Skyscraper construction workers - what's the term?
05 October 2004, 03:26 PM
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Skyscraper construction workers - what's the term?
This has been bugging me all day and no amount of googling has turned up the answer...so let's see if ScoobyNet can work it's magic !
There is a nickname given to those ironworkers (Mohawk Indians) who built the skyscrapers in the USA - you've seen the pictures where they are walking around on the beams, having lunch on the beams, sleeping in some cases - and with no safety gear
- amazing stuff.
What is the term that is used to describe them?
It's not roughnecks, it's not skywalkers, or "cowboys of the sky"...but it's something like those and it's driving me NUTS cos I can't remember it.
HELP !
(I knew I shouldn't have watched that program about the Petronas Towers last night
)
There is a nickname given to those ironworkers (Mohawk Indians) who built the skyscrapers in the USA - you've seen the pictures where they are walking around on the beams, having lunch on the beams, sleeping in some cases - and with no safety gear
- amazing stuff. What is the term that is used to describe them?
It's not roughnecks, it's not skywalkers, or "cowboys of the sky"...but it's something like those and it's driving me NUTS cos I can't remember it.
HELP !
(I knew I shouldn't have watched that program about the Petronas Towers last night
)
Last edited by STi-Frenchie; 05 October 2004 at 03:59 PM.
05 October 2004, 03:32 PM
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The name depends on the job. Generically, people who actually deal with the steel are ironworkers and those who deal with moving the steel are riggers, but their are a lot of sub-categories. A riveting crew had six people (a bolting crew these days has two) - each job with its own name.
05 October 2004, 03:38 PM
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05 October 2004, 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Nimbus
Cheers
Les
05 October 2004, 03:54 PM
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Big article about them - no names given though
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/newyork...ore/ps_02.html
Alas
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/newyork...ore/ps_02.html
Alas
05 October 2004, 03:58 PM
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Nutters for sure...
Not hard-hats, not steeplejacks...this is gonna keep me awake at night, grrrr...
Last edited by STi-Frenchie; 05 October 2004 at 05:45 PM. Reason: Fix pic link
05 October 2004, 04:24 PM
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"Skywalkers" (History Channel, 4-5 p.m. E/P) This is not a movie with characters from "Star Wars," but rather a program about workers who tread narrow steel beams hundreds of feet in the air to raise skyscrapers and bridges. Theirs is a peril-filled world where one wrong step can prove their last. The program reviews the greatest and deadliest construction jobs of the past, and explores what the future holds for these tenacious workers. Many are Mohawk Indian ironworkers, whose legend was forged in the collapse of the Quebec Bridge (which claimed 33 of their tribe). TV-PG.
05 October 2004, 04:58 PM
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Well, their job title would be "ironworker" but one famous journalist did call them "cowboys of the skies", and two anthropologists (Oswalt & Neely) coined the phrase "skywalkers" which lead to the phrase "walkers of high steel". The Mohawk called the activity "booming out", an expression they used to describe the urban migration of the Mohawk ironworkers as they left their native communities in New York State, Ontario, Quebec and Montreal in search of work. Sherman Alexie wrote about them in one of his short stories and Vine DeLoria used them as an example when writing about how traditional identities can have problematic implications for modern Native Americans. (Hmm, I knew specialising in Native American culture at university would be of some use one day! LOL!) There may be other phrases associated with them STi-Frenchie but these are the only ones I'm aware of.
05 October 2004, 05:48 PM
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Thanks guys - I asked some American colleagues what they thought and steeplejacks didn't appear to be right to them either so I'm still out on a steel beam looking for the answer !
Thanks for the tip about the History Channel, I'll have to check and see if it's repeated as I've missed it
Should be a good show to watch as some of the pics I've googled up today have had my legs going wobbly just looking at them !
Thanks for the tip about the History Channel, I'll have to check and see if it's repeated as I've missed it
Should be a good show to watch as some of the pics I've googled up today have had my legs going wobbly just looking at them !
05 October 2004, 05:49 PM
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Has anyone got the picture of the 2 blokes working on the big antenna that used to be on the top of WTC1?
It's taken from above them looking strait down with a wide angle lense, amazing shot!
It's taken from above them looking strait down with a wide angle lense, amazing shot!
05 October 2004, 11:25 PM
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Fearless Wonders?
http://www.firstnationsdrum.com/Aug02/HisMohawk.htm
http://www.firstnationsdrum.com/Aug02/HisMohawk.htm
Fearless Wonders
When management became aware of this, they hired and trained a dozen tribal members as ironworkers. The original twelve, all teenagers, were so adept at working at high altitudes, they were known as the 'Fearless Wonders'.
When management became aware of this, they hired and trained a dozen tribal members as ironworkers. The original twelve, all teenagers, were so adept at working at high altitudes, they were known as the 'Fearless Wonders'.
06 October 2004, 01:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Nimbus
Got to be a bit crazy if you ask me.....
Bet there saying what shall we drop today then boys, the egg, or the chesse triangle
