Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

Given the large economic and social costs of work-related accidents and injuries, it is not surprising that organisations strive to reduce them; this creates a need to improve the safety performance of the whole construction industry. Health and Safety statistics in general appear to suggest a levelling off of safety performance across the construction industry as a whole and this implies that improving safety beyond the current level of attainment calls for a radical look at how safety is addressed by the industry. Such a radical approach needs to explore alternatives to current practices in safety improvement. Although it is acknowledged that human factors are involved in 80-90% of work-related accidents and incidents, the focus of safety research in recent years still addresses only organisational and environmental factors, rather than variables at the level of the individual. Occupational personality models suggest that the ability to understand, predict and control incidents could minimize their potential transition into accidents. The safety behaviour of the individual worker forms part of such occupational personality modelling. Understanding the safety behaviour of construction workers should provide opportunities for improvement beyond traditional practices in the quest to improve safety management. The study on which this thesis is based aimed to develop a conceptual framework for improving safety performance on sites. This was achieved by exploring, on the one hand, the relationship between the personality traits of individual workers and their safety behaviour (safety participation, safety compliance and safety motivation), and incident rates on the other. The data for the analysis was drawn from multi-cultural construction workers in Saudi Arabia. The emergence of the Big Five personality model has been widely accepted as a valid and reasonably generalisable taxonomy for personality structure and has been used by numerous researchers as a framework to explore the criterion-related validity of personality in relation to job performance. This study employed the Big Five categorisation of traits to explore the relationship between fundamental dimensions of personality and potential for involvement in accidents and incidents. The principal findings from the study showed a very good level of acceptance by practitioners in Saudi Arabia for the conceptual framework developed for managing safety behaviour. The study also established that some personality traits moderated the effects of safety behaviour for incident rates. In addition, the analysis revealed that individual workers characterised by conscientiousness and openness are least likely to experience incidents, and consequently, accidents and injuries at work. However, individuals characterised by high extraversion, neuroticism and low agreeableness are more likely to be v involved in incidents, and potentially, accidents and injuries. These important findings have significant ramifications for the way safety development and training for construction workers should be addressed in the future. Recommendations from the study culminated in the development of a conceptual framework for improving safety performance which aimed to minimize incidents attributable to the worker. The framework relies on the attitudes and behaviours of employees in proposing mitigation strategies for the construction industry.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

The European Union (EU), in 1992, issued the Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites (TMCS) Directive, which requires EU members to introduce specific law to improve health and safety (H&S) performance outcomes by placing specific duties on key stakeholders. This Directive led to the introduction of the first Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations in the UK construction industry on 31 March 1995 and since their introduction, the overall performance of construction H&S has improved gradually. However, despite this positive outlook, there are still significant concerns surrounding the implementation of the CDM Regulations, a subject on which empirical research has been very scanty. It is against such a background that this study investigates the practical implementation of the CDM Regulations and extends current knowledge and understanding, and develops a framework for appropriate remedial action by industry. The research method involved a thorough critical review of literature, semi-structured interviews, and two postal questionnaire surveys, using as research informants, practitioners with experience of the Designer, CDM Coordinator (CDM-C), and Principal Contractor (PC) roles under the CDM Regulations. Primary data were collected and analysed from in-depth interviews with six organisations purposively selected based on their construction design expertise and 122 questionnaires returned in total. The finding regarding lack of collaborative working amongst duty holders is a significant outcome of this study; a requirement expressed explicitly within the CDM Regulations, yet questionable in terms of its implementation. Further, the study reveals a number of statistically significant correlations between the extent of discharge of duties and their perceived degree of importance. However, the strength of the majority of these correlations is weak. In particular, the evidence indicates that 50% of the duties of the CDM-C are misaligned in terms of extent of discharge and perceived degree of importance, whereas 25% of the PC duties are also misaligned. This signals a lack of understanding regarding the importance of duties, towards achieving improved H&S management. Surprisingly, a comparison between extent of discharge of duties and their perceived degree of difficulty reveals that all the duties of the PC are statistically significant, meaning that the perceived degree of difficulty does not impede their extent of discharge. While 90% of the CDM-C duties are also statistically significant, again the same interpretation applies. Further, a consensus reached by Designers supports the view that CDM-Cs provide insufficient input throughout the planning and construction phase, raising doubt as to whether the duty holder is fit for purpose. Overall, the results confirm that interdependent working of duty holders is still a challenge, demonstrated by the Designer duty to ensure appointment of the CDM-C (Regulation 18(1)), the CDM-C duty to ensure Designers comply with their duties (Regulation 20(2)(c)), and the PC duty to liaise with the CDM-C and Designer (Regulation 22(1)(b)). Three recurring themes emerge from the results, that is: (i) collaboration, (ii) accountability and compliance, and (iii) facilitation, which in turn inform the remedial action framework comprising 13 remedial actions and 8 change drivers. Validation of the remedial action framework by 15 study participants reveals that, at least 10 remedial actions and 7 change drivers are considered likely to improve CDM implementation. The top three remedial actions are: (i) ensuring adequate arrangements for coordination of H&S measures; (ii) including provisions within the regulations specifying the stages for the appointment of duty holders; and (iii) amending the ACoP to provide guidance on determining what resources are adequate for a particular project. Whereas, the top three change drivers are: (i) management leadership; (ii) the proactive participation of duty holders; and (iii) training to equip duty holders with sufficient knowledge on provision of timely and adequate preconstruction information. Based on these outcomes, conclusions, recommendations, and further areas of research are drawn.

