What causes wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What causes wars - Essay Example Second reason for failure to bargain is that resources that parties can take over through a war have higher benefits than the benefits that may be obtained from reaching an agreement (Schultz, 2001, p.55). Thirdly, there may be a difference between the benefits that the leaders foresee and the benefits that the population foresees. Fourthly, information about the advantages and disadvantages of having a war are unclear to both the parties and, lastly, agreement cannot be practiced because other parties involved are against all agreements. A war may end up lasting longer if both the sides fail to reach an agreement or if the sides keep realizing that the cost of war is lower than its benefit. While on the other hand, if a war starts as there is little or unclear information of the strength of the parties, and as the war continues and information becomes clearer, the possibility of reaching an agreement becomes higher and the chances of the war ending soon even increases. Reasons that lead to failure to bargain between two parties are considered as rational reasons for war, but in general there are various irrational causes of war (Levy, 2010, p.67). These causes have certain amount of rationality as these causes are related to bargaining failures. Religion has been a cause of war for several years, two countries or states having different religious believes fight against each other on the basis of war (Salter, 1932, p.21). In this cause of war, it is thought that there is no material involvement, while the idea behind this cause of war may be to eradicate the existence of the population of one religion or increasing the population of one of the religious party at war. In this cause of war, parties fail to reach an agreement as they believe that they are being directed to fight this war by a higher authority. Leaders in this kind of war fail to reach an agreement as

The Little Ice Agehistory middle ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Little Ice Agehistory middle ages - Essay Example These dramatic glacial advances often had important realistic consequences for nearby human populations. In the Chamonix valley which is quite close to Mont Blanc, France, numerous farms and villages were lost to the advancing front of a nearby mountain glacier. (Mann, ) The damage was so menacing that the commoners sought the help of the Bishop of Geneva to perform an exorcism of the dark forces which is presumed to be the ones responsible for such weather disturbance. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries such societal threats were common, since many glaciers extended well beyond their previous historical limits. Colder conditions combined with altered patterns of atmospheric movement, appear to be tied to the prevalent crop failures in the more northern areas of Europe during that time. During the 17th to 19th centuries, there are prevalent accounts of famine, disease, and increased child mortality in Europe which are partly related to the extreme colder temperatures and d istorted weather conditions. Undoubtedly in the European society, not all effects of the climate changes were harmful. When the Thames River in London froze, it was celebrated with a winter carnival. Furthermore, the colder climate appears to serve as an inspiration for some writers during that time. Charles Dickens' idea of the old-fashioned white Christmas was a concept that bloomed from the icy winters and frequent cold weather. The Little Ice Age may have been more significant in terms of increased variability of the climate, rather than changes in the average climate itself. Based from Michael E Mann's write up on Little Ice Age, it is said that the most dramatic climate extremes were less associated with prolonged multiyear periods of cold than with year to year temperature changes, or even particularly prominent individual cold spells, and these events were often quite specific to particular seasons. In Switzerland, for instance, the first particularly cold winters appear to have begun in the 1550s, with cold springs beginning around 1568: the year 1573 had the first unusually cold summer (Pfister, 1995). The increased unpredictability of the climate truly led to extreme changes between unusually cold winters and relatively warm summers. A harsh winter followed the hot summer that precipitated the Great Fire of London in the year 1666. This also weather alteration further added to the restlessness of pea sants who plagued the Bastille in Paris during the summer of 1789. The demise of the Norse settlements in Greenland that had been established during the early centuries of the second millennium has constantly been blamed from the cooling of the Little Ice Age. When the sea ice extended in the North Atlantic it certainly created problems for fishermen in Iceland and Scandinavia especially the Norse settlements in Iceland and Greenland. During the 14th century, the Norse settlements relied on trade with the mainland Europe but because of the increased winter some trade routes between Scandinavia and Greenland closed. With their food base affected since they are also unable to hunt sea mammals in the winter, Norse fortunes also declined rapidly. Malnutrition and premature deaths plagued

Health and Safety in Construction

