The study of serious accidents, which have occurred in the chemical process industry in recent times, highlights the need to understand fluid property related phenomena and the interactions between chemicals under abnormal process conditions or with abnormal fluid compositions. Consideration of these issues should be common practice in professional safety analysis work, and computer programs designed to support this work have to be able to deal with them.

Of all personal protective equipment available for the health and safety of workers, respiratory protection may be the most commonly used. It is also one of the most difficult to administer properly. Improper wearing of respirators can have serious consequences. Of 482,000 reported occupational illnesses in 1996, nearly 22,000 of these were attributed to respiratory conditions as a result of inhalation of toxic agents. Providing effective respiratory safety training has generally proven to be challenging, since the protection a respirator provides is dependent on how well the respirator fits the worker's face. Improper donning can lead to serious health consequences and may even be fatal. Training methods are effective if they facilitate workers' progress towards health promoting goals. In this case, proper respirator donning ability is the final exam in determining training method effectiveness. The potential benefit of improving worker health and a review of the OSHA respiratory protection regulations revealed a need for additional investigation about effective respiratory safety training techniques. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of three different training methods (commercial videotape, manufacturer package instructions and a systematic interactive multimedia method). The experiment was divided into two parts. In part one, each training method was examined for its' ability to enable subjects to provide safety information and to identify risks associated with respiratory hazards. Each training technique was also evaluated as function of subject education level, age and gender differences. In terms of safety knowledge and risk perception, results indicated that the systematic interactive multimedia technique was the most effective at training OSHA recommended respiratory safety knowledge, and causing a significant difference between risk perception ratings of worksite conditions determined from a pre- and post- training questionnaire. The systematic interactive multimedia technique incorporated a systematically designed multimedia program with a one-on-one modeled respirator donning technique. Neither manufacturer provided package instructions nor the commercial videotape was significant for safety knowledge or risk perception. Part two of the experiment was the final exam in terms of training effectiveness, where subject ability to achieve passing Quantitative Fit Testing (QFT) after donning half- and full- facepiece negative pressure respirators was evaluated. Training methods were assessed in terms of donning instructions. Additional effects evaluated were respirator presentation order, age, education level and gender differences. Evaluation studies inherently have limitations that affect the interpretation of effects. Quantitative fit testing of respirator masks used in this study could only be conducted on 52 of 72 study participants. Eleven females and nine males were eliminated and were scored as missing values in QFT data analysis due to the constraint imposed by the fact that no available half-facepiece or full-facepiece masks could fit/seal their face shapes. Non-parametric testing indicated the commercial videotape and manufacturers' package instructions were more effective at training subjects to pass half-face respirator quantitative fit testing than full-face respirators. No significant presentation order, age, education level or gender effects were shown. Subjects who could not be tested were petite females and obese males. This finding suggests that a need for additional mask sizes (e.g. extra-small, extra-large) by manufacturers was indicated to reduce the need for custom made to fit masks. In addition, manufacturer's of negative pressure respirators need to be aware of the large number of QFT failures encountered in this study, as well as their causes to improve design. Additional information was obtained in the course of analyzing QFT data. First, a large number of subjects failed quantitative fit testing due to their inability to properly tighten headstraps. All training methods were evaluated for effectiveness in ability to properly convey headstrap tightening. Based on QFT pass/fail results, the systematic interactive multimedia training was shown to be more effective at training headstrap tightening for full-facepiece than half-facepiece respirators, as it resulted in the least number of QFT failures due to improper headstrap tightening. No method was superior to the others at training half-facepiece mask headstrap tightening. / Master of Science

abstract: The true number of food borne illness occurrences that stem from the home is largely unknown, but researchers believe the number is much greater than represented in national data. The focus on food safety has generally been directed at food service establishments, which have made great strides at improving the methods of how their food is prepared. However, that same drive for proper food safety education is lacking in home kitchens, where the majority of food is prepared. Young adults are among some of the riskiest food preparers, and limited research and education methods have been tested on this vulnerable population. This study examined the effect of a basic food safety intervention on consumer food safety knowledge in young adults in the United States (U.S.) over a week period. The study had a pre/post survey design, where participants answered a survey, watched a short 10-minute video, and then recompleted the same survey a week later. Ninety-one participants age 18-29 years completed the initial food safety knowledge questionnaire. Twenty-six of those participants completed both the pre- and post-intervention food safety knowledge questionnaires. A paired t-test was used to analyze changes in questionnaire scores pre/post intervention. The majority of participants were female (78.9%), Arizona State University (ASU) students (78.0%), did not have any formal food safety education (58.2%), prepared a minimum of one meal per week from home (96.7%), and had completed 0-1 college nutrition courses (64.8%). The average overall score for all participants who completed the initial questionnaire was 62.6%. For those that took both the initial questionnaire and the follow up questionnaire (n=26), their scores shifted from 66.8% to 65.5% after the intervention. Scores increased significantly only for one question post-intervention: 38.5% (n=10) to 53.8% (n=14) for the safest method for cooling a large pot of hot soup (p = 0.050). This was the first study of its kind to test a video intervention in attempts to increase food safety knowledge in young adults, and additional studies must be done to solidify the results of this study. Other means of education should be explored as well to determine the best way of reaching this population and others. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Nutrition 2019

No description available.

Foodborne diseases are a major challenge to school feeding programmes because inadequate food safety knowledge and skills of staff can result in unsafe food handling practices and cross-contamination, thus causing foodborne disease outbreaks. The aim of this study was to investigate the food safety and quality assurance measures of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The research design was cross-sectional quantitative in nature. A total of 300 NSNP food service managers/coordinators and 440 food handlers were selected to participate in the study. Data collection was by means of a self-administered structured questionnaire and 192 food contact surface swap samples from 32 primary and secondary public schools. The majority of schools offering NSNP meals were located in informal settlements and most were found to lack basic resources such as electricity and potable tap water in their kitchens. 93% of food handlers did not know about Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). The NSNP food service managers in some schools, especially in schools located in rural settlements, were found to have little knowledge or awareness of HACCP. No school was found to have implemented the HACCP, and only a few staff had received food safety training. Inadequate food safety knowledge was worst in schools located in informal settlements due to a lack of training. Up to 60% of food handlers did not know the correct procedure for washing a cutting board after it had been used. In addition, just over 95% of the food handlers did not know how to sanitise utensils and cutting surfaces after cutting up raw meat. The lack of hygiene was confirmed by the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli 015:H7, Salmonella and Shigella species on food contact surfaces. A total of 22 different bacteria genera were identified. It is essential to monitor NSNP kitchen hygiene practice to ensure the minimal contamination of food products and newly recruited food handlers should be trained on food handling practice and principles to ensure the safety of prepared food for school children. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Consumer Science)

Construction has a higher injury and fatality rate than most of the other industries. Given this situation, existing research has studied various issues and factors affecting construction safety management and has attempted to use all available methods to improve the construction safety performance. However, the construction accident rate remains among the highest in the United States and the world. The primary objective of this research is to advance autonomous proximity monitoring and hence provide a safer environment for construction workers. In particular, I seek to advance current evaluations of proximity warning technologies to a more robust engineering approach to the design and deployment of autonomous safety monitoring systems. The contributions of the research are demonstrated through specifications, deployments, and testing of proximity monitoring systems for crane loads and falling from height. My research advances current knowledge in three areas. First, I develop specifications for proximity safety monitoring in a sensed environment, built from existing guidelines and expert interviews. Second, I translate the specifications to computer interpretable rules and deploy them in a distributed computing environment. This demonstrates the feasibility of a systems approach and reusability of components to speed deployment. Third, I evaluate the accuracy of the specifications and systems under imperfect data. I further evaluate some approaches to dealing with imperfect data. Collectively, these advances move existing proximity warning research from evaluation of specific systems to an engineering approach to development and deployment of distributed systems with reusable components that explicitly treats imperfect data. / text

Due to its hazardous nature, occupational injuries are unavoidable in the construction industry. Although many precautions are taken and educations are given to the laborers and employers, zero occupational injury rate could not be achieved, but a decrease in the number of injuries and fatalities could be maintained. The conventional studies conducted so far, usually focused on the prevention and causation models. The approach of the researchers was, either proactive or reactive about the accidents which offered preventive or protective precautions. However, after the occurrence of an injury, these precautions become useless and from this point on, determination of the fault rates for the parties being involved in that injury becomes the critical issue. Mostly, it is difficult to reach an objective and correct conclusion at the phase of determining fault rates and decisions achieved may display great fluctuations from one expert to another. The aim of this study is to develop an expert system that reflects the knowledge of occupational safety experts for the determination of fault rates. In order to facilitate this research, required data were collected from related organizations and experts. These data were compiled and classified, the significant factors were determined and all of these factors were evaluated within a quantitative approach. In addition to this evaluation, questionnaires were submitted to the experts / at which they were asked to rate the factors which were determined by the researcher of this study. The expert system is based on these ratings and factors obtained from questionnaires.

The consumption of unsafe fresh vegetables has been linked to an increasing number of outbreaks of human infections. In Lebanon, although raw vegetables are major constituents of the national cuisine, studies on the safety of fresh produce are scant. This research employed a holistic approach to identify the different stages of the food chain that contribute to the microbiological risks on fresh produce and the spreading of hazards. A thorough analysis of the institutional and regulatory framework and the socio-political environment showed that the safety of local fresh produce in Lebanon is at risk due to largely unregulated practices and shortfalls in supporting the agricultural environment as influenced by the lack of a political commitment. Microbiological analysis showed that the faecal indicator levels ranged from < 0.7 to 7 log CFU/g (Escherichia coli), 1.69-8.16 log CFU/g (total coliforms) and followed a significantly increasing trend from fields to the post-harvest washing area. At washing areas, Salmonella was detected on lettuce (6.7% of raw vegetables from post-harvest washing areas). This suggested that post-harvest cross-contamination occurs predominantly in the washing stage. At retails, a combination of observation and self-reported data provided an effective tool in assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices. It showed that the food safety knowledge and sanitation practices of food handlers were inadequate, even among the better trained in corporate-managed SMEs. Overall, the microbiological quality of fresh-cut salad vegetables in SMEs was unsatisfactory. The link between Staphylococcus aureus and microorganism levels on fresh salads vegetables and the overall inspection scores could not be established. On the other hand, inspection ratings on individual components, e.g., cleanliness and cross-contamination preventive measures showed significant correlation with Listeria spp. levels. Together, results confirmed that inspection ratings don’t necessary reflect the microbiological safety of fresh vegetables and that the application of control points of risk factors that likely to contribute to microbial contamination in the production environment are essential. The washing methods were limited in their effectiveness to reduce the contamination of parsley with Salmonella. In general, the pre-wash chopping and storing of parsley at 30ºC reduced the decontamination effect of all solutions, including sodium dichloroisocyanurate which was reduced by 1.3 log CFU/g on both intact and chopped leaves stored at 30ºC. In such conditions, the transfer rate of Salmonella from one contaminated parsley to subsequently chopped clean batches on the same cutting board(CB) recorded 60%-64%. Furthermore, the transmission of Salmonella persisted via washed CBs stored at 30°C for 24 h. It is recommended to keep parsley leaves unchopped and stored at 5ºC until wash for an optimum decontamination effect and to apply vigilant sanitation of CBs after use with fresh produce. This research presented important data for quantitative risk assessment for Salmonella in parsley and useful descriptive information to inform decision-makers and educators on microbial hazards associated with fresh produce in Lebanon. It also highlighted the risks areas that require urgent interventions to improve food safety. Considering the complex institutional and political challenges in Lebanon, there is an obvious need to direct development programs and support towards local agriculture production, effective education strategies and growing awareness of consumers and stakeholders on food safety related risks.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Nutrition / Valentina M. Remig / Preventing foodborne illness and promoting safe food practices among all age groups is a high priority, particularly for college students because little about their food safety awareness and food handling practices has been reported. The research aim was to evaluate food safety attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and self-reported practices of current upper-division college students, and to determine whether a three-module interactive educational intervention, developed for this study, positively influenced these variables. Comparisons between health and non-health majors were made. Two methods of data collection were used with volunteer health and non-health majors: focused food safety discussion groups during academic year 2004-05, and a pre-experimental design. Prior to engaging in either method, students completed an on-line food safety questionnaire (FSQ), adapted from a telephone survey used at K-State with older adults. The FSQ was administered again to those in the pre-experimental design group one week after exposure to the food safety educational intervention. Five weeks later, the FSQ was administered to determine whether changes in attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and self-reported practices persisted over time. Focused food safety discussion group responses were qualitatively evaluated. Pre-experimental statistical analyses included Wilcoxin Signed Rank, Friedman, Mann-Whitney U, Chi Square tests, and Spearman rho. Focused discussion group findings indicated that students perceived themselves at low risk for foodborne illness; few used food thermometers; students without health backgrounds mimicked undesirable home practices; and students stated being open to changing non-recommended behaviors. Pre-experimental findings showed the effects of intervention were improved food safety attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge, with the strongest effects seen in health majors. Students' FSQ attitude scores increased from 114 to 122 (P<0.001), FSQ belief scores increased from 86 to 98 (P<0.001), and FSQ knowledge scores increased from 11 to 13 (P<0.001). Intervention resulted in some improved food safety self-reported practices for health majors but not non-health majors. Intervention module post-test scores improved significantly for all students; health majors had greater increases. Conclusions. Focused food safety discussion groups were useful for obtaining food safety information from college students; educational intervention improved college students’ food safety attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge and for health majors, some self-reported practices improved.

The inadequate food safety knowledge by street food vendors have been a challenge encountered in ensuring safety of street foods. The aim of this study was to assess the food safety knowledge of street food vendors in the Johannesburg metropolis and to evaluate the conformance and monitoring of their street food vending facilities in accordance to regulations governing general hygiene requirements for food premises in South Africa. A cross sectional survey was conducted in which 315 street food vendors and 155 street food vending facilities were observed using a questionnaire instrument and observational checklist, respectively. The majority (61.3%) of the street food vendors were females and most (64.1%) of them had not attended a food safety training course. Only a few (12.1%) street food vendors knew the correct minimum internal cooking temperature for stuffed chicken, while less than half knew the correct temperature for cold and hot holding of ready-to-eat foods, 40% and 39% respectively. The majority of them have never heard of Salmonella (92.7%), Campylobacter (95.2%), Listeria (57.1%), Clostridium (94.3%), or Staphylococcus (87.6%). Up to 52% street food vendors had moderate food safety knowledge. Most of the street food vending facilities (68.3%) had been inspected by health inspectors and only 17% of street food vending facilities had low level of compliance to regulations governing general hygiene requirements for food premises and the transport of food in South Africa. The overall food safety knowledge of street food vendors in Johannesburg metropolis was moderate. The level of compliance and monitoring of street food vending facilities to regulations governing general hygiene requirements for food premises in South Africa was satisfactory. Street food vendors should be trained on internal cooking temperature, hot and cold storage temperature of ready-to-eat foods, and food pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Clostridium, and Staphylococcus / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Cons. Sci.