Development of a new regulatory model for occupational health and safety in the New South Wales coal industry: an issues paper for the New South Wales Department of Mineral Resources

This paper addresses the regulatory issues arising in developing a new regulatory model for the New South Wales Coal Industry. As such, it identifies the relevant literature on this subject, the options available for reform, and the experience of Australian and key international bodies responsible for the development of regulatory standards in this area. In particular it: Identifies the main shortcomings in the existing regulatory approach; Identifies the potential roles/main strengths and weaknesses of different types of standards (eg specification, performance, process and systems-based rules) and potential “best practice’ combinations of standards; Examines the appropriateness of the current regulatory regime whereby the general OHS legislation (including the general duty provisions) applies to mining in addition to the large body of regulation which is specific to mining; Identifies the importance of, and possible means of addressing, issues of worker participation within the coal mining industry; Draws on the literature on what motivates companies and individuals for the purpose of recommending key provisions for inclusion in new legislation to provide appropriate personal and organisational incentives; Draws on the literature on major hazards facilities to suggest the appropriate roles for OHS management systems and safety reports or comparable approaches (eg mine safety management plans); Draws on the United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA) experience of coal mine safety and its regulation for comparative purposes, and for insights as to what sort of regulation most effectively reduces work related injury and disease in coal mining; Examines the relevant roles of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions; Examines the extent to which different regulatory regimes would be appropriate to open cut and underground coal mining; and Examines options for reform. This paper is focussed specifically on the issues identified above.

Organisational driving safety systems analysis: Fleet safety situational issues and system gaps

The identification of safety hazards and risks and their associated control measures provides the foundation for any safety program and essentially determines the scope, content and complexity of an effective occupational health and safety management system. In the case of work-related road safety (WRRS), there is a gap within current knowledge, research and practice regarding the holistic assessment of WRRS safety systems and practice. In order to mitigate this gap, a multi-level process tool for assessing WRRS safety systems was developed from extensive consultation, practice and informed by theoretical models and frameworks. Data collection for the Organisational Driving Safety Systems Analysis (ODSSA) tool utilised a case study methodology and included multiple information sources: such as documents, archival records, interviews, direct observations, participant observations, and physical artefacts. Previous trials and application of the ODSSA has indicated that the tool is applicable to a wide range of organisational fleet environments and settings. This paper reports on the research results and effectiveness of the ODSSA tool to assess WRRS systems across a large organisation that recently underwent considerable organisational change, including amalgamation of multiple organisations. The outcomes of this project identified considerable differences in the degree by which the organisation addressed WRRS across their vehicle fleet operations and provided guidelines for improving organisations’ WRRS systems. The ODSSA tool was pivotal in determining WRRS system deficiencies and provided a platform to inform mitigation and improvement strategies.

Confined Site Construction: Issues Regarding Implementation of Health and Safety

The objective of this paper is to identify the various managerial constraints, difficulties and issues encountered and resulting strategies adopted, to aid in the management of the various and often complex health and safety concerns, which occur within a confined construction site. This is achieved through classifying the various managerial burdens encountered with the numerous strategies adopted, to ensure the successful management of such confined environments within the realm of health and safety. Through an extensive literature review and detailed interviews, a comprehensive insight into the health and safety concerns within a confined construction site environment is portrayed. The leading managerial strategies to the management of health and safety on confined construction sites may be listed as follows; (1) Traffic Management Plan, (2) Effective Resource Management Plan, (3) Temporary Facilities Management Plan, (4) Safe System of Work Plan, (5) Site Safety Plan, (6) Design Site Layout, (7) Space Management Plan, (8) Effective Program Management, and (9) Space Scheduling. Based on the research, it can be concluded, that through effective management of these issues identified coupled with implementing the various strategies highlighted; successful management of health and safety within a confined construction site environment is attainable.

