More than 30 types of raw materials are used in the production of portland cement, which are divided into four main categories: calcium, silica, alumina, iron. Cement dust is toxic and can cause allergies, impaired lung function, pneumoconiosis, lung, stomach and colon cancer. In addition, in winter period, antifreeze additives consisting of various chemicals are added to the concrete mixture. Human exposure to these chemicals occurs through the direct contact of employees with a hazardous substance or indirect contact through the air. As a result, the skin, eyes and respiratory tract may be irritated or damaged. Long-term exposure may cause dermatitis or asthma. In this regard, a concrete plant automation system is considered, built on the basis of modern technical solutions, hardware technologies and software, which allows improving the working conditions of the concrete plant employees. Automation of the technological processes at a concrete plant helps to increase production efficiency and minimize the risks of negative impacts on human health by reducing the number of employees who have direct contact with the cement dust and other chemicals. Considering the parameters: cost savings, return on investment, labor productivity, costs, etc., the economic efficiency of production and measures to improve working conditions and safety was assessed. Efficiency calculation showed that labor productivity increases by 50 %. Automation of the processes allowed, without changingthe production volume, to reduce the number of employees at the site in question by 4 people, ease the work of operators by eliminating the manual control panel, and improve air quality through the installation of carbon filters. With a total one-time cost of 11 200 000 rubles for upgrading equipment, purchasing software and installing carbon filters, the payback period will be 3 years, which proves the high efficiency of capital investments in automating the production processes of a concrete plant.
2. Xinpeng X., Yaqin Z., Yanran L., Xiaopeng F. Labor Protection, Enterprise Innovation, and Sustainable Development. Sustainability. 2023. № 15 (11). pp. 1–19. DOI: 10.3390/su15118529
3. Korol E.A., Degaev E.N., Narmaniya B.E. The Air Temperature Verification of Working Areas in the Textile Industry. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Tekhnologiya tekstilnoy promyshlennosti = News of higher educational institutions. Textile industry technology. 2022. № 6 (402). pp. 189–194. (In Russ.). DOI 10.47367/0021-3497_2022_6_189
4. Degaev E.N., Korol R.A., Plotnikov A.D. Features of Reducing Industrial Injuries in Russia and Abroad. Stroitelstvo i arkhitektura = Construction and Architecture. 2023. Vol. 11. № 1 (38). pp. 25. (In Russ.).
5. Orlov G.G., Bulygin V.I., Vinogradov D.V., Ivashchenko P.F., Koptev D.V., Pchelintsev V.A., Roytman V.M., Shaposhnikov V.N. Engineering solutions for occupational safety in the construction. Moscow: Stroyizdat, 1985. 278 p. (In Russ.).
6. Zaydenzal T.S. Judicial Protection of Workers' Labor Rights. Aktualnye issledovaniya = Current research. 2022. № 39 (118). pp. 26–29. (In Russ.).
7. Mahfooz O., Memon M., Iftikhar A. Project review on water level sensing using PLC. Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science. 2012. Vol. 2. № 2. pp 160–170. DOI: 10.22555/pjets.v2i2.700
8. Samanta A., Chowdhury A., Dutta A. Process automation of cement plant. International Journal of Information Technology, Control and Automation. 2012. № 2. pp. 63–73. DOI: 10.5121/ijitca.2012.2206
9. Zhadanovskiy B.V., Israfilov K.A., Akhmedov A.K. Direct and Indirect Energy Consumption in the Production of Concrete and Reinforced Concrete Products, Structures and Facilities. Sistemnye tekhnologii = System technologies. 2018. № 26. pp. 118–121. (In Russ.).
10. Bespalov V.I., Evtushenko A.I. The study of the formation and emission of noise when compacting concrete in metal molds for concrete products plants. Inzhenernyy vestnik Dona = Engineering Journal of Don. 2012. № 1 (19). pp. 140–142. (In Russ.).
11. Zhironkin V.V. Increasing the efficiency of production of concrete mixtures at the ready-mixed concrete plants. Unaccounted aspects. Tekhnologii betonov = Concrete Technologies. 2020. № 3-4(164-165). pp. 36–37. (In Russ.).
12. Evtushenko S.I., Krakhmalnyy T.A., Evtushenko A.S., Krakhmalnaya M.P. Monitoring of technical condition of buildings and constructions as basis of complex safety in construction. Stroitelstvo i arkhitektura = Construction and Architecture. 2014. Vol. 2. № 4. pp. 182–185. (In Russ.).
13. Korol E.A., Domozhilov V.Yu., Shelopaeva Yu.E. Organizational and Technological Measures on Labor Safety Systematization for Organizational and Technological Preparation of Repair and Construction Production. Stroitelstvo i arkhitektura = Construction and Architecture. 2022. Vol. 10. № 2. pp. 52–56. (In Russ.).
14. Samsonov D.A. Automated Control System for the Production of Concrete Mix at the Plant. Colloquium-Journal. 2021. № 14-1 (101). pp. 23–31. (In Russ.). DOI 10.24412/2520-6990-2021-14101-23-31
15. Sakata N., Murakami R., Yagi T., Watanabe K. Concrete Technology That Achieves Both Labor Saving at Construction Sites and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions. Concrete Journal. 2022. Vol. 60. № 7. P. 584–589. DOI: 10.3151/coj.60.7_584