Resource Materials: Are They the Foundation of Your Operators Knowledge

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Resource MaterialsAre They the Foundation of
Your Operators Knowledge?

• NWPTA Presentation
• Dave Lucas
• Job Performance Systems

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Dave LucasJob Performance Systems

• 24 Years with Chevron
• BS Chemical Engineering MBA
• Refinery Manager/Operations Manager/Chief
  Engineer
• Strategic Planning in International Upstream
  Operations
• Facilitation Management Development
• Coordinator Organizational Effectiveness
• Developer/Instructor Operator/1st Line
  Supervisory Programs
• Operations and Training Material Development
  (with JPS) for Chevron Oronite Singapore
• Overall nice guy

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What are Operating Manuals?
They are Plant- and Process-Specific Knowledge
Encyclopedias
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A better definition of Op Manuals--They are the
foundation of success
The Performance Pyramid
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Why is Relevant Knowledge Important?

• Education is what survives when what has only
  been learnt has been forgotten.
• B.F Skinner

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Why are manuals often ignored(except as
expensive doorstops?)

• Intimidating to follow/understand
• Too difficult to find relevant information
• Boring
• Not exciting or glamorous
• Voluminous
• Overly detailed (but not in the correct areas)

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Why have Operating Manuals?

• or,
• Who do you call at 3 a.m. Sunday morning?

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Who do you call when..

• The process is out of control, and you dont know
  why
• The maximum throughput is less than expected, or
  needed
• You cant get the product on spec.

Is this a call to the operating supervisor, the
process engineer, or the process control group?
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Who do you need to call if

• Your operators are trained
• They are thoroughly field tested
• They have current, extensive process knowledge
• And,
• They have the proper tools

No One!
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How would you rate your Process and Equipment
Manuals to avoid the 3am call?

• Do your manuals explain how (and why) systems
  work
• Do they give guidance on what to do if your
  process is out of control?
• Do your Troubleshooting Guides have dog-eared
  pages from extensive use?
• How about a Process Variables Deviation and
  Consequences table (or do you even have one)?

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Where do Operating Manuals fit into the
training process?

• They are the transition from the many different
  vendor and supplier manuals (OEM), PIDs, etc.
• They are the One Source of relevant, concise
  (and precise) process and plant information
• In other words, they are
• Knowledge Encyclopedias
• for the real world

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Lets Look at a Training Process.
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Typical Operator Training Model
Formal Unit Specific Training

• Process chemistry in unit
• Control scheme in unit
• Understanding sample results
• Premix charging
• Carbonation in reactors
• Distillation principles
• Centrifuge

Unit Process Training

• Plant schedules
• Verifying batch card
• Reading samples to confirm normal process
• Monitoring key process variables
• Monitoring product movement
• Monitor dumpster level

Normal Operations
Training While Breaking In
Pre-Hire Test

• Under/overcharge in premix
• Under/overcharge in reactor
• Temperature, pressure deviations
• RPM in reactors
• Instrument reading errors
• Centrifuge problems
• Excess water in slurry
• Interface problems
• Phase problems

Formal New Operator Training
Deviations
Final Qualification
COBRA
Solo

• Situationals (using
• written exercises,
• discussion, running
• simulations on
• hot spare)

• Check lists
• IQ guides

• Test of knowledge
• Demonstration of
• skill in responding
• to deviations,
• emergencies,
• and optimizing unit

• Hatch pop up
• Tank overflow
• When to use ESD
• Response to power outage
• Response to critical equipment failure

Emergencies

• Minimizing delays
• Reduce batch cycle time
• Reduce energy consumption
• Saving off spec batches

Optimization
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Where do Operating Manuals fit in this model
process?

• In every step except the pre-employment testing!

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Do your Operating Manuals provide your trainee
with.

