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15 old photos where the safety standards were basically "good luck"

Modern safety rules can feel excessive right up until you look at how people used to work without them. Steelworkers balanced hundreds of feet above city streets, linemen climbed poles with little between them and the ground, and early stunt performers treated the outside of a moving airplane like extra seating. Even ordinary jobs could involve heights, exposed machinery, or equipment that would trigger an impressive number of workplace forms today. The people in these photos often look completely relaxed, which somehow makes everything worse. A hard hat would be nice. A harness would be even nicer. Here are 15 old photos from an era when the safety plan frequently seems to have been “try not to fall”. continue reading...