The Blame Machine describes how disasters and serious accidents result from recurring, but potentially avoidable, human errors. It shows how such errors are preventable because they result from defective systems within a company. From real incidents, you will be able to identify common causes of human error and typical system deficiencies that have led to these errors. On a larger scale, you will be able to see where, in the organisational or management systems, failure occurred so that you can avoid them.
The book also describes the existence of a 'blame culture' in many organisations, which focuses on individual human error whilst ignoring the system failures that caused it. The book shows how this 'blame culture' has, in the case of a number of past accidents, dominated the accident enquiry process hampering a proper investigation of the underlying causes.
Suggestions are made about how progress can be made to develop a more open culture in organisations, both through better understanding of human error by managers and through increased public awareness of the issues. The book brings together documentary evidence from recent major incidents from all around the world and within the Rail, Water, Aviation, Shipping, Chemical and Nuclear industries.
Barry Whittingham has worked as a senior manager, design engineer and consultant for the chemical, nuclear, offshore oil and gas, railway and aviation sectors. He developed a career as a safety consultant specializing in the human factors aspects of accident causation. He is a member of the Human Factors in Reliability Group, and a Fellow of the Safety and Reliability Society.
* Increases safety by showing how to remove blameand how to develop foolproof safety systems
* Draws together documentary evidence of real accidents to demonstrate the different types of human error, and preventative actions
* Covers a range of disciplines - occupational psychology, engineering, safety of major installations

Springer has here produced a major debut in English-language publications. It 's the first book to describe very recent methods for pipe defect assessment such as notch fracture mechanics and critical gross strain. Pipelines remain the least expensive transcontinental mean of transport compared to the rail-bound or terrestrial transport. It has become increasingly paramount to ensure the safe utilization of such plant in order to prevent economical, social and ecological losses. This book adds much to the body of knowledge in this area.

Work-related illness and injury is costing organisations in the UK up to 18 billion per year. As employers have statutory duties under both the "Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974" and the "Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999" with regard to occupational health, it is essential that they are aware of their duties and the legal requirements.
Tolley's Guide to Managing Employee Health is designed for all those responsible for managing the health of employees and gives comprehensive guidance on how to set up and manage an employee health strategy. It clarifies the duties outlined by law so the employer can feel confident they are complying with the latest legislation.
It includes comprehensive guidance on how to manage the risk to employee health in your organization and, more specifically, how to conduct risk assessments.
Also covered are topical issues such as:
* Sick Building Syndrome
* Alcohol and Drugs
* Asbestos
* Stress
* Violence in the Workplace
* RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
* Legionellosis
Guidance on sensitive issues such as long-term sickness and unauthorized workplace absence are also addressed, enabling the manager to act with confidence.
Each chapter includes a full discussion on the subject matter in hand, complete with relevant checklists so you can ensure that your own employee health strategy is being monitored and managed in the most effective way, whilst always complying with the law.
* Provides guidance on sensitive issues such as long-term sickness and unauthorized workplace absence
* Each chapter includes checklists to ensure compliance with the law.

Examining the relationship between employment and rates of pay, this book discusses how the choice between different forms of business organization may affect this relationship. For the purposes of the discussion a simple model of an imperfectly competitive economy is constructed and then examined in operation with different organizational forms for the competing firms. Chapters cover the following: The Captialist Wage Economy; The Non-Discriminating Labour Co-operative; The Capitalist Sharing Economy; Discriminating Labour-Capital Partnerships.

Covering the role of trades unions and labour organizations in industrial relations, Industry's Democratic Revolution contains case studies from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and USA. Each chapter is authored by a president or secretary general of one of the largest industrial unions from that particular country, which gives an unparalleled insight into the workings of unions and their participation in the key issues of industrial relations such as: productivity factors; guaranteed wages; union participation in management decision-making; de-centralization of industrial power; and policy research.

This comparative study of industrial relations provides an analysis of a wide range of phenomena, with a view to uncovering the origins of national diversity. It takes into account the notion of strategic choice, set within a series of constraints of environment, organizational and institutional conditions and power relationships. The book: covers a wide range of examples from the UK, USA, France, Germany Italy, Sweden, Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and Japan; includes a comprehensive analysis of management and employers' associations, labour and trades unions; and examines the role of the state in comparative perspective.

