B.C. LUMBER WORKER

“FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS”

Co-Operate On The Job

To Save Life And Limb »

Le

Arthur Francis, Chief Inspector
Workmen’s Compensation Board

There stands in St. Paul’s Cathedral a statue of John
Donne, a brilliant and deep-thinking English writer and
clergyman. Some of his works, called devotions, were pub-
lished in 1624. One-of these is called “For Whom the Bell
Tolls”. Ernest Hemingway uses the title for one of his
books, the theme of which was closely allied to the philos-
ophy of John Donne’s writings.

Commonsense
Tips From
Coroner

Some practical things are con-
tained in the summing up of the
New Westminster coroner in a
recent accident case. His words
might well be noted by all vic-
tims-to-be:

“I think that we ought to be
extremely gratified that we have
a board in the Compensation
Board which has an inspectors’
staff to examine all accidents,
and make recommendations with
regard to them.

My memory goes back quite a
long distance, and the accidents
that occurred in industry prior to
this Board taking charge of
things, bears no comparison to
the ratio of accidents that take
place today.

But as long as men breathe
and work, there will be a factor
which we cannot estimate, en-
tering into ‘these accidents.
That is, the question of a man’s
carefulness and his ability to
look after himself. It comes
into all these things, and we
will find men taking a chance
because it is easier to do it that
way, when they could do it with
perfect safety by going to a
little trouble.

One might imagine that any
person would have a little hesi-
tation in stepping below a
bucket, which weighed two
toms, and at an elevation of
eighteen feet, just to shovel off
the tracks, or something like
‘that, and yet you will find more
than one or two who will take
a chance just to keep things in
order with the least amount of
trouble to them. And it seems |
to me that that was what hap-
pened here,

... You can attach blame to
whatever person you think might
be at the bottom of such an
accident you might blame the
company for having a cable that

would not stand a strain like
that. You might blame the com-
pany for having a cog that may-
be was a little bit worn and did
not do a complete braking ex-
cept where there was a weight
on it.

: + +I should like to see, if you
bring in a rider, bring in some-
thing practical, that will benefit
the safety of the workmen. Don’t
just throw away your energies in
bringing in any rider which is
not practical, and which is not
particularly applicable.”

Fellows who drive with one
hand are usually headed for the
church aisle. Some will walk
down it, some will be carried,

, At a New Jersey intersection:
“Cross Road—Better Humor It,”

You can send a message around
the world in one-seventh of a
second, yet it may take years to
force a simple idea on safety
through a quarter-inch of human
skull.

Sign over a junk shop in Den-
yer: “GO AHEAD — TAKE A

CHANCE — WE’LL BUY THE
CAR”.

Last year the Consolidated
Mining and Smelting Company
of Canada Limited also went to
this work for the title and the
theme of a very excellent motion
picture. The title they chose was
“No Man is An Island” from the
passage which reads as follows:

“No man is an Iland, intire
of it selfe;
every Man is a peece of the
Continent,
a part of the maine.”

The thought expressed in these
words can be applied in ever-
widening circles to include the ac-
tivities of man at his job, in his
home, his community, his coun-
try and, indeed, in the whole
world. For man is all one family,
regardless of race, creed or color
and regardless of his position in
life and in society.

No man is an island and no
man can be independent of soci-
ety. The actions of each affects
the life of all. This philosophy is
the important thing in even the
most unimportant of our activi-
ties.

Human Factor

The job of preventing accidents
in the lumbering industry in Brit-
ish Columbia can be tackled on
an accident basis or by means of
a long range programme seeking
to correct the cause at the very
heart of the problem. The heart
of the problem is the actions and
attitudes of men, and by men we
mean from the lowest category of
labor to the most mighty em-
ployer and director of labor.

If men were perfect and if our
activities were guided by a pol-
icy of “who best could work and
best could serve” we would have
a small accident prevention prob-
lem; in fact, all our problems
would be very small.

But men are not perfect; they
haye many weaknesses — physi-
cally, mentally and emotionally.
They are inclined to act by im-
pulse or prejudice, and this ap-
plies to all men regardless of po-
sition.

Co-operation the Key

Recognizing then that we have
an accident prevention problem
and that that problem is based
on human relations, the solution
of the problem then depends upon
a long range programme of im-
proving human relations. The ac-
cident prevention problem can be
greatly improved by the simple
use of a reasonable degree of
co-operation between men — not
only between fellow workers and
fellow employers, but between
labor and management,

Co-operation means a sincere
interest in your fellow men, a
consideration of their feelings, a
tolerance of their views, and an
unselfish willingness to help
others.

