Document dnqNKpnbE5NrRQwmjBNGO2XJ9

FILE NAME: Avondale (AVD) DATE: 197 DOC#: AVD DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: K^,:Z^^ MayJune 1972 Vol, 21 No. 3 U.S. DEPARTMENTOFLABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration Target Health Hazards ASBESTOS: AIRBORNE DANGER I -. l --- ... - . ' , - -- .- _... The Quality of the Work Environment Human history has been defined as a record of man;s attempts to master his environment. The struggle began early, with primitive man's attempts to control conditions he did not create and could not compre hend. The attempt to control environment continues today and is no less desperate in that the forces man seeks to understand and direct are largely of his own making. A separate chapter in man's attempt to control the conditions of his life began about a century ago when a new social awareness focused on the need to improve working conditions. A century of progress, though often slow and halting, has taken us closer to the goal of providing decent conditions of employment for working men and women. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, with its purpose of assuring "safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women," takes us a step further. literally, the Act means that no employee must risk death, injury or illness to do his job. But the Act is rooted in a tradition that has aimed not just to establish decent working conditions but to make the work environment liveable-to humanize it. This is a goal that cannot be won in a short time, nor can it be won by the few for the many. The renewed struggle for safe and healthful working conditions must be a common endeavor, involving every working m~n and woman, every employer, every union member, every state and federal government official. Focusing upon the need to create healthful working conditions. the Occupational Safety and Health Administratio11, in January 1972, initiated the Target Health Hazards Program. The emphasis is on five hazardous workplace substances-asbestos, lead, silica, cotton dust and carbon monoxide. The approach is the ancient one--first to understand the exact nature of the dangers, then to control, and finally to prevent them. It is an objective within reach, for occupational diseases can be prevented. It has been said that the Target Health Hazards represent only "the tip of the iceberg." That well may be. If so, what more logical place to begin? This issue of Safety Standards magazine begins a series of articles on the Target Health Hazards, with asbestos as the first topic. Once highly regarded as a mineral with remarkable qualities, asbestos is now widely recognized as one of the most hazardous of air contaminants. Asbestos workers and the general public share the common danger. That the workplace and the environment in general do not always divide into separate compartments may be seen by glancing at the back cover. The photo shows asbestos insulation being sprayed on the steel girders of a building under construction. But 25 percent of asbestos spray enters the atmosphere-a threat to other construction workers and to the community. Reducing the risks of asbestos will benefit not only-employees but also society in general. lt is an instance _where improving the work environment and improving the quality of life come toget~er. REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS Region I Donald A. MaeKen;:iR John F. Kennedy Federal Bldg. Gov~mr,-,ent Center, R:iom 308-E:: Boston, Mass. 02203 Telephone: (617) 223-6712 Region II Alfred Barden 341 Ninth Avenue. Room 920 New Yori<, N.Y. 10001 Telepnone: (212) 971-5941 Region lU 0!1llid H. Rhone Regional Admini,strator Penn Souare Bldg., Room 410 1317 Filbert Street PMsdelphia, Pa. 19107 Telephone: (215) 597-4102 Region IV Bi!Sil A. Needtiam. Jr. 1373 Peachtree Street N.E. . Su,te 587 Atlanta, Ga. 30303 TeJephone: (404) 526-3573 "Region V Edward E. Estowski 300 South Wacker Drive Room 120l Chicago, 1/1. 605-06 Telep/'IOne: (312) 353-4716 Region VI John K. Barto Texaco 61dg.-7t:i Floor 1512 Commerce Street Dallas. Tex. 75201 Telepnone: (214) 749-2477 Region VU Joseph A, Reidinger 823 Walnut Street, Room 300 Kansas City, Mo. 64105 Telephone: (816} 374-52<1.9 Region Vlll Howard J. Schulte Box 35!!8, Federal Bldz. 1961 Stout Street Oarwer, Colo. 80202 Telephone: (303) 837-3883 Region IX Warren H, Fuller Box 36017 U.S. Department of Labor 450 Gatden Gate Avenue San Francisco, Calif. 94102 Telephune: (415J 556--0534 Region X James W. Lake Srn,th Tower a:dg, Room 1804 506 Second Avenue Seattle. Wa~h 98iil-l. Telephone: (206) 442-5930 J. D. Hodgson Secretary of Labor George C. G1.1enther Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Heialth M. Chain Robbins Deputy Assistant Secretary/ Administrator SAF!TTY STANDARDS 1s the offi <:ial bl-monthly magaz,n" of the Occupat,onal Safety and Health Admin1strat1on, U.S. Department of ubor. It ,s available by subs,;ription at $1.00 a year ($1.25 !or tor eign addre.;sasJ; 20 cents a single copy from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Prmt,ng Office. Washington, D.C. 20402. Ex press,ons Of opinions in articles outside the U.S. Department of lo1bor do not necessar,ly reQresent ltle views of the D"partment. Use of funds for pnntlng this publica tlon approved by the o,rector of the Bureau of tlle Budget, February s, 1968. Change of Address: Write to Suoerintendent of Documents, Gov ernment Printing Office, Washing ton, D.C. 20402. Front cover: In recent year.: as bastes has been recognized as one of the most dangerous contam inanb in the workplac&. The asbes tos worker on the front ca11er empties a bag of ai;bestoii mix into a container and raises a cloud of -: ~sbestcs du5t that ~ndangers others on U,e worksite, Picturo Credits: Envi,onmelltal Control and Safety Management Insulation Industry Hygiene Re ,i;earch Program, Environmental Science Laboratory, Mount Sinai School of Med1c1ne Ubrary of Cong,e5s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Hea,th ..: Plasterer.;' and Cement Masons' International Assoa:iat1on of the United States ~nd Canada Power Systems. Inc. _,..,. Smithsonl:an Institution U.S. Department of Labor Marcia Hovey, editor William C. Russell, associate editor Nancy L. Nelson, as51stllnt editor Richard Mathew,;, art director i s;1tiet\ st;1aat!inm0t6~ Vol. 21 No. 3 May-June 1972 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administretlon ARTICLES 2-Asbestos: Airborne Danger New regulation cuts risks tor workers. First in a series on Target Health Hazards. 8-Prospects Bright in Occupational Nursing ', Needeo: more nurses on the jobsite. 12-NIOSH Team Sets Goals An interview with Dr. Marcus Key, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and Edward J. Baler, Deputy Director. 16--0SHA Opens Training Institute School for safety office!'$ sets high standards. 18-Alice Hamilton: Industrial Health Pioneer Profile of the woman who crusaded for e:-n ployees' right to a healthful workplace. 22-:rhey Take Their Safety Straight Construction firm overcomes bad terrain, sets good safety record DEPARTMENTS 26-Safe1y Spotlight 28-For the Record 31-News from NIOSH 32-Publications 1 .,,, Target Health Hazards .: Asbestos: Airborne Danger ;t ....~ ::-~ J ,. :. !..~ .. } btt Nanci, L. Nelaon Two thousand years ago when the first use of asbestos was recorded, it was a sacred object, a curiosity of kings and nobles, a magic mineral. The Greeks, who used asbestos for the wicks of their temple la.raps, wers enthralled when flames did not consume it, but burned unceasingly. .Amazed, they c:i.llecl it asoesta, which meant the "unquenchable," the ''inextinguishn.ble." Now that asbestos has been integmted into our industrial world-from fireproof dr:ipery and floor tiles to the corrugated steel used in heavy construction-the term used by the Greeks has been found to apply to another attribute of this minern.l. No cure now exists for the diseases caused by inhaling asbestos fibers: once established, these disorders, too, have so far proved to be inextinguishable. In the last few years, n.sbestos hus been recognized as one 0 the most hazardous 0 air con- taminants in the worl..-pln.ce. Employees e.:s:posed to asbestos include an estimated 100,000 insulation workers, 50,000 workers in manufacturing prod- u1 ucts, 60,000 using end products, and uncounted thousands construction. Labor unions have .l!iu :Selson ia th" a,mtant editn.- of SAr&TY ST.umAnns. 2 pushed for stricter. standards governing its usage, and the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis- tration has listed it as one of five target health haz. ards in a new program aimed to crack down on hen.Ith hazards in the workplace. Recent studies, such as those conducted by the Mount Sinai School of ~Iedicine and the X a.tionn.l Research Council, ha.ve produced some disturbing statistics on the mortality rates of workers using asbestos. Dr._Irving J. Selikoff of the :Mount Sin:ii School of ~fodicine discussed the implications of these studies: 1'At present, one in every five deaths among insuln.tion workers is due to lung cancer, one in ten to cn.ncer of the pleura. or peritoneum, one in ten to scarred lwigs of asbestosis., Since insulation workers receive relatively light exposures to asbestos compa.red to some other occupation:i.l groups, these results a.re even more sombre. Whnt disturbs researchers a.bout diseases linked to u.sbesto.s is tha.t many cases they are presently encountering result from exposures dating buck to the 1D30's-, when a.shestos wns not used ::is e~densin~ly us it is today. Thirty years ago world production was appro::dmately 50,000 tons annually; today it has skyrocketed to 3 million tons. The effects of exposures occuring in the Hl70's probably Safety Star.dards .--J,' .., ,_. -' ,., , -c, J I' ?\. ~.) will not bG known until the end of the century; but the high mortality rates of today suggest what may be e:s::pected in the future. If working conditions nre not significantly altered, asbestos exposure can lead to 17,000 deaths from lung cancer, 10,000 deaths from cancer of the pleura and peritoneum, and 10,000 deaths from asbestosis, according to projections by Dr. E. Cuyler Hammond of the American Cancer Society. The first case of asbestosis did not come under medical attention until 1900, 22 years after asbes- tos was mined on a large-scale basis. The victim, .a British textile worker, had inhaled the asbestos dust stirred up by the carding machine he had operated for 14 years. Ten other men had been his co-workers in the carding room. All died before their thirtieth birthdays. Since the recognition of asbestosis 72 years ago, the disease has been widely studied the world over. from the mines of South Africa to the mills of Quebec. Tocln.y experts believe that asbestosis is one of the most debilitating of the pneum~onio- ses-lung diseases caused by dust inhalation. Erupting 20 to 30 years after the exposure period, the disease e::rhibits no warning symptoms to ma.rk its early stages. )fany studies have uncovered cruses of the disease in which the exposure was relatively light and did not continue over an estended period of time. Although four varieties of asbestos are used commercially, chrysotile asbestos, mined primarily in Quebec, accowits for 95 percent of world pro- duction. Under high magnification, chrysotile fibers resemble fine polished wire or strands of .silk. Strong, soft and flexible, thev can be woven into fabric. - Chrysotile, however, is dangerous medically. When inhaled, the needle-like fibers become tr:i.pped in the Io~er bronchioles of the lungs. Norma.Uy, protective cells called phagocytes destroy May-June 1972 Tl!e asbe.~to;J 11;oiker mi.ci11g cement is partially prrJtcctecl by a rett/ifrator. The ,rnbe.1to.1 fiber,i i,~ the air, hou:e rer. endanger his fellom employees, j11.9t ,iii l:ia ,/u.~t-l11<le1~ clothes are,: menace tiJ hi.t r,,mily. 3,e1c ()SELL strmilar,l reqttires that a.-tbe.ytoa materials be mi.red 111 dosed contrii11ers. 3 .-.,..- - r nThe ejfects of exposures occurring in the 1970's probably will not be known until the end of the century; bu,t the high mortality rates of today suggest what may be e.tpected in the future." ~ , -. l,) ~ :"j . ! such irritants. But asbestos fibers a-re indestructible in lung tissue. The phagocytes form a heavy coating around the fibers. In time, a dumb-bell shaped structure known as a ferruginous body begins to form. Asbestosis develops when the scar tissue that forms around o.sbestos fibers slowly spreads throughout the lung and pulls it out of shape. The working space for air e:-cr;hange is reduced, flnd blood flowing thro1\gh the lungs is not replenished with a. sufficient amount of oxygen. Breathlessness becomes pronounced, a.nd in advanced stages can be disabling. Other symptoms are loss of weight, coughing, weakness, and pain in the chest or between the shoulders. The strain on the heart ca.usecl by the lack of oxygen may cause heart failure. Recent studies indicate that asbestos o.lso mny be a potent cnrcinogenic, or cancer-producing agent. A major stumbling block to resea.rchers in establishing the connection between asbestos and ca.ncer has been the length of time between e:s:posure to the substance and the appearance of cancer symptoms. But in the lust few yeti.rs, studies hatre shown that wod~ers exposed to asbestos die of lung cancer at more than five times the expected rate..Although most cancers linked to asbestos de- ~lop in the lower portions of the lungs, where the concentra~ion of fibers is heaviest, cancer may also develop in the gastrointestinal tmct. The peril of lung cancer from asbestos exposure is increru,ed by smok-ing. Tests conducted by Selikoff a.ncl Hammond have shown that n.sbestos in- sulation workers who smoke have 90 times the incidence of lung cnncer compnred t-0 smokers with no asbestos e.:.:posure. '.Uesothelioma, formedy a rn.re cancer afflicting only one out of 10,000 people, is now appeu.ring o.t an unprecedented rate. Researchers nre linking it to asbestos exposure, however slight. This fatal cancer attacks the pleura. (the membrane lining the lung ancl chest cavity) or the peritoneum (the lining 0 the abdominal rnvity). In his stndy, Seli- koff noted tho.t 10 out of 124 den.ths of insnin.tion workers were en.used by mesothelioma. workers in rnu.ny occupations encounter serions asbestos exposures. _\.mong the est[l_blishments most likely to hnve asbestos risks m_e those manufacturing asbestos te:i..1:iles, value packings, asbestos Wrong: Spraying aabeatos 111ixt1ires on steei 9!raers reiea.~es vast amounts of asbe$to.s d1i-1t into the o.tmF>IJ/Jliere. Ashesto.g ht~iilato-r3 -who :mioke have 90 times more lw19 cancer than 1Jmof.era with 1w asbeatos e.rpo,wre. 4 Safety St~nc\ards .-. _- -,.._ ...