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INJURIES AND ACCIDENT CAUSES m Bulletin No. 1174 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR J a m e s P . M itc h e ll, S e c r e ta r y BUREAU O F LA B O R STATISTICS Aryness Joy Wickens, Acting Commissioner Injuries and Accident Causes in WAREHOUSING OPERATIONS A d e ta ile d a n a l y s i s of in j u r ie s , i n j u r y r a t e s , a n d h a z a r d s f o r 1 950, b y t y p e of w a r e h o u s e , r e g i o n a n d o c c u p a t i o n B u lletin N o . 1 1 7 4 January 1955 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR James P. Mitchell, Secretary BUREAU OF LAB O R STATISTICS Aryness Joy Wickens, Acting Commissioner ‘For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 40 cents CONTENTS Page Abstract............................................................ iv The industry record......................... 1 Scope and method of survey.......................................... Injury rates..................................................... Injury-frequency rate......................................... Average time charge per injury................................ Injury-severity rate.......................................... Accident analysis................................................ Agency of injury.............................................. Accident type........... ..................................... Hazardous working condition................................... Agency of accident............................................ Unsafe act.................................................... 2 1+ 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 Warehousing operations and their hazards............................ 7 Factors in the injury record........................................ Comparison by type of warehouse.................. Regional and State comparisons................................... Refrigerated warehouses....................................... Merchandise warehouses........................................ Farm-products warehouses...................................... Household-goods warehouses.................................... Metropolitan area comparisons................................... * Occupational comparisons......................................... Operating occupations......................................... Materials-movement workers.................................... Miscellaneous occupations..................................... 10 10 12 12 12 13 13 13 lij. lli 15 15 Kinds of injuries experienced........................................ Fatalities and permanent-total disabilities...................... Permanent-partial disabilities................................... Temporary-total disabilities..................... 15 15 16 17 Accident analysis................................................... Agencies of injury............. Accident types................................................ 18 18 21 i Page Accident causes...................................................... Hazardous working conditions.................................. . Hazardous working procedures............................... Defects of agencies............................................ Inadequately guarded agencies.................................. Hazardous arrangement or placement............................. Miscellaneous.............. Unsafe acts....................................................... Unsafe handling................................................ Assuming unsafe positions or postures.......................... Unsafe loading or placing...................................... Miscellaneous unsafe acts..... ................ 22 21+ 21+ Accident-prevention suggestions...................................... Case descriptions and recommendations......................... 30 Appendix— Statistical tables......................................... 1+0 Table 1.— Work-injury rates for warehousemen, 1950, classified by type of warehouse and occupation........................ Table 2.— Work-injury frequency rates for warehousemen, 1950, clas sified by geographic region, State, and type of warehouse Table 3*— Work-injury rates for warehousemen, 1950, classified by metropolitan area....... ............................... Table 1+.— Work-injury frequency rates for warehousemen, 1950, clas sified by occupation and by type of warehouse........... Table 5«— Disabling work injuries to warehousemen of 27k warehouses, 1950, classified by nature of injury, part of body in jured, and type of warehouse............................ Table 6.— Disabling work injuries to warehousemen of 27k warehouses, 1950, classified by nature of injury, part of body in jured, and agency of injury............................. Table 7.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 27k warehouses, 1950* classified by activity, agency of injury, and accident type................................. Table 8.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 27k warehouses, 1950, classified by agency of injury, accident type, and type of warehouse............................................ Table 9.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 27l+ warehouses, 1950, classified by accident typeand agency of injury......... Table 10.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 216 warehouses, 1950, classified by hazardous working condition and agency of accident........... i i 2k 25 26 26 26 27 28 28 29 31 1+1 1+2 1+3 1+3 14+ 1+5 1+6 1+7 1+8 1+9 Page Table 11.— Work accidents to warehousemen, 1950, classified by haz ardous working condition, unsafe act, and type of warehouse Table 12.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 2i;5 warehouses, 1950, classified by unsafe act and accident type................ Table 15.— Work accidents to warehousemen of 2ij.5 warehouses, 1950, classified by unsafe act and activity..................... iii 50 51 52 ABSTRACT The incidence of work injuries in the warehousing end storage industry is generally high. In 1952 the injury-freouency rate for the entire indus try was 36.4. This was more than double the all-manufacturing average and was exceeded "by only 6 of the 49 nonmanufacturing averages available. In respect to injury severity, however, the industry’s record tended to be better than average. Detailed records for the year 1950 indicate that the highest incidence of injuries in the industry occurs in refrigerated warehouses, followed in descending order by merchandise warehouses, farm-products warehouses, and household-goods warehouses. Seventy-seven percent of the reported injuries were experienced by operating personnel who represented 59 percent of the total employment; 11 percent by materials-movement personnel who consti tuted 10 percent of the total employment; and 12 percent by the clerical and maintenance workers who accounted for 31 percent of the employment. The most common types of injury-producing accidents were those in which workmen (l) were struck by moving objects; (2) strained themselves while handling materials or equipment; (3) were caught in, on, or between moving objects; or (4) fell. The latter two groups produced the most severe injuries. Supervisory failures to properly plan and organize work procedures, and defective material and equipment were p'cominent in the list of accident causes. Unsafe materials-handling procedures and the practice of unnecesarily assuming an unsafe position or posture were the con tributing faults most commonly ascribed to the employees. Accident prevention suggestions, prepared by two experienced safety engineers for a. group of typical warehousing accidents, indicate that most accidents in the industry could be prevented through the application of very simple precautions. iv Injuries and Accident Causes in W arehousing O perations* THE INDUSTRY RECORD Hie incidence o f work in ju r ie s in the warehousing and storage industry has been c o n s is te n tly h igh . In 7 o f the 8 postwar years the injury-frequ'ency rate l / f o r the in du stry, as reported in the annual w ork -in ju ry summaries o f the Bureau o f Labor S t a t is t ic s , has been above 30. The one exception occurred in 1948 when the industry average dropped to 26.6 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s per m illio n employee-hours worked. In 1952, the la t e s t year f o r which f i n a l fig u re s are a v a ila b le , the average in ju ry -freq u en cy rate f o r the warehousing and storage industry was 3 6 .4 . 2 / This was more than double the all-m anufacturing industry average and was exceeded by on ly 7 o f the 162 separate manufacturing industry averages a v a ila b le f o r comparison. Among the nonmanufacturing in d u strie s, on ly 6 o f the 49 industry c la s s ific a t io n s covered by the Bureau o f Labor S t a t is t ic s had higher in ju ry -freq u en cy r a te s . Five o f these higher rates were f o r con stru ction a c t i v i t i e s ; the" other was f o r stevedoring o p era tion s. In terms o f in ju ry s e v e r ity , however, the record o f warehousing and storage industry i s g e n e ra lly somewhat b e tte r than that f o r most in d u strie s. The most favorable in ju r y -s e v e r it y comparison between warehousing end storage and other in d u strie s was found in the occurence o f perm anent-partial d i s a b i l i t i e s . In warehousing op era tion s, 1 .7 percent o f a l l d isa b lin g in ju r ie s in 1952 resu lted in some degree o f permanent impairment compared w ith 5 .4 p ercent fo r all-m anufacturin g. That r a t io (1 .7 p ercen t) was the median f o r the nonmanufacturing group o f in d u strie s but i t was w ell below the 5.9 percent r a tio in the comparable stevedoring industry. * This report was prepared in the Branch o f In d u stria l Hazards, Bureau o f Labor S t a t is t ic s , U. S. Department o f Labor, by Frank S. McElroy and George R. McCormack. l / See d e scrip tio n o f Scope and Method o f Survey, Page 2 , tion o f in ju ry -freq u en cy ra te . f o r d e fin i 2 / Work In ju rie s in the United States During 1952, Bureau o f Labor S t a t is t ic s B u lle tin No. 1164. (1 ) -2- Furthermore, in a broad comparison o f in ju r y se v e rity among in d u s trie s , the 1952 record showed an average time charge o f 50 days per case f o r a l l re ported in ju r ie s and 12 days per case f o r a l l tem porary-total d is a b i l i t i e s in warehousing and storage operations compared with corresponding averages o f 85 days and 17 days f o r all-m anufacturin g. The standard s e v e r ity r a te , 3 / representing the lo s s to the in d u stry , however, was 1 ,8 days per 1,000 em ployee-h ours worked in warehousing and storage and 1 ,3 f o r all-m anufacturin g. This apparent anomaly a r is e s from the method o f computing the standard sever i t y rate which r e f le c t s in ju ry frequency as w e ll as in ju ry s e v e r ity . S p e c if i c a l l y , the com paratively low average s e v e r ity o f in ju r ie s in warehousing and storage in 1952 i s overbalanced by the r e la t iv e ly high frequency o f in ju ry occu rren ce, thus re su ltin g in a d isp ro p o rtio n a te ly high standard sever i t y r a te . SCOPE AND METHOD OF SURVEY The warehousing and storage in d u stry , as defin ed f o r th is study, in clu d es a l l establishm ents which provide storage f a c i l i t i e s f o r h ir e . These estab lishments are g en era lly designated as '‘p u b lic warehouses." Storage and ware housing f a c i l i t i e s owned and operated by manufacturers, r e t a ile r s , or others f o r the accommodation o f t h e ir own products o r m a terials, commonly c a lle d "p riva te warehouses," have been excluded. In a d d ition to providin g storage f a c i l i t i e s , many p u b lic warehouses perform supplementary se rv ic e s on t h e ir prem ises, such as packing, c r a tin g , s o r tin g , or blending the commodities o f t h e ir custom ers. Many warehouses a ls o provide pickup and d e liv e r y s e rv ic e f o r the commodities moving in t o and out o f t h e ir p la n ts . Others, p a r tic u la r ly the household-goods warehouses, freq u en tly provide truck ing and hauling, or moving, se rv ice s f o r commodities which do not enter in to t h e ir storage o p e ra tio n s. A ll o f these operation s are recognized as in te g r a l t o the warehousing in d u stry although the extent to which they are performed v a rie s w idely among the various kinds o f ware houses and even among warehouses o f any s p e c if ic c l a s s i f i c a t i o n . General records o f warehousing op era tion s, such as the industrywide in ju r y ra te s , th e r e fo r e , in clu d e these supplementary operations wherever they are performed by warehousing establishm ents. For th is d e ta ile d study, however, the la ck o f u n iform ity in the outside moving, hauling, and d e liv e r y .se rv ice s precluded the p resen ta tion o f data re la tin g t o those operations in s ig n ific a n t c a t e g o r ie s . The study, there fo r e , has been r e s t r ic t e d to the experience o f in s id e warehousemen, that i s , t o a c t i v i t i e s performed at the warehouse. The experience o f highway tru ck d r iv e r s , t h e ir h e lp e rs, and o f other employees who perform the major por t io n o f t h e ir duties away from the warehouse has been excluded. For the same reason, the experience o f automotive mechanics employed by warehous in g establishm ents has been excluded. 3 / See d e s crip tio n o f Scope and Method o f Survey, Page 2 , f o r d e fin i t io n o f in ju r y -s e v e r it y r a te . -3 - This d e ta ile d study has two o b je c t iv e s . The f i r s t sterns from the fa c t that the in ju ry ra tes re g u la rly a v a ila b le f o r the warehousing and storage industry represent the composite experience o f the varied, operation s o f a l l types o f p u b lic warehouses. The wide d iffe re n ce s in the experience o f the d iffe r e n t kinds o f warehouses and the varying e f f e c t s which th e ir operation s have on the in ju ry t o t a ls are obscured in the industrywide fig u r e s . The f i r s t o b je c t iv e , th e re fo re , is to break down the broad in ju ry experience data in to s ig n ific a n t ca te g o rie s r e fle c t in g fu n c tio n a l, operatin g, and geographic d iffe r e n c e s w ithin the industry. These groupings help to in d ica te the kinds o f op eration s which are most produ ctive o f in ju r ie s and which should re ce iv e p a r tic u la r a tte n tio n in the planning and development o f s a fe ty programs w ith in the industry. The second o b je c t iv e i s to present inform ation as to how and why in jury-producing a ccid en ts have occurred in the industry. Such inform ation helps to id e n t ify the hazards and unsafe p r a c tic e s tfhich most commonly lead to a ccid en ts and thereby serves as a s p e c if ic guide to a ccid e n t-p re vention a c t i v i t i e s . Because d e ta ile d in ju ry data cannot be compiled u n til f in a l records are a v a ila b le , i t i s g e n e ra lly im possible to present extended analyses o f in ju ry experience u n t il lon g a f t e r the general data become a v a ila b le . The d e ta ile d data in th is re p o rt, th e re fo re , are f o r the year 1950, although general in ju ry -ra te data f o r 2 subsequent years are cu rren tly a v a ila b le . The under ly in g c h a r a c te r is tic s o f in ju ry experience change slow ly, however, and i t is nrobable that the re la tio n sh ip s among the various operations and the a ccid en t-ca u se patterns appearing in the 1950 record w il l be reasonably a p p lica b le f o r a number o f subsequent years. The in ju ry -ra te data were c o lle c t e d by mail on a voluntary rep ortin g b a s is . Sampling procedures taking in to account geographic d is tr ib u tio n , employment d is tr ib u tio n , and type o f warehousing were employed. TTsable rep orts were received from 2,695 p u b lic warehouses representing approxim ately 28 percent o f a l l warehouse establishm ents in the United S tates. These rep orts covered the 1950 in ju ry experience o f n ea rly 32,000 in sid e ware house employees. The rep ortin g group included 934 farm -products warehouses, 913 house hold-goods warehouses, 515 merchandise warehouses, and 304 re fr ig e r a te d and co ld -sto ra g e warehouses. The remaining 29 warehouses had se rv ice s so d iv er s if ie d that they could not a p p rop ria tely designate th e ir a c t i v i t i e s in any one c la s s ific a t io n or f a i l e d to in d ica te the type o f warehousing se rv ice rendered. - 4 - In a d d itio n to p rovid in g summary re p o rts, 274 cooperating warehouses made th e ir o r ig in a l a ccid en t records a v a ila b le f o r in sp e ctio n and a n a ly sis. A rep resen ta tive o f the Bureau o f la b o r S t a t is t ic s v is it e d each o f these warehouses and tran scribed from th e ir records the fo llo w in g data where a v a ila b le : (a ) p la ce where a ccid en t occu rred; (b ) occupation and age o f in ju red worker; ( c ) nature o f in ju ry and p art o f body in ju red ; (d) o b je c t or substance producing the in ju ry ; (e ) type o f a ccid e n t; ( f ) hazardous working con d itio n an d/or unsafe a ct lead in g to the a ccid e n t. This group o f establishm ents employed about 14,000 warehousemen. Their in ju ry -freq u en cy rate ( 5 1 .2 ) , was somewhat higher than the average f o r a l l warehousemen included in the survey but there was no in d ica tio n that th e ir hazards d iffe r e d g r e a tly from those o f other warehousemen. Most o f the v a ria tio n i s due to the exclu sion o f warehouses w ith zero frequency rates— i . e . , warehouses which had no in ju r ie s f o r a n a ly sis— from th is p art o f the studv. In divid u al case records were c o lle c t e d in th is p art o f the survey f o r 1,604 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s . These included 2 f a t a l i t i e s , 1 perm anent-total d is a b i l i t y , 57 perm anent-partial d i s a b i l i t i e s , and 1,544 tem porary-total d is a b ilitie s . In.lury Rates The in ju ry -ra te comparisons presented in th is rep ort are based printer i l y upon in ju ry -freq u en cy and s e v e rity ra tes compiled a ccord in g to the d e fin i tio n s and procedures s p e c ifie d in the American Standard Method o f Compiling In d u stria l In ju ry Bates, as approved by the American Standards A sso cia tio n in 1945. These standard rates have been supplemented by an a d d itio n a l measure o f in ju ry s e v e r ity designated as the average time charge p er dis a b lin g in ju ry . The d e fin it io n s 4 / o f the several d is a b ilit y c la s s if ic a t i o n s as applied in th is survey are as fo llo w s : (1 ) F a t a lit y .— A death r e s u ltin g from a work in ju ry i s c l a s s i f i e d as a work f a t a l i t y regard less o f the time intervening between in ju ry and death. (2 ) Permanent-Total D is a b ilit y .— An in ju ry oth er than death*which p e r manently and t o t a ll y in ca p a cita te s an employee from fo llo w in g any g a in fu l occu pation i s c l a s s i f i e d as perm anent-total d i s a b i l i t y . The lo s s , o r complete lo s s o f use, o f any o f the fo llo w in g in one a ccid en t i s considered permanentt o t a l d is a b ilit y : (a ) Both eyes; (b ) one eye and one hand, or arm, o r le g , o r f o o t ; ( c ) any two o f the fo llo w in g not on the same lim b: Band, arm, f o o t , o r le g . 4 / See American Standard Method o f Compiling In d u stria l In ju ry Bates, approved by the American Standards A sso cia tio n , October 11, 1945. 5 (3 ) Perm anent-Partial D is a b ilit y .— The complete lo s s in one accid en t o f any member o r p art o f a member o f the body, o r any permanent impairment o f fu n ction s o f the body o r part th ereof to any degree le s s than permanentt o t a l d is a b ilit y i s c la s s if ie d as perm anent-partial d is a b i l i t y , regard less o f any p re e x istin g d is a b ilit y o f the in ju red member o r impaired body func tio n . The fo llo w in g in ju r ie s are not c la s s if ie d as perm anent-partial d is a b i l i t i e s , but are c l a s s i f i e d as tem porary-total, tem porary-partial d is a b i l i t i e s , o r medical .treatment ca ses, depending upon the degree o f d is a b i l i t y during the h ealin g p e rio d : (a ) hernia, i f i t can be rep a ired ; (b ) lo s s o f fin g e r n a ils o r to e n a ils; ( c ) lo s s o f teeth ; (d ) disfigurem ent; (e ) stra in s or sprains not causing permanent lim it a tio n o f motion; ( f ) fra ctu re s healing com pletely without d eform ities o r displacem ents. (4 ) Temporary-Total D is a b ilit y .