Risque en hauteur : les travailleurs de l’extrême

En ville, la hauteur impressionnante de certains bâtiments rend le travail des lignards et des monteurs de structures d’acier difficile. Pour eux, la chute est un risque de chaque instant. En forêt, il leur faut faire attention aux troncs ainsi qu’aux outils qui peuvent créer de graves accidents. Avoir le vertige n’est donc pas une option pour ces travailleurs de l’extrême !

Par le biais d’images exceptionnelles, de plans d’action et d’entrevues captivantes, cette série sur les métiers les plus dangereux vous transportera dans des situations à haut-risque et vous fera vivre une gamme d’émotions…
Réalisateur : Fréderic Réau, Pascal Carron, Yannie Dupont-Hébert
Série : 24h danger

In the cities, the professions practiced on artificial structures represent multiple dangers, by height, and by the materials that the workers handle. Indio is what we call a lineman. He works on lines of 25,000 volts. He must not only manage safety of working at height,

But also the danger which passes continuously under his nose. He’s already been electrocuted himself. It’s a miracle that I made it out. It’s thanks to God if I’m not dead. Thanks to this experience, I am today a model for others. I’m the one who leads by example. Ken is an iron worker.

He climbs the steel beams for the construction of buildings. In addition to dizzying heights where he works, he must constantly be wary of the weight of the steel beams. With their many tons, they regularly crush their fingers, arms or entire bodies. I had a cut near my eye.

You can still see the scar. I had a concussion, some bruises and scratches, this kind of things. Indio and Ken work with dangerous materials which require constant vigilance. Their work is even more complicated that they must take risks at height. Winnipeg, province of Manitoba, Canada, an autumn day which heralds an early winter.

Long before dawn, Kenderk Sten begins his working day on the construction site of a tower about a hundred meters high. Ken is responsible for the team of steel framer. He has over 17 years of experience. It’s briefing time for the team that Ken leads. This is the first safety inspection.

We do a recap what we are going to do during the day. Today, men will undertake assembling the beams on the top floor, 21st. Tower, one of the highest in the city, will house businesses and apartments. We are on the 21st floor. The area behind will be raised by an additional floor

To cover the roof. All materials used to make the roof is steel. These are columns, beams, steel joists and decking. It’s going to be a busy day at the top of the building under construction. Ken receives a call of the ground operations manager. The truck carrying the beams is well positioned.

If everything is ready and in order, I’m going to send two guys to see what it looks like. Ken makes sure that the crane operator is ready. Take it to the top of the building steel beams weighing tons requires great rigor in the preparation as much as in the execution.

On the ground, we ensure that the large pieces are securely attached to the sling, that is to say at the hook of the cable, so that the heavy load does not oscillate during operation. The pieces swing in the void while gaining height. The question of committing the slightest carelessness,

It would be a disaster. Ken makes sure the beams are placed in the correct place. When all the parts are delivered, steel structure erectors will be able to undertake the assembly phase. Dan is the manager securing the beams to the ground. Ken trusts him. The two have known each other for years.

They are used to working together. They share good and bad memories on construction sites, one of which they are not ready to forget. Ken had a good fall. I was there. He was connecting and installing a beam, but the anchor bolts at the bottom were not attached correctly.

He was on the beam and there was a movement. The beam fell while he was on it. The column had a length about nine or ten meters. She just toppled over. My colleague and I were on the beam who was falling. I was next to the column,

So much so that I was able to get around it and slide down a little. I slipped about two three meters on the column as she fell. All the metal started to fall. It felt like it was raining steel. Beams almost crushed him. I jumped over to land on the snow

And I saw Ken. I was ready to give him mouth-to-mouth. I had a cut near my eye. You can still see the scar. I had a concussion, some bruises and scratches, this kind of things, but it’s because of the concussion that I was off work for a month after the accident.

Despite this fall which could have cost him his life, Ken returned to work after his recovery. No question of abandoning the profession. Like six days a week, Indio gets ready for work. He puts on his outfit from home, Which allows it to be immediately operational if ever a phone call for an emergency

Came to introduce himself. Thanks to his motorcycle, Indio is only about twenty minutes away from his work. The first thing to do when you arrive is to check the perfect condition safety equipment. The rules are very strict. If equipment is no longer 100% insulating, he will endanger the life of the lineman.

I’m going to test the glove with air compression. I fill this glove with air. Afterwards, I put it under water. We let them dry a little. This test that Indio does every morning, each of his men is also required to do so. You have to test the gloves carefully.

It is our most important protection. If they have holes and we touch the current in phase-phase or phase-earth, you can receive an electric shock, and be amputated, or even die. Today is a special day for India. He must dispense practical training in Ignacio, a new apprentice.

It’s the first time that he will work in real conditions. He will be tested on his aptitude to properly integrate what is said to him. First, I’m afraid of heights, because I’m not used to it, and also from the network when it is on. There is a whole process to follow,

Because it remains very dangerous. We learn all this during training. First measure, equip yourself well: harness, helmet, goggles. Nothing should be left to chance. Once installed in the basket, you have to hang your safety strap to the arch which is located on the hydraulic arm. Indeed, it is essential,

Because the nacelles are mobile and can turn around at any time in the event of a false maneuver. Falls to the ground are therefore a real danger. Exercise of the day is to change a rotten stem which supports the power lines by a new gallows. To begin with, electrified cables must be insulated

With blankets removable plastic. Indio shows his apprentice all the right things to do to work with maximum security. We are very attentive. You don’t have to be in a hurry in this work. You must always keep in mind that the network is electrified. After securing everything,

It is necessary to carry out the most delicate maneuver: move the electrified cable by hand. Be careful. The safety wire must be removed with great caution. Above all, we must avoid to make contact with the earth. To avoid phase-to-earth contact, that’s it ? Yes, in this case,

The earth is insulated with this cover. It is still necessary have this safety reflex. You always have to think about it. That’s it, it’s secure. Take the cable and put it aside. 25,000 volt cables are now moved on the new stem. You have to give one last stroke of vice

And remain vigilant until the end. Ignacio did a good job. He succeeded to keep your cool and did not commit no security errors. I was anxious. At first it’s difficult, but I will wait my instructor’s evaluation, what he thought of my work. It’s not easy to work with medium voltage cables.

I know we are risking our lives in this work, but I am motivated. It’s a new chance, a new profession. In Winnipeg, on the ground and on the roof, work is progressing. Ken runs the operation and keep an eye on everything. Aside from the fall, what you fear most steel beam erectors,

It’s being caught in a vice between the cables and the moving beams, a trap that can close on them at any time. At this stage, one of the biggest risks, pinch points that occur while they collect and turn the beams over.

It’s easy to end up with a stuck hand between the beams and the floor. About a year ago, a worker who did well like them was busy filing a beam on the ground. While he and the guys took it down, the beam slipped. His arm got stuck and was fractured.

The last beam has reached the summit. Parts can now be assembled. A security barrier marks the limit of the concrete floor. Beyond this assembly of erected boards, it’s guaranteed death if you fall without being attached. The beams constituting the roof structure are presented in front of their anchorage, one after the other,

An operation which requires clarification. There can be serious accidents. With the pinch points, workers find themselves stuck between the columns, the beams or walls, that sort of thing. It’s all about balance for men as much as for steel. A calculation error can cause the beam to fall with dramatic consequences

For ground workers like on the roof. OK, be careful, the next beam is getting closer. Moving on a beam just a few centimeters wide, suspended above the void, it’s everyday steel structure erectors. Even if they don’t suffer from vertigo and they know how to move safely, workers are not safe from a misstep.

It started raining and the rain makes things riskier. For example, painting which covers the beams becomes wet, smoother and slippery. It’s almost ice cream. Our gloves also end by being slippery. Bolting work is demanding. It requires considerable effort. Steel erectors use with a mass of more than five kilos for installing the pins.

The tools are connected on the belt by a rope, essential precaution at this height, but the rain is here and the beams become slippery. Watch out, Jordan. Remove the cable. The weather is getting worse, it’s raining more. The construction site is closed. For work at height, rain is enemy number one,

Even more so when working with electricity. Today the rain is falling in the Blumenau region. When it rains, the linemen do not intervene on high voltage lines. The danger is too great. Water is a conductor, the risk of electrocution is much too high. Today, Indio should make your team work

On a dismantling line which is no longer powered. When you work in this environment, danger is always omnipresent. The first thing to do is to demarcate a security perimeter. We must always pay attention to safety, ours and that of the people around, our colleagues, the passers-by. The security perimeter protects passers-by

Possible falling objects, but that’s not the biggest danger, because even if the line is cut, the others are not necessarily. One of the precautions to take concerns the nacelle. This big arm that you see, he can touch the bar. So, it electrifies the equipment. When Indio works on unpowered lines,

He never lets his guard down. He has already been the victim of an error which almost cost him his life. Three cables like these have broken. Two like this first. And the third? It stayed lit when it was supposed to be off.

When I went to make a link to be able to put the new cables, the lit cable touched my back and it went boom. Indio is very alert. He had his accident under the same conditions as today when connecting the cables to an insulator like this. My last memory,

It’s having brought the cables back like that to the insulator and after nothing, it went boom. There was an electric arc, a shock. So, I lost consciousness. I didn’t faint, but I was in shock. Something must have gotten stuck, but I kept talking, even to shout. This is what a colleague told me.

He said I was in shock, but that I was still conscious. In South America, electrocution accidents are very common. The lines are not isolated by sheaths, the slightest security fault and the electric shock is guaranteed. The current of the electric arc what did Indio suffer? entered by his left arm,

Then came out through the leg. He left him with burns whose scars are indelible. It’s a miracle that I made it out. It’s thanks to God if I’m not dead. Thanks to this experience, I am today a model for others. I’m the one who leads by example. I lead by example

So that everyone follow each step carefully. Its very important. Today, when one of these men is reluctant to protect oneself properly, he only has one thing to do. If someone works without equipment, I always try to point it out to him. If the person doesn’t like it, I show what happens

When not using safety equipment. The power line is now dismantled. It’s time for Indio and his team to have lunch at the local truck driver. Enjoy your food ! A good opportunity to remember that the job is dangerous. On smartphones, they know all accident videos and themselves all had a scare.

I unintentionally removed the insulating blanket. The big scissor touched the eyelet and the cable. There was an explosion and I threw myself into the basket to protect me from the fire. It was a major explosion. I received an electric shock and I fell off the post. How high ? About nine meters.

The shock hit me and made me fall off the pole. I lost motor skills at my fingers. I had burns on the arm and leg. The fall also caused me some fractures. Montreal, the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, more than 35 million vehicles borrow it every year, one of the busiest in Canada.

Sylvain Boivin joins the men who carry out the work under the parapet. Union representative, he supervises more than 1000 assemblers of steel structures who work on the various construction sites of Quebec. The particularity of our profession as ironworker, It’s an unforgiving profession. Your margin for error is very limited.

He himself had the right to a hell of a scare. It happened to me once that I fell. It happens in seconds. At the bottom of the structure, there were frames which came out of a cement base. I was happy to be tied up. My colleague who is next door,

Even if it happens quickly, it was like in slow motion. He was very scared for me. I had time to ask myself the question: “I hope I’m attached.” Often, we get attached, then we detach ourselves. Sometimes there are reflexes. So, your colleague will tell you: “You’re not tied down, buckle up!”

Everyone knows him. Its mere presence is a guarantee of security. There it goes, guys are not attached they are in a secure location. When we work in new structures, where security does not yet exist, You are the one who will install it. So, it is important to be well attached.

Sylvain has seen accidents over the years. Some remained engraved in his memory for a long time. A worker died falling from a building this afternoon in Longueuil. Élisabeth, the man who fell of a dozen floors. A fall which proved fatal. The victim is a 36-year-old man. a steel erector

Who worked for Installations Miral. He is a subcontractor of the site… A worker loses his life while he manipulates a metal sheet composing the roof structure of a building under construction. This is the second death which occurs on a construction site in less than a few days in the Montreal area.

