Eros, Thanatos and the Depiction of Women in “a Farewell to Arms” Essay

A career as distinguished as that of Ernest Hemingway cannot simply be condensed into a handful of words. If one were to make the attempt anyway, no choice seems to be more fitting than â€Å"love, death and women†. These topics are constant companions throughout all of his work and indeed, his life. His 1929 masterpiece, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†, is a particularly good example of this. In this paper, I will show how these recurring subjects – the fascinating interplay between Eros and Thanatos and the depiction of women – help shape this seminal work. To fully appreciate the tale told in the novel, and to better understand the aforementioned, seemingly inadequate three-word summary of Hemingway’s life, some key events in his biography should be made known. Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. In his high school years, he wrote for the school newspaper and would go on to work for the Kansas City Star; these early journalistic experiences would influence his distinctive writing style. In 1918, he signed on to become an ambulance driver in war-torn Italy. On July 8, he was severely injured by a mortar shell and received a medal for bravery. During his sixth-month recuperation, he fell in love with a Red Cross nurse; after deciding to get married, she left him for an Italian officer. This traumatic experience would decisively shape his view of women. (â€Å"Wikipedia†) Hemingway would endure further trials throughout his life; shortly after the particularly difficult delivery of his son in 1928, he received word of his father’s suicide, foreshadowing his eventual demise by his own hand on July 2, 1961. Until then, he suffered through severe alcoholism, multiple divorces, crippling accidents, bouts of depression and dangerous war coverage. (â€Å"Wikipedia†) Taking this eventful existence into consideration, the importance of both Eros and Thanatos and the noteworthy depiction of women in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† come as no great surprise; it is the latter which I will first examine more closely. Hemingway and, by extension, his works, have often been accused of misogyny; â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† is no exception (Wexler 111). Catherine, the main female character, â€Å"defines herself in terms of men† (Fetterley 67). When her late fiancee goes to war, she joins him as a nurse because of the â€Å"silly idea he might come to the hospital where [she] was [,] [w]ith a sabre cut [†¦] [or] shot through the shoulder [;] [s]omething picturesque† (Hemingway 19). Later on, her stereotypical wish to nurse her lover back to health even comes true when Frederic is placed in her care (Fetterley 67). She also shows a significant need for reassurance: â€Å"You are happy, aren’t you? Is there anything I do you don’t like? Can I do anything to please you? † (Hemingway 105). Her self-loathing and unhealthy self-image also reveals itself in this telling passage: How many [girls] have you [†¦] stayed with? [†¦] It’s all right. Keep right on lying to me. That’s what I want you to do. [†¦] When a man stays with a girl when does she say how much it costs? [†¦] I do anything you want. [†¦] I want what you want. There isn’t any me any more. (Hemingway 95-96) This section is a particularly damning example of misogyny; in effect, Catherine is asking Frederic how to be a whore, demeaning both herself and her entire sex in her quest to please her beloved at any cost (Fetterley 68). Catherine is far from the only victim of the sometimes debasing treatment of women in the book. During the retreat, the â€Å"girls from the soldiers’ whorehouse† (Hemingway 168) are loaded into a truck; one of the soldiers present remarks: â€Å"I’d like to be there when some of those tough babies climb in and try and hop them. [†¦] I’d like to have a crack at them for nothing. They charge too much at that house anyway. The government gyps us. † (Hemingway 168-169) This stunning disdain of female dignity makes apparent the utter disregard the soldiers have for women as human beings. A passage later on exemplifies this victimization and objectification of women during war even more clearly; when the retreating convoy picks up two virgins, their fearful demeanor leaves no doubt: there are only two roles for them on the battlefield – â€Å"whores if they are picked up by their own side, victims of rape if they are captured by the enemy†. (Fetterley 50) The contempt of the fair gender does not stop at the disparagement of women themselves; the very thing that makes them female is attacked. When the â€Å"gray leather boxes heavy with the packs of clips of thin, long 6. 5 mm. cartridges† are described as making the troops look â€Å"as though they were six months gone with child† (Hemingway 4), deadly implements of war are directly linked to pregnancy. This paints an unsettling picture of female biology itself as a source of death, not life, culminating in Catherine’s passing in the final chapter (Fetterley 62-63). This depiction of women as subservient to men, trying to fulfill their every need, is almost Puritanical in nature, hearkening back to the earliest, primary incarnations of the American myth. The fact that sexual gratification, not conception and childbirth – which is indeed presented as a â€Å"biological trap† (Hemingway 125) and, eventually, a death sentence – is extolled as the primary reason for a relationship shows, however, that Hemingway’s work is firmly in the subversive consummatory phase. Thankfully, the view of women presented in the novel is not wholly sexist. Catherine in particular manages to distinguish herself as a strong woman both in the beginning and the end of the novel, despite losing her identity to Frederic in the middle. Frederic’s courtship of Catherine starts with a literally stinging rejection; when he first tries to kiss her, he is rewarded with a â€Å"sharp stinging flash† of a slap (Hemingway 24). Thus, Catherine asserts her dominance, taking control of their early relationship. After Frederic manages to make her laugh, however, she quickly accepts his advances. (Wexler 114) Frederic’s intentions towards Catherine are less than noble to begin with: â€Å"I knew I did not love Catherine Barkley nor had any idea of loving her. This was a game, like bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards† (Hemingway 29). Catherine, however, is not only aware of the deceptive nature of their faux-relationship, but actively addresses it: â€Å"This is a rotten game we play, isn’t it? [†¦] You don’t have