Gavin Whitelock
PERTH,WA
Summary
Results-driven Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor with expertise in equipment maintenance, scheduling, and crew supervision. Recognized for leading teams to optimize performance while ensuring safety and compliance.
Overview
19
19
Certifications
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor
Goldfields
Gruyere, wa
01.2019 - Current
- Led maintenance operations team for two years, ensuring effective workflow and adherence to procedures.
- Previously Leading hand for 3yrs 6 months.
- Coordinated scheduled maintenance activities to optimize equipment performance.
- Supervised mechanical maintenance teams to ensure compliance with safety protocols. Ensured tasks were completed on time and within budget.
- Delegated tasks to staff while prioritizing workflow to meet operational goals.
- Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
- Collaborated with production teams to minimize downtime during repairs.
- Oversaw inventory of spare parts and maintenance supplies to maintain optimal operational readiness.
Mechanical Fitter
Northern Star Resources
Paulsen/ Jundee, wa
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Assembled and installed mechanical components in mining equipment to enhance operational readiness.
- Conducted regular maintenance on machinery, ensuring optimal performance and reducing downtime.
- Troubleshot, diagnosed and corrected faults in machines and equipment.
- Installed and maintained mechanical components, including engines, pumps, valves, compressors, and gearboxes, to support equipment reliability.
Mechanical Fitter
Murray Engineering
Pinjarra, wa
02.2015 - 01.2017
- Collaborated with diverse coworkers to achieve project goals and resolve product-related issues.
- Installed bore pumps, welded polypipe, and constructed pipe stands, enhancing maintenance of reverse osmosis plant.
- Performed shutdown maintenance on conveyors, seizers, and jaw crushers, ensuring equipment reliability.
- Completed rebuilding of boggers, dump trucks, and loaders for improved performance and reliability.
- Component rebuilds of converters, transmissions, engines and final drives.
Mechanical Fitter
First Quantum Minerals Australia
Ravensthorpe, wa
09.2014 - 02.2015
- Shift fitter preventing and reacting to breakdowns across the beneficiation crushing plant,
stackers, scrubbers and thickeners. - Rebuild of seizers, jaw crushers, reclaim stackers, pumps, chutes and conveyor splicing. All
work done on site no contractors sourced. - Liaise with maintenance and operations supervisor on timing off repairs to gain optimal tonnage
performance of plant. - Executed preventive maintenance tasks on various fixed plant equipment to enhance reliability and reduce downtime.
- General fabrication of chutes, platforms and hatches.
o Repair breakdowns of shift trucks and Ute.
Commissioning Supervisor
Gindalbe metals & Ansteel
Karara, wa
07.2013 - 09.2014
- Full plant commissioning of Crushing, mills and filter press buildings
- Leading role on the night crew organising and arranging priority jobs as they arise. To execute a
swift action to lower down time and increase plant to name plater capacity. - Overseeing the carrying out of complete rebuilds of FLSmidth primary gyratory crusher on a
monthly basis. - Liaising with night shift contractors on the progress of major breakdown / shutdown jobs and
contribute my deep knowledge of complex mechanical maintenance. - Pass down my experience of safer ways to remove ground engaging tools out of primary
gyratory crusher. This task has to be taken with great care. - Executed complete rebuilds of Warman, Southern Cross, and flight submersible pumps to ensure optimal functionality.
- Performed preventive maintenance on fixed plant equipment to ensure operational reliability.
Mechanical/Improvement Supervisor
Apex Minerals
Wiluna, WA
01.2011 - 06.2013
- Identify cost saving initiatives in quarterly budgets and execute mechanical improvements to
budget bringing ASIC per OZ from $3000 to $1400 in 6month period. liaise with Drummond
gold capital on improvement strategies. - Complete rebuilds of primary swing jaw and standard Eljay cone crushers all the way down to
installation of pinions, rebuild pinions, eccentric bushes, eccentric gears and standard liner
changes. - Design and implement modified underground mine dewatering control that resulted in
significantly increased pump life, maximised dewatering volumes, reduced power consumption
and labour costs, leading to lowered operating costs. - Technical support to fitter, apprentices and boilermakers regards onsite rebuilds of pumps,
complex gear boxes and crusher rebuild. Personally carry out or direct our workforce in
specialised activities such as mill pinion / girth inspections and adjustment, laser alignments,
crusher rebuilds etc thus using personal technical expertise instead of bringing in specialists, thus lowering overall cost of maintenance to the site. - Managed a small mechanical team of tradesmen, apprentices, and trades assistants to enhance team cohesion and productivity.
