مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Assessment of waste water treatment plants in terms of occupational health and safety

Abstract :

Nowadays number of Waste Water Treatment Plants is rapidly increasing with the attached importance to the environment. Waste water treatment plants are places where serious occupational accidents can occur and the employees working within the facility can suffer various diseases in case required measures are not taken. This is because of both the physical structure and and working atmosphere of the waste water treatment plants. A questionaire has been made for the staff working in the facilities and a general assesment of the facilities in terms of occupational health and safety has been obtained within the context of this study. Answers of 234 workers from 24 different waste water treatment plants have been assessed in this questionaire. Staff’s performing preventive inoculations , gaining the habit of using protective materials , existence of warning signs within the working atmosphere, providing first aid and occupational health and safety training and execution of contingency and exercise plans have utmost importance within the context of occupational health and safety. It has been observed that in general these subject matters are being obeyed at these existent facilities. But regarding the protective material use especially the helmet and glove are the ones which has been avoided by the employees working within the facility. Especially wearing gloves at waste water treatment plants is of high importance in terms of occupational health. Most of the employees working within the facility had their preventive inoculation done. It has been observed within the context of this study that staff had some permanent damage after the occupational accidents occuring from time to time at waste water treatment plants. Awaraness raising of not only the employees working within the facility but also the managers on occupational health and safety and making sure that required trackings are being carried out on a regular basis is a matter of life and death.