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CLEANING THE DECK At the annual meeting of the Lake Carriers' Association, held in Detroit in January last, a resolution was adopted to appoint an industrial com- mittee from among the masters and engineers of the various fleets to con- sider the general subject of preven- tion of accident aboard ship. The first meeting of the committee was held in Cleveland in March, the sessions: lasting .for 10 days: Capt. Louis W. Stone presided. The per- sonnel of the committee is as follows: L. W. Stone, .chairman, Pickands, Mather & Co.'s fleet. Wesley C. Brown, G. A. Tomlinson's fleet. : S. C. Allen, Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s eet. George Trimble, Northern Lakes Steamship Co.'s fleet, T. E. Murray, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co.'s . fleet. M. S. Peterson, Boland & Cornelius fleet. fe Ce Pratt. D;-sullivan tcc Cos feet. T. H. Sanders, Shenango Steamship Co.'s 'fleet. R. J. Lyons, Great Lakes Steamship Co.'s fleet. R. W. England, W. H. Becker's fleet. Joseph Lampoh, George Steinbrenner's fleet. J. L. Weeks, Gilchrist Transportation Co.'s fleet. ; Charles A. Benham, Hutchinson & Co.'s fleet. CoCo Balioure' Mo Ka Oakes" feet. |, A. W. Armson, Pittsburgh Steamship Co.'s fleet. James Rossan, W. M. Mills' fleet. E, T. Everill, Mutual Transit Co.'s fleet. John Groundwater, M. A. Hanna & Co,'s fleet. E. W. Doller, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co.'s fleet. In response to the resolution adopt- ed by the Lake Carriers' Association and as to the best method of putting its intent into practice, the commit- tee submitted the following: Monthly Meetings "In order that systematic effort may be secured in this very impor- tant matter we recommend to the Lake Carriers' Association that on all vessels belonging to that association there shall be held at least once a month, or oftener if necessary, a meet- ing of the licensed officers of each ves- sel to take up questions of personal in- jury, safety appliances, and all other matters pertaining to the safe opera- tion and navigation of the steamboat; that at such meetings the captain act as chairman, and the first mate ~~ Prevention of Accidents The Recommendations of the Industrial Committee of the Lake Carriers' Association for the Minimiz- ing of Accidents Aboard Ship as secretary, and that a record of the meetings be kept and that it be signed by each of the officers attend- ing such meeting." Prevention of Accidents The general recommendations of the committee for the prevention of acci- dents are as follows: 1. That the first mate and first assistant engineer be instructed to ad- monish their crews against the differ- ent dangers on shipboard. 2. That no man be allowed to slide down a rope to reach the dock, but that instead he be required to use a rope ladder or folding ladder. 3.. That one heavy ladder be 'put out at each end of the ship when at a dock. 4. That no weak or defective lad- ders be used at any time. ' 5. Fhat-a@ bright light be put at the head of each ladder at night. 6. At night when no work is be- ing done only one ladder be left out so watchman can properly attend to it: 7. That good step ladders should 'be provided on deck at the head of each ladder where practicable. 8. That engineer's gang plank have at least one guard rope or hand rail. 9. That if the dock is unsafe near the approach to the ladder, or if the vessel is lying any distance from the dock, a light shall be placed at the foot of the ladder. 10. That where there are any man- holes on deck, or any other place, where men are liable to be injured, that they be protected where deemed necessary by a pipe rail not less than 24 inches high. 11. That while shifting along the docks at night a strong light should be over the side at each end for the benefit of men carrying cables. 12. That steel ladders leading from the manholes on deck to the bottom of the cargo hold should be examined often as they get battered by clam shells and ore. AT THE WHEEL 13. That all rigging and ratlines on all spars shall be examined- two or three times a season. 14, That every mooring cable should have a suitable wire hand-hold at the end of the eye as a protection against jammed fingers. 15. That in handling hatches one man should never be allowed to hook the bridle to the hatch. If one man does this work he has to stand on the hatch with the danger of being thrown into the hold. In using two men they can stand between the hatches and one handle each end of the bridle. 16. That no one shall be allowed to walk down the inboard side of the deck when loading or unloading work is going on except members of the. crew when absolutely necessary in the discharge of their duties. That warning signs should be placed for this purpose. 17,.. That--no. man shall. -be.- sent alone to examine ballast tanks, etc. 18.. That when men are painting over the side on a staging an attend- ant should remain above the staging on deck all the time, and that for all Sstagings there should be*used manila rope in good condition of not less than 2% in. 19. That it should be a practice to. have a life preserver on deck when men are painting over the side. 20. That at all times when cable fence has been lowered to work cargo and work has been stopped, that fence should be replaced at once. 21. That slushing wheel chains, painting spars, etc., should not be done by one man unattended. 22. That steering wheel in pilot house should not be turned at a dock unless the engineer is aware that it is to be used. 23. That printed cards, framed, be posted in conspicuous places giving rules for prevention of accidents. 24. That where wooden hatches are used on coal bunkers a support