to pretend you love me. † (Hemingway, 29-30) With the mutual acknowledgment of their pretense, Catherine is using Frederic just as much as he is using her – where he seeks to escape the horrors of the war with carnal gratification, Catherine needs someone to fill the hole left by her late fiancee. (Wexler 114-115) Despite the loss of self and neediness experienced by Catherine throughout most of the middle of the novel, her strong, confident side manages to reassert itself before her unfortunate demise in childbirth. Even though she faces her imminent death, the only thing on her mind is reassuring her husband: â€Å"Don’t worry, darling, [†¦] I’m not a bit afraid. It’s just a dirty trick† (Hemingway 292). This serenely selfless behavior is far removed from the desperate need to please she displayed earlier. As has hopefully become apparent, both death and life (or love, both physical and romantic) play a crucial role in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†. In the following section, I will take a closer look at this compelling relationship between Eros and Thanatos. Since the novel takes place during the uncompromisingly brutal conflict that was World War I, Thanatos is always active. Eros always manages to weave its way into the proceedings, however, even gaining the upper hand at one point in the novel. In the beginning, however, Thanatos prevails (Flores 29). The reader is presented with uncompromising scenes of violence and carnage, but the horrors of war are met with stoicism by the protagonist Frederic Henry. The death of thousands barely qualifies for a single paragraph: â€Å"At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera. But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army. † (Hemingway 4) Frederic also seems to have no particular reason for even being in the war; being in Italy seems to be enough (Flores 29). He is not driven by any particular ideological reason, either: â€Å"Abstract words such as glory, honor, courage, or hallow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names of rivers, the numbers of regiments and the dates. †(Hemingway 165) Almost every character in the novel also engages in self-destructive behavior – excessive drinking. Seeking oblivion instead of actually facing the horrors of war, alcohol is a constant companion to all throughout the book (Flores 31). Even when Eros touches the characters in the beginning, it is only in its basest forms. The flirtatious Rinaldi seems incapable of real love, seeking only sexual gratification (Ganzel 587). And, as mentioned above, even the relationship of Frederic and Catherine starts out as a lie, filling a need in both of them not with love, but lust. As the story unfolds, however, the grip of Thanatos on Frederic begins to weaken. Following his injury on the battlefield, his stoicism and aloofness are only slightly fazed (Ganzel 594). During his extended period of recuperation in the hospital, Frederic and Catherine start developing real feelings for each other; learning about her pregnancy in particular shakes him to his core: â€Å"Her conception forces him into a continuum in which the death of another can subtract from his own life. † (Ganzel 579) During the Italian retreat, Thanatos tries to reassert its grasp on Frederic – but after not only witnessing, but being directly responsible for a number of deaths in a harrowing experience, he finally slips its grasp (Ganzel 595). Having truly fallen for Catherine, his new commitment to Eros is confirmed in his baptismal â€Å"farewell to arms† in the river. Frederic voices these new life-affirming thoughts after escaping the river: â€Å"I was not made to think. I was made to eat. My God, yes. Eat and drink and sleep with Catherine. †(Hemingway 206) Thanatos reclaims his power at the end of the novel after the deceptively light-hearted stay in Switzerland; in a cruel twist of fate, it is childbirth, the ultimate expression of Eros, that takes Catherine’s life, springing the biological trap and leaving Frederic to trudge out into the rain, forlorn (Ganzel 581). He poignantly laments his fate: â€Å"Poor, poor dear Cat. And this was the price you paid for sleeping together. This was the end of the trap. This was what people got for loving each other. † (Hemingway 283) Frederic is not the only one affected by an insidious turn of events like that, however; Rinaldi also becomes a victim of the biological trap, falling prey to syphilis (Hemingway 289). Thus, Thanatos is not only able to turn the lofty side of Eros – romantic love – against its followers, but even manages to turn its basest side into death. Thus, Frederic Henry is â€Å"the first completely developed example of what was to become Hemingway’s dominant motif: a man [†¦] who is forced to recognize the inevitability of death and the concomitant frustration of trying to secure something of value from its onslaught† (Ganzel 577). The â€Å"good soldier†, protected from feelings of loss and fear by an uncaring stoicism, loses his â€Å"gift† through love, only to reach the tragic realization that his newfound feelings can be turned against him. (Ganzel 578) This portrayal of life and death, distinctive of the â€Å"Lost Generation† of modernist authors, stands in stark contrast to earlier, romantic and playful depictions. Where Whitman is able to confidently boast â€Å"And as to you Death, and you bitter hug of mortality, it is idle to try to alarm me† (â€Å"Song of Myself† 1289), Hemingway’s view of death paints a much more sobering picture: If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry. (Hemingway 222) Even spring, once the ultimate symbol of hope and life flourishing anew, is turned into a mockery of itself. As Eliot aptly puts it: â€Å"April is the cruelest monthâ€Å" (â€Å"The Waste Land† 1), bringing only death and desperation to Frederic and Catherine. Winter, on the other hand, once the harbinger of struggles and hardship for the first pilgrims that reached the shores of America, is shown as peaceful, quiet, serene: â€Å"It was a fine country and every time that we went out it was fun. † (Hemingway 269) The future, once viewed with optimism, a â€Å"Manifest Destiny† to look forward to, suddenly looked much bleaker, an outlook colored by a war that defied belief. Compassion and courage were nowhere to be found, but cruelty abounded, as illustrated in this passage: â€Å"’If there is a retreat, how are the wounded evacuated? ’ ‘They are not. They take as many as they can and leave the rest. ’† (Hemingway 167) In conclusion, I hope that the importance of the changing influence of Eros and Thanatos and the questionable