Incident-rate measures reliability

However, this option presents some difficulties for radionuclides, because studies of radiation effects in human populations have focused on cancer fatalities as the measure of response and probability coefficients for radiation-induced cancer incidence have not yet been developed by ICRP or NCRP for use in radiation protection. Probabilities of cancer incidence in the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors have been obtained in recent studies (see Section 3.2.3.2), but probability coefficients for cancer incidence appropriate for use in radiation protection would need to take into account available data on cancer incidence rates from all causes in human populations of concern, which may not be as reliable as data on cancer fatalities. Thus, in effect, if incidence were used as the measure of stochastic response for radionuclides, the most technically defensible database on radiation effects in human populations available at the present time (the data on fatalities in the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors) would be given less weight in classifying waste. 

Any simple measurement of performance in terms of injury frequency rates or incident rates is not seen as a reliable guide to the safety performance of an undertaking. The report finds there is no clear relation between such measurements and the work conditions, the injury potential, or the severity of injuries that have occurred. A need exists for more accurate measurements so that a better assessment can be made of efforts to control foreseeable risks. It is suggested that more meaningful information would be obtained from systematic inspection and auditing of physical safe guards, systems of work, rules and procedures, and training methods, than on data about injury experience alone. (HSE, 1976)... 

In addition, the Biacore system is fully automatic and incorporates a reliable microflnidic system that facilitates accurate and precise sample delivery and flow-rate manipnlation. Significantly, it also permits multichannel analysis and thns, reference-subtraction [71], which is useful for comparative analyses and is a prereqnisite for kinetic and affinity estimations. A significant advantage of SPR over optical detection techniques is that the incident light energy does not actnally penetrate the bnlk sample and thus, measurements can be made equally on colored or tnrbid solntions and on clear samples [72]. Typically Biacore and SPR/evanescent wave-based technologies have been routinely used for analysis of small molecnles. With specific reference to foodstuffs, these include hormones [9], antibiotic residnes [73], and small molecules that are indicative of microbial contamination snch as microbial toxins [10,46,74]. 

Another important issue concerning incident indices is their reporting types. One is an actrral reporting rate which will be calculated on the basis of the nttmber of incident reports submitted by staff tmder study. The other type is a self-reported rate of incidents, which will be elicited as staff responses to (a subjective measttre of) safety performance. Self-reported measures of incidents have often been said to have low reliability for the following reason healthcare providers are likely... 

Removing personal blame from incidents that set the stage for personal injury will enable more proactive reporting, evaluahng, and correcting. When your periodic environmental audits show less and less property damage, you can be assured you are preventing injuries. In fact, I am convinced this is actually a more reliable and valid metric for safety improvement than the standard injury and illness rates derived from employees self reports and visits to the plant infirmary. So a comprehensive safety measurement system... 

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