WorldWideScience

Sample records for safety communication abnormal

  1. A study on the operator's communication pattern characteristics under abnormal operating situation of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, S. H.; Park, J.

    2008-01-01

    The quality of a probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) has become more important and a human reliability analysis (HRA) is known as a major contributor to the uncertainty of a PSA. As a part of enhancing the HRA quality, a study was initiated to find out characteristics of communication pattern and to evaluate communication quality of the operators of nuclear power plants. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is developing evaluation methods for the effect of human-induced events on risk/performance. This paper describes a study on the operator's communication pattern characteristics under abnormal operating situation of nuclear power plants. The study was carried out in four stages; 1) Video recording 2) Audio scripting 3) Message Classification 4) Communication Pattern Analysis. We recorded eight abnormal simulator training programs from Younggwang nuclear power plant training center. After that we performed message classification and carried out communication pattern analysis. We compared communication patterns of abnormal operating situation with emergency operating situation.As results of analysis, the role of SRO (senior reactor operator) under abnormal operating situation was decreased than the activities under emergency operating situation because each operator (reactor operator, turbine operator, safety supervisor) in main control room (MCR) performs the activity to control by himself with corresponding field engineers with his basic knowledge of the system. On the other hand, the operator's decision making processes and activities under abnormal operating situation were dramatically increased than the emergency operating situation. (authors)

  2. Interface management: Effective communication to improve process safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, Brian; Berger, Scott

    2006-01-01

    Failure to successfully communicate maintenance activities, abnormal conditions, emergency response procedures, process hazards, and hundreds of other items of critical information can lead to disaster, regardless of the thoroughness of the process safety management system. Therefore, a well-functioning process safety program depends on maintaining successful communication interfaces between each involved employee or stakeholder and the many other employees or stakeholders that person must interact with. The authors discuss a process to identify the critical 'Interfaces' between the many participants in a process safety management system, and then to establish a protocol for each critical interface

  3. Communication and abnormal behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crown, S

    1979-01-01

    In this paper the similarities between normal and abnormal behaviour are emphasized and selected aspects of communication, normal and aberrant, between persons are explored. Communication in a social system may be verbal or non-verbal: one person's actions cause a response in another person. This response may be cognitive, behavioural or physiological. Communication may be approached through the individual, the social situation or social interaction. Psychoanalysis approaches the individual in terms of the coded communications of psychoneurotic symptoms or psychotic behaviour; the humanist-existential approach is concerned more with emotional expression. Both approaches emphasize the development of individual identity. The interaction between persons and their social background is stressed. Relevant are sociological concepts such as illness behaviour, stigma, labelling, institutionalization and compliance. Two approaches to social interactions are considered: the gamesplaying metaphor, e.g. back pain as a psychosocial manipulation--the 'pain game'; and the 'spiral of reciprocal perspectives' which emphasizes the interactional complexities of social perceptions. Communicatory aspects of psychological treatments are noted: learning a particular metaphor such as 'resolution' of the problem (psychotherapy), learning more 'rewarding' behaviour (learning theory) or learning authenticity or self-actualization (humanist-existential).

  4. Correcting abnormal speaking through communication partners ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The listed characteristics are called speech disorders. Abnormal speaking attracts some penalties to the speaker. The penalties are usually very disturbing to the speaker that undertaking some therapeutic measures becomes inevitable. Communication partners strategy is a speech correction approach which makes use of ...

  5. Communication on radiation safety: ability and sensibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rozental, Jose de Julio; Ministry of Environment

    2001-01-01

    Nuclear Communication Issues today, combine aspects of nuclear science, public approach and psychological subjects. The principal objectives are to systematize nuclear public information and to prepare researchers or communicators in a position to comment on the nuclear issues of our stage. The programme should focused on progress of nuclear energy, public perception of risk, conflicts among scientists, as the radiation effect at low doses, and how nuclear industry and scientists may better communicate information concerning the potential for hazard to property, health and the environment. There will be occasions where the competent authority should have formal link with other organizations, as in case of abnormal situation or emergency. Particular attention should be paid to the exchange of distinct parts in order to avoid misinterpretation or mistakes when divulging information to the public.Communication is emphasized in the IAEA Basic Safety Standards, [1] as well as, the current approach created to enlarge the relationship between man, practices and protection by the encouragement of a better understanding and implementation of the Safety Culture concept. The application of this concept involves better protection on Radiation Safety to workers, public and environment not only reducing accidents, but also avoiding unnecessary stresses and strains due to intensified operations. This means an advance towards the humanization of practices, equally observed by industrialized and developing countries. Finally, this paper also comment about two very important lessons that there were not yet learned as in reality necessary, considering the goals for a competent Nuclear Communication: the psychological effects of Chernobyl accident in April 1986 resulted from the lack of public information; the psychological effects of the Radiological Accident in Goiania resulted from the misunderstanding of the basic concept of ionizing radiation, which was translated into fear and

  6. Leader communication approaches and patient safety: An integrated model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattson, Malin; Hellgren, Johnny; Göransson, Sara

    2015-06-01

    Leader communication is known to influence a number of employee behaviors. When it comes to the relationship between leader communication and safety, the evidence is more scarce and ambiguous. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether and in what way leader communication relates to safety outcomes. The study examines two leader communication approaches: leader safety priority communication and feedback to subordinates. These approaches were assumed to affect safety outcomes via different employee behaviors. Questionnaire data, collected from 221 employees at two hospital wards, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The two examined communication approaches were both positively related to safety outcomes, although leader safety priority communication was mediated by employee compliance and feedback communication by organizational citizenship behaviors. The findings suggest that leader communication plays a vital role in improving organizational and patient safety and that different communication approaches seem to positively affect different but equally essential employee safety behaviors. The results highlights the necessity for leaders to engage in one-way communication of safety values as well as in more relational feedback communication with their subordinates in order to enhance patient safety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. and National Safety Council. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Improving Patient Safety: Improving Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bittner-Fagan, Heather; Davis, Joshua; Savoy, Margot

    2017-12-01

    Communication among physicians, staff, and patients is a critical element in patient safety. Effective communication skills can be taught and improved through training and awareness. The practice of family medicine allows for long-term relationships with patients, which affords opportunities for ongoing, high-quality communication. There are many barriers to effective communication, including patient factors, clinician factors, and system factors, but tools and strategies exist to address these barriers, improve communication, and engage patients in their care. Use of universal precautions for health literacy, appropriate medical interpreters, and shared decision-making are evidence-based tools that improve communication and increase patient safety. Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.

  8. Analysis of communication contents and the associated crew performance data collected from abnormal operating conditions of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jin Kyun; Kim, Seung Hwan; Kim, Man Cheol

    2010-11-01

    There would be no objection about the fact that, in the case of human operators working in a large process control system, the consequence of inappropriate communications would be more sensitive because they have to carry out many kinds of crucial activities (sharing key information or planning actions, etc.) based on communications. Accordingly, the reduction of inappropriate communications has been regarded as one of the key approaches in securing the safety of large process control systems, such as commercial airplanes, off-shore oil platforms and nuclear power plants (NPPs). This means that one of the practical methods would be the investigation of communication contents, through which we are able to identify useful insights pertaining to the prevention of inappropriate communications. For this reason, communications of main control room (MCR) operating crews that were faced with two kinds of abnormal operating conditions are analyzed to identify the variation of communication contents. To this end, in total 39 audio-visual records about abnormal training sessions, which were carried out by MCR operating crews, are collected from the full scope simulator of reference NPPs. Then communication contents and the associated crew performance data are compared for selected MCR operating crews. As a result, although additional effort is indispensable to draw a more concrete conclusion, it is strongly expected the performance of operating crews is proportional to the amount of '3-way communication.' In addition, it is necessary to develop a novel framework that can be used to analyze the communication characteristics of MCR operating crews because it is insufficient to retrieve insightful information from simple comparisons based on the empirical observation of crew communications

  9. Priming patient safety: A middle-range theory of safety goal priming via safety culture communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, Patricia S; Bunch, Jacinda L

    2018-05-18

    The aim of this paper is discussion of a new middle-range theory of patient safety goal priming via safety culture communication. Bedside nurses are key to safe care, but there is little theory about how organizations can influence nursing behavior through safety culture to improve patient safety outcomes. We theorize patient safety goal priming via safety culture communication may support organizations in this endeavor. According to this theory, hospital safety culture communication activates a previously held patient safety goal and increases the perceived value of actions nurses can take to achieve that goal. Nurses subsequently prioritize and are motivated to perform tasks and risk assessment related to achieving patient safety. These efforts continue until nurses mitigate or ameliorate identified risks and hazards during the patient care encounter. Critically, this process requires nurses to have a previously held safety goal associated with a repertoire of appropriate actions. This theory suggests undergraduate educators should foster an outcomes focus emphasizing the connections between nursing interventions and safety outcomes, hospitals should strategically structure patient safety primes into communicative activities, and organizations should support professional development including new skills and the latest evidence supporting nursing practice for patient safety. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Improving construction site safety through leader-based verbal safety communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kines, Pete; Andersen, Lars P S; Spangenberg, Soren; Mikkelsen, Kim L; Dyreborg, Johnny; Zohar, Dov

    2010-10-01

    The construction industry is one of the most injury-prone industries, in which production is usually prioritized over safety in daily on-site communication. Workers have an informal and oral culture of risk, in which safety is rarely openly expressed. This paper tests the effect of increasing leader-based on-site verbal safety communication on the level of safety and safety climate at construction sites. A pre-post intervention-control design with five construction work gangs is carried out. Foremen in two intervention groups are coached and given bi-weekly feedback about their daily verbal safety communications with their workers. Foremen-worker verbal safety exchanges (experience sampling method, n=1,693 interviews), construction site safety level (correct vs. incorrect, n=22,077 single observations), and safety climate (seven dimensions, n=105 questionnaires) are measured over a period of up to 42 weeks. Baseline measurements in the two intervention and three control groups reveal that foremen speak with their workers several times a day. Workers perceive safety as part of their verbal communication with their foremen in only 6-16% of exchanges, and the levels of safety at the sites range from 70-87% (correct observations). Measurements from baseline to follow-up in the two intervention groups reveal that safety communication between foremen and workers increases significantly in one of the groups (factor 7.1 increase), and a significant yet smaller increase is found when the two intervention groups are combined (factor 4.6). Significant increases in the level of safety are seen in both intervention groups (7% and 12% increases, respectively), particularly in regards to 'access ways' and 'railings and coverings' (39% and 84% increases, respectively). Increases in safety climate are seen in only one of the intervention groups with respect to their 'attention to safety.' No significant trend changes are seen in the three control groups on any of the three measures

  11. Improvement of the abnormal diagnosis technology by the development of an abnormal parts assignment system for the engineered safety features actuating system of the HTTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirato, Yoji; Kozawa, Takayuki; Saito, Kenji

    2015-01-01

    The safety protection sequence panel of HTTR is a control panel to actuate an engineering safety system for protecting the reactor core, reactor coolant pressure boundary, and containment vessel boundary at the time of an accident of the nuclear reactor facilities. The safety code stipulates that the control panel should receive safety check at a frequency of once a month during reactor operation. When abnormality has been found, it is required to eliminate its causes and restore normal operation as soon as possible. However, since this control panel is composed of a complex control circuit, the cause check during abnormality requires the confirmation by a knowledgeable person spending quite a lot of time for chart checking, which leads to a delay of restoration. To achieve a rapid restoration, the abnormal part assignment system (APAS), which can specify abnormality instantaneously even by a common operator, was developed. It has been confirmed that with this system, rapid initial response and prompt restoration can be effectively made. (A.O.)

  12. Communication's Role in Safety Management and Performance for the Road Safety Practices

    OpenAIRE

    Salim Keffane (s)

    2014-01-01

    Communication among organizations could play an important role in increasing road safety. To get in-depth knowledge of its role, this study measured managers' and employees' perceptions of the communication's role on six safety management and performance criteria for road safety practices by conducting a survey using a questionnaire among 165 employees and 135 managers. Path analysis using AMOS-19 software shows that some of the safety management road safety practices have high correlation wi...

  13. Functional Safety Specification of Communication Profile PROFIsafe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Rofar

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Paper maps the trends in area of safety-related communication within PROFIBUS and PROFINET industry networks. There are analyses safety measures and Fail-safe parameters of PROFIsafe profile in version V2 and their localisation in Safety Communication Layer SCL, which guarantees Safety Integrity Level SIL according to standard IEC 61508. The last chapter analyses the reaction in the event of fault during transmission of messages.

  14. Quantitative Safety and Security Analysis from a Communication Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boris Malinowsky

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces and exemplifies a trade-off analysis of safety and security properties in distributed systems. The aim is to support analysis for real-time communication and authentication building blocks in a wireless communication scenario. By embedding an authentication scheme into a real-time communication protocol for safety-critical scenarios, we can rely on the protocol’s individual safety and security properties. The resulting communication protocol satisfies selected safety and security properties for deployment in safety-critical use-case scenarios with security requirements. We look at handover situations in a IEEE 802.11 wireless setup between mobile nodes and access points. The trade-offs involve application-layer data goodput, probability of completed handovers, and effect on usable protocol slots, to quantify the impact of security from a lower-layer communication perspective on the communication protocols. The results are obtained using the network simulator ns-3.

  15. Safety and communication, a winning combination

    CERN Multimedia

    HSE Unit

    2014-01-01

    Since 2013, in line with its mission to support CERN’s proactive communication policy in matters of safety, the HSE unit has been following an annual plan for disseminating information on occupational health and safety and environmental protection.   Safety information designed to underline the importance of prevention is published through a variety of channels: Announcements in the CERN Bulletin, Safety bulletins, notably outlining lessons to be learned in the wake of accidents/incidents occuring at CERN, Safety alerts calling for immediate action, sent by e-mail to the services concerned, Prevention campaigns on the CERN site, Poster campaigns in well frequented public areas. Photo: Christoph Balle. Please heed all prevention messages and apply them in your everyday life. Also, we will be pleased to receive any information or suggestions you may have on safety matters. If you have questions about the HSE unit’s communication activities, please send us an e...

  16. 47 CFR 80.1109 - Distress, urgency, and safety communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Distress, urgency, and safety communications. 80.1109 Section 80.1109 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS...

  17. Safety and Nonsafety Communications and Interactions in International Nuclear Power Plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kisner, Roger A [ORNL; Mullens, James Allen [ORNL; Wilson, Thomas L [ORNL; Wood, Richard Thomas [ORNL; Korsah, Kofi [ORNL; Qualls, A L [ORNL; Muhlheim, Michael David [ORNL; Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Loebl, Andy [ORNL

    2007-08-01

    Current industry and NRC guidance documents such as IEEE 7-4.3.2, Reg. Guide 1.152, and IEEE 603 do not sufficiently define a level of detail for evaluating interdivisional communications independence. The NRC seeks to establish criteria for safety systems communications that can be uniformly applied in evaluation of a variety of safety system designs. This report focuses strictly on communication issues related to data sent between safety systems and between safety and nonsafety systems. Further, the report does not provide design guidance for communication systems nor present detailed failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) results for existing designs. This letter report describes communications between safety and nonsafety systems in nuclear power plants outside the United States. A limited study of international nuclear power plants was conducted to ascertain important communication implementations that might have bearing on systems proposed for licensing in the United States. This report provides that following information: 1.communications types and structures used in a representative set of international nuclear power reactors, and 2.communications issues derived from standards and other source documents relevant to safety and nonsafety communications. Topics that are discussed include the following: communication among redundant safety divisions, communications between safety divisions and nonsafety systems, control of safety equipment from a nonsafety workstation, and connection of nonsafety programming, maintenance, and test equipment to redundant safety divisions during operation. Information for this report was obtained through publicly available sources such as published papers and presentations. No proprietary information is represented.

  18. Safety and Nonsafety Communications and Interactions in International Nuclear Power Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kisner, Roger A.; Mullens, James Allen; Wilson, Thomas L.; Wood, Richard Thomas; Korsah, Kofi; Qualls, A.L.; Muhlheim, Michael David; Holcomb, David Eugene; Loebl, Andy

    2007-01-01

    Current industry and NRC guidance documents such as IEEE 7-4.3.2, Reg. Guide 1.152, and IEEE 603 do not sufficiently define a level of detail for evaluating interdivisional communications independence. The NRC seeks to establish criteria for safety systems communications that can be uniformly applied in evaluation of a variety of safety system designs. This report focuses strictly on communication issues related to data sent between safety systems and between safety and nonsafety systems. Further, the report does not provide design guidance for communication systems nor present detailed failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) results for existing designs. This letter report describes communications between safety and nonsafety systems in nuclear power plants outside the United States. A limited study of international nuclear power plants was conducted to ascertain important communication implementations that might have bearing on systems proposed for licensing in the United States. This report provides that following information: 1.communications types and structures used in a representative set of international nuclear power reactors, and 2.communications issues derived from standards and other source documents relevant to safety and nonsafety communications. Topics that are discussed include the following: communication among redundant safety divisions, communications between safety divisions and nonsafety systems, control of safety equipment from a nonsafety workstation, and connection of nonsafety programming, maintenance, and test equipment to redundant safety divisions during operation. Information for this report was obtained through publicly available sources such as published papers and presentations. No proprietary information is represented

  19. Communication elements supporting patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanerva, A; Kivinen, T; Lammintakanen, J

    2015-06-01

    Communication is important for safe and quality health care. The study provides needed insight on the communication elements that support patient safety from the psychiatric care view. Fluent information transfer between the health care professionals and care units is important for care planning and maintaining practices. Information should be documented and implemented accordingly. Communication should happen in an open communication culture that enables discussion, the opportunity to have debriefing discussions and the entire staff can feel they are heard. For effective communication, it is also important that staff are active themselves in information collecting about the essential information needed in patient care. In mental health nursing, it is important to pay attention to all elements of communication and to develop processes concerning communication in multidisciplinary teams and across unit boundaries. The study aims to describe which communication elements support patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care from the viewpoint of the nursing staff. Communication is an essential part of care and one of the core competencies of the psychiatric care. It enables safe and quality patient care. Errors in health care are often connected with poor communication. The study brings needed insight from the psychiatric care view to the topic. The data were gathered from semi-structured interviews in which 26 nurses were asked to describe the elements that constitute patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care. The data were analysed inductively from the viewpoint of communication. The descriptions connected with communication formed a main category of communication elements that support patient safety; this main category was made up of three subcategories: fluent information transfer, open communication culture and being active in information collecting. Fluent information transfer consists of the practical implementation of communication; open communication

  20. Meta-analysis of surgical safety checklist effects on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyons, Vanessa E; Popejoy, Lori L

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of surgical safety checklists on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and compliance with safety measures through meta-analysis. Four meta-analyses were conducted on 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The effect size of checklists on teamwork and communication was 1.180 (p = .003), on morbidity and mortality was 0.123 (p = .003) and 0.088 (p = .001), respectively, and on compliance with safety measures was 0.268 (p teamwork and communication, reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve compliance with safety measures. This meta-analysis is limited in its generalizability based on the limited number of studies and the inclusion of only published research. Future research is needed to examine possible moderating variables for the effects of surgical safety checklists.

  1. Communication of geo-scientific safety arguments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flavelle, P.; Goodwin, B.; Jensen, M.; Linden, R.; Mazurek, M.; Srivastave, M.; Strom, A.; Sudicky, E.; Voinis, S.

    2007-01-01

    Working Group B addressed the communication of geo-scientific safety arguments through a discussion of practical experience as it related to the methods, types of information and specific arguments found to best communicate geo-scientific concepts and notions of safety with broad audiences including, colleagues, authorities and regulators, political decision makers, academics, and the general public. The following questions were suggested by the programme committee of the AMIGO-2 workshop for discussion by Working Group B with respect to the communication of geo-scientific information and safety arguments: - What is the place of geo-scientific arguments in relation to quantitative and qualitative topics like scenario and FEPs (features, events, processes) assessment, simulated repository evolution, calculated dose or risk impacts, engineering tests of materials, etc., when presenting a safety case to different audiences and with respect to the various stages of the repository programme? (see section 3). - Would we be better off focusing messages to the public on time scales of a few hundred years or a few generations? (see section 4). - How do you handle the fact that geoscience interpretations seldom are unique and data often are open to various interpretations? (see section 5). - How do you handle expert controversy on a specific topic? (see section 6). (authors)

  2. An abnormal situation modeling method to assist operators in safety-critical systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naderpour, Mohsen; Lu, Jie; Zhang, Guangquan

    2015-01-01

    One of the main causes of accidents in safety-critical systems is human error. In order to reduce human errors in the process of handling abnormal situations that are highly complex and mentally taxing activities, operators need to be supported, from a cognitive perspective, in order to reduce their workload, stress, and the consequent error rate. Of the various cognitive activities, a correct understanding of the situation, i.e. situation awareness (SA), is a crucial factor in improving performance and reducing errors. Despite the importance of SA in decision-making in time- and safety-critical situations, the difficulty of SA modeling and assessment means that very few methods have as yet been developed. This study confronts this challenge, and develops an innovative abnormal situation modeling (ASM) method that exploits the capabilities of risk indicators, Bayesian networks and fuzzy logic systems. The risk indicators are used to identify abnormal situations, Bayesian networks are utilized to model them and a fuzzy logic system is developed to assess them. The ASM method can be used in the development of situation assessment decision support systems that underlie the achievement of SA. The performance of the ASM method is tested through a real case study at a chemical plant. - Highlights: • Bayesian networks are applied to represent operators’ mental models when confront with abnormal situations. • A fuzzy logic system is used to resemble operators’ generating assessment results for every abnormal situation. • A virtual plant user interface and a prototype based on proposed method are developed to simulate a real case

  3. Frequency and Variance of Communication Characteristics in Aviation Safety Events

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karanikas, Nektarios; Kaspers, Steffen

    2017-01-01

    In the aviation sector, communication problems have contributed into 70% to 80% of safety occurrences. However, to date we haven’t depicted which communication aspects have affected aviation safety most frequently. Based on literature, we developed a tool which includes communication characteristics

  4. Risk communication activities toward nuclear safety in Tokai: your safety is our safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchiya, T.

    2007-01-01

    As several decades have passed since the construction of nuclear power plants began, residents have become gradually less interested in nuclear safety. The Tokai criticality accident in 1909, however, had roused residents in Tokai-Mura to realize that they live with nuclear technology risks. To prepare a field of risk communication, the Tokai-Mura C 3 project began as a pilot research project supported by NISA. Alter the project ended, we are continuing risk. communication activities as a non-profit organisation. The most important activity of C 3 project is the citizen's inspection programme for nuclear related facilities. This programme was decided by participants who voluntarily applied to the project. The concept of the citizen's inspection programme is 'not the usual facility tours'. Participants are involved from the planning stage and continue to communicate with workers of the inspected nuclear facility. Since 2003, we have conducted six programmes for five nuclear related organisations. Participants evaluated that radiation protection measures were near good but there were some problems concerning the worker's safety and safety culture, and proposed a mixture of advice based on personal experience. Some advice was accepted and it did improve the facility's safety measures. Other suggestions were not agreed upon by nuclear organisations. The reason lies in the difference of concept between the nuclear expert's 'safety' and the citizen's 'safety'. Residents do not worry about radiation only, but also about the facility's safety as a whole including the worker's safety. They say, 'If the workers are not safe, you also are unable to protect us'. Although the disagreement remained, the participants and the nuclear industry learned much about each other. Participating citizens received a substantial amount of knowledge about the nuclear industry and its safety measures, and feel the credibility and openness of the nuclear industry. On the other hand, the nuclear

  5. Teamwork and communication: an effective approach to patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mujumdar, Sandhya; Santos, Diana

    2014-01-01

    Teamwork and communication failures are leading causes of patient safety incidents in health care. Though health care providers must work in teams, they are not well-trained in teamwork and communication skills. Health care faces the problems of differences in communication styles, communication failures and poor teamwork. There is enough evidence in the literature to show that communication failure is detrimental to patient safety. It is estimated that 80% of serious medical errors worldwide take place because of miscommunication between medical providers. NUH recognizes that effective communication and teamwork are essential in the delivery of high quality safe patient care, especially in a complex organization. NUH is a good example, where there is a rich mix of nationalities and races, in staff and in patients, and there is a rapidly expanding care environment. NUH had to overcome these challenges by adopting a multi-pronged approach. The trials and tribulations of NUH in this journey were worthwhile as the patient safety climate survey scores improved over the years.

  6. Design requirements of communication architecture of SMART safety system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, H. Y.; Kim, D. H.; Sin, Y. C.; Lee, J. Y.

    2001-01-01

    To develop the communication network architecture of safety system of SMART, the evaluation elements for reliability and performance factors are extracted from commercial networks and classified the required-level by importance. A predictable determinacy, status and fixed based architecture, separation and isolation from other systems, high reliability, verification and validation are introduced as the essential requirements of safety system communication network. Based on the suggested requirements, optical cable, star topology, synchronous transmission, point-to-point physical link, connection-oriented logical link, MAC (medium access control) with fixed allocation are selected as the design elements. The proposed architecture will be applied as basic communication network architecture of SMART safety system

  7. Communicating on risk and safety in terms of awareness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammar, L.; Andersson, Kjell

    1999-01-01

    'Safety awareness' is proposed as a possibly constructive concept for the purpose of promoting initiatives in nuclear safety work and gaining improved understanding when communicating on nuclear safety. Safety is thus conceived as resulting essentially from and actually constituting awareness of critical factors in regard of safety. The concept aims specifically at promoting the view of 'safety' as 'awareness of required conditions for being in control of risk'. It aims as well at making clearer sense in calling for constant improvement of safety, according to practice in a safety culture. This proposed view would be expected to lead to applying the usual types of safety criteria but offers the merit of attracting due attention to 'awareness goals' in process oriented safety management which are fundamental to maintaining and improving safety. Applications are discussed in regard of communicating on nuclear safety between decision-makers and the general public, developing and maintaining safety culture, integrating specialist expert contributions in over-all safety assessment, setting safety goals and using safety indicators

  8. IAEA activities on communication of nuclear safety issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wieland, P.

    2001-01-01

    The regulatory authorities in several countries have taken the initiative to overcome the renowned difficulties of communicating nuclear safety issues. They communicate with segments of the public specially in case of nuclear/radiological accidents, waste disposal, transport of radioactive material or food irradiation. This reflects the full recognition of the importance of the topic. However it is also recognized that there is hitherto a need of international assistance in order to develop a regulatory communication strategy that could be harmonized and at the same time customized to the different needs. Communications on nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety are needed to: disseminate information on safety to the public in both routine and emergency situations ; be attentive to public concerns, and address them; maintain social trust and confidence by keeping society informed on the established safety standards and how they are enforced; facilitate the decision-making process on nuclear matters by promptly presenting factual information in a clear manner; integrate and maintain an information network at both the national and international levels; improve co-operation with other countries and international organizations; encourage the dissemination of factual information on nuclear issues in schools. A major factor in addressing all of these questions is understanding the audience(s). A two way communication process is needed to establish what particular audiences want to know and in what form they prefer to receive information. This will differ depending on the audience and circumstances. For example, the information on a routine day-to-day basis will be different from what might be needed at the time of an accident. Communication with the news media is a matter of particular importance, as they are both an audience in themselves and a channel for communicating with wider audiences. (author)

  9. 47 CFR 80.1133 - Transmission of safety communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Operating... safety traffic frequencies specified in § 80.1077, or via the maritime mobile satellite service or on... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transmission of safety communications. 80.1133...

  10. Risk assessment of safety data link and network communication in digital safety feature control system of nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Hun; Son, Kwang Seop; Jung, Wondea; Kang, Hyun Gook

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Safety data communication risk assessment framework and quantitative scheme were proposed. • Fault-tree model of ESFAS unavailability due to safety data communication failure was developed. • Safety data link and network risk were assessed based on various ESF-CCS design specifications. • The effect of fault-tolerant algorithm reliability of safety data network on ESFAS unavailability was assessed. - Abstract: As one of the safety-critical systems in nuclear power plants (NPPs), the Engineered Safety Feature-Component Control System (ESF-CCS) employs safety data link and network communication for the transmission of safety component actuation signals from the group controllers to loop controllers to effectively accommodate various safety-critical field controllers. Since data communication failure risk in the ESF-CCS has yet to be fully quantified, the ESF-CCS employing data communication systems have not been applied in NPPs. This study therefore developed a fault tree model to assess the data link and data network failure-induced unavailability of a system function used to generate an automated control signal for accident mitigation equipment. The current aim is to provide risk information regarding data communication failure in a digital safety feature control system in consideration of interconnection between controllers and the fault-tolerant algorithm implemented in the target system. Based on the developed fault tree model, case studies were performed to quantitatively assess the unavailability of ESF-CCS signal generation due to data link and network failure and its risk effect on safety signal generation failure. This study is expected to provide insight into the risk assessment of safety-critical data communication in a digitalized NPP instrumentation and control system.

  11. 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)

  12. 76 FR 10362 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-24

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal... Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications...

  13. 47 CFR 80.305 - Watch requirements of the Communications Act and the Safety Convention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... and the Safety Convention. 80.305 Section 80.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Safety Watch Requirements and Procedures Ship Station Safety Watches § 80.305 Watch requirements of the Communications Act and the Safety...

  14. A theoretical perspective on road safety communication campaigns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elvik, Rune

    2016-12-01

    This paper proposes a theoretical perspective on road safety communication campaigns, which may help in identifying the conditions under which such campaigns can be effective. The paper proposes that, from a theoretical point of view, it is reasonable to assume that road user behaviour is, by and large, subjectively rational. This means that road users are assumed to behave the way they think is best. If this assumption is accepted, the best theoretical prediction is that road safety campaigns consisting of persuasive messages only will have no effect on road user behaviour and accordingly no effect on accidents. This theoretical prediction is not supported by meta-analyses of studies that have evaluated the effects of road safety communication campaigns. These analyses conclude that, on the average, such campaigns are associated with an accident reduction. The paper discusses whether this finding can be explained theoretically. The discussion relies on the distinction made by many modern theorists between bounded and perfect rationality. Road user behaviour is characterised by bounded rationality. Hence, if road users can gain insight into the bounds of their rationality, so that they see advantages to themselves of changing behaviour, they are likely to do so. It is, however, largely unknown whether such a mechanism explains why some road safety communication campaigns have been found to be more effective than others. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The challenge of effectively communicating patient safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hugman, Bruce; Edwards, I Ralph

    2006-07-01

    Rational use of drugs and patient safety are seriously compromised by a lack of good information, education and effective communication at all stages of drug development and use. From animal trials through to dispensing, there are misconceptions and opportunities for error which current methods of drug information communication do not adequately address: they do not provide those responsible for prescribing and dispensing drugs with the data and information they need to pass on complex and often changing messages to patients and the public. The incidence of adverse reactions due to the way drugs are used; the variable impact of regulatory guidelines and warnings on prescribing behaviour; drug scares and crises suggest a great gap between the ideals of the safe use of medicines and the reality in homes, clinics and hospitals around the world. To address these challenges, the authors review the several levels at which safety information is generated and communicated, and examine how, at each stage, the content and its significance, and the method of communication can be improved.

  16. Research on communication system of underground safety management based on leaky feeder cable

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHEN Jian-hong; ZHANG Tao; CHENG Yun-cai; ZHANG Han

    2007-01-01

    According to the current working status of underground safety management and production scheduling, the importance and existed problem of underground mine radio communication were summarized, and the basic principle and classification of leaky feeder cable were introduced and the characteristics of cable were analyzed specifically in depth, and the application model of radio communication system for underground mine safety management was put forward. Meanwhile, the research explanation of the system component, function and evaluation was provided. The discussion result indicates that communication system of underground mine safety management which is integrated two-way relay amplifier and other equipment has many communication functions, and underground mine mobile communication can be achieved well.

  17. The communication in safety matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacoste, A.C.

    1997-01-01

    The nuclear risk has three interesting characteristics: it is new, it is insidious and it can be disastrous. These three characteristics lead to consider a particular role of public authorities( Dsin Direction of Nuclear Installations Safety). Nuclear energy can be taxed of two original sins: the close relation between military nuclear and civil nuclear energy, and the nuclear, in France, lacks of democracy.Third point: only five speakers in front of authorities: EDF, Cea, Cogema, Framatome and Andra and these five ones are linked with State. These points summarize the French situation in nuclear energy. By communication the Dsin tries to answer to two obligation, a moral code and a democratic debate. The tools to communicate are the review 'controle' which is published every two months, the Minitel service 'Magnuc ' (code 3614 MAGNUC). This role of communication is not required especially by local elected people but it is the administration which tries to make it work. (N.C.)

  18. 77 FR 12054 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-28

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal..., Associate Bureau Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445...

  19. 75 FR 9899 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-04

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council; Notice of Public Meeting... Analysis Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th...

  20. ISSUES AND RECENT TRENDS IN VEHICLE SAFETY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadayuki TSUGAWA

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper surveys the research on the applications of inter-vehicle communications, the issues of the deployment and technology, and the current status of inter-vehicle communications projects in Europe, the United States and Japan. The inter-vehicle communications, defined here as communications between on-board ITS computers, improve road traffic safety and efficiency by expanding the horizon of the drivers and on-board sensors. One of the earliest studies on inter-vehicle communications began in Japan in the early 1980s. The inter-vehicle communications play an essential role in automated platooning and cooperative driving systems developed since the 1990's by enabling vehicles to obtain data that would be difficult or impossible to measure with on-board sensors. During these years, interest in applications for inter-vehicle communications increased in the EU, the US and Japan, resulting in many national vehicle safety communications projects such as CarTALK2000 in the EU and VSCC in the US. The technological issues include protocol and communications media. Experiments employ various kinds of protocols and typically use infrared, microwave or millimeter wave media. The situation is ready for standardization. The deployment strategy is another issue. To be feasible, deployment should begin with multiple rather than single services that would work even at a low penetration rate of the communication equipment. In addition, non-technological, legal and institutional issues remained unsolved. Although inter-vehicle communications involve many issues, such applications should be promoted because they will lead to safer and more efficient automobile traffic.

  1. Use of a Surgical Safety Checklist to Improve Team Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabral, Richard A; Eggenberger, Terry; Keller, Kathryn; Gallison, Barry S; Newman, David

    2016-09-01

    To improve surgical team communication, a team at Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, implemented a program for process improvement using a locally adapted World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist. This program included a standardized, comprehensive time out and a briefing/debriefing process. Postimplementation responses to the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire revealed a significant increase in the surgical team's perception of communication compared with that reported on the pretest (6% improvement resulting in t79 = -1.72, P improved surgical teamwork behaviors and an enhanced culture of safety in the OR. Copyright © 2016 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Safety analyses for transient behavior of plasma and in-vessel components during plasma abnormal events in fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honda, Takuro; Okazaki, Takashi; Bartels, H.W.; Uckan, N.A.; Seki, Yasushi.

    1997-01-01

    Safety analyses on plasma abnormal events have been performed using a hybrid code of a plasma dynamics model and a heat transfer model of in-vessel components. Several abnormal events, e.g., increase in fueling rate, were selected for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and transient behavior of the plasma and the invessel components during the events was analyzed. The physics model for safety analysis was conservatively prepared. In most cases, the plasma is terminated by a disruption or it returns to the original operation point. When the energy confinement improves by a factor of 2.0 in the steady state, which is a hypothetical assumption under the present plasma data, the maximum fusion power reaches about 3.3 GW at about 3.6 s and the plasma is terminated due to a disruption. However, the results obtained in this study show the confinement boundary of ITER can be kept almost intact during the abnormal plasma transients, as long as the cooling system works normally. Several parametric studies are needed to comprehend the overpower transient including structure behavior, since many uncertainties are connected to the filed of the plasma physics. And, future work will need to discuss the burn control scenario considering confinement mode transition, system specifications, experimental plans and safety regulations, etc. to confirm the safety related to the plasma anomaly. (author)

  3. An integrative review of patient safety in studies on the care and safety of patients with communication disabilities in hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemsley, Bronwyn; Georgiou, Andrew; Hill, Sophie; Rollo, Megan; Steel, Joanne; Balandin, Susan

    2016-04-01

    To review the research literature on the experiences of patients with communication disabilities in hospital according to the Generic Model of patient safety. In 2014 and 2015, we searched four scientific databases for studies with an aim or result relevant to safety of hospital patients with communication disabilities. The review included 27 studies. A range of adverse event types were outlined in qualitative research. Little detail was provided about contributing or protective factors for safety incidents in hospital for these patients or the impact of the incidents on the patient or organisations involved. Further research addressing the safety of patients with communication disabilities is needed. Sufficient detail is required to identify the nature, timing, and detection of incidents; factors that contribute to or prevent adverse events; and detail the impact of the adverse events. In order to provide safe and effective care to people with communication disabilities in hospital, a priority for health and disability services must be the design and evaluation of ecologically appropriate and evidence-based interventions to improve patient care, communication, and reduce the risk of costly and harmful patient safety incidents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Research on crisis communication of nuclear and radiation safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Yali; Zhang Ying

    2013-01-01

    Insufficient public cognition of nuclear and radiation safety and absence of effective method to handle crisis lead to common crisis events of nuclear and radiation safety, which brings about unfavorable impact on the sound development of nuclear energy exploring and application of nuclear technology. This paper, based on crisis communication theory, analyzed the effect of current situation on nuclear and radiation safety crisis, discussed how to handle crisis, and tried to explore the effective strategies for nuclear and radiation safety crisis handling. (authors)

  5. Can we use IEC 61850 for safety related functions?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luca Rocca

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Safety is an essential issue for processes that present high risk for human beings and environment. An acceptable level of risk is obtained both with actions on the process itself (risk reduction and with the use of special safety systems that switch the process into safe mode when a fault or an abnormal operation mode happens. These safety systems are today based on digital devices that communicate through digital networks. The IEC 61508 series specifies the safety requirements of all the devices that are involved in a safety function, including the communication network. Also electrical generation and distribution systems are processes that may have a significant level of risk, so the criteria stated by the IEC 61508 applies. Starting from this consideration, the paper analyzes the safety requirement for the communication network and compare them with the services of the communication protocol IEC 61850 that represents the most used protocol for automation of electrical plants. The goal of this job is to demonstrate that, from the technical point of view, IEC 61850 can be used for implementing safety-related functions, even if a formal safety certification is still missing.

  6. The communicative construction of safety in wildland firefighting (Proceedings)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jody Jahn

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation project used a two-study mixed methods approach, examining the communicative accomplishment of safety from two perspectives: high reliability organizing (Weick, Sutcliffe, & Obstfeld 1999), and safety climate (Zohar 1980). In Study One, 27 firefighters from two functionally similar wildland firefighting crews were interviewed about their crew-...

  7. Communication and Consultation with Interested Parties by the Regulatory Body. General Safety Guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-01-01

    This Safety Guide provides recommendations on meeting the safety requirements concerning communication and consultation with the public and other interested parties by the regulatory body about the possible radiation risks associated with facilities and activities, and about processes and decisions of the regulatory body. The Safety Guide can be used by authorized parties in circumstances where there are regulatory requirements placed on them for communication and consultation. It may also be used by other organizations or individuals considering their responsibilities for communication and consultation with interested parties.

  8. Culture, communication and safety: lessons from the airline industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    d'Agincourt-Canning, Lori G; Kissoon, Niranjan; Singal, Mona; Pitfield, Alexander F

    2011-06-01

    Communication is a critical component of effective teamwork and both are essential elements in providing high quality of care to patients. Yet, communication is not an innate skill but a process influenced by internal (personal/cultural values) as well as external (professional roles and hierarchies) factors. To provide illustrative cases, themes and tools for improving communication. Literature review and consensus opinion based on extensive experience. Professional autonomy should be de-emphasized. Tools such as SBAR and simulation are important in communication and teamwork. Tools designed to improve communication and safety in the aviation industry may have applicability to the pediatric intensive care unit.

  9. An architecture model for communication of safety in public transportation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rajabalinejad, Mohammad; Horváth, Imre; Pernot, Jean-Paul; Rusák, Zoltan

    2016-01-01

    Safety in transportation is under the influence of the rising complexity, increasing demands for capacity and decreasing cost. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary environment of operation and altered safety regulations invite for a centralized (integrated) modelling/ communication approach. This

  10. Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legislation and Progress

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Moore, Linda K

    2005-01-01

    Since September 11, 2001, the effectiveness of America's communications capabilities in support of the information needs of first responders and other public safety workers has been a matter of concern to Congress...

  11. Organizational culture and a safety-conscious work environment: The mediating role of employee communication satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silla, Inmaculada; Navajas, Joaquin; Koves, G Kenneth

    2017-06-01

    A safety-conscious work environment allows high-reliability organizations to be proactive regarding safety and enables employees to feel free to report any concern without fear of retaliation. Currently, research on the antecedents to safety-conscious work environments is scarce. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the mediating role of employee communication satisfaction in the relationship between constructive culture and a safety-conscious work environment in several nuclear power plants. Employee communication satisfaction partially mediated the positive relationships between a constructive culture and a safety-conscious work environment. Constructive cultures in which cooperation, supportive relationships, individual growth and high performance are encouraged facilitate the establishment of a safety-conscious work environment. This influence is partially explained by increased employee communication satisfaction. Constructive cultures should be encouraged within organizations. In addition, managers should promote communication policies and practices that support a safety-conscious work environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  12. Relations Among Detection of Syllable Stress, Speech Abnormalities, and Communicative Ability in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kargas, Niko; López, Beatriz; Morris, Paul; Reddy, Vasudevi

    2016-04-01

    To date, the literature on perception of affective, pragmatic, and grammatical prosody abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been sparse and contradictory. It is interesting to note that the primary perception of syllable stress within the word structure, which is crucial for all prosody functions, remains relatively unexplored in ASD. Thus, in the current study, we explored syllable stress perception sensitivity and its relationship to speech production abnormalities and communicative ability in adults with ASD. A same-different syllable stress perception task using pairs of identical 4-syllable words was delivered to 42 adults with/without high-functioning ASD, matched for age, to investigate primary speech perception ability in ASD. Speech production and communicative ability in ASD was measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Lord et al., 2000). As predicted, the results showed that adults with ASD were less sensitive in making judgments about syllable stress relative to controls. Also, partial correlations revealed a key association of speech production abnormalities with stress perception sensitivity, rather than communicative ability. Our findings provide empirical evidence for deficits on primary syllable stress perception in ASD and its role on sociocommunicative difficulties. This information could facilitate the development of effective interventions for speech and language therapy and social communication.

  13. C-Band Airport Surface Communications System Engineering-Initial High-Level Safety Risk Assessment and Mitigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelkin, Natalie; Henriksen, Stephen

    2011-01-01

    This document is being provided as part of ITT's NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract: "New ATM Requirements--Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development." ITT has completed a safety hazard analysis providing a preliminary safety assessment for the proposed C-band (5091- to 5150-MHz) airport surface communication system. The assessment was performed following the guidelines outlined in the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Risk Management Guidance for System Acquisitions document. The safety analysis did not identify any hazards with an unacceptable risk, though a number of hazards with a medium risk were documented. This effort represents an initial high-level safety hazard analysis and notes the triggers for risk reassessment. A detailed safety hazards analysis is recommended as a follow-on activity to assess particular components of the C-band communication system after the profile is finalized and system rollout timing is determined. A security risk assessment has been performed by NASA as a parallel activity. While safety analysis is concerned with a prevention of accidental errors and failures, the security threat analysis focuses on deliberate attacks. Both processes identify the events that affect operation of the system; and from a safety perspective the security threats may present safety risks.

  14. Verification of the safety communication protocol in train control system using colored Petri net

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Lijie; Tang Tao; Zhao Xianqiong; Schnieder, Eckehard

    2012-01-01

    This paper deals with formal and simulation-based verification of the safety communication protocol in ETCS (European Train Control System). The safety communication protocol controls the establishment of safety connection between train and trackside. Because of its graphical user interface and modeling flexibility upon the changes in the system conditions, this paper proposes a composition Colored Petri Net (CPN) representation for both the logic and the timed model. The logic of the protocol is proved to be safe by means of state space analysis: the dead markings are correct; there are no dead transitions; being fair. Further analysis results have been obtained using formal and simulation-based verification approach. The timed models for the open transmit system and the application process are created for the purpose of performance analysis of the safety communication protocol. The models describe the procedure of data transmission and processing, and also provide relevant timed and stochastic factors, as well as time delay and lost packet, which may influence the time for establishment of safety connection of the protocol. Time for establishment of safety connection of the protocol in normal state is verified by formal verification, and then time for establishment of safety connection with different probability of lost packet is simulated. After verification it is found that the time for establishment of safety connection of the safety communication protocol satisfies the safety requirements.

  15. Persuasive appeals in road safety communication campaigns: Theoretical frameworks and practical implications from the analysis of a decade of road safety campaign materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guttman, Nurit

    2015-11-01

    Communication campaigns are employed as an important tool to promote road safety practices. Researchers maintain road safety communication campaigns are more effective when their persuasive appeals, which are central to their communicative strategy, are based on explicit theoretical frameworks. This study's main objectives were to develop a detailed categorization of persuasive appeals used in road safety communication campaigns that differentiate between appeals that appear to be similar but differ conceptually, and to indicate the advantages, limitations and ethical issues associated with each type, drawing on behavior change theories. Materials from over 300 campaigns were obtained from 41 countries, mainly using road safety organizations' websites. Drawing on the literature, five types of main approaches were identified, and the analysis yielded a more detailed categorizations of appeals within these general categories. The analysis points to advantages, limitations, ethical issues and challenges in using different types of appeals. The discussion summarizes challenges in designing persuasive-appeals for road safety communication campaigns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. 76 FR 54234 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-31

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal.... Postal Service Mail to Jeffery Goldthorp, Associate Bureau Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security...

  17. 75 FR 67807 - Pipeline Safety: Emergency Preparedness Communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... is issuing an Advisory Bulletin to remind operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities... Gas Pipeline Systems. Subject: Emergency Preparedness Communications. Advisory: To further enhance the...

  18. Safety on a Rural Community College Campus via Integrated Communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnage, Marie Foster; Dziagwa, Connie; White, Dave

    2009-01-01

    West Virginia University at Parkersburg uses a two-way emergency system as a baseline for emergency communications. The college has found that such a system, a key component of its safety and crisis management plan, can be integrated with other communication initiatives to provide focused security on the campus.

  19. Quantitative Safety and Security Analysis from a Communication Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malinowsky, Boris; Schwefel, Hans-Peter; Jung, Oliver

    2014-01-01

    This paper introduces and exemplifies a trade-off analysis of safety and security properties in distributed systems. The aim is to support analysis for real-time communication and authentication building blocks in a wireless communication scenario. By embedding an authentication scheme into a real...... at handover situations in a IEEE 802.11 wireless setup between mobile nodes and access points. The trade-offs involve application-layer data goodput, probability of completed handovers, and effect on usable protocol slots, to quantify the impact of security from a lower-layer communication perspective...

  20. Data rate based congestion control in V2V communication for traffic safety applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Belagal Math, C.; Özgür, A.; Heemstra de Groot, S.M.; Li, H.

    2015-01-01

    Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems intend to increase safety and efficiency of the transportation networks. At high vehicle density, the communication channel may become congested, impairing the reliability of the safety applications. As a counter measure, the European Telecommunications

  1. A Systematic Review of the Use of Social Media for Food Safety Risk Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overbey, Katie N; Jaykus, Lee-Ann; Chapman, Benjamin J

    2017-09-01

    This article covers the current published literature related to the use of social media in food safety and infectious disease communication. The aim was to analyze literature recommendations and draw conclusions about how best to utilize social media for food safety risk communication going forward. A systematic literature review was conducted, and 24 articles were included for analysis. The inclusion criteria were (i) original peer-reviewed articles and (ii) primary focus on communication through social media about food safety and/or infectious diseases. Studies were coded for themes about social media applications, benefits, limitations, and best practices. Trust and personal beliefs were important drivers of social media use. The wide reach, immediacy, and information gathering capacities of social media were frequently cited benefits. Suggestions for social media best practices were inconsistent among studies, and study designs were highly variable. More evidence-based suggestions are needed to better establish guidelines for social media use in food safety and infectious disease risk communication. The information gleaned from this review can be used to create effective messages for shaping food safety behaviors.

  2. The application of science communication modes in China's nuclear and radiation safety science popularization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Yali; Wang Erqi; Wang Xiaofeng; Zhang Ying

    2014-01-01

    The studies of the application of science communication theory in the nuclear and radiation safety will help to enhance the level of science popularization work in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. This paper firstly describes the definition and the evolvement process of science communication models, then analyzes the current status of the nuclear and radiation safety science popularization, finally discusses on the suitability of science communication mode of its application in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. (authors)

  3. Safety considerations for patients with communication disorders in rehabilitation medicine settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cristian, Adrian; Giammarino, Claudia; Olds, Michael; Adams, Elizabeth; Moriarty, Christina; Ratner, Sabina; Mural, Shruti; Stobart, Eric C

    2012-05-01

    Communication barriers can pose a significant safety risk for patients. Individuals in a communication-vulnerable state are commonly seen in rehabilitation settings. These patients cannot adequately communicate their symptoms, wants, and needs to providers. Causes of communication barriers include neurologic impairments, such as stroke, cerebral palsy, and Parkinson disease, and language barriers. The ability of clinicians to adequately diagnose, treat, and monitor these patients is also hindered. This article identifies key communication barriers and strategies that clinicians can use to effectively communicate with these patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Moving Toward Improved Teamwork in Cancer Care: The Role of Psychological Safety in Team Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Anshu K; Fennell, Mary L; Chagpar, Anees B; Connolly, Hannah K; Nembhard, Ingrid M

    2016-11-01

    Effective communication is a requirement in the teamwork necessary for improved coordination to deliver patient-centered, value-based cancer care. Communication is particularly important when care providers are geographically distributed or work across organizations. We review organizational and teams research on communication to highlight psychological safety as a key determinant of high-quality communication within teams. We first present the concept of psychological safety, findings about its communication effects for teamwork, and factors that affect it. We focus on five factors applicable to cancer care delivery: familiarity, clinical hierarchy-related status differences, geographic dispersion, boundary spanning, and leader behavior. To illustrate how these factors facilitate or hinder psychologically safe communication and teamwork in cancer care, we review the case of a patient as she experiences the treatment-planning process for early-stage breast cancer in a community setting. Our analysis is summarized in a key principle: Teamwork in cancer care requires high-quality communication, which depends on psychological safety for all team members, clinicians and patients alike. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of psychological safety in clinical care and suggestions for future research.

  5. Software coding for reliable data communication in a reactor safety system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maghsoodi, R.

    1978-01-01

    A software coding method is proposed to improve the communication reliability of a microprocessor based fast-reactor safety system. This method which replaces the conventional coding circuitry, applies a program to code the data which is communicated between the processors via their data memories. The system requirements are studied and the suitable codes are suggested. The problems associated with hardware coders, and the advantages of software coding methods are discussed. The product code which proves a faster coding time over the cyclic code is chosen as the final code. Then the improvement of the communication reliability is derived for a processor and its data memory. The result is used to calculate the reliability improvement of the processing channel as the basic unit for the safety system. (author)

  6. Development of a safety communication and recognition program for construction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparer, Emily H; Herrick, Robert F; Dennerlein, Jack T

    2015-05-01

    Leading-indicator-based (e.g., hazard recognition) incentive programs provide an alternative to controversial lagging-indicator-based (e.g., injury rates) programs. We designed a leading-indicator-based safety communication and recognition program that incentivized safe working conditions. The program was piloted for two months on a commercial construction worksite and then redesigned using qualitative interview and focus group data from management and workers. We then ran the redesigned program for six months on the same worksite. Foremen received detailed weekly feedback from safety inspections, and posters displayed worksite and subcontractor safety scores. In the final program design, the whole site, not individual subcontractors, was the unit of analysis and recognition. This received high levels of acceptance from workers, who noted increased levels of site unity and team-building. This pilot program showed that construction workers value solidarity with others on site, demonstrating the importance of health and safety programs that engage all workers through a reliable and consistent communication infrastructure. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  7. Nuclear risk and communication: the essential role of safety authorities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hautin, N.

    1998-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: whether concerning mad cow disease, asbestos, nuclear, OGM or now, dioxin in French meat, public health risks have been making the headlines of newspapers for a while. And, firms whose activity is associated with these risks are in effect in the defendants box. Therefore, communicating becomes difficult: their word is suspect and, debates quite rapidly exceed the firm competencies to become a socio-cultural conflict. This paper explores in nuclear fields the essential role of safety authorities in such communication cases. Our surveys and the comparative case study between the pipe at La Hague and 'contaminated' nuclear transports in France are eloquent: the messages of nuclear firms is perceived through their image of a State within the State built from the past and reinforced by the negative prism of the news. Regular and technical arguments (the respect of norms) entertain the debate rather than hush it. That is why we could infer an objective, and independent opinion is required, one different from the firm, the public and ministries: its role of referee could allow a constructive dialog between the public and the firm. Risk communication nature and efficiency depend on that (cf. the diagram). As a solution, we think about a legitimate authority organization identified by the public first, but by other actors as well. From the public point of view, if we see the place of pressure groups (e.g. Greenpeace) in the debate as a measure of the lack of trust in the independence of safety authorities, we can infer that it is a reaffirmation of democracy which is demanded by the French public, which could be satisfied with powerful safety authorities. That is why safety authorities have an essential role to play, beyond this of control, in nuclear risk communication towards the public. Diagram: communication path between a nuclear firm and the public during conflict. (author)

  8. L-Band Digital Aeronautical Communications System Engineering - Initial Safety and Security Risk Assessment and Mitigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelkin, Natalie; Henriksen, Stephen

    2011-01-01

    This document is being provided as part of ITT's NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: "New ATM Requirements--Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development." ITT has completed a safety hazard analysis providing a preliminary safety assessment for the proposed L-band (960 to 1164 MHz) terrestrial en route communications system. The assessment was performed following the guidelines outlined in the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Risk Management Guidance for System Acquisitions document. The safety analysis did not identify any hazards with an unacceptable risk, though a number of hazards with a medium risk were documented. This effort represents a preliminary safety hazard analysis and notes the triggers for risk reassessment. A detailed safety hazards analysis is recommended as a follow-on activity to assess particular components of the L-band communication system after the technology is chosen and system rollout timing is determined. The security risk analysis resulted in identifying main security threats to the proposed system as well as noting additional threats recommended for a future security analysis conducted at a later stage in the system development process. The document discusses various security controls, including those suggested in the COCR Version 2.0.

  9. Risk Communication: A Key for Fostering a More Resilient Safety Culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishizawa, M.

    2016-01-01

    It is widely agreed that the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was not only triggered by natural events combined with technical failures, but was a human induced disaster. From the bitter lessons, we have learned that human and organizational factors associated with emergency planning, response and decision-making for nuclear safety need to be more carefully reviewed and enhanced. Elements of social sciences, especially, risk management and risk communication here play a key role. Risk communication is an established concept within risk analysis frameworks. It is a vital tool to convey the meaning of scientific assessment and risk management, share safety related information, and exchange views and values amongst varying stakeholder groups. Risk communication aims at building trust through this process and human interactions. However, it would not be an overstatement that the essence of risk communication is not fully understood. As a result, it is either partially integrated into risk management practice or remains unconducive. The marginalisation of risk communication is observed in a variety of risk communication practices, or more evidently, in perception gaps between lays and experts about risks.

  10. Changes in the utilization of osteoporosis drugs after the 2010 FDA bisphosphonate drug safety communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bander Balkhi

    2018-02-01

    Conclusions: The 2010 FDA bisphosphonates safety communication appeared to have influenced Osteoporosis utilization in Medicaid recipients. The 2010 FDA bisphosphonates safety communication was associated with a significant reduction in the utilization of bisphosphonates in the Medicaid program.

  11. Reprint of "Persuasive appeals in road safety communication campaigns: Theoretical frameworks and practical implications from the analysis of a decade of road safety campaign materials".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guttman, Nurit

    2016-12-01

    Communication campaigns are employed as an important tool to promote road safety practices. Researchers maintain road safety communication campaigns are more effective when their persuasive appeals, which are central to their communicative strategy, are based on explicit theoretical frameworks. This study's main objectives were to develop a detailed categorization of persuasive appeals used in road safety communication campaigns that differentiate between appeals that appear to be similar but differ conceptually, and to indicate the advantages, limitations and ethical issues associated with each type, drawing on behavior change theories. Materials from over 300 campaigns were obtained from 41 countries, mainly using road safety organizations' websites. Drawing on the literature, five types of main approaches were identified, and the analysis yielded a more detailed categorizations of appeals within these general categories. The analysis points to advantages, limitations, ethical issues and challenges in using different types of appeals. The discussion summarizes challenges in designing persuasive-appeals for road safety communication campaigns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Experience on the FMS Communication module Development for an Application to Safety- Critical Communication Network

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Son, Kwang Seop; Lee, Jang Soo; Kim, Jung Heon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-05-15

    The field bus has been developed for a network system which supports the real-time communication of various controls and automation equipment. It is known for Profibus in the field of a production automation environment. The Profibus standard uses open communication based on the ISO/OSI model. The Probibus standard uses layer 1, layer 2, layer 7. Layer 7 of Probibus FMS(Fieldbus Message Specification) provides a information and the user of a station. The high-level communication of the safety-grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) developed through the KNICS(Korea Nuclear I and C System) project is the FMS This paper describes the design, the configuration, and the test method of the FMS communication module.

  13. Experience on the FMS Communication module Development for an Application to Safety- Critical Communication Network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Kwang Seop; Lee, Jang Soo; Kim, Jung Heon

    2009-01-01

    The field bus has been developed for a network system which supports the real-time communication of various controls and automation equipment. It is known for Profibus in the field of a production automation environment. The Profibus standard uses open communication based on the ISO/OSI model. The Probibus standard uses layer 1, layer 2, layer 7. Layer 7 of Probibus FMS(Fieldbus Message Specification) provides a information and the user of a station. The high-level communication of the safety-grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) developed through the KNICS(Korea Nuclear I and C System) project is the FMS This paper describes the design, the configuration, and the test method of the FMS communication module

  14. Family communication patterns and teen drivers' attitudes toward driving safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jingzhen; Campo, Shelly; Ramirez, Marizen; Krapfl, Julia Richards; Cheng, Gang; Peek-Asa, Corinne

    2013-01-01

    Family communication patterns (FCPs) play an important role in reducing the risk-taking behaviors of teens, such as substance use and safer sex. However, little is known about the relationship between family communication and teen driving safety. We analyzed the baseline data from a randomized trial that included 163 parent-teen dyads, with teens who would be receiving their intermediate driver's license within 3 months. FCPs were divided into four types-pluralistic, protective, consensual, and laissez-faire-and were correlated with the frequency of parent-teen discussions and teens' driving safety attitudes. The ratings on four types of FCPs were distributed quite evenly among teens and parents. Parents and teens agreed on their FCP ratings (p = .64). In families with communication patterns that were laissez-faire, protective, and pluralistic, parents talked to their teens less about safe driving than did parents in families with a consensual communication pattern (p < .01). Moreover, the frequency of parent-teen communication about safe driving was positively associated with teen attitudes toward safe driving (adjusted β = 0.35, p = .03). Health care providers need to encourage parents, particularly those with non-consensual FCPs, to increase frequency of parent-teen interactions. Copyright © 2013 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Identifying Food Safety Concerns when Communication Barriers Exist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neal, Jack A.; Dawson, Mary; Madera, Juan M.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract: Students must be prepared to lead a diverse workforce. The objective of this study was to establish a teaching method that helps students identify barriers to food safety while working in a simulated environment with communication barriers. This study employed a perspective taking exercise based upon the principles of social learning…

  16. 75 FR 74050 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-30

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal...) Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) will hold its fourth meeting on...

  17. Remote mobile communication in safety support system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inagaki, Kanji; Kobayashi, Hiroyuki; Hatanaka, Takahiro; Sakuma, Akira; Fukumoto, Akira; Ikeda, Jun

    1999-01-01

    Safety Support System (SSS) is a computerized operator support system for nuclear power plants, which is now under development. The concept of SSS covers 1) earlier detection of failure symptom and prediction of its influence to the plant operation, 2) improved transparency and robustness of plant control systems, 3) advanced human-machine interface and communication. The authors have been working on the third concept and proposed a remote mobile communication system called Plant Communication System (PCS). PCS aims to realize convenient communication between main control room and other areas such as plant local areas and site offices, using Personal Handyphone System (PHS) and wireless LAN (Local Area Network). PCS can transmit not only data but also graphic displays and dynamic video displays between the main control room and plant local areas. MPEG4 (Moving Picture Experts Group 4) technology is utilized in video data compression and decompression. The authors have developed the special multiplexing unit that connects PHS Cell Stations (CSs) and exiting coaxial cables. Voice recognition and announcement capability is also realized in the system, which enables verbal retrieval of information in the computer systems in the main control room from local areas. (author)

  18. 75 FR 56533 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-16

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal...) Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) will hold its third meeting on October...

  19. Building Comprehensive Strategies for Obstetric Safety: Simulation Drills and Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Naola; Goldhaber-Fiebert, Sara; Daniels, Kay; Arafeh, Julie; Grenon, Veronique; Welle, Dana; Lipman, Steven

    2016-11-01

    As pioneers in the field of patient safety, anesthesiologists are uniquely suited to help develop and implement safety strategies to minimize preventable harm on the labor and delivery unit. Most existing obstetric safety strategies are not comprehensive, lack input from anesthesiologists, are designed with a relatively narrow focus, or lack implementation details to allow customization for different units. This article attempts to address these gaps and build more comprehensive strategies by discussing the available evidence and multidisciplinary authors' local experience with obstetric simulation drills and optimization of team communication.

  20. FDA drug safety communications: a narrative review and clinical considerations for older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcum, Zachary A; Vande Griend, Joseph P; Linnebur, Sunny A

    2012-08-01

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has new regulatory authorities intended to enhance drug safety monitoring in the postmarketing period. This has resulted in an increase in communication from the FDA in recent years about the safety profile of certain drugs. It is important to stay abreast of the current literature on drug risks to effectively communicate these risks to patients, other health care providers, and the general public. To summarize 4 new FDA drug safety communications by describing the evidence supporting the risks and the clinical implications for older adults. The FDA Web site was reviewed for new drug safety communications from May 2011 to April 2012 that would be relevant to older adults. Approved labeling for each drug or class was obtained from the manufacturer, and PubMed was searched for primary literature that supported the drug safety concern. FDA drug safety communications for 4 drugs were chosen because of the potential clinical importance in older adults. A warning for citalopram was made because of potential problems with QT prolongation in patients taking less than 40 mg per day. The evidence suggests minor changes in QT interval. Given the flat dose-response curve in treating depression with citalopram, the new 20-mg/d maximum dose in older adults is sensible. Another warning was made for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection. A dose-response relationship was found for this drug risk. With C. difficile infections on the rise in older adults, along with other safety risks of PPI therapy, PPIs should only be used in older adults indicated for therapy for the shortest duration possible. In addition, a warning about dabigatran was made. There is strong evidence from a large clinical trial, as well as case reports, of increased bleeding risk in older adults taking dabigatran, especially in older adults with decreased renal function. This medication should be used with caution in older

  1. Performance and Reliability of DSRC Vehicular Safety Communication: A Formal Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available IEEE- and ASTM-adopted dedicated short range communications (DSRC standard toward 802.11p is a key enabling technology for the next generation of vehicular safety communication. Broadcasting of safety messages is one of the fundamental services in DSRC. There have been numerous publications addressing design and analysis of such broadcast ad hoc system based on the simulations. For the first time, an analytical model is proposed in this paper to evaluate performance and reliability of IEEE 802.11a-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V safety-related broadcast services in DSRC system on highway. The proposed model takes two safety services with different priorities, nonsaturated message arrival, hidden terminal problem, fading transmission channel, transmission range, IEEE 802.11 backoff counter process, and highly mobile vehicles on highway into account. Based on the solutions to the proposed analytic model, closed-form expressions of channel throughput, transmission delay, and packet reception rates are derived. From the obtained numerical results under various offered traffic and network parameters, new insights and enhancement suggestions are given.

  2. Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brock, Douglas; Abu-Rish, Erin; Chiu, Chia-Ru; Hammer, Dana; Wilson, Sharon; Vorvick, Linda; Blondon, Katherine; Schaad, Douglas; Liner, Debra; Zierler, Brenda

    2013-11-01

    Communication failures in healthcare teams are associated with medical errors and negative health outcomes. These findings have increased emphasis on training future health professionals to work effectively within teams. The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) communication training model, widely employed to train healthcare teams, has been less commonly used to train student interprofessional teams. The present study reports the effectiveness of a simulation-based interprofessional TeamSTEPPS training in impacting student attitudes, knowledge and skills around interprofessional communication. Three hundred and six fourth-year medical, third-year nursing, second-year pharmacy and second-year physician assistant students took part in a 4 h training that included a 1 h TeamSTEPPS didactic session and three 1 h team simulation and feedback sessions. Students worked in groups balanced by a professional programme in a self-selected focal area (adult acute, paediatric, obstetrics). Preassessments and postassessments were used for examining attitudes, beliefs and reported opportunities to observe or participate in team communication behaviours. One hundred and forty-nine students (48.7%) completed the preassessments and postassessments. Significant differences were found for attitudes toward team communication (pteam structure (p=0.002), situation monitoring (pteams (pteam communication is important in patient safety. We demonstrate positive attitudinal and knowledge effects in a large-scale interprofessional TeamSTEPPS-based training involving four student professions.

  3. Do safety checklists improve teamwork and communication in the operating room? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russ, Stephanie; Rout, Shantanu; Sevdalis, Nick; Moorthy, Krishna; Darzi, Ara; Vincent, Charles

    2013-12-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of surgical safety checklists on the quality of teamwork and communication in the operating room (OR). Safety checklists have been shown to impact positively on patient morbidity and mortality following surgery, but it is unclear whether this clinical improvement is related to an improvement in OR teamwork and communication. A systematic search strategy of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews was undertaken to obtain relevant articles. After de-duplication and the addition of limits, 315 articles were screened for inclusion by 2 researchers and all articles meeting a set of prespecified inclusion criteria were retained. Information regarding the type of checklist, study design, assessment tools used, outcomes, and study limitations was extracted. Twenty articles formed the basis of this systematic review. All articles described an empirical study relating to a case-specific safety checklist for surgery as the primary intervention, with some measure of change/improvement in teamwork and/or communication relating to its use. The methods for assessing teamwork and communication varied greatly, including surveys, observations, interviews, and 360° assessments. The evidence suggests that safety checklists improve the perceived quality of OR teamwork and communication and reduce observable errors relating to poor team skills. This is likely to function through establishing an open platform for communication at the start of a procedure: encouraging the sharing of critical case-related information, promoting team coordination and decision making, flagging knowledge gaps, and enhancing team cohesion. However, the evidence would also suggest that when used suboptimally or when individuals have not bought in to the process, checklists may conversely have a negative impact on the function of the team. Safety checklists are beneficial for OR teamwork and

  4. Public perception on nuclear safety and communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wieland, Patricia

    1998-01-01

    Nowadays the benefits and advantages of the nuclear application are varied and so many, that it is difficult to imagine the development of medicine, industry and agriculture without using ionizing radiation. The communication of nuclear issues to the public is receiving more and more attention of the regulatory authorities. First, because it is a very interesting topic that the public wishes to learn more. Second, for safety reasons: the public needs to know the benefits and risks of nuclear energy and when and how they should protect themselves from the radiation. In all cases, the communication should be constant and not only during crisis, such as suspicion of or during accidents with radioactive material. The public worries and their questions should be clarified quickly. An information network should be used in order to communicate the benefits and uses of radiation to as many people as possible. Not only the media such as television and the press should be used, but all radiation professionals who have contacts with the public, such as radiologists, radiotherapists, physicists and teacher

  5. [Communication on health and safety risk control in contemporary society: an interdisciplinary approach].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rangel-S, Maria Ligia

    2007-01-01

    This paper discusses communication as a technology for risk control with health and safety protection and promotion, within the context of a "risk society". As a component of Risk Analysis, risk communication is a technology that appears in risk literature, with well defined objectives, principles and models. These aspects are described and the difficulties are stressed, taking into consideration the multiple rationales related to risks in the culture and the many different aspects of risk regulation and control in the so-called "late modernity". Consideration is also given to the complexity of the communications process, guided by theoretical and methodological discussions in the field. In order to understand the true value of the communications field for risk control with health and safety protection and promotion, this paper also offers an overview of communication theories that support discussions of this matter, proposing a critical approach to models that include the dimensions of power and culture in the context of a capitalist society.

  6. 78 FR 42701 - Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-17

    ...] Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION...-901 MHz/935- 940 MHz band (900 MHz B/ILT Band) to allow a qualified entity to file an application for..., manufacturing, energy) to non-commercial (e.g., clerical, educational, philanthropic, medical). In 2004, the...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2013-02-01

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

  8. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... especially the progestin-only pill (also called the “mini-pill”) can actually cause abnormal bleeding for some ... Basics Sports Safety Injury Rehabilitation Emotional Well-Being Mental Health Sex and Birth Control Sex and Sexuality ...

  9. The importance of online communication in the information upon safety and security at work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiţu Ioana Bianca

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at presenting the employees’ opinions on the use of online environment as a medium for communicating the information related to labour safety and security. The study is based on a quantitative marketing research achieved by interviewing 95 participants, within a conference on labour safety and security. The idea of conducting this research was based on the increasing number of internet users in our country, as well as on the fact that the young generations are ever more dependent on the communication in the online environment, to the detriment of the communication by classical promotional media.

  10. Pharmaceutical company perspectives on current safety risk communications in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urushihara, Hisashi; Kobashi, Gen; Masuda, Hideaki; Taneichi, Setsuko; Yamamoto, Michiko; Nakayama, Takeo; Kawakami, Koji; Matsuda, Tsutomu; Ohta, Kaori; Sugimori, Hiroki

    2014-01-01

    In 1987, a group infection of hepatitis in patients receiving a contaminated fibrinogen product was first reported to the Japanese regulatory agency. Eventually, this serious drug incident involved more than 10,000 cases of infection. In response, the Government of Japan established a responding inspection committee in 2008 to make recommendations for the restructuring of drug regulatory administration. The final report was issued in 2010. One agenda item of this restructuring was the improvement of drug-related safety risk communications. Our research group on drug safety risk communications, which is funded by the Government of Japan, surveyed pharmaceutical companies regarding their perspective on current risk communications. The survey was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire developed for this study which included the three operational domains of targets, contents, and measures of drug risk communication. Fifty-two of the 74 member companies of the Post-marketing Surveillance Subcommittee of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Association participated, and this response rate of more than 70% was considered sufficient to ensure the external validity of the survey results. Results showed that the most highly prioritized aspect of risk messaging was the strength of evidence, and that outcome evaluation of risk communication gained recognition. Further, while physicians and pharmacists were the most prioritized communication targets, pharmacovigilance departments devoted the most resources to regulators, at more than 30%. The Internet was recognized as a useful public source of risk information, whereas Drug Guides for Patients delivered on the web were considered under-recognized. Further discussion of these results with the aim of enhancing the restructuring of the Japanese drug regulatory administration system are warranted.

  11. Confidence in the long-term safety of deep geological repositories. Its development and communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    The technical aspects of confidence have been the subject of considerable debate, especially the concept of model validation. The safety case that is provided at a particular stage in the planning, construction, operation or closure of a deep geological repository is a part of a broader decision basis that guides the repository-development process. The basic steps for deriving the safety case at various stages of repository development involve: a safety assessment; and the documentation of the safety assessment, a statement of confidence in the safety indicated by the assessment, and the confirmation of the appropriateness of the safety strategy. The approaches to establish confidence in the evaluation of safety should aim to ensure that the decisions taken within the incremental process of repository development are well-founded. Various aspects of confidence in the evaluation of safety, and their integration within a safety case, are presented in detail in the present report. When communicating confidence in the findings of a safety assessment, clarity in the communication of concepts is always required. Consistent with this requirement, key concepts are specifically defined in the main text of the report. (R.P.)

  12. Effective physician-nurse communication: a patient safety essential for labor and delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyndon, Audrey; Zlatnik, Marya G; Wachter, Robert M

    2011-08-01

    Effective communication is a hallmark of safe patient care. Challenges to effective interprofessional communication in maternity care include differing professional perspectives on clinical management, steep hierarchies, and lack of administrative support for change. We review principles of high reliability as they apply to communication in clinical care and discuss principles of effective communication and conflict management in maternity care. Effective clinical communication is respectful, clear, direct, and explicit. We use a clinical scenario to illustrate an historic style of nurse-physician communication and demonstrate how communication can be improved to promote trust and patient safety. Consistent execution of successful communication requires excellent listening skills, superb administrative support, and collective commitment to move past traditional hierarchy and professional stereotyping. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The balance between safety and productivity and its relationship with human factors and safety awareness and communication in aircraft manufacturing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karanikas, N.; Melis, Damien Jose; Kourousis, Kyriakos

    2017-01-01

    Background: This paper presents the findings of a pilot research survey which assessed the degree of balance between safety and productivity, and its relationship with awareness and communication of human factors and safety rules in the aircraft manufacturing environment. Methods: The study was

  14. Quantification of abnormal intracranial pressure waves and isotope cisternography for diagnosis of occult communicating hydrocephalus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cardoso, E.R.; Piatek, D.; Del Bigio, M.R.; Stambrook, M.; Sutherland, J.B.

    1989-01-01

    Nineteen consecutive patients with suspected occult communicating hydrocephalus were investigated by means of clinical evaluation, neuropsychological testing, isotope cisternography, computed tomography scanning, and continuous intracranial pressure monitoring. Semi-quantitative grading systems were used in the evaluation of the clinical, neuropsychological, and cisternographic assessments. Clinical examination, neuropsychological testing, and computed tomography scanning were repeated 3 months after ventriculoperitoneal shunting. All patients showed abnormal intracranial pressure waves and all improved after shunting. There was close correlation between number, peak, and pulse pressures of B waves and the mean intracranial pressure. However, quantification of B waves by means of number, frequency, and amplitude did not help in predicting the degree of clinical improvement postshunting. The most sensitive predictor of favorable response to shunting was enlargement of the temporal horns on computed tomography scan. Furthermore, the size of temporal horns correlated with mean intracranial pressure. There was no correlation between abnormalities on isotope cisternography and clinical improvement

  15. 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

  16. Report on Congress on abnormal occurrences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-06-01

    Section 208 of the energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 through March 31, 1991. The report discusses six abnormal occurrences, none of which involved a nuclear power plant. Five of the events occurred at NRC-licensed facilities: one involved a significant degradation of plant safety at a nuclear fuel cycle facility, one involved a medical diagnostic misadministration, and three involved medical therapy misadministrations. An Agreement State (Arizona) reported one abnormal occurrence that involved medical therapy misadministrations

  17. Crisis Communication Competence in Co-Producing Safety with Citizen Groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Laajalahti

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to explore interpersonal communication competence needed by crisis communication and management experts when co-operating with citizen groups in response to emergencies. Moreover, the purpose is to understand how response organizations can further develop this crisis communication competence and so contribute to the functioning of response networks. The research task is approached qualitatively by eliciting crisis communication and management experts’ (n = 33 perceptions of the interpersonal communication competence response organizations needs when co-operating with citizen groups. The data were gathered via an international online questionnaire using a method referred to as “thematic writing” and consist of written responses to open-ended questions on what constitutes the core of crisis communication competence and what aspects of it need more attention. The research findings indicate that co-producing safety with citizen groups demands crisis communication competence related to message production, message reception, and interaction between experts and citizen groups. In addition, the findings clarify what areas of crisis communication competence need to be further developed to facilitate co-operation between experts and citizen groups. However, the authors suggest that crisis communication competence should not be seen solely as a characteristic of individual crisis communicators but approached as a networked and co-created area of competence.

  18. Communications on nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety: a practical handbook

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-04-01

    Basic requirements to be met by national infrastructures for radiation protection and safety are stated in the International basic safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing radiation and for safety of radiation Sources. These include a requirement 'to set up appropriate means of informing the public, its representatives and the information media about the health and safety aspects of activities involving exposure to radiation and about regulatory processes.' This publication is intended for national regulatory authorities, to provide them with guidance on the principles and methods that can be applied in communicating nuclear safety to different audiences under different circumstances. This report presumes the existence of adequate national infrastructure including an independent regulatory authority with sufficient powers and resources to meet its responsibilities

  19. 77 FR 70777 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-27

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council AGENCY: Federal... Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC III) scheduled for December 5, 2012, at Federal...

  20. Issue on NPP-I and C important to safety-Data Communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koo, I. S.; Hong, S. B.; Cho, J. W.; Choi, Y. S.; Lee, J. C.

    2010-01-01

    1. Issue on CDV and FDIS of IEC61500 - Nuclear Power Plants - Instrumentation and control important to safety -Data communication - Activities on IEC TC45, SC45A/WGA3. 2. As issue the requirements for safety data communication which is essential part of digital I and C systems, the fundamental technology for IT based nuclear I and C is established. 3. Approval and circulation of IED61500 CDV and FDIS - Issue of the international standard, IEC 61500. 4. Issue one IEC61500, three interim documents, three presentations and five technical support to industry, and participation in IEC TC45 and SC45A plenary meeting and intermediate meeting on SC45A/WGA3. 5. Based on IEC61500, an new project on wireless technologyes application to NPP will be proceeded

  1. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January--March 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-07-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1988. For this reporting period, there were three abnormal occurrences at nuclear power plants licensed to operate: a potential for common mode failure of safety-related components due to a degraded instrument air system at Fort Calhoun; common mode failures of main steam isolation valves at Perry Unit 1; and a cracked pipe weld in a safety injection system at Farley Unit 2. There were six abnormal occurrences at other NRC licensees: a diagnostic medical misadministration; a breakdown in management controls at the Georgia Institute of Technology reactor facility; release of polonium-210 from static elimination devices manufactured by the 3M Company; two therapeutic medical misadministrationS; and a significant widespread breakdown in the radiation safety program at Case Western Reserve University research laboratories. There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State (Texas) involving radiation injury to two radiographers. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences. 43 refs

  2. Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brock, Douglas; Abu-Rish, Erin; Chiu, Chia-Ru; Hammer, Dana; Wilson, Sharon; Vorvick, Linda; Blondon, Katherine; Schaad, Douglas; Liner, Debra; Zierler, Brenda

    2013-05-01

    Communication failures in healthcare teams are associated with medical errors and negative health outcomes. These findings have increased emphasis on training future health professionals to work effectively within teams. The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) communication training model, widely employed to train healthcare teams, has been less commonly used to train student interprofessional teams. The present study reports the effectiveness of a simulation-based interprofessional TeamSTEPPS training in impacting student attitudes, knowledge and skills around interprofessional communication. Three hundred and six fourth-year medical, third-year nursing, second-year pharmacy and second-year physician assistant students took part in a 4 h training that included a 1 h TeamSTEPPS didactic session and three 1 h team simulation and feedback sessions. Students worked in groups balanced by a professional programme in a self-selected focal area (adult acute, paediatric, obstetrics). Preassessments and postassessments were used for examining attitudes, beliefs and reported opportunities to observe or participate in team communication behaviours. One hundred and forty-nine students (48.7%) completed the preassessments and postassessments. Significant differences were found for attitudes toward team communication (pskills included, team structure (p=0.002), situation monitoring (pcommunication (p=0.002). Significant shifts were reported for knowledge of TeamSTEPPS (pcommunicating in interprofessional teams (pcommunication is important in patient safety. We demonstrate positive attitudinal and knowledge effects in a large-scale interprofessional TeamSTEPPS-based training involving four student professions.

  3. Use of New Communication Technologies to Change NASA Safety Culture: Incorporating the Use of Blogs as a Fundamental Communications Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huls, Dale Thomas

    2005-12-01

    Blogs are an increasingly dominant new communication function on the internet. The power of this technology has forced media, corporations and government organizations to begin to incorporate blogging into their normal business practices. Blogs could be a key component to overcoming NASA's "silent safety culture." As a communications tool, blogs are used to establish trust primarily through the use of a personal voice style of writing. Dissenting voices can be raised and thoroughly vetted via a diversity of participation and experience without peer pressure or fear of retribution. Furthermore, the benefits of blogging as a technical resource to enhance safety are also discussed. The speed and self-vetting nature of blogging can allow managers and decision-makers to make more informed and therefore potentially better decisions with regard to technical and safety issues. Consequently, it is recommended that NASA utilize this new technology as an agent for cultural change.

  4. Technical Excellence and Communication: The Cornerstones for Successful Safety and Mission Assurance Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malone, Roy W.; Livingston, John M.

    2010-01-01

    The paper describes the role of technical excellence and communication in the development and maintenance of safety and mission assurance programs. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) organization is used to illustrate philosophies and techniques that strengthen safety and mission assurance efforts and that contribute to healthy and effective organizational cultures. The events and conditions leading to the development of the MSFC S&MA organization are reviewed. Historic issues and concerns are identified. The adverse effects of resource limitations and risk assessment roles are discussed. The structure and functions of the core safety, reliability, and quality assurance functions are presented. The current organization s mission and vision commitments serve as the starting points for the description of the current organization. The goals and objectives are presented that address the criticisms of the predecessor organizations. Additional improvements are presented that address the development of technical excellence and the steps taken to improve communication within the Center, with program customers, and with other Agency S&MA organizations.

  5. Technical Excellence and Communication, the Cornerstones for Successful Safety and Mission Assurance Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malone, Roy W.; Livingston, John M.

    2010-09-01

    The paper describes the role of technical excellence and communication in the development and maintenance of safety and mission assurance programs. The Marshall Space Flight Center(MSFC) Safety and Mission Assurance(S&MA) organization is used to illustrate philosophies and techniques that strengthen safety and mission assurance efforts and that contribute to healthy and effective organizational cultures. The events and conditions leading to the development of the MSFC S&MA organization are reviewed. Historic issues and concerns are identified. The adverse effects of resource limitations and risk assessment roles are discussed. The structure and functions of the core safety, reliability, and quality assurance functions are presented. The current organization’s mission and vision commitments serve as the starting points for the description of the current organization. The goals and objectives are presented that address the criticisms of the predecessor organizations. Additional improvements are presented that address the development of technical excellence and the steps taken to improve communication within the Center, with program customers, and with other Agency S&MA organizations.

  6. Public Communication Strategy Development: Focused on the Public Opinion Poll and Lessons Learned from the Survey on Nuclear Safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hah, Yeon Hee; Chung, Yun Hyung; Lee, Gey Hwi; Choi, Yong Seog

    2006-01-01

    The fundamental objective of nuclear regulatory organization is to ensure that nuclear activities are conducted at all times in an acceptably safe manner. When we are talking about 'acceptable' safety, it means that we have to try to achieve the safety level as 'acceptable' as perceived by the public, not the one conceptualized by the technology itself. In meeting this objective, the regulatory organization continues to ensure that its activities are transparent, technically sound, credible, and independent. More importantly, it should strive to ensure that the public are well informed about such activities and are confident upon regulatory organization. Public communication is one of the key approaches to attain such a goal. The availability of on-line communications based on the development of information technology has made a major impact on the public's better awareness of nuclear safety issues. Nuclear regulatory organization and operators are increasingly under pressure to communicate more actively with the public to satisfy their demand for knowing about the safety of nuclear facility. In coping with such challenges, KINS has developed a public information and communication policy to make public confident in their information and thus to earn the public trust and confidence toward nuclear safety. It is widely acknowledged that public communication for ensuring nuclear safety has been an integral part of the operators' activity. However, the roles and activities by the regulator in the area of public communication are increasingly required as the public become more interested in and concerned about safety issues. Taking this into account, KINS has carried out several activities to be well-informed about how the public perceive nuclear safety and how much they are satisfied with the regulator's activities, etc

  7. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-09-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from April 1 through June 30, 1992. Five abnormal occurrences are discussed in this report. One involved an extended loss of high-head safety injection capability at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. The other four involved medical misadministrations (three therapeutic and one diagnostic) at NRC-licensed facilities. No abnormal occurrences were reported by NRC's Agreement States. The report also contains information updating a previously reported abnormal occurrence

  8. Combining Cytotoxicity Assessment and Xenopus laevis Phenotypic Abnormality Assay as a Predictor of Nanomaterial Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Yousuf, Karamallah; Webster, Carl A; Wheeler, Grant N; Bombelli, Francesca Baldelli; Sherwood, Victoria

    2017-08-04

    The African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, has been used as an efficient pre-clinical screening tool to predict drug safety during the early stages of the drug discovery process. X. laevis is a relatively inexpensive model that can be used in whole organism high-throughput assays whilst maintaining a high degree of homology to the higher vertebrate models often used in scientific research. Despite an ever-increasing volume of biomedical nanoparticles (NPs) in development, their unique physico-chemical properties challenge the use of standard toxicology assays. Here, we present a protocol that directly compares the sensitivity of X. laevis development as a tool to assess potential NP toxicity by observation of embryo phenotypic abnormalities/lethality after NP exposure, to in vitro cytotoxicity obtained using mammalian cell lines. In combination with conventional cytotoxicity assays, the X. laevis phenotypic assay provides accurate data to efficiently assess the safety of novel biomedical NPs. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  9. Adverse event reporting in Slovenia - the influence of safety culture, supervisors and communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Birk Karin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. The provision of safe healthcare is considered a priority in European Union (EU member states. Along with other preventative measures in healthcare, the EU also strives to eliminate the “causes of harm to human health”. The aim of this survey was to determine whether safety culture, supervisors and communication between co-workers influence the number of adverse event reports submitted to the heads of clinical departments and to the management of an institution. Methods. This survey is based on cross-sectional analysis. It was carried out in the largest Slovenian university hospital. We received 235 completed questionnaires. Respondents included professionals in the fields of nursingcare, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and radiological technology. Results. Safety culture influences the number of adverse event reports submitted to the head of a clinical department from the organizational point of view. Supervisors and communication between co-workers do not influence the number of adverse event reports. Conclusion. It can be concluded that neither supervisors nor the level of communication between co-workers influence the frequency of adverse event reporting, while safety culture does influence it from an organizational point of view. The presumed factors only partly influence the number of submitted adverse event reports, thus other causes of under-reporting must be sought elsewhere.

  10. A 'Communication and Patient Safety' training programme for all healthcare staff: can it make a difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Peter; Allen, Kellie; Daly, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Communication breakdown is a factor contributing to most cases of patient harm, and this harm continues to occur at unacceptable levels. Responding to this evidence, the Metro South District of Queensland Health (Australia) has developed a communication skills training programme titled 'Communication and Patient Safety'. The three modules, each lasting 3½ h, cover both staff-to-patient and staff-to-staff communication issues, and an unusual feature is that clinical and non-clinical staff attend together. Following positive evaluation data from our initial pilot programme (involving 350 staff in a single hospital), the programme was expanded to all five hospitals in the district, and has now been completed by over 3000 staff. The results show that despite the significant time commitment, participants find the courses useful and relevant (Kirkpatrick level 1), they learn and retain new material (level 2), and they report changes in behaviour at individual, team and facility levels (level 3). Although it remains a challenge to obtain quantitative data showing that training such as this directly improves patient safety (level 4), our qualitative and informal feedback indicates that participants and their managers perceive clear improvements in the 'communication culture' after a workplace team has attended the courses. Improving 'communication for safety' in healthcare is a worldwide imperative, and other healthcare jurisdictions should be able to obtain similar results to ours if they develop and support interactive, non-didactic training in communication skills.

  11. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from July 1 to September 30, 1989. For this reporting period, there were five abnormal occurrences. One abnormal occurrence took place at a licensed nuclear power plant and involved significant deficiencies associated with the containment recirculation sump at the Trojan facility. The other four abnormal occurrences took place under other NRC-issued licenses: the first involved a medical diagnostic misadministration; the second involved a medical therapy misadministration; the third involved a radiation overexposure of a radiographer; and the fourth involved a significant breakdown and careless disregard of the radiation safety program at three of a licensee's manufacturing facilities. The Agreement States reported no abnormal occurrences during the reporting period. The report also contains information that updates some previously reported abnormal occurrences. 17 refs

  12. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July-September 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-04-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from July 1 to September 30, 1986. The report states that for this reporting period, there were four abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The events were (1) a differential pressure switch problem in safety systems at LaSalle facility, (2) abnormal cooldown and depressurization transient at Catawba Unit 2, (3) significant safeguards deficiencies at Wolf Creek and Fort St. Vrain, and (4) significant deficiencies in access controls at River Bend Station. There was one abnormal occurrence at the other NRC licensees; it involved a therapeutic medical misadministration. There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State; it involved a therapeutic medical misadministration. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  13. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-06-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period January through March 1993. There is one abnormal occurrence at a nuclear power plant disposed in this report that involved a steam generator tube rupture at Palo Verde Unit 2, and none for fuel cycle facilities. Three abnormal occurrences involving medical misadminstrations (two therapeutic and one diagnostic) at NRC-licensed facilities are also discussed in this report. No abnormal occurrences were reported by NRC's Agreement States. The report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  14. Transforming communication and safety culture in intrapartum care: a multi-organization blueprint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyndon, Audrey; Johnson, M Christina; Bingham, Debra; Napolitano, Peter G; Joseph, Gerald; Maxfield, David G; OʼKeeffe, Daniel F

    2015-05-01

    Effective, patient-centered communication facilitates interception and correction of potentially harmful conditions and errors. All team members, including women, their families, physicians, midwives, nurses, and support staff, have a role in identifying the potential for harm during labor and birth. However, the results of collaborative research studies conducted by organizations that represent professionals who care for women during labor and birth indicate that health care providers may frequently witness, but may not always report, problems with safety or clinical performance. Some of these health care providers felt resigned to the continuation of such problems and fearful of retribution if they tried to address them. Speaking up to address safety and quality concerns is a dynamic social process. Every team member must feel empowered to speak up about concerns without fear of put-downs, retribution, or receiving poor-quality care. Patient safety requires mutual accountability: individuals, teams, health care facilities, and professional associations have a shared responsibility for creating and sustaining environments of mutual respect and engaging in highly reliable perinatal care. Defects in human factors, communication, and leadership have been the leading contributors to sentinel events in perinatal care for more than a decade. Organizational commitment and executive leadership are essential to creating an environment that proactively supports safety and quality. The problem is well-known; the time for action is now.

  15. How to communicate safety? Some reflections from European project studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richardson, Philip; Galson, Daniel

    2009-12-01

    Attempts to site geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste - and associated public reactions - indicate that communicating safety and demonstrating safety are very different things. The three different approaches to stakeholder engagement undertaken in the context of the PAMINA, ARGONA and CIP projects have provided valuable insights into how risk communication processes and tools can be improved. The approaches used in these projects all involve the participation of interested stakeholders in identifying concerns and issues, which are then examined in a co-operative fashion between stakeholders and developers acting in partnership. Such approaches offer avenues for dialogue and confidence building where such channels were previously not well developed, Full results from the projects will be available in late 2009 for PAMINA and ARGONA and in early 2010 for CIP. The comments and interim insights outlined here will be developed further and incorporated in the overall project outputs, and help inform developing European policy in this area. It is already clear, however, that the approaches used in these projects offer great promise in helping to develop the trust in the institutions and organisations involved that is essential in gaining support and acceptance for the waste management activities now underway across Europe

  16. Car-to-Pedestrian Communication Safety System Based on the Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network Environment: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Jing

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available With the unparalleled growth of motor vehicles, traffic accident between pedestrians and vehicles is one of the most serious issues in the word-wild. Plenty of injuries and fatalities are caused by the traffic accidents and crashes. The connected vehicular ad hoc network as an emerging approach which has the potential to reduce and even avoid accidents have been focused on by many researchers. A large number of car-to-pedestrian communication safety systems based on the vehicular ad hoc network are researching and developing. However, to our limited knowledge, a systematic review about the car-to-pedestrian communication safety system based on the vehicular ad-hoc network has not be written. The purpose and goal of this review is to systematically evaluate and access the reliability of car-to-pedestrian communication safety system based on the vehicular ad-hoc network environment and provide some recommendations for the future works according to throwing some light on the previous literatures. A quality evaluation was developed through established items and instruments tailored to this review. Future works are needed to focus on developing a valid as well as effective communication safety system based on the vehicular ad hoc network to protect the vulnerable road users.

  17. The SafeCOP ECSEL Project: Safe Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems Using Wireless Communication

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pop, Paul; Scholle, Detlef; Hansson, Hans

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of the ECSEL project entitled "Safe Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems using Wireless Communication" (SafeCOP), which runs during the period 2016 -- 2019. SafeCOP targets safety-related Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems (CO-CPS) characterised by use of wireless...... detection of abnormal behaviour, triggering if needed a safe degraded mode. SafeCOP will also develop methods and tools, which will be used to produce safety assurance evidence needed to certify cooperative functions. SafeCOP will extend current wireless technologies to ensure safe and secure cooperation...

  18. 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.

  19. Reliability modeling of safety-critical network communication in a digitalized nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Hun; Kim, Hee Eun; Son, Kwang Seop; Shin, Sung Min; Lee, Seung Jun; Kang, Hyun Gook

    2015-01-01

    The Engineered Safety Feature-Component Control System (ESF-CCS), which uses a network communication system for the transmission of safety-critical information from group controllers (GCs) to loop controllers (LCs), was recently developed. However, the ESF-CCS has not been applied to nuclear power plants (NPPs) because the network communication failure risk in the ESF-CCS has yet to be fully quantified. Therefore, this study was performed to identify the potential hazardous states for network communication between GCs and LCs and to develop quantification schemes for various network failure causes. To estimate the risk effects of network communication failures in the ESF-CCS, a fault-tree model of an ESF-CCS signal failure in the containment spray actuation signal condition was developed for the case study. Based on a specified range of periodic inspection periods for network modules and the baseline probability of software failure, a sensitivity study was conducted to analyze the risk effect of network failure between GCs and LCs on ESF-CCS signal failure. This study is expected to provide insight into the development of a fault-tree model for network failures in digital I&C systems and the quantification of the risk effects of network failures for safety-critical information transmission in NPPs. - Highlights: • Network reliability modeling framework for digital I&C system in NPP is proposed. • Hazardous states of network protocol between GC and LC in ESF-CCS are identified. • Fault-tree model of ESF-CCS signal failure in ESF actuation condition is developed. • Risk effect of network failure on ESF-CCS signal failure is analyzed.

  20. Safety and security profiles of industry networks used in safety- critical applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mária FRANEKOVÁ

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The author describes the mechanisms of safety and security profiles of industry and communication networks used within safety – related applications in technological and information levels of process control recommended according to standards IEC 61784-3,4. Nowadays the number of vendors of the safety – related communication technologies who guarantees besides the standard communication, the communication amongst the safety – related equipment according to IEC 61508 is increasing. Also the number of safety – related products is increasing, e. g. safety Fieldbus, safety PLC, safety curtains, safety laser scanners, safety buttons, safety relays and other. According to world survey the safety Fieldbus denoted the highest growth from all manufactured safety products.The main part of this paper is the description of the safety-related Fieldbus communication system, which has to guaranty Safety Integrity Level.

  1. Establishing and communicating confidence in the safety of deep geologic disposal. Approaches and arguments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    Confidence among both technical experts and the public in the safety of deep geologic repositories for radioactive waste is a key element in the successful development of the repositories. This report presents the approaches and arguments that are currently used in OECD countries to establish and communicate confidence in their safety. It evaluates the state of the art for obtaining, presenting and demonstrating confidence in long-term safety, and makes recommendations on future directions and initiatives to be taken for improving confidence. (author)

  2. Access, interest, and attitudes toward electronic communication for health care among patients in the medical safety net.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schickedanz, Adam; Huang, David; Lopez, Andrea; Cheung, Edna; Lyles, C R; Bodenheimer, Tom; Sarkar, Urmimala

    2013-07-01

    Electronic and internet-based tools for patient-provider communication are becoming the standard of care, but disparities exist in their adoption among patients. The reasons for these disparities are unclear, and few studies have looked at the potential communication technologies have to benefit vulnerable patient populations. To characterize access to, interest in, and attitudes toward internet-based communication in an ethnically, economically, and linguistically diverse group of patients from a large urban safety net clinic network. Observational, cross-sectional study Adult patients (≥ 18 years) in six resource-limited community clinics in the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) MAIN MEASURES: Current email use, interest in communicating electronically with health care professionals, barriers to and facilitators of electronic health-related communication, and demographic data-all self-reported via survey. Sixty percent of patients used email, 71 % were interested in using electronic communication with health care providers, and 19 % reported currently using email informally with these providers for health care. Those already using any email were more likely to express interest in using it for health matters. Most patients agreed electronic communication would improve clinic efficiency and overall communication with clinicians. A significant majority of safety net patients currently use email, text messaging, and the internet, and they expressed an interest in using these tools for electronic communication with their medical providers. This interest is currently unmet within safety net clinics that do not offer a patient portal or secure messaging. Tools such as email encounters and electronic patient portals should be implemented and supported to a greater extent in resource-poor settings, but this will require tailoring these tools to patients' language, literacy level, and experience with communication technology.

  3. The Role of Interpersonal Relations in Healthcare Team Communication and Patient Safety: A Proposed Model of Interpersonal Process in Teamwork.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Charlotte Tsz-Sum; Doran, Diane Marie

    2017-06-01

    Patient safety is compromised by medical errors and adverse events related to miscommunications among healthcare providers. Communication among healthcare providers is affected by human factors, such as interpersonal relations. Yet, discussions of interpersonal relations and communication are lacking in healthcare team literature. This paper proposes a theoretical framework that explains how interpersonal relations among healthcare team members affect communication and team performance, such as patient safety. We synthesized studies from health and social science disciplines to construct a theoretical framework that explicates the links among these constructs. From our synthesis, we identified two relevant theories: framework on interpersonal processes based on social relation model and the theory of relational coordination. The former involves three steps: perception, evaluation, and feedback; and the latter captures relational communicative behavior. We propose that manifestations of provider relations are embedded in the third step of the framework on interpersonal processes: feedback. Thus, varying team-member relationships lead to varying collaborative behavior, which affects patient-safety outcomes via a change in team communication. The proposed framework offers new perspectives for understanding how workplace relations affect healthcare team performance. The framework can be used by nurses, administrators, and educators to improve patient safety, team communication, or to resolve conflicts.

  4. Transforming communication and safety culture in intrapartum care: a multi-organization blueprint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyndon, Audrey; Johnson, M Christina; Bingham, Debra; Napolitano, Peter G; Joseph, Gerald; Maxfield, David G; O'Keeffe, Daniel F

    2015-01-01

    Effective, patient-centered communication facilitates interception and correction of potentially harmful conditions and errors. All team members, including women, their families, physicians, midwives, nurses, and support staff, have roles in identifying the potential for harm during labor and birth. However, the results of collaborative research studies conducted by organizations that represent professionals who care for women during labor and birth indicate that health care providers may frequently witness, but may not always report, problems with safety or clinical performance. Some of these health care providers felt resigned to the continuation of such problems and fearful of retribution if they tried to address them. Speaking up to address safety and quality concerns is a dynamic social process. Every team member must feel empowered to speak up about concerns without fear of put-downs, retribution, or receiving poor-quality care. Patient safety requires mutual accountability: individuals, teams, health care facilities, and professional associations have a shared responsibility for creating and sustaining environments of mutual respect and engaging in highly reliable perinatal care. Defects in human factors, communication, and leadership have been the leading contributors to sentinel events in perinatal care for more than a decade. Organizational commitment and executive leadership are essential to creating an environment that proactively supports safety and quality. The problem is well-known; the time for action is now. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

  5. Key Problems of Fire Safety Enforcement in Traffic and Communication Centers (TCC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medyanik, M.; Zosimova, O.

    2017-10-01

    A Traffic and Communication Center (TCC) means facilities designed and used to distribute and redirect flows of humans and motor vehicles while they get serviced and operate. This paper sets forth the basic problems of fire safety enforcement on the TCC, and the causes that slow down human and vehicle traffic speeds. It proposes ways to solve the problems of fire safety enforcement on the TCC, in the Russian Federation and elsewhere. Engineering solutions are proposed for TCC design, with key outlooks of TCC future development as an alternative way to organize access in transportation.

  6. Internationally trained pharmacists' perception of their communication proficiency and their views on the impact on patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziaei, Zainab; Hassell, Karen; Schafheutle, Ellen I

    2015-01-01

    According to Great Britain (GB)'s pharmacy regulator's standards of conduct, ethics and performance, pharmacists have a responsibility to ensure that they have sufficient linguistic skills to communicate and perform their job safely. Yet, very little is known about internationally trained pharmacists' (ITPs) linguistic proficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate ITPs' perceptions of their communication proficiency and the resultant impact on patient safety. Eight focus groups were conducted between May and July 2010, with 31 European Economic Area (EEA) and 11 non-EEA pharmacists who, at the time of the study, practiced in community pharmacy (n = 29) or hospital (n = 13), in London, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. The framework method was used to analyze qualitative data, and the Model of Communicative Proficiency (MCP) served as a framework to handle and explain the data obtained. ITPs experienced communication difficulties through new dialects, use of idioms and colloquial language in their workplace. The differences between the "BBC English" they learned formally and the "Street English" used in GB also led to difficulties. Culture was also recognized as an important aspect of communication. ITPs in this study were adamant that communication difficulty did not compromise patient safety. Communicative deficiency of ITPs arose primarily from two sources: linguistic competence and socio-cultural competence. These deficiencies could have negative implications for patient safety. The findings of this study should be taken into account when designing adaptation programs for ITPs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Quality of healthcare services and its relationship with patient safety culture and nurse-physician professional communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Ghahramanian

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: This study investigated quality of healthcare services from patients’ perspectives and its relationship with patient safety culture and nurse-physician professional communication. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 surgery patients and 101 nurses caring them in a public hospital in Tabriz–Iran. Data were collected using the service quality measurement scale (SERVQUAL, hospital survey on patient safety culture (HSOPSC and nurse physician professional communication questionnaire. Results: The highest and lowest mean (±SD scores of the patients’ perception on the healthcare services quality belonged to the assurance 13.92 (±3.55 and empathy 6.78 (±1.88 domains,respectively. With regard to the patient safety culture, the mean percentage of positive answers ranged from 45.87% for "non-punitive response to errors" to 68.21% for "organizational continuous learning" domains. The highest and lowest mean (±SD scores for the nurse physician professional communication were obtained for "cooperation" 3.44 (±0.35 and "non participative decision-making" 2.84 (±0.34 domains, respectively. The "frequency of reported errors by healthcare professionals" (B=-4.20, 95% CI = -7.14 to -1.27, P<0.01 and "respect and sharing of information" (B=7.69, 95% CI=4.01 to 11.36, P<0.001 predicted the patients’perceptions of the quality of healthcare services. Conclusion: Organizational culture in dealing with medical error should be changed to non punitive response. Change in safety culture towards reporting of errors, effective communication and teamwork between healthcare professionals are recommended.

  8. Quality of healthcare services and its relationship with patient safety culture and nurse-physician professional communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghahramanian, Akram; Rezaei, Tayyebeh; Abdullahzadeh, Farahnaz; Sheikhalipour, Zahra; Dianat, Iman

    2017-01-01

    Background: This study investigated quality of healthcare services from patients' perspectives and its relationship with patient safety culture and nurse-physician professional communication. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 surgery patients and 101 nurses caring them in a public hospital in Tabriz-Iran. Data were collected using the service quality measurement scale (SERVQUAL), hospital survey on patient safety culture (HSOPSC) and nurse physician professional communication questionnaire. Results: The highest and lowest mean (±SD) scores of the patients' perception on the healthcare services quality belonged to the assurance 13.92 (±3.55) and empathy 6.78 (±1.88) domains,respectively. With regard to the patient safety culture, the mean percentage of positive answers ranged from 45.87% for "non-punitive response to errors" to 68.21% for "organizational continuous learning" domains. The highest and lowest mean (±SD) scores for the nurse physician professional communication were obtained for "cooperation" 3.44 (±0.35) and "non-participative decision-making" 2.84 (±0.34) domains, respectively. The "frequency of reported errors by healthcare professionals" (B=-4.20, 95% CI = -7.14 to -1.27, P<0.01) and "respect and sharing of information" (B=7.69, 95% CI=4.01 to 11.36, P<0.001) predicted the patients'perceptions of the quality of healthcare services. Conclusion: Organizational culture in dealing with medical error should be changed to non-punitive response. Change in safety culture towards reporting of errors, effective communication and teamwork between healthcare professionals are recommended.

  9. Abnormality diagnostic technology for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Satoshi

    1986-01-01

    In nuclear power plants, it is feared that the failure of the installations containing radioactive substances may inflict serious damage on public and workers. Therefore in nuclear power plants, the ensuring of safety is planned by supposing hypothetical accidents which are not likely to occur from engineering viewpoint, and multiple protection measures are taken in the plant constitution. In addition to the safety measures from such hardware aspect, recently in order to prevent the occurrence of accidents by using various safety-confirming means, and to detect early when any accident occurred, the development and putting in practical use of many monitoring equipments have been promoted. In such background, the development of nuclear power generation supporting system was carried out for five years since fiscal year 1980, subsidized by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and in this report, the technology of equipment abnormality diagnosis developed as a part of that project and the diagnostic techniques for actual plants are described. The technology of diagnosing nuclear reactor abnormality includes the diagnosis of loose metal pieces and the abnormal vibration of in-core structures. The detection and diagnosis of valve leak and the diagnosis of the deterioration of detectors are also explained. (Kako, I.)

  10. [Clinical efficacy and safety of uterine artery chemoembolization in abnormal placental implantation complicated with postpartum hemorrhage].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yao-ting; Xu, Lin-feng; Sun, Hong-liang; Li, Hui-qing; Hu, Ren-mei; Tan, Qi-yin

    2010-04-01

    To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of uterime artery chemoembolization in postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) caused by abnormal placental implantation. Between December 2006 and September 2009, there were 23 cases of abnormal placental implantation with PPH in our hospital, among which 9 presented with continuous small amount of vaginal bleeding and 14 with acute excessive bleeding. The average bleeding time was (8+/-6) d and the mean blood loss was (980+/-660) ml. Abnormal placental implantation was confirmed by color Doppler ultrasound (CD-US) in all cases, the internal iliac artery angiography was performed to identify the uterine artery and bilateral uterine artery chemoembolization (UACE) with methotrexate (MTX) and gelfoam particles to the distal end of uterine artery was conducted after. CD-US rechecked all patients within 48 h after UACE and those patients with blurred margins between placenta and uterus and abnormal blood flow (>1 cmx1 cm) received ultrasonic-guided per vagina MTX multipoint injections. All cases were followed up for 3-26 months (average 12 months) to observe vaginal bleeding, placenta tissue discharge, serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), uterine involution, menses, and side-effects or complications. (1) Curative effect: These 23 cases underwent 24 procedures of UACE successfully and vaginal bleeding ceased at an average of (3.5+/-1.3) min after UACE. Reduced blood flow in the placental implantation area was detected under CD-US after UACE. Among the 23 patients, wterine curettage was required in 16 cases due to retained placenta tissues with the mean blood loss of (40+/-28) ml during the operation, 2 underwent subtotal hysterectomy and confirmed to be placenta percreta by pathology examination, and placenta tissues were spontaneously discharged completely in 5 cases. Totally, 91% of the patients (21/23) reserved their uterus. (2) FOLLOW-UP: the serum hCG reduced to normal within 1-13 d after the placenta tissue were evacuated

  11. Nurse-physician communication in the long-term care setting: perceived barriers and impact on patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tjia, Jennifer; Mazor, Kathleen M; Field, Terry; Meterko, Vanessa; Spenard, Ann; Gurwitz, Jerry H

    2009-09-01

    Clear and complete communication between health care providers is a prerequisite for safe patient management and is a major priority of the Joint Commission's 2008 National Patient Safety Goals. The goal of this study was to describe nurses' perceptions of nurse-physician communication in the long-term care (LTC) setting. Mixed-method study including a self-administered questionnaire and qualitative semistructured telephone interviews of licensed nurses from 26 LTC facilities in Connecticut. The questionnaire measured perceived openness to communication, mutual understanding, language comprehension, frustration, professional respect, nurse preparedness, time burden, and logistical barriers. Qualitative interviews focused on identifying barriers to effective nurse-physician communication that may not have previously been considered and eliciting nurses' recommendations for overcoming those barriers. Three hundred seventy-five nurses completed the questionnaire, and 21 nurses completed qualitative interviews. Nurses identified several barriers to effective nurse-physician communication: lack of physician openness to communication, logistic challenges, lack of professionalism, and language barriers. Feeling hurried by the physician was the most frequent barrier (28%), followed by finding a quiet place to call (25%), and difficulty reaching the physician (21%). In qualitative interviews, there was consensus that nurses needed to be brief and prepared with relevant clinical information when communicating with physicians and that physicians needed to be more open to listening. A combination of nurse and physician behaviors contributes to ineffective communication in the LTC setting. These findings have important implications for patient safety and support the development of structured communication interventions to improve quality of nurse-physician communication.

  12. Communication barriers in counselling foreign-language patients in public pharmacies: threats to patient safety?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwappach, David L B; Meyer Massetti, Carla; Gehring, Katrin

    2012-10-01

    Foreign-language (FL) patients are at increased risk for adverse drug events. Evidence regarding communication barriers and the safety of pharmaceutical care of FL patients in European countries is scarce despite large migrant populations. To investigate Swiss public pharmacists' experiences and current practices in counselling FL patients with a focus on patient safety. In a cross-sectional study heads of public pharmacies in Switzerland were surveyed using an electronic questionnaire. The survey assessed the frequency of communication barriers encountered in medication counselling of FL patients, perceptions of risks for adverse drug events, satisfaction with the quality of counselling provided to FL patients, current strategies to reduce risks, and preferences towards tools to improve safety for FL patients. 498 pharmacists completed the survey (43 % response rate). More than every second pharmacist reported at least weekly encounters at which they cannot provide good medication counselling to FL patients in the regional Swiss language. Ad-hoc interpreting by minors is also common at a considerable number of pharmacies (26.5 % reported at least one weekly occurrence). Approximately 10 % of pharmacies reported that they fail at least weekly to explain the essentials of drug therapy (e.g. dosing of children's medications) to FL patients. 79.8 % perceived the risk of FL patients for adverse drug events to be somewhat or much higher compared to other patients. 22.5 % of pharmacists reported being concerned at least monthly about medication safety when FL patients leave their pharmacy. However, the majority of pharmacists were satisfied with the quality of care provided to FL patients in their pharmacy [78.6 % (very) satisfied]. The main strategy used to improve counselling for FL patients was the employment of multilingual staff. Participants would use software for printing foreign-language labels (41.2 %) and multilingual package inserts (42.0 %) if these were

  13. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-09-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period April through June 1993, and discusses four abnormal occurrences at NRC-licensed facilities, three involving medical brachytherapy misadministrations and one involving a research reactor that operated without a safety system. One pool irradiation facility contamination event, two medical misadministrations (one ''sodium iodide'' and one brachytherapy), and one industrial radiographer overexposure event that were reported by NRC Agreement States are also discussed. The report also contains information updating one previously reported abnormal occurrence and information on three other events of interest

  14. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July-September 1987

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-03-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from July 1 to September 30, 1987. The report states that for this reporting period, there were two abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The first involved a significant degradation of plant safety at Oyster Creek; and the second involved a steam generator tube rupture at North Anna Unit 1. There were four abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. The first involved a therapeutic medical misadministration; the second involved a failure to report diagnostic medical misadministrations; the third involved the suspension of a well logging company's license; and the fourth involved the suspension of an industrial radiography company's license. There were two abnormal occurrences reported by an Agreement State (New York). The first involved a hospital contamination incident and the second involved therapeutic medical misadministrations. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  15. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-10-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from April 1 through June 30, 1990. The report discusses six abnormal occurrences, none involving a nuclear power plant. There were five abnormal occurrences at NRC licensees: (1) deficiencies in brachytherapy program; (2) a radiation overexposure of a radiographer; (3) a medical diagnostic misadministration; (4) administration of iodine-131 to a lactating female with subsequent uptake by her infant; and (5) a medical therapy misadministration. An Agreement State (Arizona) reported an abnormal occurrence involving a medical diagnostic misadministration. The report also contains information that updates a previously reported occurrence

  16. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October--December 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-03-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from October 1 through December 31, 1992. There are two abnormal occurrences at nuclear power plants and six abnormal occurrences involving medical misadministration (all therapeutic) at NRC-licensed facilities discussed in this report. No abnormal occurrences were reported by the NRC's Agreement States. The report also contains information updating three previously reported abnormal occurrences

  17. Report to congress on abnormal occurrences: January--March 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-07-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to congress. This report covers the period from January 1 through March 31, 1992. The abnormal occurrences involving medical therapy misadministrations at NRC-licensed facilities are discussed in this report. There were no abnormal occurrences at a nuclear power plant, and none were reported by NRC's Agreement States. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  18. Comprehension of hazard communication: effects of pictograms on safety data sheets and labels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boelhouwer, Eric; Davis, Jerry; Franco-Watkins, Ana; Dorris, Nathan; Lungu, Claudiu

    2013-09-01

    The United Nations has proposed the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals to make hazard communication more uniform and to improve comprehension. Two experiments were conducted to test whether the addition of hazard and precautionary pictograms to safety data sheets and product labels would improve the transfer of information to users compared to safety data sheets and product labels containing text only. Additionally, naïve users, workers, and experts were tested to determine any potential differences among users. The effect of adding pictograms to safety data sheets and labels was statistically significant for some conditions, but was not significant across all conditions. One benefit of the addition of pictograms was that the time to respond to the survey questions decreased when the pictograms were present for both the SDS and the labels. GHS format SDS and labels do provide benefits to users, but the system will need further enhancements and modifications to continue to improve the effectiveness of hazard communication. The final rule to modify the HCS to include the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals announced by OSHA (2012b) will change the information content of every chemical SDS and label used in commerce. This study suggests that the inclusion of GHS hazard pictograms and precautionary pictograms to SDS and labels may benefit the user. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Data communications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Preckshot, G.G.

    1993-08-01

    The purpose of this paper is to recommend regulatory guidance for reviewers examining computer communication systems used in nuclear power plants. The recommendations cover three areas important to these communications systems: system design, communication protocols, and communication media. The first area, system design, considers three aspects of system design--questions about architecture, specific risky design elements or omissions to look for in designs being reviewed, and recommendations for multiplexed data communication systems used in safety systems. The second area reviews pertinent aspects of communication protocol design and makes recommendations for newly designed protocols or the selection of existing protocols for safety system, information display, and non-safety control system use. The third area covers communication media selection, which differs significantly from traditional wire and cable. The recommendations for communication media extend or enhance the concerns of published IEEE standards about three subjects: data rate, imported hazards and maintainability

  20. Communicating food safety, authenticity and consumer choice. Field experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syntesa, Heiner Lehr

    2013-04-01

    The paper reviews patented and non-patented technologies, methods and solutions in the area of food traceability. It pays special attention to the communication of food safety, authenticity and consumer choice. Twenty eight recent patents are reviewed in the areas of (secure) identification, product freshness indicators, meat traceability, (secure) transport of information along the supply chain, country/region/place of origin, automated authentication, supply chain management systems, consumer interaction systems. In addition, solutions and pilot projects are described in the areas of Halal traceability, traceability of bird's nests, cold chain management, general food traceability and other areas.

  1. Level of Evidence Associated with FDA Safety Communications with Drug Labeling Changes: 2010-2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin Hixon

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Approximately 800,000 safety reports are submitted to the FDA annually, however, only significant issues generate drug safety communications (DSC. The purpose of this study was to determine the type of clinical evidence used to warrant a change in drug labeling for drugs with DSC between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2014. Methods: Selected data was obtained from the FDA website. The primary endpoint of the study was the frequency of the types of clinical evidence used in FDA communications, as reported through the FDA DSC. Results were evaluated via descriptive statistics, and chi-squared for nominal data. Results: A total of 2521 drug safety labeling changes were identified and 99 (3.9% of safety communications met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the labeling changes were associated with single agents (83.8%. The three most frequently reported labeling changes were warnings (68.7%, precautions (58.6%, and patient package insert/medication guide (23.2%. Case reports resulted in the greatest number of documented literature types (n = 791, followed by randomized controlled trials (n = 76, and case control/cohort studies (n = 74. Significantly more evidence for DSCs were classified as Level of Evidence B (LOE B, 68.6%, compared to LOE A (17.1%, and LOE C (14.1% (p = 0.007. Conclusions: The majority of drug labeling change initiators was associated with LOE equivalent to B. Practitioners should evaluate data associated with labeling changes to determine how to interpret the information for their patients. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received, employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties.   Type: Original Research

  2. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-12-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from July 1 through September 30, 1992. There were no abnormal occurrences at a nuclear power plant. Two abnormal occurrences involving medical misadministrations (both therapeutic) and one involving overexposure of a radiographer at NRC-licensed facilities were discussed in this report. In addition, another abnormal occurrence was reported by an NRC Agreement State. The report also contains information updating a previously reported abnormal occurrence

  3. Monitoring System For Improving Radiation Safety Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osovizky, A.; Paran, J.; Tal, N.; Ankry, N.; Ashkenazi, B.; Tirosh, D.; Marziano, R.; Chisin, R.

    1999-01-01

    Medi SMARTS (Medical Survey Mapping Automatic Radiation Tracing System), a gamma radiation monitoring system, was installed in a nuclear medicine department. In this paper the evaluation of the system's ability to improve radiation safety management is presented. The system is based on a state of the art software that continuously collects on line radiation measurements for display, analysis and logging. Radiation is measured by GM tubes; the signal is transferred to a data processing unit and then via an RS-485 communication line to a computer. The system automatically identifies the detector type and its calibration factor, thus providing compatibility, maintainability and versatility when changing detectors. Radiation levels are displayed on the nuclear medicine department map at six locations. The system has been operating continuously for more than one year, documenting abnormal events caused by routine operation or failure incidents. In cases where abnormal working conditions were encountered, an alarm message was sent automatically to the supervisor via his tele-pager. An interesting issue observed during the system evaluation, was the inability to distinguish between high radiation levels caused by proper routine operation and those caused by safety failure incidents. The solution included examination of two parameters, radiation levels as well as their duration period. A careful analysis of the historical data, applying the appropriated combined parameters determined for each location, verified that such a system can identify abnormal events, provide alarms to warn in case of incidents and improve standard operating procedures

  4. Fuel cycle safety research. Role and development in future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Shiro

    2005-01-01

    The report stresses important roles played by risk informed methodology in chemical process safety problems as encountered in fuel cycle facility such as a reprocessing plant. Abnormal situation management is a safety issue - The lesson learned from the pesticide manufacturing facility in Bhopal, India. Little attention has been given to understanding the issues regarding performance during normal versus abnormal situation. The first step is in abnormal situation management is to define what really is abnormal. The second step is to ensure that everyone understands the difference between normal and abnormal, and the root causes of abnormal events. The third step is to be aware of current practices that support abnormal situation management, and the procedures, practices, and techniques used to respond to abnormal conditions. Dynamic simulation will become to useful techniques for abnormal situation management as well as probabilistic safety assessment for process facilities including nuclear fuel cycle. (S. Ohno)

  5. Text messaging for sexual communication and safety among African American young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broaddus, Michelle R; Dickson-Gomez, Julia

    2013-10-01

    African American young adults are at high risk of HIV infection during their lifetimes, and the male condom remains the best method of prevention. Efforts to increase condom use should address the barrier of condom negotiation. We conducted a thematic analysis of qualitative, semistructured interviews with African American young adults to examine their use of text messaging for requesting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and condom use within the larger context of general sexual communication using text messages. Text messaging gave participants a level of comfort and disinhibition to discuss sexual topics and negotiate sexual safety. Benefits of text messages included ease of communication, privacy, and increased ability to express condom desires. Difficulties reflected the potential relationship implications of suggesting HIV/STI testing and condom use. Condom negotiation strategies using text messages also mirrored those found to be used in face-to-face communication.

  6. Increasing patient safety with neonates via handoff communication during delivery: a call for interprofessional health care team training across GME and CME.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderbilt, Allison A; Pappada, Scott M; Stein, Howard; Harper, David; Papadimos, Thomas J

    2017-01-01

    Hospitals have struggled for years regarding the handoff process of communicating patient information from one health care professional to another. Ineffective handoff communication is recognized as a serious patient safety risk within the health care community. It is essential to take communication into consideration when examining the safety of neonates who require immediate medical attention after birth; effective communication is vital for positive patient outcomes, especially with neonates in a delivery room setting. Teamwork and effective communication across the health care continuum are essential for providing efficient, quality care that leads to favorable patient outcomes. Interprofessional simulation and team training can benefit health care professionals by improving interprofessional competence, defined as one's knowledge of other professionals including an understanding of their training and skillsets, and role clarity. Interprofessional teams that include members with specialization in obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology have the potential to considerably benefit from training effective handoff and communication practices that would ensure the safety of the neonate upon birth. We must strive to provide the most comprehensive systematic, standardized, interprofessional handoff communication training sessions for such teams, through Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education that will meet the needs across the educational continuum.

  7. Safety assessment of inter-channel / inter-system digital communications: A defensive measures approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thuy, N. N. Q.

    2006-01-01

    Inappropriately designed inter-channel and inter-system digital communications could initiate common cause failure of multiple channels or multiple systems. Defensive measures were introduced in EPRI report TR-1002835 (Guideline for Performing Defense-in-Depth and Diversity Assessments for Digital Upgrades) to assess, on a deterministic basis, the susceptibility of digital systems architectures to common-cause failures. This paper suggests how this approach could be applied to assess inter-channel and inter-system digital communications from a safety standpoint. The first step of the approach is to systematically identify the so called 'influence factors' that one end of the data communication path can have on the other. Potential factors to be considered would typically include data values, data volumes and data rates. The second step of the approach is to characterize the ways possible failures of a given end of the communication path could affect these influence factors (e.g., incorrect data values, excessive data rates, time-outs, incorrect data volumes). The third step is to analyze the designed-in measures taken to guarantee independence of the other end. In addition to classical error detection and correction codes, typical defensive measures are one-way data communication, fixed-rate data communication, fixed-volume data communication, validation of data values. (authors)

  8. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-10-01

    The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. For this reporting period, there was one abnormal occurrence at nuclear power plants licensed to operate involving significant deficiencies in management controls at Slurry Nuclear Power Station. There was one abnormal occurrence under other NRC-issued licenses; the event involved a medical therapy misadministration. One other abnormal occurrence, involving industrial radiography overexposures, was reported by an Agreement State (Texas). 40 refs

  9. SDL-Based Protocol Validation for the Integrated Safety Communication Network in Nuclear Power Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jung-hun; Kim, Dong-hoon; Lee, Dong-young; Park, Sung-woo

    2006-01-01

    The communication protocol in nuclear power plants needs to be validated systematically to avoid the critical situation that may be caused by its own faults. We establish the methodology to validate the protocol designed for the Integrated Safety Communication Networks (ISCN) of Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control System (KNICS). The ISCN protocol is specified using the formal description technique called the SDL. The validation of ISCN protocol is done via the Simulator and Validator, both of which are main functions provided by the SDL

  10. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from July 1 to September 30, 1988. For this reporting period, there were no abnormal occurrences at nuclear power plants licensed to operate. There were two abnormal occurrences under other NRC-issued licenses: multiple medical therapy misadministrations at a single hospital and a medical diagnostic misadministration. There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State (Texas) involving a medical diagnostic misadministration. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  11. 75 FR 76465 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... significant number of Council members have made business and travel plans in accordance with this schedule... implementation of solutions and best practices for public safety communications and cybersecurity. Recognizing... Public Notice announcing the meeting is available at http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business...

  12. Communication practices in engineering, manufacturing, and research for food and water safety

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    This book demonstrates some of the ways in which communication and developing technologies can improve global food and water safety by providing a historical background on outbreaks and public resistance, as well as generating interest in youth and potential professionals in the field : History of muckraking in the food industry ; Case study on groundwater regulation ; Interviews with members of the beef industry and livestock market owners.

  13. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April-June 1985. Volume 8, No. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-11-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. For this reporting period, there were three abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate: (1) inoperable safety injection pumps, (2) significant deficiencies in reactor operator training and material false statements, and (3) loss of main and auxiliary feedwater systems. There were four abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. Three events involved diagnostic or therapeutic medical misadministrations; the other involved a breakdown in management controls. There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State; the event involved overexposures of a radiographer and an assistant radiographer. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  14. Preliminary safety evaluation for CSR1000 with passive safety system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Pan; Gou, Junli; Shan, Jianqiang; Zhang, Bo; Li, Xiang

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The basic information of a Chinese SCWR concept CSR1000 is introduced. • An innovative passive safety system is proposed for CSR1000. • 6 Transients and 3 accidents are analysed with system code SCTRAN. • The passive safety systems greatly mitigate the consequences of these incidents. • The inherent safety of CSR1000 is enhanced. - Abstract: This paper describes the preliminary safety analysis of the Chinese Supercritical water cooled Reactor (CSR1000), which is proposed by Nuclear Power Institute of China (NPIC). The two-pass core design applied to CSR1000 decreases the fuel cladding temperature and flattens the power distribution of the core at normal operation condition. Each fuel assembly is made up of four sub-assemblies with downward-flow water rods, which is favorable to the core cooling during abnormal conditions due to the large water inventory of the water rods. Additionally, a passive safety system is proposed for CSR1000 to increase the safety reliability at abnormal conditions. In this paper, accidents of “pump seizure”, “loss of coolant flow accidents (LOFA)”, “core depressurization”, as well as some typical transients are analysed with code SCTRAN, which is a one-dimensional safety analysis code for SCWRs. The results indicate that the maximum cladding surface temperatures (MCST), which is the most important safety criterion, of the both passes in the mentioned incidents are all below the safety criterion by a large margin. The sensitivity analyses of the delay time of RCPs trip in “loss of offsite power” and the delay time of RMT actuation in “loss of coolant flowrate” were also included in this paper. The analyses have shown that the core design of CSR1000 is feasible and the proposed passive safety system is capable of mitigating the consequences of the selected abnormalities

  15. The impact of situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) on safety attitudes in the obstetrics department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ting, Wan-Hua; Peng, Fu-Shiang; Lin, Ho-Hsiung; Hsiao, Sheng-Mou

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies evaluating the situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) have been shown to increase effective nurse-physician communication and collaboration. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the SBAR technique on safety attitudes in the obstetrics department. This study implemented the SBAR Collaborative Communication Education course and was conducted in a medical center from February 2012 to March 2015, which included an educational session on fetal heart rate monitoring, a case-based discussion, and a video demonstration on traditional and SBAR communication. The nurses in the obstetrics department were requested to report their clinical findings and recommendations using a novel SBAR list when abnormal fetal heart beat tracings occurred. All obstetric nurses were requested to complete the Chinese-version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire before and after the SBAR educational course. The primary outcome was to evaluate the effect of the SBAR technique on the safety attitudes of the obstetrics department. The secondary outcome was to evaluate the effect of the SBAR technique on the 5-minute Apgar score for neonates. Most values, including teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, and working conditions, significantly improved at both postintervention surveys compared with the preintervention survey. There were no significant differences in the number of the neonates with less than seven 5-minute Apgar scores between the pre- and postintervention periods. The SBAR technique, which uses a novel structured handover list, is a feasible tool for nurse-obstetrician communication, and it may improve most dimensions of safety attitudes in the obstetrics department. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Nonparametric Change Point Diagnosis Method of Concrete Dam Crack Behavior Abnormality

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Zhanchao; Gu, Chongshi; Wu, Zhongru

    2013-01-01

    The study on diagnosis method of concrete crack behavior abnormality has always been a hot spot and difficulty in the safety monitoring field of hydraulic structure. Based on the performance of concrete dam crack behavior abnormality in parametric statistical model and nonparametric statistical model, the internal relation between concrete dam crack behavior abnormality and statistical change point theory is deeply analyzed from the model structure instability of parametric statistical model ...

  17. An approach toward estimating the safety significance of normal and abnormal operating procedures in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grant, T.F.; Harris, M.S.

    1989-01-01

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's TMI Action Plan calls for a long-term plan to upgrade operating procedures in nuclear power plants. The scope of Generic Issue Human Factors 4.4, which stems from this requirement, includes the recommendation of improvements in nuclear power plant normal and abnormal operating procedures (NOPs and AOPs) and the implementation of appropriate regulatory action. This paper will describe the objectives, methodologies, and results of a Battelle-conducted value impact assessment to determine the costs and benefits of having the NRC implement regulatory action that would specify requirements for the preparation of acceptable NOPs and AOPs by the Commission's nuclear power plant licensees. The results of this value impact assessment are expressed in terms of ten cost/benefit attributes that can be affected by the NRC regulatory action. Five of these attributes require the calculation of change in public risk that could be expected to result from the action which, in this case, required determining the safety significance of NOPs and AOPs. In order to estimate this safety significance, a multi-step methodology was created that relies on an existing Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) to provide a quantitative framework for modeling the role of operating procedures. The purpose of this methodology is to determine what impact the improvement of NOPs and AOPs would have on public health and safety

  18. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October-December 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-07-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from October 1 to December 31, 1986. The report states that for this reporting period, there were three abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The events were (1) loss of low pressure service water systems at Oconee, (2) degraded safety systems due to incorrect torque switch settings on Rotors motor operators at Catawba and McGuire Nuclear Stations, and (3) a secondary system pipe break resulting in the death of four persons at Surry Unit 2. There were six abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. One involved release of americium-241 inside a waste storage building at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; three involved medical misadministrations, one therapeutic and two diagnostic; one involved a suspension of license for servicing teletherapy and radiography units; and one involved an immediately effective order modifying license and order to show cause issued to an industrial radiography company. There were no abnormal occurrences reported by the Agreement States. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  19. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-12-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 1988. For this reporting period, there were no abnormal occurrences at nuclear power plants licensed to operate. There were two abnormal occurrences at other NRC licensees: a significant breakdown in management and procedural controls at a medical facility and a medical diagnostic misadministration. There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State (Texas) involving radioactive material released during a transportation accident. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  20. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1991

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-12-01

    Section 108 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period July through September 1991. The report discusses two abnormal occurrences at NRC-licensed facilities, neither involving a nuclear power plant. One involved radiation exposures to members of the public from a lost radioactive source and the other involved a medical diagnostic midadministration. The Agreement States reported no abnormal occurrences. The report also contains information that updates some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  1. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October-December 1981. Quarterly report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-05-01

    During the report period, there were two abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. One involved a generic concern pertaining to blockage of coolant flow to safety-related systems. The other involved seismic design errors at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant with subsequent suspension of the fuel load and low power operating license for Unit 1. There were no abnormal occurrences for the other NRC licensees during the report period; the Agreement States reported no abnormal occurrences to the NRC. The report also contains information updating a previously reported abnormal occurrence

  2. Modem Communications Systems Development Guidelines in Function of Air Traffic Safety ...

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petar Obradović

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The communications requirements in air traffic control areincreasing in complexity. From the middle 90s, huge progress inairport infrastructure, especially in air traffic control systems,has been made in Bosnia and Herzegovina in damage rehabilitation,caused by war conflicts, owing, first of all, to the EuropeanUnion aid that contributed to the re-establishment of regularinternational air traffic. The current air traffic control systemhas matured in its functionality. Therefore, the phase of advancementand preparation for the technological improvementis the next logical step. However, before establishing a new communicationsstrategy, the current application trends have to beanalyzed in details according to the existing communicationsenvironment interfaces. The goal of this work is to find theguidelines of technological development that will result in moreefficiency, safety and economic benefit in the near future, butthe air traffic safety must not be compromised by economicbenefit.

  3. Identification of abnormal movement state and avoidance strategy for mobile robots

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CAI Zi-xing; DUAN Zhuo-hua; ZHANG Hui-tuan; YU Jin-xia

    2006-01-01

    Abnormal movement states for a mobile robot were identified by four multi-layer perceptron. In the presence of abnormality, avoidance strategies were designed to guarantee the safety of the robot. Firstly, the kinematics of the normal and abnormal movement states were exploited, 8 kinds of features were extracted. Secondly, 4 multi-layer perceptrons were employed to classify the features for four 4-driving wheels into 4 kinds of states, i.e. normal, blocked, deadly blocked, and slipping. Finally,avoidance strategies were designed based on this. Experiment results show that the methods can identify most abnormal movement states and avoid the abnormality correctly and timely.

  4. Effectiveness of transmitting safety-measures information in risk communication of nuclear power generation. Evaluation by the receiver of the messages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Takanobu; Shiomi, Tetsuro

    2004-01-01

    Effectiveness of risk communication were previously discussed through both ''risk information'' and ''benefit information'' of its topics. However, in technical facilities facilities such as nuclear power plant where safeness is an important concern, not only these two aspects but also safety-measures information'' are required. There have been previously no such discussions about risk communication that included ''safety-measures information''. In this report, we investigated general public's view of the difference in effectiveness of risk communication between two cases. In the first case, only ''risk'' and ''benefit information'' were given. In the second case, we added ''safety-measures information'' as well as ''risk'' and benefit information''. Measurement of the effect was performed using a questionnaire. We divided the subjects into two groups. Each group was shown one side of two pamphlets which had information concerning two conditions, and asked how it feels about ''reliance on information'', ''reliance on informer'', ''posture considered with informer'' which are factors in the process of the attitude change that is shown in the paradigm of risk communication (Kinoshita and Kikkawa, (1990)). Prior to this investigation, we identified each subject is position on nuclear power generation. Thus we were able to clarify the effectiveness of each risk communication style depending on each subject is position (approval, neutrality, objection). As a result, we reached the following conclusions: First about ''reliance on information'', where asked whether the contents of a pamphlet would be reliable, it was found that the person negative to nuclear power generation evaluated lower the pamphlet which included ''safety-measures information'' than the other. However, it was found that regardless of the difference in the position towards nuclear power generation, people who read the pamphlet including ''safety-measures information'' evaluated higher ''reliance on

  5. 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)

  6. Abnormal mitochondria in Rett syndrome: one case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mak, S C; Chi, C S; Chen, C H; Shian, W J

    1993-08-01

    A 6-year-9-month-old girl with the characteristic features of Rett syndrome is reported. Clinically, she had microcephaly, psychomotor arrest, deterioration of communication, autistic behaviour, loss of language development, gait apraxia and stereotyped hand washing movement. Amino acid and organic acid analysis were normal. An abnormal rise in serum lactate was noted 120 minutes after oral glucose loading. Muscle biopsy was performed and there was no specific finding noted under light microscope. Electron microscopic evaluation revealed mild accumulation of mitochondria at subsarcolemmal area with abnormal tubular cristae. The cause of Rett syndrome remains obscure. Several articles concerning abnormal mitochondrial morphology or respiratory enzymes have been reported. The exact pathogenesis requires further investigation.

  7. Review of Leadership for Safety and Role in abnormal situation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Chang Rae; Yoon, Myung Hyun; Choi, Young Sung

    2017-01-01

    In the wake of an event in Fukushima, the importance of leadership that is able to increase responses and retain safety in unexpected accidents and disasters is emerged and it is increased interest in a systemic approach to leadership. Experts of international community urge to pay attention to humans and organizations because decision making, understanding the situation and communications affect the progress of accident significantly in the extreme condition. The individual as a leader should be able to carry out a central role to coordinate in the central, to take responsibility for ethical decisions, to earn the trust of employees by taking initiative, and to order by using empirical knowledge. However it is not desirable to limit the flexible response of the organization to the individual role of the leader. It should also be emphasized that leadership is a characteristic of the organization that is required by all levels in order to achieve the goal and it is important to develop the ability in organizational level. Therefore it is necessary to constantly modify situational awareness while interacting with the entire organization and all employees must carry out as a leader in the ever-changing field because the leader's recognition ability is limited. Also, leadership can function only through followership in ethical situations.

  8. Increasing patient safety with neonates via handoff communication during delivery: a call for interprofessional health care team training across GME and CME

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanderbilt AA

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Allison A Vanderbilt,1 Scott M Pappada,2 Howard Stein,3 David Harper,4 Thomas J Papadimos5 1Department of Family Medicine, 2Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, 3Department of Pediatrics, ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital, 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ProMedica Toledo Hospital, 5Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine and the Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA Abstract: Hospitals have struggled for years regarding the handoff process of communicating patient information from one health care professional to another. Ineffective handoff communication is recognized as a serious patient safety risk within the health care community. It is essential to take communication into consideration when examining the safety of neonates who require immediate medical attention after birth; effective communication is vital for positive patient outcomes, especially with neonates in a delivery room setting. Teamwork and effective communication across the health care continuum are essential for providing efficient, quality care that leads to favorable patient outcomes. Interprofessional simulation and team training can benefit health care professionals by improving interprofessional competence, defined as one’s knowledge of other professionals including an understanding of their training and skillsets, and role clarity. Interprofessional teams that include members with specialization in obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology have the potential to considerably benefit from training effective handoff and communication practices that would ensure the safety of the neonate upon birth. We must strive to provide the most comprehensive systematic, standardized, interprofessional handoff communication training sessions for such teams, through Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education that will meet the needs across the educational continuum. Keywords

  9. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January--March 1977

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the eighth in the series, covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1977. The NRC has determined that during this period: there were no abnormal occurrences at the 63 nuclear power plants licensed to operate; there were no abnormal occurrences at fuel cycle facilities (other than nuclear power plants); and there was one abnormal occurrence at other licensee facilities. The event involved an inadvertent radiation exposure to two painters while working in an area where industrial radiography was being performed. This report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  10. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January--March 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. The report, the twelfth in the series, covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1978. The following incidents or events in that time period were determined by the Commission to be significant and reportable: (1) There was one abnormal occurrence at the 68 nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The event involved insulation failures in containment electrical penetrations. (2) There were no abnormal occurrences at fuel cycle facilities (other than nuclear power plants). (3) There were no abnormal occurrences at other license facilities. (4) There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an Agreement State Licensee. The event involved an overexposure of a radiographer. The report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  11. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October--December 1991

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-03-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence of an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period October through December 1991. Five abnormal occurrences at NRC-licensed facilities are discussed in this report. None of these occurrences involved a nuclear power plant. Four involved medical therapy misadministrations and one involved a medical diagnostic misadministration. The NRC's Agreement States reported three abnormal occurrences. Two involved exposures of non-radiation workers and one involved a medical therapy misadministration. The report also contains information that updates some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  12. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October-December 1987

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-03-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from October 1 to December 31, 1987. The report states that for this reporting period, these was one abnormal occurrence at the NRC licensees; the item involved the suspension of license of an oil and gas well tracer company for noncompliance with NRC regulatory requirements. There were no abnormal occurrences report by the Agreement States. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  13. 47 CFR 80.1127 - On-scene communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ....1127 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Operating Procedures for Distress and Safety Communications § 80.1127 On-scene communications. (a) On-scene communications...

  14. Official communication of the Safety Commission

    CERN Multimedia

    DG Unit

    2009-01-01

    The Prevention and Training section of the Safety Commission, would like to inform you that the new Safety Awareness course for newcomers will replace the welcome video in building 55 as of 2 April. The 3 levels (‘Safety at CERN’, ‘General Risks’ and ‘Specific Risks’) followed by 3 tests will determine access to CERN. Thanks to the SIR (Safety Information Registration, http://sir.cern.ch) application, it will be possible for you to follow the awareness course from your computer. For more information, go to the Safety Commission web site: http://safety-commission.web.cern.ch

  15. Official communication of the Safety Commission

    CERN Multimedia

    DG Unit

    2009-01-01

    We, the Prevention and Training section of the Safety Commission, would like to inform you that the new Safety Awareness course for newcomers will replace the welcome video in building 55 as of the 2nd April. The 3 levels (‘Safety at CERN’, ‘General Risks’ and ‘Specific Risks’) followed by 3 tests will determine access to CERN. Thanks to the SIR (Safety Information Registration, http://sir.cern.ch) application, it will be possible for you to follow the awareness course from your computer. For more information, go to the Safety Commission web site: http://safety-commission.web.cern.ch

  16. Development of the switch requirements and architecture of a safety data communication system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, K.I.; Lee, J.K.; Park, H.Y.; Koo, I.S.

    2004-12-01

    In accordance with digitalising the Instrumentation and Control(I and C) systems in the integral reactor, a communication network is required for effective information exchanges between the different equipment, an enhancement of the design flexibility, a simple installation and cost reduction. Generally, a communication network consists of a topology, the protocol, a communication medium, an interconnection device, etc. In this report, the development methods of switch and the architecture of a Safety Data Communication System(SDCS) are investigated and analyzed. In this report, the design requirements for switch are presented, which are the essential requirements to develop the switch in a SDCS of the SMART-P. To establish these requirements, the evaluation and analysis of the design and implementation method of the COTS switches, the architecture of SDCS and the design requirements of a SDCS were performed. At the detail design stage, these requirements will be used for the top-tier requirements, especially the design target and design basis. To develop the detail design requirements in the future, more quantitative and qualitative analyses are required. In the case of selecting the COTS switch and developing the switch, these requirements will also be used for the evaluation guide

  17. Development of the switch requirements and architecture of a safety data communication system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, K.I.; Lee, J.K.; Park, H.Y.; Koo, I.S

    2004-12-01

    In accordance with digitalising the Instrumentation and Control(I and C) systems in the integral reactor, a communication network is required for effective information exchanges between the different equipment, an enhancement of the design flexibility, a simple installation and cost reduction. Generally, a communication network consists of a topology, the protocol, a communication medium, an interconnection device, etc. In this report, the development methods of switch and the architecture of a Safety Data Communication System(SDCS) are investigated and analyzed. In this report, the design requirements for switch are presented, which are the essential requirements to develop the switch in a SDCS of the SMART-P. To establish these requirements, the evaluation and analysis of the design and implementation method of the COTS switches, the architecture of SDCS and the design requirements of a SDCS were performed. At the detail design stage, these requirements will be used for the top-tier requirements, especially the design target and design basis. To develop the detail design requirements in the future, more quantitative and qualitative analyses are required. In the case of selecting the COTS switch and developing the switch, these requirements will also be used for the evaluation guide.

  18. Communication with the public in radiation protection or nuclear safety and security

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabol, J.; Sestak, B.

    2014-01-01

    Traditionally, the public perceives any peaceful application of atomic and nuclear physics as something very dangerous. It is not easy to eliminate the public's memories of nuclear bombings in Japan towards the end of World War II and subsequent nuclear weapons tests which resulted in spreading radioactive fallout across the globe. The current use of radiation and nuclear technologies in industry, medicine, science and other fields is known to meet very strict international safety standards ensuring the adequate protection of people's health and the minimization of threat to the environment. The paper summarizes the current problems in communicating radiation and nuclear safety to members of the public and focuses on the importance of using appropriate approaches as well as relevant terminology, including quantities and units for the realistic assessment of radiological exposure. (authors)

  19. Assessment of food safety practices of food service food handlers (risk assessment data): testing a communication intervention (evaluation of tools).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Benjamin; Eversley, Tiffany; Fillion, Katie; Maclaurin, Tanya; Powell, Douglas

    2010-06-01

    Globally, foodborne illness affects an estimated 30% of individuals annually. Meals prepared outside of the home are a risk factor for acquiring foodborne illness and have been implicated in up to 70% of traced outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called on food safety communicators to design new methods and messages aimed at increasing food safety risk-reduction practices from farm to fork. Food safety infosheets, a novel communication tool designed to appeal to food handlers and compel behavior change, were evaluated. Food safety infosheets were provided weekly to food handlers in working food service operations for 7 weeks. It was hypothesized that through the posting of food safety infosheets in highly visible locations, such as kitchen work areas and hand washing stations, that safe food handling behaviors of food service staff could be positively influenced. Using video observation, food handlers (n = 47) in eight food service operations were observed for a total of 348 h (pre- and postintervention combined). After the food safety infosheets were introduced, food handlers demonstrated a significant increase (6.7%, P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval) in mean hand washing attempts, and a significant reduction in indirect cross-contamination events (19.6%, P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval). Results of the research demonstrate that posting food safety infosheets is an effective intervention tool that positively influences the food safety behaviors of food handlers.

  20. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October--December 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the seventh in the series, covers the period from October 1 to December 31, 1976. The NRC has determined that during this period: (1) There were two abnormal occurrences at the 63 nuclear power plants licensed to operate. One event involved improper control rod withdrawals resulting in an unplanned reactor criticality. The second is a generic event pertaining to feedwater nozzle cracking in Boiling Water Reactors. The incidents had no actual impact on public health or safety. (2) There were five abnormal occurrences at other licensee facilities. The occurrences involved overexposures to radiography personnel; one event also involved high radiation levels in unrestricted areas. This report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences. This report does not contain information on activities in those states which have entered into agreements with the NRC for the assumption of certain regulatory authority pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended. Future reports will include Agreement State licensee activities as soon as procedures can be implemented

  1. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the thirteenth in the series, covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 1978. The following incidents or events in that period were determined by the Commission to be significant and reportable: (1) There were two abnormal occurrences at the 69 nuclear power plants licensed to operate. One involved a generic concern pertaining to fuel assembly control rod guide tube integrity. The second involved an overexposure of two radiation protection technicians. (2) There were no abnormal occurrences at fuel cycle facilities (other than nuclear power plants). (3) There were no abnormal occurrences at other licensee facilities. (4) There was one abnormal occurrence reported by an agreement state. The event involved willful violations of regulations and subsequent termination of a license. This report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  2. Communication from the Safety Service

    CERN Multimedia

    DG Unit - General Safety

    In any emergency, you should call 74444 (+41 22 76 74444). There is something that bears repeating - especially in the light of recent events. The new Safety Bulletin, No. 2009-01, reminds us that, although raising the alarm and giving first aid in an emergency are everyone’s job, “medical transport is a job for professionals.” You are urged to read, print and share the Safety Bulletin No. 2009-01: remember for all emergencies you should dial 74444! We appreciate your comments and suggestions. Write to safety-general@cern.ch.

  3. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April--June 1977

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the ninth in the series, covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 1977. The NRC has determined that during this period: there were two abnormal occurrences at the 64 nuclear power plants licensed to operate, one involved a breach of a plant's physical security system and the other involved degraded fuel rods; there were no abnormal occurrences at fuel cycle facilities (other than nuclear power plants); and there were two abnormal occurrences at other licensee facilities, one involved improper radioactive source handling procedures and the other involved overexposure of two radiographers. Information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences is also included

  4. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January--March 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-08-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety and requires a Quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period January 1 to March 31, 1989. For this reporting period, there were two abnormal occurrences at nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The first had generic implications and involved a plug failure resulting in a steam generator tube leak at North Anna Unit 1. The second involved a steam generator tube rupture at McGuire Unit 1. There were three abnormal occurrences under other NRC-issued licenses. Two involved medical therapy misadministrations and one involved a medical diagnostic misadministration. There were no abnormal occurrences reported by the Agreement States. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  5. Study on post-earthquake plant evaluation and communication (Annual safety research report, JFY 2011)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    The aims of this study are to establish a post-earthquake plant evaluation method and to develop a communication system for the improving seismic safety regulations as well as encouraging public communication. The Miyagiken-oki earthquake in 2005, Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant shut down automatically. Subsequently, JNES started development of post-earthquake plant evaluation and communication system based on the experience of the cross-check analysis for Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant. The Niigata-ken Chuetsu-oki Earthquake in 2007, the plant situation was not transmitted promptly. The loss of information sharing between local community and related organizations caused the public anxiety. The importance of plant information transmission as well as seismic information gathering were recognized. The proposal for the solution of the information issues were performed by government committee, In this study the evaluation method for soundness of the main structure and equipment after earthquake event were updated. Moreover, information dissemination to the public and transparent communication methodology was examined by the Industry-Academia-Government cooperation in the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa region. (author)

  6. Key performance outcomes of patient safety curricula: root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, and structured communications skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fassett, William E

    2011-10-10

    As colleges and schools of pharmacy develop core courses related to patient safety, course-level outcomes will need to include both knowledge and performance measures. Three key performance outcomes for patient safety coursework, measured at the course level, are the ability to perform root cause analyses and healthcare failure mode effects analyses, and the ability to generate effective safety communications using structured formats such as the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) situational briefing model. Each of these skills is widely used in patient safety work and competence in their use is essential for a pharmacist's ability to contribute as a member of a patient safety team.

  7. 76 FR 11681 - Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band; New 800 MHz Band Plan for Puerto Rico...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-03

    ... (USVI). This action is necessary to meet the Commission's goals to improve public safety communications... Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to Sections 4(i) and 332 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended... March 21, 2011. Sprint Nextel and relocating incumbents may agree to conduct face-to-face negotiations...

  8. Criteria for safety-related operator actions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, L.H.; Haas, P.M.

    1983-01-01

    The Safety-Related Operator Actions (SROA) Program was designed to provide information and data for use by NRC in assessing the performance of nuclear power plant (NPP) control room operators in responding to abnormal/emergency events. The primary effort involved collection and assessment of data from simulator training exercises and from historical records of abnormal/emergency events that have occurred in operating plants (field data). These data can be used to develop criteria for acceptability of the use of manual operator action for safety-related functions. Development of criteria for safety-related operator actions are considered

  9. Abnormal pap tests among women living in a Hispanic migrant farmworker community: A narrative of health literacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vamos, Cheryl A; Lockhart, Elizabeth; Vázquez-Otero, Coralia; Thompson, Erika L; Proctor, Sara; Wells, Kristen J; Daley, Ellen M

    2016-08-01

    This study explored narrative responses following abnormal Pap tests among Hispanic migrant farmworkers ( N = 18; ages 22-50 years) via in-depth interviews in Florida. Qualitative analyses utilized health literacy domains (obtain/process/understand/communicate) as a conceptual framework. Participants described how they (1) obtained information about getting a Pap test, (2) processed positive and negative reactions following results, (3) understood results and recommended health-promoting behaviors, and (4) communicated and received social support. Women had disparate reactions and understanding following an abnormal Pap result. Health literacy was a meaningful conceptual framework to understand assets and gaps among women receiving an abnormal Pap test result. Future interventions should incorporate health literacy domains and facilitate patient-provider communications and social support to assist women in decision-making and health-promoting behaviors, ultimately decreasing cancer disparities.

  10. Occupational safety in the nuclear power plant. The contribution of sociology to the development of a communication tool for the elimination of hazardous situations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zedler, Christien; Huber, Veit

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear power plant companies make efforts to enhance the operational safety in the plant. Despite a variety of measures the number of accidents at work is still too high, esp. for external personnel. Social psychological considerations were used to develop communication tools for the elimination of hazardous situations, for instance by safety dialogues between employees. The observation of hazardous situations should trigger communication and discussion on the risk of the specific situation. In the contribution practical experiences and recommendations for the realization of a safety dialogue culture in the NPP Grafenrheinfeld are summarized and illustrated by examples.

  11. Chromosomal abnormalities in a psychiatric population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lewis, K.E.; Lubetsky, M.J.; Wenger, S.L.; Steele, M.W. [Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA (United States)

    1995-02-27

    Over a 3.5 year period of time, 345 patients hospitalized for psychiatric problems were evaluated cytogenetically. The patient population included 76% males and 94% children with a mean age of 12 years. The criteria for testing was an undiagnosed etiology for mental retardation and/or autism. Cytogenetic studies identified 11, or 3%, with abnormal karyotypes, including 4 fragile X positive individuals (2 males, 2 females), and 8 with chromosomal aneuploidy, rearrangements, or deletions. While individuals with chromosomal abnormalities do not demonstrate specific behavioral, psychiatric, or developmental problems relative to other psychiatric patients, our results demonstrate the need for an increased awareness to order chromosomal analysis and fragile X testing in those individuals who have combinations of behavioral/psychiatric, learning, communication, or cognitive disturbance. 5 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

  12. Safety analysis for 'Fugen'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-10-01

    The improvement of safety in nuclear power stations is an important proposition. Therefore also as to the safety evaluation, it is important to comprehensively and systematically execute it by referring to the operational experience and the new knowledge which is important for the safety throughout the period of use as well as before the construction and the start of operation of nuclear power stations. In this report, the results when the safety analysis for ''Fugen'' was carried out by referring to the newest technical knowledge are described. As the result, it was able to be confirmed that the safety of ''Fugen'' has been secured by the inherent safety and the facilities which were designed for securing the safety. The basic way of thinking on the safety analysis including the guidelines to be conformed to is mentioned. As to the abnormal transient change in operation and accidents, their definition, the events to be evaluated and the standards for judgement are reported. The matters which were taken in consideration at the time of the analysis are shown. The computation programs used for the analysis were REACT, HEATUP, LAYMON, FATRAC, SENHOR, LOTRAC, FLOOD and CONPOL. The analyses of the abnormal transient change in operation and accidents are reported on the causes, countermeasures, protective functions and results. (K.I.)