— Any in ju ry not re su ltin g in death or permanent-impairment is c la s s if ie d as a tem porary-total d i s a b i l i t y i f the injured, person, because o f h is in ju ry , i s unable to perform a re g u la rly esta b lish ed jo b , open and a v a ila b le to him, during the e n tire time in te rv a l corresponding to the hours o f h is regular s h if t on any one or more days (in clu d in g Sundays, days o f f , o r p lan t shutdowns) subsequent to the date o f in ju ry . Injury-Frequency B ate.— Bie in ju ry -freq u en cy ra te represents the average number o f d isa b lin g work in ju r ie s occu rrin g in each m illio n employee-hours worked. I t i s computed according to the fo llo w in g formula: Frequency rate » Humber o f d isa b lin g in ju r ie s x 1,000,000 Number o f employee-hours worked Average Time Charge tier In ju ry . — The r e la t iv e s e v e r ity o f a temporary in ju r y i s measured by the number o f calendar days during which the in ju red person i s unable to work a t any re g u la rly esta b lish ed jo b open and a v a ila b le to him, excluding the day o f in ju ry and the day on which he returns to work. The r e la t iv e s e v e r ity o f death and permanent impairment aases i s determined by referen ce to a table o f economic time charges included in the American Standard Method o f Compiling In d u stria l In ju ry Hates. These time charges, based upon an average w o r k in g -life expectancy o f 20 years f o r the e n tire working p opu lation , represent the average percentage o f working a b i l i t y l o s t as the re su lt o f s p e c ifie d impairments, expressed in unproductive days. The average time charge p er d isa b lin g in ju ry i s computed by adding the days l o s t f o r each temporary in ju ry and the days charged according to the stand ard ta b le f o r each death and permanent impairment and d iv id in g the t o t a l by the number o f d isa b lin g in ju r ie s . In ju ry -S e v e rity B ate.— The in ju r y -s e v e r it y ra te weights each d isa b lin g in ju ry w ith i t s corresponding time lo s s or time charge and expresses the aggregate in terms o f the average number o f days l o s t o r charged p er 1,000 employee-hours worked. I t i s computed according to the fo llo w in g formula: S e v e r ity r a te T o t a l days l o s t o r c h a rg e d x 1 ,0 0 0 Numbed o f em p lo y e e-K 6 U l*t VbW ted - 6 - Accident A nalysis The a ccid en t-cau se an a lysis procedure used in th is study d i f f e r s in some resp ects from the procedures s p e c ifie d in the American Standard Method o f Compiling In d u stria l A ccident Causes. The d eviation s from the Standard include the in trod u ction o f an a d d itio n a l an a lysis f a c t o r , termed the "agency o f injury" and m o d ifica tio n o f the standard d e fin it io n s o f some o f the other fa c t o r s . These changes permit more accurate cross c la s s i f i c a t i o n s . Agency o f In ju ry . — The standard c la s s if ic a t i o n provides f o r the s e le c tio n o f hut one "agency" in the a n a ly sis o f each a ccid e n t. By d e f in it io n , th is agency may he e ith e r (a) the o b je c t or substance which was unsafe and thereby contribu ted to the occurrence o f the a ccid e n t, o r (b ) in the absence o f such an o b je c t or substance, the o b je c t or substance most c lo s e ly re la te d to the in ju ry . Tinder th is d e fin it io n , th e re fo re , a tabu lation o f "agen cies" f o r a group o f a ccid en ts includes o b je c t s o r substances which may have been in h eren tly sa fe and un related to the occurrence o f the a ccid e n ts, as w ell as those which le d to the occurrence o f the a ccid en ts because o f th e ir con d itio n , lo c a t io n , stru ctu re, or method o f u se. The development o f the c la s s if ic a t i o n "agency o f injury" represents an attempt to separate and c l a s s i f y sep arately these two agency concepts. As used in th is study, the "agency o f in ju ry" i s the o b je c t , substance, or b o d ily rea ction which a c tu a lly produced the in ju ry , s e le c te d w ithout re gard to i t s s a fe ty c h a r a c te r is tic s o r i t s in flu en ce upon the chain o f events co n s titu tin g the a ccid e n t. A ccident Type.— As used in th is study, the a ccid e n t-ty p e c l a s s i f i c a tio n assigned to each accid en t i s p u rely d e s crip tiv e o f the occurrence re su ltin g in an in ju ry , and is re la te d s n e c if ic a liy to the agency o f in ju ry . I t in d ica te s how the in ju red person came in to con ta ct w ith o r was a ffe c t e d by the p re v io u sly s e le c te d agency o f in ju ry , as f o r example, by " s t r ik in g against" the named agency o f in ju ry . The d e fin it io n represents a change from the standard procedure in two re sp e cts: F ir s t , the a ccid e n t-ty p e c la s s if ic a t i o n i s s p e c i f i c a l l y re la te d to the p re v io u sly se le c te d agency o f in ju ry ; second, the sequence o f s e le c tin g th is fa c t o r i s s p e c ifie d . Hazardous Working C ondition.— Under the standard d e fin it io n , the hazard ous working con d ition in d ica ted in the a n a ly sis i s defined as the "unsafe mechanical or p h y sica l con d ition o f the s e le c te d agency which could have been guarded o r co r r e c te d ." An example o f such a hazard is the la ck o f a guard f o r a p re s s . This im plies the p r io r s e le c tio n o f the "agency" but does not provide f o r re co g n itio n o f any re la tio n sh ip between the hazardous con d ition and a ccid e n t-ty p e c la s s if ic a t i o n s . Nor does the standard provide f o r any d e fin it e re la tio n sh ip between the "agency" and the "a ccid e n t-ty p e " c la s s if ic a t i o n s . - 7 - To provide co n tin u ity and to e s ta b lis h d ir e c t re la tio n sh ip s among the various a n a ly sis fa c t o r s to permit cro ss c la s s if ic a t i o n , the standard d e fin i tio n was m odified f o r th is study to read: 11The hazardous working con d ition is the hazardous co n d itio n which perm itted or occasioned the occurrence o f the se le c te d a ccid en t ty p e ." The hazardous-condition c la s s if ic a t i o n , there fo r e , was se le cte d a f t e r the determ ination o f the a ccid e n t-ty p e c l a s s i f i c a tio n , I t represents the -physical o r mechanical reason f o r the occurrence o f that p a r tic u la r a ccid en t without regard to the f e a s i b i l i t y o f guarding or co rr e ctin g the co n d itio n . E lim ination o f the con d ition "which could have been guarded or corrected " is based upon the premise that s t a t i s t i c a l an a lysis should in d ica te the ex isten ce o f hazards, but should not attempt to s p e c ify the f e a s i b i l i t y o f c o r r e c tiv e measures. Agency o f A ccid en t. — For the purpose o f th is study, the agency o f accid en t was defined as "the o b je c t , substance, o r premises in o r about which the hazardous con d ition e x is t e d ," as, fo r example, the press which was unguarded. I ts s e le c tio n , th e re fo re , i s d ir e c t ly a sso cia te d w ith the hazardous con d ition lead in g to the occurrence o f the a ccid en t and not w ith the occurrence o f the in ju ry . In many instances the agency o f in ju ry and the agency o f accident are id e n t ic a l. The double agency c la s s if ic a t i o n , however, avoids any p o s s i b i l i t y o f ambiguity in the in te rp re ta tio n o f the "agency" ta b u la tion s. Unsafe A ct.— The unsafe a ct d e fin it io n used in th is survey i s id e n tic a l with the standard d e fin it io n , i . e . , "th a t v io la t io n o f a commonly accepted safe procedure which re su lte d in the se le c te d a ccid en t ty p e ." WAREHOUSING- OPERATIONS AND THEIR HAZARDS Operations in the p u b lic warehousing industry are g en era lly sim ila r, varying on ly in the length o f time goods remain in storage and in the degree to which the various operations.have been mechanized. The ra te o f turnover (time elap sin g between re ce iv in g and shipping) depends, mainly, on the kind o f goods or commodity stored— i . e . , type o f warehouse. The degree o f m echanization, however, depends not o n ly on the type o f goods handled but the d esire o f management. In gen era l, goods to be stored are received at the warehouse by truck or ra ilro a d c a r. From the loading dock, the goods are moved to the storage area and p ile d . For d e liv e ry , the operation s are merely reversed. - 8 - General merchandise warehouses sto re processed goods or merchandise f o r manufacturers, "brokers, d is tr ib u to r s , and other shippers u n t il the goods are requested. In add ition to th e ir storage fu n ctio n s, general merchandise warehouses freq u e n tly a ct as branch house d is tr ib u to r s f o r manufacturers, perform ing a l l a c t i v i t i e s that the manufacturer might do in the d is tr ib u tio n o f h is p rod u cts. Merchandise or oth er commodities on which a tax must be paid b e fo re i t i s relea sed must be stored in bonded warehouses. Merchandise, as a r u le , does not remain in p u b lic warehouses f o r long p eriod s o f time, as warehousing costs may reduce p r o f i t s . Frequently, merchandise i s packed in u n iform -size packages. As a r e s u lt , the goods may be p a lle t iz e d and fork l i f t trucks may be used f o r transporting and p i l i n g . A co ld -sto ra g e warehouse is one in which p erish a b les are stored at a r t i f i c a l l y cooled temperatures o f 45 degrees or l e s s . Some commodities are preserved by fre e z in g ; temperatures in those storage areas may be as low as 10 or 12 degrees below zero. Other u rrish a b les cannot be frozen without damage; these commodities must be stored in rooms which are kept at temperatures above the fre e z in g p o in t. G enerally, the humidity must be c o n tr o lle d c a r e fu lly in co ld -sto ra g e warehouses. In most ca ses, commodities remain in these warehouses f o r severa l months. U niform -size containers a lso permit the use o f f o r k l i f t trucks in co ld -sto ra g e warehouses. Farm-products warehouses are those in which a g ricu ltu ra l products are stored u n t il they are needed by in d u stria l org a n iza tion s. Grain elev a tors and co tto n warehouses are two o f the more common types. Farm-products ware houses, in a d d ition to storin g a g ricu ltu ra l p rodu cts, fre q u e n tly perform ce rta in p rocessin g fu n ction s such as the cleaning o f grain and compressing o f c o tto n . As most warehouses in th is group r e s t r ic t th e ir op eration s to one commodity, mechanical equipment can g en era lly be used. Storage u su a lly extends f o r several months. Household-goods warehouses store personal p rop erty rather than merchan d is e . Many establishm ents also perform a u x ilia r y services such as packing and cra tin g ; rep a irin g and cleaning o f fu rn itu re , rugs, and draperies; moth p ro o fin g ; and trucking. ( The la t t e r se rv ice was excluded from th is s p e cia l su rvey.) Property stored in these warehouses u su a lly remains in storage f o r long p eriod s o f tim e. Powered m echanical-handling equipment i s seldom p r a c t i c a l because o f the v a r ie ty o f goods stored . Handtrucks and d o llie s are u su a lly a v a ila b le * however. Employment in p u b lic warehouses varies w id ely during the year. Gen e r a lly , i t i s low during the f i r s t p a rt o f the calendar year and a t a maxium about O ctober. B iis i s e s p e c ia lly time in farm -products and co ld -sto ra g e warehouses, the peak corresponding to , or fo llo w in g s lig h t ly , the harvesting season. Household-goods warehouses have two peak employment p e rio d s—May and October— the moving p eriod s in many c i t i e s . At those tim es, persons c lo s in g th e ir permanent residences fre q u e n tly move th e ir person al e f f e c t s in to storage whereas o th e rs, re e sta b lish in g permanent homes, remove th e ir goods from stora g e. -9- The chance o f se v e re ly stra in ed muscles from l i f t i n g probably i s the out standing hazard t o warehousemen. Warehousing operations require a great deal o f manual handling even though f o r k l i f t tru ck s, conveyors, and other mechanical handling equipment are used to some ex ten t. Goods f o r storage must be l i f t e d from motortrucks or ra ilr o a d cars and placed on handtrucks or other equipment on the loading dock. At the storage area they are u su a lly l i f t e d again and p ile d although, in some in sta n ce s, the p ilin g i s done m echanically with fo rk l i f t trucks or other equipment. When the goods are t o be d e liv e re d , the opera tio n s are reversed. Dock p la te s must be l i f t e d t o b rid ge the gap between the loading dock and the r a ilr o a d ca r or m otortruck. Cakes o f i c e are handled ex ten siv ely in co ld -s to ra g e warehouses. In a d d itio n , warehouse equipment such as handtrucks and skids must be l i f t e d o cc a s io n a lly . Frequently, the warehouse p ile s are high and the l i f t i n g hazard i s enhanced by the n e ce s s ity o f overreaching. Manual handling operations a lso re s u lt in other types o f in ju r ie s . Hands or fin g e r s may be la ce ra te d by rough or s p lin te re d con ta in ers or by dock p la te s , sk id s , handles o f handtrucks, and other warehouse equipment. N ails p r o je c tin g from b a r r e ls , c r a te s , fu rn itu re , and other o b je c ts may re s u lt in punctured hands or f in g e r s . In a d d itio n , hands and fin g e r s as w e ll as f e e t and toes may be crushed under o b je c ts as they are being p laced or by goods which are dropped as th ey are being handled. Unstable p ile s o f goods are a ls o important hazards t o warehousemen. Unsafely p ile d goods in storage may f a l l on passing workmen without warning, p a r tic u la r ly i f h e a v ily loaded tru ck s, used in nearby passageways, cause v i bration s w ithin the warehousing stru ctu re . In se cu re ly p ile d goods hear pas sageways may f a l l a ls o i f the p ile i s bumped e ith e r by workmen or in d u s tr ia l tru ck s. Improper loading on a handtruck can cause the loa d t o f a l l w hile i t i s being moved o r while the truck i s being loaded or unloaded. Loads, inade quately blocked or t ie d in r a ilr o a d ca rs o r m otortrucks, may s h i f t during tr a n s it and f a l l on workmen as the v e h ic le s are being unloaded. In a d d itio n , loads thrown against r a ilr o a d ca r doors during movement o f tra in s may s p i l l out on workmen when they open the d oors. V ehicular hazards are common in warehousing. "Blind* corn ers and poor layout o f t r a f f i c lanes may re s u lt in c o l l i s i o n s between v e h ic le s o r between v e h icle s and workmen. The p r a ctice o f loading f o r k l i f t trucks and sim ila r equipment so that the loads b lock part o f the o p e ra to r 's lin e o f v is io n f r e quently accents th is hazard. In handtruck op era tion s, hands and fin g e r s are often pinched between the handles o f the trucks and doorways, p ile s o f m a terials, or other o b je c t s . The p o s s i b i l i t y o f a s l i p , a stumble, o r a f a l l i s high in warehousing. Loose boards, im properly placed ca s e s , c r a te s , or other m aterials fre q u e n tly present trip p in g hazards. Tripping may a lso re su lt from rough f l o o r s in ware houses, r a ilr o a d c a r s , and m otortrucks. The n e ce s s ity o f working on top o f p ile d m aterials fre q u e n tly presents seriou s p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f f a l l s . S lipp in g -1 0 - hazards are important in r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses where f lo o r s are u su a lly wet or damp and, o cc a s io n a lly , i c y . Loading docks even when covered may be s l i p pery from ra in , snow, or s l e e t . Dock p la te s a ls o become s lip p e ry in inclement weather; they may be s lip p e r y even in good weather when th e ir surfaces have been worn smooth. C old-storage warehouses have many unique hazards. Temperatures in r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses may vary from the general atmospheric le v e l o f 70 t o 90 degrees t o the fre e z in g room temperatures o f 10 and 12 degrees below z e ro . Some warehouses have found i t advisable t o schedule work in r e fr ig e r a te d rooms during the e a rly working hours, making i t unnecessary f o r workmen to en ter the r e fr ig e r a te d rooms a ft e r becoming heated from other work. Other hazards unique in c o ld -s to r a g e warehouses a ris e from d e fro stin g o p e ra tio n s. The s lip p in g hazard has already been noted. In a d d itio n , sin ce drainage i s fre q u e n tly inadequate, warehousemen must remove i c e and water in b a rre ls or other con t a in e r s . The handling and moving o f these con tain ers in v olv es a l l the hazards a sso cia te d with manual handling and trucking op era tion s. Machine hazards are not common in warehouses. However, merchandise and co ld -s to ra g e warehouses o c c a s io n a lly use b e lt conveyors t o transport goods t o sto ra g e . Household-goods warehouses may have woodworking inachinery f o r re p a irin g fu rn itu re . In a d d itio n , most warehouses have some maintenance ma ch in ery . Unguarded machines in those operations a re, t h e r e fo r e , p o te n tia l in ju r y producers. The opening and c lo s in g o f r a ilr o a d ca r doors i s a common source o f in ju r y . M aterials which s p i l l when the door i s opened have p re v io u sly been mentioned as a hazard. A lso , the opening and c lo s in g o f boxcar doors may lea d to pinched fin g e r s or stra in ed m uscles, p a r tic u la r ly because the doors fre q u e n tly s t ic k . Handtools o f many kinds are used in warehouses and t h e ir misuse freq u en tly re su lts in in ju r ie s . FACTORS IN THE INJURY RECORD The in ju r y re co rd o f any establishm ent o r any group o f establishm ents i s a com posite o f many f a c t o r s . The kinds o f m aterials p rocessed o r handled, the types o f p rocessin g performed, the extent t o which operations are mecha nized and the kinds o f equipment used, the State s a fe ty regu la tion s and the extent t o which those regu la tion s are en forced, the type o f personnel em ployed, the s iz e o f the establishm ents, and the extent o f the s a fe ty programs c a r r ie d on in the establishm ents a l l have a d ir e c t bearing upon the volume o f in ju r ie s experien ced . In p a r tic u la r instances the influence- o f these fa c t o r s may be o f f s e t t in g , but in comparisons based upon la rg e groups o f operation s t h e ir e f f e c t s fre q u e n tly can be demonstrated, as in the f o llo w ing groupings o f the 1950 in ju r y experience o f warehousemen. Comparison by Type o f Warehouse The fo u r general types o f warehousing establishm ents showed great -1 1 - v a ria tio n s in in ju r y experience (ta b le 1 ) . Average frequency ra tes ranged from a low o f 21.0 f o r warehousemen o f household goods t o a high o f 39.7 f o r workers in r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses. In gen eral, the warehouse groups in which the volume o f in ju r ie s was high tended t o have r e la t iv e ly few seriou s in ju r ie s ; the reverse was true in those groups which had r e la t iv e ly low frequency ra te s . Although r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses as a group had the highest frequency ra te , t h e ir s e v e r ity records were the best in the in d u stry. Of the 606 in ju r ie s reported by these warehouses, on ly 1 resu lted in death and on ly 16 re su lted in permanent d is a b i l i t y . As a r e s u lt , in ju ry s e v e r ity averages were on ly 39 days lo s t time per d isa b lin g in ju r y and 1 .6 days l o s t per thousand hours worked. R efrigera ted warehouses s p e c ia liz in g in the storage o f fo o d products had the highest frequency rate recorded f o r any s p e c if ic type o f warehouse, 1+0.9. However, a high in ciden ce o f tem porary-total d i s a b i l i t i e s , coupled with a low frequency o f seriou s d is a b ilit ie s depressed t h e ir average time lo s s per d isa b lin g in ju ry to 37 days and t h e ir s e v e r ity ra te to 1.5* Merchandise