The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-08-31
Safety first

This may seem strange motto,
and it may seem stranger, too, when
it is known that it: is the spirit which
animates every employe Of the Oliver
Mining company, the Minnesota. min
ing department of the great. United
States Steel corporation.
We. have read a lot: in the newspa-
pers of late about the conduct of
this great corporation and we have
heard considerably of its supposed at
titude towards it's employees: How
ever. it will make little difference
how prejudiced one may be against
this institution if he but visits the
iron mines of northern Minnesota he
will find to his surprise that amazing
work is being done there to protect
the lives and the limbs Of the men
engaged in proba bly, one Of the most
hazardous occupations in industry.
The writer had occasion to visit
: recently the mines and machine shops
of the Oliver Mining company at Vir-
ginia, Eveleth, Hibbing and Coleraine.
This gentleman is interested in
safety" said a friend who introduced
us to the superintendent: Of one Of
the mines.
THAT Is the burning question of
the day here" was the superintend-
ents response. :"-'...'
We had not continued. our investi-
cation very far until we became awed
with the universally and intensity OF
this conviction. From superintendent
down to shift boss every man seems
Sscy1 av11f% faS tx
safety is first, In proper mining
methods. "
II never saw Industrial operations
I on SO large a scale - said our COM
panion as we were returning to Du-
luth, where the spirit of safety first
was so: deeply ingrained into the en-
tire force from the highest man in
authority down to the pettiest shift
boss. If you give this company the
credit It deserves people will say that
you have been hoodwinked" 49,. g.
And it. is precisely this fact that
appealed to US as the most significant
Oliver Iron Mining company has per-
formed in it's campaign for safety.
Mining is the business where careful
ness is peculiarly necessary, and If
the superintendent, the mine captain,
the shift boss and the men who are
in charge of the various subdivisions
Of the work, including the engineer
and craneman at the steam shovel,
the engineers and brakemen on the
train, the drillers, blasters and
gopher-hole diggers in the pit banks.
and the underground miners and
skipmen and trammers, can be I'M
bued with the conviction that no pre-
caution is too trivial TO- take and that
poor mining practice the central
problem Of Minnesota's mine acct
dents will be solved. -
The underground men are scattered
through the workings at points so
far distant from each other that the
mine. captain or: shift boss cannot
keep them under, continuous obser-
Walton as they are continually hand
ling high dangerous substances, such
as dynamite, heavy timbers and
overhead earth and rock. The open
pit men are. crossing the recrossing
railroad tracks, working underneath
close to high banks and. exploding
tremendous charges Of powder.
Accidents do not happen alone to
the actual miners.ssThe men In the
MACHINE shops and other mechanical!
institutions are also subject to grave
dangers that necessarily keep them
constantly on the alert. y !
y ''The key: to the situation, said
Mr.. M. Godfrey, els the fforemen. II
hold my foremen responsible for:
every accident !. that occurs. among
their men. Their ability or lack OF:
ability to prevent accidents is one Of
the prime considerations for promo-
ton or discharge. I've got my fore
men now where they come in and
apologize for an accident. When
the foreman is careful this men have
to be- So - WI :. ~ 81. KS S.
The Oliver Iron Mining company
has had its share Of grief in connec-
ton with the settlement Of claims
arising out of personal injuries among
the men employed in and about the
mines. After many years OF expert
ence the company determined that IL
there was possibility to reduce the
number OF Industrial accidents iits
would spare no efforts in an attempt
to do 80. y. s.s t5 ~. y rs
How to begin the work presented
grave problem. Finally after much
consideration It was planned to apss
point safety committees; to investigate.
and report on the necessary steps to.
be taken to minimize danger In this