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Research on the theoretical and experimental assessment of the stability of damaged ships in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the mid-1990s to the present day has been pivotal in the development, adoption and implementation of the latest amendment of the International Convention on Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS 2009) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body regulating maritime safety. The impact of these regulations has been a significant reduction in the risk to human life at sea by enabling ship design and operation with higher standards of damage stability. SOLAS 2009 represents a step change from deterministic to probabilistic rules and from rule compliance to goal-based standards; it has improved design and operation of all commercial ships built worldwide from 2009, and has thus resulted in far-reaching and long-lasting impact on maritime safety.
(1) Enhancing the awareness of (i) women of childbearing age suffering from epilepsy and prescribed new and/or older generation AEDs, and (ii) their healthcare professionals. Empowering both to make informed decisions through evidence-based practice that will reduce/prevent the risk of harm to unborn children potentially exposed to AEDs in early pregnancy.
(2) A change in the process by which GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) practices post-marketing epidemiological surveillance of the new generation AED `lamotrigine' in pregnancy.
(3) Benefit to the methodological practice of other researchers in Europe involved with AEDs and epidemiological surveillance
(4) Contribution to building European system for reproductive safety evaluation
A Portsmouth team has helped revolutionise how flight data from aircraft flight recorders is being analysed. This has improved the corporate performance of a leading UK company in a globally competitive market by helping it expand its business in the UK and to subsequently compete in the dynamic North American market. Historically, data was manually evaluated on a flight by flight basis. Research by the Portsmouth team means such data can now be analysed automatically by artificial intelligence (AI), saving significant man-hours, and allowing the company to diversify domestically into a related market and to expand internationally. The techniques developed were subsequently applied in a new market, enabling the new corporate partner to realise savings estimated at £100,000 p.a.
Developed from Loughborough University research into the employee impact of safety management, the Loughborough Safety Climate Assessment Toolkit (LSCAT) has helped change attitudes and raise awareness across a variety of industry sectors. Freely available in the public domain, it has facilitated the assessment of safety climate as part of a process of culture change and wider management system enhancement. Beneficiaries during the impact period have included the Royal College of Nursing and the NHS, which have used the tool as a "fundamental" means of benchmarking best practice, and logistics giant DHL Supply Chain, which has used it to identify specific areas for improvement in its safety management systems.
Loughborough University research led to the development of a porpoise deterrent pinger, which, by generating ultrasonic acoustic signals, deters harbour porpoise from accidental capture in fishing nets. The research of Professor Bryan Woodward has led to the development of a commercially available pinger (AQUAmark100) with over 14,000 system sales internationally.
The impact of the research has:
1) Influenced changes in government / EU policy
2) Influenced worldwide debate around achieving reductions in accidental by-catch by fisheries.
3) Contributed to commercial growth of UK business through sales.
Research conducted by the Accident Research Unit (ARU) at the University of Nottingham since 1988 has influenced decision-making processes for government road safety executives across the globe. A series of studies commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), in addition to independent research, fed into research policy-making documentation, helping to frame national and international government policy on road safety in the UK, Europe, America, and Australasia. The work has informed publicity materials for professionals and the public with a particular focus on collisions involving young drivers, motorcycle safety, work-related traffic collisions and distractibility due to roadside advertising.
A national UK standard on nano-labelling has been published and an international standard is imminent largely due to the efforts of Professor Geoff Hunt as an applied ethicist in nanotechnology. Hunt became interested in the labelling of nanoproducts when he saw (in 2006) a lack of recognition that nanoscale hazards would affect consumers' right to know. He raised this in his 2006 co-edited book and at a UNESCO workshop in Paris (2007), leading directly to an invitation from Dr Peter Hatto of BSI (UK standardisation body) to lead a world-first initiative on nano-labelling. He continued to steer this project for five years up to International level.
In response to the University's strategy on improving standards in professional practice, several research projects were undertaken in health and safety management, procurement, transport planning, energy management, and professional practice. These focused on improving standards of professional practice in construction management, energy management, facilities management, and sustainable transportation planning. Two projects resulted in sector guidance, whilst two others had a direct impact on practice in the University. Another has influenced the way cycling use data is collected by the two leading organisations in this sector. This case study demonstrates the impact on professional practice linked to the university's vision.
The European Air Traffic Management system currently handles around 26,000 flights daily, with ultimate responsibility for the lives of almost 800 million passengers and crew every year. Professor Chris Johnson's research has directly influenced policy, legislation and regulation across Europe's air traffic control, including the current guidelines on software development in Air Traffic Management, which were incorporated into European law in 2008. He has led the way in harmonising computer infrastructure standards across different agencies throughout the EU, building defences against cyber-attacks and playing a vital role in improving passenger safety.
HDM-4 is the most widely used system for road investment appraisal and decision making, generating improvements in public policies and services. Economic development and road agencies in developing countries are major users of the tool. HDM-4 has become the de facto standard used by the World Bank for its road investment appraisals and has been used to assess more than 200 projects since 2008, with some $29.5bn of World Bank loans, credits or grants drawn-down to fund these. Uptake of the tool has led to the commercial success of HDMGlobal, a consortium which manages the distribution and development of the software under exclusive licence from the World Road Association-PIARC, with revenues of £1.6m generated since 2008. HDM-4 has also been utilised for economic assessment and road systems investment management in the UK.