Thursday, April 9, 2020

Chemistry Lab Report Conductimetric Sample

Chemistry Lab Report Conductimetric Paper The aim of this experiment it to analyze the solution of Baa(OH)2 of an unknown concentration. In order to obtain the quantitative analysis, the exact amount of a particular compound or element present in sample, two procedures were performed. The first procedure was by conductivities titration and by gravimetric determination. The conductivity was analyzed during the reaction between the sulfuric acid (HOSES) and barium hydroxide (Baa(OH)2). Through the conductivity, the equivalence point can be determined; from there, the concentration of the Baa(OH)2 solution can be found. The final product of the reaction between sulfuric acid and barium hydroxide is insoluble. According to the lab manual, during the reaction, the total number of dissociated ions in solution is greatly reduced as a precipitate is formed. With the Conductivity Probe, the changes in conductivity of the solution will be analyzed. The collection of Baa(OH)2 precipitate, allowing it to dry, and carefully weighing it will allow for the calculations of the amount of barium ion(from original sample) of unknown concentration, which will aid in finding the concentration. These procedures are pendent on gravimetric analysis (the most accurate and reliable procedures). Important requirements for a successful gravimetric analysis include: a pure compound with an identifiable geochemistry, the precipitation reaction must be complete, specificity of precipitation reagent in sample, the solid sample should be a reasonable-sized crystal, and the molecular weight should be reasonable enough for a good weight of the precipitate generated. For the full formation of the precipitate, it will need to be flocculated. The final outcome of this experiment is to handle, isolate, and analyze chemical samples carefully and thoroughly. We will write a custom essay sample on Chemistry Lab Report Conductimetric specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Chemistry Lab Report Conductimetric specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Chemistry Lab Report Conductimetric specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Monday, March 9, 2020

Consumer Driven Health Care Essay Example

Consumer Driven Health Care Essay Example Consumer Driven Health Care Paper Consumer Driven Health Care Paper Executive Summary The issues surrounding the full adoption of consumer driven health care range from cost pressures, employer concerns and the need of effectively engaging the consumers in decision making through the provision of adequate choice and information. Until now the government has been supremely instrumental in propelling the consumer driven health care system. While the merits remain engulfed in hot debates, the fact that consumer driven health care simultaneously creates both the movement, the financial responsibility, as well as the involvement in health care choices of the consumers has created serious concerns. As the evolution moves on, all stakeholders in the health care system are going to be affected. The plans will enable the consumers to personally navigate the system and directly engage with the providers. On the other hand, the pharmaceutical sector may become educators and an intermediary consumer movement may serve to satisfy the fact that transparent information will have bec ome a necessity for health care decisions. Leveled in line with these demands, the ensuing discussion analyzes the impacts on health care in terms of costs, efficiency and effectiveness in addition to the impacts with regard to the new consumer, and the stakeholders; notably the pharmaceutical sector. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Descriptively, consumer driven health care system allows individuals to draw from their Health Savings Accounts or their Health Reimbursement Arrangements or such similar payment products to directly   meet routine health care expenses while protection from catastrophic health expenses is guaranteed by a high deductible health insurance policy. These policies cost less as the consumer meets routine medical claims from a pre-funded spending account. Should the balance in the account run out, medicals claims are paid just like in a regular deductible. Yearly unused balances increase future balances that can be invested for future medical expenses. The term â€Å"consumer driven health care† applies because routine medical claims are paid through a consumer controlled account verses a fixed insurance benefit. This scenario allows the consumers to occupy the role of a primary decision maker as regards the nature of health care they re ceive. Patients are therefore more likely to choose less expensive options and for those with chronic conditions, the system would promote compliance to treatment regimes(Goodman 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proponents of such a health care system argue that in the long run, Americans will pay less for health care provision because of reduced monthly premiums and increases free market variability. Market variability due to the use of Health Savings Accounts fosters competition which in turn lower prices and stimulate improvements in the quality and delivery of health care services. Opponents of the system cite the fact that individuals who are less wealthy and less educated will tend to avoid the health care cost burden, when this is coupled to the inability to make informed decisions, then the result is lowered health outcomes. Additionally, since the system simply shifts the cost burden to the patients, those with chronic conditions will never be able to save anything. In the end, inequality in health care quality and delivery may reign(Gross 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Basically, consumer driven health care system is a derivative of the business model for health e-commerce ventures which were designed to enable consumers of health products and services to engage more directly with the providers in making the health care purchases. In essence, consumer driven health care is geared towards giving individuals more choice in making health care decisions and to help stabilize these costs. This system is a product of the same theories that sought to capitates payments to providers. The rejection of such a prompt gave rise to the consumer driven health care system(Kovner 2008). In the initial conceptual model, cost and quality of the relevant information was made available through the internet. The primary model relied on the creation of   Health Savings Accounts(HSAs) before the inclusion of a second model; the Health Reimbursement Arrangements(HRAs) which are funded by the employers who receive tax benefits for funding such accounts(Grudzien 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Impacts of Consumer Driven Health Care   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The phrasal representation â€Å"consumer driven health care† is in itself a revelation of the transformation in health care where consumers of health care services and goods are gaining more and more importance in health care industry. The consumers being the purchasers of goods and services in the health care industry suggests an existence of economic relationships between the consumers and the suppliers. The word driven implies that the supplier is going to be compelled to react according to the consumers’ demands and position as regards the provision of these goods and services. Implicitly, the complete phrase can thus be used to describe a situation where there exists a two way business interaction that is able not only to transform the health system structure but also reconfigure the health industry to engage in a competitive conduct. Such a paradigm shift in the management of health care is bound to present strong chal lenges, advantages and disadvantages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What effect will such a system of health care have on the effectiveness and efficiency of health care provision? Currently in the United States, over $ 1 trillion dollars is spent annually on health care. Critically analyzed, this is 15% of the Gross Domestic Product and is more per capita that anything spent in other developed countries. The magnitude of the expenditure itself calls for a need a novel idea such as consumer driven health care. If such a system of health care were to be adopted, then what forces will shape the new consumer of health care services? On this basis, it is prudent to discern the effects of the key players such as employers, insurers, providers, and government entities. All these forces will only support such a system if most beneficial to them. A third scale of analysis desires that we look into the ways in which the industry is going to change. This analysis borders on the certainty of a fundamental restructuri ng of the system through a set of rules governing the new competitiveness. These structural changes will most certainly be orchestrated by the new nature of buyer-supplier relationship(Ferrari 2004). The Effect of Consumer Driven Health Care on the Efficiency and Effectiveness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To understand the changes that may occur in the efficiency and effectiveness after the transition to consumer driven health care, it is prudent to establish the objective function which measures productivity. Generally, productivity is descriptive of the magnitude of outputs achieved for a given level of inputs. In the health care industry, the physical inputs like labor, capital and supplies should be able to achieve certain levels of health outcomes. In essence, this means that productivity will be used in providing improvements on the management or treatment of diseases since this is the fundamental production process of the health care system. However, the simplicity of the productivity measure can only be taken to be useful and sustainable if it is coupled to the variety of other societal entanglements as well as other complexities in health care provision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given that the current health care system in the United States is the most expensive system in the world, a comparison with other developed countries on the basis of mortality and life expectancy attests that the system is less productive. However, on the basis of four disease states (diabetes, cholelithiasis, lung cancer and breast cancer), evidence suggested that it was more productive comparative to Germany and the United Kingdom. The high costs were attributable to the high administrative costs, higher compensation of doctors and other medical personnel. Consumer driven health care poses as the most reliable option in changing features which contribute to productivity hence health outcomes. For instance, a transformation to prospective payment from cost plus system of reimbursement for health institutions. Other reimbursement plans that supremely focus on the health outcomes rather that the activity also furthers the gains(Ferrari 2004 ). Customer driven health care has the ability to create incentives for providers to adopt more efficient technologies hence increasing productivity due to the underlying market competitiveness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since this transformation does not in any way threaten the existence of a competitive market, the cornerstone of such a market will have to be an informed buyer who has the capacity to make an accurate judgment of the value of outputs received with reference to the level of inputs injected into the system. This would usher in an era of comparative shopping among the suppliers as well as differentially reward the suppliers who provide the best goods and services at the least cost. Moreover, the system would also allow the buyer to choose a level of productivity that is desirable and affordable and trade off other savings for needs outside the health care system. Given the nature of the transformation and the rewards consequent to the paradigm shift, it is reasonable to expect an increase in productivity, improvement in health outcomes and the improvement on the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system(Forster 2007). Forces Shaping the New Consumer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are two major forces that possess the potentiality of shaping the evolution and the pace of the novel system. The first force is the degree to which the buyers of health care goods and services become empowered to spend their own financial resources and making their own buying decisions. The second force is the quality of health care provision and the accessibility of the relevant information that pertains to the inputs and the outcomes in the health care process.   In the case of marginalized consumers with inadequate heath care information, there is going to a continuity of the turbulence as seen in the health care system today. Such a scenario slows down the transformation to consumer driven health care system. On the other hand, when marginalized consumers have the benefit of adequate information, the consumer as the main driving force in the system retains a marginalized role in the purchases but is also associated in the trade-offs(Herzlinger 2004). The end result is an unstable relationship among the players since consumers are well informed and possess the power to make their own decisions in seeking out productive suppliers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Empowered consumers with inadequate information may create a scenario where there is a rush for the establishment of a brand making consumers to almost completely rely on the value associated with a brand. It is on the basis of such information that consumers will make their buying decisions. With the help of interpreters, superior information may be passed to consumers or alternatively, the interpreters may broker the brand to the consumers(Ferrari 2004). However, the best scenario is when there are empowered consumers in possession of adequate information. This scenario aptly captures the spirit of the productive economic system. It implies that the market is awash with consumers buying on their own account. The existence of such a scenario itself may eliminate the need for intermediaries. Not that there is going to be a vacuum where these intermediaries had occupied but that such a space will be occupied with a different faction, for instance, it may be the marketing or sales front end of the provider entities(Herzlinger 2007). This would demonstrate the productivity of the providers(suppliers of health services) to the consumers. Alternatively, the space may be occupied with an aggregator of consumers which may leverage the consumers’ volume power in negotiating a unit price for making the buying decisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, the trend towards informed consumers who are able to make their own health care purchasing decisions will lead to an unprecedented change in the nature and quality of services and goods offered. These changes are not only positive in nature as they will shift the burden of health care costs on the shoulders of individuals. Such a change greatly challenges the deeply rooted societal perspectives on the roles of democratically elected governments. The creation of new consumer oriented intermediaries may usher in another era of misguided government regulatory intervention. Assuming that such a scenario does not arise then a consumer driven health care system has the potential to move health care provision to anew level of productivity hence better health outcomes for the United States citizenry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the contrary, because of these sub classifications of consumers based on empowerment and availability of information, individuals who are less educated and healthy may avoid the needed health care services due to the cost burden coupled to the ability to make well informed and appropriate health decisions. Moreover, as Jonathan Oberlander; a political scientist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill reiterates, the system simply shifts the health care cost burden back to the patients. Patients suffering from chronic health sicknesses may not be able to afford such costs, since with a deductible of between $ 3000 to $ 4000, these patients will thus be unable to save anything in their accounts. Employers are specifically impressed because the system is beneficial to them. They will not adequately fund replenish the employees health care accounts even though they will save money(Gross 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The success of the consumer driven health care is dependent on the ready access to relevant information on health services, products and pricing. Due to the absence of free market variables in the health care industry, the lack of transparency will saddle consumers with additional expenses. This means that despite the theory that health insurance based on higher deductibles results in consumers shopping around for better products and services(based on quality and price), the inadequacy of such pertinent information practically goes against the attainment of benefits in a consumer driven health care model(Shearer 2007). Impacts on the Pharmaceutical Industry Currently the pharmaceutical industry has been shouldering the blame for the double digit increase in health care costs. Between the year 2001-2002, the consumer price index for health care increased by 4.4% while the industry index grew by 5.5%. A simple analysis of these percentages shows that the industry can only account for all the increase in the event that all other health care components shrunk. These statistics aside, the expenditure pent on informing consumers; $ 2.8 billion and a further $ 13.2 billion on informing doctors invariably increase the costs of health care in the long run. Therefore, unless new products are distributed for consumption without additional costs from these activities of pharmaceutical industries, the health care costs will continue to be high(Herzlinger 2004). Consumer driven health care has the potential of eliminating these costs hence advancing quality health care at lower costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Health care markets are extremely sensitive to the presence of a market power. Medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies retain monopoly over devices and drugs for a considerably long period of time due to the patent laws. It is during this period before the expiry of the monopoly period that these companies earn monopoly rents, in effect leading to higher drug pricing. This is unlike the traditional neoclassical supply curve(Jost 2007). This trend will be reversed as consumers will be looking out for cheap but equally effective therapeutic alternatives, hence bringing the prices down in the long run.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the death of the intermediary between the suppliers and the consumers, the pharmaceutical industry has started to align itself with the consumer of its products through direct to consumer advertising. This has only become necessary after the FDA lifted restrictions on direct to consumer advertising. This move has been viewed by many as a gap that allows the pharmaceutical companies to foist their drugs on the gullible public in the name of providing pertinent drug information. Moreover, the use of billions of dollars in advertising only increases the overall costs of the drugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, there are those who view direct to consumer advertising as being revolutionary and instrumental in promoting consumer involvement. Such an exposure of drugs to consumers acts as an educational tool and helps the consumers to be more informed in making decisions in health care. Apart from getting information direct from the pharmaceutical companies, information technology is increasing consumer empowerment making them seek high quality but less expensive choices(Mason et al 2007). Therefore, even though the pharmaceutical companies bypassed the physicians and moved directly to the consumer in advertising and promotion, consumer empowerment means that the era in which the extra expenditures were passed onto the consumers will be long gone. Such an eventuality will stimulate a dramatic restructuring of the industry. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The potential of a consumer driven health care system to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the quality and delivery of health care are huge. However, the fact that access to health care is hinged on the ready access to relevant information remains the main obstacle in the realization of the full benefits. Health care and market forces are mutually exclusive. The existence of a competitive market; the cornerstone of which is an informed buyer increases the capacity of the buyer to make an accurate judgment of the value of outputs received with reference to the level of inputs injected into the system. So long as information is easily and cheaply accessible and transparency in the health care industry is promoted, the system may well be the answer to age old failures of the current most popular health care system. By putting insurance money under the complete control of the patients themselves, giving the employers cost relief, and eliminating the intermediary in the doctor-patient relationship, the system will undoubtedly achieve its health outcomes. References Ferrari, T. Bernard. (2004). Where Will Consumer Driven Health Care Take the Health Care   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   System. In Consumer-driven Health Care: Implications for Providers, Payers, and   Ã‚  Ã‚   Policymakers. Regina E. Herzlinger(Eds). John Wiley and Sons. p. 399-403 Forster, R. (2007). Market Forces and Health Care are Mutually Exclusive. Intelligently    Connecting Institutions and Expertise. Gerson Lehrman Group. Goodman, John (2006), Consumer Driven Health Care, Networks Financial Institute Policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brief, Indiana State University Gross, T. (2007). Fresh Air from WHYY, July 9, 2007. Diagnosing U.S. Health Care and Sicko,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Too. Terry Gross interviewing Jonathan Oberlander, associate professor, University of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Grudzien, L. (2006). Can Consumer Driven Health Care, Health Reimbursement Arrangements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and Health Savings Accounts Save Employer Sponsored Health Care Reform From Ruin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Benefit Express. Herzlinger, Regina. (2007).   Who Killed Health Care? Americas $2 Trillion Medical Problem   Ã‚  Ã‚   and the Consumer-Driven Cure. McGraw-Hill Press. Herzlinger, Regina E. (2004). Consumer-Driven Health Care: Implications for Providers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Payers, and Policymakers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Jost, S. T. (2007). Health care at risk: a critique of the consumer-driven movement. Duke   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   University Press. Kovner, R. A., Knickman, J., Jonas, S. (2008).   Jonas and Kovners Health Care Delivery in    the United States. Springer Publishing Company. Mason, J.D., Leavitt, K. J., Chaffee, W. M. (2007). Policy politics in nursing and health care.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Elsevier Health Sciences. Shearer, G. (2007). Testimony of Gail Shearer, Director, Health Policy Analysis, Washington   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Office, Consumers Union before the Joint Economic Committee, on Impact of   Ã‚   Consumer-Driven Health Care on Consumers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   consumersunion.org/pub/0225JECTestimonyNoSummary.pdf.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Pantomime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pantomime - Essay Example t she doesn’t fit the demands and definition of what is expected of women in a corset and crinoline world.She struggles both biologically and psychologically with the notion of both having two genders in one body.Inaddition,stemming from his past in dealing with his present circumstances,he finds that he has to properly handle his sexual feelings as pertains to his fellow aerialist Aenea and the white clown Drystan.They realize that there was nothing perturbing about a person being intersex and that there was more to it than was thought.This realization dawned on them both- Micah and Gene,when they had made the decision to lead their own lives as they were, and when the mysterious secrets of the world suddenly opened in 10,860. Pantomime is a story about two different people trapped in the same body but who in their own different ways have impacted onto each other’s lives significantly.Moreover,whilethe intimate manner in which the author has treated sensitive issues generally associated with intersex people to be deeply moving and empathichowever,it is not clear if the author precisely sought out the real information and experience from intersex people inspite of the fact that through the story,she appears to acknowledge rather than defend a lot of uncertainties existing by default between the two genders.But she brings out the point clearly when Micah and Gene question themselves in order to find out exactly whether their attraction is matter driven by the masculine or feminine nature.Thus, in as much as anybody is who they are,but could a person’s biological sexuality really be the yardstick of defining who they are? Pantomime as a story,alternates between past and present and narrates Gene and Micah’s history as composed of elements of both shame and acceptance-especially from the brother Cyril,the unpleasant experiences with doctors and potential suitors,and in addition the need to keep secrets.Throughout the story,it is clear that there is a close

