Expectation of Men to do physical Work in certain Jobs

With this thread I hope to highlight the situation that some men are put in with the expectations upon them to do the lifting, and how people may take for granted of them. The problem is that people will think a guy is a pussy if he takes caution or refuses to lift things, but I would actually say that sometimes it takes courage to refuse to lift.

One day in a factory where I worked, I was being passed heavy boxes over 4 foot wall. It wasn't in my usual line of work. I said I'd do a few, but then the boxes just kept coming and coming. Eventually I put my foot down and said to the supervisor "I need to know how many more of these boxes are due to come, and I might need help in lifting them". He was surprised that I said this and smiled at me. He said "yeah yeah, of course", and I called another guy from further up the line to come lift with me. I'm bloody glad I did ask for help because there were about another 40 boxes came!! It wasn't just the fact that it was badly planned, but the attitude of the supervisor when I spoke up. And I know it's very unlikely but any time a freak accident happens, it will be a guy that gets something like a finger chopped off.

Another time I remember when I was taking bacterial samples in a factory, once part I had to get to was up a high ladder. The lady showing the routine (first day) had to get another guy to go up there to show me the routine because she was "afraid of heights". When it came to asking someone to climb the ladder for her, there was this sudden change in her demeanor and she sort of acted like a little girl... like it was supposed to be cute that she couldn't be bothered putting herself at risk. She eventually said to a senior male colleague "can you get 'one of the lads' to go up there for me?". He replied "if you want me to go up the ladder, just ask". He had to bring me up and show me what to do.

Story about manual Labor Dilemma I once faced

Another day at this factory I was working on a production line and part of the task involved lifting 25 kg boxes from a pallet and lifting them over to the conveyor line. There were about three people on each side of the production line, but the pallet of boxes was on one side of the conveyor. After a few minutes of work, the supervisor (female) came by and just said "two guys on this side". Seeing as I had been doing all the lifting work the previous day, I decided I'd stay where I was on the side that didn't involve lifting. Another poor guy on my side realised that I wasn't budging so he moved over instead of me. For the next hour I could tell that he was sort of looking over towards me with disgust at my laziness.

But the previous day, that I had been doing the lifting, I had made sure that I was lifting correctly, and that I took my time. At one point in time I could see this supervisor staring at me. Maybe I'm surmising, but it was as if she was thinking to herself "would that lazy guy not go a bit faster?". When there was a bit of down time, I decided to sit on the boxes for about 30 seconds or so. Every now and then when I'd sit on the boxes I'd be aware that she could see, and I knew that I wouldn't get into trouble as long as I didn't do it right in front of her. But this day, I'd had enough of her nastiness towards me. I sat there until I knew she'd have to do something. She gave a gesture with here hands for me to get up, as if I was a dog almost. I just looked right at her. I got up in my own time... albeit only a few seconds later. But it was enough to piss her off. She walkie talkied to some manager, and then told me to report to him. I said to her that if that manager wants to speak to me, then he knows where I am. At this point she threw a complete tantrum.

Later she was gossiping about me to other Polish fork lift drivers that were passing by. I could tell by the way they were looking over at me. For about the next hour I was fearing when and if that manager was going to show up and see me, and what would happen if he did? He didn't show in the end! I'm not saying I got away with it, but that was all that happen that day. If it were a male supervisor calling these same shots then at least I might feel that he'd done years of lifting himself!

 

I've had a couple jobs involving strenuous manual labor, the most recent one is really the only one with some of these dynamics that you mention. Caution was stressed at my job so I don't think anyone was thought of as a "pussy" for exhibiting it. Problems arise when the demands of productivity are such that they force many to throw caution to the wind. As far as refusing to lift stuff, if it's your primary job then there is not really any excuse not to, however on occasion we would pull guys from other departments to help lift stuff and they weren't getting paid any extra and had to do their work as well, so I can completely understand refusing to help in that circumstance.

Girls did some minimal lifting here and there on lighter stuff but we pretty much relied on guys for most things and everything heavy in particular. One girl tried out for the lifting position and only lasted about a week before requesting a transfer to a different department.

