A critical component of a safety management system is the Near-miss Management System (NMS). An effective NMS aims to recognize signals from the operational field in order to apply more effective pre-vention strategies. These systems are widespread in industrial contexts characterized by a high risk level, such as major hazard and hospital sectors. Few examples occur in manufacturing processes which are characterized by different operational conditions at workplace and, consequently, different risk types. The Lean Thinking (or Management) strategy currently represents a worldwide competitive tool for improving productivity in the manufacturing sector all over the world. Thus, the application of these principles forces firms to define new approaches to design and manage the whole organization and con-sequently the safety management system. The paper proposes innovative design of a NMS based on the integration of principles of Lean Management in occupational safety for a worldwide automotive supplier firm. As no reference model has been previously defined, several factors have been assessed aiming to efficiently integrate occupational safety in the current Lean Management system. Innovative features characterizing the proposed model have been also discussed together with first results obtained by the full scale application.

Traditionally, a supply network is a sequence of different and multiple numbers of processes interconnected each other in order to satisfy all capacities and demand requirements imposed by customers with minimum cost to the network. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology could potentially improve supply network management by guarantying more visibility and real time communications across actors. Currently, RFID has playing an important role in coordinating information in several industrial contexts: in brief, its main advantage is to improve the quality and the speediness of information sharing among different partners in a network. Moreover, RFID capability could be effectively applied to replace traditional approaches (i.e. barcodes) to store and retrieve item data. On the other hand, RFID application is affected by some criticisms from both technological and economical point of view, as all emerging ICT technologies. In recent years, several studies have been developed in order to analyze benefits of RFID applications; few papers are focused on analyzing evaluation frameworks for RFID applications in complex supply networks. The proposed content analysis aims to support in evaluting potential operational benefits of RFID technology in different supply networks. The analysis proposed has been developed according to the well-know Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) which allows integrating business process reengineering, benchmarking, and process measurement into a cross-functional framework. The content analysis has been developed according to current literature about RFID applications; finally, it is proposed a standardized guideline for evaluating potential benefit of RFID technology in supply networks.

The amplification of accident consequences should be deeply considered in risk assessment studies carried out at chemical plants where the European Union’s Major Accident Hazard (MAH) legislation is enforced. Several approaches have been discussed and applied to evaluate external domino effects (i.e., where damage areas affect external areas): these approaches are traditionally based on analytical models that are usually time-consuming due to both the large amount of information required and the inherent complexity characterizing analytical models. On the other hand, if accident consequences are located within establishment boundaries—the so called knock-on effect—the application of these models would be not suitable as they are characterized by high complexity. This article proposes an effective and fast approach for evaluating the most efficient actions to prevent internal knock-on risks by a structured approach: the model aims to support the competent authority for evaluating both technical and procedural control measures in chemical installations. A multi-criteria decision method, based on Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), has been proposed. The model structure has been developed starting from the well-known Mond index; moreover, it evaluates several criteria, including equipment and plant vulnerability. The proposed model has been tested in a real case study regarding a chemical warehouse.

Pallet management, which involves direct and reverse logistic models, may represent a critical activity for logistics provider firms. Pallets are needed in order to ship products from the producers/ distributors to the retailers. Recently, pilot projects have demonstrated that performances of pallet management system could be improved by an advance tracking system based on Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID). RFID systems can increase effectiveness in acquiring data about properties of any entity – such as pallet – that can be physically identified and traced. In this paper, an effective model, based on the well known Activity Based Costing (ABC) technique, is proposed to evaluate economic feasibility of different design decisions regarding the whole pallet management system of a logistics provider. The model has been applied to different operational scenarios in a real case study: The scenario analysis aims to compare different configurations of pallet management systems based on RFID applications. Results obtained highlight how an RFID application is economically sustainable to reduce the overall cost of pallet management activities in different operational conditions. Finally, based on cost structure previously evaluated by the ABC model, an investment evaluation based on traditional indexes (e.g. ROI, Net Present Value, etc.) has been carried out. Therefore, the integration of the ABC model with traditional investment analysis has improved the effectiveness and the reliability of the feasibility study for evaluating RFID investments in pallet management.

