The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-01-31
workers. PERILS
Conditions That Tend to Shorten
Life In Industry.
TO PREVENT LEAD POISONING

Part of the Program of the Association
For Labor Legislation-One Days
Rest In Seven Necessary to Health.
Death Roll of Toll.
Following the success of its efforts to
have congress enact a law preventing
the manufacture of phossy jaw matches,
the American Association For Labor
Legislation in its quarterly review, is
sued recently. proposes as a part of its
legislative program for 1918 the pre-
ventiou of lead poisoning in this coun-
try The Review shows the remedy for
lead poisoning to be as simple as the
evils it will combat are complex and
that there is no need for costly and
long experiments as was the case with
phosphorus poisoning. Cleanliness of
workrooms and workers. the use of
hoods and eXhausts to eliminate fume
aud lead dust will do here what they
have done i'm England and Europe.
Results of Investigations of compar-
able American and foreign factories
are set down in parallel columns. A
German white lead factory shows two
cases Of plumbism among $50 men; an
American white lead factory shows
twenty-five cases among 142 men, An
English white and red lead factory EN-
ploying ninety men shows no case of
poisoning in five successive years;
similar American factory shows thirty
FIVE men loaded in six months among
force of eighty-fve. Another English
firm furnishes no case among lS2 men
for 1911; an American factory for the
same year returns sixty cases among
10 men, Thirteen cases of poisoning
among 1856 dippers in England COM
pares with thirteen cases among eigh-
ty-tive American dippers
Drawing upon the richer experience
of Europe and upon such facts as are
available here, a one day rest in seven
law is also proposed. The usual Sunday
laws are shown not to be effective In
the prohibition of seven day work in
Sucu Industries as must be carried on
without interruption every day of the
week a Encouragement of shifts IN
der six day week is the remedy ad-
vocated Scientists physicians, eCono-
mistS and employers are quoted to the
effect that one day of rest in seven is
essential to hygienic living and ad-
vautageous from an economic point of
view. and an investigation on behalf
of the shareholders of an English rail
road is cited showing that the rule of
lifty-two days of rest per year in the
railroads of switzerland has helped
more than any other cause TO reduce
accidents due to fault of employees by
Is per cent and to prevent - per cent
OF bodily injuries
A working population a little less
than half that of Lawrence, Mass, is
now killed every year in industry and
a population almost half the size of
Greater New York is injured. AS a
step toward removing this disgrace
to American civilization" uniform re-
porting of Industrial accidents and dis
eases and the adoption of the standard
schedules is advocated Eight states
have enacted the disease reporting law
drafteu by the association, and the
aim now ,s tc extend this law to other
states The influence of long hours
and fatigue the re.ation Of experience
in their work to injuries received by
operatives. the mechanical cause and
the nature of injuries, the duration of
disability and the exact occupatiOnal
origin of particular diseases all require
careful study and uniform reporting
and tabGIation before we can prevent
the needless death, injury and disease
10 Of