Health and Safety in Construction This chapter begins with a general discussion on the concept of safety before examining the modern concern with workplace health and safety, specifically in the construction industry. To better relate to the scope of this study, it will also review the current workplace safety and health situation in the Singapores construction industry. Subsequently, an overview of the safety legislations and policies undertaken in Singapore to improve construction safety will be investigated. Introduction to Safety Although the term safety is very often used in our everyday life, the concept of safety can have various meanings for different people. According to Oxford Dictionaries Online, safety is defined as the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk or injury. Moreover, as safety is commonly viewed from the perspective of specific injury domains, some injury preventive researchers defined safety as the prevention of crime and violence whereas the others described it as a feeling of being out of danger or as a satisfaction of the basic human physiological needs. Hence, due to the multitude of views on the definition of safety, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centres on Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention has developed an international consensus on the conceptual and operational aspects of safety in 1998 (Nilsen et al., 2004). They have defined safety as a state in which hazards and conditions leading to physical, psychological or material harm are controlled in order to preserve the health and well-being of individuals and the community. This definition of safety contains two dimensions, of which one is objective and can be assessed by measuring behavioural and environmental parameters whereas the other is subjective and can be evaluated according to the feeling of being safe (WHO, 1998). In addition, safety is a resultant of a complex process which integrates humans behaviour and interaction with their physical, social, cultural, technological, political, economic and organisational environment. According to Maurice et al. (2001), the optimum level of safety can only be attained with the presence of four conditions that proved beneficial in defining the domain of safety. Table 2.1 indicates the four basic conditions for safety. Table 2.1 Four basic conditions that define the domain for safety Four Conditions for Safety 1)  A climate of social cohesion, peace and equity between groups that protects human rights and freedoms 2)  The respect of the values of individual and their physical, material and psychological integrity 3)  The prevention and control of injuries and other consequences or harm caused by accidents 4)  The provision of effective measures to cope with undesirable traumatic events Source: Maurice et al. (2001) Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Before 1880s, there was little interest in work safety and minimal protection for the safety of workers in their workplaces because legislation, precedent and public opinion were all in favour of the management (Pearson, n.d.). Moreover, workplace accidents were perceived to be cheap and were often disregarded because there were no workers compensation laws that protect the interest of workers. Thus, work-related accidents were common then. However, in the late 1900s, workers safety and health in the workplaces begun to receive increasing attention due to the rapid industrialisation of the United States (U.S.) and the establishment of unions that promote the need for safer working conditions. Hence, the high fatalities and injuries rate then compel the federal government to implement various acts to force the industries to reduce the occurrence of work-related accidents or illnesses so as to improve on the safety standards of their workplaces (Aldrich, 2001). Some initiatives of the federal government include passing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) in 1970 and the enactment of the workers compensation laws. Therefore, tighter employers liability and the steep increase in the cost of accident due to the compensation laws have initiated the employers interest and concern with work safety (Aldrich, 2001; Alton, n.d.). As a result, significant improvement in the workplace safety and health performance can be observed as fatalities rate in the U.S. declines from 27 deaths per 100,000 workers in 1950 to 3.5 in 2011 respectively (BLS, 2012; Kaufman, 1997). The safety performance in British industry had also improved significantly since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) in 1974 as the fatalities rate has decreased from 2.9 per 100,000 workers in 1974 to 0.5 in 2011 (HSE, n.d.). Like OSHA, HSWA is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom (UK). Figure 2.1 illustrates the work-related fatalities rate among different countries. Safety in the Construction Industry Safety has always been a major issue in the construction industry. In many developed and developing countries, the construction industry has constantly been ranked as one of the worst industries in terms of the frequency of fatalities and work-related injuries. Unlike the other industries where it mostly consists of a stationary fabrication setting with little changes in working procedures, equipment and labour force, the working environment in the construction industry is generally complex and ever-changing. This is due to the multidisciplinary and multitasked aspects of the parties involved in the project and also the use of sophisticated plants, equipment and construction methods (Teo, Ling, Chong, 2005). Thus, this highly differentiated and unstructured nature of the construction industry makes safety management extremely challenging (Gambatese, Hinze, Haas, 1997; Lingard, 2012; Zhang, Teizer, Lee, Eastman, Venugopal, 2012). Many research and studies over the years have attemp ted to look into improving construction safety using various concepts such as designing for safety (Gangolells, Casals, Forcada, Roca, Fuertes, 2010), HR practices (Lai, 2009; Lai, Liu, Ling, 2011) and BIM technologies (Azhar, Nadeem, Mok, Leung, 2008; Kiviniemi, Sulankivi, Kà ¤hkà ¶nen, Mà ¤kelà ¤, Merivirta, 2011; Qi, 2011; Zhang et al., 2012) For instance, the Britain authorities have long recognised that safety should be addressed from the very start of a project and they are the first to introduce the Construction (Design and Management) Regulation in 1994 and revised in 2007 respectively. This regulation places duties on clients, designers and contractors for consideration of safety issues from design through the demolition stage of a project (Hecker Gambatese, 2003). According to Gibb (2002), this regulation has lead to an increase in the profile of construction safety among designers in several European Union (EU) countries. Additionally, Australia has also introduced the Model WHS Regulation 2011 whereby have to provide a Safe Design Report that specify the hazards relating to the design of the structure to the person carrying out the construction work (Safe Design Australia, 2011). Therefore, good safety planning and management throughout the project life cycle become an essential prerequisite for most construction projects because without a thorough understanding of safety issues on site, undesirable work-related accidents will occur. This will then incur additional costs, unnecessary project delays and in the worst situation, the loss of lives (Lai et al., 2011). Therefore, the next section will attempt to understand the different safety issues on sites by first identifying the various root causes of accidents. Causes of Accidents According to Teo (2009), accidents are unintentional and undesirable events that can cause pain, suffering, damage and injury to the affected person(s) or property, if not a combination of both. While not all work-related accidents will cause physical injuries or damages, the occurrence of any accidents on site will definitely challenge the quality of the construction site operation. Therefore, there is a need to understand the various causes influencing safety performance in the construction industry so as to better develop strategies to tackle this concerning issue. A review of the literature on construction safety reveals that much research efforts have been directed to understand the factors and causes that can influence construction accidents (Abdelhamid Everett, 2000; Hamid, Majid, Singh, 2008; Hughes Ferrett, 2008; Suraji, Duff, Peckitt, 2001). Many types of theories have been developed throughout the decades to understand the accident causation factors. The earliest research can be traced back into the 1930s were Heinrich (1931) had pioneered the accident causation theories by developing the five-domino model of causation. The domino theory had been the foundation work of many other models that were developed by other researchers thereafter. According to Ridley (1976), most of the accidents on site are either caused by unsafe acts, unsafe conditions or frequently a combination of both. An unsafe act refers to a violation of an accepted safety procedures which then permits the occurrence of an accident whereas an unsafe condition refers to a hazardous physical condition or circumstance that are in violation of contemporary safety standards. Table 2.2 present the development of different theories that were developed to understand the accident causation factors. Table 2.2 Development of different models to understand the accident causation factors Types Characteristic of Model Model / Theory Authors Accident Causation Models Understand the various accident causation factors Develop tools for better accident prevention programme Domino Theory Henrich (1932) Multiple Causation Model Petersen (1971) Stairstep Model Adams (1976) ARCTM: Construction Model Abdelhamid Everett (2000) Behaviour Models Studies the tendency of humans to make errors under various situation and environment conditions Accidents are mainly a result of human unsafe characteristic only Accident proneness theory Accident (1983) Goals freedom alertness theory Kerr (1957) Motivation reward satisfaction Petersen (1975) Sociological theory of accidents Dwyer and Raftery (1991) Human Factor Models Holds human error the main cause of accidents Unlike the behaviour model, the responsibility not only fall on human unsafe characteristic alone The responsibility also fall on the design of workplace, which does not take into consideration the limitation of human Ferrel theory Ferrel (1977) Human-error causation model Petersen (1982) McClay model McClay (1989) DeJoy model DeJoy (1990) Source: Abdelhamid and Everett (2000) To tailor to the need of the construction industry in identifying the root cause of accidents, Abdelhamid and Everett (2000) had developed an Accident Root Causes Tracing Model (ARCTM) after further development and synthesis from various existing accident causation models. ARCTM proposed that unsafe conditions can occur before or after the start of an activity and they can either be caused by human-related or nonhuman-related factors. Table 2.3 illustrates the different causes of unsafe conditions that might lead to accidents. Similar to that proposed by Abdelhamid and Everett (2000) and Suraji et al. (2001), Toole (2002) has also tried to identify and