~:._ ~ ~rSince the recognition of asbestosis 72 years ago, the disease has been uidely studied the world . oi:er, from the mines of South Africa to the mills of Quebec. Today experts believe that asbestosis is , one of the most deb.ilitating of the pneumoconioses-lung diseases caused by dust inhalation." sheets, brake linings, boiler bln.nkets, building materials and appliance cords. Plasterers who spray an asbestos mix on the steel foundations of buildings have heavy exposures to asbestos. A thermal insulation ancl fireproofing agent, the asbestos mix prevents the steel :from buckling in case of fire. Plasterers can apply it without interrupting construction activities, and the asbestos mixture hardens in eight hours without cracking or shrinking.Not only steel buildings: but ships and boa.ts are treated in this manner. ' Now that asbestos has been recognized as a major health hazard, the alarming fn.cts about this practice are being reviewed. Three million potm<ls of the fireproofing mixture, 30 percent of which is chrysotile asbestos, was sprn.yed in 1970. Twenty five percent of the mnterial sprayed does not adhere to the steel, but goes directly into the atmosphere. The plasterers manning the spray guns, as well as the construction workers toiling near-by, inhale excesshe n.mounts 0 asbestos during this operation-up to 50 million fibers in an eight hour day. But the hnzarcl does not end with contrnction. A large amount of asbestos is e~pected i!;!, to be set free during demolition of the buildings and ships treated in this manner. Asbestos spraying has been banned in some cities, but continues unabated in others. The use of alternate methods of u.pplicu.tion-trowelling a wet muture of asbestos on the foundation or wrapping insulation around the steel in the form of blankets-is being encouraged to reduce the hazard. Brake mechanics must also cope with significant levels of airborne asbestos, Valuable because o:f its resistance to heu.t and its ability to withstand abmsive force, chrysotile asbestos makes up 50 per cent of brake lining material. However, the fric~ tion breaks asbestos fibers away from the fabric. :Hany mechanics remove the asbestos fibers that have accumulated around the br:.ike drums and assemblies with a compressed o.ir hose. This produces a cloud of ft.Sbestos dust around the mechanic and anyone in hls working aren..!\..ltemate cleaning methods are needed; for example, a vacuum cleaning device reduced the hazard in recent tests in England. Insnlation workers are the largest single occupational group to ha.ndle asbestos on the job. Their Right; Tro11:eli11fJ ,1 wet uabeatos mia:- on pipea for ins11lation p11rposea effectively reduces the Jwzanla. - r'.1-'-'" V----~ ..... (. ~r - ~ ~ ~ '~ ::t - ~, ,, May-June 1972 ~t:;--- t~i~ 5 ~~- ':; <,-::~ . ."'j 1,1_ . . -.'st.t~i::.,.,....,., ,, ' . ! ,1 ' L I' i..; --: j .! ' '.it ,.; , i Wrong: Satcing asbestos materials ore ates cluat in the tcor1; environment. The respirator affords the employee some protection, but the acc11mulatio11, of d11st remains a threat to others on the worksite. Right: A saw with a looai ventilation system S1wka -up aabesto_, dUIJt into a contair.er. The OSHA standard apeoifiea that hand or poweroperated tools that produce asbe8tos dust must be equipped- with, local exhaust ventilation ana d-ust coneotors. exposures, however, are relatively light. In most types of insulation, asbestos is usecl primarily as a binding agent and makes up only 15 percent 0 the materi::tl. Then, too, insulators working with asbestos on a daily basis are encouraged to take precautions: goocl housekeeping measures, tools equipped with local ventilation systems, nnd respirators for dusty work are safety pr:ec::i.utions stressed by their union. When insulation workers install materials containing a high percentage of asbestos, they often use a water spru.y on the cloth while unrolling it or uncovering it. Some insulo.tion workers even cut asbestos on disposable tarpmtlins in order to o.llow the excess m3.teri:1l to be discarded without stirring up dust. This eliminates the need to sweep up insulntion debris after a. job. Usually a dusty process, sweeping is discouraged because it holds a. risk for the workers still on the construction site. Bricklayers, carpenters, sheet metul workers :ind boiler makers also install insulation at various times, but often they fail to take the preco.utions used b.v, workers who handle asbestos on a dail.v, basis. The licensing of workers who install insula.tion, much like the licensing of plumbers n.nd electricfans, has been suggested us a. safe1:,"llard to in sure that asbestos handlers are both infor:mecl and equipped to work saiely. 6 Asbestos contamina.tion holds an incre.asing threat to the general public. Both th8 dusty manufacturing processes and the sprn.ying of structural steel emit vast n.mounts of asbestos fibers into the atmosphere, threatening those living nea.r asbestos factories. Unsuspecting passers-by in the vicinity of construction sites or bmilies of workers who return home with dusty clothing are among those e::s:posecl to this hazn.rd.. The emergency OSIL.\. stu.nda.rd for asbestos, issued on December 7, 1971, lowers the permis- sible concentrn.tion of asbestos fibers in the work atmosphere from 12 fibers to :6.rn fibers great-er than five microns in length per milliliter. This is based on the o.vemge exposure during the e_ighthour work day. Concentr:1.tions of asbestos that range from five fibers per milliliter to 10 are permissible for 15 minutes every houi, but the sum total of such exposure must not e.icceed five hours in :m eight-hour wmk dn.y. The st..'l.ndn.rd ::tlso lists engineering controlsenclosures, vacuum sweeping and local e:xkrnst ventilation. When these measures nre not fen.sible or do not reduce the u.sbestos concentr:.1.tion to permissible levels, the sta.nda.rd requires that workers be provided with personal protective devices. Prntecfrve respirn.tory devices must be wom by workers exposed to the sprnying of asbestps, or Safety Standards - - ----'------ . ' to the demolition of pipes, structures 01 equipment . the necessary engineering controls. The committee, previously sprayed with asbestos. repre..enting government, labor and industry, :iiso The emergency standard requires that the em- suggested that the future standa,rd include a l)to- ployer check the respirato:i:y devices for p-roper gram of comprehensive medicol surveillance re- fit and train employees in their correct use. Peri- quiring pre-employment medic&l examinations of odic inspections, proper cleaning, repairing and applicants, periodic medicftl evaluations of work- ...-,. storing of the respiratory devices are responsibilities of the employer. ers, and medical records to be kept by employers for the use 0 OSHA and NIOSH. The standard also specifies that hand or poweropern.ted tools thn,t produce asbestos dust--saws, scorers, abrasive wheels, and drills-must be The research n.nd mortality studies o:f today have tarnished the reputation of this magic mineral, once the object of fabulous tales. One legend re equipped with local exhaust ventilation and dust volves around the tablecloth of Charlemagne, the collectors. When asbestos is mixed with other eighth-century ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. products-such as cement, morta.r, grout or plastic-the mixing must be done in closed con- When the cloth woven from asbestas fibers wa.s thrown into the fin.mes, it W!l.S withdrawn not only tni..ners. Cleaning up the debris by dry sweeping intact, but whiter and den.ner than before. Charle- or blowing it away is prohibited. Any n.ccumula- magne used this piece of "witchcraft~' to mystify tion of asbestos dust must be removed ro..pidly by vacuum cleaners. .Asbestos waste must be disposed his guests as well as to intimidate his enemies in order to win psychological battles. of in sea.led contn.iners. The jump rom ancient legend to contemporary The OSIL\. Standards .Auvisory Committee for .knowledge about asbestos is a tremendous ad- .Asbestos hus recommended an exposure limit of two fibers greater thnn 5 microns in length per cubic centimeter. This proposal, based on a NIOSH criteria document, would not be effective for two years, in order to allow the installation of vance-except in one area.. Our ability to combat the disasterous effects oi asbestos on the human sy!;1tem is still negligible. The mystery surround- ing asbestos continues today, but the price is not in lost battles but in lost working lives. D May-June 1972 Right: Tha neio OSHJ. atand1zrd req1dres th11t asbestos debris be remo'!Jed in. closed containen or plastio bt.ZyJ. 7  Ca.-eers ~" Safety and Health: I PR SPICiS l . .J -"l RGHT cu 10 NURSDNG .. -. 't ' . ! by Vlrginla Reinhart 'For the first time there is a federu.l 1-aw stn.ting that no worker's life shottld be shortened, endangered or lost because of hazards in his work envi- ronment. In the ne:d; few _yen.rs there will be a growing need for occupational nurses nnd expn.ndecl opportW1ities for those in the field." jyfary Louise Brown, chief of Occupntional Health Xurse Training of the United Sta.tes Pub lie Health Service, thus explains the impu.ct the Occupation:11 Safety n,ncl Health Act of 1070 will have on the nursing profession. Today there are more than 201000 muses in factories, office buildings a.n<l stores. Busine:%men luwe found tha.t nurses can sft.ve the company money as well n.s improve the morale of employees. Such pteventive measures as flu shots, paid ior by the company and administered by the nurse, reduce illnesses and ll.bsenteeism, snving companies large stuns of money in compensation. Since 60 percent of n.11 employee compbints about working conditions invohe health :factors, more employers n.re becoming aware o:f the need to improve e:-tisting health facilities or to create health centers where none exist. ..,\. health center can be a small room where a first-aid expert-keeps basic medical supplies. ~fore often it is an office where a registered nurse attends to accidents, pln.ns Jfr~. .Reinhart fa a Jree-lcmcd ioriter. 8 immunization progra.ros, keeps absenteeism statistics, selects safety and hen.1th films to show workers, and does ll, dozen different kinds of nursing each day. Unlike hospital nurses whose job is caring for the sick, the occupational nurse spends most of her time preventing illness. This emphasis on prevention is not new. Florence Sightingo.le e.:s:pressed it when she said, ';:N"ursing is not only a senice to the sick; it is a service a.lso to the well. We have to teach people how to li-'re/7 The first occupational nurse in the United States wns hired specifica.lly to "teach people how to live/' In 1Sf.l5 the Vermont ~farble Company in Proctor, Vermont, hired Ada. 1.foyo Stewart to give home nursing services to employees rtnd their families. Ber job was to visit employees' homes, to attend :my sick members and to tench health to school children. Occttpational nurses today work a.t the employ~ ment sitQ, lensing ..,\..tla Stewn.rt::s tu.sks t-0 ,-isiting nurses and school nurses. But they are still n.cthely en.e,.noo-ed in teachin.o,. people how to lhe. Been.use modern man spends nearly a. third of his life on the job, the occupation.1.l mtrse now brings health services to him ""here he works. A visit to an or.cupationn.l nurse shows the kinds of health senices :;;he provides o.nd how pte\entive- Safety Standards medicine works. :;Hrs. S. is the supervisor of an in- who o.Iren.dy is overworked; it saies the time of the firmary that servesmore than 4,000 employees, n.ll worker, who cnn leave his desk for a short time; of them office workers except for the maintenance and it reduces employers costs -for sick pay, com- staff. The infirmary is beside the elevntor, which pensation and lost production. .,-J can save precious time in case of an emergency. The An elevator operator needs some kaopectate, a ' walls are covered with posters urging workers to secretary wants the address of n. dental clin:.c1 u take a glaucoma test, telling when and where im- young man comes in t-0 discuss .i persona,l problem. munization shots will be given, and warning None of these is an industrial accident case, but "Drugs .\.re a. Bad Scene." A plump young typist enters with a bleeding each is a matter of employee health. So is the campaign r.-Irs. S. started to provide a kidney machine finger, cut on u.n entrelope. Mrs. S. cleans and for a ghetto clinic, and the posters she hung giving bandages the finger, and asks the girl how her the address of the nearest VD clinic. lfrs. S. has dieting is going. The girl groans that it's not going gi-ven emergency care to a cardiac attack patient; - J. well n.t a.111 and }[rs. S. urges her not to give ltp. she is prepn.red to handle an epidemic of mass food Earlier.in the year the typist had participated in poisoning-which she hopes never happens; and a glucose tolerance test to detect diabetes. When she co.n help an employee .find mental health coun- she tested high, the nurse had given her the diet prescribed for potential din.betics. :Mrs. s.is care of the finger is first aid; her inquiry about the seling, which she often does. Those outside the profession think giving first aid is the only task of the occnpational nurse. It:s not e,en half of it. diet is preventive medicine.. Another nurse at a large pr-i.nting a.nd engraving ~.\.n older man comes in with a hen.dache. :Mrs. S. plnnt is part o-f a safety and health team thti.t has greets him by name, tn.lks briefly, and gives him our nurses, a :full-time doctor and a safety officer aspirin. She explains, ,:If this man came to me working to eliminate accidents a.nd to cope with often with headu.ches, rel refer him to the doctor u.ny thut occur. Because of the many hn.zurds- - who works here half-time. It would be dangero1is to ignore symptoms like regnlar headaches/' Deciding when a hea.duche is a headache and when huge presses, chemical shops, fln.mmuble materiii.Is. consta.nt moving of heavy lands-this establishment seems to haye most of the poteutial dangers it is the signal of a more serious illness is typical o.n industrial society cn.n offer in one workplace. of the responsibility an occupational nurse carries. Accorc.lingly, the s::i.fety and heo.1th team emphu- Three women enter to weigh themsehes. One sizf!s pr~vention. Every employee gets n. pre-em- decides to sign up for a test to detect cervical C..'lncer. )frs. S. notes that two of the women a.re overweight. ,:Lots of our girls are overweight. Sitting v.t a. desk all day, plus the coffee breaks, doesn't help. We a,re trying to arrange n. 10-rilinute- a-day fitness program during one break. If mn,n- agement <:an find us a. room and if the employee:; are willing to give up their brea.k, perhaps we can help them sta.y n.way from the .-ending machines." An older woman executive comes to the nurse to hose her blood pressure checked. Bec:luse she suffers from hypertension, her family d(){!tor hn.d asked the he11lth office to check it each week. Todn.y she is fine, bnt if her pressure were high, the nurse would notify the family doctor. The in.firm!!:ry a.lso gives allergy shots at the instruction of private physicians. This coopel:ttion between prini.te doctors and the occupational health service profits everyone. It saves the time of the privn.te doctor, May-June 1972 9 . 1 I '-i ' -! 1 "'"" ...1.' '! .. ii --- ..... ::-,-,.,k_.,..__ ., ___ ,_ ... uBusinessmen hate f ottnd that nurses can saue the CQmpany money as icell as impro1:e the morale of employees. Such preventive measures as flu shots, paid for: by the company and administered by the nurse, cut back on illnesses and absenteeism, savins companies large sums of money in compensation." ployment physical which includes specific tests or particular jobs. For example, the doctor and nurse measure the a.mount of energy a. worker uses to move hen.vy drums onto dollies. The test helps determine whether the man is strong enough to move heavy drums a.11 day long. By this test they ca.n prevent weaker men from taking the job and later developing back ailments and/or hernias. The nurse n.ssists the doctor with the medical ex aminations, writes up the medical histories, and follows up on any referrals the doctor mny make. 'When the pln.nt doctor sent a security guard to the hospital with n. heart condition, the nurse wn.s in formed. When the mn.n returns to the job, she will check with his family doctor about restrictions on his acti.ities and whether he needs medication. :i\-Iiss A., one of the plant nurses, explains, "Some of our employees would not go to an eye doctor or "a'ln.sses if we didn't check back aft~r they. 1uid taken our eye test. Things like faulty vision can cause accidents.1 ';Checking back" is another form of preventive medicine. Been.use this plant uses lead in some of its ink mannfacturing processes, the medical team. runs a special blood test or lead. This routine procedure for men in that department prevents permanent damage to their health. If the level of lead in their blood becomes too high, they are removed to fl.Il- other depn.rtment. The health team is also assisting the Nationo.l Institute of Health by collecting dam on choles- terol from workers who volunteer. Employees throughout the nation~ ns well a.s prisoners in jails, hn.ve helped medical reseurch projects in this ~n.y. The nursing staff 0 a lu,rge department store has one nurse who works in all its snburbn.n bro.nch stores, visiting each one in turn. She triP,s to get a medicn.l history of each new employee. Since there is no regular nurse on duty cln.ily, she sets up a first-ttid station in each store. On en.ch visit, she checks to see that the kit is complete. Many industries a.re like the suburban depa.rt- ment stores-too small to need a full-time nurse or doctor. It is possible to hire medical help on a part-time basis, Ol' to join with, other establish ments to create a joint health service. In suburban 'Washington, a publishing company n.ncl a, nearby printing plant share the services of a nurse. AJ.iy registered nurse ca.n become an occupa tional nurse. There is no specin.l educational pro gram, but they usually must update their skills and leo.rn new treatments. The chief difficulty in providing this in-service education to working occupational nurses is explained by Miss Bro'l>n of the Public Health Service: "Since SO percent of the occupational health nursing positions are 011 staffs 0 five or fewer nurses, and these are considered to be too small to have an organized inservice educational pro gram, such a. program has to be developed and conducted by an agency other than the nnrse:s employer." To meet this need for more trnining1 the Indus- trial Hen.1th Foundation and the National Institute or Occupationo.l Safety o.nd Healt (NIOSH) have set up courses for industrial nurses. In 1971 NIOSH offered a one-"eek course, Fundamentals of Occupational Health Nm-sing Practice, in six cities. Nurses studied legal aspects of occupational health nursing; workmen~s compensation; the Occnputionul Safety ancl Health Act; records and reports; relationship of the nurse with management, employees, physicians, s.1.fety engineers a.nd industrial hygienists; and the nurs- ing responsibilities n.ssocfo.tecl with giving cnre to employees, They we1e given o. study ussignment to be done ::i.t home. Severn.I. weeh.-s later they returned or a semino.r to cliscuss tlrnir nssigmnents. A second course, Nursing Prnctices o.nd Occnpationn.l Mental Health, covers personn1ity denlop ment, crisis intervention, suicide, drugs n.ncl alcoholism. This course concentrates on interviewing a.ncl counseling techniques. -The Industriul Health Foundation n.lw offers occupational nurses a coli.rse in ~fencul Health Tr~ining. This is n. home-study progr~m in which the student read::; the material, takes the tests, then checks her own work. If she has mu.de too many 10 Safety Standards - . . -t .I - - - - - ~ - .............._ errors, she repe:i..ts the sections before continuing to the next chapter. for mental, psychoneurotic, and personn1ity oisorders. , As :Miss Brown re.ports, "This approach offers an NIOSR has recognized the need for more re a.venue to close the gap between the need for train- search on the effects of stress 'situations on the ing and the absence of opportunities to learn. It .worker:s mental health and on his job ~a:fety makes pos.5ihle learning at home at the student's recorcl. Long-range projects funded by XIOSH own pace-and for some married women, and certn.in occupational health nurses who work as their companyrs only nurses, it may be the only way." will gather data on such topics as the effects on workers of noise, frequen.t changes of work shifts, long-term vigils, monotony and rapid geogmphic More information on courses on occupational relocation. Another study, still in the pla.nning nursing ca.n be obtained by writing to: Division of stage, will be to devise a model safety program Tmining, National Institute for Occupational basecl on accepted psychologica.I, behavioral and Safety and Health, 1014 Broadway, Cincinnati, motirntional principles. Ohio 45202; or Industrial Health Foundation, 5231 Center .Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The shortage of doctors, coupled with the increase in population and the greater dem11nd for 15232. medical services, has led the medical profession to Two of these three courses den-1 with mental take a closer look at the work nurses cw do. For health-the new emphasis in occup,n.tional nursing. years dentists h..we employed denta.1 assistants to There is strong evidence for the need of s11ch training. In 1962 a Cornell University study esti- relieve their work load. Now the A.mericn.n 1Iedical .Association (llL<\..) has begun to cle,elop a mated that mental illness cost industry ~pproxi- similar new profession-the physician's assistant. mately $3 billion n. year in direct and $12 billion Dr. Walter C. Bornemeir, president o-f the ..U.LA, in indirect costs. This study estimated that 20 t.o 25 percent of the work force has a recognizable mental health problem. Social Security data for the same period showed that 30 percent of n.ll disa.bility allowances to covered wod::ers were made has cited two sources for these assistants-medics from the armed services and registered nurses. The special training a nurse would take to become ::i. physicinn.1s assistnnt would qualify her to give physical e:s:a.mina.tions in many occupational health centers. The New York Telephone Com- pany alre:1dy has begun a program to prepare nurses to "o"-ive phv.sic:.ils. The )lu.rse Clinici:m Pro- gram, a course developed by the St.ate Unbersity of "Sew York Downstate :\Ieclical Center, hn.s been so successful in preparing nurses to perform this function that it is now a.r. established part of the oomprmfs medical program. :Yew York Tele- ,; d ' I 'I Ii\ n I !\)\'(. r I{,11\ ' phone's doctors are now free to use their skills in diagnosis and _treatment, und their nurses get new opportunities :for ad,ancement. ' The outlook for occnpntiomi.1 nursing is bi.-ight. As the dri.-e for job safety and health gathers momentum, the need for occupt1.tional nurses will increase. There will be more on-the-job training, as well as more opportunities to learn a speci:\lty and ri;:e in the profession. _.t_ British physician summed up the challenge of occupo.tion:11 nursing when he referred to it as -. "the easiest job in the nursing profession to do bn.d.h--nnd one of the hardest and most rntisf.ving to do well.!' 0 May-June 1972 11 2z'O-FV,: lEW- Marcus 1rt. Key, Director . Edward J. Baier, Deputy Director National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Commenting on the achievements of the Na- Health Hazards Survey nnd training an adequate tional Institute for Occupational Safety and supply of mn.npower. Health. (NIOSR) of the Department of Hen.1th, Q, What ewactly is .YIOSII's role in standards Education, and Welfare, Representative William development? Steiger, co-author of the Occupational Safety ancl. Health Act of 1970, stn.ted: "Their efforts are .Key. '\Ve don't turn out standards 01u-sclves--we providing a solid foundation for the health aspect turn out criteria documents. The criteria package of the Act. I have said on many occasions that on asbestos was the .first example. The Depnrtment health in the long run would be most important of L:i.bor sets the standard based on the health . . . but let us recognize that it is the more tech- criteria. that NIOSH provides n.nd on other avail- nical, more complicated part of an inseparable able information. whole." There o.re four considern.tions in settino- stanc1- The officin.ls responsible for Q'Uiclincr the NIOSH nrds. These our are hen.Ith effects, :fe:sibility, b ~ in campmgn to control hen.1th hazards workplaces economic impact ancl nation::i,l interest. On the n.re Dr. ~farcus M. Key, Director of the Institute HEW side, we consider the hen.1th effects of the . and his newly appointed Deputy Director, Edwu.rcl exposure and ns much feo.sibilitv infonnation- .j. J. Baier. In a recent interview, they discussed the practicalities invoked in co~trolling the ex- . 'I current NIOSH nims ns well as future directions posure-as we have available. Then we rely on l in occupational hen.1th. the Department of Labor to n.dd the other con- i siderations :i.nd to make a :final determination. Q. N IOSH ha.s ma,ny responsibilities i1,nder the NIOSH has committed itself to develop criteria Ocmtpational Safety and Health A.ct: research packages for spedfic chemical snbsta.nce5 nncl training, crite1-i.a development a'nd hazard evalua~ physico:l a.gems that ::i.re hazardous. Unfortunately, ti-0n-s. What funatio-ns do y(m aon.<1ider the most we. hose ha.d difficulty in meeting our proposed -pressing in the first year of N l OSll's e;r;istence.? deadlines or criterin. pnckn.ges this year; primn.rily Key. At present we have internn.l priorities and because we haven't. ha.d the r~ources. In stuffing external p. riorities to consider durino~- the first the Institute, we hn..-e been hindered by employ- year. By internal I mean Nsponsibilities for ....e"t- ment ceilings n.nd a,\ernge grade controls, and ting org::mized--staffing up and .findin.,. facilities only recently h(l,Ye we been allowed to start recruit suitable f~r rese_n.rch. The e:rlernnl respcnsibilies- ~hose ~en.l~ng with the outside world-are deYelop- ing professionals ng:i.in. mg cr1tena for standards, initiating the Xiitiomil Q. You mention,:d that the seconcl m,ijor priorit?f is the N~tionalllealtlt,llazarclsSiu,:ey. What khid Dr.. Key mut ltr. Baier were lriterJle,ced by '.1,antg L Ye/son asa,stant ealtor o/ SAFETY ST.Al'fDMtDS. ' ' of iniormation will this im:estigatio-n ptodde? 12 Safety Standards ---~ ......--... -~- ... ...,.................- ~ .............. ---- ----- -~- Key. The need for the Xational Health Hazards Suryey was brought out repeatedly during the 11earings that led to the passage of the Occupa- nation as a whole. For the .first time, ~'JOSH will be able to determine which hazn.rds really need more attention. tional Safety and Health Act of 1970. .At that time Baier. _.\. primary concern of the surveyors will we were able to talk about the 14,000 deaths and be the hazards n-ssociated with the occupa.tion it- the 2.2 million disabling injuries resulting from self. One example might be a plant that has a work accidents. These events can be me!J..Sured- degreaser, a tank containing n, solvent used to they are dramatic. But on the health side, we remove grease from objects. When you consider really didn't know how many occupational diseases hazards associated with the degreaser, you gener- there were, nor did we know what the health ally think in terms of the degreaser operator and hn.zards were that produced these diseases. whether or not the degreaser is adequately con- ............ Eventually NIOSH will be provided with statis- trolled by covers and ventilation systems to pre- _ - tics on occupational diseases by the Occupational vent exposure. But then you discover that machin- Illness and Injury Reporting system operated by ists who work all over the plant periodically come the Bureau 0 Labor Statistics. But we still won't in, dip something into the degreaser and carry it have a good idea of what the health hazards are back to their worksites. So if you are looking at that produce occupational diseases-a gap that the occupations, you say this fellow is a degreaser survey is designed to fill. operator; therefore, he is exposed to trichloro- Baier. The in-i,-estigotors for the Nn.tional Health ethylene. But if you investigate further, you Hazards Sur\ey a.re going to de.fine for us what discover that machinists a]so are e:s:poscd to tri- occupational groups have potentially dangerous chloroethylene and probably ha.ve more serious e;'{- exposures. we don't have this information at the posures than the degreaser operators. So you see; present time. If you asked how many people in the Nationa.l Health Hazards Survey is identify- . ~ ..~; the United States are potentially exposed to lead ing the health hazards that workers in different I ,- ~ .' 1 fumes, we couldn't answer that because we just types of occupations are exposed to, as well as the donl know. While some electricians who solder degree o: thn.t exposure. wires are exposed to lead, other workers who burn massive amounts of lead pigs have even greater exposures. One worker is dealing with ounces of lead, and the other is den.ling with tons. So it's not only exposure to a substance, but to how much of it that counts. Some of the exposures are shocking because they are so unexpected. You don't even realize that some workers come in contact with hazardous substances, because you would never suspect that their jobs involve dangerous exposures. Q. How were the i,ndustries to be investigated by the health hazard surveyors selected? Q. 8'1~7"/Je'IJS of this hind always revtire the sldll of profesaionals, bitt I understand there is a ire mendo-us manpower shortaqe. Just how crucial is the shortage and what is its effect on health conditiona? Key. I think it is elementary thu.t, i-f yon don't have qualified personnel-industrial hygienists, safety engineers, occupo.tionn.l physicfans and nurses, toxicologists and o.n:.ilytic:11 chemists-the drive for hen.lthful worlrpln.ces will muke few ,m::, i.ins. If (l.n effort is not mo.de to train more profes- sion::i.ls, the companies concerned n.ren't going to have the manpower to comply with the standards Key. The Bureau of Labor Statistics hns given us ancl to maintain a safe :.ind healthful workplace. a sample 0 appro:rimo.tely 8,000 representa.tive States ::tre not going to have the capabilities of en industries. The surreyors are going to conduct forcement and neither is the federnl government. thorough walk-through examinations of the indus- And we in ~TOSH a.re not going to have the re- tries in the sample, investigating them from the search potentb.l. viewpoint of an industrial hygienist. The resultB It tnkes ::i. long time to develop educ~tional pro- of the survey will provide the basis for determin- grrLms and new job categories-such as the safety ing the potential exposure to health hazards in the and health professional that. we h::ive tried to May-June 1972 13 ---.