Document 49KpLva9VVGgm6jXLyeV0j1V

FILE NAME: Caterpillar (CAT) DATE: 1930 DOC#: CAT015 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Published Article from the Transactions of the National Safety Congress m Twentieth Cnni/rest--Xaiiunai Safety Council l>4ny. Is it |ius?ili1e that the average citizen ttill lmld> the ancient idea tltat an accident ". a visitation of the Lord:" While this awful record lias been climbing tip on the highways o i tlte ICafion, it is impressive and ti>curagtng to note that in the industries represented by ihc dele gate.. h ife present, there lia> been. through an adoption of safety appliances and the di.-eminatum <d propaganda, a gratifying decrease in the number oi deaths and injur ies. Tills achievement is the result of intelligence, persistence and sacrifice. This is familiar to all <*t you and it is to your everlasting credit that you arc nut satisfied vitli the result oi yo u r pioneering, but through conventions of this character, and m every other way. are constantly seeking appliances and methods tu conserve the iiu*> of your fvllmv human?. It occur? itj me tltat you have seined the real spirit of rcj<mobility. Vou appraise re-.]tisihility hot as a simple knowledge of a condition but as an obligation for the tottdusion of a task. 1 do not believe that your determination in this regard was ma terially advanced by the enactment of the so-ealled Employers* Liability Statutes by many of ihc stales. In tacL unless I am incorrectly advfcid regarding the history oi vur orgatuzaiiim, your pioneer work for the safety of yout employee antedated the enactment of these laws liy practically any of the stales. Vour executives have deu\on-irat! a vision and courage as well as a couiieralioH which, particularly tu ilu^e days of trihuliioti. should t>e appreciated hv your workmen. h may Iki, however, that m.<i oi tiicin take it fur granted that your thoughtfulness for their rafety is cuming t*i them anyhow, and appreciation may consequently le lacking. There isn't a doubt, under litis financial depression through which we are attempt ing tu struggle, that conditions have become the more perplexing. Economic con ditions are very much out <M joint. It takes the right spirit oi humanity to continue your endeavors and keep trying to find some additional means whereby you can more fully conserve the lives o i those who are in your employ. This spirit of look ing after the other iellmv-- this really human impulse which all of you express-- should Ik an inspiration to those who otherwise, because of lack of work, might be disheartened aud discouraged. I presume it is a practice with the various units o f your organization to, at least occasionally, lave "Safety Ftr!" talks with your men. in which they are reminded <d ytnir imrrtft in them and urged to extend similar consideration to tlarir fellows. It plkmid mean much to these men. in these days oi unemployment, to know* iliat they are m-t ouly in a sition of employment. but that every* safeguard possible is placed alxrtJt their work so tlut their employment may continue and that the memlicr# of tltcir household lived 1131% no tear while they are at work, and may confidently look forward to tlieir return to their domiciles at the conclusion of their day* work. 1 was much edified recently in reading the speech of the head of a great industry in nur country, advocating measures fur the permanent employment and protectInn of men, iii Ft only in his industry, hut in the great industries of the Nation. l-fts stigttcrtiuns were cmirageims and patriotic, and I am hopeful will come into full fruithxi. If so. \\*e nrvd have mi tear of the future. Offtimutufm and its principles will not have its present mure-ur-lvss fertile field# of M|rrat{n, and will be exiled as a force of influence in the community i\>r all time to dime . T1ii> splendid program will necessitate that same degree of mutual consideralion and Cooperation which Itas distinguished the National Safety Council from its incep tion. This is <<ne of your great opportunities. It is inconceivable that Legislative enactments will build up the consideration of the average man for his neighbor. We are often reminded that you eannot legislate morality into the people. It would !fc a far letter and m*rc useful program if tfiis principle could he brought more strongly to the attention of our school children iu tlieir early youth. Something al><itg this line U utid>mbtedly living accomplished in many communities. Imt it the M dals Section 119 youth of the land is sternly taught to accept responsibility if injured, or a t lea*t until he can prove himself innocent, it may do much to instill a sentiment of caution and a willingness to give the other ciiap a break. It is. perhaps, all right to offer this suggestion in a general wny, hen if we are to get anywhere h must be through intelligent unselfish leadership. The leadership must come primarily from your organization. You have pioneered the field: you liave done much. Your example should prove a stimulating encouragement to those really con cerned for the safety of others. In the hustle and strife of our day and age. we are prone to forget everything but self. Xothmg hut the everlasting keeping at it will count. Through the ramifications of this organization it is possible fur you u reach members of the legislature, executives of niunicijiaimes, school boards and every other agency" through, and by which, safety propaganda can l* dbsenimated. The Golden Rule should enjoy a renaissance and be made the great stimulating force to bring back to all men the "Spirit of brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God." OiAikMAN' K en*sel : We owe Mr. Sweitzer a vote of lltankft for hriiiitmg this wonderful inspirational u lk to us and the Metals Section can assure him that we realize our responsibility and that we are going to take renewed interest and pi* ahead with greater effort than ever to prevent accidents. We continue with the subject, "Metals Section Statistic for 10.10" ami a friend of mine atul of this Section has agreed to jii\c us a brief report. T. A. Schcudd, safety director for the Caterpillar Tractor C*.. Fenria. 