Another fatality occurred through a foreman directing some workers, contrary to the regulations against accidents from nitrous gases, to clean a vessel containing nitric and sulphuric acids. They wore no air helmets: one died shortly after from inhalation of nitrous fumes. Under certain circumstances even the breaking of carboys filled with sulphuric acid may give rise to severe poisoning through inhalation of acid gases. Thus a fatality[1] occurred to the occupier of a workroom next some premises in which sulphuric acid carboys had been accidentally broken. Severe symptoms developed the same night, and he succumbed the next morning in spite of treatment with oxygen. A worker in the factory became seriously ill but recovered.
A similar case is described[2] in a factory where concentrated sulphuric acid had been spilt. The workers covered the spot with shavings, which resulted in strong development of sulphur dioxide, leading to unconsciousness in one worker.
The frequent observation of the injurious effect of acid gases on the teeth of workers requires mention; inflammation of the eyes of workers also is attributed to the effects of sulphuric acid.
Leymann’s statistics show corrosions and burns among sulphuric acid workers to be more than five times that among other classes. Such burns happen most frequently from carelessness. Thus, in the reports of the Union of Chemical Industry for 1901, three severe accidents are mentioned which occurred from use of compressed air. In two cases the acid had been introduced before the compressed air had been turned off; in the third the worker let the compressed air into the vessel and forgot to turn off the inlet valve. Although the valves were provided with lead guards, some of the acid squirted into the worker’s face. In one case complete blindness followed, in a second blindness in one eye, and in the third blindness in one eye and impaired vision of the other.
Besides these dangers from the raw material, bye-products, and products of the manufacture, lead poisoning has been reported in the erection and repair of lead chambers. The lead burners generally use a hydrogen flame; the necessary hydrogen is usually made from zinc and sulphuric acid and is led to the iron by a tube. If the zinc and sulphuric acid contain arsenic, the very dangerous arseniuretted hydrogen is formed, which escapes through leakages in the piping, or is burnt in the flame to arsenious acid.
Further, the lead burners and plumbers are exposed to the danger of chronic lead poisoning from insufficient observance of the personal precautionary measures necessary to guard against it (see Part III). Those who are constantly engaged in burning the lead sheets and pipes of the chambers suffer not infrequently from severe symptoms. Unfortunately, the work requires skill and experience, and hence alternation of employment is hardly possible.
Finally, mention should be made of poisoning by arseniuretted hydrogen gas from vessels filled with sulphuric acid containing arsenic as an impurity, and by sulphuretted hydrogen gas in purifying the acid itself. In the manufacture of liquid sulphur dioxide, injury to health can arise from inhalation of the acid escaping from the apparatus. The most frequent cause for such escape of sulphur dioxide is erosion of the walls of the compressor pumps and of the transport vessels, in consequence of the gas being insufficiently dried, as, when moist, it attacks iron.
Sulphur dioxide will come up for further consideration when describing the industrial processes giving rise to it, or in which it is used.