y te . AUGUST, 1973 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER a SAFETY PAGE TO REGIONAL CONVENTION SAFETY DIRECTOR’S REPORT The opening of this report calls for a brief reflection on the status of our Regional Safe- ty program. Our unfortunate loss of Andy Smith, who passed away in De- cember of 1972, created a void which seriously affected pro- gress towards the objectives set by the Fall Conference on Safety, and approved by the Regional Convention in Octo- ber, 1972. My appointment as Safety Director became effective in mid-June, so the backlog of items, together with the im- pending events of that date, dictated the need to “mark time”’ on many details in order to concentrate on the foremost essentials vital to our safety vehicle. It is intended to form a sta- tistical display for use in future reports, which will reflect the record for all phases of our woodworking industry,and co- vering the four Provinces wi- thin I.W.A. Region No. 1, ra- ther than only expressing the records developed for British Columbia. Lines of communication have been developed with the four Provincial bodies involved to obtain the necessary flow of information that will properly indicate the safety facts in a usable form and, hopefully, simple enough for us all to ab- sorb. Accident frequency sta- tistics should not only com- prise a catalogue of how and where the accident prevention records were fractured but al- so be a key to use in predicting and avoiding recurrence of bad planning, poor work habits and, in many areas, a miser- able attitude regarding a meaningful Safety Program. ACTIVITIES The latter half of July and the early part of August was employed to make a cross- sectional examination of some operations in the Lower In- terior in the East Kootenays, and largely in Northern Manitoba, as well as several key locations in Northern Sas- katchewan and Alberta. Union officials and establish- ed Safety Committees are, in ral, working hard in the tersts of Safety and there are areas in Manitoba where our assistance to the Local Officers concerned resulted in the formation or rebirth of func- tioning Safety Committees. In that same area we found much in safety work to be one of the dominant ents in the high ac- ‘cident rate, where that cir- . In several discover that the W.C.B. _ders’’, places we found that Management was _ obviously eager for assistance and were most co-operative in arrange- ments for inspection tours and mass safety meetings of the crew, during working hours. It was disappointing to in- spection department in Nor- thern Manitoba must be seriously understaffed, and we found a low degree of qualified experience existed as well, which indicates the need for increased and improved Safety Education. The woodworking industry is blossoming in the area, and further development is slated in Saskatchewan also. The area examined adjacent to Edmonton, Alberta, has developed a fairly sound ap- proach on Safety, and our examination in Southern Alberta was too cursory to develop a sound opinion at this time. The examination of selected operations in the Cranbrook area emphasized the existence of certain problem locations that strongly indicate- an im- proper safety attitude in management levels and the evidence supporting this opinion is borne out by the existence of numerous “‘or- processed by the current W.C.B. Inspectors and repeatedly _ calling for corrective measures to elimin- ate hazards. REGULATIONS A weakness in the W.C.B. inspection rules was noted in examining several cases where W.C.B. Inspectors have issued ‘‘orders’’ on poorly conditioned equipment, only to have the employer circumvent the instructions called for in the inspection order by having a Professional Engineer, employed by the same Com- pany, issue a ‘“‘fitness’’ certifi- cate which must be accepted by the Board in accordance with the Inspection regulations. We believe our Union should initiate whatever processes are necessary, immediately, to correct this situation which must frustrate the Com- pensation Board Inspectors, as it certainly does our Com- mitteemen and Local Safety Directors. We participated in the latter stages of Public Hearings conducted by the Board where Regulations covering First Aid were open to review. New Regulations will be for- thcoming in the near future we understand, and obviously the tenor of the Hearings indicate’ improvements will be issued. EDUCATION The new handbook covering practical methods and procedures in timber falling and bucking is a commendable presentation which employed colour illustrations to great advantage. We have initiated copies into the other three Provinces for examination and consideration with good reactions. initially resulting, and indications are that this form of education has a high value level, education-wise. Our summary examination in the short period at our command, certainly verifies the urgent need to initiate Safety Education training classes at all levels, as much up-grading training is required in the ranks of senior safety officials if we are to ac- complish the answer to the crying need of Job Safety Training at the worker level. Some discussions have been developed with Board officials on this subject, and it appears needful to consider the solution on Instructors’ Training, in the light of such a proposal en- dorsed by the May 1973 Cranbrook Conference. THE PROGRAM Increased activity of the Regional Safety Council and decisions in Safety Con- ferences is cheering news for Safety. The building of a Safety Council in Local 1-85, Port Alberni, recently is taken as an indication of increased interest to promote and preserve safety, The Locals having taken this step are to be commended highly and we urge other Local Unions members to press in a similar direction as the important “next step’’ in furthering safety education. The advent of a new Chairman to the Workmen’s Compensation Board in the person of Mr. T.G. Ison, may open the way to cutting un- necessary ‘‘red tape’’ and allow for the exercise of new approaches concerning claims for the purpose of improving claims procedures to the benefit of the workers involved. THE RECORD In order to date the statistical record closer to Annual Convention time, the W.C.B. responded by providing a record of the 1973 period to July 5, 1973 for our section of the Industry, covering the reported fatalities. in those areas: In a report obtained from the W.C.B., we find that in 1972 the B.C. Logging sector suffered 52 fatalities, while 3 workers lost their lives in the Plywood, Shingle or Shake Mills. The report as at July 5, 1973 indicates that 36 workers were killed in the Logging Section, and the Sawmilling suffered 6 fatalities, while the Plywood, Shingle and Shake sections remained fatality free. Regardless of the place, the means or other details, this is an alarming leap in fatals. We considered 1972 a “rough” year with the 55 deaths and here the official record in- dicates 42 deaths with a half- year remaining, and we know of at least one additional Logging fatality not included in the record as the occurrence took place just after the W.C.B. record was obtained. This situation is dreadful and. calls for full measures to get out of a rut that is deepening month by month. The straying away from sufficient job safety training and failure to adhere to the safety rules accepted is deplorable and must be corrected without delay. In order to continue seeking and applying the answers, the Regional Safety Director will be making full use of the right to call for assistance. Respectfully submitted, Max M. Salter Regional Safety Director Sawmill Sue is usually lost in thought — it’s unfamiliar terri- tory! @ An old maid, says Kamloops Katie, is a prune who is ripe for love but never picked. @ Kamloops Katie says that most girls don’t mind sharing a man’s lot. The problem is find- ing a guy who’s got a lot. : 19) The plumber’s daughter in the Interior nudist colony was really sensitive. Every time a man whistled, her cheeks flushed. Yes dear... . yes dear.