Free Essays on Olmec

Mexico's ancient cultures helped shape the country as it is today. There was no direct succession from one group to another. Instead, many cultures existed at the same time in various parts of Mexico and Middle America (Mesoamerica), among them, the Olmecs, the Teotihuacans, the Maya, the Mixtecs, the Zapotecs, the Tarascans, the Totonacs and the Aztecs. The Olmecs were one of the earliest recorded civilisations living in the humid lowlands of southern Veracruz and Tabasco along the Gulf of Mexico. The word Olmec means 'the dweller in the land of rubber'. The Olmecs were great sculptors, and are most famous for their carvings of huge human heads made from boulders, some weighing as much as fifty tons.They were an advanced Mayan culture in religion, architecture and mathematical systems. By AD 500, two great cities had emerged, Teotihuacan (with a population of approximately 200,000) and Cholula, a religious centre near Puebla that survived until the Spanish Conquest in 1521. The height of Mayan civilisation was reached between AD 600 - 900. The Toltecs, whose capital was Tula, were the predominant civilisation of this time. Known for their fine architecture, elegant speech and intellectual pursuits, they were the ancestors of the famous Aztecs who were thriving at the time Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492. In 1519, this part of the world was to change forever with the arival of the Spanish under the leadership of Cortà ©s. At this time the Aztec Empire controlled vast territories from the Yucatn peninsula to the Pacific, with over 370 individual nations under their authority. Ruling from their capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs demanded heavy tribute from their subjects, which may have caused some to side with Cortà ©s in his attack on the Aztecs. The other factor on Cortà ©s’ side was the lucky coincidence that 1519 was the exact year when legend had it that the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl, had promised his follower... Free Essays on Olmec Free Essays on Olmec Mexico's ancient cultures helped shape the country as it is today. There was no direct succession from one group to another. Instead, many cultures existed at the same time in various parts of Mexico and Middle America (Mesoamerica), among them, the Olmecs, the Teotihuacans, the Maya, the Mixtecs, the Zapotecs, the Tarascans, the Totonacs and the Aztecs. The Olmecs were one of the earliest recorded civilisations living in the humid lowlands of southern Veracruz and Tabasco along the Gulf of Mexico. The word Olmec means 'the dweller in the land of rubber'. The Olmecs were great sculptors, and are most famous for their carvings of huge human heads made from boulders, some weighing as much as fifty tons.They were an advanced Mayan culture in religion, architecture and mathematical systems. By AD 500, two great cities had emerged, Teotihuacan (with a population of approximately 200,000) and Cholula, a religious centre near Puebla that survived until the Spanish Conquest in 1521. The height of Mayan civilisation was reached between AD 600 - 900. The Toltecs, whose capital was Tula, were the predominant civilisation of this time. Known for their fine architecture, elegant speech and intellectual pursuits, they were the ancestors of the famous Aztecs who were thriving at the time Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492. In 1519, this part of the world was to change forever with the arival of the Spanish under the leadership of Cortà ©s. At this time the Aztec Empire controlled vast territories from the Yucatn peninsula to the Pacific, with over 370 individual nations under their authority. Ruling from their capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs demanded heavy tribute from their subjects, which may have caused some to side with Cortà ©s in his attack on the Aztecs. The other factor on Cortà ©s’ side was the lucky coincidence that 1519 was the exact year when legend had it that the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl, had promised his follower...

Making Inferences to Improve Reading Comprehension

Making Inferences to Improve Reading Comprehension Students with dyslexia have difficulty drawing inferences from written text. A study completed by F.R. Simmons and C.H. Singleton in 2000 compared the reading performance of students with and without dyslexia. According to the study, students with dyslexia scored similarly when asked literal questions to those without dyslexia; however, when asked questions that relied on inferences, the students with dyslexia scored much lower than those without dyslexia. Inference: Key to Comprehension Inference is drawing conclusions based on information that has been implied rather than directly stated and is an essential skill in reading comprehension. People make inferences every day, both in oral and written communication. Many times this is so automatic most readers or listeners dont even realize the information wasnt included in the conversation or text. For example, read the following sentences: My wife and I tried to pack light but we made sure not to forget our bathing suits and sunblock. I wasnt sure if I would get seasick again so I made sure to pack some medicine for upset stomachs. You can deduct a great deal of information from these sentences: The author is married.He and his wife are going on a trip.They are going to be on a boat.They will be around water.They will be going swimming.They have gone swimming before.The author has gotten seasick on a boat in the past. This information was not clearly stated in the sentences, but you can use what was written to deduce or infer much more than what was said. Most of the information students get from reading comes from what is implied rather than direct statements, as you can see from the amount of information available by reading between the lines. It is through inferences that words take on meaning. For students with dyslexia, the meaning behind the words is often lost. Teaching Inferences Making inferences requires students to combine what they are reading with what they already know, to reach into their own personal knowledge and apply it to what they are reading. In the previous example, a student needs to know that having a bathing suit means someone is going swimming and that getting seasick means someone is going on a boat. This previous knowledge helps readers make inferences and understand what they are reading. Although this is a natural process and students with dyslexia may be able to apply these concepts to an oral conversation, they have more difficulty doing so with printed material. Teachers must work with such students to help them understand the process of making inferences, to be aware of inferences made in oral conversations, and then to apply this understanding to written works. Suggested Activities The following are ideas and activities teachers can use to reinforce inferring information from text: Show and infer. Rather than show and tell, have students bring in a few items that tell about themselves. The items should be in a paper bag or trash bag, something the other children cant see through. The teacher takes one bag at a time, bringing out the items, and the class uses them as clues to figure out who brought in the items. This teaches children to use what they know about their classmates to make educated guesses. Fill in the blanks. Use a short excerpt or passage appropriate for the grade level and take out words, inserting blanks in their place. Students must use clues in the passage to determine an appropriate word to fill the blank space. Use pictures from magazines. Have students bring in a picture from a magazine showing different facial expressions. Discuss each picture, talking about how the person might be feeling. Have students give supporting reasons for their opinion, such as, I think he is angry because his face is tense. Shared reading. Have students read in pairs; one student reads a short paragraph and must summarize the paragraph to her partner. The partner asks questions that have not been specifically answered in the summary to have the reader make inferences about the passage. Graphic thought organizers. Use worksheets to help students organize their thoughts to help come up with inferences. Worksheets can be creative, such as a picture of a ladder going up a tree to a treehouse. Students write their inference in the treehouse, and the clues to back up the inference on each rung of the ladder. Worksheets can also be as simple as folding a paper in half and writing the inference on one side of the paper and the supporting statements on the other. Sources Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions. 6 Nov. 2003. Cuesta College.On Target: Strategies to Help Readers Make Meaning through Inferences. South Dakota Department of Education.The Reading Comprehension Abilities Of Dyslexic Students in Higher Education. Fiona Simmons-Chris Singleton - Dyslexia - 2000.

Cultural Assessment (M3C) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Assessment (M3C) - Essay Example 2. I hit 13 wrong answers. I thought cross-cultural misunderstanding between the provider and patient is not related to clinical outcomes (q.1), but actually it affects diagnosis. I assumed that a really conscientious health provider can eliminate his or her own prejudices or negative assumptions about certain types of patients (q.4), but it is false. I assumed that speaking slowly was the best way for the provider to talk to the patient through interpreter (q.9), but it is false. I thought having a family member as an interpreter is the best solution (q.10), but since they lack technical knowledge, it is not the best solution. I thought that the provider can predict patients’ health behaviors if he is aware of the latter’s culture (q. 11), which is false. I thought that friendly contact is not an important part of Latin American people’s communication (q.12), when it is. When Japanese men go to US, they do not retain their susceptibility to heart disease (q.13), but I thought they did.

Global Economic Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Economic Issues - Essay Example Financial services organizations that act in the international arena in facilitating financial flows between lenders and borrowers have to operate in a strategically competitive environment that compels them to adopt a quintessentially ideological stance which Stiglitz (2008) attributes to the predominance of the financial community’s view of the world (Lechner and Boli, 2008, p. 204). Stiglitz’s tirade against globalism and its consequences is not a one-sided affair either. Criticism of Washington Consensus, which advocates a minimum role for the government while at the same time actively encouraging privatization and trade liberalization, has not been a recent phenomenon (Stiglitz, 2003). International financial services institutions play a major role in determining the very outcomes in globalization process to such an extent that their impact is felt in the far corners of the globe in every sphere of decision making including those of the central governments’ and local bodies’. According to Stiglitz international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), have been pushing forth a particular line of â€Å"market fundamentalism† that pays little or no attention to third world countries’ diverse needs. This total irrelevancy of policies that these institutions advocate for developing countries is nothing new even in respect of those East Asian economies like South Korea and Taiwan. However these latter countries could successfully ignore the Washington dictated reformist formula and achieve a greater degree of equality among their citizens. Globalization and/or globalism particularly refer to a set of liberal economic principles that underlie the very nature of how best to expand international trade and commerce links beyond the national borders of countries (Nagdeman, 2009). While the underlying theoretical constructs basically refer to such parallel concepts as international free trade and

Discuss ways in which Dickinson explores Essay Example for Free

Discuss ways in which Dickinson explores Essay The sense of the abstract covers a wide varity of ideas such as imagery and language. In ‘Going to Him! Happy letter’ Emily Dickinson explores these ideas of the abstract theme through her use of language. The sense of the abstract is explored through Dickinson’s method of thinking (unlike many of the people in the 1800’s) she was ahead of her time, writing about modern ideas in the 1800’s. Her poems never have a straight forward meaning, this is the abstract, concealing the meaning in her poems and thinking outside of the box. The abstract object in the poem also known as ‘494’ is the letter, which is referred to throughout the poem. Stanza one opens with ‘Going to Him! Happy letter! ’, immediately we see privacy in Dickinson’s poem, by using ‘Him’ we are left in the dark since we do not know who ‘Him’ is. This indicates that the poem is about a mysterious figure that she may or may not have feeling for. This creates obscurity around the abstract subject of the letter. The use of capitalizing ‘Him’ emphasizes the importance of this person, but still keeps the mystery alive, building up expectations. We know that the poem is about a letter; by including an exclamation mark after the word ‘letter! ’ makes it seem joyful, due to the context that it is in. However, the use of the exclamation marks also gives the feeling that the letter is being instructed to be happy; Emily Dickinson needs the letter to be cheerful when it is received in order for her true feeling to be realized. The exclamation marks can also be used in other contexts giving other feelings, such as, ‘Cautious! ’ by including this exclamation mark; the letter is made to seem vigilant. The imagery presented by the use of language adds to the sense of the abstract. In stanza one ‘Left the verb and the pronoun out’ shows how Emily Dickinson wants to say things to this mysterious person, but she is not giving away her true feelings and emotions or she is having trouble doing so. This relates to Emily Dickinson’s personal character, we know she was an extremely private woman who enjoyed her own company rather than others, which explains why she is having such difficulties showing her feelings. Throughout the poem there is repetition of the word, ‘Tell Him-‘followed by a dash, this indicates that Dickinson is building up expectations as well as anticipation. The word ‘Tell Him’ is also instructing the letter, assuring her message is received and understood. This links to the main idea in the poem, of being your own critic. Dickinson is constantly judging her own work, assuring that it can be the best it can be, so that when the letter is received, the message is given in the correct context. The use of dashes during the poem is indicating that Dickinson’s though process was changing a great pace, when reading the poem it seems as if the main idea drifts, which is the same as thoughts drifting in and out of our minds as we think. By using dashes when reading the poem the imagery is brought to life, because, the poem moves fast by changing topic, an example of the changing topic is, ‘But – if he ask where you are hid’. This also masks Dickinson’s true feelings towards this mysterious man, since we can never get her precise emotions. The sense of the abstract is enhanced by the personification of the letter, since the letter is the abstract idea. The poem is about Dickinson writing about the process of writing a letter, and by giving the letter feelings, brings to life the abstract idea. The letter is made to feel sleepy, a human sensation, shown by, ‘Any you – got sleepy’, which explains how as the letter progresses, it like a human becomes tired due to the amount of work it is having to do. The letter is again personified in stanza one, Dickinson expresses how she wishes the paper she is writing on had eyes, so that, it could see what she wants to say rather than she writes it, this is shown by the use of, ‘eyes in your pages’. The letter is personified throughout the poem adapting a personality; the amount of detail Dickinson includes in her letter brings to life the letter. This makes the poem seen as if there is a conversation between two separate people, (Emily Dickinson and the letter) Dickinson is asking whether her letter is good or not. The sense of the abstract is explored through what Emily Dickinson is trying to say. The letter is Dickinson’s feelings and thoughts. By writing a letter to a possible lover shows how difficult it can be to admit ones true mind-set and emotions. This is shows in stanza two when Dickinson explains that the letter was hard and different for her to write, ‘it wasn’t a Practiced Writer’. Since she does not write her emotions on paper, she believes that when the man reads her letter, her emotions will not be acknowledged in the way that she desires. The abstract theme is explored around the idea of the letter. This is through Dickinson’s method of attempting to write it in the correct context assuring it is received in the exact way she means it to be sent. The poem has modern day issues faced within it, such as, when writing an e-mail we hit the same problems, for example how will the recipient interpret the message? And will the message be taken in the wrong way? This is what the poems underlying meaning is about, sending a message (in this case a letter), and when writing it, thinking about how the message is received.

Violent Video Games and Aggressive Behavior :: Violent Video Games Youth Violence

Violent Video Games and Aggressive Behavior Statistics have shown that the violence among young people is increasing every year. Many people blame musicians and other types of artists who portray negative actions as something positive. Others might blame the parents for not watching over their children. But many people fail to bring up technology as an issue. With the new DVD that shows sex and violence or computers that gives kids access to unauthorized sites, technology is something that many parents need to look out for. Violent video games can also have a major impact on a child's thinking and actions. In many ways video games have had a negative impact on young children in today's society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New game systems like Game Cube, X Box, or Sony Play station 2 are the new hype of the 21st century. The games for these systems can affect children as well as adults. These video games have caused many problems in our society regarding issues such as addiction to games, and depression among adult. According to Grossman, many children starting from their early teenage years found that almost a third played video games on a daily basis and 10% played for at least 25 hours a week. Street Fighter, Grand Theft Auto and Halo are very interactive in the violence of slaughtering the opponent that children find very exciting. Even though the video game industries put signs like "Rated 18 or older and state violence level that are not recommended for children under age of 12 on the game boxes parents ignore the signs and still continue to purchase these items. In the modern popular game the bad guys don't just disappear after they die like they used to, they act out real l ife actions. For example, someone who gets shot in the neck normally falls to his knees while holding his face in the old games. Now when the characters get shot, blood squirts all over the place, covering the whole scene while the other opponent just laughs or does a victory dance. Even when some video games have explosives, the character’s body parts explode everywhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A perfect example of how violent video games have had a negative impact on young people is the Columbine High School shooting which took place on April 20, 1999. There were two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who turned an average high school day into a massacre in Littleton, Colorado.

How Can We Say Environment Essay

The world is getting worse day by day. The most significant reasons contributing this non-grata situation are increased CO2 emission ratio, water and soil pollution and so on. Concerned people are always accusing the administers, governments and big companies of destroying nature. To some extent this argument is true; however, every single individual has to recognize the importance of the environment and bear certain responsibilities. We can be the trigger factor of a remarkable change by making small changes in our daily life. The initial step is reducing our energy consumption. Owing the fact that a considerable amount of the electricity need is met by hydroelectric and thermal power plants, the more we use the electricity, the worse the environment is affected. The thermal power plants is mainly run by fossil fuels which make an irrevocable impact on nature by rising the CO2 emissions to dramatic levels. As a concrete instance, since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide concentration on air has doubled. Hence, by taking small steps like switching off the lights, plugging off the devices instead of keeping them on stand-by; we can decrease the energy consumption. 70% of the human body consists of water. This fact explains how crucial is the water for our existence. Due to the fact that only 2.5% of all water in the world is fresh water, water pollution threatens not only the wild life but also the human nature. In addition, if we add the water scarcity issue, the water will cause the conflicts in the future. Thus, this case must be taken into consideration more seriously by governments, companies and people. For example we can contribute to water conversation by doing small things in our houses such as installing environmental-friendly showerheads, using efficient dishwasher instead of washing the dishes by hand and running it when it’s full. These may seem very tiny but who knows, a snowflake may turn into an avalanche. In my point of view, the most important phase is to create a chance for this snowflake to evolve into an avalanche. But how? I think it can be done by informing people. As an outcome of Industrial Revolution, companies and governments has become more greedy. Earning money and protect their reputation have been their only mission and for the sake of these ends, they are killing the environment. Dramatically, there isn’t adequate protest against these circumstances. Furthermore, the existing protests are suppressed or censored. That’s why I support this argument. If we inform people about the seriousness of this issue and encourage them to take responsibility, the hardest part will be passed. Shortly, two are more powerful than one. If this can be achieved, an enormous step will be taken towards a bright future. When one thinks about how huge is the environment and notices the smallness of himself, he may think that â€Å"What I do is already meaningless.† When everyone do some thing for both themselves and nature, it gains a critical meaning. As Neil Armstrong said: â€Å"This is one small step for me but one giant leap for the humankind†. Whatever we do about saving and protecting the nature as individuals, these all have positive effect on better tomorrows, surely.

Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Food Manufacturing Management Essay

Introduction Audit objectives Why Audit? The intentions of this Audit are as follows: Using a recognised GMP standard (UNIDO/BRC) assess and quantify the effectiveness of the current quality system that is in place. Recommend, upon review, strategies for improvement that can be made to meet, and potentially exceed, the minimum retail requirements. * Upon completion, allow the business to set attainable goals and objectives in order to drive the business forward. This is in an efficiency, production and legal capacity. Company Profile Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited started trading in 1922 as a specialist manufacturer of frozen fish products. The company employs 50-60 staff on site and has a total of 80-100 employees working throughout the group. The group has three factories. The other two are involved in primary processing and fish farming in the Shetland isles. The company supplies supermarkets, discounters, fish wholesalers, frozen food distributors and food service companies. The main market is the UK but the company also has a small export trade. Shetland SeaFish (Hull) limited has implemented a tightly controlled system of operational procedures including a fully documented HACCP system and quality manual. Business Environment The food industry is one under pressure. The fishing industry in particular is an area with its own particular problems which have a direct impact on this company as fish is its primary raw material. Over the past few years, environmental concern over diminishing fish stocks has contributed to increased governmental interdiction to manage fishing quotas. Although this may be the case for the national fishing industry, the world wide catch (up until recently) has been on a steady rise. This company sources raw material from worldwide locals (Particularly the Asiatic areas such as China and Scandinavian Seas) so the impact has been minimal. The way in which the company sources fish may change in the future, as internet auctions are on the increase, and this makes the market more of a volatile entity as prices can fluctuate as events affect fishing procurement. The other main problem with the food industry is the strength of the major multiples over the manufacturers. The major supermarkets to whom most food manufacturers supply, aim to maintain a constant gross profit margin which is typically quite large. To reflect this, the multiples like to pass down on-costs to the suppliers. Offers such as ‘buy one, get one free’ are fuelled by the manufacturer, and come straight from their bottom line. By running a â€Å"BOGOF† offer, it is affectively selling the product at half the unit price for the duration of the offer. One supermarket that this company has dealt with also deducts (on their own accord) a set price to go towards advertising and marketing. For example, a deduction of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 might be deducted from an invoice to them for product, with the reasoning being that even if that amount is not being used to directly promote that particular product, just by advertising the stores in general, the increased amount of customers flowing through the store, should they say, increase sales to the company’s product. This deduction from the invoice is imposed by the supermarket, and because you do not know how often they are going to do this, it makes costing for business more difficult. Combine this with the fact that at every price review by the supermarket buyer’s, they demand higher quality products, for a reduction in unit price, depresses margins lower than ever. The margin depression brings with it a set of problems. Because a company has to reduce its costs to meet the price points per units, so as to maintain the business with the supermarket, it makes it for a business to remain as profitable as what it would like to be. A smaller margin means that a company does not have the same amount of free capital available to it to make necessary re-investments which would help to procure more sales and increase throughput. In section four of the overview, a specific study of this is discussed in relation to an OEE study on one of the factories lines. There are several technological resolutions available which if purchased would go a long way to increase productivity. Unfortunately there are several financial constraints which place barriers to the procurement of these technological improvements. A brief discussion of ‘Chicken and Egg’ barriers is briefly explained in section four of the overview. The problem lies in the fact that if a new piece of equipment is needed to continue, or to improve production, then the company does not have enough liquid capital available to be able to purchase it outright. This means that the company would have to investigate borrowing facilities. The problem with this is that the company would like to have a secured amount of business from one of, or a combination of customers, in order to take on the risk of borrowing large amounts of money. The reason for this is that a company has to account for a payback period into their costing to cover borrowing and interest as well as machine depreciation. With shortened product placement tenures, the guarantee of continued business for this period is not there, inhibiting the business from wanting to take a risk of this magnitude. Eventually a company has to ‘bite the bullet’ and take a risk in order to increase turnover and throughput. Smaller margins also mean that there may not be enough of an increase in net profits to cover staff requirements. Each year there is a general staff appraisal to discuss the terms of wages and conditions. If the company is reduced in its profit capacity, then this trend is often relayed onto the workforce. f the company has diminished available finances then money is not possible to give staffs the annual increase in wages or to be able to invest in communal facilities. This has a knock on effect on staff morale and motivation if the annual increase is postponed or if it has to be cancelled. It manifests itself in some individuals in a revenge motivation mentality. As the individuals feel aggrieved because the company cannon comply with what the workers feel is a basic right, then they may wish to ‘get back’ at the company. At best this may just be by reducing their amount and quality of work, therefore their loyalty is affected. At worst, it could be resignation, dissention or even some form of industrial sabotage. Without the increase in wages rates it also lessens the difference between that and what the government sets as the national minimum wage. This poses a problem in relation to retaining, and gaining new employees. At one point, working in a factory used to attract a premium, but over time that has decreased to the point to where wage levels between shop workers and factory workers are almost the same. With the current work ethos among new employees (particularly young people) the dilemma of where would ‘I’ like to work arises. Either a (usually) smelly, shift work system, hard work inducing factory, or a shop, where they can go straight out from without having to go home for a shower and change, is less hard work and usually has a set nine until five work pattern. For the same, or similar, wage, most people appear to want to work in a shop. This displays a distinct shift from employment trends from primary or secondary employment to a majority of employment in the tertiary, or services, sector. If a company has a high turn-over of staff, then generally the quality of staffs decreases. This may then affect production output and efficiencies. One way that this can be combated is though an increase in staff training. This not only acts to both increase staff quality, but it also helps to improve the individuals’ job satisfaction. This is through increased competency, increased knowledge (i.e. making an individual more multi-skilled) and the feeling that they are not in a ‘dead-end’ job. In the industry sector to which this company falls, there is an increased amount of governmental grants available for staff training programmes. Within this factory, all of the employees of first tier level have all been through NVQ level 2 training in Food hygiene and handling. Production supervisors have received additional training to NVQ level three in this area. There is also a range of other courses that are being studied that are part funded, or reimbursed by, governmental policies. It is clear that there are some relatively easy ways to increase the efficiency and line throughputs of production. Unfortunately limiting factors come into play to inhibit potential growth as long as margins are squeezed smaller and smaller. This is a self perpetuating cycle. If allowed to make a little bit more profit then this can be channelled back into the business to increase production efficiency and overall turnover making the business more successful. Legal Issues There is a complex mine field of legislation that comes into play when dealing with a food unit operation. There is a whole plethora of acts and regulations which help to control the food industry which helps to protect the consumer from dubious practices and ensure that the final product that is consumed is of the expected substance, nature and quality demanded. There are several levels of legislation: * Acts, which are statutes passed down by parliament. * Regulations – which are made under specific acts * E.C. directives – which are passed down from the E.E.C. The Food safety enforcement officers have various enforcement powers which enable them to ensure that all of the legislation is correctly adhered to. These can be servicing notices, sampling and seizing foodstuffs, and also to instigate criminal proceedings if an offence is made. The main legislation affecting this business are to be listed as following; Food Safety Act, 1990 This act is in relation to the sale of food for human consumption and is applicable to all food premises. This act makes it an offence to: * Render food injurious to health * Sale or possession of food injurious to health, or that is unfit for, or is contaminated. * Sale of food that is not of the correct nature, substance and quality demanded by the consumer. * Give any false or misleading descriptions. The Food Premises (Registration) Regulations, 1991 (SI No. 2825) amended 1997 This regulation requires all food premises to register with the local, or port authority, in the area that they are situated. Every registration authority must keep a register, which can be accessed by the public for inspection. Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulation, 1995 (SI. No. 1763) This act provides general requirements for all food handlers and premises (with specific requirements for preparation areas, moveable and temp. premises, transport, equipment and the like) to be kept clean, facilitate cleaning, and prevent the accumulation of dirt. It also specifies a requirement for all food premises to identify all steps in the business that is critical to food safety, and to minimise these risks. The Food Safety (Temperature Controls) Regulations, 1995 (SI. No. 2200) This determines any matter involving a risk to food safety, in relation to the nature of the food, manner in which it is handled and packed, and processes and conditions under which it has been displayed or stored. No person should keep food that is likely to support the growth of pathogenic bacteria or the accumulation of their toxins. Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations, 1996 These regulations govern the origins of animal foodstuffs from countries outside the EEC. Since 1993, foodstuffs imported from other members of the EEC are not liable for inspection due to the open border policy, but they are still subject to the Food Safety Act 1990. Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (SI. No. 1499) These require most foodstuffs that are to be sold for human consumption be labelled with: * The name of the food. * List of ingredients (Quantifying ingredients mentioned in the name of the food). * Best before dates, which indicate minimum durability or perish ability of the food in relation to microbial or product degradation beyond being fit for human consumption. * Any specific storage conditions required. * Name and address of the manufacturer The Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs Regulations, 1990 (SI. No. 2615) amended 1994 Food that has undergone quick-freezing (i.e. whereby the zone of maximum crystallization as rapidly as possible) should be labelled as such. It must be suitably packaged so as to protect it from microbial and other contamination and also to protect from de-hydration. Must be labelled with: * BBE * Storage requirements including temps. * Batch reference * A clear message not to refreeze after defrosting. There are also some specific legislation relating to food poisoning: Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1994 The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1988 (SI. No. 1546) National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986 The National Health Service (Food Premises) Regulations, 1987 (SI. No. 18) The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) These pieces of legislation relate to reports of incidences of food poisoning and food borne illness. It empowers officers to investigate food premises on the basis of risk to increased infection, and to identify the source of food poisoning illnesses. Separate to food related issues there are also a number of other pieces of legislation that apply to most businesses. These are: Health & Safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 1994 (SI. No. 3246) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation, 1985 (SI. No. 2023) The Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989 (SI. No. 635) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2051) The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 3004) The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2966) The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, 1992 (SI. No. 2793) All of these laws are in relation to keeping equipment in good order; provide all PPE, also in good order, and to report all accidents and medical problems caused by/ at work. There are some new environmental legislation in relation to waste water and effluent, and also the climate change levy. There are also waste land fill laws (After B.S.E. and Foot and Mouth no food wastes can be further processed into animal feeds) It is clear that there are a lot of laws that help to keep the consumer, and employees safe, both in relation to food safety and personal safety. In order to comply with all of these laws, and check with the company’s compliance to these, the office of fair trading and the environmental health office audit the factory on a regular basis. Section 2 Key Findings Summations on Audit checklists Section by section review HACCP System: The company has a very detailed and comprehensive HACCP system following the Codex principles and based on risk assessment for each product type. The latest revision is June 2002. The HACCP documentation includes Introduction (Intro, team, product description, intended use, flow diagram, and verification of flow, controls and hazards), Process flow (product, production process), Hazards, Hazard analysis and Hygiene controls. The site technical manager who is qualified in advance food hygiene leads the HACCP team. The other HACCP team members include the production manager, financial director, business consultant, Q.A. supervisor and H&S officer. They have all received training in HACCP principles. Eight CCP’s have been identified and clearly marked around the site. These include; R.M. intake, band saw room, product storage, packaging storage, coatings, sauce making, sauce buggies, sauce deposition and metal detection. Shetland SeaFish (in conjunction with Cravenglow consultant limited) has produced a handbook for employees entitled â€Å"Understanding HACCP and the British Retail Consortium Quality Award†. This book was issued to all staff before going through their first successful BRC audit, and is issued to new staff during induction. The Handbook explains; HACCP terms and working practices, details the eight CCP’s, How to control potential Hazards, How HACCP works, Different types of Hazard, other important HACCP information and an introduction to the BRC standard Quality Management System: The site operations/quality manual has been fully implemented and indexed in the latest revision (Revision 4 October 2002) to the BRC technical standard version three. Policies and procedures referenced to the HACCP manual and currently cover all of the identified critical controls. Each working area has its own handbook that includes some or all of the following: Factory cleaning procedures Technical terms Key staff Safe working practices Factory procedures QA procedures applicable to the area. A specifications file maintained by the company has a programme of internal audits that cover the entire quality system twice per year. The handling of complaints is the responsibility of the Technical manager. Complaints are referenced individually, by customer, and complaint type. Corrective actions arising from complaints are recorded. An approved supplier list is in operation, deliveries assessed at intake, and supplier performance reviewed quarterly. One of the key findings of this audit has been that although the supplier audit plans clearly defined and laid out, it has not been adhered to. This needs rectifying by the time of the next audit. Factory Environmental Standards: The factory is well located just off the main route into Hull, and has a logical process flow. The buildings are well constructed. Walls panelled with false ceiling and smooth concrete floors. Equipment is industry standard and is be well maintained. There is a planned maintenance system administered by a well-resourced engineering department. Staff changing facilities are provided by separate storage of work wear and personnel wear with staff locker rooms situated well away from production. Work clothing situated in changing facilities on the entrance to the production facility. A dedicated night hygiene crew operate a comprehensive cleaning programme, verified using bioluminescence ATP swabs. This form of assessment is under utilised. By conducting more swabs, a more indicative trend analysis can be compiled. This system could also be extended to incorporate hand swabbing, so as to gauge the effectiveness of the staffs hand washing. A comprehensive pest control contract is in place with â€Å"Rentokil† and no infestation reported. The only addition to this regime would be to introduce catch tray analysis. This is not done at present, although Rentokil have been asked to provide a quote for the service. The reason that catch tray analysis is so important is that various indicator species of insect may help to identify a particular problem within the factory. Another option is that the accountant is a qualified entomologist. The suggestion has been made that they complete the catch tray analysis on behalf of the company. Transport and waste removal are both contracted out services. Product Control: There is a product development procedure detailing the process steps and documentation held for customer driven development work. Development work is mainly restricted to crumbs, batters and sauces and as such, the suppliers of these materials carry out a lot of the work. Product is analysed on line hourly by trained QC staff External chemical and microbiological analyses are carried out at a UKAS accredited external laboratory. The result turn around is typically ten days. There is an investigation into the possibility of bringing the microbiological testing into a feasible in-house solution. The testing procedures preferred are the rapid methods that are now available on the market. These allow for rapid enumeration and identification in unprecedented speeds compared to traditional plating methods. Because of the simplicity of the tests, it reduces the degrees of error that might be entertained in old style methods, and also it helps to simplify the lab quality manual. All of these rapid methods are AOAC accredited methods and are thus suitable for ISO 17025 standards, which is a pre-requisite for the accreditation edicts stated for BRC compliance. Products coded to allow stock rotation, and on-site stock levels kept to a minimum. The cold store has the capacity for approximately 600 pallets, which are on a mobile racking system. Metal detection is carried out on all products at 3.5mm non-fe and 3.5mm fe. Legislation is on the way to incorporate testing using S. Steel rods as well, using the same sensitivity levels. Product is released based on on-line QC testing. A non-conformance procedure is used to prevent the despatch of non-conforming product and its restriction to quarantine. Process Control: Control of sauce cooking and processing is closely monitored by QC and thermographs are in place to verify sauce cooking profiles. QC also regularly verifies process parameters and freezer temperatures. Continuous quantity control monitoring equipment is in place on the coated fish line. Check-weigh systems are calibrated at the start of each day following a detailed calibration procedure. Hourly QC checks and daily taste panels verify process parameters and specifications requirements have been fulfilled and all measuring equipment is calibrated at appropriated frequencies. A small amount of kosher product is processed on site and the delivery processing and despatch of kosher materials is closely monitored. Personnel: Staffs trained to NVQ levels 1 and 2 in hygiene and safe product handling by external consultants. Plans are in place to introduce an in-house training scheme. The Q.A. supervisor holds a CIEH certificate of Advanced Food Hygiene. Once they complete the CIEH professional trainers’ certificate, it will allow them to train new staffs, and re-iterate to current, basic food hygiene and H&S. Hygiene rules are also available in the staff handbook, given at induction. Induction includes hygiene and H&S requirements, fire drill procedures including a tour of the facility (highlighting emergency exits), company objectives and the review of the individual’s accountability level. Staff and visitors complete a basic medical questionnaire before entering the factory. Protective clothing provided and laundered by â€Å"Brooks† based in Hull and only specialising in laundering of food industry clothing. Supervisory staff and line leaders trained to NVQ levels 3. Detailed training records are in place, but not review on a frequent basis. Section 3 Improvement strategy Recommendations on enhancement Why did it fail? What can be done? The overall result of this audit is promising. The main sections that are in need of improvement are the cleaning and management systems. With regards to the cleaning controls one of the biggest deficiencies is that there were no daily cleaning logs in place at the time of the audit. These are necessary to verify that all of the pieces of equipment that has been used during the course of the production shift have been cleaned effectively. This should also incorporate a list of equipment that needs weekly or monthly cleaning, similar to the engineers’ protective maintenance system. Provisions are in place to indicate cleaning frequency, but by combining this with a daily cleaning log a system of records can be obtained to help with any ‘Due Diligence’ defences that might need to be called into play. The preventative step to reduce the microbial and soil loads within the factory are the cleaning schedules, but the due diligence defence are the daily logs. These are a record confirmation that the schedule has been implemented, and also provides accountability of who conducted the particular action that might be in question. It also helps the management team to assess the manning levels required for a particular cleaning regime. By combining these logs with an effective utilisation of the Lightning ATP hygiene verification system it would be possible to more accurately monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning systems that are in place. At present the unit is not used at levels that are going to supply the monitoring team with a set of results that are statistically significant. By increasing the levels of testing with the unit, a better picture of cleanliness levels can be obtained by using the trend analysis software to scrutinize past results and to predict problems that might occur in the future. This system could also be extended to apply to incorporate hand washing checks. This could be done on a random set of checks throughout the week. It might be possible to correlate this to the expected and actual bacterial soap usage rates to see if there is a relationship. This might be an extra way to monitor the effectiveness of the staff in the own personal hygiene in relation to hand washing. The engineers need to keep an inventory of parts as a repair is carried out so that all pieces are accounted for upon completion so as to eliminate the possible physical contamination problem, or at least to identify if there is one. A number of hose pipes were observed around the factory, liberally strewn on the floor. This is not bad GMP; it also creates an impression of untidiness and not caring for