BOISE, Idaho — The downtown Boise skyline is dotted with tower cranes building the future. Key to all the development is the crane operators who sit in tiny glass bubbles hanging off the side or bottom of the cranes they operate. We give you a first hand look at what that unusual job is like.
- Seid Cranes is one of the largest crane operators in the Treasure Valley with seven currently in operation.
- Seid is purchasing a new 1.5 million dollar crane that will be 250 feet tall and help build the new ICCU building.
- Crane operators work long days without coming down, so they keep a bottle and bucket available as makeshift toilets.
- Crane's are grounded so a lightning strike won't kill the occupant.
- Cranes are known to "weathervane" in high winds allowing the boom to align with the wind direction.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Some people think they have a good view of the city from their office, but let's face it. None of them compare to the view Kyle Laney sees every day.
He's a third generation tower crane technician, but he wasn't born with no fear.
"It's a healthy fear, you have to have respect for heights," said Laney.
The highest he's climbed is 748 feet and now he's pretty blasé about it.
"When you get above 150 feet it's all the same," said Laney.
His office is a tiny cab that's mostly glass so he can see what he's lifting.
"It's not a bad office," joked Laney.
And Kyle isn't alone. Seid Cranes has a number of them across the valley right now.
"So we're doing about 7 projects in downtown Boise right now and Eagle," said operations manager for Seid Crane Services, Walker Seid.
Walker Seid is in the perfect business. He owns these cranes that are in high demand because…
"The buildings are getting taller," he said.
And this crane is tiny compared to the one that's coming.
"It's going to be 250 feet tall under hook. It'll be on Second and Idaho. It's the Idaho Central Credit Union building," said Seid.
Kyle may be on that job, and spending 10-12 hours a day at that height and it has its challenges.
One question on everyone's minds when it comes to these cranes: yeah, it has to do with going to the bathroom and these porta-potties. In fact, one of these porta-potties is probably as big as that control pod at the top of the tower.
So, Kyle says if you gotta go, you bring a bottle or a bucket with you on your climb.
And if the weather gets rough?
"Yeah, you see a storm coming in and you gotta get a move on," said Laney.
Fortunately, the tower is grounded so a lightning hit goes around you and not through you. And the structure is strong enough to lift thousands of pounds, but the strongest structures always flex.
"There's quite a bit of flex in the crane, so as you're picking it's kinda like a big fishing pole. Get the fish on and it starts bending down, you get quite a bit of flex," said Laney.
And that's one more thing most offices don't do, but it's just a walk in the park for Kyle Laney.
