Document o9K03p6GVVzeENqEE1ZbkB9x7

Home Safety Sessions WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION October 4; 1944 . Joint Session--Home and Farm Safety Presiding: H. L. Miner, Dir, Safety & Fire Prevention, E. L du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc^ WIlmington, DeL, and Vice-President, National Safety Council..... Demonstrations of Sale Practices Within the Home A Morhmg in the Kitchen . By HARYE DAHNKE ... Director, Home Economics Department, Kraft CheeseCo, Chicago... As every Safety Council member knows thorough and intelligent precautions --but too fear home-makers--the kitchen which are taken against their happening, is actuallythe most dangerous area in the Statistics on the home safety record tell ' whole.house--one of the most hazardous a truly frightening story. It's a-record spots on earth. Convincing women gen- which.is inexcusable considering the fact erally of this fact--and showing them that toe American home-maker is prob- whatto do about it--is not only-an im- ably the most intelligent on earth. For portent program for your educational fa- toe most part, she's a perfect paragon, cilities, but for every teacher and school who not only knows how to cook and feed of home economics in toe country--and .her family with scientific care and excelfor "every indiyidnal concerned with mak- -fence, but how to manage that family ing the American home a better, a hap* with the .efficiency of a field general. But pier and a safer place in which-to live. in the kitchen, this model of efficiency has The tontine of a kitchen becomes such developed so many blind spots that she a familiar everyday thing that very-few never even sees the dangers that menace women who preside over this most im- her and her family at almost every step, portant part of a house realize what a By six o'clock 6f an evening--or when* source of real danger the kitchen may be ever Papa gets home--most kitchens do, --or how menacing its equipment and its or should, exnde' an atmosphere of shin* practices can become. I've known kitchens ing and fragrant efficiency. But if in toe so Mattered and confhsed' and menacing, process of achieving that peace and calm, that they might as well have been Mama can say that throughout toe day equipped with machine guns and barbed not a single casualty has been incurred wire entanglements. --no bums, cuts, or falls, she ought to Seldom a day goes by that we don't receive some land of medal--a good conread of some fatal or crippling accident duct medal at1 toe very least Generally, which has taken place in a VferVn We if peace and order are restored to a shudder at the stories, of the gasoline kitchen by dinner-time, it has taken some stove that explodes -- the boiling water eight or nine hours of frantic effort to get that has been left within reach of chfl- it that way. dren--the fall from a rickety, ladder--but Consider toe kitchen in most any typi- rare indeed is the kitchen in which none cal American family of an early morning, of these things is possible, because of the Whether the alarm clock went off on SI 52 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 time or not, by 7:30--or whatever the once devoted to her boss' industry or stpve. gathering time is--a state of the wildest office. Safety in the kitchea--like safety possibl confusion exists and the troops are ready in the factory--is sound business, the cor that ca V- to break lines and retreat in confusion. nerstone upon which all efficiency rests. It all looks like a Rube Goldberg cartoon. What is even more important than mere the. ad porch. Everything is wrong with this picture. efficiency, the very serenity and happiness Elect Mother is flying off in all directions at of home are actively promoted by a planne< once, distracted, bustling, busier than a safety program that really works. to the feather merchant on a'windy day. Willie, the 2*4 year old, stands in the middle of the floor vigorously tying knots in his shoe laces and clamoring to be fed. He isn't dressed yet, because Mama had to ' There is almost everything wrong with the kitchen plan of the family I described for you a few moments ago. The first thing wrong is that there isn't a plan at all. The harassed mother has substituted be usee percola should --out c cabinet come down first to put the coffee on. frantic effort for intelligent planning. All Father is late and he calls down from of the confusion and disorder of that the vai their pi the bathroom where's his last clean shirt breakfast scene could; have been avoided ever b< and his blue tie. (Willie has the tie and --or most of it anywiy--if the mother of Electrit is attempting, rather successfully, to at the family had planned her kitchen around days th tach it to one shoe lace.) Junior, is still a sound and satiety promoting three point of hant in bed--and the only reply Mother gets program. First, she should have planned very ft from him is a grunt He's going to be her kitchen with a view to good arrange countie late for school--and he won't have time ment of materials; second, to the sound test 1 for his orange juice. Hell probably walk ness and safety of her kitchen equipment; and de off without his lunch box too. and . third, she should have developed a turn. T This^ picture of disorder~and potential dynamite--may be slightly exaggerated. But with varying degrees of confusion, distraction and general nervous tension, it is repeated in homes all over America listof safe kitchen practices to be followed as scrupulously as the law- of the Medes and the Persians. .: Toachieve good--andsafe---arrange ment in a kitchen, she neednof be an in equipmi safdy a early ts very a maker. every morning. It is small wonder that terior decorator bnt she most be able to Good accidents of all types both large and use her head and her imagination--pic use in i small, go straight into the kitchen to hap turing in advance what the special needs pen. Accident, in that kind of atmosphere, of her family are and what will work utensils, washing is almost unavoidable. If an industrialist best for them. pans, t --or shopkeeper--started Ins day with such a clamor of peril and inefficiency, he might, just as well dismiss his force for the .day--or go out of business. It would be the only safe thing to do. It's a curious thing that even women To avoid the most serious breakfast traffic jams, kitchen tables where .the family will be eating some meals shonld be placed near the door. If that nutter Is arranged, then Junior and Papa-and Willie won't have to gam up the break kitchen importa kitchen, stovet.ti thatthe vent flop who have been in business long enough fast getting procedure by stepping in front Afon to realize the importance of industrial of Mother every time-one of them comes safety precautions and practices -- oncev -into thj^rbom. Good kitchen planning re they become home-makers--are often the quires that kitchen tables be placed well worst offenders against order and safe apart from, the stove. It is too easy'for i accident treated kerosem bleaches practice in the kitchen. They assume, hot foods'to be overturned onto the table they des quite wrongly, that homes, and especially --and the diners--for grease , to spatter ldtchens, are run by intuition and an in into someone's eye--if the table and the to see t well op born knack. Nothing could be farther stove are too dose together. Mother from the truth. Whatever her native tal should have enough working space at the but the; when nc i! ent for homemaking, any successful home stove so that she can torn the flapjacks tfafffti maker has to work very hard at the job. without poking the handle of the pan accident She can only make that home and kitchen cake tamer into someone's eye. their el< seem to run themselves if she. gives the. Even in relatively small kitchens, things need to business the same kind of intelligent plan can generally be planned so that the table ning and attention to detail which she is near the door and away from the containe reach o fasEanniaw! i ' It I 'r I l: i: ' {;. . f* t i i* ; ' i il- II. V \-Hi:'... r ^ .i . 54 33rd Notional Safety Congress, 1944 proper care of that equipment. For some every home kitchen--but it*s surprising, to reason, this sounds easier than it i& It's find out how many women wilkuse a half- astonishing how much tolerance, and even burnt : up pot-holder, under;-.a. :hpt-,.iron, downright affection, a home-maker- can whilethey go blissfully off to answer the develop for an old .skillet with a wobbly, phopif and chat for half an lionr about half-burned off handle, or for a burned- the doings, of thnneighborhood. Chances out pan that should have gone to the are. , that any woman who does such a scrap heap months ago. While the cook stunt prill be sponsoring a. little neighbor is actually in the process' of getting a hood news herself--in the form of a roar meal, she has no time to fix broken or ing fire in the. kitchen when she returns dangerous kitchen equipment. The skillet to. the ironing. - whose wooden , handle turns in your hand and which may therefore spill grease all over your arm some morning, is a men ace. The cook will say, if yon speak to her sharply about it, that she knows the skillet has its own idiosyncrasies but she knows all.about them and can handle them. Maybe so! But some fine morn ing, somebody else will be getting break fast and get a bid bum. In addition to -setting up a safety-wise arrangement of kitchen equipment and a safety-wise plan of keeping it all in good working condition, there is a third ingre dient which must go into alt kitchen plan ning for safety. That ingredient is a list of safe kitchen practices. These begin with the orderly and unvarying technique of- the cook herself, a' formidable but learnablelist of correct safety practices-- Not only do most home-makers keep a and they must be extended to every'xneu- few skillets and pans around that ought ber^of the family -- induding Grandpa to have been condemned by a kitchen who isapt' to leave tire-puppy's bowl.out jury years ago, but they have a strange. in the middle of the floor where Papa: is sentimental attachment for . broken, sure to stumble into it on his way home cracked, or nicked dishes and glassware. from the night-shift. They hang around the kitchen until some one gets a bad cut, or has a plateful of hot food unceremoniously spilled into,his lap. There is. an additional danger in cracked or. broken china or- glass too, for cracks are ideal havens for germs of many, kinds. On every count, broken dishes should be outlawed in' every home. Safe practice in the kitchen actually begins with the very dothes whichthe home-maker wears in that department. Trim, uncluttered, spotless dresses with short sleeves, and no dangles or. jewelry to catch on . things should be the regular uniform of the kitchen. If yonVe ever seen a: glamour, girl in thelritchen, trail . Perhaps the best way to accomplish ing flowing sleeves oyer the gas flames-- this end would. be .to take. an. inventory dr otherwise endangering her life^yotttl every month, discarding all equipment, know . what I mean. Aud by trimtm- that is beyond use, and seeing that every ciqttered dothes, I. don't mean something thing that needs-repairing actually is re bn .the. Mother. Hubbard style. 'Clothes paired. Right how, when it's difficult to for kitchen, and other house work these get professional repairs of. many lands, days are as attractivdy and carefnlly de equipment which cannot he safely and signed as. the. most fashionable evening perfectly repaired at home should .prob clothes. They should be purchased with ably be stored away until the happy day specialattention.,to the ease With'which when an expert can do the job. -Mean-, they can be dean, crisp and neat. time,* first class care of everything you own has become doubly important these Memorize Rotes days. Every home-maker ought to list, mem Ironing equipment in a really safe orize, and habitually-practice a whole set kitchen must always be kept in first class of rules for safety around the stove. .She condition. Not only the iron and its con should make sure that'.the. .kitchen is necting cord but the board, the stand on properly ventilated when. the . oven -and which the iron'.is to be set, the ironing cookstove are in use When she's, lighting doth itself... A- metal- or asbestos 'stand the oven or broiler, she must see that the for. an iron is a positive essential for oven, and:broiler, doors,are open and that she st oven < anyth eyebr< can h mary Al the cc quate, their a kett hot li thin p ingth ought somet On< is to duldr any c pedal gerou.1 most while they i stove or bui boiflnj resist! me he them, the p mothc Wflfie for a he ca doesri see to tume< stove, are m easy t a kett By that ! away you're called back own from infera when practi apart is*. *! li*r < S B 'B P T I S B 7 T A^ 55 she stands to one side `when lighting the has been used, you'll avoid a lot of oven or broiler gas burners. I don't know trouble: anything .more unattractive than singed eyebrows, and that's the very least that can happen to you if you ignore, this pri mary ride. Not every good cook realizes that there is a simple and right way even for rais ing the lids of kettles to avoid barns. Lids should be lifted always in such a A lot of bad. burns could be avoided if the cook saw to it that a number of ade quate, thick pot holders were on hand, in their regular spot, before ever she putsa kettle of water on to boil. Grabbing a way that the steam escapes away from yon, not directly in your face. In han dling pressure cookers, it's a simple and very necessary matter to open the petcock before loosening the damps. hot handle with the bare hands or a Every home-maker ought to know what thin pot holder not only results in teach to do when a grease-fire starts on a stove. ing the children a lot of words they never It's easy to start one--and relatively easy ought to hear but frequently results jn to stop one--for a handful of salt, trill something even more serious. cover and stifle it. In addition, every One of the best rules for cooking safely is to see that, as far as possible, young children are kept ont of the kitchen*when any cooking operation is going on--es pecially an extended and potentially dan gerous one--like canning. If the children must be in the same room with Mama while dinner is in the process of cooking, they must be taught to stay away from kitchen should have a pail of sand near the stove to put out fires. Most- kitchen fires could be prevented if good safety practices. were invariable. But the inci dence of failure to follow the rules is high --and since no one of us always remem bers, to do the right thing, every kitchen * should be equipped with some kind of fire fighting, equipment stove and sink--or any area where cuts Since women are rugged individualists or burns are likely to be incurred. Since at heart -- and entitled to run their boiling pots.and sharp knives have an ir kitchens in their own way, the procedure resistible appeal for the yoting, don't ask of every kitchen will have to be suited to me how to teach them to stay away from the special, pattern of that household. them. That's a problem I'll turn over to This is as true of the safety program as the pediatricians -- and every individual - of any other. Yet there are certain basic mother. I know it helps if yon can turn rules that ought to be observed by all of WUHe over to someone in the living room them. I know one household in which for a spell--but if that's impossible--and there, is- a steep..and highly dangerous he can't be chained to a play-pen -- or flight of cellar; stairs. Down cellar the doesn't like to read--then at. least you can jam and jelly is stored--a constantJcmp- see to it that the handles of all pans are tation to the youngsters of tee family.', turned away from the outside edge of the Mother--unable to make the. stairs any. stove. This is good practice even if there safer--or store the jam someplace else-- are uo children in the family. For. it's has placed a large sign at the head of the easy to brush against a stove--and brush stairs. It says, "Is your trip necessary?" a kettle of boiling food off with you. Kitchen Procedure By constant vigilance, too, you can see There is one kitchen procedure which, I that knives are kept regularly up and believe; would save innumerable kitchen ac away from children's hands. Even when you're using a sharp knife--if you're called to the door--you can pat it safely cidents and preserve peace and equanimity in the kitchen. That procedure is simple. It means simply taking the time to sit down back at the rear'of the sink. For yottr at some time of the day*-to plan the activi own sake, too, .wash knives separately ties for the next 24 hours. Right after from other cutlery. A. meat grinder isan breakfast is a good time in most house infernal machine if there- ever was one-- holds--and then, the day's program is fresh when young children are around. If a est in mind. It's good kitchen management practice is made of washing it; taking it to make outa schedule of activities for the apart and putting it away as soon. as it day, the .tasks that must be done, and when 1; frB v* 7 S K 5 ts I ft S"<{5 S.S S R 7' iii i [* tl fr : t. !* i 'I j ill, lit ii if if \y h* 56 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 they'd best be done. Referring frequently kitchen practices and appointing the chil to that list is an unbelievable aid toward dren wardens over various phases of kitchen getting the chores done and an active pro care. - moter of peace and happiness. The dis The children created ideas- for home traction and wild flurry of trying to do too safety posters and painted them with crayon many things at one time, and keep, too many and watercolors and varying degreesof things in mind must be a principal cause of talent They submitted kitchen safety ideas, accident in the kitchen. No . woman in her which were judged by the family and suit right mind would teeter perilously on a ably rewarded with extra helpings of `des rickety chair, leaning over a hot stove, to sert ", get a package down from the top shelf. But when she's rushed--and dinner shows . In addition.^.tlus'idtchen. boasted a poster signs of being late; , and the children are showing total'man-fiourseach week without clamoring for soup, it's easy to forget. an accident Ifjhe week's record was per Often the lapse of good sense and safe fect--without sTsingle foil, scratch, cut, or kitchen practice has very sad results. bum--the whole family celebrated by taking One of tfae most successful homes I know dinner out on Friday night and forgetting is runby'a young woman who used to work the_ kitchen and all its works. Various in one of our Kraft plants. While she awards were made--ice cream sodas--and worked for us, she was tremendously im candy bars--for various kitchen safety pressed hy the dramatic and effective safety duties* performed over and above the call campaigns which are a part of regular-pro of duty. The "method was unusual and cedure in the factory. She was proud of maybe it wouldn't work in -every family. die safety. record of her department--and But*it paid dividends, important dividends, she decided that when she had a home of i, not only in safety but alto in the develop her own, she'd profit by following the sys ment of character and initiative and a sense tem of dramatizing safety and building up of oneness among the family members. safety records. She had an excellent oppor If every family could develop a similar tunity to do so--for rite married a widower plan for home safety--and home efficiency with three half-grown children. Getting the -rand home happiness--fe cduld go. a long children's cooperation in a program of home way towards disproving- George Bernard solidarity and. home safety was one of her Shaw's definition of people: "There are problems. She solved it neatly, efficiently only three kinds of peoples--men, women, and dramatically by typing up a list of and children--and they don't get along!"' Making a Safe Sport Safer By C.S. BEDELL Director, Sportsmen's Service Bureau of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute; New York City Having a vital interest in the subject of firearms safety. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute was very happy to accept the National Safety Council's invitation to participate in' this demonstration. It presented .an opportunity to accomplish four things: first, to throw some light on the sporting firearms safety record--a record that may prove surprising to maty whose ideas on the subject may be based on the number of firearms users and the lethal potentialities of the gun; sec* ond, to outline the Institute's approach to the problem; third, to present a series of concrete safety' suggestions; and fourth, to outline specific ways in width the Institute is prepared to cooperate with you and all other organizations and groups interested in accident ptmtegtioh' .. . . _. 1 > Snootxng a Ssia^Sport * According to figures issuedby-the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior, more than eight million Americans purchased hunting licenses in the fiscal year ending June 30,1943. This total is swelled hy participants in trap,.skeet and target shooting;.sports, for which no license is necessary. Itisfurtherincreased by landowners and members of their fam- flies n< semes and hy notrrf ice's Gj Whil tell the made!) in whi< econom country he ion ing anc lowed, among non-pai popular as tothe I Magaxi /people i flehtnff combine reading more.til specific Tot! a wide! which: serious appear ard. Vi .The,.i nranerp to man can cat As it c mind is heresti use of 1 has had constanl of tire'! popular Recen pany pu eringd as the r the can shown i T> Acrid all men Home Safety Sessions 57 flies not required to purchase licenses in employment for which the Travelers paid some states for hunting on their own lands, claims in 1943. \ and by other gun users whose numbers ate / not-.te9ected.in the Fish and Wildlife Serv ice's figures.. 1. At Home (Inside) ~ 2. At Home. (Outside) 3. Pedestrians ____ ;__ _ .-2579% - 1856% 1752% While this total is impressive^ it does hot 4 SPORTS AND RECREATION 17.05% tell the fulTstory by any means. A survey 5. Automobiles ----------- ................... 1228% made by Fortune Magazine a few years ago, 6. Travel,---.;----- _i-- ----- 352% in which 5,000 representatives of various . Miscellaneous .....____ i5.48% economic groups from all'' parts of die country were asked to specify their favor ite forms of recreation, revealed that hunt ing and fishing (two.activities jointly fol lowed. by many sportsmen) stood first among all sports^ both participating and non-participating: The only pastimes, more popularthan hunting and fishing were given as I--``Listening to the Radio," 2--"Going to the Movies," and 3--"Reading Books and Magazines." According to this survey, more 100.00% It will be noted that among the Travelers 1943 accident claims, sports and recreation stood fourth in this group of seven with an aeddent percentage of 17.05%. Now let us examine information from the same sourav Which shows the position of hunting In comparison with other forms of recrea tion within the group: y people expressed preference for bunting or fishing than sporting events of all. kinds combined--more than selected newspaper reading--more than chose outdoor games-- TABLED Travelers Insurance Company Accident Claims more , than named card playing?--more than Sports and Recreation Accidents 1943 specified visiting the legitimate.theatre. To those not familiar with the facts, such a widely patronized sport as hunting, in which an implement capable of inflicting serious aeddent or death is eaqiloyed, may appear to constitute, a serious safety haz Activity ,1. In Country or Woods 2. Horseback Riding 3. Baseball 4. Football K ard. What then-are the actual facts? Thegtm, like fire, the. automobile, and ` numerbus other dements and devices useful 5., Bicycle 6. Winter Sports 7. Bathing and Swimming 8. Golf to man, can be misused,, and, like them, can cause injury or death when misused. As it can be a lethal weapon, the popular mind is likely to exaggerate the danger in herent in its use. But the danger, of careless 9. Basketball 10. Athletic Games 11. HUNTING Other Classifications* use of the gun is so obvious, and the user has had. this danger impressed upon, him so TOTAL____ ________ ___ ____ .3,536 constantly, that shooting has become one .You will note that accidents in country of the safest of aU sports, despite its wide or woods (exclusive of hunting) were re popularity. sponsible for 361 aeddents. Horseback rid-, Recently the Travelers Insurance Com pany published several analytical tables coveringdaimsmade on the company in 1943 as the resplt of accidents. One table divided the causes" ; into the broad general , groups shown in this table TABLE "A" ingwas second with 270 aeddents. Baseball was third with 256; football was.fourth - with 248; bicycling was fifth with 246; win-' ter sports sixth with 219;,,bathing and swim ming seventh with 202; golf eighth with 178; basketball ninth with 157; athletic games tenth with 156 mid hunting eleventh with 140, or only 4% of the 3536 aeddent Travefcrs lnsurance Company Claims Accidents iesoltiiig front causes to which all men are exposed without regard to titer `Betting od Ongejiag; Bowlin*; Tama and Squah; Stating; Scuffling and Wrettling; Gjmnzsram; fishing;,at Themes,. Omtdms and Conceits; ** Frara. and Outings; Danc&g; BOltuds and Fern; Baring; M&eeilineoo*. ' "i /' 58 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 claims in the sports and recreational group. with the Technical Committee to discon Carrying this analysis a step further, we find Unit hunting was responsible in 1943 for less than 0.68% of the total number of Travelers' 1943 accident claims, as against 16.37% for other forms of sport and recrea tion. tinue cartridges whose ballistic performance is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of safety or otherwise. An important function of a third com mittee, the Committee on Promotional Ac tivities, is to conduct, through member com The Institute's Safety Activities pany organizations, such activities as may The enviable safety record achieved by the users of firearms has not been acci be necessary to insure proper instruction of member company field personnel dental. It has been the result of careful ' The foregoing, however, were merely planning, persistent education and intelli - steps to put the industry's own house in gent cooperation by the National Safety order. Obviously, it was not possible to re Council, the Boy Scouts, State Game De duce hunting accidents to a minimum with partments and numerous others, with whom out educating and instructing the shooting the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manu public, especially children and youths, in facturers' Institute has collaborated since it the prevention of firearms accidents. The was organized in 1926. value of such instruction had already been The Institute's first step in this direction was to inaugurate through the instrumental-^ ity of its Technical Committee, certain standard safety measures within the indus try itself. These included: " made increasingly dear by the marvellous safety records of such supervised shooting sports as slceet, trapshooting and rifle target shooting, which had continued to increase in^popularity with a negligible number of accidents. Marking of chamber lengths on shotgun To handle tins task of safety education, barrels. the Institute created a Committee for the Marking of corresponding shot shell Prevention of Accidents with Firearms. lengths on cartons, and in some cases The activities of this committee were out on the tubes, of shot shells. lined briefly before this same group last Wanting notices on shot shell cartons year, but I would like to take a few min containing special purpose ammunition utes to bring yon up-to-date on what has developing higher pressures. been and is bring done. Warning notices against insertion of smaller-gauge shot shells in chambers of larger-gauge guns. Wanting notices on appropriate shot shell -cartons against use of ammunition in obsolete arms. Wanting notices on cartons of 22 caliber cartridges against possible danger to others at extreme ranges. Establishment of proof-load standards for testing of shotgun chambers at pressures greatly in excess of normal. Wanting against use of smokeless pow der in Damascus or twist steel barrels. Special alloy steels and other metals were also developed and utilized in the designing of modern weapons to accommodate extrahigh-velocity rifle cartridges with safety. These cartridges are designed specifically to fit only in rifle chambers built to handle them. (1) Ten Commandments of Safety The first material released was a terse set of rules entitled "The Ten Commandments of Safety" which covered rules, considered basic in tee safe handling and use of sport ing firearms. Copies of tee "Ten Com mandments" have been included in every carton shipped by any gun manufacturer, irrespective of whether it contained a new or a repaired gun. Since 1939, over 3^500;000 have been distributed ky Member gun manufacturers. Oyer 6,700,000 copies have also been dis tributed by State Game Departments, bring ing total leaflet distribution to over 10,000,000, while at lout 18 States have printed the ,!Ten Commandments" on their licenses or in their various publications released at or shout tee opening of tee hunting season. The 4-H Clubs also have distributed over a quarter of a million copies in leaflet form. Another Committee of the institute, one (2) Poster Program dealing with Simplified Practice, cooperates Supplementing distribution of tee small leaflet, board Comm: Institui and at gregati of Am and m< With waukee League used ii 1940. ' OU5 Sp< others of the' were d ing sec non-fat that ye tee Iza lief ths part to In vi ers, pri materia . tending . dude s Michig; vama a In H expand) three-a small g oois, Ii faoma a 92,000, In te> posters -total ol -ported states n much s of shoo dropped than 75, distribu i In 19 picture sporting of a S color att versions ing, tee tnspirati TafflSMVjll-Hi'.jj l>a.HEmtgta L.; P t? P R. 8 S.7 " ? K 8 f F* * JP S.J5 R B B R B'Uii T ? W<* ~<< T V T , /fame Sa/ety Sessions S9 leaflet, over 15,000 copies of a large card were incorporated in an interesting plot, board poster containing these same "Ten narrating the experiences of a typical teen j Commandments" have been supplied by the age American boy who attended the various Institute and distributed among'gun clubs national trap, skeet and rifle shoots, and and at various places where hunters con who hunted in the field; absorbing instruc gregate, by agencies such as the Boy Scouts tion bit by bit. - of America, the National Rifle Association The film has been distributed through the and member companies of the Institute. various state game departments and many With the active cooperation of the Mil organizations and groups interested in sport waukee .Chapter of the Izaak Walton and safety. As a result, despite gas ration League, 5,600 doth posters, size 17x22, were ing, which has. materially reduced meetings used in a test campaign in Wisconsin in in suburban and rural areas, distributors' 1940. The Conservation Department, vari reports show that the picture was exhibited ous sportsmen's dubs, hardware stores and to over three quarters of a million people others helped erect these posters, and 50,000 in the first two years. of the "Ten Commandments'* in leaflet form (4) Institute Radio Program were distributed throughout the deer hunt ing sections of the State. Both fatal and ncm-fatal accidents were materially reduced that year and the Milwaukee Chapter of the Izaak Walton League expressed its be lief that this decrease was due at least in part to the test campaign. In view of this success, special art post During the 1940 hunting season the In stitute sponsored a radio program over ten midwestem and southern radio stations, called "Shooting Adventures of Famous People;" designed to increase shooting and game restoration. Safe handling of guns came in for direct attention in several of the broadcasts. Throughout the series, list ers, printed in three colors on waterproof eners were urged to join sportsmen's dobs, material, were teed in 1911 and 1942 in ex through which they could avail themselves tending this safety poster program to in- of expert supervision and instruction in the dude six leading lug game states--Mainer Michigan, Minnesota, New . York; Pennsyl vania and Wisconsin. safe handling of sporting firearms. This program, interrupted by war was very wdl received and undoubtedly was helpful to In 1943, the poster program was again expanded to indude distribution of new' the cause of safety. \ three-colored posters aimed at the hunter of' (5) Handbooks on Rifle and Shotgun 'small game. These were distributed in mi - Shooting nus; Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Okla Two Institute booklets "Handbook on homa.and Pennsylvania. In all a total of Small Bore Rifle Shooting^ and "Handbook, 92000 posters were distributed last falL oh Shotgun Shooting," while primarily de- ' In the three years daring which these art signed'as aids to improved shooting, have posters have been in use (and in which a heavily stressed safe gun handling. More 'total of 166,000 have been distributed) re titan 335,000 of .these ,books have been dis ported non-fatal. accidents from the six tributed. We are convinced that they have states named have dropped 31-25% despite contributed materially' to the cause of nmdi stricter laws requiring toe reporting safely' (6) Publicity of shooting accidents. Fatal accidents have dropped 32.9%. This year a total of more than 75,000 of these posters are again being -distributed. In connection with the various, activities listed, an intensive publicity campaign has been carried on tty the Institute's Sports men's Service Bureau through outdoor and (3) Safety Motion Pictures In 1942, the Institute released a motion picture to promote safety in the use of sporting firearms. This film "The Malting of a Shooter" was photographed in full color and produced in both sound and silent versions. To avoid all semblance of lectur general magazines, newspapers and other publications. The Institute's regular S.S.B. Outdoor Items Bulletin, published bi-weekly, and various special timely releases have stressed safety measures and revealed, the availability of safety material for distribu tion. ing., the subject was approached from an How to Prevent Firearms Accidents Hi inspirational angle. The lessons in safety A few minutes ago I .mentioned the Ten .i 1 1 iIt*- . ! >: ,t k*f< 60 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 Commandments of Safety that have proved so effective in. combatting the' causes of accidents with sporting firearms. These commandments appear so simple as to be obvious to anyone, and yet we all know that many accidents in all pursuits result from neglect of the obvious, and that it is only by constant repetition that the most simple precautions become habit For in stance, take Commandment Number One: "Treat every gun with the respect due a loaded gun. This is the cardinal rule of gun safety." bursting as a result of obstruction, when the gun is fired. Commandment Number 4: "Always carry your gun so that you can control die direction of the muzzle even if you stumble." This commandment is of special impor tance where two or more hunters work to gether. It is easy to stumble in the woods and brush, and guns are sometimes dis charged in this manner. Another good habit to develop while carrying a gun is to keep the safety on until ready to shoot Rigid observance of this commandment Illustrating the proper manner of carrying is probably the greatest of all insurance guns, I. have two photographs. These ate against gun accidents. There is no excuse so both stills taken from the Institute Safety invalid as "I didn't know it was, loaded." film "The Making of a Shooter." The hunter must always assume his gun is You will note that these hunters have loaded, and must handle it accordingly. removed shells from their guns, and that all Now 1& us take Commandment. No. 2:-= muzzles are pointed in safe directions. "Cany. only empty, guns, taken down or with die action open into your automobile, camp and hone." This, commandment offers a . .safeguard against discharge in the car due to jolting or. to accidental trigger pressure, either while riding, or while , removing die gun or material, placed with the gun from the car. It premUs discharge in camp or home, as a result of falling, accidental trigger contact, or possible handling by children. Inciden tally, care must be taken at all times to keep even unloaded guns out of the reach of young children. Commandment Number 3 is equally simple: "Always be sure that the barrel and action are dear of obstructions." The careful gun-user will avoid having his gun muzzle come in contact with the ground or with snow. If such contact is made accidentally, he will -immediately in vestigate to make sure that the muzzle has not become plugged, and when doing so be should never lode Into .the muzzle. Any looking through the band should be done from the breech end. If necessary to take a gun apart to follow tins advice, this should be done. It's tune well spent The band should .always be inspected before loading to see that no cartridge of a smaller gauge or .calibre than- the gun calls for has beat placed in the chamber by error, or that no foreign object has worked its way into the band from the chamber. These precautions anil prevent any possibility of a barrel Note that in .tins Illustration, both guns arg tying in the boat with muzzles pointing over the stem. Guns are empty, and will -not be loaded until the decoys are out and both hunters fully in position and ready for the incoming birds. -The Institute has fumished pictures such as these to sporting and other publications. They have been given wide circulation and have done a great deal to impress hunters with tiie importance of safe gun handling. "Be sure of your target before yon puQ the trigger." The responsible hunter will never assume that the t&ject he sees through the woods or brush is legal game. He.wfil make sure! And he will- also make certain that his quarry is not in such position that his shot will endanger others. - .Tins commandment has been stressed m two of tiie Institute's Safety Posters--one designed to-appeal to big game , hunters-- ami one designed to catch the eye of the man after small game. These posters dearly illustrate the Im portance of this Commandment "Never point a gun ait anything you do not want to shoot" . The man who violates this commandment is -inviting trouble; ' The safe gunner will never choose him for a shooting companion, bat wifi avoid him like a plague. .. "Never leave your gun unattended , unless you.unload it first" You are just as responsible for your gun when in the is ev< didn't 1 *W loader It i this c take i make Yob three alone; remov tion c piece ( "Ne surfac Sho rocks, cause thelin longer amoun bring: "Do Al manipi of his takes i & ove after! The expiah ten mil a milli lllHBlWi They J reprint tions i you ha press 1 way, o: and oti comma request concen Thrc stitute operati Nation ep a s.t b* ^ s. b b es* <<rtoq 'b b t s - t . Home Safety Sessions 61 wherriitis oat of your hands as when it.is America, the various State Game' Depart in them. The man who leaves a gun loaded ments,, the National Rifle- Association, is every, bit as guilty as our friend who numerous sportsmen's organizations, hunting didn't Imbw it was loaded. and fishing and other outdoor publications, f 1 "Never climb a -tree or a fence with a the newspapers and many others. Such co loaded gun." . : It is an invitation to trouble to violate this commandment How much better to operation has been given freely and enthusi astically, and has teen utilized in the fullest possible measure. take the few necessary extra seconds to In addition there has been considerable make sure of safety when crossing a fence. Yon have already seen one illustration of three hunters crossing a fence. This man is alone, but he is taking no chances. He has independent effort on the part of them groups and organizations, all of which have contributed substantially to the cause of safety in the use of sporting firearms. removed the cartridges and opened the ac Copies of the Ten Commandments of tion of his rifle. If he slips or falls, the Safety will be furnished without cost to piece cannot be accidentally discharged. organizations or groups that are in a posi "Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or the tion to distribute them to users or. prospec surface of water." tive users of sporting firearms. Shots often "ricochet;" that is, glance off rocks, trees or water surfaces, and may cause injury to persons apparently out of the line of fire. As rifle bullets have a much longer range than shotgun pellets, a greater - Copies of safety radio broadcasts, other talks^anti newspaper or magazine articles are also available without charge upon request. The same holds good for photographs illus trating the safe use of firearms. amount of care is necessary when a rifle is The motion picture THE MAKING OF being fired. - A SHOOTER,, in either sound or silent "Do not mix gunpowder with alcohol." A. . gun, like an automobile, should be manipulated only by a person in full control of his faculties. The careful shooter never film, may be obtained for showing by any responsible organization or group. The only cost to the user is tb^t of shipping charges. Descriptive folders are also available. takes a drink until after Ins day's shooting The Institute will always be glad to confe over, nor. does he resume his shooting suit with ary person, organization or group after he has been drinking. The foregoing commandments, as I have explained, lave been distributed to more than ten million American hunters, and more than a million of them are being distributed to banters arid prospective hunters- each year. They have aim been printed and are being reprinted each year in numerous publica tions read by hunters.' So are the pictures you have seen, and ptbere, designed tojm- interested in the prevention of accidents with sporting firearms, either to obtain the bene fit of their suggestions or to determine whether it may be of assistance in connec tion with special problems or campaigns which may embrace the subject of firearms safety. Inquiries in this connection should be addressed'to the Sportsmen's Service Bureau; 103 Baric Avenue; Room 506, New York 17, N. Y. press hunters with the right, not the wrong The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Man way, of handling firearms. In addition, radio ufacturers' Institute plans to continue its and other safety talks elaborating upon the safety efforts, and wishes to assure all commandments have been distributed upon groups here represented of its desire to co request to various organizations and groups operate fully with the 33rd Safety Congress concerned with firearms safety. toward the achievement of its objectives. Proffer of Cooperation Furthermore the Institute wishes to assure all who have an interest in the matter of Throughout its Safety Program, the In safety in the use of- sporting firearms, that stituteJhas solicited the. advice and the co it will continue to cooperate with them to operation of such organizations. as the the end that the safe sport of' hunting may National Safety Council, the Boy Scouts of become even safer in the future. . on p g g , g* ? g" | 8 B' / 62 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 The Most Important Cause o! Serious Home Accidents: Falls By HAROLD DANFORD Director. Education Division. National Conservation Bureau, New York Accident statistics for homes, industry and schools show that no other single type of accident causes more disabling injuries and deaths than falls. Home acci dents take a total of approximately 30,000 lives every year. Falls account for over one-half (15,500) of these fatalities. At present, statistics on home accidents show only death rates. There are no ac curate figures available on disabling in juries. However, it is a recognized fact that 25,000 people are killed each year in the United States due to falls in all places --that is: in homes, in industry and in public places. Two-thirds of these occur in homes, which makesfalls the ffibst im portant cause of serious home accidents. This presents a problem which needs ur gent attention as well as the active co operation and participation of every per son in a position to contribute to public education. What is the reason for the extremely large number of falls compared to any other type of accident? "He just fell'' is an excuse so often used as a reason for an injury. But falls do not "just happen." They are caused like all other accidents. Most of these causes resulting in fells, are of a very simple nature. A wet floor, a tom rag, a toy on the stairs, etc. That sounds insignificant in comparison to problems in industry such as machine guarding or chemical hazards. The feet, however, is that these seemingly simple causes encountered in homes represent such a tremendous hazard just because they are so simple. "Whether a broken hip or arm resulted from a fall at home, or from an accident in industry, the suffer ing, loss of time and money. are the same, and only too often there is no com pensation for the expenses involved in home accidents. Another reason for the large number of fells is the difficulty to organize the edu cational programs that reach the homes. What has been done in industry, "and transportation and other public or com mercial organizations through the. more centralized executive sponsorship, can and must be done for the homes as well,.. The need for safety education on. "off the job accidents" is also urgent. In order to successfully plan an edu cational program, it is necessary to an alyze accidents in form of cause, type, frequency and type of people involved. In this connection it is interesting to know that five out of six persons Sailed by fells are 65 years and over, which is 84% of the total. One reason is that people of ad vanced, age fall due to such physical im pairments as: defective eyesight, pro longed reaction time, lack of agility and the tendency to be forgetful or to become confused. Another reason is the increas ing brittleness of the bony structure which will lead to more serious.results when a .fell occurs. In summarizing these facts, the need for special consideration of older people in the prevention of falls becomes obvious. In delving into the reasons for falls, a multitude of causes develop and present themselves, many interlocldng and con tributory, but all having their share in the final picture. In the causation of most accidents there is both a physical and a personal factor present.. Unsafe physical conditions, such as defective ladders, poor lighting on stairs or obstructions, once recognized, can be corrected or repaired. This is not the entire answer in-stopping accidents. Poor judgment, hurry, careless ness, lack of knowledge are personal at titudes that can only be changed through education and constant personal efforts. ' . The following grouping presents a com plete picture of all falls and their causes: Falls occur either on Same Level or Different Level (fall from--fall to) CAUSES / . Physical Unsafe Condition: Faulty Design Neglect of Maintenance Improper Equipment Poor Housekeeping n r-r *i SSSSaSSBSSH Home Safety Sessions 63 Personal Unsafe Practices: Unsafe Attitudes (Inattention, Haste, Etc.) Poor Habits Lack of Skill Lack of Training and Knowledge Body Defects (Old Age, Invalids) TYPES OF FALLS Slip--Trip--Sudden Change of Balance-- Misstep Prevention and Control For the purpose of prevention and con* trol, the problem.may be broken down into two divisions: A. Important factors surrounding phys ical conditions. 1 B.' Basic Personal Practices and habits. e Physical Conditions " i Common practice among safety engi t neers divides falls which are due largely i to physical conditions into two groups: r 1. Falls on the same level. s 2. Falls from different levels. Falls on the same level constitute about i 6596 of all fall accidents and under this ,t category are included floors, sidewalks, and grilled or latticed walkways such as I on open porches or fire escapes. Of major JR importance, of coarse, is the principal j trouble spot of walking surfaces in the 'home. Here, the principal items of pre vention include: L Clean Walking Surfaces (a) Obstructions in walking areas. A t- th chair.or a table which protrudes into normal walking path consti tutes a tripping or bumping hazard. (b) Loose objects. Toys, .magazines, t- newspapers, may very likely cause a j: misstep, slip, or insecure footing. Of particular importance are small ob jects that tend to roll,.such as cyl indrical objects, like pencils or toy blocks. (c) Electric lamp cords. Many floor and table lamps are so placed that excess cord,, which is initially placed ont of the way, eventually dangles loosely on the walking sur face. The safest practice, particu- ' larly where the lamps are fairly permanently placed is to have cord lengths approximately equal to the distance to the electric outlet Where. this change is. impractical for special reasons, at least cord should be so fastened or covered so that it will not be moved by oil mop or vacuum cleaner, etc. (d) Defects in the floor. Most common trouble in this connection arises from protruding nails1 that work out of the flooring from their flush position causing a tripping hazard. (e) Water or grease. Fats and grease in the kitchen should be promptly wiped up after spilling. Water spilled on waxed hardwood floors, also substantially increases the pos sibility of slipping. 2. Condition of Walking Surfaces (a) Highly polished floors. All floor wax is slippery--some more so than others. "Floor wax will vary in slipperiness between the various types of surfaces to which it is ap plied. Good judgment is necessary in selecting floor wax and in apply ing it to minimize possibility of excess slipperiness. In the walking surfaces particularly, waxed floors should be covered with carpeting, securely fastened small rugs or other* relatively non-slippery floor coverings.. (b) Scatter rags. Small scatter rags, orientals, and the ordinary "rag" rag create very little friction between the-nnderside of the rag and hard wood floor. For safety, it is essen tial. that such rags be either tacked down or that some of the non-slip materials which are available, on the` market as under rags.be placed be tween the rag and the floor. There are many very efficient products on the market ; which will absolutely prevent any small rag from slip ping. An inexpensive way by which re ducing the slipping of scatter rags can be accomplished through the use of the ordinary mason jar rub ber rings. These may be sewed to the underside of the rag. The im portant point, here is to have the thread pass through the thickness of i I- V ) 64 33rd Natunud Safety Congress, 1944 the jar ring rather than be wound around it This insures better suc tion effect A minimum of four rings is generally required and more may be necessary to control accidental movement of the rugs. (c) Linoleum: Curled edges or torn sections need tacking or cementing down. (d) Floor unevenness: A common haz ard in the long halls of older type homes is a hump in the floor caused by a buckling of the floor boards. Best remedy, of course, is to tear up the buckled section and have the proper repair made by a car penter. Where such expense may be of critical importance, falls may be avoided through the use of an "attention arrester" such as a warn ing sign or use of contrasting paint Other principal physical conditions causing falls on level include: 3. Overhead Obstructions Pipes, beams, etc, which cross over an indoor pathway can rarely be removed without excessive expense, but again here, the use of a con trasting color may be used to call attention to the obstacle. An even better improvement is to pad such obstructions in a vivid colored doth to further minimize bumps or bruises. ^t- 4. Floiqr or Walk Defects (a) Porches mth dafticed type wood floors are often found with broken sections. Sometimes this is due to normal wear or weather conditions and in other cases, a small section of planking may break loose, where the carpenter used a short piece to finish out the strip and the pieced section did not bear on the -floor's joists. Permanent correction usu ally involves a shortening of the longer length so that the butt end of the two pieces of planking can be joined at the center of the joist. (b) Concrete sidewalk and porch floors crack and buckle due to moisture getting underneath and freezing'in the cold weather months. Often the correction of these jobs is post poned due to alleged expense. Ac tually almost anyone can inex pensively repair the condition to a satisfactory extent by cleaning out the broken sections and then filling the entire hole or crack with mor tar mixed as follows: half cement, half fine sand, and water. 5. Icy Walks Use cinders and salt where ice or snow has become too hard to remove with shovel. Falls from Different Levels The most important item under this category as respects frequency of home accidents is stairs and steps. Ladders, open windows, elevator shaftway open ings (in apartment of tenement buildings) and use of chairs or boxes as stepladders are also responsible for a sizeable number of^ accidents each year and produce a high severity of injuries. - Stairs and Steps 1. Recognized practices in safe con struction (a) best angle of incline from the horizontal--36-38. (b) constant tread depth and riser height for each flight. (c) handrail placed 30-34 inches . above tread line. 2. Good Housekeeping--no materials stored or left on stairs. 3. Decent lighting! Electric .tight outlets in the average home are available at the upper end of the stairs and the proper size bulb can easily be determined fcy allowing a minimum of one-half watt per square foot using the overall dimensions of the staircase. (Bkample--a stairway 3 feet wide and 20 feet long has 60 -square feet, thus use minimum of a 30 watt bulb.) On basement stars which are usually dark, visibility can often be enhanced by painting top and bottom steps in a light contrasting color. This pmtifulariy aids a person approaching the steps to see where they begin and end. 4. Mats or carpeting are one of the best "fall preventers" especially where steps are of hardwood construction. In homes where there are very Home Safety Sessions 65 -[ ' young children or elderly- people, this should be considered a "must" eyen in families-with a limited in* come. Rubber mats can be pur chased for the home for $1 tp $1.50 for the entire staircase (usually 10c a step). It is important, however, to have mats or carpeting installed rigidly. Carpets should fit snugly especially at the nosing, while mats should have no raised edges which may cause tripping. Many stair mats use a brass or metal covering .over the , nosing and these need checking from time to time to be sure that they have not worn slippery. Slight grooves filed on the diagonal will do much .to curb this cause, of slipping: S. Use of collapsible gate at top of stair .. . flight to-protect babies -and "tod- dling" children. Other Raised Levels Ladders ,, . While design and construction details of reputable manufacturers follow rec ognized standards for the safety .practice, accidents are often the result of abuse in the care of equipment or use of make shift or homemade .equipment. Among . the more important points are: (a) Ladders should never be painted as this makes it difficult to detect weaknesses caused by cracks or checks. (b) Rungs require regular inspection and at the first sign of noticeable wear or cracks, they need to be replaced. ' (c) Storage of ladders when not in use should provide- protection from weather and freedom from collision or falling objects. (d) To avoid undue strain and also In* stability of a straight ladder, when placed against a wall, good practice calls for having the base of the lad der at a distance from the wall ap proximately one-fourth the length of rite ladder. . (Example--a six teen foot ladder needs to . have its base four feet from, the wall against which it is placed.) Open Windows and Wall Openings (a) In homes--especially . apartment buildings--with young children, avoid having chairs or sofas placed near open windows unless the win dows have well anchored screens or - barriers. . (b) Wall openings such as laundry chutes, dumbwaiters, etc., should always he protected with a full en closure, preferably installed with a hook or lock not readily opened by children. (e) Doors at elevator entrances need to be installed so that they cannot be-- 1. opened unless elevator car is at the landing. 2. left open and yet permit car to move away from landing. " (d) Whereclothes lines operating on a pally are loaded and unloaded from windows, pulley should be attached to the wall as near the window as possible and at a convenient height so as to avoid undue reaching or stretching: Safer practice is also to provide a barrier bar which can serve as a railing in case of a slip. . Makeshifts Used as Stihstitntes for Step-Ladders . Accidents from this condition are very often attributable to haste or fctancss in not wishing to. take the'time to get the step-ladder when it is necessary to obtain objects out qf reach. (Changing over head light bulbs, putting up curtains, storing material on.closet shelves, etc.) The purchase of a step-ladder for the home is often neglected, however. If obtained and used, its cost is saved many times over in just one doctor bill. Falls from Bed There are, of course, a number of bad accidents each year due to people actually falling out of bed. Undoubtedly, many accidents cataloged under this heading are actually cases where the person had to arise during the night in the dark and due to stupor or lack of equilibrium, fell near the bed. In homes where mothers have to arise to take care of children, the idea, of an automatic light which turns on and shines on the floor when:the person arises from the bed, has distinct merit in preventing accidents. Units embodying 66 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 this principle are a reality and are quite inexpensive. Chairs Two notable accident hazards are prev alent* under this item: (a) Chairs where the rungs have be come loose through heat drying out the glue. An inexpensive, yet effective remedy is metal shims or collars available in many hardware or 10c stores which fit over the dowel end of the rung and when in serted into the dowel hole, restore the original rigidity the chair supporting members, -- . (b) Folding chairs: Due to .their port ability, this type of equipment is never entirely safe. Best means of prevention here lies in setting them up where they are least liable to slip, such as on a rug, and also the use of full care in erecting them so that they are set up in a fully opened position. 11. Balcony, Porches These facilities represent a sizeable haz ard to children. Whilp most porches are originally equipped with barrier and porchrail, they are usually designed only to prevent accidental stepping off the raised level. Due to the inherent tendency of children to climb, the averafe porchrail is an ideal ladder for their antics. Primarily, the solution is a matter of training the children themselves although a frequent step employed by safety con scious mothers or fathers is to either-- (a) Install an additional railing to raise the overall height. (b) Place wire screening on the inside of the railing supports which not only closes the openings between bars but also makes climbing in effective by blocking the "rung" effect of the railing and interme diate support. Also, of course, consideration is nec essary to keep the barriers in good sound condition (no rotted posts, broken sec tions or loose supporting brackets). Before discussing the Personal Factors (unsafe practices) and their control, an understanding of the fundamental rules on Body Stability is essential Many falls can be avoided, even in spite of unsafe conditions, if people know how to "handle themselves." A fall is. a loss of balance. Equilibrium is maintained through constant muscular control From early childhood on, prac tically every person develops certain hab its that lead to awkward positions and movements while performing their daily tasks. These habits are gradually form ing patterns of muscle-actions which are reflected in people's posture, way of walk ing, turning, lifting, and whatever body action may be concerned. The human be ing in his upright position is supported by a very small base. His feet as a base, compared to his height, form such a small support that constant muscle action is necessary to maintain this balance. Muscle control varies with the state of physical fitness. Fatigue--poor diet-- lack of sleep, nervous tension will increase fall-proneness. Therefore every effort made to im prove public health will act as an aid in fall -prevention. 'However, regardless of the type of person .involved, there are three basic rules on Body Mechanics, which, if properly applied, will provide better muscular control and thus aid in the prevention of falls. 1. A broad and level base for support. Examples: Use legs to increase base when posh ing, pulling, lifting. Proper ladders or chairs for climbing--High vs. low heels. Condition of footwear (worndown heels). 2. Weight centered and near base. Ex ample: Proper placement of person or lad ders towards object to be reached --weight of person in center of plat form. 3. Step in direction of action. Ex amples: Advance one foot when getting np from chair. Step backwards when sitting down. Place one foot behind when pulling--step forward when reaching forward, etc. (These practices should be demon strated and associated with the "unsafe practices," leading to falls.) Control Through Personal Factors 1. Personal Equipment: (a) Fall-proneness arising from in Home Safety Sessions 67 complete or defective vision. If a person, particularly of ad vanced age, seems to be fallprone, and no actual cause can be detected, defective eyesight might be the reason and ah op tical examination suggested. Vi sion can change so gradually that a person might not be .aware of the need for glasses for a long time. (b) Condition of footwear: Worndown heels cause some footstrain and affect balanced walking. Loose soles and dangling shoe laces are tripping hazards. Soles of rubbers and galoshes when wont to a smooth surface often lead to Mis (slip). Some shoe makers can put on a hew "tread.** (c) Clothing: Long housecoats, robes and dangling belts are a tripping hazard, particularly on stairs. - These should be tilted up when traversing steps. The combination of slack cuffs and high heels are "trouble makers** and "care" is the only solution if they are worn. (d) Bathtub: Falls in and around the bathtub are very common particularly with elderly people' and children. Handholds should be placed on the wall above the tub. Any snpport of this kind must be attached firmly. To prevent slips in the bathtub, soap should be kept in the soap hold er. A rubber mat or bath towel at the bottom of the tub will prevent slipping. There are products available which can be sprayed or brushed on the tab surface to minimize stipperiness. These may be especially war ranted for use by people having orthopedic difficulties. 2. Habits: It is much harder to change a per son's habits (mental or physical), than to correct an unsafe physical condition. A habit cannot merely be dropped. It must be-combated by substituting for it an opposite habit, properly defined as a dean aim. Wil liam James has given us the follow ing useful formulae for changing a bad habit into a good one: 1. Define the desirable habit to be acquired. 2. Practice the desirable habit at every opportunity. 3. Create opportunities for prac ticing the desirable habit. 4 4. Allow no exceptions or omis sions to occur. 5. Never permit a return to the old undesirable habit Some of the habits that result in falls: (a) Non-use of handrails. (b) Carrying objects. When carrying objects, .it* is important that they do not Obscure the vision. (c) Tilting chairs. Tilting chairs not only weakens them, but often causes nasty falls. (d) Walking habits. When walking, a person's weight shonld be balanced evenly on both feet Diagonal ap proaches should be avoided, since they disturb the balance. . It is safer to walk, than to run. Look in the direction yon are going. Avoid sadden tarns or any quick change in direction. 3. Non-Routine Activities: (a) Refrain from changing too rap idly from inactivity to activity, such as jumping up from chair dr out of bed to answer tele phone or bell. (b) Pulling and pushing objects: While pushing or polling draw ers, furniture, windows, etc, feet shonld be well braced and placed apart in direction of action. (c) Objects out of reach; To reach ' high places (shelves, ceiling to change bulbs, hanging curtains, etc) a strong steptadder or Step stool correctly placed (See Physical Conditions 5) is the proper thing to use. If not.avail able a sturdy chair will serve as a good base to stand on. A firm level base is essential. Leather, cloth, or straw seats are not made to carry weight. It is 68 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 dangerous to use rocking or folding chairs, or to increase height by placing boxes, tele phone books or other devices not intended for this purpose on top of chairs or tables.- Remem ber: Center your weight for proper balance, which means in this case: Step on the middle of chair, place ladder or chair close enough to object to be reached to avoid leaning over. Avoid standing on the top of a stepladder. Use one .sufficiently high to let you stand at 'least two steps from its top. (d) Traversing dark areas: To.avoid falls in dark areas when-no light is available, walk as though blindfolded. Inquiries at insti tutes for- the blind revealed the surprising fact that falls hardly ever occur amongst their inmates. They know their lim itations and act accordingly to avoid hazards. The best way to prevent a fall is to remove the hazard, and if the hazard is not obvious enough to be easily remedied, then the most effective accident preven tion is "Watch your Step'M ^ In conclusion it may be said that no matter how simple the subject of.fails prevention may seem, the fact that almost 16,000 people are killed each year in the United States by falls, is reason enough to DO something about this most serious of all. home accidents. The remedies are as simple as the causes. In general, little money or effort is necessary to remove a hazard. "Watch your step," a phrase as simple as that--if observed and practiced can save thousands of lives every year. Don't Get Burned--Preventing Bums# Explosions* Fires Within the Home , By THEODORE GUNN Engineer, New Hampshire Board of Underwriters, Concord, N. H. Mr. Gunn's presentation was in the form of a demonstration. He demonstrated a dost explosion, using com starch as his explosive agent He showed clearly how gasoline vapor is heavier than air and tends to flow to lower levels. A fire from gasoline vapor used as cleaning fluid in the home may be started at some distance from the source of the vapor and "flash back" to the source. Some cleaning fluids are safe, however, Mr. Gunn explained, and the vapor from these cleaners actually extinguishes a flame. What happens when a householder re places a fuse by the well-known penny was beautifully demonstrated by Mr. Gunn. The little doll-house in which the over-loaded wires were strung began to pour forth smoke and flame Another electrical hazard caused hy defective insulation was pre sented. This was a floor lamp which had actually been responsible for the death of a child Mr. Gunn showed that the metal stand and holder were electrically "alive" by running a grounded wire along the metallic parts. From top to bottom the lamp stand sparked and crackled against the grounded wire. Christmas tree lights, tinsel decorations, oily mops, even certain dry chemicals in cracks, in the floor--all. are potential fire hazards. The wise householder takes pre cautions to prevent fires and has a fire ex tinguisher handy in case a fire does get started Presi ano Saf Wh Count bringi that t to the pie in detidt nlnt We talks Paren Red < coarse .that i The in wh cussec "Sa Secon Lee 1 Qevd "Fo by Dr Drug City c "R plain ' ticular had ai "Sal Jack of de "Ey man, ] Comm power Stands Presiding: Donald B. Armstrong, M.D., Second Vice-President, Metropolitan Life Insur ance Co., New YorkGty, and Chairman, Home Safety Advisory Committee, National Safety Council. Safe Homes--A Community Responsibility Finding a Program That Will Work Digest of talk given By MRS. NORMA F. WULFF Vice-President, Cleveland Safety Council, Cleveland, O. When we of the Greater Cleveland Safety Director Frank D. Celebreeze, Department Council met to discuss ways and means of of Public Safety, City of Cleveland. bringing safety to the public, we decided "Fire Prevention in the Home," by Cap ' that the message had to be carried directly tain W. T. Fergus, in charge of Public Re to the people and that it had to reach peo lations, Cleveland Fire Department ple in all walks of life.. For this reason we "Bums, Shock, Infections, and Asphyxia decided to develop a course to train home tion--Prevention and Treatment" by Dr. A. makers in home safety. J. Pearse, Health Commissioner, Cuyahoga We started with a panel of four making County. talks to local organizations such as the "The Homemaker and the Law," by Mr. Parent Teacher Association, the American Harold H. Gorman, Vice-President of the Red Cross, literary guilds, etc This panel Greater Cleveland Safety Coimdl and. Gen coarse was. a proving ground for the. one eral Counsel of the Ohio . State Safety .that followed. Council. - ^ The panel of four grew to one of seven "Poisons, Firearms, and Other Causes of / in which the following subjects were dis Home Accidents/'by CaptainArthor Roth, cussed in ten sessions: Juvenile Bureau, Cleveland Police Depart "Safeguarding the American Home--Our Second Line of National Defense" by Judge Lee E. Skeel, President of the Greater Cleveland and Ohio State Safety Councils. ment "Review of the Course." . As I am also Vice President of the Cleve land Board of Education we have had an advantage that others may not have had. "Food Protection and Protective Foods," This made the giving of a course in the by Dr. Enos B. Buchanan, Chief, Food and Cleveland schools possible, and it gave us Drug Administration, Division of Health, the use of the Board of Education's own Qty of Cleveland. radio station, WBOE. ~ "Rodent Control," by myself. Let me ex plain that this session was felt to be par ticularly necessary in Cleveland as we have bad an unusual problem in this respect. "Safe Use of Electrical Equipment," by Jade North, President, Electrical. League of Cleveland Judge Skeel opened the course with a speech that was actually broadcast to 3000 people in 76 public schools. Afterwards the speech was. transcribed. Each member of the panel had his or her speech tran scribed so that it was possible in one in stance for me to attend the start of the' "Eye Conservation" by Mr. M. M. Bow broadcast at the station of my own speech man, Regional Safety Consultant, National and to hear the finish of it in the classroom. Committee for the Conservation df Man It was extremely valuable and interesting power in War Industries, Division of Labor to get firsthand reactions. Standards, U. S. Department of labor. The course was given in ten sections. The "Falls--the Greatest Home Hazard," by radio program was given three times a 70 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 week so that those who could not come on one day might be able to come another. Anyone who attended eight or more ses sions got a certificate. Again we were fortunate in having my connections with the school board which made it possible to get the cooperation of the teachers who conducted the meetings in each school. The homemaker listened to the broadcast is the schoolroom and after wards a discussion was held led by the teacher. In the future we are going to have uni forms and the course is to be copyrighted. Any other communities or organizations who care to may then make use of it This year the course is to be a regular part of the home economics course in Cleveland. Women's Place in a Community Safety Program By MRS. MARGARET L. STUTE Executive Secretary, Fort Worth Safety Council, Fort Worth, Tex. Women to the right of us--women to the been the true pioneers, the spirit of adven left of us--Women, Women, Women. In ture; while men have carried out the deeds. every community today, be it large or small, Review your Bible history. Study the women we are asking ourselves certain vital ques of that time. Study profane history. Study tions. What can I do to hasten the end. of the women of each age and period. What the war? What of tomorrow? How shall is. the one predominate characteristic of I use the knowledge and skill I have ac women in each cycle? By being the so called quired to the best advantage--for myself ' "weaker sex" woman has always been the and for mankind? Will the safety move one to guide and inspire the mighty male ment be alert to this storehouse of human Women have pointed the way, have created motivation, and use the wealth of woman the pattern. power for safety power? The Spartan mother of old placed the For a complete picture let us take a glance testing garments on her son and urged that badk into history. Recognize the place of he take Ins place among men. She created women which has been established and ac within him the awareness of life itself by cepted by the world. Recognize some of the developing a strong and rugged body. outstanding achievements of women. Ad mit that which has been lacking in onr efforts and in the failure of society to fully utilize tins wealth of Woman Power. "In the the ettth was without ftxm and void, and dattnro was upon die Ewe of die deep. And the spirit of God moved upon die face of the water and God said let there be light and there was light.