Wool Production

WOOL PRODUCTION (worsted, fine and coarse woollen). The raw material in wool production is animal fiber—wool, most often sheep's (also camel, goat, etc.). There are two methods of processing wool: machine and worsted. In worsted spinning, wool undergoes preliminary thorough sorting on special tables; it is carded, goes to washing on special machines ('leviathans'), where it is freed from admixtures and dirt, dried, oiled, and passes through the following processes: carding on carding machines, removal on combing machines of fibers having a length below the required one, drafting on drawing frames, removal of the oil solution and smoothing of the fiber on a smoothing machine, drafting on roving frames, final drafting and twisting on mules or spinning frames. For the last processes, increased air humidity (75–90%) is required. In machine spinning, after sorting (less thorough), wool goes to washing or immediately without washing to a fulling machine, where it is freed from admixtures. For the 'mix' for machine spinning, shoddy and rags, which undergo preliminary preparation on special machines: breakers, pickers, etc., are used. The main hazards of worsted spinning are high temperature and increased air humidity; temperature in the washing department reaches 30–32°, in the spinning department up to 35° at relative humidity of 75–85%. Dust is released in significant quantities during wool sorting and when it passes through the fulling machine, and further in machine and ribbon spinning. In the spinning of wool in fine and coarse woollen production, the main significance lies in the danger of infection with anthrax and the release of dust. Dust is released in especially large quantities at machines where rags are shredded to obtain 'artificial wool' (up to 150–200 mg/m³). At fulling and fulling-cleaning machines and at sorting tables, dust was found up to 50–100 mg/m³. Carding machines receive oiled wool, and therefore there is no significant release of dust there. Measures of struggle. To remove dust from sorting tables, it is necessary to arrange local exhaust ventilation, which with correct execution can give very good effect (e.g., at the factory named after VTsSPS in Moscow, dustiness decreased to 2–5 mg/m³). Breakers, breakers, fulling machines must be covered with tight casings and equipped with strong local exhaust. In washing departments, general supply-exhaust ventilation must be arranged, which would ensure air temperature not above 22–25° at relative humidity of 65–70%; dryers must be well covered, etc. To prevent infection with anthrax, disinfection of raw materials is applied (see Disinfection). The occupational hazards of worsted and woollen weaving in general resemble those in paper weaving; the difference is the slower speed of the machines and their smaller number in one room, whence the noise and vibration here are weaker, the temperature is not so high (24–25°). The measures of struggle are the same as for paper weaving. Dyeing and finishing. In woollen production, rolling has very great significance, the purpose of which is to compact the fabric, bond and intermingle fibers. The main hazards in dyeing and finishing wool fabrics are high temperature and increased air humidity, separately or in various combinations with each other in almost all departments of the factory. The temperature is especially high at work places where machines are artificially heated: at carbonization dryer, stretching dryer, decatizing machine, self-press, presses; here there is also the effect of radiant energy. Workers in dyeing departments are in the most unfavorable conditions. Wool and wool fabrics are dyed at a solution temperature of 100°, often in completely open apparatuses, strong heating of air and saturation with water vapor occurs; air temperature reaches 30–32° at relative humidity of 95–100%. Acetic acid is used to dissolve acid dyes, which evaporates during dyeing. During carbonization and drying, sulfurous compounds (mainly sulfur dioxide) are released. Workers have to come into contact with various irritating and caustic substances: acids, chrome, antimony; these substances can cause the development of dermatoses. Release of fine dust occurs when working on drawing, shearing, and carding machines. Measures of struggle: reconstruction of cramped, inconveniently located premises, elimination of obsolete equipment and obsolete production processes, mechanization of transport. Main attention must be paid to lowering the high temperature and humidity of the air, which can be achieved by isolating and covering the apparatus, arranging supply-exhaust ventilation, etc. Local exhaust ventilation must be installed at shearing machines, fulling machines on worsted factories must be enclosed in tight chambers and equipped with exhaust, etc.