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Due to the architectural improvement, buildings are ...
... towering much closer to the sky.
Have you ever thought of how hard it can be to be a crane operator ...
... when you pass by those crane ...
... towers working non-stop everyday ?
Fetullah Aydin is just one of those hidden heroes...
I'm Fetullah Aydin. I was born in Erzurum.
I was born in 1985.
I have lived in Erzurum since 16 years old.
Then I moved to Istanbul. I had training in Istanbul for 2 years.
Then came back to Erzurum.
In Erzurum, ...
... I had crane-operator training for 2 years.
Then came back to Istanbul once.
I set this job with the advice of my uncle.
He was working in France as a subcontractor.
He talked about the cranes he had there. I was going to move there.
Learn this job, he said.
I didn't know this job,
... even what a crane is. That's how I got started.
I had training for 6 months or so.
Then I had training for 6 months, I moved to Ankara.
I stayed there 7 or 8 months, that's all. Then I moved to Istanbul.
In Istanbul, I worked in Kurtkoy in 2005.
They had called me in from Gebze Organised Industry.
I went there.
They were removing the crane ...
... tower while we were interviewing.
There, I met the workers removing it.
There was a foreman, Sadik Brother there. I met him.
There was Master Recep from Atilla Duran service.
We talked through with them.
They called me in to Istanbul, saying there is a working place.
There is a stuff there, they told me to go in there. I visited in.
I worked in a Building Center with Sadik Brother.
After this project is complete, there was another project of a skyscraper
I worked there for a while, I have been here for 8-9 months.
We are building a 42-storey tower. Now we are on the 20th floor.
We are on the 140th meter, it still goes on.
It will take one or one and a half year or so.
When we consider the technological improvements today,
... we still can't make heads and tails of how the pyramids were built
Because, we have all the technological capability to make ...
... those high buildings, skyscrapers and barrages today.
Crane-towers are a special part of this improvement.
Head of the Chamber of Istanbul Civil Engineers in association ...
... with Union of Turkish Engineers and Architects, Cemal Gökçe ...
... tells us the worldly and national history of crane-towers .
The crane history is not old, in our country.
But, we know we know that it has been used since 1900s ...
... in developed countries.
Especially after 1920's, it was much more in demand.
With the improvement of the building trade in Turkey in 60's ...
... and increase in electric power- plants, barrages, public buildings ..
... and unique constructions, crane-towers became popular ...
... and stepped into the building trade.
It increased in demand since 80's.
Today, it is much more popular as the ...
... multi-storey buildings are increasing in number.
It is impossible for these sorts to be built in classical method.
So, crane-towers are vitally essential vehicles contributing ...
... much to growth in development in the building trade,
... projects and constructions, other similar projects in this field.
Those who use these vehicles are called crane-operators.
First vehicle used in our country is not of course crane-towers.
There had been various vehicles according to the feature ...
... and the nature of that construction.
Especially for loading and unloading,
... there had been many more vehicles until today.
And all of them was called rope-operated machines,
... providing loading materials, loads and equipments ...
... used in the construction.
There has been made special various mechanisms to load ...
... and unload those equipments ...
... and those mechanisms ...
... did the service functionally.
But, with the expanding of working areas,
... especially construction of barrages, electric power plants ...
... and ponds, different vehicles got needed ...
... for big-scale construction areas.
From then on,
... mechanism directed by elevator-system ...
... or human force to carry the loads.
Of course, they are still functional,
... but now that this method will take long time to load,
... new quick mechanisms that can carry the loads ...
... rapidly are preferable much more.
In this point, crane-towers got manufactured.
A crane-operator forms the backbone of a construction
In fact, we can't get started
... unless the operator arrives in the work-site
That's why, the day starts earlier for ...
... an operator working in a risky area ...
... with a high amount of equipment.
We get up at 7 am.
We have a breakfast.
Then, we have to get on the crane ...
... 15-20 earlier before the starting work.
Anyway, we hardly finish work and get down till 8 pm
First we check the engine.
Infact, we check the rope of the engine.
Because the rope is vital. If there is any disorder or ...
... a break on the rope, because it can easily break.
When the load is board, even a little ...
... disorder on the rope can cause breaking.
