Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Volume 174-177 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 Excerpt: ...to health and several occupations which are obviously injurious. Of the objectionable conditions the commonest are constant standing, the lifting of heavy weights, and wet floors. Constant standing is the most general. Questions on this point were answered by 1,272 females, almost a third of the total normally employed in the factories visited. The table following shows the situation in regard to the use of seats among those questioned. NUMBER OF FEMALES IN ESTABLISHMENTS INVESTIGATED STANDING CONSTANTLY, SITTING CONSTANTLY, AND SITTING PART OF THE TIME, BY OCCUPATIONS. It will be noticed that more than two-thirds stand continuously. This is not necessary, as, with the exception of chuck grinding, there is no occupation in which at least some of the women do not sit for part of the time. The constant standing is due to the fact that in most of the occupations listed a person works more rapidly standing than sitting. Foremen therefore usually prohibit women the use of seats for even a part of the time, and pieceworkers, for the sake of greater earnings, tend to shun seats even when provided. Nevertheless, it was almost always noted that pieceworkers used seats from time to time when they were unwell or unduly tired, and nearly all the employers who provided seats for time workers stated that occasional sitting increases efficiency in the long run. The lifting and carrying by women of weights too heavy for anyone except a reasonably strong man is not a feature of many occupations, but it occurs at least occasionally in almost every factory. It is most frequently found in the occupations of taking off the leer and sorting and packing. In most cases men were assigned to do the heavy lifting connected with this work, but their delay or negligence led the women t...