Ask a Construction Worker: A Freakonomics Quorum

Safety is an all-too-familiar issue in the construction industry — workers in Las Vegas are striking over it; in April, New York’s building commissioner resigned in light of more than 26 construction worker deaths in the city this year.

As for the two recent crane collapses in New York, Patrick Crean, a construction worker at the Freedom Tower site, suspects old equipment that’s not inspected enough.

Could it happen at the Freedom Tower site? Not a chance, he says. “We’re drowning in bureaucracy here.”

All workers at the Freedom Tower site are unionized and the Port Authority is involved, he explains. At less notable sites in Manhattan? Who knows.

Right to left: Gerard Gausman, Patrick Crean, Mike Berlingo, Annika Mengisen, Chris Berlingo, Mike Hamberg, Pat Moynihan.

I asked a few construction workers what they feel about safety, their jobs, and their water cooler conversations (and got a great photo op in the process).

Here are their answers:

Tom Kelly, worked in four states from 1979 to 1989, current member of Laborer’s International Union of North America, Local 147.

How long in construction: 10 years.
Commute: Longest: about 25 miles, shortest: about 100 yards.
Salary: From $50k to $100K. Benefits (medical and dental) for union jobs only.

What’s one safety rule you would initiate at your workplace? What rules are unnecessary?

On union jobs the safety rules tend to be comprehensive, and effectively enforced. On non-union jobs — haha.

Many non union jobs are criminally negligent about safety. And after years of Republican rule of federal government there is little realistic enforcement. In other countries when workers are killed in, say, a building collapse, somebody goes to prison when negligence is proven. Here they might be fined a paltry sum.

I have yet to encounter a safety rule that was unnecessary. Although some are annoying — like wearing masks.

What’s one thing you’d change about the design of a current or past project you’ve worked on or the way it is/was being built?

I would have included a penthouse apartment for myself on top of one of the condo towers I worked on.

What’s your favorite lunch? Drink?

Lunch – spinach salad with grilled chicken. Drink – New York City tap water brought to us by the sandhogs.

Do you currently see construction work as more or less dangerous than before you started doing it? What affected your perception?

Not to beat the same drum, but: on union jobs there’s always a greater sense of safety — even more so today than back in the late 70’s/ early 80’s when I broke in.

Why is this? I think the building trades have gotten more sophisticated in their training and even more vigilant — there is less acceptance of injuries than there used to be. A generation ago it was taken for granted that you would get hurt working construction and there was a real macho attitude about it.

I remember more funerals back in the day.

What would make construction work not worth it to you anymore?

Complete destruction of the union movement.

What’s a prominent misconception about your job?

It’s a lot more interesting and fun than most people might guess. For example: the complexity of the various processes that are involved.

Most construction workers — no matter what their trade or how narrow their job description — are fascinated by the entire scope of a project and proud to be a part of it. Another thing many don’t realize is the intense pride the men and women take in being part of creating something that will last for decades or even centuries. They take ownership of the project — as in, “I built this tower or that bridge or that tunnel.”

What do you and your co-workers talk about the most?

I have had conversations ranging from Proust to comparative political theory to appreciation of the female form.

What’s the most memorable thing a co-worker has said?

It’s a toss-up between 1) “Haha — a Shakespeare book — that stuff any good?” and 2) “Jesus Christ, we should all be dead.”

How often do you estimate corners are cut on construction projects? When was the last time you saw this happening?

There are many unscrupulous companies that would pave over their mothers for a buck — and many others that always strive to do right.

Because of intense competition almost all look for angles. The profit margins are so narrow on a big job that if a contractor can pay some guys off the books or use materials that are maybe somewhat substandard (and cheaper) they often try. I worked on a project where the contractor consistently tried to stiff us on overtime pay — would literally lie to your face about it.

Workers at the Freedom Tower site.

Matthew Sorrell , project engineer.

How long in construction: One season as a laborer for an excavation company, 2 years as a construction inspector, and 4 years for an engineering company.
Commute: About 45 minutes.
Salary: Around $27 per hour. “Or quite a bit more than my starting salary as an engineer … Because I worked for an open shop, I did not receive any actual benefits, but my hourly rate was increased so that I could buy my own insurance.”

What’s one safety rule you would initiate at your workplace? What rules are unnecessary?

I can’t think of any specific “rule” I would initiate … 98 percent of safety is just paying attention to what you are doing and to your surroundings.

You can’t mandate good judgment. Although many of the rules are good and grounded in common sense (they do create a general “culture” of safety), sometimes the letter of the law, so to speak, is enforced too much.

Many times you stand there and say, “I understand why this rule exists, but when applied blindly in this situation, it just doesn’t make sense.”

What’s one thing you’d change about the design of a current or past project you’ve worked on or the way it is/was being built?

Every project is different so it is difficult to say what aspect of a design I would change without giving the entire history of the job.

I guess if I had to pick one general item, I would say that often times it seems as if little attention is paid to site constraints. It is often difficult to get the proper equipment into tight sites, and it always seems like on every job you will find yourself trying to exit out of a construction site — with a loaded truck — and trying to accelerate into traffic on a busy road, near a blind curve.

What’s your favorite lunch? Drink?

My favorite lunch on a construction site was this time when we were working on a bridge job in December. It was the day before we were shutting down for Christmas and New Years, and some of the guys brought in deer meat; another guy, who kept pigs, brought in some homemade bacon and sausage.