warehouses had a frequency rate o f 33*0 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s per m illio n hours worked. Serious d i s a b i l i t i e s , s l ig h t ly more frequent than in r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses but about equal to the average f o r a l l warehouses, were overbalanced by the r e la t iv e ly high inciden ce o f tem porary-total d isa b i l i t i e s . S ev erity re co rd s, 61+ days l o s t time per in ju r y and 2 .1 days lo s t per thousand hours worked, were, th e r e fo r e , somewhat b e tte r than the averages f o r a l l warehouses. Rates were a ls o computed f o r fo u r s p e c if ic types o f merchandise ware houses; canned goods, flo u r and g ra in -m ill produ cts, m iscellaneous fo o d produ cts, and general merchandise. Within these s p e c ia liz e d groups, in ju r ie s were most frequent in canned-goods warehouses, 39.5 per m illio n hours. A f a t a l i t y and a permanent fin g e r in ju ry among the 58 reported d i s a b i l i t i e s were p rim arily re sp o n sib le f o r the group’ s r e la t iv e ly unfavorable s e v e r ity record s; 119 days l o s t time per in ju ry and 1+.7 days l o s t time per thousand hours worked. I n ju r ie s were even more severe in flo u r and g ra in -m ill products ware houses. Of the 36 in ju r ie s reported by that group o f warehouses, 1 was a death and 3 were permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s . Coupled with a low in cid en ce o f temporary d i s a b i l i t i e s , 23.1 per m illio n hours worked, the seriou s disa b i l i t i e s resu lte d in an average time lo s s per d isa b lin g in ju r y o f 322 days and a s e v e r ity ra te o f 8.1+, the most adverse s e v e r ity records f o r any ware housing group. Farm-products warehouses had a frequency rate o f 2 5 .0 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s per m illio n hours worked, but these included r e la t iv e ly few seriou s d is a b ili t i e s . S ev erity records f o r t h is group o f plants were, th e r e fo r e , b e tte r than average. Ihjuri.es were, g e n e ra lly , more frequent and moire severe in co tto n warehouses than in grain e le v a to r s . R e sp e ctiv e ly , t h e ir frequency rates were 26.7 and 2 2 .1 ; s e v e r ity averages, 73 and 51+ days l o s t per in ju r y ; and -1 2 - s e v e r it y ra te s , 1 .9 and 1 .2 . Serious d is a b i l i t i e s were r e la t iv e ly frequent in household-goods ware houses. Consequently, the s e v e r ity records f o r that group o f warehouses were unfavorable— 181+ days l o s t per d isa b lin g in ju ry and 3*9 days l o s t per thousand hours worked. Regional and State Comparisons V ariation s in in ju ry ra tes among the d iffe r e n t States and regions may re f l e c t any one o r any combination o f several f a c t o r s . State s a fe ty regula tio n s and the degree to which they are enforced, the age and maintenance o f plants and equipment, and employment fa c t o r s such as the work experience o f a v a ila b le workers, a l l tend to in flu e n ce the average le v e l o f in ju r y rates in any area. In ju ry -ra te comparisons may a lso be a ffe c t e d by the type o f warehouse predominating in the p a r tic u la r a rea s. For example, the highest national average frequency ra te was recorded by r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses. Any area in which th is type o f warehouse operation co n s titu te s a high p rop ortion o f a l l warehousing op era tion s, th e r e fo r e , would be expected t o have a com paratively high o v e r a ll average rega rd less o f other fa c t o r s which might in flu en ce the r a t e . Because o f these v a ria b le in te rn a l w eighting f a c t o r s , the v a lid it y o f in ju r y -r a te comparisons among the States and regions on the b a sis o f industry wide averages may be questioned. The most r e a l i s t i c area com parisons, th ere f o r e , are those based upon s p e c if ic types o f warehouses rather than upon in d u stry t o t a ls (ta b le 2 ) . In ju ry -ra te comparisons based on State averages are lim ite d because o f the small number o f warehouses that rep orted in each S ta te . R efrig era ted Warehouses.—Average in ju r y ra tes were computed f o r r e f r i g erated warehouses in 5 geographic areas and 1+ S ta te s. Two o f the reg ion a l frequency ra tes were above 1+0—West North C en tra l, 5 8 .0 , and P a c if ic , l|2+.5. The other 3 (Middle A t la n tic , East North C entral, and South A tla n tic ) had ra tes between 26 and 28. In g en era l, in ju r y s e v e r ity was in v e rs e ly re la te d to in ju r y frequency. In the West North Central re g io n , in ju r ie s -averaged on ly 10 days' d is a b ilit y ; in the P a c ific reg ion the average was 21 days. In other re g io n s , averages were 25, 132 , and 35 days l o s t time per d i s a b ilit y . State frequency ra te s were computed f o r C a lifo r n ia , 1+3.3> Pennsylvania, 2 7 .2 , New York, 25.3* and I l l i n o i s , 2I+.I4. D is a b ilit ie s averaged 26, 20, J>0, and 1+3 days, r e s p e c t iv e ly . Merchandise Warehouses.—In ju ry ra tes were computed f o r merchandise warehousemen in 7 geographic region s and 6 S ta te s. R egion a lly, the va ria t io n s in in ju ry -fre q u e n cy ra tes were com paratively sm all, the ra tes ranging from 29.1 in the East North C entral reg ion t o 37.5 in the Middle A tla n tic re g io n . In ju ry s e v e r ity averages, however, had a con sid erab le spread, rang ing from 9 days l o s t per d is a b ilit y in the West South C entral region t o 126 days in the South A t la n tic . For other region s the average numbers o f days -13- l o s t per d i s a b i l i t y were: East North C en tral, 107; West North C e n tra l, 87; Middle A tla n tic , 1+8; P a c if ic , k k; and New England, 13. State frequency ra tes ranged from 27.1 in Pennsylvania to 51+.2 in New J ersey. I l l i n o i s warehousemen averaged 27.8 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s per m illio n hours worked, New York, 36.5> C a lifo r n ia , 38*9, and Indiana, k3»k» In ju r ie s to Indiana warehousemen were, on an average, much more severe than those to workmen in any other State group f o r which averages were computed, 21k days l o s t per d is a b ilit y . Other State averages ranged from 16 days l o s t per in ju ry in I l l i n o i s and New Jersey to 86 days in New York. Farm-Products Warehouses. — Average in ju r y rates f o r farm -products warehousemen were computed f o r 6 regions but on ly 3 S ta te s. Two regions had r e la t i v e l y high frequency ra te s— Mountain, 3 7 .3 j and West South C entral, 2 9 .1 . In the other k regions the frequency ra te s ranged between 17 and about 20: South A tla n tic , 1 7 .0 ; East North C entral, 1 8 .3 ; West North C en tra l, 1 9 .3 ; and East South C entral, 2 0 .i|,. The average lo s s per d i s a b i l i t y was extremely high in 3 reg ion s: South A t la n tic , 198 days, Mountain, 161+ days, and East North C entral, 13k days. State in ju ry -freq u en cy ra tes were: I l l i n o i s , 23 .0 ; M is s is s ip p i, 3 0 .5 ; and Texas, 3k»k» In ju ry s e v e r it y , measured by average time l o s t per d is a b i l i t y , was 182 days, 33 days, and 2k days, r e s p e c t iv e ly . Household-Goods Warehouses. — R epresentative in ju r y ra te s cou ld be computed f o r warehousemen o f household goods in o n ly k regions and 2 S ta te s. The reg ion a l frequency ra tes were: East North C entral, 1 3 .3 ; Middle A tla n tic , 1 9 .7 ; P a c if ic , 2 1 .7 ; and South A tla n tic , 3 k *“2• State frequency ra tes were: C a lifo r n ia , 1 9 .9 ; and New York, 21+.7. The adverse s e v e r ity record o f workmen in th is group o f warehouses, 182+ days lo s t per d i s a b i l i t y , was g e n e ra lly r e fle c t e d in the re g io n a l ra te s : East North C en tral, k92 days l o s t per d is a b ilit y ; Middle A tla n tic , 366 days; South A tla n tic , 185 days; and P a c if ic , 36 days. New York warehousemen aver aged 2+13 days l o s t time per in ju ry and C a lifo rn ia workmen, 1+0 days. M etropolitan Area Comparisons The lim ita tio n s o f in ju r y -r a te comparisons among regions and States ap p ly eq u a lly to comparisons among m etropolitan areas. U nfortunately, the num ber o f rep ortin g firm s was not la rg e enough t o permit a comparison o f in ju r y ra tes b y type o f warehouse w ithin the various m etropolitan a reas. However, because o f the d e sire o f s a fe ty personnel and plant managers f o r area d e t a il, o v e r a ll ra tes were computed f o r warehousemen in 10 m etropolitan areas: Boston, B u ffa lo , Chicago, Kansas C ity , Los A ngeles, M inneapolis-St, Paul, New O rleans, New York-Northeastern New J ersey, P h ilad elp h ia, and San Antonio (ta b le 3 ) . In ju ry -freq u en cy ra tes ranged from 2 3 .8 (Chicago) to 66.2 (San A n ton io). Three areas had ra tes between 25 and 30 (Boston, 2 5 .5 ; Los Angeles, 2 5 .6 ; and B u ffa lo , 29.3)> 2 had ra tes between 30 and 1;0 (P h ilad elp h ia , 3 2 .5 ; and New York-Northeastern New J ersey , 3 2 .8 ), 1 had a rate o f 1+0.24- (New O rlean s), and 2 had ra tes o f approxim ately 50 (M inneapolis-St. Paul, 5 0 .5> and Kansas C ity , 5 0 .6 ). I n f i v e o f these areas (B oston, B u ffa lo , Los Angeles, M inneapolis-St. Paul, and San Antonio) the cooperating warehouses reported no f a t a l i t i e s or permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s . As a r e s u lt , the s e v e r ity records f o r those areas were very fa v o r a b le . On the other hand, seriou s d is a b i l i t i e s were rather frequent in New York-Northeastern New Jersey (22 o f 187 i n j u r i e s ) , Kansas C ity (2 o f 56 in ju r ie s ), and Chicago (5 o f 92 i n j u r i e s ) . S e v e rity records in those areas were, th e re fo re , unfavorable. Occupational Comparisons For general com parisons, warehouse employees were d iv id ed in to three oc cupational groups: op era tors, who comprised 59 percent o f the t o t a l reported employment; materials-movement personn el, 10 percen t; and other occupations ( c l e r i c a l and m aintenance), 31 p ercen t. Seventy-seven percent o f the rep orted in ju r ie s were experienced by op era tors; 11 percent by materials-movement per sonn el, and 12 percent by the other occu pation s. Operatin g Occupations. —Occupations found almost e x clu s iv e ly in the re fr ig e r a t e d warehouses had the most unfavorable in ju ry -freq u en cy r a te s . The three highest occu pational in ju ry -fre q u e n cy ra tes were: 85.9 f o r coolerm en; 7 6 .1 f o r i c e handlers; and 6l*7 f o r freezermen (ta b le s 1 and U )• Handlers and sta ck ers, who had the fou rth highest in ju r y ra te (5 1 *6 ), were employed in various types o f warehouses, but they averaged 53 in ju r ie s per m illio n hours worked in r e fr ig e r a te d warehouses compared with about 28 in merchandise or farm -products warehouses. Compress op era tors, employed e x c lu s iv e ly in co tto n warehouses, ranked f i f t h (2 8 .2 ) among the occupations with high in ju r y ra te s . Three o f the operting occupations had industrywide frequency ra tes ranging between 30 and 20: General warehousemen, 38*2; packers and c r a t e r s , 3 5 .6 ; and order f i l l e r s , 3 2 .6 . General warehousemen, the la rg e st occupa t io n a l group in the in du stry, are employed in a l l types o f warehouses and t h e ir in ju r y experien ce, consequently, v a ried as w id ely . Their frequency ra tes ranged from 22.9 in farm -products warehouses to 29*7 in merchandise warehouses; averages were i+l*7 in re fr ig e r a te d warehouses and 36.9 in ware houses sto rin g household goods. The low est in ju ry -freq u en cy ra te s f o r operating personnel were: 13*9 f o r fo o d p roce sso rs; 1 8 .9 f o r r e fr ig e r a t in g en gin eers; and 2 1 .2 f o r g ra in e le v a to r men. -1 5 - Operatin g occupations with the highest in ju ry -fre q u e n cy ra tes g e n e ra lly had the most fa v ora b le in ju r y -s e v e r it y re co rd s. Coolsrmen, f o r example, ex perienced no deaths and on ly 1 permanent impairment in 81 d isa b lin g in ju r ie s . A ll o f the 100 in ju r ie s reported f o r freezermen were temporary and handlers and stackers had on ly 1 permanent impairment in 3JU7 reported i n ju r ie s . In co n tra st, the loir frequency ra te f o r r e fr ig e r a tin g engineers was counterbal anced by an unfavorable in ju r y -s e v e r it y record — 1 death and 3 permanent im pairments in the t o t a l o f Ip. in ju r ie s rep orted. Materials-Movement Workers. — Handtruckers had the highest in ju r y frequency ra te among materials-movement workers. Their average was l*i*.0 d is abling in ju r ie s p er m illio n hours worked, but among 162 cases no death oc curred and on ly 3 permanent impairments* E levator operators (27*0) and f o r k l i f t operators (2 6 .2 ) had p r a c t ic a lly id e n t ic a l in ju ry -fre q u e n cy ra tes but the form er had the b e t te r in ju r y -s e v e r it y re co rd s. F o r k lif t operators had i* permanent impairments among a t o t a l o f 51 cases* Miscellaneous Occupations*— Maintenance workers had an industrywide injury-frequency rate of 37.2. In merchandise warehouses their average rate was 1*0.55 it was in refrigerated warehouses, and 22*2 in farm-products warehouses. 30*7 Frequency ra tes f o r c l e r i c a l operation s v a rie d w id e ly . Checkers, whose duties b rin g them in to c lo s e con ta ct with operating hazards, had an industry wide rate o f 23«1* compared w ith 2*0 f o r the s t r i c t l y o f f i c e personnel* The highest ra te f o r checkers was 1*2*2 in re fr ig e r a te d warehouses; and the high e st ra te f o r other c l e r i c a l workers was 1*»9 in farm -products warehouses. P r a c t ic a lly a l l o f the in ju r ie s experienced b y checkers and o f f i c e personnel were only tem porarily d is a b lin g . Jan itors ( l l .i * ) and watchmen (9 .8 ) had r e la t iv e ly low industrywide f r e quency r a te s , but both o f these occupations had a r e la t iv e ly high p rop ortion o f seriou s in ju r ie s . KINDS OF INJURIES EXPERIENCED F a t a lit ie s and Permanent-Total D is a b ilit ie s In d ivid u a l case records o f l,60i* in ju r ie s were c o lle c t e d f o r d e ta ile d an alysis by Bureau re p re se n ta tiv e s. Two o f these in ju r ie s re su lte d in death and one in perm anent-total d is a b i l i t y . E levators accounted f o r the two f a t a li t ie s * In one c a s e , the warehouseman was found a t the f o o t o f an e le v a tor sh a ft and, in the o th e r, an e le v a to r operator was decapitated when h is head was caught between the e le v a to r cage and the hoistw ay. A crane was resp on sible f o r the s in g le perm anent-total d i s a b i l i t y . In th a t accid en t a lin k broke in the chain s lin g which perm itted a s t e e l angle t o f a l l on a warehouseman, permanently d isa b lin g both o f h is arms* -1 6 - Permanent-Partial D is a b i l i t i e s . In the d e ta ile d group o f in ju r ie s there were 57 perm anent-partial d isa b i l i t i e s . Of th e se , 17 were amputations and hO were b ru is e s, c u t s , s tr a in s , and fra ctu re s which re su lte d in the lo s s o f use o f some body part o r fu n c tio n . Three o f the amputations in volved to e s and the remainder a ffe c te d fin g e rs or thumbs. An e le v a to r , a cran e, and a b a lin g press accounted f o r the three to e amputations. In the f i r s t ca se , a warehouse help er had h is f o o t crushed between an e le v a to r and the hoistway. Four o f h is to e s were fra ctu red ? two o f these were amputated la t e r . In the crane a ccid e n t, grease from the gear housing dripped onto the brake o f the boom. The boom slip p e d , f e l l , and the crane b lock struck the workman's f o o t , amputating one t o e . In the b a lin g press a ccid e n t, a head sewer l o s t three to e s when h is f o o t was caught under the b a lin g p re ss. Two or more fin g e r s were l o s t by each o f three workmen. A foreman l o s t parts o f two fin g e r s in the valve o f a pneumatic conveyor when he reached in t o the spout o f the conveyor t o lo o se n f lo u r which had become clo g g e d . Another foreman (maintenance) l o s t two fin g e r s in a c ir c u la r saw. The th ird man, an o i l e r , l o s t fo u r fin g e r s in the gears o f a wheat conveyor w hile he was applying grease. Of the 11 amputations in v olv in g one fin g e r o r thumb, one re su lte d from con ta ct with a c ir c u la r saw and another with a metal shear. One man had h is fin g e r amputated in a meat grin d er, one l o s t a fin g e r in a r o l l e r o f a b e lt conveyor, and another l o s t a fin g e r in a b a lin g p re ss. F o r k lift trucks were in v olv ed in two s in g le fin g e r amputations. In one ca se , a warehouse la b o re r trip p e d . When he f e l l , he touched the relea se le v e r o f a f o r k l i f t ? the fo rk dropped and amputated h is f in g e r . In the other c a s e , a f o r k l i f t operator was using a board as a le v e r t o a lin e the cab o f h is l i f t . When the board slip p e d , his fin g e r was caught between the h o is t and the ca b . Two warehousemen had fin g e r s amputated b y the storage goods ^which they were handling. In one a ccid e n t, the warehouseman crushed h is fin g e r between a cra te and the sid e o f a box ca r in t o which he was loadin g the c r a t e . In the second a ccid e n t, a la b o re r was l i f t i n g one end o f a s t e e l beam. He slip p e d and the beam f e l l on h is fin g e r . A j a c k l i f t and the crosshead o f an engine accounted f o r two thumb am p u ta tion s. A handtrucker, operating a j a c k l i f t , l o s t h is thumb when i t was caught between the j a c k l i f t and the lo a d . An engineer l o s t h is thumb when i t was caught by the moving crosshead. The hO lo s s -o f - u s e cases included 1 arm in ju r y , and fin g e r in ju r ie s , 15 f o o t and to e in ju r ie s , 3 eye ju r i e s , and 1 lung in ju r y . F a llin g o b je c t s re su lte d in ju r ie s and 9 f o o t and to e i n ju r ie s . Most o f these 2 le g in ju r ie s , 15 arm in ju r ie s , 3 back in in h thumb and fin g e r o b je c ts f e l l e ith e r -1 7 - from the hands o f workmen o r from equipment such as handtrucks. F a lls ac counted f o r 7 permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s — 2 le g , 1 arm, 1 f o o t , 1 eye, and 2 back in ju r ie s . A ll but the eye in ju r y occurred in f a l l s from e le v a tio n s . Workmen, caught between v e h ic le s and other o b je c t s , experienced f iv e per manent lo s s -o f-u s e in ju r ie s . One o f these was a hand injury* another a fin g e r in ju r y , and three were toe in ju r ie s . Moving parts o f equipment produced s ix permanent hand o r fin g e r in ju r ie s . The point o f operation o f a p ortab le sander, a r o l l e r o f a b e lt conveyor, a b a lin g p re ss, two fr e ig h t -c a r doors, and the door o f an ic e e le v a to r were in volved in those a ccid e n ts. Manual handling operations were resp on sible f o r a back, a hand, and a fin g e r in ju r y . The back in ju r y was a stra in due to l i f t i n g ; the hand and fin g e r in ju r ie s re su lted from the workers* hands being caught between o b je c ts being handled. F lying o b je c ts accounted f o r two o f the permanent eye in ju r ie s . In one case a n a il glanced when struck by a hammer and, in the oth er, a s p lin t e r was thrown by the blade during the operation o f a c ir c u la r saw. One warehouseman in ju red a toe permanently when an iro n p ip e , used to "break down" r o l l s o f newsprint, slip p e d and struck h is f o o t . Another workman in ju re d one o f h is thumbs-when-he bumped against a p ie ce o f lumber and another in ju re d h is f o o t when he slip p ed and struck a sk id . The lung in ju ry re su lte d from the inhala t io n o f a chem ical when a carboy broke. Temporary-Total D is a b ilit ie s R e fle ctin g the la rge volume of m aterials handling by warehousemen, fo u r types o f in ju r ie s accounted f o r nearly a l l tem porary-total d i s a b i l i t i e s . Strains and sprains co n s titu te d 35 percent o f the temporary in ju r y volume; b ru ises and con tu sion s, J>0 percen t; c u ts , la c e r a tio n s , and punctures, 15 per ce n t; and fr a c t u r e s , 13 p ercen t. Nearly 3 percent o f a l l tem p orary-total d i s a b i l i t i e s were h ern ias. B a c