The 1980s were a magical time… a time of big hair, strange booty, and the birth of what would become the smartest generation of little people the world had ever known. Call me biased, but it was a pretty swell time, except for a singular epidemic which swept the world, from Mexico to Grand Forks, Canada: dangerous behavior in the workplace.
Whether it was the incredible amount of drugs that everyone was on, or a resurgence in the carefree attitude of the 1960s, people just seemed to think it was fine to fuck around at work. No, I’m not talking about dirty rendevous on the top of desks, or even browsing Reddit for hours on end… I’m talking about people being unsafe with their tools, er… you know, work equipment!
Safety First! Workplace Safety Videos from the 1980s
When you’re trying to teach a person something new, or instill in them an urgent message, there’s no better way than to sit them in front of a television, pop in a video, and let the infomercial-esque footage take over.
You know what’s great about this? I actually saw a few of these videos about 10 years ago while I went through orientation at a major retail chain that starts with an S and ends with those things that we use to hear sounds. The best part is that I sold electronics and never had any interaction with high voltages, power tools, or caustic chemicals. But hey, anything is possible, right? One of the TVs could have exploded sending rocks flying at high velocity, just like in Star Wars.
Workplace Safety Concerns?
Have you ever spent time in a workplace as dangerous as the heart of Planet Danger itself? Or perhaps you’ve seen someone being as idiotic as the people in this video? If so, tell us all about it in the comments below. It’s amazing how mind-blowingly stupid people can be, especially when it comes to the safety of themselves and others.
Aside from the fact that these safety videos are outdated, it is important to note that all businesses should have some safety training protocols in place. Even in the retail sector – perhaps they shouldn’t have shown videos about working in an industrial warehouse but there are dangers in the store that need to be addressed such as slips and falls, how to lift objects properly, and working with a ladder to arrange merchandise. Instead of a “one video suits all” attitude organizations should implement safety training specific to their industry.
Agreed, sadly it seems that common sense isn’t always common. I’ve met quite a few people who don’t even know how to lift a box properly.
Amazing video, amazing song.