Identifying and assessing risk in a textile industry in Iran using the technique of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

 Textile industries have various types of hazards that cause accidents. One of the ways to prevent workplace accidents is to identify hazards and evaluate them. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the hazards of one of the textile companies using the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method.

 This was a descriptive-cross-sectional study, and the FMEA method was used to conduct the study. In this study, two dyeing and rolling halls in the textile industry were evaluated. After calculating the Risk Priority Number (RPN), the hazards were ranked, and the necessary corrective actions were proposed. All stages of this research were conducted in accordance with ethical and research standards.

 In this study, 145 root causes of potential hazards were identified, of which 71 were recognized as high-risk hazards. The highest risk score was related to the non-functioning of the emergency stop switch. The lowest risk score was related to the steam leakage from steam pipes. The most hazardous activity was found to be the printing of dyes on the fabric. Events leading to death and amputation had the highest frequency.

 The results showed that after identifying the sources of error, it is possible to prevent the failures and increase the efficiency of the process by preventing damage to materials, operations, and personnel. The present study considers the FMEA method effective in assessing the hazards in the textile company. The results of this method can also be used to reduce the risk level to an acceptable level.