Shift Handover Practices Questionnaire

About This Questionnaire

Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center and AVEVA are working together on a project called “Development of an Effective Framework for Shift Handover”, trying to identify both the advantages and deficiencies in current shift handover practices.

This questionnaire is designed to find out the current practices that operators use in a typical plant and how they communicate during shift handover. It should take about 15 minutes to complete.

These questions have nothing to do with assessing any individual or team. All information given will be treated as confidential. If you have any questions about the project or questionnaire, please contact Dr.Sam Mannan (mannan@tamu.edu).

Thank you for your time and help.

Question Title

* Before Starting,

Please indicate the code which best describes your job position:

P1-Outside Operator
P2-Panel Operator
P3-Lead or Supervising Operator
P4- Operations Supervisor or Foreman
P5-Team Leader or Manager

My Job Position Code Is:

I have _____________ years of experience for this job.

Question Title

* 1. The shift handover is critical to pass important process operating information from one operations team member to another. Based on the practice of your plant, how does this communication take place (you can choose more than one method)?

a) Verbal, face-to-face in the control room

b) Verbal, remote (Telephone, Web)

c) Log Book entries (hand written)

d) Log Book entries (electronic, software based)

e) E-mails

f) Other Comments

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* 2a. If you are using electronic Log Book systems, what kind of software are you using?

a) Lifetrack

b) Elogbook

c) Enotes

d) Symphony

e) Other systems

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* 2b. Do you record information automatically or manually through the software system (“automatically” means the Log Book system is connected to DCS, Data Historian or other data collection systems and could collect information without typing)?

a) Automatically

b) Manually

c) Both

If the Log Book system is connected to any other data collection system/equipment of the process, could you please give some examples?

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* 3. How often do you communicate face-to-face during the shift handover?

a) Every shift change

b) Only when something unusual happens

c) Not generally required

d) Other situations

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* 4a. If you have face-to-face communication, how much time do you take or need:

Based on a normal operation:

a) Just a few sentences

b) within 5 minutes

c) 5-10 minutes

d) Not necessary

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* 4b. Based on an unusual situation:

a) Just a few sentences

b) within 5 minutes

c) 5-10 minutes

d) longer than 10 minutes

e) Do you sometimes go to the equipment that is giving trouble to further explain the problem?

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* 4c. Please give one or more examples of unusual situations that need longer time or need a visit to the equipment:

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* 5. How often do you discuss abnormal situations (such as spurious trips and alarms) during communications or highlight them in the shift log book?

a) Only when they occurred on the previous shift(s)

b) If there was some significant change in operations or schedule

c) Other, please describe

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* 6. How often does an assigned task span more than one shift, such as process start-up/shutdown?

a) Weekly

b) Monthly

c) Rarely

d) Never

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* 7. Do you share shift log information between different facilities (such as share similar equipment’s failure information)?

a) Yes

b) No

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* 8. If you have face-to-face communication meetings during the shift handover, which type of meeting do you use:

a) Lead operator (former shift) to lead operator(coming shift)

b) Lead operator (former shift) to all (coming shift)

c) all (former shift) to leader(coming shift)

d) all (former shift) to all (coming shift)

e) Operator to operator, lead operator to lead operator

f) Other formats

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* 9a. Have you ever encountered the situation that you did not understand the information the previous shift provided?

a) Yes

b) No

c) If Yes, where or how do you get help

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* 9b. Could you please give an example if you have this kind of experience?

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* 10. How often does the previous or next shift ask questions to you to understand what you say?

a) Every time

b) Very often

c) Seldom

d) None

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* 11. How often does it happen that you, previous, or next shift are not present during the turn over?

a) The typical situation

b) Very often

c) Seldom

d) None

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* 12. What kinds of reasons make you absent from the communications?

a) Do not feel it is necessary

b) Occupied with other work

c) Physical reason (e.g., sick)

d) Late (e.g., traffic reason)

e) Others

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* 13. If one shift is not present during the shift change, how does the in-coming shift ensure they have a good understanding of the prevailing process and equipment conditions?

a) Telephone

b) Log Book (paper or electronic)

c) E-mails

d) Ask somebody else to convey

e) Other reason(s)

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* 14. Is there any guidance for you to follow in order to ensure the consistency and structure of shift change communications?

a) No

b) Yes

If you choose yes, could you please simply describe the guidance?

