Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

This has been a glorious week to be on site here in Southampton, only I haven’t found myself on site much this week.  I can’t really put my finger on exactly why that’s the case but it seems to be mainly because I’ve been doing paperwork. 

After inheriting the Site Waste Management Plan from the other assistant site manager who left the company a little while ago I was told it was all fine, after who knows how many HOTOs you would have thought if anyone said that it should ring alarm bells in my head, clearly I haven’t learned my lesson.  So digging into the SWMP allowed me to discover that all was not well and being that it’s a legal requirement it probably shouldn’t be the work of fiction that it was.  That took up Monday. 

I had yet more students on site this week as the ones that I spoke to last week had obviously said there was some old bloke who still thinks he’s down with the kids that is willing to give out answers freely.

The most interesting day this week was Thursday.  The problem of artesian water continues to be an issue, a meeting was called with the client, the geotechnical consultant and the site team to discuss what has happened in the past and where we might go next.  With the best estimate of the borehole location (the log only recorded it to 100mm accuracy) plotted on the ground 4 very well paid men and me stood around looking into a hole next to a pile cap with some dirty water in it.  We spent 3 hours discussing what could be done on site and in the meeting room and all the while the geotechnical expert was remarkably quiet on what could be done.  Not much of plan came out of the session other than to find out what would be the opinion of the EA in a round about way if we did nothing.  The tip that the Great Orator mentioned on one update about the water problems about the UK spec lead me to do a bit of a search on IHS and allowed me to reveal a few choice lines that would indicate to me that the Geo Consultancy haven’t done what they should have done and didn’t inform Osborne of the potential problems.  I didn’t wheel this out during the meeting but mentioned it one of the client’s representatives (who is also part of the Osborne Group) afterward who seemed very excited about what I was telling him.  This morning (Friday) during a conversation with the same guy I mentioned where I will be doing my consultancy placement and he asked me to initiate contact with them explaining the problems and exploring the possibility of them coming to advise on the situation, they have accepted.  In 2 days I’ve managed to make both my current and future employers happy.  This is all TMR gold dust so I’m also happy.

This week started in the normal manner of Mad Monday where everything that was meant to be done over the weekend was started on top of the planned works. The focus this week was on the continued preparation of the Zone 5 suspended slab and column, wall and ramp fixing in Zone 2. The slab finally started on Mon, after the calamity of reo deliveries last week, but was held up by cranage moving the bottom mat across from the slip-lane. Zone 2 is more of an issue. Drawings issued on the same day by both the architect and structural engineers differ in their portrayal of the detail around the ramp and were missing detail on slab set-down levels which dictated soffit levels for slabs and beams. After several RFI’s to the Architects I received a satisfactory answer for set-down levels which allowed work to continue but a vague and pretty non-committal response on whether a wall was ramped or horizontal. This matter is still open.

I received an email from the concrete testers stating that the 3 and 7day tests on the 65/20/140 mix used for a column poured last week were significantly understrength. My initial response was to investigate with the tester what the expected final strength would be and whether the mix was as designed and noted on the docket. This was confirmed and it was suggested that it may be a mix that was on the lower percentile of the range. It may reach the approximate strength after 56 days but the question now is whether the risk can be taken to accept this or whether remedial work is required. I forwarded all info to the structural engineer to investigate the situation and recommend a course of action. In my view, as the column forms a corner of a vertical stairwell that is tied into the slabs it may be possible to increase the reinforcement around the connection in order to minimise the loading on the column. This may be the best COA as it will allow construction to continue with minimal rework, and if the column does not reach the required strength it will have an element of redundancy built in to assist in carrying the load.

Tuesday was largely spent in preparation for the work I would not be able to complete during CI’s visit on Wednesday. I think the visit went well and I imagine the change in the site since the CI’s last visit was considerable. From my perspective it was good to talk through the project and highlighted just how much I do actually know about it.

Black Thursday

During the later stages of the CI’s visit we became aware of an altercation between one of the contractors and the JHG H&S representative. This must have escalated after our departure from site as on arrival at site on Thursday there was a significant union presence at the main gate. I had no dramas getting into site though. The lads had more of an issue and the pre-start was lacking numbers. As it happened the rain had effectively stopped play on site (Aussies don’t work in the rain!) which pretty much negated the strike outside. The issue can about 1100 when it was noticed that there was a small fire outside the cab of Tower Crane 2. The operator raised the alarm and evacuated effectively, which resulted in a full evacuation of site. This would not usually be an issue but the fact the union was camped out on the assembly area 1  and after H&S closed the slip-lane (assembly area 2) to access from outside site it meant that the Union propaganda machine whirred into action to get as many photos of their ‘massive’ turn out until we managed to gain access to assembly area 2. The incident was handled well from an operational perspective with the Fire-service on the scene within minutes, but in my view the JHG information flow to the workforce was lacking and the fact a contractor took charge of information passing was a little embarrassing. Work was later put on hold, and eventually stopped for the day (for the lads). A team meeting was called by the PD who briefed that an anonymous text had warned him of a Picket Line for Fri morning.

Evacuation to the Union Assembly Area

Quiet Friday

I planned on arriving early to avoid the masses so parked up my bike at Steve’s and walked down to site. It was relatively quiet along the main road, but as I approached the main gate there were about 12 union blokes blocking the path. I weaved my way through to find the gate locked and padlock injected with glue. A couple of choice words and a push in the back and memories of Ex Broadsword flooded back. I walked back along the fence-line and was let in through a manned gap in the chain-link. I have spent the morning walking around with a H&S as the site has been locked down and everybody told not to bother coming in.  So I am sat here with my fellow 10 JHG inmates listening to the Union songs and chants whilst the remainder of the staff have a day off. This had better be remembered come report time. I just hope I can get out in time for my flight to Melbourne this afternoon.

The Union Camp across the road

Memories of Longmoor and Ex BROADSWORD. This was my initial entry point – Foiled by a glued padlock

A reassuring police presence has kept the unions at bay so far

So in effect, I have worked 1.5days this week. It is lucky the CI visited when he did – what a difference a day makes.