Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-04-06
IN THE CAiSSoN.
What Is the Greatest Air Pressure That
Man Can Stand?

Man Can Stand?
Messrs. Sooysmith & Co Of New
York, the we'll known contracting engi-
neers who for years have made special
ty of difficult foundations and tunnel
ing requiring the use of compressed air,
tell us that the full ability of properly
equipped and properly behaved men,
under the most favorable condition, to
resist caisson disease has never been
tested The highest working pressures
recorded have been close to so pounds
per square inch, but with extreme care
in the selection of men and correspond
ing care on the part of the men it is
very probable that this limit may be
considerably exceeded For the average
pressure man under average conditions
tho top limit may DO placed at about
As pounds. the time of working varying
from four to six hours per shift accord
ing to conditions. In the cases where
higher pressures might be used the
shifts for the men should be restricted
to two of two hours each, separated by
of heavy pressure work under favorable
conditions as TO ventilation without
very bad effects on the men, Messrs
Sooysmith & Co. had an experience
with worl; On which men were engag-
ed in six hour shifts separated into two
parts by half hour intervals for lunch
This work was excavating in open,
seamy rock, carried on for several weeks
under about As pounds pressure.
The character of the material through
which the caisson is being sunk or upon
which it may be resting at any time
bears quite largely upon the ability of
the men to stand the pressure necessary
to hold back tho water at that point. If
the material be so porous as to admit
considerable leakage of air through it,
there will naturally result continuous
change of air in the working chamber
and corresponding relief Of the men
from the deleterious effects which are
produced nearly always by overusod
air. In other words, system of venti-
lation is kept up by tho porous material
On the other hand, if the caisson is
passing through an inpervious sub
stance, such as tough clay, ventilation
is much INSTRUCTED, and the consequent
bad effects on the men ara very notice
able. As it is usually necessary to carry
the highest pressure when the caisson
has reached its final position and while
tho air chamber is being filed with
concrete and sealed up, the worst results
usually result at these times Thus very
often at the time when tho pressure is
greatest the ventilation is tho worst.
AS an example, experience has shown
that in one known instance at least dur
ing rock excavation at great depths the
leakage Of air through the seams and
crovices of the rock permitted of the men
standing very high pressures. The phys
ical condition of the men is an impor-
tant factor i'll Che whole matter Men
who are thoroughly sound organically
and who are not fleshy can endure much
higher preesures than men who have
not these physical conditions. Moreover.
the degree to which pressure men OBJ
serve hygienic rules, preserve regularity
of conduct and abstain from dissipation
affects largely their capacity to endure
tho effects of compressed air. The extent |
also to which pressure men adhere to
the rules for entering pressure, for con-
duct while at work, for exit to the or
binary atmosphere anffor behavior i'm
mediately after coming out influence
their physical sensitiveness to these eff |
fects. CASTER Magazine