My first outage...Any advice?

[Bonds 25]

WIPE and FOLD.... WIPE and FOLD......Learn how to decon properly and you will become an instant asset (A good deconner is very hard to come by now days).

[alphadude]

save every cent you can... avoid the RAT syndrome (fancy women and big watches)  start a 401 k

[Fermi2]

Don't step on Deconner's Mops!

This advice is as priceless and timeless and to the point as it gets!

Mike

[retired nuke]

save every cent you can... avoid the RAT syndrome (fancy women and big watches)  start a 401 k

or big women and fancy watches....

[vinman]

I would like to add that always listen to techs about jobs coming up.  SInce you worked at Duke ,you should know that they dont pay the best, but there are alot of outages  between the three sites, a good way to stay busy and pick up time.  I started as  a deconner for Mcquire for 3 and a half years before I went on  the road.  I know most of the techs in the Duke system.  My sister is a house tech a Mcquire.    Deconners at Duke take their job serious.  Unlike the previous advice, try and get into the higher contamination jobs(Cavity, pressure washing and sump clean outs.)  This is the worst of the worst but if you prevail and do well the lead techs like to see that and this may get you other jobs on the road.   Name is everything.  A good name gets around which leads to higher paying jobs. Dont loose your self respect and maintain your dose ALARA. After about a year or two and about three or four cavity decon's, head to Jr hp land.  This, in the long run will make you the most money.  I was a deconner for 10   years before I became an  HP and now a house tech.  I wish I would have switched earlier. As for housing, group up if you can.  car pool when possible. Above all dont be afraid to ask questions and learn.  Once you experienced some of the more difficult jobs then its all the same. Hope this helps. 


Vinnie   

[JessJen]

or big women and fancy watches....

or men and stores that may have watches in them

[nuke_girl]

Listen and Learn..and dont forget to drink extra water and gatorade..the heat can really suprise you..

[Dave Warren]

Best advice: Hit the lottery and you won't have to go to an outage.....ever

[SloGlo]

itza sad whirled nucleer or udderwiz when alla advise ista stay outa da bars, 'n dahnt partee, 'n dahnt mess wit da wimmen, 'n dahnt goe awt two eet..... sheessh!  watts a parson two due dees daze?  yinz take alla that advice, 'n yu'd probably make moor monee as a preechar!

[JessJen]

Best advice: Hit the lottery and you won't have to go to an outage.....ever

or become daves best friend when he hits it

[starving_dog]

Don't swim in the pool!

[wlrun3@aol.com]

become generally familiar with the relative risk of occupational radiation exposure...establish a working knowledge of plant systems, what they do, where they are located, when they are used and what their relative radiological hazard levels are...learn, and anticipate, the sequence of steps involved in a refueling and maintenance outage at a commercial light water power reactor...be able to answer the questions-how many plants are there in the country-where are they located-how often do they have to be refueled-what happens to the radioactive waste-how old are these plants-how safe are they- and most importantly - how do these plants work...

this may well turn into a career of many years and a source of pride...understanding will be of great value...

[illegalsmile]

1) Move fast, stay low
2) Don't drink anything you find in the RA/RCA
3) Suck up to the RPM and the Site CoOrdinator
4) Suck up to the Union
5) Suck up to the House Supervisors
6) Suck up to the Recruiters
7) Don't take ANY advice you get in NukeWorker.com

[Rennhack]

7) Don't take ANY advice you get in NukeWorker.com

?

[illegalsmile]

OK, so maybe some of that was tounge-in-cheek. Sorry, Mike.

[Industry_event]

Always ask for the really hot nasty jobs! When it goes to crap you can always look at them and say "what did you except?" If it goes good, you'll be a Hero. But prepare yourself to be tech "A".

[R2E2]

1) Move fast, stay low
2) Don't drink anything you find in the RA/RCA
3) Suck up to the RPM and the Site CoOrdinator
4) Suck up to the Union
5) Suck up to the House Supervisors
6) Suck up to the Recruiters
7) Don't take ANY advice you get in NukeWorker.com

This is by far the worst advice I have seen posted on this site. Dont suck anything, ever. Let your work speak for itself. Show up every day early. Dont screw around. Do your job and learn as much as you can. Suck ups only go so far, and they get no respect from their co-workers.

Smoke another one illegalsmile

[Mike McFarlin]

?

Professional--remember the kids.

[retired nuke]

Professional--remember the kids.

And if the kids know what means...thay ain't kids

[justatech]

No kidding to all the recent posts..........I had not seen this one.....................
Good advice.......as a Jr Tech...learn you job........ask questions.......work with Sr Techs .......ask questions............don't hide in the trailer............MOST OF ALL..........SAVE YOUR MONEY...............it may be a lot to you at first........but it is not enough in the end............72 or 84 hrs - try to pay your home town bills on 40 plus the road - maybe a little per diem to pay the road but save the rest............unemployment is around the corner .........as a Jr Tech and even a Sr .......you don't know how soon..............but your JR time is sooner than mine......................

[Mike McFarlin]

No kidding to all the recent posts..........I had not seen this one.....................
Good advice.......as a Jr Tech...learn you job........ask questions.......work with Sr Techs .......ask questions............don't hide in the trailer............MOST OF ALL..........SAVE YOUR MONEY...............it may be a lot to you at first........but it is not enough in the end............72 or 84 hrs - try to pay your home town bills on 40 plus the road - maybe a little per diem to pay the road but save the rest............unemployment is around the corner .........as a Jr Tech and even a Sr .......you don't know how soon..............but your JR time is sooner than mine......................

Great advice, your day will come.

[rekrowekun]

Old timer told me
- On the first day work like hell
   -in between doesn't matter
- On the last day work like hell

Eval- he was working coming and going he must be alright!!

[Hereinnc]

Don't suck up it doesn't pay in the end.  Do your job, do whats asked for, ask questions, but don't become annoying, following instructions from your supervision.  ALWAYS be on time for work, stay until the end of the day and the end of the outage, stay away from the bar scene, and watch your tone with everybody.  Act like a professional and don't be stupid.  Don't be afraid of any job that you are asked to do, but use common sense.

[Smart People]

Attidude, Attidude, Attidude,

there were a few times when having a good attitude saved my job when i made a mistake. If you are a d*** then supervisors will have no problem getting rid of you at the first sign of trouble.

[Dave Warren]

Don't suck up it doesn't pay in the end.  Do your job, do whats asked for, ask questions, but don't become annoying, following instructions from your supervision.  ALWAYS be on time for work, stay until the end of the day and the end of the outage, stay away from the bar scene, and watch your tone with everybody.  Act like a professional and don't be stupid.  Don't be afraid of any job that you are asked to do, but use common sense.

I agree with all of that, EXCEPT the bar scene.
I have made more friends and done more networking at bars and golf courses and bowling alleys than anywhere else in this industry. Meeting people and shaking hands with strangers in these places has gone a long way.