The second source of danger to the workman results from inhaling the vapors of the alcohol of the varnish. This has caused serious disablement, even death, and most of these detrimental or fatal results may be ascribed to the breathing of vapors from wood alcohol, especially if it were more or less impure. Commercial wood alcohol contains substances of a more injurious character than the alcohol itself, principally acetone and aldehyde. Grain or ethyl and varnish makers' denatured alcohol, owing to the manner of their production, are obtained in purer form, and their higher boiling point makes it easier to free them from more volatile admixtures. When a comparison is made between the effects of the vapors of grain and wood alcohols, freed from all impurities, on the human system, it is found that grain alcohol simply intoxicates, and, if inhaled in large quantities, stupefies, leaving behind no serious after-effects at least, with ordinary care. Wood alcohol, on the other hand, has a more toxic influence, the vapors producing nausea and vomiting; furthermore, they may affect the eyesight. In several instances where impure wood alcohol was employed total blindness has resulted. The methods and appliances in use for preventing the dangers above described are principally of three kinds, viz.: 1, to place the light, in form of an isolated lantern, etc., outside the cask and illuminating the inside through the manhole; 2, to supply the workman with a mask or hood, similar to a diver's helmet, and introduce fresh air through a hose leading to the helmet; and, 3, to ventilate the cask so that the amount of inflammable and injurious vapor is always below the danger line. The first precaution removes the danger by explosion, but not the danger of poisoning the workman; the second protects the workman from deadly fumes, but does not prevent explosion, while the last guards against both contingencies. The second can, however, be easily made to cover both contingencies, as the cask can readily be ventilated by a branch from the air hose to the helmet. Ventilation of the cask has the further advantage of causing the varnish to dry more rapidly by removing the air saturated with the vapors of the alcohol. ACCIDENTS. If, despite all precautions, an accident should nappen in varnishing which is scarcely to be expected, however the first attention should be given to the injured persons. If the man's clothes have caught fire, those who appear first on the scene of the accident should not waste time in senseless lamentations, but be ready with active assistance. If the victim tries to run around he should be thrown to the ground by force, if necessary, and the fire smothered by blankets or clothing. If the person has suffered serious burns take him to a suitable place and apply a mixture of lime water and linseed oil, putting it on the burns and covering them afterward with cotton. In case of slighter injuries, dip cotton cloths in a strong solution of alum, or mix scraped Castile soap with water to a thick mush and spread on linen or cotton cloth, and apply to the burns until a physician can be had. If the noxious gases have been inhaled the person should be undressed at once and cold water poured over him. Then lay him down on his face, turn him over carefully on the side, then back on the face, and so on back and forth. This should be done quietly but steadily about fifteen times a minute. The object is this: While lying on the face the chest of the man will be pressed by the weight of the body, which promotes exhalation; when he is turned on the side, the pressure will be relieved and inhalation accelerated, and the noxious gases thus thrown off. A final question always in considering prevention is how to insure use of the available preventive measures, whether by means of education with dependence upon private humanitarian or economic motives, or by state action with recourse to compulsion if necessary. So far as preventing the use of injurious kinds of shellac in brewery vats is concerned there is no authority of law whatever available at present. With reference to the use of artificial ventilation, the question may arise whether the case is covered by section 86 of the Labor Law. With reference to gases or vapors that section prescribes that if, in any workroom of a factory, "gases, vapors, dust or other impurities that may be injurious to health be generated in the course of the manufacturing process carried on therein the room must be ventilated in such a manner as to render them harmless, so far as is practicable." Aside from this the only possible provision to be considered would be the general ventilation clause in the same section which prescribes that the "owner, agent or lessee of a factory shall provide, in each workroom thereof, proper and sufficient means of ventilation." There would seem to be some room for question whether the specific terms of these provisions would permit of their application to the varnishing of brewery vats. But it would certainly seem to be the general intent of the provision first quoted that noxious vapors and fumes should be eliminated from factories where practicable, so that, if the law in its present terms is inapplicable, the need of its amendment would seem to be clear, so that it will certainly cover such conditions as those revealed in the case here described. Aside from direct compulsion of law is the possible indirect compulsion which may lie in an employer's liability for damages or compensation to workman in such cases. Allusion was made above to the fact that suits were brought in both the cases here described. The outcome in both cases was settlement out of court after they had been placed on the calendar for trial. The settlements, however, cost the firm, or the insurance company with which it was insured against liability to its employees and which was interested in the settlements, a very substantial sum in each case. This result is not, of course, conclusive as to the employer's liability but it raises at least a presumption of such liability in this case. NOTES ON THE LABOR LAWS OF 1912. In later pages may be found the text of the New York labor laws enacted in 1912, with indication of changes made in case of amendments of existing law. In the following notes it is intended to indicate the more important features of those laws and their significance. It should be remarked, perhaps, that in general there are included in the Bulletin presentation of laws only those which have to do specifically with the interests of wage earners as such. Women and Minors. WORKING HOURS IN FACTORIES. The most important single labor law of the year was chapter 539, which reduced the maximum hours of work in factories of women over sixteen years of age and of male minors sixteen to eighteen years of age, from 60 to 54 per week, and from 10 to 9 per day. The permissible maximum for exceptions in daily hours allowed in order to provide a half-holiday on one day in the week, or for irregularity in work, is at the same time reduced from twelve to ten. For the first time, however, an exception to the restrictions upon women's hours in factories is made for a particular industry. The canning and preserving industry is exempted not only from the added restriction contained in this year's law, but from all the restrictions upon the working hours of women and male minors over sixteen years of age for the four months from June 15 to October 15 of each year. As a background to this new standard as to women's working hours in factories an historical summary of previous New York laws on the subject is presented below. The sixty-hour week was established as the legal standard by the first law in 1886, and was continued until the law of 1912, but from 1886 to 1899 applied only to women under 21 years of age. In 1899 it was extended to women over 21 as well as those below that age. Changes of some importance have been made from time to time. in exceptions permitted, but always in the direction of stricter definition and limitation of such exceptions. HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF RESTRICTIONS UPON LENGTH OF HOURS OF WOMEN AND MINORS IN NEW YORK FACTORY LAWS. 69 60 60 60 60 Exceptions. To make necessary repairs. To make repairs necessary to avoid shut-down of establishment. Longer daily hours to make short day on Saturday. 10 Longer daily hours to make short 10 Longer daily hours regularly on 54 9 Longer daily hours regularly on five days to make a short day on the sixth, or irregularly on three days, but not over 10 on any day or 54 in a week. Canning and preserving industry wholly exempted from June 15 to October 15. * Beginning with the act of 1903 the hours of children under 16 have b en separately regulated, being limited in that year to 54 per week and 9 per day, and further restricted by Ch. 286 of the Laws of 1907 to 48 per week and 8 per day. In the enactment of the 54-hour law New York allies herself with a movement toward a limit of less than 60 hours per week for women in factory employments which had attained considerable proportions in other states prior to this year, as may be seen in the table below. Summarizing briefly, fourteen states have set a limit below 60 hours a week for women in factories. Such limit is 58 hours in Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota and New Hampshire; 56 in Rhode Island; 55 in New Jersey and Wisconsin; 54 in Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio and Utah; and 48 (or 8 per day) in California and Washington. |