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Another six months, the year is flying by!
When we last talked in December, we were approaching the holidays and a well-deserved rest after a busy calendar year.
So far, 2017 has been no different, with our staff constantly on the move, whether out in the field with you or at the work place looking for new ways to make things simply better.
Our theme in 2017 has been Building the Foundations for Growth. We've taken a fresh look at all of our business units and asked ourselves how we can best improve our capabilities and delivery in a way that meets your needs, so we're there for you when your business demands.
We've been building new delivery programmes, enhancing our range of services, from new software to new ways of delivering foundation services like our competency Work Readiness Assessments.
We're excited to welcome some new team members and leaders in 2017 as we grow and improve. The new faces have given us the perfect opportunity to update some of our introductory videos to showcase our staff - new and old. You'll see a number of those videos sprinkled throughout this newsletter.
Our training team has brand new delivery methods (and a new pricing model) designed to enhance flexibility. From individual units of competency to full qualifications, we now have even more ways to get you the training you need in a manner (and with a price) that works for you.
Our Operate & Maintain team has been bringing valuable relief and turn-key solutions to treatment plants in a number of regional and remote areas. We've developed some new product packages with this team that we're excited to be announcing with this newsletter. You can read about them below!
The Engineers and Scientists that make up our consultancy team are also hard at work, developing and refining new products to support clients in the planning and development space. One of our key areas of expertise is helping you move your projects forward from the concept and planning stages through to implementation and full operation. Getting those projects approved can be a challenge and we're reaching out to a number of firms to build bridges to connect the particular expertise we have with water and the environment with clients who need support in this area.
Last, but certainly not least (and dear to our Marketing Team's hearts), we're excited by the launch of newly enhanced and mobile friendly website. We've got the same great detail on our product portfolio, but now in a mobile-adaptive format with some additional content navigation built in.
You can expect more, rather than less, exciting news from the S&B team in the coming six months and I look forward to hearing your response and seeing the team connect and, in some cases, reconnect with you.
As always, thank you for your continued support and your business.
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David Bristow (Managing Director)
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NEW Training Delivery Methods: Let Liz Tell You About It
From our perspective, there is no better person to explain the changes to our Training portfolio than our own Chief Trainer, Liz Millan, who, along with the team, has worked so hard to craft new training delivery programs that never compromise on quality but still delivers on what our clients have told us they are looking for. Liz is passionate about making sure that when a learner is judged competent by S&B, that competent
means competent, not just "capable of passing an exam". Liz has been our champion, and yours, and we're excited to watch her lead our Training Team into a brave new world of exciting possibilities.
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| Learn About Our Training Delivery Methods |
Or, click here to use a new web tool to help you find the best delivery method for you! |
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Check In With Our Open Industry Training Calendar!
We update this calendar with new opportunities throughout the year - make sure you give it a look to see what's coming up that might be a good fit for you!
Make sure you check it out and look for your opportunity to upgrade your skills in 2017.
Click here!
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Tips From Bill: How to Do a Simple Drop-Down Test to Check Accuracy of Your Dosing Pump
A drop down test is a fast and easy way to check the flow rate of your chemical dosing pump. Dosing pump flow rates should be checked regularly (at least every 3 months) and always after any maintenance has been carried out on the pump. It is important to verify that the dose rate your pump is delivering is accurate.
Most modern dosing systems with a fixed supply tank (poly dosing systems for example) include a graduated measuring cylinder and valves, arranged in such a way that a drop test can be carried out. Note that drop testing is not always suitable for some types of chemicals, so your dosing system may not have a drop test cylinder. When in doubt check with your supervisor.
To safely carry out a drop test the calibration cylinder should be on the suction side of the pump, with two isolating valves, as shown in the drawing below. The top of the cylinder should be vented back to the storage tank or to a suitable drain, and should never be left open to the atmosphere.
Drop Test Procedure
1. Before you start, ensure that Valve A is open and Valve B is closed. Now start the pump and run normally. Slowly open Valve B until the graduated cylinder fills with liquid up to the zero mark.
2. When the liquid level reaches the zero mark, close Valve A and, using a digital stopwatch or wrist watch with a sweep second hand, start timing as the liquid level drops. Time it for a period of 60 seconds and note the mark on the cylinder, to which the level has dropped. This is the measured value. Re-open Valve A and close Valve B.
3. Most cylinders have two scales. The left hand scale shows the volume of the column in mL. Divide the measured value (the volume pumped in mL) by 1000 to get litres. The time taken was 1 min (60 sec), so to get the flow rate in L/hour, divide the volume by the time and multiply by 60. To make life easier, the right hand scale on the cylinder is often a direct reading in litres per hour for a 1 minute test.
4. The test is done. Record your readings and check against the pump dose rate you set, to ensure it is within specification.
