20 Incredible Photos of the Construction of the Empire State Building

History Collection ^ | 7/23/17 | Jacob Miller

[metmom]

There had to be accidents.

I wonder how many guys lost their lives from falling.

[T.B. Yoits]

In the middle of the Great Depression MEN built that building in under a year and a half while today it would take 4 to 5 years.

It was because it was in the Great Depression that the builders could hire all the extra talent they needed for cheap.

You could build that building today in in under a year and a half IF you were willing to pay top dollar for all the designers, planners, and construction workers.

[Scrambler Bob]

Where was the photographer located; did he have to hang out on stuff like the workers?

[T.B. Yoits]

Despite an astonishing lack of safety regulations, only five workers died during construction.

Two things:

1. Because of the Great Depression, crews could hire the best since workers had few other options. Such talent is much less likely to screw up and get themselves or someone else killed.

2. Safety regulations, while needed, can also give the false impression of a safe situation, where if you knew it was all on you and your coworkers instead of some control box or procedure from a manufacturer, you'd make sure you were paying attention.

[Bon of Babble]

Amazing how brave those guys were.

[PeterPrinciple]

Despite an astonishing lack of safety regulations, only five workers died during construction.

---

That is the most interesting observation.

It doesn’t include injuries I am sure

What have all the federal safety regulation actually done?

Is it time to turn OSHA back to the states too?

legal ramification which didn’t exist then, might be enough today.

[PeterPrinciple]

I get queezy just looking at those pictures!

---

yep, one guy is smoking a cigarette!

[dfwgator]

[PeterPrinciple]

Actually, the lunch boxes are interesting. One says GO VOTE? made of paper? toss them when you are done. No metal lunch box to drop on someone’s head.

[volare737]

Yep, loved the Stooge’s version of construction back then…lol.

[1Old Pro]

don’t see many safety harnesses...

[PGR88]

Guy on the far right is holding a whiskey bottle.

Imagine such a photo getting out today?

[PeterPrinciple]

so the bottom one is original? If you do fall, you don’t reach out and take someone with you? same reason you don’t bunch up in combat.

[aquila48]

I guess OSHA wasn’t around then.

[dancusa]

Fun fact: Many Mohawk Indians were involved in the labor force in those days of building skyscrapers. They were fearless for not being scared of heights.

[cowboyusa]

My Great- Grandfather helped to build it.

[albie]

They did what they had to do to feed their families! I would bet they were very well paid

[TexasGator]

“Guy on the far right is holding a whiskey bottle.

Imagine such a photo getting out today?”

He couldn’t afford a Yeti.

[fella]

During that time my Dad was a rivet tosser on the George Washington Bridge then a Sand Hog in the Holland tunnel.

[PeterPrinciple]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohawk_skywalkers

didn’t know that.