U.S. NAVY FORKLIFT, TRACTOR TRAIN & HAND PALLET TRUCK SAFETY w/ AFRICAN AMERICAN OPERATORS 12804

This black & white U.S. Navy educational/training film is about how to use a Hand Pallet Truck, Tractor Trailer Train and a Fork Lift Truck safely, properly and for what purpose. Copyright is 1951. One interesting feature of the film is that most of the employees shown in the film are African American. These type of jobs were some of the earliest for African Americans in the Navy. During WWII, in February 1942 CNO Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark recommended African Americans for ratings in the construction trades, since the Navy had a huge need for cargo handlers. The lack of stevedores for unloading ships in combat zones was creating a problem. Publicity surrounding the Port Chicago disaster on July 17, 1944 and the ensuing mutiny convictions of 50 black sailors spotlighted racism in the Navy and was a major impetus for Circular Order 48-46, published on February 27, 1946, which desegregated the Navy.
Titles:U.S. Navy Training Film: Navy Materials Handling Equipment Operations
(:08-:29). Navy base. Raw materials, food, general supplies. Trucks move materials. A crane is moved. Fork lifts move supplies. Title: What to use them for, How to use them properly, and How to use them safely: Hand Pallet Truck, Tractor Trailer Train and a Fork Lift Truck. A hand pallet truck is used to move things a short distance. It is shown carrying crates. Tractor trailer train is used for a longer haul. Its hauling up to five trailers. A fork lift is picking up boxes, the fork lift maneuvers through and around (:30-3:43). A hand pallet truck is used properly, this is demonstrated. An African American handles the load, he slowly makes a wide turn. A tractor trailer train is ready to go, the tractor is backed up to the trailer cars. The two are connected together. The driver checks every trailer. The driver turns on the tractor and slowly moves the load (3:44-6:47). The trailer moves slowly around the property. The tractor avoids a hole in the road. The tractor stops and then slowly starts up again. It goes over railroad tracks almost at a crawl. All tractors are to stay to the right. The tractor trailer makes a wide turn to do it successfully. A wide turn is shown and demonstrated. The tractor goes up a ramp with no cargo. It is then shown moving slowly up a ramp with a load. The tractor unloads the trailers and drives off (6:48-9:31). A fork lift sits, an African American walks over and gets in, starts it. The proper way to drive and operate is then demonstrated. A fork lift is shown in reverse. The fork lift backs out slowly backwards. After adding a load, the fork lift goes slowly up a ramp (9:32-11:56). Going in reverse down a ramp is better to keep the load on the forks. The fork lift moves forward. The fork lift is going through a very narrow space, forwards and then backwards. The fork lift makes a wide, slow turn and avoids bumping corners. Down a ramp in reverse is demonstrated as the best way. The driver watches the front wheel on inside. The fork lift slowly goes in (11:57-14:22). The fork lift brings in a load. How to swing during a corner is demonstrated. The fork lift raises the load to deliver it onto the rest of the crates (14:23-15:23). All machines are to be started at the start of a shift. An African American checks his machines. The hand pallet truck, the fork lift, the tractor trailer truck at work. Do not transport people only a load. Follow all traffic signs. Stay three lengths behind the machine in front of you. No passing on ramps, drive slowly. A fork lift stops, the driver looks both ways. Use your horn when necessary. Always inspect bridge plates/ramps. Warn others when dropping off a load. Fork lifts drive near a battleship followed by a tractor trailer train (15:24-18:49). End credits (18:50-18:58).
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference."
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@rickhunt3183]

Those operators are highly skilled at what they are doing. I was paying attention to how much control the operator had over the machines. Had you not pointed out that the operators were black I wouldn't had noticed Since that wasn't the primary focus. I can appreciate someone that's a perfectionist at their job.

[@josephkarl2061]

70 years later, all these forklift rules are as relevant as ever.

[@publicmail2]

Love the scene where the driver bugs his eyes out and jumps off.

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Today he would stay on..lol

[@busterbeagle2167]

No time stamp ?

[@tomhoehler3284]

The narrator sounds like Hugh Beaumont (the Beaver's Dad!)

[@busterbeagle2167]

Off to indeed to update my resume

[@andrewsmactips]

Hey! That fella at the end is following too close!