Newspapers / The Fieldcrest Mill Whistle … / Oct. 23, 1978, edition 1 / Page 8
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-1 ri*i ;,ii f mm FIELDCREST’S FLEET OF MISSILES?? No, they are measure cotton dust levels in its mills, vertical elutriators, part of the company’s equipment to Combating Cotton Dust A VERTICAL ELUTRIATOR, similar to the one shown here, may be Installed in your department. Please don’t tamper with this equipment as it is record* Ing the level of cotton dust in the air. We need this ac curate information in order to be in compliance with the law. In a continuing effort to provide the best possible work atmosphere, Fieldcrest has expanded its Industrial Hygiene program and informed its cotton textile employees of the government’s new regulations on occupational exposure to cotton dust. The federal law will make it mandatory for some Field- crest employees who have not been required to wear masks in the past to now wear them because of stricter standards. The law went into effect on October 4, but dust masking requirements have been given a temporary stay by the courts. New Industrial Hygiene technicians Charles Knox and Russell Laws will join Lee Ivester, industrial hygienist, in visiting departments using cotton in those mills affected by the new federal cotton dust standards. “We will comply with the new standards by taking air samples on all three shifts every six months in these mills,” Knox said. “Now we have completed testing on the first shift in most areas of the mills to determine respira tory protection requirements.” Laws explained that Fieldcrest is using two methods, standard vertical elutriators (silver cone-shaped monitors) and an instantaneous dust monitor, to record dust levels. Some Fieldcrest employees have been wearing dust masks for years because they are in areas of very high cotton dust concentration or they choose to wear them of their own ac cord. “We appreciate employee cooperation in our efforts to maintain a healthful working environment,” said Haven New ton, vrce president—Industrial Relations. “Our studies have shown that masks can protect the very few people who are sensitive to cotton dust,” he said. “We wili have several types of masks for employees to choose from, including single-use disposable masks and permanent types with replaceable filters. We recommend the disposable masks because of their lightness, comfort and effectiveness.” Some of the things Fieldcrest has been doing since be ginning the Industrial Hygiene Program in 1971 and will continue to do are: —Checking dust levels to be sure no one is required to wear a dust mask unnecessarily. —Conducting annual medical surveillance programs along with pre-screening new employees for possible sensitivity. —Installing dust removal equipment and other new develop ments as they become known and appear feasible. “Our main aim, of course, is to remove cotton dust levels to the point where the absolute minimum number of people are required to wear masks,” Newton said. I INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE TECHNICIANS Russell Laws and Charles Knox (l-r, at right) are trained to Install the vertical elutriators. The measurements recorded by the elutriators will be calibrated periodically (above) In deter mining dust levels. i 8 THE MILL WHISTLE
The Fieldcrest Mill Whistle (Spray, N.C.)
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Oct. 23, 1978, edition 1
8
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