Document wDOjpKxe6NN3DpGOX9bNqkzkD

AKHPitL REPORT TOR 1m2. of THE IHDUSTRIAL HEALTH SECTTOH < *** During the jrur 1942, nearly twice as meny surveys were conducted as in 1941* The number of different industrial plants studied in 1942 was 58, ' t as compared to 30 In 1941* As In 1941, firms engaged in manufacturing heavy metals comprise the major part of the studies, with ore mines second. The industries studied may be classified as follows: C Metals Ore mines 62.lt 15.5 Coal mines 8,6 Asbestos plants 8.6 Chemicals 1.3 wuarries 1.7 . *Hood -la.?. 100 0 The samples collected in the plents necessitated making 1,536 separate analyses in the laboratory. Analyses have also been made, aa in the past, of materials shipped to the laboratory from plants of our Group policyholders. These tests were mostly for free and total silica. A number of materials used in our Home Office buildings has also been analysed. In addition to the above surveys, the plants or offices of three policyholders were visited and advice given regarding hazards or medical service. Requests for plant surveys end information were received from Group policyholders ud others in all lines of industry. To give an idea of the variety of firms which request this service, the following ere some of the more important firms which we heve served: Armstrong Cork Coopery Consolidated Gas Electric Light 4 Power Co. Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines Aaerieaa Viscose Corp. Idaho Hazy-lead Gold Hines Corp. American Rolling Hill Co. Stendard Oil Co. Onion Carbide Co. American Seating Co. Humble Oil & Refining Co. Tennessee, Coel. Iron 4 R.B. Co. Elnclcrell Zinc Co. Republic Steel Corp. Kohler Co. Marshall Field & Co. Vickers, Inc. Rational Enameling & Stamping Co. Hontgomery Usxd Co. Bethlehem Steel Co. Pendelton Ship Zards Norfolk & Western Railroad General American Transportation Co. Kimball Piano Co. General Motors Corp. Ruberoid Co. Continental Baking Co. Higgins Corp. Atlas Powder Co. H.7. Telephone Co. International Business Hechine Corp. Braden Copper Co* Florida Power 4 Light Co Lewisburg Chair end Furniture Co. Horton Company O.S. Leather Co. Virginia Electric & Power Caterpillar Tractor Co. -- Johns-Uanvllle Corp. Baker & Taylor Co. Bell Telephone Laborator: A.P. Green Fire Brick Co S.I. Deploying Printers Assoc. Inc. Genersl Electric Co. Monarch Machine Tool Co. Asbestos Textile Corp. RESEARCH STUDIES Due to the increased number of requests for plant surveys resulting from the speed up in production, due to industry's victory effort, more routine work has been loaded upon the laboratory. This additional work has left little time for research problems. The laboratory staff did design and construct a / nev type of centrifugal pump ehich could operate on A.C. or C.C. current of/ 110-220 volts. wm. <a&a The amount of money expended for travel in the Industrial Health Section during 1912 amounted to (4507.57. However, of this amount 14047.63 was paid to us by the Group policyholders for expenses incurred by our men in the field while conducting plant surveys. Therefore, our total expenditure for tr*--1- *^r the year amounted to (459,94. 3- SPECIAL INCPIRIES Nine hundred thirty-seven (937) special inquiries were received during the year for information covering a wide range of subjects. This is an increase / f of 39% over 1941. Ij I-RAT INTT3PRTTATI0NS Before Dr. McConnell left for the Service, he had reed end Interpreted 15S X-rays received fron our Group policyholders. MEETINGS AND ADDRESSES Dr. UcCoanell and other neabera of the staff attended 38 meetings during the yeer 1942. The following addresses were made: Dr. McConnell made an address over Badio Station T7ABC on "Heat Stroke end Other Effects of Health". Dr. McConnell gave a series, of lectures to Havtl medical officers at a training course in industrial medicine and surgery at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. He also addressed the Industrial Hygiene dess at Columbia University and demonstrated our apparatus for collecting end sampling air. Dr. McConnell continued during the spring semester a class in industrial hygiene at Her Xork University. Be had to secure e substitute for the fall eemester due to his induction into the Amy. Mr. Fehnel gave a lecture to this class on "The Conservation of Men Power". Mr. Fehnel gave a paper entitled "Health Hazards in Steel Mills" at the joint meeting of the American Association of Industrial Physicians and Surgeons and the American Industrial Hygiene Association. Miss Rantoul attended a meeting in ITeahington of the Committee on Standards for Maternity Care end Enployment of Mothers in Industry. LITERATURE During 1942, 76,405 publications were sent on reo.uest, an increase of 31% over 1941. COPRISP0HDEHCE_ The incoming letters to the section during the yeer amounted to 2,242, and the outgoing numbered 1,368. COMMITTEES Members of the section have continued to serve on a number of committees which have' beenartive during the year and attended a master of meetings. The following ere new committees and others to which members hsve been reappointed during 1942. SZ .giraittg. 4 committee has been formed among Home Office building am entitled TJtr Emergency Committee, to devise ways and means of equipping the Metropolitan Home Office buildings with protective devices in case of air raids. Dr. McConnell end Mr. Ferry are members of this committee and attended s number of meetings and rendered advice and assistance. It. McConnell has been appointed a member of an advisory committee to prepare proposed industrial code rules relating to the revision of the Code on the Removal of Dusts, Gases, end Fumes at the Sew Iork State Department of Labor. Dr. McConnell baa been appointed a member of the advisory committee with Dr. ftittmer and Dr. Ketcoa on intensive port--gradui-te instruction in industrial health by industrial physicians end the Faculty of the Long Island College of Medicine. Reenuolntaents Dr. McConnell has been ashed to serve on the Technical Advisory Committee on Senrationa of Comfort of the American Society of Seating and Ventilating Engineer Dr. McConnell has been asked to serve again bn the Rational Association of Manufacturers' In."urtrial Relations Committee. He was also reappointed to the following committees: . American Society of Refrigerating Engineers Committee an Biolog Research Technical Advisory Committee on Air Conditioning In Industry of the American Society of Heating end Ventilating Engineers -5Comittee on 'Ventilation and Atmospheric Pollution of the American Public Health Aaeociation Committee on Standard Methods for the Examination of Air of American Public Health Association HOME OFFICE SERVICES As in the past, our assistance has been requested on frequent occasions by the different departments charged with the maintenance of the Home Office buildings. These requests covered advice regarding illumination, ventilation, health hazards of different operations and materials used, etc. In addition, our office has been represented on the Wcr Emergency Committee, a committee charged wit the responsibility of plans for air raids in Home Office buildings. This entailed a number of conferences and testing of various materials to be used for protection. Or. McConnell ns in charge of decontamination procedure in case of gas attack. He gave a number of lectures on poisonous gases, methods of detection, physiologies action, first aid treatment, etc. to members of the decontamination squads. A few of the requests follow* Information regarding inflammable solvents in use and methods of storage in laboratories. Shatterproof tests on electric light bulbs covered with garinol were made to test its efficiency. Information regarding control of refrigerants in cree of a bombing raid. Analysed food from Home Office cafeterias. Advice regarding elimination of faulty plumbing. Analysed specimens of urine of claimants for permanent disability. Reviewed proposals regarding defoullng stations on the Pacific Coast sent in by Dr. Shepard. Inspected the Typewriter Repair Room to see if they had carried -6- out our recommendations regarding the use of sodium cycnide. Information regsraing a fire-proofing compound which is effective in preventing cloth from igniting and bursting into flsme. Analysed sample of the lacquer cleaner which is to substituted for Utility Rash. Analysed sample of Protecto-Kote thinner* Information regarding the formula for making "supertropical" bleach used to decontaminate floors, wells, etc. in case of a gae raid. Temperature rnd humidity readings of eight of most congested eir rrid shelter areas in Home Office buildings. Information regarding the composition of bottled gss. Information regarding toxicity of fumes from creosote sprsyed on wood in conn-ction with a double indemnity death claim. Recommended use of G-tf-5 1 mash to be used by the attendant in the Sanatorium laundry to prevent inhalation of formaldehyde end emwonia fumes. POBLICmOSf Report of the survey of the leather industry entitled "Health Hazards of the Leather Industry" was completed end appeared in the Hey issue of the Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Copies of this reprint were sent to industria hygienists and those particularly interested. Dr. Jred OTlsherty of the Department of Leather Resea-ch of the Univers of Cincinnati arranged for the report of the leather survey to be rsprinted in the trade joumtl "Hide and Leather". Dr. McConnell rewrote his chapter in "A Textbook of Medicine by Aaericsi Authors", edited- by Cr. Russell Cecil. Dr. Joseph E. Zbar, Editor of Philosophical Library requested permission to use Lr. McConnell's article on "Mobilisation of Industrial Hygiene for National Defense" (which appeared is the American Journal of Public Health" as a chapter in a book on "Public Health in War Time". Dr. McConnell prepared a "Memorandum on Protective Measures Against Common Implement; of Warfare". Thi6 has been given a .good deal of publicity end reprinted is the Hew York State Journal of Medicine. A digest of the article was published in "The Digest of Treatment" by J. . Llppincott Company. The demand for this memorandum has bees very great and it has created a good deal of interest. Dr. McConnell wrote a