Frsc insight february 2014 edition final (2)

FRSC INSIGHT FEBRUARY, 2014

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION www.frscinsight.com

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Insi htFEBRUARY, 2014

Electric CarsTop10DEFINED STANDARDSSPEED LIMITING DEVICE:

FRSC INSIGHT FEBRUARY , 2014 2

From the Editor-In-Chief

Insi htFEBRUARY, 2014

Have you ever wondered why in creating the universe, God created the world in a circular shape? Of all available shapes, why would God choose to crate this beautiful world we live in an almost circular shape?The shape ‘’circle’’ may perhaps be special to God. Look at the Sun and Moon, they look circular in shape. The whirlwind, in motion, equally forms a circular shape. Even the eggs that provide nutrition especially to children are shaped in circle. As astonishing in shape as these creations of God are, man in designing the modern car is now designing them in aerodynamic shape. Modern aerodynamic cars may though not ex-actly be circular in shape, however it is pro-jected that future cars may very soon be shaped exactly the way God created this world.Aerodynamics involve how the movement of air impairs the cruise of an object like auto-mobiles or aircrafts. Aircraft designers are par-ticular about the challenges associated with air compressibility as aircrafts speed increases to near or greater than the speed of sound. This way the differences in air flows usually lead to glitches involving aircraft control, increased drag and even structural designs caused by aero elastic flutter.Still talking about Cars, the fad today amongst automobile designers includes the production of electric automobiles. This month, FRSC Insight examines the ten top global electric vehicles .You will also read about vehicle in-spection and certification programme for road worthiness.This month, the Director General of the Stand-ards Organization of Nigeria (SON) shared his thoughts on the speed limiting devise. This is germane against the exigent need by the Fed-eral Road Safety Corps to prevent speed in-duced crashes, which in 2013 accounted for al-most half of all the road crashes that occurred

t h r o u g h o u t Nigeria.By the way, this February, specif ical ly on 18th, the Federal Road Safety Corps marked twen-ty six years of meritori-ous service to the Nigerian motoring public. I think the eminence of the FRSC would be better appreciated, if from hindsight we real-ize that virtually all the agencies estab-lished same time with the FRSC in 1988 have gone extinct. Also if there were no FRSC, the road crash situation perhaps would have grown worse than how the World Health Organization described Nigeria in the 1980’s as ‘’the worst country in the world, only after Ethiopia to drive a motor vehicle’’. We therefore join several millions of appreciative Ni-gerians who were once victims of road crashes rescued by the Corps, in wish-ing the FRSC greater zeal in providing safety to all road users. Sicknesses affecting the liver are wor-ryingly on the increase. We therefore in this edition make an exposé into various types of fruits that can help you combat liver cirrhosis. All the regular stores can also be read, as well as all previous editions of FRSC Insight on www.frscinsight.com

Corps Commander Clement O. OladeleEditor – In – Chief

FRSC INSIGHT FEBRUARY, 2014 3

Osita Chidoka OFR Corps Marshal/Chief Executive Publisher

(CC) Oladele OC Editor–In-Chief

(ARC) Alegieuno KD Editor

MEMBERS (ACC) Ogunnupebi VO (CRC) Obagbemiro AR (DRC) Nwokolo CB (DRC) OI IKOKU OI (ARC) Enakireru DO

Content

Editoria

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FRSC

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A monthly publication of the Planning Advisory Unit (PAU) designed to broaden the ho-rizon of FRSC staff on wide range of issues.

Pg 15: SPEED LIMITING DEVICE: DEFINED STANDARDS

Pg 22: Fruits that can help improve your liver

Pg 24: Vehicle Inspection and Certification Pro-gramme for Road Worthi-ness

Pg 26: Firefly: a lesson for the scientist


Electric Cars: The top 10

As fuel cost continue to sour digging its large hands into the finances of vehicle users, many are no doubt seek-ing alternative means to ensuring that their vehicles move

on the road without spending much to make it happen. Perhaps the gradual introduction of electric car by vehicle manufacturers might just be the long awaited messiah. Today, Nearly every auto manufacturer is planning to build electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid-electric (PHEV) cars. It is expected that by 2020 global all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric car penetration is expected to be 2-5% of global auto sales primarily in Europe and Asia. Here are top ten electric (emission-free) cars by different car manufacturers


