Archive ID: 1981-051-5

Man working in tool shop

Date Created: undated

Created By: U.S. Steel

Donor: William Ferry

Media Type: Photograph

Language: English

Backstory:

This photo is from a series of albums donated to the Southeast Chicago Historical Project by the management of U.S. Steel-South Works in 1981. This album documented the work of the South Works Committee of Safety from the early 20th century. Early steel mills were highly dangerous places. In 1905, Robert J. Young was hired to study injuries at the South Works plant, and the Committee of Safety was formed. The Committee recommended 3,000 changes based on close analysis of their plant operations. In response to the ongoing public outcry over industrial deaths and injuries, US Steel would begin a national safety program for all their mills in 1908, modeled on the one developed at South Works. This photo is from a series of images taken at South Works circa 1911-12 showing safety gear prototypes and mill operations as they were inspected for possibilities for making additional changes to address safety concerns. These images offer a fascinating historical record of the early steel mills and their dangers. Despite such early safety programs, many Southeast Chicago steelworkers in oral histories described continuing dangers and horrific accidents in the mills during later decades.

Rights Policy:

Materials posted on this site have been donated to the Southeast Chicago Historical Society and Museum for public use. If there are any questions or concerns about materials posted, please contact us. Some of the materials on this site are protected under Creative Commons licensing. For information on use and reproduction, please see the following Rights Policy.

Questions?

Contact us with any inquiries.

Filters:

Mills   South Works   Steel Industry   Steel Labor   1900-1919 (WWI Era)   South Chicago   Other/Unknown   Photograph   1981-051   Carnegie-Illinois Steel   Industry   Labor   Machinery   Machines   Masks   Mills   Photograph   Photographs   Safety   South Chicago   South Works   Steel   Steel industry   Steelworkers   Tables   Tools   U.S. Steel   Welding   Workers