A Breath of Fresh Air By Bob Weller

Back in the 1940’s, the air in Pittsburgh, PA was so dirty that the street lights would come on routinely at noon with bright sunshine and no clouds in the sky. Either “Popular Science” or “Popular Mechanics” magazine had a lead article, “Pittsburgh Air is Killing You”. The four U.S. Steel melt shops coupled with the two at Jones & Laughlin made seeing difficult. But it was the price you had to pay for that paycheck you got each week. You didn’t complain.

You swept your porch and sidewalk each morning and hung out the wash when the cloud of smoke wasn’t rolling toward you. Your kids went to school clean in the morning and came home looking as though they had put in eight hours in the mines. The creosote smell from the coke batteries was so bad that even your food tasted terrible. But you didn’t complain. Men in their 30’s developed silicosis and black lung. Workers didn’t realize that the very material that protected them from the 2000°F to 3000°F steelmaking temperatures, asbestos, was responsible for their lung cancer. Besides, “real men” didn’t wear respirators, safety glasses, hearing protection, hard hats, steel-toed shoes, etc., etc., etc.

OSHA changed all that in 1970. As a “boss”, you must make a hazard assessment of each job and select the proper personal protective equipment for that job. Your workers must be trained in the use, cleaning, and storing of respirators annually. You must provide for annual fit testing, periodically check to make sure that your workers are wearing their respiratory equipment when needed, and have a disciplinary policy for those who refuse to obey the rules.

If a machine is not properly guarded, it can cause amputations or worse. This situation is obvious to all who see it. But many times the need for respirators is not obvious. “It’s only for a few minutes. A little dust or chemical inhalation won’t cause problems. Right?” Unfortunately, respiratory problems have a way of sneaking up on us over the years; and by the time they become evident, it’s usually too late. Many industrial processes across a wide spectrum of industries today require respiratory protection for workers. OSHA regulations are providing “real men” (and women!) with an excuse for wearing respiratory protection without losing face …or breath.

To learn more about OSHA regulations for respiratory protection or for assistance with any OSHA matter, contact Bob Weller at (315) 425-5144 or rweller@tdo.org.