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Financial assesment - Aviva PLC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Financial assesment - Aviva PLC - Research Paper Example Firms calculate their cost of equity using several methods, the most popular method being Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). This method assumes that shareholders expect a rate of return equivalent to the risk free rate plus a risk premium, and is expressed as - The current UK T-bill average yield was taken as the risk free rate. The recent T-bill average yield varied from 0.6725% (on Apr 3) to 0.6220% (on Mar 27) as per Financial Times (2009). The extract of the data is given in the Appendix as Exhibit 6-3. The average of these two figures (0.65%) was considered as the risk free rate. FTSE-100 was considered as the indicator of market return. The data range considered was between Jan 1, 2003 to Jan 1, 2009. The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of FTSE-100 during this period was 2.55%. The relevant FTSE-100 data during this period is given in Table 6-1 of Appendix (Yahoo Finance 2, 2009). It is assumed that this is the rate of return that the market will expect in future. The historical dividend growth rate of Aviva works out to 6.20%. The divided payout details are given in Table 6-2 of Appendix (Aviva, 2009). It is expected that this growth rate will continue in future. A total dividend of 33 pence per share was paid for the year 2008. This amount is expected to be 35.05 pence per share during the year of 2009 using the current dividend growth rate. The share price of Aviva as on January 1, 2009 was 361.84 pence. There is subsThe cost of equity as per this method works out to (0.33 x 1.0620/ 361.84) + 6.20%, i.e., 15.89%. There is substantial difference between the cost of equity calculated using the two methods. Both methods use several assumptions and approximations. Therefore, it was decided to take the arithmetic mean of both these figures for the purpose of calculating the WACC. The arithmetic mean works out to 10.42%. Preference Shares/ Direct Capital Instrument: The Aviva has issued several types of hybrid instruments at different rates of

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Occupational Health and Safety Management System Development

Occupational Health and Safety Management System Development INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background In recent years, there have high number of occupational death and injury to occur in warehouse. This number of occupational accident not only damage for worker. This also is a greatly affect the productivity of society. Follow the Government statistics result in 2005, there have HK$ 1.02 billion compensation to injury worker and their family. This table are show the number of accident are decrease from 35,986 to 33,652 is decreasing compare with one year. Furthermore in economic way, after accident are also affect team morale, feeling and productivity. Under the statistics result to find that about 1.7 million sick leave day after occupational accident to lead the economic loss. In individual way, not only physically damage for worker. In psychology way, are also needs to pay more time to recovery and step by step to build up their working feeling to improve the productivity. To reduced the number of occupational accident and injury in warehouse and workplace. Need to evaluate and analyses more detail before setup the workplace. So that why we need to depend on Occupational safety and health management systems. Apply technical simulation, research and analysis the normally cause of injury and accident from unsafe workplace, environment, insufficient safety facility, unsafety working behavior with worker. In Fig 2 are separate to three main industry field to make more easily to evaluate and make technical comparison and convenience to analysis the data to make some decision Before to analysis and evaluate the cause of occupational accident. Firstly to study occupational guideline and review cause to evaluate the potential hazards in the existing or in progress workplace environment. In Fig 3 are show the potential hazards in site are damage to the worker. Cause the accident are the mild steel board are pressing to his leg. Then organize the good safety and occupational management specific system for specific work place. This mean not all-occupational management system can fully satisfy for all warehouse and workplace. But following the previous case, In real condition to analysis their right safety attitude and his working method from worker and operator is very difficult to know. So need to really understand specific workplace for different condition and different ways. For example: Occupational accident involves human, tools or machine and workplace. In human way, require knowing worker or employee working background, enough safety aware knowledge and operation experience for employer reference. Furthermore in external ways are also become factor to affect the employee working performance. It can include working duration; temperature, actual workplace, and rest time are really enough provide for employee to reduce mental fatigue. Try to study those following factors to establish for the occupational safety and health system for different working area. Then to use this effective human and environment data to redesign or rearrange to reduce or prevent the occupational accident and improve the confident for their job. Our goals have been try to really know the main cause depends on operators perspective and his working experience. Furthermore can apply this knowledge or experience to establish solid know base to prevent or reduce the occupational accidents in warehouse or industry field and improve to high standard of occupational and health in Hong Kong. 1.2 AIMS These aims of the final year project are introduce the occupational and management system in warehouse and to analyze this management system for some simulation approach. 1.3 OBJECTIVES 1. To develop and set up a safety and health management system. 2. To determine the major cause of occupational accident in warehouse. 1.4 METHODOLOGY To satisfy the objectives, this report can divide into two parts. The first part is collect major data from our warehouse. The second part is using the result to improve the safety and health management for warehouse. In the first part, we step by step to collect and research some data from the working location. We need to record the working behavior and observe their working process to analyze their working sequence. And then base on their working process to find out which working process will cause occupational accident. That following data I will collect from my part time job location in the garment warehouse. And I will develop the safety and management system to help for this warehouse to reduce number of accident. This following data for case study will show into next part, such as causes of accident, working environment. For these case studies, warehouse supervisors and staffs are interview from survey Questionnaire. From this questionnaire will list number of possible cause can lead the occupational accident. The survey result will show in the following chapter. 1.5 Organization This case study is divided into eight chapters and following the sequence to satisfy the project objective. Then will list the introduction of content. Chapter One Introduction Chapter One is introduces the background, objective, aims and methodology of the case study in the listed chapter. Chapter Two Literature Review Chapter Two will separate into six sections, in the first part will overview different type of stages of safety and health management system. System structure, simulation, and implementation. Chapter Three System Design In chapter three will show my possible system design. Firstly to collect the real data, make some case analysis and use simulation software to simulate the cause of accident. The method will show in this following chapter. Furthermore, the format of the survey questionnaire is shown in the below. Then the possible cause of accident will also list in the literature review. This purpose can fulfill the achievement for the objective. Which criteria of accident cause will choose more detail in this chapter and fulfill objective 1. Chapter Four Result Survey Questionnaire Chapter four will list the following result and problem finding from the questionnaire. Depend on the serious mistake and then analysis the result. Then will present the survey result into this chapter. From the analysis result to calculate the mark and using statistical method to present which condition will easily to have occupational accident. This following result can satisfy the objective 2. Chapter Five Discussion In Chapter five, It will group some similar data from each survey. According the relevant result or pattern of warehouse accident cause. After that to following the average to arrange the importance level from workers feedback. Next part of this chapter Chapter Six Conclusion Chapter Six is the final chapter for evaluates the analyzing result. Depend on the result and develop the suitable occupational and safety management system for this warehouse to prevent accident to make worker injury. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This following aim for this chapter are show the literature review related for the occupational and safety health management system, cause of occupational accident for real case. Firstly to divide into two part. One part is Cause of warehouse occupational accident and next part is safety and health system. As the cases are depend on various components and different situation will make different warehouse accident occurrence, Moreover are included some tasks with workplace design, implementation, and outcome will be discussed. In the next part, these purposes for make a summary for different types and possible accident in the warehouse and notice in the different literatures. Then will classify this possible cause, and make details revision for different cause to find out the cause of accident in warehouse. 