Human Factor Analysis Framework for Ghana’s Mining Industry

In an attempt to incorporate human factors into technical failures as accident causal factors, researchers have promoted the concept of human factor analysis. Human factor analysis models seek to identify latent conditions within the system that influence the operator’s action to trigger an accident.  For an effective application of human factor analysis models, a domain-specific model is recommended. Most existing models are developed with category/subcategory peculiar to a particular domain. This presents challenges and hinders effective application outside the domain developed for. This paper sought to propose a human factor analysis framework for Ghana’s mining industry. A comparative study was carried out between three dominated accident causation models and investigation methods in literature; AcciMap, HFACS, and STAMP. The comparative assessment showed that HFACS is suitable for incident data analysis based on the following reason; ease of learning and use, suitability for multiple incident analysis and statistical quantification of trends and patterns, and high inter and intra-coder reliability. A thorough study was done on HFACS and its derivative. Based on recommendations and research findings on HFACS from literature, Human Factor Analysis, and Classification System – Ghana Mining Industry (HFACS-GMI) was proposed. The HFACS-GMI has 4 tiers, namely; External influence/factor, Organisational factor, Local Workplace/Individual Condition and, Unsafe Act. A partial list of causal factors under each tier was generated to serve as a guide during incident coding and investigation. The HFACS-GMI consists of 18 subcategories and these have been discussed. The HFACS-GMI is specific to the Ghanaian Mines and could potentially help in identifying causal and contributing factors of an accident during an incident investigation and data analysis.   Keywords: Human Factor Analysis, Causal Factor, Causation Model, Mining Industr

Assessment of the Potability of Underground Water from a Small Scale Underground Mine: A Case Study

This study sought to investigate the potability of underground water from the Mohammed and Brothers Small Scale Underground Mine in Tarkwa by analysing two samples of the underground water to determine the water’s physico-chemical parameters and the metals concentrations and coliforms in it. The physico-chemical parameters were analysed using Oyster series multi-meter (341350A) and Hydro test HT 1000 photometer. The result showed that the parameters were within the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) limits except for salinity and apparent colour. Analyses for metals and arsenic were conducted using the Varian Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Varian ASS 240 FS). All the metals analysed were within the standards set by WHO and USEPA but the level of arsenic was above limit. The level of total coliforms and faecal coliforms were determined at the Intertek Service Limited, Tarkwa. The result showed that the levels were within the standards set by WHO and USEPA. The Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated using the analysed water parameters. High levels of arsenic and salinity in the water renders it unsafe for drinking. Treatment of the water to reduce the arsenic and salinity levels to the standards set by WHO and USEPA will make it suitable for drinking and other domestic purposes. Keywords: Underground Water, Small Scale Underground Mining, Water Quality, Heavy Metals, Gol

The Use of Bauxite as an Arsenic Filter

AbstractArsenic (As) has the potential to negatively affect soils and groundwater quality, and cause several public health challenges. It is usually concentrated and released during metal mining of ores that contains arsenic-bearing minerals. Remediation strategies are in place to avoid pollution. In this study, bauxite from Awaso, Ghana, was characterised, and its ability to sequester As was tested under varying conditions of temperature, Eh and pH. The study showed that the best particle size in the range utilised was 80% passing 2 mm as it allowed easy percolation, and As removal was about 95%. The reaction is a favourable pseudo-second order reaction that is spontaneous and thermodynamically stable and compares well with the Langmuir Sorption Isotherm. About 80% sorption was achieved within 20 minutes of contact with low desorption rate of less than 1.8%. The study thus concludes that bauxite is a good filter for arsenic. Keywords: Arsenic, Bauxite, Filter, Sorption, Isother

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Applicability and Usefulness of the HFACS-GMI

To present information such as causes of accidents and their consequences on the Ghanaian mining industry in the safety literature, classification schemes for incident analysis within the safety literature were studied. Human Factor Analysis and Classification Scheme (HFACS) emerged suitable for incident analysis. Base on its suitability for incident analysis within the Ghanaian Mining Industry (GMI), a derivative of the HFACS, namely HFACS-GMI, was proposed. This research seeks to study the usefulness and the applicability of the HFACS-GMI. Collectively, 56 incident investigation reports were obtained from an open cast gold mine in Ghana and analysed using the HFACS-GMI. Two cases, an equipment damage incident and an injury incident, were used to demonstrate the coding processing in identifying the causal factors. The analysis shows that most mishaps are associated with adverse workplace/operator conditions (151 references), with the physical environment (72.2%) being cited as the major causal code under the tier. Management decision showed a major contribution (74.1%) to mishap under the causal codes. Most cases were attributed to mistake error (57.4%) followed by the contravention (51.1%) of set rules and procedures with the operator's act tiers. Inadequate work standards (27.8%) and failure to ensure competency (24.1%) under the operational process and leadership flaw causal codes, respectively, were identified as the most cited nanocode. Management decision is critical in a mishap and should be given much attention in developing accident prevention strategies. The study has demonstrated that HFACS-GMI is very useful and applicable for incident analysis within the mining industry and is recommended to study causal factors across the mines

Crystallographic Determination of Three Ni-a-Hydroxyoxime-Carboxylic Acid Synergist Complexes

X-ray crystal structures of three dicarboxylato-bis-a-hydroxyoximenickel(II) complexes have been obtained. These contain a short chained (C8) analogue of LIX®63 hydroxyoxime, along with either benzoate, isobutyrate or propionate. All have pseudo-octahedral structures with monodentate carboxylate anions located cis to one another and neutral, chelating a-hydroxyoxime ligands. Intra-molecular hydrogen bonding between each anionic acid's carboxylate group and an adjacent oxime hydroxyl group is evident. Inter-molecular hydrogen bonding is also observed. These provide the first definitive structural elucidation of the types of nickel complexes that could be formed during synergistic extraction by LIX®63 and carboxylic acids

I-SPY COVID adaptive platform trial for COVID-19 acute respiratory failure: rationale, design and operations.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic brought an urgent need to discover novel effective therapeutics for patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19. The Investigation of Serial studies to Predict Your Therapeutic Response with Imaging And moLecular Analysis (ISPY COVID-19 trial) was designed and implemented in early 2020 to evaluate investigational agents rapidly and simultaneously on a phase 2 adaptive platform. This manuscript outlines the design, rationale, implementation and challenges of the ISPY COVID-19 trial during the first phase of trial activity from April 2020 until December 2021.Methods and analysisThe ISPY COVID-19 Trial is a multicentre open-label phase 2 platform trial in the USA designed to evaluate therapeutics that may have a large effect on improving outcomes from severe COVID-19. The ISPY COVID-19 Trial network includes academic and community hospitals with significant geographical diversity across the country. Enrolled patients are randomised to receive one of up to four investigational agents or a control and are evaluated for a family of two primary outcomes-time to recovery and mortality. The statistical design uses a Bayesian model with 'stopping' and 'graduation' criteria designed to efficiently discard ineffective therapies and graduate promising agents for definitive efficacy trials. Each investigational agent arm enrols to a maximum of 125 patients per arm and is compared with concurrent controls. As of December 2021, 11 investigational agent arms had been activated, and 8 arms were complete. Enrolment and adaptation of the trial design are ongoing.Ethics and disseminationISPY COVID-19 operates under a central institutional review board via Wake Forest School of Medicine IRB00066805. Data generated from this trial will be reported in peer-reviewed medical journals.Trial registration numberNCT04488081