111., will address tie. Metals Section Statistics for 1930 By T. A. SCHENDEL Safety Director, C aterpillar T ra c to r Company, Peoria, TO. 1 know you will all l>c glad to bear that the Metals Section had, during 1930, one oi the safest years in its history*. Excellent records were made by many members, with the steel industry* low with 11.99 lost-time injuries per 1,000,009 hours of work. They thus rank fifth in frequency among 28 major industries, included in the Council's annual report. The foundry industry shows the other side of the picture--high frequency of 32.11. Smelting, refining, fabricating and non-ferrous metals luid a more favorable cxjwrience, Their average frequency was 17.14. Combining the experience of Hickc three groups shows 15.86 lost-time injuries per one million hours of work, or 14 per cent lower than the rate for all industries. As to severity--not so good. Lost-time injuries per 1.000 hours, 2.38 for the Metal* Section compared to 1.97 for all industries. Steel liad the highest severity rate, 2.47, with foundry crowding them at 2J23, and the non-ferrous metals coming in with 2.03. Of course, our high severity in contrast to low irequeney, shows a high ratio of serious injuries to temporary disabilities. Fatalities alone are responsible for 1.37 days jer 1000 hours work, or 58 per cent of our total severity rate, and that should give tis all reason to pause and consider tliat figure. J t is serious, gentlemen. The elimination of serious injuries is one of the major problems which confront industry. The records of over 2500 establishments that have reported in each of the last three years show that, while frequency decreased 28 per cent in comparison with 192S. severity was down only 8 per cent, The reason for the comparatively small decrease in severity is found in the decline of only 10 per cent tn the frequency* of fatalities, and a slight increase in the frequency of permanent partial disabilities. The records of plants reporting for five years also indicate a pronounced decrease in the frequency and severity of temporary disabilities twtt much less success m 120 Twentieth Congress--Motional Safety Council eliminating serious injuries. Kotable exceptions to this general situation are found in the public utility industry which has reduced fatalities 25 per fy*t and permanent parrnl disabilities 20 per cent during the last two years, and in the paper and pulp industry. h is well known that periods of rising employment necessitate the training of new men, shifting of employees from one job to another, and other aniens which are apt to be unfavorable irom the standpoint o f safety, whereas, during periods of reduced employment, many of these adverse conditions diappear. Industry has demonstrated, however, that all injuries, excepting permanent partial disabilities, can be reduced regardless of changes in industrial activity. From 1928 to 1929, working time in 1500 industrial plants Increased 11 per cent but the average fatality rate decreased almost 5 per cent and the frequency of temporary disabilities about 4 per c en t A decrease in working time of 17 per cent from 1929 to 1930 was then followed by a drop o f 24 per cent in die frequency of temporary disabilities and a 5 per cent drop in fatalities. The experience o f our section has, in many respects, been similar to this. The records o f 162 plants in our section that have reported in cadi of tbe last three years show a drop in frequency of 35 per cent from 1928 to 1930; most of which was made during the Iasi year. Severity in these plants, however, rose about 21 per cent from 1928 to 1929 and decreased about an equal amount from 1929 to 193& Variations in the frequency of fatalities largely account for the fluctuations in our severity. "While tlte frequency of permanent partial disabilities has been tip and down during this period, the severity o f these injuries has steadily decreased particularly during 1930. The most consistent improvement in the section during the last two years is in the steel industry*. Among 71 foundries th e total frequency rate increased from 1928 to 1929, but was down sharply during 1930. T he frequency of fatalities and permanent partial disabilities has increased steadily since 1928. Consequently, severity has risen from 1.51 to 1.68, and, in 1930, to 228. Although injury rates for similar establishments in the non-ferrous metallurgical industry were very high during 1929, 1930 rates compared quite favorably with 1928. Seventy-three plants in the steel industry, on the other hand, decreased frequency 39 per cent and severity 15 per cent is cocaparison with 1926. Severity was higher in 1929 than in either 1928 or 1930 but frequency declined in each year of the period. The industry* fatality rate was highest m 1929 and lowest in 1928 but the ire* q u o c r of permanent partial disabilities declined in each year of tle period, the total decrease being 20 per cent. This improvement was general throughout the various departments of the steel industry. Departmental records, available from 1929 and 1930, only, show that, out of 22 departments, frequency dropped in twenty and severity is eleven. The re* dueiions in frequency and severity by structural and rail nulls, seamless tube mills, plate mills, tio plate mills, and general mechanical departments were particularly outstinding because improvement was shown in both rates for each type of injury. On the ether hand, departments that liave particularly high fatality Tates fot 1929 and 1930 such as blast furnaces, general labor and coke plants showed no appreciable improvement in tliis type of injury. Only seven dc|iartment* in the steel industry with frequency rates higher thar average, and of these, sheet and tin plate milts, open hearth, and seamless tube mills are most important because of their large exposure. These departments also fa re higher than average permanent partial disability rates, but, with the exception <{ the open hearth, low* fatality rates. Fatalities, on the other hand, occur most frequently in open hearth, coke plants, blast furnaces, general labor, and general mechanical departments. In fa c t these rive departments account for over 50 per cent of all fatalities that occurreid in the industry during 1929 and 1930, although their combined exposure U only slightly more than one-third of the total for all departments. Metals Section 121 Permanent partial disabilities, hoR'ever, are widely distributed. Io proportion to nun-hours worked, structural and rail mills, merchant mills, rod and wire mills, bloomihg and billet mills, transportation, open hearth, and seamless tube nulls, have lu d the largest number of injuries of this type, Furthermore, those with the highest frequency rates fo r these injuries also have the highest severity rates. You have noticed that th e open hearth appears frequently in the high rate group, yet, some of our members have demonstrated quite conclusively th a t open hearth operations can be made as safe as any others in the industry. Sixteen of these departments, in 1930. had frequency rates below 10.0 and of these, all but four had severity rates below ID. In other words, the plants with the high frequency r a t s for this department a re having (lie serious injuries. You have no doubt noticed that a great deal of this report is given over to the steel iodustry, and in this connection, it may be in order to mention that the n ext year will no doubt see a system o f departmental reports carried on into the industry, where I believe it will be a big help to all of us who are connected with that phase o f the Metals Section. No doubt most of us have a system of our own in our individual plant, but are not able to bring it out into a more detailed report I t is a n a tte r o f general belief that accident experience in the Metals Section during 1931 win be even better than the past year. Operations, on the whole, have been low, but one of these days business will pick up, production schedules wifl be increased, then again will come the possibility of higher injury rates. Therefore, now is the time fo r plants and departments with records that are below .par to look around, find their difficulties and correct them. Cha a u a k H&kscl: W e are all very grateful to Mr. Schendel for reading this report and for giving us some sidelights on iL H at any of you noticed how the various departmoits of the steel plants have been split up in the annual report pub lished by the Council? Have you any questions or any suggestions on the way the entire report has bees handled ? G. G. Grieve (T h e National Safety Council, Chicago): The National Safety Council wishes all members of the Council to send in their 1931 accident reports. The number has grown each year and the increase should be continued in spite of Hie depression and hard times. Information on accidents in many industries is becoming more reliable. This is partly due to the increase in the number of reports. Mr. Scbckdcl: W hat is being done about getting accident records in the mach inery industry by departments? Mil Grieve: W e are working on th a t The idea is to enable members to compare the records of their entire plant and also records in the individual departments. For example, those with forge departments can check their records by comparing with other forge shops. The idea as applied to the machinery division seems a good one. The first year the method was used in the steel industry we received departmental reports from about ninety-five percent o f those reporting, which was exceptionally good. Last year the idea was followed out in the electric railway industry; we tiad a large increase in the manlier of reports and approximately seventy-five per cent covered experience by departments. Chair siam H eksq.: During the past year I showed various department heads where they stood as compared with some fifteen or twenty similar departments of other companies. Some of those fellows were surprised to find that they stood near tiie top and others that they stood near the bottom, D. E. S haxxok (F o rt Pitt Malleable Iron Company, Pittsburgh, P a .) : I sug gest the report be given in chart form to give us a chance to take notes. Chahmaw H eksel: X think that is a good suggestion. It wll! be taken up with the program committee o f another year. The next paper will be delivered by C P . Waite, assistant supervising engineer, the Travelers Insurance Company, Chicago.