With a constant call for more attention to ‘whole of life’ issues in the delivery of new projects, the objective of “Operational Readiness” is to reduce the overall project development costs whilst maximising start up effectiveness and subsequent whole of life project performance. The Reliability focus under the guise of Operational Readiness should span the six key areas of; Design, Buy, Store, Install, Operate and Maintain for Reliability if reliability excellence is to be achieved early in the project’s life. It is during these first four phases in particular where we have the greatest opportunity to influence the ongoing reliability of the assets for the lowest possible expenditure.
Remember! “Your systems are perfectly designed to give you the results you get”
(W. Edwards Deming).
It is important to note that the principles of operational readiness should be applied regardless of the size of the project.
The primary goal of operation readiness is to change the focus of the project from simply delivering a completed project based on time and cost, to delivering asset s that can be operated at specification while meeting business performance objectives from the first day of operation.
Asset operational readiness aims to maximise alignment between the project team and operation from the prefeasibility phase through to handover to operations and to ensure appropriate procedures and systems are in place to achieve and sustain the project objectives.
When operations involvement does not occur through the project phases, the project team usually implements an asset that does not fit the requirements or site specifications. This results in a difficult handover period that can lead to rejection of the asset all together or an asset that does not operate to the intended specifications, from the plant or original designer. Other difficulties include a loss of information, such as equipment BOMS, that takes someone significantly longer to chase up after installation, non-existing plans for maintenance and equipment that does not meet site rules and regulations.
On the other hand, strong involvement by operations throughout the project leads to acceptance of new assets for continued operation.