Pipe rolling plants as a target of economic security in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Subject. The article is an attempt to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic influences the economic development in Russia, illustrating the case of the tube rolling industry. Objectives. I examine and evaluate how adverse crisis implications of the COVID-19 pandemic could possibly be eliminated in the tube rolling industry, ensuring the economic security of Russia. Methods. The study involves methods of empirical and theoretical research, such as systems and empirical analysis, formal characterization, abstraction, observation, generalization, assessment, and partial methods of economic and statistical analysis. Results. I generally describe the economic situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluate the impact of ties between the oil and tube rolling industries on the economic sovereignty and security of Russia, role of the tube rolling industry in the economic security of the State. I analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the goods circulation in the tube rolling industry and found probable implications of economic destruction for Russia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and proposed possible solutions for the tube rolling industry. Conclusions and Relevance. The economic security of the tube rolling industry during the current pandemic is exposed to the destruction of foreign trade between countries exporting tube rolling products, price drop and a reduction in the consumption of energy resources worldwide, capital flight, a decrease in labor resources, slowing business activity and restricted transportation tube rolling products, growing uncertainty on the consumption of tube rolling products. The menacing threats can be eliminated given the State intervenes and regulates the Russian tube rolling industry so as to create favorable conditions for the beneficial economic operations.

Changes in the hearing threshold of workers in a steel industry: 5-year follow-up

Introduction: noise is one of the most important harmful factors in the workplace. The physiological effects of noise on humans are gradual in the long run. Despite industrial advances, exposure to excessive noise is one of the health problems of workers in the world's steel industry. This study aimed to investigate the effect of noise on hearing loss in steel industry workers. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed and conducted. The study population was 121 workers in a steel rolling industry whose 5-year audiometry was studied from 1391 to 1395. An audiometer performed the audiometric test of these workers in 5 years. Their audiometric results were extracted from their medical records and examined under ethical principles. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21, and T-Test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of participants was 38.88 ± 4.92 years and the mean work experience was 10.94 ± 3.57 years. In this study, a gradual increase in the average hearing threshold at different frequencies in both ears was seen from 2012 to 2016. Conclusion: noise as a detrimental factor in the steel industry causes a gradual increase in exposed workers' hearing threshold.

INFLUENCE OF GLOBAL TRENDS ON FORMATION OF ENERGY SECURITY STRATEGY ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE PIPE-ROLLING INDUSTRY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The article briefly describes the impact of global trends on the formation of the energy security strategy of the Russian Federation today based on the analysis of existing statistical data and media publications. The role of the pipe-rolling industry, the fuel and energy complex and other industries in Russia in the energy security of the country is shown including the prospects for their innovative development, energy efficiency, the implementation of strategically important directions in the energy sector of the state formed under the influence of the latest global trends. The author has made an attempt to reveal the concept of ensuring the energy security of Russia through the prism of the latest Federal Laws, Decrees, Resolutions, Orders and Draft Resolutions of the Government and the President of the Russian Federation. On the basis of the given legislative framework and the possibilities of the country's industrial capacity, the role of the pipe-rolling industry for the fuel and energy complex and other sectors of the economy is revealed, with conclusions about the long-term prospects for the intensive development of the industry associated with the modern concept of ensuring Russia's energy security which issues serious challenges to the entire industrial complex of the state.

Environmental Footprints of High-Speed Railway Construction in China: A Case Study of the Beijing–Tianjin Line

The environmental footprints of China’s high-speed railway (HSR) have attracted much attention nationally and internationally. Although there is some research focusing on CO2 emissions, a comprehensive environmental impacts assessment of HSR construction is still lacking. In this study, the emissions of the Beijing–Tianjin intercity HSR line was calculated using a hybrid input–output life cycle assessment method to quantify the environmental impacts of HSR throughout its construction. The environmental footprints during the construction stage were analyzed in terms of different subsystems and sectors. The results showed that bridges contribute the largest environmental footprints at approximately 60%, followed by rail and electric multiple unit (EMU) systems. The top three sectors that contribute to pollutant emissions are the metal smelting and rolling industry, transport equipment manufacturing, and non-metallic mineral production. CO2 and NOx are the major pollutants directly emitted by site equipment operation. More chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and petroleum are emitted in EMU production than in rail construction, while NH3-N is emitted more in rails instead. Cd, Pb, As, and Hg are the significant pollutants in the metal smelting and rolling industry, whereas Cr, Cu, and Zn are the main heavy metal emissions in the transport equipment manufacturing sector. Heavy metals are the main types of environmental footprints in bridges, stations, and electric systems. Water pollutants are the main environmental impacts for rail and EMU systems, and the emissions of air pollutants are significant in subgrades. The production efficiency of upstream materials, desulfurization and denitration in fossil combustion, and the length of the bridge construction should be considered for an HSR under construction, in order to become environmentally friendly and sustainable.