The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-08-19
INVESTIGATION BEING MADE
inquiry Being Conducted Throughout State
al Direction OF Governor

at Direction OF Governor
The work of the Michigan worK-
mems Compensation Commission, APP
pointed by Governor Osborn 10 draft a
bill 10 present to the next session OF
the legislature. to determine as near as
possible the cost OF industrial accidents
to the employees and to the employers
throughout Michigan is now we'll I'M
der way, and investigators sent ont to
gather the necessary statistics are
meeting with the hearty cooperation
of employers and wage earners. Not
only will the factories, mines. etc, be
fully investigated. but the farmer will
receive full share OF attention, inves
tigators having been appointed for the
sole purpose OF learning what proper
tions OF the accidents occur in the ag-
ricultural field.
That the farmer is entitled to the
most serious consideration in any
scheme looking toward this compensa-
tion OF injured in the industrial field
will be readily agreed to when IL is
taken into consideration that the agri-
cultural worker incurs greater risk
in the performance OF his duties than
perhaps the worker in any other line.
The factory employee working on one
machine day after day becomes more
or less familiar with its attendant
dangers aud can largely anticipate
their occurIance, and by using proper
safeguards. can make himself practi-
cally Immune, depending largely upon
the extent of personal care diligence
exercised. Likewise. too. the factory
worker has better opportunities for i'm
mediate medical assistance than the
rural laborer, oftentimes remote from
a city where medical help may be OBJ
tained. For the worker In the large
factories not only is medical assistance
almost invariably within easy reach,
but benefit societies are maintained in
the great majority of large industries,
thus helping the injured to tide over
period that would otherwise probably
make him burden on the community.
The farm laborer is not the only suffer
er from the numerous accidents, the
proprietor himself being iust-as liable
in fact. the figures already gathered by
this commission in its investigations
prove that the ratio OF injuries is
,,raatar an,on, farp, ou,narastha, 49,,
ployes. and the burden falls entirely
on the immediate family. with no
chance of recovery or recompense under
existing economic conditions.
So many requests have come TO the
Office Of the Commission. sl3 Ford
Bldg Detroit, asking for information
relative to the employer liability law
as interpreted by the courts throughout
the state that this brief statement has
been prepared for the enlightenment OF
those interested.
Bearing in mind the general rule
that an employer can be held for injur.
les or death suffered 10y an employee
while be is acting within the scope of
his assigned duties. where the employ
or has failed to use such reasonable
care TO prevent injuries as the nature
and dangers Of the business admit of
and demand IL is TO be noted that in
his state the employers recovery may
be barred by the application OF one or
more of three rules OF law commonly
referred TO as the Employer Defences
and which constitute exceptions 10 or
qualifications of the general rule.
They are as follows
I. Assumption of Risk. Unless
there il an express agreement to tho
contrary IL is held TO be part OF the
contract of employment that the en-
ployer shall not be liable to the en-
pIoye tor injuries which are ordinarily
incident to the particular kind OF work
he undertakes to do. or which he
knows. or ought to know. are likely TO
occur In connection with that work,
This is true whether the WORK is re-
garded as dangerous or otherwise. The
employe assumes the risk OF such in
juries The Michigan Court has held,
however. that the employees has not as
sumed the risk of an injury resulting
from the employers non compliance
with some statute. such as that provid-
ing for the uss OF safety devices. etc
2. Fellow Servant AN employee
cannot recover from his employer in
case he is injured through the negli-
gence Of fellow employe engaged in