272 research outputs found
A study of the social and physical environment in catering kitchens and the role of the chef in promoting positive health and safety behaviour
No full textThis is the account of a mixed method study of chefs and their kitchens in order to identify the nature of their workplace and how this affects their ability to manage health and safety in the kitchen. It included extended periods of observation, monitoring of physical parameters, analysis of records of reported accidents, and a series of reflexive interviews. The findings were integrated and then fed back in a smaller number of second interviews in order to test whether the findings fitted in with the chefs' understanding of their world. Major factors identified included survival in a market environment, the status of the chef (and the kitchen) within organisations, marked autocracy of chefs, and an increasing tempo building up to service time with commensurate heat, noise, and activity. In particular during the crescendo, a threshold shift in risk tolerance was identified. The factors, their interplay, and their implications for health and safety in the catering kitchen are discussed
Crystal morphology and surface reactivity studies of calcium hydroxide
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Calcium hydroxide samples, obtained as a precipitate from the mixing of solutions of sodium hydroxide with a variety of calcium salts in the optional presence of ethanol and a silylating agent, have been characterised by the techniques of nitrogen adsorption, water vapour adsorption , thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy, ultra-violet spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The morphology of the samples varied from octahedral crystals to hexagonal prisms to sheets. The individual morphology depends on the conditions of precipitation, the nature and concentration of the calcium salt(s) and the nature of the precipitation medium. It has been shown that a large excess of sodium hydroxide results in octahedral forms, calcium salt(s) in approximate equimolar amount or in large excess to the sodium hydroxide results in hexagonal forms, and sheets are formed in the presence of ethanolic precipitation medium. A poisoning mechanism has been suggested in terms of the morphological properties of the samples. It has been found that the sheet forms of calcium hydroxide can be stabilised by reaction with a silylating agent, resulting in greater thermal stability and chemical stability of the surface. Silylation was found not to occur by direct contact between the precipitated calcium hydroxide samples and silylating agents. Silylation only occurred when precipitation was carried out in the presence of a solution of the silylating agent in absolute ethanol. The silylation of the surface of calcium hydroxide has been found to stabilise the material. Reaction of this with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane formed an intermediate which subsequently reacted with p-nitrobenzoyl chloride to form an inorganic - organic composite. The technique of thermogravimetric analysis has been employed to measure the thermal stability of the samples. It has been found that the samples exhibit major weight losses at around 688K for the non-silylated samples and around 918K for the silylated samples. The BETnitrogen and the BET-H20 surface areas of the samples range typically from --1 to 43 m2g-1 , and from 9 to 798 m2g-1 respectively. On the basis of this evidence, taken together with the isotherm shapes it has been shown that: the samples are non-porous; non-silylated calcium hydroxide samples are more hydrophobic than the silylated samples, but upon heat-treatment in air below the decomposition temperature the silylated samples became more hydrophobic, whereas the non-silylated samples became more hydrophilic; samples heated in air at above the decomposition temperature exhibit a dramatic increase in hydrophilicity, the H 20-BET surface areas becoming —800 m2g-1 for non silylated samples, compared to 368 - 600 m 2g-1 for silylated samples, indicative of chemisorption following decomposition of the calcium hydroxide to form calcium oxide
The Drinking Water Response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami, including the Role of Household Water Treatment
No full textCommunity health workers and stand-alone or integrated case management of malaria: a systematic literature review.
