Puttin' his boots up on the job. - Photo: Ron Ritter
When you are driving or walking along the roads of Cayman, do you happen to see those cranes on worksites that seem to reach to the sky?
In fairness, it’s hard to miss them. Typically between 100-200 feet in height, they swing above workmen, piles of rebar and concrete blocks, dwarfing other machinery. If a dozer is triceratops, these cranes are the brontosauruses of the construction world.
What you may not know is that up at the top of the tower, in a small cab positioned between the jib and counterbalance, sits a human operator… and they have the best views of the island. American and now island resident, Ronald ‘Ron’ Ritter, is one such operator and he is seeking out Caymanians to train. Like Liam Neeson’s character in ‘Taken’, Ron has a very particular set of skills; skills he has acquired over a long career.
Born and bred in Remer, Minnesota, Ron grew up on farms. By the time he joined the US Army as an engineer in his late teens, he was already well familiar with using heavy equipment. He also set his sights higher – literally and otherwise – on getting certified for those mammoth cranes.
When Ron left the army, he was taken on by a company that encouraged him to get his certification. He studied the manuals, and with already many hours of operations experience clocked, he passed the exams in one week. For most, 1-2 years is pretty typical.
- Advertisement -
He worked in his home state of Minnesota, Nebraska, the Dakotas and, particularly memorably, Montana. Big Sky Country through the cab window at that height was an extraordinary sight.
It was when a friend sold a tower crane to a company in the Cayman Islands that fate came knocking at Ron’s door.
“He said they’d be looking for someone to operate it on the island, and said I should consider the position,” Ron said. To say there’s a difference between the Minnesota and Cayman winters would be an understatement.
The life of a tower crane operator.
1 of 5
Ron Ritter at the Camana Bay worksite.
Touching the sky.
Ron Ritter and Duran Ebanks.
Going out along this jib to check it is part of the job.
Those who don't like heights need not apply.
Ron zoomed in on the world map several times on his iPad screen until he found Grand Cayman; made his mind up quickly (apparently he’s never about wasting time in his life); sold everything at his 40-acre farm but the farm itself; and he flew south to the Caribbean in 2019 to join LG Contracting Ltd.
From the start, Ron was looking to identify young Caymanians he felt he could train.
“I needed someone who wasn’t cocky and really willing to learn and work hard,” Ron said.
West Bayer Duran Ebanks immediately showed interest, and after a few weeks of Ron working with him, the seasoned operator felt he had the right man for the job.
“The guy was spot on,” Ron said, recalling Duran’s eagerness to study the necessary paperwork and watch training videos.
Obviously COVID delayed projects that were halted due to lockdowns, but once people got back to work, Duran was right back, running the crane.
“That Seacrest project… Duran did that himself,” Ron, his proud teacher, said, referring to a new 10-storey condo build on Seven Mile Beach.
For Duran, this is exactly where he wants to be. “I’ve been building stuff from when I was a kid,” he said, recalling the two-storey doghouse built in his childhood. “When LG got that crane, I wanted to be the first one in the seat.”
He also credits Ron for being patient and a great trainer. “If it wasn’t for Ron, I’d still be holding a shovel,” Duran said. “[Being a crane operator] is a really fulfilling job. I see so many other Caymanians that have talents they don’t even realise, and they don’t feel they have the opportunities. I really want to push others to do this.”
Becoming a tower crane operator is certainly not for everyone. For starters, there is no room for a fear of heights. Forget being up in the cab – you first have to climb 200 feet up the tower in 20-foot staircase sections, surrounded only by a protective cage, then cross a short platform at the top before taking your seat. Don’t even get us started on heading outside the cab along the jib on a regular basis to check its structural integrity. Which brings us to the next stipulation: being fit.
Even Ron, who is built like rebar wrapped in concrete, likes the climb up those 200 steps but admits to being a little winded by the time he reaches his ‘office’.
Having a calm and cool head about you is important, particularly if things get dicey and, as far as Ron’s concerned, tardiness is an absolute no-no.
“Don’t be late – ever,” Ron said. “There’s no excuse. You’re holding up others and the day’s work.”
You also have to enjoy your own company and the solitude that comes with being up there alone. Coming down for lunch, or nature’s call, isn’t really an option. Let’s just say there are lots of buckets involved. That all being said, the pros of becoming a crane operator are hard to ignore. No university degree is required, and the pay is great – only getting better over time if you excel at your job. It’s also a skill you can take with you to other countries, wherever structures are being built. Ever wonder about those tall buildings in Dubai? They all require cranes. The sense of accomplishment at the end of each day is real.
“You see everything from a different perspective,” Ron said. “You witness the pile of materials diminishing and how they become a part of what you’re helping create.
“Being up high like that, you’re looking at the whole picture.”
And then, there are those views he spoke of.
“The Cayman waters are so clear, I’ve seen barracudas and parrotfish from my vantage point up there,” Ron said. As he’s usually in his seat 30 minutes early in the morning (“Because I love my job”), you’d think he’d be eager to leave as soon as the workday is officially done, but Ron often sticks around to watch the island’s awe-inspiring daily show.
“I’ll look at my watch and see that the sunset is happening soon, so I just sit back and take it in,” he said. “It never gets old.”
Are you interested in learning more about this job? Ron is looking for more Caymanian candidates to train. Contact him via email at [email protected].
