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ACCIDENT PREVENTION
MANUAL
FOR INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
MANUAL is published by
the National Safety Council as a part of the service materials provided for its industrial members. The MANUAL is revised from time to time. The comment of its users is therefore solicited in matters of accuracy and completeness, particularly in regard to hazards arising from the introduction into industry of new materials, new equipment and new pro cess ee.
li
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
MANUAL
FOR INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
including a statement of methods used in setting up a safety organization, of means used to enlist employee co-operation, and of materials and services offered by the National Safety Council.
Prepared by the engineering staff of the Industrial Division, National Safety Council, with assistance from the Statistical and Traffic and Transportation Divisions on problems relating to their fields. Especial appreciation is due the many members of the Manual Committee and to other consultants, who exam* ined preliminary drafts and proofs, and w'ho gave inval uable advice by correspondence and in coufcrcncc.
Primed br Wm. H. Pool Co.
Chicago, IlUnoia 1946
iii
FOREWORD
."or some years there has been need for a 'ompact -ourre of basic .nformation on accident prevention in industry. The body of safety engt""<'ring knowledge has expanded tremendously since the first concerted > (Torts were made at the beginning of the century to reduce industrial losses. The National Safety Council and many other agencies have m the interim published the result of their experience and research in many forms.
Until the publication of this book there has not been, however, one volume which has presumed to serve as a ready reference which would put the safety director immediately nn the trail of the answer tO dll but the most unusual of his safety problems.
The Safe Practices Pamphlets and Data Sheets, long established as technical publications of the National Safety Council, give more extensive discussion to accident prevention problems than does the MANUAL. They are valuable cuinylci/iciiu ihc MANUAL, tut in no ;rU ar. they -uncreded by it.
Obviously no volume could encompass the details of accident prevenlion engineering for every industrial operation, nor even for the operations common to most industries. Industrial safety in specific application means ''lose analysis of the operation in question, the design and control of equip ment and environment so as to reduce the hazard, and the training of the employee toward safe attitudes and practices. The variables of safety m action are infinite. They can be discussed and illustrated in a single solume only in terms of certain common characteristics.
The MANUAL is not a textbook covering the general field of accident prevention theory, nor does it attempt to include the special problems of ?pecialized industries. Neither does it attempt to discuss ways and means by which the employer ran properly deal with the off-job hazards of his employees or participate in the public safety problems of his community. The ensineering problems of many special industries, and highway, house and farm safety programs are more appropriately a pan vii.i,, Cu>viil publications.
The MANUAL is a comprehensive source of the "how'* of -afety. in tended to be kept at hand for frequent and ready reference by -'he safety director, the ?afety engineer and the foreman. It sets forth the principles of safety for activities in which the great majority of aianufauuiiuj L,->duj triaiists engage. It carries these principles into as much detail a it (-an without contradicting the premise stated above that the application of acci dent prevention methods to the specific job must remain the responsibility <>f the engineer, finch application necessarily involves a degree of ingenuity and executive capacity as well as the extensive use of technical materials from the National Safety Council and from other sources.
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HAZARDS
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PART X1U INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Plant facilities: comfort ventilation . . . common ventilation methods . . . industrial illumination .................................................................................................. pp. 441
sanitary facilities . . , eating facilities 1 education of employees, food handling, contamination, dishwashing) .......................................................... . pp. 443-453
Plant services? medical service quarters . , . physicalexaminations . . . personnel and supplies ................................................................................................ pp. 453-457
Occupational diseases: environmental diseases . . . infections of occupation.... ......................................................................................................................... pp. 437-400
Industrial poisons: metals and other organic substances . . . radio-active elements . . . metalloids . . . non-metals.................................................... ............ ??- 460-463
gases . . . organic compounds . . aromatic compounds..................... ?? 463-466
Industrial skin dtseass:...............................................................
??
Principles of industrial disease control: substitution . . .isolation . . process revision . . - general exhaust ventilation . . . local exhaustventilation pp. 467-472
Table XIII-C. Minimum Standards of Illumination..................................... ?? 472-477
Plant Facilities
Factors in comfort ventilation* The comfort, health and efficiency of in-
dustriai workers depends, as it does with ` all of us, upon the condition of the air a breathed. Industry is repaid amply by inr creased production and improved morale of .workers for the investment made in proper . ventilation of workrooms.
