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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHLPROGRAM,

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VOL. 3 NO. 5 * MAY 1976

Editor's Note: The following article is anadaptation of Charles West's script for thesoon-to-be-released film on foundry haz-ards, "Working Steel." The nation's iron andsteel foundries are now the oblect of anOSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP)to reduce Job-related injuries, illnesses, anddeaths through special compliance efforts.LOHP's Apprenticeship Program Is currentlydeveloping a course and manual to trainmolder and core maker apprentices to rec-ognize specific health and safety hazardsin foundries.

Nearly a quarter of a million Ameri-cans work in the nation's iron and steelfoundries. Every day, approximatelytwo hundred and seventy of theseworkers will be injured. That's nearlyseventy thousand each year, or one inthree workers. Of those, nearly seventywill die each year from their injuries.Foundry workers die at a rate morethan twice that of workers in othermanufacturing industries. Third-degreeburns, crushed limbs, and amputationsare common. Although no one knowsthe exact toll taken by occupational dis-ease, it may be staggering. Hearing loss,cancer, chronic lung diseases such assilicosis and emphysema, chemical andheavy metal poisoning, and heart dis-ease are a few of the health hazardsfacing foundry workers.

Extreme noise, heat, dust, and fumesare facts of foundry work. The Ameri-can Foundrymen's Society reports thatfoundry machinery produces noise

Molten metal is poured directly from ladlesuspended from overhead crane into molds.

levels high enough to permanently dam-age the hearing of consistently exposedworkers. Excessive heat can cause head-aches, confusion, fainting, convulsions,even coma. Overexposure to the alwayspresent fumes and dusts can cause dis-abling chronic lung diseases such as

silicosis and emphysema.One foundry survey showed silica

levels to be two to four times higherthan the maximum allowed by law. An-other study conducted by Jeanette Sher-man, M.D., of workmen's compensationcases found auto-industry foundryworkers suffer a considerably higherrate of chronic lung disease than allother auto workers. Although smokingadds to the risk of lung disease, studiesshow that foundry workers who don'tsmoke develop lung disease at two andone-half times the expected rate for thegeneral population.

Foundry work consists of severalspecialized, interlocking jobs - moldand core making, melting and pouring,

.-, 141

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I VNIV&GSITY OF CAIFCARN'I?. E D t' F l c vs,__I

shakeout and core knockout, and clean-ing, chipping, and finishing. All requireheavy labor and all can be hazardous.Many foundries are old and their equip-ment out of date. Safety and equipmentmaintenance programs are irregular atbest. Accidents occur because of poorhousekeeping, or because foundriesdon't train their workers in safety pro-cedures or provide bilingual instruc-tion. Tight production schedules oftenrequire jerry-rigged repairs and theoperation of unsafe equipment. In spiteof federal regulations, many employersfail to provide machinery guards. And,safety standards are rarely rigorouslyenforced.

The combination of heat, noise,fumes, and heavy labor fatigues work-ers quickly. A tired worker is careless,less aware of hazards, and prone tooverexertion. Strains and overexertionaccounted for twenty percent of thefoundry injuries reported by a 1974

Continued on next page

HEALTH HAZARDS OF FOUNDRY WORK

Tapping of ladle may cause burns or expose workers to fumes,noise and ultraviolet radiation.

I

State of Wisconsin study. Yet, becauseof tight production schedules, manyfoundries have no rest periods and onlyhalf-hour lunch breaks.

Foundry workers in California claimthe seriousness of accidents is notrecognized. Those injured seriouslyenough to be hospitalized may be re-turned immediately to light duty so thefoundy won't have to report lost time.Frequently, injured workers have towait for management to determine theinjury's severity before an ambulanceis called. Many workers say their in-juries are worsened by such delays inthe arrival of medical help.

Foundry work actually begins withmold and core making. A form con-taining a core is sprayed with a "moldrelease" such as silica flour or talc(French chalk), packed and com-pressed with sand or clay, then baked(unless the process is "no-bake"). Thesand is mixed with sugar, molasses, orplastic resins to keep the mold together.Burns, eye injuries, back injuries, andlimb-crushing accidents are common.Sand and silica flour can cause sili-cosis; talc can cause "white lung" (tal-cosis), a lung ailment similar to sili-cosis and common among talc workers.Like asbestos, talc is a hydrated mag-nesium silicate and is now suspected ofbeing a carcinogen. Exposure to as-bestos dust from insulation, especiallyin the furnace room, is also a potentialhazard.

