This documentary exposes the insane dangers faced by steeplejack workers in the early 1900s, one of the most forgotten and deadly jobs in industrial history. Long before modern safety gear, steeplejacks climbed chimneys, smokestacks, and church steeples hundreds of feet high using only ropes, ladders, and sheer nerve. We break down how they repaired brickwork in extreme wind, freezing cold, and choking smoke — often with no harnesses or fall protection. A single mistake meant certain death. With little regulation and enormous demand during industrial expansion, these workers accepted risks few could imagine. This breakdown reveals the brutal working conditions, near-invisible fatalities, and why steeplejacks were among the most fearless laborers of the 20th century.
