Document 8RaxM29vQp2xq0RxoR1VEQdYk

FILE NAME Kohler KOH DATE 1945 DOC KOH004 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Unpublished Internal Report a ee we ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INDUSHET ALR TI I SEA CTIL ON PLANT SURVEYS The Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene conducted sixty surveys of heelth conditions in the plants of our Group policyholders These consisted of Surveys of now plants as well recheck surveys in plants of a number of sur policyholders which request that we maka those periodic checks to do- zorilne mhat^ eror not any new health hazards have developed and if so how they can be controlled They also wanted to know if the fume and dust con- 8 trol systems installed on our recommandation are efficient meenn The following instances of service may be of interest to show how the em work of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the field of industrial ' hygiene is accepted by management employees and the Divisions of Industrial Hygiene of the State Departments of Health The Bates Manufacturing Company of West Orange R. J. requested a survey of health conditions in their plant because their grievance committee - consist of representatives of management and labor wanted such a survey made to use as a guide in improving conditions in the plant Mr. W. G. Hazard Director of the Industrial Hygiene Division of the --- -- 8 pate Jersey by Department of Health of New a was ordered the War Production Board oe to make an investigation of the plant of the Hanville Corporation at oe ewr. 28 Manville on the basis that there were a number of unhealthy working conditions l 2 | in the plent accounting for a large labor turnover Due to the fact that wa have periodically been surveying this plant Mr. Hazard acked that we make : the survey Our investigations indicated that the: aassbbeestsotsoissiasbsestosihs azard was : adequately controlled and had been for a number of years Mr. Hazard accept- ed our findings and made his report to the Far Production Board The cace was closed hand E of The Ruberoid Company of Gloucester City N. J. also asked for a Te he s eee their plant at the suggestion of Mr. Hazard and our findings were survey accept- ed by the New Jersey State Department The Industrial Hygiene Division of the Department of Health of Alabama was planning to survey the iron ore mines of the Republic Steel Corporation in Birmingham Ala and the Company asked us to make a check of conditions prior to the state's study so that they would have a clean bill of health ' Mr. Dyktor Directoorf the Bureau of Industrial Hygions of the City rn of Cleveland Ohio made a visual survey of the Corrigan plant of the Republic Steel Corporation After learning that the Ketropolitan was super- me vining the plant conditions affecting the health of the employees Mr. Dyktor Ore mewee e ao tae . said that it would not be necessary for his Deportment make a survey The National Carbon Company of the Union Carbide Corporation at Clave- lend Ohio asked the Metropolitan to e nducta survey of their Amalgam Hixing and Drying Department at the time the State Department was conducting an investigation of working conditions However the State Department not have the proper equipment nor the parsounel to take the tests and the 4 Hetropolitan was asked to complete these studies ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1941 of - THE INDUSHET ALTRH I SECATIL ON Se PLANT SURVEYS During the year 1941 30 different industrial plants employing a " approximately 15,706 employees were studied Firms engaged in manufacturing heavy metals and printing plants comprise most of the firms studied this year The industries studied may be classified as follows Netals 40.0 . Printing 40.0 / Chemicals 13.45 Ceramics 3.3 Textiles 3.3 The samples collected necessitated making 1,112 separate analyses in laboratory | number of different substances which affect imfavorably \ the health of exposed workers was detected such as dusts silica lead alcohol | arsonie sine ganister manganese carbon monoxide bensol methyl : carbon tetrachloride etc. It has always been believed that employees in isolated locations in the plants as for instance crane operators were not exposed to gases and fumes at least to concentrations not as high as the workers at the breathing be: leval of the operation However we found that on certain operations whore gas is given off that the crane operator has a higher exposure than those on the floor level especially in connection with the lighter gases which tend to 1 1941 -2- rive to coiling height This was particularly evident in crane operator's cubs over the fired soaking pits in steel mills und over galvanizing pipe operations where the men were exposed to excessive concentrations of zinc and land fumes In addition to the above the plants of three Group policyholders were visited and advice given regarding hazards or medical service Our policyholders have continued to send in for analyses mostly for free and total silion materials constantly used in the plant as for instance bricks used in blast furnaces