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FILE NAME: National Safety Council (NSC) DATE: 1938 Jan DOC#: NSC218 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NSC - National Safety News - Dusts That Harm Dusts That H|1|Y| A descriptive summary of common industrial dusts accord ing to physical characteristics and physiological effects By R. R. S A Y E R S , M. D. Senior Surgeon and Chief, Division of Industrial Hygiene, V. S, Pu b lic Health Service T HE suspensions of particulate matter in air have been broadly termed dusts, fumes, and smokes. Such a classification is neces sarily arbitrary, since the line of demarcation between them is not very sharp, and the chief differentiation is based on the size of the particles. Investigations by the Public Health Service in dusty industries revealed that about 70 per cent of the dust particles examined were between 1 and 3 microns in size, only about 20 per cent were less than 1 micron, and the median size was 1.3 microns. Indus trial dusts are mainly less than 10 microns in size. However, fibrous dusts in the air, such as asbestos, have been found to contain particles as large as 200-400 microns in the great est diameter. Some dusts are known to be poison ous,while others, the concentrations usually encountered, are compara tively harmless. However, it may be stated that breathing dust in high concentrator! is not desirable. It is now well established that ex posure to certain kinds of dusts, such as those containing considerable quantities of free silica, has increased the morbidity and mortality rate from respiratory diseases; while metallic dusts, such as lead and its compounds, have been associated with general sys temic poisoning. Dusts may be swal lowed with saliva, water, or food, and direct poisoning has been traced to absorption by this method; other dusts may act as irritants and produce affec tions of the skin, irritate mucous mem branes of nose, eyes and throat, often causiug inflammatory diseases of these organs. Some inorganic dusts are able to penetrate the deep lung tissues and are sufficiently insoluble to be retained there. Some of these may be active in the human tissues, causing definite and permanent injury, while others are inert and may be retained for years, apparently without serious damage; some are gradually absorbed without causing pathological changes. All inhaled particles are soluble, at least to a small extent. If harmless, cell activity is stimulated so that pha gocytes remove the dust. If the solute is toxic, the viabilty of the phagocyte is affected and an ineffective accumu lation results. At the same time, further solute may diffuse into neigh boring tissues, setting up an irritation and subsequent fibrosis. The nature as well as the solubility of the solute is an important factor, but of two sub stances of approximately equal tox icity, the more soluble form causes the greater damage. However, sub stances of such low solubility as silica may ultimately produce extensive in jury. Kettle has stated that harmful dusts, if inhaled into the lungs, may activate a latent tuberculosis infec tion; they may exaggerate an active tuberculosis lesion or a confident infection. If sufficient quantities of a harmless dust are inhaled, some of it remains in the lungs and causes a mild degree of fibrosis merely through mechanical irritation, but such fibrosis is never sufficient to interfere with the function of the lung. Some writers state that while the influence of nonpoisonous dusts on health is a debatable subject, abnorm ally high death rates from bronchitis and pneumonia are sometimes attri buted to chronic exposure to nontoxic dusts. Large amounts of dust are occasionally found in supposedly nor mal lungs, at autopsy. According to Drinker, there are four different types of reaction produced in man by the inhalation of dust. The first and most important are the pneu moconioses, such as silicosis and nsbestosis, which cause sped: lung pathology and often arc followed by pulmonary tuberculosis. The second type of reaction ;s caused by toxic dusts like lead, cadmium, and radium, A third type of malady follows the inhalation of irndy divided meiailie fume particles such as zinc oxide, and is known as metal fume lever. Tl fourth reaction, allergic in diaracier, is caused by breathing organic dusts such as pollen and certain types of pulverized wood and hour. In alt four cases the sole cause of the dis ability may be dust inhalation, but the reactions from toxic dusts result from swallowing as well as from inhalation. For various reasons it is difficult to set up an absolute classification for dusts. Opinion is rapidly changing regarding so-called inert or harmless dusts and further investigation may prove some of them to be injurious. Some dusts may have both a toxic and an irritant action; while on Ihe other hand, the poisoning resulting from exposure to a dust may be the com biner! effect of rinre than one mode of entrance into lire body. However, the following classification of dusts, according to physical characteristics and physiological effect, is used for convenience. I. O RG A N IC DUSTS Organic dusts are lho.se which con tain carbon, and were originally sup posed to come from organized sub stances derived from animal or plant life. Living dusts come under this classification, and are thought to be of the same order of size as industrial dusts, with which they are frequently associated. Bacteria are usually be tween 0.5 and 3 microns, except in a few cases, such as the anthrax bacillus, i.yLl'll|. i I f , 1WHUffT 'Wf "HIT ' " T " ' * " pwjW Srawf '.*1*'...i.i.BfJt! 9 ui n \ ii I . - i T ill^ll>i^1w which ranges from 1 to 1.25' micron in breadth and 4.5 to 10 microns in length and 10 or 12 microns in diam eter, However, it is possible that the larger and heavier varieties, like the larger and heavier dust particles, settle due to gravity, and do not remain suspended in the air. Many thousands of organic sub stances, carbon-containing, are made, synthetically' by, chemical processes,. such as dyestuffs, explosives, etc. i. Nonliving Organic Dusts As the name implies, these are com prised of nonviable particles, which may or may not be inherently toxic or irritant, but which nevertheless produce untoward effects in the human organism. "Allergic" dusts, or those to which only certain persons are or may become hypersensitive, 'with resulting asthma, rhinitis, or other disturbances, are included in this classification. y , ,/ . a. Toxic and/or. Irritant . Dusts are all organ it dusts which produce untoward symptoms, either systemic1, or local. Those producing' local symp toms are usually described as-irritant; those producing general or systemic, symptoms are termed toxic, A-dust may be both toxic and irritant* in reported cases of injury or death: following inhalation of "dust from or ganic compounds, among the chief offenders are paranitraniline, the dinitrobenzencs, ehlorodmitrobenzenes, trfi iitrophenol, anti nitronaphthalene. Eye damage due to inflammation of the cornea has occurred among work er:-: exposed to methyl violet dust. The dust from paraphenylene diamine de rivatives is particularly irritating and dangerous, causing not only a "severe form of dermatitis where the dust comes in contact with the skin, but tils producing acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the.respira tory pasages. Toxic d usts may be gen erated during the handling of pow dered dyes and ill preliminary dyeing operations, particularly the hydroextractor process, where particles are disseminated in ail directions. Coal tit and indigo dyes are substances mast, frequently used. Cases of amblyopia have been reported from exposure to inhalation of tobacco dust, I t has been found that inhaled tobacco dust exerts a nicotine action on the organism fifteen times greater than that produced by the same quantity of smoked tobacco with an equal nicotine content. Severe dermatitis is experienced by many workers handling powder con taining T.N.T., which is used in mak ing high explosives. Picric acid, which is also used for ths purpose, requires drying, and in this latter state has been found to produce a derma titis. Picric arid is also the oldest synthetic organic dyestuff. Derma titis occurs among handlers of silk with varying frequency. Persons engaged in the manufacture of quinine arid quinine preparations suffer from skin phenomena, which occur for the most part on exposed parts of the body, and may be caused by ingestion or by quinine dust, or powder form of the preparation, ex erting a direct irritating effect on the sltin. Dermatitis due to other vege table dusts such as vanilla, powdered arnica, pyfethrum, etc., have been reported. Dental lesions, of occupational or igin, have been reported among workers in sugar. The gingivitis caused by sugar dust is classified as purely mechanical, with later-devel oping caries. Digestive disorders, respiratory conditions, and cutaneous conditions (especially of the face) were also found. Dock workers, transporters of grain, workers in grain and flour mills, etc. are exposed to dusts during their work. Dusts from cereals may contain many impurities, which may cause an irri tating action on the respiratory pas sages, as well as inflammation of the skin. Digestive disturbances, dental defects, diminution in hearing, and conjunctivitis have been observed among millers, and have been attri buted to the dusts to which suchworkers are exposed. b. Allergic. Many apparently inmietums substances may produce re actions in persons of peculiar personal susceptibility. The term! `(allergy" is used to describe this condition of hypersensitiveness or susceptibility, and allergic phenomena most fre quently manifest themselves iri skin reactions. However, they may cause acute reactions elsewhere in the body. When the respiratory tract is involved we have .such well known diseases as hay fever or asthma. These diseases may develop as a result of hypersensitiveness to such substances as pollens from plants, horsehair, rab bit's fur, furs, feathers, etc. For instance, furriers, workers in clothing industries who are exposed to wool dust, etc., may