Document 6Bp7Y2QjZOwbbGxE3rY79MeB9

Construction Section ; ; .O ' Officers 1935-36 General Chairman--W. A. Show, Associated General Contractors of America, Inc., 1329 "E" Street, N. W.,. Washington, D. G J . Vice-Chairman for Hearn Construction and Railroad Contractors--R. J. -lBaGEUttH,_C W. Biakeslee &: Sons, 58 Waverly St., New Havenv Conn. Vice-Chairman for Highway Construction-^?. I. Rowe, W. L. Johnson Construct!^ Co., Hicksville, Ohio. Vice-Chairman for U. S. Engineer Department--Major Elliott Vandevanter, C. of E.f Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C. Vice-Chairman for Building Construction--Chester W. Wright, Wright & Kremers, Inc., Niagara Falls, N. Y: Secretary--Robert McKinley, General Accident Fire..& Life Assurance Corp., Detroit, Mich.- News Letter Editor--G/O. Griffin, 'bravo Corp., Neville Island,Pittsburgh, Pa. Engineering Committee Chairman--E. N. Goldstine, San Francisco, Calif. Membership Committee Chairman--Thomas Bentley, The A. Bentley & Sons Co., Toledo, Ohio. Poster Committee Chairman--R. A. Snow,, Carolina Power & Light Co., Raleigh, N. C. Program Committee Chairman---V. P. Ahearn, National Sand & Gravel Assn., Munsey Bldg., Washington, D. C.. . Publicity Committee. Chairman-^SN. P; Conn, Editor, "The Constructor," Washington, D. G Statistics Committee Chairman--C. H. Black, Stone & Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, Mass. ; Past General Chairmen-- W- F. Austin, Detroit, Mich. E. N. Goldstine, San Francisco, Calif.. John Russell," Jr., Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Newark,.. N. J. Officers Elected for 1936-37 General Chairman--W. A. Snow, Associated General Contractors of America, Inc., Wash ington, D. G. Vice-Chairman for Heavy Construction--R. J. Reigeluth, C. W. Biakeslee & Sons, New Haven, Conn. 0 & Vice-Chairman for Highway Construction--F. I. Rowe, W. L. Johnson Construction Co., Hicksville, Ohio. ^0 Vice-Chairman for U. S.. Engineer Department--Major Elliott Vandevanter, C. of E., Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C.., .. '/ Vice-Chairman for Building Construttion-^CHESTER W. Wright, Wright & Kiremers;'Iftc., Niagara Falls,-N. Y: . n." - , .' Secretary-rRoBEicr McKinley,-General'Accident, Fire & Life-Assurance. Coni., Detroit, Mich.' :' - 241 1 ac i * , c 2A2 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress News Letter Editor--G. O. Griffin, Dravo Corp., Neville Island, . Pittsburgh, Pa. Engineering Committee Chairman--Thomas Soule, ..industrial Indemnity Exchange, San Francisco, Calif. Membership Committee Chairman--F. J. Crandell, Liberty Mutual Insurance Go.; Boston. Mass. ' S . f1 Poster Committee Chairman--S. M. Lauderdale, Civilian Conservation. Corps, Washing ton, D. C. ^ ^ Program Committee Chairman^N. P. Ahearn, National Sand & Gravel Assn., Washing ton, D. C. Publicity Committee Ctiairman--W. P. Conn, "The Constructor," Washington,' D. C. Statistics Committee Chairman--G H. Black, Stone & Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, Mass. Past .General Chairmen-- * r W. F. Austin, W. E. Wood Co., Detroit, Mich. Edgar N. Goldstine, Consulting'Safety Engineer,-San Francisco, Calif. John Russell, Jr.,'Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Newark, N. J. * ; The first session was called to order hy outlining the activities of the past year t General Chairman Welton A. Snow, As and commending the work of the various sociated General^Contractors of America, committee chainnen. Addresses were Inc., Washington,D. C., who presided, given as follows: :> <: * ; rf ;-' < AH: *& < [lii.I Construction Safety Ain't Different C (By)a. O. GRIFFIN- Safety Director, Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. The construction industry in 1935, out an alibi. The cement, quarry and public's of 30 major industries, ranked twenty- -utilities industries contain many hazards^ seventh in accident frequency-and -twenty- similar to those of the construction in ninth in severity; and the only excuse' dustry, yet each has a superior accident that was ever"given is, "Well, we'rtjdif- rate. - r-. ferent" We aren't different! It's just ' The following table gives a percentage ^ :: Per cent in ' *. ..''.Construction Type of Accident Industry All types ........................... ..........\.ii........................ ^ . 100.0 Handling`objects..................................................... f. *--- 25.9 Falls to the same level................. ......... .;? ............. 9.5 Falls to a' different level........... ....................................... 8.7 Machinery ................................................................. 12.0 Vdddes ..................................................... 10.9 Falling objects....... ......................... ............................ r 8.7 Using hand tools....................................................... Stepping on or striking against objects. .1............. . 5.6 Electricity, explosively heat....c.............. ........................ 3.6 Harmful substances .:............. .............. . . ............... 