IWA

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

SAFETY PAGE

IMPROPER “PILING” CAN KILL

By ANDY SMITH
Regional Safety Director

Every day, in some opera-
tion in the forest industry, an
accident occurs. An investiga-
tion is held, and eventually
the cause is discovered and
the facts are recorded.

One particularly serious
hazard at this time of year is
the piling of lumber in yards.
With the wet and sometimes
icy conditions that exist this
time of the year, improperly
piled lumber becomes a
double hazard for people un-
stacking it or handling it in
any way.

The two photos appearing
on this page illustrate the dif-
ference between operations in
stacking lumber. One is a very
good example and the other
a very poor and dangerous

one. Check your yards and
see what conditions exist in
them.

In all our operations we are
interested in accident preven-
tion. Whenever anyone is in-
jured, no matter how slightly,
the facts are recorded and we
take a look at what happened.
Has it happened before, and if

so, under what conditions? -

Then we must take steps to
rectify the situation. Every-
one must help. You should
know your work areas better
than anyone else in the plant.
Recall, are there any unsafe
conditions? If you think there
may be, report them immedi-
ately to the Safety Committee.
Clearing up our own condi-
tions is step one.

Let’s take another step for-
ward for safety. On the

GOOD SAFE PILING

monthly inspection tours, all
parts of the operation and all
unsafe conditions or unsafe
acts ‘should be noted. They
can then be presented and
dealt with at the regular
monthly safety meeting, to en-
sure corrective action.

Of course, if a condition ex-
ists that may lead to injury
if not corrected immediately,
immediate action must be
taken. We realize that it is
impossible for any one ‘indi-
vidual to watch all the people
all the time and this is where
the entire work force must
be enlisted to help do a better
job in preventing work in-
juries in our operations.

What I am saying is that we
need everyone involved in
our safety program. Through
each of you acting as a safety

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observer many of the unsafe
acts and unsafe conditions
which lead to accidents can
be corrected before, not after,
someone gets hurt. All too
often it is not until after the
accident that corrective action
is instituted.

The key to good accident
prevention is not just a rule
book of a program of gim-
micks — it is really using
common sense and the power:
of observation that each of us
have. As safety observers you
provide a double check, not
only for your own work area,
but throughout your entire
department. Quite often you
may notice something in an-
other person’s work area
which might be overlooked.

We are all too familiar with
the saying “familiarity breeds
contempt”, and unfortunately
this is a truism.

Another basic concept of
safety is that we should be
our brother’s keeper, but if
we each one as individuals
look after ourselves, our
brother will be quite capable
of taking care of himself.

If each and every one can
make sure that he as an in-
dividual is not going to be
involved in an accident, then
there will be no more acci-
dents. But remember that to
be successful, we need every
one of you, and everyone can
help make our safety program

_a success,

LIGHTER SIDE

A newly established used-
car dealer was negotiating his
first loan at one of the local
banks. The banker, an aus-
tere, conservative type, was
trying to impress upon him
the seriousness of borrowing
money to finance a business
venture. “This money you
wish to borrow from us is
money entrusted to us by our
depositors,” he said. “Look at
this survey. It shows bankers
at the top of the list as trust-
worthly, responsible and re-
spected people. You auto-
mobile salesmen are at the
bottom of the list.”

The car dealer scanned the
survey and nodded. Then he
looked the banker square in
the eye and retorted, “Be
that as it may. However, it
seems to me that I read in the
Bible that Jesus chased the

* * *
A Vancouver machiner y
dealer told us that his wife

doesn’t care how good looking
his secretary is — just as

long as he’s efficient.

* * *
Kamloops Katie says you
can’t judge the modern gal

by her clothes — there’s not
enough evidence!

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