k , le g , f o o t , toe,hand, and fin g e r in ju r ie s tire d o m i n a t e d . I t would a p p e a r , th e r e fo r e , that more general use o f mechanical handling equipment and wider use o f personal s a fe ty equipment would m ateri a l l y reduce the number o f in ju r ie s t o warehousemen. Most o f the stra in s and sprains were back in ju r ie s re su ltin g from over ex ertion in l i f t i n g o r moving heavy o b je c t s . However, sprained ankles were a lso common. Bruises and contusions were c h i e f ly f o o t , le g , and to e in ju r ie s . Most o f these in ju r ie s occurred when workmen dropped m aterials they were handling. Bruised fin g e rs and hands were a lso common, occu rrin g when workmen set m aterials down. Most cu ts and la ce ra tio n s were fin g e r or hand i n ju r ie s . G enerally these resu lte d from workmen rubbing against sharp-edged o r rough m aterials such as cra te s and boxes during m aterials-handling op era tion s. Cuts t o f e e t and le g s were le s s common, but nevertheless occurred in con siderab le numbers. Nearly 15 percent o f a l l tem porarily d isa b lin g cuts and la ce ra tio n s were in fe c te d . F ractures, among the most severe o f the temporary d i s a b i l i t i e s , averaged 36 days lo s t time per ca se . F a llin g m aterials accounted f o r many fra ctu re d -1 8 - f e e t and t o e s . F in gers, r i b s , and hands were a ls o fra ctu re d fre q u e n tly . ACCIDENT ANALYSIS A ccident rep orts fre q u e n tly do not in d ica te the s p e c if ic reason f o r the occurrence o f the p a r tic u la r events culm inating in an in ju r y . In most ca se s, the only a v a ila b le inform ation comes from the in ju re d person or from w itnesses present at the time o f the a ccid e n t. G enerally, those persons lack both the s k i l l and the opportunity to in v e stig a te the event f u l l y t o determine the ac tu a l cause o f the a ccid e n t. In the an alysis o f a la rg e number o f re p o rts, th e re fo re , i t i s common to fin d a large p rop ortion d e fic ie n t in one o r more fa c to r s important t o the s a fe t y engineer. D espite these lim it a tio n s , however, the analyst can draw much u se fu l inform ation from even the most sketchy ac cid en t d e s crip tio n s . The d escrip tio n o f an accident in v a ria b ly tends t o f o llo w the normal lin e o f thinking on the part o f an in te re s te d person who hears th a t a fr ie n d or acquaintance has been in ju r e d . The f i r s t thought i s o f the in ju r y i t s e l f . Was i t a burn, a c u t , a b r u is e , a s tr a in , or something e ls e ? Then, what pro duced the in ju ry and how did i t happen? These are a l l d e s crip tiv e fa c t s which are u su ally apparent t o the w itn esses. They are stre ss e d , th e re fo re , in d escrib in g the ev en ts. The more a n a ly tica l q u estion , ,fWhy did the a c c i dent happen?” norm ally a rise s on ly a ft e r the d e sire f o r d e scrip tiv e informa t io n has been s a t i s f i e d . Frequently i t goes unanswered, e ith e r because o f preoccupation with the d e s crip tiv e f a c t o r s , o r because the answer may not be re a d ily apparent. The d ir e c t approach in accid en t a n a ly sis, th e r e fo r e , i s t o draw from the records the various elements o f inform ation in the order in which they are u su a lly recorded. A lone, these elements may have lim ite d v a lu e, but when re la te d to each other they can be o f con siderab le value in in d ica tin g the accid en t-preven tion a c t i v i t i e s needed. The f i r s t step toward an tinderstanding o f the accident problem i s , th e r e fo r e , the determ ination o f the ob je c t s or substances most commonly producing in ju r ie s . Agencies o f In ju ry C ontainers, the most fre q u e n tly l i s t e d agency o f in ju r y , accounted f o r nearly on e-th ird (30*3) o f a l l in ju r ie s t o warehousemen. These in ju r ie s , however, did not tend t o be sev ere. None o f the I4.8 I4. in ju r ie s in th is group re su lte d in death and on ly 8 re su lte d in permanent d is a b ilit y . Consequently, the average time l o s t per in ju r y was on ly 30 days, about h a lf the average f o r a l l in ju r ie s . Boxes and cases were most fre q u e n tly in v olv ed but bags, sacks, b a le s ,b a r r e ls , kegs, tu b s, cans, drums, and other containers were re spon sible f o r n ea rly 55 percent o f the in ju r ie s in th is group (ta b le 7 ) . Nearly h a lf the in ju r ie s a scrib ed t o con tain ers were stra in s experienced in l i f t i n g . I n ju r ie s t o the trunk, back, abdomen, shoulder, e t c . , were, th e r e fo r e , most common. One-fourth o f the con ta in er in ju r ie s were b ru ises -1 9 - and contusions and one-ninth were fr a c tu r e s . F in gers, hands, t o e s , f e e t , and le g s were most fre q u e n tly a ffe c t e d . In many o f these a ccid en ts the con ta in ers f e l l from p i l e s , from equipment, o r dropped from workmen's hands. In other in sta n ces, warehousemen crushed t h e ir hands or fin g e rs under or between the con ta in ers which they were handling. Containers were p a r tic u la r ly prominent in ju r y producers in farm -products warehouses where approxim ately 35 percent o f a l l in ju r ie s in v olv ed con ta ct with container's (ta b le 8 ) . Heavy b a les o f c o tto n were frequent sources o f in ju ry in c o tto n warehouses. P rop ortion a tely , con ta in ers were le a s t important as in ju ry producers in household-goods warehouses, b u t, even th e re , they produced approxim ately on e-fou rth o f a l l warehouse in ju r ie s . V e h icle s , second in importance as an agency o f in ju r y , produced nearly one-seventh o f a l l warehousing i n ju r ie s . Although g en era lly more severe than con ta in er in ju r ie s , v e h icle in ju r ie s were s t i l l below average in s e v e r ity . Handtrucks and sim ila r equipment accounted f o r 65 percent o f a l l v e h ic le in ju r ie s . Powered in d u s tr ia l trucks in clu din g f o r k l i f t trucks and motortrucks were resp on sib le f o r 25 percent and ra ilr o a d ca rs f o r 10 p ercen t. More than h a lf o f the in ju re d employees in t h is group were operating or using v e h ic le s at the time o f t h e ir in ju r y . In many ca se s, the workmen were squeezed or crushed between v e h ic le s and other o b je c t s . In other in sta n ce s, they were struck by handtrucks being moved by co-w orkers. Nearly h a lf o f the in ju r ie s i n f l i c t e d by v e h icle s were r e la t iv e ly minor b ru ises and contu sio n s, About 20 p ercen t, however, were fr a c tu r e s . F e e t, le g s , t o e s , and fin g e rs were most fre q u e n tly in ju re d . R e fle ctin g t h e ir grea ter use o f v e h ic le s , merchandise warehouses rep ort ed the g rea test p rop ortion o f v e h icle in ju r ie s , approxim ately 17 p e rce n t. Handtrucks alone accounted f o r 11 percent o f a l l in ju r ie s in that group o f warehouses. Working su rfa ce s, ranking th ird in the agency o f in ju r y l i s t , were re sp on sible f o r approxim ately one-ninth o f a l l in ju r ie s . This group o f 180 in ju r ie s included one f a t a l i t y and 7 permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s . As a r e s u lt , the average s e v e r it y o f the group was high— lit? days l o s t time per in ju r y . F a lls produced n ea rly a l l o f these in ju ri.e s. In many instances the in ju re d workers f e l l from v e h ic le s , platform s, s c a ffo ld s , p ile d m a teria ls, o r other e le v a tio n s . I n ju r ie s to f e e t , le g s , and back were most commonj b ru is e s , s tr a in s , and fr a c tu r e s predominated. One o f every 16 in ju r ie s t o warehousemen in v olv ed con ta ct with metal o b je c ts — e ith e r items in storage such as b a rs, an gles, p la te s , c o i l s , e t c . , or metal parts o f warehouse equipment. Manual handling operations were re sponsible f o r most o f these in ju r ie s . Frequently workmen dropped the o b je cts on t h e ir to e s or f e e t . In other cases they la ce ra te d th e ir hands or fin g e rs in rubbing against rough or sharp edges, or strain ed themselves while l i f t i n g . Other warehousemen were in ju re d when they bumped against the metal o b je c t s . -2 0 - About 5 percent o f the d isa b lin g in ju r ie s re su lte d d ir e c t ly from stra in ing movements rather than from con ta ct with p h y sica l o b je c ts or substances. In p r a c t ic a lly a l l o f these cases the worker slip p e d or stumbled and strained him self as he attempted t o maintain h is b a la n ce. F ive in every eig h t o f these in ju r ie s a ffe c t e d fe e t or le g s ; most o f the remainder were back in ju r ie s . Handtools ranked next as an agencv o f in ju r y . These in ju r ie s resu lted p rim arily from workmen strik in g themselves with hammers, saws, kn ives, and t o o ls as they were using them. I n ju r ie s t o the f in g e r s , hands, le g s , and f e e t were most common. About h a lf o f the in ju r ie s were cu ts and about onef i f t h were b r u is e s . I c e , lumber, machines, and fu rn itu re each accounted f o r approximately one o f every 1*0 i n ju r ie s . F a llin g b lock s o f i c e produced most o f the in ju r ie s a scrib ed to that agency. In many cases the ic e f e l l from equipment or was dropped by workmen, but h a lf o f the in ju r ie s in t h is group resu lted when b lock s o f ic e to p p le d ov er. Bruised o r fra ctu re d le g s , f e e t , and toes were, t h e r e fo r e , common. S tra in s, the second most frequent in ju r y , g en era lly re su lted from ov erex ertion in l i f t i n g . The handling o f lumber was resp on sible f o r most o f the in ju r ie s in that group. In many instan ces workmen dropped the lumber on t h e ir f e e t or t o e s . In other cases they la ce ra te d t h e ir hands rubbing against s p lin te r s or rough edges, or stra in ed themselves l i f t i n g heavy boards. Eight o f the 1*2 in ju r ie s produced by machines re su lte d in permanent d is a b i l i t y ; 7 o f these were amputations. Consequently, the average time l o s t per d is a b ilit y was high, 96 days. Many o f these machines were p e cu lia r to the type o f warehouse in which they were being used— ice -c u b in g , crushing, and scorin g machines in c o ld -s to ra g e warehouses; compresses in co tto n ware houses; and shears in s t e e l warehouses. C ircu la r saws, used c h i e f l y f o r maintenance work and cr a tin g , are more w id ely d is tr ib u te d . In most o f these accid en ts the in ju re d employee was caught in moving parts o f the equipment or came in con ta ct with p oin ts o f op era tion . Machines were a lso involved in another type o f a ccid e n t— that re su ltin g from the movement o f machines such as farm equipment, t e x t i l e machinery, e t c . , in to and out o f stora g e. These in ju r ie s were mainly stra in s which were the r e s u lt o f l i f t i n g . Most o f the fu rn itu re in ju r ie s occurred in manual handling op eration s; more than h a lf were s tra in s re su ltin g from l i f t i n g fu r n itu r e . However, fu r niture which f e l l from equipment such as handtrucks o r from the hands o f workmen accounted f o r many b r u is e s , con tu sion s, and fr a c t u r e s . R e fle ctin g the warehouse op era tion , fu rn itu re was p a r tic u la r ly important as an in ju ry producer in household-goods warehouses, where i t accounted f o r 19 percent o f a l l in ju r ie s . Other agencies included p a lle t s , sk id s , fo o d s t u ffs , chem icals, e le v a to r s , r o l l s o f paper, conveyors, and d oors. Although r e la t iv e ly in freq u en t, in ju r ie s in v olv in g e le v a to rs and conveyors were, on an average, very severe. -2 1 - Of the 22 another a days lo s t permanent re su ltin g in ju r ie s produced by con ta ct with e le v a to r s , one was a f a t a l i t y and permanent d is a b ilit y * As a r e s u lt , e le v a to r in ju r ie s averaged 306 time per d i s a b i l i t y . S im ila rly , 1* o f the 18 conveyor in ju r ie s were d i s a b i l i t i e s . Conveyor in ju r ie s were, t h e r e fo r e , the most severe, in 335 days l o s t per d is a b ilit y . Accident Types More than f o u r - f i f t h s o f a l l in ju r ie s re su lte d from fo u r general types o f a ccid en ts: workmen'were struck by moving o b je c t s ; they strain ed themselves while handling m aterials or equipment; they were caught in , on, or between moving o b je c t s ; and they f e l l . The la t t e r two groups accounted f o r the most severe in ju r ie s . Nearly a th ird (30.7 percent) o f a l l in ju r ie s resu lted from warehouse men being struck by moving o b je c ts (ta b le s 7-9)• Most o f these o rig in a te d in manual handling operations and in the use o f equipment, e s p e c ia lly veh i c le s and handtools. In n ea rly 70 percent o f these cases i t was a f a l l i n g o b je c t which i n f l i c t e d the in ju r y . About a th ir d o f these o b je c ts f e l l from the hands o f workmen, approxim ately a fou rth f e l l from equipment such as handtrucks, and about a f i f t h f e l l from p ile s o f m a teria ls. C ontainers, metal stock or p a rts , lumber, fo o d s t u ffs , and dock p la te s were the o b je c ts most freq u en tly dropped by workmen. O bjects f a llin g from equipment were m ostly con tain ers o r metal p a rts; those f a llin g from p ile s were g e n e ra lly con ta in ers. About 10 percent o f the f a l l i n g o b je c ts topp led from upright p o sitio n s and struck workmen; b lock s o f ic e were most fre q u e n tly in volved in these a ccid e n ts. In approximately a s ix th o f the accid en ts in v olv in g moving o b je cts the o b je c ts were hand-propelled. Most commonly these were handtrucks or handt o o l s . F lying o b je c t s , m ostly small p a r t ic le s , were in v olv ed in approxi m ately 1 o f every 3JU a ccid en ts a ttrib u te d t o moving o b je c t s . A ccidents in which workmen were struck by moving o b je c ts were frequent in a l l types o f warehouses. R e la tiv e ly , the number o f in ju r ie s a ttrib u te d to that type o f accid en t ranged from 28.5 percent o f a l l in ju r ie s in c o ld storage warehouses t o 32.2 percent in farm -products warehouses. A ccidents in v olv in g f a l l i n g o b je c ts were p a r tic u la r ly important in merchandise ware houses, accounting f o r 2 2 .9 percent o f a l l in ju r ie s in th at group. O verexertion, the second most common type o f a ccid e n t, accounted f o r n early a fou rth (23.!* p ercent) o f a l l in ju r ie s . T hree-fourths o f these oc curred in l i f t i n g o p e ra tio n s. C ontainers, metal p a rts , fu r n itu r e , lumber, and fo o d s tu ffs were most fre q u e n tly in v olv ed . Other o v e r-e x e rtio n accid en ts included those re s u ltin g from p u llin g , pushing, ca rry in g , or r o llin g o b je c t s . Containers, such as b a les and heavy b a r r e ls , produced most o f those in ju r ie s . O verexertion accidents were r e la t iv e ly most common in c o ld -s to ra g e warehouses where nearly a fou rth (21*. 6) o f a l l in ju r ie s were a scrib ed t o that type o f a ccid e n t. -2 2 - Aoproximately o n e -six th o f the d isa b lin g in ju r ie s re su lte d from ware housemen being caught in , on, or between moving o b je c t s . Nearly 10 percent o f these in ju r ie s re su lte d in death or permanent d is a b ilit y . The average se v e r it y o f in ju r ie s in th is group, 103 days lo s t per d is a b i l i t y , was, th e r e fo r e , exceeded on ly by those produced by f a l l s . About t w o -fift h s o f these a ccid en ts in volved v e h ic le s (ta b le 9 ) . In most o f these cases the warehouseman was squeezed between the v e h icle and some other o b je c t , but there were many in stances in which hands op f e e t were crushed by moving parts o f v e h ic le s , ma ch in es, e le v a to r s , or conveyors. Another la rg e group o f "caught in , on, or between" a ccid en ts occurred in the manual handling o f m a teria ls, p a r tic u la r ly co n ta in e rs. Most o f these a ccid en ts produced hand in ju r ie s re su ltin g from workmen s e ttin g the handled o b je c ts on t h e ir hands o r fin g e r s . F a lls , c o n s titu tin g about 12 percent o f the t o t a l volume o f a ccid e n ts, produced a r e la t iv e ly high p rop ortion o f seriou s in ju r ie s . This group o f ac cid en ts included 112 f a l l s from e le v a tio n s , 1 re su ltin g in death and 6 in per manent impairments, and 83 f a l l s on the same l e v e l , 1 o f which re s u lte d in permanent impairment. I n ju r ie s re su ltin g from f a l l s from e le v a tio n s had an average time lo s s o f 211 days per case compared w ith 38 days f o r in ju r ie s produced by f a l l s on the same l e v e l . The e le v a tio n s from which warehousemen most freq u en tly f e l l were v e h ic le s , p la tform s, s c a f f o ld s , and p ile d m a teria ls. F a lls on the same le v e l g en era lly o rig in a te d in a s l i p or by trip p in g over an o b stru ctio n . One o f every 10 in ju r ie s re su lte d from a workman strik in g against or bumping in to some o b je c t . Most o f these in ju r ie s o rig in a te d in the handling o f m aterials or in the op eration or use o f machines, t o o l s , and v e h ic le s . Equipment, c h i e f l y machines and v e h ic le s , p r o je c tin g n a ils or s liv e r s on cases and box es, and sharp or rough edges o f metal parts and con ta in ers were the o b je c ts most fre q u e n tly con ta cted . Other d isa b lin g in ju r ie s t o warehousemen in clu d ed stra in s occasioned by s lip s or stumbles (n ea rly 5 p e rce n t). In these ca se s, the workman was in jured as he tw isted o r strain ed h is body attempting t o maintain h is balance; no con ta ct with any p a r tic u la r o b je c t was in v olv ed . The in h a la tio n or ab sorp tion o f chem icals accounted f o r le s s than 2 percent o f a l l d isa b lin g in ju r ie s . ACCIDENT CAUSES Modern accid en t an a lysis i s based upon two prem ises: F ir s t , there i s an id e n t ifia b le cause f o r every a ccid en t and, second, when that cause i s known, i t i s u su a lly p o ssib le t o elim inate or coun teract i t as a p o s s ib le source o f fu tu re accid en ts o f the same kind. In many in sta n ce s, a v a r ie t y o f circum stances co n trib u te s to the occurrence o f an accid en t and the course that accid en t prevention should take may seem confused because o f the m ulti p l i c i t y o f the p o s s ib le avenues o f a c tio n . The p a r tic u la r course adopted, however, appears t o be o f l i t t l e consequence so lon g as the aim, the preven t io n o f a c c id e n ts , i s a tta in e d . -23- I t i s commonly accepted that every accid en t may be tra ce d t o the e x is t ence o f some hazardous working co n d itio n , t o the commission o f an unsafe a ct by some in d iv id u a l, or to a com bination o f these two a ccid en t-produ cin g fa c tors# The s o le purpose o f accid en t a n a ly sis, as a pp lied t o la rg e groups o f cases i s , th e r e fo r e , t o determine the s p e c if ic fa c t o r s w ithin each o f these two ca te g o rie s o f accid en t causes most fre q u e n tly in v olv ed in the occurrence o f a ccid e n ts. With th is knowledge, i t i s p o s s ib le to plan a s a fe ty program centered on the elim in a tion o f these s p e c if ic accident fa c t o r s with assurance that success in th is o b je c tiv e should lea d qu ick ly t o a su b sta n tia l red u ction in the volume o f in ju r ie s . I t must be recogn ized, however, that accident an a lysis has d e fin it e lim i t a tio n s . At b est i t can fu rn ish clu e s on ly as to the d ir e c tio n s in which accid en t-p reven tion a c t i v i t i e s should be p oin ted. What these a c t i v i t i e s should be and how th ey are t o be ca rrie d out must be determined by the in d i vidual in c o n t r o l o f each s a fe ty program a ft e r h is general o b je c tiv e s have been in d ica te d through a ccid en t a n a ly sis. I t must a ls o be recognized that accident analysis cannot go beyond the reported f a c t s . In other words, the accuracy o f any an a lysis i s w holly dependent upon the accxiracy and com plete ness o f the o r ig in a l accid en t r e p o r ts . In th is re sp e ct, i t has been con s is t e n t ly apparent in the Bureau's surveys that the inadequacies o f rep ortin g s e r io u s ly lim it the p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f e f f e c t iv e a n a ly sis. The lim ita tio n s are not great in broad stu d ies o f th is type which bring a s u f f ic ie n t volume o f adequate rep orts in to co n sid e ra tio n t o support an a n a ly sis. The shortcomings are s p e c i f i c a l l y a t the company or establishm ent le v e l where the most e f f e c t iv e an alysis can be performed on ly when a l l the necessary fa c t s are a v a ila b le . In in terp re tin g the fin d in g s in th is study r e la tin g t o hazardous con d i tio n s and unsafe a c t s , i t i s e s s e n tia l to recognize that these two fa c t o r s are not n e ce s s a rily mutually e x clu s iv e . The a n a ly tica l procedures u t iliz e d in the study were not d ir e c te d toward the determ ination o f a sin g le major cause o f each a ccid en t sin ce such determ ination would in v olv e an e x e rcis e o f judgment seldom p o s s ib le from the a v a ila b le f a c t s . On the con tra ry , an e f f o r t was made to determine independently f o r each accid en t whether there was a hazardous co n d itio n which con trib u ted d ir e c t ly t o i t s occu rrence, and wheth er the event cou ld be d ir e c t ly a ssocia ted with an unsafe a c t. Many o f the re p o rts were inadequate, however, and i t i s im p ossib le, th e re fo re , t o draw any con clu sion s as t o whether hazardous working co n d itio n s or unsafe a cts were the leading cause o f a ccid e n ts. For the accid en t p re v e n t io n is t, however, t h is i s a minor lim it a tio n . Since h is approaches to the elim in ation o f accid en t causes in the two ca te g o rie s n e c e s s a r ily must be d i f fe r e n t , the pattern o f the s p e c if ic fa c t o r s w ithin each general ca te g o ry i s o f more importance than the in te rr e la tio n s h ip between the major groups o f accid en t ca u ses. The c o r r e c tio n o f hazardous working con d ition s u su a lly i s e n t ir e ly with in the powers o f management and can be accomplished by d ir e c t a c tio n . The avoidance o f unsafe a c ts , on the other hand, requires coop era tion and under standing by both management and workers. To achieve t h is , i t i s necessary f o r management to take the lea d by p rovidin g safety-m inded supervision and by making sure that a l l workers are acquainted with the hazards o f t h e ir opera tio n s and are fa m ilia r with the means o f overcoming them. Hazardous Working Conditions Two general groups o f hazardous working con d ition s caused more than 60 percent o f a l l a ccid en ts to warehousemen: hazardous working procedures, p ercen t; and d e fe cts o f a g en cies, 26.0 p ercen t. Two other groups, im p rop erly guarded agencies and hazardous arrangement or placement o f m a terials, accounted f o r an a d d itio n a l 33*2 percent (ta b le s 10 and 1 1 ). Hazardous Working P rocedures.