Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The ability to improve the safety of patient care delivery is dependent on the safety culture, or the norms surrounding reactions following an error, the learning that takes place, and the proactive strategies in place to prevent future errors. While measurement of patient safety culture is now common in the United States (US) using instrument specifically developed for US healthcare organizations, no measurements of safety culture had been conducted at Hamad Medical Corporation in the State of Qatar, a Middle Eastern country; nor were valid or reliable instruments available. The purpose of this study was to assess registered nurses’ perceptions of the safety culture in the units where they provide nursing care at Hamad Medical Corporation using a modified version of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) patient safety culture an instrument (Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture). Eight hundred surveys were distributed to all randomly-selected nurses from eight targeted clinical services with a response rate of 57%. Survey results were compared with those from US hospitals using the original AHRQ survey. Ranking of subscales for this study in terms of strengths and areas needing improvement were almost identical to the ordering of US hospital results, with teamwork within units ranked highest and indicating a strength; and the subscale non-punitive response to error the lowest and indicating an area for improvement. Positive response rates in terms of safety culture for this study were generally lower on most subscales compared to the US results and may reflect the intensity of patient safety improvement activity in the US over the last eight years in response to the Institute of Medicine’s report on medical errors in 1999. Results from this study provide a baseline measurement for safety culture at Hamad Medical Corporation and beginning adaptation of an instrument that can be used in other Middle Eastern healthcare organizations in the future.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the BuiltEnvironment,University of the Witwatersrand,Johannesburg,in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, 2019 / A Performance-based Standards(PBS) framework legislates the dynamic performance and road-width usage of heavy vehicles,allowing the length and mass of a vehicle to exceed prescriptive legislation.The PBS framework defines the safe performance envelope of vehicles but does not optimise their safety and productivity.The design process to achieve the optimal productivity of PBS vehicles is highly iterative.An initial design is evaluated using multi-body dynamic ssimulation.If the required PBS performance is not achieved,design iterationsare made until the required PBS performance is achieved.The process is costly,time-consuming andcomputationallyexpensive.Theobjectiveofthisresearchistoquantifytherelativeeffect ofeachVehicleDesignParameter(VDP)ofamulti-bodyvehicledynamicsmodelonthevehicle safetyasmeasuredwithinthePBSframeworktoassistinthePBSassessmentprocess.To achievethis,threerepresentativebaselinePBSvehiclesweredeveloped(aquadsemi-trailer, trideminterlinkandrigiddrawbarcombination)fromPBSassessmentsconductedinSouth Africa.AsetofrangeswithinwhicheachVDPcouldbevariedwasdevelopedbyconsidering OriginalEquipmentManufacturer(OEM)data,legalrestrictions,physicalconstraintsand SouthAfricanPBSassessments.EachVDPforeachbaselinecombinationwasvariedin isolationtoevaluateitsinfluenceonthevehiclesperformancewithinthePBSframework.A comparative matrix was developed for each baseline vehicle comparing the relative influence of each VDP on each of the PBS performance measures.The matrices yield insight into which VDP shave the most influence on each performance measure for each of the baseline vehicles.Furthermore VDPs that have an egligible influence on the performance of all baseline vehicles can be conservatively estimated in the absence of OEM data while still predicting representative vehicle performance.These insights will guide designers to focus onVDPs with a high influence on vehicle performance,allow PBS assessors to determine which design parameters can be modelled with generic approximate data in the absence of OEMdata,and speedup the process of assessing vehicles with in the PBS framework. / TL (2020)

