  9. A food recall case study in Australia – Towards the development of food safety applications for consumers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adeola Bamgboje-Ayodele

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Changes in consumer attitudes, behaviours and purchasing preferences towards different types of food highlight the increased demand for better quality information on safety, quality and provenance of food products and on sustainability of food production processes. These changes offer both new opportunities and risks for food producers who require mechanisms to better understand and respond to changing consumers’ decision-making trends on food.  In the area of food safety, investigation of consumer and producer responses during recall incidents provide an opportunity to holistically understand existing information flows and elicit user requirements necessary for the development of more effective consumer food safety applications.This paper reports on a case study conducted with an Australian premium manufacturing company that experienced a food recall in 2014. The investigation confirms that current Australian food recall response mechanisms do not guarantee a closed loop of communication with all purchasers of a recalled product. It also highlights that producers still face difficulties in understanding how best to effectively understand and respond to different types of consumers. It emerges that recovery from a food incident relies on many factors including pre-existing brand reputation, effective information management, control mechanisms and supply chain partner response. From a consumer perspective, it is evident that consumers’ responses are influenced by various factors that require sensitivity around the choice of information modality and information platform adopted to enhance communications during food recall. The paper highlights the need for further research into understanding consumer food safety behaviours post-purchase to improve the development of consumer food safety applications.

  10. Environmental Regulation and Food Safety: Studies of Protection ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2006-01-01

    Jan 1, 2006 ... Book cover Environmental Regulation and Food Safety: Studies of ... are sometimes perceived in developing countries as nontariff barriers to trade. ... In some cases, products that had initially been refused access to a ...

  11. Study and design of safety assessment model based on H12 reference case using GoldSim

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, Kunihiko; Koo, Shigeru; Ebina, Takanori; Ebashi, Takeshi; Inagaki, Manabu

    2009-07-01

    Reference case of safety assessment analysis at the H12 report was calculated using the numerical code MESHNOTE and MATRICS mainly. On the other hand, recently general simulation software witch has a character of object-oriented is globally used and the numerical code GoldSim is typical software. After the H12 report, probability theory analysis and sensitivity analysis using GoldSim have carried out by statistical method for the purpose of following up safety assessment analysis at the H12 report. On this report, details of the method for the model design using GoldSim are summarized, and to confirm calculation reproducibility, verification between the H12 report and GoldSim results were carried out. And the guide book of calculation method using GoldSim is maintained for other investigators at JAEA who want to calculate reference case on the H12 report. In the future, application resources on this report will be able to upgrade probability theory analysis and other conceptual models. (author)

  12. Development of a methodology for an environmental safety case in the United Kingdom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, L.E.F.

    2008-01-01

    This presentation introduced the notion of an environmental safety case that focuses on the protection of both humans and the environment. The UK safety case will address operational, transport and post-closure safety for intermediate-level waste (ILW) and high-level waste (HLW). As there is yet no agreed site or design for a deep geological repository in the UK, the first iteration of the safety case will be generic, drawing on examples from international repository concepts. These concepts will be considered in appropriate generic geological environments typical of those found in the UK. The performance of these example concepts will be assessed using a time frames-based approach that focuses on the evolution of the multiple barriers and their associated safety functions. This approach recognizes that the relative importance of the different barriers in providing safety will evolve over time. For example, at early times the engineered barriers provide containment and the geological barriers protect the engineered barriers and provide isolation of the wastes. At later times, as the engineered barriers degrade, the geosphere provides the major barrier to radionuclide migration back to the surface and ensures the long-term stability of the system. A multi-factor safety case will be presented, using multiple lines of reasoning, including comparisons with natural and anthropogenic analogues, to provide assurance of the intrinsic safety functions of the system and their evolution over time. (author)

  13. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto - Synthesis 2012

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-12-15

    TURVA-2012 is Posiva's safety case in support of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR 2012) and application for a construction licence for a spent nuclear fuel repository. Consistent with the Government Decisions-in- Principle, this foresees a repository developed in bedrock at the Olkiluoto site according to the KBS-3 method, designed to accept spent nuclear fuel from the lifetime operations of the Olkiluoto and Loviisa reactors. Synthesis 2012 presents a synthesis of Posiva Oy's Safety Case 'TURVA-2012' portfolio. It summarises the design basis for the repository at the Olkiluoto site, the assessment methodology and key results of performance and safety assessments. It brings together all the lines of argument for safety, evaluation of compliance with the regulatory requirements, and statement of confidence in long-term safety and Posiva's safety analyses. The TURVA-2012 safety case demonstrates that the proposed repository design provides a safe solution for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, and that the performance and safety assessments are fully consistent with all the legal and regulatory requirements related to long-term safety as set out in Government Decree 736/2008 and in guidance from the nuclear regulator - the STUK. Moreover, Posiva considers that the level of confidence in the demonstration of safety is appropriate and sufficient to submit the construction licence application to the authorities. The assessment of long-term safety includes uncertainties, but these do not affect the basic conclusions on the long-term safety of the repository. (orig.)

  14. Making the post-closure safety case for the proposed yucca mountain repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swift, P.; Van Luik, A.

    2008-01-01

    This presentation provided an overview of the Yucca Mountain repository post-closure safety case. The safety case concept is being integrated into the license application being prepared for Yucca Mountain, by giving particularly close attention to the treatment of uncertainties, thereby bringing available lines of evidence into the supporting information, as appropriate, to build a comprehensive argument for safety and regulatory compliance. For Yucca Mountain, it is expected that there will be open questions in the safety case to be presented to the regulator and a programme will be outlined on what information is to be gathered (and how) prior to the next iteration in the licensing process to address such open issues. A one-hundred year operational phase is foreseen and planned, and the changes in knowledge and approaches that occur over time will have to be accommodated through the formal licensing process. (authors)

  15. The sociocultural perspective applied to mobility and road safety: a case study through social networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pilar Parra Contreras

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the sociocultural paradigm as a theoretical framework to address mobility and road safety from the social sciences. This approach includes analysis of issues such as the uses and attributes of the car, cultural and social values associated with it, and the implications in processes in structuring and social exclusion. In order to this, we present a case study on alcohol and drugs and driving where we show the demographic, economic and occupational characteristics that mediate the different relation of the people with the car, but also their cultural characteristics, lifestyles and leisure. The research design combines data from a brief online survey with qualitative data such as tastes and preferences, from the social network Facebook. The analysis shows that there are groups of drivers who differ in their patterns of no dissociation in their consumption of alcohol / drugs and driving in terms of classical structural variables and lifestyles that are  reflected in their Facebook likes. The discussion and conclusions examine the need to analyze the social context in which road accident occurs and its usefulness in the design of awareness campaigns and intervention in road safety.

  16. Probabilistic seismic safety assessment of a CANDU 6 nuclear power plant including ambient vibration tests: Case study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nour, Ali [Hydro Québec, Montréal, Québec H2L4P5 (Canada); École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C3A7 (Canada); Cherfaoui, Abdelhalim; Gocevski, Vladimir [Hydro Québec, Montréal, Québec H2L4P5 (Canada); Léger, Pierre [École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C3A7 (Canada)

    2016-08-01

    Highlights: • In this case study, the seismic PSA methodology adopted for a CANDU 6 is presented. • Ambient vibrations testing to calibrate a 3D FEM and to reduce uncertainties is performed. • Procedure for the development of FRS for the RB considering wave incoherency effect is proposed. • Seismic fragility analysis for the RB is presented. - Abstract: Following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan there is a worldwide interest in reducing uncertainties in seismic safety assessment of existing nuclear power plant (NPP). Within the scope of a Canadian refurbishment project of a CANDU 6 (NPP) put in service in 1983, structures and equipment must sustain a new seismic demand characterised by the uniform hazard spectrum (UHS) obtained from a site specific study defined for a return period of 1/10,000 years. This UHS exhibits larger spectral ordinates in the high-frequency range than those used in design. To reduce modeling uncertainties as part of a seismic probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), Hydro-Québec developed a procedure using ambient vibrations testing to calibrate a detailed 3D finite element model (FEM) of the containment and reactor building (RB). This calibrated FE model is then used for generating floor response spectra (FRS) based on ground motion time histories compatible with the UHS. Seismic fragility analyses of the reactor building (RB) and structural components are also performed in the context of a case study. Because the RB is founded on a large circular raft, it is possible to consider the effect of the seismic wave incoherency to filter out the high-frequency content, mainly above 10 Hz, using the incoherency transfer function (ITF) method. This allows reducing significantly the non-necessary conservatism in resulting FRS, an important issue for an existing NPP. The proposed case study, and related methodology using ambient vibration testing, is particularly useful to engineers involved in seismic re-evaluation of

  17. Natural safety indicators and their application to repository safety cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, B.

    2002-01-01

    Radiological dose and risk are the standard end-points calculated in all performance assessments. Their calculation requires, however, assumptions to be made for future human behaviour. To complement dose and risk, other safety indicators have been suggested which do not require such assumptions to be made. One proposed set of safety indicators are the concentrations and fluxes of naturally-occurring chemical species in the environment which may be compared with the performance assessment predictions of repository releases. Such comparisons can be valid because both the natural and repository species would occur in the same system and their transport behaviour would be controlled by exactly the same processes at the same rates. Although simple in concept, there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate comparisons to make or on the interpretation of such comparisons. A number of national and international research projects are evaluating this proposed approach, including an IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme. These projects suggest that that the approach appears to be workable and that it may be a valuable component of a safety case, complementing the dose and risk presentations. Further work is, however, necessary to develop the approach to a level where it may be confidently applied in further performance assessments in a consistent and methodical manner. (author)

  18. Implications of case managers' perceptions and attitude on safety of home-delivered care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Sarahjane

    2015-12-01

    Perceptions on safety in community care have been relatively unexplored. A project that sought to understand the multiple perspectives on safety in the NHS case-management programme was carried out in relation to the structure, process, and outcome of care. This article presents a component of the nursing perspective that highlights an important element in the structure of nursing care that could potentially impede the nurses' ability to be fully effective and safe. A single case study of the case-management programme was undertaken. Three primary care organisations from three strategic health authorities participated, and three focus groups were conducted (one within each organisation). In total, 17 case management nurses participated. Data were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim and subjected to framework analysis. Nursing staff attitudes were identified as a structure of care that influence safety outcomes, particularly their perceptions of the care setting and the implications it has on their role and patient behaviour. Greater understanding of the expected role of the community nurse is necessary, and relevant training is required for nurses to be successful in empowering patients to perform more safely. In addition, efforts need to be made to improve patients' trust in the health-care system to prevent harm and promote more effective utilisation of resources.

  19. CONSUMER WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR SAFETY LABELS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF POTASSIUM BROMATE IN BREAD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O Oni

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available The study analysed consumer willingness to pay for safety labels in Nigeria by a case study of potassium bromate in bread” in Benin City, Edo State. It specifi cally investigates factors that promote willingness to pay for label among consumers of bread in Benin City, Edo State. Data used for the study were obtained through a well-structured questionnaire from 200 respondents. Both descriptive analytical methods and probit regression models were used for the analysis. The study revealed that 73% of the respondents are in their active working age with 50 percent of the respondent being male and female respectively. 67 percent of the respondents are married with 55 percent having an average of 5 members per household. 99 percent of the respondents are educated i.e. they have the capability of being able to read and write. Respondents purchased bread mainly from hawkers (60% with about 60% of them being aware of the presence of bromate in bread. 40% of the consumers used labeling as a way of identifying bromate free bread. Other methods reported deal with differences in price of bread with same weight, aroma and taste. Result also revealed that 60% of the respondents got to know about the negative effect of bromate from news (both print and mass media. Econometric results show that variables like education, gender, income, prior knowledge of bromate and perception held by respondents of negative implications of bromate signifi cantly infl uence the willingness to pay for safety labels. Education, gender, income and prior knowledge of bromate positively infl uence the probability of consumers’ decision to pay for safety label, while price of bread and confi dence and perception held by respondents of negative implications of bromate on human health infl uence consumers willingness to pay more for safety labels. The study, thus, suggests a defi ned market for bread purchases, community based awareness programme and extension of National Agency

  20. Nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tarride, Bruno

    2015-10-01

    The author proposes an overview of methods and concepts used in the nuclear industry, at the design level as well as at the exploitation level, to ensure an acceptable safety level, notably in the case of nuclear reactors. He first addresses the general objectives of nuclear safety and the notion of acceptable risk: definition and organisation of nuclear safety (relationships between safety authorities and operators), notion of acceptable risk, deterministic safety approach and main safety principles (safety functions and confinement barriers, concept of defence in depth). Then, the author addresses the safety approach at the design level: studies of operational situations, studies of internal and external aggressions, safety report, design principles for important-for-safety systems (failure criterion, redundancy, failure prevention, safety classification). The next part addresses safety during exploitation and general exploitation rules: definition of the operation domain and of its limits, periodic controls and tests, management in case of incidents, accidents or aggressions

  1. Knowledge management: the cornerstone of a 21. century safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Umeki, H.; Osawa, H.; Naito, M.; Nakano, K.; Makino, H.; Mc Kinley, I.G.

    2008-01-01

    The safety case for a radioactive waste repository involves many complex, multi-disciplinary issues; these must be summarised in a comprehensive and concise manner, with links to all supporting information. The safety case can thus be considered an edifice built on structured knowledge. Knowledge is defined here in the very widest sense; including all of the information underpinning a repository project. Knowledge management covers all aspects of the development, integration, quality assurance, communication and maintenance/archiving of such knowledge. When seen from this perspective, the exponential expansion of the knowledge base represents a little-discussed challenge to safety case development. Indeed, knowledge production rates in this area are rapidly reaching, if not already surpassing, the limits of traditional management methods. This problem has been recognised in Japan and thus a project has been initiated to develop a next generation knowledge management system (KMS). This will utilize advanced electronic information management technology to handle the vast quantity of material involved. Autonomic systems will perform many of the information processing functions, helping ensure that required knowledge is accessible to all stakeholders and that gaps can be identified and supporting R and D prioritized. In a departure from conventional structuring by technical discipline, the prototype KMS utilizes a safety case structure. This should facilitate use of the core of neutral scientific and technical knowledge by both the implementer and the regulator. Flexibility is built into the system, to allow it to be restructured to match the user needs or even interfaced directly to a formal requirements management system. (authors)

  2. Macro-Level Modeling of Urban Transportation Safety: Case-Study of Mashhad (Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammadi Mehdi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Transportation safety can be aimed at the planning stage in order to adopt safety management and evaluate the long-time policies. The main objective of this research was to make use of crash prediction models in urban transportation planning process. As such, it was attempted to gather data on the results of transportation master plan as well as Mashhad urban crash database. Two modelling method, generalized linear model with negative binomial distribution and geographically weighted regression, were considered as the methods used in this research. Trip variables, including trip by car, trip by bus, trip by bus services and trip by school services, were significant at 95%. The results indicated that both finalized models were competent in predicting urban crashes in Mashhad. Regarding to results urban transportation safety will be improved by changing the modal share for example from private car to bus. The application of the process presented in this study can improve the urban transportation safety management processes and lead to more accurate prediction in terms of crashes across urban traffic areas.

  3. Comparison of Survival and Safety Requirements in European Union for Recreational Craft Inspections. A Spanish Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Torralbo

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Statistical data shows that a large number of maritime accidents are related to recreational craft. For instance, in Spain, more than fifty percent of the emergencies are related to pleasure boats at sea. Recreational craft marketed in the EU must comply with harmonized technical safety and environmental requirements defined by Directive 94/25/EC, as amended in 2003. On 28 December 2013, the new recreational craft directive 2013/53/EU was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. EU Member States have until 18 January 2016 to amend their national legislation and transpose the new directive. The current directive 94/25/EC as amended by directive 2003/44/EC will be repealed on 18 January 2016, after the full application of the new text. Although this directive, there is not a clear coordination and equivalence among the EU countries according to the survival and safety equipment compulsory for recreational crafts. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the types of survey / inspections to be carried in pleasure craft (non-commercial use, periodicity and required safety equipment in some member states of the European Union. A case study of Spain is presented. From the results obtained, we can make clear that in the European Union there is a lack of coordination in this area and indicate the need to unify a common pattern in inspections and survival and safety requirements of recreational boats in the EU.

  4. Influence of professional drivers' personality traits on road traffic safety: case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Živković, Snežana; Nikolić, Vesna; Markič, Mirko

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present basic elements of the research directed at identifying and determining the personality traits of professional drivers that affect safe, secure and enjoyable ride on public roads. A quantitative method has been used here, whereas data were acquired from a questionnaire based on a sample of 59 professional drivers. Determining personality traits of professional drivers that are in correlation with a safe and pleasant ride on the roads has been enabled by applying the five-factor model of personality ('Big Five') and the Personality Inventory NEO-PI. From these results it was concluded that safe operation of the vehicle in traffic involves the successful 'conduct' of oneself, which recognises the importance of certain personality traits of professional drivers for traffic safety and the need for appropriate professional selection in the case of employment of professional drivers. Research results implicate development of educational programmes aimed at achieving harmony of psychological, physical and sensory health, that is, programmes for permanent informing, educating and training professional drivers for defensive driving. The research opens the way for new research tasks that should help in creating a specific structure of curricula that can be used in a variety of transportation companies and enterprises to improve general and public safety.

  5. Safety Risk Knowledge Elicitation in Support of Aeronautical R and D Portfolio Management: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Ann T.; Ancel, Ersin; Jones, Sharon Monica; Reveley, Mary S.; Luxhoj, James T.

    2012-01-01

    Aviation is a problem domain characterized by a high level of system complexity and uncertainty. Safety risk analysis in such a domain is especially challenging given the multitude of operations and diverse stakeholders. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) projects that by 2025 air traffic will increase by more than 50 percent with 1.1 billion passengers a year and more than 85,000 flights every 24 hours contributing to further delays and congestion in the sky (Circelli, 2011). This increased system complexity necessitates the application of structured safety risk analysis methods to understand and eliminate where possible, reduce, and/or mitigate risk factors. The use of expert judgments for probabilistic safety analysis in such a complex domain is necessary especially when evaluating the projected impact of future technologies, capabilities, and procedures for which current operational data may be scarce. Management of an R&D product portfolio in such a dynamic domain needs a systematic process to elicit these expert judgments, process modeling results, perform sensitivity analyses, and efficiently communicate the modeling results to decision makers. In this paper a case study focusing on the application of an R&D portfolio of aeronautical products intended to mitigate aircraft Loss of Control (LOC) accidents is presented. In particular, the knowledge elicitation process with three subject matter experts who contributed to the safety risk model is emphasized. The application and refinement of a verbal-numerical scale for conditional probability elicitation in a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) is discussed. The preliminary findings from this initial step of a three-part elicitation are important to project management practitioners as they illustrate the vital contribution of systematic knowledge elicitation in complex domains.

  6. IRSN safety research carried out for reviewing safety cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serres, Ch.

    2010-01-01

    Christophe Serres from IRSN (France) described the independent role of the IRSN regarding research related to nuclear safety in the context of the French Planning Act of 28 June 2006 foreseeing a licence application to be submitted in 2015 for the creation of a deep geological repository. IRSN research programme is organised along research activities devoted to addressing independently-identified k ey safety issues . These 'key issues' should also be of prime concern for the implementer since they relate to the demonstration of the overall safety of the repository, and the level of funding that the implementer should afford to research activities of concern for safety. He explained that the quality and independency of the research programme carried out by IRSN allow building and improving a set of scientific knowledge and technical skills that serves the public mission of delivering technical appraisal and advice, e.g., on behalf of the national safety authority. In particular they contribute to improving the decisional process by making possible scientific dialogue with stakeholders independently from regulator or implementer. The current IRSN R and D programme is developed along the following lines: - Test the adequacy of experimental methods for which feedback is not sufficient. - Develop basic scientific knowledge in the fields where there is a need for better understanding of complex phenomena and interactions. - Develop and use numerical modelling tools to support studies on complex phenomena and interactions. - Perform specific experimental tests aiming at assessing the key parameters that may warrant the performances of the different components of the repository. These studies are carried out by means of experiments performed either at IRSN surface laboratories, or in the Tournemire Experimental Station (TES), an underground facility operated by IRSN in the south-east of France. Targeted actions on research related to operational safety and reversibility

  7. Environmental Health and Safety Status of Schools: Case Study in Paveh City of Kermanshah Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyyed Alireza Mousavi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: A most part of children time is spent in a school environment. Important part of the basic mission of schools is promoting the health and safety. So assessing the existing conditions is an important factor in promotion and this study conducted to investigate the environmental health and safety status of Paveh city schools in Kermanshah province. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive-cross sectional study and has performed in Paveh city of Kermanshah province. The study population consisted of primary, secondary and high schools of Paveh city. Data has been collated by referring to schools, direct observation and completion of environmental health and safety checklist. Schools conditions were determined according to the environmental health and safety checklist in desirable, semi-desirable and undesirable. The collected data were analyzed using Excel software, and data means and frequencies sign in tables and were drawn by charts. Results: From the 28 schools have visited 35.6% of school building is old and 63.7% of school building is new built. In the study of all schools in 8% of schools environmental health status were undesirable and in 21% semi-desirable and in 71% were desirable, also safety status in 4% of all schools were undesirable  and in 21% semi-desirable and in 75% were desirable. Undesirable safety conditions related to adjacent to waste accumulation areas, brick buildings without footing beam, inappropriate distance of  first row bench from the boards, lack of green spaces Conclusion: Given the importance of safety in schools, more attention should be paid to this issue. It is essential to compliance with the principles of health and safety in schools, also any consideration and action in this field can be effective in reducing the risk of many related health problems.

  8. Alternative perspectives of safety in home delivered health care: a sequential exploratory mixed method study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Sarahjane

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study was to discover and describe how patients, carers and case management nurses define safety and compare it to the traditional risk reduction and harm avoidance definition of safety. Care services are increasingly being delivered in the home for patients with complex long-term conditions. However, the concept of safety remains largely unexplored. A sequential, exploratory mixed method design. A qualitative case study of the UK National Health Service case management programme in the English UK National Health Service was deployed during 2012. Thirteen interviews were conducted with patients (n = 9) and carers (n = 6) and three focus groups with nurses (n = 17) from three community care providers. The qualitative element explored the definition of safety. Data were subjected to framework analysis and themes were identified by participant group. Sequentially, a cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2013 in a fourth community care provider (patient n = 35, carer n = 19, nurse n = 26) as a form of triangulation. Patients and carers describe safety differently to case management nurses, choosing to focus on meeting needs. They use more positive language and recognize the role they have in safety in home-delivered health care. In comparison, case management nurses described safety similarly to the definitions found in the literature. However, when offered the patient and carer definition of safety, they preferentially selected this definition to their own or the literature definition. Patients and carers offer an alternative perspective on patient safety in home-delivered health care that identifies their role in ensuring safety and is more closely aligned with the empowerment philosophy of case management. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Safety At Fluor Hanford (B) Case Study - Prepared By The Thunderbird School Of Global Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnold, L.D.

    2009-01-01

    One year into the Hanford contract, Fluor had learned a number of hard lessons very quickly. Although the Hanford remediation contract was in many ways a new endeavor for Fluor and a different kind of contract, the organization moved quickly to increase communication with all employees, attack head-on what it considered unsafe and inappropriate safety practices, and strongly inject its own corporate cultural beliefs into the Hanford organization. It wasn't easy, and it didn't happen overnight. From the beginning, Fluor established processes and programs to drive down injury rates. For example, whereas the previous contractor's approach to injuries had been passive, Fluor took a much more aggressive approach to worker injuries. The previous contractor had established a practice of sending injured workers home with the basic directive 'to come back when you are well'. Instead of using outsourced medical assessment, Fluor internalized it and evaluated all claims aggressively. Legitimate claims were quickly settled, and management moved to identify 'repeat offenders' when it came to reportable safety incidents. In the first year of Fluor's management, reportable injuries dropped from 5.37 to 2.99 per 200,000 man-hours. Despite the drop in injury rates, the safety record at Fluor Hanford was not at a level that met either Fluor or the Department of Energy's expectations. Earlier in 1997, Fluor Hanford's proposed safety program was rejected by the DOE. The DOE was not satisfied with Fluor Hanford's proposal for various reasons, including insufficient worker involvement and a lack of accountability. With the need for change clearly established, Fluor Hanford management embarked on a decade-long mission to change the safety culture and improve safety performance. This case describes the key changes and their impact on Fluor Hanford.

  10. SAFETY AT FLUOR HANFORD (B) CASE STUDY - PREPARED BY THE THUNDERBIRD SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    ARNOLD LD

    2009-09-25

    One year into the Hanford contract, Fluor had learned a number of hard lessons very quickly. Although the Hanford remediation contract was in many ways a new endeavor for Fluor and a different kind of contract, the organization moved quickly to increase communication with all employees, attack head-on what it considered unsafe and inappropriate safety practices, and strongly inject its own corporate cultural beliefs into the Hanford organization. It wasn't easy, and it didn't happen overnight. From the beginning, Fluor established processes and programs to drive down injury rates. For example, whereas the previous contractor's approach to injuries had been passive, Fluor took a much more aggressive approach to worker injuries. The previous contractor had established a practice of sending injured workers home with the basic directive 'to come back when you are well'. Instead of using outsourced medical assessment, Fluor internalized it and evaluated all claims aggressively. Legitimate claims were quickly settled, and management moved to identify 'repeat offenders' when it came to reportable safety incidents. In the first year of Fluor's management, reportable injuries dropped from 5.37 to 2.99 per 200,000 man-hours. Despite the drop in injury rates, the safety record at Fluor Hanford was not at a level that met either Fluor or the Department of Energy's expectations. Earlier in 1997, Fluor Hanford's proposed safety program was rejected by the DOE. The DOE was not satisfied with Fluor Hanford's proposal for various reasons, including insufficient worker involvement and a lack of accountability. With the need for change clearly established, Fluor Hanford management embarked on a decade-long mission to change the safety culture and improve safety performance. This case describes the key changes and their impact on Fluor Hanford.

  11. Applying health education theory to patient safety programs: three case studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilkey, Melissa B; Earp, Jo Anne L; French, Elizabeth A

    2008-04-01

    Program planning for patient safety is challenging because intervention-oriented surveillance data are not yet widely available to those working in this nascent field. Even so, health educators are uniquely positioned to contribute to patient safety intervention efforts because their theoretical training provides them with a guide for designing and implementing prevention programs. This article demonstrates the utility of applying health education concepts from three prominent patient safety campaigns, including the concepts of risk perception, community participation, and social marketing. The application of these theoretical concepts to patient safety programs suggests that health educators possess a knowledge base and skill set highly relevant to patient safety and that their perspective should be increasingly brought to bear on the design and evaluation of interventions that aim to protect patients from preventable medical error.

  12. Studying the Safety Impact of Autonomous Vehicles Using Simulation-Based Surrogate Safety Measures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Mario Morando

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Autonomous vehicle (AV technology has advanced rapidly in recent years with some automated features already available in vehicles on the market. AVs are expected to reduce traffic crashes as the majority of crashes are related to driver errors, fatigue, alcohol, or drugs. However, very little research has been conducted to estimate the safety impact of AVs. This paper aims to investigate the safety impacts of AVs using a simulation-based surrogate safety measure approach. To this end, safety impacts are explored through the number of conflicts extracted from the VISSIM traffic microsimulator using the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM. Behaviours of human-driven vehicles (HVs and AVs (level 4 automation are modelled within the VISSIM’s car-following model. The safety investigation is conducted for two case studies, that is, a signalised intersection and a roundabout, under various AV penetration rates. Results suggest that AVs improve safety significantly with high penetration rates, even when they travel with shorter headways to improve road capacity and reduce delay. For the signalised intersection, AVs reduce the number of conflicts by 20% to 65% with the AV penetration rates of between 50% and 100% (statistically significant at p<0.05. For the roundabout, the number of conflicts is reduced by 29% to 64% with the 100% AV penetration rate (statistically significant at p<0.05.

  13. Exploiting heterogeneous publicly available data sources for drug safety surveillance: computational framework and case studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutkias, Vassilis G; Lillo-Le Louët, Agnès; Jaulent, Marie-Christine

    2017-02-01

    Driven by the need of pharmacovigilance centres and companies to routinely collect and review all available data about adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and adverse events of interest, we introduce and validate a computational framework exploiting dominant as well as emerging publicly available data sources for drug safety surveillance. Our approach relies on appropriate query formulation for data acquisition and subsequent filtering, transformation and joint visualization of the obtained data. We acquired data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), PubMed and Twitter. In order to assess the validity and the robustness of the approach, we elaborated on two important case studies, namely, clozapine-induced cardiomyopathy/myocarditis versus haloperidol-induced cardiomyopathy/myocarditis, and apixaban-induced cerebral hemorrhage. The analysis of the obtained data provided interesting insights (identification of potential patient and health-care professional experiences regarding ADRs in Twitter, information/arguments against an ADR existence across all sources), while illustrating the benefits (complementing data from multiple sources to strengthen/confirm evidence) and the underlying challenges (selecting search terms, data presentation) of exploiting heterogeneous information sources, thereby advocating the need for the proposed framework. This work contributes in establishing a continuous learning system for drug safety surveillance by exploiting heterogeneous publicly available data sources via appropriate support tools.

  14. The role of KURT and A-KRS in the development of generic safety cases in Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Jong-Tae; Choi, Heui-Joo; Koh, Yong-Kwon; Kim, Geon-Young; Kim, Kyung-Su

    2014-01-01

    According to the draft guidelines for a deep geological disposal system for high-level wastes in Korea, the total annual risk for the average person resulting from the radiation exposure should not exceed 1.0 x 10 -6 /yr and the expected radiation exposure to the average person for each scenario should not exceed 10 mSv/yr (NSSC, 2012). Regulatory compliance should be supported by multiple lines of reasoning such as probabilistic analysis of exposure dose and risk, uncertainty analysis, natural analogue, complementary safety indicators such as radionuclide concentration and release rates, secure of defence-in-depth. The integrated safety assessment should also be made and updated consistently based on up-to-date data and information for each stage of deep geological disposal of high-level waste (HLW) such as basic studies, site characterisation, design, construction, operation, closure, environmental monitoring after closure and so on. These are the bases for the development of a safety case in Korea. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is now developing generic safety cases based on the Advanced Korean Reference Repository System (A-KRS) and the KAERI Underground Research Tunnel (KURT). The A-KRS is a geological disposal system for radioactive wastes from the pyro-processing of PWR spent nuclear fuels in Korea. KURT is a small-scale underground research laboratory constructed and operated to assess the feasibility, safety, appropriateness and stability of the disposal concept by making various in situ tests and experiments. In this paper, the concept and long-term safety assessment of the A-KRS design, the role of the KURT in the development of safety cases, and the development of complex scenarios to support the development of generic safety cases in Korea are described. (authors)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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%.

  16. A systematic review of occupational safety and health business cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verbeek, Jos; Pulliainen, Marjo; Kankaanpää, Eila

    2009-12-01

    Business cases are commonly developed as means to rationalize investment. We systematically reviewed 26 reported cases on occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions to assess if health and productivity arguments make a good business case. To be included in the review, studies had to analyze the costs and benefits, including productivity, of an OSH intervention at the enterprise level. We searched Medline and Embase for studies and used Google search in addition. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data. The intervention profitability was calculated in euros (euro in 2008) as the first year's benefits minus the total intervention costs per worker. The payback period was calculated as the intervention costs divided by the first year's benefits. We found three ex-ante and 23 ex-post cases. In 20 cases, the study design was a before-after comparison without a control group. Generally a 100% reduction of injuries or sickness absence was assumed. In two cases, productivity and quality increases were very large. The main benefit was avoided sick leave. Depreciation or discounting was applied only in a minority of cases. The intervention profitability was negative in seven studies, up to euro 500 per employee in 12 studies and more than euro 500 per employee in seven studies. The payback period was less than half a year for 19 studies. Only a few studies included sensitivity analyses. Few ex-ante business cases for management decisions on OSH are reported. Guidelines for reporting and evaluation are needed. Business cases need more sound assumptions on the effectiveness of interventions and should incorporate greater uncertainty into their design. Ex-post evaluation should be based preferably on study designs that control for trends at a time different from that of the intervention.

  17. Topical Session on the Decommissioning and Dismantling Safety Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    Set up by the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), the WPDD brings together senior representatives of national organisations who have a broad overview of Decommissioning and Dismantling (D and D) issues through their work as regulators, implementers, R and D experts or policy makers. These include representatives from regulatory authorities, industrial decommissioners from the NEA Cooperative Programme on Exchange of Scientific and Technical Information on Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Projects (CPD), and cross-representation from the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities, the Committee on Radiation Protection and Public Health, and the RWMC. The EC is a member of the WPDD and the IAEA also participates. This ensures co-ordination amongst activities in these international programmes. Participation from civil society organisations is considered on a case by case basis, and has already taken place through the active involvement of the Group of Municipalities with Nuclear Installations at the first meeting of the WPDD At its second meeting, in Paris, 5-7 December 2001, the WPDD held two topical sessions on the D and D Safety Case and on the Management of Materials from D and D, respectively. This report documents the topical session on the safety case. The topical session was meant to provide an exchange of information and experience on the following issues: What topics should be included in a safety case? Of what should it consist? Is there sufficient and complete guidance nationally and internationally? How do practices differ internationally? Main boundary condition to this session was that it would deal with plants where spent fuel has been removed. Also the topical sessions was kept at a level that makes the most of the varied constituency of the WPDD. Namely, interface issues are important, and issue-identification and discussion was the immediate goal. There was less interest in examining areas where variability amongst national

  18. Consideration of social scientific issues in a safety case. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sailer, Michael; Kallenbach-Herbert, Beate; Brohmann, Bettina; Spieth-Achtnich, Angelika

    2010-01-01

    The research outcome presented here - a model for identifying and describing safety-relevant social scientific issues - provides a scientific basis for addressing these issues in a safety case. In order for them to be implemented in a repository process, it would be necessary to elaborate in greater detail the initial conceptual foundations that have been laid in this research project in line with the project's terms of reference. The requisite elaboration relates to binding rules for designing the repository process, particularly with regard to the stages in which the safety case is to be developed during planning, approval, construction and operation through to repository closure. Such detailed elaboration also needs to involve specifying the extent to which each social scientific issue and sub-issue is to be addressed in the different stages. Consideration would need to be given not only to the relevance of the issue for a given stage but also to the various options and methods for providing proof of safety. It would be possible to draw on experiences with handling safety management in nuclear power plants - a sphere in which over the last ten years efforts have been ongoing to develop methods for presentation by the operator and review by the authorities. Furthermore, it is likely that the social scientific issues relevant to a safety case cannot be defined once and for all in a single process, but that the need for continual revision and adaptation will arise due to both the increasing knowledge acquired during the course of the repository process and the experiences and expectations of stakeholders (similarly to experiences in the sphere of scientific-technological requirements). Appropriate conditions need to be defined for such a process. This process could be supported by implementing the option mentioned above whereby a regulatory definition of safety management for geological disposal is formulated which encompasses all safety-relevant social scientific

  19. Source-book of International Activities Related to the Development of Safety Cases for Deep Geological Repositories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-01-01

    All national radioactive waste management authorities recognise today that a robust safety case is essential in developing disposal facilities for radioactive waste. To improve the robustness of the safety case for the development of a deep geological repository, a wide variety of activities have been carried out by national programs and international organisations over the past years. The Nuclear Energy Agency, since first introducing the modern concept of the 'safety case', has continued to monitor major developments in safety case activities at the international level. This Source-book summarises the activities being undertaken by the Nuclear Energy Agency, the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning the safety case for the operational and post-closure phases of geological repositories for radioactive waste that ranges from low-level to high-level waste and for spent fuel. In doing so, it highlights important differences in focus among the three organisations

  20. Assessing the validity of road safety evaluation studies by analysing causal chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elvik, Rune

    2003-09-01

    This paper discusses how the validity of road safety evaluation studies can be assessed by analysing causal chains. A causal chain denotes the path through which a road safety measure influences the number of accidents. Two cases are examined. One involves chemical de-icing of roads (salting). The intended causal chain of this measure is: spread of salt --> removal of snow and ice from the road surface --> improved friction --> shorter stopping distance --> fewer accidents. A Norwegian study that evaluated the effects of salting on accident rate provides information that describes this causal chain. This information indicates that the study overestimated the effect of salting on accident rate, and suggests that this estimate is influenced by confounding variables the study did not control for. The other case involves a traffic club for children. The intended causal chain in this study was: join the club --> improve knowledge --> improve behaviour --> reduce accident rate. In this case, results are rather messy, which suggests that the observed difference in accident rate between members and non-members of the traffic club is not primarily attributable to membership in the club. The two cases show that by analysing causal chains, one may uncover confounding factors that were not adequately controlled in a study. Lack of control for confounding factors remains the most serious threat to the validity of road safety evaluation studies.

  1. Safety of Silicone Oil Removal in Cases of Gunshot Perforating Eye Injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghoraba, Hammouda Hamdy; Elgouhary, Sameh Mohamed; Mansour, Hosam Osman; Abdel-Fattah, Hitham Mamoun; Heikal, Mohamed Amin; Elgemaey, Emad Mohamed

    2017-03-01

    To evaluate the feasibility and safety of silicone oil (SO) removal in cases of gunshot perforating eye injuries (PEI). A retrospective, consecutive, interventional study from medical records regarding cases of gunshot PEI during the periods of Egyptian political instability (January 2011 until December 2013). The main outcomes were to evaluate the feasibility of SO removal in cases of gunshot PEI and management of retinal detachment (RD) after SO removal in such cases. One hundred ninety-six eyes of 193 patients were reviewed. SO was removed in 72 eyes of 70 patients (36.7%). After SO removal, five eyes (6.9%) developed RD. One case refused any other intervention. RD in the remaining four cases was treated with revision surgery and SO reinjection. The retina remained stable throughout follow-up. None of the eyes developed phthisis bulbi after SO removal. Mean follow-up after SO removal was 10.86 months (range: 3 months to 30 months). Mean follow-up after management of RD after SO removal was 17.7 months (range: 13 months to 21 months). Patients aged younger than 20 years were associated with extensive fibrous proliferation, which might affect the safety profile of SO removal in cases of gunshot PEI. Rate of RD after SO removal in cases of apparent retinal stability and localized fibrous proliferation was 6.9%. Retinal detachment after SO removal in such cases can be treated with revision surgery and SO reinjection. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:242-250.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  2. Safety study application guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-07-01

    Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., (Energy Systems) is committed to performing and documenting safety analyses for facilities it manages for the Department of Energy (DOE). Included are analyses of existing facilities done under the aegis of the Safety Analysis Report Upgrade Program, and analyses of new and modified facilities. A graded approach is used wherein the level of analysis and documentation for each facility is commensurate with the magnitude of the hazard(s), the complexity of the facility and the stage of the facility life cycle. Safety analysis reports (SARs) for hazard Category 1 and 2 facilities are usually detailed and extensive because these categories are associated with public health and safety risk. SARs for Category 3 are normally much less extensive because the risk to public health and safety is slight. At Energy Systems, safety studies are the name given to SARs for Category 3 (formerly open-quotes lowclose quotes) facilities. Safety studies are the appropriate instrument when on-site risks are limited to irreversible consequences to a few people, and off-site consequences are limited to reversible consequences to a few people. This application guide provides detailed instructions for performing safety studies that meet the requirements of DOE Orders 5480.22, open-quotes Technical Safety Requirements,close quotes and 5480.23, open-quotes Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports.close quotes A seven-chapter format has been adopted for safety studies. This format allows for discussion of all the items required by DOE Order 5480.23 and for the discussions to be readily traceable to the listing in the order. The chapter titles are: (1) Introduction and Summary, (2) Site, (3) Facility Description, (4) Safety Basis, (5) Hazardous Material Management, (6) Management, Organization, and Institutional Safety Provisions, and (7) Accident Analysis

  3. The safety case for a HLW repository in Opalinus clay: aims, methodology, first results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuidema, Piet

    2002-01-01

    Piet Zuidema (Nagra, Switzerland) described the development of the safety case for a high level waste repository in Opalinus clay in which canisters would be placed in large vaults. The current phase of work was concerned with demonstrating the feasibility of the disposal concept. The Safety Case is taken to mean a set of arguments to support a statement that the proposed facility will meet relevant safety criteria and will include arguments giving the basis for confidence that those arguments are correct and properly taking account of uncertainties. The safety strategy was concerned both with the inherent robustness of the disposal concept and the adequacy of the assessment capability. As regards the former, the arguments being advanced were primarily qualitative. Key issues in terms of the documentation of the Safety Case were traceability and transparency of information, including how to ensure that key arguments did not become obscured because of the need to make available very large quantities of information

  4. Commuter Train Passenger Safety Model Using Positive Behavior Approach: The Case Study in Suburban Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryanto, D. A.; Adisasmita, S. A.; Hamid, S.; Hustim, M.

    2018-04-01

    Currently, Train passanger safety measures are more predominantly measurable using negative dimensions in user mode behavior, such as accident rate, accident intensity and accident impact. This condition suggests that safety improvements aim only to reduce accidents. Therefore, this study aims to measure the safety level of light train transit modes (KRL) through the dimensions of traveling safety on commuters based on positive safety indicators with severel condition departure times and returns for work purposes and long trip rates above KRL. The primary survey were used in data collection methods. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used in data analysis. The results show that there are different models of the safety level of departure and return journey. The highest difference is in the security dimension which is the internal variable of KRL users.

  5. Does a reactor need a safety backfit. Case study on communicating decision and risk analysis information to managers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, R.V.; Ulvila, J.W.

    1988-06-01

    An approach to communicating decision and risk analysis findings to managers is illustrated in a real case context. This article consists essentially of a report prepared for senior managers of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help them make a reactor safety decision. It illustrates the communication of decision analysis findings relating to technical risks, costs, and benefits in support of a major risk management decision: whether or not to require a safety backfit. Its focus is on the needs of decision makers, and it introduces some novel communication devices.

  6. Crude versus case-mix-adjusted control charts for safety monitoring in thyroid surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duclos, Antoine; Voirin, Nicolas; Touzet, Sandrine; Soardo, Pietro; Schott, Anne-Marie; Colin, Cyrille; Peix, Jean-Louis; Lifante, Jean-Christophe

    2010-12-01

    Patient-safety monitoring based on health-outcome indicators can lead to misinterpretation of changes in case mix. This study aimed to compare the detection of indicator variations between crude and case-mix-adjusted control charts using data from thyroid surgeries. The study population included each patient who underwent thyroid surgery in a teaching hospital from January 2006 to May 2008. Patient safety was monitored according to two indicators, which are immediately recognisable postoperative complications: recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and hypocalcaemia. Each indicator was plotted monthly on a p-control chart using exact limits. The weighted κ statistic was calculated to measure the agreement between crude and case-mix-adjusted control charts. We evaluated the outcomes of 1405 thyroidectomies. The overall proportions of immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and hypocalcaemia were 7.4% and 20.5%, respectively. The proportion of agreement in the detection of indicator variations between the crude and case-mix-adjusted p-charts was 95% (95% CI 85% to 99%). The strength of the agreement was κ = 0.76 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.98). The single special cause of variation that occurred was only detected by the case-mix-adjusted p-chart. There was good agreement in the detection of indicator variations between crude and case-mix-adjusted p-charts. The joint use of crude and adjusted charts seems to be a reasonable approach to increase the accuracy of interpretation of variations in outcome indicators.

