Harmful Productions

HARMFUL PRODUCTIONS, in the narrow sense, represent that group of productions with respect to which a series of special rules for protecting the health of workers employed in them has been developed. The labor legislation of the USSR pays special attention to the struggle with professional harmfulness (see Professional harmfulness) and to the prevention of occupational diseases. During the Soviet period, this part of labor protection legislation has developed particularly significantly. The legislation of the USSR concerning H. p., or, more correctly, concerning harmful works, is based mainly on the Code of Labor Laws (latest edition 1922), is issued primarily by the NKT USSR, and in some of its parts also by the NKT of union republics, with coordination with the organs of the NKZdrav, and at the present moment is developing along several parallel lines. First of all, mention should be made of the regulation by the NKT of the sanitary-technical side. Basic harmfulness of professions Work in the open air . . . . Work in enclosed rooms . . . . Inhalation of inorganic dust . . . . High temperature . . . . Poisons, vapors, gases . . . . Heavy physical strain . . . . All professions . . . . General mortality per 1,000 Standard mortality per 1,000 Ages 3-5 45-54 From lung From respiratory From diseases of tuberculosis organs digestive tract 11.59 8.10 1.63 1.36 0.67 6.28 13.08 9.73 1.24 1.23 12.84 26.94 6.35 2.06 8.71 7.43 1.41 12.37 2.64 0.92 5.58 11.66 8.07 1.66 1.19 0.60 5.48 10.49 7.60 1.69 1.09 0.75 Vigdorchik compared individual H. p. with the results of processing materials on disability in Leningrad (data 1918-19): Basic harmfulness Lead dust . . . . Increased walking . . . . Organic dust . . . . High temperature . . . . Standing position . . . . Poisonous substances . . . . Muscular strain . . . . Inorganic dust . . . . Each invalid on average loses years of working capacity 7 6 6 5 5 9 9 It should be admitted, however, that as long as sanitary statistics does not yet provide sufficiently deep data that clearly and characteristically establishes the connection between professional pathology and individual professional harmfulness; however, a large amount of material has already accumulated that establishes this connection with full reliability. Scientific institutions in the field of hygiene and labor protection primarily study individual H. p., since only by breaking down into individual constituent parts the entire infinite complexity and variety of the sanitary-technical conditions of professional work can one correctly identify the most threatening moments for each type of labor and truly rational ways of improving it.

Harmful Productions. Part 2 of 3. Paragraphs (1): ['(.Kaplun. harmful production processes, as well as the devices and maintenance of industrial enterprises in H.P. According to article 139, "All enterprises and institutions must take necessary measures to eliminate or reduce harmful working conditions, prevent accidents and maintain the workplace in proper sanitary-hyg. condition, according to general and special mandatory regulations for individual productions, issued by the NKTP". On the basis of article 139 of the Labor Code, the NKTPs of the union republics have issued a whole series of regulations (numbering up to 60); the most important of them, which have not only technical but also sanitary-hyg. significance, are as follows: "General mandatory regulations on the arrangement and maintenance of industrial enterprises" (NKTP USSR, 29/1-1926), "Safety regulations and installation rules for electrical installations of strong currents of low and high voltage", 1921, "Mandatory regulation on labor protection in peat extraction" (NKTP, 2/XI-1922), "On working conditions for crews of oil pumping machines" (NKTP USSR, 2/II-1924), "On safety measures in works for cleaning and repairing sewers, cesspools and other places with the release of harmful gases" (NKTP of the Azerbaijan SSR, 9/VI-1924), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of tanneries" (NKTP USSR, 18/VIII-1926), "Mandatory regulation on safety measures in metallurgical productions" (NKTP USSR, 29/IX-1924), "Safety regulations for safety measures in metal cutting productions" (NKTP USSR, 20/11-1926), "Safety regulations for safety measures in forging production" (NKTP USSR, 27/11-1926), "Safety regulations for safety measures in iron and brass foundry production" (NKTP USSR, 13/V-1926), "Safety regulations for safety measures in rolling production" (NKTP USSR, 13/VII-1926), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of tobacco factories" (NKTP, 18/X-1922), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of makhorka factories" (NKTP USSR, 22/V-1924), "Mandatory regulation on the procedure for arranging and maintaining gut factories" (NKTP of the RSFSR, 13/IX-1923), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of sugar beet factories" (NKTP USSR, 1/XI-1923), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of bakeries" (with amendment 13/IX-1924)-NKTP USSR, 10/III-24, "Mandatory regulation on the procedure for arranging and maintaining flour mills" (NKTP USSR, 19/VII-1925), "Mandatory regulation on labor protection of agricultural workers" (NKTP, 30/VI-1922), "Safety regulations for safety measures in paper-spinning production" (NKTP USSR, 6/XI-1925), "Safety regulations for safety measures in mechanical weaving production" (NKTP USSR, 8/I-1926), "Temporary mandatory regulation on sanitary rules for work in cold manual wool washing" (NKTP USSR, 22/V-1924), "Safety regulations for safety measures in chromium salt productions" (NKTP, 10/IV-1922), "Safety regulations for safety measures in mineral salt productions and some acids related to the basic chemical industry" (NKTP, 10/IV-1922), "Safety regulations for safety measures in sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric acid productions" (NKTP, 30/VIII-1922), "Regulation on the procedure for arranging and maintaining gas plants" (NKTP USSR, 4/I-1924), "Mandatory regulation on safety measures in soap making production" (NKTP USSR, 21/XI-1924), "Mandatory regulation on works in utilization workshops of the sewing industry" (NKTP, 1/III-1921), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of factories of the paper industry" (NKTP, 3/XI-1922), "Regulations on labor protection during diving works" (NKTP USSR, 16/I-1924), "Regulations on labor protection of loaders during loading, unloading and transshipment works on transport" (NKTP USSR, 19/V-1924), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of factories and workshops for making felt hats and felt boots" (NKTP USSR, 18/VII-1924), "Mandatory regulation on labor protection in factories and workshops for the production of mattresses and soft furniture" (NKTP USSR, 30/III-1925), "Mandatory regulation on the arrangement and maintenance of laundry establishments" (NKTP USSR, 4/VIII-1925), "Regulation on labor protection of workers in X-ray rooms" (NKTP USSR, 9/IX-1925). In addition to these regulations, which cover individual issues in relation to the entire industry and also cover individual H.P., the NKTP USSR has issued a number of regulations aimed at combating the most important professional poisons. The most significant regulation in this area is the regulation of December 16, 1924 "On the manufacture, sale and use of white lead". According to this regulation, the opening of new white lead factories in the USSR is prohibited from the moment of its publication, as well as their import from abroad. From January 1, 1930, "the production, sale and use of white lead in any form is prohibited". From July 1, 1925, the free sale of dry white lead (in the form of powder and in mortars) is prohibited. The sale of white lead in the form of paint is permitted from the same time only in the ground form. From January 1, 1926, the use of white lead for internal painting of old premises (walls, doors) and for painting household items (furniture, etc.) is prohibited. The professional-hyg. significance is also the mandatory regulation of the NKTP USSR of June 18, 1924-"On the arrangement and maintenance of factories and workshops for making felt hats and felt boots", according to which the use of mercury preparations in the processing of skins is completely prohibited, and the making of hats and boots from down treated with solutions containing mercury is prohibited. From the point of view of labor protection and hygiene, the mandatory regulations of the NKTP USSR of September 19, 1924 on the use of arsenic in production and the circular of the Labor Protection Department of May 8, 1924 on the fight against anthrax are very important. In the matter of labor protection of workers in H.P., section 13 of the Labor Code of 1922 is of essential importance, according to which no enterprise can be opened, put into operation or moved to another building without the permission of the labor inspection and the sanitary-industrial and technical supervision authorities. The second group of measures for labor protection in H.P. is aimed at providing various compensations to workers for those harmful working conditions, the elimination of which is currently impossible for technical reasons. One of the main ways to protect the health of workers from H.P. is the reduction of the working day. The Labor Code establishes a 6-hour working day for underground work (according to special lists of the People's Commissariat of Labor) and a reduced working day for those employed in industries of particularly heavy and harmful to health according to lists and norms established by the NKTP. On June 26 and August 7, 1923, detailed lists of those productions, works and professions in which a regular reduced working day is established (from 7 even to 3 hours) were first issued; these lists were then supplemented by some other categories of workers. Furthermore, our legislation since 1918 has established additional vacations for workers in H.P.; a detailed list, carefully reviewed with economic organizations and trade unions, was republished by the NKTP USSR for the last time on June 28, 1923, and it is constantly supplemented by a list of new professions. Workers in H.P., according to the labor legislation of the USSR, also receive some purely material advantages related to the prevention of occupational diseases by reducing the impact of occupational hazards and increasing the resistance of workers' bodies. First and foremost is their receipt of special protective clothing (see Special clothing), as well as protective glasses, masks, and respirators. The list of professions entitling to the receipt of special clothing and the names of items to be issued with the terms of their use are regulated by special regulations of the NKTP USSR for all productions. In 1923, the NKTP, together with economic organizations and trade unions, conducted a general review of all norms of special clothing for all productions. After 1923, only individual additions to the main lists were issued by law (by the NKTP USSR and union republics); at present, a new review of all norms of special clothing is being carried out on the basis of accumulated experience and scientific data developed by the Institute of Labor Protection. The issue of special clothing is regulated from a legal standpoint mainly by the instruction of the NKTP of July 1, 1923. Furthermore, workers in H.P. are issued soap at home (400 g per month), according to special lists of professions established by the NKTP, namely, those workers whose work is associated with contamination of the body during work and with the danger of carrying infection. At the same time, according to the regulation of the NKTP of August 26, 1922 on the issue of soap in enterprises, regardless of the soap issued to workers of particularly harmful or dirty professions, each enterprise must have in sufficient quantity on the washbasin soap for washing workers after and during work.']

Finally, in a number of harmful productions, milk is issued to those professions which are associated with the possibility of acute or chronic poisoning by professional poisons (lists of the Council of Labor and Defense of the USSR, June 26 and September 27, 1923). Milk is issued in the amount of 1 bottle, or 0.615 liters. In addition to all this, the Labor Code provides the right to the Council of Labor and Defense and its local bodies to establish in especially harmful productions (or enterprises) a mandatory preliminary examination of all persons hired for work or of separate groups of workers (women and adolescents), as well as their periodic re-examination. On this basis, the Council of Labor and Defense and the People's Commissariat of Health of the RSFSR on September 24, 1925, issued a resolution on mandatory periodic regular medical examinations of workers in some especially harmful productions.