About Me

Resume Mr J Hernon

I am seeking a workshop position with hands on approach to the tasks presented. Having 35 plus years experience running and establishing field workshops and handling on average 70 to 80 vehicle fleets. I have extensive heavy equipment and plant experience and a proven track record in man management.
My remit over the years has been the establishment of workshops to service and maintain large vehicle fleets and specialised equipment. This has included the training of mechanics, operators and drivers often in remote areas under arduous conditions, where safety and production are the main criteria.
I have developed a high degree of logistic skill being responsible for supporting the transport needs of production crews working in remote locations. This includes the provision of fuel food and water also ensuring camp power generation as well as being responsible for all mechanical aspects of a continuous operation where down time is critical.
Safety has become a major consideration in every branch of industry and oil exploration with a plethora of legislation and a raft of regulations in place to enforce adherence. However, true representative safety can only be achieved by hands on experience of the physical dangers inherent in sometimes mundane tasks. I can offer a basic common sense approach to all aspects of a safe working environment which also requires the back up of those seeking to implement such policies. This can be achieved in a manner which is not detrimental to production targets eliminates costly down time and achieves the goal of reducing incidents and accidents. My experience comes from a successful forty year career in the field, working in every form of hostile terrain from swamp, sea, jungle and desert with heavy equipment and transport and running field workshops without any fatalities or serious injury. I hold an IOSH managing safely diploma in order to comply with the technical side of HSE requirements and can offer personal experience as outlined.

Experience & Qualifications

General Experience

Curriculum Vitae:- Mr. JOHN PETER HERNON

Home Address:- 2, School Lane.
Westbury Leigh,
Westbury,
Wiltshire,
BA13 3SA.
Home Telephone:-01373 822201
Addis Ababa tel :-00251116470782
e-mail:- hernon61@aol.com
Personal details:- Date of Birth 12-OCT-1943. Citezenships:-British / Irish
Passport Nos:-British 761238825,expires May 2019
Irish M396457,expires Sep. 2011
Driving License:-Full U.K.private car & H.G.V.
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Brief Summary:-
Until 24 Feb 2011 I was employed as an equipment supervisor in Libya but due to civil disturbance my contract ended . SENIOR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER WITH A GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION COMPANY IN LIBYA, HAVING HAD PAST EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, PAKISTAN & FAR EAST. I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ESTABLISHING FIELD WORKSHOPS AND AS TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR TO 70/80 VEHICLE FLEET, ALSO WITH RESPONSIBILTY FOR MOBILE DRILLING RIGS, COMPRESSORS AND CAMP POWER GENERATION EQUIPMENT. EXTENSIVE HYDRAULIC & ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS HANDS ON KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED OVER 38 YEARS WORKING OVERSEAS. PLUS 10 YEARS PRIOR TO WHICH SERVED AS APPRENTICE AND VEHICLE MECHANIC IN SERVICE WITH THE BRITISH ARMY.
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Key Skills:- SPOKEN ARABIC. MAN MANAGEMENT ABILITIES WITH INDIGENOUS & EXPATRIATE WORKSHOP STAFF EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND DRIVERS WHICH INCLUDES TESTING AND TRAINING FROM FIELD CREW START UP.
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Education and Training:-
CITY & GUILDS, 5 GCE "O"LEVELS 3 FULL CREDITS WITH THE OPEN UNIVERSITY, ONGOING STUDIES. DESKTOP PUBLICATION AND PRINTING OF OWN BOOK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Employment History:-
Start Date:-NOV 1998 to 24 feb 2011
Occupation:- Equipment supervisor Auto engineer / chief mechanic
Industry:- Geophysical Exploration
Company:-AGESCO, LIBYAN GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION
Description:-CHIEF MECHANIC FIELD OPERATIONS WORKING ON SITE WITH FIELD CREWS IN LIBYA.



Start Date:- May 19973 to May 1990
Industry:- Geophysical Exploration
Description:- SENIOR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER VEHICLES / PLANT /TRANSPORT / WORLDWIDE. ETHIOPIA,PAKISTAN, EYGPT,OMAN,INDONESIA,,ZAMBIA, MADAGASCAR, KUWAIT, DOHA


Company:- SEISMOGRAPH SERVICES, KESTON. KENT, UK.
Start Date:- May 1970. Duration 3 years to May 73.
Occupation:- Motor Mechanic /Auto Engineer
Industry:- Geophysical Exploration
Description:- FIELD SERVICE MECHANIC, MIDDLE EAST, FAR EAST & AFRICA. 2 YEARS TRANSITION ZONE CREWS

Start Date:- May 1960. Duration 10years 10months
Occupation:- Vehicle Mechanic / electrician
Industry:- H.M.FORCES
Description:- Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, EX-APPRENTICE, ARBORFIELD, Class 1 VEHICLE MECHANIC with overseas service BAOR & FARELF INCLUDES 3 YEARS SECONDMENT TO BRIGADE OF GURKHA'S.
DISCHARGE :- EXEMPLARY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Interests and Hobbies:-
HILL WALKING , BADMINTON AND WRITING (self published own book)
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Additional Information:-
I HAVE DEVELOPED A HIGH LEVEL OF SKILL AND EXPERTISE IN MANY SENIOR WORKSHOP MANAGEMENT POSITIONS WORLDWIDE INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKSHOP AND TRANSPORT OPERATIONS. INCLUDES THE TRAINING OF PERSONNEL TO PERFORM COMPLEX MECHANICAL TASKS UNDER ARDUOUS FIELD CONDITIONS, WORKING IN REMOTE AREAS WITH LIMITED SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. HAVE A SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OF STATE OF THE ART ELECTRO MECHANICAL SERVO SYSTEMS ON VIBROSEIS EQUIPMENT. HANDS ON EXPERIENCE OF WATER WELL DRILLING AND INSTALLATION. CAPABLE OF COMPLETE VEHICLE REBUILDS
Equipment and Technical courses:-
Self Change Gears, Coventry Jun 70. Cummins Engines , Darlington Jul 70
George Failing Enid Okla. U.S.A. May 76 Vibroseis. Kenworth Trucks Switzerland Jun 80 British Red Cross, Wonersh Jul 83. Geosource Houston Texas Jun 84 Vibroseis Electronics Driver Recruitment, Bangladesh and Egypt 87 for transport project in Kuwait and subsequent established a 40 unit workshop facility. Sercel Nante France, Feb 92 Vibroseis electronics. Bussman Cooper Frome UK Training course JUL 98.



Additional Information:-
DURING 26 YEARS IN LIBYA I HAVE BEEN RUNNING FIELD CREWS IN THE REMOTE, ATCHAN AND MASUK AREAS OF LIBYA FOR A LYBIAN COMPANY WHICH WAS SUBJECT TO INTERNATIONAL EMBARGO FOR EIGTH YEARS. WITH SEVERE RESTRAINTS ON SPARE PARTS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY WHERE INGENUITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN OVERCOMING DAILY CREW OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS WAS AN ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE OF THE JOB Most recently involved with the purchase of Qty 5 Unimogs and Qty 5 1017 Mercedes from Zwarts power Holland and field commissioning of Massenza Top Drive rigs
Prior to Libya I spent four years in Kuwait running a transport company trucking cement and insulation throughout the gulf region and Iraq .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Specific Types and Models fully conversant with:-
Vibroseis : Failing Y900 Y1100 Y2700 Y3000, Truck and Buggy mounted Mertz M18 M21Buggy. Geogator & Seismobile Buggy. Atlas Buggy.
A.M.G Buggy. Pelton Advance 2. S.H.V 210-310. Sercel 416. Trucks:- Iveco 6 x 6, 4 x 4 330-30, 160, 120 Series. Toyota Landcruiser Landrover. Kenworth C500. International 6 x 6. Mol 6 x6 4 x4. Stanford Generators to 300kva with Perkins / Magerius Deutz Power end. Drilling Rigs:- Failing CFD1B, Elletarri & Lamborghini top drive drilling rigs. Atlas Copco & Ingersol Rand compressors 250 / 300 cfm.
Caterpillar model D7 and D8 Kebelco Fiat front loader model W360 Merdedes model 3340 4040 3836 Tractor units Mecedes 1017 and Unimog model 435 Massenza top drive drill on Iveco Tracker model 380


Addendum
Most recently I have passed an IOSH managing safely diploma course and an inhouse Mercedes diagnostic training course. I have property in UK and Ethiopia and currently spend 50 percent of leave time there and 50 percent in UK. Quite shortly will relocate to Addis Ababa.


