Reply To: Recommended personal kit list for a job

This is actually a pretty important question… Here is what I tend to take:

PPE (some of this may be provided for you, but I don’t take chances):
Coveralls, work boots, hard hat with ear defenders, work gloves, foam earplugs (also useful if you share with a snorer), safety glasses. If you wear prescription glasses, consider getting presciption safety glasses.

Clothes (depends on destination of course):
Two pairs of trousers, one pair of shorts, sufficient socks and underwear (I usually go with 7 pairs), four or five T shirts, a couple of jumpers/fleeces, lightweight rain coat or jacket, warm gloves, buff/neck gaiter, sunhat/cap, gym gear (if you go to the gym), shoes/trainers. Bear in mind if there is a laundry service they might not take good care of your clothes, so don’t take favourite woolen jumper, it WILL be shrunk for you! Most work sites won’t allow flipflops even in accomodation, crocs/sandals are often frowned upon.

Small personal first aid kit: make sure you have plenty of aspirin and lemsip, chances are there will be a cold going around the ship.

Sunglasses (and spare prescription glasses if you wear them)

A small sewing kit – needles, thread, buttons

Laptop + portable hard disk with a few games and movies (in case you need to kill some time) + charger

Headphones

Toiletries – ample shower gel, toothpaste and sun block

Smartphone with music and books on for listening to and reading. + charger

Worldwide socket adapter (with built in surge protector if you can find one)

Compact digital camera + charger

Pack it in a soft bag, not a hard suitcase, you’ll probably have to stash your bag in a small space.

If anyone has any thoughts of suggestions I’d love to hear them.

LEM