Chemical Safety, Soviet Propaganda

This 1968 Soviet workplace safety poster was created to teach industrial workers how to properly store volatile solvents. Produced by the Central Scientific Research Institute for Labor Safety in the radio industry and published by NEDA in Moscow, it reflects the extensive safety campaigns found throughout Soviet factories and industrial workplaces during the Brezhnev era. Artist V.P. Kharinenko uses a bold, simplified design to make the instructions easy to understand at a glance. Bottles are arranged against a geometric background alongside prominent instructional text, illustrating the correct storage of common industrial solvents including toluene, dichloroethane, white spirit, and acetone. The flattened forms, strong geometry, and limited visual detail are characteristic of Soviet institutional graphic design of the period, with echoes of the earlier Constructivist tradition. The printing information at the bottom offers an unusually detailed record of the poster’s production. Printed at the Kommunar printing facility in Tula, it was issued and originally sold for 20 kopeks. Like most Soviet workplace posters, these were created as practical tools rather than works of art, intended to be posted and used within industrial environments. Surviving examples now offer a fascinating record of both Soviet graphic design and the everyday working culture of the USSR. Size: 23.0" x 16.5" Artist: V.P. Kharinenko Condition: Very Good, Age-appropriate wear, fading and toning. Please use the photo zoom feature to get a better understanding of overall condition. *Additional photos available upon request.