International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

^^^ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammmmmammmmmammmm Dust Is An Unmitigated Nuisance. Here, From An Expert, Are Some New Facts About Its Efficient & Economical Removal. The Projection Room And Dust Control By Edward H. Steinberg Executive Director, Kex National Ass'n. No ONE IS BETTER QUALIFIED than the man in the projection room when it comes to testifying that dust is a menance that attacks man and machine alike. Dust has proven an especially grave problem to the projectionist — a problem that can threaten his health and his theater's business. Personal experience shows that conventional clean-up methods can't quite get the dust job done. One reason the dust menace is more worrisome in the projection room than in most other places is that the projector creates its own carbon dust. But, of course, carbon dust isn't all the dust you encounter. Dust is, unfortunately, one of the few universal substances which scientists have discovered everywhere. They've found AN END to projection room dust? Dry, chemically-treated cloths and mops, originating mainly for use in hospitals where dust-bourne "staph" was a serious problem, may have application in the projection room. New system really removes carbon dust where conventional broom sweeping and wet mopping does not. 'hitchhiking" on shoes and tons of it in the atmosphere above the North and South Poles, for instance. Dust is spread by auto exhausts, as a by-product of heating, when a cigarette ash is flicked on a floor. Whenever you or anyone else enter the projection room, dust comes in too clothes. The nuisance value of dust is so obvious to the professional projectionist that the point doesn't have to be labored. It can "gum up" projectors and other equipment, impair the quality of exhibition of the film; can be a real health hazard. As the National Safety Council has pointed out, dust and dirt can infect cuts and minor scratches. Dust can cause or aggravate respiratory ailments. In short, dust is a menance as well as a nuisance. At the invitation of the editors of International Projectionist, the writer is glad to pass along some tips about a new approach to dust control, the use of chemically-treated mops and tools that do a far better job of dust removal than conventional methods of broom sweeping and "wet mopping." For a long time, dust was a lot like the common cold. Everybody admitted it was a hazard and a nuisance but nobody had figured out an easy and economical way to do any thing about it. Then the Bell Telephone Co., concerned with the vexing problem of dust in switchgears and other electronic equipment, got together with Callaway Mills to experiment with chemically treated dry mops. The result was a new approach to dust control. The dry mops really remove the tiny particles of "invisible" dust, almost too small to be seen by the naked eye, but which unfortunately is always very much present. Interestingly enough, the initial impetus for the new method of "dry mop" dus control (available on a rental basis) came from hospitals. Dust is notorious as a carrier of bacteria-borne diseases. For hospitals, absolute cleanliness is a "must." The new method of dust control, combined with germicidal agents, has played an important role in quelling the rise of "staph" and other infections which, you may recall, was the occasion of nationwide concern three or four years back. You don't hear much about "staph" any more. Instead of "wet-mopping," the new approach to dust removal relies mainly on "dry-mopping." It's easy to observe a really dramatic comparison of treated dry-mop sweeping versus broom sweeping and wet-mopping. Wet-mopping often sloshes the finer particles around. When the floor or other surfaces dries, the dust is right back where it started. For a convincing demonstration, Mops, Chemically-Treated, make dust control faster, easier, really remove fine dust particles missed by other means. Study by American University shows effectiveness of germicidals used, too. International Projectionist April, 1965