Spatial and temporal ecological variability in the northern Gulf of Alaska: What have we learned since the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Science.gov (United States)

Aderhold, Donna G. R.; Lindeberg, Mandy R.; Holderied, Kris; Pegau, W. Scott

2018-01-01

This special issue examines oceanographic and biological variability in the northern Gulf of Alaska region with an emphasis on recent monitoring efforts of the Gulf Watch Alaska (GWA) and Herring Research and Monitoring (HRM) programs funded by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC). These programs are designed to improve our understanding of how changing environmental conditions affect Gulf of Alaska ecosystems and the long-term status of resources injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Categorization of safety related motor operated valve safety significance for Ulchin Unit 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, D. I.; Kim, K. Y.

2002-03-01

We performed a categorization of safety related Motor Operated Valve (MOV) safety significance for Ulchin Unit 3. The safety evaluation of MOV of domestic nuclear power plants affects the generic data used for the quantification of MOV common cause failure ( CCF) events in Ulchin Units 3 PSA. Therefore, in this study, we re-estimated the MGL(Multiple Greek Letter) parameter used for the evaluation of MOV CCF probabilities in Ulchin Units 3 Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) and performed a classification of the MOV safety significance. The re-estimation results of the MGL parameter show that its value is decreased by 30% compared with the current value in Ulchin Unit 3 PSA. The categorization results of MOV safety significance using the changed value of MGL parameter shows that the number of HSSCs(High Safety Significant Components) is decreased by 54.5% compared with those using the current value of it in Ulchin Units 3 PSA

Retrospective analysis: bile hydrocarbons and histopathology of demersal rockfish in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marty, G.D.; Okihiro, M.S.; Hanes, D.

2003-01-01

Demersal rockfish are the only fish species that have been found dead in significant numbers after major oil spills, but the link between oil exposure and effect has not been well established. After the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, several species of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) from oiled and reference sites were analyzed for hydrocarbon metabolites in bile (1989-1991) and for microscopic lesions (1990 and 1991). Biliary hydrocarbons consistent with exposure to Exxon Valdez oil were elevated in 1989, but not in 1990 or 1991. Significant microscopic findings included pigmented macrophage aggregates and hepatic megalocytosis, fibrosis, and lipid accumulation. Site differences in microscopic findings were significant with respect to previous oil exposure in 1991 (P=0.038), but not in 1990. However, differences in microscopic findings were highly significant with respect to age and species in both years (P<0.001). We concluded that demersal rockfish were exposed to Exxon Valdez oil in 1989, but differences in microscopic changes in 1990 and 1991 were related more to age and species differences than to previous oil exposure. (author)

Damage assessment in coastal habitats: Lessons learned from Exxon Valdez

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, T.A.; McDonald, L.; Stekoll, M.S.; Rosenthal, R.R.

1993-01-01

This paper examines alternative designs for the monitoring and assessment of damages of environmental impacts such as oil spills. The optimal design requires sampling at pairs of impacted (oiled) and control (unoiled) sites both before and after the event. However, this design proved impractical in evaluating impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on nearshore subtidal communities, and may be impractical for future monitoring. An alternative design is discussed in which sampling is conducted at pairs of control and impact sites only after the impact

Juan Valdez la estrategia detrás de la marca

OpenAIRE

Ana María Parente

2017-01-01

El libro Juan Valdez, la estrategia detrás de la marca busca explicar la táctica de valorización del café colombiano desarrollada por la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC), que tiene como principal objetivo beneficiar a los caficultores colombianos a lo largo de la cadena de valor. Para ello, el texto hace un recuento del contexto del mercado cafetero mundial, haciendo énfasis en los principales proveedores y consumidores hasta finalmente centrarse en la construcción de la marca Café de C...

Carnaval de Sodoma de Pedro Antonio Valdez: retratos y vestiduras travestis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio Penenrey Navarro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available El travestimiento y las identidades queer son temas obviados y desentendidos por la crítica literaria que la novela Carnaval de Sodoma (2002, del escritor dominicano Pedro Antonio Valdez, ha merecido hasta el momento. A través del surgimiento de tres personajes travestidos de la obra —Tora, el Barón del cementerio-La Fortunata y Changsán- Princesa de Jade— examinaremos cómo la acción travesti desestabiliza el imaginario de naturalización y de complementariedad que el discurso normativo ha asignado a los géneros tradicionales (masculino/femenino, y repensaremos nociones como género y sexualidad, comúnmente establecidas por el pensamiento heterocentrado como entidades fijas e inmutables. Cross-dressing and queer identities constitute themes that are ignored and neglected by the literary critic that the novel Carnaval de Sodoma (2002, by Dominican writer Pedro Antonio Valdez has had until now. We will analyze three transvestite characters —Tora, the Baron of the graveyard-La Fortunata and Changsán-Princess of Jade— and examine how the transvestite action destabilize the naturalization and complementarization imaginary that the normative discourse has assigned to the traditional genders (masculine/femenine. We will rethink notions such as gender and sexuality, usually established by the heterocentered thought as fixe and immutable entities.

Tractor Safety. Unit A-9.

Science.gov (United States)

Luft, Vernon D.; Backlund, Paul

This document is a teacher's guide for a unit in tractor and machinery safety for college freshmen. It is intended to be used for 10 hours of instruction for freshmen who are intending to work on or around machinery. Safety hazards directly and indirectly related to many types of machinery are covered in addition to tractors. The objectives of the…

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

Incident Command System - Environmental Unit responsibilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hillman, S. O.

1997-01-01

The Incident Command System (ICS) for crisis management, used for response to oil spills by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company throughout its facilities, including the Trans Alaska Pipeline and the Valdez Marine Terminal, was described. Special attention was given to the Environmental Unit within the ICS which functions as a primary support unit for the Incident Operations Section. Details of the Unit's function were provided. These include the collection, evaluation and dissemination of information on all environmental issues concerning the crisis, provision of advice and direction on environmental aspects, and up-front agency interaction. A checklist of tasks is included. 7 refs

The Exxon-Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, K.G.; Stringer, W.J.; Grove, J.E.; Ahlnas, K.; Royer, T.C.

1990-01-01

This paper reports that satellite images were used to investigate the Exxon Valdez oil spill after the tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef, Alaska 24 March 1989. Since that time, over 11 million gallons of crude oil have circulated through the western Prince William Sound region of Alaska, oiling many of its beaches. A good deal of this oil subsequently entered the Gulf of Alaska with some transported beyond Kodiak Island, 500 km to the southwest. Satellite imagery of the spill was recorded by the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, the Landsat Thematic Mapper, the SPOT Panchromatic Scanner and the SPOT Multispectral Scanner. Images from all four of these sources have been analyzed to help ascertain the extent of the spill and monitor its trajectory along the Alaskan coast. Digital image processing techniques have been utilized to emphasize spectral responses related to oil on the water surface and on teaches. Turbidity and sea surface temperature data have been enhanced to provide information on the circulation and distribution of surface water bodies. In addition to the satellite imagery, airborne visual observations with aerial photography, Side-Looking Airborne Radar, and other airborne sensors as well as shipboard sightings and samples were acquired

Conditions of persistent oil on beaches in Prince William Sound 26 years after the Exxon Valdez spill

Science.gov (United States)

Lindeberg, Mandy R.; Maselko, Jacek; Heintz, Ron A.; Fugate, Corey J.; Holland, Larry

2018-01-01

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling an estimated 10.8 million gallons of crude oil. Contrary to early projections, subsequent studies over several decades have shown subsurface oil persisting on impacted beaches. Here we present findings from a lingering oil survey conducted during the summer of 2015 at a small set of beaches in Prince William Sound known to have persistent subsurface Exxon Valdez oil. The objectives of the survey were to estimate how much oil remains at these sites, the oil composition, and oil retention rates compared to previous studies. Results from the survey found lingering oil was present at 8 of 9 sites that were revisited. Surveys revealed little evidence of change in oil area or mass over the last 14 years, nor has there been a change in the distribution of oiling intensities or their location on the beach. Detailed analysis of the oil indicated it has not weathered since 2001. Subsurface oils collected in 2015 have enriched concentrations of phenanthrenes and chrysenes relative to oil originating in the cargo hold indicating that buried oil has retained some toxic potential over the last two decades, but it is not currently bioavailable. Subsurface oil appears to be sequestered in sediments and protected from hydrological washing and low oxygen and nutrient levels inhibiting biodegradation. These findings are consistent with previous surveys and predictive geomorphic models suggesting the estimated 0.6% Exxon Valdez oil remaining is sequestered and not bioavailable unless disturbed and will likely persist in the environment on a decadal scale.

Community patterns of psychiatric disorders after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palinkas, L.A.; Petterson, J.S.; Russell, J.; Downs, M.A. (Impact Assessment, Inc., La Jolla, CA (United States))

1993-10-01

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between exposure to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and subsequent cleanup efforts and the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depressive symptoms in 13 Alaska communities. METHOD: A community survey of 599 men and women was conducted approximately 1 year after the spill occurred. Questions from the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule were used to assess symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale was used to assess levels of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: The post-spill (i.e., 1-year) prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD for the study communities with all degrees of exposure was 20.2% and 9.4%, respectively. The prevalence of respondents with CES-D Scale scores above 16 and 18 was 16.6% and 14.2%, respectively. When compared with the unexposed group, members of the high-exposure group were 3.6 times as likely to have generalized anxiety disorder, 2.9 times as likely to have PTSD, 1.8 times as likely to have a CES-D Scale score of 16 and above, and 2.1 times as likely to have a CES-D Scale score of 18 and above. Women exposed to this event were particularly vulnerable to these conditions, and Alaska Natives were particularly vulnerable to depressive symptoms after the oil spill. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the oil spill's impact on the psychosocial environment was as significant as its impact on the physical environment. The Exxon Valdez experience suggests a number of implications for the mental health needs of disaster victims, particularly in primary care settings.

Safety Goal, Multi-unit Risk and PSA Uncertainty

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Joon-Eon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

The safety goal is an answer of each country to the question 'How safe is safe enough?'. Table 1 shows some examples of the safety goal. However, many countries including Korea do not have the official safety goal for NPPs up to now since the establishment of safety goal is not just a technical issue but a very complex socio-technical issue. In establishing the safety goal for nuclear facilities, we have to consider various factors including not only technical aspects but also social, cultural ones. Recently, Korea is trying to establish the official safety goal. In this paper, we will review the relationship between the safety goal and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA). We will also address some important technical issues to be considered in establishing the safety goal for NPPs from PSA point of view, i.e. a multi-unit risk issue and the uncertainty of PSA. In this paper, we reviewed some issues related to the safety goal and PSA. We believe that the safety goal is to be established in Korea considering the multi-unit risk. In addition, the relationship between the safety goal and PSA should be also defined clearly since PSA is the only way to answer to the question 'How safe is safe enough?'.

Safety review on unit testing of safety system software of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Le; Zhang Qi

2013-01-01

Software unit testing has an important place in the testing of safety system software of nuclear power plants, and in the wider scope of the verification and validation. It is a comprehensive, systematic process, and its documentation shall meet the related requirements. When reviewing software unit testing, attention should be paid to the coverage of software safety requirements, the coverage of software internal structure, and the independence of the work. (authors)

Safety of milrinone use in neonatal intensive care units

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Samiee-Zafarghandy; S.R. Raman (Sudha R.); J.N. van den Anker (John); K. McHutchison (Kerstin); C.P. Hornik; R.H. Clark; P.B. Smith; D.K. Benjamin (Daniel K.); K. Berezny (Katherine); J. Barrett (Jeffrey); E.V. Capparelli (Edmund); M. Cohen-Wolkowiez (Michael); G.L. Kearns (Greg); M. Laughon (Matthew); A. Muelenaer (Andre); T. Michael O'Shea; I.M. Paul (Ian M.); K. Wade (Kelly); T.J. Walsh (Thomas J.)

2015-01-01

textabstractBackground: Milrinone use in the neonatal intensive care unit has increased over the last 10. years despite a paucity of published safety data in infants. We sought to determine the safety of milrinone therapy among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: We conducted a

Safety. Unit 8: A Core Curriculum of Related Instruction for Apprentices.

Science.gov (United States)

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational and Career Curriculum Development.

The safety education unit is presented to assist apprentices to acquire a general knowledge of procedures for insuring safety on the job. The unit consists of 10 modules: (1) the Occupational Safety and Health Act: safety and health bill of rights for workers; (2) accident prevention; (3) first aid; (4) accident reports; importance, use, and how…

Status of selected bottomfish and crustacean species in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, D.A.; Dinnel, P.A.; Orensanz, J.M.

1995-01-01

Exposure and possible adverse effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) at depth were studied between 1989 and 1991 on several species of crustaceans, molluscs, and finfish that are characterized by ontogenetic shifts in distribution from meroplanktonic larvae to benthic and demersal juveniles and adults. The authors approach was to search for (1) evidence of exposure to Exxon Valdez crude oil (EVC) at depth (generally between 20 to 150 m) and (2) measurable perturbations at both the individual and population levels. Primary species targeted were Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi), several pandalid shrimps (Pandalus platyceros, P. hypsinotus, P. borealis), flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon), and several bivalves including scallops (Chlamys rubida) and infaunal clams (Nuculana, Yoldia, and Macoma spp.). The survey design provided a comparison between variables measured in oiled bays around Knight Island and non-oiled bays at other locations within Prince William Sound. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of petrogenic origin were measured in all bays sampled in this study and levels of PAHs derived from EVC were elevated in the oiled bays following the spill, yet attenuated to less than 200 ng/g sediment by 1991. 95 refs., 22 figs., 6 tabs

Second periodic safety review of Angra Nuclear Power Station, unit 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martins, Carlos F.O.; Crepaldi, Roberto; Freire, Enio M., E-mail: ottoncf@tecnatom.com.br, E-mail: emfreire46@gmail.com, E-mail: robcrepaldi@hotmail.com [Tecnatom do Brasil Engenharia e Servicos Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Campello, Sergio A., E-mail: sacampe@eletronuclear.gov.br [Eletrobras Termonuclear S.A. (ELETRONUCLEAR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-07-01

This paper describes the second Periodic Safety Review (PSR2-A1) of Angra Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, prepared by Eletrobras Eletronuclear S.A. and Tecnatom do Brasil Engenharia e Servicos Ltda., during Jul.2013-Aug.2014, covering the period of 2004-2013. The site, in Angra dos Reis-RJ, Brazil, comprises: Unit 1, (640 MWe, Westinghouse PWR, operating), Unit 2 (1300 MWe, KWU/Areva, operating) and Unit 3 (1405 MWe, KWU/Areva, construction). The PSR2-A1 attends the Standards 1.26-Safety in Operation of Nuclear Power Plants, Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Commission (CNEN), and IAEA.SSG.25-Periodic Safety Review of Nuclear Power Plants. Within 18 months after each 10 years operation, the operating organization shall perform a plant safety review, to investigate the evolution consequences of safety code and standards, regarding: Plant design; structure, systems and components behavior; equipment qualification; plant ageing management; deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis; risk analysis; safety performance; operating experience; organization and administration; procedures; human factors; emergency planning; radiation protection and environmental radiological impacts. The Review included 6 Areas and 14 Safety Parameters, covered by 33 Evaluations.After document evaluations and discussions with plant staff, it was generated one General and 33 Specific Guide Procedures, 33 Specific and one Final Report, including: Description, Strengths, Deficiencies, Areas for Improvement and Conclusions. An Action Plan was prepared by Electronuclear for the recommendations. It was concluded that the Unit was operated within safety standards and will attend its designed operational lifetime, including possible life extensions. The Final Report was submitted to CNEN, as one requisite for renewal of the Unit Permanent Operation License. (author)

Second periodic safety review of Angra Nuclear Power Station, unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Carlos F.O.; Crepaldi, Roberto; Freire, Enio M.; Campello, Sergio A.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the second Periodic Safety Review (PSR2-A1) of Angra Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, prepared by Eletrobras Eletronuclear S.A. and Tecnatom do Brasil Engenharia e Servicos Ltda., during Jul.2013-Aug.2014, covering the period of 2004-2013. The site, in Angra dos Reis-RJ, Brazil, comprises: Unit 1, (640 MWe, Westinghouse PWR, operating), Unit 2 (1300 MWe, KWU/Areva, operating) and Unit 3 (1405 MWe, KWU/Areva, construction). The PSR2-A1 attends the Standards 1.26-Safety in Operation of Nuclear Power Plants, Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Commission (CNEN), and IAEA.SSG.25-Periodic Safety Review of Nuclear Power Plants. Within 18 months after each 10 years operation, the operating organization shall perform a plant safety review, to investigate the evolution consequences of safety code and standards, regarding: Plant design; structure, systems and components behavior; equipment qualification; plant ageing management; deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis; risk analysis; safety performance; operating experience; organization and administration; procedures; human factors; emergency planning; radiation protection and environmental radiological impacts. The Review included 6 Areas and 14 Safety Parameters, covered by 33 Evaluations.After document evaluations and discussions with plant staff, it was generated one General and 33 Specific Guide Procedures, 33 Specific and one Final Report, including: Description, Strengths, Deficiencies, Areas for Improvement and Conclusions. An Action Plan was prepared by Electronuclear for the recommendations. It was concluded that the Unit was operated within safety standards and will attend its designed operational lifetime, including possible life extensions. The Final Report was submitted to CNEN, as one requisite for renewal of the Unit Permanent Operation License. (author)

Histopathology of adult Pacific herring in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marty, G. S.; Okihiro, M. S.; Hinton, D. E.; Brown, E. D.; Hanes, D.

1999-01-01

The histopathology of Pacific herring sampled from oiled sites in Prince William Sound, Alaska, three weeks after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, is discussed. All samples showed multifocal hepatic necrosis and significantly increased tissue concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In contrast, Pacific herring from reference sites in 1989 and from all sites in 1990 and 1991 did not have hepatic necrosis or increase PAH concentrations. Naphthalenes were the predominant PAH in all tissue samples. The development of hepatic necrosis and the predominance of naphthalenes in samples from 1989 is considered consistent with results obtained from recent laboratory studies indicating that crude oil exposure resulted in dose-dependent expression of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV). It was concluded that adult Pacific herring in Prince William Sound were likely exposed to Exxon Valdez oil in April 1989. Because Pacific herring near spawning condition in early spring are in a state of physiological stress, the added stress of oil exposure in 1989 could reasonably have led to expression of VHSV in these fish. The findings suggest that the immediate response to future large toxic spills should include consideration of the potential interaction of multiple stressors in exposed individuals. 29 refs., 7 tabs., 1 fig

Evaluation of sea otter capture after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Prince William Sound, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Bodkin, James L.; Weltz, F.; Bayha, Keith; Kormendy, Jennifer

1990-01-01

After the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill into Prince William Sound, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Exxon Company, U.S.A., began rescuing sea otters (Enhydra lutris). The primary objective of this operation was to capture live, oiled sea otters for cleaning and rehabilitation. Between 30 March and 29 May 1989, 139 live sea otters were captured in the sound and transported to rehabilitation centers in Valdez, Alaska. Within the first 15 days of capture operations, 122 (88%) otters were captured. Most sea otters were captured near Knight, Green, and Evans islands in the western sound. The primary capture method consisted of dipnetting otters out of water and off beaches. While capture rates declined over time, survival of captured otters increased as the interval from spill date to capture date increased. The relative degree of oiling observed for each otter captured declined over time. Declining capture rates led to the use of tangle nets. The evidence suggests the greatest threat to sea otters in Prince William Sound occurred within the first 3 weeks after the spill. Thus, in the future, the authors believe rescue efforts should begin as soon as possible after an oil spill in sea otter habitat. Further, preemptive capture and relocation of sea otters in Prince William Sound may have increased the number of otters that could have survived this event.

Measuring and benchmarking safety culture: application of the safety attitudes questionnaire to an acute medical admissions unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Relihan, E; Glynn, S; Daly, D; Silke, B; Ryder, S

2009-12-01

To assess the safety culture in an acute medical admissions unit (AMAU) of a teaching hospital in order to benchmark results against international data and guide a unit-based, integrated, risk management strategy. The safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ), a validated instrument for the measurement of safety culture was applied to an AMAU. All AMAU healthcare staff (n = 92) were surveyed: doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants (HCAs) and allied healthcare professionals (AHPs). Safety attitude scores for the overall unit and individual caregiver types were assessed across six domains of safety culture. When compared against an international benchmark, the AMAU scored significantly higher for four of the six safety domains: p < 0.01 for 'teamwork climate', 'safety climate' and 'stress recognition' and p < 0.05 for 'job satisfaction'. The difference between nurse manager scores and the overall mean for the study group was statistically significant for the domains of 'teamwork climate' (p < 0.05) and 'safety climate' (p < 0.01). HCAs scored significantly lower relative to staff overall with regard to 'working conditions' (p < 0.05) and 'perceptions of management' (p < 0.01). The SAQ was successfully applied to an AMAU setting giving a valuable insight into staff issues of concern across the safety spectrum: employee and environmental safety, clinical risk management and medication safety.

Safety improvement programme of WWER 440/230 units in Jaslovske Bohunice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomek, J.

2000-01-01

A brief overview is given of the power sources in Slovakia which include 6 operational reactor units (4 at Jaslovske Bohunice and 2 at Mochovce) and 2 units under construction (at Mochovce). The efforts undertaken in the past 10 years and aimed at upgrading the nuclear safety of the two older (V-230 Soviet type) units at Bohunice are highlighted. The relevant regulatory decisions are dealt with and the measures already carried out are listed. Also characterized are several IAEA international safety assessment missions and safety-aimed meetings which took place in 1998 and 1999 and are of concern to the older Bohunice units. (A.K.)

Technique for unit testing of safety software verification and validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Duo; Zhang Liangju; Feng Junting

2008-01-01

The key issue arising from digitalization of the reactor protection system for nuclear power plant is how to carry out verification and validation (V and V), to demonstrate and confirm the software that performs reactor safety functions is safe and reliable. One of the most important processes for software V and V is unit testing, which verifies and validates the software coding based on concept design for consistency, correctness and completeness during software development. The paper shows a preliminary study on the technique for unit testing of safety software V and V, focusing on such aspects as how to confirm test completeness, how to establish test platform, how to develop test cases and how to carry out unit testing. The technique discussed here was successfully used in the work of unit testing on safety software of a digital reactor protection system. (authors)

Safety assessment of multi-unit NPP sites subject to external events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samaddar, Sujit; Hibino, Kenta; Coman, Ovidiu

2014-01-01

This paper presents a framework for conducting a probabilistic safety assessment of multi-unit sites against external events. The treatment of multiple hazard on a unit, interaction between units, implementation of severe accident measures, human reliability, environmental conditions, metric of risk for both reactor and non-reactor sources, integration of risk and responses and many such important factors need to be addressed within the context of this framework. The framework facilitates the establishment of a comprehensive methodology that can be applied internationally to the peer review of safety assessment of multi-unit sites under the impact of multiple external hazards. In summary, it can be said that the site safety assessment for a multi-unit site will be quite complex and need to start with individual unit risk assessments, these need to be combined considering the interactions between units and their responses, and the fragilities of the installations established considering the combined demands from all interactions. Using newly established risk metric the risk can then be integrated for the overall site. Fig. 2 shows schematically such a proposal. Much work has to done and the IAEA has established a working group that is systematically establishing the structure and process to incorporate the many issues that are a part of a multi-unit site safety assessment. (authors)

Exxon Valdez -- Framework for natural resource restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, C.R.

1993-01-01

Once the task of evaluating the nature and extent of natural resource injuries caused by the Exxon Valdez oil spill neared completion, the equally daunting task of formulating proper restorative measures began. The essence of the natural resource restoration effort is to determine how to utilize the monies received from the criminal and civil settlements to fulfill the natural resource trustees' responsibilities to restore Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska to their condition prior to the spill. Given the magnitude and variety of environmental impact, i.e., natural resource injuries ranging from the death of thousands of sea birds and marine mammals to the persistent sublethal affects of hydrocarbon contamination in intertidal sediments, the field of restorative endeavor is as broad and perplexing as was responding to the spill itself. This paper discusses the policy and legal parameters which give structure to the scientific and technical decisions the natural resource trustees must make in the years to come as they engage in their restoration responsibilities. The discussed policy and legal parameters translate generally to natural resource restoration under such statutes as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990

Nuclear safety philosophy in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anthony, R.D.

1986-01-01

Development of the United Kingdom (UK) nuclear safety philosophy is described in the context of the UK nuclear power program since 1959 and of its legislative framework. Basic to the philosophy is that the licensee is wholly responsible for nuclear safety. The licensing process and safety assessment principles used by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate are discussed, and examples from the assessment of the proposed UK pressurized-water reactor are used to illustrate how the approach works in practice. The UK siting policy and regulatory developments since 1979 are also discussed. Recent, current, and future issues of interest to the regulatory authority are described against the development nuclear scene in the UK

Changes in patient safety culture after restructuring of intensive care units: Two cross-sectional studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Vifladt, Anne; Simonsen, Bjoerg O; Lydersen, Stian; Farup, Per G

2016-02-01

Compare changes in registered nurses' perception of the patient safety culture in restructured and not restructured intensive care units during a four-year period. Two cross-sectional surveys were performed, in 2008/2009 (time 1) and 2012/2013 (time 2). During a period of 0-3 years after time 1, three of six hospitals merged their general and medical intensive care units (restructured). The other hospitals maintained their structure of the intensive care units (not restructured). Intensive care units in hospitals at one Norwegian hospital trust. The safety culture was measured with Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. At times 1 and 2, 217/302 (72%) and 145/289 (50%) registered nurses participated. Restructuring was negatively associated with change in the safety culture, in particular, the dimensions of the safety culture within the unit level. The dimensions most vulnerable for restructuring were manager expectations and actions promoting safety, teamwork within hospital units and staffing. In this study, the restructuring of intensive care units was associated with a negative impact on the safety culture. When restructuring, the management should be particularly aware of changes in the safety culture dimensions manager expectations and actions promoting safety, teamwork within hospital units and staffing. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A web-based tool for the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP).

Science.gov (United States)

Pronovost, Peter J; King, Jay; Holzmueller, Christine G; Sawyer, Melinda; Bivens, Shauna; Michael, Michelle; Haig, Kathy; Paine, Lori; Moore, Dana; Miller, Marlene

2006-03-01

An organization's ability to change is driven by its culture, which in turn has a significant impact on safety. The six-step Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) is intended to improve local culture and safety. A Web-based project management tool for CUSP was developed and then pilot tested at two hospitals. HOW ECUSP WORKS: Once a patient safety concern is identified (step 3), a unit-level interdisciplinary safety committee determines issue criticality and starts up the projects (step 4), which are managed using project management tools within eCUSP (step 5). On a project's completion, the results are disseminated through a shared story (step 6). OSF St. Joseph's Medical Center-The Medical Birthing Center (Bloomington, Illinois), identified 11 safety issues, implemented 11 projects, and created 9 shared stories--including one for its Armband Project. The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore) Medical Progressive Care (MPC4) Unit identified 5 safety issues and implemented 4 ongoing projects, including the intravenous (IV) Tubing Compliance Project. The eCUSP tool's success depends on an organizational commitment to creating a culture of safety.

Safety of milrinone use in neonatal intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Samiee-Zafarghandy, Samira; Raman, Sudha R; van den Anker, John N; McHutchison, Kerstin; Hornik, Christoph P; Clark, Reese H; Brian Smith, P

2015-01-01

Milrinone use in the neonatal intensive care unit has increased over the last 10 years despite a paucity of published safety data in infants. We sought to determine the safety of milrinone therapy among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. We conducted a retrospective data analysis, identifying all infants who were exposed to milrinone and discharged from 322 neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group from 1997-2010. We identified adverse events (AEs) during milrinone exposure. The unit of observation for clinical AEs was the first course of milrinone and for laboratory AEs it was an infant-day of exposure to milrinone. Overall, 1446 of 716,821 (0.2%) infants received milrinone for a total of 6894 infant-days. The proportion of infants exposed to milrinone increased from 0 in 1997 to 4/1000 infant cases in 2010. Persistent pulmonary hypertension (40%) was the most commonly reported diagnosis at the start of milrinone administration. Overall, 606/1446 (42%) of infants had at least 1 clinical AE recorded during milrinone therapy. Hypotension requiring pressors and thrombocytopenia (milrinone therapy. Among infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit, there was an increase in the use of milrinone over the past 13 years. The safety, dosing, and efficacy of milrinone in infants should be determined in prospective clinical trials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) perspective: Harlequin duck population recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill: Progress, process, and constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Esler, Daniel N.; Bowman, Timothy D.; Trust, Kimberly A.; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Dean, Thomas A.; Jewett, Stephen C.; O'Clair, Charles E.; Holland-Bartels, Leslie E.

2002-01-01

Following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, we studied the status of recovery of harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) populations during 1995-1998. We evaluated potential constraints to full recovery, including (1) exposure to residual oil, (2) food limitation, and (3) intrinsic demographic limitations on population growth rates. In this paper, we synthesize the findings from our work and incorporate information from other harlequin duck research and monitoring programs to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the response of this species to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We conclude that harlequin duck populations had not fully recovered by 1998. Furthermore, adverse effects continued as many as 9 years after the oil spill, in contrast to the conventional paradigm that oil spill effects on bird populations are short-lived. These conclusions are based on the findings that (1) elevated cytochrome P450 induction on oiled areas indicated continued exposure to oil in 1998, (2) adult female winter survival was lower on oiled than unoiled areas during 1995-1998, (3) fall population surveys by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game indicated numerical declines in oiled areas during 1995-1997, and (4) densities on oiled areas in 1996 and 1997 were lower than expected using models that accounted for effects of habitat attributes. Based on hypothesized links between oil contamination and demography, we suggest that harlequin duck population recovery was constrained primarily by continued oil exposure. Full population recovery also will be delayed by the time necessary for intrinsic population growth to allow return to pre-spill numbers following cessation of residual oil spill effects. Although not all wildlife species were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and some others may have recovered quickly from any effects, harlequin duck life history characteristics and benthic, nearshore feeding habits make them susceptible to both initial

Do Leadership Style, Unit Climate, and Safety Climate Contribute to Safe Medication Practices?

Science.gov (United States)

Farag, Amany; Tullai-McGuinness, Susan; Anthony, Mary K; Burant, Christopher

2017-01-01

This study aims at: examining if leadership style and unit climate predict safety climate; and testing the direct, indirect, and total effect of leadership style, unit climate, and safety climate on nurses' safe medication practices. The Institute of Medicine and nursing scholars propose that safety climate is a prerequisite to safety practices. However, there is limited empirical evidence about factors contributing to the development of safety climate and about the association with nurses' safe medication practices. This cross-sectional study used survey data from 246 RNs working in a Magnet® hospital. Leadership style and unit climate predicted 20% to 50% of variance on all safety climate dimensions. Model testing revealed the indirect impact of leadership style and unit climate on nurses' safe medication practices. Our hypothesized model explained small amount of the variance on nurses' safe medication practices. This finding suggests that nurses' safe medication practices are influenced by multiple contextual and personal factors that should be further examined.

Long-term monitoring program: Evaluating chronic exposure of harlequin ducks and sea otters to lingering Exxon Valdez Oil in Western Prince William Sound

Science.gov (United States)

Esler, Daniel N.; Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bodkin, James L.

2015-01-01

We found that average cytochrome P4501A induction (as measured by EROD activity) during March 2014 was not elevated in wintering harlequin ducks captured in areas of Prince William Sound oiled by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, relative to those captured in unoiled areas. This result is consistent with findings from March 2013. We interpret these findings to indicate that exposure of harlequin ducks to residual Exxon Valdez oil abated within 24 years after the original spill. Results from preceding sampling in 2011 indicated that EROD activity was elevated in harlequin ducks in oiled relative to unoiled areas, although the magnitude of elevation was lower than in previous years (1998-2009), suggesting that the rate or intensity of exposure was diminishing by 2011. The data presented in this report add to a growing body of literature indicating that persistence of oil in the environment, and exposure of wildlife to that oil, can occur over much longer time frames than previously assumed.

Nuclear safety risk control in the outage of CANDU unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Mingliang; Zheng Jianhua

2014-01-01

Nuclear fuel remains in the core during the outage of CANDU unit, but there are still nuclear safety risks such as reactor accidental criticality, fuel element failure due to inability to properly remove residual heat. Furthermore, these risks are aggravated by the weakening plant system configuration and multiple cross operations during the outage. This paper analyzes the phases where there are potential nuclear safety risks on the basis of the typical critical path arrangement of the outage of Qinshan NPP 3 and introduces a series of CANDU-specific risk control measures taken during the past plant outages to ensure nuclear safety during the unit outage. (authors)

Safety culture and accident analysis-A socio-management approach based on organizational safety social capital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, Suman

2007-01-01

One of the biggest challenges for organizations in today's competitive business environment is to create and preserve a self-sustaining safety culture. Typically, Key drivers of safety culture in many organizations are regulation, audits, safety training, various types of employee exhortations to comply with safety norms, etc. However, less evident factors like networking relationships and social trust amongst employees, as also extended networking relationships and social trust of organizations with external stakeholders like government, suppliers, regulators, etc., which constitute the safety social capital in the Organization-seem to also influence the sustenance of organizational safety culture. Can erosion in safety social capital cause deterioration in safety culture and contribute to accidents? If so, how does it contribute? As existing accident analysis models do not provide answers to these questions, CAMSoC (Curtailing Accidents by Managing Social Capital), an accident analysis model, is proposed. As an illustration, five accidents: Bhopal (India), Hyatt Regency (USA), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Westray (Canada) and Exxon Valdez (USA) have been analyzed using CAMSoC. This limited cross-industry analysis provides two key socio-management insights: the biggest source of motivation that causes deviant behavior leading to accidents is 'Faulty Value Systems'. The second biggest source is 'Enforceable Trust'. From a management control perspective, deterioration in safety culture and resultant accidents is more due to the 'action controls' rather than explicit 'cultural controls'. Future research directions to enhance the model's utility through layering are addressed briefly

[Analysis of the safety culture in a Cardiology Unit managed by processes].

Science.gov (United States)

Raso-Raso, Rafael; Uris-Selles, Joaquín; Nolasco-Bonmatí, Andreu; Grau-Jornet, Guillermo; Revert-Gandia, Rosa; Jiménez-Carreño, Rebeca; Sánchez-Soriano, Ruth M; Chamorro-Fernández, Carlos I; Marco-Francés, Elvira; Albero-Martínez, José V

2017-04-04

Safety culture is one of the requirements for preventing the occurrence of adverse effects. However, this has not been studied in the field of cardiology. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety culture in a cardiology unit that has implemented and certified an integrated quality and risk management system for patient safety. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 2 consecutive years, with all staff completing the Spanish version of the questionnaire, "Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture" of the "Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality", with 42 items grouped into 12 dimensions. The percentage of positive responses in each dimension in 2014 and 2015 were compared, as well as national data and United States data, following the established rules. The overall assessment out of a possible 5, was 4.5 in 2014 and 4.7 in 2015. Seven dimensions were identified as strengths. The worst rated were: staffing, management support and teamwork between units. The comparison showed superiority in all dimensions compared to national data, and in 8 of them compared to American data. The safety culture in a Cardiology Unit with an integrated quality and risk management patient safety system is high, and higher than nationally in all its dimensions and in most of them compared to the United States. Copyright © 2017 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

A step towards positive safety culture in DAE units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramprasad, K.

2016-01-01

Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has considered safety as its priority, since inception in late 1950s, in all its activities. A belief in safety principles like defense-in depth, diversity, multi-tier review, etc. has laid a long path of success in safety management for decades. Multitude of DAE activities in the past few decades, especially in application of nuclear energy in scientific research, industrial, medical, agriculture and food technologies, often, poses new challenges in safety management. A good safety management system is in place in DAE units to cope up with the challenges of the evolving technologies. An opportunity is taken through this workshop to highlight extra efforts to be taken to inch forward in developing a strong safety culture

Model simulations of the drift and spread of the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesh, S.

1990-01-01

In this paper the drift and spread of the Exxon-Valdez oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989 are simulated using a modified version of the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service oil spill behavior model. The model simulations show that the movement of the oil out of Prince William Sound and beyond is sensitive to the wind/ocean currents taken into account is three to four times that with either wind or ocean currents only. While 12-day drift of the spill containing the higher concentrations of oil parcels is in very good agreement with observations, model simulations show the presence of oil further to the south, albeit in lower concentrations. The lateral spread of the oil is also very well simulated by the model

Safety Assessment for transient event occurred during the ASTS test of Hanbit Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Changkeun; Kim, Yohan; Ha, Sangjun

2014-01-01

Safety Injection has been actuated during the ASTS (Automatic Seismic Trip System) test of Hanbit Unit 2 on Feb. 28, 2014. It could be bad effect on system integrity. KHNP has been performed safety assessment of system for effect of Safety Injection (SI) actuation occurred during the ASTS test of hanbit Unit 2. Stable state of nuclear power plant system has been confirmed according to Safety Injection and reactor trip event occurred during the ASTS test of hanbit Unit 2. In the result of system safety assessment, major variables of nuclear power plant are located in optimal range and not exceed safety limit. It remains nuclear fuel and the integrity of the power plant is in a safe condition were conformed. After ASTS action, thermal elimination has been processed throughout the turbine until turbine signal occurrence because ASTS is connected to M-G set in the present hanbit Unit 2. Therefore, Safety Injection signal has been actuated by rapid reduction of Steam Generator pressure. In this paper, it is concluded that consideration of equipment and setpoint is needed for that Safety Injection has been not occurred under the unnecessary situation. Stable state of nuclear power plant system has been confirmed for Safety Injection and reactor trip event occurred during the ASTS test of hanbit Unit 2. In the result of system safety assessment, major variables of nuclear power plant are located in optimal range and not exceed safety limit. It remains nuclear fuel and the integrity of the plant is in a safe condition were conformed. It is concluded that consideration of equipment and setpoint is needed for that Safety Injection has been not occurred under the unnecessary situation

Improving nuclear safety of VVER-440 units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nochev, T.; Sabinov, S.

2001-01-01

In this paper authors deals with improvement of nuclear safety of WWER-440 units in Kozloduy NPP. Main directions for improving nuclear safety of WWER-440 units were: - to expand number of the design accident; - to increase reliability of equipment important for the safety; - to decrease the probability of initiating events; - improvements the integrity of the primary circuit (application LBB concept, qualification of the pressure safety valves to avoid pressurized thermal shock); - improvement of the fire protection; - improvement of the operation including upgrading and improvement of operational documents, implementation of new system for training the operators and etc.; - reassessment of the seismic response of the plant. Main actions were made at NPP Kozloduy to increase nuclear safety of VVER-440 units. 1. Modernization of Emergency High Pressure Safety Injection System. The modernization includes dividing of independent channels with reservation of active elements. Pumps were exchanged with more effective and reliable ones. HPSIS was increased reliability in general through decrease number of active elements and exchanged with passive. 2. For the purpose of avoiding fast cooling at the primary circuit and obtaining thermal shock of reactor vessel, Main Safety Insulation Valves are installed at NPP Kozloduy. 3. Modernization of Emergency power supplies AC. Oil breakers VMP-10 are exchanged with gas FS-4. 4. Generator breakers are installed to decrease probability of loss power supply and blackout. They provide reliable power supply to the system important for the safety in case of failure on generator. 5. I and C system has been qualified and optimized. 6. Reassessments of Limiting Conditions of Operation and new scram signals have been introduced. 7. An operators-oriented Informational System has been developed. It includes ensuring and updating of equipment data, new informational support of operator and etc. 8. A new auxiliary independent system for

A Survey of Occupational Safety & Health Libraries in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Karen S.

There is very little published information available about occupational safety and health libraries. This study identified, described, and compared the occupational safety and health libraries in the United States. The questionnaire first filtered out those libraries that did not fit the definition of an occupational safety and health library;…

[Improving patient safety: Usefulness of safety checklists in a neonatal unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Arriaga Redondo, María; Sanz López, Ester; Rodríguez Sánchez de la Blanca, Ana; Marsinyach Ros, Itziar; Collados Gómez, Laura; Díaz Redondo, Alicia; Sánchez Luna, Manuel

2017-10-01

Due to the complexity and characteristics of their patients, neonatal units are risk areas for the development of adverse events (AE). For this reason, there is a need to introduce and implement some tools and strategies that will help to improve the safety of the neonatal patient. Safety check-lists have shown to be a useful tool in other health areas but they are not sufficiently developed in Neonatal Units. A quasi-experimental prospective study was conducted on the design and implementation of the use of a checklist and evaluation of its usefulness for detecting incidents. The satisfaction of the health professionals on using the checklist tool was also assessed. The compliance rate in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was 56.5%, with 4.03 incidents per patient being detected. One incident was detected for every 5.3 checklists used. The most frequent detected incidents were those related to medication, followed by inadequate alarm thresholds, adjustments of the monitors, and medication pumps. The large majority (75%) of the NICU health professionals considered the checklist useful or very useful, and 68.75% considered that its use had managed to avoid an AE. The overall satisfaction was 83.33% for the professionals with less than 5 years working experience, and 44.4% of the professionals with more than 5 years of experience were pleased or very pleased. The checklists have shown to be a useful tool for the detection of incidents, especially in NICU, with a positive assessment from the health professionals of the unit. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of the Exxon Valdez oil in Prince William Sound beaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Boufadel, Michel C; Geng, Xiaolong; Short, Jeff

2016-12-15

Oil from the Exxon Valdez laden with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has persisted on some beaches in Prince William Sound, Alaska, >20years after these beaches became contaminated. The degradation rate of the total PAH (TPAH) is estimated at 1% per year. Low oxygen concentrations were found to be the major factor causing oil persistence, and bioremediation through the injection of hydrogen peroxide and nutrients deep into four beaches in PWS were conducted in the summers of 2011 and 2012. It was found that due to the treatment, the TPAH biodegradation rate was between 13% and 70% during summer 2011 and summer 2012. The results also showed high efficiency in the delivery of oxygen and nutrient to the contaminated areas of the beach. However, the approach has an environmental cost associated with it, and stakeholders would need to conduct a rigorous net environmental benefit analysis (NEBA) for pursuing the bioremediation of submerged contaminated sediments, especially in higher latitudes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety culture and accident analysis-A socio-management approach based on organizational safety social capital

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, Suman [Risk Analyst (India)]. E-mail: sumanashokrao@yahoo.co.in

2007-04-11

One of the biggest challenges for organizations in today's competitive business environment is to create and preserve a self-sustaining safety culture. Typically, Key drivers of safety culture in many organizations are regulation, audits, safety training, various types of employee exhortations to comply with safety norms, etc. However, less evident factors like networking relationships and social trust amongst employees, as also extended networking relationships and social trust of organizations with external stakeholders like government, suppliers, regulators, etc., which constitute the safety social capital in the Organization-seem to also influence the sustenance of organizational safety culture. Can erosion in safety social capital cause deterioration in safety culture and contribute to accidents? If so, how does it contribute? As existing accident analysis models do not provide answers to these questions, CAMSoC (Curtailing Accidents by Managing Social Capital), an accident analysis model, is proposed. As an illustration, five accidents: Bhopal (India), Hyatt Regency (USA), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Westray (Canada) and Exxon Valdez (USA) have been analyzed using CAMSoC. This limited cross-industry analysis provides two key socio-management insights: the biggest source of motivation that causes deviant behavior leading to accidents is 'Faulty Value Systems'. The second biggest source is 'Enforceable Trust'. From a management control perspective, deterioration in safety culture and resultant accidents is more due to the 'action controls' rather than explicit 'cultural controls'. Future research directions to enhance the model's utility through layering are addressed briefly.

International review of Kursk unit 1 in-depth safety analysis report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chouha, M.; Bolshov, L.; Butcher, P.; Janke, R.; Parsons, T.; Weber, J.P.

2004-01-01

The paper presents the objectives, organisation, main findings and conclusions of the international review of the Kursk unit 1 safety analysis report (K1IRSR). The K1IRSR was administered by RISKAUDIT IRSN/GRS international and carried out by international experts from 7 western countries plus the Russian Federation, under the supervision of the safety review group (SRG) of the European bank for reconstruction and development (EBRD). The project was financed by the nuclear safety account (NSA) administered by the EBRD. The Russian experts worked under a contract with IBRAE financed by Rosenergoatom. The main conclusions were that the SAR followed a correct approach, broadly in line with Russian and international guidance documents, but needed improvement in structure and content. It established that the safety level of the unit has been increased significantly by the modernisation programme. The important deviations of the unit from current Russian regulations and the IAEA safety issues for RBMK are either fully resolved or are being addressed to the extent possible by compensatory measures to further reduce the risk. The K1IRSR experts have made a number of recommendations for improvement of the K1SAR. The authors agreed to take the recommendations into account in future revision of the K1SAR. (orig.)