attribute the basic root causes of construction accidents to factors such as lack of proper training, poor enforcement of safety, use of unsafe equipment, methods or sequencing, unsafe site conditions and a poor attitude towards safety. The aforementioned are just some of the many studies undertaken by researchers in an attempt to identify the root causes of work-related accidents so as to develop better preventive strategies (Hill, 2003). Even though there has been a significant improvement in the safety performance of the construction industry as compared to the past, more has to be done to further reduce the fatalities and work-related injuries frequency rate. Table 2.3 Main causes of unsafe conditions which can lead to accidents Main Causes of Unsafe Conditions Human Factors Management action or inaction Worker or co-workers unsafe acts Fail to provide proper or adequate personal protective equipment Violate workplace standards Insufficient ventilation Poor housekeeping Poor design Sabotaging equipment Unauthorised operation of equipment Insufficient rest while working Removing safety device Source: Abdelhamid and Everett (2000) Construction Safety in Singapore The construction industry in Singapore has been one of the fastest growing industries since Singapore embarked on her various industrialisation programme in the early 1960s. However, the safety situation in the industry then deteriorated so drastically that the government had to introduce the Factories Act in 1973 to regulate occupational safety and health in Singapore. Since then, Singapores statutory OSH regime was governed by the Factories Act. However, due to the high-profile and fatal accident that took place in Nicoll Highway in 2004, this had called attention to the need for a reform of the current legislative approach to OSH (Teh, 2006; Teo, 2009). This has therefore led to the unveiling of a new Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) framework in 2005 and the introduction of the WSH Act in 2006, which will repeal and replace the former Factories Act. The new WSH Act became the key legal instrument for the WSH framework and it aims to cultivate good safety and health practices among all individuals in their workplaces. Additionally, WSH 2015 Strategy was developed concurrently so as to complement with the new framework. This strategy aims to halve the workplace fatality rate from 4.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2004 to 2.5 by 2015. As a result of the dynamic and changing WSH landscape, a full-fledged industry-led WSH Council was established in 2008 and a new national target was developed by identifying enhancements to the previous WSH 2015 Strategy. This new strategy, named WSH 2018 aims to achieve an even more challenging goal, which is to reduce the fatality rate to less than 1.8 fatalities per 100,000 employed workers by 2018 (WSH2018, 2009). With the introduction of WSH Council, WSH Council (Construction Landscape) Committee was formed and Implementing WSH 2018 for Construction Industry was developed specifically to guide the efforts of the construction industry to achieve better WSH performance. Following these efforts to increase the safety performance in the construction industry, it is noted that there is a remarkable improvement in the safety performance in 2011. According to the WSH Report 2011, construction industry was the only one that saw a drop in fatality numbers as the fatality rate decreased from 8.1 per 100,000 employed persons in 2010 to 5.3 in 2011, as shown in the Figure 2.2 (WSH, 2011). This is a significant improvement as the fatality rate of 5.3 in 2011 is the lowest-ever since 2006. Furthermore, the number of work-related injuries has also fallen by 22% as compared to 2010 (channelnewsasia, 2012). Despite the positive progression in the safety performance, it still remains as a serious concern as fatality rate continued to account for the highest among all industries in Singapore as shown in Table 2.4. Thus, in order to achieve the targeted result set aside for the construction industry as seen in Figure 2.3, all stakeholders will have to commit themselves to work towards a safe and healthy workplace with a vibrant WSH culture and zero injury (WSH2018Construction, 2010). In addition, more efforts have to be put to prevent falling from height because it remains as the major contributor to fatal accidents (see Figure 2.4). Till date, many studies have been conducted to look into improving construction safety in Singapore. For example, Ling, Ofori, and Teo (2004) have constructed a model to predict the safety level of a construction project site. Moreover, Ling and Teo (2006) have studied the intrinsic and external incentives on increasing worksite safety and found out that there are many personal factor that can affect site safety. Safety Policies and Legislation Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is the government regulatory body responsible for the enforcement of workplace safety and health legislations. Throughout the years, MOM, in collaboration with other government agencies and stakeholders have put in extensive efforts in achieving significant and sustained improvement in the WSH performance for the construction industry. In this section, various policies and legislations that have been introduced particularly to improve on the safety performance in the construction industry will be discussed. Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act In the past, Singapores primary legislation in the construction safety regime was governed by Chapter 104 of the Factories Act and Section 68 and 77 of the Building Operations and Work of Engineering Construction (BOWEC) Regulations (Cheah, 2007). However, due to the spate of high-profile accidents in 2004, MOM saw the need for a fundamental reform of the former safety policies and legislations in order to curb the rising numbers of work-related accidents on site. Hence, as part of the new WSH framework that was introduced in 2006, the Factories Act was repealed and replaced by the Workplace Safety and Health Act on 1 March 2006. As a result, the OSH regulation has evolved from a highly prescriptive (rule-based) system to a more descriptive (performance-based) approach. Unlike the former Factories Act where industry players were expected to comply with a fixed set of safety guidelines, the new WSH Act is focused on three guiding principles reduce risk at source, instil greater ownership of safety and health outcome by industry players, and impose higher penalties for poor safety management. This is a paradigm shift from the former Factories Act because it encourages every industry player to be more proactive rather than reactive to safety issues. Workplace Injury Compensation Act (WICA) The former Workmens Compensation Act has been replaced by the Workplace Injury Compensation Act (WICA), which came into effect on the 1st April 2008. Unlike the former Act which only covers manual and non-manual workers earning $1,600 or less per month, WICA is applicable for all employees regardless of their level of earnings. The enactment of WICA is essential because it safeguards the interest of all employees and employers as the former are now able to claim compensations for work-related injuries promptly without having to prove fault whereas the latter are protected against the fraudulent claims of errant employees (MOM WSHC, 2008). At the same time, this new Act enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of the compensation process and indirectly, influences the employers to pay more attention to workplace safety and health issues. In order for WICA to stay updated with the current market situation, amendments have been to WICA and it will take effect from 1st June 2012. The key objectives of the recent changes are to maintain a fair balance between the pay-outs for the injured employees and the responsibilities that fall on the employers and also, to ensure that the WICA framework remains efficient so that injured employees can receive compensation promptly (MOM, 2012). Some of the major changes include increasing the compensation limits, prohibiting compensation due to work-related fights and work-related exclusion clauses and expanding the scope for compensable diseases. Table 2.5 illustrates the recent amendments to the compensation limits. Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) is a systematic process that is mandatory for all workplaces such as worksite, shipyard and factories in Singapore. It provides a platform for goal setting, performance measurement and clear management commitments and direction in order to manage human and organisational risks (MOM, n.d.-b). SHMS guides the efforts for an effective and proactive implementation of risk control measures to reduce work-related injuries, which will subsequently lead to a long-term reduction in operational costs (Baliyan, 2008). To build up an effective SHMS, it has to adhere to the relevant WSH legislation and guidelines set out for the construction industry, such as the SS 506 Part 1: 2009 Occupational safety and health (OSH) management system and CP 79: 1999 Safety management system for construction worksites. In tandem with the SHMS, audits and reviews must also be carried out periodically on SHMS to ensure its continual performance (MOM, n.d.-a). Table 2.6 s hows the requirements for SHMS audit or review depending on the projects contract sum. To make sure that SHMS is effective and relevant in addressing construction safety, Teo et al. (2005) have developed a model to measure the effectiveness of the SHMS of construction sites in Singapore. Summary of Chapter This chapter has looked into the concept of safety before focusing on workplace health and safety especially in the construction industry. It has also reviewed on the construction situation in Singapore and highlighted the various policies and legislations that are in place to improve the safety performance for the construction industry in Singapore. References Abdelhamid, T. S., Everett, J. G. (2000). Identifying root causes of construction accidents. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 126(1), 52-60. Retrieved from http://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/CEM/jannadi/Identifying-Root-Causes-Of-Constuction-Accident.pdf Aldrich, M. (2001). History of Workplace Safety in the United States: 1880-1970. EH.net Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/aldrich.safety.workplace.us Alton, G. (n.d.). The history of workplace safety and health. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5305608_history-workplace-health-safety.html Azhar, S., Nadeem, A., Mok, Y. N., Leung, H. Y. (2008). 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In Burton J.F., Chelius, J.R (Eds.), Workplace safety and health regulation: rationale and results (pp. 253-347 ). Cornell University Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=Jb9TnhR2l-wCpg=PA181lpg=PA181dq=Government+regulation+of+the+employment+relationship.source=blots=KDlMYbJq1wsig=EwCohN7wU6pVGPmvw9uiscNaoHohl=ensa=Xei=tIBkUObWLoHNrQfrxYGoAwved=0CDwQ6AEwBA#v=onepageq=Government%20regulation%20of%20the%20employment%20relationship.f=false Kiviniemi, M., Sulankivi, K., Kà ¤hkà ¶nen, K., Mà ¤kelà ¤, T., Merivirta, M. L. (2011) BIM-based safety management and communication for building construction. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Retrieved from http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/tiedotteet/2011/T2597.pdf Lai, D. N. C. (2009). Adopting human resource (HR) practices to improve construction safety. (Unpublished undergraduate dissertation). National University of Singapore, Singapore. Lai, D. N. C., Liu, M., Ling, F. Y. Y. (2011). A comparative study on adopting human resource practices for safety management on construction projects in the United States and Singapore. International Journal of Project Management, 29(8), 1018-1032. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2010.11.004 Ling, F. Y. Y., Ofori, G., Teo, A. L. (2004, 2 7 May 2004). Predicting safety levels of constriction project sites. Paper presented at the Proceedings of CIB world Building Congress: Building for the Future, Toronto, Canada. Ling, F. Y. Y., Teo, A. L. (2006). Increasing worksite safety: intrinsic behavior vs. external incentives. Paper presented at the Proceedings of CIB W99 International Conference in Global Unity for Safety Health in Construction, Beijing, China. Lingard, H., Rowlinson, S. (2005). Occupational health and safety in the construction project management. Taylor Francis Inc. Maurice, P., Lavoie, M., Laflamme, L., Svanstrà ¶m, L., Romer, C., Anderson, R. (2001). Safety and safety promotion: definitions for operational developments. Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 8(4), 237-240. doi: 10.1076/icsp.8.4.237.3331 Ministry of Manpower, MOM. (2012). Changes to Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA). Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/Pages/HighlightsDetails.aspx?listid=88 Ministry of Manpower, MOM. (n.d.-a). Audits and reviews. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/safety-health-management-systems/audits-review/Pages/implementation-review.aspx Ministry of Manpower, MOM. (n.d.-b). Safety and health management systems. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/safety-health-management-systems/Pages/default.aspx Ministry of Manpower, MOM and Workplace Safety and Health Council, WSHC. (2008). A guide to the work injury compensation benefits and claim process. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/safety-health/WICA%20Guide%20(English).pdf. Nilsen, P., Hudson, D. S., Kullberg, A., Timpka, T., Ekman, R., Lindqvist, K. (2004). Making sense of safety. Injury Prevention, 10(2), 71-73. doi: 10.1136/ip.2004.005322 Pearson, C. (n.d.). The history of work safety. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_7522903_history-work-safety.html Qi, S. T. H. (2011). Adopting building information modelling (BIM) to improve workers safety. (Unpublished undergraduate dissertation). National University of Singapore, Singapore. Ridley, J. (1976). Safety at work. London: Butterworths. Safe Work Australia (2012). Safe work health and safety statistics, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/AboutSafeWorkAustralia/WhatWeDo/Publications/Documents/677/Key_Work_Health_and_Safety_Statistics_Australia_2012.pdf Safe Design Australia (2011). Model work health and safety act revised draft 23. Retrieved from http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/AboutSafeWorkAustralia/WhatWeDo/Publications/Pages/model-work-health-safety-act-23-June-2011.aspx Suraji, A., Duff, A. R., Peckitt, S. J. (2001). Development of a causal model of construction accident causation. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 127(4), 337-344. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2001)127:4(337) Teh, L. (2006, May 3). Workplace Safety and Health Act Emphasizes Self-Regulation. Singapore International Law Office. Retrieved from http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/Detail.aspx?g=43a52fd5-ae7b-47bb-9818-2cf5b725e871 Teo, A. L. (Eds.). (2009). Safety, health and environment management. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia). Teo, A. L., Ling, Y. Y., Chong, F. W. (2005). Framework for project managers to manage construction safety. International Journal of Project Management, 23(4), 329-341. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2004.09.001 Toole, T. (2002). Construction Site Safety Roles. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 128(3), 203-210. doi: 10.1061/~ASCE!0733-9364~2002!128:3~203! Workplace Safety and Health Committee, WSHC. (2009). WSH 2018 A national strategy for workplace safety and health in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.wshc.sg/wps/themes/html/upload/cms/file/WSH2018_lowres.pdf Workplace Safety and Health Committee, WSHC. (2010). Implementing WSH 2018 for the construction sector in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.wshc.sg/wps/themes/html/upload/cms/file/WSH%20Construction%20Sectoral%20final_lowres(1).pdf Workplace Safety and Heath, WSH Ministry of Manpower, MOM. (2011). Workplace safety and health report 2011. Retrieved from https://www.wshc.sg/wps/themes/html/upload/announcement/file/WSH%20Stats%20Report%202011.pdf. World Health Organiation on Community Safety Promotion, Sweden, World Health Organiation on Community Safety Promotion, Quebec World Health Organisation (1998). Safety and safety promotion: Conceptual and operational aspects. Retrieved from http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/Publications/safety_promotion1998%20.pdf Zhang, S., Teizer, J., Lee, J.-K., Eastman, C. M., Venugopal, M. (2012). Build information modeling (BIM) and safety: Automatic safety checking of construction models and schedules. Automation in Construction, 13. doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2012.05.006

Narrators Role in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and Kerouacs On The R

Narrator's Role in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Kerouac's On The Road Over the last fifty years, since the release of On The Road in 1957, it has not been uncommon for critics to draw parallels between Kerouac’s semi-autobiographical novel and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, released thirty-two years previously. It is for certain that both the novels share many similar traits, both examine concepts of American ideals and The American Dream, both are heavily influenced by the jazz age of the time, but nothing binds the novels closer to one another than the authors’ use of the first person narrative and that narrators relationship with their leading character. It is perhaps the most common reading to see both Jay Gatsby and Dean Moriarty awarded iconic status by their corresponding narrators. The connotations concerning the epithet found in the very centre of Fitzgerald’s title alone can bring an image to the reader’s mind of one of history’s great leaders, putting Gatsby in league with characters such as Alexander the Great, Catherine the Great, Peter the Great and Frederick the Great. It would seem obvious from the title that Gatsby is one beheld with admiration and respect by the narrator. The relationship between Kerouac’s Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty is often viewed in much the same light. The importance of Dean to Sal is visible from his very first paragraph, where he states that, â€Å"the coming of Dean Moriarty began the part of my life you could call my life on the road†. Within a short time period, Sal allows his life to be turned in a completely different direction by someone who is basically a stranger. This willingness to uproot and follow somebody else’s lifestyle pays a great complim... ... with the door flapping, and roar off to the next available spot, arc, pop in, brake, out, run. It would be easy to substitute the car in this instance with a woman to come up with a justifiable description of Dean’s attitude towards women. Just in the way Sal admires and enthuses about his car-parking abilities, describing him as, â€Å"†¦the most fantastic parking-lot attendant in the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sal admirers and enthuses about his sex life. In 1991, Eagleton published an essay with a Marxist sentiment declaring that, much like Nick, â€Å"Sal is suffering from ideology – a false consciousness that is imposed on them by the hegemonic social order†. This adds to the link between the two narrators concerning their feelings towards their leading characters; in particular the manner in which they both admire the achievements made by Gatsby or Dean in their love lives.

MBA Future

I have a strong interest in pursuing a master of business administration (MBA) degree, as I believe it will be beneficial in helping me achieve my short term and long-term goals. It will make me competent enough to fit in the wider job market. This will come with increased income earning which is a key to good life. Good life or better living is everyone’s dream while advancing in one’s career and being no exceptional I want to pursue it for that cause. I have a wealth of experience from my educational background. I have also gained work experience from different positions over the years the degree will improve my efficiency when combined with the qualities I already have. I intend to take a major in marketing that I have been specializing in and a minor in entrepreneurship. I took a B.A Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. I graduated with a 3.5 in major and outstanding performance rendered me honors. Currently I am working within media advertising that comprises of television and radio. Pursuing this degree will equip me with the necessary expertise to be in the capacity of handling of handling issues appropriately especially at senior positions. Since my long term goal is to be president of a company. (http://www.unhmba.org) My other interest is researching brand management and the degree program will enrich me in skills needed in this area. I will be better placed with the ground information and the theoretical skills from the class. I have demonstrable ability to perform excellently in business classes and given the opportunity I would be outstanding in business school. My main interest is in the entertainment industry of which I have a solid background on. In 2001 I worked for a small marketing and event-planning firm that has now advanced. My 3 years experience when working with Sony-BMG as an assistance field marketing representative gave me exposure to the world of marketing and is a plus to my skills. I am proud to be part of the team that saw eWork Inc company grow from a small marketing and research to what the company is now. I was very influential especially on the Southeast region. I handle more than 30 people in my current position the skills I would get will improve my leadership skills. Working in my current position entails conducting movie surveys as well as holding premiers for upcoming movies. I am part owner of a t-shirt company that deals with presidential candidate. This entails strategic. Marketing plans