Report of the Department of Lands and Forests ior fiscal year ending March 31, 1950 Page 100 



TRAINING 



Head Office Staff Course 



The Head Office staff course, which was instituted during the 1942-43 fiscal 

 year, was again given to members selected from both Field and Head Office staffs. In 

 all, 26 employees were enrolled for complete or partial courses under this scheme of 

 Training. 



This course may well be described as an orientation course, whereby employees, 

 who appear to be of administrative calibre or who have been promoted to administra- 

 tive posts and are considered likely to advance in the service of the Department, are 

 given instruction by means of lectures and practical application to the work of the 

 various Head Office Divisions, thereby acquainting them with all of the functions of 

 the Department. It also serves to answer, particularly for those employed in the Field, 

 the question — "Why does Head Office do it that way?" 



The Districts represented at these courses were Cochrane. Chapleau. Geraldton. 

 Kenora. Lake Erie, North Bay, Parry Sound, Quinte, Sault Ste. Marie and 

 Temiskaming 



Job Relations Training 



In July, 1949, Mr. John G. Birkett was appointed as Training Officer. Having 

 been employed in Staff and Safety Training in the Mining Industry for some time, 

 Mr. Birkett came to us with a good background of experience. He participated in 

 lectures given to the students at the Ranger School, and, in January, 1950. conducted 

 a Job Relations Training Course at the Ranger School with eight members of the 

 teaching and administrative staffs in attendance. All qualified and certificates were 

 issued to them accordingly. ]\Ir. Birkett's decision to return to industry shortly there- 

 after was regretted by all, as the Department lost, thereby, the services of an 

 exceptionally capable training officer. 



Accident Prevention, Health and Safety 



Continued rise in the number of Workmen's Compensation claims and the 

 accident rate within the Department is cause for considerable concern. Careful investi- 

 gation of all factors concerned show that, while the increase in the accident rate 

 appears to have been rapid, it cannot be regarded as an indication of undue careless- 

 ness in the organization. In the main, it is due to the acceleration of the Department's 

 programme in field activities. A large proportion of these accidents occur in combat- 

 ing forest fires. The rapid expansion in this and other services rendered by the 

 Department has involved the recruitment of a considerable number of new staff, and, 

 as the two major causes of compensatory accidents are "falls" and "axe cuts", it is 

 reasonable to conclude that as new staff become accustomed to negotiating rough 

 terrain over which many of our activities take them and to handling the implements 

 that they are required to use. the accident rate will be lowered considerably. 



Accident Prevention Training is directed towards the reduction of this un- 

 wanted condition. Eight Information Circulars dealing with this subject were issued 

 for the instruction of staff in accident prevention and safety measures. The subject 

 has been one for consideration at all departmental conferences and wherever groups 

 of departmental personnel have been gathered together for instruction. 



