Safety and Training

PHOTO: BRANDENBURG

BRANDENBURG

COUNTRY United States

PROJECT Ramboll Group/Pfizer Rocky Mount

While performing a complex selective removal project at a Pfizer pharmacuetical manufacturing facility, Brandenburg's team were forced to take shelter when tornado landed, destroying multiple site structures.

With safety the priority, following the crises the team conducted an engineering survey, utility capping, developed sitespecific H&S Plans, method statements, safety analyses and task analysis cards for all onsite team members. Special measures to protect staff from potential opioid exposure were implemented so the contractor could clear damage from natural disaster damage. Works were completed on time, on budget, with no safety incidents. ■

PHOTO: PERFECT CONTRACTING

PERFECT CONTRACTING

COUNTRY Australia

PROJECT Elizabeth Bay

Located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the Elizabeth Bay project comprised a sixstorey residential building that required significant reinforcement to meet modern building codes.

With meticulous planning and execution, Perfect Contracting implemented bracing and support measures, and achieved 39,000 labour hours without a single injury, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to safety.

Regular safety talks, rigorous risk assessments, and the use of appropriate PPE were integral components of the safety protocols that ensured a secure working environment for all team members. ■

DESPE

COUNTRY Italy

PROJECT Kryalos Disaster Recovery

Despe was contracted to the “disaster recovery” operation that was implemented after a major storm cell hit the geographical area of Milan, Basso Varesotto and Brianza in July of 2023.

In the former Alfa Romeo industrial area of Arese, warehouse logistics centres built in the 1960s/70s were damaged by the storm as it swept through the industrial complex. In particular, a long brick wall section separating two warehouses collapsed, due to the vertical presence of high shelves containing goods to be shipped. The danger of the demolition operation was due to the instability of the entire system, which was severely compromised.

Despe used radio-controlled equipment, including excavators, to ensure the safety of its operators, who controlled the machines from a control room. The works to demolish the collapsed wall were carried out while maintaining existing electrical and fire fighting systems, and to an accelerated timeframe to limit the disruption to tenant businesses in the warehouse complex. ■

PHOTO: DESPE

DESPE

COUNTRY Italy

PROJECT Garigliano Cutting Station

Despe designed and constructed a cutting station for large contaminated components equipped with autonomous ventilation and ionising radiation control systems, for the decommissioning of contanminated nuclear plant components.

From the control room the operators could utilise pre-set cutting sequences or act directly via radio control, while the torch can make precise cuts up to 100 mm thick and is equipped with an anti-collision system to prevent accidents.

The cutting function was carried out by a teleoperated machine, i.e. a gantry equipped with two anthropomorphic robots for the execution of oxyfuel cutting and handling of contaminated components from the decommissioning of a nuclear plant. Despe’s operator was able to monitor the cutting process from every angle via cameras. The works were carried out in compliance with the ALARA Principle, to minimise the risk of contamination and radiation that would have been present due to the heat of oxyhypropane cutting. ■

PHOTO: WARD DEMOLITION

WARD DEMOLITION

COUNTRY New Zealand

PROJECT Southdown Power Station

Ward Demolition’s work at the Southdown Power Station involved the demolition of the site's cooling towers, which were situated within three metres of live suspended 11-KV cables.

The company’s team operated close to a live high-voltage major switch yard and overhead powerlines running alongside the length of the site throughout the project's duration.

A particular challenge was the power station’s own health and safety governance, which included a ‘no dropping’ policy and a requirement to have a spotter accompanying every machine.

This meant that Ward was not allowed to pull over the site’s chimney and boiler stacks, due to concerns around vibrations. With this posing greater risk to onsite workers, good communication, consultation and cooperation with its client(s) and project partners enabled Ward to execute the safe cutting of the top exhaust sections of the structures. These were then craned out, allowing Ward to use two high reach excavators to lower the bundles one by one. ■