Establishment of a health and safety management system according to the OHSAS 18001 standard

The thesis develops guidelines for the implementation of the health and safety management system according to the OHSAS 18001 standard, as well as the feasible threat analysis, project proposal schedule, future system quality improvements and organizational change evaluation. The theoretical part clarifies determination of occupational health and safety, its management system, the OHSAS 18001 standard and integrated management system compounded of triple ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 standards. The literature includes such important aspects as human factor, organizational policies, possible benefits, threats, organizational safety culture, Deming’s quality improvement cycle, system implementation, maintenance and cost matters. The empirical part demonstrates real-life situation by using Andritz Pulp & Paper Oy as a case study. Prior the thesis proposal, Andritz Group is analysed including separate business areas, acquisition and integration strategies, current status of the health and safety management and parallel experiences of the largest business area Andritz Hydro. The proposal is aimed at improving the current health and safety system for the permanent and sub-contracted employees at Andritz Pulp & Paper both in Finland and in various projects globally.

Globaalin taloushallinnon palvelukeskuksen perustaminen, mahdollisuudet ja haasteet

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on tutkia globaalin taloushallinnon palvelukeskuksen perustamisprosessia ja palvelukeskusmalliin liittyviä hyötyjä. Tarkoituksena on määrittää palvelukeskuksen perustamiseen liittyvät vaiheet sekä ne kriittiset tekijät, jotka on huomioitava ennen perustamisprosessia sekä sen aikana. Empiirinen osuus on suoritettu kvalitatiivisena tutkimuksena suorittamalla neljä puolistrukturoitua teemahaastattelua globaalin taloushallinnon palvelukeskuksen perustaneissa organisaatioissa. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että merkittävimmät palvelukeskusmalliin liitetyt edut ovat tuottavuuden, tehokkuuden ja laadun paraneminen sekä kustannussäästöt. Kriittisimpiä menestystekijöitä ovat muutoksen suunnitteluun ja hallintaan liittyvät tekijät. Malliin liitetyt haasteet liittyvät pääasiassa globaalin toimintaympäristön monimuotoisuuteen, henkilöstöön, teknologiaan ja prosesseihin. Saadut tulokset ovat erittäin yhteneväisiä aikaisempien tutkimusten kanssa. Empiirisen tutkimuksen tulosten sekä aikaisemman tutkimustiedon perusteella on luotu viisivaiheinen malli globaalin taloushallinnon palvelukeskuksen perustamisprosessista.

Metsäkoneiden panssareiden ja pohjan luukkujen laadun kehittäminen

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, mitkä asiat tutkimuksen toimeksiantavan yrityksen, John Deere Forestry Oy:n metsäkoneiden panssareiden ja luukkujen kanssa työskentelevä henkilöstö kokee oleellisimmiksi pohjan suojien asennettavuuden, käytettävyyden, kestävyyden ja laadun kehittämisessä. Tutkimuksella haluttiin myös selvittää, mitä hyödynnettävää tietoa yrityksen sisältä jo löytyy, mitä hiljaista tietoa henkilöstöllä on ja miten tätä kaikkea voidaan hyödyntää jatkossa suunnittelun tukena. Pääasiallisina tutkimusmenetelminä käytettiin strukturoitua kyselytutkimusta, toimeksiantavan yrityksen sekä kilpailijoiden rakenneratkaisujen tarkastelua sekä lujuuslaskentaa. Kyselytutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin loppukesästä 2014. Otanta koostui 149:stä eri toimipaikkojen työntekijästä. Aineisto käsiteltiin pääasiassa kvantitatiivisesti käyttämällä ristiintaulukointia. Kyselytutkimuksen tulosten perusteella syvennyttiin tarkastelemaan pohjan suojausta myös koneteknillisellä lähestymistavalla. Tarkastelun kohteeksi valitulle panssarille tehtiin lujuuslaskentoja kyselyn vastausten varmentamiseksi ja ongelmien tarkentamiseksi, parannusehdotuksien tueksi. Aihetta tarkasteltiin asennusergonomian, työturvallisuuden ja vaurioitumismekanismien valossa. Tulosten analysoinnin yhteydessä esitettiin ratkaisuehdotuksia yleisimpiin ongelmiin laadun kehittämiseksi. Keskeisimmät ratkaisuehdotukset liittyvät panssareiden rakenteellisen stabiiliuden parantamiseen. Käytännön toimenpide-esityksinä esimerkiksi jäykisteet, tuennat, materiaalivalinnat, uudelleenmuotoilu, apuasennustyökalut, turvavarustelut ja avautumissuunnat olisivat huomion arvoisia asioita. Tutkimuksessa kerätty tieto kootaan sovellettavaksi käytäntöön laadun kehittämiseksi tekemällä toimeksiantavalle yritykselle metsäkoneiden panssareiden ja pohjan luukkujen suunnitteluohje. Tällä pyritään jatkossa parantamaan kilpailukykyä.

Predicting microbial pollution concentrations in UK rivers in response to land use change

The Water Framework Directive has caused a paradigm shift towards the integrated management of recreational water quality through the development of drainage basin-wide programmes of measures. This has increased the need for a cost-effective diagnostic tool capable of accurately predicting riverine faecal indicator organism (FIO) concentrations. This paper outlines the application of models developed to fulfil this need, which represent the first transferrable generic FIO models to be developed for the UK to incorporate direct measures of key FIO sources (namely human and livestock population data) as predictor variables. We apply a recently developed transfer methodology, which enables the quantification of geometric mean presumptive faecal coliforms and presumptive intestinal enterococci concentrations for base- and high-flow during the summer bathing season in unmonitored UK watercourses, to predict FIO concentrations in the Humber river basin district. Because the FIO models incorporate explanatory variables which allow the effects of policy measures which influence livestock stocking rates to be assessed, we carry out empirical analysis of the differential effects of seven land use management and policy instruments (fiscal constraint, production constraint, cost intervention, area intervention, demand-side constraint, input constraint, and micro-level land use management) all of which can be used to reduce riverine FIO concentrations. This research provides insights into FIO source apportionment, explores a selection of pollution remediation strategies and the spatial differentiation of land use policies which could be implemented to deliver river quality improvements. All of the policy tools we model reduce FIO concentrations in rivers but our research suggests that the installation of streamside fencing in intensive milk producing areas may be the single most effective land management strategy to reduce riverine microbial pollution.

Provider diversity in the English NHS: a study of recent developments in four local health economies

Objectives: The overall objective of the research was to assess the impact of provider diversity on quality and innovation in the English NHS. The aims were to map the extent of diverse provider activity, identify the differences in performance between Third Sector Organisations (TSOs), for-profit private enterprises, and incumbent organisations within the NHS, and the factors that affect the entry and growth of new private and TSOs. Methods: Case studies of four Local Health Economies (LHEs). Data included: semi-structured interviews with 48 managerial and clinical staff from NHS organizations and providers from the private and Third Sector; some documentary evidence; a focus group with service users; and routine data from the Care Quality Commission and Companies House. Data collection was mainly between November 2008 and November 2009. Results: Involvement of diverse providers in the NHS is limited. Commissioners’ local strategies influence degrees of diversity. Barriers to the entry for TSOs include lack of economies of scale in the bidding process. Private providers have greater concern to improve patient pathways and patient experience, whereas TSOs deliver quality improvements by using a more holistic approach and a greater degree of community involvement. Entry of new providers drives NHS Trusts to respond by making improvements. Information sharing diminishes as competition intensifies. Conclusions: There is scope to increase the participation of diverse providers in the NHS, but care must be taken not to damage public accountability, overall productivity, equity and NHS providers (especially acute hospitals, which are likely to remain in the NHS) in the process.

Risk allocation in a public–private partnership: a case study of construction and operation of kindergartens in Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, a transitional nation in Central Asia, the development of public–private partnerships (PPPs) is at its early stage and increasingly of strategic importance. This case study investigates risk allocation in an ongoing project: the construction and operation of 11 kindergartens in the city of Karaganda in the concession form for 14 years. Drawing on a conceptual framework of effective risk allocation, the study identifies principal PPP risks, provides a critical assessment of how and in what way each partner bears a certain risk, highlights the reasons underpinning risk allocation decisions and delineates the lessons learned. The findings show that the government has effectively transferred most risks to the private sector partner, whilst both partners share the demand risk of childcare services and the project default risk. The strong elements of risk allocation include clear assignment of parties’ responsibilities, streamlined financing schemes and incentives to complete the main project phases on time. However, risk allocation has missed an opportunity to create incentives for service quality improvements and take advantage of economies of scale. The most controversial element of risk allocation, as the study finds, is a revenue stream that an operator is supposed to receive from the provision of services unrelated to childcare, as neither partner is able to mitigate this revenue risk. The article concludes that in the kindergartens’ PPP, the government has achieved almost complete transfer of risks to the private sector partner. However, the costs of transfer are extensive government financial outlays that seriously compromise the PPP value for money.

Detection of solar dimming and brightening effects on Northern Hemisphere river flow

Anthropogenic aerosols in the atmosphere have the potential to affect regional-scale land hydrology through solar dimming. Increased aerosol loading may have reduced historical surface evaporation over some locations, but the magnitude and extent of this effect is uncertain. Any reduction in evaporation due to historical solar dimming may have resulted in an increase in river flow. Here we formally detect and quantify the historical effect of changing aerosol concentrations, via solar radiation, on observed river flow over the heavily industrialized, northern extra-tropics. We use a state-of-the-art estimate of twentieth century surface meteorology as input data for a detailed land surface model, and show that the simulations capture the observed strong inter-annual variability in runoff in response to climatic fluctuations. Using statistical techniques, we identify a detectable aerosol signal in the observed river flow both over the combined region, and over individual river basins in Europe and North America. We estimate that solar dimming due to rising aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere around 1980 led to an increase in river runoff by up to 25% in the most heavily polluted regions in Europe. We propose that, conversely, these regions may experience reduced freshwater availability in the future, as air quality improvements are set to lower aerosol loading and solar dimming.

Refraction corrected transmission ultrasound computed tomography for application in breast imaging

Purpose: We present an iterative framework for CT reconstruction from transmission ultrasound data which accurately and efficiently models the strong refraction effects that occur in our target application: Imaging the female breast. Methods: Our refractive ray tracing framework has its foundation in the fast marching method (FNMM) and it allows an accurate as well as efficient modeling of curved rays. We also describe a novel regularization scheme that yields further significant reconstruction quality improvements. A final contribution is the development of a realistic anthropomorphic digital breast phantom based on the NIH Visible Female data set. Results: Our system is able to resolve very fine details even in the presence of significant noise, and it reconstructs both sound speed and attenuation data. Excellent correspondence with a traditional, but significantly more computationally expensive wave equation solver is achieved. Conclusions: Apart from the accurate modeling of curved rays, decisive factors have also been our regularization scheme and the high-quality interpolation filter we have used. An added benefit of our framework is that it accelerates well on GPUs where we have shown that clinical 3D reconstruction speeds on the order of minutes are possible.

Impactos de modelo de relacionamento entre áreas de negócio e área de tecnologia da informação: análise de percepções gerenciais

O presente estudo busca analisar um mecanismo de governança de TI utilizado por uma organização financeira, que tem por objetivo organizar a forma pela qual as áreas de negócio da empresa demandam soluções de tecnologia para a área de TI da organização. Foram realizadas, para tanto, análises documentais na empresa e um estudo de caso que buscou capturar as percepções dos impactos da implantação desse modelo na opinião de funcionários da organização que ocupam cargos gerenciais, utilizando como instrumento de pesquisa um questionário distribuído em meio eletrônico. Além de identificar a situação da negociação de demandas antes e depois da implantação desse modelo de relacionamento entre as áreas da organização, buscou-se também identificar os resultados da implantação desse modelo sob vários aspectos. Os resultados das análises dos impactos desse modelo na organização objeto do estudo de caso permitiram confirmar a maioria das hipóteses levantadas, evidenciando os ganhos da implantação do referido modelo para a organização. Como conseqüência da implantação do modelo, apesar de considerarem esse modelo mais complexo do que a sistemática de negociação anterior, os gerentes identificaram melhorias na qualidade das soluções de TI desenvolvidas e passaram a perceber maiores níveis de governança corporativa de de governança de TI na organização. Adicionalmente, as análises realizadas com as hipóteses não confirmadas poderão ser utilizadas como insumos para trabalhos futuros que visem aprimorar esse tipo de processo.

WEDGE - ferramenta on-line de gerenciamento, análise e otimização de processos

This article summarizes the implementation of an online process management, analysis, and optimization tool at Lwarcel Celulose e Papel, within the PIMS and MES philosophy, for process indicator implementation, understanding of variables, and their cause-effect relationship in the process, as well as the achievement of operational benchmarking. The process analysis, by means of statistical tools, allied to mathematical modeling algorithms used in Wedge, makes it possible to identify the relevant information for process and quality improvement with regard to efficiency, equipment maintenance, productivity, and uniformity of the end product quality, reduction of unwanted shutdowns, and quicker resolution of process problems.

Modelagem de ciclos combinados integrados à incineração de resíduos sólidos municipais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da qualidade de produção e de busca pelo hospedeiro de Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) em laboratório

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Experimental and numerical analyses about the efficiency of flow through devices for the sediment controll in urban runoff

As land is developed, the impervious surfaces that are created increase the amount of runoff during rainfall events, disrupting the natural hydrologic cycle, with an increment in volume of runoff and in pollutant loadings. Pollutants deposited or derived from an activity on the land surface will likely end up in stormwater runoff in some concentration, such as nutrients, sediment, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, gasoline additives, pathogens, deicers, herbicides and pesticides. Several of these pollutants are particulate-bound, so it appears clear that sediment removal can provide significant water-quality improvements and it appears to be important the knowledge of the ability of stromwater treatment devices to retain particulate matter. For this reason three different units which remove sediments have been tested through laboratory. In particular a roadside gully pot has been tested under steady hydraulic conditions, varying the characteristics of the influent solids (diameter, particle size distribution and specific gravity). The efficiency in terms of particles retained has been evaluated as a function of influent flow rate and particles characteristics; results have been compared to efficiency evaluated applying an overflow rate model. Furthermore the role of particles settling velocity in efficiency determination has been investigated. After the experimental runs on the gully pot, a standard full-scale model of an hydrodynamic separator (HS) has been tested under unsteady influent flow rate condition, and constant solid concentration at the input. The results presented in this study illustrate that particle separation efficiency of the unit is predominately influenced by operating flow rate, which strongly affects the particles and hydraulic residence time of the system. The efficiency data have been compared to results obtained from a modified overflow rate model; moreover the residence time distribution has been experimentally determined through tracer analyses for several steady flow rates. Finally three testing experiments have been performed for two different configurations of a full-scale model of a clarifier (linear and crenulated) under unsteady influent flow rate condition, and constant solid concentration at the input. The results illustrate that particle separation efficiency of the unit is predominately influenced by the configuration of the unit itself. Turbidity measures have been used to compare turbidity with the suspended sediments concentration, in order to find a correlation between these two values, which can allow to have a measure of the sediments concentration simply installing a turbidity probe.

Análisis de la calidad y productividad en el desarrollo de un proyecto software en una microempresa con TSPi

Este artículo presenta el análisis de los resultados obtenidos al aplicar TSPi en el desarrollo de un proyecto software en una microempresa desde el punto de vista de la calidad y la productividad. La organización en estudio necesitaba mejorar la calidad de sus procesos pero no contaba con los recursos económicos que requieren modelos como CMMI-DEV. Por esta razón, se decidió utilizar un proceso adaptado a la organización basado en TSPi, observándose una reducción en la desviación de las estimaciones, un incremento en la productividad, y una mejora en la calidad.---ABSTRACT---This article shows the benefits of developing a software project using TSPi in a “Very Small Enterprise” based in quality and productivity measures. An adapted process from the current process based on the TSPi was defined and the team was trained in it. The workaround began by gathering historical data from previous projects in order to get a measurement repository, and then the project metrics were collected. Finally, the process, product and quality improvements were verified.

Caracterización y análisis del coste de mejora de la calidad de servicio en transporte urbano en autobús, basado en la metodología ABC (activity based costing)

El estudio de la calidad de servicio en transporte público ha tenido distintos enfoques, tanto en la investigación como en sus aplicaciones prácticas, tales como el desarrollo del método SERVQUAL, los proyectos QUATTRO y EQUIP de la Comisión Europea, el Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual y finalmente el estándar EN 13816, siendo la consideración principal la calidad desde el punto de vista del usuario, es decir, la calidad percibida, cuyo objetivo en la práctica trata de obtener un Índice de Satisfacción del Cliente como medida de la calidad global. Esta aproximación deja de lado aspectos tanto sobre calidad suministrada como sobre los suministradores del servicio, las administraciones y los operadores, particularmente en cuanto a las implicaciones económicas. El objetivo principal de la presente tesis es la estimación del impacto económico real de la mejora de atributos de calidad para un operador de autobús urbano. En el capítulo 2, se lleva a cabo un análisis del estado del arte sobre el estudio de la calidad, tanto de los métodos de estudio, como de su aplicación al campo de transporte público, y, específicamente, del estudio de costes. En los capítulos 3 y 4 se propone la aplicación de la metodología ABC (Activity Based Costing) para el caso de un contrato de servicio de transporte público en autobús en la Comunidad de Madrid, concretamente la conexión de Tres Cantos. Para ello se utilizan datos de encuestas de calidad esperada y percibida por los usuarios, junto con información económica y de actividad, así como entrevistas a personal de la empresa, conformando todo ello una metodología compacta de investigación y análisis. Los resultados de las encuestas y los análisis posteriores identificaron la frecuencia de servicio, la puntualidad de los autobuses y la seguridad de la conducción como las tres variables mas importantes desde el punto de vista del usuario, y ha sido en referencia a estas tres variables sobre las que se ha desarrollado la aplicación del método ABC contenida en el capítulo 5. Los resultados descritos en el capítulo 6 muestran la consistencia y la aplicabilidad de esta metodología, superando las simplificaciones de los procedimientos tradicionales contables. En cuanto a los resultados obtenidos, se ha comprobado que una aproximación tradicional basada en costes por kilometro puede llegar a sobrevalorar los costes asociados a mejoras de calidad hasta tres veces los costes calculados según el método ABC. Finalmente en el capítulo 7 se recogen las principales conclusiones y se apuntan algunas líneas futuras de investigación basadas en mejoras sobre la aplicación y transferibilidad de los resultados. The study of service quality and its implication for transport contracts has several approaches in research and practical applications, such as the development of the SERVQUAL method, the UE QUATTRO and EQUIP research projects, the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual and finally the EN 13816 standard. In all cases the main stream is the consideration of quality from the user’s point of view, thus obtaining a Customer Satisfaction Index as a measurement of the overall service quality. This approach ignores quality consequences for transport providers, authorities and operators, particularly economic implications. The main target of this thesis is to estimate the real economic impact of improving quality attributes for a bus operator. Chapter 2 includes a thorough analysis of the state of the art of general methodologies on service quality, their applications for public transport, and particularly for quality costing. In chapters 3 and 4, the Activity Based Costing (ABC) methodology is proposed for a suburban bus contract in Madrid, Tres Cantos. Perceived and expected quality surveys are used together with economic and performance information, as well as interviews with key staff from the operator. The whole set of surveys, interviews and ABC methodology puts together a comprehensive approach for analysis and research. Surveys and subsequent analysis shows service headway, punctuality and safety as the three most important service attributes from the user’s point of view. The proposed methodology has been applied to these three variables, as described in chapter 5. Results obtained in chapter 6 show the consistency and practicality of this methodology, overcoming simplifications from traditional accounting procedures. According to the latter, a calculation of costs based on mileage can overvalue quality improvements up to three times the results following ABC methodology. Finally, in chapter 7, the main conclusions are highlighted and some future research is suggested in terms of application improvements as well as results transferability.