Internship report at Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company
Introduction
This is the internship report of my experience at Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company. I was at this company for 2 months, and was assigned to be the safety officer of the pipeline construction, a project that the company had won through a competitive tendering. It was honor to work with a reputable firm like Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company, especially when it comes to my future career prospects. This internship report looks at the company’s profile, background, and the actual internship experience.
Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company Background Information
Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company is a reputable construction firm that has a long-term excellent record in terms of service delivery. This company provides maintenance, engineering, and construction services domestically and abroad. Most importantly, Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company have a reputation for the construction of main-line pipelines across many countries. Its strength comes from the ability to offer certain unique services that were designed to solve various construction challenges. This company prides in the adequate equipment, capital, work force, and expertise to plan and execute major construction services within the scheduled time. Such advantages also allows for the successful projects in areas and terrains within the country that appear challenging for construction.
Why I chose Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company?
I chose Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company for my internship for many reasons. According to my background research study and observation on different companies who could help me, this company stands out from the rest in terms of the performance and internal organization. First, it has a record of least injuries among workers, something that interferes with successful and timely completion of projects. On the same note, the company has mechanism that ensures that projects are scheduled, planned, and executed in the most efficient and timely basis because of its ability to offer a full package of resources, workforce, and equipment. Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company also has the ability to offer diverse services that range from offshore, marine, and other types of engineering, maintenance, and construction services. These were the reasons that make this company outstanding among the rest, and I had desired to work here in order to learn the actual setting for construction.
Company’s Environmental, Health and Safety Policy (EHS)
Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company has a robust Environmental, Health, and Safety Policy that helps it achieve high levels of efficiency in terms of the environmental safety and health. This policy affirms commitment by the company and the management to the conservation of the environment as well as providing of a safe and proper working condition of all employees. Their philosophy acknowledges that all serious environmental impacts can be prevented and that no task warrants for the degradation of the environment and injury of the workforce. The senior management of the company is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the policy objectives are achieved through proper implementation of EHS principles. Some of the objectives for Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company are met through integration of all Environmental, Health and Safety Policy in all contracts and operations, compliance with EHS legal requirements, and training of all employees on EHS requirements and processes. The company works with contractures that adhere to the EHS requirements, and identify and control environmental health issues in the process of implementing different projects.
Work Culture
Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company work culture puts emphasis on:
- Continual training and equipping of its workforce
- Freedom to come up with more innovation
- Rewards as per the work performance
- Communication and Transparency of all transactions
Mission and Vision
The company’s vision is to become the leading international multinational in providing maintenance, engineering, and construction services. Its vision is to provide excellent services that go beyond expectations of the clients through continuous improvement of services through better technologies.
Internship Project
When I was at Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company, the company won a tender to construct an oil pipeline and the construction was underway. My main training is on environmental studies and forestry; therefore, I had to look for a section and a post that was relevant to my area of specialization. For this reason, I applied for a position of a safety officer, and was granted the position for a period two months.
General responsibilities as a safety officer
A safety officer is important to the success of a construction project of any nature. Construction site requires adequate measures that ensure a healthy working environment, something that can only be achieved when roles and responsibilities are taken seriously. The safety officer is charged with the responsibility to ensure that this is achieved. However, there is a need for all participants in a construction site to work together towards achieving a conducive, and healthy working environment (Kiefner and Trench 21-22). A construction site is made up of employees, project manager, construction coordinator, planning coordinator, and a safety representative or officer, all of whom must work together to ensure a successful completion of a project.
A safety officer represents all employees at the construction site in matters to do with safety. Certain job details may entail serious dangers in the process, something that the safety officer has the right to stop in order to allow proper action to ensure safety of the task. This means that employees’ security remains an important responsibility of the safety officer in any construction site. On the same note, this person ensures that all employees strictly adhere to the safety measures during the construction to avoid compromising environmental safety. Above, this report notes some of the Environmental, Health and Safety Policy aspects that Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company adopts. A safety officer has the responsibility of ensuring that all safety measures as per the Environmental, Health and Safety Policy requirements are met as much as possible. Otherwise, lack of adherence may lead to serious breach of laws and regulations within a country or on an international level. This person also has a leadership role of ensuring that all employees follow all the safety guidelines during the construction process. Finally, there is need to involve all workers in the process of coming with the necessary environmental and health risks of a given area through their representatives.