portrayal of women in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† has become obvious. These topics appear in all of Hemingway’s works, with varying importance. Much of the novel becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of Hemingway’s biography. Taking into consideration some of the key points of his life I mentioned in the introduction, the autobiographical tendencies of the book should emerge – perhaps helping to make his overt machismo understandable, if not palatable. Most importantly, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† does an excellent job of showing the reader the sheer insanity and, through the author’s unique style, the stark reality of war. Hemingway himself put it quite succinctly: â€Å"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. †Bibliography: * Eliot, T. S. The Waste Land. Project Gutenberg. http://www. gutenberg. org/files/1321/1321-h/1321-h. htm (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013) * Fetterley Judith. The resisting reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1978. * Flores, Olga Eugenia. Eros, Thanatos and the Hemingway Soldier. American Studies International, Vol. 18, No. 3/4 (Spring/Summer 1980), pp. 27-35. * Ganzel, Dewey. â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†: The Danger of Imagination. The Sewanee Review, Vol. 79, No. 4 (Autumn 1971), pp. 576-597. * Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. London, Arrow Books, 2004. * Wexler, Joyce. E. R. A. for Hemingway: A Feminist Defense of â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†. The Georgia Review, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Spring 1981), pp. 111-123. * Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself. University of Toronto RPO. http://rpo. library. utoronto. ca/poems/song-myself (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013) * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013)

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. 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Reading Reflection - Assignment Example The government used such agencies like the media to convince the public and suppress the truth, thus acting on false information which contradicted the democratic â€Å"marketplaces of ideas† which the country is based on. The question on the threat of inflation is quite confusing because democratic â€Å"marketplaces of ideas† are known for making accurate decisions, but as the case of Iraq may suggest, they flaunted this and acted on their own personal and selfish interest. A closer look at why the marketplaces of ideas was not applied into the case of Iraq is that US as a country had various strategic advantages which propelled both the citizens and leaders to declare war on the country. An example is that the media and the atrocities of the September 11 were responsible for the failure of marketplaces of ideas in the case of Iraq. Failure of the â€Å"marketplaces of ideas† in Iraq’s case was because of a number of reasons like biased manipulation of democracies buy selfish individuals for their own gains. Secondly, is that the control of information was only restricted to a fraction of individuals who were thought to have the country’s interest at heart and lastly the authority exerted in foreign

Tesco Personal Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Tesco Personal Finance - Case Study Example News Release, (2008), â€Å"Tesco takes full ownership of TPF and targets  £1 billion from retailing services†, Tesco plc, retrieved online, 4th April, 2009, from: http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/storage/intannounce.pdf 21 Stern, M., (2008), â€Å"Interview: Tescos FD, Andrew Higginson†, Financial Director retrieved online, 4th April, 2009, from: http://www.financialdirector.co.uk/financial-director/features/2229174/shelf-confidence-4297859 21 Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC: RBS Preferred Series "T" and RBS Preferred Series "Q", (No Date), Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearing House, retrieved online, 17 April 2008, from: http://securities.stanford.edu/1042/RBST_01/ 22 Tesco Personal Finance that was set up in 1997, as a joint venture between Tesco and the RBS. From a strategic perspective the TPF was established to draw on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s financial expertise while using the Group’s stores and online resources as a medium to recruit and cater financial services to the customers at low-cost. However, after a decade, the joint venture came to its termination with the Tesco gaining the full ownership of Tesco Personal Finance. On July 28, 2008, Tesco, the supermarket retail giant announced that it had come to an agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to buy its 50% stake in the Tesco Personal Finance for a sum of  £950 million (News Release, 2008). This acquisition of Tesco over the 50% stake of RBS coming as a direct challenge for the high street financial institutions which currently are on the stormy side of the economic recession tide and presently are in-waiting for the bank charges decision by the High Court. The acquisition will help Tesco to make its expansion from financial services that revolved around an assortment of popular financial services and products to full-fledged retail banking

Cultural Mosaic on the Buddhist Culture Research Paper

Cultural Mosaic on the Buddhist Culture - Research Paper Example But the Buddhist view of education is a lot more open-ended and fluid. Also, while there are fundamental tenets upon which Buddhist education system rests, they only serve as an aid to the student in discovering truths for himself. In other words, while the Western educational model has at its core the principle of ascertaining truth through rational inquiry and systematic experimentation, the Buddhist model espouses the principle that introspection through meditation will lead to the ultimate truth. (Haskett, 2005, p.192) Moreover, it is integral to Buddhist culture to put the ‘collective’ good ahead of ‘individual’ excellence. Notwithstanding these basic differences, one could still incorporate certain norms, customs and cultural aspects of Buddhist education into American schools. This essay will show that not only is this exercise feasible but also rewarding for the educators and students involved. A key feature of the Buddhist education system is its sp iritual dimension. In fact, the seeking of spiritual truth is a cornerstone of Buddhist culture. The Buddhist system attempts to prepare students to transcend the scientific realm and into the