: R, 1978 Editor’s note: The following is he report of Regional Safety Director Verna Ledger to the 29th IWA Annual Conference on Safety and Health Septem- ‘ber 29, in Vancouver. _ The I.W.A. has a history of "being involved with Safety and Health, a history we can be proud of. Many I.W.A. members have participated actively for years ‘to attempt to make our Indus- “try a safer and healthier place ‘to work. _ Since 1952 four members have served in the capacity of Director of Safety for the | TO ANNUAL CONVENTION SAFETY DIRECTOR'S REPORT I.W.A. All have contributed expertly to improving the working lives of our members. As each one left us we ex- perienced a sense of loss. Brother Max Salter who re- tired from his position in August of this year will be missed. Max did a tremendous job in his role as Director of Safety and Health for Regional Council No. 1. All of us wish him well. Since being appointed to the position of Safety and Health Director in August, I have found it a busy and exciting job, and look forward to the challenges ahead. ACCIDENTS-FATALITIES Current figures available from the B.C. Workers’ _ Compensation Board report 43 woodworkers killed during the first 8 months of 1978 and a substantial increase in work- caused injuries. The philosophy that these types of statistics are ’ inevitable in an industry rated as hazardous as the forest in- » dustry, is no longer acceptable or believable. Methods exist for correcting 90% of the un- _ safe conditions, if industry was forced to comply. Other condi- tions which contribute to work- caused injuries and disease such as lack of training and _ work-environment induced | stress could be virtually » eliminated as well, if em- ‘ployers were committed to ‘ g with the union in eveloping and participating _ The move is on — J.B. Para- ‘dis, Vice Chairman of the B.C. Workers’ Compensation Board ated at the 1977 Annual "LW.A. Safety Conference, _“Workers’ concerns in Occu- ational Health have exploded the past year’. He noted the ndustrial Hygiene Depart- nt of the Board had been ombarded with requests for inspections and information, which they were ill-equipped ‘and too short staffed to com- ‘pletely satisfy. _ His statements reflected “only the minimum of concern Which is directed to a depart- nt most unions realize is in- adequate. The whole question directed at Local ions and the Region, is immense in proportion. Workers newly alerted by blicity on health hazards in place, have suddenly me vitally concerned substances and of occupational health which las been actively in Programs designed to correct these conditions. Tragically the toll of fatalities continues in the forest industry so we cannot forget in our struggle for new and varying solutions to prob- lems of health and safety, that the basic philosophy of educa- tion and training must never become less of a priority. In the whole direction of Safety across North America, the I.W.A. has been a leader. We have had programs calling for action by Committees to provide safer work environ- ments and have ensured they were implemented and en- forced. The requirements now are to provide leadership in the area of Occupational Health as well. We have to know how danger- ous our work is to our Health. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH in permanent damage to our health or even death. All at once occupational health has become a priority with the rank-in-file member. It is obvious wages do not mean everything these days; as workers, we know pay raises gained today will be eaten up by inflation in a few short months. Our concerns therefore are developing in the areas of more leisure time, early retirement and the health to enjoy both. : This is not a concern unique to our Region, labour groups all over Canada are being propelled by their members into taking action in the area of occupational health. The Ontario Federation of Labour held a major conference on occupational health em- phasizing Industrial Pollution On The Job And The Harmful Effects. The C.L.C. has hired a full time Occupational Health and Safety Officer and the B.C. Federation has hired a_ full time Director of Occupational Health and Safety. , a SAFETY PAGE The fact is that unions across North America are really beginning to understand the long hard road ahead in prov- iding workers with the am- munition to protect themselves in the work place. Research: It is imperative that the demand formulated and presented in the 1977 negotia- tions for a Research Fund for Health and Safety again be in- cluded in the 1979 negotiations and made a priority. While industry failed to recognize in 1977 that the funding for such a program is their respon- sibility, with further prepara- tion and involvement of our members, we know it can be- come a reality in 1979. Studies on Chain Saw Vibra- tions Related to Raynaud’s Phenomenon: A group of researchers from U.B.C. Department of Health Care and Epidemiology have recently applied to the Federal Government for funds to con- duct a survey of loggers in relationship to vibration in- duced white finger, medically known as Raynaud’s Phenomenon. The proposed study would likely involve a group who regularly use vi- brating hand-held tools (chain Saws) and comparing them with a “control group’’ who do not. They may also study a third goup of workers who use hand-held