Document o997kL8p0oVV5mOw1VqGo56QE

National Safety News Published nmnlhly'in the interest of accident prevention and the health of industrial workers VOL. XXVIII, No. 2 CONTENTS for AUGI ST. 1933 We Can't Advance Without Records--j. L. I'andcgrift........................................ 9 What "Permissible" Means in Respiratory Protection--William P. Yant ... .11 Uncovering the Fire Hazard---/. H\ last.............................................................. 13 Pays the Small Plans Too--Rubra L. Schmitt..........................................16 Handling Material--A Real Problem for the Safety Man--/. A. Purdy...........17 Facing the Future--Af. A. CUmbel......................................................................... J19 Mechanical Control of Occupational Disease--David S. Sever..........................21 An Eye Saved--Stcrvaa J. Owen, Jr........................................................................ 23 Sound Objectives for the Vocational School--John A. McCarthy..................... 25 The Congress Reporter.................................................................................................27 Two Million Children Ride in School Buses--Curtis Riitinss ..................... 29 Electric Shock and Bums Cause Much Lost Time................................................ 36 *j f j i (I lh "ul;ir Departments s.i i M I.i-.v.ne ! jirrOntI'.I Cl 't.v.'r !! Ot\K tixciuiUH* Health *1 l*r Huflvtin lVijr*t I'lMvr* *t the Month N TJh* >.t!ctr l.thfjrv !:vvif* Hvrwiulv V* Wuh rlir H) T3h- Huvro' Sct\ it,t AI ! IS l j 4S I Vi i } VS f>2 Carman T. Fish, Editor G: M. Bkigcs, Associate Editor Stanley H. Kekshavs-, Poster Editor C. H. Miller, Advertising Manager . nztit }*:t3 ls SuU*ty !. J'rliinwJ la I'.S.A. rubloitH m<roihl>. ;J#. MT-oinJ-ebu** tn*llvr Jttin* 1. it'll. ; t tin* I'vrrl Hftivr* jit <*ht>`:ii . HI, utulfcr thv Mint'll .1, JSTjt, Additional *-!itry ;tl St, Mivlt. Tl..* ul*.rrj?tion price t> mi*ml.. i> f*.* .-xtrn }** of tin* X.\T!*\`Al. N \KKTY NE\V>' '* %i *mi |H-r year, ivintrle i'iitii**. I" rvttl *. ft*<luc*i| qunntity prt*'**v tr y.-ari v mi Iwriji- and imglc coptv* on r*uu*M. >ut., ri|*uoy arc uvmlablr **olv t jnvtnlM*i?* of Hit* Xnlhmnl N.if ty i'hiimhI M'-'itOrr Audit Bureau of Crt:ulaljon, Tht* inncatlne Is ludexrd In tio* Industrial Ari* Index. ''l*icincniM and opinions adv.tin t d In >icned nniclr* arc to l* umh-rjiti-u-i a in<h\ tdunl - * r*r<wM,n>1 tif author*. m> ih*c tf thr National Kofoiy r*..imrtl National Safety Council. Inc. / ^ .*>.<;miner* utl V *.-lu.i<!**/ A **- s. * t,,, < 20 Nurlii \\ m'kcr Drivo. I. N<*w ^ ork Office. ^ KaM 4lsl Strrri off,,..... r (i... r.i..... . n;, i v -i t... v..,. \ i .. `i National Safety Council Officers. 1932-1933 iAMi.it }. UasasU, Vmidrut ItiMit.KT I. tUru.v, Vice-Presldrm for Public Sttfrly 2. H. CrM.iNev, VJer-l'rrMrtr'nl for Kn- glnriTtnc HoMwr*m*nbefUs.hlhVokiu, Yirr-I'rrxident for li. T. YJcfPrrsident for nuxlnrsi Administration John li. I.akc, Vlce-.l'rr^idntt for Jvtfrty Councils ;r.nb<:fi 11. Waxi-ti,* Yin--Prrxidrut for InaustriAt Snirfy hM. f.Assirs 1L Watson, Vicr-Hrcjidcnt for limlth AiwruT \V. W*HfTNnr, Vier-Pr**MdctH for l id until on Wtu. Oorau Treasurer W. II. f.iMkStix, Secretary mt.l Manaain* Dimiiir Executive Committee Member* at 1 -arpe J. ! Consultme I'.nsitu^r 1-jiMI-.M. W. Ill.t.K. I'tlth**} SUl*-** Htllilo-r W. II. !.*mmhs%. M:*tK*gttS |)ir*vt**r I. CiTMS. The Arllt.'i l.ifV tiiMirUltra* r.o. Will. r<NtMi, Tll* SlrVrltN Itnti-I J. \L CfIt INKY. IlHhlrhrm Nlrrl Con*Ii\na. lotion rjrvai^I Ibilwav it. i-ViNtJ*. ikjrrnueh^oWrtlcume A Gt. tl*. S, A,*. Itw. IHi. THosux \Y. flosusn. Supermlondrnt of School*. Akmn, Ohio IIamy Cirtt-wrarr. Tin* lhillman Cornponr C. T. IliaxMfTit. Qticaitn North Shore A Milwaukee Hailrond Cn. C.HAhkrr. II. Hiii, New York Centra I UnW KaaN'C J. Uxaiun. K***i Pm Malleable Iron Cm. Johx M I.oxe. The Jk^inirarr & Hudson lUilrttad tlnrfi. r.nwm ym Saxhub. Cmrra? Klrrtrlc Co. C. AY. Stmtuimni Oil Cj>. AitTniii M. <*i*tt>ulliiie Marine Kn- aiitror Jl. \Y*an:t. Villon Ihu iflr Syslrm t-AVH*-x ll. WatmiX. Amoricsn Tclr- liltnm* A TelrRranli <>i. At.orjrr W. Whitney. Nalionnt Uureau "f CtniwHy and Sitnly I'lMlrntTUm fS.tIoCm*i]C A. Y*lr Moiiral Hriirp>f`nmi^ Safrlv WntJOl I". .\ Mitt *V. Mil* Win. i`. A. IUMVIT'.. York l.iHItih. |*:t, CusVMiN M. Km mi. r.v;uix|,.i, 1M, II. 'V. I.*****, Clmf-h.ml \V , \V. \U< t>, |>*ln*arr l\. I.. J. H. New lltiYt-o. fiimi. Hirntiticlsam, Ala. Ilr(trr*rtltill" Scftiuns < . II, Iionirr. Jhthlic Ctitilir-t I'Ma n w H. OMuitN. Marine l t4s*Mw f.foim'oor. Mininc J. J. |*tXAti. Panrr tti Pulp I!. S. S.vmim, AS.S|->l-Jisit*rrrtnC H. T. Soij.nstt.N. Aeciirnl Prrvrnlimi Mannfarlttrrrx. -^.r .-P**? Fresidenl* W. ClAxrmt.i. A MTti yM T. Mumkv i.i *' It. pAt.iirji luvto V*N Nauu K fUi.rit C Hichajhis* (A'uMaTmItvI'Mes IfI*.. YToovtJxUc V Mam*:Vs A. ho*** l.tiwts A. Hrlh.ois < Jthb tl. At'KI. ' luttu.s H. Scott W' At.r>.M c, Kixn Kiiurji !'. Nifju* l,T.*C.u.. Ht:Nr A. HtKtSi.ui t'. l-.Vt.IM l*l.-TTMltN m.- \\ . Hi Hiitmrarv Mvnilu'r* i:i*m mi w. \\MMiums' r (tt\ A Stmt CtMt*"*!- SmlTj.IVMi.mlMWlMII.LUMI The Mechanical Control of Occupational Diseases By DAVID S. BEYER HE mechanics! control of industrial Tdisease cannot be covered adequate ly in a single article; all we Both the engineer and the physician are needed in protect ing the health of the worker and the pocket hook of the ,;in hiijx- to do is to touch upon a lew employer. In this article Mr. Beyer presents the engineering ..i ihe important points encountered by ;<!:itH managers who arc struggling ;:h -h,- problem today. side of the problem. In the June issue Dr. W. Irving Clark discussed it from the point of view of the physician 1`li. r.- are sonic iorty different diseases ,, iiclulol in the compensation acts of various American states; in Massa When the subject of dust is mentioned I stops to figure how many 13-gram bot chusetts. Connecticut and several other most of us probably think of visible par tles are contained in a ton of this dust, states there is no definite list of diseases ticles. In fact, much of the dus't re its potentialities are appalling. The that are compensated, but these diseases moval work, even by companies special first need is to get rid of these unneces are considered as "personal injuries" izing along this line in the past, has sary accumulations, and then try to pre- miller the law and compensation is paid been directed at this form of dust. venP-jheir recurrence. without any specific schedule of disease- Medical research has shown ns. bow- Many a plant manager will say, "Why Many of these diseases are of " ever. that the dust that is most danger go to all the trouble and expense neces frequent occurrence. Probably most of ous. through its deep inhalation into the sary to catch this dust when, in most us outside the medical profession have lungs, is so small that the individual par cases, it isn't worth anything after it is newer even heard of "Ciunioma Kamassi" ticles are invisible and can only be seen caught?" The answer is that it is belter African boxwood) on "miner's nystag by the naked eye if they are gathered in to spend the money and effort in getting mus." which appear on some of the state a dense cloud, which may have the ap rid of the dust than to be overwhelmed lists. A half dozen of the more im pearance of a gray fog. by occupational disease claims, as is the portant diseases, however, trill proltably We are told that the amount of dust case with many industrial concerns to i over ninety percent of the total pav- found in the lungs of miners who Iiavc day. miit!- :-ing made thrdughnut industry died uTsilirosis is alwnit U grams', or In imc section where there is a so- t-*r a!! industrial diseases today. approximately half :in ounce -about called "dtistv" trade employing only An analysis of approximately S300,000 enough to till a ten-cem soda-mint hoi tie. about 2000 men cm an annual basis, in losses of one insurance company doinc a general workmen's compensation and Microscopic Menaces there have !>ecn 92 occupational disease claims during the- latest available five- liability business, for recent industrial Some idea of the problem of collecting year period (65 of them for death or disease claims, showed 54 per cent for such infinitesliinal particles may be had permanent total disability) with com cases involving pneumoconiosis (includ when we further learn that these 13 bined losses of nearly 5300,000. ing silicosis. nsl>cstosis, etc.) 26 per cent grams contain some 20 million million In some industries the cost of indus for lead poisoning, 9 per cent for various particles: many of them ar*. about the trial disease is now four or five times form* ->f dermatitis, 5 per cent for benzol. size of the tiny globules of\tarry sub that of all other industrial accidents ::nd the remaining 6 per cent for scatter- stance that make up cignrci smoke, that combined. Mam' concerns that have '..uses such as carbon monoxide, is. about a hundred thousandth of an serious, occupational disease hazards ex rari-.nn tetrachloride. chrome and chlor inch in diameter. If they were equipped tending over a period of" years find ine. with legs they could march fifty abreast themselves virtually uninsurable. be "e "ill accordingly look at the sub- through the hollow center of a human cause of the heavy liability for claims iect from the standpoint of these few im hair! that has been built up as the result of portant causes, bearing in mind that the So little has the seriousness of this past exposure. most important of all is covered by the general heading of pneumoconiosis, or divav- caused by dust. Of these dis- i be most serious come from inhal;n; 'be `iliea found in sand, granite dust. ahr.i-U , | dvrs, etc * ' II V l.r, . I,|,.,n m.l CUIef Km.-tn-cr. Muiual ! ii>tir*iil*e ConiMuftV. Do-- .*''* i a p#prr read t lh Twelfih nciu.xl Siif.-iv Oonter-nce of (lie M.xa-a- '-IIU..U. ,. r-.,,,nru l hazard been appreciated in the past that it is not uncommon to go into a plant and find four or five tons of this fine dust which has finated in the air and settled on the roof trusses and overhead structures of the building. Here it may l>c dislodged by gusts of air or vibra tions from moving cranes, etc. If one 'S Du*l I! <: of A Matter of Self-Preservation It follows, therefore, that as a matter of self-preservation plants in these in dustries Jnust start immediately a com prehensive program of improvement that will at least check the development of new cases. In general, the most reliable way to correct a dust hazard is to install exhaust equipment that will capture the dust at thrpoini where it is generated. This has been worked out very effectively for such equipment as grinding and buffing wheels. Unfortunately a complete-system of dust collecting and separating for a large department costs a lot of money-- more than many plants feel they can possibly afford under present business conditions. Temporary Expedients For such cases there may be other al ternatives or temporary expedients that will at least title matters over until im proved business conditions warrant the installation of a permanent dust re moval system. For instance, the manager oi a plant recently visited bv the writer stated that they had already s-jx-nt fHO.000 in ex haust equipment and had not yet fully solved the dust problem. In this indus try. the use of oil which has been sprayed on the material in some cases in the past, to improve its handling in the machinery and processes, oilers a promising solu tion to the dust problem. Dust counts in some plants using the oil show reduc tions of 90 per cent or more in millions of particles per cubic foot, and if further tests corroborate these results it offers a simple and comparatively inexpensive method of correcting the dust iraznrd in one industry. In other operations, such as the shaking out of foundry castings, it may be possible to do this work at night, by men who are protected by respirators, and thus eliminate a common exposure to employees engaged in other opera tions in the same room. The use of en closed mechanical conveyors and mate rial handling systems, properly exhaust ed. instead of the old individual hand methods where the workers were brought into close contact with dusty substances, offers a solution in other cases. The treasurer of one concern with whom i recently discussed the hazard of his foundry said, "May lx? wc have the answer right here," and he brought uui the design of a machine which was fab ricated entirely from sheets, plates, angles and other structural shapes, riveted and welded together, which would entirely eliminate the eastings of which it was largely composed in the past. U'hcre me dusty work is in a permarvrnt location, anil too great freedom of n,,[ rer;iitrr(|. (hr air-led respirator may give satisfactory results. For cases of temporary dust exposure, as for sweeping ami cleaning up dust, the improved types of tiller respirators may be adequate. In some cases substitutes may be found for the substance causing the trouble. This has already been done in sonic processes where benzol was formerly used, and efforts are being made to extend the use of this principle. The use of water to overcome dust hazards is one of the first suggestions that is usually made. I recently tried to explain this problem to an industrial manager and after telling him that the dust which causes the trouble is less than lOTnicrons in size, a micron being about 1*25,000th of an inch, and being encouraged by his nods which seemed to indicate that he was following my ex planation perfectly, f was a little dis concerted at the end to have hint say. 'Why can't you get rid of those microns by washing the air?" Apparently after all my efforts he still thought a micron was something like a microbe! Water has been found rather effective for laying the dust in some operations such as mining, sweeping up dusty floors, etc. In other cases, it has been a disap|v>intmrm zs. for example, on grinding whee's. where a dry exhaust system has proved to lie more satisfac tory than wet grinding,1 Do-'ng the conference in .South Africa in 1>. . one of the speakers pointed out the futility of trying to completely re move dust clouds by water sprays or ato mizing. adding the further comment that a tiny droplet of water may collect as many as 800 dust particles and then being inhaled is like Imnibarding the lungs with shrapnel instead of single ride fire. Unwarranted Confidence Where exhaust equipment is installed poor maintenance of these systems whereby their value is reduced or entire ly vitiated is altogether loo common. An inquiry in a plant recently as to how >he dust filtering apparatus was working brought the reply, "Fine! -wc haven't had to evetv look at it for six vears!"' Whrn we climbed a ladder m the roof to see this miraculous equipment, a touch on the screens shook a pail-full of dust from the "clean" side of the separator. Another common and dangerous prac tice in many dust removal systems is Sef lU-ttHh vf` U'nfl<i'r> hi !<**'* r\ s Public Health nu!l*-'ij r. -- In f f.t.hOUf . I rp.it . t ; ZT. that of returning the filtered air to the plant in order to conserve the heat that would be lost if it were discharged out side the building. In five such systems where dust counts have been made dur ing the past few months there was only one where there was even a question as to whether or not the air was fit to be returned. In one case over forty-seven million dust particles per cubic foot were found in the air that was being re-circu lated, or many times what we would con sider a safe limit! Ineffective Installations The salesman who had put in the equipment had persuaded them that the filtered air was so much purer than God's product as represented by the out side atmosphere that he had even piped it imo the office, so the manager was breathing the dust as well as the factory employees. (Perhaps that might be calied cooperation!} While it may be going too far to sa\ that no filtering equipment can make dusty air suitable for re-breathing, the constant chance of the system getting out of order makes it almost as question able a practice as an attempt to recover drinking water from a sewage system. Installations that are dogged, leaking and otherwise ineffective are common. One of our engineers found that the belt connecting the exhaust fan to the motor in an overhead installation had been off for an indefinite period. The motor switch had been thrown regularly but no one noticed that there was no exhaust at the grinding wheels it serviced. In another installation seen by the writer recently, a handkerchief held be fore the wheel stood out horizontally showing that the dust tvas Iieing blow* out inward the operator instead being drawn in away from him. An important point that should !