Published Paper Details:

Background: The study was conducted in a melting and casting foundries located in South India. The studies were conducted in Plant-1 (old) and 2 (new). The various hazards like metallic dusts, fumes, oil mist, silica dust, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide were studied in selected work stations. Aim: This study was initiated to explore and assess the prevailing chemical work environmental factors / hazards in the plant as well as the distribution of these hazards in the plants with two different process and control technologies. It is to assess the quality of the work room air near the ambit of the workers, comparing the measured values with the recommended OELs and recommends engineering and administrative control measures. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 33 Operators working in various hot and peripheral operations in two Casting Plants old and new. Systematic random sampling method was adopted to collect 32 dust samples and 33 fumes, gases, vapours samples. The work exposures were compared for compliance with the occupational standards. Statistical Analysis: Plant wise and operation-wise distribution analysis was done on the compiled data. The data was analyzed by using the IBM-Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software statistical tools version-20 and the Mini-Tab Version-16, and the results were tabulated using p<0.05 as statistically significant. Paired t tests, Chi Square tests, Pearson�s correlation and one-way ANOVA were performed. Results: The measured data on various chemical work environmental factors were compared with the Threshold Limit Values. Only for dusts and Total fumes in two different plants, Correlation and association analysis is done and it is found to be at 5% level of significance and 95% confidence interval level. Conclusions and Implications: This study has demonstrated that the chemical work environmental factors were varying based on the operational conditions and variations such as plant load, Plant design, technology change, air movement and other environmental factors. It is concluded that there is a significant level of association (p<0.05) in these two plants with the improved process and control technologies adopted in the new plant than the old plant.