4 B .C. LUMBER WORKER Len Gagnon Killed Highly popular IWA Plant Secretary and Executive Board member of Local 1-417, IWA, Len Gagnon, employed as a Millwright at the B.C. Interior Sawmill in Kamloops, was accidentally killed September 28, while repairing one of the Company’s Gang-Saws. An investigation of the accident disclosed that the victim and the Head Millwright had been attempting to repair a gang-saw. All precautions had been taken to ensure that the operating equip- ment had been shut off. Unfortun- ately, it was not possible to guard the hydraulic levers. While the Head Millwright was downstairs, one of the other work men transferring cants to the storage area accidently touched one of the hydraulic levers. This activated the lever operating the Gang-Saw roll causing it to drop and instantly kill Gagnon. The deceased started working in the Immber industry at the age of 13 Besides the offices he held in Local 1-417, IWA, he was also a member of the Kamloops Labour Council. Prior to his working in the Kamloops area, he had been very active for the Union at Penny. during the IWA 1954 strike while a shop steward at the Penny Spruce Mills. He is survived by his Dorothy and seven children, The announcement of the death of Len Gagnon came as a distinct shock to members of Local 1-417 and Local 1-424. He was held in high esteem because of his.amiable disposition and staunch loyalty to the Union under all circumstances. His numerous friends among the officers and members of the IWA throughout the province haye expressed their deep sympa- thy with the widow, Mrs. Dorothy B. Gagnon, and the surviving members of the family. wife IWA Safety Programme Praised By Atkinson “Only through a joint co-opera- tive effort with management and government, can labour combat the injuries and deaths occurring ‘on the job,” stated IWA Regional Safety Director, John T. Atkinson, when as the chief programme speaker, he addressed the Wood Products section of the National Safety Council's 47th National Safety Congress and Exposition September 19, .in Chicago. The truth of this statement, John T. asserted, is borne out bz the enviable safety record in the forest industry of British Colum- bia, following the instituting of such a safety programme there. Ten years ago, British Colum- bia’s forest industry had the worst accident record in the world. Brutal injuries and violent deaths were accepted as part of the daily work. All this has now changed. Appalled and sickened by the never-ending slaughter, the IWA without any formal agreement or clause in the contract, undertook |to participate with management and government in a joint safety programme. here were difficult problems to overcome, John admitted. The Union believed strongly that instituting a proper safety pro- gramme on the job was the legal and moral obligation of manage- ment. But the fact remained, proved by the countless on - the - job injuries and deaths, that manage ment was not assuming these responsibilities. The Union at the same time suspected the intentions of the government agency charged with enforcing the labour safety laws of the Province. Nevertheless, they realized that the proposed joint safety pro- gramme offered the only practical solution and by working together in this co-operative effort, past differences could be resolved. The results have been to instill a keen pride in everybody in the forest industry for the safety pro- gramme. \ Experiences Ager 4 years ‘A 10-ton truck erone parked on on incline wos being used to load timber onto a flat deck trick, The operator wes raising the beom slightly to make a better lending of a load, Deceated, ucting os swompet, wat between the rane cnd truck, As the operator leaned forward to ditengage the boom dog his left elbow struck the alr brcke button fn the control panel, releasing the travel beokes and permitting the erane to move forward eruthing deceated against the truck, The eroth pushed the truck away and the body fell under the erane, ‘As the work was of such short duration the emergency brake had not been sat nor the wheels chocked, The controls are keing re-designed to prevent accidental operation. WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION BOARD OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 20 yeons ACCIDENT VICTIM, Len Gagnon, killed when crushed to death by Gang-Saw rolls at the B.C. Interior Sawmill, Kamloops. A competitive spirit among the workers has also been achieved for the honour of giving their par- ticular operation the lowest acci- dent frequency record. All this is not to suggest, stated John, that the programme has not had its difficulties and disappoint- ments, But for every disappoint- ment there was the knowledge that at last an honest safety pro- gramme had been developed. In the past ten years of intensi. fied effort on the part of Union, Management and Government, the progress has been estimated at better than 70%. John concluded his speech by ing that safety officials believe record is still not good this enough. They predict, that by even greater effort in the next five years, the present record can again be reduced by another 70%. Special Xmas Delegates attending the Labour Conference section of the National Safety Council’s 47th National Safety Congress and Exposition, in their one- day session October 18, in Chicago, reviewed the progress made and formulated a new labour safety programme for the coming year. A rising membership during 1959 made reorganization of the staff necessary for greater service and coverage. This membership also necessitated larger repre- sentation on the board of directors, Extensive Programme An extensive programme of highway, home and job safety was planned by the delegates, with labour providing the leadership, inspiration and finances, to carry the project out. A Labour Manual for the guid- ance and direction of union safety officials is being compiled and will he available later in the year. Agere ‘Cnteree Project Planned At Conference It was proposed by the dele- gates as a special project that the unions, in co-operation with the churches and other interested parties, plan an all-out safety pro- gramme for the Christmas Season. One of the highlights of the Conference was the report made by George Brown, Executive Secretary of the AFL-CIO Stand- ing Committee. on safety and occupational health. His report was based on the resolution pre- sented to the AFL-CIO Conven- tion in San Francisco, and which was subsequently passed by the delegates by an overwhelming majority. In the elections held later in the day, A. E. Brown, Vice-president of the United Paperworkers and Paperworkers of America, was elected Chairman of the Labour Conference and Elwood D. Swisher, Vice-president of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, was elected Labour Conference Vice-chairman. ANTICIPA EB WORKER SHOP STEWARD USINESS AGENT British Columbia Workmen’s Com | D i TE/