B.C. LUMBER WORKER

“IL LOST AN EYE”

The following is George Osborne’s story of how it

feels to lose part of one’s eyesight. It is not a pleasant
story, but it is one that is badly in need of telling.

Let me tell you how it feels
to be suddenly cut down to 50
percent vision and to be very
concernéd that something may
happen now to make me totally
blind.

No Safety Glasses

On Aug, 29, 1956, I was busy
on a routine job as an operat-
ing millwright in C. S. M.
Most of the millwrights before
my accident, felt that doing
this job would involve no par-
ticular risk, so I did not bother
to put on my safety glasses.

I was about to remove the
cotter pin from a link in the
outfeed chains on log rolls (C.
S. M. Barker) to shorten it.
When I hit the pin or the chain
with my hammer, a piece of
flake off the link of the chain
flew into my left eye.

Brother, when that piece of
steel penetrated my eye, I
thought that I had been ‘wal-
loped right on the eyeball by
a hammer. It nearly knocked
me out,

Lost My Eye

‘Then I was sent to the hos-
pital by the first aid attendant.
While driving to the hospital,
I was worried stiff in case I
had lost my eye.

When I arrived at the hos-
pital and was taken to surgery,
they administered a local an-
aesthetic and tried to get the
piece of steel out of my eye
by using a powerful magnet.
I was on the operating table
for almost an-hour. I was con-
scious of what was going on
around me. Therefore, I was
very anxious about every move
that was made. The doctors
had trouble in removing the’
steel fragment. They must have
thought I was out cold because
I could hear them talking about

my eye. You can imagine my
state of mind at this time.

‘They eventually got the piece
of steel out but only after an-
other and larger incision had
been made in my eye.

Back in the ward, I had to
lie still with bandages firmly
fixed over both eyes for four
days. Whenever I sneezed or
coughed, I thought that my in-
jured eye was exploding right
out of its socket.

Alone and Scared

I was scared and very much
alone. I could not even feed my-
self. The realization of how it
would be, for the rest of my
life, if I was totally blind was

terrifying. It was very depress-
ing to me. Believe me, I had
plenty of time to think during
those four days of absolute
blackness,

I pleaded with my doctor to
let me try out my good eye,
just to assure myself that I
could see with it. He told me
that I must continue to keep
both eyes covered, that it was
vitally important to safeguard
whatever sight remained. He
finally agreed on a compromise.
On the fifth day, he fixed the
bandage so that it could be
lifted slightly. That quick peek,
at the world around me, was
the most thrilling, the most ex-
citing experience that I have
ever known.

They did not remove the in-
jured eye, although I cannot
see out of it. Maybe future de-

velopments in eye surgery will
help me to get some vision back
in my injured eye.

Only One Eye

I was told that I had better
reconcile myself to working
with only one eye. A fellow
can always hope. In the mean-
time, I am sure of one thing—
nothing will induce me to risk
injury to my good eye.

I will do everything in my
power to ensure the protection
of the sight remaining to me.

Believe me, I know what it is
all about. Those four days of
absolute blackness gave me

plenty of time and cause to
think.

Learned My Lesson

T have learned my lesson the
hard way, I have written this
letter in the hope that the mes-
sage I have endeavored to put
across will benefit you — my
fellow workers.

My advice to you is—

WEAR EYE PROTECTION

ALL THE TIME—
NOT SOMETIMES!
George F. Osborne

SAFETY DIRECTORS Fred Wade (left) of the Northern Interior Lumbermen’s Association and Jack
Holst of Local 1-424, IWA, study plans of the Safety Program of Local 1- 424, in the Local Union

office.

SAFE HOLIDAY RULES

Here are some of the rules that spell out a safe holiday
season for you (and they’re a good bet to keep you alive

the rest of the year, too) :

If You’re Driving

@ Slow down in bad weather and
adjust your driving to condi-
tions at all times.

@ Remember, darkness doubles
danger. Slow down at sundown.

@ Dim your lights on the high-
way even though an oncoming
driver fails to dim his, Keep
control of your car by looking
at the right shoulder of the
highway.

@ Yield the right-of-way to pe-

destrians in crosswalks. Don’t
pass a car that has stopped to
permit a pedestrian to cross

© Stay on your side of ‘the road
at intersections, grade cross-
ings, no passing zones, and on
hills and curves where the view
ahead is not clear.

© Follow other vehicles at a safe
distance. Allow at least one
car length for every 10 miles
of speed.
If You’re a Pedestrian

@ Obey traffic signals and signs.

@ Cross at intersections only!

the street. Watch for the green |.

light (or “walk” sign) or for
a gap in traffic if an intersec-
tion has no traffic signal.

must walk in the roadway, | *

walk on the left facing traffic.

i ee

industry, the sincere:y
Season may be joyou
cheer, and that the! N
them health, happin
throughout. ¥

We bring to reme
where death or crippli
grief and sorrow. We :
ings, with deep sympa

In the past year, :
the j joy and happiness'{
being is justly entitled
a worker’s home wher
ing ability is desinellce
have also learned tha
deavor may enhance:
by the elimination off n

We intend to prev
Season's Greetings k.
anew to the great’ cal
dustry a safe place in

Unless we a
of our fellow-work
blighted through caus
power to prevent.

Our message fo t
a message of good |w

which should stir all e
safety action.

1, Well — OFF
ae et Pow /