Document BVyavK2OrRNkaMOwgRJK3qBX

FILE NAME: Pennsylvania (PA) DATE: 1947 Aug DOC#: PAO12 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: PA Labor & Industry Review DEPARTMENT O F LABOR AND INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL WILLIAM H. CHESNUT, Secretary ' FRANK K. BOAL, Dep. Secy. DAVID WILLIAMS, Dep. Secy. Thomas J. Quigley, Director...............................Bureau of Inspection William L. Boylan, Director ..........Bureau of Industrial Standards John M. Treier, Director.................... .....................Bureau of Mediation Margaret M. Memmert, Director.... ....................Bureau of Research and Information Mary Rice Morrow, Director........Bureau of Women and Children and Hours and Minimum Wages Vacancy, Director ................ Bureau of Workmen's Compensation George E. Gwilliam, Manager....State Workmen's Insurance Fund Maurice E. Boate ................................................................... Comptroller INDUSTRIAL BOARD William H. Chesnut, Chairman John B. Backhus Wilbert W ear Mrs. M. J. Keane Rau Elvin W. Overdorff Frank A. Hess, Secretary WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION BOARD Daniel G. Murphy, Chairman Leo G. Knoll, Member Wilmer M. Jacoby, Member William H. Chesnut, Ex-Officio William R. Gallagher, Secretary STATE WORKMEN'S INSURANCE BOARD William H. Chesnut, Chairman Ramsey Black, State Treasurer James H. Malone, Jr...................................... Insurance Commissioner PENNSYLVANIA LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Darrell W. Smiley, Chairman Leo Abernathy; Member Malcolm B. Petrikin, Member Jacob Bryerton, Secretary UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BOARD OF REVIEW Harry A. Englehart, Chairman Clarence E. Blackburn, Member Henry L. Lawrence, Member Melvin L. Jacobs, Secretary Thomas C. Donaghy, Acting Executive Director, Bureau of Employment Service and Unemployment Compensation VI to th powf ad vii Reati Iearr the tive. W meir effor ner i gesti Dep frorr of F S4S T H Y *, FOREWORD \\ \ f T itii this issue, the Department of V W Labor and Industry resumes publi cation of the Quarterly Review. Due to the exigencies of wartime, including man power and paper shortages, it was deemed advisable temporarily to discontinue pub lication. It was gratifying, however, to learn, from the wide inquiries received, that the Review had in the past been instruc tive and helpful to citizens of Pennsylvania. With resumption of the periodical, every member of the Department will bend all effort toward improving it in whatever man ner may be possible. To that end, I invite criticism and sug gestions. not only from employes of. the Department of Labor and Industry, but from readers everywhere, and all citizens of Pennsylvania. W ILLIA M II. C M K S M IT Wsc***?Sjyw Safety at Aliquippa .............................. A Good Reporter's Last " 3 0 " ........... Rehabilitating O ur Handicapped . . In the Mail Room ................................ Betterment of U nd e rstand ing........... Cooperation Solves Many Problems . The Amicable A rt of Mediation Keeping the Books Labor Department in N. J .................... Workmen's Com pensation.................. Workmen's Insurance Fund ......... 66,000 Visits and Insp ections........... Women at W ork .................................. The Industrial Board ........................... $602,000 Per Day! Statistics Aren't Always Dry Industrial Board Rulings-- 1947 Departmental Publications Available riipics nl litis |>uliliY:itiim may lie olilaincd lv m il inn llm vati of Rosea roll Inform alion Kihiiii .ri07 lVIler ItuiUlin^ I larrislmr)'. Pennsylvania c , ( e/v bats an d p rotectiv e'.g o g g les are ' musts" lo r em ployes n o r tug at hazardous jobs tit Jo n es & l ^ " Sh- lin's A liqn ip p a plant. tr -V>- * ' il ( JONES & LAUGHLIN S: Safel ASMALL iron works acquire Brownsville, Pennsylvania the year 1850 by Benja franklin Jones, when the w ard surge of industry had bi passed beyond the Allegher os the origin of the pres i:ncs and Laughlin Steel Cot 3tion. Jones & Laughlin has expan *'om that single unit at Brow lie until today it holds fou ;!acc among, the steel produc :f the United States. Its v Pittsburgh Works, employing c r-elvc thousand people, exte :long the north and south ba :l the Monongahcla River fo i'Stonce of approximately I -lies. The Corporation has t :thcr large manufacturing plan :nc is the Otis Works in Cle and; the other is the J & L / ;uippa Works. In addition, J ns a wire rope plant in Mun Jo., a fabricating plant at K Kcesport, Pa. and an Electr eld tube plant in O il C ity, P< During the period between 18 :nd 1900, taking advantage `ic developments in iron and stt :id the natural growth of t Country, the business expand s the Pittsburgh area until J11505, it was realized there w n available large acreage Pittsburgh for the development .