Further, workers engaged in industries involving risk should not be
exposed to the pernicious influence for too long a time. Hence the
hours of employment should be shortened in occupations proved to be
injurious to health. An important aid in this respect is alternation of
employment. Change of occupation is particularly recommended where the
nature of the poisoning of which there is risk is cumulative in action,
because in the intervals from the work the system will rid itself of the
accumulated store. In this way a number of skilled resistant workers,
familiar with the risk and knowing how to meet it, will be maintained.
Casual labour works in a vicious circle—increase of fresh workers
increases the danger and the number of cases of poisoning, and, _vice
versa_, these augment again the need of change in the personnel, so that
the number of cases of poisoning rises very high. Thus the industry
itself may be endangered, since its prosperity depends mainly upon the
existence of a skilled staff of workers. In dangerous trades, therefore,
Hermann Weber’s words, ‘Change of work instead of change of workers,’
have much force.
Periodical medical examination in these industries cannot well be omitted
in order to weed out the physically unfit, and to suspend from work those
who show early symptoms. Note should be kept of the state of health of
the workers, the results of the periodical medical examination, the
duration of symptoms, and the treatment of any illness that occurs.
Medical supervision presupposes special training and experience in the
medical man entrusted with the task.
Further, in some industries in which poisonous materials are used,
especially such as set up acute sudden poisoning, there should be a
trained staff competent to recognise the first symptoms of poisoning and
to render first aid, and having at its disposal adequate means of rescue.
Apart from the rescue appliances generally needed in dangerous trades,
stress must be laid on the value of oxygen apparatus as a means of
saving life. In addition to what is needed for the sufferer there must
be defensive apparatus at hand for the rescuers (breathing helmets,
&c.), to facilitate and make safe their rescue work when in a poisonous
atmosphere. Without such defensive equipment rescuers should never
venture into gas conduits, or into any place where presumably a poisonous
atmosphere is to be met with. It hardly requires to be said that in
dangerous industries medical aid should be within easy reach; in large
works actual medical attendance may be necessary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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