"World's greatest airport set for take off"

Saturday, August 14, 2004

World's greatest airport set for take off
United Kingdom - This is Local London


Seeing history in the making is always exciting. The building of
Terminal 5 at Heathrow is not only Europe's largest construction project
but is also one of the most complex infrastructures ever designed.

This week sees the third 2,500 tonne section of the wave like roof put
into place with a smaller fourth section also nearing completion.

It's enormity alone is impressive. But scratch the surface and what is
being created at Terminal 5 becomes even more awe inspiring.

There is only one point of entry to the site, through which all
visitors, contractors and deliveries must go, but it is a nine lane
entrance which at the peak of construction has had to cope with over 250
vehicle movements' per hour.

Whilst the site itself is as big as Hyde Park, the space itself is very
physically constrained. Because of these limitations, as much as
possible of the construction materials are prefabricated off site and
then brought to T5 to be assembled, much of it by train.

Richard Rook, Head of Construction at T5, explained: "We are limited in
terms of the amount of space we have and use a just in time' delivery
system, where we bring materials onto site at the last possible minute.
Many things are large pieces of fabricated structures, such as the steel
reinforcement bars made into pre-fab cages in nearby Colnbrook, and this
saves a huge amount of work on site. This means less men on site and it
is quicker to assemble once the pieces are here."

Some stages of the works are already coming to a close, such as the
diverting of the two rivers and the subsequent archaeological dig, as
well as the civil engineering part of the project, which is also nearing
completion.

However, other groups, such as the service installation teams, are just
starting to step up their activities on site.

The roof itself will be the largest single span structure in the UK once
all six sections have been lifted into place. Its 117 metre long steel
arches have been designed to create a wave like effect and house four
floors of a totally separate structure inside, which will eventually be
used for arrivals and departures.

Currently it does seem all a bit disjointed. There is the main T5
terminal with its third section of roof hovering ominously just off
ground level, waiting for its final lift, then there are vast, deep
holes in the ground, which, I am told will eventually be transformed
into new Piccadilly line, Heathrow Express and bus terminals. They are
building six platforms, although four will only be used initially,
leaving room for expansion.

There are also the foundations of the shuttle link to the satellite
building known as "T5B" which in itself is bigger than the existing
Terminal 4. Now that the rivers, which flowed in between the two
termini, have been drained they will start work on linking the two.

The energy centre has just recently been opened and glass panels are
waiting in the wings to be installed to create the side wall of the main
terminal.

On the safety of these, Richard says: "Obviously they have been tested
for all weather conditions and blast have been taking into account.
Every single security implication possible has been factored in."

There are currently around 6,000 personnel on site, 3,500 of which are
construction workers while the remainder of which are office based. By
completion, over 60,000 people will have been involved in building T5.

But it is not just all the facts and figures and scale of the project
that is impressive. Touring the site, it becomes apparent that they are
very proud of the way they are changing the working practices of the
construction industry.

"Safety," Richard Rook says, "is not just a priority, it is a core value
at T5. There are no choices with safety." Indeed, to go on site, we were
issued with safety goggles, steel capped boots, fluorescent jackets and
hard hats.

"We noticed at the start of the project, that there were injuries due to
bits flying into people's eyes and hand injuries, so now everyone has to
wear protective eye wear and gloves to prevent these accidents
occurring. They are mandatory at all times," he explains.

They have also created a wealth of facilities for staff on site. A
health centre doles out advice and whilst it was specifically designed
to provide health checks for high risk jobs such as tower crane drivers,
there is also a GP and several nurses who are constantly on a drive to
raise the awareness of the mainly male workforce about men's health
issues such as testicular cancer.

"The on site GPs provide staff with a quick and accessible service. This
way, they get to see the doctor quickly and we don't lose workers for a
day or afternoon whilst they visit their local GP. It also means we can
respond very quickly if any accidents do happen on site."

They also have shops, canteens and are setting new standards in the
space they provide workers for changing facilities.

"We are finding that many people who leave T5 to go and work on other
jobs come back, as we have changed the standards they expect when
working on site, not just in safety but in every facet of their working
day.

"We are in the business of changing individual's awareness and approach
to safety and once that has been changed, it's hard to return to the old
standards."

By 2008 the first phase of the building works will be complete and the
new terminal will be opened, joining the current six compounds, rail &
and bus links into one coherent operation with 47 aircraft stands.

By 2011, when all the works are complete, there will be around 60
stands.

"There is a general buzz here from the people.

"They know they are a living part of an example of British engineering
and construction at its finest and it gives people a sense of pride to
be working on such an amazing project."

And standing in the midst of it all, it does feel like something
special.

The most striking thing about T5 is that, despite the huge array of
different projects, everywhere you look, there is a different team of
workers with diggers or forklifts, it seems so organised.

To call it a huge project, is just as huge an understatement, yet when
visiting the site, this is the overwhelming impression and it fills one
with awe.

One day, when planes are hurtling in and out of this magnificent
development, you get the impression that workers will be as proud to say
"I worked on T5" as those who built the Empire State Building or the
London Eye.


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