successful turnaround staffing & execution
TRANSCRIPT
Successful Turnaround Staffing &
Execution
Chuck Provost
Louisiana Division Manager
Sentinel Integrity Solutions, Inc.
Port Allen, LA
Turnaround staffing
• Establishing Manpower needs (Leveraging)
• Issues affecting successful staffing.
• Potential mitigation steps/tools.
• Candidate selection.
• Obtaining the Commitment
Turnaround execution
• Leadership
• Communication
• Tracking
• Reporting
Establishing Manpower Needs
One of the first steps in candidate selection should be determining if
leadership personnel will be utilized for the turnaround. If so selection
of these personnel should initiate prior to assembling the remainder of
the team.
Once you are familiar with the lead inspector/NDE coordinator the
determination in regards to the level of inspection personnel can be
more accurately established. We all strive to obtain the best of the best;
however with the depleted pool of inspection personnel, diversity and
leveraging our inspection team is critical.
Establishing Manpower Needs (Leveraging your Team)
Consideration should be given to allowing a percentage of the
inspection personnel to consist of entry level apprentice type personnel.
This concept will leverage your inspection team; however placement of
personnel then becomes critical. Spread the wealth, but be very careful
not to dilute any shift or specific discipline.
Specifically for piping QA assignments, consideration should be given
to utilizing Sr. level CWI inspectors who have exhibited the capability to
perform in a QA role. This will help leverage your inspection team, as in
some cases a CWI inspector may be available where an API inspector
may not be.
Establishing Manpower Needs (Based on Industry Demand)
Consider increasing or decreasing manpower numbers based on the
status of the inspection labor pool.
Examples;
• A turnaround is scheduled for November 1st, this is not a prime
turnaround month. If the majority of your inspection teams ends up
consisting of mostly senior level inspection personnel, can you
reduce the manpower that was originally proposed?
• Your turnaround is scheduled for October 1st, this is a prime
turnaround month. Do you need to increase manpower numbers to
minimize the risk of impacting the schedule due to
inefficiency/experience? Obviously the first example is a better
position to be in. Once manpower has been accurately established,
staffing can initiate.
Double Booking
One of the trends that has posed the greatest challenge in staffing
personnel is what I refer to as “Double Booking”.
This occurs when turnaround inspection personnel feel the need to
schedule multiple jobs with conflicting schedules. One or multiple jobs
will eventually suffer as a result of “Double Booking”. As turnarounds
continue to “Push” or reschedule, this will continue to be a problem for
the industry in some degree.
Management Tools For Double Booking
Exercising management tools for the ”Double Booking” personnel, is
our only defense against the problem. Some examples of management
tools for the problem are;
• Documenting the occurrence and candidate’s details (Resume etc.).
• Share the information/occurrence with your colleagues if requested,
but be completely transparent and honest about any documented
details (Excuses etc.)
• Make sure that the candidate understands how his/her decision has
impacted your schedule/project.
• Establish your own procedure for holding people accountable (three
strikes and you’re out etc.)
• Enforce your procedure for holding people accountable.
• Consider having the candidate communicate verbally (Phone or in
person), email or text should be considered disrespectful.
Depleted Labor Pool
In the previous years, the labor pool for qualified inspection personnel
has suffered. The demand is much greater than the supply. This poses
multiple challenges for successful turnaround execution.
Managing the Depleted Labor Pool
• Get involved with local NDT schools/ community collages.
• Mentor upcoming inspection professionals.
• Encourage Senior level technicians to obtain higher level
certifications.
• Vendors and owner users should consider developing plans to help
with certification/recertification costs.
• Invest in training.
Candidate Selection
The only method for ensuring success in candidate selection is through
conventional and specific screening. Just like as with other aspects in
life, the more effort you put into something the better the overall result.
Same goes for screening, you get what you give. Some examples of
basic and specific screening tools are;
• Resume review-Obviously the basics apply (structure, format,
content etc.). Take note of the work history section, if you recognize
a facility, and have colleagues there, a verbal reference may be
available.
• If the candidates resume does not capture references (references
available upon request), request references, and contact at least
three. You may be surprised at the feedback.
• Lean on your colleagues’ in the industry for feedback.
Obtaining the Commitment
• If a candidate gives you the “pencil me in, and we will play it by ear”
routine. Make it clear that you are asking for a commitment, not a
maybe. Follow up via email, this will initiate some accountability.
• Consider utilizing employment contracts.
• Offer multiple projects.
• Be transparent on all project details.
Turnaround Execution Leadership
Encourage inspection vendors to provide a lead inspector, or inspection
supervisor to each turnaround. Multiple Lead inspectors should be
considered for sizable turnarounds. Selection of the Lead Inspector is
very important; acquiring a qualified “Lead Inspector” is even more
challenging than acquiring general turnaround inspection personnel.