to succeed and hence calls for skills or tact. To gain maximum exposure we plan to participate in the famous Oprah Winfrey show. My long-term goal of being a president of a T.V production company and being responsible for the marketing and company sponsorships will be well realized after attaining skills in the MBA program. (http://www.unhmba.org) I have constantly been involved in volunteering activities like in a mentor program that helps risk teens, AID Atlanta, hands on Atlanta and MS walk where I was among the top. Taking classes in the spring will enable me to be well prepared in joining the business school. My main reasons for choosing University of D and Wayne state is that its location will reduce the distance barriers from my fiancà © who has just moved to Detroit. They offer attractive placement rates and the small classes will offer a favorable or conducive environment for learning. It is also in a place where jobs will be easily accessible. Reference: United Network of help with Masters of Business Administration programs.2007. Retrieved on 31st October 2007 from http://www.unhmba.org   

Importance of the Humanities Essay

There has been much debate about the importance and benefits of funding the humanities in school. Many people are of the view that the study of the humanities is a waste of time and that more money and effort should be expended on teaching the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). On the other hand there is the school of thought which express the importance of maintaining the humanities. Others like Christina Paxson in the article â€Å"The Economic Case for Saving the Humanities† have posited the view that there be a â€Å"cross pollination between the sciences and the humanities†. I am of the view that the humanities are essential and should remain an integral part of the education system. Like Paxson I agree that individuals should be exposed to both the humanities and the STEM disciplines. The humanities are basically the study of the different ways in which people from different parts of the world and during different periods of history have processed and documented the human experience. It is the humanities that we have used to make sense of the world in which we live and also to make records of our experiences. Humans have made sense of the world in which they live through philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history and language. Having records of human experiences allows individuals to feel connected to those who were before us and also our contemporaries. I strongly believe that the study of humanities is important because not only does it allow us to understand the world in which we live but it also gives us insight into everything and brings clarity to our future. By doing the humanities individuals learn to think creatively and critically. They know how to ask questions and to reason. According to Paxson we need to create well rounded individuals who will be experts in any situation. She argues that the country does not need experts in one subject but a civil society in which everyone can provide meaningful insight into any topic of conversation. As Paxson points out we are living in a global world. As such it is important that we have knowledge of other cultures in order to negotiate our way in this complex village. The United States for example have to form relationships with other countries and it is important that the powers that be know who they are dealing with. Paxson cites the example of the importance of having experts in Arabic and the history of Islam after the September 11 attacks. Through their knowledge the US gained insight into what motivated these individuals and how to possibly respond to them. Knowledge of these people would not have been possible without the study of humanities. The humanities provide us with a number of intellectual and emotional skills that we need to have in order to operate in our society. These are not acquired naturally but rather through the study of a number of humanities. The humanities helped me a lot in my last job at a bank. It strengthened my communication skills both in written and spoken word. I was able to communicate with internal customers, coworkers, easily and without being socially awkward. I was also able to challenge and make recommendations to policies in a respectful manner. I dealt with external customers promptly and efficiently due to the fact that I was able to understand their transactions and queries. In the first part of the video â€Å"Why Look at Art† a lady says, â€Å"I think it’s important [that] people look at art, because we live in a visual world. † This is true; we definitely live in a visual world. Look at it this way, if it was not for art, computers and other electronic devices could only be used by programmers as they were just a series of codes and commands. The introduction of the GUI, Graphic User Interface, solved this problem. The GUI had images that everyone could relate and easy to use. If it was not for art these devices would not be as successful as they are today and would not form the backbone to our means of communication. Throughout this paper I have sought to highlight the importance of humanities as a course of study. Humanities encompasses a wide range of areas that can be applied to our daily existence and enhance our interpersonal interactions, it is therefore important that the humanities remain an integral part of one’s educational experience. This is basically to ensure that one becomes wellrounded, socially accepted individuals.