WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

Is this the “Safety Policy” of the big Noranda Mines
outfit which has taken over so much of the Interior lum-
ber resources of this Province?

This was the answer of Gordon Noel, Noranda’s Mana-
ger at Oliver Sawmills to the efforts of Local 1-428 Presi-
dent and Safety Director Bill Schumaker, to protect the
lives of our people in the plant during a safety inspection.

After a year of determined but fruitless efforts to
secure the cooperation of management to eliminate the
death traps built into the production line, matters came
to a head in Oliver, when the edgerman was seriously
injured a few days ago. A new edgerman replaced him
to take his chances in the same dangerous situation.

Aware that two men could be killed at any time,
and knowing that management would again just brush
‘ aside direct representations, Brother Schumaker con-

tacted the Workmen’s Compensation Board Inspector,

Bill “Stubby” MacLean. Mr. MacLean came immedi-
* ately to the sawmill, and along with President Schuma-
ker, made a thorough inspection of the operation.

é This is what he saw:

HEAVY LUMBER COMING DOWN THE ROLLER
CASING FROM THE HEAD RIG, BECAUSE OF A
POOR KICKER SET UP, PILING UP ON THE EDGE
OF THE FEED TABLE FOR THE EDGER — MORE
LUMBER COMING DOWN THE ROLLER CASING,
DRIVING INTO THE CROSSED LUMBER LYING
THERE, AND SWINGING PLANKS AROUND ToO-
WARD THE EDGERMAN LIKE A SCYTHE.

The edger rigged up with bull saws on one side, as a
gang saw—the edger spotter standing in a square pit
about 20 feet behind the edger, like a duck in a shooting

gallery—pieces of trim picked up by these saws, shoot-
ing back at him with terrific speed.

| THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FROM MANAGE-
MENT TO THE SPOTTER: “DUCK UNDER THE

TABLE WHEN THE CANT STARTS THROUGH THE
EDGER”.

; Needless to say, Inspector MacLean, after watching a
: piece go whistling by as he was standing there, went over
+ tothe sawyer and ordered no more cants to be cut and
: put through this suicide machine.

: The Inspector saw no roof over the greenchain—this
in the “Arizona of Canada” with consistent summer
temperatures of 110 degrees F.

b Last July, men were packed off the chain with heat
_ prostration. After a four-day walkout, management
_ promised a roof.

The Manager, in a heated discussion with Safety
ector Schumaker, complained he was not made aware
these problems by the plant safety committee, and did
»t like a W.C.B. Inspector sneaking in behind his back.
was told that the problem on the feed table for the
and other hazards had been discussed at safety
ings for over a year, and the committee had received
> operation on these matters. His answer to this

U THINK YOU WERE NOT GETTING Co-

‘BEFORE, YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE
e ERATION YOU ARE GOING

William Schumaker, Local 1-423, !WA Safety Director

An Open Letter to the Management of

Noranda Mines Ltd.

Sirs:

Normal channels of communication on matters
of safety at your sawmill in Oliver appear to be
blocked. Therefore, | use this open letter to direct
your attention to a grave situation in your plant.

The events of the past year have badly shaken
the confidence of the crew with respect to your
sincerity in implementing a Safety Program at
Oliver. | take this opportunity of inviting your co-
operation in restoring that confidence. It should be
self-evident that without sincere and earnest efforts
by both Management and the man on the job, an
efficient and safe operation cannot be realized.

Force by either side can only defeat the success
of any Safety Program. However, you should
understand that if force is necessary to protect the
lives of our people, we shall use it.

It is my hope that you will accept this invitation
to sit down and plan with the Union an enterprise

in which the man on the job will be certain of re-
turning home safely after a day's work.

Yours truly,

R. C. ROSS,

Ist Vice-President & Acting Safety Director,
Regional Council No. 1,
International Woodworkers of America.