National Story - Right Dress

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 19th Year

Issue

Issue No.

8

Date Released

Apr 1966

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1London - Ideal Home
2. 2Nottinghamshire - 50 Years On
3. 3Shropshire - Hunting Country
4. 4National Story - Right Dress

Story

Story No. within this Issue

4 / 4

Summary

NoS synopsis: Protective clothing and equipment being tested and worn on the job.
NCB Commentary - Boots are made to walk in.
That’s what the song says, but I sometimes wonder.
There’s one thing I do know, though, and that’s that you won’t find many mogs dressed like this Charlie down a coal mine. No, miners today rely on protective equipment to keep them safe, and the best known gear is the safety boot. It will really take a beating.
Safety in a mine is a matter of personal responsibility. You keep your eyes and ears open all the time to stay out of trouble.
And the wise miner makes sure he protects his hands as well as his feet.
Now, starting this year, all the boots, gloves and other safety clothing are going to cost the miner less to buy. Many items will go on free issue, and a man will only have to pay a proportion of the cost when the time comes to replace them.
All the gear is manufactured to stringent specifications - and of course, samples are always being tested to make sure the equipment is up to the job it has to do.
And that job is to protect - hands and knees as well as skulls.
In the world on the surface - boots are made to walk in, they say. Underground, they do a far bigger job than that.

Keywords

Mining; Safety devices

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases
Films on Coal Catalogue   1969, p.52
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit