This topic relates to the age old topic of communication and it’s vital importance.

Communication between the commissioning group and all other project related disciplines including the operations and maintenance teams is just so important to ensure many things get organized, but important topics to clarify include:

• Roles and responsibilities
• Attendance at Factory acceptance tests
• Design reviews
• Safety topics including PSSR and Energy and Chemical introduction
• Training
• Accounting for cost
• Audits and reviews of readiness

The list goes on…

As I travel working and speaking at conferences I am often asked “what is the most challenging aspect of my role as a commissioning manager”. My immediate and truthful reply is always to suggest that working as a team and ensuring my team is content is number one, but investing the time to ensure the communication and understanding nextworks are also functioning is a very close second.

Keep talking guys…
Safe and successful commissioning always…

May I please inform those interested in this year’s Leeds (UK) University Commissioning Course, planned to be held during 9th until 11th of July, where I was to speak on the topics of commissioning hazard studies and my “Top Ten Tips” for commissioning, that unfortunately this year’s event has had to be cancelled.

May I also please inform those interested that this years MarcusEvans 7th annual commissioning course held between 25th to 27th August in Kuala Lumpur is in the final stages of development, I plan to speak on day 1 and hold a full day’s workshop on the third day with pertinent topics on commissioning methodology and general preparedness.

Safe and successful commissioning always…

On larger commissioning projects, things can get very manic and the organization of our efforts very challenging, I always try and revert back to being as simple and as clear as I can.

As regulation of our activities becomes understandingly more complex, having robust and simple systems to document our work has to be the way forward. Try and resist the use of complicated paperwork systems and associated filing methods, we need to be in a position to quickly find our reference materials if required, nothing can be more annoying than to have to reference several volumes to track down the one procedure or check sheet we are looking for.

I also advocate keeping the electronic document depository as simple and as user friendly as possible also, with easy to use numbering and management systems, who can write, edit and check the documents we draft etc.

Easier said than done perhaps, but simplicity where-ever possible is the key.

Safe and successful commissioning always…

An interesting question was posed at a recent presentation I gave and one that in most projects comes up, that of initial control of energy.

Specifically it was raised in regard to initial power up of electrical motors so they can be bump tested and have an initial run in conducted on them. These types of test usually fall under the construction completions and or pre-commissioning phase and if all these types of check are conducted by the commissioning team, then energy management is fairly straight forward, it is directly under the control of the commissioning group and it will fall generally under the control systems and procedures of the company the commissioning team work for.

The more confusing time is if the electrical tests are being undertaken as part of the installation contractors work. I shall offer no magical solution here, each project in its own right needs to come up with a suitable answer that satisfies all local and legal legislation, suffice to say, something, some robust management system must be put into place to safely manage the initial energization of electrical items and clear mandates put out, communicated and agreed, just exactly who is in control of the work.

Truly an interesting and often asked question and one on every project that needs serious consideration.

Safe and successful commissioning to you always…

Whilst in the throes of  organizing the preparation phase of the commissioning effort, other than drafting commissioning procedures thoughts to the implementation stage can be distant and especially where the commissioning team will be based.

On smaller and brownfield projects or within the confines of an established complex, where the commissioning team will sit may not be an issue as temporary accommodation and or office space may be readily available. However on larger projects spread over a wide geographic area that may not be the case. Consider where the core team will be based and of course account for trailers, furniture, IT, rest rooms etc. If you are spread out over a large area, separate satellite offices may be required so the team is “at the work-face”. I would always advocate being close to the construction handover team especially around the time punch listing takes place so regular meetings can be convened. There is also the commissioning war room to also think about and where to place those all-important check and tracking sheets.

Finally let us not forget considerations for loop testing and control room occupancy. If the commissioning effort is being conducted in a control area which is being used for ongoing operations, significant radio traffic may disrupt their work, so considerations must be made for  temporary control rooms and DCS interfaces to get loop tests done with minimal operational disruption. Of course this raises the issue of radio traffic in general and band widths and uses, but this is the topic perhaps of another BLOG!

Safe and successful commissioning always…

It is not uncommon for equipment and package units to be delivered to site early, if this is the case, a plan must be put in place to ensure the preservation of the equipment is considered and maintained.

The preservation can come in various forms, simple hand turning of motors and moving parts, greasing and oiling schemes and protocols and if the package has had an inert gas pad put onto it, the monitoring of the inert preservation pad and a plan to attend to the equipment should the pressure be lost.

In many cases the initial preservation may come under the control of the construction group, but in other instances, the preservation may fall under the commissioning team, hence a plan needs to be considered, put into place with all supporting documentation duly created, monitored and regularly completed and inspection routines established and carried out.

Time spent investing in the preservation of our equipment at the right opportunity and indeed place, can save significant issues later during the commissioning window.

Safe and successful commissioning always…