Operating Discipline (OD)

1
Operating Discipline (OD)

• Presented to ES-317y at UWO in 1999
• Dick Hawrelak

2
Operating Discipline Origin

• Developed by Bob Boldt, Sarnia Division Manager,
  in the early 1980s.
• OD is about the history of plant know-how.
• OD is about preserving and transfering know-how
  so we dont have to learn the same lessons over
  and over again.

3
Definition of OD

• OD is the knowledge and understanding of
  thousands of details required to operate
  efficiently, reliably and safely and the
  dedicated attention needed to ensure their use
  all of the time.

4
Other OD Features

• OD is about management of systems including
  procedures and good operating practices.
• OD is concerned with training new plant
  superintendents as they tackle new assignments in
  production.

5
OD Concerns

• Critical process operating conditions (reactor
  temperatures, furnace combustion ratios).
• Mundane operating details (lubrication schedules,
  maintenance procedures, keeping PIds up-to-date,
  managing pipe specifications).

6
OD Council

• The Div. Mgr. heads a OD Council of experts
  including, engineering, research, maintenance,
  instrumentation, marketing, etc.
• When a new Plant. Superintendent is appointed,
  one of his first tasks is to up-date the OD Book
  for that plant. It takes about 3 months to
  up-date the OD Book.

7
The OD Book

• This is a summary of the design book, process
  flowsheets with heat and material balances,
  PIds, the operating manual, the emergency
  manual, SLP incident records, research activity,
  competition, marketing opportunities, etc.

8
OD Presentation

• Within 3 months of a new appointment, the new
  Supt. must make a presentation to the OD Council
  to demonstrate that he has learned the thousands
  of details required to operate the plant
  efficiently, reliably and safely.
• The council questions the Supt to see if he has
  learned all the past mistakes and they either
  pass or fail his appointment.

9
Results

• OD proved to be a very effective way to transfer
  know-how.
• OD was applied throughout Dows global network
  from about 1980 till 1995.
• As a result of downsizing in the 90s, most of the
  council experts had retired and the concept that
  was concerned with history became history.

10
Possible Exam Question.

• Describe what is meant by Operating Discipline at
  Dow Chemical.