• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 334
  • 106
  • 52
  • 29
  • 23
  • 22
  • 10
  • 8
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 4
  • Tagged with
  • 733
  • 125
  • 123
  • 105
  • 94
  • 71
  • 66
  • 66
  • 64
  • 58
  • 57
  • 53
  • 53
  • 50
  • 49
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
391

Design kombinovaného dětského kočárku / Design of Combined Pram

Smrčková, Milada January 2015 (has links)
The main aim of this master’s thesis is the design of combined child stroller which will be accepted the demands and needs of the users, not only children but also their parrents. Outside the observance of general technical, structural and ergonimical parameters should be the base of design simplicity, originality and creativity, which should bereflected to all shape of parts of the stroller, but also in addressing the functional and structural elements. The aim is therefore also move the the design and function of children's strollers combined on the next level up.
392

Bezpečnost provozu chladicích technologií na zimních stadionech / Ammonia Refrigeration Safe Operation on Ice Pools

Puskeilerová, Lenka January 2011 (has links)
he thesis deals with safe operation of ammonia refrigeration technologies on ice pools in the Czech Republic. This thesis focuses on the possibility of evaluation and risk operation management. The thesis starts with a summary of basic factors affecting safe operation on ice pools. This includes also possible ways how to realize the ammonia refrigeration technology including week and strong part of different access. The ice pool are splitted into tree groups based on a precondition for a safe operation. Next, there is done analysis of current legal and directive frame for safe operation of ice pools in the Czech Republic. There are also included a methods for evaluation and simulation of risk for ihabittants. There is named a metod STADION_01 dedicated to evaluate a capability of tested companies to manage operations risk. Practical experience with evaluation are included. The metod stress, that is important to keep long-lasting and pernament safe operation of ammonia refrigeration.
393

ベトナムにおける農村の市場経済化と合作社 : 農産物の生産・流通における個人的ネットワークの役割 / AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES IN RURAL VIETNAM UNDER MARKET-ORIENTED ECONOMY: THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL NETWORKS IN AGRICULTURAL MARKETING

設楽, 澄子, SHITARA, Sumiko 30 November 2012 (has links)
博士(社会学) / 133p / 一橋大学
394

Sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av hur arbetsmiljön påverkar vårdandet

Bergqvist, Edvin, Bjernevall, Ola January 2020 (has links)
Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskor inom ambulansverksamheten utsätts för många olika situationer i arbetsmiljön som riskerar att påverka vårdandet av patienterna. De riskerar att utsättas för både fysiska och psykiska påfrestningar som i vissa fall kan medföra att den patientsäkra vården riskerar att äventyras. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka sjuksköterskans erfarenheter av hur arbetsmiljön kan påverka vårdandet inom ambulanssjukvården. Metod: Studien var en kvalitativ intervjustudie som byggde på semistrukturerade intervjuer. Det var 15 sjuksköterskors erfarenheter inom ambulansverksamheten som ligger till grund för resultatet. Intervjuerna analyserades genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys med en manifest ansats. Resultat: Resultatet belyste att det finns ett flertal faktorer inom arbetsmiljön som enligt ambulanspersonalens erfarenhet påverkar vårdandet inom den prehospitala sjukvården. Analysen av intervjuerna resulterade i fem olika teman, Dygnet runt verksamhet, Otrygg arbetsmiljö, Mötet, Fysiskt arbete samt Kunskap. Dessa teman sammanfattar informanternas erfarenheter av hur arbetsmiljön riskerar att påverka vårdandet. Slutsats: Slutsatsen med studien visar att det är många faktorer med arbetsmiljön som påverkar vårdandet. Faktorer som ansågs viktiga var mötet med sina kollegor, patienter och anhöriga. Kunskap och kunskapsbrist togs upp som en viktig aspekt när det handlar om att det ska vara möjligt att utföra en patientsäker vård. Många upplevde de långa arbetspassen som slitsamma vilket i sin tur riskerar att påverka mötet med alla inblandade. Det som upplevdes som positivt var att i dagens ambulanssjukvård förfinas hjälpmedlen hela tiden vilket innebär mindre lyft vilket ses som positivt både för patienterna och ambulanspersonalen. / Background: Nurses in the ambulance business are exposed to many different situations in the work environment that risk affecting the care of the patients. They risk being subjected to both physical and mental stress, which in some cases can result in the risk of patient-safe care being compromised. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the nurse's experiences of how the work environment can affect the care in ambulance care. Method: The study was a qualitative interview study based on semi-structured interviews. It was 15 nurses' experiences in the ambulance business that form the basis for the result. The interviews were analyzed through a qualitative content analysis with a manifest approach. Result: The result highlighted that there are a number of factors in the work environment that, according to the experience of the ambulance staff, affect the care in prehospital care. The analysis of the interviews resulted in five different themes, Round the clock activities, Safe working environment, Meeting, Physical work and Knowledge. These themes summarize the informants' experiences of how the work environment risks affecting care. Conclusion: The conclusion of the study shows that there are many factors with the working environment that affect the care. Factors that were considered important were the meeting with their colleagues, patients and relatives. Knowledge and lack of knowledge were raised as an important aspect when it comes to whether it should be possible to perform patient-safe care. Many experienced the long work passes as tiring, which in turn risks affecting the meeting with everyone involved. What was perceived as positive was that in today's ambulance care, the aids are constantly refined which means less lifting which is seen as positive for both the patients and the ambulance staff.
395

Sjuksköterskans perspektiv på arbetsrelaterad stress, hög arbetsbelastning och patientsäkerhet på en akutmottagning : en litteraturöversikt / Nurses perspective on work related stress, high workload and patient safety at an emergency department : a literature review

Bergström, Julia, Bonde, Erica January 2020 (has links)
Bakgrund: Arbetet på en akutmottagning beskrivs som stressfyllt och innebär hög arbetsbelastning för sjuksköterskorna. Sjukvården regleras av ett antal lagar för att säkerställa att vården håller god kvalitet och även arbetsmiljön för sjuksköterskorna regleras i lagar och föreskrifter. Det är sjuksköterskans kompetensområde och ansvar att bedriva säker vård och se till att patienter inte far illa i sjukvården. Att vara sjuksköterska på en akutmottagning är både ansvarsfullt och krävande. Därför behövs sammanställd kunskap om hur sjuksköterskorna upplever att deras arbetsmiljö påverkar patientsäkerheten. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva arbetsrelaterad stress, hög arbetsbelastning och patientsäkerhet på en akutmottagning ur sjuksköterskans perspektiv. Syftet kompletteras av tre frågeställningar: Vilken upplevelse och uppfattning har sjuksköterskan om arbetsrelaterad stress? Vilken upplevelse och uppfattning har sjuksköterskan om hög arbetsbelastning? Vilken upplevelse och uppfattning har sjuksköterskan om hur arbetsrelaterad stress och hög arbetsbelastning påverkar patientsäkerheten? Metod: Arbetet har utformats som en litteraturöversikt. Artiklar har sökts i databaserna PubMed och Cinahl och kvalitetsgranskats med hjälp av färdiga mallar från Högskolan Dalarna. Artiklarna har analyserats efter att de lästs igenom och har sedan kategoriserats avseende likheter och skillnader. Utifrån dessa kategorier har huvudkategorier och underkategorier skapats som resultatet presenterats under. Författarna till litteraturöversikten har reflekterat över sin egna förförståelse och strävat efter ett objektivt förhållningssätt till resultatet. Resultat: Litteraturöversikten resulterade i tre huvudkategorier: (1) sjuksköterskans upplevelse och uppfattning av arbetsrelaterad stress, (2) sjuksköterskans upplevelse och uppfattning av hög arbetsbelastning och (3) sjuksköterskans upplevelse och uppfattning av påverkan på patientsäkerheten. Slutsats: Litteraturöversiktens resultat visade att sjuksköterskor upplevde arbetsrelaterad stress när arbetsbelastningen var hög. Personalbrist, stort antal patienter, tidsbrist och dålig kommunikation och bristande teamwork var bakomliggande faktorer för hög arbetsbelastning. Vid arbetsrelaterad stress och hög arbetsbelastning upplevde sjuksköterskorna att patientsäkerheten påverkades negativt. / Background: To work in an emergency department is described as stressful and means high workload for the staff, which leads to work related stress. The healthcare is controlled by laws to ensure that the quality of the care is good. It is in the nurses competence to manage a safe care and ensure that patients doesn´t get hurt. It is both demanding and the nurse has a responsibility when working in an emergency department. That’s why compiled knowledge is needed to find out nurses experience of how their work environment affects the patient safety. Aim: The aim of this literature review was to describe work related stress, high workload and patient safety in an emergency department from a nurses’ perspective. The aim divides in three issues: What experiences and perceptions do nurses have of work related stress? What experiences and perceptions do nurses have of high workload? What experiences and perceptions do nurses have of how work related stress and high workload impacts patient safety? Method: This essay has been designed as a literature review. Articles has been searched from two databases called PubMed and Cinahl and also it´s quality has been controlled by templates from Högskolan Dalarna. The articles is analysed by the writers of this essay reading through them and then categorized them by similarity and differences. From those categories main- and subcategories were formed under which the results is presented. The writers of this essay has reflected over their own understanding and therefore aimed for an objective approach of the result. Results: The literature review resulted in three main themes: (1) nurses experiences and perceptions of work related stress, (2) nurses experiences and perceptions of high workload and (3) nurses experiences and perceptions of impact on patient safety. Conclusion: The result of this literature review shows that nurses experienced work related stress in times of high workload. Shortages in staffing levels, a large number of patients, lack of time and poor communication and poor teamwork contributed to create and increase high workload. With work related stress and high workload nurses experienced that patient safety were impacted in a negative way.
396

An economic analysis of maternal health care in Zambia

Chama-Chiliba, Chitalu Miriam January 2013 (has links)
This thesis investigates the utilisation of maternal health care in Zambia, where despite being a signatory to the Safe Motherhood Initiative and Millennium Development Goals, which are aimed at improving maternal health, indicators of maternal health continue to perform poorly. The need to understand crucial factors in improving maternal health motivated the current research, especially since there is a dearth of literature in this area in Zambia. The thesis focuses on two aspects of maternal health care: antenatal care (ANC) and facility-based deliveries, to answer two broad questions. Firstly, what factors determine the use of ANC in Zambia? Secondly, to what extent has the abolition of user fees affected facility-based deliveries? An assessment of the factors, which explain the utilisation of ANC in Zambia, using three sets of comparable datasets reveals that, while there are differences in the factors explaining the decision to use ANC and the frequency of visits over time, the decision to seek ANC and the frequency of use is low among the poor and less educated, and there are marked regional differences in utilisation. The most appropriate econometric specification for antenatal visits, according to different performance indicators, was the two-part model, which differs from recent research favouring more complex methodologies. The analysis is further extended through the inclusion of supply-side factors and the examination of individual and community level factors associated with inadequate and non-use of ANC, following the adoption of the focused ANC approach in Zambia. To incorporate the supply side factors, the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey was linked to administrative and health facility census data using geo-referenced data. To assess the factors associated with (1) the inadequate use of ANC (defined as three or less visits), and (2) the non-use of ANC in the first trimester of pregnancy, we specify two multilevel logistic models. At the individual level, the woman’s employment status, quality of ANC received and the husband’s educational attainment are negatively associated, while parity, the household childcare burden and wealth are positively associated with inadequate utilisation of ANC. Both individual and community level characteristics influence inadequate use and non-use of ANC in the first trimester; however, community level factors are relatively stronger in rural areas. Although ANC is an important facet of maternal care, it occurs before delivery, but does not necessarily provide much information with respect to delivery decisions. Therefore, the thesis investigates delivery decisions, as well, in particular, the effect of user fee removal in rural areas of Zambia on facility-based deliveries. To account for regional differences, we employ a Seemingly Unrelated Regression model incorporating an Interrupted Time Series design. The analysis uses quarterly longitudinal data covering 2003q1-2008q4. When unobserved heterogeneity, spatial dependence and quantitative supply-side factors are controlled for, user fee removal is found to immediately increase aggregate facility-based deliveries, although the national trend was unaffected. Drug availability and the presence of traditional birth attendants also influence facility-based deliveries at the national level, such that, in the short-term, strengthening and improving community-based interventions could increase facility-based deliveries. However, there is significant variation and spatial dependence masked in the aggregate analysis. The results highlight the importance of service quality in promoting facility-based deliveries, and also suggest that social and cultural factors, especially in rural areas, influence the use of health facilities for delivery. These factors are not easily addressed, through an adjustment to the cost of delivery in health facilities. Additionally, we analyse the effect of user fee abolition on the location of childbirth, focussing on deliveries that occur in public health facilities using household survey data. To elicit the causal relationship, we exploit the relative change in fees across health districts within a difference-in-differences framework. Surprisingly, although reductions in home deliveries were observed, as expected, reductions in public health facility-based deliveries were also uncovered, along with increases in deliveries at private health facilities. However, these findings were statistically insignificant; suggesting that the abolition of user fees had little, if any, impact on the choice of location for childbirth. The statistically insignificant, but unexpected, causal effects further suggest that the removal of user fees have unintended consequences, possibly the transference of facility costs to the client, which would deter the utilisation of delivery services. Therefore, abolishing user fees, alone, may not be sufficient to affect changes in outcomes; instead, other efforts, such as improving service quality, could have a greater impact. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Economics / unrestricted
397

Faktorer i sjuksköterskeprofessionen som har en inverkan på patientsäkerheten / Factors in the nurse profession that have an impact on patient safety

Lindberg Wahlén, Jennie, Pellgaard, Josefine January 2020 (has links)
Bakgrund: Inom dagens slutenvård möter legitimerade sjuksköterskor en ökad arbetsbelastning samtidigt som sjuksköterskor förväntas utföra god och säker vård gentemot patienter. Situationen kan resultera i att vårdskador uppstår och patientsäkerheten äventyras.  Syfte: Syftet var att belysa de faktorer som har betydelse för patientsäkerheten inom slutenvården utifrån sjuksköterskors perspektiv. Metod: Litteraturöversikt baserat på 20 artiklar med både kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats. Resultat: Faktorer som påverkade patientsäkerheten identifierades som ogynnsam Arbetsmiljö, vårdpersonalens Kompetens, Kommunikation, Samarbete inom vårdlaget och Patientsäkerhetskulturen på avdelningen. Slutsats: Det är av vikt att identifiera arbetsrelaterade faktorer för att skapa en bättre arbetsmiljö och förebygga uppkomsten av vårdskador vilket leder till en förbättrad patientsäkerhet och en säker vård. / Background: Registered nurses of today in the inpatient care face increased workload concurrently when nurses are expected to deliver good and safe care for patients. The situation of today´s health care may result in patient safety events and jeopardizing patient safety. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe factors in inpatient care that can have an impact on patient safety. Method: A literature review including 20 articles with both qualitative and quantitative approach was performed. Results: Factors that have an impact on patient safety were identified as unfavorable Work environment, Healthcare workers competence, Communication, Cooperation within the task force and the patient safety culture in the department. Conclusion: It is important to identify work-related factors in order to create a better work environment and prevent patient safety events which leads to improved patient safety and safe care.
398

A Transparent Agile Change : Predicting a Transparent Organizational Change from Change Recipients’ Beliefs and Trust in Management / En Transparent Agil Förändring : Att Predicera en Transparent Organisationsförändring utifrån Förändringsmottagares Uppfattningar och Tillit till Ledning

Nilsson, Towe January 2020 (has links)
The popularity of agile methodologies is steadily increasing. This study is an intent to balance the agile change literature with a psychological perspective and quantitative measures of an agile change made within a Swedish organization. Organizational change recipients’ beliefs (discrepancy, appropriateness, valence, efficacy, & principal support) and trust in management were measured in an online survey to see how well these variables could predict a successful agile change towards transparency. The results indicate a lack of support for several previously cited success factors in the agile literature and a need for more quantitative and research-driven literature. No support could be found for a relationship between discrepancy, appropriateness, valence, principal support, trust in management, and the outcome of a successful implementation of transparency. Efficacy was found to be a significant and robust predictor of the outcome. More research is needed to ensure the generalizability of the results.
399

Caractérisation et modélisation électrothermique compacte étendue du MOSFET SiC en régime extrême de fonctionnement incluant ses modes de défaillance : application à la conception d'une protection intégrée au plus proche du circuit de commande / Extensive compact electrothermal characterization and modeling of the SiC MOSFET under extreme operating conditions including failure modes : application to the design of an integrated protection as close as possible to the gate driver

Boige, François 27 September 2019 (has links)
Le défi de la transition vers une énergie sans carbone passe, aujourd’hui, par un recours systématique à l’énergie électrique avec au centre des échanges l’électronique de puissance. Pour être à la hauteur des enjeux, l'électronique de puissance nécessite des composants de plusen plus performants pour permettre un haut niveau d'intégration, une haute efficacité énergétique et un haut niveau de fiabilité. Aujourd’hui, le transistor de puissance, du type MOSFET, en carbure de silicium (SiC) est une technologie de rupture permettant de répondre aux enjeux d’intégration et d’efficacité par un faible niveau de perte et une vitesse de commutation élevée. Cependant, leur fiabilité non maitrisée et leur faible robustesse aux régimes extrêmes du type court-circuit répétitifs freinent aujourd’hui leur pénétration dans les applications industrielles. Dans cette thèse, une étude poussée du comportement en court-circuit d'un ensemble exhaustif de composants commerciaux, décrivant toutes les variantes structurelles et technologiques en jeu, a été menée sur un banc de test spécifique développé durant la thèse, afin de quantifier leur tenue au courtcircuit. Cette étude a mis en lumière des propriétés à la fois génériques et singulières aux semiconducteurs en SiC déclinés en version MOSFET tel qu’un courant de fuite dynamique de grille et un mode de défaillance par un court-circuit grille-source amenant, dans certaines conditions d'usage et pour certaines structures de MOSFET, à un auto-blocage drain-source. Une recherchesystématique de la compréhension physique des phénomènes observés a été menée par une approche mêlant analyse technologique interne des composants défaillants et modélisation électrothermique fine. Une modélisation électrothermique compacte étendue à la prise en compte des modes de défaillance a été établie et implémentée dans un logiciel de type circuit. Ce modèle a été confronté à de très nombreux résultats expérimentaux sur toutes les séquences temporelles décrivant un cycle de court-circuit jusqu'à la défaillance. Ce modèle offre un support d'analyse intéressant et aussi une aide à la conception des circuits de protection. Ainsi, à titre d'application, un driver doté d'une partie de traitement numérique a été conçu et validé en mode de détection de plusieurs scénarii de court-circuit mais aussi potentiellement pour la détection de la dégradation de la grille du composant de puissance. D’autres travaux plus exploratoires ont aussi été menés en partenariat avec l’Université de Nottingham afin d’étudier l'impact de régimes de court-circuit impulsionnels répétés sur le vieillissement de puces en parallèle présentant des dispersions. La propagation d'un premier mode de défaillance issu d'un composant "faible" a aussi été étudiée. Ce travail ouvre la voie à la conception de convertisseurs intrinsèquement sûrs et disponibles en tirant parti des propriétés atypiques et originales des semi-conducteurs en SiC et du MOSFET en particulier / Nowaday, the challenge of the transition to carbon-free energy involves a systematic use of electrical energy with power electronics at the heart of the exchanges. To meet the challenges, power electronics requires increasingly high-performance devices to provide a high level of integration, high efficiency and a high level of reliability. Today, the power transistor, of the MOSFET type, made of silicon carbide (SiC) is a breakthrough technology that allows us to meet the challenges of integration and efficiency through their low level of loss and high switching speed. However, their limited reliability and low robustness at extreme operating conditions such as repetitive short-circuits are now hindering their expansion in industrial applications. In this thesis, an in-depth study of the short-circuit behaviour of an exhaustive set of commercial devices, describing all the structural and technological variants involved, was carried out on a specific test bench developed during the thesis, in order to quantify their short-circuit resistance. This study highlighted both generic and singular properties of SiC semiconductors for every Mosfet version such as a dynamic gate leakage current and a failure mode by a short-circuit grid-source leading, under certain conditions of use and for certain Mosfet structures, to a self-blocking drain-source. A systematic research of the physical understanding of the observed mechanisms was carried out by an approach combining an internal technological analysis of the failed devices and a fine electrothermal modelling. A compact electrothermal modeling extended to failure mode consideration has been established and implemented in circuit software. This model was confronted with numerous experimental results describing a short-circuit cycle up to failure. This model offers an interesting analytical support and also helps the design of protection circuits. Thus, as an application, a driver equipped with a digital processing part has been designed and validated in detection mode for several short-circuit scenarios but also potentially for the detection of the degradation of the power component grid. Other more exploratory work has also been carried out in partnership with the University of Nottingham to study the impact of repeated pulse short-circuit regimes on the aging of parallel chips with dispersions. The propagation of a first failure mode from a "weak" device was also studied. This work paves the way for the design of intrinsically safe and available converters by taking advantage of the atypical and original properties of SiC semiconductors and Mosfet in particular
400

