Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, Japan Interns 2024 Construction industry: Working together to remove dilapidated playground equipment by human power!

Friday, August 16, 2024

On Thursday, August 15, in the construction industry section, the aging playground equipment (slide) at a park in Wa Danchi was dismantled for civil engineering work by interns accepted by members of the Hokuryu Construction Industry Association and NPO Himawari.

Removing outdated playground equipment with the help of manpower

This time, the demolition work was done by hand using shovels and crowbars, assuming restoration work in areas where machinery could not be used due to disasters, etc. Heavy machinery was used in some cases.

(Kiyohiko Fujinobu, Managing Director, Hokko Construction Co.

When a disaster strikes, there are times when machinery cannot be used. In such cases, restoration work must be done by hand. This time, instead of relying on machines, the participants will have the opportunity to experience manual labor using shovels and other tools. In fact, removing earth and sand during a disaster is really hard work.

In civil engineering work, we always consider the situation around us as we work. We work while grasping and discerning the overall situation to determine how we can work efficiently and in a short period of time. Instantaneous judgment is extremely important. The workers are always thinking, and there is never a moment when they are idle," says Executive Director Fujinobu.

遊具(滑り台)解体作業
Playground equipment (slide) dismantling work

Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki & Construction Division Manager Masahiro Kawada paid a visit of encouragement.

During the visit, Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki and Masahiro Kawada, Manager of the Construction Division, paid a pep talk.

佐々木町長激励訪問
Encouraging visit to Mayor Sasaki
建設課・川田昌宏 課長(一級建築士)に質問するインターン学生
Intern students asking questions to Masahiro Kawada, Manager (first-class architect), Construction Division

Dismantling process

1. digging up the base (concrete) at the root of the central pole that supports the slide

台座(コンクリート)を掘り起こす作業
Digging up the pedestal (concrete)
底板の地面設置部分の掘り起こし
Digging up the ground installation portion of the bottom plate

2. removal of the sliding plate (bottom plate) and removal of the base using a disk grinder (handled by a professional)

ディスクグラインダーによるカッティング
Cutting with a disc grinder
底板(滑り板)外し
Bottom plate (slide plate) removal

3. lifting and digging up with a wheel loader

ホイールローダーで本体を持ち上げ
Lifting the main unit with a wheel loader
持ち上げた本体を倒す
Tilt the lifted body down
倒された滑り台
The overturned slide
ホイールローダーの往復時には同乗させてもらうインターンの学生さん達
Interns take turns riding with the wheel loader on its return trip.

4. excavation of concrete pedestal

  1. Using a shovel to dig out the soil around it, and using the principle of leverage, a crowbar is clamped in the bottom of the concrete and moved around a little bit.
  2. A shovel is used to remove soil from the surrounding area, but the concrete is unyielding.
  3. I can't. I can't! I can't do it!" Don't give up until the end! Keep your wits about you! and words of encouragement!
  4. The students are desperate to take on the challenge!
  5. Professionals from the Hokuryu Town Construction Association give advice on how to use shovels and crowbars!
  6. Little by little, patiently, it moved delicately as I dug up the soil around it!
  7. Fit the crowbar into the bottom of the concreton, tilt it at an angle on one side, put gravel in the bottom, and raise the bottom one side at a time.
  8. Working together, they lift the concrete with their arms and roll it sideways! Complete!
コンクリートの台座を掘り起こす
Dig up the concrete pedestal.
びくともしないコンクリート
unaffected concrete
「諦めるな!」叱咤激励の声。。。
Don't give up!" A voice of encouragement.
ホイールで周りの土を砕く
Break up the surrounding soil with the wheel.
もう一歩!頑張れ!
One more step! Come on!

5. gravel brought in by wheel loader is embedded in the hole

底上げして砂利を敷く
Raise the bottom and put down gravel.

傾けて両サイドから砂利を埋め込む
Tilt and embed gravel from both sides.
手で起こし、抜けた!やったー!完成!
I woke it up by hand and got out! Yay! Completed!

6. Level the surface with a shovel.

穴に砂利を埋め込み整地
Gravel in the hole to level the ground

7. dismantled parts are placed on a light truck and transported (handled by professionals)

解体部品を運搬
Transporting dismantled parts

8. wheel loader loading of excavated concrete (handled by professionals)

人力でコンクリート移動
Human-powered concrete moving
ホイールローダー載せ
Wheel loader loading

ホイールローダーで運搬
Transported by wheel loader

9. wheel loader to complete the ground preparation!

地ならし・整地
Ground preparation and leveling

Time for a short break

I miss it..." "It's too low to ride..." "I remember this feeling!" I remember this feeling!

and the students enjoyed the sensation of a nostalgic moment in the past as they swayed on rusty iron bars and swings.

鉄棒
horizontal bar (gymnastics)
ブランコ
trapeze
ドリンクタイム
drink time

Impressions after the work

参加メンバー
Participating members
  • It was very hard work, even though it was just digging. It might be easy if done by machine, but considering that it is sometimes done by hand in case of disasters and cost, I realized how hard the people on site had to work!
  • I was feeling heat stroke. I thought it was amazing that people were working under this scorching sun.
    The current work is dismantling, but it is hard work both to build and to dismantle. I realized once again that it is only with the support of the people working on it that we are able to enjoy using it. It was a great learning experience.
  • I did not usually think much about the fact that the playground equipment I used as a child is being installed and removed in this way, so I realized that it is indeed a very difficult task.
    I usually only hear the sounds of construction sites, so it was a good experience for me to realize the hard work that goes on inside.
    There were many things I did not know, even simple things such as how to use a shovel. I was really impressed when I learned that the work was being done using the principles of physics and that the craftsmen were able to do in 30 minutes what would take a lot of hard work if we did it ourselves.
  • The hardest part was digging the hole. I realized through first-hand experience that it is not just about digging, but about understanding and grasping the condition of the concrete stones in which they are placed, and then working with the knowledge and wisdom to dig them out, to complete the work.

These are the students who gave us their honest feedback.

A momentary lapse of attention can lead to an accident, so civil engineering work is faced with the full force of one's body and mind!

With boundless love, gratitude and prayers for the construction work that the students experienced firsthand the hardships, difficulties and importance of the construction industry that they had never experienced before.

Youtube Video

More Photos

Related Articles and Websites

Hokuryu Town Portal

Wednesday, July 3, 2024 Youtube Video Other Photos Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, Japan Click here for 264 photos of the town's intern...

 

General Incorporated Association Tsunagaru Chiiki Zukuri Kenkyujo (Institute for Connecting Communities)
Tsunan Kenkyujo.
The main actors in community development are the people who live in each community. That is why we think and think together with them.
Click here for the website of "Tsunaken-san" >>
一般社団法人つながる地域づくり研究所
Hatarakorabo Corporation
(Hatarakorabo Co.
Based on the philosophy of "Enjoy working", we support community building and the creation of active human resources through "work" in cooperation with local governments, including corporate recruitment and "Shigoto Convenience Stores".
Hatarakorabo's website is here >>
(株)はたらこらぼ

 

◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi)

en_USEN