spiritual realm. School administrators in America might find it challenging to encourage students on spiritual quest alongside the emphasis on scientific inquiry. Moreover, in the spiritual realm, objectives tend to be vague and instructions difficult to comprehend. But a simple means by which the esoteric sounding spiritual quest can be incorporated in the American classroom is by breaking it down into common social principles such as co-operation and compassion. In other words, school curricula in the United States could give grade points for students for their social skills and their willingness to help fellow students. The Buddhist system sees education as a component of a student’s social life, as opposed to being distinct to it. (Tat Chia, 2009, p.122) In this scenario, ‘edu cation as competition’ would be replaced by ‘education through sharing of knowledge and experience’. A similar point is made even by some Western scholars like Daniel Goleman, who underscore the importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ) alongside the development of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) for overall healthy personality development. The spate of campus shootouts in recent years in America clearly indicates some fundamental flaws in the schooling system. By embracing the Buddhist principle of ‘non-violence’ and inculcating it in students will mitigate the occurrence of such shoot-outs. Non-violence aligns closely with virtues of co-operation and compassion. (Shin, 2010, p.33) American schools can include biographical sketches of world leaders renowned for the message of non-violence. These would include Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. A study of their life examples is an effective method for instilling the value of non-viol ence in American students. The Buddhist education system emphasizes reverence for the mentor/teacher. Conventionally, having evolved in a monastic setting, the chief monk would be regarded by students as an enlightened soul whose guidance is sought after at each stage of learning. It would also serve the interests of students in America if they make it the norm to pay more respect to their teachers. The most prominent of contemporary Buddhist teachers, His Holiness The 14th Dalai

Wireless technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless technology - Coursework Example Compared to the positive impacts, negative impacts of wireless technology on the environment are dependent on prolonged exposure linked to long-term use in moving people and goods, offering public services, powering the future, and nourishing people. In addition, wireless technology has made way into home, workplaces, and schools increasing concerns over the impacts on the environment in all these areas. This section focuses on both the negative and positive impacts that wireless technology has on the environment. The areas of study include hazards to humans, resources depletion, inventions’ discovery, and impact on wildlife, pollution of air and water, and short-lived and long-lived waste disposal impacts. Other areas of study include endangering of species, spotted owl and deforestation, and positive impacts like the case of Alaskan pipeline. In terms of public health, mobile phones and other wireless telecommunication devices involve information transmission using radio waves. Radio frequency waves are non-ionizing and this implies that they are not as strong to affect the atomic structures that they contact (U.S environmental Protection Agency, 2014). This is to say that RF waves neither break any chemical bond within human body nor cause any human atom to charge negatively or positively. Radio frequency waves linked to wireless technology arise from fixed network of antennas or base stations, industrial sources like cell towers, personal and domestic appliances, commercial surveillance systems, WLAN, WiFi, and WiMAX networks. According to Sage & Carpenter (2009), RF waves form the main element of wireless communications and have the capacity to increase the information volume transferred with time. As a result, multiple frequency bands are in use for wireless communication. However, RF is electromagnetic fields and

The problem of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The problem of evil - Essay Example A number of intellectual opinions have explained impossibility of existence of both God and His powers, and evil and its associated powers and suffering. Two sets of elements, three about God’s power and one about evil illustrates mutual exclusivity between the power of God over evil and the persistent existence of evil to develop the controversy. God is, for example, believed to be super powerful, present at all places and at all times and knows everything that happens on earth and in heaven. This means that evil occurs in God’s presence, against his powers, and with His knowledge. Consequently, existence of evil casts doubts on the three properties of God (Beebe 1). Similarly, if God has knowledge about existence of evil and the suffering that evil causes, He knows how to control evil power and has the capacity to control, and then existence evil would mean that God is not as good as He is expected to be. Also, if God wanted to control evil but does not, then it would mean that His power is not as sovereign as it is thought to be. Alternatively, if God has the power to control evil and wishes to, but has not, then it would mean that He is not aware of the existence of evil. These therefore mean that the presence of evil implies absence of at least one of the properties of God (Beebe 1). McCallum also explores the problem of evil through existence of evil in the presence of God’s power. The author explains that if God loves and has supreme power, according to a believer’s faith, then He should be able to terminate evil and its consequences. Existence of evil therefore puts a believer in a dilemma over the properties of God. From a biblical perspective, the author argues that if God is the creator of all that exist then He created evil because evil also exist. Similarly, belief that God is good and powerful would result in Him destroying evil. As a result, continued existence of evil discredits God’s properties as held among b elievers (McCallum 1). While approaches to explain the problem of evil are intellectual and seems to initiate doubt among believers regarding existence of God and His characteristics, a biblical approach to the problem offers a solution that provides for existence of God, His defined characteristics and existence of evil. This refutes the mutual exclusivity property of God and evil that intellectual approach explains. Suffering that is viewed as a manifestation of evil has its roots in the Bible because of sin and is bound to last forever. While it is normal that men appreciate a good deed’s result into benefits and happiness, people should also accept the fact that pain and suffering are consequences of man’s fall and should be expected to last. A controversy should not therefore arise over God’s ability and existence of evil and pain because these are consequences of man’s action during the initial fall (Keyes 5-6). A solution to the problem of evil is also derived from the fact that evil is not a creature but a bad choice or consequence of a bad choice. Evil does not also emanate from God but from man and his actions. The problem of evil can therefore be resolved by a practical step of transformation from doing badly, to

