Survey on Sanitary Conditions and Hygiene

Survey on Sanitary Conditions and Hygiene ABSTRACT Mauritius is known as a paradise island, attracting thousands of tourists each year. During the last two decades this sector has undergone a rapid development making it one of the most important pillars of our economy. Nowadays our country relies a lot on this industry as it is a source of revenue for foreign currency. Our hotels accommodate the majority of this population. Hotels provide them with basic accommodation such as lodging and food facilities. Therefore any wrong management in this sector can make drastic changes to our economy. The Government did a lot to promote this sector, by amending laws protecting the environment while other authorities are working hard to avoid propagation and controlling communicable diseases. Therefore hotels have an important role in maintaining a good hygienic level and also in the fight of controlling any diseases or infections by reporting them to the authorities concerned. Thus a study was carried out to study the general sanitary practices of medium size hotels of Mauritius. Fifty hotels were selected at random throughout the island. Two survey questionnaires were designed. Questionnaire 1 was designed for my personal view to assess the hygienic conditions of food preparation area, rooms and other facilities available whereas questionnaire 2 was designed to assess the knowledge of the food handlers concerning various issues. After carrying out the surveys, it was found that simple hygienic practices were lacking among the food handlers. Moreover some hotels sanitary conditions were not satisfactory concerning certain issues, thus not complying with the recommended laws. Good sanitary facilities were not provided by the hotels management. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Overview A hotel is an establishment providing paid lodgement on short time basis. It provides basic accommodation consisting of room with bed, toilet and bathroom and water facility. It also provides food for room service daily and has its own restaurant (Wikipedia, 2010). Therefore it must have a high level of hygiene. Hotels accommodate adults, children and old persons. People coming from all parts of the world. These people are strangers with different life styles and different personal hygiene levels. A good degree of hygiene in the hotel establishment is therefore necessary to counteract any hygienic problems that may arise. Therefore hotels must provide services of good quality with trained personnel. The level of hygiene of staffs must be considered as priority. The workers must cope with all sanitary regulations for themselves to be clean and not to be the cause of any infection spread. Hotels are regulated because of cleanliness reason and sanitary practices which help to prevent the spread of diseases and parasites. Inspections are made to ensure they operate safely complying with all regulations such as Public Health Act, Safety and Health Act or the Food Act. (FAQ, 2010). From a research carried out by Environmental Health Division in the United States, inspections carried out by the inspectors were mainly to have a visual examination for overall cleanliness and soundness of building construction. Moreover simple inspections were done concerning proper washing of dishes like cups and glasses, proper laundering of bed and bath linens. Other inspections performed were to look in the maintenance of other room furnishings and for the absence of rodents and insects that are of great importance in preventing diseases. These inspections are effected according to the Tourist Accommodation Regulation (Environmental Health, 2010). Hotels are inspected at least once per year and sometimes much more depending on complaints arising from the public. In United States, Fire Marshal approval is an important factor else no permit is delivered (Environmental Health,2010). . In Mauritius hotels license are issued after approval of an EIA and compliance of all health codes. Food hygiene training is an important factor in hotels. Adopting a safe food handling practice is an important factor for effective management of food safety. A study carried out by the International Journal of Environmental Health Research on food hygiene training practices by interviewing managers and food handlers. It showed that most of the food handlers had undertaken formal food hygiene training courses but many others did not and still were preparing food, including high risk foods. Pre-training support and on-going supervision was absent, thus limiting its effectiveness. It is believed that food handlers are in many cases causes of food contamination (Taylor and Francis, 2008). Researches effected in Wales, showed many that hotels were criticised for a number of failures. Numerous high risk foods were kept past their use by dates. Chopping boards were in a state that could no longer be disinfected properly due to their worn state while mouldy plastic bread containers were also spotted. Other hotels were criticised for inadequate level of food hygiene awareness among its staff while another had a leaking cellar roof (Woodrow, 2009). Other researches reported that in United States, there were cases where rooms were causes of sickness where housekeeping staff was not properly doing their job (Conrad,2008). In New York, during an inspection it was observed that a hotel room was infested by bed bugs, mice and other vermin (Riverside Studio, 2009). Studies carried out in other parts of the world have demonstrated that hotels often lack a good hygiene level. Carelessness of workers lead to food contamination and other infections. However our country is not the best compared to them. This study is being carried out to investigate the level of hygiene in our medium size hotels of Mauritius. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aims of the study The aim of the study is to assess the level of hygiene present in medium size hotels of Mauritius. Food handlers are to be assessed concerning food hygiene practices in food processing area. Housekeeping staffs are to be assessed about the importance of hygiene in rooms and also evaluating the level the knowledge of workers concerning communicable diseases. Recommendations were also made for improvements. Objectives of the study The objectives of the study are to: Taking a sample size of at least 50 hotels around Mauritius to have an overview evaluation of the level of hygiene over the whole island. Carry out a survey for my personal view of hygiene in hotels. Carry out a second survey to assess the knowledge of workers about hygienic importance in their working place Compare the sanitary facilities available in these hotels to the law requirements. Analyse the data and to make propose recommendations for improving the level of hygiene and the sanitary facilities available. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Hygiene Hygiene is described as the science of preserving health in connection to cleanliness. It compromises all those measures necessary to detect and prevent infection and intoxication which may be harmful to health. The aim of a good hygiene is to provide consumers with both a good service and safe food. It involves all measures directed to ensure a safe and good quality product and service. Hygiene is an important factor in a business as it helps to protect and also promote ones reputation. In order to have all these, it is a must to comply with all Acts Regulations made in the law (schurmann,2008). Food poisoning Food poisoning is one result of poor hygienic practices. We are surrounded by tiny living organisms that cannot be seen without a microscope. These organisms are called microorganisms. Some are harmless whereas those which are harmful are called pathogens. They are found everywhere. An example is Staphylococcus aureus living on the skin as a normal flora. The same bacteria if in contact with food, can cause food poisoning. This is one of the most common food poisoning bacteria. Another example is E.Coli living naturally in our intestines for breaking down of food, but when in the urinary tract, it causes serious infections (Frazier W, 1995). Contamination can be made by different bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium botulinum. The symptoms arising when consuming food harboring these harmful bacteria are familiar to most people. They are namely vomiting, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. There is loss of fluid through vomiting and diarrhea in most severe cases. Those who are more prone to such risk are youngs and elderly or already ill people. Therefore sanitary conditions play an important role in preventing such disease to happen. Necessary precautions must be taken at all stages in food preparation and most important when this concerns bulk production of food as in hotels (JFraser,Microbiology Book). To prevent food poisoning there are three main things that can be done: stop the bacteria from multiplying by : Bacteria reproduce very if they get suitable conditions: moisture, food, warmth, and time Therefore it is important to prevent such conditions by using proper storage. stop bacteria getting onto the food Keeping food covered Handling food as little as possible Keeping raw and cooked foods separate Keeping animals and pests out of the kitchen Disposing of rubbish in covered bins destroy the bacteria in the food only a few bacteria are able to survive temperatures higher than 70o C. This is why it is important to cook food thoroughly. Food such as meat and vegetables should be chopped into small pieces to ensure cooking. Food that is reheated, should be used only once. The left overs should be discarded. Frozen food should be well defrosted before cooking as it may happen that inner part remain uncooked. Food borne diseases Food-borne disease arises when contaminated food is ingested containing a pathogen. This pathogen causes problems only because of the fact that it reproduces inside the human body which provides all necessary factors for its development. Poor food handling and bad sanitation practices are commonly the cause of food-borne diseases in food establishments. One example is the gut bacteria Escherichia coli causing food-borne disease. It may be present through faecal or other source of contamination. E.coli caused 20 deaths and 200 other cases in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1996 which needed to be treated during the outbreak. This bacteria is particularly dangerous because few bacterial cells, possibly 20 minimum need be ingested by a person to cause severe symptoms( Maff, 2000). A study carried out in Mekelle Town in Ethiopia to determine the sanitary conditions in 420 establishments including small hotels showed that latrines, hand washing basins, proper type of solid waste disposal and tap water were available at 96.9% , 57.1 % , 39.2% and 93.6% respectively. Proper dish washing and food storage practices were observed at 46% and 52% respectively. But poor personal hygiene among the workers and food handlers were observed. Staphylococcus aureus and E.Coli were found in utensils at a high level which can only result from poor hygienic practices of the workers. (Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2007). It was observed that sanitary conditions were maintained but however there were conditions where there was non adherence in workers. Our country is not an exception to such food-borne outbreaks. The sanitary inspectors of the Ministry of Health are here to give support to avoid such problems. Water borne diseases Water contamination is common worldwide. The category affected is mainly young people and elders having a poor immune system. A study was carried out in India about the water hygiene behaviours in hotels and restaurants few years ago. It showed that contamination in drinking water is made by man and usually due to improper storage, handling and serving which leads to serious water borne diseases. It has been noticed that in a drinking water sample of 340, 69.1% were non-potable water and 73.2 % had presence of E.Coli due to human faecal matter. Causes to this outbreak were poor hygiene behaviours, storage and handling practices which was known to deteriorate the water quality. This could have been improved by educating the workers and food handlers in these hotels and restaurants. This can result to illness of mainly diarrhoea and vomiting, whereas other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, headache and giddiness (Pubmed,2003). General sanitary requirements in hotels People normally visit a hotel for short-term basis. There is a continuous flow of incoming and outgoing people. Different people from different countries stay in same room. Therefore rooms must be well sanitized and disinfected after each visit. Aeration and ventilation is important. Cleanliness and sanitary practices play an important role in maintaining this balance. It helps to prevent the spread of diseases and parasites not only to tourists but also our general population. Hotels are therefore inspected to make sure that it copes with the law and that they operate safely following the Health Codes (Lockyer,2003). Points that are inspected and controlled for aiming a good cleanliness and soundness of building facility are : Absence of pests such as rodents and insects Proper handling and storage of trash Proper laundering of bed linens and bed Proper washing of utensils such as plates ,cups and glasses No hazards due to infrastructure of building facility Cloakroom accommodation for staffs Proper services such as power, heat, water General maintainance of area to eliminate potential breeding places for mosquitoes or other vectors No domestic animals in area Fire safety and emergency exits Good hygiene rules Consumer satisfaction is prior to all. Thus a good service and hygienic food and water are important. Rooms should be well maintained. Housekeeping department plays an important role. It is the backbone of any good hotel. Employees of housekeeping department are made responsible for maintenance, as they have to visit each room every day to set the room for same the guest or the next guest. During their routine visit, they check all the possible electric point, water points, gadgets, while replacing linen, soap, shampoo, towel, etc other important factors are listed below. Sanitary design premises should be assessed and designed in such a way to reduce health hazards. Personal Hygiene and Food handlers One must be educated about hygiene and to start oneself should be hygienic in all aspects and should possess a food handlers certificate. Cleanliness Working environment should be maintained clean. There should be a high standard of cleanliness, most important for those handling food stuffs. Awareness knowledge of hygiene practices in work place, communicable diseases awareness. Hands Skin Hand is the main route for contamination. Therefore to avoid food poisoning bacteria to get in contact with food, water and soap must be used for washing time to time. Mouth, nose ear it is the route for staphylococcus bacteria to enter food through coughing, sneezing and scratching. Therefore necessary precautions should be taken be avoid these during food preparation. Sanitary conditions in restaurants A good hygiene is required in food premises to make sure food is safe. It prevents food poisoning and prevent spreading of any communicable diseases resulting from careless personnel or caterers handling food stuffs. Rules such as Cleanliness, Cooking, Chilling and Cross Contamination should be well observed while handling food. Food safety and hygiene practice using Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is recommended by WHO and FAO to maintain a good quality of food and services (Silva, 2001). Trained personnel should preferably be employed. Facilities such as proper dustbins, wash hand basins and toilets should be made available for the workers. Points that should be observed in aiming a good and safe food hygiene are: ood handlers Certificate Floors (smooth clean) Ceilings / Walls maintained properly Utensils properly washed sterilized Proper sanitary design of kitchen Fly proof and rodent proof Storage accommodation of foods Disposal of waste (Solid and Liquid) Drainage system Wash hand easily available Good aeration / temperature /Humidity Work area spacious enough for workers Showers facility for workers(Working