2.2 Definition of Terms 2.2 Definition of Occupational Safety and Health Definitions A definition of safety and health means in the working area with cross-disciplinary have safety facilities, protection, and health for the worker. The goal is provide the safe working environment for all occupational fields. The purpose is protecting for the employer, employee, client, and workers family, supplier, public and community work by the work place. Such as public health field, occupational medicine, ergonomics, industrial field in production factory, warehouse, construction site. 2.3 Definition of Safety and Health Management System Occupational safety and health management system is integration management method to reduce risk in work place. It followed safety guidelines and reassigns this process need to teamwork support and management leadership to monitor the status. Depend on different business organization to form based conclusions and various results. And require higher usage rate of the safety and management system than type selected. It should be provide good atmosphere for implement the occupational safety and health to implement and practices. 2.4 Structure of Safety and Health Management System Structure of Safety and Health Management System are divide into SIX main criteria is Planning, Developing, Organizing, Implementing, Measuring and Reviewing. 2.4.1 Planning Planning is procedure to evaluate which criteria should be to complete. Firstly to classify which safety and health task should be suitable to apply in warehouse and use relevant Safety and Health Management Regulation. Then will accord sequence for the safety and health object to design and achieve that. Furthermore need accomplish this safety object may be lead to arise the financial and usage of resource. Secondly, for the management team need to determine the initial stage to analysis for existing safety and health system to make are some lay outs. Then will make some estimation to define the priorities of working process for risk management control and hazard reduction. After will setup the standards for the system outcome. Later should be make regular status assessment to analysis for the safety and health system in the daily process. Additionally, there are detail to show how to define the initial status analysis, regular analyses and risk estimation is shown as follows a) Initial status analysis This is a measuring step to find out exist job location are focus the importance of the safety and health business for the initial in the warehousing in progress. It should be first time to setup done in the safety management system depend on the proprietor of the working process. Furthermore, the employer should provide enough facility to worker for the Safety Management Regulation properly. b) Regular status analyses After operate initial status analysis, employer need to keep regularly applying the improving safety and health management system in warehouse continuously. The safety officer or supervisor should be classify the scope and regularly to apply assessment for analysis to be following: ~ The problem findings / safety and health management system revision ~ Introduce usage the new technology ~ Rearrange in management of organizational structure. c) Risk Estimation This aims for planning task, risk estimation is apply to test and establish the data file for overall risk in warehouse operation Then the problem findings will apply into the formula to create the risk reduce strategy, assign the safety and health object and set up the performance standards and object priorities. Basic procedure in risk estimation include as follow: 1) Classify of potential hazards This is procedures of classify all-important and potential hazards are related into working process and need to concern the damage of the user. 2) Evaluation for risk This is the procedure of the evaluation for specific subject of risk with every potential hazard that suppose each facility are in control in workplace, and decide the effective task and the result of their failure. Then need to concern if the risk assessment have some tolerance, if the tolerance occur, the supervisors need input into record which in or out of the statutory standard are also need to transform to international approve standards. If the risk can met or lower for the suitable level that will take it into tolerance counted. After the potential risk evaluation, there is elimination and reduction task to classify and for control purpose: i) Setup safety and health process and potential control standard The safety and health process should be no tolerance during the developing. ii) Maintenance and Carry out the safety and health process It should be appropriately to support and implement the Safety and health process and risk control. In the other hand, risk management control should be kept in effective. iii) Review of safety procedures and risk control measures Regular review is necessary for safety process and risk control. Need to be keeping in suspect way check the system isnt in function. When the critical change occurs is also related. After the risk assessment will discuss into next part. 3) Assign person for implementation The safety officer or supervisor needs to select a reliable staff or worker to implement analyses in progress and risk assessment. This reliable person should have: (a) Make sure this person should be keeping the system in progress. (b) Provide a technical training course and practice to earn the management experience. 2.4.2 Developing This is a process to how to achieve the safety and health management system 1) Following this status, the warehouse supervisor need to be clearly explain approval safety and health policy and document with specific objective in the initial planning status and make sure that policy involve this following agreement : i) To accomplish a high quality standard of safety and health to promise to met minimum requirements and regular to practice to keep in high performance. ii) The first line supervisor should be have primary responsibilities to create the occupational safety and health system to keep in progress. iii) Offer enough resource to carry out the system iv) Make sure acquaintance, maintenance the system, carry out the system for each level of management system. v) Ensure each worker can provide sufficient safety knowledge and training to work for their job and responsibilities. vi) Provide the regular review the management system. 2) Implement the safety and health system by the supervisors should be provides and arranges effective management planning for specific objective. i) Distinctly direction to lead to supervisor and manager cooperate with worker to achieve the specific target of the safety and health management system. This safety and health management system should be setup in the industrial and warehouse undertaking for first line management team, collect opinion and more helpfully for safety and health individually. All worker and different grade of manager should be participating for each stage of safety and health system. Not fixed format of the safety plan for how detail and pattern. Furthermore, the plan should be describe the policy of the safety plan, specific objective and which level of standard can be accomplish, measuring level. Then the key point should be set it out: a) Fully preparation for supervises the management plan to be success. b) Apply the management system should be implement and well prepare each component into industrial field. c) The responsibilities should be properly to assign into safety and health system. For necessary use, it should be include safety guidebook, method statement, and safety manual. Every level of managers, supervisors and worker should clearly understand the plan and their duty and focus in implementation. Developing the effective sharing system in structure. Lastly, safety and health plan need to fixed period to revise or review to improve the system more effective. 2.4.3 Organizing This is a communication and sharing procedure of the relationship between user and resources control in the working structure to complete their goal. The proprietor should be mention for relevant industrial is needed: i) Fully synthesized in the industrial field and apply into each process by different size of jobs. ii) Appropriate to provide enough money and can suitable fit the company size and characteristic for policy in progress should be suitable to developing and maintaining the parts of the safety and health management system. iii) It should be organize by have industrial field experience staff to set up and provide practice more efficient and effectively. To from a similar industrial field iv) To assigned responsibilities of safety and health for each staff. iv) To assign the operation for the safety member, a safety department/unit/group (safety officer means a person employed as a safety officer in an industrial undertaking under the Factories) vii) Need to offer authority to implement their safety and health responsibilities viii) Make a meeting to sharing the occupational and safety and health information more effectively. 2.4.4 Implementing This is the process of carrying out or applying the practice and training into accomplish the specific purpose. Make sure that have enough manipulate and applicable control for the performance followed in the management plans. Follow this step, the employer of a relevant industrial field is needed: i) To evaluate and carry out the plan to classify the risk and then can fulfill the legal standard as well to mention the safety management. ii) Need to provide enough monitoring and make sure that plan can effectively to carry out. iii) Well prepare and keep providing adequate documentation work to record and keep checking the management progress in the work place. iv) Well design the emergency system plans for special situation and keep it system into critical precedence. 2.4.5 Measuring This is a process for checking the management system performance to against legal standard to let them know where has potential risk need to control and improve. Furthermore to let them know which objective can fulfill the objective or not. In this measuring part, this part will derive the feedback system for this stage for system development and implementation and then to enhance ability of the system maintain to reduce the risk and continues keep it efficiency. Following this stage, the proprietor of an industrial field is needed: i) to implement the monitoring review, such as, hardware inspections (for example : machine, plant and building) and software inspections (such as : human, working process and working system), ii) Especially for supervisors, team leader have responsibilities to compactly monitor the performance of the safety and health management system iii) To implement the monitoring of the potential hazard management control, such as supervise of occupational accident, health display demonstrator and near misses. iv) To make decision for the immediate situation of performance and classify the potential causes and to involve for the system design and system operation of the safety and health management. v) To correct whichever situation identified during in the monitoring and checking process. vi) During the observation procedure to develop and carrying out status to continuously to get the opinion information to improve the safety and health management system in working operation. 2.4.6 Reviewing These mean to implement to estimate performance in regular monitoring of safety and health management system. Auditing is construct the feedback systeminto planning stage which to enhance, maintain and establish more effectively to prevent the risk occurs. In addition, the information sharing and flowing into the planning, developing implementing and maintenance stages. In the other hand, reviewing stage also can make sure that working process be correct of the safety and health management system. Following this reviewing stage, the employer of warehouse field is needed: i) To periodic a safety auditor or safety officer to regularly present safety audits review with sections 13 or 19 of the Safety Management Regulation. ii) To setup facilities, safety information for the safety officer review proposes of safety regular evaluate according sections 14 or 20 of the Safety Management Regulation iii) When safety review assessment hand-in to take the appropriate action, such as design the safety and management plan improvement and carrying out the management system in sections 16 and 22 iv) Regularly to receive the opinion information from the safety assessment and audit for modify the planning, developing, organizing and implementing stages to step by step to improve the safety and health management system in working procedure. Safety and Health management system model can be diagram summarized for the following: Management model to develop, implement and maintain a safety management system Fig.4 Safety and Health Management Structure Model Legend Information Link Control Link Chapter Three System Design In chapter three will show my possible system design. Firstly to collect the real data, make some case analysis and use simulation software to simulate the cause of accident. The method will show in this following chapter. 3.1 SAFETY CONCEPT The purpose of this section to make a basic introduction of the safety system concept and indicate some methods by different potential hazard can be produce. This is very important for the system users and system maker of the safety simulation to clearly know the concept of safety and expect which type of risks are show in the simulation. As you know, there are no fully dependable way to prevent hazard during the working process of safety and health system. Safety concepts difficult for each people fully understand. But we can also say liberty for working place situation can make body damage, death, tools and equipment damage. So we try to develop the safety system to make safe completely, but sometime design safety system is need to concede system performance and function for some design change. If we following to apply the system into warehouse, the safety system to be effective, but the system are also have some remnants of risk can need accept. After that will be have more interrelate with external condition, then the remnants if risk will need to keep going to solve from safety system. It reminds that no any system can fully to prevent all the risk from safety system, no matter what the system is really outstanding can manage external condition and worker actions are also cannot perfectly to reduce all accident in warehouse. On the other hand, if insert too many of safety characteristic into safety system may be affect the original goal for the warehouse. The level of safety function is needed to concede based on the level of accident. The potential hazard caused by the people, tools and equipment and working condition are mixed together to make a possible to occur. Such as, a potential hazard apply in normal procedure, but the working area are existing a number of worker will cause high hazard for the worker. 3.2 System design lay out Fig 5 The Safety System In this warehouse environment, this is mixed system that includes people, working process, workplace, and product. There also are important criteria for this process. That complicated system is involving high frequency of interaction with external working environment. This system can apply into different way of workplace to define number of potential risk. Contrarily, we can apply the result and data to demonstrate and analysis the number of potential hazards. Then apply this system to prevent and reduce the high potential risk. 3.3 Basic Accident Mode Accident is an unexpected event during in working process that also causes unexpectable damage for worker, destroy the production process, and may be loss the life during the process. Furthermore, we find that result basically in control mechanisms, potential hazards, working exposure and beginning of implementation, that following long chain criteria to from accident. In unsophisticated way can define that has potential hazard situation, then to start implement the event, that following the event order to acquire the result form accident. In real situation, that potential risk is existing, but we can control by a number of confirmative control mechanisms. Fig 6 Basic Accident Mode In the accident model way the accident appears in accident model way, this means the control mechanisms are failure. The model of Basic Accident had shown in Fig 6. Later will present more complicated model with number of accident chains with different potential risk situation to pass through and number of control mechanisms by passed when the accident appear. There is the complicated model to show in basic accident mode and try to indicate the point during into the number of effect in accident control to analysis to prevent the chance of accident appearing. Fig 7 Loop of Accident Feedback Figure 7 present the loops of feedback and identify what is suitable way to manage the safety and health system. After we receiving this opinion and according this follows mechanisms to classify for the information system for safety purpose. And each criteria insert into accident chain and is a chance to indicated the potential risk, reported the accident details and apply the control mechanisms to reduce the unsafe and potential hazard. The function of loop A is provide the minimum requisition for safety system and construct the accident reports to show the details and unwanted incidents. But this posting may not actually to prevent in the initial accident and not sometime to make a good effect to avoid the accidents occur in the future for insert into the statistical analysis to solve the system of safety and health management issue. The loop B is normally lower frequency to carry out and open-heart and regularly to report of dangerous acts. There are the precursors for the accident, Loop B can assign for the safety control. Loop C and Loop D are commonly more operative and apply for the proactive safety and health management and for classify potential hazard circumstances in the early status during in the chain. That following significant concept is suitable for simulation condition, and partly cause for technical accidents. Two important fail identification applied in active and latent in the basic concept in this model. Beginning the design, establish and operate the safety and health simulation system. A. There is meaning of the mistake or to contravene will have contrary effect immediately. These active failures are normally to relate into the worker activity during in the safety and health management system. These modes of active failures are not famous to apply into the system during into decision making in not approval. B. On the other hand, there is some decision-making and some operation which to make the condition without immediate reaction. They create this condition will to hibernate in long period of time till to touch off the action when the accident to appear. These means the latent failures are famous able to apply for the system from the operator to take out from the operation immediately. 3.4 Potential Hazard management and control flow When a number of risk and hazard occur can be to calculate for reduce, prevent and easily to control. Figure 8 plates in a risk identify method process. It clearly to show that can fully satisfy the requirement to reduce and prevent the hazard appears from the system design, but if cannot satisfy for different criteria to manage the potential hazard. There are following ways had be provide, provide the system training for the system users and setting the warning system for notice the users. Fig 8 Hazard preventable Flowchart However, if can classify the potential risk can be maximize to eliminated and to spread the possibility for long remain. These can transfer the remnant risk to safety and health system operator for control. Fig 9 Change of Remnant and Unclassified hazard As shown the diagram 9, the remnant risks are mixed into classified hazard which to consider that acceptable. Then the cognitive risks are transfer to users, they indicate for them to manage the document and link up to users. 3.5 Criteria FOR SIMULATION SAFETY This is a large size of safety and health guideline for applies into the simulation area. a) The judgements and care the safety and health simulation by authorized people. b) Provide safety support and safety advice in working place and other working area. c) Through latent and active failures to introduce in the comprehensive condition. d) Comprehensive working environments can advise their working area have owned potential risk as simulation the sickness and prevent the negative training. e) Need to mention the software and resources to reapply for new system and other new working objective. f) When issue the simulation need to concern the backgrounds of workers can select their different safety attitudes and standards, and safety technique level. It can prevent the hazards during the safety simulation system. Fig 10 Life Cycle System The capability system can operated and progress through the life cycle and therefore included five phases. This process in the beginning stage for classify from new capability and obtain from proceeds, services support. Then the safety simulation needs to concern the life cycle for system complete. Under the safety and health system are need to prepare the life cycle of the simulation system. 3.6 Key of Safety control The simulation life cycle are processing are involved a number of tasks. When processing the system is need to planning in the beginning stage for test and analysis activities. Apply this safety and health management system is demand to passing through all existing stage of simulation life cycle. Furthermore, also have number of safety and health management activities are also involve for different phase of a life cycle system are shown in Fig 10. And detail define total safety and health management events are need to documented information, and involve a number of management activities are applying independently. Then will applied in unfailingly method is passing through to organization. Following the pre-determined planing of the safety and management activities to present the systematic format. Fig 11 Safety Activity for each Life Cycle stage Safety Activity to be involved the Life Cycle stage Stage 0 Stage 1 Sage 2

Monday, January 20, 2020

Exploring Gardners Theory on Multiple Intelligences Essay -- Educatio

Howard Gardner used to define intelligence as â€Å"the ability to solve problems or to create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings† (Gardner 33). The modern day human being would most likely include the words â€Å"smart† and â€Å"dumb† in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief of only one intelligence so he created his own theory that involved seven different discoveries. He didn’t want to call these discoveries â€Å"skills† or â€Å"talents† or gifts† because those all suggested a drawback so he decided on the word â€Å"intelligence,† creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences including, linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture. Howard Gardner grew up in Pennsylvania in the late 1940’s, although his parents were originally from Germany. He attended Harvard as an undergraduate with the hopes of becoming a lawyer and with a major in history. However, as soon as he became the mentee of Erik Erikson, a well-known psychoanalyst, his interests started to change. Gardner entered the doctoral program at Harvard and received his PhD in 1971 with a dissertation on style sensitivity in children. During his years of doctoral study he became a part of the Project Zero, which does research on arts education, and he now co-directs the project. Gardner’s work with Project Zero led to the Project on Human Potential, which resulted in his first well-known book, Frames of Mind. He has written many books since then including, The Shattered Mind and Multiple Intelligences, and he is â€Å"currently Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Har... ...ly. It’s not Gardner’s goal to take over the education system and have it all reformed, but he does want educators to rethink their everyday lessons and see if they can improve them using his theory in order to broaden the comprehension of ideas to all students. Now all our society has to do is learn how to use this theory as an advantage and put all the intelligences to work. Gardner has started this concept of multiple intelligences but no one knows where it will end and what other implications it will have along the way. Works Cited Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York, NY: Basic, 1999. Print. Smith, Mark K. "Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education." The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Maltese Village Cores

THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MALTESE VILLAGE CORE [pic] Name: Daniel Cossai Class: F4 Matteo Ricci Table of Contents: ? Introduction p. 3 ? A typical Maltese village core p. 4-6 ? How is the village core being protected nowadays? p. 7-8 ? An example of a Maltese village core – Attard p. 9-10 ? Conclusion p. 11 ? References p. 12 Introduction In the Maltese Islands one can find around 67 villages all around the island. Since Malta is quite populated some villages are close to each other, like the three villages of Attard, Balzan and Lija, and one might think that they are actually one village, while others are more isolated with surrounding rural areas. Villages vary from old and modern but they all have distinct features and characteristics and they are mainly built around the village core. In this project, the various characteristics of a typical Maltese village core are discussed followed by a detailed example of the old village of Attard. A typical Maltese village core A typical Maltese village core usually has several characteristics which can be seen in most of the older villages, which are much more common than the more modern ones. The parish church The main focal point of any old village is the parish church which is mainly of the baroque style and occupies a central position. It is a grand style and the village church contrasts strikingly with the flat roof tops of the nearby houses and other buildings. Attard Parish Church The majority of the Maltese people are Roman Catholic and the church has always played an important role in the villagers’ lives. In olden times