The approach to developing and implementing a successful turnaround varies from organization to organization. In most organizations, the time between turnarounds and start-ups is so long knowledge has been lost through operator and engineer attrition. The result is more than 75 percent of turnarounds are delayed beyond their schedule, encounter human error problems upon start-up and cause increased stress on everyone within the organization.
There are two key elements vital to the success of any turnaround/start-up: work force readiness and system readiness. Work force readiness ensures the work force is ready to run the equipment when the equipment is ready to run. Work force readiness includes things like defining jobs, tasks and competencies; developing standard procedures and training to those procedures; and most importantly, transferring the advanced technology that drives the project.
System readiness, on the other hand, focuses on what is required to get the equipment up and running and more importantly, keep it producing at a high level. System readiness ensures high reliability of the key mechanical, electrical and control systems that support the production process.
While the roles may vary depending on the type of readiness, the goals of turnarounds/start-ups remain fairly consistent between the two:
• Achieving an incident-free start-up
• Reducing the time to competency on new processes for operations personnel
• Maximizing profits by eliminating human errors in start-up, thus increasing worker confidence
• Ensuring start-ups meet the schedule
At times, the typical goals of turnarounds promote conservative approaches that, in turn, yield prohibitive results from a safety, timing and production perspective. When creating goals, there is a tendency to focus solely on the “what” and neglect the “how.” In the case of turnarounds and start-ups, the “how” consists of work force readiness and system readiness. By focusing on these two key elements, organizations increase their chances of a successful turnaround.
A few examples of work force readiness and system readiness tasks include:
• Effective training programs — Timely and efficient turnarounds start with the people involved. Because turnarounds are not a regular occurrence (usually years apart), it is imperative different teams within the plant be reacquainted with the tasks and processes involved in a turnaround. The absence of a structured, well-planned turnaround training program could compromise the safety of plant personnel as well as the functionality and efficiency of equipment.
• Large control diagrams (LCDs) — These diagrams clearly convey the function of the unit from feed to products. They include all of the instrumentation, equipment and process flows that are encountered. These diagrams serve as a common mental model of how the new system would operate. LCDs also help during planning meetings and training sessions by laying out all of the process flows and controls in an easy-to-read format. They are used to teach people the system, help them learn the interrelationships of equipment and processes and train them on possible operating scenarios.
• Procedure sequence flow diagrams (PSFDs) — These diagrams summarize numerous complex start-up or shutdown procedures in an easy-to follow, one-page format. PSFDs help the turnaround team coordinate shutdowns and start-ups by identifying procedures that could be performed simultaneously and accelerating the start-up and shutdown schedule. The diagrams are usually printed in poster size and used as a roadmap.
Effective turnarounds are essential to the productivity of a given plant. Every shutdown and turnaround is an opportunity to address the typical problems of parts, work force constraints, quality control concerns, contractor issues, scheduling dilemmas, work orders, safety, risk assessments and more. With effective planning and a focus on human processes, organizations will enjoy timely and effective turnaround results.
For more information, visit www.gpstrategies.com or call (800) 727-6677.
* Free webinar sponsored by GP Strategies on Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Best Practices, March 18, 2014 1:00 pm CT/2:00 pm ET. Register today at www.bicalliance.com/resources/webinars.
