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Speaking of silicosis, some of you may know about the Hawk's Nest (or
Gauley Bridge) Incident, but many others may not.  See
http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvhs122.html.  Approximately 700
workers, mostly African-American, lost their lives to acute silicosis,
because using water to control dust slowed down their drilling.  Quartz
dust can be deadly stuff.

As noted in the US Labor Dept information sheet, beach (washed
coarse-grained quartz) sand poses no significant hazards, but at times
when you are tempted to think that safety regulations go overboard, it
is worth remembering that we have such regulations in large part because
of a historical record of ignoring, downplaying, or criminally
neglecting the safety of workers.

David Smith, Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology,
Bethlehem, PA ( a stone's throw from what was formerly another
significantly dangerous workplace)





















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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
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