Photo by Don Wilson, Port of Seattle How would you like to go to work every day in an office with windows on all sides, including the floor? That’s where Lanny McGrew spends his days. Lanny's office is a tall orange crane at the port side of a pier. He's a Crane Operator. From his cab perched 115 feet above the dock, Lanny lifts containers on and off ships that come to Seattle from all over the world.   A crane's cab can move forward and backward, side to side or up and down in order to reach the containers stacked on a ship. "There's a lot of motion," Lanny says; just like a ride at Disneyland. A crane operator must possess skilled eye/hand coordination and depth perception. Once strapped into his seat, Lanny reaches for the joystick on his left, and moves his cab from the dock to the ship. Once he has positioned himself perfectly above the container, he moves the joystick on his right to lower the beam onto the container and then turns another switch to lock the container. Then, all at once, he's lifting the container, moving it back to the dock and lowering it onto a chassis. Safety is a Crane Operator's ultimate goal. It's dangerous business moving such big, heavy items. There's always the possibility of accidents. One must always be aware of what’s going on in the work area. After 17 years of driving the crane, Lanny still loves his job. He enjoys the flexibility and the challenge. And the view is great! What do you need to do if you’re interested in driving a crane? Climb up the crane and find out how comfortable you feel hanging 115 feet above the dock with windows under your feet. "You have to like heights," laughs Lanny. Once you pass that test, you take specialized training. Lanny McGrew is a member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 19 in Seattle, Washington. Home Journey Log Trade Topics People Profiles Index Ask the Eagle