But it's a privilege well earned when you consider they spend their days lugging two tonnes of scaffolding up the temporary structure surrounding the 56.4-m tall spire of the First Church of Otago.
Bramwell Scaffolding leading hand Laurie Kean said the group of five arrived at the site, in Moray Pl, about 7.30am and worked until 5pm constructing the massive scaffold.
The height at which they spent most of their working day - about 45m - meant activities office workers took for granted, such as toilet breaks, were a luxury.
``[We come down once a day] at lunchtime because it takes too much time to get up and down,'' Mr Kean said.
His colleague, Sam Morris, said scaling the huge scaffold tested more than their propensity for vertigo.
``Once you get to the top you need a couple of minutes to get your breath again,'' he admitted with a laugh.
Mr Morris said none of the workers had had second thoughts about their vocation after climbing to the top of the spire, despite it being ``a wee way up''.
``You need a bit of a head for heights,'' Mr Kean said.
``It's a challenge for the boys and they like it.
``It's one of those jobs you only get to do once in your lifetime.''
The crew began work on the scaffold in late July and it is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
The imposing cage will surround the spire in coming months as earthquake-strengthening work is done.
Once the work was completed, dismantling the structure ``should take half the time'', Mr Kean said.