Effectiveness and regulatory issues in oil spill bioremediation: Experiences with the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pritchard, P.H.

1993-01-01

The use of bioremediation as a supplemental cleanup technology in the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in Prince William Sound, Alaska, has proven to be a good example of the problems and successes associated with the practical application of this technology. Field studies conducted by scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency have demonstrated that oil degradation by indigenous microflora on the beaches of Prince William Sound could be significantly accelerated by adding fertilizer directly to the surfaces of oil-contaminated beaches. The author's results from the application of an oleophilic fertilizer are presented as exemplary field and laboratory information. The fertilizer enhanced biodegradation of the oil, as measured by changes in oil composition and bulk oil weight per unit of beach material, by approximately twofold relative to untreated controls. The emphasis of this chapter will be on some of the difficulties and problems associated with the fertilizer application and its effect on oil degradation. The author will concentrate primarily on the separate application of an oleophilic fertilizer which occurred at a site called Snug Harbor on Knight Island in Prince William Sound, and on the application of slow-release fertilizer granules which occurred on Disk Island in Prince William Sound

Kozloduy nuclear power plant. Units 1-4. Status of safety improvements. Rev. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

This paper presents the results of the safety improvements activities carried out by the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) within the period 1990-1998. The steam supply system of this units is based of the reactor WWER-440/ B-230, which is a PWR of russian design developed according to the safety standards in force in USSR in late sixties. Up to now 10 reactor units of this type are in operation in four NPPs. Despite of efforts of the different plants to implement safety improvements measures during first 10-15 years of operation of this type of reactor its major safety problems were not eliminated and were a subject of international concern. The systematic evaluation of the deficiencies of the original design of this type of reactors have been initiated by IAEA in the beginning of 1990 and brought to developing a comprehensive list of safety problems which required urgent implementation of safety measures in all plants. To solve this problems in 1991 KNPP initiated implementation of so called 'short term' safety improvement program, developed with the help of WANO under agreement with Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority (BNSA) and consortium RISKAUDIT. The program was based on a stage approach and was foreseen to be implemented by tree stages in very tight time schedule in order to achieve significant and rapid improvements of the level of safety in operation of the units. The Short term program was implemented between from 1991 to 1997 owing to strong safety commitment of NEC and KNPP staff as well as broad international cooperation and financial support. Important part of resources were supplied under PHARE program of CEC, EBRD grant agreement and EDF support. In parallel a special assessment process started in 1995 in order to evaluate the level of safety, achieved by Short Term Program, according to current safety standards and to define the measures, which should be implemented by the Utility to complete the process of improving the safety in future

Analysis of the Exxon Valdez oil spill impacts on Prince William Sound pink salmon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brannon, E.L.; Moulton, L.L.; Maki, A.W.

1996-01-01

The impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on pink salmon in Prince William Sound (PWS), was studied. Since the incident, numerous and extensive field and laboratory studies have been completed by various scientists. This paper synthesized information on the post-spill salmon harvests, the concentration of petroleum that entered the water column, the number of streams oiled, and stream sediment chemistry, to determine the potential for oil spill effects. Results from this study showed that oiling to the extent experienced during incubation and rearing during both the spring and fall of 1989 through the spring of 1991, resulted in no measurable effects on the PWS pink salmon. The estimated losses predicted earlier, likely exceeded actual losses. 16 refs., 4 tabs., 4 figs

Intensive care unit nurses' perceptions of safety after a highly specific safety intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Elder, N C; Brungs, S M; Nagy, M; Kudel, I; Render, M L

2008-02-01

It is unknown if successful changes in specific safety practices in the intensive care unit (ICU) generalize to broader concepts of patient safety by staff nurses. To explore perceptions of patient safety among nursing staff in ICUs following participation in a safety project that decreased hospital acquired infections. After implementation of practices that reduced catheter-related bloodstream infections in ICUs at four community hospitals, ICU nurses participated in focus groups to discuss patient safety. Audiotapes from the focus groups were transcribed, and two independent reviewers categorised the data which were triangulated with responses from selected questions of safety climate surveys and with the safety checklists used by management leadership on walk rounds. Thirty-three nurses attended eight focus groups; 92 nurses and managers completed safety climate surveys, and three separate leadership checklists were reviewed. In focus groups, nurses predominantly related patient safety to dangers in the physical environment (eg, bed rails, alarms, restraints, equipment, etc.) and to medication administration. These areas also represented 47% of checklist items from leadership walk rounds. Nurses most frequently mentioned self-initiated "double checking" as their main safety task. Focus-group participants and survey responses both noted inconsistency between management's verbal and written commitment compared with their day-to-day support of patient safety issues. ICU nurses who participated in a project to decrease hospital acquired infections did not generalize their experience to other aspects of patient safety or relate it to management's interest in patient safety. These findings are consistent with many adult learning theories, where self-initiated tasks, combined with immediate, but temporary problem-solving, are stronger learning forces than management-led activities with delayed feedback.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Valdez NTMS Quadrangle, Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-05-01

This report presents results of a Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) of the Valdez NTMS quadrangle, Alaska. In addition to this abbreviated data release, more complete data are available to the public in machine-readable form through the Grand Junction Office Information System (GJOIS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Presented in this data release are location data, field analyses, and laboratory analyses of several different sample media. For the sake of brevity, many field site observations have not been included in this volume. These data are, however, available on the magnetic tape. Appendices A to D describe the sample media and summarize the analytical results for each medium. The data were subsetted by one of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) sorting programs of Zinkl and others (1981a) into groups of stream sediment, lake sediment, stream water, lake water, and ground water samples.

Safety R and D Needs in Multi-Unit PSA from a Regulatory Viewpoint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Gyunyoung; Yoon, Ji Woong [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Man Cheol [Chung-Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) NSSC’s recent approval of the construction permits and operation licenses of Shin Kori units 3 to 6 has brought attention to the multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). The disaster in Fukushima revealed the risks associated with the use of spent fuel pools (SFPs), and the linear (or non-linear) consequences of radiation leaks from multi-units in particular, has raised concerns. The number of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation will increase to ten at the Kori and Shin Kori sites when the construction of Units 5 and 6 is complete - the highest concentration of power reactors in one region in world history. Nuclear disasters do not happen frequently, but when one does happen, its cascading effects can inflict massive human and environmental loss. Proper safety measures are needed as more nuclear installations are put in place. Nuclear regulators are forced to promptly produce a sufficient degree of realistic and objective risk assessment results to meet the rapidly-increasing demand for multi-unit PSA, while striving to achieve matching levels of technological development. The issues with the technological aspects of PSA would still be inherent even after a few years of research, and ensuring the safety of multi-units would still prove challenging. Experts are however relieved that the general public is now much more familiar with the concept of PSA than in the past, which indicates a rise in the degree of public understanding of technology. More studies should be done on multi-unit regulation and safety so as to steer the government in the proper direction for enacting policies aimed to ensure the health of local residents. In conclusion, the technical problems associated with multi-unit PSA that were not mentioned in this paper are essentially similar to their single-unit counterparts, therefore, reinforcing the base infrastructure of PSAs in general will work towards resolving such technical

Safety assessment of Olkiluoto NPP units 1 and 2. Decision of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority regarding the periodic safety review of the Olkiluoto NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-02-01

In this safety assessment the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has evaluated the safety of the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant units 1 and 2 in connection with the periodic safety review. This safety assessment provides a summary of the reviews, inspections and continuous oversight carried out by STUK. The issues addressed in the assessment and the related evaluation criteria are set forth in the nuclear energy and radiation safety legislation and the regulations issued thereunder. The provisions of the Nuclear Energy Act concerning the safe use of nuclear energy, security and emergency preparedness arrangements, and waste management are specified in more detail in the Government Decrees and Regulatory Guides issued by STUK. Based on the assessment, STUK consideres that the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant units 1 and 2 meet the set safety requirements for operational nuclear power plants, the emergency preparedness arrangements are sufficient and the necessary control to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons has been appropriately arranged. The physical protection of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant is not yet completely in compliance with the requirements of Government Decree 734/2008, which came into force in December 2008. Further requirements concerning this issue based also on the principle of continuous improvement were included in the decision relating to the periodic safety review. The safety of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant was assessed in compliance with the Government Decree on the Safety of Nuclear Power Plants (733/2008), which came into force in 2008. The decree notes that existing nuclear power plants need not meet all the requirements set out for new plants. Most of the design bases pertaining to the Olkiluoto 1 and 2 nuclear power plant units were set in the 1970s. Substantial modernisations have been carried out at the Olkiluoto 1 and 2 nuclear power plant units since their commissioning to improve safety. This is in line with

Safety analysis report for decommissioning of KNPP units 1 and 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanova, A.; Ovcharova, I.

2008-01-01

At present units 1 and 2 possess a license for operation in mode „E‟ – storage of the spent fuel in the spent fuel pools. According to the order of BNSA, from the beginning of December 2006 the licenses for operation of KNPP units 1 and 2 have been modified; this does not change the current status – operation of the units in mode „E‟ , but allows for dismantling of the systems and equipment, which are not important for safety and do not contain radioactive substances above the free release levels. The next step is obtaining a licence for Stage 1 decommissioning activities – Safe enclosure (SE) and dismantling in Turbine hall. The development of Decommissioning Safety Analysis Report (DSAR) is one of the documents needed for this license. The specific features of the units and decommitioning options are described

Perspective: Ecological recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maki, A.W.

1993-01-01

A series of field and laboratory studies were designed to characterize the initial effects and subsequent rate of ecosystem recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. These studies were organized within an ecological risk assessment framework wherein measurements of residual spill hydrocarbons from specific environmental compartments were correlated with observed biological effects for resident species and communities. This allowed an assessment of the likelihood of spill-related effects vs. effects of natural ecosystem variability. Measurement of polycyclic automatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were made from throughout the spill-affected area for water column, intertidal shoreline sediments and deep subtidal sediments. Data document the expected high levels of PAH in 1989 with rapid PAH decreases in following years from all compartments reflecting natural assimilation and dissipation via chemical, physical and biological processes. Parallel investigations of risks to biological resources representing major trophic levels were conducted to quantify recovery rates of spill impacted habitats and resident species. Results are summarized documenting respective recovery rates for key trophic levels including intertidal flora and fauna, benthic invertebrates and infauna, herring and salmon, shorebirds and colonial seabirds and sea otters. Quantitative data developed for these species support the conclusion that the effects of oil spills are largely short-term acute events, and the Prince William Sound recovery was well advanced by 1991

Nuclear safety improvement activities related to WWER-440 units in Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gantchev, T.

1998-01-01

The systematic evaluation of the deficiencies of the original design of the WWER reactors brought to the development of a Short Term Programme for Safety Upgrading and Modernisation of Kozloduy WWER-440 units. The implementation of this Programme was completed in 1997. The strive for continuos improvement of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) safety level, the new requirements of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority and the public concern initiated the development of new Complex Programme for Safety Improvement (PRG'97), now in a process of implementation. (author)

Shoreline ecology program for Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 2: Chemistry and toxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm, P.D.; Page, D.S.; Gilfillan, E.S.; Stubblefield, W.A.; Harner, E.J.

1995-01-01

This paper describes chemical and toxicological results of a comprehensive shoreline ecology program that was designed to assess recovery in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989. The program is an application of the sediment quality triad approach, combining chemical, toxicological, and biological measurements. The study was designed so that results could be extrapolated to the entire spill zone in the sound and projected forward in time. It combined one-time sampling of 64 randomly chosen study sites representing four major habitats and four oiling levels (including unoiled reference sites), with periodic sampling at 12 subjectively chosen fixed sites. Sediment samples--or when conditions required, filter-wipes from rock surfaces--were collected in each of three intertidal zones and from subtidal stations up to 30-m deep. Oil removal was generally quite rapid: by 1991 the concentration of oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez had been dramatically reduced on the majority of shorelines by both natural processes and cleanup efforts. Acute sediment toxicity from oil (as measured by standard toxicity tests) was virtually absent by 1990--91, except at a small number of isolated locations. The petroleum residues had degraded below the threshold of acute toxic effects. Measurable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels are, in general, well below those conservatively associated with adverse effects, and biological recovery has been considerably more rapid than the removal of the last chemical remnants. 55 refs., 15 figs., 4 tabs

Review of nuclear regulatory activities associated with safety culture and the management of safety in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodhouse, P.A.

1995-01-01

This paper describes some of the key regulatory activities which have taken place in the United Kingdom in recent years in the areas of safety culture and management of safety. It explains how the UK's nuclear licensing regime, regulated and enforced by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, (NII), provides the framework for a viable safety management system and identifies a management of safety model which a NII Task Force has developed. It finally identifies further work which is being undertaken by the NII. (author). 4 refs, 2 figs

Surveys of murre colony attendance in the northern Gulf of Alaska following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erikson, D.E.

1995-01-01

Field surveys were conducted in July and August 1991 on 32 of the 36 murre (Uria spp.) colonies in the northern Gulf of Alaska to assess colony attendance (number of birds present at a colony) two years after the exxon Valdez oil spill. The surveys focused on murre colonies because murres represented 74% of the recovered seabird carcasses and because it had claimed that there was large-scale mortality of murres, leading to 60% to 70% decreases at some large colonies and population recovery periods of 20 to 70 years. Murres were present at all 32 colonies, and colony attendance estimates were generally similar to those from historical (prespill) surveys, particularly for those colonies in the direct path of the spill, i.e., the Barren Islands and Chiswell islands. Colony attendance levels in 1991 do not support the contention that murre colony attendance in the study area was drastically lower than historical levels. When colonies were grouped according to risk of oil exposure, the mean changes in attendance between 1991 and historical murre surveys did not differ significantly among the groups. Factors that could account for the observed similarity of 1991 and historical murre counts despite the high estimated mortality are (1) overestimation of mortality or (2) replacement of lost breeders through either recruitment of formerly nonbreeding individuals into the breeding population at spill-affected colonies or immigration of murres form nonaffected colonies. The findings of this study suggest that impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on murre colony attendance in the northern Gulf of alaska were relatively short-term. 118 refs., 5 figs., 8 tabs

Safety climate in Swiss hospital units: Swiss version of the Safety Climate Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Gehring, Katrin; Mascherek, Anna C.; Bezzola, Paula

2015-01-01

Abstract Rationale, aims and objectives Safety climate measurements are a broadly used element of improvement initiatives. In order to provide a sound and easy‐to‐administer instrument for the use in Swiss hospitals, we translated the Safety Climate Survey into German and French. Methods After translating the Safety Climate Survey into French and German, a cross‐sectional survey study was conducted with health care professionals (HCPs) in operating room (OR) teams and on OR‐related wards in 10 Swiss hospitals. Validity of the instrument was examined by means of Cronbach's alpha and missing rates of the single items. Item‐descriptive statistics group differences and percentage of ‘problematic responses’ (PPR) were calculated. Results 3153 HCPs completed the survey (response rate: 63.4%). 1308 individuals were excluded from the analyses because of a profession other than doctor or nurse or invalid answers (n = 1845; nurses = 1321, doctors = 523). Internal consistency of the translated Safety Climate Survey was good (Cronbach's alpha G erman = 0.86; Cronbach's alpha F rench = 0.84). Missing rates at item level were rather low (0.23–4.3%). We found significant group differences in safety climate values regarding profession, managerial function, work area and time spent in direct patient care. At item level, 14 out of 21 items showed a PPR higher than 10%. Conclusions Results indicate that the French and German translations of the Safety Climate Survey might be a useful measurement instrument for safety climate in Swiss hospital units. Analyses at item level allow for differentiating facets of safety climate into more positive and critical safety climate aspects. PMID:25656302

Seaweeds and the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stekoll, M.S.; Deysher, L.; Dean, T.A.

1993-01-01

A three-year study, initiated in 1989, has evaluated the response of subtidal and intertidal seaweed communities to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and subsequent cleanup activities. The project was part of the coastal habitat injury assessment research sanctioned under the natural resource damage assessment program. A stratified random design was used to select oiled sites for the study. Paired control (unoiled) sites were then matched to the oiled sites. The most consistent effect found in subtidal populations in Prince William Sound was the higher relative abundance of small-size classes of kelps at the oiled sites, indicating the prior disappearance of larger plants. This disappearance was possibly caused by activities associated with the cleanup operations. Intertidal populations of algae were affected by the spill and cleanup in all three major areas studied: Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet-Kenai, and Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula. The most obvious effect was a significant removal of the dominant intertidal plant Fucus gardneri from the mid and upper intertidal zones. The limited dispersal of this plant combined with the relatively harsh conditions of the upper intertidal will cause a slow recovery of the upper intertidal zone in the affected areas. Effects of the spill extended to other algal species. Species such as Cladophora, Myelophycus, Odonthalia, Palmaria, and Polysiphonia showed decreases in their percent cover at oiled sites. Only Gloiopeltis populations appeared to increase in percent cover in oiled areas. In both the Cook Inlet-Kenai and the Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula areas Fucus populations appeared to be enhanced in the lower intertidal zone - between 2 and 3 meters below the high-tide mark - in 1991

Introducing the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program for mechanically ventilated patients in Saudi Arabian Intensive Care Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond M Khan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, there have been major improvements to the care of mechanically ventilated patients (MVPs. Earlier initiatives used the concept of ventilator care bundles (sets of interventions, with a primary focus on reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, recent evidence has led to a more comprehensive approach: The ABCDE bundle (Awakening and Breathing trial Coordination, Delirium management and Early mobilization. The approach of the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP was developed by patient safety researchers at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to improve local safety cultures and to learn from defects by utilizing a validated structured framework. In August 2015, 17 Intensive Care Units (ICUs (a total of 271 beds in eight hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the CUSP for MVPs (CUSP 4 MVP that was conducted in 235 ICUs in 169 US hospitals and led by the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. The CUSP 4 MVP project will set the stage for cooperation between multiple hospitals and thus strives to create a countrywide plan for the management of all MVPs in Saudi Arabia.

Long-term effects of Exxon Valdez oiling and shoreline treatments on intertidal infauna

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driskell, W.B.; Houghton, J.P.; Fukuyama, A.K.; Lees, D.C.; Shigenaka, G.; Mearns, A.J.

1993-01-01

Data from five years of quantitative monitoring (1989 through 1993) have been analyzed for trends in infaunal recovery on Prince William Sound sand and gravel beaches affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill and cleanup. Hydraulic washing caused significant, immediate changes in beach morphology, sediment structure, and biota. Total organism abundance, species richness, species diversity, and abundances of several major taxa (polychaetes, molluscs, gastropods) were dramatically reduced in hot-water-treated beaches relative to those in unoiled beaches. These reductions remain discernible but have lessened somewhat after five years. Oiled but untreated beaches continue to have a richer and more abundant infauna than those that were hot-water washed. Multivariate analyses indicate trends in recovery and identify important species in the successional recolonization. Correlations of biological variables with residual sediment total PAH and with sediment coarseness suggest that changes in beach morphology resulting from washing were as important as residual hydrocarbons in affecting recovery

Analysis of air toxics, criteria pollutants and meteorological monitoring data in Valdez, Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stopenhagen, K.W.; Kester, R.A.; Caniparoli, D.G.; Gravely, R.J.

1991-01-01

An ambient monitoring network began operation in Valdez, Alaska in August 1990. The twelve month study for the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company will gather data for regulatory compliance, risk assessment dispersion modeling. The network consists of seven sites. Four sites measure selected species of VOCs by laboratory grade gas chromatographs. The GCS yield hourly concentrations, special plumbing, valving and computer software enable unattended and automated operation. Chromatography is performed by flame ionization detector. Pollutants measured are benzene, ethyl-benzene, toluene and xylenes. Criteria pollutants are measured at four sites; one of which is for permit compliance. VOC and Criteria data presented will show site-by-site concentration comparisons, relate values to ambient standards, and applicability of previous modeling results. A discussion of the use of lab-grade gas chromatographs in the field for automated continuous sampling will be included. Meteorological data discussion will analyze circulation patterns within the fjord for patterns such as cross fjord transport and terrain induced flow regimes

Patient Safety Culture in Intensive Care Units from the Perspective of Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Farzi, Sedigheh; Moladoost, Azam; Bahrami, Masoud; Farzi, Saba; Etminani, Reza

2017-01-01

One of the goals of nursing is providing safe care, prevention of injury, and health promotion of patients. Patient safety in intensive care units is threatened for various reasons. This study aimed to survey patient safety culture from the perspective of nurses in intensive care units. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016. Sampling was done using the convenience method. The sample consisted of 367 nurses working in intensive care units of teaching hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Data collection was performed using a two-part questionnaire that included demographic and hospital survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). Among the 12 dimensions of safety culture, the nurses assigned the highest score to "team work within units" (97.3%) and "Organizational learning-continuous improvement" (84%). They assigned the least score to "handoffs and transitions"(21.1%), "non-punitive response to errors" (24.7%), "Staffing" (35.6%), "Communication openness" (47.5%), and "Teamwork across units" (49.4%). The patient safety culture dimensions have low levels that require adequate attention and essential measures of health care centers including facilitating teamwork, providing adequate staff, and developing a checklist of handoffs and transitions. Furthermore, to increase reporting error and to promote a patient safety culture in intensive care units, some strategies should be adopted including a system-based approach to deal with the error.

Herring parasite and tissue alterations following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moles, A.D.; Rice, S.D.; Okihiro, M.S.

1993-01-01

The authors examined the intensity and prevalence of larval nematodes (Anisakis simplex) and alterations in selected tissues of spawning Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) exposed to crude oil, in the laboratory under controlled conditions and in Prince William Sound 14 days after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In the laboratory, intensity and prevalence of nematodes in the body cavities of herring exposed to the water-soluble fraction of oil declined when exposed to doses above 1.2 mg/L total aromatics. In Prince William Sound, nematodes were rare in spawning herring from oiled sites and abundant among herring from areas outside the spill. Oil exposure apparently induced the nematodes to migrate from the body cavity to the body wall with the lower intensity reflecting a change in parasite location. A coccidian, Eimeria clupearum, was found in greater numbers in oil-exposed herring. To verify exposure effects and to link parasite and tissue alteration with oil exposure, histological examination was used. Liver coagulative necrosis indicated hepatotoxic exposure. Necrosis was followed by macrophage aggregation in the resolution phase. The laboratory exposures allowed confirmation of oil exposure in Prince William Sound and permitted analysis of effects on two internal parasites

Safety and security considerations for the transport of spent teletherapy units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mallaupoma, Mario; Paez, Jose; Huatay, Luis; Cruz, Walter

2008-01-01

Among the applications of nuclear technology, a practice widely used and generates many benefits to society are teletherapy applications. Many of the teletherapy units used contain a source of cobalt-60 and after their useful life they have to be dismantled and transported to a safe place. In this case were transported two units with an activity of more than 75 TBq . This paper presents safety and security considerations for the transport of the teletherapy units according to the recommendations of actual state of art. It is described all facets of safe transport by means of a set of technical and administrative safety requirements and controls, including the actions required by the consignor and carrier. The main emphasis was put on the stages of transport operations that give rise to exposure to radiation like packing, preparation, loading, handling, storage in transit and movement of packages of radioactive material. On the other side some security actions were considered in order to prevent theft, sabotage or other malicious acts during the transport of the packages. As a conclusion it must be mentioned that both safety and security considerations are very important aspects that must be taking in account for the transport of high activity radioactive material. (author)

Organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units: relationship to size of intensive care unit and physician management model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodek, Peter M; Wong, Hubert; Jaswal, Danny; Heyland, Daren K; Cook, Deborah J; Rocker, Graeme M; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Dale, Craig; Fowler, Robert; Ayas, Najib T

2012-02-01

The objectives of this study are to describe organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units (ICUs), to correlate culture with the number of beds and physician management model in each ICU, and to correlate organizational culture and safety culture. In this cross-sectional study, surveys of organizational and safety culture were administered to 2374 clinical staff in 23 Canadian tertiary care and community ICUs. For the 1285 completed surveys, scores were calculated for each of 34 domains. Average domain scores for each ICU were correlated with number of ICU beds and with intensivist vs nonintensivist management model. Domain scores for organizational culture were correlated with domain scores for safety culture. Culture domain scores were generally favorable in all ICUs. There were moderately strong positive correlations between number of ICU beds and perceived effectiveness at recruiting/retaining physicians (r = 0.58; P organizational and safety culture. Differences in perceptions between staff in larger and smaller ICUs highlight the importance of teamwork across units in larger ICUs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kozloduy nuclear power plant. Units 1-4. Status of safety assessment activities. Rev. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

This paper presents the results of the status of safety assessment activities carried out by the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in order to evaluate the current status of the safety of its reactor units 1-4. The steam supply system of this units is based of the reactor WWER-440/ B-230, which is a PWR of Russian design developed according to the safety standards in force in USSR in late 60-s. Now a days 10 reactor units of this type are in operation in four NPPs. Despite of efforts of the different plants to implement safety improvements measures during first 10-15 years of operation of this type of reactor its major safety problems were not eliminated and were a subject of international concern. The systematic evaluation of the deficiencies of the original design of this type of reactors have been initiated by IAEA in the beginning of 1990 and brought to developing a comprehensive list of safety problems which required urgent implementation of safety measures in all plants. To solve this problems in 1991 KNPP initiated implementation of so called 'short term' safety improvement program, developed with the help of WANO under agreement with Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority (BNSA) and consortium RISKAUDIT. The program was based on a stage approach and was foreseen to be implemented by tree stages in very tight time schedule in order to achieve significant and rapid improvements of the level of safety in operation of the units. The Short Tenn Program was implemented between the years 1991 and 1997 thanks of the strong safety commitment of NEK and KNPP staff and the broad international cooperation and financial support. Important part of resources were supplied under PHARE program of CEC, EBRD grant agreement and EDF support. The plant current safety level analysis has been performed using IAEA analytical methodology according to 50-SG-O12 standard 'Periodic safety review of operational nuclear power plants'. The approach and criteria for acceptable safety level

Patient safety culture in obstetrics and gynecology and neonatology units: the nurses' and the midwives' opinion.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeliene, Janina; Blazeviciene, Aurelija; Nadisauskiene, Ruta Jolanta; Tameliene, Rasa; Kudreviciene, Ausrele; Nedzelskiene, Irena; Macijauskiene, Jurate

2018-04-22

Patients treated in health care facilities that provide services in the fields of obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology are especially vulnerable. Large multidisciplinary teams of physicians, multiple invasive and noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and the use of advanced technologies increase the probability of adverse events. The evaluation of knowledge about patient safety culture among nurses and midwives working in such units and the identification of critical areas at a health care institution would reduce the number of adverse events and improve patient safety. The aim of the study was to evaluate the opinion of nurses and midwives working in clinical departments that provide services in the fields of obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology about patient safety culture and to explore potential predictors for the overall perception of safety. We used the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) to evaluate nurses' and midwives' opinion about patient safety issues. The overall response rate in the survey was 100% (n = 233). The analysis of the dimensions of safety on the unit level showed that the respondents' most positive evaluations were in the Organizational Learning - Continuous Improvement (73.2%) and Feedback and Communication about Error (66.8%) dimensions, and the most negative evaluations in the Non-punitive Response to Error (33.5%) and Staffing (44.6%) dimensions. On the hospital level, the evaluation of the safety dimensions ranged between 41.4 and 56.8%. The percentage of positive responses in the outcome dimensions Frequency of Events Reported was 82.4%. We found a significant association between the outcome dimension Frequency of Events Reported and the Hospital Management Support for Patient Safety and Feedback and Communication about Error Dimensions. On the hospital level, the critical domains in health care facilities that provide services in the fields of obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology were Teamwork

Patient safety culture at neonatal intensive care units: perspectives of the nursing and medical team 1

Science.gov (United States)

Tomazoni, Andréia; Rocha, Patrícia Kuerten; de Souza, Sabrina; Anders, Jane Cristina; de Malfussi, Hamilton Filipe Correia

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to verify the assessment of the patient safety culture according to the function and length of experience of the nursing and medical teams at Neonatal Intensive Care Units. METHOD: quantitative survey undertaken at four Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Florianópolis, Brazil. The sample totaled 141 subjects. The data were collected between February and April 2013 through the application of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. For analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient were used. Approval for the research project was obtained from the Ethics Committee, CAAE: 05274612.7.0000.0121. RESULTS: differences in the number of positive answers to the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, the safety grade and the number of reported events were found according to the professional characteristics. A significant association was found between a shorter Length of work at the hospital and Length of work at the unit and a larger number of positive answers; longer length of experience in the profession represented higher grades and less reported events. The physicians and nursing technicians assessed the patient safety culture more positively. Cronbach's alpha demonstrated the reliability of the instrument. CONCLUSION: the differences found reveal a possible relation between the assessment of the safety culture and the subjects' professional characteristics at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units. PMID:25493670

Structural empowerment and patient safety culture among registered nurses working in adult critical care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Armellino, Donna; Quinn Griffin, Mary T; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2010-10-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and patient safety culture among staff level Registered Nurses (RNs) within adult critical care units (ACCU). There is literature to support the value of RNs' structurally empowered work environments and emerging literature towards patient safety culture; the link between empowerment and patient safety culture is being discovered. A sample of 257 RNs, working within adult critical care of a tertiary hospital in the United States, was surveyed. Instruments included a background data sheet, the Conditions of Workplace Effectiveness and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Structural empowerment and patient safety culture were significantly correlated. As structural empowerment increased so did the RNs' perception of patient safety culture. To foster patient safety culture, nurse leaders should consider providing structurally empowering work environments for RNs. This study contributes to the body of knowledge linking structural empowerment and patient safety culture. Results link structurally empowered RNs and increased patient safety culture, essential elements in delivering efficient, competent, quality care. They inform nursing management of key factors in the nurses' environment that promote safe patient care environments. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Strategic management of oil spills: some lessons from the Exxon Valdez disaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geistauts, G.A.

1992-01-01

In March 1989 the tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on a well-known reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, resulting in an oil spill of nearly 11 million gallons (260,000 barrels). Much of the oil washed ashore, coating over 1,200 miles of shoreline, and damaged marine mammals, birds, and other life forms. Response to the spill revealed lack of preparedness, disagreement as to appropriate response tactics and technologies, and a confused decision-making structure. This article provides details of the Alaskan setting of the disaster. The historical conflict between economic development and environmental preservation that characterizes the region is emphasised. An outline is given of the apparent causes of this particular oil spill and then a number of strategic propositions concerning oil spills in general and their remediation are presented. In conclusion, it is argued briefly that, in general, effective and efficient maritime oil spill prevention and remediation require technological, logistic and decision-making mechanisms to be in place at all times on a global scale. This suggests that there should be an overall structural framework, composed of key sub-structures providing the necessary mechanisms. (U.K.)

Safety culture in the maternity unit of hospitals in Ilam province, Iran: a census survey using HSOPSC tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbari, Nahid; Malek, Marzieh; Ebrahimi, Parvin; Haghani, Hamid; Aazami, Sanaz

2017-01-01

Improving quality of maternal care as well as patients' safety are two important issues in health-care service. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the culture of patient safety at maternity units. This cross-sectional study was conducted among staffs working at maternity units in seven hospitals of Ilam city, Iran. The staffs included in this study were gynecologists and midwifes working in different positions including matron, supervisors, head of departments and staffs. Data were collected using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). This study indicated that 59.1% of participants reported fair level of overall perceptions of safety and 67.1% declared that no event was reported during the past 12 months. The most positively perceived dimension of safety culture was teamwork within departments in view of managers (79.41) and personnel (81.10). However, the least positively perceived dimensions of safety culture was staffing levels. The current study revealed areas of strength (teamwork within departments) and weakness (staffing, punitive responses to error) among managers and personnel. In addition, we found that staffs in Ilam's hospitals accept the patient safety culture in maternity units, but, still are far away from excellent culture of patient safety. Therefore, it is necessary to promote culture of patient's safety among professions working in the maternity units of Ilam's hospitals.

A measurement tool to assess culture change regarding patient safety in hospital obstetrical units.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenneth Milne, J; Bendaly, Nicole; Bendaly, Leslie; Worsley, Jill; FitzGerald, John; Nisker, Jeff

2010-06-01

Clinical error in acute care hospitals can only be addressed by developing a culture of safety. We sought to develop a cultural assessment survey (CAS) to assess patient safety culture change in obstetrical units. Interview prompts and a preliminary questionnaire were developed through a literature review of patient safety and "high reliability organizations," followed by interviews with members of the Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (MOREOB) Program of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Three hundred preliminary questionnaires were mailed, and 21 interviews and 9 focus groups were conducted with the staff of 11 hospital sites participating in the program. To pilot test the CAS, 350 surveys were mailed to staff in participating hospitals, and interviews were conducted with seven nurses and five physicians who had completed the survey. Reliability analysis was conducted on four units that completed the CAS prior to and following the implementation of the first MOREOB module. Nineteen values and 105 behaviours, practices, and perceptions relating to patient safety were identified and included in the preliminary questionnaire, of which 143 of 300 (47.4%) were returned. Among the 220 cultural assessment surveys returned (62.9%), six cultural scales emerged: (1) patient safety as everyone's priority; (2) teamwork; (3) valuing individuals; (4) open communication; (5) learning; and (6) empowering individuals. The reliability analysis found all six scales to have internal reliability (Cronbach alpha), ranging from 0.72 (open communication) to 0.84 (valuing individuals). The CAS developed for this study may enable obstetrical units to assess change in patient safety culture.

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.

Safety analysis of the CSTR-1 bench-scale coal liquefaction unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hulburt, D.A.

1981-05-01

The objective of the program reported herein was to provide a Safety Analysis of the CSTR-1 bench scale unit located in Building 167 at the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. It was apparent that considerable effort was expended in the design and construction of the unit, and in the development of operating procedures, with regard to safety. Exhaust ventilation, H/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/S monitoring, overpressure protection, overtemperature protection, and interlock systems have been provided. Present settings on the pressure and temperature safety systems are too high, however, to insure prevention of vessel deformation or damage in all cases. While the occurrence of catastrophic rupture of a system pressure vessel (e.g., reactor, high pressure separators) is unlikely, the potential consequences to personnel are severe. Feasibility of providing shielding for these components should be considered. A more probable mode of vessel failure in the event of overpressure or overtemperature and failure of the safety system is yielding of the closure bolts followed by high pressure flow across the mating surfaces. As a minimum, shielding should be designed to restrict travel of resultant spray. The requirements for personal protective equipment are presently stated in rather broad and general terms in the operating procedures. Safe practices and procedures would be more assured if specific requirements were stated and included for each operational step. Recommendations were developed for all hazards triggered by the guidelines.

Characteristics of unit-level patient safety culture in hospitals in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujita, Shigeru; Seto, Kanako; Kitazawa, Takefumi; Matsumoto, Kunichika; Hasegawa, Tomonori

2014-10-22

Patient safety culture (PSC) has an important role in determining safety and quality in healthcare. Currently, little is known about the status of unit-level PSC in hospitals in Japan. To develop appropriate strategies, characteristics of unit-level PSC should be investigated. Work units may be classified according to the characteristics of PSC, and common problems and appropriate strategies may be identified for each work unit category. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of unit-level PSC in hospitals in Japan. In 2012, a cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals in Japan. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire, developed by the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, was distributed to all healthcare workers (n =12,076). Percent positive scores for 12 PSC sub-dimensions were calculated for each unit, and cluster analysis was used to categorise the units according to the percent positive scores. A generalised linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to analyse the results of the cluster analysis, and odds ratios (ORs) for categorisation as high-PSC units were calculated for each unit type. A total of 9,124 respondents (75.6%) completed the questionnaire, and valid data from 8,700 respondents (72.0%) were analysed. There were 440 units in the 18 hospitals. According to the percent positive scores for the 12 sub-dimensions, the 440 units were classified into 2 clusters: high-PSC units (n =184) and low-PSC units (n =256). Percent positive scores for all PSC sub-dimensions for high-PSC units were significantly higher than those for low-PSC units. The GLMM revealed that the combined unit type of 'Obstetrics and gynaecology ward, perinatal ward or neonatal intensive care unit' was significantly more likely to be categorised as high-PSC units (OR =9.7), and 'Long-term care ward' (OR =0.2), 'Rehabilitation unit' (OR =0.2) and 'Administration unit' (OR =0.3) were significantly less likely to be categorised as high

Patient safety culture in intensive care units from the perspective of nurses: A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sedigheh Farzi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: One of the goals of nursing is providing safe care, prevention of injury, and health promotion of patients. Patient safety in intensive care units is threatened for various reasons. This study aimed to survey patient safety culture from the perspective of nurses in intensive care units. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016. Sampling was done using the convenience method. The sample consisted of 367 nurses working in intensive care units of teaching hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Data collection was performed using a two-part questionnaire that included demographic and hospital survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation. Results: Among the 12 dimensions of safety culture, the nurses assigned the highest score to “team work within units” (97.3% and “Organizational learning-continuous improvement” (84%. They assigned the least score to “handoffs and transitions”(21.1%, “non-punitive response to errors” (24.7%, “Staffing” (35.6%, “Communication openness” (47.5%, and “Teamwork across units” (49.4%. Conclusions: The patient safety culture dimensions have low levels that require adequate attention and essential measures of health care centers including facilitating teamwork, providing adequate staff, and developing a checklist of handoffs and transitions. Furthermore, to increase reporting error and to promote a patient safety culture in intensive care units, some strategies should be adopted including a system-based approach to deal with the error.

Recovery of seabirds following the Exxon Valdez oil spill: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiens, J.A.

1995-01-01

Following the Exxon Valdez oilspill in March 1989, over 35,000 dead birds were retrieved. Model analyses suggested that actual seabird mortality could have been in the hundreds of thousands, prompting concerns about severe and persistent impacts on populations of several species, especially murres (Uria spp.). Recovery for some populations was projected to take decades. The findings of several studies conducted following the oil spill, however, indicate that these concerns may not be justified. These studies examined colony attendance and reproduction of murres as well as habitat utilization for the prevalent species in Prince William Sound and along the Kenai Peninsula. Surveys of attendance by birds at murre breeding colonies in 1991 indicated no overall differences from prespill attendance levels when colonies were grouped by the degree of oiling in the vicinity. At a large colony in the Barren Islands, where damage was described as especially severe, counts of murres were generally similar to historical estimates made in the late 1970s. In 1990 and 1991, murres breeding at the Barren Islands colony also produced young at levels that were within the range of natural (prespill) variation for this site. Incidental observations indicated that several other species reproduced successfully in oiled areas in Prince William Sound and along the Kenai Peninsula following the spill. 161 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Contrasting styles of sedimentation and deformation in the Chugach Terrane accretionary complex, south-central Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, J. M.; Pavlis, T. L.; Worthman, C.; Kochelek, E.; Day, E. M.; Clift, P. D.; Hecker, J.

2011-12-01

In southeast Alaska the Chugach terrane represents an accretionary complex associated with several arcs active at 200-65 Ma. This lithostratigraphic unit consists of blueschists with Early Jurassic metamorphic ages and uncertain depositional ages; the Jurassic-Cretaceous McHugh Complex; and the Late Cretaceous Valdez Group. Detrital zircon ages from densely sampled transects reveals patterns in the assembly of the complex. Blueschists are almost totally barren of zircon, suggesting protoliths derived from mafic-intermediate volcanic protoliths far from a continental source. There is an age gap between the blueschists and the McHugh complex interpreted to be caused by an episode of tectonic erosion. The McHugh Complex is two separate units that are lithologically and geochronologically distinct. The older McHugh is a melange is dominated by stratally disrupted volcanic rocks, chert, and argillite. The oldest McHugh rocks have maximum depositional ages (MDA) of 177-150 Ma at Seldovia and 157-145 Ma at Turnagain Arm; the lack of older rocks at Turnagain Arm suggests removal of structural section by faulting. The MDAs of the older McHugh rocks do not decrease progressively away from the arc. There is a 45 m.y. gap in MDA between the older McHugh and the Late Cretaceous McHugh rocks. The younger McHugh rocks are dominated by volcanogenic sandstone and coarse conglomerate and MDA decreases from 100 Ma near the boundary with the older McHugh mesomelange to 85 Ma near the Valdez Group. The Valdez Group consists of coherently bedded turbidites with a MDA range of 85-60 Ma that decreases progressively outboard of the arc source. A sample from the Orca Group of the Prince William terrane is lithologically similar to the Valdez Group and there is no gap in MDA between Valdez and Orca Groups. 55 Ma dikes cut the McHugh and Valdez Groups in the western Chugach and Kenai Mountains. The oldest units of the Chugach terrane are the most deformed, with deformation and metamorphism

Integrated safety assessment report: Integrated Safety Assessment Program: Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-245): Draft report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-04-01

The Integrated Safety Assessment Program (ISAP) was initiated in November 1984, by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct integrated assessments for operating nuclear power reactors. The integrated assessment is conducted in a plant-specific basis to evaluate all licensing actions, licensee initiated plant improvements and selected unresolved generic/safety issues to establish implementation schedules for each item. In addition, procedures will be established to allow for a periodic updating of the schedules to account for licensing issues that arise in the future. This report documents the review of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1, operated by Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (located in Waterford, Connecticut). Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1, is one of two plants being reviewed under the pilot program for ISAP. This report indicates how 85 topics selected for review were addressed. This report presents the staff's recommendations regarding the corrective actions to resolve the 85 topics and other actions to enhance plant safety. The report is being issued in draft form to obtain comments from the licensee, nuclear safety experts, and the Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). Once those comments have been resolved, the staff will present its positions, along with a long-term implementation schedule from the licensee, in the final version of this report

Evidence of damage to pink salmon inhabiting Prince William Sound, Alaska, three generations after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bue, B.G.; Miller, G.D.; Seeb, J.E.; Sharr, S.

1995-01-01

Investigations into the environmental effects of the 1 989 Exxon Valdez oil spill lead us to conclude that chronic damage occurred in some pink salmon populations. Differences in survival between streams contaminated by oil and uncontaminated streams have been observed annually since the spill for pink salmon embryos incubating in the intertidal portions of Prince William Sound. The authors assessed the environmental influence on these findings by collecting gametes from both contaminated and uncontaminated streams, transporting them to a hatchery where intra-stream crosses were made, and incubating the resulting embryos under identical conditions. Lower survival was detected in the embryos originating from the oil-contaminated streams indicating that the agent responsible for the differences detected in the field was genetic rather than environmental

Safety balance: Analysis of safety systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delage, M.; Giroux, C.

1990-12-01

Safety analysis, and particularly analysis of exploitation of NPPs is constantly affected by EDF and by the safety authorities and their methodologies. Periodic safety reports ensure that important issues are not missed on daily basis, that incidents are identified and that relevant actions are undertaken. French safety analysis method consists of three principal steps. First type of safety balance is analyzed at the normal start-up phase for each unit including the final safety report. This enables analysis of behaviour of units ten years after their licensing. Second type is periodic operational safety analysis performed during a few years. Finally, the third step consists of safety analysis of the oldest units with the aim to improve the safety standards. The three steps of safety analysis are described in this presentation in detail with the aim to present the objectives and principles. Examples of most recent exercises are included in order to illustrate the importance of such analyses

Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE): Torchbearers for a new fire management paradigm

Science.gov (United States)

Timothy Ingalsbee; Joseph Fox; Patrick Withen

2007-01-01

Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE) is a nonprofit organization promoting safe, ethical, ecological wildland fire management. FUSEE believes firefighter and community safety are ultimately interdependent with ethical public service, wildlands protection, and ecological restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems. Our members include current, former,...

Safety Evaluation Report on Tennessee Valley Authority: Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan: Browns Ferry Unit 2 restart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-04-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) on the information submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in its Nuclear Performance Plan, through Revision 2, for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Station and in supporting documents has been prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff. The plan addresses the plant-specific concerns requiring resolution before startup of Unit 2. The staff will inspect implementation of those programs. Where systems are common to Units 1 and 2 or to Units 2 and 3, the staff safety evaluations of those systems are included herein. 3 refs

Evaluation of the toxic properties of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil to surrogate wildlife species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stubblefield, W.A.; Hancock, G.A.; Ford, W.H.; Prince, H.H.; Ringer, R.K.

1995-01-01

The toxic properties of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil (WEVC) to avian and mammalian wildlife species were evaluated using the surrogate species, mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos, and European ferret, Mustela putorius. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential for toxic (rather than physical) injury to wildlife species that may have been exposed to WEVC, either through external contact or through dietary uptake. Previous studies have assessed the toxicity of unweathered crude oils, including Alaska North Slope Crude, but little information exists regarding the toxicity of a naturally weathered crude oil, typical of that encountered following a spill. A battery of laboratory toxicity tests was conducted, in compliance with standard and published test procedures, to evaluate acute and subchronic toxicity of WEVC. These included tests of food avoidance, reproductive effects, and direct eggshell application toxicity. Naturally weathered EVC, recovered postspill from Prince William Sound, was used as the test material. 36 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs

The regulatory process, nuclear safety research and the fuel cycle in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, P.

1996-01-01

The main legislation governing the safety of nuclear installations in the United Kingdom is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) and the associated relevant statutory provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended). The HSWA sought to simplify and unify all industrial safety legislation and set in place the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and its executive arm, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Safety Division (NSD) regulates the nuclear activities on such sites through HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). Under the Nuclear Installations Act (NIA) no corporate body may use any site for the purpose of installing or operating any reactor, other than such a reactor comprised in a means of transport, or other prescribed installation unless the operator has been granted a nuclear site licence by the Health and Safety Executive. Nuclear fuel cycle facilities are examples of such prescribed installations. (J.P.N.)

Organizational culture and climate for patient safety in Intensive Care Units.

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, Thaiana Helena Roma; Turrini, Ruth Natalia Teresa

2015-02-01

Objective To assess the perception of health professionals about patient safety climate and culture in different intensive care units (ICUs) and the relationship between scores obtained on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) and the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Method A cross-sectional study conducted at a teaching hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in March and April 2014. As data gathering instruments, the HSOPSC, SAQ and a questionnaire with sociodemographic and professional information about the staff working in an adult, pediatric and neonatal ICU were used. Data analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics. Results The scales presented good reliability. Greater weaknesses in patient safety were observed in the Working conditions andPerceptions of management domains of the SAQ and in the Nonpunitive response to error domain of the HSOPSC. The strengths indicated by the SAQ wereTeamwork climate and Job satisfactionand by the HSOPC, Supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety and Organizational learning-continuous improvement. Job satisfaction was higher among neonatal ICU workers when compared with the other ICUs. The adult ICU presented lower scores for most of the SAQ and HSOPSC domains. The scales presented moderate correlation between them (r=0.66). Conclusion There were differences in perception regarding patient safety among ICUs, which corroborates the existence of local microcultures. The study did not demonstrate equivalence between the SAQ and the HSOPSC.

Focusing on patient safety in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilias Chatziioannidis

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Patient safety in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU environment is an under-researched area, but recently seems to get high priority on the healthcare quality agenda worldwide. NICU, as a highly sensitive and technological driven environment, signals the importance for awareness in causation of mistakes and accidents. Adverse events and near misses that comprise the majority of human errors, cause morbidity often with devastating results, even death. Likewise in other organizations, errors causes are multiple and complex. Other high reliability organizations, such as air force and nuclear industry, offer examples of how standardized/homogenized work and removal of systems weaknesses can minimize errors. It is widely accepted that medical errors can be explained based on personal and/or system approach. The impact/effect of medical errors can be reduced when thorough/causative identification approach is followed by detailed analysis of consequences and prevention measures. NICU’s medical and nursing staff should be familiar with patient safety language, implement best practices, and support safety culture, maximizing efforts for reducing errors. Furthermore, top management commitment and support in developing patient safety culture is essential in order to assure the achievement of the desirable organizational safety outcomes. The aim of the paper is to review patient safety issues in the NICU environment, focusing on development and implementation of strategies, enhancing high quality standards for health care.

Revisiting source identification, weathering models, and phase discrimination for Exxon Valdez oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driskell, W.B.; Payne, J.R.; Shigenaka, G.

2005-01-01

A large chemistry data set for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and saturated hydrocarbon (SHC) contamination in sediment, water and tissue samples has emerged in the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. When the oil was fresh, source identification was a primary objective and fairly reliable. However, source identification became problematic as the oil weathered and its signatures changed. In response to concerns regarding when the impacted area will be clean again, this study focused on developing appropriate tools to confirm hydrocarbon source identifications and assess weathering in various matrices. Previous efforts that focused only on the whole or particulate-phase oil are not adequate to track dissolved-phase signal with low total PAH values. For that reason, a particulate signature index (PSI) and dissolved signature index (DSI) screening tool was developed in this study to discriminate between these 2 phases. The screening tool was used to measure the dissolved or water-soluble fraction of crude oil which occurs at much lower levels than the particulate phase, but which is more widely circulated and equally as important as the particulate oil phase. The discrimination methods can also identify normally-discarded, low total PAH samples which can increase the amount of usable data needed to model other effects of oil spills. 37 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs

Chemical and toxicological evaluation of water quality following the exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neff, J.M.; Stubblefield, W.A.

1995-01-01

As part of a comprehensive water-quality assessment program performed in Prince William Sound and the western Gulf of Alaska following the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989, water samples were collected from 417 locations, most of them in areas through which the oil drifted, to assess the distribution and concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in the water column. Over 5,000 water samples were analyzed for individual and total petroleum alkanes and for aromatic hydrocarbons by very sensitive gas chromatographic techniques. A total of 2,461 of these samples were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Concurrent with some of these samples, an additional 123 water samples were collected in April 1989 (a week to a month after the spill) at 32 offshore locations and in June 1989 at 7 nearshore sites in Prince William Sound to determine the toxicity of the water to representative species of marine organisms. The toxicity of Prince William Sound water was assessed with standard Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and American Society for Testing and materials (ASTM) marine toxicity tests with representative species of three taxonomic groups: (1) Skeletonema costatum (a marine diatom), (2) Mysidopsis bahia (a crustacean), and (3) larval/juvenile Cyprinodon variegatus (a fish, the sheepshead minnow). 58 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs

Timelines and mechanisms of wildlife population recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Esler, Daniel N.; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Matkin, Craig O.; Cushing, Daniel; Kaler, Robert; Bodkin, James L.; Monson, Daniel; Esslinger, George G.; Kloecker, Kimberly A.

2018-01-01

Research and monitoring activities over the 28 years since the T/V Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska have led to an improved understanding of how wildlife populations were damaged, as well as the mechanisms and timelines of recovery. A key finding was that for some species, such as harlequin ducks and sea otters, chronic oil spill effects persisted for at least two decades and were a larger influence on population dynamics over the long term than acute effects of the spill. These data also offer insights into population variation resulting from factors other than the oil spill. For example, while many seabirds experienced direct and indirect effects of the spill, population trajectories of some piscivorous birds, including pigeon guillemots and marbled murrelets, were linked to long-term environmental changes independent of spill effects. Another species, killer whales, suffered population declines due to acute spill effects that have not been resolved despite lack of chronic direct effects, representing a novel pathway of long-term injury. The observed variation in mechanisms and timelines of recovery is linked to species specific life history and natural history traits, and thus may be useful for predicting population recovery for other species following other spills.

Timelines and mechanisms of wildlife population recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Esler, Daniel; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Matkin, Craig; Cushing, Daniel; Kaler, Robert; Bodkin, James; Monson, Daniel; Esslinger, George; Kloecker, Kim

2018-01-01

Research and monitoring activities over the 28 years since the T/V Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska have led to an improved understanding of how wildlife populations were damaged, as well as the mechanisms and timelines of recovery. A key finding was that for some species, such as harlequin ducks and sea otters, chronic oil spill effects persisted for at least two decades and were a larger influence on population dynamics over the long term than acute effects of the spill. These data also offer insights into population variation resulting from factors other than the oil spill. For example, while many seabirds experienced direct and indirect effects of the spill, population trajectories of some piscivorous birds, including pigeon guillemots and marbled murrelets, were linked to long-term environmental changes independent of spill effects. Another species, killer whales, suffered population declines due to acute spill effects that have not been resolved despite lack of chronic direct effects, representing a novel pathway of long-term injury. The observed variation in mechanisms and timelines of recovery is linked to species specific life history and natural history traits, and thus may be useful for predicting population recovery for other species following other spills.

Development and Pilot Implementation of a Search Protocol to Improve Patient Safety on a Psychiatric Inpatient Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Abela-Dimech, Frances; Johnston, Kim; Strudwick, Gillian

A mental health organization in Ontario, Canada, noted an increase in unsafe items entering locked inpatient units. The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a search protocol to improve patient, staff, and visitor safety by preventing unsafe items from entering a locked inpatient unit. Under the guidance of a clinical nurse specialist, an interprofessional team used the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis framework to identify what items were considered unsafe, how these unsafe items were entering the unit, and what strategies could be used to prevent these items from entering the unit. A standardized search protocol was identified as a strategy to prevent items from entering the unit. The standardized search protocol was developed and piloted on 1 unit. To support the search protocol, an interprofessional team created a poster using a mnemonic aid to educate patients, staff, and visitors about which items could not be brought onto the unit. Educational sessions on the search protocol were provided for staff. The difference between the number of incidents before and after the implementation of the search protocol was statistically significant. Safety on an inpatient unit was increased as incidents of unsafe items entering the unit decreased.

[Real-time safety audits in a neonatal unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Bergon-Sendin, Elena; Perez-Grande, María Del Carmen; Lora-Pablos, David; Melgar-Bonis, Ana; Ureta-Velasco, Noelia; Moral-Pumarega, María Teresa; Pallas-Alonso, Carmen Rosa

2017-09-01

Random audits are a safety tool to help in the prevention of adverse events, but they have not been widely used in hospitals. The aim of the study was to determine, through random safety audits, whether the information and material required for resuscitation were available for each patient in a neonatal intensive care unit and determine if factors related to the patient, time or location affect the implementation of the recommendations. Prospective observational study conducted in a level III-C neonatal intensive care unit during the year 2012. The evaluation of written information on the endotracheal tube, mask and ambu bag prepared of each patient and laryngoscopes of the emergency trolley were included within a broader audit of technological resources and study procedures. The technological resources and procedures were randomly selected twice a week for audit. Appropriate overall use was defined when all evaluated variables were correctly programmed in the same procedure. A total of 296 audits were performed. The kappa coefficient of inter-observer agreement was 0.93. The rate of appropriate overall use of written information and material required for resuscitation was 62.50% (185/296). Mask and ambu bag prepared for each patient was the variable with better compliance (97.3%, P=.001). Significant differences were found with improved usage during weekends versus working-day (73.97 vs. 58.74%, P=.01), and the rest of the year versus 3 rd quarter (66.06 vs. 52%, P=.02). Only in 62.5% of cases was the information and the material necessary to attend to a critical situation urgently easily available. Opportunities for improvement were identified through the audits. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Sublethal effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on herring embryos and larvae: morphological, cytogenetic; and histopathological assessments, 1989-1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hose, J. E.; Marty, G. D.; Hinton, D. E.

1996-01-01

Extensive sublethal damage assessments were carried out on Pacific herring larvae following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Egg masses were collected from oiled and non-oiled areas during 1989 to 1991, and incubated to hatch. The hatched larvae were evaluated for morphological deformities, cytogenetic abnormalities, and histopathological lesions. In 1989, herring larvae from the oiled areas showed high incidence of morphological deformities and cytogenetic abnormalities compared to larvae from non-oiled areas. There was no evidence of histopathological lesions. Identical assessments in 1990 and 1991 revealed no detectable oil-related developmental and genetic effects. In contrast, there was a marked decrease in survival, suggesting that that genetic damage at heavily oiled stations combined with severe morphological malformations mitigated against survival through the stressful larval period. 40 refs., 1 tab.,8 figs

Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Prince William Sound, Alaska: effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, T.A.; Smith, R.O.; Stekoll, M.S.; Jewett, S.C.; Hose, J.E.

1998-01-01

Possible injury to, and recovery of, populations of eelgrass Zostera marine L., in Prince William Sound were assessed following the Exxon Valdez oil spill by comparing populations at oiled vs reference sites between 1990 and 1995. Eelgrass beds in heavily oiled bays were exposed to moderate concentrations of hydrocarbons. In 1990, a year after the spill, concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons average nearly 4000 ng g -1 dry weight of sediment at oiled sites compared to less than 700 ng g -1 at reference sites. Injuries to eelgrass, if any, appeared to be slight and did not persist for more than a year after the spill. There were possible effects on the average density of shoots and flowering shoots, as these were 24 and 62% lower at oiled than at reference sites in 1990 (p < 0.10 for both). However, there were no differences between oiled and reference sites with respect to eelgrass biomass, seed density, seed germination or the incidence of normal mitosis in seedlings, and there were no signs of the elimination of eelgrass beds. (author)

Measuring patient safety culture: an assessment of the clustering of responses at unit level and hospital level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, M.; Wagner, C.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Wal, van der G.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To test the claim that the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) measures patient safety culture instead of mere individual attitudes and to determine the most appropriate level (individual, unit or hospital level) for interventions aimed at improving the culture of patient

Measuring patient safety culture : an assessment of the clustering of responses at unit level and hospital level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, M.; Wagner, C.; Spreeuwenberg, P.; Wal, G. van der; Groenewegen, P.P.

2009-01-01

Objectives: To test the claim that the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) measures patient safety culture instead of mere individual attitudes and to determine the most appropriate level (individual, unit or hospital level) for interventions aimed at improving the culture of patient

The impact of safety organizing, trusted leadership, and care pathways on reported medication errors in hospital nursing units.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogus, Timothy J; Sutcliffe, Kathleen M

2011-01-01

Prior research has found that safety organizing behaviors of registered nurses (RNs) positively impact patient safety. However, little research exists on the joint benefits of safety organizing and other contextual factors that help foster safety. Although we know that organizational practices often have more powerful effects when combined with other mutually reinforcing practices, little research exists on the joint benefits of safety organizing and other contextual factors believed to foster safety. Specifically, we examined the benefits of bundling safety organizing with leadership (trust in manager) and design (use of care pathways) factors on reported medication errors. A total of 1033 RNs and 78 nurse managers in 78 emergency, internal medicine, intensive care, and surgery nursing units in 10 acute-care hospitals in Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio who completed questionnaires between December 2003 and June 2004. Cross-sectional analysis of medication errors reported to the hospital incident reporting system for the 6 months after the administration of the survey linked to survey data on safety organizing, trust in manager, use of care pathways, and RN characteristics and staffing. Multilevel Poisson regression analyses indicated that the benefits of safety organizing on reported medication errors were amplified when paired with high levels of trust in manager or the use of care pathways. Safety organizing plays a key role in improving patient safety on hospital nursing units especially when bundled with other organizational components of a safety supportive system.

Contained controlled burning of spilled oil during the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, A.A.

1990-01-01

During the evening of the second day following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, an estimated 57,000-114,000 liters of North Slope crude oil were eliminated using in-situ combustion. The oil was collected with 3M's Fire Boom towed in a U-shaped configuration behind two fishing boats. Working with 152 m long tow lines, a 137 m boom was moved at ca 0.26-5.2 m/s through slightly emulsified oil patches in the downwind region of the spill. A gelled fuel ignitor was used to ignite the captured oil, and the size and intensity of the blaze was controlled by adjusting the speed of the vessels. Total burn time was ca 1.25 h, however the intense part of the burn lasted for ca 45 minutes. Using several methods to estimate the total volume of oil collected, the volume resulted in ca 1136 liters of stiff, taffy-like burn residue that could be picked up easily on completion of the burn. The controlled burn thus resulted in an estimated 98% or better elimination of crude oil. It had been planned to use a helitorch to ignite the captured oil, however darkness required the use of the gelled ignitor. Had the helitorch been used, numerous ignition points could have been spread througout the contained oil, providing a much more efficient heating and ultimate ignition of the oil. 5 figs

Team knowledge assessment of nursing on international targets patient safety in an intensive care unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Nathália da Silva Souza

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background e Objectives: The quality of hospital care provided to the patient and the safety of their stay at the site triggered discussions around the world after the analysis of epidemiological studies conducted in the USA that concluded the high rate of adverse events in the hospital setting Caused by professional error, with that the theme gained strength and motivated discussions about the care models applied to the patients. Therefore the research was aimed at evaluating the knowledge of the Nursing Team of the Intensive Care Unit sector of a public hospital in Recife-PE on the International Patient Safety Goals. Methods: A cross-sectional study with descriptive quantitative approach was carried out from June to August 2016. Data collection was performed through a semi-structured questionnaire that addressed the social and professional aspects of the respondents. The studied variables: gender, age, professional category and training time. The data were analyzed in epiinfo software version 3.2.2. Results: The sample consisted of 50 professionals, 18% of whom were Nurses and 82% were Nursing technicians. Most respondents scored more than 50% of questions about international patient safety goals and had more than one employment relationship. Conclusion: It was verified that the lack of training, work overload and more of an employment relationship can contribute to a precarious professional assistance. KEYWORDS: Patient Safety. Nursing. Safety Management. Intensive Care Units

Economic impacts of oil spills: Spill unit costs for tankers, pipelines, refineries, and offshore facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The impacts of oil spills -- ranging from the large, widely publicized Exxon Valdez tanker incident to smaller pipeline and refinery spills -- have been costly to both the oil industry and the public. For example, the estimated costs to Exxon of the Valdez tanker spill are on the order of $4 billion, including $2.8 billion (in 1993 dollars) for direct cleanup costs and $1.125 billion (in 1992 dollars) for settlement of damages claims caused by the spill. Application of contingent valuation costs and civil lawsuits pending in the State of Alaska could raise these costs appreciably. Even the costs of the much smaller 1991 oil spill at Texaco's refinery near Anacortes, Washington led to costs of $8 to 9 million. As a result, inexpensive waming, response and remediation technologies could lower oil spin costs, helping both the oil industry, the associated marine industries, and the environment. One means for reducing the impact and costs of oil spills is to undertake research and development on key aspects of the oil spill prevention, warming, and response and remediation systems. To target these funds to their best use, it is important to have sound data on the nature and size of spills, their likely occurrence and their unit costs. This information could then allow scarce R ampersand D dollars to be spent on areas and activities having the largest impact. This report is intended to provide the ''unit cost'' portion of this crucial information. The report examines the three key components of the US oil supply system, namely, tankers and barges; pipelines and refineries; and offshore production facilities. The specific purpose of the study was to establish the unit costs of oil spills. By manipulating this key information into a larger matrix that includes the size and frequency of occurrence of oil spills, it will be possible' to estimate the likely future impacts, costs, and sources of oil spills

Shoreline oiling conditions in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neff, J.M.; Owens, E.H.; Stoker, S.W.; McCormick, D.M.

1995-01-01

Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989, in Prince William Sound, Alaska, Exxon conducted comprehensive, systematic shoreline surveys in cooperation with federal and state authorities to obtain information on the distribution and magnitude of shoreline oiling and to identify natural and cultural resources requiring special protection. Similar joint surveys were performed during the springs of 1990, 1991, and 1992 on all Prince william Sound and Gulf of Alaska shorelines that were suspected of having remnants of weathered oil and that would benefit from further cleanup. In the springs of 1990, 1991, and 1992, isolated pockets of subsurface oil were found, chiefly in small scattered zones in coarse cobble/boulder sediments in the upper intertidal or supratidal zones. In 1991, about one-third of the subdivisions in Prince William Sound with surface oil also contained some subsurface oil. The areal extent of this subsurface oil declined by nearly 70% between 1991 and 1992, from about 37,000 m 2 to about 12,000 m 2 . Moreover, where subsurface oil remained in 1992, it was present in lesser amounts. Rates of oil removal were greatest on coastal sections treated early in the spring and summer of 1989. Where shoreline treatment was delayed, the subsequent rate of removal of oil from the shore by natural processes was slower. 27 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs

Long-term effects of Exxon Valdez oiling and shoreline treatments on rocky intertidal epibiota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houghton, J.P.; Fukuyama, A.K.; Lees, D.C.; Driskell, W.B.; Shigenaka, G.; Mearns, A.J.

1993-01-01

Hot-water treatments used to remove Exxon Valdez oil from rocky beaches of Prince William Sound in 1989 were shown to have severe short-term impacts on intertidal epibenthos. Quantitative sampling was conducted from 1989 through 1993 to evaluate recovery of littoral habitats from the effects of oiling and hotwater washing. Effects of hot-water treatments applied in 1989 remained visible in intertidal assemblages through 1993. Some hot-water treated rocky shores that had been stripped of biota showed little colonization by 1991; significant differences remained between epibiota on unoiled shores and that on oiled shores that were hot-water washed. On other oiled rocky shores that were not hot-water washed, the majority of the community dominants, including rockweed, mussels, barnacles, limpets, drills, and littorines, survived the oiling; by July 1991 these shores did not differ in most respects from unoiled shores. By July 1993 hot-water-washed rocky shores had been colonized by opportunistic species as well as by most of the original biota. Algal assemblages were heavily dominated by rockweed, but red algae reminded depressed, especially at lower elevations; otherwise, few significant differences remained in 1993 between the epibiota on unoiled and hot-water-washed shores. Full recovery appears to be several years away in many areas, however

75 FR 15611 - Safety Zone; United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-30

...-AA00 Safety Zone; United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast... navigable waters of the San Diego Bay in support of the United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa. This... Centennial Festa, which will include a fireworks presentation originating from a tug and barge combination in...

Nursing assessment of continuous vital sign surveillance to improve patient safety on the medical/surgical unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Watkins, Terri; Whisman, Lynn; Booker, Pamela

2016-01-01

Evaluate continuous vital sign surveillance as a tool to improve patient safety in the medical/surgical unit. Failure-to-rescue is an important measure of hospital quality. Patient deterioration is often preceded by changes in vital signs. However, continuous multi-parameter vital sign monitoring may decrease patient safety with an abundance of unnecessary alarms. Prospective observational study at two geographically disperse hospitals in a single hospital system. A multi-parameter vital sign monitoring system was installed in a medical/surgical unit in Utah and one in Alabama providing continuous display of SpO2, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate on a central station. Alarm thresholds and time to alert annunciations were set based on prior analysis of the distribution of each vital sign. At the end of 4 weeks, nurses completed a survey on their experience. An average alert per patient, per day was determined retrospectively from the saved vital signs data and knowledge of the alarm settings. Ninety-two per cent of the nurses agreed that the number of alarms and alerts were appropriate; 54% strongly agreed. On average, both units experienced 10·8 alarms per patient, per day. One hundred per cent agreed the monitor provided valuable patient data that increased patient safety; 79% strongly agreed. Continuous, multi-parameter patient monitoring could be performed on medical/surgical units with a small and appropriate level of alarms. Continuous vital sign assessment may have initiated nursing interventions that prevented failure-to-rescue events. Nurses surveyed unanimously agreed that continuous vital sign surveillance will help enhance patient safety. Nursing response to abnormal vital signs is one of the most important levers in patient safety, by providing timely recognition of early clinical deterioration. This occurs through diligent nursing surveillance, involving assessment, interpretation of data, recognition of a problem and meaningful

33 CFR 3.40-15 - Sector New Orleans Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit Morgan...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sector New Orleans Marine....40-15 Sector New Orleans Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit Morgan City. Sector New Orleans' office is located in New Orleans, LA. A subordinate unit, Marine Safety...

Periodical safety review of units 1 and 2 of PAKS NPP. Examples from summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammar, K.

1998-01-01

On the basis of American practice of qualification and relevant IAEA recommendations detailed guidelines of the qualification procedure were developed and executed on the Units 1 and 2 of the Paks NPP. Periodic safety supervision will be performed by evaluation of the following reports to be submitted by NPP: real technical conditions of the facility; existing practice and proposals for equipment qualification; evaluation of the existing safety reports estimating their validity up to the plant lifetime; ageing and ageing management; procedures of operation, maintenance, supervision; organisation and administration; safety impact of human factor, training, education, qualification of personnel

PCB exposure in sea otters and harlequin ducks in relation to history of contamination by the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Ricca, Mark A.; Miles, A. Keith; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bodkin, James L.; Esler, Daniel N.; Trust, Kimberly A.

2010-01-01

Exposure to contaminants other than petroleum hydrocarbons could confound interpretation of Exxon Valdez oil spill effects on biota at Prince William Sound, Alaska. Hence, we investigated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blood of sea otters and harlequin ducks sampled during 1998. PCB concentrations characterized by lower chlorinated congeners were highest in sea otters from the unoiled area, whereas concentrations were similar among harlequin ducks from the oiled and unoiled area. Blood enzymes often elevated by xenobiotics were not related to PCB concentrations in sea otters. Only sea otters from the unoiled area had estimated risk from PCBs, and PCB composition or concentrations did not correspond to reported lower measures of population performance in sea otters or harlequin ducks from the oiled area. PCBs probably did not influence limited sea otter or harlequin duck recovery in the oiled area a decade after the spill.

Current researches on safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasaka, Hiroshi; Kiyose, Ryohei

1980-01-01

Recently, the problem of safe disposal of radioactive waste generated from nuclear fuel cycle becomes more important in Japan. On the other hand, many researches on shallow land burial of low-level wastes and geologic isolation of high-level wastes have been carried out in the United States of America. In this report, the researches on the safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal in the United States of America were briefly introduced with emphasis on the studies on behavior and migration of radionuclide from disposed waste in geosphere. (author)

New control and safety rod unit for the training reactor of the Dresden Technical University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, E.; Schab, J.; Knorr, J.

1983-01-01

The extension of the experimental training of students at the training reactor AKR of the Dresden Technical University requires the reconstruction of the reactor with a new control and safety rod unit. The specific conditions at the AKR led to a new variant. Results of preliminary experiments, design and mode of operation of the first unit as well as hitherto gained operation experiences are presented. (author)

Histopathology and cytogenetic evaluation of Pacific herring larvae exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons in the laboratory or in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marty, G.D.; Hinton, D.E.; Brown, E.D.

1997-01-01

Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, Pacific herring larvae samples from oiled sites showed ascites, pericardial edema, and genotoxic damage. Laboratory study confirmed that these lesions were consistent with oil exposure. In a laboratory experiment, Pacific herring eggs were exposed to an oil-water dispersion of Prudhoe Bay crude oil and sampled for histopathology less than 24 h after hatching. Effects were significant at the 0.48 mg/L dose. Lesions included ascites, heptocellular vacuolar change and degeneration or necrosis of skeletal myocytes, retinal cells, and developing brain cells. Lesions in field-sampled larvae were consistent with higher mortality rates documented in larvae from oiled sites. In both field and laboratory experiments, ascites was the most significant lesion related to oil exposure. Decreased growth in larvae from oiled sites was also consistent with findings in three other laboratory studies with Pacific herring. This study concluded that if a large proportion of a population is exposed to contamination during early life stages, impacts on subsequent recruitment may be significant. However, estimates of the proportion of Pacific herring year-class affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill vary from 4 per cent to 50 per cent. Since recruitment of the 1989 year-class was also poor in Sitka Sound (the control site), it was suggested that oceanic variables might have been more significant in limiting recruitment of the 1989 year-class in Prince William Sound than was the oil spill. 40 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Valdez NTMS Quadrangle, Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-05-01

This report presents results of a Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) of the Valdez NTMS quadrangle, Alaska. In addition to this abbreviated data release, more complete data are available to the public in machine-readable form through the Grand Junction Office Information System (GJOIS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Presented in this data release are location data, field analyses, and laboratory analyses of several different sample media. For the sake of brevity, many field site observations have not been included in this volume. These data are, however, available on the magnetic tape. Appendices A to D describe the sample media and summarize the analytical results for each medium. The data were subsetted by one of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) sorting programs of Zinkl and others (1981a) into groups of stream sediment, lake sediment, stream water, lake water, and ground water samples. For each group which contains a sufficient number of observations, statistical tables, tables of raw data, and 1:1000000 scale maps of pertinent elements have been included in this report. In addition, maps showing results of multivariate statistical analyses have been included. Further information about the HSSR program in general, or about the LANL portion of the program in particular, can be obtained in quarterly or semiannual program progress reports on open-file at DOE's Technical Library in Grand Junction. Information about the field and analytical procedures used by LANL during sample collection and analysis may be found in any HSSR data release prepared by the LANL and will not be included in this report

Optimal inspection and replacement periods of the safety system in Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 with an optimized cost perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jinil Mok; Poong Hyun Seong

1996-01-01

In this work, a model for determining the optimal inspection and replacement periods of the safety system in Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 is developed, which is to minimize economic loss caused by inadvertent trip and the system failure. This model uses cost benefit analysis method and the part for optimal inspection period considers the human error. The model is based on three factors as follows: (i) The cumulative failure distribution function of the safety system, (ii) The probability that the safety system does not operate due to failure of the system or human error when the safety system is needed at an emergency condition and (iii) The average probability that the reactor is tripped due to the failure of system components or human error. The model then is applied to evaluate the safety system in Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1. The optimal replacement periods which are calculated with proposed model differ from those used in Wolsung NPP Unit 1 by about a few days or months, whereas the optimal inspection periods are in about the same range. (author)

SAFETY

CERN Multimedia

Niels Dupont

2013-01-01

CERN Safety rules and Radiation Protection at CMS The CERN Safety rules are defined by the Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Unit (HSE Unit), CERN’s institutional authority and central Safety organ attached to the Director General. In particular the Radiation Protection group (DGS-RP1) ensures that personnel on the CERN sites and the public are protected from potentially harmful effects of ionising radiation linked to CERN activities. The RP Group fulfils its mandate in collaboration with the CERN departments owning or operating sources of ionising radiation and having the responsibility for Radiation Safety of these sources. The specific responsibilities concerning "Radiation Safety" and "Radiation Protection" are delegated as follows: Radiation Safety is the responsibility of every CERN Department owning radiation sources or using radiation sources put at its disposition. These Departments are in charge of implementing the requi...

Safety Experts Complete IAEA Nuclear Regulatory Review of the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety experts today completed a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the governmental and regulatory framework for nuclear safety in the United States. The team identified good practices within the U.S. system and offered suggestions for ways the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) could improve. The IAEA has conveyed the team's main conclusions to the NRC, and a final report will be submitted to the NRC in about two months. At the request of the United States, the IAEA assembled a team of 19 international experts to conduct an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. This mission was a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. It was not an inspection, nor an audit. The experts came from 14 different countries: Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Team leader Jukka Laaksonen of Finland said: ''We found a comprehensive, consistent, and mature regulatory system run by the NRC, which has a strong drive for continuous improvement.' The scope of the mission included the U.S. regulatory framework and the regulation of the nuclear plant operation. The mission was conducted from 18 to 29 October, mainly at NRC headquarters outside of Washington, D.C. To study U.S. regulatory activities, the mission conducted a series of interviews and discussions with NRC staff and other organizations to help assess the effectiveness of the regulatory system. In addition, the team observed regulatory activities at two operating nuclear power reactors and an emergency preparedness exercise. The IAEA's IRRS coordinator Gustavo Caruso said, ''This mission represents a milestone for the IRRS program because the U.S. regulatory system is the largest in the world and many nations look to it. The IRRS is a useful tool that allows host nations to gain guidance from experienced

Integrated plant safety assessment, Systematic Evaluation Program: Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-237)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-10-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared Supplement 1 to the final Integrated Plant Safety Assessment Report (IPSAR) (NUREG-0823), under the scope of the Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP), for the Commonwealth Edison Company (CECo) Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 located in Grundy County, Illinois. The NRC initiated the SEP to provide the framework for reviewing the design of older operating nuclear reactor plants to reconfirm and document their safety. This report documents the review completed by means of the SEP for those issues that required refined engineering evaluations or the continuation of ongoing evaluations subsequent to issuing the final IPSAR for Dresden Unit 2. The review was provided for (1) an assessment of the significance of differences between current technical positions on selected issues and those that existed when Dresden Unit 2 was licensed, (2) a basis for deciding on how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review, and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. The final IPSAR and this supplement forms part of the bases for considering the conversion of the existing provisional operating license to a full-term operating license. 83 refs., 9 tabs

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-01-01

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

Main factors determining the KNP units 5 and 6 safety level according to the PSA level 1 result

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manchev, B.; Marinova, B.; Nenkova, B.

2004-01-01

The Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) is a powerful tool for ascertainment of the safety level reached at nuclear power plants operation. The results of PSA determine very clearly the functions, systems, equipment or operator actions that have to be improved in order to increase the plant safety level as a whole. The present report presents the main results of the last upgraded revision of PSA level 1 of units 5 and 6 of KNPP. The objective of the report is to lay emphasis on the factors determining the result obtained, i.e. to demonstrate the scopes whose improvement leads to an increase of the safety level reached at the units power operation. In the frame of the study presented the following categories of initiating events are included: Internal initiating events; Initiating events result of internal fires; Initiating events result of seismic action; Floods. Only the reactor core is considered as a source of radioactive contamination. Only initiating events related to the reactor work on power are analyzed. Unit 5 of KNPP is accepted as a basic unit for the study. All modifications and design changes implemented up to year 2000 are taken into account. The results of PSA level 1 for units 5 and 6 of KNPP covering the risk of internal initiators are presented. The assessment of the core damage due to internal initiators is based on the analysis of 18 groups of initiating events. 932 consequences and two groups of initial events are identified, leading to core damage. As a result of the quantitative calculation, over 15000 minimal cuts for the core damage are obtained. The first 80 cuts bear over 75% of the frequency obtained, and the first 700 cuts bear over 90%. Distribution of the core damage frequency by different groups of initiators is presented in tables and diagrams. A comparison of the result obtained for the reactor core damage of KNPP units 5 and 6 with assessment obtained for similar power plants is presented. The data for different NPPs are taken

Clay-oil flocculation and its role in natural cleansing in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bragg, J.R.; Yang, S.H.

1995-01-01

Natural interactions of fine mineral particles with residue oil and seawater, in a process called clay-oil flocculation, were found to create solids-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions on shoreline sediments at numerous locations in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez spill. In laboratory tests using oiled sediment samples from Prince William Sound, these emulsions were shown to facilitate natural cleansing and dispersion of oil from sediments by moving water. To investigate the effect of flocculation on natural cleansing, studies were conducted to determine the hydrodynamic energy needed for seawater to remove flocculated oil residues from sediments sampled from shorelines. Water was pumped at different velocities through a column packed with oiled sediment, and the amount and composition of oil removed from the sediment were measured as functions of water velocity and sediment movement. In separate tests, oil removal was observed in a wave tank that generated wave heights less than and greater than needed to move sediments. 28 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs

Bioremediation of marine oil spills: when and when not--the Exxon Valdez experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Atlas, Ronald; Bragg, James

2009-03-01

In this article we consider what we have learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) in terms of when bioremediation should be considered and what it can accomplish. We present data on the state of oiling of Prince William Sound shorelines 18 years after the spill, including the concentration and composition of subsurface oil residues (SSOR) sampled by systematic shoreline surveys conducted between 2002 and 2007. Over this period, 346 sediment samples were analysed by GC-MS and extents of hydrocarbon depletion were quantified. In 2007 alone, 744 sediment samples were collected and extracted, and 222 were analysed. Most sediment samples from sites that were heavily oiled by the spill and physically cleaned and bioremediated between 1989 and 1991 show no remaining SSOR. Where SSOR does remain, it is for the most part highly weathered, with 82% of 2007 samples indicating depletion of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (Total PAH) of >70% relative to EVOS oil. This SSOR is sequestered in patchy deposits under boulder/cobble armour, generally in the mid-to-upper intertidal zone. The relatively high nutrient concentrations measured at these sites, the patchy distribution and the weathering state of the SSOR suggest that it is in a form and location where bioremediation likely would be ineffective at increasing the rate of hydrocarbon removal. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Shoreline ecology program for Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 1: Study design and methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Page, D.S.; Gilfillan, E.S.; Boehm, P.D.; Harner, E.J.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the design and analysis of a large field and laboratory program to assess shoreline recovery in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The study was designed so that results could be generalized area-wide (biology, chemistry) or habitat-wide (toxicology) and projected forward in time (chemistry). It made use of the sediment quality triad approach, combining biological, chemical, and toxicological measurements to assess shoreline recovery. Key aspects of the study include the following: coordinated field sampling for chemical, toxicological, and biological studies; stratified random sampling (SRS) as a basis for spatial generalization; periodic sampling to assess trends, including sites with worst-case conditions; analysis of oil-spill effects on hundreds of species; statistical methods based on normal and non-normal theory, consistent with the structure of the data, including generalized linear models and multivariate correspondence analysis. 45 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

Impact of resident duty hour limits on safety in the intensive care unit: a national survey of pediatric and neonatal intensivists.

Science.gov (United States)

Typpo, Katri V; Tcharmtchi, M Hossein; Thomas, Eric J; Kelly, P Adam; Castillo, Leticia D; Singh, Hardeep

2012-09-01

Resident duty-hour regulations potentially shift the workload from resident to attending physicians. We sought to understand how current or future regulatory changes might impact safety in academic pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Web-based survey. U.S. academic pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Attending pediatric and neonatal intensivists. We evaluated perceptions on four intensive care unit safety-related risk measures potentially affected by current duty-hour regulations: 1) attending physician and resident fatigue; 2) attending physician workload; 3) errors (self-reported rates by attending physicians or perceived resident error rates); and 4) safety culture. We also evaluated perceptions of how these risks would change with further duty-hour restrictions. We administered our survey between February and April 2010 to 688 eligible physicians, of whom 360 (52.3%) responded. Most believed that resident error rates were unchanged or worse (91.9%) and safety culture was unchanged or worse (84.4%) with current duty-hour regulations. Of respondents, 61.9% believed their own work-hours providing direct patient care increased and 55.8% believed they were more fatigued while providing direct patient care. Most (85.3%) perceived no increase in their own error rates currently, but in the scenario of further reduction in resident duty-hours, over half (53.3%) believed that safety culture would worsen and a significant proportion (40.3%) believed that their own error rates would increase. Pediatric intensivists do not perceive improved patient safety from current resident duty-hour restrictions. Policies to further restrict resident duty-hours should consider unintended consequences of worsening certain aspects of intensive care unit safety.

The relationship between patient safety climate and occupational safety climate in healthcare - A multi-level investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pousette, Anders; Larsman, Pernilla; Eklöf, Mats; Törner, Marianne

2017-06-01

Patient safety climate/culture is attracting increasing research interest, but there is little research on its relation with organizational climates regarding other target domains. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient safety climate and occupational safety climate in healthcare. The climates were assessed using two questionnaires: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and Nordic Occupational Safety Climate Questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 1154 nurses, 886 assistant nurses, and 324 physicians, organized in 150 work units, within hospitals (117units), primary healthcare (5units) and elderly care (28units) in western Sweden, which represented 56% of the original sample contacted. Within each type of safety climate, two global dimensions were confirmed in a higher order factor analysis; one with an external focus relative the own unit, and one with an internal focus. Two methods were used to estimate the covariation between the global climate dimensions, in order to minimize the influence of bias from common method variance. First multilevel analysis was used for partitioning variances and covariances in a within unit part (individual level) and a between unit part (unit level). Second, a split sample technique was used to calculate unit level correlations based on aggregated observations from different respondents. Both methods showed associations similar in strength between the patient safety climate and the occupational safety climate domains. The results indicated that patient safety climate and occupational safety climate are strongly positively related at the unit level, and that the same organizational processes may be important for the development of both types of organizational climate. Safety improvement interventions should not be separated in different organizational processes, but be planned so that both patient safety and staff safety are considered concomitantly. Copyright © 2017 National Safety

78 FR 47011 - Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-02

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0195] Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software... revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses American National Standards...

77 FR 50722 - Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0195] Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software...) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1208, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' The DG-1208 is proposed...

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-446)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-09-01

This document supplement 25 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES), Unit 2 (NUREG-0797), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The facility is located in Somervell County, Texas, approximately 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas. This supplement reports the status of certain issues that had not been resolved when the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplements 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 21, 22, 23, and 24 to that report were published. This supplement deals primarily with Unit 2 issues; however, it also references evaluations for several Unit 1 licensing items resolved since Supplement 24 was issued

Transportación de caña de azúcar, propuesta de un plan de mejoras en tiempos y costos en la compañía azucarera Valdez.

OpenAIRE

López Perero, Nilton Miguel

2017-01-01

El transporte de caña de azúcar es un pilar fundamental en la operación del Ingenio Valdez y en ese sentido, el área de operaciones se basa en técnicas establecidas, tales como planificación, presupuestos, objetivos, políticas y procedimientos, es un trabajo en equipo definidos para el control y seguimiento de la cosecha de caña y producción de azúcar, los mismos que son monitoreados permanentemente a efecto de evidenciar su cumplimiento y el uso adecuado de sus recursos. El área de transport...

Advancing perinatal patient safety through application of safety science principles using health IT.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Jennifer; Sorensen, Asta; Sommerness, Samantha; Lasater, Beth; Mistry, Kamila; Kahwati, Leila

2017-12-19

The use of health information technology (IT) has been shown to promote patient safety in Labor and Delivery (L&D) units. The use of health IT to apply safety science principles (e.g., standardization) to L&D unit processes may further advance perinatal safety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with L&D units participating in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ's) Safety Program for Perinatal Care (SPPC) to assess units' experience with program implementation. Analysis of interview transcripts was used to characterize the process and experience of using health IT for applying safety science principles to L&D unit processes. Forty-six L&D units from 10 states completed participation in SPPC program implementation; thirty-two (70%) reported the use of health IT as an enabling strategy for their local implementation. Health IT was used to improve standardization of processes, use of independent checks, and to facilitate learning from defects. L&D units standardized care processes through use of electronic health record (EHR)-based order sets and use of smart pumps and other technology to improve medication safety. Units also standardized EHR documentation, particularly related to electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) and shoulder dystocia. Cognitive aids and tools were integrated into EHR and care workflows to create independent checks such as checklists, risk assessments, and communication handoff tools. Units also used data from EHRs to monitor processes of care to learn from defects. Units experienced several challenges incorporating health IT, including obtaining organization approval, working with their busy IT departments, and retrieving standardized data from health IT systems. Use of health IT played an integral part in the planning and implementation of SPPC for participating L&D units. Use of health IT is an encouraging approach for incorporating safety science principles into care to improve perinatal safety and should be incorporated

Economic impacts of oil spills: Spill unit costs for tankers, pipelines, refineries, and offshore facilities. [Task 1, Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-10-15

The impacts of oil spills -- ranging from the large, widely publicized Exxon Valdez tanker incident to smaller pipeline and refinery spills -- have been costly to both the oil industry and the public. For example, the estimated costs to Exxon of the Valdez tanker spill are on the order of $4 billion, including $2.8 billion (in 1993 dollars) for direct cleanup costs and $1.125 billion (in 1992 dollars) for settlement of damages claims caused by the spill. Application of contingent valuation costs and civil lawsuits pending in the State of Alaska could raise these costs appreciably. Even the costs of the much smaller 1991 oil spill at Texaco`s refinery near Anacortes, Washington led to costs of $8 to 9 million. As a result, inexpensive waming, response and remediation technologies could lower oil spin costs, helping both the oil industry, the associated marine industries, and the environment. One means for reducing the impact and costs of oil spills is to undertake research and development on key aspects of the oil spill prevention, warming, and response and remediation systems. To target these funds to their best use, it is important to have sound data on the nature and size of spills, their likely occurrence and their unit costs. This information could then allow scarce R&D dollars to be spent on areas and activities having the largest impact. This report is intended to provide the ``unit cost`` portion of this crucial information. The report examines the three key components of the US oil supply system, namely, tankers and barges; pipelines and refineries; and offshore production facilities. The specific purpose of the study was to establish the unit costs of oil spills. By manipulating this key information into a larger matrix that includes the size and frequency of occurrence of oil spills, it will be possible` to estimate the likely future impacts, costs, and sources of oil spills.

Foreword: The evolution from species-specific damage assessment to ecosystem centric studies over the multi-decade period following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Stanley; Peterson, Charles

2018-01-01

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound became the largest spill in U.S. waters at that time, and impacts and recovery from the spill were monitored extensively across time and species through to the present. By the 10-year anniversary, it was apparent that this spill had induced long-lasting oil contamination of shoreline habitats, long-lasting ecological effects, and demanded fundamental changes in the conceptual model of how to study spills and what to expect had been changed. This special volume (1) presents a selection of papers representing the evolution of studies leading to those currently underway; and (2) demonstrates how there is constant change in the environment, requiring larger and more complex studies to understand both natural and man-caused changes to a coastal ecosystem.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-446)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

Supplement 26 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station (CPSES), Unit 2, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The facility is located in Somervell County, Texas, approximately 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas. This supplement reports the status of certain issues that had not been resolved when the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplements 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 to that report were published. This supplement deals primarily with Unit 2 issues; however, it also references evaluations for several licensing issues that relate to Unit 1, which have been resolved since Supplement 25 was issued

Nuclear safety inspection in treatment process for SG heat exchange tubes deficiency of unit 1, TNPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunming; Song Chenxiu; Zhao Pengyu; Hou Wei

2006-01-01

This paper describes treatment process for SG heat exchange tubes deficiency of Unit 1, TNPS, nuclear safety inspection of Northern Regional Office during treatment process for deficiency and further inspection after deficiency had been treated. (authors)

Shoreline ecology program for Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 3: Biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilfillan, E.S.; Page, D.S.; Harner, E.J.; Boehm, P.D.

1995-01-01

This study describes the biological results of a comprehensive shoreline ecology program designed to assess ecological recovery in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill on march 24, 1989. The program is an application of the ''Sediment Quality Triad'' approach, combining chemical, toxicological, and biological measurements. The study was designed so that results could be extrapolated to the entire spill zone in Prince William Sound. The spill affected four major shoreline habitat types in Prince William Sound: pebble/gravel, boulder/cobble, sheltered bedrock, and exposed bedrock. The study design had two components: (1) one-time stratified random sampling at 64 sites representing four habitats and four oiling levels (including unoiled reference sites) and (2) periodic sampling at 12 nonrandomly chosen sites that included some of the most heavily oiled locations in the sound. Biological communities on rock surfaces and in intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments were analyzed for differences resulting from to oiling in each of 16 habitat/tide zone combinations. Statistical methods included univariate analyses of individual species abundances and community parameter variables (total abundance, species richness, and Shannon diversity), and multivariate correspondence analysis of community structure. 58 refs., 13 figs., 9 tabs

Patient safety: Safety culture and patient safety ethics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Marlene Dyrløv

2006-01-01

,demonstrating significant, consistent and sometimes large differences in terms of safety culture factors across the units participating in the survey. Paper 5 is the results of a study of the relation between safety culture, occupational health andpatient safety using a safety culture questionnaire survey......Patient safety - the prevention of medical error and adverse events - and the initiative of developing safety cultures to assure patients from harm have become one of the central concerns in quality improvement in healthcare both nationally andinternationally. This subject raises numerous...... challenging issues of systemic, organisational, cultural and ethical relevance, which this dissertation seeks to address through the application of different disciplinary approaches. The main focus of researchis safety culture; through empirical and theoretical studies to comprehend the phenomenon, address...

Smart pumps and random safety audits in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a new challenge for patient safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergon-Sendin, Elena; Perez-Grande, Carmen; Lora-Pablos, David; Moral-Pumarega, María Teresa; Melgar-Bonis, Ana; Peña-Peloche, Carmen; Diezma-Rodino, Mercedes; García-San Jose, Lidia; Cabañes-Alonso, Esther; Pallas-Alonso, Carmen Rosa

2015-12-11

Random safety audits (RSA) are a safety tool enabling prevention of adverse events, but they have not been widely used in hospitals. The aim of this study was to use RSAs to assess and compare the frequency of appropriate use of infusion pump safety systems in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before and after quality improvement interventions and to analyse the intravenous medication programming data. Prospective, observational study comparing the frequency of appropriate use of Alaris® CC smart pumps through RSAs over two periods, from 1 January to 31 December 2012 and from 1 November 2014 to 31 January 2015. Appropriate use was defined as all evaluated variables being correctly programmed into the same device. Between the two periods they were established interventions to improve the use of pumps. The information recorded at the pumps with the new security system, also extracted for one year. Fifty-two measurements were collected during the first period and 160 measurements during the second period. The frequency of appropriate use was 73.13 % (117/160) in the second period versus 0 % (0/52) in the first period (p pumps in the NICU. The improvement strategies were effective for improving appropriate use and programming of the intravenous medication infusion pumps in our NICU.

Differences in Hospital Managers’, Unit Managers’, and Health Care Workers’ Perceptions of the Safety Climate for Respiratory Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Kristina; Rogers, Bonnie M. E.; Brosseau, Lisa M.; Payne, Julianne; Cooney, Jennifer; Joe, Lauren; Novak, Debra

2017-01-01

This article compares hospital managers’ (HM), unit managers’ (UM), and health care workers’ (HCW) perceptions of respiratory protection safety climate in acute care hospitals. The article is based on survey responses from 215 HMs, 245 UMs, and 1,105 HCWs employed by 98 acute care hospitals in six states. Ten survey questions assessed five of the key dimensions of safety climate commonly identified in the literature: managerial commitment to safety, management feedback on safety procedures, coworkers’ safety norms, worker involvement, and worker safety training. Clinically and statistically significant differences were found across the three respondent types. HCWs had less positive perceptions of management commitment, worker involvement, and safety training aspects of safety climate than HMs and UMs. UMs had more positive perceptions of management’s supervision of HCWs’ respiratory protection practices. Implications for practice improvements indicate the need for frontline HCWs’ inclusion in efforts to reduce safety climate barriers and better support effective respiratory protection programs and daily health protection practices. PMID:27056750

Differences in Hospital Managers', Unit Managers', and Health Care Workers' Perceptions of the Safety Climate for Respiratory Protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Kristina; Rogers, Bonnie M E; Brosseau, Lisa M; Payne, Julianne; Cooney, Jennifer; Joe, Lauren; Novak, Debra

2016-07-01

This article compares hospital managers' (HM), unit managers' (UM), and health care workers' (HCW) perceptions of respiratory protection safety climate in acute care hospitals. The article is based on survey responses from 215 HMs, 245 UMs, and 1,105 HCWs employed by 98 acute care hospitals in six states. Ten survey questions assessed five of the key dimensions of safety climate commonly identified in the literature: managerial commitment to safety, management feedback on safety procedures, coworkers' safety norms, worker involvement, and worker safety training. Clinically and statistically significant differences were found across the three respondent types. HCWs had less positive perceptions of management commitment, worker involvement, and safety training aspects of safety climate than HMs and UMs. UMs had more positive perceptions of management's supervision of HCWs' respiratory protection practices. Implications for practice improvements indicate the need for frontline HCWs' inclusion in efforts to reduce safety climate barriers and better support effective respiratory protection programs and daily health protection practices. © 2016 The Author(s).

Occupational safety and health in the United kingdom: securing future workplace health and wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, John

2012-01-01

The industrial revolution that took place in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1760 and 1830 lead to profound social change, with rapid urbanisation associated with squalid living conditions and epidemics of infectious diseases. The next 150 yr or so saw the introduction of many specific acts of health and safety legislation. In 1974 new overarching primary legislation was introduced that would produce a step change in the evolution of health and safety enforcement. In 2004, a new strategy was launched designed to promote a vision embedding health and safety as a cornerstone of a civilised society and to achieve a record of workplace health and safety that leads the world. Good progress in controlling many safety hazards and improving occupational hygiene has been made. There has been a fall in numbers of a wide range of injuries and diseases or illnesses since 2000. The challenge will be to maintain these favourable trends and prepare for new and emerging diseases at a time when resources are diminishing. The importance of occupational health within the UK health and safety strategy has been recognised over the last decade. Occupational health is developing a new paradigm which combines classical health risk management with assessment of workability, rehabilitation back to work and promotion of health and wellbeing. There is an increasing recognition that being in supported employment is good for health and reduces health inequalities.

Visit safety

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

Experiment areas, offices, workshops: it is possible to have co-workers or friends visit these places.     You already know about the official visits service, the VIP office, and professional visits. But do you know about the safety instruction GSI-OHS1, “Visits on the CERN site”? This is a mandatory General Safety Instruction that was created to assist you in ensuring safety for all your visits, whatever their nature—especially those that are non-official. Questions? The HSE Unit will be happy to answer them. Write to safety-general@cern.ch.   The HSE Unit

Organization and management of the plant safety evaluation of the VVER-440/230 units at Novovoronezh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afshar, C. M.; Pizzica, P.; Puglia, W. J.; Rozin, V.

1999-01-01

As part of the Soviet-Designed Reactor Safety (SDRS) element of the International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP), the US Department of Energy (US DOE) is funding a plant safety evaluation (PSE) project for the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (NvNPP). The Novovoronezh PSE Project is a multi-faceted project with participants from sixteen different international organizations from five different countries scattered across eleven time zones. The purpose of this project is to provide a thorough Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) and Deterministic Safety Analysis (DSA) for Units 3 and 4 of the NvNPP. In addition, this project provides assistance to the operation organizations in meeting their international commitments in support of safety upgrades, and their regulatory requirements for the conduct of safety analyses. Managing this project is a complex process requiring numerous management tools, constant monitoring, and effective communication skills. Employing management tools to resolve unanticipated problems one of the keys to project success. The overall scope, programmatic context, objectives, project interactions, communications, practical hindrances, and lessons learned from the challenging performance of the PSE project are summarized in this paper

Subtidal distribution of Exxon Valdez oil in two bays in Prince William Sound, Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Page, D.S.; Gilfillan, E.S.; Boehm, P.D.; Bence, A.E.; Burns, W.A.; Mankiewicz, P.J.

1995-01-01

This 1991 study assessed the subtidal fate of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 2 bays. A subtidal stratified random sampling design compared stations in the oiled Bay of Isles with stations in the reference Drier Bay. Thirty-five random sampling stations over 3 depth zones in each of the oiled and reference bays enabled generalization of the results. 12 non-randomly chosen stations were also sampled in the two bays. Sediment samples were analyzed for saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons, grain size and organic carbon. The statistical comparisons between the oiled and reference bays were based on PAH analyses. Four types of PAH were identified in the two bays; Alaska North Slope (ANS) petrogenic spill PAH; seep-derived natural petrogenic background PAH; pyrogenic PAH; and diagenetic PAH (perylene). The Bay of Isles sediments contained significantly higher levels of weathered ANS-PAH than Drier Bay. These levels were generally small compared with those of the petrogenic background PAH naturally present. The concentration of the natural petrogenic PAH component increased with increasing depth zone for each bay. Drier Bay, a location of past cannery and mining activity, had significantly greater levels of pyrogenic PAH than the Bay of Isles. All sediment PAH concentrations were well below the 4,000 ng/g total PAH concentration reported in the literature as a sublethal toxicity threshold value in sediments. The highest sediment ANSPAH concentration (201 ng/g) was 20 times lower than this value

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-03-01

This supplement to the Safety Evaluation Report of Commonwealth Edison Company's application for a license to operate its La Salle County Station, Unit 2, located in Brookfield Township, La Salle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement is to update evaluations on Unit 2 issues identified in the previous Safety Evaluation Report and Supplements that need resolution prior to issuance of the full power operating license for Unit 2

Report of the international fire safety mission to Temelin, unit 1 nuclear power plant Czech Republic 4 to 14 February 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

This report presents the results of an IAEA Fire Safety Mission conducted within the scope of Technical Co-operation Project CZR/9/005 to assess the licensing process, design, analysis and operational management of the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant with regards to fire safety of the plant. The Temelin Nuclear Power Plant currently has two units under construction. Each unit is equipped with a pressurized water reactor of the WWER design with a net electrical output of about MWe. The plant has already made significant upgrading in fire protection from the original design. The Team's evaluation is based on the IAEA Safety Series No. 50-SG-D2 (Rev.1), Fire Protection in Nuclear Power Plants, and other fire protection guidelines currently produced by the IAEA. The evaluation, conclusions and recommendations presented in this report reflect the views of the Fire Safety Mission experts. The recommendations are provided for consideration by the responsible authorities in the Czech Republic towards enhancing fire safety at the Temelin plant

Industrial safety management with emphasis on construction safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharya, R.

2016-01-01

Safety professionals, line managers, team leaders and concerned workers today eagerly discuss to find out the best safety approach for their workplace. Some research suggested that behaviour based and comprehensive ergonomics approaches lead in average reduction of injuries. This article discusses 'the science and engineering' behind improvement in industrial safety aspects particularly at construction sites through various safety approaches. A high degree of commitment to safety by the project management and rigorous and proactive measures are essential to prevent accidents at construction sites particularly in DAE units because of its sensitivity. Persistent efforts by the project management are needed for sustainable and committed safety at work place. The number of fatalities occurring from construction work in DAE units is sometimes disturbing and fall of person from height and through openings are the major causes for serious accidents

United States import safety, environmental health, and food safety regulation in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyambok, Edward O; Kastner, Justin J

2012-01-01

China boasts a rapidly growing economy and is a leading food exporter. Since China has dominated world export markets in food, electronics, and toys, many safety concerns about Chinese exports have emerged. For example, many countries have had problems with Chinese food products and food-processing ingredients. Factors behind food safety and environmental health problems in China include poor industrial waste management, the use of counterfeit agricultural inputs, inadequate training of farmers on good farm management practices, and weak food safety laws and poor enforcement. In the face of rising import safety problems, the U.S. is now requiring certification of products and foreign importers, pursuing providing incentives to importers who uphold good safety practices, and considering publicizing the names of certified importers.

Safety evaluation report related to steam generator repair at H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2. Docket No. 50-261

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-11-01

A Safety Evaluation Report was prepared for the H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant Unit No. 2 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. This report considers the safety aspects of the proposed steam generator repair at H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant Unit No. 2. The report focuses on the occupational radiation exposure associated with the proposed repair program. It concludes that there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety on the public will not be endangered by the conduct of the proposed action, such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or the health and safety of the public

Operation of Browns Ferry, Units 1 and 2 following the March 22, 1975 fire. Safety evaluation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-03-01

The Safety Evaluation Report issued February 23, 1976, presents the NRC evaluation regarding the acceptability of the restoration and modifications at the Browns Ferry Plant Units 1 and 2, following the March 22, 1975 fire, to establish that the facility may be operated in the restored and modified condition without endangering the health and safety of the public. The modifications involved enhancing separation of redundant safeguards equipment by some rerouting of cable and by the application of a fire-retardant coating to the cable; enhancing fire extinguishing capability by the addition of fixed spray and sprinkler systems and expanded smoke and heat detection systems; and enhancing the overall fire protection program by changes in procedures, training, and organization. The NRC staff indicated some items that remained to be resolved prior to operation and concluded that subject to their satisfactory resolution the restoration of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plants Units 1 and 2 including the modifications is acceptable and that there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation of the facility as restored and modified

The management of safety within the completion of units 3. and 4. in NPP Mochovce

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ocenas, M.

2009-01-01

The contribution defines the way of management of safety and protection of health and protection against the fire during completion of units 3. and 4. in NPP Mochovce. The creation of the management of safety raised from the legal and other requirements applied in the civil activities and mainly from the requirements for coordination of safety on the site. The whole system is methodically managed through the 5 basic documents so-called 'Building rules': 1) Safety-technical conditions of performance in SE, Inc. Bratislava (project MO34); 2) MO34/1/MNA-003.00-02 the elaboration of the integrated safety plan; 3) MO34/1/NA-003.00-03 risks analyse; 4) PNM3460100 Integrated safety plan for completion of Units 3.and 4 in NPP Mochovce; 5) Project of construction organization. The system itself of the management of the safety prevention must by provided by the supplier in compliance with the standard OHSAS 18 001 and ISO 14001, and in compliance with the requirement of the builder applied in the technical specification for the contract. Most of necessary related documentation of Safety plan for the site is usually part of the documentation for quality management of contractor. Therefore it is necessary to put the reference in each chapter of the Safety plan for site and the standpoint how to apply it for the particular specific situation. The coordinator is mandatory to manage the prevention for the part of safety of specified site and to coordinate the activity of suppliers during the works tie in this way, that the each contractor shall meet the safety requirements given by safety plan and also to identify and to eliminate the risks menaced in the particular work places or the suppliers each other. The builder established its own control system and for this purpose he settled the data base so-called 'The system of corrective and precautionary activities'. The system registers in its data base all discrepancies determined during the regular controls of the head workers

Safety analysis on Non-LOCA events for the revision of Wolsong NPP unit 2,3,4 sar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Hyun; Jin, Dong Sik; Ryu, Eui Seung; Kho, Dong Wook; Kim, Sung Min

2015-01-01

Korean Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant Units 2,3,4 (CANDU-6 Type) has prepared the revision of safety analysis report (Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) chapter 15) from the original performed in the year of 1990s, using the updated and state-of-the-art methodology and tools including IST safety analysis codes and more detail modelling. Compared with the original FSAR15, the revised FSAR15 has significant improvement in both the scope and the depth of safety analysis, which has demonstrated the safety analysis results have complied with the safety requirements(acceptance criteria). This paper will present the analysis scope for Non-LOCA events re-analyzed or added for the FSAR15 revision, methodologies applied such as codes and modelling and some important analysis results will be demonstrated with comparison to acceptance criteria. Application of more detail and near-realistic assumptions and method including Dev-PDO options and uncertainty related to the CHF correlations has altogether brought about more safety margin compared with the original FSAR15 with respect to SDS trip effectiveness etc. (author)

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: SOIL STABILIZATION PILOT STUDY, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

This document is a project plan for a pilot study at the United Chrome NPL site, Corvallis, Oregon and includes the health and safety and quality assurance/quality control plans. The plan reports results of a bench-scale study of the treatment process as iieasured by the ...

Safety climate and safety behaviors in the construction industry: The importance of co-workers commitment to safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwatka, Natalie V; Rosecrance, John C

2016-06-16

There is growing empirical evidence that as safety climate improves work site safety practice improve. Safety climate is often measured by asking workers about their perceptions of management commitment to safety. However, it is less common to include perceptions of their co-workers commitment to safety. While the involvement of management in safety is essential, working with co-workers who value and prioritize safety may be just as important. To evaluate a concept of safety climate that focuses on top management, supervisors and co-workers commitment to safety, which is relatively new and untested in the United States construction industry. Survey data was collected from a cohort of 300 unionized construction workers in the United States. The significance of direct and indirect (mediation) effects among safety climate and safety behavior factors were evaluated via structural equation modeling. Results indicated that safety climate was associated with safety behaviors on the job. More specifically, perceptions of co-workers commitment to safety was a mediator between both management commitment to safety climate factors and safety behaviors. These results support workplace health and safety interventions that build and sustain safety climate and a commitment to safety amongst work teams.

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit No. 2. Docket No. 50-341

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 2, provides the staff's evaluation of additional information submitted by the applicant regarding outstanding review issues identified in Supplement No. 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report, dated January 1982

Survey design, statistical analysis, and basis for statistical inferences in coastal habitat injury assessment: Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, L.L.; Erickson, W.P.; Strickland, M.D.

1995-01-01

The objective of the Coastal Habitat Injury Assessment study was to document and quantify injury to biota of the shallow subtidal, intertidal, and supratidal zones throughout the shoreline affected by oil or cleanup activity associated with the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The results of these studies were to be used to support the Trustee's Type B Natural Resource Damage Assessment under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). A probability based stratified random sample of shoreline segments was selected with probability proportional to size from each of 15 strata (5 habitat types crossed with 3 levels of potential oil impact) based on those data available in July, 1989. Three study regions were used: Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet/Kenai Peninsula, and Kodiak/Alaska Peninsula. A Geographic Information System was utilized to combine oiling and habitat data and to select the probability sample of study sites. Quasi-experiments were conducted where randomly selected oiled sites were compared to matched reference sites. Two levels of statistical inferences, philosophical bases, and limitations are discussed and illustrated with example data from the resulting studies. 25 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Sound Waste Management Plan environmental operations, and used oil management system: Restoration project 97115. Exxon Valdez oil spill restoration project final report: Volumes 1 and 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-06-01

This project constitutes Phase 2 of the Sound Waste Management Plan and created waste oil collection and disposal facilities, bilge water collection and disposal facilities, recycling storage, and household hazardous waste collection and storage, and household hazardous waste collection and storage facilities in Prince William Sound. A wide range of waste streams are generated within communities in the Sound including used oil generated from vehicles and vessels, and hazardous wastes generated by households. This project included the design and construction of Environmental Operations Stations buildings in Valdez, Cordova, Whittier, Chenega Bay and Tatitlek to improve the overall management of oily wastes. They will house new equipment to facilitate oily waste collection, treatment and disposal. This project also included completion of used oil management manuals.

Sound Waste Management Plan environmental operations, and used oil management system: Restoration project 97115. Exxon Valdez oil spill restoration project final report: Volumes 1 and 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-06-01

This project constitutes Phase 2 of the Sound Waste Management Plan and created waste oil collection and disposal facilities, bilge water collection and disposal facilities, recycling storage, and household hazardous waste collection and storage, and household hazardous waste collection and storage facilities in Prince William Sound. A wide range of waste streams are generated within communities in the Sound including used oil generated from vehicles and vessels, and hazardous wastes generated by households. This project included the design and construction of Environmental Operations Stations buildings in Valdez, Cordova, Whittier, Chenega Bay and Tatitlek to improve the overall management of oily wastes. They will house new equipment to facilitate oily waste collection, treatment and disposal. This project also included completion of used oil management manuals

Synthesis of nearshore recovery following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill: sea otter liver pathology and survival in Western Prince William Sound, 2001 – 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Ballachey, Brenda E.; Monson, Daniel H.; Kloecker, K.A.; Esslinger, George G.; Mohr, F.C.; Lipscomb, T.P.; Murray, M.J.; Howlin, S.

2014-01-01

We examined livers and liver biopsies collected from captured sea otters in WPWS, 2001–2008, to determine whether indicators of liver health correlated with history of oil contamination from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Sea otters captured in oiled areas had a significantly higher proportion of livers with gross pathological change, based on visual inspection at the time of capture, than those from unoiled areas. Of the 10 histopathology variables scored on liver biopsies, only two (vacuolar change and pigment) differed between animals from oiled and unoiled areas, and neither correlated with gross pathology scores. Vacuolar change indicates physiological disturbance, which is consistent with potential effects from oil exposure but also could be influenced by a number of other factors. We concluded that, as of 2008, some differences in liver health were evident between sea otters from oiled and unoiled areas; these differences were consistent with, but not specific to, effects that might be expected with sublethal exposure to lingering Exxon Valdez oil. We also quantified variation in survival of radiomarked sea otters within oiled areas of WPWS in relation to age, sex, body condition, selected blood serum chemistry variables, and histological scores indicative of liver health. Of the variables considered, only the serum enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the ratio of serum proteins albumin and globulin (A/G) were correlated with survival, with higher levels of AST and lower levels of A/G associated with increased likelihood of mortality. High AST and low A/G both may be indicative of liver disease. Taken together, results reported here suggest that liver health of sea otters in oiled areas was slightly poorer than those from unoiled areas and, ifurther, that this may have translated to poorer survival through 2008, nearly 2 decades after the spill. More recently collected information indicated that mortality patterns and abundance had returned to

An Actuator Control Unit for Safety-Critical Mechatronic Applications with Embedded Energy Storage Backup

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Saponara

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an actuator control unit (ACU with a 450-J embedded energy storage backup to face safety critical mechatronic applications. The idea is to ensure full operation of electric actuators, even in the case of battery failure, by using supercapacitors as a local energy tank. Thanks to integrated switching converter circuitry, the supercapacitors provide the required voltage and current levels for the required time to guarantee actuator operation until the system enters into safety mode. Experimental results are presented for a target application related to the control of servomotors for a robotized prosthetic arm. Mechatronic devices for rehabilitation or assisted living of injured and/or elderly people are available today. In most cases, they are battery powered with lithium-based cells, providing high energy density and low weight, but at the expense of a reduced robustness compared to lead-acid- or nickel-based battery cells. The ACU of this work ensures full operation of the wearable robotized arm, controlled through acceleration and electromyography (EMG sensor signals, even in the case of battery failure, thanks to the embedded energy backup unit. To prove the configurability and scalability of the proposed solution, experimental results related to the electric actuation of the car door latch and of a robotized gearbox in vehicles are also shown. The reliability of the energy backup device has been assessed in a wide temperature range, from −40 to 130 °C, and in a durability test campaign of more than 10,000 cycles. Achieved results prove the suitability of the proposed approach for ACUs requiring a burst of power of hundreds of watts for only a few seconds in safety-critical applications. Alternatively, the aging and temperature characterizations of energy backup units is limited to supercapacitors of thousands of farads for high power applications (e.g., electric/hybrid propulsion and with a temperature range limited to

Reload safety evaluation report for kori nuclear power plant unit 2 cycle 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Beom Jin; Kim, Si Yong; Kim, Oh Hwan; Nam, Kee Il; Um, Gil Sup; Ban, Chang Hwan; Choi, Dong Uk; Yoon, Kyung Ho

1992-04-01

The Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 (Kori-2) is anticipated to be refuelled with 16x16 Korean Fuel Assemblies (KOFA), which are based on the KAERI design starting from Cycle 8. This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Kori-2, Cycle 9 and demonstrates that the reactor core being composed of various fuel assembly types as described below will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. The evaluation of Kori-2, Cycle 9 was accomplished utilizing the methodology described in 'Reload Transition Safety Report for KORI 2' (Ref. /1-1/). The reload core for Kori-2, Cycle 9 is entirely comprised of 16x16 KOFA. In the Kori-2 licensing documentation to KEPCO the reference safety evaluation was provided for the operation of a reactor core fully loaded with KOFA as well as associated proposed changes to the Kori-2 Technical Specifications. The reload for Kori-2, Cycle 9 also introduces UO 2 /Gd 2 O 3 containing fuel rods. The use of fuel rods with Gd 2 O 3 poisoning of the fuel has been approved as a part of the above mentioned licensing documentation. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 9 core design described herein. (Author)

Sheen surveillance: An environmental monitoring program subsequent to the 1989 Exxon Valdez shoreline cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taft, D.G.; Egging, D.E.; Kuhn, H.A.

1995-01-01

In the fall of 1989, an aerial surveillance program was implemented to locate oil sheens (or slicks) originating from shorelines affected by the Exxon Valdez spill. The objectives of the program were to identify any oil on the water that warranted response and to identify those sections of shoreline that would be priority candidates for further cleanup in 1990. The program initially surveyed the entire affected area, but, because proportionally fewer sheens were spotted in the Gulf of Alaska, the program was refocused on Prince Williams Sound in early 1990. The surveillance program consisted of frequent low-altitude flights with trained observers in a deHavilland Twin otter outfitted with observation ports and communication equipment. The primary surveillance technique used was direct visual observation. Other techniques, including photography, were tested but proved less effective. The flights targeted all shorelines of concern, particularly those near fishing, subsistence, and recreational areas.the observers attempted to locate all sheens, estimate their size and color, ad identify the source of the oil found in the sheen. Size and color were used to estimate the volume of oil in each sheen. Samples were collected whenever possible during the summer of 1990 using a floating Teflon trademark sampling device that was developed for easy deployment from a boat or the pontoon of a float plane. Forty four samples were analyzed by UV-fluorescence spectroscopy. Eleven of these samples were also analyzed by GC/MS. In general, the analyses confirmed the observers' judgment of source. 16 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs

Development and installation of a new on-line plant safety monitoring system for the Paks VVER-440 units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vegh, J.; Major, C.; Buerger, L.; Lipcsei, S.; Horvath, C.; Kapocs, G.; Eiler, J.; Hornaes, A.; Hulsund, J.E.

2000-01-01

The paper describes the architecture, modules, algorithms and human-machine interface of a new operator support system (OSS), which is integrated into the new, reconstructed Paks NPP plant computers. The main task of the new OSS is to perform continuous plant safety monitoring and assessment, it has the following basic functions: on-line evaluation and presentation of critical safety function (CSF) status trees, continuous evaluation and presentation of the actual safety status of the plant, displaying and browsing the new symptom-oriented EOPs, automatic displaying of those process signals which are quoted in the EOPs. The first version of the new operator support system was connected to the Paks NPP full scope simulator in October 1999. This configuration was later successfully applied for the simulator testing of the new symptom-oriented EOP set for the Paks NPP in November 1999. The installation process was continued in 2000: the new system started its operation on Unit 2 (June) and on Unit 1 (August), together with the reconstructed, new PCS. (author)

Safety balance: Analysis of safety systems; Bilans de surete: analyse par les organismes de surete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delage, M; Giroux, C

1990-12-01

Safety analysis, and particularly analysis of exploitation of NPPs is constantly affected by EDF and by the safety authorities and their methodologies. Periodic safety reports ensure that important issues are not missed on daily basis, that incidents are identified and that relevant actions are undertaken. French safety analysis method consists of three principal steps. First type of safety balance is analyzed at the normal start-up phase for each unit including the final safety report. This enables analysis of behaviour of units ten years after their licensing. Second type is periodic operational safety analysis performed during a few years. Finally, the third step consists of safety analysis of the oldest units with the aim to improve the safety standards. The three steps of safety analysis are described in this presentation in detail with the aim to present the objectives and principles. Examples of most recent exercises are included in order to illustrate the importance of such analyses.

Mochovce NPP safety measures evaluation from point of view of operational safety enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cillik, I.; Vrtik, L.

2000-01-01

Mochovce NPP consists of four reactor units of WWER 440/V213 type and it is located in the south-middle part of Slovakia. At present first unit operated and the second one under the construction finishing. As these units represent second generation of WWER reactor design, the additional safety measures (SM) were implemented to enhance operational and nuclear safety according to the recommendations of performed international audits and operational experience based on exploitation of other similar units (as Dukovany and J. Bohunice NPPs). These requirements result into a number of SMs grouped according to their purpose to reach recent international requirements on nuclear and operational safety. The paper presents the bases used for safety measures establishing including their grouping into the comprehensive tasks covering different areas of safety goals as well as structural organization of a project management of including participating companies and work performance. More, results are given regarding contribution of selected SMs to the total core damage frequency decreasing. (author)

Developing reports on safety analysis and probabilistic analysis of safety for operating power units at nuclear power stations with WWER reactors in Russia; Razrabotka otchetov po analizu bezopasnosti i VAB dlya ehkspluatiruyushchikhsya ehnergoblokov AEhS s WWEhR v Rossii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malyshev, A B; Morozov, V B [ATOMENERGOPROEKT Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1999-06-01

Report presents the current state-of art in developing safety reports and probabilistic safety analyses for WWER NPPs operated in Russia. Development of these reports and implementation of PSA is done according to the requirements outlined in the basic document `General Statement on Ensuring safety (OPB). At present submitting safety reports to the regulatory authority GAN RF is mandatory for licensing NPPs. Current state of safety reports for the operating WWER type NPPs meets generally the effective Russian standard engineering documents which are approaching the international standards. A mechanism ensuring correspondence of the safety documentation to the current state of operating units is determined. Modernization of the operating units is underway, it is aimed to eliminate existing deviations from requirements of the modern standards in the field of NPP safety

33 CFR 3.40-28 - Sector Houston-Galveston Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sector Houston-Galveston Marine....40-28 Sector Houston-Galveston Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone; Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur. Sector Houston-Galveston's office is located in Galena Park, TX. A subordinate unit...

Recovery of intertidal hardshelled clams in Prince William Sound from Exxon Valdez oiling and shoreline treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houghton, J.P.; Lees, D.C.; Driskell, W.B.

1994-01-01

Native little neck (Protothaca staminea) and butter clams (Saxidomus giganteus) were quantitatively surveyed from 1989 through 1993 to evaluate effects from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Hydraulic washing of sand and gravel beaches altered beach morphology by transporting material down slope from upper elevations, often burying the lower beach in several centimeters of sediment having a relatively low content of fines and organic carbon. Hydraulically washed beaches showed significant reductions in clam densities in 1989 and 1990. Recruitment of clams was very limited on these beaches through 1993; as a result, clam densities on these hydraulically washed beaches remain very depressed compared to those on beaches that were unoiled or oiled but not washed. Littlenecks transplanted from a reference site to a heavily oiled but untreated site showed significant patterns of increased mortality, decreased growth, and increased bioaccumulation of PAH in response to a gradient in sediment PAH, This same heavily oiled site has consistently had among the highest rates of hardshelled clam recruitment of any of the sites sampled. Littlenecks also were transplanted to another heavily oiled beach that had been hydraulically washed and had little remaining hydrocarbons. These clams showed very high survival, yet this beach has had very little clam recruitment. It is hypothesized that recruitment at this site may be inhibited by the low level of finer sediments and low organic content remaining after washing

Safety-evaluation report related to the operation of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit No. 3. Docket No. 50-382

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-06-01

Supplement 5 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Louisiana Power and Light Company for a license to operate the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Docket No. 50-382), located in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this supplement is to update the Safety Evaluation Report by providing the staff's evaluation of information submitted by the applicant since the Safety Evaluation Report and its four previous Supplements were issued

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-382)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-03-01

Supplement 10 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Louisiana Power and Light Company for a license to operate the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Docket No. 50-382), located in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this supplement is to update the Safety Evaluation Report by providing the staff's evaluation of information submitted by the licensee since the Safety Evaluation Report and its nine previous supplements were issued

Criticality safety evaluation in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirai, Nobutoshi; Nakajima, Masayoshi; Takaya, Akikazu; Ohnuma, Hideyuki; Shirouzu, Hidetomo; Hayashi, Shinichiro; Yoshikawa, Koji; Suto, Toshiyuki

2000-04-01

Criticality limits for equipments in Tokai Reprocessing Plant which handle fissile material solution and are under shape and dimension control were reevaluated based on the guideline No.10 'Criticality safety of single unit' in the regulatory guide for reprocessing plant safety. This report presents criticality safety evaluation of each equipment as single unit. Criticality safety of multiple units in a cell or a room was also evaluated. The evaluated equipments were ones in dissolution, separation, purification, denitration, Pu product storage, and Pu conversion processes. As a result, it was reconfirmed that the equipments were safe enough from a view point of criticality safety of single unit and multiple units. (author)

Perceptions of safety culture vary across the intensive care units of a single institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, David T; Clermont, Gilles; Sexton, J Bryan; Karlo, Crystal A; Miller, Rachel G; Weissfeld, Lisa A; Rowan, Kathy M; Angus, Derek C

2007-01-01

To determine whether safety culture factors varied across the intensive care units (ICUs) of a single hospital, between nurses and physicians, and to explore ICU nursing directors' perceptions of their personnel's attitudes. Cross-sectional surveys using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire-ICU version, a validated, aviation industry-based safety culture survey instrument. It assesses culture across six factors: teamwork climate, perceptions of management, safety climate, stress recognition, job satisfaction, and work environment. Four ICUs in one tertiary care hospital. All ICU personnel. We conducted the survey from January 1 to April 1, 2003, and achieved a 70.2% response rate (318 of 453). We calculated safety culture factor mean and percent-positive scores (percentage of respondents with a mean score of > or =75 on a 0-100 scale for which 100 is best) for each ICU. We compared mean ICU scores by ANOVA and percent-positive scores by chi-square. Mean and percent-positive scores by job category were modeled using a generalized estimating equations approach and compared using Wald statistics. We asked ICU nursing directors to estimate their personnel's mean scores and generated ratios of their estimates to the actual scores.Overall, factor scores were low to moderate across all factors (range across ICUs: 43.4-74.9 mean scores, 8.6-69.4 percent positive). Mean and percent-positive scores differed significantly (p safety culture variation exists across ICUs of a single hospital. ICU nursing directors tend to overestimate their personnel's attitudes, particularly for teamwork. Culture assessments based on institutional level analysis or director opinion may be flawed.

Acute and subchronic toxicity of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil in mallards and ferrets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stubblefield, W.A.; Hancock, G.A.; Ford, W.H.; Ringer, R.K.

1995-01-01

The toxic properties of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil (WEVC) were assessed in a battery of acute and subchronic toxicity tests using mallards, Anas platyrhynchos, and European ferrets, Mustela putorius. Adult mallard acute oral toxicity study results indicated no mortalities or signs o toxicity, i.e., no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) and median lethal dose (LD50) > 5,000 mg/kg. Acute oral feeding and food avoidance tests with ducklings also indicated no toxicity (NOAEL and LC50 > 50,000 mg/kg diet) with no evidence of food avoidance (FAC50 > 20,000 mg/kg diet). No mortalities or toxic signs were noted in a 14-d feeding study with adult birds at dietary concentrations up to 100,000 mg WEVC/kg diet. Among clinical and physiological end points evaluated, the only significant difference noted was an increase in liver: body weight ratios in the 100,000-mg WEVC/kg diet dose group. No differences in clinical chemistry or hematological parameters were noted, and there were no consistent differences in histological evaluations of organ tissues. Daily oral doses of up to 5,000 mg/kg of WEVC over 5 d resulted in minimal effects on ferrets. Increased serum albumin concentrations were observed in the 5,000-mg/kg dose group females and decreased spleen weights were noted in females of all WEVC treatment groups. No other significant observations were noted

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Staton, Unit No. 1, (Docket No. STN 50-482). Supplement No. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-12-01

Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 updates the information contained in the Safety Evaluation Report, dated April 1982 and Supplements 1, 2, and 3, dated August 1982, June 1983 and August, 1983, respectively. Supplement No. 4 addresses open issues, confirmatory items and addresses Board Notifications. The Safety Evaluation and its supplements pertain to the application for a license to operate the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 filed by Kansas Gas and Electric Company on February 19, 1980. The Construction Permit No. CPPR-147 was issued on May 17, 1977

Assessment of the Zaporizhya NPP unit 1 reactor pressure vessel safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podkopaev, V.; Popov, V.; Zaritsky, N.

1997-01-01

This emergency situation had occurred at the ZNPP unit 1 while its being under ''hot shutdown'' in natural coolant circulation mode. The main difference between emergency situation and mode with improper setting of PPPD described in the ''Technical Safety Substantiation (TSS) is that this mode is being considered in the TSS under rated power of reactor with main circulation pumps (MCP) under operation. This difference is a substantial one. For this reason a necessity appeared to asses an integrity of referred reactor pressure vessel (RPV) under given emergency situation to judge whether results obtained meet the ND requirements (safety assessment). Under operation such RPV elements are being mostly affected as upper cooling, lower cowling, weld No. 3 weld No. 4 situated in front of core. These elements materials ageing process is the most intense one. Thus, this work was aimed at investigation of structure material behavior and RPV integrity assessment under thermal shock conditions while PPPD improper setting. At that time the most attention was drawn to above mentioned upper and lower cowlings along with welds No. 3 and 4. 5 refs, figs, 10 tabs

Assessment of the Zaporizhya NPP unit 1 reactor pressure vessel safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podkopaev, V; Popov, V; Zaritsky, N [State Scientific and Technical Centre on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS), Kiev (Ukraine)

1997-09-01

This emergency situation had occurred at the ZNPP unit 1 while its being under ``hot shutdown`` in natural coolant circulation mode. The main difference between emergency situation and mode with improper setting of PPPD described in the ``Technical Safety Substantiation (TSS) is that this mode is being considered in the TSS under rated power of reactor with main circulation pumps (MCP) under operation. This difference is a substantial one. For this reason a necessity appeared to asses an integrity of referred reactor pressure vessel (RPV) under given emergency situation to judge whether results obtained meet the ND requirements (safety assessment). Under operation such RPV elements are being mostly affected as upper cooling, lower cowling, weld No. 3 weld No. 4 situated in front of core. These elements materials ageing process is the most intense one. Thus, this work was aimed at investigation of structure material behavior and RPV integrity assessment under thermal shock conditions while PPPD improper setting. At that time the most attention was drawn to above mentioned upper and lower cowlings along with welds No. 3 and 4. 5 refs, figs, 10 tabs.

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

This report, Supplement No. 1 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Duquesne Light Company et al. (the applicant) for a license to operate the Beaver valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was published

Comparison of the N Reactor and Ignalina Unit No. 2 Level 1 Probabilistic Safety Assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coles, G.A.; McKay, S.L.

1995-06-01

A multilateral team recently completed a full-scope Level 1 Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) on the Ignalina Unit No. 2 reactor plant in Lithuania. This allows comparison of results to those of the PSA for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) N Reactor. The N Reactor, although unique as a Western design, has similarities to Eastern European and Soviet graphite block reactors

The OPRC framework for international cooperation in R ampersand D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, B.

1992-01-01

Immediately in the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez incident in March 1989, work commenced on developing a new international framework for cooperation in oil pollution preparedness and response. That work culminated in the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-Operation, 1990 or OPRC. My presentation today will discuss the development of this new Convention, the meaning of its provisions, and what opportunities might exist. Long before the Exxon Valdez grounded, the need for countries to offer mutual assistance to each other was recognized by virtually anyone who had been involved in a major pollution event. That a single country could not open-quotes go it aloneclose quotes was an established fact. Oil pollution was recognized as an international problem, especially when an incident occurred in waters marking the boundary between countries or in enclosed bodies of water. But cooperation in oil pollution response was marked by bilateral agreements between neighboring countries, or at most, regional agreements among countries sharing a common shoreline. The Exxon Valdez, as unfortunate an occurrence as it was, acted as the catalyst to change that. The United States, arguably the most prosperous country in the world, could not cope with a spill the size of the Exxon Valdez with the resources it had on hand. Assistance was requested from virtually any government known to have or thought to have oil spill recovery equipment. Like few other incidents before, the Exxon Valdez showed the need for the open-quotes internationalizationclose quotes of oil pollution response beyond the traditional approach

Human Factors Evaluation of Procedures for Periodic Safety Review of Yonggwang Unit no. 1, 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Jung Woon; Park, Jae Chang (and others)

2006-01-15

This report describes the results of human factors assessment on the plant operating procedures as part of Periodic Safety Review(PSR) of Yonggwang Nuclear Power Plant Unit no. 1, 2. The suitability of item and appropriateness of format and structure in the key operating procedures of nuclear power plants were investigated by the review of plant operating experiences and procedure documents, field survey, and experimental assessment on some part of procedures. A checklist was used to perform this assessment and record the review results. The reviewed procedures include EOP(Emergency Operating Procedures), GOP(General Operating Procedures), AOP(Abnormal Operating Procedures), and management procedures of some technical departments. As results of the assessments, any significant problem challenging the safety was not found on the human factors in the operating procedures. However, several small items to be changed and improved were discovered. An action plan is recommended to accommodate the suggestions and review comments. It will enhance the plant safety on the operating procedure.

Optimal replacement and inspection periods of safety and control boards in Wolsung nuclear power plant unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mok, Jin Il

1993-02-01

In nuclear power plants, the safety and control systems are important for operating and maintaining safety of nuclear power plants. Due to the failure of the instrument and control devices of nuclear power plants caused by aging, nuclear power plants occasionally trip. Since the start of first commercial operation of Kori nuclear power plant (NPP) unit 1, the trips caused by instrument and control systems account for 28% of total trips of NPPs in Korea. Even a single trip of a nuclear power plant causes an extravagant economical loss and deteriorates public acceptance of nuclear power plants. Therefore, the replacement of the instrument and control devices with proper consideration of the aging effect is necessary in order to prevent the inadvertent trip. In this work we investigated the optimal replacement periods of the digital control computer's (DCC) and the programmable digital comparator's (PDC) electronic circuit boards of Wolsung nuclear power plant Unit 1. We first derived mathematical models which calculate optimal replacement periods for electronic circuit boards of digital control computer (DCC) and for those of the programmable digital comparator (PDC) in Wolsung NPP unit 1. And we analytically obtained the optimal replacement periods of electronic circuit boards by using these models. We compared these periods with the replacement periods currently used at Wolsung NPP Unit. The periods used at Wolsung is not based on mathematical analysis, but on empirical knowledge. As a consequence, the optimal replacement periods analytically obtained for the electronic circuit boards of DCC and those used in the field shown small difference : the optimal replacement periods analytically obtained for the electronic circuit boards of PDC are shorter than those used in the field in general. The engineered safeguards of Wolsung nuclear power plant unit 1 contains redundant systems of 2-out-of-3 logic which are not operating under normal conditions but they are called

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-423)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-09-01

The Safety Evaluation Report issued in August 1984 provided the results of the NRC staff review of Northeast Nuclear Energy Company's application for a license to operate the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3. Supplement No. 1 to that report, issued in March 1985 updated the information contained in the Safety Evaluation Report and addressed the ACRS Report issued on September 10, 1984. The Report, Supplement No. 2 updates the information contained in the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplement No. 1 and addresses prior unresolved items. The facility is located in Waterford Township, New London, Connecticut. 11 refs., 9 tabs

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-05-01

This report, Supplement No. 5 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Duquesne Light Company et al. (the applicant) for a license to operate the Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved when the Safety Evaluation Report and its Supplements 1, 2, 3, and 4 were published

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

This report, Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Duquesne Light Company et al. (the applicant) for a license to operate the Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved when the Safety Evaluation Report and its Supplements 1, 2, and 3 were published

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2, (Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374). Supplement No. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-12-01

Supplement No. 7 to the Safety Evaluation Report of Commonwealth Edison Company's application for a license to operate its La Salle County Station, Unit 2, located on Brookfield Township, La Salle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement is to update our evaluations on Unit 2 issues identified in the previous Safety Evaluation Report and Supplements that need resolution prior to issuance of the operating license for Unit 2

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

This report, Supplement No. 6 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Duquesne Light Company et al. (the licensee) for a license to operate the Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved when the Safety Evaluation Report and its Supplements 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were published

Two sides of the safety coin?: How patient engagement and safety climate jointly affect error occurrence in hospital units.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffinger, Michael; Latzke, Markus; Steyrer, Johannes

2016-01-01

Safety climate (SC) and more recently patient engagement (PE) have been identified as potential determinants of patient safety, but conceptual and empirical studies combining both are lacking. On the basis of extant theories and concepts in safety research, this study investigates the effect of PE in conjunction with SC on perceived error occurrence (pEO) in hospitals, controlling for various staff-, patient-, and hospital-related variables as well as the amount of stress and (lack of) organizational support experienced by staff. Besides the main effects of PE and SC on error occurrence, their interaction is examined, too. In 66 hospital units, 4,345 patients assessed the degree of PE, and 811 staff assessed SC and pEO. PE was measured with a new instrument, capturing its core elements according to a recent literature review: Information Provision (both active and passive) and Activation and Collaboration. SC and pEO were measured with validated German-language questionnaires. Besides standard regression and correlational analyses, partial least squares analysis was employed to model the main and interaction effects of PE and SC on pEO, also controlling for stress and (lack of) support perceived by staff, various staff and patient attributes, and potential single-source bias. Both PE and SC are associated with lower pEO, to a similar extent. The joint effect of these predictors suggests a substitution rather than mutually reinforcing interaction. Accounting for control variables and/or potential single-source bias slightly attenuates some effects without altering the results. Ignoring PE potentially amounts to forgoing a potential source of additional safety. On the other hand, despite the abovementioned substitution effect and conjectures of SC being inert, PE should not be considered as a replacement for SC.

