The Editor, Sir:

Recently, there were two excellent letters on industrial safety. Both dealt with the need for legalisation to ensure a safe industrial environment e.g. OSHA - Occupational Safety Health Act - or factories regulation, which, of course, we have had for a long time. These are most relevant to ensure safety at the workplace.

However, equally important are the behavioural aspect of industrial safety. The ideal is safe workers in safe places. The motivation of workers to work safely is a management function.

Each workplace should have a safety programme, which acts out management's unwavering commitment to accident prevention. The programme should be simple or more comprehensive based on the size of the plant (or office for that matter) and the nature of the industry.

Listed below are elements usually found in such programmes:

Regular safety meetings to discuss the plant's accident experience and highlighting possible unsafe conditions and unsafe acts.

A non-negotiable rule that the supervisor is primarily responsible for his workers safety.

The use of safety posters strategically placed, e.g 'use safety goggles' near a milling machine.

The use of safety films.

The production and publication of monthly safety statistics by department .

The investigation of all accidents with a view to prevention or recurrences.

Use of incentives, e.g. tokens, to members of a department which has an excellent record.

The appointment of safety monitors from within the department - an addition to the supervisors' eyes on unsafe conditions or practices.

Safety to be a feature in every company publication.

The inclusion of the unions in all to do with safety.

The programme must be con-structed on the needs of the factory or industry. Safety properly orchestrated in the plant will then spill over into homes and on the roads.

I am, etc.,

FRANK A WHITTAKER O.D.

Member,

Institute of Industrial

Safety Officers UK (1964)

4 Markham Close

Kingston 8