6 y

*

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

EDGER KILLS NANAIMO MAN

Fatal accident at the Parks Sawmill, Nanaimo, on
October 10, which took the life of IVA member J. Zvede-
lik and injured Archie Boyke, has served to highlight the
grave hazards which accompany the operation of certain

types of edgers under adverse conditions.

As the accompanying illustra-
tions show, the deceased, assisted
by two other feeders had placed
a four-inch cant in the edger,
which was a mountain type,
hand-fed machine. :

When part way through, side:
pressure was exerted on the
cant, by a short edging previous-
ly lodged in the roller channel.
This sliver acted as a “jib-poke”
to force the cant sideways and
upward, with the result that the
saws kicked it out and back-
wards with great force.

The victim was pinned and
crushed and died within a few
minutes of the accident. His as-
sistants were injured, but their
condition is now described as
satisfactory. :

The coroner's jury at the in-
quest returned a verdict of “ac-

‘cidental death”, and made a num-
jber of recommendations regard-
ing the operation of the machine.
It was suggested that more room
‘might be made at the feed rolls
to allow the feeders to side-step
any risk of a kick-back, Sawmill
‘experts, however, claim that such
a provision would be of little
value.

Local 1-80, IWA, was repre-
sented at the inquest by the Dis-
trict Safety Director, John T.
Atkinson, and Business Agent
Lawrence Jones, Local 1-80.

Outcome of the fatality has
been the resolve of the workers
in the mill and management to
solve this edger hazard. One
step taken by management has
been to refrain from cutting four
by fours in the machine pending
the solution of the probfem.

SAFETY IS
EVERYBODY'S RIGHT
AND
EVERYBODY'S DUTY

LIVE IT
AND GIVE IT
READ IT AND HEED
IT AND PASS IT
ALONG

ACCIDENT CAUSES

Given proper control of engin-
eering factors, and the necessary
supervision and training for
which management must accept
responsibility, the human factors
leading to accidents are listed
below.

1 Safety directors hold the

opinion that the No. 1 acci-
dent cause is failure on the
part of the worker to keep
alert.

. og No. 2 cause is psychological.
“ A man under mental stress
or an emotional upset is more
accident-prone than a man with
a carefree mind. An interest-
ing fact brought to light is that |
during last year’s negotiations
the accident rate rose to six
per day for 10 working days.
When the agreement was sign-
ea the rate dropped to 3% per
ay.

than a year suffer more acci-
dents than the newcomers. |
No. 4 cause is listed as hur- |
rying to get some place, |
causing the high pfoportion of
accidents due to slipping and
falling.
5 No. 5 failure is improper
clothing. Failure to wear
safety hats or safety chees |
when required to do so has ex- |
posed men to needless hazards. |
Loose clothing is also taboo.
No. 6 cause of accidents is
horseplay, and the practical
joker causes his full share, too.
7 No. 7 cause is the failure to
go to the First Aid Room
promptly. Minor injuries de-
velop into major disabilities |
because they are not properly |
treated at the outset. |
The greatest number of acci- |
dents seem to occur between the |

No. 3 cause is said to be
over - confidence. Men who |
have worked in mills for more |

ages of 18 and 28, and the hour |
before noon is the worst hour of |
the day.

6

i
} | CEPAR SHAG
8 SH FL HIGH.

BROKEN ToP oF
SHAG FALLS Of
DECEASED 8

WV

Dead...

AGE:

OCCUPATION: SWAMPER
EXPERIENCE: 1 YEAR
DATE: MAY 7, 1952.

The Dozer operator and Swamper were making road.

Swamper’s hard hat was hanging

1952.COAST LOGGING ACCIDENTS

HANGS UP IN.
GREEN TIMBER

ENERAL

The
Swamper stood at the side of the grade while the Dozer operator
pushed over 73’ snag 12” at the butt.

The snag hung up in green timber and the top broke off and was
thrown by the green timber, .

It struck the Swamper and he died from head injuries. The

on a tree.

HAZARDOUS POS
place a cant in position to feed the edger.
hand corner of the photo. Coroner's ju
lave no chance to escape, when a cant is

VIEW, LOOKING TOW.
| killed feeder. Close range
how the accident occurred. ‘The
in finding a remedy for this hazard.

ON of the feeders

RD EDGER, of cant kicked out which
iew of the saw marks discloses clearly
lant safety committee is engaged

is shown above, as they

Edger is at lower left-
considered that feeders

remember, in all
in blood. In o'
has made it p
-experience.
learn, with a fe
he paid for so dear

Experience
the lesson from ex

Lee's