Document 0J3RrR31RKXQjv0GovdBjVo1R

FILE NAME Corning OC DATE 1944 Apr DOC OC427 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Trade Journal Article - Fume Control in Shipyards Welder at work left without exhaust ventilation right with exhauster working Fume Control in Shipyards By WILLIAM E. LAWRENCE Safety Engineer New York Shipbuilding Corporation Camden N. J. workers ex- AFEpoGseUd AtRo DrIesNpiGratory hazards resulting from contact with fumes dusts vapors acid gases and mists ranks among the important safety measures on new construction jobs in shipyards Because of the importance of welding operations in shipbuilding much attention has been paid to the control of hazards and fumes in- volved The large number of persons engaged in welding tacking burning and heating or straiginten- ing has necessitated mereased pro- tection against possible fume fever hazards or later complications In our plant there are at present some 3600 welders tackers burners and heaters whose jobs require special provisions for ventilation especially in innerbottoms and other small compartments Every shipyard should know by now that the most satisfactory method of fume control is exhaust ventilation Extensive experimentation with different types of equipment during the past decade has proved that the surest method is to remove the From o paper presented at the Marme tion 32nd National Safety Congress Sec 16 trouble at its source Accordingly blowers and exhausting devices have been developed and placed in service with satisfactory results Respirators fitted with metal fume filters also give protection when umeconcentrations are low Plant medical staffs are exercis- ing great care in routine checks and examinations of workers ex- posed to welding fumes To the best of our knowledge we have not had one case of lasting or permanent ill effects to anyone associated with welding tacking burning or heat- ing Many of the oxides encountered are irritating and tend to aggravate existing conditions = For in- stance workers with colds should not be exposed to zinc fumes or for that matter to any fumes Data accumulated through ex- amination and cast histories of our welders may be expected to provide great deal of valuable information for medical study However it must also be remembered that a large part of the problem concerns not only the welders but other workers in the vicinity They must be protected not only from th fumes but from eve flashes as well There is a relatively new develop- ment which consists of carbon arc burning in smoothing off large countersunk heads of tap bolts in armor plate decks These heads are 178 inches in diameter and were formerly chipped and ground off flush with the deck plates This was a long tiresome rough and costly operation By use heads are of the burned carbon arc these off so that only a small amount of grinding is neces- sary thus cutting time and labor to a minimum Of course the fume and dust hazard had to receive special considera- tion This was taken care of by use of a compressed air jet which blows the slag and carbon residue into exhauster funnels located at the ends of two inch metallic flexible tubes with powerful portable ex hausters at the outlet ends As required this equipment is skidded easily along the deck and is kept close to the job at all times even eliminating the necessity for respirators Protection against heat and glare is of course a necessity In winter there is the special National Safety News April 1944 01 501 0179 A safety campaign stressing ac cident prevention was the need for we realized the obvious accident Utills diju WSL TLINIC | =AVLUTsItS. a wanted to stress irequency rather than severity for if frequency was prevented is an accident that cannot occur The campaign had to be reduced then it was likely that severity would automatically come simple effective and instantaneous in its results down The total gave a general over picture of what had hap- With the activity assigned to me at the start I reviewed the principal safety magazines and several text- books I found however that their editorial articles were prepared by authors writing to seasoned veteran safety engineers and consequently over the head of the novice Never- pened during the preceding six months period That total number of accidents was in turn broken down into Ac- cident Totals by Months for the purpose of determining whether or not the seasons influenced fre- quency These monthly totals were theless in practically all of the articles I found continued reference then studied against the general weather reports for the period and to a fundamental Safety is a mat- ter of education and it has to be it was found that such was the case but only to a limited extent These J. S. Fluor