In Summary...

About to finish up my first 4 weeks.


Site Huts

So here are a few observations and expectations
Made in China.....
The world is changing and I am not making a political statement as I type on my Malaysian laptop, use my Chinese made Ipad and Iphone while making tea with my $8 Chinese Kmart Kettle wearing clothing make in China and driving car made in Japan and Germany.
The term is "off shoring" and I knew that Drafting for all large Structural Steel Fabrication shops is done at half the price "offshore".
Did not know that most of the steelwork in all these jobs is "off shored" into China. Last year the company I worked for had 7 ships deliver steel for about 4 large contracts straight into Ports and Rail lines near the Mining sites. 5500 employees in China with 140+ expatriates looking after them. Welcome to the real world. Factories that I would have worked in, in Victoria could not much the price let alone the speeds of these Mega Factories. This is only one of many large Engineering Companies in Australia. This is happening all over the world.


2 New Car Dumpers

Did not expect the heat to impact on everything. Expected to work in the heat, but I am constantly moving from dry air conditioned buses, smoko rooms, mess rooms, and dongas, into the humid heat. And never really venturing out of the donga. Not even leave the door open for fresh air, sit on the verandah, go for a walk. Too hot.. Too oppressive and not much to see nearby.
Did expect that I would be in a gym. Maybe next time. Got lots of negative reports on the equipment and room.
Did think that I would swim laps in the pool. Too hot and little.. Did not bother.
Did think that I would have full blown Foxtel (Dunno why). Got the cheap Foxtel that you get in motels on a tiny grainy picture analogue TV. No Digital TV.

2 New tunnels

Did think I would have Wifi. No...
Thought I would not connect with other workers. Not bad so far. Very very blokey though.
Did think that they would be overly racist, sexist and xenophobic. Well not at all. This industry has no tolerance for that, nor bullying, violence, drugs or alcohol.. Window seat.....!
They are no angels and of course there are exceptions. And problems exist on other sites.
Oh, and the gossip and whinging.... Off the chart.. Large companies......




Sometimes you miss out..

Missed my youngest son's 12th Birthday.. Bummer but he was cool about it. The family knows that I am here for a reason.
Then, he scored Bloody School Captain....! After his brother got the gig 3 years earlier, this came out of the blue. Again, these are the sacrifices you make. There are going to be a lot more of these.
Technology is the big winner. Luckily reception is good in Karratha. Skype/Facetime as often as possible. Apparently, the camp is shocking for reception as everyone comes in from working. 1800 personnel trying to get in contact with family slows down both the camp wi-fi and overloads Telstra's transmitter. Not good....
However, this company has a history of doing the right thing when needed. These are anecdotes from other workers that have had family health crisises.. The phone call is made to their direct supervisor, and they are on the first flight out. Bookings are made even at 5am, and vehicles pick them up immediately so they can get back to there room to pack. The vehicle will wait and in both of these cases, they were on the plane straight away. All the connecting flights are sorted. These are blokes that are happy to give negative opinions about the company, but give credit here.

Food is paid for by the company, including on your RDO's. You do your own washing in classic laundromat washing machines and dryers in a donga full of machines. Complimentary powder. If you don't get your washing out of the dryer quickly others will remove it and leave it on the bench. 4 long shirts and 4 long pants...

Jobs for everyone...? Not really

Yes, I thought there were jobs for everyone. But really, there isn't.
There seems to be 2 streams in the Mining Boom.
1. Mining. BHP, Rio Tinto etc...
2. Construction. Building the infrastructure used in mining.
By far the largest group is Construction and it is huge throughout WA. And eventually Construction will run out as all the projects are completed and everything is handed over to Mining to run and maintain. Who knows when that is... 2, 5 possibly 20 years? Construction consists of mostly of Riggers, Boilermakers, Electricians & Concretors/Form workers.
There is a handful of other trades, support staff, earthworks and admin the rest in comparison.
And there are plenty about who want to drive the Big Tip Trucks. Talk to any cleaner, taxi driver, etc,


Dust suppression. Water tankers move around all day.
Dust is not good for your health.

And getting in is not that easy.. They have to invest a lot of money up front in training before they can even work out if you are capable of the heat and isolation from family and friends.
So it is who you know first, then history and experience next.
No history and experience. Don't know anyone. Forget about it........
(Like anything, there are exceptions, but not too many)
And what about Far North Queensland. Simple...They do not pay as much and there is not as much going on..
Lots over here from Qld and NSW...

The Food...

Seafood night

Muffins, biscuits, cakes. Not Jenny Craig approved.

The food at my camp....
The one item that is complained about more than anything else. I never expected gourmet so I am OK with what is on offer. But I guess it will change the longer I remain. I cannot take photos without everyone watching. So I will explain. It is your typical bain-marie arrangement, with food that seems to vary slightly most nights. There tends to be a choice of 3 salads. Most look and taste as if they were made 12+ hours earlier. Everything does not feel fresh. No fresh herbs. But there is a lot of it and plenty of blokes that could lose a few kilos. Plenty of cakes too.

A funny story though. A week ago, 30 personnel from another company were so appalled by the lack of options and poor quality of food for lunchmaking, that they arrived at work without lunch and refused to work. Phone calls were made, inspections done and the head chef (cook) was sacked. Food has improved. One night was seafood night. Lots of fresh seafood (Most was defrosted) and hardly anyone ate it. The typical answer from seasoned FIFO blokes... Eveyone had a bad story about eating uncooked seafood on a camp. My iron guts held up..

Breakfast is cereals, fruit, yoghurt and typical bacon, eggs, mushrooms etc.
Lunch. There are meats, cheeses, salads and bread to make sandwiches, or salads and cooked meats with lots of plastic containers to put them in.
Dinner is all sorts of typical meat and 3 veg configurations, pastas etc and plenty of desert.
I cannot wait to get home to eat.. Sushi, Rice paper rolls, proper coffee.... Yum

Give me shade....

A typical Field "Workshop". A shade structure between 2 containers. And if you need to work in the direct sunlight for long periods of time, then put up shade. Beach umbrellas are everywhere.

See the umbrella...

Beach umbrella fit for a Boilermaker

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Water bottles outside the Smoko Room

Water is my new best friend, and we drink a lot of it. At present I am drinking 6 litres a day and this will increase. You scoop ice out of huge icemakers into your drink containers, then top it up with filtered water. Surprisingly no-one adds cordial or flavouring. Just straight water. Hydration is an important part of Safety.

Some pics of work getting done.....

Working on scaffolding modifying Dust suppression ducting

Mental health

This is a big one on these sites. There are signs everywhere including a counselling service that looks after the mine sites that is paid for by all mining companies and is confidential..
One of the problems discussed is the "repetitive lifestyle"
My life is as follows.
3.40 am: Alarm. Shower, pack bag and off to the Mess.
4.00 am: Mess opens. Breakfast and make lunch.
4.35 am: Wait for bus. Leaves at 4.45 sharp. Do not miss it or it a $140 taxi ride.
5.35 am: Arrive on site and wait in smoko sheds.
6.00 am: Breathalyser test.. and a rundown of the day
4.30 pm: Finish. In the bus travelling home.
5.20 pm: Back in my air-conditioned Donga.

Shower, shave, call family, off to the Mess for dinner.
6.30 pm: Back into my air-conditioned Donga.
8.30 - 9.00pm: Bed.
Repeat 13 days straight. RDO on Day 14 for Fatigue management
Repeat until you go home........

Crane is moving to new position then will have  100 metres added to the boom.

Can you see the bloke refuelling it...

Still. Life is good and I get to look at Big Cranes.