General profile of workers in welding industry and an investigation on work accidents

GENERAL PROFILE OF WORKERS IN WELDING INDUSTRY AND ANINVESTIGATION ON WORK ACCIDENTS(M. Sc. Thesis)Ahmet ZGGAZI UNIVERSITYINSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYSeptember 2006ABSTRACTWelding labor is very large part of machine construction and metal workingsector. The risk of work accidents and occupational diseases (WAOD) are veryhigh in welding work. The aim of this study is to determine the factors causeWAOD in welding process and also to determine that how the factors such aswelder education level, habits, experience, work density, training in work andtraining in occupational health and safety (OHAS) effect the occurence ofWAOD. In the first few chapters, general factors that cause WAOD wereexplained. In the last chapter, results of WAOD poll that was applied in threebig companies in Ankara have been discussed and evaluated. The poll wasapplied on 62 welders at the same time and taken results have been explainedwith graphics and have been interpreted by evaluating crosswise tablesstatistically by computer. It has been determined that the most effective factorscausing diseases were fumes, gases, dusts, noise, IR and UV lights occuredduring welding. Using the aspiration system and personel protective equipmentdecreased the risk of harmful factors. It has also been determined that workdensity increased work accidents ratio and smoking cigarette increased the riskof occupational diseases. It has been determined that workers having moreworking trials and working years were exposed to less work accidents and workaccidents became dense towards the end of the week. It has also beendetermined that education level decreased risks of work accidents and OHASeducation decreased risks of WAOD.Science Code : 710.3.022Key Words : Welding, work accidents, occupational diseases, fume, dust, gas,noisePage Number : 107Adviser : Associate Professor Ramazan ÇITAK