European legislation has created a growing interest in the field of renewable energy production in several countries, including Italy. The applications of biomass and/or biofuel for energy generation have been assumed to provide a high level of sustainability due to the perception that renewable resources are inherently sustainable. Thus, renewable fuels applied to heating and/or electricity generation are potentially carbon dioxide neutral. However, before accepting this assumption, it is essential to analyse the actual level of sustainability in the whole supply chain (SC). This requirement has been clearly identified by the recently updated European Directives on renewable biofuels for transportation. However, there is little evidence that this concern has been directed at energy production from biomass. Thus, approaches derived from Green SC Management (GSCM) methods could provide an effective tool for evaluating, from a strategic perspective, the sustainability level of a specific biomass SC. This paper examines how biomass SC activities can define the overall environmental sustainability level. The approach was based on environmental indicators and the resultant output could support more effective GSCM strategies (e.g. defining logistics carriers, evaluating new biomass suppliers, etc.) for managing biomass SCs. Moreover, the approach could be applied by competent authorities for a quick evaluation of the sustainability level of biomass energy production installations. The approach has been tested in a real case study based on an installation, located in Southern Italy, which uses liquid biomass for energy production.

Work in confined spaces is still causing fatal accidents and injuries, despite the reinforcement of the worldwide regulatory and standards. Confined spaces are defined as limited or restricted areas not designed for continuous occupancy where employees enter and perform a specific task. Examples of confined spaces include, but are not limited to tanks, vessels, silos and pipelines. Several publications, reports and recent news demonstrate the great impact of such risks on the occupational safety level, showing high accident rates and multiple-fatality incidents. This study aims to evaluate the potential contribution of Internet of Things (IOT) technologies to prevent and control the risks of confined space work. After a first legislative overview and a literature review on the topic, the authors conceptualize an AHP (Analytical Hierarchy process) model for analysing how critical factors affecting dangerous scenarios in confined spaces could affect the assessment of an IOT based device for preventing and managing confined spaces risks. The model aims to support both safety managers and risk analysts in reducing hazards in confined spaces. A case study in the chemical industry is proposed to validate the approach

Information and communication technology tools could currently contribute to support firms in increasing the environmental sustainability of their production processes: the capability to monitor data on environmental performance is a key feature. This study proposes a decision support system for estimating and assessing the environmental performance of a specific printing product. Environmental sustainability concepts are just being applied in the printing sector: a critical analysis has highlighted that environmental eco-labelling schemes are widespread for raw materials; a few of interest have been addressed by researchers and practitioners to final products. The approach proposed aims to collect and merge environmental features of raw materials with data about printing processes carried out directly by the firm. Thus, the model allows a fast but integrated assessment of the whole environmental sustainability level of a specific printing product. With this, an overall sustainability assessment could be supplied to the final customer and to firm managers by integrating economic and environmental information in a common decision system. A prototypal software tool has been developed based on the approach proposed: the tool could be applied in the design as well as in the control phase for supporting scenario analyses to improve the environmental sustainability level of such a product.

Electronic and electric devices are now applied in most human activities: their diffusion is increasing worldwide; furthermore, most of them are characterized by a high replacement rate due to technological obsolescence. Consequently, environmental problems due to their diffusion are increasing; several aspects are involved from the energy consumption derived from their manufacturing processes and their use phases to their end-of-life (EOL) management. Such legislative (e.g. the European Energy Efficiency directive for household appliances) or voluntary interventions (e.g. based on the ISO standards) have been introduced for such devices: the aim is to incorporate environmental considerations in product design and manufacturing in order to benefit the environment. Some attempts are focusing on defining standardized models for the overall lifecycle including waste management. The aim of this paper is to introduce a reference model for comparing environmental product footprint of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). All life cycles of EEE will be evaluated: a specific focus is on the EOL management process as their waste management represents a complex problem for developed and developing countries. A multi-criteria decision-making model will be developed based on the well-known analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method: differently from traditional AHP applications, an absolute model has been proposed in order to compare EEE effectively from an environmental point of view. A case study validation regarding large household appliances is proposed.

