The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1920-05-19
PROMOTING PLANT
EFFICIENCY.

The eight hour day is not only more
efficient than the 10 hour day in in
dustrial plants, but is more economi-
cal.
This is the conclusion reached by
experts of the United States Public
Health Service after a careful detailed
study of conditions and production in
standard factories of both classes,
which has been under way since 1917.
The plants surveyed were selected
after a great deal of care. Each is a
modern factory. employing such a
large number of workers as to make
any conclusions reached apply to in
dustry in general The other consider
alton was that the machinery, manu-
featured product and processes in the
10 hour plant should be sufficiently
similar to the eight hour plant to
make a fair comparison.
The advantages are all in favor of
eight hour days, or shifts, as compar-
ed with the 10 hour day, and relate to
maintenance of output. to lost time
and to industrial accidents
Here are the main conclusions sum-
arized:
Maintenance of output: The out
standing feature of the eight hour day
is steady maintenance of output The
outstanding feature of the 10 hour
system is the decline of output.
Lost time: Under the eight hour
system work with almost full power
begins and ends approximately on
schedule, and lost time is reduced to
a minium. Under the 10 hour system
work ceases regularly before the end
of the spell and lost time is frequent
Stereotyped output Under the 10
hour system the laborers seem to arti-
hcally restrict their efforts and to
keep pace with the less efficient work
ers. Under the eight hour day the
output varies more nearly according
to the individual capacity of the labor
er. That is; each is more likely to do
his utmost. rather than an average
days work" regulated by low
standard.
Industrial accidents: This phase of
the study is of particular interest.
Ordinarily accidents may be expected
to vary directly with speed of pro-
duction, owing to increased exposure
10 risk But when fatigue is taken into
consideration there is a marked modi-
uSdtiOli lHlo w nth 10
reduction of output due to fatigue
there is rise in the number of &C
cidents; that is, in the last hours of
the 10 or II hour day, in spite of
employees slowing up in work more
accidents occur. If for any reason pro-
duction is speeded up in the last hours
when the laborers are fatigued, the
rise in the number of accidents rises
so rapidly as to leave no room to
doubt that the higher accident risk
accompanies the decline in working
capacity of the emplye.
These conclusions are based on so
careful study by officers of the y.
s. Public Health Service and on so
large a number of employees that they
may undoubtedly be applied by in
dustrial engineers generally.
The full report is contained in Pub
lie Health Bulletin No. 1O6, which is
the first of series to be published
by the u S. Public Health Service
on the problems of industrial work
ing capacity. In the two hundred
pages making up the present report
is presented wealth of information
which no industrial engineer can af-
ford TO neglect. Certainly if American
industry is to maintain its present
leadership it will only be as the result
of the application of sound physiol-
ogical principles.