need to change? Consider the following stories and see if they sound like anything that has ever happened at your site. There are a lot of maintenance insanity symptoms in these scenarios.
First, we must be able to recognize the need for change. This example comes from a planning and scheduling implementation audit that was done by an experienced maintenance manager. He went with a couple of mechanics that were given the job to hang some boxes for operations. Evidently no planning was done since it was such an easy job. Once the mechanics found the boxes (45 minutes), they could not find anyone who knew where the boxes were to be installed. This job took over four hours to do what should have taken less than an hour. If the planner had been given the time to “add value” through some prework, he could have talked to the requestor, marked the location in the field (or on a digital picture), and supplied the boxes and information to the mechanics when the job was handed out so that they could have gone to the exact location with everything they needed to do the job. To some extent, these prethoughts and activities must be done for all execution forces. The planner or person scoping the job decides the value-adding information needed.
Your P&S (planning and scheduling) processes must make it easier and more efficient for the operators to know what jobs to get ready and for the mechanics to have what they need (materials and information) to start and finish jobs in the minimum amount of time.
If it is so easy to change, why do we not stop the insanity? It is because we are all change weary.
Why we cannot change:
The following story does a good job of explaining why changes are needed for these typical (but exaggerated) planning and scheduling processes. Consider using it in a team meeting with your crews to see how different it is from their routine days. Capture the similarities and differences to develop your improvement plan. Why should they improve planning and scheduling when the typical data being tracked by this site indicates that they are completing 70% to 90% of the scheduled jobs (but they do not schedule for 100% of the available manpower), plus they are able to add 10 to 20 jobs on top of those listed on the schedule? The answer is “Why settle for what you are now getting when we could get so much more!” Our measures must show the true performance for all the resources. Just looking at a few pieces does not show your entire puzzle picture.
Here is an insanity test for you. You should not be able to read this text, but I bet you can (if you look and do not think about it):
The Pweor of the Hmuan Mnid
Aoccdrnig to rsaerceh at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe.
Amzanig, huh?
You already have most of the answers locked inside you. Let this book help you see them clearly.
Based on a national survey, wrench time in an 8-hour day is 4.8 hours for best-inclass performers and 2.2 hours for the national average. Let me take you on a typical day in the life of mechanic Bill. We must focus on the human side as shown in Figure 2.1, because all reliability starts right here . . . when the skilled mechanic installs, rebuilds, or repairs any piece of equipment.
FIGURE 2.1 The human side—mechanic Bill
Crew Team Meeting Exercise: Average Workday—Pick Out the Needed Improvements
Bill reported to work on time and went straight up to the crew break area. There the supervisor gave out the assignments for the day. Bill received two jobs: one was to take care of a leaking valve on the southwest corner of the mezzanine floor, and the other was to check on a reported leaking flange on the demineralizer. The supervisor did not think they would take all day and told Bill to come back for something else to do when the jobs were finished.
This first job involved leaking stuff. Sounded pretty messy, so Bill walked to his locker to put on his older boots. Aaron was at his locker, and the two chatted for a moment while they got ready. The first thing Bill did was swing by the jobs. This was always a good idea in case a job needed special tools, or maybe the job would not require him to lug his whole toolbox to the jobsite. As he went by the first job, he easily found the deficiency tag matching the tag number on his work order. Bill had the work permit, and there were LOTO cards everywhere, so he knew it was safe to work. The valve was at chest level, so there would be no need for scaffolding or a lift truck. The valve was a 4-inch high-pressure globe valve. Bill decided to look over the other job and then get a valve rebuild kit.
At the demineralizer, the area was also cleared, and Bill had the right work permit. But Bill was uneasy. The deficiency tag was hung near a pipe flange, but Bill wondered if the line was an acid line or just a water line. In either case, Bill knew the operators would have drained the line, but it would not hurt to put on some acid-resistant gear just in case there were drops on anything.
Bill headed to the storeroom for a valve rebuild kit and to the toolroom for some acid gear. There was a line at the storeroom, so Bill changed direction and went toward the toolroom first. On the way, Bill had an idea. He knew Aaron was an experienced mechanic and had worked on the demineralizer many times. Maybe he would know if the flange was on an acid or water line. After asking around, Bill caught up with Aaron at the pump shop. After a few minutes discussing with Aaron, the two men walked over to the demineralizer. Aaron was confident that the line was only for water, and so Bill decided to skip the acid gear. It was now break time, so Aaron and Bill headed for the break room.
After break, Bill got in line at the storeroom. The storeroom happened to have a rebuild kit for the 4-inch valve. Bill took the valve kit and his toolbox up to the mezzanine floor and got to work. This was an interesting type of valve. Bill was hoping that it could be rebuilt in place. After unbolting several screws on the top of the valve, Bill was able to remove the internals but found bad news. Although Bill had the right kit to replace the valve internals, it was obvious that the valve body was shot. The whole valve would have to be replaced. The only problem was that Bill was not a certified welder and this high-pressure valve had welded connections. Bill went straight to his supervisor and explained the situation. The supervisor wanted to complete this job today and called the crew’s certified welder on the radio. The welder could come over in about an hour and start the valve job. The supervisor asked Bill to return the valve kit to the storeroom and check out a replacement valve for the welder. Bill waited again at the storeroom to make the exchange,