The resins and solvents used to makethe cores and molds-phenolic resin,urethane (isocanate-based) resin, ureaformaldehyde, and furan resin-are po-tential skin irritants. Isocanates gener-

Smoking molds after casting ... Inhalationof fumes is one of the leading causes ofoccupational diseases among foundry

workers.

2

ally irritate the eyes, and respiratorytract as well. Substances such as tol-uene-2,4-diisocyanates (TDI), andmethylene bisphenyl diisocyanates(MDI), used to bind "no-bake" coresmay cause asthma-like symptoms atlow exposure levels. Under certain con-ditions, core baking and drying can pro-duce hazardous thermal decompositionproducts such as ammonia.

While the molds are being formedand moved to the casting floors, themetal is readied for pouring. As scrapor ingot metal is melted in huge fur-naces, alloys and chemicals are shoveledor thrown into the molten mass. Whenthe metal reaches the correct tempera-ture, it is poured into a large bucket orladle. During pouring, furnaces andmolten metal produce dangerous levelsof carbon monoxide and other fumeswhich spread throughout the entirefoundry. Burns, injuries to the eyes,back, feet and toes, and fingers andhands are common.

In addition, hazards may be pro-duced by furnace maintenance or by-products. After the metal is poured, theladle is lifted away from the furnace byan overhead crane and moved to vari-ous casting floors. The metal is pouredinto waiting molds or transferred tosmaller ladles. Workers pouring moltenmetal face different dangers than otherfoundry workers. Ultraviolet radiationfrom white-hot metal can severely dam-age unprotected eyes. Molten metal ex-plosions from contact with water orcold surfaces is always a potential causeof severe burns. Water vapor trappedin a closed piece of scrap pipe beingmelted down can blow up an entirefurnace. A sand mold with remainingmoisture can explode, throwing moltenmetal at near-by workers.

Lace boot burns are common. TheWisconsin study found that burns arethe fifth most costly foundry accident,yet there are no federal standards forspecial protective shoes or clothing forfoundry workers. The lace boot burnis so common, the report gave it specialnote: "Once the molten metal has pene-trated through the lacings of the shoeor over the top of the shoe or boot, itis virtually impossible to remove theshoe in time to prevent serious burns."Protective gaiter-type shoes and bootsare available, but many employers failto make sure they are worn.

Invisible dangers of casting are justas deadly. Fumes and vapors fromchemicals used to prepare molds andmolten metal are frequently poisonous.Molds may be sprayed with nickel car-

Metal being transferred to hand-operatedladle for small intricate castings. Heavymetal poisoning takes Its toll among

foundry workers.

bonyl, a reported carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). Formaldehyde inplastic resins used to bind sand moldsignites when hot metal hits the mold;the fumes can combine spontaneouslywith hydrochloric acid to form the lungcarcinogen bis-chlormethyl ether. Atone plant workers exposed to this car-cinogen had a lung cancer rate eighttimes higher than the average popula-tion.The last stop in a casting's journey

is the knockout shop. Here, burrs andrough edges are removed from the cast-ing by workers operating torches andgrinders. These workers have the high-est injury and disease rate in thefoundry. The Wisconsin study reportsthat one-third of the machine-relatedfoundry injuries are caused by grindingmachines. Uncovered grinding wheelsspinning at top speed frequently ex-plode. Eye injuries and amputations aremore common in the knockout shopthan in any other part of the foundry.New chemicals and processes are

constantly being introduced into found-ries. Few have been tested to discovertheir effects on the human body. Forexample, very little is known about theplastic resins used in mold-making orabout their decomposition products.What is known is that many foundryworkers are being exposed to thesechemicals, and foundry workers dieyounger than other workers. Furnace-men, grinders, and chippers have al-most twice the death rate of nonfoundryworkers of comparative age groups; forfurnacemen, this increase is eighty-three percent.

Without worker and employer ac-tion, the foundry work environmentwon't change. How long will it take?How much disease? How many deathsand injuries before a foundry workerhas the right to work in a clean, safeplace?

by SIDNEY WEINSTEINSilica is the primary dust hazard in

foundries. If breathed in excessiveamounts over a period of years, airborne"free" silica can cause a disabling pro-gressive disease known as silicosis.Symptoms-shortness of breath, re-duced capacity to work, dry cough, lossof appetite, increasing fatigue-usuallyappear years after initial exposure. Thedisease results in extreme fatigue,weight loss, and eventual incapacity towork. The degree of the silica hazarddepends upon the dust's crystallinesilica content, the size and concentra-tion of airborne particles, and the lengthof exposure.

Silicosis develops as silica particlesbecome embedded in the lung's wallsand scars form. This reduces lung func-tion and breathing capacity. Becausethere is no satisfactory treatment forsilicosis, prevention is critical. Tubercu-losis commonly occurs in workers withsilicosis and formerly caused the ma-jority of silicosis-related deaths. Thetuberculosis can now be treated bychemotherapy. Other silicosis-relatedcauses of death are lung infections andheart disease.

Current StandardsPresently, there's no agreement on

the amount of "free" silica a workermay safely inhale although federalguidelines exist. NIOSH has recentlypublished a criteria document propos-ing that the time-weighted average ex-posure to free silica be established at50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.The proposed standard also includes

Workman cleaning a casting with a portablegrinding wheel. Note dust moving towards

nose and mouth.

provisions for: medical examinationsevery three years; plainly posted warn-ing signs; engineering controls; em-ployees informed about the hazards ofsilicosis at the beginning of their em-ployment; and monitoring and record-keeping.The silica hazard in foundries is

often severe. Silica is the main com-ponent of the sand used to form sandmolds and cores, and of powderedsilica mold releases. Silica dust can befound throughout foundries where ven-tilation is inadequate or nonexistent,or housekeeping is poor. The dustspreads by air currents and machinevibrations from hoppers, conveyorbelts, elevators, sand mullers, blenders,etc. Large concentrations of silica dustare potentially found in sand mullingand mixing operations, shakeout,grinding, and sandblasting core knock-out. In fact, sand mixers, molders, andgrinders are most vulnerable to silico-

sis. Exposure potential is especiallyhigh in finishing departments usingnatural abrasive grinding wheels-sili-cosis has historically been called "grind-er's disease."

Silica levels in many foundries havebeen shown to be two to four timeshigher than the maximum allowed bylaw. One 11-year comparative study offoundry workers exposed to silica dustfor 20 years and unexposed autoworkers revealed the foundry workershad a mortality rate 28 percent higherthan the auto workers. When the studybegan, those foundry workers' x-rayshad been normal. In the same study,the death rate for foundry workerswhose original x-rays detected silicosiswas 80 percent higher than the autoworkers.Controls and Prevention

Engineering controls and goodhousekeeping practices are essential toprotect workers from the hazards ofsilica. Ventilation systems, particularlyover dust sources such as conveyorsand other machines, are key controls.Never dry-sweep the dust or blow itaway with compressed air. Instead, usevacuum cleaners or wet-sweepingmethods to pick up all spills. All equip-ment should be properly maintained toprevent leaks and dust build-ups. Res-pirators should be used where neces-sary while engineering controls arebeing worked out or in emergency situa-tions. However, such physically exact-ing jobs as foundry work makes wear-ing properly fitted and adequatelyfiltering respirators extremely difficultexcept for short periods.

Six Leukemia DeathsLinked to Benzene

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. re-cently confirmed that between 1954and 1964 six employees at a now-closedplastic film plant died of blood diseasepossibly caused by exposure to ben-zene. According to medical records anddeath certificates, the individuals diedof leukemia.

Benzene, a basic hydrocarbon pro-duced from petroleum, is a chemicalfeedstock used as a raw material for anumber of plastic products, includingpolystyrene. The rubber industry pri-marily uses benzene as a solvent be-cause it dissolves rubber.

Although the Akron, Ohio plant hasbeen closed for ten years, workers atthe film facility were given regularblood tests as early as 1940. Accordingto Goodyear, those showing any ab-normalities were removed from that op-eration until their blood returned tonormal.

Canadian Union WorkersWin Gains

New contracts negotiated by Steel-workers' Locals 5417 and 5762 giveCanadian uranium workers with lengthyexposures to potentially dangerous ra-diation the right to switch to less dan-gerous jobs. According to Steelworkers'District 6, this health breakthrough re-sulted from an "epidemic" of silicosisand lung cancer. Also under the new

contract, companies must notify theunion before introducing any newchemicals, solvents, equipment, or pro-cesses into the workplace, and the unionhas the right to join company represen-tatives in monthly safety inspections.

Job Health News Service

Union Halts Glove Co.Use of Asbestos

Workers at Portland Glove Companyin Carlton, Oregon, discovered that acommercial talc product containing as-bestos fibers was being used in themanufacturing of gloves. The union(Amalgamated Clothing Workers ofAmerica) contacted the OccupationalHealth Section of the Oregon State

Continuled on next page

3

Health Division and received informa-tion on the dangers of asbestos.The union later informed the com-

pany that a health hazard was present.The Company then agreed to stop usingthe talc and to provide a substitute. Thealternative substance was approved bythe state to be a safe substitute.

-ACWA Voice

Montana State Fed.Opposes Lab Closure

As part of a major effort to preventclosure of the Western Area Laboratoryfor Occupational Safety and Health(WALOSH) located in Salt Like City,Utah, the Montana State AFL-CIO isinsisting NIOSH hold public hearingsbefore finalizing the facility's closure.Staffed by scientists and techniciansspecializing in occupational diseases,the WALOSH laboratory has had agreat impact on evaluating the effectsof toxic gases and chemicals onworkers throughout the United States,according to Jim Murray, executivesecretary of the labor federation.

Murray said, "the closure of the SaltLake City laboratory is just anotherexample of the Ford Administration'sbureaucratic arrogance which disre-gards the welfare of workers. Dr. JohnFinklea, NIOSH Director, arbitrarilydecided to close the laboratory withouteven extending the courtesy of consult-ing with the health departments in stateslike Montana and the rest of the west-ern United States." Finklea cited eco-nomic reasons for closing the facility.

Worker Complaint Ruled"Concerted Activity"

The National Labor Relations Boardhas ruled that employees who file safetycomplaints with either state or federalOSHA are protected by Section 7 ofthe Taft-Hartley Act and cannot be dis-ciplined or fired for such action. It doesnot matter whether an employee actsalone or with other employees, orwhether the company is union or non-union.The Board's ruling involves a main-

tenance worker at the Alleluia CushionCo. in Commerce, California. Shortlyafter being hired, the worker began tocomplain about safety conditions andhis inability to communicate essentialsafety information to the majority ofemployees because they were Spanish-speaking. Dissatisfied with company re-sponses, he filed a complaint with CAL-OSHA and participated in a walk-around inspection. He was fired the dayafter the inspection.4

At a year-end press conference, B.F. Goodrich Company president JohnOng said that new technology makesit possible for the company to complywith OSHA regulations governing ex-posure to vinyl chloride gas while atthe same time expanding production."We now believe that the chances areextremely remote of future angiosar-coma cases resulting from vinyl chlo-ride exposure in our current opera-tions," he said.

Angiosarcoma is the rare form ofliver cancer which has caused thedeaths of about 40 workers in PVCpolymerization plants around theworld. Goodrich operates one plantthat produces vinyl chloride monomerand five plants that transform the gasinto polyvinyl chloride, the second larg-est selling plastic in the United States.

Goodrich is making a capital invest-ment of $42 million-from 1974 to1977-toward eliminating the work-

In this case, the act of filing a safetycomplaint constituted concerted activ-ity protected by the Taft-Hartley Actbecause, as the Board noted: (1) thesafety improvements sought by this em-ployee would have benefitted his fellowworkers, and (2) it could be assumedthat other employees would have con-sented to the action.

Constitutionality of OSHAPenalty System QuestionedThe United States Supreme Court

has agreed to hear arguments on theconstitutionality of OSHA's civil pen-alty enforcement procedures. Petitionsfor review filed by several employersattacked the penalty system onFifth, Sixth, and Seventh amendmentgrounds.The employers argued that the Act's

supposedly civil penalties are actuallycriminal sanctions, and as such, the em-ployers are entitled to Sixth Amend-ment protection given to criminaldefendants. However, the Court specif-ically excluded this issue in its decisiongranting review.The employers then argued that even

if the Act's penalties are civil in nature,the Seventh Amendment's guarantee ofa jury trial in civil actions is being vio-lated. Currently, OSHA penalties arereviewed by an Administrative Law

Employee working with PVC slurry.

place health hazard. "However," Ongcautions, "we still face the possibilitythat, because of the long latency pe-riod, we will see other cases of angio-sarcoma among workers who experi-enced exposures at high levels in thepast." -Job Safety and Health

Judge, and then by a three-member Oc-cupational Safety and Health ReviewCommission.

-IBT Shield

OSHA Violation Admittedin Damage Suit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for theFifth Circuit has ruled that violationof an OSHA safety regulation can beused as evidence against a company ina lawsuit demanding damages for per-sonal injuries.

The Court permitted an injured long-shoreman to introduce evidence that abarge owner failed to properly securecargo to prevent its shifting or falling-as required by Sec. 1918.83(A) of theOSHA Regulations. The cargo fell andpinned his leg. He was awarded a judg-ment of $144,000.

-OSHA Report

but death is permanent

Goodrich Reduces VC Exposure

Farm Pesticides Linked toRare Liver Cancer

Four cases of angiosarcoma, a rareliver cancer, have been diagnosed bytwo northern Wisconsin clinics duringthe past two years. This incidence isunusual when compared to the ex-pected incidence among the generalpopulation. Thus far, angiosarcomahas been linked with worker exposuresto vinyl chloride and arsenic, and tomedical use of Thorotrast, a drugbanned in the 1930's. Arsenic-basedpesticides, at one time used mainly tocontrol potato bugs, are suspected ofcausing the Wisconsin cancers. Thoughthese pesticides have not been used onmost farms for a number of years, sci-entists from the U.S. Center for Dis-ease Control and Drs. Irving J. Selikoffand Henry A. Anderson from Mt.Sinai Hospital in New York suspect the20-30 year latency between exposureto a cancer-causing substance and thedisease's occurrence may account forthe four northern Wisconsin cases.Each of the four individuals had livedon farms and had apparently been ex-

posed to arsenic-based pesticides.

Foundry Shop Fined forWorker's Death

The death of an employee, crushedin a conveyor belt, has resulted in a

misdemeanor conviction and $500 finefor the employer, Delaval Turbine,Inc., of Oakland. Judge Ken Kawaichiof Alameda County Municipal Court,fined Delaval the $500 maximum pen-alty after the company entered a pleaof no contest to the charges!

The Delaval employee, Willie Lee,was performing cleaning operations inthe area of a belt-conveyor tail pulleywhen he was caught in the pulley's nipjoint and crushed. He died 55 dayslater of injuries sustained in the ac-

cident.-Labor Pulse

Gallo Fined $500 forWorkers' Deaths

Two farm workers at Gallo Wineryof Modesto were killed on April 11,1975, when the arms of their pruning

machine came in contact with high volt-age lines overhead. Criminal chargeswere filed by the Merced County Dis-trict Attorney on November 1 1, 1975,following a Bureau of Investigations(DIS) investigation. The charges were

based on Penal Code sec. 385(c),

which prohibits operation of tools andequipment "unless there is posted andmaintained in full view of the operator. . . a durable warning sign legible at12 feet reading: 'Unlawful to operatethis equipment within six feet of highvoltage lines'." Gallo entered a plea ofno contest. The company was fined$500 on April 9, 1976!

-California Workers'Compensation Reporter

Employer Gets Probation forWorker's Death

Jorge Diaz, a 22-year-old laborer,was killed when he fell 30 feet fromthe roof of a condominium construc-tion project while removing roofing ma-terials. His death resulted in a $5,000fine for the employer, Spacefinders,Inc., a Los Angeles general contractor,and subsequent sentencing of the firm'spresident, Knight Travis, by JudgeBrian Crahan in Los Angeles Munici-pal Court. Imposition of sentenceagainst Travis as an individual was sus-pended pending his successful comple-tion of three year's probation.

The complaint against Spacefinders,Inc. and Travis was for violatingCalifonia Construction Safety Order1607(a) which requires that safety beltsand lifelines be used by employeeswhose work exposes them to fallingmore than 15 feet from a structure'sperimeter, and California Labor Codesec. 6425 because failure to observeminimum standards for workplace safe-ty and health resulted in injury or deathto workers. Sentencing followed a pleaof no contest to the charge. The casegrew out of a Bureau of Investigations(DIS) investigation, and was presentedto the court by a deputy city attorney.

-Cal/OSHA Reporter

N

"I think the safetY record of our plant is excellent-especially when you consider

how dangerous it is to work there.-

-..'''S . CORNERby Donald Whorton, M.D.

