Welding operations are rarely conducted in an air-conditioned room. However, a company would set its welding operations in an air-conditioned room to maintain the humidity level needed to reduce hydrogen cracks in the specimen being welded. This study intended to assess the exposure to metal elements in the welders' breathing zone and toenail samples. Heavy metal concentration was analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The lung function test was also conducted and analysed using statistical approaches. Chromium and manganese concentrations in the breathing zone exceeded the permissible exposure limit stipulated by Malaysian regulations. A similar trend was obtained in the concentration of heavy metals in the breathing zone air sampling and in the welders' toenails. Although there was no statistically significant decrease in the lung function of welders, it is suggested that exposure control through engineering and administrative approaches should be considered for workplace safety and health improvement.

Abstract-The preliminary measurement of welding fumes was conducted by means to get firsthand experience and understanding the welding fumes issues in automotive assembly plant in Malaysia. Personal sampling pumps were provided to a human welder of highest risk in the assembly section. Series of direct reading measurement for area sampling of particulate matters 2.5µm or less in diameter size (P.M 2.5 ), toxic gases and temperature were also conducted at the same time. The welding fumes sample were then analyze by scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Questionnaires were distributed to the welders for questionnaire's pilot test purpose in order to determine welder's knowledge on welding hazards and persistent symptom experience by each welder. Results of the study show that welding fumes contains the highest element of cobalt and nickel. Carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and ammonia level were well below the standard level. Results from the mean score questionnaire analysis shows the welders posses limited knowledge of welding fumes hazard and not sure of the health effects of welding fumes There are eight persistent symptoms that had been experience by at least 50% of the welder. This preliminary study had successfully identified suggestion and alteration towards the actual measurement that will be conduct on the next stage.

Today competitive manufacturing requires innovative approaches in the production management, as well as for customer satisfaction. Production management requires an effective and efficient maintenance management system. One approach to improve the performance of the maintenance system is through the implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). The key performance index to measure the effectiveness of TPM implementation is Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). The TPM activities will eliminate equipment losses related to availability, performance rate, and quality rate. Hence, the TPM implementation will increase the OEE value. This paper outlines the theories of TPM and OEE. The paper also presents the studies carried out by different authors to show the improvement of OEE through implementation of TPM in manufacturing, such as electronic industry, steel manufacturer, as well as locomotive components manufacturer.

The unintended vibrations and sound emerging from train operation have an enormous impact on the surroundings, including the deterioration of the way, buildings, and structures. One proposed strategy to mitigate this issue is the installation of a rail pad inserted between the steel rail and concrete sleeper to provide flexibility to the track and cushion the shocks and vibrations generated by the train wheels’ movement. These materials have nonlinear, dissipative properties influenced by service conditions like temperature and toe load. This work aimed to investigate the static stiffness of different materials of the rail pad under the influence of temperature and toe load. The rail pads were categorized as soft, medium, or hard based on static stiffness. A 3D model of the rail pad, steel rail, and concrete sleeper was simulated and analyzed using ANSYS FEM software. The neo-Hookean model was used to model the rail pad, and the isotropic elasticity model was used for the steel rail and concrete sleeper. The static stiffness of the ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) pad was 85.42 kN/mm, lower than that of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs, 138.98 kN/mm) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA, 303.70 kN/mm) under reference conditions (20 °C), without including toe load effects. Increasing the temperature decreased the rail pad’s static stiffness, with the highest reduction of 53.49 %. However, increasing the toe load contributed up to a 23.53 % increase in the static stiffness of the rail pad.

Abstract-This study examined the concentration of heavy metal accumulated in the toenail of welders and compared to the concentration of airborne heavy metal exposure in the breathing zone of the welders. Ten selected welders with adequate toenail growth were asked to clip all ten toenails for analysis. The heavy metal concentration in the welder's breathing zone was collected by using mixed cellulose ester filters by using low flow rate air sampling pump. Both toenails and airborne sample filters were analyzed for thirteen elements (Be, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Mo, Ag, Cd and Pb) by using inductively