The New York herald., 1921-09-25
Industrial Report Urges Pre-
vcntivc Measures as an
Economy.
GOGGLES ARE IMPORTANT
Revision ct lighting Systems
Increased Output Of Many
Factories.

Loss of sight is one of the chief
sources Of Industrial waste and can be
avoided almost entirely IL proper pre-
ventive measures are tlken. the commit
tee on eliminating waste in industry OF
the American Engineering Council
stated in report made public yester-
day.
There are $4,000 blind as result Of
industrial accidents. the report states
This is 1917 per cent. Of the total blind
population Where proper protective
measures have been adopted in big
plants the loss has been reduced to a
small percentage of what it was for
Car and Foundry Company there has
been a reduction of 70 per cent. simply
through the use Of goggles.
Not a single case of injury to the eyes
from broken glass has been recorded
since goggles were Introduced into the
shops of the New York Central Rail-
road All employees of the Union Pa
cific Railroad Company. are now re-
quired to wear goggles on eye dangerous
work. ,rs.-1 g.7.r.ir-s s-#s-s-.'
Striking reduction in eye accidents is
shown by the American Locomotive
Company. The number of accidents re-
Quiring medical attention In the COM
pany's plants was 50 in 1915, while
during 1908 1t was 44S, In 1915 only
two eyes were lost while during the
preceding period there was loss OF
10.5. ser
The number Of injuries per 1000 full
time men a year was 1877 in 1915, While
IN the 1910-13 period it was 1873. In the
American Steel Foundries the proper
tion of eye accidents has been reduced
IS per cent. W
The report continues
GAS in the correcting OF other factors
Of occupational hygiene. standards have
been set. so. after further study, visual
acuity standards will have to be deter
mined for each grade Of workers and
readjustments made. with alterations In
our methods OF testing acuity to suit
conditions, until these standards give
us the necessary minimum for each Kind
of work. AS examinations are made at
present any set level would exclude
workers shown by practical test to be
very efficient producers.
MANY subnormal eyes will work well
even for fairly trying work IL conditions
are good Therefore. 1t is first of all
urgent to bring the working conditions
up to the best on the basis now under
stood.
Even the most superficial survey of
lighting conditions reveals that In the
majority OF plants there is much inn
provement possible, in spite of the ac-
tual increase In production. quantity and
quality when poor illumination Is cor
rected TO standards now considered
satisfactory There seems to be no
question of loss due to faulty conditions.
1T has been shown that improved
lighting systems increased output per
cent in steel plants and as much as
10 per cent in shoe. factories. where
worl, is more exacting. These. are very
definite figures determined under an
accurate survey.
"The cost for providing adequate
illumination for the entire industry of
the country would amount to one-half
OF I per cent. of wages. The cost per
capita OF correcting vision. instituting
and carrying out measures of protec-
ton against hazards and bringing the
lighting up to good standards is def
nitely greater in the small plant than In
the larger rganizations--those employ
Ing 1000 workers or more-and the
small plants are In the large ma
jority"