Jr. president The Fluor Corporation Limited sold monthly totals were further com- That single word sold instantly pared against the experience of the for the same period and it resulting in reduced pressure in the equ removed much of the mystery of company discovered that a distinct rela- morning and afternoon would effec- was safety engineering and put me on tionship existed between frequency tively take care of this situation and oe familiar ground Though I rec- and the months when the demand consequently a smoking recess g ognized my deficiency in safety en- now occurs in our mill during mid- gineering experience I realized then for increased production per worker morning Our personnel department e e that I could fall back on the experi- was the greatest These are the introduced a vitamin period during ence most familiar to advertis- months of February March and which all workmen pause for a and from that draw the lines June The accident total was then charged citrus drink in the for my campaign further broken down into Accidents afternoon These rest periods pro- I knew that I singlehanded could by Days of the Week to determine duced the desired relaxation from . not possibly hope to sell each indi- if week partying which means the pressure of production vidual employee for time was of the foggy heads on Monday morning Every sales talk has to have a essence The problem then re- was factor If that were true then climax and for my climax I showed a solved itself into mass selling 1 had to have salesmen who could sell the ultimate consumer and for my salesmen I selected our mill and con- struction job superintendents It was then up to me to give them the material for their sales talk and I the greatest number of accidents would occur on Monday and appropriate corrective measures could be taken Except for Saturday and Sunday company was working a day week at that time and our activities were closed down on those each one of the job superintendent- salesmen two charts A Breakdown of Accidents by Jobs and Departments and An Accident Frequency Chart by Jobs The first showed the total number of accidents by jobs and the per cent of each for the went to work on a market survey so that each would know what he had to sell why he had to sell it and to whom he had to sell it two Thursday proved to be the low while Monday and Tuesday were next low and Wednesday was the high day We have been unable grand total The second illustrated the number of accidents for each job applied against the total number Continued on page 62 On completion of the survey I to ascribe any reason for this and called a meeting attended by the president and general manager have had to be content with the knowledge that the week was Peter S. Fluor Executive President who acted as chairman and the not necessarily a contributing factor various superintendents were called Hours of the day next came in in from the field and the mill for attention and the 169 accidents The key to this survey was our accident report file I reviewed and carefully studied each accident report for the six months period preceding making a number of nota- tions as each report was reviewed for later illustration on a series of charts to be used as ammunition in selling my salesmen I first obtained the total number of accidents for the entire period without regard for separation as to time acci- were thus distributed It will be noted that a sharp peak occurred in the morning at 10 o'clock and a correspondingly sharp peak occurred at 2 o'clock in the afternoon This gave rise to the reasoning that workmen go through a warm period in the first hours of the morning and reach full speed at about morning while the same thing occurs after the luncheon period It was believed that a rest period 01 501 0180 for the IRON HORSE ~~ THE latest pride of New York Central's Motive Power Department is the Mohawk type Class L4 steam locomotive speedy for the fastest schedules and powerful for the heaviest freight trains The acquisition of the new 4's of which 50 are now in service has come at an opportune time to aid the Central in its tremendous war job Each is busy today rolling up an average of approximately 11,000 miles per month The 4's all constructed during the last two years by the Lima Loco- motive Works show an increase over the earlier 3's built during the three previous years in the drivwheel diameters from 69 to 72 inches and in the cylinders from 18 25 to 26 inches Thus greater speeds for faster schedules were at- tained while the tractive force for the heaviest loads was retained Both these classes are a recent development from Classes L and L locomotives of 4-8-2 wheel ar- rangement which were originally designed for heavy freight service on