Document qa0KQqxZ5MppQQp9RQNj6VKkR

FILE NAME: TILO (TIL) DATE: 1934 DOC#: TIL004 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: CT State Dept of Health Report FORTY-NINTH REPORT (57th Year) OF THE ) STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH For the Year Ended Ju n e 30, 1934 STANLEY H. OSBORN, M.D., C.P.H., Commissioner HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 1934 bu rea u o f o c c u p a t io n a l d is e a s e s Smlfy H. Osborn, M .D., C.P.H ., State Commissioner of Health, Hertford, Connecticut: >,,,--1 have the honor to submit the report of the Bureau of Occupau'tal Diseases for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1934. PERSONNEL The personnel has not changed during the past year: Albert S. Gray, M.D., Director Warren A. Cook, A.B., Chief Industrial Hygienist Allan L. Coleman, B.S., Assistant Industrial Hygienist Hilda Ba'tzer, Secretary INTROD UCTION With the constant accumulation o f evidence on the injurious effects of niiiealthful working environment and the steadily increasing costs of iinpcnsation for occupational disease, it is realized that the only answer | tnthe occupational disease problem is prevention. Connecticut, itself, with large a portion of its population engaged in manufacturing and mechan:cal industries had the foresight to recognize this fact and for the past 'veral years the bureau has been conducting studies and surveys of work ing environment for the purpose o f preventing occupational diseases. It is interesting to note that recent reports from various sources have 'huwn that this appreciation of the importance of prevention is being wi'gnized not only by health authorities but by many varied groups con'tnied with this problem, and there is a growing tendency toward enlarging Inc scope of activities associated w ith this subject. important and definitely recognized is this effect of industrial envi'nment on health that health authorities have accepted the responsibility " l,rcitpational disease control as a public health problem of the first 'j'Vmtude. Haven Emerson in his presidential address at the Annual ietiiig of the American Public H ealth Association said : i.rJi^l;US .ncorPorate within the permanent functions of health departments. "aturc orf thve.iermwI>olorkye."d persons against health handicaps inherent in the place and 4t that meeting a resolution w as passed by the membership of the "icncan Public Health Association as follows: is the responsibility of the health authorities to protect the IVnTM *rom a" Preventable diseases, and . , IMi niitu ? * unbealthfui occupational environment constitutes an impo ,,f jlreat' cause of increased morbidity and mortality among the large gro p \V ,, ,, /arners ad among the general population, and _ . . i},c tr^REAy! control of health hazards in occupational environment is Re occupational diseases, therefore , nrlnde an L RES0.L'"ED- 71,31 w a function of the department of health to indude tegral part of a complete public health program the protection population against health hazards resulting from unhealthful working envi ronment, and Be It F u rth er R esolved, T h at tire American Public H ealth Association recommends to each State H ealth Department of an industrial state the estab lishment of a Bureau or Division of Occupational Diseases o r Industrial Hygiene under the supervision of a physician trained in Public H ealth and Industrial Hygiene, with adequate technical and laboratory facilities and personnel, empow ered to m ake investigations of w orking environment, for the control of industrial health hazards and the prevention of occupational diseases." A t the June meeting o f the S tate and Provincial H ealth Authorities of North A m erica a similar resolution w as passed. During th e past year National and State Trade A ssociations, Insurance Interests and Departments of H ealth in industrial states have displayed great interest in the method used in Connecticut fo r the administration of occupational disease control. Industry is penalized through compensation paym ents i f its environment causes occupational diseases and, i f it can be definitely show n that a health hazard exists, realizes that it is a m atter of good business to control the condition causing it. With a set-up such as we have in Connecticut, where the law provides that the results o f investigations cannot be used in com pensation claims, with a specially trained technical personnel to make determinations and interpret the conditions found in industrial environ ment, industry is provided w ith ju st that inform ation it has a right to demand before it is required to change its processes, substitute materials or take other measures of control. It is our experience that when industry is approached by a health agency in behalf o f a health program and is presented w ith definite data regarding its working environment, in a spirit o f service w ith th e assurance that the results o f investigation w ill n ot be used in furtherance of claims against it, industry not only accepts th e service but actually requests the assistance o f such an organization in the im provement o f its genera] working conditions. SUBJS #5. ,S*(W i0i. general J!ci Ai " i sal? b et jsEaaardi. .feunum Calsimiiii Cal du_-' Ffor-par Era and I Pitcology 5'i`.c dust ,3 Problem Brisk Mai fati>n In Fcaidrit. P?rtn S? Tube! Granite (, Polishing Pock l ' r Rubber C Ttbacot Trap K<< jgamc Dull Caster I feral Dus! Control Respirali Smciic OU TLINE O F W ORK D O NE A total o f 355 field trips were made, o f which 155 w ere to manufac turing plants. Surveys of plant conditions totaled 148. Thirty-two tech nical studies o f specific hazard w ere conducted. T h ese involved 446 field determinations, including collection o f air samples fo r analysis, and 914 laboratory determinations. A number o f these laboratory determinations were in connection with development o f methods necessary for conducting our field studies. The consultation service has grow n to such an extent that it was believed desirable to keep a record of this phase of our activities. A total of 264 requests for information or advice o f the bureau w ere taken care of from January to June 1934. O f these 110 were consultations at this office, 71 handled by telephone and 83 by letter. The subjects covered in con sultation service, which are listed below , do not include the many items discussed in connection with our field trips but are lim ited entirely to matters taken up from our office. fceric Chromic ac lead ar.tl t Brass 1 Diagiw Genera MethV Motor Paint Tetrae Type ' Mercury Deten Metes . 1 fephthale Sedium F BUREAU OF OCCUPATIONAL D ISE A SE S 4yy SUBJECTS C O V ERED IN C O N SU L T A T IO N SERV IC E lion (In clu d e s J a n u a ry -J u n e 1934 o nly) ah- ene Dust H azards and Related Problem s rial ju gestosis, general ................................................................................ ris] ftsumoconiosis, general ....................................................................... Silicosis, general.................................................................................... ftstDetennination (Field and Laboratory Methods) Methods of dust counting............................................................. s of Quartz Determination ................................................................. Oust Hazards, Misc. nice I Aluminum oxide grinding w heels.............................................. lyed Calcimine ....................................................................................... don Coal dust ....................................................................................... Fluorspar....................................................................................... Mica and Feldspar Mining.......................................................... ieat j Pathology ....................................................................................... ilth Slate dust ................................................................................. the Dust Problem in Specific Industries :ere BCroitctkonMIannduusftarcytur..i.n...g........................................................................................................................................ im- Foundries ..................................................................................... jke Parting Compounds ............................................................ on Sandblasting ........................................................................ to Tuberculosis .......................................................................... als Grauite Quarrying ...................................................................... Polishing Compound Manufacturing...................................... Rock Drilling .............................................................................. icy Rubber Goods Manufacturing-- Soapstone Dust.................. Tobacco Industry ........................ .............................................. lat Trap Rock Crushing and Screening........................................ J Organic Dust ns Castor Pomace ............................................................................ he General Dust Conditions a! CRoensptriroal toMrsea..s.u...r..e..s................................................................................................................................................. Seririte ......................................................................................... 4 4 8 6 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 13 4 2 1 2 2 12 1 1 2 1 5 3 S 96 T oxic Substances Arsenic .......................................................................................... d Chromic acid ............................................................................... 4 Lead and Compounds s Brass Casting ................................................................ Diagnosis and T rea tm e n t............................................. General ........................................ ................................... Method of D eterm ination in A i r .............................. 1 M otor Cleaning ............................................................ 1 TPaeitnrateth..y...l....L...e..a..d.....R...e..g...u..l.a...t.i.o...n..s.......................................................................... Type C a s t in g .................................................................. Mercury ....................................................................................... Determ ination M ethod ............................................... Metex ........................................................................................... Naphthalene ............................................................................ Sodium F l u o r i d e .................................................................. . I 3 1 6 1 1 2 6 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 29 5jo STATE D E P A R T M E N T OF H E A LT H Cases Ammonia .............................................................................................. Carbon Monoxide, general.................................................................. Chronic Effects on Brain, etc. -- ............................................... Exhaust Gas from Gasoline E ngines......................................... Welding within Enclosed Areas................................................... Formaldehyde ....................................................................................... Hydrogen Sulphide .............................................................................. Phosgene ................................................................................................. Refrigerants ........................................................................................... Organic Solvent Vapors Aniline Oil-Textile Dyeing.................................................................................... 1 Ben: I ........................................................................................................................ 5 Determination Method .................................................................................... 2 Carbon Tetrachloride ............................................................................................. ^ Chloracetophenone (Treatment o f ) ...................................................................... 1 Ethylene D ichloride................................................................................................ 5 Halogenated Hydrocarbons .................................................................................. 2 Phenol ........................................................................................................................ 3 Solvents, general .................................................................................................... 1 Determination of--Typewriter Cleaning...................................................... 1 Volatility of ...................................................................................................... 1 Spray Fainting ........................................................................................................ 1 Trichlorethylene ...................................................................................................... 3 Varnish Remover (Benzol and M ethanol).......................................................... 1 Occupational Diseases General Activities of Connecticut Bureau of Occupational Diseases................................ 6 Dermatitis Cutting O il and Compounds.................................................................................. 3 Prevention ................................................................................................................ 11 Woods ......................................................................................................................... 2 Fertilizer M anufacturing................................................................................................ 1 Illumination Industrial .................................................................................................. 1 Infections Mattress Manufacturing ............................................................ 1 Inhalator for Resuscitation............................................................................................ 5 Laboratory Equipment and Set-up.............................................................................. 7 Noise Prevention ............................................................................................ 2 Occupational Diseases In Rayon Industry .................................................................................... 1 In Telephone Repairing ..'.................................................................................... 1 Occupational Diseases, general.................................................................................... 20 Prevention of Occupational D isease......................... 6 Sanitation ...................................................................................................................... " 3 Smoke Nuisance W ire Insulation................................................................................ 1 Steel Tempering ....................................................................................................................J Ventilation ......................................................................... 4 ............................................ 66 Grand T otal....................................................................................................... 264 BUREAU OF OCCUPATIONAL D ISEA SES SOI Surveys ur studies h ave b e e n m a d e , o r a ssistan ce h a s b e e n given in rela- on to the follow in g su b s ta n c e s, p ro cesses or c o n d itio n s listed in our Hazard Classification (n u m b e r s r e f e r to code n u m b ers o n H azard C lassiication given in A nnual R e p o r t o f 1 9 3 0 ) : 2. Acids or A lkalis 4. Ammonia 5. Aniline orother A m ino Comps. 8. Arsenic or Comps. 9. Benzol 111. Cadmium or Com ps. 11. Carbon Disulphide 12. Carbon M onoxide 13. Carbon T etrach lo rid e 14. Chlorine 15. Chromium Comps. 16. Cutting Oils o r Com ps. 17. Cvanides 18. Dyes 19. Dust, Asbestos 20. Dust. Free Silica 21. Dust, O rganic 22. D ust, N . O. C * 23. Form aldehyde 24. H ydrogen Sulphide 25. Lead or Comps. 26. Methanol 27. M ercury o r Com ps. 29. N itro g en O x id e s 32. Phenol 37. Solvents (D e rm a titis) 38. Sulphur C h lo rid e 40. Sulphur D io x id e 44. Zinc (D u s t o r Fum es) 47. T richlorethylene 48. P la tin g S olu tio n s 58. Poisonous Substances, N. O. C.* 59. Infections, N . O . C.