Offshore drilling rigs and production platforms. Large vessels in a chemical plant. Catcrackers. The world is full of massive surfaces that pose access, maintenance and repair challenges. Consider the to-do list on a typical industrial project: 1) Obtain precise dimensions; 2) Decide on the best approach — Build up from below or suspend from above? Will a moving platform be required? What about weather protection?; 3) Develop a schedule for coordinated delivery of equipment and services; 4) Transport the right equipment to the right place at the right time; 5) Set up equipment and provide any needed training; 6) Execute painting and other industrial services as requested; 7) Track and manage all equipment, inspections and labor; and 8) Dismantle and clean up.
Of course, all of these elements are interdependent. A miscalculation on one almost always spells problems with the others, negatively impacting productivity and costs and even damaging business relationships. Worst of all, workers can get hurt.
But there’s good news for those facing such a challenge. Safway Services, a national access and industrial services innovator, advocates its “Smart Way” of approaching complex jobs. The Smart Way™ is Safway’s business model that brings together engineering, planning and products in a complementary array of industrial services.
“It’s a proven way to improve performance,” said Tim Siemek, Safway’s vice president for Multiservices. “We bundle together soft trades, such as access, surface prep and industrial coatings, and then oversee the entire project systematically in real time.”
The Safway Tracking System (STS) is an important component of the Smart Way. STS brings together information about a project’s equipment, labor and productivity to provide cost transparency for owners and identify opportunities for process improvement.
“STS is a lens that brings Safway’s broad involvement into clear focus,” said Steve Wilson, president of the firm’s Canada division. “We can stay on top of key performance indicators, spotting any potential issues long before they become problems.”
Maximizing tool time is also essential to optimizing any schedule. “Smart planning really begins months before anyone picks up a hammer,” explained Wilson. “It starts with improved communication and encompasses every aspect of a project.”
Siemek added, “By getting involved upfront, we’re better able to understand project objectives and potential pitfalls. It helps us drive the project along the critical path and gives us an opportunity to find ways to save customers time and money.
“Another practical advantage of Safway’s multiservice approach is the client is not absorbing the overhead for three or four different contractors, but just one.”
Providing such a wide scope of services and solid oversight changes the fundamental nature of Safway’s relationships with its customers. “Making sure all the activities and services are in sync is on Safway, not the customer,” explained Siemek.
The Smart Way comes through in safety as well as productivity. “When you get safety right, productivity will follow,” noted Wilson. “Budgets and schedules change, but safety is non-negotiable.”
For more information, visit www.safway.com or call (800) 558-4772.
