Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-02
Eye Accidents
Stopped Only
By Education

10y AlA0AA GAOA
New York, Oct. CA. P.) - The
greatest possibilities for the elimina-
ton of the unnecessary eye hazards
of industrial occupations lie in edu-
cation, according TO the National
Blindness, which has been studying
the question of eye hazards over a
period of two years. The committee's
labors have extended into practically
every industry and every state in the
union, and its report Is q document
of $50 pages. There should be edu-
cation Of the state as to its moral
and economic obligations" the re-
port declares, Education of the EN-
ployer as to the desirability. from
his own point of view, of supplying
adequate protection for the eyes OF
his employees: and education OF the
employee. particularly the old-fash-
toned and so-called boiled en-
ploye, as to the necessity of using
that protection when it is provided.
Some states do not yet require
even the reporting of industrial &C
cidents. Others require such reports.
but make no effort to set up safety
standards of lighting and sanitation
codes for the guidance or observance
of their industries
Discussing the necessity for edu-
cation Of the employer, the commit
tee says:
MANY employers of labor still
need to be convinced that it is cheap
err to prevent eye accidents than TO
pay for them; that it Is false econ
omy to use cheap goggles, or to have
a group of workmen share one pair
of goggles; that the wearing Of Cog
giles or other head protection in
dangerous operations should be made
an absolute condition of employment.
Except in comparatively few cases.
the prevention OF accidents is con-
sidered of secondary importance.
THE result Of this situation is that
for every plant doing effective safety
work a hundred are Sinking their
responsibility. Indeed few employ
ers are giving as serious attention
TO accidents-their cost, the POSSIBLE
ity of preventing them, and the pro-
fits which can be made through such
preventive work. as to the cost of
labor, raw materials. and other items
in the manufacturing process"
Developing the idea that 1t Is
cheaper to prevent accidents than
to pay for them, the committee says:
THE report growing out of the
SURVEY VI WdStc Which,
was conducted by the Federated
American Engineering Societies.
shows an estimated loss of $4,000. =
600 days as the result of non fatal
accidents occurring in industry in
one year. On the extremely conserv-
atlve estimate of $1.50 day as the
average compensation paid to work
men for the time lost due to acct
dents. there Is loss to employers
of $237,00O,000 n year as the result
Of non-fatal accidents alone. 1t il
conservatively estimated, also. that
eye accidents constitute 10 per cent
of all non fatal industrial accidents.
On the basis Of these estimates 1t
appears that the loss to industry
through eye accidents, is in excess
Of S23.000,000 yearly. No employer
or industrial manager who is aware
of these facts will question the asser-
ton that it is cheaper to prevent
eye accidents than to pay for them"
In the case of the employe, par
ticularly the older employee, the COM
mittee points out that at Is neces-
sary to overcome the resistance
against google wearing resulting
from many years of working without
such protection. 1t is necessary to
overcome, in many cases, false pride
and the belief that the wearing of
goggles Is an indication of coward
ice or Of approaching old age; II Is
necessary. most of all. to overcome
the reluctance to try something new