(2) restriction of hours to six in summer and in winter to eight daily,
with a two hours’ mid-day interval;
(3) fortnightly examination of the workers;
(4) air space per person of 40 cubic meters in the coating room and 30 in
the drying room, and, in both, introduction of 60 cubic meters of air per
head per hour;
(5) Work to cease if the temperature of the room in summer reaches 25° C.
Measures are necessary to prevent occurrence of mercury poisoning in
hatters’ furriers’ processes (preparation of rabbit fur for felt hats)
in consequence of the use of nitrate of mercury. Danger arises chiefly
in cutting the hair, in dressing and drying, in sorting, and also in
the subsequent stages of hard felt hat manufacture. Aspiration of the
dust and fluff at its point of generation, isolation of the drying
rooms and prohibition of entry into them while drying is going on, are
necessary. In dressing (commonly known as ‘carotting’), the nitric acid
vapour requires to be drawn away. In addition strict personal hygiene,
especially of the teeth, is very important. Processes involving _water
gilding_ (nowadays practised on a very small scale) should only be
carried on in stoves provided with exhaust ventilation. Electroplating,
fortunately, has almost entirely taken its place.
As cases of mercury poisoning have been reported from use of mercurial
pumps in producing the vacuum inside _electric incandescent bulbs_, air
pumps should be substituted for them whenever possible.
_Barometer_ and _thermometer_ makers may and do suffer severely if care
is not taken to draw away the fumes and ensure good ventilation of the
workrooms. Careless handling and the dropping of mercury on the benches
make it difficult to prevent some volatilisation. Personal hygiene and
especially a proper hygiene of the mouth are of the greatest importance
in this class of work.
Preparation of mercury compounds in chemical factories, especially the
dry processes (sublimation), as in production of cinnabar, corrosive
sublimate and calomel mixing, grinding, and sublimation, require to be
carried on in closed apparatus. Preparation of the substances named above
in solution involves much less risk than subliming. From our point of
view, therefore, the former is to preferred.
Arsenic, Arsenic Compounds, Arseniuretted Hydrogen
For arsenic works imperviousness of the system and as complete
condensation as possible are necessary to prevent escape of fumes.
Respirators should be worn in manipulations with white arsenic, and
such work as packing done under conditions of locally applied exhaust
ventilation.
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