Catching Up Is Hard To Do
Catching Up Is Hard To DoWhat happened while I’ve been away? This is a question that has probably been asked by more people recently than in previous years. The pandemic has required many operators and supervisors to be away from their operations due to safety...
Catastrophe- Avoiding Catastrophe In 2021
Fires, Explosions, Injuries, Lawsuits - Avoiding Catastrophe In 2021I have seen several news articles recently where incidents such as fires, explosions and injuries have occured at plants across the U.S. Every time that I see these posts, I am curious as to whether...
Rough Year? 7 Things That Might Make 2021 Better.
Rough Year? 7 Things That Might Make 2021 BetterWe can all agree that this year has been a little rough. Some things are beyond our control but there are actions we can take to make sure the days ahead are brighter. A new year is approaching and we have been listening...
Only His Hard Hat Remained: A Scary Story about Poor Shift Communication
Only His Hard Hat Remained: A Scary Story about Poor Shift CommunicationIt was a chilly October morning and the night shift was getting ready to go home. Jason, the supervisor, was ready to murder his operators for not cleaning up the sulfuric acid that was leaking...
Alligator in parking lot!…and other facility issues. What do you do?
Alligator in parking lot!…and other facility issues. What do you do? .Ever stumbled onto a plant issue? What did you do? How about an alligator in the parking lot? That may not be likely at your location, but we’re sure you observe issues routinely when out and about...
Operator..What You Need To Know, When You Need To Know It.
What You Need To Know, When You Need To Know It.In essence, that’s what our customers repeatedly tell us they need. It’s a simple request, but not so easily fulfilled. In significant operations, which are large operations that manage significant assets where safety,...
Operating Record-10 Steps to a Better Operation
10 Steps To Better Operating RecordsWhen it comes to your operating records, getting from where you are to somewhere better doesn’t happen overnight. Consider someone that’s currently using paper records for their operating log or their “checklists” – a.k.a.,...
Remote Working – 4 Ways To Stay Connected
Stay at Home Order – 4 Ways To Stay ConnectedA shelter in place or stay at home order has been issued for most states in the US. While so many Americans are implored to stay home, many of us are trying to stay engaged and involved in our operations remotely. Many...
Modern Logbooks-Home Quarantine or Isolation of Key Resources
Home Quarantine or Isolation of Key Resources – Now What?It seems almost impossible, but the new threat we’re all dealing with has arisen in just a short few months. Now, in an abundance of caution, many are advising or requiring their employees to stay home in...
Shift Communication
We all do it. We think we have communicated with someone, only to find out that they didn’t get the message. What if there was a way to confirm that they heard you? In this blog, we discuss how to improve shift communications.
Data Approach In 2020
2020We Create Opportunities for Candidates & Businesses It’s not only a new year, it is a new decade. Now is the chance to regain your focus and finally do those things you have been saying you need to do. Over the past few years, I have been listening to managers...
Epstein Prison Guards Arrested For Falsifying Records
Epstein Prison Guards Arrested For Falsifying RecordsIt’s in the news today. Instead of doing their rounds, guards that were to be checking on inmates every 30 minutes did not do their job and instead falsified records saying that they did do their job. So, why are...
Digital Transformation: Humans and Robots
Plant Digital Transformation Humans and Robots Digital Transformation is all the rage and for good reason. As more and more processes and procedures are digitized, there are improvements that become possible because data is discretely recorded, actionable, objective...
Operational Logging-A How To
Operational Logging - How To Are you considering replacing paper logs? Do you want to improve your operation? Do you know how easy it can be do to so? Today, we’ll discuss a perspective on why an operational log is important. Then, we’ll share what others are doing to...
Breaking news: Operations is serious business – avoid this at all costs
Breaking news: Operations is serious business – avoid this at all costsYou may or may not have seen news about a recent explosion at an oil refinery in South Philadelphia. The sad news is that this was the second recent fire at the facility. While it appears that no...
Paper Logbooks in 2019? Crazy, Right?
Paper Logbooks in 2019? Crazy, Right?We heard this exact quote from a manager that contacted us about a significant operation for which he was responsible. For many, paper logbooks continue to be in use, even in large and important operations. Others have made a...
Log – Should We Automate Log Entries or Not?
Operations Logbooks – Should We Automate Log Entries or Not?One question we get from time to time has to do with automating entries in operational logbooks. “Can we?”, is the first question we get. The answer to that is a simple and straightforward, “yes.” A...
8 Steps To Operational Excellence
8 Steps To Operational ExcellenceThe right people want to do good work. Nothing inspires a team of quality employees quite like embracing a culture of excellence. They want to be proud of the work they do. They want to truly be fulfilled, knowing that they are doing...
Common Sense Approach to NERC CMEP
Common Sense Approach to NERC CMEPIf you were asked today about a significant day in the past, would you be able to provide evidence of important operating practices from that day? Would you be able to produce evidence that important operating steps were taken? We...
Taking Note in 2019
Throughout my life, wise people seemed to all have the same advice for me no matter what field I worked in. “Take good notes!” It seems easy enough and I think most of us would agree that it is good advice. But many of us (including myself) get busy and do not make...
Calculated Fields – Saving Time and Getting Things Right
What’s the pressure differential across that pump? It’s simple if we have pressure gauges on the inlet and outlet right? Δp = inletPSIG – outletPSIG Some might say, “hey, I can calculate that in my head.” Sure you can, but why would you want to? Take...
Can You Trust Your Logbook?
You’ve got to have confidence in your logbook. What does it take to have a logbook that you, your operating team and your compliance team can believe in? More than you probably think. To have confidence in your logbook, it has to be complete, correct, and incapable of...
#Hashtags-What are these annoying things?
#Arggg! What are these annoying things? They were mocked in the classic Tonight Show skit #Hashtag, with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake, yet apparently many didn’t really seem to understand the actual issue they were illustrating. People use ridiculous and...
Structured Logs Can Turn Observations Into Insight
Almost all significant business operations record and maintain some type of operating record – an operations log. Historically, and even today, some keep paper records. As to why, many cite ease of use, cost effectiveness and resistance to change. Believe it or not,...
Building Better Plants – What’s your approach?
Station Service is expensive. Optimization and tuning of systems at a power plant can provide tremendous savings. What can you do to better optimize your plant, potentially saving fuel and money? You may or may not be aware that there’s a program with the U.S....