Document Gmo5MMnwnJXye07MVKej88d1Y

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTION 1945 RLAMT SURVCTS The Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene conducted sixty surveys of health conditions In the plants of our Group policyholders. These consisted of s i.voya of now plants, as veil.as rachock surveys in plants of a nunber of tLu- policyholders which request that we males those periodic checks to dctinifie toother or not any new health hazards have developed and, if so, how they can be controlled. They also waptad to know if the fume and dust con trol systems Installed on our recommendation are efficient. | The following instances of service nay be of Interest to show how the work of tho Metropolitan Life Insumneo Company In the field oi industrial hygiene is accepted by management, employees and the Divisions of Industrial Hygiene of the State Deportments of Health: The Bates Manufacturing Compcuy of Heat Orange, B. J. requested a survey of health eruditions in their plant because their grievance committee, l, consisting of representatives of management end labor, wanted such a survey Ur. >. Q. Hazard, Director of the Industrial Hygiene Division of tho Mrnville on tho basisthat thsro wore a number of unhealthy working conditions l in tho plant accounting for a largo labor turnover. Due to the fact that we have periodically boon surveying' this plant, Mr. Hazard asked that re make I i the ;urvey. Our investigations indicated that the asbestosis hazard was i ; ; .-deouctely controlled and had been for a number of years. Ur. Hasord accept* | ed our findings end made his report to the ffar Production Board. Tho cace I T/as closed. 1 Die Ruberold Company of Gloucester City, H. J. also asked for a survey j J of their plant at the suggestion of Ur. Hazard end our findings cere ^coopt ed by the New Jersey State Department. The Industrial Hygiene Division of tho Department of Health of Alabama was planning to survey the iron ore nines of the Republic Steel Corporation in Birmingham, Ala. and the Company asked us to sake a check of conditions prior to the state's study so that they would have a clean bill of health. Mr. Dyktor, Director, of the Bureau of Industrial Hygiene of the City 4 | of Cleveland, Ohio made a visual survey of the Corrigan-McKinney plant of the I Republic Steel Corporation. After learning that the Metropolitan was super* J rising the plant conditions affecting the health of the employees, Ur. Dyktor ! j said that it would not be necessary for his. Department-to make a survey, i | The Rational Carbon Company of the Onion Carbide Corporation at Clave* 1i | 1 land, Ohio naked the Metropolitan to conduct a surrey of their Amalgam Mixing *nd Drying Department at the tine tho-State Department was conducting on . ! investigation of working conditions. However, the State Department.did not have the proper-equipment nor the personnel to take the tests and the Metropolitan was asked to complete these studies. ANNIML REPORT FOR 19/1 aL THE INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SFCTIOM *# * PLANT SURVEYS During tha year 1941, 30 different industrial plants employing , approximately 15,706 employees, were studied. Firms engaged in manufaeturing\ heavy metals and printing plants comprise most of the firms studied this year. The industries studied may toe classified as follows* Metals Printing Chemicals Ceramics Textiles 40.0$ 13.4$ 3*3$ 3*3$ 40.0$/ The samples collected necessitated making 1,112 separate analyses i in tha laboratory. 4 amber of different substances which affect unfavorably the health of exposed workers was detected, such as dusts (silica, lead, arsenic, sine, ganister, manganese)) carbon monoxide; benzol, methyl alcohol,! carbon tetrachloride, eto. 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 level of the operation. However, we found that on certain operations whore gas is given off that the crone operator has a higher exposure than those on the floor level, especially la connection with the lighter gases which tend to ^ / / ri;a to collins height. This was particularly evident in crane operator's c(.b;s over the gas-fired soaking Jits in steel mills und over galvanising pipe operations where the men were exposed to excessive concentrations of sine and load fumes. In addition to tho 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 silica, materials constantly used in the plant, as, for instance, bricks used in blast furnaces, pre-heating furnaces in steel and iron foundries, as vrr.ll as abrasive powders used in the plants. We have also during the year analyzed materials used In our Hone Office buildings. Requests for plant surveys and information were received from Group policyholders and others in all lisas of industry. Some of tho more important firms which we have served oral Allis-Chalaars Mfg. Co. Milwaukee, Wie. Combustion Engineering Co* lac. Hew Tork City Idoho-Marylond Mines Co. Grass Valley, Calif. JJohns-Manville Hew Toxic City Sears-Roebuak 4 Co. Chicago', HI* Standard Oil Co. of H.J. Hen Tork City Armstrong Cork Co. Lancaster, Fa. Otis Elevator Co. lookers. H.T. Union Carbide & Carbon Co. Hew Toxic City Onited States Leather Co. Hew lark City Electro-Metallurgical Co. Alloy, W. Va. Rochester Gao & Electric Co. Rochester, H.T. Congolaua-Haim, Ine. Seamy, H.J. Electric Storage Battery Co* Philadelphia, Pa. Clearwater Mfg. Co. Clearwater, S.C. Continental Baking Co. Haw Toxic City i IX ftfjj CaterpILL:'r Tractor Co. Pooria, 111. Monsanto Chemical Co. St. Louie, Mo. General KLoetric Co. Now York City St. Joseph Lend Co. Now York City Chrysler Corp. Dotroit, Mich. Ralston Purina Co. St. louls, Mo. Colcnto-Palmolivo-Poot Co. Jersey City, N.J. Carncfjln-IUlnoln-Staal Corp. Pittsburgh, Pa. Curtls-Wright Corp. Caldwell, N.J. Certain-Toed Products Co. New York City General Motors Corp. Detroit, Mich* Mew York Employing Printers Assoc. Inc. New York City Requests for assistance were received from thirty-two states of the United States, three, provinces ef Canada, Aram China, Santiago, Chile, and from Honolulu, Hawaii. TRAVEL CREDIT v Although our budgetary allowance for trawl during the year 1941 amounted to $4,000, our actual expanses 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 amounts] to $3,127.13, making an actual expenditure of $239*67. RRSSARCH STUDIES \ A method for the daterminatiob^cf aniline was developed in order to e----------- ---------- r------------ * determine the exposure of employees in a dye house at a cotton mill insured under a Metropolitan Group plan. 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 determination of crystalline free silica ore fairly well defined, hut the / / ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1942 of THE INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTION ** * PL,.:T .uRVEYE During the year 1942, nearly twice as many surveys v.re conducted / s in 1941. The number of different industrial plants studied in 1942 was 53, / I <>.s 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 62.1* Ore mines 15.5 Coal mines 8>6 Asbestos plants " Chemicals 1.3 quarries 1.7 Hood 1.7 100.0% / 8.6 Vi The samples collected in the plants necessitated making 1,536 separate analyses in the laboratory. Analyses have also been mode, as in the past, of materials shipped to the laboratory from plants of our Oroup policyholders. These tests were mostly for free and total silica. A number of materiols 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 end 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. Tq give an laea of the variety '. /' ::p:,l P.ii;^ k pp^Pp TPP: <PP. pmm- -2- /fsn. of firms which request this service, the following are some of the more importent firms which we have served: fS Armstrong Cork Company Consolidated Gas Electric Light & Power Co Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines American Viscose Corp. Idaho Maryland Gold Mines Corp. Marican Falling 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. Mirshall Field & Co. e Vickers, Inc. Rational enameling & Stamping Co. Montgomery Ward Co. Bethlehem Steel Co. Pendelton Ship lards Norfolk & Western Railroad General American Transportation Co. Kimball Plano Co. General Motors Corp. --5E/F.CH STODIES / Ruberol'd Co. Continent.nl Bering Co. Higgins Corp. Atins Powder Co. il.Y. Telsnhone Co. International Business j*C' chine Corp. 3r*dcn Copper Go. rlorida Power & Light Co. Lowisburg Chair and ' Furniture Co. Norton Company D.S. Leather Co. Virginia Electric 4 Power Caterpillar Tractor Co. -- Johns-Manville Corp. Baker c Taylor Co. Bell Telephone Laboratory 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 effort, more routine work has been loaded upon the laboratory. This additional work hr.s left little time for research probleme. The laboratory staff did design and construct a / new type of centrifuge! pump which could operate on A.C. or D.C. current of/ 110-220 volts. TPJtVEL CREDIT _ % The amount 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 $459.9^ ANNUAL REPORT INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTION 1946 il1 n-LJiagc^g, Tha Laboratory of Industrial Hygiene conducted forty surveys of health uoualttoas In the plant:! of our Group policyholders. Although this la a re duction in the nunber of pleat3 surveyed last year, the individual plants surveyed were larger and employed a greater nunber of employees. Also, the initiation of a very large project - the surveying of approximately one hun