PSA analysis focused on Mochovce NPP safety measures evaluation from operational safety point of view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cillik, I.; Vrtik, L.

2001-01-01

Mochovce NPP consists of four reactor units of WWER 440/V213 type and it is located in the south-middle part of Slovakia. At present first unit operated and the second one under the construction finishing. As these units represent second generation of WWER reactor design, the additional safety measures (SM) were implemented to enhance operational and nuclear safety according to the recommendations of performed international audits and operational experience based on exploitation of other similar units (as Dukovany and J. Bohunice NPPs). These requirements result into a number of SMs grouped according to their purpose to reach recent international requirements on nuclear and operational safety. The paper presents the bases used for safety measures establishing including their grouping into the comprehensive tasks covering different areas of safety goals as well as structural organization of a project management of including participating companies and work performance. More, results are given regarding contribution of selected SMs to the total core damage frequency decreasing.(author)

Safety culture in nuclear installations. Management of safety and safety culture in Indian NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawal, S.C.

2002-01-01

Nuclear Power Corporation Of India Ltd. (NPCIL) is a company owned by Government of India and is responsible for Design, Construction, Commissioning, Operation and Decommissioning of Nuclear Power plants in India. Presently, a total of 13 Nuclear power Stations are in operation with an installed capacity of 2620 MWe and 2 VVR type PWR Units of 1000 MWe capacity each, 2 PHWR type units of 500 MWe capacity each and 4 PHWR type 220 MWe capacity each are under construction. NPPs generation capacity has been increased from 70% to 85% in the span Of last 7 years with high level of safety standards. This could be achieved through Management commitment towards building a strong Safety Culture. Safety culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organisation and individuals which establishes that as an overriding priority nuclear plant safety issues receives the attention warranted by their significance. This definition of safety culture brings out two major components in its manifestation. The framework within which individuals within the organisation works.The attitude and response of individual towards the safety issues over productivity and economics in the organisational work practices. The two attributes of safety culture are built in and upgraded in each individuals through special training at the time of entry in the organisation and later through in built procedures in the work practices, motivation and encouragement for free participation of each individuals. Individuals are encouraged to participate in Quality circle teams at the sectional level and review of safety proposal originated by individuals in Station operation Review Committee at Station level, in addition to this to continuously enhance the safety culture, refresher training courses are being organised at regular intervals. The safety related proposals are categorised in to two namely: Proposals from Operating Plants, and Proposals from projects and Design. The concept of safety

Ensuring radiation safety during construction of the facility ''Ukrytie'' and restoration of unit 3 of the Chernobyl nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belovodsky, L.F.; Panfilov, A.P.

1997-01-01

On April 26, 1986, an accident at the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl NPS (ChNPS) destroyed the reactor core and part of the power unit building, whereby sizeable amounts of radioactive materials, stored in reactor at operation, were released into the environment, and there were also highly active fragments of fuel elements and pieces of graphite from reactor spread on ChNPS site near to safety block. Information on the accident at ChNPS, including its cause and consequences, was considered at special meeting, conducted by IAEA on August 25-29, 1986, in Vienna. In final report of International Advisory Group for Nuclear Safety (IAGNS), prepared by results of meeting activities, the main stages of the accident effects elimination (AEE) immediately on the station site according to the data, received before August 1, 1986, were discussed. In 1987-1990 the published materials on the later period of AEE, completed by building ''Ukrytie'' installation at the fourth power unit of ChNPS

Peer review of the Barselina Level 1 probabilistic safety assessment of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKay, S.L.; Coles, G.A.

1995-01-01

The Barselina Project is a Swedish-funded, cooperative effort among Lithuania, Russia and Sweden to transfer Western probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) methodology to the designers/operators of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). The overall goal is to use the PSA as a tool for assessing plant operational safety. The INPP is a two-unit, Former Soviet Union-designed nuclear facility located in Lithuania. The results of this PSA will ultimately be used to identify plant-specific improvements in system design and the conduct of facility operations, allowing improved operational safety. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) was asked to perform an independent expert peer review of the Barselina PSA. This report documents the findings of this review. This review, financed with nuclear safety assistance funds through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), satisfies Task II of the PNL peer review of the Barselina project. The objective is to provide an independent, in-proce ss examination of the Barselina Level 1 PSA of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 2. The review consisted of an investigation of the project documentation, interviews, and extensive discussions with the PSA staff during critical stages of the project. PNL assessed the readability, completeness, consistency, validity, and applicability of the PSA. The major aspects explored were its purpose, major assumptions, analysis/modeling, results, and interpretation. It was not within the scope of this review to perform plant walkdowns or to review material other than the PSA documentation

Investigation of radiation safety and safety culture of medical sanitation vocation in Suzhou

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Bo; Tu Yu; Zhang Yin

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate the construction of radiation safety and safety culture of medical sanitation vocation in Suzhou. Methods: All medical units registered in administration center of Suzhou were included. The above selected medical units were completely investigated, district and county under the same condition of quality control. Results: The radiation safety and safety culture are existing differences among different property and grade hospitals of medicai sanitation vocation in Suzhou. Conclusion: The construction of radiation safety and safety culture is generally occupying in good level in suhzou, but there are obvious differences among different property and grade hospitals. The main reason for the differences in the importance attached to by the hospital decision-making and department management officials as well as the staff personal. (authors)

Nuclear safety in Slovak Republic. Status of safety improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, A.

1999-01-01

Status of the safety improvements at Bohunice V-1 units concerning WWER-440/V-230 design upgrading were as follows: supplementing of steam generator super-emergency feed water system; higher capacity of emergency core cooling system; supplementing of automatic links between primary and secondary circuit systems; higher level of secondary system automation. The goal of the modernization program for Bohunice V-1 units WWER-440/V-230 was to increase nuclear safety to the level of the proposals and IAEA recommendations and to reach probability goals of the reactor concerning active zone damage, leak of radioactive materials, failures of safety systems and damage shields. Upgrading program for Mochovce NPP - WWER-440/V-213 is concerned with improving the integrity of the reactor pressure vessel, steam generators 'leak before break' methods applied for the NPP, instrumentation and control of safety systems, diagnostic systems, replacement of in-core monitoring system, emergency analyses, pressurizers safety relief valves, hydrogen removal system, seismic evaluations, non-destructive testing, fire protection. Implementation of quality assurance has a special role in improvement of operational safety activities as well as safety management and safety culture, radiation protection, decommissioning and waste management and training. The Year 2000 problem is mentioned as well

Safety-evaluation report related to operation of McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-369 and 50-370

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-05-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Operation of McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (SER (NUREG-0422)) issued in March 1978 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the application filed by Duke Power Company, as applicant and owner, for licenses to operate the McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-369 and 50-370). The facility is located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, about 17 mi north-northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. This supplement provides information related to issuance of a full-power authorization for Unit 2. The staff concludes that the McGuire Nuclear Station can be operated by the licensee without endangering the health and safety of the public

A Summary of the United States Food and Drug Administrations’ Food Safety Program for Imported Seafood; One Country’s Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett Koonse

2016-04-01

Full Text Available It is well known that the vast majority of seafood is captured or farmed in emerging countries and exported to developed countries. This has resulted in seafood being the number one traded food commodity in the world. Food safety is essential to this trade. Exporting countries should understand the regulatory food safety programs of the countries they ship to in order to comply with their applicable laws and regulations to avoid violations and disruptions in trade. The United States (U.S. imports more seafood than any individual country in the world but the European Union (E.U. countries, as a block, import significantly more. Each importing country has its own programs and systems in place to ensure the safety of imported seafood. However, most countries that export seafood have regulatory programs in place that comply with the import requirements of the E.U. The purpose of this paper is to describe the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (USFDA imported seafood safety program. The primary audience for the information is foreign government regulators, seafood exporters, and U.S. importers. It can also give consumers confidence that f U.S. seafood is safe no matter which country it originates from.

Pathological studies of sea otters. Marine mammal study 6-11. Exxon Valdez oil spill state/federal natural resource damage assessment final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lipscomb, T.P.; Harris, R.K.; Rebar, A.H.; Ballachey, B.E.; Haebler, R.J.

1996-06-01

Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, sea otters were captured and taken to rehabilitaion centers. Oil exposure was assessed by visual examination on arrival at the centers. Records of 21 oiled otters that died within 10 days of arrival at the centers were reviewed to define the laboratory abnormalities and clinical syndromes associated with these deaths. Tissues from 51 oiled and 6 unoiled sea otters that died in the centers were examined histologically. Histologic examinations were performed on tissues from 5 oiled otters found dead shortly after the spill. Nucropsies were performed on 214 sea otters that were collected and frozen following the oil spill. Pulmonary interstitial emphysema and gastric erosion and hemorrhage were common in oiled animals, and were less frequent in unoiled animals. Tissues from 6 sea otters collected from a nonoiled area were examined, and none of these lesions were found. We conclude that pulmonary interstitial emphysema, gastric erosion and hemorrhage, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, and hepatic and renal lipidosis were associated with exposure to crude oil in sea otters.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-341). Supplement No. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 2, provides the staff's evaluation of additional information submitted by the applicant regarding outstanding review issues identified in Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report, dated January 1983

Selecting of key safety parameters in reactor nuclear safety supervision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Fan; Yu Hong

2014-01-01

The safety parameters indicate the operational states and safety of research reactor are the basis of nuclear safety supervision institution to carry out effective supervision to nuclear facilities. In this paper, the selecting of key safety parameters presented by the research reactor operating unit to National Nuclear Safety Administration that can express the research reactor operational states and safety when operational occurrence or nuclear accident happens, and the interrelationship between them are discussed. Analysis shows that, the key parameters to nuclear safety supervision of research reactor including design limits, operational limits and conditions, safety system settings, safety limits, acceptable limits and emergency action level etc. (authors)

Integrated-plant-safety assessment Systematic Evaluation Program. Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2, Commonwealth Edison Company, Docket No. 50-237

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-10-01

The Systematic Evaluation Program was initiated in February 1977 by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to review the designs of older operating nuclear reactor plants to reconfirm and document their safety. The review provides: (1) an assessment of how these plants compare with current licensing safety requirements relating to selected issues; (2) a basis for deciding on how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review; and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. This report documents the review of Dresden Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 2 owned and operated by the Commonwealth Edison Company and located in Grundy County, Illinois. Dresden Unit 2 is one of ten plants reviewed under Phase II of this program, which indicates how 137 topics selected for review under Phase I of the program were addressed. Equipment and procedural changes have been identified as a result of the review. It is expected that this report will be one of the bases in considering the issuance of a full-term operating license in place of the existing provisional operating license

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-382). Suppl.6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-06-01

Supplement 6 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Louisiana Power and Light Company for a license to operate the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Docket No. 50-382), located in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this supplement is to update the Safety Evaluation Report by providing the staff's evaluation of information submitted by the applicant since the Safety Evaluation Report and its five previous supplements were issued

Safety aspects of postanesthesia care unit discharge without motor function assessment after spinal anesthesia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aasvang, Eske Kvanner; Jørgensen, Christoffer Calov; Laursen, Mogens Berg

2017-01-01

Background: Postanesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge without observation of lower limb motor function after spinal anesthesia has been suggested to signifcantly reduce PACU stay and enhance resource optimization and early rehabilitation but without enough data to allow clinical recommendations...... or knee arthroplasty was noninferior to motor function assessment in achieving length of stay 4 days or less or 30-day readmissions. Because a nonsignifcant tendency toward increased adverse events during the frst 24h in the ward was discovered, further safety data are needed in patients without...

Cryogenic safety organisation at CERN

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2016-01-01

With Safety being a top priority of CERN’s general policy, the Organisation defines and implements a Policy that sets out the general principles governing Safety at CERN. To the end of the attainment of said Safety objectives, the organic units (owners/users of the equipment) are assigned the responsibility for the implementation of the CERN Safety Policy at all levels of the organization, whereas the Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Unit (HSE) has the role of providing assistance for the implementation of the Safety Policy, and a monitoring role related to the implementation of continuous improvement of Safety, compliance with the Safety Rules and the handling of emergency situations. This talk will elaborate on the roles, responsibilities and organisational structure of the different stakeholders within the Organization with regards to Safety, and in particular to cryogenic safety. The roles of actors of particular importance such as the Cryogenic Safety Officers (CSOs) and the Cryogenic Sa...

Interim safety evaluation report related to operation of Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 2, Detroit Edison Company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-09-01

This interim report summarizes the scope and results of the radiological safety review performed to date by the NRC staff with respect to the operating license phase for the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 2. The major effort was the review of the facility design and proposed operating procedures described in applicant's Final Safety Analysis Report. In the course of the review, several meetings were held with representatives of the applicant to discuss plant design, construction and proposed operation. Additional information was requested, which the applicant provided through Amendment 7 to the Final Safety Analysis Report. A chronology of the principal actions relating to the review of the application is attached as Appendix A to the report. The Final Safety Analysis Report and amendments thereto are available for public inspection at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, N. W., Washington, D.C. and at Monroe County Library System, 3700 South Custer Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161

Safety of Patient Mobilization and Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit. Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nydahl, Peter; Sricharoenchai, Thiti; Chandra, Saurabh; Kundt, Firuzan Sari; Huang, Minxuan; Fischill, Magdalena; Needham, Dale M

2017-05-01

Early mobilization and rehabilitation of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) may improve physical function, and reduce the duration of delirium, mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay. However, safety concerns are an important barrier to widespread implementation. To synthesize safety data regarding patient mobilization and rehabilitation in the ICU, including falls, removal of endotracheal tubes, removal or dysfunction of intravascular catheters, removal of other catheters/tubes, cardiac arrest, hemodynamic changes, and desaturation. Systematic literature review, including searches of five databases. Eligible studies evaluated patients who received mobilization-related interventions in the ICU. Exclusion criteria included: (1) case series with fewer than 10 patients; (2) majority of patients under 18 years of age; and (3) data not reported to permit calculation of incidence of safety events. Number of patients, mobilization/rehabilitation sessions, potential safety events, and events with negative consequences (e.g., requiring intervention or additional therapy). Heterogeneity was assessed by I 2 statistics, and bias assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane risk of bias assessment. The literature search identified 20,660 titles. There were 48 eligible publications evaluating 7,546 patients, with 583 potential safety events occurring in 22,351 mobilization/rehabilitation sessions. There was a total of 583 (2.6%) potential safety events with heterogeneity in the definitions for these events. For the safety event types that could be meta-analyzed, pooled incidences per 1,000 mobilization/rehabilitation sessions (95% confidence interval), were: hemodynamic changes, 3.8 (1.3-11.4), and desaturation, 1.9 (0.9-4.3). A total of 24 studies of 3,404 patients reported on any consequences of potential safety events (e.g., needing to increase dose of vasopressor due to mobility-related hypotension), with a frequency of 0.6% in 14,398 mobilization

Associations of patient safety outcomes with models of nursing care organization at unit level in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubois, Carl-Ardy; D'amour, Danielle; Tchouaket, Eric; Clarke, Sean; Rivard, Michèle; Blais, Régis

2013-04-01

To examine the associations of four distinct nursing care organizational models with patient safety outcomes. Cross-sectional correlational study. Using a standardized protocol, patients' records were screened retrospectively to detect occurrences of patient safety-related events. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations of those events with four nursing care organizational models. Twenty-two medical units in 11 hospitals in Quebec, Canada, were clustered into 4 nursing care organizational models: 2 professional models and 2 functional models. Two thousand six hundred and ninety-nine were patients hospitalized for at least 48 h on the selected units. Composite of six safety-related events widely-considered sensitive to nursing care: medication administration errors, falls, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, unjustified restraints and pressure ulcers. Events were ultimately sorted into two categories: events 'without major' consequences for patients and events 'with' consequences. After controlling for patient characteristics, patient risk of experiencing one or more events (of any severity) and of experiencing an event with consequences was significantly lower, by factors of 25-52%, in both professional models than in the functional models. Event rates for both functional models were statistically indistinguishable from each other. Data suggest that nursing care organizational models characterized by contrasting staffing, work environment and innovation characteristics may be associated with differential risk for hospitalized patients. The two professional models, which draw mainly on registered nurses (RNs) to deliver nursing services and reflect stronger support for nurses' professional practice, were associated with lower risks than are the two functional models.

Hospital safety climate surveys: measurement issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Jeanette; Sarac, Cakil; Flin, Rhona

2010-12-01

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

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1, Docket No. 50-461

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-05-01

Supplement No. 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report on the application filed by Illinois Power Company, Soyland Power Cooperative, Inc., and Western Illinois Power Cooperative, Inc., as applicants and owners, for a license to operate the Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Harp Township, DeWitt County, Illinois. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplement No. 1

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

This Safety Evaluation Report on the application filed by Duquesne Light Company, as applicant and agent for the owners, for a license to operate the Beaver Valley Power Station Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412) has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Shippingport Borough, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on the south bank of the Ohio River. Subject to the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Workplace safety: Let’s ask the right questions

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2011-01-01

Since 2003, the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization have been organising an annual event on 28 April called “World Day for Safety and Health at Work.” This year, CERN is taking part for the first time with campaigns organised by the Safety Unit of the BE Department and by the HSE Unit.   The HSE Unit and the Safety Unit of the BE Department invite you to find out about everyday health and safety questions by visiting the stands they will be setting up at the entrances to the different restaurants at lunchtime on Thursday, 28 April. "This will be a chance to think about safety not just in the workplace but also at home and in the context of leisure activities,” explains Charles-Edouard Sala, who came up with the idea for CERN's participation in the event. “Safety is, first and foremost, a matter of personal awareness of and sensitivity to risks. That is why we in the Safety Unit had the idea for a campaign with the mo...

Dimensions of patient safety culture in family practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; O'Beirne, Maeve; Sterling, Pam; Zwicker, Karen; Harding, Brianne K; Casebeer, Ann

2010-01-01

Safety culture has been shown to affect patient safety in healthcare. While the United States and United Kingdom have studied the dimensions that reflect patient safety culture in family practice settings, to date, this has not been done in Canada. Differences in the healthcare systems between these countries and Canada may affect the dimensions found to be relevant here. Thus, it is important to identify and compare the dimensions from the United States and the United Kingdom in a Canadian context. The objectives of this study were to explore the dimensions of patient safety culture that relate to family practice in Canada and to determine if differences and similarities exist between dimensions found in Canada and those found in previous studies undertaken in the United States and the United Kingdom. A qualitative study was undertaken applying thematic analysis using focus groups with family practice offices and supplementary key stakeholders. Analysis of the data indicated that most of the dimensions from the United States and United Kingdom are appropriate in our Canadian context. Exceptions included owner/managing partner/leadership support for patient safety, job satisfaction and overall perceptions of patient safety and quality. Two unique dimensions were identified in the Canadian context: disclosure and accepting responsibility for errors. Based on this early work, it is important to consider differences in care settings when understanding dimensions of patient safety culture. We suggest that additional research in family practice settings is critical to further understand the influence of context on patient safety culture.

Status of Nuclear Safety evaluation in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Jiashu

1999-01-01

Chinese nuclear safety management and control follows international practice, the regulations are mainly from IAEA with the Chinese condition. The regulatory body is National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA). The nuclear safety management, surveillance, safety review and evaluation are guided by NNSA with technical support by several units. Beijing Review Center of Nuclear Safety is one of these units, which was founded in 1987 within Beijing Institute of nuclear Engineering (BINE), co-directed by NNSA and BINE, it is the first technical support team to NNSA. Most of the safety reviews and evaluations of Chinese nuclear installations has been finished by this unit. It is described briefly in this paper that the NNSA's main function and organization, regulations on the nuclear safety, procedure of application and issuing of license, the main activities performed by Beijing Review Center of Nuclear Safety, the situation of severe accident analyses in China, etc. (author)

Criteria for guidance in the safety assessment of nuclear installations in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gausden, R.; Fryer, D.R.H.

1977-01-01

There is an increasing appreciation of the need for a consistent approach to nuclear safety between various groups having an interest in safety and between various types of installation. Licensing for construction and ultimate approval to operate any nuclear installation depend in the United Kingdom upon a searching assessment of the design, construction and operation of the proposed plant. Criteria of the kind discussed in this paper have been used by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in this assessment process. From time to time they are subject to comments from other bodies in the U.K. One aim of the criteria is to set out the broad objectives that should be met regarding the magnitude of radiological consequences of accidents or normal operation. In addition, the criteria give guidance on the design philosophy for nuclear safety and the principles of fault evaluation. Criteria must be conceived so that while maintaining safety standards their application does not frustrate design and development. It is also important that undue formalism is not induced in the assessment process at the expense of inhibiting the judgement of safety assessors. A balance must, therefore, be struck between detailed and generalised guidance. It is also accepted that experience in the use and interpretation of criteria will indicate a need for improvement and additions: the criteria are, therefore, regarded as living rather than fixed statements which are expected to develop in response to any need for change in a safe direction that may arise. In developing them, the Inspectorate has drawn heavily upon the experience accumulated during its 16 years of operation and has also referred to criteria published by other organisations. The paper deals specifically with certain of the most important sections of the criteria and indicates the total range of subjects which need to be included in such criteria

Density and productivity of bald eagles in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, C.M.; Ritchie, R.J.; Cooper, B.A.

1995-01-01

Helicopter surveys were conducted in Prince William Sound (PWS) to assess the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill on the reproductive success and densities of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) one and two years after the spill (1990 and 1991). Densities of bald eagles were compared between an oiled area in southwestern PWS and an unoiled area in northern PWS. In all surveys (four in 1990, one in 1991) densities of eagles in the oiled areas generally were similar to or higher than those in the unoiled area. Reproductive success was compared between nesting territories that were oiled within 1 km of nests and nesting territories that were unoiled. In 1990, all measures of nest productivity, nest occupancy, and nesting success were similar between oiled and unoiled territories. In 1991, however, the number of young per successful nest was lower in oiled territories. The number of successful nests was slightly lower in 1991 than in 1990 in oiled territories but was significantly lower in 1991 in unoiled territories. Comparisons of nest occupancy and nesting success could not be made in 1991 because early surveys were not conducted. Differences between areas, territories, and years could not be attributed to oil, but rather appeared to be related to natural annual variability. Overall, no demonstrable effects of the oil spill on eagle density or reproduction could be detected in PWS one and two years after the spill. 70 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs

Interactions between marine bacteria and dissolved-phase and beached hydrocarbons after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Button, D.K.; Robertson, B.R.; McIntosh, D.; Juettner, F.

1992-01-01

Turnover times for toluene in Resurrection Bay after the Exxon Valdez grounding were determined to be decades, longer than expected considering that dissolved hydrocarbons were anticipated to drift with the current and stimulate development of additional hydrocarbon-utilizing capacity among the microflora in that downcurrent location. These turnover times were based on the recovery of 14 CO 2 from added [ 14 C]toluene that was oxidized. The concentrations of toluene there, 0.1 to 0.2 μg/liter, were similar to prespill values. Oxidation rates appeared to be enhanced upstream near islands in the wake of the wind-blown slick, and even more within the slick itself. Since current-driven mixing rates exceeded those of oxidation, dissolved spill components such as toluene should enter the world-ocean pool of hydrocarbons rather than biooxidize in place. Some of the floating oil slick washed ashore and permeated a coarse gravel beach. A bacterial biomass of 2 to 14 mg/kg appeared in apparent response to the new carbon and energy source. A large population of carbon- and energy-starved, induced hydrocarbon oxidizers with metabolism limited by the physical and molecular recalcitrance of the heavier components is suggested. The effects of a surfactant that was widely applied were unremarkable on a test beach after 1.5 months. Unresolved components appearing in chromatograms from the remaining mixture were characteristic of partial oxidation products. Such compounds, known to accumulate when concentrations of smaller aqueous-phase hydrocarbons exceed the K m , may form in sediments as well

The use of mussel PAH burdens to assess bioavailability and long-term risk to wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mankiewicz, P.J.; Boehm, P.D.; Neff, J.

1993-01-01

Mussels (Mytilus edulis) were collected as part of shoreline studies following the Exxon Valdez oil spill and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Data from sites monitored through 1991 in Prince William Sound indicate tissue PAH burdens decreasing over an order of magnitude per year and near levels observed at control sites by the summer of 1991. The distribution of PAH analyses in the tissue shows extensive weathering of the oil and is similar to the pattern observed in adjacent sediments. This similarity in PAH fingerprints suggests mussel accumulation of oil particulates rather than dissolved aromatics. Analyses indicate that the highest PAH concentrations in mussels are at least an order of magnitude below levels known to cause reproductive effects in wildlife. Evaluation of the abundance of mussels in Prince William Sound indicate that the impacted mussels are a small fraction of the total mussel population. Considering the above and that mussels generally comprise a small fraction of total diet, there is little long-term risk to wildlife from the consumption of mussels. These results will be placed in context to a 1993 survey of mussel tissue burdens in Prince William Sound

Comparative cardiovascular safety of dementia medications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosbøl, Emil L; Peterson, Eric D; Holm, Ellen

2012-01-01

To compare the cardiovascular safety of currently marketed dementia medications in new users in the United States and Denmark.......To compare the cardiovascular safety of currently marketed dementia medications in new users in the United States and Denmark....

The Bohunice NPP V-1 units nuclear safety upgrading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mlcuch, M.

2000-01-01

Safety upgrading and operational reliability improvement was carried out by the Bohunice NPP V-1 staff continuously since the plant commissioning. By now, more than 1200 minor or major modifications have been implemented, either by the NPP maintenance staff or by the contractors. Based on findings of safety assessment missions invited by Bohunice NPP in 1990 - 1991, the Czecho-slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority (CSKAE) issued the decision No. 5/91 of 81 safety upgrading measures to be taken in different areas. These improvements are referred to as the 'Small Reconstruction of the Bohunice V-1 NPP'. Realization of measures during Small reconstruction of the Bohunice NPP V-1 became a power plant, which further operation is acceptable from safety point of view, but it is also necessary further safety improvement. During the period of the Small Reconstruction the development of a Safety Report for the Gradual reconstruction has been completed. Based on this report the SR Nuclear Regulatory Authority issued the Decision No. 1/94, in which requires 59 upgrading measures in different areas to be addressed. The development of Basic Engineering of the Gradual Reconstruction has been contracted to the Siemens AG. Implementation of safety measures are provided through contract with the consortium REKON (which consists of Siemens AG company and Nuclear Power Plants Research Institute Trnava) and other Czech, Russian and Slovak companies. The Gradual Reconstruction of Bohunice NPP V-1 will be finished in 2000. By implementation of the measures carried out during Gradual Reconstruction achievement of an internationally acceptable nuclear safety level will be reached. (author)

French PWR Safety Philosophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conte, M. M.

1986-01-01

The first 900 MWe units, built under the American Westinghouse licence and with reference to the U. S. regulation, were followed by 28 standardized units, C P1 and C P2 series. Increasing knowledge and lessons learned from starting and operating experience of French nuclear power plants, completed by the experience learned from the operation of foreign reactors, has contributed to the improvement of French PWR design and safety philosophy. As early as 1976, this experience was taken into account by French Safety organisms to discuss, with Electricite de France, the safety options for the planned 1300 MWe units, P4 and P4 series. In 1983, the new reactor scheduled, Ni4 series 1400 MWe, is a totally French design which satisfies the French regulations and other French standards and codes. Based on a deterministic approach, the French safety analysis was progressively completed by a probabilistic approach each of them having possibilities and limits. Increasing knowledge and lessons learned from operating experience have contributed to the French safety philosophy improvement. The methodology now applied to safety evaluation develops a new facet of the in depth defense concept by taking highly unlikely events into consideration, by developing the search of safety consistency of the design, and by completing the deterministic approach by the probabilistic one

Position Paper. Safety for K-12 students: United States policy concerning LGBT student safety must provide inclusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

April Sanders

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT are at risk for harassment due to their sexual orientation or gender identification with over 85% of LGBT students in the United States (US reporting such harassment. These statistics demonstrate one aspect of the significance of this issue, but the cost of human life in some instances has revealed another layer of importance related to a need for safety policies for LGBT students. Even though a need exists for such policies, the practice of heteronormativity found in US policymaking regarding bullying does not protect victims or curb the violence. This essay highlights several recent developments in anti-bullying policy in US schools that shows the existence of heteronormativity, which is not helping to pro-tect LGBT students. By understanding the discrimination encouraged by current policy, future policy can be better shaped to protect LGBT students.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-382). Supplement No. 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-12-01

Supplement 8 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Louisiana Power and Light Company for a license to operate the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Docket No. 50-382), located in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this supplement is to update the Safety Evaluation Report by providing the staff's evaluation of information submitted by the applicant since the Safety Evaluation Report and its seven previous supplements were issued

Safety inspections - the role of TS : risks, their assessment and the role of safety systems

CERN Document Server

Béjar-Alonso, Isabel; CERN. Geneva. TS Department

2008-01-01

In 2007 the DG decided a new approach for safety at CERN. This had as consequence the creation of a new unit, the safety service provider, in the TS department. The organization and the services that this unit provides to CERN will be described and the achievements since the creation of the unit will be summarized. Some important personnel safety systems, on their side have been the responsibility of the TS Department for many years. Their importance has grown with the arrival of LHC and their complexity and impact on operation has increased. Their role as well as the importance of an appropriate regulatory framework shall be discussed.

Integrated-plant-safety assessment Systematic Evaluation program. Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, Northeast Nuclear Energy Company, Docket No. 50-245

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-11-01

The Systematic Evaluation Program was initiated in February 1977 to review the designs of older operating nuclear reactor plants to reconfirm and document their safety. The review provides: (1) an assessment of how these plants compare with current licensing safety requirements relating to selected issues, (2) a basis for deciding on how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review, and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. This report documents the review of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, operated by Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (located in Waterford, Connecticut). Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, is one of ten plants reviewed under Phase II of this program. This report indicates how 137 topics selected for review under Phase I of the program were addressed. Equipment and procedural changes have been identified as a result of the review. It is expected that this report will be one of the bases in considering the issuance of a full-term operating license in place of the existing provisional operating license

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

Supplement No. 8 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by th Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement provides recent information regarding resolution of the license conditions identified in the SER. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the Byron Station, Unit 2 can be operated by the licensee at power levels greater than 5% without endangering the health and safety of the public

Application of safety standards and rules in the Shelter Implementation Plan at the destroyed power unit of Chernobyl NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berthold, A.; Bogorinski, P.; Bykov, V.; Redko, V.; Erickson, L.; Kadkin, Ye.; Kondratiev, S.; Simonov, I.; Smyshliaieva, S.; Yesipenko, Yu.

2002-01-01

This report deals with the application of safety standards and rules to the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) measures. Since 1998 this plan is being implemented at the Chornobyl NPP destroyed unit (which is now known as the Shelter). It includes a set of various tasks whose performance will help partially achieve the established safety objectives. The Regulatory Authority should establish for the Shelter safety goals, principles, and criteria in general, while the Operator of the Shelter is free to independently select the optimum method for their implementation. The Operator of the Shelter must demonstrate (in safety analysis report) that established safety goals are achieved and safety principles and criteria are met. Safety goals, principles, and criteria established for radioactive waste management are reasonable to apply in measures provided for by SIP. However, due to the unique nature of the Shelter, some criteria should not be applied directly and in full scope. Norms and rules on radiation protection should be applied in full scope. The specifics of radiation protection during each Shelter-related activity are considered individually. Safety standards and rules related to technical aspects are reasonable only as a basis. Effective resolution of specific technical issues associated with safety assurance is achieved through interaction between the Operator and the Regulatory Authority during design of SIP structures and systems. Hence, effectiveness of the licensing process plays an important role in the success of the SIP.(author)

Safety Management of a Clinical Process Using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Izquierdo-Riera, Jose Angel; Molano-Alvarez, Esteban; Saez-de la Fuente, Ignacio; Maynar-Moliner, Javier; Marín-Mateos, Helena; Chacón-Alves, Silvia

2016-01-01

The failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) may improve the safety of the continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) in the intensive care unit. We use this tool in three phases: 1) Retrospective observational study. 2) A process FMEA, with implementation of the improvement measures identified. 3) Cohort study after FMEA. We included 54 patients in the pre-FMEA group and 72 patients in the post-FMEA group. Comparing the risks frequencies per patient in both groups, we got less cases of under 24 hours of filter survival time in the post-FMEA group (31 patients 57.4% vs. 21 patients 29.6%; p FMEA, there were several improvements in the management of intensive care unit patients receiving CRRT, and we consider it a useful tool for improving the safety of critically ill patients.

Leadership and Safety Culture: Leadership for Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, E.

2016-01-01

Following the challenge to operate Nuclear Power Plants towards operational excellence, a highly skilled and motivated organization is needed. Therefore, leadership is a valuable success factor. On the other hand a well-engineered safety orientated design of NPP’s is necessary. Once built, an NPP constantly requires maintenance, ageing management and lifetime modifications. E.ON tries to keep the nuclear units as close as possible to the state of the art of science and technology. Not at least a requirement followed by our German regulation. As a consequence of this we are continuously challenged to improve our units and the working processes using national and international operational experiences too. A lot of modifications are driven by our self and by regulators. That why these institutions — authorities and independent examiners—contribute significantly to the safety success. Not that it is easy all the day. The relationship between the regulatory body, examiners and the utilities should be challenging but also cooperative and trustful within a permanent dialog. To reach the common goal of highest standards regarding nuclear safety all parties have to secure a living safety culture. Without this attitude there is a higher risk that safety relevant aspects may stay undetected and room for improvement is not used. Nuclear operators should always be sensitized and follow each single deviation. Leaders in an NPP-organization are challenged to create a safety-, working-, and performance culture based on clear common values and behaviours, repeated and lived along all of our days to create a least a strong identity in the staffs mind to the value of safety, common culture and overall performance. (author)

Nurses' but not supervisors' safety practices are linked with job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtado, David A; Kim, Seung-Sup; Subramanian, S V; Dennerlein, Jack T; Christiani, David C; Hashimoto, Dean M; Sorensen, Glorian

2017-10-01

To test the associations of safety practices as reported by nurses and their respective unit supervisors with job satisfaction. Psychosocial workplace factors are associated with job satisfaction; however, it is unknown whether nurses and supervisors accounts of safety practices are differentially linked to this outcome. Cross-sectional study design including nurses (n = 1052) nested in 94 units in two hospitals in Boston (MA, USA). Safety practices refer to the identification and control of occupational hazards at the unit. Safety practices were measured aggregating nurses' responses per unit, and supervisory levels. Individual's job satisfaction for each nurse was the response variable. Supervisors assessed safety practices more favourably than their unit nursing staff. Adjusted random intercept logistic regressions showed that the odds of higher job satisfaction were higher for nurses at units with better safety practices (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.68) compared with nurses at units that averaged lower safety practices. Supervisors' reports of safety practices were not correlated with the job satisfaction of their staff. Adequate safety practices might be a relevant managerial role that enhances job satisfaction among nurses. Nursing supervisors should calibrate their safety assessments with their nursing staff to improve nurses' job satisfaction. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

COMPRESS - a computerized reactor safety system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vegh, E.

1986-01-01

The computerized reactor safety system, called COMPRESS, provides the following services: scram initiation; safety interlockings; event recording. The paper describes the architecture of the system and deals with reliability problems. A self-testing unit checks permanently the correct operation of the independent decision units. Moreover the decision units are tested by short pulses whether they can initiate a scram. The self-testing is described in detail

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.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412). Supplement No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-08-01

This report, Supplement No. 2 to the the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Duquesne Light Company, et al. (the applicant) for a license to operate the Beaver Valley Power Station Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-412), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was published

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-02-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, as applicant and co-owner, for a license to operate the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-410), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near Oswego, New York. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Criticality safety validation: Simple geometry, single unit 233U systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putman, V.L.

1997-06-01

Typically used LMITCO criticality safety computational methods are evaluated for suitability when applied to INEEL 233 U systems which reasonably can be modeled as simple-geometry, single-unit systems. Sixty-seven critical experiments of uranium highly enriched in 233 U, including 57 aqueous solution, thermal-energy systems and 10 metal, fast-energy systems, were modeled. These experiments include 41 cylindrical and 26 spherical cores, and 41 reflected and 26 unreflected systems. No experiments were found for intermediate-neutron-energy ranges, or with interstitial non-hydrogenous materials typical of waste systems, mixed 233 U and plutonium, or reflectors such as steel, lead, or concrete. No simple geometry experiments were found with cubic or annular cores, or approximating infinite sea systems. Calculations were performed with various tools and methodologies. Nine cross-section libraries, based on ENDF/B-IV, -V, or -VI.2, or on Hansen-Roach source data, were used with cross-section processing methods of MCNP or SCALE. The k eff calculations were performed with neutral-particle transport and Monte Carlo methods of criticality codes DANT, MCNP 4A, and KENO Va

2013 update on sea otter studies to assess recovery from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, Prince William Sound, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Ballachey, Brenda E.; Monson, Daniel H.; Esslinger, George G.; Kloecker, Kimberly; Bodkin, James L.; Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith

2014-01-01

On March 24, 1989, the tanker vessel Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling an estimated 42 million liters of Prudhoe Bay crude oil. Oil spread in a southwesterly direction and was deposited on shores and waters in western Prince William Sound (WPWS). The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) was one of more than 20 nearshore species considered to have been injured by the spill. Since 1989, the U.S. Geological Survey has led a research program to evaluate effects of the spill on sea otters and assess progress toward recovery, as defined by demographic and biochemical indicators. Here, we provide an update on the status of sea otter populations in WPWS, presenting findings through 2013. To assess recovery based on demographic indicators, we used aerial surveys to estimate abundance and annual collections of sea otter carcasses to evaluate patterns in ages-at-death. To assess recovery based on biochemical indicators, we quantified transcription rates for a suite of genes selected as potential indicators of oil exposure in sea otters based on laboratory studies of a related species, the mink (Mustela vison). In our most recent assessment of sea otter recovery, which incorporated results from a subset of studies through 2009, we concluded that recovery of sea otters in WPWS was underway. This conclusion was based on increasing abundance throughout WPWS, including increasing numbers at northern Knight Island, an area that was heavily oiled in 1989 and where the local sea otter population had previously shown protracted injury and lack of recovery. However, we did not conclude that the WPWS sea otter population had fully recovered, due to indications of continuing reduced survival and exposure to lingering oil in sea otters at Knight Island, at least through 2009. Based on data available through 2013, we now conclude that the status of sea otters—at all spatial scales within WPWS—is consistent with the designation of recovery from the spill as

Farm Health and Safety

Science.gov (United States)

... the United States. Farms have many health and safety hazards, including Chemicals and pesticides Machinery, tools and ... inspection and maintenance can help prevent accidents. Using safety gloves, goggles and other protective equipment can also ...

Fires and Food Safety

Science.gov (United States)

... Forms FSIS United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service About FSIS District Offices Careers ... JSR 286) Actions ${title} Loading... Fires and Food Safety Fire! Few words can strike such terror. Residential ...

In situ exposure of herring embryos in Prince William Sound two years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocan, R.; Brown, E.; Baker, T.

1995-01-01

In order to evaluate long-term residual toxicity, artificially spawned Pacific herring (Clupea pallasl) embryos were deployed at 5 oiled and 5 unoiled sites in Prince William Sound two years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Embryos were exposed at 1.5 m and 4.5 m below mean low water for 8--10 d post fertilization. The embryos were then retrieved and transported to the laboratory for hatching and evaluation under controlled conditions, Endpoints were (1) embryo survival, (2) live hatch, (3) deformed larvae and (4) larval dry weight. The oiled sites produced significantly (P < 0.01) more deformed larvae (63.3%) than did the unoiled sites (51.3%), but there was a lower hatching success at the unoiled sites which resulted in no overall difference in normal live larvae produced between oiled and unoiled sites. The mean dry weight of newly hatched larvae from the oiled sites (78 microg/larva) was significantly lower than those from the unoiled sites (97 microg/larva) at all depths (P < 0.01). Increased larval deformities and reduced hatching weight is consistent with what has been reported by several investigators for herring larvae experimentally and naturally exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons. Based on the data, there appeared to be differences between the previously oiled and unoiled sites relative to herring development, but it is not clear whether this was due to residual oil effects or parental effects

Changes in diets of river otters in Prince William Sound, Alaska: Effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowyer, R.T.; Testa, J.W.; Faro, J.B.; Schwartz, C.C.; Browning, J.B.

1994-01-01

The effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the diets of river otters (Lutra canadensis) from oiled and nonoiled areas of Prince William Sound, Alaska, were examined in 1989 and 1990. On the basis of identification of prey remains in their feces, otters fed principally on marine, bottom-dwelling fishes. Marine gastropods, bivalves, and crustaceans composed most of the invertebrates in the diet of otters; freshwater and terrestrial food items seldom occurred in their feces. The diets of otters included 149 different taxa, most of which rarely occurred in their feces. Sixty-five taxa occurred ≥5 times in the combined data set. Species richness and diversity of prey remains in otter feces were similar on oiled and nonoiled study areas in late winter 1989 (before the oil spill) and during summer 1989 following the spill. By summer 1990, however, there were significant declines in the richness and diversity of species (mostly bony fish, molluscs, and bivalves) in otter diets on the oiled area. Likewise, the relative abundance of prey remains in otter feces showed strong differences between areas and years, and an area by year interaction. Members of the Perciformes and Archaeogastropoda declined from 1989 to 1990 on the oiled area while they increased on the nonoiled site; Malacostraca exhibited the opposite pattern. These outcomes, when considered with other data on body mass and blood chemistry, strongly suggest that some effects of the oil spill on otters were delayed. 14 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

A Review of distribution and quantity of lingering subsurface oil from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, Zachary; Michel, Jacqueline

2018-01-01

Remaining lingering subsurface oil residues from the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) are, at present, patchily distributed across the geologically complex and spatially extensive shorelines of Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska. We review and synthesize previous literature describing the causal geomorphic and physical mechanisms for persistence of oil in the intertidal subsurface sediments of these areas. We also summarize previous sampling and modeling efforts, and refine previously presented models with additional data to characterize the present-day linear and areal spatial extent, and quantity of lingering subsurface oil. In the weeks after the spill in March of 1989, approximately 17,750 t of oil were stranded along impacted shorelines, and by October of 1992, only 2% of the mass of spilled oil was estimated to remain in intertidal areas. We estimate that lingering subsurface residues, generally between 5 and 20 cm thick and sequestered below 10-20 cm of clean sediment, are present over 30 ha of intertidal area, along 11.4 km of shoreline, and represent approximately 227 t or 0.6% of the total mass of spilled oil. These residues are typically located in finer-grained sand and gravel sediments, often under an armor of cobble- or boulder-sized clasts, in areas with limited groundwater flow and porosity. Persistence of these residues is correlated with heavy initial oil loading together with localized sheltering from physical disturbance such as wave energy within the beach face. While no longer generally bioavailable and increasingly chemically weathered, present removal rates for these remaining subsurface oil residues have slowed to nearly zero. The only remaining plausible removal mechanisms will operate over time scales of decades.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the full-term operating license for Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 ( Docket No. 50-237)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-10-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the full-term operating license application filed by Commonwealth Edison Company for the Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Grundy County, Illinois. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can continue to be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public. 72 refs

The role of the United States Food Safety and Inspection Service after the Chernobyl accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engel, Ronald E; Randecker, Victor; Johnson, Wesley [Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture (United States)

1989-09-01

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects domestic and imported meat and poultry food products to assure the public that they are safe, wholesome, not economically adulterated and properly labeled. The Service also monitors the activities of meat and poultry plants and related activities in allied industries, and establishes standards and approves labels for meat and poultry products. As part of its responsibility, shortly after the Chernobyl accident occurred, FSIS developed a plan to assess this accident's impact on domestically produced and imported meat and poultry.

The role of the United States Food Safety and Inspection Service after the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel, Ronald E.; Randecker, Victor; Johnson, Wesley

1989-01-01

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects domestic and imported meat and poultry food products to assure the public that they are safe, wholesome, not economically adulterated and properly labeled. The Service also monitors the activities of meat and poultry plants and related activities in allied industries, and establishes standards and approves labels for meat and poultry products. As part of its responsibility, shortly after the Chernobyl accident occurred, FSIS developed a plan to assess this accident's impact on domestically produced and imported meat and poultry

Patient safety event reporting in critical care: a study of three intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Carolyn B; Krauss, Melissa J; Coopersmith, Craig M; Avidan, Michael; Nast, Patricia A; Kollef, Marin H; Dunagan, W Claiborne; Fraser, Victoria J

2007-04-01

To increase patient safety event reporting in three intensive care units (ICUs) using a new voluntary card-based event reporting system and to compare and evaluate observed differences in reporting among healthcare workers across ICUs. Prospective, single-center, interventional study. A medical ICU (19 beds), surgical ICU (24 beds), and cardiothoracic ICU (17 beds) at a 1,371-bed urban teaching hospital. Adult patients admitted to these three study ICUs. Use of a new, internally designed, card-based reporting program to solicit voluntary anonymous reporting of medical errors and patient safety concerns. During a 14-month period, 714 patient safety events were reported using a new card-based reporting system, reflecting a significant increase in reporting compared with pre-intervention Web-based reporting (20.4 reported events/1,000 patient days pre-intervention to 41.7 reported events/1,000 patient days postintervention; rate ratio, 2.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.79-2.34). Nurses submitted the majority of reports (nurses, 67.1%; physicians, 23.1%; other reporters, 9.5%); however, physicians experienced the greatest increase in reporting among their group (physicians, 43-fold; nurses, 1.7-fold; other reporters, 4.3-fold) relative to pre-intervention rates. There were significant differences in the reporting of harm by job description: 31.1% of reports from nurses, 36.2% from other staff, and 17.0% from physicians described events that did not reach/affect the patient (p = .001); and 33.9% of reports from physicians, 27.2% from nurses, and 13.0% from other staff described events that caused harm (p = .005). Overall reported patient safety events per 1,000 patient days differed by ICU (medical ICU = 55.5, cardiothoracic ICU = 25.3, surgical ICU = 40.2; p reporting system increased reporting significantly compared with pre-intervention Web-based reporting and revealed significant differences in reporting by healthcare worker and ICU. These differences may reveal

Safety management of the patient with tracheostomy from a critical care unit.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marleny CASASOLA-GIRÓN

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction and objective: A patient with a tracheostomy has a high morbidity and mortality when comes to a general ward from the critical care unit. This situation has led us to develop a quality and safety program, to improve care and reduce the number of incidents that could endanger his life. Method: Adapting to our environment the recommendations of literature, the program is composed of four elements: standardized information, training of the staff involved, patient follow up and general scheme. Results: The elaborate documentation, offers the way of assessing a patient with tracheostomy, and carry out its assistance. Through interactive workshops, this information is transmitted to the staff responsible for these patients. The periodic inspection by an Otolaryngologist (ENT, an ENT nurse and an intensive care physician, allows to register the clinical situation and possible complications, applying specific protocols of decannulation and swallowing. Finally, we add a set of general rules, to decrease variability. Discussion: The multidisciplinary care in the patient with a tracheostomy is a complex intervention where the lack of previous data, the important number of neurocritical ill patients, the multiplicity of general wards that can accommodate these patients and its clinical diversity, make difficult proper monitoring. Conclusions: We are confident that this project can reach its goals, improving the quality and safety of patient carrier of a tracheal cannula.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

Safety upgrading program in NPP Mochovce

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumeister, P.

1999-01-01

EMO interest is to operate only nuclear power plants with high standards of nuclear safety. This aim EMO declare on preparation completion and commissioning of Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant. Wide co-operation of our company with International Atomic Energy Agency and west European Inst.ions and companies has been started with aim to fulfil the nuclear safety requirements for Mochovce NPP. Set of 87 safety measures was implemented at Mochovce Unit 1 and is under construction at Unit 2. Mochovce NPP approach to safety upgrading implementation is showed on chosen measures. This presentation is focused on the issues category III.(author)

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1047, February 1985) for the application filed by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, as applicant and co-owner, for the license to operate Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-410). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near Oswego, New York. This report supports the issuance of the full-power license for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2

Human Factors Evaluation of Man-Machine Interface for Periodic Safety Review of Yonggwang Unit no. 1, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Jung Woon; Park, Jae Chang

2006-01-01

This report describes the research results of human factors assessment on the MMI(Man Machine Interface) equipment as part of Periodic Safety Review(PSR) of Yonggwang Unit no. 1, 2. As MMI is a key factor among human factors to be reviewed in PSR, we reviewed the MMI components of nuclear power plants in aspect of human factors engineering. The availability, suitability, and effectiveness of the MMI devices were chosen to be reviewed. The MMI devices were investigated through the review of design documents related to the MMI, survey of control panels, evaluation of experts, and experimental assessment. Checklists were used to perform this assessment and record the review results. The items mentioned by the expert comments to review in detail in relation with task procedures were tested by experiments with operators' participation. For some questionable issues arisen during this MMI review, operator workload and possibility of errors in operator actions were analysed. The reviewed MMI devices contain MCR(Main Control Room), SPDS(Safety Parameter Display System), RSP(Remote Shutdown Panel), and the selected LCBs(Local Control Boards) importantly related to safety. As results of the assessments, any significant problem challenging the safety was not found on human factors in the MMI devices. However, several small items to be changed and improved in suitability of MMI devices were discovered. An action plan is recommended to accommodate the suggestions and review comments. It will enhance the plant safety on MMI area

Human Factors Evaluation of Man-Machine Interface for Periodic Safety Review of Yonggwang Unit no. 1, 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Jung Woon; Park, Jae Chang (and others)

2006-01-15

This report describes the research results of human factors assessment on the MMI(Man Machine Interface) equipment as part of Periodic Safety Review(PSR) of Yonggwang Unit no. 1, 2. As MMI is a key factor among human factors to be reviewed in PSR, we reviewed the MMI components of nuclear power plants in aspect of human factors engineering. The availability, suitability, and effectiveness of the MMI devices were chosen to be reviewed. The MMI devices were investigated through the review of design documents related to the MMI, survey of control panels, evaluation of experts, and experimental assessment. Checklists were used to perform this assessment and record the review results. The items mentioned by the expert comments to review in detail in relation with task procedures were tested by experiments with operators' participation. For some questionable issues arisen during this MMI review, operator workload and possibility of errors in operator actions were analysed. The reviewed MMI devices contain MCR(Main Control Room), SPDS(Safety Parameter Display System), RSP(Remote Shutdown Panel), and the selected LCBs(Local Control Boards) importantly related to safety. As results of the assessments, any significant problem challenging the safety was not found on human factors in the MMI devices. However, several small items to be changed and improved in suitability of MMI devices were discovered. An action plan is recommended to accommodate the suggestions and review comments. It will enhance the plant safety on MMI area.

The effects of electric power industry restructuring on the safety of nuclear power plants in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Thomas S.

Throughout the United States the electric utility industry is restructuring in response to federal legislation mandating deregulation. The electric utility industry has embarked upon an extraordinary experiment by restructuring in response to deregulation that has been advocated on the premise of improving economic efficiency by encouraging competition in as many sectors of the industry as possible. However, unlike the telephone, trucking, and airline industries, the potential effects of electric deregulation reach far beyond simple energy economics. This dissertation presents the potential safety risks involved with the deregulation of the electric power industry in the United States and abroad. The pressures of a competitive environment on utilities with nuclear power plants in their portfolio to lower operation and maintenance costs could squeeze them to resort to some risky cost-cutting measures. These include deferring maintenance, reducing training, downsizing staff, excessive reductions in refueling down time, and increasing the use of on-line maintenance. The results of this study indicate statistically significant differences at the .01 level between the safety of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants and boiling water reactor nuclear power plants. Boiling water reactors exhibited significantly more problems than did pressurized water reactors.

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-423)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-07-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Northeast Nuclear Energy Company, as applicant and agent for the owners, for a license to operate the Millstone Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 (Docket No. 50-423), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in the town of Waterford, New London County, Connecticut, on the north shore of Long Island Sound. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-07-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1047, February 1985) for the application filed by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, as applicant and co-owner, for a license to operate the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near Oswego, New York. Supplement 1 to the Safety Evaluation Report was published in June 1985 and contained the report from the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards as well as the resolution to a number of outstanding issues from the Safety Evaluation Report. Supplement 2 was published in November 1985 and contained the resolution to a number of outstanding and confirmatory issues. Subject to favorable resolution of the issues discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety Evaluation Report, related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-11-01

Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

Supplement No. 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report

Calculation and definition of safety indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cristian, I.; Branzeu, N.; Vidican, D.; Vladescu, G.

1997-01-01

This paper presents, based on Cernavoda safety indicators proposal, the purpose definition and calculation formulas for each of the selected safety indicators. Five categories of safety indicators for Cernavoda Unit 1 were identified, namely: overall plant safety performance; initiating events; safety system availability, physical barrier integrity; indirect indicators. Definition, calculation and use of some safety indicators are shown in a tabular form. (authors)

Histopathologic lesions associated with crude oil exposure in sea otters. Marine mammal study 6-10. Exxon Valdez oil spill state/federal natural resources damage assessment final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lipscomb, T.P.; Harris, R.K.; Moeller, R.B.; Pletcher, J.M.; Haebler, R.J.

1996-06-01

Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) that appeared oiled, were in danger of becoming oiled, or were behaving abnormally were captured and taken to rehabilitation centers. Oil exposure was assessed by visual examination on arrival at the centers. Tissues from 51 oiled sea otters and from 6 unoiled sea otters that died in rehabilitation centers were examined histologically. Histologic examinations were performed on tissues from 5 sea otters found dead with external oil present shortly after the spill. Necropsies were performed on 214 sea otters that had been collected and frozen in the period following the oil spill. Tissues from 6 apparently normal sea otters collected from an area not affected by the oil spill were examined histologically, and none of these lesions were found. We conclude that pulmonary interstitial emphysema, gastric erosion and hemorrhage, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, and hepatic and renal lipidosis were associated with exposure to crude oil in sea otters.

The Barselina Project Phase 4 Summary report. Ignalina Unit 2 Probabilistic Safety Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johansson, Gunnar [ES-Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Hellstroem, P. [RELCON AB, Solna (Sweden); Zheltobriuch, G.; Bagdonas, A. [Ignalina Power Plant, Visaginas (Lithuania)

1996-12-01

The Barselina Project was initiated in the summer of 1991. The project is a multilateral co-operation between Lithuania, Russia and Sweden. The long range objective is to establish common perspectives and unified bases for assessment of severe accident risks and needs for remedial measures for the RBMK reactors. The Swedish BWR Barsebaeck is used as reference plant and the Lithuanian RBMK Ignalina as application plant. During phase 3, from March, 1993 to June, 1994, a full scope Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) model of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant unit 2 (INPP-2) was developed to identify possible safety improvement of risk importance. The probabilistic methodology was applied on a plant specific basis for a channel type reactor of RBMK design. To increase the realism of the risk model a set of deterministic analyses were performed and plant/RBMK-specific data bases were developed and used. A general concept for analysing this type of reactor was developed. During phase 4, July 1994 to September 1996, the PSA was further developed, taking into account plant changes, improved modeling methods and extended plant information concerning dependencies (area events, dynamic effects, electrical and signal dependencies). The updated model is quantified and new results and conclusions are evaluated.

It’s all about safety signs!

CERN Multimedia

2013-01-01

Their first occurrence may date back to the Egyptian hieroglyphs, but today they can be found everywhere: on our clothes labels as care labels, in train stations and airports to guide us, during the Olympics to identify various sports, on our dashboards, etc.   Safety wise, they are used to indicate a danger, a prohibition, an obligation, a safety exit, firefighting equipment, etc. The HSE Unit has decided to update the 150 safety signs used on the CERN site and, to correspond with this, recently published a Safety Guideline GS-1-0-1, available on the Safety Unit website. The Guideline contains more than 150 safety signs as well as diverse information regarding the meaning of the signs, their location and how to use them. The Guideline will shortly be completed with a new Safety Rule that will replace the former Security Code A3, “Safety colours and safety signs”. Please be informed that you also have the option to create new safety signs, provided that you first g...

Report of the review of the safety improvement programme for South Ukraine NPP units 1 and 2 and to identify the safety issues of ''small series'' WWER-1000 NPPs. South Ukraine Yuzhnoukrainsk, Nikolaev Region Ukraine, 8 to 19 July 1996. Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastin, S.; Hoehn, J.; Lin, C.; Taylor, R.; Benitez, F.; Dale, H.; Mueller, B.; Rieg, C.Y.

1996-10-01

According to the Ukrainian request the purpose of the IAEA experts' mission was to review the safety improvement programme for South Ukraine NPP Units 1 and 2 in order to advise on the completeness and adequacy of safety improvements implemented and/or proposed. Another purpose of the mission was to identify major design and operational deficiencies as a basis to compile a consolidated list of generic safety issues for the units of the 'small series'' of WWER-1000 reactors (''Issue Book for ''small series'' WWER-1000 NPPs). Conclusions and recommendations from the IAEA mission are based on the combined expertise of the international group of experts who composed the team. They are intended to assist national authorities and plant operators who have the sole responsibilities for the regulation and safe operation. tabs

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-461). Suppl. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report on the application filed by Illinois Power Company, Soyland Power Cooperative, Inc., and Western Illinois Power Cooperative, Inc., as applicants and owners, for a license to operate the Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Harp Township, DeWitt County, Illinois. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplements No. 1 and 2

Evaluation of PAH depletion of subsurface Exxon Valdez oil residues remaining in Prince William Sound in 2007-2008 and their likely bioremediation potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atlas, R. [Louisville Univ., Louisville, KY (United States); Bragg, J.R. [Creative Petroleum Solutions LLC, Houston, TX (United States)

2009-07-01

This study examined the extent of oil weathering at the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) sites and estimated the bioremediation potential for shoreline segments by examining the depletion of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) relative to an estimated applicability threshold of 70 per cent. The distribution of oil was examined by location and current ratios of nitrogen and non-polar oil in order to assess if biodegradation rates were nutrient-limited. The impact of sequestration on the effectiveness of bioremediation was also studied. Results of the study showed that the EVOS residues are patchy and infrequently found on sites that were heavily oiled in 1989. Only 0.4 per cent of the oil originally stranded in 1989 remained. The remaining EVOS residues are sequestered under boulder and cobble armour in areas with limited contact with flowing water. The study also showed that concentrations of nitrogen and dissolved oxygen in pore waters within strata adjacent to the sequestered oil can support biodegradation. Most remaining EVOS residues are highly weathered and biodegraded. It was concluded that nutrients added to the shorelines are unlikely to effectively contact the sequestered oil. 31 refs., 2 tabs., 14 figs.

Safety upgrading of the PAKS Nuclear Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vamos, G.; Vigassy, J.

1993-01-01

In the last several years the net electricity from the Paks NPP represents almost half of the Hungarian total. The 4 units of Paks belong to the latest generation of the VVER-440 units, the small-sized Russian designed PWRs. Reviewing the main design features of them, the safety merits and safety concerns are summarized. Due to the conservative design and the extensive operating experience the safety merits appear to be more significant than generally believed. The VVER-440 type has two models, the 230 and 213, which have a large number of distinctive safety features. These are highlighted in the section comparisons. A quality assurance program was initiated in Paks very early. A long-term safety upgrading program was also initiated, originating from vendor recommendations, regulatory decisions, in-house operating experience and safety concerns, and independent reviews. The main areas and some examples of the measures are described. This program, like all other activities related to nuclear safety, has been under regulatory control. The specific features of the Hungarian regulatory system are described. For advanced, general and new evaluation of the safety of the units in Paks in accordance with the internationally recommended criteria of the 90's, the project AGNES has been launched with international participation. The scope of this project is summarized. International efforts as the IAEA Regional Project on safety assessment of VVER-440/213 and VVER-440/230 units are underway. Since safety is not only a question of design, but it can be significantly influenced by operations and maintenance practices, the Paks NPP has invited LAEA's OSART and ASSET missions, WANO's Pilot Peer Review

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-456 and 50-457)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-11-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Commonwealth Edison Company, as applicant and owner, for a license to operate Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-456 and STN 50-457), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Reed Township, Will County, Illinois. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

US nuclear safety. Review and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanauer, S.H.

1977-01-01

The paper deals with the evolution of reactor safety principles, design bases, regulatory requirements, and experience in the United States. Safety concerns have evolved over the years, from reactivity transients and shut-down systems, to blowdowns and containment, to severe design basis accidents and mitigating systems, to the performance of actual materials, systems and humans. The primary safety concerns of one epoch have been superseded in considerable measure by those of later times. Successive plateaus of technical understanding are achieved by solutions being found to earlier problems. Design studies, research, operating experience and regulatory imperatives all contribute to the increased understanding and thus to the safety improvements adopted and accepted. The improvement of safety with time, and the ability of existing reactors to operate safely in the face of new concerns, has confirmed the correctness and usefulness of the defence-in-depth approach and safety margins used in safety design in the United States of America. A regulatory programme such as the one in the United States justifies its great cost by its important contributions to safety. Yet only the designers, constructors and operators of nuclear power plants can actually achieve public safety. The regulatory programme audits, assesses and spot-checks the actual work. Since neither materials nor human beings are flawless, mistakes will be made; that is why defence-in-depth and safety margins are provided. The regulatory programme should enhance safety by decreasing the frequency of uncorrected mistakes. Maintenance of public safety also requires technical and managerial competence and attention in the organizations responsible for nuclear plants as well as regulatory organizations. (author)

Safety and Security Concerns of Nurses Working in the Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keys, Yolanda; Stichler, Jaynelle F

Intensive care units (ICUs) exist to serve as a safe place for critically ill patients to receive care from skilled practitioners. In this qualitative study, ICU nurses shared their perspectives on elements that promote safety and security on their units. After obtaining institutional review board approval, participants participated in telephone interviews with a nurse researcher who has experience as a bedside ICU nurse. Five categories and 14 themes were identified and then confirmed using member checking. Results indicate that participants prefer to provide care in ICUs with no more than 12 to 14 beds and provide the following: visibility of patients and coworkers; more than 1 way to exit; and can be locked in case of emergency or threat. Nearly all respondents mentioned adequate staffing as the most important attribute of a safe, secure care environment for patients and families. More research is needed to identify design features that make the most impact on providing a safe, secure ICU environment.

Modernization of Unit 2 at Oskarshamn NPP- Main Objectives, Experience from Design, Separation of Operational and Nuclear Safety Equipment - Lessons Learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaan, Salah K.

2015-01-01

This paper aims to give a picture of Oskarshamn Nuclear Power Plant (OKG) experience from design for one of the biggest modernization project in the world and focuses on what was learned that is specific to robustness of electrical power systems, especially through Fukushima Station Blackout (SBO). The planning for unit 2 at OKG was initiated in 1967 and the plant was completed on time and was synchronized to the grid October 2, 1974 and is of type BWR. Unit 2 was originally on 580 MW. In 1982 a thermal power up-rate was performed, from 1700 MWh to 1800 MWh (106% reactor output). A decision was made to perform a modernization and a new power up-rate to 850 MW and there were several reasons for this decision; New safety regulations from Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), Ageing of important components and the initial focus was on safety and availability - Project Plant Life Extension (Plex) was established and became the largest nuclear power modernization in the world. The modernization will lead to: - New safety concept with 4 divisions instead for existing 2 with 2 new buildings South Electrical Building (SEB) and North Electrical Building (NEB); - Completely new software - based equipments for monitoring, control and I and C; - New Low Pressure Turbine, new generator and main transformer; - New MCR and simulator; - Compliance with modern reactor safety requirements; - Redundancy, Separation, Diversification, Earthquake; - Reinforcement of existing safety functions; - New Electricity - I and C (electric power incl. reinforced emergency power and control systems); - New buildings for Electricity - I and C; - Reinforcement of existing process systems as well as installation of new ones. Based on studies and good experiences on how to separate the operational and the safety equipment, the project led to a completely new safety concept. The safety concept is based on fully understanding the safety system that shall encompass all of the elements required to

Association of Safety Culture with Surgical Site Infection Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Caleb J; Pawlik, Timothy M; Daniels, Tania; Vernon, Nora; Banks, Katie; Westby, Peggy; Wick, Elizabeth C; Sexton, J Bryan; Makary, Martin A

2016-02-01

Hospital workplace culture may have an impact on surgical outcomes; however, this association has not been established. We designed a study to evaluate the association between safety culture and surgical site infection (SSI). Using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and National Healthcare Safety Network definitions, we measured 12 dimensions of safety culture and colon SSI rates, respectively, in the surgical units of Minnesota community hospitals. A Pearson's r correlation was calculated for each of 12 dimensions of surgical unit safety culture and SSI rate and then adjusted for surgical volume and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Seven hospitals participated in the study, with a mean survey response rate of 43%. The SSI rates ranged from 0% to 30%, and surgical unit safety culture scores ranged from 16 to 92 on a scale of 0 to 100. Ten dimensions of surgical unit safety culture were associated with colon SSI rates: teamwork across units (r = -0.96; 95% CI [-0.76, -0.99]), organizational learning (r = -0.95; 95% CI [-0.71, -0.99]), feedback and communication about error (r = -0.92; 95% CI [-0.56, -0.99]), overall perceptions of safety (r = -0.90; 95% CI [-0.45, -0.99]), management support for patient safety (r = -0.90; 95% CI [-0.44, -0.98]), teamwork within units (r = -0.88; 95% CI [-0.38, -0.98]), communication openness (r = -0.85; 95% CI [-0.26, -0.98]), supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety (r = -0.85; 95% CI [-0.25, -0.98]), non-punitive response to error (r = -0.78; 95% CI [-0.07, -0.97]), and frequency of events reported (r = -0.76; 95% CI [-0.01, -0.96]). After adjusting for surgical volume and ASA classification, 9 of 12 dimensions of surgical unit safety culture were significantly associated with lower colon SSI rates. These data suggest an important role for positive safety and teamwork culture and engaged hospital management in producing high-quality surgical

ALARP considerations in criticality safety assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowden, Russell L.; Barnes, Andrew; Thorne, Peter R.; Venner, Jack

2003-01-01

Demonstrating that the risk to the public and workers is As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) is a fundamental requirement of safety cases for nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom. This is embodied in the Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) published by the Regulator, the essence of which is incorporated within the safety assessment processes of the various nuclear site licensees. The concept of ALARP within criticality safety assessments has taken some time to establish in the United Kingdom. In principle, the licensee is obliged to search for a deterministic criticality safety solution, such as safe geometry vessels and passive control features, rather than placing reliance on active measurement devices and plant administrative controls. This paper presents a consideration of some ALARP issues in relation to the development of criticality safety cases. The paper utilises some idealised examples covering a range of issues facing the criticality safety assessor, including new plant design, operational plant and decommissioning activities. These examples are used to outline the elements of the criticality safety cases and present a discussion of ALARP in the context of criticality safety assessments. (author)

Exposure to Leadership WalkRounds in neonatal intensive care units is associated with a better patient safety culture and less caregiver burnout

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton, J Bryan; Sharek, Paul J; Thomas, Eric J; Gould, Jeffrey B; Nisbet, Courtney C; Amspoker, Amber B; Kowalkowski, Mark A; Schwendimann, René; Profit, Jochen

2014-01-01

Background Leadership WalkRounds (WR) are widely used in healthcare organisations to improve patient safety. The relationship between WR and caregiver assessments of patient safety culture, and healthcare worker burnout is unknown. Methods This cross-sectional survey study evaluated the association between receiving feedback about actions taken as a result of WR and healthcare worker assessments of patient safety culture and burnout across 44 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) actively participating in a structured delivery room management quality improvement initiative. Results Of 3294 administered surveys, 2073 were returned for an overall response rate of 62.9%. More WR feedback was associated with better safety culture results and lower burnout rates in the NICUs. Participation in WR and receiving feedback about WR were less common in NICUs than in a benchmarking comparison of adult clinical areas. Conclusions WR are linked to patient safety and burnout. In NICUs, where they occurred more often, the workplace appears to be a better place to deliver and to receive care. PMID:24825895

Methodology for the application of probabilistic safety assessment techniques (PSA) to the cobalt-therapy units in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilaragut Llanes, J.J.; Ferro Fernandez, R.; Troncoso Fleitas, M.; Lozano Lima, B.; Fuente Puch, A. de la; Perez Reyes, Y.; Dumenigo Gonzalez, C.

2001-01-01

The applications of PSA techniques in the nuclear power plants during the last two decades and the positive results obtained for decision making in relation with safety, as a complement to deterministic methods, have increased their use in the rest of the nuclear applications. At present a large set of documents from international institutions can be found summarizing the investigations carried out in this field and promoting their use in radioactive facilities. Although still without a mandatory character, the new regulations on radiological safety also promote the complete or partial application of the PSA techniques in the safety assessment of the radiological practices. Also the IAEA, through various programs in which Cuba has been inserted, is taking a group of actions so that the nuclear community will encourage the application of the probabilistic risk methods for the evaluations and decision making with respect to safety. However, the fact that in no radioactive installation has a complete PSA study been carried out, makes that certain methodological aspects require to be improved and modified for the application of these techniques. This work presents the main elements for the use of PSA in the evaluation of the safety of cobalt-therapy units in Cuba. Also presented, as part of the results of the first stage of the Study, are the Guidelines that are being applied in a Research Contract with the Agency by the authors themselves, who belong to the CNSN, together with other specialists from the Cuban Ministry of Public Health. (author) [es

Food safety and organic meats.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Loo, Ellen J; Alali, Walid; Ricke, Steven C

2012-01-01

The organic meat industry in the United States has grown substantially in the past decade in response to consumer demand for nonconventionally produced products. Consumers are often not aware that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic standards are based only on the methods used for production and processing of the product and not on the product's safety. Food safety hazards associated with organic meats remain unclear because of the limited research conducted to determine the safety of organic meat from farm-to-fork. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the published results on the microbiological safety of organic meats. In addition, antimicrobial resistance of microbes in organic food animal production is addressed. Determining the food safety risks associated with organic meat production requires systematic longitudinal studies that quantify the risks of microbial and nonmicrobial hazards from farm-to-fork.

Design of the environment of care for safety of patients and personnel: does form follow function or vice versa in the intensive care unit?

Science.gov (United States)

Bartley, Judene; Streifel, Andrew J

2010-08-01

We review the context of the environment of care in the intensive care unit setting in relation to patient safety and quality, specifically addressing healthcare-associated infection issues and solutions involving interdisciplinary teams. Issues addressed include current and future architectural design and layout trends, construction trends affecting intensive care units, and prevention of construction-associated healthcare-associated infections related to airborne and waterborne risks and design solutions. Specific elements include single-occupancy, acuity-scalable intensive care unit rooms; environmental aspects of hand hygiene, such as water risks, sink design/location, human waste management, surface selection (floor covering, countertops, furniture, and equipment) and cleaning, antimicrobial-treated or similar materials, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, specialized rooms (airborne infection isolation and protective environments), and water system design and strategies for safe use of potable water and mitigation of water intrusion. Effective design and operational use of the intensive care unit environment of care must engage critical care personnel from initial planning and design through occupancy of the new/renovated intensive care unit as part of the infection control risk assessment team. The interdisciplinary infection control risk assessment team can address key environment of care design features to enhance the safety of intensive care unit patients, personnel, and visitors. This perspective will ensure the environment of care supports human factors and behavioral aspects of the interaction between the environment of care and its occupants.

Gene Transcript Profiling in Sea Otters Post-Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: A Tool for Marine Ecosystem Health Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lizabeth Bowen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Using a panel of genes stimulated by oil exposure in a laboratory study, we evaluated gene transcription in blood leukocytes sampled from sea otters captured from 2006–2012 in western Prince William Sound (WPWS, Alaska, 17–23 years after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS. We compared WPWS sea otters to reference populations (not affected by the EVOS from the Alaska Peninsula (2009, Katmai National Park and Preserve (2009, Clam Lagoon at Adak Island (2012, Kodiak Island (2005 and captive sea otters in aquaria. Statistically, sea otter gene transcript profiles separated into three distinct clusters: Cluster 1, Kodiak and WPWS 2006–2008 (higher relative transcription; Cluster 2, Clam Lagoon and WPWS 2010–2012 (lower relative transcription; and Cluster 3, Alaska Peninsula, Katmai and captive sea otters (intermediate relative transcription. The lower transcription of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR, an established biomarker for hydrocarbon exposure, in WPWS 2010–2012 compared to earlier samples from WPWS is consistent with declining hydrocarbon exposure, but the pattern of overall low levels of transcription seen in WPWS 2010–2012 could be related to other factors, such as food limitation, pathogens or injury, and may indicate an inability to mount effective responses to stressors. Decreased transcriptional response across the entire gene panel precludes the evaluation of whether or not individual sea otters show signs of exposure to lingering oil. However, related studies on sea otter demographics indicate that by 2012, the sea otter population in WPWS had recovered, which indicates diminishing oil exposure.

Effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on survival of Pacific herring eggs and viability of their larvae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGurk, M.D.; Warburton, H.D.; Parker, T.B.; Litke, M.; Marliave, J.B.

1993-01-01

The Exxon Valdez spill in March 1989 coincided with the spawning period of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) in the spill area. Adult herring were first observed near their spawning ground about a week after the spill. Spawners were concentrated in four major areas of Prince William Sound. The northeast and north areas were untouched by the spill, but the Naked Island archipelago and the northern tip of Montague Island were in the spill path. Previous research has shown that growth and mortality of free-swimming herring larvae were not significantly different between non-oiled and oiled areas of the Sound, suggesting that any effect of the oil spill on herring may have been restricted to the egg stage. This hypothesis was tested by measuring survival, hatching schedule, and viability of herring eggs collected from oiled and non-oiled areas of the Sound and incubated in laboratory aquaria. Variance analysis showed that egg survival and mean age of hatch varied with oil treatment, depth, and the interaction of treatment and depth. Six larval abnormalities were identified, all of which would render larvae effectively dead in a natural environment. Dry egg weight and yolk volume varied only with depth. Despite these findings, the population dynamics of both oiled and non-oiled herring eggs from the Sound in 1989 resembled the dynamics of natural, uncontaminated herring eggs. A possible reason for this similarity is that most eggs in the oil treatments may have been exposed to relatively low concentrations of hydrocarbons. 2 refs

Gene transcript profiling in sea otters post-Exxon Valdez oil spill: A tool for marine ecosystem health assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Waters, Shannon C.; Bodkin, James L.

2016-01-01

Using a panel of genes stimulated by oil exposure in a laboratory study, we evaluated gene transcription in blood leukocytes sampled from sea otters captured from 2006–2012 in western Prince William Sound (WPWS), Alaska, 17–23 years after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS). We compared WPWS sea otters to reference populations (not affected by the EVOS) from the Alaska Peninsula (2009), Katmai National Park and Preserve (2009), Clam Lagoon at Adak Island (2012), Kodiak Island (2005) and captive sea otters in aquaria. Statistically, sea otter gene transcript profiles separated into three distinct clusters: Cluster 1, Kodiak and WPWS 2006–2008 (higher relative transcription); Cluster 2, Clam Lagoon and WPWS 2010–2012 (lower relative transcription); and Cluster 3, Alaska Peninsula, Katmai and captive sea otters (intermediate relative transcription). The lower transcription of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), an established biomarker for hydrocarbon exposure, in WPWS 2010–2012 compared to earlier samples from WPWS is consistent with declining hydrocarbon exposure, but the pattern of overall low levels of transcription seen in WPWS 2010–2012 could be related to other factors, such as food limitation, pathogens or injury, and may indicate an inability to mount effective responses to stressors. Decreased transcriptional response across the entire gene panel precludes the evaluation of whether or not individual sea otters show signs of exposure to lingering oil. However, related studies on sea otter demographics indicate that by 2012, the sea otter population in WPWS had recovered, which indicates diminishing oil exposure.

Main features of the unit 1-4 building complex, Kozloduy NPP in respect to seismic safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostov, M; Boncheva, H; Stafanov, D [Central Laboratory for Seismic Mechanics and Earthquake Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1993-07-01

The Units 1 and 2 of Kozloduy NPP were originally designed to resist a IV-V degree MSK earthquake. They have been subsequently upgraded for a VII degree earthquake. Since that structure basically do not meet the safety requirements to resist the new earthquake with a maximum acceleration of 0.2 g and very broad spectrum. The performed analyses are clearly pointing out that an upgrading for the new earthquake level is possible. The problems common for all the structures of Kozloduy NPP are summarized in this presentation.

Main features of the unit 1-4 building complex, Kozloduy NPP in respect to seismic safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostov, M.; Boncheva, H.; Stafanov, D.

1993-01-01

The Units 1 and 2 of Kozloduy NPP were originally designed to resist a IV-V degree MSK earthquake. They have been subsequently upgraded for a VII degree earthquake. Since that structure basically do not meet the safety requirements to resist the new earthquake with a maximum acceleration of 0.2 g and very broad spectrum. The performed analyses are clearly pointing out that an upgrading for the new earthquake level is possible. The problems common for all the structures of Kozloduy NPP are summarized in this presentation

Architecture Level Safety Analyses for Safety-Critical Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. S. Kushal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The dependency of complex embedded Safety-Critical Systems across Avionics and Aerospace domains on their underlying software and hardware components has gradually increased with progression in time. Such application domain systems are developed based on a complex integrated architecture, which is modular in nature. Engineering practices assured with system safety standards to manage the failure, faulty, and unsafe operational conditions are very much necessary. System safety analyses involve the analysis of complex software architecture of the system, a major aspect in leading to fatal consequences in the behaviour of Safety-Critical Systems, and provide high reliability and dependability factors during their development. In this paper, we propose an architecture fault modeling and the safety analyses approach that will aid in identifying and eliminating the design flaws. The formal foundations of SAE Architecture Analysis & Design Language (AADL augmented with the Error Model Annex (EMV are discussed. The fault propagation, failure behaviour, and the composite behaviour of the design flaws/failures are considered for architecture safety analysis. The illustration of the proposed approach is validated by implementing the Speed Control Unit of Power-Boat Autopilot (PBA system. The Error Model Annex (EMV is guided with the pattern of consideration and inclusion of probable failure scenarios and propagation of fault conditions in the Speed Control Unit of Power-Boat Autopilot (PBA. This helps in validating the system architecture with the detection of the error event in the model and its impact in the operational environment. This also provides an insight of the certification impact that these exceptional conditions pose at various criticality levels and design assurance levels and its implications in verifying and validating the designs.

Expediting Clinician Adoption of Safety Practices: The UCSF Venous Access Patient Safety Interdisciplinary Education Project

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Donaldson, Nancy E; Plank, Rosemary K; Williamson, Ann; Pearl, Jeffrey; Kellogg, Jerry; Ryder, Marcia

2005-01-01

...) Venous Access Device (VAD) Patient Safety Interdisciplinary Education Project was to develop a 30-hour/one clinical academic unit VAD patient safety course with the aim of expediting clinician adoption of critical concepts...

The rewards of road safety

CERN Multimedia

Anaïs Schaeffer

2012-01-01

In May, the HSE Unit launched a cycling safety campaign at CERN over three days during which members of the Unit and representatives of the Swiss Office for Accident Prevention and the Touring Club Suisse reminded people of the basic safety rules to which they should adhere when riding a bike. A competition was held to encourage people to be self-critical and to highlight best practice.    On 14 June, a month and 273 participants later, 40 lucky contestants received winners' prizes in a low-key reception at Restaurant 2. Among the prizes were "safety packs" containing a fluorescent jacket, arm-bands and a water-bottle, cycle helmets and two brand new bikes. More proof, if any were needed, that safety and prevention form a winning combination!  

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Midland Plant, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-329 and 50-330. Consumers Power Company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-06-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report, NUREG-0793, issued with respect to the application filed for licenses to operate the Midland Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-329 and 50-330). This supplement provides recent information regarding resolution of some of the open items identified in the Safety Evaluation Report and discusses recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in its interim report dated June 8, 1982

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Dockets Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-10-01

Supplement No. 5 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that there is reasonable assurance that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410). Supplement No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, as applicant and co-owner, for a license to operate the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Unit 2. The facility is located near Oswego, New York. Subject to favorable resolution of the issues discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public. 1 fig., 3 tabs

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-423). Supplement No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1031) issued in July 1984, Supplement 1 issued in March 1985, Supplement 2 issued in September 1985, Supplement 3 issued in November 1985, and Supplement 4 issued in November 1985 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the application filed by Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (licensee and agent for the owners) for a license to operate Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket 50-423). The supplement provides more recent information regarding resolution of license conditions identified in the SER. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3, can be operated by the licensee at power levels greater than 5% without endangering the health and safety of the public. 13 refs

KHNP special safety review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tae-Ho; Lee, Bang-Jin; Lee, Soung-Hee; Park, Goon-Cherl

2009-01-01

Commemorating the 30 year anniversary of commercial nuclear power plant operation in KOREA, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) has conducted a Special Safety Review (SSR) of its 20 operating units to understand their safety performance and to identify any areas that need improvement. The SSR reviewed all 20 operating units for 2 weeks per site. Areas that were reviewed are Safety Margins, Plant Performance, Employee Safety, Employee Performance and Performance Improvement Process. Each review team consisted of international and domestic members. The international reviewers were from IAEA, WANO and INPO. The domestic reviewers consisted of professors, Engineering Company, Research Institute and KHNP experts. The review confirmed safe and reliable operations of the 20 nuclear units. The common understanding resulted from the SSR is as follows. Firstly, KHNP corporate and its plants confirmed and shared mutual understanding on recurring areas for improvements, especially in the areas of Organizational Effectiveness, Industrial Safety, Human Performance, Configuration Management, Operations, Equipment Performance and Material Condition. Secondly, KHNP understood that plant and department level performances are directly related to the leadership and competency of the management team including supervisors. Thirdly, the strengths of individual stations that consistently have produced good results need to be shared with the other KHNP stations. Finally, KHNP learned that strong corporate leadership and support are needed to resolve most of the areas for improvement since they are common to all KHNP stations. (author)

Safety first!

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

Among the many duties I assumed at the beginning of the year was the ultimate responsibility for Safety at CERN: the responsibility for the physical safety of the personnel, the responsibility for the safe operation of the facilities, and the responsibility to ensure that CERN acts in accordance with the highest standards of radiation and environmental protection.   The Safety Policy document drawn up in September 2014 is an excellent basis for the implementation of Safety in all areas of CERN’s work. I am happy to commit during my mandate to help meet its objectives, not least by ensuring the Organization makes available the necessary means to achieve its Safety objectives. One of the main objectives of the HSE (Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Protection) unit in the coming months is to enhance the measures to minimise CERN’s impact on the environment. I believe CERN should become a role model for an environmentally-aware scientific research laboratory. Risk ...

Safety-evaluation report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-09-01

Supplement 4 (SSER 4) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1. Docket No. 50-322

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-02-01

Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report of Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have come to light since the previous supplement was issued

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-04-01

Supplement 10 (SSER 10) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

Relationship between the Quality of Educational Facilities, School Climate, and School Safety of High School Tenth Graders in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Darnell Brushawn

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to understand the relationships among facility conditions, school climate, and school safety of high school tenth graders in the United States. Previous research on the quality of educational facilities influence on student achievement has varied. Recent research has suggested that the quality of educational facilities…

Safety-evaluation report related to the operation of Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-08-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Philadelphia Electric Company, as applicant and owner, for licenses to operate the Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-4423). Supplement No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-03-01

In July 1984 staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report regarding the application of Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket 50-423). The facility is located in the town of Waterford, New London County, Connecticut, on the north shore of Long Island Sound. This first supplement to NUREG-1031 reports the status of certain items that remained unresolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was published

Learning to See the Opportunities in Crisis and Catastrophe: A Decision Makers Guide to the Issue-Attention Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

Adapting from the tourism industry, Birkland notes a crisis as an organizationally caused event (e.g., Exxon Valdez), a disaster as an event beyond... Tourism and SME Sectors,” Proceedings of the 1st International Conference in Safety and Crisis Management in the Construction, ed. Georgio Boustras...172 Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (New York: Ballantine, 1997). 213. 173 Selected crises were valuated

Technical evaluation of the noise and isolation testing of the safety features actuation system at the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selan, J.C.

1981-07-01

This report documents the technical evaluation of the noise and isolation testing of the safety features actuation system at the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1. The tests were to verify that faults on the non-Class 1E circuits would not propagate to the Class 1E circuits and degrade them below acceptable levels. The tests conducted demonstrated that the safety features actuation system did not degrade below acceptable levels nor was the system's ability to perform its protective functions affected

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-352-50-353). Supplement 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-12-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0991, August 1983) for the application filed by the Philadelphia Electric Company, as applicant and owner, for licenses to operate the Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353). The facility is located near Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the NRC staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

On some aspects of nuclear safety surveillance and review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ganjie; Zhu Hong; Zhou Shanyuan

2004-01-01

Five aspects of the nuclear safety surveillance and review are discussed: Strict implementation of nuclear safety regulation, making the nuclear safety surveillance and review more normalization, procedurization, scientific decision-making; Strictly requiring the applicant to comply with the requirements of codes, do not allowing the utilization of mixing of codes; Properly controlling the strictness for the review on significant non-conformance; Strengthening the co-operation between regional offices and technical support units, Properly treat the relations between administrational management unit and technical support units. (authors)

Patient Safety Culture and the Ability to Improve: A Proof of Concept Study on Hand Hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Caris, Martine G; Kamphuis, Pim G A; Dekker, Mireille; de Bruijne, Martine C; van Agtmael, Michiel A; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M J E

2017-11-01

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the safety culture of a hospital unit is associated with the ability to improve. DESIGN Qualitative investigation of safety culture on hospital units following a before-and-after trial on hand hygiene. SETTING VU University Medical Center, a tertiary-care hospital in the Netherlands. METHODS With support from hospital management, we implemented a hospital-wide program to improve compliance. Over 2 years, compliance was measured through direct observation, twice before, and 4 times after interventions. We analyzed changes in compliance from baseline, and selected units to evaluate safety culture using a positive deviance approach: the hospital unit with the highest hand hygiene compliance and 2 units that showed significant improvement (21% and 16%, respectively) were selected as high performing. Another 2 units showed no improvement and were selected as low performing. A blinded, independent observer conducted interviews with unit management, physicians, and nurses, based on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Safety culture was categorized as pathological (lowest level), reactive, bureaucratic, proactive, or generative (highest level). RESULTS Overall, 3 units showed a proactive or generative safety culture and 2 units had bureaucratic or pathological safety cultures. When comparing compliance and interview results, high-performing units showed high levels of safety culture, while low-performing units showed low levels of safety culture. CONCLUSIONS Safety culture is associated with the ability to improve hand hygiene. Interventions may not be effective when applied in units with low levels of safety culture. Although additional research is needed to corroborate our findings, the safety culture on a unit can benefit from enhancement strategies such as team-building exercises. Strengthening the safety culture before implementing interventions could aid improvement and prevent nonproductive interventions. Infect Control

Elements of a nuclear criticality safety program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopper, C.M.

