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Food authorities aim to safeguard our food. This requires sensitive analyses to guarantee detection of both banned and regulated substances at low concentrations. At the same time, broad screening methods are needed to identify new emerging risks. For this purpose, effect-based bioassays combined with mass spectrometric analyses offer an advantage. During the regular monitoring of dioxins in agricultural products, a discrepancy was observed between the results of the DR CALUX (Dioxin-Responsive Chemical Activated Luciferase gene Expression) bioassay and the confirmatory gas chromatographic high resolution mass spectrometric (GC-HRMS) analysis in egg and broiler fat samples. The response in the bioassay was high, suggesting a clear exceedance of the maximum limits of dioxins in these samples, yet regulated dioxins or dl-PCBs were not detected by GC/HRMS analysis. Ultimately, a broad screening analysis using GC-HRMS resulted in the identification of 2,3,7,8-tetrabromo-dibenzofuran (2,3,7,8-TBDF) in both egg and broiler fat. To investigate the potential source of this brominated furan contaminant, different samples were analyzed: bedding material, poultry feed, feed additives (choline chloride and l-lysine), and seaweed. The poultry feed and feed additives all contained 2,3,7,8-TBDF. Using a feed-to-food transfer model, it became clear that the poultry feed was probably the source of 2,3,7,8-TBDF in broilers and eggs through a feed additive like L-lysine or choline chloride. This study underlines the importance of using a combination of effect-based screening assays with sensitive analytical methods to detect potential new and emerging risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While chemicals are vital to modern society through materials, agriculture, textiles, new technology, medicines, and consumer goods, their use is not without risks. Unfortunately, our resources seem inadequate to address the breadth of chemical challenges to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is important we use our intelligence and knowledge wisely to prepare for what lies ahead. The present study used a Delphi‐style approach to horizon‐scan future chemical threats that need to be considered in the setting of chemicals and environmental policy, which involved a multidisciplinary, multisectoral, and multinational panel of 25 scientists and practitioners (mainly from the United Kingdom, Europe, and other industrialized nations) in a three‐stage process. Fifteen issues were shortlisted (from a nominated list of 48), considered by the panel to hold global relevance. The issues span from the need for new chemical manufacturing (including transitioning to non‐fossil‐fuel feedstocks); challenges from novel materials, food imports, landfills, and tire wear; and opportunities from artificial intelligence, greater data transparency, and the weight‐of‐evidence approach. The 15 issues can be divided into three classes: new perspectives on historic but insufficiently appreciated chemicals/issues, new or relatively new products and their associated industries, and thinking through approaches we can use to meet these challenges. Chemicals are one threat among many that influence the environment and human health, and interlinkages with wider issues such as climate change and how we mitigate these were clear in this exercise. The horizon scan highlights the value of thinking broadly and consulting widely, considering systems approaches to ensure that interventions appreciate synergies and avoid harmful trade‐offs in other areas. We recommend further collaboration between researchers, industry, regulators, and policymakers to perform horizon scanning to inform policymaking, to develop our ability to meet these challenges, and especially to extend the approach to consider also concerns from countries with developing economies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1212–1228. © 2023 Crown copyright and The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the King's Printer for Scotland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of emerging technologies poses some risks while improving urban construction and human life, thus further causing urban safety problems. Tianjin is a coastal city in China, where the coastal sea level keeps increasing, water cycling is changed by the water supply of the South - to - North Water Diversion Project, and the underground space is subject to development and utilization. These factors, coupled with land subsidence, are all critical for the assessment of emerging risks in Tianjin. This study extracted information on the land subsidence of the southern plain in Tianjin and then predicted the retreat of the natural coastline in Tianjin by combining the sea level rise rate. Accordingly, this study predicted the high - risk factors brought by relative sea level rise in Tianjin using a machine learning method (XGBoost) . In addition, this study analyzed the emerging risks caused by the South - to - North Water Diversion Project and the development and utilization of underground space and revealed the response patterns of the water supply and the construction and operation of subways to the urban safety of Tianjin. The study on the emerging risks brought about by the combination of land subsidence and modern human activities will provide a scientific basis for regional disaster prevention and mitigation and improve cities' ability to resist disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the European Union regulation, some countries have established a pre-market notification system for food supplements while others have not. As this regulation is unfulfilled, a notified and marketed food supplement ingredient in one country may be forbidden in another. Even though food supplements shall not be placed on the market if unsafe, some products may still expose the consumers to risks. The risk is increased by easier access due to worldwide dissemination fostered by the internet and free movement of goods in the European Union. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and the Emerging Risks Exchange Network are described. To date, the European Union legislation does not include a provision to establish a dedicated vigilance system for food supplements (Nutrivigilance). Six European Union countries have nevertheless set up national systems, which are presented. The present lack of European Union data collection harmonization, does not allow easy cooperation between countries. This article advocates for creating a coordinated European Nutrivigilance System to detect and scrutinize adverse effects of food supplements. This, to help in directing science-based risk assessments and reinforce the science-based decision of policy makers to improve public health safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klebsiella pneumoniae of sequence type (ST) 11 is a hyper-epidemic nosocomial clone, which is spreading worldwide among humans and emerging in pets. This is the first report, to the best of our knowledge, of multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae ST11 carrying blaSCO-1 and blaDHA-1, isolated from a four-month-old dog in Belgium. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of the isolate, performed via broth microdilution following the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines, revealed resistance to eight different classes of antimicrobials, including carbapenems, in particular ertapenem, third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. A hybrid approach, combining long- and short-read sequencing, was employed for in silico plasmid characterization, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and the identification and localization of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence-associated genes. Three plasmids were reconstructed from the whole-genome sequence (WGS) data: the conjugative IncFIB(K), the non-mobilizable IncR and the mobilizable but unconjugative ColRNAI. The IncFIB(K) plasmid carried the blaSCO-1 gene, whereas IncR carried blaDHA-1, both alongside several other antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). No virulence genes could be detected. Here, we suggest that the resistance to ertapenem associated with susceptibility to imipenem and meropenem in K. pneumoniae could be related to the presence of blaSCO-1 and blaDHA-1, combined with permeability defects caused by point mutations in an outer membrane porin (OmpK37). The presence of the blaSCO-1 gene on a conjugative IncFIB(K) plasmid is worrisome as it can increase the risk of transmission to humans, to animals and to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FinTech industry has exhibited very high growth levels since the Global Economic and Financial Crisis of 2008. The sector growth has been accelerated because of the disruption caused by COVID-19 and that derived in the global health crisis, a crisis with significant implications for global economic stability. To examine the risk profile of FinTech firms, the CRISP-DM methodology was followed to aid in the implementation of clustering and classification algorithms, combined with time series regression models. This research paper offers insights on financial risk assessment by combining machine learning techniques and traditional econometric modeling to acknowledge challenges associated with the analysis of time series in the financial context and framed in the US FinTech sector. The main findings revealed a lack of significant differences between the FinTech and Non- FinTech firms in the US stock market. The results were surprising as the FinTech sector’s speed of development and fast changes in financial innovation have led to the emergence of significant risks that do not seem to be captured by the examined market and firm-specific data sets. The research outcomes point to a substantial vacuum on the regulatory framework at both national and international levels to ensure efficient FinTech governance and adequate industry development amid very ambitious growing prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storm Xynthia (2010) brought to the fore marine submersion as a great concern to French authorities and communities. This storm illustrates how a single major event can have long-lasting effects on climate risk management. To discern this effect, we conduct two studies analyzing the emergence and evolution of concerns related to marine submersion in French national and regional newspapers prior to and after the storm (2005–2018). In Study 1, we examine trends in issue coverage and how "marine submersion" was appropriated by French media discourse over the selected period, identifying and segmenting specific topical sequences. In Study 2, a computer-assisted content analysis of 260 articles highlights a dichotomy of themes before and after Storm Xynthia. Articles published prior to Xynthia (2005–2009) warned of marine submersion among the expected impacts of climate change. Those published just after Xynthia (2010–2013) present highly structured and technical descriptions of national risk management policies. In recent years (2014–2018), articles focus on local stakeholders' challenge to national risk management policies, described as too far removed from local dynamics. Our studies reveal the emergence and amplification, via public debate in French newspaper media, of "marine submersion" as a hazard, and the objectification of the risk through Storm Xynthia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies that implement Integrated Management Systems (IMS) require approaches that optimize resources and results. In the case of IMS of a new or emerging nature, the use of dynamics risk analysis approaches and the integration of real-time monitoring data in the risk assessment process offers news perspectives. The objective of this work is to identify and classify leading indicators that facilitate the dynamic