Document wKkgK3y9gnr8yazxGOqvEwDw4

Fortunately, the company with which I have been actively associated for the past 17 years, the St. Joseph Lead Company, the largest miner of | lead ores in the United States, was one of the first to become interested in ' lessening accident hazards and in improving working and living conditions. I was recently asked to have filled out an extremely complicated ques tionnaire as to what is the indirect cost of accidents. I replied that, in my opinion, the effort was not worth while, as we felt that, even though our direct cost had decreased from 3.61 dollars per hundred dollars of wages and salaries in 1923, to 86 cents in 1945, we were just as much interested In a further reduction and our men did not need assumptions that the indirect cost was two, three, or four times the direct cost. The decrease which we obtained was not because of luck, or because of union demands, or because of Government regulations, but it was because of careful supervision on the part of management and by increasing the cost of the safety depart ment from ten cents to BO cents per hundred dollars. The Foundation has made surveys of our accident and fume hazards--it can do for you what l it has and will continue to do for us. The development of healthy working conditions should be the one | common meeting ground of agreement between management and labor in the difficult days that lie before us. I am sure that the Foundation can give its members constructive suggestions if it is asked, and, when facts are available, then management and labor should be able to develop plans for the furthering of their respective interests and thereby regain the respect in one another's integrity without which a satisfactory relationship is impossible. 2 I-H-F IN 1946 JOHN F. McMAHON* A short summary of Foundation progess in 1940 include# the following highlights: 1. There is a pronounced trend toward industry-wide studie# to improve employee health and working conditions. Such a study was completed early in the year for the pottery industry; a similar investigation is now in progress for the National Industrial Sand Association. A project ha# been carried out for the Lead Industries and further work for that association is planned. A start has been made in the refractories industry with three representative companies. Projects have been authorized by both the Grinding Wheel Manufacturers and the Abrasive Grain Association, to be undertaken soon. A number of companies in the glass industry have joined together in authorizing the study of a special problem. Two other indus tries, through their associations, have approached the Foundation to discuss industry-wide studies. This is the efficient, economic way to work for nil concerned. We welcome projects of this type; further, they enable the Foundation to utilize its specialized staff to the fullest. 2. A new plan of organization has been developed within the Founda tion this year. Besides the Medicsl, Preventive Engineering, and Legal Committees, a new professional committee was appointed on Chemistry and Toxicology. This is headed by Dr. Henry Field Smyth. Jr., of Mellon Institute. Meanwhile, appropriate members of the Foundation's permanent staff have been appointed secretaries of the four standing committees, to assist the chairman. One function of those committees is to arrange infor mal, round-table conferences for professional and technical personnel front Foundation member companies. Those conferences, with which the engi neers pioneered last year, were expanded this year to include a Medical, a Medico-I#egat, and an Engineering conference, all of which were held yes terday. The conference for chemists and toxicologists will he held tomor row. These conferences are In effect expanded meetings of the respective Foundation committees involved. They are strictly limited to professional and technical specialists from member companies. The sole exception is when an individual is invited to discuss some point of the agenda. It is hoped that they may become year-around functioning vehicle* for the inter change of practical data and experience--Informal organizations within the Foundation. 3. Dr. C. Richard Walmer was appointed to the Foundation's stnff in July as a full-time Medical Director. His acquisition promises to expand further the Foundation's services to its member companies and to increase our medical activities. Meanwhile, we announce the appointment on Octo ber 1, of Dr. C. Howard Marcy as a consultant on the Foundation's staff. This staff is a team of specialists in medicine, engineering, chemistry, backed by the resources of Mellon Institute which, through the Founda tion, are at your disposal. Besides extensive plant surveys conducted dur- Mnnnaltig Ptrcclnr, Tiuluslvlal llyalva* Foundation. :i