Common Processes and Hazards

There are common safety and health hazards encountered in manufacturing of products in different business sectors. Process-specific hazards are discussed here.

Batch raw material processes

Most of the industrial manufacturing processes receive dry solid raw materials in bulk form or individual bags. Bulk solid raw materials are unloaded from hopper rail cars or over-the-road trucks into bins, hoppers or mixers by gravity, pneumatic transfer lines, screw conveyors, bucket conveyors or other mechanical transfer. Pallets of bagged raw materials (20 to 50 kg) or large bulk fabric bag containers (0.5 to 1.0 tonnes) are unloaded from truck trailers or rail boxcars by powered industrial lift trucks, cranes or hoists. Individual bags or raw materials are removed from pallets manually or with powered lift assists. Bagged raw materials are typically charged into a bag dumping station or directly into storage hoppers or scale hoppers. Potential safety and health hazards associated with the solid raw material unloading, handling and transfer processes include: 1. Noise exposures in the 85 to 100 dBA range. Pneumatic vibrators, compressors, valve actuators, mixing drive motors, blowers, and dust collectors are some major noise sources. 2. Exposures to respirable airborne particulate from the transfer and mixing of granular solid raw materials. Exposures depend on composition of raw materials but may commonly include silica (SiO2), clay, alumina, limestone, alkaline dusts, metal oxides, heavy metals and nuisance particulate. 3. Ergonomic hazards associated with manual lifting or handling of raw material bags, vibrators, or transfer lines and system maintenance activities. 4. Physical hazards from maneuvering rail cars or trucks, powered-industrial truck traffic, work at elevated heights, confined-space entries and contact with electrical, pneumatic or mechanical energy sourcese.g., nip points, rotating parts, drive gears, shafts, belts and pulleys.

Firing or melting processes

Different manufacturing processes in different businesses involve drying, melting or firing processes in kilns or furnaces. The heat for these processes is generated by combustion of propane, natural gas (methane) or fuel oil, electric arc melting, microwave, dielectric drying and/or resistance heating with electricity. Potential hazards presented from firing or melting processes include: 1. Exposures to combustion products such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide.

2. Fumes and particulates from airborne raw materials (e.g., silica, metals, alkaline dusts) or by-products (e.g., hydrogen fluoride, cristobalite, heavy metal fumes) 3. Fire or explosion associated with fuel systems used for process heat or fuel for lift trucks; potential fire or explosion hazards associated with flammable fuel storage tanks, piping distribution systems and vaporizers. Back-up or stand-by fuel systems in-frequently used for natural gas curtailments can present similar fire or explosion concerns. 4. Infrared radiation exposure from molten material, which can increase risk of heat cataracts or skin burns. 5. Radiant energy and heat stress. The working environment around furnaces or kilns can be extremely hot. Significant heat stress problems can occur when emergency repair work or routine maintenance is performed near or above firing or melting processes. Severe thermal burns can result from direct skin contact with hot surfaces or molten materials. 6. Electrical energy hazards. Direct contact with high-voltage electric energy used for resistance heating to supplement fuel-fired processes presents an electrocution hazard and possible health concerns about exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Strong magnetic and electric fields can potentially interfere with pacemakers and other implanted medical devices. 7. Noise exposures above 85 to 90 dBA from combustion blowers, batch hoppers or mixers, feed processes and conveyors.

Material handling in production, fabrication, packaging and warehousing

Material-handling, fabrication and packaging processes differ to a large extent in different business sectors, as do the size, shape and weights of products. The high density of materials or bulky configurations presents common material-handling hazards. Manual lifting and material handling in production, fabrication, packaging and warehousing accounts for many disabling injuries. Injury reduction efforts are focusing on reducing manual lifting and material handling. For example, innovative packaging designs, robotics for stacking and palletizing finished products, and automatic guided transport vehicles for warehousing are starting to be used to eliminate manual material handling and associated injuries. Use of conveyors, manned lift assists (e.g., vacuum hoists) and scissors platforms for handling and palletizing products are currently common material-handling practices.

Rebuilds and reconstruction activities

Numerous potential health and safety hazards are encountered during periodic major rebuilds or cold repairs to furnaces or kilns. A wide range of hazards associated with construction activities may be encountered. Examples include: ergonomic hazards with material handling (e.g.,

refractory bricks); airborne exposures to silica, asbestos, refractory ceramic fibers or particulate matter containing heavy metal, during demolition, or by-products of cutting and welding; heat stress; work at elevated heights; slip, trip or fall hazards; confined-space hazards and contact with hazardous energy sources.

Occupational Health and Safety Assignment no. 1 COMMON PROCESSES RELATED HAZARDS
Submitted to:
Mam Nadia

Submitted by:
Amen Sajid Zahra Mir Misbah Jahangeer

Date of submission:
29.09.2011

International Islamic University, Islamabad