Image 392 of Theo Brown Diaries, 1948

Brown, Theophilus

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Image 392 of Theo Brown Diaries, 1948

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Talk for Experimental Men Oct 13 by Theo Brown There seems to be a popular conception that farming is a hazardous occupation, and that most of the fatal accidents on the farm are caused by machinery. Let's look at the facts. The National Safety Council figures show that during 1947 in strictly farm opterations there were 52 fatal accidents per 100,000 workers. This does not include traffic or accidents in the home. During the same period ther were 17 fatal accidents per 100,000 workers in manufacturing operations. In the last 15 years the fatal accident rate in factories has been reduced 51% through an intensive safety cam- paign including both safety devices and education. Getting back to the 52 fatal accidents per 100,000 for farm operations, a breakdown shows that 25% were attributable to farm machinery, another 25% to falls, 20% to handling animals, the balance being from a wide variety of causes. While the percentage of fatal accidents due to machinery is lower than in this popular conception, it is much too high. As experimental engineers and designers we should all feel the challenge to do our part to bring this per- centage down by an honest endeavor to make our product as safe for the user as is possible while having in mind the fact that it still must function. This means that every new design should scrutinized from the safety angle and parts that seem dangerous be changed. At a previous experimental men's meet- ing this matter of designing for safety was brought out and at that time it was proposed and the idea approved that each factory should appoint one man in its organization to pass on the safety status of new imple- ments with both suggestions and crticism. I don't know to what extent this matter is being followed at present, but I urge each factory to make a renewed effort to make sure that every new design is thoroughly checked from the safety angle. We don't want to have laws passed telling us what we must do to con- form to safety. We must do what we can so this won't happen. Power farming naturally increases the possibility of accidents. This fact was realized some years (see Oct 4.)

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