Document Ne1rrVnKQpLKQGaKyV4goLLb
18 UttaU Industry
safety in $tcd warehousing "where the riety of sites, types, grades and finishes of the steel carried in regular inwvntory is par ticularly great
Problem number four was the employee's mental attitude in relation to the work pat tern of the industry. The fcaigh degree of
flexibility in daily job assignments, bringing about a constant change fat duties and indus trial environment, demands a general safety knowledge of the warehouse operation. This is difficult to establish except through expe rience gained during an extended employ ment period.
The Use of Wetting Agents to Control Dust in Industries
By a A. MAU Vice Prcs^ Johnson March Cocpw Philadelphia. Pa.
Within the past two decades chemists have I like the popular definition of a wetting
developed materials with properties similar agent, which inertly states that a wetting
to soap but without the limitations, resulting agent added to water makes it wetter. Per
in a large number of compounds with re haps, we should state for the purpose of
markable physical properties* The behavior keeping the chemical terminology straight,
of these materials has sugs<*ted their use that a wetting agent is a material which,
in a wide variety of industrial fields.
when added to water, or to any other liquid,
These materials are known as Surface will cause considerable reduction in surface
Active Agents since their porimary effect is tension. Safety and health have been base-
at the boundaries or surfaces between two fitted by the use of wetting compounds in
phases.
many industries. Safety in providing bet
Reduction of imerfadal fcension. lowering of surface tension, increase of wetting power, deflocculation and emulsification are
ter visibility around plant and equipment, health by preventing the absorption or in halation of dust
some of the results of thus activity. The Dusts, whether toxic of not, are harmful
synthetic surface active seats first came and an attempt to group dusts under the
into use in this country about 1930. In the headings "active" and "inert" (with refer
few years since their introduction they have ence to effect on health) has proved unsat
become numerous and varied, and have isfactory. Investigations have proven that
found many uses in diverse fields. The practically all dusts may be ...harmful if
surface active agents can tx subdivided into breathed b large amounts over long periods.
five groups. Wetting aewata, penetrating agents, dispersing agents, emulsifying agents and foaming agents.
.Reference will be directed particularly to the first and second grougM. Namely, wet ting agents; producing increased wetting or spreading of an aeqeous solution or suspen sion over a repellent surface and the sec ond group, penetrating agents, providing more rapid passage of a liquid into a porous solid.
With the above, brief discussion on sur face active agents, or am I will refer to them from now 'on as wretting agents or compound, X intend to discuss the use of wetting agents to oootroB dust in industry and particularly, the foundry.
In this country, dust diseases usually des
ignated as "silicotic* is more or less common
among worker* b the
grinding,
granite and foundry industries. According
to Lana and Vane, die estimated number
of men exposed to Silica-Bearing Dust b
various industries are as follows:
rof Naafer All!
Mcul aisiag ............................ .100 Aathndtt <mi aiaiag..................to
Qutnini of griaitt, gutea,
tmMrfaMiaSgM*t. ttfKio.i.o..g................................................ 1to0o0 Foaadrj .................................... .,..100 Pottoid. gun wedts, stoat prodacn to Griadm, otifcn. au bUmn,
iticoui numtlcn ................... IftiinttM tout for nifah^. quiq>
fog sad tnaalirtanag tadutrin.
62,000 tOjOCO
22,000
15.000
200,000 70.000