The increasingly urbanized world needs a solution to solve one of the most difficult problems – traffic congestion and safety. Researchers, consultants, and local officials are all attempting to solve these problems with different methods. However, it is apparent that understanding the driving behaviors on the roadway network and implementing roadway configurations accordingly is one of the great solutions. Therefore, the modeling of driving behavior would be the focus of this two-part thesis. Chapter two of this thesis will elaborate on the modeling of various driving behavior types in the microsimulation software by providing an easier-to-calibrate alternative for the driver behavior model in the microsimulation. The calibration method would leverage VISSIM, its highly customizable External driver model (EDM) API, JMP Pro's experiment design and sensitivity analysis, and SSAM's trajectory analysis. Then a set of driver model parameters are produced through sensitivity analysis, which is effective in producing a set of traffic conflicts that matches a preset target. Chapter three of this thesis focuses on simulating aggressive driving behaviors in a microsimulation and driving simulator co-simulation environment. Two co-simulation platforms are demonstrated, and the data collection are done in the VISSIM-Unity platform to collect microscopic driving data and trajectory data from the aggressive driver. Data analysis are performed on both datasets and determine the aggressive driver's safety impact. / Master of Science / The increasingly urbanized world needs a solution to solve one of the most difficult problems – traffic jams and safety. Researchers, engineers, and local officials are all attempting to solve these problems with different methods. However, it is apparent that understanding people's driving behavior on the road and designing the roads and policies to cater to these driving behaviors is one of the great solutions. Therefore, the modeling of driving behavior would be the focus of this two-part thesis. Chapter two of this thesis will experiment with a traffic simulator (which is a tool used for designing and simulating different road configurations like roundabouts and numbers of lanes) and provide an easier and more accurate way to represent various driving styles in the traffic simulator. The calibration method would leverage a driving simulator called VISSIM, an adjustable driver behavior model, a vehicle route tracker, and a vehicle route conflict analysis tool. Then a set of driving behavior parameters would be produced to match the possible traffic accident count in the traffic simulator. Chapter three of this thesis focuses on simulating aggressive driving behaviors in a traffic simulator and driving simulator (like that of those with a steering). Two driving simulator platforms are tested, and the data collection are done in one of the platforms to collect driving data and vehicle route tracker data from the aggressive driver. Data analysis are performed on both types of data and determine the aggressive driver's safety impact.

No description available.

Tractor rollover protective structures (ROPS) have been found effective for protecting people from serious injury or death when tractors overturn. Extension agricultural engineers and safety specialists are promoting the retrofitting of ROPS on pre-ROPS tractors. ROPS, meeting to ASAE standards, are available for these older tractors. However, effective protection not only depends on the proper design of ROPS, but also on the structural adequacy of the rear axle housing on which ROPS are mounted, and on the means of attachment. Adequate information on the strength of pre-ROPS tractor axle housings 1s still lacking. A research project to develop a technique for determining the suitability of tractor axle housing when adding ROPS to pre-ROPS tractors was initiated by the Biological Systems Engineering Department at Virginia Tech in 1991. A finite element procedure was developed for the rear axle assembly of John Deere 720 tractor and models were built with a commercial software ANSYS Engineering Analysis Program. The models were employed to analyze the stress distributions under the static, crush, and dynamic ROPS tests recommended by ASAE. Laboratory tests were conducted to validate the models, and to assess the suitability of the shell element model and the general solid element model. Results of the analyses show that the rear axle housing assembly of John Deere 720 tractor has a safe margin for the static and crush tests under the condition of this study. Results also show that can support the dynamic test if the ROPS is mounted with a larger contact area with the axle assembly. The study concluded that the finite element procedure is effective to assess the strength adequacy of tractor axle housing and to determine the feasibility of retrofitting ROPS on pre-ROPS tractors. / Ph. D.

