UMC 2016 February 26, 2016 Operational Workload and Staffing Review Paves the Way for Continuous Operational Improvement Mike Mereness Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, Assistant General Manager Jack Geisenhoff EMA, Inc., Practice Group Manager
Agenda 1. Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) Background 2. Drivers for Change 3. Work analysis 4. Redesign and Implementation
SECTION 1 Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) Background
About the Metropolitan Council Operates regional wastewater system Operates the region s bus and rail system Provides forecasts of the region s population and household growth Provides a framework for decisions and implementation for regional systems including aviation, transportation, parks and open space, water quality and water management
MCES Wastewater System Serves 2.5M People Eight treatment plants 600 miles of regional interceptors Estimated $5-6 billion replacement value Capacity to treat 372 million gallons per day of wastewater flow 105 communities connected
Environmental Services Facts Energy efficient saved $4.7M in 2014 on fossil-fuel energy purchases compared to 2006 Recognized by Xcel Energy as a leader in industrial energy efficiency in MN Numerous national awards for perfect discharge permit compliance Hastings (24 years) St. Croix Valley (23 years) Seneca (14 years) Blue Lake (9 years) Eagle Point (9 years) Empire (7 years)
Reheated in secondary Heat Exchanger Fluidizing Air preheated in primary heat exchanger Stack Metro Plant Solids Processing System Includes State of the Art Air Pollution Control and Waste Heat Recovery Centrifuge dewatering Sprays for cooling Ammonia for NOx removal Superheated Steam Turbine/Generator 5.0 MW Particulate Removal Cake Bins Cake pumps Hot Windbox Fluid Bed Reactor (CO Reduction) Fluidizing Air Blower Waste Heat Boiler Room Air & Odorous Air Carbon Injection Tower (Mercury Lead Removed) Fabric Filter Dry Ash transporter system Wet Scrubber; Acid gas absorber (caustic addition); Multiple Venturi (Ring jets) (S02 Removal) Wet ESP ID Fan
SECTION 2 Drivers for Change
Drivers for Change Large increase in capital costs / debt service Primarily for interceptor preservation Aging infrastructure Rate increases may be at the edge of public acceptance $1,200 $900 $600 $300 946 1,034 1,043 1,082 1,152 1,146 1,218 1,281 1,312 1,321 1,324 $200 $150 $100 $50 $0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Series3 Series1 $0
Benchmarking shows opportunity for reduced staffing St. Louis Phoenix Denver MCES 150 MGD 230 MGD 200 MGD 250 MGD MH Incinerators Digesters Centrifuges Night Shift Staffing Digesters Centrifuges Centriguges FB Incinerators Steam/Turbine 4-5 Operators 6 Operators 4 Operators 15-16 Operators 31 MGD -- -- 38 MGD Digestors BFP -- -- Digestors Centrifuges 1 Operator -- -- 4 Operators
High Attrition is an Opportunity 4 1 3 29 Operator Retirements 2 11 11 7 16 16 15 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Fatigue Management is a concern May be able to mitigate fatigue issues by Reduction of off shift staffing Movement of work to week - days M T W Th F S Su M T W Th F S Su 7 AM A Shift D Shift A Shift D Shift 7 PM B Shift E Shift B Shift E Shift 7 AM
Other Drivers / Opportunities Provide greater transparency for the work performed in operations Increase operator professionalism Leverage technology Automation Mobile tools Workload management
SECTION 3 Work Analysis
Reheated in secondary Heat Fluidizing Air preheated in primary heat exchanger Typical Viewpoints Asset Viewpoint What is the state of my assets? What O&M and CIP strategies are needed? Process Viewpoint How well is the process performing against goals? What process adjustments are needed? Cake Bins Centrifuge dewatering Cake pump s Sprays for cooling Ammonia for NOx removal Hot Windbox Fluid Bed Reactor (CO Reduction) Waste Heat Boiler Fluidizing Air Blower Room Air & Odorous Air Superheated Steam Carbon Injection Tower (Mercury Lead Removed) Turbine/Generator 5.0 MW Particulate Removal Fabric Filter Dry Ash transporter system Wet Scrubber; Acid gas absorber (caustic addition); Multiple Venturi (Ring jets) (S02 Removal) Wet ESP ID Fan Exchanger Stack
Chose to Use Worker Viewpoint Worker Viewpoint What are workers doing? What organization and staffing is needed? 100% 80% 60% 3% 1% 1% 8% 9% 27% 9% 36% Series3 40% 20% 61% 91% 73% 82% Series2 Series1 0% 1 2 3 4 5
Summary of Approach Collect data about worker activity Analyze data to understand current workload and work that needs to be completed Redesign and solution implementation
Understanding Workload What work needs to be done? What work is being done now? What is the risk (and likelihood) of not doing work? What skills are needed for the work? Who is available to work? How much time do they have to work? What is the frequency and duration of work tasks? How can we categorize the work?
Using the Data to Understand Work
Develop Understanding of Effort vs. Risk
Eliminate Reduce Shift Redesign Process ELIMINATE NO REDUCE YES YES NO SHIFT NO REDESIGN YES OPTIMIZED TASK YES
Divided Work into Three Categories 1. Dedicated Work Done daily at a minimum. For example, doing rounds or monitoring HMI screens 2. Planned/Scheduled Work Work that can be planned and scheduled ahead of time. For example, chemical delivery or cleaning DO probes 3. Non-Routine Work Work that cannot be anticipated well in advance emergency work (such as storm response) non-emergency work (such as cleaning up a spill)
SECTION 3 Redesign and Solution Implementation
Summary of Approach 1 2 3 4 Redesign and Implement Operator Positions Pilot New Operator Positions Use Work Management System Pilot Mobile Application On Tablets Core Work (Dedicated Operator) Planned/Scheduled & Unplanned Event Work (Relief Operator) Oracle WAM Captures All Operations Work
Separation of Work Area 1 Work Area 1 Operator Area 1 Operator Area 1 Work Area 2 Work Planned/ Scheduled work Dedicated Operator work Area 2 Operator Area 2 Work Area 2 Operator Separate Area 1 and Area 2 work into two categories: 1. Dedicated Operator Work typically done at least once every day Cannot put it off to another day 2. Planned/Scheduled Work Tasks that do not have to be done immediately Can be planned and scheduled
Redistribute work process Area 1 Work Area 2 Work Planned/ Scheduled Work Area 1 Operator Area 2 Operator Relief Operator Dedicated Work Planned/ Scheduled Work Dedicated Operator Relief Operator Relief Operator
Planned/Scheduled Work Gives more flexibility in getting the needed work completed but requires more management Implemented Oracle Work and Asset Management System for Operations (WAMO) to track all work manager to plan, schedule, and follow-up on completed work Piloting mobile WAMO for operators to access work information realtime
Mobile Application
MCES Results to Date On-going implementation of redesign\consolidations in other plants 14 positions eliminated 10 additional in planning stage 1 Implementation of WAMO and WAMO mobile 3 2
OWSR Has Exposed Efficiency Opportunities Alarm Optimization New Instrumentation (TSS & Blanket Analyzers) Auto Restart after power outage Improved Maintenance Coordination Cross Training (LBU & SMBU) Process Cameras Contracted Fire Alarm Monitoring Mobile Control Room Concept Improved Route Planning
OWSR Implementation Challenges Attrition is faster than the process Transition period increased Overtime and Fatigue Wireless Communication needs for mobile Labor Relations tensions Work Practice Changes Increase Movement of Staff Revealing training Inefficiencies Need More SOPs/Job Aids Implementation not yet System-Wide
Benefits for MCES Greater transparency in operations Labor savings without increasing risk or reducing performance Optimized staff time Increased workforce flexibility Increased focus on planning for and managing nonroutine events Better management of potential fatigue and its related consequences Brings additional efficiency opportunities to light
Questions? Contact Mike Mereness at mike.mereness@metc.state.mn.us or Jack Geisenhoff at jgeisenhoff@ema-inc.com