Confined Site Construction: A qualitative investigation of critical issues affecting management of Health and Safety

The construction industry is inherently risky, with a significant number of accidents and disasters occurring, particularly on confined construction sites. This research investigates and identifies the various issues affecting successful management of health and safety in confined construction sites. The rationale is that identifying the issues would assist the management of health and safety particularly in inner city centres which are mostly confined sites. Using empiricism epistemology, the methodology was based on qualitative research approach by means of multiple case studies in three different geographical locations of Ireland, UK and USA. Data on each case study were collected through individual interviews and focus group discussion with project participants. The findings suggest that three core issues are the underlying factors affecting management of health and safety on confined construction sites. It include, (i) lack of space, (ii) problem of co-ordination and management of site personnel, and (iii) overcrowding of workplace. The implication of this is that project teams and their organisations should see project processes from a holistic point of view, as a unified single system, where quick intervention in solving a particular issue should be the norm, so as not to adversely affect interrelated sequence of events in project operations. Proactive strategies should be devised to mitigate these issues and may include detail project programming, space management, effective constructability review and efficient co-ordination of personnel, plant and materials among others. The value of this research is to aid management and operation of brownfield sites by identifying issues impacting on health and safety management in project process.

Differences into HT and HTO concentrations in air into the Western Mediterranean Basin and Continental Europe and Safety Related Issues.

Real time Tritium concentrations in air in two chemical forms, HT and HTO, coming from an ITER-like fusion reactor as source were coupled the European Centre Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) numerical model with the Lagrangian Atmospheric-particle dispersion model FLEXPART. This tool was analyzed in nominal tritium discharge operational reference and selected incidental conditions affecting the Western Mediterranean Basin during 45 days during summer 2010 together with surface “wind observations” or weather data based in real hourly observations of wind direction and velocity providing a real approximation of the tritium behavior after the release to the atmosphere from a fusion reactor. From comparison with NORMTRI - a code using climatologically sequences as input - over the same area, the real time results have demonstrated an apparent overestimation of the corresponding climatologically sequence of Tritium concentrations in air outputs, at several distances from the reactor. For this purpose two development patterns were established. The first one was following a cyclonic circulation over the Mediterranean Sea and the second one was based on the plume delivered over the Interior of the Iberian Peninsula and Continental Europe by another stabilized circulation corresponding to a High Pressure System. One of the important remaining activities defined then, was the qualification tool. In order to validate the model of ECMWF/FLEXPART we have developed of a new complete data base of tritium concentrations for the months from November 2010 to March 2011 and defined a new set of four patterns of HT transport in air, in each case using real boundary conditions: stationary to the North, stationary to the South, fast and very fast displacement. Finally the differences corresponding to those four early patterns (each one in assessments 1 and 2) has been analyzed in terms of the tuning of safety related issues and taking into account the primary phase o- - f tritium modeling, from its discharge to the atmosphere to the deposition on the ground, will affect to the complete tritium environmental pathway altering the chronic dose by absorption, reemission and ingestion both from elemental tritium, HT and from the oxide of tritium, HTO

Safety-related issues for high-speed railway bridges

Railway bridges have specific requirements related to safety, which often are critical aspects of design. In this paper the main phenomena are reviewed, namely vertical dynamic effects for impact effect of moving loads and resonance in high-speed, service limit states which affect the safety of running traffic, and lateral dynamic effects.

School bus safety belts: their use, carryover effects and administrative issues. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Driver and Pedestrian Safety, Washington, D.C.

Motor vehicle safety seminar. Key issues in heavy truck safety. [Transcript of proceedings.].

Mode of access: Internet.

Safety and mobility issues in licensing and education of older drivers.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Nuclear and chemical safety, Y2K issues : hearing before the Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property, and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, first session, February 24, 1999.

Shipping list no.: 99-0276-P.

Nuclear exports, international safety and environmental issues : hearings before the Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, December 18, 1979, and May 7, 1980.

Mode of access: Internet.

Motorist awareness and opinion survey on safety belt issues during the "click it or ticket" campaign in Illinois /

"June 2002 survey results"