WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

p

ni

———

THIRTEENTH ANNUAL IWA SAFETY C

|

SAFETY MEN EXPRESS ALARM

Reports received from Local Unions and the Acting Safety Director at the 13th Annual Regional Safety Confer- ence, September 17, Vancouver, led to the conclusion by IWA delegates in attendance that active measures will be necessary to repair weaknesses in the lumber industry’s safety program.

The information that thirty-three fatalities had occurred in the first seven months of 1962 led to a Local by Local sur- vey of changing conditions which affect the accident frequency

rate.

The consideration of 25 re- solutions and recommenda- tions by a conference repre- sentative of IWA Local Unions and all sections of the industry revealed widespread concern that at many points management had failed to meet its responsibilities to- ward safety.

In an analysis of the pro- gram, Chief Inspector Arthur Francis, Workmen’s Compen- sation Board admitted that in spite of improvements, too

many accidents had occurred. ' The lumber industry, which had one of the best records in the world, due in a large mea- sure to IWA cooperation, was now suffering accidents which experience should have elim- inated. “We are not as effec- tive.as we think we are,” he said,

With reference to enforce- ment of safety regulations by the Board, he said, “Manage- ment must do its own job, not the Board. It is the responsi- bility of management to run a safe show,” he stated. “Ac- cidents are errors in the pro- duction system.”

Among the resolutions re- commended to the Regional Convention and adopted was one which condenmed the practice of returning work- men to work before they have fully recovered from injuries.

It was requested that repre- sentations be made to the Commission of Inquiry by the Union to the effect that:

No workman be allowed to return to work without writ-

ten permission from his at-

tending physician in consult-—

ation with the Board, and that such permission should stipu-

@ That the practice of re- turning partially injured workmen to “light duty” be generally denounced.

@ That compensation be granted for back strain in- curred on the job.

@ That WCB Inspectors be accompanied by an elected Union representative when making any inspection of an operation.

@ That the Union demand acceptance of the principle that two men should be work- ing together at all times.

@ That greater attention be given by the Board to the recommendations of Coron- ers’ Juries.

@ That representatives of Local Unions be given repre- sentation during submission to the Board of amendments to the accident prevention regulations.

@ That additional inspec-

tors be appointed by the WCB. ©

It was further recommend- ed by the Safety Conference and approved by the conven- tion:

@ That the Officers of the Regional Safety Conference and the Safety Director draft a revised Safety Policy State- ment for consideration by the

Safety Conference, February, 1963.

@ That the Regional Safe- ty Director shall be an auto- matically accredited delegate to the Regional Safety Con- ference.

Safety Officers Elected

Nominations made by the Re- gional Safety Conference, Sep- tember 17 and submitted to the Regional Convention resulted in the election of the following of- ficers of the Regional Safety Conference:

Chairman—Gil Ingram, Local 1-85.

Ist Vice-Chairman—Ross Davis, Local 1-80.

2nd Vice-Chairman — Norman

— Martha Goddard,

Grave concern over the drastic increase in industry fatalities for 1962, was

expressed by the acting Regional Safety Director in his report to the Annual Safety Conference and 25th Annual Convention of Regional Council No. 1.

The following is the Director’s Report in full:

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

“As | stand here before you in the capacity of acting Safety Director of the IWA, ‘I cannot help but think of the tremendous contribution which John T. At- kinson made fo the Safety Programme of this organization. Simply put, he gave his whole life to the Union. We cannot replace the distinctive colour which he

brought to his work, but we can and we must carry forward that programme to which he gave so much. ;

In reviewing the reports given to the Safety Conferences and to the Conven- tions, | saw that each year the Safety Director was able to express satisfaction

over the improvements made in our efforts to ensue that our people worked safely on the job.

He was in a position to note to last year’s Convention, and | quote: ‘It is a pleasure to me to report to you that last year we had our best year in accident prevention. Last year there were fewer people killed and fewer people hurt than there has been in the history of the industry.’

Today, | cannot say this to you. With the exception of the shingle mills, the decline in accident frequency rates throughout the industry in British Columbia has been frustratingly slow. The accident severity picture is alarming. Thirty-three people were killed in the first seven months of 1962. Should this trend continue for the remainder of the year, we shall have achieved a new and horrible record — the highest number of fatalities in the past ten years.”

One statistic stands out. Fourteen fallers and buckers were killed in the first seven months of 1962 — 38 percent of the total.

(Since these statistics were compiled, 7 more fatalities have occurred in the logging camps.)

This despite the fact that each year the percentage of fallers and buckers engaged in woods operations has been reduced.

There have been some bright spots this year in both woods and mill, in which dedicated, hard-working Safety Commitiee members have had the co-operation. of both our members on the job and of management. These few operations have worked the year without injury to our p2ople.

Your officers feel that there is an urgent need now for a closer tie between those engaged in promoting safety on the job and the top officers in the Regional and Local administrations, in order that the full weight and power of this or- ganization may be thrown behind a great step forward in Safety.

Employer preoccupation with increased productivity, without regard to the hazards of speed-up, must be overcome. Any indifference on the part of our mem- bers must be replaced with responsibility and enthusiasm.

Our Regional Safety Policy must be reviewed with two thoughts in mind: -

First, that the careful separation of safety issues from other Labour/Manage- ment issues may have to be re-examined. It is evident now that the co-operation which we had anticipated from some management has become mere lip service. The Camp or Plant Safety Committees may have to take to the Camp or Plant Griev- ance Committees those safety problems which management refuses to resolve. These problems may have to be taken to the Local Unions and finally to the Regional Officers for negotiation with the management associations. |

In plain English, we have a fight on our hands.

; ; Secondly, our Safety Programme must be broadened. We cannot be satisfied with the elimination of, those chance events which cause injury. We must concern ourselves with those working conditions, such as speed-up and short crews which,

not suddenly but gradually, deteriorate the physical well-being of our le to the point of disablement. . : ee

To all of this | ask you to set yourselves in the coming year that our people

may live to enjoy those better wages and working conditions for which we con- stantly strive.”

R y submitted, R. C. ROSS, Acting Safety Director.