The objective of this study was to describe the occupational accidents and distribution of accidents in different groups. This is a cross sectional study in which the interview with structured questionnaire was used to collect information on occupational accidents and distribution of accidents among 2525 workers in different groups. Our results indicated that the occupational accident prevalence was 4% in 10 year period among workers of heavy, light and chemical industries. The occupational accident rate was highest in the heavy and chemical industry and the workers who worked longer in the industry have lower occupational accident prevalence.
Accidents, Occupational ; Metallurgy ; Chemical Industry

Typical solid wastes contain many metal resources, which are worthy of recycling. The bioleaching of typical solid waste is affected by multiple factors. Green and efficient recovery of metals based on the characterization of leaching microorganisms and the elucidation of leaching mechanisms may contribute to the implementation of China's "dual carbon" strategic goals. This paper reviews various types of microorganisms used for leaching metals from typical solid wastes, analyzes the action mechanism of metallurgical microorganisms, and prospects the application of metallurgical microorganisms to facilitate the application of metallurgical microorganisms in typical solid wastes.
Solid Waste ; Metals ; Metallurgy ; Carbon

Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; etiology ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Exposure

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; Humans ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Diseases

Objective: To analyzes the various occupational health investment and occupational health output of a steel enterprise, and propose a reasonable occupational health investment plan for this enterprise. Methods: In march 2016, various occupational health input and output data of various branches of an iron and steel company in 2015 were collected, and the efficiency of occupational health inputs and outputs of each branch was evaluated using data envelopment analysis (DEA) , and the branches with non-optimal efficiency were adjusted to propose a reasonable occupational health investment plan. Results: Among the branch plants investigated by this steel company, the occupational health input-output efficiency values of ironmaking north plant, power plant, hot rolling plant and stainless steel plant were 1, while the occupational health input-output efficiency of gas making plant, cold rolling plant, metallurgical furnace charge plant, coking plant, ironmaking south plant and long product plant were not the best, and the cold rolling plant has the lowest efficiency value of 0.759. For the cold rolling plant, only the parameters of acid rolling plant satisfy α=1 and s(-)=0, s(+)=0, while the remaining four workshops do not meet. After adjusting the inputs of each part according to the parameters, the occupational health output of the remaining four workshops can reach 1.7044, 2.0238, 1.3152 and 1.2136 times of the current workshop, respectively. Adjustment plans for other branch factories with unreasonable investment structures are also presented in the corresponding tables. Conclusion: The occupational health investment structure of the ironmaking south plant and other branches in this steel enterprise is unreasonable, and the adjustment using data envelopment analysis can maximize the benefits of its occupational health output.
Financial Management ; Iron ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Health ; Steel

Singapore, an island republic of over 5 million inhabitants, has 3.1 million workers. Most are employed in the service, finance and tourist/transport industry. Significant numbers work in manufacturing, construction and heavy industry. Following a series of construction and shipyard accidents with multiple deaths in 2004, the government announced its intention to reduce workplace fatalities from 4.9 to 2.5 per 100,000 by 2015. There was strong political will to achieve this target. The strategic approaches were to build workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities; implement legislative changes with enforcement; promote benefits of WSH and recognize best practices, and enhance partnership with stakeholders. The anticipated outcomes were to reduce workplace fatality and injury rates; have WSH as an integral part of business; and establish a progressive and pervasive WSH culture. With these measures, the workplace fatality rate declined from 4.9/100,000 in 2004, to 2.2/100,000 in 2010. However, other confounding factors could also account for this decline, and have to be considered. The next target, announced by Singapore's Prime Minister in 2008, is to further reduce the workplace fatality rate to 1.8/100,000 by 2018, and to have "one of the best workplace safety records in the world".
Accident Prevention ; Intention ; Metallurgy ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Singapore

OBJECTIVETo analyze systematically the characteristics of occupational hazards in the foundry, and provide precise data for epidemiology studies and control of occupational hazards in the foundry.

METHODSData of airborne dust, chemical occupational hazards and physical occupational agents in environment in the foundry from 1978 to 2008 were dynamically collected. Mean concentration and intensity (geometric mean) of occupational hazards were calculated by job in different years.

RESULTSMain occupational hazards in the foundry were silica, metal fume, noise and heat stress. Silica existed in all of main jobs. The mean concentration of silica before 1986 was an extremely high level of 8.6 mg/m(3), and then remarkably dropped after 1986, with the level of 2.4 mg/m(3) from 1986 to 1989, 2.7 mg/m(3) from 1990 to 2002 and 2.7 mg/m(3) from 2003 to 2008. The trend of silica concentrations by job was consistent with that in general. Silica concentrations among jobs were significantly different, with highest level in melting (4.4 mg/m(3)), followed by cast shakeout and finishing (3.4 mg/m(3)), pouring (3.4 mg/m(3)), sand preparation (2.4 mg/m(3)), moulding (2.1 mg/m(3)) and core-making (1.7 mg/m(3)). Concentration of respirable dust in pouring was highest (2.76 mg/m(3)), followed by cast shakeout and finishing (1.14 mg/m(3)). Mean concentration of asbestos dust in melting was a relative high level of 2.0 mg/m(3). In core-making and sand preparation, there existed emission production of adhesive, with mean concentrations as followed, ammonia (5.84 mg/m(3)), formaldehyde (0.60 mg/m(3)), phenol (1.73 mg/m(3)) and phenol formaldehyde resin (1.3 mg/m(3)) also existed. Benzene and its homologues existed in cast shakeout and finishing, and the level of benzene, toluene, xylene was 0.2 mg/m(3), 0.1 mg/m(3) and 1.3 mg/m(3), respectively. In pouring and melting, there existed chemical occupational hazards, including benzo(a) pyrene, metal fume (lead, cadmium, manganese, nickel, chromium) and gas(hydrogen sulfide, phosphine, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide). Mean concentration of benzo(a) pyrene was a low level of 1.80 x 10(-4) microg/m(3). Physical occupational agents in the foundry were noise, heat stress and vibration. Intensity of heat stress was high in melting, pouring and cast shakeout and finishing, with the level of 30 degrees C, 29 degrees C and 26 degrees C, respectively. Noise was high in cast shakeout and finishing and core-making, with the level of 93.1 dB(A) and 89.5 dB(A), respectively. Vibration existed in core-making and cast shakeout and finishing. Compulsory postures included long standing, seating and bowing.

CONCLUSIONOccupational hazards in environment of the foundry are diversified and their concentrations exceed permissible exposure limits stipulated by the national occupational hygienic standards. High-concentrations of dust, metal fume, low-concentrations of variety of chemicals, high-intensity of noise and vibration, heat stress, and harmful compulsory posture, and so on all co-exist in the foundry. Control and protective measures should be strengthened.

Dust ; analysis ; Hazardous Substances ; analysis ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Exposure

Blood and urine samples were taken from 447 welders exposed to manganese containing welding fumes and 127 office workers not exposed to welding fumes as a control. The air samples were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Varian 30A, Australia), and blood and urine samples were analyzed by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer(Z-8100, Hibachi, Japan). Data were evaluated in accordance with type of industry, smoking habits, and work duration. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The limit of detection(LOD) levels of manganese in blood and urine were 0.11 microgram/100ml of and 0.14 microgram/l, respectively. Our results of manganese concentration were shown within +/-2 standard deviation which was the upper and lower warning limit (UWL or LWL) on quality control chart. 2. The airborne concentrations of manganese in welding workplaces were 0.067 mg/m3 showing differences by type of industry ; 0.017 mg/m3 in automobile assembly and manufacturing industries, 0.084 mg/m3 in steel heavy industries and 0.180 mg/m3 in shipyards. 3. The blood manganese concentrations showed differences by type of industry showing the highest values of 1.70 microgram/100m1 in shipyards, 1.24 microgram/100m1 in automobile assembly and manufacturing industries and 1.11 microgram/100ml in steel heavy industries. Urinary manganese concentration corrected by urinary creatinine concentrations was 0.34 microgram/g creatinine in automobile assembly and manufacturing industries, 0.43 microgram/g creatinine in steel heavy industries and 0.48 microgram/g creatinine in shipyards. There were no difference urinary manganese concentrations by type of industry. 4. The overall blood manganese concentration was 1.26 microgram/100ml, and urinary manganese concentration was 0.35 microgram/g creatinine in welders. In contrast to these values, blood and urinary manganese concentrations were lower in control group showing 0.73 microgram/100m1, and 0.28 microgram/g creatinine, respectively. 5. Smoking habits did not seem to affect on blood and urinary manganese concentrations both in welders and office workers. 6. Blood manganese concentrations were significantly higher in welder who had worked longer than 10 years than in welder who had worked less than 10 years. 7. The blood manganese concentrations were significantly correlated to airborne manganese concentrations(r=0.318, n=64), work duration(r=0.425, n=538), and cumulative exposure indices(CEI) (r=0.354, n=64).
Absorption ; Automobiles ; Creatinine ; Manganese* ; Metallurgy ; Quality Control ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Steel ; Welding*

