Level Of Occupational Risk Research Articles

Occupational risk assessment of passenger bus drivers

The aim of this work is improving the procedure for professional risk assessment of passenger bus drivers, taking into account ergonomic, psychosocial, individual, and hygienic factors.
 To develop the methodology for assessing the professional risk of drivers the theory of analysis was used, which allows to establish alternative solutions of the problem by determining an integrated criterion that depends on a number of individual indicators characterized by ergonomic, psychosocial, individual, and hygienic factors influencing the working conditions of the passenger bus driver.
 A checklist has been developed to quickly assess the occupational risk of passenger bus drivers, which takes into account the impact of several harmful production factors that contribute to the creation of unfavorable conditions for the occurrence of occupational diseases. A feature of this approach is the ability to distinguish the level of risk for each harmful production factor and determine the overall level of occupational risk. It is recommended to reduce the effect of occupational risk on the driver of a passenger bus to improve the system of medical examinations, the system of admission to the vehicles driving in the implementation of passenger traffic and strengthen control over the technical condition of vehicles.
 The relationship between the integrated criterion of occupational risk of the driver and indicators that are characterized by ergonomic, psychosocial, individual, and hygienic factors, which are formed by the working conditions of the driver in the carriage of passengers.
 As a result, a new approach (checklist) is proposed, which can be used in trucking companies without any additional equipment after training in testing.

Assessment of professional risks for employees of the foundry of the "Production company" LLC (Irkutsk)

Based on the analysis of regulatory documents on risk management, the choice of methods for assessing professional risks for workers in the foundry of a heavy industry plant was justified. The FineKinney and Matrix methods as the most simple to use, but effective and widely used were chosen, and the professional risks for the main professions of the foundry workers were assessed. The article aims to study the influence of the complex impact of harmful and hazardous production factors of foundries on the level of occupational risk for employees of structural divisions and enterprises of the metallurgical industry using the example of LLC Production Company, Irkutsk. It was shown that the Fine-Kinney method can be considered a reliable tool for making management decisions. The matrix method gives a clear qualitative picture. The probabilities of occupational risks associated with the technological process were determined. They can be reduced by taking measures aimed to improve working conditions even for one hazard source. Recommendations for improving the working conditions of the foundry workers were provided: modern equipment taking into account BAT, advanced PPE, air spraying, gas cleaning units and an improved ventilation system. These measures can significantly reduce the level of professional risk of employees.

Анализ управления профессиональными рисками на предприятиях при эксплуатации грузоподъемного оборудования

The model for assessing the levels of occupational risks was introduced and is used at the mechanical engineering enterprises during lifting equipment operation. The analysis of injuries carried out six months after the start of its use and familiarization of employees with the register and the level of hazards showed a decrease in risk levels in relation to previous periods. The results of the study of the procedure for managing occupational risks when working on three types of cranes are presented: electric bridge crane; gantry crane and single-girder electric supporting bridge crane. The first two listed cranes are installed at hazardous production facilities. After drawing up a plan for assessing occupational risks at the stage of risk identification, the method of questionnaires was used to collect information about production processes and determine the register of hazards. To analyze the work of the occupational health and safety management system, a multi-level control of the technological process and ensuring its safety was introduced. In practice, the relevance and availability of the Fine — Kinney method for assessing the levels of occupational risks was confirmed. When studying the significance of the impact of the procedures (elements) of the occupational health and safety management system on the probability of a hazard and, consequently, on the final level of occupational risk, the method of expert assessments was used. The methods for formalizing assessment results proposed and implemented in the organizations reflect all the stages of the process and provide answers at any stage of the study of the occupational risk levels. The measures developed based on the results of the assessment of occupational risk levels allow to maintain safe working conditions and prevent the occurrence of hazards that lead to injuries at work.

Engineering controls for surgical smoke in laser medical handpieces

The hazard of surgical smoke is often overlooked when considering the safety of medical laser procedures but can present a high level of occupational risk. Administrative procedures for operating external extraction devices and the reliance on personal protective equipment are not sufficient for reducing the risk. This paper aims to quantify the hazard of laser-generated surgical smoke and demonstrate how effective engineering control solutions can reduce the risk. A new design solution is presented with engineering controls for surgical smoke extraction and optical radiation integrated into the laser handpiece. A fiber delivered diode laser is used to simulate laser vaporization procedures on porcine skin tissue. Conventional external extraction conditions are compared to the new design solution. Fine particulate mass concentrations (PM2.5) from the simulated procedures, under different extraction conditions, are measured using optical particle size measurements. Peak concentrations of 55.86 ± 2.79 μg/m3 were measured without extraction; showing that the hazard of laser-generated surgical smoke is five times greater than the World Health Organization guideline of 10 μg/m3. A typical medical extraction setup only achieved a 16% reduction in peak concentration values, 47.07 ± 2.35 μg/m3; demonstrating that conventional, external, methods of extraction are ineffective. The new solution was able to capture all particulate materials, reducing particulate concentrations to background levels, 2.19 ± 0.68 μg/m3, safely below the current recommended guidelines. The design and results present evidence that it is not only more effective to use engineering control methods but that it is practicable to do so.

Occupational Risk Assessment for Workers of Aluminum Production Using the Example of RUSAL Bratsk OJSC

Aluminum is considered one of the most commonly used materials and has a wide range of applications in various industries. However, the production of aluminum is associated with a significant negative impact on the health of workers engaged in technological operations to produce it. In this regard, the aim of the work was to assess the occupational risks of workers in aluminum production. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the technological process for producing aluminum has a complex of negative effects on the health of workers, which includes industrial noise, general and local vibration, gas and dust contamination of the air in the working area, exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation, adverse microclimate parameters. The totality of dangerous and harmful factors in working conditions and negative indicators of injuries and occupational morbidity for aluminum production workers requires carrying out a procedure for assessing occupational risks. Of the whole set of methods, we selected the three most informative and easy to use methods, i.e. the method of scoring occupational risks, the method of assessing the IOR level and the Fine-Kinney method. The object of the study was RUSAL Bratsk Aluminum Smelter OJSC. Based on the results of the assessment, it was established that the general level of occupational risk in RUSAL Bratsk OJSC corresponded to the “medium” and “high” values of these methods, which is considered unacceptable. To reduce the risk, it is necessary, in particular, to implement additional or modernize existing labor protection measures.

Integrated Method for Assessing Occupational Risks at Oil and Gas Production Facilities

Today, the problem of ensuring safe working conditions in the workplace is relevant for any employer. At the moment, despite the introduction of advanced technologies and equipment at oil and gas production facilities, personnel are exposed to a set of adverse production factors having an industry-specific nature and features. These features influence the reliability of the results of the occupational risk assessment. The methods existing today do not fully reflect the whole picture of risk in the workplace, but give only their fragmented values. The aim of this work is to develop an integrated methodology for assessing occupational risks for oil and gas production companies. In this work, from the variety of methods, we selected four methods that together take into account a significant number of risk-generating aspects, namely: the method of assessing the individual occupational risk level, the Fine-Kinney method, the method of scoring occupational risks, and the method of sociological survey of workers. The study on the assessment of occupational risks using an integrated method was carried out at the facilities for the development of three fields - the Yarakta, Iktekh, and Markovo fields belonging to Irkutsk Oil Company LLC. According to the results of applying the integrated assessment of occupational risks, most positions had a “medium” risk level, but for occupations engaged in manual labor and having a lower degree of automation of labor a “high” risk level was established. For these workplaces, it is necessary first of all to implement measures to improve working conditions.

