Press

Wall forms, precast concrete elements, mortar, stair units, scaffolding, concrete blocks, bricks, reinforcement... on a work site there is no end to the things that must be lifted. The site crane is the linchpin to it all, and the crane operator the person around whom all the work is organised. Sole in charge in the cockpit, once his crane has been erected he is responsible for the progress of construction below. “You have to keep things moving,” comments Didier Teil, crane operator with Norpac for 25 years and Level 3 Trident Guildworker. “They’re waiting on you down there!”
The first person to arrive on site and the last to leave, the crane operator is informed of the work to be done during the day as soon as he clocks in. After that, any communication is by radio, sight, and hand movements. “I know what they want just by looking at them,” says Marie-Hélène Boudier, who has been operating a crane with Pertuy Construction since 1981. “But sometimes I work blind, operating on a banksman’s instructions given by walkytalky: then everything relies on trust!”

From 7am to 8.30am, on this site in the greater Lille area, the crane operator works for the blocklayers: mortar, blocks, bricks, or scaffolding. Then, until 9am he removes all the precast units and moves the wall forms. After that, he places concrete. There’s 80 cubic metres of it in a truck, and he takes 1 cubic metre at a time... Yet “It’s never the same operation,” they say in unison. “You never put exactly the same thing in the same place”. In the cramped cab, the controls include two levers (on the left, for the trolley and jib direction; on the right, for hoisting and tower movement), a warning horn, brake, etc. Nothing much has changed in 25 years, apart from comfort and safety, that is. “There was a time when I operated cranes with no cab and with no seat,” recalls Didier Teil. Heating, windscreen wipers... these days the cab can even come with public radio, although most operators prefer silence and concentration.
As for safety, Thierry Charrière, head supervisor with Bouygues Bâtiment Île de France¹ – Rénovation Privée, insists: “Operating a crane takes the same skill as driving a Formula 1 racing car... except that the crane operator has the lives of his fellow workers in his hands. A crane driver’s not an ordinary site worker.”

“Obelix”² did not grow up with crane driving in his veins. Like many others, he took on the job because the opportunity arose. He used to be truck driver, and was transporting equipment for Quille when it was suggested he train to work on cranes. As for Marie-Hélène Boudier, she was recruited after the factory where she worked as a seamstress closed down. To be a crane operator, you need a special licence, and it has to be renewed every five years. Beyond that, experience makes the difference. “Marie-Hélène is very quick and can place wall forms to within a millimetre of the required position,” says Cyril Gonzales, the foreman on her site. Medical checkups are obviously stringent, with a check of eyesight and reflexes every six months. Beyond technical skills, “people skills” are also very important: “A crane driver has to be calm, collected, responsible, and mature,” explains Thierry Charrière. “He must be able to assess a situation very quickly and never take risks: if he’s in any doubt, he doesn’t lift.” Didier Teil confirms this: “If there is the slightest danger, I stop in my tracks... even before the danger arises!”

Recruitment is easier these days, for the profession enjoys a certain prestige among site workers: every project needs a crane operator! “And there are advantages,” explains Victor Malainho, human resources officer with Bouygues Bâtiment Île de France – Habitat Social: “The job gives you responsibilities, autonomy, and a good deal of pride.” And it is one of the jobs in the construction sector to which women are gravitating.

For any young recruit interested in the job, Marie-Hélène Boudier has some sound advice: “You need character, but be patient; give yourself time to learn... and go to bed early!”