A lost industry

[dawesy]

watching this video made me realise that mass industry has gone in this country (along with a huge amount of common sense) and been replaced with HiViz,H&S nannying and red tape
enjoy

[mattinker]

It's nice to see this video again. Don't knock health and safety, I would be willing to bet that most of those men ended up deaf and with respiratory problems. I have tinnitus from load noise and no ear protection, I also have a persistent cough like a smokers cough although I gave up smoking twenty eight years ago. I am at present undergoing tests to find out what my cough is about. Years of stick welding without extraction probably didn't help!

Yes, common sense is getting lost, it's something you learn.

Regards, Matthew

[JD]

dawsey, Great clip thanks for sharing,  makes you wonder where it all went wrong?

mattinker, snap I have tinnitus in both ears drives me mad, a few years ago found out I have asbestosis years of marine engineering on older ships.
John W

[GordonL]

I am always amazed at the clothing used by these old workers. Suit coats, vests, ties. I am not doing my part to maintain proper shop fashions

[dawesy]

Wasn't saying that H&S is bad. Certainly we have learned a lot about secret dangers in recent years ( asbestos etc) , I think H&S is more about common sense than rules and regulations, you shouldn't need a big poster to tell you not to put your hand in a spinning blade. I currently work in a factory that is very anal about lock off and isolation to the point that I was told the other week that I should lock off the machine as I was inside ( all the doors were interlocked and my leg prevented the door being shut!)
I suppose that when we are younger we don't see the danger of loud environments, I too have tinnitus and low hearing in one ear but I only have myself to blame, hearing protection was offered but I didn't like wearing it so I didn't ( this was in motor manufacturing ) wish I had now and now I always have it in but use common sense now if something look risky or feels loud I take precautions.

[bp]

I too have tinnitus in both ears 24/7.  Very irritating, but I look on it as an old tedious friend.
It was partly caused by ....at one point I worked in a shipyard.  There was a 3000 ton ship on the slipway, and one of its main machinery spaces was about to be painted.  It had been grit blasted and had to be painted within a short time.  This usually was planned to happen at the weekend so that there would be no interruptions.  I was leaning casually on on of the main bulkheads, it was the full width of the ship about 50 feet wide and about 20 feet from the deck I was standing on to the next deck up.  The whole ship was deathly quiet.  Suddenly, without warning, someone in the next compartment, the other main machinery space, started up with a chipping hammer (think pneumatic drill, with about 10/20 strikes per second, used to remove tack welds) on the bulkhead I was leaning on!  About 3,000,000 db straight into my right earhole.  Not impressed.  I had ringing in my ears for about a month afterwards!
cheers
Bill

[SwarfnStuff]

So should we form the Tinitus suffers club?
My left ear has moderate tinitus, annoying but bearable. The right ear some low level ringing. Years of exposure to open steam sparges used to head dye vats plus the associated factory noises at about 85-90db. At the time hearing protection was not considered mandatory. Sad Mistake, I now have hearing loss but not sufficient to get help regards hearing aids.
John B

[sbwhart]

Crewe is my home town:- Born and Bread many of my relatives worked in the Crewe loco Works many of them suffered from Deafness (Boiler Makers) and my son in laws grandfather died from asbestosis contracted from the works:- so there's nowt wrong with health and safety.

This film has been shown at my Model Engineering Club a few times its interesting to get the reaction from the old timers as they try to recognise the workers, and to reminisce about there time there.

We have quite a few models of Princesses at the club once a years they have a steam up together (4 or 5 of them) I'll have to take some pictures for you.

And I suffer from Tinitus so put my name down as a club member 

Stew

[Deko]

A school trip, (all of 1 mile away) took us on a full days tour of Crewe works in 1953 and not much had changed by that time.  I thought the brass foundry (not shown in that film) was what hell must be like. Almost the entire floor was covered in smoking black sand, with just narrow paths roped of, and the fumes were enough to choke a 40 cigs a day smoker. My overriding impression was, "why on earth would anyone want to work here". Which is why I was determined to pass the exam to be a Rolls-Royce apprentice.

Cheers Dek.

[Meldonmech]

             One of the great videos of a time gone by, and a reminder of industries we have lost due to political interference.

                                                         Cheers David

                                                                           

[lordedmond]

Can I join the club Stew. I have to lip read now due to noise for 8 hours at the iron works.
No hearing protection offered

Stuart

[Fergus OMore]

For some reason, I can't see the pretty pictures.

Be that as it may, the Royal British Legion is actually conducting a survey on us- deafies.

You know  'We band of brothers' that served somewhere from 1939 to those born up to about 1938.

So if you belong to that band of 'Pardon, Eh?'s this is your chance.

Well, tomorrow, it back to the NHS and stand and wait whilst those who do not belong to 'This Happy Breed'- get served before us. We can all be political at times
Makes yer think

Norman