IWA THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER > SAFETY PAGE ! { | CLOSER STUDY NEEDED AS INDUSTRY ACCIDENTS SHOW | SAFETY PROGRAM NOT WORKING By ANDY SMITH Regional Safety Director With the lack of progress made in action prevention during 1971 and with the number of ‘serious accidents and fatalities so far in 1972 it . is apparent that safety pro- grams are not working. With the new Accident Pre- vention Regulations of the Workmen’s Compensation Board May Ist, many of the regulations are improvements over the old ones. I suggest that everyone avail themselves of a copy of the new regulations and study the particular sections that af- fect their job. ‘The policy of the IWA in matters of safety is.well known and adequately covered in the Regional Safety Policy booklet for the information of all. The Regional Safety Coun- cil Executive recommended to - the Regional Executive Board which concurred in -the’ fol- lowing: Job Satety Programs and guide lines for Local Unions for Job Safety Analysis and/ or Training Programs; Job Safety Training Pro- grams. It is recognized in our in- dustry that safety of the work- ers is of paramount import- ance and that the operations with good safety records have good and economical produc- tion, and bad record opera- tions have poor production. Many workers severely in- jured are unable to return to gainful employment which creates a terrific economic loss to our country and in some in- stances the break-up of a home. Let us all rededicate our- selves to the task of eliminat- ing accidents and fatalities. ‘With that in view, the ex- ecutive of the Regional Safety Council recommended to the Regional Executive Board that every consideration be given to the addition of a further section to Article XXI, Accident Prevention of the Master Agreement and that the following points be a con- tractual demand in the next negotiations in the various areas, i.e., Coast, Southern Interior, Northern Interior, and. Independents: 1. That a Safety Training Program be established and implemented in individual op- erations in conjunction with the Local Union involved. 2. That this training pro- gram shall incorporate the fol- lowing points: (a) All new employees shall get pre - employment NoW... NIP OFF TH’ BRANCH! safety induction; said in- duction procedure shall be as agreed upon by the Local Unions and the in- dividual companies. (b) A review of all job safety procedures shall be made at least annually. (c) ring to new jobs with change of equipment or new procedures shall re- ceive safety instruction on that job as if they were new employees. (d) All job training pro- grams negotiated in the industry shall contain provisions to incorporate proper safety training to ensure that the safety training is of equal im- portance as job training. That violations by the employers of any of the provisions of the safety training program agreed upon shall be subject to grievance procedure as outlined in the Master Agreements. The foregoing shall apply to all contractors and sub- contractors. (f) 1. This program shall not be construed for use as a job analysis. 2. This program is intended to be strictly a job safety an- alysis to concern itself with hazards, unsafe work prac- tices, unguarded machinery, etc. 3. All job safety programs shall incorporate the follow- ing points: | (a) All employees shall be instructed by competent instructors. (6) Instruction shall include hazards in the plant as a whole, hazards in the in- dividual workman’s area to himself, and to others. (c) Correct working proced- ure. (d) Safety responsibility. (e) Pertinent facts regarding Workmen’s Compensation regulations. (f) First aid attendance, lo- cation and facilities. (g) The importance of safety committees in the field of accident prevention through joint consultation and the importance of each employee to support their accident prevention committee members. We recommended that all employees be given a job safety analysis once a year as set out previously. Wherever possible Local Unions should endeavour to have plant safety rallies and group meetings where all employees are ex- posed to discussion by com- petent safety people from the Union and others. These ral- ‘lies shall be held during work- ing hours. All employees transfer- LOCAL 1-417 IWA member Les Lawless (right) employed at Weyerhaeuser’s B.C.1. Division in Kamloops, receives from Local Safety Direcfor and 2nd Vice-President Jack Kerssens, the Safety Shield awarded annually by the Local to opera- tions setting best safety record. AND WE THINK OUR LAWS ARE TOUGH Many countries frown on drivers who drink; some countries frown so hard it hurts. For example, the Saskatchewan Safety Council says that in Australia the names of drinking drivers are published in local newspapers under the headline, ‘‘He’s drunk and in jail.” In Malaya, a drunk driver is jailed, and if he’s married his wife goes with him. In South Africa the driver is given a 10 year prison sentence, a fine of $2,800 or both. In Turkey drunk drivers are taken 20 miles into the country by police and forced to walk back under escort. There are no repeaters in friendly San Salvador, where convicted drunk drivers are executed by firing squad. THE BREADWINNERS ~ a new colour safety film produced by the Workmen’s Compensation Board WCB FILM of British Columbia TOPS IN DOCUMENTARIES A British Columbia pro- duced film has been awarded first place in the documentary section of the United States Industrial Film Festival in Chicago. , “The Breadwinners,” a half- hour industrial safety film produced for the Workmen’s Compensation Board, tells the story of a seriously injured workman, his months of re- covery and treatment, and finally, his return to work as a productive person. It was chosen over 150 other entries in the docu- mentary class to receive a “gold camera award.” The festival has attracted 550 entries from 15 nations. The Breadwinners was pro- duced for the WCB by Van- couver’s Canawest Film Pro- ductions Ltd., under the direc- tion of Canadian director Ken Jubenvill. This award marks the third consecutive year that a Canawest Film has won a gold award at this festival. “The film will be of great assistance in the WCB’s safety education program,” Cyril White, Q.C., WCB chairman, said. “We offer our congratu- lations and appreciation to all the talented B.C. people who made this film possible.” Musical score for the film was composed by a Vancouver firm, Griffiths, Gibson Pro- ductions and performed by B.C. artists. ~