1958: Dizzy at 450 Feet | Living with Danger | World of Work | BBC Archive

Do you have a phobia of heights? No? Would you like one?
Living with Danger was a TV series centred on folk who were ordinary in every way except one - they risked their lives in the course of their daily work. This episode - The Higher The Fewer - followed the steeplejacks, builders and demolition crews that worked at great heights, often with little more than a ladder and sturdy shoes.
The workers explain how they try to take the danger in their stride, and one crew member shows how he climbs ladders with an injured leg that won’t bend.
Not for the fainthearted.
Excerpt taken from Living With Danger: The Higher the Fewer, originally broadcast on BBC Television, Friday 15 August 1958.
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[@SharonMcwilliams78]

My step grandfather worked the crane 🏗️ in this era across London, he was from county Monaghan in Ireland 🇮🇪…he told the greatest stories I ever heard.

[@SijmenMulder]

Glad to hear "it's as safe as can be"!

[@gump5ter01]

I had a panic attack 3 seconds into this video

[@Jack_Warner]

My Dad did this sort of work. He was a steeplejack, and one of his favourite jobs was greasing the guy ropes that supported these towers. Starting at the top then sliding down and painting grease on the cable. I'll pass on that one. I keep thinking, one day I'll see my dad in one of this film clips. He started his career as a steeplejack in 1958.

[@Kenny_P_abz]

I love that last comment, “It’s as safe as can be”. Not even close!

[@A14b19]

My arse is in my mouth and my legs dropped off never to come back as I lay in a puddle of my own vomit from shear fear . My hat off to you now passed guys

[@RobertHarrison-cn3ok]

What about the camera man no one ever mentions them lol

[@Keithbarber]

These are the skills fred dibnah mastered

[@adambooth4011]

The background sounds and 'music' make this even more unsettling. Im not too bad with heights but sod this

[@Eire_Go_Deo]

I can't tell you how much I enjoy all the old footage you post! Thank you!

[@steveg2479]

Extreme sports weren’t needed then, not when you could have a fun day at work.

[@JMoruzzi]

It's not the same without John Noakes.

[@firdausHITMAN]

Fred Dibnah carried on this legacy. Fred you legend. gone but never forgotten.

[@basilguts1786]

Tough as the nails in their boots. 👍

[@karimtabrizi376]

This is proper hard work. 100% respect. I would be crappin myself

[@haystackhider7158]

"it's as safe as can be" LOL

[@DragonFlagBand]

Sod that for a game of soldiers!

[@mancroft]

Health and Safety 1958 style. 🤣😵‍💫😨

[@MrJasdog107]

Steeplejacks and steel erectors were never told they can't do their jobs the way they did their jobs in those days . The working man was a different breed back then.

[@user-eh3ou7oq4w]

Three Words. Balls of steel!