Internship Experience
I had a great experience in Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company while working as a safety officer intern. Everybody in the company was supportive during my time at the construction site for two months. The management was always ready to assist and direct me whenever I called upon them. The mutual relationship I had with other employees and supervisors made my work easier, leading to me achieving my internship objectives.
Orientation
On the reporting day, I parked a few things I required and embarked on my journey to the Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company offices. On my arrival, the receptionist welcomed and directed me to the safety manager who was to be my immediate job supervisor. The safety manager introduced me to different employees within the company, especially those with leadership roles. The introduction helped me to know some of the colleagues we were to work with and other heads of departments within the company. The friendly Safety Officer took his time to walk with me to the different departmental offices in a bid to help me familiarize myself with my working environment and employees within each department. The same day I reported, there was a meeting with other departmental leaders and colleagues in order to familiarize me with the general schedules of Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company. In the same meeting, I was briefed on my roles and responsibilities and other obligations during my internship period.
My Duties as a Safety Officer
Some of the duties that I was expected to undertake during my internship at Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company included:
- Planning and implementing online support to help in online pipeline management efforts.
This entailed a careful study of the construction manuals and identifying safety issues that needed to be implemented as construction proceeded. Now, oil pipelines are no longer managed but electronically, meaning that online safety monitoring is an important aspect of pipeline management and should start at the construction period.
- Preparation and Presentation of Reports
I was to prepare present very detailed reports concerning the various measures that all employees at the construction should observe. These were the guidelines to be followed by all employees and implemented by all supervisors.
- Ensuring Safety Compliance
I was responsible for the compliance of all the safety rules and regulations put in place. I was to personally check that all employees adhered to all the safety measures during the construction time.
- Preparing Reports on Construction Environmental Impact
Every construction project is expected to have an impact to the environment, irrespective of the safety measures put in place. Therefore, I was assigned the task of preparing reports that showed the impact of construction activities on the environment. These reports were to help in coming up with better safety methods that could lead to better efficiency and less safety and environmental risks (Kiefner and Trench 6-8).
Job Tasks
During the two-month internship, I had to divide the session into two in order to achieve my learning objectives at the company. My first was entirely for learning the systems of the company and operations of different departments. My actual practical work took place during the second month, a period that I took the lead role in the construction aspects.
Tasks during the first month of internship
The specific duties in my first month in Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company included:
- Paying attention to the different processes and functions in departments within the company
- Familiarization with the daily routine of the company from reporting time, tea break, lunch break and breaking for home
- Closer interaction with each department in order to understand their roles within the company operations
- Interaction with different tasks and activities in each department in order to understand the guidelines and standards in place
Activities during the second month
The specific tasks during the second month of my internship included:
- Active role during the construction process of the oil pipeline
- Attending meetings with an aim of determining the means in which the new pipeline system would be built
Factors considered before construction of pipeline system
During the internship, I was able to learn some of the factors that must be considered before actual construction starts. Oil pipeline is a sensitive infrastructure that requires care before, during and after construction. Major problems of this system come in form of the environmental and safety hazards. The following are the important factors I identified:
Selection
The initial step in the construction of a pipeline system requires that a careful selection be done on certain construction components. Location of the pipeline system is very important because it determines the type of structure that will be designed. On the same note, the location helps in identification of different design aspects like pipe size, boring and other activities to be involved in final work of construction (Mehta,Scarborough and Armpriest 12-16).
Checking guidelines and standards
Construction requires many logistics in terms of guidelines and standards that make all plans successful. Without a proper check on the guidelines and standards, there is a chance for dangerous mistakes during and after the construction process.
Procedure and steps involved in construction
Before commencing the construction process, there is, need to put down clear procedures and steps to be followed during the actual construction period. Environmental health and safety depends on proper procedures.
Soil settlement
Different soil formations have different settlement capabilities, calling for a need to conduct necessary tests on the soil to determine hydraulic properties. Settlement is a property that determines the kind of construction work to be undertaken, especially, in terms of setting the pipeline. The soil should be able to withstand the weight and pressure exerted by the oil during the peak flow.
