Document pdQm18Jn1jK8DZeg430NaGe7

FILE NAME: Caterpillar (CAT) DATE: 1954 DOC#: CAT008 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Published Article from 42nd National Safety Congress -Construction Industry and Public Employment Other Volumes in this Series Users o f this volume will find much value in its companion volumes. H ere is the lilt I TITLE VOLUM E No. General Sessions and Detailed Index to all Volumes............................................................... \ Aviation (Aeronautical Industries Section & A ir Transport Section)............................... ' Cemart and Quarry Industries.................................................................................................... } Chemical Industrie. ..................................................................................................................... s Coal Mining Industry................................................................................... . ................................ * Construction Industry and Public Employment (Public Employee* S ection)..................... t Electrical Equipment Industry (comtitned with VoJ. 2 2 )...................................................... Farm Safety . ........................... .........................................., ......... *....... ...................................... Fertilizer Industry .............................................................. .......................................................... $ Food Industr>* and Meat Packing and Leather Industries..................... ................................ K Glass and Ceramics Industry* ..................- ........... *...................................................................., 11 Home Safety ...................................................................................................... U Industrial Subject Sessions (Sponsored by A S S E )................................................................ I.' Maritime Industries (M arine Section).......................................................................................... U Metals Industry' ......... I1 Metal Products Industries (Automotive and Machine Shop Section. Power Press attd Forging Sections)................................................................................. 1*. Mining Industry* ............................................................................................................................ 17 Motor Transportation Industry (Commercial Vehicle Section)......................................... Occupational Health Kursing Section........................................................................................... It Petroleum Industry* ....................................................... 2*' Priming and Publishing Industry.....................................................................................................2\ Public Utilities Industries and Electrical Equipment Industry................................... .. 1 Pulp and Paper Industry.............................................................................................. .2? Railroad Industry 2* Rubber Industry* ................. S tt H V School and College Safety. Textile Industry*........ .. Traffic Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . Transit Industry ................ Wood Products Industries. Let's Get Personal (E arly Morning Sessions)................... . ......................................................M PRICES O F EXTRA C O P IE S VOLUME SIZE 1 i a 9 copies Each 12 or less pages-- 13 to 24 pages-- 25 to 48 pages-- 49 to 96 pages-- Over 96 pages-- $0.20 .29 .35 .46 .69 O F INDIVIDUAL VOLUMES T O IQ lo 99 copies Each $3.17 23 -29 .40 .63 100 t o 999 copies Each $ 0 .1 1 .17 23 JS .58 MEMBERS /(V V ) p f m > WY Each $0.11 .17 23 J5 .58 Complete set o f Tm>action.- (JO veils.)--S6.90 (1 to 0 copies). Sn.JO (10 to uu cupie'. $5.70 (100 to 999 copies). 1.000 or more $5.70. N'Oiv-M EM BER prices are double member prices, except volumes 6, 12, 26 and 28. NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL 425 NORTH MICHIGAN AVE. C H IC A G O 11, ILL Ikltt t* < M 60 vvM ituu . ..........iiiiiiii iHiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii[[iiiiffl)iiiitiiiM)iiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiutuiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiii)niiiui[iiiiiiiiniiiiiiniimiiiiimiiMiii|miiiiniimuiiumiuimn JQC A lv U 4 TRANSACTIONS VOLUME & i Current Safety Topics in the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT os presented in sessions of the Construction and Public Employee Sections at the 42nd National Safety Congress Construction Section Summary Report 4 Where Do You Begin a Crusade (WtfHom G* HerwJuns) 5 Public Employee Section How Do You Look at an Accident? (Donald S* Buck) 9 A Health Program Tot Publle Employees (John F. Kilgus, M.D.) 18 Vision In Safety (Milton M. Bowman) 25 (Qnntinatd On aoxt pogej NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL 425 North Michigan Avenue * Chicago 11. l!L 4 Construction Section Summary Report The program committee chairman. Mr. Lupimki, introduced the guest speaker, who was Kenneth McFarland, Educational Direc tor. American Trucking Association. incM Topeka, Kansas. M r. McFarland gave a very inspiring talk on the subject "The L* in Business." Xo attemp; is nude here to summariie his excel lent discussion covering such vita? factors a s : The Hitmen Factor in our business rela tionship is vital. H e clearly illusi rated that it is the human factor, the "you" in the business of safety programs tvhich makes them a success or failure. Skill and know how should not and cannot be substituted, but they must be supplemented by personality m ils. It is not enough for us to knoxc tomething, we must be something. A few of the vital personality traits emphasized include: 1. Industriousne. 2. Loyalty. .1. Graciousness. 4. Courtesy and good manners. "H e shall be the greater among \o u who can serve others Lest." It was an excellent discussion on the qualities of leadership. A new safety film "If You Took Your Family to W ork" ivas shown. It is an excel lent film taken on an actual construction project in Chicago. It is well done and it should prove to be very valuable fo r safety meetings on construction projects through out the industry, particularly fo r building contractors. Following the film showing, the separate reports o f the executive committee chair man were presented. In each case these re ports were brief, but it can be factually staled that each committee has some very* worthwhile project underway and that con siderable work has been accomplished this last year. Xo attempt is made in these min utes to give a copy of these reports because they were not written reports, Iwt short summary, informal reports. A summary of the reports are as follows: Mr. Medsker and his eigineering commit tee reported on several projects that are being developed. 1. Standard .SYgftr fa r fiigkuM y Trafa Control: A suggested form has been deveJ. oped under Mr. Mcdsker's leadership f c- loth traffic and general driving centre! Mimeographed copies of the suggested fianiard were distributed. 2. S a fety Training Course: A specif course to be taught a ; the college level u being developed by the Engineering C n.- mittcc. M r. Medsker thanked the tnxtv. members who had made valuable contrjlrj. tions in the development of this course. 3. The Visual Aids Committee report*! that special commendation was due the Catert'illnr T ractor Company for their un usually fine cooperation w ith the committee by producing a second outstanding Safe;; Film,- and iliat it would have its world premier showing at the Congress on the afternoon of October 20th. It was pointed out that the Construction Section felt very indebted to the Caterpillar Tractor Compnn> to r producing these two safety films, because this company lias rendered an outstandir.; service to the construction industry. The investment by Caterpillar in producing thc-t two non-commercial safety films lias beta considerable, but it should prove to lie ainspiration to other manufacturers to make similar contributions. 4. D a u and publication committee. Hel en L. Jenkins, chairman, pointed out tint considerable progress is being made in de veloping mother construction five minute safety talk booklet. He thanked everyone for their valuable contributions, with special thanks to his own hard working committee members. This booklet will be completed during the coming year. The A G C-X SC joint membership agree ment had a successful first year and planare underway fo r continuing it another year. Approximately 3.000 contractors are incor porated in this program. O ur new general chairman, George P. O'Rourke, S rM gave a brief acceptance ad dress including recommendations to the ex ecutive committee for the coming year. These recommendations included the following sug gestions ; 1. All projects now* underway by the com- Construction industry 5 aittecs ifiould be brought to a successful rmclusicm. 1 Explore tbe needs of the industry and ronetfitrate on the problems and projects of aoit general need by the largest number <*i contractors. i. Particular attention should be paid to t needs of the smaller contractors. 4. Carry on an educational program a? jdividuals t"i interest other contractor* in joining the Construction Section in order that we may represent all o f the industry and ran thus render a greater service to the industry. 5. Everyone should give more considerstion to sending in good material to the W-uslcticr, 6. The Visual Aids Committee should strive to prodtiee a trurlding construction -atety film. W here Do You Begin A Crusade? By W ILL IA M G. HAW KINS Insurance M gr. and Safety D ir.. W inston Bros* Co., M inneapolis, M inn. It 1 were to |x>int rr.v finger a t you and sii*. "You are responsible fo r the m urder : 38,300 persons in 1955,'' you would m >. 'Who me?" That would be my reaction too. Hut the tact is, that you and I, as private dtizens. ire responsible fo r murder on the^highways day of the year. "W ho Me?** Yes, you. But you and I Say. *7 never have had an accident," or "I never d riw over the -peed limit," o r " 1 have my brakes checked .i'ery six months." We disclaim any responsibility fo r automobile accidents happening every hour of the day, every day of the year. Too many i us are still yawning m the face o f a -looming tragedy. Too many of u get al! hot and bothered tout a multiple death train or airplane ttzsh in some distant place while blinding .ur eyes to the day-to-day traffic deaths right at home. Too m any say, " It won't happen to me--somebody else maybe, but set to me." W e are infected with that 'A\ Earl Hall o f the Mason City. Iowa. dcbe-Gasriic rails "othecfeHowits.*, Paradoxically, traffic safety today is an 'nglamorous subject. W e have been dulled by the constant repetition o f headlines and sews reports o f deaths in an automobile. Hardly a newspaper is published that doesn't carry one o r more stories about auto acci dents. W e read the headlines and pass on :o the next article. Only. If the victim's ri.mie suunds iamiliar, or i i there i5 some >ther point of recognition, are we interested. Kor the ine-t pari, the subject of highway iauditie* U ns dull a? a worn out razor Made. And iti <>ur disinterest, the statistic have Itcconte -irkeningly sufficient evidence of our guilt a. murderers. Last year, 38,300 persons were killed--38,300 living persons--people in the prime o f life--25, 35, 45 `ears o f age --persons who were fathers, brothers, sons-- persons who were important as employees, wage earners, businessmen, home owner*. Almost every day this year, some young father finishes his breakfast and gets into his car to go to work. Maybe he kisses hif wife and pat* hi* little girl on die head. li*s not a goodbye because be expects to he home that evening. But he never comes hack. H e becomes a highway fatality. A husband, a home, a future to r three or more vital Americans i* rubbed out. That's juFt one accident's toll. There were many more <>r maylic he was lucky. Maybe he was nlv injured and will be able to get back Ut work in a week, o r a month o r a year. Maybe this one who go] killed was in the other car. There were 1,350,000 persons who were not kilted in 1953--only injured of maimed for life. And the cost--lo r wage losses, insurance, medical expenses and property damage-- wn* a staggering $4-3 billion. Do Workers Resist Safety? (A Panel Discussion) Discussion Leader: Da. K. F. Kapov, Medical D ir, Armour and C o, Chicago. III. P crfia/'ffnts: Ds. H o a o tr K. Askaks, Medical Dir* Union Health Services, Inc^ Chicago, 111. J qse? ec M asok, Personnel Consultant Caterpillar T ractor Co^ Peoria, IlL De. Ajltxgi P . S o to u o y , Associate Clinical P ro f, o f Psychiatry. University of 111cools, Chicago, 111. Majuazc Rolek, Industrial Dept. Na tional Safety Council, Chicago IU. Da. A saxais: Acddents result from multiple factors in the inter-relation o f the Individual with his eavironmoit. Disabling injuries vary generally with the nature o f the environment. That is, the highest rates occur a t work, next in public places and last a t hom e Mote accidents occur among low income groups living in substandard housing, etcetera. More work a ed d m ts occur between 10-11 a m and 3-4 pm . than a t other times, etcetera. A t work the acddent rates will vary with : L The general w ork conditions (higher rates occur during war-tinua attributed to accelerated work pace, longer hours and fatigue, crowding o f equipment, new and untrained workers, relaxed controls). Indus trial injury rates follow more o r less closely the curves o f employment and business ac tivity. 2. The industry* F o r example, mining, lumber and construction have highest rates. This does not mean there are more acddent prone workers in these industries, but rather the environments in these industries are more hazardous. 3. The occupation: Production workers have higher rates than clerical workers, etc. * 4. The conditions in the individual plant: Plants in the same industry vary, in their ac ddent rates, depending on their policies and programs in industrial hygiene; medical pro gram, attitudes of supe rvisory personnel, etcetera. 5. The training o f the worker fo r his job. 6. The proper placement o f the worker : For example, poor hearing o r vision m ay re suit in aeddents in a job requiring high effidency e i the sensory* organs. 7. The general composition of the work population: rates are higher among younger workers and males. (This obviously is dose* ly related to the types of wotIc and hazards.) There are many factors which play a p a n in determining the Success or failure o f a safety program in industry. Comparable plants in the same industry will differ in their degree of success, depending upon these factors. 1. Mast fundamental is the necessity that the employee knows what he is doing, appre ciates the potential health hazards involved in his job, and knows how xo protect him self a a d .h u fellow- employees against these hazards. No one could rationally disagree with this statement, j*et we fcnow that in all too many situations employees are not ade quately informed or trained for their jobs. 2. The worker must be provided with the means to carry out safety measures, in other words, martagemsit must provide a safe and healthful place of work equipped with modem safeguards against accident and disease hazards. Again, this is a point on which no one will disagree and yet we find in numerous industries that all is not being done which could be done to achieve a safe and healthful place to work. 3. Personnel, employment, and production policies must be in accord with principles of good health. For example the pace of pro duction should be such as not to cause fa tigue . . . a well recognized factor in the cause of aeddents. Supervisory* personnel should be intelligent, should like people, and should themselves proride an example of good safety and industrial hygiene practice. Recently workers in a plant in which there is a good deal o f dust tell me that although the plant has a fairly good dust collection system, it frequently suffers mechanical breakdowns. W hen these occur, management refuses to stop production until repairs can be made so that the workrooms fill up with dust within a few minutes. In another dusty industry, a system of incentive pay resulted in discouraging use of respirators on the Meat Packing, Tanning and Leather industries 2) joxt of ill-mfortncd employees, These are examples of conflict between management and good health practices. 4, Employers should provide adequate first aid and m e d ia l services on the plant prem ises or d ose by. Medical services should be preventive as well as thaapeutic. 5. Opportunity should be provided for rank and file employees participation in the health program. Pontification and exhottauon from above will never do the job. A working man or woman is a human being. Ke o r . she needs the opportunity at self expression, a t participation, at job identiricaion and job satisfaction. Moreover, the mao on the job sometimes knows better than we about the specific work problem. Let us learn from him too. This means the estab lishment in each plant of a safety and health committee in which democratically chosen representatives of the employees par ticipate. The man on the job often has ideas and should be asked. I think that if alt of these points are taken seriously and carried out, we can look forward to significant reduction in industrial accidents. J oseph Masos : Em dent. productive work without acci dents or injuries has fo r many years been a goal of our company and of industry in general One of rile mottoes of our com pany which is frequently quoted by our management people is, "Safety is always cur No. 1 business." la our organisation no amount of effort, money, o r interference with production has been spared in order that we might provide for our people as nearly safe working con ditions as are humanly possible. This pro* gram has been successful and much of the credit for its success is due the people of our safety division. Its success is apparent in our safety record for aecidsits and lost-time injuries have be progressively fewer during recent years. On several occasions the company was given the "Award of Merit" by the National Safety Council and in 1952 and in 1953 Caterpillar Tractor Company was the recipient of the "Award of Honor" from the National Safety Council fo r its excellost safety records. During recent years it has been apparent that w e might be approaching what would aHNSir almost to be un irreducible minimum so fa r ns protecting the individual from the machine b y m e c h a n ic a l devices. This prompted o ur safety people and medical people and management, in general, to give greater attention to the human factor in ac cidents. Man has always excused himself from re sponsibility fo r his injuries by saying tint accidents "ju s t happen,*' but we have found that the persons who repeatedly injure them selves also scon to have other kinds of dif ficulties--they have more trouble getting along with their icllow employees and with their supervisors, they luive frequent minor tickness absenteeism, thej rcjrnrt to First Aid stations more often with minor com plaints. and in many other ways it U evident that they have nu*rc trouble and sutler greater m isfortune than doc-, the average employee. Tins has led us to Ixrlicve that an accident record U inly e re manifestajn o f tn inadequate method o f living. W ith the wider acceptance of psychology it? a science and the conv|uent development of psychosomatic medicine n new apprecia tion of the possible causes of accidents ami a better understanding of employee attitudes toward safety is apparent. Accidents, the causes o f winch were previously considered to be beyond the control <-f the individual, are now thought to be related to his psychophysiological makeup. Xt does not seem tu be just a question of the blame being at tributed to either the environment or the individual. To engage in a controversial dis cussion along these lines would be sinul.tr to attempting to settle the age-old question of heredity versus environment. W hat we believe is necessary is a full appreciation and understanding of the tmpjrtanve o f adjust ment between the individual ami the working environm ent. W e are all conscious o i the many way* in which people differ. That we all diner in our physical characteristics i< readily ap parent fo r we need only glance around the room and we see persons with differing color of eyes,, different facial features, different color o f hair, and so forth. Tt 1 also true that there is a wide range of individual dif ferences as r e g a r d s n tir psychological make-up. It is our contention that considerable im provement can be effected in human adjust ment by a more careful consideration of the