The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1948-04-22
NeiIS FOrenen
Turkey;
Ian Safety
Hold Annual Gathering Of
Key Men to Discuss the
Accidents of Past Year
SAFETY MEN
IN PLANT AND WOODS

About so foremen and guests
we're present Thursday evening OF
last week at the Annual Foreman's
Dinner and Safety Meeting held by
the J. Neils Lumber Company. The
turkey dinner was served by Circle
B of the Presbyterian Ladies Aid. in
the church dining room.
Following the dinner, the group
adjourned to the company office for
the purpose of discussing the &C
cident record for the year l947.
Walter Neils, vice president of the
company, presided and introduced
the guests, consisting of Jake Bot
chek, retired foreman. and W E.
Dexter, retired superintendent OF
the plant.
Mr.. Neils then introduced his
special guest, Jerome Compeau, ST.,
who retired last February from the
position Of head sawyer in the saw
mill. The mill owner stated that
Mr. Compeau began saving for the
company in the old Mill in Min
nesota, back in 1907, and has con-
tinued in that capacity until re
tirement. covering a period OF Al
years. During all this time the
veteran sawyer never had an &C
cidcnt himself nor was 5Donslble
for an accident to his fellow work
men on the carriage or tallSaWyers.
This IS a record that not only Com
pcau but the management and all
his fellow workers are entitled TO
be extremely proud OF. safety
record that IS hard TO equal and
impossible to better.
The appointment Of Richard
Neils as plant safety man. was an
Inounced. Richard will also handle
all workmen's compensation cases
Kenneth Neils has been appointed
to head safety promotion in the
woods. Both Of these appointees
are alert, capable young men and
will put forth their best effort 10
esta blish new records for safety
Robert Neils. who has handled
safety in the woods for the past
two years, has set a high mark
10 aim for in this department The
first year he handled the program
accidents were cut 90ec in the
woods, and in 1916 the logging
department won the coveted award
for having the least percentage Of
accidents in the Northwest
All accident cases during l947
were reviewed The plant had y
accidents during this period, as
compared with Is in 1916 How
ever. man days lost in l947 due to
accidents were 1923 as compared
with only 507 in the preceding year
The l947 record includes one fatal
accident for which the National
Safety Council rules a loss Of 5000
days
In the logging department there
were 10 accidents during l947 as
compared with IL in 1945. These
accidents resulted in a man days
loss of 1874 as compared with the
1916 loss of 297 Considerable dis
cussion took place regarding IL of
the 10 woods accidents, which &C.
Cured to sawyers. the men who
fall and buck up the trees. Every
possible effort is being made dur
ing 1913 to reduce this record.
Melvin Knudson, superintendent
of the new pressure treating plant,
gave very interesting talk on the
work of the new plant KnudSon
used charts and blue prints to illus
trate his talk and showed samples
Of the treated wood
From start to finish the evening
proved both interesting and worth
while: the round table safety dis
cussion bringing out many worth
while suggestions for use in the
safety campaign.