Published date: Dec 07 2023

Journal Title: KnE Social Sciences

Issue title: The International Conference on Environmental, Social and Governance (ICESG 2022)

Pages: 142–150

DOI: 10.18502/kss.v8i20.14599

Paras Behraniparas_22001653@utp.edu.myDepartment of Management and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

Ahmad Shahrul Nizam IshaDepartment of Management and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

Rohani SallehDepartment of Management and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

Al-Baraa Abdulrahman Al MekhlafiDepartment of Management and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

Solar energy systems (photovoltaics, solar thermal, solar power) provide significant environmental benefits in comparison to the conventional energy sources, thus contributing to the sustainable development of human activities. However, sometimes, the wide scale deployment faces potential negative health and safety implications. To cope with these problems this paper presents an overview of an occupational health assessment of solar energy. The analysis provides the potential burdens to the workers’ health and safety working in solar energy, which includes hazard identification like toxic materials, general job site safety risks and other less focused risks in solar energy such as psychosocial hazards.

Keywords: solar energy, occupational safety, health

[1] Alharbi F, Bass JD, Salhi A, Alyamani A, Kim HC, Miller RD. Abundant non-toxic materials for thin film solar cells: alternative to conventional materials. Renewable Energy. 2011;36(10):2753–2758.

[2] Aman M, Solangi K, Hossain M, Badarudin A, Jasmon G, Mokhlis H, et al. A review of safety, health and environmental (SHE) issues of solar energy system. Renewable Sustainable Energy Review. 2015;41:1190–1204.

[3] Bakhiyi B, Labrèche F, Zayed J. The photovoltaic industry on the path to a sustainable future—environmental and occupational health issues. Environment International. 2014 Dec;73:224–234.

[4] Fernandez CA, Moore K, McClure LA, Caban-Martinez AJ, LeBlanc WG, Fleming LE, et al. Occupational psychosocial hazards among the emerging US green collar workforce. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2017 Jan;59(1):1–5.

[5] Nasrollahzadeh M, Sajjadi M, Sajadi SM, Issaabadi Z. Green nanotechnology. Interface science and technology. Elsevier. 2019;28:145–198.

[6] Sen A, Karmakar S. Exploring the OSH scenario in floating solar PV projects in India and opportunities for ergonomics design interventions. International Conference on Research into Design. 2021.

[7] Design, Tripathi S, Lohia P, & Dwivedi D. Contribution to sustainable and environmental friendly non-toxic CZTS solar cell with an innovative hybrid buffer layer. Sol Energy. 2021;204:748–760.

[8] Alharbi F, Bass JD, Salhi A, Alyamani A, Kim HC, Miller RD. Abundant non-toxic materials for thin film solar cells: Alternative to conventional materials. Renewable Energy. 2011;36(10):2753–2758.

[9] Aslani A, Naaranoja M, Wong KF. Strategic analysis of diffusion of renewable energy in the Nordic countries. Renewable Sustainable Energy Review. 2013;22:497–505.

[10] Cartwright J. Toward a just transition. World Resources Institute. 2018 [cited 2020 May 1]. Available from: https://www.wri.org/climate/expert-perspective/toward-justtransition

[11] Ellwood P, Bradbrook S, Reynolds J, Duckworth M. Foresight of new and emerging risks to occupational safety and health associated with new technologies in green jobs by 2020 Phase 2–Key technologies. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 2011.

[12] Handayani K, Anugrah P, Goembira F, Overland I, Suryadi B, Swandaru A. Moving beyond the NDCs: ASEAN pathways to a net-zero emissions power sector in 2050. Applied Energy. 2022;311:118580.

[13] Islam M, Saidur R, Rahim N, Solangi K. Renewable energy research in Malaysia. Engineering e-Transaction. 2009;4(2):69-72.

[14] Ismail AM, Ramirez-Iniguez R, Asif M, Munir AB, Muhammad-Sukki F. Progress of solar photovoltaic in ASEAN countries: A review. Renewable Sustainable Energy Review. 2015;48:399–412.

[15] Izam NS, Itam Z, Sing WL, Syamsir A. Sustainable development perspectives of solar energy technologies with focus on solar photovoltaic—A Review. Energies. 2022;15(8):2790.

[16] Mulloy KB, Sumner SA, Rose C, Conway GA, Reynolds SJ, Davidson ME, et al. Renewable energy and occupational health and safety research directions: A white paper from the Energy Summit, Denver Colorado, April 11-13, 2011. Am J Ind Med. 2013 Nov;56(11):1359–1370.

[17] Annual Report 2020. The ILO’s Social Finance Programme. 2020. Available from: https://www.ilo.org/empent/areas/social-finance/publications/WCMS_817622/lang– en/index.htm

[18] Peckham TK, Baker MG, Camp JE, Kaufman JD, Seixas NS. Creating a future for occupational health.Annals of Work Exposures and Health. 2017 Jan;61(1):3–15.

[19] Sen A, Karmakar S. Exploring the OSH scenario in floating solar PV Projects in India and opportunities for ergonomics design interventions. International Conference on Research into Design. 2021.

[20] Sen A, Mohankar AS, Khamaj A, Karmakar S. Emerging OSH issues in installation and maintenance of floating solar photovoltaic projects and their link with sustainable development goals. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0041-8_21