THE ECONOMICS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK: AN INTERDICIPLINARY REVIEW OF THE THEORY AND POLICY

Abstract This paper engages in an interdisciplinary survey of the current state of knowledge related to the theory, determinants and consequences of occupational safety and health (OSH). It first describes the fundamental theoretical construct of compensating wage differentials, which is used by economists to understand the optimal provision of OSH in a perfectly competitive labour market. The plethora of incentives faced by workers and firms in job and insurance markets that determine the ultimate level of OSH are discussed in detail. The extensive empirical evidence from the hedonic wage and stated choice approaches used to assess the value of OSH is reviewed. The causes of inefficiency and inequity in the market for OSH, such as externalities, moral hazard in compensation insurance, systematic biases in individual risk perception/well‐being and labour market segregation are subsequently examined. The implications of government intervention and regulation for tackling the aforementioned inefficiencies in OSH are then considered. Finally, the survey identifies areas of future research interests and suggests indicators and priorities for policy initiatives that can improve the health and safety of workers in modern job markets.     

Effects of transitory shocks to aggregate output on consumption in poor countries

This paper provides instrumental variables estimates of the response of aggregate private consumption to transitory output shocks in poor countries. To identify exogenous, unanticipated, idiosyncratic and transitory variations in national output we use year-to-year variations in rainfall as an instrumental variable in a panel of 39 sub-Saharan African countries during the period 1980–2009. Our estimates yield a marginal propensity to consume out of transitory output of around 0.2. To explain this result we show, using instrumental variables techniques, that there is a significant negative effect of transitory output shocks on net current transfers and a significant positive and quantitatively large effect on the trade balance. An important implication is that frictions to private financial flows do not necessarily imply large effects of transitory shocks to aggregate output on private consumption in poor countries.     

大风条件下货车篷布和绳网试验分析

在南疆线前百公里风区和兰新线百里风区,进行了3次大风条件下的货车篷布、篷布绳索和绳网试验。试验结果表明:D型篷布主要技术指标优于X型篷布;篷布的强度指标能够满足大风条件下的运输安全要求;挡风墙和防风网可以有效降低篷布绳索受到的气动力;最大平均风速达到32 m/s以上时,篷布、篷布绳索和绳网均出现损坏,影响运输安全;篷布绳网可以有效降低篷布绳索气动力;弹力绳可以有效解决货物沉降造成的篷布松懈问题。     

Chinese consumer demand for food safety attributes in milk products

Little is known about emerging demands for food safety among consumers in developing countries. This study presents results of an investigation of consumer awareness, willingness to pay, and price premiums for milk products manufactured using Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) management, a quality management system used to reduce food safety risks. Chinese food processors initially sought HACCP certification to access export markets, but now HACCP is rapidly being adopted for domestic products and HACCP logos have begun to appear on labels in China. A survey of Beijing consumers found that less than one in five respondents was aware of HACCP, and most who had heard of HACCP had learned about it within the previous year. After receiving information on HACCP nearly all respondents were willing to pay a modest price premium for HACCP-certified products. Products with HACCP labels in Beijing supermarkets sold at a price premium of about 5% over products without such labels, holding other product attributes constant. The results indicate that demand for food safety is emerging as an attribute demanded by Chinese consumers.     

发达国家药品安全规制经验及对中国的启示

发达国家药品安全规制机构独立,法律体系及召回制度完善,对中国建立健全药品安全规制体系具有重要启示作用。我国需要建立健全独立高效的药品安全规制机构,完善药品安全规制法律体系,发挥药品专家咨询委员会的作用,健全药品召回制度,提高技术支撑能力。     

从土方车频发恶性事故看我国货车后下部防护质量安全

在土方车频发恶性事故中，缘起钻撞（tlnderrmum）的事故尤为突出。本文通过借助我国货车后下部防护装置标准GB11567．2—2001，分析这类恶性事故的原因，并阐述后防护装置对防止轿车与货车发生钻撞事故的重要性。文章还结合实际情况分析了该标准的适用性及实施效果，并列出了一些典型的问题。为提升货车后下部防护装置的质量、确保行驶安全提出建议。     

Sharing 'worlds of risk'; improving communication with crew resource management

The risk society thesis by Ulrich Beck has been one of the more extensively discussed frameworks in environmental management. This paper tries to give an overview over Beck's extant and fragmented work and ventures to identify the main contributions and implications. It starts with a discussion of the background and principles of Beck's work and identifies the core ideas as well as the theoretical underpinnings. On that basis the paper shows the manifestation of Beck's early ideas in contemporary environmental politics revealing the influence of the risk society thesis especially for environmental management. Following on to more contemporary parts of Beck's work the paper then shows that ‘risk’ and ‘globalization’ are in fact manifestations of the same phenomenon. Both challenge and invert the role of governments on the one side and the role of various social actors on the other side. The paper concludes by discussing major consequences of Beck's thinking for the current agenda of corporate actors in particular.     

针对广东地区进口机械加工设备安全性能的研究

对广东检验检疫局辖区内的进口机械加工设备进行了专项检测和调研。根据检测结果,从不同侧面分析了进口机械加工设备存在的问题以及解决方法,为今后的进口机械加工设备检验监管提供了技术依据,也为国内广大机械加工设备制造企业提供了借鉴。     

对近年来现金投放快速增长的实证分析——以吉林省白山市为例

现金是货币中最活跃的部分，其投放、回笼的变化从一个侧面反映了一个地区经济结构的变化，并折射金融制度、金融工具等发展变迁以及居民金融意识的变化。本文分析了白山市近年来现金投放、回笼、挣投放出现快速增长的原因，提出了现金管理方面的政策建议。     

基于几率波动理论的安全与生产力关系研究

生产力的高低并不能决定生产过程的安全程度,生产力在不断提升,可是生产事故却不断发生.为了找到安全与生产力之间的确切关系,本文采用理论分析的方法,构建概念,提炼模型,提出了几率波动理论和生产力量化分析模型.本文从解释事故数量分布现象入手,在动态几率和生产力量化研究方面进行了有益的探索,并在理论上论证了事故与生产力之间的非相关关系.