Wednesday, November 12, 2008

BLUE ENERGY (OSMOTIC POWER)


BLUE ENERGY (OSMOTIC POWER)
Blue energy, sometimes called ocean energy, is a term for the method of generating electricity through the convergence of both fresh and salt water.


Blue energy extracted by osmosis, also called Salinity gradient power or Osmotic Power is the energy retrieved from the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and river water. Two practical methods for this are Reverse electrodialysis (RED), and Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO).Both processes rely on osmosis with ion specific membranes. The key waste product is brackish water (water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater)


Blue energy is only useful in certain geographical areas. The only way to create blue energy other than in a laboratory is at an estuary, where fresh water river currents and the saline tides of the ocean meet at the river’s mouth. Though the technology of blue energy has been understood for quite sometime, manufacturing the membranes was far too expensive to become a practical energy alternative. Recently, more economical membranes have been developed which will allow blue energy technology to begin being implemented in suitable environments. Currently blue energy is being used successfully in the Netherlands.



The environmental benefits of blue energy are invaluable. Blue energy does not emit greenhouse gases, the use of blue energy where possible will help to reduce global warming and other consequences caused by burning fossil fuels. In addition, blue energy does not take up a lot of space like energy grids do, and ecosystems are not negatively affected as they are with mining and drilling for example.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Words to Move on

Words to Move on

A Man is not finished when he’s defeated
he’s finished when he quits.

No person can be greater
unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him.

Excellence is not a Singular act, but a habit
You are what you repeatedly do.

Success is more attitude than aptitude.


The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity.
The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty


Change is the law of life
& those who look only to the past or present
Are certain to miss future.


The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be
Continually fearing you will make one.


There are no secret to success. It is the result
Of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure”
Colin Powell

Everybody sooner or later
Sits down to a banquet of consequences


When you do the same things
The same way all the time,
Don’t expect a different result.


Always do right.
This will gratify some people,
And astonish the rest.


Maintaining open line of communication are a
Fundamental key to organizational excellence.
Take an extra moment to communicate
What you want and why you need it.

An acre of performance
is worth a whole world of promise.


Setting an example is not the main means
of influencing another, it is the only means
Albert Einstein

Saturday, November 1, 2008

ASBESTOS EXPOSURE


ASBESTOS EXPOSURE
Asbestos is a silicate mineral, a fibrous, naturallyoccurring material of varying chemical compositions.Asbestos is used in well over 3,000 products includingbuilding materials and goods.
Severe lung disease can be caused by asbestos, such asasbestosis and/or cancer, through the inhalation ofexcess quantities of the fiber. It usually takesseveral years for symptoms of asbestos diseases tobecome apparent.NOTE: It is the Company's policy toavoid working in areas where employees may be exposedto asbestos at levels above the OSHA established PEL.When that is not possible, this section and SafetyProcedure SP-007 should be followed.)
The current allowable level of asbestos (PEL) in theair established by the Occupational Safety and HealthStandards is .2 fibers per cubic centimeter greaterthan 5 microns in length in an 8 hour tirne-weightedaverage. A short term (excursion) limit of 1.0 fiberper cubic centimeter of air (I f/cc) as averaged overthirty (30) minutes has also been established.
Control of the exposure to asbestos can take severalroutes. Substitute another product that will do thesame job; use personal protective equipment such asNIOSH-MESA approved respirators; use adequateventilation equipment before the fibers reach thebreathing zone of the workers; practice goodhousekeeping by removing accumulated and settled dustby HEPA vacuum cleaning; and wet the product toprevent expulsion of the dust into the air that theworkers breathe.
To prevent contamination away from the work place,clothes the workers wear should not be laundered athome. The clothing should be handled at the work placewhere workers are required to change to streetclothing and shower facilities are available.
Any employee that is exposed to asbestos fibers inexcess of the above specified limits will be notifiedin writing of the exposure as soon as practical butnot later than five (5) days of the findings.
Each employee exposed to airborne concentrations ofasbestos fiber in excess of the limits specified abovewill be provided with medical examination relative tothis exposure. The initial medical examination will begiven within 30 days of the initial exposure that willinclude as a minimum a chest roentgenogram, a historyto list symptomatology of respiratory disease, and thepulmonary function test to include forced vitalcapacity (FVC) forced expiratory volume at one second(FEV Sub. 1.0). These employees will also be givenannual medical evaluations thereafter.
Records shall be maintained of all medicalexaminations administered to employees. These recordswill be maintained for at least 30 years.