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Background
The HAPPA project has shown that the main part of total exposure for employees mainly happens in short periods of the working-day. This happens when dust and gas concentrations reach high values when the cells are opened for anode changing, by gas skirt changing and many other jobs. The behaviour based attitude of executing the jobs is assumed to give great difference in exposure. The exposure may be reduced considerably by regarding that such hich concentrations occur. An educationally good method to analyse the job execution is important to obtain best practise.
In the proposal to framework directives from the Directorate of Labour Inspection in Norway to reduce the numbers of cases with potroom asthma, it is stressed as important to implement best practise and other organising actions to reduce the exposure.
Objectives
Pilot project 2006 - 2007
- To produce an educationally good method to involve the employees to asses their own way of working when it comes to high exposures during work in the potrooms.
- Methodology to show real time concentrations i.e. dust and SO2 (and perhaps HF) combined with video recordings of the different job situations followed with interviews of the workers.
- Demonstrate and document that the concentrations of pollutants in the air change with job execution.
Continuation 2008 – 2009
- Complete and test a technical equipment pack adjusted the requirements for the industry for examination of dust, smoke, noise, temperature and heat stress and other factors in the work environment that may be measured by mobile, online censors.
- Educate staff in using the equipment.
- Develop methods for internal use of produced videos in staff education.
PIMEX measurements and and experience transfer (2009 - 2012)
Ensure that the AMS members exchange experience using their PIMEX equipment.
Accomplishment
The pilot project
The pilot project is administrated by STAMI in cooperation with AMS. The pilot project will be carried out on 3 plants which geografically are situated in the same part of the country to reduce costs. Both Søderberg and prebake technology is included in the pilot prosjekt. Practial work will take 3 weeks with local assistance.
Continuation
In order that the PIMEX method (Picture Mix Exposure) should be usable for the industry a modern technological platform must be produced for collection of censor signals and transfer telemetric to PIMEX-PC. In addition 10 miniaturised mobile units with adjustment to defined online censors must be produced. Which smelter that shall build up its skill and with its own resources use the system will be identified. A decision will be made of which factors of the work environment that will be included in the system. Education of key personnel and production of information packs to the participating smelters will be carried out.
PIMEX measurements and experience transfer
Regular contact with the participants and communication through the PIMEX website. The need for a yearly workshop is to be assessed and decided by the General Assembly
Status by 15th April 2010
The pilot project and the continuation are terminated. Experiences are passed on to all the participants in the project.
Information about the method is to be found here.
The report for the period 2006 - 2009 is in Norwegian with a summary in English. It may be loaded from the Norwegian page.
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