Evening journal., 1919-05-16
n,oK TuE s,FrrY-rlRsT CAMPAIGN.

~ HE astonishing results achieved by manufacturers
throughout the country in reducing accidents by
proper application OF safety rules gives great hope that
the safety campaign now being lnaugurated here will
bring the same sautory results 10 our community Many
OF the employers OF Wilmington have been engaged in
safety work years Others have been careful OF their
men, but have not given the matter the though and at
ienton n requires II is hoped that with The campaign
now on, both employers and men may Join in deter
mined persistent effort to human life and prevent
disabling accidents
Years ago the safety engineer regarded by execu
tivcs OF certain type good bit OF nuisance lie
was always butng in" lie wanted to do lot Of things
that the executive thought retarded production in other
words no was messing up the shop to put into effect
theories that the executive not at all certain were
sound.
Fortunately the safety engineer was made OF the stuff
that quits lie kept eyerastingly at it. Progressive
firms began more and 10 give him chance and in
a short time he was able 10 demonstrate concusyely
that his work. far from reardlns production did much
In largo sense TO help production and lower costs be-
cause conserved the asset on which all bus-
ness is based-human life and limb.
There arc columns Of figures TO show how safety work
pays-pays not only in saving husbands and fathers for
their families and children for their parents, but pays
also In dollars and cents.
The Commonwealth Steel Company Of Granite City.
H. reduced the cost OF accidents during the five years
ended December 1915 from $4,000 10 $1,000 per yesT
During three months in 1915 with $500 men employed
10 had no compensation II has eliminated eye in
jures among the choppers and grinders
The Eastman Kodak Company, OF Rochester n. y,
during The FIRST i've years OF It's safety work reduced
lost time accidents eighty per cent.
The Omaha plant Of the American Smelling and Re
nlng Company comparing the record Of 1916 with 1915
reduced lost time accidents ninety per cent and elmi-
mated deaths with thousand men, II made record
OF running four months without having man sufficiently
injured 10 cause loss Of than twenty-four hours
The United states Steel Corporation. during the first
twelve years Of safety work. saved 23i955 from be-
ing killed. permanently crippled so seriously injured
az TO lose more than thlrtynve days time. This is in
comparison with record for 1906 In the Gary. South
Works and Joliet plants OF the Illinois Steel Company
serious accidents have been reduced more than eighty
per cent
In the McKeesport plant Of the National Tube Com
panv the record OF 1915 compared with 1872 showed
reduction OF elghty-four per cent in lost time cases
Tho international Harvester Company with twenty
three plants including coal mines and steel plant as
well as foundrlos machine shops and Woodworking shops
during the first five years Of safety work reduced the cost
Of compensation to twenty-five cents per 500 payroll
In IFS steel plant and several Of the larger harvester
plants serious accidents reduced more than seventy
1--WE per cent.
As a result OF energetic well-organlzed safety work
the accident frequency at the Mare Island Navy Yard
California has decreased steadily The rate for last De-
cember was seventynve per cent below that OF Sepem-
ber 1911 This remarkable reduction was accomplished
noyyIth standing there was an increase OF nearly
hundred per cent in The number Of employees.
Tho list could be continued indefinitely because
practically every firm that has gone into this work In
sincere thorough and systematic manner has received
satisfactory dividends in the shape OF conservation OF
human lie and prevention Of disabling accidents.
Tho campaign in this city and State viii be In charge
NJ exnerenced and highy-cspabe safety engineers. Let
us hope the manufacturers and working men alike will
Join hands TO make tho movement success and that
when II Is extended TO the community at large as ID viii
be IN a short time. II win have the support OF every
forvart-looking man and woman in the state.