The computer was to have eliminated most of the memos, missives and managerial decrees that circulate within departments, between departments and from head office to the operating mine. The computer did nothing of the sort. If anything, the paper tide is still rising. And the maintenance department hasn’t escaped this deluge. But effective written communication, which in maintenance is that vital link between operators and maintenance people, does not occur fortuitously. All too often the department adopts a form, say for a vehicle checklist, that has been in use elsewhere, automatically believing in its efficacy simply because other mines use it. With regard to this practice, I offer a word of advice: Don’t. There’s nothing wrong with reviewing forms that maintenance departments at other mines use, but choose those that are, or can be, tailor-made for your operations.
Relevant, effective forms and checklists require your unique expertise. Don’t abrogate that responsibility. In other cases, checklists and forms become lengthy and complex and include requests for information of no practical use. The individual forms seem to grow of their own accord over time. This happens because there is a fear of omitting that one ingredient that may or may not truly flavor the stew. It may be that new forms, designed to answer management’s specific needs, are required. By continually updating these and keeping them relevant, you will avoid irritating the operators, who have to fill out the forms. Along the way, some paperwork might even be eliminated. And it will certainly be the case that the effectiveness of the rest will be assured.
So let’s go back to basics for a minute. The maintenance department collects data to ensure a quick response to safety and production needs. Checklists of equipment readings, reports of equipment problems and requests for repairs are necessary to provide proper maintenance. And it is preferable that these be in written form. Who is the true source of this information? While maintenance workers and maintenance inspectors can identify areas needing attention, much of the information must come from production personnel. Operators check and use equipment daily, so they are best able to spot changes and problems.
But operators are notorious for being contemptuous of paperwork. So make the forms as simple as possible and the questions relevant. As an example, consider the maintenance of underground mobile equipment. Pre-operation checklists are provided to operators. Often these are treated by them as merely useless pieces of paper. Why? Operators may feel that checks on equipment are really a maintenance function and that they are being asked to do it just to please maintenance. If the operators understand that proper maintenance affects their own safety and production, they might be more co-operative.
As well, operators may not understand why the maintenance department requires the data and what they will be used for. If the maintenance department has developed a good working relationship with operations people, it should be able to communicate the rationale behind all its doings. What is unforgivable is this: a slow response by maintenance when problems have been indicated. That will lead operators to feel that all the checking and reporting asked of them is a waste of time. There will be occasions, too, when resentment may be felt by an operator who feels he has a better way than that practised by maintenance. Advice from experienced and interested operators is invaluable and should always be encouraged.
It is possible in some cases that the operators do not know exactly what is expected of them. Although instruction in completing checklists and reports should be part of a good training program, all too often this is neglected entirely or just skimmed over. The operators will in turn, treat it as unimportant. It may be necessary for maintenance to assume reponsibility for teaching the operators how to complete checklists properly. Every worker must fully understand the forms he is asked to fill out. The maintenance department should query operators who are not complying and try to correct any problems that may arise.
For quite another reason there will also be instances when an operator may not complete a form. It is estimated that about one-quarter of the adult population of Canada is functionally illiterate. These people may have some education and be able to read individual words, but they can’t understand written forms or instructions. The 1988 Canadian Business Task Force on Literacy reports that illiteracy costs the Canadian economy plenty. every year. And it is estimated that industrial accidents caused by poor reading skills cost as much as C$1.6 billion a year. Many people are verbally competent and have good hands-on skills but find it almost impossible to work with written material. More often, though, recent immigrants might make up a good percentage of the mine workforce. In such cases, some workers may be literate in their first language but have only verbal skills in their second langauge.
Regardless of the cause, a communication problem that affects maintenance affects you. As part of the maintenance team, you will have to get to the root of the problem and solve it.
The larger issues of language and literacy aside, paper communication is the lynchpin of maintenance. Compare the two checklists on this page. It is apparent that the one is shorter, easier to read and more easily understood. The simpler form is more likely to be completed by all workers.
Follow the simple rules I have detailed above, and you should realize improved communications between your department and the production crews. You will also be the overall flow of paperwork that, contrary to expectations, is rising with the proliferation of computers.
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