Nasty and unsightly Essay Example for Free

Nasty and unsightly Essay This segregation can be deeply felt by the reader and is very emotive. During the last extract there are a number of reasons why the audience would feel sorry for the monster. The eloquent and expressive nature of the language he uses show the reader that inside he is a beautiful being. I shall no longer see the sun or stars, or feel the winds play on my cheeks. The things that he will most miss are the sun and stars. These natural things are what he finds most enjoyable. The metaphor of the wind playing on his cheeks gives the reader a sense of his intelligent language but also his gentleness. Unlike Frankenstein the monster also blames himself for what has happened. But it is true that I am a wretch This sentence shows that the monster has acknowledged what he has done but also creates empathy with the audience, the word shows that he doesnt think much of himself. A wretch is often something very nasty and unsightly. How do you think Shelley feels about him? scientists were unconcerned by the potential consequences of their work Shelleys opinions on different matters are clear throughout the novel. The way that scientists were trying to push boundaries is explored. Shelleys view is obvious. She believes that scientists were unconcerned by the potential consequences of their work. Nothing must be able to go ahead without the full knowledge that it is safe. I believe that she uses the monster as a metaphor for this. Frankenstein had not taken enough time to way up the consequences of what might happen and the monster was born. Prejudice is a strong theme right through the novel. Shelley uses the monster to portray her thoughts about prejudice. She uses two extremes. She creates the monsters appearance to be revolting whilst his personality is smart, imaginative and elegant. During the story the only people who get to talk and interact with the monster are the blind people and Walton. These are also the only people he gets speak to in depth. This shows that once people can interact with him and get passed the way he looks it doesnt matter. The blind people speak to him because they cannot see what he looks like. Walton, even though he originally sets out to kill the monster begins to feel sympathy for the monster. Shelley obviously believes that people are too narrow-minded to look further into someone before judging them. Another major theme of the story is that of parent/child relationships. Shelley uses Frankenstein as the parent figure to the monster to explore the act of neglect upon a child. Marys mother died shortly after she was born. Once the monster is born Frankensteins vision of an amazing super-being vanishes and he sees the ugliness of what he has created. This may be a belief of Shelley. How mothers have a great vision of their baby and nurturing it and bringing it up but when the baby is actually born the mother is hit by the realisation of bringing up a child. The mother then chooses to neglect the child. Shelley then looks at what affect neglect can have on the child. The evil which engulfs the monster is directed at Frankenstein as a result of his neglect. I believe that Shelley sympathises with Frankenstein but more with the monster. I believe that Shelley relates to the monster as she felt neglected by her mother, although she died. I believe that she structures the book in a way that portrays this. She gives the reader the most of the book to sympathise with Frankenstein and only allows a smaller part in which the reader can gain sympathy for the monster. However she believes that the monsters grief is far worse than Frankensteins so that even less amount of time novel the reader still feels a greater amount of sympathy for the monster. I too feel compassion toward monster. I believe that someones abuse on the grounds of their appearance is wrong. Everybody should be allowed to express themselves to others and be given the chance to be understood. I also believe that most sympathy falls to Frankenstein because it was not his fault, Frankenstein created him and also neglected him. In my opinion although the monster carried out the murders the reason he did was Frankenstein. Not only did he create him without thinking of the possible consequences he also abandoned him and this caused the monster to become evil as a result of his torment. This can be linked back to the philosophy that people were born good. The monsters experience of society has moulded him into something which causes great havoc but truly, inside, he is good. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Classes, control and saving Essay Example for Free

Classes, control and saving Essay This section is a grouping of elements influencing various forms of power control. The specification highlights three device power classes possible for Bluetooth radios that are related to the power range of the transmitter: †¢ Class 1 is 100mW and up to about 100m range †¢ Class 2 is 2. 5mW and up to about 20m range †¢ Class 3 is 1mW and up to about 10m range Radios are subject to environmental influences and the Class 3 range of up to 10 meters is more likely to be 5 meters when furniture or people are in proximity of the radio. This form of power control is provided to cut down on interference with other devices in the ISM band and obviously help prolong battery life (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). The second form of power control is on the receiver side of a Bluetooth device. To enable all classes to communicate in a Piconet without damage to the RF front ends of the lower power classes, a method for controlling Class 1 device transmitter power is required. Transmit power control is mandatory above 4 dBm, below this level i. e. all Class 2 and 3 modules it is optional. To implement a power control link the remote device must implement a Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). For a transceiver wishing to take part in a power controlled link it must be able to measure its own receiver signal strength and determine if the transmitter on the other side of the link should increase or decrease its output power level. The RSSI makes this possible. Power control is specified is as a golden receive power, defined as a range with a low limit and a high limit. The RSSI must have a minimum dynamic range equal to this range. The RSSI must have an absolute accuracy of  ±4dB or better when the receiver signal power is –60 dBm. In addition, a minimum range of 20. 6 dB must be covered, starting from –60 dB and up. The instructions to alter the transmitter power are carried in the Link Manager Protocol (LMP) link (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). The last form of power control relates to the power consumption. The Hold, Sniff and Park modes are power saving modes set out in the specification aiming to preserve battery consumption. The Hold mode is typically used when a master is establishing a link with a new device and requires the other slaves to temporarily halt their transmissions. The Sniff mode puts slaves into a low duty cycle mode of operation but is still an active member of the Piconet and the master can only transmit after a ‘sniff’ interval. In Park mode slaves enters a low duty cycle mode of operation and are no longer active members of the Piconet (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). B. Applications and Profiles. Undeniably the ideal candidate for the first wave of applications will inevitably be based on mobile cellular technology, but what other applications can be realised using Bluetooth technology? The specifications outline a wireless technology that is as cost effective as the cable it replaces and aim to balance reliability, resilience, convenience and low power. The short-range connections of data and voice could mean the emergence of applications suitable for: ? Access points allowing mobile devices connection to services e.g. telephone network (PSTN) or LAN services. ? Mobile phone link to Laptop PCs ? Mobile phone connections to wireless headsets ? PDA, palmtop and desktop PC inter accessibility for file and data synchronisation. The Bluetooth core specification describes the protocol, but the Profiles document enhances this by setting out a number of profiles for applications and defining the way a number of services operate e. g. a file transfer profile defines how devices exchange data files. The profile document aids applications development, describing implementation schemes and highlights parts of the core Bluetooth protocol supporting the profile. Profiles supported are outlined in Figure 6; they are depicted grouped together. Each profile is built upon the one underneath, attaining their features from the lower profiles. The result of this approach gives the profiles a similar look and feel for user recognition. Plus developers can recycle modules for speeding up development time and reducing costs (see â€Å"Bluetooth Technology: What are the Applications? †). A wireless headset for a mobile phone is an application example using the profiles. It uses the Headset profile as its core specification. In Figure 6 the Headset profile is built from the Serial Port Profile (SPP) and the Generic Access Profile (GAP). The GAP being the base of all profiles, it defines the generic procedures related to device discovery and link management (see â€Å"Bluetooth Technology: What are the Applications? †). Figure 6: Bluetooth Profiles.

Relationship Between Health Status and Gender

Relationship Between Health Status and Gender Examining the relationship between health status and gender must take into account the different reflections of gender construction in Australia (Lumb, 2003, p.73-74).There are numerous expressions of masculinity and it can prove difficult to associate health status with this broad criterion (Smith, 2007, p.20, 22-23).Traditionally, gender and health status relied upon there being a broad comparison between gender definitions and â€Å"social roles† in which men would tend to be in full-time work while women are engaged in their caring role (Schofield, Connell, Walker, Wood Butland, 2000, p.251-252; Barry Yuill, 2008, p.149). Nowadays, it has become more fully recognised that such roles are no longer solely filled by either men or women; however the perception of them as â€Å"masculine or feminine† remains (Macdonald, 2006, p.456). In addition, social construction of both males and females may overlap with one another while examining men’s health status (Schof ield et al., 2000, p.247). It is important to identify men’s gender related issues as this would assist in understanding the impact on men’s health status enabling its’ improvement and diminishing associated the morbidity and mortality (Schofield et al., 2000, p.249; Berry Yuill, 2008, p.151-153-154; Macdonald, 2006, p.457; Smith, 2007, p.23). This essay will analyse the relationship between health status of males in Australia. This essay will examine the impact of behaviour on attitudes towards health and will address the relationship between gender and morbidity. It will then discuss the gendering of medicine and disease and finally efforts to tackle the relationship between gender and disease. Gender and attitudes towards health The defining feature of many studies of men’s health is frequently less simple than a tendency to avoid voicing concern about health issues (Hall, 2003, p.402-403, 407). Different groups have displayed different features in regard to this feature: firemen, for example, have little reticence in seeking professional help for health issues despite having a very strong sense of â€Å"masculine identity† (Macdonald, 2006, p. 457; Hall, 2003, p.403; Barry Yuill, 2008, p.155). However, in other cases, it is argued that men are stoical when faced with illness and delay seeking help until absolutely necessary (Hall, 2003, p.403, 406). There is a perception that it is a more masculine endeavour to appear strong at times of illness (Hall, 2003, p.401, 403, 406; Smith, 2007, p.22; Berry Yuill, 2008, p.155). Recently, released statistics from the Australia Movember Foundation (2014) state that such an attitude may be more emphasised when dealing with mental health related issues s uch as depression. Approaches with regards to stress or concerns related to health