the New York Central System The first L was built in 1916 and the last L in 1930. They are still faithful servants in heavy freight service An innovation apparent on the new Mohawks is the great size of their tenders They are extraordinarily large with a capacity of 43 tons of coal and 15,500 gallons of water Tenders of such enormous capacity contribute importantly to the versatility of these locomotives in universal main service en- abling them to make long through runs without intermediate stops for water or coal Befitting the finest motive power yet designed by New York Central engineers these new Mohawks are also equipped with all the best automatic safeguards against accidents and the possibility of human error Notable among these are auto- matic train control valve pilot and speed indicator heat indicators on all locomotive and tender journal boxes and boiler water alarm Automatic train control is an Continued on page 104 National Safety News April 1944 01 501 0181 Fire extinguishers gas masks inhalator tools etc. are carried on this emergency be hoisted onto ships by cranes portable lights wrecking equipment wagon It can Men working with repellent asbestos insulation are equipped with dust respirators hazard of salamanders and other receptacles for fires which may generate deadly quantities of car- bon monoxide gas in addition to causing an oxygen deficiency in a closed space Also there is the dan- ger of fumes from fires in ships on the ways and in the water after launching Many of these fires oc- cur because welders tackers and burners do not observe the rule re- quiring them to know what is be- low or above or on the other side of bulkheads before starting work Sparks will often ignite welding leads portable light wires air hose and rubbish especially when housekeeping or as we call it shipkeeping is poor More than 90 per cent of these fires are caused by failure to observe this important rule Although many of the fires may be minor there is always the possibility of men being trapped by smoke and toxic fumes without possible escape This is where the trained safety inspector or watch force man comes into the picture Quickly he must don a mask hook on a life rope and go down to make sure everyone has escaped He must be followed as closely as possible by another worker with a powerful electric lamp If any deficiency of oxygen is suspected an oxygen breathing mask must be worn Ventilation must be provided at once smoke and fumes exhausted and a fresh supply of air blown in Much could be said about the National Safety News April 1944 maximum allowable concentration for carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide but the main point to re- member is that carbon monoxide is the No. 1 poison killer in both industrial and occupational life Wherever there is smoke you may suspect carbon monoxide Constant alertness on the part of watch force men and safety inspectors is an absolute necessity in combating such hazards The education of the men by their supervisors use of warning posters are recom- mended but exhaust ventilation and introduction of fresh supplies of air are imperative under such danger- ous conditions A number of almost fatal accidents in shipbuilding can be attributed to carelessness rather than ignorance Men forget to think Use of insulation cement contain- ing toxic solvents such as carbon tetrachloride is a menace to workmen unless adequate precautions are taken to safeguard them A large shipyard recently distilled its entire supply of a toxic solvent and substituted a safer one thus elimin- ating the hazard without loss of material but with a tremendous increase in production and safety The use of repellent asbestos insulation has recently replaced some types of material formerly used in ship work For protection against dust or possible asbestosis it is recommended that such mate- Continued on page 90 A shipyard worker wearing oxygen ing apparatus In the background is a dis play of protective equipment showing goggles hard hats and safety shoes on on = PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT An service gas mask may be used in atmospheres where there is DO oxygen deficiency 17 01 501 0182 for Safety Comfort and Style INDUSTRI bring new and important features of SAFETY COMFORT and EFFICIENCY to the assembly line Working closely with Production and Safety Engineers designers have developed INDUSTRI that are approved to the last stitch for their safety and comfort Highquality fabrics superb talloring and superior washability mean fresh crisp appearance day in day out No. 277 Overall style with high bodice and back tapered trouser leg and stitched crease Slash pockets and concealed buttons on left side ; No. 309 Long or short sleeved