A steeplejack is a skilled construction worker who installs, maintains, and repairs tall structures and buildings. He or she may work on church steeples, bell towers, skyscrapers, and other structures that require advanced scaling techniques. Safety ropes, bosun’s chairs, ladders, and scaffolds are among the specialized equipment used by professionals when performing repairs. Even with proper safety precautions, steeplejacking is a dangerous job that requires a high level of confidence and skill. The majority of steeplejacks work for contracting firms that offer a variety of services.
On large-scale jobs, steeplejacks rarely work alone. Instead, men and women work in teams to ensure that installation and repair work is done correctly. Steeplejacks build scaffolding and ladders to work on short structures like church steeples. If a new steeple is to be built, one crew member will operate a crane while others maneuver and secure the steeple into place. Steeplejacks may need to cut away a damaged metal or wooden piece and hammer, screw, or weld a new one in its place to complete a repair job. Structures are also painted or finished by professionals to improve their aesthetics and weather resistance.
Steeplejacks use safety ropes and harnesses to descend from the top of buildings for maintenance work on tall structures like skyscrapers. A bosun’s chair, a type of plank or seat that allows the expert to move up, down, and side-to-side while hanging from the building, is frequently used. They can replace a broken window or worn bricks once they’ve been installed. Many steeplejack companies also provide high-rise apartment and office building window cleaning services.
Although there are no formal educational requirements to work as a steeplejack, many would-be workers enroll in technical school programs to improve their construction skills. Before a new employee is permitted to begin scaling buildings, he or she must typically complete several safety training courses and practice their techniques on the ground. Steeplejacks usually start their careers as apprentices to more experienced workers, learning various tasks before going out on their own. Apprenticeships can last anywhere from six months to five years, depending on the policies of the company and local laws governing the types of jobs that workers are permitted to do.
Individuals who complete internships successfully in many countries are awarded professional certification. Within steeplejack companies, a certified worker usually has a variety of job opportunities and opportunities for advancement. Some professionals decide to start their own contracting business, where they will perform both administrative and repair and maintenance work.