Sociotechnical systems, risk management, and public health: comparing the North Battleford and Walkerton outbreaks

Accidents in different complex sociotechnical systems are rarely compared using the same theoretical framework for risk management. We conducted a comparative analysis of two Canadian public health disasters involving drinking water distribution systems, the North Battleford Cryptosporidium parvum outbreak in April 2001 and the Walkerton E. coli outbreak in May 2000. Both accidents resulted from a complex interaction between all levels of a complex sociotechnical system. However, the low-level physical and individual factors differed in the two cases, whereas, the high-level governmental and regulatory factors tended to be the same. These findings may have implications for the design of public policies to minimize risk in complex sociotechnical systems.     

设备管理在安全工作中的地位

以事故轨迹交叉理论为基础，论述了企业设备管理在安全工作中所占的地位及作用，通过几起典型事故案例分析，指出企业搞好设备管理的重要性。根据机械设备故障率的特性，从设计、制造、安装、调试、运转及维护等方面，提出了控制或消除设备故障的具体措施，确保安全生产。     

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作为一项钻井新技术，小眼井钻井可大幅度降低钻井成本,正愈来愈受到国内外各油气田的重视。小眼井钻井技术在中原油田主要用于φ139.7mm套管开窗侧钻井裸眼段的钻进，根据中原油田20余口φ139.7mm套管开窗侧钻井的钻井实践，探讨了中原油田φ118mm井眼钻 井的若干技术问题，其中包括钻头选择、钻井参数的优选、钻具组合和轨迹控制、固井技术及井下复杂情况和事故处理技术等。     

仿西班牙横移车断齿事故分析及改进

某炼钢厂仿西班牙产品制造的板坯横移车运行机构采用分别驱动、变频调速、无人操纵自动控制技术。其减速器齿轮多次发生点蚀、塑性变形、断齿等事故或故障 ,严重时曾出现轮齿全部被剃光的现象。经分析 ,其根本原因是承载能力不足。通过重新选型设计 ,加大减速器中心距 ,彻底根除了断齿等事故隐患     

VB与VC优化配合在安全监察软件系统中的应用

安全监察是矿山安全中很重要的环节。利用VC的强大计算功能和VB的编程简单性采用VB与VC优化配合使用的方法开发安全监察软件系统是快速、简单、高效的设计方法。文章对系统的整体结构和信息流程作了简要的介绍，并对系统的每个部分各以一个例子进行简单的阐述。     

The effect of time of day on injury patterns amongst adolescents in Australia

Labour force participation of adolescents in Australia is growing at an unprecedented rate. This increased participation is coupled with a growing realisation of the vulnerability of adolescents in the labour market in terms of occupational injury. Despite recent evidence that time of day may be an important determinant of adolescent injuries, the impact of non-standard and night work on adolescent injury rates has received scant attention to date. The current study addresses this shortcoming by examining injury patterns of 3201 working adolescents in Queensland. Results revealed that female adolescents are 2.5 times more likely to sustain an injury on day shift and 4.71 times more likely to sustain an injury on night shift than their adult counterparts when total work hours are taken into consideration. Similar results were found for male adolescents with an injury to work hours ratio of 2.19 on day shift and 3.05 on night shift. These findings point to the value of considering the temporal pattern of adolescent work in future research aimed at minimising injuries at work and improving the work experience of tomorrow's workforce.     

