Semi-quantitative health risk assessment of exposure to chemicals in an aluminum rolling mill.

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the health risks resulting from occupational exposure to chemicals in an aluminum rolling mill to propose effective control measures. Exposure of workers to chemicals was assessed based on the Singapore Health Department's methodology. The health risks of exposure to the identified chemicals and the relative risk of developing cancer due to exposure to benzene were assessed. According to the results, the risk level of exposure to sulfuric acid in the washing line and to manganese in the manufacturing unit were high. In assessing the risk of developing cancer arising from benzene exposure, the lifetime cancer risk was found in the range 10-4-10-6 (the possible range). The results indicated that in the aluminum rolling industry, occupational exposure to 75% of the chemicals had a low risk level, 15% had a moderate risk level and 10% had a high risk level.

Environmental risk assessment and corrective measures for the metal rolling industry.

Identification, assessment, elimination, and control of hazards in every workplace represent the key to success as well as a critical part of any health and safety programme. Due to the complexity of the operations, equipment, and procedures in the rolling industry, this industry always involves some degree of hazard. Hence, it is necessary to apply an effective risk assessment method to manage hazards. In this research, environmental failure mode and effect analysis (E-FMEA) was used to identify possible risks, analyze environmental risks, and determine the highest risk priorities in an aluminium rolling industry. For this purpose, the production process, equipment, and tasks were examined. Stack emissions, as well as factory sewage, were analyzed according to the standard methods. Considering the results of the analysis and according to the expert panel comments, potential harmful factors were identified and classified regarding the possibility of occurrence, capability for discovery, pollution level, and intensity of their effect on the environment. Using the E-FMEA method, 210 aspects and environmental consequences were identified where 27 cases had a low risk, 148 had a moderate risk, and 35 had a high risk. For those classes of risks with a priority number above 118, correction and control operations were accomplished. The results of the repeated risk assessment approved that the protective measures have been satisfactorily effective; the control operations were performed well and the risk priority number (RPN) was mitigated to the low- or moderate-risk levels.