Länsimetro’s finance team reinforced with financial & administrative assistant – “The work seemed inspiring right from the start”

Milla Toivonen has started in her role as financial and administrative assistant at Länsimetro Oy. Toivonen reinforces the four-person finance team, which also includes the CFO, project controller and cost expert, that is dedicated to the construction of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti metro section.

Her tasks include invoicing, processing and posting purchase invoices, managing administrative and life-cycle orders and purchasing decisions, as well as other routine financial administration tasks. Toivonen has experience of payroll administration, invoicing, accounts payable and receivable, and HR matters from her previous job in Fortido Oy’s financial administration.

“I applied for the job at Länsimetro because the job description seemed interesting and diverse. Right from the start I could see that this job offered the opportunity for personal development according to my areas of interest. The work seemed inspiring right from the start,” says Toivonen.

“It is also great to be part of such a big and important project,” she adds.

Toivonen’s first weeks on the job involve becoming familiar with both the financial administration and the project itself.

“My team and the entire work community seem very welcoming and open. My first impression is very good,” says Toivonen.

Länsimetro included in Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s safety level classification

Länsimetro has placed in level III of the Zero Accident Forum’s safety level classification concerning occupational safety. The classification, organised by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, involved a total of 92 workplaces around Finland. The classifications were given to member workplaces or units that have invested in continuously improving their occupational safety.

“Nationally speaking, we are at a very good level. Our accident frequency rate is 11.7, whereas the average rate for other member workplaces was 19.5. Of course, there is always room for improvement. Although a major project always involves a tremendous amount of construction, safety is always the most important consideration,” says Susanna Laukkanen, Risk and Safety Manager for the West Metro project.

Länsimetro’s goal as a developer is to jump up one level in safety matters, to category II, next year. The company continuously works to promote safety – an on-line system for filing safety observations been created in the project, for instance. The idea behind it is for employees to spot potential hazards at worksites, with follow-up actions then taken to prevent the risks from materialising. Near-miss and accident figures are continuously assessed in projects, and worksite safety is monitored. Instructions, guidance and advice are always emphasised.

“Above all, the most important aspect is to influence safety attitudes.  All accidents can be prevented,” Laukkanen sums up.

Tower crane to be erected at the Iivisniemenkallio shaft for element installation

Work stages will begin at Länsimetro’s Kaitaa metro station in preparation for the installation of prefabricated elements. On Wednesday, 8 May, and Thursday, 9 May, a tower crane will be erected at the Iivisniemenkallio shaft. The crane will be used to lift prefabricated elements into the open shaft. The Iivisniemenkallio entrance shaft is still provisional.

Work related to erecting the tower crane will be carried out at the Iivisniemenkallio shaft between 7 am and 6 pm on Wednesday and Thursday. The work will cause increased traffic at the worksite, from Kaitaantie to Hannuskallio.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the construction work.

Further information:

Ari Larikka, occupational safety manager, YIT Rakennus Oy: tel. +358 (0)50 440 3011, ari.larikka(at)yit.fi
Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm): 050 377 3700

Creations from the West Metro drawing competition on display at Iso Omena Library from 13–24 May – featuring West Metro Rap, collages and dream metro stations

The Kohtaamo space in the Iso Omena Library will feature the outcome of a West Metro-themed drawing competition from 13 to 24 May 2019. The works are the creation of pupils in grades 1 through 6 from Iivisniemi School in winter-spring 2019.

“West Metro is a major project that has improved our school’s traffic connections to Helsinki. The route to Helsinki used to be much more complicated, as it required three different buses. The West Metro has improved transit for our school, so we were happy to take part in the drawing competition,” says Leena-Kaisa Pesola, principal of Iivisniemi School.

“The metro is also a topic that students are familiar with – the new Kaitaa metro station is close to the school and many of our pupils’ homes,” says teacher Pekka Löppönen, who helped organise the competition.

The school’s student council board assumed main responsibility for organising the competition. According to the brief of the drawing competition, entries could consist of an image or text, and they could be created alone or as a group. The entries included a collage called West Metro Rap that was created by the entire class, as well as a creation that featured materials from various metro stations.

“Our decision to take part was also related to encouraging our pupils to participate. It was important for the children themselves to promote the matter in the classroom. We want to encourage participation and openness when it comes to matters in society – school is not an island isolated from the world,” says Pesola.

Länsimetro keeps in regular contact with parties that fall within the sphere of the construction of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti metro section, and this includes schools and day-care centres.

“We wanted to use a drawing competition as a means of finding out how children view the metro. It was wonderful to see how positive all the artwork was towards the metro, how creatively the work was realised and how much effort they put into it,” says Länsimetro’s Communications Manager, Saija Räsänen.

Länsimetro awarded all the participants with West Metro-themed prizes.

The artwork will be displayed at the Iso Omena Library, in the Kohtaamo space, from 13–24 May, during the library’s opening hours, which are: weekdays 8.00 am–9.00 pm, and Saturday 10.30 am–6.00 pm.

Deliveries of prefabricated elements begin at Riihilahdentie shaft for construction of emergency exit and smoke extraction shaft

In the West Metro rail line construction project, the construction of the emergency exit and the smoke extraction shaft will begin with the Riihilahdentie shaft in Kaitaa. During the installation stage of the prefabricated elements, prefabricated stairs, stair slabs, columns and wall elements will be installed in the shaft over a total height of eight floors.

The installation work will begin in the week starting 25 March 2019 and will continue until 31 July 2019. Prefabricated elements will be delivered to the site at a rate of two loads per week at 7 am.