Day / Night) Hygiene in kitchen All employees working in food premises either in the task of preparation, handling or serving food should possess a food handler certificate after having followed a medical inspection by a doctor. They should have a satisfactory knowledge of hygiene and cleanliness and be aware of possible problems caused of improper food handling. Health education plays an important role in promoting food and personal hygiene. All staffs should be given appropriate training. Health inspectors have an important work in providing health education by promoting awareness of dangers of food poisoning and poor hygiene practices Medical certificate The law states that every food handler involved in food business should be in possession of a valid medical certificate. This food handler certificate is issued by a G.M.O and is valid for only 3 years and has to be renewed each year. This certifies that its owner is in good health and is not suffering from any communicable diseases (Food Regulation, 1999) (refer to Appendix 2). Obtention of medical certificate The person has to call at the Health Office of the Ministry Of Health of his region with his national identity card and with two photo passport. An appointment is given for a session of talk on hygienic practices and after due accomplishment, the latter is examined by a Regional Public Health Superintendent (RPHS). Thereafter if the person is observed to be in good health, the certificate is obtained(Food Regulation,1999) Working environment The standard of cleanliness of factory and its workers is a reflection of the standard of efficiency of management and the morale of the working population. Provision has been made in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 concerning welfare of workers and overcrowding in place of work. It says that a place of work shall not be overcrowded as it can cause risks of health injury of the employees. It is mentioned that the space allowed shall not be less than 11 cubic metres per workers (OSHA, 2005, Appendix 3). Kitchen is an example where there is often overcrowding of workers in hotels. Smoking The personnel should be well educated and trained about hygiene in a workplace. Employees should not smoke during work, mainly during preparation of food or while handling any food stuffs or utensils. Smoking is prohibited by law in any public places and moreover smoking in a food preparation area can pass diseases from an individual to another. Customers also can be contaminated. Smokers can transfer harmful bacteria from their mouth to food and thereafter, consumers of these foods may ingest these bacteria in turn. These bacteria can be harmless on the carrier but harmful to another person. Communicable diseases Any person suffering from a communicable disease, boils, sores, acute respiratory infection or bleeding wounds should not be allowed to work in any food premises. A list of these diseases is listed in (Appendix 4). All communicable diseases should also be reported to the Health Offices for treatment. Therefore all employees should possess their food handler certificate and renew it every year by a doctor to ensure that safe food and services are provided to customers. The law has made provisions concerning infectious or communicable diseases. It is said that the occupier of any premises in which a patient resides shall give notice to Sanitary Authority or if visited by a medical practitioner and it is confirmed that the patient is suffering from an infectious disease, health inspector of the region shall made aware of the existence of the disease , name of the patient, the situation of the premises and name of the occupier. (Public Health Act,Appendix 5). Preventing food contamination We should not forget the motto PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE . Prevention of food contaminations is a must. Appropriate preventive measures should be taken. Employees should give attention to personal hygiene and the working habits in a hotel kitchen. Body should be kept clean by washing and bathing. Hands should be washed at least on every occasion when entering food preparation zone. Hands and arms should he washed thoroughly using soap and water after each visit to the toilet. Avoid use of common towel (use paper that are disposable). Wear clean and washable overall preferably white Keep hands away from mouth, nose ,hair ,ear while working Do not eat while handling food/ preparation Do not wipe hands on overall Use spoons, forks , tongs instead of hands in preparation Avoid useless blabbering while working Smoking, spitting should e avoided in working area Obey food safety signs Keep work area clean Staff facilities maintained in good hygienic conditions A research carried out in 2004 in a popular hotel of Egypt after a major outbreak of Hepatitis A where 351 tourists was contaminated showed that there was poor sanitation, no proper health education and medical examination. An infected worker with imperfect hand hygiene and who was in contact with sewage-contaminated water was the source of this huge outbreak. (Eurosurveillance, 2006) Concerning food safety, the WHO has initiatives for surveillance programme with objectives of a development of an international food safety network, application of HACCP and development of a safety information system. (WHO, 2004). Storage of food Food storage is important industrially. Hotels prepare food for hundreds of persons daily. Therefore a good storage system is necessary. Area should be pest proof, warm, clean and not humid. There are three main categories of food requiring different storage methods. Dry food should be kept in a warm place and not humid to avoid spoilage by microorganisms growth. Chilled food should be stored at an appropriate low temperature, and precautions should be taken in case of electricity cut. Canned food should be verified before using. Stock rotation is important concerning canned products. It is important that you rotate and use your food storage (Caldwell M, 2006). Storage of water An ample supply of water should be provided with adequate facilities for its storage and adequate protection against contamination. Water is used both in food preparation and rooms for toilets and bathrooms. Many aquatic microorganisms can survive and flourish in water with minimal nutrients and can be transferred to people with poor immune system. A study conducted in United States described how gastroenteritis is a common outbreak in hotels. Unsteady state flow and stagnation in distribution systems affect the biological stability of drinking water which promotes bacterial accumulation (Dippold L et al, 2000). Therefore it is important that tanks are fitted tightly with lids and that they are regularly cleaned and sampled for chemical and bacteriological analysis. Cleaning frequency is an important factor. The tanks should be verified in case of rusting of any parts and dates should be noted at each cleaning done. (Logan G, 2008). Tanks should be cleaned at least once every trimester for proper maintainance to avoid microorganism proliferation. Waste disposal A hotel can be considered as a microcosm in itself having the potential of producing all kinds of waste that is hazardous. Hazardous waste comes in many different shapes and forms: it can be liquid, solid, gas or sludge, and more often it is poured down sinks directly or discharged to regular waste stream (Patel A, 2008). The types of waste generated in hotels and their sources are listed below. However there are two main types of hotel waste, solid(dry),known to be non-biodegradable and liquid(wet),biodegradable wastes. The risk and problem that arises are odour, unaesthetic and it acts as breeding place for vector of diseases (flies, rats, rodents), thus a nuisance to health (Wagh V, 2005). Solid waste Solid waste is described as materials of no longer value and which is not meant to be discharged through pipe. These dry wastes comprise of plastic bottles, papers, plastic wrappers, HDPE bags etc. These wastes should not be mixed with the wet waste which may produce bad odor and dirty look. They should be disposed in dry places for storage until collection is done (Wagh V, 2005). Liquid waste Liquid waste is