The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-01-08
ACCIDENTS GROW LESS
IN BIG METAL MINES
SAFETY TRAINING CUTS DOWN
TIME LOST IN MANY
MINES.

The value of safety training in the
mines Of the district becomes more
pronounced each year as the records
are made up showing q gradual de-
crease in the number Of accidents,
both fatal and minor The time lost
through minor accidents. for many
years a most trying problem to mine
Is now of small mo-
ment. for the underground men as
we'll as top men, have been trained to
avoid taking unnecessary chances and
even though they have had but mea-
ger training in safety work, the
points learned are never forgotten.
State Mine Inspector Bell has been
making a careful study Of the acct
dents in the mines in the state during
the past year and will soon have the
figures compiled showing results in
all of the mines.
The United States bureau of mines
iidS IdlCly SdiiCu aIlCAtkOA W u Spun
did system now in use in the Calumet
& Arizona company's Mines where an
efficient and progressive department
of safety has been established under
the direction Of Thomas Cowper-
thwaite, safety engineer. The safety
department service not only covers the
Calumet & Arizona properties, but al
so associated companies, namely, the
Calumet & Arizona smelter at Doug
las, Ariz.; Warren -Bisbee railroad
running between Warren and Bisbee;
the Tucson-Cornelia and ella Bend
railroad and the Gadsen Copper COM
pany at Jerome, Ariz.
The Calumet & Arizona Mining
company operates four large mines at
Bisbee employing about 1900 men un-
derground and about 500 surface men
during normal times. The smelter at
Douglas employs about 500 men. The
New Cornelia Copper company en-
ploys from 1000 to 1900 men during
normal times and the Gadsden about
So
The safety system requires that all
superintendent, foremen, shift bosses
and others who have charge Of men
to be members Of the safety commit
tee. This Is done for two reasons;
first because the man who has charge
Of piece Of work should make OBJ
servations regarding the conditions
under which his men work, and should
compel his men to exercise a, reason
able amount Of care, second 1t invites
competition between those who have
charge Of men. The mines at Bis
bee, the smelter at Douglas and the
New Cornelia are always in compe-
tition with each other in safety mat
tiers. Their safety status is determin-
ed by figuring the yearly cost Of ac-
cidents as compared to the payroll.
This method invites competition be-
tween the various superintendent
who in turn require their foremen
and shift bosses to use extra precau-
items to reduce their accidents to a
minimum. At the New Cornelia cop
per mine a committee composed Of the
heads Of the various departments
makes trip around the plant and
mine each month and reports the de-
fects noted. This has proved very ef-
fective because each department head
tries to find something wrong about
his neighbor's department. All defects
are reported to the chief inspector
who investigates them and reports to
the general superintendent.
A bonus of $50 is paid to the boss
whose gang works $500 shifts without
an accident requiring an employe to
lay of. IA boss has so men he Is
credited with so shifts each day, there
fore 1t would take him $50 days to
earn the bonus. A bonus of 500 Is
paid to the foreman who has the best
yearly record. These bonuses have
influence in strengthen
ing the competitive system. Each de-
partment head works to get better re-
suits than his colleagues. The min
Ing department pays the following
bonuses to the men: Any man en-
ployed who works one year without
losing more than 80 days (eNcept loss
Of time owing to serious sickness) re-
reives bonus Of 800 for the first
year. The second year he receives
sl10. the third year $3.50. and 80 until
The bonus amounts to $3.50. This Is
Inc largest amount paid.