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Meet Xin Zhang: Training Coordinator
If you've done S&B training, chances are you've talked with Xin Zhang, our Training Coordinator. Xin is the one who makes sure your courses are scheduled, staffed and organised efficiently. She helps walk you through your funding options and works out any difficulties you may be encountering. Xin is your (and our!) "go to" person.
Xin a key member of our team, and we've been dying to introduce you to her. We just couldn't get her to stop working long enough to stand in front of a camera for a few minutes!
(In fact, we had to put this article in the newsletter as a placeholder just to convince her to finally do it!) To watch Xin's video, click below.
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| Meet Xin Zhang: Training Coordinator |
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Tips from Travis: The Red Claw
Many water quality sampling plans require sampling to be undertaken immediately following rainfall events so that the impact of the rainfall on water quality is properly captured.
In fact, the water quality data from these rainfall events is often the most important data that will alert you to the contaminant loads impacting on water quality from the activity that you are involved in.
Although water quality sampling is often done in nice, scenic locations, sometimes access to some of the sampling points is made more difficult because of the high flows during or immediately following rainfall events.
One time I was undertaking sampling at a development site, and there was no way for me to park or gain access anywhere near one of the sample points where I had to sample. However, I was able to access it by walking the length of a newly constructed concrete stormwater channel, in which the flow had quickly subsided.
As I was walking along inside the channel, I noticed that there was some quite sizeable red-claw that had been washed out into the channel, and I thought that this would be a good opportunity for me to take the red-claw home to the kids so that we could cook them up and eat them.
When I took the four tasty morsels home, the kids decided that the yabbies were too cute to eat. And apparently (according to them) if you give animals names, you are not allowed to eat them!
So we set up a little aquarium for "Bert", "Ernie", "Elmo" and "Big Bird" (the red claw) to live in, with an aerator, swimming pool, sand and rock beaches, banana lounges, and some plants put in there to provide protection from the sun.
The only problem was that no matter what we fed the red-claw - bread, mince, vegetables, sausages - they just wouldn't eat anything.
This hunger strike on behalf of the "red claw four" continued, and after five days, when we woke up and checked on the red claw, one of them had died and the others had been feasting on the corpse!
To save the kids any further trauma, I took the remaining red-claw back to where I had found them and let them go.
Now I know better than to let them know if I catch any yabbies at work. Or if the kids do see them, the red-claw can only be named "fried", boiled", "lunch" or "dinner".
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Do you want to keep up with the latest news and information from Simmonds & Bristow? Do you want to know when new positions are available? If so, click here to follow us on Linked In to keep up with the latest news and events!
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Meet Martin:
Chief Scientist
We're excited to introduce you to Martin Crossley, our new Chief Scientist and incoming Engineering & Scientific Services Manager. An accomplished environmental professional, Martin has over 20 years of international experience gained in the water industry and environmental consultation appointments.
Martin holds formal qualifications in the pure sciences, environmental management, auditing, training and work health and safety.
Plus, he's lived all over the world and is a certified scuba driving instructor. No wonder the team is excited to work with him! You can "meet" Martin by clicking on the video below.
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| Meet Martin Crossley: Chief Scientist |
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Consultancy on the Ground: The Horse (Sampling) Whisperer
To learn how our own Mario Ruckli gained the title of the horse (sampling) whisperer, make sure to visit our website and check out his article discussing his recent close encounter of the equine variety!
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FREE CALCULATORS YOU NEED!
We've got one to calculate how much soda ash to add for a jar test too! That's right here.
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Tips from Elena: Source Finding
If you have an industrial operation, as a number of our clients do, you may wonder where all your petroleum pollutant by-products are coming from.
Here are some tips on how to do some source-finding yourself and assist in identifying the products being released into your water or not removed through treatment.
Unfortunately, determining the source of the TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) or TRH (Total Recoverable Hydrocarbons) from analytical results often proves difficult due to the large variety of compounds within the collective group of 'petroleum products'.
There are several hundred compounds in this family, and the chemistry of them can be quite complex. However, to simplify and help eliminate sources you can identify likely offenders from your site and compare them to where they may lie in your TRH/TPH banding on your analytical report.
For example, a compound that has 18 carbon molecules in its structure will belong to the C16-C34 fraction. Look up your SDS or do an old fashioned Google search for the chemical formula. Hexane for example has a chemical formula of C6H14, so it contains just six carbon molecules, and will be found in the C6-C9 fraction on your laboratory certificate.
Also, as a general rule, this band is also called the 'volatile' fraction and is easily lost by poor sampling technique/incorrect bottles.
In some cases, your product may include a range of chemical compounds, for example the average chemical formula for common diesel fuel is C12H23, ranging approximately from C10H20 to C15H28.
The checking of your products against your TRH/TPH banding is a great 'first round' check of your process and allows you to eliminate some suspect areas, but also note that chemical composition of some products can be affected by weathering and/or biological modification upon release to the environment or through processing.