  13. Study on post-earthquake plant evaluation and communication (Annual safety research report, JFY 2010)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iijima, Toru; Taoka, Hideto; Yamada, Hiroyuki; Sano, Kyoko

    2011-01-01

    The aims of this study are to establish a post-earthquake plant evaluation method and to develop a communication system for the improving seismic safety regulations as well as encouraging public communication. The Miyagiken-oki earthquake in 2005, Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant shut down automatically. Subsequently, JNES started development of post-earthquake plant evaluation and communication system based on the experience of the cross-check analysis for Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant. The Niigata-ken Chuetsu-oki Earthquake in 2007, the plant situation was not transmitted promptly. The loss of information sharing between local community and related organizations caused the public anxiety. The importance of plant information transmission as well as seismic information gathering were recognized. The proposal for the solution of the information issues were performed by government committee. In this study, the evaluation method for soundness of the main structure and equipment after earthquake event were updated. Moreover, procedure of the post-earthquake plant soundness evaluation and multi-functional seismic information system were developed. In addition, the implementation strategy of the easy-to -understand information dissemination to the public and transparent communication methodology was examined by the Industry-Academia-Government cooperation in the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa region. (author)

  14. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January--March 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-07-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 through March 31, 1990. for this reporting period, there were 10 abnormal occurrences. One involved the loss of vital ac power with a subsequent reactor coolant system heat-up at the Vogtle Unit 1 nuclear power plant during shutdown. The event was investigated by an NRC Incident Investigation Team (IIT). The other nine abnormal occurrences involved nuclear material licensees and are described in detail under other NRC-issued licenses: eight of these involved medical therapy misadministrations; the other involved the receipt of an unshielded radioactive source at Amersham Corporation in Burlington, Massachusetts. The latter event was also investigated by an NRC IIT. No abnormal occurrences were reported by the Agreement States. The report also contains information that updates a previously reported abnormal occurrence

  15. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, April-June 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 1986. The report states that for this reporting period, there were two abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. One involved an out of sequence control rod withdrawal and the other involved a boiling water reactor emergency core cooling system design deficiency. There were five abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. Two involved willful failure to report diagnostic medical misadministrations to the NRC; one involved a therapeutic medical misadministration; and two involved diagnostic medical misadministrations. There were two abnormal occurrences reported by the Agreement States. One involved an uncontrolled release of krypton-85 to an unrestricted area; the other involved a contaminated radiopharmaceutical used in diagnostic administrations. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  16. Communication. Problem learning in the communication across expert areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drottz Sjoeberg, B. M.

    2001-05-01

    The report presents results from a project on communication involving nuclear safety personnel and members of the safety council and personnel in administrative positions within the community of Oskarshamn. Data were collected in discussions and by questionnaires. Totally 42 persons participated in the study. The aim of the project was to pinpoint problems in communication about safety issues and thus to facilitate a development of communication between groups and in the work on nuclear safety within the local community. A number of open ended questions were included in the questionnaire together with large number of rating tasks. The participants rated items, developed primarily in the group discussions, regarding information transmission, handling of difficult situations and what could be done to improve the communication situation. The results showed e.g. that communicative ability was best predicted by the index of 'context uncertainty' in both groups, but that the groups differed with respect to the salience of other predictors. Thus, an index named 'ability to synthesize' was a good predictor in the group of nuclear personnel, whereas human and structural aspects of information transmission, as well as the ability to reach across boundaries, were additional predictors in the group of Oskarshamn community personnel. The results thus showed that the participants viewed communication problems and solutions from the perspective of their own work perspective rather than as issues to be dealt with across different expert groups. The report underlines the necessity to regard contents of communicated messages as well as the framework to which they are related within the same context for an optimal adjustment to expectations, attitudes and requirements. Suggestions for future work included clarifications of which groups that are relevant for information and their specific interests, increased clarity regarding specific roles and information paths with respect to

  17. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1977. Quarterly report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-11-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the tenth in the series, covers the period July 1 to September 30, 1977. The NRC has determined that during this period there were no abnormal occurrences at the 65 nuclear power plants licensed to operate nor at fuel cycle facilities. There was one abnormal occurrence at other licensee facilities, which involved the loss and recovery of a radioactive source and probable overexposure. This report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  18. Fault-Tree Modeling of Safety-Critical Network Communication in a Digitalized Nuclear Power Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Hun; Kang, Hyun Gook [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    To achieve technical self-reliance for nuclear I and C systems in Korea, the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR-1400) man-machine interface system (MMIS) architecture was developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). As one of the systems in the developed MMIS architecture, the Engineered Safety Feature-Component Control System (ESF-CCS) employs a network communication system for the transmission of safety-critical information from group controllers (GCs) to loop controllers (LCs) to effectively accommodate the vast number of field controllers. The developed fault-tree model was then applied to several case studies. As an example of the development of a fault-tree model for ESF-CCS signal failure, the fault-tree model of ESF-CCS signal failure for CS pump PP01A in the CSAS condition was designed by considering the identified hazardous states of network failure that would result in a failure to provide input signals to the corresponding LC. The quantitative results for four case studies demonstrated that the probability of overall network communication failure, which was calculated as the sum of the failure probability associated with each failure cause, contributes up to 1.88% of the probability of ESF-CCS signal failure for the CS pump considered in the case studies.

  19. Effective communication and teamwork promotes patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gluyas, Heather

    2015-08-05

    Teamwork requires co-operation, co-ordination and communication between members of a team to achieve desired outcomes. In industries with a high degree of risk, such as health care, effective teamwork has been shown to achieve team goals successfully and efficiently, with fewer errors. This article introduces behaviours that support communication, co-operation and co-ordination in teams. The central role of communication in enabling co-operation and co-ordination is explored. A human factors perspective is used to examine tools to improve communication and identify barriers to effective team communication in health care.

  20. 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)

  1. Occipital dysplasia and associated cranial spinal cord abnormalities in two dogs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bagley, R.S.; Harrington, M.L.; Tucker, R.L.; Sande, R.D.; Root, C.R.; Kramer, R.W.

    1996-01-01

    Occipital dysplasia was found in association with cervical spinal cord abnormalities in two dogs. One dog presented for tetraparesis and cervical hyperesthesia, the other for historical cervical hyperesthesia and mild paraparesis. In dog 1, a midline cervical spinal cord defect consistent with a communicating syrinx was found. In the other dog, a presumptive syringo/hydromyelia of the cervical spinal cord was found on magnetic resonance imaging. While occipital dysplasia alone is not thought to cause any clinical abnormalities, the dogs of this report suggest that intramedullary central nervous system abnormalities may be present concurrently with occipital dysplasia and should be considered as a possible cause of the clinical signs. The relationship between occipital dysplasia and syringo/hydromyelia in these dogs remains unclear, however, similar associated abnormalities are occasionally found in humans with Chiari malformation

  2. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January-March 1983

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1983. The report states that for this report period, there were three abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed by the NRC to operate. The first involved a main feedwater line break due to water hammer. The second involved management and procedural control deficiencies. The third involved failure of the automatic reactor trip system. There were no abnormal occurrences for the other NRC licensees. There were six abnormal occurrences at Agreement State licensees. One involved an individual who ingested and was contaminated by radioactive material. Four involved lost or stolen radioactive sources. One involved radioactive contamination of a metals production facility

  3. Efficacy and safety of endometrial ablation for treating abnormal uterine bleeding in pre- and postmenopausal women with liver cirrhosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qing; Li, Xiu-Lan; Liu, Ji-Juan; Song, Xiao-Hong; Jiang, Xiao-Ying; Li, Wei; Zhang, Hua; Pan, Calvin Q

    2016-12-01

    Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) occurs in 10-30% of women of reproductive age and up to 61% of cirrhotic women. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of endometrial ablation (NovaSure therapy) for AUB in cirrhotic women. This prospective, two-arm, observational study enrolled patients for NovaSure treatment, and they were followed for 12 months. Primary measurements were the amenorrhea rate and changes of pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBLAC) scores at 1-month post-therapy. Key secondary end-points included the longevity of amenorrhea at 12 months, safety profile, and progression of cirrhosis. Among 88 women, 26 were cirrhotic and 62 were non-cirrhotic. At 1-month post-NovaSure treatment, a significant reduction of mean PBLAC scores was observed in cirrhotic patients compared to those at baseline (0.4 ± 1.3 vs 215.2 ± 410.9, P < 0.001), and the amenorrhea rate was 88.5%. The efficacy outcomes of the PBLAC scores and amenorrhea rate were maintained until the end of the 12-month follow-up. A significant improvement in quality of life scores was observed 1-month post-therapy compared to those at baseline (5.4 ± 3.1 vs 20.5 ± 5.5, P < 0.001). Patients' satisfaction rates were 100% and 92.31% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. The aforementioned outcomes were comparable with those in non-cirrhotic patients. No significant progression of cirrhosis or safety concern was reported. Cirrhotic patients on NovaSure therapy had a high rate of amenorrhea 1-month post-treatment, which maintained longevity for 12 months. The safety profile was similar to that in non-cirrhotic patients. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  4. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, July--September 1975

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health and safety, and a quarterly report on such events is to be made to Congress. The second such report to Congress on abnormal occurrences is presented. The first report identified abnormal occurrences at licensed nuclear power plants during the first six months of 1975. The current report includes the results of a review of events at nuclear power plants for the third quarter of 1975 and the results of a review for overexposure to radiation at all licensed facilities for a nine-month period. The NRC has determined that there were no abnormal occurrences at licensed nuclear power plants during the period and there were no abnormal occurrences involving overexposure to radiation at NRC-licensed facilities from January 1 to September 30, 1975. Therefore, the current report comprises an updating of information concerning events reported to the Congress in the first report dated October 1975. Status is reported as of November 25, 1975

  5. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences: [Quarterly report], January-March 1987

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-10-01

    The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1987. The report states that for this reporting period, there was one abnormal occurrence at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The item involved the NRC suspension of power operations of the Peach Bottom Facility due to inattentiveness of the control room staff. There were seven abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. Four involved diagnostic medical misadministrations; the other three involved breakdowns in management controls at three separate industrial radiography licensees. There were two abnormal occurrences reported by the Agreement States. Both involved breakdowns in management controls at industrial radiography licensees. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences. Appendix A contains the criteria used to define an abnormal occurrence. 13 refs

  6. 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.

  7. Safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keen, L.J.

    2003-01-01

    Safety culture has become a topic of increasing interest for industry and regulators as issues are raised on safety problems around the world. The keys to safety culture are organizational effectiveness, effective communications, organizational learning, and a culture that encourages the identification and resolution of safety issues. The necessity of a strong safety culture places an onus on all of us to continually question whether the safety measures already in place are sufficient, and are being applied. (author)

  8. Rai1 Haploinsufficiency Is Associated with Social Abnormalities in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nalini R. Rao

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Autism is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors; with different degrees of severity in each of the core areas. Haploinsufficiency and point mutations of RAI1 are associated with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS, a genetic condition that scores within the autism spectrum range for social responsiveness and communication, and is characterized by neurobehavioral abnormalities, intellectual disability, developmental delay, sleep disturbance, and self-injurious behaviors. Methods: To investigate the relationship between Rai1 and social impairment, we evaluated the Rai1+/− mice with a battery of tests to address social behavior in mice. Results: We found that the mutant mice showed diminished interest in social odors, abnormal submissive tendencies, and increased repetitive behaviors when compared to wild type littermates. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Rai1 contributes to social behavior in mice, and prompt it as a candidate gene for the social behaviors observed in Smith-Magenis Syndrome patients.

  9. Industry challenge to best practice risk communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEntire, J; Boateng, A

    2012-04-01

    Effective food safety and food defense risk communication helps to inform consumers without causing panic and alarm. The Risk Communication Team of the Natl. Center for Food Protection and Defense has developed a list of 11 best practices recommended for effective risk communication. These practices, designed for a food defense crisis, are currently applied to food safety issues, since fortunately a food defense crisis has yet to occur. IFT examined the utility of these best practices and the limitations on their use during food safety and food defense crises by academics, trade associations, and the government. It was hypothesized that legal and business considerations as well as the nature of the event would determine the implementation of the best practices. Through the use of focus group meetings, it was discovered that there was a low level of awareness of the best practices. However, stakeholders practiced some aspects of the recommended practices. Participants felt some of the practices were related and could be consolidated. They also agreed that a food defense event will increase the urgency of the communication and include players not typically involved in food safety issues. The challenges reported by the stakeholders varied, but legal liability, as well as the impact their communications could have on an industry, were often cited. From the government perspective, their need to act within their authorities drove some of their actions with respect to communication. Determining the differences in communication limitations during food safety against food defense events can provide key information to further developing and refining risk communications and specific messages targeted for a food defense incident. Effective food safety and food defense risk communication helps to inform consumers without causing panic and alarm. Determining the differences in communication limitations during food safety against food defense events can provide key information to

  10. Psychology of communications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunns, D.M.

    1980-01-01

    A theory is proposed relating to the structuring of mental models and this theory used to account for a number of human error mechanisms. Communications amongst operators and the systems around them is seen as a vital factor in the area of human error and a technique, communications analysis, is proposed as one approach to systematically predicting the ways in which actual system state and the operators' perceptions of that state can get out of step and lead to catastrophe. To be most effective it is expected that the analyst would apply communications analyst with an interactive computer system. Of particular importance is the ability to trace the operator-system communication scenarios in various abnormal system configurations. (orig.)

  11. A Content Analysis of Health and Safety Communications Among Internet-Based Sex Work Advertisements: Important Information for Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atchison, Chris

    2017-01-01

    Background The capacity to advertise via the Internet continues to contribute to the shifting dynamics in adult commercial sex work. eHealth interventions have shown promise to promote Internet-based sex workers’ health and safety internationally, yet minimal attention has been paid in Canada to developing such interventions. Understanding the information communicated in Internet-based sex work advertisements is a critical step in knowledge development to inform such interventions. Objective The purpose of this content analysis was to increase our understanding of the health and safety information within the Internet advertisements among women, men, and transgender sex workers and to describe how this information may be utilized to inform eHealth service development for this population. Methods A total of 75 Internet-based sex worker advertisements (45 women, 24 men, and 6 transgender persons) were purposefully selected from 226 advertisements collected as part of a larger study in Western Canada. Content analysis was employed to guide data extraction about demographic characteristics, sexual services provided, service restrictions, health practices and concerns, safety and security, and business practices. Frequencies for each variable were calculated and further classified by gender. Thematic analysis was then undertaken to situate the communications within the social and commercialized contexts of the sex industry. Results Four communications themes were identified: (1) demographic characteristics; (2) sexual services; (3) health; and (4) safety and security. White was the most common ethnicity (46/75, 61%) of advertisements. It was found that 20-29 years of age accounted for 32 of the 51 advertisements that provided age. Escort, the only legal business title, was the most common role title used (48/75, 64%). In total, 85% (64/75) of advertisements detailed lists of sexual services provided and 41% (31/75) of advertisements noted never offering uncovered

  12. Think over nuclear safety. ''Information asymmetry'' and ''comminicative action''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Atsuyuki

    2006-01-01

    Nuclear safety should be fully understood not only technically but also socially. In order to think over nuclear safety socially, four different concepts were recommended to refer, which were ''procedural rationality'', information asymmetry'', ''certainty effect'' and ''communicative action'' proposed by three economists and a philosopher respectively. Risk-based communication approach for nuclear safety could be effective within the higher frequency area than safety goal, but not good for the lower frequency area than safety goal. The latter could be highly subjective and more qualitative. For this area, ''safety communication'' would be highly maintained with taking account of existence of ''information asymmetry'' and need of ''communicative action''. (T.Tanaka)

  13. Safety indicators: an efficient tool for a better safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aufort, P.; Lars, R.

    1993-01-01

    Safety indicators based on the examination of the Operating Technical Specifications have been defined with the aim of following the in-operation safety level of French nuclear power plants. These safety indicators are operation feedback tools which permit the a posteriori justification and the adjustment of actual procedures. They would allow detection of an abnormal unavailability occurrence rate or a situation revealing a potential safety problem. So, data acquisition, processing, analysis and display software allowing trend analysis of these indicators has been developed so far as: a reflexion tool for the power plant operators about the safety instructions and the adjustment of preventive maintenance, and a help for decision making at a national level for the examination and the improvement of Operating Technical Specifications. This paper presents the objectives of these safety indicators, the processing tool associated, the preliminary results obtained and more elaborate processing of these indicators. These safety indicators may be very useful in framing probabilistic safety assessments. (author)

  14. Data communication between Panasonic PLC and PC using SerialPort control in C#.NET environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ting; Gan, Xiaochuan; Ma, Liqun

    2015-02-01

    With the gradual promotion of Microsoft.NET platform, C# as an object-oriented programming language based on the platform has been widely used. Therefore, more attention is concentrated on how to achieve the communication between Panasonic PLC and PC efficiently and fast in C#.NET environment. In this paper, a method of using SerialPort control which could be used for achieving communication between PLC and PC is introduced. Meanwhile, the reason of abnormal thread when displayed the receiving data in form is analyzed and the programming method to solve the problem of thread safety is designed. Achieving the communication of Panasonic PLC and PC in C#.NET environment can give full play to the advantages of the .NET framework. It is practical, easy communication, high reliability and can combine with other measurement and calibration procedures effectively and conveniently. Configuration software is expensive and can only communicate with PLC separately, but these shortcomings can be solved in C#.NET environment. A well-designed user interface realized real-time monitoring of PLC parameters and achieved management and control integration. The experiment show that this method of data transfer is accurate and the program' running is stable.

  15. LTE for public safety

    CERN Document Server

    Liebhart, Rainer; Wong, Curt; Merkel , Jürgen

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the book is to educate government agencies, operators, vendors and other regulatory institutions how LTE can be deployed to serve public safety market and offer regulatory / public safety features. It is written in such a way that it can be understood by both technical and non-technical personnel with just introductory knowledge in wireless communication. Some sections and chapters about public safety services offered by LTE network are intended to be understood by anyone with no knowledge in wireless communication.

  16. Communication and Public Information in Development and Maintenance of Radiation Safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huurto, L.

    2003-01-01

    The natural source of Non-Ionizing radiation (NIR) in our environment is the sun. Artificial NIR is widely used in medical and industrial applications and also in households. The most important medical NIR applications are phototherapy, surgical lasers and magnetic resonance imaging. In industry NIR is applied in radio frequency heaters and laser printing. NIR has applications even in entertainment and cosmetics: High power lasers are used in light shows and sun beds emit artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR) for tanning. From the safety point of view the field is indeed very wide from harmless and common items to devices which can cause acute health hazards. The use of non-ionizing radiation needs neither any safety licence nor other kind of authorisation. The users of NIR devices varies from professionals in health care or lighting technology to those who only use them as a sideline in their main work like beauticians. Also laypersons use various NIR devices like microwave ovens, laser pointers and mobile phones. Many NIR devices are used in applications where the user does not have the knowledge to understand the health risks associated with the device. Thus the only way is to educate the users by communication and public information. (orig.)

  17. Nonparametric Change Point Diagnosis Method of Concrete Dam Crack Behavior Abnormality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhanchao Li

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The study on diagnosis method of concrete crack behavior abnormality has always been a hot spot and difficulty in the safety monitoring field of hydraulic structure. Based on the performance of concrete dam crack behavior abnormality in parametric statistical model and nonparametric statistical model, the internal relation between concrete dam crack behavior abnormality and statistical change point theory is deeply analyzed from the model structure instability of parametric statistical model and change of sequence distribution law of nonparametric statistical model. On this basis, through the reduction of change point problem, the establishment of basic nonparametric change point model, and asymptotic analysis on test method of basic change point problem, the nonparametric change point diagnosis method of concrete dam crack behavior abnormality is created in consideration of the situation that in practice concrete dam crack behavior may have more abnormality points. And the nonparametric change point diagnosis method of concrete dam crack behavior abnormality is used in the actual project, demonstrating the effectiveness and scientific reasonableness of the method established. Meanwhile, the nonparametric change point diagnosis method of concrete dam crack behavior abnormality has a complete theoretical basis and strong practicality with a broad application prospect in actual project.

  18. Mayday system infiniti communicator; Kinkyu tsuho system Infiniti Communicator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iijima, Y.; Ito, T.; Isono, Y.; Sekiya, M.; Koizumi, H.; Miyazaki, S.; Kishore, A.; Lawor, D. [Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    1999-02-01

    To respond to emergency situations associated with vehicle accidents and mechanical problems on the road, a novel emergency communication system, which combines vehicle electronics, GPS and communication systems, has been developed and is contributing to safety in the U.S. In addition to emergency communication, other features including theft protection, security, convenience features, etc. are to be added to this system in the future. An emergency communication system, `The Infiniti Communicator`, which began its service in March 1998 under such a market trend, is explained in this report. (author)

  19. Effects of a multicentre teamwork and communication programme on patient outcomes: results from the Triad for Optimal Patient Safety (TOPS) project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auerbach, Andrew D; Sehgal, Niraj L; Blegen, Mary A; Maselli, Judith; Alldredge, Brian K; Vittinghoff, Eric; Wachter, Robert M

    2012-02-01

    Improving communication between caregivers is an important approach to improving safety. To implement teamwork and communication interventions and evaluate their impact on patient outcomes. A prospective, interrupted time series of a three-phase a run-in period (phase 1), during which a training programme was given to providers and staff on each unit; phase 2, which focused on unit-based safety teams to identify and address care problems using skills from phase 1; and phase 3, which focused on engaging patients in communication efforts. General medical inpatient units at three northern California hospitals. Administrative data were collected from all adults admitted to the target units, and a convenience sample of patients interviewed during and after hospitalisation. Readmission, length of stay and patient reports of teamwork, problems with care, and overall satisfaction. 10 977 patients were admitted; 581 patients (5.3% of total sample) were interviewed in hospital, and 313 (2.9% overall, 53.8% of interviewed patients) completed 1-month surveys. No phase of the study was associated with adjusted differences in readmission or length of stay. The phase 2 intervention appeared to be associated with improvement in reports of whether physicians treated them with respect, whether nurses treated them with respect or understood their needs (pcommunication may improve patients' perception of team functions, but may also increase patients' perception of safety gaps.

  20. Patient safety culture among nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammouri, A A; Tailakh, A K; Muliira, J K; Geethakrishnan, R; Al Kindi, S N

    2015-03-01

    Patient safety is considered to be crucial to healthcare quality and is one of the major parameters monitored by all healthcare organizations around the world. Nurses play a vital role in maintaining and promoting patient safety due to the nature of their work. The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' perceptions about patient safety culture and to identify the factors that need to be emphasized in order to develop and maintain the culture of safety among nurses in Oman. A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. Patient safety culture was assessed by using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture among 414 registered nurses working in four major governmental hospitals in Oman. Descriptive statistics and general linear regression were employed to assess the association between patient safety culture and demographic variables. Nurses who perceived more supervisor or manager expectations, feedback and communications about errors, teamwork across hospital units, and hospital handoffs and transitions had more overall perception of patient safety. Nurses who perceived more teamwork within units and more feedback and communications about errors had more frequency of events reported. Furthermore, nurses who had more years of experience and were working in teaching hospitals had more perception of patient safety culture. Learning and continuous improvement, hospital management support, supervisor/manager expectations, feedback and communications about error, teamwork, hospital handoffs and transitions were found to be major patient safety culture predictors. Investing in practices and systems that focus on improving these aspects is likely to enhance the culture of patient safety in Omani hospitals and others like them. Strategies to nurture patient safety culture in Omani hospitals should focus upon building leadership capacity that support open communication, blame free, team work and continuous organizational learning. © 2014 International

  1. Teamwork and communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfrimmer, Dale

    2009-07-01

    Effective teamwork and communication is critical to the delivery of safe and reliable patient care. Communication breakdowns account for the overwhelming majority of sentinel events. Effective teamwork and communication can help prevent mistakes and decrease patient risk. The implementation of simple tools and behaviors can greatly enhance patient safety and improve perceptions of teamwork.

  2. Reliability Analysis Techniques for Communication Networks in Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, T. J.; Jang, S. C.; Kang, H. G.; Kim, M. C.; Eom, H. S.; Lee, H. J.

    2006-09-01

    The objectives of this project is to investigate and study existing reliability analysis techniques for communication networks in order to develop reliability analysis models for nuclear power plant's safety-critical networks. It is necessary to make a comprehensive survey of current methodologies for communication network reliability. Major outputs of this study are design characteristics of safety-critical communication networks, efficient algorithms for quantifying reliability of communication networks, and preliminary models for assessing reliability of safety-critical communication networks

  3. Safety-Culture Exploration in Taiwan’s Metal Industries: Identifying the Workers’ Background Influence on Safety Climate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Chiang Lin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The present study aims to assess the safety-climate level in Taiwan’s metal industries, as well as to identify the influence of workers’ backgrounds on the safety climate. An earlier report showed that a poor safety culture was related to the cause of accidents in Taiwan’s traditional manufacturing industries. This study surveyed a total of 839 workers who voluntarily participated and completed the safety-culture questionnaires. These workers were from a Taiwanese metal company and its five satellite companies. Three safety-climate factors, namely safety perception, safety communication and safety-management systems, were assessed. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was conducted by developing structural equation modeling to ensure the questionnaire’s validity. The influence of workers’ backgrounds on the safety climate was identified by using one-way ANOVA. The reliability result of the questionnaire was above the acceptable level. The overall safety-climate score was 4.22 out of a five-point scale for safety perception, 4.23 for safety-management systems and 3.97 for safety communication. The scores indicate a good level of safety climate, with room for improvement in safety communication. Additionally, the influence of workers’ backgrounds on the safety climate was confirmed. Based on the validity test, it was also found that the questionnaire could be improved by reconstructing its questions in its development process in order to increase the safety-climate model’s reliability and validity, as well as its model fit.

  4. Developing a strong safety culture - a safety management challenge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Low, M.; Gipson, G. P.; Williams, M.

    1995-01-01

    The approach is presented adapted by Nuclear Electric to build a strong safety culture through the development of its safety management system. Two features regarded as critical to a strong safety culture are: provision of effective communications to promote an awareness and ownership of safety among craft, and commitment to continuous improvement with a genuine willingness to learn from own experiences and those from others. (N.T.) 5 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

  5. A Content Analysis of Health and Safety Communications Among Internet-Based Sex Work Advertisements: Important Information for Public Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kille, Julie; Bungay, Vicky; Oliffe, John; Atchison, Chris

    2017-04-13

    The capacity to advertise via the Internet continues to contribute to the shifting dynamics in adult commercial sex work. eHealth interventions have shown promise to promote Internet-based sex workers' health and safety internationally, yet minimal attention has been paid in Canada to developing such interventions. Understanding the information communicated in Internet-based sex work advertisements is a critical step in knowledge development to inform such interventions. The purpose of this content analysis was to increase our understanding of the health and safety information within the Internet advertisements among women, men, and transgender sex workers and to describe how this information may be utilized to inform eHealth service development for this population. A total of 75 Internet-based sex worker advertisements (45 women, 24 men, and 6 transgender persons) were purposefully selected from 226 advertisements collected as part of a larger study in Western Canada. Content analysis was employed to guide data extraction about demographic characteristics, sexual services provided, service restrictions, health practices and concerns, safety and security, and business practices. Frequencies for each variable were calculated and further classified by gender. Thematic analysis was then undertaken to situate the communications within the social and commercialized contexts of the sex industry. Four communications themes were identified: (1) demographic characteristics; (2) sexual services; (3) health; and (4) safety and security. White was the most common ethnicity (46/75, 61%) of advertisements. It was found that 20-29 years of age accounted for 32 of the 51 advertisements that provided age. Escort, the only legal business title, was the most common role title used (48/75, 64%). In total, 85% (64/75) of advertisements detailed lists of sexual services provided and 41% (31/75) of advertisements noted never offering uncovered services (ie, no condom). Gender and the

  6. Implementing new technologies for public safety communication: competing frequency demands and standardization issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Kathryn J.

    1997-01-01

    Attempting to incorporate new technology into an existing environment is often very difficult. The problems are lengthy to resolve, wrought with confusion and seldom turn out like anyone expected. This document represents an overview of one such attempt. It outlines the general areas of concern which could be affected by a transition, and potential problems that may be encountered as a result of the effort. Over the past several decades, many local, state and federal agencies are pressing for more efficient use of frequency spectrums. The urgency of this issue has grown due to the demands of several groups wanting access to these channels for commercial use. Pager systems, cellular telephones, radio systems for private businesses all demand more space. Public safety agencies are starting to fear their needs will diminish in importance as the available channel spectrums are consumed by commercial ventures. How to share these channels, purchase appropriate equipment to meet your needs, and stay within a reasonable budget are not easy tasks. Public safety agencies who rely on communication networks in the performance of their jobs also know why encryption is important. Protecting the rights of citizens as police exchange information over the air, maintaining the integrity of an investigation and officer safety are all concerns police must address each time they use a radio.

  7. Development of Network Protocol for the Integrated Safety System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, S. W.; Baek, J. I.; Lee, S. H.; Park, C. S.; Park, K. H.; Shin, J. M. [Hannam Univ., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-06-15

    Communication devices in the safety system of nuclear power plants are distinguished from those developed for commercial purposes in terms of a strict requirement of safety. The concept of safety covers the determinability, the reliability, and the separation/isolation to prevent the undesirable interactions among devices. The safety also requires that these properties be never proof less. Most of the current commercialized communication products rarely have the safety properties. Moreover, they can be neither verified nor validated to satisfy the safety property of implementation process. This research proposes the novel architecture and protocol of a data communication network for the safety system in nuclear power plants.

  8. Development of Network Protocol for the Integrated Safety System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, S. W.; Baek, J. I.; Lee, S. H.; Park, C. S.; Park, K. H.; Shin, J. M.

    2007-06-01

    Communication devices in the safety system of nuclear power plants are distinguished from those developed for commercial purposes in terms of a strict requirement of safety. The concept of safety covers the determinability, the reliability, and the separation/isolation to prevent the undesirable interactions among devices. The safety also requires that these properties be never proof less. Most of the current commercialized communication products rarely have the safety properties. Moreover, they can be neither verified nor validated to satisfy the safety property of implementation process. This research proposes the novel architecture and protocol of a data communication network for the safety system in nuclear power plants

  9. When direct health-care professional communications have an impact on inappropriate and unsafe use of medicines : A retrospective analysis of determinants of impact of safety warnings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reber, K.C.; Piening, S.; Wieringa, J.E.; Straus, S.M.J.M.; Raine, J.M.; de Graeff, Pauline; Haaijer-Ruskamp, F.M.; Mol, Peter G. M.

    Serious safety issues relating to drugs are communicated to health-care professionals via Direct Health-Care Professional Communications (DHPCs). We explored which characteristics determined the impact of DHPCs issued in the Netherlands for ambulatory-care drugs (2001-2008). With multiple linear

  10. Increased patient communication using a process supplementing an electronic medical record.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garvey, Thomas D; Evensen, Ann E

    2015-02-01

    Importance: Patients with cervical cytology abnormalities may require surveillance for many years, which increases the risk of management error, especially in clinics with multiple managing clinicians. National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) certification requires tracking of abnormal results and communicating effectively with patients. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a computer-based tracking system that is not embedded in the electronic medical record improves (1) accurate and timely communication of results and (2) patient adherence to follow-up recommendations. Design: Pre/post study using data from 2005-2012. Intervention implemented in 2008. Data collected via chart review for at least 18 months after index result. Participants: Pre-intervention: all women (N = 72) with first abnormal cytology result from 2005-2007. Post-intervention: all women (N = 128) with first abnormal cytology result from 2008-2010. Patients were seen at a suburban, university-affiliated, family medicine residency clinic. Intervention: Tracking spreadsheet reviewed monthly with reminders generated for patients not in compliance with recommendations. Main Outcome and Measures: (1) rates of accurate and timely communication of results and (2) rates of patient adherence to follow-up recommendations. Intervention decreased absent or erroneous communication from clinician to patient (6.4% pre- vs 1.6% post-intervention [P = 0.04]), but did not increase patient adherence to follow-up recommendations (76.1% pre- vs 78.0% post-intervention [ P= 0.78]). Use of a spreadsheet tracking system improved communication of abnormal results to patients, but did not significantly improve patient adherence to recommended care. Although the tracking system complies with NCQA PCMH requirements, it was insufficient to make meaningful improvements in patient-oriented outcomes.

  11. Randomized Trial of Reducing Ambulatory Malpractice and Safety Risk: Results of the Massachusetts PROMISES Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiff, Gordon D; Reyes Nieva, Harry; Griswold, Paula; Leydon, Nicholas; Ling, Judy; Federico, Frank; Keohane, Carol; Ellis, Bonnie R; Foskett, Cathy; Orav, E John; Yoon, Catherine; Goldmann, Don; Weissman, Joel S; Bates, David W; Biondolillo, Madeleine; Singer, Sara J

    2017-08-01

    Evaluate application of quality improvement approaches to key ambulatory malpractice risk and safety areas. In total, 25 small-to-medium-sized primary care practices (16 intervention; 9 control) in Massachusetts. Controlled trial of a 15-month intervention including exposure to a learning network, webinars, face-to-face meetings, and coaching by improvement advisors targeting "3+1" high-risk domains: test result, referral, and medication management plus culture/communication issues evaluated by survey and chart review tools. Chart reviews conducted at baseline and postintervention for intervention sites. Staff and patient survey data collected at baseline and postintervention for intervention and control sites. Chart reviews demonstrated significant improvements in documentation of abnormal results, patient notification, documentation of an action or treatment plan, and evidence of a completed plan (all Pcoaches, and learning network decreased selected ambulatory safety risks often seen in malpractice claims.

  12. Development of Broadband Nuclear Safety Data Network (B-NSDN)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Gwang Seop; Kim, Dong Hoon; Park, Gi Yong

    2011-01-01

    Recently as introducing digital safety system in nuclear power plant, more data transmission capacity is required. Bandwidth of existing communication network is about a few Mbps. Thus data transmission quantity in recently digital safety system is beyond existing communication network's capacity. In this paper, new protocol that is suitable for safety system communication network is designed. FPGA based communication system is implemented. As result of test, effective bandwidth of B-NSDN is about 20Mbps

  13. 47 CFR 27.52 - RF safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false RF safety. 27.52 Section 27.52 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Technical Standards § 27.52 RF safety. Licensees and manufacturers are subject to the...

  14. Reactor Safety Research: Semiannual report, January-June 1986: Reactor Safety Research Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-05-01

    Sandia National Laboratories is conducting, under USNRC sponsorship, phenomenological research related to the safety of commercial nuclear power reactors. The research includes experiments to simulate the phenomenology of accident conditions and the development of analytical models, verified by experiment, which can be used to predict reactor and safety systems performance behavior under abnormal conditions. The objective of this work is to provide NRC requisite data bases and analytical methods to (1) identify and define safety issues, (2) understand the progression of risk-significant accident sequences, and (3) conduct safety assessments. The collective NRC-sponsored effort at Sandia National Laboratories is directed at enhancing the technology base supporting licensing decisions

  15. A site of communication among enterprises for supporting occupational health and safety management system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velonakis, E; Mantas, J; Mavrikakis, I

    2006-01-01

    The occupational health and safety management constitutes a field of increasing interest. Institutions in cooperation with enterprises make synchronized efforts to initiate quality management systems to this field. Computer networks can offer such services via TCP/IP which is a reliable protocol for workflow management between enterprises and institutions. A design of such network is based on several factors in order to achieve defined criteria and connectivity with other networks. The network will be consisted of certain nodes responsible to inform executive persons on Occupational Health and Safety. A web database has been planned for inserting and searching documents, for answering and processing questionnaires. The submission of files to a server and the answers to questionnaires through the web help the experts to make corrections and improvements on their activities. Based on the requirements of enterprises we have constructed a web file server. We submit files in purpose users could retrieve the files which need. The access is limited to authorized users and digital watermarks authenticate and protect digital objects. The Health and Safety Management System follows ISO 18001. The implementation of it, through the web site is an aim. The all application is developed and implemented on a pilot basis for the health services sector. It is all ready installed within a hospital, supporting health and safety management among different departments of the hospital and allowing communication through WEB with other hospitals.

  16. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January-March 1985. Volume 8, No. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-08-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1985. The report states that for this reporting period, there was one abnormal occurrence at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate; the event involved a premature criticality during reactor startup. There were three abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. Two events involved diagnostic medical misadministrations and the other event involved unlawful possession of radioactive material. There were four abnormal occurrences reported by an Agreement State (Texas). Three events involved radiation overexposures; the other event involved a well logging source which was apparently stolen, but later was recovered. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  17. The structured communication tool SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) improves communication in neonatology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raymond, M; Harrison, M C

    2014-12-01

    Effective communication, co-operation and teamwork have been identified as key determinants of patient safety. SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) is a communication tool recommended by the World Health Organization and the UK National Health Service. SBAR is a structured method for communicating critical information that requires immediate attention and action, contributing to effective escalation of management and increased patient safety. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing use of SBAR in South Africa (SA). To determine the effectiveness of adopting the SBAR communication tool in an acute clinical setting in SA. In the first phase of this study, neonatal nurses and doctors at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, were gathered in a focus group and given a questionnaire asking about communication in the neonatal department. Neonatal nurses and doctors were then trained to use SBAR. A telephone audit demonstrated an increase in SBAR use by registrars from 29% to 70% when calling consultants for help. After training, the majority of staff agreed that SBAR had helped with communication, confidence, and quality of patient care. There was qualitative evidence that SBAR led to greater promptness in care of acutely ill patients. Adopting SBAR was associated with perceived improvement in communication between professionals and in the quality and safety of patient care. It is suggested that this simple tool be introduced to many other hospitals in SA.

  18. 75 FR 5241 - Maritime Communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-02

    ...] Maritime Communications AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: In this... that its rules governing the Maritime Radio Services continue to promote maritime safety, maximize effective and efficient use of the spectrum available for maritime communications, accommodate technological...

  19. Attacks to Cryptography Protocols of Wireless Industrial Communication Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomas Ondrasina

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with problems of safety and security principles within wireless industrial communication systems. First safety requirements to wireless industrial communication system, summarisation of attack methods and the available measures for risks elimination are described with orientation to safety critical applications. The mainly part is oriented to identification of risks and summarisation of defensive methods of wireless communication based on cryptographic techniques. Practical part the cryptoanalytic’s attacks to COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf wireless communications are mentioned based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.

  20. Work Pressure and Safety Behaviors among Health Workers in Ghana: The Moderating Role of Management Commitment to Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwesi Amponsah-Tawaih

    2016-12-01

    Conclusion: When employees perceive safety communication, safety systems and training to be positive, they seem to comply with safety rules and procedures than voluntarily participate in safety activities.

  1. Safety policy for nuclear power development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchida, Hideo

    1987-01-01

    The report discusses various aspects of the safety policy for nuclear power development in Japan. Nuclear power development over three decades in Japan has led to operating performance which is highly safe and reliable. This has been appreciated internationally. Discussed here is the Japanese basic safety policy for nuclear power development that is essential first to design, manufacture and construction using high technology. The current careful quality assurance and reliable operation management by skilled operators are relied upon, on the basis of the fact that measures to prevent abnormal events are given first priority rather than those to mitigate consequences of abnormal events or accidents. Lessons learned from accidents and failures within or outside Japan such as the TMI accident and Chernobyl accident have been reflected in the improvement of safety through careful and thorough examinations of them. For further improvement in nuclear safety, deliberate studies and investigations on severe accidents and probabilistic safety assessment are considered to be important. Such efforts are currently being promoted. For this purpose, it is important to advance international cooperation and continue technical exchanges, based on operation experience in nuclear power stations in Japan. (Nogami, K.)

  2. Structured nursing communication on interdisciplinary acute care teams improves perceptions of safety, efficiency, understanding of care plan and teamwork as well as job satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gausvik, Christian; Lautar, Ashley; Miller, Lisa; Pallerla, Harini; Schlaudecker, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    Efficient, accurate, and timely communication is required for quality health care and is strongly linked to health care staff job satisfaction. Developing ways to improve communication is key to increasing quality of care, and interdisciplinary care teams allow for improved communication among health care professionals. This study examines the patient- and family-centered use of structured interdisciplinary bedside rounds (SIBR) on an acute care for the elderly (ACE) unit in a 555-bed metropolitan community hospital. This mixed methods study surveyed 24 nurses, therapists, patient care assistants, and social workers to measure perceptions of teamwork, communication, understanding of the plan for the day, safety, efficiency, and job satisfaction. A similar survey was administered to a control group of 38 of the same staff categories on different units in the same hospital. The control group units utilized traditional physician-centric rounding. Significant differences were found in each category between the SIBR staff on the ACE unit and the control staff. Nurse job satisfaction is an important marker of retention and recruitment, and improved communication may be an important aspect of increasing this satisfaction. Furthermore, improved communication is key to maintaining a safe hospital environment with quality patient care. Interdisciplinary team rounds that take place at the bedside improve both nursing satisfaction and related communication markers of quality and safety, and may help to achieve higher nurse retention and safer patient care. These results point to the interconnectedness and dual benefit to both job satisfaction and patient quality of care that can come from enhancements to team communication.

  3. Normal and abnormal aging in bilinguals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo Ardila

    Full Text Available Abstract Bilinguals use two different language systems to mediate not only social communication, but also cognitive processes. Potential differences between bilinguals and monolinguals in task-solving strategies and patterns of cognitive decline during normal and abnormal aging have been suggested. Main contribution: A research review of the area suggests that normal aging is associated with increased interference between the two languages and tendency to retreat to a single language. General cognitive functioning has been found to be higher in demented bilingual patients if communication is carried out in L1 rather than in L2. Recent research has reported that bilingualism can have a protective effect during aging, attenuating the normal cognitive decline associated with aging, and delaying the onset of dementia. Conclusions: Regardless of the significant heterogeneity of bilingualism and the diversity of patterns in language use during life-span, current research suggests that bilingualism is associated with preserved cognitive test performance during aging, and potentially can have some protective effect in dementia.

  4. Safety and Yield of Diagnostic ERCP in Liver Transplant Patients with Abnormal Liver Function Tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayapal Ramesh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Abnormal liver enzymes postorthotopic liver transplant (OLT may indicate significant biliary pathology or organ rejection. There is very little known in the literature regarding the current role of diagnostic ERCP in this scenario. Aim. To review the utility of diagnostic ERCP in patients presenting with abnormal liver function tests in the setting of OLT. Methods. A retrospective review of diagnostic ERCPs in patients with OLT from 2002 to 2013 from a prospectively maintained, IRB approved database. Results. Of the 474 ERCPs performed in OLT patients, 210 (44.3%; 95% CI 39.8–48.8 were performed for abnormal liver function tests during the study period. Majority of patients were Caucasian (83.8%, male (62.4% with median age of 55 years (IQR 48–62 years. Biliary cannulation was successful in 99.6% of cases and findings included stricture in 45 (21.4 %; biliary stones/sludge in 23 (11%; biliary dilation alone in 31 (14.8%; and normal in 91 (43.3%. Three (1.4% patients developed mild, self-limiting pancreatitis; one patient (0.5% developed cholangitis and two (1% had postsphincterotomy bleeding. Multivariate analyses showed significant association between dilated ducts on imaging with a therapeutic outcome. Conclusion. Diagnostic ERCP in OLT patients presenting with liver function test abnormalities is safe and frequently therapeutic.

  5. Clinician-Driven Design of VitalPAD–An Intelligent Monitoring and Communication Device to Improve Patient Safety in the Intensive Care Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flohr, Luisa; Beaudry, Shaylene; Johnson, K Taneille; West, Nicholas; Burns, Catherine M; Ansermino, J Mark; Dumont, Guy A; Wensley, David; Skippen, Peter

    2018-01-01

    The pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) is a complex environment, in which a multidisciplinary team of clinicians (registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and physicians) continually observe and evaluate patient information. Data are provided by multiple, and often physically separated sources, cognitive workload is high, and team communication can be challenging. Our aim is to combine information from multiple monitoring and therapeutic devices in a mobile application, the VitalPAD, to improve the efficiency of clinical decision-making, communication, and thereby patient safety. We observed individual ICU clinicians, multidisciplinary rounds, and handover procedures for 54 h to identify data needs, workflow, and existing cognitive aid use and limitations. A prototype was developed using an iterative participatory design approach; usability testing, including general and task-specific feedback, was obtained from 15 clinicians. Features included map overviews of the ICU showing clinician assignment, patient status, and respiratory support; patient vital signs; a photo-documentation option for arterial blood gas results; and team communication and reminder functions. Clinicians reported the prototype to be an intuitive display of vital parameters and relevant alerts and reminders, as well as a user-friendly communication tool. Future work includes implementation of a prototype, which will be evaluated under simulation and real-world conditions, with the aim of providing ICU staff with a monitoring device that will improve their daily work, communication, and decision-making capacity. Mobile monitoring of vital signs and therapy parameters might help improve patient safety in wards with single-patient rooms and likely has applications in many acute and critical care settings. PMID:29552425

  6. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences. Volume 2, Number 4. Quarterly report, October-December 1979

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-04-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report, the nineteenth in the series, covers the period October 1 to December 31, 1979. During the period, there was one abnormal occurrence. The event occurred at an Agreement State licensee and involved overexposure of a hot cell operator. This report also contains information updating previously reported abnormal occurrences

  7. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" Signage Communicates U.S. Roadway Rules and Increases Perception of Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, George; Peterson, M Nils

    2015-01-01

    Many global challenges, including obesity, health care costs, and climate change, could be addressed in part by increasing the use of bicycles for transportation. Concern about the safety of bicycling on roadways is frequently cited as a deterrent to increasing bicycle use in the USA. The use of effective signage along roadways might help alleviate these concerns by increasing knowledge about the rights and duties of bicyclists and motorists, ideally reducing crashes. We administered a web-based survey, using Twitter for recruitment, to examine how well three US traffic control devices communicated the message that bicyclists are permitted in the center of the travel lane and do not have to "get out of the way" to allow motorists to pass without changing lanes: "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" and "Share the Road" signage, and Shared Lane Markings on the pavement. Each was compared to an unsigned roadway. We also asked respondents whether it was safe for a bicyclist to occupy the center of the travel lane. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage was the most consistently comprehended device for communicating the message that bicyclists may occupy the travel lane and also increased perceptions of safety. "Share the Road" signage did not increase comprehension or perceptions of safety. Shared Lane Markings fell somewhere between. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage showed notable increases in comprehension among novice bicyclists and private motor vehicle commuters, critical target audiences for efforts to promote bicycling in the USA. Although limited in scope, our survey results are indicative and suggest that Departments of Transportation consider replacing "Share the Road" with "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage, possibly combined with Shared Lane Markings, if the intent is to increase awareness of roadway rights and responsibilities. Further evaluation through virtual reality simulations and on-road experiments is merited.

  8. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" Signage Communicates U.S. Roadway Rules and Increases Perception of Safety.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Hess

    Full Text Available Many global challenges, including obesity, health care costs, and climate change, could be addressed in part by increasing the use of bicycles for transportation. Concern about the safety of bicycling on roadways is frequently cited as a deterrent to increasing bicycle use in the USA. The use of effective signage along roadways might help alleviate these concerns by increasing knowledge about the rights and duties of bicyclists and motorists, ideally reducing crashes. We administered a web-based survey, using Twitter for recruitment, to examine how well three US traffic control devices communicated the message that bicyclists are permitted in the center of the travel lane and do not have to "get out of the way" to allow motorists to pass without changing lanes: "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" and "Share the Road" signage, and Shared Lane Markings on the pavement. Each was compared to an unsigned roadway. We also asked respondents whether it was safe for a bicyclist to occupy the center of the travel lane. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage was the most consistently comprehended device for communicating the message that bicyclists may occupy the travel lane and also increased perceptions of safety. "Share the Road" signage did not increase comprehension or perceptions of safety. Shared Lane Markings fell somewhere between. "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage showed notable increases in comprehension among novice bicyclists and private motor vehicle commuters, critical target audiences for efforts to promote bicycling in the USA. Although limited in scope, our survey results are indicative and suggest that Departments of Transportation consider replacing "Share the Road" with "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signage, possibly combined with Shared Lane Markings, if the intent is to increase awareness of roadway rights and responsibilities. Further evaluation through virtual reality simulations and on-road experiments is merited.

  9. 49 CFR 193.2519 - Communication systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ...: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Operations § 193.2519 Communication systems. (a) Each LNG plant must have a primary communication system that provides for verbal communications between all operating personnel at... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Communication systems. 193.2519 Section 193.2519...

  10. Presentation of the process External communications on the nuclear facilities operation of the Adjunct Head Office of Nuclear Safety of Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Espinosa V, J. M.

    2012-10-01

    The Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias (CNSNS) in use of their attributions granted by the Regulation Law of the constitutional Art. 27 in nuclear matter began the development of the called process External communications on the nuclear facilities operation, with the purpose of negotiating the evaluation of the concerns related with the safety of the nuclear facilities received these of external people to the CNSNS. The process External communications on the nuclear facilities operation will allow to the public's members and the workers that carry out activities inside the mark regulator imposed by the CNSNS that report to this Commission their concerns related with safety for several means (for example, directly to the personnel of the assigned Office, official and public statements, phone communication, electronic mail, etc.) The present article presents the legal mark confers the CNSNS the attributions to develop the mentioned process and exposes the most important elements that compose it. The term External communication on the nuclear facilities operation is defined and also is described how these communications are received, evaluated and closed by the assigned Office. Of equal way the objectives that intents to reach this process are indicated. The intention of the mentioned process is to strengthen the actions that the CNSNS carries out in the execution of its functions to maintain the safety standards in the operation of the nuclear facilities in Mexico. (Author)

  11. 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.

  12. Communications and Information Sharing (CIS) Laboratory

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — TheCommunications and Information Sharing (CIS) Laboratory is a Public Safety interoperable communications technology laboratory with analog and digital radios, and...

  13. PA activity by using nuclear power plant safety demonstration and analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchiya, Mitsuo; Kamimae, Rie

    1999-01-01

    INS/NUPEC presents one of Public acceptance (PA) methods for nuclear power in Japan, 'PA activity by using Nuclear Power Plant Safety Demonstration and Analysis', by using one of videos which is explained and analyzed accident events (Loss of Coolant Accident). Safety regulations of The National Government are strictly implemented in licensing at each of basic design and detailed design. To support safety regulation activities conducted by the National Government, INS/NLTPEC continuously implement Safety demonstration and analysis. With safety demonstration and analysis, made by assuming some abnormal conditions, what impacts could be produced by the assumed conditions are forecast based on specific design data on a given nuclear power plants. When analysis results compared with relevant decision criteria, the safety of nuclear power plants is confirmed. The decision criteria are designed to help judge if or not safety design of nuclear power plants is properly made. The decision criteria are set in the safety examination guidelines by taking sufficient safety allowance based on the latest technical knowledge obtained from a wide range of tests and safety studies. Safety demonstration and analysis is made by taking the procedure which are summarized in this presentation. In Japan, various PA (Public Acceptance) pamphlets and videos on nuclear energy have been published. But many of them focused on such topics as necessity or importance of nuclear energy, basic principles of nuclear power generation, etc., and a few described safety evaluation particularly of abnormal and accident events in accordance with the regulatory requirements. In this background, INS/NUPEC has been making efforts to prepare PA pamphlets and videos to explain the safety of nuclear power plants, to be simple and concrete enough, using various analytical computations for abnormal and accident events. In results, PA activity of INS/NUPEC is evaluated highly by the people

  14. Digital, Satellite-Based Aeronautical Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davarian, F.

    1989-01-01

    Satellite system relays communication between aircraft and stations on ground. System offers better coverage with direct communication between air and ground, costs less and makes possible new communication services. Carries both voice and data. Because many data exchanged between aircraft and ground contain safety-related information, probability of bit errors essential.

  15. Necessities of the Development of a Database for the Communications Between Nuclear Power Plant Operators in Simulated Emergency Situations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Man Cheol; Park, Jin Kyun; Jung, Won Dea

    2007-01-01

    Communications among main control room (MCR) operators is an important factor for understanding how and how well MCR operators manage abnormal or emergency situations in nuclear power plants (NPPs). As mentioned by many researchers, the performance of MCR operators in emergency situations in NPPs is strongly affected by not only the cognitive process of each operator, but also by communications and collaboration among operators. Despite of the importance of correct communications among NPP operators, the possibilities of human errors in communications have not received much attention. A representative example for the lack of interests in communication-related problems is the lack of considering communication-related human errors in human reliability analysis (HRA) methods. HRA methods are used, in general, to provide human error probabilities to probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of NPPs. In THERP (Technique for Human Error Rate Prediction), which was developed by Swain and Guttmann and currently is one of the most widely used HRA method, the human errors in communications are not directly considered. The human error probability (HEP) and error factor (EF) data that we could find as the most related ones to communication-related human errors are the estimated probabilities of errors in recalling oral instruction items which are not written down. But, it is obvious that the failure in recalling oral instruction items and misunderstanding oral instruction items are different error types

  16. Communication in Practice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drottz-Sjoeberg, Britt-Marie [Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim (Norway). Dept. of Psychology

    2001-07-01

    The paper presents results from the 'Communication 2000' project within the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) framework which aimed at developing methods as well as knowledge related to problems in risk communication. Focus groups and questionnaires were used to explicitly pinpoint the problems encountered when informing about or discussing risk and technologically advanced information (e.g. PSA-results) relative the public and across professional groups with different types of expertise. Personnel at a nuclear power plant and politicians of a local safety board provided their views of essential communication problems related to their work tasks in focus group discussions. Central topics that emerged from these discussions were later used in a questionnaire study, distributed to similar groups of power plant personnel, and politicians and administrators, in the local community. Some results are presented, together with a comparison of the two modes of investigating what is problematic in risk communication (e.g. focus groups vs. questionnaires). The difficulties involved in establishing a similar understanding of a phenomenon is addressed in the discussion.

  17. Communication in Practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drottz-Sjoeberg, Britt-Marie

    2001-01-01

    The paper presents results from the 'Communication 2000' project within the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) framework which aimed at developing methods as well as knowledge related to problems in risk communication. Focus groups and questionnaires were used to explicitly pinpoint the problems encountered when informing about or discussing risk and technologically advanced information (e.g. PSA-results) relative the public and across professional groups with different types of expertise. Personnel at a nuclear power plant and politicians of a local safety board provided their views of essential communication problems related to their work tasks in focus group discussions. Central topics that emerged from these discussions were later used in a questionnaire study, distributed to similar groups of power plant personnel, and politicians and administrators, in the local community. Some results are presented, together with a comparison of the two modes of investigating what is problematic in risk communication (e.g. focus groups vs. questionnaires). The difficulties involved in establishing a similar understanding of a phenomenon is addressed in the discussion

  18. Feeling Abnormal: Simulation of Deviancy in Abnormal and Exceptionality Courses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernald, Charles D.

    1980-01-01

    Describes activity in which student in abnormal psychology and psychology of exceptional children classes personally experience being judged abnormal. The experience allows the students to remember relevant research, become sensitized to the feelings of individuals classified as deviant, and use caution in classifying individuals as abnormal.…

  19. Abnormal glutamate release in aged BTBR mouse model of autism

    OpenAIRE

    Wei, Hongen; Ding, Caiyun; Jin, Guorong; Yin, Haizhen; Liu, Jianrong; Hu, Fengyun

    2015-01-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal reciprocal social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Most of the available research on autism is focused on children and young adults and little is known about the pathological alternation of autism in older adults. In order to investigate the neurobiological alternation of autism in old age stage, we compared the morphology and synaptic function of excitatory synapses betw...

  20. Perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice: the mediating role of coworker support for safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Sean; Chmiel, Nik; Turner, Nick; Hershcovis, M Sandy; Stride, Chris B

    2008-10-01

    In the present study, we modeled 2 sources of safety support (perceived organizational support for safety and perceived coworker support for safety) as predictors of employee safety voice, that is, speaking out in an attempt to change unsafe working conditions. Drawing on social exchange and social impact theories, we hypothesized and tested a mediated model predicting employee safety voice using a cross-sectional survey of urban bus drivers (n = 213) in the United Kingdom. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that perceived coworker support for safety fully mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice. This study adds to the employee voice literature by evaluating the important role that coworkers can play in encouraging others to speak out about safety issues. Implications for research and practice related to change-oriented safety communication are discussed.

  1. Risk-adjusted morbidity in teaching hospitals correlates with reported levels of communication and collaboration on surgical teams but not with scale measures of teamwork climate, safety climate, or working conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davenport, Daniel L; Henderson, William G; Mosca, Cecilia L; Khuri, Shukri F; Mentzer, Robert M

    2007-12-01

    Since the Institute of Medicine patient safety reports, a number of survey-based measures of organizational climate safety factors (OCSFs) have been developed. The goal of this study was to measure the impact of OCSFs on risk-adjusted surgical morbidity and mortality. Surveys were administered to staff on general/vascular surgery services during a year. Surveys included multiitem scales measuring OCSFs. Additionally, perceived levels of communication and collaboration with coworkers were assessed. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was used to assess risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality. Correlations between outcomes and OCSFs were calculated and between outcomes and communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors, nurses, and other providers. Fifty-two sites participated in the survey: 44 Veterans Affairs and 8 academic medical centers. A total of 6,083 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 52%. The OCSF measures of teamwork climate, safety climate, working conditions, recognition of stress effects, job satisfaction, and burnout demonstrated internal validity but did not correlate with risk-adjusted outcomes. Reported levels of communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors correlated with risk-adjusted morbidity. Survey-based teamwork, safety climate, and working conditions scales are not confirmed to measure organizational factors that influence risk-adjusted surgical outcomes. Reported communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors on surgical services influenced patient morbidity. This suggests the importance of doctors' coordination and decision-making roles on surgical teams in providing high-quality and safe care. We propose risk-adjusted morbidity as an effective measure of surgical patient safety.

  2. Assessment of Mismatch at Indicated Level of the Upper Side Zone of LZC on abnormal operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sung-Min; Park, Joong-Woo; Kho, Dae-Hack; Seo, Hyung-Beom; Han, Bong-Gyun; Moon, Jin-Soo

    2006-01-01

    Liquid Zone Control System of CANDU reactor provides bulk and spatial control. This system has produced abnormal operations with water level increase due to refueling since 1998. The abnormal operations of LZC system at Wolsong 2 can be divided into two periods. One is the sudden drop with continuous operation mode of LZC compressor and the other one is cycling with the on-off operation mode of the LZC compressor. It is identified through the communication with other CANDU reactors that this phenomenon is not unique to Wolsong. Whenever the upper side zone (1,8,6,13) level exceeded 80%, these abnormal operations occurred and mismatch between indicated and actual zone level was found. Counter-plan is prepared to ease these abnormal operations by physicist own efforts at Wolsong 2

  3. Insights on the National Status of Nuclear Crisis Communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Chang Ju; Hah, Yeon Hee; Oh, Kju Myeng

    2010-01-01

    In general, the term, 'risk communication' can be defined as a two way interaction process which can share internal attributes between personals, organizations, and others, where it usually comes from a 'normal risk' in areas of safety, health, security, environment, etc. We can also classify the communication issues with 'general case,' 'local case,' and 'crisis case,' respectively, in terms of the impacts on public perception. As a general concept, 'nuclear crisis' can be defined as a situation where nuclear radiological emergency plan and procedures shall be applied to cope with radiological accidents or emergencies which may occur at the nuclear power plant or radioisotopes using companies, hospitals, and universities. 'Crisis communication' refers one of the activities done by the Nuclear Regulatory Organizations (NRO) in order to protect the public and the environment from the possible harmful effects. There is an international initiative for searching a practical 'road map' with good practice guidance for NROs of each country on crisis communication, covering planning during normal situations, lessons learnt from emergencies or challenging events, and media strategy. The 'road map' is based on the identification of best practices and challenges when facing either planned situations or unexpected situations which might affect NRO's credibility. It is also important to fully know how our NRO operates in order to communicate with the public and the media within the complex network of public organizations, covering both the national and local perspective. In this paper, we want to survey relevant illustrations of NRO's flux of work concerning public, media communication cases in abnormal/crisis/emergency situations. Also, we will talk about the responsibilities of each area and clarify who is in charge of external communication. By this way, we can find an adequate scheme showing the involvement of NRO with other public organizations during a crisis situation

  4. Risk-based reconfiguration of safety monitoring system using dynamic Bayesian network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohda, Takehisa; Cui Weimin

    2007-01-01

    To prevent an abnormal event from leading to an accident, the role of its safety monitoring system is very important. The safety monitoring system detects symptoms of an abnormal event to mitigate its effect at its early stage. As the operation time passes by, the sensor reliability decreases, which implies that the decision criteria of the safety monitoring system should be modified depending on the sensor reliability as well as the system reliability. This paper presents a framework for the decision criteria (or diagnosis logic) of the safety monitoring system. The logic can be dynamically modified based on sensor output data monitored at regular intervals to minimize the expected loss caused by two types of safety monitoring system failure events: failed-dangerous (FD) and failed-safe (FS). The former corresponds to no response under an abnormal system condition, while the latter implies a spurious activation under a normal system condition. Dynamic Bayesian network theory can be applied to modeling the entire system behavior composed of the system and its safety monitoring system. Using the estimated state probabilities, the optimal decision criterion is given to obtain the optimal diagnosis logic. An illustrative example of a three-sensor system shows the merits and characteristics of the proposed method, where the reasonable interpretation of sensor data can be obtained

  5. Benign communicating hydrocephalus in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kendall, B.; Holland, I.

    1981-01-01

    A review was performed of the computed tomograms (CTs) of 500 children which had been reported as showing widening of the supratentorial subarachnoid spaces with normal cerebral substance. On the basis of this a radiological diagnosis of cerebral atrophy had been made in all but five, who were said to have mengalencephaly. From these, the children with large or abnormally enlarging heads, but normal or only slightly enlarged ventricles, were selected; there were 40 such cases (8%). The clinical condition either improved or remained stable over a period of 2 years; in the majority the scan abnormality regressed (22.5%) or remained static (67.5%). In three cases there was slight progression of the CT changes before stabilisation, but only one case developed classical communicating hydrocephalus necessitating a shunt procedure. This condition is a generally benign and mild form of communicating hydrocephalus, for which an aetiological factor was apparent in about two-thirds of the cases studied. (orig.)

  6. “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” Signage Communicates U.S. Roadway Rules and Increases Perception of Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Many global challenges, including obesity, health care costs, and climate change, could be addressed in part by increasing the use of bicycles for transportation. Concern about the safety of bicycling on roadways is frequently cited as a deterrent to increasing bicycle use in the USA. The use of effective signage along roadways might help alleviate these concerns by increasing knowledge about the rights and duties of bicyclists and motorists, ideally reducing crashes. We administered a web-based survey, using Twitter for recruitment, to examine how well three US traffic control devices communicated the message that bicyclists are permitted in the center of the travel lane and do not have to “get out of the way” to allow motorists to pass without changing lanes: “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” and “Share the Road” signage, and Shared Lane Markings on the pavement. Each was compared to an unsigned roadway. We also asked respondents whether it was safe for a bicyclist to occupy the center of the travel lane. “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” signage was the most consistently comprehended device for communicating the message that bicyclists may occupy the travel lane and also increased perceptions of safety. “Share the Road” signage did not increase comprehension or perceptions of safety. Shared Lane Markings fell somewhere between. “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” signage showed notable increases in comprehension among novice bicyclists and private motor vehicle commuters, critical target audiences for efforts to promote bicycling in the USA. Although limited in scope, our survey results are indicative and suggest that Departments of Transportation consider replacing “Share the Road” with “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” signage, possibly combined with Shared Lane Markings, if the intent is to increase awareness of roadway rights and responsibilities. Further evaluation through virtual reality simulations and on-road experiments is merited. PMID

  7. Safety regulation KTA 3901: Communication systems for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    The regulation applies to communication systems in stationary nuclear power plants with at least one power plant unit, i.e. alarm systems, staff locator systems, communicators, and systems for external communication. The regulation determines the type and extent of staff communication systems as well as the demands to be made on layout, installation, operating systems, and testing of communication systems for nuclear power plants. (orig./HP) [de

  8. [Communication Test for Foreign Physicians in Germany: The Patient Communication Test].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farhan, N; Leonhart, R; Puffe, L; Boeker, M; Wirsching, M

    2016-04-01

    The number of foreign doctors in Germany has increased steadily in recent years. To obtain the German medical license, sufficient language competence is mandatory. Nevertheless, in practice, foreign doctors have considerable difficulties in their communication with patients, medical colleagues and other health professionals. This can lead to misunderstandings and thus impair patient safety. To overcome this problem, the "patient communication test" was developed and piloted as an additional requirement to be granted license to practice medicine in Germany. The aim of this study is to present our results in the development and piloting of this test. 3 OSCE stations (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) were designed, which evaluate communication skills in 3 medical competences: history taking, case presentation and explaining to patients before obtaining informed consent. After extensive instruction of actors as patients and raters on the basis of the evaluation criteria, the communication test was subjected to pilot studies in 6 different cities (Freiburg, Jena, Mainz, Mannheim, Tübingen, and Ulm). In 2013, 639 foreign doctors participated in the test; 461 (72.14%) of these doctors passed the test on their first try, 51 (7.98%) on their second attempt and 6 (0.93%) on their third try. The patient communication test evaluates the communication skills of foreign doctors in OSCE-setting using standardized actor-patients. This improves the communication skills and enhances patient safety in the German health care system by smooth inter-professional and patient-centered communication. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Risk assessment terminology: risk communication part 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaetano Liuzzo

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes the terminology of risk communication in the view of food safety: the theory of stakeholders, the citizens’ involvement and the community interest and consultation are reported. Different aspects of risk communication (public communication, scientific uncertainty, trust, care, consensus and crisis communication are discussed.

  10. 14 CFR 431.41 - Communications plan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Communications plan. 431.41 Section 431.41... Launch and Reentry of a Reusable Launch Vehicle § 431.41 Communications plan. (a) An applicant shall submit a plan providing vehicle safety operations personnel communications procedures during the mission...

  11. Risk Perception, Communication and Food Safety

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frewer, L.J.

    2011-01-01

    Developing an effective communication strategy about different food hazards depends not only on technical risk assessments (for example related to health or the environment) but must also take into account consumer perceptions and preferences. In addition, consumers make decisions about food choices

  12. Safety Information System Guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bullock, M.G.

    1977-03-01

    This Guide provides guidelines for the design and evaluation of a working safety information system. For the relatively few safety professionals who have already adopted computer-based programs, this Guide may aid them in the evaluation of their present system. To those who intend to develop an information system, it will, hopefully, inspire new thinking and encourage steps towards systems safety management. For the line manager who is working where the action is, this Guide may provide insight on the importance of accident facts as a tool for moving ideas up the communication ladder where they will be heard and acted upon; where what he has to say will influence beneficial changes among those who plan and control his operations. In the design of a safety information system, it is suggested that the safety manager make friends with a computer expert or someone on the management team who has some feeling for, and understanding of, the art of information storage and retrieval as a new and better means for communication

  13. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, October--December 1993. Volume 16, No. 4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-04-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from October 1 through December 31, 1993. This report discusses six abnormal occurrences at NRC-licensed facilities. Five involved medical brachytherapy misadministrations, and one involved an overexposure to a nursing infant. Seven abnormal occurrences that were reported by the Agreement States are also discussed, based on information provided by the Agreement States as of February 28, 1994. Of these events, three involved brachytherapy misadministrations, one involved a teletherapy misadministration, one involved a theft of radioactive material during transport and improper disposal, and two involved lost sources.

  14. Predicting Drug Safety and Communicating Risk: Benefits of a Bayesian Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazic, Stanley E; Edmunds, Nicholas; Pollard, Christopher E

    2018-03-01

    Drug toxicity is a major source of attrition in drug discovery and development. Pharmaceutical companies routinely use preclinical data to predict clinical outcomes and continue to invest in new assays to improve predictions. However, there are many open questions about how to make the best use of available data, combine diverse data, quantify risk, and communicate risk and uncertainty to enable good decisions. The costs of suboptimal decisions are clear: resources are wasted and patients may be put at risk. We argue that Bayesian methods provide answers to all of these problems and use hERG-mediated QT prolongation as a case study. Benefits of Bayesian machine learning models include intuitive probabilistic statements of risk that incorporate all sources of uncertainty, the option to include diverse data and external information, and visualizations that have a clear link between the output from a statistical model and what this means for risk. Furthermore, Bayesian methods are easy to use with modern software, making their adoption for safety screening straightforward. We include R and Python code to encourage the adoption of these methods.

  15. The Nordic programme for nuclear safety 1990-1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-02-01

    The report, covering the year 1991 of the Nordic Programme for Nuclear Safety 1990-1993, presents 18 projects divided into 4 main areas: preparedness in abnormal radiation situations, nuclear wastes and shutdowns, radioecology and reactor safety - knowledge preparedness. The main areas are briefly described and the status of each project is presented. (CLS) (118 refs.)

  16. Probabilistic safety assessment in nuclear power plant management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holloway, N.J.

    1989-06-01

    Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) techniques have been widely used over the past few years to assist in understanding how engineered systems respond to abnormal conditions, particularly during a severe accident. The use of PSAs in the design and operation of such systems thus contributes to the safety of nuclear power plants. Probabilistic safety assessments can be maintained to provide a continuous up-to-date assessment (Living PSA), supporting the management of plant operations and modifications

  17. 47 CFR 95.1125 - RF safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false RF safety. 95.1125 Section 95.1125 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) General Provisions § 95.1125 RF safety. Portable devices...

  18. Validation of IT-based Data Communication Protocol for Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, K. I.; Kim, D. H.; Lee, J. C.

    2009-12-01

    The communication network designed to transmit control and processing signals in digital Instrument and Control (I and C) systems in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), should provide a high level of safety and reliability. There are different features between the communication networks of NPPs and other commercial communication networks. Safety and reliability are the most important factors in the communication networks of an NPP rather than efficiency which are important factors of a commercial communication network design. To develop Data Communication Protocol for Nuclear Power Plant, We analyze the design criteria and performance requirements of existing commercial communication protocols based on Information Technology(IT). And also, we examine the adaptability to the communication protocol of an NPP. Based on these results, we developed our own protocol(Nuclear power plant Safety Communication Protocol : NSCP) for NPP I and C, which meet the required specifications through design overall protocol architecture and data frame format, definition of functional requirements and specifications. NSCP is the communication protocol designed for a safety-grade control network in the nuclear power plant. In this report, we had specified NSCP protocol by FDT(Formal Description Technique) and established validation procedures based on the validation methodology. It was confirmed specification error, major function's validity and reachability of NSCP by performing simulation and the validation process using Telelogic Tau tool

  19. Nuclear post-accident communication: reflections of CODIR-PA's 'Communication' work group (GT8)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    This document briefly presents the approach adopted in France to define a communication doctrine to be applied in a post-accident situation, to make practical recommendations to actors, and to develop practical tools (speech elements). It evokes the main themes dealt with (such as safety culture, communication, etc.) by a specific work group

  20. 47 CFR 90.1335 - RF safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false RF safety. 90.1335 Section 90.1335 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Wireless Broadband Services in the 3650-3700 MHz Band § 90.1335 RF safety...

  1. Structured nursing communication on interdisciplinary acute care teams improves perceptions of safety, efficiency, understanding of care plan and teamwork as well as job satisfaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gausvik C

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Christian Gausvik,1 Ashley Lautar,2 Lisa Miller,2 Harini Pallerla,3 Jeffrey Schlaudecker4,5 1University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 2The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 3Department of Family and Community Medicine, 4Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 5Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program, University of Cincinnati/The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA Abstract: Efficient, accurate, and timely communication is required for quality health care and is strongly linked to health care staff job satisfaction. Developing ways to improve communication is key to increasing quality of care, and interdisciplinary care teams allow for improved communication among health care professionals. This study examines the patient- and family-centered use of structured interdisciplinary bedside rounds (SIBR on an acute care for the elderly (ACE unit in a 555-bed metropolitan community hospital. This mixed methods study surveyed 24 nurses, therapists, patient care assistants, and social workers to measure perceptions of teamwork, communication, understanding of the plan for the day, safety, efficiency, and job satisfaction. A similar survey was administered to a control group of 38 of the same staff categories on different units in the same hospital. The control group units utilized traditional physician-centric rounding. Significant differences were found in each category between the SIBR staff on the ACE unit and the control staff. Nurse job satisfaction is an important marker of retention and recruitment, and improved communication may be an important aspect of increasing this satisfaction. Furthermore, improved communication is key to maintaining a safe hospital environment with quality patient care. Interdisciplinary team rounds that take place at the bedside improve both nursing satisfaction and related communication markers of quality and safety, and may help to achieve higher nurse retention and safer

  2. Crisis Communications in a Digital World

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trump, Kenneth S.

    2015-01-01

    Kenneth Trump, a school safety expert who consults with districts on how to respond to school safety crises, explains how the new prevalence of threats of violence being delivered over digital and social media creates for administrators a "communication crisis" that unfolds alongside the real or perceived crisis of school safety being…

  3. Management of safety and safety culture at the NPPs of Ukraine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koltakov, Vladimir

    2002-01-01

    The report contains general aspects of safety and safety culture. The brief description of operational characteristics and basic indexes of atomic power plants at the Ukraine are represented. The information referring to structure of NPPs of Operation organization license-holder, safety responsibility of both Regulatory and Utility Bodies also is given. The main part of the report include seven sections: 1. Practical application of safety management models; 2. erspective on the relationship between safety management and safety culture; 3. The role of leadership in achieving high standards of safety; 4. Current and future challengers that impact on safety culture and safety management (e.g. the impact of competition, changing, economic and political circumstances, workforce demographics, etc.); 5. Key lessons learned from major events; 6. Practical applications of safety culture concepts (e.g. learning organizations, training staff communications, etc.); 7. dvance in human performance. Some of the main pending safety and safety culture problems that are necessary to achieve in the near future are mentioned

  4. Safety Culture in New Build Projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reiman, T.

    2016-01-01

    The concept of culture emphasises the social factors that have an effect on the way hazards are perceived, risks are evaluated, risk management is conducted, the current safety level is interpreted, and what is considered normal and what abnormal. It also contributes to defining the correct ways to behave in situations and correct ways to talk about safety, risks or uncertainty. Culture is something the company has created for itself that then has an effect on the company. This effect is not necessarily perceived by the company itself, since the members of the organization consider all things that happen according to their cultural taken-for-granted assumptions (“business as usual”). Thus, safety culture can either hinder or advance nuclear safety. This depends on what the shared values and assumptions are, and how they are in line with, and influence, the organizational structures, practices, personnel and technology. Safety culture requires constant and systematic development, monitoring and review during the entire life-cycle of a nuclear facility. The pre-operational phase sets many unique requirements for nuclear safety culture. For example, some of the organizations and individuals involved in the project may have no insight on how safety culture relates to nuclear power plants. Companies that work in the conventional industry typically associate safety with occupational safety issues, not with nuclear safety. Further, it may be unclear how the construction phase affects nuclear safety of an operating plant. When workers are asked to perform their work differently than previously (e.g., in conventional construction sites), explanation has to be given. For example, structures, systems and components may have different functions during emergency that exceed or differ from their quality requirements during normal operation. The strict quality requirements and use of certain methods and procedures, documentation requirements, etc., may seem unimportant if

  5. Chapter 8: Final thought on safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2018-04-01

    The chapter presents the objective of implementing and maintaining a good safety system: to prevent the occurrence of accidents and incidents (the abnormalities must be the exception) and if they occur their consequences should be mitigated. And make other considerations.

  6. How Mandated College Students Talk About Alcohol: Peer Communication Factors Associated with Drinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Kate B.; Lust, Sarah A.; Reid, Allecia E.; Kalichman, Seth C.; Carey, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Relatively little research has examined how peer communication influences alcohol consumption. In a sample of mandated college students, we differentiate conversations about drinking among from conversations about harm prevention and provide evidence for the validity of these communication constructs. Students who violated campus alcohol policies and were referred for alcohol sanctions (N = 345) reported on drinking patterns, use of protective behavioral strategies, perceived descriptive norms for close friends and serving as social leader among their friends; they also reported on the frequency of conversations about drinking, about drinking safety, and about risk reduction efforts. Predicted correlations were found among types of communication and conceptually related variables. General communication was related to consumption but not protective behavioral strategies, whereas safety/risk reduction conversations correlated positively with all protective behavioral strategies. Both types of communication were associated with social leadership. Safety communication moderated the relationship between peer descriptive norms and drinks per week; more frequent talking about safety attenuated the norms-consumption relationship. Peer communication about both drinking and safety may serve as targets for change in risk reduction interventions for mandated college students. PMID:26861808

  7. Communicating with the public about risk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wade, C.R.; Molony, S.T.; Durbin, M.E.; Klein, S.H.; Wahl, L.E.

    1992-01-01

    Risk communication is a growing specialty field in communication that draws from well-established principles of sociology and psychology. It is a new way to communicate with potentially hostile audiences about sensitive environmental, safety, and health issues they face. This paper explains the most important principles of risk communication and discusses audience analyses, perceptions of risk (outrage factors), and risk comparisons. These principles are applied to a risk communication issue in Malhuevo, a fictitious Arizona community

  8. The role of communication in paediatric drug safety

    OpenAIRE

    Stebbing, Claire; Wong, Ian C K; Kaushal, Rainu; Jaffe, Adam

    2007-01-01

    Medication errors cause substantial harm to patients, and considerable cost to healthcare systems. Evidence suggests that communication plays a crucial role in the generation, management and prevention of such incidents. This review identifies how paediatric medication errors can be managed, and in particular focuses on the pathway of steps that can operationalise the current research findings. Furthermore, the current data suggesting how communication can help to prevent errors occurring in ...

  9. 47 CFR 101.1425 - RF safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false RF safety. 101.1425 Section 101.1425 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE... safety. MVDDS stations in the 12.2-12.7 GHz frequency band do not operate with output powers that equal...

  10. 14 CFR 415.33 - Safety organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Safety organization. 415.33 Section 415.33....33 Safety organization. (a) An applicant shall maintain a safety organization and document it by... communication, both within the applicant's organization and between the applicant and any federal launch range...

  11. Informing Workers of Chemical Hazards: The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.

    Science.gov (United States)

    American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

    Practical information on how to implement a chemical-related safety program is outlined in this publication. Highlights of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard are presented and explained. These include: (1) hazard communication requirements (consisting of warning labels, material safety…

  12. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences, January-March 1986. Volume 9, No. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-09-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence as an unscheduled incident or event which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 1986. The report states that for this reporting period, there were two abnormal occurrences at the nuclear power plants licensed to operate. The events were (1) a loss of power and water hammer event and (2) a loss of integrated control system power and overcooling transient. There were five abnormal occurrences at the other NRC licensees. The events were (1) a rupture of a uranium hexafluoride cylinder and release of gases, (2) a therapeutic medical misadministration, (3) an overexposure to a member of the public from an industrial gauge, (4) a breakdown of management controls at an irradiator facility, and (5) a tritium overexposure and laboratory contamination. There were four abnormal occurrences reported by the Agreement States. Three of the events involved radiation injuries to people working either as radiographers or assistant radiographers; the other event involved contamination of a scrap steel facility. The report also contains information updating some previously reported abnormal occurrences

  13. Management of safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kavsek, D.

    2004-01-01

    The strengthening of safety culture in an organization has become an increasingly important issue for nuclear industry. A high level of safety performance is essential for business success in intensely competitive global environment. This presentation offers a discussion of some principles and activities used in enhancing safety performance and appropriate safety behaviour at the Krsko NPP. Over the years a number of events have occurred in nuclear industry that have involved problems in human performance. A review of these and other significant events has identified recurring weaknesses in plant safety culture and policy. Focusing attention on the strengthening of relevant processes can help plants avoid similar undesirable events. The policy of the Krsko NPP is that all employees concerned shall constantly be alert to opportunities to reduce risks to the lowest practicable level and to achieve excellence in plant safety. The most important objective is to protect individuals, society and the environment by establishing and maintaining an effective defense against radiological hazard in the nuclear power plant. It is achieved through the use of reliable structures, components, systems, and procedures, as well as plant personnel committed to a strong safety culture. The elements of safety culture include both organizational and individual aspects. Elements commonly included at the organizational level are senior management commitment to safety, organizational effectiveness, effective communication, organizational learning, and a culture that encourages identification and resolution of safety issues. Elements identified at the individual level include personal accountability, a questioning attitude, communication, procedural adherence, etc.(author)

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. Cytogenetic abnormalities and fragile-x syndrome in Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reddy Kavita S

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Autism is a behavioral disorder with impaired social interaction, communication, and repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. About 5–10 % of individuals with autism have 'secondary' autism in which an environmental agent, chromosome abnormality, or single gene disorder can be identified. Ninety percent have idiopathic autism and a major gene has not yet been identified. We have assessed the incidence of chromosome abnormalities and Fragile X syndrome in a population of autistic patients referred to our laboratory. Methods Data was analyzed from 433 patients with autistic traits tested using chromosome analysis and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH and/or molecular testing for fragile X syndrome by Southern and PCR methods. Results The median age was 4 years. Sex ratio was 4.5 males to 1 female [354:79]. A chromosome (cs abnormality was found in 14/421 [3.33 %] cases. The aberrations were: 4/14 [28%] supernumerary markers; 4/14 [28%] deletions; 1/14 [7%] duplication; 3/14 [21%] inversions; 2/14 [14%] translocations. FISH was performed on 23 cases for reasons other than to characterize a previously identified cytogenetic abnormality. All 23 cases were negative. Fragile-X testing by Southern blots and PCR analysis found 7/316 [2.2 %] with an abnormal result. The mutations detected were: a full mutation (fM and abnormal methylation in 3 [43 %], mosaic mutations with partial methylation of variable clinical significance in 3 [43%] and a permutation carrier [14%]. The frequency of chromosome and fragile-X abnormalities appears to be within the range in reported surveys (cs 4.8-1.7%, FRAX 2–4%. Limitations of our retrospective study include paucity of behavioral diagnostic information, and a specific clinical criterion for testing. Conclusions Twenty-eight percent of chromosome abnormalities detected in our study were subtle; therefore a high resolution cytogenetic study with a scrutiny of 15q11.2q13, 2q37 and Xp23

  17. 30 CFR 56.18013 - Emergency communications system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Emergency communications system. 56.18013 Section 56.18013 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND... Programs § 56.18013 Emergency communications system. A suitable communication system shall be provided at...

  18. Nuclear safety in perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, K.; Sjöberg, B.M.D.; Lauridsen, Kurt

    2003-01-01

    The aim of the NKS/SOS-1 project has been to enhance common understanding about requirements for nuclear safety by finding improved means of communicat-ing on the subject in society. The project, which has been built around a number of seminars, wassupported by limited research in three sub......-projects: Risk assessment Safety analysis 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 forregulatory oversight are de-scribed in the nuclear area and also, to widen the perspective, for other...

  19. Enhancing Transparency in Multidisciplinary Expert Communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hukki, Kristiina; Pulkkinen, Urho

    2003-01-01

    Faced with problems of public acceptance most nuclear waste management organisations now acknowledge the importance of transparency in their pursuit of solutions for high-level nuclear waste disposal. To make progress the implementing organizations need the trust of other stakeholders in the decision-making process. For such trust these outside stakeholders need knowledge on the grounds for the judgments and decisions made in different scientific and technical disciplines. Transparency is, however, at least as important for the multidisciplinary expert communication itself. As a matter of fact, the transparency of the internal expert interaction processes is a prerequisite for the true transparency of the communication between the implementer and the external stakeholder groups. The introduced conceptual framework has been developed for the identification of the requirements of safety-informed communication in multidisciplinary expert work in nuclear waste management. The framework offers a common thinking model and common concepts which can be utilized in the development of the communication practices. The basis of the framework is on the possibility to understand the safety-critical significance of one's work. The transparency of communication is, for its part, based on making explicit the relevant knowledge necessary for gaining the understanding. This supplementary knowledge, which is related to the substance issues but is not scientific-technical by nature, enhances the experts' awareness of the context of their own contribution and of the background of the other experts' contributions. The common conceptualization and modelling of the knowledge-related dependencies between the tasks make it possible to realize the significance of the supplementary knowledge for transparent communication in actual situations. They also facilitate the recognition of the need for different types of supplementary knowledge in the interfaces between the tasks. By enhancing mutual

  20. 47 CFR 101.1525 - RF safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false RF safety. 101.1525 Section 101.1525 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Service and Technical Rules for the 70/80/90 GHz Bands § 101.1525 RF safety. Licensees in the 70...

  1. 14 CFR 431.33 - Safety organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Safety organization. 431.33 Section 431.33... Launch and Reentry of a Reusable Launch Vehicle § 431.33 Safety organization. (a) An applicant shall maintain a safety organization and document it by identifying lines of communication and approval authority...

  2. Safety evaluation for communication network software modifications of PCS in Ulchin NPP unit 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, S. H.; Koh, J. S.; Kim, B. R.; Oh, S. H.

    1999-01-01

    On February 2, 1999, an incident occurred at the Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 which resulted in the corruption of data on Perform Net of Plant Control System. This incident was caused by the ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) chip on the Rehostable Module which is a part of Network Interface Module. Regarding this incident, we required that the utility should propose new algorithms to detect the hardware failure of ASIC chip and evaluated the appropriateness of network software modifications. As a result of this evaluation process, we required that the safety related interlock signals using data communication path be hardwired to make up for the vulnerability of the system architecture. In this paper, we will discuss the system architecture of PCS and fault analysis and evaluation findings

  3. Breakdowns in communication of radiological findings: an ethical and medico-legal conundrum

    OpenAIRE

    Berlin, Leonard; Murphy, Daniel R.; Singh, Hardeep

    2014-01-01

    Communication problems in diagnostic testing have increased in both number and importance in recent years. The medical and legal impact of failure of communication is dramatic. Over the past decades, the courts have expanded and strengthened the duty imposed on radiologists to timely communicate radiologic abnormalities to referring physicians and perhaps the patients themselves in certain situations. The need to communicate these findings goes beyond strict legal requirements: there is a mor...

  4. Improving Pathologists' Communication Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dintzis, Suzanne

    2016-08-01

    The 2015 Institute of Medicine report on diagnostic error has placed a national spotlight on the importance of improving communication among clinicians and between clinicians and patients [1]. The report emphasizes the critical role that communication plays in patient safety and outlines ways that pathologists can support this process. Despite recognition of communication as an essential element in patient care, pathologists currently undergo limited (if any) formal training in communication skills. To address this gap, we at the University of Washington Medical Center developed communication training with the goal of establishing best practice procedures for effective pathology communication. The course includes lectures, role playing, and simulated clinician-pathologist interactions for training and evaluation of pathology communication performance. Providing communication training can help create reliable communication pathways that anticipate and address potential barriers and errors before they happen. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  5. Linguistics, human communication and psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, P; Fraser, W

    1994-11-01

    Psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics have extended our understanding of the abnormal communication seen in psychosis, as well as that of people with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Psycholinguistics has the potential to increase the explanatory power of cognitive and neuropsychological approaches to psychosis and new methods of assessment and therapy are now being developed, based on linguistic theory. A MEDLINE literature search was used. Of 205 relevant articles identified, 65 were selected for review. Greater familiarity with linguistic theory could improve psychiatrists' assessment skills and their understanding of the relevance of human communication to the new cognitive models of psychosis.

  6. Operational safety - the IAEA response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, M.

    1984-01-01

    Nuclear safety is an international issue. The role of the International Atomic Energy Agency is growing because it offers a centre for contact and exchange between East and West, North and South. New initiatives are under way to intensify international co-operative safety efforts through exchange of information on abnormal events at nuclear power plants, and through greater sharing of safety research results. Emergency preparedness also lends itself to international co-operation. A report has been prepared on the need for establishing mutual emergency assistance. By analysing possible constraints to bilateral or multinational efforts in advance, a basis for agreement at the time of an emergency is being worked out. Safety standards have been developed in several areas. The NUSS Codes and Guides, now almost complete, make available to countries starting a nuclear power programme a coherent set of nuclear safety standards. A revised set of Basic Safety Standards for Radiation Protection has been issued in 1982. (author)

  7. Abnormal uterine bleeding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anovulatory bleeding; Abnormal uterine bleeding - hormonal; Polymenorrhea - dysfunctional uterine bleeding ... ACOG committee opinion no. 557: Management of acute abnormal uterine bleeding in nonpregnant reproductive-aged women. Reaffirmed 2015. www. ...

  8. A study on methodologies for assessing safety critical network's risk impact on Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, T. J.; Lee, H. J.; Park, S. K.; Seo, S. J.

    2006-08-01

    The objectives of this project is to investigate and study existing reliability analysis techniques for communication networks in order to develop reliability analysis models for Nuclear Power Plant's safety-critical networks. It is necessary to make a comprehensive survey of current methodologies for communication network reliability. Major outputs of the first year study are design characteristics of safety-critical communication networks, efficient algorithms for quantifying reliability of communication networks, and preliminary models for assessing reliability of safety-critical communication networks

  9. Interpersonal communication and issues for autonomous vehicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-01

    Interpersonal roadway communication is a vital component of the transportation system. Road users communicate to coordinate movement and increase roadway safety. Future autonomous vehicle research needs to account for the role of interpersonal roadwa...

  10. The art of communication: strategies to improve efficiency, quality of care and patient safety in the emergency department

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krug, Steven E.

    2008-01-01

    The practice of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) has been supported by wonderful advancements in diagnostic testing, particularly in medical imaging. One of the most remarkable has been CT, which has arguably become our most valuable diagnostic tool in the emergency department (ED). PEM specialists have grown increasingly aware of quality and safety concerns in the care of children in emergency medical settings, spurred in part by a rapid growth in ED utilization and significant overcrowding. In the midst of this comes the revelation that one of our most valued diagnostic tools might place our youngest patients at a significant risk for the development of fatal cancer. This article reinforces the fundamental importance of communication and teamwork as a means to promote patient care quality and safety in the ED, and it offers partnership strategies for PEM and pediatric radiology specialists to consider as they address these important concerns. (orig.)

  11. The art of communication: strategies to improve efficiency, quality of care and patient safety in the emergency department

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krug, Steven E. [Northwestern University, Children' s Memorial Hospital, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States)

    2008-11-15

    The practice of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) has been supported by wonderful advancements in diagnostic testing, particularly in medical imaging. One of the most remarkable has been CT, which has arguably become our most valuable diagnostic tool in the emergency department (ED). PEM specialists have grown increasingly aware of quality and safety concerns in the care of children in emergency medical settings, spurred in part by a rapid growth in ED utilization and significant overcrowding. In the midst of this comes the revelation that one of our most valued diagnostic tools might place our youngest patients at a significant risk for the development of fatal cancer. This article reinforces the fundamental importance of communication and teamwork as a means to promote patient care quality and safety in the ED, and it offers partnership strategies for PEM and pediatric radiology specialists to consider as they address these important concerns. (orig.)

  12. Communication planning by the nuclear regulatory body

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    The national regulatory body, whose primary mission is to exercise regulatory control over nuclear facilities and the use of radiation sources, but not to promote their use, may be the most credible source of neutral, balanced and accurate information about issues relating to nuclear and radiation safety. It is therefore important for a regulatory body to establish and exercise an effective communication programme to acquaint the public with its oversight functions, capabilities and effectiveness. If the regulatory body is to maintain credibility and to deal promptly and effectively with nuclear or radiological accidents and any other events that may give rise to significant public concerns, and is to communicate clearly and effectively with the public, it must have adequate resources, including experts in nuclear safety. And if maintaining public confidence in the authorities and avoiding unnecessary concerns are among its principal objectives, it must be able to communicate understandably and truthfully about the known extent of any accident, the actions taken in response to it and its implications. In the past, psychological effects as a result of certain severe nuclear and radiological accidents have been compounded by a lack of candour with the public on the part of the authorities and an absence of an appropriate programme of public information. This publication describes good practices and gives practical examples of how the regulatory body can establish a systematic and structured programme for enhancing effective communication with various parties and under various circumstances. The report presupposes an adequate national infrastructure, including an independent regulatory body with sufficient authority and resources to discharge its responsibilities for the regulation of safety. This Safety Report covers the elements of a regulatory body's programme for communication with various audiences and under the different circumstances that may be encountered

  13. Administrative Management Competencies for Safety Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blair, Earl H.; Logan, Joyce P.

    1999-01-01

    In a 1997 study, 245 safety professionals and educators identified and prioritized management competencies that are important for safety professionals. Results show that the most important competencies are communication, listening, motivating others, creative thinking, and flexibility. (JOW)

  14. Study on communicating risk information obtained from PSA within nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nunogane, Nobuaki; Onoue, Akira; Kojima, Shigeo

    2000-01-01

    In this study, the communication of PSA information in nuclear power plants (NPPs), namely, how the risk information obtained from the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) should be presented and communicated to plant personnel, was examined assuming that the safety management system based on the risk information was introduced to NPPs. This is called PSA communication. First, when risk-informed safety management is to be introduced into NPPs, plant personnel should have sufficient related knowledge. In order to provide such knowledge to the personnel through training, risk information is classified into three types: basic information, detailed information and task information. A hierarchical risk information summary for reporting, coordinating and communicating tasks is proposed. In this summary, the concerns of those who have received the information are placed at the top and the related risk information positioned below. At the same time, and by way of a trial, the risk information relating to on-line maintenance (OLM) is prepared. In order to enhance the safety-consciousness and the safety of the entire plant, specific plans such as 'risk tags' which indicate the safety significance of equipment is proposed. Finally, a guideline providing examination procedures for developing detailed PSA communication plans is introduced. (author)

  15. Nuclear Criticality Safety Data Book

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hollenbach, D. F. [Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-11-14

    The objective of this document is to support the revision of criticality safety process studies (CSPSs) for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This design analysis and calculation (DAC) document contains development and justification for generic inputs typically used in Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) DACs to model both normal and abnormal conditions of processes at UPF to support CSPSs. This will provide consistency between NCS DACs and efficiency in preparation and review of DACs, as frequently used data are provided in one reference source.

  16. Nuclear Criticality Safety Data Book

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hollenbach, D. F.

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this document is to support the revision of criticality safety process studies (CSPSs) for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This design analysis and calculation (DAC) document contains development and justification for generic inputs typically used in Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) DACs to model both normal and abnormal conditions of processes at UPF to support CSPSs. This will provide consistency between NCS DACs and efficiency in preparation and review of DACs, as frequently used data are provided in one reference source.

  17. Normal and Abnormal Scenario Modeling with GoldSim for Radioactive Waste Disposal System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Youn Myoung; Jeong, Jong Tae

    2010-08-01

    A modeling study and development of a total system performance assessment (TSPA) template program, by which an assessment of safety and performance for the radioactive waste repository with normal and/or abnormal nuclide release cases could be assessed has been carried out by utilizing a commercial development tool program, GoldSim. Scenarios associated with the various FEPs and involved in the performance of the proposed repository in view of nuclide transport and transfer both in the geosphere and biosphere has been also carried out. Selected normal and abnormal scenarios that could alter groundwater flow scheme and then nuclide transport are modeled with the template program. To this end in-depth system models for the normal and abnormal well and earthquake scenarios that are conceptually and rather practically described and then ready for implementing into a GoldSim TSPA template program are introduced with conceptual schemes for each repository system. Illustrative evaluations with data currently available are also shown

  18. NKS/SOS-1 seminar on safety analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lauridsen, K. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Anderson, K. [Karinta-Konsult (Sweden); Pulkkinen, U. [VTT Automation (Finland)

    2001-05-01

    The report describes presentations and discussions at a seminar held at Risoe on March 22-23, 2000. The title of the seminar was NKS/SOS-1 - Safety Analysis. It dealt with issues of relevance for the safety analysis for the entire nuclear safety field (notably reactors and nuclear waste repositories). Such issues were: objectives of safety analysis, risk criteria, decision analysis, expert judgement and risk communication. In addition, one talk dealt with criteria for chemical industries in Europe. The seminar clearly showed that the concept of risk is multidimensional, which makes clarity and transparency essential elements in risk communication, and that there are issues of common concern between different applications, such as how to deal with different kinds of uncertainty and expert judgement. (au)

  19. Urine - abnormal color

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003139.htm Urine - abnormal color To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The usual color of urine is straw-yellow. Abnormally colored urine ...

  20. Tooth - abnormal colors

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003065.htm Tooth - abnormal colors To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Abnormal tooth color is any color other than white to yellowish- ...

  1. Safety-barrier diagrams as a tool for modelling safety of hydrogen applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duijm, Nijs Jan; Markert, Frank

    2009-01-01

    Safety-barrier diagrams have proven to be a useful tool in documenting the safety measures taken to prevent incidents and accidents in process industry. Especially during the introduction of new hydrogen technologies or applications, as e.g. hydrogen refuelling stations, safety-barrier diagrams...... are considered a valuable supplement to other traditional risk analysis tools to support the communication with authorities and other stakeholders during the permitting process. Another advantage of safety-barrier diagrams is that they highlight the importance of functional and reliable safety barriers in any...... system and here is a direct focus on those barriers that need to be subject to safety management in terms of design and installation, operational use, inspection and monitoring, and maintenance. Safety-barrier diagrams support both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The paper will describe...

  2. A Communication Training Program to Encourage Speaking-Up Behavior in Surgical Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Agostino, Thomas A; Bialer, Philip A; Walters, Chasity B; Killen, Aileen R; Sigurdsson, Hrafn O; Parker, Patricia A

    2017-10-01

    Patient safety in the OR depends on effective communication. We developed and tested a communication training program for surgical oncology staff members to increase communication about patient safety concerns. In phase one, 34 staff members participated in focus groups to identify and rank factors that affect speaking-up behavior. We compiled ranked items into thematic categories that included role relations and hierarchy, staff rapport, perceived competence, perceived efficacy of speaking up, staff personality, fear of retaliation, institutional regulations, and time pressure. We then developed a communication training program that 42 participants completed during phase two. Participants offered favorable ratings of the usefulness and perceived effect of the training. Participants reported significant improvement in communicating patient safety concerns (t 40  = -2.76, P = .009, d = 0.48). Findings offer insight into communication challenges experienced by surgical oncology staff members and suggest that our training demonstrates the potential to improve team communication. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Plant abnormality inspection device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takenaka, Toshio.

    1990-01-01

    The present invention concerns a plant abnormality inspection device for conducting remote or automatic patrolling inspection in a plant and, more particularly, relates to such a device as capable of detecting abnormal odors. That is, the device comprises a moving device for moving to a predetermined position in the plant, a plurality of gas sensors for different kind of gases to be inspected mounted thereon, a comparator for comparing the concentration of a gas detected by the gas sensor with the normal gas concentration at the predetermined position and a judging means for judging the absence or presence of abnormality depending on the combination of the result of the comparison and deliverying a signal if the state is abnormal. As a result, a slight amount of gas responsible to odors released upon abnormality of the plant can be detected by a plurality of gas sensors for different kinds gases to rapidly and easily find abnormal portions in the plant. (I.S.)

  4. Internal communications : transforming employees into brand ambassadors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, C [Bruce Power Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

    2004-07-01

    Bruce Power Inc.'s internal communications policy was outlined in this presentation. The policy is intended to develop and align employee communication strategies and tactics with overall corporate communication strategies. The importance of all employees contributing to the company business plan was emphasized, as well as the importance of involving senior managers to support and lead initiatives. The company's use of different media to communicate with a variety of audiences include intranet; newsletters; employee information boards; meetings; voice messages; videos; electronic signage; billboards; and training. The importance of safety days and safety meetings was emphasized, as well as ensuring that employees understand current issues and are able to contribute positively to change. In addition, it was suggested that there are significant benefits in informing and educating staff on the potential impact of government regulations as well as the policies, objectives and culture of the organization. Issues concerning the evaluation procedures of internal communications were also discussed. refs., tabs., figs.

  5. 76 FR 23810 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Emergency Response...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-28

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Emergency Response Interoperability Center Public Safety Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY... Fullano, Associate Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission...

  6. Enhanced Time Out: An Improved Communication Process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Patricia E

    2017-06-01

    An enhanced time out is an improved communication process initiated to prevent such surgical errors as wrong-site, wrong-procedure, or wrong-patient surgery. The enhanced time out at my facility mandates participation from all members of the surgical team and requires designated members to respond to specified time out elements on the surgical safety checklist. The enhanced time out incorporated at my facility expands upon the safety measures from the World Health Organization's surgical safety checklist and ensures that all personnel involved in a surgical intervention perform a final check of relevant information. Initiating the enhanced time out at my facility was intended to improve communication and teamwork among surgical team members and provide a highly reliable safety process to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgery. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neuzil, C.E.

    1995-01-01

    So-called abnormal pressures, subsurface fluid pressures significantly higher or lower than hydrostatic, have excited speculation about their origin since subsurface exploration first encountered them. Two distinct conceptual models for abnormal pressures have gained currency among earth scientists. The static model sees abnormal pressures generally as relict features preserved by a virtual absence of fluid flow over geologic time. The hydrodynamic model instead envisions abnormal pressures as phenomena in which flow usually plays an important role. This paper develops the theoretical framework for abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena, shows that it explains the manifold occurrences of abnormal pressures, and examines the implications of this approach. -from Author

  8. 47 CFR 80.1135 - Transmission of maritime safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transmission of maritime safety information. 80... RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Operating Procedures for Distress and Safety Communications § 80.1135 Transmission of maritime safety...

  9. Development of Network Devices Supporting Communication Independence In NPP I and C Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, K.-I.; Suh, Y.S.; Park, G.-O.; Park, J.-Y.

    2013-06-01

    As advanced digital I and C systems of nuclear power plants or research reactors are being introduced to replace analog systems, a data communication network is necessary for data exchanges between I and C systems of nuclear power plants or research reactors. Data communication network technology may have significant impact on I and C systems. As the safety I and C system is composed of redundant channels to enhance the performance of the safety functions and data communication system is used to transmit the data generated by the digital I and C systems, communication independence is required to mitigate the risk of safety I and C system failure. Therefore this paper mainly discusses the issues related to the communication independence and the current status of network devices we designed, developed, and validated to satisfy the requirements of function, performance, and communication independence. (authors)

  10. Web Data Mining and Social Media Analysis for better Communication in Food Safety Crises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian H. Meyer

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Although much effort is made to prevent risks arising from food, food-borne diseases are an ever-present threat to the consumers’ health. The consumption of fresh food that is contaminated with pathogens like fungi, viruses or bacteria can cause food poisoning that leads to severe health damages or even death. The outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC in Germany and neighbouring countries in 2011 has shown this dramatically. Nearly 4.000 people were reported of being affected and more than 50 people died during the so called EHEC-crisis. As a result the consumers’ trust in the safety of fruits and vegetables decreased sharply.In situations like that quick decisions and reaction from public authorities as well as from privately owned companies are important: Food crisis managers have to identify and track back contaminated products and they have to withdraw them from the market. At the same time they have to inform the stakeholders about potential threats and recent developments. This is a particularly challenging task, because when an outbreak is just detected, information about the actual scope is sparse and the demand for information is high. Thus, ineffective communication among crisis managers and towards the public can result in inefficient crisis management, health damages and a major loss of trust in the food system. This is why crisis communication is a crucial part of successful crisis management, whereas the quality of crisis communication largely depends on the availability of and the access to relevant information.In order to improve the availability of information, we have explored how information from public accessible internet sources like Twitter or Wikipedia can be harnessed for food crisis communication. In this paper we are going to report on some initial insight from a web mining and social media analysis approach to monitor health and food related issues that can develop into a potential

  11. Reactor Safety Research: Semiannual report, July-December 1986

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1987-11-01

    Sandia National Laboratories is conducting, under USNRC sponsorship, phenomenological research related to the safety of commercial nuclear power reactors. The research includes experiments to simulate the phenomenology of the accident conditions and the development of analytical models, verified by experiment, which can be used to predict reactor and safety systems performance and behavior under abnormal conditions. The objective of this work is to provide NRC requisite data bases and analytical methods to (1) identify and define safety issues, (2) understand the progression of risk-significant accident sequences, and (3) conduct safety assessments. The collective NRC-sponsored effort at Sandia National Laboratories is directed at enhancing the tehcnology base supporting licensing decisions.

  12. Reactor Safety Research: Semiannual report, July-December 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-11-01

    Sandia National Laboratories is conducting, under USNRC sponsorship, phenomenological research related to the safety of commercial nuclear power reactors. The research includes experiments to simulate the phenomenology of the accident conditions and the development of analytical models, verified by experiment, which can be used to predict reactor and safety systems performance and behavior under abnormal conditions. The objective of this work is to provide NRC requisite data bases and analytical methods to (1) identify and define safety issues, (2) understand the progression of risk-significant accident sequences, and (3) conduct safety assessments. The collective NRC-sponsored effort at Sandia National Laboratories is directed at enhancing the tehcnology base supporting licensing decisions

  13. Using of wireless communication in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ku, C. S.; Kim, B. Y.; Jeong, C. H.; Lee, K. B.; Song, T. S.

    2001-01-01

    The using of wireless communication in nuclear power plants have been limited due to the mis-operation of the safety related instrumentation and control system. If some obstacles such as electromagnetic interference are solved, the using of wireless communication in nuclear power plants recommended because of lots of benefit. In this paper, we measured the electric field intensity for the operation of a potable transceiver in the area of the PPS, PCS, CPC and main control room and provided the electric field intensity limits that a portable transceiver can be used safely near by the safety related systems without electromagnetic interference to the safety related equipment

  14. Organizational factors affecting safety implementation in food companies in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinda, Thanwadee

    2014-01-01

    Thai food industry employs a massive number of skilled and unskilled workers. This may result in an industry with high incidences and accident rates. To improve safety and reduce the accident figures, this paper investigates factors influencing safety implementation in small, medium, and large food companies in Thailand. Five factors, i.e., management commitment, stakeholders' role, safety information and communication, supportive environment, and risk, are found important in helping to improve safety implementation. The statistical analyses also reveal that small, medium, and large food companies hold similar opinions on the risk factor, but bear different perceptions on the other 4 factors. It is also found that to improve safety implementation, the perceptions of safety goals, communication, feedback, safety resources, and supervision should be aligned in small, medium, and large companies.

  15. Specific Syndromes and Associated Communication Disorders: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanger, Dixie D.; And Others

    1984-01-01

    The review, intended to provide speech-language pathologists and special educators with an awareness of genetics and specific syndromes involving speech, language, and hearing components, discusses basic etiologies of abnormal development and selected syndromes (such as Down's and Klinefelter's) that include communication disorders. (CL)

  16. 10 Years of Car-2-X Communication - a Success Story?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wischhof, Lars; Ebner, André

    2012-05-01

    For more than ten years, car-2-x communication has been a major topic of research in the scientific community and an important development focus for the automotive industry. First, this article takes a retrospective look at the evolution of car-2-x and the two different communication paradigms: decentralized car-2-car communication and centralized cellular solutions. Afterwards, a comparison of their technical advantages and limitations is presented, respectively. The result shows that in order to implement safety-relevant applications, car-2-car communication has strong advantages compared to cellular technologies but requires high market penetration. However, its introduction solely for safety applications is difficult since the required penetration will not be achieved until several years after initial deployment. Therefore, car-2-car communication must provide a benefit to the customer, even in the phase of market introduction. For this purpose, the article outlines an approach called SODAD (Segment-Oriented Data Abstraction and Dissemination). It offers a possibility to introduce decentralized vehicular applications with early customer benefit, in order to enable safety applications based on car-2-car communication on a long term.

  17. The promise and peril of public nuclear communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitlock, J.

    2014-01-01

    'Full text:' Public communication on nuclear energy has had its ups and downs over the decades, but in general has failed to secure the social licence needed to take the technology to its full potential. This is due not only to the unique challenges of nuclear communication, but also to years of insufficient resources and the lack of a coherent, unified strategy throughout the nuclear community. Fukushima and other accidents have taught us that communication can have serious health and safety implications for the public, and may very well represent the greatest contributor to safety risk following a nuclear incident. This talk will summarize the importance and challenge of effective nuclear communication, and make the case for an expanded, consistent, adequately resourced, and unified approach going forward in Canada. (author)

  18. The promise and peril of public nuclear communication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Whitlock, J. [Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, ON (Canada); Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    'Full text:' Public communication on nuclear energy has had its ups and downs over the decades, but in general has failed to secure the social licence needed to take the technology to its full potential. This is due not only to the unique challenges of nuclear communication, but also to years of insufficient resources and the lack of a coherent, unified strategy throughout the nuclear community. Fukushima and other accidents have taught us that communication can have serious health and safety implications for the public, and may very well represent the greatest contributor to safety risk following a nuclear incident. This talk will summarize the importance and challenge of effective nuclear communication, and make the case for an expanded, consistent, adequately resourced, and unified approach going forward in Canada. (author)

  19. Coronary Heart Disease Alters Intercellular Communication by Modifying Microparticle-Mediated MicroRNA Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finn, Nnenna A.; Eapen, Danny; Manocha, Pankaj; Kassem, Hatem Al; Lassegue, Bernard; Ghasemzadeh, Nima; Quyyumi, Arshed; Searles, Charles D.

    2013-01-01

    Coronary heart disease (CHD) is characterized by abnormal intercellular communication and circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are likely involved in this process. Here, we show that CHD was associated with changes in the transport of circulating miRNA, particularly decreased miRNA enrichment in microparticles (MPs). Additionally, MPs from CHD patients were less efficient at transferring miRNA to cultured HUVECs, which correlated with their diminished capacity to bind developmental endothelial locus-1 (Del-1). In summary, CHD was associated with distinct changes in circulating miRNA transport and these changes may contribute to the abnormal intercellular communication that underlies CHD initiation and progression. PMID:24042051

  20. Bursae and abscess cavities communicating with the hip: diagnosis using arthrography and CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steinbach, L.S.; Schneider, R.; Goldman, A.B.; Kazam, E.; Ranawat, C.S.; Ghelman, B.

    1985-01-01

    Bursae or abscess cavities communicating with the hip joint were demonstrated by hip arthrography or by computed tomography (CT) in 40 cases. The bursae or abscess cavities were associated with underlying abnormalities in the hip, including painful hip prostheses, infection, and inflammatory or degenerative arthritis. Symptoms may be produced directly as a result of infection or indirectly as a result of inflammation or pressure on adjacent structures. Hip arthrography can confirm a diagnosis of bursae and abscess cavities communicating with the hip joint in patients with hip pain or soft-tissue masses around the groin. Differentiation of enlarged bursae from other abnormalities is important to avoid unnecessary or incorrect surgery

  1. Patient safety problem identification and solution sharing among rural community pharmacists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galt, Kimberly A; Fuji, Kevin T; Faber, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    To implement a communication network for safety problem identification and solution sharing among rural community pharmacists and to report participating pharmacists' perceived value and impact of the network on patient safety after 1 year of implementation. Action research study. Rural community pharmacies in Nebraska from January 2010 to April 2011. Rural community pharmacists who voluntarily agreed to join the Pharmacists for Patient Safety Network in Nebraska. Pharmacists reported errors, near misses, and safety concerns through Web-based event reporting. A rapid feedback process was used to provide patient safety solutions to consider implementing across the network. Qualitative interviews were conducted 1 year after program implementation with participating pharmacists to assess use of the reporting system, value of the disseminated safety solutions, and perceived impact on patient safety in pharmacies. 30 of 38 pharmacists participating in the project completed the interviews. The communication network improved pharmacist awareness, promoted open discussion and knowledge sharing, contributed to practice vigilance, and led to incorporation of proactive safety prevention practices. Despite low participation in error and near-miss reporting, a dynamic communication network designed to rapidly disseminate evidence-based patient safety strategies to reduce risk was valued and effective at improving patient safety practices in rural community pharmacies.

  2. 47 CFR 80.653 - Scope of communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Maritime Support Stations § 80.653 Scope of communications. (a) Maritime support stations...) Maritime support stations are authorized to conduct the following operations: (1) Training of personnel in...

  3. ATC/pilot voice communications: A survey of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prinzo, O. Veronika; Britton, Thomas W.

    1993-11-01

    The first radio-equipped control tower in the United States opened at the Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930. From that time to the present, voice radio communications have played a primary role in air safety. Verbal communications in air traffic control (ATC) operations have been frequently cited as causal factors in operational errors and pilot deviations in the FAA Operational Error and Deviation System, the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), and reports derived from government sponsored research projects. Collectively, the data provided by these programs indicate that communications constitute a significant problem for pilots and controllers. Although the communications problem was well known the research literature was fragmented, making it difficult to appreciate the various types of verbal communications problems that existed and their unique influence on the quality of ATC/pilot communications. This is a survey of the voice radio communications literature. The 43 reports in the review represent survey data, field studies, laboratory studies, narrative reports, and reviews. The survey topics pertain to communications taxonomies, acoustical correlates and cognitive/psycholinguistic perspectives. Communications taxonomies were used to identify the frequency and types of information that constitute routine communications, as well as those communications involved in operational errors, pilot deviations, and other safety-related events. Acoustical correlate methodologies identified some qualities of a speaker's voice, such as loudness, pitch, and speech rate, which might be used potentially to monitor stress, mental workload, and other forms of psychological or physiological factors that affect performance. Cognitive/psycho-linguistic research offered an information processing perspective for understanding how pilots' and controllers' memory and language comprehension processes affect their ability to communicate effectively with one another. This

  4. Report to Congress on abnormal occurrences: January--March 1994. Volume 17, No. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-08-01

    Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 identifies an abnormal occurrence (AO) as an unscheduled incident or event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety and requires a quarterly report of such events to be made to Congress. This report provides a description of those events that have been determined to be abnormal occurrences during the period of January 1 through March 31, 1994. This report addresses seven AOs at NRC-licensed facilities. One involved inoperable main steam isolation valves at a boiling water reactor, four involved medical brachytherapy misadministrations, one involved a medical teletherapy misadministration, and one involved four lost reference sources. One AO that was reported by an Agreement State is also discussed; the information is current as of April 25, 1994. This event involved a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical misadministration. The report also contains updates on seven abnormal occurrences previously reported by NRC licensees and one abnormal occurrence previously reported by an Agreement State license. For the period January 1 to March 31, 1994, no new ''Other Events of Interest'' were reported but an update to a therapeutic misadministration previously reported as an ''Other Event of Interest'' is included

  5. TUF assessment of an abnormal load rejection event at Darlington NGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liauw, W.K.; Liu, W.S.

    1997-01-01

    The main purpose of reactor system code development is to support plant operation and to assist in safety analysis. To illustrate the operational support activities of the TUF code, the assessment of a simple case of abnormal load rejection event at Darlington NGS is described. The main assessment of this event examines the flow conditions at the steam generators and the possible impact on the turbine. This assessment demonstrates the TUF capability in the operational support analysis for CANDU reactors. (author)

  6. Abnormal sound detection device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Izumi; Matsui, Yuji.

    1995-01-01

    Only components synchronized with rotation of pumps are sampled from detected acoustic sounds, to judge the presence or absence of abnormality based on the magnitude of the synchronized components. A synchronized component sampling means can remove resonance sounds and other acoustic sounds generated at a synchronously with the rotation based on the knowledge that generated acoustic components in a normal state are a sort of resonance sounds and are not precisely synchronized with the number of rotation. On the other hand, abnormal sounds of a rotating body are often caused by compulsory force accompanying the rotation as a generation source, and the abnormal sounds can be detected by extracting only the rotation-synchronized components. Since components of normal acoustic sounds generated at present are discriminated from the detected sounds, reduction of the abnormal sounds due to a signal processing can be avoided and, as a result, abnormal sound detection sensitivity can be improved. Further, since it is adapted to discriminate the occurrence of the abnormal sound from the actually detected sounds, the other frequency components which are forecast but not generated actually are not removed, so that it is further effective for the improvement of detection sensitivity. (N.H.)

  7. Development of safety analysis and constraint detection techniques for process interaction errors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fan, Chin-Feng, E-mail: csfanc@saturn.yzu.edu.tw [Computer Science and Engineering Dept., Yuan-Ze University, Taiwan (China); Tsai, Shang-Lin; Tseng, Wan-Hui [Computer Science and Engineering Dept., Yuan-Ze University, Taiwan (China)

    2011-02-15

    Among the new failure modes introduced by computer into safety systems, the process interaction error is the most unpredictable and complicated failure mode, which may cause disastrous consequences. This paper presents safety analysis and constraint detection techniques for process interaction errors among hardware, software, and human processes. Among interaction errors, the most dreadful ones are those that involve run-time misinterpretation from a logic process. We call them the 'semantic interaction errors'. Such abnormal interaction is not adequately emphasized in current research. In our static analysis, we provide a fault tree template focusing on semantic interaction errors by checking conflicting pre-conditions and post-conditions among interacting processes. Thus, far-fetched, but highly risky, interaction scenarios involve interpretation errors can be identified. For run-time monitoring, a range of constraint types is proposed for checking abnormal signs at run time. We extend current constraints to a broader relational level and a global level, considering process/device dependencies and physical conservation rules in order to detect process interaction errors. The proposed techniques can reduce abnormal interactions; they can also be used to assist in safety-case construction.

  8. Development of safety analysis and constraint detection techniques for process interaction errors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Chin-Feng; Tsai, Shang-Lin; Tseng, Wan-Hui

    2011-01-01

    Among the new failure modes introduced by computer into safety systems, the process interaction error is the most unpredictable and complicated failure mode, which may cause disastrous consequences. This paper presents safety analysis and constraint detection techniques for process interaction errors among hardware, software, and human processes. Among interaction errors, the most dreadful ones are those that involve run-time misinterpretation from a logic process. We call them the 'semantic interaction errors'. Such abnormal interaction is not adequately emphasized in current research. In our static analysis, we provide a fault tree template focusing on semantic interaction errors by checking conflicting pre-conditions and post-conditions among interacting processes. Thus, far-fetched, but highly risky, interaction scenarios involve interpretation errors can be identified. For run-time monitoring, a range of constraint types is proposed for checking abnormal signs at run time. We extend current constraints to a broader relational level and a global level, considering process/device dependencies and physical conservation rules in order to detect process interaction errors. The proposed techniques can reduce abnormal interactions; they can also be used to assist in safety-case construction.

  9. The SKI communication programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlberg, Susanne

    2000-01-01

    Sweden has, since many years, an ongoing debate on nuclear power in general and nuclear safety and nuclear waste in particular. SKI is not the only part who wants to communicate about these subjects. The nuclear power plants, other authorities, the anti-nuclear groups and the politicians are other parts on the communication scene. The role of SKI is to provide the Swedish public with objective and prompt information based on facts. (author)

  10. Hiding in plain sight: communication theory in implementation science

    OpenAIRE

    Manojlovich, Milisa; Squires, Janet E; Davies, Barbara; Graham, Ian D

    2015-01-01

    Background Poor communication among healthcare professionals is a pressing problem, contributing to widespread barriers to patient safety. The word ?communication? means to share or make common. In the literature, two communication paradigms dominate: (1) communication as a transactional process responsible for information exchange, and (2) communication as a transformational process responsible for causing change. Implementation science has focused on information exchange attributes while la...

  11. Communication Protocol for Advanced Prosthesis Components

    OpenAIRE

    Karnå, David

    2007-01-01

    It would be of great value for the prosthesis industry to achieve an open standard for communication in upper limb prostheses. Cooperation between NTNU and the University of New Brunswick has resulted in a functional requirements specification for such a standard, SCIP(Standardised Communication Interface in Prostheses). The special challenges for communication in a prosthesis system are possible noisy environments, high demands for light weight, safety for the user and the fact that devices ...

  12. Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 3. A Methodology for Identifying Deficiencies in Safety Culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Apostolakis, George; Weil, Rick

    2001-01-01

    At present, the drivers of performance problems at nuclear power plants (NPPs) are organizational in nature. Organizational deficiencies and other 'latent' conditions cause human errors, resulting in incidents that impact the performance of NPPs. Therefore, the human reliability community, regulators, and others concerned with NPP safety express the view that safety culture and organizational factors play an important role in plant safety. However, we have yet to identify one complete set of organizational factors, establish links between deficient safety culture and performance, or develop adequate tools to measure safety culture. This paper will contribute to the resolution of these issues. Safety culture is not a single factor but rather is a collection of several distinct factors. This paper asserts that in order to pro-actively manage safety culture at NPPs, leading indicators and appropriate measurements must be identified and developed. Central to this effort are the identification of the distinct factors comprising safety culture and the relationships between those factors and performance. We have identified several factors important to safety culture. We have developed a methodology that is a combination of traditional root-cause analysis and theories of human error, most notably Reason's theory of accident causation. In addition to this methodology's usefulness in identifying deficiencies in safety culture, it could also be used as a starting point to identify leading indicators of deteriorating safety performance. We have identified six organizational factors as being important: communication, formalization, goal prioritization, problem identification, roles and responsibilities, and technical knowledge. In addition, we have found that certain organizational factors, although pervasive throughout the organization, have a much greater influence on the successful outcome of particular tasks of work processes, rather than being equally important to all

  13. Environmental Risk Communication through Qualitative Risk Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabre J. Coleman

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Environmental analysts are often hampered in communicating the risks of environmental contaminants due to the myriad of regulatory requirements that are applicable. The use of a qualitative, risk-based control banding strategy for assessment and control of potential environmental contaminants provides a standardized approach to improve risk communication. Presented is a model that provides an effective means for determining standardized responses and controls for common environmental issues based on the level of risk. The model is designed for integration within an occupational health and safety management system to provide a multidisciplinary environmental and occupational risk management approach. This environmental model, which utilizes multidisciplinary control banding strategies for delineating risk, complements the existing Risk Level Based Management System, a proven method in a highly regulated facility for occupational health and safety. A simplified environmental risk matrix is presented that is stratified over four risk levels. Examples of qualitative environmental control banding strategies are presented as they apply to United States regulations for construction, research activities, facility maintenance, and spill remediation that affect air, water, soil, and waste disposal. This approach offers a standardized risk communication language for multidisciplinary issues that will improve communications within and between environmental health and safety professionals, workers, and management.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-04-25

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

  15. Implementing the Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) to Improve Patient Safety in an Academic Primary Care Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitts, Samantha I; Maruthur, Nisa M; Luu, Ngoc-Phuong; Curreri, Kimberly; Grimes, Renee; Nigrin, Candace; Sateia, Heather F; Sawyer, Melinda D; Pronovost, Peter J; Clark, Jeanne M; Peairs, Kimberly S

    2017-11-01

    While there is growing awareness of the risk of harm in ambulatory health care, most patient safety efforts have focused on the inpatient setting. The Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) has been an integral part of highly successful safety efforts in inpatient settings. In 2014 CUSP was implemented in an academic primary care practice. As part of CUSP implementation, staff and clinicians underwent training on the science of safety and completed a two-question safety assessment survey to identify safety concerns in the practice. The concerns identified by team members were used to select two initial safety priorities. The impact of CUSP on safety climate and teamwork was assessed through a pre-post comparison of results on the validated Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Ninety-six percent of staff completed science of safety training as part of CUSP implementation, and 100% of staff completed the two-question safety assessment. The most frequently identified safety concerns were related to medications (n = 11, 28.2), diagnostic testing (n = 9, 25), and communication (n = 5, 14). The CUSP team initially prioritized communication and infection control, which led to standardization of work flows within the practice. Six months following CUSP implementation, large but nonstatistically significant increases were found for the percentage of survey respondents who reported knowledge of the proper channels for questions about patient safety, felt encouraged to report safety concerns, and believed that the work setting made it easy to learn from the errors of others. CUSP is a promising tool to improve safety climate and to identify and address safety concerns within ambulatory health care. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Electrocardiographic abnormalities in opiate addicts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallner, Christina; Stöllberger, Claudia; Hlavin, Anton; Finsterer, Josef; Hager, Isabella; Hermann, Peter

    2008-12-01

    To determine in a cross-sectional study the prevalence of electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities in opiate addicts who were therapy-seeking and its association with demographic, clinical and drug-specific parameters. In consecutive therapy-seeking opiate addicts, a 12-lead ECG was registered within 24 hours after admission and evaluated according to a pre-set protocol between October 2004 and August 2006. Additionally, demographic, clinical and drug-specific parameters were recorded. Included were 511 opiate-addicts, 25% female, with a mean age of 29 years (range 17-59 years). One or more ECG abnormalities were found in 314 patients (61%). In the 511 patients we found most commonly ST abnormalities (19%), QTc prolongation (13%), tall R- and/or S-waves (11%) and missing R progression (10%). ECG abnormalities were more common in males than in females (64 versus 54%, P seizures less often (16 versus 27%, P opiate addicts. The most frequent ECG abnormalities are ST abnormalities, QTc prolongation and tall R- and/or S-waves. ST abnormalities are associated with cannabis, and QTc prolongation with methadone and benzodiazepines.

  17. Access to mobile communications by older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Toan; Irizarry, Carol; Garrett, Rob; Downing, Andrew

    2015-06-01

    To investigate how older people effectively identify, select and learn to use mobile communications technologies to enhance communication and safety, and support independent living. One hundred and fifty-three older South Australians participated in a purpose-designed survey questionnaire. Older people relied on family and friends for information and advice (76%), and their children's assistance with buying (45%) and learning to use (48%) new technology. The most preferred learning method was face-to-face training (56%). Less than half (44%) were interested in trying out new designs/applications, functions and capabilities that could assist with independent living. The highest need was for personal security and emergencies (88%). Findings suggest that the family and friends of older people play an important role in identifying, selecting and learning to use mobile communication technologies. The safety and emergency capabilities of mobile communications technologies were more important than having functions that could assist with independent living. © 2014 ACOTA.

  18. Roentgenologic abnormalities in Down's syndrome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Higuchi, Takehiko; Russell, W J; Komatsuda, Michio; Neriishi, Shotaro

    1968-07-25

    Roentgenograms of 28 patients with Down's syndrome were reviewed with emphasis on all previously reported abnormalities and any possible additional ones. Most of the abnormalities occurred with the same frequency as previously reported, but some less frequently reported findings were also seen. One abnormal vertebral measurement found in this series may be an additional stigma of Down's syndrome. All of the 27 cases studied cytogenetically had chromosomal abnormalities consistent with this disease. This study emphasizes the need for roentgenologic norms for the Japanese, and the desirability of combining chromosome studies with roentgenological abnormalities and clinical observations in diagnosing Down's syndrome. 19 references, 2 figures, 5 tables.

  19. 76 FR 10898 - Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory Committee Act; Emergency Response...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-28

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Federal Advisory..., Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Room..., Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. [FR Doc. 2011-4398 Filed 2-25-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712...

  20. Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berkner, K.

    1992-08-01

    The objective of this Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan (CHSP) is to provide specific guidance to all LBL employees and contractors who use hazardous chemicals. This Plan, when implemented, fulfills the requirements of both the Federal OSHA Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) for laboratory workers, and the Federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) for non-laboratory operations (e.g., shops). It sets forth safety procedures and describes how LBL employees are informed about the potential chemical hazards in their work areas so they can avoid harmful exposures and safeguard their health. Generally, communication of this Plan will occur through training and the Plan will serve as a the framework and reference guide for that training.

  1. Reliability Improved Design for a Safety System Channel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Eung Se; Kim, Yun Goo [KHNP, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    Nowadays, these systems are implemented with a same platform type, such as a qualified programmable logic controller (PLC). The platform intensively uses digital communication with fiber-optic links to reduce cabling costs and to achieve effective signal isolation. These communication interface and redundancies within a channel increase the complexness of an overall system design. This paper proposes a simpler channel architecture design to reduce the complexity and to enhance overall channel reliability. Simplified safety channel configuration is proposed and the failure probabilities are compared with baseline safety channel configuration using an estimated generic value. The simplified channel configuration achieves 40 percent failure reduction compare to baseline safety channel configuration. If this configuration can be implemented within a processor module, overall safety channel reliability is increase and costs of fabrication and maintenance will be greatly reduced.

  2. Reliability Improved Design for a Safety System Channel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Eung Se; Kim, Yun Goo

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays, these systems are implemented with a same platform type, such as a qualified programmable logic controller (PLC). The platform intensively uses digital communication with fiber-optic links to reduce cabling costs and to achieve effective signal isolation. These communication interface and redundancies within a channel increase the complexness of an overall system design. This paper proposes a simpler channel architecture design to reduce the complexity and to enhance overall channel reliability. Simplified safety channel configuration is proposed and the failure probabilities are compared with baseline safety channel configuration using an estimated generic value. The simplified channel configuration achieves 40 percent failure reduction compare to baseline safety channel configuration. If this configuration can be implemented within a processor module, overall safety channel reliability is increase and costs of fabrication and maintenance will be greatly reduced

  3. TOXOPLASMOSIS: FOOD SAFETY AND RISK COMMUNICATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. V. Celano

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Toxoplasmosis, parasitic pathology supported by Toxoplasma gondii, is a typical example of multi-issue and inter-disciplinary on which, with equal intensity, converge the interests of various branches of human and veterinary medicine. The aim of research was the assessment of risk communication to pregnant women by doctors gynecologists involved in ASL’s territorial about toxoplasmosis, which can have serious effects on pregnancy and the unborn child. The results acquired during the investigation showed the need to develop and implement appropriate information campaigns and proper nutrition education.

  4. Safety Day Prize Competition: results and answers

    CERN Multimedia

    HSE Unit

    2014-01-01

    The three winners of the Safety Day Prize Competition are...   • 1st Prize: Fernando LEITE PEREIRA – smoke detector • 2nd Prize: Thomas DE BORTOLI – water filter jug • 3rd Prize: Matti KALLIOKOSKI – safety goggles Please see the image below for the answers to the questionnaire. If you have any questions regarding the Safety Day, please contact: safety.communication@cern.ch. And again, thank you to all the participants!

  5. Encryption protection for communication satellites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, D. R.; Hoernig, O. W., Jr.

    In connection with the growing importance of the commercial communication satellite systems and the introduction of new technological developments, users and operators of these systems become increasingly concerned with aspects of security. The user community is concerned with maintaining confidentiality and integrity of the information being transmitted over the satellite links, while the satellite operators are concerned about the safety of their assets in space. In response to these concerns, the commercial satellite operators are now taking steps to protect the communication information and the satellites. Thus, communication information is being protected by end-to-end encryption of the customer communication traffic. Attention is given to the selection of the NBS DES algorithm, the command protection systems, and the communication protection systems.

  6. Communication in nuclear emergency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nozawa, Masao

    1996-01-01

    In order to take protection measures smoothly at the time of emergency in nuclear power stations and others, it is necessary to prepare information communication facilities mutually among disaster prevention organizations including the state and information transmission network for residents in surrounding areas. The matters decided in ''the measures to be taken for the time being for the countermeasures to prevent disaster in nuclear power stations and others'' are shown. In order to avoid the congestion of communication, the exclusively used communication systems are adopted for disaster prevention organizations, in which facsimile is used to transmit graphic information. The data communication circuits for distributing SPEEDI are installed between Science and Technology Agency, Nuclear Power Safety Technology Center and respective prefectures. The routes, means and order of notices must be confirmed beforehand mutually among the related organizations. As to the general communication for disaster countermeasures, the communication systems in ministries and agencies are described. (K.I.)

  7. Leadership for safety: industrial experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flin, R; Yule, S

    2004-12-01

    The importance of leadership for effective safety management has been the focus of research attention in industry for a number of years, especially in energy and manufacturing sectors. In contrast, very little research into leadership and safety has been carried out in medical settings. A selective review of the industrial safety literature for leadership research with possible application in health care was undertaken. Emerging findings show the importance of participative, transformational styles for safety performance at all levels of management. Transactional styles with attention to monitoring and reinforcement of workers' safety behaviours have been shown to be effective at the supervisory level. Middle managers need to be involved in safety and foster open communication, while ensuring compliance with safety systems. They should allow supervisors a degree of autonomy for safety initiatives. Senior managers have a prime influence on the organisation's safety culture. They need to continuously demonstrate a visible commitment to safety, best indicated by the time they devote to safety matters.

  8. Abnormality diagnosis device for nuclear reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Utsunomiya, Kazuhiro; Oyama, Shinmi; Sakaba, Hideo

    1989-02-21

    According to the present invention, abnormality such as abnormal increase of temperature in a nuclear reactor is detected to send a signal to control rod drives, etc. thereby stopping the operation of the nuclear reactor. Receiving/transmission device transmits a signal for conducting normal operation of an abnormality information section, as well as receives an echo signal from the abnormality information section to transmit an abnormal signal to a reactor protection system. The abnormality information section is disposed to fuel assemblies, receives a signal from the receiving/transmission device for conducting the normal operation to transmit a normal echo signal, as well as changes the echo signal when detecting the nuclear reactor abnormality. By the foregoing method, since the abnormality information section is disposed to the fuel assemblies, various effects can be attained such as: (1) there is no response delay from the occurrence of abnormality to emergency counter measure after detection, (2) high burnup degree for fuels can thus be possible to improve the economical property, (3) the abnormality information section can be taken out from the reactor container together with fuel assemablies by an existent take-out mechanism and (4) since wireless transmission and reception are established between the receiving/transmission device and the abnormality information section, cables are not required in the container. (K.M.).

  9. Patient safety: break the silence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Hope L; Kimsey, Diane

    2012-05-01

    A culture of patient safety requires commitment and full participation from all staff members. In 2008, results of a culture of patient safety survey conducted in the perioperative division of the Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pennsylvania revealed a lack of patient-centered focus, teamwork, and positive communication. As a result, perioperative leaders assembled a multidisciplinary team that designed a safety training program focusing on Crew Resource Management, TeamSTEPPS, and communication techniques. The team used video vignettes and an audience response system to engage learners and promote participation. Topics included using preprocedural briefings and postprocedural debriefings, conflict resolution, and assertiveness techniques. Postcourse evaluations showed that the majority of respondents believed they were better able to question the decisions or actions of someone with more authority. The facility has experienced a marked decrease in the number of incidents requiring a root cause analysis since the program was conducted. Copyright © 2012 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Hospital safety climate and safety behavior: A social exchange perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ancarani, Alessandro; Di Mauro, Carmela; Giammanco, Maria D

    Safety climate is considered beneficial to the improvement of hospital safety outcomes. Nevertheless, the relations between two of its key constituents, namely those stemming from leader-subordinate relations and coworker support for safety, are still to be fully ascertained. This article uses the theoretical lens of Social Exchange Theory to study the joint impact of leader-member exchange in the safety sphere and coworker support for safety on safety-related behavior at the hospital ward level. Social exchange constructs are further related to the existence of a shame-/blame-free environment, seen as a potential antecedent of safety behavior. A cross-sectional study including 166 inpatients in hospital wards belonging to 10 public hospitals in Italy was undertaken to test the hypotheses developed. Hypothesized relations have been analyzed through a fully mediated multilevel structural equation model. This methodology allows studying behavior at the individual level, while keeping into account the heterogeneity among hospital specialties. Results suggest that the linkage between leader support for safety and individual safety behavior is mediated by coworker support on safety issues and by the creation of a shame-free environment. These findings call for the creation of a safety climate in which managerial efforts should be directed not only to the provision of new safety resources and the enforcement of safety rules but also to the encouragement of teamwork and freedom to report errors as ways to foster the capacity of the staff to communicate, share, and learn from each other.

  11. Providing current radiation safety according to new version of 'Ukrytie' object regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borovoj, A.A.; Vysotskij, E.D.; Krinitsyn, A.P.; Bogatov, S.A.

    1999-01-01

    Main provisions are given of the 'Ukryttia' object's Regulation related to provision of radiation safety during the object's operation. The safety is provided due to the realization by the object's personnel of functions of global monitoring of current radiation conditions, as well as of the measures of operative or preventive suppression of radiation abnormalities sources

  12. Occupational safety in the nuclear power plant. The contribution of sociology to the development of a communication tool for the elimination of hazardous situations; Arbeitssicherheit im Kernkraftwerk. Der Beitrag der Sozialpsychologie zur Entwicklung eines Kommunikationsinstrumentes fuer die Behebung von Gefaehrdungssituationen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zedler, Christien [IAOP - Institut fuer Arbeitspsychologie, Organisation und Prozessgestaltung, Berlin (Germany); Huber, Veit [E.ON Kernkraft GmbH (Germany)

    2012-11-01

    Nuclear power plant companies make efforts to enhance the operational safety in the plant. Despite a variety of measures the number of accidents at work is still too high, esp. for external personnel. Social psychological considerations were used to develop communication tools for the elimination of hazardous situations, for instance by safety dialogues between employees. The observation of hazardous situations should trigger communication and discussion on the risk of the specific situation. In the contribution practical experiences and recommendations for the realization of a safety dialogue culture in the NPP Grafenrheinfeld are summarized and illustrated by examples.

  13. Concussion Knowledge and Communication Behaviors of Collegiate Wrestling Coaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroshus, Emily; Kerr, Zachary Y; DeFreese, J D; Parsons, John T

    2017-08-01

    Sport coaches can play an important role in shaping a team's approach to concussion safety through their communication with team members. However, across all sports, there is limited knowledge about factors that make coaches more or less likely to engage in safety-supportive communication. The objectives of this study were to assess the concussion-related knowledge and attitudes of wrestling coaches, as well as the extent to which they engage in autonomy-supportive coaching practices, and to determine how these factors are related to communication with athletes in support of concussion safety. Data were collected through an online survey of head coaches of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) wrestling teams (n = 89, 40.5% response rate). On average, coaches answered five out of a possible nine knowledge questions correctly and were significantly more likely to think it was acceptable for an athlete to continue playing after sustaining a concussion during a national qualifying competition as compared to during an early-season competition. Engaging in autonomy-supportive coaching behaviors was the coach factor explaining the largest percentage of variability in communication. Findings suggest that while knowledge deficits and attitudes about the acceptability of continued play while symptomatic during more consequential competitive matches should be addressed in educational programming for collegiate wrestling coaches, these changes alone may not be a sufficient for adequately increasing concussion safety communication. Targeting more distal factors such as autonomy-supportive approaches to coaching may hold promise for intervention design and should be explored in future prospective research.

  14. Safety characteristics analysis of nuclear power plants with PHWR PT; Analiza sigurnosnh karakteristika nuklearnih elektrana sa reaktorima PHWR-PT tipa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stosic, Z [Institute of nuclear sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Yugoslavia)

    1983-07-01

    The paper deals with analysis of basic safety characteristics of heavy water Candu reactor. Inherent safety characteristics, r/a material inventory, systematization of normal abnormal and transient conditions, safety systems and availability analysis are considered. (author)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2009-01-01

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

  16. A relational leadership perspective on unit-level safety climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Debra N; Hoffman, Leslie A; Sereika, Susan M; Lorenz, Holly L; Wolf, Gail A; Burns, Helen K; Minnier, Tamra E; Ramanujam, Rangaraj

    2011-11-01

    This study compared nursing staff perceptions of safety climate in clinical units characterized by high and low ratings of leader-member exchange (LMX) and explored characteristics that might account for differences. Frontline nursing leaders' actions are critical to ensure patient safety. Specific leadership behaviors to achieve this goal are underexamined. The LMX perspective has shown promise in nonhealthcare settings as a means to explain safety climate perceptions. Cross-sectional survey of staff (n = 711) and unit directors from 34 inpatient units in an academic medical center was conducted. Significant differences were found between high and low LMX scoring units on supervisor safety expectations, organizational learning-continuous improvement, total communication, feedback and communication about errors, and nonpunitive response to errors. The LMX perspective can be used to identify differences in perceptions of safety climate among nursing staff. Future studies are needed to identify strategies to improve staff safety attitudes and behaviors. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

  17. Safety Culture and Senior Leadership Behavior: Using Negative Safety Ratings to Align Clinical Staff and Senior Leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Shawn; Carlson, Elizabeth

    2016-04-01

    This report describes how staff-designed behavior changes among senior leaders can have a positive impact on clinical nursing staff and enhance the culture of safety in a community hospital. A positive culture of safety in a hospital improves outcomes for patients and staff. Senior leaders are accountable for developing an environment that supports a culture of safety. At 1 community hospital, surveys demonstrated that staff members did not view senior leaders as supportive of or competent in creating a culture of safety. After approval from the hospital's institutional review board was obtained, clinical nurses generated and selected ideas for senior leader behavior change. The new behaviors were assessed by a convenience sample survey of clinical nurses. In addition, culture of safety survey results were compared. Risk reports and harm events were also measured before and after behavior changes. The volume of risk and near-miss reports increased, showing that clinical staff were more inclined to report events after senior leader communication, access, and visibility increased. Harm events went down. The culture of safety survey demonstrated an improvement in the senior leadership domain in 4 of 6 units. The anonymous convenience survey demonstrated that staff members recognized changes that senior leaders had made and felt that these changes positively impacted the culture of safety. By developing skills in communication, advocacy, visibility, and access, senior leaders can enhance a hospital's culture of safety and create stronger ties with clinical staff.

  18. Modelling and Verifying Communication Failure of Hybrid Systems in HCSP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Shuling; Nielson, Flemming; Nielson, Hanne Riis

    2016-01-01

    Hybrid systems are dynamic systems with interacting discrete computation and continuous physical processes. They have become ubiquitous in our daily life, e.g. automotive, aerospace and medical systems, and in particular, many of them are safety-critical. For a safety-critical hybrid system......, in the presence of communication failure, the expected control from the controller will get lost and as a consequence the physical process cannot behave as expected. In this paper, we mainly consider the communication failure caused by the non-engagement of one party in communication action, i.......e. the communication itself fails to occur. To address this issue, this paper proposes a formal framework by extending HCSP, a formal modeling language for hybrid systems, for modeling and verifying hybrid systems in the absence of receiving messages due to communication failure. We present two inference systems...

  19. Development of a standard communication protocol for an emergency situation management in nuclear power plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Man Cheol, E-mail: charleskim@kaeri.re.k [Integrated Risk Assessment Center, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 150, Deokjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea [Integrated Risk Assessment Center, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 150, Deokjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hanjeom; Kim, Yoon Joong [YGN Nuclear Power Division Training Center, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company, 517 Kyemari, Hongnong-eup, Yeongkwang-gun, Chonnam 513-880 (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-06-15

    Correct communication between main control room (MCR) operators is an important factor in the management of emergency situations in nuclear power plants (NPPs). For this reason, a standard communication protocol for the management of emergency situations in NPPs has been developed, with the basic direction of enhancing the safety of NPPs and the standardization of communication protocols. To validate the newly developed standard communication protocol, validation experiments with 10 licensed NPP MCR operator teams was performed. From the validation experiments, it was found that the use of the standard communication protocol required more time, but it can contribute to the enhancement of the safety of NPPs by an operators' better grasp of the safety-related parameters and a more efficient and clearer communication between NPP operators, while imposing little additional workloads on the NPP MCR operators. The standard communication protocol is expected to be used to train existing NPP MCR operators without much aversion, as well as new operators.

  20. Safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations: antecedents and consequences of safety behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Muñiz, Beatriz; Montes-Peón, José Manuel; Vázquez-Ordás, Camilo José

    2012-03-01

    The occupational health and safety standard OHSAS 18001 has gained considerable acceptance worldwide, and firms from diverse sectors and of varying sizes have implemented it. Despite this, very few studies have analysed safety management or the safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations. The current work aims to analyse the safety climate in these organisations, identify its dimensions, and propose and test a structural equation model that will help determine the antecedents and consequences of employees' safety behaviour. For this purpose, the authors carry out an empirical study using a sample of 131 OHSAS 18001-certified organisations located in Spain. The results show that management's commitment, and particularly communication, have an effect on safety behaviour and on safety performance, employee satisfaction, and firm competitiveness. These findings are particularly important for management since they provide evidence about the factors that should be encouraged to reduce risks and improve performance in this type of organisation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Keeping patients safe in healthcare organizations: a structuration theory of safety culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, Patricia S; Meisenbach, Rebecca J; Scott-Cawiezell, Jill

    2011-08-01

    This paper presents a discussion of the use of structuration theory to facilitate understanding and improvement of safety culture in healthcare organizations. Patient safety in healthcare organizations is an important problem worldwide. Safety culture has been proposed as a means to keep patients safe. However, lack of appropriate theory limits understanding and improvement of safety culture. The proposed structuration theory of safety culture was based on a critique of available English-language literature, resulting in literature published from 1983 to mid-2009. CINAHL, Communication and Mass Media Complete, ABI/Inform and Google Scholar databases were searched using the following terms: nursing, safety, organizational culture and safety culture. When viewed through the lens of structuration theory, safety culture is a system involving both individual actions and organizational structures. Healthcare organization members, particularly nurses, share these values through communication and enact them in practice, (re)producing an organizational safety culture system that reciprocally constrains and enables the actions of the members in terms of patient safety. This structurational viewpoint illuminates multiple opportunities for safety culture improvement. Nurse leaders should be cognizant of competing value-based culture systems in the organization and attend to nursing agency and all forms of communication when attempting to create or strengthen a safety culture. Applying structuration theory to the concept of safety culture reveals a dynamic system of individual action and organizational structure constraining and enabling safety practice. Nurses are central to the (re)production of this safety culture system. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. Communication and industrial accidents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    As, Sicco van

    2001-01-01

    This paper deals with the influence of organizational communication on safety. Accidents are actually caused by individual mistakes. However the underlying causes of accidents are often organizational. As a link between these two levels - the organizational failures and mistakes - I suggest the

  3. Trends in internet search activity, media coverage, and patient-centered health information after the FDA safety communications on surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Benjamin V; Forde, James C; Levit, Valerie B; Lee, Richard K; Te, Alexis E; Chughtai, Bilal

    2016-11-01

    In July 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication regarding serious complications associated with surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse, prompting increased media and public attention. This study sought to analyze internet search activity and news article volume after this FDA warning and to evaluate the quality of websites providing patient-centered information. Google Trends™ was utilized to evaluate search engine trends for the term "pelvic organ prolapse" and associated terms between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014. Google News™ was utilized to quantify the number of news articles annually under the term "pelvic organ prolapse." The search results for the term "pelvic organ prolapse" were assessed for quality using the Health On the Net Foundation (HON) certification. There was a significant increase in search activity from 37.42 in 2010 to 57.75 in 2011, at the time of the FDA communication (p = 0.021). No other annual interval had a statistically significant increase in search activity. The single highest monthly search activity, given the value of 100, was August 2011, immediately following the July 2011 notification, with the next highest value being 98 in July 2011. Linear regression analysis of news articles per year since the FDA communication revealed r 2  = 0.88, with a coefficient of 186. Quality assessment demonstrated that 42 % of websites were HON-certified, with .gov sites providing the highest quality information. Although the 2011 FDA safety communication on surgical mesh was associated with increased public and media attention, the quality of relevant health information on the internet remains of poor quality. Future quality assurance measures may be critical in enabling patients to play active roles in their own healthcare.

  4. Kaiser Permanente Creatinine Safety Program: A Mechanism to Ensure Widespread Detection and Care for Chronic Kidney Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sim, John J; Rutkowski, Mark P; Selevan, David C; Batech, Michael; Timmins, Royann; Slezak, Jeff M; Jacobsen, Steven J; Kanter, Michael H

    2015-11-01

    Chronic kidney disease is highly prevalent but is challenging to diagnose because of the need to establish chronicity. Within the current healthcare environment, a single abnormal creatinine measurement often can go without a follow-up, which can lead to missed diagnoses or diagnostic errors. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California creatinine safety program (the Creatinine SureNet) was created to help ensure that all single abnormal creatinine results had a follow-up evaluation. In the period February 1, 2010, to March 1, 2014, the electronic health records were used to capture individuals with single abnormal creatinine results that went >90 days without a repeat measurement. A coordinated effort among a centralized regional nurse and providers was used to communicate with patients and order a repeat creatinine measurement. A total of 12,396 individuals were identified (84% ambulatory care encounters). A total of 6981 individuals (52%) followed up with a repeat measurement. Female patients, non-Hispanic whites, and older individuals were more likely to obtain a repeat measurement. Subsequently, 3668 individuals had chronic kidney disease confirmed. Within 6 months, 1550 patients had chart documentation of their chronic kidney disease and 336 patients had a nephrology consultation. The ambulatory care environment, given its high volume and various prioritizations, is an under-recognized area where diagnostic errors are not uncommon and failure to follow up on abnormal test results can occur routinely. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Creatinine SureNet program leverages the electronic health records and its multidisciplinary resources in an effort to ensure that patients with potential chronic kidney disease are identified and managed properly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Patient Safety Threat - Syringe Reuse

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Safety Stakeholder Meeting December 2009 The One & Only Campaign Patient Notification Toolkit Developing Documents for a Patient Notification Planning Media and Communication Strategies Writing for the Media Spokesperson Preparation Planning the ...

  6. NKS/SOS-1 Seminar, 2000-09-25. Risk communication in Oskarshamn

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, K.

    2001-04-01

    The report describes presentations and discussions at a seminar held in Oskarshamn on September 25, 2000. The title of the seminar was 'Risk communication in Oskarshamn.' It dealt with issues of importance for the communication about nuclear say within the OKG power company, within the local safety council, between the two organizations and outwards to the public and media. The local safety council consists of elected representatives in the municipal board. The main components in the seminar were 1) results from focus group discussions and questionnaire responses by Britt-Marie Drottz Sjoeberg, 2) elements in communication by Bjoern Wahlstroem, and 3) the journalistic perspective by Katarina Ek. The seminar gave the participants a deeper understanding about local problems in risk communication, generic elements in a communication process and the working conditions for journalists. (au)

  7. 78 FR 9311 - Hazard Communication; Corrections and Technical Amendment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-08

    ....1044, Appendix Reference to ``Class IIIA combustible B. liquid'' is corrected to ``Category 4 flammable..., Fire prevention, Hazard communication, Hazardous substances, Occupational safety and health. 29 CFR... Asbestos, Construction industry, Fire prevention, Hazardous substances, Occupational safety and health...

  8. Normal and abnormal growth plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, R.; Madewell, J.E.; Swischuk, L.E.

    1987-01-01

    Skeletal growth is a dynamic process. A knowledge of the structure and function of the normal growth plate is essential in order to understand the pathophysiology of abnormal skeletal growth in various diseases. In this well-illustrated article, the authors provide a radiographic classification of abnormal growth plates and discuss mechanisms that lead to growth plate abnormalities

  9. Safety investigation of 'Mutsu', the first nuclear ship in Japan (the correspondence to the guideline of safety design examination, etc.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    Japan Nuclear Ship Development Agency had made previously application for the permission of the alteration of the reactor installation in the nuclear ship Mutsu (the first of this kind in Japan), based on the overall safety investigation of the ship made by JNDA. Taking the opportunity of the governmental safety examination concerning the permission, the correspondence of the safety aspects of the n.s. Mutsu to the existing guidelines for the safety of nuclear reactor facilities was examined. These results to further enhance the safety of the n.s. Mutsu are described concerning the following matters: the safety design examination guideline for power-generating LWR facilities (58 items); the safety evaluation guideline for power-generating LWR facilities (the analysis of abnormal transients during operation and accidents); the safety countermeasures to be adopted in the reactor plant of the n.s. Mutsu from the situation of the TMI nuclear accident in U.S. (7 in design and 10 in operation management); the analysis simulating the TMI accident. (J.P.N.)

  10. Advancement on safety management system of nuclear power for safety and non-anxiety of society

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshikawa, Hidekazu

    2004-01-01

    Advancement on safety management system is investigated to improve safety and non-anxiety of society for nuclear power, from the standpoint of human machine system research. First, the recent progress of R and D works of human machine interface technologies since 1980 s are reviewed and then the necessity of introducing a new approach to promote technical risk communication activity to foster safety culture in nuclear industries. Finally, a new concept of Offsite Operation and Maintenance Support Center (OMSC) is proposed as the core facility to assemble human resources and their expertise in all organizations of nuclear power, for enhancing safety and non-anxiety of society for nuclear power. (author)

  11. Progress on the Development of Future Airport Surface Wireless Communications Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerczewski, Robert J.; Budinger, James M.; Brooks, David E.; Franklin, Morgan; DeHart, Steve; Dimond, Robert P.; Borden, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Continuing advances in airport surface management and improvements in airport surface safety are required to enable future growth in air traffic throughout the airspace, as airport arrival and departure delays create a major system bottleneck. These airport management and safety advances will be built upon improved communications, navigation, surveillance, and weather sensing, creating an information environment supporting system automation. The efficient movement of the digital data generated from these systems requires an underlying communications network infrastructure to connect data sources with the intended users with the required quality of service. Current airport surface communications consists primarily of buried copper or fiber cable. Safety related communications with mobile airport surface assets occurs over 25 kHz VHF voice and data channels. The available VHF spectrum, already congested in many areas, will be insufficient to support future data traffic requirements. Therefore, a broadband wireless airport surface communications network is considered a requirement for the future airport component of the air transportation system. Progress has been made on defining the technology and frequency spectrum for the airport surface wireless communications network. The development of a test and demonstration facility and the definition of required testing and standards development are now underway. This paper will review the progress and planned future work.

