A Study on IAQ in a Welding Laboratory

Abstract:

ndoor Air Quality (IAQ) has become an important occupational health and safety concern in educational environment at institutions of higher learning. In a survey conducted on a polytechnic in Malaysia, many of the students and lecturers expressed feeling of discomfort and uneasy due to resulting smoke from the welding activities while attending the workshop session. They felt that the room temperature and humidity also contributed to discomfort. Consequently, students had difficulties to concentrate and focus on their learning. The objective of this study was to determine the indoor air quality of a selected welding laboratory in the polytechnic comprising arc and gas welding stations. The important IAQ parameters considered in this study were the dry bulb air temperature, relative humidity, CO₂ level and dust particles. Measurements were conducted using commercial IAQ instruments. From the study it was found that the levels of dust particles was higher than the recommended limit at times in the arc welding station. The CO₂ level was observed acceptable in both welding stations. On relative humidity, a mixed result was found. Overall, the results implied that the welding laboratory require attention in meeting acceptable Indoor Air Quality.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 393)
• Pages: 947-952
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.393.947
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Ahmad Nazri Azmarini, Suhana Ab. Majid, Supa’at Hj Zakaria, Shaharin Anwar Sulaiman
• Keywords: Hazard, HSE, IAQ, Occupational Health, Welding

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