** Men sailing the seven seas in ancient times protected themselves by charms and ornaments made of women's hair, teeth and other personal items. That belief, instilled at their mothers' knee; kept them strong and unafraid. So as we thumb through the pages of This was the first Safety act But how history we find women acting as the safe was it accomplished ? It grew from an guard. We see them urging forward, yet. urgent need, die spirit of willingness, and holding firmly to that thing called life. the power of action. I challenge anyone to successfully prove "And of die bee in die midst of the Gardes, the Serpent said" . . . "Bor God doth know that in the day that ye shall eat, your eyes shall be opened and ye mall be as Gods, knowing good and evil." . . "And when die woman saw the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eye anda tree to be desired to make us wist she took of die fruit of the tree tad did cat and gave also unto bet husband." . . . "And God said behold . the man is become as one of us, to know good' and evil." Here Eve, the first woman spirit; set the example for the centuries to follow. Women point the way, create the pattern. that women were not the first safety di rectors, the first safety engineers, and the first safety inspectors. I say they were and they still are. Woman First Safety Director Who was it that first guided your totter ing baby steps? A woman, the safety di rector. Who was it that placed all the lovely shiny objects that could so easily have caused you .pain, out of your reach, Since the beginning of rime women have when those faltering steps became strong enongl to goi mothei the wi safe a inspect . Grai ferenci certain before that ` have c it wis< We ai ability and tb Woi kitchei Ameri has pt' job. * dream womei wishft becom all tbc he lif eviden The womei indust tiie he year a otable nation' years" to be ] assure no ala cany' and th fer in In ,, their 1 donnet they c Miss themsi lions womai and a has s Then of till the pe dren i Home Safety Sessions 71 enough to carry yon where ever yon wished to go? It was the safety engineer, your mother. Who cleaned the closets, trimmed the wicks of the lamps to make them as safe as possible?. It was the first safety inspector, a woman, your mother and mine . Grant Shay has said, "Safety is the dif ference between a smile and a tear, that certain something that comes through just before a sore accident happens." What is that "certain something" ? Some people have called it intuition. Some have called it wisdom. Some have called it awareness. We as safety people know that it is the ability of one person to listen intelligently and die refusal of another to listen at all. World War I took women from the kitchen and into the business offices of America and they stayed World War II has put women in almost every conceivable job. The fond hope expressed by some dreamers, that when the war is dosed women will return to the kitchen, is purely wishful thinking. Millions of women have become an integral and permanent part of all the working world--in industry, in pub lic life as well as in the home. This is evidenced by onr presence here today. - The world was alarmed when the first women began to leave the home for the industrial plants and we were warned that die health of the nations would suffer. Last year at the Safety Congress die Rt Hon orable Margaret G. Bondfield said, "... A nation" . . "battered by war' for three years" (speaking* of England) "has reason to be proud" ... "when medical authorities assure us the nation's health need cause us up alarm." So women did prove they could carry on their share of the industrial burden and that the nation's children need not suf fer in health. In America, in 1940, women laid down their bridge cards, put aside their jewelry, donned overalls and safety bats.and proved they could do a' job, a big job, very writ Miss and Mrs. America. have qualified themselves through intensive training by mil lions of hours of study. The American woman has acquired a thirst for knowledge and achievement. She has discovered rite has skills of which she little dreamed. Then too, it will fall the lot of hundreds of thousands of these women to become the permanent bread winners for the chil dren of their men who sleep in Flanders Fields, at Bataan, Africa and the far away places of the earth. Other women will he forced to assume the care of aging parents, smaller brothers and sisters as never before. Reluctantly, industrial leaders will part with certain of their women employees, because they have proven to be .excellent and de pendable workers. Think for a moment of the thousands of women in our military forces. These women have learned something women of no other age have learned; that they can work and live together and find a' com radeship in each other's company, just as men. have always done since the beginning of time. Will they give all this up and re turn to the same life as before the war? John D. Durand, in the December Interrup tion Labor Review; estimates that by' 1950 there will be a labor force of 59,000,000 persons with women numbering 16$4 to 17 million. Mary Anderson, Director of the Women's Bureau, has said, "We know from our 25 years of study" . . . "that the vast majority of women workers seek employ ment from economic need." I think, too, that women's health has greatly improved in the past few generations. Thousands now find themselves at middle life, with their children educated and gone from home; while they, themselves, have the energy, education and desire to go into business with at least an expectancy of 20 to 30 years of active public life.. Not all women desire to be mothers and many of them cannot bear children. These women, after the war, will be living in the ultra modern homes of that time. Because of the many new housekeeping aids, much of their time will be unoccupied unless they have some dutside activity. Considers Industry ... _ Let us consider industry first. The type, the number and the severity of accidents among women employees will be discussed in other talks of the Congress.. The prob lems of industry to change machines so they could be operated by women is for another topic. `Yet we all know that the cause of accidents is 95 per cent the human dement as against 5 per cent mechanical and "acts of .God." In industry, then, who would, be better prepared to instruct tire new woman employee than another woman ? This instruction, if given in the right way, is the safe way. And safety is a definite i i:1' -Nt., . ? :i f 72 33rd National. Safety Congress, 1944 pail of the plan. Who better than a woman ress. But it is the ability to have adventure can supervise women and. girls and under and daring, safely, - that- we as mothers, stand their physical handicaps? Women are safety directors, must create within our the natural housekeepers. A woman in children. The teacher , in the school Jmust an industrial safety department will help be made aware that the pattern, of fife is care for that problem. Many women like woven with the golden thread. of the ability and have a knack for minute detail. They to listen. have long been the natural teachers of our Let us sum the total of otir job. young. This attribute can be capitalized oh In industry, we shall be the safety in by our industries, if they are alert In industry as supervisor, inspector, assistant safety director, women will find their place and bring credit to their company when given an opportunity in the safety field! structor of other women--the safety coun selor and guidk Here we will take our place by'the-side of our nien--the helpmeet in bonding a better and a stronger world. When we survey where our accidents are happening we find a large , number in the In public fife we shall teach home safety, correct driving and fully inform ourselves in all.safe maimer of living. We shall point home itself. Here trained leaders are` needed. Through theNational Safety Coun the way, create the pattern. cil and other service organizations classes are bring taught in borne accident preven tion. Tins is a field where trained women If we are wise we will be willing to assume our share of the responsibility if we wish to share also in the rewards. can be of great service to humanity at all In the Women's Clubs, the PTA's and times. all the groups where women gather we hi many of our. huger cities war condi will' plan to spread the gospel of safety. tions have placed- women in our traffic As professional and business women we squads where their excellent work has will take an active part in the national and brought honor to the police department local safety movement,' and to their sex. The woman-citizen will observe all safety -Few women have mechanical ability. rules and regulations and urge those about Those who do are, as a rule, very proficient. her to do the same In teaching a beginner to drive a car, class _ ' Some women with leadership ability will room instruction ia.motor parts, rules; regu find a place in organizing for safety in the lations, etc, can be taught more effectively by women. Men, as a rule,- are better at actual driving instruction. community. . They will be in industry--some in teach ing-some in organizing--some in training All of our engineering, all our enforce --women have a large place ina community ment can -bear little fruit; if we fail to safety program. But wherever they are create an awareness of the value of human they will still_hold fast :to that immortal fife in our offspring. Safety-First is a false place jof women--as they call the world to slogan for youth. Without adventure; with listen. They will point the way--they will out daring the world would have no prog set the pattern. Coorduxcrting Various Community Interests By R L. CORBETT, MJD. Executive Secretary, Milwaukee Safety Commission, Milwaukee, Wis. We started our expanded home safety program in the City of Milwaukee m March of this year. One of .the first things we did in order to bringscity-wide attention to the movement was to have-the-Common Council pass a resolution which called upon all residents of the city, and every branch of municipal government, to cooperate in a home safety movement to combat the heavy toll of life and injury in this field. The National Safety Council assigned Mr. Bernard Lundy to us for approximately six weeks at the start of the program. 'With his aid we developed our Home Safety Board, standis Spot of hot .past ei; were a materii Safety matter organh inaugni with tl to foes Ab copies represe portfoli safety were rs in quar rations it wool Each Home' territoi particnl work ! suited I Varic seated their c fit fact the wo: tought job. . . do hot* We v tionwe Jatiy th rccomts unions : dettake To id receiver peared : meat w Compaq cost apj the Ho carried home it similar calling i Ttfe 1 Home Safety Sessions 73: Board/ which is composed of thirty out- American Legion, and their auxiliaries, have standingcivicand public agencies. been most cooperative. And, of course, the Spot maps were isade showing locations City Health Department through its visit of home fatalities over a period of the ing hurses^is a splendid medium for pro.past right years. All of the home fatalities ` moling home safety. So also are the other were analyzed as to type and nature. This social agencies. Our public health nurses material was then presented to the Home " alone average a thousand home calls per Safety Board with the request' that; tins day. matter be taken up with their respective Another activity which the Home. Safety organizations and an educational campaign Board has sponsored, and which we believe inaugurated to .acquaint their membership " will be far-reaching, is the Accident Pre with the causes, of home accidents--also vention course of the American Red Cross. to focus attention on the locations. - All 8th gradepupHsm the parochial schools A home safety portfolio , was devised, of Milwaukee during the 1944-45 term will copies of which were distributed to the receive the standard home accident preven representative of each, organization. The tion coarse of the American Red Cross. portfolio, contained a large -assortment of .Tins' is- a reqiiisitoto graduation. This safety material and members of the Board - means that several hundred boys and girls were instructed that they cotdd obtain'sarite' ; will be fully qualified home safety ihstruc- in quantities so that thrir respective organi ' tors: when ihey have completed the 8th ^ zations could see to its distribution where grade. We are watching this course very ' it would do the most good. closely and hope it will be extended to the Each of the thirty representatives on the public schoolsatanearly date. Home'Safety Board was given a-specific territory to cover, after bring told of its particular problem, and each was urged to work this out in whatever manner best Distributed Leaflet - The leaflet CONGRATULATIONS,' which calls attention to infant safety, Is suited his organization.. Various women's organizations are repre sented on the Home Safety Board and their cooperation has been wholehearted. being distributed to every new mother in Milwaukee. This comes directly from the office of the Safety Conraussion^with a congratulatory letter attached.' t In fact we have learned that once you get We 'carried on .a very successful radio | the women started on a project, it's pretty campaign during the height.of the canning touigh to stop them! They do a splendid season. This was sponsored by one of the job. . . . This , doesn't mean that the men agencies represented on our Home Safety donot do an equally fine job. . Board, namely, the" Home Economics in - Labor Cooperation Business Group, who were themselves, amazed at' the success of their venture. We were indeed surprised at the coopera Home canning accidents in Milwaukee this tion we received from the Unions, particu year took a considerable drop and we feel larly the A.F. of L. and the CLO. Let me that a forge share of tins improvement is recommend, to you not to overlook these due to the educational program carried on , unions in any home, safety'project you un by the Home Safety Board. dertake in your community. We in Milwaukee are proud of the work To Show you the type of cooperation we of bur newly formed Home Safety Board, received, I' have a full-page ad which ap . as this is one of the first years in which peared in our daily papers. This advertise home fatalities (up to October 1st) have ment was placed through our local transit shown a decrease: We believe this is par company and, at current advertising rates, ticularly significant in view of home condi cost approximately $4,000. Naturally it cost tions at the present time. Our record is' the Home Safety Board nothing, but it thus-- carried our message into practically every home in Milwaukee. Other firms will place First 9 months of 1943--84 Home. Fatalities ` similar ads In the press later in the year, First 9 months of 1944--73 Home Fatalities calling attention to other home hazards. We have found in bur home safety ac The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the tivities so farm Milwaukee that the matter I 1 rt . li: .1:;- : i-.' i.'.; (r*. KM f fa of budget is negligible. In any message to see to it that each agency obtains the proper though the entire community, you need cooperation, materials and is given some idea of the five fie Let me emphasize that: COOPERA- methods to pursue in order to effectively builder: TION! You must enlist the help of every fight the biggest accident problem of our sanitary agency in your community and you must ' age--the home injuries and fatalities. dons, eqoipmi row, it THURSDAY MORNING SESSION October 5, 1944 of any Assuj ing is : Presiding: Katherine Fisher, Dir., Good Housekeeping Institute; New York City. resprats Hazard House or Happy Home? ing fal spratsib cation c in this Home Design and Arrangement design thereto: By KENNETH SARGENT Associate Professor of Architecture, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N. Y. groups: Fir cater To the architect, home design and arrange could not be the controlling factor in the ment is the fusion of utility, aesthetics, reduction of the home accident rate. whid house safety and physical features of site into what we call plan. To discuss the subject from each of these basic premises would require far more time than allotted. Each of these particular phases perhaps might be dull to certain individuals. As it is our purpose to become more informed concern ing home safety, let us consider home de sign and arrangement as it is specifically influenced by safety requirements, remem bering that utility, site, and aesthetics will always modify this subject With the group attending such a meet ing as this, it would seem somewhat need However, for two reasons which I now enumerate, I am focusing my discussion on new bousing. First, the faults of new hous Set plan tate 1 ing are similar to those of existing housing Th The problem of correcting these faults in Ibles i both new and existing houses seems some sign : what similar. Second, even though the elimination of hazards in these new homes would not greatly change the graphic picture of the home accident rate; are we to allow the careless construction of some eight million units of housing and thus add to the already enormous problem of home hazards now Lai insttrs *> less to point out the necessity of "Safety causing yearly more deaths than have been in Design" of the modem home. However, it would seem desirable that two problems be accepted-and considered, namely: first making new homes and housing construc tion safe, and second, malting masting housing safer. inflicted yearly by our national enemies? The quality of the design, the arrange ment, and the safety of bousing to be con structed after this war is definitely a local problem, as I believe it properly should be. To propose a national building code The : each of It is c held, re in the 1 provide The latter problem seems in itself worthy would be folly; yes, to suggest a state code of great consideration, since approximately which would eliminate and stop the con toms, * suitable thirty-seven million units of housing exist struction of hazardous homes would also son tab in the United States, a large percentage of prove most unpractical. The success of a manufa which will continue to be used. It has been building code depends entirely upon its in market! estimated that about'eight million units of telligent enforcement by those skilled in the I add i new housing will be required in the next construction industry. Such skilled en with st ten years. With this ratio Of existing forcement officers are not available in the finanda dwellings to anticipated new homes in mind, rural areas and in the villages which sur it would seem that most of the causes of round our large cities. I have been in per if they ment, a accidental death and injury exist in homes sonal contact with such building inspectors paigns now in use, while the new construction in the smaller communities, who, even Safety safety < for saf lakes places Home Safety Sessions 75 though they were most able in their respec tive field such as carpentry or masonry, as builders, had little knowledge of electrical, sanitary, or hearing equipment and installa tions. With the expected complication of equipment demanded in the house of tomor row, it is self-evident that the enforcement of any such building code is impossible. Assuming, then, that the quality of hous ing is a local problem, upon whom will the responsibility of providing new safe hous ing fall? No one group can be held re sponsible because of the nature and ramifi cation of the building industry as organized in this country. The responsibility of safe design and arrangement of housing must, therefore, be placed upon the following groups: First, manufacturers who prefabri cate most of the material and equipment which is used in the construction of housing. Second, architects or designers who plan and design the structures and dic tate the use of these materials. Third, the builder who actually assem bles the materials according to the de sign and plan, and Last, but not least, the banker, the insurance company, or any other mort gagee who may finance the construction. Fixes Responsibility The fact that the responsibility lies with each of these groups can be demonstrated. It ts certain that the architect cannot be held, responsible for the hazards , of falls in the bathtub if the manufacturers do not provide him with tubs that have fiat bot toms; glazes which are not slippery, and suitable unbreakable grab bars for the per son taking a shower. In these cases, the manufacturer would be responsible for the marketing of hazardous materials, and may I add that the catalogues have been filled with such equipment It would be to the financial advantage of these manufacturers if they designed safe materials and equip ment and so advertised, as the various cam paigns by such agencies as the National Safety Council and the many state and local safely councils are fast creating a demand for safe equipment and homes. Likewise, if the architect or designer places a prefabricated stairway too dose to the door so as to become a hazard, it is certainly not the manufacturer's fault. Similarly, if the builder places the smokepipe of the heating unit too dose to the floor framing without protection to this wood member, he alone is responsible for the resulting fire which annually destroys a vast amount of life and property. This illustration Is typical of the causes of fire about which no one save the fire insurance companies expresses very much concern. I must add to the group of those respon sible, the banker and mortgagee, for who else is more responsible for the limiting of budgets of housing than this group? The extent of the budget, unfortunately, often controls the freedom of hazard of the housing. For instance, there is available today a very fine prefabricated window which which also offers the safety features of inside application of storm sash and screen. Both sides of die glass of this sash may be safdy washed- from the in terior of the house. Unfortunatdy, this window costs more than the common haz ardous vertical sliding sash known to the trade as the double hung window. This latter unsafe window offers none of the features above mentioned, but is the cheaper. The use of the cheaper window has been almost universal in this country. The hous ing- built on too limited a budget cannot afford such safety features of design. Definitely, hazard-free housing depends upon budget Allow me to paraphrase the letterhead slogan of the New York State Department of Health, "Public Health is Purchasable. Within natural limitations, any community can determine its Own Death Rate." I would restate similarly "Freedom from Home Hazards is purchas able. Any community can determine its own Home Accident Rate." Again I wish to demonstrate the respon sibility of the bankers and mortagees in liberating the future householders from the home accident hazard. If this group would formulate certain minimum requirements similar to the minimum Construction Stand ards of the F.H.A, adherence to which would be required of all structures financed, they could by such action, largely eliminate all the more common hazards found in new housing, for little new housing is constructed on a cash basis. It might be financially ad vantageous to this group to eliminate haz- j.; : 4 ! ffi ? irt:;: " Hi 'i !!' ii Hi HI i 'i t .! I !:; b'il'i fl!; t-i ho w ards, for In my opinion, a dead mortagor is seems common practice to omit rails on definitely a poor risk. cellar stairs. Too small a space for stairs 1 have referred constantly to details of hazard-free design and arrangement of housing. To design for safety, all pos sible hazards which might be the direct also frequently demands the introduction of winders to secure the proper number of steps for the vertical distance traversed from .floor to floor. Naturally, the danger or indirect cause of an accident should be of this device is die unequal width of eliminated. To play upon that familiar word treads. Elimination of details such as this of today "FREEDOM" as four times re peated in the Atlantic Charter, twisted to suit my purpose--we should so construct these new homes that we would insure for and the construction of adequate rails would safeguard most stairs. These ample com mon defects thus illustrated are by no means the only stair hazards. our homes: Freedom from hazards caus To illustrate freedom from burns, I pre ing falls. Freedom from hazards which sent these common errors, of design and cause burns. Freedom from electrical haz arrangement. The kitchen planned by the ards and Freedom from poison gas and unskilled designer, who, in order to place mechanical injuries. the necessary appliances in the space al The numerous details that require the designer's attention in order to insure this Freedom fromAccident hazard aresonumer ous that it would he impossible to discuss lotted, locates the kitchen range near the window. The.curtains wind every home maker demands are frequently the cause of fire when blown into the open gas flames. them intelligently in a short time. In order Or again, the improperly planned home to illustrate a typical hazard from each or house constructed with a limited budget of these classes of accident causes, allow is so arranged ,that the cellar stairs are not me to describe an example of each. cot off from the furnace room. The fire Freedom from falls is a major problem of all home hazards. True, that homes planned without a second floor offer many advantages to the homemaker, since such houses, eliminate windows above the ground, stairs, and resulting fatigue caused by the additional effort required to maintain two floors. To plan all new housing on one floor only would not entirely eliminate the that so often starts in tins area is imme diately spread* to die only exit available from the second floor, since die'usual prac tice is to stack die basement stair below the stair to the upper floor. -You open your morning paper to see that John Jones* chil dren were burned to death because a fire blocked the <mly means of escape. Freedom from electric hazard is very causes of falls because of the many other closely related to other accidental causes but causes, such as slippery floor finishes, its identity b so marked that it merits indi maintenance of exterior approach, house vidual attention. arrangement, etc. Again the budget offers The equipment used in past years often an obstacle, since the single floor house invited accident The very device used to will always cost more per room because safeguard your appliances and your per of the added roof area and foundation. In sonal safety, frequently was the indirect the northern states, I would point out an- ^ cause of a. fire. When the last fuse was other barrier to elimination of stairs, namely, blown, how many of you have inserted a traditional living. Up to the present time, penny in place of the fuse in die fuse box? most prospective home owners demand a Mr. Gunn illustrated tins hazard yesterday. cellar because they have not been educated You did not think that the very cause of to die benefits of the cellarless house now the fuse bloating was overheating of the possible because of modern improvements circuit which you permitted to continue in heating equipment. and which might have resulted in a fire in the system. He did not tell you bow Stair Hazards this hazard was eliminated in modern con Since stairs are demanded in most houses, struction. what are typical hazards of stairs? The lack Perhaps you have not been guilty of tins of hand rails are a common defect Many .infraction of safety but have you placed builders still believe that stairs enclosed a 30 ampere fuse in place of the 15 ampere between partitions need no hand rails. It fuse which you removed? This allowed the overhe haps t the it equipn break* elimin the p might affect My is thz poison a rath the hi larly nace stalled sized is a s ore ; reasor me tc combi: acade a con Mode bon n it pas prppe systra If; lation result room: fTwrfg that. : forth: install passa; homo move Home Safety Sessions 77 overheating of some appliance which per bled in-the dark over the coffee table that haps ultimately will cause a breakdown of wasn't there this morning. the insulation and ultimately fire. New From the examples. cited, it is evident equipment such as .the automatic circuit that planning, arrangement,.and design of er of us id n- QS breaker, an improvement of the fuse box, eliminates these hazards, as it eliminates the personal element in its operation.. I might add that this safety device does not affect the budget greatly. My final classification of housing hazards is that of freedom from the hazard of the safe home is by no means simple and lacking in complications. The common il lustrations selected demonstrate that home safety is dependent upon the collaboration, ability, and training of all involved in the construction of housing, the architect or designer, the builder, the manufacturer, and poison gas and mechanical injuries, perhaps the financier. As I have demonstrated the e- a rather miscellaneous classification. During importance of each group, I have also at ld the heating season, your drily paper regu tempted to show a few examples of hazard be larly shows the toll of life talma by fur through poor design and arrangement ce dhe eof nace gas. The usual furnace blower in stalled by the householder to bum small sized coal and thus reduce his fuel budget, is a source of fatality. It is true, that with care and caution, this equipment may be The building code will never insure the four Freedoms from Hazard in all new housing. What then is the means of elimi nation of accidents from these new homes? I believe that educational programs should reasonably safe, but.my ecperience leads be fostered and continued among these oe me to believe that this means of forcing groups. The program of teaching those n combustion is frequently the cause of fatal whose responsibility it is to pnmde new ot accidents. Gal, adieu improperly burned, is housing, will not only result in safer new re a common source of carbon-monoxide gas. homes but will also improve existing dwell e- .Modem stokers are safe, in that this car ings winch are subject .to maintenance and ile bon monoxide from the coal is burned as improvement by these samegroops in the c- it passes through the fire since rim coal is building industry. m ur ore properly fed into the fire from below, a system not now possible with hand stoking. If the designer fails to study the circu lation of the house, the arrangement may Lastly, I emphasize the desirability of en listing every organization in a program to inform the householder - and tomorrow's homemaker of these built-in hazards, and result, in considerable traffic through such inferior planning so that they will rerogmze ry rooms as the living room. These arrange the most common hazards incorporated in at ments may influence furniture placement their existing homes, and so flat they would fi- that involve safety.. This hazard nay be avoid the purchase of the unsafe, poorly further increased if light control is not planned' and "Jerry-built" hcxne, and so m installed to allow advance lighting of your that they would not allow unsafe details to to passage. This is especially true if your be incorporated in the home bring planned r- homemaker is what I term a "furniture for them. Safety* in the home cannot be ct mover" or perhaps you never have stum and should not be a matter of legislation. as a c? y. of be oe re iw n- is id re be I til f ' n \I It . : i;- - fib' rf f. *. il fill Id:i'P til {Hi: 78 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 Let the Seller Bewcorel By H. D. VALENTINE Sales Promotion Mgr., The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, Chicago I believe we are in agreement that rigid safety measures and rules of conduct to preserve safety, are a resultant of modern technological civilization. Primitive man did not need to worry about his personal safety beyond an alertness to attack by wild ani mals, enemy forces or natural acts of God. With modem invention however, living has become more complex until at the pres ent time, we are surrounded with mechanical gadgets that Inherently carry the possibility of hazards to life, limb, or property. That this is true is evidenced by the need for and the splendid accomplishments of this great institution, the National Safety Council. With the advent of the automobile, the relatively Ugh speed obtainable coupled with very impersonal mechanical linkages, pro duced, and continues to produce, an alarm ing number of accidents. Fortunately there is a more comforting side to this picture since from the consciousness of possible danger from the use of the automoible have come better automobiles,, better roads and more stringent regulations as to who may drive, and bow, and where. Similar conditions obtain in most mechani cal equipment that people use in and about their homes. It is this appreciation of hid den .dangers that spurs engineers, technicians and legislators to investigate means where by these hazards can be eliminated or mini mized and thereby help to promote the gen eral safety. In this category of mechanical equipment can be grouped domestic gas appliances-- the gas range, the gas automatic water heater, the gas refrigerator, and the gas heating or winter air-conditioning system. We need spend only a moment in cover ing the first three of these since continued research over many years has developed a highly recognized element of efficiency and safety which undoubtedly has contributed to their increasing popularity. The develop ment of burners that prevent the possibility of any carbon monoxide in the flue products and the invention of positive burner igni tion and thermostatic controls are samples of the features which have added to the safety and general usefulness of these appli ances. A more recent and more inclusive ap proach to the subject of safety in modem home appliances can be illustrated in the more or less recent complete acceptance of gas for home heating and winter air con ditioning. The popularity of gas for home heating dates from 1931 when natural gas was brought to the Chicago area. This coupled with an effective promotion of conversion burners winch could be installed in exist ing boilers and furnaces, provided the im petus towards a mass acceptance of gas for bating homes. In recent years, as the con version,burner proved the value of gas for heating, gas designed boilers and furnaces have become more popular. this increasing popular demand for gas home heating equipment introduced a series of conditions, which if not properly con trolled could have influenced, adversely, the high standards of efficiency and safety of hating installations which was, and con tinues to be, the hallmark of Peoples Gas service. These conditions are of two types, the first engineering in character and the second related to business and public relations. Let us review the engineering phase first Gas conversion burners and gas burning central heating boilers and furnaces are in themselves unit mechanisms designed and constructed to include maximum operating efficiencies and the highest factors of safety. However, in the case of conversion bur ners, installations generally are made in older boilers and furnaces designed for solid fuel. These may be faulty in one respect or another. Consequently the assembly of burner' and furnace unless thoroughly ex amined and supervised, would be as ineffi cient and hazardous as the least perfect part--which in this case would be the old boiler or furnace. Again a gas designed boiler and furnace or an ideal conversion burner installation cannot provide hating service until it is tied-1< include hot w openin if the in one Iation satisfa 3 Con1 regard Each : perfeci custon It tional was pi superv First with j conditi other additic omy a change ings, e All an est cost i prised made' tion ai Iation. How market second phase, - Cert wished ganizai ment s At l believe a use throng should normal the de more : heatinf Sud occurn home People Home Safety Sessions 79 tied* to a beat distributing system which indudes piping and radiation for steam or hot water or duct systems and register openings in warm air systems. Here again if the heat distribution systems were faulty in one way or another die complete instal lation could not be expected to give fully satisfactory results. Installation a Specific Problem Consquently every installation must be regarded as a specific engineering problem. Each part of the system must be as near perfect as possible so as to insure maximum customer service. It is understandable that in the promo tional period of home heating with gas it was possible for Peoples Gas to carefully supervise each fob from beginning to end First a heat loss was calculated together with a careful engineering survey of all conditions which could in one way or an other affect the final results obtained In addition ideas for obtaining additional econ omy and safety were suggested--insulation, changes in the heating system, chimney lin ings, etc, etc. All such engineering data together with an estimate of the normal heating season cost and recommended equipment com prised the "proposal." After the sale was made' Peoples Gas supervised the installa tion and checked its operation. Each instal lation .was "custom built" However, as acceptance grew and the market-for gas home heating expanded the second, the business and public relations phase, became imminent. - Certainly Peoples Gas, even had they wished to, could no longer, as a single or ganization, squire each house heating equip ment sale and installation. At the same time, however, Peoples Gas believes that when a certain acceptance of a use for its product has been reached through Company promotion, any expansion should flow into a free market through the normal channels of trade. This means as die demand for gas home heating grew, more and more of the business fell to the heating contractor. Such a change in distribution actually occurred. In 1935 most of the sales of home heating equipment were made by Peoples Gas, In 1944 over 90 per cent of the business was on the books of heating con tractors. Such cooperative effort, commendable as it is, conld present a problem which could depreciate the already acquired high accept ance of gas for home heating. It must be remembered that when a free market grows in response to demand, then competition enters. Under such a condition a customer is likely to shop for price. This price consciousness would naturally be re flected in the business programs of manu facturers and contractors. It is evident, however, where price is dominant, quality may easily deteriorate. If this occurs in the purchase and installation of gas home heating equipment, customers could never be certain that they would enjoy a heating service of maximum efficiency and safety. In order to retard the growth of such a condition. Peoples Gas announced its Cer tified Quality program in January 1940. What the Certified Quality program is and how it functions can be most easily ex plained in a series of questions and answers. 1. What is the meaning of "Certified Quality?" (a) Certified Quality aims to protect the ultimate user of gas as a fuel by - giving recognition to such factors of equipment selection and installation practice which mate gas service for heating satisfactory and .economical. (b) It means that boilers and furnaces which are made to use gas as a fuel have certain quality features of con struction and performance which will give a user greater assurance of satis factory and economical operation. These quality features are over and above those now required under minimum national standards and apply to the serviceability,* durability, added safety and efficiency and capacity factors of the equipment (c) It means that the selection of equipment, design and construction of the heating system and the installation of the unit will take into consideration such installation factors which also give greater assurance of satisfactory and economical operation and which are, in many instances, above the mini mum standards now recognized by architects, contractors' associations and before and to reasonably comply with their, national organizations. the installation considerations covered sored 2. Whom does the Certified Quality plan in a pamphlet entitled "Information on Certified Quality Requirements for mg t! the b iiiI"'. ;. t. benefit? The benefits that can he derived from this plan will primarily1 accrue to the Gas Fired Winter Air' Conditioning Equipment Installations" can be con sidered as providing Certified Quality It in no tion. purchaser of gas heating equipment be installation. or sa P. cause it is designedyto protect Ms in terests. Manufacturers and dealers 7. Will die People Gas Light and Coke gineei to tfa i '> who follow this program will also Company verity a contractor's proposal ultim indirectly benefit through continued to see if it meets Certified Quality stand Its acceptance of their products and work ards? manship. No. Peoples Gas Light and Coke a 3. What are the steps that a customer should take to obtain Certified Quality heating? Company has published'the standards for Certified Quality and any proposal which complies with those standards constitutes. Certified Quality. i. The Peoples Gas light mid Coke Company has provided a certification 8. Will the Peoples Gas Light and Coke form which can be offered by the con Company check the completed installa Dxi tractor or demanded by the customer. tions to see if it meets Certified Quality This form serves in a sense as a stabdards? Th< guarantee bond to the customer that the contractor will furnish and install equipment that meets Certified Quality standards. 4. What are the steps that a contractor should take to obtain Certified Quality equipment? The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Com pany has provided a certification form which can' be offered by tire manu ' Yes. Field engineers make an inspec tion of each installation and, in addi tion to determining necessary informa tion which makes it possible to ap prove or disapprove of it as satisfac tory gas heating installation, will also obtain the facts which enable the Com pany to interpret whether or not such an installation can be classified as meeting Certified Quality standards. is alv natefj it is homehave every would condit canric Mai noyin) facturer or demanded by the contrac 9. How does The Peoples Gas Light and our a tor. . This form serves in a sense as Coke Company enforce this Certified safe, a "guarantee bond to the contractor that Quality program? eras 1 the manufacturer will furnish equip ment that meets Certified Quality standards. 5. Who has Certified Quality equipment? Any manufacturer who reasonably complies with the various factors listed in "Information on Certified Quality Requirements for Gas Fired Winter Air Conditioning Equipment Installa tions," a pamphlet which has to do with the selection of the equipment, can be assumed to have Certified Quality equipment It is important to bear in mind that The Peoples Gas Light and Coice Com pany dob not enter into any dicta torial attitude nor does it propose to act in any way as a police power in the enforcement of these standards. Our purpose is primarily to put into the . hands of the manufacturer, architect, builder, contractor and customer the essential information which makes it possible for them to sell or buy in terms of Certified Quality. The Certified Quality program has been If we betwe congr. our g siono But numb part be sh< of 25 wiring only ! situati befort 6. Who makes Certified Quality installalations? most successful in its so far short life. It has added considerably to the consumer's knowledge of home heating, has supplied gradu Syrac recent Any contractor who agrees to sell Cer manufacturers of equipment and heating Powe tified Quality equipment, as mentioned contractors with an instrument to enhance found S ? 7 V ? ? <? ? JT S-Ste**?- 'f'fi.R ' <? ? 5 SLfr Home Safety Sessions 81 thdr.prestige and Peoples Gas feds reas sured that in the sale of gas fen* home-heat ing their customers will conjfbue to enjoy the best of service:. It should be remembered that the plan in no way suppresses progressive competi tion. It identifies no private name; brand, or system. It prescribes fundamental en gineering and operating minima all keyed to the use-needs and expectations of the ultimate customer. Its greatest value, however, lies in its schematic adaptability. Such a plan can have*, usefulness in any industry that is more or less a product , monopoly and consequently has a tendency towards strong internal competition. It tends to increase the total market without danger to any vendor, ex cept he who attempts to secure business at the expense of service. If properly op erated, the slogan, "Let the Buyer Beware" will soon be amended .to "Let the Seller Beware," truly a more progressive approach to successful postwar marketing. !n Planning lor Present and Future Electrical Needs By FRANCES ARMIN Director, Consumer Education, National Adequate Wiring Bureau, New York City There is an old saying that "hind-sight is always better than foresight" Unfortu nately, never was this more true than when it is applied 'to home planning! If the home-builders of 15 or 20 years ago could have foreseen the increasing dependence of every family upon electricity, I am sure we would not be faced with the unfortunate conditions that are present today in thou sands -of homes. Table I. Size of Fuses in Use in 59 Homes Using. No. 14 Wire, in -Wichita, Kansas, 1941 Per Cent of Homes 338 158 158 35.6 Fuse Sizes in Amperes 15 20 25 30 *5 B*B V ? B 2LS. K Many of us come face to face with an noying evidence of these conditions, daily, in oar own homes. Homes that are serene and safe; by day, often become fearsome cav Table II Number of Circuits in Homes in Wichita, Kansas, 1941 erns by night where unseen dangers lark. If we safely negotiate the "no-man's-Iand" Number of 61 Older 50 Newer between the door and the light switch, we congratulate ourselves at having reached our goal without tripping over the extea* sion cord entanglements! But inadequate lighting and inadequate numbers of convenience outlets are only part of the story. We would probably all be shocked if we could know die numbers Circuits 1 2 3 4 5 or more* Homes PerCent 42.6 41.0 98 5.0 1.6 Homes Per Cent 56.0 22.0 14.0 ao of 25 and 30 ampere fuses being used on Perhaps this looks to be a gloomy picture. wiring circuits that are intended to carry I assure you it is not an exaggerated one. only 15 amperes of electricity. The entire But remember, I have been indulging in situation is typified in a survey made just "hind-sight". Merely'to eliminate from the before the war, m Wichita, Kansas, by a homes of tomorrow the possibility of sneb graduate home economics student from conditions as those I have mentioned would 's Syracuse University. These results were be a great public service. It so happens, id recently published hr'Electric Light and however, that'adequate electrical planning Power magazine.. Here is what this student has very interesting advantages today for x found: those who plan and build homes for sale, V j W iv I. B ; l: 1: * i ! ;-h i '' H-: L'i flli u;. fe:i: ill; N S'in addition to the improvements it makes in the home's safety factor. There are several reasons for this: 1. The public has learned its "ABCs" of home wiring. During the war, consumer groups everywhere, in the course of learn ing how to get along without the power company's service man, have learned also that overloaded circuits cause fuses to blow. They have learned to count the number of fuses or circuit breakers in the box near the meter, and thereby find out how many circuits there are in the home. And in many cases they have learned that there are not enough, to permit convenient, safe, and effi cient use of electric service. To these peo ple, the new home with enough circuits will have extra appeal. 2. The home buying public has recently been exposed to vast amounts of publicity about the "glamour-gadgets" with which every postwar home will be fully equipped. Much of this publicity has been unfortunate, and steps are being taken by responsible members of the building industry, and by the better manufacturers, .to correct false impressions. Bnt the fact still remains that much emphasis is being given to the auto matic features of tomorrow's homes. Regardless of whether the equipment it self is immediately available or not, when home construction is resumed, the home which has provision for that equipment in its electrical system will be much more ac ceptable to the buyer and to the financing agencies than the one which does not have such provision. All over the country today groups of people are gathering regularly tinder the auspices of civic and business organizations, for courses which will help them in wise planning and selection of the homes which they will build or buy tomorrow. All such courses include sessions on "Planning for Present and Future Electrical Needs." A large number are using a series of charts, developed for the purpose by-the National Adequate Wiring Bureau, and based on the National Minimum Standards of Residen tial Wiring Adequacy. I should like to run through several of them, quickly, to give you an idea of the contributions which adequately planned electrical facilities make toward a home that will be safe--and a home that will sell. Every day, nearly all the important func- FOR HEATING. VENTILATING AND AIR CONDITIONING Room Coolers Air Filter Automatic Heat Control Complete Air Conditioning Humidifiers Portable Fans Kitchen Ventilator Attic Fan Space Heater FOR LIGHTING-- FOR BEAUTY AND DUTY Decorative Lamps Niche Lighting Window Valance Lighting Panel Lighting Outdoor Lighting General Lighting lighted Work Spaces Night Lights for Safety Christmas and Garden Lighting FOR MEAL PREPARATION AND FOOD STORAGE Electric Cooking Refrigeration Mixing and Beating Toasting Waffle-Malting Coffee-Malting Roaster-Meals Home Freezing FOR ENTERTAINING AND HOSPITALITY Lighted House Number Door Chimes Table Appliances Radio-Phonograph Entrance Lighting Bridge Lamps Motion Picture Projector FOR HOUSECLEANING, LAUNDRY AND SANITATION Vacuum Cleaners Floor Polishers Washer Drier FOR EDUC HOBI Stu Ra< * Tel Ph. Ele Sei Ele FOR HEAI AND Ste Gei Ult He Vit Ex< Shi Ele FOR util: PRO! Pui Ele Ex Sig Fir Do. Lai Ins Is tl home be ade and to: Mos myster cannot neers; that w system the A1 Aj 5 Bi l C1 c Home Safety Sessions S3 Jroner Hand Iron Dishwasher Sink Garbage Disposal FOR EDUCATION, RECREATION HOBBIES Study and Reading Lamps Radio J Television Photographic Equipment Electric Tools Sewing Machine Electric Toys FOR HEALTH PROTECTION AND GOOD GROOMING Sterilizers Germicidal Lamps Ultra-Violet Lamps Heating Pads Vibrators Exercisers Shavers Electric Blankets FOR UTILITY AND PROTECTION Pomp Electric Water Heating Extension Telephones Signalling Bells Fire Alarms Door Openers Lawn Mowers Insect Exterminators Is there any doubt that we should plan home electric operating facilities that will be adequate to the family's needs of today and tomorrow? Most of us consider electric wiring a very mysterious technical matter upon which we cannot check unless we are trained engi neers; but there are certain fundamentals that will help us to plan Adequate Wring systems for tomorrow's homes. Here are the ABCs of Adequate Wiring-- A An adequate entrance for electric service B An adequate number of circuits, of large-enough wire C Adequate locations for use and control of electric service Now let us see what constitutes each of these three elements. Most of us think of a "service entrance" as a place where packages are delivered. Sometimes it is the back door; sometimes die back porch. The `'Electrical Service Entrance", is the place through which elec tric service is delivered. If it does not have great enough capacity, we can bring in only a limited amount of electricity. If you see to it, however, that your home's electrical service entrance is adequate --you will be able to operate any piece of electric home equipment you want--today or tomorrow. The capacity of the electrical service en trance varies with the size of the home. For the smallest home, three wires of No. 6 gauge will provide sufficient capacity for most needs (3-wire, 60 ampere). If you have a larger home, a service entrance of greater capacity would naturally become necessary (No. 4 or No. 2 gauge wire). An electrical service entrance of at least three No. 6 wires will be your home's sym bol that it is electrically modem, and it will enhance its value as long as the house stands. Annoyances such as fuse-blowing and the hazards of overloaded wiring can be shnt ont forever from the home which has enough circuits of large-enough wire. There should be four kinds of circuits. (1) Circuits for Lighting, Radio and Small Appliances. There should be at least one of these genera] purpose circuits for every 500 square feet of floor area. These are the wires that carry electricity to light ing fixtures -and to convenience out lets which serve portable lamps, radios, vacuum cleaners, and other small "plug in" appliances that are used once in a while.. These circuits are generally No. 14 gauge wire. If, however, such a circuit must travel more than 35 feet or so from the fuse or circuit breaker, it should be No. 12 gauge wire. This will permit the electricity to reach its destination without losing part of its power along the way. (2) Circuits for Kitchen, Laundry and Din ing Table Appliances. In order to do their best work, and to prevent frequent fuse blowing or opening of circuit breakers, appliances r 'Al :{ ;-i -i.r 84 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 such as roasters, refrigerators, waffle irons, toasters, irons and washing ma chines, must have circuits of their own, which are not used for lights. To provide for this equipment, every home should have one or more circuits of No. 12 gauge wire which carries electricity only to convenience outlets in the kitchen, pantry and fining .spaces. There should be another such circuit serving laundry equipment. These circuits will be more-impor tant than ever in the years to come, as new and improved electrical devices become available for our homes. For example, we would connect a home food freezer to such a circuit the drcuit It should be 15 amperes for the general purpose .circuits, and 20 amperes for the kitchen, laundry and dining table ap pliance circuits. The special circuit; of course, would vary according to the piece of equipment each one served. Having provided an adequate entrance for electric service and enough- dreuits of large-enough wire to carry electricity through the home at full power; the next step is to provide for safe and convenient use and control of electric sendee. Re member that location is just as important as quantity, in planning lights, outlets and switches. Outride of House (3) Circuits for Built-in and Individual Equipment. There are certain pieces of electric equipment which must have individual circuits, to which no other equipment or lighting is connected. A home that is well planned electrically wflUutve one special Circuit probably of' three' .No. 6 gauge wires, which serves a special receptacle outlet in the kitchen at die range location. An electric water heater, a built-in space heater (perhaps, in the bathroom) or other built-in heating devices each requires a circuit of its own, using No. 10 gauge wire. The automatic control for die house heating system would also have its own circuit probably of No. 12 gauge wire. (4) For Future Additions to Home Elec trical Equipment. You may fed some of the electrical operations we have mentioned might not be possible immediately in the home you are planning. But remember what has happened to home wiring systems in -the past ten years! It is considered good practice to main* sure that the main fuse box or circuit breaker panel contains at least two spare terminals for future cir cuits, If this is done, future additions to home electrical equipment will not make it necessary to install a new dis tribution pand. First, let us go outride. Here we see one of the first requirements for a well planned and' well lighted home--a light at the en trance. We are told that a very, high per centage of home accidents octhr on the frontjsteps. How many of them could have been avoided if the entrance had been well lighted--to say nothing of the cheerful glow of hospitality a lighted`entrance provides for guests! There are many uses for electric service out-of-doors as well as inside. Outdoor weatherproof outlets, located on the outride of the house will provide for such things as outdoor dining, outdoor lighting, the electric lawn mower--and even the dectric insect killer. Hall and Stairway", . . Another safety measure is the inclusion of lights at the head and foot of every stairway, with switches to control them from above and below. Notice on the chart the little switch symbols TM"3". This means that they are so arranged that yon can turn downstairs lights on and off from above; and upstairs lights on and-off from below. A switch controls the outdoor entrance tight from Inside the hall, and there should be another to control the same light from the garage. Closets need light, too, for convenience, as well as to hdp us avoid pulling down unseen boxes on oar heads 1 In most homes (andinaJI nevt homes) there is one circuit for each fuse or cir cuit breaker. The rating-on the fuse or' circuit breaker should tell the capacity of We often forget all about the telephone until after we move into the house. But why not think about it in time to provide concealed runways for the telephone wire, an.d de locatioi the 'ph gendes Exte in a sir system.* houses ings. C tions ai Here and fri provide First 1< are gen turn in unit cai No gre house; cealed The lit sion foi Noth one in homem re-sura having lamps, plugs! | conveni of wal I (baselx I wall s] more. The chart, i let for radio-- ence ot circuit, I operati be nsec Inti made, i windov A ce [ other s I of light in the 1 I placed assure [radio, 1 Somi i ifowe Safety Sessions 85 and designate, the most logical place for its germiddal lamps to help protect the fam location? A light and a special outlet near ily's health; or they will make it possible the 'phone, will help to save time in emer to use a sun lamp, or, perhaps, a little spot gencies. heater to help take off the chill on cold .Extension telephones can be provided for mornings. in a similar manner; so can communication In the bathroom, lights on either side of systems within the house or between the the mirror give illumination for shaving, E house and the garage or other outside build while the outlet is handy for the dectric IT I ings. On farms, particularly, such installa razor. Although the bathroom in the diart tions are helpful--and safe. is small enough so that adequate illumina t Living Room tion can be provided by the mirror lights, it it d Here, in the living room where family and friends gather, it is most essential to provide adequate outlets, properly located. might be well to provide an overhead unit It not only gives general light but also provides for installation of an ultra-violet First let us consider lighting. Ceiling units lamp which will make a sun room of the are generally needed for adequate illumina bath. If switch controlled, it could be used tion in a room as large as tins one/ This for long or short periods. unit can be controlled from other entrance. No groping through the dark here! In this house, provision has been made for con cealed trough lighting over the windows. The little triangular symbols' signify provi sion for such special uses. Notice the convenience outlets, including one in the top of the mantle shelf! The homemaker who lives here will be able to re-arrange her furniture at will, without having to worry about connections for her lamps, and never need-she resort to 3;or 4 plugs! The rule is: at least one duplex convenience outlet for every twelve feet of wall that is unbroken at . the floor line (baseboard), and - one such outlet ;in any wall space which measures three feet or more. The square symbol, marked "T" on the chart, indicates provision for a special out Kitchen And here is the workshop of the . home where dectric service is constantly needed. The central .ceiling unit which floods the kitchen with light can be. controlled from either doorway, providing safe passage by night Here is a single convenience outlet provided, in advance; for the refrigerator. Do you think it strange that there is an outlet under the window? Remember in the kitchen, we have continuous counter space. This'outlet wilt be located at counter hdgfat. to serve the mixer, or any other ap pliance which is to be used here. * There is a light oyer the sink controlled by a nearby switch. No danger here of knicked fingers when vegetables are being peeled. So many such little accidents occur simply because we cannot see dearly. let for ground and antenna connections for ' Another of those "special" outlets is pro radio--or television. The adjacent conveni vided for the dectric sink. We find an out ence outlet/connected to a general purpose let for the range, with another outlet in the circuit, will provide electric power for its wall above for an dectric dock. Next, operation. Meanwhile; regular outlets .can we find another duplex convenience outlet be used for the radio. Homemakers all have redpes which say Bedroom and Bath "simmer over slow heat, stirring or beating constantly." But what good is the dectric In . the bedroom, too, provision has been mixer for this purpose, if there is no outlet made, for concealed cove lighting at one handy? This same outiet is also convenient window, controlled by a switch at tire door. for preparing toast and coffee while keeping A central ceiling unit controlled by an an eye on the eggs, mid when used that way other switch at the door, provides plenty would prevent the tip-overs of scalding of light for dressing, and for finding things coffee which sometimes occur on crowded in the bureau drawers. Convenience outlets; range-tops. placed according to the 12-foot rule, will assure ease in locating an electric dock, radio, bedside lamps, and the . like. In the dining space, a ceiling light assures us of a cheerful eating atmosphere, and convenience outlets at table height make it Some day, these same outlets may serve possible to use the waffle iron, coffee-maker. 15f t t l I&8 8B8MB38 86 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 toaster, and the like, at the table, or on the buffet Bawaiwnt This is quite an elaborate basement Most postwar utility rooms will occupy only a fraction of this space. But this serves as an illustration of how to provide for all possible electrical needs in this area. Note the light at the foot of the stairs, which can be controlled from above and below. I hardly need to stress, for this audience, the essential need for this land of control. The central light in the laundry space can also be controlled from two points; as can the light in the recreation room. With control so convenient, there will be far less inclination to forget, and leave basement lights on, when no one is there, and cer tainly it will help, to eliminate nasty falls. In the heater room, we have, of course, another overhead light, and one in the storage room. In the heater room we find two pieces of equipment which require in dividual circuits--the one marked "A" is the automatic furnace control and the one marked "B" is for the water heater. The laundry section has been planned to make good use of available space. An out let for the washer is located to the left of the laundry trays, and one for the ironer is at the right There is a special outlet for the drier, because this is another piece of equipment that requires an individual circuit The convenience outlet on the wall oppo site the washer will serve a small hotplate, for heating starch, bleaching, dying, and so on. An electric sewing machine could be used in this comer, too, since there is a convenience outlet available. Convenience outlets for portable lamps and for small cooking appliances make the recreation room a hospitable spot instead of just an unused basement space. And provision is made in the storage closet for a home food-freezing unit Planning the home's electrical life is a fascinating game, and one which will pay big dividends in future satisfaction. iron, v or lea< Pipii plumbi discuss of too dament Pipii arterie that 1 isting lanes I ha sizing schools dustria is woe piping Exci mental.1 variou! notably at the tion oi Iowa i ciation Safety Features of Modem Plumbing By RUSSELL G. CREVISTON Director, Public Relations, Crane Co* Chicago Presented by H.A. -Bergdahl, of the Crane Company We can assume that the house of tomor row .will be essentially the house of today with improvements that have a real justi fication. Certainly anything that contributes to safer construction and to greater safety in mechanical equipment is a real contribu tion to housing progress, and will find a general acceptance among builders and the public. let us check over the household plumbing, therefore, to see where improvements .can be made that will contribute to greater safety. I think we should start with materials, because these, after all, are the basis of all product design and engineering. In this respect, public preference is a sound criterion. Enamelled cast iron and ceramic materials, because of' their emi nently satisfactory record of service in the past, will continue to be the preferred ma terials for the manufacture of plumbing fixtures in the foreseeable future. As for fixture trim, that is, faucets, valves, drain controls, etc, there is no question that chro mium plated brass is the ideal material. What? No plastic plumbing fixtures, you may ask. No. I don't think sa Neither, as far as I know, does anyone else in the industry who has given the matter careful study. Nor are we likely to see aluminum fixtures or glass fixtures in the near future. Manu facturers of aluminum have said that vary ing water conditions make aluminum un suitable for use on a large scale in the plumbing industry. As for plastics, there are, of course, many kinds. At the present time none of them present any outstanding advantages either in cost or in durability over tradi tional piping materials such as galvanized Pipii as a bridge so a g a plur safety --and cause in& Wha piping! First you ha a drib! parts c Seco sizing format dangen hack-si toes n Thin suppos have i volume a show the she Home Safety Sessions 87 iron, wrought iron, cast iron, copper, brass, or lead. Piping is, of course, the basis of all plumbing. I .think we should begin this discussion of greater safety in the house of tomorrow fay consideration of the fun damental importance of good piping. Piping has been termed the veins and arteries of the house; It should be exactly that Unfortunately, however, for many ex isting houses the piping is more like capil laries than veins and arteries. I have reference, of course, to inadequate siring of the supply piping in many houses, schools, institutions, commercial, and in dustrial buildings. Much present day piping is woefully inadequate, according to good piping standards. Excellent research work on the funda mentals of good piping has been done by various agencies in the plumbing industry, notably the Institute of Hydraulic Research at the University of Iowa under the direc tion of Dean F. M. Dawson. The work at Iowa is sponsored by the National Asso ciation of Master Plumbers. Compares Piping Piping may be compared to a bridge. Just as a good, engineer would not design a bridge without an adequate safety factor, so a good master plumber will not design a plumbing system without an adequate safety factor--but safety costs a little more --and your support is needed to aid the Guise of adequate piping for postwar housmcor, What are the disadvantages of inadequate piping? First of all, an inconvenience. Many of you have used faucets that delivered only a dribble of water because fixtures in other puts of the system were in use. ' Second, a health hazard. Inadequate piping sizing is are of the causes for vacuum formations in supply lines. A vacuum is dangerous because,, under certain conditions, back-siphonage from certain types of fix tures may occur. Third, potentially injurious. All of you, I suppose, have heard and some of you may have experienced sudden changes in the volume of hot or cold water while taking a shower. Perhaps you unknowingly blamed the shower when actually the fault lies with the piping behind the walls--pipe sizes so small that the water for either line might be starved by* a sudden demand for water somewhere rise along the line, usually on the floor below or at adjoining fixtures. Thus I think you will agree with me when I say that the first step in building greater safety into postwar plumbing is to provide adequate sized piping. This is par ticularly true because the water demand curve goes up with every advance in living standards. The demand for water will be greater because we will have more plumbing fa cilities, showers will be more evident, both the type over a tub and in a 'separate com partment, and water requirements will be greater because of new equipment such as air conditioning, lawn sprinkling systems, disposal units, and electric dishwashers. Let us `turn now to a detailed considera tion of the fixtures. If we begin with the bathroom, we are first of all confronted with the fact that the bathroom, in the past, has been unjustly blamed for too great a percentage of accidents in the home. Bathroom Safest As a matter of fact, the records of the National Safety Council justify the state ment that the bathroom is the safest room in tire house. I hesitate to make this state ment, however, lest I seem complacent This is not the case. I merely wish to place the matter in its proper perspective. According to an annual report issued by the Kansas State Department of Health, approximately 3 or 4 per cent of the fatal falls that occur in the home take place in the bathroom. As for non-fatal accidents, we know little about them' statistically. It is safe to say that a large number of falls occur in bath rooms which do not get into the headlines or are not serious enough to be referred to hospitals. Slipping in the tub is, of course, unfortunately one of the most com mon. Others are scalding from uncontrolled and unregulated hot water, electrical shocks from the use of electrical appliances in the bathroom, and cuts on the hands resulting from broken or cracked handles on faucets or valves. The plumbing industry is fully aware of what the hazards in the bathroom are, and we are doing our utmost to correct those s t.. - K' :< t 11 g-* LiIbf 88 33rd National Safety Congress, 1944 which come within the scope of oar activ been used. This is a safety feature in that ities. The design of the fixtures naturally it prevents unexpected showers. The:bather is oar responsibility. We can not assume shduld always take the precaution of first responsibility for incorrect or careless use adjusting the water temperature by letting of fixtures. the water run into the tub and testing it Postwar plumbing fixtures, like the best with his hand or toe before stepping under of prewar models, will be designed with the shower. / rounded corners instead of sharp comers to t Regulates Water reduce the danger from cuts and bruises in the case of accidental falls in the bathrooms. The rounded comers are more pleasing and thus this trend in design combines aesthetic as well as utilitarian advantages. Another way to regulate the water for a shower either over the tub or in a sep arate compartment is by use of a mixing valve. This units offers the advantage of convenience inasmuch as the turn of- one The modem tub is low--the trend in bath handle will produce the proper water tem heights has been downward for years. The perature.. present day built-in bath stands about 16 The utmost in safety is provided by the inches from Boor to rim as compared with thennostaticalfy-controlled mixing valve about 22 inches for the tub on- legs. The which automatically cuts off the flow of modem bath has a fiat bottom and straight water if a .safety temperature is exceeded sides to provide greater safety. The trend toward seats, either of th& integral rim type or end. seats, is all to the good because the bather who sits on the rim before attempting to get in, is unlikely to slip. la connection with the question of water temperatures, reference should also be made to^the desirability of equipping' the main water, line with a water mixer or water blender to prevent excessive temperatures. Besides these factors of design, there A temperatnreof 140 degrees for.hot water are other precautions to which I should like heaters is adequate for general uses.. . to invite your attention. The plumbing in dustry believes that every bathroom should be equipped with one or more firmly an chored grab bars or hand rails. We also advocate the use of vacuum grip rubber This, of course, brings up the entire ques tion of controls-for-the-safe-guarding of the equipment for heating the domestic hot water.. Every water heating unit, should be equipped.with a pressure and temperature mats in bath tabs. Unfortunately, this item relief valve; of approved make. Further is a war casualty and is unobtainable at more, tbe owner should be Instructed how to present. operate.the valve so that he will at Intervals Tabs equipped with a shower--and I be of two or three months lift the valve off its lieve every tub should be--should have a seat so. as . to prevent, corrosion of the op grab bar long enough to serve the shower erating parts of the valve Unless the valve bather. There was available before the war (operates freely.there is no assurance, of an L-shaped bar which was most attractive \ course, that it Will perform its function as well as practical for both the user of When most needed the bath and the shower. \\ Porcelain handles are a definite hazard Shower cabinet manufacturers* before the Thqy should be replaced as soon as metal war had developed a very satisfactory type dr satisfactory plastic handles are available. of non-slip receptor. The plumbing industry of the United States Reference has already been made to' the has not made porcelain handles for- a num importance of piping of adequate size as . a ber" of years because we recognize the safety factor. There are; of course, three danger-from broken handles. Those handles ways in which the volume and temperature which were on the market just before the of water for the bath and.shower may be war and winch unfortunately were purchased regulated. The simple way Is by the con by some owners instead of changing to ventional two-valve system. When the spout metal. handles came mostly, I understand, of the tub is equipped with a diverter valve* from Japaa Presumably, after the war this the flow of water may be switched to the source of bathroom hazards will be elimi tub or shower. The flow of water is auto nated. matically diverted to the tub when the Attention is called to the importance of valves are turned off after the shower has firm anchoring of shower curtain rods. Often i will gn lately b should l into the lath an specify to be Elects for eve electrid | which n ! ooghly | when tl heaters, I yes, evi | their to: Proba [ trouble tempting white p: of it is when yc I the unfc What [ the pos Obvious | should b AU arm's wash-1 reach AH switch fhainc Onl' should humid into a Tbe.h I borne, i [bathrooc I room, tl land oth [people w |havegoc All of [the ques I lode on I am : I ness. Is |by one i [room dot Home Safety Sessions 89 Often a bather who feels himself slipping system or. even a "Do not disturb" sign will grab for the nearest object which is on. the bathroom door? All of which is likely to be the curtain or the rod. Rods another reason for making generous pro should be securely fastened with, long screws vision in the house of the future for a suffi into the studding and not merely into the cient number of bathrooms to accommodate lath and plaster. House blueprints should all the traffic, so that doors Will not have Specify studding where the curtain rod is to be locked to insure privacy. to be fastened. If the builder feds that the bathroom r Electrical equipment in the bathroom calls must be provided with a lock, he should for every precaution. The basic law is: specify the type that can be unlocked from electricity and water do not mix. A shock the., outride. There were, before the war, I which might be only unpleasant to a thor special ,flocks for bathroom doors which oughly dry skin may .prove instantly fatal could be unlocked from the outside with a l- when the hands or feet are wet Electric small square key provided the lode was heaters, hair dryers,, therapy machines, and properly adjusted when installed. It would yes, even electric razors, have all taken .help if locks on bathroom doors were above e their toll in the bathroom. the reach of small children. Probabaly the most common source of In condusion, let me summarize, briefly trouble is the foolhardy business of at same of the do's and Omits for greater a- tempting to handle a light chain or switch safety in. the bathroom. I am not now speak !c while part of. the body is. in water or some ing primarily of the postwar bathroom but in of it is wet You are flirting with suicide of the ordinary routine day-to-day precau .S' when you stand in a tub of water and pull tions: 5 die unforgivable metal chain on a lamp. i- What to do about it? How can we make the postwar bathroom safe electrically? Obviously, there are several precautions that Safeguard your tub or shower stall with a'vacuum grip rubber mat to pre vent falls. >f should be taken: Have a substantial grab bar or hand- 3t All switches should be more than be arm's length away from the tub and holder on the wall beside the tub or inside the shower. ite wash-basin so that the bather can not . Use porcelain rather than metal elec- JT- , reach them. 'tric light fixtures to reduce the shock tO'' ) All lights should be controlled by wall Us switches rather than by metal pull its fhftiWT, 5>* ve Only the fines! grade extension cords of should be used in the bathroom. Excess on humidity can convert an inferior cord into a live wire. hazard. If you can't do away with the metal chains on bathroom lights, insert an in sulator in each one. Or tie a pull string at the end. See that no electric switch comes within arm's length of the hath tub or The. bathroom-is the health center of the wash basin. tal home. Quite naturally people go to the le. bathroom when they fed ill. The bath tes room, therefore, often is blamed for falls tn- and other accidents which occur because be people went there when they probably should les have gone to bed. Use only the finest grade extension cords. Use a fairly rigid soap container. Never get in the tub while a cake of soap is loose at the bottom. the All of this is by way Of introduction to sed the question: Shall we do away with the to lode on the door of the postwar bathroom? id. bis Questions Lock ni- l am asking this question in all serious Never leave a small child in the tub-- or. even in the bathroom--by himself. And last but not least, find out how hot the water is before you get into the tub or shower, not after. ness. Is it necessary in a house occupied Simple precautions, sorely. But with them of fy one family to have a lode on the bath your bathroom will continue to be the safest ds. room door? Why not some kind of a signal room in the house. 4w 1 ;J