I think something that is really difficult to understand for people who have not worked such a job day in and day out is how exhausting it truly is and how much this affects your mindstate. It's really unrealistic to come to someone lifting all day at like 4-5 PM with a whole list of objectives, notes, etc. like you're presenting for a 9 AM meeting.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WUSS x 2

 

In our small warehouse we have two sorts of forklift and 2 pallet jacks that I can use to move heavy things on pallets and to store overhead, but generally we have a "no hero's" policy which means don't be a hero, ask for help, team work. Running an inventory sector is all about team morale and that is how I approach my management toward it. We have males and females, but nobody is expected to lift anything they're not comfortable with and that's the policy. Your weight restriction is your comfort limit. Of course, don't be a smarty pants and say you're only comfortable with 1 kilo lol.

I already have major back issues so I can't be lifting awkward things like beer kegs and gas bottles.

 

I don't think you read my post very closely.

 

Watching femdom pornography is what makes me a wuss, not refusing to take the bulk of the hard work.

 

refusing to take the hard work doesn't make you a wuss, it's just a symptom.

 

You know what I say if anyone says to me "have you put your back into anything?" when do lifting at work? I say "this place isn't worth putting your back out for!"

 

I was always told I worked too slow in manual labor jobs never that I did not do it right. Odd since anyone who knows me will say I don't do anything slow. I walk fast, I eat fast, and I always find the most efficient way to do anything.
These experiences made me value college more. I am really not one of those guys who can work a 12 hour warehouse shift. It works for some men but I am just not fast enough I guess.

 

I've never had a problem... that any other able-bodied man who's not a pussy wouldn't be able to do Opie would not ever make it as a stagehand.... on a steel call building a stage for a big rock concert do you have to lift steel stanchions and ledgers all day long sometimes for 3 and 4 days straight .... if you know how to lift and you know how to work safely there is nothing wrong with some hard work is good for you but do you know what's not good for you constantly asking people to help you lift s***

 

Move to Louisiana, where women only get paid 65 cents on the dollar for the same amount of work, then you can feel better about anyone's expectations. Women's heels get higher the closer you move to any urban area, and its not because they are desperate to get laid. So long as their world resembles a good-old-boys club, they will be encouraged to take advantage of any poor working slob.

 

I mean, you should not be made to do something that might injure you unless the stipulations are clearly laid out upon hiring. In that case you more or less sign on to whatever is required. Many places require you be able to lift at least 50 pounds, which is reasonable for men of average (or less) strength. I work at an assisted living home where I am the only man (along with five women). I am sometimes asked to help lift people, which is usually not a problem as we are most often dealing with frail, older people. However, sometimes we might have someone fall who is 300 lbs+, and in that case I will refuse to lift unless I feel there is somebody with adequate strength to assist me. Otherwise we call the fire department and/or ambulance for the sake of my own (and the resident's) safety.

 

Health & Safety laws effectively prohibit actual hard work. Hard work nowadays is a strange and mythical phenomena.

The work place these days is a competition based upon who can do the less work for as much money as you can get.

For most workers that is. - I come from a working class background, where the "smart" people do nothing yet talk it up as if they've done more work than anyone else, ever, combined.

 

i don't think this is limited to working class.

 

Hello,

I constantly volunteer to do physical work at any chance I get because I enjoy doing it. I recommend adapting the same attitude.

 

I'm not sure workers having rights equates to prohibiting hard work.


I.E. Health and Safety laws are just going to require you to wear gloves when lifting the heavy crates of containers containing hazardous materials, you still have to lift the stuff.

 

If I approached my work with that attitude I would be casted out. It's generally easier for men to do things like bring a heavy box down a tall ladder. When less capable people do those tasks they are more likely to get hurt. It's a lot less trouble for me to do it and help out. Maybe that person helps you out with other things they are more capable of doing?

I've met lot of people that started out sweeping floors and retired relatively wealthy because they found excuses to take on the hard work instead of reasons to get out of it.

 

this is something i think many human cultures need to get over, the idea of behavioral expectations based on gender.
all of us are different from each other, regardless of gender. that's not an attitude, that's a logical fact.

 

It also changes as we get older, when I was in my 20's I could pick up a car engine block and throw it around like it was nothing, I used to carry those large oxygen bottles around site on my shoulder, you know the ones about 5 foot tall that they use for gas welding and cutting.
I couldn't do it now and it isn't because I did it then, it's because I'm in my mid 50's and basically my back and knees are knackered from working in the industry I worked in. I don't think anyone should be singled out because of their age or sex, recently I was on a job and I had a 40 year old woman helping me, the way she threw hundredweight bags of plaster around made them look like empty sacks.

 

It's hard to be completely fair.