2 Secrets and "De-mobing"

Back for my 3rd Swing and feeling a little guilty because I have been hiding information.


My new Donga. I am on the end.
 

    I moved room recently as there is an upgrading of rooms happening at the camp. From a dumpy old room which has been demolished into the new rooms that were recently transported in. Instead of 4 rooms per Building, there are 3 rooms.... 33% larger...  I have a microwave, a double bed, and the air-con is not directly over my head. It is appropriately at my feet. Luxury. Rio Tinto has changed their standard accommodation requirements and all suppliers are expected to comply. Changes which help to keep workers long term.
   Also, for the first time in my life I am exercising regularly.... Yes, even I am surprised.... There are Health Lifestyle Coordinators (HLC's) on all larger camps. They are a FIFO personal trainer who "pre-start" (stretches) camp staff and help them with health and lifestyle issues. They also look after the on-site Gym and run a bootcamp class. Thought that I should look after my mental and physical health if I want to live as a FIFO worker. One night before an RDO I did a bootcamp session for an hour and watched 25 of my fellow workmates gather around a BBQ area next to the class, most in a happy state of intoxication. An instant and happy audience who regularly ribbed me on as I ran past them. I joined them after a shower and quick bite. To my disbelief, the jovial drinkers were all openly supportive to my choice to exercise and had promised themselves that they would start any day soon. "It was just too hot"... "Maybe the next month or so"...


Desk and microwave.

A lifestyle choice... As I walk smokers and drinkers sitting out on their verandahs I know I have made the right decision.

"De-mobing" or De-mobilisation.... When the company lays you off.


After training. Lights, grass, sunset and humidity......

As the Car dumper that I am working on comes towards completion, de-mobing has started. It is an unsettling time for newbies like me. But for most here, it is just a typical part of the cycle. Some look forward to the end for a change of scenery. Rumours are plentiful and spread quickly. Some days one or a few could go, or a group may go as the workforce is shuffled and re-arranged into new work crews. There is no real pattern to who is laid off and management keep that information very close to the chest. They need staff to complete the contract and remain motivated so an end date is never given. Instead there are always discussions about other work on site or work within the company. They lay offs come swiftly and it could be LIFO (last in first out) or removal of problem staff. But eventually it is everyone. Many blokes have feelers out already and hope to be out before they are cut. And it is important that you can be ready to go quickly, and have not collected too much stuff because you may be on a plane pronto. As one told me. You need to be able to pack up your Donga in 1 hour....

What has happened to the Tradie of Yesteryear

Gloves:
"Gloves..You don't need those..." My tradesman would bark at me during my apprenticeship.

Gloves on a belt clip

I would stand my ground and put gloves on. As a pseudo guitar player I always protected my hands and would rib him and others around me, accusing them of secretly wanting the same soft feminine hands.
Today, you can still walk into any small workshop and look at the hands on many a Boilermaker. They are scarred from burns, cuts from handling sharp material and full of ground in dirt. A sign of a tough old-school tradesmen.
Times have changed. Large companies do not want injuries from simple tasks and we are reminded every day that we must wear gloves for any task. It is a minimal requirement and everyone that walks into a work area will have a pair of gloves on a clip attached to their belt. And they have to be task specific. Rubber gloves for chemical, thick leather gauntlets when welding. It is not acceptable to do anything without gloves.
Pre-Start and stretches:
Pre-Start meetings are fairly common now when working on sites. Usually a quick run through of issues on site and a rundown of work for the day.
But afterwards our crew of about 15 Tradesman and assistants walk out onto the bluestone apron around our site sheds and go through a series of stretches alongside 8 other crews. I was surprised.... Everyone has a turn and despite a lot of playful banter, it is taken seriously. We finish off with a bit of a clap and the Supervisor will remind us to "Have a Safe Day".
I downloaded an app with some illustrations so I had more than "touch your toes" in my repertoire
The world has changed. Soft hands and Stretching..? For the better, I think..

Some new things

The "Window Seat"

Wrist lanyards on my tools

It exists. A dropped object is a big deal on these sites. I shudder thinking about items that I have dropped over the years. Not many but every item could had consequences. A piece of timber was dropped 30 metres bouncing off steelwork as it fell down and luckily, it missed workers below. It was a typical piece of timber that you will find on any building site. Hardwood, 4"x2" (100mmx50mm) 1.5 metres long. It was being used to help guide a winch rope.
The problem.. It was used near an opening. The worker was not on stable ground and lost his footing. It was not a tool that was specified for task. It was not secured with a rope or lanyard. It was dropped.. All work stopped in this section. A few hours of investigations and the worker was packed up and on the afternoon flight out... Never to return.

Working directly above a crane

The RDO away from home.
We are working this weekend but another large company in our camp is having their RDO. I watched a bloke (next door neighbour) bring in a box of beer and proceed to drink and smoke into the evening sitting on his verandah. As I walked to get breakfast at 4am the next morning, he was on the verandah, drinking a stubbie. I smiled and wished him a great day. He told me this is what happens when your body clock gets used to the early starts. He cannot sleep in so he has a couple then tries a sleep in. A bloke in his late 30's.... I think that mining is getting to him....
We have an option of 4 weeks and 1 week off or 5 weeks and 9 days off.
I am at the end of a 5 week stint. Trying to align my break with the school holidays.
4 more days to go.......
Temperature are around 38 degrees. Heaven....