Details - Public Health Image Library(PHIL)

ID#:

9464

Caption:

This April 1941 historical photograph was provided by the Center for Disease Control's (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). It depicted a number of industrial workers in Lee County, Alabama, who were in the process of loading crushed limestone into pushcarts, by using an overhead bucket shovel, which when unloaded, as was the case in this example, a large debris-cloud ensued, exposing workers to irritating airborne particulates. The potential worker health problems associated with crushed limestone, also known as calcium carbonate, includes respiratory hazards when inhaled, and dermatitis, due to mechanical abrasion resulting from skin contact. Prolonged exposure may cause lung diseases like silicosis. The men were equipped with inadequate respiratory protection. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Industrial Hygiene Division (IHD) investigated hazards associated with this, and other activities involving workplace health hazards.