Well, I was born in 1950 and my Dad was a foreman at a Republic Steel mill in Ohio. He took us for a tour when I was a little boy and it really made an impression on me. Flames soaring into the air, molten steel pouring into the ingots. It was deafening. Huge cranes above the whole operation. My mom was going to wear slacks but my dad said she should wear a dress and heels. This was pre-women's lib. As a teenager I worked in the summers at a warehouse that shipped different coils to different companies. You could have them custom made. My Dad was proud of the US steel industry and what it had done in WWII. When the country needed steel they made it with their own hands. He and the whole steel industry were very patriotic.
I'm awestruck. No margin of error here or you'd be gone. I get nervous watching this because there is no safety equipment, but I have total respect for these men.
There was some safety equipment, they'd have all had steal toe boots, there was at least some eye protection shown as well in the form of darkened specticals for the man working the furnace to avoid some of the bright light emitted when looking in. Lots of people. Even with modern PPE if something went really wrong like a ladel falling or a bit bit of hot steel going of course you'd be f'd up still. The big improvements to safety have been increasing handling equipment to physically separate the worker from the risk of being near or manually manipulating dangerous stuff around the steel plant.
Its amazing seeing the logistics and hard working men in the steel industry of yesteryear. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) would have a jolly good time visiting this industry if operational in this day and age!
Loud, hot, dirty working conditions. No wasted motion, just a smooth, continuous production of steel. I wonder what the average life expectancy of a steel worker was in 1959? Seems like their lives would have been cut short by the working conditions. Danger around every corner. My hat is off to these hard working people.
I went to school at Scunthorpe in the 1950's leaving in 1968. It seemed a regular thing that someone's father had died suddenly in those days and that men started to look really old even in their forties. The majority of work was in the steelworks. The other common ailment was chronic bronchitis, everyone seemed to smoke in the works and cough accordingly. Another thing was few of my school friends had all four Grandparents alive. and reaching 70 years was considered a good age. Many manual workers died around retirement age which was 65yrs for a man.
It does not hover it's suspended on metal cables from a crane track above instead of the crane driver sitting 50 ft above he sits on the back of the machine at eye level with the operation he's performing.
Isn't it sad how 90% of steel isn't made in England, America, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.... industry which made our countries great has been decimated and we have to rely on one country which doesn't have out best for at heart.....
I did my apprenticeship here from 1979 to 1984, loved these old films I watched during my apprenticeship at Dead Mans hole lane.
What a brilliant and informative description of how steel works operate.
Well, I was born in 1950 and my Dad was a foreman at a Republic Steel mill in Ohio. He took us for a tour when I was a little boy and it really made an impression on me. Flames soaring into the air, molten steel pouring into the ingots. It was deafening. Huge cranes above the whole operation. My mom was going to wear slacks but my dad said she should wear a dress and heels. This was pre-women's lib. As a teenager I worked in the summers at a warehouse that shipped different coils to different companies. You could have them custom made. My Dad was proud of the US steel industry and what it had done in WWII. When the country needed steel they made it with their own hands. He and the whole steel industry were very patriotic.
Love these glimpses back in time
These workers were very talented in their field of work, they spent their life learning these obscure skills only to get screwed over in the end.
@@TugIronChief I think he is talking about how most of these guys were laid off as steel production moved overseas
Great upload. These dudes put in a real shift you can see that.
The glory of a steel town 💪
I m also from a steel town so feel attached with it.
It's the Indian Iron & Steel Company Limited making steel since 1918.
Same here. Was born and raised two blocks from the Fairbanks Morse foundry.
So is this done in US? Thats freaking awesome and much needed thanks for what you do!
@@deepbludude4697 Yes it's United steel a legendary steel company of US.
what is meant by " gothic bloom " ?
This is the United Steel Companies in the UK, specifically the Templeborough Works of Steel, Peech and Tozer in Rotherham, Yorkshire.
I'm awestruck. No margin of error here or you'd be gone. I get nervous watching this because there is no safety equipment, but I have total respect for these men.
There was some safety equipment, they'd have all had steal toe boots, there was at least some eye protection shown as well in the form of darkened specticals for the man working the furnace to avoid some of the bright light emitted when looking in. Lots of people.
Even with modern PPE if something went really wrong like a ladel falling or a bit bit of hot steel going of course you'd be f'd up still. The big improvements to safety have been increasing handling equipment to physically separate the worker from the risk of being near or manually manipulating dangerous stuff around the steel plant.
Thank you for share .
Its amazing seeing the logistics and hard working men in the steel industry of yesteryear. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) would have a jolly good time visiting this industry if operational in this day and age!
as long as the appropriate bribes are paid its all good.
Loud, hot, dirty working conditions. No wasted motion, just a smooth, continuous production of steel. I wonder what the average life expectancy of a steel worker was in 1959? Seems like their lives would have been cut short by the working conditions. Danger around every corner. My hat is off to these hard working people.
I went to school at Scunthorpe in the 1950's leaving in 1968. It seemed a regular thing that someone's father had died suddenly in those days and that men started to look really old even in their forties. The majority of work was in the steelworks. The other common ailment was chronic bronchitis, everyone seemed to smoke in the works and cough accordingly. Another thing was few of my school friends had all four Grandparents alive. and reaching 70 years was considered a good age. Many manual workers died around retirement age which was 65yrs for a man.
Safety gear consists of: Corduroy pants, wool sweaters with muted coloured ascots, and some lite neck wear..
You forgot the cute caps.
In 1964 this plant replaced it’s Open Hearth Furnaces with 6 electric arc furnaces
How does his hover fork lift thing work
It does not hover it's suspended on metal cables from a crane track above instead of the crane driver sitting 50 ft above he sits on the back of the machine at eye level with the operation he's performing.
Isn't it sad how 90% of steel isn't made in England, America, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.... industry which made our countries great has been decimated and we have to rely on one country which doesn't have out best for at heart.....
Very Sad and gonna byte us in the bum here shortly.
You sound like a narrow minded bigot mate. Go sling your imperialist hook
Here I am thinking I'm gonna here a Caribbean band🤣
My man
Back when the amount you consumed was a form of boasting as a company instead of a negative.
While I know absolutely nothing about Templeborough, I believe I can confidently state that its population today is far more diverse compared to 1959.
open hearth furnaces.... "steel knives and bearskins"....
Imagine the air quality 😳. I wonder what percentage of workers and people living nearby died from lung cancer or some other metastasis…
Such is life, mate.