The project that has taken up the majority of my time recently is Turning Torso here in Malmö. It's an incredible building for which we have been supervising the steel construction. We are responsible for quality control - making sure the supplier has done a good job. We carry out physical checks as well as completing all the necessary paperwork. As the project leader, I have had to travel to Spain several times, as that is where one of the suppliers is based. The steel for Turning Torso has also been manufactured in Romania and Portugal.

 

Working on quality control of the steel construction means working with freedom under accountability. How I plan my day is usually totally up to me. Projects can vary greatly in length from the kind of thing you can start and finish more or less on the same day to something like Turning Torso, which has been running for three years at different levels of intensity.

 

It's a responsible job that requires experience. The ÅF maxim, "Innovation by experience" is highly relevant to the kind of work we do. You need to be innovative to devise the kind of solutions sometimes needed for reliable quality control, and you need the experience to know you're doing your job properly. You have to be meticulously careful with documentation and, in this sense, the camera is a very important tool for us.

 

I started my career as a test-engineer working with non-destructive testing. Over the years I've carried out countless X-ray and ultrasound projects. I make use of what I've learnt from these in my current everyday work. We work with everything from permits to guarantees, optical inspections, calibration checks and documentation. There's also a huge variety of projects: from road and rail bridges to exhibition halls, chimneys and radio masts. The point in time when we become involved in a new building project can also vary. Sometimes we're present right from the very beginning of the construction schedule, but more frequently our involvement starts at the actual production stage. That's when assembly becomes important and quality control really comes into its own.

 

The growing trend towards using steel constructions manufactured abroad means that we have an even greater part to play. Quality control work takes on totally new dimensions. Thanks to our unique skills and extensive experience in this area, the future of the inspection industry for steel constructions looks very bright for us here at ÅF Kontroll.

 

Name	Christer Falkesäter
Family	Two daughters and a son
Education	Mechanical Engineer, Malmö
Age	60
Lives	Vellinge, outside Malmö
Drives	Saab
Leisure activities	All sorts of sports. I lead an exercise an aerobics class
Best thing about the job	The atmosphere at ÅF. It's outstanding! I also appreciate the freedom I have in my job and being able to meet so many different people through various projects.
Favourite gadget right now	My computer - I couldn't manage without it.