simply discharged in sinks. Wet waste comprises of food and vegetable. Most hotels kitchen sinks are fitted with a garbage disposer (garburator) which is a device installed under the kitchen sink between drain and pipe which shred waste into pieces enough to pass them through plumbing. Grease traps are also fitted to prevent drains to be blocked from fats, oil and grease. Some hotels also provide septic tanks to avoid potential problems that may occur in case there is blockage of main sewage pipes provided by the Government. Elimination of mosquito breeding places The hotels management does the necessary to avoid spreading of diseases. Potential breeding places for vectors are eliminated by draining all roofs water accumulation at least twice a week and insecticides are sprayed. All ponds and garden water are regularly checked and all bottles or containers are removed and bushes like the grass are well maintained. The Ministry Of Health also provide services for spraying insecticides on a regular basis (MOH, 2009 Health surveillance of tourists Tourist can be responsible for spreading of diseases. One recent case notified was in 2009 where the first case of H1N1 flu virus was detected in a French tourist. The Ministry Of Health has provided officers for this specific duty. Health surveillance Officers are responsible to contact every incoming passengers in order to know their health condition on arrival to Mauritius. The hotel management plays an important role as they need to report any kind of communicable diseases occuring in their residence (MOH Health, 2009). The Ministry Of Health has a list of infectious and communicable diseases that are controlled closely as shown in (Appendix 4). CHAPTER 3 : METHODOLOGY Methodology A survey was carried out and two questionnaires were designed where one was for personal view and opinion about the working place and food handlers and the second, to assess the workers and their knowledge to food hygiene.50 hotel in all were chosen throughout Mauritius. Random selection will give a broader view of hygiene in hotels around the island. List of hotel was obtained from the Tourism Authority at Port-Louis and some details obtained at the Municipality and Health offices. The Questionnaires Questionnaire for Personal View of Foodhandlers, Checklist for Kitchen and environment (room, garden, Swimming pool). (Appendix 6) Questionnaire for personal hygiene for the workers (Appendix 7) The questionnaire (Appendix 6) is a checklist concerning the number of workers, personal hygiene at sight, state of preparation area and toilet in the hotel kitchen. The workers who were pointed were mainly cooks, waiters and maids who work in hotel restaurant. A walkthrough was done where access was granted by the management in the kitchen to assess the level of hygiene of the workers and to inspect if they practice personal hygiene. The toilets were also seen and mess rooms. The second part of the questionnaire was dedicated for rooms and the environment such as garden. Points that were observed during the walkthrough inspection were: No of Personnel Sanitary conditions Water availability Lighting Ventilation Refuse disposal Toilets and bathrooms The second questionnaire was designed for food handlers to assess their knowledge about hygienic practices and food poisoning. CHAPTER 4: RESULTS Results and Findings Possession of food handlers certificate among workers General personal hygiene among workers The below bar chart shows the general personal hygiene maintained among workers at work and it can be concluded that 98% of them keep their hands clean, 94% keep their fingernails clean, 75% have their hair covered, 100% keep their body clean. But it could also be observed that only 25% of them keep their overall clean and 13% of them had nail varnish. Wall conditions of kitchens The wall conditions of the kitchens were surveyed and was found to have the following structures ; 82% of them are waterproof, 88% can be observed to be clean, 93% are washable, 82% are without crevices, 94% are painted white and 86% of them are tiled up to 2 meters from floor. Ventilation From figure 6, it can be seen that 83% of the hotels had adopted a good ventilation system using air conditioner for ease of workers while 17% of them did not have appropriate ventilation system. Lighting Figure 7 describes the lighting condition in the preparation area. 78% of the hotels were seen to provide a good lighting system for the workers and 22% had lighting system not satisfactory. Provision for refuse disposal Refuse disposal availability was surveyed and was found that 50% had foot operated pedal bins,70% of the garbage bins were cleaned and disinfected regularly,75% had their bins covered while 95% removed them daily. Room management Room conditions were observed to be at 72% satisfactory. 28% was seen to have a bad room management. Frequency of changing Blanket on bed From Fig 10. it can be observed that 80% of hotels changes bed blanket regularly,5% on a weekly basis and 15% when it seems necessary to do so that is when seen dirty. Bathroom and toilets sanitary conditions From the result obtained during the survey, it has been found that toilets and bathrooms in rooms are at 70% and 75% clean respectively. . Detergents Distribution The figure below gives detail of the type of detergents commonly used in hotels for sanitizing and cleaning purposes and their percentage used. Knowledge of food poisoning During the survey it was observed that only 40% of workers interviewed had a satisfactory knowledge of food poisoning and answered yes to the question whereas the other part could not give explanation food poisoning. Validity of food handlers certificate Professional training by employer From the survey carried out among workers, it was found that among the 70% of workers who were in possession of a food handlers certificate, only 55% of them were valid while 15% of them were

Compare The Ways In Which Writers Tell Stories In The Following: The N :: essays research papers

The title of this essay states that I must include another text, of my choice. ‘The Naval Sisters Tale’ is written in the form of a transcript, whereas ‘The Obituary of Captain David Goodwin’ is in the form of an article. I wanted to choose something different to both of these texts, so along with these passages, I have chosen to incorporate ‘Back to the Army Again’ by Rudyard Kipling. I decided on this text as it has refrains (which I find particularly interesting and fun to say), also because I think it contains a sense of irony and holds an ambiguity within its simplistic structure. I shall start with ‘The Obituary of Captain David Goodwin’. The first things that struck me about this particular text was the fact that it had been printed in The Daily Telegraph, a fairly conservative newspaper that would have wanted to promote nationalism and preserve our countries remaining war heroes via our memories, and show that â€Å"we† are in fact a fearless nation! It is a very factual piece, and contains very short, and ‘to-the-point’ paragraphs. The title itself, a seemingly ‘dull’ and ‘uninspiring’ title, gives us an almost immediate insight into the lack of emotion within the text. The purpose of this text is to chart Captain David Goodwin’s career and life, although we are told little about his life outside of his career. It shows his involvement within the war, and highlights his achievements. This article focus’s in on the â€Å"best† part of his life, his naval career sea command. It can also be considered to be a genuine mark of respect, seeing as it is an obituary. I thought that it might also be a form of war propaganda, as it makes the war seem exciting and fun. It certainly portrays Captain David Goodwin as being a war hero. The quote included in the article, â€Å"one horrid little man firing at us† emphasizes the valour of him. He is referring to the Italian army as if they were a joke. The text starts off by stating his personal records, such as his age. It then gives a brief overview of his involvement in the war and the awards/medals that he gained. The author of this has done this so that we know what type of person we are dealing with, from the very second that we begin reading the text.

