Safety

Robert Dickie was a joiner at John Brown's shipyard in Clydebank.

Robert Dickie at the former site of John Brown's shipyard in 2004

"Robert -When I started in Browns there was no safety officer. There was no question of any industrial footwear, overalls or helmets or that. Men went to work with their bunnets, scarves and jackets and that's what they wore all day. That was their badge of working.

Interviewer – When did the safety officer and these kind of things come in?

Robert - In Browns that really started about the time of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders. 1969-70 When the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders was formed. There was a whole different aspect of the yards. There was better relationships. There was more involvement of workers, managers and top management. Workers met top management. It was then they introduced the question of safety footwear, safety helmets, boiler suits etc."

Shipyard joiner's tool box from Clydebank museum