We started a fire in a 55-gallon drum and roasted the meat over the wood fire. It hit the spot as the snow fell around on a chilly afternoon — beat the food at most office parties I have been to.

As far as drink — one guy always kept a cooler in the back of his truck. Every night on his way home, he would buy a six-pack of Labatts Blue, and fill the cooler with ice. By 5 p.m. the next day, the ice had melted and the beers were just right. Tasted good after a hot day in the sun.

Do you currently see construction work as more or less dangerous than before you started doing it? What affected your perception?

After working construction, I perceive it as less dangerous than I did before.

Of course, there are hundreds of ways to kill or maim yourself when using power tools in a fast-paced environment, but as I said, 98 percent of safety is paying attention.

Because the work is potentially dangerous, guys tend to watch what they are doing. Of course, when guys get comfortable, that’s when accidents happen. In general though, I feel safer when working around an experienced crane operator (i.e. a guy who knows what he is doing) than when driving behind someone who is talking on her cell phone while trying to switch lanes (or not paying attention).

What would make construction work not worth it to you anymore?

When actually getting the work done becomes less important than how it is done (can’t use a rock crusher because it is too loud for the neighborhood, can’t drive a truck down a certain road because it is too dusty and complaints have been received, can’t eat lunch in certain areas because local residents don’t want to see “grotesque” workers eating, etc. All really happened, including use of the word “grotesque.”), it is time for me to get out of the industry.

What’s a prominent misconception about your job?

The biggest misconception, by far, is the stereotype of the dumb brute construction worker. Although I have met my share of dummies on sites, many of the guys I have worked with are/were sharply intelligent. You can’t build a bridge across a river, put up a high-rise building, or install a complete HVAC system if you are an idiot.

True, a lot of guys might not be able to tell you a lot about Rousseau‘s essays, and how they relate to the current socio-economic situation, but I haven’t met many Political Science majors who could dewater an excavation, lay out piles, or switch out the hydraulic line on a backhoe. Lack of a college degree does not equal “stoopid.” You’d be surprised at the conversations you’d have with some guys.

What do you and your co-workers talk about the most?

Of course, after my last answer talking up the intellect of Joe Worker, in my estimation, the most popular topics of conversation on site are 1) how generally f-ed up the guys in charge are 2) deer hunting 3) the f-ups the guys in charge made on the last three jobs 4) the latest and greatest f-ups by the guys in charge 5) women.

What’s the most memorable thing a co-worker has said?

Many memorable things have been said, but the first one that comes to mind right now is an old mason, who just simply said, “There’s always someone bigger.”

Some guy was bragging about something or other, and this guy wasn’t having any of it — shut him right up. It’s good advice too.

How often do you estimate corners are cut on construction projects? When was the last time you saw this happening?

There is always a game that is being played; contractors are always trying to get over. Most of the time though, it is just optimizing a design, or making something more efficient, and half the time these guys just think they are getting over; they’d step over a dollar to pick up a dime sometimes.

I haven’t seen any real blatant “corner-cutting” though. Whether that is because contractors are genuinely looking out for their fellow man and are working for the common good, or whether in this day and age, they are just savvy enough to realize that though they could maybe save a hundred bucks by not doing something, should something go wrong they are going to be the lead defendant in a $100 million lawsuit — I don’t know.

If salary wasn’t a consideration (all jobs paid the same), and you could choose any occupation, what would you be happiest doing?

If salary weren’t an option, I guess I could do anything where I was my own boss. Whether that’s running a fishing boat, or a restaurant. If you are working for yourself, you aren’t really working.

Patrick H. Crean, carpenter shop steward, Carpenters Local 608, Callavino Construction

Most recent job location: World Trade Center Freedom Tower.
How long in construction: 24 years.
Commute: 2 hours each way.
Salary: $75,000 plus, union pension, dental and medical plans — including scholarship funds for children of union members and a hardship fund for members in need.

What’s one safety rule you would initiate at your workplace? What rules are unnecessary?

If given the opportunity, I would enforce the use of personal protective equipment and that all workers be responsible to utilize the correct protective equipment for the specific task at hand. In addition, I would initiate a fall protection plan for individual job designation.

What’s your favorite lunch? Drink?

The favorite lunch of the crew would have to be the Italian Combo Hero from Parises Deli on Mott Street with a cold bottle of water!

Do you currently see construction work as more or less dangerous than before you started doing it? What affected your perception?

The dangers of the profession are ever present; however the New York City District Council of Carpenters Health and Safety Department, which is headed by John McGrail, has implemented many safety programs and job-specific certification programs to prepare apprentices and journeymen thoroughly to work in an efficient and safe manner.

What would make construction work not worth it to you anymore?

If union rules, training, and wages were no longer enforced.

What’s a prominent misconception about your job?

That all construction sites are manned with skilled union workers. The fact is, there are many non-union construction sites that are being manned by unskilled and untrained individuals.

What’s the most memorable thing a co-worker has said?

“Work like the professional you are and keep your union strong.”

How often do you estimate corners are cut on construction projects? When is the last time you saw this happening?

On union jobs everything is done in accordance with engineer drawings and no corners are cut.

If salary wasn’t a consideration (all jobs paid the same), and you could choose any occupation, what would you be happiest doing?

I would like to be in charge of the Department of Labor so that I could award all contracts to union contractors who employ highly trained and skilled individuals.