The 42nd session of the '1 Topic 1 Guest' event, organized by ÜSGÜMER, Uskudar University's Occupational Safety, Health, and Environmental Health Application and Research Center, was held online. Taner Oral, Founding Partner of MTOCON Fiber, was the guest of the program.
“Fibers are present at every point of the concrete”
Taner Oral, Founding Partner of MTOCON, spoke about the usage areas of fiber. Oral stated; “When determining the dosages of fiber to be used per cubic meter, we perform certain calculations. We make a calculation using parameters such as the amount and class of concrete, the load to be placed on the concrete, and the ground floor coefficient of the concrete. In aircraft hangars, a solution is produced by using 5 kilograms of fiber reinforcement per cubic meter, or in bicycle and walking paths, a solution is provided by using between 1.8 and 2 kilograms per cubic meter. In parking lots, truck parks, and factory concrete, solutions can be produced with different dosages. If a double-layer steel application, which we call a hybrid solution, is to be made, we use a single layer of steel mesh together with a single layer of fiber. Through this application, we prevent issues by ensuring fiber is present at every point of the concrete. Since fiber is a conductive material, it cannot be used extensively in petrochemical fields. However, when a non-conductive product is preferred, this product can be used easily. Since it is non-conductive, we have not encountered any additional demand or specific usage scenario.” he explained.
“Employees experience physical fatigue in many areas”
Addressing the physical and psychological health problems encountered in the field, Oral stated; “In construction and mining projects where time management is crucial, occupational health and safety, work execution, and systematic operation must be ensured. Macro synthetic and micro fiber reinforcements are quite advantageous compared to steel mesh in terms of OHS. One of the most important problems we personally witnessed in the field is employees experiencing physical fatigue. When work pressure and time pressure are added to the feeling of fatigue, it causes significant stress. According to studies, reducing working hours has been shown to decrease occupational accidents to a certain extent. Work intensity causes many diseases, especially in the musculoskeletal systems. The causes of physical illnesses can be many, such as job-worker incompatibility, repetitive movements and their frequency; strain due to physical strength and inadequacy, and insufficient ergonomic conditions.” he said.