Page Six CO-WORKER WAS INJURED Jack Beeson, Youbou Mill, Invents Trimsaw Safety Device cause « cure Ingenuity of IWA Safety Man Jack Beeson, Youbou Mill, BCFP, has provided the sawmill industry with a safety device which removes a hazard known to all operators of hand trim saws. The invention followed the determined effort of the Youbou Mill Safety Committee to pre- vent the recurrence of a me- chanical failure which cost a fellow-worker the loss of his fore-arm. In late September, Jay Quong, victim of the accident, had been engaged in passing lumber on the table, when the chain hold- ing the counterweight on the trim saw broke. The saw then swung forward, almost instantly amputating the man’s arm. In an effort to eliminate the hazard of a breaking counter- weight chain or cable, the com- mittee experimented with built- in counterweights, but without success. Solution Found Finally a sub-committee of five, of which Jack Beeson was a member, set to work on the problem of preparing blueprints of all suggested safety devices. ‘An_ experienced _ machinist, Jack Beeson presented the com- mittee with a drawing of a safety device which was ap- proved by the committee. Sane- tion was given for installation and tests, which :proved success- ful beyond all expecations. The device, illustrated else- where on these pages, consists of a curved ratchet, built into the saw hanger which follows the are of the saw swing. Should the chain or cable break, or any mechanical defect cause the re- lease of the counterweight, the ratchet immediately drops and JACK BEESON engages, thus locking the saw in position. The tests proved so satisfac- tory that all trim saws in the Youbou Mill are now equipped with the Beeson Safety Ratchet. The management of B. C. For- est Products Ltd. gave recogni- tion of this contribution to saw- mill safety in the form of a substantial cheque to Jack Bee- son, who was also the recipient of congratulations from his fel- low members in Local 1-80, IW- A. BEESON SAFETY RATCHET DIAGRAM TEETH OF ARM'B’ ENGAGE | WITH POINT’A’ WHEN | WEIGHT 15 RELEASED i ‘THINK SAFE... ACT SAFE... BE SAFE Henry Switzer’s Funny Bone Truth Stranger Than Fiction A large majority of acci- dents are self-contributory, or in other words, the work- ers, by their own actions, par- tially, or wholly, cause the accident. I would like to cite an ex- ample of a pure accident that happened some two years ago, where the victim in no way con- tributed to the event. Cause A worker, while pushing a wheelbarrow through the door- way of a building, was struck on the head by a piece of two by | six, ten feet long, which fell from the floor above. Two men were dismantling a scaffold on the upper floor, and the piece of lumber slipped through a narrow opening in the floor, conking the party below on the head. Neither of the | workers could be seen by the other. “Hemstitched” The paradoxical situation was this—no matter who had passed through that doorway at that particular moment, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Devil, or the unlucky stiff who was there—his name, was on that piece of two S You say, “Did the guy get hurt?” Not much. The First Aider, a Jack Wilkinson by name, did such a good job of hemstitching (so the doctor in the hospital said) that the worker could have returned to work in a couple of days. Amazing The real effect of the rap on the noggin was a sore left elbow which caused a partially para- lyzed left arm, calling for four weeks of daily electrical treat- ment in the W.C.B. cli ‘You say you don’t believe it! The case history as presented by the attending doctor was simply this: Hic! Hic! In falling, after being struck on the head, the worker hit his “humrus” (funny bone to you!) on the handle of the wheelbar- row. There’s your story. THE CURE? Keep wheel- barrows away from doorways, if you don’t want a sore elbow. I know. My elbow pains me yet, especially if I bend it too often. Henry F. Switzer, 5519 Ormidale St., Vancouver, B.C. Seen on the rear of a badly battered taxicab: “Safe Cab. Haye already had my share of ac- cidents for 1950”. If you want a thing well done, don’t do it yourself, unless you know how. ‘Texas paper announces: ‘“East- land’s population will be 10,000 by 1951, if we all do something”. One Dead, 158 Hurt In 1950 Already The Workmen’s Compensa- tion Board has issued the fol- lowing figures for time loss ac- cidents in B.C. logging indus- try during January, 1950: In- jured, 158; fatality, 1. SAFETY CO-OPERATION | STANDS ABOVE DISPUTE Praetieal co-operation on the job between labor and man- agement to eliminate the causes of needless accidents is a mat- ter that stands aboye all dispute. The general acceptance of safe procedures and the adop- tion of safe working habits in the’ lumber industry to protect life and limb is the one genuine purpose of this joint effort. The B.C. District Safety Council desires to acknowledge with appreciation the continued support of the employers, as represented by Forest Industrial Relations Ltd., for the pre- sentation on these pages. of material designed to stimulate wider interest in the work of accident prevention. By means of this co-operati may be focussed on the desirabi it is hoped that attention of constant vigilance on the part of all to work safely and avoid needless accidents, ADAM BELL, Chairman F. P. ARCHIBALD, Secretary WORKMEN’S COMPENS! Vancouver “Near Accident” is a common expression, but there, is no true “near accident”. Either an accident happens or it does not. Also saying that an accident might have been serious, but Iuck~ ily had no serious effect, is incorrect. ‘ It is often the case that only accidents causing personal injury or serious property damage reach the attention of the management. if a shingle saw ge and flying For instance runs into a carr bits of steel cause only a minor injury, the damage is repaired, the workman gets a bit of tape put on, and nothing is heard of the matter by the management. The ‘supervisor should realize that the man on the job, if un- interested in Job Safety Training, pays little heed to minor acci- dents, which many times lead to dangerous infection. The supervisor who knows of the matter s that some- thing should be done. An infec- tion can cause a more serious in- jury, and damaged material in- creases cost of production, If he seeks the cause and eliminates it then the supervisor is on his toes, realizing that accidents like rat- tlesnakes, often give warning be- fore striking. Accidents cause property dam- age, reduction in production, and raise compensation costs. Training Vital By Job Safety Training the su- pervisor can prevent a lot of acci- dents, if he knows why they are happening. Therefore, all top management should see that all AtGe Saoo visors and members of the Safety Committees hold Job Safet y Training certificates. ACCIDENTS, LIKE LOVE® ARE ALL OR NOTHING By Michael A. Skuzanski Director, District Safety Council FRASER MILLS 74 DAYS, NO ACCIDEN IWA Safety men of Fr: Mills Sub-Local, 1-357, IW. report 1949 as one of most successful years on r ord, despite increased hour: of exposure resulting fro addition of a third shift. The day shift proudly points: the maintenance of 74 a dent-free days, according the latest reports. P In 1948 the man hours of: posure were 3,116,939. In they rose to 3,306.047 due third shift in the Swede and planer mill. The compensable days these two periods were 1948 862, with one fatality whic cost 6,000 days, as against with 2,597 compensable days. There is also a marked crease in the use of safe shoes, 631 pairs being sold the members, 16 percent these being repeat orders. The membership is be more and more safety co! as the following figures Jackpot In November, 1949, the was broken with 20 ac free days. This won a Previous to this, 18 d gone by without an while following the 20 d there were 19 ac P70 KWOWGBE.