VIDEO: Zaha Hadid from above. We climbed a crane near Masaryk railway station
“If a person is afraid of heights, he will not overcome him. People are afraid, they are sick, they don’t believe it. I know climbers who climb mountains, chimneys, but do not climb on a crane, because they trust their rope, their safety, but not the construction of the crane, “describes the experience of Jaroslav Bzenecký, a professional technician of Kranimex lifting equipment. He made a living as a crane operator for 15 years.
And Radim Mádr, Metrostav’s construction manager, adds another warning. “The crane is anchored at the bottom over the anchors and the helix, but the higher it is, the more prone the structure is, of course, and the wind moves. If you have problems with motor skills, we definitely need a trip on a crane for him, “he says.
the reporter and the cameraman are determined and go upstairs, however, to find out what a crane operator’s work looks like and also how amazing the view of Prague is.
“Tyja, it’s moving,” Smlsal says anxiously. But the way up is still long. It takes a total of ten minutes to reach the final ladder. At its end is the coveted target – the crane operator’s cabin.
The crane operator grips the lever and at the moment holds the stairs with the crane. During the morning, he moves the material from one place to another. He receives instructions by radio.
“There is a crane coordinator on every construction site so that he cannot collide. There is a number of binders under each crane. And the crane operator listens to the binder in question, “says expert Jaroslav Bzenecký.
VIDEO: Reporter Smlsal ran with 10 beers. He poured guests and the famous hockey player |
But there is no need for urgency during a nine to ten hour shift. The man in the cabin has a break and is waiting for another instruction from the radio. It doesn’t climb down.
“You can read, someone is watching movies on your mobile phone, someone is looking through binoculars around,” says Bzenecký.
He descended to the east twice in 15 years
Cranes usually go down only once during a shift, when they have a break for lunch. Not because of the need for the east.
“Crane drivers are usually so well trained that they go in the morning and then, when they need to, at noon. In my fifteen years of practice, it has only happened to me twice that I had to climb down. And when a crane operator needs to bounce to a small one, then to a bottle, ”says a professional lifting equipment technician.
VIDEO: Master Šonka vs reporter Smlsal. They competed in aerial acrobatics |
The crane operator has heat in the cabin thanks to two heaters. However, it is pleasant on a given day and outside on a boom that can be reached from the cab. The thermometer shows about five degrees, but the adrenaline and the sun push the feeling temperature much higher. It is from the boom that are the most beautiful views of the metropolis, one at a height of 53 meters can see all over the world.
The main building with the iconic golden tower is currently being built in Masaryk. The project, which Penta Real Estate considers a flagship, will completely transform the current area near the station. A hotel will also be built here and an elevated park above the railway station will uniquely connect Prague 1 with Prague 3 and 8.