shirt with : reinforced tab pocket Slacks have tapered legs deep pockets and stitched crease INDUSTRI are made of Armory Gabardine sturdy wearing fab ric chosen for its resistance to wear and ability to withstand great strain % duPont Spun Rayon and 50 cotton Sanforized Sanforized vat dyed fi Guaranteed to launder well No. 298 Reversible double plaid jacket Worm ^,s toast for work and lined play SPORT VALLEY TOGS , INC 1384 Broadway New York 18 N. Y. Send for beautifully illustrated catalog showing INDUSTRI- ALLS on the job It pictures all types of INDUSTRI lists | important Catalog sent FREE on request National Safety News April 1944 89 01 501 0183 rume Control va have shown however that the ~ u t inets are provided Such installa inhaled by men working with fiber tions should be approved by a state Continued ( from page 17 glas does not cause damage to the department inspector and special \ - lungs \ workers rial be dampened wherever possible *" Since fiberglas Me : ventilation must be provided and _ frequently inspected Regular pe- :-{ riodic examinations and that dust respirators be worn tract dermatitis especially in hot including in addition to the provisioonf spe- . weather extra z changes of loose rays are ~ are rays mandatory _ wete ay cial ventilation " Periodic medical | coveralls with cheesecloth or soft A leaking facepieccaen be de- examination of those exposed is also .~ unbleached muslin worn around thetected easily by the operator and tw *, neck are recommended Eye pro- should be reported at once to the fiberglas / Men working with or tection and dust respirators are also safety department for immediate ,, | be glass wool may not particularly ~ provided Heer wees ~ 2-< correction If an operator tastes ' bothered by fume hazards but may Shot sand blasting with its sand he will realize at once that experience trouble if a toxic solvent sificosis hazards can be done safely his equipment is not safe is used in the cement Experiments if standard sand blast rooms or cab- Fumes and dust from friction cree we saws in shops are easily removed by proper exhaust ventilation and should be carried by ducts from the machine to dust collectors out of the shops if possible Resuscitator and Aspirator '& Plating room fumes with modern ventilating systems now available are no longer a problem in an to- date shipyard A few years ago however a different story could ~ pa . have been told ) Recent changes in painting speci- fications on vessels have provided for the use of zinc chromate which although perhaps notparticularly toxic must be considered when OFFERS IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES ' fiArtificial Respiration administered effectively and sofely in cases involving internal injuries severe burns pregnancy etc. * Mechanical Resuscitation for breathing victims and oxygen inhalation for breathing patients or in conjunc- tion with the manual method * Quick and effective means for detecting and clearing throat obstructions * Artificial Respiration without alteration in rhythm or efficiency in prolonged cases E The extensive Clinical Research supporting the & J Resuscitator was con- tributed by outstanding Physicians whose only interest lay in the welfare of their patients Their exhaustive and valuable work has resulted in the saving of many lives in Hospitals Industrials Fire and Police Departments and other First Aid Organizations For use only by professional or other adequately trained personnel and not intended to replace manually applied resuscitation E & J MANUFACTURING COMPANY Glendale California Drexal Building Philadelphia 581 Boylston St. Boston 30 Fernanda Street Pittsburgh 3900 Grandy Avenue Detroit 4448 West Washington Chicago 17 E. 42nd Street New York City The Pioneers & Specialists in Mechanical Artificial Respiration Hands safe in Stanzoils do better work Not all synthetic gloves are oil resistant Don't risk loss of valuable hands these days costly injury claims when Stanzoils of Du- Pont's neoprene offer such remark- ably complete protection Workers enjoy wearing them do better work These neoprene gloves resist damage from oils acids caustics last 3 to 7 times longer than rubber cost least of use Standard styles sizes black and white Pro- tect busy hands with - Stanzoils write today for all the facts STANZOIL STANZOIL STANZOIL STANZOIL STANZOIL SSTTAANZNOIZL OIL Synthetic Rubber Division THE PIONEER RUBBER CO 259 Tithn Rd Willard O. U. A. New York * Los Angeles MADE WITH DU PONT NEOPRENE 90 National Safety News April 1944 01 501 0184 and lighter too THE DAVIS HEDGARD Suspension type cradle that cushions every blow and spreads it evenly over the head Cooler large air space between sweat band and actually air conditions Hedgard note Send for