Everybody loves a good Vince Lombardi quote like “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” It is a great quote but a great understatement as well. Fatigue robs us of so much more than just our confidence. In the turnaround industry, overtime has become one of those “darned if you do and darned if you don’t” concepts. If you do have significant overtime, there are significant negatives that come with it. And if you don’t have significant overtime, you may not be able to attract or retain quality workers who are enticed by extra hours.
Turnarounds are notorious for producing exhaustion because of the immensity of the task that has to be accomplished in such a short window. In track and field, it would be akin to running a mile but sprinting like it is a 50-yard dash. Those who study turnarounds noticed very early the substantial impact of fatigue. Safety, productivity and quality are the impacts most often talked about, but there are other major impacts such as higher absenteeism and the disastrous damage that can be done to team chemistry when morale is low. Heavy overtime can affect the creativity and strategic thinking of the management team as well. Even communications can be negatively impacted.
Like it or not, the need for overtime has become a necessary evil for most. The good news about the associated fatigue is it can be managed effectively. Turnarounds need not be characterized by diminished productivity, lower morale, higher accident rates, increased worker mistakes and high unplanned absenteeism.
The three-week rule: The first general rule of thumb I found to be effective is the three-week rule. On average, people will work productively for only about three weeks when working heavy overtime. Beyond the third consecutive week, typically owners are paying a premium price for extended hours to get the productivity of a normal work day. The average worker will begin pacing himself when fatigue starts setting in. The problem with people is they all have human nature. Often, we are left with two unattractive options: slow down or break down.
Make absenteeism a part of the plan: Most companies have fatigue policies in place to enforce planned absenteeism. This should be viewed as a positive rather than a negative. Planned absenteeism can be offset by adjusting staffing levels accordingly. Unplanned absenteeism due to fatigue threatens the success of the turnaround. Remember the Pony Express mail service? A major key to its success was no horse had to run farther than 10 miles before resting.
Stagger fatigue days: Fatigue days should not leave your turnaround crews looking sparse whenever they occur. And certainly critical path work must be fully staffed at all times. Rather than scheduling whole crews to start on the same day at the beginning of the turnaround, crew members should be phased in over an adequate number of days. This will lower the number of unproductive workers at the beginning of the turnaround when things don’t go as planned, and it will allow fatigue days to have minimal impact.
Manage travelers: When there aren’t enough local workers available for all the turnarounds, workers have to be brought in from outside the area. Sites that don’t have a per diem policy should consider the benefits of implementing one. Workers with long commutes should be encouraged to remain in the area during off time. Especially when working extended hours, driving long distances each day can exacerbate fatigue, not to mention the hazard factor related to driving while tired.
Implement a strategic caffeine policy: Energy drinks and coffee have become staples in our society. They can give you the morning lift to get going, pick you up during the afternoon lull and give you a boost before you get home to interact with the family. But the downside is the vicious cycle caffeine can create. That lift you get can keep you up when you are trying to sleep, making you more fatigued than normal the next day, which creates more of a demand for caffeine. Workers should be reminded to use caffeine strategically: in moderation, only when really needed and not within several hours of bedtime. Workers who eliminate the use of sugar in their caffeine can avoid the low-energy sugar slump that follows.
For more information, contact Mike Bischoff or Ray Smith at (281) 461-9340, email sales@tamanagement.com or visit www.tamanagement.com.