The Man Lift — Another in The Series of “How Do They Do That?”

Have you every wondered how the construction crew and the equipment get the various floor while the building is still in its steel skeleton stage. Up to this stage it has been quite simple: Built in stairs in three of the mechanical rooms allowed the crew to go to the basement (“B” level). Once the “A” Level decking was installed; ladders and a portable scaffold stair system provided access. Entry at grade, the ground floor (first floor), was quite simple. A wooden bridge spanned the moat on the west and north sides. Access to the second floor is via ladders. To reach the third floor two portable scaffold stair systems were built on the southwest end of the building. Heavy equipment, materials, and supplies were either brought in by one of the cranes or with a fork lift. Once the steel columns go beyond the third floor an electric Man Lift is required to move the construction crew and materials quickly between floors.

On March 26, 2018, I noticed two men walking across the east yard toward the northeast corner of the pit: One was pushing a wheelbarrow full of hand tools, while the other kept watch for moving heavy equipment. Some time later, I positioned myself so that I could photograph a single node spline beam as it was lowered in the pit. After taking the photo, I noticed the two laborers (see yellow circle) were chipping out a section of blacktop next to the cap slab. At the time, I wasn’t sure what they were up to. Note the single node spline beam in the background that was being positioned to be lowered into the pit.

A couple of days later, I arrived on site and there was a large brace lying on the side yard. When I was told the brace was for the man lift, then it all came together: The area where they were chipping away at the concrete was where the man lift was to be installed. At the time, I was unable to visualize where the brace would be installed.

Making my way over to where the activity had been, I noticed Victor forming where the pad would be poured.

In the morning of March 30, 2018, cement was poured into the man lift forms. Here Rudy is troweling the surface of the pad.

Making my way around to the northeast side of the pit, I looked back toward the area where Rudy was working. There, I could see where the tall brace had been anchored. It was to be a support brace for the concrete pad.

By the third day, the concrete had cured enough to take the forms off. Note the concrete pad with the stack of lumber that had been recently delivered. The electricians had been by to install a large bracket where the large electrical boxes would be bolted. I was unable to take a photo of the whole pad as some steel had been stacked to my right.

When arrived on site the next day, I could tell that the carpenters had been hard at work. Once again, I was unable to get close to where the carpenters were working. I had to be satisfied with the upper drive above the yard. A large tractor-trailer truck had just entered the yard, and an ironworker, standing on the bed of the truck (inside the yellow circle), was surveying the load of rebar. Just beyond the ironworker, the carpenters were anchoring the wooden posts to support the man lift decking.

Up on grade work continues on the supports, and the electricians were wiring the boxes. In this photo at center right a damper is being lowered into place. Standing on a spline beam (bottom center), two welders will spend most of the day welding two spline beam sections together.

Surrounded by steel and decking, the platform begins to take shape.

A view of the platform from the east. At this stage it is difficult to envision how the man lift will meld into the steel structure.

Four days later the lift company was onsite beginning the setup. The two man lift cages will be lifted by crane where they will be attached to the lattice tower.

One side of a man lift cage enclosure is being lowered into place on the platform.

Sections of the lattice tower on which the man lifts will be attached will soon be assembled.

By the following day, the man lift tower had been erected. As this side view shows, the tower has not been connected to the steel column.

Eighteen days after the laborers begin to trench out the asphalt where the man lift would be constructed, it is nearly completed for inspection. Once the steel and decking have been completed in the center and right bays, the man lift mechanics can finishing hooking the tower to the column, and complete the final installation process for final testing and inspection. The man lift must be approved by OSHA before it can be operational.

On Sunday, April 15, 2018, the tower was connected to the lattice tower (boom). The mechanics were on site making final adjustments  and running tests prior to inspection on Monday.

Man Lift receives OSHA approval.

This clip shows the man lift operational soon after it received OSHA approval.

Of course, I had to experience the thrills of the man lift. Gordon, the man lift operator kindly took me to the third floor. He holds the door at the second floor where I took a photo through the cage.

A spectacular view from the third floor. In twenty-four hours this view would change the face of the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

The following day, about the same time in the afternoon, Gordon took me to the third floor where a snapped a photo of the four columns (center left) that had been set earlier in the afternoon. Another spectacular view, however, the face of the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center will soon be obscured by steel and metal decking.