Some say that the tower crane operator has the most critical job in the construction of a high-rise building.
At K2 at K Station, a 34-story apartment tower under construction in Chicago’s Fulton River District, Marie Spear is half of the team that operates the tower crane. She’s a member of Operating Engineers Local 150.
I’ve loaned Marie a camera and she has graciously agreed to shoot some photos and video to give you a sense of what she sees and hears from her perch in the sky. Marie climbs a series of ladders to reach the spot, more than 200 feet above the ground, from which these shots were taken.
In the video you’ll hear Marie communicating by radio with workers on the ground as the crane lowers a flying form for concrete into place. The workers also communicate via hand signals.
Thanks, Marie.
In the following video you can see the tower crane being erected over a 4-day period.
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