After being confined in work places, air undergoes certain physical and chemical changes which may make it unpleasant or unhealthfui. These changes usually include:
An increase of carbon dioxide A -decrease of oxygen . An addition of bacteria
An addition of odors .An addition of objectionable dust, fumes, gases or vapors
.An increase in temperature
.An increase or decrease of moisture
Carbon dioxide. The exhaled air contains approximately 100 times more carbon di oxide than does the air breathed into the lungs. This may increase the carbon di oxide content of the room atmosphere, out
of little or no importance from a ventiu th room air is diluted by air leakage from the outside through structural cracks and crevices.
Oxygen. The air breathed into the lungs contains more than 20 per cent oxygen, but trie air exhaled cuuidjis little mors than 15 per cent of this gas, producing a convr.uous decrease of oxygen in the room air. However, it has been determined that the oxygen content of the room air must be reduced to 15 per cent before any ill effects will be noted.
Inasmuch as the average breath contains only 20 cubic inches of air, it is improbable that the oxygen content of the air in any
462 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
- m suspected cases of poisoning from ex posure to zinc, these other toxic elements should not be overlooked.
rtguring phosphorus poisoning is now dem seen. It has been eliminated i.-v change from the poisonous white torn
Tile .only significant physiological cr?cc: rh.e innccucu- red piiorspho; ua. The ;
or zinc appears to be metal fume ;eve- soning is always chrome.
AIthough o transient character the fever, chii's and sweating may be sufficiently $e-
`ere to cause disability of one or two days' duration. The salts of this metal have an irritant etfect on the skin.
Exposure to phosphine 'phespherudridc) may occur rarely in pickling cions and in the manufacture of con. This gas causes respiratory
gastro-intestinai disturbances, genera
Zirconium. No evidence or poisoning weakness and, if the exposure is great, due to this rr.etal has been reported. There vuisions.
are. however, certain hre and explosion hazards associated with the handling of the powdered metal and its hydride.
Industrial poisons (Radio-active elements)
Radium, thorium, uranium, radon, x-ray
Selenium. Of increasing industrial plication, selenium and its soiubie pounds are systemic poisons and irrit.ii to tne skm and mucous membranes.
Tellurium is similar :o selenium in ejects and symptoms.
< See section on radiation, Page 459.)
Industrial poisons (Metalloids)
Antimony. The action of antimony is similar to that of arsenic and lead, but not so severe. Antimony can be very irri tating to the skin and mucous membranes. Svstemically, it resembles lead in its gastro-intestinai effects, but it usually
Industrial poisons (Non-metals)
Boron. Compounds of boron are u-\ but no industrial poisoning has been ported.
Carbon disulfide, a widen/ used so!v<:
is a strong nerve poison if absorbed n
tinuously.
_
Chromium. Chromic acid, chromate .
causes diarrhea instead of constipation. In suspicious cases both lead and arensic must be ruled out.
dichromate salts are extremely Irriuu to the skin, eyes and all mucous :r- branes.
Arsenic. A frequent industrial health
Silicon. The dioxide, so-called
hazard results from the arsenic sulfide con silica," is the cause of a hbrotic disea-<
tamination of the ores of heavy metals. the lungs which, if It progresses Arsenic compounds also have wide appli eventually limit the respiratory runct; :
cation in a number of industries. When ever contact with acid occurs, there is a possibility of arsine being formed.
Exposure for long periods u-;i;. years) to excessive concentrations or un divided dust containing high percental'
>.lirh fnrnvjnon is to b guarded againjt ii-cs siHva am CoHuwcd by :tie charm
in the cleaning of tank cars which have istic symptoms of this lung disease,
contained concentrated hydrochloric or sul berculosis frequently follows. A--.-
furic acid. Arsine is extremely poisonous, causes a similar disability.
completely destroying the red blood ceils in a relatively short time.
OtUrnanganese poisoning is in ore handling,
Sulphur is not a cause o: industrial 1 soning, but it may produce skin rritai Some of it? compounds, tor exaiv
hydrogen sulfide, arc extremely :o.\x
especially in the dusty operations of sepa is not only irritating, especially tc the
ration and grinding. Disturbances of the but it has a marked systemic effect in ; central nervous system similar to chose of ciucn'r paralysis or the -e pmatc ;.
paralysis agitans occur, progressing from general muscular weakness, tremors of the
extremities, spasticity, emotional upsets, speech peculiarity, mask-iike expression, and ultimately complete disability.
