The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-22

manufacturers Cnelr own relleI
association, preferably in cooperation
with their workers, for the reason
that such systems have most effective
ly reduced accident rates as well as
| Industrial unrest.
Model workmen's compensation bills
| have been prepared and widely dis
| trfbuted. These bills are at present
| before the legislatures of six states.
| While they cover the whole subject,
| the committee urged an especially
| strong educational campaign for the
| recognition of three essential princi-
pies in compensation legislation, viz.
! that a good workmen's compensation
| law must encourage accident proven
| ton; assure compensation, preferably
| by compulsory Insurance.; and cover
| all workers. Tt also attempts to
provide that doctors and lawyers fees
| shall not rob. the injured.
So much for compensation work; to
a practical accident prevention cam
paign we have, however, devoted our
greatest energies. Two experienced
safety engineers. 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
consists of inspection of factories and
prepare ton of special reports for i'm
proving conditions, which manufactur
ers have almost uniformly acted up
on; advice regarding safety devices,
shop safety orga nization and other
means Of preventing work accidents;
practical instruction to superinten-
dents, foremen, engineers and work
men in regard to safety devices; and
Illustrated talks with lantern slides
and motion pictures to workers as
well as employers, especially to local
orga nizations of both. An important
part of the campaign is the estab-'
lishment of local safety organizations
with the work in every plant inspect.
ed placed in the hands of some one
person. ~.
Numerous employers and business
men have as a result of our advice
and practical work, engaged safety en-.
gineers for their operations. The
campaign has SO increased the de-.
mand for experts that the supply IS
inadequate and open letters have been
written to engineering colleges urging
them to establish a special course of
training leading to the degree OF
safety engineer
Local safety REVEALS have been
conducted in many parts of the coun-
try with some member of the commit
tee present as the principal speaker.
"A special effort has been made to get
in touch with factory inspectors and
to urge the keeping of statistics bear
ing upon accidents.
The cooperation we have establish
ed with insurance COMPANIES, OOIAA
stock and mutual, promises to be q
most effective means of establishing
a system for rating risks which, in
the same manner as fire schedule rat
ing, shall provide subtractions and ad-
dittons of insurance rates contingent
upon the accident prevention activi-
ties of each insurer. Many insurance
companies are endeavoring to arrange
for central inspection bureaus for rat
ing good and bad risks.
The safety campaign was one or the
factors that led to the organization of
the National Council. for Industrial
Safety, which had it's first enthusiast
tic meeting -four months ago. This
new organiza ton plans an annual
gathering to. take the form of a ma
tional safety revival and an inter
national safety convention during the
San Francisco expedition.
The Associations activity for work
mems ecompensat ton and accident pre-
ventfon has cost approxima tely. $4,000
during the last three years. It's saIe-
tv campaign is too young and TOO
widely spread as yet to give accurate
figures for results. Perhaps the best
sign of it's success is the mass OF en-
thusiastic testimonials from Associa-
ton member to the value OF our ex-
perts' inspections and advice. The
Following. martial figures will, however,
at least give some idea of concrete re-
suits:
Two hundred and seventy-six mem
bers of. the association have placed a
special man in charge of their shop
safety organization during the last
year and a half
Several dozen manufacturers. claim
to have reduced their accidents in a
campaign of from one to two years
from 10 per cent. to 80 per cent.
In more than fifty cases the safety
campaign has brought about a better
appreciation of general efforts in the
direction of sanitation. and welfare
work.
Twenty or more establishments have
established sickness insurance in Co
operation with their employees, as part
Of their safety campaign.
Old age and invalidity relief is be-
ing considered by several dozen large
manufacturers now as part Of thel
safety campaign.
A dozen or more mutual insurance
and relief associations have been es-
tablished among certain classes Of
laundries, mi11ers etc, and accident
prevention is invariably one Of the
most important, permanent features
of such mutual organizations.
Ny experience OF many years with
associations OF manufacturers and
business men convinces me that, re-
gardless of popular impressions. the
large majority of captains of industry
believe that 1.-The gauge of their sue
cess is the assistance they gave 9TH
ers to succeed" Unfortunately, the
eyery-day grind of their work does
not hermit many well-intentioned bus
mess men to know much about social
legislation and about the advantages
%fx@ya NJ Ernnd have