  7. A study of software safety analysis system for safety-critical software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, H. S.; Shin, H. K.; Chang, Y. W.; Jung, J. C.; Kim, J. H.; Han, H. H.; Son, H. S.

    2004-01-01

    The core factors and requirements for the safety-critical software traced and the methodology adopted in each stage of software life cycle are presented. In concept phase, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for the system has been performed. The feasibility evaluation of selected safety parameter was performed and Preliminary Hazards Analysis list was prepared using HAZOP(Hazard and Operability) technique. And the check list for management control has been produced via walk-through technique. Based on the evaluation of the check list, activities to be performed in requirement phase have been determined. In the design phase, hazard analysis has been performed to check the safety capability of the system with regard to safety software algorithm using Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). In the test phase, the test items based on FMEA have been checked for fitness guided by an accident scenario. The pressurizer low pressure trip algorithm has been selected to apply FTA method to software safety analysis as a sample. By applying CASE tool, the requirements traceability of safety critical system has been enhanced during all of software life cycle phases

  8. The nuclear safety case for the replacement research reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willers, A.; Garea, V.

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents a broad overview of the safety case being used in the licensing of Australia's Replacement Research Reactor. The reactor is a 20 MW pool-type research reactor and is being constructed at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre in Sydney's south. It will be owned and operated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and will take over the duties currently performed by HIFAR, a DIDO-type reactor currently operating at the site. The safety case for the RRR considers all aspects of normal operation and anticipated occurrences and will be subject to periodic review and updated in line with evolving methodologies and modifications to plant and procedures. Its scope and degree of detail ensure that the risk posed to members of the public, operators and environment are all adequately low and well in the regulatory limits

  9. [Effectiveness and safety of oxcarbazepine in chronic neuropathic pain: a study of 40 cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenollosa-Vázquez, P; Canós-Verdecho, M A; Núñez-Cornejo, C; Pallarés-Delgado, J

    Neuropathic pain (NP) often fails to respond to the commonly established analgesic treatment. This fact, together with the existence of side effects, has led to the need to evaluate the analgesic effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs, which, as in the case of oxcarbazepine (OXC), are a valid alternative. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of OXC in patients suffering from chronic NP. We conducted a prospective, open study involving a series of 40 patients diagnosed with a long history of NP, which was previously resistant to different kinds of treatment with anticonvulsants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) drugs, opiates and adjuncts. Patients were treated with OXC and they were evaluated in both the basal (prior to treatment) and final visits (after treatment) by means of the visual analogue scale (VAS), SF-McGill questionnaire and the Lattinen test. The patient's general impression of the result was also obtained. The statistical analysis was performed by calculating the "effect size", by computing Cohen's d. Treatment with OXC diminishes different symptomatic variations of this pain, but especially so in the case of lancinating discharges (d = 0.87, important effect) and burning pain (d = 0.60, moderate-important effect), although the allodynia (d = 0.48, moderate effect) also improved with treatment. In the opinion of the patients themselves, response to treatment was good or very good in 50% of cases. The chief side effects observed were dizziness, drowsiness and abdominal upsets. OXC can be seen as a therapeutic alternative to be taken very much into account in patients with NP having different aetiologies; it has a good benefit-risk ratio and is a form of treatment that is well accepted by patients.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  11. An approach to the verification of a fault-tolerant, computer-based reactor safety system: A case study using automated reasoning: Volume 1: Interim report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chisholm, G.H.; Kljaich, J.; Smith, B.T.; Wojcik, A.S.

    1987-01-01

    The purpose of this project is to explore the feasibility of automating the verification process for computer systems. The intent is to demonstrate that both the software and hardware that comprise the system meet specified availability and reliability criteria, that is, total design analysis. The approach to automation is based upon the use of Automated Reasoning Software developed at Argonne National Laboratory. This approach is herein referred to as formal analysis and is based on previous work on the formal verification of digital hardware designs. Formal analysis represents a rigorous evaluation which is appropriate for system acceptance in critical applications, such as a Reactor Safety System (RSS). This report describes a formal analysis technique in the context of a case study, that is, demonstrates the feasibility of applying formal analysis via application. The case study described is based on the Reactor Safety System (RSS) for the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II). This is a system where high reliability and availability are tantamount to safety. The conceptual design for this case study incorporates a Fault-Tolerant Processor (FTP) for the computer environment. An FTP is a computer which has the ability to produce correct results even in the presence of any single fault. This technology was selected as it provides a computer-based equivalent to the traditional analog based RSSs. This provides a more conservative design constraint than that imposed by the IEEE Standard, Criteria For Protection Systems For Nuclear Power Generating Stations (ANSI N42.7-1972)

  12. Ferrocyanide safety project ferrocyanide aging studies. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lilga, M.A.; Hallen, R.T.; Alderson, E.V.

    1996-06-01

    This final report gives the results of the work conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) from FY 1992 to FY 1996 on the Ferrocyanide Aging Studies, part of the Ferrocyanide Safety Project. The Ferrocyanide Safety Project was initiated as a result of concern raised about the safe storage of ferrocyanide waste intermixed with oxidants, such as nitrate and nitrite salts, in Hanford Site single-shell tanks (SSTs). In the laboratory, such mixtures can be made to undergo uncontrolled or explosive reactions by heating dry reagents to over 200 degrees C. In 1987, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), published by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Final Environmental Impact Statement, Disposal of Hanford Defense High-Level Transuranic and Tank Waste, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington, included an environmental impact analysis of potential explosions involving ferrocyanide-nitrate mixtures. The EIS postulated that an explosion could occur during mechanical retrieval of saltcake or sludge from a ferrocyanide waste tank, and concluded that this worst-case accident could create enough energy to release radioactive material to the atmosphere through ventilation openings, exposing persons offsite to a short-term radiation dose of approximately 200 mrem. Later, in a separate study (1990), the General Accounting Office postulated a worst-case accident of one to two orders of magnitude greater than that postulated in the DOE EIS. The uncertainties regarding the safety envelope of the Hanford Site ferrocyanide waste tanks led to the declaration of the Ferrocyanide Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) in October 1990

  13. A Method to Select Test Input Cases for Safety-critical Software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Heeeun; Kang, Hyungook; Son, Hanseong

    2013-01-01

    This paper proposes a new testing methodology for effective and realistic quantification of RPS software failure probability. Software failure probability quantification is important factor in digital system safety assessment. In this study, the method for software test case generation is briefly described. The test cases generated by this method reflect the characteristics of safety-critical software and past inputs. Furthermore, the number of test cases can be reduced, but it is possible to perform exhaustive test. Aspect of software also can be reflected as failure data, so the final failure data can include the failure of software itself and external influences. Software reliability is generally accepted as the key factor in software quality since it quantifies software failures which can make a powerful system inoperative. In the KNITS (Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control Systems) project, the software for the fully digitalized reactor protection system (RPS) was developed under a strict procedure including unit testing and coverage measurement. Black box testing is one type of Verification and validation (V and V), in which given input values are entered and the resulting output values are compared against the expected output values. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were used in implementing critical systems and function block diagram (FBD) is a commonly used implementation language for PLC

  14. Using practical ergonomic evaluations in the restaurant industry to enhance safety and comfort: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gentzler, Marc D; Smither, Janan A

    2012-01-01

    Restaurant employees must deal with loud noise, busy environments, difficult customers, heavy, awkward, sharp, and hot objects, repetitive motions, and stress on various joints, all of which can lead to fatigue, sudden accidents, and longterm musculoskeletal injury. The goal of this case study was to assess the risk of injuries and accidents from conducting various tasks in the restaurant, specifically carrying/lifting, table management, and polishing silverware. The nine participants were servers at a local country club restaurant. Physical workload was measured by a scale of physical exertion. Cognitive workload was assessed, as well as cumulative trauma disorder risk. Overall results show that there is sufficient risk in some of the tasks to warrant concern. Specific results are discussed, as well as recommendations for improved safety.

  15. A framework for elaborating a geological disposal safety case: Main issues to be addressed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besnus, F.; Gay, D.

    2002-01-01

    International guidance on safety standards for the geological disposal of radioactive waste is being elaborated by IAEA. A comparison of experiences acquired in developing deep repository projects shows that many important issues related to the progressive building of confidence in the safety demonstration of such facilities are commonly addressed by the various organisations involved in radioactive waste management. However, there is still some discrepancies in defining the steps that form the staged elaboration of a safety case. This paper intends to propose a framework for defining the safety case in describing the main issues to be addressed and highlighting questions of consistency between former steps. (author)

  16. Safety studies of plasma-wall events with AINA code for Japanese DEMO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rivas, J.C., E-mail: jose.carlos.rivas@upc.edu [International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) (Japan); Fusion Energy Engineering Laboratory (FEEL), Technical University of Catalonia-BarcelonaTech (Spain); Nakamura, M.; Someya, Y.; Hoshino, K.; Asakura, N. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) (Japan); Takase, H. [International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) (Japan); Miyoshi, Y.; Utoh, H.; Tobita, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) (Japan); Dies, J.; Blas, A. de; Riego, A.; Fabbri, M. [Fusion Energy Engineering Laboratory (FEEL), Technical University of Catalonia-BarcelonaTech (Spain)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • Work done in AINA code during 2014 and 2015 at IFERC to develop a version for safety studies of a Japanese DEMO design. • A thermal model for a WCPB breeding blanket has been developed based in parametric input data from neutronics calculations. • A breakthrough for the safety studies of plasma-divertor transients: An integrated SOL-pedestal model + using melting time as objective variable + using optimization algorithm. • The results for the case of divertor show that both loss of plasma control (LOPC) transients and ex-vessel LOCA transient can induce severe melting. The difference is that while in the first case melting happens at PFC surface, in the second case it happens at copper heat sink. • Conclusions suggest that, because the minimum melting times are same order of magnitude than the energy confinement time, recovery time for plasma control system should be lower order. - Abstract: In this contribution, the work done in AINA code during 2014 and 2015 at IFERC is presented. The main motivation of this work was to adapt the code and to perform safety studies for a Japanese DEMO design. Related to AINA code, the work has supposed major changes in plasma models. Significant is the addition of an integrated SOL-pedestal model that allows the estimation of heat loads at divertor. Also, a thermal model for a WCPB (water cooled pebble bed) breeding blanket has been developed based in parametric input data from neutronics calculations. Related to safety studies, a major breakthrough in the study of LOPC (loss of plasma control) transients has been the use of an optimization method to determine the most severe transients in terms of the shortest melting times. The results of the safety study show that LOPC transients are not likely to be severe for breeding blanket, but for the case of divertor can induce severe melting. For ex-vessel LOCA (loss of coolant accident) analysis, it is severe for both blanket and divertor, but in the first case

  17. Safety studies of plasma-wall events with AINA code for Japanese DEMO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rivas, J.C.; Nakamura, M.; Someya, Y.; Hoshino, K.; Asakura, N.; Takase, H.; Miyoshi, Y.; Utoh, H.; Tobita, K.; Dies, J.; Blas, A. de; Riego, A.; Fabbri, M.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Work done in AINA code during 2014 and 2015 at IFERC to develop a version for safety studies of a Japanese DEMO design. • A thermal model for a WCPB breeding blanket has been developed based in parametric input data from neutronics calculations. • A breakthrough for the safety studies of plasma-divertor transients: An integrated SOL-pedestal model + using melting time as objective variable + using optimization algorithm. • The results for the case of divertor show that both loss of plasma control (LOPC) transients and ex-vessel LOCA transient can induce severe melting. The difference is that while in the first case melting happens at PFC surface, in the second case it happens at copper heat sink. • Conclusions suggest that, because the minimum melting times are same order of magnitude than the energy confinement time, recovery time for plasma control system should be lower order. - Abstract: In this contribution, the work done in AINA code during 2014 and 2015 at IFERC is presented. The main motivation of this work was to adapt the code and to perform safety studies for a Japanese DEMO design. Related to AINA code, the work has supposed major changes in plasma models. Significant is the addition of an integrated SOL-pedestal model that allows the estimation of heat loads at divertor. Also, a thermal model for a WCPB (water cooled pebble bed) breeding blanket has been developed based in parametric input data from neutronics calculations. Related to safety studies, a major breakthrough in the study of LOPC (loss of plasma control) transients has been the use of an optimization method to determine the most severe transients in terms of the shortest melting times. The results of the safety study show that LOPC transients are not likely to be severe for breeding blanket, but for the case of divertor can induce severe melting. For ex-vessel LOCA (loss of coolant accident) analysis, it is severe for both blanket and divertor, but in the first case

  18. Sensitivity analysis: Theory and practical application in safety cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhlmann, Sebastian; Plischke, Elmar; Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen; Becker, Dirk-Alexander

    2014-01-01

    The projects described here aim at deriving an adaptive and stepwise approach to sensitivity analysis (SA). Since the appropriateness of a single SA method strongly depends on the nature of the model under study, a top-down approach (from simple to sophisticated methods) is suggested. If simple methods explain the model behaviour sufficiently well then there is no need for applying more sophisticated ones and the SA procedure can be considered complete. The procedure is developed and tested using a model for a LLW/ILW repository in salt. Additionally, a new model for the disposal of HLW in rock salt will be available soon for SA studies within the MOSEL/NUMSA projects. This model will address special characteristics of waste disposal in undisturbed rock salt, especially the case of total confinement, resulting in a zero release which is indeed the objective of radioactive waste disposal. A high proportion of zero-output realisations causes many SA methods to fail, so special treatment is needed and has to be developed. Furthermore, the HLW disposal model will be used as a first test case for applying the procedure described above, which was and is being derived using the LLW/ILW model. How to treat dependencies in the input, model conservatism and time-dependent outputs will be addressed in the future project programme: - If correlations or, more generally, dependencies between input parameters exist, the question arises about the deeper meaning of sensitivity results in such cases: A strict separation between inputs, internal states and outputs is no longer possible. Such correlations (or dependencies) might have different reasons. In some cases correlated input parameters might have a common physically (well-)known fundamental cause but there are reasons why this fundamental cause cannot or should not be integrated into the model, i.e. the cause might generate a very complex model which cannot be calculated in appropriate time. In other cases the correlation may

  19. Personnel radiation safety. A case of hand lesion in a radiologist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilipenko, M.Yi.; Kulyinyich, G.V.; Stadnik, L.L.

    2012-01-01

    The work featured the questions of norma and rules of radiation safety at work with ionizing radiation. The history of the question about the permissible doses is dabbler's. The changes in the skin when exceeding the tolerant dose are described. A case of severe local lesions of the hand caused by chronic occupational over irradiation, when the safety rules were neglected, is described

  20. An outcome of nuclear safety research in JAERI. Case study for LOCA, FP, criticality and reprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanagisawa, Kazuaki; Ito, Keishiro; Kawashima, Kei; Katsuki, Chisato; Shirabe, Masashi

    2009-09-01

    An outcome of nuclear safety research done by JAERI was case studied by the bibliometric method. (1) For LOCA (loss-of-coolant accident) a domestic share of JAERI in monoclinic research paper was 63% at the past (20) 1978-1982 but was decreased to 40% at the present 1998-2002. For co-authored papers a domestic share between JAERI and PS (public sectors) is almost zero at past (20) but increased to 4% at the present. Research cooperation is active between Tokyo University and JAERI or between JAERI and Nagoya University. (2) Project-type research is to have a large monopolization in papers and that of basic-type research is to have a large development of research networking (DRN). (3) For FP, a share of co-authored paper is high due to an enhanced cooperation among JAERI-PO (Public Organization)-PS. For criticality, research activity was enhanced after JCO accident, especially at NUCEF. (4) For reprocessing, PS had a monopolistic position with a domestic share of 71% and a share of JAERI was about 20%. (5) LOCA and RIA outputs born by NSR-JAERI coincided partly to those of the Safety Licensing Guidelines but a share of contribution done by JAERI was ambiguous due to the lack of necessary information. (author)

  1. Non-safety piping operability review case study -- Today and tomorrow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flensburg, W.C.; Adams, T.M.

    1995-01-01

    During a 1993 Outage at the Perry Nuclear Power Station, a condition report was issued which identified potential intersystem loss of water between the Emergency Closed Cooling Water System and the Nuclear Closed Cooling Water System during a design basis event. The review of this condition report indicated that if a SSE (safe shutdown earthquake) event were to occur during a design basis event components important to plant safety could potentially be adversely affected if non-seismic/non-safety portions of the Nuclear Closed Cooling Water System could not maintain pressure boundary integrity as a result of the seismic loadings. Presented in this paper are steps, criteria, and methodology used to demonstrate the seismic acceptability of the affected portion of the Nuclear Closed Cooling Water System Piping. Also discussed are the potential benefits and applicability of a recently developed EPRI non-safety, non-seismic operability procedure. This discussion includes the potential cost savings which could have arisen from application of this recently developed procedure

  2. Communication on the Safety Case for a Deep Geological Repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, Lucy; Bernier, Frederik; Bollingerfehr, Wilhelm; Cunado, Miguel; Ilett, Doug; Kwong, Gloria; ); Noseck, Ulrich; Roehlig, Klaus; Van Luik, Abe; Weber, Jan; Weetjens, Eef

    2017-01-01

    Communication has a specific role to play in the development of deep geological repositories. Building trust with the stakeholders involved in this process, particularly within the local community, is key for effective communication between the authorities and the public. There are also clear benefits to having technical experts hone their communication skills and having communication experts integrated into the development process. This report has compiled lessons from both failures and successes in communicating technical information to non-technical audiences. It addresses two key questions in particular: what is the experience base concerning the effectiveness or non-effectiveness of different tools for communicating safety case results to a non-technical audience and how can communication based on this experience be improved and included into a safety case development effort from the beginning? (authors)

  3. Case studies in food microbiology for food safety and quality

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain); Pawsey, Rosa K

    2002-01-01

    ... to engage in the learning process, and in so doing learn techniques for learning, and subsequently for applying knowledge. This has been more interesting for me, the teacher, and I think for the students too. This book has grown from my ten years teaching food microbiology and hygiene to post-graduate students in Food Safety and Control at South Bank University, London. It was the decade during which, in the UK, the national policies behind the management of food safety changed rapidly, and this me...

  4. Motorcycle safety device investigation: A case study on airbags

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    analysis methods for research evaluation of rider crash protective devices fitted to ... The safety evaluation is then based on simulation of the 200 impact types. ... with recording of ISO 13232 car-front impact tests to evaluate the qualitative.

  5. How stakeholders view the use of analogues in safety cases: PAMINA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atherton, Elizabeth; Bailey, Lucy

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of some research that has been undertaken in the UK to investigate stakeholders' views of analogues. There are various reasons for using analogues including: to try and explain difficult concepts; to compare disposal facility features with familiar and/or natural systems; to provide an alternative, non-numerical line of reasoning to support the Safety Case conclusions; to provide evidence of behaviour over very long timescales, that cannot be achieved in the laboratory. There are some dangers when using analogues that people should be aware of: the analogue conditions may not be the same as those found in a disposal facility, so the analogue may have limited application. Some analogues may have negative implications, for example artefacts that have corroded. Analogues can be taken too far and used in inappropriate ways to try and support an assumption. So it is important to find out how stakeholders view the use of analogues in a safety case. NDA is involved in an EC funded project called Pamina (Performance Assessment Methodologies in Application). The project involves 26 partners from 11 European countries, plus other associated members and runs for 3 years from October 2006 to October 2009. The NDA is involved in several parts of the project: Exploring issues of modelling uncertainty; Evaluating effectiveness of approaches for communicating safety cases with stakeholders. NDA ran a workshop in October 2007 in Manchester. The aims of the workshop were to explore how different methods of communicating aspects of a safety case were received by stakeholders. The workshop presented stakeholders with: Examples of different repository concepts; Descriptions of barrier performance; Different ways of presenting numerical results; Use of natural analogues

  6. Patient safety culture in China: a case study in an outpatient setting in Beijing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chaojie; Liu, Weiwei; Wang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Zhihong; Wang, Peng

    2014-07-01

    To investigate the patient safety culture in an outpatient setting in Beijing and explore the meaning and implications of the safety culture from the perspective of health workers and patients. A mixed methods approach involving a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews was adopted. Among the 410 invited staff members, 318 completed the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture (HSOPC). Patient safety culture was described using 12 subscale scores. Inter-subscale correlation analysis, ANOVA and stepwise multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of the patient safety culture scores. Interviewees included 22 patients selected through opportunity sampling and 27 staff members selected through purposive sampling. The interview data were analysed thematically. The survey respondents perceived high levels of unsafe care but had personally reported few events. Lack of 'communication openness' was identified as a major safety culture problem, and a perception of 'penalty' was the greatest barrier to the encouragement of error reporting. Cohesive 'teamwork within units', while found to be an area of strength, conversely served as a protective and defensive mechanism for medical practice. Low levels of trust between providers and consumers and lack of management support constituted an obstacle to building a positive patient safety culture. This study in China demonstrates that a punitive approach to error is still widespread despite increasing awareness of unsafe care, and managers have been slow in acknowledging the importance of building a positive patient safety culture. Strong 'teamwork within units', a common area of strength, could fuel the concealment of errors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  7. Case Study on Economic Return on Investments for Safety and Emergency Lighting in Road Tunnels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferdinando Salata

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available While planning a double-hole road tunnel with a length higher than one km, it is important to pay attention to the safety factor if an accident occurs. If there is a power outage, in order to avoid critical situations that could jeopardize the safety of the people present (facilitating the stream coming out from the tunnel and the arrival of the emergency personnel, it is really important to guarantee uninterrupted lighting of roadways, mandatory emergency lay-bys, and ways of escape. Uninterrupted service of the lighting systems supply must be guaranteed, in accordance with the current regulations, through the exertion of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply and power units. During tunnel construction, such devices represent a cost that must be amortized. In this case study, which takes into consideration a section of a road tunnel characterized by emergency lay-bys and ways of escape, emergency and security lighting were planned and installation and management costs were evaluated. The goal of this research was the creation of a cash flow thanks to the energy generated by photovoltaic panels, in a way that the service life of the system (25 years coincided with the amortization of the costs of the backup electrical equipment installation (complying with the regulations. The possibility of over-dimensioning the UPS and providing it with a proper photovoltaic panel surface (235 kWp to generate and exchange electric energy with the grid was taken into consideration.

  8. A Study on the Allowable Safety Factor of Cut-Slopes for Nuclear Facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Myung Soo; Yee, Eric [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    In this study, the issues of allowable safety factor design criteria for cut-slopes in nuclear facilities is derived through case analysis, a proposed construction work slope design criteria that provides relatively detailed conditions can be applied in case of the dry season and some unclear parts of slope design criteria be modified in case of the rainy season. This safety factor can be further subdivided into two; normal and earthquake factors, a factor of 1.5 is applied for normal conditions and a factor of 1.2 is applied for seismic conditions. This safety factor takes into consideration the effect of ground water and rainfall conditions. However, no criteria for the case of cut-slope in nuclear facilities and its response to seismic conditions is clearly defined, this can cause uncertainty in design. Therefore, this paper investigates the allowable safety factor for cut-slopes in nuclear facilities, reviews conditions of both local and international cut-slope models and finally suggests an alternative method of analysis. It is expected that the new design criteria adequately ensures the stability of the cut-slope to reflect clear conditions for both the supervising and design engineers.

  9. The Effect of Individual and Organizational Variables on Patient Safety Culture (PSC: A Case Study on Nurses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Khandan

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: The purpose of the hospital accreditation program is to improve the patients' safety. Prevention of mistakes in medical procedures, patients' safety risk identification and infection prevention besides the patients' safety culture (PSC are the key factors that must be considered in a successful patients' safety program.This study aimed to assess PSC and its association with demographic factors among nurses of a hospital in Qom, Iran. Materials & Methods: This research as a descriptive-analytical andcross-sectional study on the effect of individual and organizational variables on patients' safety culture among nurses was conducted in 2015. The final sample included 106 employees from one of the hospitals located in Qom province of Iran. The questionnaires consisted demographic questions and a valid questionnaire about patients' safety culture. T-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation were conducted to analyze the data by SPSS V20. Results:The age of nurses was 35.15±10.33 (Mean±SD years. Results showed that the patients' safety climate scoreamongnurseswas 70.15±7.23. In addition, there are significant differences between groups of work shift and also education levels in the viewpoints of patients' safety (p0.05. Conclusions: Although, based on our finding,considered hospital had a suitable situation of patients' safety culture, but it is important to pay attention to continuous improvement in the scope of health care workers and patient safety to achieve criticalmission and visions of organizing. Job selection on the basis of demographic considerations and implementation of an accreditation plan for health care systems are two examples of how occupational safety and health tools can be used to provide quality improvement information for health care organizations such as hospitals.

  10. Health, safety, and environmental management system operation in contracting companies: A case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nassiri, Parvin; Yarahmadi, Rasoul; Gholami, Pari Shafaei; Hamidi, Abdolamir; Mirkazemi, Roksana

    2016-05-03

    Systematic and cooperative interactions among parent industry and contractors are necessary for a successful health, safety, and environmental management system (HSE-MS). This study was conducted to evaluate the HSE-MS performance in contracting companies in one of the petrochemical industries in Iran during 2013. Managers of parent and contracting companies participated in this study. The data collection forms included 7 elements of an integrated HSE-MS (leadership and commitment; policy and strategic objectives; organization, resources, and documentation; evaluation and risk management; planning; implementation and monitoring; auditing and reviewing). The results showed that mean percentage of the total scores in seven elements of HSE-MS was 85.7% and 87.0% based on self-report and report of parent company, respectively. In conclusion, this study showed that HSE-MS was desirably functioning; however, improvement to ensure health and safety of workers is still required.

  11. Redox processes in the safety case of deep geological repositories of radioactive wastes. Contribution of the European RECOSY Collaborative Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duro, L.; Bruno, J.; Grivé, M.; Montoya, V.; Kienzler, B.; Altmaier, M.; Buckau, G.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The RECOSY project produced results relevant for the Safety Case of nuclear disposal. • We classify the safety related features where RECOSY has contributed. • Redox processes effect the retention of radionuclides in all repository subsystems. - Abstract: Redox processes influence key geochemical characteristics controlling radionuclide behaviour in the near and far field of a nuclear waste repository. A sound understanding of redox related processes is therefore of high importance for developing a Safety Case, the collection of scientific, technical, administrative and managerial arguments and evidence in support of the safety of a disposal facility. This manuscript presents the contribution of the specific research on redox processes achieved within the EURATOM Collaborative Project RECOSY (REdox phenomena COntrolling SYstems) to the Safety Case of nuclear waste disposal facilities. Main objectives of RECOSY were related to the improved understanding of redox phenomena controlling the long-term release or retention of radionuclides in nuclear waste disposal and providing tools to apply the results to Performance Assessment and the Safety Case. The research developed during the project covered aspects of the near-field and the far-field aspects of the repository, including studies relevant for the rock formations considered in Europe as suitable for hosting an underground repository for radioactive wastes. It is the intention of this paper to highlight in which way the results obtained from RECOSY can feed the scientific process understanding needed for the stepwise development of the Safety Case associated with deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes

  12. Impact of individual resilience and safety climate on safety performance and psychological stress of construction workers: A case study of the Ontario construction industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuting; McCabe, Brenda; Hyatt, Douglas

    2017-06-01

    The construction industry has hit a plateau in terms of safety performance. Safety climate is regarded as a leading indicator of safety performance; however, relatively little safety climate research has been done in the Canadian construction industry. Safety climate may be geographically sensitive, thus it is necessary to examine how the construct of safety climate is defined and used to improve safety performance in different regions. On the other hand, more and more attention has been paid to job related stress in the construction industry. Previous research proposed that individual resilience may be associated with a better safety performance and may help employees manage stress. Unfortunately, few empirical research studies have examined this hypothesis. This paper aims to examine the role of safety climate and individual resilience in safety performance and job stress in the Canadian construction industry. The research was based on 837 surveys collected in Ontario between June 2015 and June 2016. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to explore the impact of individual resilience and safety climate on physical safety outcomes and on psychological stress among construction workers. The results show that safety climate not only affected construction workers' safety performance but also indirectly affected their psychological stress. In addition, it was found that individual resilience had a direct negative impact on psychological stress but had no impact on physical safety outcomes. These findings highlight the roles of both organizational and individual factors in individual safety performance and in psychological well-being. Construction organizations need to not only monitor employees' safety performance, but also to assess their employees' psychological well-being. Promoting a positive safety climate together with developing training programs focusing on improving employees' psychological health - especially post-trauma psychological

  13. Safety Challenges and Improvement Strategies of Ethnic Minority Construction Workers: A Case Study in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chunlin; Luo, Xiaowei; Wang, Tao; Wang, Yue; Sapkota, Bibek

    2018-04-18

    Due to cultural differences, ethnic minority construction workers are more difficult to manage and more vulnerable to accidents. This study aims to identify the major barriers faced by ethnic minority workers from their own perspectives and determine potential strategies to enhance safety climate of construction projects, thus ultimately improve their safety performance. A survey with modified Nordic safety climate questionnaire was conducted in a certain sub-contractor in Hong Kong. In-depth interviews, status quo description, major challenge investigation and safety knowledge tests were carried as well. The top three most important safety challenges identified are improper stereotypes from the whole industry, lack of opportunities for job assignment, and language barriers. To improve the safety performance, employers should allocate sufficient personal protective equipment and governments should organize unannounced site visits more frequently. Besides, the higher-level management should avoid giving contradictory instructions to foremen against to the standards of supervisors.

  14. Cementitious Materials in Safety Cases for Geological Repositories for Radioactive Waste: Role, Evolution and Interactions. A Workshop organised by the OECD/NEA Integration Group for the Safety Case and hosted by ONDRAF/NIRAS. Cementitious materials in safety cases for radioactive waste: role, evolution and interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC) organised a workshop to assess current understanding on the use of cementitious materials in radioactive waste disposal. The workshop was hosted by the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (Ondraf/Niras), in Brussels, Belgium on 17-19 November 2009. The workshop brought together a wide range of people involved in supporting safety case development and having an interest in cementitious materials: namely, cement and concrete experts, repository designers, scientists, safety assessors, disposal programme managers and regulators. The workshop was designed primarily to consider issues relevant to the post-closure safety of radioactive waste disposal, but also addressed some related operational issues, such as cementitious barrier emplacement. Where relevant, information on cementitious materials from analogous natural and anthropogenic systems was also considered. This report provides a synthesis of the workshop, and summarises its main results and findings. The structure of this report follows the workshop agenda: - Section 2 summarises plenary and working group discussions on the uses, functions and evolution of cementitious materials in geological disposal, and highlights key aspects and discussions points. - Section 3 summarises plenary and working group discussions on interactions of cementitious materials with other disposal system components, and highlights key aspects and discussions points. - Section 4 summarises the workshop session on the integration of issues related to cementitious materials using the safety case. - Section 5 presents the main conclusions from the workshop. - Section 6 contains a list of references. - Appendix A presents the workshop agenda. - Appendix B contains the abstracts and, where provided, technical papers supporting oral presentations at the workshop. - Appendix C contains the abstracts and, where provided, technical

  15. Optimization of the availability and safety relationship: case study of naval nuclear propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guimaraes, Leonam dos Santos

    2005-01-01

    The relationship between energy generation availability and the safety of the nuclear installation which produces this energy assumes a very special characteristic when we are dealing with naval propulsion plants. This relationship has no parallel with commercial nuclear power plants. A ship at sea is in safety only if she could dispose quickly of the energy produced by your nuclear propulsion plant. If the nuclear steam production is not assured, specially due to safety reasons, the ship maneuverability, and so its own safety it is seriously affected. We could then perceive that safety of the nuclear installation is depends on safety of the ship, which depends by its side on the availability of nuclear power. This paper intends to present briefly the main aspects of this relation. (author)

  16. Safety culture of complex risky systems: the Nuclear Engineering Institute case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obadia, Isaac Jose; Vidal, Mario Cesar Rodriguez; Melo, Paulo Fernando F. Frutuoso e

    2002-01-01

    Analysis of industrial accidents have demonstrated that safe and reliable operation of complex industrial processes that use risky technology and/or hazard material depends not only on technical factors but on human and organizational factors as well. After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, the International Atomic Energy Agency established the safety culture concept and started a safety culture enhancement program within nuclear organizations worldwide. The Nuclear Engineering Institute, IEN, is a research and technological development unit of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission, CNEN, characterized as a nuclear and radioactive installation where processes presenting risks to operators and to the environment are executed. In 1999, IEN started a management change program, aiming to achieve excellence of performance, based on the Model of Excellence of the National Quality Award. IEN's safety culture project is based on IAEA methodology and has been incorporated to the organizational management process. This work presents IEN's safety culture project; the results obtained on the initial safety culture assessment and the following project actions. (author)

  17. On the safety of aircraft systems: A case study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez-Guridi, G.; Hall, R.E.; Fullwood, R.R.

    1997-05-14

    An airplane is a highly engineered system incorporating control- and feedback-loops which often, and realistically, are non-linear because the equations describing such feedback contain products of state variables, trigonometric or square-root functions, or other types of non-linear terms. The feedback provided by the pilot (crew) of the airplane also is typically non-linear because it has the same mathematical characteristics. An airplane is designed with systems to prevent and mitigate undesired events. If an undesired triggering event occurs, an accident may process in different ways depending on the effectiveness of such systems. In addition, the progression of some accidents requires that the operating crew take corrective action(s), which may modify the configuration of some systems. The safety assessment of an aircraft system typically is carried out using ARP (Aerospace Recommended Practice) 4761 (SAE, 1995) methods, such as Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Such methods may be called static because they model an aircraft system on its nominal configuration during a mission time, but they do not incorporate the action(s) taken by the operating crew, nor the dynamic behavior (non-linearities) of the system (airplane) as a function of time. Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA), also known as Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), has been applied to highly engineered systems, such as aircraft and nuclear power plants. PSA encompasses a wide variety of methods, including event tree analysis (ETA), FTA, and common-cause analysis, among others. PSA should not be confused with ARP 4761`s proposed PSSA (Preliminary System Safety Assessment); as its name implies, PSSA is a preliminary assessment at the system level consisting of FTA and FMEA.

  18. HSE assessment of explosion risk analysis in offshore safety cases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brighton, P.W.M.; Fearnley, P.J.; Brearley, I.G. [Health and Safety Executive, Bootle (United Kingdom). Offshore Safety Div.

    1995-12-31

    In the past two years HSE has assessed around 250 Safety Cases for offshore oil and gas installations, building up a unique overview of the current state of the art on fire and explosion risk assessment. This paper reviews the explosion risk methods employed, focusing on the aspects causing most difficulty for assessment and acceptance of Safety Cases. Prediction of overpressures in offshore explosions has been intensively researched in recent years but the justification of the means of prevention, control and mitigation of explosions often depends on much additional analysis of the frequency and damage potential of explosions. This involves a number of factors, the five usually considered being: leak sizes; gas dispersion; ignition probabilities; the frequency distribution of explosion strength; and the prediction of explosion damage. Sources of major uncertainty in these factors and their implications for practical risk management decisions are discussed. (author)

  19. 75 FR 15485 - Pipeline Safety: Workshop on Guidelines for Integrity Assessment of Cased Pipe

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket ID...: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of workshop. SUMMARY... ``Guidelines for Integrity Assessment of Cased Pipe in Gas Transmission Pipelines'' and related Frequently...

  20. Cooperative conflict and contested space: a case study of risk and safety in the steel industry.

    OpenAIRE

    2008-01-01

    This dissertation is a journey into the world of risk and safety in the steel industry. The problem statement that is explored in this study relates to the nature of the relationship between safety performance and stakeholders in the steel industry, the nature of the relationships between different stakeholders and the way in which these relationships impact on risk management strategies. The author contends that safety is not a normative or procedural system within the workplace, but rather ...

  1. Local food protection and safety infrastructure and capacity: a Maryland case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kufel, Joanna Zablotsky; Resnick, Beth A; Fox, Mary; Frattaroli, Shannon; Gielen, Andrea; Burke, Thomas A

    2011-01-01

    In Maryland, county Food Protection Programs (FPP), housed within Environmental Public Health (EPH) Divisions, maintain responsibility for regular inspection of all food service facilities (FSF). With growing concerns about how our food supply is protected, it is important to determine the state and effectiveness of our food safety systems. This research elucidates the roles, responsibilities, strengths, and weaknesses of Food Safety and Protection Programs in Maryland. A 16-question survey tool, which addressed facets of the local food protection infrastructure, including FSF inspections, staffing, budget, and foodborne illness surveillance, was distributed to all 24 county FPP. The number of FSF in Maryland increased 97% from 2001 to 2006 and counties had an average inspection completion rate of 73%, with a 4% increase over the time period. Statewide, there were 4.1 EPH full-time employees (FTE) per 10 000 population and 1.6 FPP FTE per 10 000 population. EPH Division budgets increased 63% statewide, from $19.5 million in 2000 to $31.9 million in 2007. FPP budgets also increased 59% over the period, from $6.2 million in 2000 to $9.8 million in 2007. This study offers new quantitative measures of the demands, capacities, and performance of Food Protection and Safety Programs in Maryland. This assessment of local EPH and FPP capacity also offers insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the local food protection and safety infrastructure. Importantly, it reveals an infrastructure and dedicated food protection workforce that inspects the food supply and responds to foodborne illness outbreaks. Yet, resources vary substantially from county to county, impacting which services can be provided and how well they can be performed. This can, in turn, impact the potential risk of foodborne illness and the public's overall health.

  2. Passive Safety Systems in Advanced Water Cooled Reactors (AWCRS). Case Studies. A Report of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-09-01

    This report presents the results from the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) collaborative project (CP) on Advanced Water Cooled Reactor Case Studies in Support of Passive Safety Systems (AWCR), undertaken under the INPRO Programme Area C. INPRO was launched in 2000 - on the basis of a resolution of the IAEA General Conference (GC(44)/RES/21) - to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the 21st century in a sustainable manner, and it seeks to bring together all interested Member States to consider actions to achieve innovation. An important objective of nuclear energy system assessments is to identify 'gaps' in the various technologies and corresponding research and development (R and D) needs. This programme area fosters collaboration among INPRO Member States on selected innovative nuclear technologies to bridge technology gaps. Public concern about nuclear reactor safety has increased after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident caused by the loss of power to pump water for removing residual heat in the core. As a consequence, there has been an increasing interest in designing safety systems for new and advanced reactors that are passive in nature. Compared to active systems, passive safety features do not require operator intervention, active controls, or an external energy source. Passive systems rely only on physical phenomena such as natural circulation, thermal convection, gravity and self-pressurization. Passive safety features, therefore, are increasingly recognized as an essential component of the next-generation advanced reactors. A high level of safety and improved competitiveness are common goals for designing advanced nuclear power plants. Many of these systems incorporate several passive design concepts aimed at improving safety and reliability. The advantages of passive safety systems include simplicity, and avoidance of human intervention, external power or signals. For these reasons, most

  3. Application of dynamic probabilistic safety assessment approach for accident sequence precursor analysis: Case study for steam generator tube rupture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Han Sul; Heo, Gyun Young [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae Wan [Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    The purpose of this research is to introduce the technical standard of accident sequence precursor (ASP) analysis, and to propose a case study using the dynamic-probabilistic safety assessment (D-PSA) approach. The D-PSA approach can aid in the determination of high-risk/low-frequency accident scenarios from all potential scenarios. It can also be used to investigate the dynamic interaction between the physical state and the actions of the operator in an accident situation for risk quantification. This approach lends significant potential for safety analysis. Furthermore, the D-PSA approach provides a more realistic risk assessment by minimizing assumptions used in the conventional PSA model so-called the static-PSA model, which are relatively static in comparison. We performed risk quantification of a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) accident using the dynamic event tree (DET) methodology, which is the most widely used methodology in D-PSA. The risk quantification results of D-PSA and S-PSA are compared and evaluated. Suggestions and recommendations for using D-PSA are described in order to provide a technical perspective.

  4. Application of dynamic probabilistic safety assessment approach for accident sequence precursor analysis: Case study for steam generator tube rupture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Han Sul; Heo, Gyun Young; Kim, Tae Wan

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to introduce the technical standard of accident sequence precursor (ASP) analysis, and to propose a case study using the dynamic-probabilistic safety assessment (D-PSA) approach. The D-PSA approach can aid in the determination of high-risk/low-frequency accident scenarios from all potential scenarios. It can also be used to investigate the dynamic interaction between the physical state and the actions of the operator in an accident situation for risk quantification. This approach lends significant potential for safety analysis. Furthermore, the D-PSA approach provides a more realistic risk assessment by minimizing assumptions used in the conventional PSA model so-called the static-PSA model, which are relatively static in comparison. We performed risk quantification of a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) accident using the dynamic event tree (DET) methodology, which is the most widely used methodology in D-PSA. The risk quantification results of D-PSA and S-PSA are compared and evaluated. Suggestions and recommendations for using D-PSA are described in order to provide a technical perspective

  5. Focus on the studies in support of fire safety analysis. IRSN modelling approach for nuclear facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Espargilliere, Julien; Meyrand, Raphael; Vinot, Thierry [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)

    2015-12-15

    For a fire safety analysis, in order to comply with nuclear safety goals, a nuclear fuel facility operator has to define the elements important for safety to be maintained, even in the case of a fire. One of the key points of this fire analysis is the assessment of possible fire scenarios in the facility. This paper presents the IRSN method applied to a case study to assess fire scenarios which have the most harmful effects on safety targets. The layout consists in a central room (fire cell) containing three glove boxes with radioactive material and three electrical cabinets. This room is linked to two connecting compartments (the fire cell and these two compartments define the containment cell) and then to two corridors. Each room is equipped with a mechanical ventilation system, and a pressure cascade is established from the corridors to the central room. A fire scenario was studied with fire ignition occurring in an electrical cabinet. This scenario has a set of safety goals (prevention of fire cell and containment device failure, propagation of the fire). This case study was conducted with the IRSN code SYLVIA based on two zones modelling. Safety goals were associated with key parameters and performance criteria to be fulfilled. Modelling assumptions were defined in order to maximize physical effects of the fire. Sensitivity studies were also conducted on key parameters such as oxygen limitation, equivalent-fuel definition. Eventually, a critical analysis of the code models was carried out.

