This paper proposes a multicriteria model based on the delay time concept and the FITradeoff method to support the choice of a service provider who inspects isolation valves, thereby enabling ...maintenance actions that have a strategic focus to be established for natural gas industries. We consider the possibility of errors of judgment (false negatives), thus allowing an approximation of reality to be made. In addition, the FITradeoff method is used to enable a decision‐maker to aggregate his/her preferences by taking account of more than one criterion simultaneously, even though the criteria generally conflict with each other. Furthermore, we undertake a numerical application to assess the practical implications. The model proved to be effective at supporting decision‐makers to select companies to provide periodic inspection services, which are often carried out under contracts. We have also evaluated how maintenance decisions change due to different decision‐makers' standards so as to obtain more appropriate procedures for maintenance actions. This has an impact on reducing the occurrence of failures and, consequently, reducing risks to people who live near the gas pipelines.
Applying scientific evidence through risk analysis is an important orientation for the international frameworks that have informed the Philippines’ current food-safety legislation. When implementing ...this legislation, local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines deal with manifold critical responsibilities using various product-based inspection procedures. This qualitative study was conducted at the end of 2017 with a focus on exploring one LGU’s food service inspection practices. The twofold aim was to find needs in the current food inspection capacity, and to illuminate how risk-based legislation is enacted among LGUs in the Philippines. Taking a discursive approach to help explain and describe the LGU’s practices and needs, the methods included an analysis of administrative documents, focus-group discussions, and observational research. This study explains the LGU’s role in carrying out food agencies’ national responsibilities; it also describes how, if adequate resources were available, new roles could exist for food safety officers and food inspectors. In conclusion, fulfilling the LGU’s needs with respect to national and regional standards would require implementation of a risk-based approach for food inspection.
Frutto di ricerche svolte in diversi Paesi europei, questo libro analizza il fenomeno del posting of workers in un’ottica internazionale e interdisciplinare, con particolare attenzione alle ...condizioni di lavoro, salute e sicurezza, alle questioni normative, agli illeciti, alle violazioni dei diritti dei lavoratori in distacco transnazionale. Da questa disamina ricca di documentazione, il posting of workers emerge come una nuova frontiera della svalorizzazione del lavoro, che estremizza tendenze caratteristiche delle trasformazioni del lavoro avvenute negli ultimi decenni a scala globale, in primis la precarizzazione e il dumping sociale.
Clay bricks are the most important engineering materials that can influence the quality of the construction. The quality control of the clay bricks is of prime importance to improve the quality of ...engineering construction. The qualities of bricks for construction applications should be checked for various types of inspection services. In this article, our inspection service was focused on compression strength test on bricks to determine their mechanical resistance and suitability for construction work. The accurate method for clay brick's production measurements has been elaborated using uniaxial compressive strength testing machine. The method was tested for a rectangular clay brick manufactured with size approximately 250 mm × 250 mm × 200 mm. The measurement method and standard uncertainty estimation of uniaxial compressive strength are briefly described in this article.
Inter-rater reliability is a prominent topic within inspection services. We address inter-rater reliability as a problem beyond the technical concern for improving regulatory instruments. We combine ...theories on professionalism and identity theory to deal with an issue overlooked in much of the literature on regulation and inter-rater reliability: the potentially diverging ways inspectors perceive their professional role. Studying veterinary inspectors in the Dutch food safety services, our focus is on how we can empirically differentiate between different role identities and how these identities diverge from ideal-typical expectations the organization holds of its inspectors.
There has been no real attempt to explore the contribution and effectiveness of inspection as a catalyst for change and improving service provision. In England the Government is currently reviewing ...the way that one regulatory body, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), operates and carries out its inspection functions in relation to care homes for older people. This article reports on a study carried out in 2004 that asked managers of care homes for older people about their views and experiences of inspection and ways to improve the process. The findings endorse inspection as a necessary intervention. Managers identified that the main purposes of inspection were: to ensure the well-being of residents; to achieve or comply with standards; to check that the home was running properly and to act as a double check against the homes own audits. The two most useful aspects of inspection were as a means of providing feedback and as support and guidance to managers. The expertise of the inspector needs to be better deployed to drive up standards of care and maximise their influence to promote an improvement in services and innovation in practice.
In this paper, the results of the empirical research investigating the awareness, attitudes and confidence of the interested public towards authorized companies who carry out the monitoring and ...controlling of environmental protection in the economy are interpreted, on the example of Croatian largest cement plant. A survey research was conducted on a target sample using an in-depth interview and participant observation. One of the research aims was to determine whether the interested public believes that inspection services monitor the activity of the cement plan adequately and whether they
believe their reports. In the analysis of the empirical material a grounded theory method was used, quantification of qualitatively
analyzed coded material was performed using the Statistica ver 11.00, and finally, SWOT analysis was conducted. By analyzing the aforementioned results, it can be stated that representatives of the target groups differ from each other in the variables used, and that their attitude and opinion about content items depends on the group to which they belong. The variable referring to the confidence towards inspection services had the highest projection in the first discriminant function, and the greatest differences among the target groups occur in relation to this coded question. The second discriminant function has the highest relation to the variable referring to the alignment of Croatian and EU legislation, and therefore, it contributes the most in differentiating the target groups. The variable referring to the reliability of the measurement performed by authorized institutes and laboratories has the highest correlation to the third discriminant function and the highest projection of differences. The majority of subjects believe that inspection services monitor the activity of the cement plant adequately and they believe their reports. The results of the SWOT analysis show that the strengths overcome the weaknesses and the opportunities overcome the threats, supporting the growth strategy.
MQM Meat Services is a New Zealand government agency carrying out meat inspection throughout New Zealand. Owing to legislative changes the agency is moving towards competing in a contestable ...environment. This paper describes a planning model that was developed to help the agency's regional centre at Ruakura decide on staffing levels for service delivery to 14 meat plants. Each meat plant has a fixed number of meat inspectors and meat veterinarians employed at any one time. Meat inspection is highly seasonal with peak manpower requirements occurring during the period November to June. Planned and unplanned absenteeism, and training requirements further exacerbate the fluctuations. To meet fluctuations in service requirements, a number of reserve meat inspectors are employed. The planning model described in the paper is designed to determine staffing levels year by year.
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