The Washington herald., 1913-05-04
SAFETY Repipdls' Preach
of Accident Prevention
National Campaign Conducted BY Manufacturers
Would Help Safety in TrapeL
ny FERDINAND c. sCHwFDTMAN.

|
Chairman Committee on Accident Prevention and
Morkmon's Compensation, National Association Of
Manufacturers.
Exclusive servise the Survey Press Bureau.)
There was time when most employ
| ers and employees thought that they
were the only factors to be considered in
the adjustment of Industrial conditions
Enlightened employers and employees lon
ago learned that in the final analysis
| the public is the arbiter as to whether
conditions are just or unjust, right or
! wrong. Economic less due to accidents
enormous as ii Is, is as nothing COM
pared with humane considerations. Pre-
vention is even more important than
compensation,
Voluntary systems of prevention and
Gus American employers which COM
pare favorably with European conditions.
but on the whole the United States is
far behind other civilized nations in
these matters. Employers are not more
nor less to blame for this condition than
employees legislators or the public. We
each and all need education; we need to
get in tune with the times.
For many years much time and atten-
ton has been given by the National
Association of Manufacturers to the con-
SioCi d'iOh VI dtCiucHl pftNcHtloh anu Tc-
lief plans. Three years ago a special
committee was formed by the associa-
| ton to work for progress along this line.
Interrogation blanks, mailed TO 10000
American manufacturers early in the
committees work, brought forth the
largest reply in the associations his
tory. Ninety-ntne per cent of the men,
bers answering expressed themselves en-
phatically in favor of an extended pro-
gresstve campaign for accident preven-
ton and compensation for injured work.
ers.
Progressive employers know that social
legislation is not only desirable from a
humanitarian viewpoint, but necessary
from an economic standpoint. Members
have been urged to get under stats
compensation laws wherever these are
optional. regardless of the fact that this
means in many cases an increase OF 800
to 1000 per cent in insurance rates. Spe-
cial efforts have been made to have
manufacturers carry their own relief
association, preferably in cooperation
with their workers, for the reason that
such systems have most effectively re-
duced accident rates as well as indus
trial unrest.
Model workmans compensation bills
have been prepared and widely distribu-
ted These bills are at present before
the Legislatures of six States. While
they cover the whole subject, the COM
mittee urged an especially strong educa-
tional campaign for the recognition of
three essential principles in compensa-
ton legislation, viz, that a good work.
mems compensation law must encourage
accident prevention; assure compensa-
ton, preferably by compulsory insur-
ance, and cover all wage-workers. II also
attempts to provide that doctors and
lawyers fees shall not rob the injured
So much for compensation work. to a
practical accident prevention campaign
We have, however, devoted our greatest
energies. Two experienced safety en-
gineers have been placed at the service
of members and so great has been the
demand for their services that there are
engagements for more than six months
ahead at this time.
The work of the safety engineers con-
sists Of inspection of factories and prepa-
ration of special reports for improving
conditions. which manufacturers have al |
most uniformly acted upon; advice re-
Sarding safety devices. shop safety or
ganization, and other means of prevent
ing work accidents; practical instruction |
to superintendent, foremen, engineers,
and workmen in regard to safety de-
vices, and illustrated talks with lantern |
slides and motion pictures to workers, as
well as employers, especially to local or |
CARNATIONS of both. An important part |
of the campaign is the establishment of |
local safety organizations with the work |
in every plant inspected placed in the |
hands of some one person.
Numerous employers and business men |
have a result of our advice and prac-
teal work engaged safety engineers for