The World's Deadliest Construction Projects

[@briangarrow448]

I was working in construction as a young man and was on a job where a coworker fell over 80 feet to his death. He left a wife and two young daughters. The guy was a journeyman with years of experience and was an expert mountaineer. One mistake can kill. Climbing and building massive infrastructure projects is inherently dangerous work. Be safe out there and remember- we all deserve to go home at the end of the shift!

[@matchrocket1702]

I worked in machine shops for many years. Any day you came home with two thumbs and eight fingers was a good day.

[@5amH45lam]

Amen. ✌️

[@cynthiasimpson931]

Gee...the most dangerous job I ever had involved medical records. However, we had to be sure of accuracy, because incorrect medical information could kill someone. My husband was a lab tech, and he could have blown up the hospital if he hadn't known what he was doing. Now he drives a school bus, where he's responsible for the safety of a bunch of other people's children. I agree - for those who work in construction, be safe out there.

[@noth606]

@@cynthiasimpson931 Well, I am not making life or death decisions now(used to be in the Army though) but I have a perhaps surprising angle to what you said. I work as a Software Developer and GDPR data removal/safety officer (EU privacy regulation) and one mistake would shut our global operations down worldwide leaving 26.000 people out of work. The fine for one failure to comply with GDPR regulation is so high we would instantly be forced to shut down completely and fire everyone, it sounds perhaps hyperbolic but our profit margin is much smaller than the fine is in terms of global turnover.

[@heathercopeland21]

My dad was a safety officer on an oil rig back in the 80s and had a guy fall off a Derrick and die. The guy refused to stay clipped to the safety line while up there and he ended up losing his footing which resulted in the fall. Dad said that was the worse death he ever witnessed while on the job. That guy had been written up in the past by my dad for not following safety rules too

[@2ToneWalt]

I've been to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery a number of times and it never fails to move me looking at the ages of the poor souls that are there. RIP.

[@stuartmcpherson1921]

Well looked after by the locals. Good museums around town plus the one at Hellfire Pass. My father was there.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:50 - Chapter 1 - The suez canal 4:35 - Chapter 2 - Burma siam railway 7:00 - Chapter 3 - White sea/baltic sea canal 9:40 - Chapter 4 - Transcontinental railroad 12:50 - Chapter 5 - Karakoram highway

[@MrAngry3232]

Chapter. 1 is panama not suez

[@gluteusmaximus1657]

You forgot the great wall between Mexico and the US ;-))

[@brianhoulahan3507]

@@MrAngry3232 No its not.

[@yawg691]

Comment is over a year old but I still really appreciate it thank you!

[@KaitharVideo]

"I will drag this country into the industrial era, even if it kills you" -- Stalin, probably

[@hasbrosbeforehoes]

Peter the great basically said that exact thing when he was in charge.

[@Kaiserboo1871]

@@hasbrosbeforehoes yeah but he didn’t kill nearly as many people as Stalin. Also Peter is an extremely funny character to read about while Stalin was a paranoid asshole.

[@qetoun]

That was Einstein who said that,

[@KorokHaze93]

Well done

[@wowplayer160]

Industrial revolution was just a tool to spread and solidify communist power.

[@XoADREADNOUGHT]

"Although with Stalin, people are going to die anyway." lmao priceless

[@rautamiekka]

The sad part: it ain't an exaggeration 1 bit.

[@arthas640]

It's kind of funny how people often talk about how rampant capitalistic industrialization in the Victorian era was so rough and soul crushing but Stalin and Lenins socialist/communist industrialization was FAR worse. At least Victorian era child coal workers got a choice and got enough food to live, while stalin's slaves had to resort to cannibalism to get enough calories to finish their pointless prestige project for the communist officials ego

[@rautamiekka]

@@arthas640 Very true.

[@jujutrini8412]

@@arthas640 i always see comments the other way around. People always exclaim in regards how many people died due to Communism but forget that Capitalism and Industrialisation cost many many lives - they tend to forget about the trans Atlantic slave trade!

[@sanniepstein4835]

@@jujutrini8412 Slavery was practiced worldwide until the Brits and Americans ended it, so it has no special connection to capitalism.

[@cjfhsb3143]

The fact this man has about 5 channels yet still puts all this effort into each one is ridiculous

[@dedwardskbd]

5? Don't think so small. 1. Top Tenz 2. Today I Found Out 3. Biographics 4. Geographics 5. Business Blaze 6. Casual Criminalist 7. Megaprojects 8. Sideprojects 9. Highlight History 10. Visual Politik 11. Simon Whistler Show Maybe more?

[@Gabrong]

He is just reading, maybe comes up with topics. Others are writing and editing.

[@kaldogorath]

@@dedwardskbd Into the Shadows, xplrd

[@harryshuman9637]

He's just a narrator and supervisor, he has a writer for each channel.

[@brianw612]

I was working with a room mate years ago on a ski resort midrise in Breckenridge. We were laborers cleaning up on a high floor with no power or lights. My buddy, very poor eyesight, asks me to check out a darkened area he had been fumbling around in. He came inches from stepping off down the elevator shaft. Sights were not as safe back then.

[@juliatarrel1674]

Thank you for showing the Australian wreaths and flags in the section on the Burma railway. It's rare that Australia and/or New Zealand (Aotearoa) are recognised in cases like this.

[@joshk.6246]

Do a special just on roadways and how something we take for granted has changed the world!

[@crazyeyez1502]

He has one in queue

[@PolymurExcel]

Like Pan-America or Pan-Siuberia

[@mnichols1979]

That's more of a mega projects thing.

[@jessicaevans7847]

Yeah maybe some people in charge will see it and decide to actually fix these f****** roads.

[@peruviankurustewformeandyoutoo]

Please*

[@AMagrow]

Simon, taking over the internet and educating the world 🌎 😘

[@lockednloaded9867]

This guy is textbook grifter

[@TestingPyros]

When I was in my teens, a local hospital (St. Josephs, across from Mission) did an expansion. One time, a worker was moving a concrete form platform to be taken to the next floor. They both fell off, with the table falling on top of the person. Amazingly, there were two 50 gallon drums where the person fell. Because of this, they received some bad injuries, but weren't killed. I believe this was around 1980-85.

[@Ruckus45]

Asheville?

[@alden1132]

Watching Simon express wonder at the length of a year is an example of the kind of moment the keeps me watching the videos of his many channels.

[@imouse3246]

As someone used to breathing regularly, I would not fancy a drive on the 16,000 foot elevation portion of the 'friendship highway'.

[@seanbrazell6147]

How about an episode about the massive, half built and now abandoned underground super particle collider in (where else?) Texas?

[@davidripley2916]

LHC= no contest. Money!

[@patsabol8699]

Thank you so much for this channel. You always come up with interesting topics and the depth of research is readily apparent. Thanks, again.

[@seanj3667]

Let’s now forget when the governor tried to get ride of the town of Rock Ridge because of the quicksand in the way of the railroad.

[@dk50b]

Sean Johnson is right!

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

@David Johnson is right about Sean Johnson being right!

[@EricDKaufman]

we can't afford to lose some horses. Send the ________s.

[@maylast2557]

@@EricDKaufman hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[@dk50b]

@@EricDKaufman Dang, that was lucky. Doggone near lost a $400 handcar.

[@colleenross8752]

Willow Island: 51 workers were killed when part of a cooling tower being built at the Point Pleasant power station collapsed. Still the deadliest construction accident in US history

[@CodyRushDriving]

Prior to recent events I worked as a rigger for live entertainment. Videos like this really make me appreciate today's safety standards.

[@grayhatjen5924]

I'm on mobile so I can't tag OP, but if you happen to see this, know that riggers are badass and keep people alive.

