B.C. LUMBER WORKER ’ = on” is used as a means of further the interests of for mutual action. Some- d the plea and it looks too or an effort to get some- . Effort and advantages ‘en ough to merely create a ights, words and actions, be sold. ig requires skillful pre- ditions. Explanations must ist themselves to changed itive effort must recognize ist have the opportunity of ist -be convinced that their used to serve a worthwhile the time, efforts, skills and gement will provide each abundant and constructive cause that calls for well eamwork depends upon a belief ity of others, and a willing- ation Board ry Commissioner ORGANIZE NOW URGES JOHN T. Immediate attention to the work of job safety com- mittees was urged by District Safety Director John T. Atkinson, speaking over the “Green Gold” radio program, August 14. He stressed the necessity of picking up the threads of the safety program promptly after the strike period. He said: “The main purpose in speaking this evening is to remind my fel- low-workers in the lumber in- dustry that after a 45-day inter- ruption of our safety work, we must now, speed up our efforts to get our safety program under way again. Our job safety com- mittees must hit their stride again as quickly as possible. “We cannot afford to allow our- selves to grow lax, because acci- dent prevention has not been uppermost in our minds in the past weeks. The industry is get- ting back to normal, and we must see to it‘that safety is considered an essential part of normal work- ing conditions. “We have every reason to be on the alert. The fatalities in the lumber industry to the end of June were 46, with time-loss ac- cidents totalling 3,962. Our re- cord of total fatalities for these months is worse than for the cor- responding months, in the pre- vious. year though the frequency rate is down. “The whole point is that we still suffer from too many acci- dents that can be prevented. “All possible emphasis must be placed on prevention. We are properly concerned about com- pensation for the consequences of accidents, and about the Hospital Insurance Scheme. These ques- tions would not cause us such great worry, if in the first in- stance we applied ourselves, as we should, to prevention of acci- dents. “Our experience has shown that the majority of accidents in the lumber industry are prevent- able, if we recognize and elimi- nate, through commonsense me- thods, the hazards of procedures and behaviour which lead to ac- cidents. “I urge that prompt action be taken to re-organize all job safety committees, and to place the work of these committees on a satisfactory basis. Remember that a well-organized and well- informed job safety committee can establish wonders in reducing the accident rate in any opera- tion. We have proven this over and over again. “A job safety committee func- tions under authority of the con- tract and the law. There are few occasions when such a committee, if on the alert, cannot call a halt to unsafe procedures, direct at- tention to unsafe equipment, and build into the thinking of the mer on the job a determination to think safely, act safely, and be safe. “At the Safety Council meet- ing we will review our plans for a safer contract year, and pro- ceed to put those plans into ac- tion. We hope that we may have the cooperation of every iumber worker in this worthy project, for it will pay rich d: nds in safer living and wor g. the imperative need of stricter This report was made by Dis- trict Safety Director John T. At- kinson to the District Officers of the IWA in a recent review of IWA participation in such a pro- gram. The former Attorney-General had dealt with a report prepared by a committee representing the RCMP. Department of Educa- tion, Workmen's Compénsation Board, B.C. Automobile Associa- tion, Vancouver Traffic & Safety Council, and the Motor Vehicle Branch. “BLIN D FORA Close brush with blindness, averted only because he was wearing his safety glasses, caused Thomas Couch to depict the thoughts which went through his mind as he lay in hospital after an accident in which he was severely burned. The story, “Blind for a Day”, appears in the March issue of the Cominco Magazine, employee publication of the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co., Trail. The accident, which occurred in the sintering plant, enveloped him instantaneously in flames, He describes his emotions as follows: “Th the split second that seem- ed like eternity, my first thought was of my eyes. However, when I had: come on shift that night, I had performed another of those automatic motions—I had put on my safety glasses before ‘step- ping into the plant — and thus saved my sight. “The close call gave me a great deal of food for thought during the time I was recuperating from my burns, Suppose I hadn’t PREVENT FIRES heeded the warning? Then I, too, would have been blind and I would have known first-hand what the world of darkness would be like to live in.” He posed for a series of pic- tures, in which he attempted to engage in the important phases of his daily living, while wearing safety glasses with the lens painted over. Again he said: “If every work- er who should wear safety glasses would a half-day, or even an hour at home, wear a blindfold to find out what would happen, PAY DAY” never again would he neglect to wear them.” My Wife “My wife and I have been mar- ried for many years and have raised our family, but the thought came to me that I could have spent the rest of my life just remembering how my wife looked. And I couldn’t help thinking how little details have a habit of slipping from a person’s memory. Believe me, it left me in a cold sweat.” My Children “My little grandson, Dale, is just two months old, and if I hadn’t been lucky enough to come out of that accident with my eye- sight unimpaired I would never have seen him. I could still sit and hold him, but a youngster’s smile, even the faintest family resemblance and the changes which come with the years ,to warm a grandparent’s heart would be missing for me.” My Meals “I have always thought it mar- yelous the way blind people learn to eat. The thought didn’t ever occur to me that someday I would come very close to having to learn to do that very thing my- self. Food just wouldn't taste the same, for the sight of a well- prepared meal is a real part of enjoying eating.” My Personal Chores “I thought of the small every- day chores that a fellow has to do. Shaving, for instance. It would be useless to stand in front of a mirror because, of course, a mirror is of no use to a blind man, There would be many other times, too, when I would miss my eyesight—I would have to use my and to button my shirt straight.” My Reading “I have always liked to sit and read in the evenings and as I lay there in the hospital I wondered what it would have ‘been like to sit and listen while somebody read to me at first, and later have to depend upon special editions for the blind. The souvenirs which I brought back from my trip to Scotland would have been useless, too, as things like that sense of touch to tie my shoes |: DRIVE SAFELY ANOTHER ACCIDENT on Hope-Princeton Highway drives home observance and enforcement of traffic rules. Car rolled to foot of steep embankment. Traffic Program Set Development of a provincial program for Highway and Traffic safety now rests with decisions of the Social Credit Government at Victoria to implement plans approved prior to the general provincial election. $10,000 Available The report was approved by the Lieut.-Governor-in- Council and an appropriation of $20,000 was made. The amount of $10,- 000 was then made available. The decision was then reached to appoint a Safety Director for the Provincial Traffic Safety Council, and applications were considered, It is understood that the choice now lies between three applicants and that final decision in the matter rests with the Pro- vincial Government. The Safety Director of the IWA pointed out that many im- portant groups interested in the promotion of safety, such as the IWA, had been ignored in the formation of the central provin- cial safety committee. FAKED | REPORT SCORED Faking of safety records was denounced, when the plight of those whose compensation claims had been outlawed was under dis- cussion at the recent meeting of the Greater Vancouver and Lower Mainland Labor Council. PresidentGeorge Mitchell took occasion to repeat his warning that .every- injured workman should complete the necessary form as pyovided by the Work- men’s Compensation Board at the time of the accident. A communication from Local 1-857, IWA, stated that many companies “had resorted to the practice of persuading injured workmen to return to work be- fore completion of treatment, and without the submission of a claim for ¢ompensation. It was contended that this- practice on the part of over- zealous safety officials presented an altogether too rosy picture of the safety performance, and often deprived the injured work- man of his full rights, should the injury develop serious conse- quences. be L must be seen to be appreciated.” © so you won't get hurt !