Health of the War Worker
1942-04 1942 1940s 44 pages and suitable facilities for washing which shall include soap and clean towels or other suitable means of cleaning or drying, and the facilities shall be conveniently accessible and shall be kept in a clean and orderly condition. This is all right as far as it goes, but...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
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| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
London : Labour Research Department
April 1942
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/FB3F463E-7DFF-4675-A0CB-B14F079B09FF http://hdl.handle.net/10796/BF8A55C3-56A7-462C-AD02-04706B061B9B |
| Summary: | 1942-04
1942
1940s
44 pages
and suitable facilities for washing which shall include soap and clean towels or other suitable means of cleaning or drying, and the facilities shall be conveniently accessible and shall be kept in a clean and orderly condition. This is all right as far as it goes, but there is no mention made, for instance, about the water needing to be hot and in many instances, too, each worker should have a towel to himself or herself. It must be emphasized that where workers are getting some particularly dangerous substance on them, such as T.N.T. powder, it must not stay there a moment longer than necessary. Very stringent washing precautions can make a most remarkable difference in preventing T.N.T. poisoning. Insistence on washing before starting work, before going to the toilet, and before going home, is essential. Other measures can be associated with washing facilities. In the case of Tetryl, the use of a soap containing 5 per cent sodium sulphite helps to dissolve the yellow dust. In many industries, before starting work and after washing, a protective cream or skin varnish can be of great value. It is important to avoid the use of strong fat solvents such as turpentine or benzene to remove dirt. Many of these strong cleansing agents are themselves capable of causing dermatitis and should only be used in exceptional circumstances. Washing Time It is often agreed between managements and workers that washing time be allowed. This is very necessary in certain processes where the contamination of the skin by some substances is dangerous. Workers are likely to scurry home unless washing time is available in working hours, with the result that they remain longer in contact with the dangerous substances. Workers are legally entitled to washing time in certain jobs. The Electric Accumulator Regulations, 1935, covering the manufacture or repair of electric accumulators, require (Section 18) that before each meal and before the end of the day's work at least 10 minutes in addition to the regular meal times, shall be allowed for washing to each person who has been employed on the manipulation of raw oxide and lead or in pasting. A similar clause is included in the Factories (Luminizing) (Health and Safety Provisions) Order, 1942. These regulations cover workers employed in handling radio-active substances, which are mainly used in the manufacture of luminous instruments. 8
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |