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4.000 Accidents

In each of the two largest city shipyards there is an average of 4,000 accidents a month.
This is the alarming situation revealed by an analysis of available figures.
In October, for instance, the number of accidents in one yard alone totalled 4,171; eye

injuries 1,352, burns 368, head injuries 88, and miscellaneous 2,263.
Placed against the average number of men employed in each of the four city yards, be-
tween four nail five thousand men, this means that every month there is one accident for every

23 out of every 25 men working.
Most of these are minor injuries.
The figures Ihave quoted do not
include fatalities, on which it is
difficult to get detailed informa-
tion, but it is common knowledge
that at least one man is killed
every month in each of the four
yards. *

The figures show that eye in-
juries predominate, most of them
caused by welding flashes, others
by small pieces of steel and an
eye injury in nearly every instance
means at least one day’s work
lost.

The majority of burns are caused
because workers on one Side of 2
plate have no knowledge of a
burner working on the other side.

Miscellaneous injuries listed in-
clude all types of minor accidents,
such as cut fingers.

eee

The main consideration
for the trade unions is how this
accident rate can be reduced, and
thousands of man-hours added to
production.

One of the principal reasons why
there are so many accidents in Van-
eouver yards is because shipbuild-
ing is a comparatively new industry
in this province. The vast ma-
jority of men now working in the
yards have never had any experi-
ence in this line of work before,

Thus, the first thing necessary
is to acquaint every man and wo-
man working in shipyards of the
dangers that will be encountered
during a days work. <A booklet
could be prepared quite easily, con-
taining a full list of “Do’s and
Don'ts,” explaining what men should
guard against while at work. If
every man received one of these
booklets. when he first went to
work, the possible dangers of his
job would be thoroughly clear in
his mind and he would be better
able to avoid the carelessness which
is the cause of so many fatal ac-
cidents.

The men on the job can best
help make conditions safe for them-
selves and others. To do this they
must be better informed as to the
number of accidents each week,
their cause, and how they could
have been prevented. The high rate
proves that there is an urgent need
for an industry-wide education
campaign on safety measures.

ee ¢6

In one yard, South Burrard, a
system is already operating where-
by the number of accidents each
day is posted upon a notice board.
This is a step in the right di-
rection and one that should be fol-
lowed in each yard, but it is not
enough.

To encourage men to reduce this
total week by week, posters could
be displayed, depicting accidents
that have occurred or could occur
on certain jobs, with suggestions
from the safety engineer as to
how they could be avoided and the
particular job done in perfect safety.

Further, every shop steward
should realize that it is part of
his job constantly to warn men of
danger, to explain how jobs can
be done correctly, and even forbid
men to do certain work until it
has been passed by the safety engi-
neer. Workmen must realize that
safety is only where they make it,
and they should report any inci-
dent to their shop stewards.

For example, every man working
near a welder should take it upon
himself to see that he is adequately

, WILLIAM STEWART

ing without a shield, he should be
immediately informed where to get
one, and the shop steward notified
so that he can check to see these
conditions are being carried out.

The same thing applies to burn-
ers. When a chargehand or fore-
man of welders and burners as-
signs men to certain jobs, it should
be his responsibility to see that sur-
rounding workers are fully pro-
tected. and aware of possible dan-
ger from flashes and burns.

There are many such instances
as these where shop stewards and
the men themselves, if made fully
aware of the accidents that do
occur, can do a great deal in cutting
down the rate.

However, accidents will sometimes
happen no matter how many pre-
cautions are taken, and then it
is the responsibility of the man-
agement. Wartime Merchant Ship-
ping Ltd. , and the Workmen’s
Compensation Board to see that all
possible medical care and quick
attention is given to the injured to
prevent further complications from
exposure, careless handling and bad
treatment,

All unions and shop stewards
have constantly agitated for doc
tors and nurses to be permanently
stationed in every yard, but so
far there has been no action
upon this request. :

In other industries, medical care
on the job has been recognized as

protected. If the welder is work-

a necessity and provisions made,

Street Railwaymen

In One Yard In Month Deny ‘Slowdown’

by the union this week.

The statement reveals that in-
structions to union members called
upon the operators of all one-man
ears-and busses “to refrain from
doing any of the duties normally
done by a conductor while his car is
in motion.’’

“Tt would seem very unfair to the
one-man car operator to say that
be is deliberately slowing down
when in fact he is striving to
do two men’s work and striving to
do it in a manner to protect the
safety of his passengers—and this
in spite of the tremendous strain
brought about by extraordinary traf
fie conditions,’ says the state-
ment.

A previous statement issued by
the union stressed the fact that
the PCC cars, presently operated
‘as one-man cars, may be success-
fully converted into two-man cars
to make for safer transportation
and speedier and more efficient ser-

Charges made by W. G. Murrin, president of BC. Ele =
that the Street Railwaymen’s Union is conducting a “slowdos

issue of one-man cars in a Bp
cite being taken this Wednesd |
The B8BCHlectric, attempting
represent inadequate service
delays as due to union opposi
to one-man cars, has inserted 1:
advertisements in all the
papers in an effort to conyvine
zens that it should be allow
bring in and operate as such 4}
number of one-man street cars

Commenting on this camp;
the union statement says:

“In spite of all that has bie

said the new cars operated by
man cannot give the same
safety and service that they
when operated by two men.

has only to visit Chicago or gis

Francisco to immediately bee
convinced that the PCC car op
ated by two men is the fast

vice. One-man operation must re-
duce the service to the public by

safest vehicle yet produced for
transportation.”

Lunchroom

“Not only is there no cante

“Many workers sit there, rain
dripping down on them, drinking
cold tea from a pop bottle and
munching a sogey sandwich. There’s
not even a sheltered corner where
they can sit.”

Macleod suggested that a cooper-
ative enterprise might be consid-
ered by the shipyard union, if other
arrangements could not be made.

“There should at least be a lunch-

leave their lunch buckets in safety,”
“Thermos bottles are broken when pieces of steel fall oni }
buckets, and thermos bottles are hard to replace. : a:

Shipyard Workers Ask

Facilities

Inadequate provision of linch room facilities for shipy<
workers was scored by Malcolm Macleod, business agent ;
the Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders Union, in an int |
view with The People this week. 43h

en where the workers can i

sidjary industries, demand that i
problem be given immediate att
tion.”

“Importance of balanced mie
for war workers is stressed i
resolution passed recently by

Building Workers of Canada.
The resolution points out t
since Pacific Coast Shipyards "

Shipwrights, Shipjoiners, Boatbu Mi
ers and Caulkers, Amalgam

as in the case of Vickers, Canada,
Ltd., in eastern Canada, which has
@ modern hospital, a doctor, and
three trained nurses in attendance
24 hours a day. While care on
such a seale may not be possible
immediately in British Columbia
shipyards, there should at least be
a doctor and nurse in constant at-
tendance, since city hospitals are
already overcrowded and their fa-
cilities strained to the limit.

One argument advanced against
this suggestion has been that en-
listment of large numbers of doc-
tors and nurses for armed forces
has created a shortage of such
skilled people for industries.

This is a situation which could
quickly be overcome by .action on
the part of Wartime Merchant Ship-
ping Ltd., as government agents,
to see that doctors and nurses are
detailed to the shipbuilding indus-
try.

Health of workers on the job is
vitally important to the increased
production of ships, and skilled
medical personnel is just aS neces-
sary to their carrying on efficient
work as are supplies of steel and
material for the ships themselves.

If such a campaign is carried on
throughout the yards, backed by all
unions, the accident rate will soon
show a marked decrease. Primarily
it is the workers themselves who
can do most to make the job safe
through organized demand for

the job, he believed.

under shelter during the

room where lunch buckets could be | now being called upon to prod
left and where workers could eat|the greater part of the nati:
lunch |needs in cargo ships, because
period,” he said, emphasizing that |favorable climatic conditions, i
this was the most urgent need at|ticular attention should be paid
the moment. Such immediate im-|the problem of safeguarding

provements as provision of hot soup | health of employees who must ¥
to augment lunches brought from outside in all weather through”
home, while provisions were being |the winter.

made for lunchroom facilities on a
more comprehensive scale, would be |mediate consideration be given
reflected in greater efficiency

The union is asking that °—

Macleod declan: : q

on | providing adequate lunchroom ~

ilfties where hot meals may be j

“Tt is difficult for men who are |chased at reasonable prices for
chilled through and who perhaps|three shifts,” and asks that “|
do not even get a hot drink at the|service be operated by the G)
noon break to maintain peak ef-|panies on a non-profit basis, or t-
ficiency,” he said. “The interests|any proceeds be given to some
of the 20,000 men in the shipbuild-| ganization mutually agreed on
ing industry, as well as the thou-|tween the companies and €
sands employed in related and sub-| ployees.

1.—$50.00
2.—$25.00

proper safety measures.

Dock and Shipyard Workers’ Union

ANNUAL BALL

Hastings Auditorium

January 29
PRIZES

3.—$10.00
4—Something Scotch

REFRESHMENTS
TICKETS 50c — at Room 703, Holden Bldgs.

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