Cussing on the job site!

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mdshunk said:
must have been raised by wolves in a orphanage or something.
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Watch it now!:mad: , the wolf den of my childood hood was a comfy loving home, my den mother always had plenty of venision for us to eat, and the orphanage wasn't THAT BAD! I kinda enjoyed the boiled cabbage soup:grin:
 
mdshunk said:
You aren't one of those guys who disappears every few hours on a job, and people are always hollering your name looking for you?
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No, Peter was a good worker when we worked together. He cares about his job more then he leads on here. :cool:
 
mdshunk said:
You aren't one of those guys who disappears every few hours on a job, and people are always hollering your name looking for you?
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No, nothing like that. There was a certain coworker (not Bob) who was, well.....let's just say he liked to drink on the job, and he gave me that nickname. He had a certain way of pronouncing it that cannot really be spelled out and do justice to it.
 
According to the OP the bad language was within earshot of the school principle, and thereby I presume, within earshot of the kids as well.

I, myself do not use street language, nor do I care to hear it. That being said, I suppose that there is a time and place for just about everything. Out on construction site, men talk a little rough. But construction site cursing around small children is unfathomable.

I may not have a written company policy, but I am able to choose who I will have on my crew. If you cannot watch your mouth in public, than work with someone else.
 
Not to repeat anyone but there really is a time and place to use certain language. Personally I am 25 years old and to this day I have never swore in front of my mother, but my father on the other hand I swear like a sailor! He is a mechanic and there "shoptalk" is no different than what you hear on certain job sites. I like to pay attention to the way the gc talks and take it from there. Some people are more reserved than others and shouldn't have to hear inappropriate things.
 
I agree, I thought i was the last construction/maintenance guy that did NOT cuss (Well i do run into a few on the jobsites). Its just really tacky to do that in public and in front of clientle (children). It also bugs me that some people ASSUME that everybody wants to hear the dirty/discrimatory jokes on the job. Ive seen people get laid off over stupid stuff for not keeping their mouth shut or talking about sexual perverted things in ear shot of the public and clientle!! Believe it or not there are Construction people that do not like, nor care to hear any of that nonsense.
 
Here he is to save the day.... IT'S DEVILS ADVOCATE MAN! :grin:

OK kids get off the high horses......
  1. The lexicon is a broad and expansive thing - one mans foul mouth is another's form of cultural communication - Sure 'they weren't brought up like you' - that's right, nor are they required to be.... Just don't let them know that or the ACLU is going to make sure everyone with Tourette's syndrome gets a Handicap placard for their car - get my drift!?! Already too many people fighting it out for the blue zone.... :grin: ;)
  2. "the school principal who over heard said conversation" - Why is she eavesdropping on private conversations on a job site? Who is she - Homeland Security? Speaking TO your customers or client in an unsavory manner is one thing - amongst themselves is another. :mad:
  3. If these guys had better language skills they would have your job - or be one of your clients - or a lawyer etc. (They may have even gone to said school?) They work in construction because they don't... So how well do they do what they are hired to do? - electrical work... :-?
  4. So - you may have screened these guys for drugs, criminal back rounds, possibly credit issues too.... (the law prohibits asking what church they go to...) Whats next? Are you going to drop a hammer on the foot of the next interviewee and see what he says? :rolleyes:
Be a good Project Manager and keep the clients away from your guys IMO. :cool: Or you could tell them to always look over their shoulders for the 'Culture Cops' - Shut off Howard Stern, and tune in the classical station.

Oh I learned a new word today.....
 
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e57 said:
Here he is to save the day.... IT'S DEVILS ADVOCATE MAN! :grin: .... Oh I learned a new word today.....
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Coprolalia is also a rare symptom of other psychiatric disorders .
:rolleyes:
Now I suppose the interview will have to include a psychiatric evaluation for safety compliance or capabilites .... wouldn't want an employee to go postal on the job site or anywhere else for that matter.
 
mdshunk said:
But the unemployment line or the bench is very realistic.
Just think about where you're working, for Pete's sake.
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Why, I don't work for Pete so I can cuss all I want. :grin:
 
If you don't want them using what you consider to be inappropriate language, then add that to the employee rule book, and make sure they know that it is not acceptable.

If it continues, some discipline will be needed. I am pretty sure that I would not fire some one over this kind of thing for one or two offenses.

Just be careful that you don't work yourself into a corner on this kind of issue. You might end up having to fire yourself some day when you drop a 75 pound box of parts on your foot.
 
e57 said:
  1. "the school principal who over heard said conversation" - Why is she eavesdropping on private conversations on a job site? Who is she - Homeland Security? Speaking TO your customers or client in an unsavory manner is one thing - amongst themselves is another. :mad:
  2. If these guys had better language skills they would have your job - or be one of your clients - or a lawyer etc. (They may have even gone to said school?) They work in construction because they don't... So how well do they do what they are hired to do? - electrical work... :-?
  3. So - you may have screened these guys for drugs, criminal back rounds, possibly credit issues too.... (the law prohibits asking what church they go to...) Whats next? Are you going to drop a hammer on the foot of the next interviewee and see what he says? :rolleyes:
Be a good Project Manager and keep the clients away from your guys IMO. :cool: Or you could tell them to always look over their shoulders for the 'Culture Cops' - Shut off Howard Stern, and tune in the classical station.
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1) Within earshot is not eavsdropping, all GCs we work for do not allow radios on the jobsite, is this infringing on peoples rights? Do we allow men, and i will say it again MEN to run wild on these jobsites, NO! there are policies in place to keep society from going into chaos, if anyone wants to live without restrictions, ok, i believe the wolf den is still up for rent they can go live there,
2) Electricians and construction workers we all need to clean up our act, the image we put out their says how society looks upon us, we complain cause we don't get the respect we deserve, but then we get defensive and throw a fit when we are told " HEY MAN WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE" come on now lets clean it up and then "construction worker" won't be a 4 letter word.
3) Howard Stern, Piolin are brilliant men, with money to throw around, Piolin in the morning is the #1 rated hispanic sydicated show in the nation but, man come on is this what we as a free society want our kids, our future to be like. Think about it:confused:
4) There are ways to conduct your self in public, go to a public library and carry on a loud conversation with cussing and vulgarities and see if u don't get your self thrown out, come on e57, we can all make it better without stepping on others toes, one more thing, on these job sites it is impossible to keep customers off these projects its there " HOUSE" do we as construction workers shut them out cause we want to CUSS LOUD AND PROUD onthe job, if i went to someones house and showed no respect for property or family, i would get the BOOT out the big door . Same thing on these job sites we are hired to do a job but with certain policies in place, if we can't do that then we need to rethink our situation.:)


Mod Edit: Fixed UBB code
 
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Some folks are straying...the op stated that the guys were doing this act as a normal conversation, not overheard after something was dropped on foot or hurt.
I once had a youngin on job that felt his language made him tougher. In any conversation he had colorful metaphors about every 4-5 words. I told (not asked) him to tone it down, because he would never know who would be onsite that wouldnt accept the language. And that since it was my project, I am responsible for everyone actions, and therefore affecting my performance capabilities. He looked me in the eye and said ' This is a contruction site and this is the way it is, and that he does his job quite well.' All said with the addition of metaphors. :roll: I said cool and walked away.
Later, I returned, and told him that there had been a change order on the job and I gave him an envelope that I needed to get to the the boss ASAP!! He asked if he could load his tools since it was near the end of the day and he didnt think it would be worth coming back for the last few hours of the day. I said sure. ;)
Yep, inside the evelope was a note stating the issue and that I didnt want him back on job. The boss could fire him or put him elsewhere, I didnt care, just not on my jobs!!
The next morning the kid came to site and said 'That was a bunch of colorful metaphors!' :roll: :cool:
 
to me--it's common sense. if your twenty floors up on a slab job--surrounded by iron workers--- you can't communicate without a few swear words!!! but if you working in an operational law office or medical facility you have to watch your language! same goes for appearance! i give them a warning and if it doesn't get better i send them down the road "not suitable for this type of work" is what i put on their termination paper.. i had to let one guy go because of "singing" -- yes -- singing.. had him working in a law office and the office manager called me about it-- i had to hear it to believe it!!! this guy was about 50 years old-----and had a terrible voice!! thought he was alan jackson!!! third time i sent him on his way. same goes for respecting the building you work in -- guys get used to leaning on a wall and putting their foot behind them -- guess what --can't do it in a finished building!! i interview my men as they come to work for me so they understand where i'm coming from.. i had to fire one apprentice --he went up on a freshly varnished stage floor that had signs "keep off"!! i asked him "what were you thinking?". he told me he had always wonder what it was like to be a super star up on a stage..................
 
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