The BMW i3 is a game-changer. Not because it’s got amazing battery technology that can take it nearly 120 miles on one charge, but because it looks and drives great. BMW did six years of research, monitoring the driving habits of 1,000 people over

20MILLION miles, to develop the incredible car that the i3 is today. With futuristic styl-ing both inside and out, and a very BMW-like 0-60mph in just 7 seconds makes this a seri-ous competitor not just to other electric cars, but to its gas-powered rivals too. At $41,350, they’re pricey, but expect to see these flooding middle class markets around the world soon.

No 1:BMW i3


Billed as the world’s first premium electric sedan, the Model S does 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds and with a top speed of 193 km/h. It also outdoes all other electric cars when it comes to driving range. There are three battery options: the 60kWh version

can power the car for 209km while the 85kWh and performance versions increase that to an incredible 483miles. These cars aren’t cheap, though, starting at $58,570 (before a fed-eral tax credit of $7,500 is deducted). But they’re obviously good value for money. In Nor-way demand is so high and supply so limited that second hand ones have been changing hands for more than people can buy them for new. The Model S follows in the footsteps of the electric Tesla Roadster sports car, and precedes the firm’s Model X electric SUV.

No 2:Tesla Model S


The Nissan Leaf is the model that blazed the trail when it came to the development of electric cars. Although once regarded as far too expensive and impractical, the latest version has come down in price and has a bigger boot and increased range. It cover 200km on a single

charge, this is due to lighter bodywork and improved batteries, with a top speed of 145/h. Nissan were able to further reduce the cost by removing some of the unnecessary luxuries from the inte-rior, but still provide motorists with all the essentials. You can buy a Nissan Leaf for just $21,300.

No 3:Nissan Leaf


A supercar that does 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and is totally electric. The SLS AMG Electric Drive has four electric motors powered by a liquid-cooled 400 V lithium-ion battery, it can produce 1,000Nm of torque with a maximum out-

put of 751hp and a range of 155miles. It really doesn’t get better than this. Without doubt the most desirable of all the electric cars on this list, but there’s one slight snag: it’s to-tally out of reach for most people as the SLS AMG Electric Drive costs nearly $550,000.

No 4:Mercedes-Benz SLS


Good looks and an enjoyable ride helped the Chevrolet Spark EV gain good reviews when it first appeared on the market in July 2013. In the United States, the Chevrolet Spark is currently only being sold in Oregon and California, the two states currently

most friendly towards electric cars. But it could be rolled out to other areas in the near future, and General Motors also want to sell it in Canada, South Korea and parts of Europe. Price-wise the Spark starts at $19,185 ($26,685 before a $7,500 federal tax credit is deducted). It has a total range of 132 miles once fully charged, and can be fast-charged to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

No 5:Chevrolet Spark EV

FRSC INSIGHT FEBRUARY , 2014

The Ford Focus EV has a starting price of $35,200, meaning it’s a realistic rival to most normal cars on the road. It’s the most fuel-efficient compact class car in the US, with a top speed of 135/h and estimated range of 122km on a single charge. To

help with efficiency the Ford Focus EV has regenerative brakes, which capture more than 90 per cent of the energy usually lost through braking due to friction. The interior of the car is also environmentally friendly, with the seat fabric being made from 100 per cent recycled material, while the padding is made out of foam sourced from sustainable plant seed oils.

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No 6: Ford Focus EV


The electric version of the Honda Fit, also known as the Honda Jazz, appears to be a testing bed for the Japanese automobile giant’s entry into the electric cars market. Just 1,100 of the cars were scheduled to be produced during the first three years after

its 2013 release. Like the Chevrolet Spark, it was initially only launched in California and Oregon, but sales were later extended to Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut. It has a base price of $37,415, though is currently only avail-able on a leasing scheme costing around $259 a month over three years with unlimited mile-age. It does the equivalent of 118mpg with a range of around 122km on a single charge.

