scholarly journals An Evaluation of Risk Factors and their Impact on Road Project

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-35
Author(s):  
Feyisetan Leo-olagbaye ◽  
Henry A. Odeyinka

Construction projects are generally known to be susceptible to risks. This results in an inability to meet performance targets. This paper assessed the risk factors encountered in the delivery of road projects in Osun State, Nigeria. A questionnaire survey was used to obtain data from all the 146 construction professionals involved in the construction of the 34 road projects executed in the study area. The professionals comprised of 34 Consultant Civil Engineers, 34 Consultants’ Civil Engineers, 34 Consultant Quantity Surveyors, 34 Consultants’ Quantity Surveyors, one project financier and 9 Project Managers, making a total of 146 respondents. Using two-dimensional scaling, the respondents were asked to provide opinions on risk occurrence and their impacts on road projects. The data collected were analysed using mean ranking analysis and student t-test. A further analysis was carried out using factor analysis to reduce the factors impacting road projects into fewer factor components. The results revealed that the risk factors with high extent of occurrence are in the order of change in scope of work, defective design, error and re-work, change in design, delay in availability of design details and unforeseen adverse conditions. Surprisingly, the top ranking risk factors are not the ones with high impact based on the result of the analysis. Using factor analysis, 9 component factors regarding the extent of risk occurrence were obtained and they accounted for 73.73% of the variance explained while 4- component factors were obtained regarding the impact of risk occurrence and they accounted for 46.16% of the variance explained. The study concluded that professionals involved in the delivery of road projects need to be aware of the significant risk factors impacting road projects and put proactive risk management approach in place to deal with them to avoid surprises.Keywords: Performance, Projects, Risk factors, Risk impact, Road.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Idika E. Okorie ◽  
Ricardo Moyo ◽  
Saralees Nadarajah

AbstractWe provide a survival analysis of cancer patients in Zimbabwe. Our results show that young cancer patients have lower but not significant hazard rate compared to old cancer patients. Male cancer patients have lower but not significant hazard rate compared to female cancer patients. Race and marital status are significant risk factors for cancer patients in Zimbabwe.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Jatapat Hemapanpairoa ◽  
Dhitiwat Changpradub ◽  
Sudaluck Thunyaharn ◽  
Wichai Santimaleeworagun

The prevalence of enterococcal infection, especially E. faecium, is increasing, and the issue of the impact of vancomycin resistance on clinical outcomes is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of infection caused by E. faecium and determine the risk factors associated with mortality. This retrospective study was performed at the Phramongkutklao Hospital during the period from 2014 to 2018. One hundred and forty-five patients with E. faecium infections were enrolled. The 30-day and 90-day mortality rates of patients infected with vancomycin resistant (VR)-E. faecium vs. vancomycin susceptible (VS)-E. faecium were 57.7% vs. 38.7% and 69.2% vs. 47.1%, respectively. The median length of hospitalization was significantly longer in patients with VR-E. faecium infection. In logistic regression analysis, VR-E. faecium, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, and bone and joint infections were significant risk factors associated with both 30-day and 90-day mortality. Moreover, Cox proportional hazards model showed that VR-E. faecium infection (HR 1.91; 95%CI 1.09–3.37), SOFA scores of 6–9 points (HR 2.69; 95%CI 1.15–6.29), SOFA scores ≥ 10 points (HR 3.71; 95%CI 1.70–8.13), and bone and joint infections (HR 0.08; 95%CI 0.01–0.62) were significant risk factors for mortality. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the impact of VR-E. faecium infection on mortality and hospitalization duration. Thus, the appropriate antibiotic regimen for VR-E. faecium infection, especially for severely ill patients, is an effective strategy for improving treatment outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-101
Author(s):  
Noor Aletby ◽  
Hafeth Ibrahim

Construction projects in Iraq face many dangers that cause exceeding the estimated cost of the project and not completing the project on time, and since the risk management process in construction projects is of great importance in controlling and reducing the impact of risks in construction projects, so it is necessary to identify these risks and evaluate them correctly in order to increase accuracy and the health of the subsequent stages of the risk management process in construction projects. This paper aims to identify the most important risks in construction projects in Iraq and to conduct a qualitative assessment of the identified risks and arrange them according to their importance. The researcher adopted the questionnaire method as a tool to determine the risks and used the technique of probability and effect matrix to conduct the qualitative assessment of the identified risks. The study found that there are 48 risk factors that constitute the most dangerous factor in construction projects in Iraq, and 10 of the determining factors were within the high level of risk, and at the forefront of which was the inability of the owner to finance the project.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1029-1034
Author(s):  
A. Nazif ◽  
A.K. Mustapha ◽  
F. Sani

Estimating of cost for building construction projects with minimum error at the conceptual stage of project development is quite  essential for planning. This study seeks to evaluate factors responsible for cost escalation of building construction projects.  Questionnaires were administered to examine and assess these factors. Subsequently, the mean score value of each factor was determined. In addition, Correlation and Linear regression analyses were used to establish the relationship between these factors. Factors responsible for cost escalation in projects were examined as well as the impact of those factors, and occurrence of those factors on project cost. The result of the analysis showed that, the most agreed factors responsible for project cost escalation were; inadequate supervision, irregular payment, and design error, having high mean values of 4.25, 4.20, and 4.15, respectively. Also, correlation analysis result established that the factors responsible for cost escalation and the impact of cost escalation had significant R and R2 of 0.81 and 0.70 respectively. Addressing these factors would go a long way in reducing the escalation of building project cost. Never the less, an effective cost management strategy is absolutely necessary to safeguard and sustain the construction  industry. Keywords: cost escalation, building project, construction, regression analysis


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda L. Camet ◽  
Anne Spence ◽  
Susan S. Hayashi ◽  
Ningying Wu ◽  
Jennifer Henry ◽  
...  

BackgroundSensorineural hearing loss is a well-known side effect of cisplatin (CDDP). There is limited research on the effect of dosing, infusion times, and schedules of cisplatin administration and their impact on hearing loss.MethodsA retrospective review of 993 pediatric patients’ medical and audiological charts from August 1990 to March 2015 was conducted using stringent inclusion criteria to characterize patients with hearing loss. 248 of these patients received CDDP. Of these, 216 patients had sufficient CDDP infusion data to assess for sensorineural hearing loss attributable to CDDP and its associated risk factors. Chart reviews were performed to extract clinical data including CDDP dosing information. Demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized by descriptive statistics, and univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to examine the relationship between hearing loss and specific parameters of cisplatin administration (amount infused per dose, prescribed infusion time, total number of doses, number of doses per cycle, number of cycles, cumulative cisplatin exposure). Stepwise variable selection procedure was performed in the multivariate model building to extract the best subset of risk factors for the prediction of hearing loss and worsening ototoxicity grade using an established ototoxicity grading scale from the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).ResultsA total of 153 patients with complete medical and audiologic data were evaluable for analysis. Hearing loss was identified in 72.6% of the patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that age [OR=0.90 (0.84-0.97), p-value=0.0086], radiation to any part of the body, [OR=3.20 (1.29-7.93), p-value=0.012], amount infused per dose (mg/m2) [OR=1.018 (1.002-1.033), p-value=0.029], and cumulative cisplatin exposure (mg/m 2) [OR=1.004 (1-1.008), p-value=0.027] were associated with hearing loss. Similar associations were also found between these risk factors and worsening SIOP grade.ConclusionIn one of the largest studies examining the influence of CDDP dosing and schedules on hearing loss, we found the amount of CDDP infused per dose is a significant risk factor. Considerations in designing regimens that reduce the amount of CDDP infused per dose may reduce the risk of hearing loss. Randomized prospective trials are needed.


Author(s):  
Zain Ghazi Al-Kofahi ◽  
Amirsaman Mahdavian ◽  
Amr Oloufa

It is vital to investigate the system dynamics (SD) between the change orders and labor productivity to identify the causes of the productivity loss of the construction projects. Most productivity loss studies were financed from the contractor’s part and rely on the contractor’s data. This research highlighted the problem of productivity loss resulting from issuance of a change order by utilizing a previously developed SD model. It conducted a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of overtime, overmanning, temperature and learning on the behavior of the SD model quantifying change orders' impact on labor productivity. Based on the results, SD provides more reliable results comparing with the measured mile analysis (MMA) approach for the compensation request, considering the leading factors affecting the productivity loss other than the change order. The model developed in this study can accept or reject the responsibility of a change order for occurrence of productivity loss.


2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 600-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Moore ◽  
Jastej Dhaliwal ◽  
Agnes Tong ◽  
Sarah Eden ◽  
Cindi Wigston ◽  
...  

Objective.To identify risk factors for acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients exposed to an MRSA-colonized roommate.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting.A 472-bed acute-care teaching hospital in Toronto, Canada.Patients.Inpatients who shared a room between 1996 and 2004 with a patient who had unrecognized MRSA colonization.Methods.Exposed roommates were identified from infection-control logs and from results of screening for MRSA in the microbiology database. Completed follow-up was defined as completion of at least 2 sets of screening cultures (swab samples from the nares, the rectum, and skin lesions), with at least 1 set of samples obtained 7–10 days after the last exposure. Chart reviews were performed to compare those who did and did not become colonized with MRSA.Results.Of 326 roommates, 198 (61.7%) had completed follow-up, and 25 (12.6%) acquired MRSA by day 7–10 after exposure was recognized, all with strains indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis from those of their roommate. Two (2%) of 101 patients were not colonized at day 7–10 but, with subsequent testing, were identified as being colonized with the same strain as their roommate (one at day 16 and one at day 18 after exposure). A history of alcohol abuse (odds ratio [OR], 9.8 [95% confidence limits {CLs}, 1.8, 53]), exposure to a patient with nosocomially acquired MRSA (OR, 20 [95% CLs, 2.4,171]), increasing care dependency (OR per activity of daily living, 1.7 [95% CLs, 1.1, 2.7]), and having received levofloxacin (OR, 3.6 [95% CLs, 1.1,12]) were associated with MRSA acquisition.Conclusions.Roommates of patients with MRSA are at significant risk for becoming colonized. Further study is needed of the impact of hospital antimicrobial formulary decisions on the risk of acquisition of MRSA.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 174550651881659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Li ◽  
Shang Ying Hu ◽  
Yunkun He ◽  
Leyla Hernandez Donoso ◽  
Kelly Qiao Qu ◽  
...  

Objectives: Human papillomavirus is the necessary cause of cervical cancer, in particular the human papillomavirus-16/18 strains, which have been detected in ~70% of all cervical cancer cases worldwide. This study aims to assess whether other cofactors, which might be specific for the Chinese population, are involved in the development of cervical cancer. These findings may support the future direction of cervical cancer prevention. Study Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, MEDLINE-IN-PROCESS, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and Chongqing VIP Information. The target population were adolescents or adults from mainland China. All observational studies irrespective of intervention or comparator reporting risk factors for cervical cancer were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. The impact of each outcome was reported in numerical terms. Results: A total of 2,676 articles were screened. A total of 21 articles met the inclusion criteria. All studies were case-controlled designs mostly conducted in hospitals of South-Eastern China. A total of 18 studies reported lifestyle behaviours as significant influencing factors in the development of cervical cancer. Sexual behaviour, gestational factors, screening history, disease history and socio-demographics status were reported as significant risk factors for cervical cancer development. Conclusion: This review provides an up-to-date insight of current cervical cancer risk factors in China. Due to the heterogeneity of the results, further evaluation is recommended to determine the association of these risk factors to the overall risk of cervical cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 673-691
Author(s):  
Feyisetan Leo-Olagbaye ◽  
Henry A. Odeyinka

PurposeRoad projects have been characterized by risk factors impacting project objectives. Thus, this paper focused on evaluating the effect of risk on cost and time performance of some selected road projects.Design/methodology/approachUsing the theory of two-dimensional nature of risk, a questionnaire was used to collect data from 146 stakeholders involved in road projects in Osun State, Nigeria. Secondary data regarding cost and time performance of 40 selected road projects were also collected. The data collected were used to determine significant risk factors and also to develop multi-linear regression models for evaluating risk impact on cost and time performance of road projects.FindingsResults showed that scope creep and design issues are major risk factors occurring on road projects and those political and economic factors provide higher order of impact. It further demonstrated the possibility of modelling risk impact on cost and time performance of road projects using significant risk factors.Practical implicationsThe knowledge of the identified significant risk factors provides invaluable information to stakeholders regarding what risk variables to focus attention on in road construction. The developed models are also potential practical tools for decision-making.Originality/valueThe study provides a veritable tool for risk assessment that potentially helps with predicting risk impact on cost and time performance of road projects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 684 ◽  
pp. 639-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Ghaffari

The construction project is a complex sector which characterized with low productivity, cost and time overruns and conflicts. The major challenges in construction project risk assessment which may attributed to knowledge requirements for determining the level of uncertainty and development of complex models to predict . Portfolio theory and capital market theory stipulate that risk consists of two types, First, systematic risk, which cannot be controlled, emanates from external factors such as acts of God, natural disasters, market risk, interest-rate risk, and purchasing-power risk. Second, unsystematic risk, which can be controlled, relates to organization-specific factors such as business risk and financial risk (Fischer and Jordan 1996).) . To identifies the risk factors that influence the cost-effective management, operation, and maintenance of construction project, as well as how and when in the project life cycle the identified risk factors impact to the associated costs . The identification and design of risk is the first step of risk management. It contain the recognition of potential risk event conditions in a project and the clarification of risk responsibilities. A total of 50 risk factors on construction for stake holders (client , contractor ,consultant ) share projects were identified after conducting an extensive literature survey. A questionnaire survey was conducted from 60 project managers(20 from each category) in all three proficiencies with background experience in buildings ,road and bridges with minimum 15 years experience , to identify the most significant risk factors impact in construction projects . Interviews were conducted face to face, ensuring a 100 percent response rate. The questionnaire was amended by incorporating feedback of the experts to suit the local environments of the construction industry. The weight or rate of each risk factor gained by using a five-point Liker scale from a consolidated conceptual framework of all 50 risk factors identified from the deep literature work . The main aim of these research is to identify ,categorize and ranking common risks, exert management techniques to address those risks , effective risk management and risk status in the construction industry and to help stakeholders to take stock of their ongoing and future projects, with a focus on important risks, their management techniques and barriers to effective implementation of risk management systems.


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