Risk Precaution Research Articles

Total Quality Management in the food industry – Current situation and potential in Germany

The requirements in terms of information availability, risk precaution and control in the food industry continue to increase. In this context the interest of companies in the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach is also increasing. This development attracts notice to Business Excellence and connected systems. Similarly, various quality management tools and techniques are available. In this regard a research project analyzed to what extent the companies in the food industry apply different activities of the TQM scheme. The research calculates the importance that the companies attach to different requirements of TQM and how they implement them. Additionally, statistical analysis provides evidence that there is a positive correlation between the implementation of the activities of TQM and the medium- to longterm success of a company. In this article the methodology and major findings of this research project are presented.

Financial Disclosure and Toxic Products: Encouraging Wall Street to Anticipate Product Risk and Exercise Precaution

Amidst discussion by policymakers about how regulators' failure to ensure disclosure of risks contributed to the current financial crisis, we assess how emerging product toxicity risks are addressed in companies' financial reports. Will corporations blindside investors with "the next asbestos?" Existing disclosures are found lacking in the specificity needed to forewarn of liabilities and reputational damage from the use of potentially harmful materials-from nanotechnologies, to asthmagens, to perfluorinated compounds. Improved standards could protect investors while also enhancing corporate incentives to use safer materials. Reforms by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board are recommended.

Systemic Risk Governance for Pharmaceutical Residues in Drinking Water

Pharmaceuticals are in many cases an indispensable element of a comfortable and healthy life. Nevertheless, there is also a downside to the widespread and increasing use of drugs: the occurrence of their residues in the aquatic environment and in drinking water. Although there is evidence for negative effects of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in some animal and plant species, it has not yet been shown which risks in fact exist for humans and the environment. At the same time there is evidence that people will reject drinking water which contains only the smallest traces of APIs, despite claims that such traces are harmless. In this mélange of high uncertainties, subjective risk perception, and the undisputed societal benefit of pharmaceuticals, established risk management procedures are likely to fail. Addressing this issue, the article will suggest applying the concept of systemic risk to the case of APIs in drinking water. With this concept as basis a practical approach to risk management will be presented. It draws upon the recently developed concept of risk governance, as well as the precautionary principle. Finally, concrete measures for risk precaution in the spheres of drug development, handling of drugs, and technical emissions control in urban water management will be presented.

Diesel versus compressed natural gas in Transmilenio-Bogotá: innovation, precaution, and distribution of risk

During the period 1998-2000, municipal officials in Bogotá implemented a new transportation system for the city. Transmileniobecame the first major mass transportation system in the world to use only buses. The authors examine here the process that led to the design decision to power all of the buses with diesel fuel. The main finding is that the various public and private partners sought to accommodate themselves to the alternative that was deemed to be less risky. The diesel option was the outcome of contingent negotiation and distribution of responsibilities among the different interests. The dynamics of these processes were heavily influenced by a precautionary posture.

The defensive medicine of physicians in precaution of medical risk

目的 探讨医疗风险防范策略.方法 阐述分析医师自卫性医疗行为产生的社会学成因及自卫性医疗行为给患者、医师、社会、医疗卫生事业带来的弊端.结果 医疗风险的诉讼率增高及保险配套机制等不健全是自卫性医疗行为的重要成因,其后果直接导致过度医疗和推诿患者的现象,也阻碍了医疗技术水平的提高.结论 自卫性医疗行为是医务人员在医患关系变革和重构过程中的一种非正常心态.加强医师职业道德教育,健全医疗制度、医疗职业保险制度极其有意义。

The Perils of One-Sided Risk Assessment and Precaution: The Case of POPs in Fish

The Perils of One-Sided Risk Assessment and Precaution: The Case of POPs in Fish

Vom Aschenputtel zum Lieblingskind – Zur politischen Förderung des ÖkolandbausOrganic farming: A grassroots movement taken over by policy?

The rapid development of organic farming over the last decade is partly due to increased consideration of organic farming in policy measures. Examining this view, this article briefly discusses the current state and development of the organic farming sector and three lines of justification for policy support for organic farming: organic farming supplies public goods; the organic farming sector can be defined as an infant industry; and organic farming should be supported for risk precaution. Then, based on the observation that policy makers consider organic farming support justified, an integrated approach to organic farming policy is outlined.

European soil sampling guidelines for soil pollution studies

The soil sampling guidelines used in European countries (ESSG), as kindly provided by the national institutions which participated in the project, have been recorded, studied, evaluated and presented in this paper. The aim has been to ascertain what soil sampling guidelines exist in Europe; to detect similarities and differences (comparable results), advantages and deficiencies; to identify incompatible strategies and evaluate how methodologies might affect data quality; to investigate sources of deviations or uncertainties; to improve comparability and representativeness of soil sampling; to investigate the need for harmonised sampling guidelines; and to develop suggestions for standard operating procedures (SOP). Soil sampling guidelines throughout Europe differ as to whether they are applied by law, or used throughout the country. In some countries these are ISO/DIS related or based ( ISO 10381-1, 1995; ISO 10381-2, 1995), or are produced by a scientific society or a standardisation body. As far as sampling strategy is concerned, not all sampling guidelines clearly describe the sampling scale, the specifications for contamination risk precautions, the sampling plan and protocol structure and the pre-analysis treatment of the soil samples. The purpose for sampling, in descending order of frequency, is soil pollution, soil fertilisation, general soil monitoring, background risk assessment, or else it is not specified. The majority of countries do not sample the top organic matter separately. Sampling depth is either related to the morphogenetic horizon or to ad hoc sampling depth, which is not specified in all cases. They suggest mass- and volume-related soil sampling, while the sampling pattern is not presented in all national guidelines. The criteria for area, site, unit, sub-unit, and point selection are mainly based on pedology and land use, following the history and pre-screening information or geology, or is site related. Some guidelines suggest the division of sampling units into sub-units. The sampling pattern is mainly grid sampling, grid and random sampling, or not mentioned. Sampling density inside the sampling unit either varies greatly or it is not mentioned, while the size of the sampling unit varies widely. Most guidelines require the collection of composite instead of simple samples, while some prefer sampling soil profiles. In the European SSG many technical details and steps are either not defined or vary, while in the pre-analysis treatment quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) approaches are used either both in the lab and in the field, or only in the field, or are not mentioned. The common points and the points in which harmonisation could be started or achieved are discussed.

Tuberculosis and AIDS: the impact on the hospital social worker.

The second decade of the AIDS epidemic is marked by increasing numbers of people being diagnosed with HIV infection as well as mycobacterium infection (pulmonary tuberculosis). The convergence of these two epidemics presents new challenges for social workers. Serious threat of HIV infection from occupational exposure was diminished by the knowledge of roots of disease transmission. TB, on the other hand, is an airborne infectious disease. Social workers working with patients over long periods of time in confined spaces can be at risk for contracting TB. Hospital social workers must struggle and advocate for full information regarding the incidence of risk and risk precaution. They must find ways of coping with their own emotional responses to the resurgence of TB and their own fear of exposure to avoid physical and emotional withdrawal from their HIV infected patients. This paper will address the unique impact on the worker's personal safety, the impact on the therapeutic relationship with the patient, and provide action steps for workers facing these challenges.

AIDS risk behavior patterns among gay men in small southern cities.

Men entering gay bars in three small southern cities were administered questionnaires to assess AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) risk knowledge, perceived norms concerning the social acceptability of AIDS risk precautions, and personal sexual behavior. Seventy-seven percent (N = 355) of male patrons completed the measures. While risk knowledge levels were high, respondents did not perceive strong norms favoring risk reduction precautions. Rates of risk behavior were considerably higher than those reported for gay men in large urban epicenters.

A note on crop mixtures under indigenous conditions in Northern Nigeria

This note contends that crop mixtures are employed by farmers primarily as risk precautions and that the immediate objective of farmers is not only one of profit maximisation but also of stability of income. The results of an income stability model employed to verify this hypothesis seem to agree relatively well with existing information in parts of Northern Nigeria.