Industrial Visit: Emami factory

Problem: Workers being continuously exposed to strong odour of ingredients and products, damaging
their senses and affecting them physiologically.
In Emami plant, a separate hall was assigned for the production and packaging of products like Zandu
Balm, Fast Relief, and some other balms. That hall had a strong odour due to the chemical composition
of the products and the workers there are being continuously exposed to strong odour of those
ingredients, damaging their senses and affecting them physiologically. After reading more upon the
issue, I discovered that this odour could severely hamper the workers’ health in the long term.
Although, most odours emanating from such manufacturing plants are not physiologically dangerous
and same was confirmed by the officials during the visit. But they have proved to be psychologically
dangerous and can affect smelling senses in long term. The odour in the factory was so strong that it
made many of us uncomfortable during that short visit, so what about those workers who spend around
8-9 hours in the factory.
Steps that can be taken to solve this problem are as follows:
 It is possible, of course, to control odours by eliminating or reducing their source. Factory
administration can seal off the tanks or containers in which ingredients are being stored or the
final and by products are being stored till they are being packed.
 Specific treatments that can be applied may fall in the classical chemical reactions:
neutralization, acidification, alkalization, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, polymerization, etc.
Improvements in process methods, equipment and housekeeping can reduce the volume of
exhausts.
 They can appraise the odour by installing better exhaust system as the atmosphere surrounding
a plant has great capacity for dispersing odorous effluents. Favourable influences are stack
height, gas velocity and gas temperature. Adverse influences are aerodynamic, terrain and
meteorological.
 The factory could provide masks to the workers, as it is a cheap and easy way to avoid the
odour.