suffer from hay fever or asthma. I t is unnecessary for the offending dust to reach the depths of the lungs--giant pollens for example are reported to produce their effect after being caught in the upper respiratory passages. Should such an offending substance he finely ground it could reach the alveoli and as a result probably all physiologic reac tions would be accelerated. In a survey of a plant where resin is mixed, ground, and molded, it was found that 80 per cent of the occitpational dermatitis there was due to hypersensitivity to hexamethylene tetramine and Jormaldohyde contained in the dust to which the workers were exposed. During the first processes of cotton spinning, cotton-strippers are exposed to dust arising from cotton husks and debris, which produces a typical form of asthma. Ordinary wood dust has been of interest clue to its purely mechanical action, but still greater care is required in handling certain kinds, especially woods coming from abroad, because of the essemial oils impregnating them, which when freed'in the dust may affect tin health of the workers concerned. Some of the woods cap able of causing skin lesions are Brazil wood, satinweod, toakwood, cuumra or tonka wood, black ebony 'wood, West Indian mahogany, Japanese tagayasan, acobola, rhestnutwood, olivcwvood, Ca iforma sequoia, etc. Alt persons who handle these woods are not injured, only those particularly susceptible to '.he substances they con tain becoming affected. 2. Living Organic Dusts These contain particles'capable of exhibiting the phenomena of life (especially tin: properly of reproduc tion; or .multiplication), such as bac teria arid fungi. They are usually found in low concentrations and ate associated with nonliving dusts in the . air. a. Bacteria. One of the most im portant among; these is the anthrax bacillus, which, is contained in the dust from skins, fries, wool, and animal hair, horns, hoofs, bones, etc. This disease may occur in two forms: cutaneous (in which the organism affects the skin),; and pulmonary (when it is inhaled, as in the form of anthrax known as wool-sorters* dis ease). 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PrfMtjbom metal frame, cloth filter Dust Collectors are backed by moro than thirty years' specialized experience in colluding and salvaging destructive or valuable dusts. These collectors quickly and efficiently control dust at Its source and convert It from harmful waste into profitable commercial by-products, It is quite possible that you have a dust problem . . . big or small. No matter what size, we can be of considerable service to you , . . pointing out short cuts in cost . . . steering you clear of "headaches" . , . relieving you of all uncertainty regarding dust nuisances. If you, too, would like to be sitting on top of the world as far as your Dust worries are concerned . . . COME TO PANOBORN, Worth writing about, itn't it? . j| ' V; 1 V Dusts That Harm ( Continued from page, j a ) Cases of tetanus, reported iu com nection with jute manufacture, weir traced to the raw material, the bacfflu having been found in the factory dust Diphtheria, tuberculosis, smallpoj typhoid, or other bacillus-produce diseases, may result from exposure t infected dusts. Bacterial sensitization can be ti: cause of any of the allergic disease: namely, asthma, perennial, hay lev#, urticaria, angioneurotic edema, case tna, or migrane headaches. b. Fungi. Dusts containing the mji cefia and spores of parasitic fungi giv rise to annoyance and discomioi: Among baslietmakers, the myceliur and spores, in the form ol ;l whit mould (hyphomycete) From tb rattan canes used, get shaken os when the caries are split, hammerer and cut, causing painful fissures t develop on trie skin when: they alight :v A form C'f asthma or spasmodi cough, suffered by cotton weavers an known as aspergillosis, lias been cor sidered due !o inhalation of spores i a mildew which sometimes occurs o the threads. In a study of silicosi among miners, made by the Pubfi Health Service, a number of cases c typical miliary calcification were e:t: countered. Unstained smears of thos cases examined were positive for fur; gus, two types of Aspergillus funf being identified. All of the subject but one were: farmers, teamsters, feed mill worker;, or residents of sma agricultural towns where grain i marketed. Farmers are exposed t fungi in threshing wheat, baling hay or handling various small grains. Some other fungus diseases such a actinomycosis and blastomycosis ar associated with occupational exposr to dust. The former occurs arnon workers handling straw, hay, grass vegetable ddbris contaminated wit mould; etc, : Actinomycosis is like! to affect people engaged in eommema handling, storing, and cleansing o grain (grain distilleries, flour mills grain crushing, breweries, andm altin houses, etc.), II. IN O R G A N IC DUSTS Inorganic compounds are of minerr origin, not requiring a living organist to produce them. A number of dust not usually classed as toxic may, undt some conditions, produce untowar effects oh the human organism. Class Sit National