Factors contributing to young moped rider accidents in Denmark

Young road users still constitute a high-risk group with regard to road traffic accidents. The crash rate of a moped is four times greater than that of a motorcycle, and the likelihood of being injured in a road traffic accident is 10–20 times higher among moped riders compared to car drivers. Nevertheless, research on the behaviour and accident involvement of young moped riders remains sparse.Based on analysis of 128 accident protocols, the purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about moped accidents. The study was performed in Denmark involving riders aged 16 or 17. A distinction was made between accident factors related to (1) the road and its surroundings, (2) the vehicle, and (3) the reported behaviour and condition of the road user. Thirteen accident factors were identified with the majority concerning the reported behaviour and condition of the road user. The average number of accident factors assigned per accident was 2.7. Riding speed was assigned in 45% of the accidents which made it the most frequently assigned factor on the part of the moped rider followed by attention errors (42%), a tuned up moped (29%) and position on the road (14%). For the other parties involved, attention error (52%) was the most frequently assigned accident factor. The majority (78%) of the accidents involved road rule breaching on the part of the moped rider.The results indicate that preventive measures should aim to eliminate violations and increase anticipatory skills among moped riders and awareness of mopeds among other road users. Due to their young age the effect of such measures could be enhanced by infrastructural measures facilitating safe interaction between mopeds and other road users.     

Accident history,risk perception and traffic safe behaviour

Abstract

This study clarifies the associations between accident history, perception of the riskiness of road travel and traffic safety behaviours by taking into account the number and severity of accidents experienced. A sample of 525 road users in Cameroon answered a questionnaire comprising items on perception of risk, safe behaviour and personal accident history. Participants who reported involvement in more than three accidents or involvement in a severe accident perceived road travel as less risky and also reported behaving less safely compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. The results have practical implications for the prevention of traffic accidents.

Practitioner Summary: The associations between accident history, perceived risk of road travel and safe behaviour were investigated using self-report questionnaire data. Participants involved in more than three accidents, or in severe accidents, perceived road travel as less risky and also reported more unsafe behaviour compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. Campaigns targeting people with a less serious, less extensive accident history should aim to increase awareness of hazards and the potential severity of their consequences, as well as emphasising how easy it is to take the recommended preventive actions. Campaigns targeting those involved in more frequent accidents, and survivors of serious accidents, should address feelings of invulnerability and helplessness.     

A critical review on physical factors and functional characteristics that may explain a sex/gender difference in work-related neck/shoulder disorders

The objective of this paper is to critically review recent literature on physical and functional sex/gender (s/g) differences, with focus on physical determinants associated with neck/shoulder musculoskeletal injuries. It is well known that there are s/g differences in anthropometrical and functional body characteristics (e.g. size and strength). However, s/g differences may be wrongly attributed if data analysis does not include appropriate corrections (e.g. by strength for endurance). Recent literature on motor control shows that there may indeed be s/g differences in muscle coordination and movement strategies during upper limb tasks that are not currently explained by methodological inadequacies. Moreover, recent studies have shown differences between men and women in sensory hypersensitivity characteristics associated with neck/shoulder injuries. Taken together, the literature points to the importance of accounting for possible s/g differences at all levels of the biopsychosocial system in order to better understand sex- and gender-specific issues relevant to workplace health. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: This article critically reviews recent literature and a conceptual model highlighting s/g differences in physical and functional characteristics related to neck/shoulder musculoskeletal disorders (NSMSD). Findings have implications on understanding how personal factors may affect NSMSD risk. With better understanding, practitioners can make more appropriate decisions to prevent work-related NSMSD.     

Learning to make errors: evidence from a driving task simulation

Human errors represent a mismatch between the demands of an operational system and what the operator does. If they cannot be reversed, their consequences may be severe. Errors are frequently classified as design-or operator-induced. A third class of errors may also be identified, namely process-induced errors. Such errors arise out of on-going processes which typically extend over time. One such process is that of learning. In relation to the acquisition of skills, for example, learning frequently involves a trial-and-error component. Accidents by inexperienced drivers may represent a severe consequence of such errors. Errors may also arise out of particular learning experiences which provide a distorted underestimate of objective risk and/or motivate high risk behaviour. These phenomena are investigated in a computer simulation of the driving task. The relationship is discussed between various kinds of learning experience and the development of situations in which the possibility of error recovery declines. Some suggestions for reducing the frequency of irreversible errors and for increasing the data base for human error in vehicle driving are made.