heating furnaces in steel and iron foundries ns will as abrasive powders used in the plants We have also during the year analyzed materials used in our Home Office buildings Requests for plant surveys and information were received from Group policyholders and others in all lines of industry firms which we have served aret Some of the more important . Chalmers Mfg Co. Milwaukee Wis Combustion Engineering Co. Inc. New York City Union Carbide & Carbon Co. New York City United States Leather Co. New York City Maryland Mines Co. Grass Valley Calif innville Co. New York City Roebuck & Co Chicago Ill Standard 011 Co. of N.J. New York City Armstrong Cork Co. Lancaster Pa Otis Elevator Co. Yonkers N.Y. Metallurgical Co. Alloy W. Va Gan ; Rochester & Electric Co. Rochester N.I. Congoleum Inc. Kearny N.J. Electric Storage Battery Co. _ Philadelphia Pa Clearwater Mfg Co. Clearwater S.C. - Continental Baking Co. New York City Caterpiller Tractor Co. Peoria Ill Chrysler Corp. Monsunto Chemical Co. St. Louis Mo. General Electric Co. New York City St. Josaph Lerid Co. Now York City Wright Corp. Caldwell N.J. General Motors Corp. Ralston Purina Co. St. Louis Mo. Palmoliva Co. Jersey City N.J. Carnegin Corp. Pittsburgh Pa Certain Products Co. New York City New York Employing Printers Assoc Inc. New York City Requests for assistance were received from thirty states of the United States three provinces of Canada from China Santiago Chile and from Honolulu Hawaii Although our budgetary allowance for travel during the year 1941 amounted to 4,000 our actual expenses for travel amounted to 239.67 Our Gross expense for travel amounted to 3,366.85 but credits received from Group policyholders for incidental expenses incurred while in the field amounted to 3,127.18 making an actual expenditure of 239.67 RESEARCH STODIES A method for the determination of aniline was developed in order to determine the exposure of employees in a dye house at a cotton mill insured under a Metropolitan Group plan a One of the large Groups engaged in the manufacture of steel uses bricks of a high amorphous silica content for furnace linings Methods for the defined determination of crystalline free silica are fairly well onas bald et but the oman ns THE INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTION Hee PLAT URVEYS During the year 1942 nearly twice as many surveys were conducted / es in 1941. The number of different industrial plants studied in 1942 was 58 | As compared to 30 in 1941. As in 1941 firms engaged in manufacturing heavy { metals comprise the major part of the studies with ore mines second The industries studied may be classified as follows Metals Ore mines 62.15 15.5 Asbestos . Chemicals 8.6 ' 1.9 Quarries 1.7 Wood 1.7 100.0 i i ' - i The samples collected in the plants necessitated making 1,536 separate analyses in the laboratory Analyses have also been made as in the past of materials shipped to the laboratory from plants of our Group policyholders These tests were mostly for free and total silica A number of materials used in our Home Office buildings has also been analyzed In addition to the above surveys the plants or offices of three policyholders were visited and advice given regarding hazards or medical service Requests for plant surveys and information were received from Group policyholders and others in all lines of industry To give an iden of the varisty -2- 1942 vA of firms which request this service the following are some of the more have served importent firms which we in) Armstrong Cork Company Consolidated Gas Electric Light & Power Co. Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines American Viscose Corp. Idaho Marylend Gold Mines Corp. American Rolling Mill Co. Standard Oil Co. Union Carbide Co. American beating Co. Humble Oil & Refining Co. Tennessee Coal Iron & R.R. Co. Blackwell Zinc Co. Republic Steel Corp. Kohler Co. H rshall Field & Co. Vickers Inc. National Enameling & Stamping Co. Montgomery Ward Co. Bethlehem Steel Co. Pendelton Ship Yards Norfolk & Western Railroad General American Transportation Co. Kimball Piano Co. General Motors Corp. /Ruberoic Cas Continental Bairing Co. Higgins Corp. Atlas Ponder Co. N.Y. Telanhone Co. International Business Machine Corp. Braden Copper Co. Florida Power & Light Co. Lewisburg Chair end Furniture Co. Norton Compeny D.S. Leather Co. Virginia Electric & Power Caterpillar Tructor Co. - Manville Corp. Faker & Taylor Co. Bell Telephone Laboratorie A.P. Green Fire Brick Co. N.Y. Employing Printers Assoc Inc. General Electric Co. Monarch Machine Tool Co. Asbestos Textile Corp. Due to the increased number of requests for plant surveys resulting from the speed up in production due to industry's victory offort more routine work has been loaded upon the laboratory This additional work has left little time for new type research problems The Laboratory staff did design and of centrifugal pump which could operate on A.C. or D.C. , construct current a of 110-220 volts TRAVEL CREDIT . The emount of money expended for travel in the Industrial Health Section during 1942 amounted to 4507.57 However of this amount 4047.63 was paid to us by the Group policyholders for expenses incurred by our men in the field while conducting plant surveys Therefore our total expenditure for travel for the year amounted to 459.94 ee . see . ee ee remem ANNUAL REPORT INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTION 1946 Ment jurveOws The Laboratory of Industrial Ilygione conducted forty surveys of health conditions in the plants of our Group policyholders Although this is a re- duction in the number of plants surveyed last year the individual plants surveyed were larger and employed a greater number of employees Also the nittation of large project - the curveying of approximately one hun- dred and twenty plants of the General Electric Company - as woll s surveys of soverul other companies could not be included in this year's schedule due to the transportation strikes which held up for weeks trunks containing equip- nent and samples collected in the previous surveys A typical plant survey report includes a description of the processes plent construction and layout plant housekeeping and personal facilities discussion of methods of sampling and analyses chemical analyses and other findings of the samples collected and recommendations for control of any health and safety hazards found Attention is also called to safety hazards A section of the report discusses the health hazards found - symptoms taxio concentrations treatment etc. The samples collected in the planta and sent to the Home Office Laboratory necessitated making 2,494 separate analyses Exclusive of such environmental factors as defective illumination inadequate local and general _ ventilation and sanitary defects a total of 42 ^/ifferent substances known ron a ene -2- < - to affect adversely the health of exposed workers wun detected These con- sisted of dunts such as silica which in enema oem Land manganeuo solvents such as carbon by far the most prominent nabontos eS dimilphida bitenchloroihino trichlor ethno trichlorethylene bonzol toluol styl mothyl and butyl acetato nwyl and ethyl acetata noplitha as well as hydrofluario hydrochlorie and sulfuric neids ^ number of new instruments were purchased for the Laboratory during the your in order to facilitate and expedite the survey work and to attain C the best possible accuracy in determining hazardous exposures These are a C mercury vapor detector a sound mater used to determino noise levels and a ^/ull merter for measuring radiant energy ^ ventilation engineer is now available for consultation in planning new entilationand exhaust systems or necessary revisions of those in use Home Office OffiIce nspections The Industrial Health Seation and the Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene has continued to make periodio sanitary and industrial hygiene inspections of the Commissary Division These inspections include methods of preservation of food refrigeration food handling and disposal dish washing vermin con- trol and cleanliness generally The office has also continued to be of assistance in such work opera- tions as paint spraying lead soldaring wolding and other operations where solvents and toxio materials are simployed throughout the building me. 7 19461946 Another paper by Dr. McConnell entitled Summary of Twenty Tri- nitrotoluene Fatalities in World War II appeared in the May 1946 number of the Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Coni rences _ Durin the yeur Dr. Lunza hold sixty conferencon end Dr. McConnell held nighteen in the office with representatives of our Group policyholders and others from health organisations Field Trips Dr. Lance visited the plants of twelve of our Group policyholders and conferred with management regarding nursing service poor aluim experience or other matters of interest Among policyholders visited were the Coming Glass Company the General Electric Company the General Motors Corporation Kenville Company and the American LaFrance Fonmite Company et itetaks ean Dr. Lanza diso sade thirty other field trips Juring the year for the purpose of conferring with the executive staffs of health organisations Government Jurecus universities other insurance companies etc. regarding methods of improving the health of industrial employees Some of the more important of these trips were for the following purposest He had & conference with Dr. Dudley Irwin in Pittsburgh consGIT ing the future sctivities with respect to the aluminum treatmont He visited a number of Group policyholders on the Pacific Coast during the first part of July when he attended the armual mnet- ing of the American Modical Association at San Francisco Surveys conducted by Industrial Hygiene Luboratory ssccssecasenesceses 40 Inclyses made in Laboratory meee te ccccsecessesnseccssenassceeesess cs .2,494 .2,494 Home Office Inspections creveccsvssecsessenrorescssccasvsccacssrsseses 62 Travel Credit PT PPPTPTTTTTTTTTTITITTTIT ETT Special inquiries handled by mail or conference saresesvecsenssrasesens 675 An increase of approximately 125 over 1945 . Literature sent Industrial Health Series .3,684 .3,684 Tublications completaly revised ... Publications slightly revised ssccsescscosoruscccevsvovcscenveconeses Loc lata revised coccccnccccccncsecasscesssessaresoessasoossensoerens 14 Other publications written and published PPPTTPUTTTTTI TTT Conferences in Home Office ccsocccccccseccccacssscssccsucesnenssesene Field visits to Groups .cccccavecscccsosrcccssscssanseessssusenensen? HF ISEOS 36 Other field visits CORR mH ee RO ERASE RECTESEHTESEDEDSSSESOSEHOAGTS Rectings attended by staff Prrrerrerrrrr errr iii ee ede 62 Dr. Langa has bem made a member of the Board of Trustees of the Trudeau Senatorium and Foundation A ventilation engineer is now available in the Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene f^,rconsultation in planning now ventilation and exhaust systems and necessary revisions of those in use To have secured the services of another chemist in the Laboratory The following are a few of the more outstanding research jobs conducted by the Laboratory 2 1941 The Rochester Gas and Electric Compruty nes visited by air Peluiel to pulline pulline end suprivisa e progrum for the study of atmospheric dusta unil gen pollution The compruty is planning to orect a new utrum electrie peuernting alch which will toke about two years to build The Metropolitan i to inuko studies auch season of the year of the normal dust counts uid supervise the stcy of the dust fell and sulfur dioxide concentrations in the City of Lochester before the erection of the plent After completion of the plant and then it is in production we are to supervise check studies to see if the plen 'causes any pollution of the air which will be detrimmtel to the health of people living in the vicinity of the plant The Metropolitan was asked to uo this work by the Rochester Gas Company on the advice of the Republic Steel Corporation for whom similar work has been done A study was made of the possible exposure of employees to hydrogen Uluoride generated by the addition of sodium fluoride to molten steel when pouring rim heat The study mas mado over a prolonged period to dotermino the extent of the exposure of employees before this method of making steal was put into operation Recently a strike was called at the Ford Motor Company due to complaints of employees who had been axposed to the irritating funes of hydrogen fluoride generated at a similar process It is interesting to note that before any new process is developed or any new materials are used in the plants of the Republic Steal Corporation the company requests the metropolitan to make a study to determine the existence of any possible health hazards . Testo more conducted on certain days of the week for three consecutive cuks in the carding room of the Monville Now Jersey plant of the Johns- 3 1946 Maville Corporation to determine the dust pollution that could be expected men eordin and aninning four different mixtures of unbestos and cotton This in enother example of tests being made by the Industrial Hygiene Lubor- story of contemplated processes in the plants of our Group policyholders bo- fore being mit in production to eliminate any potential health hazards In certain areas in the new building Unit 1 the air supplied to the sections is treated with triethylene glycol as a method of air sterilisation We have taken air samples in the sections with the impingers und absorption tubes and made quantitative triethylene glycol determinations Considerable work was done in checank d i adan ptig ng theanalymtetihocd uasl ed By adapting a special filter we were able to use our Electrophotometer in the analytical work in these determinations The results of our study to date indicate that the concentration of triethylene glycol vapors in the atmosphere is not at the optimum quantity and therefore no positive results are indicated nor can they be expected until the tristhylene glycol concentration is increased until it reaches the bactericidal or killing range Peet Corporation Corporation Republic Republic Peet Corporation ENERAL DEE S REPUBLIC BUILDING BUILDING 4 A.J^ IENTHOLTS A.J^ IENTHOLTS A.J^ IENTHOLTS A traTERAL ^ TTERAT w 255 : February 5 1934 Dr. A. J. Lansa Ass't Medical Director Metropolitan Life Insurance Company New York N. Y. oo - a _ / - yf i Dear Dr. Lansa There has been considerable discussion at this office during the past few days as to what position should be taken on the subject of the inclusion of silicosis and other allied diseases in the occu- pational disease schedule of the various compensation acts in order to avoid the threat of common law liability in such matters I would like very much to get an expression from you on this subject wit You of course know my positions positions expressed when you were in the office namely to grant such a concession in Illinois or any other individual state would let down the bars for a flood of siai- lar legislation all over the Country I do not know of one state which has an ccupationaldisease act where there are included dis. quses of this character Your further comments on the subject will be greatly appreciated Very trily yours . ALD ad asae 0" Assistant neral torne Republic Steel Conforti