Ensuring Occupational Safety at Railway Transport Operation by Upgrading the Systems of Vibration Damping Plates and Rail Plates

Abstract

Introduction. Noise and vibration in railway transport is a dangerous type of pollution for both the workers and the environment. It is important to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the effects of noise and vibration pollution on railway transport workers, the environment, and to consider available methods to minimize harmful effects created during the movement of trains. Safety can be achieved by ensuring regulatory noise and vibration levels. The work objective is to assess the safety of work during the operation of railway transport by improving the system of vibration damping pads and rail plates. Materials and Methods. In the course of the study, an analysis of the occurrence of noise and vibration, an assessment of their negative impact on railway transport workers and the environment was carried out. The available methods of noise pollution minimization are considered, the classification of noise and vibration control methods is described. The methods and means required by the regulatory documents on labor safety during the operation of railway transport were used in the work. Results. Based on the results of the study, it follows that there is a need to strengthen measures for comprehensive protection and minimization of harmful factors. The result of the study was the proposal to improve one of the applied methods of noise minimization — the installation of a vibration damping pad, for the production of which secondary raw materials in the form of rubber crumbs are used. The paper calculates the economic efficiency of one of the proposed methods of minimizing noise pollution and describes the positive effect after its application, considers available options for improving the sound absorption of rails. Discussion and Conclusion. Based on the results of the study, the positive economic effect of one of the proposed ways to improve the noise minimization method was revealed.