A Day in a Life of a Driller

A crucial job that is integral to the design and construction of the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project might surprise some: the driller. During the design phase of the project we drilled more than 11,000 linear feet of core samples to characterize the subsurface ground conditions in and around the location of the replacement dam.

And we didn’t stop there. We are still drilling on the project to clarify the geologic conditions specifically on the left abutment (or adjoining wall) of the future new dam. Skill is key in exploratory drilling. We are lucky to have incredible personnel on site. We’d like to introduce you to one now - one of our lead drillers - Bay Area resident Will Halai.  He has been performing this type of work on construction projects for more than six years.

Will immigrated to the United States in 1992 from Tonga, a country in the South Pacific, to make a better life here for his family.  He works daily with his assistant Fine Taufatofua, also of Tongan descent, who has been drilling for the last four years of his career.  Both are members of the Operating Engineers Local 3, the union which represents heavy equipment operators and construction workers.

Typically, each drill advances a bore hole 40 to 60 feet per day.  The 4-inch diameter drill holes average about 100 feet in depth, while the rock core they extract is 2.5 inches in diameter.  After the borings are drilled, many are logged with a televiewer, which provides a continuous image of the inside of the borehole to allow the identification (and orientation) of important geologic features.  On average, five to six core borings are completed per week.  All of this information helps to ensure that the new Calaveras Dam, when built, will sustain a maximum credible earthquake on the nearby Calaveras Fault.

Will works with Bill Henrich of Norcal Geophysical during televiewer logging,
which is used to obtain important data from the core boring

Union Local 3 Operating Engineers Will Halai & Fine Taufatofua
pause from drilling work at Calaveras Dam 

Building Tunnels and Building Lives

Robert Shumate put in the work to go underground

In the fall of 2011, Robert Shumate, a recent graduate of Alameda County’s Cypress Mandela Training Center, attended the Miner Tender Preparedness Program. Shortly thereafter, he put his training to the ultimate test at the New Irvington Tunnel project.  Robert quickly excelled and gained the trust of his peers, learning all aspects of working in extremely challenging and potentially dangerous conditions. Robert came to work each day with a positive attitude and a great work ethic, and within a short period of time, he was not only working on a tunneling project, but IN a tunnel. A feat which surpassed the expectations of his training. In addition to providing a stable income for himself and his family, Robert gained unique work skills specific to mining, making him  a “hot” commodity in the industry and open to a wide range of work opportunities across the nation.

Robert’s success is a testament to his hard work.  His opportunity to shine was made possible by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SPFUC) and Southland Tutor Perini’s (STP) commitment to hire locally for the $4.6B Water System Improvement Program (WSIP).   In addition to Robert, half of the New Irvington Tunnel project’s workforce is made up of local residents meeting the goals of the SFPUC’s local hire program.  This means a portion of the ratepayers investment into improving the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System is also putting people to work in communities where our projects are located.

Whether it is local workers or local small business the 

SFPUC and STP are committed to the San Francsico Bay Area

© San Francisco Public Utilities Commission R. Scheswohl

“Southland is enthusiastic about tapping into the Bay Area’s talented and diverse workforce”, said Michael Cash, Regional Manager for Southland Contracting, Inc. “In addition to exceptional people like Robert, we've also provided nearly $10 million in construction contracts to local small businesses.”

The SFPUC is committed to training future members of the Bay Area’s workforce.  The WSIP goal is to have one apprentice worker for every four journeyman workers on each capital improvement   project.  Tunneling is not an apprenticable trade so this contractor made sure to place junior workers in above ground roles and has exceeded this goal with  32 percent of workers in apprentice positions. 

The Job Training Opportunity Program (JTOP) where  Robert gained his training  is a great example of how the SFPUC, contractors, unions, and community-based organizations partner to create opportunities for local residents to receive the skills, training, and support necessary to help them attain successful and sustainable careers in construction.

Robert Shumate (R) stands tall with Tunnel Superintendent Jack Bowling (L)

Photo by S. Bednarz, ©2012 Jacobs Associates, All Rights Reserved

Robert recently reached another major milestone by completing  all apprentice hours required for Journey-level status! He is now one of the elite mining workers in his union and shares a proud heritage with the many other miners before him.  Congratulations to Robert and all of the other JTOP trainees!

For more information visit the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s local hire program page.