* 60. Buffing o r P o lish in g 61. D usty P ro c e ss, N . O. C * 62. E le ctro p latin g 64. G rinding 65. S andblasting 67. S p ray C oating 68. T um bling 71. M olding (F o u n d ry ) 72. Rock D rillin g 73. W elding 82. T e m p era tu re E xtrem es This w ork w as done in relation to the fo llo w in g in d u stries listed in our Industrial Classification (g iv e n in A n n u al R ep o rt o f 1 9 3 0 ) : 1. A brasive Products M fg. 2. Advertising Signs and N o v e ltie s M fg., not exclusively wood, celluloid 7. A rm s Mfg. (.small a rm s ) 8. A rtificial Silk Mfg. 9. A sbestos Goods Mfg. 13. Autom obile R adiator M fg. 14. Automobile Accessories S e rv ice Station 16. B attery M anufacturing 19. B rass o r Copper Goods M fg. 20. B rick and Clay P ro d u c ts M fg . 23. Cable and W ire In su la tin g 30. Chemical Mfg. In v o lv in g : T o x ic M aterials w ithin Com pletely Systems 31. Chemical Mfg. In v o lv in g : M a terials of slight to x ic ity 36. Composition Goods M fg. ( n o t containing nitrocellulose) 96. C ontractors, all kinds, N . O . C. 41. E lectroplating 44. Explosives Mfg. (incl. m fg. involving explosives) 46. F ertilizer Mfg. 49. Foundries, Iron o r Steel 50. Foundries, Alum inum , B ra ss, o r other N o n -F erro u s M etals 54. Gas W orks 97. Gasoline and O il B u lk S ta tio n metal or Enclosed * N ot otherwise classified. m 502 STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 57. H ardware M ig. (n o t otherwise classified) 58. H at Mfg.--not straw or cloth 60. Hatters' F u r Mfg. 64. Lacquer Mfg. 66. Lead W orks, sheet, pipe, shot (excl. sm elting) 70. Machine Shops (inch forging, excL fo u n d ry ) 71. Machinery Mfg. (n o t otherwise classified) 74. Office Machinery M fg. 76. Paper and Pulp M fg. 78. Printing, incl. Publishing, Lithographing, etc. 79. Quarrying 82. Rolling Mills--B rass, Copper, Alum inum 83. Rubber Goods Mfg. 87. Silverware Mfg. 89. Soap or Soap P ow der Mfg. 91. Stone Cutting and Polishing 92. Textile o r T extile Goods Mfg. 93. Textile Finishing, inch bleaching, dyeing, etc. (n o t "Cleaning and Dyeing") 32. Tobacco H andling 95. Woodworking 110. Not otherwise classified Asphalt M ixing Plant Castor Oil Mfg. Crank Case Ofl Refining Transportation SUMMARY OF F IE L D W O RK In view of the nature o f th e work c o n d u cted b y th is bureau, the major p ortion of the field activities w as done in th e m ore industrialized cities and towns. A lth ou gh th e to w n s in w h ich fie ld w o rk w as undertaken dur in g th e year, as given in th e fo llo w in g list, a r e le s s than half o f the towns and cities in the state, th e population in th e s e to w n s is appreciably more than half the inhabitants of the state. Ansonia Branford Bridgeport Bristol Colchester Danbury Danielson Devon East Glastonbury East Norwalk Elmwood Hamden H artford M anchester Meriden Middletown Moodus Newington New Britain New Haven North Haven North W estchester Putnam Rocky Hill Salem Springdale Stamford Stratford Thompsonville W allingford W aterbury W estport W est Haven PLANT SURVEYS A gain this year m any surveys w ere m ad e a t th e request o f industry. W ith the large number o f these requests to g e th e r w ith requests fo r con sultations listed above and for technical stu d ies, our limited personnel was unable to make complete surveys of any o n e o f those industrial groups involving severe occupational disease hazards. T h e follow in g list indi cates the great diversity o f our activities. T h e se surveys cover 2 4 specific hazards found in 71 different types o f operations and in addition general surveys of 12 industrial conditions. bureau of o ccupatio nal diseases 53 SURVEYS O F I N D U S T R IA L C O N D I T I O N S P R E S E N T I N G PO TEN TIA L H E A L T H HAZARDS ; 1/ Operations nw k'ing a Specific H azard 5k2nd Alkalis inania--Refrigeration .......................................... iisoc Soda--Rayon M lg........................................ v,inge Battery Divider M fg.................................... Number Tnlah 1 1 1 -[,,a M onoxide ' Am aling ........................................................................................................................................................................... la B u s e s .............................................................................................................................................................................. Gsi Producer Operation........................ ................ .......................... |)vration of Gasoline Driven T ra c to r inside M anufacturing Plant...................... ....................................................................... Producer Preheater Building............................................................. 10 ,ahi Disulphide Eayvn Washing uifhurctling .. 6 lacme Bleaching 7 Cpjt Fumes Welding operations nil Asbestos Beating ......................................... 1 Carding ......................................... 1 Grinding ....................................... 1 Molded Products Mfg------------ 1 Opening and Sieving M achines. 1 2 Picking ......................................... 2 Weaving ....................................... 1 WWeiraeviInngsu(lwatient)g .................................................... 1 11 Foundries 7 General Survey--All operations. 2 Molding O perations___._.............. 2 Sand Conditioning M a c h in e s.... 10 Sandblasting .................................. 2 Sand S lin g e r O p e r a ti o n ..................... 1 Tumbling B a rre ls........................... 24 1 Machine Sanding (Wood W o rk in g ) . Quarrying Granite ........................................... Trap Rock--Drilling O perations. Talc and Soapstone--Bulling R ubber Goods. 