Kydrcgen sulfide may be produced many industries where su-phur-corn .
:cutpcur.cs. espec ally suifides. : m-. contact with cilute acids -> u.;.** ::u . ; common result of gas and coal .tomo
Phosphorus. Formerly frequent in the has the irritant action or all the acid camatch and fireworks industry, horribly Hi = - on the respiratory tract.
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Tiixtnium, tungsten, molybdenum, ger_ uanium. No cases of poisoning due to. these elements, used in the steel industry, rhsve been reoorted. The chlorides hydrc.hze to produce aads which are irritating.
j Industrial poisons ! (Gases)
Trygen. Atmospheres extremely rich in - oxvgen are unlikely to occur industrially, tbut it Has beer, shown chat prolonged ex= posure to high concentrations are irritating 6. to the respiratory tract. Nascent oxygen, 5 m the form oi ocone, is also an irritant.
Hydrogen is inactive physiologically and is of interest only because of its explosive. ' nature. In its evolution from plating baths 1 it may act. by means ot small bubbles, as l carrier tor 'toxic or irritating substances.
Nitrogen, used occasionally in industry c. an inert eas to orevent explosive mix tures, may displace oxygen to a dangerous extent. In these who work under increased atmospheric pressure, nitrogen, because of its physiological inertness, may cause severe damage when released from the tissues. Nitrogen's hydride, ammonia, is extremely irritating to the eyes and the respiratory ' tract.
The toxic oxides of nitrogen have be come important because o: their rormation - during- the high temperatures of wejding operations. Whenever nitric acid is used, the formation of these gases should be considered. They act as acids, irritating the respiratory tract so severely that pul monary edema and pneumonia may result. Nitmc oxide exerts its action by the oxida tion oi r.m*griohirt rn methemosrlobin with resultant loss of oxygen transport.
Of the nitrogen-containing salts, the ni trates and nitrites cause physiological dis turbances. The cyanides, which are included here.because of their nitrogen content, are Widely used in plating and metal treating. They are extremely toxic, especially in con tact with acid, when they form hydrogen 'cyanide. Cyanogen, used for fumigation, is also dangerous.
Acid gases (chlorine, bromine, iodine, hydrogen tiuoride, hydrogen chionde, sul;ur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, oxides of ni trogen and phosgene) have in some instances been referred to elsewhere in the manual*
Pirt VII "Chemiei! Hazard!."
Some, like hydrogen sulfide, may have other than local irritant actions (see above).
The effects of these gases depends-tc a large degree upon the site of irritation and this, in turn, is determined by the solu bility or the gases in water. Those with a high solubility exert their greatest effect ;r.
the upper respiratory passages. Those with a lower solubility, and those, like phosgene. which hydrolize to form acids, reach the deeper portions of the iungs and bronchi.
As a rule, the results of exposure to this latter type are more severe,- for uo early irritation occurs to give warning. . The in sidious, delayed effects may end' in pul monary -edema. pneumonia, and death. This_ effect is-also true of a larger number o: organic compounds of comparable char
acter.
Helium (also other rare gases). Not sig
nificant toxicologically, helium is now of -ala* tor supplying m divers a mixture with oxygen to prevent compressed-air
illness. (See "increased atmospheric pres sure," Page 459.) This mixture eliminates the effects due to nitrogen, which is soluble
in body tissues.
Carbon monoxide. The most common .
cause of gas poisoning, carbon monoxide. :s not only encountered in practically every industry, but also in everyday life. It acts as an asphyxiant by forming a stable com pound with hemoglobin, thus preventing transport of oxygen by the blood. - ...
Acute poisoning is the most frequent form, but signs of chronic exposure are recognized! The dioxide of carbon may displace air and thus produce asphyxia. It is a powerful- respiratory . stimulant and
yioducc disturbing pnysio'^glr-nl ef
fects when excessive concentrations arc present in the inspired air.
Industrial poison* (Organic compounds)
Aliphatic hydrocarbons. Of rhis group, the compounds most common to ir.Jusniai use are the gasolines, naphthas, btnxine, kerosene, fuel and lubricating our. They have wide application, being used as sol vents, cleaners, degreasers and as vehicles
ir. paints.
Their vapors will produce headache, diz ziness, nausea, vomiting, stupor and un consciousness. They act as irritants to the :kin and are common causes QT industrial
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