`Jditional steel products. A rordingly in that year a fare 'ract of land consisting of sever ':rms and an amusement pai q JONES & LAUGHLIN SHOWED THE WAY . . . Safety A SMALL iron works acquired in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1850 by Benjamin Franklin Jones, when the west ward surge of industry had bare ly passed beyond the Alleghenies, was the origin of the present Jones and Laughlin Steel Corpo ration. Jones & Laughlin has expanded from that single unit at Browns ville until today it holds fourth place among the steel producers of the United States. Its vast Pittsburgh Works, employing over twelve thousand people, extends along the north and south banks of the Monongahela River for a distance of approximately 3Vz miles. The Corporation has two other large manufacturing plants; one is the O tis Works in Cleve land; the other is the J & L A li en' pa Works. In addition, J & L lias a wire rope plant in Muncy, Pa., a fabricating plant at M c Keesport, Pa. and an ElectricIweld tube plant in O il C ity, Pa. During the period between 1850 ond 1900, taking advantage of the developments in iron and steel h o d the natural growth of the Country, the business expanded the Pittsburgh area until in 1905, it was realized there was ho available large acreage in Pittsburgh for the development of additional steel products. A c cordingly in that year a large p et of land consisting of several nrms and an amusement park in Steel were purchased at Woodlawn (now Aliquippa) on the Ohio River, twenty miles below Pittsburgh. In December 1909, the first of five blast furnaces was completed in the new steel plant to be known as the Aliquippa Works, named for the Indian queen, who was friend ly to the British during the French and Indian Wars. Since the be ginning in 1909, three Bessemer converters, and five Open Hearth furnaces have been added to pro duce the steel used in the various finishing mills in the manufacture of pipe, tin plate, rod and wire products and structural shapes. Three batteries of by-product ovens produce the coke used in the blast furnaces. This modern Plant employs some ten thousand men and women. It is interesting to note that the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation was one of the orig inal organizers of what is now known as the National Safety Council and that it was also the first steel Company in the United States to employ the full time services of a safety director, in dicating early recognition of a responsibility regarding the safety of its employes. Supervision at this Plant is charged with the definite respon sibility of preventing all occupa tional injuries and disease hazards to employes and to members of 5 the general public who may be in and about plant property. In order to achieve both quan tity and quality of production to gether with the safety of the em ployes, supervisors are required to train and educate employes in safe working methods and prac tices in accordance with estab lished programs. T o accomplish these objectives and to assist the supervisors, there is a Safety Department composed of a well-trained functioning per sonnel, as follows: 1 Superintends!!! oi Safely & Weliare. 1 Assistant Superintendent of Safety & Welfare. 2 Safety Inspectors. 2 Fire Marshalls. 3 Clerks. I Social Worker. 1 Full time Doctor. 9 Full time Registered Nurses. The Safety Program, as pro moted by the Safety Department, is designed to cover the three E's of Safety-- Engineering, Educa tion and Enforcement-- for all employes, whether supervisors or workers. Safety Meetings are an im portant part of the Safety Educa tional Program. A Central Safety Meeting is held once each month, chairmaned by the Superintend ent of Safety & W elfare, who meets with a representative of the General Superintendent's O ffice, the various department heads and the Supervisor of Safety. A t this meeting accident experiences and statistics, current hazards and matters pertaining to policy and the progress of the Safety Pro gram in general are discussed. 6 Since the Supervisor is the key stone, insofar as the success of any safety program is concerned, it is important that1he be fully informed in regard to accident prevention. Consequently, the Safety Department conducts monthly Foremen's Safety Dis cussion Meetings which provide the supervisor with information os to current accidents, means of prevention and also discussion of some previously selected timely safety subject. Probably the most important safety meetings held are those which the supervisor conducts with his men. He is required by the management to hold sufficient number of safety meetings to en able him to cover all of his em ployes at least twice each month. These meetings are all held on the Corporation's time. It has long been recognized that a person trained in First Aid instinctively becomes interested in accident prevention work and for that reason first aid training in transportation, artificial resusci tation, control of .bleeding and shock is a part of the Safety Pro gram. Preliminary safety instruction it given to all new employes by means of induction lectures, con tact with the employment office interviewer and the department foreman at the time the new em ploye reports for work. From time to time safety in struction sheets, covering safety procedures for specific jobs, are issued by the Safety Department to all department heads and supervisors. Safety Department the Supervisor is the key isofar as the success ol ty program is concerned, portant that h^ be fully I in regard to accident on. C onsequently, the Department c o n d u c t s Foremen's S afety Dis Meetings which provide ervisor with inform ation as ent accidents, means of ion and also discussion ol previously selected timely subject. ably the most important m eetings held are those t*" supervisor conducts with i ^ H e is required by the jem ent to hold sufficient ;r of safety m eetings to cn Y to cover all of his cm .f'le a s t twice each month m eetings are all held on iorporation's time. has long been recognized a person trained in First Aid ictive ly becomes interested in lent prevention work and for reason first aid training in sportation, a rtific ia l resusci in, control of bleeding and k is a part of the Safety Pro n. "lim in a ry safety instruction n to all new employes In jns of induction lectures, con t with the em ploym ent office wer and the department ftin at the time the new cm jye reports for work. From time to time safety in uction sheets, covering salcli occdures for specific jobs, arc ued by the Safety Department all departm ent heads uni pervisors. Safety Department Newsletters are also a part of the Safety Program . These letters are issued once each month to a ll Su pervisors and provide tim ely safety information. Safety Instruction Booklets and C ards are d is trib uted to all employes doing work on or about overhead e le ctric cranes and burning and welding operations, outlining safe working methods and requirem ents. The Safety Department con ducts reg ular P lant sa fety and sanitation inspections. Consistent with good judgm ent and practice throughout the steel industry, the policy a t the A liquippa W orks has been to pro vide or make available to em ployes protective equipm ent and clothing which w ill enable them to do th eir work free from in ju ry and exposure to health hazards. Employes over the years have been encouraged to wear toe pro tection. M any have taken ad vantage of the protection afforded by safe-toe shoes. In consequence, the number of lost time accidents, by reason of injured toes, has been m aterially reduced. Records at this W orks bear witness to a num ber of toe injuries which have been prevented-- the following of which is an exam ple: Department-- Welded Tube-- Electro Galvanlzer. Occupation-- Inspector. Detail--Employe was handling a 10 ,/i " line coupling weigh ing about 36 pounds when It iell about three leet. landing, on the toe of his safety shoe. The only dam age done was a cut on the leather cap of the shoe. His toe was not injured In an y way. Eye protection, provided w ith out cost to employes in the form A forem an conducts one o f the regularly scheduled safety meetings in Jones & Latighthi W elded T ube Department. of goggles, spectacles, face shields, masks and others, have been the means of preventing many serious eye injuries, such as attested by the following incident: Department -- Seamless Ship ping. Occupation--Car Loader. Detail--Employe was driving a nail Into a piece of hard blocking timber In a gondola car when the nail flew and struck and shattered the left lens oi his goggles. His eye was not Iniured in any way. Protective clothing of wool, as bestos and leather coats, shirts, pants and leggings worn to guard against hot metal splashes have been most helpful in accident pre vention over the years. Adequate and modern equip ment for detecting concentrations of explosive and toxic gas and for protecting employes against these elements is available. Three emergency hospitals, staffed by nine full-tim e regis tered nurses and one full-tim e Doctor, so located as to assure prompt and convenient service to injured employes, are located at this Works. Hospital facilities, with a special staff for J. & L. patients are available. T h a t this program has justified itself is evidenced by the progress in the prevention of accidents over the years. Accident statistics at the A liquippa Works were first placed on a frequency and severity basis in VYears PePramratinaelnt D isability 1923-- 1927 ................................ 12 1942-- 1946 ................................ 10 Percent of Improvement ...... 16-2/3% 1923. An average for the first five years, 1923 to 1927, shows the following as compared with the five year average, 1942 to 1946, which included the greater part of W orld W ar II activity.* These figures show a gratify ing improvement; but in spite of this, it is appreciated by those responsible for the prevention of accidents that so long, as injuries occur at this Plant, every possible effort must be made through the medium of Engineering, Educa tion, Enforcement and Enthusiasm to bring about further improve ment. In the labor contract recently signed by the Union and the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, the importance of Safety and Health received particular emphasis. This new contract makes provisions for the safety and health of its em ployes during hours of employ ment, for protective devices, wear ing apparel and equipment, for the settling of disputes arising out of claimed unsafe or unhealthy working conditions and the estab lishment of Joint Safety Commit tees. Cooperation by Labor and Management in furthering the in terests of accident prevention should result in a continued re duction of Frequency and Severity Rates at this Plant. For additional illustrations of the up-to-the-minute safety w ork in this Jones -r Laughlin plant, see pages 24 and 25. Fatal! 8 4 50% Lo Tim C ase! 671 172 74% Frequency 27.95 7.48 73% Severity 3.09 1.63 47% 8