If it all goes well, my second day starts with a 3 man crew arriving to a site that has literally nothing for them to do, except put their tools into the pit, and crack open the coffee, while the crane sets up:
A quick sign-in and plan with crane operator and rigger, and we're hooked up and lifting the first concrete/steel module. It is 24,500lbs, 21ft long, 11ft wide:
The second module going in is almost identical to the first, same size and weight, it actually bolts to the first one, so it takes a few minutes of fussing to get the bolts lined up and locked down.
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On this site, we had to relocate the crane to other side of fuel island as the canopy was obstructing our reach, but the third module hooked up and went in quick- it is 14ft long, weighs only 19,500lbs.
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The last module is 26ft long, weighs 26,500lbs.
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Now we sling the sign (sorry, I had my hands full guiding it) by looping around the outside of the cabinet with endless nylon 20' slings. We've designed the sign cabinet specifically for this lifting method, and it is simple, fast, and safe. Once stood up on the bolts (which I verified with a proving template the prior day), dropping a washer and nut on just two studs, one on front, one on back side, is sufficient to prevent the sign from blowing over under any conditions, I signal 'wind down' to the crane, and as the slings' tension falls, I pull the far-side sling off the cabinet with my release rope, he swings the crane boom away to release the other.
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Then I signal crane op and rigger with 'wiped hands'... that means All Done! Then we pack up all the rigging, tools, etc., to relieve trip hazards, pack up the crane, and it was pulling off my site by 9:30am.
At that point, I start a mad race with my team- while they're standing up the scale decks on load cells, I'm pulling wire into the sign, connecting the intercom, video, and electricals, throwing breakers puts power to the sign lights and scale pit receptacle. They had it in position, with all the electronics wired up just a few minutes before I was done, I scampered inside, connected the scale instrumentation, and threw the power switch. By 11:30am, we had a talking, operating machine. Mechanical adjustments and anchoring everything down was complete by 1:40pm, and by 2:10pm, it was dialed in dead-on, using a 21,000lb self-propelled certified weight cart.
Here's my team. Left to right- Me, Ryan, Jeff, and James:
I get to work with ace crews like this at every site, and it's an absolute pleasure to have them. Although I'm technically the foreman, I lead from the front, clearing everything from their path, making sure everything is clean, safe, ready, and in place for them, so that when they get into the battle, they can focus on what they do best. My philosophy, is that while I'm the foreman, the dude-in-charge, the 'boss'... and technically, their 'customer', THEY don't work for ME... I work for THEM. While I'm amidst my tasks up top, if they need something, they shout at me, and I bring it to 'em. I serve as eyes, and move the decks, measure gaps, etc., so they don't have to climb in and out... which makes their work much more efficient, much less fatiguing, and much faster. In the end, this translates to higher quality. Their day was done in under 6 hours, and they weren't wet, muddy, cold, and exhausted. Most of my peers will dismiss that as irrelevant, because we already contracted to pay them for a full day, but this is a failed philosophy to me- it is inconsiderate to them, as human beings, to subject them to circumstances which I could have mitigated. In doing what I do, I've had a remarkable effect on morale, which translates very directly to quality, not just for MY task, but for whatever they're faced with in the near future. It is not unlikely that sometime in the next day or two, one of them will get a latenight emergency service call to fix something broken down somewhere. It'll be dark, wet, cold, and they'll be alone tackling something, and by virtue of MY leadership here, they'll be more rested, focused, and effective under lesser conditions.
Today, I'm doing a few finishing tasks, and training the staff. Site opens at 7am tomorrow, and I plan on having everyone ready before the door unlocks, and shortly after, I'll start my trek home.
