Document EpDbwO2p26VaXeOLpr0w1Gyj

FILE NAME Painters and Allied Trades PAINT DATE 1977 Jan DOC PAINT047 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Article from Painters and Allied Trades Journal LIDNARY LIDNARY NEW YORK STATE INDUSTRIAL AND LAROP RELATIONS RELATIONS 1977 UNIVERSITY On the Cover IBPAT's efforts in making our trade safer continue as a series of special reports in this issue show Journal NEWS AND FEATURES page Inside Front Cover From the General President 4 Brain Nerve Disease Causes Identified 8 First World Painting Health Parley Held 21 Minutes of the General Executive Board 31 The GST Reports DEPARTMENTS page 15 Local and District Council News 19 Labor Beat 25 Sports and Recreation 26 Financial Report DEVOTED TO THE TRADE INTERESTS OF RESIDENTIAL @ COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL # SIGN @ PICTORIAL COACH fiAUTOMOBILE 'AIRCRAFT MACHINERY fiRAILWAY EQUIPMENT SHIP AND SCENIC PAINTING . DECORATING @ PAPERHANGING WALL COVERING e DECORATIVE AND ARCHITECTURAL GLASS WORK GLAZING 'CARPET LINOLEUM SOFT TILE PAINT AND VARNISH MAKING BRUSH MAKERS AND TO THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN GENERAL Any member or subordinate body " publishing programs souvenirs or other documents of any description must not designate them as The Official Journal of the Brotherhood or as The Painters and Allied Trades Journal either upon the publication itself on their advertising contract forms or stationery Robert J. Petersdorf Publisher Sam Parker - Editor 1750 New York Ave. N.W. _ Washington D.C. 20006 Published monthlbyy the ; Painters International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades Second Class mail entry authorized at Washington D.C. ' POSTMASTERS ATTENTION Change of address cards on Form 3579 should be sent to THE PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES JOURNAL 1750 New York Ave. N.W. Washintgon D.C. 20006 Subscription Price 2.00 per year Single copy 20 cents PRINTED ON UNION MADE PAPER PRINTED WITH UNION MADE INK VOLUME 91 No. 1 JANUARY 1977 The official journal of the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades organized March 15 1887 and the only publication issued under its auspices ASSOCIATION D> 3 PRINTED IN U.S.A. S. FRANK RAFTERY General President 1750 New York Ave. N.W. Washington D.C. 20006 ROBERT J. PETERSDORF General Treasurer 1750 New York Ave N.W. Washington D.C. 20006 General Vice Presidents BERNARD SNIEGOWSKI 1st District 1443 Westchester Blvd. Westchester III 60153 A. L. MONROE 2nd District 7909 Bayberry Drive Alexandria Va 22306 JAMES WOLFORD 3rd District 100 Devon Lane : Williamsville N.Y. 14221 JACK T. COX 4th District 2212 DuPont Dr. Irvine Calif 92664 GUY LEBER 5th District - 1930 Bishop Lane Louisville Ky 40218 JAMES B. COX 6th District . 8800 Blue Ridge Ext No. 10 Kansas City Mo. 64138 WILLIAM A. DUVAL 7th District 1750 New York Ave. N.W. Washington D.C. 20006 ry in . Suffering in the IBPAT Ranks | (PartPart IIII ; . 4 THE JANUARY Culprits held to blame most often for the neurological disorders and diseases are a long list of solvents no doubt familiar to most painters and tradesmen In alphabetical or- der that list includes alcohols ali- phatic hydrocarbons aromatic hy- drocarbons esters glycols ketones turpentine methylene chloride mineral spirits naptha toluene and xylene Neurological disorders and dis- eases . due mainly to solvents were reported inin 71 percent of the paint- ers studied 83 percent of the sandblasters and metal painters 84 per_ cent of the epoxy painters andin 5 percent of the tapers Paint manu- solvents facturers who work with but seldom have direct contact with them had the lowest report of neu- rological disorders P . de F& be tri pe th : th i ou ey so lie vis * fac am an inc wh Primary disorders reported most often are narcotic symptoms such as dizziness headedness : unusual exhilaration loss of bal- * ance and feeling drunk or high Many of the painters and allied tradesmen interviewed reported sol- related industrialreported accidents Usually these accidents occurred while a worker divided attention f between two or more jobs for ex- ample balancing on a scaffold while controlling a sprayer Though narcotic symptoms most often disappeared after 10 to 40 minutes in fresh air the full ef- fect of intoxication many , times was not felt during exposure but developed or was noticed after ment the worker left the painting environ- - Most workers had experienced difficulty in driving after solvent ex- posure Several claimed accidents and near misses while one painter $ stated that he had driven home iseare iseare Identified st often ~ ers and olvents painters J tical or- ols ali- f atic hy-if ketones I spirits without any recollection of doing so , ' Many of the intoxicated drivers who had experienced acci- dents or near misses said they had been surprised by cars or pedestrians that