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Volume 34, Number 5 Contents`for NOVEMBER, 1936 fbf Pri->i<lent`s Address--Cassius H. Watson. M.D.............................11 j;fw Rules for the Game of Life--Hon. Harold G. Hoffman............13 fanning Safety for Tomorrow's Railroads--Ralph Buthl.............. 14 Jfew Jersey Salutes Safety--Carman T. Fish.......................................16 Officers of the National Safety. Council, 1936-37 .............................. 20 potion Study Is Safety's Partner--William R. Mullee..................... 22 '^Detroit's Drive for Safer Driving---C. F. Scheer................................ 25 |l/tf Handling Means Fewer Injuries--P. H. Hunter........................27 National Safety Council Officers, 1936-37 Cassius H. Watson, M. D. President 1). I). KeKNitL, Vice-President for Pub lic Relations Hast . Frsuca. M. D., Vice-President /or Health John B. Giasox. Vice-President for Safety Councils Kim. Havoc* G. Homean. Vice-Presi dent for Public Safety Aum S. Jlscvu. Vice-President for Enflneerini A. V. Ronwcdcr. Vice-President for In dustrial Safety n. T. Soleneten, Vice - President for Membership ALaser W. Whitney. Vice-President for Education William E. Worm, Vice-President for Finance and Treasure W, H. Cameron, Maaagloe Director {Hard at the Congress..............................................................................30 ?iHunting We Will Go.!.......................................................................... 32 tXewer Known Facts About Occupational Diseases-- [ Robert B. Hunt, M.D...........................................................................34 f Jerrosilicon--Industrial Data SheetD-Chem. 20.................................38 Did You See It at the Exhibit?--C. H. Miller.....................................52 Trophy Winners in Sectional Contests.................................................58 Executive Committee Members at Large Thk Awn Omni and: Rinu S. Bnrnumii, The American city Kaaav Gtnuorr. The Pallmen Co. tad Surety Co. Haaar GcilwSt, The Pullman Co. WitUAM G. Knocuc. Milwaukee Saf.ty Commlulon Ebwabb J. Mdun, Portland Casual Awl I. W. Viuaao. Industrial Glove* Corp. Haaoud L. Kindi. E. L duPont d Nrmoor, a Co. Gaoaca E. Santos., General Electric Co. C. W. Smith. Standard Oil Co. (Ind.l Sectional Officers......................................................................................62 REGULAR DEPARTMENTS Editorial .......................................... 9 Managing Director's Page ... 10 Safety Exchange .......................31 'dwtrial Health............................... 34 '^e Bulletin Board ........................... 40 Instruction Cards.................. 48 The Safety Library........................... 64 Asked and Answered .......................66 Personals ..............................................73 Coming Events................................... 77 The Honor Roll................................. 89 With the Manufacturer.................. 90 ^UN T. FISH, Editor 8- KERSHAW, Peer Editor C. F. SCHEER, Associate Editor C. H. MILLER. Advertising Manager Vnnar. 1111 b. National StfaO I'otmell. >` ,i'nH*i.**'1*' hp.oKnaimPfrf*O *4t4 irewnri -cl 44IU4 ..m*llr**orer 4 * M*ro J. Il7f. AdslIUanaJ entry..*l SL Zjr** Wien f-r tnn iubtmKJ*M t* ** * t*--- ECTT u MM txr rf. S4l* KaeSuert susmitT prten foe T*%rlJ n Krtpnoaa *n<1 atMU Wn * r**ueL 8utNCf1tKln are ftilabk* only bit at iN* .National Ba/aty C**ndl. Mtttbvr Audit Bwrtta N Clr.^tUtlan. . TUT^ausana* la HwlctM ia tb* ladiMtrUl Ana X*da. RtatpMnta and *WAi*e *4tsnreri In aln*d artKle* are lodmdwat muni*#* rf tuttr author*. not tho* M tf<# .Vatleal 8*f*ty Council I.17IM r*rlo* nf (kla iaatir werf Rrlate<t. v_r National Safety Council, Inc ?n Nj/s*i. VC/.^L^. n.:.,,. ___ lira Safety Council Representatives Roust R. Wallace. Woreeater Safety Connell Wains Dint Smith. Delaware Safety Council Ca.t L. Smith, Clereland Safety Connell E. 1. Often*. Js. Louisville Safety Connell R. a Fostotn, Lehigh Valley Safm Connell W. J. Munux. Chippewa County Safety 1 Connell ' [ Sectional Representatives 4. Adams. Paper and Pulp C. M. Allen, Metals c W. Dcmmlxt. Food C. \V. fVtMs. Minins : E. C. Holdrn. Jr.. Marine Harrt J. Keujey. Wood Product* n. U Royer. ASSE-EwUneem* Past Presidents Itoanr W. CAMratLL 1,RW R, PiUCtt Charles P. Tolman ARTMVR H. Yo*N Mascus A. Dow I.RWfS A. PlflLOIS Carl H. Auel Charles I). Scorr \Valt Cs. Kinc Lt.-Cou Henry A. Brninciy C. Eucens PrrnaoNs Carl W. Hunsqihet i James l. Hanasm John E. Lonc ! Honorary Members antCRT W. CAMEifLL P-NSC-33 n it sTr & -* QjyiujJjtmL epartment for Physicians and Laymen Lesser Known Facts About Occupational Diseases By ROBERT B. HUNT, M.D. America* Mutual Ltablllta Insurance Company ROBABLY the leader in the pa the discomfort now produced by in P rade of industrial diseases is an acute or chrome inflammation of dustrial dermatitis. the skin which we call dermatitis. TMhiestals disease may present itself in any type of shop, factory or foundry. Any paste, powder, gas or liquid which comes in contact with the employee's skin, even the water supplied by the town in which he lives or works, may be the potential cause of such a skin disturbance. The wide diversity of causes, to gether with the varying susceptibility of different individuals, makes the problem of control difficult. Much investigation is under way to determine why one person may be sus ceptible to a certain substance while an other is not. It has been proved many times that a poisonous substance formed within the body has been able to prolong the action started by some external in fluence. A printer developed a marked dermatitis from ink which persisted for two years. Finally food Tests were made and showed that be was susceptible to lettuce. Removing this from his diet cleared the skin. He returned to his usuaL.'vrcvpction *i:bcuc a return oi symptoms. The poisoning of allergic substances is usually aa accumulative process. It takes time to produce a manifestation of disease, but let any other substance cause the disease, and the irritating food Leas: The distribution of lead poisoning is quite extensive. The skin of the body is a protective covering, and as long as it remains in tact it does a good job except in the case of tetraethyl lead, which is used in blending gasoline and which is readQy absorbed through the skin, having a tendency to create changes in the nerv ous system. The effect of other forms of lead, through that avenue of entrance, is practically nil, which explains the ex tremely low poisoning rate in typeset ters, painters and others who continually come in contact with metallic lead. Lead in any form, introduced through the mouth, acts rather slowly when com pared with the inhalation of lead dust or fumes. However, no matter what the portal of entry may be, lead is acted upon by the body fluids and so con verted that it may eventually be de posited within the bones. Those bony safe deposit vaults may retain their lead contents for days or for years, and if the exposure is removed, may also free the employee of all signs and symptoms of lead poisoning. But imagine the surprise of that supposedly cured person when years later, perhaps following some type of infectious disease may be of sufficient strength to mag or the excessive use of alcoholic bever nify its action. ages, he awakes to find that he suffers All cases of dermatitis cannot be the aches and pains and paralyses of an cured by eliminating offending foods, acute lead poisoning. As the body fluids but further investigation along these alter lead that it may be deposited, so lines may give us a clue with which to may those fluids attempt to de-lead the lessf-n the loss of time from work and bndv. and too mnid nhcornffnn mn\* nro. duce the original disease with all its (]is. comforts. One can readily see, then, that in somt cases investigation of previous occupa tions is quite necessary to determine the original contact with lead. Heating of molten lead causes a black scum-of lead suboxide to form on it; surface, and the heat from the metai disburses the fine powder into the air. Hence, in the process of smelting ores such as zinc, copper and silver, mixed with lead, we find a rather high lead poisoning rate. Those engaged in the manufacture of lead wire and cables, batteries, glass, pottery and rubber industries, plumber and users of dry colors offer their share of lead poisoning cases. Probably the greatest source of lead poisoning may be found among those who sandpaper, scrape, chip or burn lead paint, for the dust and fumes caused by those activities are rather rapid in their action. Such workers may become in capacitated in a few days because the inhalation of lead dust causes the maxi mum amount of absorption into the blood stream in the minimum space of time. Chromium: Chromium is a metal widely used as a foundation for colors, and dusts from its various salts may produce lesions of the skin and mucous membranes of the nose. Chromium plat ing by electrolysis may cause fume* which are similarly irritating. Although ^ chromium poisoning does not " usually cause death, the number of days of ab sence from work on account of ^ca pacity which it causes is gradual;- ,n' creasing. Other Metals: The most efficteo' portals of entry of foreign substanc^ into the body are the nose and mul ^ The smaller the dust (the size of srno'-particles for example, the greater t f speed of absorption by the blood. FunlfT from hot metals carry not only P0*1* `_ but numerous minute dust part1'- *V* uioa. 