H.—ls.

In 1874 a child of ten years of age could be employed in working machinery. In 1882 the age at which a young person could work machinery was raised to twelve years, and in 1902 to fourteen years. Machines are being continually perfected to perform speedily most complicated operations, and special safety devices, often of an automatic nature and of intricate design, are essential to reduce the risk of serious accidents. The technique of safeguarding has kept pace with this development and safety engineering is now recognized as an important factor in the prevention of accidents. Most countries have now standards of safety for the protection of machinery workers. A few examples of many may be quoted to illustrate the progress that has been made, in safety requirements. The case of lifts will be mentioned first, as certain types of this class of machinery may be safely operated by the most inexperienced person. In the early days lifts were operated by hydraulic power, the lift-cage was often supported by a fibre rope, no safety grips were fitted to hold the cage in the event of the rope breaking, the cage often crept away from the floor landing if left unattended for long, and the cage-floor could only be levelled with the landing-floor with difficulty. Cross bars were generally the only means provided to prevent falls down the lift-well, and they were probably seldom used. To-day the great majority of lifts are operated by electric motors. By pressing a button after closing the lift-well gate, and only when the gate has been properly closed and locked, a passenger is transported at a predetermined speed to the desired floor landing, with the lift completely beyond the control of any one outside of it, and lands at his destination with the cage-floor level with the landingfloor. He is lifted or lowered by two or more steel wire ropes attached to the cage, and should the remote possibility occur of all the ropes breaking simultaneously, the cage is automatically prevented from falling. In addition, overspeed and other supplementary safety devices are fitted. Power-driven presses are a class of machinery which are often dangerous and a fruitful cause of accident. They cannot always be made absolutely safe, but, as an instance of what can be done, an official of the Home Government a few years ago reported that a certain owner was so confident that his small presses had been rendered practically fool-proof that he actually employed two blind girls on them. After a few months' training one of them was able to earn about 255. a week. Wood-working machinery is another class of machinery for which a very high standard of guarding is essential. Another indication of progress is the practice of some designers and manufacturers of incorporating the safety-devices in a machine during its construction. It is most difficult and sometimes impossible, especially in the case of machines requiring automatic safety-devices, to add a satisfactory safety-device to a machine after it has been made. Unfortunately, it is the case in some instances that many such machines are offered at two prices, one with and one without safety-devices. Since 1928 the Act has given an Inspector power to require machinery to be properly guarded before it is sold. Accidents. —For the year 1933-34 the numbers of machinery accidents reported were seven fatal and thirty-three non-fatal. Only accidents involving loss of life or serious bodily injury to any person are required to be reported. The number of machines inspected in the period is not definitely known, but would not be less than 65,000. The circumstances contributing to each accident are carefully investigated and any measures which are considered to be reasonable and necessary for the prevention of a recurrence of a similar accident are adopted. Notwithstanding, however, the progress that has been made in mechanical safeguarding, accidents continue to occur. The majority of present-day accidents are due to failure of the human factor —for instance, to such failings as inattention, lack of skill or experience, unfit physical condition, ignorance of safety practices, or disobedience of safety instructions. Far too many accidents occur through workers approaching moving machinery normally out of reach. If more interest were taken by employers and workers in the prevention of accidents due to human fallibility, an improvement in the accident rate could be made. In this connection the following resolution adopted in 1928 by the International Labour Conference held at Geneva, and fully supported by British employers and workers, is of interest: " The Conference is of the opinion that the time has come to attempt to reach a higher standard of safety by the development of new methods, and believes that the greatest advance can be made on the lines of the movement which has received the name of the ' Safety First' movement, and which applies in its application to industry—(l) The recognition of accident prevention as an essential part of the organization of the works ; (2) common interest and endeavour on the part of employers and workers in the individual works in seeking to promote a higher standard of safety." Steps to encourage the formation of safety organizations in Great Britain have already been taken by the Home Office. Space will not permit further information being given here. Administration. —To the Parliament of 1874 is due the credit of taking the first steps in accidentprevention work in New Zealand. From 1874 to 1880 the Inspection of Machinery Act was administered by the Minister of Public Works ; from 1880 to 1892 it was under the control of the combined Departments of Marine and Customs ; from 1893 to 1898 it was again transferred to the Public Works Department; from 1899 to 1901 it was again controlled by the combined Departments of Customs and Marine ; from 1902 to 1914, the Inspection of Machinery Department had a separate identity ; and since 1914 it has been under the control of the Minister of Marine. Inspectors of Machinery have always held the dual positions of Inspectors of Machinery and Surveyors of Ships.

12