My dad was a local 361 iron worker and he was very proud of what he did. My dad helped build skyscrapers, buildings, hospitals, courthouses, schools, bridges, sports venues and he worked hard all his life. He saw death in his business and he worked hard and gave his all every day. He was a survivor and we are very proud of him. rest in peace dad. we miss you.

I'm Local 1 Chicago and proud of it. Worst job in america. Bullshit. Best job!! My bank account says so too!!

My parents own an Iron working company and I remember as a kid seeing my dad walk joists while talking on his old flip cell phone in one hand and a structural drawing in the other. I use to think that man was insane, and now about 15 years later I'm doing the same thing...

Jesus Christ, all it takes is a strong gust of wind and that's it !

love how the guy sitting and talking was wearing a harness.

You guys are the lords of the construction industry. From London UK i salute you.

I retired as journeyman ironworker and I must say that placing rebar for a high balling company is the hardest of all jobs

I work at heights, and before i got comfortable in my job i wore a harness, I decided to stop using the harness because it was tangling everywhere, then it became a safety hazard. It sound weird or senseless but sometimes your harness can become a hazard. So, be safe

@Loader2k It's not the fact that the developers don't care and don't want to pay, it's the fact that the safety gear is incredibly awkward and uncomfortable and makes working very difficult, a lot of the workers choose to not wear it because of that reason. If someone falls and dies, it looks bad to the developers because someone died on their job... 100k a year? Sounds like a good deal to me...

my hands are wet

Wow now those men are amazing!!! There is no way I could ever do that. Hats off to you!

Just got my application for J.A.C local 40 360 NYC...Looking at this video gives me the chills, but a rush at the same time...Really puts it in perspective.

My legs go cold just watching this. I'm scared to death of heights. You guys that do this are to be commended.

To all those iron workers thanks for all you do.

To be fair they did change the law from what I've heard. Everyone has to tie off at a certain height. Iron workers are still fearless though.

I always wonder isn't it possible in such heights that the wind blowes suddenly and you lose the balance??

my daddy is an ironworker and he said that he wouldnt have anyother job in the world. i am soo proud of him for that he has been through 4 death situations doing it. LOCAL 263!

Worst jobs? I think you mean "best jobs." Local 395 here. Wouldn't want to do anything else.

I'm impressed. You can't call these people idiots. They're building things that inspire many people. Unless you can do it yourself then you haven't earned the right to call them idiots.

When was this footage shot? I assume it was a long time ago before regulations were imposed? If this were in the UK then all those guys would be fired.

2000 g's a week when they are working. A lot of guts are out of work when no one is building. I don't think they make enough.

I have three questions for anyone experienced with working at heights: 1) If you've never worked at heights before, how do you prepare yourself? 2) How do you learn to walk on those beams, especially during icy winters? 3) Have you ever worked with someone who initially had a fear of heights? I'm asking these questions with full respect of ironworkers because I consider them to be among the bravest people in the world. I have some fear of heights but that money sure looks good.

Wow. that is one seriously scary, dangerous job. May God watch over these brave brave men and women

I’m a baby ironworker . I’ve never walked beams higher than 30 ft. But I guess I’d still die from that height lol.

So much respect for people like you. I always think about the men who put these buildings together when I see these massive works of art. Don't know how ya do it but all of ya deserve a heroes respect for what ya do for America. Prayers to you all.

There's a lot of dumb shit going on here that doesn't reflect how the trade works most of the time. That being said, the only people who would consider this one of the remotely worst jobs are people who have nothing to do with the trade at all. I'm in my 1st year of school for Structural Ironworking right now and I gotta say, I love this job!

No way man. Think about how many times you would have to fuck around with it just from going from one place to the next. With all of that steel going every which way you need to be able to move around freely. A harness is a pain in the ass to deal with.

i was just scared watching this. heights and stage fright are my worst.

Too many factors to consider that can go wrong. When you're working hard and long, you tend to get tired. That's when mistakes are made.

Well, I was considering this trade before I saw this video... much respect to the men and women of this trade. Jesus.

People should pay homage to iron workers every time they go into a building over two stories high.

These daredevils get paid very little for basically one of the scariest jobs in the world!

I'd be absolutly terrified.

my father is an ironworker himself but here in my country (greece) we don't build nearly as big as these buildings... projects here are smaller but that doesn't mean his job is easy.... i have worked with him for several years and i know the hardships of such a job... it's mainly the lifting of heavy objects that can strain your back a lot over the years.... plus at the moment cos of the financial problems in greece he is having a hard time coping what with the low prices on projects...

Im around 5'5 , 5'6 148 LBS. 19 years old, High school diploma, i just apped up to be an ironworker this beginning of august. They started me at $34 an hour. Very adventurous job. And really in modern timez. Not that bad

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! I never really knew exactly what "iron workers" do. I was dating (then turned into best friends) a man who was an iron worker and he never really said exactly what they do. NOW I know why. I.m going to kick his fucking ass! My heart is still in the pit of my stomach.... I knew that his job was dangerous but had no clue as to what level. You men have giant balls and will be in all my prayers.

looks like what the NYC guys do daily. no tying off on their jobs. Hats off!

And to think some of these guys got a fear of spiders.....crazy!

There is no way I'd ever do a job like this.

Local #396 STL in the house! What's up to my fellow brothers and sisters! Wishing you all a merry christmas, happy new,year and a safe work day!

You are good driver. Imagine there are 2 seatbelts per seat. Would you put 2 or just one. Have you ever driven without a seatbelt? If yes, you must have been confident to drive plus you have expected not to crash and still took the risk. 2 grand for confident and risky work sound quite right to me ;)..btw they do wear harnesses just as we wear seatbelts - sometimes ;)

im 20 years old from canada windsor ontario ... a unionize member of local 700 thats a taste of what we go threw every day of our lives

I love how the guy who is talking is obviously tied off.

These guys deserve every dollar. They risk their lives putting up fancy office buildings for some of the REALLY overpaid of the 'free world'. Bankers and the like, who's only risk in life is the ones they make with our money!!

Yes and no. In California Iron Workers are not required to tie off unless they're 36 feet above the deck. Most jobs though, the safety protocol is 100% tie off at all times is required. That job where the interview happened was the San Jose city hall job. Even most 100% tie off jobs the only exception is during the bolt up of structural iron. In that situation tying off would hinder the ability of the Iron Worker to get his job done safely.

Didn't know that in the US, Ironworkers didn't have to wear harness. In Quebec, we aren't allowed to do anything anymore. You get caught on a beam no harness or just not cliped to the wire and it's gonna cost you about 500$/1000$ just because of that. Can't climb in culum or go down sliding them or it's another ticket if you get caught. I'd love to go work over the US, or anywhere else except Quebec.

the construction company's insurance must be sky high.

i love heights its great after a while you get used to it and it feels normal

I'm scared to watch! They hopefully get good benefits. Also, must have good amount of sick days because if you are off you fall off!

man you must have a lot of guts!! woah i would never do a job like that i will be too scared :)

That was BADASS!

I had to hang onto my seat when I watched this!

This shouldn't only be called the worst jobs in the world but should also mention that some of them are just plain dangerous, not necessarily being the worst. A bad job is a not a dangerous job, a bad job is one that gives you almost nothing for even greater risks than this. If you don't fall and do you shit right, you go home with 2g a week. If you seen the other video with the prison in Colombia, the 20 year old guards a prison, that has inmates with guns and grenades, for only 200$ a month!

iron workers are sorta a sign of like hard work and courage

These men are heroes!

Wonder if they ever accidently drop a tool and it falls to the ground and hits someone. I wouldn't want to be near the building while work is going on! Kudos to these men. The job is not for me! haha.

Sadly, pipefitters make more money for more leaning. I'm no ironworker, but a journeyman Millwright, so I have at least 50% say. :X

I assumed that the further up you get, the stronger a wind gets. Especially, when there are tall buildings around you that might even strengthen and direct the navigation of the wind as they blow around those buildings. Surely this is all speculation on my account as I have no clear knowledge about this matter. I'll take your word for it since this is your field of work :D

These guys rule. Simple. American muscle.

People don't die every day anymore. There's way too many safety precautions these days that prevent you from dying if you slip or fall. Harnesses, lanyards, etc. OSHA is saving/destroying the trades. This video is highly exaggerated, and yes, I am a journeyman myself.

Hell yeah! Brother Ironworker from LU 46 here! Sorry bud not near the skill involved in demo as there is in erection.

Excellant.. Great vid..,I remember the willies you get in your stomach while walking on girders..it was in a stern of a super tanker,,Never like this though.

I did this most of my life NOT being tied off....OSHA makes ALL of us tie off now one way or another. Makes the job a bit more of a hassle but lots of lives have been saved because of it. Especially with the new body harness.

@Dr34dmoc Does your local not due any subpart R training? OSHA allows us to go without tie off as long as we are within 30 feet of the nearest decked surface. Keep the decking crew within 2 floors of the connectors and you are legal with out tie off.

I'm working out of Local # 378 (Oakland, Ca.) and we get a lot of overtime working at the local oil refineries, (12-hours a day 7-days a week for a couple of months on end are common)... long hours, but the paychecks are awesome...

perfect job, for someone with no family, no friends or girfriend, get paid tuns of cash for yourself, then if u get so depressed because of your life you can just trow yourself off

@Dr34dmoc According to OSHA, in the US at least, 'connectors' work open untethered with net 30' below or nothing below in certain situations. On tower or bridge construction, connectors are often way way up there with nowhere to tie to. Electricians/linemen often go 1700' with no tie off while climbing, but do tie off when there.

Anyone else notice the guy who does the talking at 40 seconds about not being tied off and such is actually 'tied off'......

Wow camera guy gets so close to the builder walking on those bars

I know ironworking was the last trade to have the tie off law but times change, I'm 20 years old and a 3rd year ironworker and I'm still seeing to many guys not tied off, I know these guys were all raised on the cowboy style walking the top flange of the beam but times change and so do rules, they say they won't fall but like my journeyman always says to me "no one goes to work in the morning planning on falling"

bloody phycos, no way in the world would I be up there doing that without a net, or a rope, or even wings. lol

I'm afraid of heights and my feet and hands started sweating like crazy watching this video.

Not even union ironworkers make $2,000 a week. Not even before taxes. I am a union crane operator and I make more than my ironworker boss

@Dr34dmoc................ I agree I too am a retired union Ironworker out of 396 but the first 20 of my 30 years you were very seldom allowed to be tied off.......If you wanted a safety Belt (No Harnesses back then) they would just find someone that didn't need to be tied off.

Holy shit they have balls I was scared looking down through the camera lol

I'M SCARED OF HEIGHTS!!

i get that horrible feeling just watching the video lol

I wouldn't like to be walking underneath When they miss the catch on the thrown tools!!!

Jesus and I thought going into my crappy janitorial job all hungover from the night before sucked, imagine coming into work puking, dizzy as hell, pounding headache, and your working on iron maybe 1000 feet above the ground

good idea

I tie off for me, and no one else! I wasn't saying I don't tie off, but, I would bet that %80+ of people under the guidelines of OSHA's rules, DON'T follow them! Good for you that you get good pay and benefits, AND are required to stay safe!

Im working to get my Red Seal in Canada for Local 97 and we are required to tie in, but I believe it is only the connectors that dont have to tie off? it almost makes things more dangerous with a lanyard and hook on point cause they dangle at your feet or force you to hook on once ever 2 ft. and production slows down. Ironworkers dont slow down, 2nd generation to a 40 year union member. IW pride best in the sky

Wow, I did a year of construction working with masonry and about the highest I was was about 60 feet up without any saftey gear. I couldn't imagine going any higher considering I'm still wierd about hieghts. Even watching this video makes my palms sweat. One question, why no harness? It seems like a few ounces of inconvenience for bigger saftey margin.

My grandfather did this back in the 1930’s

im going to start my apprenticeship next week I'm 18 and im excited and nervous to start working

harnesses can actually encumber the worker and make accidents more prevalent.

It's OSHA law, you have to wear a harness whenever you are more than 6-feert off the ground... I know, I'm an Ironworker myself...

@Loader2k They get paid more to do it faster. Nobody is forcing them to do that kind of work anyway.

Its natural. Think about it. How often do you get blown over by wind in your daily routine? Never. Right? We work carefully and take necessary precautions accordingly.

Throwing around a sledgehammer at 700ft? Yeah. Right. Do you know the terminal velocity of a sledgehammer, and what kind of energy it will get on the way down? That's four feet into the asphalt below.

holy shit! my balls shrinked just watching the video! I really admire people who have this kind of job... imagine risking their lives so that they can be a good provider to their family!

How is it so crazy the guy sitting on the edge talking has a rope tied to his back.

This kind of flagrent disregard for safety would never be allowed in the UK, you dare'nt fart without making out a risk assesment in triplicate first!!!

Thumbs up for that mate!!

No way. You guys a real men

They should be given a safety harness.

Real unsung heroes.

"It can be safe."

@jskeetz101 you need to find out what your local union is. Go and sign up ( you'll likely have to write a test just on basic math and such) after your signed up you'll be put on a job list to go to work. If you got hook-ups you can start right away. I think its a bit different for each local but look into it man, I just finished my apprenticeship and I've been working steady since I started. Great career move if you can stay busy. Good luck to all

ill take iron working over a desk job any day -Local 12 apprentice-