  6. The business case for safety and health at work : cost-benefit analyses of interventions in small and medium-sized enterprises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Targoutzidis, A.; Koukoulaki, T.; Schmitz-Felten, E.; Kuhl, K.; Oude Hengel, K.M.; Rijken, E.; Broek K. van den; Kluser, R.

    2014-01-01

    This report examines the economic aspects of occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions in small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). First, case studies in the existing literature were identified and examined. Second, 13 new case studies on OSH initiatives in European SMEs were developed,

  7. Development of Strategic Goals of Road Safety Management: A Case Study of Montenegro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milenko Čabarkapa

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Evaluation of the results of road safety management at the national level is carried out with a number of predefined indicators. These, predefined indicators should be measurable objectives of road safety management. They are set by national road safety strategies. This paper presents the control implementation of the Strategy to improve road safety in Montenegro for the period 2010-2019. The research showed that the five-year objectives of the National Strategy were achieved in the first years and significantly surmounted. This efficiency is achieved for two main reasons: the development of road safety management, and setting an unambitious, easily attainable goal. These findings are indicators that generally and globally set goals of reducing traffic fatalities cannot comprise at the same time national objectives in all countries. In this context, the methodological improvements of setting national strategic objectives established by the evidences on the national traffic safety issue are proposed.

  8. 3D analysis methods - Study and seminar[BWR safety analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daaviittila, A [Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus (Finland)

    2003-10-01

    The first part of the report results from a study that was performed as a Nordic co-operation activity with active participation from Studsvik Scandpower and Westinghouse Atom in Sweden, and VTT in Finland. The purpose of the study was to identify and investigate the effects rising from using the 3D transient com-puter codes in BWR safety analysis, and their influence on the transient analysis methodology. One of the main questions involves the critical power ratio (CPR) calculation methodology. The present way, where the CPR calculation is per-formed with a separate hot channel calculation, can be artificially conservative. In the investigated cases, no dramatic minimum CPR effect coming from the 3D calculation is apparent. Some cases show some decrease in the transient change of minimum CPR with the 3D calculation, which confirms the general thinking that the 1D calculation is conservative. On the other hand, the observed effect on neutron flux behaviour is quite large. In a slower transient the 3D effect might be stronger. The second part of the report is a summary of a related seminar that was held on the 3D analysis methods. The seminar was sponsored by the Reactor Safety part (NKS-R) of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research Programme (NKS). (au)

  9. Safety Education and Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralph, Richard

    1980-01-01

    Safety education in the science classroom is discussed, including the beginning of safe management, attitudes toward safety education, laboratory assistants, chemical and health regulation, safety aids, and a case study of a high school science laboratory. Suggestions for safety codes for science teachers, student behavior, and laboratory…

  10. Sierra Leone Journal of Biomedical Research Case Study

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Zackary Suleiman

    A publication of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone ... Case Study ... Peri-operative management of patients with significant cardio-respiratory disease ... contribute to patient safety by preventing any.

  11. Scenario Development Workshop Synopsis. Integration Group for the Safety Case - June 2015

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Paul; Voinis, Sylvie; Griffault, Lise; De Meredieu, Jean; Kwong, Gloria; ); Van Luik, Abraham; Bailey, Lucy; Capouet, Manuel; Depaus, Christophe; Makino, Hitoshi; Leigh, Christi; Kirkes, Ross; Leino, Jaakko; Niemeyer, Matthias; Wolf, Jens; Watson, Sarah; Franke, Bettina; Ilett, Doug; Pastina, Barbara; Weetjens, Eef

    2016-03-01

    Scenario development and selection describes the collection and organisation of the scientific and technical information relevant to the potential paths of evolution of a radioactive waste disposal facility (repository) that is necessary to assess its long-term performance and safety. In 1999, the NEA held its first workshop on scenario development in Madrid, Spain, with the objective to review the methods for developing scenarios in safety assessments and their application. Since then, the process of scenario development and analysis for the disposal of radioactive waste has changed and, in 2015, the NEA Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC) held a second workshop on this topic at its offices in Paris to further evaluate the experience acquired in developing scenarios since 1999. To prepare for this workshop, the IGSC also launched a survey in 2014 to gather the latest scenario development and uncertainty management strategies used in IGSC member countries. The purposes of the workshop were to (i) provide a forum to review and discuss methods for scenario development and their contribution to the development of recent safety cases (since the 1999 workshop); (ii) examine the latest methods and compare their scope, consistency and function within the overall safety assessment process, based on practical experience of applications; and (iii) provide a basis for producing the present report summarising the current status of scenario methodologies, identifying where sufficient methods exist and any outstanding problem areas. This report provides an overview of the state of the art in scenario development related to the long-term safety of geological repositories for radioactive waste. In particular, it discusses how potential scenarios are developed in safety assessments of radioactive waste that contains long-lived radionuclides. Safety assessment is the process of quantitatively and qualitatively evaluating the safety of a repository, often in support of a

  12. Participants' safety versus confidentiality: A case study of HIV research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leyva-Moral, Juan Manuel; Feijoo-Cid, Maria

    2017-05-01

    Background When conducting qualitative research, participants usually share lots of personal and private information with the researcher. As researchers, we must preserve participants' identity and confidentiality of the data. Objective To critically analyze an ethical conflict encountered regarding confidentiality when doing qualitative research. Research design Case study. Findings and discussion one of the participants in a study aiming to explain the meaning of living with HIV verbalized his imminent intention to commit suicide because of stigma of other social problems arising from living with HIV. Given the life-threatening situation, the commitment related to not disclosing the participant's identity and/or the content of the interview had to be broken. To avoid or prevent suicide, the therapist in charge of the case was properly informed about the participant's intentions. One important question arises from this case: was it ethically appropriate to break the confidentiality commitment? Conclusion confidentiality could be broken if a life-threatening event is identified during data collection and participants must know that. This has to be clearly stated in the informed consent form.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Janice L.; Baggs, Rhoda

    2007-01-01

    Safety Standards contain technical and process-oriented safety requirements. Technical requirements are those such as "must work" and "must not work" functions in the system. Process-Oriented requirements are software engineering and safety management process requirements. Address the system perspective and some cover just software in the system > NASA-STD-8719.13B Software Safety Standard is the current standard of interest. NASA programs/projects will have their own set of safety requirements derived from the standard. Safety Cases: a) Documented demonstration that a system complies with the specified safety requirements. b) Evidence is gathered on the integrity of the system and put forward as an argued case. [Gardener (ed.)] c) Problems occur when trying to meet safety standards, and thus make retrospective safety cases, in legacy safety-critical computer systems.

  14. Semiquantitative analysis of gaps in microbiological performance of fish processing sector implementing current food safety management systems: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onjong, Hillary Adawo; Wangoh, John; Njage, Patrick Murigu Kamau

    2014-08-01

    Fish processing plants still face microbial food safety-related product rejections and the associated economic losses, although they implement legislation, with well-established quality assurance guidelines and standards. We assessed the microbial performance of core control and assurance activities of fish exporting processors to offer suggestions for improvement using a case study. A microbiological assessment scheme was used to systematically analyze microbial counts in six selected critical sampling locations (CSLs). Nine small-, medium- and large-sized companies implementing current food safety management systems (FSMS) were studied. Samples were collected three times on each occasion (n = 324). Microbial indicators representing food safety, plant and personnel hygiene, and overall microbiological performance were analyzed. Microbiological distribution and safety profile levels for the CSLs were calculated. Performance of core control and assurance activities of the FSMS was also diagnosed using an FSMS diagnostic instrument. Final fish products from 67% of the companies were within the legally accepted microbiological limits. Salmonella was absent in all CSLs. Hands or gloves of workers from the majority of companies were highly contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus at levels above the recommended limits. Large-sized companies performed better in Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and S. aureus than medium- and small-sized ones in a majority of the CSLs, including receipt of raw fish material, heading and gutting, and the condition of the fish processing tables and facilities before cleaning and sanitation. Fish products of 33% (3 of 9) of the companies and handling surfaces of 22% (2 of 9) of the companies showed high variability in Enterobacteriaceae counts. High variability in total viable counts and Enterobacteriaceae was noted on fish products and handling surfaces. Specific recommendations were made in core control and assurance activities

  15. Study on the KALIMER safety approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eui Kwang; Han, Do Hee; Kim, Young Cheol.

    1997-01-01

    This study describes KALIMER's safety approach, how to establish the safety criteria and temperature limit, how to define safety evaluation events, and some safety research and development needs items. It is recommended that the KALIMER's approach to safety use seven levels of safety design and a defense-in-depth design approach with particular emphasis on inherent passive features. In order to establish as set DBEs for KALIMER safety evaluation, the procedure is explained how to define safety evaluation events. Final selection is to be determined later with the final establishment of design concepts. On the basis of preliminary studies and evaluation of the plant safety related areas, the KALIMER and PRISM have following three main difference that may require special research and development for KALIMER. (author). 7 refs., 6 tabs., 6 figs

  16. A survey of the safety conditions of student housings: A case study in a type one university in Shiraz, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Jahangiri

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the extent of implementation of safety measures in 14 student housings in one of the largest universities in Fars province, Shiraz, Iran. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 student housings of one of the largest universities, located in Shiraz, Iran. Audit checklists were completed and rated thought field inspection and interview. Safety Requirement Index (SRI was then used to evaluate the safety of student housings. SRI was graded on five scales (0-19%: very poor (unsafe; 20-39%: poor (relatively unsafe; 40-59%: moderate; 60-79%: good (relatively safe: and 80-100%: excellent (safe. Results: The mean SRI score was 71.01±15.46%. The highest and lowest level of SRI was 94.11±6.60% for dimensions of public health (and 47.70±18.42% for elevator safety. Conclusion: None of the studied housings was completely safe in all dimensions. Most of the studied housings were categorized as safe in the dimensions of public health and ventilation and air-conditioning systems; relatively safe in the dimensions of electrical, building, fire and kitchen safety; and moderate in the elevator safety and emergency response. Establishment of safety management system is necessary to promote safety in the studied housings. The results of this study indicated the need to inform the authorities about the safety priorities in housings, to promote the safety conditions. The results could also be used to raise awareness regarding their role and responsibilities about the safety of housings.

  17. Diversity for security: case assessment for FPGA-based safety-critical systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kharchenko Vyacheslav

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Industrial safety critical instrumentation and control systems (I&Cs are facing more with information (in general and cyber, in particular security threats and attacks. The application of programmable logic, first of all, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA in critical systems causes specific safety deficits. Security assessment techniques for such systems are based on heuristic knowledges and the expert judgment. Main challenge is how to take into account features of FPGA technology for safety critical I&Cs including systems in which are applied diversity approach to minimize risks of common cause failure. Such systems are called multi-version (MV systems. The goal of the paper is in description of the technique and tool for case-based security assessment of MV FPGA-based I&Cs.

  18. A Comprehensive Approach to Managing School Safety: Case Studies in Catalonia, Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz-Vicario, Anna; Gairín Sallán, Joaquín

    2017-01-01

    Background: Schools should be safe spaces for students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. For the concept of "safety" to be meaningful, it must be interpreted broadly to encompass well-being in its widest sense. A common challenge for schools and educational authorities is, therefore, to manage school safety appropriately not only…

  19. Age, overtime, and employee health, safety and productivity outcomes: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Harris; Woock, Christopher; Barrington, Linda; Bunn, William

    2008-08-01

    To expand a study of the impact of overtime on employee health, safety, and productivity outcomes, previously reported in this journal, with tests comparing older versus younger workers on these relationships. Secondary analyses of a longitudinal panel (n = 2746) representing workers at US sites for a heavy manufacturer during 2001 to 2002. Structural equation techniques were used to assess two hypotheses in the context of multiple group models positing the prediction of a broad set of employee outcomes using a three-step causal sequence. One set of models compared overtime impact for three age groups (increases were largely confined to hourly employees working extended overtime (averaging 60+ hours per week) and occurred on only four of the nine study outcomes. With respect to moderate overtime (48.01 to 59.99 hours) and to variables reflecting the possible impact of past overtime (eg, prior disability episodes), increases in age among hourly employees did not lead to stronger associations between overtime and adverse outcomes on most tests and in fact in many cases were linked to decrements in these associations (hypothesis #2). Salaried employees recorded no greater linkages between overtime and adverse outcomes with advancing age across all tests involving hypothesized overtime effects or "possibly a function of overtime" effects. The results support the proposition that, when employees work overtime, adverse outcomes--and indirect costs--do not increase with advancing age in any kind of wholesale fashion. Where rates of adverse outcomes do increase, they are confined to certain subgroups of employees doing certain types of work and occur on certain dimensions at certain levels of longer work hours. It is argued that carefully calibrated approaches vis-à-vis older workers are needed to maximize employer capacity to address the unique challenges posed by this increasingly important portion of the workforce.

  20. Geo-scientific Information in the Radioactive Waste Management Safety Case Main Messages from the AMIGO Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    Radioactive waste is associated with all phases of the nuclear fuel cycle as well as the use of radioactive materials in medicine, research and industry. For the most hazardous and long-lived waste, the solution being investigated worldwide is disposal in engineered repositories deep underground. The importance of geo-scientific information in selecting a site for geological disposal has long been recognised, but there has been growing acknowledgement of the broader role of this information in assessing and documenting the safety of disposal. The OECD/NEA Approaches and Methods for Integrating Geological Information in the Safety Case (AMIGO) project has demonstrated that geological data and understanding serve numerous roles in safety cases. The project, which ran from 2002 to 2008, underscored the importance of integrating geo-scientific information in the development of a disposal safety case and increasingly in the overall process of repository development, including, for example, siting decisions and ensuring the practical feasibility of repository layout and engineering. (authors)

  1. Bow tie methodology: a tool to enhance the visibility and understanding of nuclear safety cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vannerem, Marc

    2013-01-01

    There is much common ground between the nuclear industry and other major hazard industries such as those subject to the Seveso II regulations, e.g. oil, gas and chemicals. They are all subject to legal requirements to identify and control hazards, and to demonstrate that all necessary measures have been taken to minimise risks posed by the site with regard to people and the environment. This places a requirement on the Operators of major hazard installations, whether nuclear or conventional, to understand and identify the hazards of their operations, the initiating events, the consequences, the prevention and mitigation measures. However, in the UK, nuclear and 'Seveso' type facilities seem to adopt a different approach to the presentation of their safety cases. Given the magnitude of the hazards, safety cases developed for nuclear fuel cycle facilities are rigorous, detailed and complex, which can have the effect of reducing the visibility of the key hazards and corresponding protective measures. In contrast, on installations in the oil and gas and chemical industries, a real attempt has been made over recent years to improve the visibility and accessibility of the safety case to all operating personnel, through the use of visual aids / diagrams. In particular, many Operators are choosing to use 'bow tie methodology', in which very simple overview diagrams are produced to illustrate, in a form understandable by all: - what the key hazards are; - the initiating events; - the consequences of an incident; - the barriers or 'Layers of Protection' which prevent an initiating event from developing into an incident; - the barriers or 'Layers of Defence' which mitigate the consequences of an incident, i.e. which prevent the incident from escalating into major consequences. The bow tie method is one of a number of methodologies that can be used to make safety cases more accessible. It is used in this paper to illustrate ways to

  2. Health, safety and environmental unit performance assessment model under uncertainty (case study: steel industry).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamaii, Azin; Omidvari, Manouchehr; Lotfi, Farhad Hosseinzadeh

    2017-01-01

    Performance assessment is a critical objective of management systems. As a result of the non-deterministic and qualitative nature of performance indicators, assessments are likely to be influenced by evaluators' personal judgments. Furthermore, in developing countries, performance assessments by the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) department are based solely on the number of accidents. A questionnaire is used to conduct the study in one of the largest steel production companies in Iran. With respect to health, safety, and environment, the results revealed that control of disease, fire hazards, and air pollution are of paramount importance, with coefficients of 0.057, 0.062, and 0.054, respectively. Furthermore, health and environment indicators were found to be the most common causes of poor performance. Finally, it was shown that HSE management systems can affect the majority of performance safety indicators in the short run, whereas health and environment indicators require longer periods of time. The objective of this study is to present an HSE-MS unit performance assessment model in steel industries. Moreover, we seek to answer the following question: what are the factors that affect HSE unit system in the steel industry? Also, for each factor, the extent of impact on the performance of the HSE management system in the organization is determined.

  3. A study on quantitative V and V of safety-critical software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eom, H. S.; Kang, H. G.; Chang, S. C.; Ha, J. J.; Son, H. S.

    2004-03-01

    Recently practical needs have required quantitative features for the software reliability for Probabilistic Safety Assessment which is one of the important methods being used in assessing the overall safety of nuclear power plant. But the conventional assessment methods of software reliability could not provide enough information for PSA of NPP, therefore current assessments of a digital system which includes safety-critical software usually exclude the software part or use arbitrary values. This paper describes a Bayesian Belief Networks based method that models the rule-based qualitative software assessment method for a practical use and can produce quantitative results for PSA. The framework was constructed by utilizing BBN that can combine the qualitative and quantitative evidence relevant to the reliability of safety-critical software and can infer a conclusion in a formal and a quantitative way. The case study was performed by applying the method for assessing the quality of software requirement specification of safety-critical software that will be embedded in reactor protection system

  4. The case for nuclear energy. Chapter 2. Nuclear safety and energy security

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trosman, G.

    2010-01-01

    The U.S. nuclear safety assistance activities have had a direct and substantial impact on improving safe operations of 67 Soviet-designed commercial nuclear power plants in Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Energy worked with these host countries both to improve safe nuclear operations and in some cases assist in plant shutdown. Independent international safety reviews have identified significant progress in the Eastern European countries to improve the safety of their nuclear power plants since the early 1990s. In addition, all of the probabilistic risk assessments conducted at these plants show a major reduction in the frequency of core damage accidents since U.S. assistance to improve safety at these reactors began. Improved operational safety follows from the combined efforts to improve operator performance. These efforts include providing simulators for operators to practice handling emergency scenarios, developing emergency operating instructions that guide operators calmly through emergencies, providing safety parameter display systems that give operators immediate graphical information on the status of plant systems and training the operators on the safety basis for the plants they operate

  5. The structural integrity safety case for Sizewell B power station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerachty, J.E.

    1993-01-01

    This paper presents the safety case approach adopted for the components of the Sizewell 'B' Power Station for which a high degree of structural integrity is required. Such components include the Reactor Pressure Vessel, Steam Generator and Pressuriser for which Incredibility of Failure is claimed. The two parts of the case involve achievement and demonstration of integrity. This is achieved by extensive measures involving design, manufacture, materials and inspection. The demonstration has required a fracture mechanics approach. The specific role of inspection validation and its relation to critical defect size is described. (author)

  6. The role of paediatric nurses in medication safety prior to the implementation of electronic prescribing: a qualitative case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farre, Albert; Heath, Gemma; Shaw, Karen; Jordan, Teresa; Cummins, Carole

    2017-04-01

    Objectives To explore paediatric nurses' experiences and perspectives of their role in the medication process and how this role is enacted in everyday practice. Methods A qualitative case study on a general surgical ward of a paediatric hospital in England, one year prior to the planned implementation of ePrescribing. Three focus groups and six individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, involving 24 nurses. Focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymized and subjected to thematic analysis. Results Two overarching analytical themes were identified: the centrality of risk management in nurses' role in the medication process and the distributed nature of nurses' medication risk management practices. Nurses' contribution to medication safety was seen as an intrinsic feature of a role that extended beyond just preparing and administering medications as prescribed and placed nurses at the heart of a dynamic set of interactions, practices and situations through which medication risks were managed. These findings also illustrate the collective nature of patient safety. Conclusions Both the recognized and the unrecognized contributions of nurses to the management of medications needs to be considered in the design and implementation of ePrescribing systems.

  7. Effect of static electronic advertising signs on road safety: an experimental case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izadpanah, Pedram; Omrani, Reza; Koo, Sheldon; Hadayeghi, Ali

    2014-01-01

    As technology continues to advance, the outdoor advertising industry is taking advantage of electronic signs, some of which are static electronic signs (SES), with the ability to automatically change the message shown on the sign at regular intervals. Studies indicate that SES has a negative impact on the drivers' visual attention and on vehicle control. However, the actual effects of the SES on the number of collisions have been difficult to prove conclusively. The objective of this article is to generate a clear understanding of the safety impacts of SES on the number collisions by conducting a before-and-after analysis with comparison groups. The analysis was based on a total of 10 SES along the Highway 27 and the Gardiner Expressway of the city of Toronto. The results of the before-and-after study revealed that there was not enough evidence to suggest that these signs have any impact on road safety along the adjacent roadway sections at a 95% confidence interval. The same results were obtained by comparing collisions that occurred during daylight and artificial light.

  8. Modeling safety culture as a socially emergent phenomenon: a case study in aircraft maintenance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Passenier, D.F.; Mols, C.; Bím, J.; Sharpanskykh, A.

    2016-01-01

    Safety culture is often understood as encompassing organizational members’ shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values associated with safety. Safety culture theory development is fraught with inconsistencies and superficiality of measurement methods, because the dynamic and political nature

  9. Modeling safety culture as a socially emergent phenomenon : A case study in aircraft maintenance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Passenier, D; Mols, C; Bim, J; Sharpans'kykh, Alexei

    2016-01-01

    Safety culture is often understood as encompassing organizational members’ shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values associated with safety. Safety culture theory development is fraught with inconsistencies and superficiality of measurement methods, because the dynamic and political nature

  10. Risk Informed Safety Margin Characterization Case Study: Selection of Electrical Equipment To Be Subjected to Environmental Qualification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D. Blanchard; R. Youngblood

    2012-04-01

    In general, the margins-based safety case helps the decision-maker manage plant margins most effectively. It tells the plant decision-maker such things as what margin is present (at the plant level, at the functional level, at the barrier level, at the component level), and where margin is thin or perhaps just degrading. If the plant is safe, it tells the decision-maker why the plant is safe and where margin needs to be maintained, and perhaps where the plant can afford to relax.

  11. Analyses of robot systems using fault and event trees: case studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khodabandehloo, Koorosh

    1996-01-01

    Safety in the use of robotics outside factories or processing plants has become a matter of great international concern. Domestic robots and those intended to assist nurses and surgeons in hospitals are examples of cases where safety and reliability are considered critical. The safe performance of robot systems depends on many factors, including the integrity of the robot's hardware and software, the way it communicates with sensory and other production equipment, the reliable function of the safety features present and the way the robot interacts with its environment. The use of systematic techniques such as Fault and Event Tree analysis to examine the safety and reliability of a given robotic system is presented. Considerable knowledge is needed before the application of such analysis techniques can be translated into safety specifications or indeed 'fail-safe' design features of robotic systems. The skill and understanding required for the formulation of such specifications is demonstrated here based on a number of case studies

  12. Safety cases for radioactive waste disposal facilities: guidance on confidence building and regulatory review IAEA-ASAM co-ordinated research project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben Belfadhel, M.; Bennett, D.G.; Metcalf, P.; Nys, V.; Goldammer, W.

    2008-01-01

    The IAEA has been conducting two co-ordinated research programmes (CRPs) projects to develop and apply improved safety assessment methodologies for near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities. The more recent of these projects, ASAM (application of safety assessment methodologies), included a Regulatory Review Working Group (RRWG) which has been working to develop guidance on how to gain confidence in safety assessments and safety cases, and on how to conduct regulatory reviews of safety assessments. This paper provides an overview of the ASAM project, focusing on the safety case and regulatory review. (authors)

  13. [Regional Study of Patient Safety Incidents (ERIDA) in the Emergency Services].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alcaraz-Martínez, J; Aranaz-Andrés, J M; Martínez-Ros, C; Moreno-Reina, S; Escobar-Álvaro, L; Ortega-Liarte, J V

    2016-01-01

    Evaluate the patient safety incidents that occur in the emergency departments of our region. Observational study conducted in all the hospital emergency departments in the Regional Health Service of Murcia. After systematic random sampling, data were collected during care and a week later by telephone survey. Health professionals of each service were trained and collected the information, following the methodology of the National Study of Adverse Events Related to Hospitalization -ENEAS- and the Adverse Events Related to Spanish Hospital Emergency Department Care -EVADUR-. A total of 393 samples were collected, proportional to the cases treated in each hospital. In 10 cases (3.1%) the complaint was a previous safety incident. At least one incident was detected in 47 patients (11.95%; 8.7 to 15.1%). In 3 cases there were 2 incidents, bringing the number of incidents to 50. Regarding the impact, the 51% of incidents caused harm to the patients. The effects more frequent in patients were the need for repeat visits (9 cases), and mismanagement of pain (8 cases). In 24 cases (51.1%) health care was not affected, although 3 cases required an additional test, 11 cases required further consultation, and led to hospitalisation in 2 cases. The most frequent causal factors of these incidents were medication (14) and care (12). The incidents were considered preventable in 60% of cases. A rate of incidents in the emergency departments, representative of the region, has been obtained. The implications of the results for the population means that 12 out of every 100 patients treated in emergency departments have an adverse event, and 7 of these are avoidable. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. Key Performance Criteria Affecting the Most the Safety of a Nuclear Waste Long Term Storage : A Case Study Commissioned by CEA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marvy, A.; Lioure, A; Heriard-Dubreuil, G.; Gadbois, S.; Schneider, T.; Schieber, C.

    2003-02-24

    As part of the work scope set in the French law on high level long lived waste R&D passed in 1991, CEA is conducting a research program to establish the scientific basis and assess the feasibility of long term storage as an option for the safe management of nuclear waste for periods as long as centuries. This goal is a significant departure from the current industrial practice where storage facilities are usually built to last only a few decades. From a technical viewpoint such an extension in time seems feasible provided care and maintenance is exercised. Considering such long periods of time, the risk for Society of loosing oversight and control of such a facility is real, which triggers the question of whether and how long term storage safety can be actually achieved. Therefore CEA commissioned a study (1) in which MUTADIS Consultants (2) and CEPN (3) were both involved. The case study looks into several past and actual human enterprises conducted over significant periods o f time, one of them dating back to the end of the 18th century, and all identified out of the nuclear field. Then-prevailing societal behavior and organizational structures are screened out to show how they were or are still able to cope with similar oversight and control goals. As a result, the study group formulated a set of performance criteria relating to issues like responsibility, securing funds, legal and legislative implications, economic sustainable development, all being areas which are not traditionally considered as far as technical studies are concerned. These criteria can be most useful from the design stage onward, first in an attempt to define the facility construction and operating guiding principles, and thereafter to substantiate the safety case for long term storage and get geared to the public dialogue on that undertaking should it become a reality.

  15. Key Performance Criteria Affecting the Most the Safety of a Nuclear Waste Long Term Storage : A Case Study Commissioned by CEA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marvy, A.; Lioure, A; Heriard-Dubreuil, G.; Gadbois, S.; Schneider, T.; Schieber, C.

    2003-01-01

    As part of the work scope set in the French law on high level long lived waste R and D passed in 1991, CEA is conducting a research program to establish the scientific basis and assess the feasibility of long term storage as an option for the safe management of nuclear waste for periods as long as centuries. This goal is a significant departure from the current industrial practice where storage facilities are usually built to last only a few decades. From a technical viewpoint such an extension in time seems feasible provided care and maintenance is exercised. Considering such long periods of time, the risk for Society of loosing oversight and control of such a facility is real, which triggers the question of whether and how long term storage safety can be actually achieved. Therefore CEA commissioned a study (1) in which MUTADIS Consultants (2) and CEPN (3) were both involved. The case study looks into several past and actual human enterprises conducted over significant periods o f time, one of them dating back to the end of the 18th century, and all identified out of the nuclear field. Then-prevailing societal behavior and organizational structures are screened out to show how they were or are still able to cope with similar oversight and control goals. As a result, the study group formulated a set of performance criteria relating to issues like responsibility, securing funds, legal and legislative implications, economic sustainable development, all being areas which are not traditionally considered as far as technical studies are concerned. These criteria can be most useful from the design stage onward, first in an attempt to define the facility construction and operating guiding principles, and thereafter to substantiate the safety case for long term storage and get geared to the public dialogue on that undertaking should it become a reality

  16. A study on LAN applications in nuclear safety systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sung; Lee, Young Ryul; Koo, Jun Mo; Han, Jai Bok

    1995-01-01

    It is a general tendency to digitalize the conventional relay based I and C systems in nuclear power plant. But, the digitalisation of nuclear safety systems has many a difficulty to surmount. The typical one thing of many difficulties is the data communication problem between local controllers and systems. The network architecture built with LAN (Local Area Network) in digital systems of the other industries are general. But in case of nuclear safety systems many considerations in point of safety and license are required to implement it in the field. In this parer, some considerations for applying LAN in nuclear safety systems were reviewed

  17. Measuring the impact of pharmacoepidemiologic research using altmetrics: A case study of a CNODES drug-safety article.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, J M; Traynor, Robyn L; Gruzd, Anatoliy; Mai, Philip; Dormuth, Colin R; Sketris, Ingrid S

    2018-03-24

    To provide an overview of altmetrics, including their potential benefits and limitations, how they may be obtained, and their role in assessing pharmacoepidemiologic research impact. Our review was informed by compiling relevant literature identified through searching multiple health research databases (PubMed, Embase, and CIHNAHL) and grey literature sources (websites, blogs, and reports). We demonstrate how pharmacoepidemiologists, in particular, may use altmetrics to understand scholarly impact and knowledge translation by providing a case study of a drug-safety study conducted by the Canadian Network of Observational Drug Effect Studies. A common approach to measuring research impact is the use of citation-based metrics, such as an article's citation count or a journal's impact factor. "Alternative" metrics, or altmetrics, are increasingly supported as a complementary measure of research uptake in the age of social media. Altmetrics are nontraditional indicators that capture a diverse set of traceable, online research-related artifacts including peer-reviewed publications and other research outputs (software, datasets, blogs, videos, posters, policy documents, presentations, social media posts, wiki entries, etc). Compared with traditional citation-based metrics, altmetrics take a more holistic view of research impact, attempting to capture the activity and engagement of both scholarly and nonscholarly communities. Despite the limited theoretical underpinnings, possible commercial influence, potential for gaming and manipulation, and numerous data quality-related issues, altmetrics are promising as a supplement to more traditional citation-based metrics because they can ingest and process a larger set of data points related to the flow and reach of scholarly communication from an expanded pool of stakeholders. Unlike citation-based metrics, altmetrics are not inherently rooted in the research publication process, which includes peer review; it is unclear to

  18. Barrier and system performances within a safety case: their functioning and evolution with time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hedin, A.; Voinis, S.; Fillion, E.; Keller, S.; Lalieux, Ph.; Nachmilner, L.; Nys, V.; Rodriguez, J.; Sevougian, D.; Wollrath, J.

    2002-01-01

    The following six questions were used as the basis for the discussions in a Working Group: - What is the role of each barrier as a function of time or in the different time frames? What is its contribution to the overall system performance or safety as a function of time? - Which are the main uncertainties on the performance of barriers in the timescales? To what extent should we enhance the robustness of barriers because of the uncertainties of some component behaviour with time? - What is the requested or required performance versus the expected realistic or conservative behaviour with time? How are these safety margins used as arguments in a safety case? - What is the issue associated with the geosphere stability for different geological systems? - How are barriers and system performances, as a function of time, evaluated (presented and communicated) in a safety case? - What kind of measures are used for siting, designing and optimising robust barriers corresponding to situations that can vary with time? Are human actions considered to be relevant? (authors)

  19. Ready to Respond: Case Studies in Campus Safety and Security

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyatt, James A.

    2010-01-01

    Is your campus primed for the next big emergency? The National Campus Safety and Security Project (NCSSP), led by NACUBO, sought to help colleges and universities develop comprehensive emergency management plans that address the four phases of emergency management: prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. A major component of…

  20. Improving Patient Safety with X-Ray and Anesthesia Machine Ventilator Synchronization: A Medical Device Interoperability Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arney, David; Goldman, Julian M.; Whitehead, Susan F.; Lee, Insup

    When a x-ray image is needed during surgery, clinicians may stop the anesthesia machine ventilator while the exposure is made. If the ventilator is not restarted promptly, the patient may experience severe complications. This paper explores the interconnection of a ventilator and simulated x-ray into a prototype plug-and-play medical device system. This work assists ongoing interoperability framework development standards efforts to develop functional and non-functional requirements and illustrates the potential patient safety benefits of interoperable medical device systems by implementing a solution to a clinical use case requiring interoperability.

  1. Public Participation Guide: Skorpion Zinc Project Case Study - Namibia

    Science.gov (United States)

    This case study describes the efforts of an independent professional team working with South African and Namibian specialists to identify and address environmental and public health and safety concerns related to a zinc mine and refinery.

  2. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of integrating the World Health Organization patient safety curriculum into undergraduate medical education in Pakistan: a qualitative case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samreen Misbah

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis of integrating the World Health Organization (WHO patient safety curriculum into undergraduate medical education in Pakistan. Methods A qualitative interpretive case study was conducted at Riphah International University, Islamabad, from October 2016 to June 2017. The study included 9 faculty members and 1 expert on patient safety. The interviews were audiotaped, and a thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed using NVivo software. Results Four themes were derived based on the need analysis model. The sub-themes derived from the collected data were arranged under the themes of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, in accordance with the principles of SWOT analysis. The strengths identified were the need for a formal patient safety curriculum and its early integration into the undergraduate program. The weaknesses were faculty awareness and participation in development programs. The opportunities were an ongoing effort to develop an appropriate curriculum, to improve the current culture of healthcare, and to use the WHO curricular resource guide. The threats were attitudes towards patient safety in Pakistani culture, resistance to implementation from different levels, and the role of regulatory authorities. Conclusion The theme of patient safety needs to be incorporated early into the formal medical education curriculum, with the main goals of striving to do no harm and seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn. Faculty development activities need to be organized, and faculty members should to be encouraged to participate in them. The lack of a patient safety culture was identified as the primary reason for resistance to this initiative at many levels. The WHO curriculum, amended according to local institutional culture, can be implemented appropriately with support from the corresponding regulatory bodies.

  3. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of integrating the World Health Organization patient safety curriculum into undergraduate medical education in Pakistan: a qualitative case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misbah, Samreen; Mahboob, Usman

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of integrating the World Health Organization (WHO) patient safety curriculum into undergraduate medical education in Pakistan. A qualitative interpretive case study was conducted at Riphah International University, Islamabad, from October 2016 to June 2017. The study included 9 faculty members and 1 expert on patient safety. The interviews were audiotaped, and a thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed using NVivo software. Four themes were derived based on the need analysis model. The sub-themes derived from the collected data were arranged under the themes of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, in accordance with the principles of SWOT analysis. The strengths identified were the need for a formal patient safety curriculum and its early integration into the undergraduate program. The weaknesses were faculty awareness and participation in development programs. The opportunities were an ongoing effort to develop an appropriate curriculum, to improve the current culture of healthcare, and to use the WHO curricular resource guide. The threats were attitudes towards patient safety in Pakistani culture, resistance to implementation from different levels, and the role of regulatory authorities. The theme of patient safety needs to be incorporated early into the formal medical education curriculum, with the main goals of striving to do no harm and seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn. Faculty development activities need to be organized, and faculty members should to be encouraged to participate in them. The lack of a patient safety culture was identified as the primary reason for resistance to this initiative at many levels. The WHO curriculum, amended according to local institutional culture, can be implemented appropriately with support from the corresponding regulatory bodies.

  4. The Role of the Biosphere in a Safety Case. IGSC topical session at the third IGSC Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, Sean; Voinis, Sylvie; Alonso, Jesus; Van Luik, Abraham E.

    2002-01-01

    The safety case is a collection of arguments at a given stage of repository development in support of the long-term safety of the repository. The safety case comprises the findings of a safety assessment and a statement of confidence in these findings. The biosphere is one of the features of a geologic repository system for the long-term management of radioactive waste. The biosphere is important in a safety assessment since it is the place where humans and most organisms live and where regulations are made. Generally speaking, the biosphere is more dynamic than the geosphere and its evolution with time can significantly affect dose estimations and potential impacts of a geologic repository (e.g., climate change, glaciation, civilisation movement, etc.). That is, other parts of the repository system (vault, geosphere) are more robust or constant in time than the ever changing biosphere. Most of the variability associated with future events in the biosphere is driven by climate change. Climatic change and the characteristics of future societies are important sources of uncertainties Biosphere. Uncertainty can be addressed using reference or example biospheres, or alternative safety indicators such as radionuclide concentration or radionuclide flux from the geosphere to the surface biosphere (as indicated by the recent regulatory guidance in Finland), or by comparing predicted radionuclide concentrations from a repository with background levels in the environment. Thus, a Topical Session that focused on the 'Role of the Biosphere in a Safety Case' was organised in the framework of the 3. plenary meeting of the IGSC. This Topical Session reviewed the role of the biosphere in a safety case for geologic disposal of radioactive waste and discusses recent developments in international programs (IAEA Biomass, EC Bioclim), the views of regulators and the strategies being adopted by several implementers for incorporating the biosphere in their safety assessments

  5. Safety stock or safety lead time : coping with unreliability in demand and supply

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Kampen, T.J.; van Donk, D.P.; van der Zee, D.J.

    2010-01-01

    Safety stock and safety lead time are common measures used to cope with uncertainties in demand and supply. Typically, these uncertainties are studied in isolated instances, ignoring settings with uncertainties both in demand and in supply. The current literature largely neglects case study based

  6. Management of safety and safety culture in regulatory work - The case of decommissioning of a Swedish plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svensson, G.; Lekberg, A.

    2002-01-01

    The case of early closure of one of the units at a plant is one example of a situation where the regulator has to reflect on and choose its role in order to prevent an impairment of the safety culture at the plant. The strategy chosen by the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate is presented and some conclusions are drawn. (author)

  7. Developing a generic environmental safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, Lucy

    2014-01-01

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has been charged with implementing the United Kingdom government's policy for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste by planning, building and operating a geological disposal facility (GDF). Within the NDA, we - the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) - are tasked with the development of a GDF. The UK government has also decided that a process of voluntarism and partnership will be followed to identify a suitable site for the GDF. To date there is no volunteer community and the site selection process to find a volunteer host community is under review. RWMD has an ongoing role to provide advice to UK radioactive waste producers on the conditioning and packaging of wastes and to undertake disposability assessments of waste packaging proposals to determine their suitability for eventual disposal in a GDF. We also need to demonstrate our confidence that a GDF would be safe. Therefore RWMD has published a generic Environmental Safety Case (ESC) (NDA, 2010) to demonstrate that we are confident that a GDF could be developed to meet the guidelines set down by the environmental regulators (EA/NIEA, 2009) in a range of geological settings. The ESC includes reference case calculations that are used as a benchmark for disposability assessments. (author)

  8. Adolescents' Perceptions of Safety at School and Their Solutions for Enhancing Safety and Reducing School Violence: A Rural Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    deLara, Ellen

    An exploratory study of a small rural high school in upstate New York investigated students' perceptions of safety at school and empowered students to develop solutions to school violence. A mixed-methods approach drew on action research, youth-based phenomenology, and a general systems frame of reference. Data collection included two surveys of…

  9. Issues of construction health and safety in developing countries: a case of Jordan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhair Zaid Alkilani

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The construction industry is widely regarded as one of the most significant interms of its impact on health and safety (H&S. Recent findings suggestthat in developing countries H&S awareness and performance is low. In this paper,the current state of H&S on construction sites in Jordan was explored usinga two-part investigation. The first part introduces the area of research in aliterature based study of on-site safety. The second part is a case study onthe Jordanian construction industry and its current H&S practices. Primary datawas collected from field visits, expert interviews and semi-structuredquestionnaires. Supporting secondary data was collected from archival studiesand related research literature. The research findings highlight a lack of governmentcommitment exemplified by regulations, policies and legal constraints thatlimit the operational efficiency of those government departments responsiblefor H&S management, and hindering the development of good H&S practice.Research results also highlight the key constraints of good H&S practice fromthe perspective of construction contractors.The study concludes with discussion ofpotential solutions toimprove H&S performance on construction sites in Jordan.

  10. Technology Solutions Case Study: Combustion Safety Simplified Test Protocol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    L. Brand, D. Cautley, D. Bohac, P. Francisco, L. Shen, and S. Gloss

    2015-12-01

    Combustions safety is an important step in the process of upgrading homes for energy efficiency. There are several approaches used by field practitioners, but researchers have indicated that the test procedures in use are complex to implement and provide too many false positives. Field failures often mean that the house is not upgraded until after remediation or not at all, if not include in the program. In this report the PARR and NorthernSTAR DOE Building America Teams provide a simplified test procedure that is easier to implement and should produce fewer false positives.

  11. Ethics in occupational health and safety: case studies from Gujarat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Jagdish; David, Siddarth

    2016-01-01

    Rapid industrialisation in India is giving employment to millions of people in the formal sector, and many more in the unorganised sector. However, the absence of clear policies, poorly enforced regulations, lack of systematic reporting of occupational diseases, lamentable socioeconomic conditions of the workers and their limited access to healthcare make occupational health and safety (OHS) a critical area.

  12. Strategy for safety case development: impact of a volunteering approach to siting a japanese HLW repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitayama, K.; Ishiguro, K.; Takeuchi, M.; Tsuchi, H.; Kato, T.; Sakabe, Y.; Wakasugi, K.

    2008-01-01

    NUMO strategy for safety case development is constrained by a staged siting approach, which has been initiated by a call for volunteer municipalities to host the HLW repository. For each site, the safety case is an important factor to be considered at the selection steps which narrow down towards the preferred repository location. This is particularly challenging, however, as every site requires a tailored repository concept, with associated performance assessment and an individual site evaluation programme all of which evolve with gradually increasing understanding of the host environment. In order to maintain flexibility without losing focus, NUMO has developed a formalized tailoring procedure, termed the NUMO Structured Approach (NSA). The NSA guides the interaction of the key site characterisation, repository design and performance assessment groups and is facilitated by tools to help the decision making associated with the tailoring process (e.g. a requirements management system) and with comparison of siting and design options (e.g. multi-attribute analysis). Pragmatically, the post-closure safety case will initially emphasize near-field processes and a robust engineering barrier system, considering the limited geological information at early stages. This will be complemented by a more realistic assessment of total system performance, as needed to compare options. In addition, efforts to rigorously assess operational phase safety and the practicality of assuring quality of the constructed engineered barriers are components of the total safety case which are receiving particular attention now, as they may better discriminate between sites while information is still limited. (authors)

  13. Measuring Safety Culture on Ships Using Safety Climate: A Study among Indian Officers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yogendra Bhattacharya

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Workplace safety continues to be an area of concern in the maritime industry due to the international nature of the operations. The effectiveness of extensive legislation to manage shipboard safety remains in doubt. The focus must therefore shift towards the human element - seafarers and their perceptions of safety. The study aims to understand the alignment that exists between safety culture and safety climate on board ships as perceived by seafarers. The underlying factors of safety climate were identified using factor analysis which isolated seven factors - Support on Safety, Organizational Support, Resource Availability, Work Environment, Job Demands, ‘Just’ Culture, and Safety Compliance. The perception of safety level of seafarers was found to be low indicating the existence of misalignments between safety culture values and the actual safety climate. The study also reveals that the safety perceptions of officers employed directly by ship owners and those by managers do not differ significantly, nor do they differ between senior and junior officers. A shift in perspective towards how seafarers themselves feel towards safety might provide more effective solutions – instead of relying on regulations - and indeed aid in reducing incidents on board. This paper details practical suggestions on how to identify the factors that contribute towards a better safety climate on board ships.

  14. Analysis of the organization implemented by a nuclear operator for ensuring the safety of his facilities: contribution of case studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeffroy, F.; Conte, D.

    2006-01-01

    This article is the chapter 6 of this book. It deals with the organization implemented by a nuclear operator and its suitability in warranting the safety of his facilities. An analysis approach has been defined which takes into consideration the formal aspect of the rules, structures and resources implemented by the organization, and which considers also the operational aspect through the collective activity of actors. The operation dynamics of the organisation has been approached through retrospective case studies aiming at understanding, from actors' contributions to the processing of events, how the characteristics of the organization were representing resources or constraints for the actors. This approach of organization through case studies must be put forward in the present day debate about cognitive ergonomics in sociology of organizations and in management. Several works try to put in relation the activity of 'front line' actors with the decisions and orientations taken at the strategic level. This supposes that one can combine an analysis of actors' activity integrating their point of view and and analysis of the structures and resources that are supplied to them by the organization. (J.S.)

  15. Safety and security in small-scale recovery housing for people with severe mental illness: an inner-city case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitley, Rob; Harris, Maxine; Drake, Robert E

    2008-02-01

    The authors examined the lived experience of residents with severe mental illness in a small-scale recovery-housing building in the inner city. They attempting to identify and understand factors that influenced adjustment and stability. Four focus groups with 17 residents and participant observation with residents, case managers, and supervisory staff were conducted longitudinally over a two-year period. Data were analyzed according to the tenets of qualitative content analysis. Safety and security was the most prominent issue raised by residents. Serious concerns about this issue could be divided into three categories: threats raised by the behavior of other residents (and their associates), threats raised by strangers, and threats related to loss of self-control. A related theme involved ongoing tension between residents' desire for communal connections and their conflicting desire for a bounded private life. Ongoing attention to the issue of safety and security should be a key component of recovery-oriented housing in inner-city residential areas. Further research may need to compare the experience of safety and security among residents living in recovery housing with the experience of those in independent scatter-site housing and traditional congregate housing.

  16. Abused women's experiences of a primary care identification and referral intervention: a case study analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradbury-Jones, Caroline; Clark, Maria; Taylor, Julie

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to report the findings of a qualitative case study that investigated abused women's experiences of an identification and referral intervention and to discuss the implications for nurses, specifically those working in primary and community care. Domestic violence and abuse is a significant public health issue globally but it is a hidden problem that is under-reported. In the UK, Identification and Referral to Improve Safety is a primary care-based intervention that has been found to increase referral rates of abused women to support and safety services. This paper reports on the findings of an evaluation study of two sites in England. Qualitative study with a case study design. In line with case study design, the entire evaluation study employed multiple data collection methods. We report on the qualitative interviews with women referred through the programme. The aim was to elicit their experiences of the three aspects of the intervention: identification; referral; safety. Data collection took place March 2016. Ten women took part. Eight had exited the abusive relationship but two remained with the partner who had perpetrated the abuse. Women were overwhelmingly positive about the programme and irrespective of whether they had remained or exited the relationship all reported perceptions of increased safety and improved health. Nurses have an important role to play in identifying domestic violence and abuse and in referral and safety planning. As part of a portfolio of domestic violence and abuse interventions, those that empower women to take control of their safety (such as Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) are important. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Deep Borehole Disposal Safety Analysis.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freeze, Geoffrey A. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Stein, Emily [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Price, Laura L. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); MacKinnon, Robert J. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Tillman, Jack Bruce [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2016-10-01

    This report presents a preliminary safety analysis for the deep borehole disposal (DBD) concept, using a safety case framework. A safety case is an integrated collection of qualitative and quantitative arguments, evidence, and analyses that substantiate the safety, and the level of confidence in the safety, of a geologic repository. This safety case framework for DBD follows the outline of the elements of a safety case, and identifies the types of information that will be required to satisfy these elements. At this very preliminary phase of development, the DBD safety case focuses on the generic feasibility of the DBD concept. It is based on potential system designs, waste forms, engineering, and geologic conditions; however, no specific site or regulatory framework exists. It will progress to a site-specific safety case as the DBD concept advances into a site-specific phase, progressing through consent-based site selection and site investigation and characterization.

  18. Safety of escitalopram in pregnancy: a case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellantuono, Cesario; Bozzi, Francesca; Orsolini, Laura

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to report maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women treated with escitalopram during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Women enrolled in the DEGRA Database at the Clinic of Affective Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum in Italy, treated during pregnancy with escitalopram and followed up throughout pregnancy, were included in this study. All patients provided written informed consent and the study was approved by the local ethics committee. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition) Axis I Disorders and symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (17 items) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (14 items). Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes were recorded. The case histories of seven pregnant women treated for depression and/or anxiety disorders with escitalopram were reported. Four women were also treated with benzodiazepines. All pregnancies were full-term and all newborns had normal Apgar scores. There were no major malformations or miscarriages following exposure to escitalopram. Mild withdrawal syndrome was reported only in a newborn who was also exposed to a benzodiazepine. Two infants exposed to escitalopram during breastfeeding did not show any health problems. Our experience with use of escitalopram in pregnant women did not reveal any maternal or neonatal concerns. However, considering the few cases analyzed and the paucity of published literature, no conclusions can be drawn on its safety profile in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

  19. RADON-type disposal facility safety case for the co-ordinated research project on improvement of safety assessment methodologies for near surface radioactive waste disposal facilities (ISAM)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guskov, A.; Batanjieva, B.; Kozak, M.W.; Torres-Vidal, C.

    2002-01-01

    The ISAM safety assessment methodology was applied to RADON-type facilities. The assessments conducted through the ISAM project were among the first conducted for these kinds of facilities. These assessments are anticipated to lead to significantly improved levels of safety in countries with such facilities. Experience gained though this RADON-type Safety Case was already used in Russia while developing national regulatory documents. (author)

  20. Food safety evaluation for R-proteins introduced by biotechnology: A case study of VNT1 in late blight protected potatoes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habig, Jeffrey W; Rowland, Aaron; Pence, Matthew G; Zhong, Cathy X

    2018-06-01

    Resistance genes (R-genes) from wild potato species confer protection against disease and can be introduced into cultivated potato varieties using breeding or biotechnology. The R-gene, Rpi-vnt1, which encodes the VNT1 protein, protects against late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans. Heterologous expression and purification of active VNT1 in quantities sufficient for regulatory biosafety studies was problematic, making it impractical to generate hazard characterization data. As a case study for R-proteins, a weight-of-evidence, tiered approach was used to evaluate the safety of VNT1. The hazard potential of VNT1 was identified from relevant safety information including history of safe use, bioinformatics, mode of action, expression levels, and dietary intake. From the assessment it was concluded that Tier II hazard characterization was not needed. R-proteins homologous to VNT1 and identified in edible crops, have a history of safe consumption. VNT1 does not share sequence identity with known allergens. Expression levels of R-proteins are generally low, and VNT1 was not detected in potato varieties expressing the Rpi-vnt1 gene. With minimal hazard and negligible exposure, the risks associated with consumption of R-proteins in late blight protected potatoes are exceedingly low. R-proteins introduced into potatoes to confer late blight protection are safe for consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Safety Case and the Risk-Informed Performance-Based Approach for Management of US Commercial Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abu-Eid, Rateb; Esh, David; Grossman, Chrisopher

    2016-01-01

    Summary/Conclusion Safety Case & 10 CFR Part 61: • Safety Case is an integrated approach to risk assessment and risk management. • NRC staff explicitly added “the safety case” concept in the ongoing amendment of 10 CFR Part 61, at the direction of Commission. • Plain language description the safety arguments and evidence to demonstrate the overall safety of a land disposal facility were developed. • It describes all safety relevant aspects of the disposal site, the design of the facility, and the managerial control measures and regulatory controls to inform the decision whether to grant a license. • It includes the same type of information that the original 10 CFR Part 61 required to be submitted as part of a license application (i.e., 10 CFR 61.10 – 10 CFR 61.16). • The safety case will be updated over time as a new information is gained during the various phases of the facility’s development, inspection, and operation. • 10 CFR Part 61 SC is quite consistent with IAEA SSG-23 with more detailed technical analysis.

  2. Natural analogues in Posiva's Safety Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marcos, Nuria; Seppaelae, T.

    2008-01-01

    The Safety Case is a broader concept than Performance Assessment that allows better the use of natural analogues and observations from nature to understand the behaviour of the system and the processes at the site. Natural analogues are mostly use to add confidence to the safety of geological disposal with respect to: Design (depth and multi-barrier system), Materials (long-term durability), and Processes (understanding the long-term behaviour/evolution of the system). Ice ages and erosion: largest boulders released and transported by ice during the most recent ice age are well below 20 m. 25 glacial cycles would be necessary to erode in this fashion 500 m of bedrock. During the last million years only about 8-9 glacial cycles are known to have occurred. Geosphere stability: Minor possibility of damaging earthquakes due to the geological position of the Olkiluoto site in the Fennoscandian Shield. Magnitudes of earthquakes historically and over the last 40 years have been less than 3 in the area next to Olkiluoto. Stability, U, and flow rates at Olkiluoto: Shallow ground-waters: Assuming a discharge flow rate (DFR) of about 200000 m"3/km"2/year, the average concentration of U in gw was 3.7 μg/L. At depth 375 m: Assuming a discharge flow rate of about 1680 m"3/km"2/year, the average concentration of U in gw was 0.21 μg/L. At depth 475 m: Discharge flow rate of about 730 m"3/km"2/year, the average concentration of U in gw was 0.04 μg/L

  3. Getting to the bottom: Tesco's Casing Running System improves speed, efficiency and safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eaton, S.

    2004-02-01

    Tesco Corporation's newly-introduced Casing Running System that is gaining rapid mainstream acceptance in the drilling industry is discussed. The popularity of the system is due not only to its technical advances in conveying casing into the borehole, but also to the increased safety features that it provides drilling operators. While conventional casing operations limit the driller to either rotating or reciprocating the string, the Tesco system permits simultaneously to rotate, reciprocate and circulate the casing string. From the point of view of safety, the Tesco Casing Running System eliminates the need for the roughnecks to harness up in 'riding belts', to climb up the derrick to guide casing pipe and insert hoses into joints for mud circulation. Travelling rig elevators and power tongs, normally required to make joint connections, are also made superfluous by the Tesco System. The bulk of the paper is devoted to a discussion of design and operating characteristics of the tool and cost comparison with conventional power tongs. 3 photos.

  4. Use of a risk characterisation approach to contextualise the safety profile of new rheumatoid arthritis treatments: a case study using tofacitinib.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Jeffrey R; Zhang, Richard; Krishnaswami, Sriram; Anisfeld, Andrew; Chen, Yan; Strengholt, Sander; Chen, Connie; Geier, Jamie

    2017-03-01

    Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To characterise the relative safety profile of tofacitinib to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), the accrued patient-years (pt-yrs) of exposure needed in an RA clinical trial programme to detect a potential increase in risk of specific adverse events (AEs) was determined. This case study/framework was constructed on the pt-yrs' accrual within pooled phase (P)1, P2 and P3, as well as long-term extension, studies of tofacitinib in RA (March 2015 data-cut) and published AE incidence rates for bDMARDs. Sample size calculations were based on a Poisson distribution to estimate pt-yrs' exposure required for 90 % probability that the lower bound of the 95 % confidence interval for tofacitinib/bDMARD would be >1, assuming that tofacitinib rates were 1.2×/1.5×/2.0× greater than comparator rates. AE rates for bDMARDs were derived from sources intended to optimise similarity with the tofacitinib database in terms of baseline characteristics, study duration and follow-up. Based on the tofacitinib exposure accrued (19,406 pt-yrs), data were sufficient (90 % probability) to detect potential differences over external bDMARD comparator rates in serious infections (≥1.2×), malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer [NMSC]), NMSC, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and lymphoma (each ≥1.5×), as well as opportunistic infections and gastrointestinal perforations (≥2×), should they exist. This risk characterisation approach can support the comparative safety of new RA medications. To date, tofacitinib safety appears similar to approved published data from bDMARDs with respect to serious infections, malignancies (excluding NMSC), NMSC, MACE, lymphoma, opportunistic infections and gastrointestinal perforations.

  5. Safety and risk factors for difficult endoscopist-directed ERCP sedation in daily practice: a hospital-based case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Pérez-Cuadrado-Robles

    Full Text Available Background: There are limited data concerning endoscopist-directed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography deep sedation. The aim of this study was to establish the safety and risk factors for difficult sedation in daily practice. Patients and methods: Hospital-based, frequency matched case-control study. All patients were identified from a database of 1,008 patients between 2014 and 2015. The cases were those with difficult sedations. This concept was defined based on the combination of the receipt of high-doses of midazolam or propofol, poor tolerance, use of reversal agents or sedation-related adverse events. The presence of different factors was evaluated to determine whether they predicted difficult sedation. Results: One-hundred and eighty-nine patients (63 cases, 126 controls were included. Cases were classified in terms of high-dose requirements (n = 35, 55.56%, sedation-related adverse events (n = 14, 22.22%, the use of reversal agents (n = 13, 20.63% and agitation/discomfort (n = 8, 12.7%. Concerning adverse events, the total rate was 1.39%, including clinically relevant hypoxemia (n = 11, severe hypotension (n = 2 and paradoxical reactions to midazolam (n = 1. The rate of hypoxemia was higher in patients under propofol combined with midazolam than in patients with propofol alone (2.56% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.001. Alcohol consumption (OR: 2.674 [CI 95%: 1.098-6.515], p = 0.030, opioid consumption (OR: 2.713 [CI 95%: 1.096-6.716], p = 0.031 and the consumption of other psychoactive drugs (OR: 2.015 [CI 95%: 1.017-3.991], p = 0.045 were confirmed to be independent risk factors for difficult sedation. Conclusions: Endoscopist-directed deep sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is safe. The presence of certain factors should be assessed before the procedure to identify patients who are high-risk for difficult sedation.

  6. Integration of case study approach, project design and computer ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    pc

    2018-03-05

    Mar 5, 2018 ... computer modeling used as a research method applied in the process ... conclusions discuss the benefits for students who analyzed the ... accounting education process the case study method should not .... providing travel safety information to passengers ... from literature readings with practical problems.

  7. FUNMIG Integrated Project results and conclusions from a safety case perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwyn, B.; Wersin, P.; Rüedi, J.; Schneider, J.; Altmann, S.; Missana, T.; Noseck, U.

    2012-01-01

    The scope of the FUNMIG Integrated Project (IP) was to improve the knowledge base on biogeochemical processes in the geosphere which are relevant for the safety of radioactive waste repositories. An important part of this project involved the interaction between data producers (research) and data users (radioactive waste management organisations in Europe). The aim thereof was to foster the benefits of the research work for performance assessment (PA), and in a broader sense, for the safety case of radioactive waste repositories. For this purpose a specifically adapted procedure was elaborated. Thus, relevant features, events and processes (FEPs) for the three host rock types, clay, crystalline and salt, were taken from internationally accepted catalogues and mapped onto each of the 108 research tasks conducted during the FUNMIG project by a standardised procedure. The main outcome thereof was a host-rock specific tool (Task Evaluation Table) in which the relevance and benefits of the research results were evaluated both from the PA and research perspective. Virtually all generated data within FUNMIG are related to the safety-relevant FEP-groups “transport mechanisms” and “retardation”. Generally speaking, much of the work within FUNMIG helped to support and to increase confidence in the simplified PA transport and retardation models used for calculating radionuclide (RN) transport through the host rock. Some of the studies on retardation processes (e.g. coupled sorption-redox processes at the mineral–water interface) yielded valuable data for all three rock types dealt within the IP. However, most of the studies provided improved insight regarding host-rock specific features and processes, the majority of this work being dedicated to clay-rich and crystalline host rocks. For both of these host rock types, FUNMIG has significantly contributed to improving understanding on a conceptual level, both by providing new experimental data at different spatial

  8. Pro-active approaches to the identification of emerging risks in the food chain: Retrospective case studies.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hagenaars, T.H.J.; Elbers, A.R.W.; Kleter, G.A.; Kreft, F.; Leeuwen, van P.; Waalwijk, C.; Hoogenboom, L.A.P.; Marvin, H.J.P.

    2006-01-01

    In this report six case studies are carried out on food-safety and animal-health crises that have occurred in the recent past. The aim is to learn from these cases if and how the identification of emerging food-safety (and animal-health) risks can be improved by adopting a (more) pro-active approach

  9. Pilot Study on Harmonisation of Reactor Safety in WENRA Countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-03-01

    Most of the objectives, set for the Pilot Study, were met. It can be concluded that the methodology was adequate for its purpose. National requirements on selected safety issues have been systematically compared and the major gaps and differences have been identified. Convenient overviews have been provided of differences and similarities between the countries. Furthermore, the conclusions are based on a safety justification and are detailed enough to provide input to a further more detailed analysis on the national level. It was not possible, however, to provide fully verified conclusions about the implementation of the reference levels in the different countries. This has to do with the following constraints on the study: In line with the Terms of Reference, the comparison of formal requirements did not address the more detailed use of criteria and methods to verify compliance. The same requirement could be enforced differently in different regulatory systems, and hence lead to different implementation. The Pilot Study also assessed the implementation, but it was not possible to do this in sufficient detail to identify such differences. The implementation was assessed on the basis of current knowledge of the respective regulatory body, but it was not possible to provide the panels with evidence of the implementation. For these reasons, conclusions about implemented safety provisions in the different countries should be drawn with precaution. The introduction of the panel assessments greatly improved the quality and consistency of the comparison assessments. Uncertainties in the assessments are mainly connected with lack of time to make a detailed analysis in some cases. The reliability of the assessments seems to be sufficient for the objectives of the Pilot Study. The introduction of the IAEA safety standards in the study proved to be helpful and provided confidence in the scope and strictness of the reference levels. This Pilot Study has contributed to

  10. Safety and Efficacy of Ferric Carboxymaltose in Anemic Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Case Control Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pels, Anouk; Ganzevoort, Wessel

    2015-01-01

    Background. Anemia during pregnancy is commonly caused by iron deficiency and can have severe consequences for both the mother and the developing fetus. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the safety and efficacy of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in pregnant women. Methods.

  11. Railway safety climate: a study on organizational development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yung-Hsiang

    2017-09-07

    The safety climate of an organization is considered a leading indicator of potential risk for railway organizations. This study adopts the perceptual measurement-individual attribute approach to investigate the safety climate of a railway organization. The railway safety climate attributes are evaluated from the perspective of railway system staff. We identify four safety climate dimensions from exploratory factor analysis, namely safety communication, safety training, safety management and subjectively evaluated safety performance. Analytical results indicate that the safety climate differs at vertical and horizontal organizational levels. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the multilevel safety climate in a railway organization, presents possible causes of the differences under various cultural contexts and differentiates between safety climate scales for diverse workgroups within the railway organization. This information can be used to improve the safety sustainability of railway organizations and to conduct safety supervisions for the government.

  12. Challenges of communicating safety case results to different audiences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hocke, Peter; Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen

    2014-01-01

    Nowadays, nuclear politics and decision making are often oriented at procedures which are linked to precautionary concepts and which reflect forms of 'knowledge politics'. These precautionary concepts in most cases focus on robust societal decisions, which incorporate the principles of sustainability as a topic of public debate. The issue of high-level nuclear waste is under debate and confronted with public discourse, which integrates not only the knowledge of different stakeholders, but also accept certain forms of 'Nichtwissen' ('non-knowledge'). Interdisciplinary research has to observe these normative trends and also has to 'contextualise' these questions before interpreting its research results for giving answers with practical relevance, especially in communication with different social actors. Issues which are brought up in this field of nuclear waste management and their social context have to be analysed in two dimensions: i) the dimension of professionalism and expertise; ii) the dimension of managing controversial debates ('knowledge politics') and the preparation and implementing of robust decisions mostly by responsible governmental organisations. In this context on the one hand complex aspects of safety have to be communicated in their internal scientific logic and structure. On the other hand the different functional systems and collective actors of highly differentiated modern societies are engaged in controversial debates on advanced technologies like nuclear energy and technologies for waste disposal over long-lasting time periods. Most safety and construction issues for final disposal of high-level waste, but also of waste management in general, are debated within professional 'communities' of scientists and experts. But if their technological artefacts and their conceptual planning become issues of controversial and political debates in spheres which are outside the closed circle of high-level professionals and party politicians (who are in the

  13. The Safety Case for Deep Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste: 2013 State of the Art. Symposium Proceedings, 7-9 October 2013, Paris, France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-01-01

    In 2007, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), in concert with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission (EC), organised a Symposium, entitled 'Safety Cases for the Deep Disposal of Radioactive Waste: Where Do We Stand?' (NEA, 2008). Since then, there have been major developments in a number of national geological disposal programmes and significant experience has been obtained in preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating geological repositories. Especially, three national programmes are now, or will shortly be, at the stage of licence application for a deep geological repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-level and other long-lived radioactive waste. Thus, the purpose of this Symposium, 'The Safety Case for Deep Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste: 2013 State of the Art', was to assess the practice, understanding and roles of the safety case, as applied internationally at all stages of repository development, including the interplay of technical, regulatory and societal issues, as they have developed since 2007. In particular, the symposium aims were: - to share experiences on preparing for, developing and documenting a safety case from both the implementer's and reviewer's perspectives; - to share developments in requirements, expectations and experience gained in judging the adequacy of safety cases; - to identify issues that may arise as repository programmes mature; - to understand the importance of a safety case in promoting and gaining societal confidence; - to gain experience from other fields of industry and technology in which concepts similar to the safety case are applied; - to receive indications useful to the future working programme of the NEA and other international organisations. The symposium was organised into main plenary sessions covering: - international activities and experience related to the safety case since 2007, including

  14. Safety assessment of novel foods and strategies to determine their safety in use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edwards, Gareth

    2005-01-01

    Safety assessment of novel foods requires a different approach to that traditionally used for the assessment of food chemicals. A case-by-case approach is needed which must be adapted to take account of the characteristics of the individual novel food. A thorough appraisal is required of the origin, production, compositional analysis, nutritional characteristics, any previous human exposure and the anticipated use of the food. The information should be compared with a traditional counterpart of the food if this is available. In some cases, a conclusion about the safety of the food may be reached on the basis of this information alone, whereas in other cases, it will help to identify any nutritional or toxicological testing that may be required to further investigate the safety of the food. The importance of nutritional evaluation cannot be over-emphasised. This is essential for the conduct of toxicological studies in order to avoid dietary imbalances, etc., that might lead to interpretation difficulties, but also in the context of its use as food and to assess the potential impact of the novel food on the human diet. The traditional approach used for chemicals, whereby an acceptable daily intake (ADI) is established with a large safety margin relative to the expected exposure, cannot be applied to foods. The assessment of safety in use should be based upon a thorough knowledge of the composition of the food, evidence from nutritional, toxicological and human studies, expected use of the food and its expected consumption. Safety equates to a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from intended uses under the anticipated conditions of consumption

  15. Safety of gentamicin bladder irrigations in complex urological cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defoor, William; Ferguson, Denise; Mashni, Susan; Creelman, Lisa; Reeves, Deborah; Minevich, Eugene; Reddy, Pramod; Sheldon, Curtis

    2006-05-01

    Recurrent urinary tract infections are common in complex pediatric urological cases, particularly those requiring clean intermittent catheterization. At our institution gentamicin bladder irrigations have been used for antimicrobial prophylaxis and to treat symptomatic bacteriuria, particularly when the infection does not involve the upper urinary tract. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of this therapy. A retrospective study was performed of all children treated with gentamicin bladder irrigations from 1999 to 2004. The dose was 14 mg gentamicin in 30 ml saline instilled via catheter once or twice daily. Serum creatinine and random gentamicin levels were obtained according to a protocol based on risk of gentamicin toxicity. Patient demographics, laboratory results and outcomes were abstracted from the medical records. A total of 80 patients (38 males and 42 females) were identified. Median patient age was 10 years and median duration of treatment was 90 days. No patient had detectable serum gentamicin levels greater than 0.4 mg/dl. Small increases in serum creatinine were seen in 3 patients, all of whom had chronic renal insufficiency. A total of 21 patients (26%) had breakthrough UTIs, of which 5 (24%) were gentamicin resistant. No adverse events were documented. Gentamicin bladder irrigations are a helpful adjunct in the management of complex pediatric urological cases involving recurrent symptomatic bacteriuria. We no longer require intensive laboratory monitoring of low risk patients at our institution.

  16. Overview of the NKS/RAK-1 project 'Strategies for reactor safety' and linkages to piping reliability studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, Kjell

    1997-01-01

    The NKS/RAK-1 project forms part of a four-year research program (1994-97) in the Nordic countries. The general objective of NKS/RAK-1 project is to explore strategies for reactor safety: to investigate and evaluate the safety work, to increase realism and reliability of safety analysis; and to increase the safety of nuclear installations in selected areas. The project has done extensive interview work at utilities and authorities, and analysed a number of case studies. Brief highlights and overviews of the sub-projects are presented in this paper

  17. Is Safety in Danger?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Broncano-Berrocal, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    In “Knowledge Under Threat” (Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 2012), Tomas Bogardus proposes a counterexample to the safety condition for knowledge. Bogardus argues that the case demonstrates that unsafe knowledge is possible. I argue that the case just corroborates the well-known require......In “Knowledge Under Threat” (Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 2012), Tomas Bogardus proposes a counterexample to the safety condition for knowledge. Bogardus argues that the case demonstrates that unsafe knowledge is possible. I argue that the case just corroborates the well......-known requirement that modal conditions like safety must be relativized to methods of belief formation. I explore several ways of relativizing safety to belief-forming methods and I argue that none is adequate: if methods were individuated in those ways, safety would fail to explain several much-discussed cases. I...... then propose a plausible externalist principle of method individuation. On the one hand, relativizing safety to belief-forming methods in the way suggested allows the defender of safety to account for the cases. On the other hand, it shows that the target known belief of Bogardus’s example is safe. Finally, I...

  18. Explosion approach for external safety assessment: a case study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, D. Michael; Halford, Ann [Germanischer Lloyd, Loughborough (United Kingdom); Mendes, Renato F. [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2009-07-01

    Several questions related to the potential for explosions are explored as this became an important subject during an enterprise risk analysis. The understanding of explosions underwent a substantial evolution in the final 20 years of the 20{sup th} century following international research projects in Europe involving several research institutes, as well gas and oil companies. This led to the development of techniques that could be used to assess the potential consequences of explosions on oil, gas and petrochemical facilities. This paper presents an overview of the potential for explosions in communities close to industrial sites or pipelines right of way (RoW), where the standard explosion assessment methods cannot be applied. With reference to experimental studies, the potential for confined explosions in buildings and Vapor Cloud Explosions is explored. Vapor Cloud Explosion incidents in rural or urban areas are also discussed. The method used for incorporating possible explosion and fire events in risk studies is also described using a case study. Standard explosion assessment methodologies and a revised approach are compared as part of an on going evaluation of risk (author)

  19. ORNL results for Test Case 1 of the International Atomic Energy Agency's research program on the safety assessment of Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thorne, D.J.; McDowell-Boyer, L.M.; Kocher, D.C.; Little, C.A.; Roemer, E.K.

    1993-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started the Coordinated Research Program entitled '''The Safety Assessment of Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities.'' The program is aimed at improving the confidence in the modeling results for safety assessments of waste disposal facilities. The program has been given the acronym NSARS (Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Safety Assessment Reliability Study) for ease of reference. The purpose of this report is to present the ORNL modeling results for the first test case (i.e., Test Case 1) of the IAEA NSARS program. Test Case 1 is based on near-surface disposal of radionuclides that are subsequently leached to a saturated-sand aquifer. Exposure to radionuclides results from use of a well screened in the aquifer and from intrusion into the repository. Two repository concepts were defined in Test Case 1: a simple earth trench and an engineered vault

  20. HSE's safety assessment principles for criticality safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simister, D N; Finnerty, M D; Warburton, S J; Thomas, E A; Macphail, M R

    2008-01-01

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its revised Safety Assessment Principles for Nuclear Facilities (SAPs) in December 2006. The SAPs are primarily intended for use by HSE's inspectors when judging the adequacy of safety cases for nuclear facilities. The revised SAPs relate to all aspects of safety in nuclear facilities including the technical discipline of criticality safety. The purpose of this paper is to set out for the benefit of a wider audience some of the thinking behind the final published words and to provide an insight into the development of UK regulatory guidance. The paper notes that it is HSE's intention that the Safety Assessment Principles should be viewed as a reflection of good practice in the context of interpreting primary legislation such as the requirements under site licence conditions for arrangements for producing an adequate safety case and for producing a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (SI1999/3232 www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/uksi_19993232_en.pdf). (memorandum)

  1. The safety case in support of the license application of the surface repository of low-level waste in Dessel, Belgium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wacquier, William; Cool, Wim

    2014-01-01

    The modern concept of the safety case, developed by the OECD/NEA for geological repositories of high- and medium-level waste has been successfully applied by ONDRAF/ NIRAS for a surface repository for Category A waste (i.e. low-level waste) in Belgium in the current project phase 2006-2012. This resulted in the submission on 31 January 2013 by ONDRAF/NIRAS of an application for a 'construction and operation license' to the safety authorities. The benefits of using the notion of the safety case have been that: i) safety has been incorporated in an integrated manner within all assessment basis, design and safety assessment activities; ii) the process of development of the license application has gained in clarity and traceability; iii) the documentation of the license application contains multiple lines of argumentation for safety rather than argumentation based only on quantitative radiological impact calculations. To offer a comprehensive view on the safety argumentation and its development, it has been found useful to develop the argumentation not only along a safety statements structure but also along the safety report structure. (authors)

  2. The Safety of Transnational Imported Second-Hand Cars: A Case Study on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Crashes in Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anatolie Coșciug

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Certain features of imported second-hand cars (e.g., age, degree of wear and tear, technical design can increase their likelihood for traffic crashes. Three official datasets which cover an eight year period (2008–2015 are used to test the connection between importation of second-hand cars and different types of traffic crashes. The traffic crashes database was provided by the Traffic Department of the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (GIRPTD. The car registration database was provided by Driving-License and Vehicles-Registration Direction (DLVRD. Right-hand driving (RHD cars database was provided by the Romanian Automotive Registry (RAR. A spatio-temporal visualization of data was performed using Geographic Information System (GIS while for the statistical analysis we use regression models and Pearson-Correlation-coefficient. The analysis suggests that a significant part of the variation in the volume of traffic accidents can be explained by the volume of imported second-hand cars at the county level. Moreover, an even stronger direct relation exists between the number of imported second-hand cars and Severe Traffic Accidents but also in the case of RHD imported second-hand cars. The overall impact of imported second-hand cars on the traffic safety in Romania is significant but small in comparison to other types of car registration. Study results belong to the category of empirical evidence production which can improve the quality of existing traffic regulations focused both on organizing and ensuring traffic safety, and on the policy of sustainable transport infrastructure development.

  3. Technical organization of safety authorities in case of accident in a nuclear installation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scherrer, J.; Evrard, J.M.; Ney, J.

    1985-11-01

    The Central safety Service of Nuclear Facilities of the French industry Department and the CEA Protection and Nuclear Safety Institut (IPSN) are organized to estimate in real time, the evolution of an accidental situation with a sufficient margin in time to allow the local government representative to develop, in case of necessity, efficient procedures for the protection of the population. This paper presents the principles of this organization and the precautions taken to cope as well with problems of mobilization of experts as the full occupation of current telecommunication lines. The example of the organization concerning the installations of Electricite de France is detailed. The CEA IPSN has developed means widely advanced, concerning the atmospheric transfer of radioactivity. For PWRs, a method allowing to forecast releases in case of accidental situation is presented. Finally, the knowledge acquired with the accident simulations realized during the last years is described [fr

  4. Evaluating the implementation of health and safety innovations under a regulatory context: a collective case study of Ontario's safer needle regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, Andrea; Mustard, Cameron A; Breslin, Curtis; Holness, Linn; Nichol, Kathryn

    2013-01-22

    Implementation effectiveness models have identified important factors that can promote the successful implementation of an innovation; however, these models have been examined within contexts where innovations are adopted voluntarily and often ignore the socio-political and environmental context. In the field of occupational health and safety, there are circumstances where organizations must adopt innovations to comply with a regulatory standard. Examining how the external environment can facilitate or challenge an organization's change process may add to our understanding of implementation effectiveness. The objective of this study is to describe implementation facilitators and barriers in the context of a regulation designed to promote the uptake of safer engineered medical devices in healthcare. The proposed study will focus on Ontario's safer needle regulation (2007) which requires healthcare organizations to transition to the use of safer engineered medical devices for the prevention of needlestick injuries. A collective case study design will be used to learn from the experiences of three acute care hospitals in the province of Ontario, Canada. Interviews with management and front-line healthcare workers and analysis of supporting documents will be used to describe the implementation experience and examine issues associated with the integration of these devices. The data collection and analysis process will be influenced by a conceptual framework that draws from implementation science and the occupational health and safety literature. The focus of this study in addition to the methodology creates a unique opportunity to contribute to the field of implementation science. First, the study will explore implementation experiences under circumstances where regulatory pressures are influencing the organization's change process. Second, the timing of this study provides an opportunity to focus on issues that arise during later stages of implementation, a phase

  5. CAREM X INPRO case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Florido, P.C.; Brasnarof, D.; Delmastro, D.; Azpitarte, O.E.

    2004-01-01

    In order to assess and compare the performance of innovative nuclear energy systems INPRO has defined a set of basic principles, user requirements and criteria to be met in different areas (economics, sustainability and environment, safety, waste management and proliferation). This paper illustrates the use of INPRO methodology to a particular reactor system. Argentina is performing CAREM X Nuclear System Case Study based on CAREM nuclear reactor and Once Through Fuel Cycle, using SIGMA for enriched uranium production, and a deep geological repository for final disposal of high level waste after surface intermediate storage in horizontal natural convection silos, to verify INPRO (International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) methodology. 6 aspects have been considered: 1) enrichment based on Sigma enrichment plant (gas diffusion technology), 2) conversion to UO 2 , 3) fuel manufacturing, 4) CAREM-300 based reactor technology, 5) intermediate spent fuel storage, and 6) deep geological repository of spent fuels. Projections show that developing countries could play a crucial role in the deployment of nuclear energy, in the next fifty years. This case study will be highly useful for checking INPRO methodology for this scenario. In this paper, the preliminary findings of the Case Study are presented, including proposals to improve the INPRO methodology

  6. Continuous Improvement and the Safety Case for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Geologic Repository - 13467

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Luik, Abraham; Patterson, Russell; Nelson, Roger [US Department of Energy, Carlsbad Field Office, 4021 S. National parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220 (United States); Leigh, Christi [Sandia National Laboratories Carlsbad Operations, 4100 S. National parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220 (United States)

    2013-07-01

    The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a geologic repository 2150 feet (650 m) below the surface of the Chihuahuan desert near Carlsbad, New Mexico. WIPP permanently disposes of transuranic waste from national defense programs. Every five years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) submits an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request regulatory-compliance re-certification of the facility for another five years. Every ten years, DOE submits an application to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) for the renewal of its hazardous waste disposal permit. The content of the applications made by DOE to the EPA for re-certification, and to the NMED for permit-renewal, reflect any optimization changes made to the facility, with regulatory concurrence if warranted by the nature of the change. DOE points to such changes as evidence for its having taken seriously its 'continuous improvement' operations and management philosophy. Another opportunity for continuous improvement is to look at any delta that may exist between the re-certification and re-permitting cases for system safety and the consensus advice on the nature and content of a safety case as being developed and published by the Nuclear Energy Agency's Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC) expert group. DOE at WIPP, with the aid of its Science Advisor and teammate, Sandia National Laboratories, is in the process of discerning what can be done, in a reasonably paced and cost-conscious manner, to continually improve the case for repository safety that is being made to the two primary regulators on a recurring basis. This paper will discuss some aspects of that delta and potential paths forward to addressing them. (authors)

  7. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Complementary considerations 2012

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-12-15

    Complementary Considerations sits within Posiva Oy's Safety Case 'TURVA-2012' report portfolio and has the objective of enhancing confidence in the outcomes of the safety assessment for a spent nuclear fuel repository to be constructed at Olkiluoto, Finland. The main emphasis in this report is on the evidence and understanding that can be gained from observations at the site, including its regional geological environment, and from natural and anthropogenic analogues for the repository, its components and the processes that affect safety. In particular, the report addresses diverse and less quantifiable types of evidence and arguments that are enclosed to enhance confidence in the outcome of the safety assessment. These complementary considerations have been described as evaluations, evidence and qualitative supporting arguments that lie outside the scope of the other reports of the quantitative safety assessment. The experience with natural analogues for the long-term durability of the materials involved and the extent of processes provides high confidence in our understanding of the disposal system and its evolution. For each engineered barrier and key process, there is increasing analogue evidence to support the conceptual models and parameters. Regarding the suitability of the Olkiluoto site to host a spent fuel repository, a number of factors have been identified that indicate the suitability of crystalline host rock in general, and that of the Olkiluoto site in particular. The report also provides radiation background information for the use of complementary indicators, which aid in putting the results of the safety analysis presented in Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System and Biosphere Assessment in a broader perspective to show that the radiation originating from a spent nuclear fuel repository remains in most cases much below natural background radiation or that caused by non-nuclear industries. (orig.)

  8. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Complementary considerations 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-12-01

    Complementary Considerations sits within Posiva Oy's Safety Case 'TURVA-2012' report portfolio and has the objective of enhancing confidence in the outcomes of the safety assessment for a spent nuclear fuel repository to be constructed at Olkiluoto, Finland. The main emphasis in this report is on the evidence and understanding that can be gained from observations at the site, including its regional geological environment, and from natural and anthropogenic analogues for the repository, its components and the processes that affect safety. In particular, the report addresses diverse and less quantifiable types of evidence and arguments that are enclosed to enhance confidence in the outcome of the safety assessment. These complementary considerations have been described as evaluations, evidence and qualitative supporting arguments that lie outside the scope of the other reports of the quantitative safety assessment. The experience with natural analogues for the long-term durability of the materials involved and the extent of processes provides high confidence in our understanding of the disposal system and its evolution. For each engineered barrier and key process, there is increasing analogue evidence to support the conceptual models and parameters. Regarding the suitability of the Olkiluoto site to host a spent fuel repository, a number of factors have been identified that indicate the suitability of crystalline host rock in general, and that of the Olkiluoto site in particular. The report also provides radiation background information for the use of complementary indicators, which aid in putting the results of the safety analysis presented in Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System and Biosphere Assessment in a broader perspective to show that the radiation originating from a spent nuclear fuel repository remains in most cases much below natural background radiation or that caused by non-nuclear industries. (orig.)

  9. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Complementary considerations 2012

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-12-15

    Complementary Considerations sits within Posiva Oy's Safety Case 'TURVA-2012' report portfolio and has the objective of enhancing confidence in the outcomes of the safety assessment for a spent nuclear fuel repository to be constructed at Olkiluoto, Finland. The main emphasis in this report is on the evidence and understanding that can be gained from observations at the site, including its regional geological environment, and from natural and anthropogenic analogues for the repository, its components and the processes that affect safety. In particular, the report addresses diverse and less quantifiable types of evidence and arguments that are enclosed to enhance confidence in the outcome of the safety assessment. These complementary considerations have been described as evaluations, evidence and qualitative supporting arguments that lie outside the scope of the other reports of the quantitative safety assessment. The experience with natural analogues for the long-term durability of the materials involved and the extent of processes provides high confidence in our understanding of the disposal system and its evolution. For each engineered barrier and key process, there is increasing analogue evidence to support the conceptual models and parameters. Regarding the suitability of the Olkiluoto site to host a spent fuel repository, a number of factors have been identified that indicate the suitability of crystalline host rock in general, and that of the Olkiluoto site in particular. The report also provides radiation background information for the use of complementary indicators, which aid in putting the results of the safety analysis presented in Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System and Biosphere Assessment in a broader perspective to show that the radiation originating from a spent nuclear fuel repository remains in most cases much below natural background radiation or that caused by non-nuclear industries. (orig.)

  10. Efficiency evaluation of a safety department in a construction company-A case study: A DEA approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Solomon Odeyale

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA is a decision making tool based on linear programming for measuring the relative efficiency of a set of comparable units. DEA helps us identify the sources and level of inefficiency for each of the inputs and outputs. This approach has been used to evaluate the efficiency of the safety department in five construction companies. A three-input, safety workforce, safety training, and safety budget, and two-output, Perfect days and Uptime, constant returns-to-scale (CRS model was developed. The model indicated the necessary improvements required in the inefficient unit’s inputs and outputs to make it efficient, by identifying what factor is responsible for the low efficiency of performance, and also what factor should be improved in order to improve the efficiency of the safety department. The result shows that the safety department of firm A, B and D are efficient, but Firm C and Firm E can improve their efficiency by reducing inputs up to 3.34% and 6.05%, respectively. The inputs identified for reduction were; number of safety staffs and safety budget for Firm C and E respectively.

  11. French studies and research program in pressurized water reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duco, J.

    1986-06-01

    The aim of researches developed now in France on water reactor safety is to obtain means and knowledge allowing to control accidental situations, including severe situations beyond design basis accidents. The main studies and researches concerning water reactors and described in this report are the following ones: core cooling accident and prevention of severe accidents, fuel behavior in accidental situation, behavior of the containment building, fission product transfer and releases in case of accident, problems related to equipment aging, and, methodology of risk analysis and ''human factor'' studies. Most of these studies follow an analytic approach of phenomena [fr

  12. Product Safety Culture: A New Variant of Safety Culture?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suhanyiova, L.; Flin, R.; Irwin, A.

    2016-01-01

    Product safety culture is a new research area which concerns user safety rather than worker or process safety. The concept appears to have emerged after the investigation into the Nimrod aircraft accident (Haddon-Cave, 2009) which echoed aspects of NASA’s Challenger and Columbia crashes. In these cases, through a blend of human and organizational failures, the culture deteriorated to the extent of damaging product integrity, resulting in user fatalities. Haddon-Cave noted that it was due to a failure in leadership and organizational safety culture that accidents such as the Nimrod happened, where the aircraft exploded due to several serious technical failures, preceded by deficiencies in the safety case. Now some organizations are starting to measure product safety culture. This is important in day-to-day life as well, where a product failure as a result of poor organizational safety culture, can cause user harm or death, as in the case of Takata airbags scandal in 2015. Eight people have lost their lives and many were injured. According to investigation reports this was due to the company’s safety malpractices of fixing faulty airbags and proceeding to install them in vehicles, as well as secretly conducting tests to assess the integrity of their product and then deleting the data and denying safety issues as a result of the company’s cost-cutting policies. As such, organizational culture, specifically the applications of safety culture, can have far-reaching consequences beyond the workplace of an organization.

  13. Development and maturity of the safety case: an international perspective from the nea secretariat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    This section describes the evolution and development of the concept of the safety case, provides some perspective on the maturity of the concept in practice, and highlights key outcomes and conclusions of the symposium. (author)

  14. Safety aspects of geological studies around nuclear installations sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faure, J.

    1988-01-01

    The experience of geological studies of about forty french nuclear sites allows to set out the objectives, the phases and the geographic extensions of workings to be realized for confirming a site. The data to be collected for the safety analysis are specified; they concern the local and regional geology, the geotechnical characteristics and the essential elements for evaluating the hazards related to the soil liquefaction, the surface fracturing and in some cases the volcanic risks. It is necessary to follow up the geology during the installation construction and life. 8 refs. (F.M.)

  15. Safety Study of Doxicycline in Broiler Chickens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romeo Teodor Cristina

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Doxicycline is a structural isomer who meets the European reference standard (Ph.Eur. III 1997:0272 and respect EU Regulations for M.R.L. The good solubility permits high tissular absorption and distribution after administration in drinking water. The aim was to ascertain the clinical effects and tolerance consecutive to risen doses administration, as a part of safety study for this antibiotic in poultry in the respect of current drug testing methodology. The safety study revealed: good local and general tolerance to therapeutic doses (10 mg x kgb.w.-1 and to x2 dose, diarrhoea in lots which received x3 and x5 the therapeutic dose. Comparatively with the Control lot, haemoleucogram doesn’t suffer evident changes the registered values being between the references limits (exception of leucocitary formula. Also it was found an increased creatinin concentration consecutively to x3 and x5 greater doses administration and marked increasing of ASAT level and limited for ALAT’s, comparatively to control lot in the case of E4 lot, but light to reference values. Macro and microscopy revealed for the liver samples: hepatomegaly, diffuse hepatic degenerescence, nuclear heterochromatinization, vacuolar degenerescence; renal changes in nefrons and renal corpuscles, light splenomegaly, caecal sacs distension and brown-yellowish gaseous content to lots E3 and E4.

  16. Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 1. An Investigation Study on Practical Points of Safety Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, Naoko; Takano, Kenichi; Hirose, Ayako

    2001-01-01

    In a report after the Chernobyl accident, the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated the definition and the importance of safety culture and the ideal organizational state where safety culture pervades. However, the report did not mention practical approaches to enhance safety culture. In Japan, although there had been investigations that clarified the consciousness of employees and the organizational climate in the nuclear power and railway industries, organizational factors that clarified the level of organization safety and practical methods that spread safety culture in an organization had not been studied. The Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry conducted surveys of organizational culture for the construction, chemical, and manufacturing industries. The aim of our study was to clarify the organizational factors that influence safety in an organization expressed in employee safety consciousness, commitment to safety activities, rate of accidents, etc. If these areas were clarified, the level of organization safety might be evaluated, and practical ways could be suggested to enhance the safety culture. Consequently, a series of investigations was conducted to clarify relationships among organizational climate, employee consciousness, safety management and activities, and rate of accidents. The questionnaire surveys were conducted in 1998-1999. The subjects were (a) managers of the safety management sections in the head offices of the construction, chemical, and manufacturing industries; (b) responsible persons in factories of the chemical and manufacturing industries; and (c) general workers in factories of the chemical and manufacturing industries. The number of collected data was (a) managers in the head office: 48 from the construction industry and 58 from the chemical and manufacturing industries, (b) responsible persons in factories: 567, and (c) general workers: from 29 factories. Items in the questionnaires were selected from

  17. A formal safety analysis for PLC software-based safety critical system using Z

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koh, Jung Soo

    1997-02-01

    This paper describes a formal safety analysis technique which is demonstrated by performing empirical formal safety analysis with the case study of beamline hutch door Interlock system that is developed by using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. In order to perform formal safety analysis, we have built the Z formal specifications representation from user requirement written in ambiguous natural language and target PLC ladder logic, respectively. We have also studied the effective method to express typical PLC timer component by using specific Z formal notation which is supported by temporal history. We present a formal proof technique specifying and verifying that the hazardous states are not introduced into ladder logic in the PLC-based safety critical system. And also, we have found that some errors or mismatches in user requirement and final implemented PLC ladder logic while analyzing the process of the consistency and completeness of Z translated formal specifications. In the case of relatively small systems like Beamline hutch door interlock system, a formal safety analysis including explicit proof is highly recommended so that the safety of PLC-based critical system may be enhanced and guaranteed. It also provides a helpful benefits enough to comprehend user requirement expressed by ambiguous natural language

  18. To dimension safety valves. Probabilist study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noel, Robert; Couvreur, Denis

    1982-01-01

    The gauge of safety valves of a steam pressure apparatus is usually determined according to an operating situation envelope which it is admitted covers all that can happen in reality. For the safety of the dryer-superheaters of turbines in nuclear power stations, Electricite de France and Alsthom-Atlantique made a reliability study; its method is exposed and the results are discussed. Such a study is heavy going and complex, but in return it permits a better quantitative understanding of the various dimension and operating parameters of an installation which condition its safety. It is therefore a source of progress [fr

  19. Safety of escitalopram in pregnancy: a case series

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bellantuono C

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Cesario Bellantuono, Francesca Bozzi, Laura Orsolini Psychiatric Unit and DEGRA Center, United Hospital and Academic Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy Background: The aim of this paper is to report maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women treated with escitalopram during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Methods: Women enrolled in the DEGRA Database at the Clinic of Affective Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum in Italy, treated during pregnancy with escitalopram and followed up throughout pregnancy, were included in this study. All patients provided written informed consent and the study was approved by the local ethics committee. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition Axis I Disorders and symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (17 items and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (14 items. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes were recorded. Results: The case histories of seven pregnant women treated for depression and/or anxiety disorders with escitalopram were reported. Four women were also treated with benzodiazepines. All pregnancies were full-term and all newborns had normal Apgar scores. There were no major malformations or miscarriages following exposure to escitalopram. Mild withdrawal syndrome was reported only in a newborn who was also exposed to a benzodiazepine. Two infants exposed to escitalopram during breastfeeding did not show any health problems. Conclusion: Our experience with use of escitalopram in pregnant women did not reveal any maternal or neonatal concerns. However, considering the few cases analyzed and the paucity of published literature, no conclusions can be drawn on its safety profile in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Keywords: escitalopram, pregnancy

  20. Enhancement of safety for reprocessing facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-06-01

    The adequacy of the safety measures for utility loss accidents in nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities which have been formulated by the nuclear enterprises is investigated in JNES which organizes an advanced committee to specifically study this problem. The results are reviewed in the present report including the case of such severe accidents as in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The report also represents a tentative proposal for examination standards of such unimaginable severe accidents as 'station blackout,' urgent safety measures necessary for reoperation of nuclear power plants and requested by nuclear and industrial safety agency, and pointing out and clarification of the potential weakness from the safety point of view, and collective and composite evaluation of safety of the relevant facilities. Furthermore, the definition of accident management is given as of controlled condition and the authorized way of thinking for the cases of plural events happening at the same time and the cases when risks exist radioactivity emits with explosion. (S. Ohno)

  1. Rethinking of the criteria for natural analogue study. A case of Tono natural analogue study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Hidekazu

    1996-01-01

    Natural analogue regarding long-term performance of the geological disposal system for radioactive waste isolation is essentially the study of geochemical process which has been evolved in geological environment. All geochemical studies, however, will not be nominated as natural analogue studies. It is, therefore, important to be clear the criteria for natural analogue study with the view of analogy by following three categories, (1) Conceptual model development, (2) Data provision and (3) Model testing, for the concept of geological disposal and safety assessment model. Rethinking of the criteria for natural analogue study through the case of Tono Natural Analogue Study, and the usefulness of natural analogue study for the safety assessment of geological disposal system in Japan have been presented in this paper. (author)

  2. Model quality and safety studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, K.E.

    1997-01-01

    The paper describes the EC initiative on model quality assessment and emphasizes some of the problems encountered in the selection of data from field tests used in the evaluation process. Further, it discusses the impact of model uncertainties in safety studies of industrial plants. The model...... that most of these have never been through a procedure of evaluation, but nonetheless are used to assist in making decisions that may directly affect the safety of the public and the environment. As a major funder of European research on major industrial hazards, DGXII is conscious of the importance......-tain model is appropriate for use in solving a given problem. Further, the findings from the REDIPHEM project related to dense gas dispersion will be highlighted. Finally, the paper will discuss the need for model quality assessment in safety studies....

  3. Application of an engineering problem-solving methodology to address persistent problems in patient safety: a case study on retained surgical sponges after surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Devon E; Watts, Bradley V

    2013-09-01

    Despite innumerable attempts to eliminate the postoperative retention of surgical sponges, the medical error persists in operating rooms worldwide and places significant burden on patient safety, quality of care, financial resources, and hospital/physician reputation. The failure of countless solutions, from new sponge counting methods to radio labeled sponges, to truly eliminate the event in the operating room requires that the emerging field of health-care delivery science find innovative ways to approach the problem. Accordingly, the VA National Center for Patient Safety formed a unique collaboration with a team at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College to evaluate the retention of surgical sponges after surgery and find a solution. The team used an engineering problem solving methodology to develop the best solution. To make the operating room a safe environment for patients, the team identified a need to make the sponge itself safe for use as opposed to resolving the relatively innocuous counting methods. In evaluation of this case study, the need for systematic engineering evaluation to resolve problems in health-care delivery becomes clear.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  5. Safety engineering with COTS components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Halloran, Mark; Hall, Jon G.; Rapanotti, Lucia

    2017-01-01

    Safety-critical systems are becoming more widespread, complex and reliant on software. Increasingly they are engineered through (COTS) (Commercial Off The Shelf) components to alleviate the spiralling costs and development time, often in the context of complex supply chains. A parallel increased concern for safety has resulted in a variety of safety standards, with a growing consensus that a safety life cycle is needed which is fully integrated with the design and development life cycle, to ensure that safety has appropriate influence on the design decisions as system development progresses. In this article we explore the application of an integrated approach to safety engineering in which assurance drives the engineering process. The paper reports on the outcome of a case study on a live industrial project with a view to evaluate: its suitability for application in a real-world safety engineering setting; its benefits and limitations in counteracting some of the difficulties of safety engineering with (COTS) components across supply chains; and, its effectiveness in generating evidence which can contribute directly to the construction of safety cases. - Highlights: • Assurance as effective driver for COTS-based safety-critical system development. • Engages stakeholders, captures requirements and provides rich traceability. • Shares appropriate safety requirements across the supply chain.

  6. Case Study: Testing with Case Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herreid, Clyde Freeman

    2015-01-01

    This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses using case studies to test for knowledge or lessons learned.

  7. 77 FR 27776 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-11

    ... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

  8. 76 FR 18220 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-01

    ... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

  9. Key natural analogue input required to build a safety case for direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Japan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McKinley, I.G.; Hardie, S.M.L.; Klein, E. [MCM Consulting, Baden-Dättwil (Switzerland); Kawamura, H. [Obayashi Corporation, Nuclear Facilities Division, Tokyo (Japan); Beattie, T.M. [MCM Consulting, Bristol (United Kingdom)

    2015-06-15

    Natural analogues have been previously used to support the safety case for direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel, but the focus of such work was very dependent on the key barriers of specific national disposal concepts. Investigations of the feasibility of such disposal in Japan are at an early stage but, nevertheless, it is clear that building a robust safety case will be very challenging and would benefit from focused support from natural analogue studies—both in terms of developing/testing required models and, as importantly, presenting safety arguments to a wide range of stakeholders. This paper identifies key analogues that support both longevity and spread of failure times of massive steel overpacks, the effectiveness of buffering of radiolytic oxidants and the chemical and physical mechanisms retarding release of radionuclides from the engineered barriers. It is concluded that, for countries like Japan where performance needs to be assessed as realistically as possible, natural analogues can complement the existing laboratory and theoretical knowledge base and contribute towards development of a robust safety case. (authors)

  10. Fusion reactor safety studies, FY 1977

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darby, J.B. Jr.

    1978-04-01

    This report reviews the technical progress in the fusion reactor safety studies performed during FY 1977 in the Fusion Power Program at the Argonne National Laboratory. The subjects reported on include safety considerations of the vacuum vessel and first-wall design for the ANL/EPR, the thermal responses of a tokamak reactor first wall, the vacuum wall electrical resistive requirements in relationship to magnet safety, and a major effort is reported on considerations and experiments on air detritiation

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  12. 75 FR 26266 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-11

    ... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In...) Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study Section will review, discuss, and... cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health, and allied areas. It is the...

  13. Case studies in food safety and authenticity: Lessons from real-life situations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    . The contents are divided into six parts, covering outbreak investigations, source tracing, crisis management, farm-level interventions, safe food production and food adulteration and authenticity. Each chapter is organized as an independent story/case study that has evolved over a certain period of time...... the learning process. Some are supported by illustrations, graphs, photos or maps. The case studies examine among other food products: bakery products, fresh produce, sprouted seeds, drinking water, chicken products, cattle, milk and raw milk, fresh herbs, meat, street foods, dairy foods, animal feed, rice......The identification and control of food contaminants rely on careful investigation and implementation of appropriate management strategies. Using a wide range of worldwide examples, this book provides a vital insight into the practical application of strategies for control and prevention...

  14. A Comparison of Two Approaches to Safety Analysis Based on Use Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stålhane, Tor; Sindre, Guttorm

    Engineering has a long tradition in analyzing the safety of mechanical, electrical and electronic systems. Important methods like HazOp and FMEA have also been adopted by the software engineering community. The misuse case method, on the other hand, has been developed by the software community as an alternative to FMEA and preliminary HazOp for software development. To compare the two methods misuse case and FMEA we have run a small experiment involving 42 third year software engineering students. In the experiment, the students should identify and analyze failure modes from one of the use cases for a commercial electronic patient journals system. The results of the experiment show that on the average, the group that used misuse cases identified and analyzed more user related failure modes than the persons using FMEA. In addition, the persons who used the misuse cases scored better on perceived ease of use and intention to use.

  15. Rad waste disposal safety analysis / Integrated safety assessment of a waste repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Jongtae; Choi, Jongwon; Kang, Chulhyung

    2012-04-01

    We developed CYPRUS+and adopted PID and RES method for the development of scenario. Safety performance assessment program was developed using GoldSim for the safety assessment of disposal system for the disposal of spnet fuels and wastes resulting from the pyrpoprocessing. Biosphere model was developed and verified in cooperation with JAEA. The capability to evaluate post-closure performance and safety was added to the previously developed program. And, nuclide migration and release to the biosphere considering site characteristics was evaluated by using deterministic and probabilistic approach. Operational safety assessment for drop, fire, and earthquake was also statistically evaluated considering well-established input parameter distribution. Conservative assessment showed that dose rate is below the limit value of low- and intermediate-level repository. Gas generation mechanism within engineered barrier was defined and its influence on safety was evaluated. We made probabilistic safety assessment by obtaining the probability distribution functions of important input variables and also made a sensitivity analysis. The maximum annual dose rate was shown to be below the safety limit value of 10 mSv/yr. The structure and element of safety case was developed to increase reliability of safety assessment methodology for a deep geological repository. Finally, milestone for safety case development and implementation strategy for each safety case element was also proposed

  16. Biosphere analysis for selected cases in TILA-99 and in KBS-3H safety evaluation 2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broed, R.; Avila, R.; Bergstroem, U.; Hjerpe, T.; Ikonen, A.

    2008-12-01

    The KBS-3 method, based on multiple barriers, is the proposed spent fuel disposal method both in Sweden and Finland. KBS-3H and KBS-3V are the two design alternatives of the KBS-3 spent fuel disposal method. Posiva and SKB have conducted a joint research, demonstration and development (RD and D) programme in 2002-2007 with the overall aim of establishing whether KBS-3H represents a feasible alternative to the reference alternative KBS-3V. The overall objectives of the present phase covering the period 2004-2007 have been to demonstrate that the horizontal deposition alternative is technically feasible and to demonstrate that it fulfils the same long-term safety requirements as KBS-3V. The safety studies conducted as part of this programme include a safety assessment of a preliminary design of a KBS-3H repository for spent nuclear fuel located about 400 m underground at the Olkiluoto site, which is the proposed site for a spent fuel repository in Finland. This report summarises the biosphere analysis conducted in the KBS-3H safety studies. The most important components of the analysis are presented in this report: i) predictions of the physical terrain and the ecosystems possibly receiving contaminant releases from the repository, ii) modelling of the transport of radionuclides in the entire landscape, taking into account that the ecosystems currently present at the site will evolve over time, and, iii) the estimation of potential doses to humans. The main outcome from the present analysis, dealing with radiological safety and compliance with regulatory requirements, is the annual landscape dose, which is related to individuals fully utilising the maximum production of food and water from the potentially contaminated area. In order to facilitate comparisons with earlier assessments, resulting release rates into the biosphere, from both KBS-3H and TILA-99 calculation cases, were used as inputs for the biosphere analysis. The present study shows that none of the

  17. Performance assessment and the safety case: Lessons from recent international projects and areas for further development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galson, Daniel A.; Bailey, Lucy

    2014-01-01

    The European Commission (EC) PAMINA project - Performance Assessment Methodologies in Application to Guide the Development of the Safety Case - was conducted over the period 2006-2009 and brought together 27 organisations from 10 countries. PAMINA had the aim of improving and developing a common understanding of performance assessment (PA) methodologies for disposal concepts for spent fuel and other long-lived radioactive wastes in a range of geological environments. This was followed by a Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) sponsored project on Methods for Safety Assessment of Geological Disposal Facilities for Radioactive Waste (MeSA), which was completed in 2012. This paper presents a selection of conclusions from these projects, in the context of general understanding developed on what would constitute an acceptable safety case for a geological disposal facility, and outlines areas for further development. The paper also introduces a new project on PA that is under consideration within the context of the EC Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP). (authors)

  18. Evaluating the implementation of health and safety innovations under a regulatory context: A collective case study of Ontario’s safer needle regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chambers Andrea

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Implementation effectiveness models have identified important factors that can promote the successful implementation of an innovation; however, these models have been examined within contexts where innovations are adopted voluntarily and often ignore the socio-political and environmental context. In the field of occupational health and safety, there are circumstances where organizations must adopt innovations to comply with a regulatory standard. Examining how the external environment can facilitate or challenge an organization’s change process may add to our understanding of implementation effectiveness. The objective of this study is to describe implementation facilitators and barriers in the context of a regulation designed to promote the uptake of safer engineered medical devices in healthcare. Methods The proposed study will focus on Ontario’s safer needle regulation (2007 which requires healthcare organizations to transition to the use of safer engineered medical devices for the prevention of needlestick injuries. A collective case study design will be used to learn from the experiences of three acute care hospitals in the province of Ontario, Canada. Interviews with management and front-line healthcare workers and analysis of supporting documents will be used to describe the implementation experience and examine issues associated with the integration of these devices. The data collection and analysis process will be influenced by a conceptual framework that draws from implementation science and the occupational health and safety literature. Discussion The focus of this study in addition to the methodology creates a unique opportunity to contribute to the field of implementation science. First, the study will explore implementation experiences under circumstances where regulatory pressures are influencing the organization's change process. Second, the timing of this study provides an opportunity to focus on issues

  19. Nuclear Electric flask design and safety case development during the last ten years

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dougall, I.; Jones, D.K.

    1994-01-01

    The scope of Nuclear Electric's (NE) requirements for irradiated fuel transport and the relevant safety and regulatory compliance standards are outlined. To illustrate NE's approach to demonstrating package design compliance the basis of the safety case for unbottled Magnox fuel transport in the Mk M2 Magnox flask is described. The considerations which lay behind the development of the Mk A2 AGR Flask are indicated and a description is given of the main design features of this flask. Finally there is a summary of progress in obtaining Type B(M) approvals, based on the 1985 IAEA Regulations, for the requisite range of flask contents. (author)

  20. Thermodynamic sorption modelling in support of radioactive waste disposal safety cases - NEA sorption project phase III

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    A central safety function of radioactive waste disposal repositories is the prevention or sufficient retardation of radionuclide migration to the biosphere. Performance assessment exercises in various countries, and for a range of disposal scenarios, have demonstrated that one of the most important processes providing this safety function is the sorption of radionuclides along potential migration paths beyond the engineered barriers. Thermodynamic sorption models (TSMs) are key for improving confidence in assumptions made about such radionuclide sorption when preparing a repository's safety case. This report presents guidelines for TSM development as well as their application in repository performance assessments. They will be of particular interest to the sorption modelling community and radionuclide migration modellers in developing safety cases for radioactive waste disposal Contents: 1 - Thermodynamic sorption models and radionuclide migration: Sorption and radionuclide migration; Applications of TSMs in radioactive waste disposal studies; Requirements for a scientifically defensible, calibrated TSM applicable to radioactive waste disposal; Current status of TSMs in radioactive waste management; 2 - Theoretical basis of TSMs and options in model development: Conceptual building blocks of TSMs and integration with aqueous chemistry; The TSM representation of sorption and relationship with Kd values; Theoretical basis of TSMs; Example of TSM for uranyl sorption; Options in TSM development; Illustration of TSM development and effects of modelling choices; Summary: TSMs for constraining Kd values - impact of modelling choices; 3 - Determination of parameters for TSMs: Overview of experimental determination of TSM parameters; Theoretical estimation methods of selected model parameters; Case study: sorption modelling of trivalent lanthanides/actinides on illite; Indicative values for certain TSM parameters; Parameter uncertainty; Illustration of parameter sensitivity

  1. Discussion on the Criterion for the Safety Certification Basis Compilation - Brazilian Space Program Case

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niwa, M.; Alves, N. C.; Caetano, A. O.; Andrade, N. S. O.

    2012-01-01

    The recent advent of the commercial launch and re- entry activities, for promoting the expansion of human access to space for tourism and hypersonic travel, in the already complex ambience of the global space activities, brought additional difficulties over the development of a harmonized framework of international safety rules. In the present work, with the purpose of providing some complementary elements for global safety rule development, the certification-related activities conducted in the Brazilian space program are depicted and discussed, focusing mainly on the criterion for certification basis compilation. The results suggest that the composition of a certification basis with the preferential use of internationally-recognized standards, as is the case of ISO standards, can be a first step toward the development of an international safety regulation for commercial space activities.

  2. Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — Established in November 2015, the Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies (CMSHS) promotes safety and health for all maritime workers, including those employed...

  3. Safety assessment in plant layout design using indexing approach: Implementing inherent safety perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2008-01-01

    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

  4. Safety early warning research for highway construction based on case-based reasoning and variable fuzzy sets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan; Yi, Ting-Hua; Xu, Zhen-Jun

    2013-01-01

    As a high-risk subindustry involved in construction projects, highway construction safety has experienced major developments in the past 20 years, mainly due to the lack of safe early warnings in Chinese construction projects. By combining the current state of early warning technology with the requirements of the State Administration of Work Safety and using case-based reasoning (CBR), this paper expounds on the concept and flow of highway construction safety early warnings based on CBR. The present study provides solutions to three key issues, index selection, accident cause association analysis, and warning degree forecasting implementation, through the use of association rule mining, support vector machine classifiers, and variable fuzzy qualitative and quantitative change criterion modes, which fully cover the needs of safe early warning systems. Using a detailed description of the principles and advantages of each method and by proving the methods' effectiveness and ability to act together in safe early warning applications, effective means and intelligent technology for a safe highway construction early warning system are established.

  5. Safety Early Warning Research for Highway Construction Based on Case-Based Reasoning and Variable Fuzzy Sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available As a high-risk subindustry involved in construction projects, highway construction safety has experienced major developments in the past 20 years, mainly due to the lack of safe early warnings in Chinese construction projects. By combining the current state of early warning technology with the requirements of the State Administration of Work Safety and using case-based reasoning (CBR, this paper expounds on the concept and flow of highway construction safety early warnings based on CBR. The present study provides solutions to three key issues, index selection, accident cause association analysis, and warning degree forecasting implementation, through the use of association rule mining, support vector machine classifiers, and variable fuzzy qualitative and quantitative change criterion modes, which fully cover the needs of safe early warning systems. Using a detailed description of the principles and advantages of each method and by proving the methods’ effectiveness and ability to act together in safe early warning applications, effective means and intelligent technology for a safe highway construction early warning system are established.

  6. [Cardiac safety of electroconvulsive therapy in an elderly patient--a case report].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakuła-Juchnowicz, Hanna; Próchnicki, Michał; Kiciński, Paweł; Olajossy, Marcin; Pelczarska-Jamroga, Agnieszka; Dzikowski, Michał; Jaroszyński, Andrzej

    2015-10-01

    Since electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was introduced as treatment for psychiatric disorders in 1938, it has remained one of the most effective therapeutic methods. ECT is often used as a "treatment of last resort" when other methods fail, and a life-saving procedure in acute clinical states when a rapid therapeutic effect is needed. Mortality associated with ECT is lower, compared to the treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, and comparable to that observed in so-called minor surgery. In the literature, cases of effective and safe electroconvulsive therapy have been described in patients of advanced age, with a burden of many somatic disorders. However, cases of acute cardiac episodes have also been reported during ECT. The qualification of patients for ECT and the selection of a group of patients at the highest risk of cardiovascular complications remains a serious clinical problem. An assessment of the predictive value of parameters of standard electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a simple, cheap and easily available procedure, deserves special attention. This paper reports a case of a 74-year-old male patient treated with ECT for a severe depressive episode, in the context of cardiologic safety. Both every single ECT session and the full course were assessed to examine their impact on levels of troponin T, which is a basic marker of cardiac damage, and selected ECG parameters (QTc, QRS). In the presented case ECT demonstrated its high general and cardiac safety with no negative effect on cardiac troponin (TnT) levels, corrected QT interval (QTc) duration, or other measured ECG parameters despite initially increased troponin levels, the patient's advanced age, the burden of a severe somatic disease and its treatment (anticancer therapy). © 2015 MEDPRESS.

  7. Safety performance monitoring of autonomous marine systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thieme, Christoph A.; Utne, Ingrid B.

    2017-01-01

    The marine environment is vast, harsh, and challenging. Unanticipated faults and events might lead to loss of vessels, transported goods, collected scientific data, and business reputation. Hence, systems have to be in place that monitor the safety performance of operation and indicate if it drifts into an intolerable safety level. This article proposes a process for developing safety indicators for the operation of autonomous marine systems (AMS). The condition of safety barriers and resilience engineering form the basis for the development of safety indicators, synthesizing and further adjusting the dual assurance and the resilience based early warning indicator (REWI) approaches. The article locates the process for developing safety indicators in the system life cycle emphasizing a timely implementation of the safety indicators. The resulting safety indicators reflect safety in AMS operation and can assist in planning of operations, in daily operational decision-making, and identification of improvements. Operation of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) exemplifies the process for developing safety indicators and their implementation. The case study shows that the proposed process leads to a comprehensive set of safety indicators. It is expected that application of the resulting safety indicators consequently will contribute to safer operation of current and future AMS. - Highlights: • Process for developing safety indicators for autonomous marine systems. • Safety indicators based on safety barriers and resilience thinking. • Location of the development process in the system lifecycle. • Case study on AUV demonstrating applicability of the process.

  8. Effects of a case-based interactive e-learning course on knowledge and attitudes about patient safety: a quasi-experimental study with third-year medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaupp, Rainer; Körner, Mirjam; Fabry, Götz

    2016-07-11

    Patient safety (PS) is influenced by a set of factors on various levels of the healthcare system. Therefore, a systems-level approach and systems thinking is required to understand and improve PS. The use of e-learning may help to develop a systems thinking approach in medical students, as case studies featuring audiovisual media can be used to visualize systemic relationships in organizations. The goal of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if an e-learning can be utilized to improve systems thinking, knowledge, and attitudes towards PS. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal within- subjects design was employed. Participants were 321 third-year medical students who received online surveys before and after they participated in an e-learning course on PS. Primary outcome measures where levels of systems thinking and attitudes towards PS. Secondary outcome measures were the improvement of PS specific knowledge through the e-learning course. Levels of systems thinking showed significant improvement (58.72 vs. 61.27; p e-learning. Student's attitudes towards patient safety improved in several dimensions: After the course, students rated the influence of fatigue on safety higher (6.23 vs. 6.42, p e-learning (p e-learning can be used to teach PS. Attitudes towards PS improved on several dimensions. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that a specifically designed e-learning program can foster the development of conceptual frameworks such as systems thinking, which facilitates the understanding of complex socio-technical systems within healthcare organisations.

  9. Study on Fusion Safety Infrastructure using ISAM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Kyemin; Kang, Myungsuk; Heo, Gyunyoung; Kim, Hyoungchan

    2013-01-01

    The regulation of nuclear facilities have checked and managed safety throughout the entire process from design, construction, operation and decommissioning. Also, the same meaning as the regulatory requirements and design requirements, it will be important indicators for detailed design of K-DEMO. K-DEMO has many uncertainties because it is in conceptual design phase. Also, there is no reference material because demonstration scale fusion power plants were not operated yet in overseas. So, hazard that threaten the integrity of K-DEMO have to be defined preferentially to define regulatory or design requirements. This study proposed method that educe regulatory or design requirements and introduce web-based cloud infrastructure to perform renewal and sharing of information related with safety that is required in the study rapidly as a part of the R and D program funded by National Fusion Research Institute of Korea (NFRI). We have been performing QSR and PIRT in accordance with development of fusion DEMO plant, and preparing OPT, PSA and DPA for regulation requirements. This study introduces our recent research activities about ISAM for fusion and CCI built for expert and extant safety related information. Unlike fission, nuclear fusion's safety goal is non-evacuation of the public during an accident. To satisfy this goal not only various safety issues should be analyzed, but safety objectives, regulatory requirements, and design variables should also be established in detailed design phase. The web-based cloud infrastructure proposed in this paper will be able to offer input data of future studies and, it is expected to contribute on general and technical safety principles for national fusion power plant technology plan

  10. Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002-2009: a repeated cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Jim A; Yang, Hong; Rivett, Ulrike; Gundry, Stephen W

    2012-07-27

    In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002-2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002-2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000-02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

  11. Risk measures in living probabilistic safety assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holmberg, J.; Niemelae, I.

    1993-05-01

    The main objectives of the study are: to define risk measures and suggested uses of them in various living PSA applications for the operational safety management and to describe specific model features required for living PSA applications. The report is based on three case studies performed within the Nordic research project Safety Evaluation by Use of Living PSA and Safety Indicators. (48 refs., 11 figs., 17 tabs.)

  12. The first symposium of Research Center for Radiation Safety, NIRS. Perspective of future studies of radiation safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimo, Michikuni

    2002-03-01

    This paper summarizes presentations given in the title symposium, held at the Conference Room of National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) on November 29 and 30, 2001. Contained are Introductory remarks: Basic presentations concerning exposure dose in man; Environmental levels of radiation and radioactivity, environmental radon level and exposure dose, and radiation levels in the specific environment (like in the aircraft): Special lecture (biological effects given by space environment) concerning various needs for studies of radiation safety; Requirement for open investigations, from the view of utilization, research and development of atomic energy, from the clinical aspect, and from the epidemiological aspect: Special lecture (safety in utilization of atomic energy and radiation-Activities of Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan) concerning present state and perspective of studies of radiation safety; Safety of radiation and studies of biological effects of radiation-perspective, and radiation protection and radiation safety studies: Studies in the Research Center for Radiation Safety; Summary of studies in the center, studies of the biological effects of neutron beam, carcinogenesis by radiation and living environmental factors-complicated effects, and studies of hereditary effects: Panel discussion (future direction of studies of radiation safety for the purpose of the center's direction): and concluding remarks. (N.I.)

  13. Regulatory review and confidence building in post-closure safety assessments and safety cases for near surface disposal facilities-IAEA ASAM coordinated research programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzales, A.; Simeonov, G.; Bennett, D.G.; Nys, V.; Ben Belfadhel, M.

    2005-01-01

    Some years ago, the IAEA successfully concluded a Coordinated Research Program (CRP) called Islam, which focussed on the development of an Improved Safety Assessment Methodology for near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities. In November 2002, and as an extension of ISAM, the IAEA launched a new CRP called ASAM, designed to test the Application of the Safety Assessment Methodology by considering a range of near-surface disposal facilities. The ASAM work programme is being implemented by three application working groups and two cross-cutting working groups. The application working groups are testing the applicability of the ISAM methodology by assessing an existing disposal facility in Hungary, a copper mine in South Africa, and a hypothetical facility containing heterogenous wastes, such as disused sealed sources. The first cross-cutting working group is addressing a number of technical issues that are common to all near-surface disposal facilities, while the second group, the Regulatory Review Working Group (RRWG) is developing guidance on how to gain confidence in safety assessments and safety cases, and on how to conduct regulatory reviews of safety assessments. This paper provides a brief overview of the work being conducted by the Regulatory Review Working Group. (author)

  14. Synthesis of the IRSN report on severe accidents and level 2 probabilistic safety studies within the frame of the safety re-examination associated with the third decennial inspection of 1300 MW reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this report is to analyze studies related to severe accidents and performed within the framework of the third decennial safety re-examination of the French 1300 We nuclear reactors. It also reports the main conclusions of a detailed analysis of level-2 probabilistic safety studies performed according to another procedure. The report first addresses the 'severe accident' system of reference. It presents the general approach and the safety objectives, discusses the management of a site with a unit in severe accident (this encompasses the management of neighbouring units, the conditions of intervention in terms of habitability of the control room and of manoeuvrability of the venting-filtration system), discusses the expected equipment performance (concerned equipment, safety requirements for equipment needed in case of severe accident, loadings). A second part addresses and comments the results of level 2 probabilistic studies. The report then addresses the water management in the vessel sink with two main objectives (to keep corium in the vessel while promoting its cooling, to cool corium fallen in the vessel sink). The next part addresses modifications planned by EDF in terms of instrumentation associated with a severe accident situation, of improvement of confinement and reduction of risks of important and early releases, of enclosure depressurization in case of unavailability of the enclosure sprinkling system, and of strategy of opening the venting-filtration device in case of total loss of electricity supplies

  15. Elements of the safety case for the Morsleben repository based on probabilistic modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wollrath, J.; Niemeyer, M.; Resele, G.; Becker, D.A.; Hirsekorn, P.

    2008-01-01

    The Morsleben nuclear waste repository (ERAM) for low- and intermediate-level mainly short-lived waste is located in a former salt mine. The closure concept was developed in parallel and interacting with the safety assessment. The safety concept is based on extensive backfilling with salt concrete complemented with seals between the main disposal areas and the rest of the mine building. Thus, the entire system exhibits a barrier effect through a partially redundant combination of several processes. However, in the formal safety assessment no credit is taken from the barrier effect of the extensive backfill. In the safety assessments, the different possibilities of system development, the resulting array of potential fluid movement and a large number of potential radionuclide migration pathways are mapped in the bandwidth of derived parameters. The calculated response of the system to parameter variations is non-linear. Different processes may compete and compensate each other. Hence, the common practice to choose a conservative parameter set for the safety assessment is a priori impossible. The safety assessment has been performed independently by two groups with different computer models, for the same closure concept and the same basic parameters but independent conceptual approaches. Both groups have performed deterministic and probabilistic dose calculations. The results match well; the differences can be explained on basis of the model approaches. Although a large bandwidth is considered for a number of parameters the maximum radiation exposure remains clearly below the applicable dose limit for nearly all calculations, demonstrating the robustness of the system. These aspects significantly contribute to confidence building in the Safety Case for ERAM. (authors)

  16. LOADS TRANSMITED TO THE METALLIC TOWERS OF THE EXTRACTING INSTALLATIONS IN THE CASE OF THE APPLICATION OF THE SAFETY BRAKE

    OpenAIRE

    Razvan Itu; Alexandru Ioan Pop

    2016-01-01

    In the paper there are presented certain aspects concerning the determination of loads transmitted through the bearings of the extracting pulleys of the structure of the metallic towers of the extracting installations In the case of the application of the safety brake The exemplification of the determination of the loads transmitted to the metallic tower in the case of the application of the emergency brake has been done by taking into study the extracting installation ,, Auxiliar...

  17. Cause and Prevention of Playground Injuries and Litigation; Case Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frost, Joe L.; Sweeney, Theodora B.

    This study examined 187 playground injuries and 13 fatalities that resulted in lawsuits between 1981 and 1995, taken from the files of two expert witnesses on playground safety who testified in the cases. The data are presented by geographic location, nature of injuries, cause of injuries/fatalities, playground equipment implicated, location of…

  18. A formal safety analysis for PLC software-based safety critical system using Z

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koh, Jung Soo; Seong, Poong Hyun

    1997-01-01

    This paper describes a formal safety analysis technique which is demonstrated by performing empirical formal safety analysis with the case study of beamline hutch door Interlock system that is developed by using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. In order to perform formed safety analysis, we have built the Z formal specifications representation from user requirement written in ambiguous natural language and target PLC ladder logic, respectively. We have also studied the effective method to express typical PLC timer component by using specific Z formal notation which is supported by temporal history. We present a formal proof technique specifying and verifying that the hazardous states are not introduced into ladder logic in the PLC-based safety critical system

  19. Contribution from Belgium - Belgian contribution to the PWG1 Generic Study on Undetected Failures of Safety systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vincke, Marc

    1997-01-01

    In the frame of its participation to the PWG 1 generic study on 'Undetected Failures of Safety Systems', AVN performed a search of such cases among the Belgian plants, using the proposed criterion: to find significant events where equipment remained inoperable, or would have been unable to fulfil correctly its safety function for an extended period of time until their condition was discovered. An extended period of time means one cycle duration or several test interval periods at least; if unknown, it has to be estimated w.r.t. plant lifetime. Note that non safety systems preventing safety systems to perform their function are to be included. As a first information source, a screening of AVN's DIANE (Domestic Information about Nuclear Events) database, for undetected failures of safety systems was performed. This database is used to store and retrieve information on a selection of events which have occurred in the Belgian NPPs since 1985. The sources of information are the incident reports which AVN receives from the utilities, completed with the reports of our inspectors on site. The coding system used within this database is based on the IRS Coding Manual. This coding system does not always allow for an easy retrieval of events related to a specific subject. In addition the DIANE-coding system does not allow for direct retrieval of undetected failures. In a first step, the following systems were scanned: reactor coolant system, reactor heat removal system, emergency core cooling system, chemical and volume control, containment spray, main and auxiliary feedwater, component cooling water, control rod drives. For each system, records were selected by examining their title. Careful reading of the 64 reports selected this way finally led to two cases compatible with the criteria. The decennial revision studies formed a second set of information sources. An inquiry to AVN's engineers responsible for the decennial revision projects allowed to

  20. Assessment of the safety reserve offered by a concrete buffer in case of a geological repository in clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Govaerts, Joan; Weetjens, Eef; Marivoet, Jan

    2012-01-01

    Performance assessment calculations have been performed to investigate if the sorption of 14 C, 36 Cl and 129 I on the cementitious materials occurring in the near field of the repository on the diffusion would offer an extra safety reserve to deep disposal of vitrified HLW. Four cases have been studied: a reference case with no cementitious material and three cases in which the considered concrete region was subsequently extended to the buffer, backfill and gallery liner. The results show a beneficial impact on peak dose and residence time of the three radionuclides. The effect on total released fractions is very high for 14 C, moderate for 36 Cl and small for 129 I

  1. A longitudinal, multi-level comparative study of quality and safety in European hospitals: the QUASER study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weggelaar Anne-Marie

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background although there is a wealth of information available about quality improvement tools and techniques in healthcare there is little understanding about overcoming the challenges of day-to-day implementation in complex organisations like hospitals. The 'Quality and Safety in Europe by Research' (QUASER study will investigate how hospitals implement, spread and sustain quality improvement, including the difficulties they face and how they overcome them. The overall aim of the study is to explore relationships between the organisational and cultural characteristics of hospitals and how these impact on the quality of health care; the findings will be designed to help policy makers, payers and hospital managers understand the factors and processes that enable hospitals in Europe to achieve-and sustain-high quality services for their patients. Methods/design in-depth multi-level (macro, meso and micro-system analysis of healthcare quality policies and practices in 5 European countries, including longitudinal case studies in a purposive sample of 10 hospitals. The project design has three major features: • a working definition of quality comprising three components: clinical effectiveness, patient safety and patient experience • a conceptualisation of quality as a human, social, technical and organisational accomplishment • an emphasis on translational research that is evidence-based and seeks to provide strategic and practical guidance for hospital practitioners and health care policy makers in the European Union. Throughout the study we will adopt a mixed methods approach, including qualitative (in-depth, narrative-based, ethnographic case studies using interviews, and direct non-participant observation of organisational processes and quantitative research (secondary analysis of safety and quality data, for example: adverse incident reporting; patient complaints and claims. Discussion the protocol is based on the premise that

  2. Safety system function trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, C.

    1989-01-01

    This paper describes research to develop risk-based indicators of plant safety performance. One measure of the safety-performance of operating nuclear power plants is the unavailability of important safety systems. Brookhaven National Laboratory and Science Applications International Corporation are evaluating ways to aggregate train-level or component-level data to provide such an indicator. This type of indicator would respond to changes in plant safety margins faster than the currently used indicator of safety system unavailability (i.e., safety system failures reported in licensee event reports). Trends in the proposed indicator would be one indication of trends in plant safety performance and maintenance effectiveness. This paper summarizes the basis for such an indicator, identifies technical issues to be resolved, and illustrates the potential usefullness of such indicators by means of computer simulations and case studies

  3. Safety Improvements on Wood Chippers Currently in Use: A Study on Feasibility in the Italian Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giorgia Bagagiolo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Following formal opposition by France, the harmonized safety standards regarding manually-loaded wood chippers (EN 13525:2005+A2:2009 which presumed compliance with the Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSR required by the Machine Directive (Directive 2006/42/EC, have recently been withdrawn, and a new draft of the standard is currently under revision. In order to assess the potential impact of the expected future harmonized standards within the Italian context, this study has examined the main issues in implementing EHSRs on wood chippers already being used. Safety issues regarding wood chippers already in use were identified in an analysis of the draft standard, through the observation of a number of case studies, and qualitative analysis of the essential technical interventions. A number of agricultural and forestry operators and companies participated in the study, pointing out the technical and economic obstacle facing the safety features requested by the pending new standard. It emerged that the main safety issues concerned the implementation of the reverse function, the stop bar, and the protective devices, the infeed chute dimension, the emergency stop function, and the designated feeding area. The possibility of adopting such solutions mainly depends on technical feasibility and costs, but an important role is also played by the attitude towards safety and a lack of adequate information regarding safety obligations and procedures among users.

