The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-11-03
BENEFITS LABOR.
How Illinois Law Protects the
Factory Worker.
HIS HEALTH SAFEGAURDED.

Under the ''occupational diseases
bill employees in Illinois factories
have the benefits of a law that al
ready has been made effective in sew
eral states, writes Irwin Ellis in the
Chicago Tribune.
Long ago in registration areas that
include manufactures whose output
entails the handling Of poisonous sub
stances and the attendant dustS, fumes
and vapors arising from the use of
these substances it was discovered
/ that paralysis, blindness and half
score of infrmities more or less pro-
nounced were the wage earner's al
most certain end. Under the general
conditions governing his work his
chance of life or disability after a pc
riod could be closely reckoned if he
should continue at his position.
! That the lot Of such workers shall
be made brighter is the purpose of this
occupational diseases bill. 1t is broad
measure and in its first section in
cludes every employer of labor in this
state who is carrying on any work or
process which subjects employees to
| the danger of illness or of disease in
cident to such work and to which EN-
ployees in other lines of work ordina-
rily are not exposed.
Specifically the law names as pol
sonous substances sugar of lead, white
! lead, lead chromate, litharge, red lead,
arsenate Of lead and paris green. 1t
refers to the manufacture of brass,
the smelling of lead and zinc as ex-
ceedingly dangerous to the health of
the employee. But in more general
terms the law is made to include any
process of manufacture which necessi-
tates the handling Of poisonous chem
icals. minerals or other substances" in
any harmful quantity.
Wherever the employee may be work
ing under these dangerous conditions
suggested it becomes the duty of the
employer to provide in several ways
for the protection of his employees.
He must provide proper working
clothing for the employees, to be kept
and used by the employees solely in
his work and without cost to the
worker. This clothing the employer
must maintain in good condition for
the individual worker. If noXious
yapors. fumes and dust attend the
work the employer must provide res
pirators and require his employees to
use them while at their work. Separat
ed from the working rooms of such
employees the employer must main
tain a dressing room with lavatories
having hot and cold water, soap and
clean towels, shower bath and in ad-
dition provide clean lockers into which
the street clothes of the workers may
be kept free of poisonous contact.
Further, the employer must provide
an eating place separated from any
room in which communicating factory
fumes or dusts may enter and there
provide wholesome drinking water in
sanitary receptacles, closed from dust.
1t is imposed upon the employer that
as far as possible he shall make use
of equipment which in the greatest de-
gree possible shall keep down the dust
of the working quarters of his men.
No sweeping shall be done in working
hours unless floors are sufficiently
dampened to prevent dust. Further,
the floors shall be as close and hard
as practicable in order to prevent dust
gathering on the floor surface. While
such dust may form in working opera
tons, dust carriers must be arranged
to take it out of the atmosphere of the
working quarters. Hoods and cover
ings of like nature shall be placed
above the worker who has the mixing
of poisonous compounds for the pur-
pose of protecting the worker.
In the process of enforcing this act
the employer of persons working I'M
der these conditions must employ a
competent licensed physician at least
once month to make a physical ex-
animation of each employee to ascer-
tain if any illness or disease is mani
fest as traceable to the occupation of
the employee. In such case the eX-
aiming physician is required to re-
port at once on forms supplied by the
state board of health, giving to the
pooiu lcCoius tlle age, sex anu ma
ture of the illness of such employee.
giving also the name of the employer
and his place of business.
At once the state board of health
must make return of the physicians
report to the office of the state factory
inspection department, which will fol-
low up the case. But ut any and all
times inspectors from the factory in
spection bureau shall have admittance
TO such manufactures and make in
quiry and search for suffering individ-
uals as well as to note how the re-
quirements of the law are observed.
The state department of factory in
spection is charged with the enforce
ment of this occupational diseases law
before any court of competent juris-
diction. A first conviction of negli-
gent employer may carry fine of $40
to 500, while a second conviction i'm
poses $50 to 5000 for violation of any
provision of the law. Further if ow-
ing to this negligence of the employer
any employee sustains injuries, illness
or breakdown he may bring suit for
damages, or If he shall die because of
this negligence the right to sue passes
TO his widow or his heirs. In case of
death. however, suit must be filed
within one year after the death Of
such employee.