Energy

Energy
Expired

Energy

The insatiable global desire for energy fuels the 24/7 economy and requires a hardworking round-the-clock workforce. Often located in demanding environments, safe and productive performance is critical 24-hours a day.

Oil & Gas

Upstream exploration, production, off-shore rigs, refining, downstream transportation, and marketing: The global increase in demand for oil and gas has precipitated a major exploration push, strained production operations, exceeded refining capacity, and challenged all the various transportation and distribution channels.

This strain on the industry has particularly overburdened the workforce, which is working around-the-clock and struggling to keep up. As a result, the industry has put in place new ANSI standards for developing and implementing a Developing Fatigue Risk Management Systems (ANSI/API RP 755-2019).

 Other Issues

  • Long journeys/commutes to/from the worksites.
  • Increased difficulty/costs in accessing harder to reach oil and gas fields.
  • Harsh working environments.
  • Increased trucking and shipping risks.
  • Difficulty hiring, training, and retention.
  • Increased safety incidents.

Pipelines

Recent changes in the oil and gas pipeline industry have necessitated the implementation of fatigue mitigation countermeasures in pipeline control rooms.

The PHMSA control room management regulations (for example, CFR 49 192 and 195, Fatigue Mitigation) includes requirements for pipeline operators to implement specific shift work and fatigue training for controllers as well as hours of work guidelines that mitigate inherent schedule related fatigue. Furthermore, API/ANSI RP 755 provides guidelines on limits for hours of duty and minimum rest periods.

Nuclear Power

Electricity is provided around the clock, and consequently operators, distributors, and dispatchers need to cover this demand by working a system designed to cover 168 hours in a week.
In addition to shift scheduling, "fitness for duty" (i.e., fatigue management) and other training requirements are mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Juggling between these demands and meeting the needs of the operators, distributors and dispatchers requires a sophisticated management of the workforce. Shift pattern is also needed to maintain employee morale, productivity, and safe operations.

Electric Utilities

Continuous processes require a vigilant 24/7 workforce. The elevated level of automation makes critical monitoring highly monotonous. Special attention must be paid to control room design and methods so that employee alertness and performance are at high levels on all shifts.

How CIRCADIAN® can help you:

  • Email: Pipeline Controller Workload Assessment Program: Several of our pipeline clients have struggled with Part 195.446(e)(5). As a result, CIRCADIAN® has adapted a program that uses the NASA-TLX task load analysis to assist pipeline control rooms in complying with the regulation.
  • Schedule and Fatigue Assessment to Meet PHMSA Regulations: A means of providing the control room operators, managers, and their families with proven tips and countermeasures. We can all recognize signs of fatigue, increase alertness, get better sleep, and better manage the challenges of a shiftwork lifestyle. CIRCADIAN® 's on-site training covers all the topics required to meet the PHMSA regulation.
  • Fatigue Risk Management Systems (ANSI/API RP 755-2010): Comprehensive fatigue management programs will map out the course of action to maintain high safety standards while reducing costs associated with fatigue-related errors and incidents.
  • Staffing Level Analysis: Using advanced analysis techniques, CIRCADIAN® can identify the optimal staffing levels for your operation while considering the fluctuations in demand. We provide scientific review of optimal employee deployment, job requirements, length of operating campaigns, skill sets, financial constraints, and human design limitations.
  • Employee Training & Wellness Publications: For your managers and employees to perform their best, they must have the right information at their fingertips. Whether a monthly newsletter for shiftworkers or a management report on best practices, educating your people will allow them to perform better and be more productive.
  • Journey Management Programs: These programs evaluate and make recommendations regarding: Travel schedules and type of transportation, quality of accommodations during layovers, employee behavior traveling (sleep, meals, etc).
  • Shift Schedule Optimization: CIRCADIAN® collaborates with both managers and employees to identify a set of ideal schedule solutions to meet business, regulatory, and family/social needs.
  • 24/7 Workplace Evaluation and Design: The physiological stimuli for optimizing human alertness and performance (i.e., illumination, color, sound, temperature, etc.) are well established. CIRCADIAN® will utilize this knowledge base to assess the current control room and develop design recommendations to be incorporated into your planning process for retrofitting the work environment to maximize operator performance levels.
  • Sleep Disorders Screening. Many health care costs are dramatically increased due to untreated sleep disorders. CIRCADIAN® offers screening and treatment programs that will guide shiftworkers and employers through the process.

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