Annual report of the Department of Public Health and the Central Board of Health / South Australia.

  • South Australia. Department of Public Health.
Date:
[1967]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Department of Public Health and the Central Board of Health / South Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/48 (page 20)
    (d) Industrial Radiography The layout designs and radiation protection for three new industrial radiography bays were completed by the Branch during the year. Two of these bays have subsequently been put into service and approved, the third bay is still under construction. Advice has been given on the mode of transport of radio-active material, the use of radio-isotopes fluorescence analysers and the installation of a 2000 Ci Cobalt 60 radio-chemistry radiation source. (ii) Noise A further 38 noise surveys were completed during the year covering the following occupations: stone cutting, timber milling, concrete masonry works, spray painting, plastics moulding, meat works and wire fencing. Some typical overall noise levels and associated octave band analyses recorded during the above investigations are shown in Appendix 10. The noise produced during operation of the toy “M” Sonic Blaster Bazooka Gun was measured. The peak sound pressure level was found to be in excess of 130 dB. The toy was considered to possess a considerable health hazard potential, especially to the ear, and representations to both wholesalers and retailers resulted in its withdrawal from sale. The Department was called upon to investigate six environmental noise complaints during the year, and from the reaction to all surveys completed it is apparent that people are more concerned about noise when they are at home, and indoors. Further, more people are disturbed by noise from external sources, for example, road traffic or air compressors, than by internal noise from radios or neighbours, or by the noise levels to which they may be exposed during work. All environmental noise complaints were assessed using a simplified procedure published by the Building Research Station, Noise—Final Report, H.M.S.O. 1964. (iii) Dust (a) Wood Dust in Technical High Schools and Woodcraft Centres As part of a general survey of the occupational exposure to wood dusts of operators of woodworking machinery, inspections were made of 13 technical high schools and woodcraft centres in the metropolitan area. The inspections revealed that excessive dust concentrations occurred at all schools and centres, creating conditions which were potentially hazardous to the health of instructors and, to a lesser extent, students. Further, the air-borne dust was carried at times to rooms outside of the woodcraft areas, exposing other instructors and students and interfering with other activities, such as photography, spray painting, polishing, etc. The dust was generated during machining operations carried out on both wood and acrylic materials. No mechanical extraction ventilation was installed at any school Or centre. The rate of air change allowed by the windows was quite insufficient to control the dust pollution; in fact, this general ventilation tended to increase the problem by disseminating the dust to other parts of the buildings. Specific recommendations to alleviate the potentially hazardous situations were forwarded to the Director General of Education. (//) Employee dust exposure in sample preparation room Gravimetric dust sampling in the breathing zone of employees grinding and sampling rock for analytical purposes was carried out using a Casella Gravimetric Dust Sampler. The average weight of sample was 2.0 mgms/1,000 litres of air, and the free silica content of the parent rock was found to vary between 10 and 50 per cent free silica. Parallel samples taken with the thermal precipitator yielded an average dust concentration of 80 particles/cc. The maximum permissible particle concentration is 400 particles/cc. of air (National Health and Medical Research Council) and the correlated standard for the gravimetric samples, allowing for particle size distribution was found to be 9.4 mgms/1,000 litres of air. Under normal working conditions the dust concentrations in the sample preparation room did not present a health hazard to the employees involved. (c) Silicosis Committee At the request of the Chairman, Silicosis Committee, inspections were carried out at three firms to assess the potential exposure of employees to silica dust. Depending on the variation in exposure time, it was recommended that any employee engaged on processes carried out without water or oil/water sprays should be considered to be exposed to the risk of silicosis from the inhalation of silica dust. Air Pollution Section— Major activities were concerned with preparing and submitting for consideration by the Clean Air Committee proposals for Regulations under the Health Act for air pollution control. In conjunction with the above, a closer study of objective air quality needs and criteria was initiated and pursued so that the proposed legislation could be better associated with environmental needs. Technical advice was given to other departmental officers, officers of other departments, local boards of health, industry, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, the public and other interested parties. This advice was suited to particular inquiries made in relation to complaints or proposed control measures and followed whatever investigations were necessary. Liaison was effected and maintained with Government authorities, technical bodies, public utilities, industry and industry groups, and all concerned in establishing and relating the many aspects of air pollution control. In March a two-day visit to Port Pirie was made by Mr. Lilburn, accompanied by Dr. K. J. Wilson, to discuss specific problems in the area. In late May and early June, Mr. Lilburn visited Sydney for four days to discuss specific control problems with the Air Pollution Control Branch, New South Wales Department of Public Health prior to attending the two-day 5th Technical Conference on Clean Air in Brisbane. This Conference was attended by senior air pollution control officers from throughout Australasia. Technical discussions took place and a paper “Suiting the Legis¬ lation to the Problem” was presented by Mr. Lilburn.