OBJECTIVETo understand the current situations of saturnism and blood lead levels of children resided in village and circumjacent areas, and to know its relations with sex, age and other factors on children' s health as to providing some evidences for prevention and control.

METHODSAn epidemiological survey was conducted for finding out the pollution sources and for a better understanding of the surrounding environment. All 221 children under 14 years old, from the lead pollution villages and surrounding establishments were enrolled, and their blood lead levels were detected by graphite atomizer absorption spectrophotometer method. Symptoms of the saturnism were investigated through a standardized questionnaire. SPSS13.0 software was administrated for data analysis.

RESULTSHigh blood lead level identification rate was 66.06% (146/221), and saturnism rate 32.13% (71/221). The children's blood lead levels among group 1, group 2, group 3 in this village and jade factory were (161.20 +/- 32.94), (176.60 +/- 43.62), (258.00 +/-106.08) and (238.01 +/- 55.20) microg/L respectively and the significant differences were observed through Kruskal-Wallis test (chi2 = 51.84, df= 3, P<0. 01). The blood lead levels of children from group 3 in this village and the jade factory were higher than those of other two groups. No correlation was found between children's age and blood lead level (r = 0.10, P = 0.13). There was a significant difference in blood lead levels between boys and girls (t' = 3.83, P<0.01). With the children's blood lead levels rising, the occurrence rate of main saturnism symptoms was significantly increased. This survey suggested that the pollution source was a coarse lead smelter.

CONCLUSIONThe blood lead level should ke overwhelmingly increased among children who live nearby the higher level of lead blood, that living nearby the lead smeltery,might result in stautnism and negative effect on children's healthy.

Child ; Environmental Pollution ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Industrial Waste ; Lead ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; epidemiology ; Male ; Metallurgy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of malignant tumors among fluoride-exposed workers in aluminum industry.

METHODSSampling points were set in the working positions at different radii around an workshop for treating the waste gas from aluminum electrolysis, and the concentrations of fluoride ions, aluminum, and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in air were measured by electrode method, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The incidence of tumors among the workers in the aluminum plant from 1995 to 2009 was investigated by questionnaires and medical records and then statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThere was a negative correlation between the concentrations of fluoride and aluminum and the radius around the fluoride source at each sampling point. B[a]P was not detected at each sampling point. The crude incidence rate of tumors among factory workers was 117.95/100 000 (standardized rate = 58.81/100 000); the standardized incidence rate of tumors was higher in female workers than in male workers (male-to-female ratio = 1:2.64). The peak age of onset of tumors was 40 ∼ 49 years. The most and second most common tumors were liver cancer and lung cancer in male workers and breast cancer and lung cancer in female workers. Compared with the unexposed population in the city where the aluminum plant was located, the female fluoride-exposed workers had an increased tumor incidence, 2.14 times that of the city's average level, and the fluoride-exposed workers had a younger age of onset of tumors and approximately the same types of tumors.

CONCLUSIONFluoride exposure may lead to an increasing trend in tumor incidence among female workers in aluminum industry.

Adult ; Aluminum ; Female ; Fluorides ; Humans ; Male ; Metallurgy ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure