LECTURE TOURS 



The Department kept in touch with the public through fish 

 and game associations, schools, church groups, service 

 clubs and youth organizations. Illustrated lectures were 

 given on all aspects of the Department's work. 



A total of 3,043 lectures was given to audiences totalling 

 203,644 during the past fiscal year. The totals included 

 776 lectures to 64,528 school children and 885 lectures 

 given by Ontario Forestry Association personnel to 23,337 

 persons. 



ACCIDENT CONTROL SECTION 



Continuing development of the safety program, aimed at 

 reduction in loss of life, personal injury and property dam- 

 age, is increasing the work load, and another additional 

 accident control officer has been added to field staff, bring- 

 ing the total to twelve including three regional supervisors. 



DRIVER TRAINING 



A comprehensive driver testing and training program, aimed 

 at increasing efficiency in motor fleet management, was in- 

 stituted early in 1970. Maintenance costs have been exces- 

 sive, but these should be reduced by 50 per cent at least 

 through the expected improvement in efficiency and safe 

 driving skills. The program will be inaugurated in Pembroke 

 Forest District on a trial basis for one year, commencing 

 April 1, 1970, and it is expected to be put into operation 

 throughout the Department on April 1, 1971. 



THE LOGGERS' SAFETY ACT 



Enforcement of this Act is mainly a case of safety education. 

 The large operators have excellent safety programs, gener- 

 ally speaking, but the smaller operators do not and cannot 

 afford such programs, and it is in this area that our assistance 

 is most needed. We do, however, participate in all logging 

 safety programs wherever possible. 



During the year, our officers made over 3,500 inspections 

 under the Act, giving advice on safety matters, and issuing 

 warnings and stop-work orders for serious infractions of the 

 Act and Regulations. 



There were 18 fatal accidents reported to us for the year 

 1969, an increase of four over the previous year. 



HUNTER SAFETY TRAINING 



Instruction has been upgraded and a new examination for 

 instructors put into force. All existing instructors, who 



wished to continue in the program, were retested. Qualified 

 instructors now total 1,208. Each instructor is required to 

 conduct at least one class each year to remain on the active 

 list, and must be re-examined every three years. 



The Hunter's Handbooks, recently produced, have proven 

 to be of considerable assistance to instructors and potential 

 hunters. During the year, 13,973 persons received training 

 in safe hunting. 



SAFETY IN PROVINCIAL PARKS 



Field officers of the Section make frequent inspections in 

 Provincial Parks, reporting hazardous or unsafe conditions 

 to the proper authority for immediate remedial action. 

 (The Section is not responsible for the beach patrol main- 

 tained in some parks.) 



During the months of July and August, the Department 

 sponsored a water-safety demonstration presented by the 

 Ontario Safety League in 35 Provincial Parks. Not only did 

 park visitors benefit from these demonstrations, but broad 

 coverage of the program was obtained through television 

 and radio broadcasts. 



WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION 



Department costs for the fiscal year 1969-70 totalled 

 $225,320.22, a decrease of $23,000 from the previous fiscal 

 year. The total cost is composed of $104,495.35 for pensions, 

 $17,179.84 for administrative costs, and $103,645.03 for 

 medical aid and compensation. 



Compensable claims numbered 754, a decrease of five 

 from the previous year. The average cost per claim was 

 $148.00, a decrease of $39.00. 



Fire control costs totalled $2,057.14 of which $1,288.29 

 went to actual fire fighting. Total cost decreased 58 per 

 cent from the previous year. 



Costs in the junior ranger program increased sharply and 

 totalled $18,319.17 of which junior rangers accounted for 

 $13,796.00 and senior staff $4,523.17, making a cost in- 

 crease of 80 per cent. 



There were no deaths in the fiscal year. Five new pen- 

 sions for permanent disability were estimated. 



The Injury Frequency Rate was 17.7, an increase of 0.3 over 

 the previous fiscal year. The rate is based on lost time in 

 relation to man-days worked. 



The Lands and Forests Safety Trophy was won by Kenora 

 Forest District with an injury frequency rate of 3.5. The 

 District had a total of 56,857 man-days worked and two lost- 

 time injuries. 



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