Laws on Contagious Disease Quarantine Essay

There are two principal sources of current legal thinking on quarantine for contagious diseases. The first originates in the law of quarantine itself. The second concerns civil commitment. Quarantine laws are limited to controlling infectious diseases. Civil commitment laws govern incarceration when people are a danger to themselves or others, are mentally ill and unable to care for themselves, or present a danger to others because they spread infectious disease. Before antibiotics, quarantine was important in preventing the spread of infection. Since it was not possible to attack bacterial causes of disease directly, sources of disease had to be kept away from other people. According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, many state statutes which address the control of contagious diseases have been on the books since the turn of the century. The leading case on quarantine, Jacobson v. Massachusetts was decided in 1905. Even more recent statutes were enacted forty years ago. Only ten states have substantially changed their TB-related law within the last few years. The public health powers in state statutes include: compulsory examination and treatment, emergency detention and quarantine. Quarantine may be defined as either in-home isolation or commitment to state facilities. These measures are accomplished through public health orders or court orders. Some states have civil and/or criminal penalties for failing to comply with a such an order. Other statutes do not spell out penalties. Some statutes define which diseases are contagious and therefore subject to quarantine regulations. Others authorize state health departments to decide which illnesses are contagious. Some empower public health authorities to make quarantine or isolation decisions without any direction as to illnesses or conditions. Thirty-three states permit authorities to isolate people in their homes. In most cases there are no due process protections specified out in the law. Forty-two states permit commitment to treatment facilities. Thirty-six states require a court order to commit someone to a facility. Several do not require a court order or a hearing. Generally court orders will be initiated by a petition from public health authorities requesting a hearing. Written notice to the person concerned is usually required, but the hearing may be held with or without the patient. Only thirteen states explicitly grant the right to be represented by counsel in any part of the proceedings. Of these, eleven will provide counsel to indigent individuals. Release is accomplished when a determination is made that the person is no longer a threat to the public health, or no longer infectious. Some statutes specify criteria for release which may be vague (â€Å"no longer a danger to the public health†) or specific (evidence in sputum tests that the person is no longer actively contagious). Ten states have no statutory time limits on the length of time a patient may be held without discharge or recommitment. In many states the only explicit due process protection afforded persons who are quarantined is the opportunity to petition the court for release. Quarantine is a very old public health measure. Historical references date back at least to the Old Testament. When people were thought (rightly or wrongly) to have a contagious condition, they were isolated from others by confining them to their houses or by compelling them to live outside the community. Following English common law United States quarantine laws fall under the power of the state to protect public health and safety. In Gibbons v. Ogden, the United States Supreme Court alluded to the legitimacy of quarantine under the police power. The Court directly reviewed quarantine concepts in Compagnie Francaise de Navigation a Vapeur v. Louisiana State Board of Health. The law and its implementation were upheld as an appropriate exercise of police power. The suit arose when a geographic area of Louisiana was closed off to all new entrants because of the presence of infectious disease. The plaintiffs (a shipping company) regarded the action as a Commerce Clause violation, because it interfered with foreign commerce. The Court rejected the Commerce Clause argument, holding that the law was not repugnant to the Constitution. The dissent urged that the Court should have been addressing the particular implementation of the law rather than its constitutionality in general. The dissenters agreed however that â€Å"[t]he power of the several States †¦ to establish quarantine regulations †¦ is so well settled by repeated decisions of this court as to be no longer open to doubt. Relevant statutory law is found under the power of counties to establish hospitals and under the powers of the department of health and the board of health. Some still-current sections were in place before 1953 when the General Code became the Revised Code. Quarantine measures under Ohio law included isolating people in their own homes as well as removing them to public facilities. In 194 9 the Attorney General considered whether â€Å"home quarantine†, authorized under  § 4429, General Code was an appropriate exercise of the police power. Medical authority at the time discouraged in-home care because it spread infection to others in the household and did not provide the most effective treatment. The Attorney General expressed concern about the â€Å"social and economic embarrassment† involved in placarding a home and isolating the whole family. Balancing the health benefit (or lack thereof, according to medical experts) against liberty interests and social stigma, he opined that â€Å"in view of control measures now available† home quarantine would be arbitrary and unreasonable under normal circumstances. Contemporary society thinks removing people from their homes to treat their illness may be inhumane. When this opinion was written, the opposite may have been true, at least for illnesses requiring long-term care. In 1951,  § 4429-1 of the Ohio General Code provided the department of health with the power to â€Å"at once †¦ cause [someone with a communicable disease] to be separated from susceptible persons in such places and under such circumstances as will prevent the †¦ conveyance of the infectious agents †¦ and shall enforce such restrictive measures as may be prescribed by the state department of health. Ohio law has several provisions which govern quarantine generally. Under  § 3701 of the Ohio Revised Code, the department of health has the authority to â€Å"declare and enforce† or â€Å"modify, relax and abolish† quarantines. It may make other rules for preventing communicable disease. The chapter also provides that individuals shall not kno wingly fail to prevent transmission of their illness to others. Those who care for sick individuals, and those who â€Å"have charge of a public conveyance or place of public accommodation† shall not recklessly or negligently fail to protect others; or fail to inform health authorities of the presence of contagion. Criminal penalties are available under quarantine law, but they do not appear to have been much used. The statutes and cases do express the obligations of infected persons and others to avoid the spread of infection. Ohio quarantine regulations are very sweeping in the power granted to boards of health. They are also sweeping in their potential effect on people’s lives. Most of the provisions below were effective when the code was revised in 1953, and were carried over from similar provisions in the General Code. Quarantine regulations are covered under  § 3707. Key provisions include the following:  § 3707. 