Thermal comfort findings: Scenario at Malaysian automotive industry

This paper discusses the findings of thermal comfort assessment at Malaysian automotive industry. Nine critical workstations were chosen as subjects for the study in order to determine the thermal comfort among workers at Malaysian automotive industry. The human subjects for the study comprises of the operators from tire receiving, dashboard assembly, drum tester, body assembly, seat assembly, door check assembly, stamping workstation, engine sub assembly, and paint shop of the factory. The environmental factors such as wet bulb globe temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, illuminance were measured using BABUC A apparatus and thermal comfort measurement equipment. Through questionnaire survey, the demographic data of subjects and their perceptions on thermal comfort at each workstation were assessed based on ISO Standard 7730 and thermal sensation scale using predicted mean vote. Then, predicted percentage of dissatisfied is used to estimate the thermal satisfaction of occupants. The results indicated that most of the workstations of the automotive industry are considered as uncomfortable. Tire receiving station is considered having better working environment compared to other stations with lowest predicted mean vote index of 1.09 to 1.41 and predicted percentage of dissatisfied of 46%. Meanwhile, the engine sub assembly station and paint shop of assembly are considered the worst thermal environment with the predicted mean vote index values ranging between 2.1 to 2.9 and predicted percentage of dissatisfied values of 81% to 99%. Therefore, these two workstations are considered not comfortable because the thermal sensation scale is warm and almost hot.

[1]  Ashraf A. Shikdar,et al.  Worker productivity, and occupational health and safety issues in selected industries , 2003, Comput. Ind. Eng..

[2]  Zulkhairi Zainol Abidin,et al.  The availability of daylight from tropical skies: a case study of Malaysia , 2002 .

[3]  M. Holmes,et al.  Climate change, thermal comfort and energy: Meeting the design challenges of the 21st century , 2007 .

[4]  Mohd Rosli Bin Mohamad.  The Automobile industry and performance of Malaysian auto production , 2006 .

[5]  Erica Weir,et al.  Identifying and managing adverse environmental health effects: 1. Taking an exposure history. , 2002, CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne.

[6]  Muna Hanim Abdul Samad,et al.  NATURAL VENTILATION: A PASSIVE DESIGN STRATEGY IN DESIGNING HOTEL LOBBIES – CASES FROM TROPICAL MALAYSIA , 2009 .

[7]  Ergin Sait Varol,et al.  A qualitative study of facilities and their environmental performance , 2004 .

[8]  W. Fisk,et al.  Association of ventilation rates and CO2 concentrations with health and other responses in commercial and institutional buildings. , 1999, Indoor air.

[9]  P. Turnbull,et al.  Buyer-Supplier Relations in the UK Automotive Industry , 1991 .

[10]  Mark J. Mendell,et al.  Non‐Specific Symptoms In Office Workers: A Review And Summary Of The Epidemiologic Literature , 1993 .

[11]  K C Parsons,et al.  Environmental ergonomics: a review of principles, methods and models. , 2000, Applied ergonomics.

[12]  Scott Wilson.  Graduating to Better IAQ. , 2001 .

[13]  P. Fanger,et al.  Extension of the PMV model to non-air-conditioned buildings in warm climates , 2002 .

[14]  Cinzia Buratti,et al.  Adaptive analysis of thermal comfort in university classrooms: Correlation between experimental data and mathematical models , 2009 .

[15]  Son H. Ho,et al.  Thermal comfort enhancement by using a ceiling fan , 2009 .

[16]  A. Rosenfeld,et al.  Estimates of Improved Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments , 1997 .

[17]  J. Toftum,et al.  Draught sensitivity is influenced by general thermal sensation , 1996 .

[18]  W J Fisk,et al.  Associations between indoor CO2 concentrations and sick building syndrome symptoms in U.S. office buildings: an analysis of the 1994-1996 BASE study data. , 2000, Indoor air.

[19]  Jern Toftum.  A FUELD STUDY OF DRAUGHT COMPLAINTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL WORK ENVIRONMENT , 1994 .

[20]  A. Hwang.  [Thermal comfort]. , 1990, Taehan kanho. The Korean nurse.

[21]  I. Budaiwi,et al.  An approach to investigate and remedy thermal-comfort problems in buildings , 2007 .

[22]  M. E Ismail,et al.  Influence Of Indoor Environment On Health And Productivity , 2009 .

[23]  C. D. Koh,et al.  Review of thermal comfort design based on PMV/PPD in cabins of Korean maritime patrol vessels , 2007 .

[24]  Shiaw-Fen Ferng,et al.  Indoor air quality assessment of daycare facilities with carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity as indicators. , 2002, Journal of environmental health.

[25]  Robert Fuller,et al.  Energy use and thermal comfort in a rammed earth office building , 2008 .