My World My Work was included as part of an exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum exploring Bradford's work wear past and present. The exhibition was a partnership project using items from the Museum's costume collection and contemporary film commissioned by the Yorkshire Film Archive. The following film includes interviews with eight people during which they discuss their occupations and the clothing which they have to wear while at work. Interviewees include a police woman,...

My World My Work was included as part of an exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum exploring Bradford's work wear past and present. The exhibition was a partnership project using items from the Museum's costume collection and contemporary film commissioned by the Yorkshire Film Archive. The following film includes interviews with eight people during which they discuss their occupations and the clothing which they have to wear while at work. Interviewees include a police woman, a mechanic, a veterinary nurse, stone mason and brick layer, someone who works with Scottish-breed pulling horses, a lunch lady, a fireman, and an employee of Bulmer & Lumb Group Ltd. The film opens with titles created by a montage of archive footage with images of interviewees in their work places. Title - My World My Work - Gabrielle Blakey. Gabby is police officer for the West Yorkshire Police. She explains she believes her uniform gives people a focal point as to where they can go for help. To see that yellow jacket and radio, nine times out of ten, means that person is someone who can help in an emergency situation. Spending a lot of time on her feet, Gabby explains she must have conformable boots. Additionally, the basic uniform which is issued by the Police Service includes shirts, trousers, a stab vest, and two jackets, a light-weight one for summer, and a heavy one for winter. They also issue each officer a hat, radio, and belt. Gabby points out aspects of her inform. Gabby explains different parts of the uniform, highlighting the stab vest as essential for safety. She must fill out her notebook every day, documenting all her jobs and places she has gone on patrol. The female hats are hard hats so it reinforces your safety on top, but they keep your head warm. Gabby speaks about one of the most important parts of her kit, one which is not directly issued to her, a map book. Part of her job description is 80% high visibility patrol, and the more you are out the more help you can give. Part of that help is giving people directions. Finally Gabby highlights the importance of her ID badge. She explains it is easy for anyone to pretend to be a police officer, but authentic officers will always show their ID badge. Montage of images of people in their work places. Title - My World My Work - Asad Hussain. Asad Hussain has been working for Kwik-Fit for about six years. He goes onto explain the important parts of his work uniform. In the winter, woolly hats, gloves, and coats are essential. They also must wear safety boots. They are also issued oil-resistant trousers. Asad points out that although they are issued uniforms, they must take them home to wash. Asad's colleague, Majid Khan, points out that all the material is fire protective, and it is essential for safety. Goggles are also part of the safety uniform. When cutting metal, the bright light can affect your eyes in the long term. There is also the hazard of small pieces of metal flying about when cutting and welding, so it is important to protect your eyes and face. Finally the men talk about their interactions with the customers. Although it's a mechanic's shop, it's important for the customers to deal with a person who looks clean and tidy. Different parts of the shop and the areas in which the men work can also be seen. Montage of people in their places of work. Title - My World My Work - Tammy Miles. Tammy Miles is a qualified veterinary nurse. She explains that she has always wanted to work with animals ever since she was very young. As a veterinary nurse, Tammy is provided with trousers and a tunic which has pockets for scissors and other medical tools. Tammy's uniform has changed over the years. When she first started, the uniform consisted of a dress and belt. However, she feels the new uniform is more comfortable and practical in her work setting. Part of her job involves x-rays, and Tammy shows the lead jacket she needs to wear when she does x-rays. She also wears gloves lined with soft lead to protect her from the radiation. For operations, Tammy is required to wear a surgical gown, latex gloves, and facemask similar to ones used by dental technicians. Montage of people in their places of work. Title - My World My Work - Brian Middleditch Brian Middleditch, a stone mason and brick layer, has been the foreman for this brick company since he was 16 years old. Brian is now 60. In his occupation, safety is essential, and Brian highlights some things he must wear including steel-toe caped boots, HV vest, hardhat, gloves, earmuffs, and goggles. Having worked in the same occupation since he was 16, Brian explains how some things have changed. When he first began, he did not have to wear a high visibility vest, and hardhats weren't as common as they are now. Montage of people in their places of work. Title - My World My Work - Murdoch the Horse. Murdoch is a seven-year-old Scottish breed of pulling horse. This type of horse would have been used for pulling railway shunting and pulling very heavy loads from the railways stations. His trainer goes onto highlight some of the accessories he must wear. There a collar which goes around his neck, put on upside-down at first and then pushed into position. He must also wear dress plates for decoration. Many aspects of this costume are traditional, and the need to wear dress plates stems from the belief that brass kept away evil spirits. This is also why there is a lot of brass in the horse harnesses. The horse must also wear a bridal and bit. The trainer shows all the different accessories as well as how to put them on the horse. Montage of people in the places of work. Title - My World My Work - Susan Lancaster. Susan Lancaster is an Assistant Unit Manageress who caters for about 110 school children at lunchtime every day. Susan and her colleague Julie discuss their uniforms as well as other aspects of their job including different meal choices, such as vegetarian and halal, which they must prepare. Susan points out they must wear a white overall and piny on top. They must also wear a hat. This prevents the ladies from getting dirty as well as them possibly contaminating any of the food which they serve. It is essential to have a clean uniform every day. Susan also explains that due to the hot ovens, they must wear long trousers as well as socks and shoes, all of which protect them from the possibility of getting burned. The ladies must take their uniforms home to wash, but they are given a laundry allowance to wash it. Susan also points out the children are able to recognize them as a result of the uniform which they have to wear, and it's important for the children to see them presented in a clean and smart uniform. Montage of people in their places of work. Title - My World My Work - Steve Woolstenhome. Steve Woolstenhome is a watchman on the Green Watch. He is responsible for the day to day running of the fire station and incoming emergencies. Steve goes onto speak about the different parts of his uniform. He must wear special leather boots which are chemical resistant. The sole is reinforced and they also have a steal toecap on the front of the boot to protect any damage to his toes. The trousers have braces, which stop the trousers slipping down so they don't expose the back to any fire and heat. These go over what chino dress trousers which are polyester and quick drying. The other trousers have the high visibility stripe and the reflective stripe the other material is a dark colour because it is a dirty job being in the fire service. The same material is on their jackets. Steve points out that the material that the trousers and jackets are made out of are fire retardant, not fire proof. They offer protection up to 660 degrees Celsius. His protective gloves are heavy-duty leather and include a waterproof liner. Finally he has a helmet which has the West Yorkshire badge and protection down the sides. It has a hard fibreglass shell and polystyrene cushion inside as well as a chinstrap and a pull down visor to offers protection of the eyes. Montage of people in their places of work. Title - My World My Work - Peter Jackson. Peter Jackson works in the core room at Bulmer and Lumb Group Ltd, a British textile manufacturer. He goes onto explain the different parts of his uniform and why he needs to wear them in his job. Peter uses special gloves to prevent his arms getting caught on the wire. The helmet he wears also has a plastic visor to protect his eyes when he is cutting metal. Peter goes onto talk about the difference in the various departments in the company. The weaving department is particularly noisy, but all employees wear ear plugs to protect their hearing. They also wear steel toe safety boots and trousers and a sweatshirt that the firm provides. Peter explains that not a lot of people wear gloves, but he does because he finds the nylon string cuts into his hands. Finally Peter comments that another important aspect of the uniform allows him to be noticed outside of the factory. If anyone is seen with the same blue, it's easy to identify where they work. He likens it to an advertisement for the company.