Assessment of Thermal Environment and Noise Intensity Levels in an Integrated Iron and Steel Plant of South India

B. Ravichandran1, V. Krishna Murthy2, S. Raghavan1, B. K. Rajan1, and H. R. Rajmohan1

1 Regional Occupational Health Center, Bangalore Medical College Campus, Bangalore, India
2 Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal

Corresponding author: Dr. B. Ravichandran, Research Officer (Industrial Hygiene)
    Regional Occupational Health Centre (South)
    Bangalore Medical College Campus
    Bangalore-560 002, India
    Telephones: +91 80 26705037 ; +91 80 26700376
    Fax number: +91 80 26700359
    E-mail: ravichandran65@yahoo.com

CEJOEM 2006, Vol.12. No.3.: 159–166


Key words:
Thermal stress, noise pollution, occupational hygiene, steel plant, work environment


Abstract:
The study presents thermal stress and noise intensity indices representing physical work environmental stressors prevalent at different production sections in a steel manufacturing plant. The WBGT values obtained (33.43 ± 4.81°C) during the molten steel tapping spells compared to non-tapping spells (29.27 ± 1.41°C) spells in a shift work indicated high-level heat stress. The WBGT values obtained in other sections were the following; energy optimization furnace – 29.10 ± 1.77°C, continuous casting machine – 29.80 ± 1.03°C, and sintering plant section – 28.37 ± 0.64°C. Compared to the prescribed threshold limit value (TLV) of WBGT, high thermal stress was found in blast furnace, energy optimization furnace, and continuous casting machine sections. The average Leq noise level in blast furnace section ranged between 78.5 and 103.5 dB(A); at the energy optimization furnace it ranged from 69.3 to 105.2 dB(A). The noise levels exceeded the prescribed standards in some sections of the steel plant only.


Received: 27 March 2006
Accepted: 5 December 2006

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