-----------.-r:..---.--~--- .. -- ... _.,._____ --n,- -- ___., _,,,___..,,,,,.__..,.____-:-_ --------- ''It takes a long ~me to develop educa?'onal progran:s a.nd new job categories-such as the safety and health professional that i~e ha~ tned to create. Cim-,,culum planning alone requires one or tu:o years. Then you have to wait until students enter the program and graduate-tu.p to four years later." , 1 1 create. Curriculum planning alone requires one or two yea.rs. Then you have to wait until students enter the program and graduate-two to our years later. The entire process takes a long time. There will be an n.cute shortn.ge among professional categories for se,eral years to come. Baier. Pro.cticru on-the-job experience which takes another year or two is also necessary. We are really talking about a wait of five or sh years before the effect of the bachelor:s degree in the new occupational sa.fety and health program is felt. Until then you h:we to take someone who has a degree in engineering or life sciences, for example-some one who understnnds the jargon-and through the tra.ining provided by on-the-job situa.tions, you produce, so to speak, a health professional. Q. With the shortage of manpower, it seems even more important to pttt researchers to work where they 1will have the biggest impact. How do y()U, determine, for eceample) which of the known haz. ards require immediate attention? Key. To determine priorities for standards, we use a quantitative system based on five ptirameters. One is the incidence inde:s::-the number 0 reported occupational diseases associated with that particular e::i:posure. Information on this factor has been inadequate, but once the occupational illness and injury reporting system goes into operation, this should improve. The second actor is the relative to::i..icity or the severity 0 the occupntional disease-whether it causes a clermntitis that just produces a little itching or whether it produces lung cancer that does the fellow in. The third :factor is tonnage or pouncla,ge of the pu.rticulnr chemical produced or used each year, and the om-th is the population at risk. The fiffh. consideration is a trend inde;s:: based on estimntes of increased or decrea.sed usage. 14 Baier. Then these five parameters n.re weighted a.ccorcling to relative importance. Key. Professional e:tperience is a.lso nn ingrt!dient. After the chemical subst:mces and physical agents are rated a.nd rank ordered, the list is sent to professionals-such as the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The professionals may say, for e::nimple, that based on their experience or their company's experience, a substance is too high on the list. They m:1y recommend that it be given a. lower priority. Q. So in setting imorities, you do get some kind of consensus view? Key. That's right. It's a quantitative system, but there is an attempt to get consensus also. Baier. The weighing and the professional opinion are important. For instan.ce, a substance mu.y be estremely to.s:ic, but you might find that it hnsn't been used for the las& five or si:x: yenrs. Should you develop o, criteria package for it? At the most, there might be so: or seven people in the United States that have contact with it. On the other h::md, a substance might be a little less serious in terms of effect, but yon .find that 22,000 people are exposed to it. So you don't really sa.y, '~This is the rankest poison known to man, and this is whn.t we must study"-when no one is exposed. to it. 1Vhat we are reu.lly concerned with is pre,enting occupational disease. Our prima.ry thru.si:. is toward protecting the worker. It is toxicity -versus 11,az::ircl. A chemical in ,1, jar can be ve1-y toxic without c:iusing n. hazard, but when it is ta.ken from the jar you have a dangerous exposure. The over-o.11 objecthe is to eliminate the hazard so people who are working for a. living do not get an occuputioruil disease. Q. It seems that the major job right now is ama.ss- ing this lr,;ind of information. Safety Standards :. -.... -- - _...,,.., - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - . , , ; ~ ~..,....--.~1.llzfl ""~S3'."""1:t?Vt:a -,1":-ttM t ,...._...,,. . '' .- 'j ..:;. -- t . \ . . " i . ,-. ... . _,r Key. This is .riiy we attach so much priority on getting informa.tion from programs like the Na.tion.Rl Health Huza.l'cls Survey. This is going to gi,e us a better input into our qun.ntitative priority list. Q. Was a similar system used to determine which hazarcls to include in OSHA,s new Target Health Hazards Program? Key. Yes, we worked closely with the Department 0 Labor in determining the hen.1th hazards to be included in the progro..m. NIOSH also aided in presenting the program to interested and n:ffected groups. Q~ Once y<YU, compile the information that is re- quired and tli.e preIJsing C1'1,'teria, pMkages are out of the way, wilZ the-re be a shift in NIOSH's priorities? Baier. Plus whether or not you get along with. the fellow at the next work bench. K~y. Right. Yon have heard the old sa.w, "It:s not unsafe conditions n.s much as unsafe workmen that produce injuries." Before the Act was passed, management's thesis was that workers were as much at fault in causing accidents as the company-if not more so. Well, I think there is room for improYement in both areas, but we hn.,;e to do the r~ea.rch that shows what makes the worker act unsafely. And until we come up with some practical preventive ideas from this type of research, I dm1't think we will make much greater inroads into the prevention of occupational n.cci:dents. There will be some, of course-enforcing sta.n.dn.rds will produce a big effect. But if we go all the way, we must idemi:t, the preventable human factors. ttBy using com:entional methods of prel.,'enting occupational accidents-mechanical guardinf!:, personal protectfre equipment and educational programs-u-e can go just so far in prel.,'enting accidents. If u:e are going to go any further, ice must have research into what motivates people, what are the aspects of the human factors that cause accidents." Key. '\Ve e~pect to be doing more research into humn.n factors nnd motivation in regard to accident prevention. 1Ye are specifically directed to conduct research in this n.rea by the .A.ct. By using conventiona.l methods of preventing occupational accidents-meclw.nicn.l guarding, personn.l protective equipment and educational programs-we can go just so far in preventing accidents. I:f we a.re going to go n.ny further, we must have reseu.rch into what motivates people, wha.t are the human factors th:i.t cause accidents. Baier. This psychological aspect of research is very important. For instance, one basic question is: does the job fit the man or dces the mn.n fit the job~ Key. And then there n.re the n.dclith:e effectsstress, noise, fatigue, drugs. So there is a. crossover between human factors that produce stress, chemical llnd physical :fn.ctors, and factors outside the workplace like medication and drugs. May-June 1972 Baier. So the basic understanding of "wh;f' an accident occurs becomes import_nnt. Q. Can you make any other predictions abo,ut what the future priorUies of NIO.SH wi"'ll be.9 Key. Yes, another emphasis for the future will be the search for new or unsuspected causes of occu- pationa.l diseases, probably in the pneumoconioses or cancer a.ren.. Studies will even be done on factors that shonen life. The industry-wide studies are important in this respect. Groups of workers will be studied and compared to a. controlled working population that does not have the same occupa.- tional e:s:posures. These studies a.re currently underway for n.bout 1.5 million workers. In other words, we don:t have to study e"eryone in o. part:c- uln.r plant; we can study 10% of the workers a.nd project these findings to the rest. The real pa.yo.II of our activities in XI0SH lies in prevention, nnd this, I think, is the reu.l sig- nificance of occupational heo.lth. 0 15 OSHA OPENS -.,,'1- , : ft~ ~y,';< :r'' 1- '"'~-(ifl ., '. I > Ii ., - 'i ~-.-~- ~-~ .,: ~ ..r- , r ~-1-,.,,... .,-.r 4'...(R .-i:;-- - '-~ School for safety officers sets high standards - ~- RR - ,,_- . . .,,. .,:.~ ' i - li,t~~l'.. ',jp:_' ' January 1~, 1Vi2, marked the formal opening of the Training Institute 0 the Occupatiqnal Safety and Health Administration (OSHA.). Lo- cated in Rosemont, Illinois, adjacent to o~Hare Field outside Chicago, the Training Institute will play a. majoi- role in helping OSIL\ fulfill its responsibilities under the "\Villiams-Steiger Oc- cupationn.l Safety and Health Act of 19'i0. Its theme is :'high quality professionalism." George C. Guenther, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, said the facility will have trained more than 1,000 specialists by J nne 30, augmenting activities of the OSH.A Office of Training and Eductition. In the opening ceremonies, Guenther said Illinois was selected for the initial training site because of its ,:progressive ::ittitude'' toward the program, and because the region ha.s the "heaviest concentru.tion of employees anywhere in the country/' The impact of the training pt'ogram will reach fur beyond Chicugo. Forty-five classes lasting from one to four weeks are being otfered to com- pliance officers, industrial hygienists and stt1.te personnel from all parts of the country. Included also are 15 courses for construction instructors. Sb: four-week comprehensiYe training classes are set for new federal and state compliance officers and industrial h~rgienist~. The schedule n.lso includes 11 two-week refresher courses :for compliance officers. Other classes will be offered to compliance officers in the mn.ritime and construction fields. The Training Institute has n. staff of 18, in- cluding 10 safety professionals. It supplemenus its teaching staff with OSHA field personnel and es:peds from the ~n.tionn.l Institute for Occupn.tionul S::d:ety and Hen.1th (XIOSH). Dr. Ea.rl Heath, Director of the Office of Training and Edn- cation for OSIL-\.., so.ys, ,:NIOSH pe1~01mel al- ready huve conducted orientiltion classes for se\-eml OSHA industrial hygienists a.n<l compliance officers. We intend to seek their participation in deYeloping methods n.nd training progr:i.ms.1' The Institute is using methods such as team teach.inc-, demonstrations, cn.se studies, role playing, pn;ctical exercises, field visits and group d:scussions. E.)'.tensfre use also is being made of audiovisual aids, particularly videotape. . Training programs nre not the sole reason for establishing the Institute. Frnnk Valentino, chief Safety Standards Rejrresentative William :Steiger. co-author ot the Occupatio1rni /:3fJ,fety and Health Act of 1910, o/]icially opens OSH.J.'s Trainin9 Institute. Looking on am Howarrl Pyle, chairman of OSH.4.'i National Advi8ory Oommittee on Occupational Safety an<l Health and pre8ident of the Yational Safetv Council (center), and George a. Guenther, .J.asistant Secretary of Labor for Occiipationai Safety and Health, (right). of OSIL.\.s Division of Institute Operation, says, "The Institute is exploring .other possibilities. Right now, we are loolru1g for the best and.most expedient way to train and produce qualified compliance personnel." This means collecting data on the costs of various tr!lining methoJs, as well as developing standards against which OSHA can measure the performance of persons who have attended the Institute. The Training Institute illustrates OSH_.\.'s decentraliza.tion e.fforts. Aside from procedural guidance and program .evaluation from the national office, the Institute is autonomous. It does its own recruitment and procurement. Its interim manager, Edwin ~I. Hackett, deals directly with training coordinators in each of OSFLVs 10 regional offices. Hackett comments thn.t ';the Institute has an obligation to respond to national oftice needs and guidelines, but there is a great deal of fle.xibility in the guidelines. This n.llows us to orient ourselves to the needs of the regional and area otlices." Such fle.:s:ibility is in keeping with 0S}L\. policy, which allows for consideration of locn.l problems, conditions and resources. Underscoring the mission o:f the Training Institute, Howard Pyle, chairman o:f OS'IL\.1s National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health and president of the Xatiounl Safety Council1 told the first classes o:f compliance officers at the opening ceremony that "the success o-f this operation will depend on those in the fieldyou/' May-June 1972 Representatire 1Yilliam Sreiger, co-sponsor of the Occupational Safety and Health A.ct, told thetruinees that there are two keys to the OSHA program: voluntary compliance and professionalism on the part of the compliance officers. Work already has begun on e.xpanding the Institute to accommodate more trainees. Three additional study and testing rooms, classroom space, an instrument lab, and o. conference room are being built. The purpose is clear: ~ot only programs but also facilities a.re being redesigned to accommodate OSHA's continuing ueed for professionals. D Standino in fro;it of tlie OSH.1 e.rTLibit iolth its panei of 100 questitma and atiswen, H1)1card Pyle atldrcsiJes t,ie com1Jlirmce officer-i at tlw Training Institute. 17 --- __,..... .--- t .,- ' .;, "< -f ' ~ - ... < :- " :,"'., ', , :f~~ ~ ,_ ,~ / , ,, .. ' t ~r ,'"\-., , ~-.. , _.f', - l -- ". ' , ..