ACCIDENTS TO WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15563, 21 March 1914, Page 9

ACCIDENTS TO WORKERS

■ i ,*frsseitf~ OF; > PREVENTIONS; j LESSONS • FROM AMERICA.^ SAFEGUARDING EMPLOYEES Tiiftu!' are two • methods by which employers may meet the . problem ' set them by! the .prevalence of accidents among their workers. . One is to "establish" system of. compensation for injuries; the other is to prevent, as far as possible, the Occurrence of 'accidents. ■' ' ■ Mr. John ■ Eirby, i a member 1 of. the American Trade Commission, who has been-visiting Auckland, had some interesting remarks to ■ make 'on this subject prior to his departure -yesterday. He .said that whereas New Zealand bad gone much further than America in organising the compensation system, America had' advanced • a very long way in organising protection, of the worker against the occurrence of accidents: There was now a-.rapidly growing adoption of laws, for compensation to injured workers, and the position of the' employee was much better on'that'account, because he no longer had to fight his claims in' the.courts, with the frequent result that the. lawyers got most ,of the money., But the , employers know'that their .best, policy was not to make the recover of damages easier, but to minimise the number of.claims, "Foolproof" devices can be, found .now all oyer the United Statts, and an extensive campaign, worked by. magazine , and newspaper articles, signs, movingt pictufes, and all other available means for obtaining publicity, is, and 'has for some years: been in active operation in the' country.,' '. Hoyement in Halted'. .States. . Mr. Kirby.' prefacing his remarks by saying that the subject was. of world-wide interest, .tsaid that the manufacturers, of the United Status,, who were .in' the 'very nature of the case 'largo employers of labour, had both a ' deep -, interest. and ' a" heavy responsibility • with regard" to accident prevention. . " The movement for the prevention of- accidents,-''-'he",continued, 'that- is;now sweeping, America,, is >.a notable crusade for the reduction ■of human suffering and ,a neceteary .campaign .for the i elimination -of a great economic, waste.' The/prime causes.'of accidents, are ignorance of conditions, and-carelessness; The great majority of, accidents are preventable.. It is „the workman and., His family that ,are'chiefly-to be,-considered in this whole; matter, for. no amount of -money will • outweigh, in: value -a--single- human life.' *■-,"..*•' '-'. ".' .' - "-• ".> "But the-Vurdten upon'the "nation .which these constant^ disasters-entail is a factor which • very appreciably ■ affects 'living, conditions for all. - ..."..'-'

..,■■'•. : Losses; and • Savings. , . '< A/. conservative .esfaniate. of the . economic Joss in America through -industrial accidents," continued,.the speaker, ''.places it ?,t mQre.thaD fifty .million' pounds,eaoh year. .With tb»/*»nijersal-adoption; of "a well-developed policy, looking 'to the,prevention of industrial accidents, we believe that ■ 50. per. cent, ;. of i, them, might be avoided. This-i ( is- the. work, which the National Association^of Manufacturers-has undertaken to carry. on. This.mean a saving in the United States, each year, of about twentytbousahd Jlivfes;" the prevention each year ' of/a full • million of bodily injuries of varying degree .-and > a money saving of';£2s)ooo^o)o.'' -.' "-"'•' "•The,-' pdssJbiiities of ' accident jjrerention; are shbwn'-',by',.the 'fact'tEat the Pennsylvania Railroad' in ' 10' months, decreased. the" serious "injuries' of .'its-'32,242 shop, employees .by -oyer 63; per cent, by the installation of :safety v devic'es<and the instruction of, the workmen in exercising due caution. As the, result of its", '.'safety campaign,' the- United States' Steel. Corporation has reduced, serious fatal accidents ;■ in --its"" various, plants," %. 43J2. per 'cent, ■ since; 19(56., j('Die i normal .payroll, 'number is .200,0000 . bach year 2300 m,eh<,esc4pe,'who- would- baye been- injured under 'previous'conditions. ;'\, -~';.' 1 - , • Devices • Miking . for • ■ Safety."

' '."-The .principal .factors which, .tend'.to improve conditions; as to safety .are the installation of, mechanical 1. protwtive devices', -'proper' inspection arid- superintendence, ' improving.- the? bodily . 'health and the conditions under "which work it done, and .the "instruction of the. worker ; binjself. The workman's ,part in > the /prevention of. accidents is' exceedingly important.".' The golden rule of' the new '•American, system of. railroading , is-,: ,' It is ..better.' to cause a delay than 'to' cause, an accident;'' 'The golden motto of ; t the ' modern- • industrial pbllcy 'of accident ■prevention is:. Get rid ofithe careless habit; acquirethe safety habit: : It is better, to be'careful -than crippled.' 'For effective accident prevention 'it' pays to .look after'the little: things. The. statistics show "that .It', is "not- the big 'calamities; those "which get 'into the newspapers of the, entire country, but the isolated '■ oases, thai.have the largest influence upon' the"totals.''; ".' ' ' I / Importanccr •of / Small Accidents. - J" More men ■ are' killed' Jailing' from ladders, ' scaffolding,'- etc.;" said 'Sir. Kirby, "than in 1 any other' w;ay. More accidents 'happen on tKe 'farm's, in" proportion to the population, than .'-in -the; factories. ' The 'officials-of the Chicago - and North-Westerii Railroad found' tbst the big;' or train. accidents, such as,, collisions and 'derailments, did riot' have a 4arge 'influence, ■ relatively,,' upon the -.entire/ number of . casualties. Only one of each 13 men -that 'ware killed/' .arid' 'only- <>ne of' each' 34 men that we're, irrjpred ' was the victim of a 'big' accident, the' others were 'killed or : injured in the lesser, or ,isohlted.accidents. . ' '".<*■.' ' ■"..-■'. .The" "Safety Habit.!'': -. v ".It is the duty .of every employer";" said Mr. Kirby, "to" establish suitable working conditions tor' his employees, and to provide the .reon^it©\, safety, devices, to insist. .'proper inspection, and to do everything, within',his power : for the. development of the: 'safety habit' among his .employees- .The •■' safety ; committees' which .have 'been appointed in, a. large number >of corporations. within , the past few years are doing -much valuable work along prevention ! lines. If 'every! head of an, industrial concern ;or .an 'industrial . department' will ask himself' frequently, ' What can I. do. to further' safeguard the lives and limbs' of the- workers -under my direction?' and will earnestly '. seek the solution of the problem,: there will be 1 a wonderful imprqyetoettt :, in. safety conditions. For- while • industrial - 'education must begin , at. the* bottom, or .with the apprentice, accident : prevention may begin at both,'endsin the domain of the employer'.ami > vt. that' of .the workman as well.'" : .;.''■'■ '-'•"., : '■' " ,