Defining backlog control improvement

Sam is thinking about his mill’s backlog and how to schedule the resources accordingly.

 ‘My planning and scheduling procedure is based upon an organization that is split up among three different and distinct roles of mechanics and maintenance needs.

Over time, years, I finally recognize that there is a need to separate the backlog WOs into the three groups and staff them accordingly.

First, divide the crew sizes by historical WOs for each operational area. Of course, today I would use instead results from RCM / FMEA study results which clearly define 'critical' assets in each area and the appropriate mitigation action staffed by adequate resource requirements, from maintenance, operations and engineering.

Next, classify those historically derived resource requirements, based upon the previous year's WOs, into three categories of backlog and resources:

‘The first is called, 'A' Group. A is for 'Area'

 This is the resource requirement group to handle emergencies, urgent work that arises overnight within specific areas. Of course, this backlog is also a target for reduction improvement.

At first, not having the sophistication of a CMMS/EAM database this was performed manually by reviewing every WO, for each operating area, separating by internal priority, e.g., safety, routine, PM, downtime required, emergency, etc. 'Urgent', included 'safety' if imminent life and limb potential.

 These are then divided by craft, as a starting point. The number of specific craftspeople is derived from the worker hours by craft.

 In the end, these area crews are kept undersized according to the historical data, but they are always fully manned by specially selected fill-ins when vacations, illness, jury duty, etc. created a vacancy.

They are purposely kept slightly undersized to force the area operations people to make hard decisions about work priorities and available resources.

 These crews have their own supervisor, supervising multiple crafts, specially selected[1], who works closely with a designated 'maintenance coordinator' from operations taking direction from operations for work needing to be performed.

 These crews are never pulled to perform other than urgent work, except on down days in their specific operations areas.

‘Urgent’ work is defined by it must be done before the end of the day. It cannot be delayed.

When not working on 'urgent' work the crew is filled in with work formerly requested by operations but never seemed to get done for lack of manpower. Replacing worn our wash up hoses, and air hoses for example, or painting the manager's office.

Whatever planning is required for the urgent task at hand is performed by the worker or their supervisor, e.g., materials, tools. WOs did not come out of a planned corrective backlog, so planners are never used for this 'A' crew effort.

The weekly schedule reflects everyone’s role as an 'A' team resource. The work backlog and resource leveling never changes. There are no pre-planned daily schedules, the schedule is usually determined first thing every morning by the area supervisor and maintenance coordinator.

 Next is the 'B' group for 'Basic Care' plant wide

This is a sizable group, under one supervisor, specially selected, consisting of lubrication technicians, asset inspection rounds people, e.g., pump and seals, motors, fire equipment inspections, elevators, overhead cranes, each walking an inspection specific route day in and day out, performing essential tasks.

This crew also includes any condition monitoring personnel. Not so many in the past, but more today.

Data collection has improved over the ages, fortunately, and the members of this staff reflect the resource requirements, centralized lube systems, some tasks allocated to outside contractors, wireless data transmission, etc.

 This group is kept at full staff as well with specially selected fill-ins.

 Again, the weekly schedule reflects everyone’s role as a 'B' team resource. The backlog will change depending upon which equipment is scheduled down for the following week, e.g., requiring additional 'when down' inspections, e.g., couplings, valves, gearboxes, mixers, etc. and additional personnel will be sought from available internal, or outside resources.

 ‘More use of outside contractors today then back in the day’ Sam thinks.

 The routines are fully planned initially and usually never vary, so little need for planning except if a routine is improved.

Practically, the backlog and resource requirements can be determined a year at a time.

Lastly, the 'C' crew for planned 'Corrective' maintenance.

Corrective work can be delayed, and it must be planned before scheduling.

Whatever resources are left over from filling the roles described above from the total maintenance workforce are assigned to the 'C' crew.

This is the resource pool for 'corrective' WOs. They are managed by a supervisor, again specially selected.

The weekly schedule will reflect the use of resources for 'A' and 'B', others on vacation, time out, filling in on A & B, etc.

Even within a large maintenance organization, there are few workers available for new 'corrective' tasks each week after the other crews are fully staffed.

Many are already allocated as resources for continuing previously started jobs, and in many plant's cases there is planned area downtime during the week, known in advance and those will be staffed.

Depending upon planned backlog requirements, the area 'A' mechanics, and the 'B' mechanics required for their work 'while down', e.g., inspections / adjustments, tightening, both are supplemented by the 'C' crew mechanics and outside contractors whose responsibility is tackling the planned corrective work.

On those ‘down days’ the area supervisor takes control and responsibility of the 'A' and 'C' resources. And when 'B' resources finish their planned assignments, they are added to complete the planned 'C' work.

Of course, any unplanned work that arises, usually from inspections, which always happens, is dealt with by extending the down day, or substituting personnel from the planned corrective work.

Schedules for the people for the corrective work for area downs are prepared by the area supervisor. Schedules for the 'B' crews are well established for each day and each area down.

The weekly schedule, including resource requirements, is determined by the known activities of the ‘A’ & ‘B’ crews and their crew fill ins and perusal of the ‘C’ crew’s backlog. Most of the assignments are near automatic.

The operations maintenance coordinators have little to 'negotiate' each week because there are few newly available resources, not counting the use of outside contractors to do 'corrective' work, which admittedly is more prevalent today than decades ago.

The weekly scheduler's main responsibility is juggling resources among the various crews to keep the 'A' and 'B' crews fully staffed, verify that a job from last week is still on the schedule for the following week, noting the area down days and resource requirements, and keeping a prioritized backlog of planned 'corrective' work on hand to toss out for the operations people to review and negotiate.

The operations representatives see the resource requirements for the various backlogs of 'A' and 'B' crews, which they agree are important, on the upcoming week’s schedule, combined with unavailable resources for whatever valid reasons, and it soon becomes obvious that 'maintenance' is not an unlimited supply of readily available resources.

 A standardized weekly schedule paper form is used with spaces for all that information noted by the end of the Thursday afternoon scheduling session. This, then is posted throughout the site.

Everyone is forewarned and mindsets are established, perhaps even changing from past practice.

Of course, there are still some huge resource demanding failures and adjusted schedules to accommodate the need

Sometimes with all-nighters there are no resources for a following day's planned schedule, especially when keeping the 'A' and 'B' crews fully staffed is required.

‘Automating this ‘scheduling’ would be helpful’, Sam thinks.

 ‘Eventually, with the ‘A’ crews, the staffing requirements will drop as urgent work diminishes.

 ‘B’ crew tasks are already being influenced by progress in the tools of the trade, e.g., centralized lube systems, permanently installed wireless sensors, artificial intelligence algorithms pointing to future required ‘Corrective’ work, basic care routes for operators and mechanics forewarning of potential failures, fewer, yet better PM tasks.

‘C’ crew work will also be reduced due to corrective work that is focused upon elimination of a problem instead of the typical quick fix, band aid approach.’ Sam thinks, smiling.

 The lesson: sometimes improvement requires different strategies and different practices.

[1] Each position needs to be filled with people who have the right characteristics, e.g., temperament, skills set, thought processes for the task at hand. In a union shop this takes finesse.