- Conduct toolbox and safety meetings; ensure JSA’s reflect work planned. Co-ordinate daily
work scopes such as planned maintenance checks/inspections on process fixed plant and
equipment. - Lead the team and ensure overall quality for major breakdown maintenance and overhauls of the
jaw and gyratory crushers. - Developed and streamlined the ‘Pronto maintenance program’ for job planning, spares management, and activity scheduling, enhancing operational efficiency on site.
- As required, carry out hands on activities to ensure overall daily workloads were complete as
planned.
Reliability Engineer
SKF Australia
Australia, wa
2011 - 2011
- 3 month contract
- Quality Assurance/Quality Control ensuring that the installation of large bearings and gearing
components in ball mills, crushers, and other industrial machinery meets the required quality
standards. This involves thorough inspection and testing to identify and rectify any potential
defects or issues in the fitment process. - Warranty Support providing information and documentation related to the fitment of large
bearings for warranty claims. Reports and data would play a crucial role in resolving warranty
issues and supporting customers who may encounter problems with the installed components.
Mechanical Fitter
Burgess Laser Alignment
Australia & PNG, WA
01.2006 - 2011
- Worked as a mechanical fitter for two years, focusing on machinery maintenance and repair to ensure operational efficiency.
- Installation and commissioning of crushing and screening plants, both new and second hand.
- Install new or relocate existing large and small AG, SAG. Ball and Vertimills to vendorspecifications. For relocations, dismantle and rebuild the units including personally operating a35 tonne horizontal borer (largest in Australia) to perform large diameter boring and facing works, followed by all pre and commissioning activities with the client, to original vendor specifications. For new installations, carry out installation and checks as above, except inconjunction with the vendor.
- Rebuilt large Allis Chalmers gyratory crushers by installing new pinions, eccentric gears, and overhauling hydro set.
- Install new or relocate existing large and small AG, SAG. Ball and Vertimills to vendor
specifications. For relocations, dismantle and rebuild the units including personally operating a
35 tonne horizontal borer (largest in Australia) to perform large diameter boring and facing works, followed by all pre and commissioning activities with the client, to original vendor specifications. For new installations, carry out installation and checks as above, except in
conjunction with the vendor. - Specialised precision laser alignment of mill drive trains/drive assemblies and other large critical
equipment. - Conducted quality assurance and inspections of large bearing installations for SKF, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- 3 year apprenticeship complete
Education
TAFE
Kalgoorlie, WA01-2010
Pre Trade Courses
Denmark Agriculture College
Denmark, WA01-2005
High School Diploma -
Denmark Senior High School
Denmark, WA01-2004
Skills
- Mechanical troubleshooting
- Hydraulic systems
- Equipment maintenance
- Scheduled maintenance
- Quality control
- Scheduling maintenance
- Crew supervision
- Resource allocation
- Leadership development
Certification
Section 26 supervisor course
Timeline
Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor
Goldfields
01.2019 - Current
Mechanical Fitter
Northern Star Resources
01.2017 - 01.2019
Mechanical Fitter
Murray Engineering
02.2015 - 01.2017
Mechanical Fitter
First Quantum Minerals Australia
09.2014 - 02.2015
Commissioning Supervisor
Gindalbe metals & Ansteel
07.2013 - 09.2014
Mechanical/Improvement Supervisor
Apex Minerals
01.2011 - 06.2013
Mechanical Fitter
Burgess Laser Alignment
01.2006 - 2011
Reliability Engineer
SKF Australia
2011 - 2011
TAFE
Pre Trade Courses
Denmark Agriculture College
High School Diploma -
Denmark Senior High School