We check the rope.
Then we check the transmitter.
After exchanging greetings, then comes the start work.
We are very busy till midday.
Because we should be ready for ...
... concrete manufacturing in the evening.
Sometimes we complain about this.
Sometimes they have complains. I mean,
... if we build a tower,
... we have so much things to share.
You know, when we come here, this is the interesting thing in our job,
... we meet new people.
New projects, new people.
We completed a project there.
Then we became like brothers, son and fathers ...
... both with our boss and each-other as a stuff.
That's why we work till midday, we have lunch at 12-2.
After our lunch at 2 o'clock,
... we have to be on the crane at 1 o'clock.
We have to have gone up. But, generally we cannot do it.
We can't catch up with it.
In the afternoon, we slow down a bit compared to the morning.
We stop work at 6 o'clock and go down.
Sometimes, we can't go down.
Because if there is something to do about the concrete,
... we have to accomplish that.
So we can't go down sometimes,
... we may work for ...
... 18 or 24 hours long.
It is really essential for workers to work in peace and harmony ...
... in the construction site.
So, there is a need for someone or more to organize ...
... that working environment for them.
Such people are chose among those experienced and having worked ...
... in the construction site.
Sadik Narli is one of them.
I worked with Fethullah many times.
There was a crane construction somewhere.
They founded the crane,
... but the technical service had said this crane will collapse.
Our bosses came up, the committee came up.
They checked the area.
Yes, this crane would collapse, it would.
We removed it.
Removing, we had a really tiring day with Recep brother.
Then he told us to remove the pin of the crane,
... then the pin popped out into the mud.
He stared at my face. I asked why are you looking?
He said, me, I asked what's his job.
He said I'm a crane-operator.
I told him to go and fetch the pin. He did. That's how we met.
He is a well-mannered lad, then I called him in to work with us.
He didn't. After that, he was working in Sisli, Besiktas.
There was a vacancy in the construction in Besiktas.
He advised him, but I didn't know him.
I was in the cabin, on top of the crane.
Then I saw him opening the door of the cabin.
He was really happy to see me. Brother Sadik, are you? I said yes.
Then I had enough of this till I made him get the job.
Oh my God, he is too young,
... there was a mechanical engineer, Mr. Ibrahim.
Mr. Ibrahim said 'I can't employ him because he is not full age.
We discussed because of that.
He has been with me for 7 years.
I am responsible for them as a foreman.
What does a crane-tower foreman do?
A crane-tower foreman is particular,
... sometimes we visit the companies,
... we have brother called Recep from these services. Service manager
Then, he helps us there, he sends them.
He goes to the big companies.
For example 10, 5 or 6 crane-towers are to be built.
10 cranes are to be built. We visit the places.
Then we make terms with ...
... the constructor's supervisor and the constructor.
Because it is actually hard to have a way with them.
I have many friends, many good friends who listen to ...
... my advices. I work as a foremen, responsible of them.
We organize and help them.
When there is an emergency, I work as an operator sometimes,
now that I am originally and operator.
When there is an emergency, I work as an operator sometimes,
now that I'm originally and operator. I still organize them.
When they may have something come up and have to go home,
we shouldn't leave our work field unattended in this job
Because when you set it loose,
there is a massive site with 100, 200, 300 workers.
So if there isn't a crane, working in even an hour comes to nothing.
I am taking care of the equipment they use, a crew chief.
In building trade, even a small inattention in ...
... the health and safety of the worker can cause loss of life.
In this sector full of risky working conditions,
the most essential precautions crane-tower operators ...
... should have is regular feeding and sleeping pattern.
Considering the importance of bodywork and
the relationship between brain and body is undeniable, we should
accept that those people should care about their own health.
Considering importance of bodywork and relationship between brain and
body is undeniable, we should accept
that those people should care about their own health.
Because their job do not concern only
themselves, but it is an error-prone job.
Any sorts of accident they have, loss of concentration is vital,
causing vital losses, dangerous injuries and death.
In this point, they should vitally care about their health.
They should vitally care about their
feeding habit, they should
care about their rest,
the engines they use ...
... places they sit on should be ...
... comfortably arranged enough to work on.
According to the conditions in Turkey,
it is one of the three basic sectors,
in the but unfortunately we know there have been serious problems
health and safety of workers bot in building trades and other sectors.
Major point is to avoid the life losses, not only for the workers
but also in every square of a construction site where
the functional building activities take place,safety measures
should be taken to the order of workers health and safety.
Their sleeping pattern,
special care, feeding habit,
where they sleep, the relationship between where they work
and where they feed, any problems avoiding them to
go to work or run down their health should be solved.
In this field where a lot of human force is needed,
no matter how many precautions were taken,
especially even a small lack of attention in crane-towers operators,
resulting from long working hours can cause serious problems.
We work as crane-operators, but we may have some problems.
Once I way pouring concrete.
There was a man lying on the cabinet.
After all, we had been pouring concrete from midnight till morning.
Sun was just rising. So, it is natural ...
... then that we feel asleep, such a deep one,
then I used to carry the man together with the cabinet under.
Mate, I carried the man with the cabinet under it,
I fell asleep, I woke up with the sound from the transmitter.
Waking up, I couldn't see the man nor the cabinet.
Looking and looking around, but I couldn't find,
much less I was sleepy to death.
I couldn't get up in one way or another,
there was a demijohn on the right.
It wasn't full, I mean I can lift the roller.
I lift it up and pour it from top to toe.
I awakened in an instant.
Then I recognized the man just near me with the cabinet.
I had involuntarily left him there and fell asleep.
thought it is all gone, he died, but he did not. I was afraid to death.
I was afraid to death.
Crane-tower operators who serves this ...
... field forming the backbone of Building
Trade not only should have some particular ...
... training but also some other qualities,too.
They have a really special job.
You see, they are always in the teeth of an accident.
In this respect, their professional knowledge is essential.
But that is not solely important.
Also, their hand, eye, foot ...
coordination should be balanced.
This is not enough, either.
Crane-operators should perceive every
Nthing going on there in a second.
I think it is really essential for crane-tower operators ...
... to use their hands, eyes, feet and other sense organs coordinated.
There is a 12-day-training.
They have to be graduated from at least secondary school.
Those who have both practical and
theoretic training collectively-opened ...
... by The Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Affairs, Directorate for ... Highways, Chamber of Mechanical
... Engineers, for a 12-day period, and who ...
... are full age and capable of using the ...
hands, arms and eyes, if they pass the ...
... exam successively, they can get the Crane-operator certification.
Only then they can work in this field.
A crane-operator spends many hours,
a day in a small cabinet, hundred meters above, all alone.
In this cabinet, they face with cold,
...hot and sometimes too heavy loads to control.
You know, we work 150 meters,
... 160, 180 meters above.
The weather is very different.
In summer,
... if the weather is windy,
it is 10 or 15 degrees cooler than the temperature below.
In winter, needless to say, we can't heat up because ...
... it is open on all sides no matter how insulated it is,
.. which means it is shaded by only an half centimeter-iron sheet.
The hardest ...
... load is light but bulky.
Because it is really hard to control them in windy weathers.
Generally all the loads are bulky ...
... and lighter despite its size.
These are tough loads. They require much more craft.
I am afraid of failure in the command or deed at most.
I am afraid of making mistakes.
I am afraid of failure in the command ...
... or deed at most. I am afraid of making mistakes.
If you have to lift down or stop, or else if they
tell you to lift up, you may do it reflexively.
You are out of control of your brain or hand coordination.
Fetullah Aydin is a crane-operator...
Contributing to the history of high smart buildings, looking at us from
meters above, we don't know them, when we are passing by those cranes.
This hidden hero, making a great effort
in the building those comfortable houses, workplaces,
do not call himself a hero although he dances with death.
He is a laborer.
Actually we are not hidden.
Because, when you grow up, it is enough not to be afraid of height.
When you go up, you feel how safe it is.
So, it is not about being a hero, it seems so.
Because people cannot understand how this engine works out.
That's why we see them as heroes, courage is essential.
Or you should be coldblooded in case of an emergency.
I wanted to study. But I couldn't, when ...
... I got this job, I canceled my education.
Then, with comfortable economical situations for the time being,
we quit school
I wish I hadn't.