In this second part of our interview with Gemma Barber, we move to the very top of the Breedon Hope quarry in Derbyshire to continue our conversation with UK Plant Operator of the Year 2024 finalist Gemma Barber.
In part one of our interview, we covered the significance of the role the quarry plays in the local Peak Park economy, some £53 million it is estimated. We spoke of Gemma’s journey to that of Wheel Loader Operator for Breedon, where it all began and her love for Caterpillar machines.
Part one is still available to read via the website and the interview is available to watch via the UK Plant Operators Magazine YouTube page.
As you watch the video you will see that we have ascended to the roof of the quarry. With the wind howling and PPE billowing, I wanted to find out more about the quarry and in particular, more about the wellbeing of plant operators and the available support.
The view, as we look out of the quarry coliseum, is spectacular. The ‘bench’ system of limestone quarried layers is caught by the light to provide an amazing backdrop.
We started our conversation about wellbeing in the last edition of the magazine where we conducted a survey of Plant Operators to find out more about how life was, how they felt and what support was available. One of the conclusions was that as we do talk more about mental health than we ever have, more people now know where they need to get help.
Gemma’s perspective was that being part of a fixed team in the quarry, sharing lunch and having day to day radio contact kept the machine operating team in touch with each other so that any burden felt by lone working was minimised.
The last year or so Gemma mentioned a noticeable increase in activity from Breedon on some key wellbeing topics such as diet and healthier eating, an increase onsite of mental first aiders in addition to telephone help lines that advise anonymously on mental health issues.
These newsletters regularly cover the topics mentioned, in addition to help with debt perhaps, or not being able to sleep. The company also arranges volunteer days, so the workforce can not only be part of something, but part of something that is doing some good for the community for example.
I wondered what the reaction of Gemma and her team was, did it resonate, did they talk about the diet plans and volunteering for example during breaktimes, the answer was a definite yes.
Gemma herself had looked, with the advice available, at what she ate and went onto make different choices that she felt had a positive impact about how she felt and performed.
It is fair to say that Breedon are not guilty of just ticking boxes here, with a gym now available on site with free classes offered throughout the week.
The site, in addition to Plant Operators, has the full spectrum of roles from office staff, maintenance teams and management, all of whom benefit from the same programme.
Gemma went on to describe the site as extraordinary, explaining that in addition to the surrounding nature reserve the site also has its own golf course.
On understanding more about the working conditions, I wondered what this did for staff retention. It will come as no surprise that the team that Gemma joined some five years ago, is largely the same team today. Gemma gave an adage that was said to her early in her employment, ‘if you got a job at this Breedon quarry, you would never leave.’
With our lungs full of fresh air, circling birds (not of prey I believe) overhead what does this all do for natural working conditions.
Thankfully the birds were, Gemma informed me, Peregrine Falcons, there was a range of deer breeds, foxes, and, from a recent biodiversity week held in the quarry, there are now known to be wide range of butterfly species that have made their home on the quarry bunding.
So that is where we leave Gemma and the Breedon quarry, it has been a fascinating visit to a spectacular site where we have me some extraordinary people.