analyses of emerging risks in an IMS for quality, environment, and safety. For it, such indicator analysis has been based on a bibliographic analysis. Regarding results, firstly, a structure of indicators emerges configured of three categories organized in two levels. At the first level, it is established by the indicators of the IMS which can be integrated. The second level is configured of two categories of interrelated indicators, that is, process integrity indicators and occupational risks indicators. In turn, each of these three categories has two dimensions. The first dimension represents the direction of the indicator, leading or lagging indicator. The second dimension represents the risk nature, emerging or traditional risk. Secondly, a classification of the leading indicators is derived according to the categories of the indicators and the risk nature. This classification shows the direction of the leading indicators as well as qualitative graduation of the potential associated consequences. Said theoretical framework has been applied to a case study configured by a manufacturing process. Thus, a conceptual scheme has been developed that represents the first step towards a more in-depth and detailed development that allows the identification and definition of specific leading indicators within an IMS from a dynamic and emerging risk perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Risk Management Plan (RMP) is presented; • Its application to the technical risks in the Grand Paris Express project is illustrated; • A balanced risk allocation with contractual system and insurance is highlighted; • The RMP benefits in overcoming some challenges of underground works are demonstrated. This article presents the application of Risk Management Plan (RMP) to technical risks in metro construction. The RMP defines a balanced risk allocation between client, designer and contractor, and outlines technical and financial solutions in the occurrence of doubted events. It is an iterative process, and an approach of continuous improvement from design phase to construction phase, and aims to identify potential hazards, quantify relative risks, and implement adequate preventive measures and mitigations to avoid and reduce risks whilst identifying what actions are to be taken if risks occur. After the RMP presentation, a case study of the Grand Paris Express (GPE) project is then introduced in the French context. The GPE project is the largest metro project underway in Europe, comprised of 68 new metro stations and 200 km of additional tracks. It is located in an urban area with high technical risks. Throughout this case study, examples of how the RMP was applied to the technical risks such as geological and geotechnical risk, damage risk to neighbouring structures or assets and environmental risk are provided. The major identified risks are analysed with preventive measures, sometimes already integrated in the design, and technical solutions retained for the construction, as well as mitigation measures. In addition, the management of new risks that appeared during construction is presented, with a specific example involving the use of steel fibre-reinforced concrete tunnel segments. Finally, the contract management and insurance to accompany the RMP application in risk management are also covered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the management of emerging environmental risks has received more attention recently, planning and public policy scholars have not yet generated consensus on management approaches for environmental and occupational risks that remain poorly described, unquantified, and may be potentially 'unknowable'. Our case study focuses on exposure to respirable mineral dust (RMD), a specific category of particulate air pollution which includes examples such as respirable crystalline silica and asbestos fibres, as an example of a risk that is emerging and that has often 'escaped' regulations in many countries. This article (i) reviews prevailing risk management strategies and (ii) discusses their limitations when applied to the unique characteristics of RMD. The aim of the paper is to examine the suitability of existing risk management approaches for the evaluation of emerging environmental risks, which are bounded by significant uncertainties in quantifying the likelihood of the occurrence and/or severity of the hazard. We identify potential improvements to these strategies, highlighting the value of different protection levels, strategies, measures, and proactive actions which are enabled within an adaptive management framework that responds more nimbly to future changes. • Synthesised the challenges of managing respirable mineral dust. • Seven risk management approaches are most useful for different risk characteristics. • Identified improvements to these strategies for emerging environmental risks. • Potential improvements of strategies that respond more nimbly to future changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model (PRISM) to estimate the public's information seeking and avoidance intentions during the COVID-19 outbreak based on an online sample of 1031 Chinese adults and provides support for the applicability of PRISM framework in the situation of a novel high-level risk. The results indicate that information seeking is primarily directed by informational subjective norms (ISN) and perceived seeking control (PSC), while the main predictors of information avoidance include ISN and attitude toward seeking. Because ISN are the strongest predictor of both information seeking and avoidance, the way the public copes with COVID-19 information may be strongly affected by individuals' social environment. Furthermore, a significant relationship between risk perception and affective risk response is identified. Our results also indicate that people who perceive greater knowledge of COVID-19 are more likely to report greater knowledge insufficiency, which results in less information avoidance.

This study uses the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model (PRISM) to estimate the public's information seeking and avoidance intentions during the COVID-19 outbreak based on an online sample of 1031 Chinese adults and provides support for the applicability of PRISM framework in the situation of a novel high-level risk. The results indicate that information seeking is primarily directed by informational subjective norms (ISN) and perceived seeking control (PSC), while the main predictors of information avoidance include ISN and attitude toward seeking. Because ISN are the strongest predictor of both information seeking and avoidance, the way the public copes with COVID-19 information may be strongly affected by individuals' social environment. Furthermore, a significant relationship between risk perception and affective risk response is identified. Our results also indicate that people who perceive greater knowledge of COVID-19 are more likely to report greater knowledge insufficiency, which results in less information avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In occupational exposure to vibration, the risk assessment process is defined through a regulatory framework that presents some relevant metrological problems. This framework considers methods based on estimation and on measurements. Estimation methods could employ existing information that is provided for each manufacturer to each individual tool or application to carry out such estimation. The use of estimation methods has some problems, such as substantial uncertainty. When using measurement methods, some metrological aspects are not fully defined. Therefore, a new and emerging risk appears due to certain methodologic limitations. Consequently, the variation between the estimated and the actual values could overestimate the level of occupational exposure to vibrations. Thus, with this paper, a critical analysis of this emerging metrological problem is provided. For this, a critical analysis of the metrological requirements regarding European standards is developed. To this end, the estimation method and measure method are investigated, considering, in both cases, the main factors related to uncertainty, reliability, and traceability. With this structure, a set of metrological limitations have been identified, thus pointing towards future lines of research that allow the improvement of the process of assessing the level of occupational exposure to vibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws on the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model (PRISM) to assess Zika virus information seeking and systematic processing, paying particular attention to the relationship between perceived knowledge and knowledge insufficiency. Novel risks, such as Zika, provide an interesting context for examining whether information‐seeking models, such as PRISM, are able to predict information seeking when available information is limited or scarce. A cross‐sectional, online study of men and women of childbearing age (N = 494) residing in the state of Florida was conducted. Our results provide some support for the PRISM for predicting Zika information seeking intention, as well as systematic processing of information. We also found that individuals with high levels of perceived knowledge were more likely to report high level of knowledge insufficiency, illustrating that contextual factors may impact the fit of risk information seeking models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• A comprehensive method for assessing tsunami-related Natech hazards is proposed. • The method is based on models for tsunami, triggered oil spill and subsequent fire. • The method quantifies fire hazards probabilistically via Monte Carlo simulations. • Uncertainty in tsunami source, tank oil filling and fire ignition is incorporated. • The application is illustrated focusing on possible offshore Mw 9.1 earthquakes. A novel modeling methodology is presented for cascading disasters triggered by tsunami hazards considering uncertainties. The proposed methodology focuses on tsunami-triggered oil spills and subsequent fires, a type of natural hazard-triggered technological (Natech) event. The methodology numerically simulates the time-varying behavior of tsunami-triggered oil spill fires for numerous stochastically generated scenarios and performs a probabilistic mapping of the maximum radiative heat flux as a quantitative measure of the fire hazard. To enable these assessments, probabilistic tsunami hazard assessments are extended to include the tsunami-induced movement of oil storage tanks, resulting oil spills, tsunami-driven oil fire spread, and thermal radiation from fires. The uncertainty of the earthquake fault slip distribution, oil filling level of storage tanks, and fire starting time and position is incorporated into the new assessments. To demonstrate the methodology, a realistic case study is conducted for a coastal petrochemical industrial park in Japan conditioned on possible offshore moment magnitude 9.1 earthquakes. Contrary to typical tsunami direct impact assessments, the results highlight the cascading effects of tsunamis and large variability in key output variables concerning oil spills and fires. This indicates that the methodology is useful for deepening stakeholders' understanding of tsunami-triggered cascading disasters and improving risk reduction plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies that implement Integrated Management Systems (IMS) require approaches that optimize resources and results. In the case of IMS of a new or emerging nature, the use of dynamics risk analysis approaches and the integration of real-time monitoring data in the risk assessment process offers news perspectives. The objective of this work is to identify and classify leading indicators that facilitate the dynamic analyses of emerging risks in an IMS for quality, environment, and safety. For it, such indicator analysis has been based on a bibliographic analysis. Regarding results, firstly, a structure of indicators emerges configured of three categories organized in two levels. At the first level, it is established by the indicators of the IMS which can be integrated. The second level is configured of two categories of interrelated indicators, that is, process integrity indicators and occupational risks indicators. In turn, each of these three categories has two dimensions. The first dimension represents the direction of the indicator, leading or lagging indicator. The second dimension represents the risk nature, emerging or traditional risk. Secondly, a classification of the leading indicators is derived according to the categories of the indicators and the risk nature. This classification shows the direction of the leading indicators as well as qualitative graduation of the potential associated consequences. Said theoretical framework has been applied to a case study configured by a manufacturing process. Thus, a conceptual scheme has been developed that represents the first step towards a more in-depth and detailed development that allows the identification and definition of specific leading indicators within an IMS from a dynamic and emerging risk perspective.

