Early 20th-century New York skyscraper construction was extremely dangerous, as workers labored without hard hats, harnesses, nets, or guardrails. Falls were so common that estimates suggested about one death for every million dollars spent on major projects. Landmarks such as
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@fasc1nate Even looking at it is scary.. These people were actually legends..Who built some amazing skyscrapers..
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@fasc1nate Thank you for metioning the Mohawk ironworkers in this post. This is an important part of Empire State history that deserves remembering.
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@fasc1nate No hard hats, that’s shocking. Everyone knows that a hard hat would save your life if you fall fifty floors.
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@fasc1nate First large construction project to use safety nets was The Golden State bridge. It saved 19 lives and was implemented by chief engineer Joseph Strauss over the objections of the group heading the project.
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@fasc1nate But just think of the poor women OPPRESSED at home baking cookies & burping babies. Just think of the evil patriarchy that prevented women from working on construction sites like we see in the video. We men owe women an apology.
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@fasc1nate In the early 1980s I still remember walking beams. It wasn't that high, but it was enough to kill you.
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@fasc1nate I would fit there very well. That is like high voltage service. If you mess up you're dead (instant death, no pain), so you better not mess it up.
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@fasc1nate Injuns were about 10% of the total ironworkers. Their mortality rate was identical to White workers.
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@fasc1nate Explain how the hats are not blown off. Elevations like that in NYC between buildings have nasty wind currents. Does not make sense.
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@fasc1nate I’m sure there wasn’t any pushback to OSHA from electeds bought off by developer lobbies
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@fasc1nate @Grok How much these workers were paid in daily wages which is inflation adjusted to 2025?
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