CCNZ / HIREPOOL CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2015
CATEGORY 6: Excellence in routine maintenance
Life is a highway
with Downer managing the road ahead
Some say life is one big road with lots of signs.
If that’s the case, Downer New Zealand would
be the one you’d want to maintain it.
6
CONSTRUCTION
EXCELLENCE
AWARDS 2015
WINNER
CATEGORY 6
PROJECT: Nelson City Council Road Maintenance
CONTRACTOR: Downer New Zealand
48 Civil Contractors NZ in association with Contractor magazine
Y
ou want proof? How about, for starters, Downer’s recent
re-awarding of the contract to maintain 262.5 kilometres
of sealed roads and 22.5 kilometres of unsealed roads in
the Nelson region. The project is worth $2.8 million per annum
and has an extended end date of September 2015.
The contract with Nelson City Council (NCC) also includes
fault identification and programming, contribution to forward
work programming, completion of pre-seal repairs, resurfacing,
drainage and bridge maintenance, traffic management and road
marking.
In sum, Downer’s job is to maintain a safe road network for
all road users in the wider Nelson area. Contract manager Kim
Keown says the job is more than just about roads.
“These are the roads that our friends, families and neighbours,
travel on every day. Being able to maintain the city’s roading
network is something we’re very passionate about,” Kim says.
A key part of the job involves using Road Assistance and
Maintenance Management (RAMM) for contract claiming and
routine maintenance management.
Kim explains that the team are highly skilled in this system,
with the ability to call upon national expertise.
“Downer’s field operatives are competent in the use of Pocket
RAMM and the team regularly receive RAMM training. NCC also
benefits from the ability for real time reporting as well as
prompt response to customer requests.
“A key factor of this contract is 24-hour incident response.
All trucks, patrol vehicles, the supervisor’s vehicle, and most
heavy vehicles are fitted with radio transmitters on the
network, and base radios are installed in all depots.
“Forepersons and all supervisory staff have cell phones,
and depots have phones and internet access. This ensures our
team have great communication coverage, so we can respond
and update on incidents safely and efficiently.”
All Downer’s work is carried out by local crews and the
agreed programme of works has been successfully completed
on time each year.
“After working for nine years on this contract there has not
been a single Long Term Injury [LTI] recorded,” says Kim.
But this doesn’t mean the company isn’t continually striving
to make things safer, better for customers, and more cost
effective for the client. For example, all of Downer’s NCC road
Maintenance staff have completed the Downer / Transport
Agency ACE training, which is designed to make the company
more customer focused.
“So as to be ahead of the game, we [also] regularly call upon
the Christchurch surfacing team and we benefit from their
experience and knowledge during resurfacing programmes.
“We’re also using the new ‘Should I Seal’ [SIS] online tool
developed by Downer’s road science division. This gives us
clear advice on when to spray bitumen and emulsion.”
As Nelson is known for its stormy events and periods of
heavy rain (especially the Maitai Valley Road, which regularly
floods), Kim’s crew draw upon their extensive local knowledge
and proactively monitor the weather through MetService.
Rumour has it she has even set up an emergency room in
Downer’s offices with a NCC map.
“When we need to, this is where we plot where our people
are and note down activities. We do things like, for example,
sump clearing, to prevent flooding. We’re also experienced in
mitigating and responding to slips, road blocks, and fallen trees.”
Ultimately, though, Kim says a lot of the company’s good
name comes down to employing competent staff and providing
them with the equipment and training to work safely.
To keep the project running smoothly and efficiently Downer
has also taken on a few local subcontractors.
These include Kerb and Concrete, which performs various
maintenance activities; Ezi Sweep, Downer’s sweeping
subcontractor; JC Contracting, which helps with bridge
works, painting and service adjustments; and RTL, Downer’s
signs supplier.
JC Contracting managing director Fred Gear says his
company’s relationship with Downer has been strong for over
nine years and is getting stronger every year.
“Their managers demand high standards of completed
work which in turn ensures the capital invested by Nelson
City Council benefits all in the community and enhances our
region,” says Fred.
NCC investigator and contract supervisor Roy Miles says
Downer goes above and beyond what is expected.
“They continue to provide excellent outcomes for council,
and our wider community. They continue to deliver good
service at a good cost. Additionally, health and safety is at
the forefront of all operations which is particularly important
when working in the public domain,” says Roy. l
AUGUST 2015 49