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Noise pollution interferes with most daily activities and, last but not least, disrupts rest, causing psychological, physiological and sometimes pathological reactions in certain situations, when exposure is extended and noise level is above the permitted limits. Sources generating urban noise are varied, randomly distributed in space and time, distinguished from the noise generated by industrial activity that generates occupational exposure of workers, who are permanently exposed to noise generated by industrial operations that are relatively well defined in space and time. As a result of exposure to noise pollution the human body experiences various effects of a physiological and/or psychological nature that affect its health and daily activities. The research was carried out over a period of 4 months in the main intersections in the Eastern area of Jiu Valley, where the level of noise pollution caused by road traffic and the discomfort created to residents in the vicinity of traffic arteries were analysed. Data gathered during the monitoring period show that noise pollution is also accentuated in small urban agglomerations (under 100,000 inhabitants) and it is necessary to monitor it and apply the best measures to reduce the negative impact on neighbourhoods.

Jiu Valley is an area with a tradition in the field of mining. Over time, coal mining has been the main driver of the local economy. The decrease in the level of coal use also led to the closure of mining units in the Jiu Valley. Such transitional actions require calibration to climate, environmental and health responsibilities. Air pollution specific to the area has, perhaps, the most significant impact on the quality of population’s life in terms of affecting health. The paper presents the air quality monitoring in the Eastern Jiu Valley for a period of four months (one sampling campaign/month), between February and May 2023, in six monitoring points, with the help of the Mobile Environmental Laboratory which has the facility of simultaneously determining several samples for quick identification of polluted areas. The established monitoring program includes the monitoring points, monitoring frequency and duration, as well as the areas where the mobile laboratory was located. The analysed data highlight the air quality in the Eastern Jiu Valley to establish the medium and long-term objectives in each area where the mobile laboratory was located, as well as the level of exposure of resident population. The concentration levels found in different urban areas illustrate the average concentrations of dust, gases and ozone caused by both activities in the area and road traffic.

According to Directive 2010/75 / EU and Law 278/2013 on industrial emissions, operators of large combustion plants (IMA) must carry out continuous self-monitoring of pollutant emissions and are required to perform parallel measurements with accredited laboratories, to certify results. Thus, INCD INSEMEX Petroșani, through the Testing Laboratories Group, accredited by RENAR, offers these type services to various economic agents. The curent paper presents measurements performed at two IMA exhaust chimneys, in two different stages, to quantify pollutants released into the atmosphere and to establish the impact they generate on health of population in the area of the study. Analysis of results showed that the maximum allowed value for the SO2 was exceeded, so that, at the end of this paper, some recommendations were reviewed, according to BAT (Best Available Techniques), to support the economic agent and inhabitants of the area in haveing a cleaner environment.

Workplace microclimate is determined by temperature and humidity of air, air currents and caloric radiation of work environments. All microclimate factors act combined and simultaneously on the human body. Thermal comfort plays a decisive role in mental and physical abilities of workers, and decisively influences workplace performance of employees. In order to ensure the highest possible yield for workers, employers mustregularly evaluate microclimate parameters by measurements. The paper presents a case study on the thermal environment of several metallurgical complexes in Romania, by calculating the PMV and PPD indices at various workplaces that are found in all studied units. After correlating the PMV and PPD indices for each workplace in particular, in all studied units, results were used to create a regression analysis that is expressed by a regression graph, in order to present as concise and objective as possible differences between the studied workplaces. Importance of the paper is outlined by the need to develop research in the field of Health and Safety at Work, in order to objectively assess working conditions in Romania and to develop new methods to ensure a proper work climate in order to maintain or increase the level of workers’ productivity.

Most of combustible dusts present both fire and explosion hazard. Explosion may occur at certain concentrations of dust mixed with air and in the presence of an ignition source. The threat posed by this real danger was confirmed by the events that took place in economic units such as: feed factories, wood products, textile industry, steel, etc. Among the parameters of explosiveness of combustible dust, which can cause an explosion, we mention: maximum explosion pressure, lower explosion limit, explosive index, minimum ignition energy, electrical resistivity of dust, minimum ignition temperature of dust layer and cloud, particle size and concentration of dust in suspension. The current paper presents the results of determinations of combustible wood dust concentrations, performed at an important economic unit, manufacturing veneer and wood panels, at a dusting ventilation installation composed of fan, cyclone and textile filter. These determinations were made in the pipe connecting the fan and the bag filter, to assess possible danger of explosion in the pipe, by relating the measured concentration to the lower explosion limit (concentration of wood dust).

Nature of intervention and rescue personnel activity places them at the top of professions that face a considerable number of occupational health and safety risks. Often, this occupational category does not face a single safety risk, but a complex combination of risk factors, including unpredictability of situations in which they are required to work. Emergence of stress and other psychosocial risks in work processes requires the implementation of an anticipatory attitude and a constant level of vigilance to identify and evaluate them. In intervention and rescue, the issue of regulating and self-regulating the individual’s behaviour is essential, as exceptional acts performed in unusual conditions require adaptive mechanisms as close as possible to perfection. Developing resilience should focus on amplifying already present strengths (physical and mental characteristics and abilities), rather than managing negative effects of operational stressors. The current paper presents a theoretical approach of the concept of resilience, appliable to intervention and rescue activities and suggests several ways to develop rescuer’s resilience.

The impact of transition periods is experienced by the local population and economy as a result of mining activities closure and dismissal of a large number of workers followed by diversification of employment and career reorientation opportunities. The aim of the paper is to highlight the impact generated by closure of mining operations on local society and economy as well as identifying opportunities for harmonious development of communities in the Jiu Valley. Following the assessment of the social impact of mining activities closure, we found a rising tendency of unemployment rate among the middle-aged population that did not benefit from vocational retraining and the growing tendency of young people to leave the region for strictly economic reasons leading to widespread social aging.

Any workplace implies a greater or lesser number of occupational hazards, respectively workers are exposed to occupational risks, putting their health in danger. If we talk about industrial environments (construction, energy, metallurgy, textiles, wood, etc.), these hazards are found to a greater extent, often exceeding the allowable limit, but occupational pollutants such as dust in suspension and microclimate parameters can also be found in offices, whether they are open space or not. In this sense, the current paper reviews some workplaces and quantifies the level of risk to which workers are exposed to show and demonstrate the importance of occupational health prevention in order not to reach further measures, in time, when these occupational diseases occur. The research conducted led to the conclusion that the determined pollutants (dust, gas, microclimate) exceeded the maximum allowable concentration required by national legislation, both at workplaces in various technological flows and in offices. The high concentrations found in offices are caused by staff traffic, large number of employees, as well as the lack of natural ventilation.

The current paper aims to determine the actuality of the optical method of measuring PM10 dusts powders compared to the reference method (gravimetric method). According to the Integrated National Plan in the field of Energy and Climate Change 2021-2030, Romania must implement a program to reduce impact on atmosphere, including air quality monitoring, thus leading to an increase in the number of monitoring points and an increase in the number of samples required for monitoring. Currently, PM10 dust monitoring stations use the gravimetric method, consisting in absorbing a known volume of air on filters and weighing the dust deposited on them. As the use of this method requires a minimum of 3 days, it is necessary to apply an alternative measuring method, with short response time, namely the optical method. Parallel experimentation of the two measuring devices that use different principles was performed in several series of measurements at an economic agent that has the obligation to monitor dust at premises borders. Results obtained from comparison of the two devices can support future researchers in order to find limitations of the optical method of measuring PM10 dusts and to validate the method, in order to use it routinely.

A general problem in the vicinity of industrial compressors is the noise generated in the working environment by their operation. A large number of workers suffer from hearing problems caused by exposure to high levels of noise in the workplace. Thus, legal provisions regulating occupational noise exposure aim to reduce the risk of hearing loss by reducing noise level, the most effective measures being those applied directly to the noise source combined with the use of hearing protection. Quantification of noise exposure level and mitigation of occupational hazards generated by it at each workplace is required in order to prevent accidents and occupational diseases. The current paper analyses how noise generated by industrial compressors influences worker’s activity. Prevention of noise exposure must be based on noise level measurements. In this sense, the purpose of the paper is to analyse noise measurements performed at a compressor hall and to compare the values obtained with limit values set by in force legislation, in order to apply the best technical organizational methods for lowering noise exposure and increasing acoustic comfort in order to improve working conditions of those working in the compressor hall.

Air quality monitoring involves a series of quantitative and qualitative observation and measurement of several air condition indicators, such as concentrations of air components. For this purpose, it is necessary to take several samples of air (gases, dusts, VOCs, physicochemical agents) with specialized equipment having the lowest measuring ranges, sometimes going up to ppt concentrations. At present, most environmental laboratories use individual equipment / analysers for each analysed environmental parameter or carry out sampling in an absorbent / adsorbent environment, and then analyse compounds in laboratories. The current paper presents the advantages of sampling / analysis of environmental compounds with the help of mobile environmental laboratories which allow in situ sampling and analysis of several air quality indicators and fast identification of polluted areas by simultaneous measurements of several samples and strategic and tactical decision making to confute pollution and prevent it. Having a mobile environmental laboratory is equivalent to using the latest concepts and methods of in-situ environmental parameter analysis technology to monitor environmental quality, securing the acquisition and processing of data but requiring specific knowledge in the field to transmit information as accurate and rapid as possible to the beneficiary or environmental authority.

Sustainable development brings in advance a new set of values that will guide the future model of economic and social progress, values that focus on human and his current and future needs, on the natural environment - protecting and preserving it, as well as on mitigating the current deterioration of ecosystems. The present paper aims at improving a calculation method for measuring the ecological footprint generated by road traffic, through modifying the concept of integrating variables, increasing the method's precision and the possibility of applying it both in heavily urbanized and poorly developed areas. In this respect, a case study was carried out in Petrosani, where the proposed calculation method was applied, measuring the impact of road transport in relation to green spaces. For this purpose, data on transport infrastructure, road traffic, climate regime as well as the population Petroşani were collected. Based on the study, the ecological footprint generated by Petroşani road traffic exerts a high pressure on ecosystems against other activities carried out by inhabitants. Upgrading main and secondary arteries, streamlining traffic and restricting circulation in residential areas are some of the practices recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through smokestacks, combustion plants discharge flue gases into the atmosphere, gases containing significant amounts of polluting substances such as: gaseous noxae (sulphur oxides - SOx, nitric oxides - NOx, carbon monoxide and dioxide - CO and CO2); as well as flue dust (suspended particulate matter - aerosols, precipitate dusts), unburned and soot. At present, methods used to measure ambient air concentrations are continuous methods that are fully automatic (monitoring stations) and discontinuous instrumental methods, using numerical display devices equipped with sampling probes. There are situations in which the smokestack does not have inspection holes for taking samples or there is no platform located at the appropriate height (recommended by normative acts) or certain situations where the smokestack height is 30-50 m making it impossible to sample burned gases. Lately, drones have become more and more intelligent, and given the current complexity and performance of hardware and software, we could say that this development will take place swiftly. The current paper explores the possibility of using drones equipped with gas sensors to measure industrial gas emissions from large combustion plants. In this case, account shall be taken of air currents generated by drones and temperature of discharged exhaust gases. This method has a character of novelty because drones are not currently used in industry. The results of the research will conclude if drones equipped with sensors will or will not be widely used in this field, given their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, this paper will be a starting point for future research regarding gas emissions measurements both by using drones and the standardized measurement method (sampling inside smokestacks). Also, the use of aerospace vehicles (drones) will be a real help for improving services, quick reaction in case of damages, for the safety and security of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to physicochemical pollutants in the work environment leads to occupational illnesses. Workers working in the fields of production of raw materials, energy, material goods, etc. are exposed to these noxious substances over a long period of time. Longterm exposure to many pollutants may have a cumulative effect on the worker. In order to quantify the occupational exposure generated by cumulative exposure to noxious substances, it is necessary to determine the exposure level for each harmful substance. In this respect, the current paper presents a case study, where workers carry out their activity under difficult working conditions in an environment where physicochemical pollutant concentrations exceed limits allowed by national / international legislation. Also, the paper presents the monitoring of physicochemical pollutants in order to be able to quantify the exposure of workers and their health status. Physical and chemical monitored pollutants (omnipresent in industry) are: noise, vibrations, particulate matter and chemicals used in / generated by the workplace atmosphere (CO, CO2, NOx, etc.). Disabilities resulting from the exercise of a job or profession, caused by physical and / or chemical damaging factors characteristic of work places, are difficult to diagnose in the absence of systematic monitoring of health, as causality between factors that generated occupational illness must be assessed, these being usually determined by a combination of determinants (main factors) and biasing (secondary) factors. The effects of exposure to physicochemical pollutants on health of workers are presented both quantitatively by measuring the level of exposure and from the situation of occupational illnesses point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, there is an increasingly acute crisis of raw materials coming from conventional resources. A way to confute this crisis is the exploitation of waste from different industries, their processing becoming competitive in the conditions of increasing costs of extracting some useful minerals. This paper aims to establish the chemical composition (macro elements) of raw coal ashes from the Jiu Valley from several mining units and to establish the chemical composition of special products from the Jiu Valley Preparation Plant in order to make an optimal decision in case of possible capitalization. From research carried out so far on raw coal ashes and special products in Jiu Valley, it has been found that there is a concentration above the average of European Union countries of metal oxides present in the coal ashes. Large amounts of ashes, exploitation efficiency and waste recycling tendency considerably reduce the technical and economic difficulties of extraction from non-bauxitic raw materials. Thus, the existence and composition of these macro elements was studied using the process of dissolving alumina in HNO3 in a quantity less than the stoichiometric value, when Al(NO3)3 • 9H2O is formed, because the iron remains insoluble in the solution afterwards being extracted from moist and dried concentrates in soft or strong fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]