The consequences that climate change could have on infrastructure systems are potentially severe but highly uncertain. This should make risk analysis a natural framework for climate adaptation in infrastructure systems. However, many aspects of climate change, such as weak background knowledge and societal controversy, make it an emerging risk where traditional approaches for risk assessment and management cannot be confidently employed. A number of research developments aimed at addressing these issues have emerged in recent years, such as the development of probabilistic climate projections, climate services, and robust decision frameworks. However, additional research is needed to improve the suitability of these methods for infrastructure planning. In this perspective, we outline some of the challenges in addressing climate change risks to infrastructure and summarize new developments aimed at meeting these challenges. We end by highlighting needs for future research, many of which could be well‐served by expertise within the risk analysis community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In arid and semi-arid areas the use of treated wastewater for crop irrigation and other agricultural practices, such as the use of pesticides, increase the number of emerging contaminants (ECs) in crops. Hazards of these practices to human being are largely unknown since there are few studies yet covering a short range of compounds and most of them under non-realistic conditions. This study aims at assessing this problem that will become global soon in an area of Saudi Arabia heavily affected by the reuse of treated wastewater and pesticide in order to ascertain its scale. The novelty of the study relays in the large number of ECs covered and the variety of crops (cabbage, barley, green beans, eggplants, chili, tomato and zucchini) analysed. Extraction procedure developed provided an appropriate extraction yield (up to 50% of the compounds were recovered within a 70–120% range), with good repeatability (relative standard deviations below 20% in most cases) and sensitivity (LOQ < 25 ng g−1) for the model compounds. Determination by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight (LC-QqTOF-MS) is able to identify >2000 contaminants. Sixty-four ECs were identified in wastewater but of the sixty-four compounds, six pharmaceuticals (atenolol, caffeine, carbamazepine and its metabolites 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine, gemfibrozil, and naproxen) and seven pesticides (acetamiprid, atrazine deethyl, azoxystrobin, bupirimate, diazinon, malathion, pirimicarb and some of their metabolites) were detected in plants. Furhermore, one metabolite of the ibuprofen (not detected in water or soil), the ibuprofen hexoside was also found in plants. Up to our knowledge, this study demonstrate for the first time the accumulation of ECs in crops irrigated with treated wastewater under real non-controlled environmental conditions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Sensitive LC-QqTOF-MS method successfully identify 64 contaminants in water. • Method's performance verified for 40 compounds in two matrices (cabbage and barley) • Presence of 18 pesticides, pharmaceuticals and/or degradation products in plants verified • Crops present more ECs (7) than soil (5) and at higher concentrations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Innovative biotechnologies are posing emerging risks. • Emerging risks in biorefining processes are often unrecognized or poorly understood. • A risk-based approach can help to address correctly safety issues related to biorefineries. Abstract The rapid progress of innovative biorefinery technologies raises the issue of emerging risk and major accident hazard in biorefineries, as process safety aspects of such technologies are not developing at the same pace with respect to their dissemination and scale-up. To address such problem, in the present work a consequence-based approach was integrated in the framework of a consolidated QRA methodology (ARAMIS), formerly developed in the context of Seveso Directive in the process industries (mainly oil&gas). Among all the possible scenarios identified using ARAMIS, Relevant Accident Scenarios (RAS) were selected by calculating hazard distances using threshold values for the evaluation of damages on human target derived from existing regulations on the control of major accident hazards. The method has been described and used to quantify the risk associated to a biorefinery process: the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass materials to levulinic acid and gamma-valerolactone, where the use of hazardous substances and severe process conditions are required. Using the proposed approach allowed to reduce the number of scenarios to be retained for further analysis. The RAS resulted 1/3 of the scenarios initially identified, simplifying the rest of the risk assessment procedure. The integrated methodology enabled to depict a risk figure for the plant analysed which is not over-conservative, being beneficial during the risk management phase, when risk reduction measures have to be selected and implemented in order to achieve risk tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology has aroused great interest in the construction industry because new materials with outstanding properties are being designed, and the features of traditional materials can be improved. However, exposure to nanomaterials is the most recent new emerging risk in the construction industry and the current knowledge about this topic is limited. This paper aims to identify the main aspects regarding the exposure to and use of nanomaterials in the construction sector from a risk prevention perspective. This starting point allows authors to establish a set of recommendations structured in order to identify how and where to act in order to manage the risk of exposure to nanomaterial on construction sites.

In occupational exposure to vibration, the risk assessment process is defined through a regulatory framework that presents some relevant metrological problems. This framework considers methods based on estimation and on measurements. Estimation methods could employ existing information that is provided for each manufacturer to each individual tool or application to carry out such estimation. The use of estimation methods has some problems, such as substantial uncertainty. When using measurement methods, some metrological aspects are not fully defined. Therefore, a new and emerging risk appears due to certain methodologic limitations. Consequently, the variation between the estimated and the actual values could overestimate the level of occupational exposure to vibrations. Thus, with this paper, a critical analysis of this emerging metrological problem is provided. For this, a critical analysis of the metrological requirements regarding European standards is developed. To this end, the estimation method and measure method are investigated, considering, in both cases, the main factors related to uncertainty, reliability, and traceability. With this structure, a set of metrological limitations have been identified, thus pointing towards future lines of research that allow the improvement of the process of assessing the level of occupational exposure to vibrations.

Abstract Environmental Health services in the UK have been subject to significant resource reduction over the last 5 years. It is suggested that services risk becoming unsustainable unless efficient and effective ways of working are employed. With this in mind this paper presents the findings of research into the experience of practitioners who are developing and delivering evolving Environmental Health services in English local authorities in the context of deep cutting budget reductions. The research explores the experience of change and identifies lessons learnt in the development and execution of new models of Environmental Health service delivery to mitigate against risks of unsustainable or undeliverable services. Interviews were carried out with the participants to capture their experience of change and the impact on service delivery. A range of service delivery models have been examined including outsourcing, shared services, regional delivery models and discussion of mutual arrangements and at various stages of development from planning through to full transformation. Field work was undertaken between 2014 and 2016. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts has identified six emergent themes of the experience of change: managing changes effectively; understanding the reasons for change; understanding the nature of Environmental Health; meaningful consultation; viability of the proposal; planning and timeliness. Environmental Health services undergoing transformation may benefit from taking into account the lessons learnt by organisations that have previously undergone significant change in their response to the risk of a reducing resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several pufferfish species belonging to the Tetraodontidae family are currently present in the Mediterranean Sea. Since 2013 Lagocephalus sceleratus is increasingly reported also along Italian coasts, where other two species of less concern, Lagocephalus lagocephalus and Sphoeroides pachygaster , have also occured since a long time. This study represents one of the first attempts to sistematically describe the occurrence in the Mediterranean, and in particular along Italian coasts, of the three aforesaid species, in order to characterize an emerging public health hazard. Reports were searched in scientific articles and dedicated online databases. The following data were collected: number of specimens and type of record, geographical location and date of report, fish size, depth and type of seabed. Overall, at least 111079 individuals of the three species were found in the Mediterranean Sea, including 110237 specimens of L. sceleratus (since 2003), 126 of L. lagocephalus (1878–2017) and 716 of S. pachygaster (1979–2017). The evident differences confirm the invasive character of the toxic Lessepsian immigrant L. sceleratus , the species of main public health concern. Despite this species was recorded along Italian coasts in low numbers (0.08% of the total individuals of L. sceleratus ) and its current distribution is limited to southern regions, the picture could change rapidly. Moreover, the collected data show that most L. sceleratus specimens have a large size and are mainly caught by commercial fishing gears. These factors may increase the risk of this species entering the seafood chain with serious consequences for consumers’ health. Results suggest that the presence of L. sceleratus should be strictly monitored. Institutional measures should be implemented to inform people as regards a new hazard that has the potential to affect the Italian seafood chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable research effort is invested in the development of evidence to help policy makers and industry deal with the challenges associated with existing and emerging food safety threats. This research aimed to elicit expert views regarding the relationship between the drivers of existing and emerging food safety risks, in order to facilitate their control and mitigation, and to provide the basis for further international policy integration. A Delphi approach involving repeated polling of n = 106 global food safety experts was adopted. The primary drivers of existing and emerging food safety risks were identified to be demographic change, economic driving forces, resource shortages, environmental driving forces, increased complexity of the food supply chain, water security and malevolent activities . The identification of socio-economic and biophysical drivers emphasises the need for a transdisciplinary and systems approach to food safety management and mitigation. The mitigation of hazards