Ground hog day...! and General observations

Ground Hog Day....
There is always something to look forward to in a normal life at home. There are weekly cycles that are great indicators that life as not stood still. Things to look forward to. Maybe the weekend. Maybe just seeing your children at the end of the day or a meal that you have been looking forward to.

Last piece of ducting being craned in

Out here every day is the same..... From the moment you walk into your Donga after your flight back. There are no changes during a week that make any day feel different. No indicators that life is travelling along. No weekends, no children's sport or training. Bed time is too early to watch regular TV shows. You do your washing on a week night or on a Saturday night. It does't matter. The meals served in the Mess hall are the same every night (except the random seafood night). Time just stops... I have all the technology available to me to help me keep life in order but without a calendar in my face, I have no idea. I call home to check in on my other life and have to consciously try to work out what day it is so I can ask appropriate questions.
And then all the 3.30 wake ups in a row. 13 days without a sleep in. A day off. Then repeat.
Your life is one day that rolls into another... then another...
No complaints. Just a part of this lifestyle.

Next 2 cardumpers shells being built. We are the front runners
on this contract. But they are not ready. These are big cranes...
2 conveyor tunnels are in the foreground.

Other general observations.
Short hair and very few beards.
Lots and lots and lots of goatees.
Tattoos, including chests, backs of hands and necks. Young and old. Male and female. I do feel like the odd one out.
And a favourite...In the evenings at camp. Garish t-shirts with mismatched board shorts. Probably christmas and birthday presents that were never allowed to be worn at home. Some blokes really need their mums or wives to give a little guidance..

I can see why uniforms exist...

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....

46 Degrees...Did not think that the heat would be so relentless....!!

After 2 weeks of 40 plus degree days, I was looking forward to my Rostered Day Off.
Fatigue management has become important in the Mining Industry so we do not work more that 13 days in a row. The 14th must be a rest day. This is every second Sunday. Our designated RDO.
The heat is relentless.... As the weeks have dragged on, the temperatures have stayed high. Most days were between 40 to 42 degrees including a 43.9. Throw another 2 or more degrees for humidity..... (Our Health and Safety Crew walk around offering frozen fruit tubes and remind us to drink water. They called called it 46 degrees) and by the end of 2 weeks you can feel your feet dragging on the ground.
What do 35 miners do when they travel back to camp on the bus? Nothing....  Our bus is a comfortable coach which is good for the 50 minute trip. Most sleep or attempt to and about a quarter sit on their smartphones and Ipads. The funny thing is that the interior of the bus is dark as the curtains are never ever open. Everyone just tries to hide from the sun.
Another "tradition" leading into the RDO is that Saturday Night is the only opportunity to let your hair down as no-one is breathalysed the following morning and Sunday can be a recovery day. There are a lot of social drinkers up here so groups will gather and party on. Security in the main camps will start winding you up by 8.30, and there is a 10pm curfew on all noise outside.
The "wild" boys on our crew were all tucked into bed by 10pm. Exhausted....
Another week of 40's coming up....
Apparently winter up here is just beautiful...

What do 35 miners in a bus smell like ?

What do 35 miners in a bus smell like. Surprise.... OK...!
Personal hygiene is very very good.

Big fans everywhere...

Everyone wears "longs"... Long sleeve shirts and pants. Definetely no shorts. Everyone sweats in the humidity and the heat. The clothing that you would wear is not worn the next day.So everyone is fresh as a daisy. Otherwise you would be singled out and some-one would let you know pretty quickly. And, it would be bought up during our pre-start discussions at the beginning of the day. I have very rarely smelt body odour. Everyone uses good deodorants and showers constantly. We were advised to stay away from floral deodorants like Lynx as they attract sandflies and wasps. In colder climates people wear the same clothing day in, day out until it looks shabby or too dirty. So they smell...
Over in the West, you perspire a lot, with shirts and pants constantly dripping wet, but you dry off just as quickly.
Miners unwritten code:
Out of respect to fellow workers you must never remove shoes or shirts ever. Not in the smoko rooms and never on the bus. Only when you are back at your Donga. Sleeves are never, ever rolled up. Also, no dirty uniforms, singlets and sweaty gym clothes in the Mess.

Acclimatise: You can work and survive in this heat as long as you are hydrated and rest when needed. Everyday, 2 workers from our company are tested at 10.30 am for hydration. A simple urine test at First Aid. 76 workers across the whole site have been admitted into First Aid for Dehydration in the last 3 months. We are reminded every second day to hydrate.

Downside: The need to go to the toilet twice a night.....

Screenshot of my Iphone at 4.07am. 30 degrees already.
Yesterday was 40+ degrees so I am looking forward to 9 or more days of it. The only thing that is missing is what it feels like because they have not applied humidity to it. Simple, just add about 2 to 4 degrees...
Would I prefer the Winter cold of Melbourne or the heat of the Pilbara? It's the same. You keep out of the rain and cold. You keep out of the heat.
Truthfully, this heat is pretty oppressive and very hard to work in. It is tough out here. But give me the heat..........!
Apparently winter is just perfect. No rain and high 20's. God's Country...

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......