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Home Safety I WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION October 28, 1942 Presiding:--Donald B. Armstrong, M.D, Third Vice Pres, Metropolitan life Insurance Co, New York City Home Safety--Everybody's Business By ETHEL M. HENDRIKSEN Field Instrnctor, New York State Health Dept, Albany, N. Y. Home safety is everybody's business since - it requires, to achieve its aims, universal . attention. Everyone has a shelter which is . a permanent or temporary home: Accidents which occur in institutions, hotels, hospitals, under dwelling roofs anywhere--are classified as home accidents. Responsibility for home safety belongs not alone with the householder or the individual but is shared by government, charged with the "preservation and improvement of health"; with architects and builders; with manufacturers and salesmen of household equipment and appliances and with many others whose contact with the householder provides an opportunity to contribute to his safety. The New York State Department of Health with its large staff of public health nurses and health officers; with faolities for community education through motion pic tures, exhibits, radio programs and, the printed word seemed especially fitted to, undertake a program to control home acdr dents, a program which must be largely educational without aid of legislation. Such a campaign is long overdue since fatal home accidents in New York State exceeded, by nearly one-third, motor vehicle accidents, even before gasoline rationing, and the farm accident death rate is five times that of all other occupations combined. New York State's home accidents cause annually 3,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries some of which handicap the individual for life. Many other agencies besides the State Department of Health have long been con cerned about home and form accidents. The American Red Cross, College Extension groups, Parent-Teacher Associations; Girl and Boy Scout organizations and 4-H Clubs are prominent in the field of safety. The schools in New York State were encouraged to step op their teaching when, in 1937, tiie legislature passed a law whidi required that traffic and highway safety be taught in the schools of New York State. Helpful materials for use in home safety education have been developed by the Metro politan Life Insurance Company and other agencies. The State Department of Health through its Division of Public Health Edu cation entered in March 1942 the field of home and farm safety and has undertaken to consolidate the gains already made while giving each agency a stimulus toward further accomplishment The function assumed by the Division of Public Health Education with the endorsement of a representative planning committee' is that of a clearing house and promotion center. Effect of War Urgency of action in the prevention of home accidents is stimulated by the war. Such war work industries as Savage-Arms, Gen eral Electric, and Eastman Kodak discov ered that "off-the-job" accidents accounted for more absentees than accidents in the plant. 229 PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT p PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT ai'ts') Hi 230 31st National Safety Cottgress Farm accidents, too, are viewed with alarm because of their effect upon the production of food to win the war. Already an increase of home and farm accidents is experienced due to changed conditions of living partic ularly to the blackouts and to tasks required of the inexperienced. In the present New York State program, the Division of Public Health Education serves as a headquarters and clearing house. Each agency is encouraged to continue with renewed emphasis any safety work begun. Local autonomous councils or committees are advocated. One such Home Safety Council was already in existence when the state program was set up. Following the example of the National Safety Council last February, a New York State Planning Conference of Home and Farm Safety was held in Albany in March. The director of thq Division of Public Health Education, B. R. Rickards, was made general chairman empowered to set up a state pro gram which would coordinate all interests related to home and farm safety. Then followed a State Conference in May with three major objectives: Architects Committee New York state has invited the coopera tion of architects and builders and a commit-, tee is active to study their contribution along three major fronts (1) What can be under taken now in the way of remodeling, and repairs, such as to increase storage space to relieve the tendency to clutter the stairs, use of non-slip paints or polishes, and attention to coverings or slippery metal edgings; re pairs to or the addition of railings; use of gates or barriers; adequate lighting; (2) Attention to housing in war plant areas to see that, through speed and cheapness, safety factors are not neglected. The chairman of the committee in his capacity as a technical advisor in local government housing discov ered ten serious hazards which might be. eliminated without undue cost or without undue use of critical materials. These!,werc pointed out fb responsible officials in the hope that corrections would be made in subsequent blue prints. (3) Future planning in post-war housing., The committee also will undertake a pro gram of education with practicing architects and has appointed a subcommittee to work through schools of architecture. 1. To focus attention on the seriousness of the home and farm accident situation in New York State and its importance in the national war program. 2. To provide an opportunity for an open discussion of the problem under informed leadership. 3. To outline an attack against the major causes of accidents through the cooperation of all interested organizations and agencies. Gosdy related to architecture and budd ing is landscaping of grounds. A committee of landscape architects is being organized to bring to bear on the home safety problem various' conditions about the home premises which contribute to safety. Attention will be directed to dear view in connection with driveways and entrances; anchoring of bird baths so that children cannot pull them over on themselves; the elimination of, or the fencing of, small pools and steep terraces; proper lighting of outside steps; adequate storage space for garden tools. Represented on an advisory committee, state leaders of social, civic, educational and professional organizations, are given an op portunity to share in the development of a rapidly expanding program of education. We are in touch with the Home Safety Commit tee of the Greater New York Safety Coun cil, the chairman of that committee being a member of the State Advisory Committee. Subject matter and action committees work out recommendations and methods. Ten groups are at^work. A description of some of tiie activities' of the .committees will serve further to develpg^the theme of this paper. Household, furnishings, equipment and ap pliances all have'a place in safety considera tions. This is a field which requires the studied consideration of individuals in a number of professions; electrical and me chanical engineers, household economists, in terior - decorators, 'equipment dealers and salesmen. The committee which has this project m charge is about ready to present recommendations in pamphlet form. Since the New York State Program deals with form safety as well as with home safety, one of the active committees is at work with neer farm toge Cl gras Safe chai who heal with of tf tion this use then also we < subj the i ticei In for . of tl ters Stat land orgi ices gran lead instr the tion for at tl vers Tl mosl safe! Stat tary Boti U sent: the plem yout gran Scot teacl skill: Home Safety 231 with-tiie problem of farm equipment and engi the troops under trained leadership. neering. ' The agricultural engineer and the farm equipment manufacturer are working together to make this approach effective. Instructional opportunities are being opened up in industry through the coopera tion of the State Labor Department. Wives 4-H Clubs and Red Cross of employees are expected to be reached, motivated through the importance of keep Closely related to this phase of the pro gram is the work of a special committee on Safety to Children in Farm 'Work. The. chairman of this group is a 4-H Club agent who has taken an especial interest in the health of farm boys and girls. Associated ing the man on the job because of the speed, required for the production of war materials. Management is interested in the prevention of home accidents today as never before. A committee, therefore, is at work on the Con trol of Home Accidents Through Industry. with him are some of the farm specialists of the Cornell Extension Service. In coopera The Family Doctor tion with the State Department of Health this committee issued a trailer designed for use among the news reels of motion picture theaters. In viewing this trailer think of it also as a method' of teaching safety. Here we draw the attention of the fanner tg the subject of farm safety by placing upon him the responsibility to teach children safe 'prac tices in farm work. Heretofore the family physician has con cerned himself chiefly with the cure of the sick. Today preventive medicine is in the foreground. This brings the physician'into the picture of home safety;'The old time family physician believes that it is his duty .to enter the home only for the purpose of treating the patient Today's physician takes quite another attitude. The family appreciates Instruction in Home and Farm Safety has for some years'been a part of the program of the American Red Cross. The 114 chap ters of the American Red Cross in New York it when the physician sees something which might cause an accident and points-it out to them. But aside from this advice the medical profession performs a distinct service in State all have received from the North At pointing out that persons with certain disa lantic Area Office an official communication bilities as of heart, epilepsy or the like which urging that they make available their serv might cause them to suffer a home accident ices to' t^e'xgte home and farm safety pro must not be left unattended. This applies also gram. First ajd instructors are qualified to to young children, and to the very old. Good teach homeland farm safety. Gasses to train health habits of nutrition, exercise and relax instructors, however, will be manned from ation all contribute to the individual's alert the Red Cross Area .office. Formal instruc ness and hence his safe conduct tion with college credit designed principally for teachers and school nurses is available A committee of statisticians has been or at the Center for Safety of New York Uni ganized to carry on research and studies. versity. One. study now underway b made possible The public schools are recognized as die most valuable aids to safety instruction. A safety teaching guide is provided by the through the cooperation of a prominent state organization, the State Federation of Home Bureaus. Those who cooperate in the work will undertake to report in full detail the State Education Department for elemen tary schools and one for secondary schools. Both of these outlines recognize home safety. accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, which occur within their own homes over a given period of time. Leaders of youth groups, as well as repre sentatives of the educational system, serve on the committee for youth instruction. Sup plemental to die teaching in the sdiools, the youth groups provide their own safety pro grams within the organization. The .Boy [s Studies in which housewives co-operate are recognized as having definite educational value. It b expected that thb method of education will be encouraged among other organizations. - Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts, loci Methods of public information and inter teach safety through the achievement of pretation are under the consideration of a skills, die practice of which is provided in committee. Working With the committee are l- 232 31st National Safety Congress publicity and advertising groups, educators, health officers, public health nurses and sani lecturers, representatives of the clergy and tary engineers. various other professions. Use is made-of radio, film, poster and printed word. The in terest of the public is created through Ihe P.TJL and Grange various organizations whose sponsorship was The State Congress of Parents and Teach promised at the outset of the campaign. ers will follow the safety teaching in the schools to urge more attention to the ob New York State is deeply war conscious ject of home safety; this especially in view and has a strong set-up for civilian educa of the fact that the organization was largely tion. One of die War Council's divisions responsible for the passage of the law re- is die Office of Public Information. This of - qriring that safety be taught in the schools. fice has appointed in counties and rides pub licity chairmen. A directive sent out on Sep The Master of the State Grange issued, tember 2, informed the publicity chairmen on September 18, a letter to all subordinate that on Labor Day, 'opening with a pro Granges in the State in which he enclosed clamation .from die Governor, would start an intensive campaign of education in Home and Farm Safety. Kits were prepared which a pledge, for members to sign and post on Grange hall Bulletin Boards, which reads: "We the undersigned (members of included speech materials, radio announce Grange of . Cotmty) agree . ments, newspaper releases and suggestions to assume, during the War emergency, a spe for local proclamations by mayors. cial responsibility to keep on the production line. Newspaper clippings show that extensive use now is bring made of this material in local communities. A second kit of material will be sent out in die early spring. . `I Health News, the weekly publication of die State Department of Health Is die offi "We pledge ourselves to think of safe ways to manage about all farm and home opera tions; to instruct in safety, our young chil dren, our newly employed help and others who come to the farm or home to work with us. cial state organ for the Home and Farm Safety Program. This publication is dis tributed to a mailing list of over 16,000. The mailing list includes physicians, teachers, "We resolve to have fewer accidents in order to conserve die time of physicians, nurses, and hospitals and .to keep, at the highest point, our own production of food , librarians, and many others in addition to stuffs to win the war." Home Safety and Civilian Defense By COLONEL CLARENCE GOLDSMITH Chief Consultant, Fire Defense Section, Office of Civilian, Defense^ Washington, D. C. lates th< and. div staffed istrative vice and Division Branchbranch < dons w many se The 3 Civilian guardint known < tacks. T outs, Cs lion Se Section; tion; F and Disi Inspect* The saf aced by changes traduce ofraeria one can raids is. The l fensews Presides with th Bat eqts of ftuina: slowdow result f And, at rial sboi dsewher Civilian Defense has been defined'as die volunteer non-military Army of dm United States--recruited, classified, and trained in fighting this war within our own territorial limits. This volunteer army of defriise work ers already has passed the twelve million mark. About one-half have enlisted in the United States Citizens Defense Corps and one-half in the United States Gtizens Service Corps. This mobilization has been accom plished by local Civilian Defense Volunteer offices which recruit volunteers for die Gti zens Defense Corps and die Gtizens Service Corps. The success of die many national war programs depends on the immediate availabil ity of an adequate reservoir of volunteers in ^ towns and cities. The mobilization and or- / ganization in the short period of 18 months -of a group of citizens numbering more dan twice die present numerical strength of die United States Army has in itself been an outstanding accomplishment Tins success has been attained through leadership at national, regional, state and local levels. The . major burden of die work has been borne by vol unteer workers at die local level. The Office of the Director guides and regu As ha is, at ib ^ If a cot ) ground / connect Yet repj reduces ihg ofth involved enemy a bombedtion is a To sp< be print extreme! Home Safety 233 lates the activities of the following branches for air raids. We are fortunate, too; in baring and. divisions, each headed by a chief and the experience of our allies.under actual air jrtaffed by experienced specialists: Admin raid conditions to guide us in making our istrative Brandi, Legal-Division, Public Ad- preparations^ rice and Conned Division, Civil Air Patrol Division, Mobilization Branch, Protection Branch- and Facility Security Branch. Each branch or division is broken down into sec tions which handle specific details of the many services. We need not, for instance, make the error that Britain made when die began planning her aril defenses. Britain had no precedent to help her anticipate the character of the raids which rite was later to sustain. Modi of lrcr civil .defense system was planned to The Protection Branch of the Office of ptotrot people from poison gas. Then, when Gvilian Defense develops plans for safe raids came; she found that fire, not gas, was guarding the civilian population against all to be feared most, and her defenses against known or anticipated hazards of enemy at fire were not ready. tacks. This work is carried on by the Black-, outs, Camouflage; and Protective Construc tion Section; Control and Communication Section; Evacuation and Transportation Sec tion; Fire Defense Section; Procurement and Distribution Section; Training Section;. Inspection Section and the Medical Division. The safety of the American home is men aced by war time conditions. The necessary changes in the mode of American life in We know now that incendiary bombing has become a tested technique of aerial attack. First caused by such bombing against con gested urban areas are the most serious con sequence of air raids: Pound for pound, fire bombs are more effective than,high explosive bombs. Therefore, a large share of our prep arations for air raids is concerned primarily with fire. troduce immediate hazards. The possibility ofjrerial bombing raids is definite .and no one can tdl bow remote die time of such raids is. Time may be shorter than we think. This does not mean that we can discount the Ugh explosive bomb; nor that we can forget the possible use of poison gas. It does mean that we can take a thoroughly realistic The United States Office oi Civilian De view of the hazards of air raids and make' fense wras created by Executive Order of the our plans accordingly. president, and at first it was charged only jriti* die. organization oi aril protection. But equally vital is die need to prevent loss of human life valuable- to the war effort and slowdown of production by fires that .may result from sabotage or ordinary causes. And, at this time when we arefadng mate rial shortages, replacements' in die home and elsewhere most be reduced to a minimum. We have a general picture of what a severe fire bomb attack can be. Britain admitted that one hundred thousand incendiaries were dropped on the German city iff Cologne. It is calculated feat tins number of bombs would start about 3,500 fires. There have been 1,000-plane British-American raids against other enemy targets. If one-half this nmrifK&ai planes, each carrying 1,500 bombs, As has been stated, fire from anycanse were "sebt against an American metropolis; is, at dris time, an active ally bt die Axis. - 27JjjOO fines might be started. . If a cottage on a side stre&bttms to the ground or. is damaged by fire; few people connect die inridentwiih our war economy. Yet repair er rebmJcfirig takes materia! 'that reduces die Naticwfa stockpile, to say nothmg of the individual direct and indirect losses involved. Even such a small fire helps die enemy asnrach.asif the cottage had been The chief objective in fighting fires started by bombs is to limit the spread oi fire as completely as possible. Therefore, the less fuel such a fire can find, and the more the file is confined, the easier fr will be to fextmgmsh quickly. This presents the . necessity for making each home as impervious to fire bombed--it is more help, because the destruc as we can. tion is accomplished at no cost to the Axis. How is fids to be accomplished? A gen To speak first of ciril protection. It should eral answer is found in one of the British be pointed out- that we in this country are ARP. publications,' which contains this extremely fortunate, to have time to'prepare passage: 234 31st National Safety Congress . "Emergency measures against fire consist But. these are emergency considerations, largely of intensifying precautions that ought about which you will be informed by your to be in force;at all times." local defense councils. Meantime; fa your own That sums it up well. The beginning Of fire defense-daring air raids is found in your own field of 'work--home safety. It- consists of tbe exercise of measures of fire prevention and fire protection that we all should practice even to be ordinarily safe from fire. field of work; through your safely councils, your schools/your industries, and other par ent groups; you can make the greatest con tribution tocivdian defease, by teaching the rudiments of home fire safety to the citizens of.your communities. After all, except far die introduction of die fire bomb, air raids bring us no new fire problems; they only multiply die old ones many times. Teach them also how to fight small fires. Ted them about the value of a dosed door. An ordinary door will bold back smoke and fire gases and will check die spread of flame for. some minutes. Moreover, it will re Accumulations of old furniture; clothing, magazines, and newspapers should be re moved from attics and cellars. A bomb would find it easy-to start a fire in such stuff, and when fire-fighters entered die place where the bomb had fallen they would be met with strict die movement of air, and,. without air, `fire can only bum dowdy. If die door of a room on fire is left open,the intensity of die fire wdl be qtnddy increased, and die halls and stairways wdl act as does to spread die fire quiddy. through the buddiu& a mass of dame from a well-advanced fire. Show diem how to open a door when it is Flammable liquids, too, should not be kept in die house since they ignite easily and bom with great rapidity. suspected dot fire may be on the other ride. This is done safely by placing tbe foot about three inches away from die opening edge, so die door wdl be checked and can be dosed More important than preventative meas ures, as far as bomb fires are concerned, is the fire protection equipment available on the premises. Fire extinguishers should be ready for instant use and all members of tbe family should know how to use them. again, if necessary. The need `for tius pre caution can be appreciated wfaeh.yba.nnderstand that hot gases in a room on fire wdl burst open to let loose a Hast of flame; smoke; and super-heated gases if the door is not checked. Show people how to fight small fires safely with fire extinguishers, or other de Sand is of little value in disposing of fire bondo. So tell your people to empty their sand pads and refill them with water. For die kind of fire that may occur in hornet water, and yet more water, is die best fireputter-outer there is. Tell them to beep pads or other containers filled with water on all floors for use in pump tank extinguishers or stirrup pumps. And die family garden hose, valuable as long as normal water supplies vices. They should stay on their feet, so they can move around a fire, stooping, if necessary to avoid the smoke. They should use tfie full length of die stream; in order to avoid , the heat as modi as possible. They should know how to take cover behind a door or other piece of furniture. And in all cases, they should remember to place themselves between an exit and die fire; so they wdl be aMe. to escape from die room, if necessary. last, should be kept always ready for action. ~ Tell them, too; how to avoid smoke and Mat how to seaidt a house for fallen bombs The emergency equipment problem is far or for people who may be trapped. from bring solved. The OCD has purchased, as you probably know, \258,000 pump tank extinguishers for distribution to the air raid warden service. The same number of stirrup pumps designed hy the W. P. B. will be avail able for 'sale in die open market at very reasonable prices. We are convinced, in die OCD, that even more equipment of various If we succeed in convincing people that ordinary .fire precautions; pins a few emer gency measures will make their homes safer during air raids, we wdl he avoiding an other of the pithdls that slowed up. British dvd defense. kinds will be, needed to provide adequate There is another incentive to keep in mind. emergency protection against fire. If we can make dlls emergency program ready -fun grasp the fire probfe problem. Fire pro ing for yi of our nat fire. There cause mar other. ooo about 400; one kind o about $10( One tea our home: resisting o First of part. We placed arc of the p3< Hallways enabling i part of At Such cc in a scfac budding, homes, an We can interest in gency, wd in home fi By lead of their 1 we autora hazards t are some The fire l of a heal! tiiis reduc fires. In < losses hav dollars th Many am of a grea brought a Fire is of dr rah plosive lx considers COnSeqCKIl r-.v-s.-V :V^ Home Safety 235 really -function, we will have, within oar ~^asp die sedation to the most perplexing ji problem of peacetime--die dwelling fire problem. of special emergency services--rescue squads, decontamination squads, first aid squads, and others. However, other aspects of home safety are involved in the situation. - Fire protection authorities have been not Test blackouts held by many communities ing for. years fiat the most serious aspect and dtdense areas are not a fair sample of of our national fire problem is the dwelling what .We can expect. Durihg these tests, few -fire. There are more dwelling fires, and they . home, accidents have been reported, but tins cause more dollar-damage than fires in any is becaose foey have been'of short duration-- other occupancy, ha peacetime., there are fifteen urinates to an hour or' two." People about 400,000 .foes every year in homes of have been content to sit quietly without mov one kind or another, and the losses amount to ing about in focir hemes during these periods. about $100,000,000 annually. < When blackouts occur night, after night, we are likely to become careless, and then we One reason for this may be the fact that will see an increase in home accidents. our homes are^ in general, foe least fire- resisting of all our structures. Then it will be op to yon as exponents of First of all, they are wood, for the most part. We design them so our rooms are placed around hallways, and in foe middle of foe pile of kindling we build a sfatrwdL home safety to provide information foat will enable people to live safely through these, trying experiences. Here is a whole new field of safety engineering to be explored. Hallways and stairwells act like chimneys, We can.take advantage of this opportunity enabling foe to spread rapidly from one if we are willing to regard home safety as ^ part of the boose to another. a common problem, one that merits foe at tention of foe best minds we can attract to Such construction would not be federated foe firid. in a school, a hospital, or similar public building. But it is good enough for oar Perhaps we need- a new approach to the homes, and no one says anything about it home accident problem. It seems to me the We'can hope, however, foal the present ferest in fire safety, fostered by foe exnerJncy, will mark foe beginning of-a new era in home fire safety. only way to capture the attention of foe house-holder and to .make him do something to improve his security is to impress him with the consequences of acriderits--tbe pain and suffering, the financial expense, and foe emotional upset he or the members of his By leading people to improve the security family may undergo. of their homes in anticipation of air raids, we automatically will eliminate many of the hazards that produce ordinary fires. There are some indications that this is happening. The fire loss figures for this year show signs A great deal of time-and effort is devoted to teaching home safety. But often enough these efforts fail of their purpose. of a healthy redaction, and we suspect that More skill, more imagination, more human foil reduction is occurring in part hi home understanding should be given to foe prep fires. In every month since March, the fire aration of foe home safety message. The fosses have been lower by a million or more safety story must be freshened up continu dollars than in the same months hut year. ously or we are going to get boredom in Many authorities believe this is the mult stead of interest on the part of foe people we of a greater common interest in fire safety are most intent upon reaching. brought about by civilian defense. The Office of Civilian Defense bar similar Fire is not foe only dangerous consequence problems. We have the task of maintaining of air raids, of course^ though it is the great interest on the part of volunteer workers est common danger. The effects of high ex through long periods of inactivity. We have plosive bombs and poison gas also must be teaching and training responsibilities the like considered. But measures to minimize their of whidi have never been encountered be consequences are almost entirely in foe hands fore. We have difficulties of organization. M M i L. k r 236 31st National'Safety Congress Here again, at these-points, the interests of home safety and civilian defense meet We can carry out. our respective obliga tions best, in my opinion, if we recognize these points of interest and cooperate as we can to reach our common objectives. If we take the meaning of home safety in its broadest sense, it encompasses all die pur poses of. civilian defense. Controlling Home Accidents Through Industry By A. BURTON METZGER Director of Health and Safety, Point Breeze Works, Western Electric Company, Inc, Baltimore, Md.' The experience of twenty-five large indus tries representing over 350,000 employees indicates an average ratio of over twice as much lost-time due to non-industrial injuries than was incurred by industrial injuries over a period of three years. The absence due to sideness varied from five to one, to twenty to one as compared with absence due to in dustrial injuries. Considering die question first from a stand point of expense, there is sometimes a tend ency to overlook the economic loss in view of the fact that in many cases employees are not paid for sideness absence or absence due to non-industrial injuries at all, or are not paid for die first seven days of such absence. The fact that the medical expense is paid by die employee also contributes to the impression that such absences are not costly to die employer. You have undoubtedly heard a lot about the indirect costs of industrial accidents, which average at least four times the direct cost This is generally accepted in comput ing industrial accident expense. With a few exceptions, the same indirect costs' apply to non-industrial absences, and are definitely present; even though less spectacular and tangible than the direct cost of industrial in juries. Indirect Losses ence a loss of profit on the absent employee's productivity. In many cases, we must add the cost of materials spoiled by the inexperienced em ployee who is replacing the absent worker. , We cannot overlook the costs of prepar ing reports covering these_case*r;as jwdl as the costs involved due ito' faflurfe^to meet schedules. f When the employee returasro work; he may, for a time, be unable to produce to his" normal capacity with the result that his serv ices are worth only a part of their normal value. Regardless of whether the operating de partment pays his full salary upon return to work or whether the benefit department or similar unit makes up the difference, the cost to the company as a whole is still there. The over-head cost per absent employee, such as the expense of light; heat, rent and other such hems continues while the em ployee is a non-producer, .or, upon his re turn to work, produces only a part of his normal output Our first step to effect a remedy lies in selling ourselves on the need for and the value of a definite program to reduce causes of non-industrial absence. We must select and train another employee to replace the absent employee during the period of disability. This, costs money as does.the.lowered production~<$Tue\substitute employee. In some plants the personnel is insufficient to permit the assignment of a substitute worker, with the result that production b proportionately lowered. Consequently, in ad dition to the loss of production, you experi I am often told that it is difficult, not only to get the industrial health and safety pro gram across but to arouse any interest in non-industrial absence due to the fact' that Management is not sold on the question. I have also heard safety engineers complain because they cannot get their executives to come out to meetings such as these. If the safety engineer is sold himself, if he absorbs what he receives at these meet- ings,if present it shot executi speciali The indicat< acciden The oi more i because a bette Man, -btuines duction complii safety < he take Havi the pr sences, employ of pm pel the with tfc ing the tite pla to real industr mutual In o: lem, it tial da To do these i minor i sences the mo is thos lend tii which i Com) of. actii of the < sence. The. (a) (b) plant o Home Safety 237 tags, if be brings it back to bis plant and if be presents it intelligently to his management, it should not be necessary for the higher executive body personally to attend these specialized sessions. The very fact that you men are here today indicates the interest of your management in accident prevention and health promotion. The only reason management is apparently more interested in production schedules is because the production men have been doing a better selling job. Management is always anxious to improve business methods and reduce expenses. Re duction of non-industrial absences will ac complish this, but cannot be effected if the safety engineer merely brings bade the notes he takes and files than. Having obtained managements support of die program to reduce non-industrial ab sences, we must take steps to educate die employees on the economic and humane value of preventing these absences in order to dis pel the illusion that industry is interfering with their civil rights and liberties by carry ing the health and safety program outside of die plant The employees must be educated to realize that they are greater losers than industry, rad that the program is one of mutual benefit and not one of selfish interest ) Case Records In order to effectively analyze our prob lem, it will be necessary to first obtain essen tial data regarding non-industrial absences. To do this, case records must be kept and these records should include the so-called minor cases. If we limit our' records to ab sences of eight days and over, we are missing the most important part of our job, since it is those cases of seven days or less which lend themsrives more readily to action and which constitute the greater number of cases. Complete records not only provide a plan of. action, but hdp to convince Management of tiie expense incurred by non-industrial ab sence. *' > . The .case records should include: (a) Name of employee. (Repeaters.) (b) Department (Effect, of location in plant on absence). (c) Country of. birth. (Racial types.) (d) Occupation (Effect of occupation). (e) Home address (Geographical loca tion). (f) Sex (g) Date of birth (Effect of age on ab sence). (h) Marital status. (i) Length of service. (j) Rate of pay (Effect on living condi tions and recreation). (k) Location of accident (High spots in community). (l) Cause of accident, or illness. (m) Nature of accident or illness. (n) Proper medical care? (o) Dtate returned to work. . (p) Record during employment (accident or sickness prone?). (q) Suggestions to prevent reoccurrence. From the above data it should not be dif ficult to formulate a plan of action based on the information it discloses. A general pro gram should be inaugurated and supplemented by such features as are.deemed necessary from the case analyses. The general program should include: (a) Support of management (b) Provide parking lots where possible. (c) Physical examination and interview of employees having repeated absences. (d) iBtdtetta^ boards. (e) Literature. (Safety council or insur ance companies). (f) Articles in works 'newspapers, car toons, posters, etc. (show samples). (g) Plant employee meetings. (h) Employee family meetings. (i) Safe driving dubs. . -* * \ 238 31st National Safety Congress (j) Recreational activities. (k) First aid and health courses. As a supplement to our first aid and health courses, we have distributed to all employees an at tractive chart entitled "First Aid Reminders." .. This chart outlines briefly, yet clearly, first hid measures to be employed in the most joimmon off-the-job emergencies. The back /of the chart has a gummed surface .which / will permit it to be pasted on tile inside of a medicine cabinet or similar convenient sur face. (Exhibit the chart for the information of tiie group.) (l) Home safety inspections and distribu tion of inspection blanks. (m) Health questionnaires, which permit self-analysis of health habits. (n) Active part in community health and safety programs. Off-the-job accidents are the concern not only of tiie executives and workers in any individual plant; but also of their families and of the entire community. The costs of accidents are spread in taxes, in charity hos pital service, in poverty and in other losses over the whole people. It is important, there fore, to enlist in the safety campaign every influence which may have a bcariqg^upon stopping accidents, whether in industry, in the home, on the streets and highways, or in other public places. The same applies to non-company sickness except that the ratio of sickness absence is considerably higher than that of non-com pany accident absence. There is no question but that out-of-hour health and safety is a responsibility of the industrial safety engineer. An accident-prone employee off the job is accident-prone oh tiie job. Conversely, an employee who is safety minded at-home is a safe worker on tiie job. An emplayee .m ppor health is a poor pro ducer and creates-a hazard to himself and to Ins fellow employees; As long as industry suffers economically through direct or in direct non-company sickness or accident costs, it is not only a privilege of industry but a responsibility to make a definite effort to re duce absence from these causes. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 28, 1942 Presiding:--Bust R. Rickards, Dir., Div. of Public Health Education, New York State ? Health Department; Albany, N. Y. The Wartime Approach to Home Safety By DR.-IRMA GENE NEVINS Traffic Engineering and Safety Department; American Automobile Association, Washington, D. C. Each accident that occurs in the home in terferes With the war effort program and is unintentional sabotage. It is tiie family mem ber;" the worker, the homemaker, tiie bread winner, the more mature person or tiie child who suffers the injury. The injury of any person handicaps the war effort program in tiie following ways: Victims lose production hours which may be translated into lessened production, of guns, ammunition, planes, tanks and other materials necessary for successful comple tion of the war. Men and women lost through accidents are replaced by untrained workers which slows down war production operations. Drugs, bandages and other hospital sup plies and facilities are diverted from possible war'purj Money pital bill buy war Doctoi professio victims. Knowl ber reac the arm Why It is ii complaot decrease, accident! during t tiie folk New < the past products terial as repaired Mater to repat low grai has rda firing ol material The it in equip tko; w handles , There repairin] will be forces. More as was! same ti tributirq Of Gvi Cross a care of ( -T 'Excet part of. ^war' purposes to care (or accident victims. Money is spent for doctors, nurses and hos pital tolls which otherwise might be used to buy war bonds. Doctors, nurses, surgeons and other key professional people devote time to accident victims. Knowledge of an accident to a family mem ber reacts upon die morale of persons in die armed forces.- Why Home Accidents Will Increase Because of fuel rationing, some folk will have stored gasoline in their basements. This is particularly hazardous now with die neces sity of using the heating plant A desire to cooperate with die govern ment's request for conservation has caused more women to can fruits and vegetables. Many women have not been doing this and, therefore; lack knowledge and necessary ex perience which makes for safety and ef ficiency. It is impossible to view this situation with The children will spend more time in the complacence and say home accidents will home because of limited transportation facili decrease. The present statistics indicate home ties; Sunday afternoon rides will be elimi accidents will be themajor cause of fatalities nated. Unless special attention is' given to during die year 1942. Tins may be due to. this new phase hf home living, and to chil the following reasons: dren who are without directed recreation and New electrical appliances are a dung of die past There will be' an increased use of products which are constructed of poor ma terial and it will be possible to get old ones inadequate play toys, "rough house" situa tions will develop. This results in accidental injuries, windows broken as wdl as arms, legs, etc. repaired. Tim lighting efficiency- of the home will be Material otherwise discarded will be used to repair products, such as, a thin layer of low grade rubber not vulcanized and which has relatively litde mechanical strength for decreased, because of the curtailment of elec trical power. Tins will increase the frequency and severity of falls. Especially is tins true on poorly lighted stairways, halls, etc. fixing of electrical equipment Also synthetic More people will dean garments in the materials will be used as a substitute. home because of curtailment of deaning solu The inability to secure materials will result in equipment not being kept in good condi tion; worn cords will.not be fixed; door handles will be left broken. tions to tiie deaners as wdl as increase in cost of deaning. The safe deaning fluids, such as carbon tetrachloride; are off the .market More, inflammable and explosive deaning fluids will be used, and accidents will result from lade of care. , There will be poor workmanship in die repairing of a product because the expert Curtailment of certain stimulating foods will be on a defense job or in die armed will produce irritability and nervousness. forces. This will cause a tension and in turn may prevent freedom and ease of-movement which More work will be done in the home such may result in accidents. as washing, irooing. and canning. At the same time more homemakers will be con The curtailment of fuel and the bringing tributing their.time and energy to the Office bade of older methods of heating will be a of Civilian Defense, the American Red factor in increasing aeddents in toe home. Cross and other wartime activities, leaving care of die house to younger children or in- The victory gardens produced a number bdp. These folk because of lack of mjuredbacfcs, sprained kotos and wounds or inability tovcope with home in fingers and hands. i will no doubf, hj*ve more acdgjcpts. Grandmother' will "come out of die cor .Excessive fatigue and undue haste on the; ner" and assume a home responsibility which part of women who are performing two-time has been relinquished, and her inability to J1 240 31st National Safety Congress solve problems quickly and accurately will be apparent. Large groupings of persons in poorly con structed bouses in defense areas will no doubt cause an increase in home accidents. insulation character of the house and the effidency of the heating repairs. Malting the needed repairs on the chimney mod proper storing of the oil may be die reason the fire did not occur in your home this year. . The stress and strain under which die fam ily members are working will cause the mis use of die appliance, which in turn will cause an accident A number of situations have been presented which show why there will be an increase in home accidents. From these "causes" one recognizes the fact that the difficulty and manner of correcting them lie in the per son's mind. The wartime approach to home safety emphasizes die need for doing something and doing it now. This war has demonstrated that old techniques must be changed; pew. and more effident methods must be used. This is true in the approach to the elimina tion of home accidents. This new approach is to begin with die individual, the person who had the accident, suffers the pain, loses time from work, endures decreased effidency, and pays the cost For this reason, the pre vention of home acddents should begin with The Wartime Approach to Home 1 Accidents the person--not the factors found to be signif icant nor: the type of injury received. Each condition that creates a new home hazard can through constructive planning be eliminated. This necessitates doing something about it by those persons who are acquainted with the problems and then getting die de sired information across to the right people. The most difficult part of the home accident problem is getting people interested in doing something about die known conditions which are hazardous. One of the hopeful signs that something is being done is that manufacturers of some household equipment are doing something Why hot study home accidents as die psy chologist studies the reactions of die individ ual according to die interests, needs, abilities and reactions of the mind, or as die physiolo gist studies die sdence of^the body as mani fested in growth and development patterns? There are known characteristics, physical, mental and psychological which are factors in acddents. A study of these would reveal a better interpretation of the human factors involved in an accident. This would give insight into the person's aptitudes, exper iences, and skills, his knowledge; attitudes, emotional control and customs. through the medium of advertising and are attempting to get die information across. For example;, instructive copy is being put out by some .heating appliances such ajp;"keep ;me heating" by proper deamtig, adequate . care, and emphasis on be sure and keep the furnace in good condition. Recognition of Individual Differences The recognition of individual differences means assignment to various duties and re sponsibilities in accordance with the known psycho-physical condition of die family mem ber. I grant you this understanding of indi The salvage campaigns have done much vidual differences^involves a study and to eliminate conditions in die home which appreciation of^hum^uconduct, a difficult were hazardous. The deaning out of the task yet quite essential.jb> the best type of attic, burning old paper, removing, objects home living and- supcc&sful elimination of which were no longer serviceable yet ma- . accidents. terials greatly needed, has made the home a safer place in which to live. JJhc age and sex of the member of the family should be a determining factor in die The recent regulation governing die heat assignment of home-duties. The more .mar ing of homes has caused die home owner and hire member, or person above 65 should not homemaker to be cognizant of a need for be assigned a job which necessitatesjqukk making needed repairs. An order from action or too modi responsibility. The same OPA states that the obtaining of distillate is true of those that are less den. five years fud oil (hotneheating type) is dependent on of age. . Tfa acdd be tn perso die j pendc a wo an in Ph; muse bazar as a made Th signec . object shoult and e these speed the d dents tmeve On his al racy, be efi vatioc On likwvi dfic 1 placed situati one it The < taking forai binatii quend One job si assign has be table. Other home' invest! each I concer parent notice with 1 others Home Safety 9 241 The extreme in age groups constitute the time they attempt to code. accident-prone individuals. Cognizance should be made of this. The ability of the older In the determination of job analysis, those person to fall down steps is colossal and for , persons who are required to perform certain the younger person to contact heat, is stu - jobs and know they are not adaptable to it, pendous. Why can't we realize that to assign should exercise more precautions in the .per a woman of 70 the job of cleaning steps is an invitation to an accident? Physical defects such as lameness, poor muscular coordinations and visual acuity are formance of those tasks. / The ability to concentrate on the job at band should be considered in making home adjustments. It is quite difficult for ] the hazards and should be recognized the same smaller member of the family to concentrate as a broken, step. Compensation should be for a period of any length on a particular made if corrections are impossible. job. Also the older members of the family The person who is lame should not be as signed the job of lifting or carrying a heavy object The person ,with poor visual acuity should be given tasks which deal with large and easily seen work materials. Many times may forget the job assigned. For this reason jobs which require dose attention for a long . peripd^qftime tiiotildjbe given to those peopfe^whosefntercst spanis equal to the time allotted' for; performance.' these persons cannot judge distance, odor, speed or size of an object They do not see the discernible factors which produce acci dents such as a broken appliance cord or the uneven height of steps. .The amount of training a home member has had in a specific job is many times an indication of his ability to perform the ac tivity safdy. One's muscular coordination determines his ability to perform with speed and accu racy. A person with improper tinting cannot be efficient in work demanding dose obser vation and minute detail. This brings to Our attention the fact that the lack of knowledge concerning safe tiring within die home is appalling. Perforqiance of home duties is to a large extent based on imitation rather than on correct performance. The homemaker performs' exactly ns did. jDne'sreaction time, simple and complex, is likewise of importance in assignment of spe cific borne duties. Emphasis should not be placed on one's ability to respond to the situation involving a tingle answer, but to one in which various problems are presented. The doing of a wash, cooking a meal and taking care of a baby is utterly impossible for a number of people. We hear of this com bination being factors in accidents, and fre quently it is the baby that is injured. Mother. This is a fallacy. Today's problems are different; where once producers, we-are now consumers. Homes are small, verycom- pact, and unheard of equipment and appli ances are a necessary part of labor saving devices. We have accepted these devices without recognizing the need for knowing how to use them. This is .not true in in dustry. When a new piece of machinery is put into operation, die employer knows that the employee selected to run the gadget, knows how to operate it Here we lave One's adaptability to the performance of a "brought into oar homes,- various' new labor job should be takra into consideration when saying devices and fail to give die operator assignments are -inside;-' In cadi industry If die necessary information for successful and has been found tifatcertain persons are adap safe operation. table*. to the performance of certain jobs.. Others are not' 'To discover this among the bomemembers would involve a study and. t Educational Institutions Have Failed investigation of habits, attitudes, emotions of The educational institutions have failed to each home member as wdl as his knowledge assume their responsibilities in teaching die concerning the activity. This is quite ap boys and girls how to be safe home members. parent and- through - observation one can Too frequendy a girl has not been taught gat notice that one person is more dexterous not only must one know how to mix the in with the use of the sewing machine, while gredients to make the cake, but one must others are always burning themselves each know how to light die oven and put die batter 242 31st National Safety Congress into the oven. Along with this, the children of fixing the broken step, driving or polling in school should learn that successful home nail. living is based on cooperation. Each person E. Methods of repairing furniture. No should assume his place in the institution of ^-doubt articles which have been stored in the home; and this involves acceptance of respon attic or basement will be put into use and sibilities in accordance with growth and de will need to be fixed. Also means of keeping . velopment patterns. To deny a child the right that which is in use in good condition is most to help in his home, is robbing him of his essential. birthright. The child should learn to work at F. Ways in which rugs may be mended. school and to hdp at home. The frayed rug is an invitation to an acci Today we are in need of teaching the home members to live in their homes. This neces sitates instruction to be given to those beyond die school age group. What they need to learn is basic to. die elimination of home accidents. dent; and many women are unaware of methods of keeping these in good condition. G. Discussion should. be conducted on topics such as: 1. Why one should avoid the use of strong cleaning solutions or gritty abras- . ' ives when cleaning fixtures. Through the medium of the Home and Farm Accident Prevention Program of the American Red Cross, die Home Safety Pro gram of the National Safety Council, there should be conducted courses which will en able the homemaker to know what should be done to make her home a safe place in 2. The reasons for keeping the tempera ture in the hot water heater as low as practical. H. Provide special instruction in methods of canning fruits and vegetables--how to use tiie cold pack method or the earlier cooking methods. which to live. The Office of Civilian Defense should pro Home Inspector* vide courses in home accident prevention for the. homemaker which will enable her to know how to create a safe home environ ment This course might be sponsored by the Home Safety Committee of 'the local Safety Council and offered with the assis tance of the utility companies and educational Along with specific instruction the women shonld be trained to be inspectors within the confines of their own homes. Many a tragedy could have been prevented if one only knew how it could be done. There are two specific points to be considered under this: A. Inspect tire physical equipment of the institutions. Instructions should include.: home; such as examination of wiring, outlets, I. Instruction for safe living m die home appliances, using existing standards as guides. to be extremely practical and^he^basKT on actual Jiving experiences. Such '"practical course are as-, follows: A. ^^ys bf^ixing electrical appliances Recommendations for this are given in the: 1. Regulations of International Associa tion of Electrical Inspectors. < 2. Regulations of the American. Gas' As 1. Fix-cords--how to observe projective copper wire through the insulation and then what to do about it. sociation. 3. Standards of the National Board'of Fire Underwriters. 2. Method of replacement of fuse and means of locating the source of die "blow out" 3. Technique used in dismantling and locating trouble in electric iron. 4. Method of cleaning and adjusting the vacuum cleaner. B. Means of cleaning gas stoves and keep ing them in good condition. C Method of fixing faucets so they will B. Provide an opportunity for women to check their own work habits and survey the environment under which they work. Such items indude: 1. Check height of work shelf. If too high, provide a bench on which to stand or change height of shelf if at all possible. 2. Place equipment for efficient use, thereby insure safety. not leak. 3. Provide adequate lighting for per D. Use of hammer and nails and method formance of various duties. If the light ca ir d< tii ai w Id cs at sc tc IK a in C to a E: Qtu m 1. and 2 reg: 3. this tivit 4. the mer w si b h P -w S. the For alet ma 6 safe fire Home Safety 243 ousts a glare over article which is being 7. Do you consider it your responsibility ironed, it may be an invitation to an acci to be consciously on the alert for hazards to dent the family members? 4. Eliminate accident production situa 8. Do you accept your responsibility as a tions, such as light Sockets should be so good citizen in regard to safety as: strictly arranged that one does not touch a socket observing safety practices on your own prop when hand is in water. erty,; supporting safety projects as advanced 5. Provide for proper ventilation of by the officials of the community? kitchen. Provislon^bouhi be made for the 9. Do you recognize the fact that safety carrying away of fumes, for many times begins with die individual ? _they cause one^to become ill, thereby being 10. Do you cooperate with die Office of accident producing. Civilian Defense in die carrying out of all ' -- 6. Eliminate false movements. Some per air raid precautions which are essential in sons actually lose energy because of doing keeping your home safe during a blackout? too many movements. Remember to place * needed objects in' handy position, and have a place for everything and keep everything Home Safety Councils in its place. In order to create interest on the put of G Prepare questions for the homemaker each person,, it is recommended that each to answer relative to conditions in the home, t family should form a home safety council. This could be promoted through the employ Rmnintiiiii--TEUminatfon--'j^calnatinw of Hazards in the Home ees of a company, asking each head of die family to activate such an organization. The safety director of a company could direct Questions makers to be Answered by the Home ; the undertaking. This council could be or ganized by die local safety council, or through the home accident prevention chair 1. Do die members of your family devise man of the American Red Cross. and enforce their own safety rules? 2. Is a record kept of all home accidents Specific suggestions for die conduct of regardless of their seriousness? such a program are as follows: The tidier 3. Are these accidents analyzed and on . or mother should call together all members this analysis are basic changes in home ac of die family and organize the Jones Home tivities node? Conference; It might function better if die 4. Is the home safety program based on word safety is eliminated; such a program die safety needs of the individual family would be a means of regaining the home members as determined by: comradeship which was lost when there was a. An analysis of the environment in < a decentralizing of dm heating unit Tins which he lives, inducing, may be a means of .getting the family bade (1) The building features of die home together as die centralized heating unit is (2) .The - mechanical installations of used. the home. b. An analysis of the knowledge and The home safety meeting should, be held skills already acquired by die family mem tat a regular scheduled time. At the' first bers and of die attitudes they possess? meeting discuss die responsibility , of each & An analysis of die family member's / member of the family in keeping the home health handicaps which relate to safety-- safe. Secure check sheet Hanks from die poor eyesight, poor coordination, general American Red Cross, National Safety Coun - weakness, specific deformities etc? cil, or the National Fire Protective Associa 5. Do yon make an attempt to instill in. tion and use these to find conditions which the family members a feeling of security? are hazardous. For the smaller members of For example, act calmly during air raid the family there should be worked out a alert, plan for unusual circumstances and diart which fits his experiences in home liv meet them with poise. ing, that is give him' a sheet, on which is 6. Do you make discriminating use of the written die name of his personal belongings safety resources of the community? Health, and the place where they belong. Check fire and police departments.. should be kept to see that he performs his 244 31st National Safety Congress tasks daily and is a successful home member. It does no good to know if the hazard exists if nothing is done about it The next step is action. Do something and eliminate the-condition which may cause you to. be laid off from work and prevent die construc tion of that gun. Each day lost from work because of an accident may be die cause of death to one of your loved ones. The time is short and we have no time to -lose, therefore, the home hazards must be eliminated. Keeping Household Appliances Safe By GEORGE W. ALDER Technical Director, Good Housekeeping Institute, New York City Relatively the household appliance acci dent rate is good. That we can say is a tribute to those household appliance manu facturers who, through design and construc tion, have built inherent safety into their products. Further assurance of the relative safety of household appliances has been given to die consumer public through the work of such organizations as the American Gas Association's Laboratories,' die Underwriters' Laboratories in the electrical and other fields, the American Standards Association, and through our own work in the laboratories, kitchen, and laundries at Good Housekeeping, and through governmental divisions, states, cities, and others in their promulgation of safety codes. In spite of these efforts, and because of the lack of preventive laws, it has been possible for poorly deigned and poorly constructed appliances to appear on die market Fortunately they have been in the minority. Apart from the question of the original safety of a household appliance, th^re are still the accident hazards that spring from improper use and improper care. Their preveniton is the same broad problem that applies to all accident prevention: education to inculcate safe habits, and education to make known what IS proper use . and what IS proper care. We must stress again and again allof the fundamentals--such simple things as how to disconnect electrical appliances by grasp ing the plug instead of yanking on the cord. We must educate people to know that there is a difference between connecting cords for different services--that there are separate types for heating appliances, for appliances used in damp plaras^for lamps, and so on. We must stress jfte raSHnis of overloading circuits, particularly-now when the installa tion of house wiring is restricted. We must tell the function that the fuse performs, and stress die fact that when a fuse Nows .the first thing to do is to find out what caused it to blow, before we try to replace die fuse. We must stress die hazards of location. Especial care is needed in operating elec trical appliances, particularly in damp cellars, laundries, 'and bathrooms. The toll of bath room accidents has been mounting because of hazards that are not appreciated, such as taking a portable radio into the bathroom and operating it while seated in the bathtub. . In more than one case fatal accidents have resulted from this. With gas bunting equip ment we must stress the importance of proper adjustment of burners and the' need for cleanliness. We must tell, and tdl again, the essential facts of combustion and the reason for die need of ventilation. We must instruct women how to know what to do in case of leaks and particularly to seek the services of qualified people to .take care of trouNe. Repair of Appliances In the matter of repairs to appliances, we have to fear die amateur. Most household appliances today, when they need service, need the attention of an expert If amateur repairing is encouraged, we can look for an increase in the accident rate. Obviously, it is possible for others than experts to make some types of repairs--for example, replacing a plug on a connecting cord. However, even this must be done correctly to insure safety. There will be the necessity because of short age of manpower to educate people how to make minor repairs to appliances. The essen tial machinery for doing this may already be available. In many of the sdiools through out the educatioi tricity o so on. establish to make inexpert Facing facturerj fied repi known 1 advert&i utilities proper common given to may be but also times tin die repk solescem We.lmo appliano that eith With re duration preventii for stres In addit mend <! though 1 a progn if we ai that safi Every to dm a be restir improvis roofs, fit worked lurk in t People everythii pads am able glee . v.' The t strong a may bet to antid but we i that nta; unless w out tiie country there are classes for adult. {duration, trader the titles of Applied Elec* tridty or Plumbing or House Wiring, and so on. Obviously, with relatively minor changes in cturricdhh^.these schools could establish dasstt foradixtsto teach them how to make those repairs which it is safe for the inexpert to make. I have tried so far in tins talk to take a broader view of the prevention of accidents due to (he use of appliances. To be more, specific, I would like to conclude my talk with , what might be called "A short course in keeping safe with your appliances." Appliances Facing the problem of repairs, many manu- facturers of appliances are establishing certi- fied repair depots, and are making tills fact known to. the general public through their advertising and by other means. Public utilities are assisting their customers to get proper repairs. Their efforts are to be commended and every assistance should be given to (hem, not only so that appliances may be kept in service as long as possible, but also in tiie interest of safety. In normal times the cause of safety is furthered through the replacement of appliances because of ob- solescence or because they have worn out We .know from surveys that there are many appliances in use that .are relatively .old, and that either may be or may become hazardous, With replacement out of the picture for the duration of the' war, this aid to accident prevention is gone. Herein is another reason for stressing the proper care and proper use. In addition we must not hesitate to recoin- mend 'discarding unsafe appliances even I though they may not be replaceable. Such a program, however, will only be successful if we are able to convince appliance users that safety is a first consideration. ^ Every conceivable makeshift trill be used to eke out the heat supply. Old stovci will be resurrected, smoke pipes will jut through improvised openings in walls, partitions and roofs, fireplaces used only, for show will be worked overtime. Fires and asphyxiations lurie in this situation. People will be taking to bed with them everything from hot water bottles to heating pads and lamp bulbs to try. to get comfortable mpold bedrooms. ^ The temptation to Improve will be very strong and it is to be feared tint the restdts may be tragic in too many cases. We must try to anticipate sqme of these things if we can, but we must be on the watch for the unusual that may .find repetition in succeeding cases unless we can prevent them. Wiring. Makeshift wiring is a fire and accident hazard.. House wiring should be done only by a licensed electrician who not only knows the requirements for .safety but will put in wiring that is adequate, also, from the standpoint of service and utility, House wiring is not a job for amateurs. Connecting Cords. Long connecting cords trailing across rooms, under rugs or along baseboards are a fire hazard and a tripping hazard, and for children may even be a shock hazard. Do not allow connecting cords to touch hot radiators or otto- sources of heat Use connecting cords of correct types. < There are cords for lamps, for heating appliances such as smoothing irons, for washing machines, etc.--each made to do asperific job. When replacing a connecting cord, get the same kind of cord that is on the appliance, If, because of war conditions, you cannot 'do this, your electrician will tell you of the proper type to use in the emergency. Keep cords in good repair. Discard badly worn cords. If tire outer surface of the cord is damaged, several layers of electrician's tape aropwL the cord usually will make a safe repair, zf the cord is badly damaged, do not attempt to repair it i Fuses. When fuses blow it is a sign of trouble--a short circuit or an overload. Do not replace Mown fuses until you have located and corrected the trouble. Do not use substitutes for fuses. Use only .fuses of the. correct rating for each circuit The rating in amperes is marked on the fuse. Be sure tire fuses are approved by Underwriters' Laboratones. It is dangerous to attempt to overcome fuse&lawing trouble bytiring n-fase of lusher rating. The fuse blew becafcseyots had too many appliances on the cirtuit/ spread the load of the appliances by plugging th&n into different circuits, Connect appliances to appliance' outlets, not light sockets. Light sockets are eon-. 