Chemical plant downtime costs the industry an average of $20 billion a year. Mobile operator rounds can cut costly unplanned downtime while improving chemical plant safety by giving decision makers real-time data they can use to take prompt remedial action.
A survey finds that 88% of accidents in the chemical industry are due to release of toxic chemicals. Inefficient maintenance of storage tanks, pumps and other critical equipment is the cause of such incidents. To strengthen equipment maintenance in the chemical industry, enhancing operator rounds - the first step to maintenance, is critical. Will mobile operator rounds solutions help you optimize the process?
Challenges Facing Chemical Operators Rounds
Working with chemical equipment like vacuum pans, mixers is a risky job. Should a hazardous gas leak, it will cost lives and harm the environment. For example, the recent Vizag gas tragedy killed 11 and impacted thousands of lives. It happened while restarting operations in a chemical plant after a 40-day shutdown. Failing to detect a leak in a storage tank caused this tragedy.
Performing operator rounds effectively helps companies prevent such catastrophic incidents. However, many chemical companies today still use paper forms to perform operator rounds. Paper-based operator rounds, inspections and checklists bring problems that erase many of the task’s benefits. These issues render the inspections ineffective at best, useless at worst. They also lead to increased costs, lost productivity, revenue disruptions, and potential fines and penalties.
An operator round inspection needs to be thorough to be effective. A static paper checklist just can’t achieve this. It’s not easy to alter a paper checklist or form to reflect changing business or operational needs. Furthermore, an inspector may skip checklist items or leave them uncompleted. Decision makers need the completed checklist quickly to figure out what action to take.However, paper-based operator rounds are static objects. The information remains unseen and unknown until the technician completes the form and turns it in or manually uploads data into an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, such as SAP.
Leveraging Mobile Operator Rounds Solutions
Mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, wearables, etc.) replace paper checklists and binders, enabling technicians to collect accurate, mission-critical information in less time. Technicians access digital forms on their device to conduct the round. These digital forms are dynamic, unlike paper checklists, meaning they can be quickly and easily changed on the fly to better meet a plant’s situational needs. The data is immediately uploaded into the back-office system, letting decision makers view inspection results in real time.
Technicians scan equipment barcodes and complete the digital form by checking customized data fields to indicate the present operational status and safety condition. That information is immediately uploaded electronically into the back-office system. Decision makers can view inspection information on their own mobile device or on a desktop app. They can also communicate and collaborate with the technician as he or she is conducting the round. This means nothing is overlooked, questions or concerns can be instantly addressed, risk and threat levels quickly ascertained, and action taken before downtime is incurred or a safety threat emerges.
To sum up, mobile operator rounds solutions help you overcome these key challenges by replacing paper-based processes:
- Lack of real time visibility
- Lack of real time data visibility
- Low/no value data
- Lack of risk modeling
Want to Learn More about Mobile Operator Rounds?
Our experts are always happy to help you learn more about mobile operator rounds solutions and how it helps your chemical company? Schedule a free demo today or call us at 844-464-6668.
