Joanna Thompson

Said the following about Charlie Johnson:

“Charlie Johnson joined Inspire (Structures) in August 2020 as a Trainee Structures Examiner. His previous role had been in the leisure and tourism industry, so his move to the Rail Industry truly was a move into the unknown for him, at a time when the country and the industry was also facing the challenge of Covid.

Charlie radiates positivity and throws himself 100% at any challenge he faces …and he has had quite a few!

At the start of his journey, he excelled in the 4-week formal classroom training which covered the examination of masonry, timber, concrete and metal structures. He then worked as part of an experienced team undertaking Underwater and Detailed Examinations of railway structures, including culverts, bridges and tunnels.

During the past 2 years Charlie has examined over 200 structures and ensured the safety of the railway through his prompt actions when faced with critical situations, one such example being locating new undercutting and scour to a bridge abutment. Charlie’s understanding of this critical defect prompted him to take action and report to Network Rail as an Urgent Defect from site; his actions resulted in urgent remedial works being instructed by Network Rail to rectify the defects and ensure the structure, and the railway, remained safe.

Charlie is now competent to both STE4 (Examination of Structures) and STE7 (Underwater Examination of Structures). However, Charlie strives to continually push himself and has also obtained his IRATA Level 1 Rope Access so he can examine structures from ropes, his RYA2 Boat Operator so he can access structures in the water, and his Confined Spaces Entry so he can access the smallest of structures. This is a significant achievement as there are probably less than 50 people in the UK with these combined skills and competencies – incredible to think that a couple of years ago he had never set foot on the railway!“