It means that a welder will
not throw his stubs around for
other men to slip on, or to dam-
age their eyes by the thought-
less use of the arc. It means
that a millwright will replace
guards on machines; it means
that mechanics will not leave
tools and equipment scattered

in passageways; it means that

ough!

CORCOOORERROCOLLS

the carrier driver will not reck-
lessly expose fellow workers to

the danger of being struck; it
means that the faller in the
woods will have a high regard
for the welfare of the -bucker
when he drops a tree.

It means, too, that the em-
ployer will exercise intelligence
and wisdom in furnishing the
most suitable tools and equip-
ment for the job to be done and
employ efficient methods so that
the men can do their work ef-
fectively and without unneces-
sary handicaps. The right type
of operation is an efficient one,
but what is more important, it
is a happy one. A happy and
efficient, operation is a safe one.

Why should the employer do
these things and why should the
workman worry about how the op-
peration is carried on? The first
answer is contained in the words
that “No Man Is An Island”. Our
common welfare depends upon
man producing the products of
his labor efficiently and without
waste.

The prosperity of the employer
and workman alike depends upon
healthy and prosperous industry.
Accidents are a waste that are
a threat to the prosperity and
happiness of all men.

For the second answer I am
going to repeat in greater full-
ness the passage already referred
to:

“No man is an Iland, intire
of it selfe;

every man is a peece of the
Continent,

a part of the maine;

Any man’s death diminishes
me, because

I am involved in Mankinde; and
therefore, neyer send to know
for whom

the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”

You, Mr. Worker, and you. Mr.
Manager, should.co-operate in
the accident prevention movement
in the interests of self-preserva-
tion, for every man is a candi-
date for an accident.

‘When the accident bell tolls it
is announcing a loss to mankind
and might be tolling for you.

Your Tomorrow depends upon
your co-operation Today.

1

Convention Asks
Social Security

A program of security for our
aged must rest upon the expan-
sion of our economic system and
the distribution of social security
benefits will contribute to an ex-
panding national income by in-
creasing mass purchasing power
and correcting the present mal-
distribution of income.

RESOLVED: That we endorse
an old age pension program in
co-operation with all progressive
and old age groups, based upon
a flat pension of $100 per month
with supplementary allowance to
wives up to a maximum of $150
per month for each married cou-
ple with an age ilmit of 60 years;
elegibility to all persons, admin-
istered through a single federal
system, the additional funds for
this program to be secured by
taxes upon aggregates of wealth

and income,

AS

‘Arthur Francis.

Thank Miners
For Hard Hats

Surely one of the greatest life
savers ever introduced into the
logging game is the safety hel-
met.

Few, however, know the origin
of the safety “hat”, as it is called
in the woods.

Safety helmets originated in
the coal mines of England years
ago. A large piece of felt was
dipped into a pot of boiling resin,
then the miner took the felt home
to let it cool.

When the miner needed a new
hat he stuck the felt in the oven
to soften, took it out and shaped
it onto his head.

As time went on someone fitted
the hats with a sweat band that
raised the hat off the head, mak-
ing it more comfortable. Then a
safety appliance company made a
hat of canvas impregnated with
bakelite.

Miners throughout the world
adopted the bakelite hat, but it
was only in the late ’30’s that
safety helmets were introduced
to British Columbia logging op-
erations.

Work
Together

For
Salety

- now. If you

‘Year by:
panding, N
going to put
accidents
has be h
But y
still so mu
ledge to be
not the

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failed to keg]
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dents on everyf
will be amply

ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Labor and management have a common iff
ers employed in industry. It is therefore with 1
Industrial Relations Limited endorse the accidel
ternational Woodworkers. of America, ClO.
this constructive undertaking. It merits the 5

Labor and management have man’ pol
probably always will have, but on the sole 0
ment. It isa duty, incumbent upon all of us,
a basic principle of humanity, applicable to all

In any industry, successful accident prevel

paign to reduce accidents in the forest products '"
fail to produce benefical results; not only ‘
pendents but also to those who risk their ¢

__ Forest Industrial Relations Limited willir
tainment of the most worthwhile of all goal

between management and the union, but 7
all+the individuals involved. Whatever can be dof f
done. The International Woodworkers of Amerie: