Document 0Z71YjDLw3oajpJ43rMjDbwn

FILE NAME: National Safety Council (NSC) DATE: 1934 Oct DOC#: NSC186 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Transactions of the NSC - 23rd Annual Safety Congress - Presentation - Fire Prevention 3 0 Twenty-third Annual Safety Congress--National Safety Council larg e groups ol w o r k e r s hv discovering carlv not only occupational diseases, Out m any o th e r conditions th at go undiscovered until the w o r k e r is acutely ill or be comes disabled. If the various contagious conditions go unrecognized others be come infected, therein- causing serious economic loss, as well as endangering the health of a group of individuals. T he information obtained from physical examinations affords the medical super visor the opportunity to make certain that employees a rc engaged in suitable work out of which they arc getting m aximum results, to correct the effects of undue e x posure to harmful environmental conditions, and generally to lessen all occupa tional hazards. As a public health m eam re. it is impossible to over-estimate the value of periodic exam inations in establishing interest in sickness prevention. 1'be set-up of a proper program for medical control ol workers exposed to dust depends upon the number of employees involved and individual plant conditions. A series of articles under the title of "The Medical Department M an n ar by Dr. M art F. Fisher, appearing in current numbers of " Industrial Medicine." gives a com prehensive account ol the organization and operation of a medical department. 1. T h e establishm ent of a medical d e p artm e n t w ith ad eq u a te facilities and med ical personnel who have ipialilied in die field of industrial medicine. A process analysis of all operations in the plant should be made and the medical supervisor should list all possible health hazards and familiarize himself with .their physio logical effects. If necessary, [w should conduct research studies to determine the harmful effects of new substances introfluced into plant processes about which little is known. In cooperation with other departments, he should investigate the extent of the hazards and devise measures of control. 2. T h e routine e x am in atio n of all applicants for e m ploym ent. T h e procedure should include ;i detailed history f the a pplicant's previous illnesses and accidents classified under ( a ) diseases ol childhood, t h i general inteetious diseases, fc) respiratory diseases, id ) venereal diseases, and i e ) accidents and resulting physical defects. A detailed l M o r v o f pre\ ions o rd in a tio n s e ngaged in is verv important. A mere statement of the t\p e "f indiM ry tn which the applicant was engaged has slight value, if any. T h e exact duties periorm ed in each occupation dmuhl he noted and information ascertained as to the probable length of exposure to hazard ous substances. A fte r the hi.Morv has been taken and a p h o to g ra p h for identifica tion purposes fit" p a rt of r outine ) is made, the applicant should he directed to the ex am in in g room w h e re he D instructed to remove his clo thing h>r physical e x a m ination. T h i s e x a m in a tio n should he made as complete as is considered necessary to determine the applicant's physical condition. If the applicant has been or will he exposed to dusts which induce lung d is eases. an X - r a y picture of the chest is an important part of the examination. This part of the exam ination mav he referred to an experienced roentgenologist, ns the value of this m ethod ol diagnosis depends upon the type of pictures taken and the experience of the render who interprets them. T h e examining physician also may need additional iutorm ation obtained hv lab o ra to ry a n a h s e s of the blood, sputum , and the urine. T h es e aids to diagnosis should h.* provided or made avail aide when desirable. .v T h e r a ti n g and placement of applicants. Tn cooperation with the personnel departm ent, the applicant should he rated and placed, not only on his training and past experiences. hut also on his physical and mental abilities to fill vacancies oc cu r ring iron) time to time. T he record* of his physical and mental examination should he the confidential pronertv of the medical department. 4. Periodical physical exam inations. T h e frequency of periodical exam inatio ns necessarily must depend upon individual circumstances according to the need for such exam inations as deterruine/I hv the supervisingr phvsiei;m. W here physical examinations are made for the first time, the employees of long standing should he given ample explanation of the benefits of such examinations and he given assur ances that their jobs are secure. 5. P r o v isio n for the disnhtod. F m p lu y ec s who develop disabilities d uring the course of employment should lie re-assigned to occupations which will not interfere with or aggravate the disability, or they should he provided for in other ways. jnrnvRyHENT X,: ir T W E N T Y - T H I R D A N N E A L SAt-A-TY CONE RUSS N A T I O X A L S A /' I- T F C O E X E l l . Fire Prevention THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 4, 1934 T h e F ire Prevention Session enlivened in the Stallcr Hotel with ( hairmau H a r o l d L. Miner, M a na ger, Saletv and l ire l 'roteetion Division. I'.. 1. d n l 'onl de Nemours & Co., Wilmington. Delaware, presidium. .Alter briefly welcoming the delegates. C hairm an Miner introdneed the tir~t speaker. How Home Fires Are Caused By R. B. C R I S W E L L Ohio Inspection Bureau, Columbus. Ohio Speaking e xtem poraneously, Mr. Crisw ell c av e a d e m onstra tion ot the devices employed and the a r g u m e n ts advanced hv himself and o th e r m em bers ot the Ohio Inspection Bureau in bringing to the attention ot school children the seriou- hazards of flammable substances in the homes. His object was to inform saletv engineers and perhaps others in his audience who might he interested in becoming saletv speakers, how to use simple devices in convincing the school children ot the necessity for caution to avoid tires and explosions. Each device and method was outlined briefly, but with striking detail, some of the demonstrations being as lollnws: A match, still blazing', was throw n carelessly into a small waste basin I. as so many persons still continue to do. and the waste paper immediately dared into a dangerous blaze. W ith a short talk about the forest rangers and their ualchmlness in putting out smoldering cam p tires in the N orth W oods, he next eureiulh broke a match to m ake sure die match had gone out completely bciore lie tossed it aside. Saul he, " C haperone your m atches: they shouldn't g o out a l o n e . ' A small doll house, wired in similar fashion to a comfortable home, was e x hibited. and after an explanation outlining the many light and lamp fixtures coupled with electrical devices, which might be loaded onto the electric circuit in any home, the speaker attached these devices one a lte r another until the fuse blew out; then he used a copper penny to plug the circuit until a lire developed in the attic of the doll house. S tr a n g e ly enough, an o rd in a r y fish bowl, with the goldfish sw im m ing about, if exposed in a sunny nook of the living room, with a flimsy curtain in the right spot beside it, or even a flammable rug underneath, can cause a disastrous lire. The circular fish bowl and the w a te r act as a lens to co n ce n tra te the su n 's rays. T his " aS .happened repeatedly, said the speaker. A pretty little doll, made of pyroxylin, or some other flammable materi.il. has Often become ignited in the hand of a child and has b u rn e d the child severely before 31