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No 7: Honda Fit EV


Mitsubishi i MiEV is one of the most affordable electric cars in the market. It has a base price of $29,125 before the reduction of any applicable federal tax credit and incentives, with a range of 161km when fully charged. The i MiEV (its name stands

for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) was one of the first completely electric cars to hit the market when it was launched in 2009. Called the Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot iOn in Eu-rope, it was the first electric car to sell more than 10,000 units. It was overtaken as the most popular electric car by the Nissan Leaf shortly after setting that benchmark in in February 2011.

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No 8: Mitsubishi i MiEV


The Smart Electric Drive is entirely designed for city driving. It’s small (easy to park), easy to handle (it weighs just 2,000lbs and has a 28.7ft turning circle) and is still nip-py for its size (78mph top speed). It also has a range of 122km when driving in ur-

ban areas, which more than meets the average daily needs of city-dwellers. What’s more, it’s very affordable. One can be had for as little as $12,490 if you take part in their Bat-tery Assurance Plus leasing scheme and take advantage of federal tax offers and incentives.

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No 9: Smart Electric Drive


Whether you can call the Renault Twizy a car is debatable. Renault Twizy is extremely cheap! The Twizy has a starting price of around $11,000, with a battery rental fee of $61 per month, making it the least expen-

sive electric car in the world today. But despite the low price tag, it still comes with an airbag for the driver and can cover up to 97km in the city on a single charge.

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No 10: Renault Twizy


SPEED LIMITING DEVICE: DEFINED STANDARDS

The Standards Organisation of Nige-ria was established by CAP S9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The organisation is responsible for elaboration of standards for prod-ucts and services and ensuring com-pliance with the Federal Government of Nigeria Policies for Standards, Metrology and Quality Assurance .

DR JOSEPH IKEMEFUNA ODUMODU(MFR)STANDARDS ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA

SON is a member of International Organiza-tion for Standardization (ISO), the Internation-al Electro-technical Commission (IEC), Co-dex Aliment Arius Commission (Codex) and the African Regional Organization for Stand-ardization (ARSO) , all these is to further Ni-geria’s interest in the field of Standardization.SON partners with other government agencies involved in regulatory activi-ties to continually ensure provision of quality goods and services to Nigerians.

Basic Definitions of TermsStandardization – process of formulat-ing and applying rules for orderly approach to a specific activity for the benefit of all concerned taking into account the func-tional conditions and safety requirements.

Standards - documented agreements con-taining technical specifications or other pre-cise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteris-tics, to ensure that materials, products, pro-cesses and services are fit for their purpose.

Conformity assessment is the name given to the processes that are used to demonstrate that a product (tangible) or a service or a management

system or body meets specified requirements

Regulations – official rules made by a govern-ment or some other authority, they may be derived and/or made reference from standards and codes

Types of Standards

Basic Standard – a standard containing gen-eral provisions for one particular field or having wide coverage, for example, stand-ard on measurement of lengths (Dimension) Testing Standard – a standard con-cerned exclusively with test methods.

Terminology Standard – a standard con-cerned exclusively with terms usual-ly accompanied by their definitions and sometimes with explanatory notes, il-lustrations, and examples, among others. Code of Practice – a document describing rec-ommended practices for the design, manufac-turing, setting up, maintenance or utilization of equipment, installations, structures or products

Safety Standard – a standard concerned with safety of people and goods considering non-technical factors such as human behavior.


Interface Standard – a standard specifying re-quirements concerned with the compatibility of products or systems at their points of contact. Product Standard – a standard specify-ing some or all of the requirements to be met by a product to confer it the mini-mum quality requirements expected of it.

In abroad sense, we have company standards and statutory standards;

Statutory Standards are consensus – based and documented stakeholders expectations founded on consolidated science, technology and experience for the attainment of sustaina-ble economic growth. Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), African Regional Standard-ization Organization (ARSO), are examples of national, regional and international standardi-zation bodies that publish statutory standards.

Statutory standards are employed by third-party certification bodies such as SON for conformity assessment of either product, ser-vice or environmental, for instance. In the in-terest of national economy it is imperative for businesses to effectively implement satisfac-tion factors specified in statutory standards.

Company standards are peculiar to owner companies for their internal operations. They are not substitutes for statutory standards, as they cannot be employed for third party certification.