41 Organic Castor Pomace--Fertilizer M fg. Synthetic Resin Goods M fg......... I &lyes Textile Finishing BUREAU OF O CCU PA TIO N A L D ISEA SES itfi-vr '/ Operations Involving a Specific H azard M iscellaneous Trichlorethvlcne--Vapor D eg rea se r .. Lacouer ilfg ........................................................... -, erature Extremes " Boiler Shop--Tank W elding............................................ T otal............................................................................ Number 0 -> Toials 12 General Su rveys in Addition to A bove jj Filtering System iphalt Mixing Plant few Oil M fg... fed Impregnation Craii Case Oil Refining tame! Wire Insulating I Fire Board Mfg l ?:ray Painting . S'eef Rolling Mill .'rile Twisting and Weaving i Ventilation | Vfjnilaiion Equipment Total. Grand Total T E C H N IC A L STUDIES Thirtv-two technical studies o f specific hazardous conditions were com pleted. These studies w ere con d u cted over a w id e v a riety of conditions, eight specific hazards being in v estig a ted in connection w ith 22 different operations : CmJilions Studied No. of Studies Carbon Monoxide Annealing Department ............................................................................. 1 Automotive Vehicle O peration................................................................ i, Bus O peration............................................................. .............................. Gasoline Tractor Operation (In sid e Manufacturing P l a n t ) ........ Gas Heated Annealing P o t O p e ra tio n ................................................. ^ Producer Gas Plant ................................................................................. i Producer Gas Preheater H ouse ............................................................ ......* jq Cutting Oils _ s 1 (Irritative and Infectious P r o p e r tie s ) ................................................. Dust j Asbestos ...................................................................................................... 2 Foundry ...................................................................................................... 2 Granite Quarrying ................................................................................... 1 Rough Stone Production.................................................................... .... . 2 Sandblasting .............................................................................................. 2 Trap Roct Quarrying--D rillin g .................................................... ....... 10 2 Formaldehyde--Synthetic Resin M f g ............................................... j Hydrogen Sulphide .............................................................................. 1I 506 STATE DEPARTMENT OF H EA LTH Conditions Studied Lead Brass Casting Shop--Motor Cleaning Operation................................ 1 Novelty Casting and Buffing................................................................... 1 Printing ............................................................................................ 2 ----- Mercury Carrotting Hatters' F u r......................................................................... Solvent Vapors Benzol--Spray Lacquering ..................................................................... 1 Triclilorethylene .......................................................................................-.--- 1 No. ofStudies 4 2 2 Total 32 TECHNICAL WORK In conducting the technical work of the Bureau much information is obtained o f value to those interested in occupational disease prevention. Certain o f this information which can be divulged w ithout violating confi dences is presented below as an indication of the typ e of work done and also with the thought that this information may be o f assistance in control of occupational disease hazards at other locations than those which were the subjects of the studies. DUST HAZARDS The dust hazard has been shown to be a serious factor in increase of morbidity and mortality. In th e report of the M assachusetts Special Indus trial Disease Commission, published February 1934, it was shown that 22.8 per cent of a representative group of 961 granite workers had devel oped silicosis and of these 7.6 per cent were complicated by tuberculosis. In a representative group o f 1614 foundry workers, 11.4 per cent were found to have silicosis, 2.6 per cent of these complicated by tuberculosis. In this same report mortality statistics were given sh ow ing that the mor tality rate for all granite w orkers was four and one-half times that of males twenty years and over. There is an excess o f tuberculosis death also among the foundry workers. It was furthermore shown that pneu monia is the final cause of death in about one-fourth o f all foundrymen, the rate for foundrymen being 2 3 per cent as against 8.5 per cent for all males twenty years and over. In a report published recently by the Metropolitan L ife Insurance Com pany of a foundry study in W isconsin, similar results w ere found. Sixtyseven of the 215 X-ray films taken of workers in foundries were diagnosed as positive for silicosis. The report of the Committee on Group Mortality Investigations, published July 17, 1931, on the combined group mortality experience 1922-1930 (this being the mortality record of employees of industrial concerns insured under group life insurance contract written by six large American and Canadian Insurance Companies) showed that excessive mortality due to diseases incident to or caused by high dust exposure is by no means limited to any particular locality. More than one-third o f all deaths among foundry workers w ere caused by some respiratory disease whereas but little more than one-fifth of the deaths BUREAU OF O CCU PATION AL D ISEA SES 507 t workers in other industries w ere due to these causes. T h e results of jc recent studies provide ad d itio n a l inform ation th at excessive dust insures have a marked effect on m orbidity and m ortality rates and that ;;:ryeffort should be made to con trol this condition. / though the cost of injury to h ea lth by dust in term s o f compensation cents is staggering, this com p en sation cost is by no m eans acknowlcd the greatest cost to be ascrib ed to dusty conditions. Annual losses j Hn claims made in M assach u setts fo r disability from dust inhalation Efisged about $117,000 tor 1929. 