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77th Congress, 2d Session - House Document No. 879 UNITED STATES DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR Frances Perkins, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Isador Lubin, Commissioner (on leave) A. F. Hinrichs, Acting Commissioner + Shipyard Injuries and Their Causes 1941 ♦ Prepared by D ivision o f Industrial Accident Statistics Max D . Kossoris, C hief B u lletin 7*1.0. 722 {Reprinted from die M onthly L abor R eview, October 1942, with additional data} UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1943 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, W ashington, D . C. Price 10 cents CONTENTS Page Summary-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scope and method of survey_________________________________________ The industry and its hazards_________________________________________ The industry record, 1941--------------------------------------------------------------------The operating departments_________________________________________ Service, maintenance, and miscellaneous departments_________________ Frequency by size of yard______________________________________________ Geographic and operational distribution______________________ D etailed Section Time of injury: Monthly record_________________________________________________ Daily record____________________________________________________ Shift-hour of injury occurrence_____________________________________ Injuries and the age of workers---------------------------------------------------------Kinds of injuries sustained: Part of body affected--------------------------------------------Nature of injury_________________________________,______________ Causes of injury: Types of accident-------------------------------------------------------------------------Agencies causing accident__________________________________________ Unsafe mechanical or physical condition_____________________________ Unsafe acts of persons_____________________________________ Typical shipyard accidents-------------------------------------------------------------------Description of accidents and suggested methods of prevention_________ Appendix.—Tables----- ---------- -------------— ------------- ------------------------- 1 3 4 5 5 7 7 9 9 10 10 12 22 13 14 15 17 17 Letter of Transmittal U nited States D epartment of L abor, B ureau of L abor Statistics, Washington, D. 0., October 20,1942. The Secretary of L abor: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on the occurrence and causes of industrial injuries to shipyard workers in the United States during 1941. This report was prepared in the Division of Industrial Accident Statistics by Frank S. McElroy and George R. McCormack. A. F. H inrichs, Acting Commissioner. Hon. F rances P erkins, Secretary of Labor. ii 16 B u lletin 7{o. 722 o f the U n ited States B ureau o f Labor S tatistics ^Reprinted from the M onthly L abor R eview, October 1942, with additional data] SHIPYA RD IN JU R IE S AND T H E IR CAUSES, 1941 Summary DISABLING work injuries cut heavily into essential manpower in the shipbuilding industry during 1941. A survey of the industrial injuries which occurred in 93 shipyards revealed that, for every million man-hours worked, 27 workers were disabled. About 0.6 percent of these injuries resulted in death or so incapacitated the workers as to make them unfit for further industrial activity; 4.9 percent left the injured workers with lesser permanent impairments; and 94.5 percent resulted in temporary disabilities lasting an average of 17 days each. While shipbuilding workers are injured more frequently than factory workers generally, the shipyards have been able to hold their frequency rates below those in the particular group of industries that have the most comparable processes. The most hazardous operations in the industry were those connected with erection on the ways, in which department the actual assembly and fitting together of the many parts comprising the hull of a ship takes place. These operations averaged 40.4 disabling injuries for every million man-hours worked. Other departments in the group with relatively high frequency rates almost invariably were closely related to and subject to many of the hazards of hull construction. The operating departments having the lowest injury-frequency rates were nearly all concerned with fitting-out operations. The electrical departments of the reporting yards did not have a particularly high injury frequency, but as evidenced by their high ratio of 1 death in 70 injuries, the probability that an injury would result fatally was much higher in those units than in any of the other operat ing department groups. Generally speaking, it was safer to work in the very large shipyards than in the smaller plants. When grouped according to size of plant, the average frequency rates for the reporting yards varied almost directly from a high of 48.9, for yards of the smallest size, to a low of 17.4, for yards of the largest size. When considered geographically, the average frequency rates of yards on the Atlantic Coast, particu larly in the South Atlantic %rea, were considerably lower than the average for any other region. The North Atlantic area, however, had the highest proportion of serious injuries among the various regions. To supplement the general information supplied to the Bureau for the year 1941 by the large group of 93 shipyards, a detailed analysis was made of the individual records of 3,196 injuries, which occurred during the year in 11 of these yards. The detailed data were analyzed to determine the time of injury, the age of injured persons, the kinds of injuries experienced, and the causes of injury. 1 2 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 The detailed analysis indicated that injuries generally occurred less frequently in the summer months than in the fall, winter, or spring. Regular day-shift workers experienced a greater volume of injuries on Mondays than on any other weekday. Second- and third-shift injuries, however, reached peak volume on Fridays and Wednesdays. The shift-hour pattern of injury occurrence showed the peak of dayshift injuries to be in the third working hour, with a second and lesser peak appearing in the eighth hour. Tne evening and night shifts, on the other hand, had their greatest volume of injuries in the first work* inghour. The limited volume of information available regarding the age dis tribution of shipyard workers gave some support to the common theory that injuries to older workers tend to be more severe than those experienced by younger persons. The evidence regarding the fre quency of accidents by age of worker was inconclusive. Injuries to the lower extremities were far more common than injuries to other parts of the body. Head injuries accounted for 21 percent of the total number of disabling injuries. In spite of the fact that nearly three-fourths of the head injuries consisted of eye cases, this group of injuries produced by far the greatest proportion of deaths among the cases for which such details were known. Finger injuries produced the greatest proportion of permanent partial disabilities. Abdominal injuries generally were the most severe kind of temporary injuries. The most prevalent types of disabling injuries were strains, sprains, and bruises; cuts and lacerations; fractures; and bums or scalds. Skull fractures accounted for about 40 percent of the fatalities for which full details were available, and amputations, mostly of fingers, accounted for over half of the permanent partial disabilities. Hernia cases, requiring an average of 51 days for recovery, were the most severe type of temporary injuries. Accidents in which workers were struck by falling, flying, or moving objects produced more injuries than any other type of accident. Fatal ities, however, resulted most frequently from falls from one level to another. Permanent partial disabilities resulted most frequently from accidents in which the worker was caught in, on, or between objects. The metal parts from which ships are constructed constituted the leading agency with which injuries were associated, followed by flying particles, hand tools, and working surfaces. Accidents of the “ struck by” type accounted for a majority of the injuries connected with each of these agencies, except working surfaces. Accidents involving working surfaces, on the other hand, were largely falls or slips. The serious problem of housekeeping in shipyards is indicated by the fact that hazardous arrangement or procedure was a factor in over half of the accidents analyzed. This element of hazard was prominent in practically every division of the accident type and agency classi fications. Among the unsafe acts of persons, which contributed to the occur rence of injuries, that of taking an unsafe position or posture was most frequently involved in the accident cases analyzed. This type of un safe procedure, which includes such specific acts as lifting with bent back, standing under suspended loads and exposure to falling or sliding objects, was prominent in all of the operating departments of the shipyards and was one of the leading causes of nearly all of the various types of accident. Better supervision and intensified educational programs to stress SCOPE AND METHOD OF SURVEY 3 safety fundamentals undoubtedly would do much to reduce the injury toll in shipbuilding. A great many of the reported injuries resulted directly from the violation of elementary safety principles, such as failure to wear goggles in the performance of cmpping, reaming, and riveting operations; failure to wear hard hats when exposed to falling objects; failure to warn workers in craneways before moving crane loads; running in congested areas; and improper use of tools or equip ment. Nearly all of the reporting yards make some personal safety equipment available and recommend its use in particular occupations. Relatively few, however, make its use mandatory. Most of the larger yards maintain full-time safety departments, but even among these yards there were few which reported any organized method of instruct ing the supervisors and rank and file workers in safety fundamentals beyond a very limited lecture delivered at the time of the worker’s initial employment. Scope and Method of Survey The industry record, 1941.—The general section of this study is based upon summary reports received by mail from 93 shipyards, which were in actual operation throughout the major part of the year 1941. In order to secure as high a degree of comparability as possible in the types of operations ana hazards included in this survey, the definition of shipbuilding as applied in this study has been somewhat modified from that regularly applied in the Bureau’s annual surveys of injuries in all industries. In the regular annual surveys shipbuild ing is defined1as the construction and repair of vessels of 5 gross tons or over. In this study, however, only yards which customarily con struct or repair vessels of 150 feet or more in length have been included. The coverage of this study, therefore, is more limited than that of the annual survey, but the data are more uniform and comparable. None of the United States Navy Yards have been included. The analysis applied in this section of the study is designed to indi cate the relative frequency of injuries (a) in the various departmental divisions of the shipbuilding industry, (b) in shipyards of various sizes, and (c) in shipyards of various regions of the country. Detailed section.—The detailed section of the study is based upon the original injury records of 11 shipyards which made their records available for analysis and transcription by Bureau agents. The yards cooperating m this part of the study were widely distributed. Two were in the North Atlantic area, two m the South Atlantic area, two in the Gulf area, four in the Pacific area, and one in the Great Lakes region. Each of these yards was engaged in the construction of comparatively large steel vessels. One yard was relatively new. The others had each experienced a tremendous expansion in recent years, but were all long-established units of the shipbuilding industry. The combined records of these yards included the details of 3,196 injuries which had occurred during 1941. As far as possible the same types of detail were taken from the records of each yard. In some instances, however, the particular details requested were not available. For this reason the number of cases analyzed in respect to particular accident factors varies considerably. All parts of the analysis, except that relating to injuries by age of worker, are based upon data from at least 9 yards. The analysis of these injuries follows the “American 1 According to the Standard Industrial Classification, prepared by the Division of Statistical Standard of the U. S. Bureau of the Budget. 4 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 Recommended Practice for Compiling Industrial Accident Causes,” approved by the American Standards Association, August 1, 1941. The analysis applied in the detailed section of this study was de signed to indicate (a) the time of injury occurrence, (b) the relation ship between injuries and the age of workers, (c) the kind of injuries that occurred, and (d) how the injuries occurred. The Industry and Its Hazards Shipbuilding, as an industry, includes both the construction and repair of vessels. The yards or establishments comprising the in dustry range from small plants employing only a few workers to huge establishments employing more than 10,000 workers apiece. Gener ally the large yards are highly integrated plants, including within their organizations many sizable groups of manufacturing processes which are commonly considered as industries in themselves. The actual construction of hulls upon the ways parallels the erection of structural steel for large buildings or bridges, and is subject to all of the hazards associated with building work, such as falls, or falling materials, and to all of the dangers associated with welding, riveting, and the handling of heavy materials. Fitting-out activities, which are commonly started before the hull leaves the ways and are finished in the fitting-out basin after launching, closely resemble the finishing operations involved in building construction, and are subject to similar hazards. The fabrication of shapes and subassemblies is largely carried on in specialized shops within the yards. Employees of these shops, how ever, are frequently exposed to construction hazards, since much of their work must be done at the point of installation on or in the vessel. This is particularly true in fitting-out and repair work. W ithin the shops, workers are exposed to the variety of hazards associated with the particular industries which their activities represent. The yard departments vary considerably both in name and function from plant to plant, but commonly include units such as a machine shop, a wood working shop, a fabricating shop, a paint shop, a foundry, a forge shop, a sheet-metal shop, and a mold loft. In addition to the hazards normally existing in the industry, many new dangers to the lives and limbs of shipyard workers have arisen from the unusual operating conditions now prevalent. The great expansion of the industry has introduced large numbers of new and inexperienced workers into the yards. Many of these new employees had never before worked in any industrial establishment and were entirely unfamiliar with the hazards of their new occupations. More over the increasing opportunities for skilled workers throughout industry generally has resulted in a rising quit rate, thus depriving the shipyards of many of the experienced workmen upon whose advice and example much of the safety training for new men must depend. Highly indicative of the serious problem created by this situation was the comment of one safety engineer, who remarked, “ The greatest hazard in this industry is the lack of trained supervisors.” The growing necessity for rapid production also introduced an increased tempo of activity, crowded working conditions, and overtime work, all of which are commonly associated with increased possibilities for injury. In comparison with other manufacturing industries, shipbuilding THE INDUSTRY RECORD, 1941 5 has generally had a somewhat higher injury-frequency rate than the average for all manufacturing industries. It has, however, consistently held its frequency rate at a lower level than that of building construc tion, and below those in the forging, foundry, and fabricated structuralsteel industries. Most of the large yards maintain safety departments, and these departments must be given much credit for their success in holding the average rate for the industry below that of the other major industries having comparable activities. In 1941, however, the average injury-frequency rate for all shipyards which reported to the Bureau for both 1940 and 1941 advanced 20 percent over that of the previous year.2* , The Industry Record 1941 9 On the average, there were about 27 disabling injuries for every million employee-hours worked during 1941 in the 93 shipyards in cluded in this study. These injuries resulted in death or permanent total disability for 1 out of every 2,900 workers in the reporting plants; in permanent partial disability for 1 out of every 375; and in temporary disability, involving an average of 17 days lost time, for 1 out of every 19. Considering only the actual time lost by injured persons who were eventually able to return to work, the lost time in these plants averaged 1,051 man-days for every 1,000 workers. When the standard economic time charges for deaths and permanent impairments are included, the total economic cost of injuries in these plants rises to a total of 5,787 man-days for every 1,000 workers. THE OPERATING DEPARTMENTS Injury frequency.—The mechanical and construction departments, comprising the operating divisions of the industry, included 79 percent of the total labor force in the reporting yards and accounted for 85 percent of all injuries. As a group, these departments averaged 29.3 disabling injuries for each million man-hours worked. Nearly a fourth of all the workers in the reporting shipyards were regularly employed in the industry’s most hazardous department, erection upon the ways. It is interesting to note, however, that the frequency rate for this department, 40.4, was slightly lower than the national average frequency rate for building construction (41.8) 4, and considerably lower than the average rate for the more analogous heavy-engineering construction industry (68.0). Excepting only “erection upon the ways,” the departmental organi zation of tne reporting yards varied widely. Of the other types of departmental units, only the welding departments accounted for as much as 10 percent of the total employment. The blacksmith or forge shops were generally small, but they produced the second highest average frequency rate (36.5). Also m the high-frequency group were the boiler shops (33.7), the fabricating shops (33.7), the car penter shops (32.8), and the welding departments (32.5). It was impossible to distribute the injuries charged to these departments according to the place at which the accident occurred. Since each of these departments is closely connected with erecting operations and much of their work must be done upon the vessels, however^ it is reasonable to assume that the high injury rates in these divisions * See report Industrial Injuries in the United States During 1941, based upon the Bureau’s annual survey, covering industrial injuries in all industries (Monthly Labor Review, September 1942, p. 501). * Based upon summary reports from 93 shipyards. See appendix, table 1. 4See Monthly Labor Review, September 1942. 6 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 reflect not only shop hazards as such, but also considerable exposure to the greater general hazards prevailing upon the wavs. In the small number of yards which reported the operation of foundrv departments, there was an average of 29.6 disabling injuries per million employee-hours of foundry work. This rate was much lower than the national average of 47.0 * for commercial foundries. The machine shops, most common of all the departmental uoits, had an average frequency rate of 21.2. Although all of the work of machine installation is done outside the shop, the workers in that department held their frequency rate to 20.9. Paint-shop employees, who also must work upon the hull, had a frequency rate of 20.8. The operating departments in the lowest frequency-rate group were nearly all concerned with fitting-out operations. The pipe and sheetmetal shops had average rates of 17.2. The copper wops and the joiner shops had 15.7 and 15.5 injuries per million hours worked, re spectively, while the electrical shops averaged 14.7, and the pattern shops averaged 10.3.. The lowest average frequency rate among the operating departments was that of the mold lofts, 4.7. Resultant disabilities.—Although the electrical departments, as a group, had a relatively low injury-frequency rate (14.7); as com pared with the other operating divisions, the chance of an injury re sulting fatally in these departments was nearly double that of any of the other departmental groups. One in everv 70 disabling injuries experienced by the electrical workers resulted, in death, compared with a record of about 1 in 125 for the carpenter shops, the machine shops, and the paint shops. Fatalities averaged about 1 in 167 disabling injuries in erection on the ways, but totaled less than 1 in 200 in the other departmental units. Permanent partial injuries were relatively most frequent in the sheet-metal shops. More than 1 in every 10 of the disabling injuries reported in these departments produced some form of permanent im pairment. The joiner shops, with an average of 1 permanent partial impairment in every 11 disabling injuries, and the carpenter shops, with an average of 1 in 12, however, had only slightly better records. Cases involving the loss of one or more fingers were most frequent among the permanent partial disabilities charged to each of the oper ating departments. The more serious permanent disabilities involving the mss of a hand, arm, foot, or leg, occurred in the ratio of 1 in every 3 cases of permanent partial disability in the pipe and joiner shops; 1 m every 4 m the machine shops and machine-installation depart ments; and 1 in every 5 in the fabricating, erection on the ways, and sheet-metal departments. Serious eye cases, involving the loss of sight in one eye, avenged 1 in every 9 permanent partial disability cases in the sheet-metal shops, 1 in 12 in erection on the ways, and 1 in 16 in the machine shops. Surprisingly, the only cases involving permanent impairment of hearing were reported as occurring to em ployees of the welding department, which reported no permanent eye cases. Temporary injuries generally were more severe in the woodworking shops than in any of the other departmental units. On the average, 34 man-days were lost for each temporary disability in the carpenter shops, and 25 man-days for each temporary injury in the related activities of the joiner shops. Temporary disabilities in the welding <See Monthly Labor Review, September 1942. FREQUENCY BY SIZE OF YARD 7 departments, on the other hand, resulted in an average time loss of only 12 man-days. SERVICE, MAINTENANCE, AND MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENTS Frequency.—The service and maintenance departments, as a group, accounted for 14 percent of the total employment in the reporting yards, but were charged with only 7 percent of all the disabling in juries. The comparatively low average frequency rate of 12.6 for the group, however, reflected more the relative infrequency of injuries in the clerical, administrative, and drafting departments than it did a true picture of safety conditions in all departments of the group. Among general laborers the frequency rate (31.0) was above the average for the operating departments, and the rates for the maintenance (23.8), plant protection (22.9), transportation (24.2), and yards (26.1) de partments were only sightly below the average in the operating de partments. Administration and drafting are commonly considered to be activities subject to the same hazards as clerical work. In shipbuilding, however, the frequent necessity for employees in adminis trative and drafting jobs to visit the points of operations brings them into contact with many of the outside hazards. As a result, the frequency rate for administrative workers (3.8) was double that of the clerical group (1.9); and the average rate for drafting departments (2.3) was over 20 percent higher. Activities, reported as miscellaneous and unclassifiable, many of which probably would form part of the operating group, included 7 percent of the total employment and 8 percent of ml injuries, resulting in an average frequency rate of 29.8. Resultant disabilities.—The possibility of an injury resulting in a serious disability was considerably higher in some of the service and miscellaneous departments than in any of the divisions of the operating group. Fatalities occurred in the high ratios of 1 in every 49 disabling injuries in the yards departments, 1 in 63 in the general labor depart ments, and 1 in 72 in the maintenance departments. Permanent partial disabilities similarly resulted from a high pro portion of the injuries experienced in these departments, reaching the very high ratio of 1 in every 8 in the yards departments, and were only slightly lower in the maintenance departments. Temporary injuries likewise tended to be rather severe in some of these depart ments. Employees of the administrative and toolroom departments, who were temporarily disabled, lost an average of 25 days each, while those of the general labor departments lost an average of 23 days each. Frequency by Size of Yard5 In shipbuilding, as in many other industries, the large establishments generally are safest. The average frequency rates for the 93 ship yards included in this study, when grouped according to size, varied from a high rate of 48.9 for yards having fewer than 250 employees to a low average of 17.4 for the largest yards with 10,000 or more employees. In sharp contrast to the averages, however, 10 of the 34 yards in the smallest size group, and 1 in the 500-1,000-employee group, operated throughout the year without a single disabling injury. The more intensive specialization of work that is possible in the larger yards may help to account for their better safety record. The 1 See appendix, table 2. 491691— 43---- 2 8 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 individual worker has a better chance to become familiar with the hazards involved in his job when the range of his duties is limited. Another factor that accounts for the superior safety record of the larger shipyards is the greater attention devoted to safety in these yards. In fact, the effect of organized safety activity within the various plants is nowhere more apparent than in this comparison of accident frequency by size of shipyard. Few of the small yards main tain safety departments or fully equipped first-aid stations. As a' result, the safety programs of these plants are limited at best to parttime activities on the part of supervisors who may have had no specific safety training. Similarly, the immediate availability of skilled first aid or medical attention, which prevents many minor injuries from becoming lost-time cases, lends considerable advantage to the larger plants in a frequency-rate comparison. Typical of the most effective safety and medical programs are the following brief outlines of the organizations within two of the largest yards. Yard A: Yard has a safety department consisting of 4 full-time en gineers. All new employees are given a safety lecture before going to work. Safety is stressed in all training courses. All injuries are in vestigated and analyzed statistically. Safety goggles are supplied and required to be worn for all welding, grinding, chipping, and drill ing operations. A small hospital and 2 first-aid clinics, staffed by 5 doctors and 16 nurses, are maintained within the plant. The fre quency rate for this yard was 11.1. Yard B: A full-time safety engineering department is maintained. AU new employees are given a safety lecture. Safety representatives are appointed among the workers in each department. Weekly plant and departmental safety meetings attended by worker delegates are held. Every lost-time accident is investigated and analyzed statis tically. Employees who normally wear glasses are required to have safety lenses. Safety goggles or glasses are required in all eye-hazard operations. Safety shoes are required in the steel mill and recom mended elsewhere. Three first-aid stations, staffed by a doctor, 3 first-aid men, and 4 nurses, are maintained in the yard. Serious cases are treated in a yard hospital, staffed with 8 doctors and a number of nurses. The 1941 frequency rate for this yard was 20.4.4 Geographic and Operational Distribution 6 On the avenge, disabling injuries occurred most frequently in the yards exclusively engaged m new construction, and least frequently in those engaged only in repair work. The latter group, however, was composed mainly of relatively small establishments, which were not equipped to undertake major hull repairs, and were, therefore, not subject to the comparatively great hazards connected with work upon the ways. As a group, the 11 reporting yards located in the Gulf area had a much higher average frequency of injuries (50.1) than those of the other regions. The 20 yards reporting operations on the Pacific coast averaged 36 disabling injuries per million hours worked, while 13 yards in the Great Lakes area averaged 35.8. The Great Lakes yards, how ever, were generally much smaller establishments than those of the salt-water regions. The North Atlantic group, which included a * See appendix, table 3. TIME OF INJURY 9 considerable number of tbe very large yards, and which accounted for 57 percent of the total man-hours reported in the study, had an aver age frequency rate of 22.6. As a group the 10 yards reporting from the South Atlantic area had an average frequency rate (15.7) lower than the average for any other region. Then individual rates, how ever, ranged from 0 to a very high rate of 83.1. The North Atlantic area, with an average of over 8 cases of death and permanent disability among every 100 disabling injuries, had the highest proportion of senous injuries among the various regions. The Great Lakes area, however, with 1 death in every 90 disabling injuries had the highest fatality record. Time of Injury MONTHLY RECORD 7 The year 1941 was one of continuous expansion in the 9 shipyards which furnished detailed monthly information. The number oi em ployees and the monthly total of employee-hours worked in these yards more than doubled in the period from January to December. Reflecting much credit on the safety organizations of these particular yards, the volume of injuries in these plants did not increase at a much higher rate than did employment, as might well have been ex pected, but rather expanded at practically an equal rate. The monthly frequency rates for these yards, therefore, showed a surprisingly narrow variation. It is highly significant, however, that the frequency rates generally were lower m the period from May through August, when weather conditions were best for outdoor work, than they were in the winter, spring, and fall months. Similarly-, the proportion of injuries resulting in death and permanent impairments reached its lowest point in the same period of good weather. DAILY RECORD 8 The distribution of 2,429 injuries, which occurred in 11 shipyards, indicates that cumulative work fatigue, of the type which builds up day by day and is not completely overcome in the normal rest periods between workdays, was not an important contributing factor in ship yard accidents during 1941, despite the increased speed of operations and longer hours which characterized the industry during that year. The volume of injuries on the regular day shift was much greater on Mondays than on any other day of the week, lending some support to the occasionally expressed theory that recreational pursuits on a day off are frequently more fatiguing than the day-to-day routine of heavy work to which workers have accommodated themselves. It is possible too, that even one day of dissociation with the hazards of daily work may be sufficient slightly to lessen the skill with which those hazards are avoided. The relative volume of injuries to firstshift workers declined successively on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Fridays showed a slight increase, hardly great enough to be significant. Saturdays showed a sharp decline, mainly as a result of the fact that Saturday was not a full workday for all em ployees. The second, or evening shift, did not have a Monday peak of injuries. Tuesday injuries on this shift were more numerous than those occur7 See appendix, table 4. • See appendix, table 5. 10 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1041 ring on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, but were less numerous than the Friday cases. Full employment upon the second and third shifts was not common during 1941 in the shipyards surveyed, and the total number of injury cases reported for these shifts was relatively small. The distributions for the evening and (particularly) for the night shifts, therefore, should be evaluated as being based upon rather small samples. SHUT-HOUR OP INJURY OCCURRENCE * The time-of-occurrence pattern, revealed by the distribution of 2,262 injuries reported in 11 yards, shows a striking similarity between the second and third shifts and a striking dissimilarity between these shifts and the regular day shift. On the day shift, injuries were most frequent during the third working hour; were least frequent in the fifth and sixth hours; and rose practically to third-hour volume again in the eighth hour. The evening and night shifts, on the other hand, had their greatest volume of injuries in the first hour. The number occurring in the second and third hours declined somewhat, but remained relatively high. In the fourth hour the volume dropped decidedly, probably reflecting the reduction in activity during lunch periods. In each of the following three hours the number of cases remained relatively constant, but at a level below that of the second and third hows. In the eighth hour of both of the late shifts the number of injuries again fell to approximately the lunch-hour level. The high concentration of injuries in the first three hours of these shifts appears to indicate that many of the late-shift workers are not fully rested and properly alert to the hazards of the plants when they report for work. In considerable measure this condition may be due either to the difficul ties of securing the full benefits of sleep during daylight hours, or to the fact that workers on these shifts must secure their recreation and attend to their personal affairs before going to work, rather than after work as is customary for day workers. Injuries and die Age of Workers A general distribution by age was available for only one of the shipyards visited. No general comparison to indicate whether ornot age is an important factor in injury frequency could therefore be made. It was possible, however, to distribute 3,102 injuries, occur ring in 11 yards, on the basis of the age of the injured persons and to indicate the types of resulting disability.*10 Although these data neither support nor weaken earlier findings,11 which indicated that older workers are less likely to experience injuries than are younger workers, they do lend support to the previous conclusion that injuries to older persons are likely to be more serious than those experienced by younger persons. The average time required for recovery from temporary disabilities increased directly with the age of the injured persons, particularly in the age groups above 30, and most pronounced in the age groups above 40. Specifically, the average recovery period for those of less than 30 years of age was about 15 days; for those of 30 to 40 years of • See appendix, table 6. 10See appendix, table 7. 11 See Relation of Age to Industrial Injuries, in Monthly Labor Review# October 1940 issue (p. 789), or Bureau of Labor Statistics pamphlet Serial No. R. 1191. KINDS OP INJURIES SUSTAINED 11 age it was 17 days; and for those of 40 and over it was 19 days or longer. It is also pertinent in this connection that, among the injuries studied, there was an abrupt rise in the proportion of cases resulting in death and permanent disability as the age of the injured persons went above 35. For one very large yard it was possible to obtain a distribution of employees according to age, as of January 15, 1942.12 Although the indications obtained from an age distribution for only one yard are insufficient as a basis for any general conclusions, it seems apparent that age was not a great factor in the general accident picture of this yard; disabling injuries occurred with practically the same frequency m all age groups. Occupational differences, particularly those result ing from the tendency to place older persons in positions requiring least activity, however, could not be taken into account in this comparison. Kinds of Injuries Sustained PART OF BODY AFFECTED 13 Injuries to the lower extremities^—toes, feet, and legs—accounting for 37 percent of the injuries for which details were available, were far more common than injuries to other parts of the body. Head injuries, of which nearly three-fourths were eye cases, accounted for 22 percent of the total number of disabling injuries; injuries to arms, hands, and fingers accounted for 20 percent; and injuries to the trunk accounted for 17 percent. Leg, foot, and toe injuries were consistently prominent throughout the various operating departments. Eye injuries occurred with some frequency in nearly all of the operating departments, but reached out standing proportions in the welding and erection on the ways divisions. In these two operating imits, eye cases comprised 19 and 22 percent, respectively, of all disabling injuries. Head injuries, other than those affecting the eyes, were also relatively frequent in the welding depart ments, where they totaled about 10 percent of all disabling injuries, and in the paint shops, where they amounted to 15 percent. Injuries to the chest, back, or abdomen Occurred in nearly all of the operating departments, but were of high relative importance only in the paint shops and pipe shops. As the number of disabling injuries available for analysis in the service and maintenance departments was comparatively small, the proportionate distribution for these departments cannot be consideredvery stable. It is of interest, however, to note that for these depart ments as a group 25 percent of all disabling injuries were foot cases, 20 percent were leg cases, 14 percent were finger cases, and over 12 percent were back cases. Head injuries, other than eye cases, produced by far the greatest proportion of deaths (7 in 200)? but resulted in relatively few perma nent partial disabilities. In direct contrast, over 27 percent of the disabling finger injuries resulted in permanent partial impairment. The most serious temporary disabilities were those resulting from abdominal injuries. On the average, these cases each required 34 days for recovery. Temporary leg ana arm disabilities also had compara tively long average recovery periods (22 and 21 days, respectively) 12 See appendix, table 8. 12 See appendix, tables 9 and 10. 12 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 reflecting largely the extended recuperative periods required in major fracture cases. Temporary eye disabilities, on the average, required less time for recovery than did temporary injuries to any other part of the body. NATURE OF INJURY 14 Of the 3,175 disabling injuries classified by nature of injury, 96 percent fell into 4 general classifications. In the operating depart ments as a group, 36 percent of all disabling injuries were strains, sprains, or bruises; 36 percent were cuts or lacerations; 15 percent were fractures; and 8 percent were bums or scalds. Relatively similar proportions prevailed in most of the major departmental divisions. The welding departments, however, had a much higher than average proportion of bums, and a lower than average proportion of fractures, while in the carpenter shops and machine shops the reverse situation prevailed. Cuts and lacerations constituted distinctly more than average proportion of disabling injuries in the blacksmith shops, the boiler shops, and the machine installation departments. Amputations were relatively most important in the fabricating shops, joiner shops, and sheet-metal shops. The nature-of-injury pattern in the service and miscellaneous depart ments was generally comparable with that of the operating departments. Notable, however, was the fact that 45 percent of the disabling injuries charged to the transportation departments consisted of fractures. Resultant disabilities.