Thursday, April 20, 1967

accident prevention, the Board has embarked on a program of Safety Education in order to make our plants, jobs, business places safe and fit to work in. Employers and employees are taking an increased interest in industrial safety. The Board held its fifth annual Industrial Conference in October, 1966, and it was the biggest and best yet, and the most encouraging factor was the increased number of top level manage- ment people attending and participating in the Conference. Without top level manage- ment interest, support and participation an Industrial Safety Program will only be half-hearted and meaningless. Safe premises, safe machinery and good safety habits incorporated into an effective safety program will save the employers a lot of money, the workmen a lot of pain and suffering, and his family heartbreak and sorrow.

The loss of life. limb and dollars resulting from industrial accidents in this province staggers the imagination. In the period from 1949 to 1965, the period for which statistics are available. there have been thirty-nine persons killed; 20,652 persons have been injured, from totally disabled through the varying degrees of n

Jury. The total loss to industry has been set at $19,153,295. How long can this human and economic carnage go on?

During the past five years the Annual Industrial Safety Conference was held in the fall of the year. It was decided this year to change the time of the Conference to the spring so that the lessons learned at the Conference will be fresh in the minds of the employers and employees when the heavy work part of the year starts. The Conference this year was held yesterday in Charlottetown at the Basilica Rec- reation Centre. A top-notch program was organized for the Conference and highly qualified people, versed in accident prevention, were there to assist in the discussions.

were speakers from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario who gave lectures to the delegates. But the most wonderful accomplishment yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in addition to the large number of delegates of 170 persons was the ltendance and participation of so many more management people than ever before.

I would like to inform the House also, Mr. Speaker, that in August 1966, the Provincial Workmen's Compensation Board acted as host to the Workmen’s Com- pensation Boards of Canada at their National Convention in Charlottetown. At these annual Conventions, Mr. Speaker, the delegates exchange views on many pro- blems encountered in compensation matters and are able to keep up with new de- velopments in the field.

Amending legislation to the Workmen’s Compensation Act has received third reading in this House to correct inequities and widow’s benefits, children’s allowances and to make them more realistic. Widow’s, who previously received less than $75.00 per month. are now raised to that figure, while children’s allowances are raised from $20.00 to $25.00 per month. I am assured by the Board that these additional costs to the reserve can be amortized over a long period of time and will not effect the rates paid by the employers or the reserve.

During the past year the Workmen’s Compensation Board has undertaken a rate revision based on a two-year actuarial survey. Where rates were increased in some instances, the reason for such increase was to make the accident fund actuarilly sound — reserves were just not sufficient to cover the known hazards. This revision of rates went into effect in 1966, and from this point on an actuarial review will be made each and every year. In addition, there has been a reclassification of industry based on hazards which are geared to present-day industries, and which will make for more satisfactory coverage of rates and make them more realistic.

Steam and pressure vessel inspection has been requested in this province for many years. Enabling legislation has been on the Statute Books, for many years. but was never activated. Two persons have died in the past two years, and a half million dollars damage has resulted from faulty, poorly installed, poorly serviced or inadequate steam or pressure vessels. An Inspector has now been appointed and we hope he will soon be in a position to advise and assist owners on the care and safety of this type of equipment. At the present time these steam and pressure vessels re- present potential danger. But pubic protection will be insured when the Inspector has had an opportunity to inspect installations of this equipment.

The Department is very highly concerned with the training and retraining of the skilled and semi-skilled tradesmen and the unskilled labourer. The Apprentice-

.225_