Inlinewiththerapidlyexpandingelectricpowerindustryinthiscountry,Chinanowownsaworkforcetotalingmorethanhalfamillionofstaffandworkersengagedintheconstructionofthermalpowerprojects;alsothetechnologyemployedintheirworkhasexperiencednotableprogress.Intheearlyfifties,constructionworkmainlyreliedonmanualmanipulation.Besidestheuseofhand-orelectric-drivenover-headcranesinsidethemachine-house,verticaltransporta-tiondependedmainlyonhoistersandpulleys;chainblockswerescarceatthattime.Horizontaltransportationwasmainlydonebymanualpulley-blocksandrollers,sometimesalsowithwinches.Electric-orgas-weldingbyhandwasthecommonprac-tice.Inaword,thetechnologywasbackwardandlabor-inten-
