A Government-owned fire truck, located at the permanent camp, was operated by an organized and trained volunteer fire department. 116. Government Camp and Housing. - Boysen Government camp (fig. 48), located approximately 21 miles south of Thermopolis, and 12 miles north of Shoshone, Wyo., was constructed to serve Government personnel during the construction period and to serve permanent operation and maintenance personnel after completion of the unit. The camp was located approximately three-fourths of a mile upstream from the dam site and consisted of two camp areas, one west of U. S. Highway No. 20 and the other east of the highway. The camp area west of the highway contained temporary facilities which were used during the construction period only. The camp area east of the highway had both temporary and permanent camp facilities; it is located in a gently sloping, natural, amphitheater type basin. An artesian well located in the permanent camp area adequately served both areas after proper aeration and treatment to remove objectionable taste and odor arising from the presence of hydrogen sulphide gas in the water. Because of short supply of building materials at the time of the construction of the temporary camp facilities, ingenious use of available materials made the camp possible. Army-type trailer houses, surplus Army quonset buildings, panels from prefabricated surplus grain bins, and most any other available materials were used to construct temporary office building, shop building, and semipermanent living quarters. During the early part of 1946 various contracts were let for streets, curb and gutters, walks, water and sewerage systems; prefabricated demountable houses; permanent warehouses; permanent office, shop, garage and residences; quonset huts which were remodeled into apartments; and the temporary warehouse which was remodeled into a dormitory. Upon completion of the construction of Boysen unit, practically all temporary and semipermanent facilities were disposed of through competitive surplus sales which required removal of the facility from the area. Permanent camp facilities now serve operational and maintenance personnel who operate and maintain Boysen Powerplant and related facilities. The Boysen Government camp area, well landscaped and maintained, presents a picturesque and pleasant area with its variegated rock formations surrounding the area of spacious green lawns and camp shrubbery. B. Contractors' Organization 117. Major Contracts. (a) Specifications No. 1890. --Operations of the Morrison-Knudsen Co., the prime contractor, were directed by a project manager, a general superintendent and supervising foreman or engineers in charge of the various phases of the work. The prime contractor sublet all of the field fabrication of the penstock and outlet pipes to Russel and Co. of Oakland, Calif. (b) Specifications No. DC-3430. --Operations of the Flora Construction Corp. and Flora Engineering Co., the completion contractor, were directed by a general superintendent, a plant superintendent, an electrical superintendent and foreman or engineers in charge of the various phases of the work. 118. Employment. - Data regarding the total average number of employees engaged by all of the contractors are as follows: Figure 48. --View of Boysen Government camp area. Prefabricated houses appear at left. Larger residences at right are under construction. 566, January 2, 1948. The wage scale paid by contractors ranged from $1 per hour for laborers to $2.50 per hour for plumbers and steamfitters. 119. Safety. Until the prime contractor started to work there was not a safety engineer on the job. The first safety reports for the working contractors were made for the month of September 1946. A safety program was promulgated, consisting of safety inspections, safety meetings, and correction of accident hazards, Correction of these hazards as they arose on the job was an important part of the contractor safety engineer's work. Cooperation of employees was generally good. Housekeeping was generally good but better cleanups were requested at times. Haul roads were excellent and were constantly maintained with sprinkler truck and grader. Hard hats were worn at all times by all employees. Explosives were properly stored. A large magazine for dynamite and a small magazine for caps and fuse were built on opposite sides of a small knoll, about 600 feet apart. They were about a mile from the job and built of heavy timbers covered with several feet of dirt. Only small amounts of explosives were hauled to the job at one time. Heavy metal cabs were used on the equipment used for clearing the reservoir. Operators of dump trucks and euclids were required to get out of their cabs while the equipment was being loaded. The tunnel, which was almost 7, 200 feet long, was excavated and completed without a fatality. An infirmary was established at the job site. It was small but well equipped, and a registered nurse was on duty or on call at all times until the last few weeks of the job. An ambulance was provided for the moving of the more serious accident cases to the doctor and hospital in Thermopolis, Wyo. A combined record of all contractors' lost-time injuries and frequency and severity rates are as follows: |