Curriculum Vitae:- Mr. JOHN PETER HERNON

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Qualifications & Training

Until 24 Feb 2011 I was employed as an equipment supervisor in Libya but due to civil disturbance my contract ended . SENIOR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER WITH A GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION COMPANY IN LIBYA, HAVING HAD PAST EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, PAKISTAN & FAR EAST. I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ESTABLISHING FIELD WORKSHOPS AND AS TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR TO 70/80 VEHICLE FLEET, ALSO WITH RESPONSIBILTY FOR MOBILE DRILLING RIGS, COMPRESSORS AND CAMP POWER GENERATION EQUIPMENT. EXTENSIVE HYDRAULIC & ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS HANDS ON KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED OVER 38 YEARS WORKING OVERSEAS. PLUS 10 YEARS PRIOR TO WHICH SERVED AS APPRENTICE AND VEHICLE MECHANIC IN SERVICE WITH THE BRITISH ARMY.

Other Information

Relevant Skills

Key Skills:- SPOKEN ARABIC. MAN MANAGEMENT ABILITIES WITH INDIGENOUS & EXPATRIATE WORKSHOP STAFF EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND DRIVERS WHICH INCLUDES TESTING AND TRAINING FROM FIELD CREW START UP.

Interests & Hobbies

HILL WALKING , BADMINTON AND WRITING (self published own book)
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Miscellaneous Information

Reference Regime Change
I am sitting in a hotel in Malta having just arrived on a British evacuation flight by RAF Hercules aircraft from Libya. However, I am in Malta by my own choice as the British government repatriation plan catered for onward travel to the UK which my colleuges took later in the evening. There are many aspects that need to be considered in the sudden and devastating facts surrounding the demise of dictatorial rule in the Maghreb region and Libya in particular which I shall return to later
Initially it is beneficial to set the scene. The Libyan economy is based on oil and especially remains so because unlike the former Trucial Gulf States, Libya under colonel Gadaffi never diversified due to having a captive market in southern Europe for it’s light crude oil which needs very little refining. Even major political events which Gadaffi agents had a hand in such as the Lockerbie and UTA airline bombings, the shooting of the policewoman in London outside the Libyan embassy and his support for the IRA never invoked and oil embargo. Throughout the decade of international sanctions against the Gadaffi regime the oil continued to flow as Europe needed the oil and gas and still does. With the now inevitable decent of that country into civil war the knock on effect on the European economies will be devastating. It could be said that this was inevitable but steps were being taken within Libya to change and improve the system. Unfortunately these came too late and were overcome by a tidal wave of popular support across the region for regime change and that same tidal wave will eventually engulf Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Oil exploration and drilling is now at a standstill and production from existing wells will cease shortly as the expatriate work force on which the oil economy is absolutely dependant make a desperate dash to leave the country. Of course this is not the first time that the oil industry has shut down. Soon after seizing power in 1969, Gadaffi kicked out all foreign workers, claiming that the indigenous people could do that work. Libya ended up with some of the longest candles the world has ever seen as the local workforce forgot or did not understand how to prevent the pipelines from waxing up and blocking.
On this occasion and with regard to my own circumstances a similar situation evolved. I was working as chief mechanic on a seismic exploration crew 200 miles south of Tripoli when we were attacked by armed insurgents. On the first night they hit our advance camp which was being run by a Canadian surveyor. An armed group arrived at about three in the morning firing AK47’s in the air, screaming and shouting anti Gadaffi slogans. They ordered all the staff and labour into their respective tents and trailers and only wanted to deal with Garth the surveyor and relief party manager. They were hyped up, armed and dangerous and became extremely frustrated when they were unable to sort out the keys of the respective Toyota pick ups that they had come for. At this stage our surveyor had to try to placate them by offering food and the contents of the crew cash box while he sorted out the keys. Fortunately the leader of the group had calmed down a bit and they eventually left with seven Toyota pick ups and a land rover ambulance but not before they smashed the LMB on the V Sat communications dish which proved to be a major comms problem for us as the advance crew were operating about seventy miles east of the main camp .The following morning back at the base camp we realised something pretty drastic had occurred when we could not call up the v sat or any of the vehicle GPS trackers, by late afternoon the forward group made it back to main camp and we set about securely parking the remaining 17 Toyota pick ups but to no avail as just before sunset three of the previously hi jacked Toyota’s tore though camp with rifles blazing away into the air. It was the same group that had launched the first attack and thanks to Garths advice we had left all the keys in the respective vehicles. The insurgents loosed off a few more rounds into the air and ordered everyone except the party manager Mark Scott into their tents or trailers while they started up the Toyotas. That’s when I heard Garth’s dry one liner “Sure picked a bad day to give up smoking” unfortunately for me they also wanted one of our 10,000 litre diesel supply trucks to take with them for refuelling. The unfortunate part being we had lost or misplaced the keys so I was frantically hot wiring the starter at gunpoint and praying that the steering lock would not come on, luckily being an old vehicle it did not work which came as a great relief. After refuelling and ransacking the food store they thanked us profusely and promised to return the vehicles after they had got rid of Gadaffi. We smiled politely as one does when confronting the wrong end of an AK47 and waved them off into the night. Another group hit our sister crew some hours later but did far more wonton damage as well as taking 22 Toyota pick up’s.
For us the situation was untenable, we had one hundred and fifty labour and thirty staff to feed and water with no chance of re-supply from Tripoli as the main highway was closed sporadically depending
whether anti or pro Gadaffi forces were in control. The consensus of opinion amongst the staff guys was to make a run for Tripoli using the remaining heavy vehicles before we got hit again. Consequently we
loaded up and set off at first light on the morning of the 25 February heading north towards a town called Garyat where there was a huge government arsenal some seventy kilometres from our camp on the
Dirge road. We were incredibly lucky as when we arrived the place was deserted with the police station on fire and a couple of other buildings. The local militia told us that the insurgents had hit the arsenal
earlier using our Toyotas to ferry out the ammunition stockpiled there but we were free to go. I was driving an old Iveco A frame 6 x 6 truck that had been our workhorse for years around the workshop
by the time we cleared the check point I had it in eighth gear flat out expecting the gearbox to explode at any minute. My two Mauritanian mechanics were petrified because the rumour that Gadaffi had flown
in black African mercenaries was rife. The road to Tripoli was littered with burnt out bullet riddled vehicles but we did not stop to check for bodies and continued on to Tripoli where we had a staff house in
a reasonably secure compound , On route we passed a very large heavily armed army convoy heading south but thankfully they totally ignored us.
The following morning we made it to the airport where we were confronted by scene of absolute pandemonium. 45000 Egyptians had descended on the airport and were attempting to storm the
entrances although they smashed the glass doors the police drove them back using whips on men women and children and firing in the air. Other nationalities were forming orderly queues and being assisted
by the police and airport officials to proceed though the immigration formalities and get air side. The Turkish, Spanish, Italian evacuation plans were impressive in size and organisational ability but until the
arrival of the RAF C130 Hercules from Malta the British evacuation plan was virtually non existent and noticeable by its total lack of communication by phone or website. Speaking to the home office
personnel who arrived with the Hercules they said they did not realise how many British expatriates worked in Libya. There are scores of guys working in the south on remote gathering stations that normally
fly in and out and have very few vehicles many of whom will be stranded. I left Tripoli at four in the afternoon on the Hercules with a heavy heart after 26 years in Libya leaving behind some first class
mechanics and drivers that I had hired and trained knowing most of the black guys will be destitute and at grave risk of personal injury As well as the Libyans who were in fear of the danger to their families,
as in all war situations there are no winners. I picked up a comment on Sky news this morning to the effect that some people disagree with using service personnel and military aircraft to evacuate oil workers
who had gone there of their own accord. My response to that is the amount of foreign exchange that has been remitted to the UK from Libya over the years runs into millions of pounds and unlike bankers
bonuses that remitted money has helped to keep the UK economy buoyant. The UK had one Hercules on the apron but there were about six in all from different European nations and the Turkish with two
ferries and an endless stream of Turkish airlines planes taking out their 29000 expatriates seemed to be giving an object lesson in how to do things correctly.