THtr S@UJTHLAND

By WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president

f TPPERMOST in the minds of many " businessmen today is, "How are we going to cope with another federal law?" Yet another one we have in the form of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, effective April 28.

This law will have substantial impact since virtually all business will be affected by its provisions. The law authorizes the federal government to set and enforce mandatory safety and health standards covering every private employer engaged in a business affecting interstate commeree.

Effective date of compliance with the standards is August 27. Since the lumber and wood products industry has one of the worst injury frequency rates, -it will be coneentrated on by the OSHA staff.

The law provides for citations to be issued for violations of federal safety standards; penalties up to $10,000 plus possible imprisonment can be assessed; operations where imminent danger exists can be closed; employees have the right to request inspections where they think a danger exists; employers must furnish a place of employment free from recognized hazards.

Employers will be required to record and report to the U. S. Department of Labor all disabling, serious or significant employee injuries.

Relatively little is known about the actual reporting under the act, or its other pertinent features.

During June the Department of Labor mailed packets of instructions to over 4 million employers. At the same time, the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association conducted a special seminar for all managing officers of the federated associations of NLBMDA, acquaint-

SGtrNtr

By FRANK DAVIS executive vice president

A RIZONA dealers were recently '^ mailed impending regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

One of the most important parts of the act is recordkeeping. Every employer must maintain:

(1) a log of occupational injuries and illnesses.

(2) a supplemental record which goes into more detail.

(3) must make an annual summary of occupational injuries and illnesses.

Dealers should not treat this material lightly. Individual employers who fail to comply with the record keeping or posting requirements may be subject to a $10,000 fine and six months in jail!

The lumber and wood products industry is considered one of the most hazardous and one of the five "target industries."

The OSHA staff has urged each industry group to work together to develop comprehensive efforts which are tailor-made to special problems of each industry to: ing them with the law and all the provisions thereof,

During this month and early August the Lumber Association of Southern California is conducting area meetings for all lumber and building material dealers, to assist them in understanding and eomplying with the state. Assisting in these meetings is a safety engineer from the association's workmen's compensation carrier as well as Department of Labor personnel.

It may look bleak for the buginessman, but at this moment there is consolation to be found in doing business in California since it is one of the states with strict Workmen's Compensation laws and therefore least affected by the Occupational Safety. and Health Act. There are still police pov/ers as a part of the law which will be new, and other parts as well. But overall, California businessmen will face less radical operational changes than those in some other states.

Look to the association for the assistance you will need in implement- ing the provisions of this new law. With its help the new law can be complied with relatively painlessly and with little additional effort on your part over what is now required for your Workmen's Compensation.

(1) Minimize exposure to specific hazards common in the industry.

(2) Design training prograrns for employers to familiarize them with record keeping requirements, standards and inspection procedures under OSHA.

(3) Train employers and employees to be aware of how to avoid occupa- tional injuries and illnesses, and to appreciate the human and economic costs of injuries and illnesses.

Your association will be conducting area meetings to familiarize you and your employees with the act and the requirements.

Our association's 60th Anniversary Convention was one of the greatest in our history .as indicated by the record attendance and response to the business and social events. A full rundown appears in another section of The Merchant, see p. 6.