Voluntary standards are developed by vari-ous groups/individuals, organizations and/or associations usually involved with the ac-tivities or materials being standardized, since they benefit most from their creation. Vol-untary standards can be referenced in regu-lations or cited in contracts at which point they become mandatory or legally binding. Governments also create mandatory stand-ards, for example regulations relating to health, safety or environmental concerns.While voluntary standards prevail in market

oriented economies, mandatory standards tend to operate in centrally controlled economies.

Whether standards should be mandatory or voluntary depends on the following factors:

the character of the standard;the status of the National Standard Body (a private or governmental body); and the country’s economy and political system.

Conditions for trade increase include the re-moval of technical barriers to trade and the raising of product quality to an international level. This is the reason why some countries have mandatory standards for all exports.Furthermore, standards are made man-datory in order to secure the safety and health of the population and also to pro-tect the environment. Other protective aspects of standards are, for example; Protection of the consumers from being of-fered low quality products in situations where the economy does not allow for competition;Protection of a country’s export trade;Protection of the health and safety of the population, and nowadays nor-mally protection of the environment.

Examples of Standardization Around Us• The metre is the standard of measurement.• Money is a standard of exchange.• Words are standards of communications.• Traffic lights are safety standards.• Octane numbers of gasoline are quality

standards.• ‘No more than 1% shrinkage’ is a perfor-

mance standard.

Why Standards MatterStandards make an enormous and positive contribution to most aspects of our lives. • Standards ensure desirable characteristics

of products and services such as quality, environmental friendliness, safety, reli-

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ability, efficiency and interchangeability - and at an economical cost.

• When products and services meet our ex-pectations, we tend to take this for granted and be unaware of the role of standards. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice. We soon care when products turn out to be of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment that we already have, are unreliable or dangerous.

• When products, systems, machinery and

devices work well and safely, it is often because they meet standards.

• When standards are absent, we soon no-tice

What Standards Do

Standards• make the development, manufacturing

and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner

• facilitate trade between countries and make it fairer

• provide governments with a technical base for health, safety and environmental legislation, and conformity assessment

• share technological advances and good management practice

• disseminate innovation • safeguard consumers, and users in gen-

eral, of products and services • make life simpler by providing solutions

to common problems

Who Standards BenefitsStandards provide technological, economic and societal benefits. • For businesses, the widespread adoption

of International Standards means that sup-pliers can develop and offer products and services meeting specifications that have wide international acceptance in their sec-tors. Therefore, businesses using Interna-tional Standards can compete on many more markets around the world.

• For innovators of new technologies, In-ternational Standards on aspects like ter-minology, compatibility and safety speed up the dissemination of innovations and their development into manufacturable and marketable products.

• For customers, the worldwide compatibil-ity of technology which is achieved when products and services are based on Inter-national Standards gives them a broad choice of offers. They also benefit from the effects of competition among suppli-ers.

• For governments, Standards provide the technological and scientific bases under-pinning health, safety and environmental legislation.

• For trade officials, Standards create “a level playing field” for all competitors on those markets. The existence of divergent national or regional standards can create technical barriers to trade. Internation-al Standards are the technical means by which political trade agreements can be put into practice.

• For developing countries, Standards that represent an international consensus on the state of the art are an important source of technological know-how. By defining the characteristics that products and ser-vices will be expected to meet on export markets, Standards give developing coun-tries a basis for making the right decisions when investing their scarce resources and thus avoid squandering them.

• For consumers, conformity of products and services to Standards provides assur-ance about their quality, safety and reli-ability.

• For everyone, Standards contribute to the quality of life in general by ensuring that the transport, machinery and tools we use are safe.

• For the planet we inhabit, Standards on air, water and soil quality, on emissions of gases and radiation and environmental as-


pects of products can contribute to efforts to preserve the environment.

• • Examples of the Benefits Standards Pro-

vides• • Standardization of screw threads helps to

keep chairs, children’s bicycles and air-craft together and solves the repair and maintenance problems caused by a lack of standardization that were once a major headache for manufacturers and product users.