when villagers worked in the nearby fields they would return home when the church clock struck 6 tolls of the ‘Ave Maria’. Nowadays after mass many people gather in the church parvis to talk about daily events. This is a typical scene in any village and shows the social aspect of the Maltese people. The village core comes to life during the feast of the patron saint. During this time the streets are decorated with flags, banners, garlands, flowers, multi-coloured lights and statues on wooden pedestals. There are kiosks selling traditional food, nougat and candy floss. Brass bands entertain the crowds, together with fireworks in the main square. The procession with the saint’s statue passes through the narrow streets of the village core. The narrow streets Another particular feature of the old part of a village is the narrow, winding streets which normally lead to the church. These are usually quite narrow as cars and buses did not exist in the time in which they were built. It is said that the streets were winding as a way of defense against enemy attacks. Most streets in the village core have alleys. A narrow street in Attard In these streets one can usually find several niches dedicated to saints. They were a form of beautiful and artistic decoration and showed the devotion which the Maltese had towards their religion. They also served as a point of easy reference to find a particular place in times when people were highly illiterate and could not read street names. An example of a niche in |ebbu[ The main buildings The buildings in the old village core are usually farmhouses or houses of character with a central courtyard, outer staircases and rubble-walled rooms. Many of these are being renovated by expert architects to restore their natural beauty. Since they are built after the baroque or neolithic style these buildings are quite big with large doors and windows. A particular feature is the different door knobs which one can find at every door. Another reason for such large houses was that noble people used to live in the village core. Also, most extended families used to live in one house. In the village core one can also find various shops, like the grocer, butcher, baker and vegetable vendor. The most important buildings are also found in every typical village. These may include the local council, the police station, the parish priest’s office, the parish hall, the cemetery, the school and the band and political clubs. Another characteristic feature is the village bar where men usually meet to have tea, eat ‘pastizzi’ or ‘]ob bi-ejt’, gossip or watch a football match. Other characteristics In the village core one can usually find several decorations including statues, fountains, street lamps and benches. Local activities are normally held in the village square. These are either held by the church or local council as an occasion for villagers to meet and have some fun. Bazaars and car washes are often held as fund raising activities. In recent years some villages are becoming more innovative and organize unique activities, such as a chocolate or strawberry fair, to attract outsiders and tourists. How is the village core being protected nowadays? As the name implies the village core is the most important part of any society. All of the important buildings can be found there and it is also the place where the majority of people meet and socialise. Therefore it goes without saying that the village core must be an attractive and safe place to attend. Local councils have the duty of ensuring a clean, safe environment and fight against vandalism to preserve the beauty of the village. A short interview with a representative of the Attard Local Council was held regarding the protection of the village. Interview: ? The village core is an important part of the village. Does this make it a main target for vandals? Yes, unfortunately, our village core has suffered from a lot of acts of vandalism. For example, the garden of Thomas Dingli, which can be found in the village square, has been vandalised several times. What does the council do the try and protect the village core from these acts of vandalism? Recently, we have asked the local police and wardens to increase their patrols, and to keep better watch over certain places especially the gardens and street decorations. We also do our best to repair any damage done as quickly as possible. ? Is the village core protected in any other way not related to vandalism? Yes, the village core i s a very important part of the village because most people often gather here. We are doing our best to keep the village core as Bring-In Sites – Attard Village Core clean as possible. For example, we have set up Bring-In Sites in the village core, so that people will recycle more for a cleaner environment, and at the same time avoid throwing away their litter outside. The Bulky Refuse removal truck comes around the village every day so that bulky items such as fridges do not end up thrown away in one of the gardens. Unfortunately, this has happened in the past. Street sweepers are also employed so that the environment is as clean as possible. ? What about traffic? The streets in the village core are quite narrow. Are there any special rules which help to avoid pollution and damage to streets and buildings? Yes, like you said the streets are quite narrow and this makes it hard for large trucks to pass. They could easily hit the buildings and cause damage, plus they cause congestion of traffic. Signs are put up so that heavy vehicles cannot pass through the village core unless they need to render a service to a particular street. The village core must not be used as a by-pass. This has also reduced the amount of pollution and hence we have a cleaner environment. An example of a Maltese village core – Attard The old village core of Attard is made up of the Church Square and several streets and alleys. These are Qormi Road, |ebbu[ Road, Valletta Road, Main Street, Church Street, Small Square Street, St. Dominic’s Street, St. Mary’s Street, and Thomas Dingli Street. The village core is the oldest part of Attard. It dates back to 3,000 years B. C. The Parish church dedicated to The Assumption was built between 1613 and 1616. It was designed by the architect Thomas Dingli. Adjacent to the church is the Parish Hall where social functions take place. Attard Parish Church The architect Thomas Dingli is still remembered in Attard, and in 1998 a new village square was built and named after him. In the square one can find a small garden used as a relaxation area. There is also a monument which mentions the names of all the residents of Attard who died during World War II. Thomas Dingli Square The Local Council is also found in the village core. It is in the same building as the local Police Station. On its wall, there is a mail box which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria. It is the only mail box remaining in Malta from the time of Queen Victoria. Attard Police Station Attard Local Council In front of the parish church one can find the parish priest’s office, where people go to get information relating to births and marriages, or talk to the parish priest. Nearby is the Stella Levantina Band Club. Club members and musicians meet here throughout the year either to practice the band’s music in preparation for the village feast and other occasions, or else simply to talk with each other. As the feast starts approaching, the club becomes more crowded. The parish priest’s office In St. Dominic’s Street, there is a museum about the train’s history. In olden times the train used to pass from Attard on its way to Mdina. Recently, the Council has decorated all the streets in the village core with decorative street lanterns. Conclusion The village core is a very important part of every village because it is the centre of all activity. It is vital for the local community and something which cannot be removed or easily changed, in fact certain old buildings cannot be modernized and have to keep their characteristics. This is ruled by the MEPA. As one can see from the characteristics mentioned in this project, living in the village core can be a different experience from living on the outskirts. Some people, especially the new generation, would prefer somewhere quieter and more modern buildings. In the future, every local council in the Maltese Islands should continue working on improving the situation of their village’s core. Most localities are already protecting the core, but there can always be more room for improvement. For example, cameras can be installed near places in the village core which suffer from vandalism frequently. References: Alfie Guillaumier (2002): Bliet u Ir]ula Maltin. Malta: Klabb Kotba Maltin Magazine: }’Attard Magazine: Malta this Month (July 2002) Magazine: Grip (Issue 4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Attard http://www. attard. gov. mt/default. asp http://www. malteseislands. com/malteseislands. asp Attard Local Council