[@way2crazie620]

I'm slowly watching you chuck in OG Business Blaze jokes into your other side channel's hahahaha. Nice one bro haaha

[@rashakawa]

The seepage of The blaze...

[@frankmagnotto]

@@rashakawa Keep calm and seep on?

[@jwenting]

The Panama canal gets worse when you consider the tens of thousands who died in the first attempt to dig it (by the French) which was given up, the US project later continued in its tracks.

[@henkdouma8448]

04:00 There still are no locks in the Suez-canal, Simon. Confused with the Panama-canal I guess?

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

What, no locks?? But surely they have bagels.

[@carlsaganlives6086]

@@davidanderson_surrey_bc The Suez Canal is like Venice in a way, with the palm trees blowing in the breeze over the countless café's and 5 star restaurants lining the sparkling waterway and lush banks.

[@MegaReception1]

Yeah thought the same thing : sea level canal no locks. greetings from Panama.

[@codyg7936]

My grandpa used to deliver steel and beer by the truckload to the construction workers in New York, he finally asked what they were using all of the beer for and one of the supervisors told him if the workers didn’t get the beers they didn’t go up there (referencing the guys walking on the beams of the building frames with no harnesses)

[@Nafi_IRL]

the first quote about us watching more if death is involved was 100% spot on. I clicked just because of the title (False - I clicked cause I watch ALL of Simon's 100 channels. All Hail Simon.)

[@BouncyBAWLS]

I've watched it twice now. Everything I wanted and more Connor! Thank you 🎉

[@MrFmiller]

Having worked as a Civil Inspector for the past forty three years I appreciate the advancement of safety philosophy. During my career working much of time on highways roads and bridges including expansion projects by far the most dangerous aspect has been working in or adjacent to traffic. The average motorist is only somewhat cognizant of the hazards in work zones and less than average motorists are downright dangerous. The number of vehicle caused fatalities and near misses far exceeds those from the construction itself.

[@stevencrisp753]

Only slightly related to your point (drivers will pay less attention to roadworks they perceive as empty) are there safety reasons besides bad project management for miles and miles of road to be restricted either when no works are going on or works are only taking place in a single small section? There's a project underway on the M4 in the UK that stretches for about 40 miles, and 20 miles of it I can fully understand being permanently coned off because they've destroyed the driving surface to do their works, but at least half of the restrictions have what seems like perfectly driveable roads behind the cones and very, very rarely any workers or construction vehicles inside (I drive for a living so I often pass through the area multiple times a day at all times of day or night depending on my shift and route). I'm not saying it would be a magic bullet, but at least in the UK if people knew roads only get coned off if you're going to potentially kill someone (or at least do big damage to your car by driving it into a hole) by going through them people might take them more seriously on average. I get leaving stuff up overnight/for the weekend cos it's a pain to set up / take down, but this particular project has been months and months with no noticeable changes behind the cones for large sections.

[@philgiglio7922]

I was barely missed by a car while setting forms for a driveway and I was wearing an orange safety vest

[@andreyradchenko8200]

The thing is, getting all that safe equipment everywhere would be nearly impossible if those hand-built roads and channels weren't made in the first place. It's still unbelievable how people managed to do it all in the middle of nowhere. Woods, wild steppe, northern woods/swamps/boulder fields (yes, that's how it is in Karelia and Finland). It was all impassable barriers before.

[@Mochrie99]

I assume the date when you mentioned Isma'il Pasha was supposed to be 1863, not 1683. :) Other than that, it's a great video!

[@alexisesguerra2544]

I heard that too n was like, “... what???” 🤣

[@davidleahy27]

Aren't yous guys very clever

[@jameskipp66]

I was about to say the exact same thing... I listened to the same part a couple times make sure my ears weren't screwing the pooch

[@y2keef]

I can't say I was around for either year so no problems here 😅

[@TheMattc999]

@@y2keef well, if the project wasn't started until 1859, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have changed policies relating to that project in 1683..... Edit- unless they were pre-emptively changing policies because Nostradamus told them to.....

[@TheJediCaptain]

Would the events listed in Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire' would make a good Biographics video?

[@jerff]

Seconded

[@jerff]

Maybe an epic blaaaazzzzeeeee video???

[@QBCPerdition]

Maybe not Biographics but TIFO or even Side Projects.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

I really want to know about that

[@grayhatjen5924]

edit: according to Wikipedia, We Didn't Start The Fire references 118 different events/people/etc That would be a seriously long video. And I want to see it. Maybe split into parts though. Because if you address every single event and person... Okay, now I need to go see how many topics that would be. But it should still be a thing.

[@sportscardprofessor]

How about a video on the engineering feats of the Southern Pacific Railroad (western transcontinental railroad), including speed of construction during Trans-Cont. construction, the snow sheds w/ cab-forward engine, Tehachapi Loop, and Colorado River redirection.

[@marcoosvald8429]

I rode the KKH on the roof of a bus from Xinjiang to Islamabad back in 89'. The roof of the bus seemed safer the way buses tended to plummet off the road and into the Indus River below. I wanted the illusion that I would be able to at least jump to safety should our bus veer off course. Besides; the insides of the vehicles were so over cramped and overloaded with people, and smuggled goods, and sickness was rampant. The roof offered a spectacular view and fresh air albeit subfreezing temps. We sat with our backs to the wind and our backpacks propped up as windbreaks . The Khunjerab Pass is officially 16,000' in height and the name translates to Pass of Blood due to the many smugglers and bandits that preyed upon the unsuspecting and weary travelers along the root. Thanks for the video and the rush of memories that came flooding back.

[@CYCLONE4499]

Also more archeology projects would be greatly appreciated! There are a few ongoing right now that are extremely fascinating

[@jonathanwhite8904]

Legend answer the the original section of the Great Wall of China cost upwards of a million people lives. I know there's not a way to vet that but surprised that that didn't make the list at least for an honorable mention

[@benjaminhoover6427]

A brick for every man, as I heard the story.

[@beccafichtner5305]

"Playing with firearms," Simon chuckles. No, seriously, it's America. People do that here.

[@Geoduck.]

Hold my beer watch this.......

[@carlsaganlives6086]

Loaded firearms.

[@carlsaganlives6086]

But are afraid of a VACCINE shot, because, well you know, q-anus.

[@alecblunden8615]

Whereas people who live elsewhere have more sense.

[@Sweyn.Vagabond]

Lucky

[@MistaLiir]

Simon, you're a legend mate.. i learn so much from all your videos, and i can't get enough.. keep posting mate, because i keep watching! Cheers from Denmark!

[@hiroshi138]

"Drinking, prostitution, and playing with firearms" accurately describes most of my military career.

[@Arthur76180]

You misses the Madeira-Mamoré railway, also known as Railway of Death or Devil’s railroad, of 20k workers from more of 25 nations 8-10k died of tropical diseases, native attacks, bad nutrition and other reasons.

[@JB-rl7hh]

Luv those Chapters touch Simon. Nicely done!

[@brianjamesthomas]

No locks on the Suez, my friend. It’s all at sea level. Sailed through it myself not long ago in fact. Just straight through.

[@garlandremingtoniii1338]

SIGNIFICANT BRIDGES. 346.4 m (1,136 ft) iron bridge across Kwae Yai River at Tha Makham km. 56 + 255.1 90 m (300 ft) wooden trestle across Songkalia River km. 294 + 418 56 m (184 ft) wooden trestle across Mekaza River km. 319 + 798 75 m (246 ft) wooden trestle across Zamithi River km. 329 + 678 50 m (160 ft) concrete bridge across Apalong River km. 333 + 258.20 60 m (200 ft) wooden trestle across Anakui River km. 369 + 839.5

[@cronquist09]

Thanks Simon for more great info. I think it's important to learn about these projects and the human toll it takes to compete them. Especially because so many could have been prevented if the administrations in charge held the value of life in higher regard. May the workers rest in peace and their sacrifice be remembered 🙏

[@mariedonna1488]

Thank you, Simon. That was very interesting. We frequently watch documentaries re: disasters of all types including construction mishaps. I lived in Plymouth, MA. It is located at the beginning of the peninsula called Cape Cod. In order to cut out traveling around said peninsula, the Cape Cod Canal was built. When I was a child, we would often go and picnic in the dunes along canal. The are 2 huge(to me) bridges crossing canal. We would walk along canal road. There is a placque on one wide cement pillar. It states that during construction, workers(?3) fell far into pillar where cement was being poured. It was fascinating to me. Thanks, Simon! Mary from FL 🌴

[@nystemy]

"There were no locks like there are today. And since the seawater flowed freely, the level changed with the prevailing tide which meant crossings often hairy for heavily laden ships." 4:00 Well, it is true that there were no locks back then. But the Suez canal still has no locks even today. They aren't needed to be fair. That the water level changes a bit depending on the tide and that this effects shipping through the canal is somewhat known, but generally speaking the canal authority keeps some track of this fact and ensures that ships don't get stuck due to it. Though, the Suez canal gets blocked more than once a year regardless.... Though, usually not by one of the world's biggest cargo ships. Somehow having a canal in the middle of a sandy desert prone to storms is a good recipe for poor visibility and ships running aground at the less deeply trenched edges of the canal. The Suez canal also used to have an infinite height limit, but then Egypt and Japan decided to build a non opening bridge over it in the mid 90's, a bridge that is only providing 70 meters of clearance, the Suez max is 68 meters tall for some buffer. Now, 68 meters is fairly tall to be fair, far taller than most ships on the seas. But the bigger issue is that the bridge makes it hard to build a second lane on the canal.

[@llamalord111]

I'm literally about to go to work, I'm in construction :/

[@FQP-7024]

Your boss dosent wip you to continue working dose he?

[@llamalord111]

@@FQP-7024 lol not quite, and I'm decently paid for what we do ;)

[@FQP-7024]

@@llamalord111 fair enough then

[@agustinvenegas5238]

F

[@tardvandecluntproductions1278]

Safety first! Work second

[@PanzerdivisionWiking]

That was very interesting and informative, thank you Simon!

[@rsjc852]

Loved the video, Simon! but I think you meant 1863 instead of 1683 when talking about Isma'il Pasha! (3:24)

[@kirbycraft9325]

I'm very grateful that you talked about the Railway Bridge of Burmese Railway. It should be Number 1 of the 7 Manmade Wonders of the World. Poor souls! A truly heartbreaking story.

[@bryancaughey7507]

You should cover Canada’s railway through the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, where I Chinese labourer per mile was killed. They were told if they voluntarily carried and poured highly volatile Nitro Glycerin charges by hand, they could bring their family to Canada as immigrants. Many Chinese ‘volunteers’ were blown up inside rocky tunnels when they tried to pour the charges.

[@Scottocaster6668]

The building of the Suez Canal took nearly 120,000 souls??... Goddam, that's a lot of people!

[@johnmorgan1629]

Knew someone who worked on the Death Railway during WWII. It haunted him for the rest of his life.

[@fredgervinm.p.3315]

I walked part of that in 2009, the suffering... Sgt USMC

[@stuartmcpherson1921]

My father never talked about his time there.

[@johnmorgan1629]

@@stuartmcpherson1921 I feel for anyone who had to go through that.

[@johnniewalker8410]

He always doesn't want to ask if we enjoyed his videos. I'm gonna get the ball rolling. Simon i enjoyed the video.

[@chrisvickers7928]

The Quebec Bridge disasters, yes there were two, deserve an honorable mention although between them they only took 88 lives. The bridge first collapsed during construction in 1907 and then again in 1916. We Canadians are persistent however and the bridge was finally completed in 1919. It still operates today carrying 3 lanes of cars, one of rail, and one of pedestrians.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

"When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that's what you're going to get, Lad, the strongest castle in all of England." from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

So, all the deadliest projects are either canals, railroads, or highways -- i.e., transportation conduits along the surface of the globe. And yet the projects you would think would have frightening numbers of construction-related deaths, such as skyscrapers, communications towers, and other vertical edifices, have very few if any fatalities.

[@andrewalexander9492]

I think one factor in play is the scale. The large transportation projects are larger projects employing more peopl than building projects. . The Suez Canal construction took 10 years, at any one time there was about 30,000 workers on the project, and something like 1.5 Million total workers worked on it during the course of the construction. Compare to the Empire Sate building whcih had a maximum of 3,500 workers at any one time, and was built in slightly over a year.

[@thekeytoairpower]

EAR&H had lots of beast related deaths. No tigers but the lions did their work. The movie "The Ghost and The Darkness" features some of it.

[@Bambisgf77]

That is a great movie based on real like events & some very interesting men.

[@LizzyMarieTina]

Douglas Park next to Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska has the story of the transcontinental railroad with several artifacts like train wheels, maps, and a steam locomotive and diesel locomotive.

[@LostNspace-jn1ds]

Isma’il Pahsa banned forced labor in “1683” ?!?! 🤨.....I’m surprised your editor didn’t catch that date 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@Firstname137]

Years ago I fell from a roof and was saved by my harness. I was working on removing some hazardous material from the roof of a building that had been used by the Govt in the 80s-90s. It was built to withstand bad weather, snow in particular. On the day I was working, it was particularly hot. At some point during the buildings life, they had coated the roof with a type of asphalt that was very slippery when hot. I was working about 4 or 5 feet feet from the edge when I slipped. It was like a slip and slide, I couldn't grab on to anything as I neared the edge and I had made the dumb mistake of leaving my harness on a little loose so as not to hinder my movement. I was stuck dangling from the roof for a few minutes, I was left with a nasty bruise but my man parts were safe.

[@russelmurray9268]

Superior work sir, excellent delivery thank you

[@christopherx7428]

What was the death rate among sailors doing the run round Cape Horn, just as a comparison to the transcontinental railway? Moreover, I feel that the Kolyma highway, aka "Road of Bones" could have a spot on a list like this. Wikipedia claims that 250.000 - 1.000.000 people died during the construction.

[@macmedic892]

Between 8,000 to 20,000 people died building the New Basin Canal in New Orleans, which connected Lake Pontchartrain and what is now downtown.

[@auflex6383]

“This one is all about the world’s deadliest construction projects because for some reason. When things collapse and people die, you guys watch the videos more…….so, yay!👍🏻” I’m dead, That intro funny and true 😂💀

[@michaeltelson9798]

Another source that is good about “rounding the horn” is “Two years before the mast” by Dana. Dana spent 2 years on the trade with California to obtain cow hides for the leather trade and there are mentions of the triangle trade between Hawaii-California-Peru. The hides needed to be softened prior to shipping as they were hard and stiff from the Missions and Rancheros.

[@Scot-p1v]

Construction is inherently dangerous, but a good safety culture helps a lot. I was told a few years ago that the most common cause of injury on large sites is tape measures: everyone has one-and they can easily catch on something and pop off your belt.

[@jemkey6930]

Great video Mr Simon. When he mentioned the camps for the American transcontinental railroad (gambling, drinking, and playing with firearms) a typical party at my relatives' house sounds exactly like that. 😂

[@Joe_Dirt82]

Dude I worked with watched guy fall from scaffolding. He had to take a lot of time off work cuz he felt responsible for it since he was foreman on job. Steel mill here had crane fall n kill some guys. When construction resumed its said there was still pieces of skull in the dirt guys had to walk around.

[@georgehebdon2756]

Just subscribed, great presentation, 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@DiscoveryBalochistan]

Subscribed✌️🌟

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

Your mention of Nanga Parbat reminds me of just how much I want to see (after your geographics Everest video) a Geographics video that runs through the 14 '8000ers'. The 14 mountains over 8000m High. Where they are, when they were first climbed, the major hazards and the fatality rate . . . Maybe with some of the interesting stories associated with them. Nanga Parbat (9th highest mountain on earth) for example, was the only 8000er to be first summited solo. The guy who did it? Hermann Buhl? Well here's the Wikipedia version of his story: The final push for the summit was dramatic: Buhl continued alone for the final 1,300 metres (4,300 ft), after his companions had turned back. Under the influence of the drug pervitin (based on the stimulant methamphetamine used by soldiers during World War II), padutin, and tea from coca leaves, he reached the summit dangerously late, at 7:00 p.m., the climbing harder and more time-consuming than he had anticipated. His descent was slowed when he lost a crampon. Caught by darkness, he was forced to bivouac standing upright on a narrow ledge, holding a small handhold with one hand. Exhausted, he dozed occasionally, but managed to maintain his balance. He was also very fortunate to have a calm night, so he was not subjected to wind chill. He finally reached his high camp at 7:00 p.m. the next day, 40 hours after setting out.[28] The ascent was made without oxygen, and Buhl is the only man to have made the first ascent of an 8,000-metre (26,000 ft) peak alone.

[@Raz.C]

@Sideprojects At 3:25 Simon says forced labour was abolished in 1683. I believe he meant 1863. The Suez Canal was built in the 19th century, after all, not the 17h.

[@sailinbob11]

Yaaaa ! My grandfather was an engineer building diversionary dams,and bridges,in the jungle, in support of the Panama Canal project. Cool...

[@edwinjoy9]

Just a suggestion Simon: It would be great if you could mention the source for all these info

[@dallasbishop7929]

I absolutely love all you're work keep it up .

[@simonrancourt7834]

Canada's railroad through the Rocky mountains cost a life for every 5' of track.

[@cruelladevil967]

Your voice will be sooo good for podcasts. I can't stop listening you😋

[@hasanchoudhurymd]

All construction are inherently deadly process during and after the projects. All parties need to prepare for all of the disasters ! Excellent discussions. Regards.

[@stephenlane9168]

Always interesting & informative. I spend more time on your videos than I do working in a week. True. 🤷🏻

[@kevinrussell2718]

I was half-expecting the Settle-Carlisle Railway Line to be included in this list. Although the actual number of deaths during the construction of this 72-mile long main line through the higher parts of Yorkshire Dales in the UK were actually quite small when compared with other projects on this list, the proportion of deaths against the size of the workforce (more than 6,000 people) was quite considerable. A smallpox outbreak during construction resulted in 80 deaths, whilst other deaths could be attributed to workplace accidents; and the harsh weather conditions (with people being literally blown off the fells by strong winds) - even today, the area can quite literally experience all four seasons in one day! Despite this, construction was completed within 6 years, and in addition to local passenger trains and freight trains, the route saw through express trains from London St Pancras via Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds to Glasgow St Enoch ("The Thames-Clyde Express") and Edinburgh Waverley ("The Thames-Forth Express" - later to become known as "The Waverley"). Slated for closure as part of the "Beeching Cuts" of the 1960s (a threat that hung over the line until 1989), the Settle-Carlisle remains open to this day, albeit with a much-reduced passenger service - the last expresses between London & Scotland ceased running over the line in 1976, leaving a through service between the East Midlands and Glasgow Central to hang on until 1982. Freight also reduced drastically over the line, although in recent years the line has seen a resurgence in recent years due to increased traffic on the West Coast Main Line. However, the line has long been a favoured route for steam-hauled excursion trains, hauled by some of the most famous steam locomotives in the UK, including "Mallard"; "Sir Nigel Gresley"; "Flying Scotsman"; "Duchess of Hamilton"; and one of the newest steam locomotives in the country: "Tornado".

[@bartfoster1311]

Talking about workers being eaten made me think of the Maneaters of Tsavo. Not sure which channel that would even fit into, maybe a sideproject?

[@nicholasvernon6780]

How about an episode on the real bridge on the river Kwai?

[@natalieg90]

That's a shout. My grandad fought in Burma. lucky he wasn't captured survive the war. Defo More needs to be done to rember that part of the world and what happend we rember ve day but vj day is fading to memory we can't let that happen

[@wesbeuning1733]

THIS is what I need more of

[@bradenr867]

Fun fact: one of the biggest innovations in safety was the type of safety net used on the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a crazy story because the architect (or someone else just as important to the project) refused to work until there was safety nets to protect his men

[@exxor9108]

I think it would be interesting if you did videos on events in video games. xD I like your narration style!

[@holton345]

Simon, I would like to see an episode that compares and contrasts the German Autobahn and US Interstate Highway systems.

[@bjarulez]

And the British road system

[@steelrat5563]

@@bjarulez we have a system? When did that happen? ;)

[@bjarulez]

@@steelrat5563 Ok, the mess that we call a system

[@michaeladolph7134]

Well our Autobahn here got on most sections nooooo speed limit :)

[@codyg7936]

One bridge fails everyday in the USA....there’s a whole program dedicated solely to replacing delapidated bridges

[@gravesclayton3604]

Simon, you're material and presentations are getting better, and more entertaining all time, lol!

[@thorhh]

The Suez Canal does NOT have any locks. You may have mixed this up with the Panama Canal.

[@jarikinnunen1718]

The "Stalin Canal" took life every meter of its length. They collected bones and then laid the last canal gate in concrete.

[@carissaleonard3418]

Anyone else want to have lunch/coffee or tea with Simon and just let sarcasm happen for a time? That would be a great way to spend an hour of the day...

[@pavelow235]

Good Channel, interesting answers to basic questions, time spent enjoyably .

[@lesflynn4455]

Did I hear him say for the Burma railway they had to dig 61 metres into rock? By hand? Good bloody grief!!

[@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718]

3:20 1683? Damn, steam engines and the Suez Canal are older than I thought. Kinda like the Ming Dynasty from the 1500's BC.

[@pozzowon]

Lovely. I'm not the only one who caught it

[@pozzowon]

Beautiful 1600s photograph, don't you think?

[@mryuk1621]

1800 not 1600 he said wrong

[@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718]

@@pozzowon Yeah that artist was incredibly skilled.

[@X_mano]

I know a construction that took live of 100% of workers My neighbour died building his own barn,too stubborn to hire...

[@Ozymandias1]

The 6,500 workers who died building Qatar's 2022 World Cup football stadiums should deserve a mention.

[@mikequinn2000]

"Gambling, drinking, prostitution, and playing with firearm's..." Nothing has ever sounded more American to me than this phrase. 🤣

[@phoenixsixxrising]

I feel like the audio is louder on megaprojects and sideprojects, maybe it's just because of the smaller set? most of the channels are shot in the bigger room. Not complaining, just noticing after watching so much Simon, I instinctively rebalance my audio before clicking between channels lol

[@sabrstravels6815]

the first project that came to mind was the Hoover Dam, but with just over 100 deaths it doesn't come close to making it onto a list like this

[@TheLoxxxton]

Yep. I am definitely seeing a little Blaze bleed over for sure. Keep going Simon no legs the OG Blazers are watching

[@michaelhudecek2778]

Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@joseybryant7577]

Bridge on the River Kwai is an amazing book. Recommend it to everyone. Kolyma Stories is also amazing, for anyone interested in gulags.

[@SwartFrancois]

I believe that there is a word for labourers working against their will. Cannot quite put my finger on it though...

[@christobalcolon6601]

Simon, you need to include the Irish labourers who built the mills in Lowell, Massachusetts.