Document EoBp4QKjpXNXZ2g7KV0GLk1x

FILE NAME: Amoco (AMOC) DATE: 1936 DOC#: AMOC002 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NSC Article - Lesser Known Facts About Occupational Diseases a n d n d u s t^ ^ ^ F l A "* Volume 34, Number ,-r --cris ror NOVEMBER, 1936 Uc " * I ^ prr-ident's Address-- Cassius H. Watson. M.D...............................11 t Vrw Rules lor the Game of Life-- Ho;:. Harold G. Hofjman . . . . . 13 afety for Tom orrow 's Railroads-- Ralph B u d d ............... 14 Ncv Jersey Salutes Safety-- Cerm-wm T. F i s h ......................................... 16 Qgcere of the National Safely Council. 1936-37 ................................ 20 potion Study Is Safety's P a rtn e r-- W illiam R. M u lie e ...................... 22 '^Detroit's Drive for Safer D riving-- C. F. S c h e e r .................................. 25 jl/w Handling Means Fewer In ju rie s-- P. H. H u n t e r .........................27 jeird at the C ongress....................................................................................30 liEustiog We Will Go. 1 ............................................................................... 32 t iteuer Known Facts AHout O ccupational Diseases-- | Robert B . Hunt, M.D.................................................................. .. .3 4 i Icrosilicon-- Industrial Data S h eet D-Chem. 2 0 ................................33 DidVou See It at tne E xhibit?-- C. H . M ille r .......................................52 Tty _ Winners in Sectional C o n te s ts ....................... 58 National Safety Council Officers, 1936-37 Navsiu* H. W i t m a , At. 0 . P r e i id e a l F e.v n .. V fee-P reild em for P u b lic Relation Hast H. FrsMt, M. E.. Vieo-Prraideni fo r He*JO: I okw E, CuMOW, V ! - P r ( l l d r t t fo r Snfet) Councils How. H i*or^ G. HoerKAW, V !ee-Pretdenl for Public Safety AuAnrr s. n*cvL*. V lee-Prealdent for Engineerlnf A. V. RoHw tfln, VLee-Prc*ldent for Indu*trl*i Safety P. T. Soce.wjTOi. Vice - P reaJdent for Mem bee* flip Al**T W. WKrTTfSY. V ic e-P re a ld e n : for Education W iu ja E. Woa-r. V ice-President for Finance and T ream rer W . H. CAxuttfM. M ao a tia n U lnrctor Executive Committee Members at Large TM t Aor* O m o t w *s b : Hxaot-o S. E C T T W H m i, T he A m c rfo in Cify H aMY Gcxlh^T, T b e p n Hm <n Q q a n d Surety Co. Hj u y Gcil*8t , T h e P u iltn a n Co. W tix iA K C . K k o ix x . k l l v a u k e e S a fe ty C om m L uioo Ecwaad J. M n t , P o r tla n d C em ent A ttn. I. W . M iu.uu>. In d u it r la l GIoyc* C orp. Hamld L. M i , E. L d u P o n t de S>- roo u rj 4 Cn. G to aca E, Sakfomd. G eneral E lo ctrle CoC. W . S u m . S tandard Oil Co. (Ind.) itional O fficers........................................................................................... 62 REGULAR DEPARTMENTS Vitoria! ............................................ 9 1 Managing Director's Page . . . 1 0 ,is Safety Exchange ...................... 31 ^w trial H e a lth .............................. 34 Bulletin B oard........................40 Instruction C a ra s................ 48 The Safety Library ...........................64 Asked and Answered ...................... 66 Personal ............................................. 73 Coming E v e n ts ................................... 77 T he Honor R o l l ................................. 89 With the Manufacturer ................ 90 T. FISH. Editor * KERSHAW, Pone: E ditor ItM t* Nil tend S*fo t *weil. A. A Vjkt**u AJ WAtte if Po c u r , ill. ,m a r* li: TMuy. m 31. m V n '** u r n tutwn-W-leru 1 t* i KfllmNWETTaAnwiitll[7 pMnrnpe-( o t r rf(.tt{J t ^ n . C. F. SCHEER. A d o ria te E ditor C. H. M ILLER. A u v c n ia in M anager rTrlipltl)ltoila*ieAanij*ti*tncHWt*mTMt*iotttoihetwjNuramtilonS)utnerlpUCernnticiir). U eatw r Audi: B u r u i o t n r.u u ito n . ~T.LT WhiMtiB l* LosUtos n u Im u fw ii jin , Jariti laeAtdtOa riirawJo tQi Binfwd leon5tim r*fn t tc m t i u viuW|laInn nrr ttui trwt i r lwn ai'.. Sntioo; C-nindL t.TTUT *(*< n f (k l l u n a n r r f ri feri. X \ y _r. National Safety Council, Inc. K.V.*L rr.:,,,, e t : . npfwrrMrti I Sdfety Council Representatives f Robot K_ WallaC*. W oreeater Safety I Council Walt Dw t Sitrrm. tJelaarare Safety Council I CuLt. L- Scrm, Cleveland Safety Council h E. 1. O 'B aiW . J a , LouUYllle Safety Council \ fL B. Foamriie. L c h lib V alley S a frt' i Council w . J. MtLYTLL*. C hippew a C o u n ty S afety Council Sectional Representai rvei J . Ao aks. P a p e r a n d P u lp C, M. Allx* . M etal* C. W. H c w ra e r. Food ; t~_ \V. fiia a j. S lln in f K E. C, Holdkk. J a ,, M arine Ha*Y J . Kt.t_i.yy . Wonrf P r o d u c ts D. I,, Roy . ASSE-Eiutineelox Past Presiderrb >ry- W. CaMYo iU* It. pA LK -iPLAINTlFFS ALti P. T oi.kaj* rMva H. V orK c cf* A. Hoy ti a . D iru o n IL R. Auel t h i x i It. Scott ltcji Ci. K iv c -Cgr.. H e v a r a . flFKINCYhl F.t-'cew i Pttttiwowt 1!. \Y. ll'eanofT T * f UiW au i i Honorary Members _ *nrat CAUFBCLL If | I PLAINTIFF'S P-NSC-33 EXHIBIT MSC 151 Lesser Known Facts A&out Occupational Diseases By ROBERT B. HUNT, M.D. A m erica* M utual Llabtttlo Insurance Compuma P ROBABLY the leader in the pa rade of industrial diseases is an acute or chronic inflammation of the skin which we call dermatitis. This 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 fay the town in which he lives or works, may be the potential cause of such a skin disturbance. T he 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 derm atitis 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,r<-C-pc:;on withcui a return of symptoms. The poisoning of allergic substances is usually an accumulative process. It takes time to produce a manifestation of disease, but let any other substance cause the disease, and the irritating food may be of sufficient strength to mag nify its action. AH cases of dermatitis cannot be cured by eliminating offending foods, but further investigation along these lines may give us a due with which to the hss of time from work and the discomfort now produced by in dustrial dermatitis. Metals Lead: 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 readily 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 employet 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 or the excessive use of alcoholic bever ages, he awakes to 5nd that he suffers the aches and pains and paralyses of an acute lead poisoning. As the body fluids alter lead that it may be deposited, so may those fluids attempt to de-lead the hndv. and rn r.mM nlwimrinn mm- nrn. duce the original disease with all its <jis. comforts. One can readily see, then, that in som; 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 its surface, and the heat from the roetai 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, plumbe:> 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 iead 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 niay produce lesions of the skin and mucous membranes of the nose. Chromium plat* ing by electrolysis may cause fumes which are similarly irritating. Although ^ chromium poisoning does' nof^dsually cause death, the number of days of sence from work on account of ;ncn' parity which it causes is gradual-;- ,f1' creasing. O t h e r M e t a l s : The most effic^ portals of entry of foreign substanc^ into the body are the nose and in0Ut The smaller the dust (the size of srTK'. particles for example, the greater 1^ speed of absorption by the blood. F|Jf11 [y from hot m etis carry not only but numerous minute dust \ ' - -A'* IK U W X " ............ .. v 1J electric cutting and weidmg. When men nrt so employed over a * p'rc'snged period of time, the constant inhalation of fumes and dust might pro duce symptoms of the meta! 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 sine are names applied by - the lay people to-such diseases.-The ter rific beat 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* game dust are expected to develop changes within their lungs due to that agency. We are a: 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. I t 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-petictuial trouble makers.' Although the nations of various dusts dilTer within the body, the exposure to asbestos fibres, present in the weaving and grinding of dry asbestos material, offers another type of dst which may cause fatalities among workers, e 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 a re suit 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. I t 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 learn of the solvent and cleansing action of this liquid and use it freely for that purpose upon tbemseives. 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 nn 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'robablv the answer to that is that the fumes may solidify as they coo! 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 <uppiy. Chlorinated Hydrocarbons This group of petroleum derivatives !i:is hern krv*wn rn science for venrs bur the industrial field has been widely oh. tributed and most important. beC' y,v carbon tetrachloride and its chemicalbassociated members, it has furnish^ n , dustty with refrigerants, excellent vents for rubber, wax, oil and grease thinners for lacquers and a very fir* household necessity for the removal nf 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 extinguishers. 