— Broadly speaking, most o f the accid en ts a ttrib u te d t o hazardous working procedures r e f l e c t su pervisory inadequacies in the proper planning o f manual m aterials-handling op e ra tio n s. The fa ilu r e t o provide adequate a ssista n ce or mechanical equipment f o r l i f t i n g and mov ing heavy or bulky m aterials was a prominent source o f a ccid e n ts. Environ mental working circum stances which n e ce ssita te d great p h y sica l e x ertion in c lo s e q u arters, sometimes in cramped p o s it io n s , in e v ita b ly produced many in ju r ie s . S im ila rly , many o f the in ju r ie s were the r e a d ily p re d icta b le re s u lts o f unsafe procedures such as manually p ilin g and u n piling m aterials at le v e ls above shoulder h eig h t. Hazardous procedures a sso cia te d with manual m aterials handling were par t i c u l a r l y prominent in the household-goods warehouses where the use o f me ch a n ica l equipment i s very lim ite d . C otton-storage warehouses a lso had a r e la t iv e ly high r a t io o f such a ccid e n ts. The most common in ju r ie s re su ltin g from these a ccid en ts were back stra in s and crushed fin g e r s and t o e s . The back stra in s fre q u e n tly were the re s u lts o f simple o v e r lif t in g , but c lo s e quarters and high l i f t i n g were important fa c t o r s in many in sta n ce s. The placement o f m aterials in c lo s e quarters was an important element in the occurrence o f many fin g e r and toe in ju r ie s . The d i f f i c u l t y o f holding o r c o n t r o llin g hand-held m aterials o f e x cessiv e weight or o f awkward s iz e or shape, however, was p rim arily resp on sible f o r the fin g e r and toe in ju r ie s . D efects o f A gen cies.— About 1 in every U o f the warehousing accid en ts resu lted from a p h y sica l d e fe ct in the prem ises, in the equipment used, or in the m aterials handled. D efects in the working environment, commonly r e fle c t e d e ith e r inade quate maintenance and re p a ir or inadequate a tte n tio n to housekeeping. Rough and s p lin te re d f l o o r s presented trip p in g hazards and made i t d i f f i c u l t t o c o n t r o l the movements o f in d u s tr ia l tru ck s. Wet and i c y f l o o r s in re fr ig e r a t e d areas and on loading docks and other outdoor areas in inclement weather con trib u ted t o many f a l l s . S im ila rly , f a l l s re s u ltin g from slip p e ry su rfaces on trucks and on the metal dock p la te s used t o b rid ge the space -25- between trucks and load in g docks were common. A ccidents a scrib ed to d e fe c tiv e in d u s tr ia l trucks most commonly re su lte d from d e fe c ts acquired in use and perm itted to e x is t because o f inadequate maintenance. There were, however, a con siderable number o f acciden ts which cou ld be a ttrib u te d to inherent d e fe cts in the design o f the v e h ic le s . The absence o f proper p ro te ctio n f o r the operator against co n ta ct with the load or with fix e d o b je c ts in the area o f operations perm itted the occurrence o f numerous crushing in ju r ie s . D efectiv e c o n t r o ls , and c o n tr o ls so placed that they cou ld be touched u n in te n tio n a lly caused some trucks t o move unexpect ed ly and brought in ju r ie s t o the operators or to others in the v i c i n i t y . D efectiv e brakes le d t o some c o l l i s i o n s and the n e ce s s ity o f hand cranking the motors on some trucks le d to a few in ju r ie s when the motors '‘kicked back. " D efects in the m aterials handled were a common source o f accid en ts in a l l types o f warehouses. Most fre q u e n tly these d e fe c ts co n s is te d o f unre paired damage t o the con tain ers and bindings o f the m a teria ls. S p lin tered , rough, and sharp-edged containers and p ro je ctin g n a ils and wire were re sp on sible f o r many hand and fin g e r in ju r ie s . Inadequately Guarded A gencies. — In warehousing, as in other in d u s trie s , the accid en ts a ris in g from inadequate guarding tend to produce in ju r ie s o f grea ter than average s e v e r it y . Eighteen percent o f the warehousing accidents were d ir e c t ly a ttrib u ta b le to inadequate guarding. These a ccid e n ts, however, produced 1 o f the 2 rep orted f a t a l i t i e s and 35 percent o f the reported per manent impairments. Their importance in the accident record o f the indus t r y , th e r e fo r e , i s g rea ter than i s in d ica te d by t h e ir number. More than a t h ir d o f the a ccid en ts in th is group re su lte d from a f a i l ure to provide guardrails and toeboards on ele v a te d s u r fa c e s, o r p ro te ctiv e gates on e le v a to r s . The absence o f guardrails re su lte d in many f a l l s and the lack o f toeboards perm itted m aterials t o s lid e from e le v a tio n s and f a l l onto workers. The absence o f an e le v a to r sh a ft gate caused one worker t o f a l l to h is death in the s h a ft, and the absence o f e le v a to r ca r gates le d to severa l a ccid en ts in which workers* fe e t were crushed between the ca r and shaft w a ll. Since the use o f machines, other than conveyors and in d u s tr ia l tru ck s, i s quite lim ite d in the warehousing in d u stry the volume o f a ccid en ts charge able to inadequate machine guarding was r e la t iv e ly sm all. More than a fou rth o f those which d id o ccu r, however, produced permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s . The ma chines most commonly in v olv ed were b a lin g p re sse s, c ir c u la r saws, g rin d ers, a n d *ice-cu ttin g (s c o r in g , cru shin g, and cubing) machines. Two v a r ie t ie s o f a ccid en ts in v o lv in g inadequate p ro v isio n s f o r anchor ing or lock in g movable su rfaces were common in loading and unloading opera t io n s . The la ck o f f a c i l i t i e s f o r anchoring dock p la te s fre q u e n tly re su lte d -2 6 - in the p la te s s h iftin g and dropping workers and t h e ir loads in to the space between the dock and the v e h ic le , Somewhat s im ila r ly , the la ck o f an ade quate supporting d evice f o r the t a ilg a t e s o f trucks fre q u e n tly allow ed the gates to drop on workmen or t o drop with them when they were enterin g or lea v in g the tru ck s . In handtrucking operations there were many a ccid en ts in which the truck e r 's hand was pinched or crushed between the truck handle and some fix e d ob j e c t , Almost in v a ria b ly these a ccid en ts would have been prevented had the trucks been equipped with handle guards. A ccidents re su ltin g from the lack o f guards on power transm ission equipment, b e lt s , p u lle y s , e t c . , were not p a r tic u la r ly common, but the se v e r it y o f the in ju r ie s produced by such accid en ts tended t o be high. F ive o f the 13 rep orted cases re su lte d in permanent d i s a b i l i t i e s . Hazardous Arrangement or Placement.—Im properly p ile d or im properly placed m aterials c o n s titu te a prominent hazard in warehousing, p a r tic u la r ly in merchandise and household-goods warehouses. Most o f the reported a c c i dents which were a ttrib u te d to these hazards were cases in which m aterials f e l l on workers. In a number o f instan ces the m aterials f e l l from completed p ile s and struck workers who were working nearby o r simply passing by the p i l e s . In other instan ces they f e l l from warehouse trucks w hile being moved or s l i d o f f the loadin g docks while being moved in to or out o f sto ra g e . The hazards o f working around im properly p ile d m aterials were freq u en t l y in t e n s ifie d by a f a ilu r e t o maintain adequate c le a r space f o r the opera tio n s being perform ed. Inadequate a is le space and inadequate arrangements f o r the fr e e flo w o f t r a f f i c in the warehouses -were b a s ic a lly resp on sib le f o r many c o l l i s i o n s in which warehouse trucks struck workers or knocked over p ile d m a teria ls. M iscellan eou s.— Two other hazardous working co n d itio n s— poor housekeeping and la ck o f personal s a fe ty equipment— accounted f o r one o f every 20 in ju r ie s to warehousemen. Most o f the l a t t e r group were a sso cia te d with using handtools o r machines. Unsafe Acts For the purposes o f th is a n a ly sis, an unsafe a ct was d efin ed as that " v io la t io n o f a commonly accepted sa fe procedure which occasioned or per m itted the occurrence o f the in ju ry - producing a c c id e n t .” L it e r a lly , t h is d e fin it io n means that no personal a ctio n s h a ll be designated unsafe unless there i s a reasonable, le s s hazardous, a lte rn a tiv e procedure. For example, the op eration o f a machine f o r which no guard was provided was c l a s s i f i e d as a hazardous working co n d itio n and not as an unsafe a ct because the worker had no ch o ice other than to use the unguarded machine. On the other hand, the op eration o f a machine from which the guard had been removed was c l a s s i f i e d as an unsafe a ct because the a lte rn a tiv e sa fe procedure would have been -2 7 - the replacement o f the guard b e fo re operating the machine. The d e fin it io n does not im ply, however, that the worker who committed the unsafe a ct was aware o f the a lte rn a tiv e sa fe procedure nor that h is act was the re su lt o f a con sidered ch o ice between the a lte r n a tiv e s . From the an alysis o f the in d iv id u a l a ccid en ts i t i s apparent th a t, in many ca se s, the worker knew the sa fe procedure but co n s cio u s ly decided not t o f o llo w i t . In other ca se s, the in d iv id u a l acted u n sa fely sim ply because he did not know the safe method. There a re, th e r e fo r e , two steps in any s a fe ty program which are e s s e n tia l t o the red u ction o f unsafe a c t s , namely education and enforcement. A ll workmen should be c a r e fu lly in s tru cte d in the safe methods o f performing t h e ir d u ties and they should be taught t o recogn ize hazards involved in deviation s from the safe procedures. Management then should provide adequate supervision t o assure that the sa fe procedures are fo llo w e d . Two general types o f unsafe a cts predominated. Unsafe handling o f ma t e r ia ls or equipment con trib u ted t o the occurrence o f 2+0•5 percent o f the ac cid en ts and assuming unsafe p o s itio n s or postures con trib u ted to 3^.7 percent (ta b le s 1 1 -1 3 ). Of somewhat le s s e r importance, unsafe loading or p la cin g o f m aterials was re sp o n sib le f o r 10.1 percent o f the a ccid e n ts; the f a ilu r e t o secure m aterials or t o warn others o f t h e ir p o s s ib le movement was resp on sible f o r 1+.8 p ercent; and operating o r working at excessive speed was resp on sib le f o r another 2+»6> p ercen t. Unsafe Handling.—A b a sic ru le in manual m aterials handling i s that the worker must e x e rcis e some judgment in taking hold o f the o b je c ts which he i s moving. He should avoid the n e ce s sity o f s lid in g h is hands along sharp o r s p lin te ry edges o f m a teria ls; he should be sure th at his hold i s such that he w i l l be able t o re le a se the m aterial without crushing h is hands; he should be sure that the weight i s reasonably balanced b e fo re making h is l i f t to avoid tw istin g or stra in in g his body; and he should be sure that h is g rip i s firm so that the m aterial w il l not s l i p from h is grasp. Equally im portant, he should recognize h is own p h y sica l lim ita tio n s and should make f u l l use o f a l l a v a ila b le mechanical equipment to avoid p o s s ib le ov erex ertion . V io la tio n s o f these commonsense operating p r a c tic e s con tribu ted to a su b sta n tia l volume o f in ju r ie s . The most common f a u lt was that o f grasping o b je cts at the wrong p la ce s—-eith er pla cin g the hands in a p o s it io n t o be pinched or crushed when the o b je c ts were moved or se t down, o r grasping them in a manner which d id not give good balance and as a re s u lt threw ex cessiv e stra in on the m uscles. A ccidents a t tr ib u ta l to these unsafe p r a c tic e s were common in a l l types o f warehouses, but were p a r tic u la r ly prominent in farmproducts warehouses and in household-goods warehouses. In many o f these cases the a sso cia te d hazardous co n d itio n was inadequate workspace. The fa ilu r e prominent source slip p ed from the stra in s when the t o maintain a good g rip on o b je cts being l i f t e d was a ls o a o f in ju r y . These were p rim arily cases in which o b je c ts workers* hands and f e l l on t h e ir f e e t or produced severe workers attempted t o regain c o n t r o l o f the s lip p in g o b je c t s . -2 8 - In many in stan ces o v e r lif t in g , improper placement o f the hands f o r good sup p o rt, and attempting to l i f t s lip p e r y or sharp-edged a r t ic le s were co n trib u t ing f a c t o r s . The p r a c tic e o f p u llin g handtrucks rather than pushing them was a some what le s s common, but nevertheless im portant, source o f in ju r ie s . The r e s u lt ing accid en ts were p rim arily cases in which the operators were caught between the tru ck s and fix e d o b je c ts or in stan ces in which the trucks got out o f con t r o l and overran the op era tors. Assuming Unsafe P osition s or 'Postures.— The outstanding fa u lt among t h is group o f unsafe p ra ctice s was the simple fa ilu r e t o watch o n e 's fo o t in g . Most o f the re s u ltin g a ccid en ts were s lip s or f a l l s a ris in g from trip p in g over ob s tr u c tio n s , stepping too near the edge o f e le v a tio n s , or stepping upon lo o se m a teria ls. Poor housekeeping and im properly placed m aterials were co n trib u t ing fa c t o r s in many o f these a ccid e n ts. A sim ila r fa ilu r e to observe t h e ir surroundings le d t o a number o f a c c i dents in which workers bumped in to fix e d o b je c ts or equipment which should have been obvious t o them. Handtruckers, p a r tic u la r ly , fre q u e n tly misjudged distan ces and crushed t h e ir fin g e rs between the truck handles and w a lls , c o l umns, or p ile d m a terials. Unnecessary exposure to moving equipment or to f a l l i n g m aterials was a lso a prominent unsafe a c t . Among o th e rs, th is ca teg ory included such in v it a t io n s to in ju r y as walking in fro n t o f moving in d u s tr ia l tru ck s, working to o c lo s e t o t r a f f i c lftnes, enterin g the area under suspended lo a d s , and ap proaching p ile d m aterials w hile stacking operations were in p ro g re ss. S trains and sprains from improper l i f t i n g p r a c t ic e s , p a r tic u la r ly bend ing at the hips and keeping the knees stra ig h t when r a is in g o b je c ts from the f l o o r , were common in a l l types o f warehouses. C areful tra in in g in the p rin c ip le s o f ra isin g a loa d with the le g muscles rather than those o f the back appears t o be necessary throughout the in d u stry. Unsafe Loading or P la cin g .— Most o f the unsafe a cts in th is ca teg ory co n s is te d o f p la cin g m aterials in s e cu re ly on e le v a tio n s from which they f e l l and struck nearby workers. The most common fa u lt was that o f overloading or p re ca rio u s ly balancing m aterials on handtrucks . These m aterials fre q u e n tly f e l l o f f when the trucks bumped in t o ob stru ction s or turned sharp co rn e rs. The handtruck operators were fre q u e n tly the v ictim s o f t h e ir own improper procedures, but i t was not unusual t o fin d that the in ju re d person was in no way connected with the loading or operation o f the v e h ic le s . S im ila rly , in secure p ilin g and improper placement o f m aterials near the edge o f e le v a tio n s re su lte d in in ju r ie s to others as fre q u e n tly as to the workers who were re sp on sible f o r cre a tin g the hazards. A ccidents r e s u ltin g from unsafe loading or p la cin g o f m aterials con s t it u t e d a higher percentage o f the volume o f accidents in the household-goods -2 9 - warehouses than in any other variety of warehouses. The wide variation in the shapes, sizes, and weights of the materials handled in the householdpoods warehouses probably accounts in large measure for this circumstance. There was, however, a considerable volume of accidents attributable to these unsafe acts in both the merchandise and refrigerated warehouses. The farmnroduct warehouses, on the other hand, had relatively few such accidents. Miscellaneous Unsafe Acts.