Expansion of pipes
Certain areas experience very hot climate while others experience very cold climates. Cold climates can lead to expansion of the pipe material used in constructing the system. For this reason, the expected climate of the material should direct the kind of pipe material to be used. The material should be able to expand and contract in order to provide safety of the pipeline system in all climatic conditions (Mehta, Scarborough and Armpriest 10-11).
Earthquake
On the same note, earthquakes are serious threats that must be considered before construction is started. Earthquake-prone areas should be identified and necessary measures be put in place in order to avoid oil pipeline catastrophes like fires.
Tasks during construction
During my second month at the internship, I had learnt some of the basic operations and construction concepts of the company. This period gave me the opportunity to have the first hand practical experience of working in the field. The following are the specific tasks I undertook at Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partner Company as a safety officer intern:
- Routine checkup of the work done by employees with respect to environmental safety measures
- I checked functionality of all the equipment used in this project to avoid safety problems
- Identification of anomalies that occur during construction and reporting the same to the relevant departments for urgent action
- Ensuring smooth running smoothly and solving any problem that arises as far as safety is concerned
- I ensured safety of all employees by making all of them adhere to the safety measures in place
- Checking that employees does not violate company’s guidelines and rules
- Ensuring that construction activities carried out does not pose a threat to the employees and the entire company
- Ensuring that no environmental disruption like noise occurred during the construction process
My daily routine entailed:
- Reporting at work every morning, checking for any security breaches before proceeding to the storage room to ensure that drawers and cabinets were safe
- Counting of boots and assigning each worker a clean pair for the day
- Checking and giving out of hand gloves, splash goggles and safety suits to filed officers. Replacement was also done promptly in case of wear and tear.
- Break time: 1000hrs- 1030hrs
- Taking safety equipment for cleaning as well as collecting previous day’s ones.
- Taking worn out equipment for repair
- Lunch break: 1230hrs-1330hrs
- Arrange storage room and settle down to make a report of the equipment before taking a safety inspection tour together with the safety manager
- Listen to and record all safety issues
- Tea break 1500hrs-1530hrs
- Collecting all equipment and ensuring they are in good condition
- Making the record of the day’s progress
- Close of business: 1700hrs
Summary of Lessons learned
My internship was great experience in terms of meeting my objectives. These objectives were to apply all the things I learnt in class over the years and have a practical industry experience with a reputable company like Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partners. I was able to learn safety measures that should be followed in the construction of an oil pipeline system. The safety measures required during important construction activities like tunneling, boring, laying pipes and land backfilling were very real and important. Other than those, I was able to make a connection between the actual work and the need to collaborate with relevant industry EHS regulators.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The internship in this company opened my eyes to see the reality of the work environment. After my time at Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partners, I have realized the need to bridge the gap between the theory learnt in classrooms and the practicality of the same in the actual working environment. This reality has only been brought out by this internship experience and my interaction with employees and other colleagues. I have also learnt that success of a proper safety program is made possible by good management. Lack of seriousness in terms of following the necessary safety guidelines can lead to serious problems, some even fatal. This pipeline construction was major, requiring serious follow-up in order to achieve optimum safety of all the processes, equipment, and employees. However, the experience did not lack challenges. The main challenge came from the inadequate finances for personal needs, and the allocation should be increased considerably. Nevertheless, this internship has helped me establish an important foundation towards my career.
I made certain observation during the internship on the construction operations performed by the company and would like to make recommendations. Safety issues are very important and should be at the forefront while making high-ended construction like oil pipeline. Therefore, environment safety issues should not be left for a few persons within the company. Departments should ensure that safety is addressed at their levels to avoid delays caused by the need to make communications to different areas. The safety manager should empower each department to be proactive on issues to do with safety. This person should help each department identify potential environmental and health hazards during the construction period with an aim of coming up with specific measures to be adopted by employees. However, I appreciate my internship time at the Hamad Albajjash Alhajri and Partners Company.
Work Cited
Kiefner, J. F. and Trench, C. J. Oil Pipeline Characteristics and Risk Factors: Illustrations from
the Decade of Construction, Kiefner & Associates, Inc., Worthington, Ohio, and AllegroEnergy Group, New York, New York, Dec. 2001.
Mehta, Madan, Walter Scarborough and Diane Armpriest. Building construction principle,
materials and system, Prentice Hall, Second Edition, 20