Document 8VkMq9JZNnVZLJV3NbgLgEeed

FILE NAME: TILO (TIL) DATE: 1936 Dec DOC#: TIL008 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: CT Health Bulletin - Control of Dust Exposures CT Connecticut H ealth Bulletin **For a C lean S ta te a n d a H e a lt h y P eo p le " Vol. 50 December, 1936 No. 12 SPECIAL ARTICLES Progress R eport of B ureau o f M ental Hy giene Water W orks Emergencies Control o f D ust E xposures in C onnecticu t I Populations, State, Counties a n d Tow ns as of July, 1936 Lead Poisoning from D rin k in g W a te r Broadcasting Schedule for 1936-1937 Clinical T h erm om eters L e g a l fo r Sale in Connecticut Undulant F ever C ontracted F a r A w ay From Home Control o f H e a lth H a z a rd s F ro m O rganic Solvents Evaluation of Srodiagnostic Tests for Syphilis Index of V olum e 50, 1936, M o n th ly H ealth Bulletin Stanley H. Osborn, M. 0 -, C. P. H,, Commissioner Issued Monthly by the State Department of Health HARTFORD 1e0ty4 CONTROL OF DUST EXPOSURES IN CONNECTICUT up Albert S. Gray, M. D. 1 atj Exposureto dust of the type which produces pneumoconiosis presents dth themost serious single occupational disease hazard in the state. The :6fs Bureauof Occupational Diseases, early in its existence, classified Con- 5 iieetieut industry and listed the potential health hazards which may jjj, occurineach. Of the 96 industrial classifications, 41 were found to in- 'ec- dudesuch dust exposures. the Based on a general knowledge of th e dust problem, surveys were lies conducted in plants presenting the most important problems in point iafe ofseverity and of number of workers exposed. Dust determinations iirs weremade of operations and equipment which contributed to the dust ers. content of the working environment. From this work much fundaios 1 mental information was obtained on th e dust exposures in the in- i tetries of the state, and dust control measures were instituted where. ted necessary. file Factors in P neum oconiosis iff- Foarfactors determine whether a dust exposure may produce pneu moconiosis: (1) the particle size, (2) the composition of the dust, bothchemical and mmeralogical, (3) th e concentration of th e dust in theair, and (4) the duration of exposure. ere Inorderfor dust to enter the inner recesses of the lungs and produce !of thisdisease, it must be smaller than 10 microns (1/2500 inch) in its ble longest dimension. In fact, most of th e dust found in the alveoli of . of thelungs is less than 5 microns in size, though asbestos dust seems to led bean exception as fibers even 300 microns in length penetrate into the & portion of the lungs. eat Thedust which causes development of silicosis, a type of pneumo- it the wftsis, on shortest exposure is th at containing high percentages of fhe fee silica in the form of quartz. A num ber of exceptionally rapid asseshaveresulted where alkaline dust has been mixed with th e quartz, nsi- kt this is a comparatively limited exposure. Certain other types of or duststhan those of high free silica content may cause fibrosis of sufifent extent to lead to disability. Asbestos, which contains but tittle 1th ins feesilica, is an example of such a dust. the Ingeneral, the concentration of dust necessary to cause silicosis is dependent upon its content of free silica. Extensive investigations of heeffect of various concentrations of granite dust, for example, indi*atethatthis dust hazard is well under control if the atmospheric con- mirationis less than 9 million particles p er cubic foot. Theduration of exposure required to produce disabling silicosis de fendsonthe type of dust and the concentration breathed. It usually ires several years even under the most severe conditions. Todetermine the extent of potential dust hazards in the causation of silicosis, these four factors must be considered. This requires more las cursory inspection. Furthermore, control measures which are to Winstituted must be based both on a general knowledge of these four tasteand on specific information concerning them found at the par- `feiar operation or plant being investigated. 803 Dust Survey* By the Bureau During the last few years, the dust problem has assumed such impor tance that the dust control activities of the bureau have greatly in creased. As an indication of the diversity of dust exposures investigated by the bureau, fifty-four different types of industries or operations have been surveyed. In the fiscal year ending June 1936, in addition to the many demands placed on the bureau for a wide variety of services in relation to haz ardous conditions in industry, some eighty-three surveys were made of dust exposures alone. In the present year, with somewhat augmented personnel, the number of dust surveys will be more than doubled. The survey of the foundry industry in the state which is at present in progress is an example of the operating procedure of the bureau. Briefly, the bureau first conducted a number of complete studies of foundry dust conditions in order to become thoroughly familiar with the extent of the dust