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This FAQ addresses vital aspects of One Field Services and Live Outage, including team organization, quality control, outage planning, and safety management. It dives into team structure, procedure updates, efficient outage execution, platform adoption, and risk mitigation, providing clear insights into how these elements contribute to effective outage planning.
Live Outage replaces traditional paper-based processes with a digital platform that allows us to update the procedure used at the point of work more quickly and effectively. When we update the work method, every job after will have access to the new procedure. Additionally, it is much easier to track and document the procedures that the field teams use.
We regularly update our procedures and documentation to maintain high standards. This will give you access to the latest documents, revise quality control plans, and incorporate new control points into the plan as needed. We also have integrated modules for extra work or expanded scope during Live Outage sessions.
One of the best practices is to start early when planning for an outage. Get together with your customer project manager (CPM) or your service manager to help clarify the outage scope in advance to ensure the team accurately plans out the resources needed to execute an outage.
Additionally, plans must be detailed. Generalities don't work. If customers are responsible for providing "special tools" that were delivered with the unit at commissioning, then the specific list of tools needs to be identified. The customer should find every tool on that list and make sure they are ready to be used. Too often, we don't look for the tool until we need it, and then the inability to find it or its poor condition delays the job.
Before an event, we focus on contingency planning, collaborate with engineering partners, and aim to handle scope changes efficiently by identifying trends and allocating necessary resources. Our proactive measures are expected to make a significant difference in managing scope changes during outage season.
When dealing with scope changes during an outage, we thoroughly reassess our plan to ensure safety and quality standards are met. We evaluate procedures and safety mechanisms, update documentation and plans as needed, and integrate Live Outage modules where applicable.
During peak outage seasons, effectively managing resources requires advanced planning and strategic allocation. This involves forecasting demand, developing robust operating plans, and collaborating with customers to adjust outage schedules. Continuous monitoring and adjusting of plans ensure that resources are available to meet demand effectively, giving you confidence in your planning and execution.
Live Outage is highly customizable and designed to handle both traditional and non-traditional outages with flexibility. Recognizing that outages often involve emergent or unplanned work, we aim to create a shift plan that accurately reflects these complexities.
Some regions are more receptive to change than others, and there are also variations between teams within those regions. We are working on several approaches to encourage adoption, including enhancements to the platform (e.g., passwordless login) and tracking usage of the system (e.g., shift scoring).
There are different expectations depending on the position (e.g., craft mechanic, superintendent, or field engineer). Simply put, the expectation is that the team uses it to guide their work onsite.
The platform is consistent across all users, sites, and regions. However, usage varies. The changes we are implementing will enable us to measure compliance and usage, allowing comparisons against a common standard.
Currently, Live Outage is not available for renewable technologies, and there are no immediate plans to include them soon. However, we are actively expanding the platform's capabilities. Live Outage currently supports several technologies, including the 7F, 9F, 6F, and 7/9E gas turbines and D11 steam turbines.
We are working to extend support to additional technologies over the next two to five years. Progress is also being made with aeroderivative units. We aim to gradually cover all outages and technologies and are committed to evolving and integrating the platform with new technologies as we advance.
Live Outage is designed to enhance safety by ensuring that crews follow standardized procedures and perform tasks correctly. While there are some incremental risks, such as the inconvenience of managing a tablet while working, these are minimal compared to the overall benefits. However, these risks are manageable and do not significantly differ from those associated with processes and existing tools, such as air guns or wrenches.
Our approach combines detailed pre-outage planning, continuous on-site risk evaluations, and a strong safety culture to ensure that all activities are performed safely and effectively.
More specifically, our process for managing risk assessments and critical activities is thorough and proactive. It begins with our Site Risk Profile process, which is initiated before an outage starts. Our Site Risk Profile involves a cross-functional team assessing potential risks specific to the site. Critical areas reviewed include crew training, equipment adequacy, emergency preparedness, and other crucial factors. Identifying gaps before the outage begins to help ensure that your team and ours are fully equipped to perform their tasks safely.
Task Risk Assessments are another crucial component. These documents detail each task step, highlight potential risks, and specify mitigation measures. On-site, crews conduct real-time risk assessments, considering factors that might impact their work.
Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) is a safety procedure used across industries to work safely on hazardous equipment. In some countries, it is mandated that dangerous equipment is properly shut off and can only be started up again once maintenance or repair work is complete. LOTO requires hazardous energy sources to be "isolated and rendered inoperative" before work begins on equipment. Isolated power sources are then physically locked (via a lock or lock block), and a tag is placed on the lock identifying the worker and why the LOTO was placed on it. If LOTO practices are not observed, employees can be seriously injured or even killed by the machinery and equipment they work on or around.
GE Vernova and its Gas Power One Field Services collaborate in your preplanning meetings to help you establish your LOTO goals. Then, we help your team implement and follow a logical LOTO sequence.
Yes. Everyone arriving on-site must be properly trained and competent in their assigned tasks. Our risk assessment process includes reviewing not just the technical training of our crews but also their safety training. For instance, if a crew member is assigned to perform advanced rigging or a critical lift, we ensure they have the necessary training to execute these tasks safely. This proactive approach ensures that we have the right crew with the appropriate level of training before they begin work. Additionally, our crews often work together, which helps maintain a high level of familiarity and competence within the team.
Depending on the project's scope, the site team typically consists of a few field engineers, a craft supervisor, and a team of craft technicians responsible for executing the Outage. A customer service leader (CSL), a customer project manager (CPM), and a service or outage manager are also involved in the planning. Assigning what teams are involved requires careful consideration to align the project and customer's goals with our experienced core crew and technology. This process is overseen by our dedicated resource organization, ensuring the right people are deployed to the right site at the right time. Depending on the project's scope, other specialists, such as welders, machinists, and life extension experts, may be enlisted to support the core team.
What makes our One Field Services team different is our unwavering commitment to earning our place at our customers' job sites through consistent performance and dedication to delivering best-in-class services. Our team has an impressive history, with a lineage dating back 130 years, making it one of the longest-standing organizations within GE Vernova. This history has instilled pride and tradition in our team; however, we remain forward-thinking and future oriented. We have and will continue to invest in the future by focusing on training and technological advancements. Through ongoing investment in our team members and technology, we ensure that we not only uphold our legacy but also remain at the forefront of innovation and service delivery for years to come.
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