Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-08
FACTORY INSPECTION.
State Inspector r. r. Chalk Makes Report on
The Years Work.

X. f. Chalk, State inspector of fac
tories, has rendered his annual report
In the introduction he says:
The matters of accidents, their fire.
qucncy causes and results have received
much attention and what relates to their
prevention has been made special study.
Many devices for covering the dangerous
parts of machinery or for throwing safe
guards around other points of danger
have been carefully examined and tested
and such recommendations made as
seemed proper in each case and when
practicable cuts and descriptions accom-
pany the report
The matter of fire escapes has received
Il fair share Of attention and several illus
trations are introduced. Other investiga-
tions relate to fire extinguishers, sanitary
matters and child labor and closely con-
nected with the two latter quite thor
ough inspection of the factories and work
shops of the State has been made, with
special reference to their sanitary condi-
| ton and the employment of children.
| The results of this inspection are given
| in the final table of this report.
| The matter of defective elevators is
|
spector says that many are unsafe but the
large mills and factories generally have
modern and safe elevators
Several accidents have occurred during
the year by the bursting of grindstones
and in many cases they were due to too
rapid speed. He advocates covering as
| ,;eh, Tn
ference to emery wheels bursting he says
Accidents of this sort cannot be wholly
avoided for from the nature Of their use,
they cannot in all cases be covered but by
selcctinga good wheel, properly hanging,
care in using and covering while in use
when the nature of the work will permit,
serious accidents will become of rare oc-
currencc.
| The recent rapid growth of steam
laundries in our State has given employ
ment to hundreds of our working men and
| women and with this growth has come a
variety of new and improved machinery
| so that now but small part of the work Is
done by hand. Among all the machines
now in use in the laundry business there
is none so fraught with danger to the
4 operator as the mangle or ironer. Dur
ing the past year in our State eleven
women operating this machine hav met
with accidents which nccessitated the am
putation of one or more fingers. The
accidents arc usually caused by the fingers
being caught between the rolls rs the
pieces to be ironed are fed into the
machine
Mention is made of the wood working
in dustry and the accidents attending this
work. much attention has been given
of late to the matter of devising guards
for machinery in wood working shops and
good progress has already been made in
that line and wherever they have been
introduced good results have followed.
During the year the inspector has made
this matter as special study in order &c
ascertain if possible a knowledge of the
best devices in use.
Inspector Chalk dCyotes interesting
portion of his report to the matter OF fire
escapes and advocates more stringent
penalty for not providing such safety ap
planes upon large buildings.
Regarding child labor he says that 1894
children between Is and IS years OF age
are employed and 1870 under 10 years
The report is finely illustrated and con
tains much valuable matter