Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

The efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers' heat stress around the blast furnace of a steel industry.
Work. 2015; 53(2):293-8.WORK

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Workers' exposure to excessive heat in molten industries is mainly due to radiant heat from hot sources.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers heat stress around a typical blast furnace.

METHODS

Two main interventions were applied for reducing radiant heat around the blast furnace of a steel industry located in western Iran. These included using a heat absorbing system in the furnace body and installing reflective aluminum barrier in the main workstation. Heat stress indexes were measured before and after each intervention using the digital WBGT-meter.

RESULTS

The results showed MRT and WBGT indexes decreased by 20 °C and 3.9 °C, respectively after using heat absorbing system and also decreased by 18.6 °C and 2.5 °C, respectively after installing a reflective barrier. These indexes decrease by 26.5 °C and 5.2 °C, respectively due to the simultaneous application of the two interventions which were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The core body temperature of workers decreased by 2.6 °C after the application of interventions which was also significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirmed heat control at source can be considered as a first solution for reducing radiant heat of blast furnaces. However, the simultaneous application of interventions could noticeably reduce worker heat stress. The results provide reliable information in order to implement the effective heat controls in typical hot steel industries.

Links

Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Giahi O
Department of Occupational Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health and Kurdistan Environmental Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Darvishi E
Department of Occupational Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health and Kurdistan Environmental Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Aliabadi M
Department of Occupational Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Khoubi J
Department of Occupational Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health and Kurdistan Environmental Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.

MeSH

Environmental MonitoringEquipment DesignHeat Stress DisordersHot TemperatureHumansIranMetallurgyOccupational DiseasesOccupational ExposureSteel

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

26409350

Citation

Giahi, Omid, et al. "The Efficacy of Radiant Heat Controls On Workers' Heat Stress Around the Blast Furnace of a Steel Industry." Work (Reading, Mass.), vol. 53, no. 2, 2015, pp. 293-8.
Giahi O, Darvishi E, Aliabadi M, et al. The efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers' heat stress around the blast furnace of a steel industry. Work. 2015;53(2):293-8.
Giahi, O., Darvishi, E., Aliabadi, M., & Khoubi, J. (2015). The efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers' heat stress around the blast furnace of a steel industry. Work (Reading, Mass.), 53(2), 293-8. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-152104
Giahi O, et al. The Efficacy of Radiant Heat Controls On Workers' Heat Stress Around the Blast Furnace of a Steel Industry. Work. 2015;53(2):293-8. PubMed PMID: 26409350.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - The efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers' heat stress around the blast furnace of a steel industry. AU - Giahi,Omid, AU - Darvishi,Ebrahim, AU - Aliabadi,Mohsen, AU - Khoubi,Jamshid, PY - 2015/9/28/entrez PY - 2015/9/28/pubmed PY - 2016/12/15/medline KW - Radiant heat controls KW - blast furnace KW - heat stress SP - 293 EP - 8 JF - Work (Reading, Mass.) JO - Work VL - 53 IS - 2 N2 - BACKGROUND: Workers' exposure to excessive heat in molten industries is mainly due to radiant heat from hot sources. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of radiant heat controls on workers heat stress around a typical blast furnace. METHODS: Two main interventions were applied for reducing radiant heat around the blast furnace of a steel industry located in western Iran. These included using a heat absorbing system in the furnace body and installing reflective aluminum barrier in the main workstation. Heat stress indexes were measured before and after each intervention using the digital WBGT-meter. RESULTS: The results showed MRT and WBGT indexes decreased by 20 °C and 3.9 °C, respectively after using heat absorbing system and also decreased by 18.6 °C and 2.5 °C, respectively after installing a reflective barrier. These indexes decrease by 26.5 °C and 5.2 °C, respectively due to the simultaneous application of the two interventions which were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The core body temperature of workers decreased by 2.6 °C after the application of interventions which was also significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed heat control at source can be considered as a first solution for reducing radiant heat of blast furnaces. However, the simultaneous application of interventions could noticeably reduce worker heat stress. The results provide reliable information in order to implement the effective heat controls in typical hot steel industries. SN - 1875-9270 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/26409350/The_efficacy_of_radiant_heat_controls_on_workers'_heat_stress_around_the_blast_furnace_of_a_steel_industry_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -