Denver labor bulletin., 1918-11-23
chief of this section will be DR.. VIII
liam NJ. Leiserson of Toledo, Ohio.
Deals With Human Labor Power.


Deals With Human Labor Power.
There are already other federal
agencies operating in this field. 1t is
the purpose of the working conditions
service to cooperate with these other
agencies and to supplement their work
by seeking to organize this developing
science and to secure for all elements
concerned representation in the deter
mination of policies and principles.
Labor administration as furthered
by this service is an engineering pro-
duction problem, modified by the fact
| that it deals also with human labor
power, which is inseparable from hu-
man life. 1t is evident that in addi
| tion to the production phases, it must
| take into consideration all of those hu-
man impulses and motives which make
| up the individual and his desire for
progressive self-development.
While labor administration Will
profit by the valuable in scientific man
| agement and efficiency methods, it will
| seek to avoid over-emphasizing regi-
mentation and will endeavor to make
| its primary objective, SO far as the
workers are concerned, the develop
ment of individual initiative.
Division of Safety Engineering
| The division of safety engineering
completes the structure of the working
| conditions service. Standards for me-
chanical safety have been more ade-
| quately worked out than standards for
| sanitation and industrial hygiene. Ac-
cidents startle and quicken sympathy.
| They are obviously traceable to work
| ing conditions. As a result, compen-
sation legislation has put economic
| pressure behind efforts to prevent in
dustrial accidents by making it more
| economical for employers to prevent
| industrial accidents than to pay COM
/ pensation-
| As accident losses were made legiti-
mate burdens upon industry, manage
ments became interested in establish
| ing safe processes. There are now
in nearly all of the states of the union
safety codes and agencies charged
with the establishment and mainte-
nance of industrial safety. Supple
menting government agencies, the
great energizing forces in this field
have been the national safety coufcil
and various technical societies. The
policy of the working conditions serv-
| ice is to avoid duplication of work and
activity and, by acting as a co-ordinat-
/ ing agency, to cooperate with the
forces already in the field to bring
/ federal directing impetus in the ma
tional campaign for uniformity of
safety standards, practices and equip
ment, standardization Of safety organ
| izations, and for the collection of data
necessary for the continuous modifica-
ton of standards to meet new condi-
/ tons.
Consultation and Advice.
The bureau of standards has offered
its cooperation in the formulation of
codes. The assistance of the national
safety council will be invaluable in
securing the practical application OF
safety standards and practices. The
council has agreed TO cooperate with
the working conditions service and ap-
pointed committee of five for con-
sultation and advice.
The codes which are to be worked
out unde rthe division of safety engi-
neering will be the result of expert
ence and experimentation, consultation
with technical organizations, and con-
| ferences with employers and employees
| in order to ascertain the necessary
practical notifications. Various codes
for war industries, when approved by
the secretary of labor, will be sub
mitted to the war labor policies board
| in order that the influence of the va
rious agencies represented on that
board may be put behind the labor
standards in war production.
Grant Hamilton Is Director.
The interdigitation of these three di-
| visions, industrial hygiene and medi-
cine, labor administration and safety
engineering will further the mainte-
nance of principles formulated as an
| integral part of general program for
| working conditions.
1t is the intention of the working
conditions service to seek the coop
Grafton of all agencies and organiza-
tions concerned directly or Indirectly
with working conditions, in order that
/ all standards shall be the results of
carefully considered judgments based
on experience of all elements in pro-
duction. There are three ultimat tests
human effects, production, industrial
organization. There is need for en-
ployers to understand that good busi-
ness demands conservation and devel-
opment of the workers whose mental
and physical ability conditions pro-
duction, quantitatively and qualita-
lively. There is need for workmen to
understand that good health. skill,
| good management, care to prevent ac-
| cidents, mean to them increasing ma
terial well-being and greater opportu-
mites for advancement.
| The director of the working condi-
tions service is Grant Hamilton and
the assistant director is Florence c.
| Thorne.