A Study on Working Environment and Labor Health in Tire Manufacturing Factories.

• Main Authors: Yang, Hsiao-Mei, 楊筱玫
• Other Authors: Chuang, Kuen-Yuan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/18968757528892582454

碩士 === 中臺科技大學 === 環境與安全衛生工程系碩士班 === 103 === The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified the occupational exposure of rubber　manufacturing into Group 1- carcinogenic to humans, and pointed out that there is sufficient evidence on such occupational exposure causing leukemia, lymphoma, bladder, lung, and stomach cancers in workers in this industry. As there are currently more than 23,000 laborers working in the rubber manufacturing industry in Taiwan, a certain degree of risk is posed to their health. This study investigates the working environments of three major tire making businesses in the Changhua area. In order to understand the health conditions of workers in different tire making processes, we used a purposive sampling method with a model of partially close-ended questions for workers to survey their perceived health status. Results from the working environment analysis showed that out of 37 dust samples and 45 hydrocarbon samples (n-hexane, n-heptane, octane, toluene and xylene), none had exceeded permissible exposure limits (PELs). However, we found that in some samples, the toluene concentration exceeded 1/2 PEL. Return rate of effective questionnaires was 294, results showed that the ratio of labor perceived musculoskeletal abnormality was the highest (25.1 %). The problem of musculoskeletal system was followed by perceived issues of neural and respiratory systems, which were 17.8 % and 13.7 % respectively. Results from Chi-Square Test showed that nervous, digestive and muscular and skeletal systems was significant difference. This may be due to the need for repetitive motions or load bearing in the tire making processes; alternatively, since the wage of most laborers are calculated by the number of finished products, it was possible that laborers may choose to forgo their break time in order to earn higher wages. Since tire manufacturing requires the use of organic solvents and powdered form raw materials, the neural and respiratory functions of laborers may be adversely affected in poorly managed working environment. Ratio of labor perceived muscular and skeletal abnormality was the highest in this study. To prevent the onset of musculoskeletal diseases from repetitive operations in laborers, we recommend industries to devise a prevention plan for human-factored hazards and conduct analysis in the operational procedures, work contents and motions involved, in order to identify and improve the possible human-factored hazards and lower the risks to the worker’s musculoskeletal health.