— The miscellaneous group of unsafe acts in cluded a wide variety of unsafe practices, none of which individually ac counted for a large volume of accidents. In the aggregate, however, these seemingly unimportant lapses in working procedures were contributing factors in the occurrence of over 12 percent of the reported accidents. Among the more prominent faults in the group was the failure to secure materials or equipment against unexpected movement. Generally this consist ed of leaving loaded handtrucks on inclines without adequately blocking them so that they would not run away if bumped or jarred. A related fault was that of failing to warn others in the area when moving materials or handtrucks in close quarters. Equally hazardous was the practice of throwing materials and of kicking or shoving handtrucks out of the way and letting them run free in the work space. Characteristically, these unsafe actions generally resulted in injuries to Dersons other than the ones who acted im properly. Most of the injuries were bruises or contusions from being struck by the moving materials. The practice of throwing material from man to man, however, tended to produce severe strains and sprains when the catcher found it difficult to hold on to the materials tossed to him. Operating industrial trucks, both powered and hand types, at excessive speeds was responsible for a considerable number of injury-producing colli sions. Speed was also a factor in some cases where materials were thrown from the trucks on turns or when the trucks passed over rough surfaces. The general use of personal protective equipment, such as gloves, safe ty hats, and steel-toed shoes, undoubtedly would have minimized or prevented many of the injuries. Increased use of these items obviously should be en couraged. There were, however, relatively few accidents reported which could be ascribed specifically to the failure to use such protective devices. The most common circumstance injwhich the failure to use protective equipment was a direct factor in the accidents arose in the manual handling of materials which had sharp or rough edges. In such operations the use of gloves or other hand protectors is an essential part of the operation and a failure to use them is distinctly an unsafe act. In some instances the accidents could be attributed to the workers* fail ure to wear adequate clothing for the work they were performing. Wearing worn-out shoes with thin or broken soles led to a number of foot injuries when workers stepped on sharp objects. Trousers that were too long or were ragged and torn tripped some workers or threw them off balance when they caught on obstructions. In refrigerated warehouses a common fault was that -30- of entering the deep cold areas without donning the heavy clothing required for work in those temperatures, ACCIDENT-PREVENTION SUGGESTIONS To illustrate the more common types of hazards encountered in warehous ing operations, a number of typical accidents were selected for specific com ment. All available details relating to the occurrence of these accidents were assembled and submitted to two experienced safety engineers who were re quested to prepare recommendations as to how each accident might have been pre vented. 5/ The following accident-prevention suggestions reflect the combined judgment of these consultants. In presenting these accident-prevention suggestions, there is no intent to imply that they constitute a comprehensive set of safety miles for the warehousing industry, nor that the suggested methods constitute the only ways in which these accidents could have been avoided. Many safety engineers un doubtedly would attack the problems involved in these accidents in different ways and would achieve equally good results. The objective is simply to in dicate that there is a comparatively simple way to eliminate Dractically every type of hazard encountered in employment. The particular method adopted is of minor importance so long as it accomplishes its purpose. Brief descriptions of the selected accidents, accompanied by the sug gestions for prevention of such events, follow. 5/ Sheldon W. Homan, Safety Engineer of the Division of Safety Stand ards,"Bureau of Labor Standards, U. S. Department of Labor, and Odell D. Maxwell, Supervising Safety Engineer, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, De partment of the Navy, cooperated in the preparation of this section of the report. -31- CASE DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. A repairman was using a circular saw. As he fed a piece of lumber to the saw, his finger struck the blade and was amputated. The saw was not guarded. All points of operation of woodworking machinery should be guarded in conformance with the American Standard Safety Code for Woodworking Machinery. An adequate cover guard riding on the stock would have prevented his finger from contacting the blade. 2. A maintenance foreman, using a bench saw, lacerated his finger on the blade. Investigation disclosed that (a) a guard was provided for the saw but that it did not completely cover the blade, and (b) the foreman was wearing gloves which were caught and entangled by the blade. (a) Circular saws should be equipped with a guard which will enclose the blade completely. (See American Standard Safety Code for Woodworking MachineryT) (b) Gloves should not be worn by employees working with or around moving machinery. 3. A maintenance man was adjusting a conveyor belt. on the belt* His hand was drawn under a roller. He placed his hand All employees should be carefully trained in the safe performance of their duties. Maintenance men should never be permitted to make repairs or adjustments on machinery while it is in operation. Instead, the power should be dis connected and a sign or lock should be placed on the switch to prevent other workmen from closing the switch while repairs or adjustments are being made. b . An oiler was greasing a fitting on a powered conveyor. When a second workman gave the signal indicating that he was closing the switch, the oiler reached to remove a grease gun from the conveyor. His gloved finger was caught by a roller and was amputated. Safety procedures should be developed for all operations and supervisors should be required to enforce those safe prac tices strictly. Before oiling or repairing powered equipment, workmen should disconnect the power, lock the power switch, and place a "Do not start}> tag on it. No one should be permitted to remove the tag or start the equipment except the workman who locked the equipment and placed the tag. -3 2 5» A foreman was operating an ice crusher. As he was feeding it, a small piece of ice fleiv from the machine and struck his eye. (a) A chute or conveyor which would automatically feed the ice to the crusher should be installed. (b) Where there is a possibility of flying materials, face shields or goggles should be provided and worn. 6. An employee was using a grinder to sharpen an ice bar. A small piece of metal struck the workman's eye. Investigation disclosed that no goggles had been provided. (a) A permanent shield of flexiglass or other nonshattering transparent material should be installed on all grinding wheels. (b) Goggles should be provided and worn during grinding 7. An employee was removing a roll of lead from a rack. He misjudged the weight of the roll and, when he pulled it clear of the rack, it slipped from his grasp and fell on his foot. Investigation disclosed that the rack was approximately 6 feet from the floor. (a) Heavy articles, such as rolled lead, should be stored at or near the floor level. (b) Safety shoes should be worn by all employees engaged in materials-handling operations. In this case, the shoes might have minimized or prevented the injury. 8. A handtrucker was removing bales of cotton, piled two high, from storage. When he pulled a bale from the top layer of the pile, it rolled and struck his leg. Mechanical handling equipment should be used for handling bales of cotton when they are stored or piled more than one layer high. 9. A warehouse laborer was loading cans of eggs on a handtruck. He dropped one of the cans on his foot, fracturing it. Investigation disclosed that the cans weighed approximately 70 pounds, and, though they were not frosted, they were chilled and hard to handle. (a) Because of the weight of the cans and the difficulty in handling them, two men trained to work as a team should be assigned to this work. -33- (b) Although they would not have prevented the accident, safety shoes or foot guards would have prevented or minimized the injury. 10. While a laborer was moving packing cases, he scratched his arm on a nail projecting from one of the cases. He neglected to get first aid and infection developed. (a) Before handling, all packing cases should be inspected for projecting nails and other defects. Projecting nails should be removed or bent into the wood immediately. (b) A ll injuries regardless of their severity should be given first-aid treatment immediately after the accident. 11. A laborer was handling rough lumber in the lumber yard. A splinter punctured his finger, which became infected. Investigation disclosed that no gloves had been provided. Employees engaged in this type of work should be furnished gloves or other hand protection. Adequate supervision should be provided to assure its use. 12. A handtrucker was lifting a piece of steel onto his truck. When the steel slipped, he cut his hand on the sharp edge of the metal. Investi gation disclosed that the employee was not wearing gloves which had been provided. All employees should be carefully instructed in the safe performance of their duties. Adequate supervision should be provided to assure observance of those procedures. 13. An employee was piling furniture in a warehouse. pick up a rolled rug and felt a sharp pain in his back. He bent over to All warehouse employees should be carefully trained in correct lifting procedures. Adequate supervision should be provided io assure observance* of those practices. In this"case, the employee was using his back instead of his legs to lift the rug— i. e., lifting with a bent back. lL. An employee in a grain warehouse strained his back lifting a 100pound bag of grain at the bagging machine. (a) Manual handling at the bagging machine should be replaced with mechanical handling equipment— i. e., conveyor system which is much more effective and safer. (b) 'When 100-pound bags are handled manually, two men trained to work as a team should be assigned to that work. 15* A warehouse laborer, standing on the pile, was stacking bags of pecans. He misjudged his footing and fell from the pile. Investigation dis closed that the pile of pecans was approximately 5 feet high and that no footboard had been provided* (a) This is a good example of the inherent hazard of nonmechanized piling. This hazard, which is difficult to control, could be eliminated by mechanical-handling equipment' and pallet ized loads. (b) For manual piling operations such as this, a properly guarded working platform or a suitable plank should fee used to provide adequate footing. 16* A warehouseman, walking by a pile of discarded lumber, stepped on a nail projecting from one of the boards. Good housekeeping ing from lumber should lumber is removed' from should be safely piled walkways. is essential to safety. Nails project be removed or bent into the wood as the service. In addition, discarded lumber or stored where it will not project into 17. A warehouseman was piling meat in a freezer room. shifted, a 150-pound piece of meat fell on him. 'When the pile Manual handling of frozen meat is an extremely hazardous procedure. Mechanical handling equipment with picture-frame pallets should be provided for handling frozen meat. 18. A freezer man was stacking boxes of meat in cold storage. He placed a box into position and then, as he arose, he bumped his head on a beam. Investigation disclosed that he was standing on a pile of boxes near the ceiling. Only mechanical stacking should be permitted when stor ing materials near the ceiling or in cramped quarters. 19. An employee was using a portable electric saw. thrown b y the saw, struck his eye. A splinter of wood, The speed of particles thrown by power-driven equipment will usually be sufficient to result in permanent injury t<T~ eyes. Therefore, safety goggles should be provided to all operators of portable or stationary power-driven woodworking and millworking equipment Supervisors should be required to enforce the use of such personal protective equipment rigidly. -35- 20. A warehouseman was unloading bales of cotton from a truck. When the hook he was using loosened from a bale, he fell backwards to the floor. Investigation disclosed that the hook was dull. All equipment should be inspected at frequent, regular intervals. Defective equipment should be removed from service or repaired immediately! 21. An employee was assembling crates. His hammer struck a nail a glancing blow and the nail flew, striking him in the eye. Management should provide, and employees should be required to wear) safety goggles during all nailing operations. Other em ployees working near nailing operations should also be required' to*wear goggles. toes. 22. As a warehouseman was loading a handtruck , it moved, crushing his Investigation disclosed that the truck wheels had not been blocked. (a ) All employees should be carefully trained in the safe performance of their duties and adequate supervision should be supplied to enforce those safe procedures. In this case, the wheels of the truck should have been blocked (faring the loading operation! .(b) All employees engaged in materials-handllng operations should be required to wear steel-toed safety shoes. If this’em ployee had been wearing safety shoes, the Injury could have been minimized and might have been avoided altogether. 23. While a handtrucker was moving a bale of cotton a second trucker ran into him. Investigation disclosed that the second trucker was following very closely and failed to stop when the first trucker slowed to make a turn. Bales of cotton obstruct, in some degree, the view of the trucker, therefore, when several truckers are engaged in' this woflc they should be instructed to follow not closer than it) feet from the trucker ahead. Supervisors should be required to enforce that instruction rigidly. 2k» An employee was using a two-wheeled handtruck to move barrels into storage. He crushed his fingers between the handle of the truck and a door way. Investigation disclosed that the truck handles had a 2U-inch spread and the doorway was only 32 inches wide. Handles of two-wheeled handtrucks should be equipped with hand guards'! -3 6 - 25. A warehouseman was pushing a truck loaded with cans of frozen eggs. One of the cans fell from the truck onto his foot. Investigation disclosed that the load, which had not been secured, moved as the truck crossed a rough spot in the concrete floor. (a) All loads on hand trucks should be staked or other wise secured to prevent movement during transit. (b) Regular, frequent inspections and proper maintenance are necessary to safety. In this case, a regular inspection would have revealed the rough concrete floor; proper maintenance would have assured its repair. (c) Employees engaged in materials-handling operations should be"required to wear steel-toed safety shoes. 26. A handtrucker was pulling a ^-wheeled truck. He slipped on a small piece of ice lying on the floor and the truck rolled against his ankle. (a) Handtrucks should be pushed, not pulled. (b) Good housekeeping is essential to safety. A regu lar cleaning schedule should be developed and followed strlctlyl In addition, employees should be trained to remove promptly any material dropped while it is being transferred. 27. After being used, a metal runway was placed on edge against the side of a warehouse. It toppled over and struck a warehouseman. Investigation disclosed that a handtrucker had bumped the runway as he was passing it. As a result, the runway was standing in a vertical position just prior to the accident. When not in use, equipment such as runways should be stored carefully so that it will not become a tripping or falling hazard. ” 28. To unload a truck, a warehouseman had placed two planks from the tailgate of the truck to the ground. As he carried a barrel down the runway, one of the planks slipped from the tailgate. The warehouseman fell and in jured his leg. The handling of barrels on an inclined plane by one man is an extremely dangerous practice. For this operation, (a) two men trained to work as a team should be used, (b) the inclined plane should be securely fastened to the platform of the truck, and (c) the truck should be blocked securely so that it cannot move forward. -3 7 - 29. A 12-inch plank -was being used as a walkway from a truck to the ground. As a packer was using the walkway he slipped and fell. Investigation disclosed that it had been raining and the plank was wet. The surface of all inclined walkways should be cleated or covered with a nonskid material. 30. A warehouse laborer was unloading newsprint from a railroad car. When the dock plate slipped, he fell between the boxcar and the platform and a roll of newsprint fell on him. Dock plates should be anchored to prevent slipping. 31. An assistant superintendent was installing a conveyor belt. The ladder, on which he was standing, slipped and he fell, fracturing a vertebra. Generally, ladders should not be used in maintenance work. Instead, suitable working platforms with guard rails and toeboards should be provided. 32. An employee was unloading 100-pound bags of flour from a boxcar. He slipped on some loose paper and fell. Investigation disclosed that the paper had been placed on the car floor before the bags of flour were loaded. Good housekeeping is essential to safety. In this case, the paper should have been removed as the unloading progressed. Adequate supervision should be supplied to enforce good house keeping practices. 33* An oiler was greasing the gears of a wheat conveyor while it was being used. His fingers were amputated in the gears. Investigation dis closed that the oiler had removed the guard to grease the gears. When in motion, machinery should never be oiled or greased b y hand. If greasing is necessary when machinery is in motion, a pressure system should be installed so that removal of guards in unnecessary. 3U. A packer was removing cardboard from storage. One of the pieces of cardboard projected about 1 foot from the pile. The warehouseman stepped on this overhang and fell. Poor piling practice is indicated. Piles should be set back as the height of the pile increases. Overhangs should not be permitted. 33* An employee stepped from the elevator into a dark basement. While trying to find the light switch he stepped on a nail projecting from a board. -3 8 - Investigation disclosed that (a) the light switch was on the wall near a door, approximately 12 feet from the elevator, and (b) the board had been discarded b y the maintenance crew. (a) A two-way light switch should be installed near the elevator door. (b) Good housekeeping is essential to safety in any operation! A regular cleaning schedule should be developed and followed strictly. In addition, employees should be trained to place discarded materials in trash boxes supplied ffbr that purpose. Supervisors should be required to enforce these housekeeping practices rigidly. 36. A night watchman slipped from a freight elevator and fell h feet, fracturing his hip. Investigation disclosed that neither the elevator hoist way nor cage had gates and that the watchman, thinking the elevator was near the floor level, stepped off in the dark. Elevator hoistways and cages should be equipped with gates as required by the American Standard Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, and Escalators. 37* An employee was moving furniture in an elevator as it was ascend ing. His foot was crushed between the elevator cage and the hoistway. In vestigation disclosed that the cage was not equipped with a gate. (a) Car gates should be installed on the elevator cage. (b) The sill plate at the shaftway door should be beveled. this case, the beveled sill would have pushed the employee's foot back into the car. In 38. A warehouseman was pulling a bale of cotton from a pile. He slipped and fell against a bale, cutting his hand on one of the bands. In vestigation disclosed that (a) the floor of the warehouse was littered with scraps of cotton and (b) the end of one of the bands projected from the bale. (a) Good housekeeping is essential to safety. A regular cleaning schedule should be developed and followed strictly. In addition, employees should be trained to remove promptly any material dripped while It is being transferred. Supervisors should be required to enforce these procedures rigidly. (b) Before moving bales of cotton to storage, they should be inspected and loose ends of steel strapping should be rolled. -3 9 - 39. The driver of a towmotor was injured when the tomnotor fell from the warehouse loading platform* Investigation disclosed that the operator attempted to turn his towmotor on the platform without slowing down. (a) The platform should be equipped with a toeboard. (b) All employees should be carefully instructed in the safe performance of their duties. In addition, adequate super vision should be provided to enforce safe procedures. In this case, the driver should have slowed his towmotor before making the turn, hO. An employee fractured his ankle when he stepped into a hole on a concrete loading platform. Investigation disclosed that the concrete plat form had cracked and the hole developed as a result of the extensive use of handtrucks. Periodic inspections of the premises and adequate maintenance are necessary to prevent accidents of this type. In this case the cracked concrete platform should have beenrepaired before the hole developed. ill. A packer was placing a metal strap around a crate. When he swung the strapping over the crate, it struck and lacerated his leg. All workmen should be carefully trained in the safe performance of their duties. In this case, the strap should first be placed under the crate and then wrapped over the top and fastened. 