\ Annual Congress of the National Safety Council held recently in Chicago, and which attracted an attendance of over 13,000, proved to be a revelation of the widespread interest on this continent in accident prevention, states District Safety Director John T. Atkinson, who attended as a representative of the IWA District Council. Reporting to the Union on the Green Gold radio program, he said: “The experience of attending the Annual Congress and Exposi- tion of the National Safety Coun- cil in Chicago is one that brought home to me in a striking way the importance and magnitude of the safety movement on this con- tinent. Attendance at the Con- gress, which exceeded 13,000, was itself most impressive. Six of the largest hotels in Chicago were re- quired to provide auditorium ac- commodation for the sessions of the Congress and the numerous exhibits of safety equipment. Authorities Heard The program of the Congress which provided for simultaneous sessions on safety as applied -in all the major divisions of indus- try extended over the whole range of topics relating to safety in all phases of daily living. On each topic, the best known au- thorities in the world were called to address the delegates. Panel discussions brought out the best ideas which have been developed in the various branches of indus- try during the past year. Safety engineers described the latest and most effective methods discovered in reducing the acci- dent hazards for all industrial oc- cupations, on the highways, and in the homes. Psychologists told us how the safety message could be carried to those who still remain indiffer- ent. It would be difficult to imagine a program which would present the entire message of safety more completely to safety men and the public in North America. Wood Products Section Usually we met in general as- sembly each morning to hear lec- tures and discussions on subjects of interest to all sections. The most practical work of the Con- gress was done, however, in the sessions of the special industrial sections, The section to which J. Milmore, Local 1-80, IWA, and I, as representatives of the IWA in B.C. were assigned, dealt ex- clusively with the Wood Pro- ducts Industry. » When we registered for our section, we were pleased to find delegates from other districts of the IWA. Likewise, we met dele- gates at the Congress from other CIO unions, such as the Steel- workers, Oil Workers, and Rub- ber Workers, all of them inter- ested in safety in their respective industries. It was my privilege as a mem- ber of the Executive of the Wood Products Section to assist in the program presented there, and to take an active part in the panel discussions, The National Safety Council has adopted the policy of arranging for repre- sentation from trade unions in the Council’s activities. Uniens that continue to show a definite and continuing interest in safety are welcomed at the. top level conferences of the National Safety Council. As a matter of fact, stress was Jaid on workers’ participation in safety programs throughout all sessions of the Woods Products Section. B.C. Industry in Van It will be remembered that the President of the National Safety Council recently visited British Columbia to assist*in the pre- paration of a safety film to be released under the joint auspices of the B.C. Lumber Manufac- turers’ Association and the Work- men’s Compensation Board. You will understand our pride, when we heard Mr. Dearborn at the opening plenary session of the Congress, refer in complimentary terms to the exceptional progress made in accident prevention in the B.C. Lumber Industry. As we reported earlier, Mr. DECEASED CUTTING SNAG Dead... DATE — May, 20, 1954. OCCUPATION — Bucker. EXPERIENCE — 6 years. AGE — 30 years. A hemlock hung up in a standing fir. The faller was working alone. The bucker was falling a 6 inch snag about 60 feet from the hemlock. The faller asked the bucker to get in the clear, but the bucker said that he would “watch out”. The faller asked the bucker twice more at about five minute intervals. The faller went to work on the fir. While both saws were running, a gust of wind blew the hemlock toward the bucker. Fe " The faller found the bucker dead under the fallen hemlock. CONGRESS ATTRACTS 13,00 Dearborn was impressed, while in British Columbia, with the pro- gress made in reduction of ac- cident hazards and the accident frequency rate. He kept the promise. made while in British Columbia, He told the American industrialists that the B.C. Lum- ber Industry was leading the way in accident prevention. I trust that those in our Union, who have so faithfully attended to the safety needs in their opera- tions will realize that their work has not only benefitted their fel- low-workers in their immediate vicinity, but has also paved the way for important progress in the North American Industry. Topics Discussed That you may form some idea of the wide range of subjects covered in our discussions, I will -| list some of the topics. Here they are: Greater Safety in power saw operation; dust hazards in wood- working plants; new development in Millwork safety; new develop- ments in sawmill safety on the Pacific coast; the noise problem in the woods products industry; how to conduct successful safety committee meetings; how to sell taking safety home; control of slipping and falling accidents; safety psychology; fire protec- tion—forest and plant; funda- mentals of industrial safety. Discussions’ on these topics were supplemented by visual aids such as films and film strips, and occasionally with conerete demon- strations using the proper equip- ment. We were especially interested in the film of the Honeymoon Bay operation, which was shown to illustrate safety features that would be helpful to other sec- tions of the industry. This also revealed that in British Columbia we are away out in front with our safety methods. Everywhere we turned, we heard talk of the example set in this province in worker participation, and the de- sirability for more general ac- ceptance. Displays Impressive An important feature of the Congress were the displays and demonstrations of all types of safety equipment. We saw the latest in protection devices, cloth- ing, shields, safety shoes, hard hats, goggles, as well as such life saving devices as inhalators, and resucitators. We visited all these displays and made notes for the 'information of the Union, Heart Disease We gave special attention to the information which originates with the Chicago Heart Institute. The research on this matter, we feel, should be made more freely Bes Z ae available to workers in the lum- ber industry. Heart disease is problem at the present time, and as we have learned from tragic experiences, it is taking heavy toll among the loggers. Generally, it is not the kind of work, but the rate at which it is performed, even on strenuous jobs, that results in casualties. Many victims of relatively severe | heart disease can be kept on the | same jobs, if they can be permit- | ted to work at a slightly slower | pace, or for fewer hours in the day. Industry may thus retain | the services of useful, loyal and experienced workmen. Our objective, of course, is pre- vention, and in this we must learn not to place too great stress on the heart in the performance of our work. ‘The heart, like any other machine, has limits as to the amount of response to stress. One important finding of the Congress was that a gigantic task still remains to be done. We cannot rest on our oars. On this continent, more than 100,000 people are killed every day, and more than 9,000,000 injured. Coupled with this fact is the con- crete proof that the accident pre- vention program has enormously reduced the death and accident rate. This means that with con- tinued co-operation from all sec- tions of the public we may step up our progress until the accident casualty rate is well nigh neg- ligible.” P.V. MEN TOUR PLANT Monthly meeting of the Safety Committee of Local 1-357, IWA, was held October 14th, at the Pacific Veneer Company’s Lunch Room, fol- lowing a tour of the Plant by the members. Some thirty® safety members were. escorted through the prem- ises by Company guides, This was the second of such inspec- ticns in the last few months. The committee reports that these tours are proving very popular and gives the members an idea of what safety measures are being carried out in the other plants. During the meetings held af- terwards, any accident hazards or safety violations are pointed out and ways disqussed to eliminate them. The next meeting of the Safety Committee will be held November probably our greatest medical 11th, at 7:30 p.m., in the Union Hall, ‘ “The trouble with th ; “It doesn’t hit the as “Safety men are impra‘ “The program doesn't z “There is not enough ¢¢ “There is not 4 by instincts, 4 “A poor job is being de “Stiffer enforcement’wii “Safety is strictly an e “More attention shoul, people. ah Ay “Accidents are straight stop them.” Wa . What they say is both single method of preventing ful with all people under i complex bundle of instinet impulsively, emotionally, engendered by passing By : The smart safety man, ! and intellect to persuade, ric 4 But above all he keeps push and untiringly toward that « free industry. f Workmen's Coz j ADAM BELL, Ch F. P, ARCHIBA~ CHRIS. W. PRIT E. V. ABLETT, a