dred and twenty plants of the General Electric Company - as woll cs 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 ment and samples collected in the previous surveys. A typical plant survey report includes a description of the processes, plant construction end layout, plant housekeeping and personal facilities; discussion of methods of sampling end analyses; chemical analysos and other findings of tho samples collected; end recommendations for control of ary health and ^safety hazards found. Attention is also called to safety hazards. A section of tha report discusses the health hazards found - symptoms, toxio KV concentrations, treatment, etc. The samples colleoted in tho plants and sent to the Home Offioe Laboratory necessitated making 2,494.separate analyses. Exclusive of such environmental factors aa defective illumination, inadequate local and general ventilation, end sanitary defects, a total of 42 different substances known j - A.-:* -.r .v^'j A. ~ :;i: >:' -2- /9lI^ r- to affect ndvcruoly tho health of oxpoood workers was detected. Those conciatnd of dusts, such as silica (which is by far tho most prominent), nobor.tos, lodii, mna(;nru:-jo; solvonts, suoh as carbon d.t:ml;>lii<lu, t/>treclilorol.il/iuo, trLchlor ctii.Mio, triciilorcthylene, benzol, toluol, -.itlgrl, methyl unil butyl aentato, /niiyl /./id ethyl aootato, nnphtha, as wall as hydrofluoric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric acids, A number of new instruments were purchased for the laboratory during the year in order to facilitate and expodito the survey work and to attain tho best poosible accuracy in determining hazardous exposures. Those are a mercury vapor detector, a sound meter used to determine noise levels, and a Geiger-fiullar meter for measuring radiant energy. II A ventilation engineer is now available for consultation In planning new /Ventilation and exhaust systems or necessary revisions of those in use. Horn.-. Offico Inspections The Industrial Health Section and the laboratory of Industrial Hygiene has continued to male periodic sanitary and industrial hygiene inspections of the Commissary Division. Dioso 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 bo of osclatones in such work opera tions as paint spraying, lead soldaring, welding and other operations where solvents and toxic materials are employed throughout the building. ~-Jr ;-:v; -7 Another paper by Dr. McConnell entitled "Summary of Twenty-Two Tri nitrotoluene Fatalities In World Ker II" appeared in the May 1946 number of the "Journal of Induotrinl Hygiene and Toxicology". Coni' ronccs Durin,. tho year, Dr. Iumua hold sixty-two conferences r-nd Dr. HcConnoLl held 'i.^htecn, in tho offico with represent*,tivoc of our Croup policy holders end others from health organizations. Field Trios Dr. Danse, visited tho plants of twelve of our Group policyholders end conferred with monegement regarding nursing service, poor claim nrperionco or other matters of Interest. Among policyholders visited were the Corning Class Company, the General Electric Company, the General Motors Corporation, '''johns-Kcnville Company and tbs Amai-ioen LuFrance Fonmite Company. Dr. Lanza also tr.do thirty-six other field trips Curing the year for the purpose of conferring with the executive staffs of health organizations. Government 3urecus, 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 purpose01 Re hod a conference with Dr. Dudley Irwin in Pittsburgh concern ing the future activities with respect to tho aluminum treatment of silicosis. He vlsltod a number of Group policyholders an the Pacific Coast during the first port of July when he attended the annual meet ing of the Amarioaa Modicol Association at Son Francisco. *U J Kurvrar tor 1946 ok "Ork of industrial health section Surveys conducted by Industrial Hygiene Laboratory ................................... 40 Analyses node in Laboratory ..................................................... ..................... 2,494 !lo.:c Office Inspections ................................................. ................................... 62 Trtvel Credit ......................... ................................................................. $2,405.26 Special inquiries handled by mail or conference ...................................... 675 (An increase of approximately 125J over 1945) literature sent (Industrial Health Series) ........................... ....................3,684 Publications completely revised ............................................................. . 2 Publications slightly revised..................................................................... . 1 Locflete revised .................................................................. ........................... .. 