FEB.-MARCH, 1976

3-24 IN VANCOUVER

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

ee.

_ IWA HOLDS SUCCESSFUL
SAFETY COUNCIL MEETING

Sixty-one delegates from
fifteen locals of the regional
council including representa-
tion from the prairie provin-
ces, registered for the twenty-
sixth annual regional safety
conference at the Grandview
Community Centre in Van-
couver.

Subjects covering accident
and health provisions, and
proposals for improved legis-
lation of allied matters were
processed in the handling of
some twenty-six resolutions
submitted for consideration
from the various local unions
during the two-day sessions
conducted by the executive of
the regional safety council.

The conference business
opened with a summarized
report from the Regional
Safety Director, and followed

by reports of the various areas”

in reports presented by the
local safety directors.

A number of support pro-

grams were introduced for the
education and information of
the attending delegates. One of
the main features was em-
phasis on the hearing loss
problems facing workers in the
industry. R. D. Gunn, assistant
director of the B.C. Hearing
Branch of the WCB, provided a
thorough presentation on the
administration of hearing-loss
claims. An audiometric
display and study lecture on
the effects of noise and hearing
loss problems was presented
by Virginia Tupper, ably
assisted by Susanne Barry,
both being highly qualified in
the field of audiometric testing
and training of first aid per-
sons throughout industry.
Education Director Frank
Wall addressed the delegation
on the need to extend and
expand the volume of
education covering safety and
health, and pointed out that
together with the Regional
Safety director, a number of

courses have been provided
members in various locals,
which featured a combination
of steward training and ac-
cident prevention subjects.

Another feature of the
conference drew keen at-
tention when George Gibbs
described ‘ problems and
programs for blinded in-
dustrial workers. George
pointed up the difficulties and
described his own personal loss
of sight during a period when
he was in the trucking
business. Mr. Gibbs is now the
District supervisor of adminis-
trators for the Canadian
National Institute for the
Blind, covering the Yukon as
well as B.C.

A keynote in the conference
was the introduction of the
newly completed ‘Regional
Safety Policy and Committee
Members Guide’’, which will
now be available through the
various local union facilities.

LOCAL 1-367 Safety Director Jack Hagerty, the host Local speaker, makes his address to
the Conference. Group right, Jack Munro, Verna Ledger, Erich

4

|

=
P ss a

Ewert, Tom McCrae.

Pacer Ts

REGIONAL PRESIDENT Jack Munro (right), is shown
presenting Art Damstrom, who recently retired as Financial
Secretary of Local 1-405, a plaque for his years of dedication
and hard work on the Regional Safety Council. Seated in the -
centre of the picture is Jack Hagerty, Safety Director of
Local 1-367, who was the host Local speaker at this year’s

Safety Conference.

DELEG

A

DELEGATE

S from Local 1-217, Vancouver. ©

be

Ys AS LOCAL 1-417 Safety Director, Jack Kerssens, registering the
ee : , pars delegates at the Regional Safety Conference. Clearly iden.

: Pe 2 tified in the picture are Larry Walt of Local 1-80 and Bij)
DELEGATES from Local 1-71; Local 1-423; Local 1-405; Local 1-184. Benson, President of Local 1-324.