on a case-by-case basis is unlikely to have a major impact on food safety hazards but may have unintended effects (where positive or negative) across a broad spectrum of food safety issues. Rather a holistic or systems approach is required which can address both the intended and unintended effects of different drivers and their interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of cyber risk has increased in the economy and especially in insurance firms. Using data from publicly traded U.S. property-casualty (P&C) insurers, we examine the trend in cyber risk identification from 2006 to 2015, as well as firms’ characteristics related to cyber risk perception. Roughly one-quarter of our sample identified cyber risk as a material risk factor in 2006, and this group of our sample grew to include substantially all insurers by 2013. The firms that were “early adopters” of cyber risk identification tend to be the smaller, more highly leveraged and higher growth firms. These firms are also more concentrated in their line of business portfolio and use less external reinsurance. This evidence may suggest that the early identifiers of cyber risk were the most sensitive to potential disruption based on their size or firm risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large mediatic coverage of recent massive wildfires across the world has emphasized the vulnerability of freshwater resources. The extensive hydrogeomorphic effects from a wildfire can impair the ability of watersheds to provide safe drinking water to downstream communities and high-quality water to maintain riverine ecosystem health. Safeguarding water use for human activities and ecosystems is required for sustainable development; however, no global assessment of wildfire impacts on water supply is currently available. Here, we provide the first global evaluation of wildfire risks to water security, in the form of a spatially explicit index. We adapted the Driving forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Response risk analysis framework to select a comprehensive set of indicators of fire activity and water availability, which we then aggregated to a single index of wildfire-water risk using a simple additive weighted model. Our results show that water security in many regions of the world is potentially vulnerable, regardless of socio-economic status. However, in developing countries, a critical component of the risk is the lack of socio-economic capability to respond to disasters. Our work highlights the importance of addressing wildfire-induced risks in the development of water security policies; the geographic differences in the components of the overall risk could help adapting those policies to different regional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides traditional occupational risks (TR), industrial processes can generate other risks described by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) as “new and emerging risks” (NER). The basic definition of NER is that of “ any occupational risk that is both new and increasing ”, existing several studies carried out by the EU-OSHA where the set of the above mentioned risks is identified and analyzed, both general and specific. However, as demonstrated in recent studies, the direct use of this set of NER in risk assessment techniques, generally applied in industrial processes and in particular those characterized by advanced technology, may result in the identification of TR instead of NER, mainly due to the fact that they have been defined without following a risk reference model. In order to solve this problem, a risk model that improves and complements the EU-OSHA’s NER definition has been developed with the abovementioned investigations. However, this model has two limitations. First, the model does not contemplate the possibility of considering independently the new risks (NR) and increasing risks (IR). Second, this model does not allow monitoring NER evolution over time, therefore it is not currently possible to determine, in general, the temporary validity of such risks. Thus, the main objective of this work is to develop a theoretical framework for the modeling of the NER that allows its monitoring through the technology lifecycle (TLC), especially in industrial processes. To develop this framework, first it has been carried out an analysis of the limitations previously mentioned as well as the related literature. In this way, a theoretical context that allows to justify and argue properly the development of three new models for the NER, NR and IR has been set up. These named models allow, on the one hand, characterizing and differentiating the new qualities from the increasing qualities associated to risk. On the other hand, these models allow defining a set of risk typologies. These typologies have been associated with risk evolutionary phases likely to be integrated into the TLC, especially of a given industrial process, allowing monitoring over time of its NER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established an Emerging Risks Exchange Network (EREN) to exchange information between EFSA and the Member states (MSs) on possible emerging risks for food and feed safety in 2010. The Network is composed of delegates from MSs and Norway designated through the Advisory Forum of EFSA and observers from the European Commission, EU pre-accession countries, the Food and Drug Administration of the USA and the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. Through 2010 to 2014, the EREN met 12 times. The EREN discussed a total of 63 signals of potential emerging issues that were presented and assessed using a standard template developed by the Emerging Risks unit of EFSA (EMRISK). Out of these signals, 39 originated from EFSA, 24 from MSs. The issues discussed were mainly microbiological and chemical hazards, but also food safety issues as result of illegal activity, new consumer consumption trends, biotoxins, new technologies and processes, allergens, animal health, environmental