Document arZd9n3rb5p7xpqKkQod5J1a

FILE NAME: Railroads (RR) DATE: 1938 Jan 14 DOC#: RR038 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo of the Items Investigated on the Alton Railroad & Cover Letter Listing All Foremen Interviewed and Read Instruction of the G.M.A. Committee Bloomington, Illinois January 14, 1938 Mr. C.M. Houses Referring to your letter of Nov* 6 in connection with the Illinois Occupational disease act, address to Mr* Voorhees with postscript to me requesting that I instruct all foremen in the mechanical dept concerning possible hazards of asbestosis, silicosis and lead poisdning and recommendations for avoiding them as set forth by the General Managers Association /Committee Aug* 14, 1937, File 1&41. I have interviewed all foremen concerned whose names appear below and reai them the instruction of the G.M.A. committee* 'f .M. Galloway - Venice Eng* House ^C.D. Huffines - Hoodhouse v" F. Salmon - Bloomington ft vii*2* Vaaconcellos- Hidgely v/h.P. Welsh - Joliet " It ^Geo* Woltemade - Glenn tl ^Geo* Rosenbe rg- Lincoln St. ft H*A. Harris v/'A.A-.Wood O.L. Hott * ^ . H . Meeks troth- v C.B. Kuyle v Me Gill Bloomington Venice Glenn Lincoln St* Hoodhouse Hidgely Car ft It ft fl Dept* ft ft tt ft t Jos* Schneeberger n*M. Aldridge M. Blum G.A. Beyer V.C. Erickson G. Gehle Jr* H. Gehle 'Bios. Grant J.W. Holland u.D. Jolly $M* Ludwig J*B. Lyster W.H. Melvin E.J. McGrath L.Lo Nelson H.B. Osten H. Sandstrom EA J.D. E.H. H.H. C.F. Soliol ShieldB Sermone Thriege Totterer In discussing the methods of complying with the recommendations of the committee with these men a number of special problems arose and I am attaching f o r your information the results of our conference concerning them* Since the stationary grinding situation is being handled separately that phase ill not be included in the attached* & 0 Chief of Motive Power and Equipment Circular Ho* S B - 152 of HajL, 1955 and supplement #1 .thereto dated 0cto 19, 1936 covers the type of respirator to be used for tarious types of work and the supervision should consult these these circulars viien securing respirators to make sure the proper type for the work involved is secured. 1 note the General Managers Association Ceamitte on Industrial Disease Act. made certain recommendations concerning ventialtiing hoods in shops over certain babbitting, melting brass, brazing etc. To comply with these in the Bloomington shop will involve considerable expense. Before anything is done in thAt / direction, I suggest that the General Managers committee advise the exact minimum requirements for hoods acceptable under the Industrial Diseases Act. If this is not done hoods constructed might either be more expensive than necessary or on the other hand might not meet the approval of the inspector. / May I suggest that vhen this is done a small committee from the Bloomington shop supervision be appointed and instructed to decide where hoods are neoessary under the law and to draw up plans and estimates for the approved type hoods. The matter of respirators and masks can be considered handled to conclusion. p.S. I *m attaching fer your information a copy ef the Chief of Motive power and equipment Circular Ne. SB-- 152, General Storekeeper Circular Ne. A-598, ef the B & 0 Railroad covering specifc&tions for and use ef respirators whieh I understand is in effect on the Alton. Also please note item on page 3 covering responsibilty of supervisors and employees. MEMORANDUM o f i t e m s i n v e s t i g a t e d o n t h e t o n r a i l r o a d in CONNECTION WITH THE ILLINOIS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES ACT. Bloomington Shops Locomotive shop Portable grinding wheels Driving box gang Bod gang Air brake dept. Truck gang Shoe and wedge gang Boiler shop 1 used 1 used 1 used 1 used 1 used 1 used 6 hra. per dayi 3 hrs. per day, 1 h r . ' per day. 3 hrs, per day, 4 hrs. per day, for grindin patches etc. Men using these grinders are instructed to use type A dust respirators# Operations should he confined to places where dust will not affect other I workmen._This item should he given particular attention in the case of / H. Gehle's dept, where a great deal of grinding and polishing is done on motion work# Sand blasting Babbitting dept - Sand blast room in engine house, Now equipped with a closed sand blast cabinet with' induced draft through stack to outside of building. Sand blasting hood and mask not needed but dust respirator should be furnished. All sand blasters now wear approved hose masks and hoods. Boiler shop - Wet sand blasting boiler man has only been wearing hood but will be furnished with approved combined mask and hood which was formerly used by babbitt dept, sand blasting. One'extra hose mask will be required for this purpose. Spray painting Locomotives are spray painted in west end of locomotive shop, _Bust and ditt are blown off the engine with air hose before painting creating an asbestos dust hazard* While spray painting the engine,the west end of the shop is filled with paint fuftos.and fine spray. Although this work is done at night hen the least number of men are working, those in the shop complain of the dust and paint fumes. The painters of course wear approved respirators but is not consistent to put these respirators on all work men in the part of the shop involved, It was recommended that an enclosed stall for spruy painting locomotives be constucted on track 18 of Bloomengittehouse and equipped with positive air blowers to remove the paint fumes and the large volumes of dust which arise when the engine la oleuned preparatory to painting. This room would have to be equipped "with-good light and. sufficient heat to dry the paint rapfidly. This would probabley delay locomotives being.outshopped from 24 to 36 hrs. but is undoubtedly the only way this lead and asbestos poisoning hazard can bo eliminated. Brazing / Pipe gang Truck gang Welding dept, - 3 hrs. per day. Need hood with exhaust fan. - Considerable. 'Need hood with exhaust fan, - Southeast part of shop." " " " These hoods should probably have induced draft to insure positive ventilation. Melting lead, babbitt etc. Babbitting dept, - !,Melting counter balance - lead. Needs hood with exhaust fan for pots according to G.M.A. committee, Should never be done with an acetylene torch, Should bo done under hood with exhaust to out side, Mon involved should wear "chemical*filter typo C respirators," Handling Asbestos Asbestos grinder - Located in separate building outside shop. Men is equipped with approved hose mask. Removing lagging from - Carpenters doing this work were instructed to wear locomotives, typo A dust rospirators - spray lagging before handling - and to handle carefully to avoild raising unnecossary dust. This work should be done at'ni^it vhon the minimum number of men are in the shop, Lyo Vat Attendent now uses a type C fume respirator. Respirators now needed to supply needs of locomotive shop. 3 - (type A respirators for carpenter gong removing and applying asbestos lagging on boilers, 1 - Type A dust respirator for shoe and wedge man while using portable grinder, 1 - Type * dust respirator for truck gang. 1 - Typo C Extra respirator to be kept sterilized in the first aid room for extra man. 1 - Type A Buot respirator for man operating portable grinder in air brake dept. 6 - Type A Dust respirators for rod gang, A great deal of polishing and grinding is done by this department. 4 - Type A Dust rospirators for tool room fer use then dressing emery theels, E - Typo A respirators for air brake dept, for grinding. 1 - Type C respirator for Mr. 0. Jolly. Gus Beyer's gang needs the following: 2 Type A respirators for grinding. 1 Typo C for welding bronze, 1 Hose type sand blasting mask for sand blasting interior of boilers. 2 Type A respirators for boiler makers when grinding patches with portable grinders 6 Typo A dust masks for Bloomington Power house coal handlers and conveyer attendents.