Document VjaX4pxJXB0KaY3LLGRaG34nj

... v ... co* ations in which we arc interested, a:.. any requisition which is n..<de (or the expenditure of money tn stall equipment, to protect our people will be honored.' ACCIDENT PREVENTION IN U. S. STEEL CORP. "Let us go back to the year 1912. The casualty records of U. S. Sushowed that in that year the number of their disabling accident' > million man hours worked was 79.43. During the years of the W- /. War, the trend downward was interrupted by a substantial uptu. -- occasioned by new men, no doubt, that gives force to the Labor Upartment's warning of things to come. In 1939 the Corporation reduced the number of disabling accidents per million man horn* irom the figure 79.43 in 19J2 to 6.84--a reduction of 91.4 per ccni i:. 27 vears. During this same period they spent for safety somethin: over 28,000,000.00. "Let us take for my further illustration of 'Then and Now/ ex cerpts from experience in accident reduction at the 11. S. Steel ?ubsidiarv plant, wherein I have carried certain management responsibili ties. It is quite an old institution, as manufacturing establishmentgo, and had its beginning back in the eighties. It employs, normally, about 2.000 men. The top accident rate in our plant was as high a* 125 lost-time accidents per year during the period to which we :< referring as `then/ In the year 1939 we had but three. "Industry's problem has been and is, not the unguarded machine, hut the unguarded moment. The need is to superimpose upon the in dividual's mind a consciousness of responsibility for his o*u and other's safety--a consciousness keen enough to keep him alert in the presence of accident hazards--in spite of his home troubles or whathave-you. If a man is too preoccupied otherwise, he would better be sent home for his own safety. "Back in April, 1915, we began physical examinations in our plant. The greater benefits of these physical examinations soon became ap parent and they have been continued ever since to the general satifaciion of all concerned. Then too, through these physical -examina tions, it has been found possible oft-times to warn men of serious ai:mpnts impending that they might go to their own physician in time an-i ward off what, in extreme cases, might have resulted in sudden death-- heart condition, blood pressure, etc. "In our safety work, above all things else, we have to have--must have--a soul, a human sympathy, an understanding mind and a will to do something about it before we can expect ever to approach a reasonable goal of eafety. We have to feel the urge. We have to love our fellow man if we expect to save lives and limbs and souls." LUNCHEON MEETING After the morning session the Conference went to the Penn HarriHotel for luncheon. Mary Rice Morrow, Director of the Bureau o' Women and Childen, was Chairman for the luncheon meeting. . j.VWdJJIVW I *. U'