Safety iVews, January, W :naer inorganic ate toxic and/or it, fibrosis-producing, and nou s-producing dusts. Toxic and/or irritant. Toxic are those which are inherently vhen inhaled, ingested, or otheribsorbed. Among those which ::e systemic poisoning, some of are also irritant, are the dusts ieavy metals and their salts, such d, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, `.tc. Irritant, dusts are injurious ison of their strong irritative or ive properties. a rule, inhaled irritant subS immediately cause a reaction upper respiratory tract of such ty that they are prevented from ng the lungs, although they may lung damage by extension of ration if the mucous ment is corroded. t ime, calcium oxrd the di-climmates are examples itant dusts. An inorganic dust possess both toxic and irritant rties, iud the poisoning pro may be the combined effect of than one mode of entrance into rdy. the directly poisonous dusts, the widely prevalent are those of n lead compounds, particularly ide, cu 1 1innate and the chromate, lust is t caddy absorbed by the js rnenibnum; some dust passes ]ie stomach find is dissolved by iStric"juice. the case of poisoning from some metals , exposure may be to both ind vapor. For instance, invesons have shown the safe limit, of exposure to lead oxide dust and ; to be !c:;:> than l.S mg. per 10 meterk of air, except for prod expoauc. In exposure to merlust and vapor, it was shown that lcidem e of chronic mercurialism rges rfipidly with increasing mercbncentratiou, after such concenji exceeds 11.0 mg. per 10 cubic &. cadis and metallic oxides are comcauses of dermatoses.. Lye, poi nd lime are known to cause irrij to plasterers, cement-makers, layers, masons, stonecutters, jlers, and metal platers. Ulcer e d perforaition of the nasal sepoccur among workers exposed to list of soila ash: systemic poisonalso 'tu n s from inhalation of 4jn cyammide dust. |es of dermatitis, scleroderma gneer ,are reported to have been id by exposure to dust of arsenic iiwl Safrth iVcmis, January, 1938 compounds. Certain aluminum salts are skip irritants and aluminum dusts may contribute to the infection of skin and mucous membranes, through mechanical action. b. Fibrosis-Producing Dusts. The most important of these are the inor ganic, slightly soluble dusts which cause fibrous changes in the lung tissues, some Of which are serious, and some of which caus little or no disability. So far as is known, tto in organic substances other than silicon derivatives cause more than a very moderate degree of fibrosis of the lung. Moreover, there seems to be no evidence that any other constituent of ordinary dusts can influence so un favorably a pulmonary infection. Although other dusts, when inhaled in sufficient concentrations over a long period of time, have been shown cap able of producing a pulmonary fibros is, nevertheless the pneumoconiosis characterized by nodular fibrosis has to date been shown clinically and ex perimentally to be associated only with the inhalation of dusts contain ing free silica. Since this dust, to exert its harmful action, must enter the finest divisions of the lung, the particle size of the at mospheric dust may bear a definite relationship to the injurious effect produced. The silica must he pres ent in the air in particle small enough; to enter the finer air spaces and of such dimensions that the phagocytic cells may engulf them. The greater majority of particles found upon microscopic examination of the. lung fall within the limits of from 1 to 3 microns. Jixamples of siliceous dusts are granite, quartz, sand, pumice, slate, etc. In a recent study among anthra cite miners, the correlations between exposure to dust (which contained silica) and the evidence of constitutional'changes left little doubt as to the etiological significance of the dust in the air breathed. Like corre lations were found between the silica exposure and the extent of pulmonary changes. When the inhaled dust con sists of silica combined with bases, silicates, some degree of change in the , pulmonary tissue may result. In this | respect asbestos dust seems to be unique among silicates in the preval- ; J ence and severity of the disease it \ .cause.:' The chief distinction between sili- ' cosis and conditions due to simple re actions caused by other dusts is the NEW JERSEY , . . Ha,* tm- ploying 1200 men won compony safety contest for second time. Approximately 1000 pairs of Safety First Shoes used during contest period. N ot a lost time f t foot accident to any man 'ivetti'- I ing our shoes. ---Vmo Jersvu Itcprcsi'.uUiitt'i: i SAN FRANCISCO . . .Nearby steel company has received in surance rebate; every man in plant now wearing steel toe shoes. Company is pleased with the saving while employees like wise pleased with shoes. -P u ri/lr D istributor . -- w-- SEATTLE . . . Mechanic dropped 150 lb. lathe face plate on foot. Wearing DRESSSTEEL style 7084. Otherwise says he would have been hos pitalized- Three eye-witnesses immediately bought Safety First Shoes. . ....northwest /(n-ihuhr CHICAGO . - . Local worker bought pair Safety First Show at our office late Saturday p. m. Following Monday, assisting in removing heavy machinery, a shaft weighing 1800 lbs. skid 8 ded, striking steel toe. Shoe damaged, but toes tot injured! - Midwest Distributor TUPPBR LAKE, N . Y . . . Track laborer dropped 500 lb. timber on toes while unloading Car. Suffered no injury what I ever. Was wearing Safety First * Shoes.: . ' j; Sct-nivc tiimitwrT i i*1 HOLLISTON *M S A F JE T Y -G D 1 8 A F B T X t m t S T S H O E COM PANTS' . : MOLLlS'l'ON, MASS. 1 HELP IJS PREVENT: FOOT ACCIDENTS PLEASE SEND COMPLETE CViALOtt ( `Write A'amp, A d d ress a n d Concern, in m orgfn,) Work today are health-conscious and naturally prefer a plant that eliminates hazards to good health. Other things being equal--"the Dust-free plant will attract the better workmen and will also enjoy a lower labor turn-over. This contributes to efficient operation in A N Y plant. D R A C C O Dust Collector offers M A N / other advantages, but this is an important one that should be given the consideration it deserves. In the final analysis the H E A L T H and, therefore, H A PPIN ESS of your employees has a D IR ECT bearing on your profits. Why not let D R A C C O Engi neers, with over 20 years experience, check your Dust problem? They, have saved thou sands of dollars for M A N )' plants. W H Y NOT YOURS? Write for Bulletin No. 302 D R A C C O M ULTI-BAG FILTER DRACCO CORPORATION nccsoni to The Dust Recovering Si Conveying Co. 4073 R 116th St., Cleveland, O hio New Y o rk Office, 130 W . 42nd St. CONVEYORS DUST CO LLECTO RS active ptoliierative reaction in ih tissues whir*!' results in progn'-Hv nodulation. Silicosis, when once e tablished, strongly predisposes ft lungs to infection, especially with tii tubercle bacillus. Chronic interstitb pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, an emphysema are frequent compile* tions of advanced degree of silica: The relation of the acute respib tory infections to the reaction due * dusts other than free silica has nevi been established, though a hesgti ened incidence has often been shoV. statistically in workers in dift trades. It T fairly certain that, a dti damaged lung, whatever the caul fares, much worse if an acute info tion does supervene upon it. in a study conductid by the 0, Public Hea th Service among mail; iinishers in Vermont, it was font that marble dust when inhaled in t concentrations found in the examin plants, produced a mild, bilatei*. linear fibrosis in some cases, but serious Inn. changes were noted ti; there Whs :no disability due to t dust, even after years of exposure. c, Nonfibrosis- Producing Dm These are inert, that is, they do r cause fibrous tissue to be produo but may become encapsulated or free in the tissues; or they are i sorbed without production of fibre tissue. Ir eluded among them ; alundum, coal, corundum, erne limestone, magnesite, marble, plas of paris (gypsum), and polishc rouge. : Safety engineers everyw here `ire tu rn lftg th e sp o tlig h t on h a z a rd o u s floor co n d i tions that contribute to accidents, Interrupt production and slow up trucking. Slippery* greasy dirfu'M beddc-d floors ore being sw iftly an d econom ically transform ed into safety 'lan es th at provide sure footing w ith this super floor m achine th at meets every requirem ent. A FREE d em o n stratio n in your facto ry AT YOUR CONVENIENCE and W ITH OUT ORMGATiON w(M q u ick ly convince you th a t the LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL SPECIAL w ill be in d isp en sab le to your Safety P rogram , It quickly and efficiently removes nil grit, grime, grease du d d ir t accu m u latio n ---clean in g 10 to 20 tim es the area form erly covered by one m an. Cleans wood block floors w ith astounding ease and apeed--elim inates all danger of w arping and dry rotting as it cleans w ithout the use of water. Arrange for a TREE dem onstration of this revolutionary machine in your plant and you w ill see w hy hundreds have selected the Lincoln as the m ost economical and efficient for floor m aintenance an d ac cident prevention. It is truly a xdace where pennies, save dollars. W rite TODAY fo r fu ll de ta ils arid w e'U g ladly arra n g e a FREE dem onstration oiler at your convenience. LINCOLN SCH LU ETER FLOOR MACHINERY CO., INC. n ? W. Grant! Avenue CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Through the Power Plan! (Continued from page 5 4) Before inspections are made o:t outdoor substations, the inspec should have full knowledge of whet the customer or the utility comp; owns, operates and maintains equipment. The exact, status of 01 ership, -operation and maintenance this electrical equipment should constantly kept in mind by the spectorfi. Do not criticize or condemn ; tomers' equipment, but explain i constructive way the hazards in around Ihe equipment and sug; corrective measures. Usually a customer receives seto v e rah overhead line terminating a pole , or structure supporting break switches, thence to the sub tion locrted on the customer's | perty. The equipment generally com National Safety News, January,