The efficiency of training programmes in handling designed to prevent injuries has rarely been demonstrated by studies in the workplace. This study aimed to identify factors that may favour or inhibit the application of safe handling principles by paramedics performing full-body transfers of patients from a stair chair to a stretcher. In an observational field study, handling methods used in 45 patient transfers from a stair chair to stretcher were characterised. Principles concerning the physical environment seem to be applied frequently, but those applicable during the transfer are neglected. Principles taught during training may not be applied due to the physical constraints of the workplace and the underestimation of risk exposure. The results suggest that training should be enhanced, not by focussing on handling techniques but by focussing on compromise and the capacity to adapt work techniques based on the working context and the team-mate.

A Fabry-Perot cavity polarimeter, installed in 2003 at HERA for the second phase of its operation, is described. The cavity polarimeter was designed to measure the longitudinal polarisation of the HERA electron beam with high precision for each electron bunch spaced with a time interval of 96ns. Within the cavity the laser intensity was routinely enhanced up to a few kW from its original value of 0.7W in a stable and controllable way. By interacting such a high intensity laser beam with the HERA electron beam it is possible to measure its polarisation with a relative statistical precision of 2% per bunch per minute. Detailed systematic studies have also been performed resulting in a systematic uncertainty of 1%.

The High Energy Detector (HED) is one of the three detection units on board the Simbol-X detector spacecraft. It is placed below the Low Energy Detector so as to collect focused photons in the energy range from 8 to 80 keV. It consists of a mosaic of 64 independent cameras, divided in 8 sectors. Each elementary detection unit, called Caliste, is the hybridization of a 256-pixel Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) detector with full custom front-end electronics into a unique component. The status of the HED design will be reported. The promising results obtained from the first micro-camera prototypes called Caliste 64 and Caliste 256 will be presented to illustrate the expected performance of the instrument.

The Simbol-X focal plane is designed to detect photons focused by the mirror in the 0.5 to 100 keV energy band. Composed of two detectors, it will measure the position, energy, and arrival time of each incoming X-ray. On top of it will be a collimator to shield all photons not coming from the mirror field of view. The whole system is surrounded by an active and passive shielding in order to ensure the required very low background.

In this paper, we present the status of VISIR, the mid-infrared instrument to be installed in 2003 at the Cassegrain focus of MELIPAL, one of the four 8-meter telescopes of the European Very Large Telescope. This cryogenic instrument, optimized for diffraction-limited performance in both mid-infrared atmospheric windows (N and Q band), combines imaging capabilities over a field up to about 1x1 arcmin 2, and long-slit (0.5 arcmin) grating spectroscopy with various spectral resolutions up to R=25000 at 10 mum and 12500 at 20 mum. The contract to design and build VISIR was signed in November 1996 between the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and a French-Dutch consortium of institutes led by Service d'Astrophysique of Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA). A key step in the project has been passed in December 2001, with the first infrared images in the laboratory and in April 2002 with the first infrared spectra in the laboratory. We present the results of the laboratory tests of the instrument, which is scheduled to be shipped to Paranal at the end of 2002.

NOMAD's (Neutrino Oscillation Magnetic Detector) goal is to detect neutrinos tau produced by neutrino oscillations from an initial beam of neutrinos mu in a 5-m-long light target. The neutrino target and the electron tracking are intimately mixed and the NOMAD detection set acts as an electronic bubble chamber. The instrumented target system is for tracking to a three-ton target within one radiation length. It offers 150 drift chamber planes and is designed to provide a precision sigma =200 mu m per plane in the y direction. It is an assembly of self-supporting drift chambers (2960 mm*3128 mm) whose structures are light sandwiches of low-density polymers forming the neutrino target. This light structure permits a simplified layout in the UA1 magnet and a low overall cost.<>

We present a detailed description of the drift chambers used as an active target and a tracking device in the NOMAD experiment at CERN. The main characteristics of these chambers are a large area, a self supporting structure made of light composite materials and a low cost. A spatial resolution of 150 microns has been achieved with a single hit efficiency of 97

We built and commissioned a new type of Compton polarimeter to measure the electron beam polarization at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Virginia, USA). The heart of this polarimeter is a high-finesse monolithic Fabry–Pérot cavity. Its purpose is to amplify a primary 300 mW laser beam in order to improve the signal to noise ratio of the polarimeter. It is the first time that a high-finesse Fabry–Pérot cavity is enclosed in the vacuum of a particle accelerator to monitor the beam polarization by Compton polarimetry. The measured finesse and amplification gain of the cavity are F=26000 and G=7300. The electron beam crosses this high-power photon source at an angle of 23 mrad in the middle of the cavity where the photon beam power density is estimated to be 0.85MW/cm2. We have used this facility during the HAPPEX experiment (April–July 1999) and we give a preliminary measurement of Compton scattering asymmetry.

A new kind of Compton polarimeter using a resonant Fabry–Pérot cavity as a power buildup for the photon beam is proposed. A prototype of such a cavity is described, along with the results obtained in terms of source to be used in a Compton scattering polarimeter.

In this paper, we present the principle and the studies for a new type of Compton polarimeter based on the use of power buildup Fabry-Perot cavity to get a 3% measurement of the Jefferson Lab electron polarization within minutes.

The NOMAD experiment is a short base-line search for νμ − ντ oscillations in the CERN neutrino beam. The ντ's are searched for through their charged current interactions followed by the observation of the resulting τ− through its electronic, muonic or hadronic decays. These decays are recognized using kinematical criteria necessitating the use of a light target which enables the reconstruction of individual particles produced in the neutrino interactions. This paper describes the various components of the NOMAD detector: the target and muon drift chambers, the electromagnetic and hadronic calorimeters, the preshower and transition radiation detectors and the veto and trigger scintillation counters. The beam and data acquisition system are also described. The quality of the reconstruction and individual particles is demonstrated through the ability of NOMAD to observe Ks0's, Λ0's and π0's. Finally, the observation of τ− through its electronic decay being one of the most promising channels in the search, the identification of electrons in NOMAD is discussed.

The management of balance during handling has rarely been studied, with most effort being focused on the floor - shoe interface. The goal of this study was to identify the factors involved in balance difficulties in manual handling by documenting the handlers' points of view. From two extensive series of previously conducted interviews, the comments related to balance were analyzed using thematic content analyses. Comments on balance involved 24 different themes which were grouped under 8 categories. The results emphasized that experts' view of balance is of a systemic nature, which explains the diversity of themes they discussed in relation to balance. Foot positioning and gait was the category most frequently discussed, revealing that more attention should be paid to its role in handling.

The NOMAD experiment is a short base-line search for νμ → ντ oscillations in the CERN neutrino beam. The ντ ’s are searched for through their charged-current interactions followed by the observation of the resulting τ− through its electronic, muonic or hadronic decays. These decays are recognized using kinematical criteria necessitating the use of a light target which enables the reconstruction of individual particles produced in the neutrino interactions. This paper describes the various components of the NOMAD detector: the target and muon drift chambers, the electromagnetic and hadronic calorimeters, the preshower and transition radiation detectors, and the veto and trigger scintillation counters. The beam and data acquisition system are also described. The quality of the reconstruction of individual particles is demonstrated through the ability of NOMAD to observe Ks ’s, Λ 0’s and π0’s. Finally, the observation of τ− through its electronic decay being one of the most promising channels in the search, the identification of electrons in NOMAD is discussed.

The purpose of this study was to compare the techniques used by six expert handlers and six novices during a free handling task. Each subject had to transfer three sets of 16 boxes from a platform to a four-wheel cart. The observations dealt with the position of the subject at the beginning of transfer and at deposit (position of the back, knees and feet, pelvic orientation, position of the hands), his way of moving during the transfer (position of the feet) and his way of positioning and moving the box during handling (tilt). The results show that the expert handlers chose handling techniques rather different than those of the novices, particularly with regard to the position of the knees, feet and pelvis, the location of the grip, the movement of the feet during transfer, and the position of the box during handling. The study suggests that the strategies adopted by the experts would improve balance, and permit better control of the load and more efficient use of box momentum during transfer.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the weight of the load (12 kg, 22 kg) and of the height of the grasp (high: 126 cm; middle: 64 cm and 95 cm; low: 33 cm) on the handling techniques adopted by six experienced handlers and six novices having only limited handling experience during a free box-handling task. Each subject had to transfer two sets of 16 boxes from a platform to a four-wheel cart. The observations dealt with the position of the subject at the beginning of transfer and at deposit (position of the back, knees and feet, pelvic orientation, position of the hands), his way of moving during the transfer (position of the feet), and his way of positioning and moving the box during handling (tilt of the box, impulse given to the box, grip change). The results show that the weight and the height of grasp/deposit had an influence on the techniques adopted by expert handlers and novices. Some of these variations are common to both groups but many of them are not, such as the position of the knees, the grips and the position of the box. This study suggests that there is not one method that is suitable for all situations, and that expert handlers may have learned how to adjust their methods to the working environment. A better understanding of the experts' techniques could help in redesigning efficient training programs.

Twenty-eight experienced handlers, considered the best in two transport companies, were interviewed using a questionnaire consisting of partially closed-ended questions. They had to assess 20 videotape handling sequences showing two different handling methods to determine, for 10 factors and overall, which one was the best. They were asked about the inportance of these factors in their choices of the best method. The aims of the study were to verify whether there was a consensus among experienced handlers as to what was a good handling method and to identify the factors taken into consideration by them. Results show the lack of consensus on the best methods. Handlers favor different strategies depending on the worjk context and their own priorities.