Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-10-21
INDUSTRY TOLL
AS A WARNING
Commissioner Jackson Says
That There Is Too Much
Preventable Loss

Warning that industrial accidents
are costing Pennsylvania millions of
dollars that could be saved is given by
Commissioner of Labor and Industry
John Price Jackson in a statement is
sued here to-day in commenting upon
the fact that State reports show that
245 persons were killed and 21.499 so
badly hurt that they were disabled for
more than two days in the industries
of Pennsylvania during September.
These figures were taken from, re-
ports of employers and the total list
Tor the first nine months of the year
shows 1927 killed and 1SS,27S injured.
Or. jackson says they constitute "a
tremendous and preventable economic
drain on the people of Pennsylvania y
Every step toward greater safety
in the industries aids in preventing
higher cost of living" said Commits
| sioner Jackson, ''and therefore indus
trial safety is of almost as vital i'm
portance to the prosperity Of the gen.
eral public as it is to the employers
and employees.
Every injury received by worker
in Pennsylvania s industries, whether
resulting indisability or death, creates
cost that must be paid by the people
or Pennsylvania. This has always
been true.
Before the Workmen's Compensa-
ton act became effective these costs. for
medical attention to the injured work
er' for the support of his family after
his death or during his disability,
were either paid financially through
charitable organizations. through cost
~ court litigations for damages. or by
the family of the injured worker in
hardship and perhaps even want. In
any event the cost was there ultimate
ly to be paid by the whole people,
The Workmens Compensation sys-
tenn now meets this cost by scientific
distribution of fixed financial benefits
to the injured employe or his depen-
dents, shortly after the injury when
the family most needs assistance and
without the waste and unequable dis
tribution which existed prior to the
Workmen's Compensation act.
Greater safety in industries means
fewer workers killed and injured. Re-
auction in numbers of accidents, caus-
ing death or injury to workers, means
reduction in the aggregate amount of
compensation to be paid victims of in
dustrial accidents. Fewer compensa-
BILE injuries means less outlay for
compensation payments by insurance
companies and self-insurers. Fire in
surance rates drop in communities
where the fire hazard is small. SINH
larly compensation insurance rates
drop in plants where the accident haz-
ard is small.
IF every industrial plant in Penn
sylvania had a minimum accident haz-
ard the saving in cost for injuries and
consequently in compensation rates
would be very great and in a few
years would far offset the cost of in
stalling proper safety appliances. and
methods.
Greater safety means less suffering
and hardship as a result of injuries
and further than that splendid result.
greater safety means less financial
cost for injuries to workers. Work
mems compensation is destined to d
very great degree, to save expense TO
the people of the Commonwealth of
PENNSYLVANIA by eliminating tens of
thousands of costly industrial acci-
dents.
The price of injuries to workers
has always been paid financially by the
whole people of the Commonwealth.
Every activity and every campaign for
safety first is potent influence against
increasing cost of comm odities and an
increasing cost of living for the whole
people of this State"