Early International No Smoking Sign

I posted this image back in March of this year of an International No Smoking sign.

I first saw this sign as a photocopy in 1995 while I was working in the Port of Charleston, in South Carolina. I liked it and took a copy. The ladies in the office did not know where it came from, other than it being taped to the wall for as long as anyone could remember.

( Click to enlarge)

So one day I run across a similar sign in the photo below taken in Saudi Arabia in the late '40s.

Sign on the shack at Ras Tanura. In addition to the No Smoking sign in about ten languages, it reads No Shore Leave, No Dock Leave - Saudi Arab Customs - Violation of this rule will stop loading immediately. Taken in 1947 while aboard T-2 Tanker SS Jeanny (ex - Allatoona ) - Provided by Chuck Durand

You would think that people would not want to smoke around an oil tanker. I worked on a gasoline tanker for 3 months. There was a "fire line" on the stern where you could smoke while underway. I thought that was crazy enough, but was told that they used to have barbeques on deck as well. (I had to keep telling myself that the ship was 40 years old and had not blown up in that time, so my three months was nothing to worry about.)

Ship pictures by Chuck Durand
Smoking Can Cause a Slow and Painful Death - Marlboro - FFI