SAFETY PROVISIONS BEYER. 215 



tendents state that the early members of these committees are still 

 making suggestions, and they undoubtedly bring up many things 

 that otherwise they would not mention at all. 



The details of the committee organization are left largely to the 

 local managers, who adapt the scheme to local conditions and bring- 

 some of their own ideas into play. One superintendent makes out 

 the lists of workmen's committees for several months and posts them 

 in the mill so that the men will see them and know some time ahead 

 that they are to serve on the committee. He says that they like to 

 see their names used in this way, and " load up " in advance for the 

 time when they are to begin this service. At another plant it is cus- 

 tomary to have one member of the foremen's committee go about with 

 the workmen's committee, to explain and discuss any problems which 

 may come up. While there are these local variations in the different 

 plants, the plan and scope of the work are the same in all. Each 

 committee makes a written report of its inspection, the recommenda- 

 tions of which are numbered, and the numbers of any incomplete 

 item are all shown on a monthly statement until they have been car- 

 ried out as mentioned later. 



Our experience with these committees has been uniformly satis- 

 factory; benefits accrue both from the actual recommendations and 

 from the enlivened interest which the men are taking in safety 

 appliances. A master mechanic of one of the large plants said a few 

 days ago that he can notice a decided change in the attitude of the 

 men toward safety matters since these committees were established ; 

 that where he used to have difficulty in keeping any safeguards in 

 place, the men are now looking out for them and helping keep them 

 up. Some of the things they bring to light are such as might escape 

 an outside inspector in a dozen trips through the mill. For instance, 

 one of the workmen's committees recently called attention to a plat- 

 form which was so placed that when it rained the water deflected 

 back into the " mixer building," where melted iron is constantly being 

 handled. This water lying in pools on the floor would cause a serious 

 explosion if hot metal were spilled into it. Other items refer to gear 

 covers which have been taken off and not replaced; to steam which 

 forms in cold weather and obscures an open reservoir; to elevator 

 gates which have been tied up so as to make them ineffective; to 

 places which are poorly lighted at night, etc. 



MILL SAFETY INSPECTORS. 



There are certain classes of equipment that require thorough inspec- 

 tion at frequent intervals by men of special training, who can go 

 over them in greater detail than is possible for the mill committees. 

 In this class are electric traveling and locomotive cranes, engine stops, 