6 – Physicians or other persons â€Å"called to attend† persons with contagious diseases are required to report to the health commissioner â€Å"the name, age, sex, and color [sic] of the patient. †  § 3707. 07 – In case of a complaint or reasonable belief that there is infectious disease at a particular place, the board of health shall ha ve it inspected, and may either send the sick person to a facility, or quarantine the location, including any people exposed to the disease.  § 3707. 08 – Where there is infectious disease, the board shall isolate infected persons and those exposed, and have the location placarded. Anyone isolated or quarantined must have written permission to leave locations to which they are restricted.  § 3707. 14 – When people are quarantined the board of health is obligated to provide food, fuel and other necessities, at public expense if necessary.  § 3707. 16, . 20 – Quarantined persons may not attend school, places of worship or other public gatherings. They may not be sent to any institution such as a jail, children’s home, or institution for the blind or mentally ill without notice of their illness or exposure. Significant changes were made in 1955, with the passage of Amended House Bill 127, â€Å"‘[t]he Recalcitrant Tuberculosis Law’ enacted to protect society and based upon the legal principle that liberty implies absence from arbitrary restraint, not immunity from reasonable regulations imposed in the interest of society†. This legislation was considered to be a significant advance, â€Å"protective rather than punitive. † It put in place the specific mechanisms for implementing  § 339. 40, infra, evidentiary requirements, and mechanisms for release. There is no mention of the right to counsel, however. Key provisions of Chapter 339 include the following:  § 339. 40 – when proper presentation of facts has been made, the board of health is authorized to order the removal of persons with TB who are a menace to public health and cannot be treated at home. If someone is suspected of having TB on the basis of medical evidence, that person may be compelled to be examined regularly until certified as â€Å"free from tuberculosis in a communicable stage. †  § 339. 51 – evidence of communicable TB consists of laboratory reports of sputum or other body fluid which are ositive for the presence of TB bacilli, or chest X-rays which show active TB. A sputum test showing bacteria means the person is considered to have active TB for three months or until three successive tests show no bacilli.  § 339. 52-. 60 a board of health may request an order from the probate court to remove someone to a tuberculosis facility. The board must file an application with the court allegin g that the person is suffering from TB, is a menace to public health, and has either â€Å"refused to enter or has absented himself from a tuberculosis hospital against medical advice. After an application has been filed, a hearing is scheduled. The person named in the application must receive a summons no less than three days before the hearing. The judge examines any witness from the board of health and any others. The hearing may be conducted without the person summoned, if he or she does not appear. If the judge determines the allegations of the application are true, â€Å"the †¦ court shall enter a commitment order committing the person to a facility. † When someone is committed, she or he remains hospitalized until discharged. After ninety days a patient may apply to the same probate court to be discharged. The discharge is requested on the grounds that the patient no longer has communicable TB, and thus is not a menace to public health. The court holds a hearing within seven days. If it determines that the patient is not infectious, the discharge will be ordered, but not otherwise. Patients may also be released when an appropriate public health official certifies they are no longer a menace to the community. Relevant Ohio case law deals with the powers of the board of health to make and enforce regulations. Cases of actual quarantine involved smallpox or venereal disease (VD) rather than tuberculosis. An early important case was Ex parte Company. Company concerned requests for habeas corpus filed by two women who had been arrested for prostitution. Neither was convicted. One was discharged by the court and the other was found not guilty. While they were in custody they had been found to have VD. When their cases were resolved they were quarantined for the disease and applied for habeas corpus to be released from quarantine. They asserted that the quarantine, examination and detention provisions of the Sanitary Code violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the U. S. Constitution and section 5. Article 1 of the Ohio Constitution; that the provisions violated Ohio law; and that the legislature was not permitted to delegate its power to make laws to other bodies. The court readily disposed of the Constitutional claims on the grounds that legislative power to enact â€Å"reasonable and proper restraints† for the public good â€Å"is no longer open to question†. It noted that the Fourteenth Amendment did not extend the Bill of Rights to the States. The statute provided that anyone charged with a prostitution offense should be held if they were found to be infected with a venereal disease. The court found that the law was adequately supported by another statute which provided for the quarantine of any persons infected with venereal disease, incarcerated or not. Lastly the court determined that the legislature had given administrative authority to boards of health to create rules and regulations. Such grants of authority had been upheld in a number of other states. Only one case with distinguishable facts held otherwise. The court dismissed the petitions and remanded the petitioners to the health commissioner. Thus in Ohio as in the rest of the country the legislature has the power to create boards of health, which themselves have the power to create and execute a wide variety of public health regulations. What distinguishes Ohio law in this area is the fact that it has not been modernized.

