Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Things have been manic here. We are still recovering from the H&S incident last week and now we are preparing for the Quality inspection.

AS part of CRL’s checks, they carry out a ‘Performance Assurance Evaluation’. Each contractor within the CRL project is rated in a number of areas from environmental, Quality, Community liaison etc. The contractor is given a score of 0-3

0 – Non Compliance
1 – Basic Compliance
2 – Value added compliance
3 – World Class

In round 1 BFK came at the bottom of the ratings, round 2 we came middle of the pack. Now they are aiming to lead the pack. What does this mean to the LSW gunner on the ground…. well let me tell you.

I have been going through concrete delivery tickets, recording the time of batching, time on site, time of spraying, flow rate and temperature. Each delivery ticket has its own ref number, which must be associated to where it was sprayed in the Shaft lining  ie ‘Advance 4 Quadrant 2’. From this spreadsheet I have then calculated the concrete usage, both theoretical and actual, to predict the next concrete test.

The number of quality tests associated with the sprayed concrete lining (SCL) is incredible. Just keeping track of it has been a job in itself. KT20, the Workmanship Specification for SCL, sets out the concrete tests and frequency.

Each one of these test requires several cores or beams to be taken. Each one of the cores needs to be recorded; the name of the  individual who did the sampling, the time it was taken, the location it was stored and the location of where the sample was taken. When the core strength results arrive (the 1 day strength, 28 day strength and 90 day strengths) all need to be recorded and associated with the correct core. AS you could imagine I have been up to my nuts in work recently preparing for the inspection.

Additionally I have been getting all the testing equipment calibrated and a complices certificate produced. This has included the Hilti pull out gauge, Hilti gun, pentromenter, flow cone, digital thermometer and the flow table. I now know BS 12350 inside-out. I’ve had to purchase a curing tank that will store the cores between 15 – 20 degrees and AC for the basement to ensure the air curing is below 25 degrees.

Anyway it seems that we have finally got all our ducks in a row. The inspection will take place on Tuesday next week. I will await the outcome.

The good news is that because I volunteered to be the environmental Champion as well as the Quality Champion for our site, I will have the same ordeal with the environmental audit in 3 weeks time.

Who said Civies don’t work hard, this is a ball buster.