4
FOR LABOR SAFETY EXPERIENCE IN IMPROVING WORKING IN OPEN-HEARTH FURNACES M. E. Zhilo Translated from Metallurg,No. 8, pp. 31-33, August, 1962 CONDITIONS Editorial. The presidium of the Central Committee of the Trade Union in a resolution adopted on August 29, 1961 ~on operating experience of management and trade union organizations of the "Azovstal' " and ~Zaporozhstal' " Metallurgical Plants in improving working conditions in open- hearth furnaces ~ recommended the Managers and Trade Union committees of metallurgicalplants with steel-melting departments to study and introduce technical resolutions and organizational measures to ensure an improvement in working conditions. When designing new and redesigning existing units, departments and sections planning institutes were recommended to use the favorable experience in the operation of the "Azovstal' ~ and ~Zaporozhstal' " plants in providing healthy and safe working conditions. In this resolution it was suggested that trade union committees together withengineering and technical workers of open-hearth furnaces should discuss the recommendations at general meetings and ensure their realization. It is almost a year since this resolution was adopted. A considerable amount of work has been carried out at many plants, directed toward improving working conditions. The editorial board asks the trade union committees and engineering and technical workers of the plants to report on what they are doing in this direction and what results have been achieved; and what still remains to be done in order to achieve healthy and safe workh~g conditions, as laid down in the resolutions of the 22rid Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In 1961 the Central Committee of the Trade Union for workers in the metallurgical industry sent a group of workers to the ~Azovstal 'N, NZaporozhstal '' and Makeevsk metallurgical plants to study experience gained by the management and trade union organizations on improving working conditions. At all plants which the group visited extensive efforts are being made to reduce injuries and to improve work- ing conditions. Unfortunately, due to the lack of liaison in exchanging experience in the field of industrial safety, the workers at the plant were ill informed of the many effective methods used at other plants. In the open-hearth department more progress has been made in safety techniques than in making the working conditions healthier. This is because the management and trade union organizations have accumulated a large amount of experience in combating industrialac- cidents and hence they can more easily find ways for carrying out the safety rules and various instructions of the inspection authorities. Of the plants inspected the best results in the reduction of indus- trial injuries have been achieved in the open-hearth department of the ~Azovstal' ~ plant (Fig. 1). This is shown by the indices of accident frequency. Usually, in the open-hearth department of metallurgical plants these indices are much higher than for the plant as a whole. In the open-hearth department of the ~ Azovstal"" plant the coefficient of frequency for industrial injuries is much lower than that for the plm~t as a whole. The remote control of stopper mechanisms has completely Fig. 1. Open-hearth department of the eliminated burns during the pouring of steel due to slag and metal be- "Azovstal' " plant, ing thrown from the ladles and molds (Fig. 2). 380

Experience in improving working conditions in open-hearth furnaces

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

FOR LABOR SAFETY

E X P E R I E N C E IN I M P R O V I N G W O R K I N G

IN O P E N - H E A R T H F U R N A C E S

M. E. Z h i l o

Translated from Metallurg,No. 8, pp. 31-33, August, 1962

CONDITIONS

Editorial. The presidium of the Central Commi t tee of the Trade Union in a resolution adopted on August 29, 1961 ~on operat ing exper ience of management and trade union organizations of the

"Azovstal ' " and ~Zaporozhstal ' " Metal lurgical Plants in improving working conditions in open-

hearth furnaces ~ recommended the Managers and Trade Union commit tees of meta l lu rg ica lp lan t s

with s t ee l -me l t i ng departments to study and introduce technica l resolutions and organizat ional measures to ensure an improvement in working conditions. When designing new and redesigning

existing units, departments and sections planning institutes were recommended to use the favorable

experience in the operation of the "Azovstal ' ~ and ~Zaporozhstal ' " plants in providing heal thy

and safe working conditions. In this resolution it was suggested that trade union commit tees together withengineer ing and

technica l workers of open-hear th furnaces should discuss the recommendat ions at general meetings

and ensure their real izat ion. I t is almost a year since this resolution was adopted. A considerable amount of work has been carried out at many plants, directed toward improving working conditions.

The edi tor ia l board asks the trade union commit tees and engineering and technical workers

of the plants to report on what they are doing in this direction and what results have been achieved; and what st i l l remains to be done in order to achieve heal thy and safe workh~g conditions, as laid

down in the resolutions of the 22rid Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

In 1961 the Central Commi t t ee of the Trade Union for workers in the meta l lu rg ica l industry sent a group of workers to the ~Azovstal 'N, NZaporozhstal ' ' and Makeevsk meta l lu rg ica l plants to study experience gained by the

management and trade union organizations on improving working conditions.