The goal of this study is to provide a model for maritime accidents which focuses on human factor related safety concerns and permits the economic evaluation of countermeasures. In order to halt the trend of maritime accidents it is necessary to identify the human related factors that are associated with them and address a method of analysis to isolate these factors and evaluate their economic impact. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) investigates and records data on accidents for vessels in U.S. waters and U.S. flag vessels all over the world. Other organizations which collect accident data are Lloyds of London, the P&I Club and some marine insurance companies. In order to understand the magnitude of human factor related accidents the USCG casualty database CASMAIN, which provides consistently gathered data for a period of more than ten years from (1981 to 1991), is analyzed. This database contains close to 66,133 records on 42,367 accidents. Accident analysis in the past was restricted to statistical reporting of the nature of casualty and its primary causes. Analysis rarely add ressed such issues as contributing causes and the variety of human factors causes and still further those contributing factors which led to failure of the human being from performing at an that more than 80% of the accidents were a result, whether direct or indirect, of human error. Such issues as workload, fatigue and stress in the transportation arena are being considered only now and other factors such as the effects of circadian rhythms and alertness switches are still in the realm of research. To better understand the human factors causes and their rationale a functional model of critical tasks and resources to carry them out is outlined. The human factors causes of accidents are also detrimental to the personnel resources required for a safe ship operation. If the risks posed by these factors can be assessed we would be in a better position to ensure that the tasks are performed properly and thus realize a safer and more efficient maritime system. Past historical accident data from the USCG CASMAI N database was then developed and organized to provide numerical estimates of human error frequencies for use in the proposed model. The resulting model would permit assessing costs and alternatives and result in a methodology of better addressing marine transportation safety with an emphasis on its prime creator, user and benefiter:-The Human. / Master of Science

M.S.

No description available.

Hunter education began in the 1930's and 1940's in response to an increasing number of hunting accidents. Early programs focused on gun safety. Later, emphasis shifted to a balance between gun safety and hunter ethics. Virginia's Hunter Education Program in 1980 had been operating on a voluntary basis for 20 years and had more than 250,000 graduates. The program was six hours in duration and was taught by game wardens and volunteer instructors. Classes were given to anyone 12 years of age or older, but students in public schools were the primary targets. Though Virginia's program had been in effect for many years, no formal evaluation as to the effectiveness of hunter education had been conducted. The present study was designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of Virginia's Hunter Education Program. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase one involved development of a new student examination for use in pre- and post-test knowledge assessment. Seven typical hunter education classes and one class of game warden recruits were tested in 1982. Test scores improved approximately 16 percent. The hunter education program seemed to be increasing students' knowledge of safe and ethical hunting. However, due to design and measurement weaknesses, no strong conclusions about the effectiveness of the hunter education program in improving students' knowledge can be made. Phase two was a participant observational study of dove hunters at two wildlife management areas in Virginia. The purpose of this phase was to compare hunting behavior of hunter education graduates versus those hunters who had not taken the course. The 112 hunters observed during the 1981 and 1982 season were later mailed a questionnaire designed to gather information on the individual hunter's experience, interest in, commitment to, and knowledge of hunting as well as some demographic characteristics. Observational and questionnaire data were combined into 32 variables and correlated with the hunter education variable. No meaningful correlations were found. Therefore, hunter education seemed to have little effect on hunters' behavior in the field. Phase three was a naturalistic inquiry evaluation of how the program was being implemented and received throughout Virginia. In-depth interviews were conducted with 57 people closely involved with hunter education. The primary purpose of this phase was to discover problems in the program and recommend solutions. The primary problems were lack of effective leadership and lack of internal agency support. Major recommendations included moving the entire program into the Education Division and creating a strong hunter safety coordinator position. Overall, the three-phased evaluation revealed that Virginia's Hunter Education Program lacked effective leadership, was being poorly implemented, and seemed to have little effect on hunters' behavior in the field. Though these results were obtained in Virginia, the investigator believes that the same results might apply to most other hunter education programs across the country. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many organisations have reached plateaus in their safety performance and are constantly exploring new methods to improve. Traditional safety practices e.g. engineering solutions, safety management systems, and other administrative controls do not enable organisations to make the required step change in safety performance. Safety culture is a new safety “buzz word” and is promoted as a phenomenon that could assist organisations in improving safety performance in their endeavour to safety excellence. It is however, a relatively new concept and research in this field was completed during the past two decades only. Safety culture is a multi-dimensional, dynamic and complex concept. An improved understanding of the safety culture concept is required to enable organisations to determine the value of pursuing safety culture enhancement in their quest for superior safety performance.