Pile Drivers Apprentice Training Program, Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California

Organized Labor

Casey Cooper, Apprentice
I work for Cooper Crane and Rigging. We're a family company. My uncle, dad and cousin all work for the company, but they are operating engineers, and I'm a pile driver. I'm taking a different route. I like to get into the work. I really love it.

Driving pile's dangerous stuff, and I like the danger. I already had a few close calls. A 22-ton shackle-pin fell on me and hit my hard hat. That put me to my knees. It was fun, but not something I would want to repeat. We put the nine wire on the shackle, the nine wire broke, and the pin came loose. Next time I'll double up the nine wire. It was a good learning experience.