Pallets are currently the most widespread system for internal material handling and logistics of goods through a supply chain: they represent a critical asset for all firms, especially for Logistics Service Providers (LSPs). Analyzing pallet management systems according to a logistics point of view is quite a new research trend. Open or closed loop networks are now applied worldwide for pallet logistics: the latter is more complex to design and manage due to the presence of a reverse logistics process; several inbound and outbound processes have to be assessed. On the other hand, closed loop systems are the most effective, both from an environmental and an economic point of views. The aim of the paper is to outline critical factors (such as the pallet logistics network, the interchange system) in designing closed loop pallet management systems; a simulation-based tool has been developed in order to support logistic managers in designing effective organizational scenarios for these systems. Cost and time based KPIs will be estimated by the simulation model. A case study about a LSP firm has been also analyzed in order to validate the proposed model. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out aiming to evaluate impacts on supply chain performance due to context parameters. The proposed study could support both practitioners and academics in better understanding the key management aspects involved in closed loop pallet management, thus allowing a most effective design of this critical reverse logistics system.

The growing production of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) justifies the increasing attention of both institutional and industrial organisations. The fast adoption of legislations, rules, and practices leads to a great dis-homogeneity in the technical, organisational and cost models adopted world-wide. The paper proposes a scientific literature analysis about WEEE design and management processes. A three-level taxonomy has been proposed in order to classify research papers: The basic logic is to propose a comparison between a WEEE system and an typical industrial engineering problem. The two first levels refer to the most critical issues characterising the design as well as the management of a typical WEEE reverse chain. The last one analyses different approaches/tools/methods currently applied in the scientific literature for WEEE design and management. A discussion is proposed to support waste practitioners as well as researchers in developing more effective and efficient WEEE management systems.

Accidents andnear-misseventsareusuallycharacterizedbycommoncausesanddifferentconse- quences;anear-misseventisapotentialhazardousconditionwheretheaccidentsequencewas interrupted;theseeventshavecommoncauseswithaccidents(orinjuries),but,differentlyfromthe latters nearmissconsequencesarenull(orreduced). Thus, near-misseventsareaccidentprecursors;furthermore,theyprovide “weak signals” to safety managers forpreventingmoreeffectivelyinjuriesatworkplace.Thestudyproposesamethodological frameworktoverifytheglobaleffectivenessofanear-missmanagementsystem(NMS):themodelis based onleansafetyandlearningloopsstrategies.Theproposedframeworkusesdatacollectedbythe firm NMScrossedwithinformationextractedfromoccurredaccidents/injuries.Acasestudyinan automotive firm supplierisproposedaimingtovalidatetheproposedframework.Theanalysishas revealedeffectivetooutlineoverallpotentialitiesoftheproposedapproachtogetherwithimprovement points forthe firm NMSapplication.

New business models are emerging in the FMCG retail sector due to the wide diffusion of digital technologies; innovative tools-such as Pervasive Retailing Information Systems-are wide spreading all over the world aiming to increase customer loyalty and retailer performance. Furthermore, the recent mass diffusion of mobile technologies is also contributing to modify customer satisfaction towards the shopping process. In this context, new generations of self-service systems-i.e. mobile Self-Checkout Systems (mSCSs)-are becoming widely adopted by FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) retail companies: the aim is to both speed up the customer-shopping trip and increase customer satisfaction. A mSCS is a selfcheckout system based on mobile technology. Traditionally, self-checkout systems have been applied to speed up the customer purchase process; impacts on retailer performance could also be evaluated in order to optimize labor force at store level. The paper proposes a comparison analysis about the application of different types of mSCSs at FMCG retail stores: the study will focus on analyzing quantitatively impacts on time based metrics both from the customer and the retailer points of view. The study will be helpful for practitioners in designing their own mSCS; furthermore, a structured model for evaluating potential impacts of innovative technologies at the retail sector as a result. Finally, a discrete-event simulation model has been developed to quantitatively compare different mSCSs in a case study.

A close relationship between near-miss events and major accidents has been demonstrated in major hazard facilities: a near-miss and an accident have often common causes. A near-miss could be defined as a hazardous condition where the event sequence could lead to an accident if it had not been interrupted. An effective Near-miss Management System (NMS) aims to quickly recognize signals from the operational fields in order to apply prevention strategies. As a standard reference model has not yet been developed, the NMS design represents a complex issue. The present paper proposes a critical comparison between two methodologies which could be applied for a near-miss event assessment: a matrix and an index based method. The purpose is to evaluate potentiality and pitfalls of their application as their global efficiency could influence the whole performance of the whole NMS design. An application in a test case of a chemical plant is proposed: results obtained have proved useful in supporting safety management in an effective design of a NMS.

Large chemical parks feature a number of single establishments, managed by different companies, which share materials and structures in a restricted area. The duties of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) man-agement are spread among a number of employers. A number of major accident scenarios, which potentially impact many single facilities, have to be considered. Even though the OSH management, the control of Major Accident Hazard (MAH) are traditionally considered separately in practice, in legislation and in research, their integration is an emerging topic for industrial clusters. The objective of the present work is to integrate OSH risk assessment with issue characterizing the spatial-based MAH assessment. At plant unit level, information about damage area, derived from MAH, will be combined to the exposure time of a worker in a specific plant area; thus, the personal risk for each job profile may be derived and added in the OSH risk matrix. A simplified method has been developed, considering the available information and the assumptions. The proposed algorithm aims to assure the consistency between the OSH risk assessment document and the MAH ones. For each job profile, a risk map, which combines severity, exposure and probability, could be evaluated. The test site for the proposed method is a large petrochemical park, which features eight independent opera-tors, 1000 hectares area, and about 1500 employees and 1500 contractors.

Cold chain management represents a focal activity in several industrial contexts from food to chemical chains (i.e. fresh food, vaccines or pharmaceutical products). It involves a network of temperature controlled processes and vehicles, which have to be strictly interconnected and monitored to assure product protection for both sanitary and economical reasons. All these factors could be managed by a more efficient system for improving visibility and traceability, based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) applications. The paper aims to highlight a metric model for assessing effectively economic performances of an RFID application in a specific cold chain. The model could support the design and the control of the whole cold supply chain by evaluating technological and managerial implication of the RFID application.

RFID technology is no longer an experimental technology but is now widely applied in business processes aiming to increase performance both in public and private sectors. Together with traditional sectors (e.g. logistics, retail), the large potentiality of this technology is supporting its adoption in completely new emerging sectors (e.g. entertainment, payment). Thus, several challenges are still open: one critical point is the application cost; furthermore, as several research studies have pointed out operational as well as strategic benefits, this is yet an open research topic. The aim of the proposed study is to “measure” the adoption level of RFID technology by critically analyzing field study applications: a survey has been performed on case studies published by RFID Journal – a well-known media company – in two years (from January 2010 to January 2012). A specific taxonomy – based on main critical points characterizing RFID application – has been proposed in order to support potential RFID adopters in designing their own application. Results have showed as RFID technology is really pervasive in several sectors and geographical areas, even if the level of diffusion is quite different from one area to another.

Mass customization combines the contrasting elements of mass production and customization. This provides industrial organizations with a high level of flexibility and effectiveness, enabling them to gain a competitive advantage. In this field, control technologies could play a key role in supplying automatic access to information. One of the emerging technologies is radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID system now represents one of the technologies which could transform processes across supply chains (SC). Major benefits of RFID applications in SC management are oriented toward sharing information with partners, tracing objects, and share information. While an increasing interest in RFID technology can be found in scientific literature, few studies are focused on the performances of RFID technology applications in SC management. First, this chapter proposes, a classification of papers found in a scientific database from 2000 to 2008. Second, a general framework based on the Supply Chain Operations References (SCOR) model, which aims to define a standardized tool for evaluating performances in SCs of RFID applications.

La società ha per obiettivo primario la valorizzazione dei risultati della ricerca svolta all'interno dell'Università attraverso l'attività di consulenza e lo sviluppo di nuovi sistemi e soluzioni infotelematiche. In particolare: gestione per conto di terzi di sistemi informatici, di comunicazione, di servizi di call-center, customer-care e la gestione di banche dati; realizzazione di banche dati e organizzazione di sistemi informativi, installazione e manutenzione di impianti e sistemi telefonici e di telecomunicazioni; realizzazione di siti e portali internet, realizzazione di sistemi per il commercio elettronico, di call-center e di comunicazione; ricerca, sviluppo software e progettazione nel campo informatico ed elettronico; studio, progettazione e realizzazione di software e hardware.