In some areas the “Madison Avenue boys”
have taken over direction of Safety Programmes
with curious and often fatal results. These
experts argue that Safety can be “sold” like
Wheaties or underarm deodorants.

® Little green trading stamps — yes — the kind
you get at your supermarket - one for each
specified period of non-compensible injury.

® Safety bonuses of X cents per hour or X cents
per piece of production — again payable for
compensation-free periods.

@ The weekly or monthly beer bash for the de-
partment with the fewest lost-time acci-
dents.

Many more variants of the same theme.

Our experience shows that these ap-
proaches are not a useful addition to any Safety
Programme. On the contrary, they prove ex-
tremely dangerous.

GIMMICKS TEND TO BECOME THE
WHOLE PROGRAMME. THEY EMERGE AS
A NEGATIVE SUBSTITUTE FOR INVOLVE-
MENT OF THE WHOLE CREW IN SAFETY
TRAINING. ice. KNOWING HOW TO WORK
SAFELY — RECOGNIZING ALL HAZARDS

ON THE JOB.

Our people are not fooled or taken in.
Somewhat cynically, they may accept the trad-
ing stamps or the bonuses or drink the free

: beer. But they know the difference.

Some companies, however, do delude

= themselves that the “spirit of competition”
' engendered by the gimmicks will produce
safe work habits. THEY DO NOT. SAFE
| WORK HABITS ARE THE RESULT OF TRAIN-
a ING ONLY. |

i

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 5 ;

SAFETY GIMMICKS

There is a strong temptation to hide small —
injuries in order to qualify for the “goodies.”
The explosive hazard situation is covered up.
Inevitably, the fatalities and serious injuries
occur.

Recognition of good solid work well done
in Safety is another matter entirely. Public
recognition by both Union and Management is
a good idea. Common sense will tell us where —
to draw the line between gimmicks and recog-
nition. oe :

The active, militant member of a plant
Safety Committee would be mighty embar-
rassed if he invited his fellow members to con-
duct a safety inspection of his home and yard.
Yet more people are killed and injured at home
than in the woods and mills. Ee

How about a Home Safety Committee:

Chairman — Pa

Secretary — Ma
Members - The Kids

The first inspection will uncover dozens of
little time bombs just waiting to explode — to
kill or maim you or your family.

Let’s look for:

The loose board

The dangerous cord on the toaster
The toys left lying around

The poor brakes on the bicycle 3
The slippery floors or steps

The lighting at back and front doors

The poisonous substances unlabelled
or within Junior’s reach.

The list is endless.

ORF wa CR ge SS ae ee ANS &,

\FETY IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS.

wae by ey