The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-01-13
Safety P| an
Cuts Number
OF Accidents
Injuries at Sawmill Reduced
5000 as Result of
New Campaign.
ANNOUNCES PRIZES
FOR EMPLOYEES

| The safety program inaugurated
by the j. Neils Lumber company
has now been in operation one year,
and it is interesting to observe what
has been the result of this en-
deavor to prevent accidents to work.
men. The campaign has been ex-
traordinarily successful.
This result is shown in few
interesting statistics. During 1885,
before the safety program was in
Operation, 1911 man days were lost
because of accidents. During 1887,
under the new safety campaign, the
number of lost man days due to
accidents was reduced to 646. In
other words, there was a reduction
fof lost man days of 2,665, or a reduc-
ton of 30 per cent in days lost be-
cause of accidents
Here is another angle. Dur
ling 1896 the company paid in COM
pensation because of accidents, S.
625.24. In 1887 there was paid be-
cause of accidents, $l,436.76; a re-
duction in money paid of $2,18848.
or saving in this connection of 60
per cent.
Gives Dinner
These interesting results were
brought out at dinner given last
Friday night at the Turner Tavern
by Walter Neils, manager of the
company. The following were guests
of Mr.. Neils
w. <. Dexter, plant superinten-
dent; J. F. Fennessy, sales manager;
George Neils, logging superinten-
dent, Leo Becker, planning mill fore
man; Oscar Field, shipping fore
man, N. ID. Adams, John Knudson,
yard foremen; Art Christie. Iyer
Gratbo, shed forernen; Lionel Shau-
rette, shops foreman; Ferd Peterson,
roundhouse foreman, Ted Kessel,
box factory foreman; Frank Bate
man, chief engineer, Jake Botcheck,
Lee Sleizer, saw mill foremen; DIR.
&c. J. Martin and DR.. j. M. Cairns.
company physicians; r. r.. Weld
man, secretary safety council
Following the dinner a meeting
was held at the managers office.
The safety program has been ex-
planned in these columns hereto
fore but brief resume is not out
Iof place. During the past year, on
the 1st and 18th of each month, the
manager appointed three employees
as safety inspectors. At the end of
each two weeks period these inspec-
tors made written reports to the
general safety committee covering
wrong conditions and practices.
These reports were very thorough
and many valuable suggestions were
/ given for the correcting of certain
wrong conditions. Inspectors were
paid five cents per hour over their
regular wage for the tWo-Weeks
period providing a report was made
All but two made reports.
The safety inspectors submitted
I 367 recommendations 354 were ac-
cepted and 10 rejected. 1t can be
said that. most of the rejected rec
concentrations were such as would
violate certain insurance rules. A
few of these recommendation are
still to be carried out by the busy
repair crews
Announces Safety Sweepstakes
Mr.. Neils stated that in order to
maintain interest in the safety work,
promote individual safety effort, and
stimulate group safety thinking and
cooperation, the company would in
augurate a Safety Sweepstakes. The
, company will put up SIS each
, month, or three cash prizes of $50
each. Names of employees will be
! drawn for the prizes, but depart
: ments having a compensate injury
, during the previous month are au-
i tomatically ruled out of the run
ming, and although the name of ar
employee in such department nigh
! be drawn for the prize, yet that EN-
> Rployee will not be eligible to re
ceive the money.
, Our safety program will be con
, tinued during 1885," said Mr.. Neils
!. land employees will be appointed
as inspectors the same as last year
! Thus far our safety program ha.
r covered only the manufacturing
J plant, and not the logging opera
: tons. During the week of Janu
> airy IL, we will start our safety pro
gram for the woods department
r Mr.. Neils thanked the foremen, su
: perintendents, safety inspectors, ane
/ employees for their splendid coop
5 Grafton during the past year, ant
:. stated it was only through the co
E operation of all concerned that tn,
I good record was achieved. He said
I'VE must continue to look upoi
: safety not as an outside matter, blu
S as an inside proposition-an indis
! pensable part of an efficient organ
r ization. We must all continue to d
everything we possibly can towar
preventing accidents"