Five Signs You’re a Hard Hat Worker

1) You take safety more seriously than most

Your safety obsession is most obvious anytime a visitor (‘civilian’) enters the worksite. They probably don’t know the correct protocol but you do. You might expect that visitors would be polite but you would be disappointed! Despite their lack of knowledge and the fact they’re relying on the help of others, visitors often stroll around a worksite like they own the place, not giving workers the time of day. Fortunately for the visitor, the only thing you hate more than rudeness is safety violations, so you’re constantly on the lookout for exposed wires and equipment that’s not properly safeguarded. It’s your job to make sure the visitor doesn’t endanger themselves and others.

2) You roll your eyes when you hear someone in a suit complaining that they’re exhausted from working

Oh, you had a hard time at your 9-5?

You were stuck in a traffic jam for 20 minutes on your morning commute?

You’re tired after sitting in a comfortable chair in an air-conditioned office?

Oh, poor you!

Try switching your office for a worksite. Try working outside in all seasons, from blistering heat to freezing cold, getting up at 4am every day. Hard hat workers don’t have the option to change the settings on the AC, they just get on with their job. As for the actual work, office jobs obviously come with stress but there’s not much comparison with moving numbers around a spreadsheet and moving heavy equipment around a worksite. Of course, office work can be hard work but don’t expect much sympathy from hard hat workers when you start moaning!

3) You always have the weather channel on

For most people, weather influences their job to the extent of “Should I bring an umbrella on my commute?” The biggest weather risk is that weekend’s barbeque. For hard hat workers, the weather influences how they do their job. Employers aren’t too keen on giving worker’s days off because of weather, so you expect to be working in monsoons and heat waves. When the weather’s bad, your primary concern is your safety and the safety of your fellow workers, so you keep a watchful eye on the weather and adjust your PPE and work practices accordingly.

4) You’re interested in food, and not just how it tastes

For most workers in the developed world, food is just for enjoyment.
For you, it’s fuel. You need food, not just to keep you energized for performing physical labor, but also for keeping you mentally sharp. Accidents happen when concentration slips so you know the importance of staying mentally acute. You know how important carbohydrates are for fuelling you on the worksite. You should concentrate on the good carbohydrates like black beans and whole wheat pasta, combined with a good mix of proteins like fish and lean meats to keep you energized and avoid mental sluggishness.

5) You can’t leave your work at the office

Now, this is partly because you don’t work in an office. Unless you count hanging off a 40-storey skyscraper as an office. Great view but a tad uncomfortable in that harness.

You’re the kind of person who goes on vacation to Paris and criticizes the shoddy workmanship of the riveting in the Eiffel Tower. You’re the kind of person who dreams about owning a little workshop in your house. You’re the kind of person who takes Lego more seriously than your kid.

You’re the kind of person who can’t imagine working in an office because you like the feeling of having earned your pay check after an honest day’s hard work.