Safety Risk Classification of a Marble Gang Saw Machine Using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Abstract

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was applied to a gang saw machine operating in a marble processing facility in the Aegean Region of Türkiye, where 74 personnel work under a two-shift production system. The analysis aimed to identify and prioritize occupational safety risks associated with the cutting line under actual operating conditions**, focusing on a single high risk production machine rather than on a plant wide assessment. Based on expert evaluations, maintenance and breakdown records, occupational accident documentation, near miss reports and field observations, 26 potential failure modes were identified. Each failure mode was evaluated using Occurrence, Severity and Detectability parameters scored on a 1–10 scale and Risk Priority Numbers were calculated accordingly. Initial RPN values ranged from 162 to 294. The highest risk levels were associated with blade tension imbalance (294), blade fracture (288), operator intervention with guards open (288) and insufficient block fixation (280). Elevated RPN values were also observed for vibration exposure, noise exposure and slurry related slip hazards. Following the implementation of engineering controls, preventive maintenance improvements and reinforced operational procedures, recalculated RPN values decreased substantially, with all evaluated failure modes reduced below the immediate action threshold of 100. On average, the Risk Priority Number fell from 226.2 to 50.3, corresponding to an overall reduction of approximately 77.7 %. The results suggest that systematic machine level risk assessment provides a practical framework for strengthening occupational safety performance in marble processing facilities** and that the corrective logic identified here is transferable to comparable stone cutting equipment.

Keywords

• Failure mode and effects analysis
• Gang saw machine
• Marble processing
• Occupational health and safety in mines

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was not required for this study because of there was no study on animals or humans.

References

1. Adıgüzel, M. (2019). Türkiye mermer sektörünün ve rekabet gücünün incelenmesi. Üçüncü Sektor Sosyal Ekonomi Dergisi, 54(3), 1530–1546. https://doi.org/10.15659/3.sektor-sosyal-ekonomi.19.09.1202
2. Cunha Demartini, T. J., Rodríguez, R. J. S., & Silva, F. S. (2018). Physical and mechanical evaluation of artificial marble produced with dolomitic marble residue processed by diamond plated bladed gang saws. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 7(3), 308–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2018.02.001
3. Çalışanların Gürültü ile İlgili Risklerden Korunmalarına Dair Yönetmelik. (2013). T.C. Resmî Gazete (Sayı: 28721).
4. Çalışanların Titreşimle İlgili Risklerden Korunmalarına Dair Yönetmelik. (2013). T.C. Resmî Gazete (Sayı: 28743).
5. Çetin, T. (2003). Türkiye mermer potansiyeli, üretimi ve ihracatı. Gazi Üniversitesi Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 23(3), 229–244. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/gefad/article/90959
6. Demir, Ş., & Eker, H. (2025). Farklı mermer üretim tesisleri için Fine Kinney yöntemi ile risk değerlendirme uygulamaları. Gümüşhane Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 14(1), 180–191. https://doi.org/ 10.37989/gumussagbil.1506341
7. Directive 2002/44/EC. (2002). Directive 2002/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibration). Official Journal of the European Communities, L 177, 13–20.
8. Directive 2003/10/EC. (2003). Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 February 2003 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (noise). Official Journal of the European Union, L 42, 38–44.

