These Dutch Safety Posters Are Beautiful—But Utterly Disturbing

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There is nothing coy about these vintage Dutch safety and anti-alcohol propaganda posters. They want you to know just how horribly inattention to your work will maim you, live wires will electrocute you, and alcohol will destroy your life.

And no, this isn't the first time we've featured Dutch safety posters. They're that terrifying.

One touch! There are monster lurking in electric cables, designed by Evert Möllenkamp, between 1925 and 1949

Help us! Our country must be alcohol free! (Blue Week), designed by Albert Hahn, between 1925 and 1949

Use safety harnesses, designed by W. J. van der Werf, between 1925 and 1949

Help us! The bottle must be broken! (Blue Week), designed by Georges Raemdonck, between 1925 and 1949

He never used a with a hammer with a chisel, designed by Jacob Jansma, between 1925 and 1949

This is life threatening and that's why it's forbidden, designed by Jacob Jansma, 1925-1926

Alcohol increases the risk of accidents, by Albert Hahn, 1926

Every wise welder is using safety glasses, designed by Jacob Jansma, 1926-1927

Never work without safety, designed by Herman Heyenbrock, 1928

Drinking alcohol causes accidents, 1928

From above!, designed by Jacob Jansma, 1928-1929

Even if a ladder is easily found, a few stacked crates work just as well .. or maybe not, designed by Willem van Poll, 1928-1929

Sportsmen! Stop drinking alcohol! It's a danger to you!, designed by Albert Hahn, 1928

Against alcohol (Blue Week), designed by William A. van de Walle, 1928

Blue Week, designed by Henk Doornekamp, between 1925 and 1949

A worn wrench is the key of an accident, designed by Jacob Jansma, between 1925 and 1949

A worn wrench is good for nothing, except accidents, designed by Jacob Jansma, between 1927 and 1929

Faulty material is the source of many accidents, 1927-1929

Visit the Safety Museum, designed by K. Koekoek, 1929

Falling from a ladder, by Jacob Jansma, 1930

Suffering children, by Henri Pieck, c. 1930-1932

Good protective glasses – eyes saved, designed by Willem van Poll, 1939

Safety, designed by E. Lukács, 1939

Carbon monoxide! Provide good ventillation, designed by E. Lukács, 1939

Inattention causes accidents, designed by Strelitskie, 1940

Never leave any tools lying on a stepladder, designed by Jacob Jansma, 1944

A safety harness could have saved him, 1945

Use protective masks, 1945

Do not oil or clean the machine if it's running, designed by Jacob Jansma, 1949

Work safely, designed by N. Olthuis, 1950

This can cost a foot, designed by E. Lukács, 1953

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All posters above are from Memory of The Netherlands.