Accident Prevention Program Shows lmpressive Results

Bv M. l. Gershenson, Chief Division of Labor Statistics and Research California Department of Industrial Relations

The annual statistical report for 1951 of the California Lumbermen's Accident Prevention Association, prepared by Derby Bendorf of The Pacific Lumber Company, provides impressive evidence of progress during the past three years in the reduction of the rate of industrial injuries among member companies of the Association.

The report is particularly useful in affording a comparison of the experience of those companies which have been in the program of the California Lumbermen's Accident Prevention Association for three years with those which have participated only in the last year.

The report indicates, by code nurnber, 25 companies for which accident records are given for the three years 1949, 1950, and 1951 and 25 companies for which records are available only for the year 1951.

The 25 companies frrr which figures are presented for three vears reported an impressive downward trend in the average frequency rate as foll,rws:

Lost-time injuries, per million m3n-hsu1s-1949, 65.4; 1950, 64.0: 1951. 50.8.

The rate for 1951 is 22 per cent below that for 1949.

These 25 companies experienced 1,323 lost-time injuries in 1951 with an exposure of 26,048,N0 manhours. If the same frequency rate had prevailed in 1951 as in 1949, these companies would have had more than 1,700 disabling injuries. The irr-rproved record, therefore, represents a reduction of nearly 400 lost-time injuries.

The 25 companies listed in the report with accident records ior only the year 1951 experienced 875 lost-time injuries with ari exposure of 72,043,000 manhours, representing an average frequency rate of 72.7.

This rate is 43 per cent greater than the average frequency rate of 50.8 in 1951 for the 25 companies which have maintained detailed accident records for the past three years. The cr-rmbined rate for the 50 companies was 57.7 in 1951.

The California Lumbermen's Accident Prevention Association is to be congratulated on the fine record of achievement an-Iong its member companies. The great value of a concerted and continuing program of accident prevention is dramaticallv 1rr-rrtrayed in the 1951 report of the Association. t-

California Lumbermenfs Accident Prevention Association Organized in lgzg

In the year 1923 a group representing the lumber industry met in the offices of the California Industrial Accident Cornmission, now known as the Division of Industrial Safety, ancl organized the California Lumbermen's Accident preventiorr Association. This organization dedicated itself to the task of reducing industrial accidents in the forest products industries in the State of California. Ry forest products industries is meant those companies and individuals concerned with the production, transportation and rnanufacture or remanufacture of lumber or lumber products and the distribution of the sarire to the ultimate consumer.

Since the inception of the Association meetings have been held annually in various parts of the State. At these meetings members compare accident experiences, discuss causes and remedies and attempt to maintain a cooperative and mutuall1, helpful contact with the Division of Tndustrial Safety and its compliance agencies.

Splendid cooperation has been given the organization by the Division of Industrial Safety. The close association which is fostered has resulted in the members of the California Lumbermen's Accident Prevention Association being more fully informed concerning contemplated action by the Division of Industrial Safety which might seriously and unwarrantably affect the industry.

The purposes for which the Association is formed are: To encourage a greater interest tl-rroughout the State of California in the prevention of industrial accidents in branches of the lumber and 'n'oodu'orking industries, and to that end to collect and disseminate i'nformation concerning, among other things, the number and types of such accidents, the causes' thereof, and safety devices and procedures, and to co-operate with all governmental agencies, the functions of which either in whole or in part are related to sucl-r accidents.

The Association is a clearing house for accident prevention education and new ideas and methods that may be of benefit to its members in their efforts to reduce tl-re accident toll in the industry. Member companies are kept fully advised of all Association activities and are free to consult with the Association regarding acciclent prevention problems.

The Association is a non-profit corporation. Its offices are at 1610 Harrison Street, Oakland 12, Calif. The telephone number is Hlgate 4-6076. D. N. Edwards is secretary.