exposures presented by specific operations and types of equipment. The conduct of such studies has been extended over the last three or four years. Plans were then made for a complete survey of the entire foundry industry. A list was compiled of all foundries in the state, both those operating as the principal part of the business and also those which are merely one department in connection with other manufacturing operations. Forms were prepared containing items on materials, equip ment, operations and general conditions which contributed to the dust exposure. This form was predicated upon an extensive knowledge of the industry and its dust problem. Since dust control in the foundry industry is primarily a matter of provision of dust collection equipment, institution of good house-keep ing measures, provision of adequate ventilation, affording proper re spiratory protection and the like-- all measures which come under the responsibility of management--, it was considered desirable to discuss the bureau's program with the foundrymen of the state. The three-fold purpose of this survey was outlined before a meeting!, of this group as follows: (1) to obtain complete information of dust conditions in this industry, (2) to conduct an intensive educational program concerning the dust problem, and (3) to control the dust conditions which present health hazards. At the present time more than half the foundries of the state have been completely surveyed. In addition to obtaining the facts included in the survey form, the representatives of this bureau have thoroughly discussed the silicosis problem a t each of the foundries surveyed and have pointed out those excessive dust exposures which are evident on general observation. Recommendations for control of such conditions are presented at the time of the survey. At the conclusion of the foundry survey the facts secured will be used for the development of adequate control measures. The most practicable control measures for each individual operation can then be applied to the end that the dust problem in this industry will be met as rapidly and economically as possible. It is an encouraging note that even before the completion of this survey, there is much activity among the foundries in clearing up dusty conditions which have been disclosed during the course of the survey. 304 In addition to necessary investigations of health hazards in particular plants which th e bureau must conduct as a part of its regular program, surveys of other entire industries involving dust exposures will be un dertaken. It is anticipated th a t such an orderly, well balanced pro cedure will continue to be effective in the further control of dust prob lems encountered in Connecticut. POPULATIONS STATE, COUNTIES AND TOWNS, , AS OF JULY 1, 1936 For many years the so-called "Arithmetic Method" has been used in Con necticut for estimating the population. This method assumes that any in crease or decrease between two census dates, reduced to an annual increase i or decrease, is projected forward by the annual amount from year to year ' until the next census. This is called "extrapolation". , This is the method finally decided upon for estimating the populations for 1936; but as another method of estimation has been studied, and which 1 yielded some interesting results, a brief discussion of this other method is j given. According to legislation passed at the 1935 session of the General Assem1 blyrelating to assistance for the aged, a list of all persons between the ages oftwenty-one and sixty, inclusive, residing in each town on the first day of ' October, shall be prepared each year and lodged in the office of the town clerk. These lists, and the numbers indicated thereby, were studied as a method of population estimation. The procedure is described below for the state as a whole. 1930 Census, April 1, Connecticut Total Population Ages 21-60 . Age Group 21-60, as Per Cent of Total . 1,606,903 834.222 51.9149 It is now assumed that this per cent has remained constant since 1930 I andis true in 1935. Referring now to the numbers reported in the tax lists, ; this number was 894,231. This number is 51.9149 per cent of 1,722,494, ; which might be considered as the population estimate not for 1935, but for i 1936, as the tax lists for 1985 receive additions up to April, 1936. The arithmetic method gives 1,722,797 as the estimated population for 1935. This is only 303 more than the tax list enumeration. It remains to show whythis should be carried over as the 1936 estimate. After the census of 1920 was taken, it was necessary to estimate popu lations up to 1930. When the census of 1930 was taken it was a simple natter to discover the error in the estimate. The table below sets this forth: E stim a te d P opulations, 1920-1930, as of July 1, in E ach Y ear A nnual Increase 1926 1927 j 1928 ! 1929 1930 S u b tract tw o annual increases 27.439 1,558,996 1,586,435 1,613,874 1,641,313 1,668,752 54,878 1,613,874 Actual census of 1930, as of July 1, 1930, 1,613,422. 305