331 Vn3GZb no. 9 7 YOU SUPERVISORS KNOW SAFETY SPEEDS PRODUCTION 3 0112101575014 YOU MAY find this pamphlet useful for handy reference. Keep it where you can reread the different sections from time to time when various problems arise. Test the material in your daily work and watch the results in terms of greater production. WITHDRAWN University of Illinois 'Library at Urbana-Champaign Bulletin No. 97 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Maurice J. Tobin, Secretary Bureau of Labor Standards William L. Connolly, Pkqctor 1948 - b6tch looks to you— REMEMBER when Butch came to work on that new machine? The time you had with him! Good worker, but he forgot what you told him to do when the machine stalled. Took the guard off the gears, wouldn't cleaii up scrap, horsed around and so on. But he learned — ■ you taught him. One of your best men on the plant safety committee now, isn't he? Today he looks to you! You know your job better than anyone else — to make your depart- ment produce. Without your department, your company could not produce materials which may be vitally needed by your country to meet domestic, foreign, and military needs. Each year the workers in your plant put in thousands — maybe millions — of hours of productive time. But our country each year loses many more hours of productive time through industrial disease and accidents than can be made up in your plant. Accidents are unintentional sabotage. You can start after this enemy of production in your own department. You are the leader in your department. You can see that your workers have a safe place to work and work safely. You can show management the practical results of safety. It's your job to call atten- tion to needed safety measures because you know the safety problems in your department better than management. You are the leader in accident prevention for your department because you are in charge there, on the spot, in closest contact with your workers. For the same reasons you are responsible for the accidents which occur in your department. For each accident you should feel respon- sible for the injury to the man and for the loss of income to his family; the loss and delay of materials for your company; for the Nation's needs. You can play an important part in this production if you foresee and prevent accidents. Experienced supervisors have learned certain standards for guiding workers, checking on working conditions, and when an accident does happen, measures to prevent further injury and loss. These standards become part of their everyday work. How does your work measure up to these standards? GUIDING WORKERS ARE YOU A GOOD BOSS? If your word is going to count, on safety or any other matter, you've got to be a good boss. Here is a picture of the good supervisor, drawn from many men. The experienced supervisor knows his job from A to Z. He knows and understands his workers and is friendly to every one of them. He is fair, appreciative, considerate. He gives detailed instructions clearly. He is a leader, not a driver, and he controls his temper. He is consistent, keeps his mind open, and keeps his promises. He gives every single grievance, real or imaginary, his careful atten- tion and gets rid of irritations before they give rise to complaints. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO INSTRUCT? The experienced supervisor teaches safety as part of any job. He knows that to get a job done right (and a job must be done safely to be done right) he must make his instructions clearly understood. Teach- ing, he knows, is an art, and here is how he does it. He tells the worker how to do the job. But telling alone is not teaching. He shows the worker how. He uses illustrations, perhaps on a blackboard or in some printed matter. Then he demonstrates how the job is done by doing it himself. He has the worker himself do the job. And he checks him at his work, supervising him closely until the man has it — until he knows only one way to do his work — the right way. He sees that experience in doing the job in the right, the safe way, teaches the worker. The experienced supervisor makes these steps a fixed habit in in- structing his workers. He takes these steps in order, slowly, and patiently. He puts himself in the place of the new worker, realizing that what seems easy to him is very difficult to the green hand. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO TEACH? The new man has to learn many things besides how to do his job well and do it safely. He will want to know his rate of pay (where, when, and how he gets it), his working hours, his chance for promo- tion, the location of the lunchroom and washroom, methods of adjust- ing grievances, and the answers to many other questions. The sooner he knows these answers, the more quickly will he become a well- adjusted, safe, and competent worker, and a satisfied employee. Many supervisors keep a check list of points to tell new workers. Every such check list should include the following pointers on safety. Special hazards of the job and safe practices. Accidents that have happened in the department or on particular jobs in the department. Nature and location of safety equipment. Methods of reporting injuries, with emphasis on the importance of securing immediate and follow-up treatment for all injuries, no matter how slight. Nature and location of medical service available. Safety rules and enforcement policies. Toolroom procedure and method. Giving the new worker this information is not enough. The experi- enced supervisor reinforces his instructions with day-to-day emphasis and guidance. For example, he sees that the man who "just scratched his hand" reports his injury, gets it bandaged, and returns for treat- ment until the cut has healed. He never misses a chance to promote safe work habits — to see that workers make full use of protective equipment. No supervisor should neglect promoting safety. Many find that they must repeat their instructions to secure the desired quantity and quality of production. In the same way, they should repeat safety instructions, also essential to production. WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN WORKER? Don't think this pamphlet doesn't include the woman worker. Everything that has been or will be said here applies to women as well as men. Many plants have found that women, given the right job training, maintain a better safety record than men. Remember that mechanical processes are probably newer to women. When they are new workers they need the careful step-by-step instruc- tion already outlined. If you have made the job safe for a man, you need consider only a few special points to make it safe also for a woman. You may need to make a few arrangements to fit the job to the woman's physique. Machinery and seating facilities must be adjusted to her stature. Mechanical assistance or help from men must be pro- vided to meet her physical limitations in lifting. 1 Women who suffer from fatigue and undernourishment (many more women than men do) are likely to be more quickly and seriously affected by industrial hazards, especially industrial poisons. Women, like men, need proper work clothing. Be sure that women wear low-heeled, sturdy shoes, keep their hair covered, and do not wear jewelry. Many women have to carry home responsibilities along with their jobs. The worker — man or woman — who is worried or overtaxed is not a safe worker. It requires a lot of tact to find out how heavy a load of responsibilities a woman has to carry, but these problems have a direct bearing on the quality, quantity, and safety of her work. The experienced supervisor sees that the woman who is overtaxed gets some help through the plant welfare or personnel department. Management will welcome suggestions for helping women adjust to factory work. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES EACH PERSON CLICK? The experienced supervisor gets to know what makes people click, learns what it is that makes the worker more likely to get hurt. He studies the requirements of the jobs that he supervises and the aptitudes of his workers. Then he makes sure that no person is a misfit in the job he has to do. In every shop there are people who for one reason or another seem to be more prone to accidents. The competent supervisor finds out why a person doesn't learn what he's told. Perhaps he doesn't use his grey matter like the other fellows, and needs a slower, more practical method of teaching. Perhaps for some reason or other he hasn't any respect for his supervisor. Maybe he has a grievance that has gone unsettled for a long time. Perhaps he is afraid of his boss, feels inse- cure in his job, or has worries outside of his job. The supervisor has to put him at ease, see that his work is suited to his abilities, and that the instruction is put in terms that he can understand. Any per- 1 See page 1 2. son has to be well adjusted in his job before he is a thoroughly safe worker — as these stories show: Bill liked to show off. One day he'd appear in a slick new jacket. If you told him that it might get caught in his machine unless he wore his overalls over it, he'd laugh at you. He thought it was smart to run his machine without its guard, and at lunch he'd pull any stunt for a laugh. He liked to put on a strong man act, and the buddy he worked with never knew what kind of practical joke to expect next. His fore- man knew he was a man with imagination who wanted attention, and so gave him the needed attention and a chance to use his imagination. He made him chairman of the safety committee. Before long Bill was telling the fellows how he beat them all at working safely, and made a number of good suggestions on safe practices for the shop. "A queer nut" — that was what the boys in the shop called Hank. He was always daydreaming. He'd hold up the work of the whole crew because just when they needed him he'd be looking out the win- dow. His foreman found that the job Hank was doing didn't demand half of his abilities, and that he was disturbed by hospital bills for his family. When the supervisor tactfully helped Hank get a loan and put him on a job that used his skills, Hank was one of the best workers in the department. ARE YOUR WORKERS BEHIND YOU IN YOUR SAFETY EFFORTS? A supervisor is a production man. Safety is part of his production job. And so he has to be a salesman, too. The experienced super- visor will tell you that he has a good product in safety, and he knows his product thoroughly. By understanding the workers' point of view, he gets them to appreciate the value of safety. Then he signs them on the dotted line— gets them committed to safe work practices. How does he make his sale? There are many ways of arousing and maintaining interest in safety, and all of them center around the tech- nique of making every person active in the safety campaign. The safety committee is one effective way of drawing employees into safety work. It assists the supervisor but does not take away any of his responsibility. It can work out safe practices and recommend them to management. It can make periodic inspections to correct unsafe con- ditions and practices. It can make investigations of accidents or near- accidents and recommend methods of preventing a recurrence. It will teach the committee members and, through a plan for changing mem- 792421°— 48 bership periodically, teach the entire department the importance of safety. In organized plants active union participation in the selection of worker committee members and in the functioning of the committee has proved effective. Safety meetings will also promote interest. A program should be prepared and, if possible, give everyone a chance to take part through discussion, short speeches, or by joining in demonstrations. The leader should make them short, snappy, and to the point. Start on time and end on time. You can encourage the people in your department to take active part in these meetings. Workers given a chance to make suggestions on safety will