Anyone done work for a prison?
Discussion
Just had a call from HMP service asking if i could submit a tender for doing electrics into a prison workshop.
So far it sounds like bit of a ball ache, i.e. not allowed mobile phone! and lots of security checks.
Will it be a royal pain with constant security?, as I'm guessing all tools and materials would be checked on way in etc.
Ie will i need to double my quote, to allow for the hassle?
Im also a little surprised they don't have government contractors for this sort of thing?
Also a little concerned, as he said if you've never been in a prison, it will be an eye opener
Hopefully they won't leave me alone with a bunch of murderers...
Anyone done any work in a prison?
So far it sounds like bit of a ball ache, i.e. not allowed mobile phone! and lots of security checks.
Will it be a royal pain with constant security?, as I'm guessing all tools and materials would be checked on way in etc.
Ie will i need to double my quote, to allow for the hassle?
Im also a little surprised they don't have government contractors for this sort of thing?
Also a little concerned, as he said if you've never been in a prison, it will be an eye opener
Hopefully they won't leave me alone with a bunch of murderers...
Anyone done any work in a prison?
Yes.
2 days on site, children's prison.
Both days required the full identity check.
Take in the minimum tools you need, but enough so that you dont need to come back out for more!!
Full time security escort was provided.
You wont be able to leave a screwdriver on the floor whilst you grab some pliers. Pockets are okay..!
Phone left at reception, but never got body searched.
Wasnt too bad.
2 days on site, children's prison.
Both days required the full identity check.
Take in the minimum tools you need, but enough so that you dont need to come back out for more!!
Full time security escort was provided.
You wont be able to leave a screwdriver on the floor whilst you grab some pliers. Pockets are okay..!
Phone left at reception, but never got body searched.
Wasnt too bad.
Yep, we did loads of CCTV
1) Budget a working day of about 4 hours. (Waiting for chaperones, their tea breaks, paperwork etc)
2) Be careful who's paying. A lot of the work has been controlled by big main contractors who will find every reason not to pay
3) Check your insurance
4) Make sure all your vetting is up to date
1) Budget a working day of about 4 hours. (Waiting for chaperones, their tea breaks, paperwork etc)
2) Be careful who's paying. A lot of the work has been controlled by big main contractors who will find every reason not to pay
3) Check your insurance
4) Make sure all your vetting is up to date
I did a 3 month heating contract in Holloway womens prison and yes it was a ball ache,run the gauntlet every morning (this is specific to a womens prison and is the most disgusting thing i have had to deal with in my career working in prisons),check in and out of all tools and plant and yes we did mix with murderers but we had our own escort who wouldnt be able to do much if the crap hit the fan as all she had was a bunch of keys for self defence.
Recreation meant we had to get a way from hoards of women walking the corridors so that involves packing away our work stations and always getting groped or sworn and spat at for not making conversation became unbareable..
We possibly got 4 hours work done in a 8 hour day but my agreed price was very good so financially it was worthwhile and i agreed a 30 day payment at the start....i went on to do a few other prisons afterwards.
Brixton and Scrubs are similar working environment but far better than a womens prison to work in....
Recreation meant we had to get a way from hoards of women walking the corridors so that involves packing away our work stations and always getting groped or sworn and spat at for not making conversation became unbareable..
We possibly got 4 hours work done in a 8 hour day but my agreed price was very good so financially it was worthwhile and i agreed a 30 day payment at the start....i went on to do a few other prisons afterwards.
Brixton and Scrubs are similar working environment but far better than a womens prison to work in....
Edited by blueveloce on Thursday 9th November 17:35
Thanks, well I've had a tour around the prison now to take a look.
Firstly its absolutely massive!, from the outside it doesn't look very big, as its surrounded by houses in Horfield.
I ended up getting quite a tour of the place as my "escort" kept getting lost
Its certainly fort Nox, with the amount of security and double locked gates/doors everywhere!
However amazingly, they are mostly old fashioned key locks. I expected it to all be electronic...
The wiring and distribution boards seem to be from around the 70's, so its all pretty old.
The biggest pain will be that every single tool and material will need to be itemised going in, and the same going out.
And not aloud to leave van inside gates, so have to check in, go get van, unload while itemising, park van out in street, walk back through all the security, then i can do some work. At end of day Repeat
As for phone, yes i get around 5-10 calls a day from customers, so would likely annoy them by not answering.
However they never actually searched me, so could have taken a Kilo of coke in
I think i will Triple what i would normally charge, then if i get the job it will at least pay well.
I would assume most would do this anyway...
Firstly its absolutely massive!, from the outside it doesn't look very big, as its surrounded by houses in Horfield.
I ended up getting quite a tour of the place as my "escort" kept getting lost
Its certainly fort Nox, with the amount of security and double locked gates/doors everywhere!
However amazingly, they are mostly old fashioned key locks. I expected it to all be electronic...
The wiring and distribution boards seem to be from around the 70's, so its all pretty old.
The biggest pain will be that every single tool and material will need to be itemised going in, and the same going out.
And not aloud to leave van inside gates, so have to check in, go get van, unload while itemising, park van out in street, walk back through all the security, then i can do some work. At end of day Repeat
As for phone, yes i get around 5-10 calls a day from customers, so would likely annoy them by not answering.
However they never actually searched me, so could have taken a Kilo of coke in
I think i will Triple what i would normally charge, then if i get the job it will at least pay well.
I would assume most would do this anyway...
Bristol spark said:
Thanks, well I've had a tour around the prison now to take a look.
Firstly its absolutely massive!, from the outside it doesn't look very big, as its surrounded by houses in Horfield.
I ended up getting quite a tour of the place as my "escort" kept getting lost
Its certainly fort Nox, with the amount of security and double locked gates/doors everywhere!
However amazingly, they are mostly old fashioned key locks. I expected it to all be electronic...
The wiring and distribution boards seem to be from around the 70's, so its all pretty old.
The biggest pain will be that every single tool and material will need to be itemised going in, and the same going out.
And not aloud to leave van inside gates, so have to check in, go get van, unload while itemising, park van out in street, walk back through all the security, then i can do some work. At end of day Repeat
As for phone, yes i get around 5-10 calls a day from customers, so would likely annoy them by not answering.
However they never actually searched me, so could have taken a Kilo of coke in
I think i will Triple what i would normally charge, then if i get the job it will at least pay well.
I would assume most would do this anyway...
The staff not much better than the inmates, and unless things have changed on-street parking is difficult around there. Firstly its absolutely massive!, from the outside it doesn't look very big, as its surrounded by houses in Horfield.
I ended up getting quite a tour of the place as my "escort" kept getting lost
Its certainly fort Nox, with the amount of security and double locked gates/doors everywhere!
However amazingly, they are mostly old fashioned key locks. I expected it to all be electronic...
The wiring and distribution boards seem to be from around the 70's, so its all pretty old.
The biggest pain will be that every single tool and material will need to be itemised going in, and the same going out.
And not aloud to leave van inside gates, so have to check in, go get van, unload while itemising, park van out in street, walk back through all the security, then i can do some work. At end of day Repeat
As for phone, yes i get around 5-10 calls a day from customers, so would likely annoy them by not answering.
However they never actually searched me, so could have taken a Kilo of coke in
I think i will Triple what i would normally charge, then if i get the job it will at least pay well.
I would assume most would do this anyway...
Not that I'm bitter, but when I lived locally I had to double park when I moved out - it was that or park 3 streets away. Not that the sign of a van with hazards on, doors open would stop a dips
t officer driving down the street (he had plenty of others to choose from). He then got very aggressive when I did not instantly move out of his way.Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff