Cussing on the job site!

[Minuteman]

Kinda hard to do... not many candidates will tromp into your office spewing out filth during an interview.

Yeah, that would make it too easy.

 

[e57]

J-box - you obviously did not get the prober jest in the tone of "Devils Advocate Man"

But that said:

1. Within earshot is eavesdropping when you have focused on the content IMO. It does not sound as if these two guys were speaking directly to your client, nor are we here aware of the distance and barriers between them. Nor does it sound as if they were aware she was listening in either.....
2. Cultural differences and stereotypes do exist in our society and certain people gravitate one way or the other, or in many directions in them. Should we label all in one section as one type of people - NO. Should we make everyone conform to one standard - definitely not. And should we be respectful of the differences definitely yes.... For instance I do not write the way I speak on this web-site, and adhere to its many other varied rules.... I also speak to and with my wife and friends in one way, and to my 73YO English (very "Lady" like) mother-in-law in another. I also speak to and with clients in one way, and to and with friends on-site that I work with in another. Southern women I have dated before want to be treated and spoken to in one way, where as Northern women of either coast are much more relaxed about many things. Part of the dictionary and certain subject are considered taboo in some areas of the country and fair game in others - we could go on and on.... But people are different.... Should we judge everyone by one standard? Should we neuter everyone and have nice happy little silent drones as worker bees - of course not!
3. An operational home or business is one environment, a construction site is another. Once you start to blend the two together there are certain consessions to be made on both parts. And this is much broader than language or conversational context, noise, dust, general interruption, etc. And yes - you will find one type of people who gravitate toward construction labor, and another to being the Principal of a school. If you and your GC's want less interaction between the two you need to create barriers of both policy and physical barriers between them. Many will build actual physical walls - big plywood and 2X panels that bolt together and go from site to site. Inside the walls is a construction site - outside is the rest of the unsavory world. All visitors get a nice bright orange hard hat so the guys know whom not to make "Yo Mama" jokes around and go work at further than ear-shot range from... As a worker - I have no idea how many times I have held a Hilti gun or hammer-drill in my hands WAITING for someone who is NOT supposed to be there to move on. I see this as no different than that. Also as a Foreman - I can not count the times where I have given the chopped neck hand gesture to guys and told them to either move somewhere else to work, or take a coffee break while I walk a client around. Why - Because often those guys are involved in swinging around conduit, using noisy or dust producing equipment and telling "Yo Mama" jokes.....

 

[j-box]

Kinda hard to do... not many candidates will tromp into your office spewing out filth during an interview.

The way to bring this kinda behavior out in a person during an interview is asking "Yo dude did you bring some gobble-goo" works everytime.

 

[Tori]

LOl what are you ? a bunch of pansys ?

Try working on a tall building with 500 electricians you think 4 letter words don't come out ? and I mean even the gc is involved

foul language does'nt mean I am not a top notch electrician - I make serious money for my boss I am fast and I am aggressive and damn it I use colorful language
just to understood

Offended ? then get off the site while we get her done

 

[76nemo]

LOl what are you ? a bunch of pansys ?

Try working on a tall building with 500 electricians you think 4 letter words don't come out ? and I mean even the gc is involved

foul language does'nt mean I am not a top notch electrician - I make serious money for my boss I am fast and I am aggressive and damn it I use colorful language
just to understood

Offended ? then get off the site while we get her done

If there is anyone else except your fellow brothers working, I have to disagree. I especially watch my language around the ladies, and end users.
I think you're nuts if you don't care, or think that it won't affect you in some negative way!

 

[e57]

The way to bring this kinda behavior out in a person during an interview is asking "Yo dude did you bring some gobble-goo" works everytime.

I don't get it.....

So are you looking for, a correct answer?

A#1: "WHAT?!"
or
A#2: "WHAT....?!" (Superfluous verbiage omitted)

I doubt any method would be effective in an interview process as the environment is skewed toward a shut off of normal behavior - and don't fool yourself into thinking that any person would maintain the same social posture that they would the day you interviewed them for the rest of time....

Maybe another method would be to put the person at ease by swearing profusely, and bait them with sexist or racist remarks, maybe some Howard Stern on the radio in the back round during the interview, and see if they reciprocate..... (Or are you trying to do that with "Gobble-Goo" - you might want to try harder....) The ones who leave with their sensibilities offended you can call back and explain the tactic to in a second interview....

 

[220/221]

I swear like a mofo when I am struggling with something at work but TRY to be aware of my surroundings. I often catch myself and offer a loud apology to anyone who may have been with earshot.

Don't blow it out of proportion. Have a company meeting and ask people to be AWARE of their surroundings and respectful to the clients.

Cuss happens.

 

[melanconelectric]

I agree, i've worked entirely too hard to build my reputation to have it demolished by someone who is completely oblivious to the fact. I simply will not tolerate that type of behavior.

 

[roger]

LOl what are you ? a bunch of pansys ?

Try working on a tall building with 500 electricians you think 4 letter words don't come out ? and I mean even the gc is involved

foul language does'nt mean I am not a top notch electrician - I make serious money for my boss I am fast and I am aggressive and damn it I use colorful language
just to understood

Offended ? then get off the site while we get her done

You missed the point of the thread, it has nothing to do with being deep in the bowels of a construction site, on a fishing boat, in your car, in the pool hall, etc..., if you read the OP it is dealing with being in public areas with customers in earshot.

Once again as I said earlier, if employees are rude, have no common courtesy, respect, or if they're plain ignorant, they're down the road, I don't need them.

Roger

 

[220/221]

A young child came in to see the principle one day with concerns about the construction workers language. The principle explained to the child that these were hard working blue collar men who generally called a spade a spade. The child looks up at the principle and says, "But they called it a effing shovel"

 

[e57]

Ahh... Saw the "Little Johnny " jokes coming at some point....

 

[Minuteman]

A young child came in to see the principle one day with concerns about the construction workers language. The principle explained to the child that these were hard working blue collar men who generally called a spade a spade. The child looks up at the principle and says, "But they called it a effing shovel"

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are.

 

[ceknight]

......The child looks up at the principle and says, "But they called it a effing shovel"

Reminds me of this house they were building down the road. A little neighbor kid liked to stand around watching the workmen, and often brought them lemonade and talked to them when they were taking breaks. After a week they gave her $5 for her loyal supervision (and the lemonade...).

Her parents brought her to their bank, she wanted to open a savings account with her crisp new $5 bill. They bank teller asked her how she got the money, and the girl proudly said "I was helping some men build a house!" The teller asked if she was going to help them next week, too. To which the girl replied "Sure, if the $*%#!@* electrician ever gets his &^$ there and does his job."

 

[j-box]

I don't get it.....

:roll: i know u don't. anyway e57 lighten up and laugh a little take a look at lawn guy's post and click on the link he posted, then you too will be asking about the gobble goo.


Hey iwire why is my post looking so goofy i need ur help again


Both times you have cut off [/ from in front of the last quote]

 

[iwire]

LOl what are you ? a bunch of pansys ?

Now that is just plain funny.

Yeah, people call me a pansy all the time in person. :grin:

Roger explained it well already, it's time and place.

I don't care if your the fastest, most proficient electrician in the industry, if your foul mouth upsets the customer and costs us work you would be gone in a single heartbeat.

It has nothing to do with being a pansy, it has to do with keeping the work coming in.

Trust me, I have worked the large jobs that you describe and I know how it is, I even like it.......but again......time and place.


Here is good example, I work at, and often run a crew at a large factory that has a very nice cafeteria for break and lunch. My crew is one of a very few subcontractors that are allowed to use the cafe.

Why?

Because my crew knows how to behave in a mixed crowd, the other trades are stuck eating brown bag lunch out in their cars, while we get a selection of subsidized good meals.

 

[electricalperson]

swearing on the jobsite is unprofessional. even if the customer is not there.

 

[76nemo]

Now that is just plain funny.

Yeah, people call me a pansy all the time in person. :grin:

Roger explained it well already, it's time and place.

I don't care if your the fastest, most proficient electrician in the industry, if your foul mouth upsets the customer and costs us work you would be gone in a single heartbeat.

It has nothing to do with being a pansy, it has to do with keeping the work coming in.

Trust me, I have worked the large jobs that you describe and I know how it is, I even like it.......but again......time and place.


Here is good example, I work at, and often run a crew at a large factory that has a very nice cafeteria for break and lunch. My crew is one of a very few subcontractors that are allowed to use the cafe.

Why?

Because my crew knows how to behave in a mixed crowd, the other trades are stuck eating brown bag lunch out in their cars, while we get a selection of subsidized good meals.

Bob, you have been hard on a couple of my responses, but here, here, I agree whole-heartedly. It doesn't take a whole lot to make a difference, this is a perfect example. Watch your mouth, the new owner may be standing right behind you. I have had fellows talk to me about s*xual things on the jobsite, I feel like taking them aside behind the building and raising them by their neck.

You better watch what you say around me and my help. You're crossing a VERY fine line!

 

[Tori]

Now that is just plain funny.

Yeah, people call me a pansy all the time in person. :grin:

Roger explained it well already, it's time and place.

I don't care if your the fastest, most proficient electrician in the industry, if your foul mouth upsets the customer and costs us work you would be gone in a single heartbeat.

It has nothing to do with being a pansy, it has to do with keeping the work coming in.

Trust me, I have worked the large jobs that you describe and I know how it is, I even like it.......but again......time and place.


Here is good example, I work at, and often run a crew at a large factory that has a very nice cafeteria for break and lunch. My crew is one of a very few subcontractors that are allowed to use the cafe.

Why?

Because my crew knows how to behave in a mixed crowd, the other trades are stuck eating brown bag lunch out in their cars, while we get a selection of subsidized good meals.

Nothing to argue there, if it costs us the job that would be pretty upsetting and yes I certainly know when to watch my mouth
- it was in jest and true -
although the new construction bussiness -commercail and industrial we bring in the real workers - they aren't pretty and they aren't refined nor clean and they joke and laugh and tease and cuss and if you don't like it you can go somewhere else because you are definatly the minority.
then they pack up their lunch boxes and get on the train and the civilised side comes out for 95% of them anyway for the ride towards home

 

[dbuckley]

To which the girl replied "Sure, if the $*%#!@* electrician ever gets his &^$ there and does his job."

I've not heard that one this century, but it's still funny.

As they say, the old ones are the old ones...

 

[pbeasley]

J-box - you obviously did not get the prober jest in the tone of "Devils Advocate Man"

But that said:

1. Within earshot is eavesdropping when you have focused on the content IMO. It does not sound as if these two guys were speaking directly to your client, nor are we here aware of the distance and barriers between them. Nor does it sound as if they were aware she was listening in either.....
2. Cultural differences and stereotypes do exist in our society and certain people gravitate one way or the other, or in many directions in them. Should we label all in one section as one type of people - NO. Should we make everyone conform to one standard - definitely not. And should we be respectful of the differences definitely yes.... For instance I do not write the way I speak on this web-site, and adhere to its many other varied rules.... I also speak to and with my wife and friends in one way, and to my 73YO English (very "Lady" like) mother-in-law in another. I also speak to and with clients in one way, and to and with friends on-site that I work with in another. Southern women I have dated before want to be treated and spoken to in one way, where as Northern women of either coast are much more relaxed about many things. Part of the dictionary and certain subject are considered taboo in some areas of the country and fair game in others - we could go on and on.... But people are different.... Should we judge everyone by one standard? Should we neuter everyone and have nice happy little silent drones as worker bees - of course not!
3. An operational home or business is one environment, a construction site is another. Once you start to blend the two together there are certain consessions to be made on both parts. And this is much broader than language or conversational context, noise, dust, general interruption, etc. And yes - you will find one type of people who gravitate toward construction labor, and another to being the Principal of a school. If you and your GC's want less interaction between the two you need to create barriers of both policy and physical barriers between them. Many will build actual physical walls - big plywood and 2X panels that bolt together and go from site to site. Inside the walls is a construction site - outside is the rest of the unsavory world. All visitors get a nice bright orange hard hat so the guys know whom not to make "Yo Mama" jokes around and go work at further than ear-shot range from... As a worker - I have no idea how many times I have held a Hilti gun or hammer-drill in my hands WAITING for someone who is NOT supposed to be there to move on. I see this as no different than that. Also as a Foreman - I can not count the times where I have given the chopped neck hand gesture to guys and told them to either move somewhere else to work, or take a coffee break while I walk a client around. Why - Because often those guys are involved in swinging around conduit, using noisy or dust producing equipment and telling "Yo Mama" jokes.....

I admit, I can turn a colorful phrase or 20, but the world is a changin' out there. I learned a long time ago to self-moderate and have never had a problem. Which is a good thing.

I happen to work for a fortune 500 corporation that also does a lot of new construction. Every year I am required to take a course on what is appropriate and what is not appropriate in the "work place". most people will turn a deaf ear to the 75lb box example. On the other hand, drop some colorful metaphors in normal conversation with the wrong people around and you may be off the jobsite before you can grab your lunch box, no 2nd chance. Harassment law suits cost alot more than buying the rest of your day.... Just some food for thought..