LABOR SAFE TY

IMPROVING THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF POURERS

Yu. A. Klimov and V. V. Gukas'yan UDC 669.183.2.013.5:669-78

In our country providing safe and healthy working conditions in production is one of the primary criteria of the organization of production and an important condition for the increase in labor productivity. The All-Union Scientific-Research Institute for the Organization of Production and Labor in Ferrous Metallurgy has developed a standard plan for organizing the working area of a crew of open-hearth pourers. This was based on an analysis of the charac- teristics of the labor and production operations of the pouring areas of a number of plants and a study and generalization of procedures and working methods of the best pourers. The functional duties of pourers and their share in the total volume of labor costs were deter- mined taking into consideration the use of modern methods of mechanization, rational sched- ules for the pouring of steel, and advanced procedures and working methods. The analysis of the functional duties in relation to the character of labor shows that the share of physical labor is significant for pourers and their helpers.

Rational technology and automation and mechanization of laborious work have decisive value in creating working conditions to accepted standards. To protect personnel from heat radiation and burns remote control of ladle stoppers, including those of continuous casting machines, is recommended. To improve microclimatic conditions the plan specifies, in addi- tion to natural ventilation, the installation of aerator fans and return transoms for the admission of fresh air, the use of Lobe-type individual respirators in working with lunkerite, in repairing ladle linings, and in removing rubbish, and mechanization of opening and closing the end doors of the pouring bay together with the use of air and heat screens.

An important role in improving working conditions is also played by rational illumina- tion of wQrking areas, maintaining special control over the removal of soot and dust from the glass of the overhead windows and skylights and also from the sources of artificial illumination. It is reasonable to assume that rational illumination increases labor pro- ductivity by 5-10%.

The pouring area is equipped with a rest room, for which a standard plan has been developed by the State Planning Institute for Industrial Sanitary Engineering Planning, Leningrad and approved by the State Committee for Construction of the USSR. The room must include colored glass panels for observation, comfortable furniture harmonizing in shape and color with the interior of the room, circulating air corresponding to the requirements of sanitary standards, and sanitary and drinking facilities. The room must be sufficiently airtight and the walls lined with blocks with the use of sound-deadening constructional ma- terials.

For the workers of the pouring bay (senior pourer, pourer, and pourer helper) working in unfavorable working conditions the recommendation is for a sequence of work and rest in which the total rest time is 60 min, or about 12% of the total working time in the shift. The length of the breaks for rest are established as I0 min after 1.5, 2.5, and 5.5 h and 5 min after 6 h of work. A 25-min break is allowed after 4.0-4.5 h of work and is combined with lunch. This distribution of breaks is the result of production conditions and char- acteristics of the human body.

In Ii'ich Zaporozhstal' and Novolipetsk Plants the introduction into the pourers' work- ing area of these recommendations has aided in improving working conditions, in maintaining the working activeness of the workers, and in increasing the effectiveness of open-hearth production.

The All-Union Scientific-Research Institute for the Organization of Production and Labor in Ferrous Metallurgy. Translated from Metallurg, No. 9, p. 43, September, 1976.

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