—Six of the 15 fatalities included among the 3,183 disabling injuries, for which both the nature of injury ana the extent of disability were known, were the result of fractures of the skull. Amputations accounted for over half of all the permanent partial disabilities. About 4 percent of the fracture cases and slightly less than 2 percent of the cuts and lacerations also resulted in per manent partial disability. Hernia cases generally required much more time for recovery than any other type of temporary injury (51 days on the average). Frac tures, with an average of 37 days lost per case, constituted the second most serious type of temporary injury. The majority of the temporary injuries, including bums ana scalds, cuts and lacerations, strains, sprains, and bruises, and cases of occupational disease, however, all had an average recovery period of about 13 days. Nature of injury and part of body affected.—Nearly three-fourths of all the eye injuries were cuts or lacerations, which might well have been prevented through the use of safety goggles. Nearly all of the remaining fourth were bums, largely inflicted by radiations from weld ing apparatus. Of the head injuries, other than to eyes, about half were cuts and lacerations, a fourth were bruises, and about 14 percent were skull fractures. Injuries to the lower extremities were largely of three general types— cuts and lacerations; strains, sprains, and bruises; and fractures. Strains, sprains, and bruises predominated among the leg and foot injuries, accounting for about half of the cases affecting each. Cuts and lacerations represented a considerably greater proportion of the leg injuries (39 percent) than they did of the foot cases (24 percent). On the other hand, fractures occurred with greater relative frequency (18 percent) among the foot injuries than among the leg injuries (10 ** See appendix, tables 11,12, and 13. CAUSES OP INJURY 13 percent). In direct contrast to the relatively low proportions of fractures among the leg and foot cases, two-thirds of the toe injuries involved fractures. _Most other toe injuries were cuts and lacerations (18 percent) or strains, sprains, or bruises (15 percent). Finger injuries were laigely (46 percent) cuts and lacerations, but included a high proportion of amputations (18 percent) and fractures (23 percent). Cuts and lacerations similarly predominated among injuries to the hands (44 percent), although fractures (16 percent) and sprains and bruises (29 percent) together accounted for a larger proportion. More than 1 in every 5 arm injuries (22 percent) were fractures; 32 percent were cuts and lacerations; and 35 percent were strains, sprains, or bruises. Injuries to the trunk were largely strains, sprains, or bruises. Of all the chest injuries, however, 22 percent involved fractured bones; and more than a fourth of the abdominal injuries were hernia cases. Infection following an injury was relatively uncommon except among the cases of cuts or lacerations to the extremities. _ Its high incidence among injuries of this type, however, is very indicative of the tendency to ignore what appear to be minor cuts and scratches. As a group, the cases of cuts and lacerations which developed infec tion produced an average time loss of 13 days each, compared with an average of 12 days each for those without infection. This difference in average time lost is highly emphasized when it is recognized that prompt and efficient first aid probably would have prevented the infec tions, and thereby would have kept many of these injuries from be coming lost-time cases. Causes of Injury TYPES OP ACCIDENT w About 46 percent of the 3,139 disabling injuries for which details were available resulted from the injured persons’ being struck by falling, flying, or moving objects. In each of the operating depart ments, except the mold lofts, accidents of this type occurred more frequently than any other disability-producing type of accident. Slips on level surfaces and overexertion, accounting for 16 percent of the injuries, constituted the second most prominent accident type, and similarly occurred in substantial numbers in practically every department. Falls from one level to another, accounting for 11 percent of all injuries, and falls on the same level, accounting for 5 percent of the injuries, were relatively common in all of the departments which normally participate in work on the ways or in the vessels, but were particularly prominent in the electrical shops, paint shops, and machine-installation departments. Contact with extreme temperatures (which produced about 4 per cent of the injuries) occurred most frequently, as might be expected, in the foundry and welding departments. Accidents of the “caught in, on, or between” type, accounting for about 3 percent of the injuries, were most prevalent in the blacksmith shops, fabricating shojps, joiner shops, machine shops, and sheet-metal snops. The inhalation of noxious fumes or gases in improperly ventilated work spaces, such as inside tanks or hold compartments, and the absorption of harmful radiations, particularly from welding apparatus, accounted for 11 See appendix, tables 14 and 15. 14 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 another 3 percent of the injuries. These types of accidents occurred most frequently to workers in the welding and erection on the ways departments. In the service and maintenance departments as a group, accidents of the “struck by” type were the most productive source of disabilities. A v ery high proportion of the injuries experienced by employees of the administrative and yards departments, however, resulted from falls, slips, and overexertion. Reflecting the necessity of handling heavy material and of working on and around closely and irregularly piled material in the stock yards and on the ways, cases of slips ana over exertion similarly were frequent in the general labor departments. Fatalities occurred with much greater frequency in the case of falls from one level to another than in accidents of any other type. Perma nent partial disabilities, a very large proportion of which were cases of lost fingers, occurred in the exceptionally high ratio of 1 in every 5 disabling injuries resulting from accidents of the “caught in, on, or between” type, and with relatively high frequency in accidents of the “struck by” and “striking against” types. Similarly, accidents in which workers were caught in,.on, or between objects produced the most severe temporary disabilities, although those resulting from falls from one level to another were also generally quite severe. AGENCIES CAUSING ACCIDENT 16 M etal stock, including such items as the plates, rods, angles, and shapes from which ships are constructed, constituted the agency most closely involved in 27 percent of the injuries for which information as to agency of causation was available. More than half of the accidents in this group were of the “struck by” type. Also prominent among the metal-stock accidents were slips and overexertion and accidents of the “striking against” type. Flying particles, mainly metal particles dislodged in welding, chip ping, drilling, or riveting operations and grit blown through the out door working area of the yards by the winds prevailing in coastal regions, were the second most prominent injury agency, being in volved in 10 percent of all the injury cases. In most cases these were eye injuries, which the use of goggles might have prevented. The resulting disabilities, however, were generally of a temporary nature, and, on the average, involved relatively short recovery periods. Hand tools and working surfaces similarly were the agencies in volved in relatively large proportions of the cases analyzed (8 percent each). The hand-tool accidents were largely of the “struck by” type. A large proportion of the accidents involving working surfaces on the other hand were falls or slips, particularly the staging accidents, which were largely falls from one level to another. Among those accidents in which ship hulls under construction figured as the agency, accidents of the “striking against” type were most frequent, although falls, slips, and overexertion, and “struck by” accidents were each responsible for a considerable number of injuries. Ladder accidents were mainly falls, slips, or occurrences of the “strik ing against” type. Of the accidents in which lumber was classed as the agency, more than half were of the “struck by” type, 23 percent were the result of slips and overexertion, and 13 percent were of the “striking against” type. 16 See appendix, tables 16 and 17, CAUSES OF INJURY 15 Injuries in which cranes were involved produced the largest propor tion of deaths related to any of the outstanding individual agencies. Generally these were accidents in which the injured parson was struck by the materials being lifted or moved by the cranes. The mechanical agencies, i. e., machinery, engines and pumps, hoisting apparatus, and conveyors, generally were prolific producers of permanent partial disabilities. The most severe temporary injuries, involving an aver age recovery period of 30 days, were those resulting from crane acci dents. Those temporary injuries for which the agency was charac terized as “radiations from welding apparatus” (i. e., cases of welders’ flash) were on the average the least serious disabling injuries ascribed to any of the various agencies. UNSAFE MECHANICAL OR PHYSICAL CONDITION 17 Serious problems in housekeeping are ever present in the ship building industry. In work upon the ways much of the relatively limited space around and inside the vessel is necessarily occupied by staging. Similarly the necessity of keeping hatchways, and often portions of the deck itself, open for the delivery of material and equip ment to the inride of the ship, limits the amount of space available for work or placement of materials. The air lines and cables connecting with every riveting hammer and every piece of welding apparatus extend in every direction over and through the hull. As a consequence the walkways and working spaces in, on, and about the hull are gen erally restricted and cluttered with material and equipment despite the best of housekeeping efforts. Under normal conditions the yard areas present fewer physical than the ways. The expanded activity of the yards in 1941, Eroblems owever, necessitated vast increases in the stocks of material for which yard space had to be found, and required corresponding expansion in the activities and personnel of the vard shops and departments. In most instances this expansion in yard activities had to be accomplished without an increase in yard space. The resulting crowding of material and workers created many new housekeeping problems in the yard areas, and intensified the injury hazards attributable to poor house keeping. The importance of the housekeeping problem in relation to the prevention of injuries is strikingly indicated by the fact that of the 2,075 injury cases for which details indicating the unsafe mechanical or physical condition were available, over half were related to hazard ous arrangement or procedure, meaning in most cases, “poor house-' keeping.” Typical of the injury-producing accidents included in this category were those resulting from tripping over obstructions in walkways and work spaces, and striking against or being struck by materials projecting or falling into walkways and work spaces. A substantial proportion of the accidents classified as “falls to different levels” were also related directly to these housekeeping shortcomings. Defective agencies, including such items as damaged or worn tools, improperly erected staging, and deteriorated cables and slings, were responsible for 13 percent of all the injuries. Such unsafe conditions figured as a cause factor in more than a fifth of the accidents claggad as falls and in somewhat lower, but still important proportions of the » See appendix, tables 18,1#, and 20. 