Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-21
Construction Safety
Pays Good Dividends
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

New impetus has been given the
drive to make construction more safe
for the workers by reports of the sue
cess of cooperative efforts in cities
where an organized plan has been fol-
lowed. Reduction Of the accident rate
not only has it's strong appeal from
the humanitarian standpoint, but 1t
spells lower costs for building owners.
Safety pays substantial dividends.
Based on encouraging reports from
chapters where campaign to reduce
hazard has been undertaken, the AS
ISOLATED General Contractors of Ameri-
ca Is sending letters to all it's men,
bers urging a safety organization. The
association is sending an engineer on
a tour of the country to help organize
the campaign.
There are natural hazards IN the con-
struction industry, the necessary han
ding Of loose materials of great weight,
the erection of a skeleton building be-
fore openings can be closed, and others.
There also is the element Of shifting
personnel not encountered in other
great industries, because workers must
pass from job to job, and many of
them from city to city, rather rapidly.
These factors give construction work
an unenviable accident rate potential
ly; the effort is to reduce the actual
rate.
Through reduction of accidents in
construction it might be possible to
save more than $50,000,000 a year on
liability insurance premiums. Trans
lated into lower contracts to those who
foot the bills, this sum would mean
neat saving. And beyond this, success
Of the campaign would mean the diff
ference between life and death to a
percentage of the Workmen and would
reduce the tragedies of the injured.
X y Il X
Detroit contractors have made re.
markable record with their safetWcam-
paign. Their plan Is being used as a
model. 1t involves the employment or
a safety engineer. councils OF foremen
and superintendents, adoption OF
standard practices and an ironclad
agreement among the contractors.
which carries with it penalties for fail.
ure to observe the safety rules laid
down to be followed by all.
The Detroit constructors have
brought down their accident rate to
point where the value of the methods
used is recognized by all factors in
the situation. Their savings in liabil-
ity premiums have been sufficient to
pay all expenses of the campaign,
which is on a permanent basis. ana OF
other cooperative efforts, and to ac'
cumulate a surplus Of respectable size
in their organization treasury besides
benefiting the owners of the build
ings they construct.
Contractors OF other cities are tax
ing up this plan. The employment of
a safety engineer, backed by an agree
ment to abide by his decisions regard
ing preventive measures, is spreading.
More than 700 copies of safety code
have been distributed by the AsSoc1-
ated General Contractors.
Conferences now are being sought
between the field safety expert of the
national association and general con-
structors, on the one hand, and mem
bers Of State industrial commissions
or departments of labor, on the other,
with a view to close cooperation be-
tween the unofficial and official
agencies in this work of saving life
and limb and money. Many of the
State officials realize 1t is easier to
accomplish desired results by a move
ment within the industry than through
passage of laws with infleXible pro-
visions. Yet. safety laws are consid-
cred desirable in most Jurisdictions.
The difficulty Is in drafting one which
will prevent, rather than merely
penalize, accidents.
X X X
There are no accurate figures avail
able on the amount of liability in
surance premiums paid by the con.
struction industry That 1t is large
Is conceded. And that it is included
in the amount paid by the man or cor.
poration who contracts for a house or
Office building or other structure is
self-evident. In extreme cases. com.
pulsory liability insurance. covering
the moro hazardous occupations in
the construction industry, will amount,
in cost. to as much as 20 per cent of
the wages paid the worker thus pro-
tected.
Casualty companies base their rates
on general experience. They keep
records Of the accidents to workers of
individual compa H1s and adjust indi-
vidual policy rates accordingly. Where