• Standards establishing an international consensus on terminology make technol-ogy transfer easier and safer. They are an important stage in the advancement of new technologies and dissemination of innova-tion.

• Without the standardized dimensions of freight containers, international trade would be slower and more expensive.

• Without the standardization of telephone and banking cards, life would be more complicated.

• A lack of standardization may even affect the quality of life itself: for the disabled, for example, when they are barred access to consumer products, public transport and buildings because the dimensions of wheel-chairs and entrances are not stand-ardized.

• Standardized symbols provide danger warnings and information across linguis-tic frontiers.

• Consensus on grades of various materials gives a common reference for suppliers and clients in business dealings.

• Agreement on a sufficient number of vari-ations of a product to meet most current applications allows economies of scale with cost benefits for both producers and consumers. An example is the standardiza-tion of paper sizes.

• Standardization of performance or safety

requirements of diverse equipment makes sure that users’ needs are met while allow-ing individual manufacturers the freedom to design their own solution on how to meet those needs.

• Standardized computer protocols allow products from different vendors to “talk” to each other.

• Standardized documents speed up the transit of goods, or identify sensitive or dangerous cargoes that may be handled by people speaking different languages.

• Standardization of connections and inter-faces of all types ensures the compatibil-ity of equipment of diverse origins and the interoperability of different technologies.

• Agreement on test methods allows mean-ingful comparisons of products, or plays an important part in controlling pollution - whether by noise, vibration or emissions.

• Safety standards for machinery protect people at work, at play, at sea... and at the dentist’s.

What is conformity assessment?

• Conformity assessment is the name given to the processes that are used to demon-strate that a product (tangible) or a service or a management system or body meets specified requirements. These require-ments are contained in ISO/IEC standards and guides. The processes that need to be followed to be able to demonstrate that they meet the requirements are also con-tained in ISO/IEC standards and guides.

• • The use of ISO/IEC standards in conform-

ity assessment procedures allows for har-monization throughout the world and this, in turn, not only facilitates international trade between countries but also facilitates trade within countries by giving the pur-chaser of the product or service confidence that it meets the requirements.

•


• Conformity assessment can cover one or more of the following activities:

• Testing of a product/service to determine if it complies or performs in accordance with the specified requirements.

• • Inspecting the manufacturing process of a

product to ensure that it is manufactured in a safe manner and according to regula-tions (e.g. fire extinguishers).

• • Implementing a management system to

ensure that products/services are pro-duced or delivered by an organization in a consistent manner and meet customers’ expectations.

Benefits of Conformity Assessment• Today, many products require testing for

conformity with specifications or com-pliance with safety, or other regulations before they can be put on many markets. Guides and standards for conformity as-sessment represent an international con-sensus on best practice. Their use con-tributes to the consistency of conformity assessment worldwide and so facilitates trade.

• Conformity assessment can cover one or more of the following activities:

1. Testing of a product/service to determine if it complies or performs in accordance with the specified requirements.

2. Inspecting the manufacturing process of a product to ensure that it is manufactured in a safe manner and according to regula-tions (e.g. fire extinguishers).

3. Implementing a management system to ensure that products/services are pro-duced or delivered by an organization in a consistent manner and meet customers’ expectations.

• Conformity assessment provides benefits to everyone in the supply and demand chain. This includes the consumer, manu-facturer and the supplier. It also includes

regulators who are responsible for ensur-ing the health and safety of the general public.

• The consumer benefits from conform-ity assessment, as it is a mechanism pro-viding confidence to consumers that the products and services they purchase are fit for the purpose. It may also allow the con-sumer the possibility to seek appropriate remedies should the product be found not to meet the specified requirements.

• For manufacturers, it allows them to have peace of mind that they have implemented systems within their own organizations to ensure that the products and services they deliver meet the necessary criteria. The fact that their product or service meets ISO International Standards also gives them a competitive edge over those that do not.

• For regulators, it allows them to use the conformity assessment infrastructure as part of the process they use to ensure health and safety as well as environmen-tal conditions are being continuously met. The regulator will often make conformity assessment obligatory when it involves health, safety and/or environmental is-sues. Without official assessment and ap-proval the regulator may prohibit the sale of products and services.

