Interview. <br>Irina Generalova. From the height of a “bird's-eye”

18.05.2014

Irina Generalova. From the height of a “bird's-eye”

Irina Generalova and Marina Usoltseva change each other through the night in the cab of a lifting crane on Nikitskaya street. The ladies work as crane operators, in nonstop mode they serve concrete, brick and fasteners for all sites of reconstruction of the Moscow musical theater "Helikon-opera". At eight o'clock Saturday morning, during their shift change, I managed to ask a few questions to a crane operator Irina Generalova:

- Irina, it has become a legend of "Helikon-opera", a woman working on the crane and taking direct part in the reconstruction of our historic building.

- I know nothing about legends. Everything is prosaic. I came to work on reconstruction of the theater in July 2013. My workmate Marina came two months ago. Marina became my fifth partner.

- Tell us about yourself. Have you deliberately chosen this unfeminine profession?

- Absolutely not. I am afraid of the height like all normal people do, and when one day I saw a female crane operator, who climbed the crane, I thought, "How nice that I can never do that and I will not try". But never say "never"...

- Have you had any other profession, which you had to change?

- Yes, there was another profession. But because of the events, which were happening in our country some time ago, I had to choose the work, which is paid much. And as they always paid more on building sites, the construction areas have always been and will be... So, following my work on the plant of reinforced concrete, which wasn’t either my first work, I got to the building site. I will not tell about my first profession, it will be another story. I have several educations and one of them is a teacher.

- I will not insist on what you do not want to tell. Although I am interested in everything. You have a lot of technical terms here. I do not always understand what builders say. For example, how is this area called?

- Deck. Where the concrete is poured.

- A large bucket, which takes concrete, I heard the builders call it "bell"?

- Yes, the "bell for pouring concrete".

- Is this a real name or a professional slang?

- We have a lot of different names. It happens that on each construction project they have their own names. So, coming to a new object, you face that familiar things are called in completely other words.

- There are universal things like "lane", "veera"?

- Rotate, slide forward, backward, many other...

- I suspect that the work of the crane operator requires special skills, meticulous accuracy and a great workout. For how long have you mastered this profession?

- Our chief made his a professional way from a simple crane operator and now he is well versed in the cranes. He says: "You should not just manage crane, you must feel it". The boom is a continuation of your hands. Therefore, if you do not feel the crane, the work will not succeed. There are many nuances that you need to know. I undergone a lot of training. At first, I worked in a factory, then from the factory I came to the building site. It was in 2007, when there were not enough crane operators. I accidentally got into a very good construction company, where I work now.

- What kind of operating tool you have with this crane, is there a joystick of some kind?

- Our organization uses German "Liebherr" cranes. We trust the German quality, so to speak. And all of our cranes have sticks. On the one hand, it's easier than Russian cranes operation controllers, and on the other, you need greater precision in control.

- Your crane is trackless and on the stationary platform, it seems to be reliable. Although, apparently, to climb it during the wind is scary.

- There is vibration amplitude during the wind, of course. But these German cranes almost never fail. The technique is very reliable. Stronger winds came in spring, this is somewhat slows you down. The arrow, that the crane carries, cannot withstand the elements. We take this all into account. Buildings around our site are low, so we work on blown spot. But we got accustomed to this nuance.

- Are there any amenities in the cabin?

- Sorry for the details, but at this altitude there is no water, toilet, no place where it is convenient to change. And during a working lunch is not possible to go down and get cleaned up. So the cabin of our crane is our second apartment. When I came to the internship , I had a very good instructor who told all the nuances. I must say - we do not use diapers.

- You said that the crane was made in Germany...

- German crane is adapted for work in Germany. There, you know, completely different conditions, completely different schedules, so all these nuances are supported there. The crane operators in Germany have their technological breaks which, alas, we do not always have. Concrete - concrete - concrete. Tonight I spent four and a half hour without getting up. Swollen feet is problem for all crane operators, as well as pain in the back and waist. I buy my shoes half size more than I need to be able to put them in the morning. So, the Germans never dreamed of our problems. Therefore, in our Russian reality, given that we have 12-hour graphics, you have to adapt. "The Russian peasant always ready to invent..."

- It's not a female work to work on the crane. I am becoming more convinced of this and I respect your professional feat! Cold winter in the booth?

- We have the fixed oven.

- Is this the know-how, the electrician came and put it up there?

- No. It was initially built in the cabin under the seat, where the legs are. This furnace system not just warms up, it creates a warm wind, so that a cabin is heated uniformly.

- Do you have children?

- I am a mother of many children. Surprisingly (laughs). I have two adults and two small kids, who could already be my grandchildren. "C’est la vie", I I say, "that's life".

- Adult children are somehow connected with the construction?

- No. Unfortunately, no. Young people have their own views, they are more modern. On a building site there is such a schedule that leaves you a little free time. It is hard. And what is most important, it requires patience and endurance.

- How peasants builders treat their female crane operator?

- I'm trying to build normal friendly relations with people, because the work process depends on the climate, the calm, the balance. You know, we are lucky, honestly. We have a great team.

- Reconstruction of "Helikon-opera" is not the first object that you work on. Is it possible to compare from the height of the "bird's-eye" the quality of work carried out here?

- I can say that the reconstruction of "Helikon-opera" is carried out slowly, but surely. The quality here is very high, one hundred percent. From pouring concrete to quality of fittings and other materials. Every inch of each wall is checked, all at the highest level.

- The weather: there were rains, snowfalls, so the poured concrete was heated according to a special technology. All this was good. Strange, as it may seem, but it contributes to a good shrinkage, the layers harden uniformly.

- You are absolutely right. It's all good. I am very happy for this construction. The quality is really high. And I understand that the old building demanded the restoration a long time ago. But also there’s a new building, so much effort and labor invested in it. First, the place is very compact, it wasn’t easy to create a project here. And the project in its originality was very ambitious. I even wonder, how it was possible to make a theater for such a small amount of land. I also therefore extremely interested to work here. Although the work is hard, the place is small, no place for a crane and the work should be done with a jeweler's precision.

- Can we say that the building of "Helikon" will stand for centuries?

- Really, for centuries. You know, there are such constructions, unfortunately, when monolithic houses for more than twenty floors are erected quickly, the race begins, where quality suffers. Sometimes there is the thought that even though you're building this house you would not like to live in it. But I’ll come to “Helikon-opera” with pleasure.

- We will be waiting for you in the theater, your whole family! Naturally, our crane operator Irina has become the symbol in the theater. I saw the interest in the eyes of our artistic director Dmitry Bertman, when he talked to you over the radio.

- I have seen all of you for many times. I immediately told the guys when I came to this place, that this is an unusual building. I know that "Helikon" is a historical place. And about Dmitry, he is so worried about the construction, I feel it even from my high cab. I see him on the site both in the afternoon and in the night. Sometimes his face is sad when something is suspended. When everything goes its way, he shines. I can see that he can not wait until the entire renovation. And it's a rare thing, when a man comes and takes such an active part in his brainchild. He is very worried and fully participates in all matters.

And thank you for the invitation. I said Dmitry over the radio, that the part of my soul is always invested in what I do. I’d love and I look forward to the opportunity to visit the finished object, your wonderful theater. I am sure that I will be bursting with pride about the fact that my little contribution is here! In July 2013 there was "Helikon" concert during my watch. I didn’t just saw it and remembered your soloists, their costumes and memorized the speech of artistic director. I also raised the flag of "Helikon" with my crane. All of it was touching, a real fest in the entourage of the still unfinished theater. During my watch here came the mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin. In general, I already know a lot about your beautiful theater. I'll find the opportunity to visit it as often as possible.

Interviewed by Denis Ryabtsev