Document BR4JBq9xmw0MJgqrm36YDpakJ

I't'ii1 Xiifi.-jial Safely Congress IT'S CHEAPER THAN YOU THINK By DONALD W. STITT Asst. Gen. Manager, Industrial Relations, Continental Can Co. New York City Several years ago a5 a result of general discussion during the development of our Power press safety manual and some tours through plants which needed improved guarding, our Power Press and Forging Section Committee started to think of ways in which we could stimulate greater Interest in good guarding. From our discussions we came to the conclusion that perhaps one of the stumbling blocks to guarding progress in many companies was a misunderstanding as to the relatively low cost of making good guards. As a result, we decided to expand our Saiety Congress program for 1959 to include the subject "Cheaper Than You Think." We were gratified to see the interest in this subject and have decided tr. make this a regular feature at each Con* gress as long as the interest continues. I wish to stress the fact that this program is not a duplication oi last year's program. We have a completely differait set of guards to show you and will continue to change the material each year so that we may cover as wide a range of guarding techniques as possible, and also keep you up-to-date with the most modern methods available. As the name of this program implies, good guarding is cheaper than many people think. It is our purpose to dononstrate to you today various good guarding technique* and indicate the approximate cost of them where such information is available. From a purely economic point of view, we in in dustry can't afford not to provide proper guarding for our equipment When you stop to think what one serious accident costs as the result of improper guarding or a lade 01 a guard, it is quite evident that good guarding should be a must or every piece of moving equipment. I recently did a little checking on the cost of accidents involving fingers. I found in one state a company which had several small plants whidh reported 350 finger in juries during the period of 1954 through 1958, for a total cost of $29,190 or an average cost of $83.40 per injury. An in surance company recently made a study of claims which involved cost of over $2500 per case during the two year period of September 1958 to Septonber I960. They found 142 high cost claims resulting from punch press accidents during this period for a total cost of $705,613 or an average cos: per case of $4,969. If yon win take the time to review the maximum amount of compensation awards for our various states for finger injuries, you find that in ten states including such heavy industrial states as Connecticut. Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York the loss of one thumb can cost the employer over $34)00 and in one state up to $8.250 in compensation alone, to say nothing oi hospital, medical, loss of production and the like. In a number of states the loss of the index finger costs over $2,000 in com pensation alone. 1 am sure you will agree that it is much better for a company to spend their money for good guarding than for claims costs such as these. So I say to you again, we can't afford not to provide good guarding for our equip ment from the economic point of view alone--to say nothing of our moral obliga tion to protea the safety and health of our employees. 32 OFFICERS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE AND MACHINE SHOP SECTION NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL 1960-61 General Chairman--Gtoacz E. Humphrey. Safety Director. Cadillac Motor Car Div.. General Motors Corp- Detroit. Mich. ;'-;-c-Chairman--R. M. Cot. Safety Director. Goodman Mfg. Co., Chicago, I1L Program Committee--James W. Lake (Chairman), Manager - Industrial Hygiene De partment, Michigan Mutual Lability Company, Detroit. Mich.; Robot F. Boson (Associate Chairman), Supervisor - Safety and Training. Perfect Grcle Corporation. Hagerstown. Ind Sezcsletter Committee--A. J. Rczich (Editor), Safety Coordinator, Power Train Croup. Chrysler Corporation, Detroit. Mich.; Lewis R. Morrison (Associate Editor), Manaper - Safety, ACF Industries, Inc, New York. N. V. <fcreiary--\\\ E. SrLTTiXG. Director of Safety. Carrier Corp.. Carrier Parkway. Syra cuse. N. Y. 'r.ginecring Methods and Procedures Committee--Dan* F. Brady (Chairman), Manager of Safety & Plant Protection, The Maytag Corp, Newton. la.; O. J. Pickel (Associate Chairmen), Supervisor, Safety and Medical Service, Wagner Electric Corp, St. Louis. Mo-; *C. A. DeMonce, Personnel Director. Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Co, Detroit. Mich.; Kenneth S. Hedges, Safety Director, General Motors Corp-, Detroit, Mich.; John KtusniRY, Assistant Traffic Manager of Operation?. Bendix Aviation Corp, South Bend. Ind.: John A. PAtrGH. Div. Safety Engineer. Metal Stamping Div, Ford Motor Dearborn, Mich.; *C J. Peterson. Staff Safety Engineer. Chrysler Corp., Detroit. Mich-; Howard D. Rahde, Supervisor oi Safety. Employee Benefits, Wcstingbousc Air Brake Co- Wibnerding. Pa.; L. B. Stanley. Safety Engineer. Delco-Remy Div., General Motor* Corp, Anderson. Ind: A. M. Thomsen, Safety Director. American Motors Corp, Kenosha. Wis.; M. G. Zimmerman. Safety Director, Detroit Trans mission Div, General Motors Corp.. Ypsilami. Mich. -acation and Training Committee--John B. Hynes (Chairman), Safety Supervisor, Oldsmobile Div, General Motors Corp.. Lansing. Mich.; Paul Kras:os (Associate Chair man). Chief Safety Engineer. Butler Mfg. Co.. Kansas City. Mo.; J. G. Date, Works Safety Supervisor. International Harvester Co.. Milwaukee, Wis.; Robot J. Finlev , Sujwviscr oi Safetv and Security. Cummin* Engine Co.. Columbus, Ind; Quinton \\. Goode. Supervisor of Industrial'Saiety. International Harvester Co, Chicago, 13.; Edward W. Tames, Safety Director, Sundstrand Corp.. Rockford. 1IL: Leo A. Johnson, Safetv Director, John Deere Harvester Works of Deere & Co^ East Moline, IU.; 1. P.' K*\eny. Safety Director, Belilen Mfg. Co, Columbus. Xeb.; R. G. Reeve, A---istant Manager. Safetv Services Section, Allis-Chalmers Mfg.Co, Milwaukee, Wis.; G. C. SQUtot, Kindy Optical Co, Detroit, Mich.: Donald Welter, Safety Director. Guide Lamp Div, General Motors Corp, Anderson, Ind; . C. Woodward. Director Safety, A. O. Smith Cotp, Milwaukee. Wis. :!eaith and Maintenance Committee--Era'sk J. Waonek (Chairnusn), Department oi Health & Hygiene, Deer and Co, Moline, Hi ; W. E. Griffin (Associate Chairman). Works Safetv Supervisor. International Harvester Co. of Canada. Lad, Hamilton Works. HamUtcn. Ontario. Canada; William E. Gruber, Manager, Safety Engineer ing Department, Standard Accident Ins. Co.. Detroit, Midi; W. G. Hazard, Personnel 33