  12. One stage surgical treatment for scoliosis associated with intraspinal abnormalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai WANG

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of one stage surgical treatment for scoliosis and coexisting intraspinal abnormalities. Methods The data of 6 patients who underwent one stage surgical treatment for scoliosis and coexisting intraspinal abnormalities from October 2016 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment for intraspinal abnormalities, posterior correction, osteotomy and internal fixation were performed simultaneously. The clinical and radiologic presentations, operative details, complications and postoperative outcomes were evaluated. Results The success rate was 100%. The operating time was (470.83 ± 136.20 min and intraoperative bleeding amount was 1350 (625, 2150 ml. Total fusion segments were 11.00 ± 2.76. Both Cobb angle of scoliosis [postoperation (19.60 ± 5.94° vs. preoperation (59.40 ± 14.31°, P = 0.007] and kyphosis [postoperation (25.80 ± 10.87° vs. preoperation (62.40 ± 21.04°, P = 0.005] were improved after operation. Tethered cords were released and epidermoid cyst, ganglioglioma and lipoma were excised. Syringomyelia was left untreated. No neurological functional defect or worsening was found. Muscle strength of all patients was improved. Muscular tone of 4 patients and difficulty in urination of 5 patients were also improved. The mean hospital stay was (8.83 ± 3.31 d. No severe complications, such as infection, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF leakage, failed internal fixation, fractured pedicle screws or rods occurred after operation. None of the patients died, or experienced deterioration of neurological function, delayed infection, pseudoarthrosis, or loss correction during the (7.50 ± 1.22 months follow - up. Conclusions The one stage surgical treatment for scoliosis and intraspinal abnormalities seems to be a safe and effective approach. Neurological functional defect can be improved after operation. Osteotomy can improve correction result. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2017.09.011

  13. Safe Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems using Wireless Communication

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pop, Paul; Scholle, Detlef; Sljivo, Irfan

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of the ECSEL project entitled ―Safe Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems using Wireless Communication‖ (SafeCOP), which runs during the period 2016–2019. SafeCOP targets safety-related Cooperating Cyber-Physical Systems (CO-CPS) characterised by use of wireless...... detection of abnormal behaviour, triggering if needed a safe degraded mode. SafeCOP will also develop methods and tools, which will be used to produce safety assurance evidence needed to certify cooperative functions. SafeCOP will extend current wireless technologies to ensure safe and secure cooperation...

  14. Aircraft Abnormal Conditions Detection, Identification, and Evaluation Using Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems Interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Azzawi, Dia

    Abnormal flight conditions play a major role in aircraft accidents frequently causing loss of control. To ensure aircraft operation safety in all situations, intelligent system monitoring and adaptation must rely on accurately detecting the presence of abnormal conditions as soon as they take place, identifying their root cause(s), estimating their nature and severity, and predicting their impact on the flight envelope. Due to the complexity and multidimensionality of the aircraft system under abnormal conditions, these requirements are extremely difficult to satisfy using existing analytical and/or statistical approaches. Moreover, current methodologies have addressed only isolated classes of abnormal conditions and a reduced number of aircraft dynamic parameters within a limited region of the flight envelope. This research effort aims at developing an integrated and comprehensive framework for the aircraft abnormal conditions detection, identification, and evaluation based on the artificial immune systems paradigm, which has the capability to address the complexity and multidimensionality issues related to aircraft systems. Within the proposed framework, a novel algorithm was developed for the abnormal conditions detection problem and extended to the abnormal conditions identification and evaluation. The algorithm and its extensions were inspired from the functionality of the biological dendritic cells (an important part of the innate immune system) and their interaction with the different components of the adaptive immune system. Immunity-based methodologies for re-assessing the flight envelope at post-failure and predicting the impact of the abnormal conditions on the performance and handling qualities are also proposed and investigated in this study. The generality of the approach makes it applicable to any system. Data for artificial immune system development were collected from flight tests of a supersonic research aircraft within a motion-based flight

  15. U.S. safety legislation a bonanza for suppliers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tollinsky, N.

    2007-09-01

    New safety requirements for coal mines in the United States requires the installation of wireless two-way tracking systems. The Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training has demanded that the owners of West Virginia's 170 coal mines submit plans by July 31, 2007 that describe how and when they intend to procure communication and electonic tracking systems. An estimated 430 additional coal mines across the U.S. will be required to file their plans concerning communications and tracking equipment by June 15, 2009, according to the U.S. federal government's Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act. Radio communication and leaky feeder systems are routine in Canada's hard rock mines. Several Ontario-based supply companies are well placed to take advantage of this opportunity. The plans of three Ontario suppliers regarding proposed communications systems, quotations, costs, and tracking are outlined. 3 figs.

  16. Assessment of safety culture in isfahan hospitals (2010).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raeisi, Ahmed Reza; Nazari, Maryam; Bahmanziari, Najme

    2013-01-01

    Many internal and external risk factors in health care organizations make safety important and it has caused the management to consider safety in their mission statement. One of the most important tools is to establish the appropriate organizational structure and safety culture. The goal of this research is to inform managers and staff about current safety culture status in hospitals in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health services. This is a descriptive-survey research. The research population was selected hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. Research tool was a questionnaire (Cronbach alpha 0.75). The questionnaire including 93 questions (Likert scale) classified in 12 categories: Demographic questions, Individual attitude, management attitude, Safety Training, Induced stress, pressure and emotional conditions during work, Consultation and participation, Communications, Monitoring and control, work environment, Reporting, safety Rules, procedures and work instructions that distributed among 45 technicians, 208 Nurses and 62 Physicians. All data collected from the serve was analysis with statistical package of social science (SPSS). In this survey Friedman test, Spearman correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and factor analysis have been used for data analyzing. The score of safety culture dimensions was 2.90 for Individual attitude, 3.12 for management attitude, 3.32 for Safety Training, 3.14 for Induced stress, pressure and emotional conditions during work, 3.31 for Consultation and participation, 2.93 for Communications, 3.28 for Monitoring and control, 3.19 for work environment, 3.36 for Reporting, 3.59 safety Rules, procedures and work instructions that Communication and individual attitude were in bad condition. Safety culture among different hospitals: governmental and educational, governmental and non-educational and non-governmental and different functional groups (physicians, nurses, diagnostic) of studied hospitals showed no

  17. A Real-Time Construction Safety Monitoring System for Hazardous Gas Integrating Wireless Sensor Network and Building Information Modeling Technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Weng-Fong; Lin, Tzu-Hsuan; Lin, Yu-Cheng

    2018-02-02

    In recent years, many studies have focused on the application of advanced technology as a way to improve management of construction safety management. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), one of the key technologies in Internet of Things (IoT) development, enables objects and devices to sense and communicate environmental conditions; Building Information Modeling (BIM), a revolutionary technology in construction, integrates database and geometry into a digital model which provides a visualized way in all construction lifecycle management. This paper integrates BIM and WSN into a unique system which enables the construction site to visually monitor the safety status via a spatial, colored interface and remove any hazardous gas automatically. Many wireless sensor nodes were placed on an underground construction site and to collect hazardous gas level and environmental condition (temperature and humidity) data, and in any region where an abnormal status is detected, the BIM model will alert the region and an alarm and ventilator on site will start automatically for warning and removing the hazard. The proposed system can greatly enhance the efficiency in construction safety management and provide an important reference information in rescue tasks. Finally, a case study demonstrates the applicability of the proposed system and the practical benefits, limitations, conclusions, and suggestions are summarized for further applications.

  18. Measuring enterprise proactiveness in managing occupational safety

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sønderstrup-Andersen, Hans H. K.; Fløcke, Thomas; Mikkelsen, Kim Lyngby

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to communicate results, and lessons learned, from developing and applying a national questionnaire based survey for measuring the initiation of occupational safety activities in Danish enterprises and public institutions1. The survey is cross-sectional and it is part...... on the safety attitude index....

  19. Sensor and Communication Technology for Harsh Environments in the Nuclear Power Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Jai Wan; Choi, Young Soo; Lee, Jae Chul; Choi, Yu Rak; Jung, Gwang Il; Koo, In Soo; Jung, Jong Eun; Hur Seop; Hong, Seok Boong

    2009-10-15

    As the result of the rapid development of IT technology, an on-line diagnostic system using the fieldbus communication network coupled with a smart sensor module will be widely used at the nuclear power plant in the near future. The smart sensor system is very useful for the prompt understanding of abnormal state of the key equipment installed in the nuclear power plant. In this paper, it is assumed that a smart sensor system based on the fieldbus communication network for the surveillance and diagnostics of safety-critical equipment will be installed in the harsh-environment of the nuclear power plant. It means that the key components of fieldbus communication system including microprocessor, FPGA, and ASIC devices, are to be installed in the RPV (reactor pressure vessel) and the RCS (reactor coolant system) area, which is the area of a high dose-rate gamma irradiation fields. Gamma radiation constraints for the DBA (design basis accident) qualification of the RTD sensor installed in the harsh environment of nuclear power plant, are typically on the order of 4 kGy/h. In order to use a fieldbus communication network as an ad-hoc diagnostics sensor network in the vicinity of the RCS pump area of the nuclear power plant, the robust survivability of IT-based micro-electronic components in such intense gamma-radiation fields therefore should be verified. An intelligent CCD camera system, which are composed of advanced micro-electronics devices based on IT technology, have been gamma irradiated at the dose rate of about 4.2 kGy/h during an hour up to a total dose of 4 kGy. The degradation performance of the gamma irradiated CCD camera system is explained.

  20. Sensor and Communication Technology for Harsh Environments in the Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Jai Wan; Choi, Young Soo; Lee, Jae Chul; Choi, Yu Rak; Jung, Gwang Il; Koo, In Soo; Jung, Jong Eun; Hur Seop; Hong, Seok Boong

    2009-10-01

    As the result of the rapid development of IT technology, an on-line diagnostic system using the fieldbus communication network coupled with a smart sensor module will be widely used at the nuclear power plant in the near future. The smart sensor system is very useful for the prompt understanding of abnormal state of the key equipment installed in the nuclear power plant. In this paper, it is assumed that a smart sensor system based on the fieldbus communication network for the surveillance and diagnostics of safety-critical equipment will be installed in the harsh-environment of the nuclear power plant. It means that the key components of fieldbus communication system including microprocessor, FPGA, and ASIC devices, are to be installed in the RPV (reactor pressure vessel) and the RCS (reactor coolant system) area, which is the area of a high dose-rate gamma irradiation fields. Gamma radiation constraints for the DBA (design basis accident) qualification of the RTD sensor installed in the harsh environment of nuclear power plant, are typically on the order of 4 kGy/h. In order to use a fieldbus communication network as an ad-hoc diagnostics sensor network in the vicinity of the RCS pump area of the nuclear power plant, the robust survivability of IT-based micro-electronic components in such intense gamma-radiation fields therefore should be verified. An intelligent CCD camera system, which are composed of advanced micro-electronics devices based on IT technology, have been gamma irradiated at the dose rate of about 4.2 kGy/h during an hour up to a total dose of 4 kGy. The degradation performance of the gamma irradiated CCD camera system is explained

  1. Risk communication in the real world

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartley, Philip L.

    1992-01-01

    As people become more sensitive to health and environmental issues, effective communication of workplace risks becomes more important for both employers and their employees. Risk communication must be given in a clear, simple format that addresses the individual employee's work environment. It must also be provided in a manner that indicates to the employees that the company cares about their safety. Failure to provide this information may result in ineffective communication and reduced company credibility. By using events and issues from the employees every day life, these issues can be effectively managed. (author)

  2. Safety culture in the gynecology robotics operating room.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zullo, Melissa D; McCarroll, Michele L; Mendise, Thomas M; Ferris, Edward F; Roulette, G D; Zolton, Jessica; Andrews, Stephen J; von Gruenigen, Vivian E

    2014-01-01

    To measure the safety culture in the robotics surgery operating room before and after implementation of the Robotic Operating Room Computerized Checklist (RORCC). Prospective study. Gynecology surgical staff (n = 32). An urban community hospital. The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire domains examined were teamwork, safety, job satisfaction, stress recognition, perceptions of management, and working conditions. Questions and domains were described using percent agreement and the Cronbach alpha. Paired t-tests were used to describe differences before and after implementation of the checklist. Mean (SD) staff age was 46.7 (9.5) years, and most were women (78%) and worked full-time (97%). Twenty respondents (83% of nurses, 80% of surgeons, 66% of surgical technicians, and 33% of certified registered nurse anesthetists) completed the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire; 6 were excluded because of non-matching identifiers. Before RORCC implementation, the highest quality of communication and collaboration was reported by surgeons and surgical technicians (100%). Certified registered nurse anesthetists reported only adequate levels of communication and collaboration with other positions. Most staff reported positive responses for teamwork (48%; α = 0.81), safety (47%; α = 0.75), working conditions (37%; α = 0.55), stress recognition (26%; α = 0.71), and perceptions of management (32%; α = 0.52). No differences were observed after RORCC implementation. Quality of communication and collaboration in the gynecology robotics operating room is high between most positions; however, safety attitude responses are low overall. No differences after RORCC implementation and low response rates may highlight lack of staff support. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Putting Safety in the Frame

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerie Jean O’Keeffe

    2015-06-01

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

  4. [Application of TB type thermal balloon endometrial ablation for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, W; Zhai, Y; Zhang, Z H; Li, Y; Zhang, Z Y

    2016-11-08

    Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy, safety and promotion value of TB type thermal balloon endometrial ablation in the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding. Methods: Fourty three patients who had received TB type endometrial ablation system for treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding from January, 2015 to January, 2016 in theDepartment of gynecology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were enrolled in this study. The intra-operative and post-operative complications and improvement of abnormal uterine bleeding and dysmenorrhea were observed. Results: There were nointra-operative complication occurred, such as uterine perforation, massive hemorrhage or surrounding organ damage. At 6 months after operation, 32 patients developed amenorrhea, 6 developed menstrual spotting, 3 developed menstruation with a small volume and 1 had a normal menstruation. No menstruation with an increased volume occurred. The occurrence of amenorrhea was 76.19% and the response rate was 97.62%.At 6 months after operation, 1 case had no response, 2 cases had partial response and 11 cases had complete response among the 14 cases of pre-operative dysmenorrhea; only 3 cases still had anemia among the 23 cases of pre-operative anemia. Compared with before treatment, patients with dysmenorrhea and anemia both significantly reduced with a statistically significant difference( P abnormal uterine bleeding, which could have clinical promotion practice.

  5. short communication the effect of ocimum sanctum and ledum

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preferred Customer

    SHORT COMMUNICATION. THE EFFECT OF OCIMUM SANCTUM AND LEDUM PALUSTRE ON SERUM URIC. ACID LEVEL IN PATIENTS ... It is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally high levels of uric acid in the blood. The pain and swelling due to gout can be sudden and may appear and disappear over ...

  6. Development of Abnormal Operating Strategies for Station Blackout in Shutdown Operating Mode in Pressurized Water Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Duk-Joo; Lee, Seung-Chan; Sung, Je-Joong; Ha, Sang-Jun [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Su-Hyun [FNC Tech. Co., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    Loss of all AC power is classified as one of multiple failure accident by regulatory guide of Korean accident management program. Therefore we need develop strategies for the abnormal operating procedure both of power operating and shutdown mode. This paper developed abnormal operating guideline for loss of all AC power by analysis of accident scenario in pressurized water reactor. This paper analyzed the loss of ultimate heat sink (LOUHS) in shutdown operating mode and developed the operating strategy of the abnormal procedure. Also we performed the analysis of limiting scenarios that operator actions are not taken in shutdown LOUHS. Therefore, we verified the plant behavior and decided operator action to taken in time in order to protect the fuel of core with safety. From the analysis results of LOUHS, the fuel of core maintained without core uncovery for 73 minutes respectively for opened RCS states after the SBO occurred. Therefore, operator action for the emergency are required to take in 73 minutes for opened RCS state. Strategy is to cooldown by using spent fuel pool cooling system. This method required to change the plant design in some plant. In RCS boundary closed state, first abnormal operating strategy in shutdown LOUHS is first abnormal operating strategy in shutdown LOUHS is to remove the residual heat of core by steam dump flow and auxiliary feedwater of SG.

  7. Communicating Process Achitectures 2005

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groothuis, M.A.; Broenink, Johannes F.; Roebbers, Herman W.; Sunters, Johan P.E.; Welch, Peter H.; Wood, David C.

    The awareness of the ideas characterized by Communicating Processes Architecture and their adoption by industry beyond their traditional base in safety-critical systems and security is growing. The complexity of modern computing systems has become so great that no one person – maybe not even a small

  8. Defining Abnormally Low Tenders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ølykke, Grith Skovgaard; Nyström, Johan

    2017-01-01

    The concept of an abnormally low tender is not defined in EU public procurement law. This article takes an interdisciplinary law and economics approach to examine a dataset consisting of Swedish and Danish judgments and verdicts concerning the concept of an abnormally low tender. The purpose...

  9. Evaluating an Entertainment–Education Telenovela to Promote Workplace Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego E. Castaneda

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Occupational safety and health professionals worked with health communication experts to collaborate with a major Spanish language television network to develop and implement a construction workplace safety media intervention targeting Latino/Hispanic audiences. An Entertainment–Education (EE health communication strategy was used to create a worksite safety storyline weaved into the main plot of a nationally televised Telenovela (Spanish language soap opera. A secondary analysis of audience survey data in a pre/posttest cross-sectional equivalent group design was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of this EE media intervention to change knowledge, attitudes, and intention outcomes related to the prevention of fatal falls at construction worksites. Results indicate that using culturally relevant mediums can be an effective way of reaching and educating audiences about specific fall prevention information. This is aligned with recommendations by the Institute of Medicine (IOM to increase interventions and evaluations of culturally relevant and competent health communication.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2015-07-01

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

  11. Time to rethink: an evidence-based response from pelvic surgeons to the FDA Safety Communication: "UPDATE on Serious Complications Associated with Transvaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh for Pelvic Organ Prolapse".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Miles; Holzberg, Adam; van Raalte, Heather; Kohli, Neeraj; Goldman, Howard B; Lucente, Vincent

    2012-01-01

    In July of 2011 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a safety communication entitled "UPDATE on Serious Complications Associated with Transvaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh for Pelvic Organ Prolapse." The stated purpose of this communication is to inform health care providers and patients that serious complications with placement of this mesh are not rare and that it is not clear that these repairs are more effective than nonmesh repair. The comments regarding efficacy are based on a systematic review of the scientific literature from 1996-2011 conducted by the FDA. Our review of the literature during this time yields some different conclusions regarding the safety and efficacy of mesh use in prolapse repair. It may be useful to consider this information prior to making recommendations regarding mesh use in prolapse surgery according to the recent UPDATE.

  12. MR imaging of abnormal synovial processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quinn, S.F.; Sanchez, R.; Murray, W.T.; Silbiger, M.L.; Ogden, J.; Cochran, C.

    1987-01-01

    MR imaging can directly image abnormal synovium. The authors reviewed over 50 cases with abnormal synovial processes. The abnormalities include Baker cysts, semimembranous bursitis, chronic shoulder bursitis, peroneal tendon ganglion cyst, periarticular abscesses, thickened synovium from rheumatoid and septic arthritis, and synovial hypertrophy secondary to Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. MR imaging has proved invaluable in identifying abnormal synovium, defining the extent and, to a limited degree, characterizing its makeup

  13. Nuclear safety: operational aspects. 5. Data Communication in a Nuclear Digital I and C System-The Korean Experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Tae-Wook; Byun, Jae-Youb; Jhun, James S.

    2001-01-01

    operability by providing system performance status and diagnostic surveillance data on a real-time basis. The PERFORM Net of UCN 3 and 4 and YGN 5 and 6 showed superior system response time characteristics over the bus network used in YGN 3 and 4. But, the PERFORM Net has a weakness in maintaining network independence and preventing propagation of a network fault condition. Because of safety concerns over a common-mode failure resulting from a data communication failure, hardwiring of the safety and important signals is currently a viable conservative approach to mitigate the consequence of a design-basis event and to correctly assess the plant status. This will undoubtedly change in the future when more confidence is gained over the reliability of the data communication system in NPP safety applications, and it may not be long before a multilayered data communication configuration becomes a common use in NPPs. (authors)

  14. How to Improve Patient Safety Culture in Croatian Hospitals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šklebar, Ivan; Mustajbegović, Jadranka; Šklebar, Duška; Cesarik, Marijan; Milošević, Milan; Brborović, Hana; Šporčić, Krunoslav; Petrić, Petar; Husedžinović, Ino

    2016-09-01

    Patient safety culture (PCS) has a crucial impact on the safety practices of healthcare delivery systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the state of PSC in Croatian hospitals and compare it with hospitals in the United States. The study was conducted in three public general hospitals in Croatia using the Croatian translation of the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). A comparison of the results from Croatian and American hospitals was performed using a T-square test. We found statistically significant differences in all 12 PSC dimensions. Croatian responses were more positive in the two dimensions of Handoff s and Transitions and Overall Perceptions of Patient Safety. In the remaining ten dimensions, Croatian responses were less positive than in US hospitals, with the most prominent areas being Nonpunitive Response to Error, Frequency of Events Reported, Communication Openness, Teamwork within Units, Feedback & Communication about Error, Management Support for Patient Safety, and Staffing. Our findings show that PSC is significantly lower in Croatian than in American hospitals, particularly in the areas of Nonpunitive Response to Error, Leadership, Teamwork, Communication Openness and Staffing. This suggests that a more comprehensive system for the improvement of patient safety within the framework of the Croatian healthcare system needs to be developed. Our findings also help confirm that HSOPSC is a useful and appropriate tool for the assessment of PSC. HSOPSC highlights the PSC components in need of improvement and should be considered for use in national and international benchmarking.

  15. Five walls against risk communication of nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchiya, Tomoko

    2012-01-01

    The author has made efforts to establish risk communication in the nuclear industry since the JCO criticality accident. Some people understood the importance and the usefulness of risk communication both for local residents and their own business. Others, however, thought it troublesome, costly, and useless for their organization and nuclear safety. I think, unfortunately, experiences after the Fukushima accident force them to hesitate at communicating risks with the public more and more. I will discuss why and how risk communication of nuclear technology is difficult. (author)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2010-06-01

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

  17. Maritime wideband communication networks video transmission scheduling

    CERN Document Server

    Yang, Tingting

    2014-01-01

    This Springer Brief covers emerging maritime wideband communication networks and how they facilitate applications such as maritime distress, urgency, safety and general communications. It provides valuable insight on the data transmission scheduling and protocol design for the maritime wideband network. This brief begins with an introduction to maritime wideband communication networks including the architecture, framework, operations and a comprehensive survey on current developments. The second part of the brief presents the resource allocation and scheduling for video packet transmission wit

  18. A Study on the Inter-Channel Communication Independence for SMART I and C System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Kwang Il; Keum, Jong Yong; Park, Je Yun

    2009-01-01

    In nuclear power plants (NPP) the greatest concern is to ensure the safety goal, so it is designed with a protection conception using diversity and redundancy methods. Usually the I and C (Instrumentation and Control) system of NPP is composed of four channels to enhance the performance of the safety functions and performs the monitoring and control functions. In these redundant structures, the most important thing is that a malfunction in one channel cannot affect the safety functions of the redundant channels. The communication network of the digital I and C system is playing a role in intra-channel communication and inter-channel communication in four-channel I and C structure. Recent licensee experience indicates that companies planning to use the interchannel communication must perform a detailed analysis of all credible failure modes. In this paper, we propose some evaluation criteria to evaluate the inter-channel communication independence of SMART I and C system and preliminary design for mitigating methodologies of each credible failure

  19. On the role of safety culture in risk-informed regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorensen, J.N.; Apostolakis, G.E.; Powers, D.A.

    2000-01-01

    There is a widespread belief that safety culture is an important contributor to safety of operations. The commonly accepted attributes of safety culture include good organizational communications, good organizational learning, and senior management commitment to safety. Safety culture may be particularly important in reducing latent errors in complex, well-defended systems. The role of regulatory bodies in fostering strong safety cultures remains unclear, and additional work is required to define the essential attributes of safety culture and to identify reliable performance indicators. (author)

  20. Safety review of experiments at Albuquerque Operations Office

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elliott, K.

    1984-01-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE) Albuquerque Operations Office is responsible for the safety overview of nuclear reactor and critical assembly facilities at Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Rocky Flats Plant. The important safety concerns with these facilities involve the complex experiments that are performed, and that is the area emphasized. A determination is made by the Albuquerque Office (AL) with assistance from DOE/OMA whether or not a proposed experiment is an unreviewed safety question. Meetings are held with the contractor to resolve and clarify questions that are generated during the review of the proposed experiment. The AL safety evaluation report is completed and any recommendations are discussed. Prior to the experiment a preoperational appraisal is performed to assure that personnel, procedures, and equipment are in readiness for operations. During the experiment, any abnormal condition is reviewed in detail to determine any safety concerns

  1. Measuring patient safety culture in Taiwan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, I-Chi; Li, Hung-Hui

    2010-06-07

    Patient safety is a critical component to the quality of health care. As health care organizations endeavour to improve their quality of care, there is a growing recognition of the importance of establishing a culture of patient safety. In this research, the authors use the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire to assess the culture of patient safety in Taiwan and attempt to provide an explanation for some of the phenomena that are unique in Taiwan. The authors used HSOPSC to measure the 12 dimensions of the patient safety culture from 42 hospitals in Taiwan. The survey received 788 respondents including physicians, nurses, and non-clinical staff. This study used SPSS 15.0 for Windows and Amos 7 software tools to perform the statistical analysis on the survey data, including descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis of the structural equation model. The overall average positive response rate for the 12 patient safety culture dimensions of the HSOPSC survey was 64%, slightly higher than the average positive response rate for the AHRQ data (61%). The results showed that hospital staff in Taiwan feel positively toward patient safety culture in their organization. The dimension that received the highest positive response rate was "Teamwork within units", similar to the results reported in the US. The dimension with the lowest percentage of positive responses was "Staffing". Statistical analysis showed discrepancies between Taiwan and the US in three dimensions, including "Feedback and communication about error", "Communication openness", and "Frequency of event reporting". The HSOPSC measurement provides evidence for assessing patient safety culture in Taiwan. The results show that in general, hospital staffs in Taiwan feel positively toward patient safety culture within their organization. The existence of discrepancies between the US data and the Taiwanese data suggest that cultural uniqueness should be taken into

  2. Interprofessional communication supporting clinical handover in emergency departments: An observation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redley, Bernice; Botti, Mari; Wood, Beverley; Bucknall, Tracey

    2017-08-01

    Poor interprofessional communication poses a risk to patient safety at change-of-shift in emergency departments (EDs). The purpose of this study was to identify and describe patterns and processes of interprofessional communication impacting quality of ED change-of-shift handovers. Observation of 66 change-of-shift handovers at two acute hospital EDs in Victoria, Australia. Focus groups with 34 nurse participants complemented the observations. Qualitative data analysis involved content and thematic methods. Four structural components of ED handover processes emerged represented by (ABCD): (1) Antecedents; (2) Behaviours and interactions; (3) Content; and (4) Delegation of ongoing care. Infrequent and ad hoc interprofessional communication and discipline-specific handover content and processes emerged as specific risks to patient safety at change-of-shift handovers. Three themes related to risky and effective practices to support interprofessional communications across the four stages of ED handovers emerged: 1) standard processes and practices, 2) teamwork and interactions and 3) communication activities and practices. Unreliable interprofessional communication can impact the quality of change-of-shift handovers in EDs and poses risk to patient safety. Structured reflective analysis of existing practices can identify opportunities for standardisation, enhanced team practices and effective communication across four stages of the handover process to support clinicians to enhance local handover practices. Future research should test and refine models to support analysis of practice, and identify and test strategies to enhance ED interprofessional communication to support clinical handovers. Copyright © 2017 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Speaking up, being heard: registered nurses' perceptions of workplace communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garon, Maryanne

    2012-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to explore nurses' perceptions of their own ability to speak up and be heard in the workplace. Nurses are central to patient care and patient safety in hospitals. Their ability to speak up and be heard greatly impacts their own work satisfaction, team work as well as patient safety. The present study utilized a qualitative approach, consisting of focus group interviews of 33 registered nurses (RNs), in staff or management positions from a variety of healthcare settings in California, USA. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings were organized into three categories: influences on speaking up, transmission and reception of a message and outcomes or results. The present study supported the importance of the manager in setting the culture of open communication. It is anticipated that findings from the present study may increase understandings of nurse views of communication within healthcare settings. The study highlights the importance of nurse managers in creating the communication culture that will allow nurses to speak up and be heard. These open communication cultures lead to better patient care, increased safety and better staff satisfaction. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. Abnormal Brain Connectivity Spectrum Disorders Following Thimerosal Administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David A. Geier

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD, tic disorder (TD, and hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (attention deficit disorder [ADD]/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] are disorders recently defined as abnormal connectivity spectrum disorders (ACSDs because they show a similar pattern of abnormal brain connectivity. This study examines whether these disorders are associated with exposure to thimerosal, a mercury (Hg-based preservative. Methods: A hypothesis testing case-control study evaluated the Vaccine Safety Datalink for the potential dose-dependent odds ratios (ORs for diagnoses of ASD, TD, and ADD/ADHD compared to controls, following exposure to Hg from thimerosal-containing Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines administrated within the first 15 months of life. Febrile seizures, cerebral degeneration, and unspecified disorders of metabolism, which are not biologically plausibly linked to thimerosal, were examined as control outcomes. Results: On a per 25 μg Hg basis, cases diagnosed with ASD (OR = 1.493, TD (OR = 1.428, or ADD/ADHD (OR = 1.503 were significantly (P < .001 more likely than controls to have received increased Hg exposure. Similar relationships were observed when separated by gender. Cases diagnosed with control outcomes were no more likely than controls to have received increased Hg exposure. Conclusion: The results suggest that Hg exposure from thimerosal is significantly associated with the ACSDs of ASD, TD, and ADD/ADHD.

  5. Cyber Safety and Security for Reduced Crew Operations (RCO)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Driscoll, Kevin

    2017-01-01

    NASA and the Aviation Industry is looking into reduced crew operations (RCO) that would cut today's required two-person flight crews down to a single pilot with support from ground-based crews. Shared responsibility across air and ground personnel will require highly reliable and secure data communication and supporting automation, which will be safety-critical for passenger and cargo aircraft. This paper looks at the different types and degrees of authority delegation given from the air to the ground and the ramifications of each, including the safety and security hazards introduced, the mitigation mechanisms for these hazards, and other demands on an RCO system architecture which would be highly invasive into (almost) all safety-critical avionics. The adjacent fields of unmanned aerial systems and autonomous ground vehicles are viewed to find problems that RCO may face and related aviation accident scenarios are described. The paper explores possible data communication architectures to meet stringent performance and information security (INFOSEC) requirements of RCO. Subsequently, potential challenges for RCO data communication authentication, encryption and non-repudiation are identified. The approach includes a comprehensive safety-hazard analysis of the RCO system to determine top level INFOSEC requirements for RCO and proposes an option for effective RCO implementation. This paper concludes with questioning the economic viability of RCO in light of the expense of overcoming the operational safety and security hazards it would introduce.

  6. Radiological Consequences Analysis for Abnormal Condition on NPPs 1000 MWe by Using Radcon Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pande Mande Udiyani; Sri Kuntjoro

    2009-01-01

    The operation of NPPs (Nuclear Power Plants) in Indonesia to anticipates rare of energy will generate various challenges, especially about NPPs safety. So installation organizer of nuclear must provide scientific argument to safety NPPs, one of them is by providing document of safety analysis. Calculation of radiological consequences after abnormal condition applies on generic PWR-1000 power reactor. Calculation is done by using program package RadCon (Radiological Consequences Model), with postulate condition is based on DBA (Design Basis Accident). Calculation of dispersion of radionuclide concentration is using PC-COSYMA as input data for RadCon. Simulation for radiological consequences analysis uses by site data sample. Analysis result shows that maximum receiving of internal - externals radiological consequence for short term and long-term below 1 km radius area is below the limit acceptably effective dose for a member of the public as a result of an accident which should not exceed 5 mSv (ICRP 1990). (author)

  7. White paper on nuclear safety in 1993. 1993 ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    When the development and utilization of nuclear power are advanced, the securing of safety is the prerequisite. The Nuclear Safety Commission has promoted the various important measures which become the basis for securing the safety, such as the execution of strict safety examination, the preparation and perfection of the guidelines which are used for safety examination, the holding of public hearings, the investigation of failures and troubles, and the reflection of the obtained learnings to the countermeasures for securing the safety. Since nuclear power facilities contain radioactive substances, the prevention of their abnormal release to surrounding environment is the fundamental of securing the safety. The policy of coping with severe accidents was determined after Three Mile Island accident and Chernobyl accident, and the concrete investigation is carried out. In this year, the abandonment of radioactive waste in ocean by Russia was a large problem. In this book, the Nuclear Safety Commission in the last one year and the securing of safety related to the utilization of plutonium for power reactors are reported. Various related materials are attached. (K.I.)

  8. Ethnic differences in social support after initial receipt of an abnormal mammogram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina, Yamile; Hohl, Sarah D; Nguyen, Michelle; Hempstead, Bridgette H; Weatherby, Shauna Rae; Dunbar, Claire; Beresford, Shirley A A; Ceballos, Rachel M

    2016-10-01

    We examine access to and type of social support after initial receipt of an abnormal mammogram across non-Latina White (NLW), African American, and Latina women. This cross-sectional study used a mixed method design, with quantitative and qualitative measures. Women were recruited through 2 community advocates and 3 breast-health-related care organizations. With regard to access, African American women were less likely to access social support relative to NLW counterparts. Similar nonsignificant differences were found for Latinas. Women did not discuss results with family and friends to avoid burdening social networks and negative reactions. Networks' geographic constraints and medical mistrust influenced Latina and African American women's decisions to discuss results. With regard to type of social support, women reported emotional support across ethnicity. Latina and African American women reported more instrumental support, whereas NLW women reported more informational support in the context of their well-being. There are shared and culturally unique aspects of women's experiences with social support after initially receiving an abnormal mammogram. Latina and African American women may particularly benefit from informational support from health care professionals. Communitywide efforts to mitigate mistrust and encourage active communication about cancer may improve ethnic disparities in emotional well-being and diagnostic resolution during initial receipt of an abnormal mammogram. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Special report on abnormal climate in 2010

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-12-01

    This reports on abnormal climate in 2010 with impact on the each field. It is comprised of four chapters, which deal with Introduction with purpose of publish and background, current situation and cause of abnormal climate in 2010 on abnormal climate around the world and Korea, Action and impact against abnormal climate in 2010 to agriculture, industry and energy, prevention of disasters, forest, fishery products, environment and health, Evaluation and policy proposal. It also has an appendix about occurrence and damage on abnormal climate of the world in 2010 and media reports on abnormal climate in Korea in 2010.

  10. Developing software to "track and catch" missed follow-up of abnormal test results in a complex sociotechnical environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, M; Murphy, D; Laxmisan, A; Sittig, D; Reis, B; Esquivel, A; Singh, H

    2013-01-01

    Abnormal test results do not always receive timely follow-up, even when providers are notified through electronic health record (EHR)-based alerts. High workload, alert fatigue, and other demands on attention disrupt a provider's prospective memory for tasks required to initiate follow-up. Thus, EHR-based tracking and reminding functionalities are needed to improve follow-up. The purpose of this study was to develop a decision-support software prototype enabling individual and system-wide tracking of abnormal test result alerts lacking follow-up, and to conduct formative evaluations, including usability testing. We developed a working prototype software system, the Alert Watch And Response Engine (AWARE), to detect abnormal test result alerts lacking documented follow-up, and to present context-specific reminders to providers. Development and testing took place within the VA's EHR and focused on four cancer-related abnormal test results. Design concepts emphasized mitigating the effects of high workload and alert fatigue while being minimally intrusive. We conducted a multifaceted formative evaluation of the software, addressing fit within the larger socio-technical system. Evaluations included usability testing with the prototype and interview questions about organizational and workflow factors. Participants included 23 physicians, 9 clinical information technology specialists, and 8 quality/safety managers. Evaluation results indicated that our software prototype fit within the technical environment and clinical workflow, and physicians were able to use it successfully. Quality/safety managers reported that the tool would be useful in future quality assurance activities to detect patients who lack documented follow-up. Additionally, we successfully installed the software on the local facility's "test" EHR system, thus demonstrating technical compatibility. To address the factors involved in missed test results, we developed a software prototype to account for

  11. Quality of Communication and Types of Communicators in German Veterinary Authorities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludwig Arens

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Recent crises in the agricultural sector, such as the 2011 German dioxin scandal and deaths from EHEC or the last swine fever outbreak in Germany in 2006, have caused immense economic damage. As a result, German veterinary authorities at the district, state, and federal levels have been put in charge as crisis managers and leaders of active preventative organizations. To perform their tasks successfully, they require effective communication skills as well as close cooperation with stakeholders in the agribusiness sector. However, despite clear evidence that identifies these relationships as crucial, there is only very little research that directly addresses communication quality and intensity of public authorities responsible for food safety. The relevant literature so far primarily deals with the technical design and implementation of new information and communication systems. However, it often fails to address the particular needs and communication behaviour of individual users. It is the objective of this study to identify determinants of communication quality and to differentiate between types of communicators in order to shed light on the construct of communication behaviour in veterinary authorities. To do so, the determinants of the quality of communication between public authorities and their external stakeholders were identified based on a causal model. These determinants were used as cluster-building variables in a cluster analysis to determine different types of communicators in veterinary services. The data reveals that the personal aspects of communication are of greater relevance than its content. This knowledge could be helpful to identify measures that could be implemented in order to improve the quality of communication of veterinary authorities

  12. 47 CFR 80.331 - Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure. 80..., Alarm, Urgency and Safety Procedures § 80.331 Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure. (a) Vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act transmitting on the designated navigational frequency must conduct...

  13. Scheduling with Optimized Communication for Time-Triggered Embedded Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pop, Paul; Eles, Petru; Peng, Zebo

    1999-01-01

    We present an approach to process scheduling for synthesis of safety-critical distributed embedded systems.Our system model captures both the flow of data and that of control. The communication model is based on a time-triggered protocol. We take into consideration overheads due to communication...

  14. Medication Management, Use and Safety in Non- Communicable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... combination of the efforts from government, health professionals and the individual patients. Adequate education of the patients and the public can lead to behavioral change and reduction in NCDs while at the same time improving medication use behaviours. Keywords: NCDs, Drug management, Drug safety, Drug Use, ...

  15. Feedforward and feedback motor control abnormalities implicate cerebellar dysfunctions in autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosconi, Matthew W; Mohanty, Suman; Greene, Rachel K; Cook, Edwin H; Vaillancourt, David E; Sweeney, John A

    2015-02-04

    Sensorimotor abnormalities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and among the earliest manifestations of the disorder. They have been studied far less than the social-communication and cognitive deficits that define ASD, but a mechanistic understanding of sensorimotor abnormalities in ASD may provide key insights into the neural underpinnings of the disorder. In this human study, we examined rapid, precision grip force contractions to determine whether feedforward mechanisms supporting initial motor output before sensory feedback can be processed are disrupted in ASD. Sustained force contractions also were examined to determine whether reactive adjustments to ongoing motor behavior based on visual feedback are altered. Sustained force was studied across multiple force levels and visual gains to assess motor and visuomotor mechanisms, respectively. Primary force contractions of individuals with ASD showed greater peak rate of force increases and large transient overshoots. Individuals with ASD also showed increased sustained force variability that scaled with force level and was more severe when visual gain was highly amplified or highly degraded. When sustaining a constant force level, their reactive adjustments were more periodic than controls, and they showed increased reliance on slower feedback mechanisms. Feedforward and feedback mechanism alterations each were associated with more severe social-communication impairments in ASD. These findings implicate anterior cerebellar circuits involved in feedforward motor control and posterior cerebellar circuits involved in transforming visual feedback into precise motor adjustments in ASD. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/352015-11$15.00/0.

  16. Clinical Findings Documenting Cellular and Molecular Abnormalities of Glia in Depressive Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boldizsár Czéh

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Depressive disorders are complex, multifactorial mental disorders with unknown neurobiology. Numerous theories aim to explain the pathophysiology. According to the “gliocentric theory”, glial abnormalities are responsible for the development of the disease. The aim of this review article is to summarize the rapidly growing number of cellular and molecular evidences indicating disturbed glial functioning in depressive disorders. We focus here exclusively on the clinical studies and present the in vivo neuroimaging findings together with the postmortem molecular and histopathological data. Postmortem studies demonstrate glial cell loss while the in vivo imaging data reveal disturbed glial functioning and altered white matter microstructure. Molecular studies report on altered gene expression of glial specific genes. In sum, the clinical findings provide ample evidences on glial pathology and demonstrate that all major glial cell types are affected. However, we still lack convincing theories explaining how the glial abnormalities develop and how exactly contribute to the emotional and cognitive disturbances. Abnormal astrocytic functioning may lead to disturbed metabolism affecting ion homeostasis and glutamate clearance, which in turn, affect synaptic communication. Abnormal oligodendrocyte functioning may disrupt the connectivity of neuronal networks, while microglial activation indicates neuroinflammatory processes. These cellular changes may relate to each other or they may indicate different endophenotypes. A theory has been put forward that the stress-induced inflammation—mediated by microglial activation—triggers a cascade of events leading to damaged astrocytes and oligodendroglia and consequently to their dysfunctions. The clinical data support the “gliocentric” theory, but future research should clarify whether these glial changes are truly the cause or simply the consequences of this devastating disorder.

  17. Language and Communication-Related Problems of Aviation Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cushing, Steven

    A study of the problems posed by the use of natural language in various aspects of aviation is presented. The study, part of a larger investigation of the feasibility of voice input/output interfaces for communication in aviation, looks at representative real examples of accidents and near misses resulting from language confusions and omissions.…

  18. NASA Bluetooth Wireless Communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Robert D.

    2007-01-01

    NASA has been interested in wireless communications for many years, especially when the crew size of the International Space Station (ISS) was reduced to two members. NASA began a study to find ways to improve crew efficiency to make sure the ISS could be maintained with limited crew capacity and still be a valuable research testbed in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Currently the ISS audio system requires astronauts to be tethered to the audio system, specifically a device called the Audio Terminal Unit (ATU). Wireless communications would remove the tether and allow astronauts to freely float from experiment to experiment without having to worry about moving and reconnecting the associated cabling or finding the space equivalent of an extension cord. A wireless communication system would also improve safety and reduce system susceptibility to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Safety would be improved because a crewmember could quickly escape a fire while maintaining communications with the ground and other crewmembers at any location. In addition, it would allow the crew to overcome the volume limitations of the ISS ATU. This is especially important to the Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBA). The next generation of space vehicles and habitats also demand wireless attention. Orion will carry up to six crewmembers in a relatively small cabin. Yet, wireless could become a driving factor to reduce launch weight and increase habitable volume. Six crewmembers, each tethered to a panel, could result in a wiring mess even in nominal operations. In addition to Orion, research is being conducted to determine if Bluetooth is appropriate for Lunar Habitat applications.

  19. Smartphones let surgeons know WhatsApp: an analysis of communication in emergency surgical teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Maximilian J; King, Dominic; Arora, Sonal; Behar, Nebil; Athanasiou, Thanos; Sevdalis, Nick; Darzi, Ara

    2015-01-01

    Outdated communication technologies in healthcare can place patient safety at risk. This study aimed to evaluate implementation of the WhatsApp messaging service within emergency surgical teams. A prospective mixed-methods study was conducted in a London hospital. All emergency surgery team members (n = 40) used WhatsApp for communication for 19 weeks. The initiator and receiver of communication were compared for response times and communication types. Safety events were reported using direct quotations. More than 1,100 hours of communication pertaining to 636 patients were recorded, generating 1,495 communication events. The attending initiated the most instruction-giving communication, whereas interns asked the most clinical questions (P WhatsApp helped flatten the hierarchy within the team. WhatsApp represents a safe, efficient communication technology. This study lays the foundations for quality improvement innovations delivered over smartphones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Understanding local residents of Korea using nuclear effective safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Yun Hyung; Lee, Gey Hwi; Hah, Yeonhee; Kim, Beom Jun

    2010-01-01

    The risk perception gap between experts and lay people is based on the use of different concept on risk. It is getting increasingly important for nuclear practitioners to understand the lay people's subjective perception on nuclear safety. We proposed the nuclear effective safety index (NESI) which is based on data of the public survey of local inhabitants. We extracted the four factors for effective safety indicators; communication, trust, plant emergency response capability, and personal emergency coping skills. The latest NESI was 41.54, which was increased from 38.22 but still low. The three-year data of NESI showed the differences between genders and between sites as well as trend. The survey of antecedents of effective safety showed some meaningful events and profound differences between plant employees and local inhabitants. The NESI can be utilized as useful communication tool between the local inhabitants and nuclear practitioners. (authors)

  1. Pilot research project of risk communication on nuclear technology and its utilization. Toward communication and collaboration with community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchiya, Tomoko

    2003-01-01

    Although the importance of risk communication has been pointed out over the last decade in nuclear community, both public authorities and nuclear industry have not conducted the definite actions yet. It will be reflected in the public eye that nuclear community's attitude toward communication and consultation with the public about risk issues is half-hearted, comparing with chemical and food safety fields which recently launched their risk communication activities. In this study, we conduct risk communication experiments on some risk issues associated with nuclear technology and its utilization in Tokai village, for the purpose of establishment of risk communication in our society that might be one of the new relationships between science and technology and society. The outcomes of FY2002 study are the following threefold; 1) preparation of risk communication experiments on nuclear technology and its utilization, 2) assessment of social effects of risk communication activities, 3) preparation of practical guidebook for risk communication experiments. (J.P.N.)

  2. Safety goals and safety culture opening plenary. 1. WANO's Role in Maintaining and Improving Safety Culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsutsumi, Ryosuke

    2001-01-01

    Over the past several years, operators of the world's nuclear plants have compiled an increasingly impressive record of operational performance. Among the many factors that have led to this improvement are the unprecedented cooperation and information exchange among the world's nuclear operators. This paper presents the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) operating experience program and WANO peer review program as examples of the kinds of interaction that are occurring around the globe to maintain and improve the nuclear safety culture. In addition, some unique features of WANO are discussed. WANO has established four programs to help its members communicate effectively with each other. These include the exchange of operating experiences, voluntary peer reviews, professional and technical development, and technical support and exchange. The operating experience program alerts members to events that have occurred at other NPPs and enables members to take appropriate actions to prevent event recurrence. When an event occurs at a plant, management at that plant analyses the event and completes an event report, which is then sent to the WANO regional center to which the plant belongs. After a regional center review and necessary iteration, the report is posted onto the WANO Web site to make it available to all WANO members. By the end of 2000, more than 1500 event reports had been posted. The WANO Peer Review Program is a unique opportunity for members to learn and share the best worldwide insights into safe and reliable nuclear operations. The peer review program has become one of WANO's most important activities containing all essential elements of WANO's mission. A WANO peer review team consists of 15 to 16 people with NPP experience; most team members are from countries outside the one that they are visiting. These teams of peers from plants around the world visit host plants upon request to identify strengths and areas for improvement, with a strong

  3. A method for quantitative measurement of safety culture based on ISO 26262

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Khabbaz Saberi, A.; Benders, F.; Koch, R.; Lukkien, J.J.; van den Brand, M.G.J.; Parsons, M.; Kelly, T.

    2018-01-01

    Safety culture is the collective attitude of members of an organization regarding safety issues: awareness, communication, knowledge, etc. In the automotive industry, specifically in its Research and Development (R&D) environments, safety culture is relatively new. Recent incidents related to

  4. The effects of crew resource management on teamwork and safety climate at Veterans Health Administration facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Miriam E; Welsh, Deborah E; Paull, Douglas E; Knowles, Regina S; DeLeeuw, Lori D; Hemphill, Robin R; Essen, Keith E; Sculli, Gary L

    2017-11-09

    Communication failure is a significant source of adverse events in health care and a leading root cause of sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission. The Veterans Health Administration National Center for Patient Safety established Clinical Team Training (CTT) as a comprehensive program to enhance patient safety and to improve communication and teamwork among health care professionals. CTT is based on techniques used in aviation's Crew Resource Management (CRM) training. The aviation industry has reached a significant safety record in large part related to the culture change generated by CRM and sustained by its recurrent implementation. This article focuses on the improvement of communication, teamwork, and patient safety by utilizing a standardized, CRM-based, interprofessional, immersive training in diverse clinical areas. The Teamwork and Safety Climate Questionnaire was used to evaluate safety climate before and after CTT. The scores for all of the 27 questions on the questionnaire showed an increase from baseline to 12 months, and 11 of those increases were statistically significant. A recurrent training is recommended to maintain the positive outcomes. CTT enhances patient safety and reduces risk of patient harm by improving teamwork and facilitating clear, concise, specific and timely communication among health care professionals. © 2017 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

  5. Communication: I like

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2015-01-01

    To fulfill its mission to represent CERN personnel with the Management and the Member States, the Staff Council has set up a series of Commissions: employment conditions, pensions, legal matters, social protection, health and safety, InformAction, CAPA (individual cases) and, more recently, Media-Com. As its name suggests the Media-Com Commission deals with all matters of communication. The mandate of the new Commission is to implement and optimize the communication channels that the Staff Association uses to keep you informed. To attract the greatest number of people, Media-Com operates through multiple communication channels, such as articles in the Echo, the Staff Association information bulletin, the Staff Association website (http://staff- association.web.cern.ch/), Facebook, and, more recently, the intra-CERN Social platform. The Social platform is a discussion forum, for exchanging ideas, expressing views, reacting to, and commenting on current events of the Staff Association. To participa...

  6. Report on abnormal climate in 2011

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-12-01

    This paper reports of impact on abnormal climate in 2011. It has Introduction with purpose and background of publish and summary of this report. The cause and current state on abnormal climate of the world and Korea in 2011, Measurement and impact against abnormal climate in 2011 to agriculture, land and maritime, industry and energy, prevention of disasters, environment and health, assessment and advice on the policy. It lists the appendix about occurrence and damage on abnormal climate of the world and Korea in 2011 and media report data.

  7. Pregnancy Complications: Umbilical Cord Abnormalities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Umbilical cord abnormalities Umbilical cord abnormalities Now playing: E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. ... blood supply) to the baby. The two arteries transport waste from the baby to the placenta (where ...

  8. Use of New Communication Technologies to Change NASA Safety Culture: Incorporating the Use of Blogs as a Fundamental Communications Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huls, Dale thomas

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore an innovative approach to culture change at NASA that goes beyond reorganizations, management training, and a renewed emphasis on safety. Over the last five years, a technological social revolution has been emerging from the internet. Blogs (aka web logs) are transforming traditional communication and information sharing outlets away from established information sources such as the media. The Blogosphere has grown from zero blogs in 1999 to approximately 4.5 million as of November 2004 and is expected to double in 2005. Blogs have demonstrated incredible effectiveness and efficiency with regards to affecting major military and political events. Consequently, NASA should embrace the new information paradigm presented by blogging. NASA can derive exceptional benefits from the new technology as follows: 1) Personal blogs can overcome the silent safety culture by giving voice to concerns or questions that are not well understood or seemingly inconsequential to the NASA community at-large without the pressure of formally raising a potential false alarm. Since blogs can be open to Agency-wide participation, an incredible amount of resources from an extensive pool of experience can focus on a single issue, concern, or problem and quickly vetted, discussed and assessed for feasibility, significance, and criticality. The speed for which this could be obtained cannot be matched through any other process or procedure currently in use. 2) Through official NASA established blogs, lessons learned can be a real-time two way process that is formed and implemented from the ground level. Data mining of official NASA blogs and personal blogs of NASA personnel can identify hot button issues and concerns to senior management. 3) NASA blogs could function as a natural ombudsman for the NASA community. Through the recognition of issues being voiced by the community and taking a proactive stance on those issues, credibility within NASA Management

  9. Space Nuclear Power Public and Stakeholder Risk Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, Sandra M.; Sklar, Maria

    2005-01-01

    The 1986 Challenger accident coupled with the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident increased public concern about the safety of spacecraft using nuclear technology. While three nuclear powered spacecraft had been launched before 1986 with little public interest, future nuclear powered missions would see significantly more public concern and require NASA to increase its efforts to communicate mission risks to the public. In 1987 a separate risk communication area within the Launch Approval Planning Group of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was created to address public concern about the health, environmental, and safety risks of NASA missions. The lessons learned from the risk communication strategies developed for the nuclear powered Galileo, Ulysses, and Cassini missions are reviewed in this paper and recommendations are given as to how these lessons can be applied to future NASA missions that may use nuclear power systems and other potentially controversial NASA missions.