~ ,' ~,., ALICE HAMILTON: Industrial Health Pioneer Profile of a woman who crusaded for. employee's right to a healthful workplace bu Beveriu Fa:con ~fore than 70 years ago, Dr. Alice Hn.milton )fost acceptecl the idea that workers in potenti- began to question the effect of 11 person's job on his o.lly dn.ngerous situations operated under ,:assump- health and on his life span. Her questions led her tion of risk"-that is, by accepting the job, the em- .. to pioneer the investigation of occupationa.l diseases in the United States, starting with lead ployee assumed the risks and dangers of his trade. The employer thus was absolved of the respon- .Ii poisoning among Illinois factory workers. sibility to provide better workplace conditions e:s:- I When Dr. Hamilton begn.n her work, attitudes cept as he might choose to do so. Improving work- town.rd the prevention of occupational diseases .I were either indifferent or negative. Mo.ny who were I appalled by a spectacular industrial accident or ing conditions W(l.S seen not as a responsibility of owners but as an a.ct of benevolence. Dr. Hamilton did much. in her lifetime to under- explosion never considered the workers who were mine such comfortn.ble :issu.mptions. ~ot only clitl being slowly killed or disabled by exposure to toric she collect evidence that established the correln.tion substances. Popubr assumptions mo.de difficult the between e:s::posures to toxic substances and certain task of those interested in helping encl:i.ngered occupa.tiono,l diseases. She n.lso "helped pn.ve the workers. Some employers, feeling sure that lead wn.y in th.is country for wht1t had evolved in Eng- poisoning resulted from skin contact and not from land n. century before: the concept of society's re- breathing lead-laden air, bbmed sickness on the sponsibility for the health and welfare of its failure of employees to wash properly before eat- citizens-including people at work." ing or to clean their fingernails before going home. Alice Hu.milton, sister of Edith Hamilton, the well-lmown scholnr 0 Greek and Roman civiliza., Miu F~on ia a atudent at Kalamazoo College, Katama:ao, .U1cfiiga11. tions, was born in 1S69 ::i.nd died in 1970. _-\.s a young 18 Safety Standards girl she decided to enter the field of medicine. After receiving her }~D. degree from the University o:f Michigan, Dr. Hamilton tat1ght pathology at the women~s 1Iedicn.l School, Northwestern University, while living at Hull House, the social settlement house estnblished in Chico.go by Jo.ne .Ad- d:mis. Conversations with neighboring workers kindled Dr. Hamilton's interest in occupational diseases-pneumonia. and rheumatism among stockyard workers, "lead pnlsyn in painters, cases of steel mill workers falling wiconscious on the job. Through rese::irch, Dr. Hamilton discovered that the United States was far behind European countries in recognizing and preventing occupational diseases. When she began her investigation of lead industries in 1910, the only significant step that had been t:iken toward controlling occupational disease involved :l. curb on the u..~ of white phos phorous in match-maldng. Workers using the white phosphorous process risked pain, facin.l de- formities and death. Yet, the United States passed legislation discouraging the white phosphorous m~thod only after Europeans had forbidden the process in their own factories and had refused to import matches so made. li During the investigations that formed the basis for her classic studies of lead, Dr. Hamilton studied hospital records involving lead victims and talked with patients, physicians, druggists, em- ployers and foremen. She discover~d that workers in 77 occupations in Illinois were victims of lend poisoning. Painters, enamellers, smelters and many others were exposed daily to the dangerous particles. In 1911 after the results of her survey were made public, the Dlinois legislature passed a workmens compensation law. But the new law bogged down in the courts when judges said they could see "no . ' Match-maken1 in this 1811 icood engri:wing risked contracting "phass11 jaw," a painful di11ea11e 1cMch resulted in. facial disfigurement and sometimes death. Legislation halting the use of phosphorous in match-making 1oas not pa.Ysed 1.mm 1910. May-June 1972 19  -- . '.. ..,_ - __ . ________ _,.- - ~ Carbon mono.i;i<ie ptJi.'wnill!l threcttenecl the conuerters making bes$emer s1eel in thiJJ 1886 1ooo!l engraving. Sliield,g ca11ght the sparli;s, b1et the absence of ventilation al!owe<I fumes to escape bito the atmosphere. Whe1i making field, inspectiona, .Uice Hamil-ton sabjected 11er.~elf to the same ha::ard.i faced by 1corkers. legnl principles on which compensation for occupa- tiona,l diseases could rest." :Not until 1936 did the Illinois legislature pass an effective la.w. By then 16 other states hncl passed compensa.tion ln.w.s. Later, while working with the U.S. Department of Lo.bor, Dr. Hamilton began a nationwide sur\ey of industries, again including lead. She also e~- plored illnesses resulting :from fumes in 'World "\Va.r I munitions plants, tuberculosis and silicosis in miners, carbon monoxide poisoning in steel mills, carbon disulphide effects on rayon workers, and mercury poisoning in hatters and miners. Dr. Hamilton relied not only on research but . - ! also on first-hand experience. Before confronting an employer with suggestions for health improve- The e-mployee above assembles storflge batterle.s, ll 1110<1iict ments in a pl:mt or before turning in a report to often using leaa o.ricle.s. Inhaiecl or foge~tetl i,~to the the government, Dr. Hamilton conducted field in- system, teaa can caiise 17a,3trointestillal, bloocl cmcl cel!tral spections. She would stand close to hot furnnces, nervous system <li~orders. The taruet of .llioe HamiUon's put her whole weight on a jackhammer, and walk earlie.9t studies, lead is stm a common workplace material. narrow catwalks in studying the industrial worlcFs on-the-job health problems. NIOSH fa toorkino on a criteria cloc-ztment on leacl. OSHd has declared it one of the Target Heaith Jia:tar<l;;. In her book IxnuSTRllL Tox1c0Loo1:, published in 1934, she offered employers this kind of pra.cti~ By the encl of her long careet, she hn.d succeeded --, <!al ad-..ice : in presenting nets to break through the nation's " (a) Prevent :formation of escape of gases, ignora.nce and indifference toward protecting fumes and clust. workers from occupational diseases:. She had suc- (b) I (a) is impossible, remove by menns 0 ceeded in m:i.king medicine-and society as :i. e:s:hausts. whole-more n.;rnre of its responsibilities to~ard (c) If (b) is impossible, dilute us much as the health of its workers. possible by abundant ventilation nncl by fa.ns She had been among those to pioneer n. brc,1k- blowing air past the :face of the worket-s." through in attitude-surely ns important u.s any When Alice Hamilton beg~n her crusade to cor- technological development. Her work hncl been in- rect conditions leading to occupational disease, it strumental in changing the negucive attitudes of seemed to her that most of her American contem- the 10th century to the present sense of community porf1ries felt it 1'ns a cause ::tainted with Socialism or with feminine sentimentality for the poor." responsibility for control of the emironmcnt-in- clucling the work environment. D May-June 1972 21 .I ' ~-indr-e Ra.dne is young and in excellent health. the title senior materials manager, .. Since He's a top hand in his trade, which is line con- starting in the construction business about ~5 years struction. This involves building high-voltage ago, nJcLeod has worked on power-trnnsmission transmission lines, and it offers steady, year-round lines all over the United States. He's worked in employment, plus a very high rate of pay. swamps, plains, deserts and mountains.... 'With all of this going or him, Andre is hardly On the subject of safety, his voice takes on a the type of person who woulcl want to end his life particularly hard note. '1Safety is something we prematurely. But on September 15, 19il, it was take seriously around here. We don't like others almost ended for him. joking about it..\.nd we are getting to the point Andre works for T.D. Bross Line Construction where all 300 people on this job are taking snfety Company. Bross, in a, joint venture with Savin seriously too/' Brothers Construction, is working in Rockland County, ~ew York, installing a 345K transmission line or Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. One of Andre's co-workers dropped a pair o:f lineman's pliers from atop n, cross-member 80 feet above ground..\ndre, nssemhling his gear prior to ascending the 100-foot steel pole, received the falling pliers directly on the left side of his safety cap. The reason Andre is still alive today is because the safety cap-not his hend-took the punishment. These particular pliers have a wedge-shaped head, n.re abont nine inches long and weigh close to o. ponnd. This menns that, according to calculo.tions by Americ3,n Optical Corpomtion's Robert They TakeTheir Safety Straight! F. White, ".At the point or impact, after :falling from a height that approximates a ten-story build- ing, the head 0 the pliers was driven into its target \,ith a. force of about SO :foot-pounds." The pliers penetrated Andre's cap, causing a 1%"-long crack in the plastic shell. But the pliers Andre Racine points to the 11/:: incTi crack ma<l6 in, his safety cap by pliers wh,ich. ten from a height of SO feet. ~ . . ' never touched the cap's suspension, let alone the man's head, ~""~' - (~~ft Everyone connected with the project c11n claim ..,...,\ ~r~ some credit for the fact that Andre wn.s wenring r1t bis safety cnp: his foremu.n, Blacky :\fadign.n; Bross Company superintendent Arthur .Aubm; J,!--~::-:-2i;tr and Dick Leppla, chairman of the safoty commit- f'., ~i - , . :):1\:---.. -- . ,,.~ ~- . . - . ' - .... ,tl<"'lJ. tee. Among numerous other duties, together they formulnted :ind enforce the snfety program thn.t '.:...;~ saved Andre's li:fe. When due credits are being distributed, another man not to be slighted is Phil :.\lcLeod. An em ployee of Stone and 'Webster Engineering (construction munn.ger for the project), McLeod hns First pubU.thect in E11VTR011l[ E:'iT ,L Co:-;Tnor, "' SAHTY ::IIA!II.\GEltcl/T, De.:emb.it' !U'l' 1. Reprinted u:lth. permiaafon of Heat's Sajetv Pubi,catio,1t. --~~:'Tc.;:1:t~ , A' -. . :.~-;:,_,~J_: :-~J~!..- ~ .v.-..-, { g,t: >,-, ;,;~;; :~1;~~ {'! .... i .. .,,_"(I \,1 ,.. z , -- -~--- ~ ~,..~~- ,.,< - ~ ~ ~ ! - - ; ;~ ... .I ~-~..:.- ;.t. 1 < ~...r.... ~....J.7. ,. . fa",,,,,-. .l . "- ~w.-;:,..'lt),.,..j k,,. -~~ -- ~.-t-,4:1~. ~)"', ,..l -!' -.. -,~' .r. :,.;.iC1 ~~.in \ : . -: ... ........ ... -. ~J!._-,J~tv~ """~-~. "" - ' - - -. - 22 Safety Standards ---------........~ --- ----------- ''Building a hir3h-voltage transmission line across all kinds of terrain invoices exceptional tcork ha::,ards. So contractors, sub-contractors and zmion~ represented on the safety committee added bite to their roles." ., The record proves they take their safety se- inspections of the sites e,ery two weeks. In addi- riously. The Ramapo-to-Hudson River Project, tion, field representn.ti,..-es from three insurnnce since its inception in Janun.ry 1971, has had a total companies conduct periodic inspections. ::\Ieetings of 39 first aid cases. Only five of these involved of the committee follow ench inspection tour, to lost time. In more than 300,000 man-hours worked discuss conditions noted a.nd necessary solutions to this year, less thn.n 1.5 percent of this total has problems, if t:my. been lost due to injuries. It's an enviable record. McLeod says, "This particular job could have How does a company. amass such e, record, espe- resulted in several fatal accidents u.lreacly, con- cially under extremely severe terrain conditions1 sidering the hazards involved. We're working in .Ask :.\foLeod. . , all kinds of terrain . . . mountains, ,alleys, for- ''By working together and getting everybody ests, in close proximity to energized trnrumission involved with safety. It's a cooperative effort be- lines and substations and to high-pressure gas tween the contractors, subcontractors ancl the lines. Access roads for men n.ncl hen,vy equipment I unions. All hu.ve representatives on a permanent have to be blasted and cut. Our right-of-way is safety committee-volunteers who do this in adcliM limited since we ha:ve no wish to damage the tion to their regular jobs." la.ndscn.pe a.ny more than necessary to build this . ..~ Dick Leppfo., safety committee chairman, is supel'intendent of constl"l.lction for Stone and badly-needed electrical service.'1 Pa.rt of the process of getting organized w.,s a .,_ .... . ..' webster. Other representatives on the committee thorough study 0 the terra.in n.ncl hazards. :'.\[em- include people from Stone uncl 1Yebster, the Bross bers met with loca.1 officials, conservationist.;; and .. w Company, Savin Bi-others, the Internutional utilities people who had e~perience in the areas Brotherhood o:f Electrical orke.rs, o,ncl the build- through which the line's right-of-way would run. 4 ing trade unions. Phil McLeod is a permanent This included a. visit to the directors of se\eral representative who coordinates the many facets of children~s summer camps in the area. The approach the program. was always a. presentation of facts about the proj The safety committee was organized on Janu- ect and hazards inYolv-ed. ary 13, 1071, at a. preconstruction meeting at the "There are potential injury situations from Stone and webster field office in l\It. Ivy, New blasting, tree and stump clearing, concrete pour- York. A presenta.tion was made outlining the i:p.g, driving to and from the sites, equipment re- ha.za.rclous conditions to be expected during the pn.ir1 n.ncl materials h::mclling," so.ys Phil :'.\IcLeod, coming months. It was decided that the committee "und naturally, the actua1 ;,ork on the pole,; them- would be directly responsible for a.11 on-the-job .selves, such us wh:1t lrn.ppenecl to ..:-\..m1re.r . safety. :Moreover, oommittee members would be ).foLeod mentions an inst::1.nce where an employee selected on the basis of their bnckgrouncl and their put his hand into a pile of timber and pulled back expertise in work bl!ing done during varions st-nges n. copperhead! Fortunately, the snake had sm1.k of the project. his fangs into the ma.n'5 lenther safety glo,e A man wa.s appointed to net as perma.ni:mt repre- rather than his hand. "A good case for glans: sentative during foundation construction. He was snys :l-IcLeod, "but n.n e,en better co.se for .Art replaced by another man during erection of the Anbin's overn.Il declurn.tion of intent to run :i. safe. steel poles, and by still another clnring the wire- disciplined operation." stringing operations. A committee member is on each pole site ( work- ContinuinO' ~ in this vein., ::\IcLeod .s:tYS, X ot c,-eryone realizes the importance of discipline in site) once each day. The committee conducts full a safety program. We all get ca.rele:=s at time::. May-June 1972 23 .,.. . ... . --- . -...... - ..... - - ... l{eeping in l'cind that the definition of safety is really prevention of accidents, we can't work too hard to wipe out carelessness. "'iYe have some of the top people in line construction on this project and .n.ll of them know their jobs. This is the problem sometimes. They have too much confidence! We have to keep reminding them. So we a.re inclined to be repetitious." On the first Thursday of each month, a brief sn.:fety meeting is held n.t the stu.rt of the work day. Topics covering various aspects of s~fety a.re discussed. For ~::tmple, one topic may be storn.ge -of explosives and how they should be removed from the mag::i.bine and transported to the joh. on Another might be a. demonstration of first aid, in- cluding the la.test medicn.1 theory snakebite treatment. Specific problems and discussions of new knowledge about site-related hazards llre given time at every meeting. According to Art Aubin, "Taking this timB with the men mn.y keep them away from the project for n. short time, but it is well worth it. Just compare t11e potential in time lost due to injury, broken equipment and higher insumnce premiums. Needless to say, the tragedy of a pel"manently disabling injury or a death cannot be measured in dolfors and cents.1~ The meetings are supplemented by regula1 sn.fety committee memos. Memos of this type em- .phashe the importu.nce of adhering to th~ safety and rules developed for the project, plus cnse histories orr accidents that happened accidents pre- vented-better known as nea.r misses. The foct that everyone-supervisor, foreman and individual worker-has an important role is always the part- ing shot o:f the memo. The memos are distributed by committee members to the men in their groups, reinforcing person-to-person conto.ct. "No safety program is going to work if its not enforced," says McLeod. ".And if it's going to be en:forced we have to put teeth into the regu]ations, and then stand by them tffthe letter! When we say that a specific amount of violations of safety regu- lations will result in dismissal, we mean it ! 