feel that they are part of the campaign. Encourage the employees to give their ideas; they are the best source of good ideas. The supervisor encour- ages suggestions by taking all of them seriously, acting on them promptly, and, when a suggestion cannot be used, always explaining why. Above all, he gives credit where credit is due when a suggestion is adopted. The supervisor can well take pride in his own accomplish- ment in training and supervision when one of his workers receives recognition for a suggestion. Advertising pays, and that's true in safety, too. The posters in your plant are an effective high light in a safety campaign. So are bulletin boards carrying the safety message with the score of no-accident days, or films shown at safety meetings. But the worker who just looks at these devices will not be a safe worker any more than the man who just looks at football games or tennis matches will be an athlete. The worker has to ta\e part in safety activities to learn safety, just as the athlete has to play to learn the game. CHECKING ON WORKING CONDITIONS WHAT IS YOUR RECORD ON PLANT HOUSEKEEPING? When you were a boy your mother kept after you to put your things in order. Her only chance of success — and a slim one, at that — was to provide a place for your things, sell you on the idea of keeping them there, and set a good example of housekeeping herself. You liked that spic-and-span home even if you didn't like your part in housekeeping or think it was important. But you do know today that plant housekeeping is a big job and an important one. The ex- perienced supervisor sees that his workers know the value of good housekeeping and that they help to keep the workplace clean and orderly; he sells them on good housekeeping rules, and sets a good example himself. Cram all the accidents that happen from poor housekeeping into one picture and you have — Men tripping over loose objects on floors, stairs, and platforms. Hit by falling objects or by improperly piled or supported materials. Slipping on greasy, wet, or dirty floors. Running against poorly piled or placed materials. Piercing their feet or hands on projecting nails. And the climax, a fire starting in the rubbish or oil-soaked clothes and spreading beyond control through flammable or readily combus- tible materials scattered about needlessly. But it's not funny when these accidents really happen, as they do without good plant housekeeping, and the responsibility for the man injured, the time lost, and the materials delayed is yours. The able supervisor prevents them by good plant housekeeping. Good housekeeping is cleanliness and order, with no unnecessary things about and necessary things in their proper places. The experi- enced supervisor sees that management provides the proper facilities and that workers make the right use of them. If he finds a puddle of oil on the floor he doesn't stop with cleaning it up; he finds out how it got there. Perhaps a drip pan or an improved method of oiling ma- chines would have prevented that pool of oil which resulted in a badly wrenched back. The experienced supervisor is constantly inspecting for danger spots, always watchful. If he finds that workers leave bottles and other refuse on the floor, he provides a good container where they can more easily dispose of such things. He knows that a grand clean-up once in a blue moon isn't enough; good housekeeping is an everyday job. What are some good housekeeping aids? A. Racks to hold a set of tools and parts needed at a given machine or station are often very helpful. B. Scrap and waste should be collected regularly, or, where possible, as they are produced. G. Aisles should be clearly marked and materials piled out of the aisles and in proper storage places. D. Materials should be piled so they can be handled safely, with con- sideration for the strength of the floor, the location, and the guarding of the pile. Flammable or explosive substances should be stored in 10 safety containers easily identified, and not more than a day's supply should be in use at a time. E. Machinery and equipment should be arranged to permit efficient production and reduce overcrowding. F. Work should be planned so that raw materials and finished products do not clutter up the working space and increase the hazard. Improper planning often results in slack periods of production, fol- lowed by times demanding increased speed of production. Under pressure of speed, some individuals attempt to produce beyond their ability to work safely. G. Cleanliness of machines and other equipment is particularly im- portant. Operation of dirty machines results in greater repair bills, inefficiency, and an increased amount of scrap. If you allow workers a reasonable amount of time — possibly 15 minutes — for cleaning their machines, it will reduce hazards and increase production. H. Splash guards and drip pans should be used to keep oil off the floor. I. Projecting nails should always be removed or clinched over safely, even in material that is to be burned, to prevent wounds which often result in infection. J. Electric light reflectors, bulbs, and windows should be kept clean, as lighting is of major importance to production and safety. Walls should be clean and painted. The pressure for increasing production results in a temptation to relax housekeeping, but a higher rate of production makes these rules even more important. More time will be lost through accidents and inefficiency by the disregard of housekeeping. A special housekeeping inspection or campaign is a help when done periodically. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SUPERVISE THE HANDLING OF MATERIALS? Would you take the chance of having any one of your workers laid up for from 10 to 20 weeks? That's how long the worker injured at weight lifting is usually kept off the job. 11 U. OF ILL LIB. Wherever lifting 2 is required, seek means to provide mechanical equipment or definitely limit manual lifting. Once the lifting equip- ment is provided, make sure that employees use it. Many lifting in- juries have occurred just because someone thought he could do the job more quickly by himself. Don't be fooled by such "short cuts," which may lead to a time loss of several weeks. The experienced supervisor knows that many injuries from lifting can be avoided by picking the right workers for the right jobs and see- ing that they lift in the right way — that they face the object with feet close to it, that they have a floor free from wet spots or loose objects, that they stand with feet about 8 to 12 inches apart, that they get down to the object by bending from the knees with back erect, that they lift by push- ing upward with their legs. Material handling involves other hazards besides the dangers of weight lifting. See that workers handling sharp-edged scrap or rough material wear hand pads or gloves. Where workers have to handle materials that are a health hazard, watch them for evidence of sus- ceptibility to such material. Such persons need special instructions, special equipment for handling, and protective clothing. The experienced supervisor is always on the lookout for hazards and for ways of eliminating them. 2 See U. S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards, Spec. Bull. No. 11, "Guide to the Prevention of Weight-lifting Injuries." 12 DO YOUR WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS IN GOOD CONDITION FOR THE JOB? The efficient supervisor sees that his workers have the right tools for the job and that they are in good condition. For example, he sees that the right wrench is available for the job, that the worker knows how to use it correctly, and that it is in good condition. He sees that tools are sharp, free from broken or splintered parts, with heads not mush- roomed, secure on handles. He makes sure that workers use safe means of storing and carrying sharp-edged or pointed tools. WHAT ABOUT YOUR MACHINERY AND ITS GUARDS? "I told you a month ago that we needed a guard for that machine," the foreman said angrily when his superintendent had him on the carpet for an accident. "Look in your files and you'll see my memo." But that memo didn't help the girl who'd lost two fingers; it didn't help to find another worker for her machine; and it didn't clear the record for the foreman. "When something like that slips by me, it's your job to follow through," the superintendent said. "You should keep after me until every one of your machines has the necessary guards." Responsibility for safe working conditions in any department is the supervisor's and his alone. It's up to him to see that his machines are safe and that his workers have the necessary protective equipment. SAFETY EQUIPMENT OKAY? WELL, DO YOUR WORKERS USE IT? "It's his fault. I told him how to do the job, but he thought he was smart — thought a short cut meant more money." You can't pass the buck that way. You know that you've got to follow through — whether it's a matter of guarding machines or seeing that your workers use the guards. You have a golden opportunity with the many new workers coming into your department to see that they learn to operate their machines safely by using the guards. A group of new workers were trained to operate woodworking machines with the guards in place. When placed on production they got the work out faster than some of the old 13 hands who claimed the guards were in the way. The supervisor in this department — a smart fellow — got these old timers to use their guards too, just to show that they knew their business. It's up to the supervisor to develop safety habits, and thus get production with safety. Sometimes, of course, a worker may be perfectly right about a guard interfering with production. Well, then, encourage him to devise an efficient guard which he will take pride in using. See that your workers are consulted before new guards are bought; many of them have good ideas, and in any case they'll be more willing to cooperate. It's the same story with protective clothing. Workers should be pro- vided with goggles, boots, aprons, gloves, or whatever protective equip- ment is needed, but the supervisor is the one to see that the people use them. He must be sure that workers wear snugly fitting clothes with no loose ends or jewelry to catch in moving parts. He's got to see that the woman worker wears low-heeled shoes and a cap that completely covers her hair. He's got to see that workers stop machines or other dangerous opera- tions while listening to instructions. He must teach them to turn off the power before cleaning, adjusting, or oiling a machine, and if the switch is remote from the machine, either to place a sign at the switch, "Man On Line," or to padlock the switch in an open position. He should teach them never to reach over moving cutters, rolls, or other dangerous machine parts, to stand out of direct line with rapidly mov- ing machines from which objects may fly, never to lean over a machine so that hair or clothing may be caught, to keep fingers away from moving machine parts. If you had been taught when a child to put on your hat as the first step in getting dressed, you probably would be still doing that today. Habit is one of the strongest factors in men's lives, and you've got to see that the workers in your department develop the habit of wording safely. WHERE'S THE END TO THIS TALK ON WORKING CONDITIONS? There isn't any end to it. All the working conditions in your de- partment and in your plant affect the safety and health of your workers and the efficiency of production. 14 Take lighting for example. Poor lighting results in hazards lurking in dark corners, usually unnoticed until they cause an accident or a fire. Poor lighting results in eyestrain and the many dangers of poor vision. Persons who must work in drafty or poorly heated rooms are going to lose time from colds, grippe, flu, etc. The same illnesses, which can be caused by any rapid change in temperature, strike workers in an overheated factory. Wherever possible a uniform temperature should prevail, and suitable locker rooms and bathing facilities should be pro- vided, especially for workers on dirty jobs. Good ventilation will promote good health. Fatigue helps to cause accidents, and many poor working conditions may result in fatigue. Seating equipment should be provided, and noises reduced. Rest periods, which reduce fatigue, increase produc- tion and cut down on accidents. Workers will be less likely to become sick if they have sanitary wash- rooms and a good, clean place to eat, away from their machines. You may feel that you have no control over many of these conditions. But the manager in the front office cannot know as well as you how all these various conditions affect your workers. You can be the first to notice signs of industrial disease and to recommend the services of a specialist in controlling it. Every suggestion you can make for better ways of doing things, for eliminating special hazards, for increasing production is going to raise your stock with management. AFTER AN ACCIDENT— WHAT? A fellow may know everything about sailing a boat, but you can bet he also knows how to swim, just in case. In the same way, the able supervisor knows how to handle the situation once an accident occurs. In the well-run plant someone is delegated to perform the first aid. First aid courses increase safety consciousness, and many supervisors and workers will want to take advantage of these courses now being offered free of charge by the Red Cross. When an accident occurs, the supervisor's job is to take charge of things and see that the injured im- mediately gets special care, that other workers in their excitement and well-meant interest do not interfere, to call the doctor and, if necessary, the ambulance. At the same time he knows how to quiet whatever excitement there may be in his department and get his people back to work as quickly as possible. He speaks a word here, a word there, gently breaks up a little gathering in the corner, and as quickly and quiedy as possible has things humming again. And when the worker is back on the job, his supervisor sees that he follows the doctor's orders, that he gets the follow-up treatment he needs. DO YOU LEARN A LESSON FROM AN ACCIDENT? Any supervisor knows that accidents must be investigated to get the information required under State law, perhaps for the insurance com- pany, perhaps for facts required in case of a legal dispute. But the experienced supervisor knows that every accident investiga- tion should also show how to prevent another such accident. He in- 16 vestigates each little detail fully to know what caused the accident. He finds out if it was a physical condition, or if it was an unsafe act on the part of someone. He makes his inspection prompdy, knowing that conditions may change quickly and details be forgotten. He checks the facts from every angle possible and gets every person's version of the story. He also knows that his investigation alone is not sufficient. A com- mittee of workers or a labor-management committee with a safety engineer not directly involved can bring to light many new facts. The supervisor talks with all the people responsible for investigation, and from their conclusions and his own learns how to prevent another such accident. Corrective action may involve repairs to equipment, reor- ganizing work, or giving a different kind of training. An accident — says the dictionary — is an unexpected or unforeseen event. According to that definition you probably have many acci- dents each day, although only a few of them result in injuries. For example, a wrench falls from a platform. It doesn't hit anyone, but how do you know that it won't next time? If you do your job right you're going to investigate that falling wrench just as if it had caused an injury. Find out who dropped it and why. Does he need a tool rack fixed to his platform? Is the rack he's using inconvenient? Train yourself to think of every unexpected event that happens in your department as something that might have caused an injury, and take steps to prevent its happening again. The difference between an un- expected event and an accident — sometimes a fatality — is often chance. DO YOU KNOW YOUR ACCIDENT STATISTICS? Your plant probably keeps accident records, and you can learn a lot from them. That's what they're for. The charts and graphs in the files aren't worth much unless they mean something to you. You may not lose any sleep over that fellow who fell off the ladder Monday. He was back on his job on Thursday and none the worse for wear. But over a month, or a year, what does lost time add up to? Look at the record — the figure of man-hours lost may surprise you. r 7 Of course you're proud when your department makes a good safety record, but don't kid yourself about that record. The man who sprains an ankle may be able to punch his time card and sit about in the plant so he won't "lose time." But what about his production record? He'll give you more production in the long run if you see that he gets rest and care until he's cured. And so will the other workers in your department — you can't fool them. Get an over-all view of accident causes. It may give you some ideas for attacking the problem in your department. Find out whether the accident rate has been increasing. Maybe you haven't been doing as good a job as you thought you had. Find out what group of workers have the most accidents. Maybe the new ones need more supervision, or perhaps there's been too much speed or recklessness among the older employees. Remember this story started with the statement on the productive time lost each year because of industrial accidents — 44,700,000 man- days last year. Over 2,000,000 American workers were injured, 17,000 killed and 91,000 disabled. How many of those accidents happened in your department? How many of them can you prevent this year? U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1948 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. 10 cents. 18