" B.C. LUMBER WORKER

To learn to swim.

To put on a life jacket.

To learn to take his clothes off in water.

‘To find out what others ‘can do to help him.

To plan how to reach a place of safety.

SAFETY COMMITTEE of Fraser Mills who are charged with the responsibility of promoting safety among the 1500 employees of the

Plant. Group are, from left, Russ Granger, Doug Thompson, Bill Noon,

Howard Kennedy, Bob Bogle, Gorden Lumb (Secretary), Reg.

Davis (Chairman), Fred Seabrook, Arn Engebretson, George McPherson, Nick Chepsiuk, Bill Lieper (guest). Missing from picture are

Glen Lafavor and Mike Butler.

FRASER MILLS COMMITTEE DEVELOPS BETTER PLAN

A vastly reduced accident frequency rate has resulted at the Canadian Western Lumber Company’s Fraser Mills operation through a plan devised last year which increased the scope and size of the safety committees.

The plan was devised to prom- ote keener interest by a greater number of people in safety. To do this, it was decided to break down the plant into four sections, with each section having its own safety committee.

The four sections included saw- mill, finishing and shipping, ply- wood and service departments. The committees of these depart- ments were comprised of IWA and management representatives. Over these sections was the main plant committee.

Five Meetings

These committees, as well as the plant committee, hold meet- ings once a month so that five meetings a month are now held instead of one meeting as was done formerly.

All minutes of these meetings are posted throughout the various departments by the safety com- mittee members and care is taken to invite everybody not on the committee to attend the meetings and see for themselves what steps are taken to safeguard their lives and limbs.

Every effort is made to keep safety before the eyes of every- one in the plant. When an em- ployee is injured, the company Safty Director, Bert Mapson, who has provided himself with a spec- ial hard hat for such an occasion,

which is painted black, puts it on

and goes forth to answer ques- tions of how and where the acci- dent occurred.

Through this stimulated safety interest, the plant which employs 1,500 has had up to the end of September, only 28 accidents, as compared to 188 lost time in- juries in 1948, and 70 in 1955.

Award of Merit

The boom and power depart- ments are at present awaiting awards of merit from the B.C. Safety Council for the amount of man hours they have worked without a compensable accident.

The following is a break down of the type of injury which re- sulted from these 28 accidents suffered by the employees of Ca- nadian Western:

Back injuries Foot injuries Hernias Fingers Knee injuries . Strains

Shin injuries Infection Head injuries . Slivers Wrist . Ankle injury

The following are accident~ days as worked by each depart- ment:

Brrr re wo AT

Boom ae 639 Remanufacturing 182 Shipping 210

Dock and Rail Skid: Construction and Maintenance ..... Wood, Fuel and Chips... Shops .... odes Operating Millwrights

600

19 28 108 321

Power .... Plant Maintenance Yard .

Dry Kilns Sawmill

Lower Chains Planing Mill . 146 Shingle Mill .. 308 Plywood 8

These figures are up to and in- cluding Oct. 8rd, 1956.

It is interesting to note that the power department had a pre- vious record of 1,377 days with- out an accident. The yard had a record of 1,226 days.

194 191 249 34 154 28

CAN YOU SWIM?

Strange as it may seem, many seamen in the days of sailing ships and even up to the present day, could not swim. They had opportunity to learn but they said that if they fell overboard they preferred a quick death by drown- ing to a lingering death floating in the ocean wastes. In bad weather it was virtually impossible to stop a sailing ship and pick up a man overboard.

On the lakes, rivers and Coastal waters of our Province many workmen are engaged daily -in on and over water: That many of these workmen are inadequate swimmers is attested by the num- ber of drownings in B.C. industry each year.

Too often the reports show that many have drowned almost within reach of support.

Help At Hand

The regulations and directives of the Compensation Board make careful provision for precautions against this type of fatality. In most cases when a man hits the water help is at hand in the form of pick-up boat or life rings and casting lines for the use of fel- low workmen. 3

Even when a workman is iso- lated he should be wearing buoy- ancy equipment which will bear him up until he can reach a wharf, boom, a boat or the shore. Careful investigation is going for- ward by the Board, Industry, and by individuals to devise the best

and most practical means of sus- taining a man in the water even if he is unconscious.

Workmen Safeguards

All of these efforts are safe- guards against the emergencies that may arise. They do not re- move the need for workmen to be able to swim and to float and to propel themselves even though hampered by work clothing. Any- one can learn to swim if they will take time to learn.

Every workman as a matter of course should take precautions against falling in the water and every workman should know what to do if this care is not enough.

When accident plunges a man into the water it may be too late to learn to swim and to decid what should be done. :

It is not likely that a swimmer will drown with support at his fingertips.

If you cannot swim, get home coaching, it is a healthy sport, it may save your life.

pome push lumber with their tummy, usted tummy isn't funny.