Keeping pace with current trends in solvent production, this volume builds upon its previous edition with broader coverage of safe handling practices, health effects, physical properties, and chemical synthesis routes to some of the most important organic solvents used in the chemical and allied process industries. This handy reference features a glossary of solvent terminology and an easy-to-reference index of synonyms for chemicals and solvents. The Second Edition features new and updated chapters on the major classes of organic solvents, descriptions for general use, and the chemical formulation, thermodynamic properties, health and toxicity, and combustible characteristics of solvents.

Providing care and treatment for patients usually requires moving and handling activities, associated with high rates of back injuries for nursing staff. Over the last 20 years a number of guidelines have been published based on professional consensus. Evidence-Based Patient Handling tackles the challenge of producing an evidence base to support clinical practice and is presented in three sections tasks, equipment and interventions. This book challenges previously held opinions about moving and handling and provides the foundation for future practice.

This volume contains the proceedings of a conference held to assess the current state of the analysis of the labour market and of industrial relations and their relationship to economic performance.;The matters covered include the value of the corporatist approach versus alternatives, for example, a sort of sector corporatism or a corporatist approach at the level of the firm; the future scenarios for industrial relations with a series of county studies with special reference to incomes policies and the departures from various neocorporatist models; the importance of institutions and public structures in industrial relations; labour market flexibility and unemployment.

Sex Worker Union Organising is the first study of the emerging phenomenon of sex workers - prostitutes, exotic dancers such as lap dancers, porn models and actresses, and sex chatline workers - asserting that their economic activities are work and as such, they are entitled to workers' rights. The most developed instances of this struggle, in Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany The Netherlands, New Zealand and the US, have taken the form of unionisation. Sex Worker Union Organising analyses the basis and contexts for this struggle and assesses the opportunities and challenges facing these unionisation projects. It concludes that the most significant obstacles to the advance of these unionisation projects are the sparsity of sex worker union activists and the paucity of understanding of the sex worker discourse by sex workers and non-sex workers alike.

Who were the women who fought back at Grunwick and Gate Gourmet? Striking Women gives a voice to the women involved as they discuss their lives, their work and their trade unions. Striking Women is centred on two industrial disputes, the famous Grunwick strike (1976-78) and the Gate Gourmet dispute that erupted in 2005. Focusing on these two events, the book explores the nature of South Asian women's contribution to the struggles for workers' rights in the UK labour market. The authors examine histories of migration and settlement of two different groups of women of South Asian origin, and how this history, their gendered, classed and racialised inclusion in the labour market, the context of industrial relations in the UK in the two periods and the nature of the trade union movement shaped the trajectories and the outcomes of the two disputes. This is the first account based on the voices of the women involved. Drawing on life/work history interviews with thirty-two women who participated in the two disputes, as well as interviews with trade union officials, archival material and employment tribunal proceedings, the authors explore the motivations, experiences and implications of these events for their political and social identities.

This volume contains papers dealing with topics such as the effects of company unions on wages, the effects of labour market regulation on hiring standards, coalition bargaining at General Electric, cooperative labour-management partnerships in the steel industry, the union commitment of adjunct faculty, the effects of union political outreach on union members political perceptions, preferences and voting behaviour, reinterpretation of "new" labour historians differences with "old" labour historians, and newly discovered lecture notes by industrial relations scholar Sumner Slichter that detail his views on the early development of welfare capitalism in the US. These papers contain a vibrant mix of disciplinary perspectives, analytical methods, arguments and conclusions about key industrial relations topics - and do so from both contemporary and historical perspectives. The volume should be of interest to industrial relations scholars and students worldwide.

Throughout the 1980s, the issue of substance abuse testing became increasingly important to employers. And now the growing problem of AIDS and its impact on the workplace provides a related area of concern. In this work, Donald Klingner tells human resource professionals what they need to know about both these topics. The book carefully details the effects these problems have on employers, and provides specific recommendations for human resource management policy and practice which can reduce the employer's costs and legal liability risks while preserving employee rights.

Following a general introduction that lays the foundation for the discussion, the book is divided into two main sections. The first addresses the intricacies of substance abuse and testing, presenting six chapters that survey substance abuse in the workplace; substance abuse testing techniques; substance abuse testing and the law; personnel policies and practices; employee assistance programs; and working with employees and unions. The second section covers the issue of AIDS and AIDS testing through four chapters: AIDS in the workplace; AIDS testing techniques; AIDS testing and the law; and personnel policies and practices. A concluding chapter provides a summary of both areas. This work will be a valuable reference tool for public and private-sector managers--supervisors, managers, trainers and personnel specialists--responsible for developing or implementing substance abuse or AIDS policy and practice. Public, college and university libraries will also find it a timely addition to their collections.

With the deregulation of commercial airlines in 1978, the United States airline industry has changed dramatically. Route entry and exit flexibility, as well as fare setting have stimulated competition, forcing airlines to emphasize cost control, increased productivity, and effective marketing. How have these changes in both public and private policies influenced airline safety? Do airplanes have more accidents now than ever before? This work examines the causes of airplane accidents and what private and public policies are needed to improve aviation safety. It begins by examining the safety record of the United States commuter airline industry in the post-deregulation era characterized by increased emphasis by airlines on cost control and growing pressures on the air traffic control and airport system. The authors go beyond the safety of the scheduled airlines to examine the reasons for accidents in the nonscheduled and general aviation segments of the United States industry, where the bulk of fatalities occur and where airline pilots increasingly receive most of their training and experience. They then turn to an examination of aviation safety throughout the world, first with a detailed comparison of Canadian and American aviation safety, and then with a look at air safety in all regions of the world and the safety performances of all the world's major airlines. Three emerging issues are then examined in greater detail: assessing the margin of safety, worldwide aging of all airline fleets, and terrorism. Clearly written, this careful and systematic analysis of well over 15,000 individual aviation accidents will provide greater insight for government officials, aviation industrymanagers, and researchers, as well as laypeople and other frequent flyers.

Health and Safety at Work: Key Terms provides instant information to readers on a range of key terms used in health and safety at work. The book, produced in A-Z format, incorporates the principal legal, technical and practical terms derived from statutes, regulations, approved codes, case law and other appropriate publications. As such, it will be of particular use to health and safety practitioners, those studying for degrees in occupational health and safety and courses run by NEBOSH, and those engaged in enforcement activities, such as Health and Safety Executive inspectors, environmental health officers and fire protection officers.The key terms referenced and explained include: accident statistics; absolute duties; distance guard; noise-induced hearing loss; oxidising classifications; relevant statutory provisions.

"This book is a tour de force." --Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take A revolutionary new history of humankind through the prism of work by leading anthropologist James Suzman Work defines who we are. It determines our status, and dictates how, where, and with whom we spend most of our time. It mediates our self-worth and molds our values. But are we hard-wired to work as hard as we do? Did our Stone Age ancestors also live to work and work to live? And what might a world where work plays a far less important role look like? To answer these questions, James Suzman charts a grand history of "work" from the origins of life on Earth to our ever more automated present, challenging some of our deepest assumptions about who we are. Drawing insights from anthropology, archaeology, evolutionary biology, zoology, physics, and economics, he shows that while we have evolved to find joy, meaning and purpose in work, for most of human history our ancestors worked far less and thought very differently about work than we do now. He demonstrates how our contemporary culture of work has its roots in the agricultural revolution ten thousand years ago. Our sense of what it is to be human was transformed by the transition from foraging to food production, and, later, our migration to cities. Since then, our relationships with one another and with our environments, and even our sense of the passage of time, have not been the same. Arguing that we are in the midst of a similarly transformative point in history, Suzman shows how automation might revolutionize our relationship with work and in doing so usher in a more sustainable and equitable future for our world and ourselves.

Ammonia is one of the 10 largest commodity chemicals produced. The editor, Anders Nielsen, is research director with one of the largest industrial catalyst producers. He has compiled a complete reference on all aspects of catalytical ammonia production in industry, from thermodynamics and kinetics to reactor and plant design. One chapter deals with safety aspects of ammonia handling and storage.

In Work and Pay in the United States and Japan, authors Clair Brown, Yoshifumi Nakata, Michael Reich, and Lloyd Ulman provide an integrated and detailed analysis of the components of firm human resources systems in the US and Japan. Drawing on data obtained from fieldwork in comparable establishments in these two countries, as well as from national sources, this work examines the relationship between company practices and national economic institutions.
The authors address a number of key questions about employer-employee relations. How have major Japanese manufacturing companies been able to convert the assurance of "lifetime" employment security into a source of superior employee efficiency and adaptability, when job and income security have been feared as a source of "shirking" and wage inflation in the US? How have higher economic and real wage growth rates been associated with greater equality in earned income distribution in Japan, when the incentive role of income inequality to worker effort and savings has been stressed in the US? How could Japanese emphasis on employment security in the firm be reconciled with greater price stability and lower unemployment than in the US? This work analyzes elements such as employee training and involvement programs, wage behavior as an incentive system and an alternate channel of savings, and synchronous wage determination (shunto) at work in the Japanese economy that provide for such successes.
The book also explores the costs that have been associated with these Japanese accomplishments, as well as who must bear them. In particular, it examines how Japanese women compare less favorably with American women in terms of opportunities for work, pay, and promotion; the higher hours of working time for men in Japan than in the US; and the constraints on mobility for Japanese workers. It also poses the question of whether Japanese unions are weaker than their American counterparts, or just more sensible and far-sighted. Finally, this \ork examines the outlook for these distinctive Japanese institutions and practices in a period of slower growth and economic "maturity."
Based on a research project carried out in both countries, the book concludes with the lessons that each country can learn much from the employment practices of the other. Work and Pay in the United States and Japan will be essential reading for students, professors, and all professionals involved with employment systems and employer-employee relations.

Reviews actual events and case studies that chronicle the evolution of safety precautions, the establishment of emergency planning requirements, and the design of advanced warning and control systems This authoritative reference/text analyzes health and hazard risk assessment in commercial, industrial, and refining industries-emphasizing legal requirements, emergency planning and response, safety equipment, process implementation, and occupational and environmental protection exposure guidelines. Presents applications and calculations for risk analysis of real systems, as well as numerous end-of-chapter examples and references Containing practical process diagrams for plant equipment, valves, piping, and control systems, Health, Safety, and Accident Management in the Chemical Process Industries covers laws for disaster planning by federal, state, and local governments the implementation of safeguards in chemical process design proper plant operation when using reactors, mass transfer units, heat exchangers, and ancillary devices the physical and chemical properties and health effects of chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen fluoride, sulfuric acid, and ethylene dose-response evaluation and risk characterization and more Offering system checklists as well as effective evacuation procedures, Health, Safety, and Accident Management in the Chemical Process Industries is an invaluable resource for chemical, industrial, manufacturing, and environmental engineers; public safety, human services, and health care managers and administrators; social workers; and public policy specialists; and an ideal text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines.

This book, along with its companion volume, discusses the research needs, institutional modifications, and legislative changes that must be addressed to deal more effectively with the risks of hazardous materials. Prominent among the research needs is the necessity to assess the health effects of low-level exposure to toxicants. For none of these agents (lead, mercury, radiation, PCDDs, dioxins, PCBs, pesticides) is the existing toxicological data sufficient to define unambiguously the dose-effect relationship in the low-dose domain. Another uncertainty is our ignorance of how individuals within the human population may vary in susceptibility to the agents because of differences in genetic background, age, sex, diet, health status and exposure to extraneous environmental influences. Also identified among the research needs are methods for improving the technology of waste disposal, waste reduction, and waste recycling. Institutional changes necessary are the commitment to long-term, pro-active, prevention-oriented objectives; institutional mechanisms to achieve better consistency and coordination among different agencies; improvement in the reliability, credibility, and effectiveness with which institutions communicate risk-assessments and risk-management policies; and provision for more adequate education and training of all who must be involved. Finally, the need for certain legislative changes is considered, including better use of incentives, such as taxation and price support mechanisms; better use of enforcement provisions; statutes that address cross-media patterns of human exposure; and greater federal-state-local coordination in risk-assessment and risk-management activities.

