THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER IN LOCAL 1-367 SAFETY OFFICERS TOUR BOSTON BAR OPERATIONS British Columbia Forest Products Sawmill and logging operations at Boston Bar were the scene of a safety tour by Max Salter, I.W.A. Regional Director of Health and Safety, in company with Local 1-367 Safety Director Gordon Clay- pool. The sawmill has under- gone extensive modification under the new ownership of B.C. Forest Products. Among the changes in the sawmill is the Irvington-Moore automatic trimmers. This unit features electronic controls and computerized elements. An important safety factor involves the noise reduction poy eT i 2 nee ae ae f | | | ee Iti isa sibcking fhattonent’ on Canadians’ concern for oc- cupational and environmental safety that we don’t even know yet whether exposure to radia- tion in uranium mines is the certain cause of cancer and aren’t pushing ahead to find out, former royal com- missioner James Ham said. Ham, professor of engineer- ing at the University of Toronto who recently served as a one- man royal commission investi- gation into health and safety in Ontario mines, told a confer- ence on hazards in the work- place that failure to determine the facts surrounding some occupational risks means ‘‘our system is irresponsible.” The uncertainty about whether radiation or rock dust enclosure which was engi- neered at the manufacturing plant, to reduce noise level output from the multiplicity of high-speed saws. (See picture No. 1). In the logging area gravelling of logging roads in the Anderson River area also received new approaches, such as the Volvo gravel transporter which adapts well to the road system and presents less traffic interference on multi- use road connections. (See picture No. 2). To meet the requirements of first aid regulations, a new well-equipped ambulance is CANADIAN DOCTORS SCORED ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH RECORD was he. seal cause of the epi- demic of lung cancer among Elliot Lake miners is perhaps the best proof of our lack of sin- cerity about the well being of working people, he said. - “Pm aware of significant opinion in the industry that the excessive lung cancer deaths were not primarily due to radiation. If that’s so, it’s time some one did the epidemi- ological studies to answer that question once and for all,’ Ham said. “Tf we are to meet the public unrest about nuclear power we can’t leave unanswered. this question of whether the deaths in uranium mines are due to radiation. It is shocking that this doubt exists umong us.”’ Ham, whose report on condi- tions in the mines sparked On- "SKATEBOARD INJURIES | PREDICTED TO DOUBLE Eee seg ‘a ‘will be ‘pice riding skateboards this year than playing = scholastic, collegiate and backyard foot- ball, a new U.S, study says. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates $75,000 people will be injured in _ skateboard accidents: in the US. in 1977, compared with ate 370,000 in all the non- essional football games in cts that the number of board injuries will be ethan double last year’s po based on the study sides in the US., Rear with 20 million skateboarders. Kitzes said that more than 25 per cent of all skateboard acci- dents occur the first day of use. He said the report shows that only two per cent of the injuries result from defects in the skateboards. Most injuries come from skaters’ inexperience or such problems as potholes. About 40 per cent of those hurt go to hospital emergency rooms, he said. Of those treated, 30 per cent break an arm or leg and 24 per cent have cuts and bruises, while strains and sprains account for 18 per cent. _ The commission previously stationed at the sawmill site to serve the needs of the work force. The unit is co-ordinated with other local service for use in serious highway accidents, not uncommon to the area. (See picture No. 3). A report on the safety condi- tions found in the area, were presented at a meeting of crew and committee members in the commumity hall, between shifts. (See picture No. 5) Local Safety Director (L. front) Gordon Claypool and Business Agent Mike Campbell are attentive in the discussions on safety conditions. femolg. proposed: new occupa- tional health and safety act, said the time has come for complete openness about risks in the work place and for giv- ing workers a say in determin- ing what risks are acceptable and what are not. “Those on whom the risks are imposed have the right to determine whether the risks are acceptable,”’ he said. Ham argued that working com- munities will be far more satisfied if they are getting justice, if they help set envi- ronmental standards on the job rather than geiting ‘‘a magical formula handed down from some government agency.” The conference, which was sponsored by Corpus Research, an industrial re- search company, and the Sci- ence Council of Canada, at- tracted 250 government, medi- cal, academic and business representatives. Dr. D. V. Bates, chairman of the science council’s study on policies and poisons, said Canadian industry desperately needs ‘‘a structured early warning system’’ — some sort of central data-gathering agency which would de- tect industrial hazards before they become epidemics. Bates said Canadian doctors have a record in occupational health ‘‘that is less than distin- guished.” “Where was the medical profession when the uranium mines began operation. Hadn’t they read the medical texts which clearly indicated the danger?”’ he asked. . LIGHTER SIDE Mixed emotions: Watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new car. E Pt a & - INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS - KILLED 1,000 IN 1976 | Occupational accidents killed almost 1,000 Canadian workers in 1976. There were more than one million injuries, costing almost $800 million. This is about $35 per year for every man, woman and child in Canada. These staggering figures and their effects will be discussed at the Conference On Protec- tive Equipment (COPE ’78) to be held at the Skyline Hotel in } aes swt as oe lanaide et RE Sad Toronto on January 23, 24 and © 25, 1978. Safety specialists and de- cision makers from across Canada will participate in COPE and discuss means to reduce the number of oc-- cupational injuries in all indus- tries. Several provincial cabi- net ministers: will join key rep- resentatives from industry and labour at the ii is os to