In addition, concrete mixer trucks will deliver fresh concrete for the casting once or twice a week. Cranes will mainly be used outside the period of 7 am–3 pm on weekdays, and passenger cars and vans will otherwise be used for site traffic.

Once the installation work has been completed, construction will continue with work on the aboveground structures of the shaft. Work at the shaft will be carried out from Monday to Friday between 7 am and 6 pm.

Further information:

Mika Sandelin, Site Manager, GRK Infra Oy: Tel. + 050 522 9411, mika.sandelin(at)grk.fi

Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm): 050 377 3700

Loud sawing work in Matinkylä metro’s service tunnel between 26 March and 5 April 2019

Diamond sawing work will be carried out in the Matinkylä service tunnel between 26 March and 5 April 2019. The work is connected to the construction of the Tynnyripuisto area.

The work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 26 March, at 7.00 am, and will take place between 7.00 am and 4.00 pm. The noise caused by the diamond sawing may carry all the way to the metro platform.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the construction work.

Further information:

Mikko Raisio, Site Manager, YIT: 050 3305503, mikko.raisio(at)yit.fi

Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm): 050 377 3700

Summary of decisions by Länsimetro Oy’s Board of Directors on 21 March 2019

The Board of Directors convened on 21 March 2019. The Board of Directors received a status report and risk management report on the construction work on the second phase, the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section. The project is progressing on schedule and on budget.

A status report on the servicing and maintenance on the first phase, Ruoholahti–Matinkylä, was discussed at the meeting. HKL not only operates the metro traffic but also reports to Länsimetro Oy on the use of the metro line and the stations and the related servicing and maintenance tasks as agreed.

Länsimetro Oy’s 2018 financial statements were presented to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors approved the financial statements. Länsimetro Oy’s financial statements will be published as part of the financial statements of the City of Espoo, according to the city’s schedule. The Board of Directors decided that the 2019 Annual General Meeting will be held on 6 May 2019.

The next Board meeting will be on 17 April 2019.

Further information:
Ville Saksi, CEO, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 823 2086
Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)50 593 3359
Media contact person: Satu Linkola, Communications Director, tel. +358 (0)46 877 3392

Third casting at the Espoonlahdentori entrance at the end of March

Concrete casting at the Espoonlahdentori entrance of the Espoonlahti metro station will be carried out during the week of 25 March as part of the construction of walls for the west entrance.

The work is scheduled to begin on Thursday, 28 March, at 5.00 am and will be completed on Friday, 29 March, between 4.00 am and 7.00 am. The casting work is a long process, and unfortunately late-night work cannot be avoided; due to the height and size of the structure, the pouring of concrete must be completed in one go.

The driving of concrete trucks and pumping of concrete may cause noise. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Further information

Timo Nuutinen, Site Manager, Destia Oy: tel. 050 390 1126, timo.nuutinen(at)destia.fi

Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm): 050 377 3700

Construction on the Iivisniemenkallio shaft is moving forward

Construction at the Kaitaa metro station is proceeding, and construction work on the Iivisniemenkallio shaft will increase starting the week of March 18th. The Iivisniemenkallio entrance shaft is still provisional.

A large truck-mounted crane arrived at the entrance to the worksite on Thursday, 21 March. The shaft’s weather protection will be dismantled. Concrete-truck traffic near the site will increase due to the construction of the concrete structures, and a tower crane will be set up at the worksite. In addition, aggregates will be transported within the vicinity of the worksite, and prefabricated elements will be delivered to the site. Rock anchor drilling will take place inside the entrance shaft.

Work at the site will generally be carried out from Monday to Friday, between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm. Heavy traffic is routed from Kaitaantie to Hannuskalliontie, and from there to the worksite area.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the construction work.

Further information:

Ari Larikka, occupational safety manager, YIT Rakennus Oy: tel. +358 (0)50 440 3011, ari.larikka(at)yit.fi

Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm): +358 50 377 3700

Smoke-extraction and emergency-exit shafts for phase II of West Metro – element deliveries in spring

The West Metro rail line project includes not only the construction of the rail tunnel, but also seven technical shafts designed for ventilation, smoke extraction and pressure equalisation in the completed metro. The shafts will also serve as emergency exits.

Prefabricated elements will be delivered to the shaft construction sites, and during the installation stage, prefabricated stairs, stair slabs, columns and wall elements will be installed in the shaft over a total height of eight floors.

Traffic near the shafts will increase when the elements are being delivered: concrete mixer trucks will deliver fresh concrete for the casting once or twice a week. Cranes will mainly be used outside the period of 7 am–3 pm on weekdays, and passenger cars and vans will otherwise be used for site traffic.

Once the installation work has been completed, construction will continue with work on the aboveground structures of the shaft. Work at the shaft will be carried out from Monday to Friday between 7 am and 6 pm.

Element deliveries have already begun for the shafts at Hyljetie, Soukanväylä, Opettajantie and Maininkitie, and they will begin at the Suomenlahdentie, Riilahdentie and Kauklahdenväylä shafts in April and May.

Estimated installation schedule for shaft elements in 2019:

January–July Hyljetie shaft
January–August Soukanväylä shaft
March–June Opettajantie shaft
March–July Maininkitie shaft
April–October Suomenlahdentie shaft
April–September Riilahdentie shaft
May–December Kauklahdenväylä shaft

Further information: Länsimetro’s feedback line (Mon–Fri, 9 am to 3 pm):+358 (0)50 377 3700