Mobile applications have become an integral part of our lives, but also to the various industries, revolutionizing the way tasks are managed and executed. In turnarounds, these applications offer significant potential to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and contribute to overall success. In this blog we share some ways in which mobile apps can facilitate more successful turnarounds, focusing on their impact on planning, communication, and real-time monitoring.
More effective planning and communication
One of the primary challenges in turnarounds is effective planning and communication among various stakeholders. Mobile apps provide a convenient platform for seamless collaboration, ensuring that all parties involved are synchronized and well-informed. These applications enable real-time access to critical project information, including work packs, activities, schedules, and progress updates. By utilizing features like push notifications and instant messaging, mobile apps enhance communication efficiency and promote effective decision-making throughout the turnaround process. Why wait with progress booking till the lunchbreak or end of the working day if you could do this easily in the field with the mobile app.
Faster Reporting of Scope change and Punch-items
Another area that deserves more attention in turnarounds is to easily report and react to scope changes. Think about extra and discovery work found during the execution. This needs to be reported to the right people quickly. Based on the impact on budget and time the decision makers need to get notifications to act immediately. The same is applicable for the punch-items. Creating these with a simple app when walking through the plant will save you time and a lot of extra manual handling. Creating a punch-item with a picture, sending this to a contractor to fix the issue and start following up on the priorities on your mobile ensures things are not forgotten and picked up way faster.
From Paper to Digital Quality Control Documents
We are also moving away from the paper printed quality control documents nowadays. In each turnaround, many of these quality control documents must be signed and filed as proof for future inspections. Think about Loop tests, ITP Piping reports and flange protocols for example. In today’s world you can have these forms digitalized so that people can view the information on mobile and sign-off on the mobile. Next to that also have all kind of dashboards available to look at the outstanding work and QA/QC deliverables for your turnaround. Making sure all required deliverables are received and accepted to handover the production systems to Operations.
Up-to-date monitoring of blinding and LOTO activities
All the blinding activities in the turnaround used to be driven by printed blind lists in the past. To get real-time insight if it is safe to work on the equipment there are apps available to digitally follow up on your blinding and LOTO (Lock Out Tag Out) activities. Using QR-codes to scan the specific blind point will allow you to see the status of the blind point. But also, the information if it is released to open or close a valve for example and which personal protections you need to work safely. By reporting in the mobile app that you have done the work the people in the office will have real-time insight into the current state of all the blinding work.
As a conclusion, Mobile applications have the potential to revolutionize turnaround management, offering a range of benefits including improved planning and communication and real-time monitoring.
