try with good results. It will always be necessary to keep the use of cyanogen chloride in the hands of experts. A plan for its use widely had not yet been developed.

Special attention is called in the report to the serious losses resulting from the infection of wounds, and employers are advised to give more attention to the establishment of medical services responsible to the industry.

Conditions in lumber camps.-The report of the Chief Sanitary Inspector, Mr. A. R. White, forms part of the report. This year the feature of this section is the examination which was carried out of conditions in the lumber camps with respect to the provision of medical aid. "During the year," he states, "while carrying out the regular duties among the forest products industries, we had, on occasion, come across many injured workmen lying in the bunk houses when they should apparently have been provided for in some hospital. In dealing with these cases it became necessary to discuss the reason for this apparent neglect with the company physician and with the management itself, and at times deal with direct complaints from injured men. On investigating these cases the whole field of accident prevention and of the mitigation of accident severity, with the accompanying terrific cost of paying for these accidents through compensation assessment, appeared to be involved. It seemed proper, therefore, having the machinery at their disposal, that we should undertake a study of this whole question as far as it is related to the general lumberman of Ontario, and to the pulp and paper industry. The similarity of these two institutions is such that any solution to the problems of one must necessarily rebound to the benefit and advantage of the other.

"A study of the woods operations of both industries brings out the somewhat startling fact that up until the winter of 1925 no work whatever had been undertaken among the 30,000 men who labour in the wood cutting camps throughout Northern Ontario and from which, during 1923, came the astonishing record of 3,421 men injured and 46 killed. Then add to this the record of our saw mills which is 1,590 men injured and 6 killed. We have then for the year a grand total covering the lumber camps of Ontario, with the saw mills in connection therewith, of 5,011 men injured and 52 killed, with a cost to the industries of upward of $1,000,000, or as has been estimated by the industries themselves an added cost of 50 cents to every 1,000 feet of lumber produced and 30 cents added to every cord of pulp wood cut."

The inspector notes a marked improvement, however, in the organization of accident prevention. "The lumbermen of Ontario," he says, "have already reorganized and augmented their accident field forces, and have actually started work."

In regard to bunk houses Mr. White points out that "there is still some difficulty in inducing the lumberjack to fully appreciate the good effort which is being made by the employer to supply good housing conditions. One often finds beds wantonly destroyed, cuspidors upset and ventilators plugged up. The education of the employee is now considered of paramount importance for the future and our next step, but just how this may be accomplished is difficult because of the transient nature of the employee. Hopes are entertained, however, that as wages improve and living conditions become more attractive, men may stay longer and may even return to the camps year after year and thus begin to take an interest in their surroundings and in themselves."

There are throughout Northern Ontario 150 companies with 424 camps which give employment to 21,916 men. In addition to these, there are also the following mills in the unorganized territory:

A group insurance policy in favour of 2,000 employees in the pulp and paper mills of the Price Brothers Company has been completed and issued by the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. The policy involves the sum of nearly three million dollars. It differs from most group policies in that it carries accident and sickness clauses in addition to the customary death and total disability benefits, even though such accident or sickness may be occasioned by circumstances outside the control of the company. The provisions of the policy apply to all employees in the pulp and paper mills operated by the company at River Bend, Jonquières and Kenogami, and to salaried employees who receive less than two thousand dollars a year. It is understood the present policy is preliminary to a scheme under which all employees of the company will receive the benefits of group insurance.

health and general output. An organization which fails to take account of these individual differences may enforce a uniform system on every one, but will not succeed in obtaining the best output from each worker."

In certain factories where an increased output was desired, experiments were made to ascertain the effect of modifying the length and frequency of rest periods. In the case of two women piece-workers on a stamping machine, their hourly output was increased from about 4,200 pieces when they arranged their own breaks to 4,767 when they took a five minutes rest each hour. In another factory, the daily output of nine pieceworkers was in

creased from 6,000 to 8,000 pieces by introducing a two-minute break every quarter of an hour, with some slight variations for different individuals. This rest period was introduced after a week's experiment, when various other breaks were tried without success. These examples are claimed to prove the extremely important effect of breaks on the worker's daily output and in conclusion, the writer states that "psychology and physiology, if applied to the study of industrial work, will provide other ways than that of speeding-up, which Taylor used so largely. These methods ensure not only an increase in output but at the same time a real saving in human energy."

Safety Methods of Hydro-Electric Power

Commission of Ontario

Mr. F. A. Gaby, D.Sc., chief engineer of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, in a recent address, described the activities of the Commission in the direction of accident prevention. Up to 1917, he said, the Commission carried out accident prevention work as an ordinary part of the duties of the various departments, but during 1916 investigations were carried out, and it was found that it would be an advantage to have this work carried out in an organized manner, and by a separate Accident Prevention Department.

One of the most important functions of this department is to carry out investigation and research in accident prevention, and very close contact is kept with the work of other public utilities on this continent. Such investigations are also carried on by public utilities in Great Britain, the United States, France, Belgium and Australia.

As one of the major hazards in electrical work is the danger of electrical shock, a most comprehensive and exact investigation into the question of resuscitation from electrical shock has been carried out during the last ten years. A complete investigation has been made of all information printed in English on the subject, as well as some in foreign languages; and, with the co-operation of the Medical Department of the University of Toronto, original research has been carried out on the subject of electrical shock and resuscitation.