  4. Assessment of safety culture from the INB organization: A case study for nuclear fuel cycle industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goncalves, J.S.; Barreto, A.C.

    2002-01-01

    The present article describes strategies, methodologies and first results on the Safety Culture Self-assessment Project under way at INB since August 2001. As a Brazilian Government company in charge of the nuclear fuel cycle activities,. the main purposes of the Project is to evaluate the present status of its safety culture and to propose actions to ensure continuous safety improvement at management level of its industrial processes. The proposed safety culture assessment describes INB's various production sites taking into account the different aspects of their activities, such as regional, social and technical issues. The survey was performed in March/2002 very good attendance (about 80%) the employees. The first global survey results are presented in item 4. (author)

  5. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Patient Safety Culture in an Iranian Hospital: A Case Study of Fatemeh Zahra Hospital in Najafabad, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammadkarim Bahadori

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Transformation of patient safety culture towards developing an open culture can be the greatest challenge for achieving a safe healthcare system. This study aimed to carry out a structural analysis of the Persian translation version of a questionnaire assessing patient safety culture. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted to evaluate the Persian translation of patient safety culture questionnaire, developed by the National Patient Safety Agency. The questionnaire includes seven sections and 43 items investigating 12 dimensions of patient safety culture. The reliability of this questionnaire was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha (α>0.8. The questionnaire was distributed among employees of the Fatemeh Zahra Hospital in Najafabad, Iran, 2015. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18 and Amos 18. Results: Sufficiency of the sample size, as determined by Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure, was 0.809, which was significantly associated with zero; therefore, performing factor analysis was acceptable and justifiable. The value of Bartlett's test was 696, P-value was less than 0.001, and degree of freedom was equal to 91. In the final model, the relative Chi-square was equal to 1.75 and P-value was less than 0.001. Also, parsimony normed fit index, parsimony-adjusted comparative fit index, and root mean square error of approximation were equal to 0.571, 0.621, and 0.065, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results of fitting indices for the model and the questionnaire used in the present study for assessing patient safety culture, it can be stated that the Persian translation of this instrument is valid and hospitals can use it to monitor patient safety culture improvement.

  6. Motorcycle safety among motorcycle taxi drivers and nonoccupational motorcyclists in developing countries: A case study of Maoming, South China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Connor Y H; Loo, Becky P Y

    2016-01-01

    An increasing number of motorcycle taxis have been involved in traffic crashes in many developing countries. This study examines the characteristics of both motorcycle taxi drivers and nonoccupational motorcyclists, investigates the risks they pose to road safety, and provides recommendations to minimize their risks. Based on the data collected from a questionnaire survey of 867 motorcycle taxi drivers and 2,029 nonoccupational motorcyclists in Maoming, South China, comparisons were made to analyze differences of personal attributes, attitudes toward road safety, and self-reported behavior of the 2 groups. Results of the chi-square tests show that not only motorcycle taxi drivers but also nonoccupational motorcyclists in Maoming held poor attitudes toward road safety and both groups reported unsafe driving behavior. There is much room for improving local road safety education among all motorcyclists in Maoming. Yet, motorcycle taxi drivers were more likely to pose road safety risks than nonoccupational motorcyclists under some circumstances, such as speeding late at night or early in the morning, not requiring passengers to wear helmets, and running a red light. The results of the binary logistic regression model show that possessing a vehicle license for a motorcycle or not was the common significant predictor for unsafe driving behavior of motorcycle taxi drivers and nonoccupational motorcyclists. Therefore, enforcement against all motorcyclists not showing vehicle licenses for their motorcycles should be stepped up. Motorcycle safety is largely poor in Maoming. Therefore, efforts to improve motorcycle safety should be strengthened by targeting not only motorcycle taxi drivers but also nonoccupational motorcyclists.

  7. MOTION TO CHANGE VENUE. CASE STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragoş Lucian Rădulescu

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Change of venue is a remedy offered to a party, which in case of legitimate grounds for suspicion or public safety may require that proceedings belong to another court than the court first seized. But change of venue is not based on a case of material or territorial lack of jurisdiction of the court, taking into account exceptional circumstances or impartiality doubt regarding the case. Thus, article 140 of the Code of Civil Procedure stipulates the possible causes of change of venue, including further issues that will determine jurisdiction to hear by the courts of control.

  8. Development of the international status of science and technology concerning methods and tools for operational and long-term safety cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seher, Holger; Beuth, Thomas; Bracke, Guido; Kock, Ingo; Mayer, Kim-Marisa; Moog, Helge C.; Uhlmann, Stephan; Weyand, Torben

    2016-09-01

    The project ''development of the international status of science and technology concerning methods and tools for operational and long-term safety cases'' covers the following key aspects: global aspects of the methodology for scenario assumption for the operational phase following closure, potential analysis of the derives safety cases for the project Gorleben, determination of the solid phase composition of high-level radioactive wastes using geochemical modeling calculations, search for an adequate approach for the calculation of density and viscosity of saline solutions for the future use in GRS computer codes, international approaches for an integral analysis for the host rocks clay and granite in relation to the safety requirements of BMUB.

  9. TURVA-2012 safety case for licensing a spent fuel repository at Olkiluoto, Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vira, Juhani; Snellman, Margit

    2014-01-01

    In 2001, the Finnish Parliament endorsed a decision-in-principle (DiP) whereby the spent nuclear fuel produced by the operating nuclear reactors at Olkiluoto and Loviisa will be disposed of in a geological repository at Olkiluoto, on the south-western coast of Finland. Subsequently, additional DiPs were issued allowing the extension of the repository to accommodate spent nuclear fuel from additional reactors that are under construction or in planning at Olkiluoto, which means a total of 9 000 tU of spent nuclear fuel to be disposed of. In accordance with the decision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (KTM) in 2003, Posiva submitted an application for a license to construct a disposal facility at Olkiluoto in 2012, consisting of an encapsulation facility and an underground deep geological repository. The application included a Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) and a long-term safety case, TURVA-2012. Assuming a positive outcome of the current licensing review, the next step would be the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) in support of an operational licence application around 2020. The disposal method is based on the same KBS-3 concept that the Swedish SKB has used as basis for their license application in 2010. Accordingly, the spent nuclear fuel will be encapsulated in water- and gas-tight copper canisters equipped with a load-bearing insert and emplaced in a deep geological repository constructed in the bedrock. The canisters will be surrounded by a swelling clay buffer material that isolates them from the bedrock. The deposition tunnels and the central tunnels and the other underground openings will be backfilled with materials of low permeability. The repository will be at a depth of about 400-450 m below ground. The primary role of the bedrock is to provide sufficiently stable conditions for the engineered barrier system and to make inadvertent human intrusion unlikely. In case of EBS failure, the bedrock shall also retain and retard the possible

  10. Methods and Case Studies for Teaching and Learning about Failure and Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bignell, Victor

    1999-01-01

    Discusses methods for analyzing case studies of failures of technological systems. Describes two distance learning courses that compare standard models of failure and success with the actuality of given scenarios. Provides teaching and learning materials and information sources for application to aspects of design, manufacture, inspection, use,…

  11. Multiple Kernel Learning for Heterogeneous Anomaly Detection: Algorithm and Aviation Safety Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Santanu; Srivastava, Ashok N.; Matthews, Bryan L.; Oza, Nikunj C.

    2010-01-01

    The world-wide aviation system is one of the most complex dynamical systems ever developed and is generating data at an extremely rapid rate. Most modern commercial aircraft record several hundred flight parameters including information from the guidance, navigation, and control systems, the avionics and propulsion systems, and the pilot inputs into the aircraft. These parameters may be continuous measurements or binary or categorical measurements recorded in one second intervals for the duration of the flight. Currently, most approaches to aviation safety are reactive, meaning that they are designed to react to an aviation safety incident or accident. In this paper, we discuss a novel approach based on the theory of multiple kernel learning to detect potential safety anomalies in very large data bases of discrete and continuous data from world-wide operations of commercial fleets. We pose a general anomaly detection problem which includes both discrete and continuous data streams, where we assume that the discrete streams have a causal influence on the continuous streams. We also assume that atypical sequence of events in the discrete streams can lead to off-nominal system performance. We discuss the application domain, novel algorithms, and also discuss results on real-world data sets. Our algorithm uncovers operationally significant events in high dimensional data streams in the aviation industry which are not detectable using state of the art methods

  12. Comprehensive Lifecycle for Assuring System Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, John C.; Rowanhill, Jonathan C.

    2017-01-01

    CLASS is a novel approach to the enhancement of system safety in which the system safety case becomes the focus of safety engineering throughout the system lifecycle. CLASS also expands the role of the safety case across all phases of the system's lifetime, from concept formation to decommissioning. As CLASS has been developed, the concept has been generalized to a more comprehensive notion of assurance becoming the driving goal, where safety is an important special case. This report summarizes major aspects of CLASS and contains a bibliography of papers that provide additional details.

  13. Renal studies in safety pharmacology and toxicology: A survey conducted in the top 15 pharmaceutical companies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benjamin, Amanda; Gallacher, David J; Greiter-Wilke, Andrea; Guillon, Jean-Michel; Kasai, Cheiko; Ledieu, David; Levesque, Paul; Prelle, Katja; Ratcliffe, Sian; Sannajust, Frederick; Valentin, Jean-Pierre

    2015-01-01

    With the recent development of more sensitive biomarkers to assess kidney injury preclinically, a survey was designed i) to investigate what strategies are used to investigate renal toxicity in both ICH S7A compliant Safety Pharmacology (SP) studies after a single dose of a compound and within repeat-dose toxicity studies by large pharmaceutical companies today; ii) to understand whether renal SP studies have impact or utility in drug development and/or if it may be more appropriate to assess renal effects after multiple doses of compounds; iii) to ascertain how much mechanistic work is performed by the top 15 largest pharmaceutical companies (as determined by R&D revenue size); iv) to gain an insight into the impact of the validation of DIKI biomarkers and their introduction in the safety evaluation paradigm; and v) to understand the impact of renal/urinary safety study data on progression of projects. Two short anonymous surveys were submitted to SP leaders of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies, as defined by 2012 R&D portfolio size. Fourteen multiple choice questions were designed to explore the strategies used to investigate renal effects in both ICH S7A compliant SP studies and within toxicology studies. A 67% and 60% response rate was obtained in the first and second surveys, respectively. Nine out of ten respondent companies conduct renal excretory measurements (eg. urine analysis) in toxicology studies whereas only five out of ten conduct specific renal SP studies; and all of those 5 also conduct the renal excretory measurements in toxicology studies. These companies measure and/or calculate a variety of parameters as part of these studies, and also on a case by case basis include regulatory qualified and non-qualified DIKI biomarkers. Finally, only one company has used renal/urinary functional data alone to stop a project, whereas the majority of respondents combine renal data with other target organ assessments to form an integrated decision-making set

  14. A distributed research network model for post-marketing safety studies: the Meningococcal Vaccine Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velentgas, Priscilla; Bohn, Rhonda L; Brown, Jeffrey S; Chan, K Arnold; Gladowski, Patricia; Holick, Crystal N; Kramer, Judith M; Nakasato, Cynthia; Spettell, Claire M; Walker, Alexander M; Zhang, Fang; Platt, Richard

    2008-12-01

    We describe a multi-center post-marketing safety study that uses distributed data methods to minimize the need for covered entities to share protected health information (PHI). Implementation has addressed several issues relevant to creation of a large scale post-marketing drug safety surveillance system envisioned by the FDA's Sentinel Initiative. This retrospective cohort study of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following meningococcal conjugate vaccination incorporates the data and analytic expertise of five research organizations closely affiliated with US health insurers. The study uses administrative claims data, plus review of full text medical records to adjudicate the status of individuals with a diagnosis code for GBS (ICD9 357.0). A distributed network approach is used to create the analysis files and to perform most aspects of the analysis, allowing nearly all of the data to remain behind institutional firewalls. Pooled analysis files transferred to a central site will contain one record per person for approximately 0.2% of the study population, and contain PHI limited to the month and year of GBS onset for cases or the index date for matched controls. The first planned data extraction identified over 9 million eligible adolescents in the target age range of 11-21 years. They contributed an average of 14 months of eligible time on study over 27 months of calendar time. MCV4 vaccination coverage levels exceeded 20% among 17-18-year olds and 16% among 11-13 and 14-16-year-old age groups by the second quarter of 2007. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a distributed data network approach to perform large scale post-marketing safety analyses and is scalable to include additional organizations and data sources. We believe these results can inform the development of a large national surveillance system. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Angra-1 probabilistic safety study-phase B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandes Filho, T.L.; Gibelli, S.M.O.

    1988-05-01

    This study represents the Phase B of the Angra-1 Probabilistic Safety Study and is the the final report prepared for the IAEA under Research Contract No. 3423/R2/RB. The three main items covered in this report are the establishment of interim safety goals, analysis of Angra-1 operational experience and development of emergency procedures to address severe accidents. For establishment of interim safety goals a methodology for calculating consequences and risks associated to the Angra-1 operation was developed based on the available data and codes. The proposed safety goals refer to the individual risk of early fatality for people living in the vicinity of the plant, colective risk of cancer fatalities for people living near the plant, the propobability of core melt occurrence and the probability of dominant accident sequences. (author) [pt

  16. Behavioral integrity for safety, priority of safety, psychological safety, and patient safety : a team-level study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leroy, H.; Dierynck, B.; Anseel, F.; Simons, T.; Halbesleben, J.R.; McCaughey, D.; Savage, G.T.; Sels, L.

    2012-01-01

    This article clarifies how leader behavioral integrity for safety helps solve follower's double bind between adhering to safety protocols and speaking up about mistakes against protocols. Path modeling of survey data in 54 nursing teams showed that head nurse behavioral integrity for safety

  17. A study on safety climate at nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukui, Hirokazu; Yoshida, Michio; Yoshiyama, Naohiro

    2001-01-01

    In the current study, we define safety climate as an organizational environment that induces members of the organization to give consideration to safety or take safety actions. It is of utmost importance that people holding managerial positions in an organization have a good understanding of the characteristics of the safety climate of the organization and implement safety promotion activities effectively. In the current research, we studied the rating scales and the characteristics of a safety climate. A survey was conducted, targeting technical engineers who belong to the three power stations of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. The questionnaire mainly consisted of questions concerning safety measures taken by individuals and questions concerning safety measures taken by the organization, to which the individuals belong. As a result of a factor analysis of the responses, we extracted five factors, namely, 'confidence in knowledge and skill', attitude of supervisors,' 'safety education in workplace', 'clarity of tasks' and 'safety confirmation/report'. In studying the rating scales of the safety climate, we selected five items from each of the above five factors, and used the total scores of the ratings of the five items as scores of each factor. Then, we examined the correlation between scores of personal factors and scores of organizational environment factors. We treated the scores of safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill', which are personal factors, as criterion variables, and the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety education in workplace' and 'clarity of tasks', which are organizational environment factors, as predictor variables. As a result, we found that levels of 'safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill' can be deduced from the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety education in workplace' and 'clarity of tasks.' Hence, we have decided to use these three organizational environment

  18. Building America Case Study: Combustion Safety Simplified Test Protocol, Chicago Illinois, and Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2015-12-01

    "9Combustion safety is an important step in the process of upgrading homes for energy efficiency. There are several approaches used by field practitioners, but researchers have indicated that the test procedures in use are complex to implement and provide too many false positives. Field failures often mean that the house is not upgraded until after remediation or not at all, if not include in the program. In this report the PARR and NorthernSTAR DOE Building America Teams provide a simplified test procedure that is easier to implement and should produce fewer false positives. A survey of state weatherization agencies on combustion safety issues, details of a field data collection instrumentation package, summary of data collected over seven months, data analysis and results are included. The project provides several key results. State weatherization agencies do not generally track combustion safety failures, the data from those that do suggest that there is little actual evidence that combustion safety failures due to spillage from non-dryer exhaust are common and that only a very small number of homes are subject to the failures. The project team collected field data on 11 houses in 2015. Of these homes, two houses that demonstrated prolonged and excessive spillage were also the only two with venting systems out of compliance with the National Fuel Gas Code. The remaining homes experienced spillage that only occasionally extended beyond the first minute of operation. Combustion zone depressurization, outdoor temperature, and operation of individual fans all provide statistically significant predictors of spillage.

  19. Criticality safety basics, a study guide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    V. L. Putman

    1999-09-01

    This document is a self-study and classroom guide, for criticality safety of activities with fissile materials outside nuclear reactors. This guide provides a basic overview of criticality safety and criticality accident prevention methods divided into three parts: theory, application, and history. Except for topic emphasis, theory and history information is general, while application information is specific to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Information presented here should be useful to personnel who must know criticality safety basics to perform their assignments safely or to design critically safe equipment or operations. However, the guide's primary target audience is fissile material handler candidates.

  20. Criticality safety basics, a study guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Putman, V.L.

    1999-01-01

    This document is a self-study and classroom guide, for criticality safety of activities with fissile materials outside nuclear reactors. This guide provides a basic overview of criticality safety and criticality accident prevention methods divided into three parts: theory, application, and history. Except for topic emphasis, theory and history information is general, while application information is specific to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Information presented here should be useful to personnel who must know criticality safety basics to perform their assignments safely or to design critically safe equipment or operations. However, the guide's primary target audience is fissile material handler candidates

  1. Safety philosophy and safety technology of the Soviet RBMK reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuend, H.; Jarvis, A.S.; Haennis, H.P.; Tikal, J.

    1986-01-01

    Safety requirements and control in USSR are outlined. Safety criteria and practical application in the case of the RBMK type reactor Chernobyl-4 are discussed. An overview of the Chernobyl-4 reactor accident including its causes is given. Measures to improve the safety of RBMK reactors are described

  2. Hospital safety climate surveys: measurement issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  3. Socio-technological study for establishing comprehensive nuclear safety system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuta, Kazuo; Kanno, Taro; Yagi, Ekou; Shuto, Yuki

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents an overview and preliminary results of a research project on social-technology for nuclear safety, which started in October 2001. In particular, emergency response preparedness against nuclear disaster and consensus development will be discussed. The architecture of an emergency response simulator will be given, which is for assessing design of disaster prevention systems. A conceptual model of evacuation behavior of a resident has been constructed from analysis of past disaster cases. As for consensus development, deliberation spaces of actual committee meetings were constructed by analyzing transcripts of the meetings based on an opinion schema. A model of consensus development process has been proposed from the traces of participants' opinions over the deliberation spaces. Such a socio-technological approach will be useful not only for nuclear safety but also for safety of non-nuclear domains and human activities of a high hazard potential; it is expected to contribute to establishing risk-aware society of the future. (author)

  4. Vehicle safety performance improvements using a performance-based standards approach: four case studies

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Nordengen, Paul A

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available programme is to gain practical experience in the PBS approach and to quantify and evaluate the potential infrastructure preservation, safety and productivity benefits for road freight transport. The Smart Truck demonstration vehicles have been designed...

  5. A look at new key performance criteria that could most affect the safety of long term storage of nuclear waste. A case study commissioned by CEA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marvy, A.; Lioure, A.; Heriard-Dubreuil, G.; Gadbois, S.; Schneider, T.; Schieber, C

    2002-01-01

    As part of the work scope set in the French law on high level long lived waste R and D passed in 1991, CEA is conducting research work to establish the scientific basis and assess the feasibility of long term storage as an option for the safe management of nuclear waste for periods as long as a few centuries. This goal is a significant departure from current industrial practice where storage facilities are usually built to last only a few decades. From a technical viewpoint such an extension in time seems feasible provided care and maintenance is exercised. Considering such long periods of time risk for Society of loosing oversight and control of such a facility is real which triggers the question of whether and how long term storage safety can be actually achieved. Therefore CEA commissioned a study in which MUTADIS Consultants and CEPN were both involved. The case study looks into several past and actual human enterprises conducted over significant periods of time - one dating back to the end of the 18th century - and identified off the nuclear field. Then-prevailing societal behaviour and organizational structures are screened out to show how they were and are still able to cope with similar oversight and control goals. As a result the study group obtained a set of performance criteria relating to issues like responsibility, securing funds, legal and legislative implications, economic sustainable development, all being areas which are not traditionally considered when technical studies are conducted. These criteria can be most useful from the design stage onward, first in an attempt to define the facility construction and operating guiding principles, and thereafter to substantiate the safety case for long term storage and get geared to the public dialogue on that undertaking should it become a reality. (author)

  6. Implementation of Water Safety Plans (WSPs): A Case Study in the Coastal Area in Semarang City, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budiyono; Ginandjar, P.; Saraswati, L. D.; Pangestuti, D. R.; Martini; Jati, S. P.

    2018-02-01

    An area of 508.28 hectares in North Semarang is flooded by tidal inundation, including Bandarharjo village, which could affect water quality in the area. People in Bandarharjo use safe water from deep groundwater, without disinfection process. More than 90% of water samples in the Bandaharjo village had poor bacteriological quality. The aimed of the research was to describe the implementation of Water Safety Plans (WSPs) program in Bandarharjo village. This was a descriptive study with steps for implementations adopted the guidelines and tools of the World Health Organization. The steps consist of introducing WSPs program, team building, training the team, examination of water safety before risk assessment, risk assessment, minor repair I, examination of water safety risk, minor repair II (after monitoring). Data were analyzed using descriptive methods. WSPs program has been introduced and formed WSPs team, and the training of the team has been conducted. The team was able to conduct risks assessment, planned the activities, examined water quality, conduct minor repair and monitoring at the source, distribution, and households connection. The WSPs program could be implemented in the coastal area in Semarang, however regularly supervision and some adjustment are needed.

  7. FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS’ FUNCTIONING IN POLISH NETWORKS OF GROCERY STORES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paweł NOWICKI

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This article shows the way how the food safety systems are functioning in Polish networks of grocery stores. The study was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2012 in the south‐eastern Poland. There were chosen three organizations that meet certain conditions: medium size Polish grocery network without participation of foreign capital and up to 30 retail locations within the group. Studies based on a case study model. The research found that regular and unannounced inspections carried out to each store's, impact on increasing safety of food offered and the verification of GHP requirements on the headquarters level has a significant impact on the safety of food offered as well as on the knowledge and behavior of employees. In addition it was found that the verification and analysis of food safety management system is an effective tool for improving food safety. It was also shown that in most cases there is no formal crisis management system for the food protection in the surveyed companies and employees are only informed of what to do in case of an emergency.

  8. Integration, differentiation and ambiguity in safety cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richter, Anne; Koch, Christian

    2004-01-01

    This article discusses safety cultures, drawing on the differentiation, integration and ambiguity-scheme introduced by scholars of organizational culture. An ethnographic approach has been applied in the study of meaning and symbols relating to work, hazards, occupational accidents and prevention....... The application of this approach is demonstrated through a multifacetted analysis of safety cultures. Case studies in Danish manufacturing show that it usually is necessary to differentiate between several safety cultures dispersed throughout the shop floor and other parts of the manufacturing organization....... Although some common elements are present across cultures, they are indeed a multiple configuration of cultures. The article illustrates this by providing one case showing a configuration of three cultures, metaphorically labelled Production, Welfare and Master. For example, the former views risk...

  9. Cooperation of the site and public fire and safety services in case of an incident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauch, M.

    1997-01-01

    This report describes the cooperation between the site and the public fire and safety services in case of an incident. As an example, the measures and facilities of the Hoechst site of the Hoechst AG and the organisational and technical background are presented. (orig.) [de

  10. Quality management of pharmacology and safety pharmacology studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spindler, Per; Seiler, Jürg P

    2002-01-01

    to safety pharmacology studies, and, when indicated, to secondary pharmacodynamic studies, does not influence the scientific standards of studies. However, applying formal GLP standards will ensure the quality, reliability and integrity of studies, which reflect sound study management. It is important...... to encourage a positive attitude among researchers and academics towards these lines, whenever possible. GLP principles applied to the management of non-clinical safety studies are appropriate quality standards when studies are used in the context of protecting public health, and these quality standards...... of pharmacology studies (ICH S7A): primary pharmacodynamic, secondary pharmacodynamic and safety pharmacology studies, and guidance on the quality standards (expectations for GLP conformity) for these study types have been provided. Primary pharmacodynamic studies are the only study types that are fully exempt...

  11. A study on safety climate at nuclear power plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fukui, Hirokazu [Institute of Nuclear Safety System Inc., Mihama, Fukui (Japan); Yoshida, Michio; Yoshiyama, Naohiro [Japan Institute for Group Dynamics, Fukuoka (Japan)

    2001-09-01

    In the current study, we define safety climate as an organizational environment that induces members of the organization to give consideration to safety or take safety actions. It is of utmost importance that people holding managerial positions in an organization have a good understanding of the characteristics of the safety climate of the organization and implement safety promotion activities effectively. In the current research, we studied the rating scales and the characteristics of a safety climate. A survey was conducted, targeting technical engineers who belong to the three power stations of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. The questionnaire mainly consisted of questions concerning safety measures taken by individuals and questions concerning safety measures taken by the organization, to which the individuals belong. As a result of a factor analysis of the responses, we extracted five factors, namely, 'confidence in knowledge and skill', attitude of supervisors,' 'safety education in workplace', 'clarity of tasks' and 'safety confirmation/report'. In studying the rating scales of the safety climate, we selected five items from each of the above five factors, and used the total scores of the ratings of the five items as scores of each factor. Then, we examined the correlation between scores of personal factors and scores of organizational environment factors. We treated the scores of safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill', which are personal factors, as criterion variables, and the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety education in workplace' and 'clarity of tasks', which are organizational environment factors, as predictor variables. As a result, we found that levels of 'safety confirmation/report' and 'confidence in knowledge and skill' can be deduced from the scores of 'attitude of supervisors', 'safety

  12. The network to review natural analogue studies and their applications to repository safety assessment and public communication (NAnet)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miller, W.M.; Hooker, P.J. [ENVIROS Consulting ltd, 61, the Shore Leith, UK-0 EH6 6RA Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

    2004-07-01

    Analogue information can increase our conceptual understanding of long-term repository behaviour in support of post-closure performance assessment (PA), provide quantitative data for PA models and provide ways of communicating safety information to non-specialist audiences. These functions of analogue studies have, however, received too little attention in PA reports and safety cases. Many analogue studies have been undertaken in the last two decades costing tens of millions of euros, and these have covered a wide range of phenomena such as uranium ore deposition, natural fission reactors, natural nuclide migration, contaminant containment by clays and sediments, preservation of ancient fossil trees and buried artefacts etc. The different uses of analogues would be easier to manage if a single database of quality approved analogue information were to be created. NAnet, a Thematic Network within the 5. EURATOM FP is aiming to promote more considered applications of analogues in performance and safety assessments and in audience dialogue. NAnet intends critically to review a number of analogue studies in terms of their relevance and limitations to different repository concepts and environments and with regard to their applications in performance assessments, safety cases and communication. On the basis of these reviews, a simple digital database is being developed for the PA community which will allow PA modelers to make quicker and wider use of natural analogue information in performance and safety assessments. It is expected that some of these tools will help radioactive waste institutions to make better use of natural analogue information for communication with different audiences, including the public. (authors)

  13. Effective Safety Management in Construction Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, I.; Shafiq, Nasir; Nuruddin, M. F.

    2017-12-01

    Effective safety management is one of the serious problems in the construction industry worldwide, especially in large-scale construction projects. There have been significant reductions in the number and the rate of injury over the last 20 years. Nevertheless, construction remains as one of the high risk industry. The purpose of this study is to examine safety management in the Malaysian construction industry, as well as to highlight the importance of construction safety management. The industry has contributed significantly to the economic growth of the country. However, when construction safety management is not implemented systematically, accidents will happen and this can affect the economic growth of the country. This study put the safety management in construction project as one of the important elements to project performance and success. The study emphasize on awareness and the factors that lead to the safety cases in construction project.

  14. Case study on the use of PSA methods: Backfitting decisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-04-01

    This case study illustrates the process of using probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) method to evaluate proposed backfits of nuclear power plants (NPP), which are intended to enhance the plant safety by improving equipment operability. Some examples of situations in which PRA techniques have been used to address backfit issues at operating NPPs are summarized. 2 refs, 5 figs, 4 tabs

  15. Safety Verification for Probabilistic Hybrid Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Lijun; She, Zhikun; Ratschan, Stefan

    2010-01-01

    The interplay of random phenomena and continuous real-time control deserves increased attention for instance in wireless sensing and control applications. Safety verification for such systems thus needs to consider probabilistic variations of systems with hybrid dynamics. In safety verification o...... on a number of case studies, tackled using a prototypical implementation....

  16. Socio-technical issues and challenges in implementing safe patient handovers: insights from ethnographic case studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balka, Ellen; Tolar, Marianne; Coates, Shannon; Whitehouse, Sandra

    2013-12-01

    Ineffective handovers in patient care, including those where information loss occurs between care providers, have been identified as a risk to patient safety. Computerization of health information is often offered as a solution to improve the quality of care handovers and decrease adverse events related to patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to broaden our understanding of clinical handover as a patient safety issue, and to identify socio-technical issues which may come to bear on the success of computer based handover tools. Three in depth ethnographic case studies were undertaken. Field notes were transcribed and analyzed with the aid of qualitative data analysis software. Within case analysis was performed on each case, and subsequently, cross case analyses were performed. We identified five types of socio-technical issues which must be addressed if electronic handover tools are to succeed. The inter-dependencies of these issues are addressed in relation to arenas in which health care work takes place. We suggest that the contextual nature of information, ethical and medico-legal issues arising in relation to information handover, and issues related to data standards and system interoperability must be addressed if computerized health information systems are to achieve improvements in patient safety related to handovers in care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. CFD simulation for pedestrian wind comfort and wind safety in urban areas : general decision framework and case study for the Eindhoven University campus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blocken, B.J.E.; Janssen, W.D.; Hooff, van T.A.J.

    2012-01-01

    Wind comfort and wind safety for pedestrians are important requirements in urban areas. Many city authorities request studies of pedestrian wind comfort and wind safety for new buildings and new urban areas. These studies involve combining statistical meteorological data, aerodynamic information and

  18. Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction: A case study of Wenchuan County, China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, L.X.; Lin, Y.L.; Wang, S.F.

    2014-01-01

    Urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction emphasizes strategies, safety, memorials and institutional arrangements. It is closely related to earthquake recovery plans. This article reviews general studies on urban design for post-earthquake reconstruction, before focussing on the case of

  19. Building the safety case for a hypothetical underground repository in crystalline rock. Final report. Vol. 2. Safety file

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biurrun, E.; Engelmann, H.J.; Jobmann, M.; Lommerzheim, A.; Popp, W.; Frentz, R.R. v.; Wahl, A.

    1996-10-01

    The study was intended as a desk simulation of the process of preparing a licensing application for a deep repository for spent fuel and high level waste in crystalline rock. After clarifying of organizational aspects of table of contents specifying all aspects in a safety life for license application were considered. The volume II is subdivided in two parts. Part A describes the general information, waste description, site characteristics, disposal facility design, reporitory construction and operation, quality assurance, operational safety, repository closure, organization and financial aspects, and long-term safety assessment. Part B deals with the impact of retrievability. (DG)

  20. Study on 'Safety qualification of process computers used in safety systems of nuclear power plants'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bertsche, K.; Hoermann, E.

    1991-01-01

    The study aims at developing safety standards for hardware and software of computer systems which are increasingly used also for important safety systems in nuclear power plants. The survey of the present state-of-the-art of safety requirements and specifications for safety-relevant systems and, additionally, for process computer systems has been compiled from national and foreign rules. In the Federal Republic of Germany the KTA safety guides and the BMI/BMU safety criteria have to be observed. For the design of future computer-aided systems in nuclear power plants it will be necessary to apply the guidelines in [DIN-880] and [DKE-714] together with [DIN-192]. With the aid of a risk graph the various functions of a system, or of a subsystem, can be evaluated with regard to their significance for safety engineering. (orig./HP) [de

  1. Occupational Safety and Health Programs in Career Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiCarlo, Robert D.; And Others

    This resource guide was developed in response to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is intended to assist teachers in implementing courses in occupational safety and health as part of a career education program. The material is a synthesis of films, programed instruction, slides and narration, case studies, safety pamphlets,…

  2. Safety evaluation of ventilation networks in case of fire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perdriau, P.; Pourprix, M.; Raboin, S.; Rouyer, J.L.; Tarrago, X.

    1983-01-01

    Several teams from CEA have cooperated to produce a code for modeling ventilation networks under accidental conditions in nuclear facilities. The objective is to study responses to a network to perturbations which are either mechanical or thermal. Such a tool was necessary for safety and protection studies because ventilation network performances are difficult to evaluate when the network gets complex. There was no requirement for a very sophisticated code, considering the margin of error which generally characterizes the ventilation measurements, but this code should be well validated to become a reliable tool for pointing out safety problems at the design stage and during the operating life of the ventilation system. The code has been called PIAF. It solves a set of equations which simulate a ventilation network in a permanent regime

  3. Assessment of the long-term safety of repositories. Scientific basis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noseck, Ulrich; Becker, Dirk; Fahrenholz, Christine

    2008-12-01

    The project contributed to increase the scientific knowledge on the long-term safety assessment and the safety cases of a radioactive waste repository. International guidelines and more recent safety cases from other countries were evaluated. The feasibility study of the three safety indicators ''individual dose rate'', ''radiotoxicity concentration in the biosphere water'' and ''radiotoxicity flux from the geosphere'' showed that due to the independently derived corresponding reference values these indicators describe three different safety statements. The combination of the three values can give a stronger argument for the safety of the repository system. Another important methodological aspect of the safety cases is the definition and selection of scenarios, one of these the human intrusion scenario. Various human intrusion scenarios are considered in the different nations, which differ significantly with respect to type and time scale, the exposition type and exposition pathway. Further progress has been achieved in how to treat human intrusion scenarios in a German post-closure safety case. Another port of the project dealt with the impact of specific geochemical processes on the long-term safety of the repository. The impact of climate changes on the long-term safety of a radioactive waste repository in rock salt was investigated with respect to processes in the overburden and the biosphere where highest impact is expected. Sofa simplified models and only discrete climate estates have been considered

  4. Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. Methods This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. Results The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. Conclusion This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period. PMID:22834485

  5. Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wright Jim A

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. Methods This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. Results The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. Conclusion This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

  6. Environmental Regulation and Food Safety: Studies of Protection ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Environmental Regulation and Food Safety: Studies of Protection and Protectionism. Book cover Environmental Regulation and Food Safety: Studies of Protection and Protectionism. Directeur(s) : Veena Jha. Maison(s) d'édition : Edward Elgar, IDRC. 1 janvier 2006. ISBN : 184542512X. 250 pages. e-ISBN : 155250185X.

  7. Moving research to practice through partnership: a case study in Asphalt Paving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Charlotte; Nixon, Laura; Baker, Robin

    2015-08-01

    Multi-stakeholder partnerships play a critical role in dissemination and implementation in health and safety. To better document and understand construction partnerships that have successfully scaled up effective interventions to protect workers, this case study focused on the collaborative processes of the Asphalt Paving Partnership. In the 1990s, this partnership developed, evaluated, disseminated, and achieved near universal, voluntary adoption of paver engineering controls to reduce exposure to asphalt fumes. We used in-depth interviews (n = 15) and document review in the case study. We describe contextual factors that both facilitated and challenged the formation of the collaboration, central themes and group processes, and research to practice (r2p) outcomes. The Asphalt Paving Partnership offers insight into how multi-stakeholder partnerships in construction can draw upon the strengths of diverse members to improve the dissemination and adoption of health and safety innovations and build a collaborative infrastructure to sustain momentum over time. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Feasibility study on floating nuclear power plant (2). Safety design study of FNPP. Contract research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yabuuchi, Noriaki; Shimazaki, Junya; Ochiai, Masaaki [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Takahashi, Masao [Niigata Engineering Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Nakazawa, Toshio [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Oarai, Ibaraki (Japan). Oarai Research Establishment; Sato, Kazuo [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    2001-02-01

    In the previous report of 'Conceptual Design Study of FNPP (Floating Nuclear Power Plant)', a design study on a concept for FNPP, which is sited off the sea coast on the open sea with water depth of 20m and it is moored on protected sea by the breakwater was conducted and the floating platform guarded by the breakwater was found to be stable enough to install the nuclear power plant from analysis simulating the movement of the platform due to sea wave or wind. In this report, studies on a basic safety design concept of the FNPP, setting natural phenomena for design condition, required safety functions and a review on dynamic analysis of the large floating structure are presented. The studies revealed that the stability of the floating platform is an essential issue for the FNPP soundness, and the design base natural phenomena such as S1 and S2-class storm including S1 and S2-class earthquake should be considered in evaluation of the stability of the floating platform, and it is one of key technical subjects how to set the magnitude of these storm in application of design evaluation on each FNPP case. (J.P.N.)

  9. Integrate genome-based assessment of safety for probiotic strains: Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 as a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvetti, Elisa; Orrù, Luigi; Capozzi, Vittorio; Martina, Alessia; Lamontanara, Antonella; Keller, David; Cash, Howard; Felis, Giovanna E; Cattivelli, Luigi; Torriani, Sandra; Spano, Giuseppe

    2016-05-01

    Probiotics are microorganisms that confer beneficial effects on the host; nevertheless, before being allowed for human consumption, their safety must be verified with accurate protocols. In the genomic era, such procedures should take into account the genomic-based approaches. This study aims at assessing the safety traits of Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 integrating the most updated genomics-based procedures and conventional phenotypic assays. Special attention was paid to putative virulence factors (VF), antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and genes encoding enzymes responsible for harmful metabolites (i.e. biogenic amines, BAs). This probiotic strain was phenotypically resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin, although the genome analysis suggested that the AR-related genes were not easily transferrable to other bacteria, and no other genes with potential safety risks, such as those related to VF or BA production, were retrieved. Furthermore, no unstable elements that could potentially lead to genomic rearrangements were detected. Moreover, a workflow is proposed to allow the proper taxonomic identification of a microbial strain and the accurate evaluation of risk-related gene traits, combining whole genome sequencing analysis with updated bioinformatics tools and standard phenotypic assays. The workflow presented can be generalized as a guideline for the safety investigation of novel probiotic strains to help stakeholders (from scientists to manufacturers and consumers) to meet regulatory requirements and avoid misleading information.

  10. Maintenance and Safety Practices of Escalator in Commercial Buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afida Isnaini Janipha, Nurul; Nur Aina Syed Alwee, Sharifah; Ariff, Raihan Mohd; Ismail, Faridah

    2018-02-01

    The escalator is very crucial to transport a person from one place to another. Nevertheless, there are many cases recorded the accidents in relation to escalator. These may occur due to lack of maintenance which leads to systems breakdown, poor safety practices, wear and tear, users’ negligence and others. Thus, proper maintenance systems need to be improvised to prevent and reduce escalator accident in future. This research was aimed to determine the escalator maintenance activities and safety practices in a commercial building. Three case studies were selected within Selangor area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for collecting data from these three case studies. To achieve the aim of this research, the study was carried out on the maintenance activities, safety practices and cost related to escalator maintenance. As one of the important means of access in building, it is very crucial to increase effectiveness of escalator particularly in commercial building. It is expected that readers will get clear information on the maintenance activities and safety practices of escalator in commercial building.

  11. Nitrogen-system safety study: Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-07-01

    The Department of Energy has primary responsibility for the safety of operations at DOE-owned nuclear facilities. The guidelines for the analysis of credible accidents are outlined in DOE Order 5481.1. DOE has requested that existing plant facilities and operations be reviewed for potential safety problems not covered by standard industrial safety procedures. This review is being conducted by investigating individual facilities and documenting the results in Safety Study Reports which will be compiled to form the Existing Plant Final Safety Analysis Report which is scheduled for completion in September, 1984. This Safety Study documents the review of the Plant Nitrogen System facilities and operations and consists of Section 4.0, Facility and Process Description, and Section 5.0, Accident Analysis, of the Final Safety Analysis Report format. The existing nitrogen system consists of a Superior Air Products Company Type D Nitrogen Plant, nitrogen storage facilities, vaporization facilities and a distribution system. The system is designed to generate and distribute nitrogen gas used in the cascade for seal feed, buffer systems, and for servicing equipment when exceptionally low dew points are required. Gaseous nitrogen is also distributed to various process auxiliary buildings. The average usage is approximately 130,000 standard cubic feet per day

  12. IT-CARES: an interactive tool for case-crossover analyses of electronic medical records for patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caron, Alexandre; Chazard, Emmanuel; Muller, Joris; Perichon, Renaud; Ferret, Laurie; Koutkias, Vassilis; Beuscart, Régis; Beuscart, Jean-Baptiste; Ficheur, Grégoire

    2017-03-01

    The significant risk of adverse events following medical procedures supports a clinical epidemiological approach based on the analyses of collections of electronic medical records. Data analytical tools might help clinical epidemiologists develop more appropriate case-crossover designs for monitoring patient safety. To develop and assess the methodological quality of an interactive tool for use by clinical epidemiologists to systematically design case-crossover analyses of large electronic medical records databases. We developed IT-CARES, an analytical tool implementing case-crossover design, to explore the association between exposures and outcomes. The exposures and outcomes are defined by clinical epidemiologists via lists of codes entered via a user interface screen. We tested IT-CARES on data from the French national inpatient stay database, which documents diagnoses and medical procedures for 170 million inpatient stays between 2007 and 2013. We compared the results of our analysis with reference data from the literature on thromboembolic risk after delivery and bleeding risk after total hip replacement. IT-CARES provides a user interface with 3 columns: (i) the outcome criteria in the left-hand column, (ii) the exposure criteria in the right-hand column, and (iii) the estimated risk (odds ratios, presented in both graphical and tabular formats) in the middle column. The estimated odds ratios were consistent with the reference literature data. IT-CARES may enhance patient safety by facilitating clinical epidemiological studies of adverse events following medical procedures. The tool's usability must be evaluated and improved in further research. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

  13. The Health and Safety Executive's regulatory framework for control of nuclear criticality safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, K.; Simister, D.N.

    1991-01-01

    In the United Kingdom the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 is the main legal instrument under which risks to people from work activities are controlled. Certain sections of the Nuclear Installations Act, 1965 which deal with the licensing of nuclear sites and the regulatory control of risks arising from them, including the risk from accidental criticality, are relevant statutory provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act. The responsibility for safety rests with the operator who has to make and implement arrangements to prevent accidental criticality. The adequacy of these arrangements must be demonstrated in a safety case to the regulatory authorities. Operators are encouraged to treat each plant on its own merits and develop the safety case accordingly. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), for its part, assesses the adequacy of the operator's safety case against the industry's own standards and criteria, but more particularly against the NII's safety assessment principles and guides, and international standards. Risks should be made as low as reasonably practicable. Generally, the NII seeks improvements in safety using an enforcement policy which operates at a number of levels, ranging from persuasion through discussion to the ultimate deterrent of withdrawal of a site licence. This paper describes the role of the NII, which includes a specialist criticality expertise, within the Health and Safety Executive, in regulating the nuclear sites from the criticality safety viewpoint. (Author)

  14. Use of Visuals for Food Safety Education of Spanish-Speaking Foodservice Workers: A Case Study in Iowa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajagopal, Lakshman

    2012-01-01

    Providing food safety training to an audience whose native language is not English is always a challenge. In the study reported here, minimal-text visuals in Spanish were used to train Hispanic foodservice workers about proper handwashing technique and glove use based on the 2005 Food Code requirements. Overall, results indicated that visuals…

  15. Specific issues, exact locations: case study of a community mapping project to improve safety in a disadvantaged community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qummouh, Rana; Rose, Vanessa; Hall, Pat

    2012-12-01

    Safety is a health issue and a significant concern in disadvantaged communities. This paper describes an example of community-initiated action to address perceptions of fear and safety in a suburb in south-west Sydney which led to the development of a local, community-driven research project. As a first step in developing community capacity to take action on issues of safety, a joint resident-agency group implemented a community safety mapping project to identify the extent of safety issues in the community and their exact geographical location. Two aerial maps of the suburb, measuring one metre by two metres, were placed on display at different locations for four months. Residents used coloured stickers to identify specific issues and exact locations where crime and safety were a concern. Residents identified 294 specific safety issues in the suburb, 41.9% (n=123) associated with public infrastructure, such as poor lighting and pathways, and 31.9% (n=94) associated with drug-related issues such as drug activity and discarded syringes. Good health promotion practice reflects community need. In a very practical sense, this project responded to community calls for action by mapping resident knowledge on specific safety issues and exact locations and presenting these maps to local decision makers for further action.

  16. Nuclear safety in perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, K.; Sjoeberg, B.M.D.; Lauridsen, K.; Wahlstroem, B.

    2002-06-01

    The aim of the NKS/SOS-1 project has been to enhance common understanding about requirements for nuclear safety by finding improved means of communicating on the subject in society. The project, which has been built around a number of seminars, was supported by limited research in three sub-projects: 1) Risk assessment, 2) Safety analysis, and 3) Strategies for safety management. The report describes an industry in change due to societal factors. The concepts of risk and safety, safety management and systems for regulatory oversight are described in the nuclear area and also, to widen the perspective, for other industrial areas. Transparency and public participation are described as key elements in good risk communication, and case studies are given. Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment are described as important overall processes within which risk communication can take place. Safety culture, safety indicators and quality systems are important concepts in the nuclear safety area are very useful, but also offer important challenges for the future. They have been subject to special attention in the project. (au)

  17. Safety study of the coupling of a VHTR with a hydrogen production plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bertrand, F.; Germain, T.; Bentivoglio, F.; Bonnet, F.; Moyart, Q.; Aujollet, P.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The paper deals with safety issues of the coupling of a VHTR with a H 2 production plant. → Internal incidents/accidents in the coupling system have been studied with the CATHARE2 code. → Transient studies have indicated a substantial grace delay when the VHTR faces the H 2 plant disturbances. → Hydrogen release and combustion leads to safety distances of about 100 m. → No showstopper has been put in evidence regarding the feasibility of the VHTR/H 2 plant coupling. - Abstract: The present paper deals with specific safety issues resulting from the coupling of a nuclear reactor (very high temperature reactor, VHTR) with a hydrogen production plant (HYPP). The first part is devoted to the safety approach consisting in taking into account the safety standards and rules dedicated to the nuclear facility as well as those dedicated to the process industry. This approach enabled two main families of events to be distinguished: the so-called internal events taking place in the coupling circuit (transients, breaks in pipes and in heat exchangers) and the external events able to threat the integrity of the various equipments (in particular the VHTR containment and emergency cooling system) that could result from accidents in the HYPP. By considering a hydrogen production by means of the iodine/sulfur (IS) process, the consequences of the both families of events aforementioned have been assessed in order to provide an order of magnitude of the effects of the incidents and accidents and also in order to propose safety provisions to mitigate these effects when it is necessary. The study of transients induced by a failure of a part of the HYPP has shown the possibility to keep the part of the HYPP unaffected by the transient under operation by means of an adapted regulation set. Moreover, the time to react in case of transfer of corrosive products in the VHTR containment has been assessed as well as the thermohydraulic loading that would experience the

  18. The case for improving road safety in Pacific Islands: a population-based study from Fiji (TRIP 6).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Josephine; Ameratunga, Shanthi; Wainiqolo, Iris; Kafoa, Berlin; McCaig, Eddie; Jackson, Rod

    2012-10-01

    To estimate the incidence and demographic characteristics associated with road traffic injuries (RTIs) resulting in deaths or hospital admission for 12 hours or more in Viti Levu, Fiji. Analysis of the prospective population-based Fiji Injury Surveillance in Hospitals database (October 2005 - September 2006). Of the 374 RTI cases identified (17% of all injuries), 72% were males and one third were aged 15-29 years. RTI fatalities (10.3 per 100,000 per year) were higher among Indians compared to Fijians. Two-thirds of deaths (largely ascribed to head, chest and abdominal trauma) occurred before hospital admission. While the RTI fatality rate was comparable to the global average for high-income countries, the level of motorisation in Fiji is considerably lower. To avert rising RTI rates with increasing motorisation, Fiji requires a robust road safety strategy alongside effective trauma-care services and a reliable population-based RTI surveillance system. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

  19. Contribution of operating feedback to probabilistic safety studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guio, J.M. de; Lannoy, A.

    1992-03-01

    This paper presents the method used for PWR unit operation feedback analysis and its contribution to probabilistic safety studies. The targets were as follows: - use of failure data banks to assess reliability parameters, - use of event data banks to identify and quantify main system initiating events, - determination of a standard operating profile. These studies, performed in the context of nuclear power plant safety programs, prove useful not only to safety engineers but also to equipment experts, designers, operators and maintenance specialists. They constitute basic data for studies in all these areas or the departure point for new investigations. (authors). 3 figs., 3 tabs., 3 refs

  20. Machinery safety of lathe machine using SHARP-systemic human action reliability procedure: a pilot case study in academic laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryoputro, M. R.; Sari, A. D.; Sugarindra, M.; Arifin, R.

    2017-12-01

    This research aimed to understand the human reliability analysis, to find the SHARP method with its functionality on case study and also emphasize the practice in Lathe machine, continued with identifying improvement that could be made to the existing safety system. SHARP comprises of 7 stages including definition, screening, breakdown, representation, impact assessment, quantification and documentation. These steps were combined and analysed using HIRA, FTA and FMEA. HIRA analysed the lathe at academic laboratory showed the level of the highest risk with a score of 9 for the activities of power transmission parts and a score of 6 for activities which shall mean the moving parts required to take action to reduce the level of risk. Hence, the highest RPN values obtained in the power transmission activities with a value of 18 in the power transmission and then the activities of moving parts is 12 and the activities of the operating point of 8. Thus, this activity has the highest risk of workplace accidents in the operation. On the academic laboratory the improvement made on the engineering control initially with a machine guarding and completed with necessary administrative controls (SOP, work permit, training and routine cleaning) and dedicated PPEs.

  1. Reactor safety; Description and evaluation of safety activities in Nordic countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wahlstroem, B.; Gunsell, L.

    1998-03-01

    The report gives a description of safety activities in the nuclear power industry. The study has been carried out as a part of the four year programme in Nordic Safety Research (NKS) which was completed in 1997. The objective of the NKS/RAK-1.1 project 'A survey and an evaluation of safety activities in nuclear power' was to make a broad description of various activities important for safety and to make an assessment of their efficiency. A special consideration was placed on a comparison of practices in Finland and Sweden, and between their nuclear utilities. The study has been divided into two parts, one theoretical part in which a model of the relationships between various activities important for safety has been constructed and one practical part where a total of 62 persons have been interviewed at the authorities, the nuclear utilities and one reactor vendor. To restrict the amount of work two activities, safety analysis and experience feedback, were selected. A few cases connected to incidents at nuclear power plants were discussed in more detail. The report has been structured around a simple model of nuclear safety consisting of the concepts of goals, means and outcomes. This model illustrates the importance of goal formulation, systematic planning and feedback of operational experience as major components in nuclear safety. In assessing organisation and management at authorities and the power utilities there is a clear trend of decentralisation and delegation of authority. The general impression from the study is that the safety activities in Finland and Sweden are efficient and well targeted. The experience from the methodology is favourable and the comparison of practices gives a good ground for a discussion of contents and targeting of safety activities. (EG) activities. (EG)

  2. Criticality safety studies at VTT Energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roine, T.; Anttila, M.

    1995-01-01

    At VTT Energy a compact reactor physics calculation system is applied in many kind of problems. Generation of group constants for static and dynamic core calculations, flux and dose rate calculations as well as criticality safety studies are performed basically with the same codes. In the presentation a short overview of the wide variety of criticality safety problems analyzed at VTT Energy is given. The calculation system with some illustrative examples is also described. (12 refs., 1 tab.)

  3. Study on criticality safety evaluation of a system where flood will never occur

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naito, Yoshitaka; Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Komuro, Yuichi; Itahara, Kuniyuki.

    1995-03-01

    Criticality safety evaluation for a single unit containing nuclear fuel has usually been performed on the assumption that there is a fully thick water reflector around the unit. For a system where flood will never occur, however, the thick reflector assumption is usually not applied recently. In such cases, a method is proposed, which models surrounding structural material and branch pipes as 2.5cm thick water reflector. This report shows that reactivity worth of structural material and branch pipes is, in many cases, less than that of 2.5cm thick water reflector. Further, another method is shown to evaluate criticality safety for a multiple unit system, using computed results with surrounding structural material and branch pipes neglected. And it is shown with many sample calculations that the method with 2.5cm thick water reflector in place of structural material and pipes gives safety side results to similar systems to real reprocessing plants. (author)

  4. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Formulation of radionuclide release scenarios 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-04-01

    TURVA-2012 is Posiva's safety case in support of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) and application for a construction licence for a repository for disposal of spent nuclear fuel at the Olkiluoto site in south-western Finland. This report presents the radionuclide release scenarios and the methodology followed in formulating them. The formulation of scenarios takes into account the regulatory framework, the knowledge acquired in the present safety case as well as in previous safety assessments, the safety functions of the barriers of the repository system and the uncertainties in the features, events, and processes (FEPs) that may affect the entire disposal system (i.e. repository system plus the surface environment) from the emplacement of the first canister until the far future. In the report Performance Assessment, the performance of the engineered and natural barriers has been assessed against the loads expected during the evolution of the repository system and the site. Uncertainties have been identified and these are taken into account in the formulation of radionuclide release scenarios. The uncertainties in the FEPs affecting the characteristics and evolution of the surface environment are taken into account in formulating the surface environment scenarios used ultimately for assessing radiation exposure. Formulating radionuclide release scenarios for the repository system links the reports Performance Assessment and Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System. The formulation of radionuclide release scenarios for the surface environment brings together Biosphere Description and the surface environment FEPs and is the link to the assessment of the surface environment scenarios analysed in Biosphere Assessment. (orig.)

  5. The role of intermediaries in delivering an occupational health and safety programme designed for small business - a case study of an insurance incentive programme in the agriculture sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Kirsten Bendix; Hasle, Peter

    2015-01-01

    to the transformation and dissemination of a national OHS programme for small business that built on an Insurance incentive scheme – the New Zealand Workplace Safety Discount scheme. It is a case study of this scheme implementation in the agriculture sector. Data was collected from scheme documentation and semi......-structured interviews with the scheme owner, representatives from intermediary groups and the targeted small businesses. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed in relation to the scheme’s programme theory. The intermediaries introduced new programme mechanisms and recruitment...

  6. Day-Case Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease: Results from a Multi-Center European Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spiliopoulos, Stavros, E-mail: stavspiliop@med.uoa.gr, E-mail: stavspiliop@upatras.gr; Karnabatidis, Dimitrios, E-mail: karnaby@med.upatras.gr [Patras University Hospital, Department of Interventional Radiology (Greece); Katsanos, Konstantinos, E-mail: katsanos@med.upatras.gr; Diamantopoulos, Athanasios, E-mail: adiamantopoulos@gmail.com [Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, King’s Health Partners, Department of Interventional Radiology (United Kingdom); Ali, Tariq, E-mail: tariq.ali@addenbrookes.nhs.uk [Addenbrooke’s University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Interventional Radiology (United Kingdom); Kitrou, Panagiotis, E-mail: panoskitrou@gmail.com [Patras University Hospital, Department of Interventional Radiology (Greece); Cannavale, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.cannavale@hotmail.com; Krokidis, Miltiadis, E-mail: miltiadis.krokidis@addenbrookes.nhs.uk [Addenbrooke’s University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Interventional Radiology (United Kingdom)

    2016-12-15

    PurposeThe purpose of the study was to investigate safety and feasibility of day-case endovascular procedures for the management of peripheral arterial disease.Materials and MethodsThis was a multi-center, retrospective study including all patients treated over a 30-month period with endovascular angioplasty or stenting for intermittent claudication (IC) or critical limb ischemia (CLI) on a day-case basis, in Interventional Radiology (IR) departments of three European tertiary hospitals. Exclusion criteria were not related to the type of lesion and included unavailability of an adult able to take care of patient overnight; high bleeding risk and ASA score ≥4. Primary efficacy outcome was the rate of procedures performed on an outpatient basis requiring no further hospitalization and primary safety outcome was freedom from 30-day major complications’ rate.ResultsThe study included 652 patients (male 75 %; mean age 68 ± 10 years; range: 27–93), 24.6 % treated for CLI. In 53.3 % of the cases a 6Fr sheath was used. Technical success was 97.1 %. Haemostasis was obtained by manual compression in 52.4 % of the accesses. The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 95.4 % (622/652 patients) and primary safety outcome in 98.6 % (643/652 patients). Major complications included five (0.7 %) retroperitoneal hematomas requiring transfusion; one (0.1 %) common femoral artery pseudoaneurysm successfully treated with US-guided thrombin injection, two cases of intra-procedural distal embolization treated with catheter-directed local thrombolysis and one on-table cardiac arrest necessitating >24 h recovery. No major complication was noted after same-day discharge.ConclusionsDay-case endovascular procedures for the treatment of IC or CLI can be safely and efficiently performed in experienced IR departments of large tertiary hospitals.

  7. The German nuclear power plant safety study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    With this study a new approach has been chosen, taking nuclear power plants as an example to assess and to describe the risks arising from the use of modern technology, including those hazards emanating from the rather hypothetical possibility of occurrence of very serious accidents. Following the definition of basic concepts and methods to be applied in risk assessment studied, as well as a brief account of the design and operating mode of nuclear power plants with PWRs', accidents and failures to be considered in a safety study are described. Using the course-of-event and fault tree analysis, the probability of fission product release as a consequence of failures in safety systems or of core meltdown is evaluated. Subsequently, the theoretical model for assessment of reactor accident consequences is presented, discussing such aspects as the dispersion of radioactivity in the atmosphere, the radiation dose model, safety and countermeasures, the model for the evaluation of health hazards as well as methods and calculations for estimating the reliability of risk assessments together with the remaining uncertainties. In an appendix to this study, the analyses presented in the study are discussed in the light of the TMI-2 event. This safety study showing the possibilities of detecting, keeping in check and minimizing harmful effects, can be regarded as a contribution to a better understanding of our modern, highly industrialised society, and eventually to an improvement of the quality of life. (GL) 891 GL/GL 892 MB [de

  8. TSO Study Project on Development of a Common Safety Approach in the EU for Large Evolutionary Pressurised Water Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-10-01

    In pursuance of the objectives of the Council Resolutions of 1975 and 1992 on the technological issues of nuclear safety, the European Commission (EC) is seeking to promote a sustained joint in-depth study on possible significant future nuclear power reactor safety cases. To that end the EC decided to support financially a study by the grouping of the European Union Technical Safety Organisations (TSOG). The general objective of the study programme was to promote, through a collaboration of European Union Technical Safety Organisations (TSOs), common views on technical safety issues related to large evolutionary PWRs in Europe, which could be ready for operation during the next decade. AVN (Belgium) (Technical project leader), AEA Technology (United Kingdom), ANPA (Italy) CIEMAT (Spain), GRS (Germany), IPSN (France), were the TSOs participating in the study which was co-ordinated by RISKAUDIT. The study focused notably on the EPR project initiated by the French and German utilities and vendors. It also considered relevant projects, even of plants of different size, developed outside the European Union in order to provide elements important for the safety characterisation and which could contribute to the credibility and confidence of EPR. It is expected that this study will constitute a significant step towards the development of a common safety approach in EU countries. The study constitutes an important step forward in the development of a common approach of the TSOs to the safety of advanced evolutionary pressurised water reactors. This goal was mainly achieved by an in-depth analysis of the key safety issues, taking into account new developments in the national technical safety objectives and in the EPR design. For this reason the Commission has decided to publish at least the present summary report containing the main outcomes of the TSO study. Confidentiality considerations unfortunately prevent the open publication of the full series of reports. (author)

  9. The influence of environmental conditions on safety management in hospitals: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alingh, Carien W; van Wijngaarden, Jeroen D H; Huijsman, Robbert; Paauwe, Jaap

    2018-05-02

    Hospitals are confronted with increasing safety demands from a diverse set of stakeholders, including governmental organisations, professional associations, health insurance companies, patient associations and the media. However, little is known about the effects of these institutional and competitive pressures on hospital safety management. Previous research has shown that organisations generally shape their safety management approach along the lines of control- or commitment-based management. Using a heuristic framework, based on the contextually-based human resource theory, we analysed how environmental pressures affect the safety management approach used by hospitals. A qualitative study was conducted into hospital care in the Netherlands. Five hospitals were selected for participation, based on organisational characteristics as well as variation in their reputation for patient safety. We interviewed hospital managers and staff with a central role in safety management. A total of 43 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 respondents. The heuristic framework was used as an initial model for analysing the data, though new codes emerged from the data as well. In order to ensure safe care delivery, institutional and competitive stakeholders often impose detailed safety requirements, strong forces for compliance and growing demands for accountability. As a consequence, hospitals experience a decrease in the room to manoeuvre. Hence, organisations increasingly choose a control-based management approach to make sure that safety demands are met. In contrast, in case of more abstract safety demands and an organisational culture which favours patient safety, hospitals generally experience more leeway. This often results in a stronger focus on commitment-based management. Institutional and competitive conditions as well as strategic choices that hospitals make have resulted in various combinations of control- and commitment-based safety management. A balanced

  10. Nirex safety assessment research programme: 1987/88

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    George, D.; Hodgkinson, D.P.

    1987-01-01

    The Nirex Safety Assessment Research programme's objective is to provide information for the radiological safety case for disposing low-level and intermediate-level radioactive wastes in underground repositories. The programme covers a wide range of experimental studies and mathematical modelling for the near and far field. It attempts to develop a quantitative understanding of events and processes which have an impact on the safety of radioactive waste disposal. (U.K.)

  11. Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 4. Enhancing Safety Culture Through the Establishment of Safety Goals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tateiwa, Kenji; Miyata, Koichi; Yahagi, Kimitoshi

    2001-01-01

    Safety culture is the perception of each individual and organization of a nuclear power plant that safety is the first priority, and at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), we have been practicing it in everyday activities. On the other hand, with the demand for competitiveness of nuclear power becoming even more intense these days, we need to pursue efficient management while maintaining the safety level at the same time. Below, we discuss how to achieve compatibility between safety culture and efficient management as well as enhance safety culture. Discussion at Tepco: safety culture-nurturing activities such as the following are being implemented: 1. informing the employees of the 'Declaration of Safety Promotion' by handing out brochures and posting it on the intranet home page; 2. publishing safety culture reports covering stories on safety culture of other industry sectors, recent movements on safety culture, etc.; 3. conducting periodic questionnaires to employees to grasp how deeply safety culture is being established; 4. carrying out educational programs to learn from past cases inside and outside the nuclear industry; 5. committing to common ownership of information with the public. The current status of safety culture in Japan sometimes seems to be biased to the quest of ultimate safety; rephrasing it, there have been few discussions regarding the sufficiency of the quantitative safety level in conjunction with the safety culture. Safety culture is one of the most crucial foundations guaranteeing the plant's safety, and for example, the plant safety level evaluated by probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) could be said to be valid only on the ground that a sound and sufficient safety culture exists. Although there is no doubt that the safety culture is a fundamental and important attitude of an individual and organization that keeps safety the first priority, the safety culture in itself should not be considered an obstruction to efforts to implement

  12. ALARP considerations in criticality safety assessments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowden, Russell L.; Barnes, Andrew; Thorne, Peter R.; Venner, Jack

    2003-01-01

    Demonstrating that the risk to the public and workers is As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) is a fundamental requirement of safety cases for nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom. This is embodied in the Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) published by the Regulator, the essence of which is incorporated within the safety assessment processes of the various nuclear site licensees. The concept of ALARP within criticality safety assessments has taken some time to establish in the United Kingdom. In principle, the licensee is obliged to search for a deterministic criticality safety solution, such as safe geometry vessels and passive control features, rather than placing reliance on active measurement devices and plant administrative controls. This paper presents a consideration of some ALARP issues in relation to the development of criticality safety cases. The paper utilises some idealised examples covering a range of issues facing the criticality safety assessor, including new plant design, operational plant and decommissioning activities. These examples are used to outline the elements of the criticality safety cases and present a discussion of ALARP in the context of criticality safety assessments. (author)

  13. Catastrophic sinkhole formation in Kansas: A case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambrecht, J.L.; Miller, R.D.

    2006-01-01

    Sinkholes represent a hazard to property and human safety in a wide variety of geologic settings across the globe. In most cases, the subsidence rate of a sinkhole represents the most significant potential impact and risk to public safety. Since 1979, the Kansas Geological Survey has studied numerous sinkholes using high-resolution seismic reflection in an attempt to better understand the mechanisms that control their formation. Most sinkholes in central Kansas form as a result of dissolution of the Permian Hutchinson salt (Figure 1). The fluid source and associated pathway responsible for leaching these bedded evaporites have been natural, anthropogenic, and a combination of both. Sinkholes have been a part of the landscape in the North American midcontinent long before modern oil, gas, and mineral exploration, but clearly the activities of man have played a significant role in both increasing the number of sinkholes and affecting their subsidence rates.

  14. Application case study of AP1000 automatic depressurization system (ADS) for reliability evaluation by GO-FLOW methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hashim, Muhammad, E-mail: hashimsajid@yahoo.com; Hidekazu, Yoshikawa, E-mail: yosikawa@kib.biglobe.ne.jp; Takeshi, Matsuoka, E-mail: mats@cc.utsunomiya-u.ac.jp; Ming, Yang, E-mail: myang.heu@gmail.com

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • Discussion on reasons why AP1000 equipped with ADS system comparatively to PWR. • Clarification of full and partial depressurization of reactor coolant system by ADS system. • Application case study of four stages ADS system for reliability evaluation in LBLOCA. • GO-FLOW tool is capable to evaluate dynamic reliability of passive safety systems. • Calculated ADS reliability result significantly increased dynamic reliability of PXS. - Abstract: AP1000 nuclear power plant (NPP) utilized passive means for the safety systems to ensure its safety in events of transient or severe accidents. One of the unique safety systems of AP1000 to be compared with conventional PWR is the “four stages Automatic Depressurization System (ADS)”, and ADS system originally works as an active safety system. In the present study, authors first discussed the reasons of why four stages ADS system is added in AP1000 plant to be compared with conventional PWR in the aspect of reliability. And then explained the full and partial depressurization of RCS system by four stages ADS in events of transient and loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs). Lastly, the application case study of four stages ADS system of AP1000 has been conducted in the aspect of reliability evaluation of ADS system under postulated conditions of full RCS depressurization during large break loss of a coolant accident (LBLOCA) in one of the RCS cold legs. In this case study, the reliability evaluation is made by GO-FLOW methodology to determinate the influence of ADS system in dynamic reliability of passive core cooling system (PXS) of AP1000, i.e. what will happen if ADS system fails or successfully actuate. The GO-FLOW is success-oriented reliability analysis tool and is capable to evaluating the systems reliability/unavailability alternatively to Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Event Tree Analysis (ETA) tools. Under these specific conditions of LBLOCA, the GO-FLOW calculated reliability results indicated

  15. Preliminary study on improving safety culture in Malaysian nuclear industries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, Sabariah Kader; Lee, Y. E.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents preliminary study on safety culture and its implementation in Malaysian nuclear industries by realizing the importance of safety culture; identification of important safety culture attributes; safety culture assessment and the practices to incorporate the identified safety culture attributes in organization. The first section of this paper explains the terms and definitions related to safety culture. Second, for the realization of importance of safety culture in organization, the international operational experiences emphasizing the importance of safety culture are described. Third, important safety culture attributes which are frequently cited in literature are provided. Fourth, methods to assess safety culture in operating organization are described. Finally, the practices to enhance the safety culture in an organization are discussed

  16. Preliminary study on improving safety culture in Malaysian nuclear industries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibrahim, Sabariah Kader [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Y. E. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-10-15

    This paper presents preliminary study on safety culture and its implementation in Malaysian nuclear industries by realizing the importance of safety culture; identification of important safety culture attributes; safety culture assessment and the practices to incorporate the identified safety culture attributes in organization. The first section of this paper explains the terms and definitions related to safety culture. Second, for the realization of importance of safety culture in organization, the international operational experiences emphasizing the importance of safety culture are described. Third, important safety culture attributes which are frequently cited in literature are provided. Fourth, methods to assess safety culture in operating organization are described. Finally, the practices to enhance the safety culture in an organization are discussed.

  17. Review of studies on criticality safety evaluation and criticality experiment methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naito, Yoshitaka; Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Misawa, Tsuyoshi; Yamane, Yuichi

    2013-01-01

    Since the early 1960s, many studies on criticality safety evaluation have been conducted in Japan. Computer code systems were developed initially by employing finite difference methods, and more recently by using Monte Carlo methods. Criticality experiments have also been carried out in many laboratories in Japan as well as overseas. By effectively using these study results, the Japanese Criticality Safety Handbook was published in 1988, almost the intermediate point of the last 50 years. An increased interest has been shown in criticality safety studies, and a Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS) was set up by the Nuclear Science Committee of Organisation Economic Co-operation and Development in 1997. WPNCS has several task forces in charge of each of the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Program (ICSBEP), Subcritical Measurement, Experimental Needs, Burn-up Credit Studies and Minimum Critical Values. Criticality safety studies in Japan have been carried out in cooperation with WPNCS. This paper describes criticality safety study activities in Japan along with the contents of the Japanese Criticality Safety Handbook and the tasks of WPNCS. (author)

  18. In question: the scientific value of preclinical safety pharmacology and toxicology studies with cell-based therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiane Broichhausen

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A new cell-based medicinal product containing human regulatory macrophages, known as Mreg_UKR, has been developed and conforms to expectations of a therapeutic drug. Here, Mreg_UKR was subjected to pharmacokinetic, safety pharmacology, and toxicological testing, which identified no adverse reactions. These results would normally be interpreted as evidence of the probable clinical safety of Mreg_UKR; however, we contend that, owing to their uncertain biological relevance, our data do not fully support this conclusion. This leads us to question whether there is adequate scientific justification for preclinical safety testing of similar novel cell-based medicinal products using animal models. In earlier work, two patients were treated with regulatory macrophages prior to kidney transplantation. In our opinion, the absence of acute or chronic adverse effects in these cases is the most convincing available evidence of the likely safety of Mreg_UKR in future recipients. On this basis, we consider that safety information from previous clinical investigations of related cell products should carry greater weight than preclinical data when evaluating the safety profile of novel cell-based medicinal products. By extension, we argue that omitting extensive preclinical safety studies before conducting small-scale exploratory clinical investigations of novel cell-based medicinal products data may be justifiable in some instances.

  19. A study of passive safety conditions for fast reactor core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimizu, Akinao

    1991-01-01

    A study has been made for passive safety conditions of fast reactor cores. Objective of the study is to develop a concept of a core with passive safety as well as a simple safety philosophy. A simple safety philosophy, which is wore easy to explain to the public, is needed to enhance the public acceptance for nuclear reactors. The present paper describes a conceptual plan of the study including the definition of the problem a method of approach and identification of tasks to be solved

  20. Study of industry safety management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Pil Su

    1987-06-01

    This book deals with general remarks, industrial accidents, statistics of industrial accidents, unsafe actions, making machinery and facilities safe, safe activities, having working environment safe, survey of industrial accidents and analysis of causes, system of safety management and operations, safety management planning, safety education, human engineering such as human-machines system, system safety, and costs of disaster losses. It lastly adds individual protective equipment and working clothes including protect equipment for eyes, face, hands, arms and feet.

  1. Fast-track remediation case study: Southern California refined fuel distributor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bubier, T.W.; Felix, P.R.

    1993-01-01

    Successful environmental remediation projects have three requirements in common: (1) an adequate data base that defines the extent and severity of the problem; (2) a detailed understanding of the actual performance of the remediation technologies being considered; and (3) good communication with the regulatory agencies to assure them that the health and safety of the community and workers will not be jeopardized. In a fast-track remediation project, these requirements are key issues in the critical path. The case study involves soil and groundwater remediation of a 16-acre bulk fuel storage and distribution facility. The facility was in operation for approximately 75 years and contained 20 large aboveground tanks with a total capacity in excess of 20 million gallons. Activities at the facility included receipt, storage, and distribution of refined fuel products, such as kerosene, gasoline, diesel, and bunker fuel. A harbor-widening project was undertaken to increase the level of safety for larger ships when passing through the port. Because of the critical need for harbor-widening, the environmental cleanup needed to be completed as quickly as possible. The following steps were taken during the fast-track remediation case study to meet the above-listed requirements: (1) New Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) were identified for the project; (2) Potentially applicable remedial technologies were evaluated and tested; and (3) An agency task force was developed to enhance communication with the regulatory agencies. This paper discusses these steps and presents examples of how each step was implemented during the remediation case study

  2. The consideration of ecological safety in judicial practice-also on the ecological safety legislation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    L(U) Zhongmei

    2006-01-01

    Ecological safety has been one of the hot issues of environmental law in recent years.The maintenance of ecological safety has become one of the legislative principles,as exemplified by the revision of the Law of Sand Prevention and Sand.Management and the Law against Solid Waste Environmental Pollution,and the relevant rules that will be established.However actual cases will still happen,whether the legislators have made the statutory law or not.While scholars and legislators are debating,the judges have to handle cases and render judgments.Through the analysis of a case,this article will discuss the feasibility for judges to make ecological safety considerations in the judicial process by applying the principle of good faith and will also discuss the legislative issues related to ecological safety.

  3. Safety Culture Enhancement Project. Final Report. A Field Study on Approaches to Enhancement of Safety Culture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lowe, Andrew; Hayward, Brent (Dedale Asia Pacific, Albert Park VIC 3206 (Australia))

    2006-08-15

    This report documents a study with the objective of enhancing safety culture in the Swedish nuclear power industry. A primary objective of this study was to ensure that the latest thinking on human factors principles was being recognised and applied by nuclear power operators as a means of ensuring optimal safety performance. The initial phase of the project was conducted as a pilot study, involving the senior management group at one Swedish nuclear power-producing site. The pilot study enabled the project methodology to be validated after which it was repeated at other Swedish nuclear power industry sites, providing a broad-ranging analysis of opportunities across the industry to enhance safety culture. The introduction to this report contains an overview of safety culture, explains the background to the project and sets out the project rationale and objectives. The methodology used for understanding and analysing the important safety culture issues at each nuclear power site is then described. This section begins with a summary of the processes used in the information gathering and data analysis stage. The six components of the Management Workshops conducted at each site are then described. These workshops used a series of presentations, interactive events and group exercises to: (a) provide feedback to site managers on the safety culture and safety leadership issues identified at their site, and (b) stimulate further safety thinking and provide 'take-away' information and leadership strategies that could be applied to promote safety culture improvements. Section 3, project Findings, contains the main observations and output from the project. These include: - a brief overview of aspects of the local industry operating context that impinge on safety culture; - a summary of strengths or positive attributes observed within the safety culture of the Swedish nuclear industry; - a set of identified opportunities for further improvement; - the aggregated

  4. Safety Awareness & Communications Internship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jefferson, Zanani

    2015-01-01

    The projects that I have worked on during my internships were updating the JSC Safety & Health Action Team JSAT Employee Guidebook, conducting a JSC mishap case study, preparing for JSC Today Close Call success stories, and assisting with event planning and awareness.

  5. Factors Influencing Knowledge, Food Safety Practices and Food Preferences During Warm Weather of Salmonella and Campylobacter Cases in South Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milazzo, Adriana; Giles, Lynne C; Zhang, Ying; Koehler, Ann P; Hiller, Janet E; Bi, Peng

    2017-03-01

    To assess food safety practices, food shopping preferences, and eating behaviors of people diagnosed with Salmonella or Campylobacter infection in the warm seasons, and to identify socioeconomic factors associated with behavior and practices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Salmonella and Campylobacter cases with onset of illness from January 1 to March 31, 2013. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined relationships between socioeconomic position and food safety knowledge and practices, shopping and food preferences, and preferences, perceptions, and knowledge about food safety information on warm days. Respondents in our study engaged in unsafe personal and food hygiene practices. They also carried out unsafe food preparation practices, and had poor knowledge of foods associated with an increased risk of foodborne illness. Socioeconomic position did not influence food safety practices. We found that people's reported eating behaviors and food preferences were influenced by warm weather. Our study has explored preferences and practices related to food safety in the warm season months. This is important given that warmer ambient temperatures are projected to rise, both globally and in Australia, and will have a substantial effect on the burden of infectious gastroenteritis including foodborne disease. Our results provide information about modifiable behaviors for the prevention of foodborne illness in the household in the warm weather and the need for information to be disseminated across the general population. An understanding of the knowledge and factors associated with human behavior during warmer weather is critical for public health interventions on foodborne prevention.

  6. Chemical plant innovative safety investments decision-support methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reniers, G L L; Audenaert, A

    2009-01-01

    This article examines the extent to which investing in safety during the creation of a new chemical installation proves profitable. The authors propose a management supporting cost-benefit model that identifies and evaluates investments in safety within a chemical company. This innovative model differentiates between serious accidents and less serious accidents, thus providing an authentic image of prevention-related costs and benefits. In classic cost-benefit analyses, which do not make such differentiations, only a rudimentary image of potential profitability resulting from investments in safety is obtained. The resulting management conclusions that can be drawn from such classical analyses are of a very limited nature. The proposed model, however, is applied to a real case study and the proposed investments in safety at an appointed chemical installation are weighed against the estimated hypothetical benefits resulting from the preventive measures to be installed at the installation. In the case-study carried out in question, it would appear that the proposed prevention investments are justified. Such an economic exercise may be very important to chemical corporations trying to (further) improve their safety investments.

  7. Probabilistic studies for a safety assurance program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyer, S.S.; Davis, J.F.

    1985-01-01

    The adequate supply of energy is always a matter of concern for any country. Nuclear power has played, and will continue to play an important role in supplying this energy. However, safety in nuclear power production is a fundamental prerequisite in fulfilling this role. This paper outlines a program to ensure safe operation of a nuclear power plant utilizing the Probabilistic Safety Studies

  8. Analysis and modeling of safety parameters in the selection of optimal routes for emergency evacuation after the earthquake (Case study: 13 Aban neighborhood of Tehran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajad Ganjehi

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction : Earthquakes are imminent threats to urban areas of Iran, especially Tehran. They can cause extensive destructions and lead to heavy casualties. One of the most important aspects of disaster management after earthquake is the rapid transfer of casualties to emergency shelters. To expedite emergency evacuation process the optimal safe path method should be considered. To examine the safety of road networks and to determine the most optimal route at pre-earthquake phase, a series of parameters should be taken into account.   Methods : In this study, we employed a multi-criteria decision-making approach to determine and evaluate the effective safety parameters for selection of optimal routes in emergency evacuation after an earthquake.   Results: The relationship between the parameters was analyzed and the effect of each parameter was listed. A process model was described and a case study was implemented in the 13th Aban neighborhood ( Tehran’s 20th municipal district . Then, an optimal path to safe places in an emergency evacuation after an earthquake in the 13th Aban neighborhood was selected.   Conclusion : Analytic hierarchy process (AHP, as the main model, was employed. Each parameter of the model was described. Also, the capabilities of GIS software such as layer coverage were used.     Keywords: Earthquake, emergency evacuation, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP, crisis management, optimization, 13th Aban neighborhood of Tehran

  9. Activities on safety culture study. Study status in public and private sectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makino, Maomi; Takano, Kenichi

    2004-01-01

    Around after entering in the 21st century, organizational accidents had occurred in Japan at various industries including nuclear industry, which were caused directly by unsafe action, human error and illegal conduct of personnel but there were problems in safety culture of organization such as slow retreat of safety system stimulated by management, schedule control and procedure management becoming a dead letter, lack of safety education, and workplace climate of schedule priority. This article referred to organizational factors common to many severe accidents and introduced safety culture study in public and private sectors to overcome those factors. Safety Culture Evaluation Support Tool (SCEST) was developed for self-evaluation of safety culture of organization as well as Organizational Reliability model (OR model) for analysis of initiation and propagation process of risk event. Safety diagnosis system and feedback type risk assessment system for promoting safe organizational climate and culture were also developed. (T. Tanaka)

  10. Lean manufacturing comes to China: a case study of its impact on workplace health and safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Garrett D; O'Rourke, Dara

    2007-01-01

    Lean manufacturing, which establishes small production "cells," or teams of workers, who complete an entire product from raw material processing through final assembly and shipment, increases health and safety hazards by mixing previously separated exposures to various chemicals (with possible additive and cumulative effects) and noise. The intensification of work leads to greater ergonomic and stress-related adverse health effects, as well as increased safety hazards. The standard industrial hygiene approach of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and hazard control is applicable to lean operations. A focus on worker participation in identifying and solving problems is critical for reducing negative impacts. A key to worker safety in lean production operations is the development of informed, empowered, and active workers with the knowledge, skills, and opportunity to act in the workplace to eliminate or reduce hazards.

  11. Engineered barrier systems (EBS) in the context of the entire safety case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    A joint NEA-EC workshop entitled 'Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) in the Context of the Entire Safety Case' was organised in Oxford on 25-27 September 2002 and hosted by United Kingdom Nirex Limited. The main objectives of the workshop were to provide a status report on engineered barrier systems in various national radioactive waste management programmes considering deep geological disposal; to establish the value to member countries of a project on EBS; and to define such a project's scope, timetable and modus operandi. This report presents the outcomes of this workshop. (author)

  12. Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) in the Context of the Entire Safety Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    A joint NEA-EC workshop entitled ''Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) in the Context of the Entire Safety Case'' was organised in Oxford on 25-27 September 2002 and hosted by United Kingdom Nirex Limited. The main objectives of the workshop were to provide a status report on engineered barrier systems in various national radioactive waste management programmes considering deep geological disposal; to establish the value to member countries of a project on EBS; and to define such a project scope, timetable and modus operandi. This report presents the outcomes of this workshop. (author)

  13. Knowledge Safety – Insights from the SME Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małgorzata Zięba

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This paper aims to explore the topic of knowledge safety, defined as the state of knowledge being safe from loss, leakage, attrition, oblivion, waste or theft. The paper first presents a theoretical background and review of previous studies on knowledge loss and ways of overcoming it, and then illustrates the topic of knowledge safety with ten case studies from the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs sector. Methodology: The paper is based on an analysis of Knowledge Management (KM literature devoted to knowledge loss and its potential types in companies, and on the results of case study research. Knowledge safety was first defined and contrasted with other terms, and then examined in 10 selected SMEs. The research resulted in a clarification of what SMEs understand by the term of “knowledge safety” and what kind of measures they take to ensure it. Findings: As the analysis shows, the examined SMEs attribute diversified significance to the issue of knowledge safety. For some of them, such problem does not exist at all and they state that they can ensure knowledge safety in all aspects of their operations. Some companies perceive it mainly through the safety of the knowledge stored in electronic databases, while others link it with the human factor only. Research limitations: Research results are limited to ten companies operating in Poland. As such, they cannot illustrate the whole picture of the existing small or medium-sized companies. Research implications: The findings of both literature review and case study analysis indicate that there is a need to further examine the issue of knowledge safety by analysing the potential factors which may endanger knowledge safety and the methods to eliminate such risks. Practical implications: The paper examines important aspects of knowledge safety and provides guidelines on how it can be ensured by managers or owners of SMEs. Originality/value: The term of knowledge safety has been

  14. Construction Site Workers’ Awareness on Using Safety Equipment: Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulang N. Md

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Construction sector is an important sector and contributed significantly to national development. However, this sector poses higher risk to accident. This is due to fact that construction site can be considered as a dangerous zone to workers and to the public. Due to the variety of cases occurs on site, the contractor will usually have to pay the cost related to accidents in the form of higher insurance premium. Despite various measures, accidents still occur at construction sites. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE is one of the important means to protect the wearer from hazards in the workplace. Since this equipment is the last frontier of the wearer from worksite hazards, it is important to select it based on the job scope and the intended protection. Therefore, this study was formulated to find out the level of knowledge and awareness of construction workers on PPE usage. It was also important to know what make the workers would want or do not want to use the PPE. It was found in this study that the level of awareness and knowledge among workers on the proper use of PPE is moderate. Construction sites accident can be further be reduced with proper implementation of PPE voluntarily by all workers.

  15. Monitoring product safety in the postmarketing environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharrar, Robert G; Dieck, Gretchen S

    2013-10-01

    The safety profile of a medicinal product may change in the postmarketing environment. Safety issues not identified in clinical development may be seen and need to be evaluated. Methods of evaluating spontaneous adverse experience reports and identifying new safety risks include a review of individual reports, a review of a frequency distribution of a list of the adverse experiences, the development and analysis of a case series, and various ways of examining the database for signals of disproportionality, which may suggest a possible association. Regulatory agencies monitor product safety through a variety of mechanisms including signal detection of the adverse experience safety reports in databases and by requiring and monitoring risk management plans, periodic safety update reports and postauthorization safety studies. The United States Food and Drug Administration is working with public, academic and private entities to develop methods for using large electronic databases to actively monitor product safety. Important identified risks will have to be evaluated through observational studies and registries.

