SafetyInfo 1 Vol. No. 06 Issue No. 05 Fortnightly, Free soft copy 1st March 2015

What is a ‘Smart City’?

The government has certainly focused India’s attention on the urbanization imperative and got the ‘smart city’ concept buzzing. As things stand, the urbanization agenda is in three parts:

• Urban renewal of 500 cities

• Rejuvenation of heritage cities (like Varanasi); and

• The implementation of 100 smart cities; understood to be both ‘green field’ and brown field’.

While renewal and rejuvenation are relatively easier to grasp, there appears to be only an evocative imagination in the public mind as to what are the contours of a smart city. Since nobody has defined the attributes of a smart city, everyone has his or her perception of what a smart city ought to be. Here are my attributes of a smart city.

Information Communication and technology (ICT) – enabled governance : The international and domestic big daddies of the information technology (IT) world have, with their aggressive presentations, virtually hijacked the smart city definition to only mean IT-enabled administration and governance. While such a restrictive definition is undesirable, enabling ICT is clearly one of the more important attributes.. Often referred to as “smart government’, the use of integrated technology platforms that are easily accessible across various devices is certainly key to providing access, transparency, speed, participation and redressal in public services. For example, on December 10, 2014, the President launched the Karnataka Mobile One app in Bengaluru that would provide citizens a range of e-governance services over mobile phones.

Efficient utilities – energy, water, solid waste and effluents: This area is often the most talked about after IT. Smart meters, renewable energy, clean air, energy conservation, water harvesting, effluent recycling, scientific solid waste disposal methods et al are all clearly the hallmark of smart city.

Meaningful PPPs: The creative use of public private partnerships (PPPs) is a key attribute of the smart city concept. PPPs are to be used not only as a source of much needed capital but also for the efficient delivery of utilities with agreed service level standards. PPS could range from health care to street lighting; and be used wherever there is a clear connection between the provision of a service and the ability to charge for the same – directly or even indirectly.

Safety and security: This aspect is high in public consciousness, especially with disconcerting news one the safety of women, road rage, robbery attacks on the elderly and juvenile delinquency. Clearly, networks of video-cameras, brightly lit public areas, intensive patrolling and surveillance, identify verified access, and rapid response to emergency calls are all on the expectations list.

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Financial sustainability: The 74th Amendment to the Constitution (1992) enjoins towns and cities to ‘take charge to their own destinies’. Nowhere is this more important than financial independence. This is only possible with elaborate and extensive tapping of all sources of revenue – property taxes, advertisements et al; coupled with astute collection of user pay charges across the full range of utilities. It also has to do with the elements of fiscal discipline that would enable the raising of long term debt like municipal bonds.

Citizen participative local government : The enthusiastic participation of citizens in local issues needs careful designing of electoral and participative policies. Current apathy towards civic elections needs comprehensive reversal.

Sufficient social capital: Smart cities cannot be devoid of the appropriate levels of social infrastructure – like schools, hospitals, public spaces, sporting and recreational grounds and retail and entertainment venues. Along with a brain that works, and hands and legs that move, it must also have heart that beats to the joys of daily living.

Transit oriented habitats: ‘Walk to work’ is the dream solution here. Nevertheless, conveniently, networked public transportation with first and last mile connectivities in place, reduced motivation to use personal vehicles, use of electric cars, and bicycle paths are all in the expectation matrix.

Green features: Minimizing the carbon footprint and eco friendliness are de rigueur, parks and verdant open spaces, absence of pollution, use of renewable, conservation and recycling are mandatory.

Minimum population criteria: Towards the end of November 2014, Panasonic Corporation announced the opening of its new business vector – the sustainable smart town (SST) at Fujisawa in Japan. It has rooftop solar energy, electric cars and electric powered bicycles. However, it comprises only 1,000 homes over 47 acres that will have a population of 3,000 people. This kind of project is at best a smart enclave, and clearly, in the Indian context, cannot be included in the definition of a city. India has 5,545 urban agglomeration. Class 1 towns (called cities) are those with a population of 100,000 and above. This should be the minimum population cut-off for at smart city.

Achieving all the ab125ove attributes may well be Utopian. So, may be even if most of the above attributes are achieved, we should have no hesitation in declaring an urban habitation as a smart city.

“ A smart city’s environment is a shaped not only by people who have an important influence but by everyone who lives and works there.” Robert Cowan

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Personal Protective Equipment Can you answer these questions? All answers are given at the end of this issue.

Question No 1

Who is responsible for providing you with Personal Protective Equipment? • (A) Your employer

• (B) Your supervisor

• (C) Your co-worker

• (D) Yourself

Question No 2

Personal Protective Equipment is required when - • (A) Employers suffer an injury

• (B) The employees suffer an injury

• (C) An employee asks for it

• (D) Engineering, work practice, and administrative controls do not provide sufficient protection against hazards

Question No 3

Once your employer has provided you with PPE, you must use it whenever you are at work,

even if your job changes. • (A) True

• (B) False

Question No 4

Who is responsible for maintaining PPE? • (A) Your employer

• (B) Yourself

• (C) Your co-worker

• (D) A and b

• (E) A, b and c.

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Question No 5

What type of protection is needed when you are exposed to hazards from flying particles? • (A) Eye protection

• (B) Face protection

• (C) Head protection

• (D) Both a and b

Question No 6

When working in areas where there is a potential for head injury from falling objects, you

should… • (A) Look to the sky every 2 minutes for flying and falling objects

• (B) Ask a colleague to give you a heads up when an object is about to fall

• (C) Wear head protection

• (D) Appoint yourself a personal superhero to whisk you away from falling objects

Question No 7

If you wear prescription lenses, you do not need additional eye protection against occupational

eye hazards. • (A) True

• (B) False

Question No 8

Eye protection is required for which of the following hazards? • (A) Flying particles

• (B) Molten metal

• (C) Liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids

• (D) Chemical gases or vapors

• (E) All of the above

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Question No 9

Welding shields primarily protect against… • (A) Dust

• (B) Metal splatter

• (C) Splashes

• (D) Flying particles

Question No 10

Which of the classes of hard hats in the list below can save you from high voltage shocks as

well as provide penetration and impact resistance? • (A) Class A

• (B) Class B

• (C) Class C

• (D) Both a and b

Question No 11

Which of the following classes of hard hats DO NOT provide any protection against electric

hazards? • (A) Class A

• (B) Class B

• (C) Class C

• (D) Class D

Question No 12

It is still okay to use a hard hat with a minor crack in its shell. • (A) True

• (B) False

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Question No 13

Which of the following special purpose footwear should you wear to avoid a buildup of static

electricity? • (A) Safety toe shoes

• (B) Electrically conductive shoes

• (C) Foundry shoes

• (D) Metatarsal guards

Question No 14

Below is a list of foot and leg protection types matched with hazards they protect against. Which

pairing is incorrect? • (A) Leggings – heat hazards

• (B) Metatarsal guards – impact and compression

• (C) Electrically conductive shoes – static electricity build up

• (D) Foundry shoes – open circuits

Question No 15

When should safety footwear be inspected? • (A) Every week

• (B) Every 15 days

• (C) Every month

• (D) Prior to each use

Question No 16

Which of the following types of gloves should you wear when working with chemicals? • (A) Butyl rubber gloves

• (B) Fabric gloves

• (C) Leather gloves

• (D) Both a and c

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Question No 17

Once you have selected the correct gloves to protect you from the chemicals to which you will

be exposed, you can continue to use them until they wear out or are torn. • (A) True

• (B) False

Question No 18

Hearing protection is required when you are exposed to a noise level of 85 decibels or higher for

an 8-hour period of time. • (A) True

• (B) False

Question No 19

Which of the following hearing protection should be fitted by a professional? • (A) Single use earplugs

• (B) Molded earplugs

• (C) Earmuffs

• (D) None of the above

Question No 20

Respirators are not considered PPE. • (A) True

• (B) False

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Answer

Question No. 1 Ans : (A) Your employer

Question No. 2 Ans : (D) Engineering, work practice, and administrative controls do not provide sufficient protection against hazards

Question No. 3 Ans : (B) False

Question No. 4 Ans : (D) A and b

Question No. 5 Ans : (D) Both a and b

Question No. 6 Ans : (C) Wear head protection

Question No. 7 Ans : (B) False

Question No. 8 Ans : (E) All of the above

Question No. 9 Ans : (B) Metal splatter

Question No. 10 Ans : (D) Both a and b

Question No. 11 Ans : (C) Class C

Question No. 12 Ans : (B) False

Question No. 13 Ans : (B) Electrically conductive shoes

Question No. 14 Ans : (D) Foundry shoes – open circuits

Question No. 15 Ans : (D) Prior to each use

Question No. 16 Ans : (A) Butyl rubber gloves

Question No. 17 Ans : (B) False

Question No. 18 Ans : (A) True

Question No. 19 Ans : (B) Molded earplugs

Question No. 20 Ans : (B) False

9    Readers may please note that D. L. Shah Trust brings out two e-journals on a fortnightly basis. These are mailed to those persons or institutions who are desirous of receiving them: These two e-journals are: 1. Safety Info 2. Quality Info If you or your friends or colleagues wish to receive these journals, you may send us an e-mail requesting for the same. There is no charge for these journals. Our e-mail address is: dlshahtrust@yahoo.co.in or haritaneja@hotmail.com or dlshahtrust@gmail.com You can also access these journals on our website: www.dlshahtrust.org

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