'Do it the safety way' was recorded by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band with Max Bygraves in 1976. It was recorded as a 7 inch single to give it that, 'hit parade appeal'.
The National Coal Board produced the single after its chief safety engineer, John Collinson, suggested the idea as a new way of getting the safety at work message across to miners. It was hoped that the 'special sing-along style of Max Bygraves' would make it easier for miners to remember the safety message found in the words of the song.
The NCB made effective use of safety propaganda with regular poster campaigns, stickers and competitions at collieries throughout the country. Its campaigning complimented technological changes in mining and new progressive legislation to make mining a safer occupation.
