B.C. LUMBER WORKER WANT TO REPORT FIRST ACCIDENT! ON VISION KELLER nfident and self-dependent, He does his | hs of others save the opportunity to do a 4 day is blotted out. Night envelopes all im to work with firm and confident stride fep. ghfares—with his faltering feet and out- ess, holding out for his petty wares, an with ambiti ility.’ “What Is Possible Might Happen” By ARTHUR FRANCIS Chief Inspector, Workmen’s Compensation Board, in B. C. Lumberman T is not very often that an industrial injury is caused by reason of failure of equipment, but a recent case calls attention to the fact that materials and equipment are subject to breakdown and that work methods should always be planned on thé assumption that whatever is possible might indeed happen. The incident referred. to took place in a logging operation. Four men had changed the tail- hold on the Tyee slack-line. After that was completed, the tail-hold and twister were inspected and found in good order. Two chokermen started to col- lect the various tools and equip- ment that were required at the next tail-hold and started to move them. One of the chokermen walked between the tail-hold and the twister tree with a “Tommy Moore” block and a three-foot strawline strap on his shoulder. In a Flash A fellow workman, who was about 25 or 30 feet away, heard two noises as though there was a strain on the line and looked up. He noticed the chokerman hesitate and then continue to walk. He heard a third noise, looked up, saw a flash, and saw the shackle pin and eyes strike a windfall just in front of and to one side of the tail-hold. The workman saw the choker- man lying on the ground imme- diately behind the tail-hold. He ran to him, rolled him over, and felt for a sign of life but failed to detect any. He then called for help. The Second Rig- ger appeared and applied a tour- niquet to the stump of the in- jured man’s severed leg. He was unable to detect any sign of life. The chokerman ap- parently was struck by the sky- line. Recommendations A safety committee meeting was called that night at the op- eration and this accident was discussed. It was recommended that heavier steel be used for shackles for tail-holds. It was also recommended that men be instructed to stay away from the tail-holds when a turn was going in or when there is any strain on the line. The safety director brought out several pertinent points in the investigation. “Was a turn on the way in?” Questions The answer was, “Yes, three He asked, | small hemlock logs.” “Was the turn hung up?” “No, in fact, it was nearly in and the engineer let it down slightly as it came off the edge of the hill.” “Was the deceased considered a safe worker?” “Yes. In fact, just before changing the tail-holds, he told me I was walking in the bight of a line.” “Is there any opinion why a shackle should let go at a time| * like this?” “This was the second road this | shackle was used on, but on the last tail-hold the strain was not on the shackle because one tree was choked. This was a new shackle from the shop.” The shackle was made of mild| two-inch steel. The sky-line was| 1%-inches. Shackles now are 2%4-inches with two-inch pin. Jury’s Rider if The inquest jury recommended | that all shackles be tested before being used. While it is possible to test and stamp new shackles at a place where testing equip- ment is available, it is imprac- ticable to arrange for periodic test of equipment that is in service, Furthermore, a test will not ensure that equipment will not! fail, and in fact, the test might be the means of straining ma- terial to a degree that will cause failure at a later date. A visual examination can de- tect metal that is fatigued from cold working. Magnaflux equip- ment can be used to find stress cracks but is seldom included in logging machine shops. An oil and chalk test is of some value for the same purpose and could be used to some degree when practicable. It is not practicable to take to the shop periodically, every shackle, ring, hook, and chain on the operation. Reliability of such equipment must depend upon ob- servation and judgment every time such pieces of equipment are handled. Back injuries resulting from the handling of mater- ials made up a large portion of the accidents investigated by the Safety Director of the BCLMA during recent months. The injuries sus- tained ranged from slight strains to severe and crip- pling disabilities. As the, objects being handled were, in some instances, fairly light, it is apparent that improper methods of lifting were being used. . One accident report read as follows: “Workman stooped down to pick up a carrier block, when he lifted it, he felt pain in the lumbar region of the back.” The time lost from work due to this injury was 42 days, HOW TO LIFT Size up the load first. Get help if you need it, Be sure of your footing, Lift with your legs, not your back, Keep your balance—don’t twist under strain-or jerk the load, Bull strength isn’t enough—you haye to ap- ply power where it counts, LIFT SAFELY! THINK SAFE... ACT SAFE... BE SAFE A machine was being loaded on a logging truck. The rear of the machine Was loaded on the truck front. _ The front of the sled was raised by the mainline through a block on the spar tree and was held by the brake for the truck trailer to be moved into position. The engineer’s foot slipped on the brake and the front end of © the sled dropped. The chokerman was found dead beneath a sled runner. He had been last seen at the seaman why he got below: sate ‘head block of the machine. The