1930 and 1931. O n September 10. ;31. the Wisconsin Com pensation Com m ission had $ 6 0 0 ,0 0 0 of silicosis oims outstanding. In 1932 in th a t state about $ 2 0 7.000 w a s actually paid :j occupational disease cases. In N e w Y ork state a reputable authority I reports a total of 1.000 to 1,500 su its fo r a total o f $50,000.000. Claims ! rich have originated in the last fe w years in various areas o f this country irrigate a total of at least $ 3 0 0 .0 0 0 ,0 0 0 for silicosis alone. ( These figures are presented h ere to call attention to th e fact that the dust hazard is one that should n o t b e forgotten or postponed until a more fsperous industrial era develop s. It is in the first in terest of economy 1at effective steps be taken at the p resen t time fo r th e control of the dust hard. One of the important fa c to r s from a public h ealth point of view inconnection with pneum oconiosis is that once w ell established the condimn is progressive. A cco rd in g ly , the only preventive method is the rcitrol of dust producing o p eration s so that exposure to dust will be less thanthat necessary to cause this d isease. In conducting the dust control w o rk , 41 surveys o f 19 dust producing 'iterations, and 10 technical stu d ies w ere made o f 6 typ es o f dust hazards. The work in furthering d ust co n tro l should be g rea tly expanded. All manufacturers operating d u sty p r o cesses should be fu lly informed of the existing hazard and o f the m eth od s o f control. S u rveys o f dusty opera tions should he supported by tech n ical studies w hich h ave been found so effective in the experience o f the bureau for in stigatin g action on the part (lithe manufacturer for control o f th e occupational d isease condition. ASBESTOS D U ST HAZARDS Asbestos is handled in appreciable quantities in e ig h t plants operated hrfix concerns in this state. A t fo u r o f these plants asbestos is received inthe raw state; at the rem ain in g p lan ts, the asbestos is received as yarn. The principal products m an u factu red are woven and m olded brake linings and clutch facing, and insulated w ir e for which asb estos is used as the insulation. In the manufacture o f a sb esto s products, the raw asbestos must first undergo certain preliminary op era tio n s. T hese prelim inary operations present the greatest problem in d u st prevention. H o w ev er, dust deter minations have shown that ev en th e preliminary operations can be con ducted without exposing w ork ers to excessive dust concentrations. E vi dence of the extreme du stin ess in th ese operations is afforded hy dust counts showing concentrations a s h ig h as 82 m illion particles per cubic loot of air in the asbestos p rep aration room and 7 6 m illion particles per n 508 STATE DEPARTM ENT OF HEA LTH cubic fo o t of air in the card in g room as again st concentrations of only about one-half million particles per cubic fo o t o f a ir in these two rooms in other plants where dust control m easures h a v e been successfully employed. T he necessity of providing d u st control not on ly during normal opera tion but also during certain interm ittent operations which may cause the liberation o f excessive am ount o f dust into th e air is well shown by the results o f two dust samples collected in a preparation room of an asbestos products manufacturing plant. W hen the raw asbestos is fed into the opener to o rapidly, the opener m ay become c lo g g e d at the outlet duct connected to the rear o f the m achine. A sample o f a ir w as being collected to show the dust exposure o f the operator o f th e opener. During the collection o f this sample the g a te at the rear o f th e opener was removed to clean out the clogged duct. T he opener w as continued in operation during th is time. It w as fou n d that the exposure o f the operator during the collection of this sample w a s 16.7 million particles per cubic foot of air. T h e fact that the greater part o f this dust resu lted from the cleaning out operation was shown by a subsequent sam ple collected in this same room. D u rin g the collection o f the second sam ple th e duct at the rear o f the opener remained closed. N o t only w as th e opener itself being operated at this time, but also a screen which m ust have contributed some dust into the general room atm osphere on its ow n account. Even while both o f these units w ere in operation, the exp osu re o f the operator was found to be only 4.26 m illion particles per cubic fo o t o f air. Although it is planned to reduce the dust content of this room even below this figure, this pair o f determinations show ed the advisability o f impressing upon the operator -the necessity o f av o id in g liberation o f dust b y removing the gate during operation of the opener. W here scrap asbestos is to b e used in molded products, it is necessary