9. Dolmaz, O., & Bentli, İ. (2024). Mermer kesme cilalama tesisinde fiziksel risk etmenleri ve alınması gereken önlemler. Gümüşhane Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 13(2), 880–890. https://doi.org/10.37989/gumussagbil.1366858
10. Dormishi, A., Ataei, M., Mikaeil, R., Khalokakaei, R., & Haghshenas, S. S. (2019). Evaluation of gang saws' performance in the carbonate rock cutting process using feasibility of intelligent approaches. Engineering Science and Technology, an International Journal, 22(3), 990–1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jestch.2019.01.007
11. Eleren, A., & Ersoy, M. (2011). Mermer ocaklarında elmas tel ve kollu kesme teknolojilerinin iş güvenliği açısından FMEA yöntemiyle karşılaştırılması. TÜBAV Bilim Dergisi, 4(1), 9–19.
12. Engin, I. C., Ozkan, E., & Cetin, S. (2019). Determination of risky areas at the marble workshops in terms of noise. Acoustics Australia, 47(1), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40857-018-0146-7
13. Erkanol, D., & Aydındağ, A. (2013). Türkiye geneli doğal taş potansiyel alanlarının belirlenmesi projesi. Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü. https://bulten.mta.gov.tr/dosyalar/makaleler/281/tr_20221018161219_281_4_5fd0e033.pdf
14. Ersoy, M., Eleren, A., & Kayacan, S. (2017). An application of failure mode and effect analysis on improving occupational health and safety process of marble factories. International Journal of Natural Disasters & Health Security, 4(1), 22–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.19070/2572-7540-170005
15. Eyüboğlu, A. K., & Özfırat, M. K. (2025). Maden işletmelerinde kaza ve risk analizlerinin geliştirilmesi: Yeni bir risk skorlama modeli. Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Fen ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 25(2), 433–444. https://doi.org/10.35414/akufemubid.1572682
16. Gao, F., & Zhou, D. (2025). A novel decision making approach for risk assessment of converter steelmaking process based on fuzzy DEMATEL method. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 115, 222–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2024.12.025
17. Gul, M., & Ak, M. F. (2021). A modified failure modes and effects analysis using interval-valued spherical fuzzy extension of TOPSIS method: Case study in a marble manufacturing facility. Soft Computing, 25(8), 6157–6178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-021-05605-8
18. Gürbulak, O. (2007). Mermerlerin kesilebilirlik özelliklerinin incelenmesi [Yüksek lisans tezi, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
19. Haghighi, A., Chinniah, Y., & Jocelyn, S. (2019). Literature review on the incentives and solutions for the bypassing of guards and protective devices on machinery. Safety Science, 111, 188–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2018.07.010
20. Kahraman, Ö., & Demirer, A. (2010). OHSAS 18001 kapsamında FMEA uygulaması. Makine Teknolojileri Elektronik Dergisi, 7(1), 53–68.
21. Kasap, Y., & Sırakaya, L. (2019). Bir mermer işletmesinde hata türü ve etkileri analizi uygulaması. Soma Meslek Yüksekokulu Teknik Bilimler Dergisi, 1(28), 34–46. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/873033
22. MKS Makina. (2022). Katrak makinesi 100 lamalı (mermer). Erişim tarihi: 12 Ocak 2026, https://www.mks.com.tr/tr/haber/katrak-makinesi-100-lamali-mermer-mks.html
23. MKS Makina. (2026). Open frame gang saw for marble. Retrieved February 7, 2026, from https://www.mks.com.tr/fr/product/open-frame-gang-saw-for-marble.html
24. Önder, S., Önder, M., & Çiçek, F. (2022). Hata türü ve etkileri analizi yöntemi ile bir mermer fabrikasında risk değerlendirmesi. MT Bilimsel, (22), 13–24. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2654327
25. Öz, O., & Özkan, E. (2025). Effect of diamond grain sizes on cutting forces and specific energy in marble milling processes. Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Fen ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 25(1), 152–159. https://doi.org/10.35414/akufemubid.1509025
26. Özfırat, M. K., Özkan, E., Kahraman, B., Şengün, B., & Yetkin, M. E. (2017). Integration of risk matrix and event tree analysis: A natural stone plant case. Sādhanā, 42(10), 1741–1749. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-017-0725-6
27. Özfırat, P. M. (2014). Bulanık önceliklendirme metodu ve hata türü ve etkileri analizini birleştiren yeni bir risk analizi yöntemi. Gazi Üniversitesi Mühendislik-Mimarlık Fakültesi Dergisi, 29(4), 755–768. https://doi.org/10.17341/gummfd.04423
28. Özkan, E., Sayın, Z. E., & Ersoy, B. (2015). Katrak ile kesim sonucunda çıkan mermer toz atıklarının karakterizasyonu ve endüstride kullanılabilirliği. Yapı Teknolojileri Elektronik Dergisi, 11(1), 11–17. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/yted/article/238438
29. Özkılıç, Ö. (2005). İş sağlığı ve yönetim sistemleri ve risk değerlendirme metodolojileri (Yayın No. 246). TİSK Yayınları.
30. Sharma, K. D., & Srivastava, S. (2018). Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) implementation: A literature review. Journal of Advance Research in Aeronautics and Space Science, 5(1), 1–17.
31. Stamatis, D. H. (2003). Failure mode and effect analysis: FMEA from theory to execution (2nd ed.). ASQ Quality Press.
32. Şahin, D. D., & Eker, H. (2024). Bir mermer ocağındaki tehlike ve risklerin değerlendirilmesi. Black Sea Journal of Engineering and Science, 7(6), 1294–1301. https://doi.org/10.34248/bsengineering.1532507
33. Toptancı, Ş., Erginel, N., & Acar, İ. (2025). A Fine Kinney based new approach for occupational health and safety risk assessment using interval valued neutrosophic MCDM and HOQ model integration. Soft Computing, 29(7), 4583–4612. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-025-10693-x
34. Varol, M. K. (2024). Performance evaluation to measure production equipment effectiveness in block cutting machine (gang saw). Mining Science, 30, 157–169. https://doi.org/10.37190/msc233010
35. Wang, Y. M., Chin, K. S., Poon, G. K. K., & Yang, J. B. (2009). Risk evaluation in failure mode and effects analysis using fuzzy weighted geometric mean. Expert Systems with Applications, 36(2), 1195–1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2007.11.028
36. Yoon, B. J., Lee, K. S., & Lee, J. H. (2021). Study on overturn proof monitoring system of mobile crane. Applied Sciences, 11(15), Article 6819. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11156819