1+2. A warehouse laborer was unloading frozen meat from a boxcar. When he opened the car door, a piece of meat weighing 100 pounds fell from the car and struck his head. Investigation disclosed that the load had shifted duiv ing transit. A car-door puller should be provided for opening boxcar doors. With that device, workmen may stand in the clear while opening boxcar doors. 2+3. An employee was unloading drums of oil from a railroad car. His foot slipped off the edge of the platform and he fell between the platform and the car. Investigation disclosed that the platform was not defective nor slippery and that the workman had evidently misjudged his step. A li-inch angle iron toeboard should be installed on the platform. APPENDIX— STATISTICAL TABLES The injury-frequency rate is the average number of disabling work injur ies for each million employee-hours worked# A disabling work injury is any injury which (a) results in death or any degree of permanent physical impair ment, or (b) makes the injured worker unable to perform the duties of any regularly established job, which is open and available to him, throughout the hours corresponding to his regular shift on any 1 or more days after the day of injury (including Sundays, days off, or plant shutdowns). The severity rate is the average number of days lost for each 1,000 employee-hours worked. The computations of days lost include standard time charges for fatalities and permanent disabilities as listed in the American Standard Method of Compiling Industrial Injury Rates, approved by the Ameri can Standards Association, 191+5# 41Table 1*— W ork-injury rates for warehousemen, 1950, c la s s if ie d by type o f “warehouse and occupation* I n j u r y -f r e q u e n c y r a t e s I n ju r y -s e v e r i t y o f — A v e r a g e E m p lo y e e T y p e o f N u m b e r w a r e h o u s e o f o f a n d o c c u p a t io n N u m b e r w a r e e m p lo y e e s h o u s e s P e r m a h o u r s T e m p o w o r k e d A l l n e n t - r a r y - ( t h o u s a n d s ) d is a p a r t i a l d i s a b i l i t o t a l d i s a b i l i t i e s t i e s b lin g ; D e a th s i n j u r i e s l o s t t im e p e r — T e m p o D is a b l i n g in j u r y r a r y t o t a l d i s a - S e v e r i t y r a t e b i l i t y T o t a l 1 / ...................................... T Y P E F a r m O F t o t a l . . . * . . . . . . . . ............ o t t o n 71 13 2*2 • 1 1 .0 1.1 67 73 51* H * 1.7 1.9 2.1 23.9 25.5 21.3 18.7 15 • 1 •7 1.3 •7 31*6 1 8 1 * 38.1 61* 119 •7 2.2 *8 23.1 322 1 * 0 • 8 38.6 1*0.0 2.6 31.9 65.095 31*0 93U 8,503 5,691 2,812 5,132 16,258 1,011* 6,120 10,872 25*0 26*7 22,1 21,0 .2 20,775 1,1*67 33.0 39*5 • 1 772 1,387 9,310 15,2is 26*0 29,2 1*56 913 g o o d s ..• * . . . . a n d g r a i n -m 0 ,1 10,201 .6 i ll 27 237 301* p r o d u c t s * • • • • * • • • G e n e r a l .................. * .............. R e f r ig e r a t e d , t o t a l 1 /* 61|1 i* ,5 9 9 p r o d u c t s * • • * T * • 262 G e n e r a l ................................... 39 7,278 6,139 1,105 3,373 18,713 F o o d 29*6 31,956 M e r c h a n d is e , t o t a l l / . * C a n n e d g o o d s * . . . T . .• F lo u r 1.3 2,695 1 *7 8 G r a i n .................................. . . H o u s e h o ld ( d a y s ) W A R E H O U S E p r o d u c t s , C ( d a y s ) 12,858 2,318 *1 39.7 1*0.9 3l*.5 .1 1*0.5 • 2 2 8 J * 1*6 39 37 50 16 15 13 1.2 3.9 2.1 11 i*.7 17 8 < 1 * H * 1*3 12 12 11 1.6 1.5 1.7 O C C U P A T IO N O p e r a t o r s , t o t a l C o m p r e s s 1 / ..................... . o p e r a t o r s ............ .. C o o l e r m e n * * ................................... . E n g in e e r s , r e f r i g e r a t i n g . F o o d p r o o e s s o r s * * .................. F r e e s e r m o n . * . ................... ... .. G r a in I c e a n d O r d e r 21*7 93 c r a t e r s .• • • .. W a r e h o u s e m e n , M a t e r ia ls -m o v e m g e n e r a l ..* . e n t , t o t a l • • E le v a t o r o p e r a t o r s ............ ... F o r k li f t o p e r a t o r s • • • « • • H a n d tr u e k e r s . • • • • • • • • • • • O t h e r , t o t a l 1 C h e o k e r s . . T C l e r i e a l , 133 s t a c k e r s * * * . f i l l e r s . * * • • • • • • ... a n d 1*1 161 h a n d l e r s * ............ .. P a c k e r s 61* 21*9 e n * * * * * * * . e le v a t o m H a n d le r s 1 8 / . . . . . ............... ... . ........................ e x c e p t o h e c k e r i J a n i t o r s . . ..................... .. .............. . M a i n t e n a n c e w o r k e r s ............ . I n c lu d e s 2/ L e s s th a n f i g u r e s 0 .0 5 * n o t 1 *6 5 951* 265 7 8 2 1*06 1,378 1*38 271* 1,121 38.269 561 91*3 1,622 936 2,851 329 253 951 2,012 1.91+5 3.685 3.065 1+2+3 1,158 1.306 262 635 s h o w n 1,2+13 963 s e p a r a t e l y b e o a u s e 2 + l2 i 51.6 *h 38.2 •1* • 2 3*k 1.8 36.7 1.1 26.2 2+2+.0 2.1 .8 11.8 .6 *b •1 27.0 23 J+ 2.0 1 1 J + 37.2 9*8 o f 38.7 1*2.8 81*.8 17#0 9*3 61.7 20.3 51.2 76.1 3l*«6 3 1 * ^ 63O 20.565 2.398 11,552 790 2.927 2.02+9 5.536 1 .1 35*6 6,260 9 ,9 8 0 2 1 0 * 550 2,330 3,263 l*h 1*.6 76.1 688 1 .1 •5 13.9 61.7 91*6 2l+,ai*2 300 1 8 * 9 1.6 5*k 85*9 1*32 12,296 106 1*8.2 2,161* 350 1.939 366 W a t c h m e n ...................................... ... 1 / 66 270 i n s u f f i c i e n t 2.5 1.7 1.0 d a t a 31.8 36.2 35*6 27.O 22+.1 75 H*3 17 200 725 10 2 8 3 * H * 5 227 76 36 15 105 2+3.2 16 11.2 23.0 79 1.9 8.9 35*5 8.3 13 10 11 21 12 10 13 9 3.0 6.9 1*5 3*8 10.1 .6 .6 1*9 11* 1.1 5 18 8.1 11* 2.9 • 2 10 15 13 'i 2 .8 8 .7 20 15 15 23 105 56 i+73 •3 7 13 2.1 1 8 U .6 10 •9 2/ ns -42Table 2#— Work-injury frequency rates for ear ©housemen, 1950, classified by geographic region, State, and type of warehouse. T o t a l — F a r m - H o u s e h o ld M e r c h a n d is e G e o g r a p h ic r e g i o n a n d S t a t e a l l p r o d u c t s w a r e h o u s e s w a r e h o u s e s T o t a l ........................ ... ............. .. .............. . .............. • • • • • • N e w E n g la n d M r e g i o n , t o t a l * . • • • • • • • • • • • a s s a c h u s e t t s ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21*0 33.0 39.7 28.0 - - 30.9 - - - 30.3 J e r s e y ..................... • • • • • ............................ .. 30*3 41.7 N e w Y o r k * ............ .. .............. * ....................................... 29.9 A t la n t i c r e g i o n , t o t a l * ..................... P e n n s y l v a n i a . . . . . ..................... • • • • • • • • • • E a s t N o r th C e n t r a l r e g i o n , t o t a l ................ I l l i n o i s . . ....................................................................... I n d i a n a * ............................................ .. ................ .. M i c h i g a n * .................................................................. ... O h i o . . . . . . . ............... ...................... .. .................• • • 24.2 24.4 24.2 31-4 25.8 17.6 26.5 W e s t N o r t h C e n t r a l r e g i o n , t o t a l . • • • • • I o w a * .......................... ... ......................... .. ......................... K a n s a s • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • * • • • • • • • • • • • • • M i n n e s o t a ............... .. ................................................... ... M S o u th i s s o u r i * ........................... .. ................................. • • • A t la n t i c r e g i o n , t o t a l • • • • • • • • • • G e o r g i a . . .......................................................................... N o r t h C a r o l i n a ................ .. ............................... .. V i r g i n i a . ............................. .. ....................................... S o u t h c e n t r a l r e g i o n , t o t a l .................. o u i s i a n a . . . . . . . . . . ..... .................................... .. 1*0.5 38.0 t o t a l . . . . . * 23.0 - - - - - - - 2 0 .U 30*3 2 9 .1 - 37.3 Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • • • • • • - _ t o t a l • • • • • • • • .• • • • • • * • 33.7 38.1 27.9 2l*.l* 1*3•h 37.2 r e g i o n , 29.1 27.2 - 3I4-.I1 C a l i f o r n i a * . . .............. ...................... • • • • • • • • • 13.3 - 25.3 - 1*9.6 P a c i f i c - 26*3 - T e x a s ................................................. ............................... ... t o t a l ................................ .. .. 2l*.7 37.5 & .2 36.5 27.1 - 23*2 r e g i o n , - 27.8 O k la h o m a . M o u n ta in 19.7 - 17.0 W e s t L r e g i o n , 18.3 26.3 19*3 16.2 24.6 i s s i s s i p p i ................................... .. ............................ C e n t r a l - 19.3 - M S o u th A la b a m a * ..• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • - 34*3 22Jj 32.1 36.6 49.0 20.1 8.3 29*5 E a s t w a r e h o u s e s w a r e h o u s e s 25.0 31.0 N e w M id d le w a r e h o u s e s R e f r ig e r a t e d g o o d s - - 32.0 58.0 - - - - • - - - - 31+.2 30.6 2b*7 - - • - - - • ■“ _ _ - 29*8 - - - - - - - - 21.7 19.9 35.6 38.9 - liU.5 1*3.3 - Notes Data from idiioh these rates were worked are available on request to tte Bureau o f Labor S ta tis tic s , U. S. Department o f Labor, Washington 25, D* C* - -4 3 T a b le 3 •“ - W o r k - i n j u r y c la s s ifie d ra tes fo r w areh ou sem en , b y m e t r o p o lit a n 1950, area* In ju ry-a ev<*rity In ju ry-frequen cy rates o f — M etropolitan area Number Number of of ware employees houses Perma n entA ll d is a p a r t ia l b lin g Deaths d isa b ili in ju r ie s tie s 31.956 65.095 31*0 1*72 501 1,970 770 722 1.019 1,021; 3,872 l.i*09 1.1*79 25.5 29*3 67 79 5i*2 1.QU8 528 655 2,11*8 1,108 1.3H* 1*38 157 2.6/+1 1.536 217 81*3 1,223 673 519 Total l / . ...................................... 2,695 Boston, Mass*......... •••••••••* B u ffa lo , N• Y* ••• *•••••••••* Chicago, 111*, t o t a l Merchandise warehouses.•« C old-storage warehouses** Kansas C ity, M o***.**.........•* Los Angeles, C a lif*•*••••••« M inneapolis-St* Paul, Minn.* New Orleans, La*.........••••••« New York-Northeastern New J ersey, t o t a l 1/ Merchandise warehouses.7* Household goods**«•*•••*« warehouses* P h iladelph ia, Pa*, t o t a l l / . Merchandise warehousesT*« San Antonio, Tex............. ••••< Employeehours worked (thou sands ) 95 82 261+ 83 71 63 190 171+ 59 22 l / Includes fig u res not eh own 29.6 71 13 2*2 25*5 29.3 22*5 26*3 50.5 38.9 12 11 9l* 18 1*3 129 11 7 30 12 11 11 10 9 17 11 7 13 •3 •3 2*2 •5 1*1 6*5 •3 •1* 1*2 3*9 3*5 30*7 1+1.1 153 67 16 12 5 .J 3 .0 5*8 .1* •7 - 15*0 32.1 508 17 21 9 25 13 H* 9 10*9 .6 .6 .6 0.1 1*3 h°*h •3 •9 - 1 .0 •7 2*0 •9 1.5 5.381 3.118 3l*.8 W+*6 •2 - 1.728 2.1*31* 1.31*0 1.281+ 21*4 32*5 29*8 66 .2 .6 - 1,106 23*8 27*0 27*0 50*6 25*6 50.5 Average time lo s t per— Temporaryto ta l Tempo S ev erity d is a Disa r a r y ra te b i l i b lin g t o t a l t i e s Injury d is a b ility (day*) (day*) 25.0 148*6 25.6 2?#1 66 .2 s**r>arately because o f in s u ffic ie n t data* Table 1+*—W ork-injury frequency ra te s fo r warehousemen, 1950, c la s s ifi e d by occupation and by type o f T ota l- Farm- warehouse* HouseholdMerchandise R efrigera ted warehouses warehouses 21.0 33.0 39.7 36*3 _ • 36*7 36.9 1+6*0 • • 28*2 • • 1*9.7 1*7.3 35.6 38.2 2l+*7 1*8.2 22 .0 28.6 22*9 M aterials movement, t o t a l ............. •••••• F o r k lift op era tors.................................. Handtruckers •••................. ...................... 36.7 26.2 l*t+.o 37.1 18*7 1+1.2 • - 38.8 26*7 57*9 14*J* Other, t o t a l * *.•••••••••••••••..•••••* Checkers*.*. ............................. .. C le r io a l, except ch e ck e rs * .. . . . . . * * J a n i t o r s . .. ............................. ••••.*••• Maintenance workers.........*.................. Watohnen.. .................................................. 11.8 23.1* 2 .0 11.4 37.2 9 .8 9 .7 i*.9 2*1 1.0 - 7 .2 19*9 2*8 7.1* 1*0.5 9 .1 10*8 1*2*2 a ll products goods warehouses warehouses warehouses T ota l***•••••*••••••••••••••••••........... 31*0 25*0 Operators, t o t a l * ............................... .. Compress op era tors*........................... Coolermen. ................................••••••••• Engineers, r e fr ig e r a tin g ................... .. Freeze rmem*** •• ............................•••••• Grain-elevatormen* *....................... •••• Handlers and sta ck srs*.*• *................. Ioe handlers * ................. .. Packs rs and c r a te r s •••*••*.•••••••• Warehousemen, general......... *............ 1*0.5 1*8.2 85.9 I 8.9 61.7 21J+ 51.6 Occupation 76.1 22*2 10*7 88*5 19.1 60*7 • 53.1* 76*1 1*1.7 - • 30*7 -4 4 - Table 5 .—D isabling work in ju r ie s t o warehousemen o f 27l+ warehouses, 1950, c la s s if i e d by nature o f in ju ry , part o f body T o ta l- part o f body in ju red Total* •*•............. . warehouses Percent Number Merchandise R efrigerated warehouses warehouses goods products warehouses l / Number Household- Farm- a ll Nature o f in ju ry and in ju re d , and tyne o f warehouse. warehouse8 Percent Number Peroent Number Peroent Number Peroent 100.0 7i*o 100.0 509 100.0 168 169 99 63 22 3 5 11 9 33*0 33*1 11.6 12.1+ 2+.3 •6 1.0 2 .2 1.8 185 55 76 52+ 36.3 10.8 H+.9 10.6 156 89 15 33 12+ 2+ 1 30.6 127 21 2+7 59 25 .0 2+.1 9 .2 11.7 1.601* 100.0 222 100.0 123 5W 1*75 2t*0 33.8 29.6 76 61 31* 32 1* 6 1* 2 3 31+-2 2 7 .5 15.3 1k * k 1.8 2*7 1.8 •9 1.2+ 2+3 29 27 21 1 1 1 31+.9 252 32+.2 22.0 17.1 .8 .8 .8 212 120 112 12+ 8 7 6 9 28.6 16.2 15.1 1.9 1.1 •9 •8 1.2 57 29 21 7 25.7 2+5 11 26 8 36.6 8 .9 21.2 6 .5 252 78 101 73 10.5 7k 33*3 30.9 17*1 7*3 .8 3-3 1.6 •8 21+2 12+7 36 22 23 9 5 32.7 26.8 5 .7 6 .5 12+.6 176 26 51+ 96 23.8 NATURE OF INJURY S tra in s, s p r a in s .................. .. Cuts, la c e r a tio n s * ................. .. Fractures........... .................. .. H e rn ia s... ........................... .. Foreign b o d ie s, N .E .C *...*** Bums and s o a ld s .. ••••.•.•.* Other............. .......................... .. 230 2+1 18 16 19 22 15*0 ll*»3 2*6 le i 1 .0 1 .2 1.1* 23*6 PART OF BODY INJURED Loner e x tr e m itie s............... .. I* g ............................................ 51*1* 173 227 ih k 3U.0 10.8 11*.2 9 .0 Trunk*................................. B a c k . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. .. Chert A bdom en ..... S h ou lder.•••••••••••••«•• Hips, p e lv is * ................. ••* O t h e r * * .......••••••••••* 512 302 69 63 Upper e x tre m itie s* . . . . . . . . . . A m . . . . . . . . . . . ................... .. Hand.................................... ••• Finger............... ....................... 1*08 69 136 203 12.6 Head................. *............................. By®............................................ Brain, s k u l l * * * . . . ...• • »• O t h e r ...................* 96 1»3 17 36 6 .0 2 .7 1 .1 3 .2 Body, gen eral••••.*••••••••• 1*1* 2 .7 52 15 11 31.9 18.9 1*.3 3 .9 3 -2 .9 .7 25.1* U»3 8.5 13.0 9 .5 3 .2 32+.1 13.7 9 .9 1+3 9 7 11 1+ 19.2 1.8 38 21 9 1 1+ 2 1 72 15 27 30 32*1+ 6*8 12.2 13.2+ 33 7 8 18 1k 6.3 h k 2 1 1 3 .3 1.7 .8 •8 2*9 18 13 18 6 .6 2.1+ 1.8 2J+ 29 2+.5 1.8 13 3 13 5.7 2 .5 .6 2 .6 5 2 .3 3 2J 4. 21 2 .8 12 2.1+ 10 2+.1 3*2 5.0 19.8 1+.9 3 .0 3 .1 1 .2 •7 3-5 7 .3 13.0 1 / Includes fig u re s not shown separately because o f in s u ffic ie n t inform ation t o o la s s ify 17.2+ 2*9 6 .5 2*8 .8 •2 -4 5 T a b le 6 * — D is a b lin g w ork i n ju r i e s to w arehousem en o f 27l+ w a r e h o u s e s , 1950# c la s s if i e d by nature o f in ju ry , part o f body in ju red , and agency o f in ju r y . Part o f body in ju red and agency o f in ju ry Total Bruises, Cuts, number S tra in s, contu la c e r of in ju sprains sions a tion s r ie s Foreign Frac Hernias Ampu b od ies, ta tio n s N.E.C. tu res l,6QU 543 475 240 230 1*1 18 5U+ 173 115 48 64 3 224 79 91 54 65 30 28 7 132 H* 1*0 78 . - 2 2 90 26 33 6 14 4 7 2 1 1 - 27 2 18 1* 2 1 41 69 63 52 15 11 349 273 16 15 54 8 3 1*1 ** - - Upper e x tr e m it ie s .•••••••••• Arm.......................................... .. H and............. F i n g e r . . . . ......................•••• 408 69 136 203 75 20 1)6 9 91* 20 30 44 H*7 16 39 92 65 8 16 1+1 - Head. ........................................ Eye•••••••••••••••••••••• Brain, s k u l l . ...••••••••• O th er........•••••••••••• 96 1*3 17 36 1 1 35 7 9 19 26 10 6 10 5 2 3 • - 1 1 Body, g e n e r a l.......................... 1*1+ 3 32 - 1 - Containers•••••••••••••••••• Boxes, o a se s......................... Other........................................ 1+ai* 220 262* 2ia 108 133 123 67 56 1*9 19 30 51 18 33 V e h ic le s ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Powered............................. .. H a n d ................ ................ .. Railroad c a r s . . . ......... .. 220 1*9 55 11*3 22 22* 9 11 1* ia 12 28 5 101 16 75 10 Working su rfa ces*••••••••••• F l o o r s ..................................* O th e r ......................... .. 180 109 71 1*9 31 18 72 1*2 30 Metal p a r t s ............ .............. B odily motions H andtools.•••••••••••••••••• I c e . ..................................... . •• •* Lumber............................•••••••• 108 82 55 1*2 1*2 22 62* 9 11 12 26 8 11 15 12 Machines....................................... Furniture................. .................. .. 1*2 la 33 26 22 5 23 7 7 - 22 20 18 18 17 125 3 5 1 6 - - 27 7 2 T o t a l . . . . . .................................. 16 Bums and soalds Other 19 22 - 3 2 1 - 3 3 - • . - 1 - - 5 1 1* - 7 1* 1 2 16 16 10 - 9 • 1 2 1 • 1 - - 1 7 19 7 12 1 1 - - 3 2 2 - 3 2 1 - 21 H* 7 35 20 15 2 1 1 • - 31* 27 1 H* 21+ 6 7 12 1* 1 1* 1 3 1 - 10 5 11 12 - H* 1* 7 1 - 6 7 6 1* - 8 11 9 1* 5 1* 2 1* 36 1* 3 1* 1 29 1 3 PART OF BODY INJURED Lower e x tr e m itie s..................... I* g ............................................. F o o t ............ .. •••••••••• T o e . . . . . ••••••••••••••••• Trunk........... .................. ...... Back........... .................. .. C h est.•.••••••••••••••••. Abdomen. ............................ Sh ou lder.•••••••••••••••. Hips, p e l v i s . ................... .. • O t h e r . . . . . . . . . . ......... .. 227 144 512 302 15 15 _ 3 1 1 AGENCY OF INJURY F ood stu ffs............... •••••••••• Chemical s .............•••••••••••• Elevators .••••............. .............. R olls o f p a p er.................... .. Conveyors................................ ••• Doors. •................... .. Foreign b o d ie s ................. ••••• O t h e r . . .. ................... ••••••••• U n cla ssifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t d a ta .. 16 26 - «. 2 2 2 - 7 - «. - - - - • - - • - 1 1 - • - • • - • _ - . - - 13 9 - _ - _ '- 2 - - - - - - 3 m - - • - - 12 2 - 1 - 16 - - 1 - 6 12 - - - - - 4 6 .. T a b le 7 * — W ork a c c i d e n t s to w areh ou sem en o f 27U w a r e h o u s e s , 1950# c la s s ifi e d by a c t i v it y , agency o f in ju ry , and acciden t type* Agenoy o f in ju ry and aooident type Total number Handling mate of a o o i r ia ls dent s i / Operating or using equipment Total V eh icles Handt o o ls Other Walking, standing, eto* Other l,60t+ 931+ 353 201 98 3b 257 7 Containers* •................... •. •............ . Bozos, oases***............. .. O th er***.*....................... *.............. ••• i+ai+ 220 261+ 1+37 25 12 13 20 11 9 3 1 2 2 2 12 2 10 • - V eh icles* ..............................•••..........•••• Powered ..................................*................ Hand......................................................... Railroad oars*****................. •••••• 220 55 1^3 22 55 11 31+ 119 11h 20 90 5 - 38 18 13 7 • - 180 109 71 61 F loors****.. ••••.................................. Other*.........•••*.••••••••............••• h - 90 61 29 - Metal p a rt..................... .................*••••• Bodily m otions••••......... ••••••••••*•• Handtools. ••••••............... *................ ••• I c e ......................... •••••.......... ••••••••«• Limber. ....................... .................. *............ .. 108 82 55 1+2 1+2 87 30 6 35 27 - 2 1 3 1 5 i<6 b3 6 U5 2 2 1 1 25 33 12 1 3 2 - - - - - 56 8 1 9 5 3 2 - 39 23 6 5 3 9 3 1 1 - h 3 - 6 3 T o ta l............................................................... AGENCY OF INJURY Machines..........................••••••*.••••••• Furniture*•••••••••••••••.•••••••••* P a lle t s , s k i d s * .* ..«•••••••••••••••• Foodstuffs * ......................... .. Other..................... ............ .. U n cla s sifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t data......... 201 236 10 31+ 27 2b 90 5 25 11 lb h 16 6 10 6 lU 5 k 5 3 7 3U la 3b 3 33 26 2b 2b Z 23 107 5 2 67 3 5 2 30 7 1 1 1 296 129 b7 6U 3h 101+ 55 65 28 17 8 19 12 29 1 5 52 20 8 2 8 23 1 2 27 1 2 - 355 273 82 108 12 * 15 27 19 19 116 72 5 28 11 9 9 88 72 1 5 53 27 26 75 30 12 18 20 bZ b 1 9 5 h 2 7 h i • 1 5 ACCIDENT TYPE Struck by moving o b je c t s ............... •••• F allin g o b j e c t s * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fran hands o f workmen............... .. Bran equipment*••••••••••••••• From p ile s o f m a terials****.** From other p o s itio n s * •«*•••••• Hand-operated or w ielded o b je c t s . Flying or thrown o b je c t s ............. .. Power-driven equipment•••........... Other moving o b je c t s ....................... .. Overexertion due t o * * * «••••••••••*•• L iftin g o b je c t s ................. .............. .. Other a c t i v it ie s * ..................... ••••• Caught in , on, or between........... •••• A v e h icle and another object**** Handled o b je c t s * ...............•••••••• Moving parts o f equipment............... Other o b je c t s .........••••••................... 1|90 3 h l 12U 93 75 k9 75 35 15 2U 37b 273 101 265 107 60 55 h3 F a lls ....................... ............................ ••••* To lower le v e ls ..............................••• On same le v e ls * ......................... .... S trik in g a g a in s t..........................*............ Bimping in to o b j e c t s . •••*•••••••• Rubbing against o b je c t s ............... .. Other* ................................... . . . . . * . . * 195 112 83 150 96 36 18 S lip s and stumbles (not f a l l s )•••••• In h alation , a b s o r p tio n .................... ••• Other a cciden t ty p e s ................................ U n cla s sifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t data**.** 77 26 21 6 252 h3 29 2 37 5 l 27 9 11 - 5 8 2 1 bh 10 8 12 15 13 1 1 1 / Includes fig u res not shown sep arately because o f in s u ffic ie n t b 3 25 15 6 2 9 9 9 - k 1 b - b 19 32 18 10 - h 1 9 h 5 11 7 h - - 1 19 1 - 108 70 38 29 13 1 15 h3 1 17 17 b - 1 1 3 1 - 5 l - inform ation t o o la s s ify . 1 3 1 1 - 3 1 - -4 7 T a b le 8 * — W ork a c c i d e n t s to w arehousem en o f 27 h w areh ou ses, 1950* c la s s if i e d by agency o f in ju ry , accid en t ty p e, and type o f warehouse* Agency o f in ju ry and aooident type T o ta la ll warehouses 1 / Number T ota l....................... *.................... 1,60!* Per cent 2 / Farmproducts warehouses Number Householdgoods warehouses Merchandise warehouses Per cent 2 / Number p©roent 2 / Number 100.0 21*4 100*0 222 100.0 123 30*3 78 3 75 19 1* 12 3 32 H* 18 9 5 15 13 20 1 28 35.5 1.1* 3U.1 8 .6 1.8 54 14 4 .5 64 8.1 i*.l 2.3 6 .8 5.9 9 .1 .5 12*7 30 26 1* 15 6 9 13 11 2 3 8 6 3 1* 23 1 17 2 — R efrigerated warehouses Peroent 2 / Number Per cent 2 / 71*0 100.0 509 100.0 222 109 113 128 30.2 152 82 70 57 11 1*0 6 51 36 15 29.9 16.1 13*8 AGENCY OF INJURY Containers ..................... .. Boxes, oa ses........... Other........................................ V e h icle s* . •.................................. Powered.......................... •••• Hand.................... . R ailroad o a r s * ................. .. Working s u r f a c e s . . . . . . . * . . . . Floors* •• ••••••••••......... .. Other*••••••••••••.•••••• Metal p a rts* .........••••••••••* Bodily m otions•••••••............. Handtools................... ............. .... I c e . . . ................. ........................ .. Lumbe r . . . ................... M achines....................................... Furniture*............................*••• P a lle ts , s k id s .••••..••••••• F ood stu ffs. •............. ••••••••• Other. ••••.................................... U n cla s sifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t data. 1+81* 220 26 k 220 55 43 22 180 109 71 108 82 55 U2 1*2 k2 k l 33 26 2i|2 7 13*8 16.5 13.8 3 'k 9*0 l4 11*3 6.9 1*4 6 ,8 5.1 3*1* 2*6 2*6 2*6 2*6 2*1 1*6 15.2 — - 21.1 3.3 12.2 1+.9 7.3 - 10.6 9 .0 1.6 24 6.5 1*.9 24 3.3 18.7 .8 - % 81 13 81 1*7 3U 85 35 11 20 9 4 22 - 4*8 154 174 1*.6 11.0 1 .8 11.0 64 2*.6 11.5 1*.8 1.5 2.7 1 .2 1.9 3 .0 4*8 13.8 109 - 1* - 29.3 22.0 9 .7 l* .l 1*.9 3 .3 236 32.0 22.5 31* 16 6 4 11 32 22 1*2 6 9 3 10 26 87 1 11.2 2 .2 7.8 1.2 10.0 7 .0 3 .0 2 .2 6 .3 1*.3 8.3 1 .2 1.8 *6 2 .0 5.1 17.1 — ACCIDENT TYPE Struck by moving o b j e c t s .. . . F allin g o b je c t s ................. .. From hands o f workmen. From equipm ent.............. From p ile s o f m aterial From oth er p o s itio n s •• Hand-operated or wielded obje o ts . Flying or thrown o b je c t s . Power-driven equipment.•• Other moving o b je c t s ••••*■ Overexertion due t o * ..•••••• L ift in g o b je c t s ............... .. Other a c t i v i t i e s * • • . . . . . . Caught in , on, or betw een.•• A v eh icle and another o b j e c t .. Handled o b je c t s * .........•••* Moving parts o f equipment Other o b j e c t s . ..................... F a ll................................................. To lower l e v e l s . ............. .. On same le v e ls * ......... ••••• S trik in g a g a in st..................... .. Bunping in to o b je cts * * .* * Rubbing against o b je c t s .* Other..................... •••••.••• S lip s and stim bles(not fa lls ' In h a lation , a b s o r p tio n .••••* U n cla s sifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t data- 1*90 3U1 12li 93 75 1*9 30.7 21*1; 7.8 5 .8 W 3.1 71 38 20 7 9 2 32.2 17*2 9 .0 3 .2 l*.l .9 36 27 12 5 6 1* 75 35 15 18 9 2 1* 52 33 19 33 8 .2 l* .l •9 1.8 6 1 2 - 37li 273 101 265 1**7 2*2 •9 1*5 23*1* 17.1 6 .3 16.6 23*6 15.0 8.6 15.0 21 6 17 1*.9 •8 1.6 22 .0 17.1 1*.9 13*8 107 60 55 1*3 195 112 83 150 96 36 18 77 26 21 6 .7 3.8 3.1; 2.7 12.2 7 .0 5*2 94 6*0 2*3 1*1 1**8 1.6 1.3 5 1* 18 6 36 21 15 18 H* 2 2 5 2 3 2 .3 1.8 8 .2 2.7 164 9 .6 6 .8 8 .2 64 •9 •9 2 .3 •9 14 5 7 1 1* 15 9 6 18 10 5 3 7 1 2 l*.l 5.6 .8 3.3 12.2 7.3 1*.9 4 .6 8.1 i* .l 2.1* 5.7 .8 1.6 2k 6 — 2 — 27 — — 166 50 53 37 26 168 121 1*7 122 56 28 18 20 81* 51* 30 77 1*7 21 9 33 13 1* 3 6.8 7*2 5 .0 3*5 1*.6 2 .2 •8 1.9 22.8 164 64 1 6 .6 7 .7 3*8 24 2 .7 11.1* 7.3 l*.l 104 64 2.8 1.2 1+.5 1.8 •5 — 1 / Includes fig u re s not shewn separately beoause o f in s u ffic ie n t inform ation t o c la s s ify * z / Percents are oomputed on c la s s if i e d cases on ly . 45 109 1*1 28 23 17 17 9 5 5 125 97 28 92 1*0 21 18 13 57 25 32 37 25 8 1* 30 10 12 1 2 8 .5 214 8.1 5*5 1**5 3*3 3-3 1.8 1 .0 1 .0 2 U .6 19.1 5*5 18.1 7 .9 !*•! 3»5 2 .6 11.2 1**9 6*3 7.3 1*«9 1.6 .6 5*9 2.0 24 — -4 8 Table 9 . — Work a c c id e n ts to warehousemen o f 27k w arehouses, 1950, c l a s s i f i e d by ao cid en t typ e and agenoy o f in ju r y * T o tal number Con Vehi of a c c i t a in e r s c le s dents Aooident typ e T o ta l........................................................... Struck by moving o b je c ts .................... F a llin g o b je c ts * ............................ .. From hands o f workm en..••• • From equipment*• From p il e s o f m a te r ia ls * * * . From oth er p o s itio n s * • • • • • • Hand-operated o r w ield ed o b je c ts F lyin g or thrown o b je c ts ............ 1. 601+ I+90 3U1 12U 93 75 k9 kBb 170 15k U5 1* 59 k 75 2 35 15 3 - 2k 11 O verexertion due t o . . . . ................... .. L if t in g o b je c ts ................... • • • • • • Other a c t i v i t i e s * . . . . . . . . * . . . . 37k 226 181 Caught i n , on, or between................. A v e h ic le and ano ther o b je c t .. Handled o b je c ts * ............................... Moving p a rts o f eq uipm en t.• •• • Other o b je c t s * ................................ 265 107 F a l l s ........................................ ....................... 195 Other moving o b je c t s * .. . . . . . . • From From Fran From v e h ic le s p la tfo rm s, so affo ld s* * p ile d suite r i a l s * . . . « • • o th er e le v a t io n s .......... .. 273 101 60 55 k3 k5 55 2 1 39 186 82 1 3 k k - 1 1 15ti 96 23 k7 - 1 9 - S lip s and stu n b le s (not f a l l s ) . . . 77 - 23 5 18 - Hi 22 U n c la s s if ie d ; in s u f f ic ie n t d a ta * . 3 56 i |6 18 23 1 - 26 21 6 6 Hi Hi 9 5 - 150 96 iU 25 30 36 18 Other ao cid en t ty p e s * ........................... 38 - 108 Hi 9 S tr ik in g a g a in s t ...................................... Banping in to o b je c ts ............ • • • • Equipment........................................ P ro je c tin g n a i l s , s l i v e r s . . Other o b je c ts * . . . . . . . . . . . . * Rubbinfc a g a in s t o b je c ts ............... Other*...................... '•....................• • • • , 5 31 15 7 h 1 1 2 10 16 M etal B o d ily p a rts motions 180 13 112 2k 21 20 83 220 61 Ik 8 1 Work in g su r fa ce s 21 18 2 3 6 1 22 21 1 k 3 - 1 1 1 - 3k 1 58 - 7 25 - 11 2 1 1 6 lk - - - - H+ lb - 1 q 82 - Handto o ls 55 k2 33 2k k 20 - 5 5 - 1 1 2 25 - _ “ 8 1 _ - 6 - - Ice 7 - k 1 1 1 - 1|2 22 16 10 9 3 U - 1 1 3 12 6 6 5 - 1 - k 1 - - - - - 7 3 - 1 Lunber 1 k - 1 9 8 1 1 - 1 1 - 5 3 2 16 1 15 - 1 9 18 18 18 - 1 - - 77 - - - - 2 2 2 - ii - - i |2 - 1 1 2 6 2 1 Ma ch ines - - 1 P a l Furni l e t s , tu re sk id s 111 10 ?? 9 5 3 15 15 7 - - k k 1 1 - - 22 7 17 5 k 3 3 - 6 2 1 - “ 5 3 1 2 2 1 3 - 2 2 1 - 1 1 - 3 3 2 1 - “ - - - - - Food s tu f f s 26 16 16 Other U nclas s if ie d 2l+2 67 31 9 ll 3 - 6 7 6 12 - 21 8 7 1 27 15 . - - 2 2 1 1 - 5 5 5 12 62 22 5 2k 11 19 10 - 10 9 27 18 k 2 12 7 _ - 1 .1 “ . “ . . - k 5 - - - 26 1 - - - 5 - - - - 1 - - # Hi - - - - - - - - - - - - - • 6 -4 9 * Table 1 0 .—Work aoo id en ts to "warehousemen of 216 w arehouses( 1950, c l a s s i f i e d by hazardous working; co n d itio n and agency of a ccid en t Hazardous working co nd itio ns Total number Con of t a in a c c i ers dents Work in g su r fa c e s Vehi c le s M etal p a rts P ile s Ma o f F urni Convey chines mate tu re ors r ia ls T o ta l..................................................................... 1,331 293 152 123 1*6 Hazardous working pro ced u res............... L if t in g or moving heavy o b je o ta . L if tin g o b je c ts to high p la c e s .• O th er......................................... .. 316 281 26 9 198 179 19 - 5 5 16 13 19 19 - 3 - - D efects of a g e n c ie s ...........................••• • S lip p e r y . ........................• • • . . ................ Sharp-edged, rough, s l i v e r e d . . . . Im properly d esigned or constructed Hidden d e f e c ts , oracked, w o rn ... P ro je c tin g n a i l s , w ir e s , e t c . . . . 238 75 58 39 3 18 75 55 10 53 12 h 20 18 hh 39 22 2 8 8 h 1 5 28 8 1 Bnproperly guarded a g e n c ie s ................. Laok o f g u a r d r a ils , g a te s , e t c . . Lack o f p o in t-o f-o p e ra tio n en clo su res Laok of anchors, lo c k s , e t o . . . . . Lack of handle g u a r d s ... . . • • • • . Lack of en clo su res fo r g e a r s , p u lle y s e to . O th er.................. .. 165 59 2 29 19 36 11 10 “ - 6 15 - h - Hazardous arran gem en t.............................. U n safely sto red or p i l e d . . . . . . . . Unsafe la yo u t o f o p e r a tio n s .. . • • O th er............. ............. ................................ 139 85 ia 13 5U 50 31 37 3h 15 13 7 - 2 - - - 8 1 7 - - 30 h 16 Ice Hand- E leva Ladders Other Unclas to o ls to r s s if ie d 25 23 20 20 17 16 H* 2 • 2 19 18 1 - h 11 11 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . - - . - 2 " _ 3 - 2 “ _ - 1 “ - - - 2 - 2 - - 1 1 - - - - - - - 2 - 2 - l - 1 2 - _ 32 1 13 13 15 1* _ “ 8 “ 11 9 28 2 _ _ l _ 8 _ _ 3 - - - . - ia h k • - 1 - " h . - _ _ _ 9 _ 1 - _ - - 7 1 6 - - - - - - 12 2 2 2 - _ 7 - 38 5 8 - - _ - - 6 _ 7 7 - h _ _ - 1 1 - _ 1 - 2 _ _ _ - - - 1*15 38 32 2 5 7 - 1 1 - - 1 15 - 3 - 10 7 3 - 6 6 - 1 126 - _ 28 17 _ h . . _ - - 1 - 6 7 - - - - - - - Laok of p erso n al s a f e t y equipm en t.• 20 - - - 1 3 - - - - 6 - - 10 Other........................................ ........................... 7 - 5 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - U n c la s s if ie d ; in s u f f ic ie n t d a t a . . . . U5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - ia 5 -5 0 Table !!•— Work aooidents to 'warehousemen, 1950# o la s s ifie d by hazardous working co n d itio n , unsafe a c t , and type o f imrehouse. Total— a ll warehouses l / Hazardous working con d ition and unsafe a c t Number Per cent 2 / Farsnproducts warehouses Number Householdgoods warehouses ■Per cent 2J Number Merchandise warehouses Per cent 2 / Number R efrigerated warehouses Per cent 2 / Number Per cent 2 / HAZARDOUS WORKING CONDITIONS (216 warehouse s) T o ta l................. ................ . 1,331 Hazardous working procedures* L iftin g heavy o b j e c t s . . . . * L iftin g t o high p la ce s * ♦*. Other.••••••••••••••••••«* D efects o f ag en cies*. . . . . . . . . S lip p ery ..................... . Sharp-edged, rough**•••••• Improperly d e s ig n e d * ... . . * Hidden d e fe c t s , w o r n . . . . . . P rojectin g n a ils , w ir e s .. Improperly guarded a g e n cie s .. Lack o f gu a rd rails, g ates. Lack o f p o in t -o foperation en closu res. Lack o f anchors, lo c k s * ••• Lack o f handle g u a r d s ....* Laok o f enclosures for gears, p u lle y s , etc* 516 281 26 9 238 75 58 hh 39 22 165 59 100.0 214 100.0 89 100.0 600 100.0 34*4 57 51 4 2 31 9 7 28 26 1 1 14 4 i .8 38.8 1.5 1 .5 20.9 6 .0 7 .4 1.5 1.5 4 .5 13.4 5.9 138 128 6 34.0 31.5 1.5 1.0 6 5 56 10 37.1 33*2 2 .6 1.3 20.1 5.9 4 .5 2 .6 3*9 3 .2 25.4 6*5 7 64 25 15.8 9 .8 2 .6 1.3 4 - 6 .0 1 .5 - 9 18 3 2 .2 4 -4 •7 1.3 1.9 J . *7 - - 6 13.0 10 14.9 7 .2 8 11.9 46 1.5 •1 16.5 11.4 1 1 1.5 1 .5 6 .0 18 3 16 4*4 1 1 22 1.5 1.5 6 50.6 2.8 1 .0 26.0 8 .2 6 .5 1 .8 4*3 2 -U 18.0 6*5 4 4 5 1 1 3 9 4 4 113 22 34 29 21 1*18 93 100.0 32.8 76 15 2 76 40 10 8 11 7 55 20 26.8 5*3 •7 9 11 10 3 .2 3.9 3 .5 5 1.8 41 20 14.5 7 .1 14 7 7 4 .9 2 .5 2 .5 1.5 •5* 8 3 135 2 .8 1.1 27.8 5 .4 8«4 7.1 5.2 1.7 6.3 26.9 14.2 3.5 2 .8 3-9 2 .5 19.4 7 .0 37 34 15 4 .0 1.6 15 4 2 13 7 139 85 1 .4 •8 15.2 9 .3 2 * 20 11 k l 4*5 1.4 3*4 7 2 4 4 .5 1.3 2 .6 20 7 Ills *+*✓ 2*2 •8 5 1 60 3 .2 .6 T o t a l . . . .......................................... 1.1*77 100.0 205 100.0 102 100.0 698 100.0 462 100.0 40*5 17-5 15*2 42.9 22.7 17.4 .7 31 16 11 2 40.2 20.7 14.3 2 .6 187 77 74 27 38.0 15.7 15.0 5.5 142 56 48 30 43.6 3 •7 62 33 25 1 383 161 61 1.5 •6 36.7 15.4 5*8 2 1 6l 26 7 1.4 .7 42.4 1 1 30 4 1.3 1.3 39.0 19.5 5.2 7 2 168 72 27 1 .4 .4 34.1 14.6 5 .5 6 2 120 46 22 1.8 •6 36.9 14.1 6 .8 57 5 .5 7 4*9 5 6.5 26 5.3 19 5.8 29 75 2.8 7 .2 10.1 4 .8 5 16 7 2 3*5 11.1 4*9 1*4 1 10 9 34 55 33 1.8 6 .9 11.2 6 .7 13 20 33 4 1.3 6.5 13.0 5.2 11 4 .0 6 .2 10.2 3*4 k8 4#6 8 5.6 1 1.3 29 5 .9 10 3.1 27 2 .6 .7 - 3 1 61 2.1 .7 - 1 1.3 16 3 .3 •8 - 7 2 2.2 - 137 - Hazardous arrangement* «•••••• Unsafely stored or p i l e d .. Unsafe layout o f operation s. Other* ••••••••••........... Poor housekeeping*• • • .• • ..... Laok o f personal s a fe ty equipment U n c la s s ifie d .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 31 3 •7 mm 1 4 67 •7 3.9 194 UNSAFE ACTS (245 warehouse s ) Using equipment u n s a fe ly .•••• Taking wrong h o ld ........... Gripping in s e c u r e ly * ..«••« P u llin g hand tr u ck s•«•••• Using hands in stead o f equipment Other........... . Taking unsafe p o s itio n s * •••*• In atten tion t o fo o tin g * ••• L iftin g with bent b a o k ..* . In atten tion t o surrounding a Exposure t o moving equipment Other................... ...................... Unsafe loadin g or p la c in g * .•• F a ilin g to seoure or w a rn ..*. Operating or working a t unsafe speeds F a ilin g t o wear personal sa fe ty equipment O th er.............................. .. U n c la s s ifie d ................ 1/ ?/ k2k 183 159 60 16 6 106 50 7 k32 18.0 4.9 15 5 25 • - 4 206 Includes fig u r e s n ot shown separately because o f in s u ffic ie n t inform ation to c l a s s i f y . Percents are computed on c la s s if i e d cases only* 17.2 14.8 9 .2 m6 51Table 12*—Work aooidents to -warehousemen of 21*5 warehouses, 1950# classified by unsafe aot and aocident type* Struck by moving objects Unsafe acts Falls Caught in, number on, OverStrik Slips, Fall of or exer To On ing stum acci ing be Total lower same against bles tion dents Total ob Other tween levels level jects Total*****....................................... 1A77 1*59 317 1+21+ 151* 113 1* 109 Using equipment unsafely*••••••••*. Taking wrong hold of objects.•*. Gripping objects insecurely.•••• Pulling instead of pushing handtrucks. Using hands instead of equipment Other. . . . . . . *...*•••......... *•••• Taking unsafe positions or postures Inattention to footing............... Lifting with bent back............... Inattention to surroundings*.• Exposure to moving equipment•••• Exposure to falling or rolling objeots Other*. ••••*••.•............... .. 183 199 60 16 6 383 161 61 20 123 9 1 1 60 16 57 29 13 7 31* 6 1 106 76 73 Failing to secure or warn............... 50 21 2 1* if. u* 10 11 11 1*8 20 10 19 29 7 13 5 5 Failing to wear personal safety equipment 27 1* O t h e r ............... ........... . . . . . . . . . * 7 Unclassified; insufficient data.... 1*32 109 72 H* 68 1*1* 17 H+1 92 6 1 2 2 2 1* 1 - 32 Unsafe loading or placing*........... . 1 120 181 28 H* 3 16 Operating or working at unsafe speeds Throwing objects instead of passing Other............................................................... .. 257 9 61 20 321* - 5 5 Failure to warn.................• • • • ......... .. 11+2 1*1 16 - 82 1 1 2 10 6 1 13 3 13 X 2 1* 1 39 1* - 3 - 71* 57 - 60 10 112 - 6 11 6 1 J 10 10 2 11 11 8 1* 1 38 6 - 3 - - - - 09 - 76 58 - 22 - - 36 31 - 2 - 17 2 19 7 17 21* lli ■u* 10 1 22 2 1 _ 136 1*6 25 11 2 6 2 71 6 - In hala tion, ab sorp tion 21* 2 - Unclas Contact with Other sified extreme temper atures 12 _ - - - 5 - - — - - - - 2 - - - 1 1 1 * 1* - - - - - - • - “ - - - - 1 _ - 5 3 - - 1* - - 1 . - _ _ _ 6 - \ 21+ 5 _ - 39 39 - 33 8 1 1 - - _ _ - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 2 1 1 5 7 - - 1 - “ 2 1 1 2 1 1 5 7 - - 1 - 1 2 2 2 - 17 - 1 - “ “ - 3 - - - 1 - - 1 8 57 26 31 30 19 21 9 1 1 1* 163 - -5 2 - Table 13•—Work accidents to -warehousemen of 2!+5 'warehouses, 1950# c la s s ifi e d by unsafe act and a c t i v it y . Unsafe act Total Handling number of mate a c c i r ia ls dents 1/ Operating or using equipment Total V eh icles Handt o o ls 1,1+77 81+8 338 191+ 91 Using equipment u n sa fe ly ................... .. Taking wrong hold o f o b j e o t s . . . . Gripping o b je cts in s e c u re ly ......... P u llin g instead o f pushing hand-truck 8 Using hands instead o f equipment Other..................................... ................ 1+21+ 183 268 119 UiU 79 1h 2h Taking unsafe p o s itio n s or postures Total ....................... ................................. 61 16 159 156 6o 16 2 8 58 6 3 3 383 172 85 6 6 58 1 52 35 Other Walking, standing, e tc. 53 235 30 9 23 2 9 1 - — - 6 2 - - 6 119 75 11 1h 2 Other 5 7 . • — 57 29 15 2 29 10 27 27 2 h 2 lh 6 l 10 10 3 33 11 2 21 1 1 1 18 - 106 6l 33 29 2 2 7 1 50 29 21 26 18 h 2 2 1 1 - - 1 1 - 15 h - 9 he 22 13 8 3 2 12 19 29 17 5 13 8 3 2 2 10 - F a ilin g to wear personal sa fety equipment 27 15 7 - 6 1 3 - O th er......................................................... .. 7 1 3 - 1 2 1 1 U n cla s sifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t d a t a . . .. h32 283 2h 16 9 69 5 L ift in g with bent b a c k ... In a tten tion to surroundings.•••• Exposure t o moving equipm ent.••• Exposure to f a l l i n g or r o llin g o b je cts O th er.............................................. .. Unsafe loading or p l a c i n g ............. .. F a ilin g to secure or w arn.. . . . . . . • • Failure to lock or b l o c k .••••••• Failure to warn.. . . Operating or working at unsafe speedfl Throwing o b je cts instead o f passing O th er...................... .. l/ 161 61 71; 61 8 10 h9 10 h 6 Includes fig u res not shown separately because o f in s u ffic ie n t inform ation t o c la s s ify * ;V U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - 1955 O — 330106 -