2page and a long essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

2page and a long - Essay Example This saw many tensions and it were at this time where activist were trying to preach against discrimination. Black Americans were moving to other towns to look for jobs and employment. It was at this stage that slavery was made illegal and amenities were scarce for the black Americans. The most common jobs for the blacks was cotton picking, and they were no school ready to accept the blacks as they were still viewed as slaves who had nothing good to offer it as this point that the white settlers would sign a pact not to sell any land to the blacks though the court had already abolished the discrimination law. It is at this time that landowners who were mostly the white would underpay and would also beat the black Americans and even kill them if they were found to have broken the law. Rampant cases of black Americans by their employers were not seen as a strange thing, and it is at this of this that activists and human rights were very active. Discrimination among the blacks brought about rebellion and theft and shackles neighborhood came up. This was after the whites refused to sell the land the blacks would go on to live in their zones. The whites viewed the blacks a parasites and illiterates who would not survive on their own. Rural to urban migration became rampant, and this was caused by the need to look for better opportunities agrarian revolution had taken place and blacks were tired of the cotton picking jobs that were could not match their expenses. Its importance to the American history is the steps they went through all those fighting and discrimination has made America stronger as a country the fighting of racism the sprouting of estates viewed as a no for the whites proved that hatred and racism was real. It shows the way why America should foster love and fight racism as this would strengthen them and not divide them. Institutions are also built to promote love and also sportsmanship. It is evident

American novel Essay Example for Free

American novel Essay Inspiration is something that some people have difficulty finding, whether to write the great American novel or simply to get out of bed in the morning. Creative inspiration is much more delicate a subject, as when one does not feel the desire to create, the product most often suffers greatly. However, for me, creative inspiration comes from almost everywhere I look, as long as I manage to see beauty before me, and luckily, the world is a beautiful place. Beauty is truly everywhere; it can be in a sunset, a work of art, or in a masterpiece of architecture. There is manmade beauty and natural beauty, and both have unique appeals that inspire to humans in many different ways, including creatively. Along with the millions of writers, painters, and poets that came before me, I find creative inspiration in noticing the beauty of things, no matter how common or rare. I can also find beauty amidst things that are ugly, if anything gaining an increased appreciation for the beautiful moments of peace and lightness. No matter how much I suffer or observe suffering, it is easy for me to remember that life is indeed beautiful, and this often inspires me to continue creating beauty of my own. Human physical beauty is also something that inspires me creatively. It is impossible to deny that certain men and women are not beautiful, for a perfect face and body attracts many people from all around; however like the old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, everyone else may not universally agree upon the external and physical beauty of these people. Some people make think blonds are beautiful, while others prefer brunettes; some people may like blue eyes, while others only find brown beautiful. This shows the subjective nature of beauty, which begs the question as to whether this beauty is significant at all or merely a matter of taste. However, like the beauty of Helen of Troy, legendary and often referenced in all arts, beautiful people inspire me to create. But, while physical beauty can inspire me to create, it is most often the beauty I find within people and myself that most inspires me. I believe the greatest and most inspiration beauty in life comes from within; and this kind of beauty can be achieved by everyone without pills, painful operations, or costly beauty treatments. I have learned not to put too much stock in the media’s representation of beauty, because I feel it robs from the more significant beauty that can be achieved in society when people think of each other and treat each other with equal respect and consideration. I do my best to live by the golden rule, and find situations the most beautiful when others do the same. I feel that many of the popular conceptions of beauty are based on half-truths and blatant deceptions, encouraging people to hide their flaws rather than love themselves. For me, honesty is beautiful and inspirational, and I try always to be honest, and subsequently inspired. Life is beautiful enough without having to worry about perfecting physical attributes, and the truth is that aesthetic beauty is not nearly as lasting or inspirational as emotional, spiritual, and mental beauty. These are the kinds of beauty to which I aspire and have successfully managed to cultivate in my efforts to harness creative inspiration. While beauty may truly be in the eye of the beholder, I feel confident in my own beauty because I treat everything in life as it is: beautiful. From this view, it is easy for me to find creative inspiration in just about everything I see, hear, and feel. I find joy and inspiration in everything, and I try to make everyone share in the beauty that I possess and inspiration I find, hoping that they can also create his or her own. I try to be truthful in all regards, and try never to feel insecure that my beliefs in my own beauty are false. I refuse to adopt the media’s perception of beauty, and prefer to find my own conceptions in what I see is true beauty: generosity, compassion, and joy. All I have to do is sit back for a moment, reflect on the wonders of existence, and I will inevitably be convinced of the beauty of life, and subsequently inspired to create some of my own. For me, this is the truth, and like the words of John Keats, â€Å"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all/ Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know† (Keats, 1901). For me, beauty is truth, and truth is inspiring. REFERENCES Keats, J. (1901/1999). Ode to a Grecian Urn. The Oxford Book of English Verse. Ed. Quiller- Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir. Bartleby. com. 31 Jul 2008. www. bartleby. com/ 101/625.

Essay --

The book â€Å"Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents† written by Clare Berman discusses all of the key issues involved in caring for an elderly parent. Berman discusses these issues by drawing from her personal experience and interviews with caregivers. Berman also provides advice and information on: Caregivers, stress among siblings, long distance caregiving, finances and nursing home care (Berman, 2005). This paper will evaluate the way in which the author handled the subject of caring for your aging parents as well as yourself, and how the book contributed to my understanding of the issues discussed. This paper will do so by reviewing a plot summary, character analyses and theme analyses. Plot Summary - Berman’s book serves as a guide for individuals who are involved in caring for aging parents, (and for those who see caretaking in their future). The book centers on the emotional stresses and needs of caregivers, while at the same time addressing all the practical issues they are likely to confront. Berman does this by drawing on her own experiences, the experiences of many other adult children, and interviews with specialists in geriatrics; Berman also discusses the wide range of emotions that can accompany caregiving (Berman, 2005). Character Analysis – The character I choose to examine is Clare Berman herself because she offers herself in her book as an example we all can pull from when we are faced with caring for our older adult parents. Berman is seen as the protagonist in the book due to her battle with caring for her aging mother and mother in law with Alzheimer’s. Berman’s core quest is to care for her aging mother and mother in law, while caring for herself. This quest is so important to Berman because w... ...ult children. The guilt that as a caregiver they were not doing enough and how as a caregiver you may feel guilt was a constant throughout the book. In terms of the characters I noticed a sprinkling of themes which connected all of them. The type of characters were hardworking, honest, loving caregivers who were seeking a happy medium between caring for themselves, their families and their older adult loved ones. All of the characters wanted to have a separate life as well as creating a good and healthy life for the older adult they are caring for. I believed the author’s intent is in creating such characters were to help us as the reader to connect to them and their struggles. It also seemed as though Berman wanted to demonstrate that all caregivers go through the same struggles and feelings of inadequacy about what they are doing through the context of the book.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. INVESTIGATION OF LARGE-MAGNITUDE INCIDENTS: BHOPAL AS A CASE STUDY Ashok S. Kalelkar Arthur D. Little, Inc. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Presented At The Institution of Chemical Engineers Conference On Preventing Major Chemical Accidents London, England May 1988 ABSTRACT The investigation of large-magnitude incidents is fraught with difficulties and the process of establishing the primary cause of an incident often requires an understanding of human nature in addition to the necessary technical and engineering skills.The salient non-technical features that are common to the investigation of large-magnitude events are discussed in general. The investigation of the Bhopal disaster is discussed as a specific case study in light of these salient features. The results of the overall investigation are discussed and it is demonstrated that the commonly-held view that water-washing of a certain header caused the disaster is physically impo ssible. Evidence is presented which indicates that direct water entry into the methyl isocyanate storage tank was the likely initiating cause of the Bhopal disaster.I. INTRODUCTION In the aftermath of a major accident or incident in the chemical industry, it is common practice to ascertain the cause of the event through an investigation. If the magnitude of the incident is very large in terms of its impact on people, property, or the environment, it is not uncommon to assemble several teams of investigators to seek the cause of the incident independently. In the United States, a large-magnitude event may be investigated by the company that owns the facility, the insurance group that rovides the liability coverage, federal investigators (e. g. , OSHA, EPA), and state and local regulatory agencies. When several investigations are being conducted concurrently, in spite of the differing interests that are represented by each investigating team, cooperation and fact-sharing generally occ urs among the investigating teams. This cooperative spirit was evident to some extent, for example, in the investigation of the LPG disaster in 1984 in Mexico City l. Page 1 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp.Given the significant amount of damage that is typically associated with a large-magnitude event, coverage by the news media is both extensive and exhaustive, especially if a number of fatalities have occurred. The news media represent yet another group of separate investigators and tend to focus on the human interest aspects of the tragedy. In addition, often with little hard information available, they actively speculate on the cause of the event in an attempt to â€Å"scoop† the story; that is, to be the first to report the cause to the world at large.In recent years, the news media with their surfeit of investigative reporters have become a predictable presence at the site of an incident. Although no two major disasters are the same, our involve ment in the investigation of more than a dozen events of significant magnitude has led us to believe that there are certain salient features that are common to most investigations. They include: 1. Media Pressure – In the immediate aftermath of a large-magnitude incident, both nontechnical and technically trained reporters converge on the site, looking for quick â€Å"answers† to the question of what caused the event.Most reporters are responsible, restrained, and unbiased in their reporting. However, a fringe group usually appears on-site that is more interested in developing causation theories, which seem to have great public appeal, regardless of their veracity. In the case of the disaster at Bhopal in 1984, the cause celebre was the â€Å"missing slip-blind† during a water-washing operation. An assertion was made that failure to insert a slip-blind prior to water-washing of some filters ultimately led to water entering the MIC tank and starting a reaction. T his assertion proved to be false, as will be demonstrated later in this paper.The difficulty with these incorrect causation theories is that, because the public and the media have a short attention span, the theories can become the conventionally accepted versions of what occurred. When a technical investigation discloses the actual cause much later, there may be less coverage, because the event is â€Å"old news† by then. 2. Psychological Issues – It has also been our experience that those people associated with a large-magnitude incident seem to evince an internal need to put some psychological distance between themselves and the incident.For example, there are those who feel — in hindsight — that even though they were not responsible for the event, they could have done more to reduce the magnitude of the event. And there are those who just wish it had not occurred on â€Å"their watch†. There are also occasions when persons on duty distort and o mit major facts to establish a reduced responsibility for the event. There is substantial evidence that such distortions and omissions occurred in Bhopal. 3. Eyewitness Accounts – When eyewitnesses are questioned about a major accident or incident, they tend to reveal only those facts that they personally consider important and pertinent.Thus, a good investigator must draw people out, using a line of questioning which elicits all pertinent facts. We have found that an eyewitness is most likely to be forthcoming and helpful if he or she is questioned immediately after the event. Once a story is told, whether accurate or inaccurate, it tends to harden. Further, where a deliberate distortion occurs, with the passage of time, the persons involved tend to coordinate their stories better. This puts a substantial premium on talking to persons involved quickly.In the Bhopal situation, the Union Carbide investigation team was blocked from doing this by the Indian Government for over a year. As a result, Union Carbide was unable to uncover the ultimate cause of the event until 1986. 4. Contradictory Accounts – When faced with contradictory statements from various Page 2 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. witnesses, an investigator has to weigh various accounts and then judge which account is likely to be correct, discarding the false account.This may require gaining an understanding of the probable motives of those persons who, knowingly or unknowingly, provided the incorrect accounts. It is also often possible to assess the accounts against known or technically established facts, to determine their accuracy. We encountered numerous cases of directly contradictory accounts of various situations that transpired during the Bhopal incident from those who were present during the event. 5. Time Perception – Although witnesses in a traumatic incident often recall the sequence of events with remarkable clarity, their perceptions of t ime during the actual incident sometimes differ.Therefore, when establishing the true chronology, witnesses' time perception must be evaluated against objective evidence. In the case of the Bhopal investigation, piecing together the correct chronology required that perceptions of time among different witnesses be accounted for in a consistent manner. The above list of features is by no means complete. However, it does identify some significant issues that are manifest in incident investigations, and which should be considered by investigators of large-magnitude incidents. The very presence of these issues makes an incident investigation more than a purely technical exercise.In many ways, one can liken the investigation to attempting to correctly piece together a complex jigsaw puzzle, with the added challenge of having several pieces that are hidden, others yet to be discovered, and several extraneous pieces that do not belong in the completed puzzle at all and have to be discarded. To add to the investigator's difficulties, the â€Å"puzzle† has to result in a clear picture, even though assembled in a background of human tragedy and suffering, media attention, and a general aura of suspicion and hostility towards the plant and company investigation teams.The above factors are those which we have identified in our investigation of large-magnitude incidents, and many of these factors played a role in the investigation of the Bhopal incident. The following sections will give a brief background of the investigation, elaborate upon some of the factors which were encountered and resolved during the investigation, and present some of the evidence and the conclusions of the investigation. II. BHOPAL INVESTIGATION BACKGROUND To the best of our knowledge, two separate major detailed technical investigations of the Bhopal event were authorized.One investigation 2, sponsored by the Government of India (GOI), was conducted by a staff of scientists and engineers fro m the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and it included other experts as well. A second investigation3, sponsored by the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)*, was conducted by scientists and engineers from UCC, Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), outside experts, and attorneys. The two investigations went forward entirely independent of one another. (The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also conducted its own investigation. )In addition to these major investigations, dozens of opinions, purportedly based on investigations of the incident, were offered by various newspapers, magazines, television and radio commentators, authors, organizations, consultants, and politicians. Such accounts generally proved Page 3 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. to be quite flawed and incomplete. Union Carbide investigators were at the site of the incident at Bhopal within days of the event to provide assistance and to conduct an investigation, but fo und that the plant had been sealed and placed under the control of the CBI.The cause of the incident was not then apparent. The methyl isocyanate (MIC) production unit had been shut down six weeks prior to the incident and the storage tank (Tank 610) had been isolated at that time; all that was known was that the pressure had risen in Tank 610 during the third shift on a Sunday night, December 2-3, 1984, and that MIC had been released into the atmosphere. It was unknown whether the release had been triggered by the entry of a contaminant, water, or some other agent.The search for the cause of the incident at that point was, however, a secondary consideration; a second tank (Tank 611) containing some 20 tons of MIC remained, and the first order of business was to assist in its safe disposal. It was determined that the safest route would be to process the MIC and SEVIN carbaryl pesticide, which was then done promptly. The processing of this tank of MIC was conducted jointly by UCIL an d the CSIR, with the assistance of UCC's technical team, in an activity labeled Operation Faith by the Indian Government.Following the safe disposal of the remaining MIC in December of 1984, the UCC investigation team attempted to begin its investigation. However, the legal skirmishes had commenced in both the United States and India and the CBI essentially maintained complete control over the records of the MIC unit. Although the investigation team was permitted to see copies of records in the period immediately following the event, it was allowed to do so only by specifically requesting a copy of a particular record or document. *The author of this paper and the organization he represents were a part of this investigation team.Thus, if the team was unaware that a particular document existed, the document would never come to its attention, even though it might have a significant bearing on the outcome of the investigation. Moreover, the CBI prohibited interviews with the plant's em ployees. The team submitted to the CBI a list of 193 plant employees whom it wanted to interview, but permission was refused. The CBI would only authorize discussions with the Plant Manager and the MIC Production Superintendent, neither of whom was on duty the night of the incident.In fact, the CBI was conducting a criminal investigation into the incident, and it contended that attempts by Union Carbide's investigating team to formally interview the workers would constitute â€Å"tampering with evidence† in the criminal investigation. The problem of access to information was further magnified by this threat of criminal prosecution by the Indian government, Union Carbide's Chairman, Warren Anderson, who went to Bhopal to offer assistance and relief immediately after the incident, was placed under arrest upon his arrival in the city, and seven UCIL officers and employees were also arrested.This posture, in addition to physically preventing an investigation by Union Carbide, cre ated an atmosphere of fear of criminal sanctions among the plant workers. Such an atmosphere, together with the sheer magnitude of the disaster, made witnesses even more defensive and uncommunicative than is usually the case in such investigations. Further, the CBI conducted its criminal investigation into the incident using aggressive tactics. We believe this treatment played a major role in the development of a â€Å"cover-up† by plant employees.As noted earlier, there is a reflexive tendency among plant workers everywhere to Page 4 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. attempt to divorce themselves from the events surrounding any incident and to distort or omit facts to serve their own purposes. This is especially so where the investigation is criminal in nature. In addition, once an eye-witness has taken a defensive position under aggressive questioning by police making a criminal investigation, it becomes, as a practical matter, nearly impossible for the witness to later change that position to state the actual facts.The team was permitted access to samples of the tank residue, and, after several months of extensive analysis of the residue of Tank 610, including more than 500 experiments, the UCC investigation team issued its report in March 1985 3. The team concluded that the incident was caused when 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of water entered the tank. After subsequent experimentation and more extensive sampling much later, the amount of water was determined to be even greater.This large quantity of water reacted with the MIC in the tank, causing its temperature to rise to over 100 °C, leading to a vigorous exothermic trimerization of MIC, resulting in rapid rises in temperature and pressure, and ultimately causing the major release. The incident occurred, despite the fact that the system had been designed and operated to keep out even small amounts of water, and the fact that no water had ever entered the tanks during the five y ears the plant had been in operation. Moreover, it was clear upon subsequent sampling and analysis that no water had entered either of the other two MIC storage tanks.Because the MIC production facility had been shut down for over a month prior to the incident, and for a variety of other reasons that will be discussed, the investigation team concluded that direct entry of the water — that is, by a direct connection to the tank rather than through the plant's piping system — was likely. However, because the team had not been permitted to interview the plant employees and did not have full access to the records, it was unable to develop this theory further at that time. The CSIR publicly issued its report 2 in December of 1985, approximately one year after the incident.The CSIR report also concluded that the event was caused by the entry of a large quantity of water into Tank 610. The CBI has not, to date, issued a public report of the findings of its own investigation. LITIGATION For more than a year, the CBI continued to prohibit interviews with the plant's employees. In the interim, a new aspect to the investigation developed. The Indian Government filed a civil suit against Union Carbide Corporation in the United States, asserting that the Government was the sole representative of the Bhopal victims.Thus, the Government acted as the plaintiff in a civil case with an interest in proving Union Carbide Corporation to be liable, yet, in its institutional role, it continued to exercise complete control of access to the sources of proof, restricting Union Carbide's ability to learn the truth, and fostering a version of the facts which supported its own litigation interest. The Government's position as a party to the civil suit ultimately provided certain benefits to Union Carbide's investigation. In December 1985, a U. S. agistrate 4 ordered the Indian Government to turn over copies of certain of the plant's records that had been seized, and these th en became available for analysis by Union Carbide for the first time. Moreover, while it was before the U. S. court seeking information from Union Carbide, the Indian Government could not, as a practical matter, continue to restrict access to plant employees, which enabled Union Carbide to finally begin interviews. Despite having been denied access to the evidence for more than a year and despite being viewed with a great deal of hostility and suspicion, Union Carbide investigators Page 5 of 16Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. conducted a thorough review of the incident which included detailed interviews with virtually all of the relevant plant employees. INTERVIEWS Union Carbide employees and representatives began to interview the plant's employees in January 1986. Many people spoke openly and willingly. However, the team anticipated that there would be problems in interviewing the plant's employees, and the team therefore was assisted by a person familiar with mo st of the employees. This proved advantageous because the team found that many would speak to him, even if they were unwilling to speak to the entire team.It also proved beneficial in assessing the credibility of each individual. Language also loomed as a potential problem, although ultimately it did not prove to be troublesome. Although all operators spoke English, many were more comfortable speaking Hindi. Several members of the team were fluent in Hindi and, by translating each question and answer, the interviews progressed smoothly. However, the team did encounter some problems in locating the involved employees and persuading them to talk about a traumatic incident that had occurred a year and a half earlier.The Bhopal plant had been shut down since the incident, and the employees, by and large, had sought other employment. Many of the former operators and other employees had departed Bhopal without leaving any forwarding addresses, and it took weeks of questioning former landl ords and neighbors to determine their whereabouts. Several had relocated as far away as Nepal and remote areas of India. This required lengthy journeys — in one case, only to find the wrong individual with the same name. Careful advance preparation was therefore necessary.Many of the former MIC operators were later employed by the State Government as plant safety inspectors. Some of those who had been most directly involved refused to talk to the team and eluded many attempts. Because politeness is an Indian trait, in fact, some would make appointments for interviews, but then disappear just prior to the appointment. Once found, however, the customary politeness proved to be an advantage, and the investigators learned it was wise to nurse the obligatory cup of tea for hours to prolong the interview in order to obtain bits and pieces of new information.Although the Indian Government has continued to refuse access to the original plant records, copies of some of them were produ ced in the civil suit, and the investigators were able to analyze them and use their content in the interviews. The investigators conducted well over 70 interviews over the course of a year and a half. The significant aspects and findings of this investigation are presented in what follows. To better understand the findings, however, a basic understanding of the plant's layout and operation is necessary. III.BHOPAL PLANT LAYOUT AND OPERATION The plant layout is shown in Figure 1. Methyl isocyanate (MIC) was produced at the Bhopal Page 6 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. plant by reacting monomethylamine and phosgene in the plant's MIC production unit. The refined MIC was then transferred to a separate MIC storage area (see Figure 2) where it was stored in two horizontal, mounded, 15,000-gallon, stainless-steel tanks. A third storage tank was kept empty for emergencies and for off-specification material awaiting reprocessing.The MIC was used to make SEVIN carb aryl and several other carbamate pesticides. The MIC was processed into SEVIN carbaryl pesticide in the SEVIN unit. The MIC was transferred in one-ton batches to a charge pot in the SEVIN unit using nitrogen pressure. A nitrogen pressure of at least 14 psig in the MIC storage tank was necessary to move the material from the storage area to the SEVIN unit charge pot at a reasonable rate. From there, each batch would be reacted with alpha-naphthol to make SEVIN carbaryl.On the night of December 2-3, 1984, the 41 metric tons of MIC in one of the storage tanks (Tank 610) underwent a chemical reaction which was initiated by the introduction of water to the tank. The reaction caused the release of MIC through the relief-valve system. This, in turn, resulted in the Bhopal tragedy. The exact means by which water entered Tank 610 that night was the subject of the investigation described in this paper. The team first considered and analyzed the purported cause of the incident which had been p ublicly reported by the media.This was the socalled â€Å"water-washing theory. † This story is discussed next. IV. THE ORIGIN OF THE WATER-WASHING THEORY As discussed in Section I, the media generally play a significant role in establishing public perception of the cause of large-magnitude incidents, often drawing conclusions before the facts can be established. In the days immediately after the incident, the story that emerged from the plant workers, as reported by the press (much of which ultimately provided to be fallacious), was as follows: Shortly before the end of the second shift, at 10:20 p. . , the pressure in Tank 610 was reported to be at 2 psig. The shift change occurred at 10:45 p. m. , and everything was normal until 11:30 p. m. , at which time a small leak was reported downwind and in the area of the MIC production unit. The MIC supervisor said that he would deal with the leak after tea, which began at 12:15 a. m. The tea lasted until 12:40 a. m. at which time all was normal. At that point, the control room operator observed the pressure rise suddenly in Tank 610, and within minutes the indicator was off the gauge's scale. At 12:45 a. . , the safety valve on the tank opened, and gas came out of the stack of the vent gas scrubber. The operators ran to the tank and found it rumbling, and the concrete over the tank was cracking. The fire squad sprayed the stack to knock down the gas, and the reaction subsided an hour or so later. The workers claimed to have no idea as to why the pressure rose in the first instance. According to this account, the incident occurred suddenly and inexplicably. There was, however, intense media pressure to quickly identify the cause of the incident.As noted above, some journalists tend to try to uncover a cause that is easy to understand and easy to explain; they also show a tendency to find and publicize an explanation that will have popular appeal. In the case of Bhopal, this caused the media to seize upon rep orts of an improper waterwashing of a pipeline in the MIC production structure — a report that first began to circulate only days after the incident. According to this story, an MIC operator was told to wash a section of a subheader of the relief valve vent header (â€Å"RVVH†) in the MIC manufacturing unit. Because he Page 7 of 16Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. failed to insert a slip-blind, as called for by plant standard operating procedures, the water supposedly backed up into the header and eventually found its way into the process vent header (â€Å"PVH†) through a tubing connection near the tanks. It then was supposed to have flowed into the MIC storage tank, located more than 400 feet by pipeline from the initial point of entry. This was, to a layman, an apparently plausible, easily understood explanation of the water source, which did not require any detailed knowledge of the plant process or layout.It also was a theory that had popu lar appeal because it focused on a simple, minor human inadvertence which caused a great tragedy — a â€Å"for-want-of-a-horseshoe-nail-the-kingdom-was-lost† explanation. It was readily accepted by those eager to believe the incident had been caused by improper operating practices at a purportedly shoddy chemical plant in a Third World country. The waterwashing theory was also publicly embraced by the Indian Government. Although the water-washing theory has superficial appeal, those engineers most familiar with the plant — its valving, piping, and layout — found the theory highly implausible.When Union Carbide finally gained access to the plant, talked to witnesses, and considered all the evidence, it concluded that the theory could not withstand even minimal scientific scrutiny. And, although the Indian Government holds in its possession records and test results that completely discredit this theory, it continues to embrace it nonetheless. Several indepe ndent pieces of evidence demonstrate that water-washing of lines in the filter area could not possibly have been the cause of water entry into Tank 610. This evidence is discussed next. V.EVIDENCE REFUTING THE WATER-WASHING THEORY The details of the pertinent parts of the plant vent systems, shown in Figure 3, will be helpful in understanding the material presented in this section. The water-washing theory assumes that water from an operation designed to wash a sub-header near four process filters (Point â€Å"A† of Figure 3) went through the relief valve vent header (RVVH), then through a connection to the process vent header (PVH) and then into Tank 610 (Point â€Å"B†). At least three independent, objective pieces of evidence establish that this could not have happened. . BLEEDER VALVE HYDRAULICS The water was introduced using a hose with a 1/2-inch inlet. Even assuming all intermediate header-system valves to have been wide open, for water to have reached the top o f the PVH riser near Tank 610 (Point â€Å"B† of Figure 3), it would have had to be under sufficient pressure near the point of introduction (Point â€Å"A† of Figure 3) to enable it to climb 10. 4 feet. Associated with the filters near the washing operation, however, there are four 1/ 2-inch bleeder valves in parallel (see Items 18 of Figure 4).Of these, one was reportedly mechanically plugged, but the other three were reported by five eye-witnesses to be wide open and draining freely. With the 1/2-inch hose connection to the washing operation limiting the flow to about 10-15 gallons/minute, the three open bleeder valves would limit the water back-pressure above them to no more than about 0. 7 foot of hydraulic head, clearly not enough to raise the water by 10. 4 feet. Page 8 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. 2. CLOSED INTERMEDIATE VALVEIn the above paragraph, we assumed for the sake of argument that all intermediate valves in the header system s between the water connection and Tank 610 were open. It should be noted that if any one of these valves was closed (and leak-tight), the waterwashing theory must fail. One such valve is the valve close to the water-washing operation, connecting it to the RVVH (see Item 19 on Figure 4). A plant mastercard (a detailed record of steps taken during maintenance) shows it to have been shut since November 29, 1984.The mastercard also reflects that the valve was physically tagged closed; after the incident, the tag was found to be still present on the valve. Furthermore, with the authorization of the Indian Government, the integrity of this valve was tested in a July 1985 simulation of the waterwashing operation; in this one-hour test, no water leaked past this valve into the RVVH. There is no way that water from the water-washing operation could have reached Tank 610 without first passing through this valve, which is documented to have been closed and leak-tight. 3.DRY HEADER PIPING For water to have penetrated to Tank 610 from the water-washing area, it would have had to fill the 6-inch diameter connecting pipe, then a 65-foot length of 8-inch RVVH (with more than a dozen branches running off this line), and then some 340 feet of 4-inch RVVH. It would then have had to fill a 120-foot length of 2-inch PVH and a last 220-foot section of 2-inch PVH with the vertical legs at each end of this section. Calculations show that some 4,500 pounds of water would have been needed to fill all this piping, before any could get to Tank 610.Thus, if the water-washing operation were the source of the water, large quantities of water would have filled the associated piping. As the incident later progressed and gases were ejected from Tank 610, the gases would have cleared the water from the main RVVH flow path out of the vent gas scrubber. On the other hand, all of the branch downlegs, as well as the 220-foot section of the PVH with the downlegs on either end of it, would have rema ined full of water, as the connection between the PVH and the vent gas scrubber had been previously blinded off to allow replacement of some sections of PVH.And, even though the vented gases were hot, the water in these sections could not have boiled or evaporated away, because these sections were dozens of feet away from the piping in which hot gases were flowing. When the branch vent lines on the ground floor of the production unit and the branch vent lines connected to Tank 611 and to the spare tank were drained, only normal, small amounts of water (or no water al all) were found. On February 8, 1985, the Superintendent of Police, CBI, ordered (see Figure 5A) that a hole be drilled in the lowest point of this 220-foot length of the PVH, to determine how much water was contained therein.The authorization acknowledges that this section of pipe had no bleeders or flanged joints. For the water-washing theory to have been true, there should have been hundreds of pounds of water still in this section of pipe, and so some empty 55-gallon drums were made available to collect whatever amounts of liquid would issue from the drilled hole. When the hole was drilled, however, the pipe was found to be bone-dry. The line was Page 9 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. immediately purged with nitrogen to force any liquid out, but not a drop was obtained (see Figure 5B).Thus, the water-washing theory is clearly untenable. The bleeder valves in the waterwashing area would have had to be closed (but three were witnessed to have been open), the intermediate header valves would have had to be open (but at least one is documented to have been closed and leak-tight), and there would have had to be hundreds of pounds of water in the 220-foot section of the PVH drilled after the incident was over (but not even a single drop was found). VI. SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF THE UCC INVESTIGATIONAs indicated in Section V, it was clear to those investigating the event that i t had not been caused in the manner that had gained popular acceptance — inadvertent failure to place a slipblind during water-washing of lines near the process filters. The UCC team also thoroughly considered other possible routes of water entry and became convinced that this incident had been initiated by the entry of water to the tank by means of a direct connection. Evidence of a direct-connection entry was gathered only gradually, however, in large measure because of some of the psychological factors and motivations discussed earlier.PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS Perhaps because of the enormity of the event, many people, even those only peripherally involved, tended to remember in detail and with great clarity the sequence of events of that night. Nevertheless, people experienced the event in different ways, thus yielding, for example, varying estimates of the duration of the actual release. The tendency of plant workers to omit facts or distort evidence was also clearly evident after the Bhopal incident, making the collection of evidence a time-consuming process.In investigating any incident in which facts seem to have been omitted or distorted, it is necessary to examine the motives of those involved. The story that had been initially told by the workers was a preferable one from their perspective, because it exonerated everyone, except perhaps the supervisor. According to this version, the reaction happened instantaneously; there was no time to take preventive or remedial measures, and there was no known cause. Without a cause, no blame could be established.Because critical facts were being deliberately omitted and distorted, the investigation team had to continually review and reanalyze each new piece of evidence and to assess its consistency and veracity with hard evidence and known facts. Ultimately, several firm pieces of evidence came to light — evidence that simply did not fit the story told initially by the workers, and that eventually led to the conclusion that a direct water connection had been found by the workers, but had been covered up. Page 10 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp.LAST TRANSFER OF MIC TO THE SEVIN UNIT The plant records show the following sequence of events. Although in the weeks prior to the incident the MIC manufacturing unit had been shut down, the SEVIN unit was operating, using the MIC that had been stored in the tanks. The operators were transferring MIC from Tank 611 to a one-ton charge pot for subsequent conversion to SEVIN. Plant procedure was to exhaust the contents of one MIC storage tank before using the MIC in the second tank, and 21 tons remained in Tank 611.Thus, although they experienced some difficulty in pressurizing Tank 610, which had been at atmospheric pressure for the previous six weeks, there was more than enough MIC in Tank 611 to meet the SEVIN production requirement and there was no need to use the MIC in Tank 610. During the early period after the incident, when the Union Carbide investigation team was about to assist in safely disposing of the MIC remaining in Tank 611, the MIC in the SEVIN charge pot and the transfer line between the tank and the charge pot was sampled.The MIC was found to be greenish, with a higher-than-normal chloroform content (consistent with that of the MIC stored in Tank 610 prior to the incident), and with evidence of the presence of non-volatile reaction products of a water-MIC reaction. These samples caused a substantial amount of concern because it was then feared that there might also be a major problem with the MIC in Tank 611 as well. Precautions were taken to sample the MIC in Tank 611 and extensive analyses of the contents of Tank 611 were conducted.The MIC in Tank 611, however, proved to be onspecification and clear, with normal levels of chloroform, and no non-volatile reaction products. The investigation team, therefore, concluded that the last transfer to the SEVIN charge pot must have c ome from Tank 610, before its contents had severely reacted, rather than from Tank 611. This piece of evidence was surprising because everyone had assumed that all transfers had come from Tank 611 during the period prior to the event. This assumption had been made because the last transfer, as logged by the SEVIN unit operators, occurred from Tank 611 at 23:30, or 11:30 p. . , just prior to the incident. In addition, prior to the time the pressure had begun to rise in Tank 610, there had been insufficient pressure to make a transfer from Tank 610. No operators had reported a transfer that night from Tank 610, although several stated a transfer from Tank 611 had occurred. The team was well aware of the tendency of operators, after an incident of such magnitude, to distance themselves and minimize their involvement, and therefore it continued to explore the possibility that a transfer had been made from Tank 610.Some of the copies of records released to Union Carbide in December 1985 were copies of the MIC inventory records, including those for the night of the incident. One log, which had been previously unavailable to Union Carbide's investigation team in December 1984, showed a final transfer of MIC from Tank 611 between 10:15 and 10:30 p. m. , the evening of the incident. Although, initially, the log did not appear out of the ordinary, several unusual factors were noticed upon closer examination (see next-to-last entry in Figure 6): 1) The transfer was logged as having started at 10:15 p. . on the second shift but between two operators who did not arrive until the third shift began at 10:45 p. m. later that night. It was logged in the handwriting of one of those third shift operations. 2) The logged time of the transfer was out of sequence with the remaining entries. 3) The operator who logged it normally used the 24-hour clock convention in recording transfers. The investigators studied these records, and finally determined that the transfer had been origin ally logged at â€Å"0:15† to â€Å":30†, or 12:15 to 12:30 a. m. and had been altered later that morning Page 11 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. in an attempt to cover up the events and to move the time of the transfer back to a period of time in which the MIC operators could not be blamed. The team thus concluded that the logs showed there had been a transfer from Tank 610 at 12:15 a. m. to 12:30 a. m. — 15 minutes before the major release occurred. In addition to its proximity to the release, the transfer also occurred during the time of the tea break, which was highly irregular.Water is known to be heavier than MIC, and the transfer line comes up from the bottom of the tank. With the discovery of this log, together with the results of the charge pot analysis, the UCC team concluded that there had been an attempt by the MIC operators to remove water from the tank just prior to the time the safety valve lifted, after the pressure had increased sufficiently in the tank to move the material out. This completely refuted the story that the workers had originally told regarding the instantaneous reaction.Moreover, it showed that the operators knew water had entered Tank 610. The transfer of one ton of material would have been wholly and obviously ineffective to relieve pressure in the 45-ton tank; the only reason for a transfer at that time was to get water known to be in the tank out of the tank. This conclusion was further supported by the logs recorded that night in the SEVIN unit. These were made in duplicate, and one copy showed the time of an MIC transfer as 23:30, whereas on the other copy, found in the accounting records, the time of the transfer was missing.We believe that the SEVIN supervisor may have filled in the time of the transfer after the incident to make it appear that the transfer had not occurred close to the time of the major release, but was unable to do so on all copies because the second copy had already been sent (as required by plant procedure) to the plant's accounting office. When the investigating team interviewed the SEVIN supervisor, he at first would not admit that he had gone into the SEVIN unit that morning at all, but he later admitted that he had entered there briefly to complete his logs.The morning after the incident he reportedly discussed the possibility of reacting the MIC in the charge pot into SEVIN, perhaps in an attempt to destroy any evidence of a charge from Tank 610. CONTRADICTIONS Meanwhile, as the interviews with the operators and supervisors directly involved progressed, it became apparent that there were massive contradictions in their stories. For example, operators and employees from other units and another plant downwind of the MIC unit, together with some MIC operators, reported sensing small MIC leaks well before the major release occurred, and they notified their shift supervisors.However, those Bhopal plant supervisors denied hearing an y reports about earlier leaks. In addition, the supervisors were unable to plausibly account for their activities during the 45-minute period prior to the release. They placed themselves with people and in locations for reasons that were entirely different from those that had been given by those individuals they were supposedly with. Ultimately, the reasons for this became clear: witnesses from other units reported that these supervisors and the plant superintendent were taking a break in the plant's main canteen when they received word of the incident.Because previously they had been instructed not to take their breaks together, they masked their actions by claiming to know nothing until just prior to the major release. Page 12 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. The operators in the MIC unit also gave widely contradictory accounts. For example, some stated that the alarm signaling the major release went off only several minutes after tea began at 12:15 a. m. , whereas others stated that the tea period in the control room was entirely normal, and they had not noticed anything to be amiss until just a few minutes prior to the major release.The control room operator initially told the media that he noticed the pressure in Tank 610 was 10 psig when the shift began; however, he later stated that the pressure remained at 2 psig until after tea. Because some of the witnesses directly involved in the incident were initially unavailable for interviews, and because others were rendering obviously contradictory accounts, reports given by the more peripheral figures during the incident became highly important.For these individuals, primarily operators from other units or those who were not present at the time of the incident, there was no motive to distort or omit facts, and their accounts were thus deemed more reliable. Ultimately, it became clear that the MIC operators knew at least 30 to 45 minutes before the release that something was seriously wrong, and that several had acted in an attempt to forestall the problem. One of the more reliable accounts came from a witness who had no motive or reason to distort or omit the facts. He was the â€Å"tea boy†, who served tea in the MIC control room just prior to the major release.With some difficulty, he was located in Nepal, in the Himalayas, and brought to Delhi. Despite the MIC operators' claim of a normal tea period, the tea boy reported that when he entered the unit at about 12:15 a. m. , the atmosphere was tense and quiet. Although he attempted to serve tea, the operators refused it. After detailed questioning of scores of operators, it became apparent that those directly involved were unable to give consistent accounts because they were attempting to give very specific details of events that never occurred.Therefore, the investigation team made an intensive effort to find logs that might have been initially overlooked and that might shed some light on the cause or course of the incident. Two of the significant findings were: 1) While reviewing the daily notes of the MIC unit for the period prior to the incidents, a sketch was found on the reverse side of one page, the first page available for writing. This sketch showed a hose connection to an instrument on a tank, and it appears to have been made to explain how the water entered the tank. ) This effort to search the records brought to light even further evidence of attempts to cover up the story. For example, the time of the occurrence had been altered in log after log to reflect the incident occurring at a different time than had been initially recorded. This was true of the foam-tender log, the assistant security officer's log, the utilities log, and the stores register. Further, in some logs, the pages relevant to the period in question had been either completely, or partially, ripped out. It appeared clear: there had been a systematic effort to alter and destroy logs.In many cases, the t eam found that the witnesses, especially the peripheral ones, were not aware of which facts were pertinent, and they revealed only those they considered important. Thus, it was necessary to talk at length to witnesses about all the facts and circumstances involved to draw out relevant facts. For example, during a series of routine interviews with a variety of former plant employees held in the winter of 1986, an instrument supervisor, who was not on duty that night, offered a telling observation.Casually, he mentioned that when he arrived at the scene early on the morning following the incident, upon checking the instruments on the tank, as he had been instructed to do, he noticed that the local pressure indicator on Tank 610 was missing. This fact was of crucial importance because the instrument is on the tank manhead, and was one of the few places to Page 13 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. which a water hose could be connected (see Item 10 of Figure 7). T he witness was wholly unaware of the significance of his statement.Upon further questioning, the team learned that the indicator was not only missing, but a plug had not been inserted in its place, as would have been the case if it had been removed in the course of plant maintenance. Plant logs showed that the local pressure indicator had been present as of Friday, November 30, 1984, two days prior to the incident. The same instrument supervisor stated that he also found a hose lying beside the tank manhead that morning, and that water was running out of it.Other witnesses questioned later also recalled that the local pressure indicator on Tank 610 was found to be missing after the incident. After his statements subsequently became public in the litigation between the Indian Government and Union Carbide, the CBI subjected the instrument supervisor to six days of interrogation and intimidation during which they attempted, without success, to force him to change his testimony 5. Addit ional significant evidence of direct entry of water came from other peripheral witnesses.Within hours of the incident, reports of a direct water connection to the tank began to circulate among the plant employees. These were reported to the Indian Government by plant management but they could not be pursued at that time because the CBI had prohibited interviews of plant employees. As it became evident that a massive cover-up had occurred among the more directly involved witnesses, these reports became more credible. The investigators, therefore, traced the origins of this report and spoke to an off-duty employee of another unit, who had reached the plant at approximately 2:00 a. . the morning of the incident. He stated that he had been told by a close friend of one of the MIC operators that water had entered through a tube that had been connected to the tank. This was discovered by the other MIC operators, who then tried to open and close valves to prevent the release. Although the MIC operators used technical terms to describe the connection that the interviewee did not understand, he was able to draw the exact location of the connection, which proved to be the location of the local pressure indicator on Tank 610.Another peripheral witness whose testimony proved to be of significance was an operator from a different unit who was on duty that night. He stated that, shortly after the release had subsided early that morning, at approximately 3:00 a. m. , the workers from other units were discussing the incident in the plant. Two MIC operators told them that water had entered the tank through a pressure gauge. VII. THE DIRECT-ENTRY CHRONOLOGY The results of this investigation show, with virtual certainty, that the Bhopal incident was caused by the entry of water to the tank through a hose that had been connected directly to the tank.It is equally clear that those most directly involved attempted to obfuscate these events. Nevertheless, the pieces of the puzzle ar e now firmly in place, and based upon technical and objective evidence, the following sequence of events occurred. At 10:20 p. m. on the night of the incident, the pressure in Tank 610 was at 2 psig. This is significant because no water could have entered prior to that point; otherwise a reaction would have begun, and the resulting pressure rise would have been noticed. At 10:45 p. m. , the shift change occurred.The unit was shut down and it takes at least a half hour for the shift change to be Page 14 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. accomplished. During this period, on a cold winter night, the MIC storage area would be completely deserted. We believe that it was at this point — during the shift change — that a disgruntled operator entered the storage area and hooked up one of the readily available rubber water hoses to Tank 610, with the intention of contaminating and spoiling the tank's contents. It was well known among the plant's operators that water and MIC should not be mixed.He unscrewed the local pressure indicator, which can be easily accomplished by hand, and connected the hose to the tank. The entire operation could be completed within five minutes. Minor incidents of process sabotage by employees had occurred previously at the Bhopal plant, and, indeed, occur from time to time in industrial plants all over the world. The water and MIC reaction initiated the formation of carbon dioxide which, together with MIC vapors, was carried through the header system and out of the stack of the vent gas scrubber by about 11:30 to 11:45 p. m.Because the â€Å"common valve† (Item 16 of Figure 7) was in a closed position before the incident and the tank held a strong vacuum when it cooled down after the incident, it is clear that the valve was temporarily opened to permit the entry of water. This also permitted the vapors initially generated to flow (via the PVH) out through the RVVH. It was these vapors that were sen sed by workers in the area downwind as the earlier minor MIC leaks. The leak was also sensed by several MIC operators who were sitting downwind of the leak at the time. They reported the leak to the MIC supervisor and began to search for it in the MIC structure.At about midnight, they found what they believed to be the source, viz. , a section of open piping located on the second level of the structure near the vent gas scrubber. They fixed a fire hose so that it would spray in that direction and returned to the MIC control room believing that they had successfully contained the MIC leak. Meanwhile, the supervisors went to the plant's main canteen on break. Shortly after midnight, several MIC operators saw the pressure rise on the gauges in the control room and realized that there was a problem with Tank 610.They ran to the tank and discovered the water hose connection to the tank. They discussed the alternatives and called the supervisors back from the canteen. They decided upon tr ansferring about one ton of the tank's contents to the SEVIN unit as the best method of getting the water out. The major release then occurred. The MIC supervisor called the MIC production manager at home within fifteen minutes of the major release and told him that water had gotten into an MIC tank. (It later took UCC's and GOI's investigating teams, working separately, months to determine scientifically that water entry had been responsible. Not knowing if the attempted transfer had exacerbated the incident, or whether they could have otherwise prevented it, or whether they would be blamed for not having notified plant management earlier, those involved decided upon a cover-up. They altered logs that morning and thereafter to disguise their involvement. As is not uncommon in many such incidents, the reflexive tendency to cover up simply took over. VIII. CONCLUSION By their nature, large-magnitude incidents present unique problems for investigators.In the case of the Bhopal inciden t, these problems were compounded by the constraints placed on the Union Carbide investigation team by the Indian Government and, most significantly, by the Page 15 of 16 Bhopal as a Case Study – Union Carbide Corp. prohibition of interviews of plant employees for over a year. Had those constraints not been imposed, the actual cause of the incident would have been determined within several months. Because the investigation was blocked, a popular explanation arose in the media as to the cause of the tragedy.A thorough investigation, which included scores of in-depth witness interviews, a review of thousands of plant logs, tests of valving and piping, hundreds of scientific experiments, and examinations of the plant and its equipment, was ultimately conducted over a year later. That investigation has established that the incident was not caused in the manner popularly reported, but rather was the result of a direct water connection to the tank. IX. REFERENCES 1. Pietersen, J. M . , â€Å"Analysis of the LPG Incident in San Juan Ixtahuapec, Mexico City, 19 November 1984†³, TNO Report 85-0222, 1985. 2. Report on Scientific Studies on the Release Factors Related to Bhopal Toxic Gas Leakage†, Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, December 1985. 3. â€Å"Bhopal Methyl Isocyanate Investigation Team Report†, Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, Connecticut, U. S. A. , March 1985. 4. In re: Union Carbide Corporation Gas Plant Disaster at Bhopal, India in December 1984. MDL Docket No. 626, U. S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Ordered November 8, 1985. 5. Interlocutory Application No. 19, Filed in Court of District Judge, Bhopal, in Regular Suit No. 1113 of 1986, Date, February 4, 1986. Page 16 of 16

Bottling Company Case Study Essay

I am the manager at a major bottling company. Customers have begun to complain that the bottles of our brand of soda contains less than the advertised sixteen (16) ounces of product. My boss has asked me to investigate and solve the problem at hand. I have asked my employees to pull and measure the amount of soda in each of thirty (30) randomly selected bottles off the line from all the shifts at the bottling plant. 1. The following calculations show the mean, median and standard deviation for the case study. Mean =14.8 The mean was calculated by getting the sum of total ounces in each bottle and then dividing that total by the sample size of thirty (30). Median = 14.8 The median is derived from the number that is in the middle, once the measurements have been placed in chronological order. Since the sample size is an even number, the median is obtained by taking the average of the two numbers in the middle. Standard Deviation = 0.55033 The standard deviation is the square root of the variance, which is average of the squares of the distance that each value is from the mean. 2. 95% Confidence Interval = 6.056489716 The CI (confidence interval) is a specific interval estimate of parameter determined by using data obtained from a sample and the specific confidence level of the estimate. 3. Conduct a hypothesis test to verify if the claim that a bottle contains less than sixteen (16) ounces is supported. Clearly state the logic of your test, the calculations, and the conclusion of your test. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete this step in the investigation for lack of  understanding and preparation. But, if I had to guess, I would say that the bottles do not contain the sixteen (16) ounces advertised. 4. Provide three (3) speculations as to why the bottles have less than sixteen (16) ounces of soda. The equipment was faulty in set up. Purposely designed to have less than sixteen (16) ounces for the purpose of expansion because acidic products need to have room for built up pressure. If a bottle has been agitated in transportation, once it is opened, there will be an exploded release of pressure. The calibration on the machine needs to be reset. In an effort to avoid the deficit in the future, the company can schedule frequent maintenance to the equipment to ensure proper function.

Human Resources Knowledge of Relevant Legislation

Human Resources Knowledge of Relevant Legislation Introduction Different countries have different legislations, which define rights and relationship between employees and employers. They are contained in human rights as well as terms and conditions set by different companies regarding their employments contracts. Knowledge of these rights and legislation is important to employee, employer and third parties who have an interest in an employment contract.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Human Resources: Knowledge of Relevant Legislation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More External and internal laws should be in harmony at any one time; this is the only way that the company can develop an efficient team. Internal legislations and guiding principles are shaped by legal legislations; they must follow a legally accepted approach. Procter Gamble is a multinational company with headquarters in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, it manufactures a range of products which generally in three sectors; beauty, household care goods and some medicaments. This paper will be guided by headings to discuss various legislation issues. It will focus on processes that take place in Proter $Gamble. The role of probation period in recruitment process After initial recruitment procedure, a successful candidate in Proter $Gamble is deployed under probationary terms. The terms of the period are well defined in a probationary contract agreement. Proter $Gamble human resource department head should witness the signing of the agreement. It is a transition period where an employee is oriented to process and organizational culture of Proter $Gamble. For employees who have been recruited from other companies, they get a chance to translate from functions, belief and culture of their former employer into those of Proter $Gamble. It is in this period that intensive training on the area of future specialization takes place. When working alongside other employees, the employee is given mor e attention by the supervisor to ensure that his practical capabilities and weakness are understood for better blending in the company. In some circumstances, an employer may feel that the capabilities of the new employee does not fit the requirement of the company and thus recommend for dismissal. The employee on the other hand gets a chance to gauge his potential and make decision whether to terminate the contract or not. Recommendation Proter $Gamble, should have a recruitment process organized in such a way that the new entrant gets a chance to learn all the process of the company not his area of future engagement only, However more emphasis should be in the prospective area that he will work in (Anthony, Kalmar Perrewà ©, 2002).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Outsourcing concept in Human resources In modern days of globalization human resources outsourcing has increased. This involves contracting a company which offers some outsourcing services in certain areas, required by the company to offer the service instead of human employees managed internally. Proter $Gamble has outsourced catering, cleaning and security among others. Jones Lang LaSalle is one of the companies contracted by the company for managing office affairs like water and security. It offers a chance to Proter $Gamble, to concentrate on its core business and at the same time get quality services from specialists managed from outside the firm. Operational costs involved in managing human resources internally are reduced. Recommendations When choosing a company to outsource for certain services, Proter $Gamble should vet it to ensure that it has proficiency in the area of contracting. Choosing the areas to outsource and areas to manage internally is of essence. Management of Proter $Gamble should work closely with the outsourced company to enhance control and efficiency. Diversity, equal employment, anti-discrimination legislation Proter $Gamble, respects the right of employees. Human rights demand that there should be no discrimination on bases or race, color, nationality, disability or gender. Everyone should be given equal opportunity in the recruitment procedure. This is the way that human rights will be respected and the company gets a diversified team. A team made of people from different gender, tribes, color and races are more likely to respect each other and have an increased production. In Ohio, Title XLI Labor Industry of Ohio employment and Labor rights laws (chapters 1401-1473) defines the right of employees. They recognize the right that there should be equal treatment and access to employment to any capable person. Recommendation A company should ensure that it operates according to the law. It should not discriminate unless justified by condition and accepted by the law. Employees contracts In Ohio employment labor law, mandates an employer to give terms of service before the employment contract is signed. The contract should give the terms and conditions of work and explain issue concerning the welfare of the staff like wages, working hours, dismissal, medical schemes and leave among others.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Human Resources: Knowledge of Relevant Legislation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The employee should read and understand the terms set since they determine the relationship that he has will the employer. Other than written contracts terms there are psychological contracts that employer should engage with his employees. Recommendation Terms and conditions of an employment contract should be clear and should not contradict the laws of a country. They should explain point by point to an employee so as he can understand implications of each. Industrial relations Industrial relations define the relationship that exists be tween an employer, his employees, and third parties like trade unions and the government. Proter $Gamble engages its employees in activities that encourage better terms with its employees. For example it has a policy called â€Å"take the R for next step or action item†. It is an employees developed initiative that creates a close link between Proter $Gamble and its employee. It aims at aligning them to the same goal (P$Q Official Website, 2010). The terms of service and conditions of work that an employee works within should be well defined. In case of disputes, a framework of solving the dispute should be put in place. Psychological contracts that an employer has with his employee determine the level of motivation that the employee will have. A well defined career path, appraisal and training system improves the performance of an employee. Ohio Labor Code Chapter 4121, Establishes a right to employees to fight for their rights as far as compensation is concerned. Chapter 63 01.06 empowers employees to have an internal workforce board (MeganLaw.com, 2010). Recommendations Industrial relations goes far than just the internal relationship to those of outsiders. Proter $Gamble, should aim at having well defined industrial relations; he should ensure that he has aligned his company to fit in the prevailing condition and employers act recommendations. It should give a clear guideline to its employees on the kind unions that it has ratified for them to be members (Lester Kickul, 2001). Recruitment and selection method Proter $Gamble, plans its recruitment process from reports that they get from departments, and depending on factors that lead to a reduced workforce like death, retirements, voluntary and compulsory resignation. After planning an employment process the first step is to advertise for posts.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Advertising may be internal or to the external market. When advertising the role that a successful candidate will play if deployed should be well given; minimum qualifications are given in the advert and duration for application. After the application has been received, they are sorted and short listed. Successful candidates are contacted. Proter $Gamble has a written interview as well as an oral interview. Recommendation Proter $Gamble, should start undertaking a psychometric tests before interviews in all posts. The process should be transparent and aim at meeting the current requirements of the company. Conversing should be avoided at all expense and only those candidates who attain minimum qualification should be contracted. Relevant terms and conditions of employment Alongside national terms of employment, Proter $Gamble has terms of employments. They are explained in the employment contract. They define the relationship between the Proter $Gamble and the employee and give righ ts of either party. The terms defined are; wages and enumerations, contract terms and conditions like expected outcome, benefits accruing to the employee, retirement, individual target, suspension from service and dismissal. Recommendations Proter $Gamble, employment contract should be discussed with the employee. Both should ensure that they understand the implications of every clause. It should not be left to the employee to read the terms alone (Swamson, 2009). Psychometric and skill testing In the recruitment process, testing the capabilities of a potential employee is important; this is done by psychometric and skill testing. They test the inner self of an individual like attitude, personality and intelligence among others. When Proter $Gamble human resource department understands the kind of a person they are recruiting, they are able to blend their teams to attain harmony and creativity in the teams. These tests include aptitude tests, personality test and problem solving tes ts. Recommendations When developing the tests to be undertaken by an employee, the employer should make them according to the position that the employee will fill. They should be of good standard, reliable and responsive to the position advertised. In Proter $Gamble has a number of departments, to ensure that it has tapped appropriate staffs, it should ensure that each departmental head participates in this process and advises recruiting team on the attributes that they want (Renckly Renckly, 2003). Conclusion Different countries have different legislations aimed at protecting the rights of employee and his employer. They define the relationship between them. on the other hand there are administrative legislations maintained by individual employer but be in line with the national legislations. Proter $Gamble has a recruitment process that aims at developing a rich team in expertise. After initial interviewing, an employee is employed on probationary term. In the recruitment process , human resources department should put measures to ensure that they get the right employee for the right job. Some services can be outsourced and others internally managed. Getting the right employee for the right job increases motivation and efficiency in the organization. Bibliography Ahlan, W. S. Employees Handbook. Web. Anon. (2010). Saudi Arabia: Basic Law of Government. Web. Anthony, W. P., Kalmar, K. M., Perrewà ©, P. L. (2002). Human Resource Management, A Strategic Approach, (4th ed). South-Western, Thomson Learning. U.S.A. Lester, W. and Kickul, J.(2001). Psychological contracts in the 21st century: What employees’ value most and how well organizations are responding to these expectations. Human Resource Planning, 24(1): 10. MeganLaw.com.(2010). OHIO EMPLOYMENT LABOR LAW. Web. P$Q Official Website.(2010). Web. Renckly, B. R Renckly, G. R. (2003). Human Resources. New York: Barrons Educational Series. Swamson, R. (2009). Foundations of Human Resource Development: Easy read Large Edition. San Francisco: ReadHowYouWant.com.

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition Astronomy is the study of objects in the universe that radiate (or reflect) energy from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers study radiation from all objects in the universe. Lets take an in-depth look at the forms of radiation out there. Artwork of a planet orbiting a pulsar. Pulsars are very rapidly spinning neutron stars are the dead cores of massive stars and rotating on their axes often hundreds of times every second. They radiate radio waves and in optical light. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library (Getty Images) Importance to Astronomy In order to completely understand the universe, scientists must look at it across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This includes the high-energy particles such as cosmic rays. Some objects and processes are actually completely invisible in certain wavelengths (even optical), which is why astronomers look at them in many wavelengths. Something invisible at one wavelength or frequency may be very bright in another, and that tells scientists something very important about it. Types of Radiation Radiation describes elementary particles, nuclei, and electromagnetic waves as they propagate through space. Scientists typically reference radiation in two ways:  ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing Radiation Ionization is the process by which electrons are removed from an atom. This happens all the time in nature, and it merely requires the atom to collide with a photon or a particle with enough energy to excite the election(s). When this happens, the atom can no longer maintain its bond to the particle. Certain forms of radiation carry enough energy to ionize various atoms or molecules. They can cause significant harm to biological entities by causing cancer or other significant health problems. The extent of the radiation damage is a matter of how much radiation was absorbed by the organism. The electromagnetic spectrum show as a function of frequence/wavelength and temperature. Chandra X-Ray Observatory The minimum threshold energy needed for radiation to be considered ionizing is about 10 electron volts (10 eV). There are several forms of radiation that naturally exist above this threshold: Gamma-rays: Gamma rays (usually designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ³) are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They represent the highest energy forms of light in the universe. Gamma rays occur from a variety of processes, ranging from activity inside nuclear reactors to stellar explosions called  supernovae and highly energetic events known as gamma-ray bursters. Since gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation, they do not readily interact with atoms unless a head-on collision occurs. In this case the gamma ray will decay into an electron-positron pair. However, should a gamma ray be absorbed by a biological entity (e.g. a person), then significant harm can be done as it takes a considerable amount of energy to stop such radiation. In this sense, gamma rays are perhaps the most dangerous form of radiation to humans. Luckily, while they can penetrate several miles into our atmosphere before they interact with an atom, our atmosphere is thick enough that most gamma rays are absorbed b efore they reach the ground. However, astronauts in space lack protection from them, and are limited to the amount of time that they can spend outside a spacecraft or space station. While very high doses of gamma radiation can be fatal, the most likely outcome to repeated exposures to above-average doses of gamma-rays (like those experienced by astronauts, for instance) is an increased risk of cancer. This is something that life sciences experts in the worlds space agencies study closely. X-rays: x-rays are, like gamma rays, a form of electromagnetic waves (light). They are usually broken up into two classes: soft x-rays (those with the longer wavelengths) and hard x-rays (those with the shorter wavelengths). The shorter the wavelength (i.e. the harder the x-ray) the more dangerous it is. This is why lower energy x-rays are used in medical imaging. The x-rays will typically ionize smaller atoms, while larger atoms can absorb the radiation as they have larger gaps in their ionization energies. This is why x-ray machines will image things like bones very well (they are composed of heavier elements) while they are poor imagers of soft tissue (lighter elements). It is estimated that x-ray machines, and other derivative devices, account for between 35-50% of the ionizing radiation experienced by people in the United States.Alpha Particles: An alpha particle (designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ±) consists of two protons and two neutrons; exactly the same composition as a hel ium nucleus. Focusing on the alpha decay process that creates them, heres what happens: the alpha particle is ejected from the parent nucleus with very high speed (therefore high energy), usually in excess of 5% of the speed of light. Some alpha particles come to Earth in the form of cosmic rays  and  may achieve speeds in excess of 10% of the speed of light. Generally, however, alpha particles interact over very short distances, so here on Earth, alpha particle radiation is not a direct threat to life. It is simply absorbed by our outer atmosphere. However, it is a danger for astronauts.   Beta Particles: The result of beta decay, beta particles (usually described by the Greek letter Î’) are energetic electrons that escape when a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and anti-neutrino. These electrons are more energetic than alpha particles but less so than high energy gamma rays. Normally, beta particles are not of concern to human health as they are easily shielded. Artificially created beta particles (like in accelerators) can penetrate the skin more readily as they have considerably higher energy. Some places use these particle beams to treat various kinds of cancer because of their ability to target very specific regions. However, the tumor needs to be near the surface as not to damage significant amounts of interspersed tissue.Neutron Radiation: Very high-energy neutrons are created during nuclear fusion or nuclear fission processes. They can then be absorbed by an atomic nucleus, causing the atom to go into an excited state and it can emit gamma-rays. These photons will then excite the atoms around them, creating a chain-reaction, leading to the area to become radioactive. This is one of the primary ways humans are injured while working around nuclear reactors without proper protective gear. Non-ionizing Radiation While ionizing radiation (above) gets all the press about being harmful to humans, non-ionizing radiation can also have significant biological effects. For instance, non-ionizing radiation can cause things like sunburns. Yet, it is what we use to cook food in microwave ovens.  Non-ionizing radiation can also come in the form of thermal radiation, which can heat material (and hence atoms) to high enough temperatures to cause ionization. However, this process is considered different than kinetic or photon ionization processes. The Karl Jansky Very Large Array of radio telescopes is located near Socorro, New Mexico. This array focuses on radio emissions from a variety of objects and processes in the sky. NRAO/AUI Radio Waves: Radio waves are the longest wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation (light). They span 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. This range, however, overlaps with the microwave band (see below). Radio waves are produced naturally by active galaxies (specifically from the area around their supermassive black holes), pulsars and in supernova remnants. But they are also created artificially for the purposes of radio and television transmission.Microwaves: Defined as wavelengths of light between 1 millimeter and 1 meter (1,000 millimeters), microwaves are sometimes considered to be a subset of radio waves. In fact, radio astronomy is generally the study of the microwave band, as longer wavelength radiation is very difficult to detect as it would require detectors of immense size; hence only a few peer beyond the 1-meter wavelength. While non-ionizing, microwaves can still be dangerous to humans as it can impart a large amount of thermal energy to an item due to its interactions with water and water vapor. (This is also why microwave observatories are typically placed in high, dry places on Earth, as to lessen the amount of interference that water vapor in our atmosphere can cause to the experiment. Infrared Radiation: Infrared radiation is the band of electromagnetic radiation that occupies wavelengths between 0.74 micrometers up to 300 micrometers. (There are 1 million micrometers in one meter.) Infrared radiation is very close to optical light, and therefore very similar techniques are used to study it. However, there are some difficulties to overcome; namely infrared light is produced by objects comparable to room temperature. Since electronics used to power and control infrared telescopes will run at such temperatures, the instruments themselves will give off infrared light, interfering with data acquisition. Therefore the instruments are cooled using liquid helium, so as to lessen extraneous infrared photons from entering the detector. Most of what the Sun emits that reaches Earths surface is actually infrared light, with the visible radiation not far behind (and ultraviolet a distant third). An infrared view of a cloud of gas and dust made by Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spider and Fly Nebula is a star-forming region and Spitzers infrared view shows structures in the cloud affected by a cluster of newborn stars. Spitzer Space Telescope/NASA Visible (Optical) Light: The range of wavelengths of visible light is 380 nanometers (nm) and 740 nm. This is the electromagnetic radiation that we are able to detect with our own eyes, all other forms are invisible to us without electronic aids. Visible light is actually only a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is why it is important to study all other wavelengths in astronomy as to get a complete picture of the universe and to understand the physical mechanisms that govern the heavenly bodies.Blackbody Radiation: A blackbody is an object that emits electromagnetic radiation when it is heated, the peak wavelength of light produced will be proportional to the temperature (this is known as Wiens Law). There is no such thing as a perfect blackbody, but many objects like our Sun, the Earth and the coils on your electric stove are pretty good approximations.Thermal Radiation: As particles inside of a material move due to their temperature the resulting kinetic energy can be described as the total thermal energy of the system. In the case of a blackbody object (see above) the thermal energy can be released from the system in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Radiation, as we can see, is one of the fundamental aspects of the universe. Without it, we would not have light, heat, energy, or life. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

