The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-12-27
SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES IS.
FIRST IN IMPORTANCE.
WAR GIVES IMPETUS TO MOVE
MENT ESTABLISHED IN
TIME OF PEACE.


sources, primarily, for military reas-
ons. Greatest among these, in all
points of Importance, Is the safety-first
movement, which has for it's purpose
the conservation of human life and the
safeguarding of our workers so that
their efficiency may be maintained un-
impaired in the hour of national need.
To the credit of those responsible
for the promotion Of the movement, it
may be said that no military necessity
compelled their action. The safety
first movement was inaugurated years
ago, in times of peace, and as a hui
manitarian measure. A splendid sue
cess has already been attained; many
lives have already been saved, and
much suffering, sorrow and poverty
have been prevented.
Direction of the movement, in a ma
tional sense centers around the Amer
lean Museum of Safety of New York
and the National Safety Council Of
Chicago, the latter organization being
the more active in the campaign to
prevent accidents that occur in our in
dustries. In providing specialized at
tention for the varied problems that
arise in different industries, the Ma
tional Safety council has more than II
divisions, or sections each representa-
tive of some particular branch of in
dustry, such as steam railroads, the
chemical industry and automobile
building. The vice chairman of the
metal mining section is C. w. Goodale,
who is also chairman of the bureau of
safety of the Anaconda Copper Min
ing company.
State legislatures have created de-
partments of labor and industry, and
industrial accident boards, which have
as a part of their duties the Inspection
of boilers, machinery, mines, manu-
facturinp plants, etc, for the purpose
of enforcing the safety regulations re-
'quired by law and the administering
of the accident compensation laws BY
virtue of their governmental positions,
these departments are able to collect
valuable statistics, and from the in
formation thus obtained to advise
measures for preventing accidents, and
necessary legislation.
Safeguards.
Although the problem of preventing
accidents varies in different industries,
some features of accident prevention
work are common to all. The respon-
sibility of the employer lies in provid-
ing safeguards for all machinery or
other equipment and in requiring only
safe methods of work Inspection of
together with the planning of meas
ures for eliminating danger are the
duties of the safety engineer.
However, it has been found that the
very great majority of all industrial
accidents are due to simple acts, or
omissions, of neglect, and a campaign
of education has generally been neces-
sary in order that men may be brought
to realize the danger of certain prac-
tees and the need of careful habit of
thought For this purpose. posters
which bear pictures showing the way
accidents occur are posted in conspicu-
Gus places, as well as bulletins giving
the safety regulations that should be
observed.
Cooperation,
Cooperation of employer and en-
ploye is essential to success. At plants
such as metallurgical reduction works
this is secured by forming safety COM
mittees, composed entirely of workmen
or of workmen and foremen. These
committees make recommendation
concerning the installation of safe
guards, elimination of dangerous
working conditions, or anything at all
that affects their. safety. These re-
Communications are passed upon either
by the management or by a safety
committee of officials which has charge
of all safety work.
Public safety, or the work of pre-
venting such accidents as daily occur
on the street and in our homes is re-
ceiving increased attention. The icy
sidewalk, iron framed manholes and
cellar doors, with their slippery sur
races, and the bottle of poison which
Is often mistaken In the dark for the
bottle of medicine. are hazards whose
dangers are clearly recognized by
everybody. In the elimination of these
dangers, and particularly in reaching
The people who rush wildly across the
street and street car tracks without
paying any attention to the traffic,
of education has again been
'ound necessary For this purpose
he safety readers had been prepared
or the use of school children, and mu-
,icipal safety-first days have been OBJ
erved in number of cities.
Earning Power Lost.
To those who meet with accidents. |
injury is caused not only In physical |
disability and suffering, but also in the /
oss of earning power, and this fire. I
uently entails poverty and hardship 1
or those dependent upon them. To
he employer the occurrence Of acct
ents causes financial loss in the pay |;
lent of compensation, and indirectly,
| the demoralizing effect upon other
'orkers, which materially reduces