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* 15a. Do you feel all people are active and interested in face-to-face shift handover?

a) No

b) Yes

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* 15b. What could be the potential reason for the failure to communicate?

a) Personality

b) Too tired after long hours of work

c) Urgent/emergency situations with their families

d) Consider it not necessary or unimportant

e) Lack of shift handover recording system (e.g., no log book)

f) Others

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* 16. How often do language barriers, ethnic/cultural factors, or experience level of the parties involved affect the quality of the shift handover?

a) Very often

b) Seldom

c) None

Please specify the predominant reason:

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* 17. What other parties in the organization do you most frequently consult during the shift and at shift handover?

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* 18. Let us assume you can always find the emergency evacuation plans and exits from some information sources. If such plans or exits are changed for some reason (e.g., exits are blocked due to maintenance work) --Are you usually informed for the changes?

a) Always

b) Sometimes

c) Occasionally

d) Rarely

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* 19. What kind of information do you exchange with previous or next shift during communications (such as abnormal situations: spills, leaks, destructive vibrations, strange equipment behavior, or feed source changes, maintenance in progress, etc.)?

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* 20. Communications during shift handover might need different medium channels. What kind of medium channels do you prefer to use if the current system could be improved?

a) Face-to-face talk

b) Phone

c) Paper Log Book

d) Paper based format forms (uniform format)

e) Computer based Log Book

f) Computer based format forms (uniform format)

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* 21. You may need many kinds of information about the process (such as P&ID, process description, maintenance log, process procedure, specific operating procedures like filter startup, or furnace shutdown, maximum pressures on equipment, maximum levels in storage tanks, minimum or maximum pH in discharged liquids). How often do you feel the necessary information is available?

a) Always

b) Often

c) Seldom

d) Never

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* 22a. What information from the following list do you use during the shift and at shift handover? If you use any of these, could you please provide the name of the system (hardware or software system)?

1) Permit to work status (one of the most important items of shift handover). Name:

2) Alarm defeat logs. Name:

3) Emergency Shutdown Device (ESD) defeat logs. Name:

4) Controller mode status (e.g., loops in manual mode). Name:

5) P&IDS. Name:

6) 3D models (if available). Name:

7) Sample logs – (e.g., lab results). Name:

8) Defective equipment log. Name:

9) Night order book. Name:

10) Unit and Factory standing instructions/orders. Name:

11) Work order log, etc. Name:

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* 22b. Please list any other information:

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* 22c. How the information is available to you (e.g., from a software access) if you are using any of above system?

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* 23. How often do you ask for process information from people outside of the shift handover? An example would be talking on the phone with a previous operator after your shift.

a) Daily

b) Weekly

c) Monthly

d) Rarely

e) Never

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* 24. How often do you usually refer to this source of process information?

a) Multiples times per shift

b) Once per shift

c) Weekly

d) Monthly

e) Rarely

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* 25a. How quickly can you find the process information you want?

a) Less than 15 minutes

b) About 30 minutes

c) More than 1 hour

d) Do not use it

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* 25b. How do you access the process information if you need it?

a) From computer resources

b) From paper records

c) Find out from shift supervisors or others

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* 26. If you do not use it personally, how important do you think the information is for your team as a whole?

a) Vital—it must be available when needed

b) Useful—but it is possible to manage without it

c) Not a or b, but it keeps everyone aware of what other people are doing on the plant

d) It is sometimes looked at it for casual interest

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* 27. What in your opinion would improve the current shift handover practice (Such as-- allow sufficient time, need more attention, use more advanced software, easier access to information)?

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* 28. How good is the accuracy (quality) of the information that you use during the shift and at shift handover?

a. The information is accurate

b. Accuracy is poor

c. Accuracy should be improved

d. Please provide any other comment relating to information accuracy and access below

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* 29. In your opinion and from your experience could any incidents (production loss, plant upsets and/or safety incidents, etc.) be attributable to:

a. Poor shift handover communication?

b. Poor information accuracy and quality?

c. Difficulty in obtaining or accessing the information you need?

d. Other?

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* 30. In your opinion and from your plant operating experience what would be the single most important aspect of shift handover that could be improved to make shift handover more effective and efficient?

Question Title

* Before Starting,Please indicate the code which best describes your job position:P1-Outside OperatorP2-Panel Operator P3-Lead or Supervising OperatorP4- Operations Supervisor or ForemanP5-Team Leader or Manager

Question Title

* 1. The shift handover is critical to pass important process operating information from one operations team member to another. Based on the practice of your plant, how does this communication take place (you can choose more than one method)?

Question Title

* 2a. If you are using electronic Log Book systems, what kind of software are you using?

Question Title

* 2b. Do you record information automatically or manually through the software system (“automatically” means the Log Book system is connected to DCS, Data Historian or other data collection systems and could collect information without typing)?

Question Title

* 3. How often do you communicate face-to-face during the shift handover?

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* 4a. If you have face-to-face communication, how much time do you take or need:Based on a normal operation:

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* 4b. Based on an unusual situation:

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* 4c. Please give one or more examples of unusual situations that need longer time or need a visit to the equipment:

Question Title

* 5. How often do you discuss abnormal situations (such as spurious trips and alarms) during communications or highlight them in the shift log book?

Question Title

* 6. How often does an assigned task span more than one shift, such as process start-up/shutdown?

Question Title

* 7. Do you share shift log information between different facilities (such as share similar equipment’s failure information)?

Question Title

* 8. If you have face-to-face communication meetings during the shift handover, which type of meeting do you use:

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* 9a. Have you ever encountered the situation that you did not understand the information the previous shift provided?

Question Title

* 9b. Could you please give an example if you have this kind of experience?

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* 10. How often does the previous or next shift ask questions to you to understand what you say?

Question Title

* 11. How often does it happen that you, previous, or next shift are not present during the turn over?

Question Title

* 12. What kinds of reasons make you absent from the communications?

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* 13. If one shift is not present during the shift change, how does the in-coming shift ensure they have a good understanding of the prevailing process and equipment conditions?

Question Title

* 14. Is there any guidance for you to follow in order to ensure the consistency and structure of shift change communications?

Question Title

* 15a. Do you feel all people are active and interested in face-to-face shift handover?

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* 15b. What could be the potential reason for the failure to communicate?

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* 16. How often do language barriers, ethnic/cultural factors, or experience level of the parties involved affect the quality of the shift handover?

Question Title

* 17. What other parties in the organization do you most frequently consult during the shift and at shift handover?

Question Title

* 18. Let us assume you can always find the emergency evacuation plans and exits from some information sources. If such plans or exits are changed for some reason (e.g., exits are blocked due to maintenance work) --Are you usually informed for the changes?

Question Title

* 19. What kind of information do you exchange with previous or next shift during communications (such as abnormal situations: spills, leaks, destructive vibrations, strange equipment behavior, or feed source changes, maintenance in progress, etc.)?

Question Title

* 20. Communications during shift handover might need different medium channels. What kind of medium channels do you prefer to use if the current system could be improved?

Question Title

Question Title

* 22a. What information from the following list do you use during the shift and at shift handover? If you use any of these, could you please provide the name of the system (hardware or software system)?

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* 22b. Please list any other information:

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* 22c. How the information is available to you (e.g., from a software access) if you are using any of above system?

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* 23. How often do you ask for process information from people outside of the shift handover? An example would be talking on the phone with a previous operator after your shift.

Question Title

* 24. How often do you usually refer to this source of process information?

Question Title

* 25a. How quickly can you find the process information you want?

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* 25b. How do you access the process information if you need it?

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* 26. If you do not use it personally, how important do you think the information is for your team as a whole?

Question Title

* 27. What in your opinion would improve the current shift handover practice (Such as-- allow sufficient time, need more attention, use more advanced software, easier access to information)?

Question Title

* 28. How good is the accuracy (quality) of the information that you use during the shift and at shift handover?

Question Title

* 29. In your opinion and from your experience could any incidents (production loss, plant upsets and/or safety incidents, etc.) be attributable to:

Question Title

* 30. In your opinion and from your plant operating experience what would be the single most important aspect of shift handover that could be improved to make shift handover more effective and efficient?

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* 31. When dealing with existing work permits (work orders for internal operators or contractors), how do you communicate the status of on-going work?

Question Title

* Before Starting,

Please indicate the code which best describes your job position:

P1-Outside Operator
P2-Panel Operator
P3-Lead or Supervising Operator
P4- Operations Supervisor or Foreman
P5-Team Leader or Manager

* 4a. If you have face-to-face communication, how much time do you take or need:

Based on a normal operation: