Save Lives, Save Food, Save Property: Prevent Dust Explosions
Three photographs of wrecked and burning grain mills sit beneath the claim that six recent dust explosions killed 39 people, injured 60 and destroyed 2,500,000 bushels of grain and $8,000,000 of property. Four numbered safety rules follow. The tell is the pairing of casualty and loss figures with the wartime food argument ('enough grain to feed a large army for a year') to turn an industrial safety notice into a conservation appeal.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food Administration
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Science and technology, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-252.
Text on the object
United States Department of Agriculture United States Food Administration SAVE LIVES SAVE FOOD-SAVE PROPERTY PREVENT DUST EXPLOSIONS Six Recent Dust Explosions and Fires in Mills and Elevators Killed 39 Persons and Injured 60. They Destroyed 2,500,000 Bushels of Grain, and Property Worth $8,000,000 Keep Your Mill and Elevator Free from Dust and Dirt Dust-free Mills and Elevators are Explo- sion-proof. Elevator explosions and fires sometimes destroy enough grain to feed a large army for a year A flour-dust explosion wrecked this mill This large cereal plant was completely destroyed by fire following a dust explosion PROTECT YOUR MILL AND ELEVATOR A little care may avert a disastrous explosion. Observe the following rules: 1. Do not smoke or carry matches in or near the buildings. Smoking and lighted matches cause explosions and fires. 2. Do not use open flames, torches, candles, lanterns and unprotected electric light bulbs in a dusty atmosphere or when examining bins and elevator legs. 3. Do not let dust accumulate on beams, machines, pulleys or floors. Dust-free Mills and Elevators are explosion-proof. 4. Examine elevators and conveyors often. Elevator choke-ups often cause explosions and fires. Report immediately any slight rubbing, slipping, or other trouble. For further information regarding grain dust explosions write to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry, Washington, D. C. This Company and its Employees are Co-operating in the Control of Dust Explosions and Fires
