H—ls

Plans of all new boilers, air-receivers, and other unfired pressure vessels, and of new cranes and lifts, have been examined during the year, including the plans of a 175-ton 'crane to be built in the United Kingdom for the Lake Tekapo Power-station. Accidents reported during the year ended 31st March, 1946, arising from boilers,, cranes, lifts, hoists, and general machinery inspected by the Inspection of Machinery Branch number 114, of which 7 were fatal. The circumstances attending every reported accident, fatal and non-fatal, were investigated by the Department to determine the cause of the accident and to devise means of preventings it repetition. Improvements have been effected in the mechanical guarding wherever practicable and in the removal or mitigation of mechanical hazards likely to cause accidents. Attention is being actively given by the Inspectors of Machinery to the education of machine owners and users in the practice of " safety first " principles by the vigorous pursuance of the safety poster campaign instituted in 1944 and by the efforts of Inspectors of Machinery in personal discussion of safety problems with operators and managers during routine inspections of machinery. Of the fatal accidents reported, nearly one-third were caused by circular saws. These machines also accounted for one-fifth of the non-fatal accidents reported in 1945-46. A determined effort to improve the efficiency of the guarding of all types of power-driven woodworking saws was made in 1945 by the publication of departmental instructions which describe and illustrate practical means whereby power saws can be efficiently guarded. Of the 7 fatal accidents reported, 2 occurred from circular saws, 2 from lifts, and 3 from the entanglement of the clothing of the victims with revolving shafts. In the following table is given an analysis of the fatal and non-fatal machinery accidents which occurred during the year, indicating the principal machines and industries concerned :

Machine and Industry Analysis of Accidents

27

Industries. Totals. Description of Machines. Woodworking. Textile. Refrigeration. Printing. Metal-working and Engineering. g h-3 Butchery. Confectionery and Bakery. Boxmaking. Other Industries. Total Accidents (Machines). Fatal. Non-fatal, Circular saws 20 1 21 I 2 19> Planers 7 7 7 Shapers Power press 7 7 11 i ,5 7 24 7 24 Guillotines 2 2 2 Laundry machinery Cranes and hoists 1 1 2 2 Lifts 1 1 i 1 4 2 2 Belting 2 3 P* 5 Shafting Gearing 1 1 1 5 1 2 i 1 9 4 3 6 4 Mincers and other cutting-machines 1 1 4 6 6 Other *2 4 6 3 8 23 23 39 6 6 8 25 7 3 20 114 1 7 107 Total accidents in each industry Gra ,nd totals