Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-20
SAFETY LECTURE
FOR The PUBLIC
BURLINGTON RAILROADS SAFETY
COMMITTEE TO TELL PEOPLE
OF DANGERS. 4.
ILLUSTRATED TALK
~ ~ IS C.fo
ILLUSTRATED TALK
Superintendent of Safety e.
switzer to speak-To Impress
the Women With Reminding
the Men of Safety.

An illustrated lecture on safety will
be given by the head of the safety de-
partment of the Burlington, Friday
evening in the Y. M. C. A. for the gen.
eral public and railroad employees and
their families particularly.
Perhaps nothing has been given
more consideration by the railroad
officials in recent times than the mat
ter of safety, and this subject is but
in it's infancy now although safe
guards have been thrown about the
hazardous work of railroading for
years. The aim today is to impress
on the employees the necessity for
keeping in mind; the dangers that be-
set the railroader and others about
railroads and depots. To carry out
this thought outside the corps Of en-
ployes the Burlington in its safety de-
partment now but six months in eXis-
tence, has hit upon a. plan to interest
the women The head of the Burling-
tons safety department, E. M. Switz-
er of Chicago has asked the local
management to provide an auditorium
and he will give lecture on safety to
Ottumwans of both sexes without re-
gard as to their employment on the
railroads. The purpose is to let the
womenfolks know the need for their
husbands, brothers, sons and sweet
hearts to keep in mind the dangers to
be avoided and the safeguards at hand
to prevent danger and injury. This
lecture will be held in the auditorium
Of the Y. NJ. C. A. Friday evening, June
21 at o'clock.
Stereopticon Slides,
For some time past the safety de-
partment of the 20" has had on all Of
its safety stationery, bulletins, letter
heads, etc., the words Safety First"
in large black type that stands out
prominently The idea worked to a
logical conclusion is that If the en-
ploye will think Of safety first, he
will not get hurt, nor will others near
him get hurt on the railroads. Safety
first is preached to the employees, and
Superintendent ]. P. Cummings has
sent out bulletins to all Of the depart
ment heads under him to have the
men present at the meeting and urg-
ing that the employees wives and sis
tiers come as we'll. The invitation is
made to all men and women to attend
the lecture Friday night which will be
illustrated on screen by stereoptican
views, and is promised to afford more
than usual interest.
injuries Are Less.
AS an instance illustrating the idea
being preached by the safety depart
ment, they point out that there are
525 members of safety committees on
the system and safety committee
located in every division headquarters
and large shop or other place where
big force are maintained in work. Out
Of this 525 men during the six months
Of organization OF the safety depart
ment, but one man has been injured.
When it is remembered that the aver
age injuries on the railroad per year is
one out of ten men employed, conse-
quently one out of twenty in six
months, the benefit Of keeping in
mind Safety first" is easily apparent.
The idea If applied to the entire roll
OF employees Of the Burlington system
on which there is now Twenty-Five
safety committees, and all Of these are
taught to keep in mind the Safety
first" idea. it is not hard to see how
much it will affect the accidents on the
Burlington railroad. The thinking Of
the 525 committee members Of
Safety first" is pointed to as an in
stance Of how injury was avoided.
Tho Human Element.
The road through the safety COM
mittees which are made up in general
from all manner of employees, insist
that the human element must be reck.
oned with more than the mechanical in
working out the safety of humankind
on the railroads. The roads have been
adding to their safety appliances for
years and still the injured and death
rate goes on, hence the fact that the
human element is the biggest factor in
the problem. This is taught by the
safety eeAmittee and once every