• Unit Process Information (whys and whats)
• Normal Operations Understanding (how)
• Deviation Causes and Solutions (what if)

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So, Manuals are a Valuable Tool But.Are They
User-Friendly?
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Do they look like this?
First line supervisors are typically selected
from the ranks because they show exceptional
leadership skills as well as knowledge of the
work, craft or plant operations. Moving into a
new role is a big responsibility as you need many
new skills and abilities to fill this role. The
new supervisor will eventually face the
consequences of having people issues and not
fully knowing how to handle the situation. More
importantly the new supervisor has the
responsibility of safety for his employees and
running the facility incident free. The first
line supervisors are the leverage point for the
leadership team each manages a number of
employees and must have clear expectations of
what is expected of them so they can be effective
in this role. Observations during this visit led
to concerns in two areas the first one covers
the basic knowledge each supervisor must possess
to run a team or crew with respect to policy
administration (vacation, performance evaluation,
disciplinary, incident investigation, etc), and
executing the plan (products, quality,
maintenance, etc). Secondly, what interpersonal
skill set do supervisors need to be effective?
Your facility currently uses DDI modules for
supervisor awareness on HPO, Boundary Management
and other theoretical supervision skills. It
would be highly desirable for all first line
supervisors and relief supervisors to take a one
or two day session to establish the expectations
and behaviors of SMP supervisors. The first
sessions would establish expectations of running
a crew and learn what challenges each supervisor
faces. The ideal make up would include cross
functional supervisors from operations,
maintenance, and staff functions. The content is
developed locally rather than purchase
theoretical material or CBT. The content is
customized using work processes and cultural
considerations for your facility. Its
recommended the senior management team deliver
the sessions. One HR team member can facilitate
the sessions. Develop a longer term training
plan that includes expectations, methods,
practice and follow up on the progress. The
intent is to have an interactive learning
environment that gives the participants useful
tools to better supervise people and processes
focusing on the business. After reviewing the
material there are a few recommendations to
improve the effectiveness of the training
material and cut the development time. I did not
observe the delivery of the training during this
visit as no formal classroom training was
scheduled. Develop a cover page that shows all
the modules required in formal or refresher
training it will help the trainees understand
where they are in completing the overall training
It would be highly desirable for all first line
supervisors and relief supervisors to take a one
or two day session to establish the expectations
and behaviors of SMP supervisors. The first
sessions would establish expectations of running
a crew and learn what challenges each supervisor
faces. The ideal make up would include cross
functional supervisors from operations,
maintenance, and staff functions. The content is
developed locally rather than purchase
theoretical material or CBT. The content is
customized using work processes and cultural
considerations for your facility. Its
recommended the senior management team deliver
the sessions. One HR team member can facilitate
the sessions. Develop a longer term training
plan that includes expectations, methods,
practice and follow up on the progress. The
intent is to have an interactive learning
environment that gives the participants useful
tools to better supervise people and processes
focusing on the business. After reviewing the
material there are a few recommendations to
improve the effectiveness of the training
material and cut the development time. I did not
observe the delivery of the training during this
visit as no formal classroom training was
scheduled. Develop a cover page that shows all
the modules required in formal or refresher
training it will help the trainees understand
where they are in completing the overall
training Enhance the learning objectives in the
start of each module as well as any prerequisites
or reference material or drawings need for this
lesson Its acceptable to list out what items the
trainee must cover by referencing the chapter and
section in the manual. It makes it easier to
create the learning modules and cuts down on the
redundancy of keeping the operating manuals and
training material current. The power points for
formal training will have more text and not look
as nice, but it will reduce the time it takes to
manipulate the drawings that are pulled from the
manuals and inserted in the training power points
Try to intersperse short quizzes throughout the
modules, it tends to reinforce the immediate
learning and not wait until the end, which could
be 20 or more pages. Final tests are short
consider a comprehensive module test and then a
larger final test that pulls from each
module There is small amount of generic
information in some of the modules, consider
pulling this out and teaching it once. Its fine
to reinforce the task or concept throughout the
training.
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Or This?
Level control of V-001, as measured by LI-001, is
critical to ensure that there is water in the
drum to knock down any entrained liquid coming
in with the feed. The gas coming into V-001 is
sparged downward into liquid reservoir of the
vessel and bubbles through the liquid to assist
in the knock down of any entrained liquid in the
gas stream. Low liquid level and high liquid
level in V-001 activate two separate logic
blocks. Table 5-1 Summary of control logic of
V-001 level
The system must protect against high levels and
carryover of liquid to the sour gas compressor,
which could trip a shutdown system. It must also
protect against a very low level and potential
blow-through of gas into the pump and seals.
Additionally, a low level could actually increase
liquid carryover by not providing enough of a
sump of liquid to capture incoming liquid
droplets. Table 5-5 What if table for V-001
level control logic settings

