Tunnel Construction Professionals
Conventional Tunneling
Civil Engineer, Tateiwa Tunnel JV Project OfficeYuri NAKAJIMA
"Communication is the top priority”
Communication for safe operations
I am in charge of construction management of the Yamazaki section of the Tateiwa Tunnel. At each stage of the construction process, I check and keep records of the progress according to the design drawings and specifications, the quality standards of the structures and others. I am also responsible for safety inspections, equipment maintenance, and the management of materials and equipment procurement.
Tateiwa Tunnel is a tunnel for the Hokkaido Shinkansen. I was fascinated by the world of tunnel construction, seeing the huge difference in scale, methods and processes depending on usage and geology conditions, compared with the Yoshihama-Kamaishi Road Tunnel on Route 45 in Iwate Prefecture, where I had previously worked.
But I believe that communication is, above all, the most important factor in any construction site. At construction sites, people from different companies work as a team. For smooth operation in ever-changing situations, daily communication such as sharing accurate information is a must.
We once had a problem with order management of materials, which may have caused a halt in construction. We managed to avoid it, but what caused the inconvenience was a simple miscommunication of information. This incident made us pay more attention to confirmation and checking, and care for others and their feelings.
Becoming a project director
I am the only female on our team here, but there is no difference in responsibility between genders. At construction sites, open-minded discussion is encouraged regardless of one’s position, so I try to speak up without hesitation.
You might think that the work here is hard since it requires some physical strength, but I don't feel any particular burden. At times, I ask for help with heavy lifting, but I try to make up for it in my other work.
This is my fourth year with Obayashi and I still have a lot to learn, but I find it rewarding to see the building of the tunnels that I have surveyed and designed. Gaining more experience, knowledge and skills, I hope to become a project director in the future. With the dream in mind, I will work assiduously on my day-to-day tasks to complete the tunnel without any accidents.
