Adrian Swarbrick AKA AJ was promoted from Project Manager to Operations Manager and needed someone to fill his shoes. He knew Phil had the relevant experience and qualifications and would be perfect for the role.
Phil has certainly worked hard to get where he is. After a career in civil construction, Phil joined Macmahon in 2012 at Christmas Creek and moved to the blast crew at Tropicana in 2015. Following years of experience and leadership training, Phil worked his way up to Supervisor then Superintendent in the production team.
While working at Tropicana, Phil obtained his Surface Mining Diploma and his Quarry Managers ticket. The ticket was a two-year course which he completed in 12 months! Macmahon was pleased to help Phil with funding and time to study.
In 2020, after 4.5 years at Tropicana, Phil transferred to Telfer as a Production Superintendent, and he’s now settling into his new role as Project Manager.
Phil is happy with the safety standard at Telfer. It’s currently sitting at TRIFR ~2.83, which is better than the industry standard. The team look out for each other, citing communication as key to their success. Phil believes his biggest challenge will be keeping safety at the current levels but he’s grateful for AJ’s work so far.
The team is supported to meet project KPIs. They have worked hard to achieve 96% training compliance and nearly 90% for skills. AJ has been the driving force of the culture shift.”
As Project Manager, Phil has an open-door policy. He won’t simply sit in his office but will go to his team before an issue arises. If he sees people struggling, he will offer his help. Phil believes in following rules to keep everyone safe and on track with what’s expected.
“I want to continue with the improvement programs (productivity/safety/planning) to ensure the new engineering and technical services team gel well and provide value to the project,” says Phil.
“If we keep up our efficiency, we could expect extensions from Newcrest. Our working relationship has evolved and everyone now enjoys a positive work environment.”
But it’s not all work at Telfer Mine. They now have a Culture Committee which provides the workshop and production teams with opportunities to talk openly and resolve issues. They also celebrate new staff and milestones with BBQs and other activities.
Although not a tradie, Phil is currently renovating his house in Forrestfield including his bathroom, lounge and laundry. He is married with three daughters and two grandkids. Phil hopes to travel to Greece when the borders open and it becomes safe to travel.