Integrated Method for Assessing Occupational Risks at Oil and Gas Production Facilities

Today, the problem of ensuring safe working conditions in the workplace is relevant for any employer. At the moment, despite the introduction of advanced technologies and equipment at oil and gas production facilities, personnel are exposed to a set of adverse production factors having an industry-specific nature and features. These features influence the reliability of the results of the occupational risk assessment. The methods existing today do not fully reflect the whole picture of risk in the workplace, but give only their fragmented values. The aim of this work is to develop an integrated methodology for assessing occupational risks for oil and gas production companies. In this work, from the variety of methods, we selected four methods that together take into account a significant number of risk-generating aspects, namely: the method of assessing the individual occupational risk level, the Fine-Kinney method, the method of scoring occupational risks, and the method of sociological survey of workers. The study on the assessment of occupational risks using an integrated method was carried out at the facilities for the development of three fields - the Yarakta, Iktekh, and Markovo fields belonging to Irkutsk Oil Company LLC. According to the results of applying the integrated assessment of occupational risks, most positions had a “medium” risk level, but for occupations engaged in manual labor and having a lower degree of automation of labor a “high” risk level was established. For these workplaces, it is necessary first of all to implement measures to improve working conditions.

ОЦЕНКА ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНЫХ РИСКОВ ЛИЧНОГО СОСТАВА МЧС РОССИИ

Purpose. The article presents the results of the studies carried out in the course of the research work on the development of Model Regulations on health and safety protection management system in EMERCOM of Russia, in particular, identifying personnel hazards and compiling a list of them, assessing occupational risk level and elaborating measures aimed at their reduction, in order to decrease injury, disability, morbidity rates and death toll of EMERCOM of Russia personnel during the official duties performance. Methods. In the study, risk assessment matrices (matrix method) have been used in two ways: frequency (probability, prevalence) and severity of consequences (possible damage). The hazards, together with information on personnel posts, specific types of activities for which the hazards are typical, as well as the results of risk assessment associated with the hazards, and measures to reduce these risks, are recorded in a occupational hazard generalized register. Findings. For the first time, a methodology for assessing occupational risks taken by EMERCOM of Russia personnel (hereinafter referred to as the Methodology) has been developed, based on the elaborated list of hazards, taking into account work peculiarities. Research application field. The developed Methodology is approved by the ordinance of EMERCOM of Russia dated March 31, 2021 No. 249 "On approval of Methodical recommendations for the development of health and safety protection management system in EMERCOM of Russia" Conclusions. Matrix method use will allow organizing the risk management process. This method will help identify hazards and assess the levels of occupational risks in units, institutions and organizations of EMERCOM of Russia, and then implement measures aimed at reducing occupational risks levels. The introduction of the methodology for assessing occupational risks of personnel in units, institutions and organizations of EMERCOM of Russia will allow: reducing death toll and injury rate from accidents during official duties performance, as well as occupational diseases; improving working conditions; raising the awareness of the personnel on working conditions during the official duties performance, ensuring their right to safe work.

Measurement of the occupational risk level specific to workplaces

Any workplace implies a greater or lesser number of occupational hazards, respectively workers are exposed to occupational risks, putting their health in danger. If we talk about industrial environments (construction, energy, metallurgy, textiles, wood, etc.), these hazards are found to a greater extent, often exceeding the allowable limit, but occupational pollutants such as dust in suspension and microclimate parameters can also be found in offices, whether they are open space or not. In this sense, the current paper reviews some workplaces and quantifies the level of risk to which workers are exposed to show and demonstrate the importance of occupational health prevention in order not to reach further measures, in time, when these occupational diseases occur. The research conducted led to the conclusion that the determined pollutants (dust, gas, microclimate) exceeded the maximum allowable concentration required by national legislation, both at workplaces in various technological flows and in offices. The high concentrations found in offices are caused by staff traffic, large number of employees, as well as the lack of natural ventilation.

