The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-07-22
TOMAKE LABOR SAFER
Laws of Holland For the ProteC
ton of Workers.
NEW SAFEGUARDS PROPOSED.
lncasine of Dangerous Machinery and
Improved Sanitary Arrangements
Have Proved Good investments For
Employers.


Have Proved Good investments For
Employers.
The dangers with which labor in In.
du~trial plants and commercial under
lakiu@S are fraught led In 1906 To the
enactment Of a law in Holland for the
protection Of he worker. Now. after
an experience Of three years, it has
been found necessary to propose AN
amplilicaliUn and extension Of the cX-
isting legislation. Although at first
many employers grumbled about the
new trammelS imposed on their under
taking and feared the cost Of incaSing
AMI otherwise protecting their machin-
cry. they have found that the initial
expenses have been more than made
good by the lesser indemnity paid out
to injured employees and smaller in
surance premiums since the risks of
labor have been diminished. Further,
since better ventilation of workshops
has been enforced, together with bet
ter lighting and more space, the health
of the employees has improved and as
consequence so has their capacity for
doing better work.
The minister Of agriculture, COM
merce and labor now proposes:
First.-To prohibit the employment
of children below the age of sixteen.
Second.-To prohibit all work, even
by adults, on roofs, scaffolds, galleries,
etc, more than twelve feet above the
ground unless some means Of protec-
ton against falling has been provided.
Third.-To compel the inclosing OF all
live electric wires and machinery in
such a way that an involuntary con
tact Will be impossible.
In windmills children over fourteen
and under sixteen are allowed to work
under the supervision Of persons over
twenty years of age. For labor in iron
tanks, powder magazines and caissons
special protective measures are en-
forced and now no children under six
teen are to be allowed to work there.
Again, better measures for ventilation
a constant temperature are proposed.
Sanitary arrangements are made obli-
gatory. Women and children under
sixteen are prohibited from working I'm
places where deleterious substances
are used in manufacturing. such az
quicksilver or where the air Is laden
with particles of cement, chalk, metal
or glass. In all places where such sub
stances are used no foodstuffs are al
lowed to be brought by the employees
and special refectories have to be pro
vided
LayatOries and separate rooms for
hanging the clothes Of the employees
are made obligatory In all workshops,
while in places where unhealthy or
dangerous substances are used the
workers have to be provided with clean
changes of wearing apparel twice a
week or whenever the sanitary In
spectors judge necessary.
Altogether new are the provisions
made TO protect the workers in the cot
ton weaving Industries. These have
for the greater part been copied from
the legislation Of Great Britain, where
they are giving entire satisfaction.
They require the use OF only pure wa
ter in the cleaning and weaving pro
cess and keeping the air free from an
excess Of moisture, without greatly
increasing the temperature Of the To-
calities.
In ceramic work youthful persons
and women are prohibited from being
employed in those branches where de-
leterious substances are used, and the
adult workman Is also protected by
various precautions. No reference Is
made to work in mines, because the
mining law Of 1906 only goes into eff
feet this year.
One thing, however, has been forgot
ten. both In the old law and in the
amendments, and that IS to point out
To the workers themselves the danger
Of having loose clothing and Of wo-
men wearing long loose hair In places
where machinery Is In operation. ms
has, in so many instances, proved IA
tai that a requirement to wear tight
fitting clothing would not have been
out of place. The insurance societies
have found this out to their cost and
also how careless OF danger habit
makes those who live In daily prox-
unity to machinery. They have, there
fore, posted up large placards In all
workshops warning the laborers OF
their peril.-W. ]. L. Kiehl in Chicago
NJ