Quality Time in the Fifth Floor Atriums–Studying the Sequential Sequence of Hanging Iron

Today, I roamed around in the basement (level “B”), “A” level, and the ground level (first floor) where I took a few photos. I took the  man lift to the sixth-floor where I stepped off and took a photo. My mind however, was on another floor: floor 5 where I hoped to spend some quality time taking photos of the steel being set on floors six and seven. Thanks to Sergio and Chuck, they cleared me to take photographs from the fifth  floor provided I didn’t “walk around” and “stay put.” Sergio gave me a box on which to sit and a cold bottle of water. What more could an old man wish for? After gaining permission, Sergio led me to the area where I was directed to set (No. 2 below) on a wooden box that he had brought along. Before I had a chance to shifted my lanky body around on the box, I suddenly had to aim my camera toward a piece of iron that was being lifted in the air just about 1:00 level with the seventh floor.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sergio and a couple of his fellow ironworkers heading my direction. My heart sank! Are they going to tell me I have get off the decking? I wondered. Dennis, Sergio called out. “Come with us, I found a better place for you to take photos.” Quaking in my boots, I slowly got up and before I had a chance to take a step one of the ironworkers grabbed the wooden box and off he went. “Follow me,” Sergio called out: “Watch where you step. There is a lot of _____ on the deck and we don’t want to have to pick you up.” After what seemed like an hour trek, we arrived at my new spot (No. 4 below). “Sit, don’t move, and stay under this girder above your head. We don’t want something falling on your head!” Again, I settle into the wooden box, as much, I guess, as anyone can settle into a wooden box. Looking up, I began to survey the territory. Wow, Sergio wasn’t kidding. This was a much better location. I was HAPPY! The photos in the following preface allows one to see the area from which the fifth floor photographs were taken. Following the preface is the section showing the photographs taken from the east atrium, followed by the west atrium photographs.

Preface

The South Elevation: The two elliptical dots indicate where I was holed up on the fifth floor. From where I was sitting in the east atrium (right elliptical dot No. 2), I had an excellent view of the Children’s Hospital logo (inset). I was able to shoot the logo straight though the column bays. Number 4 (the left elliptical dot is where I was stationed on the south side of the west atrium.

The Atriums: The following day after having the opportunity to spend time on the fifth floor in the east atrium (1), and the west atrium (5), I tagged along with Jack, the assistant job superintendent, and James (one of the men responsible for keeping the steel columns and beams plum) up to the roof of the current Medical Center. James was required to take readings off of the south facing columns with survey equipment that had been positioned on the roof. Number 2 is the area where I took the first few photographs. Arrows (2) and (4) illustrate more precisely where I was positioned. Number (3) between the two arrows illustrates the width of the elevator tower, which is positioned between the two hospitals.

As Viewed From the Eastern Edge of the East Atrium

~Looking West~

Facing West: I positioned myself on the box just in time to aim the camera and take this photo. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a beam tethered to the cranes cable and I had a hunch where the beam was heading.

One infill beam and a girder are being lowered for the ironworkers to hang.

Getting closer: One ironworker is positioning himself to receive the infill beam.

While Jason helps to steady the infill beam as it is lowered a welder below him is welding on a column. Above Jason is a girder that will front another bay just to the right in the photo.

The girder is slowly being maneuvered between the two back columns.

Kenny, standing on the seventh floor girder waits patiently along with Jason (right) for the final girder that will box in the south elevator shaft. 

Kenny strides along on a seventh floor girder to bolt his side to the column’s bracket. Jason behind the column at the left has already secured his end.

While Kenny takes a breather, Jason walks the west girder in preparation for hanging another piece of iron. The two ironworkers in the left bay at opposite corners  are completing the bolting process.

A closeup of the massive columns. The column in the center weighs 88,000 pounds or 44,000 tons. No matter how you compute the weight, the column is still VERY HEAVY!

In the center of the photo, notice the office suite complete with an executive chair. Sergio, my fifth floor escort and minder is shown in the photo insert at the upper left. The cords and cables strewn all over the decking was the ________ that Sergio told me to watch out for and “step over by picking up your feet.”

Relocating to the South Side of the West Atrium

It was at this point in the photo shoot that Sergio came over to me and announced that I would be relocating to a better spot. I dutifully got off the wooden box and followed his lead. We hadn’t moved ten feet when he yelled: ” Dennis, look up.” And so, I did what any right minded man would do under the circumstances— I ducked and then looked up. Pointing up to a hole in the decking above, he hollered over the noise: “Take a Picture.” Finally, after weaving our way across the metal decking, he came to the spot where I was to SIT. Sergio was right, this spot was much better. Also, he was aware of what the ironworkers were going tackle next. The following photos and videos will give you a flavor of what I experienced on the south side of the west atrium.

This is the first photo, I took at Sergio’s demand. Up through the sixth floor decking, there is ironworker Jason, looking up as he stands on a seventh floor girder as he watches another piece of iron slowly being lowered.

The second opening we came to, we were able to see the girder Jason was anticipating.

Kenny (left) and Jason (right) wait for another colossal girder, which will be slipped into the slots between where they are standing.

Slowly, the crane operator lowers the girder.

Getting closer.

Hands on.

Time to use the feet!

Aligning the girder holes with the column horizontal holes.

Alignment Assist by Using a Cable and a Turnbuckle

Often times the plum up crew will have to tweak the columns—increase the tension or decrease the tension— so that the holes will properly align to insert the bolts. The following photos illustrate how this is done.

James (right) adjusts the turnbuckle while Eddie (left) checks the tension on the cable.

With his side secured, Jason travers the girder to assists Kenny (kneeling) in lining up the holes.

Just a few more twists of the turnbuckle.

Sights and Sounds From the Fifth Floor of the Adult Hospital—

A Video

Enjoy the sights and sounds as the ironworkers and welders go about their jobs on the replacement adult hospital on the Loma Linda University campus. This photo features Jason and Kenny the two ironworkers who perform high beam acts of agility and caution as they hang the heavy beams and girders on the massive columns. You will also see Eddie and James, the two iron workers whose responsibility it is to keep the steel columns plum and the horizontal beams a girders level. You will see James turning a turnbuckle on a cable as he first releases the tension on the cable to seat one of the girders. As soon as the girder slips into place, he tightens the cable. As soon as the ironworkers are done with the row, James and Eddie will make the final adjustments.