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The Bureau of Industrial Standards is a recent 
Bureau of the Department of Labor and Industry, 
having been organized December 8, 1924. It was 
created to carry out the provisions of the general 
law (Administrative Code) approved June 7, 1923, 
which reorganized the Government of the Common- 
wealth. 
This law placed upon the: Department of Labor 
and Industry the duty of developing the rules and 
regulations necessary for the proper enforcement of laws entrusted to 
she Department, and for prescribing means, methods, and practices 
for the protection of the lives and health of workers. The creation 
of the Bureau of Industrial Standards provided the necessary machin- 
ery for the proper fulfillment of this obligation. 
The Bureau is divided into two sections, the Research Section, and 
‘he Hygiene and Sanitation Seetion. 
The Research Section has charge of the development of all rules and 
regulations except those relating to occupational diseases, and general 
health and sanitation. 
The necessity for the development of the rules is determined in 
several ways: First, the Accident Investigation Section of the Bureau 
of Inspection may determine the necessity for the preparation of eer- 
tain rules through the investigation of a group of accidents. Such 
investigation definitely determines the cause and establishes the means 
of preventing a recurrence. Data thus secured when translated into 
a regulation furnishes all plants having the hazard with information 
on which to take steps to eliminate it. Second, information from the 
Bureau of Inspection through its general inspection work. The in- 
spectors of that Bureau who are constantly visiting establishments 
under the jurisdiction of the Department are -in a position to recom- 
mend very definite methods for eliminating hazards. Third, the gen- 
eral accident statistics prepared monthly by the Bureau of Statisties. 
Fourth, the general work of safety organizations, Departments of 
Labor and Industry of other states, of trade associations and indi- 
vidual establishments. All of these are being studied in order to 
secure new information on methods of eliminating accidents. 
After the necessity for a rule or a group of rules has been deter- 
mined, the procedure of development may take either one of two 
courses. The first is through the use of a national code or group of 
regulations, and the second through investigation by the Research 
Section, and reference to an advisory committee appointed from the 
Pennsylvania industries which will be affected by the rules when 
promulgated. 
The national regulations prepared under the procedure of the Amer- 
ican Standards Association have been used by the Department of 
Labor and Industry for several years. The work of the American 
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