Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health
Date:
[1963]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/120 page 14
    Lead Processes—Table 14 shows the number of workers exposed to lead, the number of examinations, and supervision carried out by the nursing staff. Only one case of lead poisoning was notified this year and the worker was admitted to hospital for treatment. During the nurses’ routine examinations of lead workers 89 were found to be absorb¬ ing lead in unhealthy quantities; six of these were men working in petrol tanks at an aerodrome. Of the total number found absorbing lead 28 were suspended from lead work, two left this work on own accord, 14 were referred to their own doctor, one was admitted to hospital, and the rest remained under supervision of the nurses con¬ cerned. The constant need and value of regular testing of lead workers often are emphasised by the uncovering of particular bad practices and conditions. In one instance the payment of production bonuses on increased output appeared to be the main factor in a deterioration of results of blood tests, and in another a worker engaged in buffing car bodies led to investigations into protective equipment and methods generally. Conditions were also improved to satisfaction in other manu¬ facturing firms. Miscellaneous Hazards Turpentine Poisoning—A man engaged in painting the interior of 3,000 gallon tanks over a period of two weeks with an anti-corrosive, ready-mix paint containing a large proportion of mineral turpentine, was later confined to bed with pleuritic type pain in his chest but was able to return to work in a few days. There was no sign of a cough, temper¬ ature, or other physical signs during enforced rest, although while engaged in this work wearing a respirator he suffered with running eyes and nose, a cough, and a dizzy feeling. The best effective means of protection for such work would be from a full-face mask connected with an airline hose together with overalls made of a non-absorbent material. Agricultural Chemicals—An aerial spray pilot on agricultural work had symptoms compatible with mild organo-phosphorus poisoning after flying an aeroplane with a leaky spray tank. The warning “Don’t fly a leaker” has been expounded by the Civil Aviation Administration and this Department in publications for some considerable period. Medical, Nursing, and First-aid Services Attendances for first-aid treatment at industrial health centres and waterfront clinics are shown in table 16 of the Appendix. It seems possible that there are a number of other areas in which the establishment of a permanent clinic will be justified in the future. A survey of these areas is now being undertaken in order to acquire land in the centre of areas zoned for industry, although the building of these clinics will await the arrival of a sufficient industrial population around them. While the number of dressings and redressings shows that these clinics are fulfilling a useful purpose in first aid, it must be emphasised that the preventative work by the nurses based in the clinics is much more useful in the long-term view and this cannot be expressed in statistical form.
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