Level crossing accidents study

Accidental exposure to 2,3,7,8-TCDD in a 1949 explosion in a trichlorophenol plant in Nitro, West Virginia, resulted in an outbreak of severe chloracne. Moses et al. (1984) conducted a cross-sectional survey of workers in this plant in 1979. In reviewing the impact of the accident, the authors indicated that 117 workers had severe chloracne as a result of the explosion however, 111 additional workers were found to have had chloracne prior to the explosion. A cross-sectional study of 226 workers in 1979 indicated that 52% had chloracne which persisted for 26 years, and in 29 subjects it was still present after 30 years. Blood levels were not measured, but the air dust in the plant was suspected to have contained 2,4,5-T contaminated with 6 ppm 2,3,7,8-TCDD compared to 0.1 ppm in later years. Similarly, high incidences of chloracne were also found in other facilities (Jirasek et al. 1976 May 1973 Poland et al. 1971 Vos et al. 1978). Appearance of chloracne after accidental occupational exposure may be immediate or delayed since workers may not always be removed from the work environment, the duration of exposure and total exposure is difficult to assess. 

The main objective of any Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) must be the prevention or, at least the limitation of NIHL. After that, the other objectives are the reduction of employees stress and absenteeism, the reduction of workplace accidents as well as workplace quality. The current regulatory levels for occupational noise exposure (European Directive 2003/10/EC and ISO 1999) were based on cross-sectional studies performed a few years ago and before the implementation of hearing conservation programs. 

Children s Susceptibility. A limited number of human studies have examined health effects of CDDs in children. Data from the Seveso accident suggest that children may be more susceptible to the dermal toxicity of 2,3,7,8-TCDD (chloracne), but it is not known if this would be the case for other effects. Follow-up medical surveillance of the Seveso children (including measurement of serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels) would provide information on whether childhood exposure would pose a risk when the individual matures and ages. The available human and animal data provide evidence that 2,3,7,8-TCDD can cross the placenta and be transferred to an infant via breast milk. Although information on the developmental toxicity of CDDs in humans is limited, there are extensive animal data that the developing... 

In chapter three, the theoretical background to all the potential macro-factors that could contribute to road accidents was presented. The relationship between each factor and the probability that road accidents may occur on the national level was conducted. One special criterion to select suitable indicators was used. This has enabled me to determine the key macro-performance indicators in road safety. It has become clear that the chosen indicators must be easy, available, measurable, and comparable worldwide. Moreover, these indicators must be able to indicate/monitor the country s progress over time in road safety and allow international comparisons. The obtained set of indicators was listed and summarised in Table 3.2. The next step was to understand and explain the main published macroscopic studies and models that are used in describing and comparing the road safety development internationally. I have divided the reviewed models into cross-sectional models (time-independent models) and (time-dependent models). A starting point in this direction was to investigate Smeed s equation, particularly in the relation between motorisation and fatality rates. Several models for... 

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