As the UK’s energy industry continues to develop new low carbon alternatives to support a net-zero future, NRL were delighted to play a crucial role supporting the management of supplementary workers to safely construct Keadby 2.
Managing supplementary workers on site
When SSE Thermal appointed Siemens Energy as their EPC to deliver the construction of their low carbon Keadby 2 Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station, they were keen to partner with a workforce management expert and take a fresh new approach to engaging supplementary workers on-site.
To construct Keadby 2, the UK’s most efficient gas-fired power station, a large number of suppliers and subcontractors would be needed. All project stakeholders were keen to look at how these organisations and their workers could be managed with more transparency and consistency. What’s more, with the construction site working under the NAECI working rule, robust processes were needed to ensure all activities adhered to the strict regulations.
Supporting subcontractors on-site
In a first of its kind agreement within the NAECI arena, NRL’s experienced project team were appointment by SSE Thermal and Siemens Energy to manage the engagement of all supplementary workers on-site. Working with the suppliers to ensure transparent and consistent processes were put in place, and all supplementary workers were engaged through a central labour pool managed by NRL.
This included working with stakeholders during the pre-tender stage to identify future resource requirements, devising a technical competency framework for candidates applying for work and centrally managing the security clearance and compliance checks to pre-qualify workers to be placed on-site.
Over 3,000 candidates completed NRL’s dedicated online project application process – with 1,500 interviews undertaken to assess potential workers and over 1,000 workers mobilised onto site. With a shared commitment to provide as much opportunity as possible for local residents to benefit from work on Keadby 2, we were delighted to able to directly create over 500 local jobs, many of which were identified through local recruitment fairs and regional engagement activity.
Delivering NAECI excellence
With extensive experience in managing the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) gained over more than a decade supporting working rule sites, NRL’s project team were on hand to establish the right processes and ensure compliance across the supply chain.
This included setting up a NAECI payroll service, managing the people related aspects of the project build, supporting with industrial relations and ensuring that effective management and communication was maintained throughout the project to satisfy all NAECI requirements. Much more than that though, the team were keen to ensure that their service delivery went much further beyond meeting the standard requirements of NAECI, working to create a central point of control to effectively manage all supplementary labour requirements whilst ensuring the project’s workforce strategy had the flexibility and talent needed to continue to support the project build.
As the COVID-19 pandemic fast became a reality across the globe, the focus to ensure all supplementary workers on-site were safely managed became even more crucial. With additional processes quickly established to manage the changing guidance and necessary protective measures to allow to project to safely continue.
Driving project innovation
The development of the supplementary labour pool through one dedicated provider on-site, together with the roll out and management of a technical competency framework to assess candidates for their suitability to work the project, reflect NRL’s commitment to innovate.
Throughout the construction build, NRL’s project team continued to explore other opportunities to better support the project, including often establishing new solutions within a matter of days or weeks to ensure work could continue at pace on site.
"Siemens Energy engaged NRL to support with our prestigious Keadby2 project. We wanted to work with a company which shared our commitment to providing opportunities for employment on the project to the local community and understood the NAECI working rule agreement. We were aware it was likely we would engage with our trusted suppliers and sub-contractors from previous projects who may not have been exposed to the agreement. NRL worked closely with our subcontractors to ensure they were compliant, assisting with payroll, industrial relations and site mobilisations. NRL helped ensure we minimised labour issues on the project which allowed us to keep to tight construction schedules. The NRL team based on site have been helpful, courteous and always prepared to meet new challenges, such as the global pandemic, with dedication and where appropriate innovation."
Ralf Belka, Construction Manager, Siemens Energy (Keadby 2)
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