The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-08
Topeka IN Ideal City for the
Industrial Worker.
Social Survey Finds Favorable
Conditions Hero.
no PROBLEMS OF DISEASE
Only Four Deaths Recorded in
Twelve Months Of 1919.
State Laws Are Inadequate,
Says Zenas Potter.

According to the social survey re-
port OF the industrial conditions In
Topeka made by Zenas l. Potter of
the Russell Sage foundation, neither
accidents nor occupationa1 diseases
present large problems in the indus
tries Of the city.
In the year 1912 only four deaths
were traceable to industrial causes.
Three Of these were railway operators
vatOrS accident in q livery stable. One
man was found in Topeka who was
suffering from poisoning due to work
in a brass factory.
In speaking Of these conditions the
report says:
diseases present large problems in To-
peka industries. Death records of To-
peka for 1912 show but four deaths
traceable directly to industrial causes.
Three of these were OF railway train
operators, the fourth resulted from an
elevator accident in a livery stable. h
place not covered by labor department
inspections. The most dangerous
large industry In the city IL the con-
struction and repair work in the Santa
Fee car shops, and, there. as has been
explained, a program Of safety and
the guarding of machinery has been
inaugurated. Even the most careful
1y guarded machinery, however, is not
proof against the extremely careless
as was demonstrated by the death of
one young Santa Fe shop employee
during the past year due to complica-
tions arising after he had lost his FIN
gers operating a circular saw. A
guard was on the saw, with a warning
to keep 1t down when the machine
was in use. and another warning was
posted that no one was to use the saw
without permission. Disregard OF
ut I'D q
his life.
Can Find No Records.
mo official information is available
regarding industrial diseases in the
city. No deaths were reported in 1912
traceable to occupational causes This
does not require physicians to report
such cases and many of them do not
recognize the relation. when 1t exists,
between a patients sickness and the
conditions under which he works.
That there is a relationship has al
ready been established for many kinds
OF work. Operations, for instance, re-
quiring the handling of certain ma
terials, among them phosphorus ar
senic, brass, wood alcohol, mercury
and their compounds unless prevent
i've precautions are taken. are likely to
Topeka, without any special search.
who was suffering from poisoning due
to- work in a brass foundry.
1.-The labor department has given at
tention to the guarding Of dangerous
machinery. fire protection and the
tilation in factories In 1911, the last
year for which statistics have been
published, - orders were issued for
guarding of machinery, for better
fire protection. and for the improve
ment of ventilation and sanitary con-
- n r.
State Law Inadequate
THE state law, however, is found
to be inadequate in several particulars.
81. In providing for the guarding
of machinery the law is general. not
detailed, and qualities the necessity for
guarding machinery by inserting the
words where practicable.' It would
be more effective and more salts
factory to employers. especially as the
latter are responsible legally for acct
dents due to machinery not guarded
as required by law, If specific require
ments were made for the guarding Of
machinery, and some individual or
board were given the authority to add
special requirements for special cases.
Protection Of life. of course. should be
made practicable.
''2. The law provides for the. re-
porting OF accidents by employers.
Presumably the purpose of this sec
ton is to permit a study of the causes
OF dCC1QentS, WIFI q Wow 10 QISCOVcHe
ing means for accident prevention.
Employers are not, however. required
to report all accidents, but only those
due to defects or faults In machin-
cry, appliances, tools. scaffolding.
ropes. cables or other appliances or
materials used in construction or in
the operation Of said machinery or
appliances, or motive power SO. used.
Obviously the provision 80 limits the
accidents to be reported az to defeat
it's own ends. Only accidents due to
defects or faults in machinery. ETC.,
need be reported. Many employers
would hardly consider projecting set
screw on a revolving shaft as defect.
yet hundreds Of persons have had their
clothes caught on them and suffered
serious injury. Similar examples
might be enumerated at great length.
It is only because some employers
consider certain machinery which is
dangerous to employees free from
faults and defects. that any legisla-
ton of this sort Is necessary In
practice some employers report all act
cidents, some only accidents required
by the law. some no accidents at all.
Experience In other states indicates
that the law should require the re-
porting Of all accidents and permit the