Dear Doc:In my work as a

machinist, I fre-quently use the sol-vent toluene. Re-cently one of myco-workers showedme a newspaperclipping statingthat toluene is often contaminatedwith benzene and that benzene is veryharmful. Can you explain the differ-ence between the two substances?

Toluene (also called toluol) is oneof the most commonly used solvents.Toluene is very closely related to ben-zene in structure and often contami-nated by benzene in commercial prod-ucts. It is not unusual for toluene tobe contaminated by up to 10 percentbenzene.

Both toluene and benzene can af-fect the brain and nervous system inmanners similar to alcohol. Like alco-hol, exposure to benzene and toluenecan lead to lightheadedness, dizziness,poor coordination, or drunkenness.Workers using toluene complain thatthey always feel somewhat high or tipsyby the end of the day. They also com-plain of frequent headaches by the endof their shift. The Department of Labor(OSHA) permits workers to be ex-posed to 200 parts per million (ppm)of toluene for an 8-hour day. But, atthis exposure, you can probably expectto have a headache by the end of theworkday.

Unlike toluene, benzene has an ad-ditional far more serious, long-termeffect. It is toxic to the blood-producingcells in the bone marrow. It effectivelydestroys these cells, wiping out thebody's factory for red blood cells andcertain white blood cells, and possiblycausing a condition called Aplasticanemia. Unlike other types of anemia,Aplastic anemia does not respond toiron, vitamins, or nutrients because theblood-producing cells have been de-stroyed. Leukemia, or cancer of thewhite blood cells, is also associatedwith long-term exposures to benzene.

The permissible level of benzene isonly 10 ppm for an 8-hour day. Forworkers using toluene contaminatedwith 10 percent benzene, a 200 ppmexposure to toluene means 20 ppm ofbenzene or twice the allowable limit.Thus, whenever you use toluene, it isimportant to know whether the tolueneis contaminated with benzene and thecontamination percentage.

5

Health and Safety Guide Genetic Hazards of Workam.. u,.w..

Occupational Monitoring for GeneticHazards marks the first attempt to focuson the concerns and problems of the oc-cupational environment as related tomutagenic compounds and their extensioninto the general environment. Of particu-lar concern to the authors are existingand proposed screening techniques, the re-lation of animal and cellular studies topossible human mutagenicity, the identifi-cation of potential mutagenic compoundsfor testing, and the participation of laborand management for long-term testing.

This publication is available from: TheNew York Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box5075, F. D. R. Station, New York, NY10022. The costs are $8.00 plus $1.00 formailing and handling charges.

Back Issues of LOHP MonitorsNow Available

A new LOHP publication entitledWorking For Your Life: A Woman'sGuide To Job Health Hazards, is nowavailable. Written by Andrea Hricko, theGuide's purpose is to educate womenworkers about hazards and discriminationthat they may face on their jobs. TheGuide explores hazards encountered in oc-cupations which employ large numbers ofwomen workers, i.e., clerical; textile andapparel; hairdressers; launderers and dry-cleaners; electronics; meatwrappers; andhospital and laboratory workers.

The Guide also covers those hazardswhich may adversely affect the offspringof exposed workers, i.e., lead; estrogen;radiation; mercury; anesthetic gases; andothers.

Individual copies may be obtained for$5.00 (Institutional rate, $8.00). Mail re-quest with remittance to LOHP, 2521Channing Way, Berkeley, Calif. 94720.

British Text on Work Hazards

Another fine textbook on health haz-ards. Hazards of Work: How to FightThem by Patrick Kinnersley (Pluto Press,London, 1973) also contains useful shopfloor tactics although the legal informa-tion is based on English law. Order thisbook from Sun Distribution International,14131 Woodward, Highland Park, Mich-igan 48203. $2.25 plus postage.

Bound copies of the 1974-75 Monitorare now available and may be orderedfrom the Labor Occupational Health pro-gram, 2521 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA94720. The cost is $3.00 per set. Specialfeatures include: occupational cancer;hazards of sulfur dioxide, vinyl chlorideand carbon monoxide; occupational der-matoses; CAL/OSHA developments, andhealth and safety committee activities.

Health and Safety Library MaterialsMaterials helpful for setting up an

occupational safety and health libraryand learning more about occupationalsafety and health's relationship to health

care are now available: Guide #1-set-ting up a local union occupational safetyand health library (250); Guide #2-Occupational Health Services (25¢);Guide #3-an occupational safety andhealth bibliography (250); Guide #4-planning for occupational safety andhealth with Health Systems Agencies(50¢); CCAHS Quarterly-OSHA andHealth Care (50¢); and CCAHS Quar-terly-Cancer and Jobs (250).To order any of the above, write:

Labor Safety and Health Institute, 381Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y.10016 (212-689-8959).

Meat Cutters Produce Safety FilmA training film alerting meat workers

to on-the-job health and safety hazardsis now available. The 16 mm color soundfilm, "I Never Had An Accident In My." can be bought at $75.75 per print

or rented at $10.00, from the NationalAudiovisual Center, (GSA), Washing-ton, D.C. 20409. An instructor's guideis included. The film can also be bor-rowed from Local 342, 186-18 HillsideAvenue, Jamaica, New York 11432.

Occupational Cancer Pamphlet

PREVENTINGOCCUPATIONAL CANCERSa16mances tsi are able toscuue cancer arOeaed

CarcinogensCeer is-the mast deadly diaeasc known. Once you develop thedisease k is often too late to deanythrnahottit. Soe nest cancersare nt crable the best seaiek is EVENION.Many wentistsb elieve dbt-W90%et all hunman caners ar-camedby enviremental s.snch as chemicals. fod addiuves. tobaeo|;*r air pellhn. Sometimes cancer does not show up for 15. 21 oreven 4O yeaeteer thsefirt eaesure to aeancercasag substance.Even bref exposures hve been known to cause cancer.

Anbata hbenun.eand vmythlcdMaeamreeumpsot knswueacisugesdateauatd on the jolt. Mayvwurke,sexposd it:

mad Meabaftn-c ofthei ~~~~~~~Iwlgor !d lirhuNab

3FaJDlNEdelopC dwcme.Vtp4YLcULOBDrttVelopAa .eaaa ram lim

The aoat commoesitein the heuly fw mc-patoa-lenem-toocrraemtheskin. bladec and lusa

Preventing Occupational Cancer is anew pamphlet published by LOHP. It con-tains basic information on occupationalcarcinogens, current regulations, methodsof prevention, and a discussion of the use-permit concept. Single copies may be ob-tained for 50¢. Request copies from:Labor Occupational Health Program,2521 Channing Way, Berkeley, California94720.

rur wonwn

1974-1975

OCI TORAMLASBOR OCCUPATIOtNAL HEALTH PROGAM

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6

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Photos by Boris Yaro and Ralph L. Emerson

Nine Los Angeles city firefighters were injured tryingto rescue crew members when a DC-6 crash-landed ona Van Nuys city golf course on February 8, 1976. Toprevent a flash fire, alerted firefighters began applying"Light Water" aqueous film foam to the spilled fuel.Teams of firefighters walked through the foam and gaso-line searching for survivors. To get to the three ap-parently dead crew members, firefighters tried to sawthrough the crushed cockpit with a rotary saw and HurstPower Tool. A fire sparked and spread after a series offlashes, trapping nearly two dozen firefighters. The blazewas finally extinguished by applying more foam.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kenneth Long said prelimi-nary indications were that the blaze was caused bysparks from the saw hitting steel: "I think we shall learn

a lot from this crash fire, and so will other fire depart-ments. Next time I'm sure we'll pour a spray directlyonto the saw cut to damp out sparks."The firefighter casualties reactivated an issue that's

been argued for several years-the lack of safety stan-dards for firefighters' clothing. Ralph Travis, a city fireinspector and head of the Health and Safety Division ofthe United Firefighters of Los Angeles, Local 112, saidthat just the Friday before the crash he had submitteda 108-page proposal on firefighters' clothing to the Cali-fornia State Legislative Select Committee on Fire Ser-vice. He refused to comment specifically on the February8th fire, except to say the firefighters' clothing was in-adequate as it had generally been all along.

-Los Angeles Firefighter

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7

Published monthly by the Labor Occupa-tional Health Program, Institute of In-dustrial Relations, University of California,2521 Channing Way, Berkeley, California94720. (415) 642-5507

STAFF ASSOCIATESMorris Davis, Editor

Janet Bertinuson Andrea HrickoGene Darling Lydia VrsalovicBob Fowler Sidney Weinstein

Donald Whorton, DirectorAnnual subscription rates: Organizations

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