Smoking flares have always represented the visible symbols of pollution escaping from the world's oil and petrochemical industries. Only in recent years, however, has the increasing size of such complexes begun to cause acute environmental problems. During normal operations, these valuable off-gases ought to be conserved, either by gas liquifaction or by re-injection plants but, in an emergency, flares remain necessities as 'plant safety valves'. Essentially, smokeless flaring is an aerodynamic mixing problem. The large volume air requirement for clean combustion has to be induced into the flame by some kind of high pressure gas or steam entrainment system. A novel method of effecting this mixing, rapidly, is to utilise the 'Coanda Effect'. This is the name given to the tendency of a fluid jet to adhere to an adjacent surface, thereby causing enhanced entrainment, actually up to 25 times the original air inflow into the jet. The object of this research was to study and thus improve the performance of one design of Coanda, external surface, steam flare, developed and marketed by BP under the trade name Stedair. The investigation of this flare system was conducted in two parts; physical modelling of the entrainment at the flare tip, followed on by confirmatory measurements, on a 76 mm pilot scale, propylene doped, methane-steam flare, A slice (two-dimensional) water model of a Stedair flare tip was constructed, to examine the effectiveness of Coanda surface geometry, as an entrainer and mixer. The neutralisation reaction between solutions of HCl and NaOH was used to imitate the combustion reactions between oxygen and hydrocarbons, the neutralisation being made visible by the use of phenolphalcin as an indicator. Adjustment of the concentrations cuid flows simulates fuel stoichiemetry and excess air requirements, producing a 'flare envelope' corresponding to the 'mixed is burnt criterion. The second phase of the investigation consisted of a series of combustion tests on the largest (76 mm) Stedair steam flare that could b6 safely operated within a high ceiling (7.6 m) laboratory. Temperature and CO profiles within the flame were measured on 3 flare heads, with 4 slot widths/head and at 3 steam flows/slot width, the gas flow being kept constant. Smoke Points, Blow-off and Coanda Breakaway Points were also measured at varying gas flows. The Coanda principle is inherently such an excellent entrainment device that combustion on these flare tips is nearly always good, provided that the jet slot width remains uniform. Whilst noise and radiation levels can only be measured on real flares, combustion quality and entrainment rates are best measured on slice water models of such flares. The experimental flare built by the author demonstrated this point very well. The pulsations and oscillations of this turbulent jet, even in the wind-free laboratory environment made obtaining consistent measurements very difficult. A Coanda flare behaves like an enclosed rather than a free jet, thus the similarity criteria developed by Craya and Curtet can be applied and when it is, Jenkins and Coworkers have shown that, water model results do correspond to those measured on real flare trials.

Working below the threshold limit value (TLV) for heat stress is not always feasible. When work above the TLV is required, an exposure method is needed that can help protect workers from time limiting heat stress by calculating a safe time for work at certain heat exposures. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the USARIEM Heat Strain Decision Aid (HSDA) can be used to predict time limiting heat stress exposure in an occupational setting. Twelve adults participated in time limited heat stress exposures. A range of heat stress conditions were designed using three different ensembles and five different heat stress levels. Safe exposure times were assigned based on limiting criteria for core temperature (38.5°C), high heart rate (90% of age-estimated maximum), or willingness to continue. The HSDA process was adapted to an Excel function using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and trial data were input data to the HSDA function. A second HSDA function was used to find a predicted core temperature for fixed a standard person using a height of 170cm, a weight of 70kg, and an initial core temperature of 37°C. The logistic regression and probability of the individual data as well as the fixed data were compared. We found that the HSDA could be used to assess time limiting exposures in an occupational setting when workers are working above the TLV.

The thesis focuses on the consumer protection in public law. The objective of the thesis is especially give a general and complex view of the topic. The text is, apart from the introduction and the conclusion, divided into three parts. The first part introduces the topic by defining the term consumer and by studying the consumer protection. Subsequently a view on the differences between the public and private law is provided, so these could be applied in the study about the consumer protection in public law and about its characteristics and differences with consumer protection in private law. In the end of the first part an overview is given about norms, in which the consumer protection in public law is included, in European and Czech legislation. The two next parts amend the general first part by more particular look on the topic in certain areas. These areas are determined by the thesis that the consumer protection in public law consists mainly of the imposing of duties to persons who produce, import or sell products or provide services, in the administrative inspection over these duties and in arising liability in the case of breaching them. The second part brings nearer selected duties which aim to consumer protection - study about trans-sectional affecting prohibition of unfair commercial practices is...

in English The author's thesis deals with the topic of whistleblowing, which is currently very relevant, because two legislative proposals about the protection of whistleblowers have been submitted recently and also because of the adoption of Government Regulation No. 145/2015, which establishes treatment of notification for state employees. The thesis discusses and presents the views of many authors on the concept of whistleblowing, whistleblower, further it clarifies the division of internal and external whistleblowing and also divides the reporting of whistleblowing on public, confidential and anonymous. The work also presents the history of qui tam actions that are highly associated with the history of whistleblowing. The thesis presents selected aspects of foreign whistleblowing arrangements, namely in the United States of America, which has a long tradition of whistleblowing. The new law to protect whistleblowers, which is effective from 1st January 2015 in the Slovak Republic, is examined in the thesis as well. The author also points out the international obligations for the Czech Republic, which result from the membership in the international organizations and also from being in the European Union. The work provides an overview of the most important documents about whistleblowing in the...

The theme of this diploma thesis is the phenomenon of whistleblowing, which has recently become increasingly discussed. The thesis contains seven chapters, in which the author describes the issue of whistleblowing both in theoretical and practical level. Emphasis is placed on defining the concept of whistleblowing, its historical development and exploration of the roots of the first modern whistleblower legislation, which was adopted in 1978 in the United States. The thesis also shows some specifics of whistleblower legislation in countries with Anglo-Saxon legal culture. In the second half, the author deals with the international commitments of the Czech Republic in the area of whistleblowing. It is also mentioned relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Big part of the thesis is devoted to describing the state of the current whistleblowing legislation in the Czech Republic, which is considered to be greatly insufficient. In conclusion, the author suggests de lege ferenda legislative recommendations for future whistleblowing legislation in the Czech Republic.

The interconnection of environmental pollution and socioeconomic development is discussed, taking information as the starting point. Information in this field has been developed, and the ensuing problems considered, in the international forum by United Nations Agencies and Conferences, and at a national level by the Brazilian Federal Government. The main problems relating to the pollution of the Brazilian environment are introduced, and Governmental policy - internal and external - is shown on the national plane to be somewhat uncoordinated, and on the international plane to be rather resistant to external pressures. This limits both the development of a national environmental information system, and the participation of Brazil in the international exchange of information and ideas. Environmental information is focused at the international level through UNEP's systems, and the Brazilian situation is presented comprehensively through the data collected in sixty-two environmental agencies. These agencies were surveyed with the twofold objective of: a. analysing the generation of information and the pattern of its use by the Brazilian environmental agencies in their decision-making process, and b. investigating how the variables of region and task influence the pattern of information use by environmental managers. The analysis has been based mainly on the interviews conducted with the managers in charge of environmental pollution control in Brazil, and involved the following steps: a. the identification of managerial functions and tasks in the field of environmental pollution control; b. the identification of information needs related to each task; c. the analysis of regional characteristics related to tasks and information needs; d. the analysis of both regional and task characteristics related to the sources of information used by the managers. Some alternative solutions towards an environmental information policy are proposed, taking into account managerial information needs, information units already existing with greater potential for contributing to this field and the national and regional political background.

