Document 10ZaxVLR4vrdngd0BrEXnr7KK

2*^6 Twenty-third Annual Safety Congress--Xationat Safety Council Tlic act in its present imn was irassed in 1923 and served to dear the situation which had Uromc ine lived hv the lic-iip nt large stuns of numcj- in reserve funds against possible future daims ly nun adjudged silicotic previously, hut who Iiad since Itn'it |m sight of or who were carrying on at work showing a minimum or iin disability. From tlic workman's |Munt of view, tin- new act is a great step forward, as it allows a man to continue at his usual duties underground as long as he is able to work without any serious degree ot discomfort. Previously. a workman was ad* vised to (|uit underground work when a certain stage of filirosis had been reached, regardless of his ability to carry n. and sacrificed his rights to compensation if he continued to work. In tlic X-ray examination of the chests of the 2007 men employed at the Hollinger mines during 1922. determinations are graded as follows: .Ynrmuf is a chest slew ing little or no fibrosis, where the condition of the lung is better titan the average for the age. .V. /*. or "More Fibrosis' is a chest which is normally found in the average adult at the age nt the miner tmder consideration. .1/. T. /*.. "More Fihrosis Plus** is a chest showing slightly more fihrosis than normal iir the |*arttcular age. M. /*. /'. or "More Fibrosis Plus Pins** is a chest sliowing considerably more fihrosis Ilian normal and is a prc-silic<tic stage. Silicotics are that gronji which show a great deal of fihrosis and taking into consideration the mining history and ronsnjuent exposure to silica, arc thus termed. Admittedly, disability may or may not he present. This last group ranges irom tlic early silicotics with a minimum ot disability to the late complicated or secondary cases with marked disability and tulHTCulosis. It must added that a large mimlter of men at the commencement of employment at the H*llinger. and without previous mining exitericncv or contact with silica, show chests of M. P. P. rating. Following are the results of this exam ination : Normal .................................................. .11........................................ 1.4^ M. F.........................................................020...................................... 40.8^ M. K. P..................................................922...................................... 41.4* M. F. V. V...............................................98........................................ 4.27r Silicotics ........................................... 24........................................ l.l^r Average o*ntact with silica of nni working ami M. F. P. P...............................12 years. Silicotic.......................................15 years. Xext is an analysis of the clumges in chest rating in 1022. Normal to M. F. ------- Normal to M. F. P. . M. F. to .M. F.P. . M. F. P. to M. F.P. 1* M. F.P. P.to T. P.............. M. F. P. P. to A. P. A. P. to P......................................................... 221 M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. t. p.. T. T5. a. r. lo Normal ......................................... 11 r. lo M. F................................................ 221 P. r.lo M. F. ............................................. 1 P. P.to M. F. P.............................................. 20 io m. r. ....................................... i ? lo M. F.p: ....................................... 1 to m. f. r. r..................................... i r. to A. r...................................................2fifi Total 497 These figures cover approximately 500 men in whom there was some change in chest rating during the year, and the direction of the change. The remaining 1500 men slmw no rltaugc from the previous year. It will lie olisvrvcd that 221 men showed an increase in fihrosis rnliug. while 2nd show chests which are im proved. Tlic explanation given for the group which shows improvement is* in the first place, that some concurrent bronchial or ti|lcr respiratory infection had complicated the picture at the |ircviotis annual examination and so caused a more Mining Section 2$7 advanced rating to lie given. The st-vnud explanation is tliat constant improvement in radiological technic is making diagnosis more accurate. It would seem, therefore, that on the whole the situation is sliowing consider able imjimvciiieni from this vicw|>ohif. During 1932 no rase progressed from the prc-silicolic to tin* silicotic stage. In the years tip to 1922. 1211 men had liecn rated silicotic and the total cost to tlu* Hollinger involved a sum of $915,950. which figure includes the progressive ami contingent funds set aside to cover future costs and (Kissihle future claims. Two objects have liecn kept in iniml during the many years of study of the dust problem at the Hollinger Mine. 1. The collection of complete data regarding the nature of air breathed by workmen in different occtt|iatioiis. its chemical composition, temperature, humidity, dust content and rale of flow. 2. Working tests of all practical methods of improving the condition of such air. In searching to adapt a method for the determination of air dustiness, it was realized that no instrument has liecn devised which would measure the dust con tent of tlu: air with scientific precision. Furthermore, it was felt that the princi]iat object of making determinations was to ascertain if the dust count of the air was undesirably high, and if such a condition was found, to devise a mctlxid of reducing it. Hence., for practical jittrjmscs. tlie iust'uiucut which possesses a high efficiency in the range of desirable concentrations and gives a quick indication of <langcmus quantities of dust is most desirable. Tlic circular Konimctcr. invented liv Sir Kolierl Kotze and introduced lo the Miuers* l*hthisis Prevention Committee of South Africa in 191<i. lias lliereiorc been used in the Porcupine Distiict for the past eight years. A summary of our invcstigatimis along this line may Ik* given as follmvs: 1. Aiiout 900 of tk* underground forex* are engaged in work which will produn- dangerous dust if measures of control are not applied. 2. Of (Ins numlier a little over 400 are engaged in shoveling broken ore into ears and the average dust cx|tostirc does not exceed 200 jeirticlcs if the muck piles arc kept tlmroughly wet and blasting carefully restricted. 2. The remaining 500 men are engaged in drilling and blasting operations and arc subjected to severe jxitcntia! tiazard. Men engaged in stujics win> do not liavc to return to the working faces have an average csimsurc of aliotrt 1200 particles, while using the ordinary type drills. U is felt dial tlic use of the "dustlcss** type of drifter will reduce tlte concentration of dust to somewhere near 200 |iaftidcs. 4. The men engaged in development drifts arc exposed to the same concentra tions of dust, namely. 1200 particles. Where jmissi'IiIc. two development drifts are worked simultaneously hy tin- rmc crew. so that tlu* men do not have to go track through the dense dust after Masting the cut. There arc only a few exceptions to this rule and when necessary to gn Irack to load the remaining holes, the men arc provided with the special respirator. 5. The high dust concentrations in the vicinity of stopers we hope to deal with hy tlic use of compressed air masks. Also the practice of driving adjacent raises simultaneously lias reduced the hazard after Masting. With the constant improvement and maintenance of general health conditions ke)it always to the fore as most desirable and necessary m aiding in the solution of the silicosis problem, the men at the Hollinger Mine are eared for under a contract medical system. Tlic facilities and service at mine, office and hospital arc most complete ami efficient and in combination with the animal or semi-annual check made hy the medical staff of the Compensation Hoard, health of the workers is under constant supervision. Men who refiort with such conditions as noil-tuberculous or noti-silicotic chest trouble, with focal infection in teeth, tonsils, sinuses, etc., arc singled out and treated ami observed anil where necessary changes in ticcttjintion arc made or rest and vacatiiKi periods advised. At the mine, constant improvements liavc liecn made and at present tlic follow ing is the routine. A worker coming off shift removes all his mining clothing, usually wet. and racks them oil a set of honks attached to a chain and pulley. These wet clothes arc pulled up to a height of 15 to 20 feet and liang thus in a hot, dry