sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information old US Bell safety training film

I found this old Bell safety training film on youtube in 4 parts









Its interesting watching these, back then hard hats, reflective safety vests, flame resistant overalls and traffic control signs and cones were unknown.

Now that I have seen this move I see that in 2011 a lot of the Shaw Cable residential piece work installers are doing a lot of the the things in the movie that the Bell staff were told not to back in the 1940's when these movies came out.

Part 5

God bless the former Bell System. Too bad that greed destroyed what was perhaps the most organized and disciplined company in the world. Can you imagine seeing one of their 'technicians' hooking a pole these days? I almost laughed at my own question. What a shame.

Thanks for the videos, guys. Great viewing for sure.

I watched them all. Very cool!

I must have been in a hurry to get to dinner yesterday and missed part 5. Thanks to Touch Tone Tommy for posting it.


I think today's workplace health and safety departments would have a bird if they saw a tech riding on a support strand in a bosuns's chair from pole to pole with out a backup harness.

I like the music myself.

Heck you can't even free climb anymore, no more thrill of riding a pole to the ground.

The cable car was really kind of fun, for the most part that is.

I've done both.

We had a big show here 2 weekends ago in our basketball arena. Trusses with lights, speakers, the whole works. On the side of the truss is a rope ladder. Next to it they hung a retractable safety line. The guy hooked his harness in, climbed up 60 feet, then moved his line to the 'life-line' rope that spans across the truss, and then sat on top of the truss moving along to focus the lights. I was scared just watching!

Yeah BillI remember the days "open wire" "bird wire" clearancw poles. You were'nt worth your salt if you did'nt use hooks instead of a ladder.

I always preferred to "hook" a pole rather than get the ladder out.
The tallest pole I hooked was 90 ft. The scariest part was trying to hold on to it on the lower part - it was so big in diameter that I could barely get a grip!
The cable buggy was fun to ride. The first time I rode it was across Lake Alatoona in Acworth, Ga.

Bill