1134 THE BELL SYSTEM TECHNICAL JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER 1953 



bath to effectively remove from the wire any dragout from one bath be- 

 fore it proceeds to the next. 



The safety features thus far discussed are installed with a view toward 

 preventing the accidental generation of hydrocyanic acid gas. Additional 

 measures have been adopted to further protect the employee. Limited 

 admission to the electroforming building is enforced and authorized iden- 

 tification cards are issued only to engineering, operating and maintenance 

 personnel assigned to the process. By such action the possibility of injury 

 to the unacquainted observer is eliminated. Protective face shields are 

 required equipment, they are stored on racks at the main entrance to 

 the building and are available to all personnel. Safety showers have been 

 strategically located throughout the building. Gas masks have been pro- 

 vided and are readily available at three locations. These masks are the 

 self generation type, they will provide oxygen regardless of the nature of 

 the surrounding atmosphere. Emergency machine shut-down buttons 

 have been installed at four positions in the building. Finally, an evacua- 

 tion alarm system has been installed for use of personnel in the building in 

 case of an accident or failure of equipment that would result in the gener- 

 ation of hydrocyanic acid gas. The system includes three push-buttons 

 under glass, one at each entrance to the building and one on the machine 

 control consoles. A siren is provided and is audible throughout the build- 

 ing. Operation of any one of these buttons will trip the 480-volt sub- 

 station circuit breakers for all power feeders with the exception of the 

 lighting and ventilation circuit breakers and completely shut down both 

 machines including all associated auxiliary machinery. The siren will be 

 sounded and annunciator drop will be operated together with a bell and 

 indicating light in the Firehouse and Watch Service Organization. 



PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS 



It may be of interest to note that in planning this installation careful 

 attention has been given to the increasing shortage of labor and to the 

 provisions of automatic control and mechanical aids to reduce the labor 

 requirements. 



No standard measuring stick being available to determine the result of 

 the efforts to reduce labor, it can be said that in a building 340 feet by 

 91 feet containing two million dollars worth of equipment capable of 

 manufacturing two million dollars worth of product a year on a 350- day 

 3-shift basis the total operating force is 21 (five men per shift plus a 

 material handler on the day shift). 



The project is essentially chemical requiring a considerable amount of 

 both electrical and mechanical engineering and may be regarded as a 