  10. Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction is often associated with coexistent abnormal esophageal body motility and abnormal bolus transit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, E; Gideon, R M; Sloan, J; Katz, P O

    2017-10-01

    Currently, the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders is in part based upon a hierarchical algorithm in which abnormalities of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) is prioritized. An important metric in evaluating the EGJ is the integrated relaxation pressure (IRP). Patients who do not have achalasia but are found to have an elevated IRP are diagnosed with EGJ outflow obstruction. It has been our observation that a subset of these patients also has a second named motility disorder and may also have abnormal bolus transit. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of abnormal body motility and or abnormal bolus movement in patients with EGJ outflow obstruction. Further, in an effort to evaluate the potential clinical value in measuring bolus transit as a complement to esophageal manometry, specifically in patients with EGJ outflow obstruction, we analyzed the presenting symptoms of these patients. A total of 807 patients with a mean age of 53 years completed esophageal function testing with impedance monitoring and high-resolution manometry between January 2012 and October 2016. There were 74 patients with achalasia who were excluded from the study. Of the remaining 733 patients, 138 (19%) had an elevated IRP and were given a diagnosis of EGJ outflow obstruction. Among these patients, 56 (40%) were diagnosed with an abnormal motility pattern to liquids (ineffective esophageal motility = 28, distal esophageal spasm = 19, Jackhammer = 6), of which 44 (76%) had abnormal bolus transit to liquids, viscous, or both. In contrast, there were 82 patients with EGJ outflow obstruction and normal esophageal motility, of which 33 (40%) had abnormal bolus transit. Patients with preserved esophageal motility and EGJ outflow obstruction were then evaluated. Of the 733 patients, 299 (40%) had intact esophageal motility. Of the 299 patients with normal esophageal motility, 56 patients had an elevated IRP, of which 16 (28%) had abnormal bolus transit. There were 243 (33

  11. Communicating with wildland interface communities during wildfire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Jonathan G.; Gillette, Shana C.; Hodgson, Ronald W.; Downing, Judith L.

    2005-01-01

    An inter-agency research team studied communications during the small Bridge Fire in southern California, as well the before-, during-, and post-fire communications of an extreme fire event (Old and Grand Prix Fires) in the same area in the fall of 2003. This “quick-response” research showed that pre-fire communication planning was particularly effective for small fire events, and parts of such planning - especially the inter-agency coordination through the establishment and work of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce [MAST] – proved invaluable for the large fire event.

  12. Exercises to Improve Gait Abnormalities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Articles Directories Videos Resources Contact Exercises to Improve Gait Abnormalities Home » Article Categories » Exercise and Fitness Font Size: A A A A Exercises to Improve Gait Abnormalities Next Page The manner of how a ...

  13. Models of Intercultural Communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magid Al-Araki

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The research question addressed in this article is, “To which extent does intercultural communication depend on self-understanding, accumulated during the process of socialization, as well as the feeling of safety?” This question may have received less attention from researchers. This article draws upon modern and classical theories to explain the concept of self-understanding and the feeling of safety conceived in two meta-analytical models of socialization. The models were applied in a longitudinal study. They will be explained in detail, and the findings of the study will be discussed.

  14. Evaluation of patient safety culture among Malaysian retail pharmacists: results of a self-reported survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sivanandy P

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Palanisamy Sivanandy,1 Mari Kannan Maharajan,1 Kingston Rajiah,1 Tan Tyng Wei,2 Tan Wee Loon,2 Lim Chong Yee2 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, 2School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Background: Patient safety is a major public health issue, and the knowledge, skills, and experience of health professionals are very much essential for improving patient safety. Patient safety and medication error are very much associated. Pharmacists play a significant role in patient safety. The function of pharmacists in the medication use process is very different from medical and nursing colleagues. Medication dispensing accuracy is a vital element to ensure the safety and quality of medication use.Objective: To evaluate the attitude and perception of the pharmacist toward patient safety in retail pharmacies setup in Malaysia.Methods: A Pharmacy Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire was used to assess patient safety culture, developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the convenience sampling method was adopted.Results: The overall positive response rate ranged from 31.20% to 87.43%, and the average positive response rate was found to be 67%. Among all the eleven domains pertaining to patient safety culture, the scores of “staff training and skills” were less. Communication openness, and patient counseling are common, but not practiced regularly in the Malaysian retail pharmacy setup compared with those in USA. The overall perception of patient safety of an acceptable level in the current retail pharmacy setup.Conclusion: The study revealed that staff training, skills, communication in patient counseling, and communication across shifts and about mistakes are less in current retail pharmacy setup. The overall perception of patient safety should be improved by educating the pharmacists about the significance and essential of patient safety. Keywords

  15. [Perception of safety climate in outpatient pediatric care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldegger, Claudia; Zeller, Adelheid

    2013-02-01

    In ambulant pediatric care, patients situations are becoming increasingly complex, because the lenght of hospital stay is reduced since the introduction of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG). Consequently, the patients' safety is constantly becoming more important. The patients' safety is closely associated with the nurses' awareness of risks and the safety climate within the institution. This study is investigating how nurses of a pediatric outpatient service estimate the patients' safety and how that can be optimized, if necessary. As part of a cross-sectional study, a total of 106 nurses of the pediatric outpatient service were interviewed with a modified German version of the "Patient Safety Climate Inventory (Patientensicherheitsklima-Inventar, PaSKI)". Data was analysed by a descriptive statistical method. The return rate was 80.2 percent. The results show a very high awareness of patients' safety issues as well as a high level of satisfaction concerning team collaboration. Both results have a positive influence on the safety-climate. Problems are associated mainly with the incident reporting system, e.g. with reporting critical incidents and communicating after reporting. This indicates the importance of a useable incident reporting system, which--in combination with staff training--may be an important step towards a structured risk management. Furthermore, it clarifies the importance of transparent communication after a reported incident, as also described in the literature.

  16. The Impact of Visibility on Teamwork, Collaborative Communication, and Security in Emergency Departments: An Exploratory Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharaveis, Arsalan; Hamilton, D Kirk; Pati, Debajyoti; Shepley, Mardelle

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the influence of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in emergency departments (EDs). This research explored whether with high visibility in EDs, teamwork and collaborative communication can be improved while the security issues will be reduced. Visibility has been regarded as a critical design consideration and can be directly and considerably impacted by ED's physical design. Teamwork is one of the major related operational outcomes of visibility and involves nurses, support staff, and physicians. The collaborative communication in an ED is another important factor in the process of care delivery and affects efficiency and safety. Furthermore, security is a behavioral factor in ED designs, which includes all types of safety including staff safety, patient safety, and the safety of visitors and family members. This qualitative study investigated the impact of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in the ED. One-on-one interviews and on-site observation sessions were conducted in a community hospital. Corresponding data analysis was implemented by using computer plan analysis, observation and interview content, and theme analyses. The findings of this exploratory study provided a framework to identify visibility as an influential factor in ED design. High levels of visibility impact productivity and efficiency of teamwork and communication and improve the chance of lowering security issues. The findings of this study also contribute to the general body of knowledge about the effect of physical design on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security.

  17. Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morello, Samuel A. (Compiler)

    1990-01-01

    The Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference - 1989 was sponsored by the NASA Langley Research Center on 11 to 12 October 1989. The conference, held at the Sheraton Beach Inn and Conference Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was chaired by Samuel A. Morello. The primary objective of the conference was to ensure effective communication and technology transfer by providing a forum for technical interchange of current operational problems and program results to date. The Aviation Safety/Automation Program has as its primary goal to improve the safety of the national airspace system through the development and integration of human-centered automation technologies for aircraft crews and air traffic controllers.

  18. Automobile inspection system based on wireless communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Changyun; Ye, Chunqing

    2010-07-01

    This paper aims to research the Automobile Inspection System based on Wireless Communication, and suggests an overall design scheme which uses GPS for speed detection and Bluetooth and GPRS for communication. The communication between PDA and PC was realized by means of GPRS and TCP/IP; and the hardware circuit and software for detection terminal were devised by means of JINOU-3264 Bluetooth Module after analyzing the Bluetooth and its communication protocol. According to the results of debugging test, this system accomplished GPRS based data communication and management as well as the real-time detection on auto safety performance parameters in crash test via PC, whereby the need for mobility and reliability was met and the efficiency and level of detection was improved.

  19. EDRP public local inquiry, UKAEA/BNFL precognition on: Safety aspects of EDRP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, M.L.

    1986-01-01

    The safety of the proposed EDRP is discussed, paying particular attention to the environmental impact in both normal operation, and in abnormal or accident conditions. The radiological exposure resulting from EDRP discharges during normal operation is estimated. Design measures for ensuring worker and public safety during both routine and non-routine operation are outlined. The strategy for considering unlikely but potentially more serious accidents in EDRP design is outlined. (U.K.)

  20. The International Technical Safety Forum

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2010-01-01

    The International Technical Safety Forum is a meeting of safety experts from several physics labs in Europe and the US. Since 1998 participants have been meeting every couple of years to discuss common challenges in safety matters. The Forum helps them define best practices and learn from the important lessons learned by others.   The Forum's participants in front of building 40. This year, the meeting took place at CERN from 12 to 16 April. “This year's meeting covered subjects ranging from communication and training in matters of safety, to cryogenic safety, emergency preparedness and risk analysis”, explains Ralf Trant, head of the CERN Safety Commission and organiser of this year’s Forum. Radiation protection issues are not discussed at the meeting since they involve different expertise. The goal of the Forum is to allow participants to share experience, learn lessons and acquire specific knowledge in a very open way. Round-table discussions, dedicated time for ...

  1. Risk communication. The key of the policy success

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Covalschi, Valentina

    2005-01-01

    Today, in a democratic society, nuclear power development is subject to public acceptance. The acceptance of the nuclear activities development implies both the approval by the government's proper authorities and also the standpoints of the civil society, expressed in forms more or less institutionalized. The public has an important role to play in addressing issues of health, safety and environment. Therefore, all activities of a nuclear organization need to be both transparent and should provide for the public's appropriate involvement, with input not only from the nuclear community, but also from members of the public, interested groups, media, as well as public representatives in local and national councils and groups. How to communicate clearly with the public is a very challenging job that requires special attention. Risk communication is the art or practice of talking about scientific information and principles to a non - expert audience. Its goal is to convey accurate and trustworthy information about safety to decision - makers, the public, or anyone else with an interest in the safety of the public or themselves. The science of communication, public education for a proper perception of risks are the key for attaining social acceptance of any technology that is about to become part of the sustainable development process and hence, of nuclear energy. The paper describes the way our nuclear organization is acting and the results in risk communication activity it achieves. (author)

  2. Risk perception and communication in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodoo, Alexander; Hugman, Bruce

    2012-11-01

    In this narrative review, a brief summary of theoretical approaches to risk perception is followed by an analysis of some of the special factors influencing risk perception and risk communication in sub-Saharan Africa. Examples of recent and emergent local medicines and vaccine controversies in several countries are given along with evidence and analysis of how they were managed. These demonstrate, among other things, the extent to which ethnic, religious and cultural issues influence popular perception, and the power of rumour and anecdote in shaping public opinion and official responses to events. Where safety monitoring systems exist, they are in their infancy, with limited capacity for data collection, credible scientific review, effective public communication and robust crisis management. Although increasing democratic freedoms, including less restricted media, and evolving health systems are addressing the challenges and give hope for further progress, there are still deep and intractable issues that inhibit transparent and effective risk communication and stand in the way of African populations comprehending medicines and their risks in safer and more balanced ways. Some proposals for future change and action are offered, including the pursuit of a deeper understanding of local and national values, assumptions and beliefs that drive risk perception; tailoring public health planning and communications to specifically-targeted regions and populations; strengthening of safety surveillance and data-collection systems; giving higher priority to medicines safety issues in healthcare training and public education.

  3. Memetics clarification of abnormal behavior

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    AIM: Biological medicine is hard to fully and scientifically explain the etiological factor and pathogenesis of abnormal behaviors; while, researches on philosophy and psychology (including memetics) are beneficial to better understand and explain etiological factor and pathogenesis of abnormal behaviors. At present, the theory of philosophy and psychology is to investigate the entity of abnormal behavior based on the views of memetics.METHODS: Abnormal behavior was researched in this study based on three aspects, including instinctive behavior disorder, poorly social-adapted behavior disorder and mental or body disease associated behavior disorder. Most main viewpoints of memetics were derived from "The Meme Machine", which was written by Susan Blackmore. When questions about abnormal behaviors induced by mental and psychological diseases and conduct disorder of teenagers were discussed, some researching achievements which were summarized by authors previously were added in this study, such as aggressive behaviors, pathologically aggressive behaviors, etc.RESULTS: The abnormal behaviors mainly referred to a part of people's substandard behaviors which were not according with the realistic social environment, culture background and the pathologic behaviors resulted from people's various psychological diseases. According to the theory of "meme", it demonstrated that the relevant behavioral obstacles of various psychological diseases, for example, the unusual behavior of schizophrenia, were caused, because the old meme was destroyed thoroughly but the new meme was unable to establish; psychoneurosis and personality disorder were resulted in hard establishment of meme; the behavioral obstacles which were ill-adapted to society, for example, various additional and homosexual behaviors, were because of the selfish replications and imitations of "additional meme" and "homosexual meme"; various instinct behavioral and congenital intelligent obstacles were not significance

  4. Neurologic abnormalities in murderers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blake, P Y; Pincus, J H; Buckner, C

    1995-09-01

    Thirty-one individuals awaiting trial or sentencing for murder or undergoing an appeal process requested a neurologic examination through legal counsel. We attempted in each instance to obtain EEG, MRI or CT, and neuropsychological testing. Neurologic examination revealed evidence of "frontal" dysfunction in 20 (64.5%). There were symptoms or some other evidence of temporal lobe abnormality in nine (29%). We made a specific neurologic diagnosis in 20 individuals (64.5%), including borderline or full mental retardation (9) and cerebral palsy (2), among others. Neuropsychological testing revealed abnormalities in all subjects tested. There were EEG abnormalities in eight of the 20 subjects tested, consisting mainly of bilateral sharp waves with slowing. There were MRI or CT abnormalities in nine of the 19 subjects tested, consisting primarily of atrophy and white matter changes. Psychiatric diagnoses included paranoid schizophrenia (8), dissociative disorder (4), and depression (9). Virtually all subjects had paranoid ideas and misunderstood social situations. There was a documented history of profound, protracted physical abuse in 26 (83.8%) and of sexual abuse in 10 (32.3%). It is likely that prolonged, severe physical abuse, paranoia, and neurologic brain dysfunction interact to form the matrix of violent behavior.

  5. Somatosensory abnormalities in knee OA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wylde, Vikki; Palmer, Shea; Learmonth, Ian D; Dieppe, Paul

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this study was to use quantitative sensory testing (QST) to explore the range and prevalence of somatosensory abnormalities demonstrated by patients with advanced knee OA. One hundred and seven knee OA patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy participants attended a 1-h QST session. Testing was performed on the medial side of the knee and the pain-free forearm. Light-touch thresholds were assessed using von Frey filaments, pressure pain thresholds using a digital pressure algometer, and thermal sensation and pain thresholds using a Thermotest MSA. Significant differences in median threshold values from knee OA patients and healthy participants were identified using Mann-Whitney U-tests. The z-score transformations were used to determine the prevalence of the different somatosensory abnormalities in knee OA patients. Testing identified 70% of knee OA patients as having at least one somatosensory abnormality. Comparison of median threshold values between knee OA patients and healthy participants revealed that patients had localized thermal and tactile hypoaesthesia and pressure hyperalgesia at the osteoarthritic knee. Tactile hypoaesthesia and pressure hyperalgesia were also present at the pain-free forearm. The most prevalent somatosensory abnormalities were tactile hypoaesthesia and pressure hyperalgesia, evident in between 20 and 34% of patients. This study found that OA patients demonstrate an array of somatosensory abnormalities, of which the most prevalent were tactile hypoaesthesia and pressure hyperalgesia. Further research is now needed to establish the clinical implications of these somatosensory abnormalities.

  6. Global Communication with Icons : Hotel Safety as an Environmental Context

    OpenAIRE

    Heimbürger, Anneli; Khanom, Sukanya

    2015-01-01

    Icons are small signs with fixed meanings. Icons are usually context specific. For example in the context of a hotel, the client can often find icons in hotel room books and safety guides. Scandic Hotel chain, for example, currently provides the manual for its safety system in 14 languages. There are at least two major shortcomings of this system: (1) in emergency or panic situations, it is very difficult to find your own language from the leaflet, and (2) there are no Asian ...

  7. The role of technology in clinician-to-clinician communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, Lisa M; Ladner, Daniela P; Holl, Jane L

    2013-12-01

    Incomplete, fragmented and poorly organised communications contribute to more than half the errors that lead to adverse and sentinel events. Meanwhile, communication software and devices with expanding capabilities are rapidly proliferating and being introduced into the healthcare setting. Clinicians face a large communication burden, which has been exacerbated by the additional challenge of selecting a mode of communication. In addition to specific communication devices, some hospitals have implemented advanced technological systems to assist with communication. However, few studies have provided empirical evidence of the specific advantages and disadvantages of the different devices used for communication. Given the increasing quantities of information transmitted to and by clinicians, evaluations of how communication methods and devices can improve the quality, safety and outcomes of healthcare are needed.

  8. Insights from an international stakeholder consultation to identify informational needs related to seafood safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tediosi, Alice, E-mail: alice.tediosi@aeiforia.eu [Aeiforia Srl, 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC) (Italy); Fait, Gabriella [Aeiforia Srl, 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC) (Italy); Jacobs, Silke [Department of Public Health, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Verbeke, Wim [Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Álvarez-Muñoz, Diana [Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona (Spain); Diogene, Jorge [IRTA, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Spain); Reuver, Marieke [AquaTT, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Marques, António [Division of Aquaculture and Upgrading (DivAV), Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), 1449-006 Lisbon (Portugal); Capri, Ettore [Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza (Italy)

    2015-11-15

    Food safety assessment and communication have a strong importance in reducing human health risks related to food consumption. The research carried out within the ECsafeSEAFOOD project aims to assess seafood safety issues, mainly related to non-regulated priority environmental contaminants, and to evaluate their impact on public health. In order to make the research results accessible and exploitable, and to respond to actual stakeholders' demands, a consultation with international stakeholders was performed by means of a survey. The focus was on policy and decision makers, food producers and processors, and agencies (i.e. EU and National or Regional agencies related to Food Safety or Public Health) and consumer organisations. The survey considered questions related to: seafood safety assessment and mitigation strategies, availability of data, such as the level of information on different contaminants, and communication among different stakeholder groups. Furthermore, stakeholders were asked to give their opinion on how they believe consumers perceive risks associated with environmental contaminants. The survey was distributed to 531 key stakeholders and 91 responses were received from stakeholders from 30 EU and non-EU countries. The main results show that communication between different groups of stakeholders needs to be improved and that there is a deficit of information and data in the field of seafood safety. This pertains mainly to the transfer of contaminants between the environment and seafood, and to the diversity of environmental contaminants such as plastic additives, algal toxins and hormones. On-line tools were perceived to be the most useful communication channel. - Highlights: • We consulted stakeholders to identify their needs about seafood safety. • An on-line survey was prepared and sent to gather stakeholders' opinions. • Communication among stakeholders needs to be improved. • There is a deficit of information and data in the

  9. Insights from an international stakeholder consultation to identify informational needs related to seafood safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tediosi, Alice; Fait, Gabriella; Jacobs, Silke; Verbeke, Wim; Álvarez-Muñoz, Diana; Diogene, Jorge; Reuver, Marieke; Marques, António; Capri, Ettore

    2015-01-01

    Food safety assessment and communication have a strong importance in reducing human health risks related to food consumption. The research carried out within the ECsafeSEAFOOD project aims to assess seafood safety issues, mainly related to non-regulated priority environmental contaminants, and to evaluate their impact on public health. In order to make the research results accessible and exploitable, and to respond to actual stakeholders' demands, a consultation with international stakeholders was performed by means of a survey. The focus was on policy and decision makers, food producers and processors, and agencies (i.e. EU and National or Regional agencies related to Food Safety or Public Health) and consumer organisations. The survey considered questions related to: seafood safety assessment and mitigation strategies, availability of data, such as the level of information on different contaminants, and communication among different stakeholder groups. Furthermore, stakeholders were asked to give their opinion on how they believe consumers perceive risks associated with environmental contaminants. The survey was distributed to 531 key stakeholders and 91 responses were received from stakeholders from 30 EU and non-EU countries. The main results show that communication between different groups of stakeholders needs to be improved and that there is a deficit of information and data in the field of seafood safety. This pertains mainly to the transfer of contaminants between the environment and seafood, and to the diversity of environmental contaminants such as plastic additives, algal toxins and hormones. On-line tools were perceived to be the most useful communication channel. - Highlights: • We consulted stakeholders to identify their needs about seafood safety. • An on-line survey was prepared and sent to gather stakeholders' opinions. • Communication among stakeholders needs to be improved. • There is a deficit of information and data in the field of

  10. 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.

  11. A Step Toward High Reliability: Implementation of a Daily Safety Brief in a Children's Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saysana, Michele; McCaskey, Marjorie; Cox, Elaine; Thompson, Rachel; Tuttle, Lora K; Haut, Paul R

    2017-09-01

    Health care is a high-risk industry. To improve communication about daily events and begin the journey toward a high reliability organization, the Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health implemented a daily safety brief. Various departments in our children's hospital were asked to participate in a daily safety brief, reporting daily events and unexpected outcomes within their scope of responsibility. Participants were surveyed before and after implementation of the safety brief about communication and awareness of events in the hospital. The length of the brief and percentage of departments reporting unexpected outcomes were measured. The analysis of the presurvey and the postsurvey showed a statistically significant improvement in the questions related to the awareness of daily events as well as communication and relationships between departments. The monthly mean length of time for the brief was 15 minutes or less. Unexpected outcomes were reported by 50% of the departments for 8 months. A daily safety brief can be successfully implemented in a children's hospital. Communication between departments and awareness of daily events were improved. Implementation of a daily safety brief is a step toward becoming a high reliability organization.

  12. Safety report on WWR-S reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horyna, J.; Kaisler, L.; Listik, E.

    1981-04-01

    The present Safety Report of the WWR-S reactor summarizes findings obtained during the trial and partially also permanent operation of the reactor after two stages of its reconstruction implemented between 1974 and 1976. Most data are presented necessary for assessing probable risks of possible accident conditions whose consequences pose health hazards to individuals of the population, radiation personnel and the facilities themselves. Attention is devoted to the description of the locality, to components and systems, heat removal from the core, design aspects, the quality of new and old parts of the technological circuits, the systems of protection and control, the emergency core cooling system, the problems of radiation safety, and to the safety analyses of the abnormal states envisaged. The Report was compiled with regard to IAEA and CMEA recommendations concerning safe operation of research reactors and to the recommendations and binding decisions of the Czechoslovak Atomic Energy Commission. (author)

  13. Developing Software to “Track and Catch” Missed Follow-up of Abnormal Test Results in a Complex Sociotechnical Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, M.; Murphy, D.; Laxmisan, A.; Sittig, D.; Reis, B.; Esquivel, A.; Singh, H.

    2013-01-01

    Summary Background Abnormal test results do not always receive timely follow-up, even when providers are notified through electronic health record (EHR)-based alerts. High workload, alert fatigue, and other demands on attention disrupt a provider’s prospective memory for tasks required to initiate follow-up. Thus, EHR-based tracking and reminding functionalities are needed to improve follow-up. Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop a decision-support software prototype enabling individual and system-wide tracking of abnormal test result alerts lacking follow-up, and to conduct formative evaluations, including usability testing. Methods We developed a working prototype software system, the Alert Watch And Response Engine (AWARE), to detect abnormal test result alerts lacking documented follow-up, and to present context-specific reminders to providers. Development and testing took place within the VA’s EHR and focused on four cancer-related abnormal test results. Design concepts emphasized mitigating the effects of high workload and alert fatigue while being minimally intrusive. We conducted a multifaceted formative evaluation of the software, addressing fit within the larger socio-technical system. Evaluations included usability testing with the prototype and interview questions about organizational and workflow factors. Participants included 23 physicians, 9 clinical information technology specialists, and 8 quality/safety managers. Results Evaluation results indicated that our software prototype fit within the technical environment and clinical workflow, and physicians were able to use it successfully. Quality/safety managers reported that the tool would be useful in future quality assurance activities to detect patients who lack documented follow-up. Additionally, we successfully installed the software on the local facility’s “test” EHR system, thus demonstrating technical compatibility. Conclusion To address the factors involved in missed

  14. Improving the Way State and Federal Co-Regulators Communicate about Risk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Easton, E.; Janairo, L.R.

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores risk communications concepts that could be used by Federal and state governments to help the public understand how government officials rely on risk analysis and management to ensure that shipments of spent fuel and other radioactive wastes take place in a safe, secure manner that merits public confidence. A key focus in the communication concepts put forward in the paper is the relationship between understanding and validating the public's concerns and explaining how those concerns are being addressed by current safety requirements and practices. The authors will recommend best practices to state and Federal officials that have the responsibility for communicating with the public about radioactive waste transportation. The paper will also suggest ways to bring these state and federal co-regulators together to communicate more effectively and to speak with one voice on the issue of shipment safety. (authors)

  15. Psychological impact, support and information needs for women with an abnormal Pap smear: comparative results of a questionnaire in three European countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Anna

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Extensive information on cervical cancer is currently available. Its effectiveness in reducing anxiety in women receiving abnormal Pap tests is not clear. We investigated current practices of communicating abnormal Pap results to evaluate women's reactions and determine the sources of information they use subsequently. Methods A self-administered questionnaire-based study was performed in 1475 women in France, Spain and Portugal who had received an abnormal Pap smear result in the 12 months prior to completing the questionnaire. Questions covered methods of communication of the result, emotional reactions, support received (from the physician and entourage, and information sources, using pre-specified check box options and rating scales. Data were analyzed by country. Results Pap test results were mostly communicated by phone to Spanish women (76%, while physician letters were common in France (59% and Portugal (36%. Frequent reactions were anxiety, panic and stress, which were less common in Spanish women than their French and Portuguese counterparts. After discussing with their physician, half of the participants were worried, despite rating highly the psychological support received. Over 90% of women in each country discussed their results with family or friends. Partners provided a high level of support. Overall, the abnormal diagnosis and consequences had a low to medium impact on daily, professional and family life and their relationships with their partner. Impact was higher in Spanish women than the French or Portuguese. Information on the diagnosis and its treatment was rated average, and nearly 80% of participants wanted more information, notably French women. Preferred sources were the physician and the Internet. Conclusions Women expressed a strong wish for more information about cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases, and that their physician play a major role in its provision and in support. There was a

  16. Experimental loop for fast neutron fuels under normal, abnormal, transient and emergency conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauge, M.; Colomez, G.; Marfaing, R.J.; Mourain, M.

    1976-01-01

    Within the scope of safety experiments on power reactor fuels, an experimental loop is described which can, by reduction of the flow, flush the sodium joint of vented mixed carbide fuel elements and allow the study of the resulting phenomena. With the help of the annex laboratories at OSIRIS, the control test can be analyzed and followed, with special attention to the study of the migration of fission products inside and outside the fuel. This apparatus can, of course, also be used for testing the fuels under normal and abnormal working conditions [fr

  17. Analysis of time in establishing synchronization radio communication system with expanded spectrum conditions for communication with mobile robots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latinovic, T. S.; Kalabic, S. B.; Barz, C. R.; Petrica, P. Paul; Pop-Vădean, A.

    2018-01-01

    This paper analyzes the influence of the Doppler Effect on the length of time to establish synchronization pseudorandom sequences in radio communications systems with an expanded spectrum. Also, this paper explores the possibility of using secure wireless communication for modular robots. Wireless communication could be used for local and global communication. We analyzed a radio communication system integrator, including the two effects of the Doppler signal on the duration of establishing synchronization of the received and locally generated pseudorandom sequence. The effects of the impact of the variability of the phase were analyzed between the said sequences and correspondence of the phases of these signals with the interval of time of acquisition of received sequences. An analysis of these impacts is essential in the transmission of signal and protection of the transfer of information in the communication systems with an expanded range (telecommunications, mobile telephony, Global Navigation Satellite System GNSS, and wireless communication). Results show that wireless communication can provide a safety approach for communication with mobile robots.

  18. Safety and observer variability of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging combined with low-dose dobutamine stress-testing in patients with complex congenital heart disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Robbers-Visser, D.; Luijnenburg, S.E.; Berg, J. van den; Roos-Hesselink, J.W.; Strengers, J.L.; Kapusta, L.; Moelker, A.; Helbing, W.A.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) abnormal ventricular stress responses have been reported with dobutamine stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DCMR). These abnormal stress responses are potential indicators of long-term outcome. However, safety and

  19. Abnormal glutamate release in aged BTBR mouse model of autism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Hongen; Ding, Caiyun; Jin, Guorong; Yin, Haizhen; Liu, Jianrong; Hu, Fengyun

    2015-01-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal reciprocal social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Most of the available research on autism is focused on children and young adults and little is known about the pathological alternation of autism in older adults. In order to investigate the neurobiological alternation of autism in old age stage, we compared the morphology and synaptic function of excitatory synapses between the BTBR mice with low level sociability and B6 mice with high level sociability. The results revealed that the number of excitatory synapse colocalized with pre- and post-synaptic marker was not different between aged BTBR and B6 mice. The aged BTBR mice had a normal structure of dendritic spine and the expression of Shank3 protein in the brain as well as that in B6 mice. The baseline and KCl-evoked glutamate release from the cortical synaptoneurosome in aged BTBR mice was lower than that in aged B6 mice. Overall, the data indicate that there is a link between disturbances of the glutamate transmission and autism. These findings provide new evidences for the hypothesis of excitation/inhibition imbalance in autism. Further work is required to determine the cause of this putative abnormality.

  20. Communications programme for the RA nuclear reactor decommission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milanovic, S.; Antic, D.

    2002-01-01

    During the decommissioning of the RA research nuclear reactor at the VINCA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, an adequate number of radiation and contamination surveys should be conduced to assure radiological safety of the workers, the public and the environment. Public would like to know more about the nuclear and radiological safety. The communications programme defines the ways to informing the public, its representatives and the information media about the health and safety aspects of the activities during the RA nuclear reactor decommission. (author)

  1. Dimensions of Safety Climate among Iranian Nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konjin, Z Naghavi; Shokoohi, Y; Zarei, F; Rahimzadeh, M; Sarsangi, V

    2015-10-01

    Workplace safety has been a concern of workers and managers for decades. Measuring safety climate is crucial in improving safety performance. It is also a method of benchmarking safety perception. To develop and validate a psychometrics scale for measuring nurses' safety climate. Literature review, subject matter experts and nurse's judgment were used in items developing. Content validity and reliability for new tool were tested by content validity index (CVI) and test-retest analysis, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation was used to improve the interpretation of latent factors. A 40-item scale in 6 factors was developed, which could explain 55% of the observed variance. The 6 factors included employees' involvement in safety and management support, compliance with safety rules, safety training and accessibility to personal protective equipment, hindrance to safe work, safety communication and job pressure, and individual risk perception. The proposed scale can be used in identifying the needed areas to implement interventions in safety climate of nurses.

  2. Effective communication with primary care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Karen

    2014-08-01

    Effective communication requires direct interaction between the hospitalist and the primary care provider using a standardized method of information exchange with the opportunity to ask questions and assign accountability for follow-up roles. The discharge summary is part of the process but does not provide the important aspects of handoff, such as closed loop communication and role assignments. Hospital discharge is a significant safety risk for patients, with more than half of discharged patients experiencing at least one error. Hospitalist and primary care providers need to collaborate to develop a standardized system to communicate about shared patients that meets handoff requirements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Promoting safety in nuclear installations. The IAEA has established safety standards for nuclear reactors and provides expert review and safety services to assist Member States in their application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    More than 430 nuclear power plants (NPPs) are currently operating in 30 countries around the world. The nuclear share of total electricity production ranges from about 20 percent in the Czech Republic and United States to nearly 78 percent in France and Lithuania. Worldwide, nuclear power generates about 16% of the total electricity. The safety of such nuclear installations is fundamental. Every aspect of a power plant must be closely supervised and scrutinized by national regulatory bodies to ensure safety at every phase. These aspects include design, construction, commissioning, trial operation, commercial operation, repair and maintenance, plant upgrades, radiation doses to workers, radioactive waste management and, ultimately, plant decommissioning. Safety fundamentals comprise defence-in-depth, which means having in place multiple levels of protection. nuclear facilities; regulatory responsibility; communicating with the public; adoption of the international convention on nuclear safety including implementation of IAEA nuclear safety standards. This publication covers topics of designing for safety (including safety concepts, design principles, and human factors); operating safety (including safety culture and advance in operational safety); risk assessment and management

  4. Wireless communication, tracking in mines topic of symposium

    OpenAIRE

    Trulove, Susan

    2006-01-01

    In response to the call for increased mine safety and improved underground communications in the wake of recent mining fatalities, the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech is cooperating with the Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy to offer a Symposium on the Capabilities and Availability of Wireless Communication and Tracking Systems for Underground Coal Mines.

  5. Strategy for public understanding and participation in nuclear safety regulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, H. J.; Chung, Yun Hyung

    2004-02-15

    The objective of this study is to help the general public and local residents to better understand and trust nuclear safety regulation. In order to obtain public confidence in nuclear safety regulation, the emotion and demand of public should be first understood and the change in an attitude to meet the present circumstances actively is requisite. Hence it is intended that a genuine communication shall be newly arranged and accomplished on the basis of mutual understanding. To achieve this, a series of public opinion poll have performed periodically and symposium for the public acceptance is held in order to frame a policy based on the understanding of nuclear safety and regulation of the general public and local residents. Besides nuclear safety indicators including safety sentiment indicators are being developed as a means to understand the safety of operating nuclear power plants from the viewpoint of the general public, a plan for the harmonious communication of nuclear safety information is established, and handbooks of nuclear terminologies and report-writing are under development in part. Finally plans for convergence of the public opinions and a wide public involvement in nuclear safety regulation are formulated and their applicability as organization and administration program is now under consideration.

  6. Patient Drug Safety Reporting: Diabetes Patients' Perceptions of Drug Safety and How to Improve Reporting of Adverse Events and Product Complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Puja; Spears, David; Eriksen, Betina Østergaard; Lollike, Karsten; Sacco, Michael

    2018-03-01

    Global health care manufacturer Novo Nordisk commissioned research regarding awareness of drug safety department activities and potential to increase patient feedback. Objectives were to examine patients' knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturers' responsibilities and efforts regarding drug safety, their perceptions and experiences related to these efforts, and how these factors influence their thoughts and behaviors. Data were collected before and after respondents read a description of a drug safety department and its practices. We conducted quantitative survey research across 608 health care consumers receiving treatment for diabetes in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy. This research validated initial, exploratory qualitative research (across 40 comparable consumers from the same countries) which served to guide design of the larger study. Before reading a drug safety department description, 55% of respondents were unaware these departments collect safety information on products and patients. After reading the description, 34% reported the department does more than they expected to ensure drug safety, and 56% reported "more confidence" in the industry as a whole. Further, 66% reported themselves more likely to report an adverse event or product complaint, and 60% reported that they were more likely to contact a drug safety department with questions. The most preferred communication methods were websites/online forums (39%), email (27%), and telephone (25%). Learning about drug safety departments elevates consumers' confidence in manufacturers' safety efforts and establishes potential for patients to engage in increased self-monitoring and reporting. Study results reveal potentially actionable insights for the industry across patient and physician programs and communications.

  7. Preferred communication methods of abused women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilroy, Heidi; McFarlane, Judith; Nava, Angeles; Maddoux, John

    2013-01-01

    To determine preferred communication methods of abused women. A naturalistic study utilizing principles of Community Based Participatory Research. A total of 300 first time users of criminal justice or safe shelter for abused women were interviewed in person. The Preferred Communication Questionnaire was used to determine preference. Given the choice of phone voice, face to face, phone text, e-mail, or Facebook, traditional methods of communication (face-to-face communication and phone voice) were the primary (80% combined) and secondary (58.6% combined) preferred sources among abused women. A total of 292 women (97.3%) gave at least two preferred methods of communication, 255 (85%) gave three preferred methods, 190 (63%) gave four, and 132 (44%) used all five methods. Public health nurses and other professionals who serve abused women should be aware of their preferred method of communication for contact. The women in the sample preferred face-to-face and phone-voice communication; however, many were open to newer forms of communication such as texting and Facebook. Caution should be used to protect the safety of abused women when using any kind of communication. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Timing Analysis of Rate Constrained Traffic for the TTEthernet Communication Protocol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tamas-Selicean, Domitian; Pop, Paul; Steiner, Wilfried

    2015-01-01

    Ethernet is a low-cost communication solution offering high transmission speeds. Although its applications extend beyond computer networking, Ethernet is not suitable for real-time and safety-critical systems. To alleviate this, several real-time Ethernet-based communication protocols have been...

  9. Design of diverse safety rod and its drive mechanism of PFBR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayashree, R.; Govindarajan, S.; Chetal, S.C.

    1997-01-01

    In Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), there are two types of absorber rods for control and shutdown of the reactor in the event of any abnormal event. They are: (i) Control and Safety Rod (CSR) and (ii) the Diverse Safety Rod (DSR). Of these, the former (CSR) caters to the control function of the reactor during normal operating conditions and to the shutdown during abnormal situations. The DSR, on the other hand is meant essentially for the reactor shutdown to take care of any abnormal transient. It is rather important to note that functionally the DSR is independent of CSR in the sense, that it can bring the reactor to a cold shutdown state and maintain it even under the hypothetical condition of the failure of CSR. From the design point of view, this stipulates a failure probability of less than 10 -4 per demand. The DSR is normally parked above the core by the Diverse Safety Rod Drive Mechanism (DSRDM). On receiving a scram signal it gets released from the holding electromagnet and falls under the gravity into the core. Diverse features are incorporated both in the absorber rods and in the drive mechanisms to avoid common mode failures. This paper discusses the salient features of DSR and DSRDM. A brief account of detailed design, analysis and development of two important subassemblies viz. electromagnet and sodium dash pot is also presented. In addition, a brief comparison between CSR and DSR including their drive mechanisms is also provided. (author)

  10. The Nordic programme for nuclear safety 1990-1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-02-01

    The description of planned projects concerning nuclear safety is divided under the headings of readiness for action in situations of abnormal radiation, nuclear wastes and deposition, radioecology, and reactor safety - professional emergency-readiness. Coordination initiatives are also dealt with. In addition to this a survey of projects, coordinators and project leaders and a description of suggested new measures for nuclear safety are given. Under the first heading the subjects dealt with are spreading and local consequences, strategies, measuring methods and data exchange and management for decision-makers, evaluation, harmonization and effecting of plans, public information, a nordic emergency action exercise and reduction data connected with contaminated areas. The second heading covers criteria for classification of radioactive material, experiences in demolition of uranium-cleaning plants, information management, waste management in the case of field deposition with radioactivity from past reactor accidents and climatological and geological processes of significance for long-duration safety. Subjects under the third heading of radioecology cover training, quality assurance, aquatic radioecology, agricultural and natural ecosystems. Subjects under reactor safety include safety evaluation, the course of serious accidents, and data on neighbour-reactor system's conditions of safety. (AB)

  11. Imaging findings of sternal abnormalities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franquet, T.; Gimenez, A.; Alegret, X.; Sanchis, E.; Rivas, A.

    1997-01-01

    Radiographic findings in the sternal abnormalities are often nonspecific, showing appearances from a localized benign lesion to an aggressive lesion as seen with infections and malignant neoplasms. A specific diagnosis of sternal abnormalities can be suggested on the basis of CT and MR characteristics. Familiarity with the presentation and variable appearance of sternal abnormalities may aid the radiologist is suggesting a specific diagnosis. We present among others characteristic radiographic findings of hemangioma, chondrosarcoma, hydatid disease, and SAPHO syndrome. In those cases in which findings are not specific, cross-sectional imaging modalities may help the clinician in their management. (orig.)

  12. PUSH-ing Construction Communications & Going Viral for Safety

    OpenAIRE

    Prevost, Dan; McCall, Bill

    2018-01-01

    Over the past 2 years, the Indiana Toll Road Concession Co. (ITRCC) and its contractors have delivered the 80/90 PUSH project, an ambitious rehabilitation of 70 miles of the Indiana Toll Road. The team developed an aggressive communications program to keep its customers and community stakeholders informed, partnering with the Indiana Motor Truck Association to take its Put the Phone Down campaign to social media. Join us for a discussion.

  13. Application of Code Of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactor (RTP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ligam, A.S.; Ahmad Nabil Abd Rahim; Zarina Masood

    2014-01-01

    The implementation and the practices of the effective safety system at research reactors are important to ensure that the worker, public and environment do not receive any abnormal causes. Many international safety related support agencies for research reactor such as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) providing guidelines that can be applied to enhance and strengthen the enforcement of safety namely Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactor (IAEA/CODEOC/RR/2006). The excellent safety management, reliability, and maintainability of RTP reactor structures, coupled with personnel numerous lessons and experiences learned, Reactor TRIGA PUSPATI research reactor providing Nuclear Malaysia personnel and visitor the very safe working and visiting environment. This paper will discuss the status, practices and improvement strategies over the past few years. (author)

  14. A Nuclear Safety System based on Industrial Computer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ji Hyeon; Oh, Do Young; Lee, Nam Hoon; Kim, Chang Ho; Kim, Jae Hack

    2011-01-01

    The Plant Protection System(PPS), a nuclear safety Instrumentation and Control (I and C) system for Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs), generates reactor trip on abnormal reactor condition. The Core Protection Calculator System (CPCS) is a safety system that generates and transmits the channel trip signal to the PPS on an abnormal condition. Currently, these systems are designed on the Programmable Logic Controller(PLC) based system and it is necessary to consider a new system platform to adapt simpler system configuration and improved software development process. The CPCS was the first implementation using a micro computer in a nuclear power plant safety protection system in 1980 which have been deployed in Ulchin units 3,4,5,6 and Younggwang units 3,4,5,6. The CPCS software was developed in the Concurrent Micro5 minicomputer using assembly language and embedded into the Concurrent 3205 computer. Following the micro computer based CPCS, PLC based Common-Q platform has been used for the ShinKori/ShinWolsong units 1,2 PPS and CPCS, and the POSAFE-Q PLC platform is used for the ShinUlchin units 1,2 PPS and CPCS. In developing the next generation safety system platform, several factors (e.g., hardware/software reliability, flexibility, licensibility and industrial support) can be considered. This paper suggests an Industrial Computer(IC) based protection system that can be developed with improved flexibility without losing system reliability. The IC based system has the advantage of a simple system configuration with optimized processor boards because of improved processor performance and unlimited interoperability between the target system and development system that use commercial CASE tools. This paper presents the background to selecting the IC based system with a case study design of the CPCS. Eventually, this kind of platform can be used for nuclear power plant safety systems like the PPS, CPCS, Qualified Indication and Alarm . Pami(QIAS-P), and Engineering Safety

  15. A Nuclear Safety System based on Industrial Computer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Ji Hyeon; Oh, Do Young; Lee, Nam Hoon; Kim, Chang Ho; Kim, Jae Hack [Korea Electric Power Corporation Engineering and Construction, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-05-15

    The Plant Protection System(PPS), a nuclear safety Instrumentation and Control (I and C) system for Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs), generates reactor trip on abnormal reactor condition. The Core Protection Calculator System (CPCS) is a safety system that generates and transmits the channel trip signal to the PPS on an abnormal condition. Currently, these systems are designed on the Programmable Logic Controller(PLC) based system and it is necessary to consider a new system platform to adapt simpler system configuration and improved software development process. The CPCS was the first implementation using a micro computer in a nuclear power plant safety protection system in 1980 which have been deployed in Ulchin units 3,4,5,6 and Younggwang units 3,4,5,6. The CPCS software was developed in the Concurrent Micro5 minicomputer using assembly language and embedded into the Concurrent 3205 computer. Following the micro computer based CPCS, PLC based Common-Q platform has been used for the ShinKori/ShinWolsong units 1,2 PPS and CPCS, and the POSAFE-Q PLC platform is used for the ShinUlchin units 1,2 PPS and CPCS. In developing the next generation safety system platform, several factors (e.g., hardware/software reliability, flexibility, licensibility and industrial support) can be considered. This paper suggests an Industrial Computer(IC) based protection system that can be developed with improved flexibility without losing system reliability. The IC based system has the advantage of a simple system configuration with optimized processor boards because of improved processor performance and unlimited interoperability between the target system and development system that use commercial CASE tools. This paper presents the background to selecting the IC based system with a case study design of the CPCS. Eventually, this kind of platform can be used for nuclear power plant safety systems like the PPS, CPCS, Qualified Indication and Alarm . Pami(QIAS-P), and Engineering Safety

  16. Communications options for teleoperations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Springthorpe, R.T.

    1991-08-01

    TELEMAN is a programme of research work on remote handling in hazardous or disordered nuclear environments, carried out for the European Atomic Agency Community by a number of participants, part funded by the CEC. The objective is to develop advanced tele-operated robots for users in the nuclear industry to contribute to safety and profitability. A study performed by AEA Technology in 1989 for the TELEMAN programme examined communications standards and made recommendations where possible. It was recognised that a control architecture needed to be defined before determining which communications standards are appropriate. Several developing areas were recommended for further study and the results of this study are reported here. (author)

  17. Realization of Timed Reliable Communication over Off-The-Shelf Wireless Technologies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malinowsky, B.; Groenbaek, Jesper; Schwefel, Hans-Peter

    2013-01-01

    Industrial and safety-critical applications pose strict requirements for timeliness and reliability for the communication solution. Thereby the use of off-the-shelf (OTS) wireless communication technologies can be attractive to achieve low cost and easy deployment. This paper presents and analyse...

  18. Disk abnormality coexists with any degree of synovial and osseous abnormality in the temporomandibular joints of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirkhus, Eva; Smith, Hans-Joergen; Arvidsson, Linda Z.; Larheim, Tore A.; Flatoe, Berit; Hetlevik, Siri O.

    2016-01-01

    MRI manifestation of temporomandibular joint arthritis is frequently reported in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. However, little attention has been paid to temporomandibular joint disk abnormalities. To assess combinations of MRI findings in the symptomatic temporomandibular joint in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with focus on disk abnormalities. This was a retrospective study of 46 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, mean age 12 years (range: 5-17 years). Mean disease duration was 70 months (standard deviation: 61 months). MR images of 92 temporomandibular joints were scored for thickness of abnormally enhancing synovium (synovitis), joint effusion, bone marrow oedema, abnormal bone shape, bone erosion and disk abnormalities. The 92 temporomandibular joints were categorized as A: No synovitis and normal bone shape (30/92; 33%), B: Synovitis and normal bone shape (14/92: 15%), C: Synovitis and abnormal bone shape (38/92; 41%) and D: No synovitis but abnormal bone shape (10/92; 11%). Thirty-six of the 46 patients (78%) had synovitis and 33/46 (72%) had abnormal bone shape, most frequently in combination (30/46; 65%). Disk abnormalities (flat disk, fragmented disk, adherent disk and displaced disk) were found in 29/46 patients (63%). Disk abnormalities were found in all categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis involved temporomandibular joints (B: 8/14 [57%]; C: 25/38 [66%] and D: 7/10 [70%]). Disk displacement was found in half of the joints (7/14) in category B. Synovitis was most pronounced in this category. Disk abnormalities were frequent. Disk displacement also occurred in joints with early temporomandibular joint arthritis, i.e., with normal bone shape. Other disk abnormalities were found in joints with bone abnormalities. Attention should be paid to disk abnormalities both in early and long-standing temporomandibular joint arthritis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. (orig.)

  19. Disk abnormality coexists with any degree of synovial and osseous abnormality in the temporomandibular joints of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirkhus, Eva; Smith, Hans-Joergen [Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo (Norway); University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo (Norway); Arvidsson, Linda Z.; Larheim, Tore A. [University of Oslo, Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Oslo (Norway); Flatoe, Berit; Hetlevik, Siri O. [Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Department of Rheumatology, Oslo (Norway); University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo (Norway)

    2016-03-15

    MRI manifestation of temporomandibular joint arthritis is frequently reported in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. However, little attention has been paid to temporomandibular joint disk abnormalities. To assess combinations of MRI findings in the symptomatic temporomandibular joint in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with focus on disk abnormalities. This was a retrospective study of 46 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, mean age 12 years (range: 5-17 years). Mean disease duration was 70 months (standard deviation: 61 months). MR images of 92 temporomandibular joints were scored for thickness of abnormally enhancing synovium (synovitis), joint effusion, bone marrow oedema, abnormal bone shape, bone erosion and disk abnormalities. The 92 temporomandibular joints were categorized as A: No synovitis and normal bone shape (30/92; 33%), B: Synovitis and normal bone shape (14/92: 15%), C: Synovitis and abnormal bone shape (38/92; 41%) and D: No synovitis but abnormal bone shape (10/92; 11%). Thirty-six of the 46 patients (78%) had synovitis and 33/46 (72%) had abnormal bone shape, most frequently in combination (30/46; 65%). Disk abnormalities (flat disk, fragmented disk, adherent disk and displaced disk) were found in 29/46 patients (63%). Disk abnormalities were found in all categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis involved temporomandibular joints (B: 8/14 [57%]; C: 25/38 [66%] and D: 7/10 [70%]). Disk displacement was found in half of the joints (7/14) in category B. Synovitis was most pronounced in this category. Disk abnormalities were frequent. Disk displacement also occurred in joints with early temporomandibular joint arthritis, i.e., with normal bone shape. Other disk abnormalities were found in joints with bone abnormalities. Attention should be paid to disk abnormalities both in early and long-standing temporomandibular joint arthritis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. (orig.)

  20. Enhancing Safety through Generic Competencies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Mockel

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This article provides insights into proactive safety management and mitigation. An analysis of accident reports reveals categories of supervening causes of accidents which can be directly linked to the concept of generic competencies (information management, communication and coordination, problem solving, and effect control. These findings strongly suggest adding the human element as another safety-constituting pillar to the concept of ship safety next to technology and regulation. We argue that the human element has unique abilities in dealing with critical and highly dynamic situations which can contribute to the system's recovery from non-routine or critical situations. By educating seafarers in generic competencies we claim to enable the people onboard to successfully deal with critical situations.