View report page

50
Welfare and Personnel Management
In most of the factories visited no hard and fast rules had
been laid down as to welfare of employees, but works managers or
proprietors used their discretion with regard to problems which
arise from time to time having in mind circumstances including the
time the worker had been with the firm. This principle seemed to
apply to payment for time off, sick pay and pensions. In only
five of the sixty-six firms visited were pension schemes in operation
and these varied considerably in the amount of contribution, if
any, from the workers and also in the benefits conferred.
Wages and Working Conditions
In every case information was readily given on weekly earnings
of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Comparison,
however, was extremely difficult owing to the operation of bonus
schemes which were based on such varying factors as production,
years of service, work carried out by individuals in excess of
standard amounts, overtime, etc.
From a comparison of the wage levels and general conditions
of working, however, it was noted that where the. envi ronment was
poor and the working conditions comparatively unpleasant the wages
were correspondingly high.
INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS
Accidents
Fortunately these were not frequent occurrences, and major
accidents extremely rare.
Hands Injury to hands was the commonest form of accident
sustained by workers throughout these industries. Cuts and crush
injuries mainly occurred from machinery.
Eyes Injuries to eyes were next in frequency and these arose
from fragments of metal, particles of stone and sand and splashes
from dangerous or hot fluids. No case of "arc welders eye" was
reported or any cataract due to infra red radiation.
Falls caused a few accidents but were rare as compared with
the above mentioned injuries.