Hazards and occupational risk assessment in the bricklayer’s workplace

The purpose of the research – hazard analysis and calculation of the level of occupational risk at the bricklayer’s workplace. The scientific task that was solved in the course of the study was the analysis of the dangers associated with each other by various technological processes during stone work. The result of the study is to determine the level of professional risk by the method of a three-level scale of damage based on the analysis of the main characteristics. For this study, the main hazards in the workplace were identified and categorized. A register has been compiled based on the identified hazards. For clarity of the final data, a table was formed.

Elaboration of occupational risks evaluation models considering the dynamics of impact of harmful factors

Purpose: Elaborate and substantiate stochastic models of occupational risk evaluation for application in the occupation health and safety. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of scientific and technical literature and regulatory framework for risk evaluation in the occupation health and safety; methods of probability theory, theory of Markov processes; methods of restoration theory. Findings: A system of differential equations and limit conditions for finding the limit distribution of probabilities of a random process of occupational dangers is derived. Based on the results of solving the limit value task, expressions to determine a number of key indicators by which the level of occupational risk can be evaluated are obtained. Research limitations/implications: The proposed approach aims to evaluation the risk associated with the impact on the employee of harmful factors, but can also be used to evaluate the injury risk. But in this case the received limit value task will be much more difficult. Practical implications: The application of the proposed approach allows to increase the level of occupational safety by taking into account the stochastic characteristics of the negative factors impact on the employee during occupational risks evaluating, as well as the possibility of setting such values of controllable parameters that will allow with a certain probability to ensure not to exceed the level of impact accumulation in the employee of the consequences of these factors. Originality/value: Stochastic models of occupational risk evaluation based on the application of Markov drift processes for the modeling the hybrid nature of the negative factors impact on the employee, which occurs within the real systems "man - technical system - production environment" were elaborated and substantiated for the first time.

Aerosol generating procedures, dysphagia assessment and COVID-19: A rapid review.

Aerosol generating procedures, dysphagia assessment and COVID-19: A rapid review.

Individual occupational risk of employees in allowable working conditions

The article presents the results of individual occupational risk studies depending on the working conditions and health of the employee, as well as the calculation of an integral indicator of the level of occupational risk under permissible working conditions. Calculation data can be used for compulsory social insurance against accidents at work, as well as for assessment of individual professional risk of employees and level of professional risk in the organization in various types of economic activities with subsequent development of reasonable measures aimed at reduction of professional risk.

Occupational Risks in the Extraction and Processing of Mineral Raw Materials

The aim of this paper was to assess the man-made risks arising in the process chain from the extraction of primary raw materials in the form of quartzite and its further processing into the final product in the form of silicon. As the objects of research, we chose quartzite extracting enterprises, Cheremshansk Quartzite Mine and Kremny JSC which processes quartzite into silicon. To assess the occupational risk, we applied the method of assessing the individual occupational risk (IOR) level developed by the Klin Institute of Occupational Safety and Working Conditions. As a result, it was established that, in general, the level of occupational risks in the extraction of quartzite corresponds to the “average” level of risk. The occupation of Screener was classified to have the highest level of IOR (0.2). For the most part, a significant contribution to the level of occupational risk for the considered occupations is made by the dust factor, as well as - for the occupations connected with the steering of large-sized machines - by general vibration. In the processing of quartzite, the IOR level corresponds to the “average” level of risk in most occupations. However, for some of the workers, the risk level is set to the “high” value. This is due to significant concentrations of dust in the air of the working area, as well as unfavorable microclimate parameters.

Professional risk of health disorders of employees of enterprises for the extraction of polymetallic ores by underground method

The hygienic assessment of working conditions of workers engaged in underground mining of ores corresponds to the category of occupational risks ranging from «average» to «very high». Taking into account the risk category and severity of occupational disease, occupational disease index for workers, the level of occupational risk ranges from «small» to «very high».

About the informativeness of hygienic control of the mass of respirable dust in the enterprise workers

The exhibition features industrial aerosols must be installed with the features of inhaling harmful substances and the physicochemical properties that affect the behavior of solid particles of the aerosol in the respiratory tract of a person, which will contribute to reducing the uncertainty in assessing the level of occupational risk to workers of dust professions.

Шкалирование параметров влияния человеческого фактора на уровень профессионального риска на объектах машиностроения

The article deals with the workplace safety issues in the machine-building industry taking into account the human factor influence. The significance and quantitative assessment of the human factor influence on the occupational risk level is shown. An integral criterion for assessing the human factor influence on the occupational risk level is proposed, which can be used by specialists in their work. Rating scales «Perception of information», «Decision-making» and «Actions performing» are developed for practical calculations. The empirical and weighted coefficients of the integral criterion parameters reflecting the dependence of the human factor influence on the occupational risk level are determined. A logarithmic dependence between the human factor and the occupational risk level is established

Construction – industry with increased and uncompensated occupational risk

Technogenic sources and manifestations of the occupational risk of the builder are diverse. From the standpoint of occupational risk management, the factors affecting its level are of interest. The most serious result of occupational risk is occupational injuries, the frequency and severity of the consequences of which may be considered as quantitative expression of the risk level. In accordance with the provisions of economic theory, increased risk should be compensated by higher income. The purpose of this article is to assess the occupational risk in the construction industry in the regions of the Russian Federation and the extent of its compensation by wages. The analysis led to conclusions about the extremely high level of occupational risk of builders in most regions of the country, the absence of a pronounced effect of safety engineering costs on the risk exposures and the lack of risk compensation through the level of wages.

Dust load in silicon production and occupational risks

The aim of this paper was to study the characteristics of dust generated in technological processes in the production of silicon in the Irkutsk Region, as well as to assess dust load and occupational risks of the shop workers. Using chemical and X-ray phase analysis methods, as well as electron microscopy, it was shown that silicon dust contains more than 80% of silicon dioxide, which is a source of increased hazard for the workers of the enterprise. Also, using the scoring method, the questionnaire method, and the method of assessing the individual occupational risk level, it was established that the individual occupational risks of the studied occupations range from 1.1 10−3 to 3.3 10−3. The increased concentration of finely dispersed man-made silicon production waste confirms the need to take organizational and technical measures to reduce the dust load, including the creation of economic conditions for pelletizing the batch.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL MORBIDITY IN WORKERS OF PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS

Introduction. Despite the improvement of technologies for the production of petrochemical products, against the background of the positive dynamics of occupational morbidity in the whole production of chemicals and chemical products, according to official data, occupational diseases are recorded annually at the industrial enterprises. In this regard, studies that will reveal the causal relationships between occupational diseases and the development of preventive programs aimed at eliminating the influence of harmful substances on the workers’ bodies and ensuring safe working conditions are relevant. Material and methods. There was carried a retrospective analysis of occupational morbidity indices out due to acute and chronic occupational diseases caused by a chemical factor over 39 years (1980-2018) in workers of one of the leading petrochemical enterprises located in the Volga Federal District. This company includes more than a dozen industries located on one industrial site. Occupational morbidity was assessed in absolute and relative terms. The occupational morbidity index, an integral indicator of the frequency and severity of occupational diseases, occupational risk levels in terms of occupational morbidity were determined in accordance with the Guide “Occupational Health Risk to Workers”, edited by Izmerov N.F., Denisov E.I. Results. The working conditions of petrochemical workers that are part of the enterprise structure are unsafe; cases of acute and/or chronic occupational diseases caused by chemical factors are annually recorded. In the structure of occupational morbidity, chronic toxicity ranks first. The level of occupational risk according to indices of occupational morbidity among workers of heptyl production corresponds to above average, among workers of ethylbenzene-styrene and butyl alcohols - to average. Conclusion. Based on the analysis of the occupational morbidity of petrochemical workers, a prevention program including a number of organizational, technical, sanitary and hygienic, as well as medical and preventive measures have been developed.