Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

PCH

The last few months have been amazingly busy with the project becoming more intense every week as the time is dramatically running out and a number of items are still not designed. As a whole the basement, the area I look after is quite lucky as it does not get as affected by superficial changes which the Architects seem to change with no consultation with the engineering consultants and most of the user groups are not interested in the back of house areas so all good for us in the basement!

The photo above is a photo of when I first started on the project and its not until you look at the photo below to believe how much work has happened. This does not really show how much the basement has changed considering when I first started in the basement there were no services installed other than a section of Syfonic drainage in the corridor of death.

The hospital as it stands at the end of November.

Milestones

The major miles stones which have been achieved in the last two months:

Central Communications Room 2 handover which alone I had substantial tactical, operational and strategic influence and effect, this alone had damages of $180,000 a day and total worth $4 Million and it was delivered 2 hours early!! The amount of information and technical knowledge learnt during the process of building CCR 2  has been amazing, I have learnt about all the aspects of Tier 3 Comms rooms and to my astonishment I caught the professionals out a few times.

The official handover to the State (the chaps in the green hard hats)

Connection of Chilled Water from the Central Energy Plant, this was a major milestone which I personally organised all of the works involved (including all the safety paperwork, works on a Sunday etc) with the Mechanical Subbie and all liaison with our Client the State. This was achieved in a safe and controlled manner and all within the time period which did not have any knock on effect to daily works on the Monday. The only disappointing part of the works was that the work was achieved but due to Strategic level politics between JHG and the State the Chilled water still has still not been turned on.

A subsidiary side of this main work was the connection to the CCR 2 pump room which has its own set of heat exchangers and pumps to ensure a mechanical separation from CCR 2 and the main chilled water system due to one system running at 1500kPA and the other 400kPa. This system incorporated all the BMS side and was fully functional on the delivery date of CCR 2 which included flushing of the system which again I learnt a great deal, chemical endorsement by the water corporation and water treatment for a tier 3 communications room which included a temporary Reverse Osmosis supply.

Hydraulic Plant room which had a milestone deadline of end of November fortunately was in the full control of Christopher Contracting the plumbers who are exceptionally good subcontractor. We had to have a few technical workshops which I managed with them and our engineer consultants NDY. The most impressive part was the modular tank manufactures which came from Malaysia who were exceptionally professional and built all three tanks in three weeks, they could of shown the Aussie some work ethics!!

Plant Room 10 was meant to be completed on the 10th of December 2014 but sadly Fredon is like that Sapper that you are told about before you become a Troop Commander who takes up the 90% of your time and is the worst performing. We achieved the Chilled Water date of 25th November 2014 but the high temperature pipe has all been manufactured but not installed yet because they still have not got sufficient paperwork as per the specification foe the pipework to start to be installed. The quality issue with Fredon is still a major problem and the latest incident is their shell and tube heat exchangers which have poor safety in design and maintenance accessibility.

Life

As mentioned in the last Blog Hannah signed us both up to the Mandurah 70.3 Ironman, fortunately for us it was the hottest day be have had since we have been in Aus at 36 with a recorded temp of 45 off the tarmac. It was a great event overall and I had a great swim and bike but the run was brutal in that heat but completed in 6 hrs so happy enough. Hannah has just got back from National’s in Brisbane for Modern Pentathlon and came 4th so she is chuffed with that and is competing in Melbourne in January so hopefully a top 3 there.

I have had a fantastic experience and learnt such a great deal whilst being part of the basement team and unfortunately got slightly too involved at times and my work/school work balance lapsed and the blogs have been missed at times but with New Year ahead you will be hearing some more from me, have a great Christmas and New Year.