>< borne in mind in designing an exhau>i system is that it is highly desirable :* capture the dusts or vu(>ors as close to the point at which they are generated ns possible, before they have had a ch.-innto be diffused throughout the air of the room. General ventilation may be helpful reducing the concentration, but it is ob viously of little value to draw the ob jections! substances up through a ro<v fan as is sometimes done, thereby carry, ing them past the faces of the operators who must draw them in with every breath. The design of a proper exhaust systed- * Plat:tc turn in p,i ;r > Mechanical Control of Occupational Diseases ( mitimiui irmit pitgc 33} lo effectively control dust requires thorough understanding of certain engi- ncering principles that are completely lost sight of in many of the installation, now in use. For example, where the dust collect nr can be so arranged as to enclose the source of dust completely, or almost v. a very complete dust elimination may result, but where the inlet is five or ,i\ inches away from the source of the du,r its efficiency may be reduced by as mti< h as 90 lo 95 per cent, and be wholly in effective.* Where the exhaust equipment has Iseen looked on in the past as more or It-,, of a nuisance Uvau.sc it is non-produc tive and could accordingly be slighted at will, it must nmv ! recognized as a primary operating problem, and re sponsibility must lx* placed on some-;. to see that it is kept in first class com!' !f you hive workmen who wear gljoo give them the absolute assurance of eyt pro<ra tion ai well ai good vision by having (hem wear CHSCO M & L GOGGLES over (heir prescription lenses. These men will do better work and erriVmt rout evil be reduced. CESCO M fit L GOGGLES are specially designed (o be worn - r the workman's own spectacles--they fit *T:fy, are comfortable and prevent breakage and pining of expen sive prescription lenses. CESCO M & L GOGGLES are furnished in three styles meeting all necessary require ments. Ventilated partem fitted with SuperSafety lenses for chipping, grinding, caulk ing, riveting and like operations. Dust model fined whh Super Safety lenses. Welders pattern fitted with CESOQWEI.D lenses for acetylene welding and cutting. tion at all times. And so, to summarize the results of this brief survey of the mechanical con trol of occupational disease hazards, it is the opinion uf the writer that chiefly in this direction lies safely from some of the most serious diseases, if one also in cludes rearrangement of the processes under "mechanical control." in contrast Sfnd for tsmpU and cafsiog with the "medical control." CHICAGO EYE SHIELD CO While agreeing that medical supervi sion of new prospects for employment is 2300 Warren BIycL of primary importance, in order to pre vent placing new employees who have Chicaso, HI. some physical impairment in a position | where they will quickly break down as :: j result of the work hazard, and granting thr value of medical follow-up of - pioyees subjected to exposures such lead and l*n/.t>!. which bring nUun a temporary condition thai may be chtchrd PLACE "STOP LOSS" ORDERS by medical supervision and a change <( occupation, it seems evident that in the most serious industrial disease hazard, Guaro against costly ounch press ncciriais G?c:er D. & M. Automatic Punch Press Guards. They are your that of exposure to silica dust, chief de pendence must be placed on elimination i or control of the dust. mutis cuomii those unfortunate napee".- In installing such equipment it mqs the: mean losses m men, money and morale. save money and grief in the long run. employ a competent engineer who under D. a M. Automatics fit all punch presses - -nave o.-vy stands the difficulties of collecting im palpable dusts or vapors, and can have 3 working parts--a<c made entirely of drop forcings a reasonable assurance of getting an Irtitr n II ,t- V 11, i,.- fttufir fiiitifif /or .M /(.!,** yitb K ttmt. i :r (*./ 'ike uf mut u ,'* .*'(* r left ttt rti/hi nr n^nf lu left jri'inu i uxth'ej and sre-:` ,:e<ccpt gua-**j head) ana are low in er-ce S18.5C- : >/*.00. ! effective installation without ton tmxh I ni the "cut and trv" method. iI | .it t.'J*,* *( j r**n*ti..i* " J, M ImlliivaUo, Ain' ' '1 `