Increase In Industrial Accidents Causes Authorities Concern

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23366, 23 September 1950, Page 8

Increase In Industrial Accidents Causes Authorities Concern

(Special) WELLINGTON, Sept. 22. Industrial stoppages during the year totalled 113, compared with 112 in the preceding 12 months, states the annual report of the Department of Labour ’and Employment. They were localised and mostly of very short duration. A number were merely unauthorised ston-work meetings. The report comments that the Industrial accident rate in New Zealand is far from satisfactory. Despite this fact little attention seemed to be devoted to the problem by the average employer in industry, a state of affairs which could be largely attributed to a lack of appreciation of the cost of accident interruptions and the extent to which they could be eliminated. This lack was. in turn, reflected in the attitude of workers, who were often insufficiently trained, took unnecessary risks and failed to use the protective equipment provided. The number of factory accidents per annum in tlie country was increasing. What was more disturbing was that the actual rale of accidents was gradually increasing.

In 1948, (315,229 calendar days were lost through industrial accidents, compared with 32,290 days lost through industrial disputes. These figures were exclusive of the mines, sea transport, and farms for which data on time lost through accidents was not available. Of the 113 industrial disputes, 5(3 occurred in the coal mining industry, 10 in meat processing, 31 concerned shipping and watersiders, two were in transport, two in engineering, three * n building and construction, while nine were scattered among oilier occupations.