2 Other publications written end published ............................... .................... 3 Conferences in Home Office............ .............................................................. . 80 Field visits to Croups ......................... ........................................................... 14 Other field visits ................................... .................................................. .. 36 meetings attended by staff ............................................................................... 61 Dr. Lance, has been made a member of the Board of Trustees of the Trudeau Sanatorium and Foundation. A ventilation engineer la now available in the Laboratory of In dustrial Hygiene for consultation in planning now ventilation end exhaust systems and necessary revisions of those In use. V.'c have secured the asrvloes of another chemist in the Laboratory. The following are a few of the more outstanding research jobs con ducted by the Laboratory. - p. The iloclicstcr Gas and Electric Company wea visited by ..:r. rv.'-jiol to nUJ.1 ine fmi cuprrvlao a program for tlio study of atmospheric du.:t.:i i.ml non pollution. Tho company io planning to orcct n non tri plnntrlfi grtirrntinr .ilti.i. r.liicli r;lll toko about two ycoro to build. Tho T.ntropoliUin ;L_ to muko studies each seo3on of the year of the normal du3t counts nd cuprrvicc tho ;tucv of the dust fall and sulfur dioxide concentrations! in th City of .'.oci'cstor before the erection of the plant. After completion of the plant -nb rhen it is in production, ve ere to supervise check studies to see if the nltnu causes any pollution of the air which will be detrimental to tho 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 dtucl Corporation for whoa similar work has been done. A study was made of the possible exposure of employees to hydrogen .'luoride generated by the addition of sodium fluoride to molten steel when pouring rim heat. The study was mndo over a prolonged period to aolcrmino t.;e extent of the exposure of employees before this method of making steel -..as nut into operation. Recently a strike was called at the Ford Motor CoHprjry due to complaints of employees r&o had been exposed to the irritating fumes 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 Steel Corporation, the company requests the metropolitan to make a study to dotermino tho existence of any possible iioalth hazards. Teuto wore conducted on certain days of tho week for three consecutive | ..neks in the carding room of the Mcavllle, How Jersey plant of the Johns- - 3- /Ml- nvlllo Corporation to determine the dust pollution tlu:t coulil bo expected y.::;r. c:irdln;: and or)inning four different mlxturo.'i of rr.bestoa mid cotton. THi:. in cnotiior ej^jnpi of tests boing node 'ay the Indur.triul Hygiene UiborMiy of contoenlatcd processes in the plants of our Group policyholders be fore boing nut in produotion to eliminate any potential health hasnrds. In certain arean in the now building (Unit 1} the sir supplied to tha sections is treated with triethylcne glycol as a method of air sterilisation, '.'.'e have taken air samples in the sections with the impingers und absorption tubes and mode quantitative triethylone glycol determinations. Considerable work was dons in cheeking and adapting the analytical method used. By adapting a special filter, we wars able to use our Electrophotomotor 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 mid, therefore, no pouitivo rooulto ere indicated nor can they bo expected until the triethylene glyool concentration is increased until it reaches the bactericidal or range. A.-J<>a*THLTa .\mv loMikiAriMiiir 'jEnebal :* : s republic awtorao ///Wfj//// /t February a, 1334 Dr. 1. J. Luu, Ass't. Medieal Director Metropolitan life luvue* Caapoay In York, N. I. Dbbt Dr. Lout There has bno considerable discussion at this offics daring th past fs* days aa to stast positloa should b takan on ths subject .of the inclusion of slliooeia and other allied diseases in the occu pational diseaae aobedule of the various coapenaatioo acts la order _to avoid the threat of connon law liability in such natters. I would like very anaoh to get an expression fron you on this subject. You of course know ay position as expressed when you ware In the office, aaaely, to grant such a concession In Illinois or any other individual stats would 1st dosn ths bars for a flood of simi lar legislation all over the Country. 1 do not know of one state which has aa occupational disease act where there are Included dis eases of this character. Your further cooavits on the subject will be greatly appreciated. liery inly your., *J tut' Assistant mnar'il .-.tonir; '.epublic -teal C jr.-ur*-* \ >v