vibrating tools but who are exposed to warmer climatic conditions, since there remains some doubt whether both elements of cold and vi- bration are required to induce vibration White Finger. The proposal for this re- search has received support of the I.W.A. Proposed Study on Penta- chlorophenol and Other Wood Preservatives: THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER A group of researchers from the University of Washington, recently met with officers of the International and Regional representatives in Occupation- al Héalth and Safety to discuss their proposal for a study of workers exposed to wood preservatives used in the forest industry. If funding is obtained it is possible that the study may be conducted in the lower mainland area of B.C. because of the number of workers required to make an accurate assessment. It is imperative we begin to know the health hazards we are exposed to, sO we can determine the solutions. Dr. Jeanne Stellman, Chief of the Division of Occupational Health and Toxicology, Ameri- - can Health Foundation, and author of the book ‘‘Work Is Dangerous To Your Health’, was invited to B.C. by the B.C. Fed. Occupational Health and Safety Committee to partici- pate in seminars, tours and meetings for B.C. unions. The C.L.C. Labour Education and Studies Centre sponsored the month-long visit by Dr. Stell- men. iz The I.W.A. Regional Safety Council Officers and Local Union Safety Directors were fortunate to meet with Dr. Stellman on August 25th to dis- cuss the health hazards in the woodworking industry. Dr. Stellman also toured two mills — Hammond Cedar in Local 1- 367 and Canfor P.—H. in Local 1-357 to observe some of these health hazards first hand. In later discussions at Local Union Safety Council Meetings Dr. Stellman, quoting from her book, said, “‘Each day workers enter a battlefield, but they fight no foreign enemy and conquer no lands. No borders are.in dispute. The war they are fighting is against the poisonous chemicals they work with and the working condi- tions that place serious mental and physical stress upon them. The battlefield is the work- place, and the casualties of this war are higher than those of any other in the nation’s his- tory’. Dr. Stellman urged I.W.A. members to continue to strive through education, legislation and negotiations to gain protection for their health and safety. ERGONOMICS Since attending the first International Safety Con- ference in Seattle during April, 1978, many of our. members have adopted the ideas put for- ward there. The theme of the Conference ‘‘Ergonomics”’ dealt with the total work en- vironment picture, including not only chemical and physical stresses, but the psychological stresses such as_ boredom, fatigue and job satisfaction. Members have recognized that solving one problem, such as noise abatement on a particular machine, may only create other problems (i.e. heat, poor ventilation). It is sensible then to consider the total concept of the effects of the workplace on the worker, including the psychological stress factors and attempt to improve them all. CANADIAN CENTRE — Legislation authorizing a Canadian Centre for Oc- cupational Health and Safety has passed the Federal House. A site close to a university and heavy industry will be chosen this Fall and the Centre will likely swing into operation early in 1979. It is therefore a reality, a centre for Occupational Health and Safety paid for by the tax- payers of Canada, will be built. It is up to labour to ensure that the Centre will serve the work- ing people of Canada. The Centre should be established not only to initiate research into Occuption health hazards and act as a resource for up-to-date information on health and safety, but also to develop standards to prohibit, the import, manufacture and use of any injurious substance or hazardous equipment or material. COMPENSATION BOARD Reports by Local Unions indicate increasing numbers of claims which must be process- ed. Many of these related to. Policy questions on Industrial Disease, yet to. be determined by the B.C. Compensation Board. The I.W.A.’s position must be that the Board and the employer have a responsibility to the victims of industrial dis- ease, to provide compensation covering loss of earnings, loss of function, loss of job benefits and all phases of rehabilitation and location. An obvious need exists for Local Unions to co-ordinate and exchange information on claims problems to enable us to determine where problems exist and to define problems that are developing. Meetings of the Advisory Committee on Industrial First Aid Regulations were held on July 25 and 26 to discuss the first draft amendments to the regulations. Only two union representatives were present at these meetings — Brother Bruce Elphinstone, represent- ing the B.C. Fed. and Sister Ledger, representing the I.W.A. It was obvious from the begifning that the Board was intent on rushing the first draft amendments through in spite of protests from the union rep- resentatives. Second draft mm b¢ Preliminary examination of the proposed ~ amendments have uncovered some real problems. It seems obvious the proposals are for considerably reduced Stand- ards for Industrial First Aid coverage. Most I.W.A. Locals in B are seeking the input of ioe First Aid people to enable them See “REPORT” page 10 < ee ee