1Vhen we say thnt violations of our rules by people who work for other contractors me:1n that these people will be banned from the project, we enforce it." If an employee on the project is caught in viola- tion of o. safety rule, he is notified in writing. The gist of the memo is that the violation hns been noted and recorded. It reminds him tho.t the con- sequences could be injury to himself. In cordial terms, the memo states that the rules were de- veloped :for the workers' protection ancl th::i.t the '. . :I . ~ :j - I t\-.?; 1., lVork proqre9,1es on the transmi.!aion line for the Ramapo-to-Hudson River project. 24 - ..,... Safety StandarC::; ... -~------'--'---"'-...,.~......-.,, .......... -- ..____ . ---... -..._~ ...... _..... ___ ,.___ ... ~~ violation was probably an oversight on his part. :\fention is made also that the rules were estab- lished by the project safety committee, or included in locn.l union by-lo.ws or by the state and federul governments. The fact that no further such violations are expected is mentioned firmly, but politelv. Copies of the memo are sent to each member of the safety committee :for information and filed in the employee's record. .According to 1IcLeod, ,::Kobody is a.round long enough to receive mot'e than two such memos." Probably one of the most important points :Mc- Leod makes is that of knowing the nature of haz- ards that exist. Any accident is closely followed by an injury report. This means every type of acci- dent, including minor cuts. The report includes information on location, weather conditions, and the nature of task being performed. AYailability of first o.id, and conditions of the general work area are noted. '~In brief," says McLeod, ''we want to know what went on before, during and after the _........ accident. This gives us a complete record that helps us correct whatever conditions might have contributed t-0 the problem." Accident reports, and whn.t- On-site in8pections are comlucted daily b!J one or more member.~ of the pro:ject's safety committee. ever corrective measures have been taken o.s CL re- sultt sub2equently are subjects for so.fety bulletins and for discussion at safety meetings. (OSHA.), comment both )foLeod und Aubin. Sa.vs ":\fora.le on this project is as high, or highert 1IcLeocl: "It's a good law if enforced. I personally thil.n on ::my other job I've been associated with," feel that the mo.jar burden of enforcing this law says 1IcLeod. "Our safety record is the biggest is going to rest with the employer himself. The contributor to this high momle as far as I'm con- best route is the kind of organiz::i.cion we have cerned. But the program works because I believe here, where everyone is brought into the s,1feh- .. , tha.t the committee has done an outstanding job of pictnre and lmows exactly why." " communic:i.ting. The progra.m is understood bv Aubin says, "We're way n.he:1.d of 0S}L\.. Our e\eryone on the job. Everybody participates. objective here is to prevent ,1.ccidents and protect '~A few months ago one of our men h:.id his eye people. Our record is good not bec:.iu:::e we keep om snvecl by a pair of safety glasses, qualifying him eyes on statistics, but becuus-c we a.n,1.lvze onr total or membership in the wise Owl Club. We held picture, terrnin, project a.ad peopie. 1\.,.e t0-ke a full-scale banquet, b,dfet style with unlimited proper preventive action, and we enforce personal protectiv.i equipment regubtions. 11iriats more, refreshment.s. .American Optical provided us with we probe deeply into the causes of the few in- an artificial eye which we hnd made into n. tie juries we do ha~e. Once we e:s:nmine the cause we clip. Been.use the man understood nncl followed 1 nu1.ke every effort to see that it can't happen ngain. the rules regarding wearing safety equipment. he\; .A. good example is that although we'll continue to wen.ring the artificial eye o.s o. tie clip. not in an work at the ba.se of the poles, we won~t ha.,e ::tny empty socket/' more tools falling from a.bO\e..As to the end re- One important entity which s:1fety peopie in :ill sult-the project is ahcud of schedule~ ::mfl it will tmdesi professions and industries have to consider tmdoubte(liy be a highly profitable operation for is the new Occupational Safety and Health .Act all conccrned.n 0 May-June 1972 25 -- - -----~- ~-- . . -.r------~--- ~-., ~----.. ---.....,--.,._._. .,.. ____ _ Safety Spotlight Et Noil) a regular feature, Safety Spotlight will bring readers brief accounts of safety activities and safety programs that are proving successful. The purpose is not only to highlight useful safety tips, but to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. Manufacturers distribute safety booklet Shoring school too successful The Adhesive Manufacturers Association cf America In April 1971 the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the has prepared a booklet, isafe Handling of Adhesives," American Society of Safety Engineers enrolled twelve for distribution to its customers to assure safer han- persons in a shoring safety training course. Today there dling of its products. are 500 graduates of the program-and a waiting list The booklet explains the uniform labeling practices so long that chapters in four other cities across the and inctudes pictures of the different labels used. The country are organizing similar schools. three possible hazards of adhesives-effects on the The one-day course trains those involved in sewer, skin, fire, and toxicity-are described, and methods to water, gas, electric and telephone trenching in the combat them are explained. For copies, write Adhesives proper methods of shoring for underground construc Manufacturers Association of America, 441 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017. tion work. The training is designed to reduce the signifrcant number of deaths and serious Injuries Cllused by trench cave-ins. Superintendents, foremen, inspectors, Keep your hat on! engineers contractors and linemen have attended the classes. ,- Pepper Construction Company of Chicago recently The State of California Industrial Safety Division sent its 80 foremen and supervisors to a two-day safety Construction Section has provided an instructor for all course given by the Building Construction Employers classes to date. The American Society of Safety Engi- Association (BCEA). One of the results is a new regu neers believes that there is a need for many such lation that makes the wearing of hard hats a condition of employment. courses across the nation. finding qualified instructors is one of the chief obstacles. Since the aluminum Allen Quinn, Pepper's safety engineer, tells why: hydraulic shoring process has become popular only . "Right now we're concentrating on hard hats and re- within the last six years, there is a shortage of qualified . quiring that everyone on the job wear them at all instructors to teach these classes. times--even the executives when they come around. There's no question that hard hats can save lives. Recently one of our men fell 14 feet and landed on his head. If he weren't wearing a hard hat, chances are he Farm safety program wouldn't be around today." May and June have been designated as "Farm Pepper is also urging its men to wear safety glasses Transportatioo" and "Water Safety" months, respec and safety shoes. The company provides protective tively, by the Department of Agricultura in a special, equipment the first time. If an employee loses an item, year-round campaign to encourage farm safety prac- he pays for its replacement. tices. The program, according to Under Secretary John Skanderup, president of the 600-employee J. Philip Campbell, ls being coordinated with the company, explains the steppedup safety effort; "White National Safety Council and will place special emphasis we have had a voluntary safety program for many on the Occupational Safety and Health Act provis:ons. years, our efforts are being redoubled now that safety The monthly observances got under way in March is a federal requirement. The biggest job is educating with emphasis on the safe use of agricultural chemicals. our people to the importance of safety and getting them other special programs scheduled include: July-per to follow the rules." sonal protective equipment; August-vacation safety; BCEA conducts several safety courses each month. September-bacl<-tc-school program; October-harvest For more information, write 228 North LaSalle Street, safety and fire prevention; November-chore-time Chicago, Illinois 60601. safety; and December-home and holiday safety. 26 Safety Sta[ldards "-..,_ ......... ..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ ...,_ -., .... ..__., - -.- _...___ .__. ..lW. - . , labor Safety Award deadline ~ Old adage-new safety twist ' The National Safety Council reminds all union mem- In a recent speech at the Inter-Union Gas Confer bers that the deadline for apptications for its Labor ence, Charles H. Tupper, director of safety for the Safety Awards is July 1, 1972. Individual union mem International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, bers, as well as unions, are eligible. The awards are summed up the common responsibility for safety when given for outstanding work in such activities as estab- he remarked: "We have met the enemy and he is us; lishing safety programs, initiating joint management- the 'us' part of this adage is labor and management union meetings, and promoting safety activities. Write combined." to the National Safety Council, 425 N. Michigan Avenue, Tupper also advised the union members "to under- Chicago, Illinois 60611, for information and for the stand and use intelligently and with discernment the brochure, "Safety Awards Program for Organized important protections and rights which are provided Labor," for workers by the Act." Field first aid unit saves lives Two construction workers, seriously injured in a fall from the top of a power plant addition, owe their lives to prompt treatment from the ex-Navy medic who mans a well-equipped first-aid trailer on the job site. Operated by Power Systems, Inc., the 10 by 28 foot custom-bl,lilt trailer is one of three field units currently in use on the company's construction sites. The trailer contains equipmMt not usually found in a first-aid center-a cardiac monitor, a wide range of emergency respiratory and orthopedic gear, intravenous solutions, and a variety of emergency drugs. These "extras" made a difference to the men who fell to the ground and lived to tell about it. The immediate availability of intravenous infusions and drugs was a key factor in their survival. The purchase of high-priced medical equipment was made possible, in part, by savings realized by improvis- ing other items. An examination and treatment table was made from scrap materials at the site. Hangers for intravenous infusions and irrigation solutions, and spinal support boards for the transportation of persons with back and neck injuries are other "home made" items. Economical aluminum baking trays with snap-off plastic covers substitute for expensive stainless steel containers as dust-protective holders for instruments and medicines. Power Systems states that "an enlightened safety program is necessarily augmented by enlightened first aid coverage for employees." Companies interested in exchanging ideas on first-aid facilities may write to Power Systems, Inc., 600 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60606. May-June 1972 A. mobile first-aid. unit. the trailer alioi:e is equipped to provide emergency care for oonatrttction u;nrJ.:er.~. 27 , ....... ----:""-"<f'-1<-- --, ..-....,..__...__...... ~ - - -......--- .. -- ---..- . .....--- - - ~ Satety Spotlight Now a regular feature, Safety Spotlight will bring readers brief accounts of safety ~ctivities and safety programs that are proving successful. The purpose is not only to highlight usejul safety tips, but to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. Manufacturers djstribute safety booklet The Adhesive Manufacturers Association of America has prepared a booklet, "Safe Handling of Adhesives,'' for distribution to its customers to assure safer han dling of its products. The booklet explains the uniform labeling practices and includes pictures of the different labels used, The three possible hazards of adhesives-effects on the skin, fire, and toxicity-are described, and methods to combat them are explained. For copies, write Adhesives Manufacturers Association of America, 441 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017. Keep your hat on! Pepper Construction Company of Chicago recently sent its 80 foremen and supervisors to a two-day safety course given by the Building Construction Employers Association (BCEA). One of the results is a new regulation that makes the wearing of hard hats a condition of employment. Allen Quinn, Pepper's safety engineer, teHs why: "Right now we're concentrating on hard hats and re quiring that everyone on the job wear them at all tirnes--even the executives when they come around. There's no question that hard hats can save lives. Recently one of our men fell 14 feet and landed on his head. If he weren't wearing a hard hat, chances are he wouldn't be around today." Pepper is also urging its men to wear safety glasses and safety shoes. The company provides protective equipment the first time. If an employee loses an item, he pays for its replacement. John Skanderup, president of the 600-employee company, explains the stepped-up safety effort: "While we have had a voluntary safety program for many years, our efforts are being redoubled now that safety is a federal requirement. The biggest job is educating our people to the importance of safety and getting them to follow the rules." BCEA conducts several safety courses each month. For more information, write 228 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601. 