B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Page 7

§l| He had reported defective equip-

‘|| business. I felt that the Work-

more jury than slight
hat indicates severity of blow from

‘REASONS FOR
JUDGMENT

Transcript of the evidence
heard before Stipendiary
Magistrate W. G. Harris,
Powell River, with regard to
charges laid against Rig-
ging Slinger Ole Belsheim is
now being studied by IWA Dis-
trict Officials, with the purpose
of further representations to
the Workmen’s Compensation
Board.

As previously reported in the

B..C Lumber Worker the ac-

cused was fined for his failure to
wear a safety hat, and for his
failure to get the chokerman out
of the bight of the line while the
rigging was in motion. Informa-

|| tion was laid by Workmen’s Com-

pensation Board under the
amended accident prevention

|| vegulations following a fatality.

Witnesses testified that the
haul-back block was defective, as
it had been spot-welded, and
under a light blow from the
shackle of the butt rigging fell
apart. No evidence was intro-
duced to disprove this point.

Hooktender H. D. Docksteader
testified that he had been on the
operation for two days prior to
the date of, the accident and had
left because he considered the set-
up bad from the safety angle.

;ment to the woods foreman but
no action had been taken.
Witnesses testified that no in-

xj} structions had been issued to

wear safety hats.

| The prosecution introduced evi-
dence to show that the rigging
slinger was held responsible to
get chokermen out of the bight
of the line before giving the sig-
nal to move the rigging. At the
time of the accident the new
hooktender was standing where
he had a clear view of the opera-
tion.

Oral judgment given by the
magistrate was as follows:

With reference to the charg
“Did contravene Regulation 897
of the ‘Workmen’s Compensation
Act’ Accident Prevention Regu-
lations, in that you did permit a
workman to remain within the
bight of a line while it was in
motion, contrary to the form of
i the Statute in such case made and
' provided”, in my opinion the
Crown has proven its case in this
“particular charge. I think that
Belsheim was directly responsible
in that particular operation when
he permitted some of his work-
|men to remain in the bight of
the line. Therefore I will find
him guilty on that charge.

Ow we come to this mishap

men’s Compensation Board
could have, perhaps, made a
happier choice in naming the
defendant. There has been
quite a lot of revealing evi-
dence and it does seem to me
too bad that a man just about
the bottom of the scale—one,
| or two removed from the
| chokerman—should be the one
picked upon. Nevertheless the
| charge is that he failed to wear
j a safety hat. Admittedly there-
were not enough safety hats to
go round—not enough safety
; hats for all of the men in this
dangerous operation to wear.
He wasn’t wearing one, and I
have to record he is guilty.
With regards to the other
| three charges, I am going to
find him not guilty.

BELSHEIM

I 4m not satisfied that he
gave the signal to move the
lines. Again, when it comes to
the man not properly instruct-
ing the workmen — if he: had
done any instructing he would
have been told in yery short
order to get along with the job.

Going into debt comes from
spending as much as: you tell
your friends you make.

+*
The only perfect climate is bed.
ae 8

Wife to husband: “I'll meet
you halfway — [ll admit I'm
wrong if you'll admit I’m right.”

see

“Say, babe, where have you
been all my life,” leered the wolf.

“For the first 40 years anyway,
I probably wasn’t born,” said the
pert miss.

1-363 RAPS
LAXITY

The subject of safety was
forcibly brought to the atten-
tion of members of Local
1-363, IWA, when the officers
report at the recent annual
meeting launched revised plans
for the ensuing year.

The report stated:

| “In reviewing the safety record
| for 1950, we find a lot of room for
improvements. Safety commit-
tees were functioning in both
camps of Bloedel, Stewart &
Welch. Regular meetings were
held and the record shows that
many safety grievances were rec-
tified. Minutes of safety meet-
ings from various operations
were forwarded to the Local
Union office and we note that
some times three months elapsed
before another meeting was held
with the company. This again
was due to the big turnover and
men not staying in the employ
of the company for very long.

“Safety. concerns every one,
and in order to further educate
our membership on safety in
1951, we must be able to find
members who will act on safety
committees. In the last year in
the jurisdiction of Local 363 there
were numerous accidents. Some
fatal, some caused serious injury.
We feel some of these could have
been avoided if greater interest
was taken by certain logging op-
erators in fulfilling the requests
of safety committees.

We propose, if possible, to set
up a local Safety Council, to
help co-ordinate the work of the
elected safety committees in the
various operations during 1951,

We recommend that safety
committees be set up in ail
operations regardless of size, and
that any member wishing to con-
tribute to the Safety Page in tie
B.C. Lumber Worker should do
50.

VICTORIA

Delegates from nine major
operations combined to launch
a Local Safety Council in
Local 1-118, FWA, Victoria, at
a meeting March 1, which elect-
ed R. Fleming, chairman, and
E. Taylor, recording secretary.
Plans were laid to secure rep-
resentation from all plants and
camps at the next meeting of the
Safety Council, which in future
will be held on the third Tuesday
of each month.

The Council divided into two
sub-committees to consider the
safety problems of the sawmills
and logging camps. These sub-
committees reported the follow-
ing recommendations to the
Council: %

Sawmills

1. That Safety Committees hold
a tour of inspection of all
their operations’ before each
Safety Committee meeting.

2. That copies of minutes be
posted in the operation and
one copy sent to the Local
Union office.

3. That Safety Committee per-
sonnel be elected on a depart-
mental basis.

4. That plant Safety Committee
men should question em-
ployees in their department

(1) 1940 WHITE 3 TON CREW TRUCK

(Q) TRUCK SLOWS AT TOP OF HILL (A),

THEN GRADUALLY GAINS SPEED, AP-
PARENTLY RUNNING OUT OF GEAR

(3) ONE MAN JUMPS OFF AT(B), WHEN,
TRUCK RUNNING ABOUT 30 M.P.H.

(4) TRUCK CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED,
SWERVES INTO SIDE OF ROAD.

KILLED ON STUMP & BOULDERS.

Occupation:
Age:
Experience:
Date:

21 speeds ahead, hydraulic brakes,

hauled late in September and had
Previous to the accident.

The crew truck started from

The driver was observed to
course of the trip.

At the top of a hill about 800

appeared to be.running free, not

instantly killed by hitting stump

‘6 UPTO) “iy
MMAGEMENT

OOWT FOOL YOURSELF ......
SAFETY 15 EVERYEOLVS BUSWESS.

CESPECINCLY Vouk ou)

STARTING DOWN 15% GRADE 800" LONG

the truck slowed and then started down the grade.

SETS UP

SAFETY COUNCIL

prior to monthly safety meet-
ing for safety suggestions.

5. That all new or transferred
employees should be properly
shown and instructed by their
supervisor or foreman before
proceeding with any job.

6. That all employees be urged
to wear safety shoes and,
where necessary, hard hats.

7, That all committees strive to
attain a first aid man in their
operation and a_ properly
equipped first aid room.

Logging

1. That all Safety Committee

“members be experienced
workers.

2, That safety suggestion boxes
be used in all operations.

8. That each Safety Committee
send in new ideas, safety
programs and new safety de-
vices to the Local Safety
Council.

4, That all Safety Committees
meet one week prior ‘to their
meeting with management.

5. Safety Committees should re-
main active every day of the
month and take up safety
grievances with management
when they arise rather than
have a hazardous condition
exist until the next meeting
of the plant Safety Commit-
tee.

(5) DECEASED JUMPS AT (C) & IS INSTANTLY ~

(6) TRUCK HITS BOULDER ON ROADSIDE &
REBOUNDS OVER EMBANKMENT ON OP-
POSITE SIDE OF ROAD, COMING TO REST ATX”

(1) TWELVE MEN INJURED & TRUCK DEMOLISHED.

Hook and Rig

24 years

Four years

Noy. 14, 1950, 5:00 p.m.

The truck was a 1940 White 3-ton with 3-speed transmission,

vacuum booster and 4x 17” brake

drums and had a separate crew cab. It had been completely over-

a complete check over three days

the woods to camp at 4:30 p.m.

with 15 men in the body of the truck and the driver alone in the cab.

use the emergency brake in the

feet long and having a 15% grade

The truck
under compression.

The truck attained a speed of about 30 miles per hour and one
man jumped off. The truck continued to gain speed and swerved
to the side of the road. The deceased jumped at this point and was

and boulders.

The truck hit a boulder on the roadside and rebounded over

the embankment on the opposite side of the road where it came to
rest among large rocks and stumps.

Twelve men were injured and the truck demolished.

| GFTO RWOWEETTER .

OEE