Occupational Safety Training in Steel Manufacturing Factory

1. Overview of Steel

a. What is steel?

• Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, with a lower carbon ratio compared to cast iron. Steel has high strength and hardness, good ductility and flexibility, is easy to process, and can be welded. Steel is widely used in industrial manufacturing, construction, shipbuilding, machinery manufacturing, and other industries.
• Steel can be produced through various methods, including cold rolling, hot rolling, casting, and forging processes. The steel manufacturing process can also be adjusted to create different types of steel with different properties, such as stainless steel, steel plates, alloy steel, fire-resistant steel, and high-strength steel.
• The steel manufacturing industry in Vietnam has developed significantly in recent years. Currently, Vietnam is one of the largest steel manufacturing countries in Southeast Asia and one of the leading steel exporting countries.
• In 2021, Vietnam’s steel output is expected to reach about 30 million tons, an increase of 13% compared to the previous year. Of which, coiled steel output reached about 20 million tons, and construction steel output reached about 10 million tons. The demand for steel in Vietnam is increasing, especially in the construction, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, electronics, and packaging industries.

b. Types of machinery for steel manufacturing

The types of machinery and equipment for steel manufacturing depend on each stage of the manufacturing process. Below are some common steel manufacturing machinery and equipment:

• Blast furnace: This is the main equipment in the cast iron manufacturing process. A blast furnace is used to convert iron ore and coke into cast iron.
• Smelting pot: This is the main equipment for steel manufacturing, used to melt raw materials, such as iron ore, carbon, silicon, and manganese.
• Furnace: This is equipment used to heat steel to high temperatures to create steel products, including stainless steel.
• Rolling mill: This is equipment used to roll and form steel products into sheets or wires.
• Casting machine: This is equipment used to cast steel into molds to create cast steel products.
• Sterilization equipment: These are devices used to clean and sterilize steel products before packaging.

Modern steel manufacturing machinery and equipment are increasingly automated and smarter to increase manufacturing efficiency and minimize incidents and occupational accidents.

c. Typical steel manufacturing businesses in Vietnam

In Vietnam, there are many typical steel manufacturing businesses, including some major companies such as:

• Hoa Phat Group: This is the largest steel manufacturing group in Vietnam with a manufacturing capacity of millions of tons of steel per year.
• Formosa Ha Tinh Group: This is one of the largest steel manufacturing businesses in Vietnam, with a manufacturing capacity of 7.5 million tons of steel per year.
• TISCO Manufacturing – Trading – Service Co., Ltd. (Thai Nguyen): This is the largest steel manufacturing company in northern Vietnam with a manufacturing capacity of 1.2 million tons of steel per year.
• Posco SS Vina Co., Ltd. (Ba Ria-Vung Tau): This is a joint venture between Posco Group (Korea) and Vietnamese partners, specializing in steel manufacturing.
• Nghi Son Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (Thanh Hoa): This is the newest steel manufacturing business in Vietnam, with a manufacturing capacity of 2.5 million tons of steel per year.

d. Specific jobs in a steel manufacturing factory

Group 1

• Executive director, deputy executive director, department head in a steel manufacturing factory.

Group 2

• Safety officer: manages safety in the factory, designs safety procedures, monitors and urges employees to comply with safe working procedures.

Group 3

• Melting and processing raw materials: Iron and steel are manufactured by melting and processing the main raw materials. Jobs include processing iron ore, making coke, and melting steel by different methods.
• Steel manufacturing: Workers need to use equipment such as furnaces, melting furnaces, and welding furnaces to manufacture different types of steel, from carbon steel to stainless steel.
• Cutting, punching, and welding: Workers will use tools such as plasma cutters, laser cutters, and punching machines to cut and punch steel plates into the desired shapes. Then, the parts will be welded together to create products such as steel frames, columns, pipes, etc.
• Product finishing: Products are finished by painting or coating with other protective layers to prevent corrosion or oxidation.
• Maintenance and repair: Maintenance and repair personnel will regularly inspect and service equipment such as air compressors, vacuum compressors, grinders, etc. to ensure effective and safe operation.

Group 4

• Office jobs, serving, sales, marketing.
• Production management, quality management, human resource management, material management, accounting and financial management.
• Research and development of new products, design of product packaging.

e. Common steel products on the market

On the market today, there are many common types of steel products that are widely used in various industries, construction, and manufacturing of other goods. Below are some common types of steel products:

• Steel plate: This is a type of steel produced by compressing and rolling through rolling mills, with different thicknesses and widely used in the construction industry, manufacturing of equipment, and household appliances.
• Structural steel: This is a type of steel rolled into different shapes such as U-shaped, I-shaped, H-shaped, used in the construction industry, manufacturing of machinery and industrial equipment.
• Steel coil: This is a type of steel produced by rolling and bending into coils, with different diameters and used in the construction industry, manufacturing of pipes, and other household products.
• Steel pipe: This is a type of steel produced by bending and welding steel bars into pipes with different diameters, used in the construction industry, manufacturing of water pipes and gas pipes.
• Cold-rolled steel: This is a type of steel produced by rolling through cold rolling mills, with high hardness and used in the manufacturing of cutting tools, automobile manufacturing, and other industrial products.
• Stainless steel: This is a type of steel with added chromium alloy to increase durability and corrosion resistance and is used in the manufacturing of medical equipment, laboratory equipment, household appliances, and jewelry.

2. Overview of occupational safety training for steel manufacturing

Within the scope of this article, we focus on issues revolving around Group 3, because Group 3 is the group that directly participates in the manufacturing process, bearing the highest risk of occupational safety. Refer to other groups here

a. What is Group 3 occupational safety training?

• Occupational safety training for Group 3 are sessions that equip employees with awareness of how to prevent occupational accidents.
• The occupational safety training course will help employees recognize and avoid dangers, limiting the risks of occupational accidents during work.

REGISTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES

b. Training duration

Initial safety training duration

• The total training duration is at least 24 hours, including the time for testing.
• 8 hours of theoretical study on the system of policies and laws on occupational safety and health
• 8 hours of theoretical study on basic knowledge of occupational safety and health
• 4 hours of theoretical study on specialized training content
• 2 hours of practical training on specialized training content
• 2 hours of theoretical testing at the end of the training course

The safety training center will distribute the time into many training sessions depending on the time arrangement for employees. But normally, there will be 6 training sessions, and the course will take place over 3 days, on the condition that the manufacturing enterprise can arrange continuous study time.

Periodic safety training duration

• Before the occupational safety card expires, if an employee wants it re-issued, they must undergo a periodic occupational safety training course, with the periodic safety training duration being at least 50% of the initial safety training duration.

Explanation: the total periodic occupational safety training duration is at least 12 hours, including the time for testing. After completing the periodic training course and passing the test, the employee will be re-issued or have their occupational safety card extended.

c. Content of the training course

See more training content of 6 groups

d. Occupational safety card

After completing the occupational safety training course and at the same time passing the test, the employee will be issued an occupational safety card (in practice, it is often called a Group 3 occupational safety certificate).

In which, the Group 3 safety card will clearly show information such as: full name, date of birth, specific job and working environment. It also includes the training duration, a red stamp, and a signature confirming the completion of the training course.

According to the regulations for issuing safety cards specified in clause 2 of Article 24 of Decree 44/2016/ND-CP, there are 2 cases:

• In the case that the employer and the employee have a labor contract with each other, the employer must sign, stamp, and append their seal on the safety card for the trainee belonging to Group 3 after undergoing the training course from the occupational safety training unit and passing the test.
• In the case that the employee is a freelancer, seasonal, and does not have a labor contract, the training unit must sign, stamp, and append their seal on the safety card for the employee after undergoing the training course from the occupational safety training unit and passing the test.

3. Identifying hazards affecting employees in steel manufacturing

Steel manufacturing is an industrial sector with many risks and hazards that affect the health and safety of employees. Below are some common hazards and how to identify them:

• The steel manufacturing processes require high temperatures, so they can pose a danger to employees. Symptoms of temperature risk include headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, or even fainting.
• The steel manufacturing process can generate toxic gases such as CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, H2S, and other heavy metals. Symptoms of toxic gas risk include shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, and loss of consciousness.
• Steel manufacturing equipment often uses ultraviolet rays to treat the product surface. Employees can suffer skin and eye injuries if they are not adequately protected.
• The movement and operation of steel manufacturing machinery can cause serious occupational accidents if not performed according to the correct procedures and without sufficient protective equipment.
• Steel manufacturing can also generate a lot of dust and dirt in the air, causing respiratory problems, especially for people with health issues like asthma or lung disease.
• During the steel manufacturing process, employees often come into contact with many types of machinery, so there is a risk of electric shock due to electrical leakage or improper operation.

4. Common types of occupational accidents for employees in steel manufacturing

Common types of occupational accidents for employees in steel manufacturing include:

• Physical accidents: This type of accident often occurs during the operation of steel manufacturing machinery, when employees do not follow the correct procedures or do not wear enough protective gear. These accidents can be collisions, cuts, punctures, crushing, flying objects, stabs…
• Chemical accidents: When manufacturing steel, chemicals such as acids, alkalis, solvents, and other harmful substances are used, and if not handled correctly, they can pose a danger to the health of employees.
• Electrical accidents: In a steel manufacturing factory, many equipment and machinery operate with electricity. If safety rules are not followed during work, employees can suffer electrical accidents, from minor to severe.
• Fire and explosion accidents: Due to the very large scale of steel manufacturing, if safety rules are not followed during the manufacturing process, it can lead to fire and explosion accidents.
• Health accidents: Steel manufacturing can generate many negative impacts on the health of employees, for example, headaches, eye pain, neck pain, shoulder and neck stiffness, lung diseases due to inhaling dust…

5. Safety measures for participating in steel manufacturing

To ensure the safety of employees during the steel manufacturing process, the following safety measures should be applied:

• Ensure occupational safety procedures: Occupational safety procedures such as wearing safety glasses, helmets, and other safety equipment should be fully applied to minimize occupational accidents.
• Train employees: Employees involved in steel manufacturing should be trained on how to use equipment, safety gear, and safety procedures to ensure safety for themselves and their colleagues.
• Ensure occupational hygiene: Production areas should be kept clean and well-ventilated to minimize toxic substances and the risk of diseases. Employees need to be provided with personal hygiene and safe restrooms.
• Periodic inspection: Manufacturing machinery and equipment should be inspected periodically to ensure they are operating correctly and safely for employees.
• Apply incident response measures: Incident response measures should be applied to ensure that employees can be safely evacuated in case of an incident.
• Improve manufacturing processes: Improve manufacturing processes to minimize risks that harm the health and safety of employees.
• Pollution control: Steel manufacturing companies should ensure environmental standards and control the types of toxic substances generated during the manufacturing process to minimize the impact on the health and safety of the community.
• Periodically organize work environment monitoring in factories and enterprises, collect and analyze harmful factors for employees, and then adjust to reduce the level of harm to prevent occupational diseases for them.

6. Benefits of occupational safety training for steel manufacturing

An Toan Nam Viet provides businesses with great benefits after completing occupational safety training courses according to the regulations in Decree 44/2016/ND – CP on occupational safety and health. Companies, factories, and enterprises.

• Employees can identify potential risks of occupational accidents and from there have preventive measures to avoid occupational accidents.
• Businesses can establish risk prevention measures in the manufacturing, operation, and maintenance processes.
• Minimizing costs when occupational safety risks occur.
• Uninterrupted manufacturing will help increase labor productivity and product quality.
• Complying with occupational safety laws, avoiding legal risks.
• Creating prestige and professionalism in all aspects, thereby elevating the brand for the business.

Nam Viet’s training courses are the solution to prevent and combat external factors affecting each individual so that they can avoid dangers that can lead to injury or, more seriously, death.

REGISTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES

7. Customer feedback after completing the occupational safety training course for steel manufacturing

An Toan Nam Viet has many years of experience in the mission of accompanying many businesses in Vietnam in general and in the southern provinces in particular. This responsibility is something very precious to Nam Viet, which is why Nam Viet’s Occupational Safety Training is always focused on becoming more and more professional. And the motivation for An Toan Nam Viet to grow strongly to this day comes from the positive feedback and suggestions from the businesses. Below are some feedback from our valued partners whom we have served.

KOSIA E&C Co., Ltd.

“I am very satisfied with Nam Viet’s safety training service, the teaching quality meets the standards we set. It helps our company reduce one problem to deal with, and from there we can focus more on our expertise.”

Lee Ki Hwa / General Director

Bac Nam E&C Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company

“The first time I used the service at An Toan Nam Viet, I was very surprised by the enthusiastic 24/7 support of the consulting team. The class organization was very fast and convenient for our company, thank you very much for Nam Viet’s service!”

Nguyen Thanh Binh / Director

Hoa Dat Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company

“Nam Viet’s service has helped us a lot in simplifying occupational safety and completing safety records for the work process. The consulting team is enthusiastic and timely in answering our questions. 5 stars for Nam Viet”

Truong Ba Ngoc Minh / Chairman of the Board of Directors

See more customer interviews after using An Toan Nam Viet’s service

8. An Toan Nam Viet’s Occupational Safety Training Capability

An Toan Nam Viet is a reputable and high-quality occupational safety training center in Vietnam today. With occupational safety training sessions continuously taking place at manufacturing workshops, factories or construction sites across the country (63 provinces and cities in Vietnam).

REGISTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES

License for occupational safety training

• An Toan Nam Viet has been inspected and certified by the Department of Labor Safety of the Ministry of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs to be qualified to operate occupational safety and health training. This further strengthens our operational capability for occupational safety training.

Documents and lectures

• Before the occupational safety training materials are put into the occupational safety training courses, they have been reviewed and approved to ensure that the lectures are always correct in terms of knowledge and effective when applied.
• The teaching method of our lecturers is synchronized according to the teaching standards of An Toan Nam Viet, which is a method that experts in occupational safety and health training have researched and refined during the teaching process to bring the highest knowledge acquisition efficiency to students.

Facilities

• Controlling the factors in the classroom that affect the training process will increase teaching performance and the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition for students.
• Our facilities supporting the training course always arrange spacious classrooms that meet standards for area, lighting, training equipment …etc…

9. Reputable and high-quality safety training center nationwide

At An Toan Nam Viet, we always put the professional dedication to occupational safety training as our top priority. For us, imparting the knowledge of self-protection to workers so they can have a safe journey in their livelihood is a contribution to building the country.

To ensure effective training, we prepare carefully and meticulously for every small detail. From preparing tools, equipment, and teaching devices to the curriculum, documents, sound, and lighting.

Our occupational safety training lecturers are experts with many years of experience in the field. They even have research projects identifying dangers in all occupations and how to prevent them.

The lecturers’ lessons are distilled from practical experience and conveyed in a vivid, easy-to-visualize way to the employees. These factors help the employees feel comfortable during their study time and absorb our taught knowledge well. Of course, the knowledge conveyed always closely follows Decree 44/2016/ND-CP.

From there, they grasp many measures to prevent dangers and how to protect themselves. At the same time, they can also apply it in the most suitable way in their actual work.

Our safety training center is proud to be a reputable and professional provider of occupational safety training services with the following advantages:

• Competitive training costs but training quality is still guaranteed.
• Flexible training schedule to match the manufacturing situation of the company.
• Fast procedures for issuing occupational safety training certificates, in compliance with the Law.
• Training lecturers are those with many years of experience in the profession.
• The classroom is controlled for factors affecting the training process, increasing teaching performance and the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition for students.
• The lectures are compiled to be suitable for occupational safety work at businesses.
• An Toan Nam Viet works with dedication and professionalism to support customers accurately and quickly.

10. Refer to more occupational safety training documents for steel manufacturing

• Occupational safety documents for steel manufacturing
• Set of occupational safety training documents
• Set of occupational safety training test questions
• Multiple-choice test for occupational safety in steel manufacturing
• Slides for occupational safety training lecture in steel manufacturing