Jane Austen's novels have often been viewed as realistic portrayals of the time in which she lived. This paper attempts to modify this view by examining her work in the context of the novels of Samuel Richardson, the writer whom she reportedly admired above all others. There are many differences between the two authors, but their subject matter is essentially the same: the hearts and minds of marriageable young women. Richardson's heroines, however, are threatened and harassed while Austen's are free to experience without fear, and to learn without danger. In "Sir Charles Grandison or The Happy Man", a parody she wrote of Richardson's Sir Charles Grandison, Austen satirizes Richardson's timorous heroines and aggressive heroes; in her novels, women are self-assured and men are not frightening. An examination of the social history of the eighteenth ce ntu ry and the letters of Jane Austen, however, demonstrates that the world of her novels is not the one she knew. Her much misunderstood letters, in particular, show that her attitudes towards sexual relationships have much in common with those of Samuel Richardson. In addition, her letters illustrate the source and significance of her celebrated irony. Finally, this study concentrates on Mansfield Park, the novel that appears to contradict Austen's other novels. Mansfield Park is didactic and unironic; it has an oppressed heroine, powerful male characters, and a society that neither appreciates nor defends women. In Mansfield Park the Richardsonian inheritance and Austen's social and sexual views come together and provide insights into her work. Jane Austen's heroines, with the exception of Fanny Price, inhabit a safe place she creates for them. Her rejection of the dangers of women's lives, which Richardson depicts so well, is proof, not of her realism, but of her artistry. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A new model was developed to enhance the understanding of the full context of work associated hazards, to explore the connection between OHS performance and a systematic approach to safety, and to simplify approaches to OHS management. This Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems model was derived from the literature and used as the basis for the development of a framework, consisting of 60 elements which was transformed into an assessment tool. This assessment tool was trialled with a pilot study on a medium sized manufacturing plant in the plastics industry, and the tool and Preliminary Report peer reviewed by an expert panel using the Nominal Group Technique. After refinements were made to the assessment tool it was applied to eight case studies that were drawn from advertisements. This qualitative study consisted of two parts: firstly the assessment using the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework; and secondly a controlled self assessment exercise to target improvements to three of the elements over a period of four months. The study illustrated that the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework could be successfully applied in a range of industries to promote OHS improvements and to provide a systematic, planned approach to fulfilling OHS responsibilities. The application of this framework highlighted that: there is a need for further education on the correct application of the risk assessment process and the responsibilities owed to contractors; techniques such as dynamic risk assessments are more suitable where the place of work is variable and hazards are unpredictable; more focus is needed on the appropriate management of hazardous substances with long term health consequences; and that the level of formality invoked for treating hazards does not necessarily equate to improved risk reduction outcomes. The Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework was found to be applicable to small, medium and large organisations provided the assessment was scoped to a small division of relatively homogeneous activity to ensure a more representative hazard profile. This approach has provided a way forward to simplify OHS management and also offers practical direction for implementing a targeted OHS improvement program.

A new model was developed to enhance the understanding of the full context of work associated hazards, to explore the connection between OHS performance and a systematic approach to safety, and to simplify approaches to OHS management. This Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems model was derived from the literature and used as the basis for the development of a framework, consisting of 60 elements which was transformed into an assessment tool. This assessment tool was trialled with a pilot study on a medium sized manufacturing plant in the plastics industry, and the tool and Preliminary Report peer reviewed by an expert panel using the Nominal Group Technique. After refinements were made to the assessment tool it was applied to eight case studies that were drawn from advertisements. This qualitative study consisted of two parts: firstly the assessment using the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework; and secondly a controlled self assessment exercise to target improvements to three of the elements over a period of four months. The study illustrated that the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework could be successfully applied in a range of industries to promote OHS improvements and to provide a systematic, planned approach to fulfilling OHS responsibilities. The application of this framework highlighted that: there is a need for further education on the correct application of the risk assessment process and the responsibilities owed to contractors; techniques such as dynamic risk assessments are more suitable where the place of work is variable and hazards are unpredictable; more focus is needed on the appropriate management of hazardous substances with long term health consequences; and that the level of formality invoked for treating hazards does not necessarily equate to improved risk reduction outcomes. The Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework was found to be applicable to small, medium and large organisations provided the assessment was scoped to a small division of relatively homogeneous activity to ensure a more representative hazard profile. This approach has provided a way forward to simplify OHS management and also offers practical direction for implementing a targeted OHS improvement program.