I had been hoping to see some other input on this subject before
I entered the discussion.  I'm sure that others will feel as I do.
        I am not surprised at these statistics. Although I never
received a serious injury during the time I worked underground, I have
had several serious cuts working as a carpenter.  In addition, working
as a supervisor in other industries, I have been appalled at the lack of
concern for safety displayed by owners, supervisors and workers.
        That being said, the most dangerous conditions under which I
have ever worked have been in mines; and I believe that logging and
mining are the two most dangerous occupations of all.  No where else
have I continually (and unconsciously) always had to look for safe
places in which to jump if warned of danger. No where else have I had to
continually (and consciously) keep alert; scanning all around for
possible danger - even in main areas!  One close call occurred while we
were waiting near a boss's station for permission to move a motor and
flat car.
        This is best illustrated by an experience I had just after
leaving the mine.  I had taken a short term job piling sacks of oats in
a ware house for a feed company in Ladner, B.C.  To work with me, the
company had hired a logger, who had been temporarily forced out of the
woods by a fire closure.
        Bud, who was also in his early twenties and who was, like me, a
moderate drinker, had worked his way up through all the jobs to the
position of "second rigger"  (putting cable and blocks and tackle on
spar trees). He didn't want to stay in Vancouver where all his friends
were on a binge.  We immediately "hit it off" and recognized those
aspects of our former jobs that were similar.  We were using a loader to
lift the sacks to the top of the pile.  When the pile was about
twenty-five feet high, and a sack falling off the side of the loader
could cause serious injury to the man below, a simple call of "jump"
would cause him to move instantly to a safe location WITHOUT STOPPING TO
THINK!
        Unfortunately, this occurred when some farmers were bringing a
truck load of oats into the warehouse, and they found Bud's reaction
hilarious.  They began to yell "jump" just to see him react.  Trying to
explain the situation did no good, and we finally had to threaten to
beat them up if they continued.  We were both contemptuous of their
ignorance, but we were afraid that Bud would stop reacting.  Then when
he returned to the woods, he would be seriously injured or killed. This
type of reaction is not required in any other industry.
         Several top students (slightly older than myself) were killed
in the Sullivan Mine during their first summer working for the company.
Some miners contended that they should never have been hired, because
they automatically questioned anything said to them.  This was excellent
when they were receiving instruction, but not when they were being given
warnings.
        The point is that statitistics, by themselves can be
meaningless.  Anyone who doesn't recognize the special dangers of mining
and logging has never worked in either industry,  and it is very
probable that they won't understand what I am telling them.



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