491691—43----- 3 16 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 “striking against,” “struck by,” and slips or overexertion types of accidents. Improperly guarded agencies, such as open gears on machinery, staging without rails or toeboards, and unmarked deck openings, pro duced another 12 percent of the injuries. These improper or non existing agency guards were also responsible for a considerable propor tion of the accidents of the “caught in, on, or between” type, particu larly those involving machinery as the agency, and a high proportion of those classed as “falls to a different level.” UNSAFE ACTS OF PERSONS 18 Analysis of the unsafe personal actions winch contributed to the occurrence of 2,337 disabling injuries in 11 shipyards revealed that the act of taking an unsafe position or posture was a factor in just about half of all the cases. Included in this general category are the specific acts of lifting with bent back or while in an awkward position, standing under suspended loads, exposure to falling or sliding objects, standing or passing too close to openings, riding in an unsafe position, entering unsafe enclosures,, end approaching too close to hazardous activities of others. The accidents resulting from these; unsafe acts accounted for three-fourths of the fatalities resulting from the injuries Analyzed, and produced about one-third of the permanent, partial disabilities. Over 80 percent of the accidents designated as “falls on the same surface,” and 65 percent of those resulting from falls to different levels, were directly associated with the act of taking an unsafe position or posture. Similar unsafe actions were involved in 62 percent of toe accidents classed as slips and overexertion and in about half of those in which the worker struck against or was caught in, on. Or between objects. Far from being toe peculiar failing of employees in,particular departments or occupations, these personal faults figured largely in the accidents charged to all of toe shipyard departments. The obvious implication, therefore, is that a generalized educational program to can the attention of all employees to toe hazards connected with these unsafe acts might go far in toe reduction of shipyard injuries. Failure to use safe attire contributed directly to the occurrence of about 9 percent of all the injuries. Such negligence included failure to wear goggles in the performance of chipping, reaming, and riveting operations; failure to use hard hats when working in positions of exposure to flying or falling objects; failure to wear safety shoes or gloves when regularly assigned to the work of handling heavy, rough, hot, and awkward material; and the wearing of loose clothing around moving machinery. Accidents resulting from these unsafe acts were particularly prominent in work on the ways, in the blacksmith shops, in the fabricating shops, .in toe machine shops, and in the welding departments. Among the various accident types, failure to use safe attire was most important as a contributing factor in the types des ignated as inhalation, absorption, or ingestion, striking against, struck by, or contact with extreme temperatures. Similarly, using unsafe equipment, using hands instead of equip ment, or using equipment unsafely were factors in the occurrence of about 20 percent of all the injuries analyzed. These unsafe practices, arising largely from a lack of proper care or safety knowledge, were 18 See appendix, tables 21,22, 23, and 24. TYPICAL SHIPYARD ACCIDENTS 17 relatively common in all shipyard departments and produced a sub stantial number of the injuries changed to each of the general accident types. More than half of the injuries related to the use of hand tools, and an important proportion of those in which the agencies involved were given as machinery, working surfaces, ladders, lumber, or metal stock, resulted either from using unsafe equipment or of using equip ment unsafely. Oilier types of unsafe acts, such as operating without authority, failure to secure or warn, operating or working at unsafe speed, and making safety devices inoperative, were not uncommon, but as a group accounted for only about 3 percent of the injuries analyzed. “Operating without authority” generally applied to the use of ma chines O r mechanical equipment by persons other than the regular operators. “Failure to secure or warn,” which resulted in a consider able volume of the “struck by” accidents, frequently involved such practices as the improper adjustment of slings, failure to block vehicles parked on', inclines, failure to warn workers in the vicinity before lift ing, lowering, or moving crane loads, and failure properly to post warnings regarding openings in walkways or work spaces or regarding hot substances and dangerous electrical contacts. Operating or working at unsafe speed, including such specifically unsafe acts as running along congested walkways or upon scaffold platforms, resulted in a considerable volume of falls. The dangerous practice of making safety devices inoperative was most commonly connected with accidents involving machines, while unsafe loading or placing figured as a contributing cause in a substantial proportion of the injury cases involving lumber or metal stock. Typical Shipyard Accidents It is apparent from the foregoing analysis that many shipyard in juries result from the interrelation of several cause factors. Generally speaking, the elimination of any one of these interrelated factors will avoid the occurrence of an injury, which should be the preventionist’s first duty. The achievement of immediate and effective resiilts, there fore, depends to a considerable extent upon the preventionist first learning what factors are involved, mid secondly, recognizing which of these factors can be most readily eliminated. To illustrate that the remedies in large measure are of common-sense nontechnical character, brief descriptions of a number of shipyard accidents were secured and typical examples of these were given individual consideration. The descriptions of these accidents, accompanied by suggestions as to the preventative measures, which might have avoided the occurrence of injury, are given below. DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENTS AND SUGGESTED METHODS OF PREVENTION 14 1. An employee running across the gantry track stumbled and fell. His arm went into a trolley box and contacted a 440-volt line.—Electrocution. (a) The trolley box should have been enclosed or suitably guarded. (b) Employees should be continually warned against unnecessary running. 2. After removing chains from a hoisting block on gantry crane, employee stood under block. The lim it switch on the crane failed, causing cable to tear, loose from block, which fell on employee.—Fatal. >•In the analysis of these accidents, selected as typical of those reported, the authors had the assistance of H. O. DesJardins, associate safety engineer, Division of 8hore Establishments, XT. S . Navy Depart ment. The analysis was made from cards to which the descriptions of accidents had been transcribed s as not to reveal the identity of reporting establishments. 18 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 (a) Employees should never he permitted to remain under crane when the block is raised either with or without a toad. (b) The crane operator should not have hoisted the block to the lim it switch. (c) It should be standard practice to test lim it switches twice daily—at the beginning of the shift and at midday. 3. Operator, unable to see employee, swung crane. Employee was caught be tween counterweight and brake staff.—Fatal. (a) Crane operators should not move crane until signal is given by crane fol lower, who should see that everyone is dear. (b) A n audible warning signal should be sounded before crane moves. (c) A painted sign (tDanger—Keep O ff9 should be placed by the brake staff and the supervisors should see that its warning is obeyed. 4. Employee was using a stationary grinder with the guard raised. The guard fell, forcing his fingers against the emery wheel.—One finger amputated. (a) A fixed type of guard would have prevented this accident. 5. Employee was making a time study as to the performance of a Morton Draw Shaper. Instead of going up steps at front of the machine and walking around on the platform to read the dials, he walked to the rear of the machine on the ground level, placing himself between the end of the ram and the plat form. On the return stroke the ram crushed him against the platform.—fatal. Access to dangerous areas should be adequately guarded. This employee apparently was unfamiliar with the hazards and should have been given more training and closer supervision. 6. A worker was tripped when he stepped on or near a welding line just as the welder pulled his line. He lost 72 days from the resulting knee injury. (a) Welders9 lines should be cradled overhead to prevent tripping hazards. (b) Welders should face their lines and watch carefully when puffing. 7. Employee working inside hull was struck by a 30-pound piece of pipe, which fell through a deck opening. The pipe had an offset flange on one end making it impossible for it to roll. The pipe, however, had been placed over a welder's line. Probably someone pulled the welder's line, which caught in the flange and dragged the pipe to the opening.—Lost two fingers. (a) M aterial should never be placed upon welders9 lines. (b) Whoever pulled the line should nave looked before he puffed , and should have stopped when he felt the resistance of the pipe. 8. Men were placing cork insulation and were using a cork cement with which they were unfamiliar. The cement apparently contained carbon tetrachloride although the label simply stated “will throw off toxic fumes which are not poisonous, but will displace oxygen and cause nauseating effects to workmen." A number of the workers became sick and three died. (a) The fact that the cement contained carbon tetrachloride should have been printed upon the label or stenciled upon the container , with a warning to use only in well-ventilated spaces. (b) However, the warning quoted should have impressed the workmen’s super visors sufficiently (1) to impel them to inquire what toxic substance was in the cement; (2) to warn the workmen that it was toxic; and (3) to see that the proper ventilation and respiratory protection was provided when the cement was used in confined spaces. In this instance the warning that the fumes would displace oxygen should have indicated that only respirators connected with an outside air supply would be safe. 9. Employee borrowed an Ingersoll-Rand high-speed vane pneumatic grinder from another worker intending to continue and deepen the grooves in a one-half inch twist drill which had been broken off. He removed the small four-inch wheel and replaced it with a six-inch saucer wheel. When power was applied the wheel shattered and some of the flying parts struck the employee's head.— Fatal. This was a case of using equipment unsaf ely , probably due to lack <„ on the part of the workman. A portable grinder should not have been used, revolutions were in excess of the permissible speed for the six-inch saucer wheel and centrifugal force caused it to explode. Better training and close supervision over the use of equipment probably would prevent this type of accident. TYPICAL SHIPYARD ACCIDENTS 19 10. After lunch, man sat on locomotive crane bed behind cab in violation of yard safety rule. Engineer turned cab parallel with track without signaling, crushing man between cab and coupling. (a) Engineer should not operate without signaling. He should he sure that the space around the crane is dear before moving. (b) M en should not he permitted to violate safety rules. Discipline and general safety education might prevent many such accidents. 11. A carpenter, who was assigned to remove the bracing supporting some heavy material in a freight car, started to repair a discarded stepladder for use in entering the car. To secure a firm work surface, he placed the ladder upon the crane-rail ties and then stood inside the rail to nail bracing strips on the ladder. The electric crane moved along the track and struck him in the back.— Fatal. (a) The crane should have had an audible , automatic warning signal and the crane cab should have been so arranged that the operator could have an unob structed view of the track when moving the crane. (b) The carpenter should have been trained not to expose himself to danger unnecessarily. (c) The defective ladder should have been removed from the work place when it was first found to be defective. 12. A hooker-on was holding one end of a crane load of channels attempting to guide the load into place. For some reason the load jerked. The sling chain nearest the hooker-on slipped, tilting the load, which pinned the hooker-on to the ground. Inspection revealed no defects in the crane mechanism or brake.— Fatal. (a) Crane loads should be guided with a rope, or with a long pole, not by hand. (b) There should have been a spreader between the two sling chains, which would have prevented the chain from slipping regardless of how the load may have been jerked or swung. 13. A crane operator was found dead in the cab of his crane after the lunch period. He was sitting in a chair, which was tilted backwards, with his head against an open switch. Electric switches should be covered so that it is impossible to touch the contacts. 14. Operator of swing-saw was holding material with his hand in line with the drive belt and pulley. As he pulled the saw forward his hand became wedged between the stock and the revolving belt and pulley.—Severe friction burns on left hand. The belt and pulley should have been completely enclosed. 15. Employee was chipping a steel plate with a hammer and cold chisel. A small piece of stefel struck his eye.—Lost sight of eye. Employees should be required to wear goggles on all chipping operations . 16. W elders clothes caught fire, burning his arms and face. Injured was lying on his side working with hands raised above his body welding rivet holes in inner-bottom shell plates. Inner bottoms were about 3' x 3' x 3'. Apparently, he had been using an oxygen hose, left by a heater, for cooling and ventilating purposes, which accounted for the rapid spread of the fire.—Lost 185 days. This employee had not been given proper training regarding the hazards of using oxygen as a cooling agent. Both supervisors and workmen should be repeatedly warned that the introduction of oxygen will spread fire , and if mixed with acetylene may be explosive. The use of burners9 equipment by unauthorized persons for any purpose should be prohibited and the prohibition enforced. 17. Shipfitter leaderman was trying to pull plates together at stem of ship. Contrary to yard rules he built himself a scaffold without a hand rail. His pulling device parted, throwing him from the scaffold.—Fatal. Bad supervision. A ll scaffolds should be built by designated crews of trained scaffold builders and inspected by the supervisor before being put into service. 18. While walking through unlighted space on ship, employee stepped into open trunk and fell 27 feet. Fractured skull —Fatal. The open trunk should have been guarded by a barricade with red warning lights. 20 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 19. Electrician was workingon wiring between decks on ship. He stepped into hold and fell about 20 feet. Died 12 days later. Supervisory failure to provide necessary barricade over hold. A ll openings should be guarded. 20. Men were taking plates off bottom of vessel in drydock. Plate stuck— men were told to stay clear as leader was going inside to knock it loose. Man disobeyed instructions and went under plate. When it came off, it hit him, fracturing lumbar vertebra. (a) Failure on the part of the employee to carry out instructions of supervisor. (b) The leader, knowing of the possibility of danger, should have remained on the outside while one of the workers went inside to knock out the plate. 21. A desk was being lowered to the bottom of vessel, through cargo hatch. Desk slipped from sling, and fell striking partition in vessel, which caused desk to bounce in under cargo deck where it struck workman. Man died with frac tured skull. This man owned a safety hat, but was not wearing it. Improperly adjusted sling. Suspended loads should not be swung over heads of workmen. A warning signal should have cleared the employee from the danger zone. The fa d that the employee was not wearing his safety hat was of secondary importance in this case. It should, however, be mandatory that safety equipment be worn if it is issued. 22. Employee was working on the top of an 18-foot trestle repairing a light on the steam crane boom. A plank, which was nailed on top of the trestle, pulled out, causing him to fall to the pier.—Fatal. Failure to provide substantial working platform. Workplaces should be checked by the supervisor before work is started. 23. The riggers were told to remove the launching timbers from underneath new steel hull. They were to run a line from the timbers through snatch blocks to the crane. Instead of using timber tongs to make a proper fastening of the line to the timbers, this man merely drove a steel dog into the timbers and attached the line to the dog with a bowline. When the strain on the line was taken up by the crane, the dog pulled out of the timbers, hooked him behind the left knee, knocked him down on his back, and dragged him several feet.—Fatal. Inadequate supervision. The faster ings should have been checked and ordered corrected. The workman apparently had not received proper training. 24. Men were moving section of keel with improper gear. As crane lifted keel, clamps let go turning keel section over on employee's foot. Seven fractures result ing in partial stiffening of foot and ankle. Supervisory failure to provide proper lifting gear. 25. Man was operating square shears (power). Tips of second and ring fingers, left, passed dog and underneath blade when lever was tripped.—Ends of fingers amputated. A ll square shears should be provided with a guard located at front of blade. 26. Man was working out-feed end of Oliver ripsaw from which splitter had been removed. The stock kicked back pulling left hand into back of saw.— Severed tendon, little finger stiff. A proper self-adjusting guard and splitter would have prevented the employee from coming into contact with the saw. 27. Sheet-metal worker, working on hull, returned to shop to have work punched. It was necessary for operator to change the punch on machine which made it necessary to remove guard and guide, rower belt is thrown off pulley by lever which extends toward operator and point of operation of machine. Employee became interested in procedure and leaned on stock bench with face about 1 foot from machine. For some reason the belt engaged the pulley, caus ing press to operate. The new punch assembly had not been locked in and plunger hit the semicircular female ring, causing it to fly out and strike worker in eye.— Loss of eye. A locking device should have been provided to prevent belt shifter from moving over driving pulley. TYPICAL SHIPYARD ACCIDENTS 21 28. Employee was placing weight box on assembly platform, using a hook from bridge crane on fixed sling on box, with another sling hanging loose from hook. When he released hook from box and signaled craneman to hoist away, the clamp on unused sling caught on under side of weight box, causing it to turn over against his leg.—Fractures and stiffening of joints. Employee should have gathered all sling hooks together prior to giving the uhoist away” signal to crane operator. 29. Employee was on staging at side of ship and had removed goggles to clean them. A riveting gang 25 feet away was chipping off a burr from a rivet. A part of the burr flew and struck employee in eye and perforated eyeball, making it necessary to remove eye. Failure on the part of the riveting gang to provide a barricade to retain flying chips . 30. Workman was setting in heads of spikes. A piece flew from head of set hammer and struck the workman's eye.—Loss of sight in one eye. Failure to wear eye protection —goggles. Hammer head may have been slightly hard or chipped . It is advisable to check brittleness of hammers before they are pul into service. 31. A handyman shipfitter was engaged in the erection of a bulkhead. The center line girder, measuring 8'x 8' and weighing 2,368 pounds, had been pre viously placed in position and tack-welded to the bulkhead. Injured was work ing in a kneeling position at the comer formed by the junction of the girder with the bulkhead. His helper, working on the other side of the girder, suddenly sensed that the girder was moving. He shouted to injured who, in attempting to move backward out of the way, fell over some tool boxes lying behind him. As he fell the girder toppled over, crushing him beneath it.—Fatal. Failure on the part of welders to properly tack-weld girder to the bulkhead. A lack of proper supervision and training is indicated . 32. Man was working between two weight boxes, welding stiffeners on section of bulkhead. Had been away from his work and, upon returning, evidently lowered himself to a sitting position by holding on top of weight box, pulling the box over on him, fracturing skull.—Fatal. Failure on the part of employee to properly secure weight boxes. 33. Man working in copper shop melting rosin from air chamber was burned when the pressure built up in the chamber by misdirected heat caused remaining rosin to blow out. Concussion tore the clothing from man, splattering him from head to thighs with the hot rosin.—Lost 43 days. A pressure-reducing valve in the air line would have prevented pressure from being built up in the chamber. The workman should have been warned of the hazard and should have been more closely supervised . Appendixi b) 4 1 (0 <*) 1 1 8 ! Severity 100 85 1 2 5 (*) 3 35 8 1 <0 2 7 (*) 2 <0 4 2 13 7 (*) Injury rates * Frequency departments...................... 1,082 100 100 crating departments.......... 705 79 79 Blacksmith shop.............. 55 1 1 1 1 Boiler shop....................... 31 4 Carpenter shop................ 54 4 1 Copper shop..................... 15 1 4 5 Electrical shop................. 54 Erection on the ways....... 64 23 23 6 Fabricating...................... 42 7 Foundry........................... 12 1 1 1 Joiner shop....................... 20 1 Machine installation....... 27 4 3 8 8 Machine shop................... 68 1 1 Mold loft.......................... 36 3 3 Paint shop........................ 53 Pattern shop.................... 28 <*) <*) 6 6 Pipe shop.......................... 52 Sheet-metal shop.............. 40 4 4 Welding............................ 54 10 11 vices and maintenance___ 256 14 14 2 Administration................ 42 2 6 6 Clerical............................. 48 Drafting............................ 34 1 1 2 2 General labor................... 25 1 Maintenance.................... 28 1 Plant protection............... 12 0) (*) Toolroom.......................... 15 <*) <’) 1 1 Transportation................. 30 1 1 Yards................................ 22 scellaneous......................... 121 7 7 Temporary to tal disability Department Numberporting of units re Percentage of total number of employ ees Percentage of total number of employeehours worked Percentage of total number of disabling injuries Death and per manent total [ disability Permanent par tial disability Percentage of injuries resulting in— 0.6 4.9 94.5 26.9 .5 5.0 94.5 29.3 5.4 94.6 36.5 0 .5 2.1 97.4 33.7 .8 8.1 91.1 32.8 7.9 92.1 15.7 0 1.4 4.9 93.7 14.7 .6 4.3 95.1 40.4 .1 6.8 93.1 33.7 0 100.0 29.6 0 8.9 91.1 15.5 0 .4 5.9 93.7 20.9 .8 6.4 92.8 21.2 6.3 93.7 4.7 0 .8 7.7 91.5 20.8 0 100.0 10.3 0 6.1 93.9 17.2 0 .4 10.1 89.5 17.2 .4 2.3 97.3 32.5 1.5 6.5 92.0 12.6 5.1 94.9 3.8 0 0 100.0 1.9 0 0 100.0 2.3 0 1.6 1.6 96.8 31.0 1.4 11.9 86.7 23.8 3.0 3.0 94.0 22.9 0 100.0 7.1 0 1.1 6.7 92.2 24.4 2.0 12.8 85.2 26.1 1.1 2.6 96.3 29.8 2.9 3.0 1.6 2.0 5.5 .7 1.9 4.0 3.0 .7 2.3 2.1 3.0 .2 3.5 .2 2.0 2.7 1.8 2.1 .4 (3) C4.2O 6.0 4.8 .2 4.5 5.1 3.3 Average days lost per I i temporary total dis- JJ T able 1 .— Injury rates and extent of disability , classified by department, for 98 shipyards , 1941 17 17 19 19 34 16 17 16 14 24 25 14 21 23 21 21 20 14 12 19 25 16 16 23 12 21 25 16 16 IT i The frequency rate Is the average number of disabling injuries for each million employee-hours worked* The severity rate is the average number of days lost for each thousand employee-hours worked. Thestandard time-loss ratings for fatalities and permanent disabilities are given in Method of Compiling Industrial Injury Rates, approved by the American Standards Association, 1937. *Less than 0.5. * Less than 0.05* 22 23 APPENDIX T able 2 .— Distribution of injury-frequency rates for 93 shipyards , by size of establishment, 1941 Item Total number of establishments ____ ___ Number of establishments having frequency rates of1— o________________________________ 1-10 ____ ___ ________ 11-20_____________________________ 21-30_____________________________ 31-40_____________________________ 41—30 51-60_____________________________ 01-70___________________________ 71-80_____________________________ 81-00 __ ____________________________ r „ „. . 101 over, , Total number of employees—percentage___ Total employee-hours worked--percentage__ Total number of disabling injuries—percent-_ . __ 0 1 -1 0 0 and AgA A v f ir a g A f r a q iiA n r y r a tft 1 A v e r a g A S A V A r it y r a t A 1 1 See footnote 1, table 1. -r ______ - Total 1 to 249 em ployees Size of establishments. 23 34 1, it * ii ti M 1 7 11 ie*sP *t §1 li It |8 it 11 l | H tl 7 4 11 10 1 0 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 2 0 1 2 2 0 3 3 13 1 1 1 2 8 3 16 1 2 3 0 4 3 14 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 6 3 0 01 1 0 1 8 5 0 1 1 4 91 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 01 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 4 16 21 23 1 1 100 4 15 21 22 1 1 100 3 5 18 25 24 2 100 26.9 48.9 38.4 37.4 32.3 33.3 28.7 2.9 2.9 2.4 3.6 2.0 2.1 2.1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 36 23 17.4 4.2 17 13 24 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a bl e 3 .— Injury rates and extent of disability, classified by geographic location and Severity Qi Frequency Percentage of injuries Injury rates1 resulting in— Percentage of total number of emifioyees Percentage of number of em hours worked total Percentage of cabling number of dis injuries Death and per manent total disability Permanent par tial disability Temporary to tal disability 11 Number of est ments Area and operation 1 Total.................................................... 93 100 100 100 0.6 4.9 94.5 26.9 2.9 New construction......................... 35 51 46 52 .6 6.9 92.5 30.7 3.9 Repair........................................... 26 5 6 5.9 1.0 5 93.1 22.4 3.6 Both repair and new construetion............................................. 32 44 48 43 .6 2.4 97.0 24.0 1.9 North Atlantic area............................ 35 54 57 48 .8 7.6 91.6 22.6 3.9 New construction......................... 11 29 30 26 .7 12.0 87.3 22.9 4.5 Repair........................................... 11 2 3 3 1.0 10.9 88.1 17.9 4.3 Both repair and new construc tion............................................. 13 23 24 19 .9 1.9 97.2 22.7 2.1 South Atlantic area............................ 10 11 12 .9 6.0 7 93.1 15.7 1.9 New construction......................... 4 2 .4 1.2 98.4 66.4 1 2 2.5 Repair........................................... 4 4.3 0 95.7 27.9 9.1 <*) <*) Both repair and new construc % 11 tion............................................. 2 5 1.0 8.7 90.3 11.2 1.7 Great Lakes area................................. 13 3 4 3 2.9 1.1 96.0 35.8 4.5 New construction......................... 4 2 2.4 41.3 6.8 Repair........................................... 6 <*) <*)2 (*)3 02.0 9.1 95.6 90.9 58.0 10.5 Both repair and new construc tion............................................. 3 1 1.4 98.6 26.2 1 1 0 .9 Gulf area.............................................. 11 8 14 .4 8 1.9 50.1 97.7 2.3 New construction......................... 5 5 4 9 .3 2.1 97.6 61.0 2.1 Repair........................................... 2 1 1 1 .8 1.7 97.5 31.0 3.4 Both repair and new construc tion............................................. 4 2 3 4 .5 L2 98.3 39.1 2.2 Inland area *........................................ 4 1 0 1 1 .9 99.1 25.2 .3 New construction......................... 3 1 1 1 0 .9 99.1 27.6 .3 Pacific area.......................................... 20 23 19 26 .4 1.7 97.9 36.0 1.9 New construction......................... 8 12 8 11 .6 1.9 97.5 38.3 2.6 Repair....................... ................... 3 2 2 1 .7 2.2 97.1 19.1 1.2 Both repair and new construc tion........................................ 9 9 9 14 .2 1.5 98.3 37.2 1.5 1 Seefootnote 1, table 1. * Less than 0.5. 1 Includes data for shipyards not shown separately because of insufficient coverage. T a bl e 4*— Disabling injuries, classified by month of injury and extent of disability, for 9 shipyards , 1941_________________________ __ Month Percent age of average number of em ployees Total____________ January__________ February.,................ March....................... April------------------May-------------------June.......................... July-.......................... August...................... September................ October..................... November________ December................. 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 100 71 73 77 81 87 86 99 106 111 125 134 150 Percent age of total em ployeehours worked Percent age of total number of dis abling injuries 100 5 6 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 11 11 12 100 6 6 7 7 6 7 8 8 10 11 11 13 Percentage of injuries resulting in— Injury rates* Death Perma Tempo and per nent rary Fre Severity manent partial total quency total dis disa disa ability bility bility 0.4 0 0 .9 0 0 0 .8 0 .6 .6 1.7 0 4.7 8.7 7.9 2.7 11.2 5.5 2.8 2.3 1.6 3.7 6.2 2.2 4.6 94.9 91.3 92.1 96.4 88.8 94.5 97.2 96.9 98.4 95.7 93.2 96.1 95.4 19.9 21.5 19.4 21.2 21.1 16.4 18.5 18.5 17.8 21.6 20.1 20.1 20.8 1.6 2.8 2.2 1.9 1.8 2.4 .5 1.3 .4 1.4 1.9 2.6 1.6 25 APPENDIX T able 5*— Distribution of disabling injuries in 11 shipyards, by shift and by day of week on which injury occurred, 1941 Total Percentage of disabling injuries occurring on— number of dis abling Wednes Thurs Friday Saturday injuries Sunday Monday Tuesday day day 8hift Total____________ D ay..-----------------Evening__________ Night____________ 2,429 1,759 497 173 18.1 19.4 14.9 14.5 2.3 2.2 2.2 3.5 18.1 18.4 17.5 16.8 16.6 16.3 16.7 20.2 15.1 15.1 15.7 13.3 16.4 15.6 18.9 16.2 13.4 13.0 14.1 15.5 T able 6*— Distribution of disabling injuries in 11 shipyards , by shift and by hour of shift in which injury occurred, 1941 Shift Total Percentage of disabling injuries occurring in— number of dis abling First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth injuries hour hour hour hour hour hour hour hour Other Total__________ 2,262 Day___________ 1,588 Evening_______ 495 Night_________ 179 13.2 11.0 17.2 22.3 11.6 10.7 13.7 14.0 15.5 15.4 16.4 14.5 11.1 12.0 9.5 7.8 8.5 7.5 10.9 10.6 9.0 8.1 11.1 1L2 12.1 12.8 10.5 10.6 12.9 14.5 8.9 9.0 6.1 8.0 1.8 0 T able 7*— Disabling injuries, classified by age of injured and extent of disability, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Number of disabling injuries Resulting in— [Age group Average days lost per tem Death partial Temporary total porary nent and totalperma dis Permanent disability total dis disability ability ability Percent Percent Percent Number Percent age Number age Number age Number age Total Total___________ 3,102 20 years and under. 342 21 to 25 years------673 26 to 30 years------583 31 to 35 years------412 351 36 years_____ 41 to to 40 45 years 274 46 to 50 years 211 51 to 55 years------137 56 to 60 years. 70 61 to 65 years _ 35 12 66 to 70 years 71 years and over.. 2 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 15 0 3 5 1 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.5 .4 .9 .2 1.1 L5 96 9 20 14 11 11 11 10 7 0 3 0 0 3.1 2.6 3.0 2.4 2.7 3.1 4.0 4.7 5.1 8.6 2,991 333 650 564 400 336 263 201 128 70 32 12 2 96.4 97.4 96.6 96.7 97.1 95.8 96.0 95.3 93.4 100.0 91.4 100.0 100.0 17 15 14 15 17 17 23 19 24 27 37 22 32 26 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a bl e 8 .— Employment and disabling injuries, classified by age of employees, for 1 large shipyard, 1941 20 years and under. 21 to 25 years......... 26 to 30 years......... 31 to 35 years......... 36 to 40 years......... 41 to 45 years......... of Number of Number employees disabling injuries Percent 15 28 19 13 9 6 Percent 11 29 22 12 12 6 of Number of Number employees disabling injuries Age group 46 to 50 years..................... 51 to 55 years..................... 56 to 60 years..................... 61 to 65 years..................... 66 to 70 years..................... Percent 0) 4 3 2 1 Percent 0) (0 tO Cn Age group i Less than 0.5. T able 9«— Disabling injuries, classified by department and by part of body injured, for 11 shipyards, 1941 ; Hand(s) | Finger(s) ! Leg(s) Foot or feet Toe(s) All departments............... 3,179 468 96 113 157 263 118 161 Operating departments... 2,867 459 86 108 141 224 112 143 Blacksmith shop....... 62 46 04 21 22 8 2 2 Boiler shop................. 68 4 7 7 12 125 3 5 Carpenter shop_____ 167 8 9 Copper shop.............. 7 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 Electrical shop........... 120 17 6 5 6 9 6 6 264 26 41 58 105 33 61 Erection on the ways. 1,182 Fabricating................ 220 15 5 4 7 7 7 5 Foundry..................... 9 0 0 22 04 40 0 2 Joiner shop................. 1 1 37 3 0 Machine installation.. 64 277 4 83 4 6 2 3 5 13 16 12 13 Machine shop............ 235 Mold loft.................... 9 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Paint shop................. 60 5 3 06 6 4 8 0 Pattern shop.............. 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Pipe shop................... 142 18 4 7 9 15 11 9 Sheet metal shop....... 81 10 1 1 6 6 4 4 Toolroom................... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Welding..................... 401 79 19 19 11 26 12 23 Service and maintenance. 167 5 3 2 8 21 3 7 Administration.......... 24 0 1 0 2 3 0 2 Clerical....................... 7 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drafting..................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 General labor............. 32 1 1 1 0 6 1 1 Maintenance.............. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Plant protection........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Transportation.......... 31 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 Yards......................... 69 0 1 1 5 8 1 2 Miscellaneous.................. 145 4 7 3 8 18 3 11 205 191 5 8 11 0 11 63 18 1 2 6 23 2 5 0 5 6 0 25 4 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 10 294 259 7 7 10 2 7 93 37 0 5 5 34 0 3 0 14 11 0 24 23 1 0 0 8 0 1 6 7 12 495 439 13 14 32 1 20 162 36 1 6 9 37 5 9 0 19 8 0 67 34 10 1 0 1 0 0 3 19 22 468 400 13 7 25 0 21 152 45 3 2 8 28 1 5 0 19 11 0 60 42 4 1 0 7 0 1 10 19 26 203 178 4 4 19 1 0 75 26 0 4 3 14 0 2 0 6 7 0 13 10 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 4 15 uomopqy i Arm(s) Department Total number of d bling injuries i ___ ______ Eye(s) Brain or skull Head—not else where classified Chest (lungs) Back Number of disabling injuries affecting— iili r 138 127 1 1 11 0 6 49 8 0 3 4 5 0 4 0 6 6 0 23 5 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 6 27 APPENDIX 10.— Disabling injuries, classified by part of body injured and extent of disa ___________ bility, for 11 shipyards , 1941 ___________ T able Number of disabling injuries Average days lost per ternporary Death and Permanent Temporary total dis permanent partial total dis ability Number Percentage total dis disability ability ability Resulting in— Total Part of body injured 100 15~ 3 4 5 8 4 5 6 9 16 15 6 4 3,187 468~ 97 113 157 263 119 162 205 295 496 470 203 139 Total....................................— Eye(s)___________________ Brain or skull........................... Head, not elsewhere classi fied ....................................... Chest (lungs) . . -Back __ Abdomen_____ Arm (s) . . . . . ___ Hand (s) _ _ Finger(s)________________ Leg(s)...................................... Foot or feet ., - __ Not^elsewbere classified___ 14 102 — 0 3 1 0 0 1 3 80 4 0 4 0 — 5 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 17 7 17 16 16 17 34 21 15 16 22 18 16 23 3,071 462~ 92 108 156 263 117 161 202 215 492 470 199 134 T able 11.— Disabling injuries, classified by department and by nature of injuryf ___________________________ for 11 shipyards, 1941 All departments. Operating departments__ Blacksmith shop....... Boiler shop................. Carpenter shop.......... Copper shop.............. Electrical shop........... Erection on the ways. Fabricating................ Foundry.................... Joiner shop................. Machine installation. Machine shop............ Mold loft.............. Faint shop................. . Batternshop.............. Pipe shop................... Sheet-metal shop....... Toolroom................... Welding..................... Service and maintenance. Administration.......... Clerical....................... Drafting..................... General labor............. Maintenance.............. Plant protection........ Transportation.......... Yards......................... Miscellaneous. 3,175 2,862 62 68 167 7 118 1,181 221 9 37 63 234 9 60 1 142 81 2 400 167 24 7 0 31 1 4 31 69 146 57 49 1 2 1 1 3 8 10 0 5 0 8 0 1 0 2 6 0 1 5 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 3 251 1,007 237 918 1 21 6 30 3 46 1 0 5 35 86 398 11 83 4 2 1 12 1 24 8 76 1 0 12 2 0 0 15 42 3 27 0 0 91 108 3 50 5 0 4 1 0 0 1 12 0 0 0 0 8 0 1 21 11 39 Strains, sprains, and bruises With in fection Cuts, lacera tions Without infection Bums and scalds | Nature of injury Amputations Department ; Total number of abling injuries J 134 1,170 126 1,040 6 23 19 0 8 68 3 0 6 51 44 435 6 71 2 1 1 13 5 23 17 75 6 2 4 28 0 0 0 61 3 27 1 0 23 134 5 69 15 0 2 0 0 0 9 1 0 1 2 0 9 0 3 32 3 61 i i 490 427 8 11 36 2 17 178 38 0 5 10 47 0 11 1 19 12 0 32 35 3 0 0 6 0 1 14 11 28 31 30 1 0 4 0 1 10 2 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14 14 00 00 0 11 00 0 000 00 0 0 o3 0 000 0 00 00 0 21 21 011 0 0 11 0 00 00 0 00 0 a2e 0 000 0 000 a 0 28 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a b l e 12 .— Disabling injuries , classified by nature of injury and extent of disability, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Number of disabling injuries Nature of injury Death and per manent Number Percents age total dis ability Total______________________________ Amputations _ ___ Bums and scalds.......................................... Outs, lacerations—without infection-------Cuts, lacerations—with infection________ Strains, sprains, and bruises....................... Fractures_________ :________________ Hernia.________ ___________________ Industrial diseas.......................................... Not elsewhere classified_______________ 3,183 57 251 1,008 134 MW 403 31 14 21 Average days lost per tem porary Perma Tempo total dis nent par rary ability tial dis- total dis ability ability Resulting in— Total 102 56 1 18 1 6 20 0 0 0 15 1 1 2 0 2 8 0 0 1 100 2 8 32 4 37 15 1 0) 1 3,066 0 249 088 133 1,166 465 31 14 20 17 13 12 13 14 37 51 13 6 1 Less than 0.5. T a bl e 13 *— Disabling injuries, classified by nature of injury and by part of body injured, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Total----------------------------- 3,178 Eye(s)---------------------------Brain or skull......................... 467 Head—not elsewhere classi 07 fied....................................... 113 Chest (lungs)_____________ 157 Bade.___________________ 262 Abdomen________________ 119 Arm(s)__________________ 161 Hand(s)_________________ 203 Finger(s)________________ 295 Leg(s)...................................... 406 Foot or feet........... .................. 468 Toe(s)...................................... 203 Not elsewhere classified......... 137 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 53 2 0 1 0 251 1,008 113 331 1 43 18 61 0 17 2 10 2 6 17 36 21 68 13 89 24 160 27 08 0 34 13 46 133 1,172 8 8 31 0 2 23 0 102 0 237 0 76 15 57 22 59 46 26 25 227 12 248 3 31 0 47 402 0 22 8 34 13 5 36 32 68 48 83 134 0 31 0 0 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 u« .Cl— Not elsew l classified 1 Hernia Fractures 1 W ith in fection | 1 Nature of injury Cuts, lacera I tions Ji f! at W ith ou t j infection Amputations Part of body injured Total number of abling injuries $ 14 . 21 0 7 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 18 3 29 APPENDIX T a bl e 1 4 .— Disabling injuries , classified by accident type and extent of disability, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Number of disabling injuries Average days lost per tem porary Death Tempo total and per Perma dis rary nent manent partial total ability Number Percenttotal age dis dis dis ability ability ability Resulting in— Total Accident type Total______________________________ Striking against __ _____ Struck b y __ r Ganght in, on, or between... _____ Fall on same level__ _______ Fall to different level Slip (not fall) or overexert!on Contact witn extreme temperature __ _ Inhalation, absorption, ingestion r ___ Contact with electric current . . Not elsewhere classified .. . . AH departments-----------Operating departments.... Blacksmith shop____ Boiler shop------------Carpenter shop_____ Copper shop-----------Electrical shop............ Erection on the ways.. Fabricating_________ Foundry___________ Joiner shop_________ Machine installation.. Machine shop............ . Mold loft__________ Paint shop_________ Pattern shop............... Pipe shop.................... Sheet-metal shop____ Toolroom__________ Welding----------------Service and maintenance.. Administration______ Clerical—.................... Drafting....................... General labor----------Maintenance----------Plant protection_____ Transportation........... Yards........................... Miscellaneous................... . Q) \l) 15 0 6 1 0 6 0 1 1 0 0 102 13 65 17 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 3,022 367 1,341 69 152 347 506 138 95 3 4 17 14 16 31 17 26 18 18 6 11 26 injuries , classified by accident type and by department, for 11 shipyards , 1941 O gj Number of disabling injuries caused by— if i i g If ij SI * ej > 1| OuQ§ O1Q oId h9© <g fti i M fl 3,131 380 1,407 2,822 337 1,270 62 6 39 68 4 39 166 27 67 4 7 0 118 14 40 1,157 110 567 220 37 119 4 9 1 36 7 15 63 9 25 235 32 103 1 9 5 59 11 16 1 0 1 142 18 58 80 15 32 1 0 1 389 41 139 165 20 76 24 1 6 4 6 2 0 0 0 32 3 16 1 1 0 4 1 1 31 3 21 67 10 27 144 23 61 p i ||| f§ JJ © l i M ~ll g o 8 !si •gii? 5* o fc 3 87 152 353 508 141 77 133 322 450 132 4 0 1 10 1 1 8 8 4 3 4 6 26 32 2 0 0 *1 2 0 4 10 26 20 3 15 62 143 175 28 12 3 7 30 7 0 0 0 0 4 3 4 3 4 0 2 3 13 10 1 18 14 17 43 7 0 0 0 2 0 2 6 13 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 11 9 30 11 5 2 7 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 11 48 59 62 6 12 21 27 2 0 3 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3 0 3 6 9 11 1 4 7 10 31 7 onta elect rent Department 100 12 46 3 5 11 16 4 3 Lot fall) overtion Less than 0.5. T a b l e 1 5 * — Disabling 3,139 380 1,412 87 153 355 508 141 96 3 4 96 94 1 1 2 0 0 55 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 25 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 T 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a bl e 16 .— Disabling injuries and resulting disability, classified by agency, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Number of disabling injuries Agency Total..................................... Boilers and pressure vessels., Chemicals............................. Conveyors............................. Electrical apparatus............. Elevators.............................. En Fly _ Hand tools.. _____ Hatchways, ropes, and cables.. Hoisting apparatus. Cranes............... Other................. Hot substances........ Ladders................... Lumber.............................................. Machinery.......................................... Metal stock........................................ Radiations from welding apparatus. Ship hulls........................................... Vehicles................ Working surfaces. Staging........... Other.............. Other.................... 1 Less than 0.5. Death and per Number Percent manent age total dis ability 3,066 8 28 4 17 3 1ft 31ft 234 98 122 101 21 116 77 182 199 808 70 92 48 26ft 6ft 190 375 Average days lost per tem porary Perma Tempo total dis nent par rary ability tial dis total dis ability ability Resulting in- Total 100 0) 1 0) 1 0) 0) 10 8 3 4 3 1 4 3 6 6 27 2 3 2 8 2 6 12 15 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 102 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 12 3 11 8 3 2 1 3 26 23 0 3 3 3 1 2 6 2,949 8 27 3 16 3 13 313 221 92 108 90 18 113 76 179 172 783 70 89 44 251 63 188 368 IT 21 1$ 2ft 10 ft 14 19 30 2ft 18 2ft 18 18 18 ft 16 31 APPENDIX T able 17*— Disabling injuries, classified by accident type and by agency, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Total.......................................... Boilers and pressure vessels.__ •Chemicals.................................. Conveyors................................. Electrical apparatus................. Elevators................................... Engines atuI primps ‘P lying p a rti efea Hand tools............................... Hatchways, ropes, and cables.. Hoisting apparatus................... Cranes................................. Other.................................. Hot substances......................... Ladders..................................... Lumber..................................... Machinery................................ Metal stock............................... Radiations from welding ap paratus................................... Ship hulls.................................. Vehicles..................................... Working surfaces...................... Staging................................ Other.................................. Other....................................:.. 0Q ii -sS o hi O Fall on same level Fall to differ ent level 1 Slip (not fall) or over| exertion Contact with extrem e temperature Inhalation, absorption, | ingestion Contact with electric cur rent N ot else where clas sified 11 Number of disabling injuries caused byStruck by Agency b*S f f t* h 3 .| 87 145 345 485 139 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 11 2 2 0 0 0 2 3 2 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 11 3 11 3 28 10 3 12 41 23 0 9 1 4 5 0 8 1 4 2 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 103 0 0 48 17 0 3 10 9 41 0 37 7 2 33 5 16 36 16 173 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 20 10 1 4 1 11 5 0 1 39 102 68 0 0 3 50 6 0 1 36 52 62 0 6 18 84 75 0 3,059 374 1,385 2 8 1 6 28 0 1 4 0 2 17 2 0 3 0 7 15 2 307 0 295 232 13 161 7 98 12 122 2 101 101 1 85 21 1 16 116 1 12 3 77 9 182 23 96 198 37 77 808 116 451 72 0 0 92 42 15 48 3 24 255 29 15 65 3 3 190 26 12 377 82 110 93 0 19 0 0 0 0 1 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 72 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 T able 18.— Disabling injuries, classified by unsafe mechanical condition and extent of disability, for 11 shipyards, 1941 .. .at Number of disabling injuries Unsafe mechanical condition Total. __ ______________________ Improperly guarded Agencies . Defective Ageney ___ Hazardous arrangement or procedure........ Improper illnm ination_____ Improper ventilation. ............................... Not elsewhere classified 1 _____ Death per Per and Number centage manent total disability %075 249 275 1,162 15 11 363 100 12 13 561 1 17 1Includes cases involving no unsafe mechanical^condition. Average days lost per tern- Resulting in— Total 12 3 4 4 0 1 0 Perma nent partial disability 67 23 13 270 40 Tempo toST rary disability total disability 1,996 223 258 1,131 15 10 359 18 27 19 18 21 9 10 32 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a bl e 19*— Disabling injuries , classified by agency and by unsafe mechanical condition , for 11 shipyards, 1941 Number of disabling injuries caused by— Total number HazardNot of dis Im ous' Im Im else abling properly Defec proper proper where arrange tive injuries guarded agency ment illumi ventila classi agencies or pro nation tion fied» cedure Agency T otal.....................—------Boilers and pressure vessels. Chemicals............................ Conveyors........................... Electrical apparatus........... Elevators............................. Engines and pumps............... Flying particles...................... Hand tools...*......................... Hatchways, ropes, and cables. Hoisting apparatus. Cranes............. Other............... Hot substances___ Ladders.................. Lumber.................................................. Machinery............................................. Metal stock................-.......................... Radiations from welding apparatus. _. Ship hulls............................................... Vehicles............... Working surfaces. Staging......... Other............ Other................... 2,053 4 24 2 12 2 7 99 84 15 108 150 544 29 30 171 48 123 246 245 1 12r 0 1 0 8 40 8 6 2 3 4 9 56 24 5 6 269 0 021 0 2 25 2 47 38 9 0 9 11 17 41 0 10 1*153 4 3 15 4 100 34 42 38 4 43 19 82 69 435 4 33 26 65 7 58 153 0 0 1 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 41 1 08 000 01 10 0 10 0 0 0 361 0 9 a0 0 0 0 0 204 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 31 6 5 7 43 20 0 2 1 6 0 6 14 i Includes cases involving no unsafe mechanical condition. T a bl e 20.— Disabling injuries, classified by accident type and by unsafe mechanical condition, for 11 shipyards, 1941 Accident type Total.................................. Striking against................. Struck by........................... Caught in, on, or between. Fall on same level.............. Fall to different level____ Slip (not fall) or overexertion............... Contact with extreme temperature___ Inhalation, absorption, ingestion......... Contact with electric current............... Number of disabling injuries caused by— Total number HazardImIm Not else of Improp ous disabling erly Defec arrange >rop< proper where tive ment or injuries guarded agency ventila classi-' agencies proce nation tion fled* dure 2,075 249 930 64 114 276 310 93 51 3 63 30 4 112 10 3 5 0 i Includes cases involving no unsafe mechanical condition. 275 27 119 1 25 56 40 061 1,162 167* 487 32 79 96 250 42 7 2 15 1 3 0 2 6 3 00 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 01 9 0 364 17 258 1 4 6 7 41 39 0 33 APPENDIX T able 21.— Disabling injuries, classified by unsafe act and extent of disability, _____________________________ for 11 shipyards, 1941_____________________________ Number of disabling injuries Average days lost per temTem porary Death Per total per manent porary dis Num Per and manent partial total ability ber centage total dis dis dis ability ability ability Total Unsafe act Resulting in— 12 86 2,239 Total_________________________________ 2,337 100 Operating without authority, failure to secure 1 22 or warn _ _______________ 8 0 30 1 1 25 26 0 Operating or worlrfng at unsafe speed _ 1 5 15 Making safety devices inoperative . r 0 20 Using iunsafe equipment or equipment un 436 35 472 21 1 safely___ __________________________ _ 1 1 145 6 Unsafe loading, placing, etc_______________ 147 27 9 1,109 1,145 49 Taking unsafe position or p«stnre r 3 5 0 8 Working on moving or dangerous equipment.. 0 1 3 4 Distracting, teasing, fighting, etc rT- ___ 3 0 198 201 8 9 Failure to use safe attire „ 12 3 281 0 284 Not elsewhere classified * . >Less than 0.5. * Includes cases involving no unsafe act. T a ble 22*—Disabling injuries, classified by department and by unsafe act, for 18 14 28 26 17 19 21 19 7 7 12 11 ______________________________ shipyards , 1941______________________________ 1 All departments------------------ 2,331 30 2,102 28 Operating departments Blacksmith shop.. » 38 1 46 1 Boiler shnp 137 1 Carpenter shop.„.r 7 1 Copper shop . . . r ___ Electrical shot) _ _______ 89 2 Erection on the______ ways____ 851 35 Fabricating 157 1 Foundry ______ 7 26 1 Jofner shop llirr Machine I n s t a l l a t i o n . 32 1 Machine shop. 189 0 Mnjdfnft . 6 0 PaintShop. ___ 2 Pattern shnp _ . __ 491 0 111 3 Pipe shop . 72 1 Sheet-metal shop.. 1 0 Toolroom. Welding __ 283 5 Service and maintenance------- 119 2 Administration_________ 20 0 Clerical _r . . 2 0 D ra ftin g . . . __ 0 0 General labor _ __ 31 2 1 0 Maintenance 1 0 Plant protection .. Transportation . _ _ 21 0 Vards ___ ______ 43 0 110 0 Not elsewhere classified „ i Includes cases involving no unsafe act. teas:, etc. Failure to m attire Working on ing or dan equipment l Making safety de vices inoperative ii i I I d iif p jl ll Jjjj jf if ii •3 laIs ill , ot I ^548 Department Number of disabling injuries caused by— to *© 3<p 1 co-5§ © - 0 ft £U |1 *45 CO 0 0 P P tl 25 20 470 147 1,144 8 4 201 22 18 424 127 1,018 8 4 191 0 0 7 1 16 0 0 0 0 0 14 2 21 1 0 0 1 1 33 15 70 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 2 16 4 51 1 0 0 11 2 162 52 417 01 1 99 3 0 40 13 56 0 00 30 6 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 2 15 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 19 20 0 183 0 1 1 41 11 94 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 2 11 1 25 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 24 9 56 0 0 2 2 1 14 6 36 1 1 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 49 6 131 2 0 66 1 1 24 11 64 0 0 6 0 0 3 0 16 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 110 00 00 01 0 1 9 4 0 0 0 00 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 22 0 0 5 1 0 8 4 0 0 4 62 22 9 2 1 282 262 13 7 16 0 12 101 39 0 1 3 21 0 5 0 16 10 0 18 10 1 1 0 3 0 0 2 3 10 34 SHIPYARD INJURIES AND THEIR CAUSES, 1941 T a bl e 131.— Disabling injuries, classified by agency and by unsafe act, for 11 ______________________________ shipyards, 1941_____________________________ o Total ______ 2,316 30 4 0 Boilers and pressure vessels__ .__ 254 00 Chemicals . _________ ___ Conveyor# Electrical apparatus 14 0 1 Elevators... _-, __ 3 1 8 Engines and pumps.. - __ 236 0 Elying pertiftfftS Hand tools________________ 195 5 Hatchways, ropes, and cables.. 85 1 Hoisting apparatus 109 6 Cranes................................. 91 5 Other_______ j_________ 18 1 Hot substances____________ 86 0 Ladders________________ _ 54 0 Lumber__________________ 128 1 Machinery______ _________ 156 5 Metal stock............................... 623 3 Radiations from welding ap paratus_________________ 33 0 Ship hulls____ _____ ____ _ 64 1 Vehicles..................................... 39 2 Working surfaces___ _______ 176 2 Staging............................ 50 1 Other_________________ 126 1 O ther....................................... 274 2 1Includes cases involving no unsafe act. o 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 0 2 1 9 2 7 4 ► /§ 1©8o. i | 1 fi l§ 1 P P tj 1© f j 19 471 143 1,137 0 2 0 2 1 2 2 12 1 1 1 0] 3 1 7 1 0 1 0 4 0 3 0 2 5 0 20 0 109 3 58 0 11 6 66 1 19 3 77 01 14 3 68 5 0 9 1 8 2 35 1 23 4 23 0 24 13 73 6 51 4 75 0 110 83 330 0 4 0 2 1 47 3 6 0 3 5 26 2 36 3 116 1 23 0 23 1 13 3 93 1 50 12 162 & 7 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 I t 0 | ailure to us attire ot elsewhere fled* l§ § 1 |1 sf i! 11 sing unsafe mentorequi] unsafely nsafe loading ing, etc. Agency oJj perating without authority, failure to secure or ^vara 1 forking on moving or d a n g e r o u s equipment Number of disabling injuries caused by— I JQ to 4 198 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 134 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 2 0 5 1 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 10 Z 282 0 3 0 0 0 0 75 13 1 3 1 2 15 1 15 8 86 19 4 1 7 0 7 31