1995-01-01

Nuclear criticality safety programs throughout the United States are quite successful, as compared with other safety disciplines, at protecting life and property, especially when regarded as a developing safety function with no historical perspective for the cause and effect of process nuclear criticality accidents before 1943. The programs evolved through self-imposed and regulatory-imposed incentives. They are the products of conscientious individuals, supportive corporations, obliged regulators, and intervenors (political, public, and private). The maturing of nuclear criticality safety programs throughout the United States has been spasmodic, with stability provided by the volunteer standards efforts within the American Nuclear Society. This presentation provides the status, relative to current needs, for nuclear criticality safety program elements that address organization of and assignments for nuclear criticality safety program responsibilities; personnel qualifications; and analytical capabilities for the technical definition of critical, subcritical, safety and operating limits, and program quality assurance

Intermediate probabilistic safety assessment approach for safety critical digital systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taeyong, Sung; Hyun Gook, Kang

2001-01-01

Even though the conventional probabilistic safety assessment methods are immature for applying to microprocessor-based digital systems, practical needs force to apply it. In the Korea, UCN 5 and 6 units are being constructed and Korean Next Generation Reactor is being designed using the digital instrumentation and control equipment for the safety related functions. Korean regulatory body requires probabilistic safety assessment. This paper analyzes the difficulties on the assessment of digital systems and suggests an intermediate framework for evaluating their safety using fault tree models. The framework deals with several important characteristics of digital systems including software modules and fault-tolerant features. We expect that the analysis result will provide valuable design feedback. (authors)

Reactor Safety Assessment System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1987-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSAS is designed for use at the USNRC Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files to be applicable to all licensed nuclear power plants in the United States. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor categories and multiple plants within each category

Reactor safety assessment system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1987-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSA is designed for use at the USNRC Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files to be applicable to all licensed nuclear power plants in the United States. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor categories and multiple plants within each category

Revaluing donor and recipient bodies in the globalised blood economy: transitions in public policy on blood safety in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Busby, Helen; Kent, Julie; Farrell, Anne-Maree

2014-01-01

The clinical use of blood has a long history, but its apparent stability belies the complexity of contemporary practices in this field. In this article, we explore how the production, supply and deployment of blood products are socially mediated, drawing on theoretical perspectives from recent work on 'tissue economies'. We highlight the ways in which safety threats in the form of infections that might be transmitted through blood and plasma impact on this tissue economy and how these have led to a revaluation of donor bodies and restructuring of blood economies. Specifically, we consider these themes in relation to the management of recent threats to blood safety in the United Kingdom. We show that the tension between securing the supply of blood and its products and ensuring its safety may give rise to ethical concerns and reshape relations between donor and recipient bodies.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-02-01

Supplement 17 to the Safety Evaluation Report for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's application for licenses to operate Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plants, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323) has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and the previous supplements

Conceptual aspects of the safety evaluation of a project of complementary spent nuclear fuel dry storage unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitas, Rafaela da S. A.; Fontes, Gladson S., E-mail: rafaaelaandrade@hotmail.com, E-mail: gsfontes@hotmail.com [Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Saldanha, Pedro L. C., E-mail: saldanha@cnen.gov.br [Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Based on the number of cycles and the amount of new fuel elements exchanged in the reactor cores at each cycle, the forecast for the exhaustion of the spent nuclear fuel pools of the Brazil plants has provision until 2021. As are still in the studies the availability of a long-term storage facility for spent fuel, the short-term solution will be the construction of the Complementary Storage Spent Nuclear Fuel Unit, it will build inside the site in Angra Plants. The dry cask is a method of storage in which the fuel elements of high-level radioactive waste are stored, such as spent nuclear fuel, which already cooled in the fuel pool for at least one year and up to ten years. The purpose of the present paper is to discuss a conceptual study of the safety analysis of a project of licensing of a Dry Storage Unit (DSU) with the objective of verifying the application of national and international criteria, requirements and standards. The safety analysis will make on the principles adopted by the US Nuclear USNRC and the standards adopted at CNEN for dry storage. The concept of installation, seismic, geological and other analysis will be approached for approval of the site to be installed at DSU, the approved permit for the construction and finally the external and internal events that may occur being incidents and / or accidents and which are The necessary mitigations if something occurs within a period of time. (author)

Conceptual aspects of the safety evaluation of a project of complementary spent nuclear fuel dry storage unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Rafaela da S. A.; Fontes, Gladson S.; Saldanha, Pedro L. C.

2017-01-01

Based on the number of cycles and the amount of new fuel elements exchanged in the reactor cores at each cycle, the forecast for the exhaustion of the spent nuclear fuel pools of the Brazil plants has provision until 2021. As are still in the studies the availability of a long-term storage facility for spent fuel, the short-term solution will be the construction of the Complementary Storage Spent Nuclear Fuel Unit, it will build inside the site in Angra Plants. The dry cask is a method of storage in which the fuel elements of high-level radioactive waste are stored, such as spent nuclear fuel, which already cooled in the fuel pool for at least one year and up to ten years. The purpose of the present paper is to discuss a conceptual study of the safety analysis of a project of licensing of a Dry Storage Unit (DSU) with the objective of verifying the application of national and international criteria, requirements and standards. The safety analysis will make on the principles adopted by the US Nuclear USNRC and the standards adopted at CNEN for dry storage. The concept of installation, seismic, geological and other analysis will be approached for approval of the site to be installed at DSU, the approved permit for the construction and finally the external and internal events that may occur being incidents and / or accidents and which are The necessary mitigations if something occurs within a period of time. (author)

Facilitated Nurse Medication-Related Event Reporting to Improve Medication Management Quality and Safety in Intensive Care Units.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jie; Reale, Carrie; Slagle, Jason M; Anders, Shilo; Shotwell, Matthew S; Dresselhaus, Timothy; Weinger, Matthew B

Medication safety presents an ongoing challenge for nurses working in complex, fast-paced, intensive care unit (ICU) environments. Studying ICU nurse's medication management-especially medication-related events (MREs)-provides an approach to analyze and improve medication safety and quality. The goal of this study was to explore the utility of facilitated MRE reporting in identifying system deficiencies and the relationship between MREs and nurses' work in the ICUs. We conducted 124 structured 4-hour observations of nurses in three different ICUs. Each observation included measurement of nurse's moment-to-moment activity and self-reports of workload and negative mood. The observer then obtained MRE reports from the nurse using a structured tool. The MREs were analyzed by three experts. MREs were reported in 35% of observations. The 60 total MREs included four medication errors and seven adverse drug events. Of the 49 remaining MREs, 65% were associated with negative patient impact. Task/process deficiencies were the most common contributory factor for MREs. MRE occurrence was correlated with increased total task volume. MREs also correlated with increased workload, especially during night shifts. Most of these MREs would not be captured by traditional event reporting systems. Facilitated MRE reporting provides a robust information source about potential breakdowns in medication management safety and opportunities for system improvement.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446). Supplement No. 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-03-01

This supplement addresses TUEC's analyses in support of its request to amend the Comanche Peak Final Safety Analysis Report to eliminate the commitment that coatings inside the reactor Containment Building be qualified for Units 1 and 2. In addition, this supplement provides the results of the staff's evaluation and resolution of 62 technical concerns and allegations in the coatings area for Unit 1. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes for the issues considered herein, that there is reasonable assurance that the facility can be operated by TUEC without endangering the health and safety of the public

Assessing the culture of safety in cardiovascular perfusion: attitudes and perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Chad; Predella, Megan; Rowden, Allison; Goldstein, Jamie; Sistino, Joseph J; Fitzgerald, David C

2017-10-01

The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to assess the culture of safety in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to identify specific domains of perfusion that are indicators of a high quality culture of safety. Perfusionists were recruited to participate in the survey through email invitation through Perflist, Perfmail and LinkedIn. The survey consisted of 37 questions across six safety domains. Questions were developed using the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. 'Positive scores' were defined as a response that either agreed or strongly agreed with a safety standard. Survey responses that resulted in a 75 percent or higher positive response rate were identified as vital components of a high culture of safety. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine importance components of perceived safety. Four responses were found to have a significant predictive level of a positive safety environment in the work unit: (1) in this unit, we discuss ways to prevent errors from happening again; OR=3.09, (2) in this unit, we treat others with respect; OR=1.09 (3) my supervisor/manager seriously considers staff suggestions for improving patient safety; OR=1.89 and (4) there is good cooperation among hospital units that need to work together; OR=1.77. There were two predictors of a negative work unit safety environment: (1) staff are afraid to ask questions when something does not seem right; OR=0.62 and (2) it is just by chance that more serious mistakes don't happen around here; OR=0.55. The results from this survey indicate that effective communication secondary to both incident and near-miss reporting is associated with a higher perceived culture of safety. A positive safety environment is associated with being able to speak up regarding safety issues without fear of negative repercussions.

Spent fuel pool cooling system upgrade for Kori Unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Park, Jong; In Shin, Kyung

2014-01-01

Following Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, the needs for reliable performance of its own safety functions of Spent Fuel Pool Cooling System (SFPCS) has risen significantly to maintain the plant in a safe condition. Regulatory Guide 1.13 of United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) requires the SFPCS shall be designed safety related as Quality Group C and Seismic Category 1. However, the existing Spent Fuel Pool (SFP) of KORI Unit 1 was not designed as a safety system. In order to comply with the above licensing requirement for the extended operational life of KORI Unit 1, it has been decided to add a safety related Seismic Category 1 Makeup System to KORI Unit 1 and the existing SFPCS to be modified in dedicated channels with safety related equipment to enhance system's reliability as a means of providing diversity. This paper focuses on describing the relevant design requirements, applications, and supplemental facilities to the SFPCS of KORI Unit 1. (authors)

Shoreline type and subsurface oil persistence in the Exon Valdez spill zone of Prince William Sound, Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Page, D.S. [Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Boehm, P.D. [Exponent Inc., Maynard, MA (United States); Neff, J.M. [Neff and Associates, Duxbury, MA (United States)

2008-07-01

The grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska in the spring of 1989 resulted in the release of 258,000 barrels of Alaska North Slope crude oil into the marine environment. Nearly 800 km of shoreline were oiled to some degree. There was an unprecedented oil spill cleanup effort following the spill. The shoreline surveys of the spill zone were synthesized in this paper in an effort to demonstrate the relationship between shoreline type and persistence of subsurface oil (SSO) residues. Shoreline surveys of surface and SSO indicate rapid initial oil loss with a decline from about 800 linear km of PWS shoreline in 1989 to about 10 km of oiled shoreline in 1992. The period of rapid loss was attributed to natural physical process, biodegradation and cleanup activities that removed accessible spill remnants from shorelines. This was followed by a slower natural average loss rate for less accessible surface and SSO deposits of about 22 per cent per year for the period 1992-2001. This paper emphasized that shoreline type plays a key role in determining SSO persistence. The geology of PWS is complex. Many of the shorelines where SSO persists have armouring layers composed of hard, dense clasts, such as the quartzite boulders and cobblestones that can protect SSO deposits. Eighteen years after the spill, persistent SSO deposits in PWS shorelines remain protected from tidal water-washing and biodegradation by a surface boulder/cobble armour and low sediment porosity. The SSO deposits are in a physical/chemical form and location where they do not pose a health risk to intertidal biological communities and animals. The surveys continue to substantiate that remaining SSO deposits in PWS continue to degrade and go away slowly. 37 refs., 5 tabs., 7 figs.

An evaluation of marine bird population trends following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Prince William Sound, Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lance, Brian K.; Irons, David B.; Kendall, Steven J.; McDonald, Lyman L.

2001-01-01

We examined post-spill trends (1989-1998) of marine bird populations in Prince William Sound (PWS) following the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) to evaluate recovery of injured taxa. Two criteria were employed. First, we examined population trends of injured taxa only in the oiled area of PWS using regression models. Second, we examined population trends of injured taxa in the oiled area relative to the unoiled area using homogeneity of the slopes tests. We considered a population recovering if there was a positive trend using either criteria. We considered a population not recovering if there was no trend using either criteria or a negative trend in the oiled area. A significant negative trend in the oiled area relative to the unoiled area was considered a continuing and increasing effect. Most taxa for which injury was previously demonstrated were not recovering and some taxa showed evidence of increasing effects nine years after the oil spill. Four taxa (loons Gavia spp, Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus, Bufflehead Bucephala spp, and North-western Crow Corvus caurinus) showed weak to very weak evidence of recovery. None of these taxa showed positive trends in both winter and summer. Nine taxa (grebes Podiceps spp, cormorants Phalacrocorax spp, Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani, Mew Gull Larus canus, Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens, terns Sterna spp, murres Uria spp, Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba, and murrelets Brachyramphus spp) showed no evidence of recovery during summer or winter. Four taxa (scoters Melanitta spp, mergansers Mergus spp, goldeneyes Bucephala spp, and Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla) showed evidence of continuing, increasing effects. We showed evidence of slow recovery, lack of recovery, and divergent population trends in many taxa which utilise shoreline and nearshore habitats where oil is likely to persist. Potential lingering spill effects and natural variability appear to be acting in concert in delaying

Geochemical reanalysis of historical U.S. Geological Survey sediment samples from the Tonsina area, Valdez Quadrangle, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Werdon, Melanie B.; Granitto, Matthew; Azain, Jaime S.

2015-01-01

The State of Alaska’s Strategic and Critical Minerals (SCM) Assessment project, a State-funded Capital Improvement Project (CIP), is designed to evaluate Alaska’s statewide potential for SCM resources. The SCM Assessment is being implemented by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS), and involves obtaining new airborne-geophysical, geological, and geochemical data. As part of the SCM Assessment, thousands of historical geochemical samples from DGGS, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and U.S. Bureau of Mines archives are being reanalyzed by DGGS using modern, quantitative, geochemical-analytical methods. The objective is to update the statewide geochemical database to more clearly identify areas in Alaska with SCM potential. The USGS is also undertaking SCM-related geologic studies in Alaska through the federally funded Alaska Critical Minerals cooperative project. DGGS and USGS share the goal of evaluating Alaska’s strategic and critical minerals potential and together created a Letter of Agreement (signed December 2012) and a supplementary Technical Assistance Agreement (#14CMTAA143458) to facilitate the two agencies’ cooperative work. Under these agreements, DGGS contracted the USGS in Denver to reanalyze historical USGS sediment samples from Alaska. For this report, DGGS funded reanalysis of 128 historical USGS sediment samples from the statewide Alaska Geochemical Database Version 2.0 (AGDB2; Granitto and others, 2013). Samples were chosen from the Tonsina area in the Chugach Mountains, Valdez quadrangle, Alaska (fig. 1). The USGS was responsible for sample retrieval from the National Geochemical Sample Archive (NGSA) in Denver, Colorado through the final quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) of the geochemical analyses obtained through the USGS contract lab. The new geochemical data are published in this report as a coauthored DGGS report, and will be incorporated into the statewide geochemical databases of both agencies

Regulatory aspects of NPP safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kastchiev, G.

1999-01-01

Extensive review of the NPP Safety is presented including tasks of Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Waters, Ministry of Defense in the field of national system for monitoring the nuclear power. In the frame of national nuclear safety legislation Bulgaria is in the process of approximation of the national legislation to that of EC. Detailed analysis of the status of regulatory body, its functions, organisation structure, responsibilities and future tasks is included. Basis for establishing the system of regulatory inspections and safety enforcement as well as intensification of inspections is described. Assessment of safety modifications is concerned with complex program for reconstruction of Units 1-4 of Kozloduy NPP, as well as for modernisation of Units 5 and 6. Qualification and licensing of the NPP personnel, Year 2000 problem, priorities and the need of international assistance are mentioned

The safety of RMBK reactors 10 years after Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lederman, L.

1996-01-01

In April 1986 the Unit 4 of Chernobyl NPP was destroyed in the worst accident in history of commercial nuclear power. Unit 4 started operation in 1983 and was a RBMK nuclear power plant (NPP). Over the years, three generations of reactors have emerged which have significant differences, particularly with respect to the safety provisions built into their design. The electric power of the RBMK reactors is 1000 MW(e) except for Ignalina whose power is 1500 MW(e). development of the Kursk Unit 5, currently under construction, has led to many design changes hence it can be thought of as a fourth generation. The first generation units (Leningrad-l and -2, Kursk-1 and Chernobyl-l and -2) designed and built before 1982 when new standards on the design and construction of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) OPB-82 were introduced in the Soviet Union. Since then other units have designed and constructed in accordance to these requirements. The safety standards in the U were revised again in 1988 (OPB-88). Since the Chernobyl accident a considerable amount of work has been carried out by Ru designers and PTSMK operators to improve RBMK reactor safety and to eliminate the causes o accident. As a result, major design modifications and operational changes have been implemented. However, safety concerns remain, particularly related to first generation units. In the framework of a Programme on PTSMK safety initiated by the IAEA in 1992, a total of 58 safety issues related to seven topical areas were identified. The issues related to the six design areas were further ranked according to their perceived impact on plant safety. Safety issues connected to operational areas, particularly those related to ensuring that a high safety culture is an underlying basis for operation, were considered very important. It was stressed that all efforts should be made to implement the related recommendations along with d modifications (author)

The safety of RMBK reactors 10 years after Chernobyl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lederman, L [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

1996-12-01

In April 1986 the Unit 4 of Chernobyl NPP was destroyed in the worst accident in history of commercial nuclear power. Unit 4 started operation in 1983 and was a RBMK nuclear power plant (NPP). Over the years, three generations of reactors have emerged which have significant differences, particularly with respect to the safety provisions built into their design. The electric power of the RBMK reactors is 1000 MW(e) except for Ignalina whose power is 1500 MW(e). development of the Kursk Unit 5, currently under construction, has led to many design changes hence it can be thought of as a fourth generation. The first generation units (Leningrad-l and -2, Kursk-1 and Chernobyl-l and -2) designed and built before 1982 when new standards on the design and construction of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) OPB-82 were introduced in the Soviet Union. Since then other units have designed and constructed in accordance to these requirements. The safety standards in the U were revised again in 1988 (OPB-88). Since the Chernobyl accident a considerable amount of work has been carried out by Ru designers and PTSMK operators to improve RBMK reactor safety and to eliminate the causes o accident. As a result, major design modifications and operational changes have been implemented. However, safety concerns remain, particularly related to first generation units. In the framework of a Programme on PTSMK safety initiated by the IAEA in 1992, a total of 58 safety issues related to seven topical areas were identified. The issues related to the six design areas were further ranked according to their perceived impact on plant safety. Safety issues connected to operational areas, particularly those related to ensuring that a high safety culture is an underlying basis for operation, were considered very important. It was stressed that all efforts should be made to implement the related recommendations along with d modifications (author).

Safety of High Speed Magnetic Levitation Transportation Systems: Preliminary Safety Review of the Transrapid Maglev System

Science.gov (United States)

1990-11-01

The safety of various magnetically levitated trains under development for possible : implementation in the United States is of direct concern to the Federal Railroad : Administration. This report, one in a series of planned reports on maglev safety, ...

Use of safety experience feedback to design new nuclear units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, D.; Crochon, J.P.

1985-06-01

For the designer, and about safety, the experience feedback can take place in 3 fields: the operating experience feedback (incidents analysis), the ''study'' experience feedback (improvement of justification and evolution of safety considerations), and the fabrication experience feedback. Some examples are presented for each field [fr

Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) is a generic risk assessment approach applied by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leuschner, R. G. K.; Robinson, T. P.; Hugas, M.

2010-01-01

Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) is a generic risk assessment approach applied by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to notified biological agents aiming at simplifying risk assessments across different scientific Panels and Units. The aim of this review is to outline the implementation...... and value of the QPS assessment for EFSA and to explain its principles such as the unambiguous identity of a taxonomic unit, the body of knowledge including potential safety concerns and how these considerations lead to a list of biological agents recommended for QPS which EFSA keeps updated through...

Understanding determinants of government and consumer behavior relative to product safety : an application of the theory of planned behavior to China and the United States

OpenAIRE

Domke, Laura

2008-01-01

The following thesis applies Icek Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to explain consumer and government response to safety of Chinese-made products sold in China and the United States. The thesis relies on secondary data as it considers the responses and actions relative to product safety by four different groups: Chinese government, U.S. government, Chinese consumers and U.S. consumers. Increased globalization has heightened the need for a better understanding and agreement...

Occupational safety issues in residential construction surveyed in Wisconsin, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sang D; Carlson, Kathryn

2014-01-01

Residential construction is a high-risk industry in the U.S. due to the exposure to work-related safety hazards and fall injuries. This study aimed to examine the safety training and safe work practices of construction workers within the small residential construction industry. In order to achieve the study objectives, a survey was designed and sent to approximately 200 Wisconsin based residential construction contractors. About one third of the respondents stated that they did not have any form of safety programs. The study indicated that the most common types of work-related injuries in residential construction were slips/trips/falls and cuts/lacerations. The survey findings also suggested that the residential construction contractors needed to increase the utilization of fall protection safety equipment. Further education and subject matter expert training could provide benefits to improve occupational safety and health of the small business workforce in the residential construction industry.

Lost in Translation? Challenges and Opportunities for Raising Health and Safety Awareness among a Multinational Workforce in the United Arab Emirates

Science.gov (United States)

Cooling, Robert Fletcher; Aw, Tar-Ching

2012-01-01

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has experienced tremendous economic and industrial growth in the petroleum, airline, maritime and construction sectors, especially since the discovery of oil reserves. Mass recruitment of low skilled or unskilled laborers from less-developed countries has been utilized to satisfy the manpower demands of these fast paced industrial developments. Such workforce recruitment has created an unusual populace demographic, with the total UAE population estimated at 8.3 million, composed of 950,000 Emiratis, with the remainder being multinational expatriate workers, with varying educational qualifications, work experience, religious beliefs, cultural practices, and native languages. These unique characteristics pose a challenge for health and safety professionals tasked with ensuring the UAE workforce adheres to specific occupational health and safety procedures. The paper discusses two case studies that employ a novel multimedia approach to raising health and safety awareness among a multinational workforce. PMID:23251846

Criticality safety validation: Simple geometry, single unit {sup 233}U systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Putman, V.L.

1997-06-01

Typically used LMITCO criticality safety computational methods are evaluated for suitability when applied to INEEL {sup 233}U systems which reasonably can be modeled as simple-geometry, single-unit systems. Sixty-seven critical experiments of uranium highly enriched in {sup 233}U, including 57 aqueous solution, thermal-energy systems and 10 metal, fast-energy systems, were modeled. These experiments include 41 cylindrical and 26 spherical cores, and 41 reflected and 26 unreflected systems. No experiments were found for intermediate-neutron-energy ranges, or with interstitial non-hydrogenous materials typical of waste systems, mixed {sup 233}U and plutonium, or reflectors such as steel, lead, or concrete. No simple geometry experiments were found with cubic or annular cores, or approximating infinite sea systems. Calculations were performed with various tools and methodologies. Nine cross-section libraries, based on ENDF/B-IV, -V, or -VI.2, or on Hansen-Roach source data, were used with cross-section processing methods of MCNP or SCALE. The k{sub eff} calculations were performed with neutral-particle transport and Monte Carlo methods of criticality codes DANT, MCNP 4A, and KENO Va.

Processing techniques for data from the Kuosheng Unit 1 shakedown safety-relief-valve tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCauley, E.W.; Rompel, S.L.; Weaver, H.J.; Altenbach, T.J.

1982-08-01

This report describes techniques developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laobratory, Livermore, CA for processing original data from the Taiwan Power Company's Kuosheng MKIII Unit 1 Safety Relief Valve Shakedown Tests conducted in April/May 1981. The computer codes used, TPSORT, TPPLOT, and TPPSD, form a special evaluation system for treating the data from its original packed binary form to ordered, calibrated ASCII transducer files and then to production of time-history plots, numerical output files, and spectral analyses. Using the data processing techniques described, a convenient means of independently examining and analyzing a unique data base for steam condensation phenomena in the MARKIII wetwell is described. The techniques developed for handling these data are applicable to the treatment of similar, but perhaps differently structured, experiment data sets

Analysis of inadvertent safety injection incident at Kori unit 3 on september 6, 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyun Tae; Chung, Bub Dong; Kim, In Goo; Kim, Hho Jung

1992-01-01

The inadvertent safety injection incident occurred at Kori Unit 3 on September 6, 1990 is analyzed using RELAP5/MOD3 code. The event was initiated by a failure of main feedwater control valve in one of three steam generators. The actual sequence of plant transient with the proper estimations of the operator actions is investigated in the present calculation. The calculational results are compared with the plant transient data. It is shown that the results of the plant behaviors are in good agreement with the plant data. The emergency response guidelines is assessed for the time of the SI termination and the establishment of natural circulation. The changes in the time of the SI termination do not significantly affect the overall plant behaviors, and the natural circulation is established

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

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-03-01

In April 1986 the staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, the third supplement in May 1987, the fourth supplement in July 1987, the fifth supplement in March 1988, and the sixth supplement in January 1989. This seventh supplement, which supports the issuance of a full-power license for Unit 2, provides updated information on the issues that had been considered previously as well as the evaluation of issues that have arisen since the sixth supplement was issued. The evaluation resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a full-power license for Unit 2. 2 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

United States position on severe accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.F.

1988-01-01

The United States policy on severe accidents was published in 1985 for both new plant applications and for existing plants. Implementation of this policy is in progress. This policy, aided by a related safety goal policy and by analysis capabilities emerging from improved understanding of accident phenomenology, is viewed as a logical development from the pioneering work in the WASH-1400 Reactor Safety Study published by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 1975. This work provided an estimate of the probability and consequences of severe accidents which, prior to that time, had been mostly evaluated by somewhat arbitrary assumptions dating back 30 years. The early history of severe accident evaluation is briefly summarized for the period 1957-1979. Then, the galvanizing action of Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) on severe accident analysis, experimentation and regulation is reviewed. Expressions of US policy in the form of rulemaking, severe accident policy, safety research, safety goal policy and court decisions (on adequacy of safety) are discussed. Finally, the NRC policy as of March 1988 is stated, along with a prospective look at the next few years. (author). 19 refs

Safety Evaluation of Roundabouts in Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-28

Several previous studies have documented significant safety benefits of roundabouts in the United Sates. However, the safety benefits for a given roundabout may vary depending on factors such as the familiarity of the driving population to roundabout...

Dukovany nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Presentation covers recommended safety issues for the Dukovany NPP which have been solved with satisfactory conclusions. Safety issues concerned include: radiation safety; nuclear safety; security; emergency preparedness; health protection at work; fire protection; environmental protection; chemical safety; technical safety. Quality assurance programs at all stages on NPP life time is described. Report includes description of NPP staff training provision, training simulator, emergency operating procedures, emergency preparedness, Year 2000 problem, inspections and life time management. Description of Dukovany Plant Safety Analysis Projects including integrity of the equipment, modernisation, equipment innovation and safety upgrading program show that this approach corresponds to the actual practice applied in EU countries, and fulfilment of current IAEA requirements for safety enhancement of the WWER 440/213 units in the course of MORAWA Equipment Upgrading program

HSE Nuclear Safety Research Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagley, M.J. [Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield (United Kingdom)

1995-12-31

HSE funds two programmes of nuclear safety research: a programme of {approx} 2.2M of extramural research to support the Nuclear Safety Division`s regulatory activities and a programme of {approx} 11M of generic safety research managed by the Nuclear Safety Research Management Unit (NSRMU) in Sheffield, UK. This paper is concerned only with the latter programme; it describes how it is planned and procured and outlines some of the work on structural integrity problems. It also describes the changes that are taking place in the way nuclear safety research is procured in the UK. (author).

HSE Nuclear Safety Research Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagley, M.J.

1995-01-01

HSE funds two programmes of nuclear safety research: a programme of ∼ 2.2M of extramural research to support the Nuclear Safety Division's regulatory activities and a programme of ∼ 11M of generic safety research managed by the Nuclear Safety Research Management Unit (NSRMU) in Sheffield, UK. This paper is concerned only with the latter programme; it describes how it is planned and procured and outlines some of the work on structural integrity problems. It also describes the changes that are taking place in the way nuclear safety research is procured in the UK. (author)

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-400). Supplement No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-06-01

This report, Supplement No. 1 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Carolina Power and Light Company and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (the applicant) for license to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-400), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-456 and 50-457). Supplement No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

In November 1983 the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1002) regarding the application filed by the Commonwealth Edison Company, as applicant and owner, for a license to operate Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-456 and STN 50-457). The facility is located in Reed Township, Will County, Illinois. This first supplement to NUREG-1002 reports the status of certain items that remained unresolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was published

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-07-01

Supplement 27 to the Safety Evaluation Report for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's application for a license to operate Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-275), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses the revisions to the license conditions and to the Technical Specifications as they relate to Amendment 10 to Diablo Canyon, Unit 1 Facility Operating License, DPR-76

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-443 and 50-444)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

This report is Supplement No. 9 to the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) (NUREG-0896, March 1983) for the application filed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire, et al., for licenses to operate Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2. It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information on open items identified in the SER. The facility is located in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public. 70 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-443 and 50-444)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

This report is Supplement 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report (SER, NUREG-0896, March 1983) for the application filed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire, et al., for licenses to operate Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-443 and STN 50-444). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information on open items identified in the SER. The facility is located in Seabrook, New Hamphsire. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-443 and 50-444)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-10-01

This report is Supplement No. 7 to the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0896, March 1983) for the application filed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire, et al. for licenses to operate Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-443 and STN 50-444). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information on open items identified in the SER. The facility is located in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety-evaluation report related to the operation of Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-443 and 50-444

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-06-01

This report is Supplement 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0896, March 1983) for the application filed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire, et al., for licenses to operate Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-443 and STN 50-444). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information on open items identified in the SER. The facility is located in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Trend analysis of incidents involving setpoint drift in safety or safety/relief valves at U.S. LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Norio

2008-01-01

Since the beginning of the 1980's, in the United States, there have been many licensee event reports (LERs) involving setpoint drift in safety or safety/relief valves. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a lot of generic communications on this issue and the industry has made efforts to resolve the issue. However, the NRC staff recently highlighted that over 70 LERs involved instances where safety or safety/relief valves failed to meet the allowed setpoint tolerance from 2001 through August 2006. In the present study, we analyzed the U.S. experience with setpoint drift in safety/relief valves (SRVs) at BWRs, pressurizer safety valves (PSVs), and main steam safety valves (MSSVs) at PWRs by reviewing approximately 90 LERs from 2000 to 2006 and examined the trend focusing on causes and setpoint deviation ranges. This study indicates that for SRVs and MSSVs, disc-seat bonding is a dominant cause of the setpoint drifting high and has a tendency to result in a relatively large deviation of the setpoint. This means that disc-seat bonding might be a safety concern from the view point of overpressure protection. For PSVs, the deviation of setpoints is generally small, although its causes are not specified in many instances. (author)

Management Commitment to Safety, Teamwork, and Hospital Worker Injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

McGonagle, Alyssa K; Essenmacher, Lynnette; Hamblin, Lydia; Luborsky, Mark; Upfal, Mark; Arnetz, Judith

2016-01-01

Although many studies link teamwork in health care settings to patient safety, evidence linking teamwork to hospital worker safety is lacking. This study addresses this gap by providing evidence linking teamwork perceptions in hospital workers to worker injuries, and further, finds a linkage between manager commitment to safety and teamwork. Organizational records of worker injuries and survey responses regarding management commitment to safety and teamwork from 446 hospital workers within 42 work units in a multi-site hospital system were examined. Results underscored the particular importance of teamwork on worker injuries as well as the importance of management commitment to safety as relating to teamwork. To improve worker safety, organizational leaders and unit managers should work to maintain environments wherein teamwork can thrive.

Sun Safety Practices Among Schools in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Everett Jones, Sherry; Guy, Gery P

2017-05-01

Exposure to the sun's UV radiation is a leading cause of skin cancer. Positive attitudes and beliefs about sun safety behavior, which would make sun protective behavior more likely, could be promoted and supported by school policies and practices. To identify school characteristics associated with having adopted practices that promote sun safety. School-level data from the February 3 to July 23, 2014, School Health Policies and Practices Study's Healthy and Safe School Environment questionnaire were analyzed. The School Health Policies and Practices Study uses a 2-stage sampling design to select a nationally representative sample of schools. All public, state-administered, Catholic, and non-Catholic private schools with any of the grades from kindergarten through 12 were eligible for inclusion. All analyses were conducted using weighted data. Prevalence of sun safety practices. In a nationally representative sample of 828 US schools, representatives of 577 schools (69.7%) responded. Overall, sun safety practices were not common among schools. The most frequent practice was having teachers allow time for students to apply sunscreen at school (47.6%; 95% CI, 42.4%-52.9%). Few schools made sunscreen available for students to use (13.3%; 95% CI, 10.2%-17.0%), almost always or always scheduled outdoor activities to avoid times when the sun was at peak intensity (15.0%; 95% CI, 11.4%-19.6%), or asked parents to ensure that students applied sunscreen before school (16.4%; 95% CI, 12.9%-20.6%). High schools were less likely than elementary schools and middle schools to adopt several practices: for instance, 37.5% of high schools (95% CI, 29.7%-46.0%), 51.6% of middle schools (95% CI, 43.3%-59.7%), and 49.5% of elementary schools (95% CI, 42.0%-57.0%) had teachers allow time for students to apply sunscreen at school, and 11.8% of high schools (95% CI, 7.7%-17.5%), 18.2% of middle schools (95% CI, 13.3%-24.4%), and 14.7% of elementary schools (95% CI, 9.6%-21.8%) almost

Intervención educativa sobre tuberculosis pulmonar en adultos con factores de riesgo. Comunidad Independencia, Municipio Valdez, de 2010 a 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Luis Pérez Manzano

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó una intervención educativa con el objetivo de modificar los conocimientos sobre Tuberculosis Pulmonar en una población del estado Sucre, República Bolivariana de Venezuela, donde se implementa el programa Barrio Adentro. El universo de estudio estuvo constituido por los pacientes con más de un factor de riesgo para adquirir la enfermedad, pertenecientes a Comunidad Independencia, Parroquia Guiria, Municipio Valdez, durante el período comprendido entre enero de 2010 a diciembre del 2011, quedando finalmente constituida la muestra por 90 pacientes. La investigación se desarrolló en tres etapas: diagnóstico, intervención y evaluación. La obtención de la información se basó en una entrevista, donde se recogieron datos que fueron llevados a una planilla de vaciamiento. Para evaluar el conocimiento sobre Tuberculosis se aplicó una encuesta antes y después de desarrollada la intervención propiamente dicha. Con la aplicación de la intervención se logró modificar positivamente los conocimientos acerca de la definición, factores de riesgo, vías de transmisión, manifestaciones clínicas y conducta general ante la Tuberculosis. Se recomienda divulgar y publicar los resultados de la intervención educativa en todo el municipio pues las condiciones higiénicas sanitarias son propicias para el contagio.

Methods and strategies for future reactor safety goals

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, Steven Andrew

There have been significant discussions over the past few years by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), and others as to the adequacy of the NRC safety goals for use with the next generation of nuclear power reactors to be built in the United States. The NRC, in its safety goals policy statement, has provided general qualitative safety goals and basic quantitative health objectives (QHOs) for nuclear reactors in the United States. Risk metrics such as core damage frequency (CDF) and large early release frequency (LERF) have been used as surrogates for the QHOs. In its review of the new plant licensing policy the ACRS has looked at the safety goals, as has the NRC. A number of issues have been raised including what the Commission had in mind when it drafted the safety goals and QHOs, how risk from multiple reactors at a site should be combined for evaluation, how the combination of a new and old reactor at the same site should be evaluated, what the criteria for evaluating new reactors should be, and whether new reactors should be required to be safer than current generation reactors. As part of the development and application of the NRC safety goal policy statement the Commissioners laid out the expectations for the safety of a nuclear power plant but did not address the risk associated with current multi-unit sites, potential modular reactor sites, and hybrid sites that could contain current generation reactors, new passive reactors, and/or modular reactors. The NRC safety goals and the QHOs refer to a "nuclear power plant," but do not discuss whether a "plant" refers to only a single unit or all of the units on a site. There has been much discussion on this issue recently due to the development of modular reactors. Additionally, the risk of multiple reactor accidents on the same site has been largely ignored in the probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) done to date, and in most risk

Introducing random safety audits (RSA) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Szymanska, M

2012-01-31

Random safety audits (RSA) have been shown to be effective in improving standards of clinical practice. 19 data collection audits were performed relating to hygiene, safe prescribing, oxygen pulse oximetry monitoring and documentation in keeping with the requirements of the new Medical Practitioners Act (MPA) 2007. Hygiene audits (range from 20\\/25 to 21\\/21 80%-100%) and safe prescribing audits (range from 23\\/25 to 25\\/25 86%-100%) achieved n=25 100% compliance with unit guidelines over a 3 month period. Compliance with oxygen pulse oximetry monitoring guideline limits improved from 4\\/27 (15%) to 9\\/16 (56%). Compliance with requirement and use of Physician IMC registration number in documentation was only 10\\/18 (56%). RSA\\'s led to improvements in hygiene and prescribing. Compliance with oxygen monitoring guideline limits highlighted the need for greater education. Awareness of legal requirements relating to documentation improved but this has not translated into a change in practice. RSA\\'s can facilitate real time quality improvement in daily clinical practice.

Employee Engagement and a Culture of Safety in the Intensive Care Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, Susan L; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J; Siedlecki, Sandra L; Dolansky, Mary A

2016-01-01

A descriptive, retrospective design was used to explore the relationship between employee engagement and culture of safety in ICUs within a large Midwestern healthcare system. Results demonstrated a strong positive relationship between total engagement score and total patient safety score (r = 0.645, P engagement score and the 12 safety culture dimensions. These findings have implications for improving managerial strategies relative to employee engagement that may ultimately impact perceptions of a safety culture.

Safety Bulletin 2013-3

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2013-01-01

The HSE Unit just released the Safety Bulletin 2013-3 entitled “Drive with caution!”.   The Bulletin is available on EDMS under the following number: 1325442. Be reminded  that HSE Safety Bulletins are published in English and French and share feedbacks of incidents/nearmiss/accidents that happened on the CERN site with the aim to improve prevention.

Safety Bulletin 2013-1

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2013-01-01

The HSE Unit has just released the Safety Bulletin 2013-1 entitled “When the alarm rings, you must leave!”.   The Bulletin is available on EDMS under the following number: 1307611. Be reminded  that HSE Safety Bulletins are published in English and French and share feedback on incidents/nearmiss/accidents on the CERN site with the aim of improving prevention.

Manufacture of Platform Prototype for Digital Safety System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S. Y.; Kim, J. S.; Kim, J. M.

2010-01-01

Unit controller is a basic unit of digital safety system platform prototype. The typical unit controller is comprised of CPB(CPU board), CMB(communication board), AIB(Analog input board), AOB(Analog output board), CIB(contact input board), COB(contact output board), and a subrack. It is developed according to H/W development procedure and S/W development life cycle. A digital safety system(for example, plant protection system) is the assemblies of unit controllers. CPB performs the function of each system. DSP(digital signal processor) is built in CPB. CMB is responsible for communication between unit controllers. NSD(Network Switching Device) exchanges data between the unit controllers. Each unit controller of the platform are connected to NSD through CMB. Reliability analyses on unit controller and NSD are performed. These reliability data are used as input of technical validation

Implications of the accident at Chernobyl for safety regulation of commercial nuclear power plants in the United States: Volume 1, Main report: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-04-01

This report was prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to assess the implications of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as they relate to reactor safety regulation for commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. The facts used in this assessment have been drawn from the US fact-finding report (NUREG-1250) and its sources. The general conclusions of the document are that there are generic lessons to be learned but that no changes in regulations are needed due to the substantial differences in the design, safety features and operation of US plants as compared to those in the USSR. Given these general conclusions, further consideration of certain specific areas is recommended by the report. These include: administrative controls over reactor regulation, reactivity accidents, accidents at low or zero power, multi-unit protection, fires, containment, emergency planning, severe accident phenomena, and graphite-moderated reactors

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

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

In April 1986 the staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986, the second supplement in January 1987, the third supplement in May 1987, the fourth supplement in July 1987 and the fifth supplement in March 1988. This sixth supplement provides updated information on the issues that had been considered previously as well as the evaluation of issues that have arisen since the fifth supplement was issued. The evaluation resolves all the issues necessary to support the issuance of a low-power license for Unit 2

Usage, biological activity, and safety of selected botanical dietary supplements consumed in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Annécie Benatrehina

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In view of the continuous growth of the botanical dietary supplement industry and the increased popularity of lesser known or exotic botanicals, recent findings are described on the phytochemical composition and biological activities of five selected fruits consumed in the United States, namely, açaí, noni, mangosteen, black chokeberry, and maqui berry. A review of the ethnomedicinal uses of these plants has revealed some similarities ranging from wound-healing to the treatment of fever and infectious diseases. Laboratory studies on açaí have shown both its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, and more importantly, its neuroprotective properties in animals. Anthraquinones and iridoid glucosides isolated from noni fruit induce the phase II enzyme quinone reductase (QR, and noni fruit juice exhibited antitumor and antidiabetic activities in certain animal models. Antitumorigenic effects of mangosteen in animal xenograft models of human cancers have been attributed to its xanthone content, and pure α-mangostin was shown to display antineoplastic activity in mice despite a reported low oral bioavailability. Work on the less extensively investigated black chokeberry and maqui berry has focused on recent isolation studies and has resulted in the identification of bioactive secondary metabolites with QR-inducing and hydroxyl-radical scavenging properties. On the basis of the safety studies and toxicity case reports described herein, these fruits may be generally considered as safe. However, cases of adulteration found in a commercialized açaí product and some conflicting results from mangosteen safety studies warrant further investigation on the safety of these marketed botanical dietary supplements. Keywords: Açaí, Noni, Mangosteen, Black chokeberry, Maqui berry

Dental radiographic units - radiation safety and patient doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagpal, J.S.; Varadharajan, Geetha

2001-01-01

Three models of dental radiographic machines have been examined for radiation safety. Using TL dosemeters, doses received by the patients at chest level and the gonads have been estimated. Care should be taken to shield gonads during dental radiographic examinations. (author)

Development and verification of a leningrad NPP unit 1 living PSA model in the INL SAPHIRE code format for prompt operational safety level monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bronislav, Vinnikov

2007-01-01

The first part of the paper presents results of the work, that was carried out in complete conformity with the Technical Assignment, which was developed by the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. The initial scientific and technical information, contained into the In-Depth Safety Assessment Reports, was given to the author of the work. This information included graphical Fault Trees of Safety Systems and Auxiliary Technical Systems, Event Trees for the necessary number of Initial Events, and also information about failure probabilities of basic components of the nuclear unit. On the basis of this information and fueling it to the Usa Idaho National Laboratory (INL) SAPHIRE code, we have developed an electronic version of the Data Base for failure probabilities of the components of technical systems. Then, we have developed both the electronic versions of the necessary Fault Trees, and an electronic versions of the necessary Event Trees. And at last, we have carried out the linkage of the Event Trees. This work has resulted in the Living PSA (LPSA - Living Probabilistic Safety Assessment) Model of the Leningrad NPP Unit 1. The LPSA-model is completely adapted to be consistent with the USA INL SAPHIRE Risk Monitor. The second part of the paper results in analysis of fire consequences in various places of Leningrad NPP Unit 1. The computations were carried out with the help of the LPSA-model, developed in SAPHIRE code format. On the basis of the computations the order of priority of implementation of fire prevention measures was established. (author)

KIT safety management. Annual report 2013; KIT-Sicherheitsmanagement. Jahresbericht 2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, Gerhard (ed.)

2014-07-01

The KIT Safety Management Service Unit (KSM) guarantees radiological and conventional technical safety and security of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and controls the implementation and observation of legal environmental protection requirements. KSM is responsible for licensing procedures, industrial safety organization, control of environmental protection measures, planning and implementation of emergency preparedness and response, operation of radiological laboratories and measurement stations, extensive radiation protection support and the execution of security tasks in and for all organizational units of KIT. Moreover, KSM is in charge of wastewater and environmental monitoring for all facilities and nuclear installations all over the KIT campus. KSM is headed by the Safety Commissioner of KIT, who is appointed by the Presidential Committee. Within his scope of procedure for KIT, the Safety Commissioner controls the implementation of and compliance with safety-relevant requirements. The KIT Safety Management is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001, its laboratories are accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. To the extent possible, KSM is committed to maintaining competence in radiation protection and to supporting research and teaching activities. The present reports lists the individual tasks of the KIT Safety Management and informs about the results achieved in 2013. Status figures in principle reflect the status at the end of the year 2013. The processes described cover the areas of competence of KSM. Due to changes in the organization of the infrastructural service units in KIT, KSM has been cancelled at the end of 2013. Its tasks will mainly be covered in 2014 by the new founded service unit Safety and Environmental (Sicherheit und Umwelt, SUM). The departments Campus Security, Fire Brigade and Information Technology have been transferred to the Service Unit General Services (Allgemeine Services, ASERV).

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

Supplement No. 8 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Tennessee Valley Authority for license to operate Watts Bar Nuclear plant, Units 1 and 2, Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391, located in Rhea County, Tennessee, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this supplement is to update the Safety Evaluation of (1) additional information submitted by the applicant since Supplement No. 7 was issued, and (2) matters that the staff had under review when Supplement No. 7 was issued

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-400). Supplement No. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-10-01

This report, Supplement No. 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Carolina Power and Light Company and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (the applicants) for a license to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-400), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplement Nos. 1, 2, and 3

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-400). Supplement No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

This report, Supplement No. 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Carolina Power and Light Company and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (the applicants) for a license to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-400), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplement No. 1

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-400). Supplement No. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

This report, Supplement No. 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Carolina Power and Light Company and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (the applicants) for a license to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-400), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report and Supplement Nos. 1 and 2

EDF's nuclear safety approach for pressurized water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanguy, P.; Kus, J.P.

1987-01-01

The realization of the important French program fifty-four units equipped with pressurized water reactors in service, or under construction-had led to the progressive implementation of an original approach in the field of nuclear safety. From an initial core consisting of the deterministic approach to safety devised on the other side of the Atlantic, which has been entirely preserved and often specified, further extras have been added which overall increase the level of safety of the installations, without any particular complications. This paper aims at presenting succinctly the outcome of the deliberation, which constitutes now the approach adopted by Electricite de France for the safety of nuclear units equipped with pressurized water reactors. This approach is explained in more detail in EDF's 'with book' on nuclear safety. (author)

EDF'S nuclear safety approach for pressurized water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanguy, P.; Kus, J.P.