Risk assessment is ‘risky business’ when we consider that it is based on the individual values, knowledge, experience and personality of thousands of unique social workers throughout the Country. And, combined with the personalities, charisma, charm and manipulative capacities of families we essentially have nothing but a bunch of checklists or ticky boxes. I would argue that the very structure of the organizational capacity to effect change with families in crisis is as senseless as it is useless: We cannot apply a systematized set of procedures, guidelines and solutions to the human condition. People are not mechanical, they are not engines that contain in similar fashion, parts and pieces that can be replaced or even understood. They are unique, they are complex, they contain immeasurable differences in their thinking, doing and believing: They can apply rules, values, and experiences to manipulate, charm, and confuse workers. So, just how do we prescribe a methodology to the madness of crisis? How do we ensure that outcomes are based on a thorough, thoughtful and critical analysis of each and every family who comes to the attention of the child protection authorities and ensure safety while protecting the child’s right to remain in the biological family home? We have created complexity within the systems that manage us and have thereby made insignificant the significance of human work. What is needed is a complete restructuring of the systems we work within; the way we work, the way we think and the way we approach our understanding of risk and safety. But considering the depth of practice this would need to reach, the number of workers that would have to change, the belief systems, social systems, bureaucracy and barriers that would have to be overcome, we need to ask, “is this possible?” Can we successfully implement a change of such magnitude in child protection practice today? The purpose of this research is to support organizations, regions and even entire provinces across Canada in their pursuit of change within the child protection field. It is based on the premise that child protection reforms of the past have ill-addressed the needs of children and families; the deficit based frameworks utilized until recent years have often left families broken and helpless in the struggle to keep their children at home. This study will take an in-depth look at the historical context of social work highlighting the need for systemic, organizational and legislative change while identifying a process for successful implementation of the Signs of Safety practice framework by first exposing the indicators of success. Utilizing an auto-ethnographical methodology grounded in the critical race theory I will provide my personal experiences working within organizations, the successes, the challenges and the barriers to change of this magnitude. / Graduate / hebditchconsulting@gmail.com

No Abstract / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / hb2014 / Mercantile Law / unrestricted

The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 is far-reaching, ambitious and the first of its kind in the Republic of South Africa. Before and even after the Act has come into force it still has many jurists scratching heads. The focus of this discussion will be on the effects of the Consumer Protection Act on the common law warranty against latent defects given by the seller as well as the effect of the Consumer Protection Act on the exclusion of the seller’s warranty in terms of a voetstoots clause. The consumer’s right to fair value, goods quality and safety (section 55) as well as the consumer’s implied warrant of quality (section 56) is discussed. The position as it stands in terms of English Law is also discussed with regards to latent defects. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmchunu2014 / Private Law / unrestricted

The purpose of this mini-dissertation is to determine whether and to what extent contractual freedom are infringed and/or obviated by the Consumer Protection Act and to establish if the limitation created by the CPA is the answer to the problem of inequality of bargaining powers of contracting parties. A fundamental concept of law of contract is freedom of contract: the idea that the parties are free to decide whether or not to contract; with whom to contract; and on what terms to contract. Despite the fact that freedom of contract is deeply engrained in our society it has a rather shaky foundation based on multiple assumptions and when objectively viewed the truth is that when making a contract there is always social and economical pressure that is implied in negotiating each and every contract. Having regard to the above it can be said that realistically speaking the fundamental concept of equality in the bargaining powers of contacting parties is the exception rather than the rule and that this unequal position has without a doubt undermined the true notion of freedom of contract. Our Common law has developed many rules and principles to curb this unfairness in the making of contracts. The CPA has praiseworthy intentions such as the promotion of fair business practice and the protection of the vulnerable from exploitation and unsafe and hazardous goods and/or products. Despite the good intentions of the CPA and every other aspect that might have an influence the problem remains enforcement of these principles. Thus despite the infringement of contractual freedom by the regulations of the CPA it appears not to be the answer to the problem of inequality in the bargaining power of parties negotiating a contract. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmchunu2014 / Mercantile Law / unrestricted