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Gro-Pro at the WTC


mrs.cos

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Prepare to be dizzy.

 

 

 

I just cannot fathom .. seriously.

 

I am just dumbfounded at the feats of what man can do. My stomach was doing leaps and bounds watching that.. and then the end.. 4 guys working on a platform barely big enough for all of them with a GRATED floor and only wire railings...

 

Brave men. seriously brave men.

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Wow that shits crazy! I have a fear of falling off of something high and damn that nails it spot on. Not scared about being high up in a building or anything, it just gets to me when im leaning over something really high.
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holy cow. I kept looking down at the cars on the street and that is unreal. I wonder how they got from platform to platform to the top

 

Those guys free climbed up to the platform, they are tied off with harness's, and for 1k an hour, it's not bad work.

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1k an hour?! SERIOUSLY? I could come over my fear for that amount of money for sure.

 

I highly doubt that figure. My grandfather and great grandfather were both highrise iron workers and i've never heard of anyone making 1k/hr.

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I highly doubt that figure. My grandfather and great grandfather were both highrise iron workers and i've never heard of anyone making 1k/hr.

 

How long ago was that? I can assure you that working in a high RF field, 1000+ feet, the pay is what I said.

 

Hell, they were offering radio guys that same pay during Katrina to rebuild infrastructure. Believe me, the pay is commensurate of the job, if you don't believe it, go climb a 100ft tower, then get back with me.

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How long ago was that? I can assure you that working in a high RF field, 1000+ feet, the pay is what I said.

 

Hell, they were offering radio guys that same pay during Katrina to rebuild infrastructure. Believe me, the pay is commensurate of the job, if you don't believe it, go climb a 100ft tower, then get back with me.

 

RF Tower work is NOT the same as high rise construction or iron working. I would suspect that if the pay is as you claim, their work is very unsteady/minimal which would be the reason for the supposed rate. Furthermore, high rates are common with other areas of dangerous fabrication but they typically pay by the job, not the hour. Sure the hourly wage may SEEM high when you do the best case math (such as the claimed 1k/hr) but in fact since it's paid by the job, delays make your actual rate far more in line with normal pay rates.

 

Anyway, I have been at elevations exceeding 300ft. I can assure you, the rate was nowhere near the claimed 1k/hr, but it was in fact paid by the job. Some jobs get completed quickly, some not. Overall, it averages out to a typical pay rate and is not all it is cracked up to be.

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RF Tower work is NOT the same as high rise construction or iron working. I would suspect that if the pay is as you claim, their work is very unsteady/minimal which would be the reason for the supposed rate. Furthermore, high rates are common with other areas of dangerous fabrication but they typically pay by the job, not the hour. Sure the hourly wage may SEEM high when you do the best case math (such as the claimed 1k/hr) but in fact since it's paid by the job, delays make your actual rate far more in line with normal pay rates.

 

Anyway, I have been at elevations exceeding 300ft. I can assure you, the rate was nowhere near the claimed 1k/hr, but it was in fact paid by the job. Some jobs get completed quickly, some not. Overall, it averages out to a typical pay rate and is not all it is cracked up to be.

 

Katrina did involve dodging bullets, several guys were shot while working on sites. Hence, the pay. I have a buddy that services the Sears tower site in Chicago, a nice free climb off the top to service the antenna's. His work is steady, I joke with him about how much he glows at night.

 

I will imagine your actual fee is going to be determined on the job, location etc., I can say from experience, that 950 feet on a tower, you earn your pay, no matter what the figure.

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Katrina did involve dodging bullets, several guys were shot while working on sites. Hence, the pay. I have a buddy that services the Sears tower site in Chicago, a nice free climb off the top to service the antenna's. His work is steady, I joke with him about how much he glows at night.

 

I will imagine your actual fee is going to be determined on the job, location etc., I can say from experience, that 950 feet on a tower, you earn your pay, no matter what the figure.

 

I used to get hazard pay when I worked at a factory in Detroit. We would get shot at when we had to go on the roof to work on the air handling units. My pay was no where near $1k/hr nor even remotely close. I'm waiting for documented examples before I believe any of this, but for grins let's do some simple math on the average work year:

52 weeks/yr, 5 days a week = 260 days

-2 weeks vacation = 10 days

-federal holidays = 10 days

 

That leaves us with an average of 240 working days per year @ 8 hours a day for a total of 1920 hours per year. Once again, we're talking average here so bear with me. Lets take that and multiply it by $1k/hr..... DRUMROLL..... $1,920,000

 

I'm sorry but not for one second do I believe they are pulling in ~$2/mil a year. Contractors that were sent to rebuild Afghanistan weren't even pulling in that much and they were getting blown up or kidnapped. Though, some rumors claim it is possible to earn that much in Afghanistan, even if so, it was NOT typical and very highly unlikely.

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Now, here's some more to chew on.....

http://www.rpa-cui.org/2011/06/crane-operators-top-500000-in-pay-benefits.html

 

A crane operator in New York City earns $82.15 an hour in base pay and benefits, according to the Engineer News-Record, a trade publication.

 

That's a far cry from $1k/hr. Furthermore, they can pull in a very good salary overall, but the bulk of it is in overtime and benefits.

 

But the real reason New York crane operators and other operating engineers earn such big salaries is overtime and benefits. A relief crane operator working 56 hours of overtime per week for 52 weeks will earn $332,667 in overtime and $159,053 in overtime benefits at the World Trade Center.

 

Still, nowhere near $1k/hr and this is reported to be actual figures from the actual site you are referring to.

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Considering I nearly rolled a Bobcat when I was digging up my old asphalt driveway, I appreciate crane operators that have a very delicate touch for handling such massive structures at such extreme construction settings.

 

Pay the men what they deserve. Also, I'm curious how they bolt that last piece on the support structure the men were standing on?

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Now, here's some more to chew on.....

http://www.rpa-cui.org/2011/06/crane-operators-top-500000-in-pay-benefits.html

 

 

 

That's a far cry from $1k/hr. Furthermore, they can pull in a very good salary overall, but the bulk of it is in overtime and benefits.

 

 

 

Still, nowhere near $1k/hr and this is reported to be actual figures from the actual site you are referring to.

 

Your right, not every job is at that rate, it is a rare occurrence that you work on a job like that, but when you do, the pay is there.

 

I did a job in Kentucky a few years back, pay wound up being $906.25 an hour. I won't provide my tax info for you to verify that though.

 

I also never said that this was a 40hr a week permanent job. I believe you jumped on that bandwagon.

 

As far as Afghanistan, there were quite a few jobs that were offered for 1 million a year, I know several people who took them. Not a normal pay rate, but that's what that job was paying, because it never happened in your life doesn't change the fact that those jobs/offers are out there.

 

No real clue why you are so wound up about it. The pay is not the norm, neither is the job, it takes special skills, training, ability and tools, that's about it

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Considering I nearly rolled a Bobcat when I was digging up my old asphalt driveway, I appreciate crane operators that have a very delicate touch for handling such massive structures at such extreme construction settings.

 

Pay the men what they deserve. Also, I'm curious how they bolt that last piece on the support structure the men were standing on?

 

If it's an antenna tower, your on the top plate where the beacon is, you are tied off though..... not that it makes it any better.

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Your right, not every job is at that rate, it is a rare occurrence that you work on a job like that, but when you do, the pay is there.

 

I did a job in Kentucky a few years back, pay wound up being $906.25 an hour. I won't provide my tax info for you to verify that though.

 

I also never said that this was a 40hr a week permanent job. I believe you jumped on that bandwagon.

 

As far as Afghanistan, there were quite a few jobs that were offered for 1 million a year, I know several people who took them. Not a normal pay rate, but that's what that job was paying, because it never happened in your life doesn't change the fact that those jobs/offers are out there.

 

No real clue why you are so wound up about it. The pay is not the norm, neither is the job, it takes special skills, training, ability and tools, that's about it

 

You are the one that inferred those guys were getting paid $1k/hr, I didn't. I simply doubted that statement and backed it up with fact. You have yet to provide one shred of fact to the contrary.

 

EDIT: and if you want to get into an e-penis contest I'll gladly whip out my W2's for all my highrise work and show where i've been and what I know. I have no problem backing up my statements, I only expect the same courtesy before slinging bullshit.

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You are the one that inferred those guys were getting paid $1k/hr, I didn't. I simply doubted that statement and backed it up with fact. You have yet to provide one shred of fact to the contrary.

 

EDIT: and if you want to get into an e-penis contest I'll gladly whip out my Wa2's for all my highrise work and show where i've been and what I know. I have no problem backing up my statements, I only expect the same courtesy before slinging bullshit.

 

No bullshit slinging involved, so what your saying is without proof, those pay scales don't exist? Then I won't tell you about the trucking industry and government contracts......... Those guys were getting $17-19 a mile to haul missile components, but since it's not listed anywhere, it never happened. 60 miles in an hour, most of that stuff going to the Midwest, I wonder what that works out to an hour? Is the work at that rate consistent, nope, and neither are jobs climbing 1500 foot towers.

 

It's OK by me if you doubt anything, I don't care one way or the other, I merely stated what I have heard from others in that industry. Sorry there is no documentation to fill the void for you. Some jobs just pay what they pay because people want the work completed.

 

As I have done in the past with projects I needed completed, I pay 10 times more than the standard rate because I want qualified and competent people to do the job and get it done. There is no paperwork on those either.............

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No bullshit slinging involved, so what your saying is without proof, those pay scales don't exist? Then I won't tell you about the trucking industry and government contracts......... Those guys were getting $17-19 a mile to haul missile components, but since it's not listed anywhere, it never happened. 60 miles in an hour, most of that stuff going to the Midwest, I wonder what that works out to an hour? Is the work at that rate consistent, nope, and neither are jobs climbing 1500 foot towers.

 

It's OK by me if you doubt anything, I don't care one way or the other, I merely stated what I have heard from others in that industry. Sorry there is no documentation to fill the void for you. Some jobs just pay what they pay because people want the work completed.

 

As I have done in the past with projects I needed completed, I pay 10 times more than the standard rate because I want qualified and competent people to do the job and get it done. There is no paperwork on those either.............

 

That's EXACTLY what I was talking about in the beginning.... Typical way to spin it to shed the best light on the best case scenario. Like I said IN THE BEGINNING, it's paid by the job, NOT THE HOUR. JFC, get with the program and stop trying to twist up your bullshit.

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That's EXACTLY what I was talking about in the beginning.... Typical way to spin it to shed the best light on the best case scenario. Like I said IN THE BEGINNING, it's paid by the job, NOT THE HOUR. JFC, get with the program and stop trying to twist up your bullshit.

 

Still, no bullshit involved or twisted bullshit, a friend owns a radio shop in Chicago. When I asked, that is what I was told, and he charges way more than that and then pays his guys accordingly. For said job, it "may" pay the 1k an hour, depends on the need and the danger involved

 

Everything is relative at that height so really nothing to be scared of. Once you over 5-6 stories, if you fall you are 99% dead. So whats the difference if you are 1000 feet or 100 feet.

 

The higher you are up, the more air time you'll get? I guy I work with used to do tower work, the 60 foot fall didn't kill him, but 35 years later he is definitely paying the price, hip problems, back problems, the initial fall only broke his jaw, both wrists, a leg and broke a few ribs...... and knocked out most of his teeth, he was the first 40 year old I ever met with complete upper and lower dentures(that I knew about), I am sure there are others, but I have no proof.

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