ILLINOIS.

SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION.1

At the time of the field work of this investigation Illinois legislation regarding topics covered by this chapter was limited to a requirement for the removal of dust due to certain kinds of grinding and to special provisions applicable to tenement shops and butterine and ice cream factories only."

The provision regarding the removing of dust caused by emery grinding is substantially the same as that found in the laws of several of the other States covered by this investigation. It relates solely to the one class of dust producers. Its wording is as follows: "

All persons, companies, or corporations operating any factory or workshop where emery wheels or emery belts of any description are used, either solid emery, leather, leather covered, felt, canvas, linen, paper, cotton, or wheels or belts rolled or coated with emery or corundum, or cotton wheels used as buffs, shall provide the same with blowers, or similar apparatus, which shall be placed over, beside or under such wheels or belts in such a manner as to protect the person or persons using the same from the particles of the dust produced and caused thereby, and to carry away the dust arising from or thrown off by such wheels or belts while in operation, directly to the outside of the building, or to some receptacle placed so as to receive and confine such dust: Provided, That grinding machines upon which water is used shall be exempt from the [and also] small shops employing

* * * * * *

provisions of this act,
not more than one man in such work.

[Here follows a detailed description of the character of the blowers, fans, suction pipes, etc., required.]

The factory inspector is instructed to enforce the above provision, on complaint.

Penalty.-$25 to $100.

1 The law here referred to is as in force at the beginning of 1909. The text of the laws in force Jan. 1, 1912, is given in the appendixes at the end of this volume.

2 By an act approved June 4, 1909, however, very comprehensive legislation regarding the ventilation and sanitation of factories was put in force. The thorough and well considered character of this legislation has already been considered (pp. 437-439). In many respects it is the most important legislation upon these subjects as yet enacted in any American State. Acts of 1909, p. 202, secs. 10 to 13 (Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor, No. 85, pp. 547-549).

Special legislation regarding butterine and ice cream factories does not cover confectionery or other food-producing establishments. Acts of 1907, p. 309, secs. 1 to 5 (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 375, 376).

For special legislation regarding tenement shops, see Hurd's Rev. Stat., 1905, ch. 48, secs. 21 to 28 (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 340, 341).

3 Hurd's Rev. Stat., 1905, ch. 48, secs. 43 to 48 (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 342, 343).

CONDITIONS FOUND.

CLEANLINESS OF WORKROOMS.

The following table groups the workrooms of the 47 establishments visited according to the general conditions of cleanliness found therein:

CLEANLINESS OF WORKROOMS-ILLINOIS.

SPITTING ON THE FLOOR AND THE PROVISION OF CUSPIDORS.

Habitual spitting on factory floors by employees was reported as being done in 26 of the 47 establishments visited; in 23 such spitting was prohibited by factory rule; and in 16 cuspidors were provided.

The relation between spitting on the floor and the provision of cuspidors and the existence of rules against spitting is shown in the following table:

CONDITIONS AS TO SPITTING ON THE FLOOR-ILLINOIS.

The present investigation did not cover ice cream and butterine factories, for which there is a special series of sanitary regulations.

GENERAL VENTILATION AND THE REMOVAL OF DUST AND FUMES.

The two following tables show briefly the conditions found in the several establishments visited as regards the general subject of ventilation and the special topic of dust and fumes.

CONDITIONS AS TO VENTILATION-ILLINOIS.

CONDITIONS AS TO DUST OR FUMES IN WORKROOMS-ILLINOIS.

Indiana legislation establishes an air-space standard of ventilation; requires sufficient "means" of ventilation; requires dust-creating machinery to be provided with exhaust fans; orders water-closets to be kept clean; authorizes the factory inspector to order the limewashing of walls and ceilings; and for food manufacturing establishments provides a special series of sanitary regulations.2

The text of the three legal provisions regarding ventilation of workrooms and dust removal is as follows:3

The law here referred to is as in force at the beginning of 1909. The text of the laws in force Jan. 1, 1912, is given in the appendixes at the end of this volume.

2 Special legislation regarding tenement shops makes no specific regulations as regards subjects considered in this chapter. Ann. Stat. of 1894, Rev. of 1901, sec. 7087n (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, p. 400).

3 Ann. Stat. of 1894, Rev. of 1901, secs. 70871, 70870, and 7087y (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 399, 400, 402).

