علی جوزی

Proper management of hospital waste is crucial due to its impact on health and the environment. Assessing the effectiveness of the management system using models can lead to improvements.

This study aims to evaluating the health-environmental and management performance of hospital wastes using the EFQM excellence model in three selected hospitals. (two military hospitals and one civilian hospital).

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a detailed questionnaire was developed to investigate waste management strategies by reviewing literature and conducting unstructured interviews with employees and managers of selected hospitals. The questionnaire was validated through expert reviews, and its reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. A performance evaluation model was designed based on the EFQM organizational excellence model, using nine criteria in the form of “enablers” and “results”. Cochran’s formula was utilized to determine the sample size, and the results were analyzed using SPSS23 software. ANCOVA was employed to compare the selected hospitals, and Bonferroni’s post hoc test was used for pairwise comparison.

Results showed that the criteria (leadership, policy and strategy) and (healthenvironmental risk assessment and management) in hospital (A) and the criteria (partnerships and resources) and (Key performance results) in hospital (B) as well as the criteria (risk assessment and management) and criteria (community results) in hospital (C) are considered as their most important waste management strength. The comparison of these hospitals using the statistical method of univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) reveals a significant difference in the average of the criterion (partnerships and resources) in hospitals (C) & (B), and the criteria (community results) in hospitals (A) & (B) are significant.

The senior hospital managers are confident that they have established an effective organizational structure and process management  system. They believe this system will lead to sustainable improvement. They also recognize the need for shortterm and long-term plans to address areas needing further improvement.

This study presents the appropriate zoning for recreational activities along Karaj river basin, with a case study on Shahrestanak River. Shahrestanak Village is located in Alborz Mountains and therefore is a high mountainous region. The Shahrestanak River originates from northern slopes of 3930 meters high Tochal Mountain; it is 18 km long and its river discharge, according to annual statistics, is of the order of 30 million m3/s, which supplies Karaj Dam to a great extent. In this research GIS was used to prepare maps for extensive and centralized recreation zoning. Factors of slope, direction, height, soil, and climate were taken into account and classified for zoning of Karaj river basin. Results of the study showed that, 2.05% of the total area of Shahrestanak river basin has zones with adequate potential, 43.19% of the area has zones with relatively adequate potential and 54.73% of the river basin is potentially inadequate for summer intensive (centralized) tourism. Regarding winter intensive (centralized) tourism, 2.07% of Shahrestanak river basin area has zones with adequate potential, 31.67% has zones with relatively adequate potential and 66.27% of the river basin is potentially inadequate for this purpose. However, for extensive tourism, 13.16% of Shahrestanak river basin has zones with adequate potential, 88% has zones with relatively adequate potential and 17.36% of the river basin has zones with inadequate potential. As findings indicate, due to the mountainous condition and high altitude of Shahrestanak region, has a potential for extensive tourism and should be considered as a priority for the area. In addition, the zoning results indicate that only the river banks may have adequate and relatively adequate potential for summer and winter intensive (centralized) tourism.

Although the physical and mental health of workers and, as a result, the productivity of organizations are influenced by the stress in the working environment, this issue has rarely been addressed in the literature. This research was therefore conducted to quantify the effects of stress on work ability, the incidents rate, and the performance of Takhte Jamshid hospital in Karaj.

The main variables were work stress (an independent variable), work ability index and the work-related incidents (as mediator variables), and hospital performance (as the dependent variable). Based on Cochran equation, 240 employees out of the total population of 636 were selected and then surveyed using the standard questionnaires developed by Agiuns regarding work ability index, work stress, and the employee work performance.

Based on the results, mean values of work stress, working ability, and the hospital performance were 3.06, 22.2, and 3, respectively. According to the structural equation modeling, work stress significantly affected both working ability (R2 = -0.87) and work-related incidents (R2= 0.68). It was also found that the work ability affected the incidents rate (R2= -0.34). Finally, the work incident rate had a substantial effect on the hospital performance (R2= -0.62).

Based on this study, work stress clearly affected the work ability of employees and the resulting performance of the hospital. Then, it is expected that mitigation of work stress can lead to a lower rate of work incidents and higher quality of hospital performance.

Cement industries are a major source of pollution. Cement dust deposition affects photosynthesis، plant production and reproductivity. High dust concentration in air causes a severe reduction in the photosynthetic capacity of the leaves، fertility and plant growth. In this work، the effects of dust particles from Shahroud cement plant on diversity and density of the vegetation were studied. Quadrate method was used to assess type of the dominant vegetation and the diversity. The type and amount of the dust deposited on the plants، vegetation diversity and density were measured in different directions and distances from the emission source. Analysis of dust samples from the plants surface showed that the main component of contamination due to cement industry is calcium oxide (CaO). The results of the evaluation of plants density and diversity and the amount of particles deposited on plant surface showed that there is an inverse correlation between the amount of dust deposition and the vegetation density and diversity. As the distance from the source of particles emission increased، the particle deposition rate decreases and the density and diversity of the vegetation increase. In this region، the plants are replaced by the resistant species such as Artemisia aucheri and Hulthemia persica.

due to increasing development of electricity transmission in the country and non – compliance with privacy standard residential lines in some cities, many problems for the residents of these areas have been established. The aim of this study was to identify and assess risks in the area of power transmission lines by using William Fine method in hasyrabad and provide a solution is to reduce the effects. in order to determine the risks, processes and equipment required for power transmission through field visits and interviews with experts, are identified. Since the magnetic field emitted from the power lines as if it is illegal, can be considered as a risk, this parameter is measured in the study area based on the NIEHS standard with 3D EMF TESTER by four of the 91, 61, 30, 15 meters from the 230 kv tower, And eventually performed with the standard values can be compared. The identified risks by the parameters of William Fine method were scored and prioritization methodology was based on the placement table. Finally, to reduce the risk level, corrective control measures, were presented. measuring the magnetic field intensity in the study area, showed that field intensity at any desired distance from the most is above the permissible limit and can be considered as a risk. Finally, 41 risk in four categories: health, environmental, safety – technical and natural event by using William Fine method for 13 elements were identified. The highest risk to the wire and electrical transmission line with priority number 900 and minimum risk to the tower, wire guards, wire ground and span were obtained with a risk priority number 25. Discussion & according to the results, the highest levels of safety at risk – health RPN are 900 and 400 respectively that in most cases the cause of risk is non – compliance with privacy standards of electricity transmission lines in residential areas. so, the proposed control strategy to reduce the effects, compliance with the standards of offshore electricity transmission and prevent people from advancing and construction of urban space is provided for the risk.