not only visitors, but also to other staff. Perhaps the purchasing or some hose reel storage units. If these hoses were kept on one of these units, it would automatically reel in and is then kept neatly on the wall, off the floor and out of the way of people walking around the factory. During the course of the audit the food waste skip was left open. This leaves the door open to many potential problems. The first is that it has a potential to attract pests. By leaving the skip doors open is may provides a food source for advantageous vermin. It was observed that there were some birds on the fence which might have been attracted by the residue surrounding the skip. To eliminate this problem construction of a reaching handle for the skip door should be made. By keeping the skip door closed it prevents vermin from entering the skip to scavenge for food. With the skip door closed, thus stopping pests from gaining a free food store, the area around the skip must be kept clear also; otherwise keeping the door closed is a futile effort. This area not only needs to be swept, but also cleaned down with a detergent to emulsify the fatty residue left from the batter scraps. This would also help to make the area safer for the employees as it would make the area left prone to causing slippages, and this is especially important as there is a small set of steps out there. There is no provision for persons to wash their hands upon re-entering the factory after going to the food skip. There person would have to go to the basins outside the packaging area. A small basin or alcohol station should be installed to prevent this. The main body of the factory was in very good condition. There were a few incidences that need to be rectified in order to improve the grade. Around the sauce making area, the ceiling tiles above them had some signs of mould growth. This is an indication that the ventilation is perhaps inadequate for that area. Some form of steam extraction unit might need to be investigated in that area. In the short term, regular cleaning with a sterilizer (with some form of mould growth inhibitor) would suffice, but this would only deal with the symptoms, and not deal with the route cause. The sauce agitators in this area are in need of recovering. The motors on the agitators have some small areas of paint flaking from them. Even though the paint is blue in colour, it provides a potential physical contamination problem. This needs to be tackled in several ways. The first and easiest to do is to recover the motors. The motors can be covered with a stainless steel covering which would prevent both paint flakes falling into the sauce, but also dirt accumulation on the motor. Another method is to use an alternative agitator motor. There are several on the market, and several of these are not mounted directly above the sauce making kettles. There are also some other methods for sauce production, that if increased production were to be required, then they should defiantly be investigated. Another area in the factory that could benefit from additional extraction/ventilation is directly surrounding the coating line. When the fryer is producing breaded products, then the first stage crumb, which is a fine crumb, causes a lot of dust to be blown in the air. This causes excessive dust accumulation on the pipe works above the fryer line. This needs additional cleaning to remove the dust in this area. Perhaps a form of extraction system should be investigated in this area. As a minor point, there was also a small pool of water surrounding the con-air compressor units. This implies that the floor does not bevel in the right direction. Again this is a situation that has a long term objective, but also has a short term measure. The long term goal is to re-lay the floor in that area to make the floor slope in the right direction (i.e. from the wall to the drain). The short term solution is to have the cleaners regularly squeegee the floor of water. Standing water is a particular problem in that it provides excellent breeding ground for Listeria spp. Bacteria. Listeria is a food borne bacteria that is naturally found in the environment. By providing pools of standing water, it magnifies the problem and opens the potential for increased incidences of Listeria monocytogenes poisoning. It is a strange practice that although there are manager and team leader meetings on a regular basis, there were no supervisor meetings held. This is a gross deficiency, not for GMP, but for the lack of communicational strokes that are missed from these meetings. By conducting these meetings a dialogue can be maintained between the higher levels of management and the junior levels. During these sessions company objectives can be relayed, problems considered, and grievances examined. It is also an excellent opportunity to provide motivation to the staff and to keep them apprised of important happenings within the company, such as potential sales, production turnover, NPD and the direction of the company. These meeting should be implemented effectively immediately. If not in their own right, then try combining the team leader meetings. This may pose a problem with truthful communication if the team leaders feel inhibited by the presence of the supervisors, especially if they have any grievances with them. The omission of the supervisor meetings exacerbates the next point. That is the cross communication of ideas and instructions between departments. This point is discussed in more detail in the second overview of the audit. The job descriptions that are in place for the key positions within the factory are deficient in the totality. I would suggest a review of these be taken with the specific aim to include the individuals’ main duties and responsibilities, full accountability, and any health and safety requirements that are obligatory to know. By providing a comprehensive description it helps the individual to identify their own progress against what is expected of them. It would also help to identify any training needs by comparing what the individuals’ actual abilities to what is needed for that position. During an appraisal a gauge of competency can be made against the standard and a measure of feedback can be relayed to the person. This also ties into the fact that no records are kept of personal record reviews. These need to be conducted on a regular occasion, and if they are being conducted at the moment, then they need to be recorded. There are some clear objectives that have been identified and now need to be applied and rectified to improve the factory as a whole. Section 4 Conclusions Overview of progression stratagems Step by step guide Structure and Fabric * Hand washing basin/ alcohol station to be installed by exit to food skip. * Foods skip needs to be looked at and a handle constructed to enable the lid to be closed. * Sauce kettles needs to be looked at for possible installation of extraction units. * Sauce agitator motors needs to be covered to prevent paint flaking into product. * Hose pipes to be placed into self reeling units. * Pool of water needs investigating around con-air units. Floor needs re-laying in that area. * Dust accumulation above fryer area. Additional extraction needed. Pest prevention * Pallet shed door needs to be kept closed. Pallets stored away from walls in storage. * Some drain covers missing and needs replacing. * Catch tray analysis needs to be done. Cleaning systems * Daily cleaning logs introduced. * Engineers inventory of parts during a repair to prevent contamination. * Effective utilisation, and expansion, of ATP hygiene monitoring system. Management Controls * Introduction of supervisor meetings. * Additional training to supplement and increase knowledge of GMP systems, Food hygiene and legislation. * Review of job descriptions. * Record employee appraisals. Section 5 References Background / further reading. Including bibliography Hygiene for Management, Sprenger. R. A. 1998 (8th Ed) Cleaning, Dillion M, et al Inspirational Supervisor, Shaw J. 1999 FdSc Food manufacture management GMP Course work notes, Dillion M. 2002 Log book & Overviews Overviews Part 1: Basic findings from two sections of the manual. Section 1 – Structure and Fabrication The factory has a logical process flow and the buildings are of sound construction. All internal factory wall surfaces are panelled with a lowered false ceiling and smooth resin floors. Equipment is industrial food grade standard and appears to be well maintained. A preventative planned maintenance system is in operation and resourced by a competent engineering department. The work wear is situated in a separate clean changing area immediate on entrance to the production area. The pest control is out-sourced to Rentokil (initial services) with no signs of infestation problems to report. OBS 1: The floor is made of an impervious material and when combinations of two immiscible liquids (such as oil and water) mix, it causes some sections of the floor around the fryer area are slippery. Recommendation – Review the cleaning schedule for this area to include a protocol stating that the floor in that area is to be cleaned as often as required throughout the production day, in addition to the usual scheduled cleans. Another suggestion would be to use a floor covering/mat to make the area more non-slip. Timescale – 30days OBS 2: There was a small pool of standing water around the con-air units during production. Recommendation – The long-term goal would be to re-lay/repair that section of floor to provide an adequate slope to provide water run-off into the drainage channels. Action to be taken place in the mean while would be to revise the cleaning schedule to include that the area is to be cleared as often as required throughout the production day. Timescale – 90 days OBS 3: There was no steam extraction above the sauce making kettles giving rise to N/C1. N/C1: Evidence was noted by observation and noted, audit checklist ref: GMP Section 1 -ref 1.8.2, that there was the beginnings of mould build up on the ceiling tiles above the sauce kettles. Recommendation – Investigate the possible methods of fume extraction best suited to the needs of the task. Possible installation of an extractor cowling. Action that can be introduced quickly is that a revision of the cleaning schedule to include weekly/fortnightly/ or as required cleaning to be undertaken in that area using a detergent with mould growth inhibitor. Timescale – 90days Section 2 – Storage Facilities Storage or R.M, WIP, finished goods, packaging and tainting elements are well segregated with observed codes of practice to prevent cross contamination. Products are coded to allow stock rotation on a FIFO basis and the stock levels that are kept on site are kept to a minimum. There are no contractual off-site storage facilities used. Products are released on the basis of on-line QC testing. Procedures are in place regarding damaged or defective goods segregation and disposal. OBS 1: Only visual checks are made of the contracted out logistics company’s vehicles. Recommendation – Revise an audit schedule to visit their head office so as to not only audit the vehicles used for the transportation of goods, but also to review the company policies and procedures regarding GMP practices. Timescale – 90days Part 2: Area to improve. The area of greatest need is management control, especially in relation to motivation of staffs and inter-departmental communication. A highly motivated workforce can increase the potential output efficiency greatly, without the need for costly capital expenditure. â€Å"Poor communication is the catalyst for future problems† John Shaw, Business consultant The vast majority of problems within the workplace arise due to the lack of or inadequate communication between colleagues. All members of the organisation must develop their verbal and written skills to allow for ease of dialogue between the two parties. Regular dialogue is essential for the pooling together of ideas and suggestions that helps to minimise problems and help to achieve the company objectives. Employees must be able to interpret management edicts and be able to pass on these instructions to other staffs clearly and concisely in order to achieve peak performance. One opinion that might be made is that the company’s impersonal uses of memos are substituting important meetings that would be held to discuss some of the key issues. By conducting regular meetings to open up a dialogue for discussion, it would help to eliminate any confusion that might have arisen because of their own interpretation of what is trying to be stressed in the communiquà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. By opening a dialogue between colleagues, it helps to make them feel a part of the team because they are being consulted and being offered to stress their opinions and grievances. During the meetings, it lets the individual know exactly what is being expected of them to do, with little chance for error. Once the individual knows the parameters in which they are expected to perform, and then the individual has some attainable guidelines on how to conduct him or herself around the workplace. Being made part of a team is one essential tool in the motivation of staffs. By including their opinions within any debate, it helps to raise that person’s self-esteem. Once a person begins to become motivated, it often leads to greater job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is a combination of hard work and competence. Employees who reflect pride in their work are an infectious source of inspiration to others. This can be seen again in persons whom take personal pride and lead by example. Motivation is a key component to modern businesses. Staffs should take every opportunity to motivate others constantly. One way to encourage your staff is to let them know what is required of them by defining the day’s objectives. Use of praise and encouragement inspire maximum performance from an individual from a few choice words or phrases. Where an individual or team needs berating if they have made a mistake, remain calm and resolve the problem through constructive criticism. This is where the situation is given an explanation of what went wrong, gentle words to re-enforce the need that it does not re-occur, and gives further guidance on how it can be avoided in the future. It is imperative that if it is an individual involved, then take them to one side to discipline them. This way you are not undermining them and therefore their personal dignity is maintained. Another critical instruction is not to overreact to minor problems. Destructive and unwarranted criticism is harmful to morale and can easily sweep across a work force. It is also a good idea to be receptive to reasonable grievances that they might have and suggestions that they might make. Motivation encourages individuals and teams to continually achieve the company’s goals through sustained peak performance. Part 3 Cleaning and the Law Cleaning plays a fundamental part of food hygiene. It is pivotal in preventing contamination of both microbiological and chemical, but it also helps to make the indicator signs of pest infestation easier to spot. All cleaning comprises of four factors: * Heat * Mechanical energy * Chemical energy * Contact time Cleaning is usually a five stage process (although not exclusively). 1) Pre-clean 2) Main clean 3) Rinse 4) Disinfect 5) Final rinse 6) Drying The relative energy and time components of a cleaning programme can differ greatly. This is all dependants on the load of soil age, the chemical properties of the cleaning agent, and the surface to be cleaned. Staffs should receive clear concise instruction on how to correctly conduct the cleaning schedule. The chemicals used within this factory are as follows: Chemical Action Fatsolve Surfactant degreasing detergent Bleach Hypochlorite based disinfectant Sparkle Surfactant degreasing detergent Acid foam Acidic de-scaler Caustic floor cleaner Alkaline (NaOH) floor cleaner Caustic pearls Alkaline (NaOH) fryer cleaner Tego 2001 Biocidal disinfectant/detergent combination All staffs that will be handling these products for use in hygiene must receive full training and monitored for competency and efficiency. All of these products must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect the employee whom is to be using these chemicals. This Act states specific legislation to include: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs, 1994 (SI. 1994 No. 3246) (COSHH) These regulations require employers to assess the hazards and provide suitable controls. Implementation is by means of risk assessment. COSHH is concerned with chemicals that can be classified as toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant. All of the products used within the body of the factory are supplied with all COSHH safety sheets and are filed in the technical department. Each of these products is mentioned in the company HACCP plan to include the risk assessment of these products. Chemicals (Hazards, Information & Packaging) Regs, 1993 (CHIP) Again, this states that all chemicals sold must be supplied with a COSHH safety sheet provided for the purchaser by the supplier. This must include detailed information about the product, its hazard classification under CHIP regulations. It is also prohibited to decant harmful chemicals into unmarked containers. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work Regs, 1992 These regulations enforce the employer to provide all necessary PPE required for a specific task so as to minimise the health and safety risks that the employees might be subjected to. There are several good reasons why effective cleaning is so important besides those mentioned earlier: * It creates a good visual impression for both workers and visitors alike giving a sense that the business cares. * Helps to maximise the efficiency and costing of several types of products. For example, if a sauce is left to build up deposits, then it would restrict the diameter of the pipe work, making the motor have to run harder to pump product through, thus reducing the lifetime of that component. Its also helps to reduce wastege * Legal obligations. It is that final point which needs further explaining. The food safety Act, 1990 This law makes it an offence to contaminate food so that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be used for human consumption in its current state. It also states that a food proprietor and staffs must identify all steps that are critical to food safety and minimise those risks. This is further backed up by the Food Safety (GFH) Regs, 1995 This states: * Premises must be kept clean, designed to facilitate cleaning, and to protect against the accumulation of dirt. * Make it a requirement for all food business proprietors to identify any step in activities of the business which is critical to food safety, and to introduce restrictive controls at those points identified. This law allows an enforcement officer to raise a non-conformance on the actual presence of dirt, and does not have to prove that that soilage poses a risk to health There is a clear legal and moral obligation that wherever there is a risk to food, a business proprietor must ensure that the working premises are kept clean so as to minimise the risks to public health. These responsibilities must be stressed to all employees not only in their induction period, but also sporadically throughout their employment. Part 4: PEST in relation to OEE During the course of this audit, an OEE analysis was conducted on one of the production lines (See OEE exercise workbook). The aim of GMP is to improve the manufacturing performance, and by using OEE calculations it is possible to gain a quantifiable index of performance. Using the precepts behind GMP it is possible to identify areas that could benefit from improvement so as to improve production performance. The identification of the â€Å"seven wastes† which are the non-value added and also the value added sections of a production period are vital. It is the main objective to reduce the first, and increase the latter. With regards to the production run that was studied several strategies can be entertained to help to minimise waste due to the above mentioned wastes. Firstly, fish cakes are products that produce only small amounts of waste due to the fact that defects can often be re-worked during the same production run. Defect cores can be removed from the line by operatives and then deposited back in the koppens former to be re-moulded into another cake. Reducing the throughput can often help reduce the rejects levels. Running at just a few strokes under the maximum for the line might make it more cost effective to reduce the throughput by a minimal amount in order to dramatically decrease the amount of reject product. By doing this the ‘right first time’ figure could increase to raise overall production efficiency. If speed is the overriding factor, i.e. the faster the speed, the higher the defect rate, then just by reducing the stroke rate of the machine, the amount of over-processing required would be reduced. If however speed were not the decisive factor, then an investigation of the machines capabilities would have to be reviewed, and if it cannot be removed, then do you accept this defect level caused by the machine, or do you evaluate the possibility of purchasing a more efficient piece of kit? With regards to the machine that is in place, the Koppens former is approximately 10-15yrs old and forms cakes by using hydraulic cups and a forming plate. Over the years the maximum output of the machine has dropped by approximately 25% from the max of 40s/m to now 30s/m. Would it be better to buy a new piece of kit. Perhaps the purchasing an AEW forming machine? Unfortunately these are costly pieces of kit. Costing in the range of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250K. This is a large prohibiting factor in an SME of the size of the company in question, with their limited financial resources. In order to justify a capital expenditure of that magnitude, a significant order would have to be procured to allow for the required payback period to make it a cost effective purchase. It is almost chicken and egg scenario. With a new piece of machinery of this nature the potential for increased throughput of not only this line, but also of others would rise significantly, but monies or orders to cover payback periods would have to be secured before capital expenditure is considered. It is a difficult political climate with retail customers at present. More and more of the major multiples only issue contracts for periods of usually a year (although there has recently been a downward trend to decrease these to six monthly). So a guarantee off continued business is not certain, which prohibits the purchase of the new machinery. The small margins also affect the staff efficiency and retention (thus quality). Because margins are tight, only a small amount on the top of national minimum wage can be applied. This can limit not only the response to job advertisements, but also with staff retention and loyalty. With a higher staff turnover, the quality of staffs employed often reduces, thus affecting the throughputs and efficiencies of the lines. This interplay of factors is what has to be investigated further upon before resolutions can be found. Identification is just the first step in an overall improvement plan. Appendix 1: Summary Sheets GMP Audit Material Enclosed in this booklet are copies of the audit checklists that you can use to audit your site against each element of GMP. You should aim to audit 2 elements of the standard each week and use the techniques discussed in week 1 on problem solving to objectively assess each element of the standard. If you wish to discuss any elements in more detail then contact one of the tutors on the course who will be able to help you clarify any problems or issues that you may have. IMPORTANT You will need to copy the food safety and hygiene audit assessment form each week, as you will need to use this to summarize for each assignment. Using the Sample Assessment Forms for the 10 sections of Good Manufacturing Practice identify: 1. Areas of Strength and Weakness for the GMP sections for your own plant or operation, using the checklists provided. 2. The causes of problems which are inherent with the areas of weakness 3. The barriers and aids which will effect the improvement process 4. Prioritise the actions needed to improve your Good Manufacturing Practice needs, using the assessment forms, which should be included within your weekly assignment. A grading system has been given on each checklist. You may use this grading system to help you to assess your factory, but feel free to modify this. If you do modify the system then you should explain, quite clearly, how the grading or scoring system is used. Key to the ABCD grading system for assessing the sections and elements of the GMP standard: Grade A Excellent Scores 50 points. Grade A scored when there are no safety problems or issues. Requires no further action. Grade B Satisfactory Scores 30 points. Actionable within defined timescale as agreed at audit. Grade C Major Scores 10 points. Actionable within one working week. Grade D Critical Scores 0 points. A Grade D is automatically awarded when a critical safety issue is identified, and is actionable immediately.