(a) No less than 250 cubic feet of air space shall be allowed for each person in any workroom where persons are employed during the hours. between 6 o'clock in the morning and 6 o'clock in the evening, and not less than 400 cubic feet of air space shall be provided for each person in any workroom where persons are employed between 6 o'clock in the evening and 6 o'clock in the morning. By a written permit the chief inspector may allow persons to be employed in a room where there are less than 400 cubic feet but not less than 250 cubic feet of air space for each person employed between 6 o'clock in the evening and 6 o'clock in the morning: Provided, Such room is lighted by electricity at all times during such hours while persons are employed therein.

(b) There shall be sufficient means of ventilation provided in each workroom of every manufacturing or mercantile establishment, laundry, renovating works, bakery, or printing office within this State, and the chief inspector shall notify the owner in writing to provide, or cause to be provided, ample and proper means of ventilation for such workroom, and shall prosecute such owner, agent, or lessee if such notification be not complied with within 20 days of the service. of such notice.

(c) Exhaust fans of sufficient power shall be provided for the purpose of carrying off dust from emery wheels and grindstones and dustcreating machinery from establishments where used.

Penalty.-First offense, not more than $50; second offense, not more than $100, to which may be added imprisonment for not more than 10 days; third offense, not less than $250 and not more than 30 days' imprisonment.

The first of these provisions-establishing an air-space standardis almost the same in wording and quite the same in meaning as the corresponding provisions of the New York and New Jersey laws (see pp. 458, 464). The merits and weaknesses of such an air-space standard have already been commented upon. On the one hand, it is precise in its terms, mandatory, and easily enforceable. On the other hand, the air-space standard, by its very nature, can not be a very satisfactory test of pure air, and is especially ineffective where the minimum requirement is as low as it is in the Indiana law-250 cubic feet per person by day and 400 cubic feet per person by night.

Under the second of the above quoted provisions the inspector is authorized to insist upon sufficient "means" of ventilation, and this would appear to free him from being absolutely bound by the air-space standard. Then, if the inspector finds the air conditions very bad in an establishment, he is justified in ordering the means of ventilation to be improved, even although the air-space standard is observed.

The third of the quoted provisions relates to the use of exhaust fans for the removal of dust. It will be observed that the requirement is absolutely mandatory and applies to all kinds of dust-producing grindstones or machinery, not merely to grindstones, as is the case in the laws of several of the other States.

As regards matters of sanitation and general cleanliness, the Indiana law provides that water-closets shall be kept clean and well ventilated and that, if the inspector considers it desirable, walls and ceilings shall be limewashed or painted. The exact legal provisions upon these points are as follows:1

(d) Water-closets shall be properly * at all times in a clean condition.

ventilated and kept

(e) The walls and ceilings of each room in every establishment aforesaid (i. e., manufacturing or mercantile establishment *** laundry, renovating works, bakery, or printing office) shall be limewashed or painted, when in the opinion of the chief inspector it shall be conducive to the health or cleanliness of the persons working therein.

Penalty. First offense, not more than $50; second offense, not more than $100, to which may be added imprisonment for not more than 10 days; third offense, not less than $250 and not more than 30 days' imprisonment.

Establishments engaged in the manufacture of food products are subjected by the Indiana laws to an extensive and important series of special regulations regarding ventilation and sanitation. The primary purpose of these requirements is to insure purity of product; the protection of the health of the employees is only a secondary effect. Several of the regulations, however, do have this secondary effect in an important degree. The regulations referred to are as follows: 2

(f) (1) Every building, room, basement, or cellar occupied or used as a bakery or confectionery, canning, packing, pickling or preserving establishment, or for the manufacture (for sale) of any food product shall be properly heated, lighted, drained, plumbed and ventilated and conducted with a strict regard to the health of the operatives and the purity and wholesomeness of the food articles produced.

(2) The floors, side walls, ceilings, fixtures, furniture, and utensils of every establishment or place where food products are manufactured or stored shall at all times be kept in a clean, healthful, and sanitary condition.

(3) The side walls and ceilings of every bake room or confectionery shall be well plastered, wainscoted, or ceiled with metal or lumber.

(4) Plastered walls and ceilings shall be oil painted or kept well limewashed, and all interior woodwork in every bakery or confectionery shall be kept well oiled or painted with oil paint and kept washed clean with soap and water.

(5) And every building, room, basement, or cellar occupied or used for the manufacture of any food products shall have, if deemed

1 Ann. Stat. of 1894, Rev. of 1901, secs. 7087j, 70871, and 7087y (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 399, 400, 402).

2 Idem, secs. 6725a to 6725i (22d An. Rept. Com. of Labor, pp. 385, 386). By a law enacted after the field work of this investigation was completed the requirements regarding food-producing establishments were elaborated. Acts of 1909, ch. 163 (Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor, No. 85, pp. 570–572).