Journal of Health and Safety at Work
Year:2013 | Volume:3 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

Introduction: In HSE management systems competency has been considered as an important tool for selecting managers and resource allocation. Lack of proper HSE managers can undermine the performance of the management system. On the other hand competent HSE managers can improve the performance of management system and reduce the time to perform activities. This study was aimed to present a model to select the HSE managers.Material and Method: In this study, similar models were examined to select the basic framework. Model dimensions and weights were determined using the focus group technique. The model was used in a large industrial company. The model was approved by the evaluation of the results and correction of the identified defects.Result: The approved model included technical, behavior and concept competence. Technical competence for managers in level 1 and 2 and behavior competence for managers in level 3, were the most important dimensions.Conclusion: HSE managers in various level should have different competencies which can be evaluated by presented model in the current study, before employment and also it can be used as a basis for monitoring individuals during specific period of time.

Introduction: Illumination standards especially Illumination Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and Iran lighting standards (ILS) are just based quantitative measurements. However, lighting has psychological effects and can influence quality and quantity of productivity and comfort of workers. Therefore, Illumination standards were undergone some changes. EN 12464-1 standards focus on the quality and quantity of lighting as well as the energy consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate quality and quantity of lighting in Shemiranat health center.Material and Method: In this study, first work tables were divided into 20×20 squares and illuminance was measured by putting HANGER S3 luxmeter sensor on the center of each square. In next stage, the luminance of each lighting source was measured from the view of observe and the average luminance of work table surface was calculated in the divide square. Furthermore, vertical, horizontal and lateral distance between observes eye and lighting source was measured. The gathered information was put in the equation and glare rate was calculated. Finally, according to the table we obtained color rendering index of lighting sources.Result: Results of this study showed that maintained illuminance dose not mach the standards (500 lux) in any of the work station. Moreover, the glare match the standards just in less than 10 percent of the work area. Therefore, it is essential to reform the artificial lighting system and keep the maintained luminance and glare at the standard level.Conclusion: There is a dramatic difference between the current lighting condition and the standard values. Therefore, making changes in lighting system is obviously essential.

Introduction: Manual material handling activities in long and short periods may lead to complications such as laceration, fracture, cardiovascular stress, muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders especially in the vertebrae column. The purpose of this study was to assess manual handling of oxygen cylinders by casting workers and to implement ergonomic intervention to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.Material and Method: This is an interventional study conducted among 18 male workers of a steel casting unit. Assessment of manual handling of oxygen cylinders, was done using in order Snook tables. The manual handling of oxygen cylinders was changed to mechanical handling and making a box with the capacity of 16 oxygen cylinders which can be moved by crane.Result: According to the results, lifting and lowering cylinders was not suitable for most of the workers. Moreover, caring, pulling and pushing was suitable for less than 10 percent of the workers. Condition of lifting cylinders byfire workers was suitable only 25 percent of them. According to the snook tables material handling activities must be suitable for at least 75 percent of workers.Conclusion: With the implementation of ergonomic intervention is casting unit, the risk of exposure to musculoskeletal disorders caused by manual handling of oxygen cylinders was eliminated and safety of employees against the risk of explosion of the cylinders in comparison with before the intervention was improved.

Introduction: In the interaction between man and machine, the human behavior plays a key role in the accidents occurrence and the risks. Safety culture models can be a base to safety culture assessments and may lead scientists toward effective aspects of organization safety. The aim of present study was to develop and offer a specific questionnaire for safety culture assessment according to the customized model in an automotive industry.Material and Method: In this cross-sectional analytical study, a questionnaire including 16 items and 37 questions was developed based on management, individual, and organizational factors. Then, the reliability and validity of the developed questionnaire, it were studied among 30 employees of an automotive company.Result: Concerning the reliability of the questionnaire, the Cronbach's alpha was 0.855. In the context of validity of the questionnaire, the simplicity and clarification of contents were investigated by means of Expert Analysis. Moreover, in terms of the integral components of culture, according to the factorial analysis, this evaluation regarded to have ten main components.Conclusion: So far, there was no exclusive tool for evaluating safety culture based on a customized model. The findings of the present study showed that evaluating safety culture using the administered questionnaire is valid and reliable in the understudied industry.

Introduction: Occupational exposure to manganese can cause neurobehavioral symptoms. The aim of present study was to survey neurobehavioral symptoms of welders exposed to manganese- containing welding fumes and compare the frequency of these symptoms with unexposed group.Material and Method: Twenty seven of welders as exposed group, and 30 administrative workers as unexposed controls, were participated in this study. Neurobehavioral symptoms data were gathered using Q16 questionnaire. Manganese concentrations were determined according to the NIOSH 7300 method. After preparing of blood samples using microwave assisted acid digestion method, all samples were analyzed to determine manganese by graphite furnace- atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS).Result: The mean exposure to air manganese was 0.023±0.012 mg/m3. Manganese concentrations in blood samples of welders (15.88±7.11mg/l) were significantly higher than unexposed workers (9.37±8.70 mg/l), (P-V<0.05). The frequency of neurobehavioral symptoms of welders was significantly higher compared to unexposed workers (P-V<0.05). The correlation between neurobehavioral symptoms and blood manganese was significant for welders (P-V<0.05).Conclusion: Welders’ exposure to manganese and its potential health effects should be evaluated periodically and effective control measures should be applied in order to to prevent neurobehavioral symptoms.

Introduction: Exposure to Bioaerosols is related to a grand range of sanitation’s effects including intense poisoning effects, allergy and cancer. This study has done to determine the type and concentration Bioaerosols in the air of one of the industrial live stocks slaughterhouse in Shiraz.Material and Method: A total of 112 air samples from different parts of industrial live stocks slaughterhouse are collected in this cross-sectional study. According to the NIOSH method, Bioaerosols sampling was done in blood agar medium and dextro agar and by Anderson one-stage sampler withflow rate of 28.3 Lit/min, sampling duration of 10 minutes and concentration measured in CFU/m3.Result: According to the result, the most pollution is in blood cook place (3281.44 CFU/m3) and the least pollution exists in meat delivery place (99.1 CFU/m3). Also the result of the study showed that Bioaerosols concentration in industrial live stocks slaughterhouse is 28 times more than its concentration in reference site. Which is 5 km from slaughterhouse and 5 species of fungi were observe which aspergillus niger and penicillium were dominat.Conclusion: Bioaerosols concentration in live stocks industrial slaughterhouse is higher than the threshold limit and suggested range. Therefore, it is essential to take measures, such as improving the process and technical-engineering interventions including the use of suitable ventilation systems and also management personal monitoring measures.

Introduction: Process industries, often work with hazardous and operational chemical units with high temperature and pressure conditions, such as reactors and storage tanks. Thus, probabilities of incidence such as explosions, and fire are extremely high, The purpose of this study was to present a comprehensive and efficient method for the quantitative risk assessment of fire and explosion in the process units.Material and Method: The proposed method in this study is known as the QRA and includes seven steps. After determination of study objectives and perfect identification of study process, first, qualitative methods are used to screen and identify hazard points and the possible scenarios appropriate are identified and prioritized. Then, estimation of frequency rate are done using past records and statistics or Fault Tree Analysis along whit Event Tree. PAHST professional software and probit equations are used in order to consequence modeling and consequence evaluation, respectively. In the last step by combination of consequence and frequency of each scenario, individual and social risk and overall risk of process or under study unit was calculated.Result: Applying the proposed method showed that the jet fire, flash fire and explosion are most dangerous consequence of hydrogen generation unit. Results showed that social risk of the both fire and explosion caused by full bore rupture in Desulphrizing reactor (Scenari3), Reformer (scenario 9) and Hydrogen purification absorbers are unacceptable. All of the hydrogen generation unit fall in ARARP zone of fire individual risk (FIR) and FIR up to 160 m of boundary limit unit is unacceptable. This distance is not only beyond of hydrogen generation unit boundary limit, but also beyond of complex boundary limit. Desulphurization Reactor (75%) and Reformer (34%) had the highest role in explosion individual risk in the control room and their risks are unacceptable.Conclusion: Since the proposed method is applicable in all phases of process or system design, and estimates the risk of fire and explosion by a quantitative, comprehensive and mathematical-based equations approach. It can be used as an alternative method instead of qualitative and semi quantitative methods.

Introduction: Due to the increasing population and the need for setting in cities, we witness an increase in high-rise building in Iran. Moreover, because of the ambiguity and complexity, they have various risks potential. Health problems are among this risks for the residents. These risks have short term or long term effects, which can cause illness or even death.Material and Method: In the present study, health risks in high-rise buildings are identified, assessed and ranked. Health issue are identified by conducting interview with experts in high-rise building an using specific health and safety related checklists. Due to ambiguous nature of risks and existence of uncertainly, fuzzy logic technique with trapezoidal distribution was used for quantification. Finally, after risk evaluation and calculation of critical degree of each risk, the risks were ranked.Result: Risk factors obtained over 0.5 for most of the risks that indicate the importance of Health in high-rise projects during construction phase. The results also showed that the health risks should be assessed before the start of the project in order to reduce or eliminate their impacts.Conclusion: Safety risks in High-rise Building projects is very important. These risks have many impacts directly and indirectly on the time, quality and costs of projects. Therefore, evaluating and controlling each health risk in the design and implementation phases are essential. Most of the risks factors identified in this study, can be prevented by using personal protective equipment. The role of the training people involved in this projects are essential to use personal protective equipment.