status are frequently result in a dependence on alcohol consumption and drugs use that may then lead to an increase in the mortality features of this group (Macdonald, 2006, p.457; Barry Yuill, p.154). This can mean that a slight reluctance with regards to health related issue may result in a decreased health status (Macdonald, 2006, p.457). This can be related to the projection of masculinity in Australia that tends to focus upon aggressiveness and independence (Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94). The feature of viewing men’s experiences of health as normal is an important factor in determining the relationship between health status and gender (Macdonald, 2006, p.456-457). There are a number of different categories of masculinity mentioned in studies that require attention namely â€Å"hegemonic, complicit and subordinated masculinities† (Macdonald, 2006, p.457; Smith, 2007, p.22-23; Barry Yuill, 2008, p.147-147). It has been highlighted that â€Å"hegemonic masculinity† category is perceived as the one that may possess all the power, being aggressive and assertive in decision making and therefore to deemed to be successful in society (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.147, 155; Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94). While the â€Å"complicit and subordinated masculinities† categories are considered to be less powerful and to some extent are unable to conform to the expectations related masculinity (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.147; Smith, 2007, p.23). These divisions do no t illustrate how health is considered in relation to masculinity, however, when it comes to â€Å"hegemonic masculinity† the health issues may be associated with gender health issues (Smith, 2007, p.21, 22; Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94). Even though the relationship between â€Å"subordinated masculinity† and â€Å"femininity† might seem evident in social context, it might result in different socio-economic roles that might not correspond to health status (Barry Yuill, 2008, p. 147-148; Macdonald, 2006, p.457; Smith, 2007, p.23). For example, if masculinity is related to power, then this would imply that those men who do not hold power are essentially fulfilling a female role in society (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.155). The concept of masculinity is seen when the men are strong and capable with a lesser likelihood of seeking help for their health related issues (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.155; Smith, 2007, p.23). There is likely to be overlaps between â€Å"assertive f emininity† and â€Å"subordinated masculinities† (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.155). It is frequently presumed that in Australia, masculinity is essentially one of aggressive, risk taking behaviour; however, there is an extent to which this can no longer be justified as representing the full spectrum in the present day (Smith, 2007, p.23). Gender and morbidity Gender associated with morbidity (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.152). It is presumed that the life expectancy of males is less than that of women due to their behaviour pattern in society (Carl, Baker, Robards, Scott, Hillman Lawrence, 2012, p.171).The evidence would suggest a more complex relationship between these factors (Carl et al., 2012, p.171). Masculine roles in society might involve a greater tendency towards behaviour that poses damage to health, such as more excessive drinking, a greater rate of smoking, and a greater likelihood to take risks (Smith, Braunack-Mayer Witter, 2006, p.82). When this is coupled with the reluctance to seek help for less-serious problems, the extent to which the relationship between morbidity is biologically rather than socially determined can be questioned (Smith et al., 2006, p.82). It has been noted that the gap between the mortality rates of men and women is closing, and it seems plausible that this is related to a greater blurring of the relations hip between sex and gender behaviours (Barry Yuill, 2008, p.152). For example, there is a greater equality in damaging health behaviours, with greater equality between smoking and drinking (Barry Yuill, 2008; Carl et al., 2012, p.171). Though at this stage the potential for a biological link cannot be entirely ruled out, the closing gap in morbidity between men and women may have more to do with gender than with sex (Smith et al., 2006, p.82; Barry Yuill, 2008, p.152). Gender holds the potential to overcome other factors of health status (Smith, 2007, p.23). For example, a study was completed that examined the relationship between morbidity in Australia and different geographical areas (Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94). This concluded that mortality rates a clearly related to the socio-economic characteristics of an area, which suggested that health inequality is related to class (Macdonald, 2006, p.457). If this is associated with the notion that some patterns of work are considered masculine and therefore may require â€Å"high physiological and psychological demand†, then it might be perceived that on a county-wide level men would have a lower health status due to high stress jobs (Macdonald, 2006, p. 457; Saunders Peerson, 2009, 94). It should also be possible to perceive that higher-paid jobs might result in lower levels of health because such work might rely upon the presentation of masculine qualities, such as assertiveness and independence (Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94; Macdonald, 2006, p.457).There is an extent to which explanatory variables concerning the relationship of health status with specifically masculine attributes are less simple when viewed in a wider context (Macdonald, 2006, p.457-458). The extent to which male tend not to refer to health specialists and take medicine has been considered a particular gender characteristic of the health status (Smith et al., 2006, p. 81). However, there is a biological factor that might impact upon this: women of reproductive age tend to consult doctors for matters relating to health issues, so there is greater contact even when there is no immediate health risk (Smith et al., 2006, p. 82; Galdas, Cheater Marshall, 2005, p.617-618). The unwillingness within men to consult doctors seems to exist independent of this factor (Smith et al., 2006. p.82). It is possible that feminine roles in society have come to include these features: there is a greater likelihood of contact with medical professionals when caring for the health of children. (Galdas et al., 2005, p. 