SAFETY

Injury Rates1 Rose in Chemicals Last Year

J9.>S ( 1st 1958 1956 1957 9 Λ/o.s. ) (3rdQtr.)

All mfg. 12.0 Π .4 10.7 11.5 Chemical mfg.: 8.1 7.7 11.0 10.8

Injuries Up in Chemicals Workers in the chemical manufac­

turing industry would seem to be get­ting a little careless. The C S. Depar t ­ment of Labor reports that the indus­try's injury-frequency rate (number of disabling work injuries per million em­ployee-hours worked) was 11.0 tor the first nine mouths of !9>S. up consider­ably from the 7.7 scored for the year 1957.

In fact, the chemical industry's in­jury-frequency rate for the first nine months of ïust year was higher than the 10.7 set by all U. S. manufacturing. These figures pull to a halt the t rend of decreasing injury-frequency rates set by the chemical industry in recent years. Rates for 1956 and 1957 were

8.1 -and 7.7, compared with all manu­facturing's 12.0 and 11.4, according to Labor Depar tment data.

But the chemical manufacturing in­dustry looks a little better when com­pared to all manufacturing in the third quarter of 195S. The chemical injury -frequency rate for this period was 10.8; all manufacturing's rate was 11.5, up 1 1 ' * from the preceding quarter.

A. closer look at chemical manufac­turing turns up the bad aciux.s who were mostly responsible for the rise in the injury-frequency rate. When the rates for the first nine months of 1958 are matched against those for all of 1957. the paints, pigments, and related products sector was up 15r'r ; vegetable and animal oils and fats was up 6 r r ; and compressed and liquefied gases was up 27Ce.

• Nuclear acc idents from improper storage and handling of slightly en­riched uranium fuel elements can be largely avoided by encasing the ele­ments in 1 s inch iron pipe, says a G E physicist at the Hanford Laboratories Operation.

• Directory of Occupational Safe ty Posters for 1959 contains reproductions of 756 safety posters (with their di­mensions ) for use in various industries, schools, and other institutions. Cost is 60 cents for one to nine copies. Wri te to National Safety Council. -425 North Michigan Ave., Chicago 1 1,111.

• Handbook of internationally compiled recommendations for handling radio­isotopes is available from the Inter­national Atomic Energy Agency for $1.00. Write to IAEA, Vienna, Austria.

V Cafco Blaze-Shield, by Columbia Acoustics and Fireproofhig, Stanhope, N. J., is a fireproofmg material for ceilings, beams, girders, columns, and Hours. It is a blend of mineral fiber and inorganic binders. S 1

ψ Dry chemical f ire extinguishers now marketed by Ansul Chemical, Marin­ette, Wis., have "fresh-fill"performance including maximum fluidi/ation, abso­lute gas tightness, and simpler opera­tion, says the company. The Ansul D models come in 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-lb. capacities. S 2

• Plastic r e s p i r a t o r for protection against dusts, pneumoconiosis-produc-ing mists, and chromic acid mists is now made by Welsh Mfg., Providence, R. I. The Air-Raider weighs 2.1 oz., has a new respirator design which is said to give more functioning filter area than other conventional respirators, thus increasing filter life. S 3

r Safety pos te r s for chemical labora­tories are now available from Chemi­cal Poster, Iowa City, Iowa. Twelve different posters emphasize such safety practices as wearing goggl«es, reading labels correctly, keeping a clean labora­tory, e tc . They are primarily for school needs, but are appropriate for indus­trial laboratories. S 4

Further useful information on ι keyed Safety items men- j fioned is readily available . . . j

Use handy coupon on pcs-ge 62 ^ I

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