The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-08
RAILROAD NEWS.
Unique Organization Among
Employees of Frisco.
Accident Statistics Open Their
Eyes to Safety Action.
HUNT CARELESSNESS.
Committee to Investigate Every
Road Feature.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

- Luis. aug o.-Prompted by sta
Issues IN the accident bulletins OF the
interstate commerce commission, the
employees OF the Frisco have arrang-
ed Tor the organization of safety COM
Hnttees' by which it is believed the
number of easily ayoida HE accidents
resulting in injuries to employees will
pc greatly reduced. The statistics show
that in the year ending June so, 1910
5'4Ao employees were killed and 1895
were injured. OF this total one-nfth
OF the number killed, and one-tenth of
the injured was due to collisions or
deraliments. The remaining four
fifths of the number killed and nIne-
1enths of those injured was 20 an over
Whelmjng extent the result of trivial
causes which could have been easily
corrected. The loss or injury of an en-
ployee as the result of an accident; the
great harm his family susrairs by rea-
son OF his impairment or loss, and the
necessity of placing a green man in
his place. which increases the risk to
the busin ass and the peril of other en-
pioyees, are factors recognized by the
railroads of far more Importance than
the question of dollars and cents in
the settlement of claims.
Organization Unique.
This Organization is unique not only
in the southwest, but in the United
States. 1t will consist first of a central
safety committee, a committee for each
division. Shop committee, roundhouse,
ties of these committees will be to
discover defective conditions or care
less practices local to their division or
plant. Further. that necessary i'm
provement or remedy is brought about,
and if the matter is of general ap-
plicability of interest, it is reported to
the central safety committee, and all
recommendation thought to be proper
and practicable by this CO 1laIittee are
submitted to the management The
nj nf fa FL
tees are to be placed at points where
employees congregate, in crde' that
any employee may go to member of
the committee with a suggestion OF
recommendation.
The committees are to meet once a
month and report upon the corrections
they have made and the recommends
items. Each division committee is to
make periodical trip over its respec-
tive divisions, or special train, for the
purpose of making a general inspec-
ton. Each member of all the COM
mittees will wear button having the
Frisco trade mark upon it and around
its outer circumference the words,
Safety First On these inspection
trips each member of the committee is
assigned t. investigate some depart
ment of the service with which he is
not familiar, it being argued that the
machinist will overlook conditions in
his plant, by reason of constant asso-
citation, whereas the station agent will
see the dangers and probably suggest
bettern.ents or improvements which
regular employees will have overlooked
Bulletins to Be Issued.
An account of the proceedings of the
central safety committee viii be fur
nfshed to all other committees, so they
will know what action has been taken
regarding their recommends ton, as
well as those of other committees
Bulletins are to be distributed among
employees and published in the Frisco
Man showing the number of injuries to
different classes Of employees from diff
ferent causes on the Frisco, as well
as the report of the interstate COM
mission upon injuries to employees on
all railroads.
Each member of the safety commit
tee will have a block of postal cards
addressed to the chairman of the di-
vision safety committee These cards
are to be used in reporting dangerous
practices OF conditions that this COM
1oifteernan has discovered ard the ac-
ton taken, if any, or the remedy ad-
vised, if action can not be taken az
once It is believed that these CARDS
win attract attention Of those through
whose hands they pass and aid in the
work Of promoting safety.
At the end of each year the COM
panv viii give an attractive prize 10
the division which shows the fewest
accidents in proportion to he business
done.