2.1 Other ............. ...........................O............................... 5.4 7.6 Per cent in All Industries Construction Section distribution of the cases (nearly' all com eration besides,that of heavy construction.' pensable) covered in recent one^year re We build boats, operate a- barge line, ports from Illinois, New York, Mary* . and a' sand, and gravel company, besides land, New Jersey and. Pennsylvania. - fabricating steel, installing'machinery and' These reports cover !224,661 injuries in handling contractor's equipment. The all industries*and-40,620 injuries among types of accidents reported by these vari construction company-' employees^ ous subsidiaries-diffffer yery .little. Tow Is it not remarkable how nearly equal . boat. or construction job; machine shop these percentages are for most types df or gravel yard--they all report -falls, cuts injuries? ' In Oonly four instances does . and other injuries in about the rsame pro the difference in percentage exceed 1 per portion. However, there are some queer cent. The construction industry had 6 onek One dayIast week we per cent more accidents' due to falls to a fall out: of his berth andcrack different level, and- 2 per cent more due to falling' .objects, than the average for in the other, case a spider bii Recentiy, otKone of the dam jpbsM man all industries. .Construction work had 4 c was; hurt because he didn't understand per cent fewer accidents ery and S perxent fewer due due to Machin to vehicles. . the foreman's order. just had all his teeth The out. foreman had. It would appear, -therefore, .that vthe solution to . the problem, the redaction of construction accidents, could be accom plished by the use. of the same methods that other industries have used so suc \ cessfully. ' Actually, the,-, best safety records known to the National Safety Council for con struction work -were not, as. one might expect, made by contractors, but by the construction departments of an oil re finer,' a manufacturer, -and a public util ity. The Norco Refinery of Shell Pe troleum Corporation holds the best rec ord with -1,929,478 . man-hours operated ..All books and. theories on'safety say that . accident severity cannot be con trolled. ' In general, I agree,, blit I feel . that it can be controlled to a. greater ex tent on construction work than on many other types. .Most.severe accidents in construction,can be attributed, to* certain types of occurrences which can be guarded against fairly.; completely; by this I mean prevention of long falls by special types of scaffolding--..and. railings, and the1" reduction in falling, of material by the close inspection of mechanical equipment. To a very great extent, this has been done and, the records show it. without a disabling injury. DuPont's I am about, however, to suggest some .Penn's Grove plant has a record nearly thing, which may be quite controversial. . as good; and the' construction depart All rules for safety contests and sup ment of ..the Indianapolis Power & Light posedly all-fair safety men insist that if a' <-x Company, has -the third best record. , t-, temporarily-, injured employee is unable \ -i These' outfits didn't have any of "a man a floor" or. "a death for tradition so many ' to return to a'-regularly^established- job. on the day following_his injury, he, should hundred thousand dollars wbrth of work" be kept at home ana; recorded' as a lost to live up to.-1' They knew they weren't time accident. Hcltfntiie case -is recorded different; they just went ahead and did is of little interest/to Me- ... it. They had the safety-programs of th,e It is my contentigjr that on construc- parent corporation which were not built ` tion work you can improve, your' severity' in particular for construction work, but rate and do everyone -concerned a favor . which apparently functioned very welt by. keeping the injured man on the job. .. I have heard this tsanie excuse in my In this way, you can keep control of him own* company many times.. But last year and of his injury, be sure he receives ade we were rather fortunate in having one quate treatment and reduce his suffering job hang up' a- record of about 125^000 and loss of wages. - If you don't do this, n^an-hours without - a disabling injury. you frequently, lose control of the case That's nothing t.o write'home about, but' entirely and. have a simple'seven-day in it sure: was a help when the boys on the. jury turn into an expensive one with'.long- other jobs began the old "We're different" disability. .. story. * ' ?. To get back to our real subject, the - Our company has. several fields of op program which, in fiiy opinion, would ma- b' il 244 Twenty-fifth' National Safety Congress * ' terially-, improve accident, records in the accidenfrecords, consistent inspection and construction industry is. that which other maintenance of plant, a complete medical industries havetftepn using for so long;0' program.and the..principle of supervisory Briefly, CsP1 program based on adequate responsibility,- cannot help but- succeed. ' ' Dust Diseases As They Affect the Construction Industry By A. j. LANZA, M.,D.' Assistant Medical Director, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York City With a possible single exception, there cWe do not as yet. have permiasable or is but one dust disease and ope dust safe standards of dustiness. : There is causing that disease with which rhe con such an extremely wide variation of in struction industry is "concerned. The dustrial processes and environmental fac disease is silicosis and the dust causing tors that any elaborate system of stand it is dust containing;,free silica (SiOi). ards would be impracticable; but a simple Dusts containing silica' in combined form workable standard is highly desirable. have not been shown to cause, disability There is a rough standard, which is based or disease, with the exception of asbes largely oh the work of the-Public Health tos, which .is a silicate. r. Service, of ten million particles of dust . The outstanding facts with regard to her cubic foot.' This is a convenient tar silicosis have often been derailed and wilt get to shoot at when dust control meas be only briefly summarized here. The ures are undertaken in an industrial plant. dust must be in a fine state'of subdivi .That ..is not to say,, however, that a sion to reach the lungs; '-The particles threshold of ten million particles of a which, do the damage are less than ten highly siliceous'dust is safe. This stand-/ microns in 4j$oicter. In' this country, a?d was based on exposure to granite the amount>dramstin the air at any loca dust, containing about 35 per cent pure tion is determined DyNjie standard meth-, silica. od elaboratedny the United States Bureau of Mines and/the United States The construction section of this Con Public Health Service, using the im-. gress embraces many types of industry pinger, the -results, being expressed in and a multitude: of processes. It is . not millions of particles per cubic foot. -In practicable, therefore, to present a com-, order to estimate the- hazard, we must plete scheme of all the hazards in these know the number of particles and the industries.* We can, however, attain our percentage of silica, because a dust con object in a sufficiently satisfactory man taining 100 per cent pure silica would" be more harmfuTthan one containing 50 per ner by considering first, materials, and' second, the processes in which these ma cent'siiica. ' terials are used. The construction indus When we know the amount of dustin terms of averages--the amount of .sil try uses, enormous amounts of certain well known materials. Lime, gypsum, ica, and- the extent .of exposure, we are cement, sand, occur to everyone's mind in a position to evaluate the seriousness when you mentioij construction. Many of the hazard. We know that silicosis is of these substances are used in processes a chronic disease, taking usually years to Which involve considerable amounts of develop, and as we see - it in American dust, wherein lies the possibility of a industries, causing little or no disability health hazard. "> /unless - there is superimposed upon it' an There is no silicosis without silica-- infection. This infection., is mqst often free silica. So. right off, the manufac tuberculosis^, to which the individual with turer or industrial company has the first, silica damaged lungs is very susceptible. clear-cut index of the potential harmfdl- The' more severe the silica damage,- the- ness of a dust which, may be causing -more apt tuberculosis is to develop. concern -to him or his employees. . Does Construction Section 245 it contain free-- silica -in. appreciable ` lished industries. Where a tunnel is be- amounts? ing. constructed in., a highly, silicious What is an appreciable amount? ; Prob- rock, the fdust hazard looms very large, ably in excess of 5 percent. At least,.: It is similar to hard rock mining and that is well, on the conservative .side, everything'-conspires, to make the con-. Nori-silicious dust? may be a nuisance or trol of dust difficult. It is interesting to an annoyance to employees or to neigh-, note that7tunnel wdrk in various parts of - boring communities! but they., are not. -the. world.has been followed by similar, concerned with silicosis. If .the employer- experiences. 0 ' > does not know whether a dust tff which! The . report of the Director General of his employees are exposed contains silica'. Public Health for New South Wales in --that is the. first, thing-for him1 to'deter* Australia, 1924, details an investigation mine. Should he 'find that the dust does '-concerning ventilation/Sfidls&ndatone dust contain free silica, in & -determined per- present fn the air of certain seww. tunnels centage, then, the tiext step is to ascer- in Sidney. Apparently there an ex- ' tain the amount of-such dust present in cessive amount .pl silicosis and tubercu- the air where his employees work. losis among thesb tunnel Workers. We are frequently .asked whether dust -. A report of the ^outh African Institute - arising from gypsum, cement, lime, for Medical Research^ April! 1935, details marble, talc, rock, wool, minerat wool a severe silicosis ...hazard among sewer and many other substances, may cause tunnel ..workers-hr South Africa, silicosis. We say to the i^uirer; "You - We are justified in concluding that ttin- know the materials you are working net 'work calls for. extraordinary precau- with. Do they contain free silica?" He tions,.for safety-and health with'a super may reply, "No," or "Only a trace." The vision of the health of tunnel workers conclusion then is obvious. There is no. comparable tor that followed in other in silicosis hazard. . dustries. . Grinding or pulverjzing'sand, The type of process in which the dust < gravel, and other highly silicious materi- is generated is of.great 'practical import- - als are. processes that, need-very-careful ... ance., If the process is conducted in a control and supervision. ; ' . . confined place, with-poor .ventilation, it The control of the dust hazard is an is apparent that the hazard is much more ~ engineering problem, and in the main de- dangerous than if it were in the open-air, pends on an effort to entrap the dust at-% because in the confined place, the work? its point o.f origin by using water, or man gets a much-bigger dose of silica. suction exhaust systems, or both. Once Recently I saw-some X-ray films of the. dust is.,in .the air, reliance is .placed brick. masons.. These masons handled. . upon further use of- water, and on dilu- r only fire bricks--made from.' a highly tion of the silica .dust , by increased ven- silicious material r-and they were-em- tilation andon . protecting .the individual ployed in lining' kilns , and furnaces., by: a suitable . mask or respirator. The Their.films, showed well developed sili-. United States Bureau of Mines now. cer- cosis. Their job consisted in breaking up tifies respirators that are* safe , for silica the worn-out lining iti furnaces and-b.uild- dus.t,. The use of respirators should be ing new ones. They were continuously restricted to exposures which are inter- exposed to a highly silicious, dust/in a~ mittentor temporary.. very dose, confined place. The same Where ventilation equipment, designed ... material could probably be handled in to remove dust' from the air is installed1, other types of construction- work with cits efficiency1 should be checked from time - little, or 4io hazard."' ' . . to time by dust- counts, using the stand- The mention of close and- confined ' ard impinger method. As with other places brings' to -mind . tunnels, about protective devices, there, is always danger which there has recently been much a'gi- that this sort of apparatus becomes.1 tation. Without going into detail's con- greatly impaired or n useless because of cerningthis subject, the, lessen to ',be failure to.maintain it properly! , learned is clear..- The digging pf a tun- . I mentioned an exception to'the,;state- . nel is not a permanent undertaking in ` ment that Only Tree silica dust will pro- any locality bqt the. work should be safe- dtice diseaseTbf the- lungs. ' This, excep- guarded as in more permanently -estab-tion cis asbestos,' a' magnesium silicate.' 246 - The inhalation of asbestos dust produces .- infection is not present, there will be little a condition of the. lungs similar to sili- wor no' disability and- the employer should cosis. The pathology-is quite different protect the individual from further ,,.ex- - and cthe appearance oh X-ray films is posure through methods suitable to the distinct from silicosis. Asbestosis ap- situation involved. - parently does not predispose to tubercu- The important item to remwnber is the losis and in this, country has not been nature of the material and thecprocess in shown to cause much disability, though which it is employed. Consideration of a few deaths have been recorded. In the these.two items'will enable the employer manufacture of construction material, as- to ascertain whether a .silica hazard is' bestos is usually combined with other present and to act accordingly. Again substances which, .b$ ^ reducing the let me. emphasize that where workmen . amount of asbestos in the dust, tend to are exposed to a highly silicioiis dust in mitigate the hazard. confined places, the situation is extreme- A matter of great concern to the eni- ly serious and calls for energetic and . ployer is what disposition to make of comprehensive " measures of control and - cases of silicosis among his employees. .. continued medical supervision of the. men. If active tuberculosis is present, it is to Dust samples should be taken frequently the interest of the individual and his ,fel- and tlie men should be examined fre- low workmeir~that he be removed from, quently so .that serious disease will not his occupation arid given proper care. If occur. r` Physical Examinations of Construction Employees r on Public Works Programs By L. M. DEARDORF Superintendent of Construction, W. L. Johnson Construction Company, HicksviUe, O. . "If there ever was a time when em thoroughly demoralized mentally; physi ployees on Public Works projects should cally they have permitted their bodies to be given physical examinations before per be run dowti abput like an oh], paver that mitting their names on the payroll, it is" has beenfstanding alongside the road for now. r a '.corresponding period of years. Any contractor who secures a . Public . Our procedure in carrying out physical Works project with the Highways, PWA, examinations for our employees is as fol the U. S. Engineers, or any of the other lows:.' The contract having been award .department of. the Federal Government-is - ed;- and the superintendent assigned to required, as a part- of the labor regula the project, one of. his first important tions, to submit a requisition for Jus em preliminary instructions is to talk to the ployees .to the National Reemployment doctors in the .'vicinity of the project and Service. " The National- Reemployment - explain .to them the problem which we Service is dominated by the WPA or face in securing competent physicallyganization to the extent ^hat all semi able workmen. If the M. D. shows any skilled and common labor are furnished sympathy in our. problems and troubles, only from relief lists. In the majority of ' we negotiate for mass examination of the cases those unfortunate individuals, who employees. . The price paid for the exam are still on relief afe-there only by reason, ination is from $1.00 to $2.50. of. a mental or physical