How to Format an AGLC Bibliography

How to Format an AGLC Bibliography How to Format an AGLC Bibliography Knowing how to use AGLC referencing is vital if you’re studying law in Australia, or simply writing about legal issues Down Under, as it is the main regional guide for citing legal sources. So to help out, we’ve put together this guide on how to format an AGLC bibliography. What to Include in an AGLC Bibliography The fourth edition of AGLC uses a bibliography rather than a reference list. This means you should include every source you consulted while writing an essay, not just those cited in your document. In addition, you will need to sort sources by type using the following categories: A. Articles, Books and Reports B. Cases C. Legislation D. Treaties E. Other The â€Å"Other’ category here includes anything that doesn’t fit easily into the other categories, such as government documents, newspaper articles, transcripts, press releases, and websites. However, you can add to the categories above as required (e.g., if you cite several interview transcripts, you could have a separate section for them). Likewise, if you haven’t cited any sources of a certain type in your work, you can leave that category out of the bibliography. How to Present an AGLC Bibliography An AGLC bibliography should follow certain rules. Make sure to: Provide full publication details for all sources. List sources under each heading alphabetically Invert the names of the first listed author when an author is named (i.e., give their surname first, followed by a comma and their first name). Use â€Å"et al.† after the first name when a source has four or more authors. Italicize titles of books, journals, cases, and legislation. Use â€Å"quote marks† for titles of journal articles and book chapters. As with any referencing system, clarity and consistency are vital in an AGLC bibliography, so make sure to get your work proofread, too. Example AGLC Bibliography In case any of the above isn’t clear, a bibliography made using AGLC rules should look something like the following: A. Articles, Books and Reports Mackie, Ken, Elizabeth Bennett Histead and John Page, Australian Land Law in Context (Oxford University Press, 2012) Rothstein, Mark A, â€Å"Epigenetic Exceptionalism† (2013) 41(3) The Journal of Law, Medicine Ethics 733 B. Cases Nydam v The Queen (1997) VR 430 Smith v Jones (1982) 126 CLR 503 C. Legislation Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Navigation Act 2012 (Cth) s 14 D. Treaties International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, opened for signature 3 November 2001, UNTS 2400 (entered into force 31 March 2004) E. Other Hamer, David, â€Å"ARC rankings poor on law†, The Australian (online, 25 June 2008) theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/opinion/arc-rankings-poor-on-law/story-e6frgcko-1111116734303 Wells, Kathryn, Australias Maritime History Under Sail (Web Page, 17 December 2009) australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/australias-maritime-history-under-sail

Compiliation of 50 History Essay Topics for Successful Essay Writing

Compiliation of 50 History Essay Topics for Successful Essay Writing Being given the freedom of selecting a history essay topic looks quite appealing at the beginning, but can become perplexing as you get to it. Of course, selecting a topic for a history essay is a relatively easy assignment, but, in order to get a  high grade, you will need some essay topic ideas. We have therefore created a list of good history essay topics, broken them down to respective time periods and now suggest that you use them to work on your own history paper. Assigned to write a history essay? Read how to write a history essay in the article below: History Essay You may go ahead and try to work on your history paper independently, yet if it doesnt work and you will need a sample history essay, may help you. All you need to do is contact our support staff with your essay requirements and/or place your order. While working on the paper we encourage you to select a general topic or issue and then to narrow it down in accordance with your academic requirement. Topics that are offered here, are rather general and might not be ideal for the purpose of writing a good history paper. We, therefore, advise you to modify the topic to your needs or ask our staff to do so by ordering a sample paper. History Essay Topics: A Great List of 50 Topics   Ancient Egypt Describe State Organization of Ancient Egypt Society in Ancient Egypt Work Organization in the  Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt Development of Ancient Egypt American Discovery of Ancient Egypt Gods and Religion of Ancient Egypt Housing and Architecture of Ancient Egypt Geography and Agriculture of Ancient Egypt Ancient Greece Culture and Art of Ancient Greece Athenian Legends Philosophers of the Ancient Greece Architecture of the Ancient Greece Myths of the Ancient Greece Greek Pantheon Religion Agriculture in Ancient Greece History of the Acropolis Ancient Rome Rome Foundation History Conquests of the Roman Empire and Their Impact on other Cultures Key Factors in the Downfall of the Roman Empire Role of Julius Ceasar in the Life of the Roman Empire Organization of the Roman Army State Governance within Ancient Rome Religion and Gods in the Roman Empire Middle Ages Middle Ages: The Era of Advancement Life and Death in The Middle Ages Knights of the Middle Ages Compare Middle Ages vs. The Renaissance Crusades in the Middle Ages: Reasons and Consequences Literature and the Middle Ages The Church in the Middle Ages. The Holy Inquisition Middle Ages Economy US History Atlantic World Before Colonization Colonial Era in the US History Describe Interactions Between Whites and Native Americans Impact of Puritanism on American Values Reasons and Consequences of the Indepence War George Washington in the American Revolution English Society During the Age of Colonization The Great Depression World War II Vietnam War History of Latin America Pre-Colonial Latin America Aztec Maya Empire Latin America: Colonial Era (1521-1810) Historic Cities of Latin America The Colonization of Guatemala Independence of Latin American States: Haiti, Brazil, Mexico Mexican American War Abolition of Slavery 1989: US Invasion We hope these history essay topics will be helpful in working on your history paper. The list of topics on this page is far from being complete due to the extremely large number of choices. We have attempted to provide general ideas of history essay writing, and we hope you find them useful. If you havent seen your topic on the list, you can always contact our support team and order a custom written paper on your specific history topic. Our writers will come up with a top-notch paper tailored exclusively to meet your needs. is the service you can trust!

A+ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A+ - Essay Example Washington was an indefatigable actor who seemed to have lived the life of Boone himself, having the vitality of a Black man who was trying to fight for his rights and the rights of his fellowmen during the time of the busing system. Will Patton, on the other hand who played the role of Bill Yoast, the White American who coached along with Boone, was quite the opposite. His part seemed boring that if he were given longer parts in the movie, the story would have been a bore. Although he is a good actor himself, Patton’s soft voice and sometimes timid manners can make his parts monotonous. On a general note, the performance of the actor is worthy of an acclamation despite his serious role which probably influenced his mood in the movie. The Titans, the football team coached by the two aforementioned characters, portrayed different personalities, completing an exciting team of young people. Ryan Hurst who played the role of Gerry Bertier, the team’s captain played his role well, as he showed how the player bloomed from a self-centered, bigoted racist to a leader who valued his team’s attitude rather than race and status. His Black counterpart Wood Harris, who played the role of Julius Campbell, gave an equally highly rated performance. He had the same dynamic exuberance as Hurst that they shared together in bringing to life their respective roles. Both actors showed their emotions unrestrainedly, making their performances realistic and moving. The friendship that developed between the two characters was beautifully pictured through the emotions, conversations and naturally executed performances of the actors. Adding to the exciting and smooth flow of the story were the contributions of other actors who played the roles of other football players in the team. The different characterizations first of all, showed the many variations of characters, attitudes, beliefs and perspectives of people, which in real life; make living more beautiful,