to send this scrap through a pulverizer. It w as n oted that dust escapes both at the pulverizer itself and also at the b ag in to w hich the pulverized asbestos is discharged. H ere again unnecessary clo u d s o f dust were given off in connection with an operation which w as conducted intermittently. W hen th e bag of pulverized asbestos became fu ll, it w as removed while asbestos continued to be discharged from th e m achine. The dust con centration at the breathing point o f the operator as h e conducted the entire cycle o f operations in connection with the pu lverizer including removal of the bag of pulverized m aterial was found to be 10.3 million particles per cubic foot of air. A s a result o f these dust sam ples these conditions are to be taken care o f and a further group o f sam ples collected to show whether the control method has been effective. BUREAU OF OCCUPATIONAL D ISEA SES 509 i only mms ssfuily opera ie th by th bcstos to th t duci llected ig th noved ration luriny wt oi auing saiuw : rear being some vrhile was idi il gure. n th gate ssan:aperized river ently. vhile COD- ntire tova! :ides tions ihou TABLE NO. I. A SB E ST O S D U ST CO NCENTRATIO NS DURING PR ELIM IN A R Y OPERATIONS Operation Dust Concentration in Million Pprticles per Cubic Foot of A ir Plant No. 1 Preparation Room (D ust condition well c o n tro lled ).......................................... J4 ] Plant No. 2 Preparation Room : (D ust condition u ncontrolled)................................................ 82 Plant No. 3 Exposure of operator of opener (Duct in rear open for cleaning during collection of sam ple).................................... 17 Plant No. 3 (W hile screen in this same room was operating but duct in re a r of opener was not o p e n ).................................................. 4 D ust conditions at carding machines, both feeders and finishers,- tend to be severe excepting w here particularly well designed exhaust ventilation is applied. Such ventilation m ust be close to the m achine and so regulated that it does not pull the asbestos aw ay from the machine. That this can be done successfully is show n by dust counts as low as one-half million par ticles per cubic foot o f air in carding rooms. O n the other hand where no ventilation or where poorly designed exhaust ventilation is used, dust counts as h ig h as 76 million particles per cubic foot of air have been found. T h e operations of spinning, tw isting and w ea v in g can be conducted w ithout presenting excessive dust hazards as is shown by dust counts down to a third of a m illion particles per cubic fo o t o f air in connection with each o f these operations. However, it should be definitely deter mined b y dust counts that such operations are b ein g conducted without exp osin g the operator to a d u st hazard in view o f the fact that concentra tions up to 10, 7 and 19 m illion particles, respectively, have been found. In th e manufacture o f m olded products, the raw opened asbestos or the pulverized scrap asbestos is first added to beaters o f the type used in paper m anufacturing. W h en the beaters are loaded by emptying the bags o f material directly in to them, an appreciable amount of dust is produced. A fifteen-m inute air sample was collected at the breathing level of tw o men conducting this operation. During tw o minutes of this sam pling period, bags o f raw asbestos were being loaded into the beater. T he rest o f the load consisted o f scrap asbestos which w a s being added during the greater part of the sam p lin g period. A lthough higher dust concen trations were obviously b ein g produced in loading the raw asbestos, a sample was collected throughout the loading o f both these materials in order to be representative o f th is operation as it is usually conducted. The concentration of dust w as fou n d to be 13.6 m illion particles per cubic foot o f air. It has been show n that this operation can be done without liberation o f excessive am ounts o f dust. U ntil som e method could be devised which does not involve escape of excessive amounts of dust at the plant where this high dust count was obtained, the expedient of pro viding the workers with respirators was suggested. A sam ple of air was collected to show the exposure o f workers cutting 510 STATE D EPA RTM EN T OP H E.U r i i out and inspecting dutch disks. T h e average t-xposm vv.v- ? 4.4 million partides per cubic foot o f air. N o ex h a u i mil !- provided in connection with this operation. One of the m ajor operations in the m an u facitm *i --* l-.-i - products is grinding. Where exhaust ventilation is w ell '..m -i. concentration in the vicinity o f g rin d in g operations can ; 11 low. A group o f six samples w as taken at one plain in o h im m " r various grinding machines. W ith a sin g le exception, tin- w iail.iii-. found to be adequate as shown by th e results given in ' able \ o Samples collected to show the exp osu res o f operator* <>i a !' < grinding machine, a Cincinnati g rin d in g machine, and a n itUrrjia! ' machine were fou n d to be 0.6 m illion, 0 .8 million, and 2 .0 m illion p o ; per cubic foot o f air respectively. (S a m p les No. I. 2 and 3 . I d*lc X - 11 It was noted that a small visible d u st cloud was produced w hen tin- , . disks were stadted prior to placing in the grin d in g m ach in e 1 t i tration of dust from this source is how ever apparently in sign ifican t ii s of the very low dust counts obtained in samples N o . 