No full textA systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effectiveness of strategies to improve community case management (CCM) of malaria. Forty-three studies were included; most (38) reported indicators of community health worker (CHW) performance, 14 reported on malaria CCM integrated with other child health interventions, 16 reported on health system capacity, and 13 reported on referral. The CHWs are able to provide good quality malaria care, including performing procedures such as rapid diagnostic tests. Appropriate training, clear guidelines, and regular supportive supervision are important facilitating factors. Crucial to sustainable success of CHW programs is strengthening health system capacity to support commodity supply, supervision, and appropriate treatment of referred cases. The little evidence available on referral from community to health facility level suggests that this is an area that needs priority attention. The studies of integrated CCM suggest that additional tasks do not reduce the quality of malaria CCM provided sufficient training and supervision is maintained
Spezifikation und Entwurf rauscharmer Empfangskomponenten in einem M-sequenzbasierten UWB-System
No full textDemonstration of Quantum Brachistochrones between Distant States of an Atom
No full textTransforming an initial quantum state into a target state through the fastest possible route - a quantum brachistochrone - is a fundamental challenge for many technologies based on quantum mechanics. In two-level systems, the quantum brachistochrone solutions are long known. These solutions, however, are not applicable to larger systems, especially when the target state cannot be reached through a local transformation. Here, we demonstrate fast coherent transport of an atomic wave packet over a distance of 15 times its size - a paradigmatic case of quantum processes going beyond the two-level system. Our measurements of the transport fidelity reveal the existence of a minimum duration - a quantum speed limit - for the coherent splitting and recombination of matter waves. We obtain physical insight into this limit by relying on a geometric interpretation of quantum state dynamics. These results shed light on a fundamental limit of quantum state dynamics and are expected to find relevant applications in quantum sensing and quantum computing
The harmonisation of Australian mining work health and safety laws achievements to date
No full textIn the 1970’s Lord Robens chaired a United Kingdom committee which produced a highly influential report titled Safety and Health at Work. This report simultaneously recognised the increasing importance of safety and health at work, in response to changing community attitudes and expectations, while also aiming to reduce the administrative cost burden posed by the same. Into the 1980’s each Australian state and territory enacted work health and safety legislation which aimed to put these ‘Robens’ principles’ into practice. However, this was largely done in isolation and so almost as soon as the ink was dry, attempts to make this this resulting legislation more similar and less disparate by harmonising the legislation began across the Australian Commonwealth. Aimed at both mine and general work health and safety, these attempts have largely been unsuccessful with respect to mine work health and safety. This is the case even though uniform or identical legislation has not been attempted, rather just harmonised legislation.
Notwithstanding the potential economic benefit to Australia, given the long history of attempted harmonisation of Australian mine work health and safety legislation, achieved this result is clearly a major challenge. This paper will attempt to explain why this is so, while also analysing in some detail the current state of Australian mine work health and safety legislation nationally. This will be done by theoretical analysis of the respective state legislation as well as by practical case study, where fictional scenarios of potential mine health and safety legislative issues will be analysed. This will allow the current state of national harmonisation to be accurately determined.
The author of this paper is an appointed Inspector of Mines and professionally qualified electrical engineer with the Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum. Notwithstanding, only publically available information has been accessed for this paper and any opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author in a personal capacity
Consumer perceptions on the incorporation of established brands : The acquisition of Body Shop by L’Oréal
No full textThis thesis aims at investigating consumers’ perceptions on the incorporation of an established brand and how the general attitude and buying behaviour is altered in the course of an acquisition. The combination of two or more brands in a newly formed conglomerate implies a combination of values, principles and associations that might affect a company’s appeal. Therefore, underlying reasons for M&As will be elaborated upon as well as branding concepts based on brand image, loyalty and reputation in order to bridge the two theoretical areas with a case study. The acquisition of Body Shop International by L’Oréal represents the practical case, which will be analysed in reference to consumers’ reactions towards it. Quantitative consumer questionnaires will be conducted in order to collect representative data on consumers’ perceptions and associations of the brand Body Shop. Moreover, an expert interview with a Body Shop representative will be executed in order to add the company’s perspective. By analysing the results of the questionnaire, the thesis reveals an observable trend towards a correlation of the awareness of the acquisition and a negative shift in customer perception. The buying behaviour is however not found to be influenced by the combination of the two firms. In conclusion, it can be stated that the need for pre-acquisition analysis regarding strategic fit and compatibility of values and associations is assured. The study clearly identifies that brand dilution is a possible threat for established brands and implies the risk of lost credibility and loyalty
Statutory occupational health and safety workplace arrangements for the modern labour market
No full textOver the past 20 years there has been a significant refashioning of the labour market within Australia and other industrialised countries. This paper examines the implications of the growth of more flexible work arrangements for mechanisms designed to facilitate worker involvement in occupational health and safety at the workplace—a pivotal feature of post-Robens OHS legislation in Australia. It is argued that the growth of subcontracting, casual and home-based work has undermined both coverage and the effectiveness of these provisions, especially in a context where union membership and influence has also been declining. Looking at international experience, the paper examines a number of ways of remedying these deficiencies
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