At a l l plants which the group visited extensive efforts are being made to reduce injuries and to improve work- ing conditions. Unfortunately, due to the lack of liaison in exchanging experience in the f ie ld of industrial safety, the workers at the plant were i l l informed of the many effect ive methods used at other plants.

In the open-hear th department more progress has been made in safety techniques than in making the working conditions healthier .

This is because the management and trade union organizations have accumulated a large amount of experience in combating indus t r ia lac-

cidents and hence they can more easi ly find ways for carrying out the safety rules and various instructions of the inspection authorities.

Of the plants inspected the best results in the reduction of indus- t r ial injuries have been achieved in the open-hear th department of the ~Azovstal ' ~ plant (Fig. 1). This is shown by the indices of accident frequency. Usually, in the open-hear th depar tment of meta l lu rg ica l plants these indices are much higher than for the plant as a whole. In the open-hearth depar tment of the ~ Azovstal"" p lant the coeff ic ient of

frequency for industr ial injuries is much lower than that for the plm~t as a whole. The remote control of stopper mechanisms has comple te ly

Fig. 1. Open-hear th department of the e l imina ted burns during the pouring of s teel due to slag and me ta l be - "Azovstal ' " plant, ing thrown from the ladles and molds (Fig. 2).

380

Previously, the operators of the charging machines at the ~Azovstal '~ plant were frequently burned by the splashed slag and metal thrown from the open-hearth furnaces. Thi s type of accident has now been eliminated. The cabins of the charging machines are protected by a double metal screen (the screens are separated by a distance of 60-'/0 ram) and sheet steel deflectors (Fig. 3).

Organizational measures play an extremely important part in the fight against industrial injuries in the open- hearth department of the ~Azovstal' " plant: The workers are systematically educated with regard to rules and meth-

ods of safe working, the management strictly controls the observance of ruIes and instructions on safety techniques, there is systematic super- vision to ensure that the equipment and working places are safe, era. In this respect considerable help is given by the department commis- sion and public safety inspectors, who take an active part in the in- vestigation of accidents, and make sure that the safety suggestions are carried out; they tour the department to find out if there are any faults in the safety techniques. The main function of the work of the com- mission and the pubIic safety inspectors is the prevention of accidents, and educational work.

The above are only a few of the measures which are being car- ried out at the open-hearth departments of the plants which have been

Fig. 2. Remote control of stopper studied. Extensive work is being conducted on the mechanization of mechanisms at the 'Azovs ta l ' " plant, laborious work and improvements are being made in production organ-

ization; new techniques are being introduced which will not only help to increase labor productivity but will also make the work lighter. The development of a pneumatic communica- tion system at the open-hearth departments of the ~Azovstal' " plant and the Makeevsk metallurgical plant has con- siderably speeded up the delivery of samples to the laboratory and has facilitated the work of the assistant steel smelters. Mechanization of the addition of deoxidants to the furnaces has also considerably facilitated the work. At the open-hearth department of the ~Azovstal' " plant television is used to better operational supervision and liaison between the despatcher and the personnel of the furnace teams (Fig. 4).

Fig. 3. Charging machine with protective screen.

Improving the health conditions in the open-hearth departments is a very pressing problem. It is especiaIly important at the present time in connection with the intensification of open-hearth production. The me of cold natural gas to fire the open-hearth furnace has virtually eliminated cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in the open- hearth furnaces.

However, much still remains to be done in connection with the main factors determining health conditions in

the open-hearth departments-infrared radiation and the high temperature of the air. Intensification of the open-

hearth process has caused a considerable increase in the thermal strains in the departments. In efforts to improve the health conditions in open-hearth furnaces, all possible measures are use: ventilation, aeration, mechanization,

381

air and wate r -a i r t reatment, heat insulation, air conditioning, screening of surface radiating heat, etc. Especial ly

widespread use has been made of natural vent i la t ion of the working spaces - ae r a t i on , and also air and wa te r -a i r t reatment . However, due to the intensification of production and an increase in heat stresses in the department, the

systems of natural vent i la t ion ca lcu la ted for a cer ta in product ivi ty of the smelt ing units cannot provide the necessary

air cool ing in the working zone compared with the outside temperature.

In order to improve the eff ic iency of the aerat ion in open-hear th furnaces the areas of the exhaust fan open-

ings have been increased, the roofs of the buildings have been par t ia l ly opened, large apertures have been made in the w a l l s - " a e r a t i o n gates" (Fig. 5), etc. In the open-hear th department of the "Zaporozhstal ' ~ plant fresh air is

fed m the zonewhere the spout is serviced to the back area of the furnaces. The air passes along the underground

air pipe through the cast ing bay to the back area of the furnace. Where necessary, the air pipe is thermal ly insulated and cooled by running water. The working conditions have been considerably improved by feeding fresh cooled air

to the area near the spout.

Fig. 4. Using televis ion to follow the operations in the furnace in an open-hear th depar tment of the ~ Azovstal ' " plant.

tn the open-hear th depar tment of the Makeevsk meta l lu rg ica l plant s imilar stationary equipment has also been instal led at the s tee l - tapping holes of several open-hear th furnaces. The air is taken from outside at the end of the

open-hear th department building, taken along an air pipe laid along the crane tracks, and is fed to the furnaces. The air is not cooled, c leaned or

hum idified.

In the No. 2 open-hear th department of the same plant stationary

forced vent i la t ion has been instal led in the channels. The air supplied to them is cooled to 15-18 ~ in a i r -condi t ioning equipment; this reduces the temperature at the working p lace by 20-22 ~ while the channel is being

assembled.

In order to reduce the hea t radiation, the back walls of the open- hearth furnaces of the ~Zaporozhstal ' " plant are f i t ted with hea t - insu la t - ing screens with an asbestos Iining. In the same department at the front bulkheads of one of the open-hear th furnaces there are water -cooled e l e -

Fig. 5. Aerat ion gates in the mo ld - merits which not only help to reduce the hea t radiat ion but also reduce

ing yard. the t ime needed to coat the bulk heads.

The mechanics have instal led conditioners to improve the workingconditions at the three casting cranes of the

"Zaporzhsta l ' " plant open-hear th department .

As yet, the safety rules for open-hear th production with respect to flow venti lat ion at the control panels of the three plants which were studied have only been put into operat ion at the "Zaporozhs t a r ~ plant. The air fed to the control panels is taken from outside. The air pipes pass through the main pipe and under the working area. During

the cooler seasons the air is heated.

382

As well as measures of a sanitary-technical and hygienic nature, in these open-hearth departments muchwork

has been done to limit or eliminate laborious operations and work under unpleasant conditions. This includes the

extensive use of oxygen, which has considerably reduced the time for repairing the.hearths of open-hearth furnaces - o n e of the most difficult and laborious jobs; partial mechanization of open-hearth repair work; the use of guniting to reduce the liberation of gases through the furnace lining, etc.

Many other measures are now being introduced and planned at these plants: At the "ZaporozhstaP" plant there will be an aspiration apparatus to collect dust from the floors and equipment; work is being done on the mech- anized delivery of deoxidizing agents to the furnaces and the installation of equipment for the hydraulic cleaning of molds; at this plant and the Makeevsk metallurgical plant fresh air will be supplied to the cabins of the crane operators from a duct passing along the department; there will be many other measures.

To reduce heat radiation it is very important to have strict supervision of the condition and performance of the cooling devices of the frames and covers of the charging doors. Unfortunately, this supervision is not always correctly organized. In June, 1961, glowing covers could be seen on the charging door in the No. 1 open-hearth department of the Makeevsk metallurgical plant. Water-cooIed frames and covers of the charging doors consider- ably reduce the intensity of radiation at the working place. As a rule, at all the plants which were studied the peep holes in the covers are not closed.

Standardization of working conditions in open-hearth departments is a very important problem. Attempts to reduce infrared radiation and the high air temperature in the open-hearth furnaces have not yet given the desired results. This is because most of the measures taken to reduce radiant heat are directed mainly at weakening the harmful action of the infrared radiation rather than at eliminating the basic causes. This problem can be solved by eliminating the main factor causing unsatisfactory working conditions-by preventing the free access of infrared radiation and convection heat to the department.

Various measures have been proposed but unfortunately they have not yet been tested together and the effi- ciency of many of them has not yet been fully realized.

Some of the recommended measures for reducing radiant heat have only been tested in laboratories; some have been tested in production, but for short periods and on insufficiently large scales. This work cannot be done by one plant alone.

This problem can best be solved by the Scientific research institutes for labor safety, institutes of labor hy- giene and occupational injuries, Gipromez and the technological institutes. Practical work should be carried out at one of the metallurgical plants; this plant should be made a model plant as regards the level of automation.

383