Industrial Safety, Environmental and Entrepreneurial Aspects
This section tests statutory safety limits, mill health hazards, effluent treatment terminology and the financial basics of starting a small textile unit. Marks come from precise figures and correct definitions rather than lengthy description.
Safety and health
- Guarding at nip points, interlocked gates on cards and calenders, and lock-out/tag-out before any maintenance.
- Noise: hearing protection and action at 85 dB(A); the 8-hour exposure limit is 90 dB(A).
- Cotton dust causes byssinosis (brown lung); dust control by local exhaust ventilation and personal protection.
- Lint and fly are fire risks; synthetic processing generates static, needing humidity control and earthing.
- Chemicals require MSDS, labelled containers, eyewash and gloves; dyes and acids are corrosive or sensitising.
Environment
- Dyehouse effluent carries high BOD, COD (COD is always greater than BOD), colour, TDS and sometimes heavy metals.
- Treatment chain: screening → equalisation → chemical coagulation → biological (activated sludge) → tertiary (ultrafiltration/reverse osmosis) → zero liquid discharge. Sludge from ETP is a hazardous solid waste needing secured disposal.
- Boilers emit particulates and sulphur oxides; water and energy audits, condensate recovery and wash-water reuse reduce load.
Entrepreneurship
- A project report covers market, capacity, machinery list, cost of production, working capital and break-even.
- MSME registration, machinery subsidy schemes and industrial estate or cluster facilities support new units.
Worked example
Fixed cost ₹6,00,000 per year; variable cost ₹150/kg; selling price ₹200/kg. Contribution = 200 − 150 = ₹50/kg. Break-even = 6,00,000 ÷ 50 = 12,000 kg per year, about 1,000 kg per month. Below this output the unit makes a loss.
Traps
- Writing that COD is lower than BOD.
- Treating zero liquid discharge as zero waste - sludge still arises.
- Using profit instead of contribution in break-even.
- Quoting 90 dB as the action level rather than the 8-hour limit.