1. INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE EDINBURGH, EH8 9SU, UK SIR2000 for monitoring asbestos Patrick Brown SIR Conference, Aberdeen 2002

2. SIR for monitoring asbestos SIR used for asbestos proficiency testing at IOM Conversion from SIR version 3.2 to SIR2000 SIR within our changing computer systems

3. SIR at IOM 1984-2002 Institute of Occupational Medicine - research and consultancy in occupational health Coal miners’ illnesses (1960s - 1980s) Epidemiology > SIR ca 1984 (version 2.1...) Medical surveys in factories and offices Measurement and control of hazardous substances (including asbestos and man-made mineral fibres) > Proficiency Testing > SIR 2.3 - SIR 3.2 - SIR2000 - SIR2002…

4. Proficiency Testing at IOM Testing schemes for airborne fibre concentrations “RICE” (Regular Interlaboratory Counting Exchanges) 1000 asbestos reference samples Collate results from 200 analytical labs Evaluate and report lab performances Publish satisfactory performers

5. RICE database 20 record types 3000 cases 200,000 records (+ historic data archived) 20 Mbytes Network structure Laboratories and their results Samples and their reference values Round administration

6. RICE database Laboratory casesRound casesSample cases Information about laboratories’ contact details and PT results (10 rec types) Information about round admin. (6 rec types) Information about samples and reference values (5 rec types)

7. RICE computer system 1992 SIR DBMS SIR Forms RAW DATA printer REPORTS text files stats packages paper forms utilities BACKUPS text files

8. Timetable of SIR at IOM SIR version 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 (1980s to early 1990s) Prime minicomputer SIR version 3.2 (mid 1990s to 2001) Stand alone PC Windows PC network (Missed version 4!) SIR2000 (2001 - present)

9. Conversion to SIR2000 Problem-free imports of existing databases Help from SIR Australia Menus - “EXECUTE DBMS”

10. … SYSTEM MENU ADD ’Results ’ ’Process results.’ CALL DATENTRY.RES1:T … MENU. MENUITEM 1004, ’&Process results.’,’ ’,0 END MENU … IFTHEN (MENUID EQ 1004). EXECUTE DBMS ’CALL DATENTRY.RES1:T’ ENDIF... Menu code change

13. Conversion to SIR2000 Problem-free imports of existing databases Menus - “EXECUTE DBMS” Help from SIR Australia Standard dialogs to replace screen input in 3.2 Selected new PQL dialogs Links to other packages “Housekeeping” Training

14. SIR2000 v Version 3.2 SIR2000 Will allow system development Potential ODBC links Looks familiar to Windows users CSV files PQL dialogs Improved graphic outputs Effort to convert menus Many trivial changes to programs Training Restricted menu colours Bug in UNLOAD Version 3.2 An established system A reliable system I liked the menus! Limited system development opportunities Did not operate ideally under Windows Obsolescence Screen handling awkward Year 2000 fix

15. BACKUPS ARCHIVES QUALITY ASSURANCE RICE computer system 2002 SIR DBMS SIR Forms RAW DATA printers REPORTS text files stats packages utilities paper forms email Excel worksheet Access admin. database csv dbf website? Microsoft Office csv,dbf,text csv email?

16. The next steps ODBC Electronic reports Website development (including data entry) Simplification System management SIR2002 PQL Forms Screen painter

17. Conclusions SIR is now part of a complex, continually developing environment Good practices in system management are necessary Conversion to SIR2000 -less difficult than thought -worth it!