Another function of the department is to keep an accurate record of all accidents that happen to employees of the Commission; these are classified, carefully analyzed and deductions made from them. Every accident at

all serious in its nature is thoroughly investigated, the foreman in charge of the work being required to make a very complete and analytical report in connection with the accident. A beneficial psychological result comes from the making of these reports, because, for one thing, the foreman has to advise as to what he considers to be the real cause of the accident and how such an occurrence can be prevented in the future.

Accidents which are chargeable to "Electrical Current" are low both in frequency and severity, being only 2.3 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively, although responsible for two of the three fatalities occurring during the past year. The accidents due to Slipping, Tripping, and Falling" are responsible for 10.1 per cent of all accidents and 25.7 per cent of all lost time. Those due to Handling Tools" cause 19.7 per cent of all accidents and 9.8 per cent of all lost time, while those accidents chargeable to "Handling Material" are responsible for 21.5 per cent of all the accidents and 12.8 per cent of all lost time, thus showing that a public utility in general has the same variety of accidents as one would ordinarily expect to find in any industry.

The Commission's method of carrying out accident prevention work is, in the main, advisory and not executive. Close contact is maintained with the engineering departments and, in general, an effort is made to inculcate a realization of the fact that a design which is not safe to install, operate, or maintain, is poor engineering and very poor economy. During construction work representatives of the Department go out into field and regular conferences are held with the superintendents and engineers, when discussion of accidents, hazards, and methods of prevention, takes place. These conferences have been very sue

cessful and have undoubtedly resulted in considerable reduction in time lost through accident. Many useful devices, plans and methods developed as a result of such gatherings, have become a regular matter of routine and are now hardly looked upon as a matter of accident prevention at all. After the project is complete, or has been partly completed, a careful survey and reports are made so as to ensure that no hazard has been overlooked. The major part of the Commission's accident prevention work has been connected with the Operating Department, and, since the members of this Department are, in general, on a more permanent basis of employment than those of the Construction Department, it is possible to carry out a plan that is cumulative in its effect. A representative of the Accident Prevention Department periodically visits each group of men in the Operating Department, when talks are given on safe methods and discussions of operating rules are held; the men are also trained and examined in the work of resuscitation from electrical shock. Thus a close contact is maintained with the men and the reduction of accidents and loss of time have been very satisfactory.

The Commission has taken the rates established by the Workmen's Compensation Board as a basis and has applied them to its own various conditions. A careful account has been kept of the costs of all accidents. During the years 1924 and 1925 these costs have for each year been lower than the amounts set up according to the Workmen's Compensation Board by approximately $91,000. The cost of carrying out the accident prevention work for each year has been $19,000. The Commission fully realizes that the rates set by the Workmen's Compensation Board are as low as they are because of accident prevention being carried out in those utilities in Schedule 1.

Though the financial results are satisfactory, a still more important phase is apparent, namely, the saving of human life and the reduction in the number of maimed. To be successful the work of accident prevention must be part of a general policy, but even then only will success be assured if the plans receive the hearty co-operation of the executive and of the employees generally. Civic "Safety Inspector" for Buildings in Vancouver

The city of Vancouver is appointing a new official who will be known as the Safety Inspector, to supervise scaffolding on building, sewer and other construction work in the city. Regulations to govern such work are to be published shortly. The civic building committee had the support of the Vancouver

Building Trades Council in deciding on this policy.

Mr. A. J. Bird, the city architect, reported to the committee that the inspectors of his department already inspect scaffolding during construction, but he pointed out that construction work in the strict sense has usually ceased when painters' scaffolds are erected and that the latter work is therefore not under his supervision. He further stated that "should the council deem it expedient to appoint a person to inspect platforms, moving or stationary, derricks, slings, etc., painters' scaffolds should come under his control. As such a man must have a wide and practical experience, he should be capable of suggesting or drafting a set of regulations, part to be embodied in a by-law and part as to method of procedure." Mr. Bird further suggests that the man be named a "Safety Inspector," be detached from any department and be directly responsible to the council. He could then co-operate with any of the departments if necessary and control anything lying within the scope of his regulations, be it cribbing to sewers, scaffolding on a building under erection, or work in the park. In this connection, I would recommend that any building over two storeys in height come within his circle of activities. "It would complete the protection," he states, "if he were supplied with appliances for testing tackle, ropes, chains, hooks, etc., and any interested party could ring up "Safety Inspector" whenever in need of his advice or authority. A junior could be appointed to answer and register 'phone calls and keep in touch with the inspector. Health and building inspectors, fire wardens and police officers could all report in, whenever in their opinion work was being done which endangered the workmen. By periodically keeping in touch with the office when on his rounds, the inspector could pick up any calls."

The June issue of the LABOUR GAZETTE (page 531) contained a note on the recent action of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council in regard to the protection of workmen on buildings. The British Columbia Executive of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada has on more than one occasion recommended the enactment of provincial legislation for the same purpose.

Ford Safety League

Mr. J. McKinnon, assistant manager of the Ford Safety League, addressed the assistant foremen of the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, at Windsor, Ontario, in September, his subject being the safety methods and accidents experience of the company. "Fortunately," he said, "serious accidents have been eliminated in the Ford factory, but the