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NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

The Bureau carries out safety promotional and inspectional activities in the maritime industries; provides consultative services to Federal agencies and serves as secretariat for the Federal Safety Council; provides engineering, consultation, and training services for personnel of State governments, private industry, municipal, public, and labor organizations; and conducts research directed toward establishment of safety codes and standards.

Changes for 1967

Mandatory changes amount to---

Financing changes amount to----.

Management improvement reductions amount to-----
NOTE. 2 positions.

$35, 200

24, 400

42, 200

Program changes.-Mission Safety 70, a program to implement the President's directive to all Federal agencies to reduce the cost and incidence of injuries to Federal civilian employees 30 percent by 1970. An increase of 3 positions and $46,700 is requested over the current staff of 12 and $150,000.

The President initiated Mission Safety 70 on February 16, 1965, at which time he stated: "Further improvement in the safety record of individual agencies as well as of the Federal Government as a whole must be attained." The Secretary of Labor, by law, Executive order, and Presidential direction, has been assigned the responsibility of coordinating and assuring a successful accomplishment in improving the safety record of the Federal Government.

The facts are these:

1. Federal accident costs have increased by almost 50 percent in the last 7 years, and the trend is continuing upward. Bureau of Employees' Compensation chargebacks (1965 over 1964) jumped 22 percent because injury costs as they occur are being reverted back to agency accounting instead of being included in a general expenditure authorization by the Bureau of Employees' Compensation.

2. The injury frequency rate of around eight disabling injuries per million man-hours worked has remained unchanged for the last 10 years. This is the first year that a downward trend has occurred, with a reported rate of 7.7. (In this connection it is interesting to note that the manufacturing injury rate jumped 5 percent.)

3. Accidents can be reduced, as evidenced by BLS reports showing that 20 industrial groups in the private sector accomplished reductions of 35 to 37 percent in the last 5-year period.

4. That accidents can be reduced in the Federal Government is witnessed by the fact that the injury frequency rates among agencies range from a high of 18.9 to a low of less than 2. Some agencies show highly erratic movements, reflecting the lack of a stable, continuous safety program.

The major goal is to progressively reduce the cost and incidence of injuries in Federal employment 30 percent by 1970. Several immediate actions will be taken to lay the groundwork for progress within this period. These include preliminary work in developing a Federal accident and injury cost-accounting system, developing Federal safety standards, developing a uniform accident and injury statistical reporting system, developing analytical safety program performance measures, etc.

The Department will provide the central cohesive force for the implementation of specific programing measures designed to facilitate individual agency actions in meeting their safety responsibilities. The Bureau proposes to:

1. Strengthen the national field system of Federal Safety Councils through more direct, continuous staff assistance to individual field councils-utilizing ing Bureau of Labor Standards personnel.

2. Develop and conduct continuing safety training courses and seminars for supervisors, employees, and labor organizations.

3. Maintain agency management's awareness through annual reviews. 4. Assure continuing positive support of Mission Safety 70 through project developments requiring direct support and participation of agency heads. Potential results.-Accomplishing the purpose of this program will save 200 lives. 45.000 injuries, and $250 million and establish a stronger base for continuing long-range improvements.

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Services are provided for the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, which develops and stimulates interest in employment of the mentally and physically handicapped through work with Federal agencies, State Governors' committees, and committee member organizations, and cooperates with a variety of organizations working in the international field.

Changes for 1967

Mandatory changes amount to---

Financing changes amount to---
Program changes.

NOTE. No new positions.

$7,300 4, 500

8, 700

The Committee is requesting an increase of $8,700 in fiscal year 1967 to maintain a higher level of employment.

During the current year, the Committee has moved ahead on many new fronts It has cooperated with the National Association for Retarded Children in an in tensive 3-year program to promote jobs for the retarded, an "Employer of the Year" awards program, a concentrated drive to reach national business chains etc. The Committee has arranged for the Institute of Industrial Launderers to enter into a $344,000 contract with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training to train 1,000 retarded workers in the next 18-month period. The Committee has designed a special awards program to further employment of the retarded in the Federal Government.

In the field of the mentally restored, the Committee has launched a new pro gram of assisting mental hospitals in gaining the active support of employers in their communities; has published "A Guide to Job Placement of the Mentally Re stored," first of its kind in the Nation; and is cooperating with the Federal Government in a concentrated drive for jobs for the mentally restored.

The Women's Committee of the President's Committee, in cooperation with the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults, developed "Project Earning Power," which is concerned with upgrading the design, quality, and sales appeal of products produced by the seriously handicapped (at home or in sheltered workshops).

Since the Committee began its efforts to develop greater mobility (and hence opportunity) for the handicapped, 33 States have enacted laws prohibiting architectural barriers against the handicapped in all buildings constructed with State funds; a major drive-it-yourself firm has equipped many of its cars with hand controls for the handicapped; the airlines have eased their restrictions on travel by the handicapped.

During 1967, increased emphasis will be placed on strengthening local mayors' committees on employment of the handicapped, and on creating new local committees where the need exists. At present, there are about 500 active mayors' committees; 1,000 more are needed, since the Committee has learned that the most effective efforts in behalf of the handicapped are those at the "grassroots" levels.

The Committee will place special promotional efforts on specific disability categories for which the need for job equality is most urgent, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, total blindness, total deafness, cerebral palsy, paraplegia, and some others; try to enlist the active support of larger numbers of national trade and business associations to develop jobs for the handicapped; conduct a nationwide drive among business and industries for formalized, written policy statements declaring that the handicapped will be granted equal opportunity for employment; conduct a series of employer conferences in various sections of the country creating fuller awareness of the job strengths of the mentally restored and mentally retarded.

In addition, the Committee's usual pursuits will be carried on in greater force, since it is anticipated that record numbers of persons with handicaps will be rehabilitated and employment opportunities will have to be found for them.

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1966_

1967__.

Activity 4. Administration and management services

NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

$270,000 275, 500

Overall program planning and policy development are provided, as well as all administrative and management services for the Bureau.

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AFTERNOON SESSION

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1966.

WOMEN'S BUREAU

WITNESSES

MRS. MARY DUBLIN KEYSERLING, DIRECTOR

MRS. MARY N. HILTON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR

MISS MARGUERITE I. GILMORE, CHIEF, FIELD DIVISION

MISS DOROTHY A. CARROLL, CHIEF, DIVISION OF MANAGEMENT

SERVICES

V. S. HUDSON, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

RICHARD E. MILLER, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF BUDGET ADMINISTRATION

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