The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-10-11


dustry may be grasped when one real
ICES that more than 100000 men are
engaged in the mines of the world. OF
this number 100000 are employed in
the coal mines and 100000 in the
metal mines. In addition, millions
more are engaged in allied industries
dependent directly upon the mines for
coal and metal.
Mining Is one of the hazardous in
dustries employing over 100000 men
in the United States, in which three
out of every 1000 men employed are
killed every year by reason of some
accident. While complete data relat-
ing to non fatal injuries are not avail
able, reports to the u. S. bureau of
mines for metal mines in the United
States show that about 200 men per
1000 per year are injured sufficiently
to cause a loss of time. A reduction
of so per cent in the number of mine
accidents would mean Il saving of
800 lives in the United States every
year, in addition to reducing the loss
of time and suffering resulting from
more than 100000 non fatal injuries.
Why Accident Statistics Are Valuable.
Before offering any suggestions as
to what the operator can do for acct
dent statistics, it is well to point out
some of the reasons why accident sta.
tistics are desirable. The reason lis
II, -, =,
ence, discomfort, pain and suffering of
the employees to be handed down to
future generations or to statistcians
in order that a set of figures may be
juggled in to suit any peculiar whim;
nor to provide for the construction Of
fancy charts. These things are, how
ever necessary adjuncts to the main
purpose, viz, to obtain information by
which a diagnosis of industrial acct
dents may be made, the causes deter
mined and remedies provided. Sta
tistical records are absolutely essen
tial as matter of evidence to prove
the guilt of certain mechanical de-
vices which assault with intent to
main or kill, land to determine with a
reasonable degree of accuracy the ex-
tent of the personal element entering
into the cause of accidents. AS in
every court of justice, it is necessary
to have all the evidence available in
order to find the guilty one, and to
pass proper sentences.
There are few operators who have
not awakened to the need of statistics
and therefore feel, when asked for
certain information concerning acct
dents to their employees, that sort
OF inquisition is being forced upon
them to disclose their private bust
ne IS. Far from it, Such information
is for the operators benefit as we'll as
for the welfare of their employees
Whatever expense is incurred to help
human beings in their work by pro-
viding conditions conducive to good
health and bodily comfort will be re-
turned by increased dividends to the
man who provides such essentials
Sick or crippled employees in the hos
pital or at home are burden to
themselves and their families, to the
community and the state, and are of
no benefit whatsoever to their employ
ers. Even though a crippled man may
be employed as pensioner. he can not
render full service to his employer,
Statistical reports should embody all
of the information available concern
ing each accident, if the best results
are to be obtained. 1t is not enough
to know that man fell down a shaft
and was killed. Why did he fall
down? Who was to blame? Was the !
shaft properly guarded? Could the
accident have been avoided? The am
swers to these questions are what |,
should be recorded in accident Stats ,
tics.
What Operators Can Do.
So long as accidents occnr it is ne
cessary for the operator TO keep cor
rect and detailed records. : He should
study intelligently every accident
from all angles. If the accident was
he should install device
that would prevent its reoccurrence.
At the close of the year he should take
an inventory of his accident records
with the object of finding out what 1
and who was to blame for each group. 4
Having found out the principal causes. {
he should see that proper remedies J
are then applied. For example, should S
It be known that "a certain type of c
machine has cut off dozen fingers RI
Turing the year. the remedy is not to
supply additional fingers, but to de- r
rise guard for the machine or in a
stall another type for this particular q
work. a
II human beings were perfect and II c
were possible to devise perfect ma
'hinery, there would be no need for kp
accident statistics. While someone b