Therefore not only does conformity assess-ment provide confidence to consumers and purchasers but it also facilitates the free flow of goods and services between national boundaries.

How conformity assessment works

Conformity assessment activities can be characterized as:• First party - this is the technical term used

when conformity assessment to a stand-ard, specification or regulation is carried out by the supplier organization itself. In


other words, it is a self-assessment. This is known as a supplier’s declaration of conformity.

• Second party - this is defined as the con-formity assessment activity which is per-formed by the customer of the organiza-tion. For example the manufacturer would allow his customer to do an assessment of the product against the requirements.

• Third party - this is defined as the conform-ity assessment activity that is performed by a body that is independent of the organ-ization that provides the product and is not a user of the product. An example of this would be when an independent certifica-tion body certifies that another organiza-tion complies with ISO 9001 and issues it with a certificate to this effect.

Very often the decision to use one type of conformity assessment above another will de-pend on a number of factors, one of which is the level of risk associated with the product/service and the customer’s requirements.

Mechanisms for performing conformity assessment

Testing This is the most common form of conform-ity assessment. Testing also provides the basis for other types of conformity assessment like inspection and product certification. Here a product is tested against a specified set of cri-teria. It can be used to make decisions on the performance of the product. Depending on the risk associated with the product, the test-ing laboratory may choose to be accredited.

The general requirements for laboratories or other organizations to be considered compe-tent to carry out testing calibration and sam-pling are specified in the joint International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General re-quirements for the competence of testing and

calibration laboratories.Personnel certification ISO/IEC 17024:2003 specifies requirements for a body certifying persons against specific requirements, including the development and maintenance of a certification scheme for per-sonnel.

A listing of all CASCO documents (referred to collectively as the CASCO toolbox) is available under the section Publications and Resources.

Inspection bodies These organizations examine a huge range of products, materials, installations, plants, pro-cesses, work procedures and services, in the private as well as the public sector, and report on such parameters as quality, fitness for use and continuing safety in operation. The over-all aim is to reduce risk to the buyer, owner, user or consumer of the item being inspected. The general requirements for the operation of various types of inspection body are given in the joint International Standard ISO/IEC 17020:1998 General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspec-tion.Certification/registration Certification/registration is when a third party gives written assurance that a product (in-cluding services), process, personnel, organi-zation or management system conforms to specific requirements. The terms certification and registration are interchangeable and the use of one over the other is largely dependant on the geographical region.

STANDARD ON SPEED LIMITERScopeThe Nigeria Standard on Speed Limiter spec-ifies requirements for the performance and installation of devices designed to limit the maximum road speed of motor vehicles by control of engine power


General Requirements• No effect on the workability of the nor-

mal operation of vehicle.• Compatibility with environmental condi-

tions.• Susceptibility to tampering• Speed Recording and storing devices• Functionality inspection devices (Polic-

ing Unit)• Technician’s Manual

WHY SPEED LIMITERS• Drivers’ recklessness • Roads not too motor able• Non-compliance to approved speed limit

by drivers• Lack of maintenance culture in our sys-

tem

• Attitude of drivers to speed management on our roads

CHALLENGES• Lack of adequate test facilities/trained

personnel

• Unfaithful drivers

• Lack of synergy among the regulators/inspection agencies

• Weak legal framework that encourages non-compliant persons as punishment for violations are grossly inadequate

• Inadequate training of drivers


that can help improve liver healthFruits

The liver is the organ responsible for an enormous number of metabolic activi-ties, producing cholesterol and breaking

down toxins in the body. A healthy diet with a variety of fruits might help prevent the devel-opment or progression of liver diseases such as fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. One needs a lot of nutrients for the liver to be optimally healthy. In general, fruits and vegetables are very nec-essary since they contain such a wide range of nutrients that participate in liver function.

Additionally, if one should focus on liver health, it is important to consume foods that are organically grown; the liver is an organ that detoxifies chemicals and therefore with organically grown foods one will be able to reduce the exposure to agricultural chemicals. In this same toxic exposure category, moder-ate consumption of alcohol (or less) is very important to the health of the liver, since this

organ postpones other important functions when it is trying to metabolize excess alcohol.