Upon arriving at the construction site, we went up to see the workers. It’s a feeling which is difficult to describe, to see the event through the eyes of his colleagues, no matter the age, it’s something which is difficult to live with. At this moment, I felt frustrated inside me.

There is still someone which comes from apartment. This is my second in two weeks, a worker coming from apartment. children who would go to their house… The investigation will demonstrate the presence serious security deficiencies. It’s not normal that a father, without the knowledge of the construction, get up in the morning

To make a living, support your family, that he does not come back in the evening, this is unacceptable. In the USA, the profession of steel beam erector is the one where there are the most accidents. Death rate is six times higher than for all other sectors of the construction industry.

On average, each year, five workers lose their lives following a fall from height on construction sites in Quebec. So guys? Was it this morning? Did you hear about the accident what happened on the Champlain Bridge? How did you experience this? You can’t defy weightlessness.

It’s impossible. We are not on the moon but on earth. You fall, you die. You are not attached you die. Today, it’s the whole team of the Indio society which is going to meet, like every week, to discuss security issues. The meeting is called “Weekly Security Dialogue.” It allows everyone to speak

To express oneself on areas for improvement. Hello everyone ! Everything is fine ? The dialogue is framed by the Safety Coordinator of the company, Domingos João da Silva. Compared to Văn Darley Dos Santos, do you already know? He is already out of the hospital thanks to God. Everything is fine with him, OK.

It wasn’t too bad and his life is no longer in danger. Safety is everyone’s business and that we must constantly think about it. It serves as an example for you who take risks every day. Following Mr. Da Silva’s debriefing, Indio is the first to speak. Beware of overconfidence!

The accident happens when someone doesn’t follow safety procedures as required. So, always think, safety first, then comes the work. However, security is always the main one. Safety procedures, it’s very beautiful, but sometimes, we have to operate as quickly as possible on construction sites. Stress and productivity make us neglect security.

It’s not new, but he did it. I will not do it. He decided to do it anyway. Sorry, it’s not than a story of overconfidence. Monsieur doesn’t think he says that well. Here, everyone has had to deal to a security problem. For some, it was even dramatic,

As for Benato, who lost his teammate. I was on the ladder, I have not seen what exactly happened. When I looked at him, there was already a short circuit. He closed his hand on the network and his finger was torn off. I prepared myself to go down the ladder to leave.

I didn’t panic when I got downstairs. When I saw his finger in my pocket, I fell in the apples and I woke up in the hospital. People were confused. They didn’t know who to help. I had to help my friend who was dying.

I was asked again to work again on this type of line, because I was a rather calm man. After this episode, I never wanted to go back there again. She doesn’t like seeing her employees die, That’s the goal of every business. For that it is necessary constantly raise their awareness.

When he is not on the roof of a building, Ken takes refuge in his garage where he pampers his old 1954 Chevrolet. On the wall, a legendary photo, that of a group of workers perched on a beam during the break in the skies of New York.

For Ken, as for everyone other steel structure erectors, this photo is a true emblem. It’s history assembly of steel structures. That’s where it all began. The oldest photo, the one with workers on the beam, all steel framers have it in their house. This is where we come from. That’s what we all do.

Things have changed over time, but that’s what we are. The family bond is very important to Ken. If one day his son decides to follow in his footsteps despite the danger, he can always count on her help. We’re going to make you an editor.

I don’t know, I don’t think I could do it. You’re already good with height. He was one step ahead of me. When I started the job, I wasn’t very comfortable. The five children of the family recomposed by Ken don’t really worry when he goes to a construction site,

But for his partner, Patricia, it is otherwise. I try not to think about it too much. I know they are safe at work. It’s still pretty scary when they send me photos of the place where they are located. It’s really high! I couldn’t do this job, for sure,

But I know he is safe. Patricia knows that her partner does a risky job, but she accepts her choice. The day after, Ken is on the construction site. After having supervised the work of others, Ken decides today to climb in turn. A fitter’s belt typical steel structure must weigh around 22 kilos, empty.

Then we add to that about nine kilos of bolts. Thus, we transport approximately 30 kilos on you for eight, ten or twelve hours a day. The weather is uncertain. Rain can fall at any time. Which would make assembly work more dangerous beams.

At height, one of the greatest dangers who lie in wait for us, and once again, the risk of slipping. The beams are wet due to the rain yesterday. With the fog this morning, it is as if the surface of the beams was oily, smooth as ice. Getting around is a little more dangerous.

We finally get used to it when it’s been years that we work at height. However, a less experienced worker might walk a little differently. For example, we walk on the beam like this, while others can walk on the inside edge to have a little more stability, a little more space.

Ken cares about safety of the men they lead. Straps must be secured so as not to interfere with movement. This requires skill when the fitters must bypass the tether or even change the beam. Ken knows that the slightest relaxation safety rules can be fatal on a construction site like this.

By working beyond three meters high, we must always be attached 100% of the time. Every time we want to move, we must attach ourselves to a second anchor before breaking away from the first. The precise gestures, Self-confidence, but also and always the fear of falling, for Ken, that’s what builds life insurance

Of the steel framer. While we pose the steel beams on the upper floor, to the twentieth, there is still an important step to take before installation large bay windows. The operation consists to complete the insulation of the frame. This is done from the outside, suffice to say, perched in the void.

At this height, the only chance of survival in the event of a fall remains the safety line. In addition to gestures to carry out the work, workers must ensure that the cable is properly connected to the different anchorages. No activity, no travel should not be done without it,

A habit which must become systematic. We are three hours away from the town of Blumenau. This small town of 3,000 inhabitants home to a majority tobacco producers. The city will acquire of a brand new neighborhood. You have to dismantle the old posts and draw a new line 25,000 volts

To supply future housing estates, but without To cut the electricity, essential to economic activity. For work, 60 linemen came from several companies to install the power supply. It must be done by an operation particularly coordinated. To perform power-up of the new neighborhood,

It is the public company of the State who will make the final connection. Samuel is the security manager Works. He has to wait than other companies finalize the installation and observe quickly during disassembly from an old electric pole, serious security breaches. You see, one of the workers remained underneath.

It is against security procedures. It’s forbidden, because a cable can break and fall on the worker. There, I prefer not to intervene immediately. It could cause a moment of panic and increase the risk of accidents. Fortunately, while the installation is ready, the weather is not too bad. There’s not a minute to lose.

It is not necessary get caught in the rain. Samuel’s team quickly uncovered the insulating arm of the crane, who must not under any circumstances take water, otherwise he would become a conductor. Now is the start for the 60 linemen who must attack the work all at the same time. The operation is meticulous.

In this sector, there are several workers who work at the same time. The problem is that the more of us do this work on the same electrical circuit, the greater the danger. The risk that something goes wrong is present, because if you observe carefully, all posts are connected. It is an interconnected circuit.

Attention really needs to be redoubled, otherwise, it can be fatal. Growing attention especially since the weather is particularly uncertain. Despite the threat of rain, we make this connection. This work is particularly meticulous, but it doesn’t take too long to do. With this time, it’s not ideal to work on a medium voltage line.

If it had been too long and too difficult, we couldn’t have done it. It is now the most delicate moment, the final connection. 25,000 volts will pass immediately by the new cables. Today, the dangers are multiple: the rain threatens, there are many workers and the construction site fell behind schedule.

Even if the power lines are not in high voltage, caution is at its maximum. Whether low or high voltage, both are dangerous. They are both deadly. Low voltage, if you touch it by accident, contracts the muscles. So you’re still hanging on by the thread? Energy flows through your body

And look for a way to reach the earth, and you are close to cardiac arrest. High voltage pushes back. It’s a short, sharp discharge. It dries the entire human body. All the fluid in your body dries out. If the person is white, she becomes completely black, all burned, it’s horrible!

As Samuel wants at all costs avoid this kind of accident, he organizes prevention campaigns among the workers. Today, Samuel can be reassured, everything went well. It’s a satisfaction let the mission be accomplished without any accident. We were efficient, we didn’t make a mistake. We are happy for doing a good job.

