06.20 PM

Wake up. Am I late for work?! No, this is not your typical day — we have a night occupation. I heat up some leftovers for dinner (or breakfast, I’m not sure what to call it). I get ready for work and make sure I have all the right PPE.

07.00 PM

Leave for work.

07.35 PM

Arrive at site compound. I check some emails and have a quick chat with our lead engineer and workgroup supervisors to double-check our program for the night and that we have everything in place.

08.00 PM

I run the prestart talk. Usually the supervisor would run it, but it’s a great opportunity to practice public speaking and projecting your voice. Tonight’s safety talk is about fatigue management, an important consideration for night shifts. While waiting in queue to sign onto the prestart and scan your RIW card, it’s a good chance to have a chat with the boys.

08.20 PM

We are waiting for the last trains to pass so that we can have the permits to step on track. It starts bucketing rain and lightning as we wait — hopefully it’s over soon. While the rain stops for a moment, I take the opportunity to step outside and record a welcome video for my buddy joining next year.

09.05 PM

The permits have been acquired and the TFPCs start setting up bollards to mark their zones as there will be hi-rail in operation tonight. I head over to another compound to drop off some equipment and meet up with one of the testing and commissioning engineers. We’re going out to do some correlations for clearance points.

10.20 PM

We head off to the locations of interest and sign on with the TFPC for the zone. We then take our measurements and mark it up on the drawings. As the night draws on, I get a bit hungry — luckily, I keep some snacks in my pockets (highly recommended advice).

02.30 AM

Return back to the site compound. Begin winding down as work crews are finishing with their works and return to update us on the progress.

03.30 AM

Occupation finished. As we’re out in regional Victoria, I make sure to put my high beam on the drive back to the accommodation. As I step out of the car, I take a moment to take in the starry night sky.

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