Document 8OGbDaXxDgmJDwQ7Kyz2YVGXZ

61 29th XationaJ Safety Congress ual acmiv or otherwise, who constitute the "tuoun" zt distinguished frost (fae **rovronnattsT iactor in aeddeat pmoaioo and in dustrial cftdogr and who need appropriate attention. TWr handicap may he merely a loir vis ual acuity incompatible with their ]| may be. however, a lack of depth percep tion; detective color vision, congenital or acquired; deftetiw light sense, or defective indirect virion, and accompanied perhaps by a normal visual acuity. They are to perform certain tasks effectively and be come unsafe in those operations particularly which require speed. Thus, lade of depth perception maha flying and driving any motor vehicle extitnidv hazardous, and the finer mechanical work and artistic and draft* mg work difficult. Defective color vision is aJso a hazard in Byers sad dn'itn and a handicap for irgrohnai #wWut^. and in the chemical industry. Flyers, drivers of motor vtfaidet, sailors, and night wttdum need especially goad light and indirect virion, and photographer* and x-ray uchnidzns find rhrir aliinwi mologists to servos out the defectives and classify than as to oiue. Merely determining the visual acuity and the ---- apphotion of eyesight`testing methods by non-ophthalmologists are not adequate for the purpose. A suites of the exammatrons of ores for compensation in New York City in 1939. from the vantage point of a rather targe uatcria) and a uniform inM of examina tion, is presetted here. As an introduction to it, let os examine the available data as to the eye rapital which the worker brings into industry and the inroads which indnstiy makes on it Both differ widely between couniiies and regions, as to whether they are tndnstrial or agricultural, from the pres ence of endemir <traces such as trachoma. The data also vary with age, due to progress in the art of refraction and correction of its own, in diagnostic methods, and to better nutrition, all fa differat II is to be noted that the dam are in terms of visual acuity Only. Eye Capital of the Worker This group also offers a problem in Work men's Compensation administration. When they meet with an their eyes, they are, m the absence of knowledge of their antedating condition, perforce given the benefit of doobt We must not, bow* ever, exaggerate the extent of their over* In 1925 Collins* figures for New York. Delaware, North Carolina and Maryland, who* analyzed, show male yWwi children of 16 (less defective than younger tnys and grris), with only 10 per cent fully corrected for errors, as follows: compenratioo. It is balanced moreover by 20/20 in cither eye, 70 per cent. the undercompensation of a considerable element endowed originally with a visual acuity of 20/15 or even of 20/10 for whose loss, when they meet with an reduc Less than 20/20 fa one eye. I(L7 per pm*, Ln* than 20/20 fa either eye, Mt pr cent. ing their vision to 20/20, there is rarely pro Serious defects in the last two group* vision under the law. This is obviously not combined. 8 per f*it the best land of justice. la 1939 an analysis by 0f It is clearly the dtuv of Labor. Industry. State Departments of Labor and other State Acoact to take cngnirairce of this group 920 visual acuity of children m Chicago. 7*19, to scrcoi out de fectives. shews the followh^: of defectives and, for snedicolqgal Justice of 20/20 in ether eye. 66 per cent the supemormak, and to come to tier re* lief. Our knowledge of the real the of the two groups, and of the frequency distribo* tion of the causes of detective eyesight u Less than 20/20 in one eye, 22 per cent Less than 20/20 in citha eye, 10 per cent. the industrial population, is incomplete The Alkmfag for a large proportion of defec National Safely Council is at present *tin- tive eyesight oorrectible to noma) by riflaq to estimate eye injuries m occupa* glasses; of other defectives not entering fa- tienal accidents without farther study.** Svh dustzy of (her own choice; and of still knowledge, necessary for proper vocational other* rejected by industry, the ^e guidance and advice can be secured, with* which the worker brings into industry must oot great expose, by the routine examina be considerably better than 70 per cent good tion of the industrial population by ophthal eyesight Uve Protection 65 Hew York State Figures Average* Fur Blind J925-30................ .............. 1930-34................ ............... 1934-39................ .............. In !.*................ 8 9 8 l^rmaneat Partial* 766 574 520 467 Temporary Disability 2189 1930 1265 1190 Permanent Eye Disabilities % of All Permanent Dbatrimy I.MSJ 1.7k 2.24'3 The Present Situation Mind Hast Annual................................... 240 Present............... 80 Annual or on Basts of workers.................... 4 IV Million * |wMf> osibimi bUwtao*. Permanent Partial* 15.600 5.200 200 Per Million Temporary Disability 37,950 12.650 632 Per Maino Total fa Bound Figures 54,000 18.000 900 Her Million In 1928 McAoliffe reports delects, stane correctiblc, among 5000, 20l5 per entt. (n 1929 a New York Carnal Lines survey finds defective. 20 per cot In 1933 Murray among miners finds de fect*. some leuciiibk 2L3 pm cent In 19137 Barney among 15.000, in Chicago found defects. Id per cent Illiteracy among thr aiuo> is stated to account for the higher figure, and a rigorous srimion by industry amor the depression prolahly accounts for the lower figure. Ramey moreover tuo.ct.ded in correcting to normal more than half of the defectives and in improving some of the others. True de fective eyesight for Chicago today among workers should he accordingly nut over O per cent. With doe allowance for both the depres sion and increase of population, the eye coll has been redoccd to h h If years. Available fragmentary figuics for the vest of the cemmy inflate a reduction to about one-third for the past three deoda. Multi plying the New York Stale Figures by 10, one can visualize the pan and indent situa tion. See table. The Present Situation.** The foQowmg summary of Hew York Gtv Eye Examinations for 1939 iodudea (or accidents occurring m 1938 as well as in earlier part of 1939, hence does sot cover the same material necessarily shown in the New York State table. of * aiinwjl'iwtl (1 and Jfi per person)...............................................BH Number of pmsons (7% females; 495 old cases reexamined).....................2663 Persona ecammed for first time 1509 mhject to reexanmatioa).....................2166 A. Persons with normal visual acuity fa cither eye...............................................IW B. Pertoos with subnormal visual acuity * one or either.............................. 8 C Persons wish permanent partial or iwi defects............. 440 (Xoa-opgipenoHc defectives among uninjured eyes ............................ 17 per cent D. Persons with uuo-cmnpentable pre- ....................... 388 (Constitutes in rdfaoa to group "A.** defective group of.....................22jd per can The distribution in Rainey's study is upon amfytis somewhat as foDons: Dccbpmeut, 49%; Injuries, 6%: and Systemic, 43%. From the data available for the country as a whole it appears that the potential in-