Jung JH  Jung YJ  Lee S  Lee JH  Shon BH  Lim HS

Vol. 20,  No. 2, pp. 171-178, Jun.  2014

Health risk factor Welding Casting process Ventilation Computational fluid dynamics

PDF

In this study we have examined the health risk factors and analyzing data of laborers working at the welding operation at large-sized casting process. In order to improve the working environment of workplace, an effective ventilation method was proposed after performing CFD (computational fluid dynamics) modeling and measurement of pollutants. As a result of examining the health risk factors of workers, oxidized steel dust is the main pollution source in the company A, welding fume in the companies B and C, and welding fume and oxidized steel dust in the company D. The fume concentration in the workers’ breathing zone was 0.051~4.37 mg/m3, and the fume concentration in the indoor air at the welding process was 0.13~7.54 mg/m3. From a result of CFD, a local exhaust with an exhaust duct adjacent to welding point was found to be most effective in case of the exhaust process. In case of air supply, we found that a desired location of air supply fan would be at the end of the opening. If a standardizing the ventilation system for tunnel-type semi-enclosed space at a large-sized casting process is introduced in welding work places in the future, it would be more effective to protect the health of welding workers working at the casting industry and shipbuilding industry and improve the work environment.