scholarly journals Cost-effective facility disposition planning with safety and health lessons learned and good practices from the Oak Ridge Decontamination and Decommissioning Program

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7470
Author(s):  
Rebeca Monroy-Torres ◽  
Ángela Castillo-Chávez ◽  
Erika Carcaño-Valencia ◽  
Marco Hernández-Luna ◽  
Alex Caldera-Ortega ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic showed an impact mainly on the health of people and the economy of households. The levels of food security in the world’s households, especially in Mexico, have decreased. When people do not have food security, their health is compromised and they have financial problems; on the other hand, environmental deterioration has a link with food security. The purpose of this review is to analysis of the current situation in Mexico of food security, environmental health and economy, the main lessons learned in these areas and their proposals integrating public policies. A review was carried out in the main databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, CAB Abstracts y PAIS Index) with the following keywords and according to the MeSH terms: Food security, food insecurity, environmental health, public policies, environmental, production, integrating the word COVID-19 in English and Spanish. Only 44.5% of Mexican households presented food security. For food insecurity, 22.6% had moderate and severe food insecurity, while 32.9% had mild insecurity. Food insecurity and the health impacts of environmental origin (waste management during the coronavirus pandemic, water contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and toxins; air pollution) generates impacts on economic activity by not offering food that meets health regulations. Without the application of cost-effective measures and interventions for the prevention and control of patients with obesity, the direct costs for 2023 will amount to 9 million dollars, which worsens the household economy. Despite having laws and policies on the right to food, a healthy environment (water), and opportunities for economic growth, these human rights are not fulfilled. The conclusion is that it is necessary to use a health and agroecological model to promote public policies (health, environment, and economy) that aims to prevent the discussed issues, with multidisciplinary and intersectoral interventions (government, academia, researchers, civil society organizations, industry, and population). This upholds the human right that all people should enjoy an adequate, healthy environment and have access to high-quality food.


Author(s):  
Gretchen Macy ◽  
Jacqueline Basham ◽  
Cecilia Watkins ◽  
Vijay Golla

The objectives of this study were to assess the state of Kentucky’s workplace health promotion and occupational safety and health programs, to ensure the ability to comprehend any possible trends over the past six years in the state’s progress in offering workplace health promotion and health protection programs, to compare the results of this survey with the 2013 Kentucky state-wide assessment, and to identify gaps in Kentucky’s workplace health promotion and occupational safety and health based on Total Worker Health® (TWH) concepts. Using Qualtrics research software, the Workplace Health in America assessment was sent to companies located in Kentucky and having 10 or more employees. Participants were identified using Dun and Bradstreet’s Hoover’s database. The results showed that, as with the 2013 survey, larger workplaces significantly were more likely to offer workplace health promotion programs than smaller companies (X2 = 24.30; p < 0.001). However, more companies (78%) reported offering programs compared to the 2013 assessment (49%). Given the results of the current study as compared to the statewide assessment conducted in 2013, Kentucky’s WHP is moving in a positive direction; yet, there is still much to be done. There remains a strong need to provide cost-effective and accessible resources for all elements of TWH to small workplaces.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.. Francis-LaCroix ◽  
D.. Seetaram

Abstract Trinidad and Tobago offshore platforms have been producing oil and natural gas for over a century. Current production of over 1500 Bcf of natural gas per year (Administration, 2013) is due to extensive reserves in oil and gas. More than eighteen of these wells are high-producing wells, producing in excess of 150 MMcf per day. Due to their large production rates, these wells utilize unconventionally large tubulars 5- and 7-in. Furthermore, as is inherent with producing gas, there are many challenges with the production. One major challenge occurs when wells become liquid loaded. As gas wells age, they produce more liquids, namely brine and condensate. Depending on flow conditions, the produced liquids can accumulate and induce a hydrostatic head pressure that is too high to be overcome by the flowing gas rates. Applying surfactants that generate foam can facilitate the unloading of these wells and restore gas production. Although the foaming process is very cost effective, its application to high-producing gas wells in Trinidad has always been problematic for the following reasons: Some of these producers are horizontal wells, or wells with large deviation angles.They were completed without pre-installed capillary strings.They are completed with large tubing diameters (5.75 in., 7 in.). Recognizing that the above three factors posed challenges to successful foam applications, major emphasis and research was directed toward this endeavor to realize the buried revenue, i.e., the recovery of the well's potential to produce natural gas. This research can also lead to the application of learnings from the first success to develop treatment for additional wells, which translates to a revenue boost to the client and the Trinidad economy. Successful treatments can also be used as correlations to establish an industry best practice for the treatment of similarly completed wells. This paper will highlight the successes realized from the treatment of three wells. It will also highlight the anomalies encountered during the treatment process, as well as the lessons learned from this treatment.


Author(s):  
Agnieszka E LATAWIEC ◽  
Lewis PEAKE ◽  
Helen BAXTER ◽  
Gerard CORNELISSEN ◽  
Katarzyna GROTKIEWICZ ◽  
...  

Although increasing numbers of research papers regarding biochar are being published worldwide, in some countries growing interest in biochar has only recently been observed; this is true of Poland. We analysed information on biochar research in Poland alongside lessons learned elsewhere in order to identify the significant opportunities and risks associated with biochar use. This data fed into a GIS-based multicriteria analysis to identify areas where biochar application could deliver greatest benefit. We found that 21.8% of agricultural land in Poland has at least moderate indication for biochar use (soil organic matter below 2% and ph below 5.5), while 1.5% was categorized as a priority as it also exhibited contamination. Potential barriers identified included biomass availability and associated risks of indirect land-use change due to possible national and transnational biomass production displacement. Biochar use could have positive global consequences as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly relevant in a country with limited alternatives. Scaling up a mitigation technology that is viable on account of its co-benefits might be cost-effective, which could, in turn, adjust national perspectives and stronger involvement in developing mitigation policies at the regional level. Biochar has much promise in temperate conditions and further research should therefore be assigned to explore biochar’s environmental and socio-economic impacts.


2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Guy

Deconstruction is the selective dismantling of building structures to recover the maximum amount of primarily reusable and secondarily recyclable materials in a safe and cost-effective manner. Deconstruction is a labor intensive process and can be difficult to achieve in a time-efficient and economical manner for light wood-framed buildings. Deconstruction techniques that balance hand and mechanical labor must be developed to maintain the integrity of materials for reuse and obtain maximum salvage value per unit of cost and time-on-site. This project entailed the removal of three identical WWII-era two-story wood-framed barracks buildings at Ft. McClellan Army Base, Anniston, AL, using hand deconstruction, combined mechanical and hand deconstruction techniques, and a traditional demolition method, i.e., mechanical reduction and disposal, in order to determine “optimal” deconstruction techniques based on salvage value per unit of cost. The maximum practical materials salvage from the study buildings using 100% hand deconstruction techniques was 39% of the mass by weight. A combination of hand and mechanical techniques was discovered to have approximately the same economic efficiency as 100% hand deconstruction, measured as a ratio of gross cost per salvage value, with a 44.6% reduction in total labor-hours, and a reduction of only 7% of salvage materials by weight. These findings indicate the potential for greatly increasing wood-framed building deconstruction practice relative to the additional time-on-site and labor that is required, compared to demolition, while optimizing economic benefits. This paper describes the research methods and deconstruction techniques employed, and lessons learned to advance the practice of deconstruction to be more economically competitive and time-efficient.


2009 ◽  
pp. 203-251
Author(s):  
Claudio Virno

- Cost overruns are common in large and complex projects, especially in high speed rail ones. Budgeting for cost escalation is a major issue in the planning phase of these projects. This paper describes lessons learned on high speed rail in Italy and focuses on problems such as initial poor design, tactical budgeting, inadequate cost estimation and risk assessment, etc. The paper discusses possible means to avoid major flaws in the initial conceptual design of mega-projects. There is a growing understanding of the need to focus on the front-end phase in order to achieve more successful and cost-effective projects.


1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (02) ◽  
pp. 134-153
Author(s):  
Larry Mercier ◽  
Tracy Byington ◽  
Walt Senkwic ◽  
Christopher Barry

The Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay·, MD implemented a PC/AutoCAD based CAD/CAM system and used it to construct a series of 15 M (49 foot) buoy tenders. Implementing CAD/CAM is primarily a management, rather than technical, challenge. Performance-Based Management Techniques were used to develop the new system as an integrated whole, controlled and documented under ISO 9001. The process was cost-effective, required minimum retraining, was fully implemented in a few months, and was appropriate to a small shipyard building boats, but extensible as required to medium sized ships. The authors discuss:The use of Performance-Based Management and team-building techniques to help implement the process;The use of process management techniques to document, control and systematically improve the process in order to remain competitive;The process developed, including methods to allow varying levels of operator skill, geometry, weight and interference control, and development of automation techniques;The lessons learned, the results in productivity improvement, and the future path for continuous improvement


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document