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. Home and Building Center Designs . Over 2000 SKU's in Warehouse

. Competitive hicing Full Service Trading Staff in Chicago & Portland

. Experienced & Professional Management Team Flexible Home Improvement Direct Mail . Commodity Inventory Available from Disrict & Reled Centen and Mill Direct . New & Innovuivc Retail Image hogram . Winter Lumber Ma*et Dedicated o Building Materials Memben

. Extn Payment Terms on Group and Individual Purchase . Conespondence Course for Retail Employee Training

For more information on how you can get connected o the power source, contact Gary Smith at l-800621-8147.

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Editorial

Don't klll your customers

In recent months we've had the unhappy duty to report on customers killed or injured in stores by falling lumber, panels and other building prod' ucts. These tragedies carry with them a message for everyone in the distribution segment of our business.

The rngatives for business resulting from these accidents constitute a multiple threat. It's amaling o oonsider that operations could become so sloppy tbat the very people whose presence we seek are injured or even killed during the simple act of shopping. But accidents that maim or kill can also srike employees up and down the disrib' ution chain. No phase of our business is exeupt.

Tbe publicity surrounding such accidents could well result in restrictive legislation at state and local levels. New laws and regulations could radically change tbe way we conduct our business and result in far higher costs of operation. Legislaors are dl troo eager to seize on isolated incidents to pass legislation whose sole thrust is the solons' desire for re-election. However false their claims, our industry would suffer and tbe public's interest wouldbepoorly served.

DAVID CUTLER publlsher

Just as furcreasing crime has caused shoppers o avoid certain areas and malls, so too could the public begin to fear for its safety in lumber yards and home @nters. The result could be a serious decline in customer raffic.

A spate of highly publicized accidents in rctail stores and wholesale warehouses could easily result in higber insurance costs for the firms operating them. Additionally, it could make it even morc difficult to attract and reain good employees. News of a faal aocident generally travels the grapevine at the speed of lighr

Inforrration on how to run a safe operation is available from associations, vendors, trade maga' zines, suppliers and other sources. There is no excuse for ovedoaded or under-engineered shelving, spilled liquids, loose nails, broken glass, blocked exits, sharp andjagged edges on shelving and all the rest

Custurers too must be taught and reminded of what is safe and what isn't. We can't assume they will lnow orbe prudent.

Lawsuits can kill a company as surely as accidents kill people. Cret serious about safety.