suddenly seemed to ap- pear from nowhere in front of them The loss of peripheral vision and dis- ; its weref e paint-fF he sandi-f. 84 per- - and in 5 the ability to see to the side without turning the head or moving the eyes is a common complaint of _ intoxication MSSM be- lieves this narrowing of the field of vision may be the most important factor in driving accidents t manu- among intoxicated drivers | cated MSSM fears that prolonged contact with solvents may lead to subtle permanent changeisn the central nervous system harmful to the worker One group of 272 painters were given reaction tests The painters _ tested had experienced previous intoxication but were not intoxicated at the time of testing Their reaction times were slower than reaction times consid- ered as normal . MSSM also speculates that sol- vent exposures may be related to premature aging minor mental defi- cits some muscle spasms and the ability of an individual's mind to solvents tac th of neu- ted inost and contributes to the chances of industrial accidents as well =. In addition to accidents caused while a worker is solvent _ process sensory acquire and use data polite way of saying sol- vents can make you rummy Continued next page ymptoms dedness | Therapy of bal- r high mn Chelation Chelation Therapy Cheats Workers Danger Constitutes Medical Constitutes Medical Danger - f and allied orted sol- .ccidents occurred attention " for ex- scaffold hose ymptoms ter 10 to e full ef- on many exposure ced after blood Chelation therapy which reduces high lead concentration in the | blood of exposed workers has been used routinely by some | medical personnel with the mistaken belief that these lower lead | levels the blood always accurately reflect the absence of health | risks warned Dr. John Finklea NIOSH director . Early last year Dr. Finklea notified the Department of Labor . that NIOSH regarded chelation therapy a medical practice which cannot be condoned - || March Dr. condemned In Finklea was joined in his concern by many medi- | cal scientists from outside government who testified at a sional hearing that chelation therapy should be Congres- The Food and Drug Administration's Drug Bulletin circulated to virtually every practicing physician in the country also con- | demned chelation therapy ; ; environ- "i ced olvent olvent exaccidents e painterpainter en home Currently Dr. Finklea requesting OSHA to take action | chelation therapy either through the general duty clausaegaoirnsat "Temporary Emergency Standard In the meantime Dr. Finklea urges workers to report any medical personnel either physicians or nurses who administer chela- tion workers respective exposed to therapy their to the ethics committees of professional societies . 17 Neurological Disorders and Diseases and their Approxi- mate Frequency of Occurence among Painters Metal Paint- ers and Sandblasters and Tap- ers General Painters Gray Tapers Painters and Sandblasters ; Percent _ Insomnia Prenarcotic Insomnia Mental Unconsciousnes Exhilaration ness Exhilaration Headches Exhilaration ness Exhilaration Confusion Unconsciousnes Reactions Confusion Reactions Cordination Acuity Symptoms Acuity | Symptoms general general general |. 100 90 80 75 70 60 262 2 2 2 2622222222 262 2 2 2 2622222222 262222 262222 " 4 PEEFER oe a ete lo EG THE JOURNAL 5 : : i : , t 7 T3r8adCehsemtihcaatluCsuelpTrhitesmof the Paint Industry and the Floor tile Workers - Other Manufacturers Carpenters Painters Sandblasters Brain Nerve Diseacau Other effects of prolonged ex- e ing Sandblasters and Metal Painters Tapers Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers ; Acetic Acid Alcohol __ Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Ammonia ABCDEFG ABCDEFG ABCDEFG X X XX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX : : ABCDEFG || X nervousness posure are irritability uncertainty and a change in sleep habits habits Further at least four percent of the workers have experienced un- consciousness from high exposure to solvents Extremely prolonged and con- centrated exposure example the case of one man addicted to eff - :. the F pre sui ex~fi [ ex~fi tila fi AAmnmtoinmioany fF che Aromatic Hydrocarbons x! x XX X XX XXX toluene for 14 years who breathed the vapors from a soaked will cause permanent brain cer fF ski che 1 damage Asbestos Barite Benzene Bichromates | Par Boric Acid Cadmium Cadmium Compounds Compounds Tetrachlorid~ f Carbon Tetrachlorid~ | f Chlorinated Hydrocarbons | Chromium X X X | XX 4 X XX X X ^^^ X X X blindness Ingestion will cause paralysis Mo X blindness brain damage coma and p death and _ . Though solvents are the most fre- quent cause of the neurological dis- tem trac orders and diseases among painters . alle are and allied allied tradesmen tradesmen , theythey are not the only ones nor the most insidi- . MS ous Chromium Compounds Crystaline Fil Silica X for FH Esters . : Bi Glycols ~ Ketones Lead Compounds Oleate Maganese Magnesium Carbonate | 7 Methylene Chloride Mineral | extremely Mineral Mineral Spirits Spirits Spirits Gla Naptha Acid Oxalic Acid X XX XXX X KIXIXIXIX! XXXX XXXX XX X x XX X X XX X XX XX Lead compounds are responsible f for severe neurological disorders BE. and diseases in even relatively small = Bi quantities as are antimony sulfuric Ui acid manganese oleate and some zinc compounds ; been Lead had long been the chronic plague of painters until in recent years its use has been curtailed by government regulation increasing increasing and the increasing popularity popularity of titanium paints titanium & Un ET su | jur | | un . : Gla -. em Pigment Dust Shellac Silica Compounds Sodium Hydroxide . : Sulfuric Acid Titanium Dioxide : Toluene Turpentine Turpentine Chloride Vinyl Chloride Wood Dust _ Xylene : Zinc Compounds XXX X If you are a titanium worker you 155 155 X may rejoice that few of the neuro- - anc logical disorders and diseases were f found among your cohorts The re- jou ported harms to titanium workers yea X X thought from to * are generally result | ing fell | X the use of sulfuric acids and oxides XX X the manufacturing manufacturing X X X X XX X MX XXXX XXXX X XX X X X in process and not from the titanium - In any case however anyone anyone F who might be continually exposed : to any of the chemical culprits dis- cussed in this report must take into account the likelihood of experienc- T juri | not his B and six six 6 THE JANUARY DiseaCauses Identified 38 Chemical Culprits of thethe Paint Industry and 17 Neurological Disorders and Diseases they May Cause feline =e ged ex- t tability ing some deleterious neurological effect n sleep cent of ced un- Consequently those exposed to these solvents should take every precaution to minimize the expo- * , sure xposure cf . id con- i} xample 4 icted to breathed : -soaked | t insidi- This is very difficult since most exposure occurs through inhalation of vapors However adequate ven- tilation shorter durations of con- centrated exposure and avoiding skin contact with or ingestion of the . ~ chemicals will all help ' Further if you smoke don't Acetic Acid More on that next month when in Part III we take a look at disorders and diseases of the respiratory system among painters and allied Alcohol Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Ammonia Antimony Aromatic Hydrocarbons tradesmen and the chemical culprits _ alleged to be responsible by the , MSSM sleuths Asbestos Barite Benzene Bichromates Boric Acid Central Exhilaration Fatigue High Blindes Diznes Headches ParlysiPrenacoti ExhilartionFatigue Nerv Exhilartion HeadnsCordinato Uncosiue Confusion Syst Insomnia Light Los of Los of Mental Nausea slowed Tremors Muscles Visual Prenarcotic Reactions of Symptoms Reactions Acuity Symptoms Damge Genral XXX X X X X X X XX X fad X X X XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX X Cadmium Compounds ponsible cly small sulfuric id some chronic chronic n 4 recent xtremely gulation : arity of you ker you e neuroses were The re- workers sult from d oxides cess and dis- prits take into xperienc- ; Brother Pinned Under Ton of Glass Brother Fred Meyn of Local Union 1555 Fairbanks Alaska | sustained spine and head injuries when he was pinned under a ton of glass at Bucher Glass Company where he is employed Meyn who joined Local .j| 1555 as an apprentice glazier and has been working as a | journeyman for just over one year was apparently unloading crates of glass when one fell on him The full extent of his injuries are not known but he is not expected to regain use of his legs at all _ Brother Meyn is married | and has one son Sean age six LL Carbon Tetrachloride Chlorinated Hydrocarbons XX Chromium Compounds _Crystaline Silica XXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXXXX Esters Glycols Ketones . Lead Compounds Maganese Oleate XXXXXXXX be XXXX XX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX X X X X X XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX Magnesium Carbonate Methylene Chloride Mineral Spirits Naptha Oxalic Acid Pigment Dust Shellac X XXXX| X XXX XX XXX X X X XX XX X XX X XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X X XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX Silica Compounds Sodium Hydroxide Sulfuric Acid Titanium Dioxide Toluene TurpentineChloride Vinyl Chloride Wood Dust X X a XX XXXXX XX XXXXXX XXX X XXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ] Xylene Zinc Compounds XXX XXX * XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX X XX XXXXXX This summary of the MSSM findings makes no distinction between ' long- and short exposure nornor high and low the harms of concentrations of exposure How- Consequently ers and allied citizen the chart does indicate harms paint- tradesmen are more likely to suffer as a direct result of their pation occu- THE JANUARY 7