deficiency., They- ^The findings have been very interest have done very little work during the ing on the various projects as die follow past' five or six years and are pretty ing facts will , testify.. c Construction Section O 247 ' V>. On one" project where 85 men were ex- work. In fact-, about 60 per cent of" amined 20 of these were rejected for these o those examiried' and found physically fit reasons:. were not mentally inclined, to do hard Three hernias. labor;., We would first send an applicant One leakage of the heart. - to the foreman fcifc a day's trial work, and One evidence . of intemperance and a if he showed anc inclination to work he large tumor on'shoulder. was given^i physical examination. If not, One very nervous; heart trouble; throat he was discharged and we were saved the irritation; bad teeth. ; trouble and expense of an examination. Ohe deaf in right ear. About the first of July a; number of One high blood pressure. contractors were finishing .Jheir projects Two with only one eye^and too ojd. ;and releasing their labor. .The Employ- One. with defective hearing. " . - meat Center transfened.. those men- who One with; bronchial asthma. had a relief status to our project and dis v Oije with lumbago.. . c continued sending us men from the un One with frail makeup; bronchial trou- , employed ranks. Our number of rejec ble; bad rfrists, illiterate. tions '-then fell from over 70 per cent to One partial (Stiffness in left-elbow'joint. around 10 per cent. ,, -' . One anaemic. .. ' - There is a certain moral effect in carry Two. general makeup bad; unatert, men ing on physical examinations in that they tally and physically. r 1 give the man'who is employed a feeling . Two too young for construction work.' that he is .justa trifle7 superior to the gen One toroid and too frai? for construc eral run of people who are Available, and tion work.' - this fueling is revealed in the interest Another "project in 'Ohio got Qinder headway in June when the weather was' which he takes in his wor&and the build-. ing up of morale on the project. extremely hot. The project Superintend The matter pf physically examining, a ent contacted the Regional Employment: number of employees on a Fublic Works - Center-from which the labor was assigned. Project is much more expensive than in The Employment .Center was advis.ed as any- other -industry due to the regulation to the nature of the work,, that only .men that semi-skilled and common labor do. fit physically and mentally could, be ac not become a part of the contractors) or cepted,' that each man would be ^physi ganization, but are only on "the present cally examined by a competent physician project and the contractor 0must ' build a before being accepted. The-Employment complete new organization from skilled Center"' gave' us '"wonderful cooperation. labor on dpwn when' he moves on to Men from relief'rolls were first called to. the .Employment Office for an. interview another project. - . Another advantag^itt physuiScal examiner? before assignment, and only such men as tions is evident when ^you notify theJEinii could ,show they were physically .fit and ployment Center that the men will be able bodied wdfejassignedto our project. ` subjected to -a physical examination. The On ohe requisition for ^Hlaborers, theEmployment Center is much more par- Employment Center called'-tpjtHeii' office" ticular. We have found the Employment 100 men who were on relief. Seventy- Service interested -in the physical exam- eight men reported Of these,' the Em- inations and-.? they have given us. every ployment Officer turned down 7""4 `because " reasonable -cooperation. - o. of old age or physical-disabilities. Four We have heard no .objections from the of these 100 men were assigned to,.our- employees; organized labor, or the public project;. 3 reported-for work.5' Of these three, one was disqualified by physical disability, and one was discharged after being on the jo.b four hours.. with reference 3o - our' method of doing this , phase of our business. - We, there fore, urgent!jTTecommehd that every con tractor-employer adopt physical examina For ther following" three weeks there tions. iflr hjs employees. We consider our were many rejections, which -included A adoption of physical examinations for con- those rejected by the physician and niafny ` struction employees another stepping- others who had come -to the project with stone along .the road of safety/and anon- no intention of attempting.,to do <a day's ; , accident year.) of road.^ffilc^iif^ 248 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION O October 7, 1936 f *Round Table Discussion R. J. Reigeluth, vice-president, C.. W. - cussion which comprised the Wednesday Blakeslee & Sons, New Haven, Conn., morning sesi e - Construction Sec- presided at the general round-table dis- tion. v THURSDAY MORNING SESSION October 8; 1936 Safety in Building Construction \ C By CHRISTIAN. J. JENSEN Supt of Construction, M. B. Markland Contracting Co., Atlantic City, N.j. Construction work must be planned duty, to supply sound, good lumber for so that both the workers and public will scaffolding. When a scaffold is built, it be protected from injury, that therc^will must be properly braced, because even be no damage to adjoining- properties, good < lumber will fall if .it is over- and that there will be no failure after the stressed. . V. J job is completed. r. ' : On many jobs it is necessary to build In one case one person was killed and temporary elevators , for hoisting mate- several were injured wtfien a reinforced rials... These are subject to many stresses, cinder concrete slab failed and collapsed and it is important not only that the turn about fifteen years after it was built.. *ber be of very good quality but also that ' This was caused by the chemical action the men doing the work be intelligent and of elements in the cinders that corroded experienced. On one job a man was rid- the galvanized steel reinforcement. Many ing down on an elevator, and the engineer buildings have floor and. roof ~Slabs of thought it would jbe a good joke to ^cinder 'concrete with no reinforcement frighten him. The elevator started ' at '''but the high rib steel lath on which is high speed .and was suddenly stopped laid a three inch^ thick cinders concrete near the ground, but the joke was a slab, and although there may be no fail- tragedy as the . sudden stop dislodged the ures with loss of life, this in my opinipn - cathead,, which fell and killed the rider, is unsafe construction. Cinder concrete If the elevator had been properly built should not be used in building construe- there would' have been noaccident--- tion except as a fill over properly- rein- though,.that dobs not excuse the opera- forced stone concrete. tor, who was guilty of involuntary man- At the start of a job we erect encio- slaughter, sures and to that extent protect the pub- ~ When raising material from one eleva- Iic._ Then we begin construction.. To tion to another, great caution should be protect the worker it is the employer's taken to use good rope. If roper is ex- - Construction Section. . 249 posed to the weather it- deteriorates and There are jobs-where it is impractical very often an apparently good rope willQ. to keep electric wires out 'bf reach of the fail. But accidents have happened'when " workers. The Atlantic City Convention cbnstruction was done with .good mate- Hall was of that type. Most of the power rials and workmanship ^because an in- . used was' electric, and as some of the competent mian hasjtied unsafe knots,or ..equipment was not stationary, the wires given an improper signal for hoisting" or were of necessity so placed that they lowering a load. . -' c.ould be speedily moved. A laborer had All floor openings and wells should be " a habit of reaching tip and taking hold of enclosed with proper guards--there should the wires and he, in addition to a general be absolutely -no boards or planks on warning to ' all men,' was . particularly .'which men walk thaf do not have proper ^yarned that he must not touch the wires bearing. , , at any time. He repiied that there was Another cause of accidents'in construe-. - no danger, as the wires were ins'ulated. tion work is improper construction of A few days later, when the wires were ladders and ladders not fastened to their f wet, he'again grasped one and received top bearing. It is not always possible to a shock from which he died, although fasten a ladder at-the -top, but in that vtests made failed to find rany current ex-. . case it can be braced near the bottom. cept at' the terminals. 0 13 O 0 r> The Ohio Plan of 'Organization and Mode of Attack Against Construction Accidents y\HOMAS . KEARNS c Superintendent, Industrial Commission of Ohio, Columbus Nationally the construction industry or application. Men in the construction stands, twenty-sixth among <the -'thirty field are just as intelligent as those of industrial classifications .in accident fre- other groups. In fact, the skilled crafts- quency. . ' c men1 upon whose services the modern Considering-the past experience of some contractor depends -probably enjoy the other, groups which have progressed-far highest standard tpf literacy, of any of along the path of safety, -such a record these groups. - Tlie very (nature of their might not offer, much discouragement'to work demands a high order of intelli- safety advocates,, were it not that prdg- gehce. .0 o ress in accident prevention in construe- The construction industry holds its tion work is being made so.slowly .and-, present rating in relation to safety simply in some respects has grown worse. ~ because it chooses to. It has never,' There is no tenable alibi, for &is posi- either nationally or along state , lines, tion. The industry has its dangers? but ,taken safety seriously enbugh to hurdle a the normal hazards encountered by con- ,few. barriers' of. prejudice,' take up' the struction workers are no more pronounced work of accident prevention- methodically' than those of workers in other groups, and give it consideration'equal toVthat Yet iron' and steel,.rubber, cement, utili- directed toward production and profits, ties, railroads, and other .groups with . The experience of other groups has comparable dangers-are constantly dem- been that it is a long, harif'battle to-reach onstrating that accidents can be pre- ' a point where accident records can be vented. Why?- Simply - because 'they viewed with any degree, of' satisfaction, have gone at the work of prevention in- Construction has no . right to expect a telligently, persistently and inv a .spirit of - special dispensation that will improve' its cooperation. reedrd and lower its rates over night.. It is not a question of-initiative, genius , There is no .mystery about the causes 250 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress of accidents in the ^construction field. In Inspection and'the. exercise of its at. Ohio and I think", in other states six tendant enforcement authority have, with- principal causes contribute to at least out doubt, served a .very .useful purpose. 