  16. Safety assessment methodologies for near surface disposal facilities. Results of a co-ordinated research project (ISAM). Volume 1: Review and enhancement of safety assessment approaches and tools. Volume 2: Test cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-07-01

    For several decades, countries have made use of near surface facilities for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste. In line with the internationally agreed principles of radioactive waste management, the safety of these facilities needs to be ensured during all stages of their lifetimes, including the post-closure period. By the mid 1990s, formal methodologies for evaluating the long term safety of such facilities had been developed, but intercomparison of these methodologies had revealed a number of discrepancies between them. Consequently, in 1997, the International Atomic Energy Agency launched a Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Improvement of Safety Assessment Methodologies for Near Surface Disposal Facilities (ISAM). The particular objectives of the CRP were to provide a critical evaluation of the approaches and tools used in post-closure safety assessment for proposed and existing near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities, enhance the approaches and tools used and build confidence in the approaches and tools used. The CRP ran until 2000 and resulted in the development of a harmonized assessment methodology (the ISAM project methodology), which was applied to a number of test cases. Over seventy participants from twenty-two Member States played an active role in the project and it attracted interest from around seven hundred persons involved with safety assessment in seventy-two Member States. The results of the CRP have contributed to the Action Plan on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management which was approved by the Board of Governors and endorsed by the General Conference in September 2001. Specifically, they contribute to Action 5, which requests the IAEA Secretariat to 'develop a structured and systematic programme to ensure adequate application of the Agency's waste safety standards', by elaborating on the Safety Requirements on 'Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Waste' (Safety Standards Series No. WS-R-1) and

  17. CASE STUDY CRITIQUE; UPPER CLINCH CASE STUDY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Case study critique: Upper Clinch case study (from Research on Methods for Integrating Ecological Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment: A Trade-off Weighted Index Approach to Integrating Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment). This critique answers the questions: 1) does ...

  18. Integrated occupational safety and health management solutions and industrial cases

    CERN Document Server

    Häkkinen, Kari; Niskanen, Toivo

    2015-01-01

    Maximizing reader insights into a new movement toward leadership approaches that are collaborated and shared,  and which views Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and performance excellence within the wider examination of leadership relationships and practices, this book argues that these relationships and processes are so central to the establishment of OSH functioning that studying them warrants a broad, cross-disciplinary, multiple method analysis. Exploring the complexity of leadership by the impact that contexts (e.g., national and organizational culture) may have on leaders, this book discusses the related literature, then moves forward to show how a more comprehensive practical approach to Occupational Safety and Health and performance excellence can function on levels pertaining to events, individuals, groups, and organizations. This book proposes that greater clarity in understanding leadership in Occupational Safety and Health and performance excellence can be developed from addressing two fundame...

  19. Learning Road Safety Skills in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Freddy Jackson; Gillard, Duncan

    2009-01-01

    This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of a classroom based learning programme in the acquisition of road safety skills. The participant, a child with severe learning disabilities, was taught road safety behaviours in the classroom with the aid of photograph cards. When he had mastered these skills in the classroom, he returned to the…

  20. Safety Culture Enhancement Project. Final Report. A Field Study on Approaches to Enhancement of Safety Culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowe, Andrew; Hayward, Brent

    2006-08-01

    This report documents a study with the objective of enhancing safety culture in the Swedish nuclear power industry. A primary objective of this study was to ensure that the latest thinking on human factors principles was being recognised and applied by nuclear power operators as a means of ensuring optimal safety performance. The initial phase of the project was conducted as a pilot study, involving the senior management group at one Swedish nuclear power-producing site. The pilot study enabled the project methodology to be validated after which it was repeated at other Swedish nuclear power industry sites, providing a broad-ranging analysis of opportunities across the industry to enhance safety culture. The introduction to this report contains an overview of safety culture, explains the background to the project and sets out the project rationale and objectives. The methodology used for understanding and analysing the important safety culture issues at each nuclear power site is then described. This section begins with a summary of the processes used in the information gathering and data analysis stage. The six components of the Management Workshops conducted at each site are then described. These workshops used a series of presentations, interactive events and group exercises to: (a) provide feedback to site managers on the safety culture and safety leadership issues identified at their site, and (b) stimulate further safety thinking and provide 'take-away' information and leadership strategies that could be applied to promote safety culture improvements. Section 3, project Findings, contains the main observations and output from the project. These include: - a brief overview of aspects of the local industry operating context that impinge on safety culture; - a summary of strengths or positive attributes observed within the safety culture of the Swedish nuclear industry; - a set of identified opportunities for further improvement; - the aggregated results of the

  1. Nanotechnology Safety Self-Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grogin, Phillip W. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2016-03-29

    Nanoparticles are near-atomic scale structures between 1 and 100 nanometers (one billionth of a meter). Engineered nanoparticles are intentionally created and are used in research and development at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This course, Nanotechnology Safety Self-Study, presents an overview of the hazards, controls, and uncertainties associated with the use of unbound engineered nanoscale particles (UNP) in a laboratory environment.

  2. Safety regulations concerning instrumentation and control systems for research reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Shanshoury, A.I.

    2009-01-01

    A brief study on the safety and reliability issues related to instrumentation and control systems in nuclear reactor plants is performed. In response, technical and strategic issues are used to accomplish instrumentation and control systems safety. For technical issues there are ; systems aspects of digital I and C technology, software quality assurance, common-mode software, failure potential, safety and reliability assessment methods, and human factors and human machine interfaces. The strategic issues are the case-by-case licensing process and the adequacy of the technical infrastructure. The purpose of this work was to review the reliability of the safety systems related to these technical issues for research reactors

  3. Alopecia in association with lamotrigine use : an analysis of individual case safety reports in a global database

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tengstrand, Maria; Star, Kristina; van Puijenbroek, Eugène P; Hill, Richard

    BACKGROUND: The WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring, maintained by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), has more than 90 member countries contributing individual case safety reports (ICSRs) from their existing national pharmacovigilance systems; these reports are stored in the WHO global

  4. 78 FR 64504 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH or..., Number 177, Pages 56235-56236. Contact Person for More Information: Price Connor, Ph.D., NIOSH Health...

  5. The Dynamics of Agile Practices for Safety-Critical Software Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Peter Axel; Tordrup Heeager, Lise

    2017-01-01

    This short paper reports from a case study of the agile development of safety-critical software. It utilizes a framework of dynamic relationships between agile practices with the purpose of demonstrating the utility of the framework to understand a case in its context, and it shows significant...... dynamics. The study is concluded by pointing at which further research on the framework is required to use the framework in managing the agile development of safety-critical software....

  6. Ensuring food safety in food donations: Case study of the Belgian donation/acceptation chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Boeck, E; Jacxsens, L; Goubert, H; Uyttendaele, M

    2017-10-01

    The food donation process in Belgium is mapped and analyzed to identify bottlenecks in compliance with the legal framework and implementation of food safety management, based on literature search and interviews with stakeholders (donors, acceptors, regulators and facilitators) in Belgium and at EU level. The study revealed that the food donation/acceptation chain is far less structured and organized than the conventional food supply chain. The fragmented landscape of many small food banks and charity organizations (acceptors), often directed by and working with volunteers without training in food safety and lack of knowledge of legal food hygiene requirements is a bottleneck to generate trust among food donors and restricts the provision of perishable products in food donations. Lack of refrigerated transport and insufficient cold/freezing capacity in food banks and charity organizations was identified as a barrier to distribute perishable products. Furthermore, in two cities in Flanders (Belgium), at some food donation centers, donated perishable food samples (n=72) were taken and subjected to microbiological analysis to determine their overall food quality, hygiene and food safety status. Twenty-two of 72 analyzed samples showed marginal microbiological quality based on numbers of yeast, lactic acid bacteria or total viable count. In three samples Listeria monocytogenes was detected per 25g among which one ready-to-eat cooked meat product which showed increased numbers of L. monocytogenes (3.5logCFU/g) and Enterobacteriaceae (6.7logCFU/g). Overall, in Belgium, most of the donated foods considers nonperishable foods, with more or less half of the food collected by the food banks being purchased with funds from FEAD (Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived) and thus not derived from food losses. Efforts are being made by facilitators to provide a platform for better coordination of donors and acceptors to make more efficient use of food losses. Regulators at the

  7. Safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The response to a previous publication by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG), indicated a broad international interest in expansion of the concept of Safety Culture, in such a way that its effectiveness in particular cases may be judged. This report responds to that need. In its manifestation, Safety Culture has two major components: the framework determined by organizational policy and by managerial action, and the response of individuals in working within and benefiting by the framework. 1 fig

  8. Canadian Consumer Food Safety Practices and Knowledge: Foodbook Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Regan; Glass-Kaastra, Shiona; Gardhouse, Christine; Marshall, Barbara; Ciampa, Nadia; Franklin, Kristyn; Hurst, Matt; Thomas, M Kate; Nesbitt, Andrea

    2017-10-01

    Understanding consumers' food safety practices and knowledge supports food safety education for the prevention of foodborne illness. The objective of this study was to describe Canadian consumer food safety practices and knowledge. This study identifies demographic groups for targeted food safety education messaging and establishes a baseline measurement to assess the effectiveness of food safety interventions over time. Questions regarding consumer food safety practices and knowledge were included in a population-based telephone survey, Foodbook, conducted from November 2014 to March 2015. The results were analyzed nationally by age group and by gender. The results showed that approximately 90% of Canadians reported taking the recommended cleaning and separating precautions when handling raw meat to prevent foodborne illness. Only 29% of respondents reported using a food thermometer when cooking any meat, and even fewer (12%) reported using a food thermometer for small cuts of meat such as chicken pieces. The majority (>80%) of Canadians were aware of the foodborne illness risks related to chicken and hamburger, but fewer (poultry.

  9. Safety and reliability criteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Neil, R.

    1978-01-01

    Nuclear power plants and, in particular, reactor pressure boundary components have unique reliability requirements, in that usually no significant redundancy is possible, and a single failure can give rise to possible widespread core damage and fission product release. Reliability may be required for availability or safety reasons, but in the case of the pressure boundary and certain other systems safety may dominate. Possible Safety and Reliability (S and R) criteria are proposed which would produce acceptable reactor design. Without some S and R requirement the designer has no way of knowing how far he must go in analysing his system or component, or whether his proposed solution is likely to gain acceptance. The paper shows how reliability targets for given components and systems can be individually considered against the derived S and R criteria at the design and construction stage. Since in the case of nuclear pressure boundary components there is often very little direct experience on which to base reliability studies, relevant non-nuclear experience is examined. (author)

  10. Safety of intramedullary autologous peripheral nerve grafts for post-rehabilitated complete motor spinal cord injuries: a phase I study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazi Derakhshanrad

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Many experimental studies have reported behavioral improvement after transplantation of peripheral nerve tissue into the contused spinal cord, even in large animals. The safety of this treatment in human remains unknown. In this translational phase 1 study, safety of peripheral nerve grafting for chronic spinal cord injuries and possible outcomes are being reported. Twelve complete motor spinal cord injury patients, who had finished their rehabilitation program, were enrolled. There were 4 thoracic and 8 cervical cases. Patients underwent sural nerve preconditioning in the calf, followed 1 week later, by intramedullary transplantation of the harvested nerve fascicles. The patients were followed up for potential complications periodically, and final assessment by American Spinal Injury association (ASIA and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III were reported after 2 years of follow-up. The median duration of the spinal cord injury was 31 months. At two years of follow up, out of 7 cases with ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS A, 4(57.1% cases improved to AIS B and 1 (14.3% case became AIS C. There were 1 patient with transient increased spasm, one case of transient cystitis, 3 patients with transient increased neuropathic pain and 1 case with transient episode of autonomic dysreflexia, all being managed medically. There was no case of donor site infection. The above complications were transient as they responded to temporary medical treatment. It may be deduced that after two years follow-up of patients that the procedure may be safe, however further controlled studies are needed to prove its efficacy.

  11. Synthesis of the safety studies carried out on the GFR2400

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bertrand, F., E-mail: frederic.bertrand@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, DER, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Bassi, C. [CEA, DEN, DER, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Bentivoglio, F. [CEA, DEN, DM2S, F-38054, Grenoble (France); Audubert, F. [CEA, DEN, DEC, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Gueneau, C. [CEA, DEN, DPC, F-91191, Gif-sur-yvette (France); Rimpault, G. [CEA, DEN, DER, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Journeau, C. [CEA, DEN, DTN, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France)

    2012-12-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Insights from accident studies and PSA have consolidated GFR2400 design. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Safety margins are adequate for design basis accidents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Core cooling strategy is reinforced by use of PCS for frequent events. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Prevention of core degradation is shown in challenging hypothetic situations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It is shown that most of severe accidents can be managed despite limited test data. - Abstract: The present paper is dedicated to the synthesis of the safety studies carried out on the 2400 MWth gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR2400) concept developed at CEA. The analysis of the reference design basis accidents investigated up to now, has shown margins up to the acceptance criteria, equal at least to 300 Degree-Sign C for the category 3 situations and larger than 100 Degree-Sign C for the category 4 situations. The dimensioning of the decay heat removal (DHR) loops and of the power conversion system (PCS) loops has been shown adequate even for bounding degraded situations including multiple failures. Furthermore, in the following part of the paper, it is shown how the main insights provided by a level 1 probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) carried out at an early stage of the design, have led to reinforce the reliability of the DHR function in high pressure conditions by using the PCS as the first mean to cool the core; in the same time, on the basis of a combination of deterministic augments and of PSA results, a design simplification process has led to add a low pressure DHR loop to replace a high pressure DHR loop. The last section is dedicated to prevention and preliminary study of severe accidents (SA). Four SA families have been identified depending on the dynamics and on the scale of the considered accident. The possibility to prevent core degradation by using an adapted accident management (nitrogen injection, use of PCS loops) has

  12. Flammable Gas Safety Self-Study 52827

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Glass, George [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2016-03-17

    This course, Flammable Gas Safety Self-Study (COURSE 52827), presents an overview of the hazards and controls associated with commonly used, compressed flammable gases at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

  13. Application of life-cycle information for advancement in safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Application of safety information to advanced safety management support system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Ishida, Michihiko

    2005-08-01

    Risk management is major concern to nuclear energy reprocessing plants to improve plant and process reliability and ensure their safety. This is because we are required to predict potential risks before any accident or disaster occurs. The advancement of safety design and safety systems technologies showed large amount of useful safety-related knowledge that can be of great importance to plant operation to reduce operation risks and ensure safety. This research proposes safety knowledge modeling framework on the basis of ontology technologies to systematically construct plant knowledge model, which includes plant structure, operation, and the associated behaviors. In such plant knowledge model safety related information is defined and linked to the different elements of plant knowledge model. Ontology editor is employed to define the basic concepts and their inter-relations, which are used to capture and construct plant safety knowledge. In order to provide detailed safety knowledgebase, HAZOP results are analyzed and structured so that safety-related knowledge are identified and structured within the plant knowledgebase. The target safety knowledgebase includes: failures, deviations, causes, consequences, and fault propagation as mapped to plant knowledge. The proposed ontology-based safety framework is applied on case study nuclear plant to structure failures, causes, consequences, and fault propagation, which are used to support plant operation. (author)

  14. Managing Safety and Operations: The Effect of Joint Management System Practices on Safety and Operational Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tompa, Emile; Robson, Lynda; Sarnocinska-Hart, Anna; Klassen, Robert; Shevchenko, Anton; Sharma, Sharvani; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Amick, Benjamin C; Johnston, David A; Veltri, Anthony; Pagell, Mark

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether management system practices directed at both occupational health and safety (OHS) and operations (joint management system [JMS] practices) result in better outcomes in both areas than in alternative practices. Separate regressions were estimated for OHS and operational outcomes using data from a survey along with administrative records on injuries and illnesses. Organizations with JMS practices had better operational and safety outcomes than organizations without these practices. They had similar OHS outcomes as those with operations-weak practices, and in some cases, better outcomes than organizations with safety-weak practices. They had similar operational outcomes as those with safety-weak practices, and better outcomes than those with operations-weak practices. Safety and operations appear complementary in organizations with JMS practices in that there is no penalty for either safety or operational outcomes.

  15. Modeling the Relationship between Safety Climate and Safety Performance in a Developing Construction Industry: A Cross-Cultural Validation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Hafiz; Chan, Albert P C; Utama, Wahyudi P; Gao, Ran; Zafar, Irfan

    2017-03-28

    This study attempts to validate a safety performance (SP) measurement model in the cross-cultural setting of a developing country. In addition, it highlights the variations in investigating the relationship between safety climate (SC) factors and SP indicators. The data were collected from forty under-construction multi-storey building projects in Pakistan. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis, a SP measurement model was hypothesized. It was tested and validated by conducting confirmatory factor analysis on calibration and validation sub-samples respectively. The study confirmed the significant positive impact of SC on safety compliance and safety participation , and negative impact on number of self-reported accidents/injuries . However, number of near-misses could not be retained in the final SP model because it attained a lower standardized path coefficient value. Moreover, instead of safety participation , safety compliance established a stronger impact on SP. The study uncovered safety enforcement and promotion as a novel SC factor, whereas safety rules and work practices was identified as the most neglected factor. The study contributed to the body of knowledge by unveiling the deviations in existing dimensions of SC and SP. The refined model is expected to concisely measure the SP in the Pakistani construction industry, however, caution must be exercised while generalizing the study results to other developing countries.

  16. Safety campaigns. TIS Launches New Safety Information Campaign

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    Need to start a new installation and worried about safety aspects? Or are you newly responsible for safety matters in a CERN building? Perhaps you're simply interested in how to make the working environment safer for yourself and your colleagues. Whatever the case, a new information campaign launched by TIS this week can help. The most visible aspects of the new campaign will be posters distributed around the Laboratory treating a different subject each month. The Web site - http://safety.cern.ch/ - which provides all safety related information. But these are not the only aspects of the new campaign. Members of the TIS/GS group, whose contact details can be found on the safety web site, are available to give information and advice on a one-to-one basis at any time. The campaign's launch has been timed to coincide with European Safety Week, organized by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the subject treated in the first posters is safety inspection. This particular topic only concerns thos...

  17. A study of digital hardware architectures for nuclear reactors protection systems applications - reliability and safety analysis methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benko, Pedro Luiz

    1997-01-01

    A study of digital hardware architectures, including experience in many countries, topologies and solutions to interface circuits for protection systems of nuclear reactors is presented. Methods for developing digital systems architectures based on fault tolerant and safety requirements is proposed. Directives for assessing such conditions are suggested. Techniques and the most common tools employed in reliability, safety evaluation and modeling of hardware architectures is also presented. Markov chain modeling is used to evaluate the reliability of redundant architectures. In order to estimate software quality, several mechanisms to be used in design, specification, and validation and verification (V and V) procedures are suggested. A digital protection system architecture has been analyzed as a case study. (author)

  18. Casing Pipe Damage Detection with Optical Fiber Sensors: A Case Study in Oil Well Constructions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhi Zhou

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Casing pipes in oil well constructions may suddenly buckle inward as their inside and outside hydrostatic pressure difference increases. For the safety of construction workers and the steady development of oil industries, it is critically important to measure the stress state of a casing pipe. This study develops a rugged, real-time monitoring, and warning system that combines the distributed Brillouin Scattering Time Domain Reflectometry (BOTDR and the discrete fiber Bragg grating (FBG measurement. The BOTDR optical fiber sensors were embedded with no optical fiber splice joints in a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP rebar and the FBG sensors were wrapped in epoxy resins and glass clothes, both installed during the segmental construction of casing pipes. In situ tests indicate that the proposed sensing system and installation technique can survive the downhole driving process of casing pipes, withstand a harsh service environment, and remain intact with the casing pipes for compatible strain measurements. The relative error of the measured strains between the distributed and discrete sensors is less than 12%. The FBG sensors successfully measured the maximum horizontal principal stress with a relative error of 6.7% in comparison with a cross multipole array acoustic instrument.

  19. A case for safety leadership team training of hospital managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Sara J; Hayes, Jennifer; Cooper, Jeffrey B; Vogt, Jay W; Sales, Michael; Aristidou, Angela; Gray, Garry C; Kiang, Mathew V; Meyer, Gregg S

    2011-01-01

    Delivering safe patient care remains an elusive goal. Resolving problems in complex organizations like hospitals requires managers to work together. Safety leadership training that encourages managers to exercise learning-oriented, team-based leadership behaviors could promote systemic problem solving and enhance patient safety. Despite the need for such training, few programs teach multidisciplinary groups of managers about specific behaviors that can enhance their role as leadership teams in the realm of patient safety. The aims of this study were to describe a learning-oriented, team-based, safety leadership training program composed of reinforcing exercises and to provide evidence confirming the need for such training and demonstrating behavior change among management groups after training. Twelve groups of managers from an academic medical center based in the Northeast United States were randomly selected to participate in the program and exposed to its customized, experience-based, integrated, multimodal curriculum. We extracted data from transcripts of four training sessions over 15 months with groups of managers about the need for the training in these groups and change in participants' awareness, professional behaviors, and group activity. Training transcripts confirmed the need for safety leadership team training and provided evidence of the potential for training to increase targeted behaviors. The training increased awareness and use of leadership behaviors among many managers and led to new routines and coordinated effort among most management groups. Enhanced learning-oriented leadership often helped promote a learning orientation in managers' work areas. Team-based training that promotes specific learning-oriented leader behaviors can promote behavioral change among multidisciplinary groups of hospital managers.

  20. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Models and data for the repository system 2012. Parts 1 and 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-09-15

    TURVA-2012 is Posiva Oy's safety case in support of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR 2012) and application for a construction licence for a KBS-3V spent nuclear fuel repository. The present report is a key element of the TURVA-2012 report portfolio and has the objective of documenting the models, data, assumptions and treatment of uncertainties in the context of the safety case. This report is the main link between the safety case and the engineered barrier design and their development as well as between the safety case and the Olkiluoto site investigations. This report focuses on the models and data used in Performance Assessment and in Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System, which are key reports of TURVA-2012. Models and data for the surface environment are discussed in dedicated biosphere modelling and data reports. This report describes the methodology for the identification of key models and data as well as the modelling chain with input and output data connections. Models and data are presented for all components of the repository system: spent nuclear fuel, canister, buffer, backfill, closure, underground openings and geosphere. The report is structured so that the modelling of external processes is discussed first, followed by the models and data used in the performance assessment to address the evolution of the repository system and finally the models and data used in the radionuclide release and transport assessment. Confidence in the models and data and the treatment of uncertainties are also discussed. The present report traces the path from data production to implementation in the modelling chain. During the compilation of the report, some discrepancies between the sources of data and data usage, as well as some inconsistencies in model assumptions, were identified. The consequences of the potentially most significant of these were checked through additional radionuclide release and transport

  1. Safety case for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Olkiluoto. Models and data for the repository system 2012. Parts 1 and 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-09-01

    TURVA-2012 is Posiva Oy's safety case in support of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR 2012) and application for a construction licence for a KBS-3V spent nuclear fuel repository. The present report is a key element of the TURVA-2012 report portfolio and has the objective of documenting the models, data, assumptions and treatment of uncertainties in the context of the safety case. This report is the main link between the safety case and the engineered barrier design and their development as well as between the safety case and the Olkiluoto site investigations. This report focuses on the models and data used in Performance Assessment and in Assessment of Radionuclide Release Scenarios for the Repository System, which are key reports of TURVA-2012. Models and data for the surface environment are discussed in dedicated biosphere modelling and data reports. This report describes the methodology for the identification of key models and data as well as the modelling chain with input and output data connections. Models and data are presented for all components of the repository system: spent nuclear fuel, canister, buffer, backfill, closure, underground openings and geosphere. The report is structured so that the modelling of external processes is discussed first, followed by the models and data used in the performance assessment to address the evolution of the repository system and finally the models and data used in the radionuclide release and transport assessment. Confidence in the models and data and the treatment of uncertainties are also discussed. The present report traces the path from data production to implementation in the modelling chain. During the compilation of the report, some discrepancies between the sources of data and data usage, as well as some inconsistencies in model assumptions, were identified. The consequences of the potentially most significant of these were checked through additional radionuclide release and transport calculations

  2. The advanced neutron source facility: Safety philosophy and studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greene, S.R.; Harrington, R.M.

    1988-01-01

    The Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) is currently the only new civilian nuclear reactor facility proposed for construction in the United States. Even though the thermal power of this research-oriented reactor is a relatively low 300 MW, the design will undoubtedly receive intense scrutiny before construction is allowed to proceed. Safety studies are already under way to ensure that the maximum degree of safety in incorporated into the design and that the design is acceptable to the Department of Energy (DOE) and can meet the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. This document discusses these safety studies

  3. Patient safety: Safety culture and patient safety ethics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Marlene Dyrløv

    2006-01-01

    ,demonstrating significant, consistent and sometimes large differences in terms of safety culture factors across the units participating in the survey. Paper 5 is the results of a study of the relation between safety culture, occupational health andpatient safety using a safety culture questionnaire survey......Patient safety - the prevention of medical error and adverse events - and the initiative of developing safety cultures to assure patients from harm have become one of the central concerns in quality improvement in healthcare both nationally andinternationally. This subject raises numerous...... challenging issues of systemic, organisational, cultural and ethical relevance, which this dissertation seeks to address through the application of different disciplinary approaches. The main focus of researchis safety culture; through empirical and theoretical studies to comprehend the phenomenon, address...

  4. Risk and protective factors for falls on one level in young children: multicentre case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benford, P; Young, B; Coupland, C; Watson, M; Hindmarch, P; Hayes, M; Goodenough, T; Majsak-Newman, G; Kendrick, D

    2015-12-01

    Childhood falls are an important global public health problem, but there is lack of evidence about their prevention. Falls on one level result in considerable morbidity and they are costly to health services. To estimate ORs for falls on one level in children aged 0-4 years for a range of safety behaviours, safety equipment use and home hazards. Multicentre case-control study at hospitals, minor injury units and general practices in and around four UK study centres. Participants included 582 children less than 5 years of age with a medically attended fall injury occurring at home and 2460 controls matched on age, sex, calendar time and study centre. Fall on one level. Cases' most common injuries were bangs on the head (52%), cuts or grazes not needing stitches (29%) or cuts or grazes needing stitches (17%). Comparing cases to community controls in the adjusted analyses, significant findings were observed for only two exposures. Injured children were significantly less likely to live in a household without furniture corner covers (adjusted OR (AOR) 0.72, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.95), or without rugs and carpets firmly fixed to the floor (AOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.98). We did not find any safety practices, use of safety equipment or home hazards associated with a reduced risk of fall on one level. Our findings do not provide evidence to support changes to current injury prevention practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  5. A Framework for School Safety and Risk Management: Results from a Study of 18 Targeted School Shooters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenhardt, Ann Marie C.; Graham, Lemuel W.; Farrell, Melissa L.

    2018-01-01

    Targeted violence continues to pose a threat to school safety. Reported here are the results of a study of 18 cases of school shooters from 1996 to 2012. Variables examined are individual factors and behaviors, family dynamics, and triggering events. Results indicate the need for expanded school-based mental health services, threat assessment, and…

  6. An Event Reporting and Early-Warning Safety System Based on the Internet of Things for Underground Coal Mines: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Byung Wan Jo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Fatal accidents associated with underground coal mines require the implementation of high-level gas monitoring and miner’s localization approaches to promote underground safety and health. This study introduces a real-time monitoring, event-reporting and early-warning platform, based on cluster analysis for outlier detection, spatiotemporal statistical analysis, and an RSS range-based weighted centroid localization algorithm for improving safety management and preventing accidents in underground coal mines. The proposed platform seamlessly integrates monitoring, analyzing, and localization approaches using the Internet of Things (IoT, cloud computing, a real-time operational database, application gateways, and application program interfaces. The prototype has been validated and verified at the operating underground Hassan Kishore coal mine. Sensors for air quality parameters including temperature, humidity, CH4, CO2, and CO demonstrated an excellent performance, with regression constants always greater than 0.97 for each parameter when compared to their commercial equivalent. This framework enables real-time monitoring, identification of abnormal events (>90%, and verification of a miner’s localization (with <1.8 m of error in the harsh environment of underground mines. The main contribution of this study is the development of an open source, customizable, and cost-effective platform for effectively promoting underground coal mine safety. This system is helpful for solving the problems of accessibility, serviceability, interoperability, and flexibility associated with safety in coal mines.

  7. SKB's safety case for a final repository license application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hedin, Allan; Andersson, Johan

    2014-01-01

    The safety assessment SR-Site is a main component in SKB's license application, submitted in March 2011, to construct and operate a final repository for spent nuclear fuel at Forsmark in the municipality of Oesthammar, Sweden. Its role in the application is to demonstrate long-term safety for a repository at Forsmark. The assessment relates to the KBS-3 disposal concept in which copper canisters with a cast iron insert containing spent nuclear fuel are surrounded by bentonite clay and deposited at approximately 500 m depth in saturated, granitic rock. The principal regulatory acceptance criterion, issued by the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), requires that the annual risk of harmful effects after closure not exceed 10 -6 for a representative individual in the group exposed to the greatest risk. SSM's regulations also imply that the assessment time for a repository of this type is one million years after closure. The licence applied for is one in a stepwise series of permits, each requiring a safety report. The next step concerns a permit to start excavation of the repository and requires a preliminary safety assessment report (PSAR) covering both operational and post-closure safety. Later steps include permission to commence trial operation, to commence regular operation and to close the final repository. (authors)

  8. EXPLORATORY STUDY OF OBSTACLES IN SAFETY CULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A GROUNDED THEORY APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonaventure H.W. Hadikusumo

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyse the obstacles that prevent the development of a safety culture in Thailand’s large construction industry from various managerial points of view. Qualitative research methods were used by performing a series of semi-structured interviews of eight case studies selected from six prominent construction firms to investigate the obstacles they face. Glaser’s keyword coding from Grounded Theory was used to reduce the information load after the interviews. Our findings revealed that the factors influencing the successful development of a safety culture in the construction industry are the workers, the characteristics of construction, the subcontractors, the supervisors, and external factors. Based on the frequency analysis, the main obstacles in developing a safety culture result from problems related to the workers themselves. The three most frequently discussed problems are unskilled workers, unsafe worker habits, and high worker turnover. Our results also suggest that managers should encourage engagement from their workers to optimise the successful implementation of safety programs and their long-term improvement.

  9. Consumer Food Safety Risk Attitudes and Perceptions Over Time: The Case of BSE Crisis

    OpenAIRE

    Kalogeras, Nikos; Pennings, Joost M.E.; van Ittersum, Koert

    2008-01-01

    Recent research has shown that by decoupling the risk response behaviour of consumers into the separate components of risk perception and risk attitude, a more robust conceptualization and prediction of consumers’ reactions to food safety issues is possible. Furthermore, it has been argued that the influence of risk attitudes and risk perceptions on consumer risk behaviour for contaminated food products can be used to formulate effective agricultural policies and strategies in case of a food ...

  10. Safety and reliability assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    This report contains the papers delivered at the course on safety and reliability assessment held at the CSIR Conference Centre, Scientia, Pretoria. The following topics were discussed: safety standards; licensing; biological effects of radiation; what is a PWR; safety principles in the design of a nuclear reactor; radio-release analysis; quality assurance; the staffing, organisation and training for a nuclear power plant project; event trees, fault trees and probability; Automatic Protective Systems; sources of failure-rate data; interpretation of failure data; synthesis and reliability; quantification of human error in man-machine systems; dispersion of noxious substances through the atmosphere; criticality aspects of enrichment and recovery plants; and risk and hazard analysis. Extensive examples are given as well as case studies

  11. The application of the Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP) and Food Safety Objective (FSO) concepts in food safety management, using Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats as a case study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gkogka, E.; Reij, M.W.; Gorris, L.G.M.; Zwietering, M.H.

    2011-01-01

    To establish a link between governmental food safety control and operational food safety management, the concepts of the Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP) and the Food Safety Objective (FSO) have been suggested by international bodies as a means of making food safety control transparent and

  12. Evaluation and Customization of WHO Safety Checklist for Patient Safety in Otorhinolaryngology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabholkar, Yogesh; Velankar, Haritosh; Suryanarayan, Sneha; Dabholkar, Twinkle Y; Saberwal, Akanksha A; Verma, Bhavika

    2018-03-01

    The WHO has designed a safe surgery checklist to enhance communication and awareness of patient safety during surgery and to minimise complications. WHO recommends that the check-list be evaluated and customised by end users as a tool to promote safe surgery. The aim of present study was to evaluate the impact of WHO safety checklist on patient safety awareness in otorhinolaryngology and to customise it for the speciality. A prospective structured questionnaire based study was done in ENT operating room for duration of 1 month each for cases, before and after implementation of safe surgery checklist. The feedback from respondents (surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists) was used to arrive at a customised checklist for otolaryngology as per WHO guidelines. The checklist significantly improved team member's awareness of patient's identity (from 17 to 86%) and each other's identity and roles (from 46 to 94%) and improved team communication (from 73 to 92%) in operation theatre. There was a significant improvement in preoperative check of equipment and critical events were discussed more frequently. The checklist could be effectively customised to suit otolaryngology needs as per WHO guidelines. The modified checklist needs to be validated by otolaryngology associations. We conclude from our study that the WHO Surgical safety check-list has a favourable impact on patient safety awareness, team-work and communication of operating team and can be customised for otolaryngology setting.

  13. Allopurinol use in pregnancy in three women with inflammatory bowel disease: safety and outcomes: a case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazal, Muhammad W; Doogue, Matt P; Leong, Rupert W; Bampton, Peter A; Andrews, Jane M

    2013-12-17

    Allopurinol is a frequently prescribed drug. In inflammatory bowel disease patients who shunt thiopurine metabolism towards more toxic and less desirable pathways, allopurinol is proving to be an effective add on therapy with good resultant disease control and less treatment side effects. As many such patients are young, the potential for pregnant women to be exposed to allopurinol is increasing. The safety of allopurinol in pregnancy is not known however. We report three cases of safe use of allopurinol in pregnancy for women with inflammatory bowel disease. This included 2 patients with ulcerative colitis and 1 patient with fistulising Crohn's disease. Allopurinol was used throughout pregnancy in all patients. All 3 pregnancies resulted in normal healthy babies born at term by Caesarean section. It is important to evaluate and document the safety of allopurinol during pregnancy, as it is finding new roles in young patients. These three cases add significantly to the very limited data on allopurinol use in pregnancy. We encourage reporting of all cases of allopurinol use in pregnant patients and suggest an allopurinol pregnancy registry to document drug exposures and outcomes.

  14. Preliminary Study on the Revision of Nuclear Safety Policy Statement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Y. E.; Lee, S. H.; Chang, H. S.; Choi, K. S.; Jung, S. J.

    2011-01-01

    Nuclear safety policy in Korea is currently declared in the Nuclear Safety Charter as the highest tier document and safety principles and directions are announced in the Nuclear Safety Policy Statement. As the circumstances affecting on the nuclear safety policy change, it needs to revise the Statement. This study aims to develop the revised Nuclear Safety Policy Statement to declare that securing safety is a prerequisite to the utilization of nuclear energy, and that all workers in nuclear industry and regulatory body must adhere to the principle of priority to safety. As a result, two different types of revision are being prepared as of August. One is based on the spirit of Nuclear Safety Charter as well as the direction of future-oriented safety policies including the changes in the environment after declaration of the Statement. The other is to declare the fundamental safety objective and safety principles as the top philosophy of national nuclear safety policy by adopting the '10 Safety Principles in IAEA Safety Fundamental' instead of the current Charter. Both versions of revision are subject to further in-depth discussion. However once the revision is finalized and declared, it would be useful to accomplish effectively the organizational responsibilities and to enhance the public confidence in nuclear safety by performing the regulatory activities in a planned and systematic manner and promulgating the government's dedication to priority to safety

  15. Contributions to safety studies for new concepts of nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perdu, F.

    2003-12-01

    The complete study of molten salt reactors, designed for a massive and durable nuclear energy production, must include neutronics, hydraulics and thermal effects. This coupled study, using the MCNP and Trio U codes, is undertaken in the case of the MSRE (molten salt reactor experiment) prototype. The obtained results fit very well the experiment. Their extrapolation suggests ways of improving the safety coefficients of power molten salt reactors. A second part is devoted to accelerator driven subcritical reactors, developed to incinerate radioactive waste.We propose a method to measure the prompt reactivity from the decay following a neutron pulse. It relies only on the distribution of times between generations, which is a characteristic of the reactor. This method is implemented on the results of the MUSE 4 experiment, and the obtained reactivity is accurate within 5%. (author)

  16. A Study on the Optimization Method of the Main Steam Safety Valve Characteristics for Overpressure Protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Kyoung Ryun; Kim, Ung Soo; Pakr, Min Soo; Lee, Gyu Cheon; Kim, Shin Whan [KEPCO EnC Company Inc., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    The safety analysis on Loss of Condenser Vacuum (LOCV) event should be performed in accordance with Standard Review Plan (SRP) for pressurized water reactor. SRP is prepared for the guidance of staff reviewers in the office of nuclear reactor regulation in performing safety reviews of applications to operate nuclear power plants. The recent SRP requires that peak pressure in the primary and secondary system be evaluated separately since initial conditions are different for the primary and secondary systems. This paper presents an evaluation of the effect of the MSSVs characteristics with the analysis of LOCV event in order to have the sufficient safety margin of RCS and secondary system. This study has been conducted with the sensitivity analysis on the design parameters of MSSV which are the opening logic, set-point pressure and discharging capacity to the atmosphere. In this work, the effect of optimization method for the MSSV is evaluated from the viewpoints of opening logic change, discharge capacity increase and opening set-point decrease to mitigate the RCS and secondary system peak pressure resulting in additional safety margin. From the results, the optimization method is identified to be effective in reducing system peak pressure, especially for the secondary system. The opening logic which has increased number of MSSVs in the 1''st MSSV bank remarkably decreases the pressure of the secondary system. In the cases of 1/1/3, 2/1/2, the peak pressure of the main steam system is limited to the set-point of the 3''rd bank of MSSVs, and in the case of 3/1/1 it is limited to the set- point of the 2''nd bank of MSSVs. Consequently, the opening logic of the MSSVs is very important parameter to have the safety margin of the secondary system. The capacity and set-point of MSSVs do not involve increasing the peak pressure of RCS. It is recommended that the new design method of MSSVs as shown in this study be adopted to have the sufficient

  17. Progress in the development of methodology for fusion safety systems studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ho, S.K.; Cambi, G.; Ciattaglia, S.; Fujii-e, Y.; Seki, Y.

    1994-01-01

    The development of fusion safety systems-study methodology, including the aspects of schematic classification of overall fusion safety system, qualitative assessment of fusion system for identification of critical accident scenarios, quantitative analysis of accident consequences and risk for safety design evaluation, and system-level analysis of accident consequences and risk for design optimization, by a consortium of international efforts is presented. The potential application of this methodology into reactor design studies will facilitate the systematic assessment of safety performance of reactor designs and enhance the impacts of safety considerations on the selection of design configurations

  18. Remote video auditing with real-time feedback in an academic surgical suite improves safety and efficiency metrics: a cluster randomised study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overdyk, Frank J; Dowling, Oonagh; Newman, Sheldon; Glatt, David; Chester, Michelle; Armellino, Donna; Cole, Brandon; Landis, Gregg S; Schoenfeld, David; DiCapua, John F

    2016-12-01

    Compliance with the surgical safety checklist during operative procedures has been shown to reduce inhospital mortality and complications but proper execution by the surgical team remains elusive. We evaluated the impact of remote video auditing with real-time provider feedback on checklist compliance during sign-in, time-out and sign-out and case turnover times. Prospective, cluster randomised study in a 23-operating room (OR) suite. Surgeons, anaesthesia providers, nurses and support staff. ORs were randomised to receive, or not receive, real-time feedback on safety checklist compliance and efficiency metrics via display boards and text messages, followed by a period during which all ORs received feedback. Checklist compliance (Pass/Fail) during sign-in, time-out and sign-out demonstrated by (1) use of checklist, (2) team attentiveness, (3) required duration, (4) proper sequence and duration of case turnover times. Sign-in, time-out and sign-out PASS rates increased from 25%, 16% and 32% during baseline phase (n=1886) to 64%, 84% and 68% for feedback ORs versus 40%, 77% and 51% for no-feedback ORs (pauditing with feedback improves surgical safety checklist compliance for all cases, and turnover time for scheduled cases, but not for unscheduled cases. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  19. Project safety studies - nuclear waste management (PSE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-10-01

    The project 'Safety Studies-Nuclear Waste Management' (PSE) is a research project performed by order of the Federal Minister for Research and Technology, the general purpose of which is to deepen and ensure the understanding of the safety aspects of the nuclear waste management and to prepare a risk analysis which will have to be established in the future. Owing to this the project is part of a series of projects which serve the further development of the concept of nuclear waste management and its safety, and which are set up in such a way as to accompany the realization of that concept. This report contains the results of the first stage of the project from 1978 to mid-1981. (orig./RW) [de

  20. Posiva safety case hydrogeochemical evolution of the Olkiluoto site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trinchero, P.; Roman-Ross, G.; Maia, F.; Molinero, J. [Amphos 21 Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain)

    2014-03-15

    The goal of the present work is to assess the hydrochemical evolution and related changes in the buffering capacity of the Olkiluoto site using reactive transport models. The analysis covers a number of operational-related and climatic-related modelling periods that take place during a glacial cycle; namely, the present conditions with the open repository (Operational Period), the post-closure conditions (Temperate Period) and a stage of the glacial cycle representative of the ice sheet retreat phase (Melting Period). With the aim of reproducing the interplay between the hydrodynamic and geochemical processes, the reactive transport calculations summarised in this document integrate the results of a hydrogeological model with a number of geochemical reactions whose parameterisation relies on previous site investigation studies. The conceptual model on which the study is based, assumes that the hydrochemical evolution of the groundwater at repository depth is the result of infiltration processes from the surface of the domain to the repository. The infiltration occurs along flowpaths through deformation zones and fractures in the bedrock. The infiltrating water, in turn, undergo geochemical reactions with the rock and minerals, namely calcite and iron sulphide precipitation/dissolution, kinetic dissolution of aluminosilicates, cation exchange and aqueous redox reactions. Mass exchange between the transmissive fractures and the low permeability matrix is simulated using a dual porosity approach for the Temperate and Melting Periods. On the contrary, the Operational Period, which is characterised by high hydraulic gradients with advection being the dominant transport mechanism, is simulated using a single porosity model. In all the reactive transport simulations denoted as 'Base Case', pyrite is assumed to be the main iron sulphide mineral in the fracture filling. A set of sensitivity simulations, denoted as 'Variant Case', has been defined where