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The Key toExcellent Operating Manuals

• Precise
• Accurate
• Analytical
• Visual
• Comprehensive
• Designed and built with the end user in mind

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If It Has Those,It Can Lead To

• Development of
• All Training Materials
• All Procedures
• Routine Duties
• All of the other good things you need to educate
  an operator --
• Especially Computer-Based Training

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This.

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Can Lead to This.(The Next Step)
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Lets go back to thisThe Typical Operator
Training Model
Formal Unit Specific Training

• Process chemistry in unit
• Control scheme in unit
• Understanding sample results
• Premix charging
• Carbonation in reactors
• Distillation principles
• Centrifuge

Unit Process Training
Lets look at this piece

• Plant schedules
• Verifying batch card
• Reading samples to confirm normal process
• Monitoring key process variables
• Monitoring product movement
• Monitor dumpster level

Normal Operations
Training While Breaking In
Pre-Hire Test

• Under/overcharge in premix
• Under/overcharge in reactor
• Temperature, pressure deviations
• RPM in reactors
• Instrument reading errors
• Centrifuge problems
• Excess water in slurry
• Interface problems
• Phase problems

Formal New Operator Training
Deviations
Final Qualification
COBRA
Solo

• Situationals (using
• written exercises,
• discussion, running
• simulations on
• hot spare)

• Check lists
• IQ guides

• Test of knowledge
• Demonstration of
• skill in responding
• to deviations,
• emergencies,
• and optimizing unit

• Hatch pop up
• Tank overflow
• When to use ESD
• Response to power outage
• Response to critical equipment failure

Emergencies

• Minimizing delays
• Reduce batch cycle time
• Reduce energy consumption
• Saving off spec batches

Optimization
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How Does the Manual Really Fit into that Process?
Field Training and Validation
Qualified Operator
Operating Manual
Training w/CBT
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What are the Inputs to the Operating Manual?The
Expectations?
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The Inputs
Original Equipment Manuals
PIDs
Field Training and Validation
Design Mechanical
Qualified Operator
Operating Manual
Training w/CBT
Process
Safety and Environmental
IE
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The Expectations
Original Equipment Manuals
PIDs
Field Training and Validation
Design Mechanical
Qualified Operator
Operating Manual
Training w/CBT
Process
Safety and Environmental
IE
General Information What is It, and Why? How Does
It Work? Keep It Safe Keep It Environmentally
Friendly
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In More Technical Terms.

• Why we have this process
• What is it
• Process overview

• How the manual is to be used
• Where are all of the soft and hard links
• Who is responsible for what (especially updates)

Facility Specific Information
Process Description

• How It Operates
• Normal Operation
• Deviation Response
• Troubleshooting

Process Operation (The HEART!!)

• Equipment Information
• Whats inside
• How does it work mechanically

Relevant Environmental Information
Safety Information and Links
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Summary

• If you are planning to update your process
  operating manuals you can
• Take a long vacation
• Transfer to another department, or
• Acknowledge the importance and value of the task
• Use a team approach to develop the content
• Outline the manual FIRST then add content
• Task crews/individuals to find the missing
  information
• Make manuals visual, practical, and
  understandable
• Dont panic if you miss your deadline

If you do a thorough job of it (not just a good
enough one) you will have Knowledge Encyclopedias
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And you will have your
Foundation Built