26 Shoring school too successful In April 1971 the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers enrolled twelve persons in a shoring safety training course. Today there are 500 graduates of the program-and a waiting list so long that chapters in four other cities across the country are organizing similar schools. The one-day course trains those involved in sewer, water, gas, electric and telephone trenching In the proper methods of shoring for underground construction work. The training is designed to reduce the significant number of deaths and serious injuries caused by trench cave-1ns. Superintendents, foremen, inspectors, engineers contractors and linemen have attended the classes. The State of California Industrial Safety Division Construction Section has provided an instructor for all classes to date. The American Society of Safety Engi neers believes that there is a need for many such courses across the nation. Finding qualified instructors is one of the chief obstactes. Since the aluminum hydraulic shoring process has become popular only within the last six years, there is a shortage of qualified instructors to teach these classes. Farm safety program May and June have been designated as "Farm Transportation" and "Water Safety" months, respec tively, by the Department of Agriculture in a special, year-round campaign to encourage farm safety prac tices. The program, according to Under Secretary J. Philip Campbell, is being coordinated with the National Safety Council and will place special emphasis on the Occupational Safety and Health Act provisions. The monthly observances got under way in March with emphasis on the safe use of agricultural chemicals .. Other special programs scheduled include: July-per sonal protective equipment; August-vacation safety; September-back-to-school program; October-harvest safety and fire prevention; November-chore-time safety; and December-home and holiday safety. Safety Standlrds . I labor Safety Award deadline The National Safety Council reminds all union members that the deadline for applications for its Labor Safety Awards is July 1, 1972. Individual union members, as well as unions, are eligible. The awards are given for outstanding work in such activities as establishing safety programs. initiating joint rnanagement1,mion meetings, and promoting safety activities. Write to the National Safety Council, 425 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, for information and for the brochure, "Safety Awards Program for Organized Labor." Old adage-new safety twist In a recent speech at the Inter-Union Gas Confer ence, Charles H. Tupper, director of safety for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, summed up _the common responsibility for safety when he remarked: "We have met the enemy and he is us; the 'us' part of this adage is labor and management combined." Tupper also advised the union members "to under. stand and use intelligently and with discernment the important protections and rights which are provided for workers by the Act" Field first aid unit saves lives Two construction workers, seriously injured in a fali from the top of a power plant addition, owe their lives to prompt treatment from the ex-Navy medic who mans a wei!-equipped first-aid trailer on the job site. Operated by Power Systems, Inc., the 10 by 28 foot custom-built trailer is one of three field units currently in use on the company's construction sites. The trailer contains equipment not usually found in a first-aid center-a cardiac monitor, a wide range of emergency respiratory and orthopedic gear, intravenous solutions, and a variety of emergency drugs. These "extras" made a difference to the men who fell to the ground and lived to tell about it. The immediate availability of intravenous infusions and drugs was a key factor in their survival. The purchase of high-priced medical equipment was made possible, in part, by savings realized by improvis- ing other items. An examination and treatment table was made from scrap materials at the site. Hangers for intravenous infusions and irrigation solutions, and spinal support boards for the transportation of persons with back and neck injuries are other "home made" items. Economical aluminum baking trays with snap-off plastic covers substitute for expensive stainless steel containers as dust-protective holders for instruments and medicines. Power Systems states that "an enlightened safety program is necessarily augmented by enlightened first aid coverage for employees." Companies interested in exchanging ideas on first-aid facilities may write to Power Systems, Inc., 600 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60606. May-June 1972 \:, j ~ . ~~:, r. -,~~~ L:JitI-~J :> . : _~--::. ._ --.-.!ti, l);J:J?fl ~ - - ,,, - - -- . --~.::__=.:-ii r.l,~ifr:t0 . . ~i.miEMf,a:y:;fJ~.:-.::- ..., .;~ l _--:... '-:,'I ~.:~-~~~E , ~1 . .:ft,__ ~~ ,f~~;.,.__--:,:_,-,,:~r.l't/i,= . - ; ( ,. ,),.., f~11i;".~ ~ ,r;. r"I-~ ::Z -1,--'-~t &,.~"'(;~i!' .~~A. . -n..i..:" .:I. mobile fir.'jt-aid unit, tl~e trailer above fa equipped to provide emergency care for construation 1cl)rker.,. 27 - l Timetable set for changes m standards A timetable for 46 proposed changes in standards affecting the workplace environment has beM announced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Tha timetable calls for changes in 31 standards by the end of 1972 fiscal year (June 30, 1972) and an additional 15 by the midpoint of fiscal 1973 (December 31, 1972). The changes are key parts of a three-phase program of standards development by the OSHA Office of Standards under Acting Director Gerard F. Scannell. The first phase involves correction of typographical errors and similar nonsubstantive items found in the Initia[ standards pubrished in 1971. The SijC0nd phase clarifies adopted national consensus standards and revokes some provisions because of their discrimina- tory nature or because they conflict with other parts of the standards. The third phase involves adopting new standards, developed either by national consensus standards.setting organizations or by the Department under procedures of the Williams-Steiger Act. Assistant Secretary of Labor George C. Guenther said, "We are announdng the schedule for these pro posed changes so as to inform interested parties of OSHA's intentions. Due to the complex technical nature of many of the standards, the timetable cannot be considered absolute, but reflects our best estimate of what can be accomplished during the balance of 1972." Among the proposed changes are the following: Amending the construction section for roll-over protective structures for vehicles, Making technical changes and corrections in sec tions affecting powered platforms, manlifts and vehiclemounted platforms, and compressed gas and compressed air equipment. Adding new sections on protective helmets for electrical workers, slings, uniform traffic control de vices, exists, sprink!ers, foam, mechanical power trans mission guarding, bakery equipment and floating cranes and derricks. Adding new sections on woodworking machinery, oil burning equipment, ovens and furnaces and installa- tion of gas appliances. Adopting the 1971 Threshold Limit Values of the American Congress of Governmental Industrial Hygienists on toxic substances and noise, replacing 1968 and 1970 levels. 28 Promulgating an asbestos standard to replace the emergency standard issued December 7, 1971, Amending the construction standards to correct conflicts, duplications and technical errors, including those on catch platforms and scaffold heights. Completing a section on electrical transmission and distribution lines and equipment, including specific standard for the electrical utitity industry. Bringing sections of the general industry standards and the construction standards into conformity. Adding a section on installation of gas piping and gas equipment on industrial premises. Bringing maritime standards into conformity with other standards where tike hazards are covered. Adding sections on longshoring on the docks, diving operations and workmen's hoists. Revoking the ban on pump-jack scaffolding. Adding amendments on tunneling to the construction standards. Resolving differences on scaffold requirements. Adopting a new standard on bis (chloromethyl) ether. Adding parts of a new cons~nsus standard on machine guarding for woodworking machiner;, and on work in confined spaces. Adding new sections on dredging and loca! ex- haust systems. Promulgating, in coordination with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Hea!th, standards on two of the OSHA Target Health Hazards: carbon monoxide and silica. States receive planning grants Fourteen states have received $978,725 to assist them in developing their own on-the-job safety and health programs. George C. Guenther, Assistant Secre tary of Labor for OSHA, announcing the grants, said these awards bring the total federal allocation to date to $5.68 million. The allocations involve federal funds of up to 90 percent of the total cast of the projects, which is being started immediately. Participation by Hawaii and Nevada brings to 48 (plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) the number of states receiving grants for assessing their occupational safety and health needs arid preparing a state plan. Section l8(b) of the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 provides for states to Safety Stanaards . I . ' ---.-:---- ,.._..,.,._._.._..,..,.._,.._ -.-- ..,....... .... ~z,..---. .._...., ,- - .....,. _...,,..--~ ,---"'I"-~-.><---.., ..... ..- - ,,.._ -;-- '":'"""W'-,, _ __....._.,,. ~.... --.-..-- --~-- ......... l \ .,:_ - - ,. I, assume operation of their own programs, and Section 18(c) lists the criteria to be met by states wishing to submit their plans to the Department of Labor for approval. Following are the grants awarded: Alabama, a $72.418 amendment to its original grant for developing an 18(b) plan. Alaska, $157,130 to develop compliance proce dures for the state's three high-hazard industries (con struction, logging and wood products, and petroleum and pipeline), to prepare legislative action for support of a plan, and to prel)are an acceptable plan under Section 18(b). California, $105,781 for data collection, code <:omparison, and legal analysis basic for its plan under Section 18(b). Hawaii, three grants: $34,590 to develop a man agement information system; $62,272 to catalogue standards and develop a plan; and $15,468 to prepare legislative actions in support of a plan. Illinois, $27,630 to continue work in such areas as focal authority preemption, measurement of its ~ffectiveness and OSHA-related standards. Maine, $74,997 to continue developing its plan for including state and local employees under Section 18(C)(6). Mississippi, a $89,229 amendment to its original grant to continue developing an 18(b) plan. Montana, $32,278 to review fire hazards and how to combat them, and to integrate the results of this study into devel<lpment of its state plan. Nebraska, two grants: $52,000 to assess its needs in developing an enforcement program under the Act; $37,102 to identify and evaluate occupational health hazards in the state. Nevada, $72,458 to determine its needs and responsibilities in order to develop its state plan. New Jersey, $6,922 to determine personnel re- quirements for enforcement and legal services, and $41,808 to integrate other current and completed projects into a state plan. Texas, a $1,758 amendment to an earlier grant. Washington, $47,569 to evaluate farm workers' exposures to occupational health hazards. Wisconsin, $47,215 to continue developing its state plan. Construction standards amended Fortythree amendments to the original construction standards issued April 17, 1971, have become effective. George C. Guenther, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, said: "The .amendments are the result of written comments and oral testimony received from interested persons and asso ciations such as the Associated General Contractors, the May-June 1972 National Association of Homebuilders, and the National CQnstruction Association, recommendations of the OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety, and of course our own considerations." '}1 The amendments include new rules for medical serv- ices, safety belts, safety nets, temporary heating devices, switches, rigging equipment, excavation, and trenching requirements. Grants for data gathering Virginia and West Virginia are the first states to receive OSHA grants to assist them in funding studies of work injuries and illnesses. The information obtained from the studies, part of the national data gathering project, will be used to encourage the development of state safety and health programs and help establish Industry standards for job safety and health. Decision on walk-around pay In a decision interpreting the Williams-Steiger Occu- pational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Assistant Sec- retary of labor George C. Guenther has concluded that Mobil Oil Corporation did not discriminate against em ployees when it refused to pay them for time they spent with federal safety and health inspectors In a "waik- around" inspection. Guenther based his decision on a legal opinion by the Solicitor of the Labor Department, Richard F. Schubert. Under the Act, an authorized representative of em ployees must be given the opportunity to accompany the federal inspector. Mobil provided this opportunity but refused to pay the employees for the time they spent on the walkaround. _ The law forbids discrimination against em?ioyees because of their exercise of rights provided by the Act. The case reached Guenther when the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW) atleged that Mobil's refusal to pay for the walk-around time constituted discrimination forbidden by the Act. OCAW's argument was that any employer"s refusal to pay employees for walk-around time is discrimina tory. The opinion rejects this argument. concluding that employees in the walk-around were not engaged in regu- lar work, and that Mobil refused to pay them, not . because of the walkaround, but because they were not working. The opinion also concludes that walk-around time is not compensable working time under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The legal opinion states that some cases where dis, crimination is alleged woutd be more appropriately handled by use of grievance-arbitration provisions of collective bargaining agreements. Such cases would Include disputes over the interpretntion of the bargain ing agreement. 29 .-,. :I: ~ '~ ' ,._,,. r. n _.I. Q. , rl , , 11 . :-t' ~ D . .,~illi . ~ .; -:-:.. ~-r.-;.-.."j,.''y:./~..:".rf .~,:;,:- :-;~;:.,.,o4:~: .,---,:~,_<~ ~. 30 The Job of erecting the New York skyline was accomplished at great risk to some ot the employees Involved. This 1895 drawing shows construction workers on the steel girders of the American Surety Company Building. In the distance are the Produce Exchange, the Manhattan Life Building and the Trinity Church Spire. Underfoot are ropes and tools carelessly strewn about. The poor housekeeping increases the danger of slipping and falling-from a platform 20 stories above street level. The working platform lacks guard rails to protect the men from such falls. They are vulnerable also to objects falling from above. A fall!ng wrench, for example, would strike an unprotected head, rather than a hard hat. Today no construction worker needs to accept sueh risks to do his job. OSHA standards require the use of protective clothing. Not only hard hats, but also safety goggles. shoes and gloves reduce ,he risk of personal injury. The standards also require that eve!"f open-sided platform six feet or more above the ground be guarded by a rail:ng equipped with a toe board to keep the equipment, as well as the employees, from fa!Hng. Safety belts and nets provide further safeguards to protect the employee on the job. Salety Standards .