Document n9m3Q5owzvb8a6ZrVnzpdaMdm

FILE NAME: National Safety Council (NSC) DATE: 1936 Nov DOC#: NSC007 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NSC - National Safety News MThis Month's Cover OST of us can remember the days when a few faded and fly-specked posters tacked on the factory walls constituted most of the safety "advertising." Too often such a poster display was characteristic of the safety program. A well-kept attractive bulletin board has become recog nized as an essential part of accident prevention work. Posters have improved in both subject matter and technique and many new attention-arresting devices have been added to the safety man's equipment. One of these, which attracted much attention at the Congress is shown on the cover of this issue. I t uses light, sound and motion to call attention to the safety message. The light globe at the top displays a Universal Safety em blem or a slogan. Beneath is a slowly revolving cylinder on .which posters are mounted. In the base is a loud speaker which can be operated by remote control. In summer the device can be stationed in the plant yard during the noon hour and in cold weather it can.be moved in to the lunch room or rest room. A brief talk by the safety (man, a company official or a guest speaker and a few phono#aph records will provide an interesting informal program for the noon hour. Safety men are giving more thought to poster displays and 'find.that ingenuity brings increased interest. Many of them .are using the practical ideas presented each month on "The Bulletin Board" page of the N ational Safety News. -..Many Thanks! ALTHOUGH a large part of this issue is devoted to the events of the Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress, the issue would seem incomplete without editorial comment. So we again wish to express the wannest appreciation of the Safety Movement to the State of New Jersey, particularly ,to Governor Hoffman and his energetic associates of the Greater New Jersey Congress Committee. It was a Congress that will long be remembered by every delegate who attended. The seaside setting was unusual but tven more important was the cordial welcome to the Congress . ad the personal and official recognition of Safety by the State's chief executive. Our grateful thanks are also due the program committees the speakers who contributed such a wealth of invaluable '"formation from their experience. And from the united ef forts of all these loyal workers comes that intangible force, '"spiration, which vitalizes the whole safety movement. When the thanks are distributed, the exhibitors should "t be forgotten. Their equipment has been invaluable to the safety man in his daily job of preventing accidents, and the exhibits have made each Congress more interesting and colorful. One successful congress, or even twenty-five does not mean the continued usefulness of the Safety Movement; Safety wholme en, however, do not rest on past accomplishments. They realize how much must be done during the ensuing year. They are looking toward another year of accomplishment before the Twenty-sixth Congress meets in Kansas City dur ing the week of October 11 to IS, 1937. In This Issue SAFETY engineers are not economic experts; they have no panacea for social maladjustments. But the suc cess of their efforts adds much to the happiness and security of humanity, as President Watson pointed out in the Annual Message to Members. (Page 11.) Governor Hoffman's address was more than a convention al address of welcome. It was another stirring message and challenge to the Safety Movement in the same spirit as the one he delivered at Louisville last year. (Page 13.) The swift streamlined Diesels which have caught the pub lic's fancy are only one of the many items in transportation's progress. There has been steady improvement in both freight and passenger service. The safety problems involved in mod ern railroading are described by the president of one of America's largest railroad systems. (Page 14.) Every year we approach the task of reporting the Congress with a feeling of humility and inadequacy. The Congress was so vast, with so many important events going on simul taneously, that any individual's report is sure to be lacking in important details. (Page 16.) Like many others, we used to think motion study was merely a cold-blooded scheme for speeding up workers. That impression, which is still widespread, is entirely without foundation. Motion study teaches the worker to perform his task with fewer motions and consequently less fatigue. And since each motion is another opportunity for accident, safety men have a very practical interest in Motion Study. (Page 22.) Inter-fleet contests have raised the standards of commer cial vehicle operation; why not apply similar methods to employees' private motoring? So Detroit's industrial work ers are now competing to keep their records clear while driving their own cars. (Page 25.) Principles similar to those presented by Mr. Mullee in his able discussion of motion study are applied by P. G. Hunter to the problem of handling materials. Here again few motions mean fewer chances for mishap and more speed generally with less haste and confusion. (Page 27.) PLEAIXNHITIBIFTF'S Novva/trv.t? iQa/t QndjuAtkioL JiaW v A Department for Physicians and Layme Lesser Known Facts About Occupational Diseases By R O B E R T B. H U N T , M.D. American Mutual Liability Insurance Company PROBABLY the leader in the pa rade of industrial diseases is an acute or chronic inflammation of the skin which we call dermatitis. This disease may present itself in any type of shop, factory-or-foundry. Any-paste,.. powder, gas or liquid which comes in contact with the employee's skin, even tKe water supplied by the town in which lives or works, may be the potential cause of such a skin disturbance. T he wide diversity of causes, to gether with the varying susceptibility of different individuals, makes the problem of control difficult. Much investigation is under way to determine why one person may be sus ceptible to a certain substance while an other is not. It has been proved many times that a poisonous substance formed within the body has been able taprolong the action started by some external in fluence. A printer developed a marked dermatitis from ink which persisted for two years. Finally food tests were made and showed that he was susceptible to lettuce. Removing this from his diet cleared the skin. He returned to his usual occupation without a return of symptoms. The poisoning of allergic substances is usually an accumulative process. It takes time to produce a manifestation of disease, but let any other substance cause the disease, and the irritating food may be of sufficient strength to mag;vfv its action. 1 cases of dermatitis cannot be cured by eliminating offending foods, cut further investigation along these ines may give us a clue with which to essen the loss of time from work and the discomfort now produced by in dustrial dermatitis. Metals Lead: The distribution of lead poisoning is quite extensive. The skin of the body is a protective covering, and as long as it remains in tact it does a good job except in the case of tetraethyl lead, which is used in blending gasoline and which is readily absorbed through the skin, having a tendency to create changes in the nerv ous system. The effect of other forms of lead, through that avenue of entrance, is practically nil, which explains the ex tremely low poisoning rate in typeset ters, painters and others who continually come in contact with metallic lead. Lead in any form, introduced through the mouth, acts rather slowly when com pared with the inhalation of lead dust or fumes. However, no matter what the portal of entry may be, lead is acted upon by the body fluids and so con verted that it may eventually be de posited within the bones. Those bony safe deposit vaults may retain their lead contents for days or for years, and if the exposure is removed, may also free the employee of all signs and symptoms of lead poisoning. But imagine the surprise of that supposedly cured person when years later, perhaps following some type of infectious disease or the excessive use of alcoholic bever ages, he awakes to find that he suffers the aches and p a in s a n d p araly ses of an acute lead poisoning. As the body fluids alter lead that it may be deposited,_so may those fluids attempt to de-lead the body, and too rapid absorption may pro duce the original disease with all its di&3 comforts. One can readily see, then, that in . cases investigation of previous occup tions is quite necessary to determine i original contact with lead. Heating of molten lead causes a Ml. scum of lead suboxide to form on,, i surface, and the heat from the melH. disburses the fine powder into the a p Hence, in the process of smelting on such as zinc, copper and silver, mix with lead, we find a rather high poisoning rate. Those engaged in the manufacture i lead wire and cables, batteries, gia pottery and rubber industries, plumb and users of dry colors offer their sha of lead poisoning cases. Probably the greatest source of le poisoning may be found among who sandpaper, scrape, chip or bum 1 paint, for the dust and fumes caused 1 those activities are rather rapid in the action. Such workers may become capacitated in a few days because inhalation of lead dust causes the mum amount of absorption into blood stream in the minimum space tgj time. Chromium: Chromium is a widely used as a foundation for colon and dusts from its various salts produce lesions of the skin and murom membranes of the nose. Chromium Mat ing by electrolysis may cause tunic_ which are similarly irritating. Although^ chromium poisoning does not usually cause death, the number of days of t sence from work on account of me pacity which it causes is gradually creasing. Other Metals: The most efficte1 portals of entry of foreign substanc*.^ into the body are the nose and m0U The smaller the dust (the size of sm. j s l particles for example, the greater speed of absorption by the blood, from hot metals carry not only P0!s?^p| but numerous minute dust Pa r tl. ^ p This explains the incapacities occur ^ NATIONAL SAFETY, N E ^ S The ruction 36 among those engaged in acetylene and electric cutting and welding. When men are so employed over a prolonged period of time, the constant inhalation of fumes and dust might pro duce symptoms of the metal upon which they work. In the shipbuilding trade, particularly in the construction of metal ships, we find occasional cases of metalfume fever. "Brass chills" and "spelter shakes" from zinc are names applied by the lay people to such diseases. The ter rific heat applied to some of our com mon metals and alloys by acetylene torches produces sufficient fumes to cause a temporary incapacity in 24 hours. Permanent disability from such causes is rare, however. Diseases Due to Dust Twenty-five per cent of all workers exposed to high concentrations of inor ganic dust are expected to develop changes within their lungs due to that agency. We are at a loss to explain why the other 75 per cent are not so affected. Mining, quarrying, foundry work, grinding, sandblasting, abrasive soap manufacturing, asbestos work, the mak ing of emery and carborundum products nd many other occupations offer op portunities for employees to inhale mic roscopic dust particles and create a foundation for possible future inca pacity. We are interested particularly in those men who work with sandstone, quartz, flint, granite, and sand, because they expose themselves to silica, and the chemical changes between that dust and the body fluids, in the presence of tuber culosis, may and usually do lead to a fatal ending. It is safe to say, in light of our present knowledge, that the action of other in organic dusts is much less virulent and incapacitating. That, however, does not allow us to lower the vigilant methods to improve dust control and protect em ployees, because all dusty occupations are potential trouble makers. -Although the actions of various dusts differ within the body, the exposure to asbestos fibres, present in the weaving and grinding of dry asbestos material, offers another type of dust which may cause fatalities among workers. The organic dusts from cotton, silk, wool, tobacco, flour and similar sub- mces are practically harmless. Such trusts rarely reach the lungs but may cause irritation of the windpipe and larger air tubes and result at the most in a mild bronchitis. The factor which should be borne in mind, particularly when dealing with silicosis and asbestosis, relates to the progression of such disease. When changes occur within the lungs as a re sult of the presence of such dusts, nature forms scar tissue to heal such lesions but may fail to stop when the job is finished. As a result, the continuation of that healing process may lead to such structural changes within the- lungs that partial or total incapacity may follow months or years after the employee has been removed from his dusty occupa tion. Benzol-Benzene Benzol is a distillate of coal tar used extensively in industry. It is an essentrial ingredient in the manufacture of explosives. I t is an excellent solvent for grease, oils and cements, and because of that property it is important in many phases of the rubber and cleaning indus tries. In the manufacture of shoes ben zol may be an ingredient of the dressing applied to the leather and of the cement which fastens the heels and soles. Not only in the shoe trade but in other branches of industry where employees work with gummy, sticky material, the workers soon learn of the solvent and cleansing action of this liquid and use it freely for that purpose upon them selves. The subsequent outbreak of skin afflictions may be the first indication of such unauthorized use. Benzol is extremely poisonous, enter ing either through the nose or. mouth or absorbed through the skin. Its action within the body is varied and may pro duce a multitude of signs and symptoms. The bone marrow becomes affected which in turn alters the character of the blood; hemorrhages are common; it may cause death. The fumes from benzol are heavier than air and lie near the floor, which is an important point in the engineering problem of ventilation. The members of the benzene group are absorbed through the skin, and more cases of poisoning are found when men perspire than when their bodies are cool. Probably the answer to that is that the fumes may solidify as they cool and the powder may settle on the skin. The sweat on the body may dissolve this dust so that it is more readily absorbed through the increased surface blood supply. Chlorinated Hydrocarbons This group of petroleum derivatives has been known to science for years but during the past decadeltslL.. the industrial field has beetlfL tributed and most import i n g carbon tetrachloride and its'?; associated members, it has fn dustry with refrigerants, exb vents for rubber, wax, o ir-f thinners for lacquers a n d ra household necessity for the" spots from clothes. Hospitals;! using it more and more for the of adhesive plaster. Due to the non-flammahnTf bon tetrachloride, it is used'h" tinguishers. The rapid evapon duces fumes which may smotM. blaze, but we must not forge! cessive heat of the actual about combustion sufficient to such by-products as hydroc~ and phosgene gas . Like, member, choloroform, it m SL sleep when inhaled by an indivia only 1/350 of an. ounce in a-c is necessary to produce such: acriojj thought must be remembe large quantity of those liquidpri spilled on the floor, perhaps ad Action should be started at/C the liquid gasifies, and emplc be notified to keep their ' avoid the low ceiling of ga Chemists have developed??! duced to industry many,,,new the basis of which is the chloir drocarbons. These derivative Ieum distillation axefrequ&itj with those from coad 'tar-t ble chemical combination^ been placed on the marke that medical science has Bee. determine their physiological! the health of man. We have'F some of these chemicals axeri creating changes in the liver/ recently in a city in Massachu of these newer products caus ^ of two employees and a battle to i life among two others. Carbon Monoxide You 'remember the adage,4s there is smoke, there is fire." add-to that, "Where there is fire] carbon monoxide." This odorless but poisonous occur in any industry or in an.y| but the poorer the ventilation thefj the chance of producing physir capacity. Since the advent of the naotoj whose exhaust pipe may pour fjg high as six per cent of carbon ide, we are all exposed to that __ ticularly in crowded cities. Thei^ NATIONAL SAFETY ^OVPvn ary passenger car liberates about two cubic feet per minute, and one can eadily estimate the physical damage that may be done if such a motor is allowed to run within the doors of a poorly ventilated garage or shop. For tunately, serious cases of such poison ing are not common among those em ployed in public garages, but many em ployes are likely to complain of head ache and faintness at the end of a day's work, especially in colder weather when doors and windows remain closed. In the steel industry, where gas is used as the heating agency in the blast furnaces, care must be taken to provide proper ventilation. Within the mines, workers are warned to allow enough time following blasts for the escape of this gas. Infection The skin is a protective covering of the body against infection and is ex tremely efficient as long as it remain in tact, but allowing it to be broken or punc tured introduces bacteria, and a battle ensues between the offensive agencies of infection and the defensive powers- of the body. The winner of such a struggle may determine the presence or absence of incapacity. Infections are common throughout industry, but two types are particularly' prominent--infection ' rer suiting from anthrax and infection among meat packers and fishermen. Many of -our fur, hair or woolcovered animals may contract anthrax. The germs of that disease defy the ordinary methods of sterilization and may linger on hides, bristles or hairs for long periods of time. Tanners, wool sorters, and hair or bristle workers may introduce the anthrax spore Beneath their skin and undergo much physical suffering and sometimes death. Infections are frequently found among meat and fish packers and those engaged in deep sea fishing. Although death rarely occurs, the loss of fingers, hands and nasty septic wounds are the result. Summary I feel that the time has come when an employer must demand of a manufac turer the answers to two questions: 1. How will your product affect my busi ness? 2. How will your product affect the health of my employees? That employer is entitled to honest answers based upon sufficient chemical 'and physiological examinations of the questionable product. Too many lives have been lost or jeopardized by too little knowledge of a product's action upon those who handle it. Ferrosii nI ie on Industrial Data Sheet D-Chem. 20 A . Problem 1. What are the hazards of ferrosil- icon and what precautions are necessary in its use? B. Hazards 2. The principal hazard is that of poisoning by inhalation of the gases that may be given off, especially in the presence of moisture. C . Discussion 3. Ferrosilicon is prepared by melting iron ore or steel shavings with coal or coke and ganister or quartz at a temper ature of about 2,000 degrees centigrade (3,632 degrees Fahrenheit) in an elec tric furnace. In making steel, ferrosili con is used for removing objectionable gases and oxides and also as an alloying element. When alloyed with cast iron, ft affects the carbides and renders the iron soft and gray. More concentrated silicon alloys are sometimes used in cer tain processes for making hydrogen gas and in the manufacture of explosives. 4. The hazard in connection with fer rosilicon results from very small percent ages of phosphorus together with other elements which may be present as im purities originating in the raw materials used. In the presence of moisture the phosphorus compounds react to form phosphorated- hydrogen or phosphine. This is a gas which in sufficient quanti ties is decidedly poisonous. I t has a strong and distinctive odor somewhat re sembling garlic so that its presence can be readily recognized. The stability of ferrosilicon depends upon its silicon con tent, grades, below 48 percent and above 65 percent being entirely stable and ferrosilicon in these ranges does not give off any appreciable quantities of phosphine, even in the presence of moisture. I t is, therefore, only in the intermediate range between 48 percent and 65 percent that there is any appre ciable hazard. Symptoms of Poisoning 5. When a person has breathed poison ous gases liberated from ferrosilicon, the symptoms of poisoning usually de velop quite suddenly and are character- ized by general and abdom: _ nausea, vomiting, diarrhea Jr rhages, loss of consciousness pupils, cold clammy perspiratio coma. Cases of poisoning mistaken for cholera, gastroptomaine poisoning, pneumonia* fluenza. First Aid 6. When a person disp symptoms of poisoning beca inhalation of the poisonous erated by ferrosilicon, he sh promptly removed to the fresh, if conscious, be given a milds If unconscious, the prone-T method of artificial respiratfo " be started immediately after tfi ' has been removed to the- fresfif all cases of poisoning the servfe; doctor should be promptly ob Precautions 7. Ferrosilicon should becsto from such places as offices-' an rooms or living quarters of am tion. 8. All buildings in whicff_. is stored should be well veni dry. (See Note X .) Ordin . open factory building the na' lation through monitors fif through windows is sufficient t rosilicon is kept dry. 9. If men are required to has ferrosilicon in a confined space,) ventilation should be provided1; 10. In case phosphine has lowed to accumulate in a closet fined space such as a closed room o car, so that a strong odor of the. noticeable, no one, unless he is a suitable gas mask or fresh mask, should be allowed to room untfi it has been thorough! lated. (See Note Y.) NOTE X. Detailed information on? tion will be found in National Safe Safe Practices Pamphlet No. 37 Ventilation." NOTE Y. Detailed information on ^ hose masks will be found in Nationay. Council Safe Practices Pamphlet "B esn irato rs, Gas M asks. Hose ftiine A pp aratu s.'1 National Safety Councili If 20 North Wacker Drive ' Chicago, III. at ( tt r w t r c -iFFTY