1988-01-01

The realization of the important French program fifty-four units equipped with pressurized water reactors in service, or under construction - had led to the progressive implementation of an original approach in the field of nuclear safety. From an initial core consisting of the deterministic approach to safety devised on the other side of the Atlantic, which has been entirely preserved and often specified, further extras have been added which overall increase the level of safety of the installations, without any particular complications. This paper aims at presenting succinctly the outcome of the deliberation, which constitutes now the approach adopted by Electricite de France for the safety of nuclear units equipped with pressurized water reactors. This approach is explained in more detail in EDF's white book on nuclear safety

Assessment of the potential for long-term toxicological effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on birds and mammals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartung, R.

1995-01-01

This paper assesses the potential for direct long-term toxicological effects of exposures to oils in birds and mammals by tracing exposures and effects form the initial cute phases through the sub-chronic to the eventual long-term exposures. The immediate effects of oil spills are physical, the oil acting on the plumage of birds or the fur of mammals. This causes a loss of entrained air and a concomitant reduction in buoyancy and thermal insulation. Animals that escape the immediate impacts may be isolated from their food supply and often ingest large amounts of oil while attempting to clean themselves. At the comparatively high dose levels involved, these exposures can result in toxicologically significant responses in many organ systems. In the course of an oil pollution incident, the amounts of biologically available oils decrease steadily, and simultaneously the composition of the oils shifts towards those components that have low volatility, and that resist photo- and bio-degradation. As this occurs, the primary pathways of exposure change from direct intakes to indirect routes involving the food supply. Although laboratory studies often report finding some adverse effects, the dose rates employed in many of these studies are extremely high when compared with those that are potentially available to animals in the wild, and very few actually use weathered oils. An assessment of the toxicological literature and of the available empirical data on the Exxon Valdez oil spill leads to the conclusion that long-term sub-lethal toxic effects of crude oils on wildlife in such marine spills appear to be very unlikely. 111 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-461)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

Supplement No. 8 to the Safety Evaluation Report on the application filed by Illinois Power Company, Soyland Power Cooperative, Inc., and Western Illinois Power Cooperative, Inc., as applicants and owners, for a license to operate the Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located in Harp Township, DeWitt County, Illinois. This supplement reports the status of items that have been resolved by the staff since Supplement No. 7 was issued

Nuclear safety research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The topics 'Large-sized PWR-NPP Safety Techniques Research',and 'The Key Techniques Research on the Safety Supervision and Control for Operation of Nuclear Installations' have been adopted as an apart of 'the National 9th five Year Programs for Tacking the Key Scientific and Technical Topics' which are organized by the State Planning Commission (SPC) and State Science and Technology Commission (SSTC) respectively, and have obtained a financial support from them. To play a better role with the limited fund, the NNSA laid special stress on selecting key sub-topics on nuclear safety, and carefully choosing units which would undertake sub-topics and signing technical contracts with them

Safety Bulletin 2014-2

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2014-01-01

The HSE Unit would like to inform you that the Safety Bulletin 2014-2 entitled “False floors: real dangers” has just been released.     The Bulletin is available on EDMS under the following number: 1366385. We would like to remind you that HSE Safety Bulletins are published in English and French and incorporate feedback from incidents/near misses/accidents that have occurred on the CERN site, with the aim of improving prevention. We remain at your disposal in case you have further questions: safety.bulletin@cern.ch.

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-12-01

Supplement 20 to the Safety Evaluation Report for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's application for licenses to operate Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 and Unit 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports on the verification effort for Diablo Canyon Unit 1 that was performed between November 1981 and the present in response to Commission Order CLI-81-30 and an NRC letter of November 19, 1981 to the licensee. Specifically, Supplement 20 addresses those issues and other matters identified in Supplements 18 and 19 that must be resolved prior to Unit 1 achieving criticality and operating at power levels up to 5% of rated full power. This SER Supplement applies only to Diablo Canyon Unit 1

Guidelines for safely changing to S.I. radiological units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canada is adopting the International System of Units (SI) in all sectors of the economy. The basic radiological units formerly in use, the curie, rad, rem, and roentgen are being replaced by the becquerel, gray, sievert, and coulomb per kilogram. During the transition period for conversion to SI units some problems may arise concerning received or administered radiation doses. These guidelines exaiine the occupational safety ramifications of of the change to SI by identifying the major safety concerns and providing guidelines for applying a model method within individual organizations for analyzing safety implicatikns during the changeover period

Safety Bulletin 2013-4

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2013-01-01

The HSE Unit has just released the Safety Bulletin 2013-4 entitled “Electrical work: protect yourself!”.   The Bulletin is available on EDMS under the following number: 1336918. We would like to remind you that HSE Safety Bulletins are published in English and French and share feedback from incidents/near misses/accidents that have occurred on the CERN site with the aim of improving prevention.

Safety Bulletin 2013-2

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2013-01-01

The HSE Unit just released the Safety Bulletin 2013-2 entitled “Protect your head!”.   The Bulletin is available on EDMS under the following number: 1323573. We would like to remind you that HSE Safety Bulletins are published in English and French and share feedback from incidents/near misses/accidents that have occurred on the CERN site with the aim of improving prevention.

AERB information booklet: personal protective equipment- safety footwear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The main classes of safety footwear required for industrial operations in the units of Department of Atomic Energy are the following; leather safety boots and shoes, firemen's leather boots - Wellington type, electrical safety shoes, chemical safety shoes, shoes suitable for mining operations. The criteria to be adopted for selection of safety shoes for nuclear installations are given. (M.K.V.). 5 annexures, 1 appendix

Nuclear safety approach for PWRs design and operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vignon, D.

1988-01-01

The implementation of France's major nuclear programme - 56 PWR units in service or under construction - has gone hand in hand with the development of an original philosophy in the field of nuclear safety. From an initial core of deterministic safety philosophy current in the seventies, which has been wholly retained and in some instances refined, a range of additions has been made to include consideration of a number of additional situations based on a probabilistic approach. This has resulted in a better coherence for safety and a mitigation of the severe accident probability. Furthermore, the establishment of emergency plans has enabled the Safety Authorities and the operator to adopt a coherent and logical approach to severe accidents with the aim of achieving greater defence in depth, this has resulted in the provision of certain additional measures designed to further reduce the consequences of severe accidents. This paper describes the culmination of this work, as exemplified in the new 1 400MWe - N4 advanced plant series currently under construction, of which the essential elements are also incorporated into all previous units, thereby giving them an equivalent level of safety. This now constitutes the French safety policy with respect to PWR nuclear units

Comparison of pigeon guillemot, Cepphus columba, blood parameters from oiled and unoiled areas of Alaska eight years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Seiser, P.E.; Duffy, L.K.; McGuire, David A.; Roby, D.D.; Golet, Gregory H.; Litzow, Michael A.

2000-01-01

In 1997, we compared the haematological and plasma biochemical profiles among populations of pigeon guillemots, Cepphus columba, in areas oiled and not oiled by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) that occurred in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska. Pigeon guillemot populations in PWS were injured by EVOS and have not returned to pre-spill levels. If oil contamination is limiting recovery of pigeon guillemots in PWS, then we expected that blood parameters of pigeon guillemots would differ between oiled and unoiled areas and that these differences would be consistent with either toxic responses or lower fitness. We collected blood samples from chicks at approximately 20 and 30 days after hatching. Physiological changes associated with chick growth were noted in several blood parameters. We found that only calcium and mean cell volume were significantly different between the chicks in oiled and unoiled areas. Despite these differences, blood biomarkers provided little evidence of continuing oil injury to pigeon guillemot chicks, eight years after the EVOS. Preliminary data from adults indicated elevated aspartate aminotransferase activity in the adults from the oiled area, which is consistent with hepatocellular injury. Because adults have greater opportunities for exposure to residual oil than nestlings, we recommend studies that fully evaluate the health of adults residing in oiled areas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455). Supplement No. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-11-01

Supplement No. 7 to the Safety Evaluation Report related to Commonwealth Edison Company's application for licenses to operate the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rockvale Township, Ogle County, Illinois, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement provides additional information supporting the license for initial criticality and power ascension to full-power operation for Unit 2

Assessing flight safety differences between the United States regional and major airlines

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Broderick H.

During 2008, the U.S. domestic airline departures exceeded 28,000 flights per day. Thirty-nine or less than 0.2 of 1% of these flights resulted in operational incidents or accidents. However, even a low percentage of airline accidents and incidents continue to cause human suffering and property loss. The charge of this study was the comparison of U.S. major and regional airline safety histories. The study spans safety events from January 1982 through December 2008. In this quantitative analysis, domestic major and regional airlines were statistically tested for their flight safety differences. Four major airlines and thirty-seven regional airlines qualified for the safety study which compared the airline groups' fatal accidents, incidents, non-fatal accidents, pilot errors, and the remaining six safety event probable cause types. The six other probable cause types are mechanical failure, weather, air traffic control, maintenance, other, and unknown causes. The National Transportation Safety Board investigated each airline safety event, and assigned a probable cause to each event. A sample of 500 events was randomly selected from the 1,391 airlines' accident and incident population. The airline groups' safety event probabilities were estimated using the least squares linear regression. A probability significance level of 5% was chosen to conclude the appropriate research question hypothesis. The airline fatal accidents and incidents probability levels were 1.2% and 0.05% respectively. These two research questions did not reach the 5% significance level threshold. Therefore, the airline groups' fatal accidents and non-destructive incidents probabilities favored the airline groups' safety differences hypothesis. The linear progression estimates for the remaining three research questions were 71.5% for non-fatal accidents, 21.8% for the pilot errors, and 7.4% significance level for the six probable causes. These research questions' linear regressions are greater than

Lean Six-Sigma in Aviation Safety: An implementation guide for measuring aviation system’s safety performance

OpenAIRE

Panagopoulos, I.; Atkin, C.J.; Sikora, I.

2016-01-01

The paper introduces a conceptual framework that could improve the safety performance measurement process and ultimately the aviation system safety performance. The framework provides an implementation guide on how organisations could design and develop a proactive, measurement tool for assessing and measuring the Acceptable Level of Safety Performance (ALoSP) at sigma (σ) level, a statistical measurement unit. In fact, the methodology adapts and combines quality management tools, a leading i...

Pollution prevention, preparedness, and response coordination efforts between the US Coast Guard and Coastal, Great Lakes, and Inland River states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donohoe, M.J.; Russell, B.A.; Clark, P.

1993-01-01

Following the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) and increased public demands for action in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, many states are now aggressively redefining and expanding their marine safety and marine environmental protection programs. The US Coast Guard is developing a program to coordinate these efforts with the aim toward minimizing duplicative requirements, leveraging resources, and eliminating barriers to marine transportation due to widely differing federal and state regulations

Duty of Notification and Aviation Safety-A Study of Fatal Aviation Accidents in the United States in 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuorio, Alpo; Budowle, Bruce; Sajantila, Antti; Laukkala, Tanja; Junttila, Ilkka; Kravik, Stein E; Griffiths, Robin

2018-06-13

After the Germanwings accident, the French Safety Investigation Authority (BEA) recommended that the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Community (EC) develop clear rules for the duty of notification process. Aeromedical practitioners (AMEs) face a dilemma when considering the duty of notification and conflicts between pilot privacy and public and third-party safety. When balancing accountability, knowledge of the duty of notification process, legislation and the clarification of a doctor’s own set of values should be assessed a priori. Relatively little is known of the magnitude of this problem in aviation safety. To address this, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database was searched to identify fatal accidents during 2015 in the United States in which a deceased pilot used a prescribed medication or had a disease that potentially reduced pilot performance and was not reported to the AME. Altogether, 202 finalized accident reports with toxicology were available from (the year) 2015. In 5% (10/202) of these reports, the pilot had either a medication or a disease not reported to an AME which according to the accident investigation was causal to the fatal accident. In addition, the various approaches to duty of notification in aviation in New Zealand, Finland and Norway are discussed. The process of notification of authorities without a pilot’s express permission needs to be carried out by using a guidance protocol that works within legislation and professional responsibilities to address the pilot and the public, as well as the healthcare provider. Professional guidance defining this duty of notification is urgently needed.

The impact of nurse working hours on patient safety culture: a cross-national survey including Japan, the United States and Chinese Taiwan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yinghui; Fujita, Shigeru; Seto, Kanako; Ito, Shinya; Matsumoto, Kunichika; Huang, Chiu-Chin; Hasegawa, Tomonori

2013-10-07

A positive patient safety culture (PSC) is one of the most critical components to improve healthcare quality and safety. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS), developed by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, has been used to assess PSC in 31 countries. However, little is known about the impact of nurse working hours on PSC. We hypothesized that long nurse working hours would deteriorate PSC, and that the deterioration patterns would vary between countries. Moreover, the common trends observed in Japan, the US and Chinese Taiwan may be useful to improve PSC in other countries. The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of long nurse working hours on PSC in Japan, the US, and Chinese Taiwan using HSOPS. The HSOPS questionnaire measures 12 sub-dimensions of PSC, with higher scores indicating a more positive PSC. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a generalized linear mixed model to evaluate the impact of working hours on PSC outcome measures (patient safety grade and number of events reported). Tukey's test and Cohen's d values were used to verify the relationships between nurse working hours and the 12 sub-dimensions of PSC. Nurses working ≥60 h/week in Japan and the US had a significantly lower OR for patient safety grade than those working working ≥40 h/week had a significantly higher OR for the number of events reported. The mean score on 'staffing' was significantly lower in the ≥60-h group than in the Japan and Chinese Taiwan. Patient safety grade deteriorated and the number of events reported increased with long working hours. Among the 12 sub-dimensions of PSC, long working hours had an impact on 'staffing' and 'teamwork within units' in Japan, the US and Chinese Taiwan.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-443 and 50-444)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

This report is Supplement No. 8 to the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) (NUREG-0896, March 1983) for the application filed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire, et al., for licenses to operate Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. STN 50-443 and STN 50-444). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and provides recent information on open items identified in the SER. The facility is located in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public. 2 figs., 1 tab

KIT safety management. Annual report 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, Gerhard

2013-01-01

The KIT Safety Management Service Unit (KSM) guarantees radiological and conventional technical safety and security of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and controls the implementation and observation of legal environmental protection requirements. KSM is responsible for - licensing procedures, - industrial safety organization, - control of environmental protection measures, - planning and implementation of emergency preparedness and response, - operation of radiological laboratories and measurement stations, - extensive radiation protection support and the - the execution of security tasks in and for all organizational units of KIT. Moreover, KSM is in charge of wastewater and environmental monitoring for all facilities and nuclear installations all over the KIT campus. KSM is headed by the Safety Commissioner of KIT, who is appointed by the Presidential Committee. Within his scope of procedure for KIT, the Safety Commissioner controls the implementation of and compliance with safety-relevant requirements. The KIT Safety Management is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001, its industrial safety management is certified by the VBG as ''AMS-Arbeitsschutz mit System'' and, hence, fulfills the requirements of NLF / ISO-OSH 2001. KSM laboratories are accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. To the extent possible, KSM is committed to maintaining competence in radiation protection and to supporting research and teaching activities. The present reports lists the individual tasks of the KIT Safety Management and informs about the results achieved in 2012. Status figures in principle reflect the status at the end of the year 2012. The processes described cover the areas of competence of KSM.

Nuclear safety. Improvement programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

In this brochure the improvement programme of nuclear safety of the Mochovce NPP is presented in detail. In 1996, a 'Mochovce NPP Nuclear Safety Improvement Programme' was developed in the frame of unit 1 and 2 completion project. The programme has been compiled as a continuous one, with the aim to reach the highest possible safety level at the time of commissioning and to establish good preconditions for permanent safety improvement in future. Such an approach is in compliance with the world's trends of safety improvement, life-time extension, modernisation and nuclear station power increase. The basic document for development of the 'Programme' is the one titled 'Safety Issues and their Ranking for WWER 440/213 NPP' developed by a group of IAEA experts. The following organisations were selected for solution of the safety measures: EUCOM (Consortium of FRAMATOME, France, and SIEMENS, Germany); SKODA Prague, a.s.; ENERGOPROJEKT Prague, a.s. (EGP); Russian organisations associated in ATOMENERGOEXPORT; VUJE Trnava, a.s

Advancing Measurement of Patient Safety Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsburg, Liane; Gilin, Debra; Tregunno, Deborah; Norton, Peter G; Flemons, Ward; Fleming, Mark

2009-01-01

Objective To examine the psychometric and unit of analysis/strength of culture issues in patient safety culture (PSC) measurement. Data Source Two cross-sectional surveys of health care staff in 10 Canadian health care organizations totaling 11,586 respondents. Study Design A cross-validation study of a measure of PSC using survey data gathered using the Modified Stanford PSC survey (MSI-2005 and MSI-2006); a within-group agreement analysis of MSI-2006 data. Extraction Methods Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) of the MSI-05 survey data and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the MSI-06 survey data; Rwg coefficients of homogeneity were calculated for 37 units and six organizations in the MSI-06 data set to examine within-group agreement. Principal Findings The CFA did not yield acceptable levels of fit. EFA and reliability analysis of MSI-06 data suggest two reliable dimensions of PSC: Organization leadership for safety (α=0.88) and Unit leadership for safety (α=0.81). Within-group agreement analysis shows stronger within-unit agreement than within-organization agreement on assessed PSC dimensions. Conclusions The field of PSC measurement has not been able to meet strict requirements for sound measurement using conventional approaches of CFA. Additional work is needed to identify and soundly measure key dimensions of PSC. The field would also benefit from further attention to strength of culture/unit of analysis issues. PMID:18823446

Demonstrating a correlation between the maturity of road safety practices and road safety incidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Amador, Luis; Willis, Christopher Joseph

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to demonstrate a correlation between the maturity of a country's road safety practices and road safety incidents. Firstly, data on a number of road injuries and fatalities for 129 countries were extracted from the United Nations Global Status on Road Safety database. These data were subdivided according to road safety incident and accident causation factors and normalized based on vehicular fleet (per 1000 vehicles) and road network (per meter of paved road). Secondly, a road safety maturity model was developed based on an adaptation of the concept of process maturity modeling. The maturity of countries with respect to 10 road safety practices was determined through the identification of indicators recorded in the United Nations Global Status of Road Safety Database. Plots of normalized road safety performance of the 129 countries against their maturity scores for each road safety practice as well as an aggregation of the road safety practices were developed. An analysis of variance was done to determine the extent of the correlation between the road safety maturity of the countries and their performance. In addition, a full Bayesian analysis was done to confirm the correlation of each of the road safety practices with injuries and fatalities. Regression analysis for fatalities, injuries, and combined accidents identified maturity with respect to road safety practices associated with speed limits and use of alternative modes as being the most significant predictors of traffic fatalities. A full Bayesian regression confirms that there is a correlation between the maturity of road safety practices and road safety incidents. Road safety practices associated with enforcement of speed limits and promotion of alternative modes are the most significant road safety practices toward which mature countries have concentrated their efforts, resulting in a lower frequency of fatalities, injury rates, and property damage accidents. The authors

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, Docket nos. 50-352 and 50-353

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-08-01

In August 1983 the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0991) regarding the application of the Philadelphia Electric Company (the licensee) for the licenses to operate the Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located on a site in Montgomery and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania. Supplement 1 was issued in December 1983. Supplement 2 was issued in October 1984. Supplement 3 was issued in October 1984. Supplement 4 was issued in May 1985. Supplement 5 was issued in July 1985. Supplement 6 was issued in August 1985 and Supplement 7 was issued in April 1989. Supplement 7 addresses the major design differences between Units 1 and 2, the resolution of all issues that remained open when the Unit 1 full-power license was issued, the staff's assessment regarding the application by the licensee to operate Unit 2 and issues that require resolution before issuance of an operating license for Unit 2. Supplements 8 and 9 address further issues that require resolution prior to issuance of an operating license. 1 tab

Measuring safety culture: Application of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture to radiation therapy departments worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Sarah; O'Donovan, Anita

Minimizing errors and improving patient safety has gained prominence worldwide in high-risk disciplines such as radiation therapy. Patient safety culture has been identified as an important factor in reducing the incidence of adverse events and improving patient safety in the health care setting. The aim of distributing the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) to radiation therapy departments worldwide was to assess the current status of safety culture, identify areas for improvement and areas that excel, examine factors that influence safety culture, and raise staff awareness. The safety culture in radiation therapy departments worldwide was evaluated by distributing the HSPSC. A total of 266 participants were recruited from radiation therapy departments and included radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, physicists, and dosimetrists. The positive percent scores for the 12 dimensions of the HSPSC varied from 50% to 79%. The highest composite score among the 12 dimensions was teamwork within units; the lowest composite score was handoffs and transitions. The results indicated that health care professionals in radiation therapy departments felt positively toward patient safety. The HSPSC was successfully applied to radiation therapy departments and provided valuable insight into areas of potential improvement such as teamwork across units, staffing, and handoffs and transitions. Managers and policy makers in radiation therapy may use this assessment tool for focused improvement efforts toward patient safety culture. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Establishment and cultivation of the radiation safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhigang; Fan Yumao

2010-01-01

Safety culture is the cure of the corporate culture for nuclear technology application unit's. This article introduces the definition, connotation and levels of safety culture, and discusses the requirements of safety culture for organization and individuals in the area of technology application. Finally, key practical issues for the cultivation of safety culture are explained and some ideas about the construction of safety culture are proposed. (authors)

Computer codes for safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, D.F.

1986-11-01

Computer codes for fusion safety analysis have been under development in the United States for about a decade. This paper will discuss five codes that are currently under development by the Fusion Safety Program. The purpose and capability of each code will be presented, a sample given, followed by a discussion of the present status and future development plans

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket No. 50-423). Supplement No. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-11-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1031) issued in July 1984, Supplement 1 issued in March 1985, and Supplement 2 issued in September 1985 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the application filed by Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 3 (Docket 50-423). The facility is located in the Town of Waterford, New London County, Connecticut, on the north shore of Long Island Sound. This supplement provides more recent information regarding resolution or updating of some of the open and confirmatory items and license conditions identified in the Safety Evaluation Report

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

In April 1986 staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0781) regarding the application of Houston Lighting and Power Company (applicant and agent for the owners) for a license to operate South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499). The facility is located in Matagorda County, Texas, west of the Colorado River, 8 miles north-northwest of the town of Matagorda and about 89 miles southwest of Houston. The first supplement to NUREG-0781 was issued in September 1986. This second supplement reports on the status of unresolved items in the Safety Evaluation Report and identifies certain additional items that have since been reviewed by the staff

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-06-01

In August 1983 the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0991) regarding the application of the Philadelphia Electric Company (the licensee) for licenses to operate the Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located on site in Montgomery and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania. Supplement 1 to NUREG-0991 was issued in December 1983. Supplements 2 and 3 were issued in October 1984. License NPF-27 for the low-power operation of Limerick Unit 1 was issued on October 26, 1984. Supplement 4 was issued in May, 1985, Supplement 5 was issued in July 1985, and Supplement 6 was issued in August 1985. These supplements addressed further issues that required resolution before Unit 1 proceeded beyond the 5-percent power level. The full-power operating license for Limerick Unit 1 (NPF-39) was issued August 8, 1985, and the unit has completed two cycles of operation. Supplement 7 was issued April 1989 to address some of the few significant design differences between Units 1 and 2, the resolution of issues that remained open when the Unit 1 full-power license was issued and an assessment of some of the issues that required resolution before issuance of an operating license for Unit 2. This supplement addresses the remaining issues that required resolution before issuance of and operating license for Unit 2

Design safety improvements of Kozloduy NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinovski, I.

1999-01-01

Design safety improvements of Kozloduy NPP, discussed in detail, are concerned with: primary circuit integrity; reactor pressure vessel integrity; primary coolant piping integrity; primary coolant overpressure protection; leak before break status; design basis accidents and transients; severe accident analysis; improvements of safety and support systems; containment/confinement leak tightness and strength; seismic safety improvements; WWER-1000 control rod insertion; upgrading and modernization of Units 5 and 6; Year 2000 problem

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

In June 1985, the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1137) regarding the application of Georgia Power Company, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, and the City of Dalton, Georgia, for licenses to operate the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425). This sixth supplement of NUREG-1137 provides recent information regarding resolution of some of the open and confirmatory items that remained unresolved at the time the Safety Evaluation Report was issued. These areas are performance testing, reactor cooling hydraulics, loose parts monitoring, and electric power systems

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). Supplement No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) for the application filed by the Kansas Gas and Electric Company, as applicant and agent for the owners, for a license to operate the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. STN 50-482). The facility is located in Coffey County, Kansas. This supplement provides recent information regarding resolution of the license conditions identified in the SER. Because of the favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the licensee at power levels greater than 5% without endangering the health and safety of the public

Trauma-informed care in the newborn intensive care unit: promoting safety, security and connectedness.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, M R; Hall, S L

2018-01-01

Both babies and their parents may experience a stay in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) as a traumatic or a 'toxic stress,' which can lead to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and ultimately to poorly controlled cortisol secretion. Toxic stresses in childhood or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to poor health outcomes across the lifespan and trauma-informed care is an approach to caregiving based on the recognition of this relationship. Practitioners of trauma-informed care seek to understand clients' or patients' behaviors in light of previous traumas they have experienced, including ACEs. Practitioners also provide supportive care that enhances the client's or patient's feelings of safety and security, to prevent their re-traumatization in a current situation that may potentially overwhelm their coping skills. This review will apply the principles of trauma-informed care, within the framework of the Polyvagal Theory as described by Porges, to care for the NICU baby, the baby's family and their professional caregivers, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness among all. The Polyvagal Theory explains how one's unconscious awareness of safety, danger or life threat (neuroception) is linked through the autonomic nervous system to their behavioral responses. A phylogenetic hierarchy of behaviors evolved over time, leveraging the mammalian ventral or 'smart' vagal nucleus into a repertoire of responses promoting mother-baby co-regulation and the sense of safety and security that supports health and well-being for both members of the dyad. Fostering social connectedness that is mutual and reciprocal among parents, their baby and the NICU staff creates a critical buffer to mitigate stress and improve outcomes of both baby and parents. Using techniques of trauma-informed care, as explained by the Polyvagal Theory, with both babies and their parents in the NICU setting will help to cement a secure relationship

Nuclear power safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-11-01

This paper reports that since the Chernobyl nuclear plant accident in 1986, over 70 of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 112 member states have adopted two conventions to enhance international cooperation by providing timely notification of an accident and emergency assistance. The Agency and other international organizations also developed programs to improve nuclear power plant safety and minimize dangers from radioactive contamination. Despite meaningful improvements, some of the measures have limitations, and serious nuclear safety problems remain in the design and operation of the older, Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. The Agency's ability to select reactors under its operational safety review program is limited. Also, information on the extent and seriousness of safety-related incidents at reactors in foreign countries is not publicly available. No agreements exist among nuclear power countries to make compliance with an nuclear safety standards or principles mandatory. Currently, adherence to international safety standards or principles is voluntary and nonbinding. Some states support the concept of mandatory compliance, but others, including the United States, believe that mandatory compliance infringes on national sovereignty and that the responsibility for nuclear reactor safety remains with each nation

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Midland Plant, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-329 and 50-330, Consumers Power Company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-05-01

The Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by the Consumers Power Company, as applicant and owner, for a license to operate the Midland Plant Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-329 and 50-330), has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near the city of Midland in Midland County, Michigan. Subject to favorable resolution of the items discussed in this report, the staff concludes that the facility can be operated by the applicant without endangering the health and safety of the public

Safety evaluation report related to the construction of Skagit/Hanford Nuclear Project, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. STN 50-522 and 50-523

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-12-01

Supplement 3 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application filed by Puget Sound Power and Light Company on behalf of itself, the Pacific Power and Light Company, The Washington Water Power Company, and the Portland General Electric Company for construction permits to build the Skagit/Hanford Nuclear Project has been issued by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement is an evaluation of the site relocation amendment to the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report. The proposed site has been relocated from Skagit County, Washington, to the Department of Energy's Hanford Reservation

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

Science.gov (United States)

Harvard Law Review, 1976

1976-01-01

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

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388). Suppl.6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-03-01

In April 1981, the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0776) regarding the application of the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company (the applicant and/or licensee) and the Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (co-applicant) for licenses to operate the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2, located on a site in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. This supplement to NUREG-0776 addresses the remaining issues that required resolution before licensing operation of Unit 2 and closes them out

Safety-Evaluation Report related to the operation of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2. Docket Nos. 50-416 and 50-417

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-05-01

Supplement 4 to the Safety Evaluation Report for Mississippi Power and Light Company, et. al., joint application for licenses to operate the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, located on the east bank of the Mississippi River near Port Gibson in Claiborne County, Mississippi, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status on the resolution of those issues that required further evaluation before authorizing operation of Unit 1 above 5% rated power and other issues that were to be evaluated during the first cycle of power operation

Environmental safety analysis tests on the Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tate, R.E.; Land, C.C.

1985-05-01

A series of safety tests has been performed on the Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU), a 238 PuO 2 -fueled device designed to provide thermal energy at selected locations in a spacecraft. The tests simulate the thermal and mechanical environments postulated for spacecraft accidents on the launch pad and on reentry abort. The tests demonstrate almost complete containment of the fuel, or fuel simulant (depleted UO 2 ), in (1) an overpressure environment of 12.76 MPa (1850 psi), (2) on impact by an 18-g aluminum fuel-tank fragment at velocities greater than 750 m/s (2460 ft/s) but less than 900 m/s (2950 ft/s), (3) during a 10.5-min burn of a 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 m (3 x 3 x 3 ft) block of solid rocket motor propellant, (4) after impact at 49 m/s (161 ft/s) in four different orientations on a hard surface, and (5) during immersion in seawater for 1.75 years at both sea level pressure and at a pressure equivalent to 6000 m (19,700 ft) of ocean depth

The association between patient safety culture and burnout and sense of coherence: A cross-sectional study in restructured and not restructured intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Vifladt, Anne; Simonsen, Bjoerg O; Lydersen, Stian; Farup, Per G

2016-10-01

To study the associations between registered nurses' (RNs) perception of the patient safety culture (safety culture) and burnout and sense of coherence, and to compare the burnout and sense of coherence in restructured and not restructured intensive care units (ICUs). Cross-sectional study. RNs employed at seven ICUs in six hospitals at a Norwegian Hospital Trust. One to four years before the study, three hospitals merged their general and medical ICUs into one general mixed ICU. The safety culture, burnout and sense of coherence were measured with the questionnaires Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, Bergen Burnout Indicator and Sense of Coherence. Participant characteristics and working in restructured and not restructured ICUs were registered. In total, 143/289(49.5%) RNs participated. A positive safety culture was statistically significantly associated with a low score for burnout and a strong sense of coherence. No statistically significant differences were found in burnout and sense of coherence between RNs in the restructured and not restructured ICUs. In this study, a positive safety culture was associated with absence of burnout and high ability to cope with stressful situations. Burnout and sense of coherence were independent of the restructuring process. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

An assessment of oil-spill effects on pink salmon populations following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 2: Adults and escapement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maki, A.W.; Brannon, E.J.; Gilbertson, L.G.; Moulton, L.L.; Skalski, J.R.

1995-01-01

This paper presents results of a field program designed to monitor the status of wildstock pink salmon populations in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Field counts of spawning salmon were conducted each year from 1989 through 1992 to test for spill effects o the distribution nd abundance of pink salmon adults spawning in selected streams in the southwestern portion of Prince William Sound, including streams from the most heavily oiled areas. Counts of whole-stream and intertidal escapement density were statistically compared for 40 study streams in 1989 and for a subset of those streams in successive years. Measurements of residual hydrocarbons were made from stream-bed sediments to test for correlations with spawning behavior. Adult pink salmon in the postspill years of 1990 and 1991, progeny of the year classes considered most vulnerable to the oil spill, returned in high numbers, with the wildstock spawners exceeding their parent year returns. In 1989, adult returns reflected the relatively weak run for that year with a mean spawner density of 0.68 fish/m 2 in reference streams and 0.69 fish/m 2 in oiled streams. In 1990, mean escapement density for reference streams was 1.40 fish/m 2 and 1.55 fish/m 2 for oiled streams, indicating the strongest run of the four study years. Trends in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations for the majority of oiled streams show a general decline from 1989 to background levels by 1990. 45 refs., 14 figs., 5 tabs

Integrated plant safety assessment: Systematic Evaluation Program, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-206): Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

The Systematic Evaluation Program was initiated in February 1977 by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to review the designs of older operating nuclear reactor plants to reconfirm and document their safety. The review provides: (1) an assessment of how these plants compare with current licensing safety requirements relating to selected issues; (2) a basis for deciding on how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review; and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. This report documents the review of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1, operated by Southern California Edison Company. The San Onofre plant is one of ten plants reviewed under Phase II of this program. This report indicates how 137 topics selected for review under Phase I of the program were addressed. Equipment and procedural changes have been identified as a result of the review. This report will be one of the bases in considering the issuance of a full-term operating license in place of the existing provisional operating license. This report also addresses the comments and recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in connection with its review of the draft report issued in April 1985

Health and safety annual report 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

BNFL operates 6 sites in the United Kingdom concerned with the nuclear fuel cycle. The annual report on occupational health and safety gives information on all aspects of health and safety within BNFL with special reference to radiation doses received by the workforce and radiation protection measures taken by the company. BNFL's safety policy is set out. Radiation doses to all workers have remained low. Other industrial accidents are also listed and its safety measures for transport, radioactive effluents and in the event of an incident, are mentioned briefly. (UK)

Leadership style and patient safety: implications for nurse managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrill, Katreena Collette

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nurse manager (NM) leadership style and safety climate. Nursing leaders are needed who will change the environment and increase patient safety. Hospital NMs are positioned to impact day-to-day operations. Therefore, it is essential to inform nurse executives regarding the impact of leadership style on patient safety. A descriptive correlational study was conducted in 41 nursing departments across 9 hospitals. The hospital unit safety climate survey and multifactorial leadership questionnaire were completed by 466 staff nurses. Bivariate and regression analyses were conducted to determine how well leadership style predicted safety climate. Transformational leadership style was demonstrated as a positive contributor to safety climate, whereas laissez-faire leadership style was shown to negatively contribute to unit socialization and a culture of blame. Nursing leaders must concentrate on developing transformational leadership skills while also diminishing negative leadership styles.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322). Supplement No. 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-12-01

Supplement 8 (SSER 8) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322). Supplement No. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

Supplement 7 (SSER 7) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

Safety evaluation report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322). Supplement No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-07-01

Supplement 6 (SSER 6) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-322). Supplement No. 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-12-01

Supplement 9 (SSER 9) to the Safety Evaluation Report on Long Island Lighting Company's application for a license to operate the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Suffolk County, New York, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement addresses several items that have been reviewed by the staff since the previous supplement was issued

[Towards a safety culture in the neonatal unit: Six years experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Esqué Ruiz, M T; Moretones Suñol, M G; Rodríguez Miguélez, J M; Parés Tercero, S; Cortés Albuixech, R; Varón Ramírez, E M; Figueras Aloy, J

2015-10-01

A safety culture is the collective effort of an institution to direct its resources toward the goal of safety. An analysis is performed on the six years of experience of the Committee on the Safety of Neonatal Patient. A mailbox was created for the declaration of adverse events, and measures for their correction were devised, such as case studies, continuous education, prevention of nosocomial infections, as well as information on the work done and its assessment. A total of 1287 reports of adverse events were received during the six years, of which 600 (50.8%) occurred in the neonatal ICU, with 15 (1.2%) contributing to death, and 1282 (99.6%) considered preventable. Simple corrective measures (notification, security alerts, etc.) were applied in 559 (43.4%), intermediate measures (protocols, monthly newsletter, etc.) in 692 (53.8%), and more complex measures (causal analysis, scripts, continuous education seminars, prospective studies, etc.) in 66 (5.1%). As regards nosocomial infections, the prevention strategies implemented (hand washing, insertion and maintenance of catheters) directly affected their improvement. Two surveys were conducted to determine the level of satisfaction with the Committee on the Safety of Neonatal Patient. A rating 7.5/10 was obtained in the local survey, while using the Spanish version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture the rate was 7.26/10. A path to a culture of safety has been successfully started and carried out. Reporting the adverse events is the key to obtaining information on their nature, etiology and evolution, and to undertake possible prevention strategies. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Perspectives on dam safety in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halliday, R.

2004-01-01

Canadian dam safety issues were reviewed from the perspective of a water resources engineer who is not a dam safety practitioner. Several external factors affecting dam safety were identified along with perceived problems in dam safety administration. The author claims that the main weakness in safety practices can be attributed to provincial oversights and lack of federal engagement. Some additions to the Canadian Dam Safety Guidelines were proposed to address these weaknesses. Canada has hundreds of large dams and high hazard dams whose failure would result in severe downstream consequences. The safety of dams built on boundary waters shared with the United States have gained particular attention from the International Joint Commission. This paper also examined safety criteria for concerns such as aging dams, sabotage and global climate change that may compromise the safety of a dam. 26 refs

Safety objectives for 2014

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2014-01-01

This is the third year in which the CERN Management has presented annual safety objectives for the Organization, the “HSE Objectives”.   The HSE objectives for 2014, which were announced by the Director-General at his traditional New Year’s address to the staff and were presented at the first Enlarged Directorate meeting of the year, have been drawn up and agreed in close collaboration between the DSOs, the HSE Unit and the DG himself. From safety in the workplace to radiation and environmental protection, the document emphasises that “Safety is a priority for CERN” and that safety policy is a key element in how the Organization is run. And, like all policies, it generates objectives that “serve as a general framework for action”. The HSE objectives are broken down into the following fields: occupational health and safety on sites and in the workplace, radiation protection, radiation safety, environmental protection, emerge...

30 CFR 250.511 - Traveling-block safety device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Traveling-block safety device. 250.511 Section... Traveling-block safety device. All units being used for well-completion operations that have both a traveling block and a crown block must be equipped with a safety device that is designed to prevent the...

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (Docket No. 50-410). Supplement No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-10-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1047, February 1985) for the application filed by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, as applicant and co-owner, for a license to operate Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-410). It has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility is located near Oswego, New York. Supplement 1 to the Safety Evaluation Report was published in June 1985 and contained the report from the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards as well as the resolution of a number of outstanding issues from the Safety Evaluation Report. Supplement 2 was published in November 1985 and contained the resolution of a number of outstanding and confirmatory issues. Supplement 3 was published in July 1986 and contained the resolution of a number of outstanding and confirmatory items, one new confirmatory item, the evaluation of the Engineering Assurance Program, and the evaluation of a number of exemption requests. Supplement 4 was published in September 1986 and contained the resolution of a number of outstanding and confirmatory issues and the evaluation of a number of exemption requests. This report contains the resolution of a number of issues that have been resolved since Supplement 4 was issued. It also contains the evaluation of a number of requests for exemption from the applicant. This report also supports the issuance of the low-power license for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323). Supplement No. 30

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-04-01

Supplement 30 to the Safety Evaluation Report for the application by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG and E) to operate the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant - Unit 2 (Docket No. 50-323) has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. SSER 30 reports on the staff's technical review and evaluation of the design and analysis of Unit 2 piping systems and pipe supports. The staff effort includes an evaluation of PG and E's treatment of issues raised during the Unit 1 design verification, actions resulting from low power License Condition 2.C.(11) in the Unit 1 low power license DPR-76 and the Unit 2 applicability and resolution of certain allegations related to piping and supports

Special Interests and Transnational Relations in Agricultural Trade: Implications for United States-Mexico Relations,

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

to -- oi )A. ~ o.~ ~.;:ve, i LA ot octn abTe ’,o Jta. -,a. it a n it, ;’u:s *:j :,:~ to ~ a*i t... r;:l ~e4cta 4oaj. acs. - -2- vWe have had ieetings...noviembre de 1977, p. 22. 9. For a discussion of this issue, cf. Comercio Exterior, special issue "Alimentacicn, crisis agricola y economia campesina," vol...via telefonia," AARC Tomato File. 15. CAADES to -Aifredo Valdez Montoya, Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Sinaloa, 13 enero de 1969. 16. " Las

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.

Change to CERN Safety Rules: Abolition of Safety Code A7

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

As from 3 June 2016 Safety Code A7 “Road traffic at CERN” is abolished.   CERN's current practice to follow French or Swiss road traffic regulations on the corresponding parts of the CERN site will continue to apply. HSE Unit

Ageing study of the engineered safety features actuation system of the Loviisa NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simola, K.; Maskuniitty, M.

1995-06-01

An ageing study of the engineered safety features actuation system of the Loviisa nuclear power plant has been performed. The operating experience, including failure and maintenance histories of analog measuring devices, logics for safety signal formation and individual control electronics of pumps and valves, has been collected and analysed. The safety importance of system components has been studied with a fault tree analysis of a selected safety function. Based on the results of the analysis of operating experiences and the fault tree analysis, some components were selected for deeper analyses. According to the operating experience, the amount of failures in the Loviisa plant safety system has been low and no increasing trend in the failure history can yet be observed. Only a few failures had prohibited the propagation of the safety signal, mostly the failures have caused a false alarm. The failures reported have concerned mainly limit signal units, transmitters, and priority units. According to the fault tree analysis of one safety function, the most important components of this subsystem are individual control units and pulse/DC converters. Failure modes and effect analyses were performed for priority and individual control unit, limit signal unit and comparator and pulse/DC converter in order to identify the critical failure modes of these devices. (orig.) (15 refs., 26 figs., 9 tabs.)

[Implementation of safety devices: biological accident prevention].

Science.gov (United States)

Catalán Gómez, M Teresa; Sol Vidiella, Josep; Castellà Castellà, Manel; Castells Bo, Carolina; Losada Pla, Nuria; Espuny, Javier Lluís

2010-04-01

Accidental exposures to blood and biological material were the most frequent and potentially serious accidents in healthcare workers, reported in the Prevention of Occupational Risks Unit within 2002. Evaluate the biological percutaneous accidents decrease after a progressive introduction of safety devices. Biological accidents produced between 2.002 and 2.006 were analyzed and reported by the injured healthcare workers to the Level 2b Hospital Prevention of Occupational Risk Unit with 238 beds and 750 employees. The key of the study was the safety devices (peripheral i.v. catheter, needleless i.v. access device and capillary blood collection lancet). Within 2002, 54 percutaneous biological accidents were registered and 19 in 2006, that represents a 64.8% decreased. There has been no safety devices accident reported involving these material. Accidents registered during the implantation period occurred because safety devices were not used at that time. Safety devices have proven to be effective in reducing needle stick percutaneous accidents, so that they are a good choice in the primary prevention of biological accidents contact.

30 CFR 250.611 - Traveling-block safety device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Traveling-block safety device. 250.611 Section... Traveling-block safety device. After May 31, 1989, all units being used for well-workover operations which have both a traveling block and a crown block shall be equipped with a safety device which is designed...

Bohunice V-1. Review of safety upgrading and operating experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korec, J.; Kuschel, D.

2000-01-01

The Bohunice site in the Slovak Republic has two Russian-designed twin-unit nuclear power plants, one equipped with reactors of the WWER 440/230 type, the other with type WWER 440/213 reactors. Two older units (V-1) started commercial operation in late 1978 and 1980 respectively and have been supplying electricity to the national grid since that time without any events that could have degraded plant safety level. In the period prior to 1990 the utility Slovenske Elektrarne (S.E.) performed extensive modifications and upgrades to the original design of the two older units V-1 NPP. Furthermore, significant steps in safety improvement for Bohunice NPP V-1 have been made since 1990. Following the political restructuring of the former Czechoslovakia and the country's new open-door policy towards western organizations, several international expert missions were focused on evaluation of Bohunice NPP safety status level and operational reliability, particularly targeting the two older units. Based on recommendations of individual expert missions and complementary deterministic and probabilistic safety analyses performed by S.E., the Czechoslovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority issued the Resolution No. 5/91 defining 81 measures concerning further safety and reliability improvement of Bohunice V1 .A range of short-term and long-term upgrades was prioritised in terms of importance to plant safety and work to implement these measures commenced in the early nineties. During the 'Small Reconstruction' from 1991 to 1993 some of the short term upgrading measures were realized to eliminate the most serious safety deficits, thus to achieve a significant reduction in core damage frequency and a major improvement in confinement integrity. In this paper and presentation the goals of the gradual reconstruction project, basic engineering, detailed engineering and realization, last major stage of Unit 2 upgrade, as well as final stage of Unit 1 upgrade in early 2000 are presented