Here are a few examples of typical carbon chain compounds:
Gasoline
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C5-C12
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Kerosene |
C9-C17
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Diesel
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C8-C24
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Heavy Fuel Oils
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C8-C50
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Crude Oil
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C2-C55
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Lubricating Oil
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C14-C50
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You can visualise that in the infographic below:
Positive identification of an exact compound, once you have narrowed the target, can be done as a GS-MS analytical technique.
This can be an expensive exercise, so if you'd like some help in identifying areas in your process that may be causing you problems, let us know and we can help you in your site investigations.
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Environmental Harm:
Do you know your stuff?
Part of managing your compliance obligations is understanding what you need to do! We've put together a quick and fun interactive quiz on our website to test your knowledge.
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Meet Fiona: Field Services Lead
Last time we introduced you to a few of our engineers. Now is your chance to get to know Fiona Milnes, an Environmental Scientist and our Field Service Lead. Click below to watch our short into to Fiona video.
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Land Disposal
Read along with Mario Ruckli, one of our graduate engineers, as he discusses "giving your wastewater somewhere to go".
Check it out on our website, along with Mario's other helpful articles, by
clicking here.
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Simmonds & Bristow is also on Facebook! You'll find stories, pictures and links on our Facebook page. Click
here
to visit our Facebook page!
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New Plant Operations Packages!
One of our core values is to 'make it simply better'. We take that to heart and are always trying to make things better and simpler, for our clients. As David mentioned earlier, our Plant Operations team has come up with some new packages designed to make it quick and easy for you to decide what you need help with! With base packages and easy to select add-ons, you can get exactly what you need.
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HELPING HAND |
An extra pair of hands in
n the form of an Operator's Assistant.
Note: There must be a full Operator on-site.
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VALUABLE RELIEF
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An experienced Operator who has put in plenty of time on treatment plants!
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TURN-KEY SUPPORT
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A qualified operator fully kitted out with a dedicated vehicle and Engineering Support included!
This package requires a minimum 1 year commitment.
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INTENSIVE SUPPORT
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One of our Valuable Relief Operators for a short, intense burst where you need someone for long hours (with an aggregate rate to go with it!)
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SUPPORT PLUS
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Our custom package! Work with us to get exactly what you need - nothing more, nothing less!
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PLANT SUPERVISOR /MANAGER
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Need something more than just a great Operator? Our Plant Supervisors/Managers are fully qualified and have at least 10 years experience.
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PLANT SERVICE TECHNICIAN
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Get your minor site works and maintenance completed by our mobile Plant Service Technician, fully backed by our Simmonds & Bristow Engineering team.
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A Chat With Debbie
Debra Smith is our Customer Service & Sales Manager: Plant Operations. Debbie is your "go to gal" when you need someone at site. She treasures her reputation as a "miracle worker" and tells us her proudest achievements (other than her kids and grandkids!) are when she makes something happen even our clients thought was impossible! Click below to watch our "chat with Debbie".
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| Meet Debra Smith: Customer Service & Sales Manager: Plant Operations |
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THE MIND OF AN OPERATOR: CAPTION IT!
Just for fun, we thought we'd share this photo of Paul Burgess, one of our Operators with our best 'guess' as to what he was thinking when this pic was napped.
Have a better caption?
Let us know and we'll share it next it!
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| If you haven't yet read about Paul and his "Fowl little Friend", Flash the Duck, click here. |
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Meet Michael:
Plant Operations Manager
Joining Debbie on our Plant Operations team is Michael Evans, a
n experienced water process and chemical engineer, who comes to us from oil and gas industry. Michael was known as the "go to guy" for water in his former life, which makes him perfect for Simmonds & Bristow. To get to know Michael, click on the video link below. (And don't be surprised if he turns up to your plant, if you have one of our Operators on site!)
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| Meet Michael Evans: Plant Operations Manager |
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NOW AVAILABLE ON MOBILE!
Our Simmonds & Bristow website,
www.simmondsbristow.com.au is now mobile friendly! We're refreshed our website to make it easier for you to access "on the go". We've also taken the opportunity to add some pages devoted to our various departments and the great articles, tools, calculators, videos, etc., that they put together for you.
Learn more about our Engineers & Scientists
here.
Learn about our Plant Operator
here.
Learn about our Trainers
here.
You can meet our Key Personnel
here.
Our Resources Page is
here.
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HIGHLIGHTING OUR PARTNERS
We'd like to turn your attention to Booth Engineers and Associates, one our well-respected partners. We've known and worked with Booth for some time, but we've only recently welcomed them to
our partners page.
A trusted name in engineering and structural inspections
Booth Engineers and Associates is a consulting firm with over 100 years of combined experience. They specialise and provide services in several fields of engineering, from structural engineering designs and analysis to inspections and certifications for local councils/authority, investigations into distressed structures, underpinning designs as well as various specialised services.
Booth can help you develop the best designs and get expert advice for all your construction needs. Visit the Booth Engineers and Associates website
here.
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