Most important for the whole team, is to return at home in good health. On the roof of the Winnipeg Tower, one of the pieces presents itself on the wrong side. The fastest and most efficient way to direct it in the right direction, is to give him a gyratory movement.

It’s not easy to be in balance on the end of a beam, especially when the wind gets involved. We must prevent it from oscillating, otherwise it could fall. The consequences would be disastrous. Okay, do you have it? It will fix the bolts on the top, I’m going to tighten those up.

At this height, the biggest threat is the one we don’t see inevitably always come. Metal conducts electricity very well. In general, we are the point the highest on the ground. As soon as we see lightning, we stop all work in progress for a minimum of about half an hour

And we wait for what will happen. At this height, strong winds have an impact on the beams brought in by the crane. We can not hold them in place forever. The wind and the lightning are the two meteorological phenomena that most affect our work. The day ends. Before night falls,

Ken joins the basket from where he can, with a single glance, measure the progress of the work. A moment of grace which he particularly appreciates. Moments of freedom that only this profession allows him. OK, stop for a few seconds. This is probably the last time

That I have the opportunity to see the building from this angle. It’s rather pleasant to see, after spending almost a year here. It’s hard to imagine that there was snow when we started this contract. Now we finish, there will be snow again in the coming days. It’s like a cycle.

We have come full circle. I like the spirit of camaraderie which reigns between the guys, Jokes. This is a difficult work, It’s really a physical job. We feel a kind of freedom when we work. You have to do it to understand it. We feel so free. It’s a truly sublime feeling

To be able to see what we have accomplished at the end of our employment contract, it’s simply incredible! In Brazil, the town of Balneario has one of the highest densities of buildings per square kilometer. With summer, the city increases its population tenfold. To respond to this summer flow always bigger,

Construction of buildings is incessant here. This is why that Indio and his team are called. Today they will have to work on a line powered by 25,000 volts. All precautions are required. Their mission is to protect a construction site of a possible risk of electric arc.

Indio will supervise the operation and all the security around. OK, it’s this cable which will have to be protected. We’re going to go there by basket. The objective of the day is to pose insulating blankets on electrical wires. The workers must lift materials with their crane.

If they touch the threads during lifting, electrocution is certain. So, it is necessary to isolate everything, the time of the maneuver. First precaution to learn for Indio: protect his men from an electric shock during operation. It is a fundamental piece to protect the truck.

At the moment when they are going to put the cable up there, if, by chance, energy descends and goes by the truck, this will be unloaded here. This will protect the truck and the people around. Today it’s Ignacio, the apprentice, who will perform the operation.

This is his first real situation on a powered line. The protocol is strict: everyone must work one after the other. You see, there is one who works and the other who watches. They can’t touch the different phases, even if they are both well isolated from each other.

If there is a passage of energy or anything, it can be fatal. The team will take about an hour to insulate electrical wires. Everything went as it should and the construction site can resume. Now there is no more risk for the workers. It’s not a job with major difficulties, but it’s high,

There is electricity, you must always be careful to security. The team will have to wait on site at the end of the lifting to dismantle its protections. A short half day mandatory attendance to deal with any incident. Then, they will dismantle their protection. Ignacio heads to Indio.

Like him, he hopes to progress and climb the ladder to one day become a team leader. Indio comes from a modest background. It was all alone that he succeeded to find a respectable place and was able to offer a nice house for his family. A good barbecue is important for a Brazilian,

But you have to have talent. His wife is very proud of him and supports him in a profession which can nevertheless cause fear of loved ones. I’m thinking about it, but I never did a lot of worries for him, because I trust him a lot.

When I met him, he already had this job. I’m conscious that it is a risky profession, but it’s not like if I spent my days thinking about it. Indio and Ken are two workers who do risky jobs. They have all seen death up close and know that the slightest mistake can be fatal.

Today they supervise men for which they are responsible. They are twice as many vigilant than before. Their experience will allow to these young workers to be even safer for the risks that they take to the heights.