-,_.._ ---,......-------_...... __,..,. r:4 ___....,._..._ . .---~-----~- ----- ~ I i New curriculum focuses on safety and health Under a contract with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, is designing new under. graduate and graduate curriculum in occupational safety and health. This program is part of the NIOSH effort to help supply enough qualified safety and health professionals to meet the growing needs of industry and government. The curriculum developed by Auburn is the first of its kind. The program offers students the opportunity to enter an established field-industrial engineeringand to focus on occupational safety and health. The new emphasis is made possible by requiring students to take 30 hours of courses in safety and health in place of the electives previously open to them. The new courses include: occupational accident prevention, occupational hygiene engineering, occupational safety and health laboratory, design for hazard reduction and introduction to acoustics and noise control. The industrial engineering student who elects this program will be trained to evaluate workplace condl tions and loss potential factors. He will also be quaJi. fied to design and implement occupational safety programs and health controls. In January 1972 the in dustrial engineering department enrolled 22 students in the new program. In addition, the Industrial Engineering Department at Auburn is planning a master's degree program that also will concentrate on occupational safety and health. Tracking down the hazards NIOSH regional offices will respond to written re quests for a hazards evaluation of workplace substances suspected of having toxic effects. An emp!oyer or an authorized employee representative may request the evaluation. An employee representative Is defined as a collective bargaining representative, or a person with at least two other written employee authorizations, or one employee from establishments where three or fewer workers are employed. After receiving the request for a hazards evaluation, the regional office wm send an industrial hygienist to the worksite to analyze the to)(icity of the substance in question. Some requests could result in medical exami nations or new toxicity studies on animals. Jf the substance is toxic, NIOSH will recommend to the Secretary of Labor an environmental limit to control the exposure. May-June 1972 A one.page instructional sheet to use i!;:1~: o request is available from the NIOSH Divisior '}~ ii\"'oY mation, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Md.' 2\ 2.5: ,., .J from the NlOSH Division of :rectinical Servi(, s 'J1 'i Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, Forms al' : ,,:y -:,2. obtained from the ten NtOSH regional offices: '-'s -io:, 1: Government Center, John F. Kennedy-fe_derat -1,.-1,,r;,:;, Boston, Mass. 02203; Region JI: f'eder::i'I Sw ,1;11g, ZG Federal Plaza, New York, N,Y. 10017; Regioi ,,'; 4J! North Broad Street, Philadelppia1,.Pa. l,QlO/;, ;io:g>.:,, IV: 50 Seventh St., N.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30323;' 1 :-:r.c,, 'v: 300 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, 111._ 60607~ f: f;icr, Vi: 1100 Commerce Street, Room 8-C-53, Dal' 75202; Region vrr: 601 Ea$t 12th Street,.Kaf'\,: . Mo. 64106; Region Vill: 19th. and Stout Sttee'. . Federal Building, Oenver, Colo. 80202; Reg101 .. ,, Fulton Street, 254 Federal Office Buiicting, s,.,, 1 , ;:; , , cisco, Calif. 94102; Region X: 1321 Seconi:I 'j'.ur Arcade Building, Seattle, Wash. 98101.' Appointments made Edward J. Baier began his .ippointment as . Director on February 22, 1972. Baier 'tormer! Director of the Bureau of Mine and Occupational and Safety of the Pennsylvania Department of Er mental Resources. He is a director of. the Arr..- Board of ln~ustrial Hygiene and a pa$t-_l;h<!ir,tnan ; . American Conference of Goverrnnen-taL:;!nd:-; ,, Hygienists. As Deputy Director, Ba1er:Will ;lf~ist , ,: overall direction and management of NIOSH:d~er,0 <' Alfred C. Blac}<man, formerly managing .direc.:,, ~ the American Society of Safety. Engineers, has ::r"c appointed Assistar1t Director for Safety at, JI!. ")Sf. Blackman reports directly to N!OSH Director Marc.\ s Iv'. occupat -,. :, Key, and is responsible for providing gwklartcio c.r.d coordination for the lnstitute's role in 1 safety. Permanent asbestos standard proposed NIOSH recently issued ''Occupational ~xposur '. to Asbestos," a 126-page c:lo~ument containi11g cri .. i~; for a recommended standard. The study recomm, " , that employees not be exposed to' an ave:rage: gn .- ,.,, than 2.0 asbestos fibers per cu bi centimeter (Cl. c ,' air tor an eight-hour, timeVyeightad conc~ntrattor. 1t also recommends that peal< .ca.n,cenmrtion not exc .-:I 10.0 fibers/cc, a~ determined by a minimum-.sarnp n:; time of 15 minutes. : 1 OSIL\.. Publications Copies of 1:he following are nvallnble in limited quantities. They CAn be obto.ined free from OSHA rei;ional ottlces (addresses wm be found on im,ide front cover) unless ocherwise stated. Compliance Manual Contains guidelines for OSHA. regional and area person n~l to follow in implementing the Occupational Safety Federal Register and Health Act of 1970; procedures for processing contested cases with the Review Commission; and informa Listed below are recent issues of the FEDER.AL REGISTER which contain information about the Occupactonal Satety and Health Act. Copies of the FEDER.U. REGISTER are on tion regnrding .Citations, proposed penalties and other OSHA activities. ..!.vailable from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. far $2.00. file nt all Ji'ederul Depository Libraries. Single copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, 'Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 at 20 per copy. Subscriptions are available at $25 per year. Fact Sheet for Smnll Businesses on Obtaining Compliance Loans Outlines the procedures for small businesses to follow in order to obtain OSHA. assi.stllnce in applying for Small ' ' ' Standards-General Indtistry Business ..!.dministration loans to help them meet OSILl. standards. Vol. 37, ~o. 14. pp. 920-931, January 21, l9i2, " - Chapcer :XVII. Part 1970-Covernge of Employers under Randy Reference Guide the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health .dCt " of 1070. Contains purpose and scope, basis of authority, , extent of covera;e of the Act. 7 ( Standards-Construction Pocket-sized 26-page guide to the ~ct, clescribing its co,ernge, pul'l]ose, ,penalties and other items every employer should know. 20 a copy from Government Printing Ofl:ice, Washington, D.C. 20402. i-. o Vol. 37, Xo. 32, pp. 3431, February 17, 1972, Cha-pter Inspeetion! XVII, Pnrt 1910-Occupational Sa:t:et; and Health Regula- tions for Construction, and Part 10~6-Safety lllld Health Regulations for Construction. Updates and clarifies provisions concerning the applicability of certain eledricnl A SllETY ST,t~a..nos reprint descrlbin~ the procedures follo~ed by an OSHA complmnce officer inspecting an establishment for safety problems. ' 'I - standard.;:;. 100 Questions and Answers About OSHA Vol. 3i, No. 33, pp. 351:!~20, February 17. 1D72, Title 2~, Pa.rts 1910 and 1926--Contain;, background in ~nswers the 100 most-frequently-asked questions about formation pertaining to miscellaneous amendments to OSH.d. Contains sections on compliance, standards, record- construction safety st.andn.rds. keeping, state programs an.,J several other categories. e Vol. 37, No. 38, p. 3969, February 25, 10i2. Part 1026- Safety and He:i.lth Reguliltions for Construction. Corrects OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements FEDER.1.L REGISTER issue of February 17. 1972, concerning , "haz::trdous loc-.itions.' .A reprint of a SAFETY S-r.1.:rnuos Inter.iew with Thomas J. )Icardle, the ~sistant Commissioner, Bureau of Labor , ~~tandards-1iscellaneous Statistic:s, who talks about the OSH..:l. recordkeeping system and why it was needed. .-..-., t 0 Vol. 37, Xo. 36, p. 3830, Febr~ary 23. 1!!72, 2!) CFR. ., . Fart 1910-Contains information ou proposed limit on The Safe Use of Anhydrous Ammonia ~maximum o.llow,1ble en.po.city of glass and plastic con, 4:alners for certnin Class 1.6. and Class LB flammable ; '.{.liquids.' _,, I> Y,)l. 37. No. 38, p, 3002. Febrnar:, 25. 107~. 20 CTR Dru;cribes the injury potential of anhydrous amr!lon!a fertilizer. ..Uso contains in:formution on precautions to take to prevent accidents and what to do If nn accident occurs. , 'P:trt rn1~Srnmtard for Exi)O,mre to A.sbe,;;tos Dust. Con - tnins supplement to Xotice of ProposCJd Ruleruak!ng. , ,l Stanaards-Acti.L'ities Safdy and Health Training Resources Handbook A 1.:i0pa;e reference book published bs the Feder:tl Sufetr .:\.dt'isory Council coverin; safety and llealtll train.in; programs :rnd waterirtls. $1.25 per copy from the Go\"ernmenc Vol. 37, Xo. 16, J)p. 11-1.6--48, January 25, 19~. Xotice Printing Office, Wa~hington, D.C. ~040~. of .A,pplica.tion for Vnrinnce and Interim Order, Rust Engineering Co, et nl. Concerns request for a variance Setling Xew Standards for Job Safety and Health ,:,;..and interim order pertaining to personnel hois-ts and t~boatswuins' chairs. ' Vol. 37, No. 41, p. 4312, ::lfarch 1. 1!:172. Concerns A SAFETY SrA~a.1..sos reprint outlinin~ the procetlnre for developlu;; new sarecy standards or upd.:i.tio;; old ones. 3ipetitions filed by American Society for Testin,::- nnd :.\late .,~uls for nccepcance as a nationally recognized standard:\producing or~:lillzation. , o Vol. 27. Xo. -!8. pp. 5198-90, lfarch 10. 197:1, Xotice 'JJJf Application for Variance and Iuterim Orrler. PPG In- .,9,:ustries, Inc. Concerns an applicntion for a vurlance and j'nterlm order pertnlning to the specifications for accident '.!)revention signs :md tags. The Tar"'et Industries: Profiles of Five Hazardous Occupati~ns ,\. reprint ot the S.i.FETY ST.\~D.\IlDS series on th~ saf~tr problems of the fi\"e t::tr!:et ind~stril"~those ,nth hi;h injury-frequency rates. I11tlustr1es discussed are lon;shoring. meat proces;;lng. lumber :tml wootl product~. nrnn ufacturiug mobile homes. and roojn;; a:i.d sheet metal. Safety Standards .---..--------- _,.. NIOSH Publications Single copies of the following are available free from the Office of Public Information, ~ational Institute for Occu pational Safety and Henltb, lOH Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45'.:!02. Annual List of Toxic Substances 1971 Prondes a con,enient r1!ference source for potentially hazardous materials and serves as n guide for research needed in setting new ~cupational health st:u:11.lard.s. Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Asbestos Recommends methods of controlling worker exposm.-es to asbestos and sets the limit required to prevent asbestosis and to gua.rd ugainsc asbestos-inclucell cancers. Occupational Disease-The Silent Enemy A pamphlet co,ering general aSpects of oceupo.tlonal diseases. Available in quantity, Occupational Health Kit Basic reference material of NIOSH concern.Ing the Occupational Safety and Health .d.Ct of 1970. Occupational Health Services for Employees: A Guide for State and Local Governments Designed for officials seeking information about the content of occupational health programs and actiYities of other government agencies, and to stimuinte greater inter est in health ne-eds of government workers. Publications on Occupational Rea.Ith Careers Announcement of Courses Division of Tra.ining, )iatiom1l Institute for Occupational Snfet, and Health. Public Health Serrice, 1014 Broadway, Cinclnnatl, Ohio 45::!02. Community Health Nursing for Working People Public Health Serrice, Xo. 1206. Rev. 1970, Office of Public Information, Xa.tion:11 Institute for Occupationnl Safety and Ilealth. lOH Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio-45202. Selected Training Programs for Physician Support Personnel of Xational Institute of Health, Bure:i.u Health Jlanpower !:ducatipu, Division of .lianpower Iutelligence, Bethesda, .lid. 20014. Journais on Occupationn,l He:1Jt1~' American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal School of Public Health, Unl,er.,'ity of :mchi:;an. .lliD. .Arbor, :mch. 48104. :l!onthly, $20.00 per year. American Journal of Public Health .American Public Health .!.ssociation, 1015 Eighteenth St. X.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. .Monthly, $20.00 per rear. Annals of Occupational Hygiene The British Occupational Hygiene Society, Fairview Park, Elmsford, N.Y. 10523. Quarterly, $35.00 per year. Archives of Environmental Health .!.merican '..\Ieclicul .!.ssoclntlon, 535 Xorth Dearuorn St., Chicago, IIL 60610. :\Iontbly, $12.00 per rear. British Journal of Industrial :lledicine British :\Ied!cal Association, Tavistock Squnre, London, WCl, England. Quarterly, $12.00 per year. Journal of the American ;)!edieal Association American ~Iedkal Association, 535 ~forth Dearborr1 St.. Chicago, Ill. 60610. Weekly, $23.00 per sear. Journal of Industrial Psychology P.O. Box 960, Easton, )Id. 2160L Quarterly, $1:!.00 per rear. Journal of Occupu~ional i\Iedicine Industrial :\!edicul Association, 55 East Washington St., Chicago, Ill. 6060:!. ~Ionrhly, $16.00 per year. Occupational Health Nursing The .american A.ssoclnUon of Industrial :S-urses, 79 )!udison .Axe., Xew Yotk, X.Y. 10016. ),Ionthlr, Sl0.00 per re:.r. The Extended Role of the Nurse in Occupational }Iental Health Programs :'.'i'ursing Series Bulletin ~o. 3--il, Industrial Health Founcl.:ition, Inc., 5231 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 1522:!. --=---------------:-- Directory of Approved Allied Medical Educational Enclosed find $ ___(check, money order or ., Programs Superintendent of Documents coupons) for one Council on :\Iedicul Education, .lmerican ),{edic::tl ~soci.ation, 5;$5 Xortll Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. 60610. year subscription to SAFETY STANDARDS at $1.00 a year ($1.25 if mailed to foreign address). Horizons Unlimited: A !Jamlh,)ok describing: re~:.mlin~ career opportunities in medicine and ,1llied fields, Xloth edit10n, 1911, ~u1erican ~ledical ,'.L,;sociation, 535 Xorth De:lr!Jorn St~ Chicago, 111. 60610. Occupational Health Content in Baccalaureate Nursing CNoammepa_ny__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Address ________________ Education City, State & Z I P - - - - - - - - - - - - Public Health Ser-rice, No. lTSS. Office ot Public Informa tion. Sational Institute for Occupal:lonal Safecy and Mail to: Health, IOH Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. SAFETY STANDARDS Physician Support Personnel in the 70's: New Concepts Superintendent of Documents American :\Ietlical Association, :535 Xorth Dearborn St., Chica.;o, Ill. 00610. U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D. C. 20402 Public Health Xursing in Industry Publlc Health Sen-ice Xo. li.SS, Office of PubHc Information. Xation:1.l Im,titute for Occupational Safaty and Health, 10H Broadway, Cincinnati. Obio -15202. Please make chocks I money orders payable to Superintendenr of Documents. May-June 1972 . -, '