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industrial Hygiene Digest
August, 196
800 T rends and Levels of Air Pollution in New York City. M.M. Braverman. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assn. J. 2J3, 291-293 (May-June, 1967).
Gaseous pollutants that emanate chiefly from motor vehicles for which adequate control device
were not in use, continued to show a slight upward trend. Particulates continue to show a sligl
downward trend. Evidence has been presented which demonstrates that more significant value
may be achieved when absolute concentrations of gaseous pollutants are compared with their
respective threshold level values. Six references are given.
-- Author's conclusioni
MANAGEMENT ASPECTS
801 Alcoholism in Industry and Your Safety Program. F. Hill, Jr., and E.J. McCartney. J. Am. Soc. Safety Eng. ^_2, 9-11 (July, 1967).
Alcoholism, as an industrial problem, has been grossly overlooked by most management grou]
Its seriousness is especially acute from the standpoint of developing and maintaining an effecti
safety program. It takes only one or more isolated alcoholics to wreck an otherwise excellent
plant safety record. The latest figures on alcoholism show that three and one half million em
ployed persons are alcoholics or have a drinking problem. It is estimated that one of 14 drink
are so affected, with an estimated cost of alcoholism to industry of approximately two billion
dollars per year. Principle cost items are absenteeism, accidents, workmen's compensation,
health insurance payments, and loss of employee efficiency. Another item is damage of pro
duct and equipment by the accident-prone alcoholic employee. Alcoholism is the fourth
largest health problem in the United States and is exceeded only by cancer, heart disease, .and
mental illness. In many cases it has been found that the alcoholic employee will set up a
situation whereby another employee will become involved in ar. accident. Due to these
situations, as well as accidents by the alcoholic, cost figures will average out about three tim<
that for the employee without a similar problem. In traffic safety the alcoholic is involved in :
disproportionately large number (about 50%) of fatal accidents. Because of indirect costs, this
is an area particularly expensive to industry. Thus, alcoholism is a very real and live safety
problem, although in many companies it has not been properly judged or evaluated. This is
primarily due to a lack of understanding, knowledge, and interest on the part of management,
and lack of information concerning actual costs. Perhaps one of the difficulties in industry is
the common misconception of an alcoholic as a drunk on Skid Row. Statistics show only three
per cent of alcoholics are in this classification. Ninty-seven per cent are either in industry or
in the home and both of these classifications are driving automobiles on our streets and highwa
A table shows the number of alcoholics employed and their absenteeism records. There are
11 references.
-- Authors' introduction
I ACCIDENTS AND PREVENTION
I
802 Psychology of Safety. R. Turfboer. Natl. Safety News 95j 52-53 (June, 1967).
Further accident prevention and improved safety records may result from careful individual attention given to people who are known to be high-accident risks. This means early recognitic of possible underlying factors and appropriate help for people who are habitually or temporarily under great stress. Accidents are the end result of an interplay of many variables in which major life changes play an important part. Life's crisis do not come and go unnoticed. Other variables discussed by the author may be more subtle. A person's safety, including our own, can be preserved to some degree by avoidance of security threats. Even after unavoidable onei have occurred they need not be followed by an accident or other health change provided proper counseling is available. It should be realized that what is a crisis for one person may not be a crisis for another. The stress potential varies greatly from individual to individual. Future research and applied behavioral science will eventually contribute to further improvement of safety records. The success of the next 50 years of safety efforts in industry will depend on a better understanding of safety. The paradox that some people forego safety to avoid insecurity must be solved. There are 7 references.
803 U. 5. Accident Frequency Rates: Fact or Fiction? A British Eye View. N.T. Freeman.
9S,Natl. Safety News
42-45 (June, 1967).
The author is personnel services officer, BritishTitan Products Co. Ltd., Billingham, Co. Durham, England. As a top British safety specialist, he is a regular member of committies
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