Cement Energy and Environment

Management of Hazardous Substances in Cement Plant - ACase study Sanjay Kumar & A. K. Singh Reliance Cement Company Pvt. Ltd. 1.0 Introduction: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) is a useful tool of good management which sets basic measures that manufacturing industry must adopt for sustainable business. In India a few cement industries have adopted this proven system to control the hazardous substances available at work place for their workforce at manufacturing sites The United Kingdom implemented COSHH in the year of 2002 under the umbrella of British safety Council. Subsequently USA and European Union have adopted this system to ensure safe work environment. In this case study we have tried to captured the work area those are more vulnerable to raw dust and calcined dust in cement plant from limestone crushing to packaging and finally loading to the truck or rail wagon. The respirable and inhalable dust concentration observed and calculated as per COSHH standards applicable to different areas. Some innovative measures applied to control the hazards at work environment and observed the results which were very encouraging and recommendable. The study covered toxic fumes generated during cutting and welding of steel during fabrication, chemical fumes, during gravimetric analysis in quality control laboratory, soldering of 1/c in Instrument lab and bacteriological hazards during handling of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) sludge and chlorine fumes in water treatment plant (WTP). The pathogen biological hazards associated with handling of STP sludge are area of concern in most of the industry which is silent cause of human health due to bacterial infection. The above mentioned dust, fumes and biological hazards must be taken care off at work places in cement manufacturing process, and associated activities. The presence of inhalable dust and fumes at work place, their health hazards and their effective solution applicable to the cement industry is the content of the study. The implementations of control measures are effective and encouraging to provide safe work environment in industry for the sustainable business. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health is simple a step-by-step approach which helps us to identify the hazards, assess risks , implement any measures needed to control exposure and establish good working practices at work environment. The effects of hazardous substances range from mild eye irritation to chronic lung disease or, on occasions , death of common man working on soap floor. This may: 1. Result in increase productivity to the business; 2. Leave you liable to enforcement action, prosecution under regulations ; 3. Result in reduction in civil claims; 4. Improved productivity as a result of using more effective controls; 5. Improved employee morale; and 6. Better compliance with Environment, Health and Safety The cement manufacturing sector has potential and provided a substantial - 5.0 lakhs direct and indirect employment in India. The industry has transformed a lot in productivity and prevention & control of pollution based on sustainable development. But a lot have to do on front of safe and green production. The industry produced cementitious material by processing different raw dust which produces unwanted ultra fine inhalable dust and fumes at different stages of process and operation activities which are undoubtedly hazardous to health. The industry has adopted latest and advance technology to maximise the productivity and mitigate the unwanted hazards in the ambient air in an over a period of time. The Safe work environment means free from hazards (fines dust, high noise, heat stress, low ventilation , low and high Illumination, high vibration, high humidity and undesired ergonomics) are still challenges for cement plant. The most common hazard in work environment in cement industries is fine dust possess amorphous, crystalline and fu sed silica in raw and processed dust. The size and shape of dust contain crystalline and fused silica is very toxic in nature. It is observed that the specific area generates 22