Archive for June, 2009

With the amount of heavy civils and tunnelling work about to be procured by London Underground, it pays to brush up on your LU assurance skill set. So what’s this I hear to scream? Like any ‘live’ environment be it nuclear, rail or airports, LU has it’s own rulebook if you like. This means that works need to be carried out in accordance with a certain set of standards that are little more onerous than your average brownfield job. The design will have had to have gone through a number of gates prior to achieving compliance – these are stringent reviews carried out by LU’s asset engineers and invariably stakeholders. Contractors bidding for new work need to be aware of the LU environment and demonstrate capability in delivering similar projects in order to pre-qualify. In addition, they need to be fully aware of the design process as LU are now passing design responsibility to contractors on contract award.

Entry-permit

Where does that leave Project Managers and Engineers hoping to work on these prestigious schemes? Anybody new to this environment needs to be aware the unique hazards of working on the network and the best way to start is by booking yourself on to an LU entry permit training course. This is a half day introduction to working in and around stations and the track resulting in gaining what is commonly known as the ‘pink card’. No it’s not evidence of membership to Graham Norton’s fan club, it means that you are fit to go to a station and sign in and start work.
There are a number of companies offering this training but in our experience the best are Deltone, Bridgen and Atkins Rail. The course costs about £60. Get trained up and get a head start now.

Summer signifies a rush of energy. Just after the blossom of the spring has woken everything and everybody from it’s winter slumber there are stirrings across a wide range of faculties: a concentrated effort as students prepare for examinations, nationwide political campaigning for elections be it the local or national or European stage, an increase in activity in the housing market and so on. Recruitment is no exception to this rule and in London we are bracing ourselves for contractors and project management organizations to come knocking at the door, well attempting to kick it off the hinges to be honest. We are about to enter the busiest tunnelling period in 15 years – since the Jubilee Line Extension revved up.
For example there are currently 3 major London Underground projects at various stages of procurement:
Victoria Station Upgrade – due to award in August
Tottenham Court Road Station Upgrade – currently bidding and due to award in November
Bond Street Station Upgrade – tender documents due out at the end of July and due to award early 2010
Each of these projects have significant tunnelling, piling, diaphragm walling, RC structures and LU Interfaces.
Remember this is just one client’s portfolio, worth about 1 billion pounds and taking place over the next 6 years. Sit tight it’s going to be a great summer.
We’ll be exploring other sectors soon.