A Plan of Action for Success in High School or College

A Plan of Action for Success in High School or College Strategic plans are tools that many organizations use to keep themselves successful and on track. A strategic plan is a roadmap for success. You can use the same sort of plan to establish a route to academic success in high school or college. The plan may involve a strategy for achieving success in a single year of high school or for your entire educational experience. Ready to get started? Most basic strategic plans contain these five elements: Mission StatementGoalsStrategy or MethodsObjectivesEvaluation and Review Create a Mission Statement   You will kick off your roadmap for success by determining your overall mission for the year (or four years) of education. Your dreams will be put into words in a written statement called a mission statement. You need to decide ahead of time what youd like to accomplish, then write a paragraph to define this goal. This statement can be a little vague, but thats only because you need to think big at the beginning stage. (Youll see that you should go into detail a little later.) The statement should spell out an overall target that would enable you to reach your highest potential. Your statement should be personalized: it should fit your individual personality as well as your special dreams for the future. As you craft a mission statement, consider how you are special and different, and think about how you can tap in to your special talents and strengths to achieve your target. You might even come up with a motto. Sample Mission Statement Stephanie Baker is a young woman determined to graduate in the top two percent of her class. Her mission is to use the gregarious, open side of her personality to build positive relationships, and to tap in to her studious side to keep her grades high. She will manage her time and her relationships to establish a professional reputation by building on her social skills and her study skills. Stephanies motto is: Enrich your life and reach for the stars. Select the Goals   Goals are general statements that identify some benchmarks youll need to accomplish in order to meet your mission. Most likely you will need to address some possible stumbling blocks you may face on your journey. As in business, you need to recognize any weaknesses and create a defensive strategy in addition to your offensive strategy. Offensive Goals: I will set aside specific times to do homework.I will build relationships with teachers who write great recommendations! Defensive Goal: I will identify and eliminate time-wasting activities by half.I will manage relationships that involve drama and that threaten to drain my energy. Plan Strategies for Reaching Every Goal   Take a good look at the goals youve developed and come up with specifics for reaching them. If one of your goals is dedicating two hours a night to homework, a strategy for reaching that goal is to decide what else might interfere with that and plan around it. Be real when you examine your routine and your plans. For instance, if you are addicted to American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance, make plans to record your show(s) and also to keep others from spoiling the outcomes for you. See how this reflects reality? If you think something so frivolous as planning around a favorite show doesnt belong in a strategic plan, think again! In real life, some of the most popular reality shows consume four to ten hours of our time every week (watching and discussing). This is just the sort of hidden roadblock that can bring you down! Create Objectives   Objectives are clear and measurable statements, as opposed to goals, which are essential but indistinct. They are specific acts, tools, numbers, and things that provide concrete evidence of success. If you do these, youll know youre on track. If you dont carry out your objectives, you can bet youre not reaching your goals. You can kid yourself about many things in your strategic plan, but not objectives. Thats why theyre important. Sample Objectives Buy a planner and write in it every day.Sign a homework contract.Secure a device for recording my favorite shows.Take a learning style exam to determine my best learning style. Evaluate Your Progress   Its not easy to write a good strategic plan on your first try. This is actually a skill that some organizations find difficult. Every strategic plan should have in place a system for an occasional reality check. If you find, halfway through the year, that you are not meeting goals; or if you discover a few weeks into your mission that your objectives arent helping you to get where you need to be, it may be time to revisit your strategic plan and hone it.

Business plan about Thai Day Spa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business plan about Thai Day Spa - Essay Example The customers will be provided with treatment and product menus in accordance with which, they might be able to accomplish their needs. The spa will provide innovative products and traditional massage services in order to meet market demand. The spa in order to excel in its operation in the market segments of London, UK should adopt penetrating pricing policy with the aim of performing operations with better competitiveness. The company in order to make an effective presence in the UK market segments will procure renowned natural products from Harnn. Subsequently, the spa in order to improve awareness amid customers in the market segments will adopt different promotional strategies that include social media, print media and online community among others. In this respect, promotion of products and treatment services will assist in improving customer base. The ensuing business plan is to open a spa business in London, United Kingdom (UK). According to the plan, a Thai Day spa will be opened in London, UK with the objective of providing better refreshment along with relaxation services to the people. The spa will provide contemporary beauty care and massage services to the people in a traditional way. The spa business in the UK will facilitate in performing operations in a profitable along with sustainable manner, as the fast paced city life of the people is filled with work related stress wherein an opportunity to obtain relief and relaxation from the stress without consuming much time can be extremely attractive. In this context, people of the country have an immense demand for spa, relaxation as well as leisure pastimes. Thai Day spa will be set-up in the city owing to the fact that the available spa businesses are mostly based on beauty products. Additionally, the treatment procedures adopted in most of the spas in the city are based on western treatment style. In this regard, Thai Day spa will provide beauty care and

EEOC Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EEOC - Research Paper Example Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) This paper shall present the case where the EEOC files a case against the owner of 42 McDonald’s restaurants for sexual harassment and retaliation for the benefit of several women, including teenage girls, who were abused at the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant located at Reedsburg, against male employees who violated the federal civil rights by creating a hostile work environment of sexual harassment against the female employees. Summary â€Å"This complaint was filed by to represent a class of women who were victims of sexual harassment of male co-workers who subjected them to sexual comments, sexual propositions, or physical touching. In the complaint, there was also an allegation that the female workers were fired by the employer as a form of retaliation for punishing the victims for complaining about the sexually hostile work environment in their office. Due to the unbearable stress and emotional torture that the femal e workers had to go through, at least one female employee was forced to quit resign from work to relieve her of the miserable work place†. (eeoc.gov). ... stigation report, it was shown that the male workers actually made sexual comments about the body parts of their female co-workers, and touched them in an inappropriate and malicious manner. The report further indicated that several of the victims were only teenaged high school students. The lawsuit filed by EEOC arose from the discrimination complaints filed by three former employees of the McDonald’s fast food in Reedsburg. â€Å"In total, Missoula Mac owns and operates 42 McDonald’s restaurants in Wisconsin. After failing to reach a voluntary out-of-court settlement through mediation-conciliation procedure, the EEOC finally sued the company. The agency sought for lost wages and compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of the women who were harassed, retaliated by the company, and injunctive relief to prevent further discriminatory practices within the workplace. The complaint was filed before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin in Madiso n, with caption  EEOC v. Missoula Mac, Inc† (eeoc.gov). Functions of EEOC â€Å"The office of the EEOC’ in Chicago District Office shall be in charge of for the processing of complaints for discrimination, enforcement of administrative issues, and shall supervise the conduct of litigation of the agency of the several states, namely: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin with some areas in Milwaukee and Minneapolis† (eeoc.gov.). Role of EEOC in the Lawsuit The role of the agency is to represent employees who have been discriminated by their employers by reason of â€Å"race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or genetic information. The administrative enforcement of the office receives, investigates, and resolves charges of employment discrimination filed against

Illness and disability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Illness and disability - Essay Example A majority of the health differences are a function of finance. Social support is the most critical of these factors. Among the elderly, dementias, depression and alcoholism have been found to be the most common emotional problems. These give arise to other health problems. In particular, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common problems among the elderly, and this requires great care and attention. Unfortunately, some of these elderly persons deny their heath challenges, and this makes the process of treating and caring for them difficult. There is however a disturbing feeling among healthcare providers that the elder should receive less concern. They are offered inferior medical assistance compared to other groups. Some physicians believe that the elderly are a burden to the healthcare system. Luckily, there are those physicians who develop a personal relationship with these patients. According to medical experts, it is important for physicians to feel the emotional side of the patients’ well-being. There is a wide range of programs available for the elderly, and some are in-home programs. However, most of these programs, especially the in-house care, are expensive and thus unavailable. According to the video, board and care homes are a good option in enhancing the quality of care among the elderly. Unfortunately, the United States does not compare well with other developed nations when it comes to caring for the elderly. As the population of the elderly continues to increase, there is need to plan for how the ir health needs will be addressed. The University of Hawaii Center on Aging. " Growing Old in a New Age: Illness and Disability."Annenberg Learner - Teacher Professional Development. Annenberg Media,  1993. Web. 20  Nov.  2014.