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 brinz 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 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 h> drocarbons. These derivatives of pernletim distillation are frequently combined with those from coat 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 th;n some of these chemicals are capable m creating changes in the liver, and <*r<ly recently in a city in Massachusetts onr of these newer products caused the death of two employees and a battle to retain life among two others. Carbon Monoxide You remember tbe~adaqeT "Yherr* there is smoke, there is fire." Wc add to that, " Where there is fire rlu-rv carbon monoxide." This odorless but poisonous cas occur in any industry or in any home but the poorer the ventilation (he heW the chance of producing physical 'r ` capacity. Since the advent of the motor whose exhaust pipe may pour forth high as six per cent of carbon tnom^ ide. we are all exposed to that !t;'v :'^lL ricularly in crowded <ri(ics. Tim U./ passenger ta r nucrauro aw u i i*"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 ventilated garage or shop. For F 1/ errosM i c o n a 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 heating agency in the blast furnaces, care must be taken to provide proper ventilation. Within the mines, workers are warned to allow enough A. Problem I. W hat are the hazards of ferrostlicon and what precautions are necessary in its use? B. Hazards Z. The principal hazard is that of poisoning by inhalation of the gases that ized by general and abdominal pains nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hem or rhages, loss of consciousness, dilated pupils, cold clammy perspiration amr. 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. T h e 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 m eat packers and fishermen. M any of our fur, hair or woolcovered 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 fee! that the time has come when ;tn employer must demand of a manufac turer the answers to two questions: t. H o w will your product effect my hmi- rtns ? 2. H ow w ill your product jffecr the health of ror em p lo y e ? T h at 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 .-------- ; 3. Ferrosilicon is prepared by melting iron ore or steel shavings with coal or coke and ganister or quartz at a temper ature of about 2,000 degrees centigrade (3,632 degrees Fahrenheit) in an elec tric furnace. In making steel, ferrosOicon is used for removing objectionable gases and oxides and also as an alloying dem ent. When alloyed with cast iron, 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. 4. The hazard in connection with fer rosilicon results from very small percent ages of phosphorus together with other dem ents which may be present as im purities originating in the raw materials used. In the presence of moisture the phosphorus compounds react to form phosphoreted hydrogen or phosphine. This is a gas which in sufficient quanti ties is decidedly poisonous. It has a strong and distinctive odor somewhat re sembling garlic so that its presence can be readily recognized. The stability of ferrosilicon depends upon its silicon con tent, grades below 48 percent and above 65 percent being entirely stable and ferrosilicon in these ranges does not itive off any appreciable quantities of phosphine, even in the presence of moisture. It is, therefore, only in the intermediate range between 4S percent and 65 percent that there is any appre ciable hazard. Symptom* of Poiioning 5. When a person has breathed poison ous gases -liberated from ferrosilicon. the symptoms of poisoning usually de velop quite <ii(fdenly and are chnrarrer- erated by ferrosilicon, be should be promptly removed to the fresh air and. if conscious, be given a mild alkali drink. If unconscious, the prone pressure method of artificial respiration should be started immediately after the patient has been removed to the fresh air. fn all cases of poisoning the services of a doctor should be promptly obtained. Precautions 7. Ferrosilicon should be stored away from such places as offices and work rooms or living quarters of any descrip tion. 8. All buildings in which ferrosilicoTi is stored should be well ventilated and dry. (See Note X .) Ordinarily, in an open factory building the natural venti lation through monitors in the roof or through windows is sufficient if the fer rosilicon is kept dry. 9. If men are required to handle wet ferrosilicon in a confined space, artificia.1 ventilation should be provided. 10. In case phosphine has been al lowed to accumulate in a closely con fined space such as a closed room or box car, so that a strong odor of the gas noticeable, no one, unless he is wearing a suitable gas mask1ror~fresh air hose mask, should be allowed to enter the room until it has been thoroughly ven'1lated. (See Note Y.) NOTE X. Detailed Inform ation on Non w ill ho fo u n d Jn N ational Safetv C o u n c 1 Safe P rac tic e s P a m p h le t No. 37 " InduH r.*V entilation." NOTE Y. D e tailed In fo rm a tio n o s frh *' hole m asks w ilt be fo u n d In N ational S afty Council Safe P earl leei P am phlet No. * " R esp irato rs. C as Mask*. Hose Mask* itr-af HIna A n o n ra tu * ." National Safety Council, Inc. 20 North W a d e r Drive _ Chicago, III.