Steindaddie Posted September 11, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 11, 2009 Besides begging for a caption contest, this is a photo highlighting devices for worker safety. The woman on the left, judging by her clothes, is ready for her shift at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Her message: Wear safety glasses for your eyes, a large lampshade for your head. The gal on the right? She's just some floozy who popped her buttons for for a buck. Naw, I'm kidding. She's showing the new and improved "safety bra" (I'm not making that up) designed to protect her, um, "top shelf" from whirling metal lathes, flailing machinery, etc. I wonder what the bra is made of, steel? A thousand years from now someone will dig it up and think it belonged to some sort of female conquistador. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted September 16, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 16, 2009 Boy, that photo is an eye catcher at first! Even after you realize she isn't flashing you! I have one of the "lampshade" hats like that, made of scrap uniform HBT material. It is large so the woman can tuck up /in her hair. There were a lot of very bad accidents that happened when the women first started working in the factories with long hair and spinning drill presses and lathes and the like. I may be weird, but I would like to find one of the uh, "top shelf" protectors for our home front exhibits! It would be interesting to she how it was described on the box. I think Joan of Arc had one of those! Is that photo from a "Life" magazine? BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortworthgal Posted September 23, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 23, 2009 I have one of the "lampshade" hats like that, made of scrap uniform HBT material. It is large so the woman can tuck up /in her hair. There were a lot of very bad accidents that happened when the women first started working in the factories with long hair and spinning drill presses and lathes and the like. I've seen a LOT of photos of those types of hats being worn, and you're right, it was for keeping the hair out of machinery. Apparently that was a big problem for war workers! Lana Turner even changed her hairstyle during the war to discourage women from copying her signature "over one eye" look for factory work. I'm curious about the bra. So many questions... How uncomfortable could that have been? Did it lift and separate? I can only guess it was either never produced or was horribly unpopular, which is why none of us own one for our WWII undergarment collections. :think: The National Archives caption on flickr says the bra was made of plastic. I'm also REALLY curious about what type of industrial mishap brought about the creation of the safety bra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn1117 Posted September 23, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 23, 2009 Ha, interesting photo! I can only imagine how high the bidding war would go for one if they did exist lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted September 24, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 24, 2009 OK, I'll try to be delicate here. Do you recall the old ringer washing machines? Some were hand crank and some were electrically powered. Have you ever heard the term “tit in a ringer” (can I say that here?) On powered equipment, it just keeps running like the energizer bunny. One could be in serious trouble in an instant around powered equipment prior to the OSHA regs! If a woman was equipped with the item in question, one might loose their shirt but probably not the body parts that their husband really likes. (Being a husband, I can say that!) Even as a dolt man, I can see that if a large selection of sizes or even a custom made size was not used, it could be very uncomfortable! Still, I would like one (or is it a pair?) for the WW II “Home Front” collection! (Do I dare sign this?) BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted September 24, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 24, 2009 I just noticed, the poster talks about eye injuries, but the “flasher” is not wearing eye protection. Things that make you go “Hmmmm”. BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted September 24, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 24, 2009 Hi Steindaddie, let me say purely in a thirst for historical knowledge I would really need to see one of these in the ' flesh ' so to speak, in order to grab an understanding of the device :think: , I do like some of the more colorful ones in current use . Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted September 24, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 24, 2009 Hi Steindaddie, let me say purely in a thirst for historical knowledge I would really need to see one of these in the ' flesh ' so to speak, in order to grab an understanding of the device :think: , I do like some of the more colorful ones in current use . Cheers ( Lewis ) LEWIS Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted September 24, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 24, 2009 LEWIS Robert Robert, 'sorry pop's ' had a childhood fascination with these bits and it's stuck with me through my life. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cefiler Posted December 10, 2013 Share #10 Posted December 10, 2013 In packaging design they call that "protecting critical surfaces"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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