Moving Heaven and Earth
For one Wellington woman, construction is in her blood. The third generation to enter the family earthworks business, Kellie Bullock is leading the way in a field traditionally dominated by men.
As health and safety manager, a big part of Kellie’s role is being out and about on site, footing it with the boys. For Kellie, though, it’s all in a day’s work.
“A big part of being accepted on site, both as a woman and as a health and safety manager, was realising that my job is not telling the guys what to do and how to do it. My job is to support everyone, from the workers right up to the bosses, to do the best that they can and to do it in the safest way possible.”
But Kellie says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the support of other strong women in the industry, like her mentor Sarah McDonald, who played a big part in encouraging her to apply for a Site Safe scholarship.
“The Site Safe scholarship was an amazing opportunity – one that will help me advance my career and be the best version of myself.”
Started in 1960 by Kellie’s grandfather Keith Bullock, the business has grown from a one-man, one bulldozer operation to a team of 17, who operate some very big, very dangerous machinery. Some of Kellie’s earliest childhood memories are of hanging out with her grandfather at the landfill he ran, so entering the family business seemed like the natural thing to do.
“I used to love talking to the guys on the tip face over the RT with Pop in the ticket box. So for me, it was a real privilege to be the third generation to earn my place in the family business.”
When she started working in her current role, a piece of advice from her brother, who also works at the contracting business, stuck with her, she says.
“He said ‘my job is to operate machines, that is my specialty. Your job is health and safety, that is your specialty. Our jobs intertwine but don’t tell me how to do my job, and I won’t tell you how to do yours’. It made me realise that yeah, I’m not an operator, but if I can absorb all of the knowledge that he has, I will be able to do my job the best way that I can, and that will help me to keep others safer.”
“It’s about everyone doing the best they can, in the safest way possible. Sometimes, that may not be the fastest way but that’s okay, as long as everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.”
“It’s about everyone doing the best they can, in the safest way possible. Sometimes, that may not be the fastest way but that’s okay, as long as everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.”