617-618) Conversely, masculinity in society may be associated with factors of independence and demonstration of strength that might preclude seeking attention for medical care (Barry Yuill, 2008, p. 155; Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.94; Galdas et al., 2005, p. 619). However, it is possible that these features have been significantly over-emphasised (Saunders Peerson, 2009, p. 94). If the issues are deconstructed, the only serious illness of concern may be those that might result in death, but whose symptoms are relatively benign at the beginning, such as cancer (Park, Kim, Koo, Park Lee, 2008, p.979, 983). It appears that differences between men and women were slight in this regard: if there was a serious illness, almost everyone seeks medical help regardless of gender (Park et al., 2008, p. 980- 981; Barry Yuill, 2008, p. 152). However, it was revealed that males still may procrastinate with cancer diagnostic tests that eventually may lead to the development of cancer (Park et al., 2008, p . 984). Gender, medicine and disease There is a potential difference in how the medical profession treats people on the basis of gender (Riska, 2011, p.265-266).This has a number of causes: there may be the effect of different gender balances in the types of diseases that are encountered (Riska, 2011, p.265).However, it should also be noted that medicine is essentially a gendered occupation: nursing is still regarded as a feminine role, with doctors continuing to be dominated by men (Riska, 2011, p.265; Carl et al., 2012, p.82). This is more than the impact of different sex ratios in the profession, but the perception that medicine is a masculine role (Ozbilgin, Tsouroufli Smith, 2011, p.1588-1589). It has been argued that the ways in which doctors behave is formed by gender roles, with a more paternal role being undertaken in contrast to the maternal caring role of the nursing staff (Riska, 2011, 265; Ozbilgin et al., 2011, p. 1589; Carl et al., 2012, p.82).Diseases are often viewed in specifically gendered fashion, w ith health drives being characterised as ‘wars’ and combatting disease seen as a ‘fight’ (Ozbilgin et al., 2011, p.1589,1592-1593; Park et al., 2008, p.978,985-986). Other diseases are gendered, in that they are seen as specifically male or female, even when this might not be the case in practice (Ozbilgin et al., 2011, p.1588-1589). An example might be seen in breast cancer, which is widely perceived as a female disease even though it can occur in men (Park et al., 2008, p.978). The fact that the emphasis on breast cancer is focused on women’s experiences leads the perception that this is a disease distinctive to one sex, which means that the survival rates of men are much lower (Park et al., 2008, p.984-985). The definitions of health and illnesses are frequently gendered, and the medical institutions that treat diseases are also not external to society, and therefore reflect the gender concerns of the wider context (Park et al., 2008, p. 984). Approaches to breaking down the relationship between gender and health status Despite these arguments that suggest that the masculine approach to illness may be overstated, it is clear that the social construction of masculinity is an issue requiring attention (Smith et al., 2006, p.81-82; Smith, 2007, p.21). A recent government report (Department of Health and Aging) (2010) reviews the social construction of masculinity can be reflected in the formulation of a men’s health policy in Australia. This represents a development to parity and gender inclusiveness in how health issues are dealt with in the country (Smith, 2007, p.21, 24; Macdonald, 2006, p.457). In Australia, for example, investment programs may support the males’ health in relation to prostate cancer that is responsible for males’ health issues (Smith Robertson, 2008, p. 284-285). Health promotions focussed on addressing this problem show significant differences to those directed at women: they aim to ally health concerns with traditional conceptions of masculinity, perhaps to break down the associations traditionally made (Smith, 2007, p.21). Australia Movember Foundation (2014) draws attention to men’s health issues throughout the country. The concern with the gendering of health and disease can be seen as reflected in the need for a men’s mode of health practice (Smith, 2007, p.21). Pioneered in Victoria, an initiative was developed to engage men from rural communities in health issues (Hall, 2003, p. 406-407, Smith, 2007, p. 22). To an extent, it is problematic to associate behaviour with attitudes towards health (Smith et al., 2006, p.81). An important feature of these approaches is the implicit acknowledgement that health issues are not just presented in how they are associated by men within society (Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.93-94, Smith et al., 2006, p.81; Smith, 2007, p.21). The focus on â€Å"male-specific health promotions† also indicates an acknowledgement of the impact of gendering within the medical and healthcare professions (Smith, 2007, p.22-23). Nevertheless, aspects such as different health promotions for men do not essentially challenge the social construction of masculinity but attempt to work within these understandings of health and illness (Smith, 2007, p.23). This might suggest that breaking down the boundaries between masculine and feminine perceptions of health are still a long way off (Smith, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, deconstructing the relationship between gender and health status has proved intractable. In the first place, gender can be seen as promoting significant approaches to health and different lifestyle choices. These can impact on other lifestyle choices, such as combatting depression with alcohol rather than seeking medical assistance. However, the gendering of health issues also pervades the health professions. It is also potentially not as acute as other factors, such as socio-economic circumstances. Nevertheless, there are significant differences in approaches to health that have been tackled using a â€Å"gender-specific approach† and â€Å"gender-specific health promotion† (Smith, 2007, p.23; Saunders Peerson, 2009, p.93). This reflects the attention that the relationship between health promotion and masculinity has engendered in recent decades. However, these approaches frequently seek to work within existing cultural stereotypes rather than challengi ng them. This means that the influence of associated gender behaviour and health may continue to affect health status in Australia for the foreseeable future.