B.C. LUMBER WORKER

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cCIDENT RATIO 1947

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"ACHOENT Rano 1953

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OR - GOVERNMEN
and INDUSTRY

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SETS SIGHTS FOR INTERIOR

Conversion of the whole Interior to the gospel of safety
is the aim of the IWA organization ‘in that region, de-
clared Jacob Holst, International Representative, when he
spoke for Local 1-424, over the Prince George radio sta-
tion recently. He said in part:

“Any lumberworker who doubts
the value of the work of acci-
dent prevention should occasion-
ally take the last report of the
Workmen's Compensation Board
and compare the accident statis-
ties with those which appear in

the ‘reports of the Board issued |

some years ago, by doing so he
will be convinced as I am con-
vinced that of significant and
encouraging developments.

Due to the work of accident
prevention, the number of fatali-
ties and of crippling accidents
have been substantially reduced.
Let me emphasize one fact alone,
rather than weary you with sta-
tistics. A few years ago we had
accustomed ourselves to the tra-
gic fact, that every year more
than 400 men disappeared trom
the lumber industry, either be-
cause of accidental death or
serious physical handicaps caus-
ed by crippling accidents. In the
last year we reduced the number
by more than half.

Interior Neglected

It should also be said that in
the Coast area the progress made
has been more marked than in
the Interior. But for the neglect
of safety, which has long been
evident’ in the Interior, our gen-
eral average of improvement
would be much higher. All of
which goes to show that where
full co-operation in the promotion
of safety has been developed in
any area, immediate benefits have
been experienced by the workers
and management alike.

It is noteworthy, that out of
25 sawmill fatalities in 1953, 17
occurred in the Interior. It is
because of this neglect of acci-
dent prevention ‘in the Interior,
that our union is making every
effort possible to arouse a greater
interest in safety.

General Cooperation

The plan of organization for
safety is one of general coopera-
tion among all those in the op-
eration, and those responsible for
the accident prevention regula-
tions. This cooperation finds its
best expression in the joint job
safety committee, where labor
and management can meet and

jointly plan to avert tragedies, to
which in former years we had
grown accustomed, and which
were so needless,

Basic Elements

It has been said that there are
certain basic elements for a
sound safety program, to ensure
its success. I will deal briefly
with them here.

Every company should have a
strong policy indicating that the
workman’s welfare must be pro-
tected, company foreman and
supervisor should advise and in-
struct all workmen in the safe’
way to do the job.
> Protective equipment, required
by the regulations, should be
worn by all workmen and work
areas, equipment and job meth-
ods should be inspected regularly.

An organized system of inspec-
tion will prove to be the most
effective. Regular inspections of
this type will make safety com-
mittees and management aware
of the unsafe methods and pro-
cedures, unsafe job conditions
and practices should be corrected
immediately, and plan of action
in this respect is of great im-
portance because where unsafe
conditions are allowed to continue
and no effective procedure used
to correct them, inspections will
not bring the desired results.

When accidents do happen rec-
ords should be kept of how,
where, when and by what means
did they. occur. Every accident
should be reported by the work-
man and a proper record kept of
same by the employer. Injuries,
no matter how minor, should re-
ceive prompt treatment by quali-
fied attendants. Adequate first
aid means injury control, in many
cases minor injuries become ma-
jor because proper attention was
not given to the injury when it
occurred. ‘

Cooperation Essential

A safety program cannot be
successful unless there is co-

‘operation between employees and

management, many times the
workmen know how fo rectify
the hazard, therefore safety com-
mittees should be encouraged to

express their ideas freely and]
management should give them|
every consideration,

To keep interest at a high level
methods must be found whereby
workmen can participate in acci-
dent control to bring about a
safer operation and safer work-
men—many are the devices used
to niaintain interest and to stir
up enthusiasm.

| Where the feeling of coopera-|
| tion exists on the part of the
workman, there must be a show
| of appreciation by management, |
| where this is so and the program |
is honest and sincere, there is a
conviction on both sides that the
safety program is realistic, prac- |
tical and necessary.

Stripping Lumber

One phase of safety which is
being neglected in operations in
this area is the proper striping
of loads of lumber. We have re-
ceived innumerable complaints
from the employees in the plan-
ing mills of accidents and near
accidents because of lack of
strips. One injury to a workman
was reported which occurred on
August 23 and which was direct-
ly due to the lack of strips in the
load. The workman in this case
received multiple fractures of his

THE

TIME OTTO GOT IN THE
WAY OF A SWINEING CHOKER/

foot, when part of a load fell on
him.

In the next few months we will
concentrate on the operations
where these ideas on safety have
not fully penetrated. To date the
response to our work in this area
has been most remarkable. When
the whole Interior has been con-
verted to the gospel of safety,
the accident record will show a
much healthier picture.”

A rich man in his years of toil,
Burned barrels and barrels of
midnight oil,
His son now keeps his memory
green,
By burning midnight gasoline.
+ ee
Lawyer to Witness: “Was the
man you found under the street-
car a total stranger?”
“No sir, a partial stranger.”
“What do you mean?”

“One arm and one leg gone,
sir.”
eg i
“I guess Dye lost another
pupil,” said the professor as his
glass eye rolled down the sink.
eee

Manager: “What are you doing
with your foot on the desk?”

Clerk: “I’ve lost my eraser and
I’m using my rubber heel in-
stead.” :

Percentage of|

|
|

f
Fotolities |

Year
1947 7
1948 20
1949 13
1950 9
1951 10 ]
1952 i
17

1953 Y
( Percentage

i
|

THE FAC
The Safety Campaign ref
the increased man-hours |«

The number’ of fatalit|

reduced.

The operations where .4

an otherwise fine record

THE LUMBER INDUS}
PLACE IN WHICH TO