Document 8Rg7oEaRaayMz9jno4d6ZJxNZ

FILE NAME: Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) DATE: 1945 DOC#: MSA013 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Excerpt from MSA Booklet on Dust and Fumes in Industry \ \ in Industry me as that :k, metals, , or wood, ltra-microee that the fraction of inch). The jcesses are anic dusts, ire formed i sublima n industry ich typical is usually ontrast to sple erronmaterials, unants en ver various asses which or pulver- dusts are .... 3ut organic .... " Iten metals r d in indusgreatly in o fumes of > from the Incidence and Etiology It is to be borne in mind that metals may produce both dusts and fumes, according to the nature of the operation and the state of the materials when processed. For example, among the heavy metals such as lead, dust may be of equal or greater etiologic importance with fumes -- other mineral dusts and metallic dusts also are considered of etiological importance, as the following outline will show: I. Organic dusts: 1. Non-living organic dusts: (a) Toxic and/or irritant dusts; " (Various organic compounds such as trinitrotoluene, mercury ful minate, tetryl)." (b) allergy-producing dusts (woods, pollens, and the like). 2. Living organic dusts: (a) bacteria (b) fungi II. Inorganic dusts: (mineral dusts) (a) toxic and/or irritant dusts; (mainly the dusts from heavy metals and their salts, such as arsenic, lead, manganese.) (b) fibrosis-producing dusts, (examples are free silica and asbestos). (c) non-fibrosis-producing dusts; (the so-called inert dusts, such as ^alundum, xorundum, emery, lime- stone, magnesite, marble, plaster-of-paris, and polisher's rouge).* - .... The m ost important of the non-metallic, inorganic mineral dusts is free silica, which produces silicosis, if breathed In suffi cient quantities over a long period of time. Free silica dust and * This classification Is in accordance with the present state of knowledge. "Future studies and fcperience will probably show some of tbe so*called inert or nuisance dusts to be harmful. <3 ^ \ \ in Industry ich produce lusts -- sili- h as various an produce of minerals mixtures of as gypsum, against the ons of free als present f free silica. he etiology exposure to posure and ~ely means ilth hazard; ermined by :he amount 1 standards mes. Many rad hazard, being made contention ag environ- mes in the ;d for such ance of air the pathought about ds and mainstance, of an, namely . No dusts, deal condi- General Diagnostic Methods tions from skin absorption, and it is doubtful that any kind of true fume is absorbed by the skin. From the etiologic point o f view, particularly with reference to pathologic effects, the following outline shows how different types of substances (among the dusts and fumes) act on various systems in the body to produce pathological effects: 1. General systemic poisoning: Examples: Arsenic, lead, manganese, mercury. 2. Substances acting on the circulatory system: Examples: Arsenic, lead, mercury, vanadium. 3. Substances acting on the respiratory system: Examples: Asbestos, free silica. 4. Substances acting on the gastro-intestinal system: Examples: Antimony, cadmium, lead, mercury, zinc. 5. Substances acting on the skeleton and joints: Examples: Lead, mercury, mesothorium, phosphorus, radium. 6. Substances acting on organs of special sense: Examples: Arsenic, lead, manganese, mercury. 7. Substances acting as feta l poisons: Examples: Lead, mercury. 8. Substances acting on the genito-urinary system: Examples: Arsenic, lead, mercury, vanadium. 9. Substances acting on the brain and nervous system: ........ Examples: Arsenic, lead, manganese. ------- ------- ........ ....G e n e r a l D ia gn os t ic M ethods The accurate diagnosis o f pathological conditions arising from the inhalation of industrial dusts and fumes has tremendous economic significance and also it is o f medicolegal importance. Moreover, it is impossible to understand how proper and effica- <] 5 I>