'j '. .......... electric cutting and welding. When men are so employed over a prolonged period of time, the constant inhalation of fumes and dust might pro duce symptoms of the metal upon which they work. In the shipbuilding trade, particularly in the construction of metal ships, we find occasional cases of metal- fume fever. "Brass chills" and "spelter shakes" from zinc are names applied by tbe lay people to-such diseases.- The ter rific heat applied to some of our com mon metals and alloys by acetylene torches produces sufficient fumes to cause a temporary incapacity in 24 hours. Permanent disability from such causes is rare, however. Diseases Due to Dust Twenty-five per cent of all workers exposed to high concentrations of inor ganic dust are expected to develop changes within their lungs due to that agency. We are at a loss to explain why the other 75 per cent are not so affected. Mining, quarrying, foundry work, grinding, sandblasting, abrasive soap manufacturing, asbestos work, the mak ing of emery and carborundum products and many other occupations offer op portunities for employees to inhale mic roscopic dust particles and create a foundation for possible future inca pacity. We are interested particularly in those men who work with sandstone, quartz, flint, granite, and sand, because they expose themselves to silica, and the chemical changes between that dust and the body fluids, in the presence of tuber culosis, may and usually do lead to a fatal ending. It is safe to say, in light of our present knowledge, that the action of other in organic dusts is much less virulent and incapacitating. That, however, does not allow us to lower the vigilant methods to improve dust control and protect em ployees, because all dusty occupations are'ptriehual trouble makers!-' Althoueh the actions of various dusts differ within the body, the exposure to asbestos fibres, present in the weaving and grinding of dry asbestos material, offers another type of dust which may cause fatalities among workers. ^Hie organic dusts from cotton, silk, wool, tobacco, flour and similar sub stances are practically harmless. Such dusts rarely reach the lungs but may cause irritation of the windpipe and larger air tubes and result at the most in a mild bronchitis. mind, particularly when dealing with silicosis and nsbestosis, relates to the progression of such disease. When changes occur within the lungs as n re sult of the presence of such dusts, nature forms scar tissue to heal such lesions but may fail to stop when the job is finished. As a result, the continuation of that healing process may lead to such structural changes within the lungs that partial or total Incapacity may follow months or years after the employee has been removed from his dusty occupa tion. Benzol-Benzene Benzol is a distillate of coal tar used extensively in industry. It is an essentrial ingredient in the manufacture of explosives. It is an excellent solvent for grease, oils and cements, and because of that property it is important in many phases of the rubber and cleaning indus tries. In the manufacture of shoes ben zol may be an ingredient of the dressing applied to the leather and of the cement which fastens the heels and soles. Not only in the shoe trade but in other branches of industry where employees work with gummy, sticky material, the workers soon leam of the solvent and cleansing action of this liquid and use it freely for that purpose upon them selves. The subsequent outbreak of skin afflictions may be the first indication of such unauthorized use. Benzol is extremely poisonous, enter ing either through the nose or mouth or absorbed through the skin. Its action within the body is varied and may pro duce a multitude of signs and symptoms. The bone marrow becomes affected which in turn alters the character of the blood; hemorrhages are common; it may cause death. The fumes from benzol are heavier than air and lie near the floor, which is an important point in the engineering problem of ventilation. The members of the benzene group are absorbed through the skin, and more cases of poisoning are found when men perspire than when their bodies are cool. I'robabiy the answer to that is that the fumes may solidify as they cool and the powder may settle on the skin. The sweat on the body may dissolve this dust so that it is more readily absorbed through the increased surface blood supply. Chlorinated Hydrocarbons This group of petroleum derivatives has hren known to science for ve.ars hut the industrial field has been widely dis. tributed and most important. Led bv carbon tetrachloride and its chemicallv associated members, it has furnished in. dustry with refrigerants, excellent solvents for rubber, wax, oil and grease thinners for lacquers and a very f;ne household necessity for the removal of spots from clothes. Hospitals have been using it more and more for the removal of adhesive plaster. . Due to the non-flammability of car bon tetrachloride, it is used in fire ex tinguishers. The rapid evaporation pro duces fumes which may smother a small blaze, but we must not forget that ex cessive heat of the actual fire may bring about combustion sufficient to produce such by-products as hydrochloric acid and phosgene gas . Like its associated member, choloroform, it may produce sleep when inhaled by an individual, and only 1/350 of an ounce in a quart of air is necessary to produce such action. That thought must be remembered when .i large quantity of those liquid products is spilled on the floor, perhaps accidentally. Action should be started at once before the liquid gasifies, and employes should be notified to keep their heads up to avoid the low ceiling of gas. Chemists have developed and intro duced to industry many new products, the basis of which is the chlorinated hy drocarbons. These derivatives of petro leum distillation are frequently combined with those from coal tar to form valua ble chemical combinations. They have been placed on the market so rapidly that medical science has been unable to determine their physiological effect upon the health of man. We have known that some of these chemicals are capable of creating changes in the liver, and omy recently in a city in Massachusetts one of these newer products caused the death of two employees and a battle to retain life among two others. Carbon Monoxide You remember the-adage:1- "Wherethere is smoke, there is fire." Wc niighi add to that, "Where there is fire the.-'carbon monoxide." This odorless but poisonous ens "'a.' occur in any industry or in any home but the poorer the ventilation the better the chance of producing physical in capacity. Since the advent of the motor ^'r whose exhaust pipe may pour forth ae high as six per cent of carbon mono.'ide, we are all exposed to that it's ticularly in crowded cities. The ,,r",n u*/ passenger car iiuciuico ulkjui iu cubic feet per minute, and one can readily estimate the physical damage that may be done if such a motor is allowed to run within the doors of a poorly ven'ilated garage or shop. For F1/ erros ili con/ a.. , r tunately, serious cases of such poison ing are not common among those em Industrial Data Sheet D-Chem. 20 / ployed in public garages, but many em ployes are likely to complain of head ache and faintness at the end of a day's work, especially in colder weather when doors and windows remain closed. In the steel industry, where gas is used as the beating agency in the blast furnaces, care must be taken to provide proper ventilation. Within the mines, workers are warned to allow enough A. Problem 1. What are the hazards of ferrosilicon and what precautions are necessary in its use? B. Hazards 2. The principal hazard is that of poisoning by inhalation of the gases that ized by general and abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hemor rhages, loss- of consciousness, dilated pupils, cold clammy perspiration and coma. Cases of poisoning have beer, mistaken for cholera, gastro-enteritis. ptomaine poisoning, pneumonia and in fluenza. time following blasts for the escape of may be given off, especially in the First Aid this gas. presence of moisture. 6. When a person displays any Infection C. Discussion symptoms of poisoning because of the inhalation of the poisonous gases lib The skin is a protective covering of the body against infection and is ex tremely efficient as long as it remain in tact, but allowing it to be broken or punc tured introduces bacteria, and a battle ensues between the offensive agencies of infection and the defensive powers of the body. The winner of such a struggle may determine the presence or absence of incapacity. Infections are common throughout industry, but two types are particularly prominent--infection re sulting from anthrax and infection among meat packers and fishermen. Many of our fur, hair or wool- covered animals may contract anthrax. The germs of that disease defy the ordinary methods of sterilization and may linger on hides, bristles or hairs for long periods of time. Tanners, wool sorters, and hair or bristle workers may introduce the anthrax spore beneath their skin and undergo much physical suffering and sometimes death. Infections are frequently found among meat and fish packers and those engaged in deep sea fishing. Although death rarely occurs, the loss of fingers, hands and nasty septic wounds are the result. Summary I feel that the time has come when an employer must demand of a manufac turer the answers to two questions: 1. How will your product affect my Hum- IIO! ? 2. How will yout product affect tlic health of my employee* ? That employer is entitled to honest answers based upon sufficient chemical and physiological examinations of the questionable product. Too many lives have been lost or jeopardized by too little knowledge of a product's action i. -- _i-- ; 3. Ferrosilicon is prepared by melting erated by ferrosilicon, he should be iron ore or steel shavings with coal or promptly removed to the fresh air and. coke and ganister or quartz at a temper if conscious, be given a mild alkali drink. ature of about 2,000 degrees centigrade If unconscious, the prone pressure (3,632 degrees Fahrenheit) in an elec method of artificial respiration should tric furnace. In making steel, ferrosili be started immediately after the patient con is used for removing objectionable has been removed to the fresh air. In gases and oxides and also as an alloying all cases of poisoning the services of a element When alloyed with cast iron, doctor should be promptly obtained. it affects the carbides and renders the iron soft and gray. More concentrated silicon alloys are sometimes used in cer tain processes for making hydrogen gas and in the manufacture of explosives. Precautions 7. Ferrosilicon should be stored away from such places as offices and work rooms or living quarters of any descrip tion. 4. The hazard in connection with fer 8. All buildings in which ferrosilicon rosilicon results from very small percent is stored should be well ventilated and ages of phosphorus together with other dry. (See Note X.) Ordinarily, in an elements which may be present as im open factory building the natural venti purities originating in the raw materials lation through monitors in the roof or used. In the presence of moisture the through windows is sufficient if the fer- phosphorus compounds react to form rosSicou is kept dry. phosphorated hydrogen or phosphine. 9. If men are required to handle wei This is a gas which in sufficient quanti ferrosilicon in a confined space, artificial ties is decidedly poisonous. It has a ventilation should be provided. strong and distinctive odor somewhat re 10. In case phosphine has been al sembling garlic so that its presence can lowed to accumulate in a closely con be readily recognized. The stability of fined space such as a dosed room or box ferrosilicon depends upon its silicon con car, so that a strong odor of the gas tent, grades below 48 percent and above noticeable, no one, unless he is wearing 65 percent being entirely stable and a suitable gas mask-oi"fresh air hose- ferrosilicon in these ranges does not mask, should be allowed to enter the give off any appreciable quantities of room until it has been thoroughly ven*:- phosphine, even in the presence of lated. (See Note Y.) moisture. It is, therefore, only in the intermediate range between 48 percent and 65 percent that there is any appre ciable hazard. Symptoms of Poisoning NOTE X. Detailed Information on tlon will he found In National Safety Count'1 Safe Practice* Pamphlet No. 37 "fodutr*' Ventilation.* NOTE Y. Detailed Information a fresh hote mask* will be found In National . Council Safe Practice* Pamphlet No. '* '`Rhnlfilflr*, Cat Masks. Hose Mask* *n I'.rnlhllHt Apparatus.** 5. When a person has breathed poison ous gases -liberated from ferrosilicon. the symptoms of poisoning usually de National Safety Council, Inc. 20 North Wacker Drive _ velop quire tmlilenly anil are rharncrer- Chicago, III.