Fried foods and other high-fat foods are hard on the liver. Just as with alcohol, there is a limit to the total amount of fat than the liver can process while maintain-ing all of its other metabolic activities. A healthy diet for your liver includes unsatu-rated fats rather than saturated fats. Avocados are excellent sources of unsaturated fats. The majority of the fat in avocados comes from monounsaturated fats, which might lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Monounsatu-rated fats might also help control the blood sugar levels and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, which is a risk factor for liver dis-ease. Olives are also high in monounsatu-rated fatty acids, but their high sodium con-tent affects your blood pressure. High blood pressure places more stress on the liver


Fruits for Weight LossMost fruits, because they are low in calories can help an individual lose weight. Fresh fruits such as apples, pears, nectarines and grapes are convenient alternatives to high-er-calorie snacks or desserts. Fresh fruits might be better for your liver than dried fruit because dried fruit is high in calories..

High-Fibre Fruits

High-fibre foods are healthy for the liver be-cause they lower levels of cholesterol in the blood. The liver is responsible for process-ing cholesterol, and a reduction in the cho-lesterol levels can lower the stress on the liver and promote liver health. Berries, such as raspberries, blackberries and strawber-ries, apples, pumpkin, bananas and most other kinds of fruit are high in dietary fibre.

Flavourful FruitsIt is very important to lower the level of so-dium intake if especially if one suffers from certain liver conditions, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, oranges and grape-fruits, help lower sodium intake if used in place of salt to flavour foods, such as fish or chicken.

References:1. h t t p : / / w w w . w h f o o d s . c o m / g e n p a g e .

php?tname=fightdz&dbid=112. http://www.livestrong.com/article/509131-the-best-

fruits-for-the-liver/


Vehicle Inspection and Certification Programme for Road WorthinessContinued from December Edition

Auditing Vehicle Inspection CentresA penalty system should be imposed for au-diting the performance of the service cen-tres based on the UK model, where, for every different type of offence committed certain penalty points are awarded and af-ter a centre accumulates a certain number of penalty points its license is cancelled. This would enable a more transparent form of operation and could include offences like: 1. Issuing fake/duplicate fitness certificates 2. Improper inspection procedure followed 3. Inadequate infrastructure, equip-

ment in the vehicles inspection centre 4. Lack of well trained and qualified staff

Data Collection and Analysis• To ensure that the new system responds

to improvements in vehicle technol-ogy and increasingly stringent emis-sion and safety standards, a centralized data collection and analysis function should be vested with the Nodal agency.

• A centralized common software is re-quired for data transfer, storage, data analysis and uploading to the website, etc.

• All the I&C centres in a state should be con-

nected to the State registration authority and in turn all the state transport authorities are to be networked under the Federal Gov-ernment for data sharing and data analysis.

• The public should be able to make ap-pointment through a website for tak-ing their vehicles to the I&C Centres.

Human Resources Development • For effective implementation of the I&C

programme, manpower training and ca-pacity building is necessary. Such train-

ing programmes and course content have to be centrally developed. The training and refresher training have to be pro-vided for the following target groups:

1. Staff, attendants and motor vehicle in-spectors at the vehicle inspection centres.

2. Auditors for auditing performance of inspection centres and staff of state transport departments and the staff of mobile on-road enforcement.

3. Mechanics in the vehicle repair centres so that they can repair vehicles efficiently.

• Training modules would be prepared for the above target groups that specify the contents, schedule and, duration of the pro-gramme, and the period for refresher courses.

• Refresher courses to update their

skills and knowledge of the man-power periodically is also necessary

.• The training calendar have to be devel-

oped by the private operators for their personnel for the training courses pro-vided by the appointed centres as desig-nated by the State Transport Department.

• The state governments can pay the

fees for the training programme, which can be recovered from the vehicle in-spection centre in form of fees/taxes.

