Ian Williamson

I am currently a maintenance operative responsible for the general upkeep, repair, and day-to-day maintenance of buildings, grounds, or machinery .I typically work across various trades rather than specializing in just one, providing an immediate response to faults to keep property in a safe and functional condition.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

I perform both planned preventative maintenance (regular scheduled checks) and reactive maintenance (responding to unexpected repairs). Typical tasks include:

• Fabric Repairs: Fixing walls, doors, doorframes, and skirting boards; performing minor plastering, tiling, and flooring repairs.
• Decorating: Preparing surfaces and applying paint using brushes, rollers.
• Plumbing & Drainage: Fixing leaking taps and WC systems, water testing, and unblocking drains or gutters.
• Electrical Maintenance: Basic tasks such as replacing damaged sockets, bulbs, and fuses, and conducting PAT testing.
• Grounds Maintenance: External work including fencing repairs, masonry work, clearing pathways, and maintaining landscaping or green spaces.
• Machinery: In industrial settings I assist with the set-up, cleaning, and routine servicing machinery.i.e washing machines,lawnmowers ect.

Required Skills

• Technical Proficiency: I am able to safely use a wide variety of hand and power tools.
• Problem-Solving Identify, diagnose, and find practical solutions to technical faults.
• Compliance Knowledge: I Understand health and safety regulations (e.g., COSHH, working at height) and building safety legislation.
• Communication: I enjoy Interacting with residents, clients, and contractors to report progress or gather information

• I have worked in Commercial Landscaping and Ground Maintenance since 2004. During my employment with Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council Beechill landscapes and James Sheridan Contracts Ltd. I was Chargehand / Foreman which entailed giving instruction and guidance in all aspects of landscape/maintenance and allocating jobs and making sure it was carried out to the required standard and timescale and make sure all Health and Safety requirements were adhered to. Jobs Undertook as Chargehand / Foreman was preparing new sites for landscaping ie Hard / soft by clearing the ground with a Digger, Rotavating, and using a Stone rake to do most of the levelling off. Using a planting plan mark out where to Turf / Seed and plant the plants accordingly. We also maintained sites such as the Elms Belfast, Private Hospital, Housing Estates, Tesco sites, Commercial sites throughout Northern Ireland to keep them up to standard.
• Carried out painting tasks to improve the aesthetic appeal of premises.

• Key responsibilities
• Hard Landscape Works
• Undertaking minor demolition works
• Assisting in the construction of stone or brick walls, retaining structures, laying timber edgings, setts, slabs, stone paths/surfacing, concrete slabs etc.
• Erection of various garden structures
• Assisting in the erection of various types of fences and timber structures
• Assisting in the installation of land drainage and surface water drainage systems
• Use a wide range of power tools such as disc saws, drills etc. and to operate many different items of plant including mini excavators, dumpers, rollers and the like whilst undertaking the above works.
• Soft Landscape Works
• The cultivation and preparation of ground for turfing, seeding or planting
• Taking delivery of and planting trees, shrubs, ground cover and herbaceous plants
• Mulching planted areas with bark, compost, manure or similar materials
• Completing turfing and seeding works
• Lawn mowing
• Hedge cutting
• General garden maintenance

• Grounds maintenance cutting grass strumming pruning trees maintaining Walkways digging graves helping public

• Collection of chemical and bacteriological water samples from service reservoirs, water treatment works and consumer taps also Waste Water Treatment Works.
• On site chlorine testing of water samples
• Temperature measurement of samples
• Return of water samples to the NI Water labs within 6 hours of being taken
• Delivery of samples to Belfast and other NI Water sites as and when needed
• Completion of required quality related paperwork

• My job, isn't simply all about the plants. I am experienced at building fences, erecting gazebos, constructing rockeries, laying decking and patios lighting, furniture and other finishing touches.
• Key responsibilities
• Talking to Clients, Getting materials, Paving, Decking, Fencing, Turfing, Driving, Health and Safety, Using plant machinery, Building Walls, Levelling, All aspects of landscaping, Helping other members of staff with their responsibilities, Training new staff, ponds
• We have just finished a £350,000 garden .We built a lake and hardwood decking areas and placed 2000 year old bog oak in and around the acre site.

• On an average day I would of got a brief from the manager and then I would of given my work colleagues their duties for the day ahead, I was in charge of the day-to-day running of three landscaping teams my main duties were making sure everybody knew what they were doing and where they were going we were based in Whiteabbey but we worked all over Northern Ireland. I also was in charge of looking after all machinery everything from vans to tractors and diggers ride lawnmowers. My job was hard landscaping and maintenance in commercial and residential properties

• Duties, servicing, over-sealing, appliance repairs, window replacement, fitting new systems, fitting solar panels, fitting motor movers and any other repairs customers required .

• I worked with adults with complex special needs

• As part of the team I was responsible for maintaining and improving all playing surfaces and surrounding areas
• This involved carrying out a range of daily maintenance tasks including upkeep turf and bunkers cutting grass ie Fairways greens and tee off points applying fertilizer Weed Control and maintaining trees shrubs etc using a range off hand and power tools including ride-on mowers etc servicing and repairing equipment and reporting any problems to the head greenskeeper