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buy custom Activity Led Learning essay Introduction Technology has been developed to enhance learning and aid in the use of design tools to work on modern electronic systems. The software developed has assisted in drawing electronic circuit diagrams also known as schematics; develops the circuits and stimulate their operation and hence saves time; and the designing a circuit board where it can be fabricated (Pratt, Jarrett, 2001, p.71). In the experiments conducted the MultiSim schematic capture and simulation software was used and it has its unique features of an Ultiboard printed circuit board design package and is both from the National Instruments. Using the software there were accurate and complete circuits are developed through design by allotting component designators. The aims of the session were to develop a working electronic circuit system and to test the electronic system. The purpose of developing the electronic system is to establish the ambient light level in Lux. In this part, illiminance and Luminous emmitance will be determined which will establish the luminous power for every area. This will be done by the use of a Light Dependant Resistor (LDR) which is a light sensitive device (Pratt, Jarrett, 2001, p.74). Numerous measurements will be carried out on the same experiment to ascertain the results given that it may be afected by light conditions and resistance. The relevant diagrams will be drawn to illustrate the circuits developed. In the second activity it involved voltage measurement of LUX theory; this was done in an electronic measurement system. This will involve the conversion of the measured physical quantity into current or voltage. Using the LDR it will be easy to convert from resistance to voltage in view of the fact that you use the LDR as part of the potential divider chain. In this part the value of R must be specified in the divider chain (Pratt, Jarrett, 2001, p.77). The calculations will be based on the values given in the circuit. The records of the experiments i.e. the values observed must be recorded either in a log book or electronically using MS excel or MS word. This will aid in the calculations and test results of the work and experiments done in week one. The experiments are progressive and will involve different levels where each experiment counts. The transducer signal processing which involves the potential divider of the output will be needed; this is so because there is need to compensate or increase the amplitude of the transducer signal before transmitting (Pratt, Jarrett, 2001, p.82). There is also need to limit the effects of loading and the fix, which will be done by use of the buffer amplifier in the system. Thee data collected is important in determining the bandwidth of the LDR system which is in bits per second. The progressive experiments also involve projects such as the DC motor speed control transducer, a musical instrument and an optical signaling system. Conclusion The use of the MultiSim schematic capture and simulation software made it effective and efficient in working on the experiments. The Ultiboard printed circuits developed assisted in understanding the systems and make the calculations easy. They produced actual work after feeding the data in to the system. Since it is automated it would detect all the errors in any system and hence being able to rectify the system for uncomplicated calculations. The projects taken were successful, given that the group understood the circuits well and carried out the project efficiently. The projects carried out helped the group members understand the schematic software better in that it developed an advanced system that is tangible and easy to comprehend. The progressive development of the experiments was also very essential given that each step was building a foundation for the next project. However, there is need for more practice using the MultiSim schematic capture and simulation software so that every group member becomes conversant with its operations. Buy custom Activity Led Learning essay

Surviving the Dangers of Working from Home - Freewrite Store

Surviving the Dangers of Working from Home - Freewrite Store The Dangers of Going Freelance The advertisement reads: Day job got you down? Why not branch out on your own and make your mark? This is what I call ‘the fantasy.' If you want to branch out on your own, you have to be realistic. Yes, you get to work from home. You get to decide what projects you’ll work on. You get to monetize your chosen skill. There’s a lot more freedom of choice. But there are also a lot of dangersthat you must be aware of. The Dangers of Going Freelance So you get to work from home. Great! But what does this mean? Option 1) You get up, have a shower, and sit in your office at home. You may have a hundred different projects to get to work on. You eat a quick snack at home in your kitchen when you’re hungry. You take a break at home in your living room. You decide you’re too tired for work, so you have dinner at home. What to do this evening? You could watch a film at home on your own. Now it’s bedtime. Noticing a pattern? Everythingyou do is at home. Option 2)You wake up at midday and lounge in bed till 1 pm. You finally drag yourself into the shower. You spend two hours choosing your outfit and making breakfast. You sit on your sofa with your laptop and stare at the screen. Okay, just one episode and then you’ll work, right? It’s now 4 pm, and you haven’t done any work. Not hungry - why bother making lunch? Feeling guilty, you do something that makes you feel like you’ve done a lot. 6 pm, time to cook dinner. You could watch a film while eating dinner, why not? 10pm...well now it’s too late to do any work. Working from home is a lot harder than it sounds and the day-to-day routine can be worse than the humdrum office commute unless you combat it early. With a lack of routine comes boredom, loneliness, procrastination, low levels of motivation, bad health, and, as a result, low self-esteem. You cannot build a good business when you’re unhappy. But it’s not all doom and gloom if you do it right! Combating the Dangers 1. Scheduling This sounds like the death of fun, but without a schedule, you’ll have no will to work. Make a schedule and stick to it. (I’ll elaborate on scheduling in a minute.) 2. Go out In the evenings, it starts to hurt when you realize you haven’t even left the house to go to the corner shop. Try to organize evening activities: societies and clubs, gigs, drinks out with friends†¦ It is very important to have a social life. Not only will evening activities give you something to look forward to and steer away the boredom, but it will also stimulate the mind. Try to split up your days, as well. Join a morning yoga class, a creative writing course, an evening book club. Get yourself out of the house! 3. Do your work in a cafe I considered this at first and frequently talked myself out of it, thinking I’d feel incredibly lonely sitting in a busy cafe alone. A month into my new freelance business, I was waiting in a cafe for a friend. I took out my notebook and found myself, one hour later, knee-deep into my third article. There’s something about the hustle and bustle of a cafe that makes you feel busy and keeps the mind buzzing. Despite the noisy backdrop, there’s far less available to distract you. Most importantly, working in a cafe gets you out of the house. 4. Avoid distractions. A lot of your time and concentration will be taken up by the buzzing of your phone. Ignore those notifications. Put your phone on silent and close everything on your laptop that you don’t need for the task at hand; get your head in the game. You’ll find you may enjoy throwing yourself wholeheartedly into a project. Concentration Tactics Getting yourself to start working is half the battle, but then you need to keep working. 1. Write a To Do List Before doing any work, write out a to do listand get every little nagging task out of your brain. The washing, the grocery shopping, paying that bill, writing that article, contacting that client†¦ Keep the to do list on hand because you will remember something else you have to do in that thirty-second break you take to get a glass of water. 2.  Zone Out I find it easier to work when there’s some background noise.When you’re working at home put some music on in the background. (Tip: I find orchestral music is best for this because there aren’t any lyrics to sing along to!) 3. Be Real Be realistic about the time it takes to do things. Pessimists say it always takes thirty times longer than you expect. It’s okay to take your time to do things. 4. Ease Up You need to remember to give yourself a break (though don’t overuse this excuse!). Give yourself a break every few hours, rather than just one break a day. The mind always works better when it isn’t tired. You don’t have to reach the end of your day feeling blasted. Scheduling It’s a very different thing, organizing your time around a deadline you’ve been given and sticking to deadlines you’ve given to yourself. There’s no one to penalize you except yourself. There are many different ways of scheduling your life. Try each of them and find the one that suits you best. 1. Lists List everything you need to do and make your way through it. The list will grow as you get things done because, a lot of the time, getting one job done creates another three jobs. It is very important to finish what you are doing before starting something new. 2. Planner Draw out a table with days and times of day and rigidly decide what you’re going to do hour by hour (keeping in mind the time it takes to do things). 3. Reminders Get a reminders app on your phone. It’s like a to do list, but you can set alarms for each task. 4. Move location Start the day at a desk, move to your sofa, to the floor, to another desk, to the bed, outside. Stale surroundings can spark boredom and boredom is dangerous. 5. Keep it simple Underestimate yourself; set one big task for the day and feel great when you do more than just that task. 6. Split it up Scared of the giant task ahead? Split it into lots of smaller tasks, so it feels more conquerable.    It is very important to be realistic about the amount you can get done each day - don't think about quantity completed, but time and effort spent. Things do take time. Don’t get yourself down. You’re doing something awesome. You’re creating your own business from scratch! Don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back once in a while!    Maddy Glenn has been writing fiction from age seven. Maddy recently designed and released a free creative writing course on her website.  She developed a freelance editing and writing platform, focusing on editing fantasy fiction and writing articles to help new writers develop their skills.

Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Music - Research Paper Example In particular, the paper explores sweet home Alabama (SHA) that was produced with strong massage to ensure eradication of racism and slavery in various states. It recognized the imperativeness of building coherent societies, which embraces quality values in life. Similarly, lynard skynard provides sufficient information towards drug abuse eradication, which threatened to paralyze economic performance and social cohesion in various states including southern states. Various individuals who assert its relevance in building vibrant societies with superior ethical values have accepted its noble ideals. Consequently, the paper also gives an analysis of southern man Alabama song, which similarly communicated appropriate massage on racism with an aim of ensuring its eradication. Comparative and contrasting elements of the songs have also been discussed together with the songs significance to southerners. Introduction Music is a critical element in human life, which provides educative, entert ainment and social messages. Critically, it has played a crucial role in developing human behaviors in various facets of life towards building sustainable and cohesive societies. There are various categories and types of music, which are produced to convey definite and intended information to various individuals. Ideally, there is gospel music, love music that conveys love massages, hip-hop music and pop culture music which relays deep-rooted information towards shaping up cultural practices among societies. Most leaders and scholars affirm that music especially pop culture music has facilitated drastic transformation in human behavior. They assert that such informative songs have the capacity to transform ancient cultural practices and beliefs to conform to modern life practices. Variably, music provides basic ways of nurturing noble human character through systematic communication of information. Various songs take diverse dimensions and themes, which is majorly determined by defi nite information to be communicated. Songwriters and producers consider moral influences of their songs towards transformation of individual’s lifestyle which vital towards modernity. This paper explores musical pieces sang and produced by various pop artists and how they have influenced various individuals lifestyle in the southern state. Song analysis This section provides detailed analysis of three pop culture songs which includes sweet home Alabama (SHA), Lynard skynard and southern man" and "alabama which were profoundly sung by various artists with acute determination to instill admirable human practices for effective cohesion. It also highlights the songs comparativeness and basic elements applied in their production1. The songs have widely been accepted by various individuals due to their educative and entertaining nature, which is critical towards ensuring achievement of their purposes2. Critically, the songs adopted various themes with sweet home Alabama adopting un iversal theme that sought to eradicate racism and slavery in various societies including southern states. Lynard skynard adopted drug liberation, which is asocial theme with a strong focus to fight drug addiction, which has become a prevalent aspect influencing performance in various societies. Its mission has been received well with most individuals embracing its drug free concept as a pillar that ensures mutual coexistence and performance in various areas, in humanity3. Consequently, southern man" and "alabama song also adopted social and economic theme, which relays sufficient information with requisite capacity to advance social and economic settings in humanity. The songs out rightly provides quality information based on life ideals and attitude

Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 333 Essay

Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 333 - Essay Example Of course there are a variety of women who fall outside of these scenarios but if a woman chooses not to be the woman society expects, she risks being ostracized. Women have always been seen from their body parts instead of their intellect mainly because advertising has made it impossible for women to be seen in any other way. In the article, "Advertisements Stereotype Women and Girls", Katherine Toland Frith and Barbara Mueller present a series of viewpoints showing exactly how women and girls are made by the society in which they life. There focus was on the United States and they showed how the media forms the identity of women and girls to create goals for beauty that are impossible for them to attain. This focus on a beauty they cannot obtain forces girls as early as 14 year old to look for solutions to change their body to make it like what it is "supposed" to look like. Plastic surgeons report that many children of this age want to use plastic surgery to reshape them into the "ideal woman". The authors quote research that shows that college students who were shown pictures of beautiful models felt that they were to look like these models. Because they did not, their self image decreased. This is good example of how women are molded, shaped and brainwashed into accepting these stereotyped images and it gives them a lesser place in society than what men experience. Another study cited showed that males and females saw attractiveness differently. For adolescent girls self-perception declined over time but the boys kept their self-perception in tact. A reason for this that the authors gave was that boys tended to see their bodies as a work in progress and were able to see a bigger picture. Girls on the other hand focused on body parts because advertising tells them this should be their focus. This attitude form