Review of previous edition:
"Trevor Kletz's book makes an invaluable contribution to the systematic, professional and scientific approach to accident investigation." The Chemical Engineer

Fully revised and updated, the third edition of Learning from Accidents provides more information on accident investigation, including coverage of accidents involving liquefied gases, building collapse and other incidents that have occurred because faults were invisible (e.g. underground pipelines).
By analysing accidents that have occurred Trevor Kletz shows how we can learn and thus be better able to prevent accidents happening again. Looking at a wide range of incidents, covering the process industries, nuclear industry and transportation, he analyses each accident in a practical and non-theoretical fashion and summarises each with a chain of events showing the prevention and mitigation which could have occurred at every stage.
At all times Learning from Accidents, 3rd Edition emphasises cause and prevention rather than human interest or cleaning up the mess. Anyone involved in accident investigation and reporting of whatever sort and all those who work in industry, whether in design, operations or loss prevention will find this book full of invaluable guidance and advice.
Completely up-dated.
Shows, by analysing accidents that have occurred, how we can learn from them, and prevent the same accidents happening again.

Although radiation accidents are rare and often complex in nature, they are of great concern not only to the patient and involved medical staff, but to the media and public as well. Yet there are few if any comprehensive publications on the medical management of radiation accidents. Medical Management of Radiation Accidents provides a complete reference for those concerned with radiation accidents nationally as well as abroad.

Substantially different from the first edition, which dealt predominantly with radiation accident experiences in the United States, this updated and revised Second Edition represents an international cooperative effort that reflects current international approaches and experiences related to the medical management of radiation accidents. It is organized into areas that include:

o the fundamental aspects, medical characteristics, and classification of radiation accidents
o aspects of radiation on the entire body and specific tissues
o the history of accidents throughout the world
o a general overview of certain types of accidents with specific examples
o a follow-up of persons accidentally exposed to radiation with considerations related to epidemiological studies and a few selected examples
o radiation protection and dosimetry issues, psychological considerations, and accidental exposure of pregnant females.

The majority of this text is a Russian-United States effort; however, it includes work from authors from Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Japan, and Peru.

We know certain chemicals cause problems in the workplace. The issues now are: Where do they occur in the workplace? How can we best evaluate them? What are the procedures for dealing with them safely? Many books simply define the problem and tell you that you need a program. Air Sampling and Industrial Hygiene gives you a guide to air sampling protocols from start to finish.
The book presents sampling technology updated with today's tools - such as microcircuitry and remote sensing. The authors emphasize an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how air monitoring can adequately report current environmental conditions associated with outdoor media, indoor remediation efforts, proximal equipment, interior line monitoring, and the interrelationship of ventilation parameters.
In addition to providing the how-tos of sampling, this guide covers the basics of chemical risk assessment, biological assessment, engineering evaluation of mechanical system design criteria, and chemical or process engineering hazard assessments. It presents the information using text, text outlines, graphics, and pictures - including cross sections of instrumentation and side bars to elaborate on complex concepts.
Faulty readings caused by poor sampling techniques can be very costly. This book provides the how-tos for making design engineering and on-site decisions as to instrumentation selection and scheduled usage. Air Sampling and Industrial Hygiene Engineering will allow you to complete the sampling process systematically and correctly from initial suspicions to the use of obtained results.

"Justice in the Workplace" acts as a central reference point for application of organizational justice and helps human resource managers relate the importance of justice to their work environments.
Forming much of this book's content, outcomes, processes, and interpersonal treatment are three powerful tools for building and maintaining workplace justice. In Part I these books are discussed at a theoretical level. Part II applies these theories to several issues important to both human resource management and society. And Part III looks at organizational justice in the years ahead.
Compared to the first volume, this book will appeal to practitioners and researchers in such applied areas as human resource management, industrial organizational psychology, and management.

"Chainsaw Operator's Manual" is an essential safety tool for chainsaw operators. It is the ultimate guide to basic chainsaw operating techniques covering safety, maintenance and cross-cutting, but not tree felling. Detailed diagrams illustrate horizontal, vertical and boring cuts, as well as trimming and cross-cutting techniques. Safety considerations are discussed, including workplace safety, occupational hazards, kick-back and identifying dangerous trees. An explanation of the tension and compression forces in timber is also provided to help the reader understand where to begin cutting to avoid jamming the saw. The book covers chainsaw maintenance in detail, explains all aspects of the equipment and helps the reader select the right chainsaw and personal protection equipment. Trouble-shooting charts are included to help solve operating problems. This manual has been updated to take into account the most recent changes in nationally accredited competency standards. It is a must-have for anyone operating a chainsaw. FeaturesWorkplace and operator safety Chainsaw maintenance Basic cross-cutting techniques Competency Standards