Stefan Frey is a diving master, underwater welder and captain all in one. The Hamburg native can be found everywhere in northern Germany where underwater construction is required. Burning and welding work, drilling, or the replacement of piles, their operations are coordinated by the ship's master via radio. And with all this work under water, they are also under time pressure.
Metal casters have to cope with high temperatures. Their job is to turn liquid metal into hard shapes, whether for mechanical engineering or the automotive industry. Working as a metal caster or melter is therefore not even possible without protective clothing. How are the protective suits constructed? How do the eyes endure heat and brightness, and what is it that fascinates the men so much about this profession?
Wind power service engineers must not be afraid of heights. Because their workplace is around 100 meters above the ground, on the operating nacelle. They must not have weak nerves, either during maintenance or repair, because no scaffolding will help them where they work. For their work on wind turbines, however, the technicians not only have to be good with climbing ropes; craftsmanship is also required.
Road construction project manager Heiko Schmidt knows that his men are under time pressure, because the important capital traffic artery has to be accessible again as soon as possible. Nevertheless, the quality has to be right. Episode 4 is about men who have to cope with noise, weather and dust.
Arborist Steven Othold and his colleagues not only have one of the toughest jobs of all, but also one of the most dangerous. Because they have to climb trees and operate razor-sharp saws in the treetop. Episode 5 is about men who have to deal with nature.
Torsten Becker works as a farrier. While working on horses, Becker always has to be on his guard, because if the horse kicks him, an injury is guaranteed. Bruises, broken bones and burns are typical injuries in his job. The irons for the hooves are heated to 1100 degrees in a furnace and then hammered into the right shape on the anvil. "This job is a bone crusher," says the 52-year-old.
Jürgen Böhme and Andreas Arnold need to hurry. A cell phone tower is down. Thousands of people are without the internet and telephone. In the worst case, no emergency calls can be made in the area. The service technicians search for errors and climb up the 35-meter-high radio mast to do so. Episode 1 is about men who work outside in all weathers.
The “most toxic place in Germany” is 750 meters below ground: the Herfa-Neurode underground landfill. The landfill workers store hazardous waste in the salt rock: substances containing arsenic and mercury, contaminated building rubble. Landfill workers take samples to ensure the waste is not liquid or radioactive. They can't afford to make mistakes. If they’re not careful, toxic substances could escape. In the worst case, it could even start to burn. Work is also carried out deep underground in Hallstatt in Styria. In the oldest salt mine in the world, 57 people produce 450,000 tons of natural salt a year, largely by hand. Episode 2 is about people who mainly work in the dark.
A harbor ferry is in need of modernization in a Hamburg shipyard. The ship was completely gutted for this. The ferry is to remain in the shipyard for six months, after which it is to be put back on the Elbe. Shipbuilders Melvin Ommer and Torben Groth reinstall the overhauled propulsion engine. Not that easy, because the huge component weighs 1.5 tons and the machine room is narrow. Episode 3 is about backbreaking jobs with wood and steel.
Sewer workers have to be particularly tough. In order to clean sewers, they often have to go down themselves if the vacuum truck is not sufficient. This is anything but pleasant. It's very warm and extremely smelly. Sewage gases can be life-threatening underground. They have to use a high-pressure cleaner and a spade to remove dirt and grime from the canals. An extremely strenuous, backbreaking job. Episode 4 is about tough jobs in unusual places.
Stephan Lommatzsch never knows in the morning what his working day will bring. Truck breakdown helper Lommatzsch gets a rare job: On an expressway, an excavator has tipped over while being loaded onto the truck. Lommatzsch has to go immediately with his breakdown vehicle and help the excavator driver out of trouble. As long as the vehicle is on the road, the road must remain closed. Lommatzsch has to work carefully and must not be disturbed by annoyed drivers or the stressed boss of the construction company. Episode 5 is about men who work under great stress.
A new high-rise building is to be built in the middle of downtown Hamburg. Crane fitter Marcel Koch and his team are to set up the construction crane that the construction workers will be using over the next few months. The crane fitters have one day to do this. Marcel Koch and his colleagues must not make any mistakes. If they do not work thoroughly, it can later become life-threatening for the construction workers. Episode 6 is about tough construction jobs.