1 an d \ '>< 2 I la- ventilation system at each of these m achines was show n to In* eth* m to the removal o f dust in these operations. The fallacy of depending upon a visible cloud o f dust as a criterion the dust concentration is well evidenced by a pair o f sam p les collect' d at an internal and at an external brake grinder. A t o n e o f the grinding wheels a visible cloud was produced which was not en tirely removed by the exhaust system but escaped into th e general room air in such a mum t that the operator appeared to he exp osed to an e x cessiv e dust hazard. } he sure the material was pressed again st the grin d in g w h eel hard enough to produce partial carbonization o f th e material but ju st h ow much o f this cloud was smoke and how much o f it w as dust certainly cou ld u<>t Ih>.l-i i tained by mere inspection. F rom an observation o f th e condition it appeared essential to make this exhaust hood very m u ch m ore effective. A t another grinding wheel similar operations w ere b e in g conducted hut tire temperature did not become sufficiently elevated to produce carboni zation. The exhaust hood appeared to be fairly effe c tiv e in the removal of the dust produced. Samples of air were taken to sh ow the exposure o f th e operators o f each of these grinding wheels. T h e first grinder w as fo u n d to lie cxjn>>ed to a concentration of four million particles per cubic foot o f air. This dust count showed that the visible cloud w as made up chiefly o f sm oke and only to a lesser extent of asbestos dust partides. T he secon d grinder, on tin- other hand, was found to be exposed to 17 million p articles per cubic foot of air. The operation which required first attention w a s obviously the latter but this situation became obvious only when d ust co u n ts were avail able. Incidentally this machine w as a particularly difficult one to ventilate. An improved type of enclosure has been devised and it is planned to deter mine whether this is sufficiently effective to elim inate th e dust hazards from this operation as has been accomplished w ith th e other grinding operations at this plant. In the operation of a lathe type grinder the operator w as found to he exposed to only 1.7 million particles of dust per cubic fo o t o f air. here again the ventilation being shown to be effective. BUREAU OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES 511 >be TABLE N O . I I . D U S T E X P O S U R E S O F O P E R A T O R S O F G R IN D IN G ivas M ACHINES Number of Million stos Sample particles per cubic lust .Vo. Machine being operated foot of air ibly 1. Blanchard Machine ........................................................................... 0.6 /ith 2J.. CInintecrinnanlatiBoMriancghiMneac.h..i.n...e.................................................................................................................................... 02..08 4. Internal Brake Grinder ................................................................... 4. 5. External Brake G rinder................................................................... 17. Sr'1 6. Lathe Type G rinder........................................................................... 1.7 ing :les In braiding and w inding asbestos yarn on w ire fo r insulation purposes, I-) it appears that the dust hazards are not as great as those which we have tch jeen studying. Dust counts should be made how ever to determine just ;u- what dust concentrations e x ist in connection w ith th ese operations. ew he SILICOSIS HAZARDS in . Granite Q u a rry in g a n d R o u g h S to n e P r o d u c tio n of Granite quarrying and production of rough stone by plug drilling and at splitting- operations are looked upon generally as operations in which no appreciable dust hazard e x ists w here these operations are conducted out Ov of doors and not in enclosed sheds. A dust study w a s conducted in a sur er face granite quarry where rough stone was produced in this manner. The 'o management thoroughly believed that no hazard existed but wished to have this assumption verified by a dust study. is Samples of air were collected to show the concentration of dust to which r- the men were exposed d u rin g drillin g operations, d u rin g operations other it than drilling, and also to sh ow their average dust exposure throughout e. the entire cycle o f operations. it Samples No. 1 and N o. 2 (T ab le No. I l l ) were collected to show how much dust was produced by th e plug drilling operations. Sample N o. 1 represented the exposure o f the w orker operating a p lu g drill. This sample was collected over a fou r-m in u te period and show ed a concentration of 640 million particles o f dust per cubic foot of air. Sam ple No. 2, collected simultaneously with Sam ple N o . 1, was located in the dust cloud at a point six feet away from the operation. T he concentration o f 206 million par ticles per cubic foot o f air fou n d at this point represents the exposure to which any worker in the v icin ity o f the plug d rillin g operations might be subjected. Sample N o. 3 was collected to determine the exposure of a worker while engaged in operations other than drilling. A plug drill was being operated at a distance of three feet from this worker d u rin g tw o and one-half minutes o f the ten-minute sam p lin g period. A lth ou gh this worker was at no time standing in the dust cloud arising :rom this operation, his exposure was found to be 16.8 m illion particles per cubic fo o t o f air. The result of this sample showed that even though the operations are conducted out doors, much fine dust does rem ain suspended in the w orking area. Samples N o. 4 and 5 w ere taken to determine the exposure of each o f two workers while engaged in the entire cycle o f operations. During the