<p>Although the term maritime safety is widely used in the maritime domain, there is no exact definition of what is included in it. This thesis is an explorative study with focus on the Vessel Traffic Service domain. VTS operators were interviewed and observed to gain insights in how maritime safety is constructed from the perspective of an operator. Further, definitions of maritime safety by central organizations in the maritime domain have been studied through a literature study and several interviews.</p><p>The results of the study indicate that there is no common definition of the term maritime safety. The organizations generally identify maritime safety as an overall goal or an umbrella term for measures such as traffic separation schemes or fairway design etc. In contrast to this, the analysis of the data obtained indicates that VTS operators define maritime safety as a context-dependent condition which is shaped by their own action.</p><p>It is concluded that there is a gap between the central actors’ and the VTS operators’ understanding and definition of maritime safety. To increase the overall safety in the maritime domain, there is the need to overcome this gap through constructing common values, norms and identities. Instead of having several definitions of maritime safety, there should be one definition which can capture the fact of safety being a dynamic condition which is shaped by the enactment of reliability through, in this case, the VTS operators.</p><p>Finally, the VTS as service to the maritime community should be seen as the subject in the construction and promotion of maritime safety, not as just an object.</p>

Although the term maritime safety is widely used in the maritime domain, there is no exact definition of what is included in it. This thesis is an explorative study with focus on the Vessel Traffic Service domain. VTS operators were interviewed and observed to gain insights in how maritime safety is constructed from the perspective of an operator. Further, definitions of maritime safety by central organizations in the maritime domain have been studied through a literature study and several interviews. The results of the study indicate that there is no common definition of the term maritime safety. The organizations generally identify maritime safety as an overall goal or an umbrella term for measures such as traffic separation schemes or fairway design etc. In contrast to this, the analysis of the data obtained indicates that VTS operators define maritime safety as a context-dependent condition which is shaped by their own action. It is concluded that there is a gap between the central actors’ and the VTS operators’ understanding and definition of maritime safety. To increase the overall safety in the maritime domain, there is the need to overcome this gap through constructing common values, norms and identities. Instead of having several definitions of maritime safety, there should be one definition which can capture the fact of safety being a dynamic condition which is shaped by the enactment of reliability through, in this case, the VTS operators. Finally, the VTS as service to the maritime community should be seen as the subject in the construction and promotion of maritime safety, not as just an object.

This master thesis consist of two parts, theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the general description of the base stations of mobile public telecommunication networks, their structure, maintenance, construction and staff requirements. The practical part consists of performing an audit of the company in terms of risk prevention at base stations, audit evaluation and recommendation for improvement.

This diploma thesis solves the construction technology project of the International Clinical Research Center of the St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno (ICRC), namely the first stage of the construction of the buildings "B1" and "C1". It tries to design an ideal technological process of construction with respect of local conditions. Technologically it focuses mainly on the issue of special foundation, namely protection of excavation pit with secant pile wall and pile foundation. There are processed technological regulations, time and financial plans, construction budget, control and test plan, plan of heavy equipment and safety or environmental requirements. Everything is supplemented by attachments and drawing documentation.

The final thesis is focused on construction of the complex Milmar s.r.o. company, specifically, it focuses on the construction technology project of the SO02 Production Hall building. Diploma thesis detail solved through technological regulations prefabricated reinforced concrete skeleton construction of the hall and then implement concrete floors with infill. For the construction of the hall, an itemized budget was prepared with a statement of area, time schedule, health and safety plan, design of construction supply and assessment of transport routes, the main construction mechanisms were selected and variants of the main construction mechanisms, control and test plans were assessed. An accompanying and technical report, a construction technology study, and the sustainability certification of the LEED 2009 system were prepared for the entire construction. The text and drawing part was prepared according to the assignment of the diploma thesis.