Assessment of Air Pollution and its Effects on Health of Workers of Steel Re-Rolling Mills in Hyderabad

  • Altaf Ali Noonari Ph.D. Scholar, Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro
  • Rasool Bux Mahar Professor, US-Pakistan Centre for Advamced Studies in Water, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro.
  • Abdul Razaque Sahito Associate Professor, Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro

Abstract

evaluate their effect on the health of the workers, health and safety issues were analyzed by first measuring the concentrations of SOx (OIxides of Sulphur), NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen), CO (Carbon Monoxide) and O2 (Oxygen) produced in the three SRRMs located in SITE area Hyderabad. The mean concentration of SOx, NOx and CO were in the order of 0.35, 0.280, 6.333 ppm, respectively, whereas the mean concentration of O2 was 203.53 thousand ppm. As per results, the concentration of air pollutants, including SOx and NOx were significantly higher than to the NEQS (National Environmental Quality Standards) and NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards). The concentration of CO was lower than to the NAAQs, but higher than to the NEQs, while the concentration of O2 was slightly lower than to the standard value. The workers who were exposed to these air pollutants are being suffering from chronic diseases related to breathing and allergies. Moreover, labour staff was lifting heavy loads manually, which causes them to muscular and joint problems. In all the SRRMs under study, the electrical and mechanical equipments were used without any safety. The MSDS were not displayed on the workstations, the housekeeping was inadequate and most of the workers were performing their jobs without personal protective equipment. In addition to these, the other serious issues related to the occupational health and safety were an unhygienic supply of water, higher noise level, placement of explosive cylinders in the open atmosphere and unavailability of the first aid facilities in the Mill premises

Published
Apr 1, 2016
How to Cite
NOONARI, Altaf Ali; MAHAR, Rasool Bux; SAHITO, Abdul Razaque. Assessment of Air Pollution and its Effects on Health of Workers of Steel Re-Rolling Mills in Hyderabad. Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, [S.l.], v. 35, n. 2, p. 293-302, apr. 2016. ISSN 2413-7219. Available at: <https://publications.muet.edu.pk/index.php/muetrj/article/view/629>. Date accessed: 29 mar. 2024. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.22581/muet1982.1602.15.
Section
Articles
This is an open Access Article published by Mehran University of Engineering and Technolgy, Jamshoro under CCBY 4.0 International License