246 31st National Safety Congress structed only for lighting, and do not have the appliance has a. switch to control toe the capacity to supply the power needed operation, poll die plug. most appliances. Using light sockets for a pliances may cause a short circuit or a re. Disconnect promptly all appliances when you. are through using diem, especially heating devices such as irons, catling irons, etc. This Outdoor wiring and lighting call for lamp ^sockets, convenience outlets, and wiring; etS, of a special waterprooftype. Your electrician will install die proper types of materials. will help keep the fire department away. Do not operate too many appliances at one time on one circuit The result may be an over loaded circuit and a Mown fuse. At best, ap pliances do not operate efficiently under suchconditions and will cost more to operate too. Electrical toys operated on house current should not be given to children unleu you are sure that they are designed and con structed for safe pperafion. Electrical toys, should be inspected frequently and discarded if electrical part^ are found to be worn or Electricity and mater at dampness are a N"^had combination. Avoid handling switches, connecting cords and appliances with wet hands. The use of portable electrical appli ances, such as portable heaters, curling irons, radios, etc* in the bathroom is hazardous because water, plumbing and damp surfaces there make the Shock hazard extremely great Bathroom Heaters should be of the built-in kind. If yon most use a portable heater in die bathroom, place it where you will not come in contact with it and do not touch it when it is connected to die electricity supply. Your electrician can ground die heater by means of a special wire to increase the safety in use. lights in bathrooms or in basements or other damp places should be operated by wall switches and moisture-proof sockets should be ,used. If .pull-switch oper damaged. i Have appliances repaired promptly. As soon as any appliance shows signs of trouble, send it to a competent repair man. Do not attempt fb do the work yourself. A profes sional repair job is usually not only safer bat will help to make* toe appliance last longer. Even though they appear to be work ing satisfactorily, it is a good idea to have your appliances inspected at regular intervals by a competent repair man. They will last longer. When cleaning electrical afjpliapces, do not put toe electrical parts in water. Follow the manufacturers instructions. Radio servicing-, should be done only by competent repairimen. Do not tamper with the radio yourself and never touch toe elec- . trical parts while' toe radio is connected t> the electricity supply. ated, there should be an insulating link in - the chain or a cord should be attached. Buy approved electrical appliances and equipment lade far the label of die Under Washing machines. The frames of washing machines and ironers can be electrically grounded to make their use safer ih damp laundries. Your electrician can do this prop erly. Know how to operate your washing writers' Laboratories on appliances, connect ing cords, wiring supplies, etc Tins is your assurance that products comply with recog nized safety standards in design and con struction. ' ' machine safdy. Know just what all of the controls are used for, especially die wringer release. When you are.wringing clothes, give the job your full attention. Do not wear loose clothing that may be caught in die wringer rolls. Bed warmers. Don't use electric warming pads, smoothing irons, or makeshift beaters as "bed" warmers where they will be oper ated while you 'are asleep. They can prove a fire hazard or even a shock hazard. Know how to operate yarn electrical ap Kitchen appliances should be used away pliances. Study and keep die manufacturer's from rinks so that it is not possible to touch directions. Use appliances carefully and don't the appliance and die water faucet at toe abuse dw"*- Keep them dean. same time. Do not attempt to adjust, oil or clean any electrical appliance while it is con nected to toe electricity supply. Even though Qas Appliances Leaks. Any odor or other evidence of toe escape of unbumed gas calls for prompt action. E . lighted n the leak, open gas . pilot, is doors an patty, lie service m If there i of toe ho Wheni lighted ai turning < flashes bf turn off relight Ii needs to further a of each b . to grve a may cans pans and burner is shutter d Automa stove; ove modem gs ate, call y or other q Pilot li kitchen ra gas to esc. can be do size. Ifto all nearby to the left and to th* light on yc out, folio* relighting censed pit man. Loose h replaced ii the danger Keep ra properly a ular, blue shaped" bi irregular, face of to or twice a jiL action. Extinguish all flames.Do not use a %fated match, candle, or other flame to find ,ae leak; If the location of the leak, such.as open gas code on die range or unlighted pilots is . not immediately discovered, open doors and windows, notify your gas com pany, licensed plumber or other qualified service man to locate mxl correct the trouble. If there appears to be a large leak, get out of die house. be washed in warm water and washing soda, anddried thoroughly before replacing.. Round burners should not be immersed in water, but should be cleaned with a brush and wiped with a wet doth. When cooking, turn down the heat before you have bod-overs. It will help keep burners dean, and avoid die danger of die flame being extinguished and unbumed gas escaping. For the same reason, do not leave pots to boil in an unguarded kitchen. (Vhen lighting got buntrs have the match lighted and hold it near die burner before turning on the burner code. If the flame flashes back and bums inside the burner, turn off the gas, unfit a moment, and then rdight If die flashback continues, the burner needs to be readjusted and cleaned before further use; The shutter near the cock of each bornerjhotdd be keptdean and set , to give a regulatjiliie flame. Too little air may cause a yellow flame which blackens pans and wastes fuel. If die gas flow to the burner is properly adjusted, keeping the air shutter dean should give the proper flame. Automatic lighting of range burners--top sfcmv oven and broiler--is provided hi many modem gas rangdu lf it should fail to oper ate, call your gascompany, licensed plumber, or other qtsdiiied service man. }PSot lights of die push-button type on .titchen ranges sometimes go out and allow gas to escape becansethey need cleaning. This can he done with a fine wire about hairpin site. If the phot needs readjustment to light slinearby burners, turn the regulating screw to die left to increase die site of die dame, and to the tight to decrease it If the pilot light on yonr automatic hot-water heater goes out follow the manufacturers directions for relighting it, or call your gas company, li censed plumber, or other qualified service man. Loose burner cocks should be repaired or. replaced immediately to prevent leaks, and die danger of being tamed on unintentionally. Keep range burners clean. A dean and properly adjusted burner wQi give a reg ular, blue flame. If your range has a "starshaped" burner and die flame tips become irregular, dean out die smalt holes on die face of die burner with a fine wire. Once or twice a year this type of burner, should Got rtfrigerators shut off automatically if the flame goes out or if there is an in terruption itHhe gas supply. In lighting die burner follow tbMnstrurti'ons on. the refrig erator. Adequate venfilation is necessary for the proper, operation of a gas refrigerator: The openings at'the bottom of the refrigera tor, foe space behind, and the ventilating screen should be kept dean and unobstructed. Connect gas appliances with iron pipe or semi-rigid gas tubing. If flexible tubing must be used, make sure it is a type tested and approved by. die American Gas Association Laboratories, with special ends designed for use as gas connections. When using flexible tubing, turn die gas on and off by using toe code on the end of the tubing which is at tached to the housepiping: Then gas can't escape when the appliance is shut off should die tube spring a leakr Do not use fleribk tubing which is cracked or damaged. Venting. Pay gas appliance burning com paratively large volumes of gas should be connected to. an adequate flue or chimney. Be sure' that toe pipe connecting die appli ances to the chimney is kept open. Flues on kitchen.ranges should be kept open at all times. Do not stuff your range Sue with sted wool or similar materials in order to decrease smoke or grease deposits on nearby wails. It interferes with' safe^ efficient opera tion. Some grease deflectors" or "diverters" with open passages are safe to use, but make sure by consulting your gas company before installing one. Ventilation is important in rooms heated by., gas heaters. Oxygen used by a heater most he replaced and products of combus tion gotten rid of. In no case should gas heaters without flues be operated in rooms while you are sleeping. Buy approved gas appliances. Look for th% ,i 248 31st National Safety Congress seal of approval of the American Gas Asso ciation laboratories before buying. This seal is your assurance that the gas appliance which displays it complies with toe National Safety Requirements of toe American Stand ards Association. Do not buy so-called "gas saving" devices. If they bad any merit or if they were necessary for effective opera tion, manufacturers would incorporate them in their appliances. Their use may impair toe safe and economical operation of your r* range or other 'gas-burning appliances. Oil Burning Appliances Scrupulously clean .cal ranges, heaters, lamps for best operation and greater safety, x^ Keep wicks trimmed and wick controls oper ating smoothly. Have damaged parts replaced. Do not fill oil burning appliances or lamps when they are lit. Be sure to use toe proper fuel. Adjust toe flame height, to avoid smoking. Ventilation is necessary in rooms where oil burning appliances are used. Do not go to sleep in a room with portable oil heate^Jiti Use care in placing heaters so they cannot.__ come in contact with flammable materials? be knocked over. Coal and Wood Bunting Appliances Flues and chimneys must be kept dear, dean and in good condition. Draft and damper operation must be understood for safety as well as for maintaining proper fire. Particularly at night, when toe fire is banfcwt, they must be adjusted to make sure that coal gas will not escape into the house. Keep children away from appliances of, all kinds. Never leave them alone in rooms with auxiliary heaters or in toe kitchen while cooking is going on or in toe laundry when laundry appliances are operating. Put dectric fans out of reach. t with n nary ti folks n: caused trailer In a< equipmt ceased; hold ar ting al more, ] selves which a The agricult lems oi childrer farm a life, for of each to do t another A Report of Progress By STANLEY H. KERSHAW Director, Home and Farm Safety Division, National Safety Council, Chicago At toe last National Safety Congress, a year ago, I presented to you some indication of toe status of home'safety, and ventured to explain briefly what might be toe trend of toe Council's work in that fidd. We were then engaged in the early stages of a study to determine what might be toe logical method of approach to toe problem. Subsequent events have served to justify this study and to demonstrate that its conclusions were sound. While a comprehensive report has recently been presented to the Council's executive committee, which authorized toe study and provided toe funds with which it was to be made, this is, by no means, an indication that toe study has been completed. The task., is so large and has so many ramifications that I dare say it will be maty years before any of us can claim to know all toe answers. We do know now, however, enough to proceed with a national program of home safety work. The urgency of war demands immediate action. Now, before proceeding too far with a discusson of current problems and methods of dealing with them, permit me to remind you that we were not actually at war a year ago. During toe past twelve months we have been witnessing toe rapid conversion of toe country to a war-time state of activity. Mil lions of men and women have been recruited from toe homes of toe country to save in the armed forces or to work in toe war in dustries. Huge war plant communities have sprung up in many places at an unprecedented rate of speed. Great masses of our population have shifted from place to place. For in stance, do yon know that 3,000,000 women are, at tins very moment, at work on our production lines mid that a year from now, it is estimated, there will be dose to 15,000,000? The building of private homes has virtually stopped and in its place great housing proj ects have developed with mushroom growth. In many localities circumstances have forced people to resort to makeshift housing facil ities. And toe large centers of population Wen are fac radical! short ti to war i work oi of ns w of bom the chai think in mally, * national now we essentia! cording! once, at right nc beyond tant list trust to ing rest It is i person conservi by that it possil to launc ddent p It Is 1 known i Home Safety 249 i with normal housing capacity during ordi will have to discover new ideas as we go nary times have become overcrowded. Yon along. We cannot take time for much experi I folks most know of the deplorable conditions mental work. caused in .some places by the conglomerate trailer towns and shack communities. This is far from bring the picture I'd like to present to you, but there is no alternative In addition, the production of household and I am sure yon would prefer to have me equipment and appliances has. practically present the facts. ceased and the heads of the American house hold are confronted with the problem of get ting. along with what they have. Further more, people are having to readjust them selves to other new conditions, many of which are hardly conducive to safety. It was quite apparent a year ago that the task is too large for any single organization to accomplish with direct methods, and that it must be met with the cooperative effort of hundreds of existing agencies--and when I say "cooperative effort" I mean genuine The farm home has become , the center of activity which will produce results. agricultural business apd production prob lems of no small proportions. Many of the children, .housewives and old folks on the farm are no longer free to live a normal life, for all must work who can, and the end of each day brings a weary group together to do the final chores and to plan work of another day. Changed Conditions We must not lose right of the fact that we First Nation Rome and Farm Conference It was this observation that led to die planning of 'the First National Home and Farm Safety Conference which was held in'' Chicago on February 17 and 18 of this year. This was an exploratory conference and it is no secret that its underlying objectives were: (1) to get some idea erf what organ nations would respond immediately, and (2) to do some preliminary planning work. are facing conditions which have changed radically from what they were a relatively short time ago. Those who have not gone to war must adjust themselves,to the required work on .the home front and similarly, those \ of us who are concerned with the prevention / of home accidents must .adjust ourselves to Close to a hundred national organizations were represented at this conference which, to me, was an impressive testimonial of die broad humanitarian spirit that underlies the activities of so many of onr national insti tutions. the changed conditions. We must necessarily think in terms of the. demands of war. Nor mally, we would plan to develop a long time national program of.home safety work, but now we must dunk of it as one of the very essential parts of the war effort and act ac cordingly. We must make our efforts felt at once; not three or six months from now, but right now. This program must be accelerated beyond all previous conception. Let the dis tant future bring what it may! We can only trust that what we do now will lead to last ing results and fit into a long-term program. The constructive effects of this conference will always be a source of amazement I suppose it would be impossible to bring so many fine people together without beneficial results, but I am frank to say I did not chink it would touch off so .many good activities in so many different directions. I cannot enumerate all of these activities to you, for fear of giving die impression of claiming too much credit for the conference; but there is one in particular which promises, to provide the solution to many of our prob lems, and it deserves your earnest attention. It is going to be essential drat every single person connected with this movement to conserve manpower for warpower be inspired by that intangible something which makes it possible to take that one more step, and to launch that one additional program of ac cident prevention. I speak of the development of state home and farm safety conferences. Mrs. Hendriksen, who attended the con ference as a representative of die New York State Health Department, returned to her State headquarters with the idea that if a national conference was good for die Nation It is necessary that we put to work every as a means of bringing the National organ known method that has proved effective. We izations together to plan programs, why 250 31st National Safety Congress wouldn't a similar conference be equally jectives, namely: (1) to arouse a safety valuable to launch a state-wide program of consciousness, and (2) to teach people how home and farm safety work. they can avoid accidents. In order to acr She met with very sympathetic response from her superior officers and plans were soon under way. Not long after a conference was held in Syracuse with an attendance of 196 representatives of approximately 70 or complish these, it will be necessary to weave a web of safety influence, so that no matter which way a person turns, he will be re minded of die importance of his personal safety. . ganizations, appropriate exhibits and enthu siastic sessions. The response was so favor able that the committee which planned the conference voted unanimously .to make it an annual event, and ten standing commit tees were appointed to develop logical, sound and speedy ways of carrying the work to the people in the counties and communities. Of course, no conference means very much if those who participate in it do no more than display an interest in the proceedings. Every such conference must be made to bear fruit in the form of substantial activities and we must find ways of bringing this about. I can assure you that I mean no offense when I say. to you who are here today that . The state home and farm safety confer I cannot' .help wondering how many of you ence idea has since met with enthusiastic will return to.your respective headquarters response in other states. A very successful and immediately put into practice the many conference along similar lines was held in things you have learned at this Congress. ` Lincoln, Nebraska, on October 2nd, under I believe, very sincerely, that you people . the sponsorship of the Agricultural Exten have every intention of doing just this, but sion Service; another is scheduled for New I am sure you will appreciate the point I am Jersey to take place in Trenton some time . trying to make. With this tremendous and in November; still another is receiving con very urgent war-time job ahead of us we can- sideration in Pennsylvania and I could men notr hq. content with talk; we must have tion numerous other states where the seed of action. ' \ the idea has been planted and is beginning to take root I do not mean to indicate that the confer ence method of dealing with such problems is entirely new. The Farm Security Admin istration initiated and planned two very effec tive farm safety conferences, one in the state of Washington, and another in Min nesota where it was held jointly with die Minnesota Safety Council. Furthermore, ^Yquhave all probably become familiar with the Council's effort to raise a sub stantial fund with which to project its work into the fields where it will do the most good in this emergency. I can announce to you now that the availability of some of this money has made it possible for the Counci! to enlarge its staff and to plan a program which will be far reaching in its effect farm safety sessions and numerous home safety sessions have been held tinder the auspices of state and community safety councils in many places in times past How ever, what I do mean to indicate is that the National Conference seems to have given impetus to the idea of the conference method of attacking the home and farm safety prob lems on a broader scale than ever before The staff of die home and form safety division has already been increased to enable us to proceed with the expanded work. In order to use this field staff most effectively,, we have divided die country up into seven regions, and field representatives have recent ly been assigned to several of the regions that demand immediate attention. and promises to be a means of more speedily Through die efforts of these field people arousing a safety awareness throughout the. we hope to be of greater service in promot nation. ing more widespread activity and in giving From now on we must sacrifice periods of helpful advice to those already actively en studyrior action, putting into practice what gaged in die work. we know should produce immediate results. We hope to establish closer - relationship ... Action Needed with many of the national, state; county and community organizations desirous of par After, all, we have but two ultimate ob ticipating in die work, and to help diem plan their we into the Alreai gram ai educatio to you you info the nati methods . there. _ .,,.Our staff to of the ] of die n ful in su; activities In all shad has committ< tune her are; a 1 and a F Comnritt represent organize the deve program I catui done to < preventer ever, I c has alres ward ths the confe Home Safety 251 their work along lines that will fit effectively respondence which comes to my desk, in into the war emergency program. cluding hundreds of inquiries for helpful in Already we have in production certain pro gram aids in the form of instructive and educational literature, and will soon present to you a small magazine which will keep' formation from all parts of the country,'-all seem to me to be a positive indication that ^ we are on the right road and that we are~^ developing more and more momentum. you informed of what is going on throughout If it were, only possible for each of you die nation in home safety work; and what to accompany me or one of our field repre- . methods are bong used with success here and sentatives out into the field, or to sit with . there. me in my office and read some of tire. many ... _-.,,.Our statistical division is enlarging its staff to enable a more comprehensive study of the home and farm accident experience of the nation. This alone will be very help ful in supplying the facts upon which effective activities may be founded. sincerely enthusiastic letters received from those who are participating actively in the work, I am confident yon would be elated over the fine response and cooperation which appears to be everywhere in evidence. I can say to you with all sincerity that, in all my years of experience in safety work, I have never seen a time when there was such Special Committee widespread appreciation of the need for the prevention of accidents and such eager desire - . In all this new development work, we to do something about it. shall have the guidance of two top advisory committees, which are meeting for the first There are literally thousands of people time here this week. These two committees throughout the country who are willing and are, a Home Safety Advisory Committee ready to volunteer their efforts in behalf and a Farm Occupational Safety Advisory of home and farm safety and who need' only Committee. Both of them are composed of be shown .the way. It is up to those of us representatives of various leading national who know the way to speed up our efforts organizations whose participation will assure to get that , information to them and con the development of a sound and practical tinually to enlarge the circle of volunteer program of work. workers. After all, it makes little difference whether we do it by the- conference method, > I cannot say to you that what we have by `personal contact, by including it in the done to date with your fine help has actually programs of activities of far-reaching or prevented accidents--no one knows. How ganizations, by the' distribution of- litera ever, I do believe very sincerely that there ture, by teaching it in schools or by carry has already been considerable progress to ing on extensive correspondence. The main ward that end. The contacts I have made, thing is to do the job and to do it well. We the conferences I have attended and the cor must have action.