Data-Driven Assessment and Mitigation of Occupational Heat Stress in Indian Fireworks Manufacturing
Data-Driven Assessment and Mitigation of Occupational Heat Stress in Indian Fireworks Manufacturing
Kunal Deep1, Dr. N. A. Siddiqui2, Dr. Prasenjit Mondal3
1 PhD Scholar, CoE-OHSFE, G D Goenka University, Gurugram, India
2 Director & Head, CoE-OHSFE, G D Goenka University, Gurugram, India
3 Associate Professor, CoE-OHSFE, G D Goenka University, Gurugram, India
Email: 1kunaldeepforu@gmail.com, 2nihal.anwar@gdgu.org, 3prasenjit.mondal@gdgu.org
Corresponding Author*: Dr. Nihal Anwar Siddiqui
Abstract
Fireworks manufacturing in India is a high-risk industrial activity due to the combined effects of heat-sensitive pyrotechnic materials, manual handling practices, and severe thermal exposure. This study develops a Hybrid Adaptive Heat Stress Risk Reduction Framework (HA-HSRRF) to quantify the contribution of occupational heat stress to accident risk and to evaluate suitable engineering and administrative controls. Accident records from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) for 2008–2025 were integrated with NASA POWER meteorological data to estimate Heat Index (HI) and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) conditions for accident dates and locations. More than 95% of recorded accident days occurred under NIOSH “Danger” or “Extreme Danger” thermal categories. The proposed framework combines thermal exposure assessment, Fault Tree Analysis, process-specific heat-risk zoning, engineering control simulation, and NIOSH-based work–rest scheduling. Simulated interventions, including ventilation improvement, shading, evaporative or mist cooling, and cool roofing, reduced Heat Index values by approximately 2–6°F and shifted several scenarios to lower thermal-risk categories. Administrative work–rest controls further reduced fatigue-related unsafe acts by about 35%. The findings demonstrate that integrating thermal engineering and administrative measures can provide a scalable, data-driven approach for reducing heat-induced accident risk in fireworks manufacturing and other heat-exposed hazardous industries under comparable operating conditions.
Keywords:
Fireworks Manufacturing; Occupational Heat Stress; Heat Index; Wet Bulb Globe Temperature; Hybrid Risk Reduction Framework; Engineering Controls.