Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Period Covered 12 – 19 April 12

Summary:  Simple Stuff…

Work towards completion for the service tunnel ( due to handover to the State on 28 Apr) goes at full pace and managing and co-coordinating the subcontractors – Detailed Excavation, Concrete and waterproofers is taking up most of my day along with my normal responsibilities.  Work on the rest of the site continues with piling still working their way steadily around site, followed up by cropping and trimming and capping beam pours.  I have had a mixed week, some highs and some lows…still a lot to learn but starting to build relationships with the subcontractors and have started being able to answer questions without having to check with someone first!! Had a month review with my manger on Friday which was very positive, and my attachment is looking like if all goes to plan I will be in the best possible position to complete my DOs.

During this period I have completed the following on top of my:

• Supervision of GMF ground work contractors – bulk & detailed excavation and pile cropping
• Taking the Site Pre Start Meetings
• Completed TRA and Hazard Inspection audit
• Attended long term logistics brief
• Safety Supervision
• Programme co-ordination meetings

Work on site.  It’s hard to describe how quickly the project is progressing.  The site is beginning to open out and we have finally got on top of the Earhtwork contractors who are now complying with the John Holland Quality and Safery Standards.  With nothing to compare it with I only have the opinions of people on site.  The UK/Irish Engineers seem to think it is pretty slow and the Australian Contractors think this is the fastest job they have ever worked on: I guess it’s somewhere in the middle!

Issues/observations.  This week’s theme for the blog is the simple things that I have either been really impressed with or the little things that are going wrong which may threaten the success of the project and detract from what a lot of good work is being done!

Simple Good things:   

1. Chalk Lines.  So simple, yet so effective, I never thought I would get so excited by some string and some chalk all in one gadget.  I have been helping the Waterproofers to set out and have found this tool to be so simple yet so effective
2. Penetrometer.  Part of my quality inspections is to ensure the sand has been compacted to the right strength before the area is handed over to the concreters (this is something that the contractors are always trying to cut corners with).  No requirement for an expensive calibrated gauge, a simple weight, a metal pole and 2 marks, if it takes 8 or more blows then success.  Again simple but effective.
3. Names on Shirts and Helmets.  Finally, I have now been issued my fluerecent site suit which though means popping to the pub after work is a little more difficult, I think they are excellent.  Not just for the safety aspect of being seen but they have are names embroided on to them, this really helps the subcontracotrs and labourers identify the supervisors and engineers and in my opinion helps communication and team building.  Simple….

Simple Bad Things

1. Mud on the Public Road.  A constant problem for the earthwork contractor and a battle they are not winning at the moment.  They have tried several solutions from wheel washes to stone rumble strips but mud is still causing a hazard at the entrance to site.  This is a serious hazard and the client may well shut the site because of it.
2. Trucks stacking on the road.  The Earthworks contractor uses some of its own trucks but the majority are subcontracted out.  The site is not allowed to accept vehicles before 7am and as the trucks are individually owned they all want to arrive at 6.55am to be the first in.  Because of the constrictions in the area this results in trucks stacking up on the public road causing a hazard.  After several meeting and discussion and assurance this would stop this continued up to the point where John Holland banned all muck away trucks from site for 2 days so the earthworks contractor finally got the message about how serious an issue this was.
3. Smokers.  The site is considered to be council property so no one is allowed to smoke on it.  John Holland took the pragmatic view that people would smoke and set up a very dicrete smoking area, covered from view, in the corner of the site.  This was working well, until the state visited and were appalled at this solution.  As a result the smoking area has had to be removed and the workforce now has to cross a dual carriageway and smoke in the central reservation at the entrance to site.  This is a remarkable decision which I am sure will result in someone being seriously hurt…I don’t often have much sympathy for smokers but this decision lacks basic common sense.

Further Work

• I am going to be the lead on site for the dewatering plan for the deep cores which will be excavated soon.  It is at the tender stage so I am hoping it will be an excellent technical project to go through the process from tender review to construction.  Though not a massive part of the project it will be an excellent task to learn the JHG systems.
• I have been loaded onto the next phase of my “Passport to Safety” and will be attending the Safety Risk Leadership course at the end of April.
• Following my one month review meeting with my Works Package Manager we have agreed that I will continue to be a supervisor to the end of the month, before moving into my full time engineer role.  Discussions have already begun and they are going to allocate me a part of the project to take from conception and tendering through to construction on site before I leave in December.  This is excellent news.
• I am also hoping I will be the lead for the construction of a new footpath on the other side of site.  This is to allow the logistics slip lane to become operational.  Though this not a technically difficult task, the new foot path will be constructed on Kings Park (a cross between Hyde Park and Kew Gardens) and result in the destruction of a number of trees and habitats.  If all goes to plan I hope this will give me exposure to the environmental considerations and will involve plenty of research into Enviro Law, the local council and the media!