CONTRACT MANUFACTURING
Revolutionising Shift Communication to Address Knowledge Gaps in Manufacturing
In the high-stakes world of 24/7 plant operations, clear and concise communication is not just desirable, it’s essential.
A
comprehensive understanding of all operational facets ensures not only uninterrupted manufacturing and high plant performance, but also mitigates the risks and impacts plant safety. The principles of effective communication permeate every level of the manufacturing process. The basis is transparent and guided communication in one source of truth with interfaces to all relevant systems.
A Grim Reminder: The BP Texas City Incident
Nineteen years ago, the BP Texas City oil refi nery witnessed a catastrophic incident that left 15 people dead, 180 injured, and the facility severely damaged. The aftermath revealed a critical factor; poor shift-to-shift communication. Regulatory authorities pointed to communication breakdowns as a signifi cant contributor to the disaster.
The Unique Challenges in Manufacturing
Even today, communication during shift handovers remains a challenge. Research conducted by the 451 Group in January 2020 asked 300 senior executives representing the chemical, pharma and petrochemical derivatives process industries, what percentage of safety incidents occurred during their tenure were a direct or indirect result of communication breakdown between shift teams, senior staff and supporting incidents. The fi ndings were sobering: •
Communication Breakdowns: More than 60% of respondents reported safety incidents directly tied to communication issues between shift teams, senior staff, and supporting personnel.
•
Incident Impact: Up to 25% of incidents were attributed to communication breakdowns, and 20% saw half of their incidents fall into this category.
Implementing Best Practices To address these challenges, manufacturers must embrace best practices in shift team communication. Here’s how: •
•
have access to a single source of truth. Real-time information ensures standardised communication, prevents misunderstandings, and supports swift responses to identifi ed problems.
Streamlined Communication: Move away from cumbersome paper logs. Electronic records, complete with signatures and escalation workfl ows, enhance accountability. They also keep operations up to date, ensuring both quality and safety.
•
The Human-Centric Paradigm: Remember that technology alone won’t suffi ce. In chemical plants, success hinges on the active participation of employees throughout daily operations. They need knowledge of 24/7 plant operations. Given the inherently dangerous nature of chemical processes, seamless collaboration and knowledge sharing are critical.
Digital Solutions: Deploy Industry 5.0 software solutions to create a connected environment. From the control room to the plant fl oor, everyone should
14 MAY 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
While technological advancements have revolutionised manufacturing across industries, chemical plants face a distinct challenge. The prevailing machine-centric paradigm has elevated technical capabilities but simultaneously exposed a critical gap; the need for experienced human expertise. As seasoned employees retire, they take with them invaluable tacit knowledge. This loss impacts operational effi ciency, uptime, and overall performance.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap eschbach identifi es a pivotal issue; communication gaps across shifts and roles. Manufacturers often lack a unifi ed solution that caters to diverse operational processes and serves all stakeholders. Here are the key requirements: •
Transparency across all roles: Manufacturers seek a solution that accommodates shift technicians, supervisors, process scientists, laboratory staff, maintenance personnel, schedulers, and site managers. This inclusivity ensures seamless collaboration and knowledge transfer.
•
Device-independent use: The ideal platform should be accessible from any device; be it desktop, tablet, or mobile. Flexibility in usage enhances effi ciency and responsiveness.
Customisable and compliant: Manufacturers demand confi gurability to align with their specifi c processes and procedures. Additionally, adherence to industry standards, such as GxP guidelines, is non-negotiable. Having a centralised digital platform for knowledge transfer and PPM at the site is, therefore, the new basis. Both process data, such as sensor data and equipment alerts, and human input, such as shift handover notes and instructions, inspection reports, and observations, need to be aggregated, as both are vital to decision-making.
•
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50