Managing occupational safety and health in aluminum production: case study of aluminum production factory, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Aim: To assess the effect of modernization of the aluminium production on physical and chemical health hazards at work environment in the Aluminium Mostar factory. The modernization included introduction of automatic equipment, computerized management, and rationalized coke manipulation in Anoda, Electrolysis, and Cast House plants.

Method: Periodical measurements of chemical (gas concentrations and aerosols) and physical (microclimatic factors, noise, and illumination) factors were performed at the same workplaces by the same methods of measurements before (1982-1988) and after the modernization (2004). The measured values were compared with the recommended Occupational Safety and Health Standards of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Results: The number of workplaces with a high noise level was reduced from 65.0% (89/137) in 1982-1988 to 28.7% (51/178) in 2004. The best results were achieved in Cast House plant. The illumination of the workplace was partly improved. Values of microclimatic factors did not considerably change; they deviated from the recommended values at nearly all the workplaces in the factory. The concentrations of chemical agents were above the recommended standards in 56.3% (196/348) of the samples in 1982-1988, and in only 15.4% (99/645) of the samples tested in 2004. High concentrations of hydrogen fluoride have remained the primary pollutant in Electrolysis plant.

Conclusion: The modernization of the factory has considerably reduced the amount of harmful substances at work environment in the Aluminum Mostar. However, the exposure to unfavorable physical factors has been only partly reduced.