Participatory risk assessment for harvesting of impala (Aepyceros melampus) and the distribution of by-products

Ramrajh, Shashikala 16 July 2013 (has links)
The demand for the control of safe food, from consumers the world over, has revolutionized the manner in which wild game meat harvesting occurs. In developed countries, food quality, food and human safety with quality controlling systems embracing environmental carbon footprint issues are constantly improving, for international harmonization at each level of production “from stable to table”, “farm to fork”, “field to yield” as well as from “cradle to grave”. Food industries globally have adopted the in Hazard Analysis Critical control Point (HACCP) system. This is a risk assessment process using Hygiene Assessment Systems (HAS) as a mitigating strategy for risk communication through training. It is also a holistic system that is compatible with international trends designed not only for food safety and quality, but it also embraces other aspects of farming such as animal welfare, environmental management and Occupational Safety and Health. Global marketing for international trade demands quality assurance from trading partners thereby promoting economic growth for developing countries. The watch dog bodies such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) prohibit trading for non-compliance, therefore trade barriers are in place for uncertified food of animal origin, EU regulations are stringent requirements that need compliance and so too the OIE regulations for disease control, while the Codex Alimentarius Commission maintains trade harmonization. In South Africa Hygiene Assessment Systems (HAS) is a National Hygiene management strategy implemented at abattoirs, that promotes and facilitates quality and hygiene and is reflective of South African quality abroad. It is prescribed under the section, “Essential National Standards” in the Meat Safety Act, 2000, (Act 40 of 2000). This Act covers red meat and includes both domestic animals and game. The Veterinary Procedural Notices (VPN’s) are used for export of game and give far more detailed guidelines than the legislation for game meat sold and consumed locally in South Africa. The objective of the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) is to create a national awareness of quality to better improve the quality of life of all South Africans, whilst at the same time it is used as an auditing tool for Veterinary Public Health to effectively compare essential standards within the nine provinces. Currently this programme is referred to as the National Abattoir Rating Scheme (NARS), which is only applicable to the high and low throughput Red Meat and Poultry abattoirs in South Africa and not to the Game or Rural abattoirs, thereby further compounding the duality of food standards with food safety being compromised. This study has been undertaken because there are inadequate risk control measures such as introduction of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines on primary and secondary meat inspection, specifically on game for local consumption, not only within South Africa, but in the international arena as well. A revision of the HAS document and audit will also be needed to meet with the local (not just export) criteria for wild game harvesting, to enable food safety, thus enabling food security in the remote non - agricultural areas in KwaZulu -Natal. Venison is the meat of today because of health priorities that have arisen over the last ten years. It is low in trans - fatty acids and is regarded internationally as a healthy product produced organically in a free range situation. South Africa has a large potential export market for venison to the European Union because the demand, for venison, exceeds supply in Europe. However, the European Union’s “safe food regulation” that was introduced between 2005 and 2007 with an implementation date of 2008 (Regulation1021/2008) has made it imperative that the HACCP principle is applied to any food or food product of animal origin imported into the European Union or its member states. Also, HACCP specifies that a multidisciplinary team of experts is selected. This then lends itself to a participatory approach to risk assessment as wide consultation is required. This participatory approach was used, including expert opinion surveys and focus group discussions with stakeholders and role-players in the game industry such as commercial hunters, state veterinary services and game ranch owners. Such participants may have better insight into existing conditions than external experts with recognised educational qualifications, usually used in the HACCP team. From this and the relevant Veterinary Procedural Notices for game harvesting, a HACCP process flow and critical control points were derived for the primary phase of meat inspection, including slaughter, primary meat inspection and loading for transport to the abattoir. This was modified during a phase or trial harvesting and then implemented during the harvest of 1758 impala carcasses which were subsequently exported. In addition, environmental risks were considered and a risk mitigation strategy designed, to reduce any possible environmental impacts. In northern Kwazulu Natal, game ranches and conservation areas are in close proximity to the rural poor where food is scarce and comes at a premium price. These game farms harvest seasonally for either the local or export market, hence there is abundance of game offal and by-products available, yet it is at present left in the field or taken to the vulture restaurants (in line with the VPN). Participatory risk analysis was thus also used to investigate the feasibility of using edible offal from impala (Aepyceros melampus) as a source of renewable protein, to address food security issues in impoverished communities in the study area, the districts of uPongola and Jozini, in northern KwaZulu Natal. Structured interviews on the cultural acceptability of impala offal were held with 162 randomly sampled adult respondents in veterinary districts associated with dip tanks. A two stage cluster design was used where the state veterinary areas were stage one and the dip tanks (with proportional random sampling of community members) were the second stage. Offal is a popular food in South Africa in different cultures, called “ithumbu” in IsiZulu, “ boti” by the Indian group, “afval” in Afrikaans and “tripe” in English. Generally demand outstrips supply of offal at red meat abattoirs in South Africa. It was found that there was no significant difference between those who would eat impala offal and those who would eat the offal of sheep. It was concluded that it is feasible to use inspected game offal from impala as a protein source in much the same way as red meat offal is used and that the current practice of leaving the offal for predators was likely, if it continues, to cause imbalances in the predator/ prey ratio on game farms. It is recommended that the VPN for game be amended to encompass inspected offal being allowed into the formal food chain, in line with the standard operating procedure developed during this study. Also that current fragmentation of legislation and the implementation thereof is revisited for effective control for harmonisation of food safety standards for game meat within South Africa. / Dissertation (MMedVet)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Paraclinical Sciences / unrestricted

Page generated in 0.0503 seconds