Bulletin 1404 describing describing Hedgard = One hat fits every head reducing your inventory of special sizes ~ PROMPT DELIVERY Light in Weight Shatterproof Sanitary Washable Headband : DAVIS DAVIS Address all inquiries to EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT 55 Halleck St. Newark 4 N. J. CO = Gold Medal SafLeedders and Scaffolding for Every Payee Reaching NEW HEIGHTS IN See Our Exhibit All Ohio Safety Congress April 18-20 SAFETY Medal Gold Ladder THE split rungs rung Automatic ' Chicago braces Size 8 to 24 Gold Medal Mechanic Step Ladder A heavy duty ladder rung braces and truss rods safety Sizes 4 to 20 gain back able Telescoping Rolling Work Stands attach-knee Platform 6 Heights to platform from 4 raises to 6 to 8 raises to 14 Standard top sections in 2 3 4 sizes may be used to spreader additional height Gold PATENT Branch lit 1550 Dayton St. Offices Atlanta Francisco @ St. SCAFFOLDING CO INC Extension Long Island City N. Y. : 3821 Boston Los Angeles Philadelphia Pittsburgh Louis Milwaukee Miami Newark Valley N. Y. 12thSt. San National Safety News April 1944 Medal Safety Single Hand Ladder safety locks : sSpilziets rruunnggsstopurlulnegy braces 91 sprayed in small compartments Respirators are advocated along with safe ventilation When operations take place in big shops where sizable plates are sprayed the use of air line respira- tors is recommended since these areas are too great for efficient exhaust ventilation Crane operators however who must handle material in such locations and especially above pickling tanks should be provided with respirators Fans may be placed in the crane cabs to blow fumes and vapor away from the operators Protection must be furnished for any job in which dust fumes or smoke from any substance contain- ing lead is breathed daily This applies when welding cutting burning shrinking or straightening where material is metal coated with paint containing lead . Lacquer spraying if done in ap- proved booths properly ventilated presents no great problem If clean- ing compounds are used chemical cartridge respirators provide necessary protection if the concentrations | ELIMINATE THOSE HAZARDS AS AMERICAN industry moves to the offensive pressure must be placed upon many new workers in the machine trades where personal hazard is acute Steps must be taken to safeguard home front workers For greater safety in the plant H. & K. Guard Accessories are just the thing economical and dependable they can be quickly assembled by your own men in your own plant Write us today for complete information All H. & K. Guard Accessories are under the reexamination service of Underwriters Labs Inc. are low . Use of proper extinguishers on different types of fires must be care- _fully considered Fumes from combustion gases and extinguishing agents are capable of causing death Periodic demonstrations should be made for the benefit of firemen watch force men and safety inspec tors and the use of instructive posters and bulletins is also recom- mended Fumigation of refrigerator spaces in ships practically ready for delivery is important Men whose duty it is to open and ventilate such spaces after fumigation must wear service gas masks li a defi- ciency of oxygen is suspected oxygen breathing apparatus must be used Management must be impressed with the necessity of providing ventilation of ships under construction as well as the arrangement for permanent installations Present construction of naval vessels prac- tically prohibits the use of temporary ventilation units in engine and boiler rooms due to their inacces- sibility and the difficulty of bringing in fresh air ARE FEET THE SEAT OF ABSENTEEISM We've heard that thousands thousands of absenteeism cases are traceable tired traceable to aching feet feet man or woman's were not built to take the punishment of standing 8-10-12 hours on cold hard floors These photos show H. & K. Guards in use Harrington Harrington Harrington Harrington & PERFORATING 5645 Fillmore St. Chicago 44 III ' 114 Liberty St. New York 6 N. Y. 92 MELFLEX Sofety Standing Mats are solving this problem in hundreds of plants - they'll do it in yours MELFLEX comfort work mats are impregnated with tire cord and thus eliminate accidents coused by slipping - are resilient and long lasting MELFLEX comfort giving Safety Standing Mats will also be welcomed by foremen production men and works managers struggling to keep production up and absenteeism down Furnished in individual sizes or runners Write for data and quotations Melflex Products Company L. E. WARFORD President 415 Wheeler Lane e Akron 8 Ohio National Safety News April 1944 01 501 0186 ee Se lage afF beta tect Sona} epee =>~ wie . ee a ne ne fe - a i | M4 oS pa} = mad ee) 3 a a) = a = ta cA OVOIHd