See CE ee

Fees es

ENT?

By BOB ROSS, Acting Safety Director
a The dictionary defines the word accident as “an unforseen
incident.”

LEW TOMLINSON‘S DEATH WAS FORESEEN AND INEVITABLE.

se coroner’s jury met and found the following verdict:

The deceased came to his death at approximately 2:20 p.m.,
on September 10, 1962, at a site approximately 7 miles South-
East of Williams Logging Company Limited, South Bentinck Camp,
near the South boundary of Lot 46 Cr 2, in the Province of B.C.

The nature of the deceased‘s death was, in our opinion acci-
dental with no blame attached to anyone.

The deceased apparently decided to leave the yarder seat
after seeing a cedar had been dislodged from the cold deck pile.
The log, after being dislodged, headed in the general direction of
the yarder, which was placed approximately 200 feet downhill
from the cold deck pile, and slightly to the left of said pile, struck
a stump some 50 feet uphill from the yarder, and veered towards
the machine. The log struck the dceased who had left the yarder,
carried the deceased approximately 125 feet downhill and in do-
ing so three serious injuries were incurred, any one of which could
have caused his death.

We, the Jury, recommend that when yarders are being op-
erated in dangerous locations, a clear pathway to a safe location
be maintained. In particular, the operator's side of the machine
be kept clear of all debris.” .

This sounds like a simple accident. The r ndation
seems sensible. Not so! Let us examine what really happened:

A time bomb with the clock set for one month hence was
planted in Williams Logging Company, an isolated operation for
up the Coast. Around the first of August an old yarder with a worn
out sled was moved into the setting.

The sidehill was very steep. The machine was moved directly
into the “line of fire’ of run-away logs. Apparently, the sled on
which the yarder had to move over the ground was in such bad
shape that to move the machine to either side of the “line of fire’’
was impossible without expensive repairs.

Management evidently decided to risk the life of the engin- |

eer who was to operate this machine and hope for the best.

The clock in the bomb started to tick:

“Ernie,” the first engineer, heard it — he quit, rather than
listen to it.

“LORNE” “WENT DOWN THE ROAD.” HE HEARD AND KNEW
ITS SIGNIFICANCE. ; ;

“Earl refused to stay on the yarder and was given a frans-
fer to another machine.

On August 21st the Safety Committee met and reported to
the Workmen’s Compensation Board that everything in camp
was safe.

“Dan” and “George”, his chaser, worked on the machine for half a day.
They quite on September 4th. .

Finally, Lew Tomlinson, Hook and Rig on the fatal machine, took over. His
young family was in camp. He hadn't the money to quit and move.

On September 12, at 2:20 pm. the bomb exploded. Lew was killed.

WHAT IS THE TERRIBLE LESSON HERE?

The Coroner’s Jury learned nothing:

“We, the Jury, recommend that when yarders are being operated in DANG-
EROUS LOCATIONS, a CLEAR PATHWAY TO A SAFE LOCATION BE MAINTAINED.
In particular, the operator's side of the machine be kept clear of all debris.”

Their recommendation says in effect that if you face a loaded gun directly
you should clear an escape path and then try to outrun the bullet.

No one thought of unloading the gun.

@ What about Ernie, Lorne, Earl, Dan and George? Should they have quit
the machine or should. they have stayed in camp and refused to let the death ma-

chine operate? 7
@ What about the Safety Committee? Should they have shut down the
machine? Should they have telephoned the Local Union and the Workmen’s Com-
pensation Board what they knew? ,
@ What about the owner, Williams? Did he have the right to demand the

+2 life of an employee in the face of the knowledge that six men had quit rather than
pay his price?

The answers to these questions are too obvious to list.
The lessons are sharp and definite:

@ COMMUNICATE — all safety problems with your Camp Grievance Com-
Local Union and the Workmen’s Compensation Board. Don’t confine
“beefs” to the bunkhouse.

REFUSE — to work under unsafe. conditions.

INSIST that the Safety Programme in your camp becomes a “live” issue.
THERE MAY BE A TIME BOMB IN YOUR OPERATION! . . . FIND IT AND

ARM ITE

WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER.

its po ae,
ACTING SAFETY DIRECTOR BOB ROSS
. is there a time bomb in your operation?

Be
ARTIST'S SKERGH™

(} T (OF ACCIDENT
A SCE

+F re ‘5

ae oe je
) eae - -