56 | Safety key in drainage contracting Draeinail Construction has been involved with the upgrade of pump stations in the upper Waikato. Draeinail Construction T T Sue Russell “Over the years there’s been a lot of trial and error getting away from guys having to work in trenches, but it is actually the only way to ensure drainage infrastructure is installed correctly, so we place a great deal of emphasis on ensuring our staff are safe.” CONTRACTING Darryn Muir, from Draeinail Construction says while business has been somewhat patchy of late, he’s confident that as the economy begins to shift up a gear, the types of projects the civil works and drainage business get involved with will grow. Along with business partners Joe Dorizac and Matt Hamilton, Darryn leads a team of 21, drainlayers, and civil construction workers. “We’re predominantly civil drainage and we do take on a few smaller subdivisions, like on quarter-acre section developments,” Darryn says. Based out of Puni, near Pukekohe, South Auckland, Draeinail Construction also has a crew based in Queenstown, an opportunity that came up when one of the team decided to relocate to the region earlier this year. Work can extend over a wide footprint, including work in the Waikato. “We’ve completed work for the Waikato Regional Council, upgrading their pump stations in the upper Waikato, and also are currently working on a significant project in Tauriko, Bay of Plenty. This project involves the construction of a roundabout to enter the Tauriko Business Park, where we are responsible for installing the stormwater infrastructure, subcontracting to Downers.” A significant amount of business comes by way of subcontracting for larger infrastructure company, Dempsey Wood. On a day-to-day basis, Darryn looks after about half the projects. Core services revolve around subdivision sewer and stormwater reticulation installations for large residential and commercial developments alike. “We’re also skilled at sewer and stormwater upgrades to existing infrastructure, which can be quite challenging work when you’re working around existing underground services.” Another activity is in stormwater management, installing specialised stormwater detention/retention and treatment devices. Darryn says there is a necessarily important focus on the health and safety of staff working on infrastructure underground. “Over the years there’s been a lot of trial and error getting away from guys having to work in trenches, but it is actually the only way to ensure drainage infrastructure is installed correctly, so we place a great deal of emphasis on ensuring our staff are safe.” The company engaged an external H&S consultant to develop a custom H&S management system, tailored to the drainage contracting projects it undertakes. “It’s important that any system is practical and user-friendly and is adopted by all staff. We hold in-house, practical training sessions on subjects such as concrete pipe cutting, excavator operation, lifting and slinging loads.” Draeinail is committed to ongoing H&S training and actively participates in external industry health and safety training and initiatives. “We also hold in-house practical training sessions on subjects such as concrete pipe cutting, excavator operation, and lifting and slinging loads. All systems are documents in the company’s safe operating procedures (SOPs).” The team are all Site Safe trained and are assessed for competency following the Construction Safety Council Tier 1 H&S framework. Draeinail is also prequalified to the Totika Scheme, an industry standard H&S prequalification that demonstrates competency. The company’s fleet of equipment includes excavators ranging from five tonne to 35 tonne, telehandler loaders and trucks, and six-wheelers. Maintaining the equipment is the responsibility of a full-time maintenance person. Darryn says though the business has been larger in the past, he’s happy with the size and scale they’re currently operating at. “Certainly, if demand justified it, we would consider taking on more staff and have had upward of 28 employees in the past, but right now there’s enough work to keep the team busy and we would make any decisions to take on more staff prudently, given the current economic conditions we’re operating in.” CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS + BUSINESS ADVISORS Advisory Services Cash Flow & Profit Improvement Cash Flow Forecasting Business Planning & Reviews Succession Planning Accountability Annual Financial Statements Tax Returns www.hunterwithers.co.nz 09 238 5396 3 Harris Street, Pukekohe 2120 BOOK A DISCOVERY MEETING WITH US! Custom Fabrication • Welding: Tig/Mig/Arc General Engineering • Aluminium Stainless Steel • Farm Repairs & Maintenance Boat Repairs & Alterations General Making of Anything! 021 152 2966 markshearsrts@gmail.com
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