It is critical to the successful execution of a turnaround for the Lead
inspector to foster a cooperative teamwork spirit, and a “Lead by
Example” approach in regards to managing the inspection team. The
team will show an elevated level of respect and willingness to please
when they feel that leadership is actively engaged and part of the
actual work execution.
Turnaround Execution Leadership
Demand and encourage you dream team to foster a safety oriented
work environment. If any aspect of safety is sacrificed, neither staffing
or execution matter.
• Ensure that the team is comfortable performing any required
stop work.
• Encourage sharing during toolbox meetings.
• Reward safety intervention, and leadership.
Leadership It is incumbent on every single lead inspector or inspection supervisor
to actually lead. Employees read body language and care about
leadership. Simply put, you don’t stand a chance if you don’t have the
will to win. As my friend and colleague says;
“Teamwork makes the Dream work”.
Communication The message is simple: we have to communicate and
collaborate as one if we are going to succeed.
Encourage your leaders and inspection personnel to lean on the side of
over communicating. Don’t assume your teams or inspection personnel
know what’s going on. The lead inspector should ensure that he/she is
up to date all critical path jobs. If a job is not ready or is delayed due to
inspection needs, this must be communicated to the appropriate
personnel. In the turnaround world communication is the fuel that keeps
the turnaround train rolling.
Put tools in place to ensure that sufficient communication is occurring.
Some examples are;
• Log books,-encourage your inspection team to document the day’s
events throughout the shift. At shift change the log book can get
bogged down, as lots of entries and data need to be entered.
• Consider mandatory verbal turnovers at each shift change. The
lead inspector should observe and intervene if any lack in
communication or personality conflicts are noticed.
Communication • Make sure all personnel have access to any updates, or look a
heads.
• Consider performing an inspection update meeting at the beginning
of each shift after the safety meeting. This would be a good time to
Issue any “hot rocks” for the day. This would be any items that
require follow up or completion to progress and maintain the
schedule. Make sure the team understands that the floor is open to
discuss any road blocks associated with any of the days scheduled
tasks.
• Prior to the turnaround evaluate and get involved with any
decisions around housing the inspection team. The more the
inspection team is spread out logistically, the more the breakdown
in communication will be.
• The lead inspector shall set the expectation that missed radio calls
will not be tolerated.
Progress Tracking Understanding the status of each inspection activity has become a key
factor in keeping turnaround schedules in an evergreen status.
Since turnarounds are so dynamic, information needs to be updated
every shift to maintain visibility and control. it is recommended that
complete schedule updates be submitted before the end of every shift
so that updated schedules may be disseminated to the field at the start
of the next shift. Without complete schedule updates every shift, the
schedule will quickly become meaningless as a tool to manage and
drive the turnaround scope and execution.
Progress Tracking There are several tools that aid in the actual status updates.
Turnarounds sometimes require specialized metrics for inspection
status, and updates. Some examples of specialized metrics for
turnarounds are:
• Log Books-Log books should be utilized to capture the status of all
inspection activities (complete, or incomplete).
• Wall charts-These are large scale excel spreadsheets customized
to capture each and every inspection activity. Typically posted in
the inspection personnel’s office. These charts should be updated
upon completion of each activity.
o Consider using highlighters to color code completed inspection
activities. This makes status verification much easier.
o The inspection supervisor or lead inspector should review the
wall charts at least once daily to ensure that all activities are
captured correctly.
Progress Tracking • Electronic update documents- A conventional word document, or
excel spreadsheet can be utilized to update inspection activity
statuses.
• Large scale drawings- The utilization of large scale color coded
drawings should be considered. These documents can be posted
in turnaround team conference rooms, and will aid in quick
reference during meetings.
Progress Tracking Often time’s inspection team supervisors get burdened with multiple
clerical type duties (cost tracking, timekeeping, etc.). Consideration
should be given to the assignment of a clerical candidate to fill the
needs of the inspection team. This strategy will allow the turnaround
inspection lead/supervisor to focus all attention on managing the team.
Reporting
• Consult with the owner/user to establish any facility specific
reporting requirements.
• Set reporting expectations at the beginning of the
turnaround/project.
• Provide example reports to each discipline.
• Encourage the team to submit reports for review early in the
turnaround/event.
• The inspection supervisor/Lead inspector/ NDE Coordinator should
review each report prior to submittal.
• Capture a column on the wall chart for NDE/inspection report
completion.
• The inspection supervisor/Lead inspector should verify that all
reports are complete prior to releasing personnel.