Lack of proper guard rails invites falls
Navy Department Safety Bulletin poster: a worker in a dark shaft tumbles head first past a white vertical band, arms flung out and face contorted, beside the headline 'Lack of proper guard rails invites falls'. The tell is the fear-appeal of the falling figure, followed by a plain instruction to report unguarded conditions to a supervisor.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Navy Department, Safety Bulletin (artist Thorndike and Terrell; idea suggested by Philadelphia Navy Yard)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Labor, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Navy Department, Safety Bulletin. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1236 (NAID 514842).
Text on the object
LACK OF PROPER GUARD RAILS INVITES FALLS [seal: NAVY DEPARTMENT SAFETY BULLETIN] [signature: Thorndike + Terrell] Report Unguarded Conditions to your Supervisor Immediately! POSTER IDEA SUGGESTED BY PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD N659-440301 [imprint: U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1944-O-588747]
