New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-06
FACTORY LOCKS
CONTINUE TOLL
Industrial Commission Adj
mits Inability to Remove
Shut Door Menace.

The locked door-which caused many
deaths in the recent Diamond factory
fire in Williamsburg and the loss Of
LAG lives and injuries by scores IN
the Triangle catastrophe alone-wlll
continue as a menace to the hundreds
Of thousands of factory workers in
greater New York.
This was admitted by the State In
dustrial Commission in a statement is
sued yesterday acknowledging its in
ability to prevent the doors in the
$4,000 factories in greater New York
from being locked during working
hours. Only by educating factory own
ers up to their responsibility can this
menace be removed, declares the COM
mission.
This statement was in the nature OF
a reply to the verdict of the Coroner's
jury that sat in the Diamond factory
fire case. Incidentally, the commission
charged the Fire Department with re-
sponsibility in failing TO see that the
factory was properly equipped with an
efficient interior fire alarm system and
that the employees we're drilled for es-
cape in case of fire. I'm part the state
ment reads:
From the investigation made by the
commission, as we'll as from the Cor
oner's inquest, it appears that there
were several factors each of which may
have contributed to the calamitous re-
suit. This commission was charged
with responsibility for only one Of
these-namely. requiring Enclosures Of
stairways in fire resisting material.
Under the laws responsibility in the
city of New York for requiring the in
stallation Of proper automatic sprink-
lers, which are universally recognized
as the most efficient means of checking
fire, and also for compelling the owner
to equip the building with an efficient
interior fire alarm system and the SUI
pervising of fire drills, is placed di-
rectly upon q city department over
which this commission has no control.
This commission feels that il is but
proper that these facts should not be
lost sight Of. Neither should the vitality
important fact be overlooked that a
locked door was found upon the stair
way, which unquestionably was the
most immediate cause Of most, If not
all. OF the loss Of life that occurred.
"The inspector of this commission
who visited this factory testified that
when ne inspected this building this
door was always open. Had il not been
immed ate rosecution of the owner
would have ensued, as is evidenced by
the fact that out of AZ cases of locked
doors found during the past year 81
convictions have been obtained.
"Manifestly, however, this commits
sion cannot, with the relatively small
force of inspectors at its command,
nor. indeed, with any number of in
spectOrs, undertake TO see that no door
is locked during working hours in any
one of the $4,000 factories in greater
New York. Such a desirable result
can be attained only by the education
of the factory owners up to modern
ideas Of industrial safety"
The commission declares that 1t re-
CARDS as unfortunate that il has not
the same summary power that is In
vested in tire New York City Fire De-
partment to close a factory building
that is inadequately protected from fire
hazards. Among the changes in the
law that it will suggest TO the next
Legislature, the commission adds, will
be one giving il this power