The San Francisco call., 1910-05-22

For years the great electric cranes the most
dangerous things in the big shops Then some one
thought of safety plug which could be removed by
the repair easily the little plug which the
automobile puts into his pocket when he leaves
mis- machine in the street SO long the repair man
KEEP. this plug no one could start up the crane and
crush him to death
In a large shop where the brass parts
finished and bufed the workmen were frequently poi
soned by the metal dust from the bufhng machines
For years nothing was done to remedy the evil and
the loss of workmen became serious problem Then
a tiny fan was installed directly the bufing
wheel to suck all the dust away from the workmen
and since then there has been no trouble This sim
pie remedy was after applied to every machine
which generated quantities of dangerous dust.
In the largest machine shops where castings weigh
ing many tons have be lifted and shifted by the
giant electric cranes, there is whose duty it is
to regularly all the chains and cables used for
lifting the heavy pieces In the old days no one paid
any attention to the chains until they became worn
through and broke. 1t a streak of good luck in
such cases if some not dangerously hurt or
instantly killed
But the real bugbear of all factories where power
used to any extent the "set screw the little
screw used to hold pulley the shaft. This short
screw, sticking out like wart the rapidly revolv-
ing shaft seemed lie in wait for some one to place
sleeve or edge of jacket near it; then in an in
slant it would wrap the cloth tightly about the shaft
and whirl the life out of the unfortunate victim be-
fore the machinery could be stopped State laws were
passed against this dangerous little murderer and
the model machinery OF today has the necessary set
screws carefully tucked away out of danger
cred with screen.
Even such little items floors are now looked
after in the factory-they might trip up an employe
and pitch him into the gear wheels
Careful watch is also kept when green workmen
pile material in shops or yards loose pile of
lumber might fall and injure the carpenters bags of
cement might slip and break the leg of mason:
TASKS and molds might fall and hurt the nloders
carelessly laid plank might drop to the floor below
and kill passing visitor employe; nets are even
spread to keep falling tools from striking workmen:
ladders ratings and footwalks are carefully inspected
to see If they safe.
In one factory 1t customary for the men to
store the light lumber the floors against the wall
The men frequently walked this material split-
ting and breaking it to a considerable extent One
day workman fell on loose board and broke his
arm Then an order issued that the lumber
should be kept carefully piled of the wav and the
saving in lumber alone for the year amounted to $500
In the old days when the pound of cure" took the
place OF the ounce of prevention large industry
employing 1900 men and women insured everv ON.
OF them against accident this being cheaper than to
pay the annual damages out of the profits with so
many dangerous machines running night and dav
But after "the doctor" finished with the plant and
installed complete equipment of safety devices on
all the machines the percentage of injured dropped
so low 1T was cheaper pay the men injured than il
was to pay premiums to the casualty company Dur
ing the last year this concern paid out only little
more than $4,000 to the few injured workn1cn hurt
. during that time
Every industrial plant OF any size now has its own
safety expert, usually graduate engineer whose
duty to inspect every machine in the shops and to
see If 1t properly safeguarded His title of doc
tor is well deserved, but, unlike his namesake he
strives to prevent and not cure. AS soon as work.
man is hurt the doctor visits the scene of the acci-
dent and ascertains if it was the fault of the machin
cry Ii 1t was he Immediately sets about to develop
new safety device for that particular work so the
accident can not happen again. Every piece of new
machinery must be checked for safety" by this man
Drinking cups have been banished from the mod
ern factory; fountain drinking stands only are used
In cases where poor water is used for WASHING mr.
poses large placards displayed warning the vvot
men in English French Polish. Swedish. Italian ,rd
Hungarian not to drink the water Where be,
machinery or castings are being carried bv OVERHEAD
cranes every precaution is taken Whenever worL
men go alott for repairs large sign is set IN hero
them warning men to stand from under EIiob t.r
sion wires are indicated by strips of white tan. -
large piacards- Trapdoors have been el;rnatad
Screens protect the from flying bits of 49,.
and IN every way possible the skilled workrn., :,
guarded and protected Even the machinery aho,,,
which ne labors is made as near "foolproof :. r,.
can devise. ma"