HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1985-01-30, Page 6Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, January 30, 1985—Page 6
"The Sepoy Town" . Established 1873
The Lucknow Sentinel, P.O. Box 400 Lucknow NOG 2110
Telephone: 528-2822
Pat Livingston - General Manager
Thomas Thompson - Advertising Manager
Sharon Dietz - Editor
Joan Helm - Compositor'
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BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1984
Smoke free workplace
In both Canada and. the United States, the non-smoking
majority is becoming more concerned about its right to clean
air. The struggle between smoker and, .non-smoker over
indoor air pollution is shifting from public 'elevators, rest-
aurants, buses and airplanes to a major new battle ground -
the work place.
Millions of workers spend one-third oftheir productive
lives in offices and some are starting to demand protection'
from'. second hand tobacco smoke.
,In most Canadian work places, tobacco smokers arestill
allowed to carry on as they please for the simple fathere
are .a lot of them. Thirty-nine per cent of the adu'" `opula
tion in 1981 were smokers and they are devoted to -.their
habit. A -recent surveyshowed they consume an average of
. 27 cigarettes a day, many of them during working hours.
Until recently it was a question of manners. Non-smokers
suggested smokers should be polite and avoid causing
unnecessary annoyance or discomfort to •others.,Smokers
argue they have a right to their personal habit.
. _ The debate is now moving fromthe realm of personal
habit to the arena of public ,health., As scientific evidence of
the hazards of second" hand smoke accumulates, the issue
becomes more sensitive ,as did the controversy o'ver.primary
smoking 20 years ago.
According to Dr. Donald Wigle of Ottawa's Department of
Health and Welfare, tobacco smoke which contains over 50
known carcinogens and many other toxic agents, is a health
hazard for non-smokers who' are regularly exposed to it
while at work.
J• Wigle and his Canadian colleagues point out, that several
constituents of tobacco smoke, especially sidestream smoke,
are so toxic or carcinogenic that the recommended exposure
level .is zero.
There may not be a safe level for involuntary exposure to'
tobacco smoke, ,they conclude.
A 1982 task force on smoking ;told the Ontario Health
Council, which advises' the Ministry of Health, that Ontario
office workers should have 'a legal claim to safe and clean
work place air. The task force report was buried at the time,
but now that its legislative proposal has gained acceptance
in California it doesn't seem quite so far fetched.
The municipal governments of San Francisco and Los
Angeles have adopted bylaws that offer employees a right to
clean air and accordingly require employers • to introduce
smoking control policies.
The giant Boeing Corp., a Seattle based aircraft company
issued an edict a year ago banning smoking on all its U.S.
premises. Its Canadian subsidiary in Winnipeg has been ,.
given extra time to phase in the smoke ban.
The pressure to create rules are increasing. Gar Mahood,
director of the Non-smokers Rights 'Association, says' the
battle for ' dean work 'place air . is' a "top priority .of his
organization. He is about to issue a report arguing half
measures - segregated smoking areas, improved ventilation
systems - can't solve the public health problems 'created by
tobacco smoke.
The Ministry of Labour has received seven complaints
and another is before the Supreme Court.
The possibility of a medical officer of health in Ontario
ordering a smoking ban in a work place is not remote.
Smoking in the work place is a serious public health issue
which is very likely to come to the forefront of public debate
in the near future.
Winter'
wonderland
Photos by Sharon Dietz
To use a cliche, Teddy Murdoch had
"fallen on his feet" when he married the
beautiful and wealthy Lucy Lockhart. As is
natural with all young men who acquire
good fortune without too much effort, the
.change in his character was quite
noticeable. Although he worked like any
' other man in the lumber mill; he, obviously
showed a distinct superiority; the hallmark
of an upstart who does not' know how to
handle new found wealth!
When the foreman, Adam Simpson, did
not appear for work one morning,. Teddy
had his chance to show off his capabilities
(if any).
"Now we'll see what Mister Teddy
•Clever Breeches is made of," a workman
said to his mate. "I bet ye before the
mom's out, he'll run crying tae Chippy
Chisholm!"
"Alright!" • Teddy , shouted. "Dinna
stand there waitin° frae Christmas. Get yon
hardwood fogs o'n tae the saw tablet'
The workmen, shrugged their shoulders
and did his bidding. When the first log was
in place, Teddy shouted in a manner which
imitated `Adam Simpson.
"Stand clear o' the machinery, while I
open the sluice gate!"
Teddy pulled on the long lever which
manipulated the gate ,and allowed . the
water from the dam to flow on M the big
wheel. When the saw was in motion, he
engaged the sprocket which operated the
table, and thef first log began to move
towards the big saw. When the oak log
made contact with the blade, there was a
terrible screeching sound, the saw snapped'
like a twig and leather drive belts flew in all
directions. Luckily nobody was injured and
one man had the sense to quickly close the
sluice gate.
Teddy's face became crimson with
embarrassment.
"Looks like we are going tae need
Charlie Grant the blacksmith," he said,
trying to sound as cool and authoritative as
possible under the circumstances.
"Aye, so it does," one .cheeky voice
called out. "Lucky we don't need Doctor
"Cameron. Seems tae me we had best get a
- man here who knows what he's doing,
before we start np again!"
The frightening noise which came from
`the mill, caused Lucy to be filled ,with
apprehension. She dropped whatever she
was doing, and not even pausing to put on
a hat and coat, ran all the way to the mill.
She was relieved to find nobody injured,
and the men just standing around holding a
post mortem on the sudden breakdown of
the machinery. Teddy explained to her
what had happened '
REDTREES
by Don Campbell
"Where is Mr. Simpson?" Lucy asked.
"He has no come to work .Yet," Teddy
explained. "So we had tae .start i'out
him."
"I think it would have been betterto,
have waited until there was proper super-
vision," Lucy retorted, much to the'annoy-
ance of her husband. "Somebody might
have lost their life!"
She waited until the impact of her words
had sunk into the minds of the workmen
and then She said:
`There will be no more work to be done
here ' until the machinery has been
repaired: In any case, the Mill , will be
Turn to a 78
pig