Public Awareness Campaign

• A consumer awareness campaign should be launched with the help of schools, NGOs, community-based organizations, automobile associations, and research in-stitutes. The TV / radio network media can provide a wide coverage of the benefits of


the I&C to the individual owners. • This mass consumer awareness campaign

to be run on a regular basis should focus on making the consumer aware of the fol-lowing issues:

1. Advantages of an inspection and mainte-nance programme for a vehicle owner;

2. The process followed in the inspection of a vehicle

3. How a vehicle owner must maintain the vehicles

4. Frequency of an inspection programme 5. Location of authorized vehicle repair and

maintenance centres 6. Roles and duties of a vehicle inspection

centre 7. Locations and list of authorized vehicle

testing stations 8. Legal status of inspection programme and

fines imposed for offences.

Action Plan• An independent federal nodal agency re-

quired to:1. Ensure the effective implementation of an

I&C programme, 2. Provide necessary technical and admin-

istrative assistance to the Government in developing a comprehensive I&C pro-gramme,

3. Assist the state government in creating necessary infrastructure and monitor the implementation at State level.

• This agency can be set-up on the basis of similar agency like Vehicle Operator Service Agency (VOSA) in UK and Na-tional Vehicle Inspection Agency in Japan. Though initially the Government may provide funds to create the nodal agency, later self-sustainability should be achieved through revenue generation by the agency.

• This agency should function with the fol-lowing objective to develop an effective I&C programme for the country:

1. Develop a detailed program content in

consultation with State Governments. 2. Suggest necessary changes in the legisla-

tive framework for implementing a com-prehensive I&C programme in the country.

3. Identify the number of centres required and develop an implementation plan for creating necessary infrastructure.

4. Recommend the type of tests and proce-dures for testing vehicles on emission and safety parameters.

5. Prepare necessary guidelines for setting up and operation of an automated vehicle inspection centres.

6. Develop vehicle inspection and audit manuals

7. Develop training course contents, identify resources and prepare an action plan for providing training of necessary technical manpower.

8. Develop specifications for a centralized software and networking of the Inspection centres.

9. Analyse the data and suggest further changes in the test procedures and stand-ards.

10. Prepare an enforcement plan and monitor the implementation at the state level.

11. Set-up an audit system and monitor the in-spection centres feasibility report.

A power point presentation byEngr. Aminu Jalal, FNSE, FNIMechE, FNIMDirector-GeneralNational Automotive Council


FireflyA lesson for the scientists

A Firefly is a beetles, belonging to the nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae. Most fireflies have wings

thus distinguished them from other lumines-cent insects of the same family, commonly known as glowworms.

There are about 2,000 firefly species. These insects live in a variety of warm environ-ments, as well as in more temperate regions, and are a familiar sight on warm evenings. Fireflies love moisture and often live in hu-mid regions. In drier areas, they are found around wet or damp areas that retain moisture.

Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, com-bine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. Research-ers have found that tiny scales on the lantern surface of some fireflies form a corrugated pattern, somewhat like overlapping tiles. The scale stilts up at one end by just 3 microme-tres-less than one twentieth the thickness of human hair. Yet this tiny tilt lets the lantern shine almost 50 percent more brightly than it would if the scales formed an even surface.


F o l Following this observation, scientist coat-ed LEDs with corrugated surface simi-lar to that of the firefly’s lantern. The LED emitted 55 percent more light.

Firefly light is usually intermittent, and flash-es in patterns that are unique to each spe-cies. Each blinking pattern is an optical sig-nal that helps fireflies find potential mates.

Reference:http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/firefly/

Decade of Action for Road Safety is attainable!Let’s Join hands to create a Safe Road in Nigeria

The Federal Road Safety Corps is committed to creat-ing a safer motoring environment through compliance with the FRSC (Establishment) Act 2007, other traf-fic laws and Quality Management System Standards with a view to continually improving its mode of operations.


Quo

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pLeadership is a potent combination of strategy and charac-ter. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy- Norman Schwarzkopf

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. —Bill Bradley

Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; lead-ership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. —Stephen Covey

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on. —Walter Lippman

True leadership lies in guiding others to success. In ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well. —Bill Owens

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. —Eleanor Roosevelt

A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit. —John Maxwell

My responsibility is getting all my players playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back. –Unknown

A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. –George Patton

The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. –Dwight Eisen-hower

Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day. —Jesse Jackson

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of princi-ple, stand like a rock. —Thomas Jefferson

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Documents

Frsc insight february 2014 edition final (2)