paper on "Indoor Environmental Atmosphere ana Its Control" for Medical Clinics of North America. Copies of this paper were sent to state industrial hygienists and to a selected mailing list. Reviewed two articles by Dr. Victor G. Heiser of the National Manufacturers Association on "Defense Workers' Lunch Box" and "Pack a Lunch e Man Can Work On". Reviewed Chapter II of the 1942 Guide of the American Society of He;ting and Ventilating Englneera end gave suggestions for rewriting it. Reviewed paper entitled "Physiological Reactions of Workers in Hot Industries with Atmospheric Conditions of Various Relative Humidities", oublishec by the Research Committee of the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers. Reviewed pamphlet on "Heelth of the Workers". Reviewed article for Nursing Bureau on "Communicable Disease Technique". Reviewed revised edition of First Aid booklet. Reviewed instructions to be sent to our nurses regarding their participation in air raid emergencies. Reviewed and. offered comments for revision of Rabies booklet. Revised our booklet "Air Condition? and the Comfort of Workers". ' ' Reviewed article on "Showers* to be issued b> the Policyholders * Service 1 Bureau. Commented on paragraph on "Health Hazards in War Production Areas" which appeared in November 1942 Service Digest of Policyholders* Service Bureau. Commented on new book lesued by O.S. Department of Labor, Division of Labor Standards entitled "Arranging Shifts for -j i Production". Reviewed the revised edition of Conquest of Typhoid Fever booklet. Prepared an article on "Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever" to be sent to an agent ho is in Any. Reviewed Health Bulletins for Teachers, for the School Bureau. Reviewed anu offered criticisms on articles prepared by the Policyholders* Service Bureau and members of the Welfare Division on health hazards of industrial processes. TH3 IMSOSTRIAI. Kr.ALTH S3CTI0B *KD TEZ WAR Since the outbreak of the car and before, there has been a greet increase \ in requests from industrial firms for information regarding the hazards of processes V An- the toxicity of solvents and materials newly Introduced in the plants in connection with the war effort. The following requests were received from firms end individuals so engaged. Surveys Ruberoid Co. (survey of four plants) - make asbestos roofing for government projects. ---- -------- ---- Republic Steel Corp. (recheck surveys of all plants and mines) - make - # shells and. all kinds of steel Blackwell Zinc Co. (survey of two plants) - supply zinc for wsr projects. Geo. L. Roper Co. - make shells --9- Gosrtd American Transportation Co. - make P.T. boats Sundstrand Machine Tool Co. - make machine tools Uaremont Automotive Products (make springs end mufflers for tanks) Asbestos Textile Corp. - make doth and brake linings for government Onion Carbide Co. - (requested surveys of seven plants) - alloys for making steel..... Kimball Piano Co. -- make desks for the government Armored force, Fbrt Knox - study of armored aw army trucks Armstrong Cork Co. - shells, insulation, linoleon for battleships, etc Walter Kidde & Co. - fire extinguishers In addition to complete surveys, eighty nine requests for assistance -ere received from the above and other firms and individuals and from Navy and Army J/ 1 bases. These requests covered such subjects as adjustment of vork?rs to chsnring shifts; relative hazards from electric shock from the use of slteraxting and direct current in raiding; toxicity of emulsifying or wetting agents, chlorinated prraffin: and barium peroxide and other compounds; information rag?rein; a twin chemical cartridge mask; bazLrds of explosives manufacture; hazards of handling TNT; sub stitutes for tetraehlorethane in airplane factories; recommendations as to how to handle an epileptic and fit him into industry; information regarding hospital-bed requirements in city to take care of increased personnel due to rer 'ork. There has been a very increased demand for our booklets on relding, first aid service in small plants and the first aid booklet. The requests for assistance on methods of maintaining the health of personnel here also increreed. 10- la 1941 Dr. McConnell was appointed s consultant of th . Dnited States Public Health Service to nake a survey of the medical facilities available la Industrial plants. This work necessitated consulting with the Directors of State Industrial Hygiene Divisions and visiting plants in Philadelphia, Pittsburgv Jersey City, Tenton, Bayonne, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lansing, Chicago, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Boston. In localities where these representatives 0 the Industrial Hygiene Divisions were to sake the visits themselves. Dr. McConnell discussed with then the survey fora to be used, nsthoda of presenting the survey, etc. He personally aube visits to 49 plants in different sections of the country. Dr. McConnell reported for active service with the Her Department on August 28, 1942. TESTIMONIALS Attached are copies of several letters which erpress appreciation for our service