5:30am – SUPERVISOR’S MEETING
We begin each day with a supervisors meeting. This is an informal meeting with all the engineers and supervisors to discuss a plan for the day ahead, any issues and milestones to accomplish.
6:00am – PRE-START
The daily pre-start meeting kicks off at 6am. The crew are briefed on their allocated tasks and identify major hazards and the subsequent controls that will be in place. Client advisors and supervisors attend and provide support on any general site notices. Then, the crew can bring up any issues, work or housekeeping prior to starting work. We finish off every pre-start with stretches.
6:30am – BREAKFAST
Perks of working in the office is you can eat whenever you want. I have breakfast after prestart as I am not usually hungry at 5am in the morning. For breakfast, I usually either have cereal or yoghurt and muesli. On fly out days, I’ll wake up earlier and treat myself to a full cooked breakfast.
7:00am – DAILY REPORT
First up on my list of tasks for the day is sending out the daily report. This is submitted to the client to inform them of progress, any issues, working conditions, health and safety, personnel and plant on site.
8:00am – PROCUREMENT
There are always items that need procuring on site whether that be scope related items such as concrete reinforcement or small consumable items such as tools. This often involves looking at design drawings to calculate the quantities and referring to standard documents to obtain the material specification/grade. Then, contacting suppliers for pricing and to raise a purchase order for the expense. Coordination and follow up emails are often required to get the materials delivered to site when required.
10:00am – PLANNING FOR UPCOMING WORKS
In addition to procuring any materials, I also assist with planning and preparing for the upcoming works. Some work items require developing methodologies and schedules, and others require contractor drawings and documents to be submitted for client approval. There are a variety of different tasks performed on the job, which is nice as it helps build a diverse knowledge and skillset.
12:30pm – LUNCH
Time for some more food. I’ll usually just sit down and eat lunch at my desk and have a chat to a few of my colleagues.
1:00pm – SUBCONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT
Subcontractors are mobilised to site to perform specialised tasks. I’m involved in organising their mobilisation documents, planning their dates, and submitting any documents for client approval. I will also arrange for items to be sent off for testing and analyse the results against standards when received.
3:00pm – SITE DRIVE
I try to get out of the office and go for a drive around the various work fronts each day. This helps me keep on top of the progress and gives me a chance to take photos for the daily report or future works. During this time, quality checks can also be conducted to inspect that the work is constructed as per the design drawings and specifications. For example, several checks that need to be conducted for the installation of valves include confirming the valve opens in the correct direction and verifying the bolts are tightened to the correct torque value. I will then ensure all relevant documentation such as inspection test reports are signed off by the client supervisor in preparation for the close out of the project.
4:00pm – SAFETY INTERACTION
Whilst I am out in the field, I often complete a safety interaction. I normally have a chat with one of the work crews, checking their pre-starts, work area set up, isolations and work with the team to understand if anything could be done in a safer manner.
5:00pm – FOLLOW UP EMAILS
I normally take this time to follow up on any emails received throughout the day.
5:45pm – HOME TIME
Done for the day. We leave site and head back to camp around 5:45pm. Most nights I will either go the gym or do some form of exercise. Occasionally, you will see me at the pub for a drink and playing pool with some of the crew. The camp has a wide range of activities – a swimming pool, basketball court and theatre room to name a few – so there is always lots to do.
7:00pm – DINNER
There’s a wide variety of food on offer for dinner – salads, veggies, roasts, pasta, curries and lots more. I have dinner with my colleagues before packing my breakfast and lunch for the next day and heading back to my room.
7:30pm – WIND DOWN
The last hour of the day is “me time” where I will wind down by watching some TV, listening to music, or chatting to friends and family back home.