75% of our accidents. In order of acci- They, have,l>een the means of-eliminating dent'frequency these are: handling ob- innumerable- hazards from industry, jects, falls of persons, stepping upon or thereby preventing much loss of life and striking against objects, hand-tools, fall- needless suffering. ing objects and hot, corrosive and poi- - The installation of safeguards is essen- sonous .substances.' "Industrially operated tial to the success of any safety program: motor vehicles and machinery ard dose First, because an unguarded hazard is up and, if the tendency of the past few a constant menace to every worker, re- ryears continues, the former, will soon gain gardless of how well trained or how a foothold "'among the "Big Six," as it cgreful he may be, owing to human fai- has in Ohio industry as a'whole. libifity; Not one of these accident causes af- * Second, because it is impossible to obT fords an insurmountable " obstacle f to tain the .cooperation. or support of the safety. The majority of them are com- workers, so essential to the success of the paratively easy to eliminate-^because they safety program, unless and until the em" can be traced largely to lack of proper ployer has given a tangible demonstraselection, direction and supervision, espe- ction of his - interest in their protection cially the latter. Intelligent-work assign- . and welfare by supplying the necessary % ments, rigid inspection and supervision mechanical safety appliances. and good housekeeping will jdo away with One-of the primary steps in safety ed-` a large percentage of construction acci- ucation is the adoption of standard, prac- dents. . . __ c - tifcal and comprehensive codes of specific The primary responsibility for accident prevention rests with the employer, As a- matter of moral '^duty and economic prudence he.-must provide-safe working conditions, safe equipment Cland (enforce requirements providing the greatest meas- - ure of protection to workers. This is essential forrthe proper guidance of the employer as well as the - enforcing authorities. x safety methods and safe practices. file Construction Safety Code of Ohio, Many individual firms are demonstrat- generally recognized as one of the finest - ing that construction jobs can be done mediums of its kind, was developed to its without, accidental death or injury.' We. present status with the constant objective have in our state a number of construe- of fair, equitable and workable 'requiretion firms engaged imfopth;-building erec- ments, fashioned alongMthe lines of safe tion and public work '.that have com- standard practice. Added to these stand- pleted large operations wjthou|ta disabl- ardsJ is the^permissible alternative of ing injury, and; some have gone .a year, "equal-or buffer" substitution. . A con- ~ eighteen months and even two years dition below these standards is hot only without a reportable injury. These firms poor construction but "obviously dangerhave no monopoly on safety .ideas or ous. safety systems. They simply preach and Ever; since the organization of the divipractice safety and reap its rewards. . sion of- Safety and Hygiene we-, have con- Two methods are open forjhe advance- erftrated efforts toward the improvement ment of construction safety--arbitrary en- oKtne accident situation in the construe- forcement of safety regulations, and safety tion industry. training or organized educational safety Originally we devoted pur attention to work. ~ ' survey of jobs for the detection of acci* Safety education as a means of .pre* dent, hazards, urging of compliance with venting accidents in industry, is a theory regulatory provisions and personal con* of comparatively recent origin, but it is tact with contractors and their{employees, -fundamentally sound and has .long since AWhile, this (Was productive of- good re passed the experimental- - stage.Q As a .-'"suits. We Soon found that attempting' to matter of'fact, this is the principal method contact all operations was impracticable, used in most states today, and in some Several- years ago we conceived the idea it is the only method. of supplementing this effort with, a'cam- Construction Section 251 paign along state-wide lines to unify the bers representing 17 branches of `the in construction forces through a competitive . dustry and organized labor,.-each council safety contest of all construction , inter member having an alternate in case of ests, dividing them: into groups according his absence or inability to attend. From to hazards as' represented by premium the council an executive committee was rates paid .for state insurance. , At vorie organized consisting of seven men . who time more. than . 800 concerns were en are the executive officefstof ih'e organiza rolled in this contest. This campaign tion- . has been carried on continuously,.but up Permanent committees^have been^es- to the present time we . have bad no tablished under capable leadership, .con really outstanding results, largely because sisting, of <1) accident prevention, (2) of indifference and rlacki of cooperation. rates a'nd standardization, (3) legislative, The enrollments in the. campaigns, com- (4) safety codes and regulations, (5) pub - pared with, the strength of the. industry licity.and propaganda; and (6) member^ in the state, were comparatively, few and the exposure represented; only a small .ship. A 10-point progr1am, has been 0 outlined proportion of the man-hours worked. .. as "the immediate objective of the-organi With afew notable exceptions we were zation. It cohsistsjpf the following: not getting' the,,support we should have A concerted, state-wide program to re-, had from the larger concerns; and with duce accidents byL adherence to ^safety out their Interest it was extremely diffi rules^and regulations; td^see that injured cult to enlist the support of the smaller employees get -proper1' medical care, concerns, where ' indifference to safety thereby hastening fthe period of rehabili was even more pronounced. -However, tation; to insist-that,all employers amen even in the face of these discourage able to the fun^i, pay their premiums and ments, we have managed to' make head hoTd certificatesloflcove^ge; to urge leg way, nbt so-much in aggregates gains islation requiring'buildihg departments of against accidents as in the stimulation of cities to haW coverage (certificates filed safety, spirit' among; the leaders - of the with plans and 'specifications; to'.urge movement,, to many'of whom the division similar requirements by federal, state arid owes a debt of gratitude for the time given county authorities; to have architects in at .their own. expense in an endeavor to corporate' these provisions in publ^-and inject more life'into it. Having received private contracts; to educate `the public evidences of safety's value to their own to the economic levies .they assume experiences, they were willing and even through failure to. abide by these require ager^o gqalong with any-plan that ments; to check up on the -qualifications gave promjise' of -results to their col of physicians to prevent cases of maling leagues. ' ' ' l ering; to urge centralized--' procedure in During the early months-of 1935. we '-the-investigation and hearing of claims top made a vety careful study of the accident obviate the expense of employers and experience of the construction industry, claimants traveling to the state capital and the analysis revealed that riotwith- 0 to enlist the support of all co^struc- standing the prior depression years whenbon. interests in cooperative, accident there was; practically} little .work, the in-^' prevention work, the handling of compen dustry's experience had not materially sation insurance arid other major probimproved. We' decided, therefore, to call . iems confronting -the .industry. together outstanding leaders of the con The council -Is. strietjy a non-profit or struction industry for a'full and frank ganization, . its officers serving without discussion of the problem. The ^meeting rcmhheratlon. The membership dues are was held in. October, and a committee of! a minimum of $J per year per cdriipany three was appointed to select represents* or organization, and this money .infused tives of all branches of the industry and purely for the expense - incideritaWo. or- affiliated bodies. Early iq-^he spring of ganization activity and pubifa 1936 another, meeting was'held , and. the Q The program^ will* be ^xtejided Into "Ohio Construction Council, for Safety every' sectiqn of Ohio as ifgpidly as it is and Compensation Insurance" -wa^>or- possible, to organize the''fourteen sub- g^nized. The'council consists-of17 mem- divisions established for the state. 252 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress In each industrial center, therefore, will activities shotild. be a matter of mutual be set up a local or- district Construction responsibility. We believe this method Safety Council composed of representa is the only logical approach to the prob tives of the enjploj^er and emplpyee, who lem of safety in the industry. . How well shall be ^selecteiTByand-through employ.^' it works out will be made more apparent ers* organizations and employees' organ'-'' when . the activities of the council are izations. In'each center.will.be held ed .more thoroughly co-ordinated, which ucational and instructive 'meetings to ac should be earl# in the doming year. quaint both employer and employee with One feature of the new Ohio campaign the'seriousness of the . accident situation that makes. it predestined for success is and to instruct them in the proper method that .the industry is not satisfied with a of promoting plans for safety contests. position of entire dependency upon state These meetings will also emphasize the - agencies. Thg^ leaders of the movement proper manner in which' to construct, have approached their problems in a erect and use the | temporary facilities, business way. safeguards and devices commonly found -.The ^entire plan of organization is to on every construction job. ` j create a medium by which and through Where heretofore the safety efforts which the industry will control , its acci have been largely directed by the employ dent frequency and which will further ers,' under the present plan joint action serve as a counseling body between the of both employers and employees is her industry and the Industrial Commission ing pursued. It is felt that, since safety on all matters pertaining to accident rewards are mutually beneficial; safety preventiob. ADJOURNMENT'