“If I win the lottery I’d still come back”. That’s something that most Ironworkers feel, it’s an amazing living. Opportunity too see and do things that most don’t, and a damn good wage for doing it. I’ve been a Union IW since the age of 18. I don’t know much of anything else. They say that you’re not supposed to let your job define who you are. I believe I speak for most Ironworkers when I say that WE ARE IRONWORKERS, and we love it. The brotherhood makes it a lifestyle. We may have other hobbies, but none compare to going to work!
i mean i'm 18 and ive been an iron worker for the past 4 months, im leaving to go make more money. i don't really understand the appeal, it's cool it's fun to run the torches and i really liked the connecting and welding up in the air, but really? you don't wanna do anything else? i want way more money and many more experiences than that, i just don't see how that fulfills someone for life
I certainly have a lot of respect for these guys. I don't see how they can ever get used to the heights. Fear is a terrible feeling, and yet these guys over come it. My hat goes off to them!
Ironworking has been so good to me. I am currently a union rodbuster in NYC with Local 46, I always wished I could join Local 40 and do structural work but they rarely take in people and to be honest I fucking love being a rodbuster man. I respect both reinforcing and structural boys.
Did this for about 2 years at a site of a coal fired electric generating plant outside of Houston, TX. Literally worked my way from the ground up. This video does a good job explaining the mindset needed to walk the high iron. For me, relaxed on the drive up to the site. But everyone got quiet when we pulled into the dirt parking area. I would think to my self "You have a 50/50 chance of living today". It helped me stay focused, yet relaxed at the same time. You could be walking a beam, kinda miss a step, but keep on going like you were walking on a sidewalk. Other days, you stop, look down, say "oh shit", then crawl for a bit. Climb the stairs to the turbine deck, get you tools out of the gang box, and off you go. But even the best have days where something is not right. They get their stuff, and after a little while, come back, put their stuff back in the gang box, and go home. And on one says a word. No one. Better to be focused than distracted. As far as falling. No one wants to fall, but if you do, hopefully you are far enough up that you break your neck and die instantly. Beats living with a mangled body the rest of your life.
Worked with a fellow ironworker from the islands... He said who's dumber, the people who work in the building... Or the people who put them up?? Something to think about... If you want to be tough you better be dumb!!
There's old ironworkers, and there's bold ironworkers, but there aint no old bold ironworkers. Work smart, work safe and God bless ya. RD ironworker local 25 Detroit. Retired (32 years)
It's insulting as fuck to have that politically correct bullshit intro "men and women"? This has nothing to do with a woman's ability to do the job, it's the fact that women do not choose to do this kind of work. Show me ONE woman who works these skyscrapers and I will change my mind. I work out in the oil fields, and the only women I have ever seen out of hundreds of people, are 2 female welders, 2 female welder's helpers, and 1 female who I think was on the scaffolding crew in one of the buildings. All the other women work in the offices. This is not because of a lack of opportunity, this is purely choice! And men hold the distinction of 94-96% of all work related deaths, so take your PC shit and shove it! It is MEN who make the world function because no chick wants to be a sanitation worker, or work on power lines, or do underwater welding in the Atlantic. It's men who do that, and it's time we start acknowledging this fact, and giving respect and praise to the average everyday guy who works dangerous as fuck jobs that benefit us all!
Men receive nothing but contempt from women these days and they should be forced to swap roles. Let's see how much lying feminists want ''equality'' then. Feminists are liars and most women worship them.
wild. my father was a ironworker, now going on 72 years old, still talks about going back to work. i remember when i was a kid, in the winter he had fallen 50 feet off a building while sweeping snow off the iron. someone had cut a rope on a plank but failed to remove the plank and he stepped on it. after he healed up and went back, the guy would ask him whee the woodpecker was in the air. took him a day or two to realize they meant his knees knocking in fear lol great bunch of guys! IRONWORKERS!
In Europe they don't have iron workers free walking at height..... Health and safety are very strict.... And they have very few deaths and injuries. A job is not worth your life.
IW 782, I am a 3rd generation ironworker, love my job, and to anyone who wants to talk shit, take a walk in my boots for a day, we will see who makes it home!
Fuck that. Hats off to these fellows. I don't mind going up in a lift or man basket but I don't think I could do this.30ft tops for me. Call me what ya want but he'll no... much respect for iron workers
my fear of falling and fear of height would paralyze me not for me i like to see bulding get built buttt i prefer to be on the ground prop to these man tho
Michael Kal in vancouver it is. all the new high rises goin up are all concrete, and we fly tables and have 16 hour vertcal days, a slab a week gets poured at the least
these guys were straight off the reservation from Quebec from the mid-80s till the late nineties IDK brother be safe and put some duct tape over that Banner or you got on your hard hat out of respect for the real mohawks
Charlie Tanner when the beams are put in they are put in only using 2 bolts unless it’s a large beam after that guys come in and stick all the correct bolts and take damaged ones or incorrect sized ones out then a guy goes around and guns up the whole floor
@Fragem420 are you kidding me. you need high school diplomajust to qualify for the exam, and when you finally do get to the exam its mechanical apptitude and spatial relations examination
yeah bc has afew however few and far between. most woman in trades in my experience are in the shop.... and its usually a joinery shop- not bad! great skill to have