pollution, new analytical methods, new food packaging technology and unknown hazards were on the agenda. Based on the available evidence, EREN recommended whether an issue should be considered emerging or not, and if it merited further consideration, such as generating data on the issue, starting a full risk assessment and/or consultation of other bodies. According to the emerging risks identification process set in place at EFSA, the issues discussed and found of relevance by EREN were sent to the EFSA's Scientific Committee Standing Working Group on Emerging Risks for final evaluation. With four case studies, i.e the zoonotic potential of Usutu virus, risk of ciguatera fish poisoning in EU, zoonotic aspects of illegally imported wildlife products and benefits and risks of 3D food printing, the method developed to preliminary assess signals of potential emerging issues is presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility to the information increased by the development of IT converging technology and therefore various information such as economy, society, technology, culture and etc are distributed without limit to time and place. Data mining that discovers useful information by analyzing the data that accumulated to a large amount is receiving spotlight. By the distribution of IoT machine, the collection of life log has been eased and the interest on personalized service fit to the used is increasing. Companies and nationals use various analysis methods to develop big data that is accumulated for the safety of its people and asset into simple index. Meteorological Administration analyze the weather data and provide service through internet and app by developing weather index analyzing the extent of influence of weather on life, health and industry. The weather index measure by each region by using data collected real time at the weather observation point. Weather index is classified into the life weather index, health weather index and industry weather index by fields and provide coping measures per steps along with precautions. The weather index provided at this present is a simple service that did not consider the correlation of the index. Also it has a problem of not considering the situation by the location of the user. This study suggests emerging risk forecast system using associative index mining analysis. The suggesting method is the monitoring system focused on the user by analyzing the associative index using data mining and forecasting emerging risk by reflecting the user situation information. Index data collects the weather index XML file by using the Rest call method through the Meteorological Administration. The collected weather index analyzed the association relationship and interrelationship between the index by using the Apriori algorithm and Pearson correlation coefficient of the data mining. User situation information collects the surrounding temperature and humidity using the Zigbee communication. Collected temperature and humidity is applied to the daily weather index and health weather index and calculated fit for the situation of the user and the industry weather index is calculated focused on the user by using the association relationship and interrelationship between the index. By using the calculated weather index focused on the user, emerging risk of the life, health and industry scope is forecasted. Emerging risk is classified into life emerging risk, health emerging risk, industry emerging risk by the forecast method and is divided into four steps of low, general, high and danger. Emerging risk forecast system using the associative index mining analysis suggested provides precaution followed in the emerging risk and provides service such as weather index, weather information, user situation information etc of the Meteorological Administration. The suggested emerging risk forecasting system is the user based monitoring simulation that calculates the weather index real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Risks and applications of BCIs are studied in safety and security fields. • Fatigue detection, safety control, and risk identification categories are linked to safety. • Cyberattacks and authentication categories are linked to security. • BCIs are both a source of risk and technology for risk prevention. • The BCI technology is analyzed as an emerging risk. With the recent increasing interest of researchers for Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), emerges a challenge for safety and security fields. Thus, the general objective of this research is to explore, from an engineering perspective, the trends and main research needs on the risks and applications of BCIs in safety and security fields. In addition, the specific objective is to explore the BCIs as an emerging risk. The method used consists of the sequential application of two phases. The first phase is carried out a scoping literature review. And with the second phase, the BCIs are analyzed as an emerging risk. With the first phase, thematic categories are analyzed. The categories are fatigue detection, safety control, and risk identification within the safety field. And within the security field are the categories cyberattacks and authentication. As a result, a trend is identified that considers the BCI as a source of risk and as a technology for risk prevention. Also, another trend based on the definitions and concepts of safety and security applied to BCIs is identified. Thus, "BCI safety" and "BCI security" are defined. The second phase proposes a general emerging risk framing of the BCI technology based on the qualitative results of type, level, and management strategies for emerging risk. These results define a framework for studying the safety and security of BCIs. In addition, there are two challenges. Firstly, to design techniques to assess the BCI risks. Secondly, probably more critical, to define the tolerability criteria of individual and social risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]