DECEMBER 1951 - Milwaukee Road Archive

Gne who might be in its path. In the
mines a safety helmet, like shoes with
::oe-protecting caps, is a part of the
equipment of every hard-rock miner and
!-Ie does not enter his place of work without
it. Some states have even made it a
matter of law that such equipment be
worn in certain occupations.
Safety helmets are designed according
to the needs of the wearer. Some are
constructed of lightweight metals, some
of specially prepared spun glass, and
others of various compositions whose
. particular characteristics have been found
:0 be well suited to certain uses, such as
being water proof, shock proof, oil or
Cleat resistant.
One particular type in general use on
rhe railroad is constructed of a strong
molded composition, rounded sufficiently
:0 deflect an object striking it from alrnost
any angle. Being light in weight,
i: is comfortable, and since it "floats" in
a hammock-like device which fits over
[he head, the cutting force of a falling
:::'scember, 1951
object is not only broken, but the shock
of the blow is lessened. In addition, the
hammock provides a space between the
hat and the wearer's head for free circulation
of air during hot weather, or space
for the winter liner when needed.
Many a Milwaukee Road man, going
home uninjured at the end of the day,
has thanked his hard hat for making
the difference.
Milwaukee Road rock quarry crews,
bridge crews working below the deck of
a bridge where tools or pieces of mate.
rial might be dislodged and fall from
overhead, section men removing loose
rocks from the face of cliffs or ice from
roofs and walls of tunnels, trolley line
crews, mechanics working in engine
drop pits, and various other crafts have
found that the best insurance against
head injuries is a properly fitted hard
hat.
Like the soldier's helmet in battle,
the hard hat is essential equipment In
the railroad man's war on injury.
Left: Members of the crew on the tunnel job.
Left to right, front row: Harry Trusty, John
Peterson, Dallas Allen, Roland Filosi, Arden
Davis and John Price. Back row: A. 1. Iverson
(foreman), Willis Rackham and John Mc­
Knight (obscured). All are wearing hard hats.
Below: The portal of the tunnel. With work
going on both overhead and on the ground, the
danger of injury from falling rock, tools or
other objects is apparent.
Left: View of the tunnel project from the
mountainside above the portaL
article and
photographs by
C. Y. Peterson,
District Safety
Engineer,
Butte, Mont.
5
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